December 10, 2017
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 10.12.2017, 14:07
MICHAEL I On Monday, Romanias Parliament will gather in solemn session to honour the last sovereign of Romania, King Michael I, who died on December 5th in Switzerland, aged 96. The coffin will arrive in Romania on December 13th and on December 16th the former king will be buried in Curtea de Arges, the final resting place of the Romanian royal family. Michael I took the throne in September 1940, and for a long time his was a merely ceremonial role, with the pro-Germany strongman Ion Antonescu actually ruling the country. But on August 23, 1944, the King had Marshall Antonescu arrested, broke the countrys ties with the Axis and had Romania join the anti-Nazi coalition. Historians agree that this decision shortened the war by months, saving tens of thousands of lives. He was forced by the communists to abdicate in 1947 and was able to return to the country only after the fall of the regime. He was one of the most important promoters of Romanias joining NATO and the EU.
BUDGET Next week, the 2018 budget and social security bill will reach the joint budget-finance committee of the Romanian parliament. The final vote on the 2018 budget is scheduled for December 21st. Representatives of the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania say that the budget is balanced and sustainable, but the opposition MPs say the time allocated for debate is too short and the bill needs improvement. Next years budget is based on a estimated 5.5% economic growth rate, an annual inflation rate of 3.1% and a budget deficit below 3% of the GDP. The estimated monthly net salary is the equivalent of some 570 euro. According to the Romanian Government, health, education and investment are next years priorities. On the other hand, the budget deficit might start decreasing as of 2019, to reach 1.45% of the GDP in 2021. These estimates were presented in the macroeconomic report drawn up by the Finance Ministry, a document which accompanies the 2018 budget bill.
FUNDING According to data provided by the European Commission, at the request of the AGERPRES news agency, Romania has spent only 1.1% of the European money allocated within the 2014-2020 financial framework, as compared to countries like Bulgaria and Poland, which have spent 7.5% and 6.5% respectively. The largest part of this amount, approximately 242 million Euro, has been spent through the Regional Development Fund. The countries that have spent less than Romania from the structural and investment funds are Austria, with 0.3%, and Ireland, with 0.9%. AGERPRES recalls that the Romanian Minister Delegate for European Funds Marius Nica has stated recently that in 2023 Romania will be presented as an example of European fund absorption and the percentage of 89% corresponding to the 2007-2013 timeframe is not bad. As regards the 2014-2020 framework, the Romanian minister has stated that 20 of the 27 EU countries have complained about bureaucracy and cumbersome procedures for the implementation of European funds.
ROMANIA 100 The president of the Romania 100 platform, the former technocrat Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, has announced today that the platform, created by people wishing to change politics in Romania, will generate a party. The new party will be presented in the coming months and will be open for collaboration with the right-wing opposition. Dacian Ciolos headed a government of specialists from November 2015 until January 2017, when the reigns of power were taken over by the leftist coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The Ciolos Cabinet was established after the resignation of the Social-Democrat Government headed by Victor Ponta, against the background of large-scale anti-corruption rallies triggered by the tragedy that occurred at the Colectiv club in Bucharest, where 64 young people died in a fire.
ISRAEL The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is today meeting in Paris with the French President Emmanuel Macron. Tomorrow he will then travel to Brussels to take part in the EU Foreign Ministers meeting, at the invitation of the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. Prior to these visits, Netanyahu stated that Europes reaction to US President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel is hypocritical and a demonstration that double standards are applied in such cases. He blamed the European leaders for not condemning the missile attacks on Israel and the Palestinian radicals who instigated to violence. Federica Mogherini herself has criticised Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel. Also, the USs European allies have adopted a joint statement in which they criticise the announcement made by the White House. The Arab League Foreign Ministers have called on Washington, in a resolution made public after a meeting in Cairo on Sunday, to cancel the decision. They have urged the international community to recognize a Palestinian state having east Jerusalem as capital. We recall that this part of the city was annexed by Israel in 1967.
HANDBALL The first matches in the round of 16 of the World Womens Handball Championship are taking place today in Germany. The Romanian national team, which has qualified from the first position in Group A, will take on the Czech squad on Monday. If it wins, Romanian will play against the winner of the game pitching the Netherlands against Japan. From the previous edition of the world championship, in 2015, Romania came home with bronze. Romania is the only side that has participated in all the 22 editions of the championship held so far.
