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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-05-07

The Press Agency of the Romanian Radio (RADOR Society) Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: RADOR Press Agency <http://indis.ici.ro/romania/news/rador.html>

May 7, 1998


CONTENTS

  • [01] Investigation Results Concerning Cigarette Smuggling Case;
  • [02] Traian Basescu Says Civil Aviation Authorities Did Nothing but Observed All Flight Procedures;
  • [03] Gheorghe Trutulescu Acted in His Own Name;
  • [04] ApR Claims That Those Involved in the "Cigarette Affair" Are Neglecting the Interests of Romania;
  • [05] PUNR in Support of Parliamentary Inquiry Commission to Investigate Cigarette Smuggling at Otopeni Airport;
  • [06] Romania Is Ready to Participate in a European Reaction Force;
  • [07] Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu at the Council of Europe's Ministerial Committee in Strasbourg;
  • [08] Klaus Kinkel Has Urged Romania to Understand That Entry Visa Was a "Delicate" Matter;
  • [09] Romanian Defence Minister Met His Austrian Counterpart;
  • [10] Romanian Festival in Tel Aviv;
  • [11] International Military Training Exercise "Cooperative Lantern '98";
  • [12] Prime Minister Radu Vasile in an Interview with "Magyar Hirlap" Newspaper.

  • [01] Investigation results concerning cigarette smuggling case

    According to a communique issued by the Army Press office, Romanian Defence Minister Victor Babiuc has designated a commission to investigate the events at the 90 Air Transport base on March 23. Following the investigation, its report says that Colonel Gheorghe Trutulescu and Dumitru Popescu met the Unit Commander Ioan Suciu on Marcu 23 at 5.30 PM. The SFV 302 flight of the AN 12 plane belonging to Air Sofia and covering the Sofia- Otopeni-Sofia line has landed on the Otopeni International Airport on March 23 at 8.55 PM and then moved to base 90. The agents representing the airpot authorities were paid 927 USD for landing taxes. According to preliminary reports, the access and driving operations were completed around 9 PM and approved by Commander Ioan Suciu. Five vehicules were alloed acces to the airport through the check point of Gate 4 at 8.30 PM. The existing evidence may prove that loading-unloading operation could be coordinated by both Colonel TrutMlescy and Commander Suciu. The vehicules have left the airport through Gate 2 at 11.30 PM. The gate was opened and closed following an order by the commander of the base. RADOR

    [02] Traian Basescu says Civil Aviation authorities did nothing but observed all flight procedures

    While attending the proceedings of the Industry and Services Commission in the House of Deputies on Wednesday, Romanian Transport Minister Traian Basescu said that as far as the "Otopeni Affair" was concerned, the Civil Aviation did nothing but strictly observed all flight procedures. Mr Basescu informed that the Air Sofia airliners would be banned from flying the Romanian territory as soon as the Romanian authorities would receive the cargo documents the Bulgarian commander had. In his turn, the deputy representing the opposition Party of Social Democracy in Romania, Chief Commissioner Dan Ioan Popescu declared that, following discussions, the "Otopeni Affair" proved far from being the only smuggling case in reMent days, and there was evidence proving the involvement of army in such affairs. RADOR

    [03] Gheorghe Trutulescu acted in his own name

    Gheorghe Trutulescu's lawyer declared on Wednesday evening that his client was interrogated in connection with the cigarette transport on April 16-17. He said Trutulescu did not act as representative of the SPP (Presidential Guard and Protection Service) during the operation. When asked by journalists if other names where mentioned at the hearing, the lawyer said he was not supposed to give any further details on the matter. RADOR

    [04] ApR claims that those involved in the "Cigarette Affair" are neglecting the interests of Romania

    The Alliance for Romania Party (ApR) says those involved in the "Cigarette Affair" are neglecting Romania's interests in an unacceptable manner while favouring party interests. At a press conference on Wednesday, the ApR leaders said that the positions of our state institutions were not supposed to improve Romania's imageMinto the world at a time when the government crisis already deteriorated it. As far as the Budget was concerned, the ApR expresses its regrets that the commissions in parliament did not accept any of the amendments it proposed. Deputy Nicolae Popa said his party would vote for the Budget in case the amendment concerning the destination of privatisation resulting funds was accepted. Otherwise, the party will make its political decision on the matter at the right time. RADOR

    [05] PUNR in support of parliamentary inquiry commission to investigate cigarette smuggling at Otopeni airport

    The opposition Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR) says the initiative to set up a parliamentary inquiry commission for the Otopeni cigarette smuggling case belongs to the Opposition as a whole. The commission should be urgently set up as the institutions responsible did not seem to be able to solve such a complicated case of corruption and smuggling. PUNR believes that any attempt to delay the settiMg up of the commission will do nothing but confirm that the ruling Christian Democrat National Peasant Party (PNTCD), National Liberal Party (PNL) and Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) are trying to hush the involvment of high ranking officials up. In a press communique, PUNR leader Valeriu Tabara says his party was not involved in any of the corruption and smuggling cases in Romania since 1990. RADOR

