National Press Review, May 3

“Markets do not have patience with politicians: Euro passes the value of 4,4 lei”, we read in Ziarul Financiar. There wasn’t any financially deterioration of the country in the last few days, only the instability perception has led to currency fall. Not even the National Bank of Romania (BNR) resource of 34 billion Euros and the liquidities of 5 billion from the Finances Ministry’s treasury have managed to counter-balance the tensions from the currency market.

In Adevărul we read about BNR governor’s explanations: why did our currency fall? In four months, two changes at governmental level, a heavy winter and the street protests. There has been overcome the threshold of 4,4 lei for an Euro and the press has roaring on this, but Isărescu keeps outlining that “the extent of currency depreciation is extremely small”. The impact on the inflation will not be significant, the governor of the central bank calms us.

„What will happen with our currency”, we further read in România Liberă. The specialists state that the pressure on the exchange rate will temperate after the new governors will clearly specify their position regarding the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (FMI).

The new governors –about each one, a short presentation in Jurnalul Naţional. Also here we read about the new plans of the first cabinet meeting: the state secretaries and prefects will be changed and the government decision regarding UMF Târgu-Mureş will be repealed. Another theme which preoccupies the Social-Liberal Union (USL): the president’s suspension from his function and the changing of Roberta Anastase from the head of Chamber of Deputies –these are not the priorities of the new government, declare USL.

On the other hand, Evenimentul Zilei writes: “Irritation within USL: Voiculescu, a risk for Ponta Government”. The president’s suspension calendar –60 days until dismissal –which liberals have waved, strikes the Union’s image. We read also about strong and weak points of USL cabinet. Evenimentul has counted 7 ministers with problems in their files.

The new cabinet has begun at the wrong end , România Liberă agrees: “Ponta government will be supported by traitors and undercover officers”. Yesterday, Victor Ponta and Gabriel Oprea have signed the protocol which confirms the political party switchers coming back from UNPR within the party’s courtyard from which they had left in 2009. This happens after not long time ago, in autumn, Victor Ponta has declared that those from UNPR are “traitors” and “covered officers”.

Another thing: some ministers from “the most honest government that Romania had ever had”, as the new prime-minister has declared, are “bombs”. România Liberă writes that the question which is now posed as if the flagrant cases are removed or USL go further with them, as a resort in a new suspension.

From Bursa we find about analysts’ optimist opinion: the proposed government by the Prime-minister Victor Ponta gives a positive feeling to the business environment, due to “ideological cocktail” of left and right. Florin Georgescu at the Finance Minister is perceived as a firm warranty of the macro-economic equilibrium –a minister who will never adventure on the fiscal instability territory.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University