November 26, 2013
The latest news from Romania
Ştefan Stoica, 26.11.2013, 11:59
Speaking in Bucharest today at the business forum bringing together businesses from Central and Eastern Europe and from China, Romanian PM Victor Ponta said that China needs long term trusted friends and trade partners in the world, while Romania and countries in the region have a good tradition to this extent. The special guest at the forum was Chinese PM Li Keqiang, who said that Romania will become an economic tiger of Europe, and that tigers uniting and working together could develop a huge market. The prime ministers from 16 CEE countries are taking part in Bucharest in a summit and economic forum to enhance relations with China, attended by 1,500 businesses.
In Bucharest, trade unions in healthcare and the minister of health, Eugen Nicolaescu, meet again on Wednesday after the government meeting to negotiate once again. The Sanitas federation said they might cancel the general strike announced for Thursday if its demands were met. Medical staff demand for 6% of the GDP to be earmarked for healthcare, better wages, opening up new positions for hiring, and a collective labor contract for the healthcare sector. According to the Minister of Health, he has convened with Sanitas representatives the cancellation of any labor conflict.
Romanian Minister of Justice Robert Cazanciuc met in Bucharest members of the European Commission who are evaluating the country’s progress under the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification for Justice. The main topics for the discussion, attended by the main heads of prosecution from all over the country, were the future strategy for development in the justice system, the independence of the judiciary, implementation of new legislation, as well as the integrity of magistrates. The next report for justice will be submitted by the European Commission early next year. The EU’s executive has been monitoring constantly the judicial system in Romania since the country joined the union in 2007.
The European Commission issued a statement emphasizing the common responsibility held by member states in observing the rights of European citizens to work in a different country of the EU than their own. The government in Brussels pointed out that, starting on January 1, 2014, Romanian and Bulgarian citizens have the right to work in any country of the EU. This comes as British Conservatives have demanded that the government in London extend by five years the labor restrictions for the citizens of Romania and Bulgaria. Stay tuned for more on this after the news.
Romania’s football champions Steaua Bucharest play at home against German team Schalke 04 in the fifth round of Group E in the Champions League. Steaua ranks last with two points after Chelsea, outranked by Schalke and FC Basel. Steaua aims to take third place in the group, which would secure its presence in spring at the Europa League. Romania has in the League only one representative, the runner-up in the domestic championships, Pandurii Tg. Jiu, which is scheduled to play on Thursday on enemy turn against Dnepr Dnepropetrovsk of the Ukraine.
