CSAT meeting
Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) is meeting at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace in the capital Bucharest on Tuesday. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and CSAT members are expected to discuss issues concerning the security in the Black Sea while also assesing latest results of the Resolute Support, a NATO-led non-combat mission to train, advise and assist the National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) in Afghanistan. The Romaniaan president expressed his concerns about recent developments in the Black Sea region where Russia was accused of ramping up tensions. Refering to recent developments in eastern Ukraine, Mr. Iohannis said Romania was following events very closely.
Romania’s former strong man Liviu Dragnea may be released from prison
A court in Bucharest’s sector 5 is expected to rule its verdict on Tuesday concerning a release request put forward by Liviu Dragnea, former leader of the opposition left-wing Social Democratic Party (PSD). Mr. Dragnea is serving a sentence of three years and six months for having two of his party’s members paid by a state agency for fake jobs. A commission last Wednesday ruled in favour of Mr. Dragnea’s release on parole. The sector 5 court also admitted recently another appeal filed by Mr. Dragnea and forced the Rahova prison administration to take his working days into account. Liviu Dragnea wais also under investigation in a separate case for allegedly forming a criminal gang to siphon off cash from state projects. Mr. Dragnea maintained his innocence in the cases against him, saying the charges were politically motivated.
Romania coronaviirus updates
Romania reported 2019 new cooronaviirus cases on Tuesday, with 172 deaths (89 men, 83 women), and 1336 people under intensive care. In the capital Bucharest, the number of new cases hit 340, according to data issued by the country’s Strategic Communication Group (GCS). With its 125 cases reported, the north-western county of Clu is leader among other counties across the country. Cluj is followed by Bihor (north-western Romania) with 80 cases, Timiș (western Romania) with 72 cases, and Prahova (southern Romania) with 57 cases.
Alexandru Danga, RADOR
