September 6, 2017

Click here for a round-up of domestic and international news

Corina Cristea, 06.09.2017, 14:10

MOTION – The National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union have filed a simple motion to the Chamber of Deputies, against the justice minister. The signatories to the document say the amendments to the justice laws, initiated by Tudorel Toader, are an attack to the independence of the judiciary and an attempt to cancel the progress made in the field. Vehemently criticised by the opposition, civil society and the media, the draft amending the justice laws stipulates, among others, that the countrys president will no longer nominate the chief prosecutors of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, that the judicial inspection unit will be subordinated to the justice ministry and also provides for increasing the number of years to be promoted as magistrate. At the start of the year, the governments attempt to amend the criminal codes, by an emergency ordinance, took to the streets hundreds of thousands of Romanians, in the capital city, in big cities across the country or abroad. They accused the power of trying to exonerate from criminal liability influential people in politics or the administration. The motion is to be debated in a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies next Tuesday, and the vote is scheduled for Wednesday.

JUSTICE LAWS – British ambassador to Bucharest, Paul Brummel, has today held talks, upon his request, with the line minister Tudorel Toader about the amendments to the justice laws. He said, fresh from the talks, that the aforementioned legislative changes should be aimed at stepping up the fight against corruption and at strengthening the rule of law. Paul Brummel has underlined that Romania should decide, according to the Constitution and its parliamentary procedures, what justice system it wants to have, and any amendment should be previously discussed will all interested sides. On Tuesday, justice minister Tudorel Toader had a meeting on the same issue with the US ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, who said “it was a fruitful and complete discussion, in the spirit of cooperation within the Strategic Partnership.

REP OF MOLDOVA – The pro-western government of the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet country with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, has today approved a decision on the participation of Moldovan troops in a military exercise in neighbouring Ukraine. Prime Minister Pavel Filip has said international institutions will cover 80% of the costs with the participation of Moldovan troops in such exercises. The government made the decision after the pro-Russian Socialist President Igor Dodon, the supreme commander of the armed forces, has forbidden the participation of the Moldovan troops in the manoeuvres in Ukraine, without however explaining his refusal in any way. Earlier, Dodon has opposed to the participation of Moldovan military in an exercise unfolding in Romania.

ENESCU FESTIVAL – The George Enescu
International Festival continues in Bucharest, an event co-produced by Radio
Romania. Wednesday’s highlights include a concert by violinist Alexandru
Tomescu, in the Festival Square, and another highly awaited concert given by
the Romanian Youth Orchestra and the George Enescu Philharmonic Choir, under
the baton of Domingo Hindoyan. One of the most prestigious musical events in
Europe, the festival is unfolding for three weeks and includes 80 concerts and
events. Over 3,000 of the most appreciated artists of the international musical
world will come to perform in Bucharest and seven other big cities across the
country. Radio Romania is the only media institution in Romania to broadcast
live the concerts given as part of the Enescu Festival, on the Radio Romania
Music and Radio Romania Culture channels. The festival is held every two
years.

TENNIS – The pair made up of Romanian Horia Tecau and American CoCo Vandeweghe has qualified to the mixed doubles semi-finals of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. On Tuesday, in New York, they defeated the pair Bruno Soares (Brazil)/ Timea Babos (Hungary), 4-6, 6-1, 10-8. The only Romanian tennis player still left in the competition, Tecau won a mixed -doubles tennis trophy at the Australian Open in 2012, alongside another American, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and played the finals, also in Melbourne, alongside Indian Sania Mirza. He has also qualified in the men doubles semifinals, alongside the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer, after defeating the pair Jamie Murray (Great Britain / Bruno Soares (Brazil) 6-1, 6-2.