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Romanian Prime Minister Announces Relocation of Israel Embassy Jerusalem

14:27, 25 Mart. 2019
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced on Sunday, during a visit to the US, that Romania will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, pending the finish of an analysis on the subject. She was later criticized by President Klaus Iohannis, who denied that a decision was made.

Lower Chamber Interim Leader Challenges Supreme Court Corruption Panels at Constitutional Court

13:54, 25 Mart. 2019
The deputy chairman of Romania’s Lower Chamber, Florin Iordache, filed a notification with the Constitutional Court claiming a judicial conflict between the Parliament and the country’s Supreme Court regarding the use of specialized panels for corruption cases.

European People’s Party Leader Request Socialists to Sanction Romanian Social Democrats

20:08, 22 Mart. 2019
The European People’s Party (EPP) candidate for European Commission president, Manfred Weber, requested his European Socialists (PES) opponent Frans Timmermans to propose sanctions for Romania’s Social Democrat Party (PSD), who he said were “close to partially legalizing corruption”.

Development Minister: Administration Code Will Be Passed by Decree or Government Liability

19:43, 22 Mart. 2019
Romania's Regional Development Minister Daniel Suciu said on Friday, during a meeting with mayors in Dolj county, that a new proposed Administration Code will be adopted either by emergency decree or government liability in the near future.

Justice Ministry Draft Decree Restricts Publishing of Information from Criminal Cases

18:39, 22 Mart. 2019
The draft judicial decree amending criminal codes sent by the Justice Ministry for review on Friday interdicts public communications on facts and suspects which are prosecuted or part of a criminal trial, as well as public statements which could “damage the dignity” of prosecuted individuals.

Court Clerks Accuse Government of Refusing Talks, Threaten with Strike

17:54, 22 Mart. 2019
Representatives of court clerks union which held a protest in front of the Romanian Government on Friday announced that a delegation they sent for talks was “kept waiting on the halls” of the executive’s headquarters, and threatened with a general strike if their demands are not considered.

Justice Ministry Sends Draft Decrees Amending Criminal Codes For Review – Sources

17:30, 22 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Justice Ministry sent the country’s top judicial watchdog CSM a draft emergency decree which amends the country's criminal codes, as well as temporarily enabling appeals for annulment in past cases judged by the Supreme Court’s five-judge panels, judicial sources told MEDIAFAX.

Prime Minister: Social Democrat Party’s Exclusion from PES Would Favor Extremist Parties

19:28, 21 Mart. 2019
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Thursday in Brussels that an eventual exclusion of the country’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) from the Party of European Socialists (PES) would be a “grave mistake” and would benefit extremist groups throught the EU.

Former Interior Minister, Journalist Subpoenaed in Kovesi Case

19:27, 21 Mart. 2019
Former Romanian Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea and journalist Ion Cristoiu attended subpoenas on Thursday at the Section for Investigation Judicial Offences (SIIJ), related to the case involving former National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi.

Court Clerk Unions to Protest in Front of Government on Friday

15:30, 21 Mart. 2019
More than 1,500 court clerks are expected to attend a protest in front of the Romanian Government headquarters in Bucharest on Friday, called by unions from around the country, demanding better work conditions and unitary pay.

Ruling Party to Decide European Election Lists Next Week

19:05, 20 Mart. 2019
Lower Chamber Deputy Chairman Florin Iordache told MEDIAFAX on Wednesday that the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) will hold an executive committee meeting next week to validate their list of candidates for the European Parliament election.

Romanian Hauliers Hold Protest in Front of Government

15:28, 20 Mart. 2019
Romanian hauliers’ union FORT held a protest in front of the Government headquarters on Tuesday, requesting the executive to solve several problems related to the passenger transports market.

President Says He Is “Almost Decided” On Calling Judicial Referendum For May 26

19:43, 19 Mart. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that he is “almost decided” on calling a long-anticipated referendum on the subject of corruption for May 26, at the same time with the country’s European Parliament elections.

