Press Review - June 22, 2017

06.22.2017 By Oana Gavrila

Klaus Iohannis Attends European Council Meeting in Brussels

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will be attending the  European Council Meeting in Brussels Thursday and Friday.

Iohannis is also set to meet with France's new president Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

The main issues on the meeting agenda are security and defense, employment, economic growth and competitiveness, migration, and climate change, as well as the latest developments in Brexit negotiations.

Olguta Vasilescu Says Ex-Ministers Could Withdraw Resignations to Ensure Interim Cabinet

Former labor minister Olguta Vasilescu said former ministers of the Grindeanu Cabinet could withdraw their resignations and ensure an interim administration until a new Government is appointed.

Vasilescu said activity in several ministries was blocked after ministers resigned and several state secretaries were fired. She added the ministers' resignations have not yet taken effect, as President Klaus Iohannis has not yet issued the required decrees.

The former labor minister said she reached her goals in the governing program and expects to resume her position in a new Cabinet.

Ludovic Orban: PSD-ALDE No Longer Have Absolute Majority

Liberal Party president Ludovic Orban said Wednesday the result of the no-confidence motion vote in Parliament shows the ruling PSD-ALDE coalition no longer has an absolute majority.

He said President Klaus Iohannis could designate a prime minister from outside the coalition.

"241 votes means PSD-ALDE no longer have the absolute majority in Parliament. They garnered 241 votes with 12 votes coming from minorities and two votes from other parties. 241 minus 14 is 227 and the absolute majority in the current Parliament is 232,” said Orban on B1 TV.

He added he summoned the Liberal Party's executive bureau for talks to create another parliamentary majority. He also said early elections would be the best solution.

Five Banks Get EUR540M To Fund SMEs Under EIB Agreement

Five banks signed agreements Wednesday with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for SME funding totaling EUR540 million.

The banks that signed agreements for the SME Initiative so far are Raiffeisen Bank, ProCredit Bank Romania, Banca Comerciala Romana, Banca Transilvania and BancPost.

The scheme, which covers 60% of loan guarantees and offers low interest, is estimated to benefit around 3,700 SMEs.

Constitutional Court: Senate Can't Always Be Deciding Chamber

Romania's Constitutional Court on Wednesday decided the Senate may not always be the deciding chamber on legislation, following a complaint from the opposition party USR.

The court found several aspects of the Senate's regulations unconstitutional, as it set an order of notification of the chambers of Parliament, making the Senate the decision chamber.

It also said the Senate's regulations contain rules targeting the activity of the Chamber of Deputies and joint activities of the two chambers, which breaks the constitutional principle of regulation autonomy.