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European Commission Urges Romania to Adjust Ballooning Public Deficit

16:41, 21 Nov. 2018
Romania's public deficit is seen reaching 3.3% of gross domestic product this year and the European Commission recommends an annual structural adjustment of at least 1% of GDP in 2019.

Ruling Party Decides On New Proposals For Transportations, Development Ministers – Sources

19:12, 20 Nov. 2018
Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) voted in a top brass meeting on Tuesday evening to nominate Lia Olguta Vasilescu as development minister and Mircea Draghici for the transportations office, party sources told MEDIAFAX.

Constitutional Court Rejects Challenge To Data Protection Bill

18:31, 20 Nov. 2018
Romania’s Constitutional Court rejected on Tuesday a challenge made by the opposition Liberal Party against a bill which obliges communications operators to inform users who are targeted by interceptions of the matter within 60 days.

Seven New Ministers Sworn In Following Government Reshuffle

18:01, 20 Nov. 2018
Seven new ministers took the oath of office at Romania’s Cotroceni Palace on Tuesday, after a government reshuffle announced on Monday was partially admitted by President Klaus Iohannis.

Ruling Party Holds Meeting Following President’s Refusal To Appoint New Ministers

17:42, 20 Nov. 2018
Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) summoned a meeting of its National Political Bureau on Tuesday afternoon, hours after President Klaus Iohannis refused to appoint new transportations and labor ministers.

Bucharest Court Decides Subway General Strike Illegal

17:21, 20 Nov. 2018
Magistrates of the Bucharest Court decided on Tuesday that the general strike planned by subway workers in Romania’s capital is illegal, after it previously made the same decision regarding a warning strike they held last Thursday.

European Commission: We Are Not Concerned With Romania’s Readiness For The EU Council Presidency

19:44, 19 Nov. 2018
The chief of European Commission spokespersons, Schinas Margaritis, stated on Monday that the European institution does not have any concerns on Romania’s capacity to take over the EU Council presidency.

Prime Minister Announces Eight Cabinet Changes In Government Reshuffle

19:03, 19 Nov. 2018
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced on Monday evening that she will propose the replacement of eight of her cabinet’s minister in a long-expected government reshuffle, including the transportations, economy and regional development ministers.

Bucharest Mayor Resigns As Ruling Party Deputy Chairman, Loses All Offices In The Party

18:50, 19 Nov. 2018
Bucharest Mayor Gabriela Firea announced on Monday that she resigned as party deputy chairman and was dismissed from PSD Ilfov leadership, following a meeting of Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party’s (PSD) executive committee, effectively losing all of her offices within the party.

Appeal Hearings In Senate Chairman Perjury Case Postponed For January 2019

18:31, 19 Nov. 2018
The appeal to the case in which Romanian Senate Chairman Calin Popescu Tariceanu is accused of perjury has been postponed by the country’s Supreme Court until January 2019, after one of the case judges filed for retirement.

EU Justice Commissioners Meets With President, Justice Minister

17:42, 19 Nov. 2018
The European Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jourova, is carrying out an official visit to Bucharest on Monday and Tuesday, where she is scheduled to meet to with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Justice Minister Tudoreul Toader and Supreme Court Chairman Cristina Tarcea.

Bucharest Subway Employees To Carry On Strike Plans Despite Unfavorable Court Decision

17:21, 19 Nov. 2018
Bucharest subway workers unions will carry on with their plan to start a general strike on Wednesday despite a Bucharest Court decision rejecting their request, according to a statement issued by the Union of Free Subway Syndicates (USLM) on Monday.

Romanian Prime Minister To Meet With European Parliament President On Wednesday

15:42, 19 Nov. 2018
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila will have a meeting with European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Wednesday, during the Conference of European Parliament Presidents with the Romanian Government, the Romanian executive announced today.

German Chancellor Requested Romanian President To Stop Movement Of Embassy To Jerusalem

14:22, 16 Nov. 2018
German Chancellor Angela Merkel requested Romanian President Klaus Iohannis to block the plan announced by the country’s government to move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to Western Sources quoted by Israeli media.

