Radio România Internațional

Tag: Melescanu

La semaine du 20 au 25 janvier 2020

Visite en Israël du président roumain

Le président roumain Klaus Iohannis s’est rendu cette semaine en Israël pour participer, aux côtés d’une cinquantaine de chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement, au Forum Mondial « Souvenir de l’Holocauste, lutter contre l’antisémitisme », qui marque les 75 ans écoulés depuis la libération du camp d’extermination nazi d’Auschwitz – Birkenau et la Journée internationale de la mémoire de la Shoah. A cette occasion le chef de l’Etat roumain s’est entretenu avec son homologue israélien Reuven Rivlin. Celui-ci a évoqué les relations étroites avec la Roumanie et a apprécié la participation de notre pays à la condamnation de l’Holocauste. A son tour, le président Iohannis a souligné l’engagement de la Roumanie à soutenir constamment la préservation de la mémoire de la Shoah, la lutte contre l’antisémitisme et à prévenir la discrimination et toute forme de violence. La présence du président roumain en Israël s’inscrit dans l’intention de l’Etat roumain de renforcer l’éducation sur l’Holocauste et de préserver la mémoire des victimes, de lutter contre l’antisémitisme, le racisme, la xénophobie et de promouvoir les valeurs européennes, la tolérance, le respect des droits et libertés fondamentales.

Les nouveaux chefs des Parquets roumains

Le ministre de la Justice, Cătălin Predoiu a annoncé cette semaine les noms des candidats aux fonctions de procureur général, de chef de la Direction nationale anticorruption et de chef de la Direction d’investigation des infractions de crime organisé et de terrorisme, soit le parquet antimafia. Il s’agit de Gabriela Scutea proposée à la tête du Parquet de la Haute Cour de Cassation et de Justice, de Crin Bologa proposé au poste de chef de la Direction nationale anticorruption et de Giorgiana Hosu proposée à la tête de la Direction d’investigation des infractions de criminalité organisée et de terrorisme. Les propositions seront soumises au Conseil supérieur de la magistrature qui doit émettre un avis consultatif. Enfin, c’est le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis qui a le dernier mot, puisqu’il peut refuser les candidats, avec motivation, une seule fois.

Disputes autour les régimes spéciaux de retraite

De plus en plus de magistrats protestent contre la possibilité d’une abrogation du régime spécial de pensions de retraite dont ils bénéficient actuellement. De nombreuses instances du pays, dont le Tribunal et la Cour d’Appel de Bucarest ont suspendu leur activité pour une période indéterminée. Seuls les dossiers pénaux qui impliquent des mesures préventives seront traités. Coté droit civil, les magistrats traiteront uniquement des dossiers urgents visant les mineurs et la suspension provisoire d’une exécution forcée. La Chambre des Députés se réunira la semaine prochaine, dans le cadre d’une réunion extraordinaire, afin de débattre d’un projet visant l’abrogation des soi-disant « pensions spéciales de retraite » dont bénéficient les magistrats et qui ne reposent pas sur le principe de la contribution. Pour sa part, le premier ministre Ludovic Orban a fait savoir que la décision du PNL était déjà prise en faveur de la suppression des régimes spéciaux de retraite à la seule exception des militaires. De l’autre côté de la barricade, L’Inspection judiciaire et les associations professionnelles des magistrats affirment haut et fort que le projet d’élimination de ces retraites ne fait que transgresser d’une manière « brutale » les principes de l’indépendance et de l’inamovibilité des juges ainsi que plusieurs articles de la Constitution et d’autres décisions de la Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme.

Bénéfices pour les militaires roumains se trouvant sur les théâtres d’opérations

Les militaires, les gendarmes et les policiers roumains qui participent à des opérations extérieures recevront des per diem équivalentes à leurs partenaires extérieurs, selon une décision du gouvernement. Le document a été initié par les ministres de la défense et de l’intérieur, Nicolae Ciucă et respectivement Marcel Vela, suite à des pourparlers avec les militaires et les gendarmes roumains, au cours de leur visite en Afghanistan en décembre dernier. Par conséquent, le per diem du personnel participant à des missions et des opérations à l’extérieur du territoire national sera majoré jusqu’à 140 euros par jour, en fonction du niveau de risque qui existe dans la zone où ces opérations se déroulent. Dans le contexte où les partenaires externes ou les structures alliées en charge des missions n’assurent pas les paies des policiers, gendarmes ou militaires roumains, ce sera à l’Etat roumain de les rembourser. Selon un communiqué du Ministère roumain des Affaires Intérieures, la décision du gouvernement intervient dans le contexte où la situation sécuritaire sur les théâtres d’opérations où sont déployés les militaires roumains s’est dégradée dernièrement, en entrainant des risques accrus pour les Roumains sur place.

