All newspapers seem to be in shock after a piece of news that didn't really surprise anyone: former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase managed to elude the two criminal files put up against him for corruption, using a flaw in the laws on how a minister can or can not be under investigation.

Although most newspapers use a neutral, meek voice, others seem to hope this is only some time Nastase bought for himself.

The law says that former ministers can be placed under investigation, while for ministers in office it's obligatory to have the approval of a special Commission. Nastase's lawyers considered the article as discriminatory, the Constitutional court agreed and the files on Nastase's name were sent back to The Anti-Graft Prosecution Office (DNA), to be re-formulated.

According to Evenimentul Zilei, the decision jeopardizes other criminal investigations as well, al files opened against ministers being on the brink of becoming useless.

But a fresh point of view brings back some hope: Jurnalul National counts the political figures in the Social Democrat Party (PSD), showing that all leaders were "created" by Adrian Nastase and the former Romania president, Ion Iliescu.

Despite this, they refuse to issue any "solidarity statements" when Nastase or Iliescu are brought to court, unlike a few years ago, when the PSD was usually sending his "best men" to protest against the arrest of some of their colleagues.

Back to Romania's usual business, a decision is expected on Friday from president Traian Basescu, who should either promulgate or reject the pensions' 50% growth project, Gandul reads, estimating that chances are for Basescu to reject the project, since the resources for such a popular move aren't very well defined.

But the news get better for employees: the net average salary in Romania will grow some 25% in 2008 and 21.3% in 2007, according to the estimations made by the Economy Minister Varujan Vosganian, quoted by Cotidianul.

Despite all this growth, the Romanian Currency, leu, gets stronger every day. Still, the Romanian Central Bank (BNR) will not intervene to stop the leu growth, says BNR vice governor Eugen Dijmarescu, according to Gandul. "Despite recently developing tensions, the balance of the market will come naturally", said Dijmarescu.

Stability may only mean good news for on of the major investors in Romania, Renault, owners of the Dacia brand. Some 112,000 Dacia Logan units were sold this year worldwide, 8% more than the first Q1-Q2 balance in 2006, Evenimentul Zilei.

On the other hand, the other major Romanian car producer, Automobile Craiova (formerly owned by Daewoo) only got one firm privatization offering, from Ford. General Motors and JSC Russian Machines, also involved in the bid, failed to submit their final offerings, Cotidianul reads.