The Week in Review February 22-26
Click here for a roundup of the week's main stories.
România Internațional, 27.02.2016, 14:00
The National Anti-Corruption Directorate has presented its activity report for 2015
The battle against corruption must continue at full tilt in Romania and the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) should be a fierce player fighting against this plague that continues to scar our society, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday. The head of state attended, alongside PM Dacian Ciolos the presentation of the annual activity report of the DNA.
In her turn, the Directorates chief, Laura Codruta Kovesi has said that the institution must continue investigating corruption deeds and putting all efforts into this. The DNAs activity last year was marked by a series of ‘premieres for the Romanian justice system, such as the investigation and prosecution of a serving prime minister, Victor Ponta, the arrest of a Constitutional Court judge, Toni Grebla, and of the Bucharest mayor, Sorin Oprescu. 2015 also saw the biggest number of dignitaries put on trial. In another development, the Bucharest Senate green lighted last week the National Anti-Corruption Directorates request to initiate criminal proceedings against the former deputy PM and interior minister Gabriel Oprea. Anti-corruption prosecutors are currently investigating him for abuse of office in another file, involving also former Interior Ministry officials. The Social Democrat MP Madalin Voicu and one of his colleagues, Nicolae Paun, representing the Roma community in Parliament are also investigated by prosecutors, on suspicion of tax evasion, illegally obtaining and using European funds and money laundering. Another Parliament member, Liberal Senator Doina Tudor, was arrested in another corruption case where she is being accused of bribe taking.
2016 is an election year for Romania
An election year devoid of populism, a genuine concern for the citizens agenda, and working closely with the other state powers – this is what, at a domestic level, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis wants from Romanias Parliament. Addressing Parliament, Klaus Iohannis highlighted the following: “What I am proposing is a different election year, which should be neither populist, nor should it be a hopeless year for the great topics of public interest, but at the same time it should not be a year of risky measures either. According to the head of state, the high stakes of the year 2016 are regaining confidence in politics, the smooth running of democratic institutions and also further efforts in areas where Romania has made progress and won the respect of its foreign partners. In another development, Klaus Iohannis said at a Bucharest conference with representatives of the Romanian organisations abroad that the Romanian Diaspora is an engine for the countrys development and modernization.
The Romanian government wants to cut red tape in public administration
The Romanian government has this week launched a project meant to cut red tape, “The Paper Shredding Commission, as well as an online platform maisimplu.gov.ro, where citizens can share their experience in the relation with the authorities. And some Romanians have already done that, actually they did it shortly after the web page was launched. They point an incriminatory finger to the bulky documents one should provide to get a construction permit, to the taxes one should pay to get an ID, or to that fact that one should submit legalised copies of documents with unlimited validity, that are already in the system… Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has explained the main principles the new project to reduce red tape is based on:
“First of all, an institution should request a piece of information from a citizen only once, and afterwards, the information in the database should be used as many times as necessary. Secondly, we should make possible and put in place an electronic data transfer between institutions. Thirdly, we should replace legalised documents, where this is possible, with sworn statements, to avoid additional costs and red tape and to eliminate documents and procedures which are no longer justified and can be replaced by digital procedures.“
The line authorities have found the cause of the babies gastrointestinal illness outbreak
An aggressive strain of the E.Coli bacteria has caused the hemolytic-uremic syndrome in tens of babies in several southern Romanian counties. This is the conclusion drawn by the relevant authorities, which havent however tracked down the possible contamination causes. Team of sanitary-veterinary inspectors are collecting samples from shops, testing dairy products, meat, fruit and vegetables. The governments control body is also investigating whether medical protocols have been observed or not. In another move, President Klaus Iohannis has called for solutions, for Romania to have a more efficient and high performing healthcare system for its citizens. Upon the launch for public debate of a multi-annual integrated plan to promote health and health education, the head of state stood for adopting a correct lifestyle.
A complicated situation at the Romanian Television Company
This week, the Romanian Parliament, has debated, among others, the future of the public television station in Romania, which has accumulated huge losses. Some issues that have been mentioned during the talks were the possibility of amending the law, so that the Romanian Television Company can go into default of payment, or setting up a new structure, after the institutions bankruptcy is made public. The political leaders participating in the talks have disavowed the proposal on merging the public radio and television service providers, in the context in which the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation is functioning very well and is not facing financial problems.
(Translated by E. Enache and D. Vijeu)
