American Bar Association/CEELI
740 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005-1022
Phone:(202) 662-1950
Fax: (202) 662-1597
Dear Mr. Philip Anderson,
hereby please accept a letter expressing our disappointment and disapproval
regarding the invitation to the USA of Romania's President Mr. Emil
Constantinescu, in order for him to be handed an honor award by the ABA.
We, as American citizens and former Romanian citizens, as well as thousands of
other former citizens of Romania living outside Romania, wish to protest Mr.
Constantinescu's visit to the United States. Our reasons for this protest
are deeply rooted in the still unsolved private property restitution problem
prevalent in Romania. Our family, as well as many other families, have
been robbed of their houses and real estate upon leaving Romania over the past
fifty years. These expropriations were done under the former Romanian Communist
regime. After the 1989 so-called Revolution in Romania, many people hoped
that Romania was going to take the right path of social, economic and attitude
reforms beneficial to all.
One of the first methods to start reforms in Romania would have been the
absolute restitution of confiscated private property and the introduction of
legislation to protect and respect the right to hold private property. The
private property reforms were never popular with the former post-Revolution
Romanian government. When Mr. Costantinescu announced his intention to run for
Presidency in Romania, many voters were overjoyed that finally reforms were
going to be slowly introduced. Mr. Constantinescu made fantastic promises
to his voters but after being elected he acknowledged that those promises were
only election tricks.
Moreover, Mr. Constantinescu has hidden his Communist past in his Curriculum
Vitae and is certainly not very eager to talk about the Communist Party
positions he filled during the Communist era. Mr. Constantinescu never
answers questions from expropriated owners and ignores completely the plight of
these owners to regain their properties. Romania is still dominated by a very
corrupt government with politicians quickly enriching themselves while still in
office. There is no reliable legislation in Romania to establish any kind
of order and there is the least legislation to solve the private property
problem.
We are appalled by the intention of the American Bar Association to honor Mr.
Constantinescu. We do not understand what Mr. Constantinescu is honored for
because we very well know how many times Mr. Constantinescu has broken his
promises towards the voters regarding the restitution of private property in
Romania.
Sir, please take into account what the real situation in Romania is, the lack of
reforms, the lack of legislation protecting private property and private land,
and the general corruption and lack of fundamental morals of Romanian
politicians.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this letter and respond in order to let us
understand your position regarding the private property dilemma facing Romania
and all those involved with this issue.
Now, please allow us to wish you all the best, success, health, and all the
happiness.
Sincerely,
Octavian Maior
Rodica Maior
Speranza Octavia Maior
Flora Maior-Rusu
Tache Maior-Rusu
Ioana Christina Maior-Rusu
Angela Maior-Leichtfried
Wilhelm Maior-Leichtfried
Anna Alexandra Maior-Leichtfried