The energy-related scandals grow every hour and even ministers seem now to be directly involved, after four of the six persons first involved were arrested for 29 days. A parallel crisis is growing in the construction business where qualified workers are more and more difficult to find. Still, president Basescu is unhappy with the UK restrictions for Romanian workers.

Former PM and former strong-hand in the Social-Democrat Party (PSD) Adrian Nastase was a step away from losing even his seat in the soon to come PSD congress.

Lacking political support, sanctioned and threatened to be expelled, Nastase found a place in the end, but only after the intervention of the current PSD president, Mircea Geoana, according to Evenimentul Zilei

But that’s all for the fun news.

Elena Udrea, a.k.a. “the president’s blonde” was paid by the State’s Assets Administration (RAAPPS) 2.35 billion ROL, three times more than she first admitted. The problem is that most contracts came as direct offering, not through public auctions, Evenimentul Zilei reads.

And also in Evenimentul Zilei we find out that the Americans finally came: 900 US military will be installed in Romania, the number being expected to grow to 1,500 during the following years.

The update in the scandal on energy secret info trafficking is that four persons are already arrested, including the international criminal Stamen Santchev and two high-ranked Romanian officials. When everything seemed clear, Romania Libera managed to unveil another important aspect.

During the search of Santchev’s home, investigators found the private correspondence between the former US ambassador to Romania, Michael Guest, and the Privatization Ministry and towards the Bank of America, an institution involved in oil operator Petrom’s privatization.

On the other hand, Gandul is the only newspaper that could get a short statement from Codrut Seres, Economy Minister, who claims that the scandal around him is a result of his last week’s press conference, when he denounced the pressure he’s under.

The energy crisis is near and the main thermal energy provider for Bucharest already signed for a 190 million dollars loan in order to buy coal and fuel oil. The loan would be guaranteed 80% by the Economy Ministry, Gandul informs.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tariceanu demanded the exact situation in coal and crude oil as well as a briefing on the electricity commerce, but the Economy Minister failed to participate in the Govt. session, same Gandul notes.

Another crisis grows in constructions. “We lost 1 billion euros in the difference paid by the state during the past 14-15 years for road constructions. The money would have been enough for 300 highway kilometers”, says the Transport Minister Radu Berceanu, quoted by Gandul.

The truth is that the professionals on this market became such a rarity in Romania that those who chose not to flee to Spain and Italy now may charge how much they want. If not paid right, they just skip the working hours and have their usual beers, Adevarul reads.