Controverses à la tête du Sénat

Saisie par 33 sénateurs roumains, la Cour Constitutionnelle de Roumanie a déclaré mercredi non constitutionnelle la nomination de Teodor Melescanu à la tête du Sénat. Celui-ci a déclaré continuer à exercer cette fonction jusqu’à la parution dans le Journal officiel de la décision de la Cour. Vétéran controversé de la scène politique roumaine d’avant et d’après la chute du communisme, Teodor Melescanu, qui aura 79 ans en mars prochain, est devenu le numéro 2 de l’Etat roumain en septembre dernier, sur proposition du PSD, à l’époque au pouvoir.

Anniversaire de l’Union des principautés roumaines de Moldavie et de Valachie

Premier jour férié de cette année, ce vendredi 24 janvier a marqué les 161 ans écoulés depuis l’union des Principautés roumaines de Moldavie et de Valachie. Le 24 janvier 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza – désigné prince régnant de la Moldavie moins de trois semaines auparavant – a été élu, à l’unanimité, prince régnant de la Valachie par l’Assemblée élective de Bucarest. Il devenait ainsi le dirigeant des deux principautés. Le règne d’Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) a jeté, à travers des réformes radicales, les bases institutionnelles de la Roumanie moderne. Les rois Carol Ier et Ferdinand ont continué ces reformes et ont œuvré pour l’indépendance du pays. Le processus de constitution de l’Etat national roumain a été finalisé en 1918, à la fin de la Première Guerre Mondiale. A ce moment-là, toutes les provinces historiques à population majoritaire roumaine, qui faisaient partie jusqu’alors des empires voisins, se sont unies avec la Roumanie

25 January 2020
The National Day of Romania

December 1 became Romania’s National Day after the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution. It marks the finalization, at the end of WWI, in 1918, of the process of creating the Romanian unitary nation state, when all the provinces with a majority Romanian-speaking population from the neighboring multinational empires united under the authority of Bucharest. According to President Klaus Iohannis, this is the most emotional celebration of the Romanian nation, a symbol of freedom. It is a celebration of democracy, of the fundamental rights and liberties.

On December 1 the Romanian head of state participated in the traditional military parade at the Arch of Triumph in Bucharest and later in the day he hosted a reception at the Cotroceni Palace to mark the National Day, when Romanians also celebrated 101 years since the great union of 1918. President Iohannis reminded that this year Romania also marks 3 decades since the December 1989 revolution. He went on to say that Romanians defended democracy in the street and also at the polling stations, adding that he wanted all the Romanians who are now living abroad to come back home.

Klaus Iohannis: “The Union is our celebration, a celebration of all of us, no matter where we are. I wish all the Romanians who are now living in various parts of the world returned home; when they come back I want them to find here a functional Romania, a normal country that should give them the chance of a better future and ensure decent living standards. I believe this can come true one day, and it is up to us to make this possible.”

The military parade in Bucharest was attended by thousands of people among whom important political leaders and various personalities of the Romanian society. Participating in the parade were around 4 thousand Romanian military and experts and also military from over 20 allied or partner states, alongside 50 aircraft and over 200 military vehicles. The celebrations continued in Alba Iulia, in central Romania, the symbol of the Great Union, under the motto ‘The first year in a new century’.

Attending the celebration in Alba Iulia, the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban, addressed the participants: “My dear fellow Romanians, good afternoon! I have a simple message for you, the message chanted after each item in the Union declaration: Hooray, hooray, hooray! Long live the Greater Romania!”

A religious service was held at the Union Cathedral by high officials of the Romanian Orthodox Church that was followed by a military parade involving 1,400 military and employees of the Interior Ministry. The National Day was marked in all of Romania’s cities and also abroad. The Romanian soldiers on mission in the theaters of operations in Afghanistan, the western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland also participated in military ceremonies.

