(story to be published in tomorrow's issue, March 15)
The coalition crisis might end during the following days after President Constantinescu on Monday signed the demand for the destitution of Victor Babiuc from the position of minister of Defence and promulgated the decree on his replacement with Sorin Frunzaverde, head of the National Tourism Authority. Frunzaverde was on Monday evening expected at Cotroceni to take the oath. PD subsequently announced that its withdrawal from ruling would make it difficult for the Executive to meet conditions of the accord concluded with the IMF. The Democrat Party thanked the Christian-Democrats for the position they adopted during the crisis and announced it would not accept the Government's assuming responsibility for the laws initiated by Valeriu Stoica. Preoccupied with their own conflicts linked to legislative priorities, PN?CD (Peasants' Party) and PNL (Liberal Party) once again yielded to the conditions of PD, which so far has not accepted signing a pledge-protocol for the passing of several laws, among which the privatisation of former state-owned agricultural enterprises (IAS). The chief of state made the respective decision following a meeting of almost two hours with Premier Mugur Isarescu, whom Constantinescu summoned at Cotroceni. Moreover, the President stated he expected "an immediate meeting" of coalition leaders for an accord to be reached on the passing of some laws that are "absolutely necessary for the country's welfare," such as the budget law and ownership laws. As to the Government's assuming responsibility for the reform of justice called for by PNL, the Peasants say they need details on the respective laws, PD has so far refused to discuss on this theme and PDSR does not accept any package of laws through this procedure. PNL, UDMR (Democrat Alliance of Hungarians in Romania) and PN?CD leaders estimated that the intervention of the chief of state would melt down divergences, considering as likely "renegotiations" on the last week accord during a future meeting of coalition parties representatives. In his turn, vice-president Traian Basescu specified that the final decision on the party's participation in ruling rests with the National Council convened for the end of this week, when the suitability of the party's continuing to take part in governing is to be discussed. "We can negotiate the contents of the accord, but there are certain laws, such as the budget law or the law on the privatisation of IASs, which must be adopted urgently," the general secretary of PN?CD, Remus Opris said on Monday. He also says that, due to the new situation, PD "can no longer invoke any serious reason" for not signing the agreement of last week. Andrei Chiliman, a member of PNL leadership, also maintains that "divergences within the coalition have been surmounted after Babiuc's replacement," considering that the entire protocol can be renegotiated, including the package of laws on reform within justice that was proposed by Valeriu Stoica. Despite these conciliatory statements, the situation within the coalition continues to be tense. On Monday, for the first time after "Babiuc" conflict was unleashed, Peasants' leaders and ministers attacked PD from the point of view of relationships within the coalition, as well as from the point of view of activities within the Cabinet. Agriculture minister Ioan Muresan on Monday stated that the latest public appearances of the Democrats were "mere feigning, meant to turn attention away from the essential problem: the positions they want to hold and that they would not give up".
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