Several Romanian Counties Under Code Orange Alert For Storms, Hail

Weather authorities issued a now casting-type code orange warning forecasting heavy rain, storms and hail in several counties across Romania.

The alert targets the following localities in Vaslui County: Duda-Epureni, Codaesti, Dranceni, Valeni, Solesti, Rebricea, Tacuta, Bunesti-Averesti, Miclesti, Negresti, Tatarani, Danesti, Botesti, Feresti, Arsura.

It also targets the following localities in Iasi County: Iasi, Tomesti, Holboca, Ciurea, Raducaneni, Miroslava, Lețcani, Tibana, Voinesti, Costuleni, Ciortesti, Comarna, Mironeasa, Valea Lupului, Mogoșesti, Schitu Duca, Scanteia, Prisacani, Horlesti, Cozmesti, Barnova, Grajduri, Scheia, Gorban, Dolhesti, Dobrovat Tutora, Mosna, Ipatele, Grozesti, Draguseni;

Precipitation is expected to reach 35-45 liters per square meter and the wind is expected to blow hard and there will also be hail. (puterea.ro)

Romanian President Dismisses Country’s Top Anticorruption Prosecutor

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed on Monday a decree dismissing top anticorruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi from office, enforcing a decision taken by the Constitutional Court in May.

As a result, National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi will step down from the office she has held since 2013. The announcement was made by presidential spokesman Madalina Dobrovolschi on Monday morning, in a press conference held at Bucharest’s Cotroceni Palace.

“The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has constantly stated that he respects the Constitution and the country’s laws and has always acted to that effect. Therefore, in enforcing the Constitutional Court decision no. 358/2018, the President of Romania has signed the decree to dismiss Ms. Laura Codruta Kovesi from the office of chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate,” announced the presidential spokesman.

Constitutional judges had previously decided that Iohannis must dismiss the DNA chief, after they found a constitutional conflict between his office and that of Justice Minister Tudorel Toader regarding the right to dismiss the country’s top prosecutors.

Romania’s Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar on Monday delegated prosecutor Anca Jurma as interim chief-prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), following the dismissal of former chief Laura Codruta Kovesi.

Jurma, a former chief prosecutor of the International Cooperation and Programs Service within the DNA, will lead the agency until a new proper chief prosecutor is named. (puterea.ro)

Chamber Of Deputies Adopts Bill On Administrative Code

The Chamber of Deputies on Monday adopted a bill regarding the administrative code, with 175 “pros”, 33 “cons” and 15 abstentions.

General debates on the bill were held last week and on Monday, MPs held debates on articles and a final vote.

The Chamber of Deputies is decider on the matter, which had already been adopted by the Senate.

PMP head Eugen Tomac said he will challenge at the Constitutional Court “this anti-Romanian administrative code”. (romanialibera.ro)

Dragnea Delivers Controversial Speech On Romania’s Energy Dependence On Russia

Chamber of Deputies’ Speaker Liviu Dragnea said Monday the amendments brought to the offshore law aim for Romania not to be energetically dependent of Russia.

“This law shouldn’t have been adopted in the form that came from the Senate. I don’t want to accuse anyone, whether it was superficial or it wasn’t a very careful analysis, but we couldn’t accept in the Deputies’ Chamber for Romania to further keep its energy dependence on the Russians. The fact that we put 50 percent of the total production on bilateral contracts and 50 percent on transactions on the Romanian market, it means that Romania becomes one of the few countries around the world to become energetically independent. Moreover, the zero surcharge could not be accepted because it’s not possible for the Romanian state not to cash in anything,” Dragnea stated in the plenary sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, at the debates on the bill regarding measures necessary to implement the oil operations by offshore oil perimeter contractors.

He denied the existence of any negotiations “behind closed doors,” as the opposition representatives claimed.

“There weren’t any negotiations behind any door, open or closed, there aren’t any negotiations regarding a law. What I have presented you today was because I talked with my colleagues of the Deputies’ Chamber and agreed together that prior to voting this law in one form or another, we should see in group what are the economic data, the financial data and the strategic advantages for Romania,” the Social Democrat leader stated.

Dragnea made this statement after lawmakers adopted a bill regulating the exploitation of natural gas in the Black Sea. (evz.ro)

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