Romania’s president praised by AJC
Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis is expected to be awarded the Light unto the Nations, an order issued by the American Jewish Comittee. AJC is an international advocacy organisation whose key areas of focus is to promote religious and civil rights for Jews internationally. Mr. Iohannis will be honoured at the AJC’s annual Global Forum in Washington DC, in June. AJC Chief Executive Officer David Harris praised the Romanian president for his role in enforcing his country’s democracy and the rule of law while also fighting anti-Semitism and racism.
PSD leaders meet in Sinaia
Leaders of Romania’s governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) meet in the mountain resort of Sinaia on Thursday. Participants are expected to examine the government’s efforts in impelenting the governing programme and establish legal priorities. Talks will focus on the Unitary Wage Law as left-wing governing coalition MPs are expected to pass the bill in the very next future. „The meeting will be most interesting as we are also waiting to find out what the ministers were doing all this time, and why they were late in enforcing the Sovereign Plan of Development and Investment, the prevention law (delaying fines for 333 breaches) and changes to the Start-Up National Programme. I would also ask Ms Sevil Shhaideh (Romania’s Deputy Prime Minister, also Minister for Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds) when should we expect her ministry’s final decision on projects coming from counties”, PSD leader Liviu Dragnea told reporters. Economists have warned the salary hikes and fiscal relaxation drive on which the ruling leftists had embarked, could lead to it breaching the EU’s budget deficit ceiling of 3 percent of GDP this year, raising the risk of sanctions from Brussels. Central bank Governor Mugur Isărescu said risks to Romania’s inflation outlook stemmed in part from „the post-election situation”, adding that it was too early to say how the 2017 budget plan might influence future monetary policy decisions.
Turks living in Romania allowed to vote on a referendum in Turkey
Turkish citizens in Romania are allowed to vote in a referendum organised in Turkey. More than 6,300 Turks are eligible to vote in a Turkish referendum aimed at giving more power to president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from today until Sunday, April 9, at Turkey’s Embassy in the Romanian capital Bucharest. People of Turkish origin in Romania are automatically given Turkish nationality when they are born, and that includes voting rights. The controversial vote comes as Turkey is beset by political instability and at diplomatic odds with the United States and European nations because of recent reversals of what had been an improving human rights record. If the referendum is approved, Turkey’s parliamentary system—established with the modern republic’s founding in 1923—would be scrapped in favour of an executive presidency; the position of prime minister would be abolished; and the role of parliament diminished and executive powers concentrated in the hands of the president. Unilateral presidential powers would include the ability to appoint high officials, issue decrees, declare states of emergency and dissolve parliament. The package of reforms could keep Mr. Erdoğan in power until 2029.
Alexandru Danga
