Nicusor Dan Only Councilor Left Out Of City Council Specialized Commissions
The Bucharest city council voted members for its specialized commissions Thursday and Nicusor Dan, who ran for mayor, was the only councilor not included in any commission.
Dan said the situation occurred due to “childish ambitions” of the Social Democratic Party.
He said social democrats broke the terms of the negotiation they had with his party two days prior. (Adevarul)
President Iohannis Attends NATO Summit in Warsaw
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will attend the NATO Summit in Warsaw on July 8-9 to support Romania’s objectives to consolidate the organization’s eastern flank.
“The summit agenda targets, among other things, the consolidation of defense measures amid rising security threats and ensuring stability on NATO’s eastern and southern flanks,” the president’s office said in a press release. (Puterea)
Romania Among EU Countries With Lowest Purchasing Power
Romania still ranks among the European countries with the lowest purchasing power compared with the EU average , but has improved its position compared with Bulgaria, which ranks last, according to a study by the Romanian statistics institute.
The data – valid for 2014 – show Bulgaria has the lowest purchasing power (47% of the EU average), followed by Romania (with 55%, up from 49% in 2010 and 54% in 2013), and Croatia (59%).
Countries with the highest purchasing power are Luxembourg (266%), Ireland (134%), Netherlands (131%), and Austria (130%). (Adevarul)
EC Investigation Into Romanian Gas Market Triggered By Hungary Complaint
The European Commission’s investigation into the Romanian gas market was triggered following a complaint from a Hungarian company, sources in the energy sector told Agerpres.
The sources said the European Commission is looking into Romanian Transgaz’ delay of several years to invest in the Arad-Szeged pipeline that would facilitate gas exports to Hungary.
The investigation is said to have started from a Hungarian energy company that complained Romania was not exporting its cheap gas to Hungary, this blocking free circulation of merchandise in the EU.
The pipeline currently allows only imports from Hungary to Romania and Transgaz has plans to invest to allow transit both ways. (Romania Libera)
Scorpions Return to Romania for Sixth Time
Germany’s most renowned hard rock band, Scorpions, will return to Romania on tour for the sixth time.
The band is celebrating 50 years of existence and will stop over in Bucharest, Romania, on July 16, after shows in Istanbul (Turkey), Tel Aviv (Israel) and Sofia (Bulgaria). (Evenimentul Zilei)