Wednesday, April 6th

Romanian Parliament’s speaker on a visit to Bulgaria

The Speaker of the Romanian Parliament’s lower house is in neighbouring Bulgaria for an official visit on Monday. Valeriu Zgonea, speaker of Romania’s House of Deputies, is expected to meet Bulgarian counterpart Tsetska Tsacheva, Chairperson of Bulgaria’s National Assembly. After a wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier in the capital Sofia, Mr. Zgonea and Ms. Tsacheva will sign a co-operation memorandum.The event comes before a meeting of Mr. Zgonea with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev. Participants in the meetings will also include Angel Naidenov, head of the Bulgaria-Romania Friendship Group, along with such MPs as Valentin Nikolov, Desislava Atanasova and Filip Popov,

DNA chief Laura Codruţa Kõvesi subject to intimidation

The head of Romania’s anti-corruption watchdog confirmed for Radio Romania that she has been the target of intimidation attempts. However, Ms. Laura Codruţa Kõvesi, chief prosecutor of the country’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), said that such attempts failed. First reports on the incident were made public by RISE Project Romania, a local NGO of journalists, activists, programmers and graphic designers, late on Tuesday. According to RISE journalists, agents of the Israeli intelligence service put Ms. Kõvesi under surveillance following her enquiry into the case of four Israeli agents of a private investigation agency put under preventive arrest last month.

Raids by DIICOT prosecutors in Romania’s Caraş-Severin county

Prosecutors with Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism  (DIICOT)  conducted searches at 16 homes in the Romanian south-western county of Caraş-Severin on Wednesday. The move is part of an investigation in a file concerning corruption-related crimes including fraud and embezzlement. Managers of the Hercules S.A., a company in charge of the hotels in the resort of Băile Herculane, illegally sold seven hotels along with the resort’s Casino and Military Sanatorium, according to DIICOT allegations. Iosif Armaş, head of S.A. Hercules’ managing board, along with company’s executives and other 19 suspects are accused of establishing a criminal group
in an attempt to fraudulently earn illegal gains from such sales. Damages may hit Ron 123 million.

Monica Ghiurco may become new TVR head

The managing board of Romania’s state television, TVR, decided to recommend Monica Ghiurco as new head of the institution. The nomination of Ms. Ghiurco received seven votes against six votes to her rival Irina Radu, former acting head of the institution. Monica Ghiurco is expected to attend a joint session of the Committees for Cultural Affairs in both chambers of the Romanian Parliament for hearings before her candidacy could be approved in Parliament. Born on November 30, 1973 in the Romanian Transylvanian town of Dej and a graduate of Bábes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Monica Ghiurco is working with the TVR since 2002 after a short stay at Antena 1 private television.
Alexandru Danga

Romanian Parliament’s speaker on a visit to Bulgaria

The Speaker of the Romanian Parliament’s lower house in in the neighbouring Bulgaria for an official visit on Mondat. Valeriu Zgonea, speaker Romania’s House of Deputies is expected to meet Bulgarian counterpart Tsetska Tsacheva, chairperson of Bulgaria’s National Assembly. After a wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial of the Unknown Soldier in the capital ofia, Mr. Zgonea and Ms. Tsacheva will sign a co-operation memorandum.The event comes before a meeting of Mr. Zgonea with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev. Participants in the meetings will also include Angel Naidenov, head of the Bulgaria-Romania Friendship Group, along with such MPs as Valentin Nikolov, Desislava Atanasova and Filip Popov

Alexandru Danga