April 5, 2017
Romanian justice minister Tudorel Toader has announced the draft amending the Criminal Codes will be sent for public debate/ The former head of the National Health Insurance House Lucian Duta has been subject to judicial restrictions pending trial
Newsroom, 05.04.2017, 14:47
JUSTICE – Romanian justice minister, Tudorel Toader, has today announced that the draft law meant to harmonize the provisions of the Criminal Codes with the rulings issued by the Constitutional Court will be sent for public debate and then submitted to Parliament for legislative procedures. He underlined that the draft does not establish a minimum ceiling for the prejudice in a case of abuse of office. Partially decriminalising the offence of abuse of office, by introducing a ceiling of some 45,000 Euro, under which such acts are not considered criminal offences, was one of the amendments introduced by Toader’s predecessor, Florin Iordache, in the controversial emergency decree number 13, adopted in January. The emergency decree which was later repealed, caused the largest street protests in post-communist Romania.
CORRUPTION – The former head of the National Health Insurance House of Romania, Lucian Duta, has been subject to judicial restrictions pending trial, in a case in which he is accused of bribe taking. According to the anti-corruption prosecutors, he reportedly took bribe, in several instalments, exceeding eight million Euros, from representatives of various companies. In exchange for the money, Duta allegedly signed several contracts related to the national IT system, and the implementation of the health card. The former head of the National Health Insurance House of Romania should pay a 10 million Euro bail in 10 days time. Otherwise, the measure of judicial restrictions imposed on him will be replaced by a more severe measure.
CONDAMNATION — The US, France and Great Britain have come up with a draft resolution condemning the chemical attack which left scores of dead in north-western Syria on Tuesday. The three countries are also demanding a complete and fast investigation into the incident. The draft has been forwarded to the 15 members of the UN Security Council ahead of today’s emergency meeting, requested by Paris and London in the wake of the attack. The US, France and Great Britain blame the regime of Bashar al Assad for the chemical attack, but the Syrian officials deny any involvement. Tuesday’s chemical attack is the second most severe attack since the start of the conflict in Syria. In 2013, another attack near Damascus left 1,400 people dead. We’ll have more on this issue, later in radio newsreel.
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS – The Romanian minister delegate for European Affairs, Ana Birchall, is today continuing her visit to Paris. Earlier, she met, among others, with the minister of state for European affairs, Harlem Désir. The two officials have approached such issues as the future of the European Union, Brexit and the Schengen area. The agenda of talks also included issues related to preparations for Romania’s taking over the presidency of the EU Council in the fist half of 2019.
HOCKEY — Romania’s national men’s ice hockey team on Tuesday evening defeated Serbia 4-1, in its second match of the IIHF World Championship, Second Division, Group A, hosted by the city of Galati, in eastern Romania. In the first match, Romania defeated Belgium 9-1. Romania will also meet Iceland on Thursday, Australia on Friday and Spain on Sunday. The Romanian team’s objective is to end the group in the first position, which secures promotion to the next stage of the competition. These are the first matches played under the guidance of Romania’s new coach, Canadian Martin Lacroix. (Translated by D. Vijeu)