In Bucharest, in a message on the national day, the Senate speaker, Teodor Melescanu, underlined that this day brings to the forefront the ideals of union, prosperity and freedom, which we have to cherish and support, to make Romania powerful. In turn, the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, urged the Romanians to remain united in the face of obstacles, to give Romania the place that it deserves and to make it brighter. (translation by L. Simion)

2 December 2019
Nach Trennung: Ministerpräsidentin ernennt Minister vom früheren Koalitionspartner

Infolge des Rücktritts der ALDE-Minister aus der Regierung waren drei Geschäftsbereiche unbesetzt geblieben. Jetzt nominierte Ministerpräsidentin und PSD-Chefin Viorica Dăncilă drei weitere ALDE-Mitglieder für die drei Posten nach. Diese sind Graţiela Gavrilescu für den Bereich Umwelt, Ion Cupă für den Bereich Energie und Alexandru Băişanu als Minister für die Beziehung zum Parlament. Laut Frau Dăncilă wollten die drei jetzigen Abgeordneten das 2016 an der Seite der Sozialdemokraten angefangene Projekt fortsetzen. Das Projekt würde auch die Unterstützung weiterer ALDE-Mitglieder finden, sagt die Ministerpräsidentin.

Es ist wichtig, dass wir die Regierungstätigkeit fortsetzen, um für Stabilität zu sorgen. Wir müssen uns für die Stärkung des Ansehens Rumäniens im Ausland mobilisieren, vor allem in diesem Moment, in dem wir unseren Vertreter in der Europäischen Kommission unterstützen müssen. Von den Interessen Rumäniens ausgehend, von den Interessen der Rumänen, habe ich beschlossen, Vertreter von der ALDE für die drei unbesetzten Bereiche zu nominieren.

Der Schachzug folgt auf eine andere überraschende Ernennung: Nachdem ALDE-Chef Călin Popescu Tăriceanu als Senatsvorsitzender zurückgetreten war, wurde mit Ex-Außenminister Teodor Meleşcanu ein weiteres Spitzenmitglied der ALDE für den Posten vorgeschlagen. Der einzige vernünftige Grund für die Entscheidungen sei ein verzweifelter Versuch, die Minderheitsregierung der Sozialdemokraten zu retten, meinen Beobachter der politischen Szene in Bukarest.

Die Aufnahme von ALDE-Mitgliedern in die Exekutive sowie die Unterstützung für Meleşcanu als zweiten Mann im Staat seien verfassungswidrig, behauptet der Vorsitzende der ALDE, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. Die ernannten Minister hätten ihre Eigenschaft als Parteimitglieder somit verloren, also habe die Regierung jetzt eine andere Struktur. Vor diesem Hintergrund müsse die Ministerpräsidentin ins Parlament kommen und die Vertrauensfrage stellen, sagt Popescu-Tăriceanu, der die Manöver der Regierungschefin kritisiert.

Diejenigen, die sich diesem Unterfangen anschließen, tun das als Einzelpersonen und nicht als ALDE-Mitglieder. Das müssen sie genauso wie Frau Dăncilă wissen. Frau Dăncilă versucht mit allen Mitteln allerlei Formeln, die der Dritten Welt entsprechen, um eine Abstimmung im Parlament zu umgehen. Frau Dăncilă hat gegen die Verfassung verstoßen und unsere Entscheidung nicht respektiert, aus der Regierung auszutreten.“

Der Vorsitzende des Verbands Rettet Rumänien (USR) aus der Opposition, Dan Barna, ermahnt derweil die Ministerpräsidentin, sich dem Parlament zu stellen. Ferner appelliert er an die Oppositionsparteien, den Pakt für Neuwahlen zu unterzeichnen. Laut Barna könnten Neuwahlen gemäß den Verfahrensregeln in etwa sechs Monaten abgehalten werden. Der Vorsitzende der Nationalliberalen Partei (PNL), Ludovic Orban, sprach ebenfalls von einem Verstoß der Ministerpräsidentin Dăncilă gegen das Grundgesetz. Weil sie die Vetrauensfrage im Parlament verweigere, würde sich die aktuelle Regierung in der Illegalität befinden.

12 September 2019
Politische Tubrulenzen in Bukarest

In Bukarest ist am ersten Tag der ordentlichen Herbstsitzung des Parlaments der Vorsitzende der Allianz der Liberalen und Demokraten (ALDE), Călin Popescu Tăriceanu vom Vorsitz des Senats zurückgetreten. Der ehemalige Regierungspartner der Sozialdemokratischen Partei (PSD) hatte bereits letzte Woche seinen Rücktritt angekündigt, zeitgleich mit der Entscheidung, die Regierungskoalition zu verlassen.

Călin Popescu Tăriceanu erklärte, er sei als Vorsitzender des Senats korrekt, ausgeglichen und neutral gewesen, er könne aber nicht weitermachen. Călin Popescu Tăriceanu: Ich habe dieses Amt als Vertreter eines politischen Bündnisses übernommen und es erscheint mir normal, sie zu verlassen, nachdem das betreffende Bündnis aufgelöst wurde.»

