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Tag: Romanian Senate

February 24, 2025

WAR IN UKRAINE – The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, hailed Ukrainian “resistance” on marking three years since the start of the Russian invasion, when several European leaders came to Kyiv to reassert their support for Ukraine amidst a shift of US policy on the war. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Council president Antonio Costa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spanish Prime Minister Petro Sanchez, as well as presidents and prime ministers from Baltic and Nordic states arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning for a summit devoted to collective defense and security strategy. Another 24 European leaders, including Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, will take part via video link. Also today, French President Emmanuel Macron is meeting Donald Trump at the White House, hoping to convince the US president to take into account the security of Europeans. Demonstrations in support of Ukraine took place over the weekend in Paris, Prague and Vilnius, in front of the Russian Embassy in Washington and in several American cities. Several hundred people, mostly refugees from Ukraine, participated in demonstrations yesterday in Bucharest and Constanța (southeast) to mark 11 years of Russian aggression and three years since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In Bucharest, the Parliament Palace will be lit up in yellow and blue to express solidarity with Ukraine. The Chamber of Deputies today will observe a moment of silence to pay homage to the victims of the war.

FAC – Romania’s Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu, is attending Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the agenda of the Council meeting includes Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, Congo and Georgia. Talks on the war in Ukraine will also mark three years since the start of the conflict and will focus on the latest developments and on continuing EU multidimensional support for Ukraine, especially amidst the latest geopolitical dynamics concerning Ukraine peace talks. Talks on the Middle East will refer to the recent developments in Israel and Gaza, the importance of upholding the ceasefire agreement and the humanitarian situation in the region.

DEFENSE – The Senate is today debating a bill allowing the army to shoot down foreign drones that illegally enter Romanian airspace. The Senate is the decision-making body in this matter, so if approved, the draft law will be submitted to interim president Ilie Bolojan for approval. The initiative is designed to correct a legal loophole amidst heated debates on social media. The bill allows the Romanian army and the units of allied and partner states to use aerial and land systems to shoot down illegal drones. The bill also creates the legal framework for conducting military operations without declaring a state of emergency. NATO will also be able to assume command of structures of the Romanian Army over a limited period of time.

CORRUPTION – Anti-corruption prosecutors are raiding over 40 locations in the port of Constanța (southeast), targeting possible cases of corruption. The investigation might involve port managers and officials who took or gave bribes of some €6 mln.

WASTE CRISIS – The city of Ploiești (south) is on the verge of a health crisis after no waste has been collected for nearly a week. Mayor Mihai Poliţeanu has called on central authorities to declare a state of emergency. The mayor calls on the Interior and Environment ministries to urgently unlock procedures to award environment permits and take legal action against the management of the local waste collection company, whose contract expired on January 15 and license at the end of 2024. Mayor Poliţeanu says the municipality was unhappy with the quality of waste collection services, and that the newly contracted operator was unable to start its activity due to an illegal deed extending the contract of the old operator. Under these circumstances, the Prahova County Environment Protection Agency did not issue an environment permit for the new operator. The Ploiești municipality has filed a notification in this regard.

GERMANY – The Conservatives have won Sunday’s parliamentary election in Germany, although the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the far-right party, grabbed its best score yet. The CDU/CSU coalition of center-right parties grabbed some 29% of the vote, while AfD came in second with 20%, an unprecedented result for a far-right party in post-Nazi federal Germany. “We have never been stronger at national level”, AfD leader Alice Weidel said after the election. Set up in 2013, the anti-migration party doubled its score compared to the 2021 election. The acting chancellor Olaf Scholz is the big loser of the current ballot, after the Social-Democrats grabbed only 16% of the vote, compared to 25% in 2021. The Greens won some 13%, the radical left 9%, while the Liberals apparently won’t reach the 5% threshold that allows them representation in the Bundestag.

AWARD – Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude has scooped the Silver Bear for best script at the Berlin International Film Festival, for his feature film “Kontinental 25”, which tells the story of a bailiff facing a moral crisis.