    [06] Romania is ready to participate in a European reaction force

    While in Madrid on Wednesday, Senate Speaker Petre Roman said Romania was ready to participate in a European reaction force to intervene and solve emerging crisis. He mentioned a number of military units and logistic facilities that Romania was ready to offer in case such a force would be created. Mr Roman is attending a conference on "Security and Defence Indentity in Europe", and other participants include NATO Secretary General Javier Solana, WEO secretary general, EU defence ministers, NATO chiefM commanders and Spanich government officials. In another development, Petre Roman met Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and former Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez. RADOR

    [07] Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu at the Council of Europe's Ministerial Committee in Strasbourg

    "GRECO will be a new body aimed at monitoring the implementation of the 20 leading principles of the fight against corruption. The principles were adopted during the last ministerial session. Romania has a good position and it could provide efficient solutions", Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu said while in Strasbourg. He has welcomed the Parliamentary Assembly's decision to conclude its monitoring of Romania and said the country would "carefully observe all its commitments in the very next future".

    Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu and the president of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Mrs Leni Fischer admitted that the Amnesty International report on Romania included "a Meries of old and redundant matters". Mrs Fischer said the new government in Bucharest should have the "chance to work" and solve the problems the report mentioned. She admitted that the resumption of Romania's monitoring was out of the question. As far as the entry visa issue was concerned, minister Plesu rejected such discriminating suggestions claiming that "the eastern border of the EU should be secured".

    The Dnestrian issue was the subject of the talks between Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu and his Polish counterpart who is also the current president of the OSCE. Mr Plesu has asked the Polish minister to reflect and find possible ways to clear up the problems concerning the status of the Dnestrian territory. RADOR

    [08] Klaus Kinkel has urged Romania to understand that entry visa was a "delicate" matter

    While in Bonn, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said he understood the concern that some contries expressed about the movement of their citizens, but it was notMa policy against a certain state. This is why, Romania should understand that the matter was ver "delicate". Recalling that, unfortunately, Romania was "involved in events that should not happen" - allusion to Romanian gangs operating on German territory - Mr Kinkel has stressed: "To conclude, Romania should take measures to solve such problems". RADOR

    [09] Romanian defence minister met his Austrian counterpart

    While on a visit to Bucharest on Wednesday, Austrian Defence Minister Werner Fasslablend said his visit was expected to strengthen bilateral relations seen as very important for the CEN COOP peace-keeping and the NATO expansion. The statement was made his first round of talks with his Romanian counterpart Victor Babiuc. The Austrian minister added that Austria perceived Romania as a pole of stability in South-East Europe and believed the cooperation in Central Europe was very important as both countries shared the waters of the Danube river. Romanian Defence Minister VictorMBabiuc has announced that Romania was to coordinate a workshop for air and navy transport and, along with Austria and Hungary, the country is to participate in a joint monitoring initiative of their water routes. RADOR

    [10] Romanian festival in Tel Aviv

    A Romanian festival was organised recently in Tel Aviv on the occasion of the Israeli State's jubilee and the 50-th anniversary of uninterrupted Romanian-Israeli relations. It is for the first time when a Romanian- Israeli show was organised on such a large scale. Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile sent a message of congratulation to the Israeli community of Romanian descent pointing out that Romania was always a friend of the Israeli people. The traditional friendship between the two countries was an extremely generous opportunity to encourage even closer relations in recent years, the message said. The Romanian ambassador to Israel, the Israeli ambassador to Romania, the mayor of Tel Aviv and the president of the Romanian Jews UMion have attended the show. RADOR

    [11] International military training exercise "Cooperative Lantern '98"

    The Romanian officers participating in the NATO-Partnership for Peace "Cooperative Lantern '98" training exercise have occupied the area where the commanders were expected to establish the headquarters of the operation. The response unit of the international batallion is under Belgian command. The headquarters of the international brigade in Balatonkenede, Hungary, use Romanian-made DAC special cargo vehicules. RADOR

    [12] Prime Minister Radu Vasile in an interview with "Magyar Hirlap" newspaper

    The Hungarian daily "Magyar Hirlap" newspaper published an interview with Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile on Wednesday. The prime minister rejects the idea of territorial authonomy on ethnic criteria, but expresses his support for the cultural authonomy of the Hungarian minority in Romania. He said that, according to recent reports, hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians left RomMnia in the last 5-6 years. The situation is unacceptable for a minority wishing to preserve its identity, the prime minister added. According to the same source, the prime minster said the ethnic Hungarians' demands of mother tongue education and Hungarian language teaching university were justified. RADOR


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