Romania

BUCHAREST Romania’s Chamber of Deputies approved with 103 votes in favor, none against and no abstention, the setting up of a committee to investigate how tourism minister Elena Udrea spent public money, the Romanian Mediafax informs. The committee will be made up of deputies of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), …

BUCHAREST, Romania Parliament decided late on Monday (July 27th) to strip former Youth and Sports Minister Monica Iacob Ridzi of her immunity from prosecution. The vote by the Chamber of Deputies clears the way for the launch of a criminal investigation against Ridzi, who is suspected of embezzling public funds. …

BUCHAREST, Romania An earthquake registering 4.4 on the Richter scale shook the region of Vrancea in eastern Romania late on Friday (July 24th). It was also felt in Bucharest.Meanwhile, several minor earthquakes, with a magnitude of about 4.0 were registered in Macedonia’s region of Valandovo on Friday and Saturday.

BUCHAREST Romania received the first part worth EUR1.5 billion of the loan from the European Commission. Romanian authorities signed an agreement for supporting a program with funds from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission, World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

BUCHAREST, Romania Prosecutor-General Laura Codruta Kovesi and the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) on Thursday (July 23rd) requested that former Youth and Sports Minister Monica Iacob Ridzi lose her immunity, which would clear the way for a criminal investigation against her.

Romania has taken a number of welcome steps since the European Commission’s 2008 report to re-launch the reform process and a “new momentum” had been established which has resulted in a series of positive steps, the EC said in its July 22 report on the country’s performance under the Co-operation …

BUCHAREST, Romania The Supreme Court decided on Friday (July 17th) to suspend the trial of former Transport Minister Miron Mitrea on corruption charges, local media reported. Mitrea is accused of having taken bribes when he was in the minister position worth almost 200,000 euros between 2000 and 2004, to appoint …

BAILE TUSNAD Romanian President Traian Basescu was treated to boos and hisses as he spoke during an open university event organized for his country’s ethnic Hungarians. Those gathered in the town of Baile Tusnad reacted negatively to his statement that Romania is a national, united, sovereign and independent state.

BUCHAREST Foreign ministers of Romania, Serbia and Hungary will gather on Saturday for the fourth ministerial meeting in Timisoara in western Romania. The meeting will be attended by Romanian Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Hungarian Foreign Minister Balazs Peter.

Romania, which received a 20 billion-euro ($28 billion) bailout led by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, got a further $423 million loan from the World Bank to weather the financial crisis.