Klaus Johannis

For the accomplishment of their specific missions, the land forces must have modern, flexible and efficient capabilities and systems interoperable with those of other NATO countries, Romania's Defence Minister Gabriel Les said on Tuesday.

Romania's anti-corruption prosecutors' office, DNA, on Thursday announced that Prime Minister Victor Ponta has been formally indicted for forgery, complicity with tax evasion and money laundering and will stand trial.

Ponta, who became Prime Minister in 2012, allegedly committed the crimes from 2007 through 2011 while working as a lawyer, the DNA added.

Romania's political parties on Thursday agreed to cut the VAT rate from 24 to 20 per cent from January 1 next year and agreed a further cut to 19 per cent starting 2017.

The centre-left government of Victor Ponta has championed a package of tax cuts, saying it is needed to boost growth.

President Klaus Iohannis has taken over the term of head of state on Sunday, at the Cotroceni Palace.

Klaus Iohannis and his wife, Carmen, arrived on Sunday at the Cotroceni Palace. The Guard Regiment saluted the new President during a military ceremony.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) - the National Union for Romania's Progress (UNPR) - the Conservative Party (PC) candidate in presidential elections, said late on Sunday that the objective of his campaign for the first round is getting at least 37.5 pct of votes, that is the score recorded in the European Parliament elections.

Fourteen candidates have enrolled at the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) to enter the race for Romania's President.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Wednesday took over the role of interim Finance Minister while another member of his ruling Social Democrat Party, PSD, will temporarily head the economy portofolio.

The moves are the latest in a weeks-long feud among Romania’s ruling coalition members, which escalated after the parties failed to agree on cabinet changes.