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| THE WEEK IN REVIEW (10-16.12.2007) |
| (2007-12-14) |
| Last updated: 2007-12-17 14:26 EET |
On Thursday in Lisbon, Romanian President Traian Basescu, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu and Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu signed on Romania’s behalf the EU Reform Treaty. The treaty will replace the European Constitution, abandoned after being rejected through a referendum by France and the Netherlands. The new treaty strengthens the role of national parliaments and halves the number of European Commission members. It also aims at promoting a more effective EU foreign policy and a more democratic decision making capacity. In 2014, the EU will have a president elect for 2 and a half years and a high representative in charge of coordinating the whole of the European foreign policy. In order to come into force, the treaty will have to be ratified by all members states by the end of next year.
From Lisbon, the three Romanian officials went to Brussels to attend the proceedings of the Winter European Council, which marks the end of the Portuguese presidency of the EU. High on the agenda of talks are the situation in Kosovo, climate change, energy policy and social inclusion. Prime Minister Tariceanu stated on Friday that Romania would not recognize Kosovo’s independence, as it doubts the legitimacy of the means under which that independence could be granted, and taking into account the consequences of such a decision in the West Balkans. He also said that Bucharest supported the development of a European policy for the social integration of the Rroma minority, saying that was a matter of concern not only for Romanians, but for the whole of Europe.
Romania’s Constitutional Court has ruled that some provisions of the law on the uninominal voting system, for which the government assumed responsibility before parliament, are unconstitutional. The head of state submitted a document to the Court, contesting several articles that are said to run counter to the provisions of the Fundamental Law. Following the Court’s decision, they will be sent back to parliament for reexamination. Basescu has announced he will promulgate any normative act regulating the uninominal voting system, on condition that it observe Romania’s constitution.
The Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet state with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, on Thursday expelled two diplomats with the Romanian Embassy in Chisinew, saying their activity was incompatible with their diplomatic status, and called back its ambassador in Romania, against rising tension in the relations between the two countries. It is for the second time, in the past 5 years, that the communist authorities in Chisinew expel Romanian diplomats. In the past few weeks, communist president Vladimir Voronin has insistently accused Bucharest of permanent aggression against his country. He is unhappy with the fact that more and more Moldovan citizens get Romanian citizenship and leave their country, the poorest in Europe. In reaction to the expulsion of the two Romanian diplomats, president Traian Basescu has stated that Bucharest’s policy towards Moldova will not change and Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, has expressed his consternation over the anti-Romanian attitude of the Moldovan officials.
After three and a half months of negotiations, trade unions, the government and employers’ associations in Romania have this week reached a compromise on the national minimum wage. Starting January 1st, 2008, it will stand at 500 RON per month, which is approximately 140 Euros. If economic indicators such as the GDP, inflation and labour productivity allow it, the minimum wage will amount to 540 new lei (some 150 Euros) in the second quarter of the year. With regard to inflation, news is also gloomy. In November, the inflation rate in Romania reached 6.5%, exceeding the estimated and then revised target set by the National Bank of Romania. Inflation was fuelled by this summers’ draught and the depreciation of the national currency, which triggered a string of price hikes. The most significant price spikes were registered in the services and foodstuff sectors. Also contributing to the growth of inflation were the increase in oil and thermal energy prices and the crisis on the international financial markets. Another problem for the authorities is the trade deficit, which in the first 10 months of the year increased by 54%, reaching 17 billion Euros.
Romanian director Cristian Mungiu’s “4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days” can be considered the star of the year 2007, if we look at the many national and especially international awards it has won in 12 months. It won the Palme d’Or award in Cannes, the Grand Prize of the European Film Academy, the European equivalent of the Oscar, the Hollywood World Award which every year “foretells” the winners of the American Film Academy Award. On Thursday, the film was nominated for the Golden Globe best foreign language film award, thus becoming an important candidate for the Oscar.
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