TENNIS – Two tennis players represent Romania in the WTA singles top 100, according to this Monday’s updated standings – Irina Begu (75) and Jaqueline Cristian (85). Gabriela Ruse (101), Anca Todoni (102) and Sorana Cîrstea (120) are not far off. In the doubles standings, Monica Niculescu ranked 35^th, while Gabriela Ruse 51^st. (VP)

24 February 2025
December 15, 2024

INCIDENT – The Romanian Foreign Ministry conducted its own inquiry after a Romanian citizen was detained on the territory of the self-proclaimed Republic of Abkhazia, a Georgian territory current under Russian occupation, whose independence is not currently recognized by the international community. The Romanian national was arrested by security services in the pro-Russian separatist region, and was accused of having tried to film military objectives on this territory. Local authorities claim the Romanian citizen had been forced to make the recordings by Ukrainian military spies, who told him this was the only way he could leave Abkhazia. Romanian authorities are in permanent contact with the citizen’s family and are making efforts to provide consular assistance.

GOVERNMENT – President Klaus Iohannis is expected to convene the new Parliament on December 20. The New Parliament will comprise 7 political parties. The Social-Democratic Party (PSD) will have 122 seats, the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) 91, the National Liberal Party (PNL) 71, the Save Romania Union (USR) 59, the SOS Romania Party 40, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians (UDMR) 32 and the Young People’s Party (POT) 31. The group of national minorities will be represented by 19 MPs. The youngest members of Parliament are aged 34 and are members of USR and AUR, while PSD is at the opposite pole, with the largest number of MPs aged 65 and over. The Social-Democrats and the Liberals have the largest number of women MPs. On Friday, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will each set up special committees to validate the new mandates.

LEGISLATION – Current deputies and senators are expected to end their mandate by the end of next week. The Chamber of Deputies is set to adopt a new Forestry Code, a milestone in the Recovery and Resilience plan and a government priority that needs to be adopted by the end of 2024. Among other things, the law stipulates seizing all vehicles involved in illegal logging, the construction of green belts around large cities, the right to pre-emption and quality raw materials at affordable prices for furniture manufacturers, introducing video surveillance on forestry roads and a ban on root cutting in protected areas. On the other hand, the Senate is expected to vote on projects that introduce penalties for public office aggregation or a reduction in the number of maximum terms held by heads of secrete services. The current legislature ends its mandate on December 20, when the new Parliament is set to convene in its first sitting.

UKRAINE – Romania is a valuable partner of Ukraine, both in terms of the prospective reconstruction of the country, as well as the war effort, Kyiv informs. The opening of new border crossing points is a point in case, the head of the Ukrainian State Agency for Infrastructure Reconstruction and Development, Serhii Sukhomlyn has said. Five new border checkpoints have been opened, while another six are currently being discussed. The Ukrainian official said the new border crossings are of great help to Ukrainian exporters, and that Romania is a valuable partner not just for its assistance in rebuilding infrastructure, but also owing to the military assistance it provides to Ukraine in the conflict against the invading Russian forces.

TIMIȘOARA – The city of Timișoara (west) on Sunday celebrates 35 years since the anti-communist revolution of 1989. Under the motto “35 years of freedom”, the municipality is organizing a large number of commemorative events celebrating the martyrs of the revolution, as well as the moment when Timișoara became the first city in Romania to be declared free of communism. Religious services, wreath-laying ceremonies, exhibitions, film screenings and concerts are all on the agenda. On Monday, the authorities will officially inaugurate the Freedom Portal, a light installation reproducing sounds from the revolution, followed by the traditional march titled “Heroes never die”. Tuesday is an official mourning day, while festivities are expected to end on December 20 with the concert “Rock for revolution”. (VP)

15 December 2024
Priorities of the new parliamentary session

On February 1, Romanian senators and deputies began a new parliamentary session, the first this year and the penultimate of the legislature. The priorities of the ruling Social Democratic Party and National Liberal Party include the bills needed to reach the milestones in the NRRP, so that Romania can submit payment requests to receive the allocated European funds. At the same time, the Social Democrats and Liberals established their strategy for the new legislative session in separate meetings. Bills on gambling and combating drug use are among the Social Democrats priorities.

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the Social Democratic Party, has also announced a legislative initiative regarding the capping of interests on loans from non-banking institutions. According to him, the total amount that will be reimbursed will no longer exceed twice the amount obtained through the loan.

Marcel Ciolacu: “I would like this law to pass in February. I think its a lot, it gets as high as 1,000%. Even if the amounts are small, you take a loan of 500 lei (or 100 euros), and you end up paying an interest of 1,000% because the law allows it… its a bit much.”

