October 4, 2017 UPDATE
Click here for a round-up of domestic and international news
Florentin Căpitănescu, 04.10.2017, 19:30
UNIONS – Some 6,000 people protested on Wednesday before the government building, taking part in a rally organised by one of the largest trade union confederations in Romania, Cartel Alfa. A delegation of the trade unionists held a first round of talks with PM Mihai Tudose and Labour minister, Lia Olguta Vasilescu. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for Friday. The unionists main reason for discontent has to do with the transfer of social security payments from employers to employees. On the other hand, they demand a restart of negotiations and the closing of collective bargaining agreements at all levels. Unionists are also unhappy with the Law on public sector salaries and the Social Dialogue Act. According to Cartel Alfa, some 10,000 people are to take part in the rally. During September 25 to 29, similar protests were held in several other Romanian cities.
BANKS – The 3-month ROBOR index, based on which most interest rates on loans in the national currency are calculated, on Wednesday stood at 1.79%, as compared to 1.8% on Tuesday, data made available by the National Bank of Romania show. Earlier, the central bank moved in the interbank market and lent a rough 2 billion euros to commercial banks, at 1.75% interest. The central bank did this after on Tuesday the 3-month Robor index, had gone up for the 15th consecutive day, to 1.8%, the highest level since November 2014.
PARLIAMENT – The Chamber of Deputies in the Parliament of Romania on Wednesday rejected the simple motion tabled by the National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union, in opposition, on the subject of transport infrastructure. Entitled “Romanias transport infrastructure is controlled by Social Democratic Party interests. Disillusion, demagogy and discouragement, the motion was aimed at dismissing Minister Razvan Cuc, accused of faulty management and lack of professionalism, as well as of blocking several major infrastructure projects. Minister Cuc said the motion had no real grounds and any consistency, being just a series of personals opinions expressed by people who, when going to power, were unable or unwilling to contribute anything to the development of such a key domain as transport. Also on Wednesday, the National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union tabled a simple motion against health minister, Florian Bodog. Among others, the signatories accuse Bodog of incompetence in managing the vaccine crisis.
DEFENCE – Romanian defence minister, Mihai Fifor, on Wednesday announced that the draft law on purchasing the first Patriot system will be submitted to Parliament within two weeks. Romania will purchase from the US an overall number of seven Patriot systems, equipped with state of the art radars. Minister Fifor has recalled that some 40% of the defence budget is earmarked for endowment programs.
NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY– The Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to biophysicists Jacques Dubochet of Switzerland, Joachim Frank of the US and Richard Henderson of Great Britain for developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution. Cryo-electron microscopy is a method which allows scientists to visualize proteins and other biological molecules at the atomic level. To see the structure of molecules at ultra-high resolution, scientists must hold molecules in place in their natural configuration, other microscopic techniques being considered far more rigid. According to tradition, the Nobel Prizes are awarded during a special ceremony on December 10, to commemorate the death of Alfred Nobel.
SPAIN – The first vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans said on Wednesday in a plenary session of the European Parliament that its high time for dialogue, but with the observance of the Spanish constitution, in order to solve the severe political crisis in Catalonia. He said he was saddened by the violence in Catalonia and reiterated the European Commissions stand that this was a Spanish domestic issue. The head of Catalonias Government, the secessionist Carles Puigdemont, said the region would proclaim its independence within days. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Spain, King Felipe has given the okay for suspending Catalan autonomy. He accused the authorities in Barcelona of lack of loyalty, and reiterated that Sundays vote was illegal.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep (no.2 WTA) on Wednesday managed a major victory against the Russian Maria Sharapova (no.104 WTA), 6-2, 6-2, in the eighth-finals of the Beijing tournament, which has 6.4 million US dollars in total prize money. This is Simonas first win against Sharapova in 8 matches. Now, Simona Halep has a new chance to become no.1 in the world, overtaking Spains Garbiñe Muguruza, who withdrew from the tournament in the first round. Also on Wednesday, in the 16th-finals, another Romanian player, Monica Niculescu (no.65 WTA) has been defeated by the Chinese Shuai Peng (no.25 WTA), 6-3, 6-2. The third Romanian player in this tournament, Sorana Cirstea (no.44 WTA), is playing on Thursday, also in the eighth-finals, against the Czech player Karolina Pliskova (no.4 WTA).
