August 6, 2014

The EC today adopts the partnership agreement with Romania for 2014-2020, according to Radio Romania’s Brussels correspondent, quoting European sources. The document lays out the use of European structural and investment funds up and until 2020. Romania has to boost its job occupancy rate up to 70%, to improve its infrastructure, competitiveness, energy efficiency, its institutions and the quality of public services in both administration and justice. Romania is earmarked 43 billion Euro between 2014-202, of which 22 billion are allocated to its cohesion policy.

Ştefan Stoica, 06.08.2014, 11:16

The EC today adopts the partnership agreement with Romania for 2014-2020, according to Radio Romania’s Brussels correspondent, quoting European sources. The document lays out the use of European structural and investment funds up and until 2020. Romania has to boost its job occupancy rate up to 70%, to improve its infrastructure, competitiveness, energy efficiency, its institutions and the quality of public services in both administration and justice. Romania is earmarked 43 billion Euro between 2014-202, of which 22 billion are allocated to its cohesion policy.

Romanian President Traian Basescu said he would decide today whether or not to endorse the Prime Minister’s nominations for minister delegate for the budget and minister of culture. The head of state said he expected for PM Victor Ponta to withdraw his proposals, which he said he would reject. Traian Basescu believes that Rozalia Biro from the Democratic Union of Hungarians and Claudiu Manta from the Social Democratic Party are wrong for the positions. At the same time, PM Victor Ponta pointed out that the president is only constitutionally entitled to one rejection of such proposals, and that he was waiting for an official document specifying the President’s position.

Russia has imposed a ban today on cattle and beef imports from Romania, as announced by public health services in Moscow. Reuters quotes the source as saying that the decision was temporary, and that it was due to suspicions of mad cow disease. Moscow’s ruling comes as sanctions against Moscow were enhanced by the EU. Last week, Russia banned imports of fruits and vegetables from Poland.

Romania’s football champion team Steaua Bucharest on home turf today will be taking on Kazakh side FK Aktobe, in a confrontation counting towards the second leg of the Champions League’s 3rd preliminary round. In last week’s first leg, Steaua were held to a 2-all draw by their opponents. Should they make headway into the Champions League’ s playoffs, Steaua are number one favorites and will secure their ticket to Europa League’s group stage. Also in the second leg of the competition’s 3rd preliminary round, three other Romania teams will be playing their games in Europa League. Southern Romanian teams Astra Giurgiu and Petrolul Ploiesti will be playing their away games against Czech side Slovan Liberec and another Czech team, Viktoria Plzen, respectively. In the tie’s first leg, Astra secured a 3-nil win, while Petrolul only managed a 1-all draw. On home turf, central Transylvanian team CFR Cluj will be taking on Dinamo Minsk. In the first leg away from home, CFR sustained a 1-nil defeat against the team from Belarus.

Romanian Defense Minister Mircea Dusa sent US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel a letter expressing condolences for the deat of the American Major General who lost his life in the Tuesday attack in a military compound close to Kabul. According to the Washington Post, this was Major General Harold J. Grene, the highest ranking soldier to die since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. The assailant, who was wearing an Afghan military uniform, was killed during the attack. NATO is scheduled to fully withdraw its troops by the end of the year from Afghanistan. After 2014, foreign soldiers remaining in that country, including Romanian troops, will have mainly training and assistance duties.

A Romanian court will soon issue its final verdict in the six year long prosecution of irregularities in the privatization of the Institute for Food Research, in which businessman Dan Voiculescu is accused of influence peddling and money laundering. Prosecutors are calling for the revised Penal Code to be applied in prosecuting Voiculescu, who is founding chairman of the Conservative Party, a partner in the ruling coalition in Romania. In September 2013, the Bucharest Tribunal sentenced Voiculescu to five years imprisonment in this case, where damage was estimated at 60 million Euros.