Issue of the month

What changes do you think will happen to the Government by the end of the year?

Ludovic Orban deputy mayor of Bucharest,National Liberal Party (PNL)

     “A complete and well structured reshuffling of the Government is needed. This should be joined by de-bureaucratisation and regulation of the public administration, as well as by the decentralisation and strengthening of the local administration. However, all these shouldn’t be done now, in a rush, just to meet some criteria, but after a thorough analysis, after 1 January 2007, when the Romanian Government will have new responsibilities after EU accession.”

Cristian Pirvulescu president of the Pro Democratia Association

     “There will be negotiations between the DA Alliance and the ruling coalition, rather than a true attempt to restructure the Government. Restructuring the Government equals a serious analysis of its performance and something like this is not happening. A reshuffling is possible, but this means changes of ministers who have a bad image – I’m thinking education and possibly transport – but it will be a negotiated reshuffling and entirely based on political criteria.”

Titus Corlatean vice president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD)

     “After the European Commission report it is clear that, along with the positive aspects and the progresses mentioned, there are fields of activity which are not competitive. It’s not just four red flags, it’s also 44 yellow flags, where the commission recommended ‘increased efforts’. There are some very sensitive fields, like agriculture and the financial/fiscal, which fall both under red and yellow, as well as social protection, health and youth programmes, where the Government has not been competitive. ‘Surgical operations’ are needed to make these changes. The manner in which these happen mainly depend on the political game, first and foremost within the ruling coalition and then from the pressure the opposition, PSD included, puts on the Government. Restructuring the Government now can only be damaging, if we think of the current needs of stability. Once you change the Government, everything will be blocked for at least six months and nobody needs that. A responsible Government would have done such a change a long time ago.”

Gheorghe Ciuhandu Mayor of Timisoara

     “We are witnessing an internal fight within the DA Alliance, where the Democratic Party (PD) is trying to impose some changes at any cost. It’s up to Tariceanu and Basescu. There are too many insignificant things that change, and I believe that a change in Government, any change, will not trigger any change for Romania, be that good or bad. This is not a priority for Romania today.”