Prime Minister Victor Ponta retains parliamentary imunity
Although accused of conflict of interests while in office, the Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta has managed to retain his parliamentary immunity. His colleagues in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday rejected the request of the National Anticorruption Directorate for his prosecution. However, the National Anticorruption Directorate is already prosecuting the PM for another three crimes he allegedly committed as a lawyer.
The Ponta Government and the censure motion
The National Liberal Party, the main opposition party, has introduced a censure motion in Parliament. Quite predicibly, the motion did not pass. The themes of the motion were the organizational disaster at polls abroad, at the presidential election last November, which disallowed thousands to vote, as well as the failure to pass the law on postal voting, which could have prevented the said situations. The Ponta Government is still in power, but one of its ministers, Ioan Rus, has resigned following his offensive statements, in a TV interview, regarding the Romanians working abroad.
Romania’s Defense Strategy
“A strong Romania in Europe and the world” is the subtitle of Romania’s national defence strategy, which the country’s Supreme Defence Council will send to Parliament for approval. At the end of the council’s meeting on Tuesday, president Klaus Iohannis said that the strategy entailed a new concept, that of ‘extended security’. National security is not only about defence; it also has to do with public order, the economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare, the environment and culture, all of which have an impact on national security, the president said. The new strategy reaffirms the importance of Romania’s strategic partnership with the US and its NATO and European Union membership as pillars of the country’s foreign and security policy.
Positive Economic Forecasts for Romania
The World Bank has revised upwards to 3% its economic growth forecast for Romania this year, as compared to the 2.8% world average. Moreover, Romania is likely to register a 3.2% growth rate in 2016, and 3.5% in 2017, which would be lower by 0.4%, though, than what the international financial institution had forecast in winter. Romania’s economic performance, alongside that of the Czech Republic, has also been confirmed by the Statistical Office of the European Union – Eurostat- according to which in the first quarter of this year the two countries had the highest economic growth in the EU: 4.2%.
Read more on RRI.
Showing posts with label Ioan Rus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ioan Rus. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
Transport Minister Resigns Amid Controversial "Punks and Whores" Statement
Transport Minister Ioan Rus resigns on Friday after a hot public debate over a comment he did on Wednesday evening on a private television.
He said that children and wives of those who choose to work abroad become back at home "punks and whores".
"Romania has got 3 million nationals, let's say, of the active force, right now in the Western Europe.
"Perhaps they earn 1,500 euros (a month).
"I put it very directly. For those money, their children at home become punks and their wives whores.
"For 700 euro, half of them would return home," said Ioan Rus in an interview with Digi 24 TV.
The comment stirred up an uproar on social media and some opposition representatives asked for his resignation.
On Thursday, minister Rus apologised and said the words he had used were "an artistic generalization, a licence".
"I didn't mean to offend anybody's dignity whatsoever through my statements, I only wanted to draw attention on the high price thousands of Romanians do pay when choosing to leave to working abroad", said Mr. Rus.
Nevertheless, the pressure continued and on Friday the prime minister Victor Ponta announced on Facebook he accepted Transports minister's resignation.
The main task during his mandate was the negotiation of the so-called Transport General Master Plan with the Romania's parteners in the EU.
The Master Plan includes the infrastructure projects Romania needs or has to employ in order to integrate itself in the larger european development plans.
Ioan Rus is a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) since 1994. He had two mandates as Interior Minister (December 2000 - June 2003 and May - August 2012) and he became Transport Minister in June 2014, following the resignation of Dan Sova.
He said that children and wives of those who choose to work abroad become back at home "punks and whores".
"Romania has got 3 million nationals, let's say, of the active force, right now in the Western Europe.
"Perhaps they earn 1,500 euros (a month).
 |
| Transport Minister Ioan Rus resigns over a controversial statement he made on romanians working abroad. Photo Credit: ziare.com |
"For 700 euro, half of them would return home," said Ioan Rus in an interview with Digi 24 TV.
The comment stirred up an uproar on social media and some opposition representatives asked for his resignation.
On Thursday, minister Rus apologised and said the words he had used were "an artistic generalization, a licence".
"I didn't mean to offend anybody's dignity whatsoever through my statements, I only wanted to draw attention on the high price thousands of Romanians do pay when choosing to leave to working abroad", said Mr. Rus.
Nevertheless, the pressure continued and on Friday the prime minister Victor Ponta announced on Facebook he accepted Transports minister's resignation.
The main task during his mandate was the negotiation of the so-called Transport General Master Plan with the Romania's parteners in the EU.
The Master Plan includes the infrastructure projects Romania needs or has to employ in order to integrate itself in the larger european development plans.
Ioan Rus is a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) since 1994. He had two mandates as Interior Minister (December 2000 - June 2003 and May - August 2012) and he became Transport Minister in June 2014, following the resignation of Dan Sova.
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