Radio România Internațional

Tag: European Parliament

November 14, 2018 UPDATE

GOVERNMENT A joint meeting of the governments of Romania and the Republic of Moldova will be held on November 22nd in Bucharest, the Moldovan PM Pavel Filip announced in Chisinau. He mentioned that one of the topics could be an agreement on discarding mobile roaming fees between the Republic of Moldova and Romania. “It is an important logical step, in the line of other actions that draw us closer to Romania, such as the interconnection of our countries natural gas and electricity systems or the educational and cultural ties. It means nothing else but a stronger relationship between our countries, Pavel Filip said.

PARLIAMENT A bill declassifying the protocols signed by judicial institutions with intelligence services was passed on Wednesday in the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making parliamentary body in this case. The new regulation allows individuals who think they have been affected by the protocols to request the retrial of their cases. Opposition MPs say they will refer the bill to the Constitutional Court, and argue that the only purpose of the new legislation is to help reverse certain rulings. On the other hand, the ruling coalition says the bill benefits all citizens, who should have access to information in order to defend their rights.

STRIKE In Romania, negotiations between trade unions and the management of the Bucharest underground company, Metrorex, have failed. Unions announced that the employees would be on a 2-hour token strike on Thursday morning. They demanded a 42% pay raise, but the management only offered 18% under a new collective bargaining agreement. The token strike could be followed by indefinite all-out strike, unions added. In turn, the Transport Minister Lucian Sova said the negotiations had started 8 months before, and the unionists would not accept a smaller pay raise. According to Șova, the salaries of Metrorex staff have been raised on an annual basis for the last 4 years, and the last such increase was by 21% in 2017. As many as 700,000 passengers a day use the Bucharest underground system.

MOLDOVA The European Parliament Wednesday endorsed a resolution on the implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Moldova. MEPs criticised the deterioration of the rule of law in that country, the systemic corruption, breach of current commitments, the disregard for the recommendations of the Venice Commission concerning changes in the electoral system and the insufficient investigation of the 2014 banking fraud. A decision regarding the EU macro-financial assistance for Moldova will only be made after the parliamentary elections due in February 2019, and provided that they comply with the relevant international standards. Some Romanian MEPs argued however that the Union should continue to provide financial assistance to Moldova, so as to counter Russias influence.

GAUDEAMUS The 25th edition of the Gaudeamus International Fair, a landmark of the book market in Romania, an event organised by Radio Romania, opened on Wednesday. Gaudeamus 2018 will unfold under the auspices of a triple anniversary: the Great Union Centennial, 9 decades since the first broadcast aired by Radio Romania, one of the oldest radio stations in Europe, and the 25th edition of the Gaudeamus Book Fair.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

14 November 2018
Romanian President addresses European Parliament

The Romanian head of state pleaded
for unity, cohesion and solidarity in consolidating the European project, rejected
the idea of a multi-speed Europe and emphasized the fact that Romania is deeply
attached to the European project.

President Iohannis has also said
that joining the Euro Zone, as soon as all criteria are met, is a national objective
of Romania just like the country’s accession to the border-free Schengen area. President
Iohannis believes that Romania, which has deeply changed since the fall of the
communist regime, continues to believe in the European-type democracy.

The country has a growing economy and
is a stability provider in the region. Furthermore, the Romanian president has
added, Romania is an appreciated country, responsible for the security it
provides at regional level and within NATO.

According to the Romanian President,
the European Union must make efforts in the right direction so that no member
state and no European citizen should be left behind. Iohannis has pledged not to
abandon his standards in terms of implementing the rule of law and to work together
with the government in order to ensure the success of Romania’s EU Council
presidency in the first half of 2019.

The Romanian president has said
that as far as he is concerned, there
is no reason strong enough to make him lower his standards as regards the rule
of law or justice in Romania. The rule of law must remain the rule of law, the
Romanian president went on to say. Justice must be independent and democracy unaltered.
On the other hand everybody understands the need for the Romanian presidency of
the EU Council to be a real success and that he is ready to work jointly with
the government to achieve this goal.

Klaus Iohannis has also given
assurances about his commitment to fighting corruption. The Romanian president said that he was determined
to make further efforts to guarantee the Romanians the preservation of
democratic values, of the rules and principles of the rule of law and the
continuation of a very tough, difficult but fair fight against corruption.

In turn, the European Commission
president Jean-Claude Juncker has said that consensus is needed at the level of
the Romanian political class in terms of rule of law and the fight against
corruption so that Romania’s Schengen accession should not be affected. The
European official has reiterated his support for Bucharest’s accession to
Europe’s border-free area by the end of the current mandate of the European
Commission.

24 October 2018
October 6, 2018 UPDATE

REFERENDUM – Nearly 19 million Romanian voters are invited this weekend to vote on a proposed redefinition of the concept of family in the Constitution. The initiators aim to define “family as an institution based on the marriage of a man and a woman, rather than the marriage of spouses, as it is at present. According to data released by the Central Electoral Bureau 5.72% of the total number of eligible voters cast their ballots on Saturday, many of them in urban communities. Polls will reopen in the country on Sunday morning. By 21:00 local time, when polls closed in Romania, some 46,000 Romanians had also voted abroad. The Romanians living abroad can vote in 378 polls hosted by diplomatic missions, consular offices, cultural institutes and other locations. The largest number of polls abroad are in Italy, Spain, the Republic of Moldova, the USA, UK, France and Germany. The voting process abroad will conclude on the US West Coast and in Canada on Monday morning, according to Romanian time. The vote in the diaspora started on Friday night in Auckland, New Zealand. On the whole, the vote abroad will take 58 hours. Parliament has passed a bill rephrasing the Constitutional definition of marriage, based on a citizen initiative signed by 3 million people. The referendum will be validated provided that a 30% turnout rate is met and 25% of the eligible voters cast valid votes.

