Press Review - September 10, 2018

09.10.2018 By Oana Gavrila

Basescu Calls for No-Confidence Motion

Former president Traian Basescu, now honorary head of the PMP opposition party, said a no-confidence motion is a “mandatory political gesture” and should be filed regardless of its chances of success.

He said a no-confidence motion is a political duty as the government mishandled the African swine fever epidemic and the violent protests of August 10. He said this Cabinet should be toppled before Romania takes over the presidency of the EU Council and noted the feuds within the ruling Social Democratic Party.

“No-confidence motion now! Whether it succeeds or not, a no-confidence motion is a mandatory political gesture. The opposition desperately needs an institutional reaction of distance from the Dragnea – Dancila – Tariceanu disaster,” Basescu wrote on Facebook.

Dragnea: Amnesty, Not a Judicial Illusion

Ruling party leader Liviu Dragnea said amnesty is not a legal illusion and solutions must be adopted to fix wrongs generated by the involvement of secret services in prosecution cases.

“Amnesty is not a judicial illusion. There has been talk for a long time of the need to find a solution to fix the wrongs generated by the involvement of secret services in the judiciary and the terrible results of these illegal and unconstitutional protocols with prosecution offices,” said Dragnea on Antena 3.

Dragnea, a convicted felon for vote rigging and awaiting final sentencing in a separate corruption case, said the government needs to find ways to erase the effects of collaboration protocols between prosecutors and secret services.

Dragnea Says Violent Aug 10 Rally Was Financed from Abroad

Ruling party leader Liviu Dragnea said the August 10 rally that turned violent was financed from abroad and supporting evidence is expected next week.

He said state institutions did nothing wrong and riot police only did their duty. He called the protest an attempted coup.

Military and organized crime prosecutors are investigating the Aug 10 demonstration where riot police used excessive force, unleashing tear gas and water cannons onto peaceful protesters. Hundreds of demonstrators filed criminal complaints citing police brutality.

Weather Stays Warm in Sept 10-17

The weather remains warm in the next decade of September throughout most of the country and precipitation will be in the average range for this time of year, meteorologists said.

In the week September 10-17, temperatures will be above average for the period, with colder temperatures in the western region and higher temperatures in the southeast.