President decorates "producers of arrears" for outstanding merits

Everybody agrees that the energy industry makes up the unrestructured hardcore of Romanian economy. However, President Ion Iliescu seems to think very highly of the managers at Electrica, Romgaz and Compania Lignitului (Lignite Company). They were the knights chosen by the President to represent the Romanian business, when he embarked on a massive decoration “campaign” at the end of last year.
The companies subordinated to the Industry Ministry rank first among the “producers of arrears.” Inflation cannot possibly be beaten before the producers of power, heat, gas and coal start dealing with the costs. Is there anyone that can deny this? Actually, there is.
According to President Ion Iliescu, who decorated them, and to the Ministry of Industry and Resources, who promoted them, the heads of energy companies are “the chosen ones.”
“Mr. Silviu Boghiu, general manager of Electrica SA, is thus awarded the ‘Devoted Service’ National Order, with the rank of ‘Knight’, for extraordinary results attained in the industry restructuring process.” Perhaps, it would have been right to honour him for having devotedly served inflation.
“The ministries submitted the requests for decorations. The President could not have possibly checked each and every person,” says Gheorghe Angelescu, a state advisor with the Romanian Presidency’s Chancery of Orders.
“However, we asked the ministries to name people outside their domain, outside the top management. You won’t find any general managers, ministers or state secretaries here,” Angelescu says.
“We are doing this for all those people whose work is not being acknowledged,” the official stated.
Private enterprises account for two thirds of Romania’s Gross Domestic Product, but you won’t see many private “knights” on the President’s list.
“We could not have covered these areas on our own. We relied on the ministries and, if there were no proposals, we did not interfere. For instance, the SME Ministry, the Privatisation Authority and the Ministry of Communications and Technology did not come up with any suggestions,” Angelescu says.
But what is the exact meaning of these decorations? “This is the State’s way to thank someone for their outstanding contribution,” the Chancery of Orders official says. Everything is now falling into place. After all, the money from the energy bill goes into the State’s pockets, so the managers actually did a great job.