August 24, 2018 UPDATE
Supreme Council of National Defense meeting on September 4, Eurofighter Typhoon intercepts Russian maritime patrol aircraft above the Black Sea
Newsroom, 24.08.2018, 19:46
Supreme Council of National Defense — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Friday that the government could have made a budget rectification in any domain without the approval of Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defense, except for the national security domain. The president’s statement comes after the government had previously warned that the president’s refusal to urgently summon a meeting of the country’s Supreme Council of National Defense for the approval of the budget rectification bill might endanger not only the revenues of the most vulnerable categories, namely pensioners, mothers and children, but also the patients’ access to medical services. President Iohannis called for a Supreme Council of National Defense meeting on September 4, the agenda including an analysis of the proposals for rectification of the budget of the state institutions with attributions in the national security field for 2018. The presidential administration explained that not all of the Council members agreed with the approval of the rectification proposals and that the Council’s secretariat observed the working procedures of the Council, set up under the organization and functioning law and regulations.
Investigation — Military prosecutors have ruled on a physical and chemical analysis of the irritating substances existing in the ammunition and recipients found at the Romanian Gendarmerie headquarters, in a case involving the gendarmes’ forceful intervention during the August 10 protest. In a communiqué of the General Prosecutor’s Office, more than 700 people assaulted by the gendarmes during the protest, submitted complaints until Friday. In another development, the leader of the Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, stated in a communiqué that there was no spiraling conflict fueled by the opposition through the National Liberal Party or the country’s president Klaus Iohannis, but that there was more of a spiral of lies and abuses engulfing the leader of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea, the PM Viorica Dancila, the interior minister Carmen Dan and all the others who ordered the reprisal of August 10 protest and the wounding of the people who participated in that anti-government protest. Orban’s statement comes in retort to PM Dancila’s declarations according to which there is a spiraling conflict created by those who were not able to win the elections and are now trying to gain power through other means, undemocratic means.
DNA — 6 prosecutors have signed up for the exam organized by the Justice Ministry to occupy the position of chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. Friday was the last day for candidacy submission. Between September 3 and 5 the selected candidates will have an interview with the justice minister Tudorel Toader. The results will be announced on September 6. The justice minister has previously rejected 4 candidacies. The position of chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate became vacant following the dismissal of Laura Codruta Kovesi through a decree issued by President Klaus Iohannis on July 9. Through the decree the president complied with a Constitutional Court decision. At first the president had rejected as ungrounded the proposal for dismissal forwarded by the justice minister, but he had to comply with the Constitutional Court’s decision which admitted the notification of minister Toader in that case. The activity of the DNA during Kovesi’s mandate was constantly appreciated in the EC’s reports on justice.
NATO — British fighter planes of the Royal Air Force, Eurofighter Typhoon, deployed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in Romania, in the southeast, on Thursday intercepted a Russian maritime patrol aircraft above the Black Sea, the UK Ministry of Defense announced on Friday, as quoted by Reuters. It is the second time this week when British planes which are part of the NATO air policing mission, were mobilized from Romania to intercept two Russian fighter planes near NATO’s air space above the Black Sea. Last week 6 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer bombers were intercepted above the Black Sea by British fighter planes deployed in Romania, which are meant to ensure the security of NATO’s air space.
European Court — The Justice Ministry announced on Friday that 16 people submitted their candidacy for being selected as judge representing Romania at the European Court of Justice. The selected candidates will have an interview between September 11 and 12 with a selection committee presided over by the justice minister. After the hearings, the committee will select the candidate who obtained the greatest number of points and will also make another two proposals. The proposals will be forwarded to the government for approval and the government will send to the EU Council the name of Romania’s candidate for the position of judge with the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Romanian judge will be appointed following the common agreement of the governments of the member states.
Kiev — Nicolae Nasta, a secretary of state with the Romanian Defense Ministry, accompanied by a 15-strong detachment of the 15th Mechanized Brigade “Podu Inalt” from Iasi (in eastern Romania) on Friday participated in Kiev in the ceremonies held on the occasion of the anniversary of 27 years since Ukraine obtained independence and 100 years since the setting up of the Ukrainian state. (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)
