Parliament’s joint plenum adopted on Wednesday the capping of special pensions collected by lawmakers, with the net retirement indemnity set to not surpass the level of the net income corresponding to the gross monthly indemnity collected by a lawmaker while he exercises his mandate. “The quantum of the retirement indemnity is offered within the limit […]
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated on Thursday that she is disappointed with the conclusions of the report regarding the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), taking into account that Romania proved to be a loyal and fair partner of the European Union. “I am disappointed with the conclusions of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism report, taking into account that Romania proved to be a loyal and fair partner of the European Union. The Government has always been in touch with experts of the European Commission and provided clarifications every time, as well as arguments. Unfortunately, I noticed that these were simply ignored. We cannot agree with the setting of some additional recommendations requiring us to ignore the constitutional rules and accept what no other member state would accept. Such a request makes it impossible to achieve the objectives of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism, taking into account that the rules are being changed as we go along,” Dancila stated in the beginning of the Gov’t sitting. The PM mentioned having read the report very carefully. “We are aware of the objectives included there, but, at the same time, we see recommendations that require us to ignore legal provisions, instituted through the vote of Parliament and validated by the Constitutional Court, which represents a serious prejudice to sovereignty and a violation of the European Union Treaty. As Prime Minister and former MEP, I request equal treatment for my country and for Romanians. I believe in an united Europe, in which all citizens enjoy respect, as well as equal rights,” Dancila stated. “EP resolution is an expression of some electoral interests of European political groups” The resolution of the European Parliament regarding Romania is “the expression of some electoral interests of European political groups,” Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated on Thursday. “We are able to prove to our European partners that Romania is a balanced, responsible member state, determined to contribute to the formation of the future of the European Union, regardless of the purely political approaches at one time or another. The European Parliament vote on Tuesday is such a moment and I assure you that we will not stray away from our objectives. I believe that the European Parliament resolution is the expression of some electoral interests of European political groups,” PM Dancila stated in the beginning of the Government sitting. The Executive head mentioned, taking into account that there are several points, that the vote “wasn’t about Romania or about righteousness.” “I am referring here to the rejection of the explicit condemnation amendments of the protocols between the intelligence services and the institutions of the judicial system, taking into account that such practices are unacceptable in another member state of the European Union. It is difficult to understand the crucifiction of the Romanian Gendarmerie for their intervention manner, which was identical to that of the law enforcement of other member states,” Dancila stated. According to the PM, “the hardest thing to explain is the vote of some Romanian MEPs against Romania.” “I am convinced that this attitude will be sanctioned by the Romanians. I saw that they said they voted against Romania’s Government. The resolution was not against Romania’s Government, nor against another institution, the resolution referred to Romania. Regarding this issue, I would ask those who talk about Romania’s withdrawal from the European Union to show more responsibility. Staying within the European Union is our only way and our membership to the European Union was never in question. Personal interests or those of some political groups cannot be tied to the status of Romania as a member state of the European Union,” Dancila also stated
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The newly appointed Minister-delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba, who took office on Wednesday, has given assurances that Romania will meet its commitments, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) reported on Thursday. Ciamba took over the coordination of the entire process of preparation for Romania’s assuming the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2019. He underscored “the importance of assuming the presidency of the Council of the EU and gave assurances that Romania will meet its commitments made and act as a European partner for the consolidation of the European project.” Ciamba said the MAE team he runs has the resources and the ability to secure a successful EU Council presidency in the first half of next year. He pointed out that mobilising all the efforts to meet the stated objectives enjoys the support of all decision-makers at national level.
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The Competition Council in the first six months of this year has a rich activity, with investigations in almost all the economy sectors, the cumulated value of the fines imposed by this authority accounting for approximately 1.226 million lei, according to the Report on the evolution of Competition in Key Sectors. In the first half of 2018, the Competition Council initiated eight investigations into possible violations of the competition law, as follows: horizontal cartel – 50%, abuse of dominant position – 12.5%, unnotified economic concentrations – 12.5%, anti-competitive operations of the public administration – 25%. Moreover, one of the eight investigations initiated in the reference period targets both the violation of the national legislation and of the European one. In January-June, the competition authority concluded 2 investigations into a possible violation of the competition law, both representing abuses of dominant position. In respect to the structure of investigations underway on June 30, it was as following: the violation of the national legislation – 57% of the cases and the violation of the national and community law – 43%. 40% of the investigations targeted a key economic sector – 40% and other sectors – 60%. In 2017, the total value of fines imposed by the Competition Council was of 123.114 million lei (26.95 million euros). By comparison, the quantum of the budget financed from public founds in 2017 accounted for 47.1 million lei.
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Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis and his wife Carmen attended on Wednesday a dinner at Buckingham Palace that celebrated Prince Charles’s 70th birth anniversary. Iohannis presented Prince Charles with a glass icon depicting the Great Holy Martyr George, the Dragon Slayer, a collection of representative wines from the three historical regions of Romania – Moldova, Muntenia and Transylvania, and also a 1948 vintage wine from the year when the Prince of Wales was born. The head of state attended this event at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Iohannis started an official visit to the UK durinh which it was scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday, but the meeting did not take place “for objective reasons exclusively attributable to the British side,” according to the Presidential Administration. The meeting between the two officials had been scheduled for Wednesday at the request of May, and the reason why it did not happen had to do with the fact that the government meeting to approve the text of the UK withdrawal agreement was still in progress, Agerpres informs. File photo
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