Dennoch und überraschenderweise könnte ALDE immer noch den Vorsitz des Senats innehaben, und zwar im Namen dessen Vizevorsitzenden Teodor Meleşcanu, der von der PSD umworben wird. Viorica Dăncilă, die Vorsitzende der Sozialdemokraten und Ministerpräsidentin, erklärte: Es war ALDE, die dieses Amt innehatte, und wir wollten zeigen, dass wir bis zum Schluss korrekt sind. Ich habe mit meinen Kollegen während der Sitzung mit dem Vorsitzenden der Abgeordnetenkammer gesprochen und es gab eine Abstimmung im Senat.»

Teodor Meleşcanu versuchte seine Wahl zum Präsidenten des Senats schönzureden und behauptete, dieser Schritt wäre für ALDE von Vorteil. Teodor Meleşcanu : Dieses Amt ist eine Garantie dafür, dass ALDE keinem Druck ausgesetzt wird. Im Gegenteil, es wird meinen Kollegen eine Zukunftsperspektive bieten.»

Fazit: Auf der politischen Bühne Rumäniens hat alles einen Preis und alles ist verhandelbar. Die Ruhe der ALDE konnte im Tausch für die politische Unterstützung der Minderheitsregierung der PSD erkauft werden, die durch einen Mißtrauensantrag gestürzt zu werden drohte. Die wichtigste Oppositionspartei, die Nationalliberale Partei (PNL), hat angekündigt, dass sie mit allen Parteien außer der PSD verhandeln wird, um die Chancen der Annahme des Antrags zu erhöhen. PNL-Vorsitzender Ludovic Orban: Mit Beginn der Parlamentssitzungen werden auch die Verhandlungen mit allen im rumänischen Parlament vertretenen politischen Parteien und Fraktionen, mit Ausnahme der sozialdemokratischen Fraktionen, aufgenommen. Was uns angeht, wird der Text des von der Nationalliberalen Partei ausgearbeiteten Misstrauensantrags Gegenstand von Diskussionen mit allen Fraktionen sein. Wir dürfen nicht vergessen, dass es sich um sechs weitere Fraktionen handelt, die mit der Nationalliberalen Partei zusammenarbeiten müssen, um diese Regierung zu stürzen.»

Gleichfalls aus der Opposition fordert die Allianz der Union Rettet Rumänien (USR) und der Partei für Freiheit, Einheit und Solidarität (PLUS) vorgezogene Wahlen, als Voraussetzung für ihre Unterstützung für eine neue Regierung. USR-Chef Dan Barna sagte, dieser sei der einzige Weg, um eine neue parlamentarische Mehrheit aufzustellen, die die Reformen durchsetzen kann, die das Land braucht. Dacian Cioloş, der Vorsitzende der PLUS, forderte die Bildung einer Übergangsregierung bis zu möglichen vorgezogenen Wahlen. Aus dieser sehr komplizierten parlamentarischen Gleichung kann man die Partei Pro Rumänien nicht ausschließen, eine Partei, die sich aus Dissidenten der PSD zusammensetzt und von dem ehemaligen Premierminister Victor Ponta geleitet wird sowie die Partei der Volksbewegung, die Partei der Demokratischen Union der Ungarn in Rumänien (UDMR) und die parlamentarische Gruppe der nationalen Minderheiten. Traditionell geben Letztere das sprichwörtliche Zünglein an der Waage ab.

3 September 2019
Security in the Black Sea area

The conference once again emphasized the need for NATOs capabilities to be strengthened in the Black Sea, an area still affected by frozen conflicts and latent tensions, because any flaw, any vulnerability in the Black Sea region will have its negative effect on the structure of the Alliance as a whole.

Is the North-Atlantic Alliance prepared to face such challenges? This was the main question asked by Romanias president Klaus Iohannis during the talks. Iohannis pleaded for a unitary presence of the Alliance, which should also be a consolidated and coherent one, all along NATOs eastern flank. With details on that, here is president Iohannis himself.

Klaus Iohannis: “Security in the Black Sea area and along the eastern flank has its direct influence on Euro-Atlantic security. Any flaw, any vulnerability at the Black Sea becomes a vulnerability of the Alliance as a whole, simply inviting hostile action. Is the Alliance prepared to face such challenges? So far it has demonstrated it is, proof of that being the measures taken and implemented beginning 2014 and all through to 2016, at the summit in Warsaw, and then at the summits in Brussels, in 2017 and 2018. That is not enough though. The Black Sea area requires an articulate and coordinated approach in political and operational terms, also addressing the capabilities aimed at restoring balance and deterring hostile action.”

