Radio România Internațional

Tag: justice laws

July 24, 2024 UPDATE

Diplomacy – Romania is a credible, involved and respected regional, European and international actor, a provider of security and stability, said the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, in the opening of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy, which takes place in Bucharest. He pleaded for the consolidation of the role and influence in the European Union and NATO and for the deepening of the strategic partnership with the US. About the partnership with the US, Iohannis said that it is an essential pillar of Romania’s foreign policy, that it has become more robust and acquired more substance. Regarding the relationship with the neighboring Republic of Moldova, Romania’s President showed that this represented a strategic priority, and bilateral cooperation reached “the highest level in history”. Also, Iohannis stated, Bucharest also promoted a constructive relationship with the Kyiv administration. Last but not least, the Romanian president stated that the accession to the Schengen Area also with the land borders, as well as the accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development remain priority objectives of the Romanian diplomacy.

Odobescu – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, reiterated, on Wednesday, that Romania remains a firm supporter of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine at the European level and emphasized that the two countries must continue the reforms necessary for European integration. She condemned the war waged by Russia in Ukraine and stated that the Republic of Moldova remains the state most affected by this war after Ukraine. ‘I reiterate that Romania firmly and steadfastly supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova within their internationally recognized borders’, Odobescu also said.

Venice Commission – Romania should complete the process initiated in view of taking into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission on the justice laws and of accelerating its efforts to ensure effective public consultations before the adoption of the legislation, the European Commission recommends in the annual report on the rule of law, published on Wednesday. Although some progress has been made in this area, the EC recommends Bucharest to continue its efforts to ensure adequate human resources for the justice system, taking into account European standards. Another recommendation is to take measures to ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of crimes in the judicial system, including acts of corruption. The EC recognizes, however, that Romania has made some progress in this regard. The Romanian Justice Minister, Alina Gorghiu, states that the report on the rule of law in Romania is the best so far. The main conclusion of the fifth edition of the Commission’s annual report on the rule of law in member countries is that they and the Union as a whole are much better prepared to detect, prevent and address emerging challenges, which contributes to the resilience of European democracies and supports mutual trust in the EU as well as the smooth functioning of the single market.

Alert – The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations issued, last night, a RO-ALERT message for the north of Tulcea county (south-east), informing the population about the possibility of objects falling from the sky on the territory near the border with Ukraine. The message was issued after the structures with the role of defense and border surveillance noticed several Russian drones, involved in attacks on the Ukrainian infrastructure, which were approaching the Romanian border. The Defense Ministry reported that, currently, its teams are continuing the search for possible remains of drones that have fallen on the national territory. The same source stated that two F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force flew in the area to monitor the situation.

Meeting – The Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel on Wednesday expressed his conviction, in a joint press statement held together with the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy, that Romania’s place is in Schengen and that “controls must stop” at the border. Xavier Bettel mentioned, on the other hand, that he visited the Cincu military base (center), after a similar visit in September, to show the “support and solidarity” of the government towards the young people of Luxembourg. Minister Luminiţa Odobescu said, in turn, that Romania wants more substantial cooperation with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, including in the field of the defense industry. She thanked for the presence of troops from Luxembourg on Romanian territory as part of strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea. (LS)

24 July 2024
Justice Laws: constitutional

Though disliked by many,
the Constitutional Court remains the implacable arbiter of Romanian political
life. In casual terms, its decisions, even if debated, are enforced. On
Wednesday, it was the turn of the opposition in the Romanian Parliament to
comply with its rule and swallow the bitter pill of referrals rejected by the
judges of the Court. Both the Save Romania Union (USR, center-right) and the Alliance for the
Union of Romanians (AUR, nationalist), as well as the Ombudsman had notified
the Court about elements of unconstitutionality regarding the three Justice
laws adopted in the Parliament dominated by the PSD-PNL-UDMR government
coalition.

However, the Court
decided that the Law on the status of judges and prosecutors, the Law on
judicial organization and the Law on the Superior Council of Magistracy are all
constitutional. The interim Speaker of the Senate, the Liberal Alina Gorghiu,
wrote on social media that the CCR’s decision was correct and natural, and
the laws will be submitted for promulgation. She believes that, in this way, normality
will be resumed. Alina Gorghiu has stressed that Romania’s goal is, at present,
the lifting of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, through which
Brussels has been monitoring the functioning of the rule of law in Romania
since its accession to the European Union in 2007. She has also said that Romania’s
accession to the Schengen free movement area also depends on removing this
mechanism.

The procedures regarding
the adoption of the three laws, Alina Gorghiu also claims, were carried out in
coordination with the European Commission, and correcting the justice legislation
was also an objective included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which
the Romanian Government and Brussels agreed upon together.

The Save Romania Union,
however, claims that the new laws will do a lot of harm. According to the
former Justice Minister Stelian Ion, these are extremely bad and harmful laws,
which take us back to the period before admission to the European Union, when
the authoritarian left-wing regime of Prime Minister Adrian Năstase had tried
to subordinate the magistrates and stop the anti-corruption fight.The decision of the
Constitutional Court to reject the notifications submitted by the USR, in the
absence of an opinion from the Venice Commission, proves that the CCR has become
a simple political tool, the former minister also said.

In turn, the AUR
spokesperson, Dan Tănasă, has said that not sanctioning the judges who do not
comply with the decisions of the CCR renders the decisions devoid of their
mandatory nature. The Ombudsman too believes that, in addition to the forms of
manifestation of the right of association, the new legislation in the field
foresees an expansion of the area of functions that can be taken by judges
and prosecutors, which exceeds the activity of doing justice. The opposition
calls on President Klaus Iohannis not to
promulgate the justice laws in their current form and to wait for the opinion
of the Venice Commission. (MI)

10 November 2022
Senate approves justice laws

The three laws elaborated by the Justice Ministry, regulating the functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy, judicial organization and the status of judges and prosecutors, were adopted by the Senate, the decision-making body in this matter. The ruling coalition in Bucharest had an easy job passing the law facing a fragile opposition, whose only option now is to challenge the laws at the Constitutional Court in order to block them. USR in opposition criticized the laws, the proceeding of the debates as well as the fact that the ruling coalition didnt wait for the opinion of the Venice Commission. The chairman of the Senates constitutionality committee, Simona Spătaru from USR, claims the current laws are even worse than the ones proposed by the Dragnea regime 5 years ago. We recall that the ruling party back then, PSD, tried to swiftly pass the laws through Parliament, but they were met with public opposition, street protests and criticism from European partner institutions. The party leader, Liviu Dragnea, faced a number of investigations and was eventually sentenced for corruption in 2019.

