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Primarul Bucureștiului, Nicușor Dan, propune un referendum local pe 24 noiembrie. Referendumul vizează distribuirea taxelor locale și autorizarea construcțiilor. Primele două întrebări importante sunt despre distribuirea taxelor și permisele de construire. Lideri politici, inclusiv premierul Ciolacu, susțin inițiativa, dar există provocări legale. Scopul este îmbunătățirea dezvoltării urbane și a traficului.

Translation

The Mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, proposes a local referendum for 24th November. The referendum focuses on the distribution of local taxes and building permits. The first two key questions address tax allocation and construction authorisations. Political leaders, including Prime Minister Ciolacu, support the initiative, but there are legal challenges. The aim is to improve urban development and traffic conditions.

Exercise: Text comprehension

Question 1: What date is the proposed local referendum in Bucharest?

The proposed local referendum in Bucharest is on November 24.

Question 2: Who supports the referendum proposed by the mayor of Bucharest?

Political leaders, including Prime Minister Ciolacu, support the referendum proposed by the mayor of Bucharest.

Exercise: Vocabulary

(m.) - mayor

(n.) - referendum

- aim at

(f.) - authorisation

(f.) - development

(f.) - challenges

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▌17/10/2024

Several key political figures in Romania, including Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the President of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Nicolae Ciucă, have voiced their support for a local referendum in Bucharest. Proposed by the city's mayor, Nicușor Dan, the referendum seeks to address the distribution of local taxes and expanded construction authorization powers.

Nicușor Dan articulated his vision by announcing the proposed referendum, set to coincide with the first round of the presidential elections on 24 November. The purpose is to redefine administrative roles between the General City Hall and the sectoral offices to better address city-wide issues such as traffic congestion and urban development. "It’s logical to centralize authorization processes to maintain balanced development," Dan stated.

The proposed referendum will put two crucial questions to the residents. The first concerns allowing the General Council of Bucharest to manage the distribution of local taxes and revenues. The second question asks if the General Mayor should have the authority to issue construction permits city-wide.

Romanian Leaders Back Referendum on Bucharest Governance Romanian Leaders Back Referendum on Bucharest Governance (Illustration)

While support from top leaders such as Ciucă and Ciolacu is noteworthy, with both pledging to back the proposal during a General Council vote, the details highlight differences in support. Ciolacu supports the democratic exercise but has reservations about the specific questions posed by Dan. He suggested the government might propose additional questions to be included in the referendum.

Endorsing the initiative, leader of the USR Bucharest, Vlad Voiculescu, emphasized the necessity for structural reforms in the capital. Voiculescu noted the importance of coherent governance across all sectors to prevent administrative fragmentation.

However, the initiative faces legal and logistical challenges. There are questions about its alignment with current law, which the Permanent Electoral Authority highlighted, suggesting local referendums cannot legally coincide with national elections. Past attempts to synchronize local votes with national ones have met resistance due to legal constraints.

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