February 5, 2017 UPDATE

EMERGENCY DECREE – Protests continued in Bucharest and other Romanian cities on Sunday, for the 6th consecutive day, with tens of thousands of Romanians asking for the coalition government made up of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) to step down. Protesters say they no longer trust the Social Democrat Sorin Grindeanu’s cabinet, sworn in last month. People continued to take to the streets in spite of the fact that the government repealed earlier on Sunday the controversial emergency decree amending the criminal codes, which critics say was meant to clean the record of politicians, local officials and some business people, thus drastically weakening the anti-corruption fight. Before Sunday’s emergency meeting, PM Grindeanu had announced he would initiate consultations with parliamentary parties in order to harmonise the legislation with the Constitutional Court’s rulings. President Klaus Iohannis said that the decision to abrogate the emergency decree is a step towards normality. Also on Sunday, around one thousand people gathered in front of the presidential headquarters to express their support for the government and ask for the president’s resignation.

Newsroom, 05.02.2017, 19:36

EMERGENCY DECREE – Protests continued in Bucharest and other Romanian cities on Sunday, for the 6th consecutive day, with tens of thousands of Romanians asking for the coalition government made up of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) to step down. Protesters say they no longer trust the Social Democrat Sorin Grindeanu’s cabinet, sworn in last month. People continued to take to the streets in spite of the fact that the government repealed earlier on Sunday the controversial emergency decree amending the criminal codes, which critics say was meant to clean the record of politicians, local officials and some business people, thus drastically weakening the anti-corruption fight. Before Sunday’s emergency meeting, PM Grindeanu had announced he would initiate consultations with parliamentary parties in order to harmonise the legislation with the Constitutional Court’s rulings. President Klaus Iohannis said that the decision to abrogate the emergency decree is a step towards normality. Also on Sunday, around one thousand people gathered in front of the presidential headquarters to express their support for the government and ask for the president’s resignation.

BUDGET BILL — The 2017 budget bill will be debated at the plenary session of the Romanian parliament on Monday. Finance Minister Viorel Stefan has given assurances, on behalf of the coalition government, that the budget observes the main guidelines, such as cutting the VAT from 20% to 19% or eliminating the income tax for pensions lower or equal to 2,000 lei. This year’s budget is based on a 5.2% economic growth rate and a deficit of maximum 3% and will allow Romania to comply with its commitments to allocate 2% of its GDP to the defence ministry. The government expects an inflation rate under 1.4% and an unemployment rate of 4.3%. On the other hand, the opposition claims the revenue forecast underling the bill is hyped.

MOLDOVA — The Socialist president of the Republic of Moldova, the pro-Russian Igor Dodon, is paying a three-day official visit to Brussels starting on Monday, to meet with European officials. Dodon may also have talks with NATO officials. Elected president in November 2016, Dodon’s first official visit abroad was to Moscow, last month, where he said that the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the EU, concluded in 2014, could be revised or even cancelled. Dodon also said he would ask for a meeting with the NATO leaders, asking them to recognise Moldova’s neutrality. Pundits in Chisinau have voiced concern that Dodon’s visit to Brussels might render Moldova’s relations with the West even more difficult. On the other hand, the head of the Moldovan Parliament, Adrian Candu, has said that the head of state has limited powers as far as the country’s foreign policy is concerned and that the current parliament majority sees the implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU as top priority.

FOREIGN MINISTRY – The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu will attend on Monday in Brussels the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the meeting focuses on topics such as Ukraine and ways to consolidate the EU’s relationship with this country, the evolutions in Libya after the community summit in Valletta, the relations between the EU and Egypt and the peace process in the Middle East. On the sidelines of the meeting, Melescanu will have meetings with NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the European Commission’s First Vice-President, Frans Timmermans and with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. Previously, Melescanu said he would present the Brussels officials the latest developments in Romania.

TENNIS — Romania’s Davis Cup team lost to Belarus, 2-3, in the first round of Davis Cups Europe/Africa Zone Group I. On Sunday, Romanian Adrian Ungur was defeated by Egor Gherasimov, 6-7, 4-6, 4-6, while earlier on the day Marius Copil beat Ilya Ivashka, 7-5, 6-4, 6-1. On Saturday, Horia Tecau and Marius Copil were defeated in Minsk by the pair Max Mirnyi – Yaraslav Shyla, in the doubles. On Friday, Romanian Adrian Ungur defeated Ilya Ivashka, while Marius Copil lost to Egor Gherasimov. Belarus will play in the second round of Group I against Austria, whereas Romania will face the team of Israel on September 15-17, 2017 in a decisive match to remain in Group 1.

(Translated by Elena Enache)