Radio România Internațional

Tag: Serban Nicolae

  • Romania’s Gold Reserves

    Romania’s Gold Reserves

    The Senate in
    Bucharest passed a bill whereby the Central Bank must repatriate nearly all the
    country’s gold reserves stored in foreign countries. The Chamber of Deputies
    will give its final vote before submitting the bill to President Klaus Iohannis
    for ratification. The bill was spearheaded by Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea
    and Social-Democrat Senator Serban Nicolae. The two claim Romania’s gold
    reserves abroad are not reporting any revenues, but simply covering the storage
    costs. The National Liberal Party, People’s Movement Party and Save Romania
    Union in opposition have criticized the bill and said would vote against it.
    Serban Nicolae said Romania’s gold reserves, currently totaling 103.7 tons, is
    65% stored a broad at the Bank of England and in Switzerland, while the
    remaining 40 tons are stored at Romania’s Treasury, at the National Bank of
    Romania. There is no reason left to justify keeping so much gold abroad, Serban
    Nicolae went on to say, adding that the bill is not a sanction against the
    Central Bank. Serban Nicolae:


    This is not a sanction against the National Bank of Romania. We are not
    criticizing the way the Bank has managed these reserves. We are not planning on
    modifying the way the Central Bank is managing our international reserves, just
    the gold.


    The opposition
    has voted against the bill, saying it’s a populist measure in an election year,
    with devastating effects for the economy. Here is Vlad Alexandrescu, Senator
    for Save Romania Union:


    The measure lacks any economic and financial justification. The only
    explanation is that Dancila’s Cabinet has almost depleted its funds and can no
    longer pay pensions and salaries. The Government is now planning to adopt
    radical measures in the field of the judiciary, which could trigger sanctions
    against Romania and isolate our country at international level.


    Romania’s
    account at the Bank of England was opened in 1990, London being one of the
    world’s top financial centers. The gold was transferred from 1999 to 2002. Our
    country pays a yearly fee for its storage. Repatriating the gold would however cost
    more than its storage, experts have warned. Besides, when a country has gold
    reserves, its external loans have better ratings. Romania deposited its first
    gold reserves abroad during World War II, when it deposited 11.6 tons at the
    Federal Reserve in the United States, 10.2 tons at the Bank of England and 25.4
    tons at the Bank of Switzerland.

  • Senat billigt Gesetz zum Status der Richter und Staatsanwälte

    Senat billigt Gesetz zum Status der Richter und Staatsanwälte

    Das Gesetz zum Status der Richter und Staatsanwälte, das erste Gesetz des Pakets der Justizgesetze, ist in Bukarest vom Senat, der beschlussfähig ist, gebilligt worden. Das Gesetz, das von der Abgeordnetenkammer genehmigt wurde, ist abgändert worden. Eine Abänderung sieht vor, dass der Landespräsident nur ein einziges Mal die Ernennung des Generalstaatsanwaltes und der Chefs der bedeutendsten Staatsanwaltschaften ablehnen kann. In diesem Fall muss der Staatschef seinen Beschluss begründen.



    Der wichtigste Antrag betraf die sogenannte Rechtsbeugung, bei der es um die Verantwortung von Justizbehörden geht, die vorsätzlich Justizirrtümer begehen. Somit wird sich der Staat in Zukunft gegen den Richter oder Staatsanwalt richten, der sich eines Justizfehlers schuldig macht. Der Fachausschuss hatte anfangs die Abänderung abgelehnt. Sie wurde neu formuliert, und von der Mehrheit der Senatoren gebilligt. Der Antrag wurde von dem Sozialdemokraten Şerban Nicolae gemacht. Dieser behauptet, es gehe nicht um Druck auf die Richter oder um Missbrauch:



    “Die Verantwortung der Justizbehörden ist keine Unterdrückungs- oder Rachemethode. Was ich vorgeschlagen habe, ist eine ausgeglichene Lösung. Wenn ein Staatsbeamter ein Zertifikat verfehlt, dann kann er den Fehler verbessern. Wenn die Instanz einen Fehler begeht, dann hat man keine Möglichkeit sich an jemanden zu richten.



    Der Gesetzentwurf wurde von der Opposition kritisiert. Diese gab bekannt, sie werde das Gesetz beim Verfassungsgerichtshof anfechten. Die liberale Abgeordnete Alina Gorghiu behauptet, niemand vertraue den guten Absichten der Regierungskoalition PSD-ALDE, die vom Ungarnverband UDMR unterstützt wird. Sie fügte hinzu, das neue Gesetz habe negative Auswirkungen auf die Unabhängigkeit des Justizsystems. Alina Gorghiu dazu:



    “Ich fordere meine Kollegen auf, den Dialog und die Debatte zu akzeptieren. Die Mitglieder der Nationalliberalen Partei wollen allen Rumänen erklären, warum dieses Gesetz kein gutes sei und warum wir nicht abgestimmt haben. Die Sozialdemokratische Partei hat die Pflicht zu erklären, warum sie das Gesetz, trotz allen Kritiken, für gut hält.



