Radio România Internațional

Tag: no-confidence

February 26, 2025

TALKS Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan is holding consultations today with each parliamentary party, regarding Romania’s position at the extraordinary European Council due at the beginning of next month. In this complicated and dynamic context with changes at international level, Romania may have to adjust its foreign policy to the new challenges, Ilie Bolojan explained in a video message. “However, there are things that will not change, namely Romania’s national interests, a safe country, a prosperous country, a trustworthy country, at peace with its neighbours,” the interim president explained. “We are a safe country because we benefit from solid defence guarantees. We owe our security and that of Europe to the NATO shield and the guarantees entailed by the Strategic Partnership with the US. The presence of US and Allied troops on Romanian territory has done nothing but strengthen the security of Europe, and we will advocate for them to stay. The EU membership has ensured our progress as a country during these years. European investments and funds, access to markets and opportunities have generated prosperity and better living conditions. It is a path we must continue on”, Ilie Bolojan added. Also today, the interim president takes part in a conference call with the leaders of EU member countries, during which the French president Emmanuel Macron presents updates on his recent meeting with the US president Donald Trump.

PARLIAMENT A no-confidence motion tabled by the self-styled sovereigntist opposition against the Romanian government is to be discussed and voted on this Friday. The signatories say that the current Cabinet is illegitimate, has lost its credibility as some of its members are linked to individuals involved in a high-profile criminal case, and is failing to implement its own governing program, in which it promised, among other things, an increase in pensions and allowances. Also in opposition, the declared pro-European USR announced that it would not back the motion. The ruling coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania say Romania needs serious solutions, not image strategies.

UKRAINE Kyiv announced an agreement was reached with Washington on the joint development of Ukrainian mineral resources and the reconstruction of the country after the invasion launched by Russia 3 years ago. The deal, about which few details are known, could be signed in Washington this Friday. The arrangement was agreed after the US president Donald Trump demanded access to key Ukrainian minerals as compensation for the aid given to Ukraine in the war with Russia. Official sources quoted by Western media say that Washington has given up initial demands of USD 500 billion in revenues from natural resources, but has not provided the firm security guarantees demanded in exchange by Ukraine, which would be negotiated at a later date.

VATICAN Pope Francis, 88, still in critical condition with double pneumonia, “spent a quiet night and is resting,” the Vatican said on Wednesday morning, the 13^th day of his hospitalisation. According to the latest updates released on Tuesday evening, his condition is stable. The hospitalisation, the 4^th and longest since the beginning of his term in 2013, raises serious concerns as Pope Francis is already weakened after a string of health problems in recent years, from colon and abdominal surgeries to difficulties walking.

INVESTIGATION The former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu, a pro-Russian extremist, was taken in for questioning under a warrant by the General Prosecutor’s Office, judicial sources told AGERPRES. On Wednesday morning, prosecutors conducted dozens of searches across five counties, in a case related to the financing of his election campaign, the establishment of a fascist, racist or xenophobic organisation, as well as to promoting a cult of individuals guilty of genocide. Targeted by the investigation is also a close associate of Georgescu, Horaţiu Potra, the leader of a mercenary group that operated in Africa. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, investigations are conducted in this case for offences including actions against the constitutional order, failure to comply with the weapons and ammunition legislation, unlawful operations with pyrotechnic materials, public incitement, initiating or forming an organisation of a fascist, racist or xenophobic nature, as well as joining or otherwise supporting such a group. Investigations are also conducted for the public promotion of the cult of persons guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as well as the public dissemination of fascist, extreme right, racist or xenophobic ideas, views or doctrines.

CORRUPTION Twenty individuals have been detained over bribery charges in an investigation into illicit activity in the Port of Constanta (south-eastern Romania). Among others, the head of the Constanta branch of the Social Democratic Party, Ion Dumitrache, and several officers for the Maritime Ports Administration were detained. According to Anticorruption prosecutors, in 2024 and 2025 several businessmen allegedly promised and gave public officials bribes ranging from EUR 2,000 to 100,000, as well as other goods, to help them develop their businesses in the Constanta Port area, by speeding up asset transfer procedures, extending a waste collection contract, winning tenders or ensuring exclusive access to certain berths. The businessmen in question have allegedly promised an estimated EUR 6 million in bribes. The Bucharest Court dismissed prosecutor’s request for pre-trial arrest of 7 of the defendants, placing them under court supervision instead. Similar requests for another 13 defendants are yet to be heard.

EDUCATION The Romanian education minister Daniel David has encouraged all stakeholders’ involvement in the development of high school framework plans. In a fresh roundtable on the topic held in Iași (northeast), the minister promised that proposals would be taken into account, and the documents may be amended, as has already happened following discussions and meetings in recent weeks, since the projects were submitted for public review. He warned that high school curricula are of critical importance, given the high level of functional illiteracy in various fields. David explained that, after this construction period, the high school curricula will be tested in various schools. The public review period ends next week, on March 6, and the final documents are to be presented in early May. (AMP)

26 February 2025
Government pushes on with tax and budget measures

The
bill that the Government of Romania is seeking to push through Parliament is
intended to increase the effectiveness of the fight against tax evasion, to
curb the squandering of public funds and to ensure tax equity by scrapping
exemptions and privileges.

