July 14, 2020 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news.

Newsroom, 14.07.2020, 19:02

MESSAGE – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday criticized the Senate’s delay in passing the Liberal Government’s draft law on quarantine and isolation. Iohannis called on the Social Democratic Party, in opposition, that leads the two parliament chambers and has the biggest parliamentary groups, to stop delaying the adoption of the law. The Social Democrats argue that the document leaves room for abuse while the Liberals say that not passing the law soon would result in a dramatic spread of the virus. The law was tabled after the Constitutional Court had decided that home isolation and quarantine could not be imposed based only on a minister’s order, as it was the case at the time, even if the targeted people are infected with the novel coronavirus. Constitutional Court judges have said that the restrictive measures must be decided based on a law that should clearly regulate them.

LAW – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted on Tuesday a citizens’ initiative to change the Constitution and ban convicted people from holding public office. Once adopted, a referendum must be held, the validation of which requires a minimum voter turnout and a majority of votes in favor.

GROWTH – Data provided by the National Institute of Statistics shows the start of economic growth in Romania, Economy Minister Florin Citu said on Tuesaday. He also said that the recovery started quicker than expected and pleaded for a further massive allocation of budget resources towards investment. Romania is among the EU countries with the strongest advance of industrial production in the month of May as compared with April, being on 5th place after Italy, France, Slovakia and Hungary.

PLAGIARISM – The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest on Tuesday dismissed the request of former Social Democrat PM Victor Ponta, leader of Pro Romania party at present, to annul the education minister’s order from 2016, through which his doctor in law titled was withdrawn due to plagiarism. The National Council for Attesting University Titles, Diplomas, and Certificates found in late-June 2016 that the plagiarism allegations against the former PM were justified and asked the education minister to withdraw Ponta’s doctor degree. Ponta opened two court cases requesting the annulment of the minister’s order, but they have both been dismissed.

JULY 14 – The National Day of France was celebrated on Tuesday. In Paris, instead of the traditional military parade, an air show was staged, in addition to a march of land troops without public participation and with a limited list of attending officials and guests. The National day of France was also celebrated at the country’s embassy in Bucharest, through a symbolic ceremony, in keeping with the state of alert in place in Romania and the restrictions in force. Attending the ceremony, President Klaus Iohannis talked about the common history and cultural affinities of the two countries. In his opinion, the Romanian-French ties are also stimulated by the bilateral strategic partnership. In his turn, PM Ludovic Orban underlined the strong ties between Romania and France and said he supported the consolidation of the strategic partnership in all its sectors. In her turn, the French Ambassador to Bucharest, Michele Ramis, said that the priority of both the Romanian and French governments is reconstruction. She also said that, in dealing with the crisis triggered by the pandemic, the member states are waiting for an ambitious and joint answer from the EU and for an economic recovery plan able to cope with the challenges..

CORONAVIRUS – Another 637 new infections were reported on Tuesday by the Group for Strategic Communication, taking the total number of coronavirus infections to 33,585. Some 234 patients are in intensive care while 23,798 people have recovered. As many as 30 people have died in the last 24 hours to COVID-19, taking the death toll to 1,931. Health Minister Nelu Tataru said extending the state of alert beyond July 15 is very possible, adding that, should the legislation allow it, the authorities might place certain areas of the country in quarantine.

INFECTION – The Romanian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced that 28 Romanian citizens working at a farm in the UK tested positive to coronavirus and that Romania’s Embassy in London has taken steps to find out more about their identity and their health condition. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, around 100 Romanian citizens are currently working on the farm in the UK.

MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Tuesday passed a simple motion against Liberal Development Minister Ion Stefan, whom the Social-Democrat opposition accuses of incompetence and forgery of public deeds. The Social-Democrats have pointed to integrity issues related to Stefans financial statements and his controversial cuts in the Development Ministrys anticorruption personnel and resources. In turn, Minister Stefan says the motion is libelous and insulting. The vote is scheduled for next week. Parliament has previously passed other simple motions against Liberal ministers, which bear no effects in their dismissal from office.

(Translated by Elena Enache)