Press Review - October 5, 2015

10.05.2015 By Ecaterina Craciun

PM Ponta Says Romania Will Not Be Accepted Into Schengen Area At JHA Council

Prime Minister Victor Ponta said Romania will not be accepted into the Schengen Area, at the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council due next week, because the countries that have so far voted against it will do it again.

Ponta said Romanian authorities were told there is no consensus and the countries that have so far voted against Romania's joining the Schengen Area will do it again.

He also said it is clear now that there is no point in expecting something from somebody that does not want to hear. (Adevarul)

Liberal Lawmakers On Go-Slow Strike As Of Monday For Adoption Of Correspondence Voting

Liberal lawmakers will be on go-slow strike, as of Monday, with respect to the adoption of the correspondence voting. They will be wearing while bandesroles and will blast, through all means available, the situation regarding the voting abroad.

PNL co-president Alina Gorghiu asked for a last round of talks on correspondence voting upon President Iohannis' return from his visit to the United States.

Social democrat Liviu Dragnea said liberals are to blame for delaying debates on correspondence voting because liberal lawmaker Mihai Voicu recently resigned from the position of president of the Parliament electoral code commission head.

Voicu resigned after social democrats and liberals failed to reach a consensus on the correspondence voting.   (Romania Libera)

Romania Cashed EUR483M For Projects Funded Via 2007-2013 POSDRU

Romania has cashed EUR483 million, which represents reimbursement by the European Commission of expenses related to EU projects financed through the 2007-2013 Operational Program for Human Resource Development (POSDRU).

EU funds Minister Marius Nica said the EUR483 million cashed via POSDRU represent a confirmation that Romanian authorities' efforts yielded the expected results, contributing to achieving the targeted EU fund absorption rate for the 2007-2013 financial framework. (Evenimentul Zilei)

Seniority May Be Reduced To 10 Years, As Per New Bill On Military Pensions

A new bill regarding military pensions sets that seniority may be reduced from 15 to ten years.

The new bill targets specialists with high or double professional qualification, according to a bill completing the law regulating military state pensions.

The legislative initiative, submitted at the Senate by three social democrat lawmakers, proposes amending article 16 of Law 223/2015 regulating military pensions, so that seniority may be of at least 10 years in the case of specialists with high and/or double professional qualification.  (Puterea)

14% Of People Aged Over 40 In Romania Have Astma Or Other Obstructive Diseases

14% of people aged over 40 in Romania have astma or other obstructive diseases, Professor Doctor Florin Mihaltan said at the fourth edition of the conference on the management of pulmonary diseases.

"As regards chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD, astma), we know that currently, 14% of people in Romania aged over 40 struggle with that. The disease is on the rise and two types of actions must be taken: one aimed at tracking it down through spirometry campaigns and the second aimed at budgeting and compensating 100% the medication for which we had pleaded, because this ensures a precocious and long-term treatment. In 2020, COPD will be the third most aggressive disease in the world, which will also affect Romania," said Mihaltan.

He added that the Romanian Pneumology Society will resume spirometry campaigns which will last longer. Romania has some 800,000 patients with sleep-related breathing disorders. (Evenimentul Zilei)