Suchergebnisse

New President of Romania Traian Băsescu is strong-willed to fight corruption which is a potential threat of national security. Fighting corruption, Băsescu and new government must smash through the shield of interposed persons. Such persons are covering "white collars" that are top-ranking businessmen or privatizers close to political parties. That is why new government and new President want to modify existing penal code and to widen criminal liability of involved persons and organized groups. Today's politically motley Parliament wouldn't be able to adopt such legal measures. In this case, President Băsescu, enjoying wide currency and making use of his accumulated electoral capital, will manifestly be leading the country to anticipated elections. By such a step he would provide current main coalition political parties (PD and PNL) with a comfortable majority in Parliament and with an appropriate milieu for adopting new penal code.

"Trotz ausgeprägter europäischer Identität setzt Bukarest auch nach der erfolgreichen Integration in die NATO und EU auf Treue zu den USA als Sicherheitsgarant in einer instabilen Region und als Gegengewicht zu einem als bedrohlich empfundenen Russland. Komplementär hierzu fordert Rumänien auf europäischer Ebene mit Nachdruck eine starke Stimme Europas im westlichen Balkan und in der Schwarzmeer-Region. Durch eine aktive EU-Politik möchte Rumänien als Vermittler und Stabilitätsfaktor in der Region seine Rolle aufwerten und das dringlichste Ziel in seiner unmittelbaren Nachbarschaft erreichen: ein Klima der Sicherheit und wirtschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit. Eine besonders von Präsident Traian Băsescu betriebene Instrumentalisierung der Außenpolitik für innenpolitische Profilierung droht diese Anstrengungen zu unterminieren." [Autorenreferat]

(...) The presidential election took place in an environment characterized by respect for fundamental political freedoms and was generally conducted in conformity with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national law. While the authorities took steps to remedy certain shortcomings noted during the first round of voting and to investigate allegations of irregularities, further efforts are required to address remaining weaknesses in order to improve the election process and strengthen public confidence. Freedoms of assembly, expression and movement were respected throughout a generally calm but competitive election campaign. (...) Overall, the election legislation provides an adequate framework for the conduct of democratic elections. (...) Traian Băsescu was declared as winner with a tight 50,34 percent of votes. (OSCE-ODIHR/Pll)

The 2004 parliamentary and presidential elections saw the defeat of the former communists who ruled Romania for most of the period since the fall of communism. The outcome of the presidential election surprised many, with outgoing president Ion Iliescu replaced not by the favored Prime Minister Adrian Năstase of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), but by Bucharest mayor Traian Băsescu of the opposition Justice and Truth Alliance (DA). The country now has a democratic and pro-European government; the question is whether this new government will be able to break with the semi-authoritarian habits of its postcommunist predecessors and tackle persistent problems such as pervasive corruption and lack of transparency and accountability.

On 22 October 2003, with the initiative of Romania's president Ion Iliescu, the International Commission for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania (ICSHR) was set up. Nobel laureate for peace and American writer of Romanian origin Elie Wiesel was appointed as its president. In spring 2006, with the initiative of Romania's president Traian Băsescu, the Presidential Commission for the Analysis of the Communist Dictatorship in Romania (CPADCR) was formed. Vladimir Tismăneanu, the American political scientist of Romanian origin, became its president. Both commissions were established with the purpose of producing a final report on the two forms of totalitarianism in Romania: the extreme right totalitarianism between 1940 and 1944, and the extreme left totalitarianism between 1944 and 1989. Both commissions rested on legal and ethical grounds and they addressed Romanians' expectations and dilemmas linked to their recent traumatic history.