Hungary Says It Shares Romania’s Interest In Protecting Minorities
Hungary and Romania share the interest of protecting ethnic minorities and Hungary is engaged in a constructive dialog with Romania on the matter, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry said in response to Romanian President Traian Basescu’s statements.
Basescu had said Hungary has become a hotspot of instability on ethnic minorities issues and Romania would have to set Budapest straight. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Antonescu Criticizes Basescu’s Statements Towards Hungary
Liberal Party president Crin Antonescu said Tuesday that while Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban is contested, he has a voice in the EU, and with president Traian Basescu Romania has come to be monitored indefinitely and its fate depends on elections in other EU countries
“Although much criticized, Viktor Orban continues to be a leader whose voice is heard in Europe, while Traian Basescu’s Romania in the past nine years has become a EU member shoved in a corner,” said Antonescu.
He added Romania needs prestige and become a full, equal rights member of the European Union. Antonescu also said foreign policy is not done with statements such as president Basescu’s. (Puterea)
Romanian Mobile Operators Want To Rethink Termination Rates
Mobile operators Cosmote, Orange, RCS&RDS and Vodafone Romania want to bring to similar levels charges for calls made in different networks and for same-network calls.
The move is aimed to eliminate worries regarding a possible abuse of dominant position concerning termination rates.
The offer was presented to the country’s antitrust body and is available on the latter’s website. The authority will analyze the offer and may reject or accept it.
The mobile operators apply different termination rates for calls on a different network, as well as for calls from and on the same network, the antitrust body said. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Petrom 2Q Net Profit Soars 65% To RON1.1B
Romania’s largest oil company OMV Petrom said its net profit rose 65% on the year to 1.06 billion lei (EUR248.9 million) in the second quarter.
In April-June 2012, Petrom reported net profit of RON643 million.
However, net result is down 20% from RON1.33 billion in the first quarter, as the bottom-line was mainly impacted by a six-week planned shutdown at the company’s Petrobrazi refinery in southern Romania. (Puterea)
Rotterdam Museum Art Thieves Say Paintings Were Not Burnt
Attorneys for the three suspects of the art heist at a museum in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, have told the court their clients maintain they did not burn the artworks.
“Our clients are waiting for the fair trial frame to hand the artworks over to Dutch authorities. Our clients have informed us the paintings have not been burned,” said one of the lawyers. (Puterea)
Romania Expects Very Hot Weather Wednesday
Romanian weather authorities issued an advisory Tuesday for very hot weather and humidity levels expected Wednesday throughout the country.
Temperatures will exceed 35 degrees Celsius and the felt temperatures will be even higher.
On Thursday, the weather is expected to cool down in most of the country, to 22 degrees in northern Moldavia and 34 degrees along the Danube. (Jurnalul National)