Radio România Internațional

Tag: judiciary

26 April 2019, UPDATE

Good Friday. The Easter holidays began on Friday for Orthodox
Christians, who are the majority in Romania, as well as for the Greek-Catholic.
On Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion of Christ, a big cross is
placed in the middle of churches on which an image of the crucified Christ is
painted. A cloth icon called epitaphios is placed in front of the cross,
depicting the burial of Christ. A long lamentation service was held in churches
expressing sadness at the news of Christ’s death and hope that he will be
resurrected. Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter last Sunday.

Holidays. More than 22,000 police, security and border
forces, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilised each day of the Easter
and Labour Day holiday to oversee traffic and large gatherings of people, the
interior ministry has announced. Over 900 public events will be held in this
period, attracting around 1 million people. The Romanian authorities are
working with their counterparts in the neighbouring Hungary and Bulgaria at the
busiest border crossing points. The Romanians’ favourite tourist destination
for the Easter and Labour Day holidays are Bukovina, in the north, Maramures,
in the north-west, in the mountain resorts in Prahova Valley, in the south, on
the Romanian Black Sea coast and in the Danube Delta. Popular foreign
destinations include Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Egypt.

European elections. The electoral campaign for the European Parliament
elections scheduled on the 26th of May begins on Saturday and comes
to an end on the 25th of May. If the UK leaves the European Union,
Romania is entitled to 33 seats in the future parliament, one more compared
with the current figure. The Romanian candidates include a former president,
former prime ministers and ministers, Euro MPs and big city mayors. Leading in
opinion polls are the Social Democratic Party, the senior party in the ruling
coalition, and the National Liberal Party, the biggest party in opposition.
They are followed by the 2020 Alliance formed by the Save Romania Union and
PLUS and ProRomania, both in opposition, and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the junior partner in the ruling coalition. The Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians and Romania and the People’s Movement Party also have chances
to win seats in the European Parliament. The 2019 elections come at a time when
Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Referendum. At the same
time as the elections for the European Parliament on the 26th of May,
a referendum on the subject of the judiciary will be held in Romania, initiated
by president Klaus Iohannis. Voters will be asked to say if they agree to ban
amnesty and pardon for corruption cases and to ban the passing of legislation
in the area of the judiciary through government emergency orders. President
Iohannis says Romanians have the chance to vote and say what they think about
the Social Democratic Party and what he described as this party’s attacks on
the judiciary, referring to some controversial amendments to the criminal
legislation and the laws regulating the organisation of the legal system. The
president has urged people to vote, assuring them that the results will be
taken into account. The parties in the ruling coalition says the referendum is
not something society needs, while the opposition supports the president’s
initiative.

Criticism. Romania’s judicial system
must serve every Romanian, not just some, said the president of the European
People’s Party Joseph Daul in a release published on Friday and cited by
Agerpres news agency. He says it is discouraging to see that a ruling coalition of a EU
Member State amend the Criminal Code in order to be sure that their leader and
other politicians avoid responsibility for their mistakes. According to Daul,
such actions affect Romania’s fight against
corruption and the good functioning of the judiciary. It
is unbelievable that a governing majority in a European Union Member State,
holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, continues to
frequently violate the European rules and norms, Daul also said. He calls on
the Romanian government to take the necessary steps as soon as possible to enforce all the
recommendations of the Venice Commission and of the European Commission from
its latest report as part of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism.

Weather. A
code yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued for Saturday afternoon until
Sunday morning in the south-west, centre and north-west of the country.
Torrential rain, lighting and thunder, strong wind and hail storm are expected.
Precipitation will exceed 25 to 30 litres per square metre, and even 35 to 40
in some places. Hydrologists have also issued a yellow code alert for several
rivers in these areas. The weather will become unstable and cool down in the
west and in the mountains.

Frequency changes. A number of Radio Romania International’s short wave
frequencies have changed since April 27th. The 3.00 UTC broadcast to
the West Coast of North America is broadcast analogically on 7375
kHz and on 13.630 kHz, digitally, in the DRM system, to India.

26 April 2019
26 April, 2019

Good Friday. Orthodox Christians, who are the majority in Romania, as
well as the Greek-Catholic, today commemorate Good Friday by re-enacting
symbolically the crucifixion, burial and funeral of Jesus. A big cross is
placed in the middle of churches on which an image of the crucified Christ is
painted. A cloth icon called epitaphios is placed in front of the cross,
depicting the burial of Christ. A long lamentation service is held in churches expressing
sadness at the news of Christ’s death and hope that he will be resurrected.
Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter last Sunday.

Holidays. More than 22,000 police, security and border
forces, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilised each day of the Easter
and Labour Day holiday to oversee traffic and large gatherings of people, the
interior ministry has announced. Over 900 public events will be held in this
period, attracting around 1 million people. The Romanian authorities are
working with their counterparts in the neighbouring Hungary and Bulgaria at the
busiest border crossing points. The Romanians’ favourite tourist destination
for the Easter and Labour Day holidays are Bukovina, in the north, Maramures,
in the north-west, in the mountain resorts in Prahova Valley, in the south, on
the Romanian Black Sea coast and in the Danube Delta. Popular foreign
destinations include Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and Egypt.

European elections. The electoral campaign for the European Parliament
elections scheduled on the 26th of May begins on Saturday and comes
to an end on the 25th of May. If the UK leaves the European Union,
Romania is entitled to 33 seats in the future parliament, one more compared
with the current figure. The Romanian candidates include a former president,
former prime ministers and ministers, Euro MPs and big city mayors. Leading in
opinion polls are the Social Democratic Party, the senior party in the ruling
coalition, and the National Liberal Party, the biggest party in opposition.
They are followed by the 2020 Alliance formed by the Save Romania Union and
PLUS and ProRomania, both in opposition, and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the junior partner in the ruling coalition. The Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians and Romania and the People’s Movement Party also have chances
to win seats in the European Parliament. The 2019 elections come at a time when
Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Referendum. At the same
time as the elections for the European Parliament on the 26th of May,
a referendum on the subject of the judiciary will be held in Romania, initiated
by president Klaus Iohannis. Voters will be asked to say if they agree to ban
amnesty and pardon for corruption cases and to ban the passing of legislation
in the area of the judiciary through government emergency orders. President
Iohannis says Romanians have the chance to vote and say what they think about
the Social Democratic Party and what he described as this party’s attacks on
the judiciary, referring to some controversial amendments to the criminal
legislation and the laws regulating the organisation of the legal system. The
president has urged people to vote, assuring them that the results will be
taken into account. The parties in the ruling coalition says the referendum is
not something society needs, while the opposition supports the president’s
initiative.

