January 14, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 14.01.2015, 19:42
The economic expansion of the bilateral strategic partnership, the progress of the justice reform and the fight against corruption in Romania have dominated talks in Bucharest between president Klaus Iohannis and the US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, Victoria Nuland. According to a release from the presidential office, Iohannis urged US business to come to Romania. He emphasised the need for legislative stability, predictability and transparency in the local business environment. Victoria Nuland also had talks on Wednesday with prime minister Victor Ponta and the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu. She previously visited Romania last year, when she said the US was profoundly interested in the constant development of the rule of law.
Romania’s prime minister Victor Ponta has received the British foreign secretary Philip Hammond, who is on an official visit to Romania. Talks focused on the consolidation and development of bilateral strategic ties, in particular in the economic, security and defence areas. The two officials also looked at the latest developments in the European Union and its neighbouring areas. Hammond’s visit to Bucharest forms part of the anniversary this year of 135 years of British-Romanian diplomatic relations.
The World Bank has estimated that Romania’s economy will grow by 2.9% in 2015, according to its Global Economic Prospects report published Wednesday. The Romanian economy is expected to grow by 3.2% in 2016 and 3.9% in 2017. At world level, the World Bank has revised its economic growth forecast down to 3% in 2015 and 3.3% in 2016. The World Bank has only increased its forecast economic growth rate for the US, from 3% in the latest June report, to 3.2%. The drop in crude oil prices, which is expected to be maintained in 2015, creates more opportunities for importing countries such as China and India, but affects exporting countries like Russia. The latter’s GDP will shrink by 2.9% this year and only grow by 0.1% next year, according to the World Bank report.
The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Romania has postponed until January 21st a ruling on the case regarding a report of incompatibility against president Klaus Iohannis issued by the National Integrity Agency while he was a mayor of Sibiu. The case reached the Court of Cassation and Justice as the Agency appealed the decision of a local court which ruled in favour of Iohannis. In April 2013, the National Integrity Agency said Iohannis was incompatible with the position of city mayor as he also acted as city representative in the shareholders’ meetings of two companies based in Sibiu. In another development, the Bucharest Tribunal has ruled that Romania’s first post-communist prime minister Petre Roman, currently an MP, can no longer appeal a National Integrity Agency report regarding his incompatibility between his MP seat and his status as a self-employed person. Under Romanian law, a person who has been declared incompatible will lose his or her public office and no longer have the right to hold public office for a period of three years.
The latest issue of Charlie Hebdo, with a caricature of Prophet Mohamed on the cover, came out on Wednesday, a week after the islamist attack on the head offices of the magazine, claimed by the Al Qaida movement in Yemen, which killed 12 people. The initial number of copies was 3 million, but it was increased to 5 million. Many newspapers in the world have reproduced the cover showing the prophet crying and holding a sign that reads “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie). The cover has already stirred discontent in the Muslim world, France Presse reports. Islamist organisations have warned that the publication of that drawing is seen as an offence and might fuel feelings of hate. They say such caricatures of Prophet Mohamed led to the attack on January 7th. The biggest French satirical paper, Le Canard Enchaine’ received threats on Wednesday. As a result, security measures were tightened and an investigation was started.
Talks continued in Chisinau on Wednesday on the formation of a new government coalition in the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian speaking population. According to the local media, the negotiations are dominated by tensions between the three pro-European parties that are part of the current government, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Democratic Party and the Liberal Party. In the parliamentary elections on the 30th of November, the three parties together won 55 seats of Parliament’s 101, but later disagreed over the distribution of key posts in the state. On Tuesday, the Liberal Democrats and the Democrats also held talks, which the Liberals did not attend, with the pro-Russian communist opposition. Last year, Moldova signed association and free trade agreements with the European Union, which it hopes to join in 2020.
Three Romanian tennis players, Andreea Mitu, Patricia Maria Ţig and Ana Bogdan are taking part in qualifying matches ahead of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. Five other Romanian players, including world no. 3 Simona Halep, as well as Irina Begu, Monica Niculescu, Alexandra Dulgheru and Sorana Cirstea go straight into the main draw. On Tuesday, Simona Halep, seeded first in the WTA tournament in Sydney, pulled out at the last moment with a stomach bug.
