The "Arms for Egypt" operation happened under Basescu's nose. Elsewhere in the news, foreign investors in Romania ask for damages more substantial than the next IMF instalment. Last but not least, the years of communism, poverty, the authorities' lack of interest for accessing European funds and the youth leaving to cities has left the Romanian village in a pitiable state.
The "Arms for Egypt" operation happened under Basescu's nose, Cotidianulreads. The newspaper reveals an arms transport performed by Mustafa Tartoussi, one of the men investigated in the Omar Hayssam trial. IMAM T is the ship that transported a container with arms to Egypt in March, 2008, carrying Serbian arms to Alexandria, leaving from Constanta (South-East Romania). Tartoussi used it the through his company, Askila Shipping.
The same ship carried Omar Hayssam to Egypt in 2006. Tartoussi had received interdiction to leave Romania months ago because of the investigations in the Omar Hayssam trial, the escaped Syrian businessman sentenced to 20 years of prison in Romania for his involvement in the kidnap of three Romanian journalists in Iraq.
Tartoussi's company was authorised by the Romanian authorities to perform the arms transport. The exporter was the Serbian company BETRAM EXPORT-IMPORT and the receiver, HELIOPOLIS CO. IMAM T underwent a NATO control in the Mediterranean Sea, led by Captain Mathew Sharp, without any problems.
Foreign investors ask for damages more substantial than the next IMF instalment, Evenimentul Zilei reads. Romania has four trials at the Washington Arbitration Court. It could cost the state 1.16 billion euros, a sum larger than the next IMF instalment for Romania (1 bln euros).
The Rompetrol Group (TRG) Netherlands initiated the trial in 2005, while under Romanian businessman Dinu Patriciu's management. The company
