Radio România Internațional

Tag: state budget for 2017

  • December 17, 2017

    December 17, 2017

    THE KING — The last king of Romania, Mihai I, on Saturday was interred at the royal necropolis in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania, the resting place of his wife, Queen Ana and the other three kings of Romania. The king died on December 5 in Switzerland aged 96. 21 cannon salvos were shot to honor Romania’s marshal and supreme army commander during World War II. Tens of thousands of people paid their respects to the King at the Royal Palace in Bucharest, accompanying the funeral convoy from the Palace to the train station. The funeral started on Saturday with a religious service in the Throne Room at the Royal Palace, followed by a second one in the Royal Palace Square. The coffin was laid on a gun carriage pulled by a military vehicle and transported to the Orthodox Cathedral, where the last religious service in Bucharest was held. The coffin was then transported by train to Curtea de Arges, where the final interment service was officiated. Attending the funerals were representatives of European monarchies and scores of high-ranking officials from all over the world.



    COVERAGE — The Government of the State of Israel shares in the grief of the Romanian Royal Family for the death of King Mihai I, a friend of the Jewish people, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said, adding that he was grateful for the royal family’s role in saving Jews during the Holocaust in Romania, especially HRM King Mihai I, who’s been declared “righteous among nations”, a press releases of the Israeli Embassy in Bucharest reads. Additionally, the state funeral of King Mihai I made headlines with the main international news agencies. Televisions from all over the world broadcast images from the events held in Bucharest. According to the BBC, attending the funeral were numerous representatives of Europe’s royal houses, including Prince Charles of Great Britain and the former King of Spain, Juan Carlos. King Mihai is best remembered for his decision in August 1944 to switch sides with the Allies and turn arms against Germany during the Second World War. France Press news agency also highlighted that thousands of Romanians bid farewell to their king. Since the king passed away on December 5, Romanians have proved their affection for their beloved king, amidst popular disgruntlement with the political class, France Press also reports.



    COMMEMORATION — A national day of mourning was decreed on Sunday in Timisoara, western Romania, to mark 28 years since the 1989 anti-communist revolution and in memory of those who lost their lives. Religious ceremonies were held and floral tributes were paid to monuments devoted to the city’s heroes. Events will continue until December 20, Victory Day, when Timisoara will play host to a rock concert. Started out as a grassroots movement against the local authorities’ abusive decisions, the revolution spread quickly across the country, and led to the demise of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu on December 22. Over 1,000 people were killed and nearly 3,400 were wounded over December 16-25. Romania was the only country from the Soviet bloc where the anti-communist revolution ended in violence with the dictatorial couple being executed.



    MEMORANDUM — Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has paid a visit to Malaysia, where together with Prosecutor General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Mohamed Apandi bin Ali, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Romania and the Government of Malaysia on judicial cooperation. According to the Romanian Justice Ministry, the memorandum provides for various forms of cooperation, such as exchanges of legislation, experience and best practices in areas of joint interest, mutual visits of representatives of various justice institutions, promoting projects and programs for judicial cooperation. During his visit to Malaysia, Minister Toader had talks with Ionut Alexandru Gologan, the Romanian citizen who received a death sentence for drug trafficking in 2012. The Romanian delegation has expressed its hope that the memorandum would fulfill the two sides’ interests, while observing the legislation in force.



    VISIT — EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, will pay a two-day visit to Romania on Monday. Her agenda includes meetings with Prime Minister Mihai Tudose and several members of the Government. Corina Cretu will also attend the 2017 Structural Funds Gala. Prior to her visit Corina Cretu said Romania has made sustained efforts to implement programs funded with cohesion funds, but these efforts must continue, Corina Cretu said.



    BUDGET — Parliament’s joint budget and finance committees have adopted the state and social security budgets for next year. The state budget is based on an economic growth of 5.5%, an exchange rate of 4.55 lei against the euro and a monthly average income of some €570. The budget deficit is set at 2,97% of the GDP. On Monday, Parliament’s two chambers will debate the two bills in a joint plenary session, and a final vote on this matter has been scheduled for December 21.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • December 16, 2017

    December 16, 2017

    THE KING – The last king of Romania, Mihai I, will tonight be interred at the royal necropolis in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania, the resting place of his wife, Queen Ana and the other three kings of Romania. The king died on December 5 in Switzerland aged 96. Three days of national mourning have been declared in Romania, December 14 through 16. Tens of thousands of people this week have paid a last homage to the King at the Royal Palace. The funeral started on Saturday with a religious service in the Throne Room at the Royal Palace, followed by a second one in the Royal Palace Square. The coffin was laid on a gun carriage pulled by a military vehicle and transported to the Orthodox Cathedral, where the last religious service in Bucharest will be held. Attending the funerals are representatives of European monarchies and scores of high-ranking officials.



    COMMEMORATION – Commemorative events are underway in Timisoara to mark 28 years since the 1989 anti-communsit revolution. The National Opera host a fine arts exhibition devoted to freedom, while two marches will re-enact the path the mass of revolutionaries took through the city, in memory of those who lost their lives. Religious ceremonies will be held and floral tributes will be paid to monuments devoted to the citys heroes. Events will continue until December 20, Victory Day, when Timisoara will play host to a rock concert. Started out as a grassroots movement against the local authorities abusive decisions, the revolution spread quickly across the country, and led to the demise of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu on December 22. Over 1,000 people were killed and nearly 3,400 were wounded over December 16-25. Romania was the only country from the Soviet bloc where the anti-communist revolution ended in violence with the dictatorial couple being executed.



