November 15, 2017

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Newsroom, 15.11.2017, 13:38

CVM — The European Commission today released its latest report on Romania’s progress as regards its reforms of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, two aspects monitored under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, set up in 2007, the year of Romania’s EU accession. According to this report, Romania has reported some progress in such fields as investigating conflicts of interest in the field of public procurement, although reform momentum in the course of 2017 was lost overall, slowing down the fulfillment of the remaining recommendations the Commission set out for Romania to address the unresolved identified shortcomings. Thus Romania runs the risk of re-opening issues which the January 2017 report had considered as fulfilled. Challenges to and questioning judicial independence have also been a persistent source of concern, the report also reads. I count on the Romanian Government to pursue the necessary reforms, and to avoid backtracking, so that we can work together towards the goal of ending the CVM under this Commissions mandate, European Vice-President Frans Timmermans said. President Klaus Iohannis today said the report represents a serious warning for the current ruling coalition to consider, adding that Romania’s sustained efforts to strengthen reforms in the field of the judiciary and combat corruption might be endangered by the actions of a group of politicians who refuse to accept that their duty is to serve citizens, not personal or partisan interests. In turn, Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader believes the report highlights significant progress, and that the country can fulfill its objective to have the CVM lifted over the coming year. The Commission’s next report will be at the end of 2018.

COMMEMORATION — The city of Brasov in central Romania today marks 30 years since the workers’ anti-communist uprising. The employees of a factory at the time protested against the leadership, chanting slogans against dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The state police repressed the uprising violently. Hundreds were arrested over the coming days, many of whom never returned to the city. The Prosecutor’s Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice announced the start of a new investigation into the violence that stifled the workers’ anti-communist uprising. Classified as part of the “communist-era crimes” ongoing investigation, the prosecutors’ efforts will focus on crimes against humanity, perpetrated by those who systematically repressed the groups of protesters.

BUDGET ADJUSTMENT — The Government is today discussing the second budget adjustment this year. According to the Finance Ministry, the adjustment will be positive and based on an economic growth that exceeded the original forecast. Additional funds will be made available to cover salaries in the primary education sector and for the child protection system. The Labour Ministry will also get additional funds for payments to disabled people and for covering child-rearing benefits. The Interior Ministry will get funds to pay the law-enforcement pensions, while the Health Ministry will be able to pay the salaries of resident medical officers. The Ministries of Culture, the Environment, Regional Development, European Funds and the Finance Ministry will see their budgets slashed. In another development, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose is attending a meeting with the leaders of one of the biggest trade confederations in Romania, CNSLR Frăţia, which has warned it would stage an all-out strike if net salaries will go down as a result of the newly adopted Fiscal Code. Prime Minister Tudose has repeatedly said the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees, stipulated in the Government’s emergency decree, will not lead to income cuts.

THE VATICAN — Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu on Tuesday had talks with Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States with the Holy Sees Secretariat of State. In 2017 Romania and the Vatican mark 90 years since the two states signed the Concordat and 80 years since the setup of the PIO Romeno College. The two officials looked at the best ways to diversify bilateral relations and boost top-level dialogue. The two officials also discussed the forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to Romania. Teodor Melescanu expressed Romania’s deep gratitude towards the Catholic Church for hosting several communities of Orthodox or Catholic Romanians in Western Europe, as well as for the Holy See’s special support for opening a Lecturers’ Office for Romanian Literature, Culture and Civilization with the Pontifical Oriental Institute. We recall that Pope John Paul II paid a historic visit to Romania in 1999, the first a Pontiff ever made to a country with an Orthodox majority population.

FOOTBALL — Romanian’s national football team on Tuesday lost nil-3 the home friendly match against the Netherlands. In last week’s friendly match, Romania won 2-nil against Turkey. We recall that Cosmin Contra is Romania’s new coach, taking over from German Cristoph Daum, who was sacked in September. With Daum at its helm Romania failed to qualify to the 2018 World Cup, to be hosted by Russia. Also on Tuesday, Romania’s under-21 team drew nil-all against Wales away from home, in a matching counting towards the 2019 Under-21 European Championship preliminaries. With three wins and three draws, Romania ranks first in the group, which also includes Bosnia Herzegovina, Switzerland, Wales, Portugal and Lichtenstein. (Translated by V. Palcu)