The campaign of the skeletons in the closet

Every politician has a skeleton in their closet.

A little payola, an illegal retrocession, a little influence peddling, some undeserved property, to say nothing of a little betrayal of their country.

All of these are skeletons.

They stay in the closets for year, gathering dust, some of them for so long that they have ended no more than a pile of bones, over time.

The doors of the closets are not just secured with seven locks, but they also have intelligence operatives standing guard in front of them.

Well, this electoral campaign has called up those skeletons to parade in the street, like in Michael Jackson's "Thriller".

For about a month now, they've been forming a line at the headquarters of the National Anti-Corruption Department: politicians and their businesspeople have been lining up, each with their own skeleton behind them.

Microsoft, EADS, the country's forests are waiting for MegaPower and whatever comes next.

This electoral campaign, that ends tomorrow, is unprecedented.

Mud slinging has been present in other electoral campaigns for the presidential and parliamentary elections, but there would be at least candidate, usually one of the lesser known ones, who would claim that they are in favor of a positive campaign which would propose to citizens a superior political platform.

But even when they were concerned more with their opponents, the candidates would, at least on the surface, take care to promote some ideas on the so-called improvement of the voters' life and the development of the country.

Every now and then, they would bring those things up for discussion.

We all knew that those things were just for show, ands political analysts have never stopped saying that the votes cast in the previous elections where negative, that they were actually penalizing the opponents of the winner, rather than supporting the latter.

This electoral campaign has brought down that façade.

Nobody has even taken the pain of hiding their wickedness, each of them adopted the strategy of showing that the others were more wicked than them.

This thing had already been announced in the notorious explanation that Victor Ponta had provided in 2004 for his party's defeat: "The others did a better job at rigging the vote!"

We shouldn't be surprised that these elections organized by the Ponta government have ridden the same principle.

We knew anyway, that the ambition to become president is only in order for the candidate and his entourage to get rich, rather than carrying out those ridiculous electoral platforms.

We knew that politicians didn't care about us.

We knew that when political measures intersected with our life, it was just a fatal coincidence and that it only happened because politics coexists with us, and the PERSONAL interests of the politicians generate initiatives of GENERAL interest.

Normally, it should be the other way around: their initiatives should be inspired by the general interest, and their effects should affect everybody.

We have no illusions, and politicians feel this.

More than that: they've noticed that we are captive.

We, the citizens of this country, have been incapable to organize politically for our benefit, we've been incapable of finding and promoting the personalities that we can vote for joyfully and with hope.

Today's politicians know that we have not built an alternative to them and that, dirtbags though they are, they are the ones that represent us, in this particular flawed democratic system.

This electoral campaign has removed any mask, any pretense, any hesitation.

"The others are dirtier than we are!", was everybody's slogan.

And they all think they are right, regardless of the political party they come from.

Nevertheless, we will hereinafter publish the surrogates of electoral platform proposed by the candidates who seem to stand the biggest odds of success.

We are not trying to save appearances in doing so, it is actually just a matter of respect for our readers.

We don't want you getting used to the abnormality of our politicians.

That is all.

I am sorry that from my point of view, I can't wish you luck with your vote.

MAKE

• The electoral programs of the candidates in the presidential elections

• Victor Ponta

The electoral program of the candidate of the social democratic party Victor Ponta ,"Victor Ponta as president - the Romanians' Great Union'', expands on ten objectives of national interest such as: the project of a president that is useful, who unites and builds; equality of chances in society; justice all the way through; Romania, a powerful Euro-Atlantic state, based on an economy that would be one the best performing in the region; youth - Romania's future; a healthy nation; national security and safety for citizens; digital Romania; promoting Romanian culture; a fair society.