Now, USR believes the remit of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) and the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) remain vaguely defined, which represents a blow dealt to the fight against corruption and organized crime. The opposition also condemns the involvement of the political elites in appointing top-level prosecutors. In turn, ruling coalition representatives claim the texts fall in line with recommendations issued by the relevant European institutions. The laws guarantee the independence of the judiciary and protect the justice system against any ingressions, internal or external, Social-Democrat Senator Robert Cazanciuc, a former Justice Minister, says. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă says the justice laws lay the foundations for streamlining the system, align the countrys judiciary to European standards and consolidate its independence.

A controversial measure was to eliminate disciplinary investigations of magistrates who dont comply with rulings issued by the European Court of Justice, the European Court for Human Rights, the Constitutional Court of Romania and the High Court of Cassation and Justice for any appeal. Interim Senate Speaker, Alina Gorghiu, argues that, if the provision had been maintained, it would mean that judges can only rule appeals when threatened by disciplinary actions. The measure is meant to make magistrates more responsible and independent, encouraging free thought and making them equal to their European peers, Gorghiu went on to say. Another provision in the law package, criticized by experts, exempt the prosecutor general with the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the latters president from any disciplinary action designed to investigate offenses committed by judges and prosecutors, putting the Judicial Inspection Department of the Superior Council of Magistracy in charge of these proceedings. (VP)

18 October 2022
October 14, 2022

Gas — Romania’s gas storage filling level exceeded, on Friday, 90%, and Romanians and the economy will have at their disposal the entire amount of gas necessary to get through this winter, regardless of what the weather will be like – the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca announced. He asked the responsible institutions to continue the intense pace of gas storage and to manage the necessary amounts very carefully. In June, the European Parliament approved plans to restore gas stocks for all member states to a level of at least 80%. Gas storage capacities were listed as a critical structure, and the recommendation was that, as far as possible, states should reach a 90% filling capacity.

NATO — 14 NATO countries, including Romania, plus Finland have signed a letter of intent for the development of a common air defense shield called the European Sky Shield. The initiative belongs to Germany, and the European shield could be equipped with the Arrow 3 missile interception system, developed by Israel and the USA, and with the American Patriot system. The placement of such anti-missile batteries in several countries would allow for a complete and efficient defense of the European airspace, and the costs would be lower for each individual state, Mircea Geoană, NATO Deputy Secretary General said in Brussels, where the document was signed.

Meeting — The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry is hosting, today, a trilateral meeting of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, on the issue of European affairs. Romania is represented by the State Secretary for European Affairs, Daniela Gîtman. The previous meeting of the three countries took place in May in Athens, amid the challenges generated by Russias military aggression against neighboring Ukraine. The meeting then sought to strengthen the cooperation between Romania, Greece and Bulgaria at the European and regional levels. Regional developments in the context of the Russian Federations military aggression against Ukraine, the prospects for EU enlargement, the current situation in the Western Balkans, the energy crisis and the migration management have been addressed.

Agriculture – The value of agricultural production in Romania in 2021 stood at almost 104 billion lei (approximately 21 billion Euros), according to the data provided by the National Institute of Statistics, published on Friday. Crop production has the largest share, over 71%, followed by livestock production 27%. Compared to 2020 the biggest increases were reported in the South-East development regions of Ilfov and South-Muntenia, the North-East, Center and South-West Oltenia regions. In exchange, decreases were recorded in the West and North-West regions.

Justice – In Bucharest, the Special Parliamentary Committee for Justice Laws completed the article-by-article debate on the draft law regarding the status of judges and prosecutors. It is the last bill in the package of three laws developed by the government in the field of justice, along with the law on the organization of the Superior Council of Magistracy – CSM and the law on the organization of the judiciary. The three documents subject to debate in the Special Committee did not undergo significant changes compared to the form adopted by the Chamber of Deputies. Of the thousands of amendments submitted, only those of the CSM and of the High Court of Cassation and Justice were admitted. The special parliamentary committee will give the reports for the three justice laws on Monday. The final vote on the new laws will take place in the Senate plenum meeting, which is the decision-making body in this case.

Ukraine – NATO will soon deliver anti-drone equipment to Ukraine, after the recent Russian attacks with such weapons, which caused many civilian casualties. On Thursday, at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, the Secretary General of the Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, stated that NATO would not be intimidated by the dangerous nuclear rhetoric of the Russian President Vladimir Putin and would continue to support Kyiv. He warned again that there would be consequences if Moscow used any kind of nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Also at the NATO headquarters, the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borell, announced that next week a new funding would be approved that would increase the Unions military support for Ukraine at over 3 billion Euros, since the beginning of the conflict. On the ground, the Russian forces hit, today, the city of Zaporizhzhia, the attack targeting the infrastructure. The Ukrainian forces have liberated more than 600 settlements from the Russian occupation in the past month, including 75 in the strategic southern Kherson region, illegally annexed by Moscow, Kyiv announced. (LS)

14 October 2022
October 13, 2022

WAR
IN UKRAINE – Romania’s
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, hailed the adoption of a
resolution in the UN General Assembly, condemning Russia’s illegal annexation
of Ukrainian territories. 143 UN members voted in favor, including Romania.
Meanwhile, Russia today launched new attacks on Ukraine. Drone strikes targeted
critical infrastructure in Kyiv, while the city of Mykolaiv was hit by
shelling, authorities say. In recent weeks Ukraine has been the target of air
strikes carried out by Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. Teheran denies having
delivered such drones to Russia while Moscow refused to comment. The Kremlin
has also intensified its attacks on civilian objectives in response to the explosion
on the Kerch bridge, which Moscow claims is the work of Ukrainian intelligence.
Described as war crimes by a number of Western countries, the shelling
continues despite significant losses sustained by the Russian army. Bombing
focused particularly on residential areas and civilian infrastructure
objectives, damaging 30% of the country’s energy infrastructure. In Brussels,
over 50 countries promised to provide fresh military assistance to Ukraine,
including air defense systems.

