ELECTION – The National Liberal Party, leading the opposition in
Parliament in Bucharest, got almost 27% of votes in the Sunday elections for
the European Parliament, followed by the main ruling coalition party, the
Social Democrats, with almost 23%. In third place comes the Save Romania Union-PLUS
Alliance, with almost 22%. Also represented in the European Parliament is the
Pro Romania Party, the Popular Movement Party, and the Democratic Union of
Hungarians. The Central Election Bureau has counted 96% of votes. In the
referendum on justice reform, held at the same time, a majority of voters said
Yes in the issue of not granting amnesty and pardons for corruption cases,
denying the Government the possibility of making such rulings by government
order.
PRESIDENCY – President Klaus Iohannis has called for the resignation of Foreign
Minister Teodor Melescanu and Interior Minister Carmen Dan after problems
reported on Sunday’s European Parliament ballot organized in the Diaspora.
Thousands of Romanians waited in lines for hours to exercise their
constitutional right to vote, many of them unable to do so. The President said
he would set up a mixed committee that should identify major problems, come up
with solutions so the authorities can create regulations that would prevent the
situation from ever happening. Previously Teodor Melescanu said he provided
everything the embassies demanded for the election, admitting the vote did not
unfold in the best conditions in several countries and adding an investigation
will be carried out, calling for the adoption of a voting system that should
meet the needs of Romanians living abroad.
GOVERNMENT – Romanian head of government Viorica Dancila announced
that she would submit to President Klaus Iohannis a new list for nominations
for cabinet positions left unfilled ahead of the European elections. Social
Democrat Roxana Manzatu is the proposal for European Funds, Ana Birchall is the
proposal for Minister of Justice, which she fills temporarily, while Natalia
Intotero is the proposal for the Ministry of Romanians Abroad. Senator Titus
Corlatean is nominated to replace Viorel Stefan as Deputy Prime Minister, who
was appointed recently to the European Court of Auditors. The appointments were
endorsed in Tuesday’s meeting of the Social Democratic leadership, in the wake
of the arrest of party leader Liviu Dragnea. In another development, Marcel
Ciolacu, the candidate proposed by the Social Democrats and the Alliance of
Liberals and Democrats was appointed Chamber of Deputies Speaker after Liviu
Dragnea vacated this position.
POPE FRANCIS – Pope Francis sent a message to Romanians ahead of
his upcoming visit, telling them that he is coming to the majority Orthodox
country as a pilgrim and a brother. His state and ecumenical visit is scheduled
for May 31st – June 2nd. The pontiff will be visiting
Sumuleu Ciuc, an area in Transylvania with a majority Roman-Catholic ethnic
Hungarian population, the city of Iasi, in the northeast of the country,
another major Catholic center, and Blaj, in central Transylvania, the spiritual
center of the Greek Orthodox community. There, Pope Francis will proclaim
Blessed seven Greek-Catholic bishops who were killed for their faith in
communist prisons. This is the second visit to Romania by a pontiff, after the
visit made by Pope John Paul II in 1999, the first to a majority Orthodox
country.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, title holder and
third seed, qualified to the second round at Roland Garros, the second Grand
Slam of the year. On Tuesday night she defeated Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. In the next round she will play Polish
player Magda Linette, WTA no. 87. Irina Begu and Sorana Carstea are the other
Romanian players qualified to the second round in the women’s singles.
(Translated
by V. Palcu)