The economic benchmarks of the electoral program that the social-democrat candidate is proposing to citizens are presented below:

an economic growth of 3% every year, to become "Eastern Europe's top economy";

Increasing competitiveness (entering the European Top 15 and the World's Top 40), as well as attractiveness for investments (especially by reducing taxation on labor and by stabilizing the fiscal legislation - preserving the flat tax rate for companies, reducing the number of taxes and the fiscal bureaucracy);

Romania - an Eastern European industrial center (with emphasis on IT, automotive, pharma, food industry);

Romania - Europe's grain maker, in terms of the agricultural resources and converting Romania into a major exporter of agricultural products; pursuing the reduction of VAT for agri-food products; supporting ecological agriculture and traditional products;

Romania - a technology hub in the region (Digital Romania);

Joining the Eurozone within the next five years;

Energy independence in the next years and becoming an energy leader in the region;

Major infrastructure investment projects (especially highways);

A strategy for the responsible exploitation of natural resources;

The continuation of the National Investment Plan, by stimulating investments with high added value, that would multiply the creation of jobs and added social value in the areas where they are located;

Greenfield investments to increase workforce employment, increasing exports, increasing productivity through technology transfer;

Pragmatic foreign policy - Romania, a fair partner for the US, NATO and the EU; taking on an active and powerful role in the European Union; a partner in the regional relationship with Turkey and Poland; a gateway to Europe for investments from the East (China) and a powerful trade partner for the world;

Support the Republic of Moldova in its bid for European integration;

• Klaus Iohannis

The program of the candidate supported by the Christian Democratic Alliance in the race for Cotroceni; Klaus Iohannis, called "'Romania where things get done right'', presents the project of a country built around 11 objectives which the candidate says he will pursue as president: Education as a resource for Romania's performance; the liberal economy: competitiveness and prosperity; effective agriculture and the development of the Romanian villages; infrastructure as a tool for Romania's Europeanization; regionalization and decentralization as factors driving modernization; The European route of the Republic of Moldova as a national priority; Investment in healthcare - an investment in the future; the fiscal-budgetary vision: rethinking the relationship between the state and the citizen; How do we respond to the future of the pension system; the reform of the political and administrative institutions; Demographics - a long term challenge.

The economic project proposed by Klaus Iohannis presents a budgetary and fiscal vision meant to give citizens "Romania where things get done right".

• Fiscal policy

An approach of the relationship between the state and the taxpayer, built on the principles of a fiscal partnership;

An absolute priority - the return to 19% VAT;

Lower and simplified taxation;

Improving fiscal efficiency, by simplifying and increasing collection;

Keeping the flat tax rate in place;

Strengthening the fiscal governance and reducing the discretionary decision-making in the fiscal-budgetary policies;

The state's budget as a factor supporting development, based on the priorities and the opportunities indicated by the pillars of economic competitiveness.

• Budgetary policy

A budget construction based on criteria of opportunity, priority and efficiency, the transparency of public spending;

The thorough prioritization of public programs.

• Elena Udrea

The electoral program of Elena Udrea, the president of "Partidul Mişcarea Populară" (the "People's Movement" Party), states the following strategic goals; constitutional reform, the territorial-administrative reform, the reform of the educational system, of the healthcare system, defending the independence of justice from political interferences, as well as the consolidation of Romania's Euro-Atlantic focus, its strategic partnership with the US, the EU and NATO membership.

The main three topics that Elena Udrea says she will focus on, as president of Romania according to her electoral program titled - "Beautiful Romania" are as follows:

• I. Providing a new boost to the creation of jobs, growth and investments

1. New jobs through government investments, as well as through the more effective use of the EU budget and European funds for preparing major projects for investing in infrastructure.

2. Increasing the occupancy rate among youngsters.

• II. A deeper and fairer domestic market, with a consolidated industrial base

1. Developing free initiative, attracting investments, increasing competitiveness, supporting creativity;

2. Unification of the capital markets.

3. Financing the SME sector is considered a priority.

• III. A resilient energy union and a policy concerning climate change focused on the future

1. The finalization of the domestic energy market by developing the energy policy of the European Union,

2. The diversification of the energy sources and reducing the energy dependency, interconnecting the infrastructures and "merging" the bargaining power compared to third party countries, the international negotiation of a relevant agreement for the unified combating of climate changes.

Elena Udrea also states, in her electoral program, that her concerns will include achieving a balance between the budgetary discipline and promoting durable growth, by modernizing the economy and reducing bureaucracy, as well as strengthening the fiscal and economic governance to match those in the EU.

One major concern will be developing more intelligent ways of saving, as well as of consumption.

