June 4, 2015 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 04.06.2015, 12:15
The resolution of the prolonged conflict in the Republic of Moldova remains a major priority for Romania, said Thursday the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. He said the involvement of the US and the EU in settling the situation in the pro-Russian break away region of Transdniester (in the east) is a guarantee for transparency and for the legitimacy of a long-standing solution, based on the respect of the Republic of Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Also on Thursday the Romanian foreign minister, Bogdan Aurescu, labeled as “profoundly ridiculous” the information aired by a Russian TV station according to which Romania is considering a military intervention in the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transdniester, inhabited by a majority Romanian speaking population. Minister Aurescu has once again pleaded for the peaceful settling of the Transdniester conflict and warned that the presence of foreign troops and weaponry on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, without the explicit approval of the host state, is absolutely unacceptable and runs counter to the international law principles. Transdniester went out, de facto, of Chisinau’s control in 1992 after an armed conflict that left behind hundreds of dead and that was ended by the Russian troops’ intervention on the side of the separatists. The Russian troops are still stationed in the region although Moscow pledged to withdraw them at the 1999 OSCE summit in Istanbul.
The Romanian defense minister, Mircea Dusa, on Thursday said the Ukrainian crisis had to be solved through dialogue. After talks in Bucharest with his German counterpart, Ursula von der Leyen, Dusa underscored that the reassurance measures on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU, set at the latest NATO summit, are aimed at a permanent military presence in the region. In turn, minister von der Leyen pointed out that Berlin has “major concerns” related to the effects of the Kremlin’s policy in Ukraine and underlined the strategic importance of the Black Sea area. The German defense minister on Thursday also met with the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis and the PM Victor Ponta.
The Draft Fiscal Code has to be significantly revised if it passes in the form promoted by the Romanian government, said Thursday the IMF expert Guillermo Tolosa at a financial conference held in Bucharest. He believes that cutting expenses in order make up for the measures of fiscal relaxation will not be enough. Tolosa believes that in 2015 the targeted economic indicators will be reached but incomes will be affected in 2016. At the same conference the PM Victor Ponta reiterated that Romania’s economic situation is very good now and economic growth, based on exports and the industrial production, is sustainable. In turn, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isarescu, said that Romania has a lot more to do in order to join the euro zone. He said the authorities should focus on structural reforms and on avoiding mistakes in drafting the economic policies, because they generate tough and long-term corrections. The conference, which is held for the 2nd consecutive year in Bucharest, gathered more than 300 participants from Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Albania and Montenegro.
Solomon Wigler, a personal advisor to the Bucharest mayor, Sorin Oprescu was arrested on Thursday pending trial, being charged with recurrent influence peddling. He was apprehended while receiving bribe worth 25,000 euros. According to the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Wigler repeatedly claimed a total amount of 230,000 euros of which he received more than 200,000 in installments. In exchange he promised to intervene for the approval of zonal urban plans needed for the construction of 3 supermarkets in Bucharest. Also on Thursday the National Anti-Corruption Directorate announced the Liberal MP Ioan Oltean is being prosecuted for influence peddling.
Romania’s national football team maintains its 12th position with 1,115 points in the classification of the International Federation of Association Football made public on Thursday. Romania has been on 12th position since April, this being the best position of the past years. Its adversaries in the preliminary group of next year’s European Championship are placed on inferior positions. Northern Ireland, which Romania will meet on June 13th, in Belfast, is ranked 44th. Greece is now on 25th position, Hungary is up one place being on 42nd position, Finland remains on 78th position while the team of the Faeroes Islands also remains on 102nd position. After 4 wins and a draw Romania is the group leader with 13 points being followed by Northern Ireland with 12 points.
