September 1, 2017

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Newsroom, 01.09.2017, 13:41

PARLIAMENT — Parliament resumes its plenary sessions today after the summer recess. The main legislative priorities on the agenda are the amendments to the pension law, the laws on the judiciary and setting up the Sovereign Investment Fund. The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies must vote on draft laws pending from the previous session, on legislative initiatives and on the Government’s emergency orders.

CORRUPTION — The president of the National Health Insurance Authority, Marian Burcea, was arrested today by anticorruption prosecutors. Burcea is suspected of illegally reimbursing medical services. Another 13 people have been arrested in the same case. Burcea was sacked right after his arrest. Anticorruption prosecutors suspect the funds of the Bucharest Health Insurance Authority were embezzled by refunding sham medical services. Hundreds of false medical records were allegedly forged, involving several employees who enjoyed the protection of the institution and of the National Health Insurance Authority. On Thursday, prosecutors searched the headquarters of dozens of companies and institutions, as well as the homes of certain people in Bucharest. The fraud purportedly caused an estimated prejudice of 3 million euros.

ENESCU FESTIVAL — The George Enescu International Music Festival, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in Europe, kicks off on Saturday and will bring to Bucharest and other 7 cities in Romania over 3,000 of the world’s most acclaimed musicians. For three weeks, spectators will be able to attend some 80 concerts and events. This year’s honorary president of conductor Zubin Mehta, while the festival’s artistic director is another conductor, Vladimir Jurowski. Some of the concerts on the festival’s agenda will be broadcast live on Radio Romania’s culture and music channels. The opening concert will be George Enescu’s “Oedipus” Opera performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Vladimir Jurowski.

TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu, 57 WTA, has advanced to the third round in the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. In the second round Niculescu ousted another Romanian, Ana Bogdan, 108 WTA, after three sets. Niculescu will next play Jennifer Brady of the United States. The best performance for Monica Niculescu at the US Open was reaching the round of 16 in 2011. Niculescu is the only standing Romanian player in the competition, after Sorana Cirstea lost to Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Another three Romanians, including Simona Halep, were knocked out in the opening round. In the women’s doubles, Romania is represented by Sorana Cirstea, Irina Begu and Raluca Olaru, while Horia Tecau will be playing in the men’s doubles.

BASKETBALL — The city of Cluj-Napoca is playing host to matches counting towards Group C of the European Basketball Championships. Romania is playing alongside the defending champions Spain, Montenegro, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. On the competition’s first day Hungary will play Croatia, Spain will take on Montenegro while Romania will play the Czech Republic. The best four teams will advance to the round of 16, to be hosted by Turkey. The 2017 FIBA EUROBASKET final will be played in Istanbul on September 17.

FOOTBALL — Romania’s football squad is today playing Armenia at home in a match counting towards the 2018 World Cup preliminaries. On Monday Romanian will take on Montenegro away from home. With 6 points in 6 games, Romania still holds mathematical chances of qualifying. Poland is the unchallenged leader of Group E. For the first time in its history Romania has a foreign coach sitting on its bench, German Cristoph Daum, who is facing constant criticism from the media and football experts due to the subpar performances of the national team. (Translated by V. Palcu)