February 11, 2015 UPDATE

For a roundup of domestic and international events, click here.

Roxana Vasile, 11.02.2015, 12:15

VISIT – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is in Brussels, attending the summit of the European People’s Party and the informal meeting of the European Council on Thursday. On Tuesday the head of the Romanian state had an official meeting with French President Francois Hollande and representatives of the Romanian Diaspora.

INVESTMENTS – Romanian PM Victor Ponta is on a visit to the US to attract investors to Romania. The head of government on Wednesday met with Secretary of Trade Penny Pritzker. According to a Government release, the two officials agreed for an economic mission of the US Department of Trade to visit Romania in May. Ponta and Pritzker reviewed progress under the Plan of Bilateral Action for the improvement of the business environment in Romania. The two underscored the importance of consolidating economic cooperation under the Romanian-US Strategic Partnership. Before leaving the US, Ponta said he wanted to promote investment opportunities in Romania in as many fields as possible. The latest data from the National Bank shows that in 2013 American investments in Romania went down by 800 million Euros, and Americans are in the 13th place in terms of investments, with a total of one billion invested.

CORRUPTION — The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest on Wednesday ruled in favour of the pre-emptive 30-day arrest of former Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea. She had been placed under a temporary 24-hour arrest facing allegations of money laundering and influence peddling. Previously, the Chamber of Deputies greenlighted several requests to start criminal proceedings against her. A close friend of Traian Basescu, Udrea is considered one of the most influential politicians of the last ten years. Also on Wednesday, the Senate debated a request filed by anti-corruption prosecutors to start criminal proceedings against MPs Ion Ariton and Varujan Vosganian, both former Economy Ministers, facing corruption charges. Parliament is to vote on this issue on Thursday.

INVESTIGATION – The Institute for the Investigation of Communist-Era Crimes and the Memory of the Romanian Exile (IICCMER) on Wednesday announced that it had identified another three people suspected of communist-era crimes and abuse, namely a penitentiary commander, a political officer and a Securitate agent. The Institute claims that due to the insufficient amount of evidence, it has suspended investigation into 12 people on a list of 35 communist torturers. So far six criminal investigation are open, while another four torturers have died during the course of or prior to the beginning of the investigation.

MEETING — Heads of states making the so-called Normandy format, including Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine met in the Belarus capital Minsk on Wednesday, in a renewed attempt to find a solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Talks mainly focused on three points: withdrawing heavy weapons, creating a conflict-free zone and launching a permanent dialogue between Kiev and separatist rebels. The United States has come up with the idea of supplying sophisticated weapons to Ukraine in its struggle with pro-Russian rebels. However, some European countries, with Germany being the most vocal, have opposed such a measure. Diplomatic efforts to put an end to the conflict in the former Soviet republic continue against the backdrop of an upsurge in violence. Clashes between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the east have left more than 5,300 people dead.

DEFENCE — Defending citizens at national and international level is a top priority for Romania, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea said, upon attending a ceremony for the return of the Romanian troops from Afghanistan, a 24-strong group of officers and NCOs with the Interior Ministry. The Romanian official handed out decorations for the duration of the mission that ended in 2014. According to the Supreme Defence Council, in 2015 some 1,183 soldiers and police officers from Romania will be available to NATO, the UN and OSCE as part of their missions and operations.

PREMIERE – The only feature length film from Romania, Aferim by Radu Jude, in the Berlin International Film Festival, had its world premiere on Wednesday. The leading actor, Teodor Corban, was nominated for the Silver Bear Award. The film was made in collaboration with Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, and deals with Rroma slavery in the 1830s. One other Romanian film Why Me? premieres at the Berlin Festival, inspired by a real case involving high-level corruption.