January 4, 2017 UPDATE

Romanian Parliament gave the vote of confidence to the government formed by the Prime Minister designate, the Social Democrat Sorin Grindeanu, and to its governing program/ 10 children have died in Romania in a measles outbreak

Newsroom, 04.01.2017, 12:30

SWEARING IN — The Romanian Parliament on Wednesday granted the vote of confidence to the government formed by the Prime Minister designate, Social-Democrat Sorin Grindeanu, and its governing program, which was presented to the legislature. The 26 ministers proposed by the coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats had been previously heard by the relevant parliamentary committees. After the vote in Parliament, the members of the new cabinet were sworn in, with president Klaus Iohannis in attendance. Sevil Shhaideh, the first nomination made by the Social Democratic Party for the position of prime minister, who was rejected by president Klaus Iohannis, is now deputy prime minister and minister of Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds. Among others, the portfolios of the ministries of the Economy, Education, Health, Justice, Transports and the Interior will be held by representatives of the Social Democratic Party. In exchange, representatives of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats have received four portfolios in the new cabinet- the Foreign Ministry, the Relation with Parliament, Energy and the Environment. Daniel Constantin, the co-leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, has been proposed for the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Environment Minister.

MEASLES — The measles outbreak may be widening, according to experts with the main infectious disease hospital in Timisoara, in the west of Romania, the main city in the region with the most cases. According to them, 124 children have been stricken by the disease. In the first three days of the year alone, 30 patients were admitted into hospital for the disease, the youngest being six weeks old. The epidemic broke out in Romania in the autumn, with 10 confirmed deaths and over 2,000 infections throughout the country. According to the Ministry of Health, the main reason for the outbreak is the parents’ refusal to vaccinate their children, which physicians warn is hazardous.

MINING — The miners in Lupeni, in Romanias coal country, have gone on a spontaneous protest against the economic situation of their employer, the Hunedoara Energy Complex. The protesters claim that they work for low wages only four days a week. The complex, which employs 5,200 people, has filed for insolvency proceedings, and awaits a court decision, which is the only way it can continue work.

TURKEY — The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said the authorities have identified the perpetrator in the attack that left 39 dead on New Years Eve in Istanbul, without providing details. Turkish media alleged on Wednesday that he is from a Central Asian country. 16 people, including the wife of the attacker, have been detained. The attack occurred as Turkish forces are attempting to retake the northern Syrian city of Al-Bab, a stronghold of the so-called Islamic State, where Ankara leads an offensive against Jihadists, as well as Kurdish militias.

EU PRESIDENCY — This year, Malta takes over the rotating presidency of the EU. Over the next six months, the new team will have to grapple with major issues such as migration, security, and social inclusion, as well as the expected Brexit crisis. Malta joined the EU in 2004, and is right in the path of refugees trying to reach Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.

TENNIS — Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, right now ranking fourth in the world, has been defeated by Czech player Katerina Siniakova, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, in the eighth finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen, China, with 625,000 dollars in prize money. Romania has no other representative in the competition after Sorana Carstea was defeated by Polish player Agnieszka Radwanska and Monica Niculescu, lost to Wang Qiang. In the womens doubles, the Romanian-Ukrainian pair Raluca Olaru- Olga Savchuk will be playing in the quarterfinals against the Chinese pair Chen Liang- Jing Jing Lu. We recall that Simona Halep was the winner of the Shenzhen tournament in 2015. (Translated by C. Cotoiu and D. Vijeu)