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| THE WEEK IN REVIEW 11/12/2009 |
| (2009-12-11) |
| Last updated: 2009-12-14 17:25 EET |
The political crisis in Romania goes on, even after the presidential run-off elections came up with a victor. On Sunday night, Romanians had two presidents: both the incumbent head of state Traian Basescu, and his challenger, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Mircea Geoana, backed by the entire opposition, both of whom claimed victory. But on Monday, the Central Electoral Bureau announced that Basescu had won 50.33% of the votes, and Geoana 49.66%. The narrow margin separating the two, only 70 thousand votes, prompted Geoana to challenge the results at the Constitutional Court. While waiting for a verdict, political parties are looking for formulas to form a new government to replace the minority Liberal Democratic cabinet dismissed in October following a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Basescu and the pro-presidential Liberal Democratic Party have made no secret of their preference for a right-of-center government together with the national Liberal Party, the third largest group in Parliament. However, Liberal leader Crin Antonescu has not forgotten the traumatic experience of his party’s previous cooperation with the Liberal Democrats, and has declined to take part in a future government controlled by Basescu. Another formula being considered by the Liberal Democratic Party is an alliance with the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, representatives of other ethnic minorities and MPs recruited from across the political spectrum. There is also the option of a minority Liberal Democratic government, which the Liberals and the Union of Ethnic Hungarians do not seem to be opposed to, or the option of early elections.
At the moment, all eyes are turned to the Constitutional Court, which is facing a novel situation in Romania. Court judges are to make a decision with respect to the request to cancel Sunday’s presidential election, filed by the Social Democratic Party in opposition, which claims the election was rigged. The Court may order the cancellation of the run-off, provided that the alleged fraud was substantial enough to change the result of the election. For the moment the Constitutional Court ruled the recounting of the null votes, after the Central Electoral Bureau rejected the Social Democratic Party’s request to re-count all the votes. The party suspects the results from special polling stations abroad, where the Social Democrats claim an uncommonly large number of Romanians cast their votes. This is why the Social democrats asked the Foreign Ministry to provide copies of all documents concerning the vote in the diaspora. Social Democratic leader Mircea Geoana said he would accept the Court ruling, no matter what the decision might be. But he did mention that, if the election was not cancelled, the Social Democrats would ask the Constitutional Court’s opinion on who is entitled to form the new government.
Romania's incumbent president Traian Basescu on Thursday and Friday attended the winter meeting of the European Council, the first after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, a document meant to reform community institutions. Global warming and the financing of poor states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions were the main topics on the agenda. The European leaders are still committed to the talks on preventing climate change and say the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020 depends on a similar commitment from the rest of the international community.
The impact of the political and economic crisis has become more and more evident at a social level. The National Employment Agency has announced that unemployment in Romania reached its highest level in November in the last 5 years and 8 months. The unemployment rate stood at 7.5% and will continue its upward trend in the first part of 2010. The International Monetary Fund has forecast a 9 to 10% unemployment rate for 2010. A study conducted by the Manpower recruitment agency shows that in the first part of 2010 the situation will be somewhat stable only for those who have a job. According to the study, which was carried out in 35 countries, Romania ranks last in the world in terms of the employment level for next year. Romanian employers are among the most pessimistic with almost 60% of them expecting no change for the better, and a quarter expecting personnel reductions.
The Romanian health ministry has decided to expand the H1N1 flu vaccination campaign to include all risk categories of the population. The next step to prevent the immediate spread of the H1N1 virus is to give the vaccine to people with chronic diseases, a category which has seen the highest number of deaths, as well as employees who come into direct contact with the public. According to the latest health ministry report, almost 20 people have died of H1N1 in Romania, and more than 4500 have been infected.
On Wednesday Romania's football champions Unirea Urziceni failed to qualify for the Champions League's last 16, after losing their away game against the German side VfB Stuttgart 3-1 in the last Group G match. Unirea now rank third in the group, which allows them to move into the final 32 of the Europa League, the second European football competition. Romania is represented in this competition by FC Timisoara, Dinamo Bucharest, Steaua Bucharest and CFR Cluj.
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