Radio România Internațional

Tag: ‘Solidaritatea Sanitara’

  • Discuţii cu sindicaliştii din sănătate

    Discuţii cu sindicaliştii din sănătate

    Pe fondul nemulţumirilor, în principal de ordin salarial, mai multe categorii de angajați au protestat în ultima perioadă în România, între aceștia numărându-se și cei din sistemul de sănătate. Reprezentanții Sanitas și Solidaritatea Sanitară au avut mai multe întâlniri cu reprezentanți ai guvernului cărora le-au prezentat revendicările lor legate de salarizare și de deficitul de personal.


    Vicepreşedintele Sanitas, Răzvan Gae, într-o postare pe o reţea de socializare: La acest moment, toată lumea suferă pentru că sporurile sunt undeva la 2018, pentru anumite categorii, chiar mai mult de 2018, mai în spate, chiar 2010-2012, iar sistemul sanitar suferă de o lipsă acută de personal. Şi aici, aş vorbi în mod special de asistenţi, infirmiere, îngrijitoare, brancardieri, personal TESA, ş.a.m.d. Din fericire, noua grilă de salarizare a dus acolo unde era necesar medicul primar, poate şi medicul specialist. Restul … un medic rezident în anul 1 mai mult de 3.500 de lei în mână nu ia. Un medic rezident anul IV undeva la 4.700 de lei, în contextul în care acesta face şi gărzi, iar o infirmieră dintr-un ambulatoriu de specialitate, undeva la 2.400 – 2.500 de lei. Iar o asistentă dintr-o secţie de chirurgie dintr-un spital foarte mare nu ia mai mult de 3.800 de lei.


    În cadrul noii runde de discuții de luni cu premierul Marcel Ciolacu liderii sindicali, care au cerut o majorare de 20%, au obţinut promisiunea unei creşteri salariale de 15%, pe lângă indexarea cu 5% de la începutul anului. Cele două părţi au stabilit ca aceste procente să fie acordate în două tranşe: 10% în luna martie şi 5% în luna iunie. Nu este însă clar cum va fi distribuită această majorare, care îi nemulţumeşte totodată pe unii dintre participanţii la discuţii


    Într-o primă reacție după ieșirea de la discuții, reprezentanţii Sanitas au spus că nu au toate datele legate de câte persoane lucrează în sistemul public de sănătate şi strâng în aceste momente informaţiile de care au nevoie. Acestea sunt importante pentru că trebuie să ştie cu cât vor creşte salariile tuturor categoriilor din domeniu: medici, asistente, infirmieri, brancardieri şi personalul TESA. După ce vor deţine toate aceste informaţii, au spus ei, vor vedea dacă vor continua sau nu acţiunile de protest.


    Pe de altă parte, reprezentanţii sindicatului Solidaritatea Sanitară susţin că, în practică, majorarea salariilor de bază nu se va face cu 20%, aşa cum susţine guvernul, ci cu mai puțin. Aceasta pentru că majorarea ar viza salariul de bază, astfel că veniturile angajaţilor, care includ şi sporuri, ar creşte de fapt cu mai puţin de 14%. Tot ei au spus că vor continua negocierile cu executivul, dar şi protestele, care prevăd pe 11 martie un miting în fața sediului Guvernului, după care se va lua decizia legată de greva generală, în funcţie de numărul de angajaţi care au semnat pentru aceasta.