LAW – The Speaker of the Senate of Romania Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu said on Saturday that he wants a consensus of all parliamentary parties with respect to the Offshore Bill. In the next 2 weeks, when the bill is to be once again discussed, we will have enough time to find the best solutions, Tariceanu also said. The so-called Offshore Bill, which sets out the rules for natural gas extraction in the Black Sea, was discussed on Wednesday in the Chamber of Deputies, which decided to send the text back to the specialised committees. The bill was originally passed in the previous parliamentary session, but President Klaus Iohannis returned it to Parliament for a review.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT – The European Parliament has approved a report proposing new rules for freezing and confiscating the proceeds of crimes. The new regulation will allow for quicker and more efficient implementation of confiscation and asset freeze orders, as well as tighter deadlines for authorities and standard certificates for all EU member states. Experts estimate that offenders keep 98% of the proceeds of criminal activities. The EP report estimates that criminal activities generate around 110 billion euros per year. A 2016 EUROPOL report shows that only 2.2% of the money generated by criminal activities has been frozen or confiscated. At present, regulations on cross-border asset confiscation within the EU contain major loopholes that criminals and terrorists take advantage of.

SOPRANO – World-famous Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé died on Saturday at the age of 85, in a hospital in Barcelona where she had been admitted a month ago, the BBC reports. With a career spanning 50 years, Montserrat Caballé performed on some of the worlds greatest stages, alongside such personalities as Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Together with Freddie Mercury she sang the hit Barcelona, which was the anthem of the 1992 Olympics hosted by the Spanish city.

FINANCIAL – The Romanian Ministry for Finances has recently drawn 1.75 billion euros, through a Eurobond issue in international financial markets. The largest part of the bonds, amounting to 1.15 billion euros, has a 10-year maturity, and the remaining have 20-year maturity. According to Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici, the issue clearly reflects the positive international perception of the Romanian economys medium and long-term prospects. The strong demand and the quality of the investors confirm Romanias strengths, namely the sound macroeconomic foundation, coherent fiscal discipline and economic-financial stability. Teodorovici added that the Eurobond issue is designed to strengthen the State Treasurys foreign currency reserve and to minimise long term borrowing costs.

HANDBALL – The Romanian side AHC Dobrogea Sud Constanţa Saturday defeated at home the Czech side Talent Robstav MAT Plzen, 28-21, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the EHF Cup in mens handball. The second leg will be played in Constanta as well, on Sunday. On Friday, Romanias womens handball champions, CSM Bucharest, defeated at home, 36-31, the Hungarian team FTC Rail Cargo, in Group D of the new Champions League season. It is for the 4th consecutive time that CSM takes part in the leading continental competition. The first time, in 2016, the Romanian handballers won the Champions League trophy, and in the following editions they came out 3rd in the Final Four

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

6 October 2018
October 6, 2018 UPDATE

REFERENDUM – Nearly 19 million Romanian voters are invited this weekend to vote on a proposed redefinition of the concept of family in the Constitution. The initiators aim to define “family as an institution based on the marriage of a man and a woman, rather than the marriage of spouses, as it is at present. According to data released by the Central Electoral Bureau 5.72% of the total number of eligible voters cast their ballots on Saturday, many of them in urban communities. Polls will reopen in the country on Sunday morning. By 21:00 local time, when polls closed in Romania, some 46,000 Romanians had also voted abroad. The Romanians living abroad can vote in 378 polls hosted by diplomatic missions, consular offices, cultural institutes and other locations. The largest number of polls abroad are in Italy, Spain, the Republic of Moldova, the USA, UK, France and Germany. The voting process abroad will conclude on the US West Coast and in Canada on Monday morning, according to Romanian time. The vote in the diaspora started on Friday night in Auckland, New Zealand. On the whole, the vote abroad will take 58 hours. Parliament has passed a bill rephrasing the Constitutional definition of marriage, based on a citizen initiative signed by 3 million people. The referendum will be validated provided that a 30% turnout rate is met and 25% of the eligible voters cast valid votes.

LAW – The Speaker of the Senate of Romania Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu said on Saturday that he wants a consensus of all parliamentary parties with respect to the Offshore Bill. In the next 2 weeks, when the bill is to be once again discussed, we will have enough time to find the best solutions, Tariceanu also said. The so-called Offshore Bill, which sets out the rules for natural gas extraction in the Black Sea, was discussed on Wednesday in the Chamber of Deputies, which decided to send the text back to the specialised committees. The bill was originally passed in the previous parliamentary session, but President Klaus Iohannis returned it to Parliament for a review.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT – The European Parliament has approved a report proposing new rules for freezing and confiscating the proceeds of crimes. The new regulation will allow for quicker and more efficient implementation of confiscation and asset freeze orders, as well as tighter deadlines for authorities and standard certificates for all EU member states. Experts estimate that offenders keep 98% of the proceeds of criminal activities. The EP report estimates that criminal activities generate around 110 billion euros per year. A 2016 EUROPOL report shows that only 2.2% of the money generated by criminal activities has been frozen or confiscated. At present, regulations on cross-border asset confiscation within the EU contain major loopholes that criminals and terrorists take advantage of.

