October 7, 2014 UPDATE

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România Internațional, 07.10.2014, 12:15

6 people, among whom a senator and a former minister of communications, were sentenced to prison on Tuesday following the final ruling of the Bucharest Court of Appeal in one of the most resounding files in post Communist Romania. Senator Sorin Rosca Stanescu, known for his activity as a journalist, was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in prison for using privileged information and setting up an organized crime group while the ex-minister Sorin Pantis, who is already serving a sentence for involvement in a corruption file, has received 2 years and 8 months for being an accomplice in manipulating the capital market and setting up an organized crime group. Another 5 people have received suspended sentences or have been acquitted. The controversial businessman Dinu Patriciu, for whom prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 20 years in prison, died in August in a London clinic. In the file he was accused of having dilapidated 85 million dollars between 1999- 2001 that should have reached the state budget and that in 2004 he manipulated the sale of shares on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

Representatives of Petrotel oil refinery in Ploiesti, southern Romania, owned by Russian giant Lukoil, announced that the plant’s installations would start working on Tuesday as usual. The plant ceased production on Friday after the company’s accounts had been frozen by Romanian prosecutors investigating a tax evasion and money laundering case. The prejudice to the Romanian allegedly stands 230 million euros, out of which 112 million euros in tax evasion and the rest in money laundering. The company is contesting the measure of freezing its accounts and pointed out that freezing the activity of a production unit will automatically affect the entire production process of Lukoil Romania, a company, which has been operating in Romania for 15 years now. The Russian giant holds a network of roughly 300 petrol stations around Romania, which accounts for 20% of Romania’s fuel market.

The IMF has revised upwards, from 2.2 to 2.4%, the estimates regarding Romania’s GDP growth in 2014, shows the World Economic Outlook report made public on Tuesday. In another development, in an autumn forecast, the IMF left unchanged the estimates for 2015 when Romania is expected to have a GDP growth of 2.5%. We recall that the Romanian authorities expect a 2.8% GDP growth in 2014.

Trade unionists from the Cartel Alfa Trade Union Confederation on Tuesday protested in front of the government building in Bucharest to ask for amendments to the Law of Social Dialogue. Protest actions started on September 29th, when trade unionists began picketing the Labour Ministry in Bucharest, calling for amendments to four chapters in the law, namely representation and the universal enforcement of the collective labour agreement, the introduction of a unique labour contract nationwide, the right to labour conflicts and to minimal protection for trade union representatives. According to trade union sources protest actions are to be carried on until mid-October.

Tens of Kurdish protesters on Tuesday forced entry into the European Parliament building in Brussels discontent with what they call the passive attitude shown by the EU towards the offensive of the Islamic State group. Also on Tuesday the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said a military ground operation against the Islamic State Jihadists was necessary. In the meantime the Jihadists continue their offensive in the Kurdish region north of Syria, near the border with Turkey, despite the air strikes launched by the US-led coalition.

The European Parliament on Tuesday ended the hearing of the candidates for the positions of European commissioner. Jonathan Hill of Britain, who is to become the European Commissioner for Financial Stability and regulation will be heard for the second time, as he failed to convince the MEPs from the relevant committee last week. The culture committee rejected the candidacy of Hungarian Tibor Navracsics as he also didn’t manage to convince that he was distancing himself from some controversial measures in the fields of justice and the media taken by the Hunmgarian governemnt led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Designated for the regional policy portfolio, Romanian Corina Cretu last week got the green light from the European Parliament’s relevant committee.

Japanese researchers Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano and American Shuji Nakamura on Tuesday were awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics. The Nobel Committee has rewarded the three scientists for the invention of the LED lamps, by means of which a significant amount of energy could be saved. Yesterday, the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences equally granted the Nobel Prize in Medicine to John OKeefe (USA-Great Britain) and the Norwegians May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser, for their research in the field of neurology. The Nobel week continues tomorrow, with the Prize in Chemistry. On Thursday, the Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced, while the most eagerly-awaited award, the Peace Prize, is to be made public on Friday. The Nobel Prize in Economy is to be granted on Monday, October 13. Laureates will each receive a gold medal and prize money standing at around 1 point 1 million dollars. The official awarding ceremony is scheduled for December 10.