October 12, 2017
Social Democratic leaders convene today to discuss the gov't reshuffle requested by PM Tudose
Newsroom, 12.10.2017, 13:45
GOVT RESHUFFLE – The National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party, the main party in the coalition in power in Romania, convenes today to discuss the government reshuffle requested by PM Mihai Tudose. During the same meeting, the relations between the government and the party are to be clarified. Over the past few days the PM has discussed the reshuffle both with President Klaus Iohannis, and with the Social Democratic leader, Liviu Dragnea. The names the most frequently mentioned in the media in relation to the reshuffle are Sevil Shhaideh, deputy PM and Minister for Regional Development, and Rovana Plumb, minister delegate for European funds, both of them members of the Social Democratic Party and prosecuted for corruption offences. The minister in charge with liaising with Parliament, Viorel Ilie, a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, is also in a similar situation. Other ministers with image problems may also be replaced.
PACE – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is discussing in an emergency meeting in Strasbourg today Ukraines new and controversial education law. The talk, proposed by the Romanian delegation with support from 5 other national delegations, comes after Ukraine enacted a law that severely restricts access to mother tongue education for ethnic minorities in that country. Senator Titus Corlăţean, the head of the Romanian delegation and also a vice-president of PACE, told Radio Romanias correspondent in Strasbourg that he was hoping for a fair debate, able to persuade the Ukrainian authorities to amend the law. Under the new legislation, ethnic minority children will be able to study in their respective mother tongues only in kindergarten and primary schools, and then they will have to study in Ukrainian exclusively. On Wednesday, the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, promised PACE that Kiev would bring the new act in line with all the conclusions of the Venice Commission and would comply with the European Charter for regional or minority languages. Nearly half a million ethnic Romanians live in the neighbouring country, most of them in the Romanian territories annexed by the USSR in 1940, further to an ultimatum, and taken over by Ukraine as a successor state in 1991.
AUTOMOTIVE – President Klaus Iohannis and PM Mihai Tudose took part on Thursday in the launch of the new Ford Ecosport model, at the Ford plant in Craiova, southern Romania. The head of state said that, by attending the event, he intends to convey a strong message of support for the automotive industry in Romania, which is growing increasingly competitive and has a better and better image in the European market. Since it took over the plant in 2008, Ford has invested over one billion euros in the production unit in Romania. More than 2,800 people are employed by Ford Craiova. The biggest carmaker in Romania is Automobile Dacia, based in Pitesti, in the south, taken over by the French group Renault in 1999. Over 13,500 people are working for this company, which has a turnover of over 4.3 billion euros.
SPAIN – Spain is celebrating its National Day today, amid tensions between the separatist authorities of Catalonia and the central government in Madrid. PM Mariano Rajoy gave the regional Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont until Monday to give up plans to declare the regions independence, otherwise Catalonia would see its local autonomy suspended. Rajoy accused the Catalan government of having generated one of the most difficult times in Spains democracy and of having staged a very dangerous attack against the Constitution, the unity of Spain, the Catalan state and, most importantly, against Spains people living together.
MOLDOVA – The European Union announced it would not grant the Republic of Moldova the remaining 28 million euros under the reform programme, intended for changes in the field of the judiciary. The Union believes the Government in Chisinau has failed to meet the conditions requested by Brussels. The EU delegation in Moldova mentions in a news release that the authorities in Moldova have shown poor commitment for reform, have not allotted enough funding and staff and, as a result, progress in terms of judicial reforms has been insufficient. Last week, PM Pavel Filip announced Moldova would no longer receive this years instalment of the 100 million euro aid programme provided by the EU. He admitted that the measure had been prompted by Chisinaus decision to change the election system for the forthcoming parliamentary elections, in such a manner as to favour the major parties.
HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champions CSM Bucharest Wednesday night outplayed the Polish side Vistal Gdynia, 34-23, in an away game in Champions League Group A. This is the second win for CSM, after on Saturday night they defeated the Slovenians Krim Mercator Ljubljana, 30-18 at home. The Romanian side are next to play Nykoebing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark, on October 22. CSM Bucharest won the Champions League in 2016, when it first took part in the competition, and is one of the favourites to win this inter-club competition.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)