SOPRANO – World-famous Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé died on Saturday at the age of 85, in a hospital in Barcelona where she had been admitted a month ago, the BBC reports. With a career spanning 50 years, Montserrat Caballé performed on some of the worlds greatest stages, alongside such personalities as Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Together with Freddie Mercury she sang the hit Barcelona, which was the anthem of the 1992 Olympics hosted by the Spanish city.

FINANCIAL – The Romanian Ministry for Finances has recently drawn 1.75 billion euros, through a Eurobond issue in international financial markets. The largest part of the bonds, amounting to 1.15 billion euros, has a 10-year maturity, and the remaining have 20-year maturity. According to Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici, the issue clearly reflects the positive international perception of the Romanian economys medium and long-term prospects. The strong demand and the quality of the investors confirm Romanias strengths, namely the sound macroeconomic foundation, coherent fiscal discipline and economic-financial stability. Teodorovici added that the Eurobond issue is designed to strengthen the State Treasurys foreign currency reserve and to minimise long term borrowing costs.

HANDBALL – The Romanian side AHC Dobrogea Sud Constanţa Saturday defeated at home the Czech side Talent Robstav MAT Plzen, 28-21, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the EHF Cup in mens handball. The second leg will be played in Constanta as well, on Sunday. On Friday, Romanias womens handball champions, CSM Bucharest, defeated at home, 36-31, the Hungarian team FTC Rail Cargo, in Group D of the new Champions League season. It is for the 4th consecutive time that CSM takes part in the leading continental competition. The first time, in 2016, the Romanian handballers won the Champions League trophy, and in the following editions they came out 3rd in the Final Four

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

6 October 2018
The Week in Review, October 1-6, 2018

Debate in the European Parliament on the rule of law in Romania

The rule of law in Romania has been discussed in the European Parliament this week, with focus on the recent changes brought to the justice laws by the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila too was invited to Strasbourg for talks. The European Commission has been following with concern the latest developments in Romania, said the First Vice-President of the Commission Frans Timmermans at the start of the debate. He said that the country had taken steps backwards as regards the reform of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, speaking of the controversial changes brought by the left wing ruling coalition in Romania to the justice laws and the sacking of the head of the Anticorruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi, although the directorates activity had brought about a positive evaluation in the latest CVM report. In reply, Viorica Dancila said that a viable justice system must be built first for the citizens, and not for magistrates, politicians and institutions. She also said she did not come to Strasbourg to account, but out of respect and appreciation for the European forum, and called for a similar attitude towards Romania, just like the other member states.

Viorica Dancila: “This mechanism has failed to meet the aim it was created for and I officially request for us to be told who drew up the CVM reports, who provided the data and failed to mention, out of negligence or in bad faith, these realities which are unconceivable in the European Union.

Viorica Dancila also defended the Romanian Gendarmerie, accused of acting disproportionately at the anti-Government protest on August 10th in Bucharest. In her opinion, the gendarmes intervened just as other similar structures from other European countries have done. We recall that following the gendarmes brutal intervention, 770 criminal complaints have been filed by people who suffered during the protest, and several gendarmerie chiefs are being prosecuted. The debates in Strasbourg have triggered different reactions from the Romanian EMPs, who have criticized Frans Timmermans for his opinion or blamed one another or the current government. In Bucharest too, the stands taken by representatives of the various parliamentary parties have been different. The leaders of the ruling coalition hailed the prime-ministers speech, while the opposition National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union believe that Viorica Dancila presented a parallel reality.

The EU chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier, on a visit to Romania

The European Unions chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier, had a meeting in Bucharest with key Romanian political leaders. They looked at the current stage of the Unions negotiations with London, and at the next steps to be taken in Britains withdrawal from the European bloc. President Klaus Iohannis has underlined that preserving the unity of the 27 member states in the Brexit talks is extremely important. In turn, Michel Barnier emphasized that Romania, as the holder of the rotating presidency of the EU Council, will play a key role in the negotiations on the future relations between the EU and the UK. In turn, the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila underlined that Romania pays special heed to the Brexit file, given that a large Romanian community is living in the UK. Dancila also said that Romania will closely monitor the implementation of the exit agreement, so that all the Romanian citizens residing in the UK may continue to live, work and study in the same terms as they have done so far. Romanians make up the second largest foreign minority in the UK, after the Polish one.

A former tourism minister and a former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism in Romania (DIICOT) have been detained in Costa Rica

The Romanian police have confirmed that the former tourism minister Elena Udrea and the former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), Alina Bica, have been detained in Costa Rica. They have been placed under pre-trial arrest for two months. The two women have applied for asylum in Costa Rica. Udrea and Bica were under investigation, surveillance and monitoring by the Costa Rican authorities, as they were wanted internationally by Interpol, following the sentences they had received in Romania. For a long time seen as the most influential character in the former president Traian Basescus entourage, Udrea received from the High Court of Cassation and Justice a final 6-year prison sentence for bribe taking and abuse of office. The same court sentenced Bica to 4 years in prison, in a case in which she was accused of aiding and abetting a criminal.