• Călin Popescu Tăriceanu

Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, the current president of the Romanian Senate, independent candidate, backed by the Reformative Liberal Party, proposes to "Romania a major project, a project for a nation, a project for a country, that would take Romania to the status it deserves, namely making it Romania's seventh largest power." Achieving the status of the seventh largest European power does nothing else except getting the country's potential to match its results and achievements, he says in the electoral program he is proposing to citizens.

The economic vision that Călin Popescu Tăriceanu introduces in his presidential program, is built around several core issues such as:

Attracting foreign capital by improving the fiscal administration, as well as by promoting a flexible state aid policy which would promote not just employment, but also the development of value chains;

The need for a new Industrial and Energy Policy;

Increasing the absorption of European funds by supporting a new institutional structure that would be decentralized, in order to increase transparency and get closer to the priorities of citizens;

The development of the stock market, by supporting the voices that consider that the development of the stock and commodities exchanges requires the beginning of a large scale debate and a national program for capital market awareness and education;

Regional development;

Promoting investments through the Strategy for the Danube region - a Danubian project for Romania;

Increasing competitiveness by supporting a public debate on the drafting of a new National Strategy for competitiveness, focused on the idea of exploiting the advantages that Romania has;

Promoting the goals of the computerized society in order to support those that promote the new economy;

The development and the industrialization of agriculture by completing the cadastral survey using public funding;

Promoting employment and discouraging early retirement.

• Teodor Meleşcanu

The electoral program of independent candidate, Teodor Meleşcanu, former head of the Romanian Intelligence Service, was conceived in the form of a commitment that the candidate made to the Romanian people.

The document states that:

Special attention will be paid to the measures for cutting taxes, (including VAT) and resolving arrears, that would match the Romanian realities.

In his electoral program, Teodor Meleşcanu states: "As for the policies of economic turnaround and durable development, of achieving welfare for every citizen, that are first of all the responsibility of the government, I pledge and commit before the Romanian people to support any initiative of the government, parliament or of the social security that pursues these objectives, as part of a real partnership, with a maximum of emphasis on the policies for agricultural development, reindustrialization and the growth of services."

• Monica Macovei

Monica Macovei, independent candidate in the presidential elections, has presented her electoral program in the form of a • "Political Decalogue":

Ten commandments for politicians, one hundred principles and projects for Romania, a future for us

1. You shall not have any other master than the citizen. The reformation of the political class

2. You shall not betray the nation's interest. Foreign and security policy

3. You shall not attack the institutions of the state. The state ruled by the law and the judicial system

4. You shall not steal and waste public funds. Administrative reform

5. You shall not lie, plagiarize, slander, bribe. Moral reform

6. You shall multiply your money and your creation. Economic freedom

7. You shall educate your children. Education and research

8. You shall respect your parents and help your fellow men. Social solidarity and health

9. You shall cultivate the soil and protect nature. Environment, energy, agriculture

10. You shall respect your identity, values and the past in order to have a future. Memory, identity, assets

The sixth commandment in the Decalogue of Monica Macovei, "You shall multiply your money and your creation - Economic freedom", brings into discussion the economic project which she will assume, as chief of state.

As part of the economic milestones, the program stipulates commitments such as:

• PREDICTABILITY

Any amendments made to the Fiscal Code in exceptional situations (international crisis, major changes in the macroeconomic indicators) will only be done after consultations with the business sector - multinationals and Romanian entrepreneurs.

• NO ABUSE

The Ministry of Finance and the ANAF have to conduct risk analyses and focus on the areas where tax evasion is done on a large scale;

The freezing of SME accounts must only be allowed through a court order.

• TAXATION AND LABOR

The flat tax rate, kept at 16%.

• REDUCTION OF BUREAUCRACY

A company should be created on the web in one day, every operation should be possible by going to a single office and it should only have to deal with the tax administration once a year.

The tax inspectors should first of all conduct verification and information inspections, and only then should sanctions be applied.

The administration should move to the internet.

• MERIT

Low-footprint public sector, with employees that are well-paid and selected based on the most rigorous tests;

• PATRONAGE

Promoting the idea of patronage, with major tax exemptions for the private individuals and for companies that finance creation and reward those that deserve it.