REFUGEES – The number of Ukrainian
refugees coming to Romania from Western Europe is on the rise, the
International Organization for Migration reports. Lower living costs and
proximity to Ukraine are some of the reasons, the report also states. According
to the Romanian Border Police, some 70,000 people entered Romania on Wednesday,
of whom 9,000 were Ukrainian nationals, accounting for a 15% increase compared
to the previous day. Starting February 10, over 2.5 million Ukrainians have
entered Romania.

VISIT – Dubravka Šuica, EU vice-president
for Democracy and Demography, is paying a three-day official visit to Romania.
Today, the European official will hold talks with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă
on follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Summit for
Democracy, skills and labor force mobility, demographic changes, children’s
rights and gender equality. According to a press release published by the
European Commission’s Office in Bucharest, Dubravka Šuica will also meet
Daniela Gîtman, Secretary of State within the Romanian Foreign Ministry,
Gabriela Firea, Minister of Family, Youth and Gender Equality, Nicușor Dan,
Bucharest Mayor General, as well as members of the mixed Parliament committees
for European affairs. The EU official will also visit the Ominis complex for
integrated social services addressing vulnerable categories, including
Ukrainian refugees.

DEFENSE – Fourteen NATO members and
partner states, including Romania, signed a joint letter for the purchase of
Arrow 3 and Patriot air defense systems as part of a European Skyshield
Initiative (ESSI) in a ceremony hosted by the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on
the sidelines of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting. Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf
Scholz, announced the project at the end of August, saying that a common
European air defense system would be more effective if individual member states
would build up their own air defenses, which would entail higher costs and more
efforts to implement. According to a Defense Ministry release, today’s meeting
is attended by Romania’s Defense Minister, Vasile Dîncu, and will focus on the decisions
adopted at the NATO Summit in Madrid and the organization of the next summit.
NATO officials will also tackle the Alliance’s nuclear deterrence posture and
specific topics in the nuclear field in connection to the current security
context, marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

SCHENGEN – In principle, the
Netherlands does not oppose Romania’s Schengen accession, the Dutch Prime
Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday during a visit to Brașov, central
Romania. The Dutch official pointed out, however, that any discussion on this
matter will factor in Romania’s fulfillment of all accession criteria.
President Klaus Iohannis expressed confidence Romania will join the travel-free
area, whereas Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă in turn said that Schengen accession
will spell numerous benefits for Romania’s economy.

JUSTICE LAWS – Parliament’s committee
in charge of debating the justice laws is today analyzing the law regulating
the status of prosecutors and judges. On Wednesday, the Committee debated over
half of the bill’s articles, adopting a number of technical amendments. Once
the debates are completed, the Committee will vote separate reports for each of
the three laws in the bill package. Once the reports are compiled, the draft
justice laws will be submitted to the Senate for debate and approval. (VP)

13 October 2022
September 27, 2022

Justice – Debates continue today in Romania’s Parliament on the articles of the law on the status of judges and prosecutors. The special parliamentary committee has already been discussing for several days the last bill from the package of new justice laws drafted by the Government. On Monday the senators and deputies from the special parliamentary committee continued the article-by-article debate of the draft law on the status of judges and prosecutors and managed to adopt approximately 180 articles out of the 294 of the law. Most of the articles passed in the form submitted by the executive. Also on Monday, the report on the draft law on judicial organization was adopted by the parliamentary committee, a document that today enters the plenary debate of the Chamber of Deputies, as the first body notified.

Tokyo – The Romanian Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă, and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, are in Japan, where they participate, today, in the state funeral organized in honor of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had a decisive contribution to the launch of the actions meant to take the relations between the two countries at the level of a strategic partnership. The participation of 4,300 people, including 700 from abroad, was announced for the ceremony. Among them are approximately fifty leaders or former leaders of foreign countries, including the US vice-president, Kamala Harris, and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel. Shinzo Abe was killed, on July 8, by a former officer, with a homemade gun, during a campaign speech. On Monday, Nicolae Ciuca met with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, with whom he discussed the security and defense component, one of the four cooperation pillars of the future Strategic Partnership, and also economic cooperation, given that Japan is the largest Asian investor in Romania. The Japanese Prime Minister assured his Romanian counterpart of his full support for the conclusion of the Strategic Partnership and the consolidation of bilateral cooperation, including at external level, in the regional and international context that requires the protection of democracy and the rule of law.

Referendum — The so-called referendums on the annexation to the Russian Federation of the Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscows troops are ending today. Held as of Friday in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, in the east, and in those invaded since spring, Kherson and Zaporozhe, in the south, the alleged people’s consultations were denounced as a “simulacrum” by Ukraine and its Western allies. The so-called G7 group, gathering the worlds seven richest democracies, has warned that it will “never recognize” the results of the referendums, while Washington has vowed a “swift and severe” response, through further economic sanctions, to these annexations, which follow the model of the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in March 2014. Communist China, a close partner of Moscow, did not denounce the referendums, but demanded respect for the “territorial integrity of all countries”. The so-called local authorities, instated by the invading Russian army, announced that the “provisional results” of the referendums should be announced on Tuesday evening or in the coming days. The Russian Parliament will then have to vote on a text formalizing the integration of the four Ukrainian regions into Russia.