  • Gesundheitswesen: Proteste gegen Aussetzung der Lohnerhöhungen

    Gesundheitswesen: Proteste gegen Aussetzung der Lohnerhöhungen

    Die Kundgebung in Bukarest wurde vom Gewerkschaftsbund Solidaritatea sanitară“ (in etwa: Solidarität für Gesundheit“) koordiniert, dem etwa 25.000 Angestellte im Gesundheitswesen angehören. An den Protesten beteiligten sich alle möglichen Arbeitnehmer-Kategorien — von Ärzten und Pflegern bis zu Buchhaltern und technischem Personal. Grund der Unzufriedenheit ist die vor zwei Jahren von der damaligen Regierung versprochene — und seitdem mehrmals hinausgezögerte — Lohnerhöhung im Bereich. Die Umsetzung des entsprechenden Gesetzes von 2017 wäre zuletzt im Mai 2021 fällig gewesen — doch sie wurde erneut vertagt. Mehr noch, sagen die Protestler — auch im nächsten Jahr gebe es kaum Perspektiven für eine Lohnerhöhung, und die Regierung mache sogar einen Rückzieher, indem jetzt nur noch von einem Viertel des ursprünglich versprochenen Quantums die Rede ist. Daniel Bulboacă ist Vizepräsident der Gewerkschaft Solidaritatea Sanitară“ und macht seinem Ärger Luft:



    Wir haben seit 2017 ein neues Entlohnungsgesetz, das einfach nicht umgesetzt wird. Wir fordern nichts anderes als die uns zustehenden Rechte, keines Extras oder Boni. Im Januar 2021 wäre eine erste stufenweise Lohnerhöhung fällig gewesen — nichts ist geschehen. Für 2022 sind technisches und Verwaltungspersonal von der Lohnerhöhung ausgenommen, während Bauarbeiter im Gesundheitswesen, Pfleger, Krankenträger und Putzkräfte nur ein Viertel der versprochenen Lohnerhöhung erhalten. Also nur ein Teil der Angestellten erhält die ihnen zustehende Lohnerhöhung, und auch die ist auf ein Viertel gekürzt.“



    Die Protestierenden sind gestern durch ganz Bukarest marschiert und haben vor dem Regierungsgebäude, dem Parlament und dem Präsidentenpalast Kundgebungen veranstaltet. Gabriel Predica, ein weiterer Vizepräsident der Gewerkschaft Solidaritatea Sanitară“, sagte in einem Interview mit Radio Rumänien, dass die ausgesetzten Lohnerhöhungen nur die Spitze des Eisbergs seien — die Probleme im Gesundheitswesen würden viel tiefer sitzen und von weither kommen:



    Wir haben es mit einem von Grund auf ungerechten Entlohnungssystem im Gesundheitswesen zu tun. Es ist im Grunde ein Ausdruck der Undankbarkeit gegenüber den Angestellten und ihrer Leistung. Und wenn ich Angestellte sage, so meine ich absolut alle Personal-Kategorien, also Ärzte, Krankenschwestern, Pfleger, Krankenträger, technisches und Verwaltungspersonal — sie alle waren in den letzten zwei Jahren sehr engagiert im Kampf gegen die Covid-19-Pandemie.“



    Bereits seit 2010 sei die Lohnpolitik im öffentlichen Bereich von Hinauszögerungen und Vertagungen geprägt, führte der Gewerkschafter weiter aus, und das habe zu Frustrationen und sogar Streit zwischen unterschiedlichen Arbeitnehmer-Kategorien geführt, denn weder das alte noch das neue Entlohnungsgesetz sei jemals vollständig umgesetzt worden.

  • Die Woche 24.-29.01.2021 im Überblick

    Die Woche 24.-29.01.2021 im Überblick

    Verzögerungen bei der Impfkampagne


    Die Behörden in Bukarest sind zuversichtlich, dass der ursprünglich festgelegte Impfplan eingehalten werden kann. Das würde in einem ersten Schritt bedeuten, dass die drei Millionen Dosen des Covid-Impfstoffs, die bis Ende März geliefert werden sollen, termingerecht in Rumänien eintreffen und dass es gelingt, bis September zehn Millionen Rumänen zu impfen. Der erste Lieferengpass trat bereits letzte Woche auf, als Rumänien nur die Hälfte der erwarteten Dosen erhielt. Dies hat die Behörden dazu gezwungen, die Impftermine von mehr als 35.000 Personen, die alle in systemrelevanten Sektoren beschäftigt sind, um zehn Tage zu verschieben. Es wurde beschlossen, in dieser zweiten Phase der Impfkampagne vorrangig chronisch Kranke und ältere Menschen zu impfen. Trotzdem gehört Rumänien nach den neuesten Angaben zu den ersten Ländern in Europa und in der Welt, was den Anteil der bereits gegen Covid-19 geimpften Bevölkerung betrifft.