Referendum to revise the Constitution

Some 19 million Romanian voters are called to the polls on Saturday and Sunday to vote in a referendum on redefining family in the Romanian Constitution, to say whether they agree to see the definition in the Constitution, which currently reads “the consented marriage between spouses, changed into “the consented marriage between a man and a woman. The draft has been voted in Parliament. Over 18,600 polling stations are set up at national level. 378 other polling stations have been opened for the Romanians living abroad. More than half of them have been set up at the diplomatic missions, consular offices and cultural institutes abroad, and the rest of them in other locations. Most polling stations have been opened in Italy, Spain, the Republic of Moldova, the US, Great Britain, France and Germany. For the referendum to be valid, at least 30% of the voters registered on permanent electoral lists must take part, and at least 25% of the votes must be valid.

(translated by: Mihaela Ignatescu, Diana Vijeu)

6 October 2018
Rule of law in Romania, debated in European Parliament

The Romanian PM Viorica Dancila took part in debates in the European Parliament, at a difficult time for the relation between the government she heads and the European Union, triggered by the heavily criticized revision of the justice laws that sparked the protests of August 10 in the capital Bucharest.

On Monday, at the civil liberties committee in the European Parliament, European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans cited “growing concerns” about changes to Romania’s justice system and criminal code, that could threaten the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption and has warned Romanias government that it might end up in court if it does reverse judicial reforms.

A plenary debate on Romanias rule of law followed on Wednesday. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said she did not come before Parliament to give account, but out of respect for the European institutions, and that she expected Romania to be given equal treatment within the EU. She also said that a viable justice system must be built first and foremost for the citizens, and not for magistrates, politicians or institutions. She also pointed out that the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), initially meant to fix corruption-related problems, proved inefficient, as the Commission reports did not mention any secret protocols between intelligence services and prosecutor’s offices.

Viorica Dancila: “This mechanism has missed the goal for which it was created and I officially request to be told who wrote the CVM report, who provided the data and who omitted out of negligence or bad will these facts that are unacceptable in the EU.”

The Romanian PM’s statements have triggered various reactions from the Romanian MEPs, who either criticised Timmermans’s opinion or the Romanian government. Justice must be done in the court room, not based on secret protocols, some of the MEPs have said, while other believes that Romania should not be represented by a bunch of corrupt politicians, whose main enemy is the very justice system. Romanian Parliament members also had divergent opinions. The leaders of the parties making up the ruling coalition, namely, the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats hailed Dancila’s discourse. The opposition parties on the other hand, believe that PM Dancila faked reality.

President of the Save Romania Union, Dan Barna: “Mrs Dancila went there to try to convince the whole Europe that white is in fact black. Seeing Mrs Dancila speak before the European Parliament was like watching the theatre of the absurd.”

A resolution regarding Romania will be put to a vote in plenary in November, and also in November the European Commission will make public a new CVM report. The Commission monitors Romania’s record on fighting corruption as part of a so-called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism that the country signed up to when it joined the EU in 2007.

4 October 2018
October 2, 2018 UPDATE

BUCHAREST – According to
President Klaus Iohannis, Romania supports a close cooperation between the EU
and Great Britain after Brexit and Bucharest is interested in an agreement on
foreign security. Also with regard to Brexit, the president has stated that
Romania firmly supports the importance of negotiating an ambitions regulation
framework regarding citizens’ mobility, by observing the principles of
reciprocity and non-discrimination. The statements were made during the meeting
in Bucharest with the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier. Barnier stated in
turn that Romania, as holder of the presidency of the EU Council in the first
half of 2019, will play a major role in ensuring the necessary institutional
framework that would ensure an ordered withdrawal of the UK and also the smooth
running of negotiations on the future relations between the EU and the UK. Also
on Tuesday, Barnier met with the Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, who
stated that Romania was interested in having all Romanian citizens residing in
Great Britain continue to live, work and study as before.

BREXIT – British PM
Theresa May announced on Tuesday new regulations for migration in the UK, to
come into effect after Brexit, favoring qualified workers. Details will be
provided in a speech to be held on Wednesday at the Conservative Party congress
in Birmingham. According to the new regulations, people who want to settle in
Great Britain will have to have a minimum level of income in order to guarantee
they would not take jobs away from British citizens. Student visas are not
subject to those regulations. EU citizens are right now free to move to the UK,
which will no longer be the case after Brexit, planned to come into effect in
2020.

RULE OF LAW – Romanian PM
Viorica Dancila and Justice Minister Tudorel Toader will attend in Strasbourg on
Wednesday the debates in the European Parliament regarding the rule of law in
Romania. On Monday, the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament
was the venue for debates between Euro MPs of various political parties and the
First Vice-President of the EC Frans Timmermans. The latter said that the changes made by
the authorities in Bucharest in terms of the judiciary worried not only
Romanians, many of whom took to the streets to protest, but the entire EU.
Frans Timmermans said that if the EC concluded that European common rules were
violated, it would not hesitate to bring the Romanian Government to court.

