The Week in Review: November 27-December 3, 2016

A look at the events in Romania this past week:

Roxana Vasile, 03.12.2016, 14:00

December 1, the National Day of Romania

Spectacular military parades were held on the 1st of December to celebrate Romanias National Day. The authorities also staged concerts, festivities, fireworks shows. The biggest parade was held in Bucharest and involved 3,000 military and experts from the defence and interior ministries and the Romanian Intelligence Service and hundreds of pieces of equipment and tens of planes, including the famous F-16 multi-role aircraft, the latest purchase by the Romanian Air Forces. Military detachments from Germany, the UK, Italy and Slovakia took part in the parade for the first time. Military from the Republic of Moldova, Poland, the US and Spain also took part in the festivities.

At the reception given on the occasion, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis said: “I would like to convey Romanians a personal message: never doubt yourselves and Romania, dont let anyone question the values of our people, have faith in your strength and greatness. I believe that looking back at the past century we have a lot to be proud of and acknowledge our fulfilment as a nation.

Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said 1st of December 1918 is a miracle of history behind which there are people who could dream and tenaciously fought for the ideal of the Union.

We recall that 98 years ago, in Alba Iulia, central Romania, representatives of the Romanians in Transylvania, Crisana, Maramures and Banat decided the union with the mother country of those provinces, owned, until then, by the Austrian – Hungarian empire. The decision marked the finalisation, at the end of WWI, of the setting up of the Romanian national unitary state, with all the provinces inhabited by predominantly Romanian-speaking populations getting under the authority of Bucharest.

On December 1, the Romanians also received congratulations on behalf of the American people from President Barack Obama. The authorities in Washington emphasised that the USs Strategic Partnership with Romania is very important and that Bucharest remains a reliable partner within NATO, which plays a significant contribution to international peace and security.

Decisions made by the Supreme Defence Council

Romanias Supreme Defence Council adopted on Tuesday the strategy on the relations with the neighbouring Republic of Moldova.

President Klaus Iohannis said: “ Our strategic objective is the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, by supporting its clear and irreversible orientation towards the EU and Chisinaus connection with the European institutions and true democracies, a process in which Romania can and should play the leading role.

Also, the Supreme Defence Council decided to upsize by 500 the contingent of soldiers that are to be sent on missions abroad next year. The Defence Ministry will thus deploy 1,688 soldiers abroad, and the Interior Ministry will participate with 1,527 gendarmes and police officers.

Decisions regarding the unitary pay system in Romania

This week, the Romanian Government has drafted the bill on a unitary pay system in Romania. The government has proposed a gradual increase in the state employees salaries in the coming fiver years, as of mid next year. Employees with a special status, police and military staff would benefit from the highest rises, and in some cases their salaries will be up to 65% higher. Employees in the health-care system, education and welfare will also have higher salaries. According to a document submitted to trade unions for consultations, the minimum monthly salary would reach, incrementally, the level of 1,625 lei, as compared to 1,250 as it is today.

Corruption and Confiscation

Early in the week, the former secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, and later co-president of the Liberal Party, Senator Vasile Blaga, was sent to court for influence peddling. Also, the Chamber of Deputies should have voted on the lifting of Eugen Bejinarius immunity, for the National Anticorruption Directorate to be able to start his prosecution. A former secretary general in the Social-Democratic Government, between 2003-2004, deputy Bejinariu is accused of aggravated abuse of office. However, the voting did not take place, for lack of quorum, so the deputies will try to reach a decision on the matter next week. In parallel with the offensive against top-level corruption, its important for authorities to recover the losses and confiscate the assets obtained as a result of acts of corruption. According to the Justice Minister Raluca Pruna, by the end of October the state had confiscated assets worth some 4 million Euros. The money will benefit several ministries and NGOs.

Romania in December

It has become tradition for December 1st to be the day when public Christmas lights are switched on in Bucharest. All throughout the month of December Bucharesters and visitors can enjoy the over 3 million light bulbs lighting the capitals streets. Also, locals and visitors can admire the 25 m high Christmas tree, also lit by thousands of bulbs, placed right in the centre of the Christmas Fair organised near the Parliament Palace, the second largest administrative building in the world, after the Pentagon. The fair is hosting over 100 cottages, Santas cottage, an ice-skating rink, a carousel, traditional food and many gifts, as well as lots of shows. As part of the campaign titled “You can be Santa, too, people can donate toys and books for poor children. Season events will be held in December all through the capital but also in other towns and cities across Romania. (Translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)