European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 7 February | 94 comments (94 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

BBC News - Romania spy chief nominated to replace PM Emil Boc

Romania's president has nominated the country's intelligence service chief as prime minister hours after Emil Bloc resigned amid austerity protests.
"The ruling coalition agreed to appoint Mihai Razvan Ungureanu as prime minister designate," President Traian Basescu said in a statement.
The nomination now requires approval by Romania's parliament.
Mr Boc said he was stepping down to "defuse political and social tension" in the face of three weeks of protests.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, he said he had given up the government's mandate as "it is the moment for important political decisions".
Although Romania's economy grew last year, the government has been hit by widespread demonstrations.
Mr Boc has imposed a 25% cut in public sector wages and a freeze on pensions.
Sales tax was also increased to 24%, in a country seen as Europe's second poorest.

by Nomad (Bjinse) on Mon Feb 6th, 2012 at 02:56:50 PM EST
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Re: Europe (none / 1)

Europe's governments are running out of options | World news | The Guardian

For the governments of Europe in the midst of the EU's worst-ever crisis, it is getting increasingly difficult to reconcile internationally ordained austerity packages with popular acquiescence in spending cuts, job losses and slashed budgets.
Whether using the euro or not, governments from the Baltic to the Balkans are struggling to stay in office while implementing the savage savings programmes dictated by technocrats from Brussels, Washington and Frankfurt.
The Romanian government's fall on Monday after weeks of civil unrest in Bucharest is but the latest example. In Greece, another uneasy coalition may be falling apart as it balks at meeting the severe terms of the troika of the European commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) needed to secure a second €130bn (£108bn) bailout in time to redeem a large tranche of its debt next month.
Athens will again be seething with rage on Tuesday as two of the biggest unions stage a 24-hour general strike. Trapped between the demands of their constituency and the dictates of international creditors, governments and political leaders all across Europe are running out of options.

by Nomad (Bjinse) on Mon Feb 6th, 2012 at 03:07:42 PM EST
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Re: Europe (4.00 / 2)

...governments and political leaders all across Europe are running out of options.

Baloney. There are plenty of options. They could raise tax rates, or start collecting the taxes already due, or change the things they tax. They could move responsibility for social welfare programs to a federal body where the money is controlled. They could tell the banks to take a hike. They could tell the people to take a hike.

What they are running out of is options that will allow the currently-in-power to retain their power and their heads.

by asdf on Tue Feb 7th, 2012 at 12:15:44 PM EST
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Re: Europe (none / 1)

Ex-ForMin, current Foreign Intelligence chief Mihai Razvan Ungureanu designated new Romania prime-minister - Top News - HotNews.ro

Former Foreign minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who's been serving as chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service, has been designated new prime minister of Romania following Emil Boc's withdrawal on Monday. Ungureanu said today that his key objective for the moment was the quick formation of a new government and pointed out his ideological options "were always Right-leaning".

Mihai Razvan Ungureanu said on Monday that serving as PM was a great responsibility that he undertook and that he had the experience of two institutions which, under his management, modernized and improved their performance - the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Intelligence Service.

He said his political independence provided the necessary grounds for him to fulfill his term and promised to continue reform.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Feb 6th, 2012 at 03:13:30 PM EST
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Re: Europe (none / 1)

BBC "journalists" think Romania is an American state, with "sales tax"?

Boc raised a European tax called VAT to 24%.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Feb 6th, 2012 at 04:22:23 PM EST
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Re: Europe (4.00 / 2)

Former spy boss moves to Deutsche Bank - The Local

Ernst Uhrlau, former head of Germany's foreign intelligence agency the BND, has been on the payroll of Germany's biggest bank since the start of February, just two months after his retirement.
A spokesman for the bank on Sunday confirmed a report in Der Spiegel news magazine that the former intelligence chief is now working as a freelance "global risk analyst" at the bank, and that this new job had been cleared by the Ronald Pofalla, chief of staff at the German chancellery.

The 65-year-old Uhrlau retired at the end of last year, when he reached the age limit for his office at the BND. He spent six years as president of the overseas intelligence agency and was also secret service coordinator for the German government.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Feb 7th, 2012 at 04:16:49 AM EST
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European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 7 February | 94 comments (94 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)