Romania: Press review - January 28
Jan 28, 2010

Romania: Press review - January 28.
Bucharest, Jan 28 /Agerpres/ - Romania's national dailies of Thursday give main coverage to the issues of substance facing the Romanian judiciary; the IMF showing signs of confidence in the local economic trends; the course to be followed by Romania for a switchover to the single European currency, and the 2010 unemployment prospects.


When a judge who is both responsible and entrusted with responsibilities may differentiate between the common people and the men in the system when talking about justice, it means that the Romanian justice system is a failure, editorialist Horia-Roman Patapievici writes in Evenimentul zilei. Any common people that has had to face the Romanian justice system knows from this first-hand experience three things: that trials are costly, that they last disproportionately long and that the outcome of trials are uncertain, the editorialist says.

That means, Patapievici adds, that justice is costly irrespective of outcome; that it takes long to carry through even when it does not take that long, and when a final verdict is reached it is immediately imposed when it is to the detriment of the citizen, but when it is to his favour it is being diluted or haphazardly executed; final in Romania's justice system means either indefinite, or weakly defined or in other ways defined, says Patapievici.


The papers remark that more than half a year ago Prime Minister Emil Boc would find nothing objectionable to local administrations throwing public money out the window on festivities, but on Wednesday he had a change of heart. After a meeting with trade unions and employers where lay-off figures were discussed along with economic trends and issues generated by the ongoing crisis, Boc found it necessary to tell mayors to forget about parties funded with public money. In August 2009 alone, the papers say, there were 376 public festivals in Romania.


Curierul national remarks that the Government has won good marks from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the rescheduling of the elimination of Government pay arrears. Although companies' access to banks is hard, it seems that the Government will not be giving back the companies their money soon. Franks warned that although lending will resume this year, the system will still remain under pressure, which offers entrepreneurs more reasons to worry.



Ziarul financiar quotes IMF Mission Chief for Romania Jeffrey Franks as having said on Wednesday that Romania will have no difficulty in paying back the loan from the IMF after the agreement is finalised because the Romanian economy is expected to record consistent growth starting next year and fiscal consolidation will also continue.

The paper also remarks that Franks said Romania could pay back the loan because it is no Somalia. Curierul national notes that the Government passed the IMF test, but the economy failed it, while Romania libera quotes Franks as suggesting the Romanian Government to adjust wages to boost investment.


Romania libera reports that Romania is at risk of losing more than one billion euro from the European Union because it does not follow selective waste collection and the Government has not moved to meet the commitments pledged under the accession treaty. Moreover, it is also facing the risk of having to pay fines and face up to vehement criticisms from EU officials. And yet, the paper says, instead of strongly insisting on the introduction of a selective waste collection system according to four fractions - paper and cardboard, metal, plastics and glass - the Government does not seem to care. Proof to the problem is talk of Romania being penalised by the buyback system that will have the country earmark extra funds and lose some EU funds.


The papers quote Governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) Mugur Isarescu as saying BNR is ready to fight on an equal footing in the world's international financial arena, and that one of the main objectives of the bank is Romania switching over to the single European currency, the euro, so that the euro may be optimally introduced in Romania. 'For the future, I can only bring forth the commitment of the institution I am leading that it will fight for achieving the objectives incumbent on it: price and financial stability; securing other objectives for economic recovery and growth together with the Government and seriously preparing for a smooth switchover to the euro so that the euro may be introduced in the optimal way,' the papers quote Isarescu as saying.


Cotidianul reports about an emergency ordinance of the Government, citing from it and showing that the managers of public authorities and institutions may embark on renegotiating wage rights, or on business reorganistaion or restructuring by cutting jobs, all in order to adjust their staff costs to the cost limits approved.


Ziua remarks that IMF's Jeffrey Franks says unemployment will continue to rise, particularly in the first part of 2010, adding that the number of Romanian unemployed might reach a million. The paper says this confirms a 2008 scenario drawn up by Evenimentul zilei indicating that the crisis will boost the unemployment figures to nearly 1 million.


Bursa reports that the Companies' Registry Office has rejected a capital increase by controversial gold mining company Rosia Montana Gold Corporation, thus denying the company a vital operation that would have saved the company from dissolution. Rosia Montana Gold Corporation has not challenged the decision of the delegate judge, which pushes the company to the brink of dissolution, according to the legislation in force.


Adevarul reports that mayor of the centre southwest city of Ramnicul Valcea Mircea Gutau, 53, and former deputy mayor of the same city Nicolae Dicu, 57, on Wednesday were sentenced to three and a half years in prison under a final and binding sentence of the Supreme Court.

This is a national first sentencing, as it is sending behind bars a mayor of the ruling Democratic-Liberal Party (PD-L), Jurnalul National remarks. The court sentenced the two administration officials for bribe taking and accessory to bribe, after the court venue for their trial was moved many times and the two officials were acquitted by two courts, Romania libera reports. AGERPRES
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