February 8, 2018 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 08.02.2018, 20:16

SENTENCE The former mayor of Slatina, a city in southern Romania, who was also the country’s former Finance Minister, Social Democrat Darius Valcov, was sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Romanian High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ). The Court has also ruled over the seizure of 1.3 euros from Valcov. This is the court’s first ruling against Darius Valcov who has been accused of influence peddling and money laundering.

FLU Romania’s Health Minister Sorina Pintea on Thursday said that Romania isn’t currently facing a flu epidemic but 16 people have so far been killed by the disease in this country while the total number of infections stay at 300. 800,000 people have been vaccinated while doctors have advised the Romanians to get inoculated against the backdrop of a rising number of infections.

STATEMENT Parliament in Chisinau, in the ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, on Thursday adopted a statement in which it condemns the Russian Federation’s attacks against the country’s ’information security’ as well as Russia’s abusive intrusion on the political activity of the Republic of Moldova. The Moldovan Legislature has voiced concern about Moscow’s stepped-up attacks against the country’s information security and media institutions involving some Moscow-based television channels. According to the document, the attacks are denigrating Moldovan institutions and officials but are mostly directed against the citizens of the country. MPs from the majority pro-European coalition have voted for the document whereas the socialists and the communists stood against it. The statement comes after a document issued by the Russian state Duma was condemning the Republic of Moldova’s new media law, the so-called anti-propaganda law, which is restricting Russian TV broadcasts. The country’s pro-Russia president Igor Dodon has described the statement as the most impulsive anti-Russian message at high level of the past 25 years.

REFUGEES In 2018 Romania is to receive 40 Syrian refugees who have been temporarily accommodated by Turkey. The country will get another 69 in 2019, Nelu Barbu, spokesman for the government has announced. According to the Romanian official, the first 40 refugees represent the annual quota. 29 more will be allotted in 2019 unless they are relocated under the commitments Romania has earlier assumed.

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