January 27, 2016
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Newsroom, 27.01.2016, 12:01
JUSTICE –The European Commission has today underlined, in the assessing report under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, that Romania has made progress in the judicial reform. The European Commission has words of appreciation for the institutions that fight against corruption, such as the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, and is critical of Parliament for putting brakes on the fight against corruption. The legislature is also being criticized for having issued negative opinions to requests coming from the judiciary, without however motivating them. Also, the report draws attention to the nominations that are being made at the top of the judicial system, which should be made based on a transparent procedure, to consolidate the independence of the judiciary. The Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, said it was encouraging to see that Romania further made reforms in 2015 and underlined that efforts should be intensified, with special emphasis on the prevention of corruption and ensuring the necessary conditions for judges to accomplish their mission appropriately. The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism is a process assessing the progress made by Romania in the judicial reform, and the fight against corruption and organised crime. It will further be active in 2016.
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL – Romania ranks 58th in Transparency Internationals 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. With 46 points, as compared to an average of 65.36 at EU level, Romania is among the EU member states with the lowest number of points, alongside Bulgaria, Greece and Italy. Ranking first, for the fourth year in a row, is Denmark, the country with the lowest perceived level of corruption the world over. North Korea and Somalia are at the bottom of the classification, with only 8 points. The points accumulated by a country/ territory show the perceived level of corruption on a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). 168 countries have been included in Transparency Internationals 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.
CORRUPTION – The leadership of the Romanian Senate is today discussing the National Anti-Corruption Directorates request to start prosecution against former Deputy Prime Minister and interior minister Gabriel Oprea. He faces two charges of abuse in office and of gaining undue benefits for himself or another person during his term in office. He has reportedly used human and material resources of the Romanian Interior Ministry to illegally benefit from police escort and motorcade while holding the internal affairs portfolio.
BAN ON SMOKING– The law banning smoking in public places in Romania observes the countrys Constitution, Romanias Constitution Court has today ruled. Thus, the court has rejected the notification on this issue submitted by several Senators from all political parties. Adopted in December, in a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, the law bans smoking in enclosed public places, be they at the workplace, playgrounds, healthcare units, education institutions, as well as child protection and welfare centres. At present 17 of the 28 EU member states impose a total ban on smoking in enclosed public places, on means of transportation and at the workplace.
HEALTHCARE – Romania is affected by obsolete medical assistance structures, the European Medical Systems Index shows. Last year, Romania went up three positions and is now on the 32nd place, with only 527 out of a total of 1,000 points. In one of the most important categories, “treatment result, Romania ranked at the bottom of the classification, alongside Macedonia. Bucharest also got a low number of points for other chapters such as infantile mortality rate, abortion rate and cancer survival rate. The report, drafted by a Swedish company also shows that Romania, just like Albania and Bulgaria, have a high and costly hospitalisation rate.
TENNIS-The pair made up of Romanian tennis player Horia Tecau and the American Coco Vandeweghe has qualified to mixed doubles semi-finals of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating the Americans Bob Bryan/ Bethanie Mattek-Sands, seeded 2nd in the competition. The Romanian-American pair will meet in the semi-finals the pair Andreja Klepac (Slovenia)/Treat Huey (the Philippines). In another move, the Czech Republic has announced that Petra Kvitova, WTAs no. 7 and best Czech tennis player will be the leader of the tennis team which will meet Romania in the first round of the Fed Cups World Group. The match is due in the Romanian western city of Cluj Napoca. Romania will not benefit from the expertise of its best player, Simona Halep, WTAs no.2, who is to have an operation on her nose.
(Translated by Diana Vijeu)
