National Press Review, January 5

The Evenimentul Zilei tries to assess ‘the odds for economic growth’ in an economic analysis.

One thing is clear: we are completely ‘dependent on rains and the sun, exportation, on attracting European funds and cutting the state expenditures. We can’t rely on the IMF prognosis, which has been contradicted by reality before’, claims the newspaper.
‘The Education Law calms the coalition’s nerves’, reads the România Liberă.Only two hours after the Constitutional Court had given the green light to the much contested project conceived by Funeriu, president Traian Băsescu signed the regulatory act. Marko Bela can now retire gloriously from the political scene.

Although the Education Law does not put an end to the political conflicts between the parties in power and the ones in opposition, it does, however, bring peace to the governing coalition, taking into account that the Hungarians threatened to leave if the project wouldn’t be adopted.

The political victory that the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania has just won consists in the amendment that allows teachers to teach the geography and history of Romania in schools and high schools in the mother tongue’ – points out the newspaper.

The Jurnalul Naţional tempts its readers with a critical portrait of president Traian Băsescu, drawn by none others than the American deputies, and which was made public after the WikiLeaks site had posted a series of diplomatic telegrams of the American Embassy addressed to the State Department.

The portrait contains more or less familiar data about, we quote, ‘family, wealth, weak points and controversies’. The list contains mistakes from the past and also close friends and relatives, such as Elena Udrea and the president’s brother, Mircea Băsescu’.
All today’s newspapers write about the scandal that took place yesterday, when the authorities evicted the members of the Greater Romania Party (PRM) from the party’s headquarters, after the former landlord legally regained the building in the Dorobanţi neighbourhood.

‘Vadim humiliated both police and justice’, reads Evenimentul Zilei. ‘Corneliu Vadim Tudor erupted like a muddy volcano when the court enforcement officer came to supervise the eviction procedure.

He threw a glass of water at her, called her ‘imbecile’, ‘ignorant’, ‘criminal’, and ‘promised’ her and the police officers that accompanied her that they would rot in jail. ‘Who is afraid of Vadim?’- asks the România Liberă, surprised at the reaction of the police that doesn’t consider the images with the PRM leader enough evidence to take action and of the Prosecution Office which is still analyzing the case.

According to the Adevărul, the court enforcement officer announced that she will file a complaint against Vadim Tudor for having been insulted and assaulted while doing her job.

‘Vadim swore at a cop and threw his helmet on the ground’, we read in the Gândul, which informs us that ‘protected by the member of the European Parliament immunity, Vadim can be charged with accusations of violation of court order only after his immunity will be lifted by the European Parliament.

‘Lawyers through the back door’, reads the Adevărul, which explains: ‘Members of the Parliament, mayors, vice mayors and the heads of the county councils that are lawyers in residence will be able to become permanent lawyers without sitting a national exam, like the rest of the candidates.

The new lawyer’s Law was voted in Parliament and promulgated by president Traian Băsescu.

The Gândul reads that the aggressive drivers are in for a year licence suspension, according to the new Traffic Law.

Deputies will vote the bill in spring. The present law provides fines for swearing and obscene gestures. Police officers have suggested Spanish inspired penalties to end traffic violence.

According to the new Traffic Law, those who start a fight in traffic, apart from facing criminal penalties, will have their driver’s licence lifted. The Traffic Police compiled a list of ‘aggressive’ traffic behaviour: ‘repeated zigzag overtakes, sudden breaks or slaloms’ are to be sanctioned by the new Traffic Law.

However, Parliament members have to define ‘aggressiveness’ and establish how it can be proven.

Translated by: Raluca Mizdrea and Ciocănel Tudor
MA Students, MTTLC, Bucharest University