English

TV Host Rares Bogdan to Open Liberal Party’s European Election List

14:46, 14 Mart. 2019
Television host Rares Bogdan told MEDIAFAX on Thursday that he agreed to open the Liberal Party’s (PNL) list for the upcoming European Parliament election, stating that he made the decision to help the liberals become “Romania’s first party”.

Justice Ministry Launches Procedure to Appoint New General Prosecutor

13:54, 14 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Justice Ministry announced on Thursday that it launched the procedure to appoint a new general prosecutor, which will be finished before the term of Augustin Lazar will expire on April 28.

Bucharest Court of Appeal Rejects Internal Challenge against USR Chairman

19:50, 13 Mart. 2019
The Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected on Wednesday a challenge made by 11 members of opposition party USR who opposed the election of Dan Barna as party chairman and ruled that the latter should appear as the party’s leader in the Political Party’s Registry, according to USR MP Claudiu Nasui.

General Prosecutor: DNA To Handle Tel Drum EU Funds Embezzlement Case

18:26, 13 Mart. 2019
Romanian General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar announced on Wednesday that he decided that the country’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has competency over an EU funds embezzlement case involving Lower Chamber Chairman Liviu Dragnea.

US Ambassador: Russia Could Profit from Failure of Romania’s Fight Against Corruption

13:42, 13 Mart. 2019
The United States' ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, said on Wednesday that a failure of Romania’s fight against corruption would pose a risk of Russia profiting to further divide Romanian society, in an interview for Radio Free Europe.

Romania’s Finance Ministry Amends Bank Tax This Week

13:21, 13 Mart. 2019
Romania's finance ministry will finish this week a draft of changes to the emergency decree 114/2018 that introduced a tax on bank assets and raised capital requirements for mandatory private pension funds.

Magurele Institute Laser Reaches World Record Power of 10 Petawatts

12:38, 13 Mart. 2019
The laser installed at the Physics and Nuclear Engineering Institute in Magurele, Ilfov county reached its projected peak power of 10 petawatts (PW), or 10,000 trillion watts on Wednesday, achieving the highest power registered in the world.

Bank Tax Prompts Raiffeisen Bank International To Reevaluate Romanian Operations

12:16, 13 Mart. 2019
Raiffeisen Bank International will reevaluate its operations in Romania following the government's introduction of a tax on banks' financial assets in December 2018, RBI CEO Johann Strobl said in the bank's annual earnings report released Wednesday.

Romanians May Stop Contributing to Mandatory Private Pensions after 5 Years

09:51, 13 Mart. 2019
Romanians who contributed for at least five years to the mandatory private pension system known as Pillar II may choose to stop contributing, according to a norm issued by the country's financial watchdog ASF and published in the Official Journal.

Romania’s Average Net Salary Drops 0.7% on Month in January

09:17, 13 Mart. 2019
The net average salary in Romania declined 0.7% in January compared with December, to 2,936 lei (around EUR617), after holiday and end of the year performance bonuses granted in December, data from the country's statistics board showed Wednesday.

Senate Judicial Committee Rejects Civil Partnership Bills

19:08, 12 Mart. 2019
Two draft bills meant to regulate civil partnership in Romania were rejected on Tuesday by the Senate’s judicial committee, with ruling coalition senators voting against the initiative as unjustified.

Bucharest Crime Boss Nutu Camataru Released on Parole

16:15, 12 Mart. 2019
Romanian infamous crime boss Ion Balint, known under the moniker Nutu Camataru, was released on parole from the Gaesti Penitentiary on Tuesday after serving only 16 months of a nearly six-year prison sentence he received for extortion.

Dozens of Magistrates Stage New Protest Against Judicial Decree

19:49, 11 Mart. 2019
Several dozen magistrates in Bucharest organized an impromptu protest in front of the Palace of Justice in Bucharest on Monday evening, contesting the partially-repealed judicial decree issued three weeks ago by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader.

