March 16, 2017
Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu discusses EU fund absorption with PM Grindeanu
Newsroom, 16.03.2017, 13:47
EU FUNDS – The European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, is to discuss today with PM Sorin Grindeanu about the measures the Government of Romania should take immediately in order to recover the delays in absorbing the EU funds earmarked to the country for 2014-2020. This will also be the topic of meetings Corina Creţu will have today with other Cabinet members as well, and with the Mayor General of Bucharest, Gabriela Firea. The EU official has once again warned that, mid-way into the accessing period, the fund absorption rate is zero. She said Romania should hurry, because in the context of talks about the future of the EU, cohesion funds may be reduced in the future. On the other hand, Corina Creţu says that European Commission estimates indicate the spending rate for 2007 – 2013 is above 90%.
WORKER ABUSE – The Romanian minister for the diaspora, Andreea Pastarnac, is traveling today to Ragusa, in the south of Italy, an area where thousands of Romanian women work in forced labour conditions in Sicilian farms. Pastarnac is heading a governmental delegation that began a working visit to Italy on Wednesday, following reports on Romanian citizens subject to abuse in Sicily. So far, talks have been held with local authorities, experts, and regional officials. Emphasis has been laid on bilateral judicial cooperation, on securing equal opportunity to all EU citizens and on the provision of accurate information on the rights of workers employed in Italy. Up to 7,500 women, mostly Romanians, are subject to exploitation and abuse in farms in southern Italy, according to estimates made by the Italian police. The British weekly The Observer reported on Sunday that the abuse cases, including beatings, threats and rape, are hardly ever prosecuted and punished.
IMF TALKS – The Prime Minister of Romania Sorin Grindeanu has a meeting scheduled today with an IMF delegation present in Bucharest these days. He says investments are higher than last year, but better spending of EU funds is also very important. The head of the IMF mission in Romania, Reza Baqir, had a meeting on Wednesday with deputy PM Sevil Shhaideh and announced that conclusions regarding the economic policies discussed with the Romanian authorities will be presented at the end of the visit, on Friday. Also today, Sorin Grindeanu and the Finance Minister Viorel Stefan will look into plans to increase the salaries of local elected officials by 30%, and will analyse means to extend a ceiling on compulsory motor insurance policies.
POLICE PROTESTS – Romanian policemen are protesting in Bucharest today the Governments failure to implement a new resolution on pay raises in the field. They demand an increase in salaries, the elimination of wide pay gaps between police agents and officers, the calculation of bonuses based on the current national minimum wage instead of the 2009 level, as well as changes in regulations concerning the police force working and resting time. The National Police Agents Union also wants a delegation of the protesters to have a meeting with the Interior Minister, Carmen Dan, and present her each demand in part. The protests follow the presentation of the Interior Ministrys annual report, in which Minister Dan promised to increase police salaries.
DUTCH ELECTIONS – The Liberals, currently in power, have won Wednesdays Dutch parliamentary elections, with results showing that PM Mark Ruttes party gets 31 out of the 150 seats in Parliament. The far-right, anti-immigration party headed by Geert Wilders, a long-time favourite in polls, will control 19 seats, the same as the Christian-Democrats and the D66 party. According to analysts quoted by the Radio Romania correspondent in The Hague, the record-high turnout, standing at 81%, seems to have benefited the pro-EU parties, in an election closely watched by other European countries, such as France and Germany, which are also facing a rise in populism ahead of this years elections. Jean-Claude Juncker sees the outcome of the elections in The Netherlands as a victory for the European Union and a vote against extremism.
SPORTS – Romanias rugby team is preparing for Sundays home match against Georgia, the last in the current Rugby Europe Championship season. The game is viewed as a final of the competition, with Romania ranking second with 15 points and the Georgians topping the standings with 18 points. Performance in Rugby Europe Championship is also a qualification criterion for the 2019 World Cup. Meanwhile, in tennis, the Romanian-Dutch pair Horia Tecau / Jean-Julien Rojer failed to qualify into the semi-finals of the Indian Wells tournament in California. No Romanian players are left in the competition, after all 5 players in the singles were defeated. The best ranking Romanian player, Simona Halep, will go down one place in the ATP standings, to no. 5.
