corruption and more...

In September of last year, the Romanian president, Traian Băsescu, told the Romanian public that their government is NOT HONEST. In the same public address, he continued to say the following: “Beyond skill, the ability to react, to have good management, what matters most for a Government is honesty towards all its citizens.” Er, right. Is there any merit in stressing the importance of honesty and, in the same breath, admitting dishonesty? The comments were made in reaction to the debate over raising teacher’s salaries here in Romania; their pay is abysmally low, and despite funding for salary increases in other departments, there is nothing in the budget to meet the demands of Romania’s educators. Teachers are demanding a 50% raise, and while data on up-to-date wages and salaries in Romania is ridiculously hard to find, a teacher here makes, on average, between €250 and €500 a month (between $400 and $800 Can). Sadly, though this salary seems ridiculously low, it reflects the average pay of a working Romanian, which is 1255 RON (Lei), approximately €316. I have to include the following headline, which I found on the same news site, Mediafax: “10.03.2009 Romanian Parliament Clears EUR143M State Aid For Ford: Romania's Chamber of Deputies approved Tuesday the Emergency Ordinance granting an EUR143 state aid to Ford Motor Company, which bought last year a car factory in the country's southern city of Craiova.” Right.

I read an article last week in an English language newspaper, Nine O’Clock, entitled The Anxieties of the Medical System, in which the anxieties of both the medical and educational systems were lamented. The introductory paragraph pretty much sums up the situation; both of these systems are rapidly devolving, and despite a relatively strong economic year (2008) for Romania, financial resources were/are used to “enrich” the officials, not to hike the budget for health and education. Romania is number one in Europe when it comes to infant mortality rates, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and AIDS. Infrastructure is crumbling, and salaries remain stagnant and low… at least for a doctor working in public health. According to this article, “An experienced doctor who has a good reputation and works in a private clinic or hospital earns approximately €5,000-€8,000 per month, and may under exceptional circumstances earn as much as a net amount of over €20,000 per month.” The gap between public and private employees is shocking, but not surprising; a state-paid doctor earns several hundred Euros a month and the salary of a resident very rarely exceeds €300 per month. So – how and why? The answer, is corruption.

Corruption Perceptions Index: Romania is at the bottom of the list... (See Transparency International Romania)

Just as the educational and medical systems are regressing, so is the fight against corruption. It’s impossible to not be aware of this problem, and it infects all sectors and almost every aspect of everyday life. Romanian institutions most affected by corruption in 2007 are (in order): political parties, parliament/legislature, legal systems/judiciary, medical services, police, business/private sector and the education system. With almost every transaction and interaction with any and all of these institutions, a “spaga” or bribe is expected – if it’s not received, your paperwork is lost or your prescription is wrong or you lose the contract etc. etc. As a new member of the EU, Romania is being heavily pressured to institute a transparent anti-corruption agenda – and execute it. And while I’m sure there are some people that are taking this seriously, it seems like a complete and total joke. Get this… Some of the conditions of Romania’s entry into the EU included a certain degree of judicial reform and a (large) number anti-corruption measures. Then Minister of Justice, Monica Macovei instituted enough of these reforms and prerequisites for accession to the European Union, and was largely credited for helping realize this monumental, historical change. However, her efforts against high-level corruption also earned many enemies, and soon after Romania was granted entry she was sacked. Romania was in, and corruption (also in) edged her out. And this is how the story goes: the politicians make the rules, and they rule to line their coffers, and leave infrastructure and public employees with the meager leftovers. Until there is any integrity in government, I’m afraid that the roads, the teachers, the schools, the doctors, and the general health and well-being of the Romanian population will do nothing but stagnate, and suffer.

Check out this great video about Monica Macovei, her efforts, and corruption in Romania.