Romania’s Foreign Ministry firmly condemns suicide attack in Istanbul that killed 10
Romania’s Foreign Ministry has firmly condemned the terrorist attack in a tourist hub in Istanbul today and has reiterated solidarity with the Turkish people. In a press release, the Romanian authorities expressed condolences towards the victims’ families and wished for a quick recovery of those wounded in the explosion. Ten people have died, most of them German tourists and 15 other persons have been wounded by a powerful explosion produced this morning. The author of the suicide attack was identified as being a Syrian national. No information has been received so far reagrding Romanian nationals involved in the Istanbul attack, but the General Consulate is making emergency inquiries with local authorities in this regard, Radio Romania reported.
Pakistani Reza Baqir is the new IMF Mission Chief to Romania
The Pakistani Reza Baqir is the new IMF Mission Chief to Romania. He replaces Andrea Schaechter who has ended her assignment after two and a half years, as per usual IMF career rotation policies. He is visiting Bucharest starting today until January 15 to be introduced to the Romanian authorities.
Mr. Baqir has served at the IMF for fifteen years. Prior to this appointment, Reza Baqir served as Chief of the IMF’s Debt Policy Division for four years in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department. He helped design debt and fiscal policies in several crisis-affected countries including Cyprus, Ghana, Greece, Jamaica, Portugal and Ukraine. His previous positions include Deputy Chief of the IMF’s Emerging Markets Division and IMF Resident Representative to the Philippines.
Romania’s latest agreement with the IMF finished in September 2015 following several failed attempts to reconcile divergent positions of Romanian authorities and representatives of international creditors regarding fiscal relaxation measures promoted by the Cabinet in Bucharest.
The Romanian Government pays closer attention to the case of Bodnariu family in Norway
Prime Minister Dacian Cioloş has discussed today with Romania’s Ambassador to Oslo, Adrian Davidoiu, the case of a mixed family whose children were taken from their parents by the Norwegian Child Welfare Services, on charges of physical violence. Representatives of the Cabinet have also contacted Norway’s Ambassador to Bucharest to try to obtain more information regarding this case.
Two months after the Romanian authorities requested a meeting with the Norwegian minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, he is going to meet the Romanian ambassador Adrian Davidoiu tomorrow in Oslo – according to the Cabinet spokesperson Dan Suciu who also added that PM Dacian Cioloş has called on Norwegian authorities to perceive the sensitive aspects of the case induced upon the Romanian and international public opinion.
Dan Suciu: The Romanian side understands the nature of the ongoing investigations conducted by the Norwegian side in compliance with their legislation, but we also hope to be readily informed with the evolution and the Prime Minister is going to personally keep track of the developments in this case. We are also going through the proper channels to help elucidate this situation.
The Child Welfare Service of Norway, a totally autonomous body from the central Norwegian Government, has decided to take the five children of Marius Bodnariu, a Romanian citizen and his wife Ruth Bodnariu, a Norwegian citizen, on charges of physical discipline applied to their children admitted by the family as „spanking”. Several rallies of support have been organized over the last few days for the Bodnarius in front of Norwegian embassies in the USA, Canada, Ireland, Spain, the UK, Denmark and several cities in Romania.
New Memorandum of Understanding between Government of Romania and the World Bank
The World Bank is going to assist public institutions in Romania on a technical basis until 2023 and will support the Executive’s agenda for structural reforms and streamlining projects for the public administration. A new Memorandum of Understanding was signed yesterday evening in Bucharest between the Government of Romania and the World Bank which stipulates an extension of this technical assistance to all European structural and investment funds.
Over the last five years, local and national authorities in Romania have benefited from the WB’s expertise and worldwide knowledge through the Country Partnership Strategy, according to a statement made at Victoria Palace by World Bank’s Europe and Central Asia Vice President, Cyril Muller. Romania now benefits from the largest programme of this kind within the World Bank with signirficant results in key sectors, Radio Romania reported.
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