August 6, 2022
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 06.09.2022, 14:10
PARLIAMENT – The first meeting of the Special parliamentary committee for the assessment of legislative initiatives in the field of justice has been held today in the presence of Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu, who initiated the draft laws in question. Thus, under scrutiny are three projects tabled by the Government, namely the status of judges and prosecutors, judicial organisation and the Higher Council of Magistracy. The committee is made up of 25 deputies and senators who have 60 days to draw up reports on the legislative initiatives. The Chamber of Deputies’ Standing Bureau is analysing these projects under an emergency procedure, as they are one of the priorities of the ruling coalition during the current parliament session, alongside the education law.
EDUCATION — The new school year brings along many changes, and both students and teachers have to adjust to them fast. Instead of the two semesters so far, there will be five learning modules and theses will no longer be mandatory. These are only some of the changes introduced by the Minister of Education, Sorin Cîmpeanu, who says there will be many more to come, with the purpose of reforming the education system.
MOTION — The first simple motion in Parliamen’s new session will be debated later today and voted on Wednesday. The motion has been filed by USR, against the Liberal energy minister Virgil Popescu, whom the signatories blame for the very high gas and electricity bills. URS criticise the compensation scheme and the cap on the price of energy, which they say has generated panic among consumers and a number of important companies.
JUSTICE – The Bucharest Tribunal has sentenced the former treasurer of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Mircea Draghici to six years in prison, for embezzlement and for using to his own benefit the subsidies received by the party from the state. According to prosecutors, between April 2017 and May 2018 Draghici, who managed the funds and assets of PSD, used over 110 thousand euros from the party’s bank accounts to pay the transport and accommodation to exotic tourist spots for himself and for several other persons. Draghici had also been indicted for similar crimes and received a final sentence of five years behind bars. He is currently in prison.
DIPLOMACY – The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy has started today in Bucharest. This year’s theme is Romania’s diplomatic response to the changing geostrategic reality. The event convenes online the heads of Romania’s diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad. Attending the event in person will be the foreign minsters of Poland and Portugal. For three days, participants will discuss the global impact of the war in Ukraine and the importance of European and Euro-Atlantic solidarity.
LONDON — The new British PM, the conservative Liz Truss, is officially taking over her mandate today. She won most votes in the Conservative Party leadership contest, succeeding Boris Johnson who resigned in July. In a short victory speech on Monday Truss pledged action to tackle the crisis, promising a “bold plan” to cut taxes and build economic growth. She took over power at a difficult time, due to the multiple crises. Energy bills are expected to be three times higher than last winter, inflation reached 10% and Scotland wants a new referendum on independence. Opposition Labor Party leader, Keir Starmer, says that a new PM doe not mean a new beginning, adding that Truss seems more interested in cutting taxes for corporations and the rich than for low income families. (EE)
