December 20, 2017 UPDATE
Click here for a round-up of domestic and regional news
Corina Cristea, 20.12.2017, 19:40
BUDGET – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday said the 2018 draft state budget includes some debatable points. The head of state said he had held talks with PM Mihai Tudose, before the latter made public the draft budget and that they didnt have divergent opinions on the sums of money earmarked for Army and infrastructure. Meanwhile, debates continue in the Parliament of Romania on the 2018 draft budget. After heated talks, MPs approved on Tuesday the funding for 2 ministries and another 7 public institutions, in the amounts proposed by the specialised committees. Romanias state budget for 2018 is based on an expected 5.5% economic growth rate, an exchange rate of 4.55 lei for the euro, average monthly salaries of 565 euros and a budget deficit accounting for 2.97% of the GDP. The main priorities for next year are public healthcare, education and infrastructure. The right-wing opposition has criticised the draft budget, which they view as risky and likely to increase public debt.
JUDICIAL OVERHAUL– The Romanian Senate, as a decision making body, on Wednesday adopted the draft law which changes judicial organisation. The draft on the functioning of the Higher Council of the Magistracy will be voted upon on Thursday, after a first debate, by articles, was held on Wednesday. On Monday, the Senate adopted, also as a decision making body, the law on the Statute of judges and prosecutors. The changes that the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats intends to operate on the justice laws are strongly criticised by civil society and the opposition. Hundreds of magistrates gathered in front of courts of justice around Romania, to protest what they see as a less than transparent process. It is for the first time in recent years that magistrates choose this way to express their disagreement with measures taken by the legislative.
ANNIVERSARY – The Romanian Senate and Chamber of Deputies will organise on Thursday a solemn session devoted to the 28th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989, which led to the fall of communism. Timişoara, in western Romania, on Wednesday marked the moment when it proclaimed itself the first Romanian city free from communism. On that day workers went on strike, the Army withdrew to their units and the anti-communist protesters were waiting for other cities to join in the movement. Sparked by the locals opposition to an abusive measure by local authorities, the Revolution spread across the country, culminating on December 22 with the dictators Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu attempting to flee the capital city. Between December 16 and 25, 1989, more than 1,000 people were killed and nearly 3,400 were wounded. According to the Military Prosecutors Office, the main cause of most of the deaths, injuries and damages was a military diversion orchestrated on the evening of December 22, 1989.
PROTESTS – Romanian police workers on Wednesday protested in front of the Interior Ministry headquarters against the under-funding of the system, and are demanding the resignation of Interior Minister, Carmen Dan. They also complain about the poor logistics and the disastrous state of some police units, as well as the personnel shortage, reaching around 20,000 employees. The Interior Ministry issued a news release, stating that it would take note of the police workers complaints.
TRANSPORT – Thousands of road carriers on Wednesday took to the streets to demand the implementation of the legislative changes promised by Transport Minister Felix Stroe. The respective changes would enable the authorities to fight unauthorised and unlicensed operators such as taxi and rent-a-car companies and providers of occasional or regular rides. On Tuesday the Bucharest City Hall announced measures to eliminate piracy and unauthorised transport companies, but the Confederation of Authorised Operators and Carriers announced protests will continue because the rest of the country is still affected by piracy and unfair competition. In related news, the European Court of Justice ruled that Uber is a transport services company, requiring it to accept stricter regulation and licensing within the EU as a taxi operator. Romania, where Uber has been operating for 3 years, is the companys fifth-largest market in the EU.
POLAND – The European Commission on Wednesday decided, for the first time in the history of the community bloc to launch, against Poland, the procedure which activates article 7 of the EU Treaty, under which “the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, may decide to suspend certain of the rights deriving from the application of the Treaties to the Member State in question, including the voting rights of the representative of the government of that Member State in the Council. According to the Commission, there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland, after the Legislature in Warsaw adopted two laws under which it enhances the control of the executive power over the judiciary. The First Vice-President of the EU Commission, Frans Timmermans, has said that was the only option left for the EC and he added that Poland has three months available to implement the recommendations made by the EC. According to a communiqué issued by the Polish Foreign Ministry, Poland has received with regret the political and not the juridical decision made by the EC. This decision bears on the relations between the EC and Poland, and might render difficult the effort of building confidence and mutual understanding between Warsaw and Brussels, the communiqués also reads. (Translated by D. Vijeu and AM Popescu)
