Antonescu

The history of the Jewish people and the Holocaust will be a mandatory subject from 2023 in all high and vocational schools in Romania after parliament's Senate passed a law.

Newly-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has endorsed Romanian MEP Adina Valean for the position of commissioner for transport in her team, Romania's Insider reported.

Romania's new Government sent two proposals for European commissioner, namely MEPs Siegfried Muresan and Adina Valean, prime minister Ludovic Orban said yesterday.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced he will testify on Wednesday at the High Court of Cassation and Justice (Romania's Supreme Court) as a witness in the case of the 2012 referendum for the discharge of then-president Traian Basescu.

Photo credit: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Crin Antonescu, the former leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), says PM Victor Ponta made an error in the presidential election runoff he lost, associating with individuals whom 'people do not want'.

Speaking in a TV broadcast on Tuesday night, Antonescu added that staying in power was nevertheless vital for Ponta and for his Social Democrat Party.

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Liberal senator Crin Antonescu, the former party leader and co-president of the defunct Social Liberal Union (USL, an alliance of Social Democrats and Liberals) said on Sunday he had come to the ballot for president of Romania out of respect for this fundamental right and out of solidarity with all his fellow countrymen who express hope by voting.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, running for President, wishes Romanians have the opportunity to vote for a candidate who wants a plan for Romania, not a position for themselves; in a broadcast of Antena 3 television on Monday night, he voiced his impression that his opponent Klaus Iohannis wants a position.

PM Victor Ponta says that he is not afraid of any presidential candidate but himself, meaning he might make big errors during the campaign.

'It's myself I must fear most, that is making really big mistakes,' he said on Monday night at ?Romania TV' station.

President Traian Basescu qualified Prime Minister Victor Ponta as 'a weaker politician than I was'; speaking at B1 TV on Tuesday, he mentioned that the difference was obvious when they signed the cohabitation pact.

Chairman of the opposition's Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) Vasile Blaga said on Tuesday evening that separately, PDL and the National Liberal Party (PNL) stand no chance to win the upcoming presidential election, but after they merge, the person they will pick as their common candidate has the best odds to defeat Social Democrat Victor Ponta.

National leader of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) Vasile Blaga on Monday said he is optimistic about the future of the PDL and the National Liberal Party (PNL), adding that in the days ahead a date for the conventions of the two parties' congresses will be set to discuss the merger of the two parties.