The Romanian Senate is hosting in Bucharest the 46th meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organisation (PABSEC) starting Wednesday and throughout Friday, at the end of the Romanian chairmanship of PABSEC.The main theme of the event is parliamentary involvement in the implementation of sustainable development objectives in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation area, and it is unfolded under the aegis of the Romanian Senate, the holder of the PABSEC chairmanship June-November 2015. Attending the 46th meeting of the PABSEC are members of the standing delegations of the 12 BSEC member states as well as representatives of international parliamentary organisations, national parliaments and NGOs that are PABSEC special guests or observers. The Romanian Senate reports on its webpage that the General Assembly meeting will be followed by themed sessions where the PABSEC members will examine and approve reports and recommendations drawn up by PABSEC committees: creation of the legal framework for combating corruption — the role of parliaments (Legal and Political Affairs Committee); E-government in the BSEC member states (Economic, Commercial, Technological and Environmental Affairs Committee); Combating the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage in the BSEC region (Cultural, Educational and Social Affairs Committee). The Parliament of Romania is a founding member of PABSEC and it held the chairmanship of the Assembly: December 1997-June 1998; June-December 2003; November 2008-June 2009. "The priorities of the current Romanian chairmanship of PABSEC are mainly aimed at: the functioning in optimal conditions of the Assembly and the diversification of its activities; the consolidation of PABSEC's profile at regional, European and international levels, with particular focus on intensification of the dialogue with the European Parliament — as a means to support the a better use of the opportunities provided by EU policies, initiatives and instruments for the Black Sea region; the collaboration with other parliamentary assemblies from the region; the strengthening of the relationship between the PABSEC and the BSEC, in the context of the simultaneous chairmanships of the PABSEC and the BSEC held by Romania during the second semester of 2015," the Senate reports. PABSEC was established in 1993, and it is currently composed of 76 parliamentarians representing 12 states from the Black Sea region: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. "The assembly, through its role as inter-parliamentary body of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation (BSEC), concentrates the efforts of national parliaments for achieving its objectives: developing the legislative framework for enhancing the economic, commercial, social, cultural and political cooperation among Member States; promoting the cooperation with other international and regional organizations; providing assistance to national parliaments for the consolidation of parliamentary democracy," the Senate reports.
The fund Cultura Face Bine, a national funding mechanism for cultural projects backed by private-sector financing, will begin supporting local cultural organizations in 2026. The fund aims to support grassroots cultural initiatives with a proven impact in their communities and which need resources to continue, develop, or transform their activities. The funding mechanism has been […]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday, December 11, that it is referring Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to meet obligations under Ambient Air Quality Directives. According to the Commission, Romania has not ensured that its national air quality monitoring network complies with legally required standards on […]
The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) held an unprecedented press conference on Thursday, December 11, in response to allegations raised in a recent media investigation published by Recorder, with court president Liana Arsenie firmly rejecting the claims. However, at the start of the press event, a judge from within the institution publicly stated that the […]
Romania’s Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued its first response to the Recorder documentary alleging systemic manipulation within the justice system, calling the investigation an amplification of a “campaign to destabilize judicial authority.” The council said on Thursday, December 11, that it will evaluate what measures need to be taken following the report. In a […]
MedLife, Romania’s largest private medical services network, announced on Wednesday, December 10, that it reached a market capitalization of EUR 1 billion on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The milestone secures its position as “the most valuable healthcare company” in the country. The achievement came nine years after MedLife’s listing on BVB in December 2016, […]
The Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark in Romania has become a “living laboratory” this week as a team of American researchers arrived to study microorganisms capable of surviving in extreme environments. The scientists, part of the interdisciplinary research organisation The Two Frontiers Project, are examining methane seeps, sulfur and petroleum springs, saline sources, and other […]
