BUDGET – The Constitutional Court of
\nRomania announced it has received the notification filed by the
\nSocial-Democratic Party regarding the manner in which the Government adopted
\nthe state budget for 2020 and the modifications operated to the emergency
\ndecree no. 114. The Court expects opinions by January 10 from all parties, and
\nwill issue a date for the subsequent debate. The Government has passed the
\nbudget law in Parliament without a debate and a vote, arguing it needed a
\nbalanced budget that could be adopted by the year’s end. The Government
\naccepted several amendments, although none tabled by the Social-Democrats.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
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CONVICTIONS – Former Liberal Chamber of
\nDeputies Speaker, Bogdan Olteanu was earlier today sentenced by the Bucharest
\nTribunal to seven years in prison for influence peddling, in a case where he
\nwas charged with receiving 1 million euros from a businessman. The court also
\nordered the seizure of an equivalent in local currency of the peddled sum. In
\nanother move, former Social-Democrat deputy Viorel Hrebenciuc was sentenced to
\nthree years in prison in a case where the former head of the National
\nAudio-Visual Council, Laura Georgescu, was also sentenced to 4 years and 4 months
\nin prison. In the same case, Gheorghe Stefan, the former Liberal mayor of
\nPiatra Neamt, and Narcisa Iorga, a former member of the Audio-Visual Council,
\nwere also handed down prison sentences. The rulings can be appealed. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
RATIFICATION – Romania’s President
\nKlaus Iohannis on Tuesday signed the decree ratifying the law on declaring
\nNovember 1 National Radio Day. Central and local authorities can organize
\ncultural and scientific events to mark this special day or provide logistic or
\nfinancial support to NGOs and other institutions that organize similar events,
\nthe law stipulates. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation and the
\nRomanian Television Station can include in their programmes shows and excerpts
\nfrom events dedicated to this day as public broadcasters. In 2019 the Romanian
\nRadio Broadcasting Corporation celebrated 91 years of uninterrupted public
\nservice.<\/p>\n
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\n
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FUNDS – The European Commission has
\ndisbursed some 16 million euros to Romania. The funds are non-refundable and
\nserve as compensations for the losses incurred this year due to the African
\nswine fever virus. The president of the National Sanitary, Veterinary and Food
\nSafety Authority, Robert Chioveanu, says the authorities have presented the
\nCommission with all the measures taken to combat the virus, as well as the
\nchallenges the authorities were faced with in their efforts to eradicate it.
\nThe Romanian official said that, in the last two weeks, some 10,000 checks were
\ncarried out in traffic in order to limit the circulation of livestock,
\nespecially pigs. Fines were handed out, dozens of pigs were seized in addition
\nto some 2 thousand kg of meat products. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
CHRISTMAS EVE – Orthodox,
\nEastern-Catholic and Roman-Catholic Christians in Romania today celebrate
\nChristmas Eve, making all the final preparations ahead of the celebration of
\nthe Nativity of Christ. On Christmas Eve people go caroling, which involves singing
\nceremonial songs, accompanied by various dances and gestures. Romanian Orthodox
\nChurch Patriarch Daniel has highlighted the importance of family, which is
\noften confronted in present-day society with a series of challenges and crises,
\ndetermined by poverty, migration, depression and alcohol and drug consumption.
\nIn turn, His Holy Father the Archbishop of the Bucharest Roman-Catholic
\nBishopric Ioan Robu says Jesus is born even in today’s world, such as it is.
\nThe High Bishop of the Eastern Catholic Church in Romania, Cardinal Lucian,
\nalso says the blood shed in the name of faith and liberty compels us to take a
\nstand whenever the rights and liberties of the underprivileged are being
\ndiscarded. Recalling the words of Pope Francis during his visit to Romania,
\nCardinal Lucian has called for fraternity and dialogue among Christians. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
(Translated by
\nV. Palcu) <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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