President Klaus Iohannis is meeting European Union officials in Brussels
The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, is due to meet the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker and the European Council’s President, Donald Tusk, in Brussels on Wednesday, according to a statement by the Presidential Administration. Topics on the agenda include the situation in Romania and the changes to the legislative framework on the judicial system and also the anti-corruption drive. There will also be discussions on Romania’s preparations to take over the presidency of the European Union Council, in the first half of 2019 and aspects related to the European Union’s entrenchment process. The Romanian President will also meet the head of the European People’s Party, Joseph Daul.
Prime Minister-designate Viorica Dancila has announced the composition of her new government
Romania’s Prime Minister-designate, Viorica Dancila, has announced her ministerial team on Friday. The structure of the government has been changed, with two positions of deputy prime minister without a portfolio, which will be filled by Viorel Stefan and Ana Bircel. Also, the newly created ministry for European funds will be led by Rovana Plumb. A former finance minister in the Ponta administration, Eugen Teodorovici, has been appointed on the same position in the new government. The education ministry is to be headed by Valentin Popa, while the actor George Ivascu has been appointed as Culture Minister. Current ministers of justice, defense, interior, labor and agriculture will jeep their posts. The nominated ministers are to be examined by the professional committees in parliament on Monday.
Presidents of Romanian Parliament have rejected European Commission’s criticism on the judiciary laws
The presidents of the Romanian parliamentary chambers have rejected criticism made by the European Commission concerning the judiciary laws. In a common letter to the European officials, on Thursday, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu say that the Commission has been misinformed about the judiciary reform in Romania. The letter, signed by PSD leader and Chamber of Deputies speaker Liviu Dragnea (picture, right), and ALDE leader and Senate president Calin Popescu-Tariceanu (picture, left), came as a reaction to a joint statement by EC President Jean-Claude Juncker and First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, who expressed their concerns about the latest developments in Romania regarding the independence of the country’s judicial system and its capacity to fight corruption, on Wednesday. Dragnea and Tariceanu call the letter by the Commission leaders as „surprising” and say that the Commission didn’t express the same concerns in the past, when the Dacian Ciolos technocrat cabinet changed the criminal codes by emergency ordinance. They also stated that the new laws were drafted and examined according to Romania’s Constitution and that the Constitutional Court is analyzing them to make sure they also respect the Venice Commission requirements. Replying to the Romanian leaders’ letter, EC representatives have said that the European Commission has been closely following the parliamentary process in Romania and the evolution of the debate on the new justice laws over several months “We are very well informed about this process, about the stakes and potential risks. We have been in contact with the Government, Parliament, the judicial system and civil society in Romania, within the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism,” the EC representatives added.
Historian Neagu Djuvara has died, aged 101
The Romanian historian Neagu Djuvara has died on Thursday, at the age of 101. Apart from historian, he was a diplomat, philosopher, journalist and novelist. Neagu Djuvara was one of the last boyar of Romania, a genuine aristocrat, an elegant and wise man. He was awarded the national Order of the Romanian Star, Knight – the country’s highest decoration – by the President, in 2016, when he celebrated his 100 years.
Mădălina Brotăcel – Agenţia de presă RADOR
