Category: Newsflash

The Romanian authorities have taken into custody Omar Hayssam, the Syrian businessman with Romanian citizenship, who has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for terrorism. Hayssam was involved in the crisis of the Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq in 2005. Under conditional release, in 2006 Hayssam managed to flee Romania. He was apprehended in Syria, where he was given another four-year sentence in another trial. Heads started to roll amid the huge media scandal sparked off by his departure. Among those who stepped down at that time were the heads of the Romanian intelligence services and the country’s prosecutor general.

The Romanian President, Traian Basescu, on Friday had talks in Bucharest with the representatives of the IMF, the European Commission and the World Bank about a new precautionary agreement. The Romanian president underscored that the macroeconomic balance is still fragile, that’s why the new agreement should focus on macroeconomic consolidation, which is a sine qua non for sustainable economic growth. President Basescu also referred to other priorities of the new agreement, which should include structural reforms such as the heath care reform, the salary law in the public sector and the continuation of state-owned companies’ restructuring. The latest economic program agreed upon with international financiers was successfully completed in late June.

Romanian foreign minister Titus Corlatean is in Palma de Majorca, Spain to participate in a EU foreign ministers meeting focusing on the future of Europe. The event has also brought together representatives of the European Commission and European Parliament. High on the agenda are ways of ensuring economic growth, the creation of new jobs, Europe’s strategic positioning in the present globalisation context as well as methods to rebuild the citizens’ trust in the European project and strengthen the EU’s democratic legitimacy.

The Day of Romanian aviation and air forces, celebrated on July 20^th, will be marked in Bucharest and other cities of Romania through military and religious ceremonies, exhibitions and demonstration flights. In 2013 the Romanian Air Forces celebrate 100 years since the issuance of the first Law on the organization of military aeronautics. In the past years the Romanian air forces have participated in several missions under the NATO and EU flags.

The G20 countries have announced they will back a plan by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on amending international fiscal laws. The new regulations are aimed at preventing the big international companies from transferring their profits to countries with low profit taxes. Finance ministers and central bank governors from the G20 countries on Friday convened in Moscow in a bid to step up the fight against fiscal evasion and shun a new economic slowdown. The event comes ahead the upcoming G20 summit due in Saint Petersburg in September.

More than 1100 workers from three coalmines in the Jiu Valley, southwestern Romania have staged since Thursday a sit-down strike to protest the lack of a definitive agreement for supplying coal. As many as 500 miners on Friday went on a hunger strike. Miners are discontent with the absence of such a contract which is likely to result in massive lay-offs, a solution the miners completely disagree with, as they consider their jobs being at risk. According to a communiqué issued by the ministry of the economy, the price of coal excavated from the mines that are to be closed down is regulated through a European directive, and any change has to be discussed with the Finance Ministry and the Competition Council.

European Commission officials and members of the Council for the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Romania and Bulgaria have convened in Brussels with the view to assessing the progress made by the two countries in the fields of justice, the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Through this mechanism, the European Commission has been monitoring the headway Romania and Bulgaria have made since their EU accession in 2007. The absence of thorough reforms in the judiciary as well as the poor results in the fight against organized crime have so far been mentioned as reasons to block the two countries’ access to the EU’s border-free area Schengen.

Romanian officials are discussing in Bucharest with experts from the IMF, the European Commission and the World Bank for a new precautionary loan agreement. PM Victor Ponta said that the new loan would help Romania borrow money cheaper on the foreign market, giving investors a sign that the Romanian economy is stable and has potetial. A key element of discussions is structural reforms, especially around state companies. The last loan contracted abroad ended in July successfully, even though Romania claimed some exceptions for less than stellar performance in some areas.

Romanian national bank governor Mugur Isarescu said that financial stability is a prerequisite of economic growth, and recession in Romania would have been much worse if the financial and banking crisis would have not been avoided. He said that Romania avoided said crisis by getting international financial help. Isarescu said that he has in the past thought too much of Romania’s capacity to absorb European funds.

Romanian football teams Astra Giurgiu and Petrolul Ploiesti face on Thursday on home turf Omonia Nikosia of Cyprus, and Vikingur Gota of the Feroe Islands, in the second preliminary round of the Europa Leagues. The other team representing Romania in this competition, Pandurii Targu Jiu tied on Tuesday, away from home, with a blank score, against Estonian side Levadia Tallinn. Also on Tuesday, Romania’s champions Steaua Bucharest defeated FK Vardar Skopje of Macedonia 3-0, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the Champions League. The second leg matches will be held a week away.

