Plans of Romania’s governing coalition designed to avoid special pensions
Romania’s governing coaltion is expected to debate several options designed to avoid special pensions as the country’s Consitutional Court could reject such move as it happened before, Marcel Celacu, leader of the governing central-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) said on Tuesday. “The problem of special pensions must be solved”, Mr. Celacu said in a televised address on Tuesday. The special pensions are probably one of the most controversial issues on Romania’s current legislative agenda as they have been the subject of an intensive fight among occupational categories working in the public sector. The debate on the so-called ‘special pensions’ has reached a new milestone as Romania’s Chamber of Deputies has recently approved a draft law that abolishes all schemes, with no exemption of those for military and police personnel. Moreover, the efficiency of the process has been questioned as it is expected that the Constitutional Court will reject the proposal. Currently, eight special pension schemes are in place in Romania.
Underground link between Bucharest’s North Railway Station and Otopeni Airport
The construction of an undeground line linking Romania’s capital Bucharest to Henri Coanda International Airport, the largest in Romania, remains one of the country’s most long-awaited projects. A contract on the plan is expected to be signed at the country’s Transport Ministry on Tuesday. On February 13 2019, the European Commission approved over EUR 517 million for the major project. It was announced that the work would start in the second half of 2019 but this has not happened. However, a first section of the line Gara de Nord – 1 May – Băneasa may come to an end under a three-year contract.
Romanian Defence Minister visiting Moldova
Romanian Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr starts a two-day visit to neighbouring Republic of Moldova on Tuesday. Minister Tîlvăr is expected to hold official talks with Moldovan counterpart Anatolie Nosatîi at the the headquarters of Moldova’s Defence Ministry in Kishinev. Minister Tîlvăr is also expected to meet the country’s President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Dorin Recean and Moldovan Parliament speaker Igor Grosu. The second day of the visit includes an Infantry Brigade in Bălți Municipality. Relations between the Republic of Moldova and Romania have often been described as privileged, and there is even talk of a strategic partnership but issues remain to be discussed on the matter.
Alexandru Danga
