National Press Review, January 13

Exclusively, in the GÂNDUL we read about ‘How much the computer system of the National Health Insurance House, which ‘cracked’ after only a month, cost.’ Here is the short version of the story: The system was inaugurated in December, in the presence of President Băsescu. The computers ‘cracked’ yesterday, because of some technical issues in the main software of the company in America and Australia – the NHIH Director explained. In all counties, operation will be ceased until next week, the earliest. From unofficial data, 44 million euros were provided for the improvement of the system, of which, so far, 36 million have been already spent, the rest being kept for maintenance. To verify this information, the newspaper asked the NHIH Director, Dorin Ionescu, how much was the computer system.’ We still have 15 years to pay’, answered Ionescu.

‘How much the driver’s license cost in Bucharest’ - we also learn from the GÂNDUL: between 200 and 300 euros. The prosecutors detained yesterday 14 persons involved in the fraudulent purchase of dozens, perhaps hundreds of driver’s licenses in Bucharest and Ilfov. According to the investigators, the network of corrupted officials made tens of thousands of euros from promoting the practical exam in exchange for bribes offered by the candidates. In this context, the newspaper reminds about a similar operation in Argeş, 2009, which was conducted through a large institutional and media outreach. What happened in two years time? The files were sent from the Municipal Court in Piteşti, which declined jurisdiction, ato the Court of Law. From the Court of Law they were sent to the Court of Appeal, which sent them back to the Court of Law- Litigations department. To sum up: of 3,500 drivers who gave bribes to obtain their license, only one did not receive it!

NAFA took by storm the oil companies – we learn in the EVENIMENTUL ZILEI. Yesterday morning, the National Agency for Fiscal Administration inspectors carried out an unannounced inspection at the premises of the major fuel distribution companies to analyse their profits, after the repeated price rises. Given that we are talking about important taxpayers, the analysis could take several months: they will verify the connection between the fuel purchase price and the selling price at the gas pump.

The JURNALUL NAŢIONAL announces ‘splurge in the government in 2011’. 24 million euros: this is the amount calculated by the quoted newspaper, after adding up the expenses covered from the public budget for the daily maintenance and activity of Prime Minister Boc and his staff, mostly made up of detaches from Cluj. According to the Annex presented on the website of the Ministry of Finance, these expenses are included in the General Secretariat of the Government budget. This amount does not cover, however, salaries and allowances. Millions of euros will go to bonuses and holidays, furniture and supplies; the protocol fund at the Victoria Palace alone has been established to one million euros this year; travel allowances are close to 400,000 euros.

The ADEVĂRUL addresses the issue of military pension recalculation and attempts to find out who wins and who loses. Up to this point, there is only one certainty: pensions smaller than 3,000 lei granted for full seniority and age will not be reduced. Deep cuts will affect the former employees of the MND, who retired early, i.e. very young. And their number is huge, as they hold the majority in the age structure of military retirees. This is about the successive waves of forced retirement made before joining NATO. On the other hand, both the army and the police are overwhelmed by everything that recalculations entail, as they do not have enough specialized personnel.

‘Dead end in Cernavoda’ – is the all-capital letter headline the ROMÂNIA LIBERĂ opens today’s issue. ‘Railway or asphalt roads, they all will give tourists headaches, at least in 2011. This is the second year the repairs to the Bucureşti-Constanţa railway, which started in 2006, will be delayed, and the train ride takes at least four hours. The Cernavodă-Constanţa highway is already behind schedule and lacks planning certificates. The bridge on the old road will go under repairs for at least one year, so that they don’t lose the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development financing. These are the reasons why tens of thousands of drivers will hustle daily on the road to the sea, on the streets of Cernavodă.’

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