    Darüber hinaus hält das Gesundheitsministerium Änderungen bei den täglichen Tests und Indizes für notwendig, die in den Berichten über die Infektionen mit dem neuen Coronavirus enthalten sind. Nach Ansicht von Staatssekretärin Andreea Moldoveanu spiegeln die offiziellen Daten nicht die tatsächliche Situation im Land wider, weil weniger Tests durchgeführt werden und viele positive Tests nicht gemeldet werden. Moldovan ist der Meinung, dass die rumänischen Behörden verpflichtet sind, bereit zu sein und genau zu wissen, was sie zu tun haben, während in Europa und anderswo in der Welt die Zahl der Sars-Cov-2-Neuinfektionen besorgniserregend ansteigt und zusätzliche Einschränkungen eingeführt werden. Die Hauptstadt Bukarest hat einige der bestehenden Einschränkungen aufgehoben, nachdem die Kontaminationsrate mehrere Tage hintereinander unter der 3 je 1000 Einwohner-Grenze blieb. Bars, Restaurants, Theater, Kinos sind in Bukarest ab Montag, 25. Januar, wieder geöffnet. Diese Orte können Kunden mit 30% ihrer Kapazität aufnehmen. Was die Wiedereröffnung der Schulen ab dem 8. Februar, nach den Winterferien, betrifft, so wird nächste Woche eine Entscheidung erwartet.



    Die Woche schlie‎ßt mit einer traurigen Nachricht: Bei einem Brand im modernsten Krankenhaus für Infektionsleiden in Rumänien sind am Freitag mehrere Patienten ums Leben gekommen. Es ist nicht zum ersten Mal, dass so etwas passiert, im vergangenen November, als Rumänien täglich etwa 10.000 Fälle von Coronavirus-Neuinfektionen meldete, starben auf der Intensivstation des Kreis-Notfallkrankenhauses in Piatra Neamţ 10 Patienten bei einem verheerenden Brand. Nach diesem Vorfall begannen Teams der Gesundheitsbehörden und der Generalinspektion für Notfallsituationen mit Kontrollen in allen Intensivstationen des Landes, um sicherzustellen, dass die medizinischen Geräte ordnungsgemä‎ß funktionieren. Es wurde festgestellt, dass es Gebiete gibt, wo kein Krankenhaus die Brandschutznormen einhält. Eine Gewerkschaft der Angestellten im medizinischen System warnte damals, dass sich die Tragödie von Piatra Neamţ angesichts des Alters der Geräte und der Tatsache, dass das medizinische Personal überlastet oder sogar erschöpft ist, jederzeit überall in Rumänien wiederholen könnte. An diesem Freitag brach in Bukarest ein neues Feuer im Matei Balş Krankenhaus aus, einer medizinischen Eliteeinrichtung, die an vorderster Front im Kampf gegen die Pandemie steht und die Covid-19-Patienten in einem mittleren bis schweren oder kritischen Zustand aufnimmt. Mehrere Patienten sind beim Brand gestorben. Andere wurden dringend evakuiert und in andere Krankenhäuser verlegt, darunter ins Marius-Nasta-Institut für Lungenkrankheiten in Bukarest. Dessen Leiterin Beatrice Mahler sagte dem öffentlichen Rundfunk gegenüber, dass Investitionen in die medizinische Infrastruktur zwingend erforderlich seien und so schnell wie möglich erfolgen müssen.



    Die rumänische Regierung hält am Ziel eines Haushaltsdefizits von 7% des BIP fest.