    Das Gesetz zum Status der Richter und Staatsanwält wurde nur von der PSD, ALDE und UDMR gebilligt. Die Opposition wollte nicht teilnehmen. Die Vertreter der Nationalliberalen Partei und der Union Rettet Rumänien nahmen an den Debatten teil. Sie haben aber vor der Abstimmung den Saal verlassen. Die Senatoren der Partei der Volksbewegung beteiligten sich nicht an den Diskussionen, nachdem ihre Forderung, über die Justizgesetze in der folgenden Tagung zu debattieren, abgelehnt wurde.

  • Modificări la Statutul magistraţilor

    Modificări la Statutul magistraţilor

    Legea privind statutul judecătorilor şi procurorilor, prima din pachetul de acte normative privind justiţia, a fost adoptată de Senatul de la Bucureşti în calitate de cameră decizională. Actul normativ a suferit câteva modificări faţă de forma adoptată în Camera Deputaţilor. Una dintre ele prevede că preşedintele ţării poate refuza o singură dată numirile procurorului general şi ale şefilor principalelor parchete, motivând această decizie.



    Însă, cea mai importantă este legată de răspunderea materială a magistraţilor şi eventualele pedepse. Aici au intervenit unele schimbări prin adoptarea unor amendamente respinse iniţial în comisia specială care s-a ocupat de legile justiţiei, dar care au fost reformulate şi acceptate acum de majoritatea senatorilor. Potrivit noii legi, eroarea judiciară atrage răspunderea judecătorilor şi procurorilor în ipoteza în care şi-au exercitat funcţia cu rea-credinţă sau gravă neglijenţă. Astfel, statul se va îndrepta obligatoriu împotriva magistratului care a comis o eroare judiciară.



    Iniţiatorul propunerii, social-democratul Şerban Nicolae consideră că prevederile referitoare la răspunderea magistraţilor nu reprezintă un abuz sau un act de presiune asupra lor: “Răspunderea judecătorilor şi procurorilor nu este un act de represiune, nu este un act de răzbunare. Toţi funcţionarii acestei ţări răspund potrivit legii. Ceea ce v-am propus în materie de răspundere a judecătorilor şi procurorilor este o soluţie echilibrată. Dacă un funcţionar greşeşte la emiterea unei adeverinţe, se poate reapara. Când se greşeşte în instanţă nu mai ai unde să te duci.”



    Proiectul a fost criticat de opoziţie, care a anunţat că îl va contesta la CCR. Senatorul liberal Alina Gorghiu afirmă că nimeni nu mai are încredere în bunele intenţii ale coaliţiei majoritare PSD-ALDE, susţinute de UDMR, în ceea ce priveşte modificările la legile justiţiei, care — spune ea- afectează independenţa sistemului judiciar: “Le cer colegilor din majoritate să accepte dialogul şi dezbaterea, pentru că cel puţin noi, cei din PNL,vrem să explicăm tuturor românilor de ce această lege nu e o lege bună şi de ce nu o votăm. Tot astfel însă cred că e obligaţia PSD să explice de ce consideră domniile lor că această lege este una bună, în ciuda tuturor contestărilor şi a tuturor criticilor.”



    Legea privind statutul judecătorilor şi procurorilor a fost votată doar de PSD, ALDE şi UDMR, fără opoziţie. Reprezentanţii PNL şi ai USR au fost prezenţi la dezbateri, dar apoi, la vot, au părăsit sala, în timp ce senatorii PMP au refuzat să participe la discuţii după ce le-a fost respinsă solicitarea ca legile justiţiei să fie dezbătute în sesiunea parlamentară viitoare.

