October 31, 2018
Click here for a round-up of news from Romania
Ştefan Stoica, 31.10.2018, 11:41
MOTION — The Chamber of Deputies has today rejected by voting the simple motion tabled by two opposition parties, the National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union, against justice minister Tudorel Toader. He had been accused by the signatories of having abandoned justice in the hands of criminals. In response, Toader said during the debates held in a plenary session on Tuesday that he took action so that citizens be not sent to court unjustly. We recall that minister Tudorel Toader initiated the procedure to remove from office Romania’s General Prosecutor, Augustin Lazar, whom he reproached that he had stirred constitutional conflicts and of having a political public discourse, making accusations of the legislative and executive power. Toader’s arguments in favour of Augustin Lazar’s removal from power have been rejected by Lazar and a large part of the magistrates as ungrounded. Toader evoked similar arguments in the case relating to the request of sacking the former head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, whom Klaus Iohannis had to revoke following a ruling issued by the Constitutional Court.
PITTSBURGH — The Romanian Foreign Ministry has firmly condemned the armed attack against a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the US, on October 27, which left many victims, a communiqué released by the Romanian Foreign Ministry reads. The Romanian Foreign Ministry firmly condemns any Anti-Semitic gesture and supports the efforts made by the international community in preventing, fighting and punishing acts of racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance, the communiqué also reads. 11 people have been killed and six injured on Saturday, when a man opened fire at the believers in a synagogue in Pittsburgh. The perpetrator of the attack will be prosecuted, among others, for anti-Semitic crime and he might get a death penalty. This has been the most violent anti-Semitic attack carried out in the US over the past decades.
ROMANIAN-SWISS RELATIONS –President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday will receive the President of the Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, who is paying an official visit to Bucharest on October 31 and November 1. The two officials will approach ways to develop bilateral relations, aspects related to the focal points on the European agenda, including Switzerland’s financial contribution to the EU Cohesion Fund, as well as regional issues. The visit to Romania comes against the backdrop of efforts to boost bilateral dialogue and Romania’s holding the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019. Klaus Iohannis will assure the Swiss side of Romania’s further support for promoting an open, constructive and mutually advantageous dialogue, between the EU and the Swiss Confederation.
IMF — An IMF mission led by the head of the IMF mission to Romania, Jaewoo Lee, will be in Bucharest between November 6 and 12, the IMF Resident Representative in Romania and Bulgaria, Alejandro Hajdenberg has said. According to him, the IMF team will analyse the latest economic and financial evolutions in Romania, will update the macro-economic outlooks and will discuss about the 2019 budget. Romania has no ongoing financing agreement with the IMF, but that financial institution is analyses the evolution of the Romanian economy every year.
RADIO ROMANIA — On November 1, Radio Romania celebrates 90 years since the first broadcast was aired. The series of events organised on this occasion continues today with a concert given by the Radio Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Horvath. On Thursday, an extraordinary concert will be given by the National Radio Orchestra, alongside the Academic Choir and the Radio Children’s Choir, under the baton of Cristian Mandeal. Also on Thursday, the national public radio will air the inaugural episode of the first radio sitcom in Romania, titled “Undeva în 28” (literally, “Somewhere in 28” in Romanian).
PUMPKIN — Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania were the largest pumpkin and gourd producers in the EU, according to data released by Eurostat on Wednesday, when Halloween is being celebrated. Some 24 thousand hectares of land were cultivated with these vegetables. The largest producers of pumpkin and gourd from the whole of the EU last year were Spain with 115,000 tons and France with 96,000 tons. Romania ranked seventh with over 20 thousand tons.
WEATHER — Romania enjoys lots of sunshine today. The highs of the day range from 18 to 28 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 25 degrees.
