Talks between Romania’s president and UNPR party delegates
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis hold talks with representatives of the governing National Union for Romania’s Progress (UNPR) at the Presidential Palace of Cotroceni in the capital Bucharest on Monday. UNPR leader Gabdriel Oprea adressed reporters at the end of the meeting.
„UNPR welcomes President Iohannis’ initiative leading to an agreement signed by all parties in parliament aimed at granting the Romanian Army a budget of at least 2 perecent of the country’s GDP in 2017 and the next ten years. I believe UNPR position is not coming as a surprise since the party always insisted Romania should keep the committments it made when the country joined NATO. If I am not mistaken, it was in 2004 when the Romanian Army was granted a minimum budget of 2.13 percent of the GDP for the first time and never since. The Romanian Army desperately needs the budget given the current security threats in the region and around the world”, Mr. Oprea told reporters as quoted by RADIO ROMANIA.
Romanian President Iohannis’ agenda while in Brussels
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is due in Brussels on Thursday for talks with EU and NATO officials. Mr. Iohannis is expected to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday with newly appointed EU Commissioner for Regional Policies Corina Creţu also attending the meeting. The Friday agenda includes talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Donald Tusk, President of the European Council. President Iohannis hold consultations with Prime Minister Victor Ponta joined by the country’s defence, finance and EU funds ministers on Monday. Klaus Iohannis said recently that Romania should respect its commitments concerning its fights against corruption, and avoid emergency ordinances among other things in its efforts of getting the lift of the current EU Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM). This could happen in a few years as the country was currently still unprepared for the move, the president said.
Romanian MP Cornel Resmeriţă involved in an alleged conflict of interest case
Romania’s National Integrity Agency (ANI) claims that Cornel Resmeriţă, a deputy in the lower house of the parliament, may be involved in a conflict of interest case and called on the Proseuctor’s General Office to open an enquiry. Mr. Resmeriţă allegedly appointed his brother as adviser with his office in parliament between 2009 and 2012 allowing him to get a 12,600 euro pay. People involved in conflict of interest cases are prevented from getting another public service position for 3 years after their dismissal or removal from office. 22 former or current MPs have been investigated by ANI prosecutors. 11 people got suspended jail sentences for their crimes.
New deadline in a former Romanian minister’s trial
Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice is expected to rule a new deadline in the trial of a former minister and other defendants who appealed against their jail sentences in a file concerning the money spent for the Youth Day events in 2009. Former Youth and Tourism Minister Monia Iacob Ridzi was sentenced to five years in jail for abuse of office. Ms. Ridzi and her accomplices were ordered to pay damages established by prosecutors of the country’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA).
Alexandru Danga
