September 29, 2016 UPDATE

For a roundup of domestic and international news, click here.

Newsroom, 29.09.2016, 12:00

BREXIT – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday, said that EU and London authorities should maintain a close relationship after Brexit. Speaking at the European People’s Party Group meeting, the president said it is important for the negotiation process to be carried out by means of transparent, orderly and predictable dialogue. Additionally the president said that Brexit, migration and terrorism are the greatest challenges facing the EU.

INVESTIGATION – The Prosecutors Office has launched criminal proceedings in the case of the intellectual fraud regarding the doctoral thesis of chief anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi. The investigation started following the self-denunciation of MP Sebastian Ghita, who claims that together with other high-ranking officials, he forged a report that was to clear Laura Codruta Kovesi of all plagiarism charges. Sebastian Ghita, who is investigated in a number of corruption cases, claims the offense was committed in 2012.

COMMISSIONER – European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu on Thursday visited Romania to talk to Bucharest authorities about EC priorities and European fund absorption. The Commissioner also discussed projects financed by Europe, and took part in meetings with government officials and conferences attended by members of Parliament and local administration officials. This year, the European commissioner has repeatedly pointed out the risks of low levels of absorption of European funds in the country. Moneys meted out by the EU run the risk of being wasted since no project has been submitted in this fiscal period, according to Corina Cretu. Romania has been allocated 22 billion Euro for the 2014-2020 fiscal period.

AUTOMOTIVE – The Dacia Duster EDC car model is Renault’s most eagerly expected introduction at the Paris Auto Salon, featuring the latest in drive technology, the double clutch. It will be presented at the Dacia stand alongside the Dacia Sandero and Dacia Sandero Stepway, the Dacia Logan and Dacia Logan MCV. The Dacia brand was acquired in 1999 by Renault, and makes up for about 30% of its sales. Dacia recently confirmed that part of the manufacturing of the Logan MCV model, so far made in Mioveni, in Romania, will shift to Tangiers, in Morocco. The decision was made in order to boost output for the Duster model in Mioveni, against high demand in Europe.

F-16 – The first batch of six F-16 fighter jets arrived in Romania on Thursday. After yesterday’s ceremony at the Monte Real airbase in Portugal, Romanian pilots brought the aircraft to the airbase in Fetesti, southeastern Romania, after two years of training. The planes have undergone upgrades, in order to be able to operate on an equal footing with other multirole aircraft in NATO’s air wing. The F-16 group will be refreshed by three more aircraft to be delivered by the end of the year, and three more to arrive in 2017. Three years ago, Romania put in an order for the American made 12 war planes to Portugal for a transaction worth 628 million Euro.

FENCE – A protective fence will be built on the Romanian-Hungarian border only as a last resort, Janos Lazar, the Minister of the Hungarian Ministers office said on Thursday. The Hungarian official added that the Romanian border police is carrying out its activity with utter professionalism. Few refugees arrive in Romania daily, less than in Serbia and Croatia, Janos Lazar said.

RADIRO – The RadiRo 2016 symphonic music radio orchestra festival has reached its sixth day, after a show put on yesterday by the MDR Radio Symphony Orchestra of Leipzig, the oldest radio orchestra in Germany, conducted by Estonian Kristian Jarvi, honorary director of the festival this year. The soloist was Stefano Bollani, playing four interludes from the opera Intermezzo, by Richard Strauss, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwhin, and a suite from Swan Lake, by Tchaikovsky. Thursday nights show featured the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Cornelius Meister, with Gideon Kramer as a soloist. The festival runs until October 1st.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, WTA 5th seeded, on Thursday qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament in Wuhan, China, a competition with prizes totaling 2.6 million dollars. She defeated American player Madison Keys 6-4, 6-2. She next plays against Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.

(Translated by C. Cotoiu and V. Palcu)