    Der diesjährige Staatshaushaltsentwurf wird von einem breiten Paket von Reformen in drei Bereichen begleitet: der Bezahlung im öffentlichen Dienst, dem Rentensystem und der Steuerverwaltung. Das alles sind Projekte, die die politische Führung in Bukarest in den nächsten zwei Wochen abschlie‎ßen will und auf denen der künftige Haushalt nicht nur 2021, sondern auch in Zukunft basieren wird, so der Premierminister Florin Cîţu: “Wir wollen dem Parlament nicht nur den Haushaltsentwurf vorlegen, sondern das ganze Paket von Reformen, auf denen dieser Haushalt basiert und deren Auswirkungen auf die rumänische Wirtschaft mittel- und langfristig, aber mehr im Jahr 2022, sichtbar sein werden.” Der rumänische Regierungschef sagte im Anschlu‎ß, dass die Haushaltsziele beibehalten werden, nämlich ein öffentliches Defizit von 7% des BIP.



    Im Jahr 2020 ist das rumänische Haushaltsdefizit auf fast 10 % gestiegen und damit doppelt so hoch wie ein Jahr zuvor. Die Sozial-Demokraten aus der Opposition haben einen eigenen Haushaltsentwurf erstellt, der ihrer Meinung nach Prioritäten in den Bereichen Gesundheit, Bildung, wirtschaftliche Erholung und Erhöhung des Lebensstandards der Rumänen setzt. PSD-Chef Marcel Ciolacu: “Das ist das erste Mal in den letzten 30 Jahren, dass eine Oppositionspartei einen alternativen Haushaltsvorschlag vorlegt. Wir sind der Meinung, dass die Bürger ein Recht darauf haben, die von der amtierenden Regierung vorgeschlagene Alternative zur Sparpolitik zu kennen. Was unsere Partei heute tut, ist, konkrete Lösungen zur öffentlichen Debatte zu stellen, die den Lebensstandard der Bürger verbessern sollen.” Die Sozial-Demokraten bereiten Änderungsanträge zu dem vom Kabinett Cîtu vorgelegten Haushaltsentwurf vor.



    Neue Woche der Proteste in Rumänien


    Sowohl in Bukarest als auch in anderen Städten Rumäniens haben diese Woche Proteste stattgefunden. Mitglieder des Gewerkschaftsbundes “Solidaritatea sanitară” demonstrierten vor mehreren Ministerien, unzufrieden mit der Weigerung der Regierung, die Gehälter aller Mitarbeiter im Gesundheitswesen zu erhöhen. Darüber hinaus setzten Gewerkschafter des Gewerkschaftsbundes Cartel Alfa ihre am 14. Januar begonnene Aktionen fort, um gegen niedrige Löhne und Renten zu protestieren. Auch Polizisten gingen in mehreren rumänischen Gro‎ßstädten auf die Stra‎ße, um gegen die Entscheidung der Regierung, ihre Gehälter einzufrieren, zu protestieren. Das Arbeitsministerium hat darüber hinaus ein neues Rentenberechnungssystem eingeführt, das die Ungerechtigkeiten im System ausmerzen soll. Zunächst werden die 5 Millionen Rentenakten neu ausgewertet, bevor die monatlichen Rentenbeträge tatsächlich neu berechnet werden”, sagte Arbeitsministerin Raluca Turcan. Das letzte Mal, dass die Bukarester Behörden die Renten neu berechneten, war in den Jahren 2005-2010.

