April 13, 2018 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 13.04.2018, 19:39
PROSECUTION — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Friday sent the Justice Minister a formal request to allow the prosecution of the former president Ion Iliescu, the former prime minister Petre Roman and the former deputy prime minister Gelu Voican Voiculescu. The prosecutors office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice has also been notified about this request. The prosecution is connected to the Revolution case, which investigates the events that led to the collapse of the communist regime in December 1989. The three officials are accused of crimes against humanity. According to prosecutors, the armed incidents that took place in the aftermath of December 22 across Romania point to a pre-established plan aimed at taking over power and legitimizing the new leaders. Those targeted by the investigation say they are innocent. We recall that because of the delays in the Revolution case, Romania has received a conviction from the European Court of Human Rights. According to the Court, the importance of this case for Romanian society should motivate the authorities to prosecute swiftly.
DNA — Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis next week will announce his decision over the request to dismiss the chief-prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruta Kovesi. The President recently said his decision will take into account all the documents that he has been provided with by both parties. In February Justice Minister Tudorel Toader called for Kovesi’s dismissal, whom he accused of seriously overstepping the bounds of her authority. The Superior Council of Magistracy issued a negative opinion related to his request.
LE DRIAN — French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has cancelled his work visits scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Albania and Slovenia due to the crisis in Syria, authorities in Tirana in Ljubljana have announced. After his visit to Romania Le Drian visited Serbia, where he admitted his tour coincides with very delicate international developments.
UDREA — The High Court of Cassation and Justice on Friday ruled against the request filed by former minister Elena Udrea who asked to be deposed in court by video-conference or letters rogatory, in the Bute Gala case, as there is no evidence she was granted political refugee status in Costa Rica, as her lawyers claim. The Court was supposed to discuss on Friday the final hearing in the case in which the former regional development and tourism minister Elena Udrea was sentenced to 6 years in prison for bribe taking and abuse of office. She also had to pay almost 3 million euros in damages. In the same case, the former president of the Romanian Boxing Federation Rudel Obreja was sentenced to 5 years in prison, while the former economy minister Ion Ariton was acquitted. According to the National Anticorruption Directorate, Udrea coordinated a system through which persons in her entourage received, with her knowledge, sums of money from representatives of business companies to guarantee on-time payment of works financed by the ministry she was running. Udrea is also accused of causing ministry employees to overstep their duties during the acquisition of advertising services for the Bute Gala, causing losses to the ministrys budget. Elena Udrea is under investigation in a number of other cases prosecuted by the National Anticorruption Directorate.
HEALTHCARE — Trade unions in the healthcare sector will announce within a week whether protests will continue, waiting to see the effects of the promised made on Friday by Health Minister Sorina Pintea. According to the Romanian official, hospitals can use their own funds to give financial bonuses and stimulants to employees with slashed revenues. Last month healthcare unionists staged large protests in Bucharest, while this week they protested spontaneously in Bucharest and other cities, unhappy with the 30% cap on bonuses.
HANDBALL — The Romanian womens handball side SCM Craiova on Saturday face the Turkish side Kastamonu in a return match at home as part of the EHF Cup semifinals. Craiova won the first leg 23-22. If they make it to the final, it would be a first for the Romanian side, who are now at their second participation in the European cups. In more news from womens handball, the Romanian champions CSM Bucharest are playing the French side Metz away on Sunday as part of the Champions League quarterfinals. CSM won the first leg in Bucharest 34-21. We recall they won the Champions League title in 2016.
(Translated by C. Mateescu & V. Palcu)
