Romania’s cabinet meeting
Romania’s centrist coalition government holds its weekly meeting at the government headquarters of Victoria Palace in the capital Bucharest on Wednesday. Talks were expected to include among other things issues related to projects concerning transport infrastructure of European interest and ways aimed at improving the existing poor standards, distribution of temporary aid mainly for animal farmers and the current status of the country’s national strategy of public procurement as part of the government’s reform programme.
Former Romanian PM before DNA
A former Romanian Prime Minister appeared before prosecutors at Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) on Wednesday. Currently the mayor of the Romanian Transylvanian town of Cluj-Napoca, Emil Boc attended a DNA hearing as a witness in a corruption-related case. „I was invited as a witness in connection with an alleged corruption file. I don’t know what is it all about”, Mr. Boc told reporters. However, sources say the case is related to illegal retrocessions ruled by the country’s National Authority for Property Restitution. Similar cases involved Cristian Poteraş, a former mayor of Sector 6 in the capital Bucharest, former MP Viorel Hrebenciuc and even an alleged Royal, Prince Paul of Romania, arrested for a short while in the Romanian central town of Braşov last year on charges involving 47 ha. of land in Snagov, north of the capital Bucharest. Mr. Boc is the third former PM expected to appear before the country’s anti-corruption watchdog after Adrian Năstase and Victor Ponta.
Former Romanian state adviser arrested
Prosecutors with Romania’s anti-corruption watchdog issued a 24-hour arrest warrant against Răzvan Murgeanu, a former state adviser turned businessman. The arrest of Mr. Murgeanu on Wednesday comes after the country’s DNA charged him with influence peddling, bribe and money laundring. Other two suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in the same case. The case also involves Valentin Stănescu, former department chief at the Bucharest Sector 5 City Hall, expected to answer similar bribe accusations.
Bulgaria’s exports to Romania on the rise
“Bulgaria’s exports to Romania hit a record-high of 1.893 billion euros in 2015,” Bronislav Denev, Commercial and Economic Department chief at the Embassy of Bulgaria to Romanian capital Bucharest, said on Wednesday. There was an increase in food, minerals, fuel, cars and plastics exports, the official added. „Our trade relations in 2015 grew by 8.35 percent when compared to the previous year while, on the other hand, imports grew slightly by 0.2 percent at around 1.786 billion euros. There was also a 4.1 percent increase in the number of Romanian tourists visiting Bulgaria”, Mr. Denev added in an interview with Bulgarian Focus Radio.
Alexandru Danga
