The ministers proposed to be part of the Nicolae Ciuca Cabinet will be heard on Wednesday in the specialist parliamentary committees.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister-Designate Nicolae Ciuca submitted to Parliament the list of the National Liberal Party (PNL) – Social Democratic Party (PSD) – Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Cabinet and the governing program for which he will ask for the vote of confidence of the Legislature.
According to the regulations, each candidate for the position of minister will be heard, in a joint meeting, by the standing committees of the two Chambers whose object of activity corresponds to the sphere of competence of the future minister.
Following the hearing, the committees will draw up a joint, reasoned advisory opinion.
The list of the PNL – PSD – UDMR Government is the following:
* Prime Minister – Nicolae Ciuca
* Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure – Sorin Grindeanu
* Deputy Prime Minister – Kelemen Hunor
* Minister of Development, Public Works and Administration – Cseke Attila
* Minister of Finance – Adrian Caciu
* Minister of European Investments and Projects – Dan Vilceanu
* Minister of Economy – Florin Spataru
* Minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism – Constantin-Daniel Cadariu
* Minister of Energy – Virgil Popescu
* Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development – Adrian Chesnoiu
* Minister of Health – Alexandru Rafila
* Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests – Tanczos Barna
* Minister of Education – Sorin Cimpeanu
* Minister of Labor and Social Solidarity – Marius Budai
* Minister of Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities – Gabriela Firea
* Minister of Culture – Lucian Romascanu
* Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitalization – Florin Roman
* Minister of Sports – Eduard Novak
* Minister of Justice – Catalin Predoiu
* Minister of Internal Affairs – Lucian Bode
* Minister of National Defense – Vasile Dincu
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – Bogdan Aurescu.
Aspiring JusMin Predoiu: We cannot watch interlopers displaying their illicitly acquired assets in public
Catalin Predoiu, the pick for justice minister, on Wednesday urged the heads of the prosecutor’s offices “to activate their teams, get the files on the table and get to work more seriously,” because “we cannot watch interlopers displaying their illicitly acquired assets in public.”
“As we speak, we are in the midst of unimaginable and unacceptable human trafficking. Romania occupies a shameful place in terms of human trafficking in Europe, and that can no longer be tolerated. I am calling on the heads of the prosecutor’s offices to activate their teams, get the files on the table, clear their backlogs, and take the matter more seriously because the safety of the public is not to be discussed,” Predoiu said at hearings of Parliament’s specialist committees.
He added that a justice minister cannot get involved in cases, but can make proposals for the appointment and removal of prosecutors.
“Of course, the minister of justice cannot get involved in any criminal case and I guarantee you that I, personally, will not do it, but the minister of justice also makes recommendations for appointments, as well as recommendations for dismissals on grounds of inactivity or mismanagement. We cannot watch interlopers displaying in the public space their illicitly acquired assets, their ability to produce violence and impunity. That calls into question the law and that should not pass,” said Predoiu.
Rafila: Green pass, life-saving tool, yet it needs to be introduced at right time
Alexandru Rafila, who received a positive opinion from parliament’s select committees for the position of Health minister, said on Wednesday that the green certificate is an instrument that saves lives, but it must be introduced at the right time.
When asked about the incidence of the virus spread at which the green certificate should be waived, Rafila said: “I’ll give you just one theoretical example, I have not established this, I discussed in principle with public health specialists: the introduction, for example, could be after three weeks of consecutive increases with a multiplication index higher than 1.5. The withdrawal would occur at a similar decrease, but also under an incidence, let’s say, of 1 or 0.5, that is, we have to find a very low incidence, so that this does not endanger the health of the population. We must, in parallel, not give up on encouraging vaccination, because at the end of the day we have to do just that, try to explain to people that this green certificate is for protecting health, it is not an oppressive tool. The green certificate is an instrument that saves lives, but it must be introduced at the right time.”
Rafila noted that lawmakers are not trying to postpone the debate on the bill on the introduction of the green certificate.
“By law, we can establish a framework and the entry into force of the certificate can be done at any time it is needed. We are not talking about a postponement, as they said, that we are postponing it for January. We can talk about a new piece of legislation, I think it should be a new piece of legislation, and then we can go with a predictable mechanism, the world knows what it is about, it is announced in advance if there are prolonged increases in transmission [of the virus – ed.n.],” doctor Rafila explained.
Virgil Popescu cleared by specialist committees of Parliament for minister of energy
On Wednesday, Virgil Popescu received a favourable opinion for the office of Minister of Energy, from the joint specialist parliamentary committees.
There were 39 votes cast “in favour”, 15 “against” and one abstention from the total votes cast by members of the specialist committees of the two Chambers.
Tanczos: Environmental protection does not divide but brings together all political forces
Environmental protection is not an area that divides, but brings almost all political forces, said on Wednesday, the Minister Designate of Environment, Waters and Forests, Barna Tanczos, during the hearings in the Parliament by the joint committees for Environment and Ecological Balance, for Environment and for waters, forests, fisheries and game.
“We need an administrative reform, an increase in administrative capacity and a strengthening of control capacity. We need to go beyond the personal control phase, through the people hired for it, to do that and through cross-checks, through macro analysis offered by certain state bodies – Police, ANAF, Environmental Guard, Economic Police,” said Tanczos.
The official pointed out that digitalization is an important factor in the development of the forestry field in Romania.
“Without digitization, these problems cannot be solved. Another very important element is education and awareness. We need a National Strategy for Climate Change. We must also rethink the National Energy-Climate Plan. Illegal deforestation in Romania has been considerably reduced. The SUMAL 2.0 system makes this phenomenon of illegal logging almost impossible. SUMAL 2.0 is a stable and constantly improving one. We will have to implement some new functionalities as well,” said Barna Tanczos.