Under
the new legislation, all employees will pay public healthcare contributions,
including the staff in constructions and agriculture, who benefited from
exemptions so far, while IT personnel with salaries above EUR 2,000 a month
will now have to pay income taxes as well.

On
the other hand, public sector staff with salaries above EUR 1,600 will no
longer receive holiday vouchers and meal allowances. A special tax is
introduced for owners of houses worth over EUR 500,000, unless they have taken
out bank loans to pay for them. Large companies and banks will pay a 1% tax on
turnover.

As
for the VAT, there are no substantial changes. According to PM Marcel Ciolacu, the
9% rate for foodstuffs and medicines and the 5% rate for power, firewood,
natural gas and books will stay in place.

The
PM dismisses claims that these are austerity measures. But, he says, Romania
can no longer afford to grant privileges and facilities amounting to EUR 15
bln, nor can it allow tax evasion to account for 15% of its GDP (i.e. EUR 30 bln
a year). Marcel Ciolacu mentioned that minimum wages will be raised by 10%,
while in the constructions sector the raise will reach 12.5%.

The
PM argues that this set of measures will implement the most ambitious reform of
the public sector in post-communist Romania. The Opposition, however,
criticises the draft law and says it must be stopped by all constitutional
means available.

According
to procedure, one such option is a no-confidence vote, which would lead to
dismissing the Cabinet if the Opposition wins. But this is only possible in
theory, given that the actual parliamentary make-up favours the Social
Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party, the current ruling coalition. Another
option is to challenge the bill before the Constitutional Court.

But
the most dangerous scenario would be for the new measures to be invalidated by
economic reality. The Economic and Social Council, an independent body, has
already passed a negative opinion on the legislation, stating that the measures
to cut public expenditure are unconvincing and will have a negative impact on
the economy. In the past, covering the budget deficit by increasing the tax
burden on the business sector ended up having the opposite effect, and very
likely revenues to the state budget would decrease instead of going up, the
Council warns. (AMP)

26 September 2023
June 23, 2022 UPDATE

FUEL
PRICES The ruling coalition has
reached an agreement regarding an offset mechanism for retail fuel prices.
After Thursday’s government meeting, PM Nicolae Ciuca announced that for the next
3 months, starting on the 1st of July, retail fuel prices will be 0.5 leu per
litre lower. Half of the offset package, which amounts to EUR 400 million, will
be covered from the state budget, and the balance by companies operating in
this sector. The mechanism will be regulated under a bill to be passed by the
government next week.

CORRUPTION The Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Chesnoiu announced
stepping down and withdrawing from the Social Democratic Party over a
corruption investigation. He asked the Chamber of Deputies to lift his
parliamentary immunity and claimed he had not committed any offence or act of
corruption. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate had previously requested
the Chamber of Deputies to lift Chesnoiu’s immunity, in order for him to be
prosecuted for abuse of office. Judicial sources told AGERPRES news agency on
Thursday that the investigation concerns the rigging of exams for filling
public positions.

BULGARIA In Bulgaria, the Liberal PM Kiril Petkov’s
cabinet was dismissed through a no-confidence vote, which pushes the country
into a new political crisis, after 3 rounds of elections held last year, AFP
and Reuters report. The coalition, formed in December after controversial
Boiko Borisov’s 10 years in power, broke up in early June over disagreements
concerning public spending and the country’s stand on North Macedonia’s EU
accession negotiations. President Rumen Radev will invite parliamentary parties
to negotiations for forming a new government. If they fail, Bulgaria’s
Parliament will be dismantled and new elections will be held.

MOLDOVA The
state of emergency introduced in the Republic of Moldova on 24th
February, following Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, was extended on Thursday by
another 45 days. The request was tabled to Parliament by PM Natalia Gavriliţa, with
a majority of 59 MPs voting in favour. The Opposition was against the measure,
accusing the government of incompetence, Radio Chişinău reports. According to
Moldova’s PM, the state of emergency had to be extended given the persistent
risks related to Moldova’s energy supplies, border security and the Ukrainian
refugee crisis.

MEDAL The Romanian David Popovici, 17, is the second swimmer in history
to have become world champion in the 200m and 100m freestyle events of the same
edition of a championship. The athlete has broken three world junior records in
the World Aquatics Championships underway in Budapest. Romania has another
representative in the competition, Robert Glinta, who will compete on Friday in
the 50 meter backstroke race. Glinta ended the 100m race on the eighth
position. Another two Romanian athletes, Angelica Muscalu and Constantin
Popovici, will be competing in the dive event of the competition. (AMP)

23 June 2022
Reactions after Government is ousted

Three parties supported Tuesday’s parliamentary vote of no confidence against the government made up of the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, headed by the Liberal leader Florin Citu. The result of the vote was more than relevant: out of 318 MPs present in Parliament, 281 were in favor of the motion. MPs representing parties in the opposition, such as the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) as well as those of the Save Romania Union (USR), that has been part of the coalition government until September, voted against Citu’s cabinet. No wonder that Florin Citu’s speech in Parliament was mainly directed against the latter. Florin Citu: ʺAfter having plotted to oust the Government, USR now wants to be again part of the ruling coalition but with a softer leader, someone picked by themselves, who looks the other way when instead of choosing the right path they choose the left. ʺ

