November 19, 2018 UPDATE
PSD decided on reshuffle of ministers, Conference of the Presidents of the European Parliament in Bucharest
Newsroom, 19.11.2018, 19:46
PSD — The national executive committee of the Social Democratic Party, the main party in the ruling coalition in Romania, on Monday voted for the reshuffle of several ministers from the government headed by Viorica Dancila. According to the executive committee, the former minister for the business environment Ilan Laufer will return to the government as deputy prime minister and minister for development. The defense ministry will be taken over by Gabriel Les, after Mihai Fifor decided to resign. The president of the committee for budget, finances and banks in the Chamber of Deputies Marius Budai is to take over the Labor Ministry. He will replace Lia Olguta Vasilescu who is to take over the Transport Ministry. The ministers of the economy, culture, communications and youth and sports will also be changed. Also during the meeting of the executive committee of the PSD the general mayor of Bucharest, Gabriela Firea, submitted her resignation from the positions of vice-president and interim president of the Bucharest branch of the PSD. The executive committee voted for the dismantling of the PSD leadership of the Ilfov county branch, south east, whose president was Gabriela Firea.
CSM — The prosecutors’ section of the Superior Council of Magistracy on Monday issued a negative opinion on the request for the dismissal of Romania’s prosecutor general, Augustin Lazar, initiated by the justice minister, Tudorel Toader. The opinion of the Superior Council of Magistracy is consultative. Previously, the prosecutor general had filed a complaint with the Justice Ministry against the report on his managerial activity. Augustin Lazar also filed a request with the Alba Court of Appeal for the suspension of the procedure for his dismissal, which will be analyzed on Tuesday. The Romanian President announced he would not make a decision regarding the dismissal of prosecutor Lazar before his complaint is dealt with. Minister Tudorel Toader started the procedure for the dismissal of the prosecutor general on October 24, as he accused him of failing to observe legal obligations. However, Augustin Lazar said that the observance of constitutional principles and values underlay all the decisions he made. Last week, the European Commission made public the report under the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification for Romania and some of its recommendations refer to the immediate suspension of the procedures for the appointment and dismissal of chief prosecutors.
Visit — The European Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova is on an official visit to Bucharest on Monday and Tuesday. The EU official will meet Tuesday with president Klaus Iohannis, with justice minister Tudorel Toader as well as with other high officials from Bucharest. She is discussing the justice priorities in the context of Romania’s future presidency of the EU Council and the developments in the Romanian justice system. In the same context, on Wednesday, Bucharest will be hosting the Conference of the Presidents of the European Parliament with the Romanian government. The conference is to be attended by the PM Viorica Dancila, members of the Romanian government, the president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, the secretary general of the EP, Klaus Welle as well as the leaders of the nine European political groups. According to the PM, the talks will focus on issues related to the future EU budget, Brexit and the security policy developments.
EC — The European Commission officials on Monday expressed confidence in the professionalism of the future Romanian presidency of the EU Council, and reiterated the appeal of the EC president, Jean-Clade Juncker, for a national political consensus Romania needs to achieve before taking over the presidency of the EU Council. The statement was made by EC spokesperson Margaritis Schinas in a regular press conference. Romania is taking over on January 1, 2019 the rotating presidency of the EU Council from Austria.
RadiRo — The International Festival of Radio Orchestras, RadiRo, organized by Radio Romania, continues in Bucharest. The festival has reached its 4th edition and it is the only festival of the world devoted to radio orchestras. This year it includes jazz recitals for the first time. All the concerts of the festival are broadcast live by Radio Romania’s channels, recorded and subsequently rebroadcast by the public television. The concerts are also rebroadcast by radiobroadcasters that are members of the European Broadcasting Union.
Brussels — The ministers for European affairs of the EU member states, gathered in Brussels, on Monday expressed their support for the Brexit agreement. The date for Brexit is set at the end of March 2019. Several ministers underlined that the 585-page agreement cannot be renegotiated. The document, which has come under fierce attack in Great Britain, needs to be ratified by both sides. Monday’s meeting opened the way for a special summit to be hosted by Brussels on Sunday, when the leaders of the remaining 27 EU states will sign the Brexit deal as well as a joint political declaration on the future relations between Britain and Brussels. (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)