The priority announced by the Liberals is a firm legislation to combat and prevent drug use. The Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, called on all parliamentarians to adopt bills in an emergency procedure. Alina Gorghiu:

” The setting up of the National Register of Drug Traffickers; the 2 Mai Law, which stipulates that high-risk drug traffickers can no longer be released when they receive a sentence; and the third, the establishment of eight rehab and recovery centers for drug addicts.”

In the new parliamentary session, the opposition parties want to stop potential tax increases and to prevent the violation of the Constitution. The nationalist leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, claims that merging europarlamentary and local elections is an unconstitutional process.

George Simion: “This cannot happen, to vote mayors three months in advance, it creates instability. There is already a decision of the Constitutional Court; Elections for the European Parliament cannot be merged with another type of elections.”

The Save Romania Union, also in opposition, has announced the start of the referral procedure to the Venice Commission regarding the scenario of merging the European parliamentary and local elections less than six months before the set deadline. If the parties in the ruling coalition agree to combine some of the elections that will take place this year, it is expected that the Parliaments agenda will also include the amendment of the legislation in this field, namely the Administrative Code. We remind you that this year, in addition to the European parliamentary and local elections, legislative and presidential elections will also take place in Romania. (MI)

1 February 2024
January 22, 2024

Visit. The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, has stated that the time has come for relations between Romania and Vietnam to move to the ‘next level’, after almost seven and a half decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. After the discussions in Bucharest with his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, Ciolacu pointed out that Romania was one of the main promoters of the development of Vietnam’s relations with the European Union and stated that he wanted Romania to become the main partner of that country in terms of its commercial access on the European market. He also proposed to his Vietnamese counterpart a partnership aimed at promoting medicines produced in Romania in the Southeast Asian area. For his part, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized his country’s interest in developing partnerships in fields such as science, technology, innovation, agriculture. The head of the Hanoi government will be received by President Klaus Iohannis.

Senate. In Bucharest,
the Senate was convened, today, in an extraordinary session to adopt the
emergency ordinances recently issued by the Government, in the context of the
farmers’ and transporters’ protests. There are several normative acts,
including one on the excise duty on diesel fuel, and another modifying
regulations in the field of road transport. The emergency ordinances were
approved by the executive during the parliamentary recess and, according to the
Constitution, Parliament must be convened within five days to turn them into
laws. On the other hand, the first day of the three-day rally authorized by the
Capital City Hall in front of the Parliament building was, on Sunday, a
failure. Only a few people came and it was not about farmers or transporters.
The protest continues, however, near the capital and across the country. The
demands of farmers and transporters remain the same, from the reduction of the mandatory
insurance fees and the recovery of a percentage of the excise duty on fuels, to
fiscal fairness and the shortening of border crossing times.

IMF. An IMF mission
will come to Bucharest next week, approximately four months after the previous
visit, to analyze the latest economic and financial developments. According to
a press release, the institution estimates an economic growth of 2.3% for
Romania this year and a budget deficit of 6% of the GDP. The IMF recommends authorities
in Bucharest to implement additional reforms, of some two percent of the GDP.
At the end of the previous visit, the head of the mission for Romania, Kees
Martijn, said that the fiscal package adopted by the government was a step in
the right direction, but other reforms were needed, especially regarding taxes,
to increase revenues, efficiency and fairness.

FAC. The head of Romanian
diplomacy, Luminiţa Odobescu, is participating, today, in Brussels, in the Foreign
Affairs Council. The main topics on the agenda are Russia’s aggression against
Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, reads a press release issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest.
There will be both formal debates in the EU-27 format, as well as informal,
separate discussions, with the participation of several foreign ministers from
the region. On the sidelines of the FAC meeting, there will be an informal
breakfast with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, S.H. Shoukry, in
preparation for the tenth meeting of the EU-Egypt Association Council, on
January 23, 2024. Minister Odobescu also has a meeting with the Secretary
General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.