Corruption – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, said on Tuesday, upon the anniversary of 20 years of existence of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, that the work of anti-corruption prosecutors must be doubled by a clear, coherent legislation that guarantees the independence of the judiciary and creates the necessary mechanisms for the good functioning of the prosecutors’ offices. The president also said that the reform of the justice laws must be completed in accordance with the recommendations of European bodies. Klaus Iohannis emphasized that, with each step taken in the fight against corruption at all levels, Romania is closer to concluding the MCV, joining the Schengen area and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. “A society in which corruption is sanctioned gives citizens confidence in the state and tells investors and external partners that there is predictability and stability” President Iohannis concluded.

Football – Romanias national football team defeated, on Monday evening, in Bucharest, Bosnias national team, score 4-1, in Group 3 of League B of the Nations League, but was relegated to the third echelon. With only two victories and a draw in six games, the Romanians are on last position in the group, being outrun by Bosnia, Montenegro and Finland. Selector Edward Iordănescu announced that he was going to discuss with the management of the specialized federation if he left or remained coach of the representative team. For Romania, which also missed qualification to this years World Cup in Qatar, the next competition will be the Euro 2024 preliminaries, hosted by Germany. (LS)

27 September 2022
September 19, 2022 UPDATE

THE QUEEN – Tens of thousands
gathered on Monday in front of large screens set up everywhere across Great
Britain to watch the state funeral of her late Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth
II of Great Britain. Some 2,000 people attended the event, including 500 heads
of state and government, among them the Kings and Queens of Belgium, the
Netherlands and Spain, Emperor Naruhito of Japan, the presidents of the United
States and France, as well as the European Commission president. Romania’s
president, Klaus Iohannis, and Her Royal Majesty Margaret, Custodian of the
Crown of Romania, Prince Consort Radu and Princess Elena were also present. On
behalf of the whole Romanian people, I once again express our deep compassion
for this great loss, president Iohannis tweeted. In the last four days,
hundreds of thousands of Britons queued up to 30 hours to pay their last
respects to the late queen.

JUDICIARY – Parliament’s
Judicial Commission on Monday greenlit the bill on the organization and
functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy with 16 votes in favor and 6
against. The report will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies for debate.
USR MP Stelian Ion asked for a postponement of the decision pending an opinion
of the Venice Commission. Committee chairman, Liberal MP Gabriel Andronache,
rejected his request, arguing that the bill is already overdue. The next bill
from the justice law package to be debated by the Committee will be the one
regulating judicial organization.

BELARUS – The Romanian Foreign
Ministry summoned Belarus’ chargé d’affaires ad interim in Bucharest following
comments by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko that the United States is
pushing Europe into a military confrontation with Russia on the territory of
Ukraine and that other states, including Romania, may become directly involved.
The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said in a statement that Romania
firmly rejects such inadmissible statements that fuel a rhetoric in
international relations based on appeal to force and recourse to force. The
statement also says that Romania is a member of NATO and benefits from all the
security guarantees that derive from this status.

EUROSTAT – Over a third of
Europeans (38%) claim they exercise or practice a sport at least once a week,
although approximately 45% admit they don’t. The situation is virtually the
same as five years ago, according to an analysis the Eurostat made public on
Monday. During the pandemic, half of Europeans reduced their activity or
stopped exercising altogether. In the case of Romania, only 2% of the
population exercises on a regular basis, which is half the percentage reported
in 2017. On the other hand, the percentage of people who claim they exercise a
lot has gone up to 18%, which is still below the European average. 62% of
Romanians say they never exercise.

ENESCU COMPETITION – The last final of
the George Enescu International Competition came to an end in Bucharest.
Alexandra Segal from Israel won the first place in the piano competition; the
young Benjamin Kruithof from Luxembourg won the cello competition; and
Romania’s Maria Marica won the violin competition. The winners of the
composition section were South Korea’s Shin Kim for symphonic music and Italy’s
Leonardo Marino for chamber music. The Enescu Competition was held this year
under the motto ‘The Music of Hope’ and marked the return to concert halls
after events were held either fully or partly online for two years due to the
COVID pandemic. (CM & VP)

19 September 2022
August 29, 2022

Energy — The Romanian energy minister Virgil Popescu says that the very high profits in the field must be eliminated. He has announced that the Government is considering an additional taxation of the entire energy production, intermediation and supply chain. The leaders of the governing coalition have asked the Finance Ministry and the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority to make the necessary simulations and present them in the following days, so that, by September 1, the government should be able to establish, through an emergency decree, the method and amount of over-taxation.

Seniors — In Romania, a new edition of the program “Seaside for All” has started today. More than 70 hotels have signed up for the program, and prices are lower than those at the peak of the season by even 75%, the hospitality industry representatives say. Hoteliers wanted to start this program earlier because school will start earlier, on September 5. The “Seaside for all” program runs until the end of September and is completed with special offers for seniors.

Laws — A new parliamentary session begins this week in Romania. High on the agenda are the justice laws, whose adoption is a target assumed by Romania under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification. The bills are related to the status of judges and prosecutors, the judicial organization and the Superior Council of Magistracy and are part of a series of changes assumed before the European partners, with the aim of modernizing the entire justice system. Minister Cătălin Predoiu said that, once this commitment is met, the lifting of the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification could be even considered. The opposition believes, however, that there is no chance for the Mechanism of Cooperation and Verification to be lifted because, in the form approved by the government, the bills would keep intact the political influence on appointing prosecutors.

IAEA — IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Director General Rafael Grossi has today announced that he is on his way to the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporozhe, which has been the target of attacks in recent weeks, France Press reports. “We must protect the security of Ukraine and of the largest power plant in Europe,” Rafael Grossi wrote on Twitter. In the last 24 hours, new bombings have targeted the perimeter of the nuclear power plant in Zaporozhe (south-eastern Ukraine), Russia and Ukraine announced on Saturday, blaming each other for the bombings. The Ukrainian operator Energoatom has announced that the plant has been operating since Saturday at noon with the risk of leaks and fire.

