Definitions
BRUSSELS The German MEP Elmar Brok (Christian Democrat) has accused the Romanian Government of corruption. Bucharest had just ignored German interests in the planning of an important motorway and had awarded a billion Euro contract to an American firm. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament of which Brok is the Chairman meeting on 19th February 2004 effectively put Romania's EU application on ice, calling on the European Commission to ,,reorient the accession strategy"of Romania. The conflict with the Germans and the EU about the motorway project also demonstrates the continuing spread of economic conflicts between the USA and Berlin.
The 415 kilometer long motorway from Brasov to Oradea, part of the road link Bucharest-Budapest and the largest motorway project in Europe is designed to link western Europe with the Black Sea. The project belongs to the measures described as ,,logistical spacial planning"The EU funds this to the tune of 400-500,000 million Euro under the titles ,,Trans-European-Networks"and ,,Pan European Transport Corridors". The construction is designed to extend the core European market and is supposed to guarantee the import of raw materials and the export of goods, as well as the mobility of labour. The Romanian stretch of the motorway will cost 2,500 million Euro and since summer 2003 the Romanian Government had been negotiating with the US Construction Group Bechtel.
Cooperation
In the Autumn of 2003 Berlin made clear its requirements of the EU funded scheme. The Romanian President Iliescu was summoned to a conference organised by Deutsche Bank and the Eastern Committee of German Industry to discuss the Romanian contract terms. In the end Deutsche Bank took up the negotiations for the financing of the motorway. A delegation of the German Parliament sought to change the route of the motorway. They wanted it to be built via Sibiu ( ,,Hermannstadt") which is a centre of the German speaking minority in Romania whom the German Government regards as coming under its ,,protectorate". In fact, according to the existing plan, the motorway runs via a centre of the Hungarian speaking minority in Romania - Tirgu Mures ( ,,Marosvasarhely").
Corruption
Without considering German interests the Romanians signed a contract with Bechtel on 19th December to build the Brasov-Oradea section of the motorway. Reports in the German Press claimed that the award of the contract to Bechtel had ,,irritated"the EU. The German Commissioner Guenter Verheugen accused Romania of ,,lack of cooperation".
No Corruption
There was however no German criticism of the methods used by the Romanian Government in October 2003 to push through constitutional change in preparation for entry into the European Union. In order to achieve the legally stipulated minimum vote of 50% of the electorate the period for voting was extended to two days. Further manipulations led to Opposition protests of ,,massive vote rigging"and ,,irregularities". The Government even mobilised the clergy who urged people to vote. Local mayors of the Governing Party are said to have threatened pension reductions for those refusing to vote. The voting booths were in some places on the streets and voting was possible even with out of date identity cards. 1)
The new Constitution corresponds with Germany's demands and prepares the way for the more effective pursuit of ,,minority politics".
1) See also earlier article Irregularities
See also earlier article Berlin threatens Serbia and Montenegro
Sources:
Autobahn nach Budapest geplant; Siebenbuergische Zeitung 27.07.2003
Deutsche Bank investiert in rumaenische Autobahn; Deutsche Welle Monitor Ost-/Suedosteuropa 26.09.2003
Deutsche Interessen; Das Ostpreussenblatt 25.10.2003
Bechtel Civil Signs 2.5 Billion Dollar Romanian Motorway Project; www.bechtel.com 19.12.2003
Rumaeniens EU-Beitritt soll verschoben werden; Berliner Zeitung 07.02.2004
