February 6, 2015
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Ştefan Stoica, 06.02.2015, 12:00
IMF experts in Bucharest today will be holding a meeting with representatives of all ministries, to look into the possibility of signing a new agreement with the international financial institution. Currently on an assessment mission until February 10, financial experts held talks with the Romanian authorities, focusing on the most recent developments and economic reform priorities, as well as on key aspects in the energy sector, European funds, or the adjustment of the Fiscal Code. The current precautionary loan agreement, the third Romania has asked for since the outbreak of the economic crisis in 2009, will have its deadline this coming autumn. The two-year precautionary loan agreement was signed in September 2013 and accounts for around 2 billion Euro.
The former president of the Romanian Boxing Federation, Rudel Obreja, was taken into temporary custody for 30 days in the so-called Gala Bute case. That case involved organizing a state financed boxing gala in 2011 featuring the former world champion of Romanian origin Lucian Bute. Two former employees of the Tourism Ministry are also under investigation. The ministry at the time was led by now MP Elena Udrea. Prosecutors filed for preventive custody against the former minister for this case, but also for the IT scandal, involving widespread illegalities with software licenses paid for by the Education Ministry. The accusations against Udrea are influence peddling, money laundering and lying in income statements. The judicial committee in the lower chamber of Parliament, in which she is a member, will analyse the application on Sunday, and a vote is expected on Monday.
A code yellow alert for snow and strong winds has been issued as of this afternoon for the capital city Bucharest and 24 counties in the south, and will be kept in place until tomorrow. Snowfall and heavy snowfall has been reported for southern Romania, with strong winds, exceeding 80 kilometers per hour. Elsewhere across the country skies are mostly overcast, while snowfalls have been locally reported for most regions, with rainfall reported on the Romanian Black Sea coast. The highs of the day range from minus 4 to 9 degrees Celsius, with a noon reading in Bucharest standing at 1 degree.
The relationship between Russia and NATO has nearly reached its freezing point, Moscow’s Ambassador to NATO headquarters in Brussels said Friday, according to ITAR TASS. The Russian diplomat warned that Russia, in its military planning, would be considering the key changes of the political and military situation NATO has generated at its borders, so that the Russian Federation’s legitimate security interests can be defended. The Russian Ambassador’s statements have occurred as a reaction to the decisions defense ministers of NATO 28 member states made yesterday, in order to create a new 5,000-strong Rapid Reaction Force in Eastern Europe, as well as six command centers, also in Eastern Europe. The Rapid Reaction Force will have the ability to deploy within 48 hours, in a NATO region or country that may have been attacked or threatened. Military command centers are to be set up in Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow today will hold a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a bid to lay out a fresh plan aiming to put an end to the war in Ukraine. Initiated by President Hollande, the US- and EU-backed plan in Kiev yesterday was debated jointly with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The French, German and Ukrainian leaders were in favor of foreign troops and heavy weaponry getting withdrawn from Ukraine, also being in favor of closing the borders and releasing hostages. In another development, US Secretary of State John Kerry, also in Kiev, on Thursday stated the US did not want to start a conflict with Russia. However, the West cannot ignore Russia’s action in Ukraine. Diplomatic efforts, initiated in a bid to put an end to the conflict in Ukraine, occurred against the backdrop of fighting intensifying in the country’s eastern regions. Clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have left more than 5,300 people dead.
The south-eastern Romanian city of Galati on Saturday and Sunday will be playing host to the tennis match pitting Romania’s Fed Cup team against the similar team of Spain. The confrontation counts towards the first round of World Group II. Romania’s line-up for the match against Spain includes Simona Halep, 3rd-ranked according to WTA, Irina Begu, 34th- placed according to world rankings, Monica Niculescu, ranked 57th according to WTA and 95th-placed Alexandra Dulgheru. Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, ranked 17th according to WTA, is unavailable for the confrontation against Romania, because of an injury, so Spain will be relying heavily on Garbine Muguruza, ranked 24th according to WTA.
