I was a little puzzled to see yet another hit piece out on Romania from The Economist, this one in the m-fing print edition, meaning literally every member of the English-speaking so-called “intelligentsia” around the globe is reading this garbage.
And then suddenly the clouds parted and a golden beam of sunlight struck me squarely in the forehead, opening my eyes:
Many Romanians see the central bank as their most solid institution. Governments come and go but its boss since 1990, Mugur Isarescu, is a powerful background presence.
Hmm.. I swear I’ve read that name somewhere before.
Anyway, click on the link to read the rest, which basically is The Economist beating the “apple” out of Romania. I swear I think I got a bruise just from reading the dang thing.
As always, I’ll leave it up to the immortal Nicolae Guta, whom I shall forever and ever respect for the sheer fact that he’s got the balls to be honest, along with the sublimely supreme and deliciously curvaceous Sorina to add the final comment on this mess.
If you’re following along at home, the part of the SECRET WORLD ELITE is going to be played be Sorina. Guta will play the part of MUGUR ISARESCU.
A Fairy Tale For Young Children, The Musical
The Setting
A meeting of the Bilderberg Group, high up in the mountains near a pine forest.
The exact date is unknown but it is several years before the present time.
ACT ONE
OBAMA and HRH CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES enter stage left, holding hands and chattering amiably although you can’t quite make out their words. Suddenly they pause and stop talking.
Behind them and already on stage is a crowd of mostly ELDERLY WHITE MEN wearing suits who are talking quietly in the background.
From stage right enters a representative of the WORLD ELITE as well as MUGUR ISARESCU, who is wearing a large flag of Romania pinned to his Masonic uniform.
OBAMA: (facing MUGUR ISARESCU) Sa fii sanatos, cruscre!
HRH CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES: Frate, cu ce scop ai venit la mine?
MUGUR ISARESCU: Am venit ca sa iau nora!
HRH CHARLES PRINCE OF WALES: Sa fie intr-un ceas bun.
(SHORT PAUSE)
WORLD ELITE: Ne-a ajuns baiatul mare la vreme de insuratoare.
MUGUR ISARESCU: Haida muiere in sat si luam nora de om bogat.
WORLD ELITE: Sa luam nora de valoare, tanarui de vita tare.
MUGUR ISARESCU: Da si facem nunta mare ca avem neamuri de valoare.
WORLD ELITE: Astazi nunte mare in sat, multa lume s-o adunat.
MUGUR ISARESCU: Au intrat dusmanii in priza ca am facut nunta pe criza!
AND NOW YOU KNOW!
VOI DE THE ECONOMIST NUMAI SA STITI, AM FUMAT SMECHERI CA VOI ;)
UPDATE: Someone has specifically asked me to address the issues raised in The Economist article. That’s fair enough. Here is my summation of their entire article:
- Orange. Yay, Orange. Orange is good. Don’t be sad, Orange. You were and always will be our one great hope. Dream orange.
- Romania was bad. Now they have to beg for help.
- In exchange, the Romanian government has to make everyone suffer. People sure hate suffering, don’t they?
- In the mean time, start doing things so we can make money in your damn country!
- Plus listen to Daddy Isarescu because he’s the steady cool hand at the helm.
- Hey did you know the Tourism Minister is a hot chick? Yep, totally true and everything.
- Oh jeez, I went to Snagov and the bridge there was just horrifically ugly. I was so mad because I spent hours driving all over the place to find it. I mean that bridge was U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi for real.
- Oh then some drunk old monk wandered up to me and was jabbering at me in Romanian and pestered me until I gave him money.
- I heard him say a bad word in Romanian that I know and I think he was talking about Those Poor Repressed Romany Not Tigani People whom I admire and respect so much. I just wish I had the balls to ask him his name so I could quote him in my global publication. Darn, maybe next time!
- By the way this guy at the health club whom I met for a squash game told me Romania needs to get cracking on doing what multinational corporations want ’em to do. He’s a banker so he knows what he’s talking about. Gee, I wish I could remember his name.
- There’s a lot of corruption in Romania and it’s bad. I mean seriously bad.
- Even though Basescu is hated by tons of people right now in his own country, he’s still our good pal and bestest Orange buddy, just like the tie-muncher himself, Saakashvili. Go orange!
All Things Romania 
Well, I trust Mugur Isărescu. He has avoided some very shitty situations that were coming right towards us, but I guess one has to read some other local or foreign newspapers instead of The Economist.
I might be wrong, but I think the only reason Mugur Isărescu is still in charge of BNR is the fact that all Romanian politicians are stupid, they know they are stupid and they know Isărescu is the only one who is able to fix all the idiotic things they do.
