Radio România Internațional

Tag: vote of confidence

  • A new Senate Speaker

    A new Senate Speaker


    The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats left the ruling coalition they made together with the Social-Democratic Party, and hence renounced the Senate leadership, which, despite their opposition, has been claimed by the Social-Democrats. Supported by the Social-Democratic Party, Teodor Melescanu, a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, has been elected Senate Speaker, to the detriment of the Liberal candidate Alina Gorghiu, at the end of a fierce battle between the power and the opposition. Alliance leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu has already announced his intention of challenging Melescanus election at the Constitutional Court. On the other hand, Social-Democrat Prime Minister and leader Viorica Dancila congratulated Melescanu, saying his election has proven the Social-Democrats bona fide commitment towards implementing the governing program started out in 2016. Teodor Melescanu promised he would be a fair Senate Speaker.



    “I put my age, experience and integrity in the service of Parliament, my goal being to restore citizens trust and respect for this institution. During my many and diverse terms in office in the last 30 years Ive had the privilege of working with parties on all sides of the political spectrum. Its an experience I will unconditionally devote to the service of the Romanian people. Ive served my country all my political life, never the interests of politicians. I am a Romanian first and foremost, before a member of a political party”.



    Aged 78, Melescanu indeed served on all sides of the political spectrum. Political pundits would call this party-switching. He started out as a Social-Democrat, switched to the Liberals and then became one of the founding members of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. Now he seems to have returned to the Social-Democratic Party. As Foreign Minister, his name is tied to the disasters of the presidential election of 2014 and the European Parliament election this year, when thousands of Romanians stood in line for hours waiting to cast their vote. Teodor Melescanu may yet prove useful to the Social-Democratic Party, being able to bring a number of MPs on their side, ahead of next weeks crucial vote of confidence, says Liberal Senator, Alina Gorghiu.



    “It is an act of defiance, not just to the voters, but to the Social-Democrat as well. The Social-Democratic Party has people who could have filled up this position easily. But of course, what matters most for you is trading votes”.


    Alina Gorghiu also hailed for the opposition parties show of solidarity in the Senate Speaker elections, which could ensure the success of a censure motion.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)




  • August 30, 2019

    August 30, 2019

    PSD – The leaders of the governing Social Democratic Party – PSD are meeting on Saturday to decide on the date when the government will go in Parliament for a confidence vote after the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats – ALDE left the governing coalition. President Klaus Iohannis on Friday signed the decree acknowledging the resignation of the 3 ALDE ministers from the government, namely of the ministers for the environment, for energy and for the relation with Parliament. The PM and the leader of the PSD Viorica Dancila said she would seek support in Parliament to be able to implement the governing program while the rightist opposition intends to file a motion of no confidence against the government. The National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union said they were ready to assume governing after holding early elections. The scheduled parliamentary elections are actually due next year.



    Foreign ministers meeting — The Romanian Foreign Minister Ramona Manescu met with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini at the informal half-yearly meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU countries hosted by Helsinki. Romania reiterated its commitments and objectives and showed readiness to continue the close cooperation with the European External Action Service in order to implement the EU Global Strategy on Foreign Policy and Security and of the Common Security and Defense Policy, Minister Manescu underlined. Ramona Manescu participated on Thursday and Friday in the informal half-yearly meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU member states hosted by the Finish presidency of the Council of the EU which focused mainly on hybrid threats.



    INS — The unemployment rate in Romania rose to 3.9% in July 2019, show data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The rate rose by 0.1% as compared to the one reported in the previous month. The number of unemployed people estimated for July 2019 was 352,000, on a downward trend as against the same month of last year. The National Institute of Statistics also shows that the number of unemployed men is higher than that of unemployed women by 1.1%.



    Eurostat — In 2018 the EU had a total number of 17.2 million scientists and engineers aged between 25 and 64, of whom as many as 540,000, that is 3% of them, were from Romania, show data published on Friday by Eurostat. According to the Eurostat, the number of scientists and engineers in the EU rose by 4% between 2017 and 2018, while in Romania their number rose by 2.6%. The Institute shows that in terms of scientists and engineers’ distribution within the EU, in most member states it is in line with the share of the respective countries within the EU population. The UK and Germany are exceptions to the rule, together accounting for 37% of the total number of scientists and engineers in the EU.



    Brexit — The EU and British negotiators will meet twice a week in September in an attempt to reach an agreement over the conditions for Brexit which is scheduled for October 31, the Brexit ministry announced on Thursday, as quoted by France Press. Technical meetings will be added to the 2 weekly meetings scheduled for the period in which Parliament will be suspended between the second week of September and October 14, the British ministry officials announced. In another move, Britain will see in the coming days further protests meant to thwart the suspension of parliamentary activity, as the government wishes.



    Tennis — Romania’s best tennis player Simona Halep (4 WTA) surprisingly lost the match against the American Taylor Townsend (116 WTA) in the second round of the US Open, the year’s last Grand Slam tournament. Townsend will take up another Romanian Sorana Cîrstea (106 WTA) in the 3rd round. She defeated on Thursday Aliona Bolosva (100 WTA) of Spain. Cirstea is the only Romanian tennis player still on the singles table of the US Open. (translation by L. Simion)