Romania marks 82-nd anniversary of a Jewish pogrom
Commemorating the 82-nd anniversary of a Jewish pogrom in the Moldavian city of Iassy, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis called on authorities and institutions in a message on Wednesday to further fight against extremism and attempts of selectively alter the past in this respect. The 1941 Jewish Pogrom in Iassy was marked by a march through the Păcurari neighbouhood to the Jewish Cemetery in the town. Thousands of Jews survived after being lockedup in so-called ‘death trains’ as Marius Cazan of Romania’s Elie Wiesel National Institute for Holocaust Studies pointed out. During WW II, one of the worst massacres of the conflict took place in Eastern Europe, in Iassy, Romania’s second city at the time. A tenth of the city’s population – more than 13,000 people – was murdered in a few days, simply becuase they were Jews. More than 80 years after, most Romanians know little about those atrocities.
A controversial law on special pensions before Romania’s Constitutional Court
Romania’s justice officials are expected to take a controversial law on special pensions before the Constitutional Court. Romanian lawmakers passed the special pension reform requested by the European Commission on Wednesday while last-minute changes diluted the law. The bill’s final version did not fully implement the Commission’s recommendations. For example, it cites that special pensions that exceed the average net salary (RON 4,000 – around €800) will be subject to a 15% tax instead of the 30% requested by the European Commission. Corina Corbu, the head of Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice, called for a special meeting on Thursday, at 1 PM, for an alleged attack of the law before the the country’s Constitutional Court (CCR). Elimination of special pensions has already been criticised by those who would lose out on such a preferential scheme, notably magistrates, prosecutors of the country’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and DIICOT (Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism) prosecutors as well as policemen and military personnel.
Romanian Orthodox and Romano-Catholic believers celebrate St Peter and Paul
The celebration of St Peter and Paul is a feast in honour of martyrdom in Rome of Peter and Paul, observed on June 29 in the Christian world. St. Peter and Paul are both patron saints of Rome and seen as cornerstones of the Church. St. Peter was one of the 12 apostles, as well as the first pope and founder of the Roman Church. He was martyred sometime around AD 64 in the circus of Nero. Since he was not a Roman citizen his death was crucifixion. During Nero’s persecution of the Christians, Paul was martyred as well. Since he was a Roman citizen his death was the more lenient beheading. St. Paul was also an apostle, responsible for much of the New Testament.
Alexandru Danga – RADOR
