January 28, 2018

MPs have meetings with party leaders, ahead of vote on Dancila Cabinet on Monday

Newsroom, 28.01.2018, 13:48

GOVERNMENT – Romanian MPs in power and in opposition are holding meetings today with their respective party leaders, ahead of Mondays vote in Parliament on the appointment of a new Cabinet headed by Viorica Dăncilă and on the updated governing programme. Prior to the vote, the new ministers designate will be heard in parliamentary committees. This is the 3rd Cabinet nominated by the left-wing ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania over the past year. The new team, headed by the MEP Viorica Dăncilă, will include 27 ministers and 4 deputy PMs, one more than the team of the outgoing PM Mihai Tudose. The Liberals argue that the proposed Cabinet includes ministers with modest performances in the previous terms. Also in opposition, Save Romania Union and the Peoples Movement Party claim there is not enough time for properly hearing the ministers and for thorough debates in the specialised parliamentary committees.

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER – The European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Creţu, will be on an official visit to Romania on Monday and Tuesday. She is scheduled to have a meeting with the PM designate Viorica Dăncilă, to discuss European funding. Corina Creţu will take part in a conference, jointly with the Governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isărescu, and will receive a diploma from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. The European official will also be the host of the award ceremony of 2017 European Reporter and Blogger competition.

DATA PROTECTION – The European Data Protection Day is celebrated on January 28. In May this year a new European regulation will take effect in this field, replacing national laws and introducing elements designed to consolidate the rights of individuals. The regulation lays emphasis on the obligations of data operators. Companies will be bound to nominate an officer in charge of data protection, otherwise they risk fines of up to 10 million euros in the private sector. In the public sector, penalties will be set by national regulations. For misdeeds like data security breaches, fines may reach 20 million euros for the private sector. The new rule was adopted by the European Parliament and Council in April 2016.

TERRORISM – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has strongly criticised the terrorist attack that killed more than 100 people and wounded another 200 in Afganistans capital city Kabul on Saturday. Bucharest expressed solidarity with the Afghan people and authorities, and reiterated Romanias firm commitment to the fight against international terrorism. The attack, claimed by the Taliban, is one of the most violent Kabul has seen in recent years.

HANDBALL – Romanias mens handball team will take on Macedonia in the playoffs for the 2018 World Championship, as decided in a drawing in Zagreb. The final tournament will be hosted by Germany and Denmark between January 10 and 27. The mens team last took part in a World Championship final tournament in 2011. In other news, 3 Romanian womens handball teams won matches in European competitions over the weekend. HC Zalău managed its 3rd running victory in the EHF Cup, at home on Saturday, 31-28, against the Czech team DHK Banik Most, in the competitions Group D. In Group A, SCM Craiova defeated the Russian side Kuban Krasnodar, 30-24, also on Saturday. On Friday, the champions CSM Bucharest outplayed 28-22 at home, the Hungarian team Gyor Audi ETO KC, in the first match in the Champions League main groups. CSM tops the standings with 8 points, followed by Gyor, 6 points. In 2016 CSM won the trophy, while Gyor are the defending European champions.

TENNIS – The Romanians Sorana Cîrstea and Irina Begu will take part in the WTA tournament in Sankt Petersburg, with 733,900 US dollars in total prize money. Simona Halep, who lost the Australian Open final on Saturday, has withdrawn from the competition. The Melbourne winner, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, the new World No. 1, will be the top seed in Sankt Petersburg. Sorana Cîrstea will play in the first round against Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia), and Irina Begu will face a player coming from the qualification round.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)