  • Amnestiegesetz wieder in der Debatte

    Amnestiegesetz wieder in der Debatte

    Seit Jahresbeginn steht das Thema der Amnestie im Mittelpunkt öffentlicher Debatte in Rumänien. Das vor kaum einem Monat ins Amt eingeführte Kabinett der Sozial-Demokraten PSD und der Allianz der Liberal-Demokraten ALDE hatte im Januar versucht, mit einer per Eildekret verabschiedeten kollektiven Amnestie eine Lösung für die Auslastung in den rumänischen Haftanstalten zu finden. Das Dekret, von dem auch korrupte Politiker profitiert hätten, löste bekanntlich Massenproteste und heftige Kritik seitens der Zivilgesellschaft aus. Infolge der grö‎ßten Proteste in der modernen Geschichte des Landes sowie der schweren Kritik aus den Reihen der Medien, der Opposition und der ausländischen Botschaften, nahm das Kabinett des Ministerpräsidenten Sorin Grindeanu das umstrittene Dekret zurück und Justizminister Florin Iordache reichte seinen Rücktritt ein.



    Da die rumänischen Haftanstalten immer noch in der Kritik der Menschenrechtsorganisationen stehen und der Europäische Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte mehrmals die menschenunwürdigen Zustände im rumänischen Strafvollzug kritisierte, legte die Regierung das Thema der Begnadigung unlängst dem Parlament zur Debatte vor. Die Debatten um die Begnadigungspläne der Regierung führten zum Rücktritt des amtierenden sozial-demokratischen Vorsitzenden des Rechtsausschusses im Senat, Şerban Nicolae. Der Parteivorsitzende Liviu Dragnea hat seinen Parteikollegen wegen dessen zunächst gebilligten und danach zurückgenommenen Vorschläge zur Begnadigung von Korruptionsdelikten scharft kritisiert.



    Der Gesetzentwurf sei, in der von seinen Senatskollegen verabschiedeten Form unwiksam gewesen, da er das Problem der Überfüllung der Haftsanstalten nicht löse und weder den Bedürfnissen der Gesellschaft noch den Verpflichtungen Rumäniens gegenüber dem Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte nachkomme, sagte hingegen Nicolae. Nur 1.032 Menschen wären die Bestimmungen der besagten Gesetzesvorlage zugute gekommen, erläuterte im Anschlu‎ß der ehemalige Vorsitzende des Rechtsausschusses im Senat.



    Eine Position zu diesem Thema nahm auch der ehemalige Staatschef und Senator der Volksbewegung PMP Traian Băsescu ein. Die Sozial-Demokraten und deren Parteichef Liviu Dragnea hätten das Thema der Amnestie liegen lassen, infolgedessen sehe er sich gezwungen, ohne die Unterstützung seiner Partei, die Begnadigung zu befürworten. Eine breite Amnestie sei in Rumänien erforderlich, die Begnadigungspläne der PSD hätten die Haftentlassung von 433 Menschen und die Reduzierung der Haftstrafe für weitere 589 ermöglicht, fügte Băsescu hinzu. Der Ex-Staatschef warf im Anschlu‎ß Dragnea vor, er möchte seine Gegenüber begnadigen”, gemeint wären: Hauseinbrecher, Taschendiebe im Bus, wer Hausfriedensbruch begeht, vom Hof des Nachbarn klaut, Geld vom Budget der Handelsgesellschaften stiehlt”. Băsescu verspricht hingegen, die Haftentlassung von Ärzten, Professoren und Beamten zu befürworten, also den Gefangenen, die über hohe Ausbildung verfügen” und in Haft sitzen, weil sie Bestechungsgeld angenommen haben. Nachdem er den Kampf gegen Korruption zum Hauptanliegen seiner Amtszeiten erklärt hatte, lässt der ehemalige Präsident jetzt seine Anhänger bereuen, ihm ihre Stimme gegeben zu haben, stellen einige Kommentatoren kritisch fest.



  • Pardons Bill Stays in Parliament

    Pardons Bill Stays in Parliament

    From the Government to the Senate’s judicial committee, then to the Senate plenary and back to the committee for another week. This has been the route so far for a controversial piece of legislation, the pardons bill, which has caused street protests and friction in the main party in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party. The junior partner in the coalition, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, sensed its explosive potential and suggested that the bill should be sent back to the same committee which, much to the dislike of the Social Democratic leaders, had significantly altered the text drafted by the Cabinet.



    The head of the committee, the Social Democrat Serban Nicolae, has already been scolded by his party chief, Liviu Dragnea. In a tandem which years ago seemed impossible, Serban Nicolae and the ex-president Traian Basescu, currently a Senator from the People’s Movement Party in opposition, amended the original text so that offences like bribe taking and giving and influence peddling would be pardoned.



    After the infamous government order through which the Cabinet attempted to amend the criminal legislation, a new controversial law was the last thing that the Social Democratic Party needed. Liviu Dragnea was quick to understand this, and asked the parliamentary majority not to meddle with the text drafted by the Government.



