Radio România Internațional

Tag: civil society

  • Change of presidency at the EESC

    Change of presidency at the EESC

    This week the European Economic and Social Committee elected Austrias Oliver Röpke as its new president. Joining him at the helm of the EESC will be Krzysztof Pater (Poland) as vice-president for the budget and Aurel Laurenţiu Plosceanu (Romania) as vice-president for communication.



    In his inauguration speech, Oliver Röpke promised to make the EESC a true civil society gateway and open its doors to the EU accession countries. According to the agenda of his presidency, which will run under the motto “Stand up for democracy, speak up for Europe”, the Committee is expected will take on a more active role to stand up for democracy and strive for a more resilient, prosperous and inclusive Europe in the run-up to the 2024 European elections.



    Attending the event, Eugen Cojocariu spoke to European Ombudsman Emily OReilly about the change of leadership and the Ombudsmans role in dealing with the challenges generated by the war in Ukraine, as well as to European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič about the introduction of a new EU-wide mechanism for the joint purchase of gas.







  • Priorities of the Ciolos Cabinet

    Priorities of the Ciolos Cabinet

    Romanias new Government Thursday convened for its first meeting. The Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos presented to his Cabinet members the administrative and legislative priorities for the forthcoming period. One of the most urgent matters is the endorsement of the 2016 budget bill. The PM emphasized that it was critical for this bill to move forward quickly, and to reflect the measures outlined in the governing programme. The Finance Minister Anca Dragu Paliu will have to come up with a first budget draft by Saturday, when the Government members are to hold an informal meeting.



    The new Cabinet will also pay special attention to the reform in the public administration field, salary issues, preparations for winter and the progress in European fund absorption. As regards the organisation of ministries, Dacian Ciolos said that only five of them would be subject to changes of structure and minor reorganisation. The Labour Ministry, for instance, will also provide social dialogue services, whereas the new Ministry for Public Consultation, designed as a channel for direct communication with civil society, will have a separate structure.



    Dacian Ciolos: “We have created a new Ministry for Public Consultation and Civil Dialogue precisely as an expression of the goal that this Cabinet is pursuing, that of opening up to civil society and public debate, to public consultation related to the Governments key projects, as well as of establishing a channel for direct communication with civil society.



    Dacian Ciolos has also asked the deputy PM Vasile Dancu to prepare a more efficient and coherent framework for improving the work of public administration institutions. In fact, on Monday, at the Chamber of Deputies, Dancu will take part in a Question Time session devoted to the national programme on local development. The fast pace of changes is a common feature of the first 100 days of any new government, but according to the PM these changes should have effects in the medium and long run.



    Dacian Ciolos: “I would like to prove to all Romanians that this Cabinet has started working, not just for the medium term, but also on the more urgent and topical issues. I would like to prove that we are in a position to meet the expectations that people have of us.



    The technocratic cabinet headed by Dacian Ciolos was endorsed by a large parliamentary majority on Tuesday.


    (Translation by: Ana Maria Popescu)

  • November 6, 2015 UPDATE 2

    November 6, 2015 UPDATE 2

    Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis announced on Friday that fresh consultation for the appointment of a candidate for the prime minister position was set for next week. On Thursday and Friday the head of state met with representatives of parliamentary parties and, for the first time in Romanian politics, with civil society members. President Iohannis, who on Thursday appointed the Education Minister Sorin Câmpeanu as interim PM, said a solution could be presented towards the end of next week. Consultations are held following the resignation of the Social Democrat PM Victor Ponta, against the background of large-scale street protests in the past few days. Last week’s deadly fire at a nightclub in Bucharest, which killed 32 people and left more than 100 severely injured, fuelled public anger at the political elite. Tens of thousands of people protested every evening in Bucharest and other Romanian cities against corrupt politicians, asking for a reform of the political class.




    As many as 65 people injured in a fire at Bucharest’s nightclub “Colectiv” last Friday continue to be in critical condition. The fire killed 32 people. Romania’s interim prime minister Sorin Campeanu announced that his cabinet will approve next week the payment of the medical treatment for patients who will be transferred to hospitals abroad, in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, Germany and France. According to Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu skin transplant was performed on several patients and some of them underwent surgical procedures needed to help them breathe. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate has announced it initiated criminal proceedings against the former mayor of Bucharest District 4, Cristian Popescu-Piedone, for abuse of office and forgery. He is accused of having issued permits for the club’s functioning in spite of the fact that his owners did not get the approval of the Department for Emergency Situations first. The club’s three owners were taken into temporary custody on suspicion of manslaughter and involuntary bodily harm.




    Thousands of British holidaymakers are stranded in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, following London’s decision to suspend all flights to and from the Egyptian resort. The measure was taken over concerns voiced by the British Premier David Cameron and US President Barack Obama that it was possible a bomb on board had brought down the Russian plane which crashed last week, 23 minutes after takeoff from the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The crash on Saturday killed all 224 people on board.




    Nicolae Timofti, the President of the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet republic with a mostly Romanian speaking population, appointed Mihai Gribincea as the country’s Ambassador to the neighbouring Romania. Gribincea will replace the current Moldovan Ambassador, Iurie Renita, whose mandate has expired. Before being appointed in this new position, Mihai Gribincea was Moldova’s Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and head of Chisinau’s mission with NATO. According to the Chisinau media, Mihai Gribincea is a staunch supporter of the Euro-Atlantic values.


  • November 5, 2015

    November 5, 2015

    Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has today announced it appointed Education Minister Sorin Cimpeanu as interim prime minister to replace Victor Ponta who resigned on Wednesday after mass street protests. President Iohannis will hold talks with political parties later today and will nominate a new prime minister later this week, tasked with forming a new government, which needs parliamentary approval. The head of state is today meeting with representatives of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), part of the ruling coalition, of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) – both in opposition -and of the group of national minorities. Consultations will continue on Friday with the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), both part of the ruling coalition. President Iohannis has also announced that he will bring “a new actor” to the table, that is a group which represents civil society and the street, to listen to their wishes and opinions.




    133 people, of whom 80 in serious condition, are still in hospital following the fire in the “Colectiv” nightclub, which caused the death of 32 people, authorities have announced. The death toll could rise significantly, doctors have warned, given that the club décor that burnt in the fire gave off extremely noxious gases and the injuries caused are atypical, including burns involving large areas of the skin, lung necrosis and extensive respiratory damage.




    Wednesday evening’s protests in Bucharest and several other Romanian cities, attended by tens of thousands of people, made headlines throughout the world. In spite of prime minister Victor Ponta’s resignation, France Press reports, protesters are asking for a government made up of technocrats, against the background of their lack of confidence in political parties. Reuters reports that protesters believe that the government’s resignation should be the start of a reform of the political class and the public administration, generally seen as corrupt. In its turn, the BBC says that concerns that safety has been compromised by corruption, fuelled people’s anger at the political elite. People are unsatisfied with politicians getting richer and richer while ordinary Romanians are becoming poor and poor, the Liberation writes.




    Romanian gymnast Larisa Iordache won the all-around title at the 32nd edition of the annual “Arthur Gander Memorial” competition on Wednesday in Morges, Switzerland. Iordache, the all-around bronze medallist in Glasgow, competed on vault, balance beam and floor exercise to easily win the title. The Romanian gymnast sailed to victory amassing a 2-point margin over second place Pauline Schäfer of Germany. Another Romanian, Diana Bulimar, came out 3rd. First held in 1984, the annual competition honors the legendary Arthur Gander, the former president of the International Gymnastics Federation.