IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
- European funding: 25 million Euro grants for medical research.
- BUDGET: The budgetary amendment is a positive one. More money for Health, for Education, for the Ministry of Labor, for Justice.
- FOREIGN POLICY. Victor Ponta: During the talks with the leaders attending the UN General Assembly I talked about Moldova, Ukraine and the Black Sea.
- INFRASTRUCTURE. Romanian research has attracted a new installment of 60 million Euros for infrastructure development
- Foreign Policy. Victor Ponta: 65 years of political and diplomatic relations with China allow us to think about joint projects in agriculture, energy and infrastructure.
- POLITICS. The Presidential Program of Victor Ponta: Romania needs a new grand unification between the Romanians.
25 million euro grants for medical research
The Ministry of European Funds (MEF) announced Thursday, September 25, 2014, that it has launched a new call for projects worth 25 million Euros, for developing the public infrastructure for existing research and development and creating new infrastructure: laboratories, research centers.
According to a press release from the MEF, the projects can be submitted from September 25 to October 24, and the competition takes into account „financing a complex project of national interest, in the health sector, aiming at preventing diseases with potential disabling or fatal evolution, supported by the Ministry of Health”.
The quoted source stated that the money „will be allocated to carry out research in the field/areas of national interest, through the use of angiographs acquired through the project, with the aim of diagnosing injuries with a potential disabling or fatal evolution, respectively for the angioarhitectonics of malignant tumors.”
„Visiting hospitals in Romania, we found out that many lack the essential technology for diagnosing life-threatening injuries. We wanted, therefore, that through the Sectoral Operational Program Increase of Economic Competitiveness to allocate 25 million Euros to cover these gaps, by purchasing angiographes. And I do not stop here. I am working with the Minister of Health, Nicolae Bănicioiu, to identify ways in which Romanians could benefit from the most proficient treatment and quality health services”, said the Minister of EU Funds, Eugen Teodorovici, according to the MEF statement.
The budgetary amendment is a POSITIVE one. More money for Health, for Education, for the Ministry of Labor, for Justice
Government officials said that the budgetary amendment is evidence of the Executive’s concern for job creation, for family support and poor people. The projects of the Ministry of Labor, Family, Welfare and the Elderly will receive 1.215 billion lei more.
Officials stressed that despite contrary criticism, through this budgetary amendment more money will be given for schools, more money for the health system, in both cases, being considered a positive amendment.
The money allocated in addition to this amendment for the Ministry of Health is 143.8 billion lei. The budgetary amendment is positive also for Education – there will be more money for secondary and higher education. Education earns more than 100 million lei due to the current amendment. Also for Education there will be allocated, through public authority budgets, approximately 140 million lei.
Victor Ponta: During the talks with the leaders attending the UN General Assembly I talked about Moldova, Ukraine and the Black Sea
Prime Minister Victor Ponta, PSD President, said that during the talks with the leaders of the other countries present in the United States at the UN General Assembly, discussed the regional situation, focusing on the Republic of Moldova, the crisis in Ukraine and the Black Sea area.
„In all the discussions I have had, informal, and with the President of Turkey, Mr. Erdogan, in the few words I managed to talk to President Obama, because I had a longer discussion with Ms. Nuland, because she is the one from the Department of State who is covering the region with other European leaders with whom I met last night at the reception President Obama and today at the lunch offered by the Secretary General (UN – ed.no) of course the main problem for Romania is what happens in the region, what happens with Moldova. I spoke once again about Moldova and I said how important what happens to Ukraine is, what happens to the Black Sea is and what Romania’s prospects are„, the PM explained at Antena 3.
PSD President said the message resulted from the discussions is that Romania is a safe country, but it is found in this situation because it is part of NATO, EU.
„Because otherwise we saw what happened to Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, we see what happens in Syria and Iraq. (…) But this security has some obligations. And the obligations are that Romania to always show the USA, and other NATO members that we are a committed country, a serious and stable country”, said Victor Ponta.
The Prime Minister added that during the discussions with the other political leaders attending the UN General Assembly he stressed that the Republic of Moldova is the main foreign policy objective of Romania
„We are not like Russia that said: Crimea is mine and took it by force. No, we as a democratic and civilized country does, we support the democratization of Moldova, to have strong institutions, a better life for the citizens there and to join the European Union. Or, Moldova’s road to the EU and Moldova naturally and inwards can only pass through Romania”, said Victor Ponta.
