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UPDATE Head of educational group in Romania taken from home over extradition request from Erdogan authorities / Extradition rejected

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:46:00 GMT

The president of an educational group in Romania was retained at his home on Tuesday morning based on an extradition request from the authorities of the Erdogan regime. Fatih Gursoy, the Turkish-origin head of the Lumina educational group, is due to hear a decision of Romanian judges on the extradition request, according to a Lumina press release.

UPDATE Romanian judges decided later on Tuesday to reject the extradition request.

Romanian business people withdraw distraint on air traffic authority Romatsa

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:44:42 GMT

The Romanian business people known as the Micula Brothers, who have won a case against Romania at the International Court of Arbitration, have withdrawn the distraint applied to air traffic authority Romatsa as part of their efforts to recover the debt the Romanian state holds towards them. The announcement was made by PM Ludovic Orban in statements for HotNews.ro on Tuesday.

EU Court rejects Romanian ex-leader Liviu Dragnea's request to annul prison sentence

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:42:19 GMT

The EU Court has rejected a court action by Romania's former leader Liviu Dragnea, now in jail, by which he attempt to obtained the annulment of the prison sentence in a corruption case, according to news agency Mediafax.

Romania's doctors deficit: Over 400 towns have no family doctors, more than 1,000 lack the necessary number

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 14:06:41 GMT

Some 424 towns across Romania have no family doctor and 1,098 towns have not enough family doctors for their population, the national federation of family doctors has announced.

Romania readies for extended holiday season

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 14:04:12 GMT

Romania's government has decided to expand the Christmas and New Year holidays for state employees so that they include the dates of December 27 and January 3. The decision was announced on Friday morning.

Romania's president sees long term for new PM, casts shadow on Ambassador to US, other officials

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 13:34:00 GMT

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Friday that PM Ludovic Orban - head of the Liberal party that supported him in the recent presidential elections - would keep office for a long while, even in the case of early elections.

UPDATE Teacher of Turkish origin retained in Bucharest on extradition warrant issued by Erdogan regime / Court rejects extradition request

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 11:02:00 GMT

A teacher of Turkish origin teaching English at a Bucharest high school was retained by Romanian police based on an extradition warrant issued by the Turkish authorities, the high school announced in a press release. An extradition is only possible, however, if a Romanian judge approves it.

UPDATE The Bucharest Court of Appeals rejected the extradition of the Turkish teacher later on Wednesday.

OMV Petrom interested in Bulgarian Black Sea gas

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 13:58:59 GMT

Romanian oil major OMV Petrom eyes the takeover of the stake held by OMV Offshore Bulgaria GmbH in the Han Asparuh exploration field in Bulgaria, by buying the stake from OMV Exploration&Production GmbH. THe company says certain conditions have to be met before the conclusion of the deal, which is expected to take place before mid-2020.

Romania's 2020 budget bill based on prospects of 4.1% economic growth, 3.58% deficit

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 13:57:03 GMT

Romania's Finance Ministry published the budget bill for 2020 on Tuesday. It is based on prospects of 4.1% economic growth with an average yearly growth of 4.1% for 2021-2023, considerably higher than European averages.

Romanian president Iohannis considers naming Holocaust Museum manager as Ambassador to Israel

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 13:55:33 GMT

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Tuesday he planned to "promote" Radu Ioanid, the manager of the archives division at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, as Ambassador to Israel.

New US Ambassador to Romania Adrian Zuckerman to be received by President Iohannis

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 17:26:09 GMT

The new US Ambassador to Bucharest Adrian Zuckerman takes over his office officially on Tuesday when he will be received by President Klaus Iohannis to submit his letter of credence. Zuckerman, a lawyer of Romanian origin, is fluent in Romanian.

UPDATE Romania govt. to take responsibility before Parliament for 2020 budget bill

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:43:00 GMT

The Liberal Government would take responsibility before the Parliament for the 2020 budget law, in a procedure expected to take place on December 23, according to Liberal sources. This comes as PM Ludovic Orban had said the government would pick this option in case the budget bill risked postponement.

UPDATE PM Orban announced officially on Monday afternoon that indeed his Government would take responsibility for the budget bill before the Parliament on December 23.

First sentences in Colectiv fire disaster case - prison for ex-mayor, club owners

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:31:45 GMT

A former mayor and the owners of Bucharest night club Colectiv were sentenced to prison on Monday in the case of the Colectiv fire disaster in 2015, in which dozens revelers died and hundreds of others suffered injuries. These are the first sentences in the case, which was mainly linked to widespread corruption.

European Parliament to issue its first resolution on the topic of Romania's anti-Communist revolution

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:17:53 GMT

The day marking 30 years since the Romanian revolution against dictator Nicolae Ceausescu started, the European Parliament debates in Strasbourg on Monday a resolution on the event that changed the fate of Romania. It is the first official standing of the European institution on the topic of Romania's revolution. In Bucharest, the Parliament also convenes in a solemn session to be attended by President Klaus Iohannis.

Former presidential candidate Cumpanasu faces fraud inquiry over education claims

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:08:08 GMT

The head of an NGO with strong ties to state structures, who also ran in Romania's presidential elections this year, has been placed under inquiry by anti-corruption prosecutors (DNA) over alleged lies in his resume, which amounts to fraud, judicial sources told news agency Mediafax.

Former police intelligence boss, a fan of ayahuasca "tea", arrested in case of massive use of high risk drugs

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:07:04 GMT

A former head of an intelligence department of Romania's Interior Ministry, his partner and a British citizens have been retained for 30 days in a drug trafficking case, judicial sources have told news agency Mediafax. Gelu Oltean, former head of DIPI, a section that used to answer to the Ministry before its restructuring several years ago, is also facing a separate inquiry by anti-graft prosecutors.

Romanian PM announces third budget correction for the year, despite only two allowed

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 10:35:07 GMT

Liberal PM Ludovic Orban, who has taken over from the Social Democratic government last month, announced in a blitz government session on Friday morning that a new budget correction would be applied on Monday. It is aimed to refuel the reserve fund of the government for payments to local authorities.

Hearings in major corruption inquiry expand to former Social Democratic ministers

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 10:32:08 GMT

An inquiry into an alleged bribery case affecting several MPs of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) expanded on Friday with hearings involving former ministers of the same party, including ex-deputy PM Mihai Fifor.

Romanian Govt sets fiscal and budget strategy for 2020-2022. Key points

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 15:01:00 GMT

Romania's new Liberal government led by Ludovic Orban has adopted a fiscal and budget strategy for 2020-2022, accompanying the state budget for next year. Here are key points of the strategy.

Top Romanian politicians who served prison sentences have been stripped of state honours

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 07:25:42 GMT

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis caused a stir this week with a decision to strip top personalities who have received prison sentences of their state honours. This comes after one of these personalities, in his capacity of recipient of a state order, showed up at a reception thrown by the Presidency for the National Day on December 1.