February 2, 2018
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Newsroom, 02.02.2018, 13:52
CORRUPTION The Prosecutors’ Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest has today announced that it made public the irregularities with which an anti-corruption prosecutor was prosecuting a famous corruption case as early as last September. The reaction comes against the background of concern voiced by civil society and mass media in Romania over the solutions in the Microsoft case. We recall that six former Romanian ministers have been acquitted in a big corruption file as the statute of limitation in their case has expired. In the case of the 7th minister involved with the file, the anti-corruption prosecutors have ruled to close the case. Three of the dignitaries involved in the case, who had occupied portfolios at the Ministries of Education and Finances were being investigated in the so-called Microsoft file, which caused 70 million dollars in prejudice to the state. Prosecutors have accused the seven dignitaries that in the period between 2003 and 2004 they resorted to illegal actions to conclude a contract with a private company for operating Microsoft licenses in schools.
DEFENCE In the military port of Constanta on the Black Sea coast, Romania’s Defence Minister Mihai Fifor has today paid visits to the King Ferdinand frigate and the Lieutenant Lupu Dinescu dreadnought, two warships of the Romanian navy. The Romanian minister is also expected to be meeting crews of some British and Turkish warships part of the two NATO permanent navy groups stationed these days in the port of Constanta. Until February 17th, these ships will be participating in naval surveillance operations and other specific missions in the Black Sea’s national and international waters.
DAVIS CUP On Saturday and Sunday in Piatra Neamt, eastern Romania, the country’s tennis team will be playing the selection of Luxembourg in the first round of group two, of the Davis Cup’s Europe-Africa zone. The Romanian line-up includes Marius Copil who will play in the single contest, Horia Tecau and Florin Mergea in the doubles, Nicolae Frunza and Bogdan Borza in the singles. Romania has been relegated from group one for the first time since 1993 after a five-nil defeat by Israel. Romania has to win three rounds to make a comeback to world group one. Unless they win against Luxembourg, our tennis players are to join a play-off to maintain their position or be demoted.
SITE An official webpage has been launched in Bucharest presenting the preparations for Romania’s taking over the EU rotating presidency in the first semester of 2019. This interactive portal, which can be accessed at www.romania2019.eu, provides information on the Council’s presidency, preparations for taking over the mandate, an idea forum as well as volunteer opportunities within the project. According to the Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, the Romanian presidency of the EU Council has been designed to be transparent and devoted to citizens.
VISIT As of today, the State Secretary with the Ministry for the Romanians Abroad, Ovidiu Iane is paying a 4-day working visit to the Netherlands. The agenda includes meetings with representatives of the Romanian association and business environment, of the Orthodox churches and the Romanian weekend schools. The Romanian official is also to participate in a Forum of the Romanians in the Netherlands and the Romanian Days Festival. The visit is aimed at learning more on the Romanian associative environment in the Netherlands and getting the Romanian community involved in projects of preserving the national identity of promoting Romanian cultural values, boosting the associative spirit and promoting a modern image of Romania in the Netherlands. Ovidiu Iane will also promote themes of interest for the Romanians abroad, such as a Fiscal Guide, the protection of the Romanian workers in relation with their Dutch employers.
translated by Daniel Bilt
