National Press Review, Febuary 3

‘Egypt, on the brink of civil war’ - the Jurnalul Naţional notes.

Political groups for and against President Hosni Mubarak came into open conflict on the streets of Cairo.

The Gândul argues on the same subject: the Egyptian revolution is turning into a civil war, after the opponents of Mubarak have been attacked by the President’s supporters.

Chairs, bats and stones, these were the weapons used by both sides.

The Adevărul reads: ‘Mubarak’s fighters attack on camels’.

Egyptian police officers disguised as civilians, riding horses and camels, beat up the anti-government demonstrators using whips and clubs.

‘Mubarak is leaving, is Al Qaeda taking his place?’ - the România Liberă wonders.

There are concerns all over the world regarding the danger that a radical Islamic wave will hit the Middle East.

‘Mubarak is on his knees, Ben Ali has fallen. Who is next? - the Evenimentul Zilei continues the idea.

There are also issues beyond the borders of Egypt.
Hosni Mubarak is not the only questioned dictator.

The Arab world is in turmoil.

Thus, today’s newspapers equally debate on the front page both the positions of the governing body and the opposition – a brief review of the topics.

The Jurnalul Naţional: ‘Udrea is wasting our money with electoral purposes’.

The Ministry of Development and Tourism has taken over 40 acres from the Voluntari local administration and passed them under the Bucharest City Hall administration so as to erect apartment buildings; the water, gas, electricity and street networks will cost a lot of money, in full crisis – the Jurnalul Naţional reads.

The România Liberă: ‘Bivolaru makes an amazing comeback’.

After having stolen thousands of millions of euros from the Romanian Development Bank, former Social Democrat deputy Gabriel Bivolaru has switched to oil and diesel fuel.

The Adevărul: ‘The crooked are better. Today: the PDL’.

The PSD deputies in the Legal Commission of the Chamber of Deputies did indeed approve the arrest of their colleague Dan Păsat, but after the abstentions from voting in the commission had been declared void; therefore – the Adevărul argues – the procedure was flawed.

Finally, the Evenimentul Zilei resumes the topic concerning the trip PSD Vice President Marian Vanghelie took to America, which the newspaper claims it was organised entirely by the mayor’s advisor in District 5, Cozmin Guşă.

Marian Vanghelie describes their collaboration as follows: ‘It was not a matter of money. I told him: what comes around, goes around, if you help me maybe I will do the same for you in the future’.

Translated by: Manuela Stancu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University