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October 5, 2017 UPDATE

EPIDEMIC — The number of confirmed cases of measles reported in Romania has exceeded 9,400, the National Centre for Monitoring and Control of Viral Disease with the National Institute of Public Health announced on Thursday. So far the epidemic has killed 34 people. In another development, the draft law on organizing and funding vaccination activities was given a favourable opinion from the Senate’s Committee of Constitutionality. The new legislation is due to take effect on January 1, 2018.

Newsroom, 05.10.2017, 19:38

PROTESTS — Health Ministry representatives and trade unions in the healthcare system on Thursday held a new round of negotiations. They are against the bonuses policy, the unitary pay law and the transfer of social security payments from employers to employees. Also, they demand the elimination of the 30% cap on specific bonuses and the full application of salary increases for all healthcare and social assistance employees as of March 1, 2018. Protest actions have been held for almost two weeks in several cities in Romania, including Bucharest, where several thousand people gathered on Wednesday. Protests have been staged by one of the biggest trade union confederations in Romania, Cartel Alfa. A protesters’ delegation, including employees from the police, healthcare, transport, education and public administration sectors, attended the talks with the government. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for Friday.

EU PRESIDENCY — Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu said Romania is making progress regarding preparations for taking over the Presidency of the EU Council in 2019. According to the Romanian official, the effort will involve some 1,500 people, who will undergo training with Romanian and European Commission experts. Romania wants to be more active at EU level and will try to make the most of its term at the helm of the EU, Negrescu went on to say.

EU BODY — The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a document whereby the European Prosecutor’s Office will become operational in 2020. The Prosecutor’s Office will focus on combating VAT and community funds fraud. So far, some 20 Member States, including Romania, have signed off on the project. The new body will have the authority to investigate and criminally prosecute cases of embezzlement of structural funds, tax evasion and other crimes that are detrimental to the EU’s financial interests. The Prosecutor’s Office will be headquartered in Luxembourg. Every year, public authorities across Europe incur VAT-related losses of nearly 50 billion euros.

ROMANIAN INTELLIGENCE — During his visit to the Western University of Timisoara on Thursday, Romanian Intelligence chief Eduard Hellvig said he has repeatedly called on Parliament’s support for adopting the legislation on national security. Hellvig says the Romanian Intelligence Service is not involved in power games and wants a transparent and civil leadership of the Service, via the Parliament’s special committee. Hellvig added that the leadership of the service should not become a political instrument or tool for the media.

CONFERENCE — Romanians trust the EU more than other citizens from the community bloc, and more often than not seek the answers to their problems in Brussels, the head of the European Commission’s Office in Bucharest, Angela Cristea said on Thursday. Cristea added that Romania is not one of those member states that react poorly to recommendations from Brussels. Angela Cristea attended the 6th edition of Bucharest Forum, devoted to geopolitical and economic issues and bringing together high-ranking officials, representatives of the business sector and world experts.

SPAIN — Spain’s Constitutional Tribunal on Thursday decided to call off Monday’s plenary session of the Parliament of Catalonia, when the independence of this province was to be announced. In another development, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the only way out of the deadlock was to abandon the declaration of independence. In turn, European Commission Vice-president Frans Timmermans called for dialogue between the two parties, saying that this is a matter for Spain to resolve of its own accord.

TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea no. 44 WTA qualified on Thursday to the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Beijing with more than 6.3 million dollars up for grabs, after defeating world no. 4 and former world leader Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 7-5. On Friday Cirstea will be up against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, no. 9 in the world. Another Romanian player, Simona Halep, no. 2 in the world, qualified to the quarterfinals after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia and will next play against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina. (Translated by E. Enache & V. Palcu)