Accidents at work. Romanian jobs are among the most dangerous in
the European Union. In 2016, the rate of fatal occupational injuries in Romania
stood at 6.11 for 100,000 workers compared with the EU average of 2.2,
according to figures published on Friday by Eurostat. Luxembourg is the only
country with a higher rate than Romania, at 10.8. The lowest such rate is
reported in Holland, Germany, Sweden and the UK. These data were published ahead of World Day for Safety and Health at Work, an annual international campaign
promoting safe, healthy and decent work held on the 28th of April.

Frequency changes. A number of Radio Romania International’s short wave
frequencies have changed since April 27th. The 3.00 UTC broadcast to
the West Coast of North America is broadcast analogically on 7375
kHz and on 13.630 kHz, digitally, in the DRM system, to India.

26 April 2019
April 25, 2019 UPDATE

REFERENDUM – President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday signed the decree
on the organization of a referendum concurrently with the European Parliament
election on May 26. The two questions will be: Do you agree with forbidding
amnesty and pardons for corruption-related offences? Do you agree with
forbidding the Government to pass emergency decrees in the field of corruption
crimes, correlated with extending the right to challenge emergency decrees at
the Constitutional Court? In a press conference the president urged Romanians
to vote in the referendum, saying its result will count. Klaus Iohannis also
said the referendum is of major importance and could change Romania. The
President’s undertaking comes amidst numerous legislative changes in the
judiciary promoted by the ruling coalition, which have sparked controversy and
attracted criticism from Romania’s European partners.

CAMPAIGN – The campaign for the European
Parliament election is to kick off on Saturday and end on May 25. Bucharest
will send to Brussels 33 MEPs, one more than before if Britain is going to
leave the bloc. Former prime ministers, a president, several ministers, MEPs
and mayors are among the candidates. Romania’s number one ruling party the
Social-Democratic Party is favorite in the election race together with the main
opposition party the National Liberal Party. They are followed by the
opposition Save Romania-Plus alliance and ProRomania party as well as by the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, also part of the country’s ruling
coalition. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians and the People’s Movement
Party also stand chances to win seats in the European Parliament.

JUDICIARY – A delegation of the Venice
Commission on Thursday met in Bucharest with representatives of Parliament’s
special committee on the justice laws to discuss the emergency decrees in the
field. The president of the committee, Social-Democrat Robert Cazanciuc, said
at the end of the meeting that he explained to the commission the decrees were
passed to solve certain deadlocks. In turn, the Save Romania Union in
opposition said Commission representatives warned that passing emergency
decrees could bring new emergencies and the fact that the government is
circumventing Parliament debate is a very serious matter that should not be
tolerated. During his meeting with the Venice Commission on Wednesday,
President Iohannis said the law modifying the criminal codes passed by
Parliament is a detrimental way of passing legislation that creates instability
in the system. The European Commission has announced it would closely analyze
the modifications, insisting Romania must immediately resume its efforts to
reform the judiciary.

POPE FRANCIS -The Holy See has published a detailed schedule of Pope Francis’
visit to Romania. The Pontiff is due to arrive in Romania on May 31st
and to be meeting president Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila,
representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps. The Pope is expected
to meet Romanian patriarch Daniel and deliver a speech in front of the
Permanent Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Pope Francis and Patriarch
Daniel will be praying together in the People’s Salvation Cathedral. The Pope’s
first day in Romania will end with a mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in
Bucharest. On June 1st the Pope will celebrate a mass at Sumuleu
Ciuc, central Romania, and will next go to Iasi, in northern Romania for a
visit to the local cathedral and a speech at the Palace of Culture Family and
Youth. On June 2nd in Blaj, Pope Francis will deliver a mass and
beatify seven martyr bishops and meet the local Roma community. The Pontiff
will next go to Sibiu in central Romania and board a plane to Rome. Over 110
thousand people have enlisted to participate in the mass at Sumuleu Ciuc. The
list includes Roman-Catholic believers from all over the world.

EUROBAROMETER – Less than 35% of Europeans
were aware in February that the European Parliament election would be held in
May, the Spring Eurobarometer shows. According to the study, most EU citizens
support their countries’ EU membership. 68% of respondents said they benefited
from EU membership overall, tantamount to the highest response rate in 1983.
61% of respondents said EU membership is a good thing. The survey reveals
citizens’ uncertainty is on the wane, also due to the amount of challenges the
EU has faced in recent years. On the other hand, half of EU citizens believe
things are headed in the wrong direction, either in the EU or in their home
country. Half of citizens also believe their voice doesn’t matter at EU level,
the study also shows.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

25 April 2019
The Week in Review, 13-19 April 2019

The May 26 referendum

The Romanian Parliament, convened in joint session on Wednesday, approved President Klaus Iohanniss request to hold a referendum on May 26, at the same time with the European Parliament elections. The point of the referendum is to ban amnesty and pardon for corruption offences and to prevent the government from passing emergency decrees related to criminal offences, convictions and judicial organisation. The head of state also wants to know the voters opinion as regards allowing public authorities, other than the Ombudsman, to notify the Constitutional Court directly, about emergency decrees. The Presidents move comes against the background of numerous legislative changes in the field of the judiciary, contested at home and criticised by Romanias European partners.

Reshuffling of Dancilas cabinet

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila sent president Klaus Iohannis proposals for the appointment of new ministers for the Ministry of European Funds, the Ministry for the Romanians Abroad and the Justice Ministry. The previous holders of these positions have resigned – Rovana Plumb and Natalia Intorero in order to run for the European elections, and Tudorel Toader after the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the main party in the ruling coalition, withdrew its political support and the PM asked for his resignation. Toader was left without the Social Democrats support for having delayed the adoption of some controversial emergency decrees modifying criminal codes. President Klaus Iohannis will announce early next week his decision about the appointment of the new ministers, but he has pointed out that, in his opinion, the new government reshuffle is aimed at strengthening what he calls “the PSD siege on justice. Romania must urgently get back on the track of reforms and continue the battle against corruption, European Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jurova, said at a European Parliament debate on the rule of law in Romania.

