August 13, 2018
Romanian prosecutors call on protesters to provide information on Friday's protests; EU Justice Commissioner calls for judicial restraint
România Internațional, 13.08.2018, 13:15
PROTESTS – In Romania, military prosecutors called on people who protested on Friday in Bucharest to come forward if they have been injured or can provide important information. Over 30 people have filed complaints over the last two days against the gendarmes after being injured in the protests. At the same time, the two individuals who assaulted a female gendarme and her colleague have been arrested. As a result of the violence that ensued on Friday at the protests against the government, around 500 people needed medical care, and 70 were hospitalized, including 11 gendarmes. The Romania 100 platform filed a request with the prosecutors with the High Court of Cassation and Justice to indict Bucharest Prefect Speranta Cliseru and Interior Minister Carmen Dan as a result of the extreme violence perpetrated on the night of August 10th to 11th.
JUSTICE – European Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova calls on the government in Bucharest to reconsider their recent changes in the judicial system, according to the DPA news agency, quoting an interview by the German publication Die Welt. The European official said that the new version of the laws threatens the independence of judges, limits the authority of prosecutors, and undermines confidence in the judicial system. Commissioner Jourova said it would be useful for the government in Bucharest to reconsider their plans. DPA mentions that the judicial reform in Romania has sparked protests. According to the source, the organizers of these protests claim that the laws favor corrupt politicians, as they decriminalize abuse in office.
TENNIS — Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, number one in the world, won the WTA tournament in Montreal, Canada, with over 2.8 million dollars in prize money. On Sunday she defeated 3rd seeded American Sloane Stephens, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. Halep wins for the second time in two months against Stephens, the first time at the Roland Garros final. The international press has rained praise on Haleps performance in the game, which won her the second Rogers Cup title. In 2015 in Toronto, she abandoned the game against Swiss player Blinda Bencic. In 2016 in Montreal, she defeated American player Madison Keys, and in 2017 in Toronto she defeated in the semifinals Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. She qualified for the Masters Series for the fifth time as a result of this victory.
ANKARA — The depreciation of the Turkish currency, the lira, was halted on Monday, after Sunday night it had reached a historic level of 7.24 lira per dollar, after the Turkish Central Bank promised to provide all necessary liquidity to banks, and the decision to reduce minimum currency reserves, according to Reuters. Since the beginning of the year, the lira dropped 40% in value, especially out of fears related to President Erdogans influence on the economy, his repeated calls to drop interest raters, and worsening relations with the United States. The decline of the Turkish currency has had an impact on Asian stock exchanges, and increased demand for US dollars, Swiss francs, and Japanese yen. The US and Turkey are in the most serious crisis of their relationship. Last week, Washington imposed sanctions against two Turkish ministers, with Ankara retaliating in kind. Analysts warn of the risks to the Turkish economy, which suffers from a high deficit in spite of solid economic growth.
BUCHAREST — Italian navy training ship the Palinuro moors on Monday in the Romanian port of Constanta, and can be visited by sailing fans, according to the Italian Embassy. The Palinuro has a crew of 33 cadets. On Wednesday, the ship will take part in ceremonies to celebrate Romanias Navy Day, including a grand naval show. Several cities in Romania are holding events to celebrate Navy Day. The Romanian military navy celebrates this year its 116th anniversary.
