25 November, 2014
News and current affairs from Romania
Florentin Căpitănescu, 25.11.2014, 17:07
Romania’s Higher Defense Council meets in Bucharest today for the last time under President Basescu’s leadership, who is about to end his second and last term, on December 21st. The council members will be discussing the 2015 budget applications from various institutions relevant to national security and strategic energy infrastructure development in a European context. Also on the agenda is Romania’s military contribution next year to foreign missions, as well as the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on the country.
The highest court in Romania today is looking at the case under which president elect Klaus Iohannis was found in incompatibility of position by the National Integrity Agency. Last autumn, Iohannis was found in a state of incompatibility as holding simultaneously the position of mayor of the city of Sibiu, and municipality representative on the boards of two private companies. At a later time, a local court dismissed the NIA report, which the agency appealed. The justices may uphold the dismissal of the NIA decision, may judge the issue and give a verdict, or may endorse the decision setting a new trial date. Klaus Iohannis takes over the Romanian presidency from Traian Basescu on December 21st.
Romanian PM Victor Ponta said today in Parliament in Bucharest that he takes responsibility for the failures in the process of voting abroad in the presidential elections earlier this month. Ponta, who lost the elections, said that the law governing elections should be changed, and proposed the introduction of absentee voting and on-line voting. He also pleaded for conferring all responsibilities and leverage for organizing elections upon one single body, such as the Permanent Election Authority. The National Liberal Party believes that Victor Ponta and his government hold responsibility for the failure of the elections abroad, where thousands stood in line to vote for hours, and many were unable to do so. The debate in Parliament on this topic was also initiated by the Liberals. Two foreign ministers have resigned as a result of the scandal, and the General Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the case.
Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice announced today that prosecutors have opened an investigation into the air crash last week, which killed eight members of the armed forces. The high court said that the investigators were expecting charges of manslaughter and labor, safety and health violations. Two more people were injured in the accident that occurred in Sibiu County. The ten were scheduled to take part in a joint exercise with American troops.
Anti-corruption prosecutors are today running raids in Bucharest and Buzau, targeting public institutions and homes of officials. According to their office, the prosecutors are looking for evidence in an investigation into financial fraud involving European Union funding committed between 2010 and 2014. Prosecutors have called on support from the Romanian Intelligence Service and special intervention teams from the Gendarmes.
