One functional feature of a classical banana republic, such as those once financed by the CIA in Central or South America or such as all dictatorships, consists in an extreme discrepancy between the standards of life and the concerns of the main state officials and of the rest of citizens. This is related to a foreign affairs policy in keeping with international standards, always searching for sources of credibilization, still very far from domestic reality. Romania is slowly, but certainly heading such a state of things. During the reunion of the Supreme Council of National Defense last week they decided to send more troops to participate in missions abroad. A normal decision made by a NATO member wishing to consolidate its weak status and credibility at international level. Nothing bad so far. The NATO summit to take place in Bucharest next summer may also be a positive event. It is just that the very same day Romanian television stations were showing an unbelievable situation, filmed during a government meeting: Mr. Tariceanu yelling at his poor minister, Mr. Nicolaescu, telling him to find a specialist in emergency situations to deal with the health of Romanians facing a heat wave. And Mr. Tariceanu was so kindly adding: Get the Emergency Hospital or the University Hospital head or some of the kind to handle emergencies! It proves there are at least two parallel realities in Romania: one with the perfect troops and their 21st century equipment and another one with 'made in Romania' improvisation for the life of a population no politician cares about any longer. We are perfect at arranging conferences, seminars and debates, followed by parties. Of course all these mean huge contribution to the national budget. But what is interesting is that the tradition inherited from Ceausescu's etiquette works: the attendants of such events are surrounded by an impermeable sanitary belt to efficiently protect them against the rest of the mortals and against reality as well. The NATO officials get a surprising and slightly embarrassing companion (chains of official cars preceded by motorbikes visibly and rudely ridden by the Guardianship and Protection Service chaps on routes not open to public traffic). So how can they know how the protection system for civil emergencies works? Any clime phenomenon is extreme catastrophe to us. And the naked truth is that Romania lacks national systems to respond coherently and functionally. God protect us against some terrorist attack in Bucharest and against special emergency transport on our deadlocked streets and avenues! God protect us against some major epidemic! When hospitalized, Romanians have to bring their medicine, bed sheets, towels and syringes from home. Let's keep in mind the tragic state of things we don't report to the EU or NATO chaps: in Romania there still are localities lacking electricity and a huge number of lodging places and households without sewerage. No one will prevent us from going on with our lives within such a reality. They pretend they don't know about it and we are proud and enthralled with national haughtiness. Isn't this supposed to be a target of Romania's European development? If it isn't, can you see anyone care about it? Still no one there...

Cristian UNTEANU