October 14, 2015

For a roundup of domestic and international events, click here.

Newsroom, 14.10.2015, 12:00

EUROPEAN COUNCIL – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis will attend the European Council meeting of October 15-16, taking place in Brussels, focusing on migration and the EUs external borders. The president will meet with European Parliament president Martin Schulz and with Romanian MEPs. Klaus Iohannis said that, as regards migration, Romania wants to be part of the solution, but its approaches are based on solidarity and responsibility. Referring to the situation on the EU borders, Iohannis said Romania takes very seriously the mission to protect its borders and is acting as a Schengen member states. As regards the conflict in Syria, Klaus Iohannis said Russias military intervention has made matters worse, arguing for a dialogue between all stakeholders. Considering that Romanias Embassy in Damascus is still operational, our country might still help bring peace to the area. Referring to the Syrian conflict, the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Europe, the president had talks today in Bucharest with the president of the National Assembly of the Republic of Lebanon, Nabih Berri.

SALARY LAW – The Government in Bucharest is today debating the new law on salaries in the public sector. If passed by Parliament and promulgated by the President, the law is due to come into force starting next year. Labour Minister Rovana Plumb said this project helps reduce the number of salary categories in the public sector. Under the new law, salaries will reflect the level of studies and will include motivational elements. We recall that public employees in the health care and education sectors have already been awarded a 25% salary increase. Also today, the Government is discussing the proposal of Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici regarding the Amnesty Law, under which natural persons are exempt from paying certain interest rates and penalty fees. Taxpayers with unpaid debts by September 30, 2015 might thus be exempt from paying delayed payment penalties if the pay their dues by March 31, 2016 and by June 30, 2016 the related interest rates.

CORRUPTION – The National Integrity Agency has reported the existence of conflicts of interest at administrative level in the case of 32 former or current MPs. According to the Agency, 14 current deputies, 17 former deputies and a senator hired members of their families in their administrative offices, the total value of the contracts that breached the legal provisions on conflicts of interest reaching some 240,000 euros. Of these, three former deputies and a senator have been referred to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. The remaining 28 MPs fall within the general statute of limitations for conflicts of interest of criminal nature, the Agency informs, adding that it will take proper action with a view to seeing that the documents issued, adopted or drafted while breaching legal provisions on conflicts of interest would be nullified.

INVESTMENT – Foreign direct investment inflows by non-resident investors stood at 2.3 billion euros in the first eight months of the year, according to data made public by the National Bank of Romania on Wednesday. As compared to July, FDI grew by 215 million euros. In the first eight months of 2014, the total value of FDI in Romania stood at 1.424 billion euros, by nearly one billion less than this year.

ROMANIA-IMF – Talks continue in Bucharest between Government representatives and the IMF delegation to Bucharest. Yesterday the talks held at the Ministry of Finance in Bucharest approached such topics as the budget planning for 2016, the situation of state-owned companies, the manner the Government plans to use European funds over the next period and the implementation of structural reforms. The IMF has called for a budget deficit of 1% in 2016, but Romania wants a more robust and sustainable economic growth, according to Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici. The draft budget for next year is the main topic on the agenda over the coming days, Teodorovici also said. The IMF technical mission to Bucharest will concluded on October 20.

IRRIGATIONS – The Romanian state will spend 1.15 billion euros to repair its irrigation system. The Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this case, adopted a draft law on Monday providing for the disbursement of the required funds. The Government says the modernization of the irrigation system is crucial for Romania, allowing for both the legal positioning of farmland and for attracting substantial European funds. The irrigation system will remain the states property and will be made available to farmers based on subscriptions. Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin says irrigation costs would be cut significantly. The first instalment worth 145 million euros will be disbursed in 2016, while the draft budget for next year will include a detailed presentation of the states planned investments.

SYRIA – American and Russian military representatives are today holding a new round of talks on air safety in Syria, in an attempt to reach an agreement on air safety protocol while carrying out uncoordinated air strikes in this country, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday. Talks follow in the context that each of the two countries is running air operations in Syria. While the US-led international coalition is targeting key positions of the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria and Iraq, Russia is being accused of supporting Bashar al-Assads regime and of carrying out ‘indiscriminate airstrikes, targeting the presidents opposition as well. US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter has said that despite the political dispute over Syria, the United States and Russia must take action to ensure the safety of their pilots. Carter reminded that progress was reported in the previous rounds of talks, although leading to no clear agreement, Reuters reports.

INVESTIGATION – Ukraine did not fully shut down air traffic over the Donbas region at the time of the crash of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, because no one ‘gave any thought of a possible threat to civil aviation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin announced at the United Nations. The explanation follows Tusdays publication of the final report into the circumstances of the crash of MH17 in July 2014 in the Donetsk region by the Dutch Safety Board. According to investigators, the flight was shot down by a BUK missile made in Russia, launched from a rebel-controlled region in Eastern Ukraine. Dutch officials have warned that Donbas air space should have been shut down, given that clashes between Government troops and pro-Russian separatists in the region. Although the report does not hold anyone accountable, its findings have been already dismissed by Russia, labelling the report as ‘biased. The tragic air crash at the time killed the 298 people on board, mostly Dutch citizens.