Report on the first 100 days of Romanias presidency of the Council of the EU

During the first three months of Romanias presidency of the Council of the EU, 90 difficult legislative dossiers have been closed, with Bucharest having coordinated over 1,100 events and meetings in the last three months, the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila said. Speaking about some of the dossiers finalised recently, Dancila welcomed the Councils formal adoption, as a final stage of the legislative procedure, of rules for the natural gas market, copyright and contracts for the sale of goods and the provision of online digital content. Bucharest has also been actively involved in the Brexit negotiations, Dancila went on to say. She also spoke about the importance of the elections for the European Parliament, held in Romania on the 26th of May, and pointed out that Romania has worked towards creating an environment in which free and fair elections can be held. Clearer rules were established for the protection of personal data, including penalties for the use thereof to manipulate the running and the outcome of the elections.

Conference on security challenges on the eastern flank of NATO

A conference on security challenges on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance, organised in Bucharest, has once again highlighted the need to strengthen NATOs capacity in the Baltic and Black Sea areas. Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has pleaded for a unitary, consolidated and coherent allied presence along the entire eastern flank. The president has stated that the Black Sea area is still marked by frozen conflicts and dormant tensions, and that is reason enough for such a presence, which is needed to ensure an effective defence and deterrence posture. At the conference, the US and Germany hailed the way in which Bucharest fulfils its commitments within NATO.

The Romania-France Cultural Season

The 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season has opened this week in Bucharest. Meetings, exhibitions, festivals and concerts will be held as part of this event in the capital Bucharest and many other cities across Romania. The French Ambassador in Bucharest, Michele Ramis, has mentioned that this is the first time her country organises the Season jointly with another EU country, which clearly reflects the nature of the Romanian-French relationship. In turn, the Romanian Culture Minister, Daniel Breaz, has evoked aspects related to the cultural connection between the two countries, and pointed out that for generations France has been a model, mirror and trustworthy friend of Romanians. The first part of the Cultural Season was held in 100 cities in France over the course of 5 months, and enjoyed great success, with the French people rediscovering Romania and its artists. The event is meant to consolidate economic, scientific, cultural and social ties between the two countries.

(translated by: Elena Enache)

20 April 2019
17 April 2019, UPDATE

Referendum. The two
chambers of the Parliament in Bucharest have green lighted the request of president
Klaus Iohannis to hold a referendum on 26th of May, at the same time
as the elections for the European Parliament. Parliament’s opinion in this
matter is advisory. The themes proposed by the head of state refer to banning
amnesty and pardoning for acts of corruption and also preventing the government
from passing emergency orders in the field of crimes and judicial organisation.
The president also wants to ask voters if institutions other than the Ombudsman
should be able to refer such decrees to the Constitutional Court. The
president’s move comes amidst a series of controversial changes in the judicial
system initiated by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party
and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats that have come under criticism at home
and abroad, by Romania’s European partners.

Cabinet
reshuffle. The executive committee of the ruling
Social Democratic Party has withdrawn its political support for the justice
minister Tudorel Toader, proposing his replacement with the deputy speaker of
the Chamber of Deputies Eugen Nicolicea. The decision comes after Toader
refused to issue some controversial decrees modifying the criminal codes. The
Social Democrats have also proposed Oana Florea for the position of minister
for European funds to replace Rovana Plumb and Liviu Brailoiu for taking over
the ministry for Romanians abroad to replace Natalia Intotero. Plumb and
Intotero are running for a seat in the European Parliament in May’s elections.

Criminal code. The Senate passed on Wednesday the bill amending the criminal code in
the version drafted by the special committee for the justice legislation. The
committee had approved the amendments on Tuesday, having eliminated a number of
provisions from the initial version that had been ruled unconstitutional by
Romania’s Constitutional Court. The bill still contains a number of provisions
criticised by the opposition, such as those referring to the statute of
limitations for convictions, the repeal of a provision on negligence in
employment and the introduction of a one-year deadline for denunciations.
Justice minister Tudorel Toader did not agree to pass the amendments to the
criminal code via emergency order. The president of the parliamentary
committee, the Social Democrat Florin Iordache, says the urgency is given by
the government’s failure to implement through legislation the provisions
declared constitutional by the court. Attending the debates held by the
commission, Toader said it was Parliament’s obligation to harmonise the
criminal codes with the rulings of the Constitutional Court, given that this is
a legislative bill. The opposition says the changes are an attempt to rid
senior politicians of criminal investigations. The Senate is the first chamber
to rule on this bill, with the Chamber of Deputies being the decision-making
body.

Presidency. The Romanian prime
minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday presented a report on Romania’s first 100
days as holder of the presidency of the Council of the EU. She said the
government in Bucharest demonstrated efficiency, determination and a capacity
to find good solutions for European citizens in each and every one of these 100
days. 90 legislative dossiers, including some very difficult ones inherited
from previous presidencies, were finalised during this period and the Romanian
presidency managed over 1,000 events and meetings, Viorica Dancila also said.

Protest. The
confederation of authorised road carriers in Romania held a protest on
Wednesday outside the government building in Bucharest against an upcoming emergency
order regulating online platforms for passenger transport. Taxi drivers demand
that the change be made in Parliament and not by government order and that the
activity of these online platforms should be limited and comply with the same
rules as taxi companies in terms of authorisation, control and taxation. This
is the biggest in a series of protests staged by taxi drivers in the last
month.

Inflation.
Romania, Hungary and Holland last month saw the highest annual inflation rates
in the European Union, according to figures published on Wednesday by Eurostat,
the European statistical office. Romania had a 4.2% inflation rate, Hungary
3.8% and Holland 2.9%. Portugal and Greece had the lowest inflation rates. The
annual inflation rate dropped to 1.4% in the eurozone in March and remained at
1.6% in the European Union.

17 April 2019
16 April 2019, UPDATE

Notre-Dame fire. The
fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris caused an unprecedented wave of
solidarity. Major companies from France and across the world, wealthy families
and the European Central Bank have announced donations of more than 750 million
euros for the reconstruction of the building, which is a UNESCO world heritage
site and attracts millions of tourists every year. President Emmanuel Macron
said a national fund-raising campaign would be launched. Romania’s president Klaus
Iohannis and prime minister Viorica Dancila have sent messages of solidarity
with France, alongside other world and European leaders. The inquiry into the
cause of the fire continues, but it will be long and complex, according to the Paris
public prosecutor Remy Heitz. He said an investigation for involuntary
destruction by fire has been opened. The French authorities say the risk of
fire has been eliminated, but it is unknown whether the building is still
structurally sound. The spire of the famous Paris cathedral with a height of 93
metres has collapsed. The blaze has affected the 12th century cathedral,
destroyed the roof and the spire, but the exterior walls and the two belfries
are still standing.

