December 12, 2013 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 12.12.2013, 19:57
LEGISLATION – Romania’s supreme court Thursday notified the Constitutional Court on the amendments brought by Parliament to the Criminal Code. The changes approved on Tuesday stipulate that the president of the country and MPs will no longer be considered civil servants, and as such they will no longer be prosecuted for corruption-related offences. The presidency, National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Higher Council of Magistrates harshly criticised these amendments to the Criminal Code, and so did the ambassadors of several Western countries in Romania. The ambassadors of France, the Netherlands and Germany to Bucharest had a meeting on Thursday with the members of the Judicial Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, who proposed the amendments.
ECONOMY – The Prime Minister of Romania, Victor Ponta, Thursday suggested the year 2018 as a possible target for Romania’s adoption of the euro. Five years is a reasonable and acceptable period, Ponta said in an economic seminar. But the governor of the National Bank does not share his opinion. Romania must carry on its structural reform, if it is to achieve an economic growth potential above 2%, which is the level it has at present because of the global crisis the National Bank governor, Mugur Isarescu, said. He added that the central bank is making efforts to prompt banks to lower borrowing costs.
INTERNATIONAL – The EU announced on Thursday it remained open to dialogue with Ukraine and for the time being ruled out the option of sanctions against this country. The EU announced this after the USA warned Ukraine that it was considering such an option, in case Ukrainian authorities do not give up the brutal crackdown on pro-European protesters. Ukrainians took to the streets three weeks ago, after Kiev decided to put on hold the EU accession negotiations. The protesters want the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovich and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who are seen as responsible for Ukraine’s decision not to initial the EU association and free trade agreements at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius.
