May 25, 2016
Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, denies prosecutors' accusations.
Newsroom, 25.05.2016, 12:15
On Wednesday, the last day of his visit to the United States, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos is meeting with the US Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz and with representatives of the American business sector. Ciolos will promote Romania’s potential for economic development and will encourage American companies to invest in this country. On Tuesday, PM Ciolos held talks at the White House with the US Vice President Joe Biden. Bucharest requested support for a multinational brigade on Romanian territory, under NATO umbrella, to strengthen the defence system on the Alliance’s south-east European border. Vice President Biden reiterated his country’s commitment to strengthening security and defence in the Euro-Atlantic area. Also on Tuesday, Dacian Ciolos met with representatives of the Romanian community in Washington DC.
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 has 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.
Negotiations between trade unions in education and Government representatives will continue, after Tuesday’s 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, defense industry and environment workers have protested in Bucharest, asking for bigger salaries.
Romania’s 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. 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.
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 Greece’s main lenders, have insisted to phase in the debt. The disbursement was conditional on Greece delivering on reform promises.
Romania’s national football team meets Congo today in a friendly match in Como, Italy. The match, just like that against Ukraine, scheduled for Sunday in Turin, is part of a campaign held in preparation for the European Championship due in France, this summer. Romania and the host country will play the opening match, in Paris, on June 10. Also playing in Group A are Switzerland and Albania.
