NID: ROMANIA: NEW GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO REASSURE WARY PUBLIC

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe: A 30-Year Legacy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06826842
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2019
• Publication Date: January 2, 1990

Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826842
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ROMANIA: New Government Seeks To Reassure Wary Public
The !stational Salvation Front (FSN) is consolidating its power and
trying to convince a skeptical 1,./pulation that it will carry out the
promised transition to multiparty democracy.
FSN ',faders used the relatively peaceful weekend to formalize several
prodemocracy steps. President lliescu announced legalization of all
political parties, except those deemed fascist or extremist. He also
announced the abolition of the feared security apparatus and
promised an open, permanent dialogue with all segments of society.
Meanwhile, a group of intellectuals�including members of the
FSN�announced the formation of the Group for Social Dialogue
to serve as a watchdog to monitor progress in democratic reform.
Several steps also were taken to allay fears about a possible resurgence
by the Communist Party. An official FSN spokesman said in a
news conference Sunday that Communists are the minority in the
provis:onal government and no longer consider themselves party
membors. About 20 leading Communists called Saturday for the
3.8 milion members to hold an emergency congress as soon as
possible to dismantle the discredited party and to transfer all
funds and property to the new government.
The Romanian news agency reported Sunday that former secret
police ,thief Vlad and three other officials of the interior Ministry.
which .:ontrols the police, were arrested on unspecified charges.
Comment: Rising popular expectations apparently have driven
lliescu--he earlier had expressed reservations about a multiparty
system--to embrace political pluralism faster than he may have
intended. Despite its liberalizing moves. the FSN's centralized power
and media control virtually guarantee that it will be better positioned
than other fledgling parties in the runup to the April election. The
move against Vlad, following the dismissal of Deputy Defense
Minister Gusa last week, probably increases the FSN's ri on power
and reduces the chance of a countercoup.
TCS 2701/90
2 January 1990
6.2(d)
6.2(d)
6.2(d)
6.2(d)
6.2(d;
6.2(d
6.2(c
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826842