March 22, 2019 UPDATE
European Council meeting in Brussels, 2019 Country Report for Romania
Newsroom, 22.03.2019, 20:00
Brussels — The Romanian President Klaus Iohnnis on Thursday and Friday participated in Brussels in a European Council meeting. On the occasion, he highlighted the very important results obtained so far by the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU, one of the outcomes being the considerable number of files finalized. As regards Brexit, the Romanian head of state has stated that there is a real chance for an orderly exit of Great Britain from the EU. Klaus Iohannis has reiterated that a main concern of the Romanian authorities was the Romanian citizens living in the UK. At the Brussels summit, the EU leaders agreed with the postponement of Brexit and offered Great Britain two scenarios for leaving the EU.
EU — Romania’s sustainable economic growth reported in the past years has not been felt by large categories of Romanians, and poverty most often affects children said Friday in Bucharest the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu. She talked about the need for massive investments in the healthcare services, the transport infrastructure, the energy and environmental fields, upon the presentation of the 2019 Country Report for Romania, an event organized by the EC’s Representation in Romania. The report draws attention that the model of economic growth based on consumption affects the capacity to sustainably bridge the gaps separating Romania from the developed states. The document also shows that Romania’s foreign debt on medium and long term risks exceeding 60% of the GDP an that the economy has been affected by pay rises that were not correlated with productivity. The document drafted by the EC was criticized by finance minister Eugen Teodorovici who labeled it as being too pessimistic.
NATO — Romania is better prepared, from a military point of view, than 15 years ago when it joined NATO, said Friday the Romanian defense minister Gabriel Les. He participated in an event devoted to the launch of a public campaign entitled ‘Romania — 15 years within NATO. 70 years since the setting up of the North Atlantic Alliance’ and to the re-launch, in Romania, of a public information campaign called ‘#WeAreNATO’. Minister Les talked about Romania’s contribution within NATO both during the pre-accession period and after accession to NATO on March 27, 2004. According to the Romanian official at present as many as 1,000 military are on foreign missions. More than 2,500 military were involved in past missions. 29 Romanian soldiers lost their lives and 180 were wounded in external theaters of operations, minister Les recalled.
Protests — As many as 1,500 court clerks protested on Friday in front of the government headquarters in Bucharest, expressing discontent with their pay and work conditions. This week they have worn a white armband during work hours at the courts and prosecutor’s offices where they are employed. Court clerks threaten to start a grievance procedure if employers do not meet their demands. (translation by L. Simion)
