February 8, 2017
No confidence motion against Romania's Government/ 500 US ground troops deployed in Mihail Kogalniceanu/ Code yellow alert for heavy snowfalls in the southeast and south of Romania
Newsroom, 08.02.2017, 13:48
NO CONFIDENCE MOTION — The Romanian Parliament is today debating and voting on the first no confidence motion submitted by the opposition National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union against the current coalition government made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The document is supported by the People’s Movement Party. The motion entitled “Grindeanu Government — the government of national defiance. Don’t legalize theft in Romania” was submitted last week and read before Parliament on Monday. The Social Democrat PM Sorin Grindeanu was asked to assume the error of having adopted an emergency government order on amending the criminal codes and on an amnesty bill. Also the motion signatories ask for the resignation of the government, accusing them of institutional abuse. The opposition claims Romania needs a competent Government that should be concerned with the real problems of the Romanian society. In order to be adopted, the no confidence motion has to be voted by at least 233 MPs. The Liberals, the Save Romania Union and the People’s Movement Party together have 168 votes. The parties in the government coalition reiterated their support for the PM Sorin Grindeanu and the current cabinet.
CCR — Romania’s Constitutional Court is discussing today the requests made by President Iohannis and the head of the Superior Council of Magistracy, Mariana Ghena, regarding a possible conflict between the state powers following the adoption of an emergency government order on amending the criminals codes. The president of the Court, Valer Dorneanu, said he invited the parties involved at the table of discussions, namely representatives of Parliament, Government, the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Romanian President. Meanwhile the Government repealed the order and announced they gave up amending the criminal codes for the moment. The Justice Ministry officials explained they were not concerned with adopting a draft law on the issue and that they were currently centralizing the rulings passed by the Constitutional Court regarding the aforementioned laws. In another development, the protests against the government continued on Tuesday for the 8th consecutive day in Bucharest and several other cities in Romania and abroad. Also on Tuesday, President Iohannis addressed Parliament and called on the leftist government to find solutions to the crisis they caused by adopting an emergency order meant to amend the criminal codes.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday conveyed a message on the occasion of the anniversary of 27 years since the setting up of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service. The message highlights the service’s very important role in safeguarding democracy and the rule of law, shows the communiqué issued by the Presidential Administration. President Iohannis underlined that the Foreign Intelligence Service is an important structure of the national security system and conveyed his appreciation and thanked the service representatives for their activity in the service of Romania. The Foreign Intelligence Service has contributed to the consolidation of Romania’s profile as a promoter of the Euro-Atlantic principles and values and as an active and predictable contributor to ensuring regional stability, the Romanian President also added.
NATO — The 500 US ground troops to be deployed in Europe, that on Monday left Poland heading for Romania, are being stationed these days at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in Constanta county, in the southeast of Romania, shows a communiqué of the Romanian Defense Ministry. The American soldiers of the Fighting Eagles Battalion 1 will participate in joint drills alongside Romanian soldiers, as part of the US commitment to ensure to security of NATO’s eastern flank, a component of the Atlantic Resolve Operation.
WEATHER — Romania is again in the grips of a new wave of snowfalls. Meteorologists have issued a code yellow alert for abundant snowfalls and winds valid until Thursday morning for certain regions in the south and southeast of Romania. Snowfalls have also been reported in the east and the mountains. The highs of the day range from minus 7 to plus 7 degrees C. The noon reading in Bucharest was minus 2 degrees C. (translation by L. Simion)