  • Jurnal românesc – 21.09.2018

    Jurnal românesc – 21.09.2018

    Românii din
    Diaspora sunt din ce în ce mai interesaţi să deruleze o activitate
    antreprenorială în ţară, iar în cursa pentru obţinerea finanţării din cadrul
    proiectului Diaspora ReSTART au intrat 149 de persoane, potrivit unui
    comunicat al Consiliului Naţional pentru Întreprinderi Private Mici şi Mijlocii
    din România. Documentul arată că după efectuarea unor cursuri de formare
    antreprenorială, aceştia au întocmit şi depus planurile de afaceri, 60 dintre
    ele beneficiind de acces la o finanţare nerambursabilă de maximum 40.000 euro. Analiza
    planurilor de afaceri câştigătoare relevă că cei mai mulţi aplicanţi sunt din
    Marea Britanie şi Spania, urmaţi de Italia, Franţa, Olanda, Germania, dar şi
    Australia sau SUA. Cele mai multe afaceri vor fi înfiinţate în domenii precum portaluri
    web, întreţinerea şi repararea autovehiculelor, restaurante, activităţi de
    inginerie şi consultanţă tehnică legate de acestea, activităţi de realizare a
    software-ului la comandă. În ceea ce priveşte repartiţia pe gen, peste 68% dintre
    firme vor fi conduse de bărbaţi şi restul de femei. În continuare, cele 60 de
    noi firme vor participa la o sesiune de trei luni de mentorat unde îşi vor
    consolida afacerea. Diaspora ReSTART este un proiect implementat în perioada
    septembrie 2017 – septembrie 2020 şi are ca obiectiv principal încurajarea
    antreprenoriatului printre românii din Diaspora.


    PNL a anunţat,
    într-un comunicat de presă, că va depune două iniţiative legislative:
    introducerea controlului constituţional pentru Ordonanţele de Urgenţă înainte
    de a intra în vigoare şi introducerea votului electronic pentru românii din
    străinătate. Cât priveşte cea de-a doua iniţiativă, PNL pune pe masa majorităţii
    PSD-ALDE o soluţie pentru ca cinci milioane de români din afara graniţelor să
    nu mai fie discriminaţi la viitoarele alegeri. Constituţia României garantează
    tuturor cetăţenilor dreptul la vot. La ultimele alegeri – potrivit PNL – au
    fost supraaglomerări în jurul secţiilor de votare; românii au parcurs sute de
    kilometri până la cea mai apropiată secţie de votare; au fost nevoiţi să piardă
    ore în şir pentru a intra în cabina de vot; au fost suspiciuni de fraudă
    electorală din cauza că s-a votat prea repede sau prea încet. Astfel, PNL
    propune ca la alegerile pentru Parlamentul European, la alegerile pentru prezidenţiale
    şi parlamentare, pe lângă votul prin corespondenţă să se aplice şi votul
    electronic – mai ieftin şi la fel de sigur ca cel prin corespondenţă – mai
    precizează comunicatul.


    Federația
    Solidaritatea Sanitară a publicat concluziile studiului Influența calității vieții profesionale asupra tendinței de migrare
    pentru muncă a personalului din sănătate. Cercetarea a fost desfășurată în
    perioada 12-18 septembrie pe un eșantion de 1253 de salariați din sectorul de
    sănătate. Eșantionul este reprezentativ pentru categoriile profesionale medici
    și asistente medicale. Potrivit studiului, circa 78% dintre respondenți au
    indicat că au luat în considerare posibilitatea de a migra pentru muncă. Totodată,
    intenția clară de a migra pentru muncă este situată la nivelul a circa 23%. 17%
    dintre respondenți au indicat că sunt hotărâți și foarte hotărâți să-și caute
    un loc de muncă în străinătate. Per ansamblu, dorința expresă de a rămâne în
    țară este situată între 16% și 19% – mai arată studiul. Condițiile de lucru din
    unitățile sanitare românești, condiţiile de viață/civilizație din România,
    nemulțumirea față de venitul actual şi dificultățile de realizare profesională
    în ţară sunt principalii factori care influenţează decizia de a migra.

  • November 3, 2017

    November 3, 2017

    ECONOMIC GROWTH – The National Forecasting Committee has
    revised again, upwards, the forecast regarding Romania’s economic growth in
    2017, from 5.6 to 6.1%. The Committee has maintained the GDP growth estimates
    for 2018, 2019 and 2020 at 5% every year. The International Monetary Fund has
    too revised the forecast regarding the development of Romanian economy, from
    4.2% to 5.5%. According to the IMF, Romania and Iceland will register the
    highest economic growth rates this year. A similar estimate has been presented
    by the World Bank. In another move, specialists draw attention to the fact that
    Romania’s economic growth is mainly triggered by consumption, and that the
    volume of public investment has dropped.








