March 31, 2018 UPDATE
Romanian Intelligence Service declassifies cooperation agreement, Romanian diplomat expelled by Moscow
Newsroom, 31.03.2018, 19:10
Declassification — On Thursday the Romanian Intelligence Service declassified and made public a 2009 agreement concluded with the General Prosecutor’s Office. The document was signed by the then Prosecutor General Laura Codruta Kovesi, who is currently the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and her assistant, on the one hand, and the then head of the Romanian Intelligence Service George Maior and his first deputy, on the other hand. Based on this cooperation agreement, for 7 years the Romanian Intelligence Service granted assistance to prosecutors, and joint operative teams were set up to document certain cases. The current political class has hailed the declassification of this agreement, claiming that the state institutions concluded abnormal agreements that allowed the intelligence services to interfere in the activity of the judicial police. The opposition, in turn, has said that, on behalf of the transparency principle, the publication of the cooperation agreement was a normal gesture in a democratic state.
Diplomacy — The Romanian Foreign Ministry confirmed the expulsion of a Romanian diplomat from Russia after Romania had previously declared a Russian diplomat ‘a persona non grata’. Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu explained that Bucharest’s decision was a gesture of solidarity with London, following the serious incidents that occurred on the British territory. After the Russian Embassy in Romania labeled the expulsion of the Russian diplomat as ‘a manifestation of collective political madness’ Teodor Melescanu retorted by saying that political madness was the nerve agent attack in the English city of Salisbury, on March 4, against a former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter. In order to send Moscow a strong signal that it cannot defy the international legislation on chemical weapons, as many as 150 Russian diplomats from North America and Europe to Australia have been expelled in sign of solidarity with Great Britain.
Immunoglobulin — The first immunoglobulin vials requested through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism have reached Romania and will be distributed to patients, the Health Ministry officials announced. Actually 16 thousand vials from Austria will arrive to Romania, in installments, by the end of May. This week another 1,000 immunoglobulin vials came to Romania, which were bought from foreign producers by the Health Ministry’s medicine distributor. Discontinuities in immunoglobulin supply were caused by the withdrawal from the Romanian market of the producers that ensured more than 80% of the needed amount.
Religious celebrations — Roman Catholic and Protestant believers from Romania and the world over are celebrating Easter on Sunday. This year Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers celebrate Easter one week later, so this Sunday they will mark Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. To mark this religious celebration Bucharest and other cities across Romania will host religious processions. From March 30 until April 7 Jews will be celebrating the festival of Passover when they recollect how Moses led the Jews out of Egypt following centuries of slavery.
Gendarmerie — This weekend many cities of Romania will be hosting manifestations anticipating the anniversary of 168 years since the setting up of the Romanian Gendarmerie. There will be various events for both kids and adults who will be able to try the gendarmes’ equipment used in missions. In Bucharest people are invited to participate in the Gendarmerie Race to take place on a distance of 5 kilometers. Gendarmerie Day is marked each year on April 3.
Weather — 29 counties in the north, center and west of Romania are under code yellow alert for strong wind and heavy rainfalls which is valid until Sunday night. The weather is getting colder all across Romania with temperatures dropping by 10 up to 12 degrees C as compared to the previous day. The wind speed will reach 45, 55 kms per hour and around 75 kms in the mountains and in the west, centre and south of the territory. On Saturday, hydrologists issued code yellow and code orange alerts for flooding in 27 river basins in the north, west, centre and south, valid until Monday at midnight. Also code yellow and code orange alerts for flooding are in place for the Danube River course on Romania’s territory for the next week. (news translated and updated by Lacramioara Simion)