    BUDGET – Parliaments joint budget and finance committees have adopted the state and social security budgets for next year. The state budget is based on an economic growth of 5.5%, an exchange rate of 4.55 lei against the euro and a monthly average income of some €570. The budget deficit is set at 2,97% of the GDP. On Monday, Parliaments two chambers will debate the two bills in a joint plenary session, and a final vote on this matter has been scheduled for December 21.



    MEETING – Romanias Minister for the Business Sector, Ilan Laufer and Romanias Ambassador to Washington, George Cristian Maior, on Friday met with US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. The three officials discussed the remarkable evolution of the economic and trade partnership between Romania and the United States. According to a press release of the Romanian Embassy in Washington, the meeting occasioned a review of the highlights of this year, among which Romanian investment in the US, Romania hosting the Trade Winds mission forum, attended by over 100 US businesses, partnerships struck by the two countries defense sectors. The two delegations analyzed cooperation prospects over the coming period, with a focus on creating new business and investment opportunities, that would bring benefits to both countries economies.



    MOLDOVA – The Parliament of Moldova on Friday voted the EU Memorandum on the €100-million aid package, to be disbursed in three instalments over the course of 2018. To access the funds, Moldova has to fulfil a set of 28 prerequisites regarding progress in implementing its agreement with the IMF. The requirements forwarded by the Commission are part of the Governments agenda and part of them, required to disburse the first instalment, have already been met, Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu has said. One of the requirements provides for the adopting of a new law on the activity of the Court of Accounts and setting up an agency for processing notifications in the field of public procurement. (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • February 2, 2017

    February 2, 2017

    EMERGENCY ORDINANCE — Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis today announced he has notified the Constitutional Court regarding the Government’s emergency ordinance modifying criminal legislation, which creates a legal conflict between the Government, Parliament and the judiciary, thus breaching the Constitution, the president has argued. Klaus Iohannis has also criticized the Interior Ministry for the way it handled last night’s protest, when an isolated group of people resorted to violence. The President claims the Ministry and the riot police had been duly informed regarding the risk of such incidents aimed at compromising the protest. In turn, Interior Minister Carmen Dan said she received no information regarding any intention to instigate violence in last night’s protest. We recall that unprecedented protests were staged in Bucharest and many other cities across the country against the Government’s decision to modify the criminal codes by emergency ordinance. Protesters called on the Government to withdraw the ordinance and step down. Romanians in the Diaspora also protested the Government’s decision. Florin Jianu, Minister for the Business Sector, has stepped down.



    DEBATE ON THE PROTESTS — The recent street protests staged in the wake of the Government’s ordinance modifying the criminal legislation were the subject of a heated debate in the European Parliament today. Romanian MEPs, members of the European People’s Party called for withdrawing the ordinance, while the representatives of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and the Social-Democratic Party, claimed the protesters were trying to overthrow a legitimate Government. The European Commission has called on the Romanian Government to re-evaluate the ordinance. In turn, the Embassies of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada and the United States in Bucharest have expressed their deep concern regarding the Government’s actions, which they see as undermining Romania’s progress regarding the rule of law and the fight against corruption in the last ten years.



    REACTION — The Pro Democratia Association, one of the oldest and most respected NGOs in Romania, has expressed concern with respect to the rapid and serious degradation of democracy in Romania, also in connection with the concerted attack of political forces on the fundamental principles of the rule of law and human rights. The systematic campaign against democracy saw its apex with the adoption of a controversial Government emergency ordinance modifying the criminal and criminal procedure codes, which seems to be preventing certain political leaders and their election and financial contributors from facing criminal justice. The Association calls on those responsible to stop all attacks on institutions, organizations and the principles of the rule of law and human rights and the immediate and unrestricted withdrawal of the emergency ordinance criticized by the general public.



    BUDGET FOR 2017 — Romanian MPs can file amendments to the draft laws on the state and social security budgets for 2017, before the report of the Budget and Finance committees can elaborate a final report on the two bills this coming weekend. On Monday, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will debate the two laws, and a final vote is scheduled for Tuesday. The draft budget for 2017 is based on an economic growth of 5.2%, and a budget deficit below 3% of the GDP. The Government estimates an inflation rate of 1.4% and an unemployment rate of 4.3%. According to Finance Minister, Viorel Stefan, investment, healthcare, education and infrastructure will be given special importance over the coming period.



    TENNIS — The best-rated Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep, WTA no. 4, has qualified to the quarterfinals of the Sankt Petersburg tournament in Russia, totalling over 700,000 dollars in prize money. On Friday, Halep will play Natalia Vikhlyantseva of Russia, who in the second round ousted her better-seeded co-national, Daria Kasatkina. Halep is the tournament’s no. 1 seed. In the women’s doubles, Irina Begu and Monica Niculescu will take on Daria Gavrilova of Australia and Kristina Mladenovic of France. (Translated by V. Palcu)