A strong Romania is more than an aspiration, it
is a national project we are already building, the Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis told Parliament today, one year after taking office. He said 2015 has
shown that a wide consensus on public issues could be achieved, citing the 2016
budget and the political agreement on boosting defence spending to 2% of the
GDP by 2017. The country’s new defence strategy, which for the first time
included aspects related to education, healthcare, the preservation of national
identity and the protection of the country’s heritage also enjoyed a large
majority. Speaking about Romania’s foreign policy, Iohannis said its priorities
in 2015 were the consolidation of the partnership with the US and of the
strategic alliances with France, Poland, Germany, Spain, Britain and Turkey, as
well strengthening ties with neighbouring states such as Ukraine, Serbia and
Bulgaria. A privileged relationship with the majority Romanian-speaking
Republic of Moldova has been and will remain a constant feature of Romania’s
foreign policy, Klaus Iohannis also told Parliament.
The
two houses of Romania’s Parliament today passed the state budget for 2016 with
309 yes and 13 no votes. Parliament finalised debates on next year’s budget on
Tuesday without making any significant amendments to the version proposed by
the government. Education, healthcare and research will generally be allocated
more money. Government spending on state pensions will amount to more than 10
billion euros, which accounts for almost 7% of the GDP. 4.7 pensioners will
benefit from a pension increase as of January 1st.
An
anti-communist uprising that led to the toppling of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu
began on December 16th, 1989 in the western city of Timisoara. To
commemorate the people who died 26 years ago, associations of revolutionaries
and local authorities are holding a series of events and ceremonies. The
protests in Timisoara quickly spread across the country, leading to the ousting
of Nicolae Ceausescu on December 22nd. More than 1,000 people died
and around 3,400 were wounded between 16th and 25th
December 1989. Romania was the only country in the former eastern bloc where
regime change was accompanied by bloodshed and where the deposed communist
leaders were executed.
The
Romanian government today issued an emergency order to suspend the application
of several articles of the hunting law. The decision follows yesterday’s angry protests
by thousands of shepherds over provisions of the law that ban grazing from
December to April and restrict the number of sheepdogs that can guard the
sheep.
Romanian
deputies on Tuesday passed a bill banning smoking in all enclosed public
spaces. Smoking will be permitted, however, in certain designated rooms
equipped with fire extinguishers and ventilation systems. Harsh penalties are
stipulated for infringements of the law. Apart from financial penalties,
companies also face suspension and even closure. The smoke-free bill will be
sent to the president to be signed into law and will be enforced within 45 days
of publication in the Official Gazette, most likely in February next year.
Romania face host country Denmark today in the
quarterfinals of the Women’s World Handball Championship. They need to finish
the tournament in the top seven to qualify for the Olympic test events in Rio
in 2016. Romania are the only country to have taken part in every edition of
the World Championship since 1957, winning three medals in the process: gold in
1962 and silver in 1973 and again in 2005.
(Translated by: C. Mateescu)