Florin Spataru clears committees hearings for minister of Economy
The proposed Minister of Economy, Florin Spataru cleared hearings at a joint meeting of Parliament’s select committees on Wednesday, with 30 votes “in favour” and 19 votes “against”.
Bogdan Aurescu clears committee hearings for minister of Foreign Affairs
Bogdan Aurescu, the pick for minister of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday cleared hearings at a joint meeting of Parliament’s select committees.
Aurescu received 31 votes “in favour”, and eleven “against” from the total votes cast by members of the select committees of the two Chambers.
Eduard Novak: If we invest in some priority sports and not in 70, then we will have results
Eduard Novak, the nominee for the post of Minister of Sports, said on Wednesday that he had received a favorable opinion from the Joint Committees for Education, Science, Youth and Sport in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, that the investments from the state budget must be channeled on some priority sports, and not on 70 disciplines as it is happening at the moment, in order for Romania to be able to have important results in the international competitions.
“In the other countries, a system is practiced in which 6-8 sports are a priority. This is what we need to change, that is why we have started to draft the National Strategy for Sports. Because we want to reach a formula that is as safe and simple as possible and I am referring here to the grassroots sports, and to performance sports, and to mass sports. (…) Because the truth is that we are not able to support 70 disciplines at the moment,” he told lawmakers.
Novak explained that he wants to implement a new type of financing for sports, following the model of Hungary.
Lucian Bode cleared for Interior Minister
Nominee for Minister of the Interior Lucian Bode received today the nod of approval of the Parliament joint expert committees.
Romascanu: The most important priority for the cultural field, no matter the government, no matter who is there, is funding
Lucian Romascanu, who got the approval on Wednesday from the specialist committees of Parliament for the office of Minister of Culture, stated that ensuring a satisfactory budget, operationalizing aid schemes, collaborating with relevant institutions in the COVID-19 pandemic area and the “Timisoara 2023 – European Capital of Culture,” represent immediate priorities of its mandate.
“The most important priority for the cultural field, no matter the government, no matter who is there, is funding. We only managed to get closer to 0.1pct of GDP in the Centenary Year, when we had an additional budget for the events of that year. (…) Much of the money only passes through the ministry to the salaries of subordinate institutions, and important programmes – such as the programme of restoration of historical monuments under the National Heritage Institute – have always remained without the necessary funds,” Romascanu said at his hearing.
The designated minister added that he would like to be able to convince his colleagues in the Government that the field of Culture should reach 0.1pct of GDP, and in the next eight years he hopes for 1pct.
Other priorities presented by Romascanu are the operationalization of aid schemes, an “extremely open, honest, sincere and flexible” collaboration with the relevant institutions in the COVID-19 pandemic area, so that cultural institutions can carry out their activity, and the “Timisoara 2023″ programme – European Capital of Culture.”
“We have already received a message from the mayor of Timisoara, Dominic Fritz. He will have to get more involved than has happened so far, to assume the role of leader of the local forum that manages this great programme and to have the second great success after “Sibiu – European Capital of Culture,” said Romascanu.
At the same time, the designated minister mentioned a series of legislative priorities, such as the Statute of the cultural worker, the Heritage Code, the Law on the management of public cultural institutions and the Law on cultural vouchers.
Firea: There is a need for protection for all those facing situations of domestic violence
PSD (Social Democratic Party) Senator Gabriela Firea, nominated for the office of Minister of Family in the PNL-PSD-UDMR (National Liberal Party, Social Democratic Party, Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania) Government, stated on Thursday that in Romania there is a need for protection for all those facing situations of domestic violence.
“November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Romania needs, as urgently as possible, all the tools to protect mothers and children, all those in such desperate situations. The state must intervene, act, we must no longer lose any time. In 2020, the Police recorded more than 26,000 cases of beatings and other domestic violence acts. 72 women were killed. We need shelters, counseling programmes, rapid interventions by the Police, rapid decision by the courts. We need to ensure protection to all those facing situations of domestic violence,” Firea wrote on Facebook.
She added that Romania urgently needs to find its humanity, solidarity, empathy.
“No, it’s not normal to know about a case of domestic violence and not intervene. No, you don’t have to sit with your hands crossed, turn your head, ignore, it’s just his family, he can do what he wants. It’s time to start thinking, to feel and to act,” Firea mentioned.
Cimpeanu: December 2 would be the first day for in-person instruction
Sorin Cimpeanu, who on Wednesday cleared hearings by Parliament’s specialist committees to become the minister of education, said on Wednesday that Monday, November 29, might be declared a paid vacation day, and December 2 would be the first day for in-person instruction at schools in areas where the 14-day COVID-19 reporting rate drops below 3 per 1,000 population.
“Certainly, in all areas where the rate drops below 3 per 1,000 population, according to the order of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, in-person instruction becomes available. We are in a special situation because Monday, November 29, could very likely be declared a paid vacation day by government decision, which we will have if the government wins the vote of confidence and is sworn in office. November 30 and December 1 are paid vacation days, so practically December 2 would be the first day for in-person instruction at the schools in those areas,” said Cimpeanu.
According to him, 90% of students and preschoolers have so far been able to get in-person instruction once the rate has dropped.
“I know that yesterday nationwide [the rate] was 2.88, today in Bucharest it is 2.87 (…) and I also know that yesterday there were only 11 counties where the rate exceeded 3 per 1,000 population. Arad was at 4.56 per 1,000, the highest rate. So it is possible that next week the rate will fall in the vast majority of counties, below 3 per 1,000,” Cimpeanu concluded.
Compiled from Agerpres
