December 22, 2024 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 22.12.2024, 19:00
Consultations – The future prime minister of Romania could be announced immediately after the voting of the speakers of the two chambers of Parliament, President Klaus Iohannis said on Sunday after consultations with the parliamentary parties. The representatives of the pro-European coalition made up of PSD, PNL, UDMR and the national minorities met for consultations and informed the president Klaus Iohannis that the negotiations to find a solid governing equation are heading towards completion. According to Radio Romania, the future prime minister is likely to be the same leader of PSD, Marcel Ciolacu, because the party he leads mandated him to present two work scenarios to President Klaus Iohannis. The first is with PSD in the government and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, and the second with the social democrats in opposition, but supporting in Parliament an executive made up of PNL-UDMR. The liberals did not have a proposal for the position of prime minister, but they supported the version presented by PSD. Separate consultations were held with the USR representatives while the sovereigntist parties – AUR, S.O.S. Romania and POT did not attend the consultations. Meanwhile, PSD, PNL, UDMR and the national minorities continue negotiations for the formation of a parliamentary majority and a government with full powers. Parliament scheduled for Monday the voting of the speakers of the two Chambers.
Revolution – The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Sunday sent, on the X network, a message on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution. “35 years ago, Romanians stood up for the right to choose their own destiny. Many gave their lives so that their children could be free and live in democracy’, the EC president wrote on X. In Bucharest continue the events dedicated to the anti-communist Revolution of December 1989. 35 years ago was Victory Day, a day when the Revolution spread throughout the country. Dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu fled by helicopter from the roof of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and people massively took to the streets and shouted “Freedom”. It was also the day after which the number of dead and wounded increased significantly. The heroes who fell in those days were also commemorated, on Sunday, at the Monument in front of the Concert Hall of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. 11 people lost their lives to defend the Public Radio, which, 35 years ago, was hit by gunfire. The public radio was one of the most important objectives of communist propaganda, and the revolutionaries taking control of it was the first step towards victory. Romania was the only communist country in Europe where the regime change resulted in bloodshed. Captured and summarily tried, Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, were shot dead on December 25.
Cyclone – The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced that nine Romanian citizens who were on the island of Mayotte following the passage of Cyclone Chido were evacuated on board an aircraft belonging to the French Air Force. The situation of the Romanian citizens came to the attention of the Consulate General of Romania in Paris a week ago, when the Cyclone hit the island, and permanent contact was maintained in order to identify a possibility for them to return to the country. The Foreign Ministry thanks the French authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, as well as the local authorities and the Prefecture of the Mayotte islands for the support and assistance given to Romanian citizens, in the difficult context caused by the extreme weather phenomena produced in the French overseas territory.
Parliament – The plenum of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies voted, on Sunday, on the makeup of the specialized commissions, as well as the representation of the parties in the respective commissions, depending on the political configuration of the Chamber. Thus, PSD will lead seven permanent commissions, AUR – four, PNL – four, USR – three, UDMR – three, and S.O.S. Romania and POT a commission each. The national minorities will also have the leadership of two permanent commissions. On Saturday, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies validated all the mandates of the new parliamentarians, after which they took the oath of allegiance. The negotiations regarding the formation of the new governing coalition have postponed the election of the speakers of the Senate and the Chamber, and, until a government formula is finalized, the Chamber of Deputies will be led on an interim basis by the social democrat Daniel Suciu, and the interim speaker of the Senate will be the liberal Mircea Abrudean. Also on Saturday, at the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, the parliamentary groups of the political parties that entered Parliament were formed. 465 parliamentarians, 331 deputies and 134 senators will be active in the new Legislature. Seven parties have representatives in the two Chambers, four pro-European parties – PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR -, and three sovereigntist parties – AUR, S.O.S. Romania and POT. The 19 national minorities also have representatives in Parliament. (LS)
