Moldova Squabbles with Romania, Cozies with Russia

Moldova and Romania are close to severing relations. Moldova expelled two employees of the Romanian embassy on Wednesday and called its ambassador in Bucharest back for consultations. The Romanian Foreign Ministry intends to take responsive measures. This is the most heated conflict the countries have had in Moldova's 16 years of independence.
The conflict centers around a statement made by Romanian Ambassador to Moldova Filip Teodorescu late last month about the Paris Peace Accord of 1947, between the victor in World War Two and the allies of Nazi Germany. “The 1947 accord is a historical falsification that was signed because Romania was an occupied country,” Teodorescu declared, adding that it should no longer be referred to in support of the legal basis for the demarcation of the Romanian-Moldovan border. That border was the River Prut in Soviet times.

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry summoned Teodorescu for an explanation of his statement and to remind him that the 1969 Vienna Convention and 1978 UN Convention that confirm that there is no time limit on boundaries established by international agreement. Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin stated that he would complain to the European Union about the statements. Romania became an EU member this year.

“I expected many of the problems in our relations to disappear after Romania joined the EU,” said Voronin, “but relations between Moldova and Romania have not changed. All those statements are so stupid they don't deserve criticism. Let Europe judge us.” True to his word, Voronin accused Romania of “continual aggression” while he was visiting Brussels last week.

Moldova and Romania have had conflicts before and, since the Party of the Communists came to power in Moldova in 2001, they have been a common occurrence. Chisinau often accuses Bucharest of funding the opposition and the Romanian Orthodox Church of wanting to set up a bishopric in Moldova, where the Russian Orthodox Church predominates. Most of all, Voronin is annoyed by Romanian President Traian Besescu's claim that there is only one people in the two countries – Romanians. But when relations between Moldova and Russia were cool and Moldova was financially straitened, Besescu came to Voronin's aid. Now that Voronin is once again welcome at the Kremlin, he is freer in expressing his true opinion of Romania.

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Misleading advertising takes Romania into new EU infringement procedures

de Radu Big HotNews.ro

Vineri, 14 decembrie 2007, 2:42 English

Romanian problems are far from consisting exclusively in the car first registration tax (car tax, in short) and in the ever-malfunctioning 112 emergency call issues, but also in misleading advertising. The European Commission opened in August 2007 an official community right procedure against Romania, given the fact that authorities failed to align the existing legislation to the EU rules.

Responsible authorities claim that the both chambers of the Parliament approved the law and the only thing remaining is for the President to promulgate it. Brussels officials mentioned for Hotnews.ro that they have been informed on the fact that the law will be adopted and there is only a small chance for Romania to receive any penalties on the issue.

A press release on Wednesday informed that the European Commission will see coming into force a series of wide communitarian measures designed to fight the "false free of charge" advertising, aggressive commercial practices and children harassing adds, starting on December 12.

The restrictions are presented in detail in the unfair commercial practice law (the 2005/29/CE directive), which aims at 12 of the most popular abusive advertising practices. At this moment, 14 countries managed to put up and comply with the EU regulations, while 13 states, including Romania, still have to work on it. As a result, the European Commission opened infringement procedures against the remaining 13 states.

Romania to stop sports event violence

BUCHAREST, Romania (UPI) -- The lower house of the Romanian Parliament has approved a law aimed at preventing violence and rioting at sports events, Bucharest media reported.

The bill, already passed by the Senate, includes prison terms of up to four years, fines between $414 and $1,242 and a ban on attending sports events from three months to three years for hooliganism, the Romanian news agency Mediafax said.

The man who initiated the draft law, Dumitru Dragomir, president of the Romanian soccer league and a parliamentary deputy, said violence at sports events is getting out of control and Romania needed punishments that met European Union standards.

The law bans bringing torches and fireworks into stadiums and violators face jail terms up to three years if people are injured.

Special cameras will watch fans in the stands during events.

Fans protested the bill claiming it limits displaying their feelings and threatened to sue Romania in a European court of justice.

Romania Considers it Important to Co-operate with Azerbaijan in Ensuring Europe’s Energy Security Romania Considers it Important to Co-operate with A

Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. TrendCapital U.Ismaylova / The Government of Romania considers it important to co-operate with Azerbaijan in ensuring the energy security of Europe, said Romania’s Deputy Minister of Economy of Finance, Viroel Palashka, at the meeting with the Administration of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Industry and Energy, Rasim Mammadov.

According to Palashka, Romania is holding talks with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. During the meeting in Baku, the parties discussed the realization of the Trans-Caspian pipeline and Nabucco project, as well as Romania’s role in realizing the project and prospects of co-operation within the areas of manufacturing oil machinery and oil and gas production.

The Romanian delegation also included the Vice President of Romgz, Luchian Stanchi, Deputy Director of Petrom, Dorin Brau, Director General of Konpet, Livin Ilashu, Director General of Oil Terminal, Viores Sorin Uiutirenai, Director General of Armahkgaz, Mirchea Veschan, Director General of Transgaz, Ioan Rusi.

Romania signs delayed order for seven Alenia Aeronautica C-27J transports

Romania will receive its first of seven Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan tactical transports in late 2008, following the delayed confirmation of a €217 million ($318 million) deal. Signed in Bucharest on 7 December, the contract also covers the provision of pilot training and logistics support services, plus the delivery of a flight simulator, says the Finmeccanica company.

The C-27J was selected in November 2006 to replace the Romanian air force’s Antonov An-24/26s. Bucharest had initially hoped to begin acceptance trials with its first Spartan this month, but contract signature was delayed by almost a year following a legal challenge mounted by losing bidder EADS Casa, which had offered its C-295 to meet the requirement.

