All newspapers today read about PM Tariceanu's decision to postpone the 50% teachers' salary increase until as late as April 1, 2009. Elsewhere in the news, Romania will face a real economic crisis in 2009 as unemployment rates will increase tremendously to 1 million people. Last but not least, one newspaper puts forward the idea of political gambling, where people can bet on who is going to win a term in the Parliament in these fall elections.

All newspapers on Wednesday read about the new political crisis between Romania's PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu and President Basescu, on the teachers' salary increase law. Cotidianul informs that PM Tariceanu decided to postpone the application of the law until as late as April 2009, even if Parliamentary elections are imminent.

Tariceanu declared that he would rather be the "bad wolf" and explained that any increase in salaries should be implemented gradually. He underlined that this year the teachers' salaries increased by 6% in April and by 9% in October. Therefore, Tariceanu declared that neither the Parliament, nor the President offered financing sources for their increase.

The 2009 budget proposed by the government does not include the 50% teachers' salary increase. Plus, it limits the spending of public institutions to increase the money for the Agriculture, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Justice ministries. Tariceanu declared that the budget takes into account the world crisis and needs to be moderate.

At his turn, Gandul reads, President Basescu declared that there are resources in the Government but they are targeted to political clients rather to professors. Basescu accused the government of lack of sincerity and pointed out to some salary increase of other social categories in the detriment of teachers.

Still on the economic side, Romania's unemployment rates