February 24, 2015
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Bogdan Matei, 24.02.2015, 12:00
The Parliamentary Intelligence control commission on Tuesday endorsed President Klaus Johannes’s proposal for Edvard Hellvig to take over the position of Intelligence Head. 40-year old Hellvig had been a member of the ruling coalition Conservative Party since 2003, and since 2008 has been a member of the National Liberal Party, currently in opposition. In 2012, Hellvig was a Regional Development and Tourism Minister in the Social Liberal Union Government headed by Victor Ponta. In autumn, Hellvig was a member of Klaus Johannis’ electoral campaign team. The Head of Intelligence position has remained vacant since January 27, when former head George Cristian Maior tendered his resignation, after an eight-year term in office. Previously Maior had been taking a broadside at the Constitutional Court ‘s ruling whereby the cyber security law was unconstitutional. We recall the aforementioned law was part of a legislative package targeting national security.
Head prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi submitted a report on the National Anti-Corruption Directorate’s activity for 2014, emphasizing the fact that the institution had set a number of records last year, such as the greatest number of investigations prosecuted and closed, the most indictments and convictions, as well as the biggest number of high-ranking officials investigated. She pointed out that public confidence in the institution is at its highest. Some of the most resounding cases were the so-called Microsoft affair, having to do with abusive granting of IT licenses in schools, the arrest of Alina Bica, former head of the organized crime prosecution office, and that of Mircea Basescu, brother to the former president. At the same time they have investigated over 20 heads of county councils. The 86 prosecutors handled 9,000 cases last year, with 1,100 perpetrators receiving final sentences. The number of acquittals was 9%, below the European average.
Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia in Paris today convene for a four-way meeting focusing on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in eastern Ukraine, an agreement the parties involved signed in Minsk two weeks ago. In another development, the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated he ruled out what we called an apocalyptic scenario, according to which Ukraine and Russia might start a war. On the ground, despite an apparenty calm situation in rebel-held eastern Ukraine, clashes have continued nearby the strategic port of Mariupol, Donbass’ last major city held by the authorities in Kiev. According to the AFP, Mariupol could be the next target for pro-Russian secessionists, as they have seized Debaltsevo — an important railway hub in the east.
Romanian tennis player Alexandra Dulgheru is today taking on Alize Cornet of France, in the first round of the tournament in Doha, a competition with more than 700 thousand dollars prize money at stake. Dulgheru has gained access to the main draw as in the qualifications’ first round she clinched a 2-nil win against Saisai Zheng of China. Also today, the Romanian-Dutch pair made of Horia Tecau and Jean Julien-Rojer will be facing the all-Swiss pair made of Roger Federer and Michael Lammer, in the first round of the Dubai tournament, with more than 2 million dollars prize money up for grabs. Also in Dubai, the Romanian-English pair made of Florin Mergea and Dominic Ingot has got through to the second round, having secured a 2-nil win against Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco of Spain. Winner of Dubai tournament’s women’s version held last week was Romania’s Simona Halep, who thus reclaimed the third position according to world rankings.
Klaus Johannis as of today is on his first official visit to the neighboring Republic of Moldova as Romania’s president, where he will be holding talks with his counterpart Nicolae Timofti and the new Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici, as well as with leaders of parliamentary political groups. President Johannis will be giving a formal address at the University of Chisinau. Having scheduled the trip to Republic of Moldova as his first official visit after he began his term in office, Johannis decided to postpone his visit until the new government was instated. This week Klaus Johannis will also pay an official visit to Berlin, where he will be meeting his counterpart Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel. An ethnic German born in Sibiu (in the center) Johannis will be visiting Germany for the first time since he has won the Presidential election in November.
