THE WEEK IN REVIEW
The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, visits Azerbaijan
Leyla Cheamil, 03.02.2023, 17:37
Romania and Azerbaijan agreed, during the talks held in Baku by the Presidents Klaus Iohannis and Ilham Aliyev, the development of bilateral cooperation in areas such as energy, trade, transport, investments, digitization, agriculture, education and culture. The Romanian head of state thanked his Azerbaijani counterpart for starting the export of additional gas to Romania as of January 1. Romania will continue to import natural gas from Azerbaijan, a new contract being signed in Baku on Friday. Klaus Iohannis stated that both the southern gas corridor and the future underwater cable for transporting electricity produced in Azerbaijan, from renewable sources, projects also supported by the European Commission, will significantly contribute to ensuring the energy security of the European Union as a whole. Klaus Iohannis also said that Romania and Azerbaijan would continue to work to expand cooperation and strategic initiatives between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. In turn, the president of Azerbaijan said that the political dialogue between the two countries was very dynamic, recording very good results in the economic field as well.
New trade union protests in Romania
Employees from the education system took to the streets to once again draw attention to their demands. Education trade union federations picketed the Government headquarters on Wednesday to demand decent salaries, especially for the non-teaching staff. According to the representatives of the trade union organizations, the non-teaching staff is the only category of public employees whose salaries did not reach, even in 2023, the basic level provided by law. The basic salaries of the non-teaching staff range between 1,800 and 2,300 lei, and the increase in the inflation rate, which was 16.4% in December 2022, together with the increase in the prices of basic products and utilities, led to an increased degree of impoverishment. The trade unionists say that the teachers’ salaries are also subpar, and require the adoption of a law that would reposition the education employees in the hierarchy of public system positions in relation to the level of professional qualification, and the importance that society should give to education. The Sanitas Federation has announced that, on February 6, it will begin picketing the Government headquarters, for at least a week. The trade unionists are asking for inflation to be compensated for by increasing the incomes of all employees by at least 15% as of February 1, and consulting the unions in relation to the development of the future salary law, so as to eliminate the existing discriminatory differences between doctors, nurses and orderlies, or the reduction of incomes.
NAD opens investigation into possible corruption during the pandemic
The National Anti-corruption Directorate in Romania opened an investigation into possible corruption during the pandemic. Among the targets are Victor Piturca, former head of selection for the national soccer team, and Gabriel Tutu, the head of Romarm, the main company that produces and exports military gear. The two were detained for 24 hours by anti-corruption prosecutors in a case regarding the acquisition of non-standard medical masks delivered to Defense Ministry hospitals during the pandemic. According to judicial sources, the company that delivered the masks belonged to Alex Piturca, son of Victor Piturca, who is alleged to have used his influence to facilitate access to contracts. NAD prosecutors also allege that the head of Romarm facilitated the purchase of non-standard protection materials and equipment for making masks, and asked the companies involved for 40% of the profit. As a soccer player, Victor Piturca was part of Steaua Bucharest, the team that won the European Champions Cup in 1986. As a coach, the national team he trained won two qualifications to the final tournaments of the continental championships.
Romanian Parliament resumes activity this week
The Romanian Parliament this week started a new session. Among its priorities are employment pensions, which are not supposed to go over the wages during work years, and proposals to modify the laws of education, on which the governing coalition has not yet managed to reach a consensus. The law governing pre-university and higher education is still under analysis by experts from the three coalition parties. Other topics are a possible consolidation of voting rounds next year, and a possible government reshuffling, with a rotation of premiers. According to a protocol of the PSD-PNL-UDMR coalition, this rotation is set for late May, when Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu is supposed to replace Liberal Nicolae Ciuca as headd of the executive. In turn, Nicolae Ciuca is supposed to take over as speaker of the Senate, which is now held as an interim position by his party colleague, Alina Gorghiu. The Liberals insist on a strict observance of the protocol. The Social Democrats would like to hold on to the ministry portfolios where they claim they had good performance.
Romania started distributing energy bank cards for vulnerable persons
Energy bank cards for vulnerable persons started being distributed on Wednesday by the government in Bucharest, which had decided to provide this year aid worth 1,400 RON to people who have a hard time paying their electricity and heating bills. Overall, 4 million Romanians with monthly income below 2,000 lei will get cards that will help them afford their gas and power bills, central heating bills, gas tanks, firewood, stove oil, and other materials used for home heating.