European Commission First Vice-President: We Have Seen No Progress Since CVM Report

19:00, 11 Mart. 2019
The European Commission’s first vice-president, Frans Timmermans, said on Monday that the institution has seen no progress from Romanian authorities on recommendations made in the latest Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report, ahead of a meeting in Bucharest with the Romanian PM.

Bucharest City Hall To Build New Multi-Purpose Hall with Capacity of 20,000

18:53, 11 Mart. 2019
The General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest approved on Monday the funds necessary to construct a new multi-purpose hall in the capital, with the City Hall project stating that it will have a capacity of 20,000 seats.

Romanian PM Denies Receiving Draft Judicial Decrees Announced by Justice Minister

14:48, 11 Mart. 2019
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Monday that she did not see the text of either of two emergency decrees amending judicial bills announced by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, despite the fact that the minister stating that he forwarded the drafts.

Romanian Fiscal Council Sees 2019 Budget Deficit at 3.5% of GDP

14:37, 11 Mart. 2019
Romania's Fiscal Council said Monday the country's budget deficit could reach 3.5% of gross domestic product this year, well above the EU limit of 3%, as the state budget is undervalued.

Romanian Government Postpones Cabinet Meeting

13:46, 11 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Government decided on Monday to postpone its cabinet meeting set for the day, during which it was supposed to adopt an emergency decree setting budget caps for the 2019 state budget, and rescheduled it for Tuesday, 14.00 local time, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Kovesi Responds to New Charges: Section Prosecutor Wants Media Case

19:40, 08 Mart. 2019
Former Romanian anticorruption chief Laura Kovesi said in a statement on Friday that the accusations made against her by the Section for Investigating Judicial Offences (SIIJ) are used to denigrate her, and accused case prosecutor of trying to direct a “media case” instead of a judicial affair.

PMP Chairman: Former President Traian Basescu Undecided on MEP Bid

18:55, 08 Mart. 2019
The chairman of Romanian opposition party PMP, Eugen Tomac, said on Thursday that former head if state and party founder Traian Basescu has yet to decide whether he will run in the upcoming European Parliament elections.

Romania’s Sovereign Investment Fund to Have RON19.11B Share Capital

17:52, 08 Mart. 2019
Romania's Sovereign Fund for Development and Investments (FSDI) will have a share capital of RON19.11 billion, according to a draft government decision published Friday.

Kovesi Accused of Determining Local Chief Prosecutor to Green-light Illegal Indictment

17:20, 08 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Section for Investigating Judicial Offences (SIIJ) published on Friday new accusations brought against former anticorruption chief Laura Codruta Kovesi, including one charge of determining a local chief prosecutor to green-light an illegal indictment.

Presidential Counselor: 2019 Budget Might Not Ensure the Sums Required to Pay All Pensions

16:51, 08 Mart. 2019
Romanian presidential counselor Cosmin Marinescu said on Friday that the 2019 budget bill passed by the Parliament poses the danger of lacking the necessary budget to pay all expenses generated by the country’s pensions, due the underestimation of total costs.

Salmonella Found in Over 1.5 Tons of Meat in Mures County

15:54, 08 Mart. 2019
More than 1,500 kg of meat used for grilled minced meat rolls was found to be infected with salmonella in Mures county, following lab analyses made on samples sent from the processing unit.

Aviation Academy Helicopter Crashes in Prahova County, No Victims

14:50, 08 Mart. 2019
A Robinson 22-type small helicopter belonging to the Romanian Aviation Academy was involved in an incident on the Strejnic Airdrome in Prahova county, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft but with no victims, according to Romania’s Transport Ministry.

Former USR Chairman Temporarily Rejoins Party to Sign Alliance with PLUS

14:06, 08 Mart. 2019
The former chairman of Romanian opposition party USR, Nicusor Dan, announced on Friday that he temporarily rejoined the party in order to sign the protocol for the group’s alliance with PLUS, which was rejected by the Central Electoral Bureau because the two party’s chairmen were not registered in t

Top Anticorruption Agency Accuses Justice Minister of Quoting False Data in FT Letter

19:57, 07 Mart. 2019
Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) accused Justice Minister Tudorel Toader that he presented false data in a letter he sent to Financial Times on Thursday, in which he argued against Laura Codruta Kovesi’s bid for the leadership of the upcoming European Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Judicial Offences Section Launches Second Case Against Kovesi

19:14, 07 Mart. 2019
Romanian prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi said on Thursday that she was announced by the Section for Investigating Judicial Offences (SIIJ) of being prosecuted in a new case, and also accused that her right of defense was infrigned in several procedures during a five-hour hearing.

