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New Romania government led by Social Democrat Victor Ponta passes Parliament vote

Romanian News - Mon, 05/07/2012 - 12:41

The Romanian Parliament voted the new government led by Social Democrat Victor Ponta into office on Monday. Ponta's government, formed by the Social Liberal Union coalition of Social Democrats (PSD) and Liberals (PNL), replaces the Democratic Liberal-dominated government led by Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who lost a censure motion in the Parliament in late April. Ponta's government received the support of 284 MPs, with 92 votes against.

Chevron takes hit as Romania's designated Ponta Government plans immediate moratorium on shale gas exploitation

Romanian News - Fri, 05/04/2012 - 02:32

The governing program of the government formed by Romania's designated prime minister Victor Ponta, which was submitted in the Parliament on Thursday evening, mentions the immediate introduction of a moratorium on shale gas exploitation until developing European-level studies on the impact of hydraulic fractioning procedures on the environment are concluded. The Ponta Government, formed after incumbent PM Ungureanu's government was voted out of office a week ago, is due to be approved by the Parliament next week.

Romania's prime minister designate Victor Ponta announces list of proposed ministers

Romanian News - Tue, 05/01/2012 - 14:20

Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Victor Ponta, who was designated to form a new government following the fall of the Ungureanu government in a parliamentary vote on Friday, announced the list of his ministers on Tuesday evening. He said he would present his government and governing priorities in the Parliament on Monday and pointed out that the political union of Social Democrats and Liberals (USL) now numbers 229 MPs of a total of 231 needed to vote for the new government.

• See the list of ministers in Ponta's proposed government

Romania President designates Social Democratic leader Victor Ponta as prime minister designate

Romanian News - Fri, 04/27/2012 - 12:58

Romanian President Traian Basescu announced on Friday evening that Victor Ponta, leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and one of the leaders of the opposition USL union of Social Democrats and Liberals, is the designated to form a new government. Ponta's designation comes following Traian Razvan Ungureanu government's fall in a censure motion in the Parliament today.

Romania Contemplates Seizure of 85% of Restitution Property Rights

Romanian News - Fri, 04/27/2012 - 07:37

Just as the Romanian government cannot take back a farm that was restituted to the family from whom it was stolen without paying its fair value, so it cannot confiscate another family’s right to receive a different farm in restitution by payment of a mere pittance of its true value.  But that is precisely what the Romanian Government contemplates doing through a draft law that would confiscate 85% of the property rights of thousands of victims of Romanian communism and fascism - inviolable rights that were granted to them twelve years ago by law. The Draft Law proposes to take 85% of the value of all pending claims by owners of properties that were seized by Romania's Communist government between 1945 and 1989 without compensation. It is proffered in total disregard of Romania’s constitutional provisions prohibiting such acts and in violation of Protocol One of the European Convention of Human Rights to which Romania is a signatory and which recognizes property rights as human rights.

• Author Mark A. Meyer is Chairman, Romanian-American Chamber of Commerce

Romania's Ungureanu Government falls in censure motion

Romanian News - Fri, 04/27/2012 - 07:13

Romania's Parliament voted in favor of a censure motion against the current government led by Traian Razvan Ungureanu on Friday. The vote of 231 MPs was needed for the government to pass. 235 voted in favor of the government of a total of 248 votes. The Ungureanu Government thus loses the confidence of the Parliament in a motion submitted by the opposition union of Social Democrats and Liberals (USL). Shortly after the vote, USL leader Victor Ponta declared that the formation was ready to form a new government.
UPDATE The leader of the Democratic Liberals, Emil Boc, who led the government until Ungureanu took over as PM, said his party would not support another candidate for prime minister. He said those who voted for the motion in the Parliament today had to govern the country. President Traian Basescu meets political leaders on Friday evening over the formation of a new government.

A HotNews.ro Exclusive. Valhalla Resources - the mystery investor interested in Romanian company Cupru Min

Romanian News - Wed, 04/11/2012 - 03:32

A tender for the privatization of Romanian company Cupru Min has been won officially by Canadian company Roman Copper Inc., but the whole process came to a standstill over the past several days, with Roman Copper saying it was trying to push for a deal despite the Romanian government pulling out of negotiations. But who is behind Roman Copper, about which it was only known that investment bank Bayfront Capital Partners was among its founders? According to HotNews.ro sources, Roman Copper covers another Canadian company founded by a US citizen and a Canadian citizen living in Romania since the nineties.

VIDEO Lord Watson of Richmond: I do not think all European states are heading in one single direction, for exemple to become a United States of Europe

Romanian News - Tue, 04/03/2012 - 05:29

Europe is essential to every Member State's position in the modern world, "but I do not think we are heading in one single direction, for example to become a United States of Europe", says Lord Alan Watson, a member of the House of Lords.

Mineral resources agency head Alexandru Patruti: Several companies showed intention to explore and exploit shale gas in Romania / Hydraulic fracturing method has been used in Romanian oil industry for decades

Romanian News - Tue, 04/03/2012 - 03:50

Any company involved in oil accords may operate shale gas exploration and exploitation works, Alexandru Patruti, head of Romania's National Agency for Mineral Resources (ANRM) said in an interview with HotNews.ro. Beside Chevron, several other oil companies have shown interest in exploring shale gas. Patruti said the main environmental effect would be a possible contamination of subterranean waters, but "this impact may be kept in check and at a minimal level by sticking to good practices". Patruti also said hydraulic fracturing was a standard method used by the oil industry in Romania for decades. The difference is that in the case of unconventional gas deposits it also involves horizontal drilling.
UPDATE Read the interview in full

Bulgaria negotiates with ExxonMobil over area disputed with Romania for possible hydrocarbon deposits - diplomatic sources

Romanian News - Wed, 03/21/2012 - 12:51

A litigation between Romania and Bulgaria over a Black Sea area, announced by Romania Foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu on Tuesday evening, relates to an area of about 400 square kilometers. What is the stake of bringing the issue back to light, as diplomatic negotiations about it started as early as 1994? Bulgaria is negotiating with ExxonMobil to leave the area for ExxonMobil attempts to discover hydrocarbon deposits, diplomatic sources have told HotNews.ro.

