July 7, 2020

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 07.07.2020, 13:55

COVID-19- The National Committee for Emergency Situations has
updated the list of green countries, lifting mandatory quarantine and isolation
for arrivals from these countries. Flights will resume to and from 32 states in
Europe: Bulgaria, Monaco, Croatia, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Poland,
Austria, Iceland, Switzerland, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Slovenia,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus,
Finland, Malta, Lithuania, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Andorra, the Faeroe
Islands and the Vatican. Another 12 countries, Canada, Morocco, Algeria,
Australia, Rwanda, Uruguay, Japan, South Korea, Georgia, New Zealand, Tunisia
and Thailand are subject to the same measure. The list is compiled depending on
the number of new cases reported in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Group for Strategic Communication in Bucharest has announced 397 infections
reported in Romania, taking the total number of confirmed cases to over 29.600.
The death toll stands at 1.799, accounting for 6% of the total number of
infected.

MOTION – Romanian Deputies are today debating a simple motion
filed by the Social-Democratic opposition against Liberal Development Minister,
Ion Stefan, accused of incompetence and forgery of public records. The Social-Democrats
had filed the motion early last month, but it has been delayed due to health
problems invoked by Ion Stefan. The Social-Democrats have pointed to integrity
issues related to Stefan’s financial statements and his controversial cuts in
the Development Ministry’s anticorruption personnel and resources. The motion
will be voted later today in the Chamber of Deputies.

ELECTIONS – Senators have also convened today to debate two
draft laws on the local elections, one put forth by the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians, and a second one launched by the Government, both seeking to
schedule local elections on September 27. The two documents on Monday got the
go-ahead in the Senate’s committee on public administration without any further
amendments being pushed. The two documents also stipulate measures to help
organize the elections, such as setting up voting polls in light buildings and
container houses.

GDP – Romania’s GDP was by 0.3% higher in the first three
months of the year compared to the last quarter of 2019, reporting a 2.4% gross
growth and a 2.7% seasonal growth compared to the same period in 2019,
according to a preliminary report made public today by the National Statistics
Institute.

ECONOMY – According to today’s estimate released by the
European Commission, Romania’s economy will shrink by 6% this year, close to
the estimate the Commission announced in May. For next year, Romania’s GDP is
expected to grow by 4%, as compared to the 4.2% estimate in May. Growth
prospects are still susceptible to certain risks, the Commission states. The
Commission estimates an inflation rate of 2.5% this year and 2.8% for 2021. As
regards the EU economy, the Commission warns it might be facing a fierce
recession as a result of the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic,
despite swift and far-reaching reactions across the community bloc.

ANTICORRUPTION – Corruption is a widespread phenomenon, not just in
EU member states, and its scope depends on the involvement of local
authorities, EU chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi has told Euronews. The
former head of the National Anticorruption Directorate spoke of the new remit
of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), saying it will investigate
and prosecute fraud related to the EU budget. At present, the EPPO has been
delayed in its activity by Malta, which has so far failed to submit an eligible
prosecutor representing this country. Referring to corruption in Romania, Laura
Codruta Kovesi refused to comment on the activity of the institution she
spearheaded up until two years ago, but claimed the independence of the
judiciary has been hampered by constant attacks and legislative changes. In
2018 Kovesi was removed from the helm of the Directorate following a
Constitutional Court ruling. Kovesi subsequently won a court case against the
Romanian state in this matter at the European Court of Human Rights. The ECHR
ruled that Kovesi was denied her right to freedom of expression and free access
to a court, after having been removed from office by the Justice Minister at
the time, Tudorel Toader, without being given the opportunity to defend her
rights in relation to her disciplinary dismissal.

(Translated by V. Palcu)