EU culture. The European
Commission can provide support and long-term funding for the restoration works
at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, the European Commissioner for Education,
Culture, Youth and Sport Tibor Navracsics said on Tuesday in Bucharest. He
attended a meeting of EU ministers of culture in the context of the Romanian presidency
of the Council of the European Union. The Romanian Culture Minister Valer
Daniel Breaz, who chaired the meeting, said one of the priorities of the
Romanian presidency is to create new opportunities for Europe’s cultural and
creative industries and the European cultural heritage.

No-confidence vote. The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Tuesday rejected
with 95 yes votes, 155 no votes and 19 abstentions a simple no-confidence
motion against the energy minister Anton Anton initiated by the National
Liberal Party, in opposition. While debating the motion on Monday, the signatories
warned about the high increases in the price of energy in recent years. The
Liberals, supported by the Save Romania Union and the People’s Movement Party,
also underlined that the absence of a national energy strategy discourages
private companies from investing in the sector. In response, minister Anton
said the government is concerned about the price of energy and natural gas and
has issued an emergency order to cap these increases for the next three years.
He also said the government’s adoption of the energy strategy is in an advanced
stage.

Judiciary. The special parliamentary committee for the justice laws on Tuesday
published a report in favour of the changes to the criminal code, but eliminating
a number of provisions contained in the initial version which were declared
unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Romania. The report will be
debated on Wednesday by the Senate before reaching the Chamber of Deputies a
week later, the president of the special committee Florin Iordache said. The
latter pointed out that the government had four months at its disposal to solve
the problem of the unconstitutional provisions, but did nothing. Tuesday’s
talks in the special committee were attended by the justice minister Tudorel
Toader, who rejected Iordache’s accusations. Recently, the leader of the ruling
Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea said the Social Democrats feel deceived
by minister Toader about the adoption of a number of emergency orders about the
judiciary.

Romania rule of law.
Romania must immediately get back to the path of reform and carry on the fight
against corruption, the European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová said at
a debate in the European Parliament regarding the rule of law. According to the
European official, the current situation in Romania poses serious risks of sliding
backwards in terms of the rule of law, particularly with respect to the
independence of courts and the fight against corruption. The Commission will
resort to all means available, should the situation fail to improve, the EU
official added. Last November, the European Parliament voiced concern about the
changes in the Romanian judicial sector, and warned that they may threaten the
separation of powers and the fight against corruption.

Healthcare. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday accused the
government of not respecting its promises to modernise and build new hospitals,
including with the help of European funds. He also said the government has failed
to respect its goals regarding the human resources, and that gaps still exist between
the urban and rural areas and between regions in term of the availability of doctors,
while the exodus of medical staff has continued. The health minister Sorina
Pintea has responded by saying the president does not know the reality in the
healthcare system, that salaries have been raised and that there is a budget
for investments.

Romania-Israel. The Romanian prime minister Viorica Dancila on
Tuesday congratulated her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone
conversation for the results obtained in the 9th of April elections.
According to the Romanian government press release, the two officials also
talked about the very good relations between their countries and a new joint
government meeting this year that will reiterate both the political commitment of
the two governments to develop and diversify cooperation, and the special
nature of the bilateral ties. Viorica Dancila and Benjamin Netanyahu also
discussed the results obtained so far by Romania’s presidency of the Council of
the EU and current international affairs.

Sustainable development. The European Union has always
been at the forefront of global sustainability, and sustainable development
weighs significantly in all EU treaties, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor
Melescanu said in Bucharest on Tuesday. Speaking at an international conference
themed The 2030 Agenda: Partnerships for Sustainable Development, he also
said that the EU has played a key role in defining the UN global targets for
the year 2030 in this respect. At the end of the conference, the participants
adopted the Bucharest declaration on the promotion of partnerships for
sustainable development. Taking part in the conference were governmental
officials in charge of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, from EU member
countries, the Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans, Central Asia, alongside representatives
of civil society.

16 April 2019
April 16, 2019

NOTRE DAME The danger of the Notre Dame fire in Paris has been contained, but the French authorities say that whether or not the structure of the building has resisted the fire is yet to be established. The spire of the famous Paris masterpiece has collapsed. The cause of the disaster is yet unknown, and investigations carry on. The flames affected the cathedral, destroyed the roof and the spire, but the outer walls and the 2 belfries are still standing. The 12th-century UNESCO world heritage site attracted millions of tourists every year. The billionaire families Arnault and Pinault have donated 300 million euros for the rebuilding works. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and PM Viorica Dancila have sent solidarity messages.

CULTURE The European ministers of culture convene in Bucharest today, under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Attending the event is also the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics. Also taking part in the meeting chaired by the Romanian Culture Minister, Valer Daniel Breaz, are officials from the Council of the European Unions secretariat general and from the Government of Romania. The 2 sessions will be devoted to funding and innovation for the cultural and creative industries, and to the European cultural heritage. The participants will also present the conclusions of a conference on heritage held in Sighisoara, central Romania, last week.

ENERGY A simple motion on the topic of energy is subject to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies today. The National Liberal Party in opposition, which initiated the motion, voices concern with the large number of procedures that come against the EU legislation, with the delays in the endorsement of a national strategy for the energy sector and with the rising prices of electricity and natural gas. Other members of the Opposition, including Save Romania Union and the Peoples Movement Party, also support the motion, adding that the current Power has brought the energy sector under political control and that all measures are against free market principles. On the other side, the line minister, Anton Anton, says progress has been made in drafting the energy strategy, and that Government Emergency Order no. 114 introduces a 3-year cap on energy prices. The Energy Minister also denied the Liberals claims that 15,000 miners will be made redundant.

CORRUPTION The High Court of Cassation and Justice has today postponed to June 11 the appeal in a case involving the prime ministers adviser Darius Vâlcov, a former mayor of the town of Slatina in the south and former minister for finances. Valcov was sentenced to 8 years in prison by a court of first instance, for money laundering and influence peddling. The sentence was passed in February 2018, but the 3 judges were one year late in making public the reasoning for the ruling. In the same case, another former mayor of Slatina, Minel Prina, received a 4-and-a-half-year prison sentence, while Darius Valcovs former driver, Lucian Petruţ Şuşală, was given a 2-year suspended sentence.

