Romanian president to chair Cabinet meeting
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is expected to chair the country’s Cabinet meeting at the Victoria Palace in the capital Bucharest on Wednesday. The constitution allows the president to attend Cabinet meetings when issues of national interest are under debate. Wednesday’s agenda is supposed to includs debates on a draft law designed to pardon or decriminalise a number of crimes currently mentioned in the Penal Code, according to public sources. It is the first time when President Iohannis attends a Cabinet meeting. The president told reporters that previous talks with Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu on different issues were ‘serious and consensual’.
IMF delegation on a visit to Bucharest
A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) starts a one-week visit to the capital Bucharest on Wednesday. Delegation chief Reza Baqir and IMF officers are expected to meet officials of Romania’s newly elected government for the first time. Mr. Baqir’s agenda also includes meetings with Finance Ministry and National Bank officials, the Cabinet chief and other ministers in the economic sector. Romanian officials repeatedly pointed out that Romania didn’t need IMF money as the IMF trip was a ‘courtesy visit’. Pakistan-born Reza Baqir is a graduate of Berkeley Uniersity in California, US and he is working with the IMF since 2000. Mr. Bakir is replacing Andrea Schaechter, head of the IMF Delegation for Romania since 2013.
Former Romanian president at Prosecutor General’s Office
Former Romanian President Traian Băsescu appeared as a witness before officials at Romania’s Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday. He was questioned about information unvailed by Sebastian Ghiţă, a former MP, at his Romania TV channel. A dialogue between Mr Băsescu and another person two weeks ago made prosecutors to summon the former president for questioning. The former president told reporters that he never interfered in a probe or other judiciary issues. Sebastian Ghiţă is under investigation on corruption-related charges. Romanian Police issued an international arrest warrant on his name as Mr. Ghiţă is currently missing.
Romanian actor Ion Besoiu dies at 85
Romanian hugely acclaimed actor Ion Besoiu has died at the CC Iliescu Institute in the capital Bucharest on Wednesday. He was 85.
Born in the cetral Transylvanian town of Sibiu on March 11, 1931, Ion Besoiu started his career as actor of the Radu Stanca Theatre in the city. He moved to Bucharest where he joind the team of the Bulandra Theatre in the capital before becoming its director for 12 years. He became known as a stage actor in such plays as Theckov’s „The Cherry Orchard”, „The Seagull” and „Three Sisters”, Shakespeare’s „Hamlet” (as King Claudius), „Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Brecht’s „Mutter Courage”.
But Ion Besoiu remains best known as a film actor with more than 80 films. He became famous as the captain of the „Speranţa” boat in Mircea Mureşan’s TV series ff „All Veils Up!” (1976).
Alexandru Danga/adanga
