September 22, 2014 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 22.09.2014, 20:10
Romania’s Parliament on Monday rejected a censure motion tabled by the Christian-Liberal Alliance from the center-right opposition against the coalition government led by Social-Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta. The signatories of the document were blaming the government for its decisions in the past months, which they said were meant to rig the presidential election in November. The opposition has particularly mentioned a government ordinance allowing local election winners to change the party within 45 days without losing their mandate. Since the ordinance was passed numerous opposition mayors have joined the ruling coalition, particularly the Social Democratic Party.
Social-Democrat MEP Corina Cretu, who was nominated for European Regional Policy Commissioner on Monday said her role would be that of an ambassador of regional policy in relation to the EU member states, regions, civil society and local communities. After her hearing in the Romanian Parliament’s committees on European Affairs, Mrs Cretu said that all the EU countries would benefit from the same treatment when it comes to being granted European funds for development. Corina Cretu was proposed by the Romanian government for the new community executive led by Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg, due to take over responsibilities on November 1st. With a 350 billion euro budget for the 2014-2020 period, the regional policy is a portfolio focusing on investment, creating fresh jobs, on competitiveness, improving standards of living and sustainable development.
Tuesday is the last day to join the presidential election race in Romania, when candidates can make public their candidacies at the Central Election Bureau. Seven persons have so far announced their participation in the presidential race: Social Democrat leader Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Liberal leader Klaus Iohannis running for the opposition Christian-Liberal Alliance and Ponta’s main contender, Romania’s former justice minister, MEP Monica Macovei, running as an independent. The other four candidates are, Kelemen Hunor, from the co-ruling Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, the president of the Romanian Senate Calin-Popescu Tariceanu, who also runs as an independent, Elena Udrea, president of the pro-presidential People’s Movement and the populist People’s Party leader, Dan Diaconescu. The first election round is due on November 2nd and the second on November 16th.
Romanian president Traian Basescu on Monday wrote to the presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Calin Popescu Tariceanu and Valeriu Zgonea respectively asking them to take notice of the resignation of Teodor Melescanu from the position of director of the Romanian Foreign Intelligence Service and declare the position vacant. On Friday Melescanu was asked if he intended to run for president and said he would give an answer at the beginning of this week. According to the Central Election Bureau, the Social Justice Party, made up of civil NGOs announced it would forward Teodor Melescanu’s candidacy for the presidential seat in November.