JUDICIARY Romania must immediately return to the path of reform and carry on the fight against corruption, the European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová said at a debate in the European Parliament regarding the rule of law. According to the European official, the current situation in Romania poses serious risks of regress in terms of the rule of law, particularly with respect to the independence of courts and the fight against corruption. The Commission will resort to all means available to it, should the situation fail to improve, the EU official added. Last November, the European Parliament voiced concern with the changes in the Romanian judicial sector, and warned that they may jeopardise the separation of powers and the fight against corruption.

DEVELOPMENT The European Union has always been at the forefront of global sustainability, and sustainable development weighs significantly in all EU treaties, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu said in Bucharest today. Speaking at an international conference on “The 2030 Agenda: Partnerships for Sustainable Development, he also said that the EU has played a key role in defining the UN global targets for the year 2030 in this respect. Taking part in the conference were government officials in charge of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda from EU member countries, the Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans, Central Asia, alongside civil society representatives.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

16 April 2019
March 26, 2019 UPDATE

CONSULTATIONS President Klaus Iohannis Tuesday had consultations with representatives of civil society regarding the justice referendum. The President last week said he was almost determined to call a referendum coinciding with the European Parliament election of May 26. The president’s announcement followed the Constitutional Court’s ruling sanctioning a referendum on the same day as the European Parliament election. On Wednesday the head of state will also hold talks with representatives of magistrate associations on the current state of affairs in the judiciary.

VISIT Vaccination, the assessment of medical technology, tobacco control, cancer prevention and antibiotic resistance were among the topics approached in Bucharest on Tuesday by the Healthcare Minister Sorina Pintea and the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis. Previously, the EU official was also received by President Klaus Iohannis. Vytenis Andriukaitis attended the Global Forum on “Human Rights and a World without Tobacco and called for the elimination of tobacco products from supermarkets, considering it is not rated as foodstuff. Vytenis Andriukaitis is on an official visit to Bucharest over March 26-27, and on Wednesday he will attend the opening of the 4th annual conference on tobacco control organized by the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention jointly with the Romanian Pneumology Society.

DST The European Parliament Tuesday voted, by a large majority, to end daylight saving time in the EU as of 2021. Member states will therefore scrap the practice of clock changes twice a year, and will choose to keep either permanent summer time or winter time. Under the draft resolution, the countries that decide to make summer time permanent will change clocks for the last time on the last Sunday of March 2021. Conversely, the countries that opt for permanent standard time will change clocks one final time in October 2021. The European Commission proposed to end biannual clock changes in 2018, after a poll that shows overwhelming support for the move, with 84% of 4.6 million respondents in favour of abolishing daylight saving.

EU-CHINA Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emanuel Macron and the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Tuesday held talks in Paris with Chinese President Xi Jinping about future relations between Europe and China. The Chinese President is on a tour of Europe to gather support for his project, “The New Silk Road, aimed at linking China to Europe by means of a thousand-billion-dollar investment by 2030. Several EU states have signed protocols expressing their desire to join the project, and last week Europes third-largest economy, Italy, currently facing severe economic imbalances, became the first G7 country to sing. European Commission representatives have called for the immediate establishment of a joint strategy, concerned with Chinese investment in key sectors in Member States, such as electricity grids, high-speed rail networks and port infrastructure.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

26 March 2019
March 11, UPDATE

BUDGET The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis Monday signed into law the 2019 social security budget bill. As regards the state budget bill, he asked MPs to reanalyse it thoroughly. The head of state once again criticised the Government led by the Social Democrats. The two-chamber Parliament in Bucharest will re-discuss the 2019 budget bill this week at the request of president Iohannis. The government majority formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats say they won’t make any changes to the bill because its current provisions ensure the necessary resources in the important sectors of the economy. The opposition say, however, that the budget cannot come into force in its current version, which is one of stagnation and under-development. Once the bill returns to the president, the latter has to sign it into law. He sent the bill back to Parliament after the Constitutional Court dismissed his objections regarding the way the bill was drawn up. The government say Iohannis’ move is a political gesture ahead of the presidential elections later this year.

GOVERNMENT The agenda of Tuesdays Cabinet meeting includes several draft resolutions, including one that concerns a financing contract with the European Investment Bank for the rehabilitation of the healthcare sector and another one concerning the organisation and functioning of the National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption. A bill ratifying the agreement signed by Romania and Hungary in October 2018 on the mutual protection of classified information is also on the agenda. Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet will also discuss a memorandum on the negotiation of a 177-million euro loan agreement between Romania and the Council of Europe Development Bank for a project aimed at upgrading Romanias judicial infrastructure.

JUDICIARY The independence of the Romanian judiciary must not be affected, and the fight against corruption must carry on, said the first vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, on Monday. He added he did not notice any progress since the latest Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report on Romania, and that he would like EC experts and the Government of Romania to discuss the issues that need to be settled. The European official was granted the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the National School of Political and Administrative Studies. In his address on this occasion, Frans Timmermans spoke about the rule of law, which he believes is one of the decisive topics for the future of Europe.

COMMEMORATION The European Day of Remembrance for the victims of terrorism is commemorated every year on March 11, under a European Parliament resolution. The original proposal was September 11, the day of the largest-scale terror attacks in the world (USA, 2001), but the 4 attacks perpetrated in Madrid, in the morning of March 11, 2004, which left behind 192 dead, including 16 Romanians, and nearly 2,000 wounded from 17 countries, prompted the change of date. Fifteen years ago, in Madrid, 4 commuter trains were blown up by members of a Jihadi cell inspired by the Al Qaida terrorist network. Three attackers were caught and sentenced to thousands of years behind bars. This was the most severe terrorist attack in Spain, and it made the country pull out its troops from Iraq.

VOTERS The total number of eligible voters in Romania included in the Electoral Registry on February 28, 2019 was 18,937,258, the Permanent Electoral Authority announced on Monday. At the previous public announcement on the topic, made late last year, the Electoral Registry counted 18,937,058 Romanian voters. The variation comes as a result of changes reported by mayors as regards the number of voters in their localities, and of data imports from the Directorate for Personal Records and Database Management. Of the total number of Romanian voters in the Electoral Registry, 18,266,936 have their declared residence in Romania, and 670,322 abroad.