Romanian Prime Minister “Disappointed” With The CVM Report’s Conclusions

14:55, 15 Nov. 2018
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated at the beginning of Thursday’s cabinet meeting that she is “disappointed” with the conclusions laid out by the European Commission’s critical 2018 Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report on Romania.

Ruling Party Senator Renounces Affiliation, Declares Himself Independent

16:03, 14 Nov. 2018
Social Democrat Party (PSD) Senator Emanuel Botnariu announced on Wednesday that he has renounced his affiliation with the ruling party’s Senate group and declared himself independent.

Finland’s Peikko Acquires Factory Premises Near Bucharest, Starts Production in 2019

14:38, 14 Nov. 2018
Finnish company Peikko Group Corporation, a leading global supplier of slim floor structures and connection technology for precast and cast-in-situ applications, has acquired large factory premises near Bucharest and plans to start manufacturing activities in the fist quarter of 2019.

President: Romania Can Still “Reasonably” Prepare For EU Council Presidency

14:27, 14 Nov. 2018
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told members of the country’s government, during the swearing-in ceremony of new European Affairs Minister George Ciamba on Tuesday, that the country can still adequately prepare for taking over the EU Council presidency with less than two months left.

Finland Unsuccesfully Proposed Romania To Take Over Upcoming EU Council Presidency

14:03, 14 Nov. 2018
Finland proposed Romania to take over the upcoming EU Council presidency for the first half of 2019, in the context of political turmoil in the country, but the offer was rejected by authorities in Bucharest, according to Finnish PM Juha Sipila.

President Appoints George Ciamba As European Funds Minister

20:19, 13 Nov. 2018
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed on Tuesday evening a decree appointing diplomat George Ciamba as minister-delegate for European Affairs, following the resignation of former minister Victor Negrescu.

Fugitive Former Romanian Officials Appeal To Costa Rica’s Constitutional Tribunal

18:59, 13 Nov. 2018
Former Romanian Tourism Minister Elena Udrea and former top anti-organized crime prosecutor Alina Bica, both currently detained in Costa Rica, have launched an appeal at the country’s constitutional authority in hopes to end their detention, according to local media.

President On EU Criticism: Social Democrat Government Erased 11 Years Of Judicial Progresses

18:26, 13 Nov. 2018
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis commented the critical European Parliament resolution and European Commission CVM report on the country, stating that the 2016-elected social-democrat majority erased judicial progresses registered since Romania’s EU accession.

European Commission Issues Highly Critical CVM Report For Romania

18:02, 13 Nov. 2018
The European Commission urged Romania to immediately suspend its current judicial reform and all ongoing procedures for appointing or dismissing top prosecutors, in an extremely critical 2018 version of its Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report for the country.

Financial Supervisory Authority Chairman Approved For New Term

16:38, 13 Nov. 2018
The current chairman of Romania’s Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF), Leonardo Badea, was approved for a second term in office by the Parliament’s combined committees for budget and economic policy on Monday.

Former Romanian Football League Chairman Wins Appeal Against Seven-Year Prison Sentence

16:16, 13 Nov. 2018
Magistrates of the Bucharest Appeal Court decided on Tuesday to acquit the former chairman of Romania’s Football League (LPF), Dumitru Dragomir, in a case where he was initially sentenced to seven years in prison for tax evasion, embezzlement and money laundering.

European Parliament Passes Resolution Criticizing Romania’s Judicial Reform

15:19, 13 Nov. 2018
The European Parliament passed on Tuesday a draft resolution in which it expresses concerns regarding Romania’s ongoing judicial reform process, and the state of the rule of law in the country.

Ruling Party To Propose Ecaterina Andronescu As Education Minister

14:07, 13 Nov. 2018
Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) will propose senator Ecaterina Andronescu for the vacant Education Ministry portfolio, Bucharest Mayor Gabriela Firea announced after a party top brass meeting.