Romania’s final confirmation of the deal makes it the sixth nation to order the C-27J, with 12 having been delivered so far to Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Lithuania, according to Flight’s MiliCAS database. The type has also been selected for the US Air Force/Army Joint Cargo Aircraft project, and Alenia Aeronautica says its order book for the type now stands at 117.

Delphi celebrates 10 years and plans further growth in Romania

WEBWIRE – Sunday, December 09, 2007

Delphi organization celebrates 10 years of doing business in Romania, at the same time expanding with the recently announced new diesel engine management system (EMS) components plant in Iasi.

The company has been operating in the country since 1997 when the first plant in Sannicolau Mare was opened. Today, Delphi’s two manufacturing Electrical/ Electronic Architecture (EEA) facilities in Sannicolau Mare and Ineu (northwest of Romania) employ collectively 10,000 people.

The anniversary creates a great occasion to summarize achievements and recognize employees who have been with Delphi from the beginning. Special events with personnel in Sannicolau Mare and Ineu took place in early December during which local authorities recognized Delphi for its commitment to development in the region.

"Having worked together for a decade, we built a team of professionals that still has perspective for further growth" said Cristian Gulicska, Delphi Packard EEA Romania Country Director. "We faced numerous challenges and proved that we are ready for further opportunities. From a time perspective, we consider the decision to establish operations in Romania successful"

Delphi’s investment criteria for Romania, as for all new regions, were to follow the group’s vehicle-maker customers, develop a skilled workforce, use the existing infrastructure and obtain local government support.

Electrical/ Electronic Architecture plant in Sannicolau Mare and Ineu

Delphi started its business in Romania with Electrical and Electronic Distribution Systems (E/EDS) production to support European car production. In 1999, Delphi completed the site development and construction of the second building in Sannicolau Mare. From 8,200 sqm in the beginning, the site was expanded to accommodate more customer programs and has grown to 22,000 sqm today.

The construction of the plant in Ineu began in May 2004. In November 2004, the first finished harness was manufactured. Today, the Delphi plant in Ineu is the main employer in the Arad area.

Delphi plants in Sannicolau Mare and Ineu manufacture Electrical/Electronic Architecture for several European automakers. The plants supply wiring harnesses —body, interior, doors and small harnesses — to customer assembly plants located in Western and Eastern Europe.

Delphi recently announced that its Romanian plants deliver their products for the new Renault Twingo model, having a short delivery time to the automaker’s Novo Mesto assembly plant in Slovenia. The wiring system is manufactured under the Kaizen Manufacturing System to ensure best-in-class quality and delivery. Delphi also supplies from Romania the complete Electrical/ Electronic Distribution Systems for the recently introduced Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Delphi’s plants in Romania are committed to being a clean, safe and efficient workplace — offering opportunities for employees at all levels. As everywhere else in the world, Delphi offers career development opportunities, professional internal and external training in an environment based on teamwork.

To ensure the proper quality of the products, car manufacturers have always paid great attention to the quality within the complete supply chain. The common quality "language" in the automotive industry has been established through introduction of ISO/TS 16949 - quality standards agreed to by American, European and Japanese car manufacturers. Both Delphi EEA plants in Romania have already been recertified with ISO/TS 16949.

New Delphi Diesel Systems plant in Iasi

In a move to service its growing customer base, Delphi announced plans in mid-July 2007 to open a new diesel engine management system (EMS) components plant. It has already initiated activities in a leased facility (brownfield) which is a pre-existing industrial site in Iasi where Delphi will begin production of diesel pumps and injectors by the end of 2008.

Delphi has well-developed expansion plans that call for several additional investment projects to launch products specified in new business contracts that have already been awarded. Each of these future multi-million-dollar investment projects is for new buildings, machinery and equipment and will support attainment of long-range planned capacity in Iasi. Subject to Delphi’s board of directors supporting future investment projects, Delphi’s presence in Iasi, could reach more than 1,000 workers and total investment could exceed 100 million euros.

Currently Delphi is continuing its business plan of starting the brownfield operation. This part of our overall project is on schedule and Delphi is working on the planning for the greenfield. For more information about Delphi, visit http://www.delphi.com/media

For more information contact:

Delphi

Agnieszka Przymusinska

Agnieszka.Przymusinska@delphi.com

48 12 252 10 33

Romanian justice minister to resign amid corruption probe

BUCHAREST, Romania: Romania's justice minister, under investigation for allegedly abusing his position in a real estate deal, said he would hand in his resignation Monday.

Tudor Chiuariu, who became justice minister earlier this year, announced his intentions Sunday, two days after President Traian Basescu had publicly asked for his removal.

In September, anti-corruption prosecutors accused Chiuariu and a former telecommunications minister, Zsolt Nagy, of corruption in a real estate deal and asked Basescu to approve an investigation.

Investigations of public officials and former ministers must be approved by the president.

Prosecutors say Chiuariu and Nagy abused their positions when they sold real estate owned by the national post office in April to a private company reported to be linked to the ruling Liberal Party, of which Chiuariu is a member.

Chiuariu and Nagy have denied the allegations and Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu resisted pressure to fire the justice minister.

"I do not want personal and political disputes to affect the activity and the credibility of state institutions," Chiuariu said Sunday. "But I promise you that when this ridiculous set up is over, I will come back to continue" the reform of the justice system.

Chiuariu's predecessor, Monica Macovei, was widely credited with having pushed anti-corruption reforms. The prime minister fired her in April.

A month after he took up his position, Chiuariu came under criticism when he called for the removal of a senior anti-corruption prosecutor who is investigating several politicians.

Romania joined the European Union on Jan. 1 and was told to clean up high-level corruption.