Ruling Coalition Co-Leaders Discuss Emergency Decree On Judicial Bills – Sources
The leaders of ruling coalition parties PSD and ALDE, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu, met at the Romanian Parliament on Thursday to discuss an emergency decree on judicial bills and other possible decree on protocols and amnesty, political sources told MEDIAFAX.
The meeting began on Thursday afternoon and was also attended by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader and judicial overhaul committee chairman Florin Iordache.
Toader announced on Wednesday a possible emergency decree to accord recently enacted judicial bills with opinions issued by the Venice Commission and GRECO. Later, he said in a televised interview that the Commission agreed with his proposal for an emergency decree, and that he will send top judicial watch dog CSM a draft for review on Thursday, with the decree to be passed next week.
According to the aforementioned source, Toader is expected to provide answers on the final form of the decree during the meeting.
The last time the Romanian Government passed a decree modifying judicial laws, in January 2017, the legislation was repelled before enactment, following the largest street protests in the country’s post-communist history. An emergency decree with some effect on judicial laws was requested in the last couple of months by the leader of the country’s ruling Social Democrat Party, Liviu Dragnea, who positioned himself in favor of enacting both judicial amendments and amnesty or pardoning through a government decree. (puterea.ro)
Fugitive Former Romanian Officials Proposed For Remand In Costa Rica
Two former Romanian officials who fled their country to avoid serving jail sentences will be proposed for remand in front of a Costa Rican court, where they were detained on Wednesday following an Interpol warrant issued by Romania.
Former Transportations Minister Elena Udrea and former Alina Bica could face protective custody in the Central American country, in which both filed for political asylum.
The two were detained on Wednesday in the Sabana Oeste neighborhood of San Jose, according to local newspaper Diario Extra.
“One of the two women, named Udrea, was targeted by a red alert notification by Interpol, for crimes of corruption and abuse of office, based on a warrant issued by Interpol Bucharest,” Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigations Department announced.
However, Udrea’s Romanian lawyer Veronel Radulescu said earlier on Thursday that the measure is probably a preventive one, and that her client has basically no chance to be extradited, as her two-week old daughter automatically received Costa Rican citizenship.
Both Udrea and Bica had previously announced that they were seeking political asylum in the country, accusing flawed judicial processes in Romanian court cases which sentenced both to prison terms.
Elena Udrea was sentenced to six years in prison in June for fraud in a high-profile boxing event, in a final decision. The former minister announced that she was in Costa Rica in February and that she was pregnant, and later in April stated that she applied for political asylum in the country. On September 20, her boyfriend announced that she gave birth to a girl.
Alina Bica, a former chief prosecutor of the country’s top anti-terrorism agency DIICOT, was convicted in June to a four-year prison sentence for favoring the culprit in a case she orchestrated. She requested political asylum in Costa Rica in January. (romanialibera.ro)
Cristiano Ronaldo Left Off Portugal Squad Amid Rape AllegationsCristiano Ronaldo has been left out of Portugal’s national squad for a series of upcoming matches, as the football star faces a lawsuit over an alleged rape in the United States.
The Portuguese captain will miss his team’s second game in the UEFA Nations League against Poland on October 11 and a friendly match in Glasgow against Scotland three days later.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos said on Thursday Ronaldo also will not be called up for the next round of international games in November. Santos also said the decision was taken after a three-way conversation between him, Ronaldo and the head of the Portuguese football federation.
“We agreed the player wouldn’t be available, wouldn’t be an option for selection,” Santos said. “For the next two squad selections, this one and the one next month, Ronaldo won’t be with us.”
The omission comes as the Juventus forward fights off allegations of rape by former model Kathryn Mayorga, who says Ronaldo assaulted her in Las Vegas in 2009.
Police in Las Vegas said the case was reopened last month after the unidentified victim came forward with new information. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages of at least $200,000.
On Wednesday, Ronaldo strongly denied the accusation on social media, calling rape “an abominable crime”. (romanialibera.ro)
SIF Oltenia Sells Minority Stake in BCR to Erste For EUR140M
Shareholders of regional investment fund SIF Oltenia on Thursday approved the sale of the company’s 6.29% stake in Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) to its majority shareholder Erste Bank for EUR140 million.
A contract for the sale was signed on August 16, pending approval of the SIF Oltenia general shareholders assembly and the European Central Bank.
Following the acquisition of SIF Oltenia’s stake, Erste Bank owns 99.88% in BCR. (romanialibera.ro)