During his speech, Prime Minister Victor Ponta, PSD President, declared at the rostrum of the UN General Assembly that Romania rejects any form of external pressure on other countries in Eastern Europe, in the context of the crisis in Ukraine, and assured that our country supports ‘strongly’ the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
‘One of the most important crises for our country is the current situation in Ukraine, given the impact on the security of countries in Eastern Europe. (..) I would like to reconfirm here the clear and firm national position of Romania regarding the crisis in Ukraine. Romania rejects any form of external pressure on other countries in Eastern Europe that have aspirations to join the European Union. Romania strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine’, said Victor Ponta in his speech before the UN General Assembly.
At the same time, the Head of the Romanian Government urged the United Nations to get involved and support the actions of the OSCE. ‘We urge the UN to get involved and to monitor the situation and support the specific mechanisms of the situation on the ground and the efforts of the OSCE. For years, all states in the Black Sea area said that peace and stability are our goals, but stability and security are in danger: the case of Ukraine, Transnistria, Abkhazia, and now Donetsk are obstacles in achieving these goals’, said Victor Ponta.
Romanian research has attracted a new installment of 60 million Euros for infrastructure development
Prime Minister Victor Ponta participated together with the Minister Delegate for Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Development, Mihnea Costoiu, at the ceremony of the launch of 17 projects within the „R&D Infrastructure Development of existing and new infrastructures (laboratories, research centers R)” operation.
The event took place at the Aerospace Institute for Research – Development „ELIE CARAFOLI” – Bucharest.
The beneficiaries of the 17 research projects, worth 60 million Euros, are 7 universities, 8 research institutes and 2 hospitals.
By starting these projects, scientific research in Romania wins new forces by strengthening laboratories and research centers to the highest standards, thanks to latest generation facilities in areas of genuine need, such as energy – 2 projects (storage, energy efficiency), materials and innovative processes – 4 projects (new materials, structures, aerodynamics), environment – 6 projects (aquatic ecosystems, environmental pollution), health – 5 projects (cardiovascular diseases, gene therapy, pharmaceutical research, lung cancer).
The Presidential Program of Victor Ponta: Romania needs a new grand unification between the Romanians
The program of the PSD, PC and UNPR presidential candidate for the November elections, Victor Ponta, which comprises ten goals, aims as a country project the need of achieving a new grand unification of the Romanians.
„As president I want to promote a new Grand Unification for the Romanians. Only together we can move forward. We want to start the second largest union of the Romanians. But for this, in order to build for the future, we need balance and stability. We have a lot of work to do”, says Ponta, in his presidential program, posted Tuesday on his website.
The President argues that his ambition is to bring genuine change, in which scandal and political war does not have a place at the top of the state.
Victor Ponta also said that Romanians are more divided than ever in the past 100 years. The PM shows that the Great Unification he is speaking about means erasing the borders between the left and the right, between those involved and those not involved, between those who need help and those who help themselves, between those who are proficient and those who are less proficient.
„A modern state, actively involved in the lives of those who need support, but discreet and fair to those who just need clear and durable rules, a cohesive Romania, where wealth is fairly distributed and where the people help each other, this is the meaning of the Great Unification I propose a 100 years after the sublime moment of 1918 „, explains the President PSD.
In the presidential program, Ponta says that Romania is in a ‘crisis of vision’. ‘The lack of political vision is a real problem in Romania in the last decade’, says the document, which states that, in this context, a president to fight for another great unification of the Romanians is required.
Victor Ponta commits in his presidential program to ten goals he intends to achieve in the next ten years.
* The project of a good President who unites and builds
„After this election, we must end the war in society, starting with the discourse and the personal attitude, through the promoted action model’, it is shown in the presidential candidate Ponta’s program, which states that the President must rally around the same national targets the PM, the Government, the Parliament and other institutions.
Victor Ponta says that one of the priorities for Romania is the reconstruction of public space and the trust in public institutions and international actors. He also says that the state was partially dismantled, context in which he shows that the reconstruction of the national political community in the spirit of democracy and open partnership between society and institutions is a priority of the next presidential term. The PM shows that the reconstruction of the public space involves promoting a set of institutional reforms.
Regarding the role of the President as mediator, it is stated that it involves the construction of a democratic political community by fostering dialogue with society, and as arbitrator, the reconstruction of civil dialogue.
Regarding the Constitutional reform and rethinking political representation, the program refers to the revision of the Constitution, the electoral reform and perfecting the administrative decentralization.
Victor Ponta mentions that early next presidential term consultations for a consensus on the reform of the electoral system and insuring the conditions for harmonizing the electoral legislation and integrating them into the electoral code will be initiated. It also shows that decentralization is one of the ways to bring decision closer to the people.
The Prime Minister believes that a good President is one who has as guidelines: team building, dialogue and consultation with the civil society, dialogue with all political forces, revising the Constitution, the electoral reform and the modernization of the administration.