The USR vice president, Dan Barna, was quick to respond to Citu’s accusations: ʺYou could have been a reformist PM, but instead you preferred to be the brakeman of the governing programme that was supposed to get us out of the crisis. ʺ

In his turn, PSD leader, Marcel Ciolacu, accused the Citu Government that in 9 months in office he did not propose concrete measures for health, economy or higher living standards: ʺOur problem and Romanians’ problem is that you destroyed this country in your absurd fight for power.ʺ

On the other hand, the Liberals saw the ousting of the Citu Government as an irresponsible act, in the context of the pandemic and of the very high energy and gas bills. The Government out, each political party in Parliament makes its stand public and follows its own agenda. These agendas, however, are so divergent that putting together a coalition able to get the support it needs to be sworn in, is highly unlikely. PSD and AUR want a technocratic government until early elections are called. USR is willing to come to power again, but not with Florin Citu as PM. In their turn, the Liberals themselves are divided over the matter. Some of them say the current Liberal leader should be nominated again as PM, while others support the former party leader, Ludovic Orban.

It is the head of state, Klaus Iohannis, that will have the last say on the matter. He gave the parties unusually much time to negotiate. Klaus Iohannis: ʺTo give political parties time to meet, find mature solutions and present them during the consultations, I will only summon political parties to consultations next week.ʺ

The PM nominated by President Iohannis will have 10 days to present Parliament with a team and a governing programme, with a view to getting the confidence vote. In the meantime, the Romanian political crisis grabs headlines in international media, from the US to India. (EE)

6 October 2021
No-confidence motion against the Government

The cabinet headed by the Liberal Florin Cîţu was dismissed on Tuesday
following a no-confidence motion backed by 3 out of the 5 political parties in
the Parliament of Romania.

The document tabled by the Social Democrats and entitled STOP poverty,
price rises and convicted criminals reads that Romania’s only way out of the
on-going political, economic and social crisis is for the Cîțu government
to step down.

The Social Democrats criticised the Cabinet for Romanians’ worsening
living standards, for the lack of measures to counter the energy price rises
and the depreciation of the national currency, and for the alarming increase of
the country’s public debt. The list also includes the poor absorption of EU
funds, the inadequate implementation of support programmes for small businesses
and the disinterest in the Romanian farmers’ problems.

The Opposition also
blamed the government made up of the National Liberal Party, USR and the
Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania for the disaster in public
healthcare, and argued that instead of fighting the COVID pandemic, the
government managed to hinder the fight against chronic diseases.

The Social Democrats were by no means lenient with USR PLUS either,
although Cîţu’s cabinet became a minority government precisely due to the USR leaving
the ruling coalition. But in spite of the criticism, USR backed the
no-confidence motion, to make sure that Florin Cîţu, whom they blame for
breaking up the coalition, is sacked. The nationalist party AUR also supported
the motion.

Ahead of the vote, Florin Cîţu described what he called the new majority
(the Social Democratic Party, USR, AUR) of being irresponsible. The head of the
Liberal floor group in the Chamber of Deputies, Florin Roman, said after the
vote that the Liberals will come up with a new PM nomination, as soon as the
party’s leading structures decide so.

The Social Democrats are hoping for early elections, and, should a
political majority be reached, they are considering a government of experts
until such elections are held, the party chief Marcel Ciolacu said. The ball is
now in president Iohannis’s court, according to the Constitution, the Social
Democratic leader also said, and emphasised the need to overcome this moment
of political hysteria and to move into a responsible and constitution-abiding
area.

The new president of USR, Dacian Cioloş, called on the outgoing PM to
show self-discipline and said he expected a balanced response from the
National Liberal Party. He said he would refrain from further comments until a realistic
proposal for a ruling coalition is made.

In turn, Deputy George Simion, co-president of AUR party, said Florin
Cîţu should not be kept even on an interim term, and mentioned that his party
has a list of experts ready for a technocratic government, and will negotiate
it with the other political parties. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

5 October 2021
No-confidence motion against Romania’s government

The Liberal Florin Cîţu’s cabinet is today facing its most important
political test to date-a vote on a no-confidence motion tabled against it by
the Social Democrats in opposition. The document, entitled STOP to poverty, price
rises and convicted criminals, argues that Romania’s only way out of the
on-going political, economic and social crisis is for the Cîțu government
to step down.

The Social Democrats criticise the government for Romanians’ declining
living standards, for the lack of measures to counter the rise in energy prices
and the depreciation of the national currency, and for the alarming increase of
the public debt. The list goes on with the poor absorption of EU funds, the
inadequate programmes to support small and medium businesses, and the
disinterest in farmers’ difficulties.

Also, according to the Social Democrats, the government made up of the
National Liberal Party, USR PLUS and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians
in Romania did not fight against the COVID pandemic, but rather only managed to
hinder the fight against chronic diseases.