Romanian officials are discussing in Bucharest with experts from the IMF, the European Commission and the World Bank for a new precautionary loan agreement. PM Victor Ponta said that the new loan would help Romania borrow money cheaper on the foreign market, giving investors a sign that the Romanian economy is stable and has potetial. A key element of discussions is structural reforms, especially around state companies. The last loan contracted abroad ended in July successfully, even though Romania claimed some exceptions for less than stellar performance in some areas.

Romanian national bank governor Mugur Isarescu said that financial stability is a prerequisite of economic growth, and recession in Romania would have been much worse if the financial and banking crisis would have not been avoided. He said that Romania avoided said crisis by getting international financial help. Isarescu said that he has in the past thought too much of Romania’s capacity to absorb European funds.

Romanian football teams Astra Giurgiu and Petrolul Ploiesti face on Thursday on home turf Omonia Nikosia of Cyprus, and Vikingur Gota of the Feroe Islands, in the second preliminary round of the Europa Leagues. The other team representing Romania in this competition, Pandurii Targu Jiu tied on Tuesday, away from home, with a blank score, against Estonian side Levadia Tallinn. Also on Tuesday, Romania’s champions Steaua Bucharest defeated FK Vardar Skopje of Macedonia 3-0, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the Champions League. The second leg matches will be held a week away.

Negotiations got underway in Bucharest on Wednesday, between a joint delegation of the IMF, the European Commission, the World Bank and the Romanian authorities for the conclusion of a new precautionary agreement. The latest economic programme agreed upon with the international financiers successfully drew to a close in late June, although Romania benefited from a series of derogations for some criteria it did not meet. The head of the IMF Christine Lagarde who was in Bucharest on Monday and Tuesday said the Romanian authorities had made notable progress in the fiscal, healthcare and energy sector, throughout the last two agreements it signed with the IMF. Lagarde went on to say, however, that reforms would have to be continued for the state-owned companies.

Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu’s new film ‘When Evening Falls on Bucharest’ or ’Metabolism’ has been selected for the international contest of the 66^th edition of the Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland, due to begin in early August. Out of the 20 productions selected for this international competition, 18 are world premieres. The jury to give the festival’s top prize, the Golden Leopard, will be presided by Filipino director Lav Diaz. The Romanian-Hungarian co-production ‘Roxanne’, director Valentin Hotea’s debut film, will be vying in the section ‘Cineasti del prezente’, while Mihaela Popescu’s short-reel ‘The Walk’ will be screened in the ‘Pardi di domani’ section.

Romania’s president Traian Basescu on Wednesday in Chisinau held a meeting with his Moldovan counterpart Nicolai Timofti. Basescu said the Republic of Moldova did not have an alternative to its European pathway and that Romania would continue to be a staunch supporter of the country’s European pursuits, at the same time respecting Chisinau’s military neutrality option. In October in Vilnius, the Republic of Moldova prepared to sign the Association and the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union. In turn, president Timofti highlighted the importance of several joint economic projects such as the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline, three high-power lines and two new bridges over the frontier river of Prut. President Basescu’s agenda also included talks with Prime Minister Iurie leanca and the Parliament’s speaker Igor Coman.

Romania came on top position in Europe and was the world’s 5^th-placed country at the International Physics Olympiad, held between July 7 and 15 in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The Romanian Olympics won gold and three silver medals. They were competing against more than 380 contenders from 83 countries. Late last week two high school students from Romania won two gold medals, a bronze and a silver medal at the International Informatics Olympiad, held in the Australian city of Brisbane.

The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Ashton on Wednesday paid a visit to Cairo, where she pleaded for ‘a swift return to the democratic transition’, amid continuing tension in Egypt. Supporters of the recently ousted president Mohamed Morsi have protested against the newly installed power in front of the government building. A new Egyptian government, which does not include Islamist parties, was sworn in on Tuesday, less than two weeks after Morsi had been ousted from power. The new government has been rejected by the Muslim brotherhood, the movement, which supported the former president.

Romania came on top position in Europe and was the world’s 5^th-placed country at the International Physics Olympiad, held between July 7 and 15 in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The Romanian Olympics won gold and three silver medals. They were competing against more than 380 contenders from 83 countries. Late last week two high school students from Romania won two gold medals, a bronze and a silver medal at the International Informatics Olympiad, held in the Australian city of Brisbane.

