February 22, 2017 UPDATE

Romanian government reshuffle sees four new names; The emergency decree no.13 amending the criminal law has put in jeopardy the fight against corruption in Romania, the EC shows in the 2017 European Semester: Country Report – Romania

Newsroom, 22.02.2017, 18:19

RESHUFFLE – The National Executive Committee of the ruling Social Democratic Party in Romania has approved the nomination of four new ministers. In this line, Mihai Tudose will return at the helm of the Economy Ministry and Alexandru Petrescu, who is currently economy minister will take over the SMEs portfolio. Rovana Plumb, a former labour minister, will take over the European Funds portfolio and Tudorel Toader, a former Constitutional Court judge will become justice minister. Tudose and Plumb were ministers in the cabinet led by former PM Victor Ponta. The government is being reshuffled against the backdrop of a political crisis generated by the Governments attempt, just a month after taking office, to amend the criminal codes and initiate a collective pardon, by issuing an emergency decree. In the wake of big rallies in the street, actually the largest protest movements since the 1989 Anti-Communist Revolution, the Government finally withdrew the emergency decrees, and their author, the Social Democratic justice minister Florin Iordache, stepped down.

FIGHT AGAINST
CORRUPTION – Romanian PM Sorin Grindeanu says he will send clarifications to
Brussels on all necessary aspects and try to dissipate the fears of the
European officials, after the European Commission issued the 2017 European Semester: Country Report – Romania, in which the government is criticized for weakening the
fight against corruption. Grindeanu also said that by the end of the week, he
will also send to the EC a series of questions regarding the CVM Report, for
the government to choose the right path and the adequate speed, to see the
elimination of the Mechanism on justice as soon as possible. The report issued
by the Commission says the emergency decree no.13 has put in jeopardy the fight
against corruption in Romania. According to the EC, such initiatives threaten
the progress made in the past ten years. Furthermore, corruption persists at
all levels, and is an obstacle for doing business.

ENVIRONMENT – The Romanian authorities are considering an alternative to the environmental stamp duty which was scrapped on February 1 alongside another 101 fees and duties, according to Environment Minister Daniel Constantin. He explained that the new system that will replace the environmental stamp duty would not entail further taxes for citizens but would be aimed at reducing the number of polluting cars. At present, Bucharest, Brasov and Iasi are under the infringement procedure because of the air quality.

SAFETY AND SECURITY – The Romanian interior minister, Carmen Dan, said on Wednesday the Romanian Police reached the objectives set for 2016, a fact confirmed by the higher safety degree registered in Romania. Attending a meeting during which the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police presented its 2016 activity report, Carmen Dan said that in 2017 special emphasis will be laid on enhancing the policemans authority and improving law enforcement responses. Last year, the police forces intervened to solve over 730,000 cases, reported by people who dialled the 112 emergency number. Figures show the rate of street crime was the lowest in the past 11 years, the 2016 police activity report shows. (Translated by D. Vijeu)