Latest news with #Romania
Bloomberg
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Europe's Newest Leader Faces Tough Economic Test
Welcome to the weekend issue of Brussels Edition, Bloomberg's daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union. Join us on Saturdays for deeper dives from our bureaus across Europe. BUCHAREST — All politics is local, but sometimes it's hard to replicate local wins at the national level.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Armstrong bound for Bucharest?
Danny Armstrong has agreed terms with Dinamo Bucharest and the 27-year-old winger, who is out of contract with Kilmarnock, is due to fly to Romania to undergo a medical and finalise the move this weekend. (Sky Sports), externalRead the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Romania Plans Higher Property, Dividend Taxes to Curb Budget Gap
Romania's premier outlined fresh measures to cut the ballooning budget deficit as the new government seeks to safeguard the country's investment-grade rating and ease investor concern. The Black Sea nation plans to raise dividend and property taxes from next year, as well as put more emphasis on the performance of state-owned companies, according to Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. These steps will be in addition to previously announced moves, including a temporary levy on 'excessive' bank profits, higher excise duties and ending some exemptions to value-added tax.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I quit the UK to live in a drab Communist-era block in Eastern Europe and I won't go back: Hot water runs out for days and bureaucracy is soul-sapping - but it's STILL better than Britain and everything is so cheap
Half-way through my job interview for a newspaper role in Bucharest, a sudden panic hit me. Was it Bucharest... or Budapest? Perhaps I was getting confused exactly where I had applied for. I resolved to avoid mentioning the name for the rest of the interview.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
MEPs seek Commission President von der Leyen's resignation with censure motion
A group of European lawmakers has launched an initiative for a no-confidence vote against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, claiming to have collected more than the required 72 signatures to formally submit the motion. Although unlikely to pass, the censure motion could pave the way to broader consequences, replicating the path that led in the 1990s to the voluntary resignation of the EU executive led by Jacques Santer. The move comes in response to a recent court ruling criticising von der Leyen's lack of transparency in relation to the so-called 'Pfizergate' scandal, as well as broader allegations of bypassing the European Parliament and centralising power within the Commission. Romanian hard-right MEP Gheorghe Piperea announced he would submit the motion of censure this week, having gathered signatures from MEPs across at least three political groupings on the right and far-right spectrum: the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the Patriots, the European of Sovereign Nations group (ESN), as well as some non-affiliated members. Despite participation from individual conservative MEPs, the initiative does not officially represent the ECR group, which includes Italy's ruling party, Fratelli d'Italia, led by Giorgia Meloni. 'ECR MEPs participating in this initiative are doing so on an individual basis,' a spokesperson clarified. While the threshold to initiate a no-confidence vote is relatively low, the chances of removing von der Leyen and her Commission are slim. Such a motion requires a two-thirds majority in the 720-seat European Parliament. 'I hope other groups will join the motion, but I'm not naive,' Piperea told Euronews, acknowledging the unlikelihood of success. Related How the love story between von der Leyen and Pfizer turned sour That is not the direct aim however. 'Still, we could gather a couple hundred votes, which may trigger a broader debate among politicians and the public, possibly leading to her voluntary resignation,' said Piperea. No-confidence votes are infrequent but historically significant in the European Parliament. In 1999, the entire European Commission, led by Jacques Santer, resigned amid fraud allegations and transparency issues, despite surviving a confidence vote. Piperea, a lawyer by profession, said that even if the motion fails, it could serve as a valuable political tool. 'There seems to be an unwritten rule that the Commission, and von der Leyen in particular, cannot be held accountable for mistakes or failures. We must end this. In a democracy, there should be accountability, oversight, and responsibility.' The primary driver behind the motion is the ongoing 'Pfizergate' controversy, centred on von der Leyen's refusal to disclose text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during COVID-19 vaccine negotiations. For this matter, the EU court recently ruled against her. The motion also criticises her handling of legislative affairs, including the withdrawal of environmental proposals without proper consultation with Parliament. Related Commission's Pfizergate loss hailed as 'victory for transparency' The court ruling has amplified criticism of von der Leyen across the political spectrum, with socialists, liberals, and greens voicing concern over her leadership and transparency. According to Piperea, socialist MEPs are also discontented with recent budget cuts to anti-poverty programmes. Nonetheless, the only scenario that could pose a real threat to von der Leyen would likely be a perfect storm, in which a wide range of political groups—including members of her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP)—turn against her for different reasons. The far-right origins of this initiative may deter broader support for it however. A source from The Left group, which has been among the most vocal opponents of von der Leyen and previously filed its own motion of censure, expressed scepticism. 'Some delegations in our group are strongly committed to the cordon sanitaire and avoid cooperation with the ECR,' the source said. 'They've supported Commissioner Fitto during this mandate and didn't back our earlier censure motion. This feels more like a communication stunt.' Piperea acknowledged the ideological roadblocks. 'Some groups aren't fully opposed to the motion itself, but they hesitate simply because it's coming from the right,' he said.