Gaza. Intense Israeli
air raids and street fighting with Hamas militants continue in the Gaza Strip,
where Palestinian medical officials have reported that the death toll has
exceeded 25,000. As street fighting intensifies between Israeli forces and
Hamas militants in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, the southern town of
Khan Yunis is being hit by heavy Israeli bombardment. Meanwhile, the United
States, Qatar and Egypt continue their attempts at mediation, but Hamas demands
that Israel end the war and withdraw its forces before the hostages are
released, an option rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the night, the hostages’ relatives and sympathizers gathered near the
prime minister’s official residence to demand an agreement for their release.
The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, is meeting today
with the families of the hostages, and then with Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant. (MI)

22 January 2024
Senators adopt 5G legislation

After the Chamber of
Deputies, the time has come for the Senate, the decision-making body in this
case, to cast its vote on the bill regulating the implementation of 5G networks
in Romania. Drafted by the Government, the bill was adopted in the Chamber of
Deputies. According to the chairman of the Senate’s Defense Committee, Liberal
Nicoleta Pauliuc, the bill is aimed at digitizing the economy and society with
a view to ensuring protection against threats and vulnerabilities targeting the
national security in terms of communication:

For people who use the
Internet on a daily basis, it is important to understand that, when we talk
about security, we talk about welfare, the two go hand in hand. This bill lays
the foundation for security. When we have security (and by that I mean
preventing the use our log-in data on social media for other purposes), we also
have prosperity.

The new stipulates that
communications providers will be able to use 5G technologies, equipment and
software only from certified producers, only by the Prime Minister’s decision
and with permission from the country’s Supreme Defense Council. Producers who
get certified on the Romanian market should have a transparent shareholders’
portfolio, they cannot be controlled by a foreign government or have a history
of ethical misconduct. Producers must apply for certification with the relevant
ministry. Distributors who have their 5G licenses revoked will be able to
continue using infrastructure equipment for seven years and the network itself
for another five years. Moreover, the use of technologies, equipment and
software other than those sold by certified providers is punishable with a fine
ranging between 1% and 5% of the company’s turnover. According to experts,
state budget revenues resulting from the sale of 5G technologies could exceed €720
million. 5G technology offers superior connection speeds than 4G technologies,
quicker access to content and the capacity of transmitting large data interference-free.
Romania is already among the first countries in the world in terms of Internet
speed. 5G technology promoters say Internet connections will work 10 times
faster. At a lower scale, people will be able to watch online films much easier.
At a larger scale, the technology will help build smart cities, making cable
infrastructure obsolete. (VP)

8 June 2021
The new pension law endorsed by the Senate

Strongly promoted by the former holder of the labour
office, the Social Democrat Lia Olguta Vasilescu, and supported by the majority
formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the new pension bill was endorsed by the Senate on Monday. With 81
votes for, 12 against and 8 abstentions, the bill passed without any serious
amendments as compared to what the Government had proposed. Gradually
increasing the pension point in the coming three years, reducing the retirement
age for the so-called first and second labour categories and taking into
consideration master’s and doctoral degrees in calculating the pension are some
of the provisions of the new law. The minimum pension contribution period
remains 15 years. One amendment promoted by the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians and accepted by the majority provides for the possibility, but not
the requirement, of early retirement for mothers of three or more children.
Senators members of the National Liberal Party, the main opposition party in
Romania, say that the new law ‘creates false illusions for pensioners and does
not materialize them’, because the actual increase will take place no sooner
than 2022, and maybe even later. Dissatisfied by the fact that their amendments
were not accepted, the Liberals voted against the bill. Here is the Liberal
Senator Marcel Vela:

I voted against also because the
amendment that would have ensured support for pensioners in areas affected and polluted
by mining exploitations or steel factories was not taken into consideration,
and pensioners in this category were not given the chance to be able to retire
two years sooner.

Also in the opposition, the Save Romania Union
abstained from voting, and said the imperfections of the law should be
corrected. We believe that Romanians’ pensions are too low and they must be
increased, but this law should have also cancelled special pensions, Save
Romania Union Senator Vlad Alexandrescu said.

On the other side, the Social Democrat Senators have
stressed repeatedly that the law will meet the needs presented by pensioner
associations and are meant to correct disparities in the system. The Social
Democrat Senator Ion Rotaru responded to criticism voiced by the opposition:

You voted against the minimum pension.
You did not agree that, in case of pensioner’s death, the remaining spouse
should have a second option, besides 51% of the pension, which would be an
additional 25% help. You voted against many things.

The new Labour Minister Marius Budai has given
assurances that all increases provided in the bill are financially sustainable.
He has stated that ministry experts, together with specialists from the finance
ministry, have carried out the necessary simulations, and their conclusion was
that the budget can cover all additional expenditure entailed by the new law.
The bill will next go to the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making
chamber in this matter.

