Miners raids. Romania’s former president Ion Iliescu was today briefed by prosecutors that he was declared a formal suspect in the case known as the Miner raids of 1990. Yesterday, the former prime minister Petre Roman, the former first deputy prime minister Gelu Voican Voiculescu, the former director of the Romanian Intelligence Service Virgil Măgureanu and other officials at the time were also officially named suspects in the case. They are accused of crimes against humanity in June 1990, when anti-government protests were stifled through violence by the security forces with the aid of the miners summoned from the Jiu Valley, in the south-west.
Holiday. Romanian pupils are going on their Easter holiday this weekend, to come back to school on Wednesday, 8th May. The school will then break up for the summer holiday on 21st June. Romania will also celebrate Labour Day next week and the Orthodox Easter, on 5th May. Traditionally, 1st of May is the start of the summer season, with 80,000 people expected to travel to the seaside next week.
Cooperation. Bucharest is today hosting the third Joint Cooperation Committee between the Government of Romania and the Government of the United Arab Emirates. The meeting is attended by Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu and foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu. A memorandum of understanding is to be signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the United Arab Emirates. The first session of this committee was held in April 2018 in Bucharest and the second was hosted by the United Arab Emirates in June 2022.
Corruption. Liviu Cătălin Stăncu, the director of the energy department of the state-run Oltenia energy complex was detained by anti-corruption prosecutors for peddling in influence. He is accused of receiving a bribe of 13,000 euros from a business man to speed up the payment of overdue bills to his company. In the same case, the manager of a company was also detained, accused of bribe giving. Investigations are carried out in connection with two other persons for false statement under private signature. Prosecutors have requested the Bucharest Tribunal to green light the temporary arrest of Liviu Cătălin Stănculescu.
Tennis. Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian is today facing the Czech player Barbora Krejcikova in the second round of the WTA tennis tournament in Madrid, worth some 7.7 million euros in prize money. A 2021 Roland Garros champion, Krejcikova won their only previous match. Another Romanian player in competition in Madrid is Sorana Cîrstea, who beat Alexandra Eala of the Philippines on Thursday in three sets. In the third round, Cirstea will be facing Poland’s Iga Swiatek, current world no. 1 and first seed in Madrid.