The Week in Review (19-25 March)

A look at the main stories in Romania this week.

Mihai Pelin, 25.03.2017, 13:53

Two Romanians are among the victims of Wednesday’s terror attack in
London

Two Romanians are among the victims of the terror attack in London on
Wednesday. The attack has been firmly condemned by political leaders all over
the world, from the US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel to French President Francois Hollande and the European Council President
Donald Tusk. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has also condemned the attack
and voiced solidarity with Britain in a telephone conversation with the British
Prime Minister, Theresa May. The British police, that have arrested several
suspects, said the attacker, Khalid Masood, aged 52, was born in Britain and
became a supporter of radical Islam. Before being shot dead by the police,
Masood had driven his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge and stabbed to
death a police officer guarding the House of Parliament. The Islamic State has
claimed the attack. Prime Minister Theresa May has said that Britain’s
terrorist threat level has been set at severe.

Romania’s
legal system under the spotlight in Strasbourg and Brussels

Romania needs to revise legislation on granting immunity and raise
transparency in terms of public procurement for a better fight against
government corruption, the chief of the country’s anti-corruption directorate
(the DNA) Laura Codruta Kovesi said during a European Commission’s anti-graft
conference in Strasbourg. The Romanian official went on to explain that the
ministers’ immunity must be limited to the time of their term in office, so
that investigations on corruption allegations should continue. Kovesi gave the
example of a minister suspected of having received almost 45 thousand euros to
favour the granting of contracts to certain companies, but prosecutors had to
drop the investigation after Parliament in Bucharest had turned down a request
for lifting the respective minister’s immunity. In another development, also
this week the European Parliament held debates on democracy and justice in
Romania. The conference was also attended by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader on
behalf of the government in Bucharest, and by members of the civil society. The
talks in Brussels came after the leftist government in Bucharest had tried to
amend criminal legislation, partially decriminalising some offences that might
benefit corrupt politicians. The move triggered the biggest protests Romania
has seen since the fall of the communist regime in December 1989.

The governments of Bucharest and Chisinau meet for joint session

The governments of Romania and the Republic of
Moldova convened on Thursday in Piatra Neamt, northeastern Romania, for their
third joint session. Prime Minister Grindeanu said that Bucharest would
continue to support Chisinau’s bid for the EU and that Romania wanted to get
involved in the privatisation of state-owned companies in the Republic of
Moldova. His counterpart from Chisinau, the pro-Western Pavel Filip gave
assurances the Republic of Moldova is looking towards the West and that the
country would continue to apply the Association Agreement with the EU and the
reforms started. The talks between the two officials came after last week in
Moscow the pro-Russian socialist Igor Dodon had reiterated his intention to
denounce the association and free-trade agreements with the EU and deepen the
relations with the Eurasian Economic Union. Dodon also mentioned the
federalisation of the Republic of Moldova as a possible solution to the
conflict in the pro-Russia breakaway region of Transdniester.

Romania’s Higher Defence Council approves army equipping programme

Romania’s Higher Defence Council has approved the mandate under which
the Romanian delegation will participate in the NATO summit in Brussels in late
May. An updated form of the programme of equipping and streamlining the
Romanian army has also been approved. The programme is focusing on the
streamlining, developing and properly equipping the armed forces by 2026. The
decision came after 2% of the GDP had been earmarked for the armed forces this
year. In another development, the US ambassador in Bucharest Hans Klemm has
announced that Romania will be hosting a large-scale military drill in July
this year. The event is expected to bring together roughly 30 thousand troops
from NATO countries. Klemm went on to say that on the bilateral level as well
as inside the alliance, the relations between the Romanian military and their
counterparts are very good.

Railway and police employees stage protests

Railroad traffic returned to normal in Romania after
the unofficial strike on Wednesday when railway workers had brought over 150
trains to a halt. Following talks with the employer, trade unions got the
promise of higher pays for the employees after the signing of a new collective
labour agreement in April. The company’s salary funds are likely to increase by
more than 17% whereas the company’s infrastructure section is to see a raise of
22%. Police employees also went on a strike and picketed the Labour Ministry.
Following talks with the authorities they obtained pay rises, so police
employees with the lowest salary of 320 euros will get more money once the new
law on unitary payment comes into effect on July 1st. Trade unions
say that field agents and officers are to get pay raises of more than 100% in
the next 4 years.