    Serban Nicolae complied only in part, and changes have been operated. Among them were, for instance, the full pardon of sentences of up to 3 years, a 3-year shortening of sentences of up to 10 years, the reduction to a half of the sentences for pregnant women and, under certain conditions, full pardon for convicts aged over 70. The Social Democrat Serban Nicolae said that, according to the figures received from the National Penitentiary Administration, a few over 1,000 people may benefit from these measures.



    The report that included these amendments was sent to the Senate plenary, but it was later returned to the committee, proving that the Social Democratic Party leaders disagreed with that document. His back against the wall, Serban Nicolae pleaded for a rational discussion in Parliament. But the National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union, in opposition, question the very usefulness of the law. According to the Liberals, a pardons bill cannot solve the problem of prison overcrowding and of the inadequate conditions in some Romanian prisons.



    Romania was repeatedly sued over these problems, and the European Court for Human Rights has recently given Bucharest 6 months to adopt an action plan to address the situation. A pardons bill, however, is not a long-term solution to this, penitentiary administrators say. And, judging by the reactions in the street, nor does it save the public image of the Social Democratic Party. (Translated by A.M. Popescu)

  • Graţierea, în dezbaterea Parlamentului

    Graţierea, în dezbaterea Parlamentului

    De la Guvern în Parlament, mai exact în comisia juridică a Senatului, apoi în plenul acestei camere şi din nou în comisia juridică, unde va mai sta o săptămână. Acesta a fost traseul de până acum al unui proiect de lege controversat, cel al graţierii, care a provocat proteste de stradă şi discordie în PSD, principalul partid al majorităţii guvernamentale. Partenerul social-democraţilor, ALDE, a intuit potenţialul exploziv al proiectului şi a propus retrimiterea lui în comisia juridică, acolo unde varianta pentru care optase executivul suferise modificări importante, ce nu au fost pe placul conducerii PSD.



    O comisie condusă, altminteri, tot de un social-democrat, Şerban Nicolae, deja intrat în colimatorul şefului său politic, liderul PSD, Liviu Dragnea. Într-un tandem, pe vremuri imposibil, cu fostul preşedinte al ţării, senatorul PMP Traian Băsescu, oficial în opoziţie, Nicolae a modificat proiectul guvernamental în sensul în care erau graţiate fapte de corupţie precum darea sau luarea de mită şi traficul de influenţă.



    După episodul cu celebra ordonanţă de urgenţă, abandonată ulterior, prin care executivul a încercat relaxarea legislaţiei penale, PSD numai de o nouă lege criticabilă nu avea nevoie. Liviu Dragnea a înţeles rapid acest lucru şi le-a cerut parlamentarilor majorităţii să nu mai intervină asupra proiectului. Şerban Nicolae s-a conformat doar parţial, iar modificări au mai existat. Între acestea graţierea în întregime a pedepselor de până la 3 ani inclusiv, scăderea a 3 ani din pedeapsa care nu depăşeşte 10 ani, înjumătăţirea pedepselor femeilor însărcinate şi graţierea în întregime a celor primite de persoanele care au împlinit 70 de ani, în anumite condiţii.



    Senatorul PSD Şerban Nicolae arăta că, potrivit datelor primite de la Administraţia Naţională a Penitenciarelor, puţin peste 1000 de persoane ar putea beneficia de măsurile prevăzute de lege. Raportul incluzând aceste amendamente a fost trimis plenului Senatului, dar a revenit, ulterior, la comisie, semn că lidershipul PSD nu îl agreează nici în actuala formă. Încolţit, Şerban Nicolae a pledat în favoarea unei discuţii raţionale la nivelul Parlamentului. Opoziţia formată din PNL şi USR contestă utilitatea unei astfel de legi.



    Liberalii susţin că legea graţierii nu rezolvă problema supraaglomerării penitenciarelor şi, în general, a condiţiilor precare din unele închisori româneşti. Statul român a fost reclamat repetat la CEDO, iar Curtea a dat, recent, un termen de 6 luni autorităţilor de la Bucureşti să adopte un plan de măsuri menite să remedieze situaţia. Graţierea nu reprezintă, însă, o soluţie pe termen lung, cred responsabilii din penitenciare. Şi — o dovedeşte reacţia promptă a străzii — nu soluţionează nici problemele de imagine ale PSD. Dimpotrivă, riscă să le agraveze.

  • Justice, offenders and politicians

    Justice, offenders and politicians

    The government’s strongman, the president of the Social Democratic Party and of the Chamber of Deputies, Liviu Dragnea, has not hidden his disappointment at the way in which the Senate’s Juridical Committee has so far acted in the case of pardoning sentences for acts of corruption. He announced that the case of the committee’s president, Social Democrat Serban Nicolae, would be dealt with at party level. On Wednesday afternoon, the senators in the Juridical Committee adopted the amendments on pardoning the people who received a corruption sentence that were proposed by Serban Nicolae, by his colleague Liviu Brăiloiu and by the former president of Romania, currently senator of the People’s Movement Party, in opposition, Traian Băsescu.



