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| THE WEEK IN REVIEW (26.11-2.12.2007) |
| (2007-12-01) |
| Last updated: 2007-12-04 19:51 EET |
The results of the first euro-parliamentary elections in Romania’s history held on November the 25th were won by the Democratic Party, in opposition, with 13 out of Romania’s 35 seats in the European Parliament. Thanks to this score and the two seats won by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, the European People’s Party has consolidated its existing majority position in the European Parliament. In second place came another opposition party, the Social Democratic Party, which will deliver 10 members to the European Socialist group, while the Liberals led by Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu won 6 seats. The recently founded Liberal Democratic Party managed to win 3 seats. The list of Romanian euro-MPs also includes Laszlo Tokes, an ethnic Hungarian reformed bishop, who ran as an independent candidate. Just like in the case of the other EU states that joined the European Union in the last 4 years, voter turnout was very low in Romania, standing at just under 30%.
Voters showed even less interest in the referendum on the introduction of the uninominal voting system, called on the same day by President Traian Basescu. With a 26.5% turnout, of which 81% said yes to the modification of the party lists system currently in place, the referendum was considered invalid. “The uninominal system has been requested by Romania’s active electorate”, underlined President Basescu, after talks, on Thursday, with representatives of the parliamentary parties who accepted his invitation to take part in consultations over the change of the election system. Only the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, the Democratic Party and the Liberal Democratic Party came to the consultations, while the National Liberal Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Greater Romania Party declined the invitation.
The European Commission has decided to start procedures to penalise Romania on account of its delays and irregularities in the introduction of the emergency number 112. The Romanian communications minister Iuliu Winklerhas held talks on the issue with the competent commissioner and assured him that Romania is able to solve the problems related to caller ID in the coming weeks. Brussels is also to press ahead with the procedure to penalise Bucharest over its car registration fee. The Government has reiterated, through its spokeswoman, Camelia Spataru, that the fee in question is intended to protect the environment:
“This can be proved by the fact that the fee varies depending on the degree of carbon dioxide pollution produced by each car. The measure is also in keeping with the European regulations providing for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.”
In the opinion of the European Commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union, Laszlo Kovacs, the legislation in the field is discriminatory, given that it establishes very high fees for second-hand cars compared to new cars, and a high fee-level for second-hand cars imported from EU states as compared to second-hand cars bought in Romania.
Bird flu has again broke out in Romania, more than one year after the last hotbed was officially stamped out. Several birds died in a household in Murighiol, in south-eastern Romania, and tests on samples collected from the dead poultry show the presence of the deadly H5N1 virus. Over 1 million fowl were culled in Romania in the last two years because of this virus. The household in Murighiol was isolated, all the 86 birds belonging to the household were culled, and the whole area was disinfected. Disinfecting filters have been put in place at all the village’s entry and exit points, residents have been vaccinated, and the poultry trade has been restricted for the time being. Travel agencies stand to lose the most. They say this situation will have a negative effect on tourism in the Danube Delta, even if it’s just an isolated incident.
Representatives of the large Romanian community in Spain have asked President Traian Basescu to plead for the lifting of labour market restrictions imposed by Spanish authorities in January 2007 for a period of two years. The Spanish government feared a possible invasion of workers from Romania, but almost one year since the enforcement of the measure, surveys show those fears were unfounded. The Romanian President, who was on a visit to Spain this week, said that after talks with King Juan Carlos, the Romanians who do their jobs have a good image in Spain. However, he doesn’t think the restrictions will be lifted before the end of the two-year period. In President Basescu’s opinion, these restrictions fuel illegal labour. He believes the best thing to do is “recognise the quality of Romanian workers and their status as citizens of the European Union.”
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