Transylvania Roundup

I haven't done a Transylvania Roundup for months. I will first redirect your attention to the commentary over at Brussels Journal, as cited previously. The situation in Hungary is calming down, but people are still unhappy. The socialist government's admission that it had been lying to get elected has infuriated people. The admission, however, was quite clear that the party was lying because that is what people wanted to hear. It is a continuing problem in Europe that people resent having their little security taken away, even if there is promise of more prosperity for all. If things seems contemptible to you, watch how fiercely Americans will fight to keep mortgage deductions, if we ever move to a flat tax. More on the uprising at Tech Central Station.

Romania and Bulgaria will be joining the EU in 2007, though it will be conditional. I have mixed feelings about this. John-Adrian is quite convinced, from the comments he gets from his old friends back in Romania, that this will be a huge positive. The emphasis on removing corruption will certainly be welcome. The influx of Euros seems more mixed to me. Such largesse, when given unwisely, tends to freeze unproductive industries and methods in place. Western Europe is not so keen on encouraging the creative destruction necessary to grow an economy. Publius Pundit has wise commentary, though I have had trouble bringing up the link tonight.

The Transylvania Motorway, also called the Bors - Brasov motorway, is currently the largest road project in Europe; it will connect the Hungarian / Romanian border with Oradea, Zalau, Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, Sighisoara and Brasov. For those of you not looking at a map, that is directly across Transylvania, which is the NW portion of Romania. The Oradea - Zalau section is near where my boys are from, and when the whole highway is built, will be an economic boon to an area of depressed villages. A small section near Cluj is nearing completion.

The Dacia Logan Break was unveiled at the Paris car show. (Photos included). The new Dacias are being designed to be exported into developing economies, such as India and China. South Africa and other African nations are apparently interested in this inexpensive ($8,000) car.

The news from Ukraine is only of historical interest this time around. The Baba Yar Massacre during the Holocaust was recently commemorated.