January 29, 2016 UPDATE

The Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Friday signed into law a bill that bans smoking in enclosed public spaces

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Newsroom, 29.01.2016, 12:15

The Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Friday signed into law a bill that bans smoking in enclosed public spaces, two days after the Constitutional Court established that the bill in question complies with the constitution. First passed in December, the bill bans smoking in enclosed public spaces, enclosed work spaces, children playground areas, hospitals, schools and areas housing child protection and assistance services. Smoking is banned in enclosed public spaces, on public transport and in work spaces in 17 of the European Unions 28 member states.

The Romanian justice minister Raluca Pruna on Friday made public the draft of an emergency order to eliminate a legal provision on the possibility of early release for convicts who publish academic papers while in prison. Although the proposal received a negative opinion from the Superior Council of Magistracy, the minister will pursue her efforts to repeal the provision in question, arguing that it has been extensively abused.

Romanias consolidated budget recorded a deficit of 2.2 billion euros accounting for 1.4% of the GDP at the end of December, following a surplus of 11 million euros and 0.76% of the GDP in November, the finance ministry announced. The government spent no less than 2% of the GDP in one single month. 1.5 billion went into European-funded projects, given that the eligibility period for the European-funded projects corresponding to the 2007-2013 period was to expire at the end of 2015. Last month, co-funding for European projects exceeded 1.9 billion euros, which is six times the average amount.

The representatives of protesters in the Republic of Moldova on Friday said they would continue protests in an attempt to put pressure on the government. They said protesters demands must be fully met for their country to be able to overcome the crisis. One of the leaders, the Socialist Igor Dodon, described as a victory the announcement made on Friday by parliament speaker Adrian Candu on the possibility of holding a referendum on the election of the president through direct vote. Speaking about protesters demand for early elections, Candu says the law does not allow for the dissolution of Parliament and explained that there is no other legal option to hold early elections. Following last weeks installation of Pavel Filips government, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets following a call by pro-European civil society organisations, as well as two pro-Russian parties denouncing the corruption of the Moldovan political class.

It is in Romania’s best interest to acceed to the eurozone when it is prepared, the former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said on Friday. In an interview with the Romanian news agency AGERPRES, he said that the country’s accession to the eurozone depended largely on the progress this country was making. According to Barroso, if the single currency had not existed, Europe would have been in an even more difficult situation. Barroso was awarded the Doctor Honoris Cause title by the West University of Timisoara.

The Romanian-American mixed doubles pair Horia Tecau and Coco Vandeweghe will face the Russian-Brazilian pair Elena Vesnina and Bruno Soares in the Australian Open finals. In the semi-finals, Tecau and Vandeweghe defeated the Filipino-Slovenian pair Treat Huey and Andreja Klepac in two sets, while Vesnina and Soares defeated Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig, who were seeded first in the tournament. Horia Tecau won the Australian Open mixed doubles title in 2012, together with the American player Bethanie Mattek-Sands.