In the last five to six years, the privatization process has developed very quickly, and foreign investments have grown progressively.

This progress is no doubt a function of a vigorous political environment characterized by much substantive debate.

For those not well familiar with the Romanian political scene, here is an overview.

There are three main political powers on the Romanian political scene today: the National Liberal Party, the Democratic Liberal Party, and the Social Democratic Party.

Leading the governement we find the National Liberal Party (or PNL in Romanian), with a historical tradition, center-right orientation, and a promoter of liberal values. The party's governement team designs and carries out essential projects with the purpose of modernizing the country. The party's politics respect the will and mandate given by the people, in my opinion, and can be fairly called constructive politics, developed in continuous dialog with the citizens.

Values promoted by the PNL are the ones of integral liberalism, with both political and economic components. political and economic one. It promotes the market economy, free initiative, and capitalism.

The second party on Romanian stage, the Demoractic Liberal Party (PD-L or simply PD) also has a center-right orientation. It also stands for a market economy that is efficient, humane, and supports modern public services as well as extended social protection. The PDL is a reformist party, connected to European Union political relations through its membership with the European Popular party.

The Social Demoractic Party (or PSD) was born after the revolution of 1989, and has changed names until settling on the present one. The party promotes a mixed market economy with stipulations for workers, little emphasis on entrepreneurship, consumer protection, and extended social protection.

Even as the press constantly accuses the state and politicians of coruption and incompetence--and contend that the differences between the political forces can bring chaos--the reality is that those difference, these divagations, represent a real democratic exercise. All forces can express and debate, argue their opinions, and finally make the best decisions based on democratic collaboration among the president, the parliament, and other government entities.

Continually increasing economic development serves as proof that Romania has a stable, healthy democracy. We can continue to observe an unprecedented economic increase, an increased level of foreign investment, and the growing of level of the value of companies. The actual governement , even if it has been remade many times, has always obtained the vote of the parliament.

Some political alliances created in the important election held in the autumn of 2004 broke down after awhile—ie, the PNL-PD alliance—bu the government has continued to win investors' votes. Some ministries did develop a bad image, but changes were made, and a non-confidence vote introduced in parliament against the actual governement was ultimately rejected.

So, the rhythm of development in Romania continues to be at one of the higest levels in the EU. Internal raw product production has been raised spectacularly in recent years, and a series of reforms of a socially-minded character have been welcomed by the country's citizens.

The local election this year was made at the established time, and the parliamentary ones will take place at the end of November as scheduled. The oposition often criticizes the governement, and Romanians are able to take into account what criticisms are justified and what the right measures are to continue to create and nurture a healthy, constructive political environment.

Email : sandrafocseneanu@yahoo.com