    STRIKE
    – State sector employees are the main victims of the political manipulation by
    means of which the payment of social security contributions has become an
    employee responsibility. This decision will actually annul the 25% salary
    increase, turning it into a political scam, reads a communiqué issued by the
    ‘Solidaritea Sanitara’ (Solidarity for Health) Trade Union Federation.
    According to the federation, a general strike in the budget sector would be a
    normal sanction against the government, which is trying to impose an agenda
    that runs counter to the commitments it had made to the employees. On Thursday,
    another trade union federation, CNSLR Fratia, announced the start of procedures
    for a national strike, also in response to the government’s decision regarding
    social security contributions. This decision has been harshly criticised by
    other unions, as well as by the president and the liberal opposition. In
    response, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has stated that the measure will benefit
    everybody.












    EU
    COUNCIL     – The presidency of the EU Council, which Romania will be holding in
    2019, will reflect the need for consensus, not political interests, said on
    Thursday the Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu. He
    attended the launch of the guide to the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, a
    document developed by the European Expertise Centre – Europuls. Victor Negrescu
    has stated that currently there are some 1500 experts preparing for the future presidency. In another
    development, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs will be in London for
    two days to talk with representatives of the Romanian community about the
    Brexit implications. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has launched an information
    clip on this topic. According to the Ministry, there are 328,000 Romanians
    living in Great Britain.










    CATALONIA – On
    Thursday, thousands of Catalans protested against the arrest of eight regional
    ministers, sacked because of their involvement in the attempt to separate
    Catalonia from Spain. They are accused of rebellion, revolt and embezzlement of
    public funds. Prosecutors have requested a European arrest warrant for the
    Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who
    is currently in Belgium. Last week, the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
    imposed direct rule on Catalonia, dissolved the regional parliament and
    announced local elections to be held on the 21st of December.






    FOOTBALL – Romanian Vice-champions FCSB
    (formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) has qualified to Europa League last 32
    round, following the 1-1 result in Group G against Israeli football team Hapoel
    Beer Sheva on Thursday evening in Bucharest. In the previous match, FCSB
    defeated Hapoel 2-1 away from home. FCSB now has 10 points and heads the group.
    Second comes Viktoria Plzen with 6 points, following the victory against FC
    Lugano of Switzerland. FCSB will play in Group G two more matches against
    Viktoria Plzen on November 23 away and against Lugano on December 7 at home.






    HANDBALL – Romania’s women’s handball champions CSM Bucharest are
    playing on Saturday, on home turf, against the Danish team Nykobing Falster
    Handboldklub, its fourth match in Champions League’s group A. In other matches,
    CSM has defeated the Slovenian team RK Krim Mercator Ljubliana and Vistal
    Gdynia of Poland. In the rankings, the Romanians come first with 4 points, just
    like the Danish, who come second. CSM Bucharest won the Champions League in
    2016 and is one of the first seeds at the current edition of the most powerful
    European inter-club competitions.

  • Semptember 29, 2017 UPDATE

    Semptember 29, 2017 UPDATE


    DIGITAL SUMMIT – The latest cyber attacks on Europe have triggered economic problems, which have in turn led to significant financial losses, said Romanias president Klaus Iohannis in Tallinn, during his speech at the informal European Council digital summit. The president said that, without a common and fast intervention at European level, cyber attacks might severely affect the Unions economy and security. Also, president Iohannis stressed the need for an education programme aimed at helping the EU citizens acquire the necessary digital skills, in order for them to be able to face current and future challenges. Another issue approached, equally important to the EU and to Romania, was the digitalisation of public services, services provided by both the local and the central administration. Klaus Iohannis stressed the need to maintain the unity of the European project and also the need for a common approach to the various initiatives set forth by the stakeholders.



    TRADE UNION PROTEST – The Romanian Health Federation “Solidaritatea Sanitara” (Solidarity for Health) continued to picket the Labour and Health Ministries in Bucharest on Friday, for the second day in a row. They announced that on October 4th would attend a protest meeting in front of the Government headquarters, organised by the Cartel Alfa National Confederation. Protesters fear that massive drops will be registered in the incomes of most employees as of next year. They want authorities to maintain bonuses for hazardous working conditions and lunch tickets and keep the current schedule for doctors, including with regard to night calls. However, the health minister Florian Bodog has ensured trade unions that salaries will not drop.



