What do you mean who is Miron Cosma? :)
He used to be the former leader of the miners who was asked by Iliescu to come together with his mates in 1990 and in 1991 to Bucharest for "calming down" the peaceful protesters against Iliescu and his government - the communists that is. The results: Bucharest was vandalized, there were a few people assasinated by the miners, and lots were beaten. Was it a legal thing? Of course not. Did the State's institutions take any measure foir punishing who was responsible? Of course not, Iliescu was covering the whole thing.
Well, in 1999 Miron Cozma tried the same trick since the newly appointed government was taking restructuring economic measures with respect to mines. Remember that Iliescu was in opposition at that time. So Cosma took his miners and marched to Bucharest threatening to do the similar things he did in 1990 and 1991. Well, it didn't work out - Radu Vasile, the PM at that time, met him somewhere at half of the road and calmed him down. And he then asked the Justice to take action. The result: Cosma and the other leaders were imprisoned for some 18 years.
Now, surprise, surprise: this morning Iliescu uses his presidential power to release Miron Cosma from prison. I think it is an outrageous thing, but Iliescu has debts to pay, and he does pay them in the very last moment. This is Iliescu - the guy who harmed Romania perhaps more than anybody else in the last 15 years, because what he did and what could have done and hadnot.
What is even more outrageous is finding Romanians of good faith (second comment and the whole comment thread) who are very understandable with this old man, moreover claiming that "he was a good president" and truly believing that Romania's success is due to him and Nastase's government. Is this a good enough proof of the quality of the old man?
Nastase's story is very simple, he or his government have nothing or very little to do with the present economic boom. He just happened to be there, Romania was forced to take good measures by the institutional lenders (aka World Bank or IMF) and EU. As simple as that. Also, people familiar with the Romanian economic evolution in the last decade may confirm that the 1996 - 2000 administration - now impopular - took some very painful but necesarry economic and fiscal measures, saving a country which was on a brink of disaster in 1996 and preparing the grounds for economic growth in the next 4-6 years. And Nastase's government simply benefited from that.
Pathetic but expected. And I'd say that our economic growth comes from the time Isarescu was prime minister, he's been the one that turned things round, not from Lil' Candy's and Grannie's time.
I won't bother arguing here, but just a note: "very understandable with this old man" I am not understandable with this "old man" at all. I am simply saying 3 simple things: 1) that he had his good sides too and overall, under his presidency, Romania prospered. As soon as I type these words, people will storm in and say "how dare he say that bad, bad man made Romania prosperous", but under his presidency, Romania did advance considerably. He had his bad sides. He DESERVED to lose the election (well, Nastase did...) But that doesn't make the above invalid. 2) he wasn't a Communist, and Communism wasn't overthrown when he was "sent out" of office. He was a Social Democrat, a corrupt one at that, but nonetheless a social democrat. Romania DID NOT overthrow Communism, it is a country which is on the road to development, a road basically begun from 2000. 3) that he was a good president. Now this has been the most contentious point. Basically what I mean is this: he was better in 2000-2004 then all the other leaders, including himself in 1992-1996 and Constantinescu in 1996-2000. I don't think there could've been anyone to do the job better than the PSD. That's why he was a good president in relative terms. He strengthened diplomatic ties AND improved Romania's living standard.
Dragos, I read your reference to my second posting on Nastase. What I don't understand is why Romanians have to be so intolerant. Now that Basescu's won, everyone is criticising those who voted Nastase. Why do you think they did, then? Why did Nastase gain nearly 49% of the vote? Do you think 49% of the electorate is that stupid? I know intellectual people who voted Nastase, which I don't support, but which I but I respect their opinion. Can't we just respect people's opinions for a change rather than branding them"fools" or disillusioned. They had their reasons and we should respect them. As long as we can't have diplomatic and "gentlemanly" elections in Romania, we can't really develop.
PSD did nothing interesting, really. The organizations that had interests in Romania - EU, NATO etc. came with their profitable offers of integration, PSD made the process as slow as possible by blackmailing them and asking for "something in exchange", let's call them 'mici atentii' that filled their pesonal accounts. And that's all, that's business for you. They executed the commands in exchange for their personal benefit. The real, valid comparison must be made with the rest of the Eastern European countries' governements, now integrated into EU. Did you feel as proud as you feel now when you saw the official ceremony of integration of our neighbours into EU?
