National Press Review, 14 March

‘Romania – Forgery heaven’ – the ROMÂNIA LIBERĂ headlined, noting that felons prefer the 100 lei bill. In the past two years, police have found more than 6,000 false Romanian bills.

But in prison there are only 11 convicts for forgery. In 2009 there were 30 percent forged money than in 2008, while in 2010 the figures are slightly up compared to the ones from last year – the police said. Forgers easily introduce their bills into markets and neighborhood stores. Money matters in the GÂNDUL also, which announced that NAFA is preparing to control the 12 Romanians with accounts in Switzerland.

According to the NAFA President, Sorin Blejnar, tax authorities in Switzerland have sent no less than 80 thousand data about individuals in Romania who had bank deposits in the country between 2007 and 2010.

For the first 12 who have deposits of 50-60 million euros, will first be verified the source of the income, and if the owners of the accounts will NOT have proofs to justify the transfers, they will be, first, taxed with 16 percent.

The NAFA President said that the country is preparing to recover 150 million euros representing the unpaid VAT. And also the GÂNDUL wrote about the Romanians whose homes have been taken by the banks because they could not pay their loans. In Iasi, 140 people were expelled from their homes last year.

Only that the banks that could make capital out of these homes, even though their price has dropped by 22 percent. There are no buyers.

The tragedy from Japan is covered by a lot of the today’s newspapers. ‘Japan, just like after war’ or ‘Economic impact of 35 billion euros’– are the headlines of the JURNALUL NAŢIONAL, which also enshrined the event a page of ‘testimonials about the apocalypse.’

‘Japan – most serious crisis after Second World War’ – the EVENIMENTUL ZILEI headlined, telling also the story of a Romanian woman, a former scholar of the Japanese government, about how it felt to live among people that taught her not to complain and not to leave the others in need. ‘

‘New Hiroshima’ – was the especially chosen headline for the first page in the ADEVĂRUL, which published two photos of the coastal city of Sendai before and after the tsunami. The same newspaper brought into question the biggest problem that Japan is facing after the earthquake: the safety of its nuclear power plants: in at least three of them could cause an explosion.

‘Waste management, major issue in Romania’ –the EVENIMENTUL ZILEI headlined, publishing an interview with an MEP from the European Parliament's environment committee about the major environmental problems in Romania and the effects of the global warming.

Due to the lack of environmental policies in the recent decades, Romania is now facing serious problems which require immediate action. Rapid industrialization has led to water and air pollution. The soil and water have been contaminated with toxic chemicals from the former factories and mines.

But perhaps the most serious problem is that tons of toxic waste has been brought into Romania from other European Union countries over the past 20 years, to be neutralized or only to be stored. Another serious problem is the waste management in urban areas.

In addition, upgrading the landfills has been and still remained a challenge for Romania ‘– pointed out Greek MP Kriton Arsenis, a well-known environmental activist in his country.’ We should consume less, reuse, recycle, reduce the amount of garbage produced, reduce the energy consumption and use public transport more often, not private cars – the MP advised us.


Translated by: Iulia Florescu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University