BOEING Boeing stock opened 11% down on Monday, after China, Indonesia and Ethiopia requested airlines to ground the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, after a second deadly crash in 5 months. If the same level is reported on closing time, this will be the most severe fall for Boeing shares in nearly 2 decades, ending an upward trend that tripled the share value in little over 3 years, to a record-high 446 US dollars last week. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines, heading for Nairobi, went down within minutes after take-off in Addis Ababa, on Sunday, and all the 157 passengers died. The same plane model, operated by Lion Air, had crashed off the Indonesian coast in October, killing all the 189 people on board. Both planes were new and crashed just minutes into the flight.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

11 March 2019
Anti-government protests

Thousands of people again took to the streets in Romania on Sunday evening to show their solidarity with the magistrates who say Emergency Order no. 7 recently adopted by the government hinders their activity. In Bucharest and other cities around the country such as Sibiu, Cluj, Constanta, Iasi, Timisoara and Galati, the protesters demanded the resignation of the justice minister Tudorel Toader, the repeal of the order and the dismantling of the special department for investigating magistrates. A march was held in Bucharest and the actors of the National Theatre staged a protest on the stairs of the theatre.

The government said it had no intention to give up the order that has sparked massive protests among magistrates. Last week, Tudorel Toader said, however, that he drafted an emergency order that would repeal a number of provisions contained in the previous order. The document was presented to prime minister Viorica Dancila and submitted to the Superior Council of Magistrates. According to the president of this body, Livia Savonea, the provisions in questions refer to re-assignments and the prerequisite of good reputation.

The street protests come as magistrates from prosecutors offices and courts around the country voiced their dissatisfaction, including by stopping working. The anti-governmental protests also targeted another emergency order, known as no. 114, one that was mentioned by the European Commission in its six-month country report as a risk factor threatening the normal running of the financial sector.

The Social Democratic Party, the main force in the ruling coalition, has admitted that changes can be made to this order as long as the main objectives are retained, namely for the population and businesses to benefit from loans at lower interest rates.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the finance ministry are having talks with those of the Romanian Association of Banks to analyse the need for changes to this order in respect of a number of fiscal measures. The representatives of the Association of Building Entrepreneurs have submitted amendments to the order ahead of its being discussed by the Chamber of Deputies. They say the order contains some good provisions for the constructions sector, but also measures that should be modified. In turn, representatives of local gas companies have warned that implementing the order would have a negative impact on both investors in the sector and the state budget.

(translated by: Cristina Mateescu)

4 March 2019
New emergency decrees on the judiciary

Since the latest parliamentary elections in 2016, the justice field has been a battlefield for political disputes between Power and Opposition. On the one hand, the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats says it is trying to address legislative errors in the field and thus to modernise the legislation on which the judicial system is based, in full compliance with human rights. On the contrary, the right-wing Opposition, consisting primarily of the National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union, argue that all the measures taken in this respect are designed to undermine the work of magistrates, benefiting the Governments cronies.

This Tuesday, the Cabinet passed an emergency decree stipulating, among other things, that senior positions in prosecutors offices can no longer be assigned by delegation. According to the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, these positions include the prosecutor general, the deputy prosecutor general, the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, the chief prosecutor of the Directorate Combatting Organised Crime and Terrorism, and heads of prosecutors offices. These are fixed 3-year terms in office, and a new term will require a new appointment procedure, comprising an interview, the advisory opinion of the Superior Council of Magistracy, and the appointment decree signed by the president of the country.

Also, considering that under the new emergency decree former judges may also run for a senior prosecutor position, the advisory opinion of the Superior Council of Magistracy will be required both from the institutions division for prosecutors, and from the division for judges. Given that many of the posts in question are currently held by delegation, the office holders only have 45 days until new appointment procedures must be completed.

Also on Tuesday, after receiving the positive advisory opinion of the Superior Council of Magistracy, the Government passed an emergency decree concerning the selection of Romanias candidate for European prosecutor within the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO). This does not concern the European Chief Prosecutor position, for which the procedure is different and has already been initiated. Minister Toader explained that there will be a second category of prosecutors to be selected through a subsequent procedure, namely the delegated prosecutors. Whereas the European prosecutor will work in Luxembourg, the delegated prosecutor will work in Romania on behalf of the EPPO.

The National Liberal Party responded quickly after the 2 decrees were passed. They announced they would table a simple motion against Minister Toader in the Chamber of Deputies. Save Romania Union also spoke about a black day for the Romanian judiciary, and called on international institutions to step in and on Romanian citizens not to stay indifferent.

So protesters were also a part of the picture: people gathered on Tuesday night in front of the Justice Ministry, throwing rocks and paint. As for President Klaus Iohannis, he wrote on Facebook that, by means of such emergency decrees, the Social Democratic Party once again works against justice and the rule of law, and seeks to give special status to individuals who are on bad terms with the law.

In response, the left-wing Prime Minister Viorica Dancila reiterated that laws are not created just for an individual, that politicians must not interfere with the justice system and that citizens rights must be complied with, while the fight against corruption must continue.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 February 2019
January 2, 2019 UPDATE

EU The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, congratulated Romania on taking over the EU Council presidency on January 1, for the first time since its accession, and wished it good luck. I am confident that you will deliver and I am looking forward to working with you, Donald Tusk posted on his official Twitter account. Between January 1 and June 30, Romania will have to handle an EU agenda filled with political developments and dossiers with a decisive impact on the future of the bloc, including Brexit, the negotiation of the forthcoming EU budget, the European Parliament elections due in May. The European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu says Romania should use all the opportunities entailed by the EU Council presidency, including in terms of the cohesion policy for 2021-2027. In a Facebook post, Creţu adds that both herself and the European Commission as a whole are ready to support the Romanian authorities for a successful presidency.

EURO Twenty years since the introduction of the single currency, high-ranking EU officials, including the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, emphasised the importance of the European currency. The Euro has become a symbol of unity, sovereignty and stability, said the European Commission chief, who is one of the signatories of the treaty that created the single currency. I know that was the most important signature I ever made, Juncker added in a news release. 20 years on, we have a generation that only knows the Euro as a national currency, the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi said in his turn. The Euro became the official currency of 11 EU member states on January 1, 1999, with notes and coins going into circulation in 2002. At present the Euro is used by some 340 million people in 19 of the 28 member countries, and is the second most important currency in the world after the US dollar.

JAPAN Emperor Akihito, who is to step down in April, sent his hopes for peace for his nation and the entire world, in his last New Years address, delivered before a record number of people who came to see the event, according to Kyodo and dpa. On April 30, at the age of 85, Akihito will be the first Japanese sovereign to relinquish power in the last 200 years. In 2016 he announced his intention to withdraw from power, putting forth concerns that his old age would prevent him from accomplishing his duties. Akihito became the 125th Emperor of Japan on January 7, 1989, at 55 years of age, after the death of his father, Hirohito, in whose name Japan fought in World War 2. Akihitos oldest son, Prince Naruhito, will be crowned on May 1.

