About: Romania
Romanian justice minister sacked for shunning reforms
Romania's ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) sacked justice minister Tudorel Toader on Wednesday (17 April) for spurning controversial changes to the national penal code that critics say benefit PSD chief Liviu Dragnea.
Flagship study exposes decline of press freedom in Europe
Reporters Without Borders published their flagship annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ on Thursday (18 April), revealing that worldwide, authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media, while in Europe, decline of press freedom goes hand in hand with...
EU country briefing: Romania
The following article is a part of a series of brief country profiles for the EU-27 ahead of the European elections in May. Romania, together with Bulgaria, missed the first wave of the EU’s eastward expansion in 2004. The two joined the...
Timmermans invites EU members to ‘bite the bullet’ on rule of law
The European Commission launched on Wednesday (3 April) a process of reflection about whether member states would agree to be supervised on possible breaches of rule of law. The Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said it is now up to the capitals to decide if they want to “bite the bullet”.
Victor Ponta: The ruling PSD in Romania is becoming like Fidesz
In a wide-ranging interview, the former Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who has founded a new centre-left force, Pro-Romania, doesn’t mince his words criticising his former party, the ruling PSD. The Party of European Socialists (PES) should, if necessary, show PSD the red card, he says.
Romania pilloried for coal power leniency
Romania could face legal action after environmental groups lodged a complaint with the EU over allegedly lax penalties against coal power polluters in the Eastern European country.
Council and Parliament lock horns over EU chief prosecutor choice
MEPs and EU government representatives failed to reach an agreement on the appointment of the bloc’s first chief prosecutor on Wednesday (27 March), following disagreements over the potential hiring of Romania’s former anti-corruption chief Laura Codruţa Kövesi. The talks were the second...
Bullmann: May should put the Brexit question back to the people
UK Prime Minister Theresa May should stop wasting time and start working with the Labour Party for a closer EU-UK relationship, or put the question back to the British people, socialist chief Udo Bullmann told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Jordan’s king cancels Romanian trip over Jerusalem row
Jordan's King Abdullah II cancelled a visit Monday (26 March) to Romania after its prime minister vowed to move her country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, his office said.
Romania to move embassy to Jerusalem, premier Dancila pledges
The Romanian prime minister promised Sunday (25 March) in Washington that her country would move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, breaking with both the European position and apparently with her own country's president.
MEPs push to give EU prosecutor job to Kövesi on 27 March
Bucharest appears to be deliberately delaying the nomination of the EU's first-ever prosecutor general, fearing the Romanian candidate, Laura Codruta Kövesi, is well positioned to get the job, reports Dan Alexe, a blogger at EUelectionsRomania.com.
Romanian exporters face an artificial barrier, costs transferred to EU citizens
Visions of trucks being stuck at the border in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit should also remind people of the delays faced by Romanian companies exporting into the Schengen area, writes Stefan Radu-Oprea.
EPP more likely to expel Fidesz if rival groups also ditch troublemakers
If mainstream political groups do not collectively expel their bad apples it could spell an end to measures by the EU to protect democracy in its member countries, write Jean Morijn and Israel Butler.
EPPO nomination – a ticking time bomb?
The focus throughout Laura Codruța Kövesi’s stewardship of Romania's anti-corruption directorate has been on ‘getting scalps’ rather than on serving justice, writes Norica Nicolai.
Romania indicts Kövesi for a second time while MEPs back her for EU prosecutor
The European Parliament officially backed Romanian magistrate Laura Codruța Kövesi to become the EU’s first-ever top prosecutor on Thursday (7 March), while in Bucharest, she was summoned to court and indicted for a second time.
If you can’t beat them, ban them: Romanian electoral bureau rejects Ciolos’s alliance
The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) rejected on Thursday (7 March) the joint application for the European elections of the “Alliance 2020 USR PLUS”. The news had the effect of a bomb in Romania, writes Dan Alexe, who runs a blog called EUelectionsRomania.com.
Romania summons Kövesi in court in attempt to thwart her designation
Romanian magistrate Laura Codruța Kövesi, a hot favourite to become the EU's first-ever top prosecutor, is due to appear in court in Bucharest next week over allegations of corruption, media reports said Thursday (28 February).
MEPs support Kövesi for chief EU prosecutor, defying member states
The European Parliament chose Romania's former anti-corruption chief Laura Codruţa Kövesi as its top pick for the EU’s first-ever chief prosecutor on Wednesday (27 February), setting itself on a collision course with the member states, which had opted for Kövesi's French rival.
Kovesi tells MEPs: I know you received negative information about me
Laura Codruţa Kövesi, the former chief of Romania’s anti-corruption agency (DNA) who is one of the three shortlisted candidates to become the EU's first-ever chief prosecutor, emerged as the favourite after a hearing in the European Parliament on Tuesday (26 February).
Commission eager to see the capacity of Southern gas corridor doubled
A recent meeting of government officials and big energy companies in Azerbaijan signalled ambitions about doubling the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), and of more European countries becoming clients.
Parliament to audition the three candidates for EU chief prosecutor
MEPs from the relevant European Parliament Committees will audition on Tuesday (26 February) the three candidates for the position of the first-ever chief prosecutor of the European Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).
Thousands of Romanians protest against judicial changes
Thousands of Romanians protested across the country on Sunday (24 February) after the government passed an emergency decree that critics said chipped away at prosecutors' independence in one of the European Union's most corrupt states.
In Moldova, voters choose between Russia and Europe
Voters in Moldova head to the polls on Sunday (24 February) for a parliamentary election reflecting the tiny ex-Soviet republic's long-standing division between pro-Russians and pro-Europeans.