President Appeals for 'New Start' in Romania
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Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday will call for a major re-write of the country's complex laws in an address to the country's parliament.
A document that BIRN has obtained quotes the President as saying: "This has to be the moment for a new beginning. Parliament must be at the heart of simplifying and rationalising legislation, which now is too complex.
"We need to have laws in accordance with people's real needs," he will say.
Iohannis, who was elected last December on an anti-corruption platform, says laws have to be simple and clear if they are to be understood and respected.
He cites the examples of the Education Law, which has been changed 26 times since its adoption, or the Health Law, changed no less than 114 times, among others.
"All these changes in the laws did not solve existing problems but only created new ones. We have to work together to get to an end in this matter," Iohannis says.
He adds he will make a priority of the adoption of a new and modern Education Law, as well as to continuing to take on corruption.
"Now, a year after starting his mandate, Iohannis has at least honoured one of his promises: to be a unifying president, always open to dialogue and compromise," journalist Catalin Chirita said. "But that is not enough in Romanian politics," Chirita warned.
The first year of Iohannis's tenure was mainly marked by disputes with the Social Democrat-led government of former Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
After the anti-corruption agency, DNA, in June started a prosecution of Ponta for forgery, tax evasion and money-laundering, Iohannis demanded his resignation.
However, the President has no constitutional powers to dismiss the Prime Minister. Only parliament can remove him...
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