National Press Review, January 6

Politics returns on the front pages of newspapers in Bucharest, several days after the holidays and the New Year’s Eve have been in the spotlight.

‘Romania doesn’t throw stones at France and Germany, but doesn’t throw money at them anymore, either’ - the Gândul headlines.

Since accession to Schengen is uncertain, the 270 million euros available to the government for border security should be instead allocated to the SMEs’ – said the President during the Executive meeting.

The Jurnalul Naţional also resumes the statement the Head of the State made yesterday, under the headline: ‘Traian Băsescu turns his weapons against Germany’.

The newspaper appreciates the fact that the President’s words determined both allies and critics to ask themselves: ‘What did he mean?’ and ‘What will the next step be?’
The Adevărul and the Evenimentul Zilei open their today’s issues with Romanian school related topics.

‘The Education Law: to whom and how does it apply’ – under this headline, the Adevărul points out, among other things, that the students who are now in the last years of primary school will be the first to attend five years of secondary school and sit high school examinations.

The Evenimentul Zilei analyses, on two pages, the results of International Program for Student Assessment tests, according to which Romania ranks near the bottom of the list in general knowledge, out of over 60 countries. ‘The education has 30 more years of school to finish’ is the newspaper’s conclusion.There’s a huge difference between the Romanian and the Asian school (placed on top of the list); we can catch up only if changes start to happen immediately – stated the experts consulted by the Evenimentul Zilei.

Returning to politics issues for the ending – all today’s newspapers debate upon the latest movement on stage: the Conservative leader Daniel Constantin said yesterday that the Conservative Party ended the Alliance with the Social Democratic Party and would ally with the National Liberal Party.

The Jurnalul Naţional announces from the very opening of the issue: ‘the National Liberal Party and the Conservative Party will form the Centre-Right Alliance.’

’Felix has decided: ‘the immoral solution’ has become the Right one’ – the România Liberă writes.

‘Crin moves with Felix to checkmate Ponta’ - the Evenimentul Zilei says and explains the headline: ‘Voiculescu and Antonescu want to force Ponta to speed up the formation of the great alliance of the Opposition.’

The Gândul captures another aspect, this time media-related, and headlines: ‘Crin got himself some Antenas’; the National Liberal Party-Conservative Party Alliance is made thinking of DAHR.

Meanwhile – the Adevărul points out – the National Liberal Party promises the Conservatives 21 seats in the Parliament. In the future Parliament, for the election of which the Conservative Party would receive, according to the agreement signed yesterday, 12 eligible boards for the Chamber of Deputies and 9 for the Senate. At present, the Conservatives have only two deputies and a senator.

Translated by: Manuela Stancu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University