Romanian Leaders Meet Opponents, Discuss Coalition

The Romanian government began unprecedented coalition talks Monday with a key opposition party in a bid to defuse political tension and form national unity.

President Ion Iliescu told local radio he had begun mediating with National Liberal Party leader Radu Campeanu and Prime Minister Petre Roman in an effort to pull Romania out of its political and economic crisis.

Meanwhile, anti-government protests broke out in the western city of Timisoara, cradle of the Romanian revolution a year ago, with about 15,000 people calling for Iliescu’s resignation. At the same time, all major factories were hit by strikes, with workers protesting against the government’s economic reform program, price liberalization, low wages and food shortages.

Iliescu said, “The talks concentrated on a dialogue and negotiations to be conducted over the next few days. The NLP pledged to contact other opposition parties to find possible solutions for co-participation in government by opposition parties.”

Roman said there is a good chance the talks will yield concrete results. “We shall see ways to share responsibilities at a moment which is by no means easy for the country.”

Campeanu and four National Liberal Party colleagues were negotiating with Roman, ruling National Salvation Front Vice President Claudiu Iordache and the front’s parliamentary leaders, Alexandru Barladeanu and Dan Martian.

Political sources said that Campeanu hopes to gain four Cabinet portfolios--possibly the ministries of trade, agriculture, education and labor. Campeanu ultimately wants Roman’s job.

The main grudge against Roman is that he unleashed harsh austerity by liberalizing prices last month and ending four decades of Communist-style price subsidies. Iliescu’s chief flaw in the eye of his opponents is that he is an unrepentant Communist with autocratic ambitions.

The National Liberals are one of six major parliamentary opposition parties that formed a united front last Saturday as the ruling front faced popular opposition and labor and student strikes.