July 29, 2016 UPDATE
Romanians celebrated on Friday the National Anthem Day.
Leyla Cheamil, 29.07.2016, 12:15
CELEBRATION – Ceremonies were held on Friday in the capital Bucharest and several other Romanian cities to mark the Romanian Anthem Day, celebrated every year on July the 29th. The Romanian anthem, “Deşteaptă-te, române!” or “Awaken thee, Romanian!” in English was written by Romanian poet Andrei Mureşanu (1816-1863) and it was first performed during the European Revolution in 1848. It was banned during the Communist years in Romania until immediately after the country’s anti-Communist revolution in 1989.
PROSECUTION – The Liberal MP Ioan Oltean is prosecuted alongside the former head of the National Authority for Property Restitution Crinuta Dumitrean in a case of illegal damages paid for a bloc of land in the town of Pitesti. Prosecutors say that the damages to the state budget in this case stand at almost 100 million lei.
CORRUPTION — The deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu, was placed under 30-day home arrest on Friday. Olteanu was taken into custody on Thursday night for influence peddling. According to prosecutors, between July and November 2008, while serving as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Olteanu requested and received 1 million euro and election support from a business man, in exchange for appointing someone as governor of the Danube Delta. The same source mentions that the individual in question was appointed Danube Delta governor in September 2008. Olteanu’s lawyer has announced that on Monday his client will submit his resignation from the position of deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania. A Liberal since 1991, Bogdan Olteanu has been a deputy governor of Romania’s central bank since 2009. The National Bank explained in a news release that the investigation targets Bogdan Olteanu’s activity before he was appointed deputy governor.
UNEMPLOYMENT — The unemployment rate went down by 0.2% in July, to 568,000 people between 15 and 74 years of age currently jobless, the National Statistics Institute has announced. Unemployment among men is higher than the corresponding rate for women. People aged between 25 and 74 account for 78% of the total number of people on welfare in July.
ECONOMY –Fitch rating agency lowered its long-term local currency debt rating for the city of Bucharest from “BBB” to ”BBB-”, with stable outlook. According to the Agency, the changes take into account developments related to the country rating, because the rating for specific administrative units cannot be higher than the national one. Last week, Fitch adjusted Romania’s long-term local currency rating to the ”BBB-”, stable outlook rating for long-term foreign currency debt. Fitch also confirmed the ceiling for Romania’s country rating at ”BBB+”.
US ELECTION – Hillary Clinton has officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president of the US. The former state secretary became the first female presidential nominee, and her speech closed the Democratic Convention, launching Clinton’s direct race against her Republican opponent Donald Trump. During the Convention, the latter was subject to several attacks by key Democratic leaders, including President Barack Obama and vice-president Joe Biden. They accused Trump, a billionaire brought to public attention by a reality show, of demagogically posing as a defender of the middle class. Hillary Clinton has also criticised Trump, saying his vision divides the Americans. In her address at the Democratic Convention, Hillary Clinton emphasised her political experience, both as a senator and as a secretary of state, and approached all the topics of importance to American voters, from gun control to the need to revive the middle class.
TURKEY — The European Commissioner in charge with Turkey’s EU accession negotiations, Johannes Hahn, warned Ankara with respect to its treatment of suspects after the attempted coup. He said that suspicions of treatment in breach of human rights legislation would have consequences. Hahn mentioned that the migrant subsidy agreement with Turkey was in force, and the migration wave towards the EU had been reduced. After the failed coup of July 15, Turkish authorities proceeded to a crackdown on all those suspected of involvement. Many observers speak about cleansing, given the scope of the campaign initiated by the authorities: over 60.000 army, judiciary, police, administration and education personnel have so far been arrested, fired or suspended from office.
(Translated bu Elena Enache)
