Thursday, February 16th

Meetings of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is attending a meeting of the country’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) where DIICOT executives are expected to present their annual report on Thursday. It is the first time when President Iohannis attends such meeting this year. DIICOT chief prosecutor Daniel Horodniceanu is expected to present a report pointing out the efforts made in fighting organised crime: more than 25,000 files solved in 2016, some 3,600 more than in the previous year; some 3,800 people were sent to court last year, and only 69 defendants were acquitted. Participants in the meeting also include Romania’s Prosecutor General Augustin Lazăr, and Laura Codruţa Kövesi, the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA).
Also on Thursday, President Iohannis is expected to meet Michel Barnier, European Commission’s chief negotiator for Brexit.

Former mayor indicted for corruption-related crimes

The former mayor of Romania’s Black Sea resort of Năvodari was found guilty of coruption-related crimes. Nicolae Matei was sentenced to one year and half in jail for bribe by an appeal court in the south-eastern port of Constantza in February. Mr. Matei is also investigated in another file for abuse of office allegations. He will appear in court on March 7. Nicolae Matei was Năvodari mayor since 2008 when he campaigned as a candidate of the ruling left-wing Social Democratic Party (PSD).

Opening of Romania’s Tourism Fair

Romania’s Tourism Fair (TTR) opens at the Romexpo Exhibition Centre in the capital Bucharest on Thursday, February 16. Participants include some 250 tourism and travel companies in 14 countries such as Austria, Egypt, Croatia, Israel, Turkey, Hungary and Bulgaria. TTR’s 37th edition remains an ideal place for promoting tourism in Romania and abroad, also allowing meetings with potential customers and partners.

International Circus Festival at Globus Circus in Bucharest

An International Circus Festival opens at the Globus Circus in the capital Bucharest on Thursday. The four-day event will include more than 100 artists from France, Germany, Mongolia, Denmark, Hungary and Romania. It will be the last time when Globus will host wild animals such as elephants, tigers, camels but also domestic ones such as horses or dogs as the Bucharest City Hall issued a ban concerning the use of animals in circus following a fire which left 11 animals dead on February 12.
Alexandru Danga/adanga