VAT – The European
Commission will support Romania in combating VAT fraud, given that the country registers
a 36% collection deficit, said on Tuesday the Romanian Finance Minister Eugen
Teodorovici. The statement was made after the meeting Teodorovici had in
Luxembourg with Pierre Moscovici, the European Commissioner for Economic and
Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs. At the meeting, Teodorovici assured
the EU official that the Romanian presidency of the EU Council will promote the
solving of VAT-related cases, with focus on the reform of VAT quotas. In
another move, Commissioner Moscovici accepted the invitation extended by
Teodorovici to pay a visit to Romania in November.

MOTION – On Tuesday, the
Romanian Senate rejected the simple motion filed by the opposition National
Liberal Party and Save Romania Union against the Transport Minister Lucian
Sova. The signatories accused him of mismanagement of the country’s roads and
railroads. A similar vote will be held in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday,
this time against the Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici. According to the Liberals,
Teaodorovici must answer for the failure of the fiscal and taxation strategy.

APPOINTMENT – On Tuesday,
Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis signed the decree appointing the Minister of
European Funds, Rovana Plumb, as interim Minister of Education. The holder of
the office, Valentin Popa, announced his resignation last week, after a meeting
with the leader of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea. That was the
second resignation in the cabinet headed by Viorica Dancila, after the one of the Research
Minister Nicolae Burnete.

NOBEL – The US scientist
Arthur Ashkin has won the Nobel Prize for physics, alongside Gerard Mourou of
France and Donna Strickland of Canada, for research into laser physics, which
the Swedish Royal Academy of Science deemed revolutionary. This year’s Nobel
Prize season opened on Monday with the announcement for the Nobel Prize in
medicine. US researcher James P. Allison and Japanese researcher Tasuku Honjo
were granted the prize for new cancer therapies. On Wednesday, the prize for
chemistry will be announced, while on Friday the Nobel Peace Prize will be
awarded. The prize for literature will not be awarded in 2018, for the first
time after almost 70 years.

HEALTHCARE – The month of
October is dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. Organizations all
across the world are encouraging education and research regarding this danger. The
Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea has stated that almost 9,000 cases of
breast cancer are diagnosed annually in the country, of which 3,000 fatal.
According to the minister, many of them could be prevented through regular
check-ups.

2 October 2018
The situation in Romania in the focus of the LIBE Committee

The perseverance with which the Social Democratic
Party-ALDE ruling coalition has fostered what its supporters call the reform of
the judiciary has stirred suspicion and triggered large-scale street protests.
For the opposition, civil society and part of the media, by amending the
criminal codes and the justice laws, the Power wants to check the anti-corruption fight and subordinate the magistrates. On the other hand, the
left wing supporters say that the amendments only put the laws in line with rulings
of the Constitutional Court and ECHR sentences. The endless polemic in
Bucharest was extended to Strasbourg, where on Monday night the Committee on
Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament (LIBE) met
in a special session to discuss the situation in Romania.

The session was prior
to Wednesday’s debates of the European Parliament on the crackdown on the anti-government protests in Bucharest on August 10 and on the rule of law in Romania in
general. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, the First Vice-President
of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans is afraid that the legal
amendments might impair the Romanian justice system, including its capacity of
fighting corruption as well as other crimes. He said that EU officials would
carefully analyze the amendments and their compliance with the European laws.
If the conclusion reached is that rules are violated, the European Commission
will not hesitate to make the necessary steps, even to bring the Romanian Government
to court. Frans Timmermans said:

The situation
has worsened against the latest reports. The Commission will very carefully analyze
the adopted laws and their conformity to the European laws. In the coming
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism next month we will assess the report. A
step back would be a great disappointment for all of Romania’s friends and
especially for its citizens. Progress has been made, but it is not
irreversible. On the contrary, the latest developments question that progress
and risk undermining our common goal of seeing the situation in Romania
constantly on the right track, which should entail the lifting of the
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

The ruling coalition strongman, the president of the
Social-Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, said that the LIBE meeting was not a
debate, but a list of previously established standpoints, an incrimination made
before all evidence was analyzed. ALDE leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu just
said that despite the criticism brought in the European Parliament, Romania
must show opening to dialogue with its Western partners. It is a fact that the
situation stirs concern not only in Europe but also overseas. On Monday, US
ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm said that the contentious judicial overhaul
risked turning the clock to the early 2000s when the Romanian judiciary was
plagued by corruption and political influence.

(Translated by A.M. Palcu)

2 October 2018
From State of the Union to Article 7

With over two thirds of the vote, the European Parliament on Wednesday decided to call on the European Commission to trigger sanctions against Hungary under Article 7, which include temporary loss of voting rights in the European Council.

The vote is the effect of a report debated the previous day, accusing Hungary of corruption, breaching minority rights, perpetrating abuses against immigrants, eroding press, social and academic liberties. The author of the document, the Dutch MEP Judith Sargentini with the European Greens, claims Hungary failed to uphold European principles and is not a fully functional democracy. Over the last eight years Hungary has been on a downward trend, its citizens finding it increasingly difficult to express their opinion, the report shows. At the same time, Sargentini argues the election law was changed, preventing the opposition from campaigning for fair and unbiased elections.

