20 February, 2017

Ordinance repealing controversial changes to criminal law to be put to final vote in Parliament this week./Romanian Army Chief of General Staff travels to US.

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Newsroom, 20.02.2017, 13:41

Repeal order
vote. MPs will this week vote on emergency order no. 14, which repeals the
controversial order no. 13 that led to massive protests in Romania. The
majority formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats decided to seek a quick vote on the ordinance. As soon as the repeal order
is signed by the president, it becomes law. Last week, the Social Democrat
leader Liviu Dragnea said Parliament would also vote on a law to reject order
no. 13 amending the criminal and criminal procedure code so as to remove all
doubts. In the meantime, anti-government protests have continued for the third
week in a row, as well as the protests against president Klaus Iohannis, who is
accused of not fulfilling his role as mediator.

Army official
visit. The chief of General Staff of the Romanian Army, general Nicolae Ciuca,
is on trip to the US for talks with general Joseph F. Dunford jr, the chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs. Ciuca will also attend a symposium of the
special operations forces. According to a release by the Romanian defence
ministry, talks will focus on the importance of the Black Sea for European and
international security, Romania’s role and position as a security provider and
the US commitments with respect to the security of NATO’s eastern flank. During
his trip, which ends on the 25th of February, the Romanian army
official will also discuss his country’s cooperation with the US in the
theatres of operation and Romania’s programmes for the modernisation of its
armed forces.

US-EU-NATO. US
vice-president Mike Pence is today having talks with EU and NATO leaders in
Brussels on the last day of his official European tour. At the weekend in
Germany, Pence reaffirmed his country’s unwavering support for NATO,
guaranteeing that Washington will share with its biggest ally Europe the values
of democracy and justice. Press agencies expect him to reiterate these
commitments today, while the new Republican administration is perceived as
isolationist, nationalist and less attached to transatlantic values than the
previous administrations. Recently, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini
said Europeans expect
that America does not interfere in European politics, especially
given the new US president’s praise of Brexit and ahead of elections in France
and Germany this year.

Romania-Russia. There is a positive evolution of bilateral
relations between Romania and Russia, but within the limits of the sanctions
imposed on Moscow, Romania’s foreign minister Teodor Melescanu told Radio
Romania. He attended the Munich Security Conference focusing on transatlantic
relations after Donald Trump’s installation at the White House.

Prison
conditions. The fines given to Romania by the European Court of Human Rights
over detention conditions amounted to 1.6 million euros last year, says the
director general of the National Administration of Penitentiaries Marius Vulpe in an interview to Agerpres news agency.
He said he welcomed any legal measure that reduces overcrowding. Recently, the
government submitted a bill on pardons to Parliament. Also, prime minister
Sorin Grindeanu said his cabinet would request funds from the European
Commission for works to improve conditions in prisons.

Greece debt. Eurozone finance ministers are meeting today
to discuss the unresolved issue of Greece’s debts, given that Athens has to
repay 7 billion euros this summer. The European Union and the International
Monetary Fund do not agree on the policies Greece needs to adopt to overcome
the economic and financial problems it has been facing for the last 7 years.
The Fund is in favour of a debt relief for Greece and of a halt to additional
austerity measures, but some governments, especially Germany, are opposed.
Greece’s debt rose from 109.4% of the GDP in 2008 to 179.7% in 2014, and now
stands at 177.4%. The EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council also meets in Brussels tomorrow.

Circus ban. Bucharest’s Globus State Circus last night
held its last animal show following a city hall decision to ban such
performances due to the bad treatment of animals during dressage. The decision
was taken after a fire broke out in January at a circus enclosure that led to
the death of 11 animals. The measure, which only applies to the state circus,
may also be expanded to private circuses giving performances in Bucharest.