    ROBOR – The Romanian Interbank Offer Rate, on the basis of which interests for loans in the Romanian currency are calculated, has reached the level of 1.58%. According to the National Bank of Romania, this is the highest level registered since January 2015. This rate, known as ROBOR, started to grow rapidly in mid September, which, specialists say, will in turn trigger a growth in interest rates. In another development, the Central Bank has announced that the net foreign direct investment flow last year exceeded 4.5 billion Euros, and the final balance on December 31st 2016 stood at 70.1 billion.



    VISA WAIVER – Senator Ron Johnson, the chair of the US Senates Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, has voiced his support for a potential decision to eliminate visa requirements for Romanian citizens, according to the Romanian Embassy in Washington. Also, the US official has stated that including Romania in the Visa Waiver programme will trigger an increase in both countries security levels. The statements were made during a meeting with the Romanian Ambassador to the US George Cristian Maior. Mr. Maior handed the US official the Star of Romania National Order, awarded by the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on the celebration of 20 years of bilateral strategic partnership. George Maior stressed Romanias commitment to ensuring a solid trans-Atlantic relation and a robust defence cooperation, strengthened by the presence of US forces in Romania and in the region.



    UKRAINE – Ethnic Romanians in Ukraine are calling on Kiev MPs to request a re-examination of the new Education Law by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, saying that the law violates some provisions in the Constitution. According to Bucress, a Romanian-language news agency in Cernauti, ethnic Romanians in Ukraine would like the Constitutional Court to declare unconstitutional the article in the new law that confines education in the minority languages. Under the new education law, these minorities will be allowed to study in their mother tongues only until the 5th grade. This measures, criticised by the Romanian authorities, will affect some 500,000 Romanians in Ukraine.



    PSD MEETING – On Friday, leaders of the Social Democratic Party, the major party in the ruling coalition in Romania, gathered in Sucevita, in the north-west of the country, for the monthly assessment of the activity carried out by the cabinet headed by Mihai Tudose. The participants discussed the delicate situation of regional hospitals, the Education Law, textbook in particular, as well as funding for sports. The party also tackled the situation of the National Energy Regulatory Authority and the losses recorded in the energy field in Romania, which rank among the highest in the EU, triggering increases in consumer prices. Also, the agenda of the meeting included legislative priorities, such as the justice and the pension laws.



    ENERGY – Electricity prices in Romania will increase by an average of 0.75 Euros/ 100 kilowatts as of October 1st, the National Energy Regulatory Authority, ANRE, has announced. ANRE also says that gas prices for domestic consumers may increase by 6%, also as of October 1st.



    RESCUE – A Romanian ship rescued 52 people from drowning in the Aegean Sea, including 19 children, the Coast Guard announced on Friday. They were coming from Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. The Romanian ship was on a patrol mission, as part of the Operation POSEIDON 2017 carried out by FRONTEX – the agency which secures the EUs external borders. Since the start of the year, Romanian ships have helped rescue more than 1,100 people in Greeces territorial waters.




  • September 27, 2017

    September 27, 2017


    CORRUPTION – Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has stated that the ministers who are being investigated in the so-called ‘Belina’ case, namely the Social Democrats Rovana Plumb and Sevil Shhaideh, should have resigned or should have been sacked. The head of state has criticized the ruling Social Democratic Party for its decision to support the two ministers, who four years ago allegedly transferred an island and an arm of the Danube from state property into the property of Teleorman County. The transfer was illegal. President Iohannis has also voiced worries over the planned changes in the judiciary laws, announced by the line minister Tudorel Toader. Harshly criticized by civil society and the media, Toader’s draft stipulates, among other things, that appointing the heads of the National Anti-corruption Directorate and of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism will no longer be the president’s prerogatives. Also, under the new law, Judiciary Inspection would be part of the Ministry of Justice, and the seniority threshold for the promotion of magistrates will be set higher. Early this year, Government’s attempt to amend, under an emergency decree, the criminal codes, triggered large-scale protests across the country and in the Diaspora. Hundreds of thousands of Romanians took to the streets, accusing the ruling party of trying to exempt from criminal liability top level politicians and decision-makers.