The opposition does not fail to mention PM Florin Cîţu’s problems with
the law, during his student years in the US, when he was caught driving under
the influence. The story came to light recently, and it probably would have
been overlooked had it not been for the problems within the ruling coalition.

The motion is not by no means lenient as far as USR is concerned,
although the Cîţu government became a minority government precisely because USR
left the coalition. Although they are criticised in the motion as well, USR announced
they would support the motion, so as to make sure PM Florin Cîţu, whom they see
as responsible for breaking up the ruling coalition, is removed.

In fact, USR were the first to table a motion of censure against the
Liberal government. This motion, also backed by the nationalist party AUR, got
stuck at the Constitutional Court, and will become redundant if the Social
Democrats’ motion passes.

The government stands little chances to survive the motion. Arithmetic shows
that the Social Democrats, USR and AUR have 280 votes in Parliament, and the
motion only needs 234 votes to pass. The cabinet only relies on the
163 votes of the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians, whereas the parliamentary groups representing other ethnic
minorities will not take part in the vote.

Florin Cîţu accused what he called the new
majority made up of the Social Democratic Party, USR and AUR, of being
irresponsible, and announced that the Liberal MPs will take part in the
debates, but will not vote. (tr. A.M.
Popescu)

5 October 2021
Romania’s Liberals have new leaders

As
of Saturday, PM Florin Cîţu is the president of the National Liberal Party, the
leader of the ruling coalition in Bucharest, after defeating his former party chief
Ludovic Orban. The two spared no efforts during the battle for supremacy, and
commentators agree that the competition degenerated, severely damaging the
party image and, more importantly, virtually obstructing the work of the
government.

This
comes at a time when Romania is faced with yet another shortage of intensive
care beds for severe COVID cases, and with a dramatic increase in energy prices. The
Liberals’ new president, Florin Cîţu, sees his election as the starting point
of a trend that will change the country.

Florin
Cîţu: I promise to be the president of all
Liberals, regardless of your vote. We are a united party and will use all our
resources against our political opponent, the Social Democratic Party. You should
know that this was not just a campaign, it was a movement, started within the
National Liberal Party, a movement that will change Romania for the better.

While
for 60% of the participants in the Liberals’ congress Florin Cîţu is the
solution, for their former partners in the ruling coalition, USR PLUS, he is
the problem. USR PLUS left the right-of-centre coalition after the justice
minister Stelian Ion was dismissed out of the blue, and said they would not
return in the government unless Florin Cîţu gives up the PM post.

Without
USR PLUS, Cîţu’s Cabinet has no parliamentary majority to back it, and risks
being dismissed if the no-confidence motion tabled by USR PLUS and the
nationalist party AUR is validated by the Constitutional Court and passed in
Parliament. This
is precisely why the new Liberal leader announced negotiations with all
political parties, to put together a parliamentary majority to support his
cabinet.

The
Social Democrats in opposition seem to want Cîţu dismissed as well. They say
the days of the current government are numbered and that, in case the USR PLUS
– AUR motion fails, they have drafted their own no-confidence motion. The
Social Democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu had this to say:

Marcel
Ciolacu: Definitely, as soon as the Constitutional Court greenlights the
motion, the Social Democratic Party will vote in its favour. If the Court
dismisses the motion, we will immediately table our own motion against the
government and will invite the other parties to back it.

A
minority government is not a novelty in Romania. A government made up of the
Liberals and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, unofficially
backed by the Social Democrats, and headed by Călin Popescu Tăriceanu, was in
power between 2007 and the elections of 2008. The price was high, however: the
government had to give up all major reform projects and to adopt populist
measures, lacking financial support.

The
same threatens to be the case at present as well, although Florin Cîţu promised
adamantly to put an end to irresponsible public spending and to streamline public
administration. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

27 September 2021
31 August, 2020 UPDATE

No-confidence motion. A meeting to debate and vote on a no-confidence motion against the Liberal government
initiated by the Social Democratic Party could not be held because of a lack of
quorum. According to the Social Democrat speaker of the Chamber of Deputies
Marcel Ciolacu, only 226 MPs attended the meeting, but 233 were necessary to
ensure quorum.

Covid-19. 755
new daily cases of Covid-19 infections and 43 new deaths were reported in
Romania on Monday. The total number of contaminations reached 87,540, with the
death toll standing at 3,621. 506 patients are in intensive care and 37,869
have recovered. The local authorities are this week starting to assess the
situation of COVID-19 cases and the transmission rate, given that the new
school year is supposed to start on September 14. Depending on this assessment,
they will decide on how the new school year begins and how they will adapt the
3 scenarios proposed by the public health authorities.

Relaxation. The Romanian government on Monday adopted new relaxation measures to be applied
as of September 1. These include the resumption of cultural activities in
enclosed areas and the reopening of restaurants and cafes indoors. The
conditions were set up in a meeting of the National Committee for Emergency
Situations. Restaurants will only reopen in counties where the cumulated number
of Covid-19 cases in the last 14 days is below or equal to 1.5 per one thousand
inhabitants. The same condition applies to the opening of cinemas and performance
venues that will operate at half capacity. Also, as of September 1, seminars
and private events will resume with the participation of a maximum of 50
persons in enclosed areas and 100 outdoors.

