February 5, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and world news
Newsroom, 05.02.2025, 19:48
Nordis. The Bucharest Court of Appeal accepted, on Wednesday, the DIICOT prosecutors’ proposal for the 30-day preventive detention of the former Social Democratic head of the Legal Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Laura Vicol and her husband, Vladimir Ciorbă, in the Nordis case. The decision is not final, but it is enforceable. Other people were also arrested in this case, and house arrest or judicial control was ordered for some. The prosecutors state that, in the period 2019-2024, the leaders of the group collected money from dozens of individuals or legal entities, as down payment for the purchase of some apartments and parking spaces, which did not get into the possession of the buyers. There were also cases in which the same apartment was sold to several customers, the investigators say. The prosecutors accuse the creation of an organized criminal group that allegedly embezzled more than 195 million euros. The money collected by the companies in the Nordis group would have been used for personal purposes. Other charges are money laundering, tax evasion, fraud with particularly serious consequences, bad faith determination of taxes, fees or contributions by the taxpayer. In the investigation, Ioana Băsescu, the eldest daughter of the former president, Traian Băsescu, and the former PSD deputy, Andreea Cosma, were also heard for their involvement in the Nordis case as notaries public.
Budget. The state budget for 2025 is under debate by the Romanian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, after it was approved, on February 1, by the ruling coalition government. The budget focuses on development, Finance Minister Tánczos Barna said, with record funds allotted to investments and with provisions for reducing public spending. The Romanian official gave details regarding the figures underlying this year’s budget: an economic growth rate of 2.5% and an average inflation rate of 4.4 percent. The main target of the government is to reduce the budget deficit to 7% of GDP, without taking into account, however, increases in taxes and duties.
Ambassadors. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu met on Wednesday with the ambassadors of the EU member states accredited to Bucharest. The meeting was hosted by the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Poland took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Hungary on January 1, 2025, for a period of six months, in a difficult geopolitical context, with European security, support for Ukraine and the consolidation of the economy as its top priorities.
Meeting. The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, on Tuesday, met in Bucharest with the European Commission Vice-President, Romanian Roxana Mînzatu. The two discussed the role of education in combating disinformation and manipulation, as well as strengthening the democratic resilience of European societies. Commissioner Mînzatu, who takes charge of Social Rights and Employment, highlighted the need for investments in basic skills, technical and vocational education.
Gas. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are preparing for Saturday, when they would disconnect from the Russian electricity grid, thus definitively severing their energy ties with Moscow, which date back to the Soviet era. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is expected in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, for a symbolic ceremony. Even though Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been part of the EU and NATO since 2004, preparations for integration into the European electricity network have stretched over several years, due to numerous technical and financial problems, as well as the need to diversify their supply sources. Disconnection from the Russian network became even more urgent after the invasion of Ukraine.
Proposal. Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have categorically dismissed the proposal of US President Donald Trump, made in a press conference at the White House alongside the Israeli Prime Minister, regarding the takeover of the Gaza Strip by the United States and the relocation of Palestinians to other areas in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has stated that it will not establish relations with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state. Also, the leadership of the Islamist group Hamas has said that the plan to relocate the population of Gaza would be a recipe for chaos and tensions in the region.
Halep. The tennis world has reacted following Romanian player Simona Halep’s announcement that she was retiring. Halep made the announcement on Tuesday evening in Cluj-Napoca (northwest), after losing in the first round of the Transylvania Open. The organizers of the Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament, which Halep won in 2018, conveyed a message on X: “Our 2018 champion, Simona Halep, has announced her retirement. We wish you all the best for the next chapter in your life, Simona”. The organizers of the Wimbledon tournament also commented on the Romanian’s announcement: “Our 2019 singles champion, @Simona_Halep, has ended her professional tennis career – we wish her all the best after her retirement”. (MI)