Opposition Party Files European Commission Complaint on Funding of Bucharest Companies

19:36, 19 Mart. 2019
Opposition Bucharest councilor Roxana Wring announced that her party filed on Tuesday, a complaint with the European Commission regarding the public funding the capital's City Hall granted municipality companies.

Lower Chamber Committees Reject Two-Round Elections for Mayors

17:20, 19 Mart. 2019
The judicial and administration committees of Romania’s Lower Chamber adopted on Tuesday a common report to reject a draft bill filed by the Liberal Party, which would return mayor elections to a two-round voting system.

Supreme Court Annuls Sentence of Former Anti-Terrorism Chief, Appeal to be Redone

17:00, 19 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Supreme Court admitted on Tuesday a challenge made by the former chief prosecutor of the country’s top anti-terrorism agency DIICOT, Alina Bica, and decided to annul her prison sentence for favoring a culprit, with the appeal in the case to be redone.

Top Anticorruption Body Deputy Chief Resigns Over Disciplinary Warning

15:12, 19 Mart. 2019
The deputy chief of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), Marius Iacob, told MEDIAFAX on Tuesday that he resigned the office, after Romania’s Supreme Court admitted a Judicial Inspectorate request to sanction him with a disciplinary warning.

Senate Rejects Bills Regulating Same-Sex Civil Partnership

18:45, 18 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Senate rejected on Monday two bills which regulate civil partnership, including for same-sex couples.

Ruling Party to Vote Against No-Confidence Motions on Finance and Justice Ministers

18:00, 18 Mart. 2019
Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) will vote against two no-confidence motions filed by opposition parties on Justice Minister Tudorel Toader and Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici on Wednesday, according to PSD Lower Chamber group leader Alfred Simonis.

General Prosecutor to File Candidacy for New Term

17:30, 18 Mart. 2019
Romanian General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar announced on Monday that he will file his candidacy for a new term in office, after the country’s Justice Ministry announced that it started procedures to appoint a new general prosecutor once his current term expires on April 28.

Lower Chamber Chairman Delegates Powers to Deputy

16:33, 18 Mart. 2019
The chairman of the Romanian Parliament’s Lower Chamber, Liviu Dragnea, delegated his powers to deputy Florin Iordache on Monday for an unspecified amount of time.

Court Merges Sentences of Former Football Investor Cristian Borcea

15:46, 18 Mart. 2019
The Bucharest Court of Appeal decided on Monday to merge the two current sentences of businessman Cristian Borcea into a single, seven years and six months prison sentence, in a first decision.

Highway Protest Initiator Says Action Was a „Big Success”

18:59, 15 Mart. 2019
Suceava businessman Stefan Mandachi, who initiated a 15-minute protest observed nation-wide on Friday calling for the construction of highway infrastructure, deemed the action a “great success” in a press conference on Friday afternoon.

Liberal Party EU Election List Opener Maintains Past Critical Stances on EU Leaders

18:30, 15 Mart. 2019
TV host Rares Bogdan, who was nominated by Romania’s Liberal Party to open its European Parliament elections list, told MEDIAFAX he “maintains his beliefs” when asked about critical comments he made against EU leaders in 2016 on the subject of security.

Romanian President Condemns New Zealand Terrorist Attack

14:51, 15 Mart. 2019
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis condemned on Friday terrorist attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which left at least 49 dead.

Liberal Party Decides Its European Election Candidates List

20:24, 14 Mart. 2019
The Liberal Party’s (PNL) National Political Bureau validated on Thursday the group’s list of candidates for the upcoming European Parliament election, with twelve eligible candidates approved.

TV Host Rares Bogdan to Open Liberal Party’s European Election List

14:46, 14 Mart. 2019
Television host Rares Bogdan told MEDIAFAX on Thursday that he agreed to open the Liberal Party’s (PNL) list for the upcoming European Parliament election, stating that he made the decision to help the liberals become “Romania’s first party”.

