December 27, 2018

Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers celebrate St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Newsroom, 27.12.2018, 13:41

INDICTMENT – The former head of the National Health Insurance House, Lucian Duta, has been indicted by anti-graft prosecutors for bribe taking. According to a release of the anti-corruption directorate, between 2010 and 2012 Lucian Duta required and received, from the representatives of two software companies, a 10% commission of the value of every addendum to an existing contract or of a new contract signed by him as head of the National Health Insurance House, in total amount of 6,300,000 euros. Duta received the amounts in cash or through bank transfers in the accounts of an offshore company registered in the Antilles Islands, with accounts opened in Switzerland.

JUSTICE — The Romanian justice minister Tudorel Toader has announced he is today sending president Klaus Iohannis the formal request for the dismissal of Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar and the nominations for five leading positions with the General Prosecutor’s Office, which President Iohannis previously rejected on grounds of unconstitutionality. Toader initiated Augustin Lazar’s dismissal procedure in October, accusing him of professional and managerial errors. In his turn, Augustin Lazar took legal action against the justice ministry. The issue is to be judged by the High Court of Cassation and Justice. The opponents of the governing coalition claim that the dismissal of Augustin Lazar, which follows that of the former head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, is a form of political vendetta and an attempt to put an end to the anti-corruption fight. In November, the High Council of Magistracy gave a negative answer to the request for the revocation of Augustin Lazar.

BUSINESS – The Start Up Nation program is open for application as of today. This year, the programme will have a budget of 2 billion lei, enough to finance 10,000 projects. The main aim of the program is to stimulate the creation of SMEs, improving the efficacy of start-up companies and their access to financing. As a novelty compared to the 2017 edition of the program, higher scores will be awarded for those planning the acquisition of technological equipment and firms that will buy fixed assets and inventory items for playgrounds and gymnasiums, fitness, x-body studios, drones, or artificial sports grounds. The non-reimbursable financial grant of up to 43 thousand euros per applicant may represent 100 percent of the amount of eligible costs (including VAT for non-paying companies) related to the project. In the 2017 session about 8,600 business plans won the financing.

VISIT — Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu paid an official visit to Serbia on Wednesday, at the invitation of his counterpart, Ivica Dačić. Special attention was paid to the EU enlargement process that will be a priority of the EU Council Presidency to be taken over by Romania as of January 1st. Melescanu reaffirmed Romania’s support for Serbia’s European integration.

ST. STEPHEN — Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers in Romania are today celebrating St. Stephen, the first martyr who died for his Christian faith. He was contemporary with Jesus Christ’s apostles and, being accused of blasphemy by the Jewish priests, was killed with stones. Over 450 thousand Romanians celebrate their name day today. Roman-Catholic believers celebrated St. Stephen on December 26.

HANDBALL — Romania’s national men’s handball team is participating in the 4 Nations Cup alongside the teams of Poland, the Czech Republic and Japan. After January 1st Romania’s national team trained by Spanish Manuel Montoya and the former Romanian-born international handballer Eliodor Voica will go on a training camp to Slovakia and then they will participate in a tournament also involving the participation of the host country and the Netherlands. We remind you that the Romanian handballers failed to qualify to the World Championship due next month, which is organized by Germany and Denmark.

(Translated by Elena Enache)