Tennis — Three Romanian tennis players, Simona Halep, Gabriela Ruse and Jaqueline Cristian, are today playing in the first round of the US Open, the last grand slam tournament of the year. Back in the world top 10, Simona Halep meets the Ukrainian Daria Snigur, Jaqueline Cristian faces Anett Kontaveit (Estonia, 2nd place in the world), and Gabriela Ruse plays against Daria Saville (Australia). Another two Romanian tennis players will play at Flushing Meadows: Irina Begu, who will face the Belgian Elise Mertens, and Sorana Cîrstea, who will be up against the German Laura Siegemund. (LS)

29 August 2022
August 24, 2022

UKRAINE – Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked and illegal
aggression must stop!, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said in a message
marking the Independence Day of Ukraine today. I reiterate Romania’s firm
support and solidarity with Ukraine and the brave Ukrainian people who are valiantly
defending their country, the president added. A similar message was conveyed
by Romania’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, who said that Romania acted to
provide Kyiv authorities with assistance from the first days of what he has
called the most serious crisis facing Europe in the last decades, while
Romanian citizens have done everything in their power to help Ukraine and
Ukrainian refugees who fled the horrors of war. In turn, president Volodymyr
Zelensky promised all Ukrainian territories will be recaptured, and that Kyiv
will retaliate if any attacks target its territory today. The United States
have warned that Moscow might today launch cruise missiles targeting civilian
and government infrastructure, asking all American citizens to leave Ukraine
immediately. Also today, Washington is expected to announce the largest single
installment of US security assistance to Ukraine worth 3 billion USD. Leaders
taking part in the second summit of the Crimea Platform on Tuesday promised
support for Kyiv, calling on Moscow to withdraw its troops.

GOVERNMENT -
The Romanian Government is expected to adopt in today’s meeting amendments to
the justice laws, namely the draft law on the status of judges and prosecutors,
the draft law on judicial organization and the draft law on the Superior
Council of Magistracy. All three projects have been greenlit by the Superior
Council of Magistracy. The Ministry of Justice last week pointed out that no
provision in the three laws ignores the mandatory character of Constitutional
Court rulings. The announcement came after public accusations were circulated,
describing the bills as ‘backward-looking’ and breaching and even ‘selling’
national sovereignty. Critics have argued the laws discard the possibility of
disciplining judges who disregard Court rulings, favoring instead the
enforcement of EU law in this field. In the two years they have been discussed
in public, the laws have sparked heated debates and attracted criticism from
magistrates’ associations and civil society.

FORUM – The
greatest concern of Bucharest authorities is that young people studying abroad might
not return home, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă said
today in the opening of the 2nd edition of the Forum of Romanian
Students Worldwide. We would very much want you to return home and help our
country move forward. You must know your contribution and vision are truly
needed so that together we can develop Romania, the Prime Minister told students
taking part in the forum in Bucharest. Running until August 29, the forum will
bring together 150 students from abroad and Romania, who will address relevant
issues facing Romanian society. Under the special guidance of 11 chairs,
participants will draft a document offering solutions in the fields of
education, youth, healthcare, justice, labor and economy, European affairs,
energy and the environment. The final recommendations will be included in a
joint Resolution, which will be submitted to the relevant ministries and
authorities. The forum is organized by students and youth associations from
Romania and abroad, in cooperation with the Department for Sustainable
Development.

TENNIS -
Tennis players Irina Begu and Sorana Cîrstea have been knocked out from the round of 16 at the
WTA 250 tournament in Celveland, the USA, totalling over 250 thousand USD in
prizes. Begu, who last year played the final in cleveland, lost to Sofia Kenin
of the USA, while Sorana Cîrstea was
ousted by Magda Linette of Poland. Begu and Cîrstea are on the main draw at US
Open, alongside Simona Halep and Jaqueline Cristian. Another 4 Romanian tennis
players are competing in the US Open preliminaries. The US Open is due to start
next week. (VP)

24 August 2022
February 25 – March 1

Protests
by magistrates in Romania

Unprecedented protests by magistrates,
prosecutors and judges in Romania have been staged after the adoption by the
government of a new emergency ordinance changing the justice laws. The activity
of several prosecutors’ offices has been suspended this week in token of
protest. The Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism,
DIICOT, has decided for the first time to suspend its activity over February 26
-March 8, with only emergency cases being solved during this time span. Judges
from the Bucharest Tribunal have suspended their activity, too, until March 7,
in token of protest, all ongoing cases, with the exception of emergencies,
being postponed. The magistrates also demand that Ordinance no.7 be repealed
and ask for measures to suspend the activity of the Section for the Investigation
of Criminal Offences in the judiciary until the EU Court of Justice issues a
ruling on the challenges against this special section. Meanwhile, the justice
minister, Tudorel Toader, has announced he has
drafted a new emergency ordinance, which repeals several provisions of
Ordinance no. 7, which has stirred a wave of protests. The changes are meant to
abrogate the article which stipulates that judges, alongside prosecutors, may
become top level prosecutors.

The
former head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate in Romania, favourite
to become the European Union’s Public Prosecutor

The formerhead of the Anti-Corruption Directorate in Romania, Laura Codruţa Kovesi,
has got the largest number of votes following hearings in the European
Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), in
the race to become chief prosecutor of the future European Public Prosecutor’s
Office. Earlier she had got the best result in the European Parliament’s
Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT). Ranking on the second and third
positions were French Jean-François
Bohnert and German Andres Ritter. Laura Codruţa Koveşi says the vote in
the European Parliament is more than a personal victory to her:

This vote is not only for me, but for the
Romanian justice system as a whole. This vote is for all the citizens in
Romania who over the past few years have supported the fight against corruption
and the rule of law. It is a vote for all the prosecutors and judges in Europe
who work under pressure. I had no support from the Government of Romania, I
have neither asked for it nor expected it.

