Romania”s Orban Government II under hearings
Romania’s parliament is expected to conduct pre-appointment hearings with candidates for Cabinet positions in the so-called Orban Government II. The hearings are scheduled next week with a joint parliament session expected on February 24. Prime Minister Designate Ludovic Orban told reporters the procedure was moving slowly as the parliament’s Permanent Bureaux involved a majority of the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) wishing to delay the process. PSD also expects a ruling of the country’s Constitutional Court as Social-Democrats claimed an alleged judicial conflict of constitutional nature after Romanian President Klaus Iohannis reiterated his nomination of Mr. Orban as Prime Minister.
Appeal of a former PSD leader delayed
A Bucharest Court has delayed an appeal request by a former leader of Romania’s left-wing Social Democratic Party (PSD). Liviu Dragnea, the former PSD leader, submitted a complaint against his 3,6 years jail convinction for abuse of office.The former head of the PSD has been jailed for corruption after his attempts to appeal an earlier conviction failed. The current appeal was delayed following a request by Mr. Dragnea’s lawyers due to health reasons. Mr Dragnea was widely viewed as the most powerful figure in Romanian politics though he was barred from becoming prime minister because of a 2016 conviction for vote-rigging.
Roxen, Romania”s choice for 2020 Eurovision Song Contest
A singer from the Transylvanian town of Cluj-Napoca became Romania’s choice for the 2020 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest due in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. Born in Cluj-Napoca as Larisa Roxana Giurgiu, Roxen, aged 20, is one of the young stars at music label Global Records. She became the country’s Eurovision representative following a songwriting contest organised by the country’s public broadcaster TVR in co-operation Global Records. Roxen is the 3rd most-played artist on Romanian radio and has 2 songs in the radio charts: You Don’t Love Me (which has 8 million views on YouTube) and Ce-ţi Cântă Dragostea.
Alexandru Danga, RADOR