Lagarde visits Romania

On her first visit to Bucharest IMF general director Christine Lagarde said on Tuesday that Romania had excellent human capital and valuable energy resources that are however insufficiently capitalized on. In a speech held at the headquarters of the National Bank of Romania, Lagarde called on Romanian authorities to make efficient use of investments. The head of the IMF underscored that Romania had to carry on structural reforms, to streamline state-owned companies and enhance its absorption of EU funds, making it the engine of medium- and long-term economic growth. Measures pertaining to state-owned companies will be laid out in the next agreement Romania will be concluding with the IMF. Upon meeting with president Traian Basescu Christine Lagarde had said Romania wanted to conclude a new precautionary agreement with the IMF over a period of two years, following the successful completion of a similar agreement last month. A joint mission of the IMF and the European Commission will come to Bucharest on Wednesday with a view to starting talks on signing a new precautionary agreement with Romania.

Romania and the Republic of Moldova

Romania’s president Traian Basescu on Wednesday is paying his fifth official visit to the Republic of Moldova. The president’s last visit was in January 2010, in the wake of the demise of Vladimir Voronin’s communist rule and the investiture of the Alliance for European Integration. Basescu told Radio Free Europe on Tuesday that his main priority was Moldova’s EU accession over the next ten to tweleve years. President Basescu also excluded the possiblity of any integration as long as the Transnistrian conflict remains and as long as Russian military are stationed on Moldovan territory.

The Liberals want Silaghi as Transport Minister

The National Liberal Party in the ruling Social Liberal Union has nominated Liberal MP Ovidiu Silaghi for the position of Transport Minister after Relu Fenechiu resigned after he had received a conviction in a corruption case. Ovidiu Silaghi has previously headed the Transport Ministry in Victor Ponta’s first cabinet. Silaghi expressed hope that president Traian Basescu would consent to his investiture.

All-out strike in Greece

The main trade union organisations in Greece on Tuesday went on a 24-hour all-out strike, protesting against a draft law proposed by the Greek government providing for a slash in the number of public sector employees and the continued reduction of the budget deficit. Introducing this law is a prerequisite to the disbursement of an instalment of the bailout package granted by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Over the next period the Greek Government plans to put 12,500 workers into a so-called “mobility pool” by September. Those affected will be paid 75% of their normal salary.

The Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta is, as of Monday, interim Transport Minister as well, after the resignation of the former head of the ministry, Relu Fenechiu. On Friday, the Court sentenced Relu Fenechiu to five years in prison, payment of damages and some rights removed for the coming three years for conspiracy to commit abuse of office. The former minister was accused that through the companies he owned, he sold transformers made in the 1970s and 1980s as new products to a state-owned company providing electricity maintenance and services with the complicity of the leadership of the respective company.

Head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde is paying a two-day visit to Romania, the first one since her appointment in July 2011. Christine Lagardes agenda includes meetings with Romanian officials and representatives of the private sector, civil society and the academic field to discuss about Romania’s economic perspectives. On Monday, the IMF chief held talks with Prime Minister Victor Ponta while on Tuesday she will have a meeting with President Traian Basescu. On July 17, a joint mission of the IMF and the European Commission will come to Bucharest for talks with the Romanian authorities on a new precautionary agreement.

An international conference on mediation in the area of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, organized by the Romanian Foreign Ministry is held on Monday and Tuesday in Romania’s capital city Bucharest. On this occasion, the Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean voiced Romania’s full availability to join efforts to prevent and solve conflicts in this area. Representatives of the EU and the United Nations and representatives of the academic field are attending the conference.

Romania’s football champion Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday will play a home game against FK Vardar Skopje of Macedonia. The game counts towards the Champions League’s second preliminary round. Another Romanian football team Astra Giurgiu, a squad that made its debut in the European football season on Thursday will play in the Europa League. Pandurii Targu Jiu and Petrolul Ploiesti will be facing Levadia Tallin from Estonia and Farr Oerr Islands’ Vikingur Gotta, respectively.

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The IMF managing director, Christine Lagarde, will pay a visit to Romania on Monday and Tuesday. She will hold talks with the Romanian authorities, with representatives of the private sector, civil society and academic environment about the country’s economic prospects. On July 17th, following the visit of the IMF official, a joint IMF and European Commission mission will come to Bucharest for talks with the Romanian authorities about the conclusion of a new precautionary-type agreement. Recently Romania has successfully concluded a second such agreement worth 3.5 billion euros.