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It would be very enlightening to know how many of those who take the liberty to have an opinion on economics really do know what they are talking about.Do they know what is the real meaning(as in definition)of terms like;bank,banking,money,monetary unit,value,price,inflation,deflation,deficit,etc?They may be able to recognise these words,since they write for or read… The Economist,…but…do they know what these terms mean?….To me all this talk or rather chat on economy all over the media,done by “journalists”…and…”ignorant commentators”…sounds the same as the chat done by old ignorant ladies in the waiting room of a medical clinic,who honestly believe they know better and have all the needed qualifications to evaluate doctor”s professional skills and establish who is the best among them!….Isn”t ignorance wonderful?
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To add to what Radu had to say – the banks are misbehaving becuase they know that BNR (yes, I’m taking a shot at daddy Isarescu) has their back. In effect, he has institutionalized moral hazard.
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No, he isn’t. He’s just pissing money away (BORROWED money) from the reserve accounts to keep the currency somewhat stable. There are other ways that can be achieved but that would require fucking thought and work.
Sam: like I said, the article is generally well written but it persists with the wrong idea that the current administration is fighting off corruption. And the banker they mention I think is Mr. S v. Groningen of Raiffaisen whom, I believe, is a friend of Romania.
Oddly enough, beyond the tin-foil thinking of many Romanians (google “nu ne vindem tara”) corporations are behaving very nice in the country with the odd exception of a few banks.
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Number 10 refers to this graf:
Nor are foreign investors queuing up to take advantage of Romania’s fertile soil and beautiful scenery or its flexible, cheap and multilingual workforce. Services are particularly underdeveloped. “This could be the back office of Europe,” says a foreign banker, who tries hard to stay optimistic.
And as you can see, nobody bothers to identify the “foreign banker” ;)
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Well, why would they? Look at Ford, they asked for a damned road to be build from the factory to the nearest A-road. Mercedes chose Hungary for the same reason and Voestalpine, if they build a plant, it will be close to the Danube to minimize transport costs.
The land in Romania is #1 fragmented #2 owned by the State in a large proportion but given to “smart guys” to exploit for pennies. There’s no point in trying to draw FDIs in this area (Sweden, UAE and Japan are beyond interested in our lands but there’s nothing being done to help them). The government is busy picking its bellybutton and tasting the lint.
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Isarescu is doing HIS PART, and doing it quite well. That’s why nobody got his seat until now and that’s why the Euro is only 4 lei and not 8 or 10.
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Most of what the Economist is saying is correct. The parts that aren’t are summed up by the wrongful perception that Basescu is even slightly interested in the life of Romanians. Nobody in his party is, was or ever will be interested in anything but their own well being and that’s fact.
Moreover, Isarescu WAS the beacon of hope until he himself went off the grid (ro: flutura stegulete pe campii) in the past few months and started admonishing Romanians but not doing jack shit to help.
Fuck’em all.
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Honestly, I don’t see why you call it a “hit piece”. I, for one, find it quite accurate.
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I’ve posted an update. I hope this accurately expresses my opinion on the subject :D
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Oh, this one calls for a rebuttal :D
1. Politicians are scum – and that’s a universal truth. Anyone who says different is a moron and/or hopelessly naive
2. This one’s actually true. The Romanian government and the irresponsible monetary policy of BNR have led the country into its current situation.
3. Really ? My POV is more akin to what this guy has to say
http://businessday.ro/12/2010/cand-anormalitatea-devine-normalitate/
4. Also true.
5. You do know that Isarescu happens to be the man who is responsible for the disastrous inflation of the 1990s which literally DESTROYED everybody’s savings, right ?
His “brilliant” monetary policy is the main reason why commercial transactions are done (unofficially, of course) in Euros, since nobody trusts the Leu.
And right now, inflation is above 7% – not exactly what I’d call “low”.
6-9 No contest here
10. Again, this is true. I don’t care if a foreigner says it. Right now, Romania’s economy is extremely inefficient – and it’s all the government’s fault. Reforms are DESPERATELY needed.
11. In agreement.
Really, let’s stop kidding ourselves. Romania squandered a decade (the 1990s) because it refused reform (I’m talking about the economy). And when things finally changed for the better, it was only at foreign pressure – and I don’t care how selfish their reasons were.
And unless drastic action is taken, we’ll squander another decade (at least).
There are harsh truths that need to be said, and I don’t care who does it. That’s why I find myself in agreement with most of what The Economist says. The mess Romania’s in is of its own making.
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