Romania Competition Council launches investigation on possible abuse of dominant position against Hewlett-Packard Romania / HP officials say they'll cooperate with authorities

Romanian News - Wed, 03/21/2012 - 12:50

Romania's Competition Council has launched unannounced checking operations at the headquarters of Hewlett-Packard Romania and at the headquarters of several of its distributors, the authority announced on Wednesday. Council head Bogdan Chiritoiu said the move comes following suspicions of a possible HP Romania abuse of dominant position on the market, sparked by a discriminating behaviour in relation with one of the company's partners.

Razvan Nicolescu, Vice-President ACER: I would like to renew my term as Vice-President, but I will run in elections only if one of the 8 members of the board nominates me

Romanian News - Mon, 03/12/2012 - 07:26

Razvan Nicolescu, Vice-President of the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, says in an interview he will run for a new term "only if one of the 8 members of the board nominates me".

Romania Interior ministry employee shoots eight, kills two in downtown Bucharest

Romanian News - Mon, 03/05/2012 - 11:58

​Eight people have been shot at and two died in the area of Bucharest downtown known as Perla on Monday, according to judiciary and media reports. According to judiciary sources, the aggressor is a member of the Police. The two people who were shot dead were both women - one of which sources alleged was the target of the aggressor.

Schengen issue included on European Council agenda as Romania flexes muscle on Serbia

Romanian News - Wed, 02/29/2012 - 08:01

The Schengen enlargement has been included on the agenda of the European summit on March 1-2, according to a letter of the European Council president published in Brussels on Wednesday. The issue - which practically means the Dutch opposition to the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria - was introduced unexpectedly on the agenda of a summit which was to focus mainly on the Fiscal Treaty. The change comes a day after Romania flexed its muscle on Serbia at negotiations over giving the Balkan country the statute of a EU candidate country. The only Romanian official to connect the two issues, Schengen and Serbia, was Romanian Environment minister Laszlo Borbely.

Iran Ambassador to Romania discusses Middle East tensions with HotNews.ro readers on Thursday, 11.30 a.m.

Romanian News - Wed, 02/22/2012 - 07:39

Iran faces the toughest EU and US economic sanctions for the past several years, the continuation of its nuclear program has amplified tensions between Tehran and the West, the war "word" is more often heard in American media and Western diplomats hope the efficiency of economic sanctions would lure Iran to intensified talks. Still, on Wednesday, the UN's nuclear agency IAEA announced the failure of its latest attempt to obtain access to an alleged Iran nuclear site.

• Iran Ambassador to Romania Dr. Bahador Aminian Jazi will discuss the situation thus created in the Middle East in an online talk with HotNews.ro readers on Thursday, 11.30 a.m..

VIDEO Romania's first satellite Goliat successfully launch from Kourou base in French Guyana

Romanian News - Mon, 02/13/2012 - 07:16

Goliat, Romania's first nano-satellite developed by a research consortium led by the Romanian Space Agency, was launched from  the Kourou base in French Guyana on Monday morning as part of the first flight of VEGA rocket of the European Space Agency.

Romania's new Ungureanu government passes Parliament vote as opposition MPs skip procedure

Romanian News - Thu, 02/09/2012 - 07:43

Romania's designated prime minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu and his proposed team of ministers passed Parliament vote on Thursday. As the opposition had announced it would skip the vote, Ungureanu's government received the vote of 237 members of the Parliament, four more than the needed threshold. As a whole, the parliamentary groups of the governing coalition have 244 senators and deputies.

PM designate Mihai Razvan Ungureanu presented full list of new government, which has to pass Parliament

Romanian News - Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:13

Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, the head of Romania's foreign intelligence service who was designated to replace Emil Boc at the head of the Government, presented the full list of new ministers on Wednesday. They are due to face parliamentary commissions before the government stands up to a vote of approval in the Parliament.

Ex-ForMin, current Foreign Intelligence chief Mihai Razvan Ungureanu designated new Romania prime-minister

Romanian News - Mon, 02/06/2012 - 13:45

Former Foreign minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who's been serving as chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service, has been designated new prime minister of Romania following Emil Boc's withdrawal on Monday. Ungureanu said today that his key objective for the moment was the quick formation of a new government and pointed out his ideological options "were always Right-leaning".

UPDATE PM Emil Boc announces Government steps down to ease social tension in Romania. President Basescu names Justice minister Catalin Predoiu interim PM

Romanian News - Mon, 02/06/2012 - 04:12

Romanian PM Emil Boc announced on Monday he and his government would step down in an attempt to "ease the social tension" and avoid interfering with the "economic stability of the country". He urged politicians to help a new Government go through Parliament approval as fast as possible and recalled that both the European Commission and the IMF expect Romania to have a higher economic growth than the Euro zone this year.
UPDATE President Traian Basescu has named incumbent Justice minister Catalin Predoiu as interim prime minister following Emil Boc's resignation. Predoiu will serve as PM until a new government is formed.