Romanian Language Day. Various cultural
events were held simultaneously in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and the
Romanian communities abroad to celebrate Romanian Language Day on 31st August. President
Klaus Iohannis said language defines our identity and culture, shapes us and
inspires us. He praised the efforts of Romanian language teachers abroad who
pass on to the new generations the roots inherited from the past and help them
define themselves culturally and spiritually. First held in 2013, Romanian
Language Day overlaps with the national holiday in the Republic of Moldova and
is a tribute to the movement of national revival in the neighbouring state,
which has majority Romanian-speaking population.

Elections. The election campaign for the
local elections of 27th September continues in Romania. The
authorities have announced the rules which candidates and their staff must
respect during this period to prevent infections with the novel coronavirus. 41
county council seats are up for election, as well as some 3,200 mayor seats, and
over 1,300 county councillor and some 40,000 local councillor positions. The
local elections were first due to take place in June but were postponed because
of the coronavirus outbreak.

Festival. The prestigious George Enescu international
competition is under way in Bucharest. Held mostly online, the competition is
bringing together 205 young musicians from 39 different countries. 184 of them
are taking part in the competitive sections for instruments, namely violin,
cello and piano, while 21 are taking part in the composition section. Prizes
are worth 100,000 euros.

31 August 2020
August 9, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 In Romania, another 1,145 coronavirus infections were reported, taking the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 61,768. More than 30,000 patients have recovered. The Strategic Communication Group announced that 458 patients are still in intensive care. The death toll of the pandemic in Romania is 2,700. Romania requested 10 million vaccine doses, when one is available, the health minister Nelu Tătaru announced. He added the vaccine will primarily be given to healthcare staff, to the elderly and people with previous conditions. Tǎtaru also warned that many cases are confirmed among tourists returning from their holidays, and reminded that the number of cases depends to a great extent on peoples compliance with face covering and distancing requirements. Apart from tourism, the health minister added, a number of other major risks have been identified, including business activities and regional commuting and transport. Tǎtaru expects a steady number of new cases rather than an increase, but warned that the situation depends entirely on people observing protection rules. Meanwhile, Italian authorities extended the self-isolation requirement for all people having stayed or transited Romania up to 14 days before arriving in Italy. The measure will be in place until September 7.

PANDEMIC Meanwhile, in spite of international and local efforts, the covonavirus continues to spread. worldometers.info reports some 20 million cases worldwide, over 729,000 deaths, and at least 12.7 million patients recovered since the first case was reported in China 7 months ago. The worst hit country is the USA. Many countries are stepping up efforts to create a vaccine. Singapore is starting trials on 100 patients next week, in a first stage that would take until October. In Israel human trials will also begin soon. The US has recently increased investments to support a potential vaccine currently in the final stage of clinical trials. Pharmaceutical companies around the world have signed contracts with countries like Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands for experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

GOVERNMENT The interim Senate speaker Robert Cazanciuc presented in a press conference on Sunday the “black book of the Liberal government, which will be the foundation for a no-confidence motion announced by the Social Democratic Party against Ludovic Orbans cabinet. The largest opposition party in Romania says that under the Liberal government the healthcare situation is out of control, and the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks proves that the government has failed to properly handle the epidemic. The Social Democrats also believe the Liberal government backed by the President of Romania has fumbled all economic recovery attempts, failing to properly implement any measure. According to the Social Democrats, these are the results of a government only interested in elections and in quick gains for party clients.

ECONOMY Romania will avoid technical recession and its economy will shrink by less than predicted by rating agencies, the European Commission, the IMF and the banking sector, thanks to a prompt and efficient package of economic policies, the Romanian finance minister Florin Cîţu says. In a Facebook post, he says the countrys economic recovery will begin in the 3rd quarter, which means positive economic growth in 2021. Florin Cîţu argues that the fiscal policy gave an “immediate, strong and, more importantly, targeted response to the challenges entailed by the pandemic.

LEBANON The French president Emmanuel Macron has called for quick and effective action to ensure the international aid reaches the Lebanese people, in the wake of the massive explosion that ravaged Beirut. In a virtual international donor conference on Sunday, Macron also called on the Lebanese authorities to respond to the demands legitimately voiced by people in the streets with adequate political and economic reforms. The French official pleaded for an impartial, credible and independent inquiry into the causes of the disaster on August 4. Fifteen heads of state and government, including the US president Donald Trump, took part in the conference co-hosted by France and the UN and attended by representatives of some 30 countries and international organisations. Romania has already joined the international relief effort. Nearly 8 tonnes of medical materials and pharmaceuticals were donated and shipped on Saturday from Romania to Lebanon. At least 158 people died, 6,000 were injured and 300,000 lost their homes in Beirut when a warehouse storing more than 2,000 tonnes of amonium nitrate caught fire. The blast came amid the already unfolding COVID-19 crisis, a deep economic crisis and anti-governmental discontent among the Lebanese people. (Translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 August 2020
Senate passes no-confidence motion against labour minister

Parliament has seen a number of political
initiatives recently targeted against the Liberal minority government. After Parliament
passed a string of simple no-confidence motions against the ministers of
finance, agriculture, home affairs and education, the Senate on Tuesday adopted
a similar motion against the labour minister Violeta Aexandru, 76 yes votes and 28 no votes.

