Newsflash, March 11, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Valentin Țigău, 11.03.2015, 12:15
The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest rejected, on Wednesday, the Anti-Corruption Directorate’s request to green light the prosecution of parliament member Laszlo Borbely, member of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Laszlo Borbely is accused of influence peddling.
The National Bank of Romania (BNR) has warned in a release over the risks involved by the use of the virtual currency bitcoin. According to the BNR, bitcoin is neither a domestic currency nor a hard currency and the risks posed by it are mainly related to the absence of a legal framework, money laundering, the financing of terrorism and price volatility. The Romanian Central Bank is monitoring the evolution of this virtual currency and its possible threats to the financial system.
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 on an official visit to Warsaw. The visit’s agenda includes talks with the Polish president, prime minister and Senate speaker, on the evolution of bilateral ties, from economic, political and military perspectives.
The US is to supply a further package of non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine. According to the BBC, Pentagon officials have announced the package will include first aid kits, night vision goggles, helmets and GPS units. The announcement followed statements by the NATO Sectretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who says Russia continues to support the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Stoltenberg has again called on Russia to withdraw its forces and give unlimited access to observers so that the ceasefire deal could be fully enforced.
The European Parliament adopted a Resolution on Serbia, based on the report drawn up by MEP David McAllister. Seven amendments of those initially proposed were adopted. The Resolution hails Serbia’s progress in the field of reforms, in developing good ties with its neighbours and in normalising its dialogue with Pristina and recommends the European Council to OK the country’s opening the EU accession proceedings. The document criticises, however, the violation of the right to freedom of speech and the country’s refusal to back the EU sanctions on Russia.
The head of the Social Democratic Party, Prime Minister Victor Ponta, testified on Wednesday in the Supreme Court that there was no violation of the law in the conduct of the presidential impeachment referendum of 2012. The case involves Deputy Prime Minister Liviu Dragnea and 74 people. Liviu Dragnea was indicted by anti-corruption prosecutors on 7 October 2013, accused of using undue influence to alter the outcome of the referendum on July 29, 2012, organized to dismiss by popular vote the then president, Traian Basescu. Many more present or former members of the Social Democratic Party have been heard in the case, mostly involved in organizing the referendum. Even though 87% of voters were in favor of dismissing the president, the referendum was declared invalid for lack of a quorum. The central election commission said poll attendance was 46.24%, below the prescribed 50%.
The European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, on Wednesday, on the second day of her visit to Romania, was received by President Klaus Iohannis and the minister for European funds, Eugen Teodorovici. On Thursday she will take part in a conference on financing opportunities for SMEs in 2014-2020, and the launch of the 2014-202 ‘Administrative Capacity’ Operational Program. On Tuesday she held talks with the Transport Minister Ioan Rus, on Romania’s transport master plan, considered a strategic document by Brussels. According to Commissioner Cretu, the EC will supply 6.8 billion Euro before 2020 for infrastructure projects included in the plan. More details after the news.
