Newsflash, March 12
A roundup of domestic and international news.
România Internațional, 12.03.2015, 12:00
The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan is paying a two-day vitsit to Romania as of Thursday. This is Hogan’s first visit to Romania after he took over the agriculture protfolio from Romanian Dacian Ciolos. The European official will hold talks with Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin and with members of the Parliament’s commitees for agriculture and European affairs. The Romanian Agriculture Ministry is waiting for the European Commission to approve the National Rural Development Program for the 2014-2020 budget framework. The approval is to be formally granted this June. Also in Bucharest, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu announced on Tuesday that until 2020 the European Commission will contribute 6.8 billion euros for the infrastructure projects included in Romania’s Transport Master Plan.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is today meeting in Warsaw with his Polish counterpart, Bronislaw Komorowski and with the heads of the two parliament chambers. The meeting’s agenda includes topics related to bilateral ties, from economic, political and military perspectives. Security issues in general and the situation in Ukraine in particular will also be tackled. On Friday, President Iohannis will have a meeting with Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz. The relationship with Poland is a priority for Romania at both European and Euro-Atlantic level and it is consolidated by a strategic partnership, with the two countries having supported each other at crucial moments, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday before leaving for Warsaw.
Anti-corruption prosecutors have today searched the Bucharest Sector 5 mayor’s office and the home of the Sector 5 mayor, Marian Vanghelie, suspected of corruption. The searches target corruption deeds committed as of 2007, regarding public works contracts awarded illegally . The mayor’s alleged actions are believed to have caused tens of millions of euros in damage to the state. Seen as one of the most influential left-wing politicians, Marian Vanghelie was expelled from the Social Democratic Party early this year.
Two police officers have been shot and wounded in Ferguson, a town in the American state Missouri on Wednesday night. It happened just hours after the citys police chief quit following a damning justice report into his department, which detailed the racist practices of the Ferguson police and municipality. With a population of 21,000, mostly African Americans, Ferguson was the scene of violent protests last August, when Michael Brown, an unarmed, African American teenager had been shot and killed by a white police officer. The incident triggered nationwide protests.
The euro continues to depreciate, going below the level of 1.06 US dollars for the first time in 12 years, after the European Central Bank started its asset purchase program on Monday. Experts say the ECB ‘s plan to purchase every month assets worth 60 billion euros dilutes the single currency’s value. Moreover, the euro is also affected by uncertainties regarding the economic situation of Greece. The Euro will continue to drop against other currencies in the upcoming period as well. Its depreciation is also caused by the American economy showing signs of improvement.
Pandurii Targu Jiu and Steaua Bucharest are the football sides to take on each other in the League Cup’s Finals. On Wednesday night, Romania’s football champion Steaua Bucharest lost to Astra Giurgiu 0-2, but in spite of the defeat they have qualified, thanks to the first match win when they trashed Astra 3-0. The National Arena will host the competition’s finals on May 20th.