The initiator of the move, the Social Democratic
Party, criticised the minister saying the government order on furlough and the
measures to support vulnerable categories was badly drafted and had to be
changed several times. The minister also came under criticism for how she
reorganised the ministry and for how she handled the situation of the Romanian
workers abroad. The Social Democrats also said she didn’t have solutions for the
rise in pensions and children’s allowances and for the Romanians who have
returned from abroad. The Social Democrat senator Radu Oprea:

You did nothing to prevent the Romanians’
living standards from dropping by 10%. You don’t have a single project so that
the over 1 million Romanians who have returned since the start of the pandemic should
stay and work here.

The labour minister rejected the accusations
contained in the motion, which she described as full of lies and misconceptions
and an act of contempt against honest, hard-working people. She said that since
the beginning of the state of emergency checks were conducted at 4,000 places
of work resulting in fines of over 830,000 euros. She also said she had the utmost
respect for pensioners and that she would make sure that all applications for a
recalculation of the pension are solved.

Minister Alexandru also pointed out that when
she took over, the pensions authority was riddled with problems and people had
to wait a long time for their retirement orders to be issued:

You knew about these things and didn’t care. I’ve
worked enormously to reduce considerably the number of long overdue cases of applications
for retirement and for the recalculation of pensions.

As for the situation of Romanian workers abroad,
Violeta Alexandru said a bill was up for public consultation providing for safer
measures for the Romanian workers seeking employment abroad.

The minister’s activity also came under
criticism from senators from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, the
Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, as well as from the People’s Movement Party and Pro Romania party, all of whom
who demanded her resignation. The National Liberal Party and the Save Romania
Union voted against the motion. However, passing the motion does not imply the
minister will lose her job.

10 June 2020
29 May, 2020

Coronavirus Romania. The coronavirus
death toll rises to 1,240 in Romania, while confirmed infections near 19,000. Some
12,800people have recovered. The largest
number of infections was reported in Suceava county, in the north-east, and in
Bucharest. President Klaus Iohannis has announced a further easing of
restrictions, with outdoor bars and cafes to reopen and access to beaches allowed
as of 1st June. As of this date, outdoor performances and sports
competitions will also be permitted, international road and rail travel
services will resume and all restrictions for out-of-town travel will be
lifted.

Coronavirus
world. Coronavirus cases worldwide pass 5.9 million. Almost 2.9 million people
have recovered and more than 360,000 have died. In Brazil, which is considered
the new epicentre of the pandemic, the death toll passes 26,700. In South
Korea, hundreds of schools are closing again just days after reopening following
a fresh outbreak of the virus. In the meantime, more and more European states
are easing restrictions. The French government has announced the reopening of
bars, cafes and restaurants beginning on 2nd of June. Italy plans to
allow its citizens to travel freely within the country beginning next Wednesday
and even to open its borders for the Schengen states and the UK without a
14-day quarantine on arrivals.

Schools. Romanian pupils in their
final secondary and high school years will return to school on 2nd
June for ten days to prepare for their upcoming national exams. Education
minister Monica Anisie said, however, that attendance is optional. The
authorities have decided to go ahead with the established timetable for
examinations, namely 15th June for secondary school exams and high
school exams beginning a week later, on the 22nd June. All schools
were closed in Romania on 11th March because of the coronavirus
pandemic with teaching being conducted online, and will only reopen in autumn.

Support. The Romanian government has adopted a series
of measures to support the employees returning to work after 1st
June, as well as employers. The state is to cover salary costs for the next
three months, with employers undertaking to maintain the respective jobs for a
further six months. The areas that will still be affected after 1st
June will also be identified, with the furlough scheme to still be supported by
the state. Around 430,000 employment contracts have been terminated and some
596,000 suspended because of the health crisis generated by the novel
coronavirus.

No-confidence. Simple no-confidence motions will be submitted next week against the Liberal ministers for labour, Violeta Alexandru, and regional development, Ion Stefan, said the Social Democratic Party, the largest opposition party in Romania. The move comes after four similar recent motions passed by Parliament against the finance, agriculture, interior and education ministers, who were criticised for their handling of their respective areas during the coronavirus crisis. The Social Democrats even threaten to submit a no-confidence motion against the Liberal minority government if the latter amends a pensions law providing for a 40% increase in pensions beginning this autumn.

