Shadows of the Past

I just found this article. Apparently there is an ongoing debate about the release of old Securitate surveillance files (the Securitate was secret police organization during the communist period).

Interestingly enough, after the Revolution, no high-ranking communist officials were prosecuted. They simply continued on with life as usual, and many of them are still involved with the government. This, one can guess, has been a hindrance in settling this debate. But, those who suffered during communism because of their opposition to the regime want to have some degree of justice and some sense of closure. Thus, the release of this information is very important to them, and understandably so.

This whole situation seems to indicate how Romania is still dealing with ghosts from its past. Getting out from under the shadow of communism is certainly a process, to say the least.

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Here's another piece of news I've found. It seems that Romania wants to position itself as a mediator between the EU and Serbia in dealing with the issue of Kosovo. Obviously Belgrade doesn't want to be isolated from the rest of the European community. However, neither does Bucharest, but its refusal to recognize Kosovo hasn't helped in this regard. By positioning itself as the middleman, Romania would not only be able to help reconcile Belgrade with the rest of Europe, but it would also be able to keep its own "community" image in good standing.