Press Review - December 8, 2017

12.08.2017 By Oana Gavrila

PM Appoints Godson As Braila Prefect

New Braila county prefect George Adrian Paladi is the godson of prime minister Mihai Tudose.

Tudose served as godfather at Paladi's wedding ceremony 14 years ago.

Tudose appointed Paladi, prefect Wednesday, replacing Madalina Cochino.

Paladi, 38, was a member of the Social Democratic Party and owned a business that had several contracts with the state, including Braila town hall and the town's public utilities company.

EC Urges Romania To Transpose Anti-Money Laundering Directive

The European Commission on Thursday urged Romania and seven other countries within the European Union to transpose the '4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive' in their national legislation.

A press release from the European Commission reads that the new rules will strengthen the existing anti-money laundering requirements and improve the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing.

The Commission had set 26 June 2017 as deadline for member states to transpose the directive and saw that eight member states had not notified any transposition measures and the draft laws are still in their national legislative process. Romania risks referral to the EU Court of Justice unless it complies within two months.

Romania Leads EU Countries In Mortality Rate Due To Acute Heart Attacks

Romania in 2014 had the highest mortality rate due to acute heart attacks in the European Union, according to a report made by OECD Health Data in cooperation with the European Observatory On Health Systems and Policies.

The report also shows that Romania has a higher number of deaths caused by acute heart attacks than the European average and that on average, one in five patients who survived a heart attack is bound to suffer another cardiac event in the following year.

Romanian cardiologist Oana Inta said this is because patients usually return to the lifestyle they led prior to the heart attack. She added that people underestimate the risks that may trigger it and that they don’t undergo regular medical checkups.

Prosecutor General Says Harassing Prosecutors Breaches Rule of Law Principles

Romania's prosecutor general said harassing prosecutors and weakening prosecution offices is breaching fundamental principles of the rule of law.

Prosecutors must not be subordinated to another state authority and definitely not to the minister of justice, as they are part of the judicial power, not the executive power, he said, citing the constitutional principle of state power separation.

The parliamentary committee working to amend the laws regulating the judiciary decided the set-up of a department that would investigate magistrates for judicial errors.

Florin Iordache Says Justice Bills Don't Destabilize or Politicize the Judiciary

Social democrat Florin Iordache, head of the parliamentary committee working on an overhaul of the Romanian judiciary, said  Thursday amendments to the statute of magistrates don't destabilize or politicize the judiciary.

He said all political interference has been eliminated.