Press Review - November 23, 2015

11.23.2015 By Gabriela Stan

Calin Popescu-Tariceanu Says New Technocratic Government Is A "Presidential" One

ALDE co-president, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, considers that the new technocratic government is a "presidential" one, in line with the President’s intention to have his own government.

"I told the President that I don’t support such a formula in the two rounds of consultations that we had. I told him that political parties disengaged themselves from their responsibilities — they should have negotiated and propose a Prime Minister.

(...) When I told this to the President, he had an unusual smile. (…) He took advantage of this conjuncture and named the PM he wanted, with a formula improper to democracy and the Constitution, but proper to the President," Tariceanu stated on Sunday.  (Puterea)

 

Victor Ponta: Ciolos Got Incorrect Information About The Blocking Of Regional Operational Programme

Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta stated that Dacian Ciolos had incorrect information when he announced that the Regional Operational Programme was blocked, adding it would have been easier to call former minister Marius Nica.

"On Thursday, based on incorrect information probably received from his "technocratic" counselors, Mr. Ciolos announced that the Regional Operational Programme is blocked! I am glad he quickly understood it was not so. (…) I understand the "political" formula by which the "program was unblocked following the talks with Mrs. Cretu”!", the former PM posted on his Facebook page.

Ponta added that Romania currently has an absorption rate of 70% for all operational programmes (Evenimentul Zilei)

 

Romania’s Imports Exceeded EUR58.5B In 2014 – INS

Romania’s imports exceeded EUR58.5 billion in 2014, up 5.8% on the year, while the European Union countries remained its main commercial partner, with 75.4% of the total, according to the National Statistics Institute (INS).

Romania’s imports from Germany rose 9.5% last year, including mainly machines, equipment, transport means, metals, chemical products, and textiles. Imports from Italy rose 4.1% compared to 2013, including machines, electrical devices, recording devices, metals, textiles, leather and fur products. (Puterea)

 

Volkswagen Admits That Another 85,000 Vehicles Are Involved In Emissions Scandal

German group Volkswagen admitted that another 85,000 vehicles are involved in emissions scandal, mainly larger luxury cars and SUVs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was quoted by Reuters as saying.

US authorities have recently accused Volkswagen of evading emissions in Audi, Porsche and VW sport utility vehicles and cars with 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engines, between 2009-2016, while VW initially denied the findings.
 

California Air Resources Board said Audi admitted that the vehicles had auxiliary emissions control equipment that was not disclosed to the U.S. government. (Adevarul)

 

Scientists Grow Functional Vocal Cord Tissue In Lab For First Time

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in USA have engineered lab-grown vocal cord tissue for the first time, according to maxisciences.com.

According to specialists, vocal cords are made up of special tissue that has to be flexible enough to vibrate, and at the same time, strong enough to bang together hundreds of times per second, being a hard thing to replicate.

This is a major step toward restoring a voice to people who have lost their vocal cords to cancer surgery or other injuries.  (Romania Libera)