Romania's Senate

The Speaker of Romania's Senate, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2008, faces a vote on immunity in parliament after anti-corruption prosecutors on Wednesday sought to start an investigation.

The economic and strategic dimension of the bilateral cooperation between Romania and Hungary and the opportunity to put into practice some projects and investments in areas such as energy and infrastructure were some of the topics tackled by Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu and Hungary&#39;s visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto at their meeting on Monday.<

Romania's Senate on Monday postponed a vote on a bill designed to commemorate March 15 as the anniversary of the 1848 Revolution in Hungary.

Hungarians everywhere honour the uprising against Habsburg rule - eventually crushed by Austria with Russian aid.

Romania's Senate on Monday refused to pass a controversial pardoning bill which no longer contains the most contentious amendments - on pardoning corruption-related offences.

Senators voted to send the bill back to the legal commission to re-discuss it within the next week.

Romania's Senate is to discuss a bill that proposes jail terms of six months to three years for people challenging Romania's "constitutional order", prompting civic activists to claim that the ruling Social Democrat Party, PSD, may attempt to limit free speech.

Romania's Senate last week adopted adopt a new law condemning communist totalitarianism, which includes the drafting of a report and the establishment of the National Museum of Communist Totalitarianism in Bucharest, early next year.

Chairman of Romania's Senate Calin Popescu Tariceanu, on Wednesday welcomed visiting Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, chairman of the lower house of Irish Parliament, Sean Barrett, on an official visit to Romania at the invitation of the Chamber of Deputies.

Romania's anti-corruption prosecutors have indicted the former minister and presidential candidate Elena Udrea.

She faces charges of accepting bribes and abuse of power from 2010 to 2012 while she served as tourism minister. Udrea is accused of of accepting bribes worth 1.8 million euro.

On Thursday at the French Embassy in Bucharest, Chairman of Romania's Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu was presented France's Knight of the Legion of Honour decoration, at a ceremony also attended by Princess Margareta, Prince Radu, former presidents Ion Iliescu and Emil Constantinescu, along with political figures and more.

Photo credit: (c) SORIN LUPSA / AGERPRES STREAM

Romania's Senate voted Tuesday to approve a draft law providing EUR 100 M of financial aid to the Republic of Moldova.