France’s day was also marked in Bucharest on Sunday by a number of events under the motto “Paris, yesterday and today”. Also under the motto “Live la vie en rose” several exhibitions were opened displaying vintage cars, authentic clothes and photos featuring the Parisian atmosphere. France marks on July 14th two important historical events: the Federation Day of 1790 when France became a constitutional monarchy for a short while and the fall of the Bastille in 1789 when the republic was instated.

Hundreds of former political detainees and dissidents in Eastern Europe marked Sunday in Sighetu Marmatiei, in northern Romania, 20 years since the inauguration of the first memorial devoted to the victims of Communism. One of a kind in Europe, the museum-memorial in Sighet evokes the ordeal experienced by millions of people who lived during the Communist era, between WWII and 1989 in such countries as Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. According to statistics, during the Communist regime in Romania, over 600 thousand people were sentenced and imprisoned for political reasons. We recall that the post-Communist authorities in Romania condemned the Communist regime in 2006.

The Romanian environment minister, Rovana Plumb, is participating on Monday in Vilnius in the EU Informal Environment Council. The meeting in Lithuania, the country holding the six-month rotating presidency of the EU, focuses on climate change. The two big issues under discussion are the protection of natural resources and biodiversity and providing the funds necessary for fighting climate change. On the sidelines of the Council a working luncheon will look into the risks posed by shale gas exploitation.

Romania is participating between July 14th and 19th, with a 46-strong sports delegation, in the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival hosted by the Dutch city of Utrecht. The Romanian athletes will compete in 5 of the 9 events included in the Olympic festival’s schedule namely in the athletics, gymnastics, swimming, judo and tennis competitions. The aim of the Romanian delegation is to win around 10 medals.

The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Sunday won the final of the WTA clay court tournament hosted by Budapest. The tournament had prizes up for grabs worth 235 thousand dollars. Halep defeated Yvonne Meusburger 2-1. For Halep, winner of the tournaments in Nurenberg and s-Hertogenbosch, this was the 3^rd final of the last 4 tournaments, after she lost in the second round at Wimbledon. On the other hand, also at the weekend, the Romanian tennis player Victor Hanescu failed to qualify to the final of the ATP tournament in Stuttgart, with prizes worth 410, 200 euros. He was defeated in the semi-finals German Philipp Kohlschreiber.

From the 14th to the 20th of July the Bacovia Municipal Theater in the town of Bacau, in eastern Romania, will host the 14th edition of the Youth National Theater Festival in English called “The Ingenious Drama Festival”. As many as 120 high school students who love drama will devote one day of their summer holidays to performing arts and will participate in the now traditional festival “I.D. Fest”.

International Monetary Fund General Director Christine Lagarde will be paying a two-day visit to Romania starting next Monday. Lagarde will be meeting with Bucharest officials and representatives of the private sector, the civil society and scientific community. Talks will focus on the economic prospects of Romania. On July 17th, after Lagarde’s visit comes to an end, a joint mission of the IMF and the European Commission will be coming to Bucharest to open talks with Romanian authorities with a view to signing a new precationary stand-by agreement. Romania has recently successfully completed a second such agreement worth 3.5 billion euros.

Four of the five people involved in Saturday’s car accident in southwestern France were Romanians, the Romanian Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced. We recall that five people were killed in Teich en Gironde, southwestern France, after their car collided with a freight truck. According to preliminary police investigations, the freight truck overturned on the car of the Romanians after one of its tires blew.

Romania expressed its sympathy for the victims of the accident in Brétigny-sur-Orge, close to Paris, which killed at least seven people and injured another 30. The tragic rail accident in Paris was caused by an equipment failure, the French National Rail Company La SNCF announced on Saturday. According to the initial report a piece of metal connecting two rails became detached at points 200m from Brétigny and this caused the derailment. La SNCF gave assurances it would conduct a thorough verification of all such connectors across the entire network. Previously French Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier had announced that Friday’s tragic rail accident in Brétigny-sur-Orge had not been caused by a “human error”. This is the bloodiest rail accident in France in the last 25 years.

US President Barack Obama talked on the phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin about Edward Snowden, a former consultant of the US intelligence services who has recently made important revelations regarding a secret US electronic surveillance program. The conversation follows after the White House called on Moscow not to provide Snowden with what it has termed a “platform for propaganda”. Snowden, who for the past three weeks has been in a transit area of one of Moscow’s airports, has pointed the finger at the “unfair campaign” by means of which the US is trying to prevent him from seeking asylum in a foreign country. Moscow said Snowden could remain in Russia provided he ceased any action against the US. Snowden has sought political asylum in over 20 countries by now, but only Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela have expressed an interest in sheltering him.