(Translated by M. Ignatescu)

27 November 2018
September 24, 2018 UPDATE

OFFSHORE BILL — The Romanian Senate on Monday passed the offshore bill, regulating the exploitation of natural gas in the Black Sea. The specialized committees of the Romanian Senate earlier that day relaxed conditions for investment depreciations for companies exploiting natural gas in the Black Sea. According to the bill, the taxation system and rules will remain unchanged throughout the entire period of the contract, thus ensuring predictability and stability. Another amendment forces companies to sell on the Romanian market some 50% of exploited gas every year. Liberal Senator Florin Catu from the opposition claims none of the president’s demands in the reexamination request has been met. The Chamber of Deputies passed the law on July 9. On August 2nd, president Klaus Iohannis sent back to Parliament for reexamination the offshore bill, saying that it had to be reviewed in terms of long-term stability and predictability of the legal framework applicable to this sector and in order to avoid any potential negative effects.

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY – 130 heads of state and government are attending in New York the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. Romania is represented by president Klaus Iohannis. On Wednesday, in the speech he will give during the assembly’s general debates, the Romanian head of state will stress the importance of an effective response to the main challenges to international peace and security, alongside with identifying the causes of this crisis-generating conflict. Also, the Romanian president will participate alongside the other world leaders in the opening of the top level debate segment, themed ‘Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies’. At the end of the debates the participants will adopt a resolution.

VISIT – Over September 24-28, the Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor will pay a formal visit to the US, where he will meet at the Pentagon his American counterpart James Mattis. The agenda of talks includes subjects concerning defense cooperation, both bilateral and within the North Atlantic Alliance. On Monday, Mihai Fifor is participating in a forum organized by the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), based in Washington. Established in 2005, CEPA is an American non-profit, public policy research institute, whose activity is focused on the study of European states and societies. The visit to the US also includes meetings with the governor of the State of Alabama, Kay Ivey, and representatives of the US Congress, on which occasion the officials will tackle priority issues on the defense agenda.

MISSIONS — The Romanian frigate King Ferdinand is taking part in two international missions in the Mediterranean Sea over September 27 — October 24, as per Romania’s commitments to NATO. According to a Romanian Navy Forces release, the frigate will first take part in the Mavi Balina anti-submarine multinational exercise hosted by Turkey over September 24 — October 4. The exercise is aimed at consolidating cooperation and increase interoperability with NATO structures in the field of anti-submarine warfare. Attending will be scores of battleships and aircraft, submarines and troops with the Special Operations Forces in Azerbaijan, Greece, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Romania, Spain, the United States and Turkey. The second mission will unfold over October 5-24 and will entail the participation of the Romanian frigate in the 2018 Sea Guardian, a maritime security operation in the Mediterranean Sea.

KIDNAPPING – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the kidnapping of a Romanian sailor in the attack on a ship under Swiss flag, which occurred on the 22nd of September, in the Nigerian waters. The crisis cell activated at the ministry was activated upon order by the Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu. The diplomatic representatives of Romania in Bern and Abuja have already acted together with the local uathorities.12 of the 19 crew members were kidnapped in the attack.

MOLDOVA – The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova, the former Soviet republic with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population, has decided to temporarily suspend the prerogatives of the pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, after the latter refused to sign the decrees for the appointment of two new ministers in the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Pavel Filip. According to the Court’s ruling, Parliament President Andrian Candu or the prime-minister will sign the decrees appointing the new ministers of agriculture and health. Dodon has twice refused to sign the decrees, in breach of the constitution. This is the fourth time that president Dodon has been suspended.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no.1 in the WTA rankings, as of Tuesday takes part in the Wuhan tournament in China, with 2,750,000 dollars in prize money. Qualified straight to the second round, Halep will first face the Slovak Dominika Cibulkova. In the first round, Cibulkova defeated 2-nil another Romanian player, Monica Niculescu.

(Translated by M. Ignatescu & V. Palcu)

24 September 2018
Senate adopts changes to Criminal Procedure Code

With 74 yes and 28 no votes, on Wednesday the Romanian Senate passed a bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Code. The bill, which was initiated by the ruling Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, was rejected by the MPs of the National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union, both in opposition. The senators approved all amendments proposed in a report by the special committee for the justice laws chaired by the Social Democrat Florin Iordache. The bill puts the code in agreement with 18 rulings of the Constitutional Court and transposes into the national legislation two European Union directives on the presumption of innocence and extended confiscation.