    But on Wednesday evening, thousands of Romanians took to streets in Bucharest and other cities across Romania to protest against the corruption of the political class, be they in power or in opposition. Consequently, on Thursday, the same committee led by Serban Nicolae voted again, this time to reject the proposals for pardoning crimes such as giving and taking bribe or influence peddling.



    Voting to correct the previous vote were the senators of the Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Abstaining from the vote were of course the representatives of the governing coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats.



    The fact that Senator Serban Nicolae has not yet submitted his resignation seriously mars the image of the Social Democrats, and undermines the respect he still enjoyed among his party colleagues, wrote on Facebook the former Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who is currently keeping a distance from the Social Democratic top leadership. Senator Serban Nicolae tried to explain:



    “Just as yesterday we made a decision, today we made another decision, through the same democratic means, which shows that there was no previous hidden agenda, no fierce contradiction. We have all abstained from voting today because we did not agree with the procedure. We respected the procedure. Yesterday we voted for those amendments, today we have abstained from voting because we did not want to be part of a vote for or against this procedure for submitting to the vote again several amendments that had already been adopted. That’s all!”



    Although his amendment was rejected, the former president Traian Băsescu, has remained consistent with his idea of pardoning people sentenced for abuse of office. Traian Băsescu:



    “In Romania the issue of abuse of office has been treated abusively. I was reading the latest report of the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate who said they were working on 2,150 cases of abuse of office. I have compared the situation in Romania with that in Europe. I don’t think we will find 50-100 cases in all EU member states. Obviously, we are applying the legislation in the field in a wrong way, and this has been also shown by the Constitutional Court.”



    Also on Thursday, the Constitutional Court rejected by a majority of votes, as inadmissible, the Ombudsman’s notification regarding an article in the law that forbids people with a criminal sentence to be members of the government. It is the very law that had prevented the Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea from becoming prime minister, despite his party’s outright victory in the December 2016 legislative elections. Last year, Liviu Dragnea received a 2-year suspended sentence for trying to rig the 2012 referendum on the impeachment of the then president Traian Băsescu. Liviu Dragnea commented on the Court’s decision:



    “Their decision does not change my attitude, my life, my political activity or my political actions. We have a prime minister whom I support and a government that has all my backing. The decision is not for me”.



    Promptly signaled in the international press, the latest developments in Bucharest show that the fight between the clean part of Romanian society and the politicians with low moral standards carries on. (Translated by L. Simion)

  • Emergency debate on unitary pay bill

    Emergency debate on unitary pay bill

    The unitary pay bill for public sector employees will be debated urgently in the Senate following the pro-debate vote of 69 senators, with only 34 senators voting against it. The draft law has already been submitted for approval to the Government, the Economic and Social Council, the Legislative Council and other institutions. The deadline for drafting the approvals is one week.



    The vice-president of the Senate, Social Democrat Claudiu Manda, explains: “We will have these approvals next week, then we will meet in the Permanent Bureau and submit the bill to the Senate committees for approval and reporting, with a deadline we are going to set. All our colleagues need to read the bill carefully to be able to make amendments if necessary. But of course, we have a deadline assumed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, according to which the law should be adopted by the beginning of the second semester, so that it can come into force.”



    The leader of the Social Democratic senators, Serban Nicolae, further explains: “All parliamentary groups, both from the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, have received a copy of the unitary pay bill. Debates have already been held in the public space, and it is useless to prolong these debates without any reason, ahead of the bill being debated by the committees, by Parliament. Moreover, this bill is to be sent to the Chamber of Deputies, and one of the measures is to take effect starting July 1, 2017. Extending the debating and adoption procedure of this draft law would be unjustified and would delay the regulation of the unitary pay system for public sector employees.”



    The opposition has criticized the request of the Social Democrats. Alina Gorghiu, a Liberal senator, explains: “I don’t think we can afford to go on with this charade: we send the bill to Parliament, we debate it fast or rather we don’t debate it at all, and we come up with a draft law which is doomed to fail.”



    The unitary pay bill provides, among other things, for pay rises in the public sector in stages, in the next 5 years. The first rise will be operated on July 1. The bill has been harshly criticized by trade unions in education, unhappy with the position of teachers on the salary scale and the pay level for auxiliary staff.


    (Translated by Lacramioara Simion)