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Saturday qualified to the final of the WTA clay court tournament in Budapest totalling 235 thousand dollars in prize money. In the semifinals Halep outperformed Romanian Alexandra Cadantu score 6-2, 7-6. In the final Halep will go up against Yvonne Meusburger, who had previously brushed aside Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa, 6-2, 6-2. This year Halep triumphed in the clay court tournament in Nurnberg and in the grass court tournament in s-Hertogenbosch. This is the third final for Halep in the last four tournaments, after she was knocked out in the second round at Wimbledon.

The Romanian PM Victor Ponta on Friday took over, as interim, the Transport Ministry, after the holder of that office, Relu Fenechiu, was sentenced to 5 years in prison. He was found guilty on account of aggravated influence peddling. The sentence given by the High Court of Cassation and Justice is not final. Details of the case, dubbed by the media The Transformer, showed that between 2002-2005 Fenechiu sold old transformers and switchers at prices normally charged for new such parts to a company where the state was a shareholder. The damage is estimated at some 1.7 million Euros. Relu Fenechiu is the first minister in office who gets a conviction after the fall of communism in 1989. The European Commission has repeatedly stressed in its reporst on the state of the Romanian judiciary the lack of convictions in cases of high-level corruption.

On Friday in Soul, the Romanian Foreign Minister, Titus Corlatean and his South-Korean counterpart Yung Byung-se agreed on a fresh bilateral student exchange agreement. The two officials also discussed means of rendering the visa grating system for students and business people more efficient and identified cooperation opportunities in fields such as IT, tourism and agriculture. Previously, Titus Corlatean attended the inauguration of a Romanian honorary consulate.

France and Romania have many common interests in the EU, said on Friday Romanian PM Victor Ponta, on France’s National Day. Together with his French counterpart Jean Marc Ayrault he attended the reception given by the French Embassy in Bucharest. During the meetings he had in Bucharest, Ayrault appreciated the good relations between France and Romania and reasserted France’s support to Romania’s Schengen accession.

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde is expected to commence a visit to Romania early next week. The IMF official’s agenda is to include talks with authorities with representatives of the private sector, civil society, and the academic world on the country’s economic prospects. Shortly after Mrs. Lagarde’s visit, an IMF mission is due to come to Bucharest on July the 17th for talks with the Romanian authorities over a fresh loan agreement. Recently Romania has successfully completed its second precautionary agreement with the IMF worth 3.5 billion euros.

Romanian wrestler Stefan Gheorghita has walked away with gold after beating Russian Samil Kudiyamagomedov in the freestyle wrestling competition of the summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia. Another gold medal was reaped by Romanian athlete Roxana Barca in the 5,000 m race. In this edition of the aforementioned competition, the Romanian delegation has reaped four bronze medals, three in athletics competitions and one in fencing.

Romania wants to kickstart its partnership with France, the country’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta said in Bucharest on Thursday after the meeting he had with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault. During the talks, the Romanian official reiterated Romania’s interest in the EU accession of the neighboring Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet country with a Romanian-speaking majority and called on France for support in this respect. Prime Minister Ponta believes that a possible solution to the problems confronting the Roma minority would be to create better conditions in Romania so that they may not leave the country and he appreciated the constructive position adopted regarding this issue by the executive in Paris. In turn, the French Prime Minister said that together the two governments would succeed in finding a solution to this issue he described as sinuous. In another development, a memorandum in the field of education and research as well as a cooperation agreement for the management of radioactive waste have been signed. Also on Thursday, Jean- Marc Ayrault met Romania’s president Traian Basescu. On Friday, the French Prime Minister and his Romanian counterpart will be visiting the Dacia-Renault Centre in Titu, southern Romania and at night they will be attending a reception at the French embassy occasioned by the National Day of France.

Romania had 2.2% economic growth in the first quarter of the year, according to data quoted today by PM Ponta, who presented the national plan for strategic investment and job creation. According to that plan, the Romanian government plans to attract investments worth minimum 10 billion Euro, creating 50,000 jobs by the end of the year. The executive identified five strategic areas to focus on, energy, mineral resources, agriculture, industry and infrastructure. The government relies on improving political and economic relations with Europe and Asia. In 2012, direct foreign investments attracted by Romania went down for the fourth year in a row, reaching 1.6 billion Euro, 11% lower than 2011. In the first four months of the year, DFI were worth a total of 322 million Euro, 35% down from the same period last year.

