June 8, 2016 UPDATE
PM Ciolos on official visit to France Thursday and Friday; new bill on public sector salaries passed
Newsroom, 08.06.2016, 00:05
Official visit – The Prime Minister of Romania, Dacian Ciolos, will be on an official visit to France on Thursday and Friday. According to a Government news release, on Thursday the Romanian PM will address the Council of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. On Friday Ciolos is to meet his French counterpart, Manuel Valls, and sign an updated roadmap for the Romanian-French strategic partnership, and he will also be received by the President of France François Hollande. Ciolos and Hollande will attend together on Friday night in Paris the football match between France and Romania, which opens the 2016 European Championship.
Parliament – The Chamber of Deputies Wednesday endorsed a simple motion against the Agriculture Minister Achim Irimescu tabled by the leftist Social Democratic Party and the right-of-centre Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The Deputies made this decision with 189 votes in favour and 11 against, while 89 MPs abstained from voting. According to the authors, the document penalises, among other things, the failure to pay farmers subsidies and to use EU funds and the flawed management of the Ministry and the subordinated units. The motion was discussed in the Chamber of Deputies 3 weeks ago, in the presence of Minister Irimescu, who said he had nothing to feel guilty about.
Salaries – The Government of Romania Wednesday passed a draft bill on salaries in the public sector for 2016. The bill is designed to address dysfunctions and inequities in the system, by introducing a bonus system based on performance criteria and working on the principle of equal pay for equal jobs and seniority. The Labour Minister, Dragoş Pîslaru, said that 50% of the benefits in the new system will be available as of August, and the entire system will be applicable starting the end of 2017. The draft bill will be submitted to Parliament for discussion and approval, and the law is to take effect in September.
Medal – The Romanian National Anti-Corruption Directorates Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kövesi has been awarded the French highest civilian decoration, that of Knight of the Legion of Honour. It was awarded by the French Ambassador to Bucharest, François Saint Paul. At the award ceremony, the French Ambassador highlighted the fact that the Romanian anti-corruption agencys results were outstanding. In confirmation of that came a European Union report, ranking the National Anti-Corruption Directorate among Europes top five such institutions. The French Ambassador went on to say the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate was an epitome of professionalism, integrity and probity. In turn, Laura Codruta Kovesi stated that the fight against corruption was central to safeguarding the rule of law in Romania.