European Elections Central Electoral Bureau Challenged at Constitutional Court

17:56, 07 Mart. 2019
The chairman of Romanian opposition party PMP, Eugen Tomac, announced on Thursday that the country’s Supreme Court forwarded a challenge made by the group against the establishment of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) for the upcoming European Elections to the Constitutional Court.

Ploiesti Court of Appeal Revokes Protective Custody Warrant for Fugitive Businessman Sebastian Ghita

17:35, 07 Mart. 2019
The Ploiesti Court of Appeal admitted on Tuesday a challenge made by fugitive businessman and former Romanian MP Sebastian Ghita, against a warrant for protective custody issued in a case where he is accused of corruption offences regarding several IT contracts.

Reuters: Romania not Using Huawei Equipment for Essential Communications Infrastructure

16:40, 07 Mart. 2019
Romania is not using any equipment made by Chinese tech giant Huawei in the essential infrastructure managed by its Special Telecommunications Service (STS), the agency announced in a statement sent to Reuters.

ECHR President Meets With Romanian General Prosecutor

15:41, 07 Mart. 2019
The President of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Guido Raimondi, attended a work meeting in Bucharest on Thursday with multiple Romanian prosecutors, including General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar.

Central Electoral Bureau Rejects Registration of USR-PLUS Alliance

14:37, 07 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) rejected on Thursday the request register an alliance between current opposition party USR and the group recently formed by former PM Dacian Ciolos, PLUS, for the upcoming elections, according a statement issued by the latter.

European Commission First Vice-President: Concerns about Romania are Growing

19:15, 06 Mart. 2019
The European Commission’s first vice-president, Frans Timmermans, told Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila that concerns throughout the EU are growing in regards to the state of the rule of law in Romania, in a meeting the two had on Wednesday.

Businessmen Rally to March 15 Protest Demanding Highways in the Moldova Region

18:21, 06 Mart. 2019
Several businessmen announced on Wednesday that they will support the protest requested by Suceava entrepreneur Stefan Mandachi, who called for businesses to stop working for 15 minutes on March 15 in order to attract attention on the lack of highways in the Moldova region.

Kazakh–Romanian Energy Fund Invests $230M in Petromidia Cogeneration Plant, Gas Station Chain

17:50, 06 Mart. 2019
The Kazakh–Romanian Energy Investment Fund, 80% owned by KMG Internatioanl and 20% by the Romanian state, plans to invest $230 million in a cogeneration plant at the Petromidia refinery and to expand the Rompetrol gas station network.

UPDATE. Porr Construct a fost desemnat constructorul Lotului 1 din Autostrada Piteşti – Sibiu

17:16, 06 Mart. 2019
(Adaugă detalii în context.)

President Sends 2019 Budget Bill Back to Parliament

17:15, 06 Mart. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Wednesday that he will resend the 2019 state budget to the Parliament, after the Constitutional Court rejected his challenge on the bill earlier in the day.

German Fashion Retailer Kik Opens First Store in Bucharest in Bucur Retail Park

15:25, 06 Mart. 2019
German fashion discounter Kik has opened its first store in Bucharest in Bucur Retail Park in the western part of the city, following an investment of EUR200,000, and plans to reach 30 stores in Romania this year.

Ruling Party Leader: There is Discontent Regarding the Justice Minister’s Activity

13:56, 06 Mart. 2019
Social Democrat Party (PSD) Chairman Liviu Dragnea said on Wednesday that there is a state of discontent regarding Justice Minister Tudorel Toader within the party, adding that a discussion with coalition partners ALDE and PM Viorica Dancila on the subject will take place within the next week.