The Romanian Foreign Ministry firmly condemned North Korea’s launch of a long-range ballistic missile on 7 February, and reiterated its appeal to the authorities in that country to comply with international norms. Romanian diplomacy also called on the North Korean government to refrain from action that ‘could destabilize security in the Korean Peninsula and in the world’. This comes after the UN Security Council condemned the launch. In a unanimous statement, the council promised to fast track a new resolution introducing new sanctions against Pyongyang in answer to Sunday’s launch, as well as the nuclear test on 6 January.
Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos holds today “Premier’s Hour’ a debate called by Liberal MPs on election legislation. One of the topics will be the debate around mayoral elections in two rounds. The Liberals plead for a return to the two round election system in the local elections this year. The head executive however, said that an emergency government ordinance to that effect was not democratic, and that the decision belongs to Parliament. Another topic for debate is preparing for legislative elections and guaranteeing the right of citizens living abroad to vote. We recall that, in the presidential elections of 2014, thousands of Romanians were unable to exercise their civic rights due to defective organization. Premier’s Hour, part of the system of checks and balances, is a practice present in several European countries. In Romania, this form of parliamentary control was introduced in 2015.
Romania’s tennis team was defeated by the Czech Republic 2-3 in the Romanian city of Cluj in the first round of the Fed Cup World Group, after the pair Karolina Pliskova (13th seeded) / Barbora Strycova (41st seeded) won 6-2, 6-3, against the pair Andreea Mitu (96th seeded) / Raluca Olaru (45th seeded). In the first two games on Saturday, Simona Halep, ranked third in the world, was defeated by Karolina Pliskova (6-7, 6-4, 6-2), while Monica Niculescu, ranked 37th, disposed of Petra Kvitova (6-3, 6-4). On Sunday, Halep defeated Kvitova, ranked 37th (6-4, 3-6, 6-3), while Pliskova defeated Niculescu (6-2, 4-6, 6-3). The Czech Republic, the current trophy holder, has won four titles in the last five Fed Cups, and qualified to the semifinals, where they face Switzerland. After the defeat, Romania will play in April in an attempt to stay in the World Group.
NATO defense ministers meet on Wednesday and Thursday in Brussels to review the main challenges in defense policy for the allies. Romania is represented by its defense minister, Mihnea Motoc. The meeting comes after the announcement made by Secretary General Stoltenberg on the US request for NATO assistance in the fight against the so-called Islamic State. Stoltenberg also emphasized his concern regarding Russian air strikes in Syria, saying they undermine efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict. The ministerial meeting next week will also discuss the situation of military missions in Afghanistan, the conflict in Lybia, as well as the next NATO summit, to take place in Warsaw.
Turkey has to take emergency measures to reduce the number of refugees transiting to Greece, otherwise pressure to secure frontiers will increase, the EC warned. The Commissioner for Expansion said that although the present action plan was passed months ago, there has not been a decrease in the flow of migrants. This issue was also tackled at the meeting between French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who got together on Sunday in Strasbourg. The two declared the action plan to reduce migration a priority. Hollande and Merkel also discussed the issue of Britain staying in the European Union.