Justice Ministry Launches Procedure to Appoint New General Prosecutor

13:54, 14 Mart. 2019
Romania’s Justice Ministry announced on Thursday that it launched the procedure to appoint a new general prosecutor, which will be finished before the term of Augustin Lazar will expire on April 28.

Bucharest Court of Appeal Rejects Internal Challenge against USR Chairman

19:50, 13 Mart. 2019
The Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected on Wednesday a challenge made by 11 members of opposition party USR who opposed the election of Dan Barna as party chairman and ruled that the latter should appear as the party’s leader in the Political Party’s Registry, according to USR MP Claudiu Nasui.

General Prosecutor: DNA To Handle Tel Drum EU Funds Embezzlement Case

18:26, 13 Mart. 2019
Romanian General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar announced on Wednesday that he decided that the country’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has competency over an EU funds embezzlement case involving Lower Chamber Chairman Liviu Dragnea.

US Ambassador: Russia Could Profit from Failure of Romania’s Fight Against Corruption

13:42, 13 Mart. 2019
The United States' ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, said on Wednesday that a failure of Romania’s fight against corruption would pose a risk of Russia profiting to further divide Romanian society, in an interview for Radio Free Europe.

Romania’s Finance Ministry Amends Bank Tax This Week

13:21, 13 Mart. 2019
Romania's finance ministry will finish this week a draft of changes to the emergency decree 114/2018 that introduced a tax on bank assets and raised capital requirements for mandatory private pension funds.

Magurele Institute Laser Reaches World Record Power of 10 Petawatts

12:38, 13 Mart. 2019
The laser installed at the Physics and Nuclear Engineering Institute in Magurele, Ilfov county reached its projected peak power of 10 petawatts (PW), or 10,000 trillion watts on Wednesday, achieving the highest power registered in the world.

Bank Tax Prompts Raiffeisen Bank International To Reevaluate Romanian Operations

12:16, 13 Mart. 2019
Raiffeisen Bank International will reevaluate its operations in Romania following the government's introduction of a tax on banks' financial assets in December 2018, RBI CEO Johann Strobl said in the bank's annual earnings report released Wednesday.

Romanians May Stop Contributing to Mandatory Private Pensions after 5 Years

09:51, 13 Mart. 2019
Romanians who contributed for at least five years to the mandatory private pension system known as Pillar II may choose to stop contributing, according to a norm issued by the country's financial watchdog ASF and published in the Official Journal.

Romania’s Average Net Salary Drops 0.7% on Month in January

09:17, 13 Mart. 2019
The net average salary in Romania declined 0.7% in January compared with December, to 2,936 lei (around EUR617), after holiday and end of the year performance bonuses granted in December, data from the country's statistics board showed Wednesday.

Senate Judicial Committee Rejects Civil Partnership Bills

19:08, 12 Mart. 2019
Two draft bills meant to regulate civil partnership in Romania were rejected on Tuesday by the Senate’s judicial committee, with ruling coalition senators voting against the initiative as unjustified.

Bucharest Crime Boss Nutu Camataru Released on Parole

16:15, 12 Mart. 2019
Romanian infamous crime boss Ion Balint, known under the moniker Nutu Camataru, was released on parole from the Gaesti Penitentiary on Tuesday after serving only 16 months of a nearly six-year prison sentence he received for extortion.

Dozens of Magistrates Stage New Protest Against Judicial Decree

19:49, 11 Mart. 2019
Several dozen magistrates in Bucharest organized an impromptu protest in front of the Palace of Justice in Bucharest on Monday evening, contesting the partially-repealed judicial decree issued three weeks ago by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader.

European Commission First Vice-President: We Have Seen No Progress Since CVM Report

19:00, 11 Mart. 2019
The European Commission’s first vice-president, Frans Timmermans, said on Monday that the institution has seen no progress from Romanian authorities on recommendations made in the latest Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) report, ahead of a meeting in Bucharest with the Romanian PM.