Defense Council Approves Budgets Of National Security Institutions
Romania’s Supreme Defense Council (CSAT) approved Tuesday the draft budgets of institutions with attributions in the field of national security.
In a fifteen-minute meeting headed by President Traian Basescu, the council approved the draft budgets of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, the National Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, and the Protection and Guard Service. (Gandul)
China-CEE Summit Continues In Bucharest Tuesday
The summit between China and Central and Eastern Europe continued on Tuesday at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest.
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang met with the heads of government of Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the foreign minister of Latvia. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Government Proposes Appointing Liaison Officer With U.S. Special Operations Command
Romania’s Government proposes in a draft decision to create a position for a liaison officer between the Romanian military’s special operations and the U.S. Special Operations Command, headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
According to the draft government decision, the main attribution of a liaison officer would be to support Romania’s interests in relation to the U.S. Special Operations Command.
The position would be financed from the budget of the Defense Ministry. (Gandul)
Government Approves Several Oil Concession Agreements With East West Petroleum
Romania’s government has approved several oil concession agreements in the perimeters Baile Felix, Biled, and Periam, agreements between the country’s National Mineral Resources Agency and East West Petroleum Corp.
The agreements were approved via government decisions, which became effective with the publication of the respective decisions in Romania’s Official Journal. The annexes to the documents are classified.
In response to media allegations that the agreements allegedly allow the exploitation of shale gas reserves in Baile Felix, ANRM said none of the documents target shale gas the agreement signed with East West Petroleum does not concern shale gas, only conventional gas and oil. (Evenimentul Zilei)
EC Applied EUR139M In Corrections To Romania In 2012
The European Commission applied financial corrections of EUR139 million to Romania in 2012, from EUR53 million in 2011, according to the Commission’s financial report released Tuesday.
Programs financed via the European Social Fund had the biggest corrections – EUR81 million, while the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund had corrections of EUR24 million.
On programs financed via the European Regional development Fund, corrections stood at EUR22 million, and the Commission slashed EUR22 million from rural development. (Gandul)
China Looking To Spend Up To $10B On Infrastructure, Energy Projects In CEE
China is ready to explore with European Union countries various ways to use a special $10 billion financing line for support infrastructure and energy projects in Central and Eastern Europe, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang said Tuesday.
“China is willing to discuss with the relevant parties on how to use the available financing channels and, together with the EU states, we will make sure that we can successfully capitalize on the $10 billion special credit line,” Li Keqiang told a Chinese-CEE summit in Bucharest.
Earlier this year, the Asian country announced plans to set up a special credit line worth up to $10 billion to support joint projects with CEE investors, in sectors such as road and rail infrastructure, telecom and nuclear energy. (Adevarul)
ECHR Warns Over Lengthy Judicial Procedures In Romania
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has warned Romania on the long duration of its judicial procedures, APADOR-CH said in a press release.
The ECHR has so far ruled in 200 cases regarding lengthy trials and 500 others are under way. (Gandul)
Romanian Students Got Nine Medals In Regional Computer Science Competitions
Romanian students got nine medals in regional computer science junior and senior competitions.
Romanians got one gold and three silver medals at the Balkan Computer Science Olympics for juniors, held in Shumen, Bulgaria, on November 22-24.
At the same time, Schumen hosted an international computer science tournament, where Romanians secured a gold medal, three silver and one bronze. (Curentul)
Marie Curie Children’s Hospital Opens New Intensive Care Unit
The clinical children’s hospital Marie Curie in Bucharest inaugurated an updated intensive care unit for newborns Tuesday, following an investment of EUR1.4 million.
Compared to the old intensive care unit, which had 11 beds and 190 square meters, the new ICU building has four levels, 27 beds, and 1600 square meters. (Adevarul)