Romanian Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean on Thursday started an official two day visit to South Korea. According to the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, the main purpose of the visit is to create opportunities for developing and improving South Korean investments in the Romanian economy, in a strategic partnership. Corlatean is scheduled to meet the South Korean PM, the foreign minister, as well as the vice-chairman of the National Assembly. He is also scheduled to meet members of the business community, while inaugurating the honorary consulate of Romania in Daejon, and will visit Hankuk international university, which has a Romanian department.

Romanian economy minister Varujan Vosganian, meeting his Moldovan counterpart Valeriu Lazar, proposed a joint Romanian-Moldovan business forum to boost mutual investment in the two economies. Vosganian also proposed holding a meeting in Iasi before the meeting of the joint government commission in October. Romania is the most important European trade partner for Moldova after the Russian Federation. Trade in 2012 was over 1.2 billion dollars.

Romanian Defense Minister Mircea Dusa attended on Thursday a ceremony held for the departure to Afghanistan of 500 members of the Black Wolves Infantry Battalion in Iasi. They will be running security missions in Zabul, granting humanitarian aid in the region and training the Afghan security forces. Last week, a Romanian special operations unit went to Afghanistan to assist US special forces. 1,100 Romanian soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan at this point.

Romania’s football champions Steaua Bucharest, won the SuperCup, the 6th they hold, after defeating 3-0 Petrolul Ploiesti, holders of the Cup. The match, which opens the new season, was played on Wednesday night in Bucharest. Astra won 1-0.

The Romanian President, Traian Basescu, will receive Thursday the French PM Jean-Marc Ayrault who is on a 2-day official visit to Bucharest, the presidential administration announced on Wednesday. The French ambassador to Bucharest Philippe Gustin said the visit confirmed the re-launching of bilateral relations. He showed that the strategic partnership between the 2 states focused on the development of economic relations and underlined that the French businesspeople from Romania, like all the investors of the world, were expecting political stability and predictability. This partnership was signed in 2008 and updated in February 2013 on the occasion of the Romanian PM’s visit to Paris. Special importance will be attached to economic and trade exchanges which, last year, exceeded 6 billion euros. France is Romania’s 3^rd trade partner and 4^th foreign investor. In the summer of 2010 Romanian — French relations soured following the political decisions of rightist president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to repatriate the ethnic Roma coming from Romania and illegally settled in France.

The Romanian foreign minister, Titus Corlatean, is paying an official visit to South Korea on Thursday and Friday. The visit aims at developing bilateral relations in the political, economic and cultural fields. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian FM will have talks with South Korean PM Chung Hong-won, with his counterpart Yun Byung-se and with the vice-president of the National Assembly Lee Byung-suk. Titus Corlatean will also meet with South Korean businesspeople whom he will present with opportunities to boost South Korean investments in the Romanian economy. On the occasion of the visit an honorary consulate of Romania will be inaugurated in Daejeon.

Egypt’s state prosecutor on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Madie, and a number of other senior officials, a judicial source announced. They are accused of inciting the violence in Cairo on Monday in which more than 50 people were killed. On the other hand, the Muslim Brothers, supporters of overthrown president Mohammed Morsi, rejected to offer to join the cabinet being set up by interim Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi, who was designated by interim President Adly Mansour. The interim President also designated Mohammed el Baradei, the opposition leader, vice-president in charge of international relations.

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Tuesday reiterated our country’s full support for Moldova’s EU accession efforts during talks held in Bucharest with his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leanca. The two discussed the status of bilateral relations and progress in connecting the two countries’ energy and transport networks. Moldova and the EU have concluded negotiations regarding an Association Treaty, including a free-trade area, which is to be signed at the forthcoming Eastern Partnership summit in November 2013 in Vilnius. Prime Minister Leanca’s visit precedes the visit of Romanian president Traian Basescu to Chisinau on July 17, when he will be meeting with Moldovan high-ranking officials.

The Republic of Moldova has good chances to sign an association treaty with the European Union at the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said on Tuesday. Catherine Ashton held talks with Moldovan president Nicolae Timofti, Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, Parliament Speaker Igor Corman as well as other political leaders. Ashton hailed progress made by the Republic of Moldova in negotiations with the EU and its efforts to overcome the political crisis and put a new government in place.

