December 12, 2013

For a roundup of domestic and international news, click here.

Bogdan Matei, 12.12.2013, 13:48

CRIMINAL CODE – Romanian Senate Speaker Crin Antonescu has called on Romanian MPs to change the recent amendments brought to the Criminal Code, which sparked harsh reactions at home and abroad. According to the amendments, the president, the members of Parliament and people with liberal professions can no longer be investigated and prosecuted for corruption. President Basescu has warned that we would not sign the amendments to the Criminal Code, which he believes as going up against the anti-corruption endeavours of the past ten years. In turn the US, British an Dutch embassies to Bucharest have warned that the new provisions might affect the rule of law in Romania.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – Romania’s Constitutional Court has today ruled out as ungrounded the exception of unconstitutionality in the Criminal Code regarding the write-off of sentences for homicide-related crimes. The decision is final and mandatory. The president of the Constitutional Court Augustin Zegrean said that homicide, criminal liability and sentence execution are not subject to prescription. In October, the Institute for the Investigation of Communist-era Crimes and the Memory of Romanian Exile expressed concern with respect to the potential barring of investigations into the anti-communist revolution of 1989 following a ruling of an unconstitutionality exception by the Constitutional Court. Two former commanders of communist labour camps are currently being investigated.

RESIGNATION – Liberal Daniel Barbu today has stepped down as Romania’s Culture minister, one day after co-leader of the Social Liberal Union Crin Antonescu has called on him to resign. Several days ago, Barbu had said the Government allotted too many funds to the programme of prevention and treatment of HIV, as compared to the culture budget. Prior to his resignation, the Culture Ministry had issued a press release, in which Daniel Barbu apologized to all parties that might have taken offence or felt insulted by his improper statements.

EUROSTAT REPORT – Romania ranks first at EU level in terms of the transmission of the level of education between the generations, Eurostat reports. 82% of Romanians whose parents had a high level of education have managed to maintain a high standard in their own education. Romania is followed by Ireland and Luxembourg with 79%. At the opposite pole, the lowest percentage in the study was reported in Germany and Malta with 50%. As regards access to higher education of respondents with low-educated parents, Romania ranked among the trailing EU countries in that respect.

UKRAINE – US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has warned his Ukrainian counterpart Pavel Lebedev with respect to the threat of sending troops to repress pro-European demonstrators in Ukraine. In another development, the US State Department has announced that Washington is considering the possibility of imposing sanctions against Ukraine for the violent repression of protests in Kiev. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has expressed his commitment not to use violence against peaceful protests and has called on the opposition to take part in dialogue. The appeal follows violent clashes between protesters and the riot police, which wounded dozens of people. Over a thousand people protested in central Kiev on Thursday against the decision of the ruling coalition to suspend the process of association with the European Union.

VISIT – US Secretary of State John Kerry is paying a new visit to the Middle East, the 9th visit since March. His agenda includes talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and president Shimon Peres, and the leader of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Kerry is trying to breathe new life into peacemaking negotiations in this area. The US wants the two side to sign a peace treaty instead of a temporary agreement.

FILM – Calin Peter Netzer’s Child’s Pose is among the faouvrite films on the list of film journalists and critics working with the famous film quadrilingual website Cineuropa.org. Awarded with the Golden Bear at the 2013 Film Festival in Berlin, Child’s Pose was designated as Romania’s nomination for the 2014 Academy Awards in the “best foreign film” section. The most featured film in Cineuropa.org tops is Adbellatif Kechiche’s La vie d’Adele, rewarded with the 2013 Palme d’Or in Cannes.

FOOTBALL – Romanian football vice-champions Pandurii Targu Jiu will be playing on home turf against Pacos Ferreira of Portugal as part of the last match counting towards the Europa League group stage. Pandurii have one point in 5 games and are currently bottom of the table, after Fiorentina of Italy and Dnepr Dnepropetrovsk of Ukraine. On Wednesday, Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest lost 1-nil to Chelsea London in the last fixture of Champions League group stage. With only 3 points in six games, Steaua was last placed in the group tables, after Chelsea London, Schalke 04 of Germany and FC Basel of Switzerland.

HANDBALL – The Romanian women’s national team is today going up against Hungary as part of the World Championships underway in Serbia. In the first three games, Romania outperformed Tunisia and Australia, but lost to Germany. With four points in three games, Romania is ranked 3rd in group D, after Hungary and Germany, each with six points. Ranking 4th is the Czech Republic with 2 points, while Tunisia and Australia are bottom of the table with no points. Romania’s goal at this year’s edition is a positioning among the world’s top 8 teams. Romania has three world medals on its record sheet, gold in 1962, silver in 1973 and 2005. Moreover it is the only country that has qualified to all the World Championships since 1957.