December 14, 2016 UPDATE

President Klaus Iohannis held a first round of consultations with political parties that entered Parliament. The Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats from Romania turned down the invitation

România Internațional, 14.12.2016, 12:25

CONSULTATIONS – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis held a first round of consultations with political parties that entered Parliament after the elections of December 11. The Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats from Romania, currently holding majority, have turned down the invitation. The leaders of the two parties explained there were irregularities in the legal basis of the invitation. Their refusal has been labelled as an “impolite attitude by the president. He met with representatives of the National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians from Romania, the Peoples Movement Party and the group of national minorities. Iohannis pointed out that if the final results of the elections are made public by the end of the week, he might be able to summon the new Parliament over the course of next week. During the consultations, the Liberals said that from an economic point of view, the Social Democratic Party cant be the solution for the citizens well being. The president of the Save Romania Union, Nicusor Dan said his party will note endorse a government made up around the Social Democratic Party, PSD, and its leader, Liviu Dragnea. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians from Romania has announced it is not looking for ministerial portfolios or high positions, but for partners in Parliament, in order to put into practice its political program, and the President of the Peoples Movement Party, Traian Basescu, told the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, that his party will be part of any anti-PSD political solution. The Social Democratic Party has won Sundays parliamentary elections by a large margin, with over 46% of the votes, followed by the National Liberal Party with 20%, Save Romania Union, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, the Peoples Movement Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – The Constitutional Court of Romania today ruled against the notifications filed by the Government and the National Liberal Party referring to the law amending the ordinance on the salaries of public sector employees, providing for an average 15% increase of salaries of employees in the education and healthcare sectors. In its notification, the Government pointed out that the law breached three articles in the Constitution on the separation of powers in the state, and that no budget expense can be approved without a source of funding. Also today the Court postponed ruling on a notification filed by president Klaus Iohannis on the law eliminating 102 non-fiscal taxes, initiated by Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea. The president says eliminating these taxes could affect the survival of some public institutions and would have too large an impact on the budget.

ROMANIA AND NATO – Romania will consolidate its defence against Russia boosting its military presence in the Black Sea Region, Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc told Associated Press on Tuesday. The Romanian official said Romania will start earmarking 2% of its GDP to defence starting 2017, a prerequisite NATO has demanded of all its member states. Amidst escalating tensions between Moscow and the West after the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia, NATO last year set up a NATO Force Integration Unit in Bucharest and activated the NATO Multinational Division South-East. The measures were part of NATOs action plan to increase its operational capabilities, adopted at the NATO Summit of 2014 in Wales.

TURKEY – The European Union has currently no intention of opening new chapters of negotiation for Turkeys EU accession. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Slovakian presidency of the European Council, ensuing a ministerial meeting in Brussels, where Romania was represented by State Secretary for European Affairs Cristian Badescu. Despite long talks on the matter, a unanimous decision of the 28 member states could not be reached, due to opposition from Austria. The General Affairs Council addressed the anti-democratic interventions in Turkey after the failed coup of July.

SYRIA – The last of the rebels strongholds in Aleppo will be overrun within two-three days, after over four years of conflict in Syria, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today. Also today, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused the Syrian regime and the military of trying to prevent the implementation of the ceasefire allowing civilians and rebels to evacuate eastern Aleppo. The Syrian Observer for Human Rights reports that the Syrian regime has resumed bombing rebels in Aleppo after a several-hour break.

REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA – The President of the Republic of Moldova, Nicolae Timofti, has been awarded the highest distinction offered by the Romanian state for his personal contribution to the development of friendship and cooperation relations between Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The award-grating decree signed by President Klaus Iohannis has been presented by Romanias ambassador to Chishinau, Daniel Ionita. (Translated by V. Palcu and D. Vijeu)