February 21, 2018

Simple motion against Labour Minister, rejected by MPs

Newsroom, 21.02.2018, 13:43

MOTION – The simple motion against Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu, tabled by the National Liberal Party and debated upon in the Chamber of Deputies on Monday, has been rejected today by the Romanian MPs, with 157 votes against, 96 in favor and 16 abstentions. The signatories of the document, 60 Liberal MPs, have said that the transfer of social insurance contributions from employers to employees, starting January 1st, has resulted in pay cuts for around 2 million Romanians and that through the laws that she endorsed, Lia Olguta Vasilescu has created chaos in the public and private sectors. In turn, the Labour Minister has said that salaries cannot go down if the employer transfers the total expense with an employee to the latter’s gross salary, in keeping with the new salary law.

PROTESTS — Romanian trade unions in education are today protesting in the street against a series of fiscal measures which they say cause thousands of employees in the education system lose important amounts from their salaries. Unionists also demand the renegotiation of the public system salary law saying it has created discrimination between employees. They also want the pension law to be revised, so that the teaching staff can retire three years before the standard age. Protest actions are also scheduled for tomorrow.

VISIT — Romanian PM Viorica Dancila is today having a meeting with the European Commission President, Jean Claude Junker. This is the first official visit abroad of Romania’s new PM, Viorica Dancila. On Tuesday the Romanian PM held talks with the head of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani and with the European Council President Donald Tusk, on the EU Council presidency that Romania is taking over starting January 1st, 2019. Dancila has reaffirmed Romania’s firm support for the consolidation of the European project. In turn, Antonio Tanjani has again called on the Romanian Government to continue the battle against corruption, for the consolidation of the rule of law.

COURT — Romania’s Constitutional Court is today discussing several complaints submitted by the Save Romania Union (USR) about the revision in Parliament of the justice laws. The right-of-center Save Romania Union, in opposition, has signalled the unconstitutionality of some of the provisions of the law on the organisation and functioning of the Higher Council of Magistracy, the status of djudges and prosecutors and the law on the judicial organisation. According to the Save Romania Union, the three laws endorsed by Parliament undermine the independence of magistrates. The political power in Bucharest however, argues that the revision of the justice laws was needed, given that they have not been revised in over ten years. On the other hand, the political opposition, a part of the civil sociaty and the magistrates’ professional organisations are contesting the modifications, saying they only serve the vested inerests of some politicians and business people.

MOLDOVA — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is today meeting with the Moldovan deputy prime minister for European Integration, Iurie Leanca, who pays an official visit to Bucharest. On Tuesday, Leanca discussed with the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu about the importance of keeping Moldova on the European agenda. Minister Melescanu reiterated Romania’s support for Moldova’s EU integration. Previously, Iurie Leanca met with the Romanian minister-delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu. The latter said that the strategic goal of the cooperation between Bucharest and Chisinau is Moldova’s EU integration.

RROMA — Romania must speed up its efforts to combat discrimination, especially against the Rroma, and to protect all national minorities in a series of domains, according to a report of the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. In the document, the Committee acknowledges the efforts of the Romanian authorities to promote the minorities’ culture and education, and guarantee the representation of national minorities in Parliament. However, the country should create a solid and coherent legal framework for the protection of minorities’ rights, given that the current legislation is confusing and makes room for contradictory interpretation, the report also says. (Translated by Elena Enache)