August 6, 2014 UPDATE
A look at some of the main stories in Romania today.
România Internațional, 06.08.2014, 12:20
Romania’s prime minister Victor Ponta on Wednesday told president Traian Basescu that their so-called “cohabitation pact” is no longer valid. He said he would no longer cooperate with the president in the time remaining by the end of the latter’s term in November. In 2012, the two political adversaries pledged to refrain from attacking each other and agreed on a mechanism for solving possible conflicts. Their agreement was meant to prevent a new political crisis, following a previous attempt by the ruling coalition co-chaired by the Social Democrat prime minister Victor Ponta to impeach the president. A referendum was held, but not enough voters turned up for it to be valid.
Prime minister Victor Ponta on Wednesday hailed the adoption by the European Commission of its Partnership Agreement with Romania, saying this will allow his country to start procedures for the absorption of European funds allocated for the 2014 to 2020 period. The Partnership Agreement sets down the strategy for using European structural funds by 2020. Out of the 43 billion euros available to Romania, 22 billion is to be used for Cohesion Policy funding. Romania is expected to increase employment by 70%, improve its infrastructure, competitiveness, energy efficiency, the institutional environment and the quality of public services in the field of administration and the judiciary.
Romania does not export either beef or cattle to Russia, said the Bucharest authorities following Russia’s restrictions on such imports starting on Wednesday. Commentators believe this is the latest episode in a “trade war” waged by Russia in response to EU sanctions imposed on Russia over its policy in Ukraine. On Wednesday, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin ordered a one-year long ban on imports of agricultural and food products and raw materials from countries who have imposed economic sanctions on his country.
A former justice minister between 2005 and 2007, Monica Macovei on Wednesday said she would run for president. A symbol of the fight against corruption, she is also the first woman to run for the highest office. Aged 55, she will run as independent, as the Liberal Democratic Party she was a member of proposed a different candidate for the November elections. Macovei says she is the only one who can defeat the Social Democrat prime minister Victor Ponta, who leads the presidential race in opinion polls published so far.
The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has recommended Romanian citizens to avoid travelling to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which are faced with an outbreak of Ebola. Tougher precaution measures are being taken across Africa and the world to prevent the spread of the disease through air travel.