Another change refers to the destruction of recordings used as evidence that have been obtained illegally. One of the most controversial amendments stipulates that a retrial may be requested if the judge has not signed or edited the text of the ruling. The opposition has criticised the amendments to the Code, saying they change the paradigm as far as the criminal legislation is concerned. What this means is that while the victim was in the centre of attention until now, from now on, says the opposition, the criminal will be the focus of the policy.

The Liberal senator Alina Gorghiu says the amendments will turn things upside down in the field:

“Most of these changes are solutions meant to slow down the activity of courts of law and prosecutors offices and which, obviously, within a very short period of time, if they come into force, will completely upset the activity of the judicial bodies and irreversibly weaken the justice system in Romania.”

The Social Democrats have rejected the accusations of the opposition saying that the prolonged and transparent discussions in the special parliamentary committee have led to amendments that harmonise the legislation with rulings of the Constitutional Court and European Union directives.

The chairman of the Senates legal committee, the Social Democrat Robert Cazanciuc:

“I dont think we have a choice, at least not we, from the Social Democratic Party. If the National Liberal Party wants to choose not to comply with the rulings of the Constitutional Court, weve seen theyve been trying to do that recently. Were trying to find solutions to comply with the rulings of the Constitutional Court. We cant be passive and do nothing, because we would be at odds with the very purpose of this committee. We have made the choice not to treat fundamental rights as a whim.”

After the Senates adoption of the changes to the Criminal Procedure Code, the bill will next be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body on this matter. (translated by Cristina Mateescu)

14 June 2018
Amended law for the National Integrity Agency

The Romanian Senate, as decision-making body, has adopted the legislative proposal to amend the law regulating the activity of the National Integrity Agency. Thus, the bans imposed on MPs for having violated legal provisions on the conflict of interest between 2007 and 2013 have been eliminated. According to an earlier ruling issued by the Constitutional Court back then, before the Law on the Statute of Senators and Deputies came into force, “a conflict of interest” in the case of MPs was not regulated in terms of civil law. The opposition has vehemently criticised the draft law, saying a unitary approach is needed as regards conflicts and MPs integrity. Liberal senator Alina Gorghiu (in the opposition) has drawn attention to the fact that this law is actually clearing the past of some MPs, but it does not solve the future.

Alina Gorghiu: “The future could be solved by means of a Code which should bring together the over 270 laws which include provisions related to incompatibility and conflict of interest. There is no prospect of a unitary regulation. We will further have problems with such cases of integrity. It is a legislative anomaly as no other before”.

In turn, senator Vlad Alexandrescu of the opposition Save Romania Union has stated that “the MPs of the ruling power hurry to erase, out of a criminal reflex, any trace left at the crime scene”. “You hurry to erase the effects of incompatibility and conflict of interest in the case of hundreds of MPs, mayors, county council presidents and local counsellors”, Alexandrescu has also said. The response of the parliamentary majority came from Social-Democrat senator Claudiu Manda:

“I agree with you that this is a legislative anomaly, especially since we know of situations when, in the 2007-2013 time-span, senators broke a law which took effect in 2013. This is what we are talking about. We are also talking about National Integrity Agency reports.”

To pundits, the Senates decision is an important victory scored by the majority made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, in its assault on Justice, an unprecedented move in the last decade since Romania joined the EU. Also, according some observers, the adoption of this law can lead a massive “amputation” of the prerogatives of the National Integrity Agency, an institution which, alongside the National Anti-corruption Directorate, has constantly been praised in the CVM reports, an instrument by which the European Commission has been monitoring Romanias justice system since its EU accession.

(translated by Diana Vijeu)

19 December 2017
Unified Pay Scale, under Debate

The new law on the unified pay scale for the public sector will be a parliamentary initiative endorsed by all the partners in the ruling coalition, the Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu announced. He added that the bill will most likely be discussed and voted on by Parliament this week. The Prime Minister also said he wanted a fair law, enabling all employees to get paid in relation to their responsibilities. Sorin Grindeanu:

“This is an extremely important bill for us, and a measure that all Romanians have long been waiting for. It will be a parliamentary initiative of all the Senators and Deputies in the ruling coalition.”

On the other hand, the interim leader of the National Liberal Party in opposition, Raluca Turcan, says the Cabinet should ask for a vote of confidence on this bill.

