Romania’s European funds are pre-suspended

The European Commission has decided to pre-suspend the largest part of European funds allotted to three of its operational programmes in Romania: Transport, Regional and Increasing Economic Competitiveness, the overall value of which exceeds 10 billion euros. Romanian authorities have two months at their disposal to operate the necessary corrections; otherwise funds will be suspended for a longer period. The European Commission has identified flaws in the system of management and control, and has called on Bucharest to take immediate actions to rectify the shortcomings. Shirin Wheeler, the spokesman for the EU Commissioner for Regional Development, Johannes Hahn said:
Shirin Wheeler: “The pre-suspension of funds was a decision the Commission made following the identification of serious flaws in the system of management and control of these funds. This means that the Commission has concerns over the management and control system not being capable of detecting frauds and conflicts of interest. The Commission is particularly concerned about the public procurement sector. We want to see urgent measures being taken by Romanian authorities to repair these deficiencies and, once we have evidence that the system is working properly, then the programmes will be resumed”.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said he would do the right thing to ensure that the Commission would not pull out any pre-suspended funds, but channel the money into successful programmes. The IMF also wrote in its country report that the low-grade absorption of EU funds was a major risk factor for Romania, and an old problem for Bucharest authorities.

A new bridge over the Danube has been inaugurated

Romania and Bulgaria will be linked by a new water crossing called the Calafat-Vidin bridge, second to the original bridge linking the Romanian city Giurgiu to the Bulgarian city Ruse, built in 1954 and dubbed “the Friendship Bridge”. Calafat-Vidin will be the longest bridge ever built over the Danube, with a total length of 2 km, two lanes on both ways, a railway track, two footways and a bicycle lane. Overall costs amount to 300 million euros, of which 100 million will come from the EU. Due to be opened to traffic next spring, the new bridge is bound to integrate the road and railway systems of the two countries in the Pan-European transport corridor IV, which starts in Dresden, Germany and ends in Istanbul, Turkey, linking the west and south-east of Europe.

Romania’s Schengen accession is put off again

The EU has put off the decision regarding Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area. According to EU officials, the reason behind the decision is that despite the fact that the two countries have adopted all security measures with a view to safeguarding their external borders, a standard accession prerequisite, several EU countries have voiced doubt with respect to Bucharest’s and Sofia’s ability to observe obligations pertaining to common security. The two countries hoped that a positive decision would be made at the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg this week. Still, the Cypriot presidency of the EU has pledged to work out a solution and has recognized efforts made so far by Romanian and Bulgarian authorities.

The European Parliament votes against Leonard Orban’s application to take office at the European Court of Accounts

The European Parliament has rejected the candidacy of Romanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Leonard Orban for taking up office at the European Court of Accounts. Following Parliament’s vote Leonard Orban decided to withdraw his application, although Parliament’s ruling holds merely a consultative role. On September 26, the European Parliament’s Committee on Budget Control rejected Leonard Orban’s application following the negative votes given by the Romanian MEP members of the Liberal-Democratic Party in opposition.
Leonard Orban: “The vote of Romanian MEPs weighed heavily in the decision of the Committee on Budget Control, and that, of course, attracted Parliament’s negative vote. Unfortunately, it is a lose-lose situation. It looks as if some people claimed victory today, but in the long-run I believe everyone will havesomething to lose after this decision”.

Russian diplomat faced with criminal allegations in a car accident he provoked invokes immunity

The Russian diplomat who wounded a young woman in a car accident in Bucharest has left Romania. The Russian authorities, which don’t want to withdraw the diplomat’s immunity, as Bucharest has asked, announced they would investigate the case without political bias and that they counted on co-operation with the Romanian authorities. The Romanian authorities can be represented during the investigation conducted in Russia and also during a possible trial. The same situation applied in the case of a Romanian diplomat who caused an accident in Singapore in 2009.

King Mihai I of Romania turned 91

On October 25th Romanians celebrated the King’s Day and the Army Day. King Mihai, the last and oldest king, still living, of the four kings that reigned in Romania turned 91. The moment was marked by many ceremonies. The former sovereign received the Badge of Honour of the Romanian Army in sign of appreciation for his activity to the benefit of the Romanian state. Forced by the Communists to abdicate in 1947 and to go into exile, King Mihai returned to Romania at the and of the 1990s, when he was given back his Romanian citizenship and part of his royal properties.