    MINORITY RIGHTS – The Romanian Education Minister Liviu Pop is in Kiev today to discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart Lilia Grinevici the negative effects of the new education law on the Romanian ethnic minority living in Ukraine. Also, according to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Romania will inform the international community about the violation of the right of the Romanians living in Ukraine to study in their mother tongue. These reactions have come following the promulgation on Monday of a law that drastically confines education in minority languages. The approximately 500,000 Romanians in Ukraine form the second largest ethnic community in the country, after the Russian one. More on this after the news.



    TRADE UNION PROTEST – The Romanian health federation Solidaritatea Sanitara (Solidarity for Health) has today announced a string of protests planned for Thursday and Friday. The participants will picket the head offices of the Labour and Health Ministries, following the Government’s announced intention to change the legal provisions regarding the basic salary. According to trade unionists, the change would trigger massive drops in the incomes of most employees in the health-care sector, of up to 60%, as of January 1st 2018. In another move, hundreds of people protested across Romania on Tuesday, after authorities announced that the payment of social contributions would become employees’ responsibility. The protests were staged by Cartel Alfa, one of the largest trade union confederations in Romania, which has announced that protests will continue throughout the week. Trade unionists say that transferring the responsibility of paying social contributions from employers to employees will lead to a drop in the net incomes, the dismantling of the unemployment fund and lower contributions to the pension fund. On October 4th, trade unions will gather for a large protest in Bucharest.



    ARMY EQUIPMENT – By the end of the year, the Romanian Army will have purchased the first Patriot missile system, according to the Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor. He has stated today that Romanian authorities are also discussing the purchase of another 36 F16 fighters from the US. Also today, the Secretary of State for Defense Policy Mircea Dusa and the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Air Forces, the Lieutenant – General Laurian Anastasof, are attending at the air base in Monte Real, Portugal, the ceremony for the reception of three F16 updated fighters. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Defense Ministry, by taking over the three fighters, the Romanian Air Forces have finalized stage I in the process of introducing in the fleet F16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters. The first six out of the 12 strong squadron that makes the object of the Romanian – Portuguese agreement became part of the Romanian Air Forces capabilities in September 2016, and the next three in December last year.



    COMPETITIVENESS – Romania ranks 68th in a classification of the most competitive countries in the world, 6 places lower than last year. In the same classification, Switzerland has maintained is leading position for the ninth year in a row, according to a report released by the World Economic Forum. Switzerland is followed in the rankings by the US, Singapore, the Netherlands and Germany. Ranking lower than Romania are countries such as Estonia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary. However, Romania is in a better position that Croatia and Greece. According to the report, the biggest issues facing Romania are taxation, bureaucracy, access to funding, a poorly educated labor force, corruption and the improper use of infrastructure.



    ROWING – Romania’s women’s eight has qualified straight into the finals of the World Rowing Championship in Sarasota – Bradenton, Florida, the US. In the men’s double sculls, Vlad-Dragos Aicoboae and Cosmin Pascari will compete in the semi-finals on Thursday. Ionela-Livia Lehaci and Gianina-Elena Beleaga have qualified for the doubles sculls semi-finals, the light category, to be held also on Thursday. Romania is taking part in the World championships with six crews.



    FOOTBALL – The only Romanian representative in the European football competitions, the vice-champion FCSB (formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) is playing on Thursday, away from home, against the Swiss from Lugano, in the Europa League. In the first Group G game, two weeks ago, FCSB won 3-0, in Bucharest, against Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic. The other game, Hapoel Beer Sheva of Israel defeated Lugano 2-1. In the rankings, FCSB comes 1st, with three points, followed by Hapoel, also with three points.