* Equal opportunities in the society
„Romania needs economic growth but also an active fight against poverty”, says the document.
As guidelines Ponta mentions: the national strategy, the balance between economic growth and social repair, strengthening cohesion policy, continuing Government policies for pensions and wages indexation, raising the minimum wage and strengthening social policies.
*Another objective of Ponta is related to justice to the end, in a state at the service of the citizen – independent, fair judiciary, working effectively, without political influence.
The PSD President shows that the President must step up the fight against corruption. ‘No one can be above the law, and those who had sheltered from justice for the past 10 years must answer’, says the document.
According to Ponta’s presidential program, the ‘justice to the end’ guidelines are: strengthening the fight against corruption, strengthening institutions and implementing the strategies achieved in the past two years, the fact that all investigations initiated on irregularities in the past 10 years must be completed with responses from state institutions, removing political control in the appointment of magistrates and the depoliticization of CCR, strengthening the fight against violent crimes, the computerization of the judiciary, the implementation of European legislation on extended confiscation, strategies to combat inequalities in the key areas of society, justice in the relationship between state and the economic environment.
* Romania, a strong Euro-Atlantic state, based on a top economy in the region
Victor Ponta says that in the next decade Romania can get in the top 15 of the most competitive European countries and in the top 40 of the countries in the world.
„We can become the top economy in Eastern Europe if we continue growth with a strategy that excludes austerity. We can be Industrial Eastern Europe Centre, if we maintain the pace of industrial growth of 9-10% as it is today. (…) We can regain the title of the ‘Granary of Europe’, if we continue what has been done in the past two years in agriculture. We can become a technological hub in Central and Eastern Europe, using the IT industry as a competitive advantage. We can be a regional leader in energy. (…) We can enter the Euro zone in the next five years’, says Ponta’s presidential program, posted on his website.
Thus, among the guidelines of a ‘strong Romania’ there are: a growth of over 3% per year, increasing competitiveness and attracting investment by reducing taxes and stabilizing the legislation – maintaining the flat rate in the business area, reducing taxes and tax red tape, further reducing the VAT on agro-food, supporting organic farming and traditional products, continuing the National Investment Plan, pragmatic foreign policy and support for the European integration of the Republic of Moldova.
* The youth – the future of Romania
In the program of the presidential candidate Ponta it is shown that investment in youth, education and family is most important. Some guidelines of this chapter are: creating jobs for young people, a strategy for promoting family, a pact for increasing funding in Education, special policies such as the ‘Youth Guarantee’, ‘New house’, ‘First car’, a strategy generating a body of experts in the Diaspora, integrated in the Romanian executive structures.
* A healthy nation
As guidelines of the investment in health, Ponta indicates in his presidential program the further reopening of hospitals and the building of regional hospitals, revenue growth for young doctors (plus 10% in the next six months in two installments), additional funding for major projects in Health, extending and guaranteeing the basic package of health care, a new list of compensated and free drugs, subjected to the ongoing evaluation process, extending the SMURD network in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova.
* National Security and Citizen Safety
In this area, Ponta aims to strengthen the rule of law and firmly fighting corruption, the modernization of public administration, adequate funding of the Army and other structures with defense role, public order and national security, strengthening the central pillars of economic security, the development of fighting new specific threats in the information age, cooperation of national institutions and international partners, supporting initiatives aimed at shaping a firm size of the EU defense and foreign policy and compliance of commitments at NATO and EU level.
* Digital Romania
In this chapter are given as guidelines a national plan to increase competitiveness in the IT industry, computerization of Romanian schools and public administration, a national plan for keeping in Romania the human resources trained by the Romanian IT school, maintaining a favorable investment environment and an economic and also fiscal framework, to support entrepreneurship.
* Promoting Romanian culture
For this chapter the presidential candidate Victor Ponta indicates the dialogue with the civil society and the associative environment for the common promoting of Romania in the world, a strategy to stimulate and reward performance in sports, arts, culture, research, medicine and national security, strengthening the credibility and status of benchmark institutions of the Romanian society, through coordinated policies at the Romanian state level, an integrated approach in relation with the Romanian Diaspora – easy access to employment, to education, to the economic environment; facilities for returning into the country and for strengthening relations with other Romanian communities; an extensive and strong protection for the Romanians living and working abroad and preserving the culture and identity of the Romanian communities abroad.
* A fair society
The guidelines of this objective are: attracting to the public system as many technocrats as possible, from the new generation, successful people in their fields, depoliticizing public administration – a strategy to professionalize public appointments, the state taking an active role in the integration on the labor market of the elite generated by the Education system, so that the state becomes the first option of employment for the best graduates of the public education system.
