April 9, 2015
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Mihai Pelin, 09.04.2015, 12:00
Romania is one of NATO ‘s reliable allies, and NATO defends all its allies against any threat, the North Atlantic Alliance stated on Wednesday, in reply to Russian Foreign Minister’s statements targeting Romania. The Alliance believes that Moscow, having breached international law and failing to comply with the commitments made as part of the NATO-Russia founding document, and because of the aggressive action Russia has taken against Ukraine, has never ceased to produce untenable, provocative statements, which are totally out of place and which fail to support stability and predictability in Europe. According to the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Romanian Government has sacrificed the security of the region because it has given its consent to NATO military force being deployed on Romanian territory. Prime Minster Victor Ponta has hailed the reaction NATO has taken against Russian Foreign Minister’ s stance. Ponta went on to say that Romania, as a NATO member state would only take the decisions it deems correct and appropriate for Romania’s and NATO’s security objectives. In a message posted on a social network, Romania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu has written that NATO’s stance regarding the statements made by the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry fully reflected Romania’s position.
The Romanian Senate will fully comply with the ruling issued by the Constitutional Court and will make public the resolution whereby the application was turned down, demanding that Social-Democrat Senator Dan Sova be arrested and kept in custody, following accusations of conspiracy to abuse of office. Romania’s Constitutional Court has ascertained a constitutional conflict existed, pitting the Prosecutor’s Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice against the Senate. The Liberal opposition stated it would file an appeal with the Constitutional Court of Romania right after the Senate makes its decision public. We recall that on March 24, the Senate turned down former transport Minister Dan Sova’s preventive detention, as the majority was not formed out of the overall number of Senators, so that the National Anti-Corruption Department’s application could receive a vote in favour.
Romania’s trade balance deficit in the first two months of 2015 accounted for 563.3 million Euro, that is 4.7 million Euro less than the reported deficit for the first two months of 2014, according to data the National Statistics Institute made public on Thursday. Romania’s imports and exports in the first two months of 2015 have seen an increase, 3.5% and 3,3% more, respectively, as compared to the similar period of 2014. For the aforementioned timeframe, the trade volume of intra-community commodities stood at 6.35 billion Euro for exports and 7.1 billion euro for imports, while the extra-community trade volume accounted for 2.22 billion Euro for exports and 2.03 billion euro for imports. A significant share of the trade exchange volume is made of machines and transport equipment, as well as of other manufactured products.
Orthodox and Greek-Catholic believers worldwide, Romania included, commemorate Maundy Thursday of the Passion Week. Passion Week timeline on this day includes our Savior’s gesture to wash the feet of his disciples, the Last Supper, as well as Jesus’ arrest because of Judas’ betrayal. On Tuesday evening, Orthodox believers attend the Vespers and the Divine Service of the 12 Gospels, evoking the last moments of Jesus’ Christ’s life until His Crucifixion. On the night of Saturday, Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians celebrate Easter.
The government of the Republic of Moldova took responsibility for the budget and tax policies for 2015, according to Radio Chisinau. PM Chiril Gaburici said that this move was motivated by the need for stability, especially in terms of negotiations with foreign partners. The 2015 budget bill, endorsed by the government last week with half a year’s delay comes with a number of improvements for citizens and businesses, the PM explained. The budget deficit, around 200 million Euros, is supposed to be covered by certain tax hikes and higher excises, especially on fuels. If no censure motion is introduced within 72 hours of the government taking responsibility, the bills pass.
Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France, Germany in Berlin on Monday will be holding a meeting to asses the stage of the implementation of the peace agreements signed in Minsk in February 2015, as a solution to the conflict in Ukraine, the AFO has quoted French Foreign minister Laurent Fabius as saying. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkine has stated tension has been rising in eastern Ukraine, as two more soldiers have been killed in the last 24 hours. Hundreds of Ukrainian military personnel continue to be held prisoners. According to BBC News online, Amnesty International has in turn denounced the fact that four rebel-held Ukrainian soldiers have been summarily executed, with evidence being provided to that effect. Non-governmental organizations have accused both parties of having repeatedly escalated the conflict. In the yearlong conflict, more than 6,000 people have been killed since the outbreak of the war pitting pro-Russian separatists against Ukrainians in eastern Ukraine.
