April 8, 2015
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 08.04.2015, 12:00
The Republic of Moldova needs now, more than ever, a clear EU accession perspective, given the Ukrainian conflict, Moldovan Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman told France Press. Less than two months before the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga, Chisinau insists that the EU doors should remain open for Ukraine, Moldova, Byelorussia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Joining the EU would be for Moldova the best way to reunify the former Soviet republic, which includes the breakaway region of Transdniester, France Press reports. Chisinau signed the Association and free trade agreement with the EU last year.
The Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, holds talks in Moscow with the Russian president Vladimir Putin on improving bilateral economic cooperation against the background of tense relations that both Russia and Greece have with the EU. According to the Radio Romania correspondent, Moscow is ready to negotiate new loans and a discount on gas deliveries to Greece. In its turn, Greece is expected to accept Moscow’s offer to participate in Russia’s plan to build a new gas pipeline to Europe through Greece. Tsipras and Putin are expected to also discuss rolling back a ban on Greek agricultural exports that is part of the Kremlin leader’s retaliatory sanctions against the European Union.
Romania’s Constitutional Court is today discussing the notifications submitted by President Klaus Iohannis, the Higher Council of Magistracy and the National Liberal Party, in opposition, following the Senate’s decision to reject the request of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate to detain for questionning and arrest senator Dan Sova, accused of accessory to to abuse of office. On March the 25th the Senate decided not to allow the placement under temporary police custody of former transport minister Dan Sova. The Constitutional Court is asked to solve a possible legal conflict between the judiciary and Parliament on this matter.
The European Commission’s Vice President for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis is today paying a visit to Bucharest. The visit takes place against the background of the release of the country report in February, which shows that Romania, in spite of the prograss it has made, still has economic imbalances. The European official will disucss with the Romanian authorities about ways to maintain the main economic indicators. Dombrovskis has said recently that Romania will have an economic growth rate over the European average in 2015 and 2016. The European Commission’s Vice President is today attending an event that marks the launch of the program “Youth Guarantee”, aimed at decreasing unemployment among youth.
As of June 1st, in Romania, food products, non-alcoholic drinks and restaurant services will be cheaper. The Government decided on Tuesday to slash the VAT from 24 to 9% for these categories, six months before the new Fiscal Code takes effect.