Renault. The French car maker Renault has unveiled an
extensive cost-saving plan part of which some 15,000 jobs will be cut
worldwide, including 4,600 in France. The group also says it will freeze plans
to expand production capacity in Romania and Morocco. France Presse news agency
quotes experts as saying that Renault was facing a weakening of its brand in
Europe and difficulties in its alliance with the Japanese companies Nissan and
Mitsubishi even before the coronavirus crisis. According to specialists,
between 2009 and 2019, Renault managed, however, to increase its market share
in Europe by more than 1% to reach 10.5%, this achievement being linked
exclusively to the Romanian brand Dacia, which saw its sales double. Dacia was
taken over by Renault in 1999 and relaunched in 2004 with the Logan car,
becoming in the following years a significant player on the European car
market. (CM)

29 May 2020
Motion against the interior minister

A 4th simple motion of no confidence was debated and voted on Tuesday in Bucharest, this time against the interior minister Marcel Vela. The main opposition party PSD initiated the motion, accusing the interior minister Vela of incompetence and lack of consistency in managing the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, as the interior ministry issued several military decrees during the two months of state of emergency, which imposed lots of restrictions that were subsequently cancelled.

Minister Marcel Vela has also been criticized for having delayed the submission of the draft law regulating the state of alert, which, according to the Social Democrats, caused a 3-day legislative void. The PSD officials claim that the structures coordinated by the interior minister minimized the risk of the pandemic, did not focus on purchasing protective equipment for the medical staff and COVID-19 tests. Also the Strategic Communication Group is accused of having deliberately distorted the reality about the health crisis. The motion of no confidence shows that the fundamental rights of the Romanian citizens have been strongly affected by bad regulations, illegal fines and the excessive, authoritarian actions of minister Vela.

In reply, the interior minister has stated that all the measures taken during the pandemic, although restrictive, have been correct and aimed at protecting the population’s health. Minister Vela has recalled that this war against COVID-19 has put mankind, including the World Health Organisation, in an unprecedented situation for which they were not prepared. The interior minister explained that decisions had to be made in a matter of seconds most of the time, so as to protect people’s health. He argued that the decisions were based on technical and scientific analyses, and even if some measures were exceptional, they were meant to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. And the results have proved that the measures were correct, minister Vela added. He went on to say that Romania had the same start as Spain, Italy, France, Belgium and Great Britain, countries that have reported more deaths and contaminations than Romania, adding that any measure than can reduce the number of infected people and deaths, and can increase the number of recovered patients is a gain for everybody.

Minister Vela has also said that the virus does not discriminate between the right and left sides of the political spectrum, and has warned the opposition not to use this difficult period to start an electoral battle of accusations. The motion, which simply draws a warning signal, was passed with 65 votes for, 25 against and 5 abstentions. (translation by Lacramioara Simion)

27 May 2020
Orban Cabinet out: what comes next?

Criticised by his political opponents for trying to change the election laws without proper parliamentary debate just months ahead of the local elections, the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban Wednesday failed the test of a no-confidence motion tabled against his team. The 4th government since the 2016 parliamentary election and the first Liberal government in the same period only lasted for 3 months in power.

The Social Democrats, now in opposition following a no-confidence motion passed in October, joined forces with Pro Romania, the party headed by the former prime minister Victor Ponta, and, also backed by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, came up with more than enough votes to bring the Orban Government down.

The stakes are high: the voting system for the forthcoming local election. The current format, with only one round of voting, favours the big parties, including the Social Democrats. And although its approval rates are declining, the Social Democratic Party continues to have the largest number of seats in Parliament and the largest number of mayors in the country. So the change in the voting system pushed forth by the Liberal Party would first and foremost affect the Social Democrats.

In turn, the National Liberal Party, whose number of supporters has almost doubled since 2016 to around 47% according to opinion polls, also has a substantial number of mayors, but says a 2-round election system would ensure more legitimacy to local officials.

The fall of the Orban Cabinet also paves the way to early elections, a scenario that both the Liberal Party and president Klaus Iohannis favour at present. According to president Iohannis, turning to voters is, at present, the most reasonable solution for the country. But the procedure for holding early elections is rather complicated, according to the Constitution. For the president to be able to dismantle Parliament, 2 prime minister nominations must be rejected within the coming 60 days.

This outcome is desirable for both the Liberals and the Social Democrats, for different reasons, says political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu. As he put it, “the Social Democratic Party found itself in a position to choose the lesser evil, between the 2-round voting in local elections and early parliamentary elections.

Another political analyst, Radu Magdin, agrees that the current result is good for the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians as well. “The Liberals target a 35% score in the parliamentary election, which is quite likely in the current circumstances, whereas the Social Democrats and the Ethnic Hungarian party focus on keeping the single-round voting for mayors. “Beyond going through the motions of political competition, Radu Magdin also says, this result also indicates heavy backstage negotiations. And the only party that stands to lose, according to opinion polls, is the 3rd placed actor, the USR-PLUS alliance.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

6 February 2020
February 5, 2020 UPDATE

MOTION Romanias Liberal government was dismissed on Wednesday under a no-confidence motion tabled by the Social Democrats in Opposition. The motion got 261 votes, which was more than the required 233-vote threshold. The document signed by the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, accuses the Orban Cabinet of breaching democratic principles, by changing the electoral legislation too close to the scheduled election date. As a result, the bill reintroducing the 2-round voting system in local elections is also rejected. President Klaus Iohannis invited political parties to consultations on Thursday, and said he may announce his proposal for a PM on the same day. Iohannis made it clear that he is in favour of early elections and that the best solution for Romania is to turn to voters. Iohannis also said that if parliamentary parties do not agree with early elections, he will insist for a government with a reform agenda, built by and around the Liberal Party.

