May 25, 2016 UPDATE
Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos has secured the United States' support for tightening military cooperation in the Black Sea area, under NATOs aegis/ The Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, says he is a victim of the anti-corruption prosecutors
Newsroom, 25.05.2016, 12:20
US SECURITY SUPPORT– On Wednesday, the last day of his visit to the United States, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos met with the US Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, and with representatives of the American business sector. PM Ciolos held talks at the White House with the US Vice President Joe Biden and he requested and received the United States support for boosting military cooperation in the Black Sea area, under the NATO aegis. Vice President Biden has underlined that the continuation of reforms will consolidate Romanias democratic and economic development and the bilateral economic partnership. Dacian Ciolos also met with representatives of the Romanian community in Washington DC.
PROSECUTION-The Romanian Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, has denied, in a public letter, the accusations levelled at him by anti-corruption prosecutors, saying he is their victim. On Tuesday, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate announced that Tariceanu is prosecuted for false testimony and encouraging the offender. Tariceanu is the second most important official in the state, given the position he is currently holding, that of Senate Speaker. He is also co-president of the recently set up centre-rightist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, (ALDE). Between 2004 and 2008, when he was the leader of the National Liberal Party, he held the position of prime minister.
EDUCATION-Negotiations between trade unions in education and Government representatives will continue, after Tuesdays talks ended without an agreement. Unionists are pushing for salary increase and are unhappy with the amounts earmarked for education. The president of the Federation of Trade Unions in Education, Marius Nistor, has said that unless a solution is reached in the next round of negotiations, on June 1 trade unions will stage a rally in Bucharest. Also on Wednesday, defence industry and environment workers have protested in Bucharest, asking for bigger salaries.
ECONOMY-Romanias state budget in the first quarter of this year has an additional amount of three billion lei, that is 665 million euros, while the level of taxes and duties collected by the National Agency for Fiscal Administration in the first four months of 2016 is by 3% bigger than initially estimated, Finance Minister Anca Dragu told Radio Romania News Channel. Minister Dragu has warned, however, over the fact that the recent VAT cuts triggered negative inflation. According to a report by the National Bank of Romania, the VAT tax has impacted around 70% of the prices and an improvement of the inflation rate will only be seen at the beginning of next year.
GREECE BAILOUT CASH– Eurozone finance ministers have reached a deal with Greece, after marathon talks in Brussels, to unlock 10.3 billion euros in vital bailout cash. The IMF, one of Greeces main lenders, have insisted to phase in the debt. The disbursement was conditional on Greece delivering on reform promises.
WEATHER-Hundreds of households have been flooded in central, eastern and northern Romania because of the storms in the past few days. An orange code alert is in place for high water levels in northern and central Romania while storms are expected in north, east, centre and south-east.
TENNIS – Romanian Simona Halep, WTAs no.6 on Wednesday defeated 7-6, 6-2, Kazakh Zarina Diyas (WTA’s no 90), in the second round of the Roland Garros, the second most important Grand Slam tournament of the year. In the next round, Halep will meet Japanese Naomi Osaka. In a dramatic match played on Wednesday evening, Irina Begu defeated Coco Vandeweghe 6-7, 7-6, 10-8. Also on Wednesday in the first round of the double tennis competition, the pair Florin Mergea/Rohan Bopanna (Romania/India) defeated the French pair Stephane Robert/Alexandre Sidorenko, 6-2, 6-2.