Romanian authorities are open to consolidating cooperation with Russia, Romanian Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean said on Tuesday in Moscow following talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Corlatean pointed out that the cooperation potential between the two countries has not been fully tapped into, although there are good prospects to boost bilateral relations. Corlatean also invited Lavrov to pay a visit to Bucharest. The Russian official said Moscow regarded Romania as an important partner in southeastern Europe and expressed his interest to develop stable and predictable bilateral relations. On the sideline of the meeting, the two officials signed an agreement to set up the Romanian Cultural Institute in Moscow and the Russian Cultural and Scientific Centre in Bucharest. Also, the two high-ranking officials approved the cooperation program in the field of culture, education, mass-media, sports, youth and tourism, as well as the consultancy plan between the two countries’ foreign ministries for the 2013-2014 period.

Healthcare, justice, law enforcement and education are the fields reporting the largest number of bribe-giving cases. 1 in 7 Romanians have paid bribes in the Romanian medical sector in the last year, according to the Corruption Global Barometer made public on Tuesday by Transparency International. As regards the public perception of this phenomenon, Romania ranks 6th among EU Member States, above the EU average. Over half the people at global level see corruption as an escalating phenomenon in the last two years. The survey, conducted among a sample population of 114,000 people of 107 countries, reveals a profound crisis regarding confidence in politicians. Political parties are seen as the most corrupt institution in more than half of the countries, with 55% of respondents believing their Government’s actions serve private interests.

A joint mission of the IMF and the European Commission will come to Bucharest on July 17th to hold talks with Romanian authorities, the Romanian Public Finance Ministry has announced. In another move, Delegate Budget Minister Liviu Voinea on Tuesday took part in a meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee, held ahead of the Ecofin summit. The Romanian official said EU Member States had unanimously approved Romania’s request to sign a new precautionary stand-by agreement with the IMF. Last week Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced the Romanian Government would start negotiations with the IMF with a view to concluding a new two-year agreement.

Romanian Economy Minister Varujan Vosganian on Tuesday met with Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and with the country’s Prime Minister Tigran Sarksian in Yerevan. Talks focused on prospects of boosting bilateral economic relations in such fields as trade, industry, SMEs, tourism, regional development, public administration, transports, agriculture and environment protection. Minister Vosganian attended the 4th session of the Romanian-Armenian Mixed Intergovernmental Committee for Economic Cooperation. On Wednesday the Romanian official will be attending the Armenia-Romania Business Forum in Yerevan.

Egyptian interim president Adly Mansour on Tuesday appointed former Finance Minister Liberal Hazem al-Beblawi as the country’s new Prime Minister. Mansour had previously signed a decree regarding the organization of legislative elections by early 2014 at the latest, after having introduced a previous amendment in the country’s Constitution to that end. The decree was challenged by representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood, the group supporting the former Islamic president Mohamed Morsi. Also on Tuesday, the Egyptian army warned it would show zero tolerance to any disruption of what has termed a “delicate and complex” transition process. In another development, an investigation has been launched to examine the violent incidents on Monday, when over 50 people were killed and another 400 were injured during a pro-Morsi gathering in Cairo.

Romania and Russia’s Foreign Ministers Titus Corlatean and Serghei Lavrov on Tuesday in Moscow signed an agreement to set up the Romanian Cultural Institute in Moscow and the Russian Cultural and Scientific Center in Bucharest. Also, the two top-ranking officials approved the cooperation program in the field of culture, education, mass-media, sports, youth and tourism, as well as the consultancy plan between the two countries’ foreign ministries for 2013-2014. Corlatean invited Lavrov to pay a visit to Bucharest. In another move, Russia’s Foreign Minister said the American anti-missile defense system is a problem whose solution has not been found yet. Romania, which will be part of the system, has repeatedly declared, alongside the USA and NATO officials, that the system is purely defensive and does not target Russia.

More than half of respondents believe that in recent years corruption has been on an alarmingly growing trend, according to a survey compiled by Transparency International, quoted by the AFP. 27 per cent of respondents for the world-level corruption barometer said they had to give bribes to have access to several public services or to several institutions. In Romania, those who admitted to have given bribes account for 17 per cent. Of the respondents. Responding the survey were 114 thousand people from 107 countries responded to the survey which also reveals a crisis regarding confidence in the political class. In half of the countries, the political parties are rated as the most corrupt institution, while 55 per cent of respondents believe the Government’s action is subject to private interest. Among other things , Transparency International recommended high-ranking politicians to make public their assets statement, for themselves and for their families.