JUSTICE The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said in an interview aired by a private television channel on Tuesday that he would like to close the subject of a government decree regarding amnesty and pardons. He emphasised that the most his ministry can do is to approve a bill initiated in Parliament on this topic. Toader also said that he has never done and will never do something likely to create a situation similar to the one triggered by the 2017 government decree no. 13, which brought hundreds of thousands of Romanians into the streets and prompted criticism from the EU and the USA.

ELECTIONS The elections for the European Parliament will be held between May 23rd and 26th this year. MEPs are elected every 5 years, and as of this year the Parliament will have 705 members, as compared to 751 at present. This is because of Britains withdrawal from the EU. Of the 73 seats currently held by UK, 46 will be eliminated and the other 27 will be distributed to EU member states that are under-represented in the Unions legislative body. Romania gets 33 seats, 1 more than at present.

TENNIS The Romanian player Monica Niculescu (99 WTA), Wednesday qualified into the quarter-finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen (China), after defeating the Czech Kristyna Pliskova 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4. In the quarter-finals Niculescu will play against the Chinese Yafan Wang (70 WTA). Tomorrow in the same tournament another Romanian, Sorana Cîrstea (84 WTA) takes on the American Alison Riske (62 WTA).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

2 January 2019
January 2, 2019

EU The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, congratulated Romania on taking over the EU Council presidency on January 1, for the first time its accession, and wished it good luck. I am confident that you will deliver and I am looking forward to working with you, Donald Tusk posted on his official Twitter account. Between January 1 and June 30, Romania will have to handle a EU agenda filled with political developments and dossiers with a decisive impact on the future of the bloc, including Brexit, the negotiation of the forthcoming EU budget, the European parliament elections due in May. The European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu says Romania must use all the opportunities entailed by the EU Council presidency, including in terms of the cohesion policy for 2021-2027. In a Facebook post, Creţu adds that both herself and the European Commission as a whole are ready to support the Romanian authorities for a successful presidency.

EURO Twenty years since the introduction of the single currency, high-ranking EU officials, including the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, emphasised the importance of the European currency. The Euro has become a symbol of unity, sovereignty and stability, said the European Commission chief, who is one of the signatories of the treaty that created the single currency. I know that was the most important signature I ever made, Juncker added in a news release. 20 years on, we have a generation that only knows the Euro as a national currency, the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi said in his turn. The Euro became the official currency of 11 EU member states on January 1, 1999, with notes and coins going into circulation in 2002. At present the Euro is used by some 340 million people in 19 of the 28 member countries, and is the second most important currency in the world after the US dollar.

JAPAN Emperor Akihito, who is to step down in April, sent his hopes for peace for his nation and the entire world, in his last New Years address, delivered before a record number of people who came to see the event, according to Kyodo and dpa. On April 30, at the age of 85, Akihito will be the first Japanese sovereign to relinquish power in the last 200 years. In 2016 he announced his intention to withdraw from power, putting forth concerns that his old age would prevent him from accomplishing his duties. Akihito became the 125th Emperor of Japan on January 7, 1989, at 55 years of age, after the death of his father, Hirohito, in whose name Japan fought in World War 2. Akihitos oldest son, Prince Naruhito, will be crowned on May 1.

JUSTICE The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said in an interview aired by a private television channel on Tuesday that he would like to close the subject of a government decree regarding amnesty and pardons. He emphasised that the most his ministry can do is to approve a bill initiated in Parliament on this topic. Toader also said that he has never done and will never do something likely to create a situation similar to the one triggered by the 2017 government decree no. 13, which brought hundreds of thousands of Romanians into the streets and prompted criticism from the EU and the USA.

ELECTIONS The elections for the European Parliament will be held between May 23rd and 26th this year. MEPs are elected every 5 years, and as of this year the Parliament will have 705 members, as compared to 751 at present. This is because of Britains withdrawal from the EU. Of the 73 seats currently held by UK, 46 will be eliminated and the other 27 will be distributed to EU member states that are under-represented in the Unions legislative body. Romania gets 33 seats, 1 more than at present.

TENNIS The Romanian Monica Niculescu (99 WTA), is playing today against the Czech Kristyna Pliskova (94 WTA) in the 8th-finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen, China. Tomorrow, in the same tournament, another Romanian, Sorana Cîrstea (84 WTA) takes on the American Alison Riske (62 WTA) in the quarter-finals.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

2 January 2019
December 21, 2018

REVOLUTION – Today Romania commemorates 29 years since the anti-communist Revolution extended from Timisoara to Bucharest and the whole country. On December 20th, 1989, after several days of repression by the Communist authorities, the people of Timisoara took to the streets in great numbers. The army withdrew to the barracks and from the balcony of the Opera House in Timisoara the people declared Timisoara the first city of Romania free of Communism. On December 21st, the anti-Communist revolution extended to Bucharest and culminated on December 22nd with dictators Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu fleeing Bucharest. Over 1,000 people died and some 3,000 others were wounded in the shootings in Romania, the only Eastern Bloc country where the communist regime was toppled violently and where the communist leaders were executed. 29 years on, the prosecutors’ investigation into those events has not been finalized and the culprits are still at large. Initially classified, the revolution file was reopened in 2017 after the judges decided that the previous investigations had been very superficial. Military prosecutors announced the extension of criminal procedures, in rem, in relation to crimes against humanity. Military prosecutors have indicted former president Ion Iliescu in the “Revolution” case.

ICE HOTEL — On December 23 the only ice hotel in Romania will be opened at Balea Lac in the Southern Carpathians. The official inauguration of the entire compound, to also include an ice church and several igloos will take place next February. The ice hotel, built entirely of ice blocks, is located at an altitude of 2034 meters. This year, the theme that has inspired the hotel’s decoration is Frozen Love, promoting love and passion for nature, fresh air and trekking in the winter season. A perfume inspired from this theme will also be launched. Bookings for tourists who want to experiment sleeping at minus 2 degrees Celsius were made months in advance, especially by Britons. The Ice Hotel has been built every year, starting 2005.