MOLDOVA International Monetary Fund experts Wednesday announced that the 3-year plan agreed with the Republic of Moldova has run according to expectations and has met all performance criteria. The reforms implemented by the authorities helped rehabilitate the banking sector and strengthen macroeconomic and financial stability. The progress is particularly commendable considering the unstable domestic political scene, with 3 governments succeeding each other during the implementation period, the IMF also says. According to the institution, in 2019 Moldovas GDP grew by 4.2%, and it is expected to stay around 4% in the medium run. The budget deficit in late 2019 was 1.5% of the GDP, below the cap set under the programme.

WHO – The director general of the WHO said the world
still has time to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading and causing a
larger-scale global crisis. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that the
epidemic is first of all an emergency for China, and managing the situation at
the virus epicentre is the best way to stop its spreading. On Wednesday the WHO
requested over 610 million euros in funds for fighting the epidemic in the next
3 months. So far over 24,000 people have been contaminated with the new
coronavirus and almost 500 have died from the virus. In Bucharest, the
government approved the setting up of emergency care stocks for epidemic
situations and the required quarantine measures, through an emergency order
which also provides for the purchase of thermal scanners to equip the country’s
16 airports.

GERMANY For the first time in post-WW2 Germany, the prime minister of a state was elected thanks to the votes of a far-right party on Wednesday. The Liberal candidate Thomas Kemmerich was elected in Germanys eastern state of Thuringia with help from Angela Merkels Christian Democrats and the anti-immigration and anti-elite party Alternative for Germany. So far Germanys traditional parties had rejected any cooperation with the far-right, or even agreed to various alliances in order to isolate the far-right. Wednesdays result is seen by the German media as a “political earthquake.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

5 February 2020
January 30, 2020

PARLIAMENT The Social Democratic Party, in opposition, has today tabled its first motion of censure against the Liberal Government of Romania. The move was triggered by the Orban Cabinet’s decision to take responsibility for a bill reintroducing the 2-round voting system for the election of mayors, half a year ahead of local elections. The text of the motion entitled ‘The Orban/Liberal Government – the privatisation of Romanias democracy reads that the Government must go not only because attempting to change the voting system right before the election comes against European standards, but also because these changes were operated unilaterally, without parliamentary consultation and debate. According to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and interim leader of the Social Democrats, Marcel Ciolacu, this is the most serious case of abuse of power. For the motion to pass, the Social Democrats need 233 votes. The party has 198 seats in Parliament, and their allies, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, another 30. With 5 or 6 votes short, Marcel Ciolacu said the Social Democrats are negotiating with fellow MPs. PM Ludovic Orban said he was unconcerned with the motion, and that he does not believe it has any chances to pass.

PENSIONS The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis has a meeting today with top officials for the Higher Council of Magistrates, at their request. The meeting focuses on the scrapping of special pensions for magistrates, following the vote in Parliament on January 28th. Magistrates have initiated protests against the decision. Initiated by the Liberal Government, the bill passed by Parliament scraps all pensions that are calculated under a special procedure, except for those paid to military, police and intelligence service personnel. The benefits paid to retired artists, athletes and journalists also went untouched.

FLU Ten people died in Romania from seasonal flu so far, according to the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control. The last death was reported in Sibiu (centre), where a 90-year old woman was infected with the AH1N1 flu virus. Several schools in Bucharest and elsewhere in the country were also closed because of flu cases. The Education Ministry announced that full or partial suspension of classes because of the flu affects over 4,000 students, but that this is not the number of cases among children.

CORONAVIRUS The head of the World Health Organisation has called a new meeting today of the committee on the new coronavirus, to decide whether to label the situation as an international public health emergency. Airlines around the world have decided to suspend or restrict flights to continental China, as the virus spread, killing over 170 people so far. The total number of confirmed cases is nearly 8,000. A growing number of countries are evacuating their citizens from Wuhan, where the epidemic first started. A Romanian citizen also requested to be repatriated from the region. Although some experts say the virus is not as dangerous as SARS was, its quick spreading raises concerns, and some of its traits are still unknown.

BREXIT Britain is leaving the EU on Friday night, after 47 years since joining the bloc in 1973. The Brexit deal was endorsed by the European Parliament on Wednesday, and some formalities are finalised in todays EU Council meeting. The transition will take 11 months, during which the EU and the UK will work to define their new partnership. At midnight on January 31, the British colours will be taken off the EU institutions. At a meeting with members of the British business community in Romania, PM Ludovic Orban said Bucharest supports the negotiations for a future close relationship between the Union and the UK.

TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep was defeated today by Spains Garbine Muguruza (32 WTA) 7-6, 7-5, in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. Halep fails to play a new final in Melbourne, after the one she lost in 2018 to the Danish Caroline Wozniacki. Despite the defeat, as of February 3rd Simona goes up to the second place in the WTA ranking. Halep will also be closer to the top ranked player, the Australian Ashleigh Barty, who also lost in the Australian Open semis. Muguruza will be playing the final against the American Sofia Kenin (15 WTA).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

30 January 2020