“It would be a good idea for this Cabinet to send the clearest possible message and say, yes, we have the money for around 7 billion euros worth of pay rises. I would like the Parliament of Romania to discuss this issue in as serious and principled manner as possible, so that the people should know whether the budget allows for this pay rise.”

Turcan argues that Romania’s economic state is not the best, and that the business environment is under unprecedented pressure at present. In her opinion, Romania needs predictability, in order for its business environment to be strengthened and to be able to consolidate the budget, through revenues generated in due time.

In turn, Finance Minister Viorel Stefan added that he was first waiting to see the budget execution figures for the first quarter, so as to assess the impact of salary rises when the unified pay scale law takes effect. He explained that this is a very important law, and it should be immediately enacted, in order to ensure the stability of the Romanian public sector pay scale. The Finance Minister explained that the bill must be discussed by Parliament, because so far only government decrees have been passed in this respect, which has generated confusions with respect to salaries in the public sector.

The leader of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, announced that the new bill will be signed on Thursday, in the central Romanian town of Sinaia, by the leaders of the ruling coalition and MPs. According to him, under the new law the ratio between the lowest and the highest salary in Romania will drop from 1 to 15 at present to 1 to 12. The highest paid will be the head of state, followed by the speakers of the two Chambers of Parliament, and the president of the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

The Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu has recently said, after negotiations with trade unions in the public sector regarding the new bill, that salaries in the public sector will be raised gradually until 2021, and that the only category to benefit from full pay rises in 2018 will be the public healthcare staff. The authorities want the new law to come into force on July 1. (Translated by A.M. Popescu)

4 April 2017
February 17, 2016 UPDATE

HEALTH– Experts from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, based in Stockholm, will arrive in Romania on Thursday, in an effort to cast light on the cases of the children with haemolytic-uremic syndrome, an acute kidney failure, the Romanian health minister, Patriciu Achimas-Cadariu, has told a press conference. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has called on the line minister to provide information on a daily basis on the results of the investigation in the case of the children hospitalised at the “Marie Curie“ Hospital in Bucharest. Two weeks after the first cases were reported, the authorities fail to identify the source of the infection, but they further conduct epidemiological tests and intend to collect new samples. Three children have died of haemolytic-uremic syndrome at the “Marie Curie Hospital. Seven others are still hospitalised, some of whom in critical condition.

MEASURES AGAINST POVERTY- The Romanian government on Wednesday launched for public debate a package of measures aimed at cracking down on poverty in Romania. The document includes 47 measures, destined for all age brackets. Increasing the employment rate of people in the 20-64 age bracket from some 66% in 2014, to 70 % in 2020, as well as reducing, until 2020, by at least 580,000 people, the number of those running a risk of poverty and social exclusion are among the objectives of the package. The measures and goals are in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy. According to the Romanian government, the efficient use of funds, as well as humaneness are needed to crack down on poverty. The cabinet intends to strike an anti-poverty partnership between public authorities and NGOs.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO PARLIAMENT– Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, on Monday is addressing Parliament on domestic policy issues, the Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu announced on Wednesday. That is going to be the first message conveyed by President Klaus Iohannis this year. The Romanian President has addressed Parliament five times since he won the presidential election of November 2014.

VISIT – Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, has held talks with the President of the ex-Soviet Republic of Moldova, with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population, Nicolae Timofti, on a visit to Romania. That is the Moldovan presidents last important visit before the expiry of his term in office, in about one month. He will have talks with Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos and the Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu. The talks will focus on the European agenda of the Republic of Moldova and the economic, political and social cooperation between the two states. Timoftis visit takes place after the newly appointed Moldovan Prime Minister, Pavel Filip, has called on Romania to give financial aid to his country. Romania has conditioned the unblocking of the loan promised to Moldova by the speedy adoption of reform measures. On Friday, Filip announced that Romania would give Moldova a humanitarian aid consisting of foodstuffs and fuel oil, against the backdrop of the economic and social crisis his country is confronted with.

MOLDOVA – Over February 23rd-29th, an IMF expert team will pay a working visit to Chisinau, the media in Chisinau reports. The IMF delegation does not have the mandate to negotiate a financing programme with the Republic of Moldova, but it will focus on the recent economic developments and will discuss the policies promoted by the new government with a view to maintaining macroeconomic stability. The IMF, the World Bank and the EU stopped lending to the Republic of Moldova because of the Moldovan officials failure to abide by their pledges. The IMF said it would resume lending to Moldova if the three banks involved in the theft of one billion dollars from the countrys banking system at the end of 2014 were liquidated. But the banks got an emergency loan from the National Bank of Moldova to elude bankruptcy.

