December 19, 2017
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Newsroom, 19.12.2017, 13:40
JUSTICE LAWS – The Senate is today debating a bill on modifying the statute of judges and prosecutors. Adopted last week in the Chamber of Deputies, the bill on Monday got a positive opinion from Parliaments special committee on the justice laws, which analyzed the amendments tabled by senators. One of the main changes introduced by representatives of the ruling coalition allows the President to refuse only once to appoint certain prosecutors and compels him to motivate his refusal publicly. Another amendment provides for prosecutors decisions to be rescinded by their superiors if the latter deem them unlawful or ungrounded. Also today MPs continue debates over the second draft law on modifying the justice laws, the one focusing on judicial organization. On Monday Parliament debated the amendments tabled to the first articles in the law. Alternatively, hundreds of magistrates protested in front of courts of law in Bucharest and other cities against the judicial overhaul that the Social-Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats are planning, a process that magistrates say lacks transparency.
BUDGET – The Romanian Parliament is debating the draft budget for 2018. Todays session is debating the addendums, after the body of the text and its articles was adopted on Monday, together with the funds allotted to the main credit release authorities: the Presidency, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, and the Governments General Secretariat. A final vote has been scheduled for Thursday. Romanias budget for next year is based on an economic growth rate of 5.5%, an exchange rate of 4.55 lei against the euro, an average monthly income of €565 and a budget deficit of 2.97% of the GDP. The priorities for 2018 are healthcare, education and infrastructure. The right-wing opposition has criticized the Government, saying the budget projection is risky and will most likely increase public debt.
COMMEMORATION – Commemorative events continue in Timisoara, western Romania, to mark 28 years since the 1989 anti-communist revolution and in memory of those who lost their lives. Events will continue until December 20, Victory Day, when Timisoara will play host to a rock concert. Started out as a grassroots movement against the local authorities abusive decisions, the revolution spread quickly across the country, and led to the demise of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu on December 22. Over 1,000 people were killed and nearly 3,400 were wounded over December 16-25. Romania was the only country from the Soviet bloc where the anti-communist revolution ended in violence with the dictatorial couple being executed. Prosecutors with the Military Prosecutors Office on Monday said a military diversion was orchestrated on the night of December 22, which led to a massive loss of lives and destruction.
SURVEY – Over 85% of businesspeople in Romania are against the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees, reads a recent survey commissioned by the Council of SMEs. 60% of respondents said they encountered serious difficulties in implementing and negotiating the move starting January 1, 2018. Ovidiu Nicolescu, the honorary president of the Council of SMEs, has warned that many net salaries will drop. The survey was conducted over December 12-18 with a sample population of 328 businesspeople.
RWB – 65 journalists were killed in 2017 worldwide, of whom 50 professionals, 7 bloggers and 8 freelancers, reads the Reporters without Borders annual report, made public today. According to the report, 2017 was the less deadly in the last 14 years, which is mostly due to a better protection of reporters, and the fact that most journalists have already fled countries located in hot zones across the globe. Same as last year, Syria ranks first in terms of the largest number of journalists killed (12), followed by Mexico (11), Afghanistan (9), Iraq (8) and the Philippines (4).
UN – The United States on Monday vetoed a UN draft resolution rejecting Donald Trumps recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. The text was voted by all the other 14 members of the Security Council. The resolution states that the status of Jerusalem must be solved via negotiations, and that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded. We recall that President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel has prompted the unanimous opposition of the international community. Israel annexed the eastern part of Jerusalem after the 1967 war, then voted a law making the Holy City “indivisible. The annexation has never been recognized by the international community, and Palestine considers Eastern Jerusalem as the rightful capital of their future state.
(Translated by V. Palcu)
