It's become a real fact. Ioan Talpes has been nominated by the Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, after the Snagov meeting, for the office of minister secretary of state, along with Dan Ioan Popescu and Ioan Rus. Unlike the other two, (ministry of industries and ministry of internal affairs), Talpes becomes vice Prime Minister without portfolio, having as remit the European accession, Justice and Defense. Interesting to notice that Talpes, the reliable man of president Ion Iliescu, takes over the key directorates of the Government. If regarding the Defense- a field where the residential advisor passes for an expert - things are OK, Romania has joined NATO, regarding the political fight of the EU accession, in these two months of 2004 we have been kicked much more than we had been during the three years before. In the Euro-parliamentarians attacks, Justice is seen as one of the weakest rings of the accession chain. It is precisely this area where Ioan Talpes will intervene, in capacity of coordinator. How is going Talpes to involve the European accession, and how is he going to beautify and control Rodica Stanoiu, supported enthusiastically by Ion Iliescu, is difficult to imagine. Thus, Adrian Nastase responded efficiently to cleanse his image for the next electoral campaign. If he couldn't oppose the nomination of Ioan Talpes, at least he can put the whole burden on his shoulders: not only solving the accession problems, but also Rodica Stanoiu. So, the future accuses of Europe regarding the slow pace of reforms and corruption will have a scapegoat, for sure. The right man for that is Talpes, former head of secret services, with a dubious past, full of scandals much more than anything else in Romania.

Bogdan COMARONI