Former Ambassador Considered For European Affairs Ministry – Sources

18:52, 12 Nov. 2018
A secretary of state from Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, George Ciamba, is heavily considered by Prime Minister Viorica Dancila for the vacant office of minister-delegate for European affairs, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

President: Romania Is Not Ready For EU Council Presidency

18:17, 12 Nov. 2018
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis criticized the country’s government on Monday, stating that it is not ready to take over the EU Council presidency in less than two months, following the resignation of European Affairs Minister Victor Negrescu.

IMF: Romania Should Reassess Public Sector Wage Growth and Changes to Pensions

17:19, 12 Nov. 2018
Romania should reassess increases in public wage and planned changes to pension benefits for their negative implications for fiscal sustainability and long-term growth, a mission of the International Monetary Fund concluded after a staff visit to Bucharest on November 6-12.

President Challenges Bill Adding Special Pension For Ombudsman

17:09, 12 Nov. 2018
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis challenged at the Constitutional Court on Monday a bill which offers the country’s ombudsman special retirement benefits similar to constitutional judges, according the Presidential Administration.

Hungarian Foreign Minister: We Will Never Support Attacks Against Romania In The EU Parliament

19:39, 09 Nov. 2018
Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Szijarto stated on Friday, in a speech held in Romania’s Parliament headquarters, that his country’s MEP will vote in favor of Romania in the European Parliament if it is subjected to an attack based on “ biased opinions”.

Romanian General Prosecutor Accuses Violation Of Defense Rights In Dismissal Procedure

19:37, 09 Nov. 2018
Romanian General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar stated in his request to suspend the dismissal proposal of Justice Minister Tudorel Toader that he was not given a right to defend himself and that he could not present reasons which would have prevented the measures.

Billionaire Beny Steinmetz Interviewed By Israeli Authorities On Tipp-Off From Romania

19:36, 09 Nov. 2018
Israeli businessman Beny Steinmentz and long-time Romania-based political consultant Tal Silberstein were interviewed by Israeli prosecutors after being tipped off by Romanian authorities, according to sources cited by the Israeli media.

Ruling Party Leader Requests Postponement Of Five-Judge Panel Reselection

14:26, 09 Nov. 2018
Social Democrat Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea sent a request to the country’s Supreme Court on Friday to delay the scheduled redraw of its five-judge panels, including one which is judging his prison sentence appeal, judicial sources told MEDIAFAX.

Explosion Victim Dies In Belgium Hospital, After Romanian Authorities Admit They Could Not Treat Him

18:38, 08 Nov. 2018
A young man who suffered burns on 65% of his body after an explosion in a Piatra Neamt apartment block died in a Belgian hospital on Thursday, after Romania’s Health Ministry announced that the country is not capable of treating serious burn victims.

Senate Chairman Cancels Trip To ALDE Europe Congress After Legal Woes Emerge

17:09, 08 Nov. 2018
The chairman of Romania’s Senate and co-leader of the country’s ruling coalition, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, decided not to take part in the ALDE Europe congress starting today, after anticorruption prosecutors in the country announced that he is suspected of corruption offences.

Senate Chairman Accused Of Receiving $800,000 Bribe While Serving As Prime Minister

14:16, 08 Nov. 2018
Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) requested the Senate on Wednesday to lift parliamentary immunity for chairman Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who it intends to indict under the accusation of receiving an $800,000 for a state contract signed during his time as prime minister.

Recreational Aircraft Crashes In Arges County, Pilot Injured

14:47, 07 Nov. 2018
A recreational aircraft crashed on Wednesday near the airdrome in Topoloveni, Arges county, with the pilot found alive but suffering multiple injuries, according to the Arges Ambulance Service.

EU Parliament Expresses Concerns With Romania’s Judicial Reform In Draft Resolution

14:29, 07 Nov. 2018
The European Parliament is very concerned with Romania’s judicial overhaul and its potential to undermine judicial independence, according to a draft document of a resolution set to be voted later this month, seen by MEDIAFAX.