June 10, 2015
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Bogdan Matei, 10.06.2015, 12:00
Romanian President Klaus Johannis in Brussels for two days will be attending the European Union — Latin-American and Caribbean States Community Summit, with heads of states and governments from more than 60 countries expected to attend the event. It is the European Union’s seventh joint summit with Latin American countries, and the second to include the Caribbean area. President Johannis stated that during the event he would plead for the strengthening of political dialogue, the development of economic ties and an extended cooperation. Johannis went on to say that for Romania, a country of Latin origin, the development of the EU — Latin American and the Caribbeans partnership was of a very special interest.
Countering radicalisation leading to violent extremism and terrorism in prisons is one of the greatest challenges facing the prison and probation services at present, said Philippe Boillat, Director General of Human Rights and the Rule of Law within the Council of Europe, on the sideline of today’s 20th edition of the Conference of Directors of Prison and Probation Services taking place in Bucharest. The event brings together directors of prison and probation services from 47 Council of Europe member states, the United States and Canada, representatives of observer-status states and Council of Europe officials. This is the first time a East-European country plays host to such an event.
US, British and The Netherlands Embassies to Romania in recently-issued press releases have expressed their critical reaction to Romanian Chamber of Deputies’ turning down the National Anti-Corruption’s Agency’s request for a favourable vote, so that criminal investigation procedure could be initiated in the case of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, following corruption charges. The Embassy of the Netherlands bemoans attitudes towards justice and corruption in Romania, while representatives of US Embassy have reminded everyone law needs to equally be enforced for everybody. In turn, Great Britain has demanded that legal institutions should take action in the spirit of a complete independence.
Romania and the Czech Republic have seen the highest economic growth across the European Union in the first quarter of 2015, against the similar period last year. According to the European Statistics Office Eurostat, the two countries’ economies were the only ones with a growth rate standing at more than 4 per cent. According to provisional data released by the National Statistics Institute, in Romania in the first quarter of 2015, the Gross Domestic Product has grown by 4.3 per cent as compared to the first quarter of 2014 and by 1.6 per cent as conmpared to the fourth quarter last year. Retail trade, industry and communications have had a significant contribution to the economic progress in Romania.
Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu is today holding talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, as part of the latter’s official visit to Bucharest. According to Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, apart from the usual bilateral issues, high on the talks’ agenda are cooperation on security issues, that including the energy sector, regional cooperation and recent developments in the Eastern neighborhood. Also included on the bilateral talks’ agenda are such hot topics as the recent developments in Syria, fighting terrorism and the Middle East peace process. The high-ranking Turkish official’s visit has occurred against the backdrop of Romania taking over the rotating presidency of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization as of July 1st, 2015.
Russian president Vladimir Putin is today in Italy, an official visit news agencies view as an attempt from Putin to break his diplomatic isolation. The day’s agenda includes talks with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Milan, talks with Putin’s Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella in Rome, then a visit to Vatican, where Putin will be received in audience by Pope Francisc, with whom he will be holding talks on the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East. Russian president’s visit to Italy occurs two weeks ahead of the European Union’s adopting an official decision on the extension of sanctions against Russia, in the wake of the latter’s annexation of Crimea and the role Russia has been playing in the war in Ukraine.
Romania’s Senate on Tuesday passed a bill allowing medical staff in state hospitals to made additional revenue by private practice contracted with the institutions they work in. The bill will go to the Healthcare Committee in the lower chamber, then will be voted on in joint session. The Ministry of Health is hoping to stem the flow of medical personnel who leave the country to work abroad, but also improve the quality of services. The head of the main association of physicians in the country, Vasile Astarastoaie, said that over 20,000 physicians have left the country because of low wages.
