The Week in Review (March 26-31)
A look at the main headline-grabbing events this past week
Newsroom, 01.04.2017, 11:02
The Prince of Wales on a formal visit to Bucharest
On the very day the UK officially launched Brexit talks, with London triggering Art. 50 of the Treaty on European Union, the British Crown Prince Charles started an official visit to Bucharest as part of the European tour. As the Prince of Wales said upon receiving the “Star of Romania” National Order, in Rank of Grand Cross, from President Klaus Iohannis, for the 20 years since he has been visiting Romania he has tried to help Romanians remember the distinctiveness of their culture, their architectural legacy and, above all, their potential today. Charles also mentioned that he had been impressed to hear about the sufferings of Romanians under the communist regime and about the destruction brought about by that regime at a human and cultural level. During the award ceremony, President Iohannis appreciated the dedication and involvement of the Prince of Wales in charity work in Romania, as well as his contribution to promoting Romanias image abroad.
Klaus Iohannis: “Your Royal Highness involvement in a large number of village restoration projects, in promoting local products, in traditional crafts training and education, has been a valuable contribution to raising awareness on a life style in which nature, tradition and modern man may coexist in harmony. We are also grateful to Your Royal Highness for expressing your admiration for Romanias spiritual and cultural heritage, every time you talk about Romania and its citizens.”
The agenda of this second official visit to Romania by the Prince of Wales also included talks with PM Sorin Grindeanu, when one of the topics approached was the development and strengthening of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the UK, based on improved security cooperation and on substantial economic ties. HRH Charles also had meetings with members of the Royal Family of Romania.
The future of the EU under debate
Romania does not support a concentric circles Europe, nor a multi-speed European Union, which may lead to a deepening of social and economic divides between Member States. This is Romanias official stand, as reiterated by President Klaus Iohannis in Malta, the country that is currently holding the rotating presidency of the EU. In his address at the Congress of the European Peoples Party, the head of the Romanian state said the Union was at a crossroads, facing complex crises of unprecedented intensity. Terrorist attacks, migration, nationalism, populism, Brexit and, more than anything else, the escalation of Euro skepticism have become major challenges, Klaus Iohannis underlined. In Bucharest, the Romanian authorities announced that Romanias main objective during the negotiations for Brexit was to ensure the observance of the rights of the Romanian citizens working and studying in Great Britain. According to estimates, more than 250,000 Romanians are living in the UK.
Romanias Prosecutor General and the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate still in office
Romanias Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazăr, and the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruţa Kovesi, will not be replaced. The Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, stated that he made the assessment of the heads of the two institutions without any external interference or pressure. He explained that the DNA, when investigating emergency government decree no. 13, assumed the responsibility to undertake an investigation into a domain that goes beyond their legal authority, and the magistrates of the Constitutional Court re-established the balance between the state powers through their verdict. We recall that through decree no. 13 the coalition government made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats tried to amend the criminal anti-corruption legislation, which triggered large-scale street protests.
The Justice Minister Tudorel Toader also announced the intention of monitoring the activity of prosecutors:
“In the spirit of observing the rule of law, we believe it opportune to initiate a careful monitoring of the activity of prosecutors working for the DNA, the DIICOT- Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, and the Prosecutors Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice. The monitoring should be made by the justice minister, and, as far as I am concerned, I can assure you that Ill do my job without any interference that could affect the independence of prosecutors.”
As an avowed supporter of the prosecutors anti-corruption efforts, President Klaus Iohannis says he is content with the activity of Romanias Prosecutor General and of the Chief Prosecutor of the DNA. The Romanian President does not share the opinion of the Justice Minister regarding DNAs allegedly overstepping its authority: “I do expect the justice minister to support the Public Ministry, the Prosecutor General, the Chief Prosecutor of the DNA, the Chief Prosecutor of the DIICOT for them to better comply with their missions. If they work together in what I have called loyal cooperation, the Justice Ministry and the Public Ministry could make things right, unlike the moment when, early this year, they had divergent opinions over decree no. 13.”
The PM Sorin Grindeanu has asked to be constantly informed on the results of the continuous monitoring of the prosecutors activity and has given assurances that the Government is firmly committed to combating corruption.
