20 June 2018, UPDATE

Opposition files no-confidence motion against government./ PM Viorica Dancila presents preparations for Romania's upcoming EU Council presidency.

Newsroom, 20.06.2018, 19:37

No-confidence vote. The opposition in Romania, made up of
the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the People’s Movement
Party, on Wednesday initiated a no-confidence motion against the leftist
government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats. The signatories blame the government for the increase of the ROBOR index based on which bank interest rates are set, growing
inflation rates, the changes to the tax code and the delays in road
infrastructure works. The opposition also says the judiciary and state
institutions have become mere political tools for the puppet government
controlled by the Social Democrat leader and Chamber of Deputies speaker Liviu
Dragnea. If the motion passes, the government falls.

EU presidency. Prime minister Viorica
Dancila on Wednesday presented the two chambers of Parliament with the stage of
preparation for Romania’s taking over the 6-month presidency of the European
Union Council in January 2019. Romania’s priorities include the Eastern
Partnership, with emphasis on the European aspirations of the Republic of
Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), said
prime minister Dancila. She believes the EU presidency is an opportunity for
Romania to demonstrate its ability to have a significant contribution to the
relaunch of the European project, through a strong political vision and
relevant administrative capacity. Romania is ready to take over the presidency
of the EU Council on the 1st of January – is the message also sent
on Tuesday in Brussels by Romania’s minister delegate for European affairs
Victor Negrescu.

Constitutional Court. The Constitutional
Court of Romania said on Wednesday it would notify the Council of Europe and
the Venice Commission, the advisory body of the Council of Europe in the field
of constitutional law, about a new action against it. The Court says one of its
judges, Petre Lazaroiu, was pressured during a conversation with presidential
advisor Elena-Simina Tanasescu. According to the president’s office, the latter
submitted her resignation on Wednesday but says no such pressure was exerted
and rejects the allegations as untrue. Following some controversial rulings by
the Constitutional Court, the opposition and many from civil society have
accused the Court of serving political interests.

Ruling. On Thursday, the High Court of
Cassation and Justice in Bucharest is expected to announce its verdict in a corruption
trial against the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and leader of the ruling
Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea. Last month, anti-corruption prosecutors
asked the Court to sentence Dragnea to 7 years and 5 months in prison for abuse
of office and 2 years and 6 months for intellectual fraud. They accuse Dragnea
of hiring two party members at the General Directorate for Social Assistance
and Child Protection who worked, however, exclusively for the Social Democratic
Party while paid by public funds. At the time, Dragnea was the president of the
County Council in Teleorman, in the south. The Social Democrat leader says he
is innocent and has not committed any of the acts he is accused of. In 2016,
Dragnea received a two-year suspended sentence for attempted election fraud. On
Wednesday, the High Court of Cassation and Justice sentenced the former senator
and transport minister Dan Sova to three years in prison. He was on trial for
receiving 100,000 euros between 2011 and 2014 to facilitate a legal assistance
contract between an electrical power plant and a law firm.

Club football. The Romanian football side Viitorul Constanta face
Racing FC Union Luxembourg in the first leg of the Europa League preliminaries,
following a daw on Wednesday in Nyon, Switzerland. The vice-champions FCSB
(formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) may face the Slovenian side NK Rudar
Velenje in the second preliminary round. The latter play the winner between Tre
Fiori from San Marino and the Welsh side Bala Town in the first round. The
Romanian Cup winner CSU Craiova go straight into the third preliminary round. The
new Romanian champions CFR Cluj play in the second Champions League preliminary
round against the winner between the Swedish side Malmo FF and the winner of
the qualifying round involving Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino and Gibraltar.