In Bucharest, the
right-of-centre parliamentary opposition has hailed the remarkable achievements
by the former DNA chief prosecutor and criticised the ruling coalition made up
of the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats,
saying it has betrayed Romania and has orchestrated a denigration campaign to
tarnish the image of the Romanian candidate. The negative vote cast by the MEPs
of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and
the reactions of the left-of-centre power in Bucharest are edifying. The Social-Democratic senator Claudiu Manda has said
the Social-Democratic MEPs voted against appointing Laura Codruţa Kovesi at the
helm of the European Union’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, claiming she has
committed abuses during her tenure at the DNA. The future chief prosecutor of
the European Prosecutor’s Office will be appointed following negotiations
between the European Parliament and the EU Council.

European
Commission recommendations for Romania

The Romanian economy
is facing higher risks, the European Commission warns, in the half-yearly
report on each member state. The EC mentions in the document released on
Wednesday, among other things, that the emergency ordinance no.114 issued by
the Government, as well as a law adopted by Parliament which retroactively caps
interest rates for mortgage loans might severely impact the normal functioning
of the financial sector. The European
Commission report shows the measures stipulated by the emergency ordinance no.
114 weaken the second pillar of pensions based on defined contributions, which
is privately administered. Experts say the measures have a negative impact on
the Romanians’ future pensions and will hamper the development of the capital
market and future investment, will increase uncertainty and make Romanian
economy less attractive for both domestic and foreign investors. The high risks
run by the Romanian economy are stemming from the increase in the current
account deficit and higher costs with the labour force, following the increase
in the minimum wage in economy and in the salaries of public sector employees.
The European Commission draws attention to the weak performance in the field of
education and research. The EC underlines, in its analysis, the need to promote
investment, to pursue responsible budgetary fiscal policies and to implement
well designed reforms.

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis,
attended the Bucharest Format (B9) Summit in Slovakia

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has
pleaded in Kosice, Slovakia, for a more consistent NATO presence to the Black
Sea, during the Bucharest Format (B9)
Summit, which is made up of EU and NATO member states on the eastern flank of
the Alliance. The B9 leaders agreed, in the final declaration, that the
European Union and NATO are stronger together. The focal points of the talks,
attended by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, too, included
security evolutions in the eastern neighbourhood and in the Black Sea region.
Klaus Iohannis has expressed concern with the evolution in the Black Sea
region, in the context in which Russia further threatens regional stability. He
underlined that the evolutions in the Black Sea region show that the allied
countries should do more, for a robust land, air and sea defence. President
Iohannis says NATO’s eastern partners, such as Ukraine and Georgia, should be
supported more, to enhance their capacity to defend themselves from any type of
threats, be they military, cyber or purely propagandistic threats. Launched at
the initiative of the heads of state of Romania and Poland, B9 Format Summits
were first held in November 2015 in Bucharest and then in Warsaw, in June 2018.

2 March 2019
The Week in Review: October 21-27, 2018

Justice Minister requests the removal of the Prosecutor General

The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has initiated the procedure to dismiss Augustin Lazar as Prosecutor General of Romania, following an assessment of his work. Earlier this year, also at the request of the Justice Minister and bound by a Constitutional Court ruling, President Klaus Iohannis had dismissed the chief of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi. Tudorel Toader explained that the same kind of behaviour that prompted Kovesi’s removal was now bringing the downfall of the Prosecutor General.

According to the Justice Minister, Augustin Lazar has generated 3 judicial conflicts related to the separation of powers, and has made unprecedented accusations against public authorities, parliament and the government. Lazar is also accused of challenging the rulings of the Constitutional Court, of failing to meet his professional objectives, of criticising the justice laws after the constitutionality check had been completed, and of breaking the law by signing protocols with the intelligence services, thus paving the way for a parallel judicial system.

In response, Augustin Lazar says the Justice Minister’s claims are exaggerations and that freedom of expression must be used against any interference that threatens to affect the independence of prosecutors.

The Prosecutors’ Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy has scheduled the hearing of the Prosecutor General on November 13, and is to make public an official opinion on the dismissal request on November 21.

According to President Klaus Iohannis, the Justice Minister’s request to remove Lazar is completely unjustified, and calls on Tudorel Toader to step down. Once again, the head of state says, attempts are being made to persuade people that prosecutors are the enemies of society. The President also urged magistrates not to lose faith in the Romanian society’s ability to withstand a new attack on the rule of law.

The National Liberal Party, in opposition, believes the request to dismiss the Prosecutor General is groundless and is just an attack against the independence of the judiciary, whereas the leaders of Save Romania Union say Tudorel Toader has removed the chief prosecutors on orders from the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats.

Talks on the rule of law and the justice laws in Brussels and Bucharest

The head of the Romanian state Klaus Iohannis Tuesday addressed the European Parliament for the first time, presenting Romania’s views on the future of the European bloc. He pleaded for unity, cohesion and solidarity in the effort to strengthen the Union, and rejected the idea of a “multi-speed Europe.” Klaus Iohannis also said Romania is a democratic country, respecting the rule of law and fully committed to the fight against corruption. In fact, on Wednesday in Bucharest he held consultations with the parliamentary parties, precisely concerning the changes to the justice laws operated by the ruling coalition.

Previously, the Venice Commission had released a report which found that the new justice laws and Criminal Codes undermine the fight against corruption and organised crime. The head of state has said that the justice laws must be rethought, modernised and improved and that the legislative cycle in the field must be resumed. On the other hand, the Social Democratic leader Liviu Dragnea has said that his party opposes the resuming of the legislative process in the case of the justice laws, because there is already a decree on this matter in Parliament.

In his turn, the leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, has said, after consultations, that a consensus on the justice laws is necessary, but also common premises, such as putting an end to the abuse committed through secret protocols. The National Liberal Party, in opposition, has said that it supports the head of state’s idea of debates being resumed. The leader of the Save Romania Union, Dan Barna, believes that Romania’s presidency could be a very good platform for debate and a real mediation between magistrates, politicians, civil society and Romania’s citizens, who truly want an independent and functional justice system.

