October 20, 2018 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 20.10.2018, 17:58

JUSTICE – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis intends to summon all political parties represented in Parliament for talks on the justice laws, following Fridays report of the Venice Commission on the changes brought to these laws in Romania. The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law, believes that the changes brought to the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Proceeding and the justice laws will weaken the fight against corruption and organized crime. The Commission recommends large-scale public consultations, aimed at achieving a solid and coherent legislative change, supported by citizens and in compliance with the rulings of the Constitutional Court. Following the critical opinion of the Venice Commission, president Klaus Iohannis has stated that the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, himself a member of the Commission, has definitely compromised his credibility and should resign.

MEASURES – The Romanian Government is considering freezing salaries in the public sector in 2019. A letter sent this week by the Finance Ministry to Brussels reads that this is one of the measures envisaged for next year, for Romania to observe the deficit target of 2.58% of the GDP and subsequently to correct the deviation from the medium term objectives by reducing the structured balance which will exceed 3% of the GDP this year. According to the document posted on the European Commissions website, the Romanian Government intends to maintain the value of holiday tickets to approximately 300 Euro, and also the number of employees in the public sector.

VISIT – Kuwait is the last leg of the Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancilas Near East tour. She has visited the cultural center Abdullah Al Salem, one of the largest cultural compounds in the world, the Scientific Center and the Grand Mosque in the capital. On the occasion, the Romanian PM highlighted the possibility of developing bilateral ties in research and innovation. Also, she appreciated the openness of the Kuwait authorities towards religious minorities and the efforts made to integrate them. Viorica Dancila also stressed the fact that the Muslim community in Romania had lived in peace alongside Christian and other ethnic groups. Previously, in the United Arab Emirates, Ms. Dancila had meeting with business people and officials, whom she encouraged to come and invest in Romania.

INTERCEPTION – The Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor stated on Saturday, in relation to the Russian place intercepted near the Romanian air space, that there was no reason of concern. Such events are not isolated, and they test the reaction speed of the NATO forces, the minister also said. He also stressed the fact that Romania, as a member of NATO, was ready to fulfill its mission at any time. On Thursday, a Russian military aircraft, flying near the Romanian air space, was intercepted by Canadian fighters, in collaboration with the Romanian Air Forces. As soon as the Russian plane was detected by the Command and Control Center of the Romanian Air Forces, Canadian Hornet fighters were sent on mission. They watched the Russian plane from a short distance, until the latter left the area.

US – The Romanian Secretary of State for bilateral and strategic relations in the Euro-Atlantic space, George Ciamba, has had meetings in Washington with US officials. During these meetings he stressed that the Romanian presidency of the EU Council will focus on strengthening the partnership between the EU and the US, according to a communiqué issued on Saturday. Romania will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year. In the US, George Ciamba held talks with Wess Mitchell, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. During the talks, the Romanian official stressed that Romania will continue to be a committed ally to the US.

PROCESSION – On Sunday in Bucharest, thousands of Roman and Greek Catholic believers and priests will take parte in a procession with relic and icon of Pope John Paul II. The relic consists in several drops of the Popes blood, a gift to the Saint Joseph Cathedral in Bucharest from Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former personal secretary of the Pope, currently Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow. Born on May 18th, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, Karol Wojtyla was elected pope in October 1978 and died on April 2nd, 2005, at the Vatican. Pope Francis declared him a saint in April 2014, so John Paul II was included in the calendar of the Catholic Church, and his liturgical commemoration was set for October 22nd of each year. In 1999, Pope John Paul II came to Romania, on the first visit to a predominantly orthodox country by a head of the Catholic Church.

FESTIVAL – Bucharest is hosting the 28th National Theater Festival. For 11 days, theater lovers have the opportunity to participate in some 100 artistic events: shows, performances, exhibitions, book launches and meetings with special guests. The director of the festival, Marina Constantinescu, has stated that the money collected during the festival will be donated to the Daruieste viata (Give Life) Association, for the building of the first hospital of pediatric oncology and radiotherapy in Romania. Bucharest is also playing host to the event titled Cannes Films in Bucharest, an opportunity for film goers to watch films awarded at the prestigious festival, but also films signed by Romanian directors.

INVICTUS – The Romanians who are participating in Sydney in the Invictus Games, the international adaptive multi-sport event, in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part, will start on Sunday the team competitions, said on Radio Romania Colonel Augustin Pegulescu, himself an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. The Romanian team is made up of 15 wounded soldiers, most of them participating for the second time in the Invictus Games. More than 500 soldiers from across the world have come to Sydeny to take part in the games, created by Prince Harry four years ago.