This is the first time the European legislative body has chosen to notify the Council over rule of law irregularities in a member state. In the case of Poland, the European Commission launched a similar procedure in December 2017. On the day of the vote, Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said, in his state of the union address, that the Commission opposes any systemic threat to the rule of law, which will automatically lead to activating Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union. The vote against Hungary shows that Conservatives and Christian-Democrats have grown tired of protecting Viktor Orban, whom many consider to be Central Europes troublemaker.

During Tuesdays debate prior to the vote, Viktor Orban delivered a defying speech, stigmatizing the report which led to the sanctioning procedure. Prime Minister Orban labeled the report an insult to Hungary, grounded on double standards. Hungary cannot be condemned for wanting to be a country free of illegal immigrants, Orban went on to say. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry said the vote was a “petty revenge of pro-immigration politicians.

Article 7 is considered to be the EUs “nuclear weapon, as it may lead to suspending a member states right to vote in the European Council, and it has never been activated since the EU was founded. Sanctioning Hungary is yet highly unlikely, as this would require the unanimity of Member States, with Poland already making it clear it would oppose any sanctions brought against Budapest.

Wednesdays decision nevertheless stands as a warning for leaders and governments toying with what political scientists have termed “illiberal democracy, where election winners use their comfortable majorities in Parliament to legitimise discretionary actions going against the principles of the rule of law. The controversial modifications brought to the justice laws and the criminal codes as well as the unwarranted forceful intervention of the gendarmerie during the August 10 protest have made Bucharest a target of the most vocal advocates of the rule of law and the EU principles.

(translated by: Vlad Palcu)

13 September 2018
One extra seat in the European Parliament for Romania

Once Brexit becomes official and London exits the European Union, it will also lose its 73 seats in the European Parliament. On Wednesday, the Euro MPs approved by vote the distribution of the seats that will thus become available. 46 may be used for a possible future expansion of the Union. The other 27 seats will be shared among the 14 member states that are currently under-represented. Romania is one of them, and it may get an extra seat to reach 33 in total.

The document adopted reads that the new distribution of the seats is to be applied only if the UK leaves the European Union. If it doesnt, the current distribution remains in place until Brexit is final from a legal point of view. The number of MEPs now stands at 751, to reach 705 after Brexit. Radio Romanias correspondent in Brussels reports that the new structure of the European Parliament will need the formal agreement of the leaders of the member states, who are due to meet at the end of the month for their regular summer summit.

In Bucharest, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu welcomed the European Parliaments approval of the new distribution of seats, under which Romania is to get one extra seat in the future Parliament, in 2019-2024. After the UKs exit, Romania becomes the European Unions sixth largest country and its citizens will be better represented in the European Parliament, minister Negrescu said. He also explained that this means more responsibility for the European project, for which Romania is preparing, given that it will take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of next year.

All EU member states will hold European elections in less than a year, between the 23rd and the 26th of May 2019. Commentators in Bucharest dont expect the upcoming elections to be any different from the previous ones held after Romanias entry into the Union in 2007. On the one hand, Romanian voters have showed little interest in these elections, with a turnout lower than in the presidential, parliamentary and local elections. On the other hand, Romania has been sending to Brussels Euro MPs that belong, almost exclusively, to the three big democratic families on the continent: the (Christian-Democrat) peoples group on the right of the political spectrum, the (progressive) Socialists on the left and the Liberal-Democrats in the centre. This is the case with 30 of Romanias 32 Euro MPs in the current Parliament. In other words, Romanian voters have not fueled extremist, populist and euro-skeptic groups in the European Parliament.

(translated by Cristina Mateescu)

14 June 2018
The European Parliament recommends Romania’s Schengen accession

Romania was first supposed to join the Schengen area in 2011, four years after becoming a member of the European Union, but its accession has been repeatedly postponed due to the opposition of several member states such as The Netherlands, Austria and Germany. The motives cited include failure to fulfil some of the commitments made under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism used by the European Commission to monitor the progress of the judiciary in Romania and put in place when Romania entered the Union in 2007. These commitments have to do with the judiciary and combating corruption and organised crime.

The subject has remained under consideration in Brussels. Following a plenary session, the European Parliament has reiterated in a resolution that Romania and Bulgaria are ready to be part of the Schengen area and has called on the European Council to approve the accession of the two states. In this resolution, which was adopted with 439 yes votes, 157 no votes and 80 abstentions, Euro MPs condemned the reintroduction of checks on the Schengen internal borders due to the shortcomings in the European asylum system and the lack of political will, solidarity and responsibility-sharing.

According to the European Parliament, these controls restrict the freedom of movement among the 26 member states. It argues that member states should consolidate cooperation, solidarity and mutual trust in the functioning of the Schengen area, which is “one of the biggest achievements of the European Union”. In the wake of the terrorist threats faced in recent years, France has temporarily reintroduced border checks, extending them until October for the time being. Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway are also doing border checks, invoking the wave of migration from 2015. The European Commission believes, however, that the situation is now under control and that there is no reason now to authorize such checks.

