November 23, 2017

Click here for a round-up of domestic and regional news

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Newsroom, 23.11.2017, 15:07

NO CONFIDENCE VOTE — The two chamber Parliament in Bucharest is today debating a censure motion tabled by the right-of-centre opposition against the coalition government. Signed by MPs from the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union, the People’s Movement Party and by independent MPs and read out in Parliament on Monday, the motion calls for the resignation of the cabinet led by the Social Democrat Mihai Tudose, whom they accuse of disturbing the economic environment and the legal system, and of worsening the population’s living standard. In response, the Prime Minister claims that thanks to the fiscal reform, more money will go to the budget and the pension fund next year, and companies will benefit from simplified procedures. Commentators say the chances for the motion to be adopted are slim, especially after the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania has announced it will abstain from voting, because its MPs agree with some of the measures taken by the government, and disagree with others.

EUROPEAN FUNDS — Romania has available over 5 billion Euros under the Large Infrastructure Program, but in order to efficiently absorb this sum of money the country needs realistic planning, thorough preparation works and an efficient implementation of transport projects. The statement has been made by the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, who met in Brussels with Romanian transport minister, Felix Stroe, for talks on transport projects and draft projects for the 2014-2020 Large Infrastructure Operational Program, co-funded through the European Regional Development Fund. Cretu has underlined the need for the line minister in Bucharest to play the leading role in managing the sides involved in the projects, considering that contractual litigations between entrepreneurs and major transport beneficiaries have led to delays in implementing projects. At present, the Romanian authorities are tightly cooperating with international experts to draft a new standard contract, with clauses of arbitration to solve conflicts.

JUSTICE LAWS — In Bucharest the special parliamentary committee on the justice laws has today decided that the Romanian President should no longer be able to refuse the appointment of judges and prosecutors. The Liberals’ representatives have criticised this proposal and have explained that the Romanian President is also the head of Romania’s Supreme Defence Council and should have the right to refuse the appointment of a judge or of a prosecutor. The committee’s proceedings started on Wednesday and the debates have been marked by disputes between the power and a part of the opposition. The Liberal MPs left the room, being discontent about the rejection of their proposal that the justice laws package be debated in a normal parliamentary procedure and not by a special committee. The justice laws are vehemently contested by civil society. President Klaus Iohannis has also said he is worried about this issue.

GAUDEAMUS BOOK FAIR — The Gaudeamus Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania, continues in Bucharest today. The second day of the event will truly be a special one, offering readers the chance to see the most sought-after books of the moment and interesting debates on literary themes. One such meeting is the round table talks “Life after life — undeciphered destinies”. The fair brings together, until Sunday, 300 exhibitors and over 800 editorial and professional events. Exhibiting are Romanian publishing houses boasting a long tradition in the field, universities, book distributors and sellers, publications, professional associations and NGOs. The honorary president of the Gaudeamus Book Fair is the famous Romanian playwright and journalist established in France, Matei Visniec, and the honorary guest of the fair this year is the European Commission.

FOOTBALL — Romania’s vice-champion team, FCSB, formerly known as Steaua Bucharest, tonight take on Viktoria Plzen, away from home, in a last-but-one fixture of Europa League’s Group C. With 10 points they won in the first four games played, FCSB are at the top of the table in their group and mathematically, they have already secured their ticket in the Cup’s round of 32, to be held in 2018. Czech contenders Viktoria Plzen are the runner-up team in Group C, followed by Hapoel Beer Sheva of Israel, with 4 points, and Switzerland’s Lugano, with 3 points on their record sheet.