Press Review - February 25, 2019

02.25.2019 By Oana Gavrila

Three-Month Money Market rate Flat at 3.28% Friday

The three-month money market interest rate used to calculate interests for consumer loans in lei remained unchanged at 3.28% Friday, the same level as Thursday, central bank data showed.

The rate on Thursday had hit its highest level since November 2, 2018, when it had stood at 3.29%.

The six-month rate, an indicator used to calculate variable interest rates on mortgage loans, also remained unchanged Friday at 3.41%, its highest level since November 27, 2018.

PM Invites Protesting Magistrates to Talks on Justice Laws

Romanian prime minister Viorica Dancila has invited representatives of magistrates associations to the government headquarters on Monday to discuss changes to justice laws which are seen as undermining the independence of the judiciary.

Several magistrates associations have said they would not attend talks as the independence of the judiciary is non-negotiable and talks should have taken place before amending bills. The only solution left now is for the government to repeal the decree in its entirety, they said.

Magistrates across the country have been protesting since Friday against a Government decree adopted last week which amends several judicial bills.

Justice minister Tudorel Toader announced the decree in question last Tuesday and presented several of its amendments, mainly regarding the criteria for appointing top prosecutors.

The act was criticized by Romania’s main prosecutors’ offices, but also by top judicial watchdog CSM’s Prosecutors’ Section and by National Union of Romanian Judges.

Riot Police Intervened in Scuffle Between Protesters, Antena 3 Crew

Riot police said it intervened Sunday evening in Bucharest when a scuffle broke out between protesters in Victory Square and a filming crew of TV station Antena 3 which is seen as partial to the government.

Thousands of Romanians took to the streets across the country on Sunday to protest against a government decree that critics say undermines the rule of law. Some 10,000 people attended rallies in Bucharest and smaller protests took place in at least ten other cities.