Moreover, the relations to Hungary, which, after the introduction in 2001 of the so-called "Status-Act- regarding Hungarians living abroad, were temporarily subject to particular strain have, again, become more relaxed. Thus, in October 2002, the Hungarian president Ferenc Madl was the first Hungarian head of state to be visiting Romania after the breakdown of the communist Eastern bloc. A few days ago during a meeting with the Romanian Diaspora on the Black Sea coast, the Romanian prime-minister Nastase even referred to the Status-Act" as a model to be used in drafting a corresponding Romanian regulation. .
The various disagreements between Romania and the EU, brought about last year by the signing of the treaty with the USA on the non-extradition of the US citizens to the Criminal Court of Justice on the Haag, without previous consultation of the EU and by further support of the USA in matters regarding the war in Iraq, were skillfully smoothened out by the Romanian Government without losing face or exposing the partners USA and EU. .
The results of the domestic policy on the other hand need to be tackled from a more skeptical perspective. Since the PSD did not gain the absolute majority in the general elections held in November 2000 it had to form a minority government which, never-theless, can count on the support of the Union of the Hungarian Minority UDMR (Uniunea Democratica a Maghiarilor din Romnia). Initially, they signed a one year collaboration protocol, which has been extended periodically ever since. On top of that, several MP's of the opposition, especially of the democratic party which has the same leftwing political orientation (Partidul Democrat, PD) and the ultranational Party Greater Romania (Partidul Romnia Mare, PRM) have gone over to the PSD, with the result that the latter is dependant on the votes of the UDMR only in specific instances. .
Important domestic decisions such as the urgent reform of the dead-beat health system were delayed up until after the NATO-decision in Prague in order to avoid social un-rest.
