30 December, 2016

Romanian President endorses PM; US expels Russian diplomats

Leyla Cheamil, 30.12.2016, 11:59

PRIME MINISTER – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis endorsed today the candidate for head of government designated by the Social Democratic Party, Sorin Grindeanu. This is the second proposal made by the ruling coalition newly elected, after the first nominee, Sevil Shhaideh, was not endorsed. The 43 year-old Grindeanu is the president of Timis County Council, and was Minister of Communication in the Ponta government. Grindeanu has ten days to put together his cabinet, which Parliament has to approve.

UNEMPLOYMENT – The unemployment rate in 2017 is expected to go down from 4.6% to 4.8%, as announced by the National Prognosis Committee. It is expected for the south western region of Oltenia to have the highest unemployment rate, 7.7%. The capital Bucharest and its surrounding county will have the lowest unemployment rate, 1.6%, down from 1.7% in 2016. The committee also announced that the rate of unemployment is expected to drop in the following years, with figures like 4.4% in 2018, and 4.3% in 2019.

LOAN – Romania has to pay over 1.26 billion Euro in 2017 for loans contracted with the EU and the World Bank as part of the stand-by agreement drawn in 2009, as announced by the Ministry of Public Finance. This year, Romania paid 113 million Euro back to the EU and WB. Bucharest has over 4.7 billion Euro to pay back to the two institutions by 2023.

DIPLOMATS – The United States is expelling 35 Russian diplomats in response to cyberattacks intended to interfere in presidential elections, as well as harassment of American diplomats in Moscow. Access was blocked for Russian diplomats at two of their locations in New York and Maryland. At the same time, a Kremlin spokesperson said that Russia will have a response, bearing in mind that the moves were made by President Obama and not Donald Trump, who takes office in three weeks. Trump said that the claims that Russia interfered in US elections were ridiculous.

SYRIA – A cease fire came into effect nationally in Syria. Government troops and rebels agreed to halt fighting in a move mediated by Russia and Turkey. The US has not been involved in the arrangement. According to the Russian Defense Minister, the rebel units involved represent 62,000 fighters in over 200 smaller groups, controlling most of the north and center of Syria. In this context, Russian President Putin agreed to reduce military presence in Syria, specifying that his country would still be present in two military bases.

ALIENS – Almost 300 aliens found to be illegally in Romania have been identified by the police. According to the General Inspectorate for Migration, 60 of them have been notified to leave the country, while 115 have applied for one form or another of international protection. Also in December, 27 people have been escorted off Romanian territory. Several companies have been fined for violating employment legislation applying to foreign workers.

TURKEY – The Turkish Parliament today passed a bill to change the Constitution, granting enhanced powers to the presidency, according to Reuters, quoting the Anadolu Turkish news agency. The legislature has to pass the bill, which then goes to a referendum to be held no later than spring next year.