July 16, 2014 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
România Internațional, 16.07.2014, 12:02
Romanian prime Minister Victor Ponta is on a two-day official visit to neighbouring Serbia, upon an invitation extended by his counterpart Aleksandar Vucic. In Belgrade, PM Ponta will also meet with Serbian President, Tomislav Nikolici. According to a release of the Bucharest Government, bilateral issues and the regional situation will be approached at the meetings. The two prime ministers will go to the Timoc Valley, in Eastern Serbia, to hold talks with representatives of the Romanian community in the area. Romania supports Serbia’s bid for the EU, and has called on Belgrade to treat the Romanian community in this country according to European norms.
The Constanta Tribunal rejected on Wednesday a temporary arrest appeal by the president’s younger brother, the businessman Mircea Basescu. He was indicted on Monday for peddling in influence, being accused by prosecutors of receiving 250,000 euros for using his influence with the magistrates in favour of a man on trial for attempted murder. His arrest last month caused a big political scandal in Bucharest. Parliament even adopted a political declaration asking the president to resign as the honourable thing to do. Traian Basescu refused, however, to step down saying the special services did not brief him on any possible links between his brother and organised crime groups.
Romania’s foreign minister Titus Corlatean on Wednesday met the chargé daffaires at the US Embassy in Bucharest Duane Butcher, whose term in Bucharest has come to an end. At a farewell function on Teusday, Butcher praised the two states’ collaboration in areas such as security, the fight against crime and law enforcement and said that in terms of national security, Romania may be considered a real fortress and an example for other states. Duane Butcher acted as US chargé daffaires in Bucharest since December in 2012.
The sales of new cars and commercial vehicles in Romania stood at 47 thousand units in the fist half of 2014, up 32.4% as against the same period of last year. Leading on the domestic market in terms of car sales is Dacia, a brand of the French Group Renault, followed by Volkswagen, Skoda and Ford.