Finance Ministers form the EU member states today will give their final approval for Latvia’s adopting the single European currency as of January the 1st. Also today Latvia, currently holding the European Union’s rotating presidency will present its programmed for the next six months in the field of economic and financial business. The finance ministers’ meeting was preceded by the meeting of their colleagues from the Euro zone, who took the decision to pay Greece 4 billion euros in the following weeks, as part of the second rescue plan for that country. The Greek government will receive 2.5 billion Euros, while the rest of the sum will be paid in October, provided Prime Minister Antonis Samaras manages to comply with the commitment he made regarding cuts in public spending and the economic reform, despite the looming tension in the governing coalition.

The Romanian foreign minister Titus Corlatean on Monday starts a 2-day official visit to Moscow, the first by a Romanian foreign minister since February 2009. Colatean will have talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the stage and future of bilateral relations in various fields, in particular the economic sector. Inter-governmental agreements will also be signed on the creation of a Romanian Cultural Institute in Moscow and a Russian Centre for Culture and Science in Bucharest, as well as a cooperation agreement in the fields of culture, education, media, sports, youth and tourism and a collaboration protocol between the two countries’ foreign ministries.

Lithuania, the current holder of the EU 6-month presidency, is interested in seeing real progress towards Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. This statement was made by Romania’s ambassador to Lithuania, Dan Balanescu, in an interview to the Romanian Agerpres news agency. Mr Balanescu said the entry into the passport-free area would be the focus of the upcoming visit to Vilnius by Romania’s prime minister Victor Ponta in September. Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession was initially scheduled for the spring of 2011, but was repeatedly postponed. The two countries have been told they are making sufficient progress in the reform of their judiciary and the fight against organised crime.

A vessel with 33 Syrian and two Turkish nationals on board, including women and children, who were trying to enter Europe have been intercepted by the border police near the Romanian Black Sea shore, the Coast Guard has announced. The Romanian authorities said the vessel did not have a flag and had left from Turkey. The Syrian citizens on board explained to the investigators that they requested Turkish nationals to help them enter a Schengen country. The Syrian migrants are now investigated for illegal entry into Romanian territory, while the two Turkish guides for recruiting persons to this end.

The results of the baccalaureate exam for high school graduates in Romania will be made public on Monday, when students can also submit their contestations. Also on Monday, the prosecutor’s office will interview a number of students from a high school in Bucharest over allegations of cheating. Following the scandal, the school’s head has been arrested temporarily for a period of 29 days. Prosecutors have started investigations over other suspected cases of fraud at a number of schools across the country.

The Romanian foreign minister Titus Corlatean on Monday starts a 2-day official visit to Moscow, the first by a Romanian foreign minister since February 2009. Colatean will have talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the stage and future of bilateral relations in various fields, in particular the economic sector. Inter-governmental agreements will also be signed on the creation of a Romanian Cultural Institute in Moscow and a Russian Centre for Culture and Science in Bucharest, as well as a cooperation agreement in the fields of culture, education, media, sports, youth and tourism and a collaboration protocol between the two countries’ foreign ministries.

Lithuania, the current holder of the EU 6-month presidency, is interested in seeing real progress towards Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. This statement was made by Romania’s ambassador to Lithuania, Dan Balanescu, in an interview to the Romanian Agerpres news agency. Mr Balanescu said the entry into the passport-free area would be the focus of the upcoming visit to Vilnius by Romania’s prime minister Victor Ponta in September. Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession was initially scheduled for the spring of 2011, but was repeatedly postponed. The two countries have been told they are making sufficient progress in the reform of their judiciary and the fight against organised crime.

A vessel with 33 Syrian and two Turkish nationals on board, including women and children, who were trying to enter Europe have been intercepted by the border police near the Romanian Black Sea shore, the Coast Guard has announced. The Romanian authorities said the vessel did not have a flag and had left from Turkey. The Syrian citizens on board explained to the investigators that they requested Turkish nationals to help them enter a Schengen country. The Syrian migrants are now investigated for illegal entry into Romanian territory, while the two Turkish guides for recruiting persons to this end.

The results of the baccalaureate exam for high school graduates in Romania will be made public on Monday, when students can also submit their contestations. Also on Monday, the prosecutor’s office will interview a number of students from a high school in Bucharest over allegations of cheating. Following the scandal, the school’s head has been arrested temporarily for a period of 29 days. Prosecutors have started investigations over other suspected cases of fraud at a number of schools across the country.