8 December 2016, UPDATE

Romanian foreign minister Lazar Comanescu attends OSCE Ministerial Council meeting to mark end of German rotating presidency./ National Council for Validation of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates dismisses plagiarism allegations against anti-co

Newsroom, 08.12.2016, 12:15

EU. The EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council meets in Brussels for
talks over ways of combating EU budget frauds, a strategy for the single
digital market, the reform of the common European asylum system and the fight
against terrorism. The previous Council meeting was held on November 18th
and discussed, among others, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. At the time, the European
Commission presented a proposal that would allow advance checks and even deny
entry to visa-exempt travellers. EU justice and interior ministers have asked
experts to start examining the Commission’s proposal, which they believe will
help strengthen the EU’s security and border control policy.

Plagiarism. Romania’s National Council for the Validation of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates on Thursday dismissed allegations that the head of the
National Anti-corruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi plagiarised in her
doctoral thesis. The Council established there were no serious irregularities
about her thesis and proposed that Kovesi should maintain her doctoral title.
The allegation of plagiarism was made by a non-governmental organisation. In
mid-November, the Ethics Committee of Timisoara’s West University said 564
lines of Kovesi’s doctoral thesis were similar with other sources. Experts say
the notification regarding plagiarism in this case is partly justified and
grounded. Kovesi is one of many public figures in Romania, including
politicians and senior officials, to be accused of plagiarism.

OSCE. The Romanian Foreign
Minister Lazar Comanescu is attending the 13th OSCE Ministerial
Council Meeting in Hamburg. This is the main annual event bringing together
foreign ministers and high-ranking officials from the 57 participating countries and representatives of OSCE
partners. According to the Romanian foreign ministry, the Hamburg meeting is
taking place amidst a complex political environment characterised by major
challenges to regional security and stability, the lack of progress in settling
prolonged conflicts, the intensification of terrorist threats in the OSCE area
and the deterioration of the refugee crisis. The participants are addressing
three key areas: political and military, economic and environmental and
humanitarian. The meeting in Hamburg marks the end of the German presidency of
the OSCE, which will be taken over by Austria in 2017.

Communism. The Institute for the Investigation of
Communist Crimes and the Memory of Romanian Exile will be able to organise
museum, remembrance and exhibition activities in Romania and abroad, following
a decision by the technocratic government in Bucharest on Thursday. The
government said the Institute would manage national databases regarding the
history of communism in Romania, monuments and memorial sites, anti-communist
fighters and the victims of communism. The communist system collapsed in
Romania in December 1989.

Italy. Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella begins talks to form a new
government following the resignation of prime minister Matteo Renzi. According
to France Presse news agency, the options are maintaining a Democrat government
until 2018 when parliamentary elections are due or calling early elections, as
requested by the opposition. Opinion polls indicate that the populist and
anti-European Five Star Movement party has a chance to become the largest party
in Parliament. Radio Romania’s correspondent in Italy tells us that mainstream
political parties are trying to block the populists’ access to power, including
by changing electoral rules. Matteo Renzi has resigned after the Italian voters
rejected in a referendum his proposal to reform the constitution.

Handball. The Romanian women’s
handball side on Wednesday night secured a
22-17 win against Olympic champions Russia in their second D group match at the
European Championship underway in Sweden. Romania, who lost their first game
21-23 to defending European and World champions Norway, will be taking on
Croatia on Friday in a match that will decide their qualification for the main
round. Romania have a Spanish coach, Ambros Martin, who last month replaced the
German coach Tomas Ryde, who was at the helm when Romania won the bronze medal
at last year’s World Championship in Denmark.