The offshore bill, regulating gas exploitation in the Black Sea, passed by Romanian MPs

Romanian MPs have adopted the offshore law, regulating gas exploitation in the Black Sea. The Opposition has criticised the lack of some precise calculations to justify modifications to this law, while the Power believes the Romanian state’s interests are protected by this law. Last week, the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats reached consensus over modifications to this law. Thus, it was agreed that 50% of the natural gas production in the Black Sea should be traded on the domestic stock exchange market while the operators’ investment should be deducted from the additional tax within the limit of 30%.

Italian Interior Minister pays visit to Bucharest

The Romanian Interior Minister, Carmen Dan, met on Tuesday in Bucharest with the Italian deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Bilateral cooperation in the field of security, especially in the context of Romania’s taking over the EU Council presidency in the first six months of 2019 were among the topics tackled by the two officials. The Romanian community in Italy and the Italian community in Romania make the relationship between the two countries even stronger, and contribute to their economic and social development, Minister Carmen Dan has said. In turn, Matteo Salvini has said that the Romanian community in Italy numbers more that 1 million and that the mistakes some of them make should not impact the other members of the community. Also, Salvini has thanked the Romanian authorities for their support in identifying Romanian fugitives in Italy.

27 October 2018
Political Consultations on the Justice Laws

On Wednesday, just one day after a European Parliament address in which he vowed that Romania respects the rule of law and that the fight against corruption will carry on, President Klaus Iohannis held consultations with the parliamentary parties on a topic that dominates the public agenda in Romania: the controversial changes that the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, backed by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, has operated on the justice laws.

Previously, the Venice Commission had released a report which found that some major elements introduced by the laws on the status of judges and prosecutors, on the organisation of courts and on the Higher Council of Magistracy, might undermine the independence of the Romanian magistrates and public confidence in the judicial system.

This is precisely why the President believes these laws have to be reconsidered, modernised and improved. He argues that the law-making cycle must be resumed and urges politicians to take into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission.

Klaus Iohannis: “As far as the political class is concerned, we clearly need a pact, an agreement between parliamentary parties in order to resume this legislation cycle and improve these laws. We have the final opinion of the Venice Commission, these recommendations made by the Commission must be taken very, very seriously.

The leader of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, opposes the resumption of the law-making process. He says an emergency order has already been tabled by the Justice Minister, which brings the necessary corrections to the 3 laws.

Liviu Dragnea: “Order no. 92 has been sent to parliament and is already included in the parliamentary agenda. This order, which incorporates a large part of the recommendations of the Venice Commission, has been drafted by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, following the meetings he had in Strasbourg with Venice Commission experts.

The Social Democrats ally, ALDE leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, believes that a parliamentary pact on the justice laws could be useful, if based on the principle of protecting individual rights and freedoms.

The National Liberal Party, in opposition, shares the opinion of President Iohannis, says the Liberal president Ludovic Orban:

Ludovic Orban: “In resuming the debates, we must pay heed to the recommendations made by the Venice Commission, the rulings of the Constitutional Court concerning the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Criminal Code. We should also take into account all the treaties that Romania has signed and the countrys international obligations.

Whereas Save Romania Union, also in Opposition, announces that it tabled a bill in Parliament that transposes the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the Peoples Movement party takes a radical view on the matter and wants the removal of this Cabinet, which has lost all credibility as far as the justice laws are concerned. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania says it is open to any talks on the justice laws, provided that the independence of the judiciary is not affected, while the other ethnic minorities represented in parliament plead for the creation of a special committee to harmonise the views of the Constitutional Court and of the Venice Commission.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

25 October 2018
October 24, 2018

CONSULTATIONS – Romanian parliamentary parties are today holding consultations initiated by President Klaus Iohannis, on the justice laws recently modified by the governing coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, but fiercely criticized by the opposition and civil society. All parties have confirmed their participation in the consultations, including the Social Democrats, who are in conflict with President Iohannis. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) has announced its willingness to continue reforms in the justice system, having citizens and their rights at the center. ALDE has said that it favors a prospective political pact in this respect, but that it first wants to see its content. The National Liberal Party, in the opposition, has announced that at the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis it will insist that the recent recommendations of the Venice Commission be introduced into the justice laws, the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, or Romania risks colliding with the EU. Another party in the opposition, the Save Romania Union, has said that the modifications to these laws sabotage and block the act of justice in Romania. We remind you that last week the Venice Commission said in a report that modifications to the justice laws and Criminal Codes are weakening the fight against corruption and organized crime.

WAGES — Representatives of the Romanian Government, of the trade unions and employers’ associations have decided that an increase in the minimum salary in necessary. The topic was also discussed in the Economic and Social Council. According to the Government, the increase would have a positive impact on long-term economic growth, would stimulate consumption and demand and its impact on inflation would be insignificant. Aslo discussed was the introduction of a dirrefentiated minimum wage of around 505 euros a month for the employees with university studies and for the ones with 15 years of senority.

DEFENSE — The Romanian Government has earmarked for defense, for the second consecutive year, 2% of the GDP and will keep doing so at least until 2026, Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor has said today in Bucharest. He also said that this amount allows for the solid modernization and development of the army. Minister Fifor has announced that on Thursday, October 25, on the Romanian Army Day, ceremonies will be held in memory of the Romanian heroes who died for the country. October 25th was also the birthday of Romania’s former sovereign, Michael I who died in 2017 aged 96.

LAW – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies is today debating and voting on the offshore bill, after the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats reached an agreement on it. In early August, President Klaus Iohannis did not sign the bill into law and sent it back to Parliament for a review. What is at stake is, first and foremost, the profit that Romania will make from natural gas extraction in the Black Sea.

JUSTICE – Romania’s Constitutional Court is today discussing the modifications to the Criminal Code and the Law on the prevention, discovering and sanctioning of corruption deeds. President Klaus Iohannis, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and People’s Movement Party have filed notifications. The head of state has called on the Constitutional Court to declare the law unconstitutional. The opposition says the proposed modifications encourage high level corruption while the High Court says that in the case of abuse of office, the number of people who can be incriminated has been restricted significantly.

