December 4, 2016

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Newsroom, 04.12.2016, 12:00

REFERENDUM– A constitutional referendum is held on Sunday in Italy, which is considered one of the most critical tests for the political career of the PM Matteo Renzi, the head of a center-leftist government. The reform plan stipulates, among other things, a drastic diminution of the Senates power and a limitation of the regions powers. Matteo Renzi said he would step down if the reform fell through. The ‘NO campaign is led by the Populist Party 5 Stars, which wants to review the countrys relations with the EU. Several EU states have expressed fears that unless the Italian PMs proposal gets public support, the country might enter a political deadlock, the BBC reports.

ELECTIONS – 6.4 million Austrians with the right to vote are expected to the polls again on Sunday to elect their president. They will have to choose between Norbert Hofer representing the Freedom Party, considered of far right orientation, and independent Alexander Van der Bellen. The president plays a minor role, although he can dissolve the lower house of Parliament and call for snap elections. The first round of the presidential election took place in April and the second in May. The winner of the May election was Alexander Van der Bellen but the Constitutional Court in Vienna decided to cancel the second round because of irregularities reported in the postal voting procedure. Pundits say that if elected, Hofer will be the first far-right president in the EU. Presidential elections are also being held on Sunday in Uzbekistan. Voters will decide who will replace the former leader Islam Karomov, who died in September. Interim president Shavkat Mirzioviev, one of the four candidates in the race, has good chances of winning the vote. Mirzioiev has pleaded for continuity, while saying he might introduce certain economic reforms.

EUROSTAT – One in three Romanians cannot afford to eat out with friends every month, shows the latest Eurostat survey. Figures indicate the same figures for Hungary and Bulgaria. In Romania, those affected are the elderly, of whom 43% lack the funds to eat out in a restaurant every month. Over a third of young people below 25 cannot afford to go out to a pub every month. Nearly one in ten European citizens lacks the money for such monthly activities.

GREECE – Structural reforms will help Greece get sustainable growth instead of a debt-cutting deal, the German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told Bild am Sonntag on Sunday. Greeces outstanding debt currently amounts to 300 billion euros, accounting for 180% of its GDP, the highest in the Eurozone. A Eurozone Finance Ministers meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday in Brussels, aimed at reviewing the progress Athens has reported in implementing the line of reforms demanded in exchange for granting financial assistance. Germany is unlikely to discuss a cut in Greeces debt ahead of the elections of September 2017. For the first time since 2014, Greece has reported a growth of its GDP for two consecutive terms, thus ending the economic slump.

HANDBALL – Romanias national womens handball team are participating in Sweden between December 4 –18 in the European Handball Championship. Romania will take on Norway, in Group D, on December 5th, Russia on the 7th of December and Croatia on the 9th. The three top-ranking teams in each group will qualify to the second stage. Romanias team is coached by the Spanish Ambros Martin, who last month replaced the Swedish Tomas Ryde, who led the Romanians to victory at the 2015 World Championship hosted by Denmark, when they won bronze. Ambros Martin was designated the best coach of the world in 2013 and 2014 and won two times the Champions League with the Hungarian team Győr that he is also coaching. The teams of Norway and Denmark have won the most continental titles, 6 and 3 respectively. Romanias best result at the European Championship was the bronze medal in 2010.

(Translated by V. Palcu)