JUDICIARY – Romania’s Supreme Court has continued to suspend the serving of prison sentences received by several high-level officials under corruption charges. Among them are the former chief of the anti-terrorism and anti-mafia directorate Alina Bica, who requested asylum in Costa Rica, the former head of the tax authority, Serban Pop, and former Social Democratic ministers and MPs Dan Şova and Constantin Niţă. They have been released, until final rulings are passed on their appeals. The argument put forth for the suspension of their sentences was that the membership of the 5-judge panels passing the rulings had not been correct. The supreme court held drawing of lots sessions for the 5-judge panels 3 times this year, when the Law on the organisation of courts was modified, further to a Constitutional Court decision, at the request of the Government and following an objection by the Social Democratic Party president Liviu Dragnea, who is tried for corruption at the Bucharest Court of Appeals.

MOLDOVA — The European Commission has called on the Republic of Moldova to take immediate and concrete action against corruption, money laundering and illegal migration, or face the risk of seeing the accord allowing Moldovan citizens to travel visa free to EU countries, suspended, according to a EC report presented recently in Brussels. Radio Chisinau has reported that the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration has taken note of the evaluation and recommendations of the European Commission, pointing out that the report also mirrors the positive evolutions in this country. The Republic of Moldova was the first state of the Eastern Partnership to receive a liberalized visa regime with the EU on April 28, 2014.

GOVERNMENT — The Bucharest Government made up of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) is today holding a new meeting. Although not included on the agenda, the Cabinet might also discuss the emergency decree on the fiscal measures announced recently by the Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovoci and contested by the head of state Klaus Iohannis, the right-of-center opposition, the banking sector and the energy and communication companies. Teodorovici announced so called taxes on greed leveled on banks, depending on the evolution of interbank loans, as well as a package of measures for energy companies — a contribution equal to 3% of turnover, capping natural gas prices, and price controls for electricity prices. The fiscal and budget measures for 2019 presented by Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici sent the market plummeting to minus 7%.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

21 December 2018
December 20, 2018

PARLIAMENT The Parliament of Romania is today debating and voting on the second no-confidence motion against the Government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, and headed by Viorica Dăncila. According to the Opposition, the current Cabinet is a threat to Romanias national interests, to its economic and political stability. The authors of the motion criticise the laws on the judiciary and claim the Prime Minister failed to comply with the governing programme undertaken at the start of her term. In reply, the PM claimed that the alternative the Opposition offers to citizens is to suspend income increases and even to slash salaries and pensions. Viorica Dancila also defended the justice laws, emphasising that they were endorsed by Parliament, rather than by an emergency decree as it was the case with the Ciolos Cabinet. Initiated by the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union, the Peoples Movement Party and unaffiliated MPs, the document was signed by 163 MPs, but needs 233 votes in order to pass. Yesterday the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania announced that its MPs would attend the meeting, but would abstain from voting.

STOCK EXCHANGE The Association of Capital Market Professionals says the prospective endorsement of a recent government decree on fiscal and budgetary measures is the most brutal and irrational attack against the Romanian capital market since its re-establishment in 1995. The Bucharest Stock Exchange opened on a slight increase today, but plunged back down, after experiencing its worst day so far on Wednesday. Substantial losses were reported by banks and energy and utilities companies, after on Tuesday the Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici announced that by the end of the year a government decree would be passed introducing certain fiscal and budgetary measures. These include a so-called “tax on greed charged on banking revenues, and a package concerning energy companies, such as a 3% of turnover contribution, a cap on natural gas prices and electricity price control. The business community in Romania warned against the negative effects of the new taxes announced by the Government for 2019. President Klaus Iohannis urged the Cabinet to reconsider the decree, to negotiate it with employers and trade unions and to endorse a more sustainable version after thorough analysis and review.

EU The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, receives in Bucharest on Friday the Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council. Romania will symbolically take over the presidency of the EU Council, which it will hold as of January 1. The 2 officials will discuss the priorities on the European agenda, such as the future of the Union, the EU budget after 2020, Brexit, and the elections for the European Parliament. On Wednesday in a meeting with the EU ambassadors to Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis said Romanias goal during its presidency of the EU Council is to begin as soon as possible the negotiations on the future relations between the Union and Britain, if the withdrawal agreement is ratified by London and approved by the European Parliament. Iohannis also said that Romania supports a stronger European Union, which is closer to its citizens and able to guarantee their security and prosperity. He also emphasised the importance of the informal meeting of European leaders in Sibiu on May 9, 2019, when the EU strategic agenda for 2019-2024 will be discussed.

JUDICIARY Romanias supreme court suspended the serving of prison sentences received by several high-level officials under corruption charges. Among them are the former chief of the anti-terrorism and anti-mafia directorate Alina Bica, who requested asylum in Costa Rica, the former head of the tax authority, Serban Pop, and former Social Democratic ministers and MPs Dan Şova and Constantin Niţă. They have been released, until final rulings are passed on their appeals. The argument put forth for the suspension of their sentences was that the membership of the 5-judge panels passing the rulings had not been correct. The supreme court held drawing of lots sessions for the 5-judge panels 3 times this year, when the Law on the organisation of courts was modified, further to a Constitutional Court decision, at the request of the Government and following an objection by the Social Democratic Party president Liviu Dragnea, who is tried for corruption at the Bucharest Court of Appeals.

COMMEMORATION Sirens sounded for 3 minutes in Timisoara today, in memory of the day of December 20, 1989, when Timisoara was proclaimed the first city free from communism in Romania. The largest plants went on strike back then, and workers gathered in the city centre, alongside tens of thousands of other locals. The Army withdrew from streets, the protesters who had been arrested were released, and the peoples demands were read out from the famous Opera House balcony. Also on December 20, the first revolutionary committee, called The Romanian Democratic Front, was set up. Members of the families of the Timisoara victims are traveling to Bucharest today to commemorate one of the most important events in modern Romanian history. They will arrive at the place where the bodies of 44 Timisoara heroes, shot dead on December 17, were cremated. The uprising that started in Timisoara spread on December 21 to Bucharest and other Romanian cities. Over 1,000 people died and some 3,000 others were wounded in the shootings in Romania, the only Eastern Bloc country where the communist regime was toppled violently and where the communist leaders were executed.

FOOTBALL Romanias national football team will end the year on the 24th position in the ranking that FIFA made public on Thursday. Romania started the year on the 40th place. This years 24th place is the best ranking Romanias football team has held since 2016. The teams future opponents in the EURO 2020 qualifiers are Spain, in 9th place, Sweden – 14, Norway – 46, Faeroe – 98, and Malta – 182.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 December 2018