December 17, 2018
Opposition reads in Parliament censure motion against gov't; Timisoara mourns on 29th anniversary of Romanian Revolution
România Internațional, 17.12.2018, 13:33
BUCHAREST – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis sent on Monday a letter to the Prime Minister, Viorica Dancila requesting the working agenda of every government session, according to the Presidency. The request comes after Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said today that a draft emergency ordinance is being prepared to change the Penal Code and Penal Procedural Code. He said the ordinance would be in line with Constitutional Court decisions, expanding seizures of property to the Penal Code, and consolidating the presumption of innocence in criminal procedures. Toader added that amnesty and pardons are the only solution to right abuses. Social-Democrat leader Dragnea told his party’s National Committee Sunday that the ruling coalition has the obligation to pass the ordinance to fix alleged injustice. Recently, the Save Romania leader Dan Barna called on the head of state to take part in all government meetings in December in order to prevent the ordinance for amnesty and pardon from passing.
MOTION – The censure motion introduced by the Romanian opposition against the ruling coalition is being read today in Parliament. It is set to be debated and voted on Thursday. The document was introduced and signed by 163 MPs, mainly from the Liberal Party, and the Save Romania union, as well as independents. 233 votes are needed to bring down the government. Signatories claim that the executive is incapable of governing, and that repeated and frequent reshuffles prove that. They point out furthermore that inflation has reached 5%, living standards have fallen, and that too many young people leave the country. Liberal chairman Ludovic Orban called on Parliament to pass the motion. PM Viorica Dancila said she was not nervous about the motion because she trusts the majority coalition.
REVOLUTION – The city of Timisoara observes today a day of mourning on the 29th anniversary of the start of the Romanian revolution in 1989. Back then on this day the first victims of communist repression fell on the streets of the city, as they were rioting against the regime of Nicolae Ceausescu. Upon his orders, on December 17, 1989, security forces opened fire on protesters, leaving 58 dead, and hundreds injured.
FORUM – President Klaus Iohannis takes part on Monday and Tuesday in Vienna in the Europe- Africa high-level Forum. On Monday he attends the official dinner hosted by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for the delegates. On Tuesday the heads of state and government will hold their meeting, and President Iohannis is set to hold a speech. He will then go on to attend the forum proper, which is an attempt at long term consolidation of relations between the EU and Africa, emphasizing sustainable investments, creating jobs, and digital cooperation. The summit is attended by high-level officials from EU states, the African Union, European institutions and international financial institutions.
WEATHER – In Romania, poor weather left four hundred localities without power, stranding over 140,000 people. The blizzard caused authorities in several western and southern counties to cancel school on Monday and Tuesday. The bad weather blocked road, rail, and air travel, with heavy delays and many trains getting canceled. Road traffic continues to be difficult, but no roads have been closed. Air traffic was affected, mainly in Bucharest and Sibiu, where delays ran into the dozens of minutes. The port of Mangalia was closed due to high winds.
BUDAPEST – Thousands of people took part in Budapest, for the fourth time in a week, in a protest against proposed changes to labor and administration laws. Among other things, the new Labor Law allows employers to call on their employees to work 400 hours of overtime per year. Also, the government passed through Parliament a law that sets up new administrative courts, with jurisdiction over sensitive issues such as elections, public protests, and corruption.