CORRUPTION – The Romanian deputies on Wednesday rejected the request made by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate for the detention and taking into custody of MP Madalin Voicu, a member of the Social Democratic Party. In exchange, they approved the request for the taking into custody of Nicolae Paun, the representative of the Roma minority in Parliament. Because of a lack of quorum, the deputies didnt however make a decision on Pauns temporary arrest, and therefore the voting is due next Wednesday. Both Paun and Voicu have been accused of unfair use of European funds under projects for Roma communities. According to prosecutors, over 2010-2015, under the pretence of assisting thousands of Roma people in finding a job or becoming entrepreneurs, the two deputies conceived a plan through which they embezzled over 6 million euro worth of funds in their own interest. In another move, the anti-corruption prosecutors have called on the Senate to lift the parliamentary immunity of former interior minister, senator Gabriel Oprea, in order to start prosecution against him, for malfeasance in a second file.

MEDIA– The Romanian technocratic Prime Minister, Dacian Ciolos, assured the Romanian Senators on Wednesday of the governments cooperation in finding a solution to the financial situation the Romanian Television Company is in, but he recalled that the public television broadcaster is subordinated to Parliament. Recently, the interim President and CEO of the Romanian Television Company, Irina Radu, has sent a letter to the leadership of the Romanian Parliament, drawing attention to the fact that the financial situation of the Romanian Television Company has worsened considerably. She also called on the MPs to make a decision on whether or not Romania still needs such a public service provider. The talks on the Romanian Television Company are held in the context in which the Romanian Prime Minister was invited to the Senate to provide explanations on the request made by the National Fiscal Administration Agency, ANAF, regarding the evacuation of the buildings where the TV channels that are part of the Intact private media trust operate. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said he had not been informed and should not have been informed about ANAFs action. He made it clear that the five-day deadline was the only one stipulated by law and if it had not been observed, ANAF might have been accused of discrimination. Moreover, Ciolos assured that the freedom of expression would be firmly defended. In turn, President Klaus Iohannis said the ANAF inspectors approach to the issue was debatable and inadequate. He underlined that following the talks he had held with the line authorities, its clear there is openness to solve the case. The buildings housing the Intact television trust belong to businessman Dan Voiculescu, who was sentenced to prison in 2014, on corruption charges. The court also ruled that the buildings he owned be seized to make up for the loss incurred by the state. The total loss stood at 60 million euros. A little over 1% of that loss has so far been recovered.

Translated and edited by Ana Maria Palcu and Diana Vijeu

17 February 2016
Constitutionality and Immunity

After Tuesday’s decision by the Senate of Romania, which turned down a request to place the Social Democrat Senator Dan Sova in custody in a corruption investigation, a number of responses from judicial officials and even the President of Romania suggest that the vote is questionable and the Constitutional Court needs to rule on its validity. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate had requested the Senators’ approval for taking Dan Sova into custody. He is suspected of having falsified and destroyed evidence in order to avoid prosecution for illegally cashing in three and a half million lei from the Turceni and Rovinari energy companies.

Although most of the Senators attending the meeting voted in favour of the arrest, the request was denied, on grounds that not enough MPs had attended. The decision was immediately challenged, first by the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, who called on the Higher Council of Magistrates to notify the Constitutional Court that a legislative authority has hindered a judicial proceeding. She mentioned a 2008 Constitutional Court ruling, under which requests for Parliament to approve the arrest or taking into custody of an MP are approved by the majority of the members attending the meeting.

The Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, argues however that in this case the Senate’s rules of procedure apply, which have never been subject to Constitutional Court approval. Under Parliament’s rules of procedure, Senate decisions require a majority vote of the total number of Senators, whether attending the meeting or not. The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis got involved in the dispute as well. He requested the Constitutional Court to look into this constitutional conflict between the judicial and the legislative authorities, after Parliament failed to bring its rules in line with the Constitution.

The Court has already announced it would pass a ruling on the matter on April the 8th. Meanwhile, criticism against the controversial vote is coming both from the Opposition, most notably from the National Liberal Party, and from the embassies of the US, Great Britain and the Netherlands, which closely monitor the handling of corruption cases in Romania.

27 March 2015