According to the European Parliament, many of these extensions are neither necessary nor proportionate and are therefore unlawful. “We must bring Schengen back to our citizens”, emphasized rapporteur Carlos Coelho, from the European Peoples Party, calling on member states to comply with all the rules, not just those they want. According to a well-known polling institute, European states have built more than 1,200 kilometers of walls and fences, spending at least 500 million euros in the process. If all states reintroduce border checks on a permanent basis, this would cost between 100 and 230 billion euros in the next 10 years, the European Parliament also warns. The Schengen area guarantees unrestricted movement within a territory made up of 26 European countries, 22 of which are EU members, and home to 400 million people. (translated by Cristina Mateescu)

31 May 2018
May 22, 2018

PENSION FUNDS – President Klaus Iohannis asked the Government to clarify its plans with respect to the privately-managed pension funds known as the “Pension Pillar II. The head of state voiced concerns regarding the situation and said people might begin to question the governments capacity to design and manage the pension system. PM Viorica Dăncilă promised that Pillar II will not be dismantled, but did not rule out possible changes in the laws regulating its operation. Dancila explained there was a draft in this respect put together by the National Strategy and Prognosis Commission but not approved by the Government, and that an analysis will be made on the topic.

REVOLUTION TRIAL – Romanias former leftist president Ion Iliescu was heard today at the Prosecutor Generals Office, in the case concerning the 1989 anti-communist revolution, in which he is accused of crimes against humanity. Last month the head of state Klaus Iohannis approved the prosecutors request to prosecute Iliescu, the ex-PM Petre Roman and the former deputy PM Gelu Voican Voiculescu. They allegedly plotted a military diversion designed to give them legitimacy as the new leaders after the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu fled the capital city. The diversion resulted in 1,166 deaths, of which more than 800 after Ceausescu was ousted, as well as in losses, damages and injuries.

EU COMMISSIONER – The European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu carries on her visit to Bacau County, in eastern Romania. Jointly with the Minister for European Funds Rovana Plumb she is taking part today in a dialogue with the citizens, hosted by the Vasile Alecsandri University. On Monday, Corina Creţu and PM Viorica Dăncilă had talks with the mayors of county capitals regarding urban investments financed by European funds. The EU Commissioner once again called on the Romanian authorities to make sustained efforts to reduce the risk of losing European money, and mentioned that procedures should be simplified and project assessment processes should be sped up.

JUDICIARY – The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest may pass a ruling today in a case in which Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, the Senate Speaker and president of the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats, in the ruling coalition in Romania, is charged with perjury and encouraging an offender. In the last hearing of the case, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate requested a 3-year prison sentence for the Liberal Democrat leader. According to prosecutors, during investigations into the unlawful return of landed estates near Bucharest, Tăriceanu gave untrue statements while under oath.

AmCham – Romania had a fairly high investment rate compared to other EU member states in 2001-2016, but the effects of these investments were late in appearing, Anda Todor, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Romania said in a press conference. In turn, AmCham treasurer Ciprian Lăduncă said Romania should have a national investment plan, a long-term business plan approved by all stakeholders in the Romanian society. Another very important measure for the Romanian economy is to encourage long-term saving, whether through life insurance, private pensions or investment funds, Ciprian Lăduncă added.

EU TRADE – The trade ministers of EU member countries have today authorised the European Commission to initiate negotiations on free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand. The announcement was made at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council for trade, held in Brussels. Romania is represented by line minister Ştefan Radu Oprea.

FACEBOOK – The European Parliament holds a meeting today in Brussels with the Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. He will answer questions concerning the illegal use of the personal data of over 87 million users of the social network by the British consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, specialising in political strategy. The hearing comes ahead of the implementation in the EU, on May 25, of a new regulation on the protection of personal data. The document comprises some of the strictest rules in the world in this respect. In April, Zuckerberg was heard on the same topic in the US Senate.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

22 May 2018
Romania’s justice system, under debate in the European Parliament

The domestic turmoil stirred by the modifications brought to the justice laws in Romania has reached the floor of the European Parliament, which on Wednesday hosted a debate on this issue. Convinced that the European Union was misinformed over the justice laws, on Tuesday Justice Minister Tudorel Toader had presented European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans the status of their implementation.

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader: “I talked to Mr. Timmermans for 70 minutes, not 30 minutes. It was a very straightforward talk, referring to the justice laws. I repeat what I’ve said on numerous occasions: everyone should voice opinions within the limits of their competencies”.

After the debate in Parliament, which took place in the presence of EU Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jourova, Minister Toader said the debate had a political stake, and promised he would draw up a list of false information.

One of the opponents of the justice laws, MEP Traian Ungureanu from the European People’s Party, pointed out the following: “The Social-Democrats won the elections after promising more money, prosperity and whatnot. But the Government’s first decision was to modify laws limiting or removing sanctions for crimes committed by its leadership. The abuse of office was written off, while the cap for including embezzlement as a crime was extended. The Social-Democrats’ modifications to the justice laws will turn prosecutors into their bosses’ investigators, while investigations themselves will undergo a new control mechanism”.

In turn, MEP Cristian Preda, also with the EPP group, said: “When Jean-Claude Juncker and Frans Timmermans called on the Government to consult the Venice Commission, the Government said ‘no, there’s no need for that’. It was Mr. Tudorel Toader himself, a member of this Commission, who said that”.

On the other hand, defending the need for a judicial overhaul, Norica Nicolae with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats said the following: “The presumption of innocence, the rights and liberties related to criminal investigations, are they not procedural guarantees that the European Union fosters? What did you do, Madam Commissioner, when hundreds of people were abusively sentenced to prison and acquitted? What did you do when so many citizens were illegally tapped, when intelligence agencies with no attributes pertaining to the criminal investigation got involved?”

