European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans has talks with Bucharest officials./ Medical staff wages go up in Romania.
Judiciary. The situation of the Romanian justice system is the focus of the talks held by the First Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans in Bucharest today. He has met president Klaus Iohannis, prime minister Viorica Dancila, Chamber of Deputies speaker Liviu Dragnea and Senate speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who are also the leaders of the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, as well as members of the parliamentary committee overseeing the changes to the justice laws. Timmermans is also having talks with representatives of the judiciary. His visit comes after justice minister Tudorel Toader earlier proposed the dismissal of the anti-corruption chief Laura Codruta Kovesi for serious violation of duties and delaying the resolution of cases. Toader's request has received a negative opinion from the Superior Council of Magistracy, but the final say belongs to president Iohannis, who has repeatedly voiced his appreciation for the anti-corruption body and its head.
Salary rises. Beginning today, the salaries of doctors and nurses will rise to the maximum level of the salary scale for 2022. Labour minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu has announced this measure as a means of counteracting the exodus of Romanian doctors abroad in recent years. Consultants, for example, will see their salaries grow four times. The salaries of pre-university and university teachers will also grow, but less than in the medical sector.
Weather. A yellow and amber code alert for cold is in place in Romania until Friday. Schools remain closed this week in the capital Bucharest and the counties in the south-east and travel is restricted on several national and local roads in the south and east. The Black Sea ports also remain closed because of powerful winds. Trains have been delayed and some cancelled and airports operate in winter conditions. The Giurgiu-Ruse bridge between Romania and Bulgaria is open, but traffic is busy and waiting times big. As for the electricity and natural gas supply, the authorities say there are no longer any problems.
Cold. Almost 50 people have died of cold in Europe in recent days, especially homeless people. The authorities in some places in Belgium forced people living on the street to go to shelters, in Germany shelters were asked to stay open throughout the day and France has announced a record number of 150,000 places in emergency shelters. Hungary has also taken protection measures, with temperatures expected to drop to minus 20 in the west. Blizzard, snow and frost have engulfed the entire Europe, disrupting travel, cutting off localities and causing schools to close. The Romanian foreign ministry has issued travel warnings for several countries.
Unemployment. In Romania, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.6% in January, the same as in December, the National Institute for Statistics has announced. At 5%, unemployment among men was 0.9% higher than among women. Unemployment among persons aged between 25 and 74 was estimated at 3.5% in January (3.9% among men and 2.9% among women). According to the National Institute for Statistics, the number of unemployed people in this age group accounted for 70% of the total number of unemployed people estimated for January.
Visit. The European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides today had talks in Bucharest with interior minister Carmen Dan and the state secretary for emergency situations Raed Arafat. The topics discussed included ways to consolidate the efficiency of preventive action and of the collective capacity of EU member states to respond to disasters and the simplification of administrative procedures in case of emergency situations.
Useful Links
Copyright © . All rights reserved