National Press Review, 22 August

The România Liberă reviews the expenses made by the public authorities and states: ‘In the midst of financial crisis, local authorities were among the main clients of banks. Municipalities turn to loans that reach tens of millions of euros.’

According to the figures provided by the Ministry of Finance, just this year, municipalities took out loans of about RON 190 million and EUR 57 million – mainly for repairing the roads, sewage networks, heating, public lighting and the restoration of buildings.

The Adevărul focused on the politicians that we vote: ‘Luxury tourists on public money’- from the article it follows that in the last four years the Bucharest district mayors have spent tens of thousands of euros on tours with the Comic Opera for Children, an institution subordinated to the City Hall.

Among the destinations: Croatia, the United States, Israel, India or the Caribbean.

The head of the cultural institution defended himself by claiming that they, quote... invited themselves on tours.

Nothing unusual in this, the elected local and county officials, the reviewers and the secretaries might say, caught with the passport in their hands: the journalists examine similar cases in the country where travelling might be justified by the fact that exchanges of experience are required.

In Craiova for example, a director and a deputy went to Dubai to examine... the public transport.

They returned, the Adevărul writes, surprised that the bus stops had air conditioning, forgetting that there the temperature is of 38-40 degrees Celsius, regardless of the month.

And since we are discussing transport... Well, the Evenimentul Zilei draws a final warning signal: ‘Baccalaureate, second session: one last train to studentship.’

‘The exams that begin today are video monitored and fraud will not be tolerated.’

Maybe this is less important to spoiled rich offspring, with cars more expensive than the life savings of many Romanians.

Also in the Evenimentul we find out that ‘the sharks of the roads can stay calm: the changes proposed in the new Highway Code do not leave them without cars. Plus, they will even be immune to penalty points.’

Moreover, the subject is present in all central newspapers of today: it’s notable, however, that some journalists see the full half of the tank first: Ping Pong, back to the Adevărul, where it is stated that: ‘The new Highway Code will be tougher on drivers.’

A new bill will compel those who make mistakes to pay a fine of up to EUR 2,000 and only after that will they be able to challenge it.

The Jurnalul Naţional notes more concisely: ‘removal of penalty points, increased fines and an increased period of suspension of license for violence in traffic – some of the suggestions that could change the Highway Code.

No way of confiscating cars, Lucian Diniţă, head of the Road Directorate said this is not constitutional.’

We conclude with the foreign policy page of today’s Press Review: while the Adevărul and the Evenimentul Zilei write about the Battle for Tripoli and anticipate the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, closer and closer to surrendering, the România Liberă notes that a fragile peace is threatened.

The death of five Egyptian border guards, caught in the crossfire between the Israeli army and the Palestinian terrorists, has triggered huge protests in Cairo.

The European Union and the United States are doing everything they can in order to alleviate the delicate situation.


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