13 December 2015

Parliaments specialist committees discuss the 2016 budget bill before a vote by the two houses on Wednesday.

Newsroom, 13.12.2015, 12:00

Budget. Parliament’s specialist committees are today trying to
finalise talks on the 2016 budget bill so that the two houses can vote on the
bill on Wednesday. Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the Social Democratic Party,
which forms Parliament’s largest group, publicly called on Romania’s
technocratic prime minister Dacian Ciolos to name a date for the increase in
the minimum wage by Tuesday at the latest. Dragnea said he was opposed to the
indefinite postponement of this rise, which the former leftist government had
proposed. The Ciolos cabinet said the rise in the minimum wage from 233 euros
to 266 euros cannot be implemented without first assessing the measure’s
economic and budgetary impact. The 2016 budget is based on an estimated growth
rate of around 4% and a maximum budget deficit of 3%.

Climate deal. The international community has hailed the conclusion of
a landmark climate change agreement in Paris on Saturday. After two weeks of
intense negotiations, delegates from almost 200 states adopted a new accord at
the end of the UN climate conference of parties (COP21) hosted by the French
capital. The new deal aims to limit the rise in global temperatures to less
than 2 degrees Celsius. Progress will be reviewed every five years, and rich
countries will provide financial support to developing nations to help them
reduce their emissions level and adjust to climate change. US president Barack
Obama said the new climate change agreement is a turning point for the world.
The president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker said the world is
now united in the fight against climate change.

French elections. France
is holding the second round of regional elections today, with the far-right
National Front seeking to gain control in several regions. Commentators say the
voting may confirm the rise of the far-right, whose anti-immigration and
anti-Islam rhetoric is increasingly appealing to voters in the aftermath of
last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris. In the first round, the National Front
won a record 30% of the votes, placing it ahead of the moderate right in
opposition and the ruling Socialist Party.

Euro 2016. Romania and the
host country France will play the opening match at the 2016 European Football
Championship, on June 10th, as the draw was made on Saturday in
Paris. Romania are in Group A, together with Switzerland and first-time
qualifiers Albania. For the first time, 24 nations will contest the tournament,
drawn into six groups of four teams each. The top two in each group plus the
four best-placed sides advance to the round of last 16. Euro 2016 will be held
between the 10th of June and the 10th of July in ten
cities across France. The final will take place on the 10th of July in
Paris. This is Romania’s 5th European tournament, after 1984, 1996,
2000 and 2008. Their best result so far dates from 2000, when they reached the
quarterfinals.

Handball. Romania
face defending world champions Brazil today in the round of last 16 at the
Women’s World Handball Championship in Denmark. On Friday, Romania lost their
final Group D match against Russia, having already been defeated by the
defending Olympic and European champions Norway and by Spain. Romania managed
to qualify for the round of last 16 thanks to their two convincing wins against
Puerto Rico and Kazakhstan. Romania are the only team to have taken part in
every edition of the World Championship since 1957, winning three medals.

Basketball. For the first in
history, Romania will host group games of the 2017 Men’s European Basketball
Championship in the western city of Cluj Napoca, the International Basketball
Federation has announced in Munich. Finland, Israel and Turkey will also host
group games, while the final knockout rounds will take place in Istanbul. This
year’s European Basketball Championship was the first to be hosted by multiple
countries, namely France, Germany, Latvia and Croatia. The European title went
to Spain.

(Translated by: C. Mateescu)