November 26, UPDATE
A roundup of domestic news
România Internațional, 26.11.2013, 20:51
The summit that brought to Bucharest the Chinese Prime Minister and the Prime Ministers of 16 central and east-European countries ended on Tuesday with the adoption of a document titled Bucharest Guidelines, which provides for the promotion of investment and business in infrastructure, SMEs, agriculture, rail transportation and telecommunications. The Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta has stated that the region was presented as one where the economy is growing, and where major projects have been implemented in energy, infrastructure, education, innovation and technology. Among the measures envisaged for the year 2014 is the promotion of investment and business between China and central and eastern Europe. Other common objectives are encouraging small and medium sized enterprises, setting up an association for the promotion of cooperation in agriculture and encouraging financial institutions, in order to fully capitalize on the 10 billion dollars that China placed at the disposal of the countries in the region.
In Bucharest, trade unions in healthcare and the minister of health, Eugen Nicolaescu, meet again on Wednesday after the government meeting to negotiate once again. The Sanitas federation said they might cancel the general strike announced for Thursday if its demands were met. Medical staff demand for 6% of the GDP to be earmarked for healthcare, better wages, opening up new positions for hiring, and a collective labor contract for the healthcare sector. According to the Minister of Health, he has convened with Sanitas representatives the cancellation of any labor conflict.
Romanian Minister of Justice Robert Cazanciuc met in Bucharest members of the European Commission who are evaluating the country’s progress under the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification for Justice. The main topics for the discussion, attended by the main heads of prosecution from all over the country, were the future strategy for development in the justice system, the independence of the judiciary, implementation of new legislation, as well as the integrity of magistrates. The next report for justice will be submitted by the European Commission early next year. The EU’s executive has been monitoring constantly the judicial system in Romania since the country joined the union in 2007.
The European Commission issued a statement emphasizing the common responsibility held by member states in observing the rights of European citizens to work in a different country of the EU than their own. The government in Brussels pointed out that, starting on January 1, 2014, Romanian and Bulgarian citizens have the right to work in any country of the EU. This comes as British Conservatives have demanded that the government in London extend by five years the labor restrictions for the citizens of Romania and Bulgaria.
The Romanian President Traian Basescu awarded the Madrigal national choir the Cultural Merit in rank of Grand Officer. This year Madrigal celebrates 50 years since its establishment. According to the Presidential Administration, the distinction was awarded for the choir’s outstanding contribution to promoting Byzantine music, carols and Romanian music in general. In 1982 in Paris Madrigal was declared an asset of the UNESCO World Heritage. In 50 years of existence, Madrigal has given over 4 thousand concerts both in the country and abroad.
On Tuesday, Romanian judges sentenced Radu Dogaru and Eugen Darie to 6 years and 8 months in prison, for stealing seven paintings from the Kusnthal Museum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in October 2012. The decision can be appealed. The two were tried separately from the other four defendants, after admitting their crime. They will thus benefit from a reduction of their penalties, in keeping with the Romanian Criminal Code. Among the paintings stolen from the Dutch museum were works signed by Matisse, Gauguin and Monet. Their total value was estimated at 17 million Euros.
Romanian pupils got 9 medals, of which two gold, at the Balkan Olympiad for Juniors and the International Tournament of Informatics, hosted by the Bulgarian city of Shumen.
