National Press Review, February 17

“Romanian Justice shows its teeth “. This is the headline of the front page in Evenimentul Zilei, that writes the time for political pressure on justice is off. Courts have started to give sentences, as well as acquittals “because the skein of sponsorships and interests from High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) was whacked”, according to the paper.

In Adevărul, a warning: “Europe’s money, the blockage risk”. The Commission is about to sanction us and block the 3.7 billion Euros for Romania for professional training. That if not have proper laws, so that there are no longer conflicts of interests to those who manage EU funds.

We also read about corruption in Jurnalul Naţional, which calculated that “the prefect of Constanţa’s family live with 65 Euros per month”. The journalists obtained this amount after they added expenses and subtracted from the modest income reported by Claudiu Iorga-Palaz, who is investigated in a traffic of influence case. For the poor prefect, who is with his wife and children in maximum poverty situation, also he has the responsibility to maintain his huge mansion with pool in Constanţa - writes Jurnalul Naţional.

România Liberă announces “the return of corruption preachers“. “DAHR( UDMR) wants to legalize conflict of interest”. The same politicians who are trying to bury INA(ANI), want now that mayors can give their companies public contracts. The DAHR deputies Andras Levente Mate and Arpad Marton came up with a series of amendments to make the parliamentarians and those from local administrations be impossible to be punished.

“How long will be health reform?”, we find out from Curierul Naţional. It cannot happen from day to day and neither the political support is safe, say the field representatives. If all goes well, the process could take 4-5 years and will mean a graduated transition from the state system to the private one.

“The luxurious asphalt of our capital - Price is taken on to eight times” - România liberă found out after having checked the tender documentation figures. City Hall pays 80,000 Euros annually one street kilometer maintenance, whereas, nationally, the average is 10,000 Euros.

The same topic in Adevărul: “Check the asphalt kings”. State institutions have entered investigation after investigation since there were revealed the exorbitant costs on snow removal. Competition Council has had its eye on 11 companies from Bucharest suspected that they had an agreement to win auctions by rotation. Adevărul also found out from the National Roads and Highways Company (CNADNR) that the state will expropriate strips of land in roads areas in order to plant forestry belts.

Translated by Denisse-Meda Bucura
MTTLC, Bucharest University