Another MEP with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, Mircea Diaconu, expressed concern over the rule of law in Romania, which he believes is being challenged: “Under our Constitution, Parliament is the only one that can solve these problems. It doesn’t need anyone’s approval and can only be silenced by the Constitutional Court, which is a fully-functional institution in Romania. All else is not worth discussing. I would end by saying that I favour the independence of the justice system and of Romania in particular”.

In her concluding remarks, EU Commissioner Vera Jourova reiterated the Commission’s request that Romania’s Parliament should call a debate on the modifications to the justice laws, in line with the EU’s recommendations, so as to reach consensus in this matter.

8 February 2018
September 28, 2017 UPDATE

PRESIDENCY– The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, Thursday received the Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova, Andrian Candu, in Bucharest. The agenda of the meeting included topics like bilateral cooperation, with a focus on projects in the energy sector, the Republic of Moldovas relations with the EU and recent developments in that ex-Soviet state. Among other things, President Iohannis reiterated Romanias unconditional support for strengthening Moldovas ties with the European Union. In turn, the Speaker of the Parliament in Chisinau thanked Romania for its support.

JUSTICE – The Higher Council of Magistrates in Bucharest Thursday issued a negative opinion on the bill amending the laws on the judiciary. The document was criticised by magistrates and European Commission experts. In turn, the US Ambassador to Bucharest Hans Klemm said the US was worried that Justice Minister Tudorel Toaders proposals to reform the judicial system might reverse the progress made by Romania so far as a model in terms of fighting corruption. On August 30, the Justice Ministry posted a bill designed to bring changes to the laws regulating the justice system. The provisions that sparked criticism included the bypassing of the countrys president in the appointment of prosecutor office chiefs and the subordination of the judicial inspection corps to the Justice Ministry. The official opinion of the Higher Council of Magistrates is non-binding.

NATURAL GAS – The European Commissioner for Energy and Climate Change, Miguel Arias Cañete, said on Thursday in Bucharest that the BRUA project, a planned natural gas pipeline in which Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria are taking part, is important for the European Commission. According to the EU official, the Commission gave Romania a loan of nearly 180 million euros for the first stage of the project. In turn, the Romanian Minister for Energy, Toma Petcu, said BRUA would be finalised in all the 4 member States involved, under a memorandum of agreement signed in Bucharest on Thursday. Petcu also said works would begin next spring. The statements were made during a meeting of the Central and South Eastern Europe Gas Connectivity group.

EPPO – The European Parliaments Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Thursday approved the setting up of a European Public Prosecutors Office, to investigate cross-border corruption and tax evasion. Under certain conditions, the EPPO will have the power to investigate, prosecute and bring to justice those who commit offences against the EU budget, such as fraud against structural funds or VAT fraud. The institution will be based in Luxemburg, and will start working 3 years after the European Parliament resolution in this respect comes into force. So far 18 member states, including Romania, have joined this enhanced cooperation structure.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

28 September 2017
President Juncker’s State of the Union address

In mid-May this year the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker paid a visit to Romania, occasion on which he said he was a friend and fervent supporter of this country. The European official saw Romania, ten years on from its EU accession, as a strong supporter of the European values. “We need this young energy of Romania, that can play a major role in shaping up Europe’s future, the head of the Executive in Brussels said in May.

In his state-of-the-union address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Jean-Claude Juncker proposed that Sibiu, the native city of Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, where he also served as mayor, should host on March 30th 2019 a special EU summit where country leaders will get together to publicly express their unity shortly after Britain’s leaving the bloc. Juncker has also announced the launch of a European Commission instrument aimed at technically assisting the countries that are not yet in the Euro-zone, which is also the case of Romania. And there is more good news. In order to consolidate its unity, the European Union has to become more inclusive, Juncker also said, adding that the Schengen zone must immediately open to both Romania and its neighbour, Bulgaria.

The president of the European Commission has also mentioned that next year he will pay personal attention to Romania and the Baltic countries, which are to celebrate a century of existence and without which Europe could not be complete. Last but not least the EU official has described as unacceptable the fact that there are still children in Europe dying of diseases that have long been eradicated. Children in Romania or Italy must have access to measles vaccine just like other children in the member countries.

The presidency and government in Bucharest have hailed president Juncker’s address. President Klaus Iohannis has appreciated the Commission’s support for Romania’s joining Schengen and the Eurozone, while Prime Minister Mihai Tudose mentioned that it was for the first time when the European Commission did not criticize Bucharest. This is an extraordinary message, which appreciates the efforts made by all Romanians — the Prime Minister went on to say. In an interview to Radio Romania, foreign policy analyst, professor Stefan Popescu, made an appeal to moderation though: “The mandates of Mr. Juncker and of the European Commission are due to end in the spring of 2019. Between these good intentions and the talks that are to follow, there is a difference that must prompt us, Romanians, be moderately optimistic.”

The world is fully aware that after Britain’s leaving the bloc there is the need for the construction of a more united, stronger and more democratic Europe. Brexit is to come into effect on March 29th 2019, when Romania will be holding the EU’s rotating presidency.

14 September 2017