Iliescu's pardoning of Cozma is understandable and indeed expected (remember that back in 1990 Iliescu went on TV to congratulate the miners for chasing away those pesky "fascists" demonstrating in University square). But it is NOT tolerable. Cozma has done more to endanger the domination of law&order in this country than anyone else. Iliescu might well be held criminally responsible for the 1990 and 91 mineriads, and for morally supporting a convicted criminal, namely Cozma. It is also not tolerable (and for this reason I think it will not be _tolerated_) because it might lead to more unrest in the Jiu valley. IMO, it is not exaggerated to think that PSD might attempt to regain power by using the miners as a pressure factor.
It seems that the grany turned very nasty in his last days of power. He might just want to prove himself, although it kind of made Bombo and PSD look really stupid. But may be it is more than that, a part of a misterious strategy, who knows? What do you think?
Mihai,
I think I understand your position and I respect it. As I said, I take it as coming from somebody with a good faith - however, I don't agree with it since I cannot respect somebody I cannot tolerate. Or the other way around, it doesn't matter.
You say: "he had his good sides too and overall, under his presidency, Romania prospered" --- I cannot see any good side at all, and I am trying to be as objective as possible, perhaps you could mention one specific thing that distinguished him in this respect. Make sure you don't compare apples with bananas though (i.e. Constantinescu) Moreover, he has no merit whatsoever in Romania prospering lately, it's a fact.
You say: "he wasn't a Communist, and Communism wasn't overthrown when he was "sent out" of office." --- again I strongly disagree, he is and will remain a communist, what he did and the way he did it for the last 14 years are a clear indication of this. Releasing Cosma today is the last proof, or the cherry on the cake - a way of humiliating the Romanians or the democratic way of justice to have its last word on a criminal.
You say: "he was a good president" comparing him with Constantinescu. Perhaps, it is debatable, it's as if you compared an evil person with an incompetent one, we don't have a right scale here, I don't even care to be honest who was better since it doesn't matter. BUT I will never agree that "Iliescu was a good president" in any context. He DIDNOT strengtehn Romanian diplomatic relations and he DIDNOT improve Romanians living standards, I explained in my post that he and Nastase happened to around a favourable context. And this is a fact recognized also by the EU, IMF or WB representatives, even though not at an official level.
As for respecting Nastase's voters options I am certainly with you on this one --- the post you refer to was just a quote from Paul Wood and Catavencu, I acknowledged it as so at the beginning of the post. If you care enough to know my opinion about Romanian voters please read this.
Iliescu has no excuse whatsoever, his gesture is his final way of showing that democracy and justice are irrelevant in this country. Or used to be under his leadership. This is the best proof showing the exact system nature of Romania - and that's why I certainly agreed with Frank's methaphor that Basescu may very well mean finally the end of communism in Romania.
Also, it may be a well baked scenario, considering his direct involvement in the elections process, Vadim's awarding from the other day, and now Cosma's release. He is trying to hang in power at any cost, and probably he is preparing some "social movements" from "people who are unemployed, poor, and cannot stand the economic measures the government is expected to take". It is a Machiavellic plan, and given the communist past and the hunger for power profile of Iliescu everything is possible.
As if Cozma's pardoning wouldn't be enough, pay attention to the fact that along with him in this, today there were also released:
- Petre Isac, the first governmental counsellor convicted for 5 years for corruption last year
- ex-judge Valentino Acatrinei, convicted for corruption as well for 5 years
- Ioan Corpodeanu, ex-police deputy in Timisoara county, member of "Timisoara group", convicted for 15 years for events in December 1989 (released in the day that marked 15 years from the beginning of the revolution)
- Vasile Buşe, ex-vice president of International Bank of Religions (BIR) convicted for abuse related with an illegal $1 milion credit.
Paul sed it better
Dragos - concerning your post "Re: Re: Nastase posting": 1) for all the evils Iliescu did, Nastase shouldn't be blamed 2) I think it's now really pursuing this debate further. The past has passed and now we are in for what will probably be a good future with Basescu, one that is free of the corruption that marked the PSD era (I always acknowledged this) 3) I understood you were quoting those people with their opinions about Nastase. I was just making a public comment that it is not OK to put those voters down. They had a right to vote and we must respect that. Other than that, I think what Iliescu did was horrible to release Cosma AND all those other people. Cosma was indeed a terrible person and it is terrifying to see how Iliescu can let him go in his final days, now when he has nothing to lose. I can't think of anything lower than that in politics. You know what the best solution would be - to call parliamentary elections again, and then see how the PSD will fail this time.
That is true, Nastase sign these things technically only, by a so called 'contrasemnatura'. :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
It is somehow ... hilarious We have sometimes to be more tolerant -- eventually smile or laugh at those idiots :) Otherwise.....