Holocaust survivors decorated by Romania’s President on 70th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation
A ceremony commemorating 70 years since the liberation of Auschwitz – Birkenau death camps has taken place in Poland today and attended by 300 survivors, heads of state and officials from all European countries and Israel. Romania has been represented by the Culture Minister Ionuţ Vulpescu.
At the same time, in Bucharest, on this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Klaus Iohannis has decorated several Romanian survivors of Nazi concentration camps with the National Order of Faithful Service – Knight level. In a message posted on his Facebook page, President Klaus Iohannis mentioned that he thus chose to pay a respectful tribute to all Holocaust victims in World War II, whose memory is a painful reminder of the history.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta has also stated in a press release that „mankind must never forget the troubling page of history represented by the Holocaust” and added that respect for diversity, tolerance and freedom is the foundation of values that can prevent such dark episodes of destiny.
Head of the Romanian Intelligence resigns
The head of the Romanian Intelligence Service George Maior has resigned today and the resignation has been accepted by President Klaus Iohannis, according to a press release by the Presidency. The decision follows harsh criticism expressed last week by Mr. Maior at the expense of Romania’s Constitutional Court which had ruled the cyber-security draft bill as unconstitutional. The President of the Court Augustin Zegrean had back then publicly denounced pressures coming from SRI. Radio Romania reminds that before presidential elections this November, the head of the Romanian intelligence had stated he would put an end to his terms in office after the swearing-in of the new President. When the time came, George Maior said he would wait for the new head of state to analyze his mandate and make a decision afterwards.
Eurobarometer reveals Romanians’ perception on corruption matters
CVM reports for Romania and Bulgaria are due to be released tomorrow according to a spokesperson of the European Commission. Ahead publication, the European commissioneers are going to analyze the latest developments and progress registered by the two states in the field of justice. Earlier today, EU’s executive body has also published an Eurobarometer according to which, later in 2014, the number of Romanians seeing a progress in the fight against corruption rised by 9 percent and reached 22 percent. The document also revealed that 43 percent of the responders believe that justice-related inconsistencies are going to be solved over the next five years. 34 percent of the Romanians expect progress regarding the fight against corruption and 73 percent consider EU’s monitoring on justice matters still necessary until Romania reaches Western countries’ standards.
Former ministers to serve several years in prison
Two former ministers on trial in a renowned faulty privatization case have received prison terms sentences today. Former Economy Minister Codruţ Şereş received 4 years and 8 months in jail whilst the former IT Minister Zsolt Nagy is to serve 4 years. They have both been accused of involvement in a transnational organized crime group and treason by disclosing secrets regarding privatization of strategic companies in the power, oil or communication sectors. The sentences are final. Criminal investigation in this file started on March 2009.
Romania sentenced again by the ECHR regarding protraction of Revolution file
Romania has been sentenced again by the European Court of Human Rights for protracting the Romanian Revolution file and is bound to pay more than 830.000 euros to 81 people. The plaintiffs claimed that the authorities failed to conduct an efficient investigation regarding death circumstances of their relatives and ill-treatment that those persons or themselves had been subject to during the 1989 protests. The Romanian Government defended itself arguing that the Revolution file is a complex case underlying a sensitive political event occuring at a time when Romania was just coming out of 40 years of dictatorship and hadn’t yet ratified the European Convention on Human Rights. However, the ECHR judges ruled that the invoked political and social stake could not justify such a delay of the investigation and that the passage of time was only hindering the purpose and compromising the chances of a clear conclusion of the case.
Radio Romania International invites you to access its new Instagram profile
Radio Romania International (RRI) – the public radio’s station broadcasting abroad – invites you to check out its newly created Instagram profile starting January 24th which is ready to be accessed at the following address: http://instagram.com/radioromaniainternational. The online photo and video sharing platform gives the opportunity for its users to apply digital filters and share content on other social networks. RRI also has profiles on Facebook (in all broadcasting languages and dialects), Twitter, Google+ (in English and Romanian), Flickr, Pinterest şi LinkedIn (Romanian and English).
UNICEF welcomes the adoption of Romania’s National Strategy for Young People
UNICEF welcomes the adoption of Romania’s National Strategy for Young People for 2015-2020 approved by the Government on the Cabinet meeting of January 14th. UNICEF Romania has supported the research, development and consultation process that led to the adoption of the document. The strategy aims at supporting active involvement of teenagers and young people in Romania’s economic, social, cultural and political life ensuring equal chances to education and decent living conditions with particular bias towards youngsters who – for different reasons – tend to have less opportunities.
Romanians’ travel expenses – only 3 percent of all Europeans’
Romanian tourists spend almost 2 billion euros every year, according to data released by the Statistical Office of the European Union – EUROSTAT. Most of the amount is being spent inside the country whilst for their trips abroad Romanians allot around 350 million euros.
Romanian tourists’ expenses represent less than 3 percent of the total amount thrown in by Europeans. These are spending 410 billion euros on a yearly basis, with Germans and French accounting for half of the sum. EUROSTAT data also show that a European tourist spends an average of 350 euros whilst a Romanian only 130, the smallest expense in all Europe. Taking into account their destination, Romanians spend an average of 88 euros for inner tourism and 420 euros for international travels. Most tourists in the EU are between 25 and 55 years old.
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