CIVIL PARTNERSHIP — The Romanian Senators on the legal committee on Tuesday turned down a draft meant to regulate the civil partnership. The draft was aimed at granting legal protection to the couples which do not want to change their marital status, but are ready to officially acknowledge their relation. The senate was the first notified chamber. We recall that in early October a referendum was held in Romania to redefine family in the Romanian Constitution as being the consented marriage between a man and a woman, instead of the current wording, “between spouses”. However, the referendum was refuted because of a poor turnout , of only 21%. 91.5% of those who went to the polls stood for changing the Constitution, and only 6.5% stood against the change.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

24 October 2018
The justice laws under debate

The Venice Commission, the advisory body of the Council of Europe, has expressed concern over the amendments the ruling coalition in Romania has brought to the criminal codes. These changes seriously affect the efficiency of the judiciary and the fight against corruption. The Commission recommends Bucharest authorities to take steps so as to radically reevaluate these modifications, by means of complex and efficient consultations, with a view to obtaining a robust and coherent legislative proposal that should enjoy the wide support of Romanian society.

The Venice Commission also claims that the laws on the statute of judges and prosecutors, on judicial organization and the Superior Council of Magistracy are affecting the efficiency, quality and independence of the judiciary. Attending the debates was Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, himself a member of the Venice Commission, as well as the chairman of the Chamber of Deputies special committee on the justice laws, Social-Democrat Florin Iordache.

The two officials said the modifications are in line with Constitutional Court rulings and sentences of the European Court of Human Rights, where Romania lost several cases due to the large number of abuses in the justice and penitentiary systems. The leader of the opposition Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, in turn expressed confidence that the latest legislative modifications only seek to politically subordinate the justice system and thwart the fight against corruption. The Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban went on to say, intends to file a no-confidence motion in Parliament against the Justice Minister.

In turn, President Klaus Iohannis believes that, in light of the latest opinion issued by the Venice Commission, Minister Toader has definitively lost credibility and should resign. On the other hand, Tudorel Toader has labeled the president’s request as inadmissible, saying that it was him, not the Justice Ministry, who promoted the modifications brought to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Minister Toader underscored the fact that, the Government’s emergency decree on the justice laws has no backdated effect and does not affect the stability of the justice system. The decree, Tudorel Toader argues, regulated the seniority prerequisite for prosecutors holding executive office with the Prosecutor General’s Office, the National Anticorruption Directorate, and the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism.

At any rate, the Justice Minister says, the decree poses no risk of shorting the staff of prosecutors’ offices, as many seem to claim. Political pundits say that for the last two years the justice laws have topped the ruling coalition’s agenda, and are now a strenuous and boring subject in Romanian society.

22 October 2018
October 20, 2018

JUSTICE – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis intends to summon all political parties represented in Parliament for talks on the justice laws, following yesterdays report of the Venice Commission on the changes brought to these laws in Romania. The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law, believes that the changes brought to the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Proceeding and the justice laws will weaken the fight against corruption and organized crime. The Commission recommends large-scale public consultations, aimed at achieving a solid and coherent legislative change, supported by citizens and in compliance with the rulings of the Constitutional Court. Following the critical opinion of the Venice Commission, president Klaus Iohannis has stated that the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, himself a member of the Commission, has definitely compromised his credibility and should resign.

INTERCEPTION – Russian military aircraft, flying near the Romanian air space, was intercepted by Canadian fighters, in collaboration with the Romanian Air Forces. According to information made public today, the Russian jet was a SU 27-Flanker and was flying above the Black Sea. As soon as the Russian plane was detected by the Command and Control Center of the Romanian Air Forces, Canadian Hornet fighters were sent on mission. They watched the Russian plane from a short distance, until the latter left the area.

PROCESSION – On Sunday in Bucharest, thousands of Roman and Greek Catholic believers and priests will take parte in a procession with relic and icon of Pope John Paul II. The relic consists in several drops of the Popes blood, a gift to the Saint Joseph Cathedral in Bucharest from Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former personal secretary of the Pope, currently Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow. Born on May 18th, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, Karol Wojtyla was elected pope in October 1978 and died on April 2nd, 2005, at the Vatican. Pope Francis declared him a saint in April 2014, so John Paul II was included in the calendar of the Catholic Church, and his liturgical commemoration was set for October 22nd of each year. In 1999, Pope John Paul II came to Romania, on the first visit to a predominantly orthodox country by a head of the Catholic Church.

FESTIVAL – Bucharest is hosting the 28th National Theater Festival. For 11 days, theater lovers will have the opportunity to participate in some 100 artistic events: shows, performances, exhibitions, book launches and meetings with special guest. The director of the festival, Marina Constantinescu, has stated that the money collected during the festival will be donated to the Daruieste viata (Give Life) Association, for the building of the first hospital of pediatric oncology and radiotherapy in Romania. Bucharest is also playing host to the event titled Cannes Films in Bucharest, an opportunity for film goers to watch films awarded at the prestigious festival, but also films signed by Romanian directors.

INVICTUS – The Romanians who are participating in Sydney in the Invictus Games, the international adaptive multi-sport event, in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part, will start tomorrow the team competitions, said on Radio Romania Colonel Augustin Pegulescu, himself an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. The Romanian team is made up of 15 wounded soldiers, most of them participating for the second time in the Invictus Games. More than 500 soldiers from across the world have come to Sydeny to take part in the games, created by Prince Harry four years ago.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champions CSM Bucharest are this evening playing, away from home, against the Norwegian squad Vipers Kristiansand, in the Champions Leagues Group D. In the first two matches, the Romanian team defeated Ferencvaros of Hungary on home turf, and was defeated by Bietighem of Germany. On Thursday, CSM Bucharest got a new head coach, the Serb Dragan Djukic. He replaced the Swedish Magnus Johansson. Djukic, aged 56, has trained clubs such as Pick Szeged of Hungary, Vardar Skopje of Macedonia and Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel, as well as the national teams of Montenegro, Israel, Great Britain, Switzerland, Macedonia and Jordan.

20 October 2018