POLAND is not the only Eastern European country undergoing serious popular unrest. In Rumania too the workers wave a struggles against food shortages.
On the Romanian government issued a decree signed by President Ceausescu which introduced harsh. penalties noarolg food. Persons holding more than OTIC CHILIES supply of food are liable to pason sentences Dr up Lo five ycars. Food The scope of the food shortazes was turtucr indicated on 17 October by a decree which introduced bread rationing. Local autborities are to ensure that customers receive no more enan an 1÷0z оат от bread daily and 5 lbs. of maize ical per month.
In some localities food is sold only to those whose names appear list ofn local CEDEWLILLCL residents. All purchases are recorded.
have launched a When bread rationing was announced strikes broke out in the Jiu valley. site of Romania's biggest coalfield. The government sent. Central Committee Secretar Emil Bobu to deal with the strikers hut THE WOTKEES arrested him in the town of Motrul and demanded that Ceausescu himself should come.
Ceausescu's helicopter was unable to land as it was stoned by local people and had to fly back to Bucharest. The police station in Motrul was set on fire and the party headquarters was occupied Strikes and demonstrations aiso occurred in other parts of Romania. In the town of Giurgiu, miles south of Bucharest, the local party deputy secretary was killed by angry demonstrators. On 17 October there were also SUBRECS towns of Levrda, Lupoaia and Horasti AL the beginning of November Ine party secretary for the town of Orsova was ound stabbed. Reports say that the police are out in large numbers capital Bucharest to prevent the outbreak of unrest while people queue for food.
Debt The Romanian debt to the West TaLOVe 510bn. If existing obligations are be fulfilled Romania will have to borrow more and negotiate debt rescheduling It is estimated that the forcign debt could reach as high as 516bn by the end of year. Factorics are working at 50 to 60 pcr cent of their capacity and trade with the West has declined.
In order to satisfy the need for hard currency the regime has resorted to the export of meat and other food products. The popular view in Romania 1s that it is the state export of food which is responsible for the shortages and not hoarding.
But the official campaign against hoarding continues. Flats are raided and every night television viewers are shown scenes illegal stocks of food uncovered by the police.
A group of shopper queuing for oil in front of Leonida shop and taken to the police statien. After an identity check thei homes were searched and anyone 2033633111 itre of oil was fined more than a The parallels Poland are too close for comfort for the Rumanian bureaucrats.
The Romanian media, while taking its diplomatic distance tne Russians, regularly denounces the anti-socialist activities" of Solidarity in Poland wille failing to provide information sensitive issues like workers Eastern Europe.
The miners of the Jiu valley have a long tradition struggle against the Ceausescu regime. In 1972 they launched revolt againt NauCEuaE OOO Ceausescu was Torced to Ceausescu was forced CUSHCLE the discuss with the workers in the town of Petrosani.
Cut In August 1977 the miners went on strike against the introduction of a new Pension Law which would have cut their living standards. They demanded adequate food supplies, 6-hour working day abolition of unpaid labour and the re-introduction of rights that the miners had won in 1956 and 1957 At that time the CP Icadership sent two CenOHHHTEEe CHeD DeTE Ilie Verdets and Gheorge Pana to negotiate with the workers But Ine workers arrested the CC members and demanded that Ceausescu deal with them directly.
Ceausescu gave in after 3 days and come to meet a mass gathering of 35,000 miners. After 5 hours of discussion, reminiscent of Gierek's discussion with the Szczecin WOTKCIS 10 Poland in 1976, Ceausescu gave in to their demands and promised that there would be no repressive measures taken against the strikers.
The food shortages are occurring against background of increasing economic difficulties for the Romanian Romania is a member of the International Monc. tary Fund (IMF) as well as the World Bank, and has special trade agreements the USA USG SLUCKS coal and uranium to acquire large amounts of hard currency it embarked, like Poland on a programme of rapid and large scale industrialisation Agriculture was neglected CuL SamOsTeEwer sacrificed to nomina growth rates and industrial expansion. Plans But, like Poland again, these seriously wrong. Oil self sutasency aisappeared u the mid-'70s. Plans to use tuc count s targe romm ing capacity to refine an re-export Middle East oil were demolished by the sharp rise crude oil prices nd the Iran-Iraq war Many long-term capital intensive programmes ASULUI SUDSIATILE hard-currency expenditure like the build OWH power industr through co-operation wit using Candu nuclear technology Socialist Challenge 3 Decembér 1981 page 7
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EEC Ho on oil.