Romanias president Klaus Iohannis emphasized the fact that a strategic approach to that was vital. From an operational point of view, such an approach entails the permanent monitoring of regional developments, the strengthening of NATOs position and the Alliances capabilities as well as enhancing the resilience of NATOs partners, Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova.

According to Bucharest, a unitary, consolidated and coherent presence of the Alliance, from the Baltic to the Black Sea is mandatory, so that NATO may build up an efficient position for deterrent and defense purposes. During the talks it was pointed out that the EUs increased defense capabilities are in NATOs best interest and that the programmes and operations need to be complementary.

James Appathurai, the NATO Secretary Generals Deputy Assistant for Political Affairs and Security Policy, explained that, given the current security context, NATO and the European Union need to stay even closer to one another. According to him, the process of these two entities getting closer to one another, which was caused by a deteriorating security environment because of terrorism but also because of the instability caused by Russia, is necessary for the security of all member states.

“A Europe more capable defense-wise will be able to take more responsibilities and also handle a bigger part of the shared burden. That would also be to the benefit of NATO, since the member states are owners of the capabilities they can make available to the Alliance as a whole. The close and strengthened partnership between the European Union and NATO as well as the trans-Atlantic relationship remain crucial as a means to respond to threats and security risks targeting both organizations”. This is also the official stance of the European External Action Service, which is an institution of the European Union officially launched on December 1st, 2010. Its role is to assist the European Unions High representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

In Bucharest, the European External Action Service was represented by its Assistant Secretary General Jean Christophe Belliard who emphasized the need for the European Union to take greater responsibilities as regards its own security, but on a complementary and not a competitive basis with NATO. A US expert in Transatlantic defense and energy security and also a coordinator with the Center for European Policy Analysis, Peter Doran attended the conference in Bucharest.

Specifically referring to the strengthening of the Trans-Atlantic ties, Peter Doran said that his organization dedicated its activity to a better understanding of the way the US ties with its allies can be strengthened especially here, in the Black Sea area. For the US official, there are three domains where such cooperation could be implemented. One is cooperation in the field of security and defense, then there is the field of energy, while the third domain of cooperation is what Peter Doran termed an indestructible connection, namely freedom. According to him these are the ties bringing Romania and United States closer to one another.

Romania was especially interested in security against the backdrop of the recent evolution in the region, according to the Romanian Foreign Ministry Teodor Melescanu. The Romanian official explained that it was not by chance that security was the second most important issue of Romanias presidency of the Council of the European Union after cohesion.

Melescanu went on to say that with respect to a lot of key issues in our region, for instance in the West Balkans, a strategic convergence has always existed between the activity of NATO and that of the European Union. The Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister has also added that there are a lot of precious lessons to learn regarding strategic coordination and the development of interoperability. According to him Romania has been a staunch supporter of the European Union – NATO partnership and of the Trans-Atlantic relationship as one of the main pillars of European security.

9 August 2019
June 23, 2019 UPDATE

INVESTMENT According to a report published by the Foreign Investors Council,
foreign investment in Romania amounts to a total of 75 billion euros, being
comparable in size with the European funds. 90% of foreign investment in
Romania comes from EU members, Germany, France, Austria and the Netherlands. Investment
has been made in all sectors of Romania’s economy, mainly in industry. Foreign
investment reached its climax around Romania’s EU accession, when it stood somewhere
around nine billion euros a year. At present foreign companies in Romania boast
around 1.3 million employees, who account for 25% of their total number.

FOOTBALL
Romania’s Under-21 football
side will be up against France on Monday in Group C of the European Under-21
Football Championship underway in Italy and San Marino. The Romanians started
off on the right foot on Tuesday with a 4-1 win against Croatia and later
clinched a 4-2 victory against England. This is Romania’s second participation
in a final tournament after the one it hosted in 1998. Winners of the three
groups as well as the best side on the second position will qualify for the
semifinals. The first four sides will qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

DELEGATION A European Parliament delegation is to arrive on Monday in
Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet Romanian-speaking country, for
an opinion exchange with the country’s fresh government. Made up of four MEPs,
the delegation, which is headed by David McAllister, Chair of the European
Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, is going to hold talks with the country’s
Prime Minister Maia Sandu, President Igor Dodon, Foreign Minister Nicolae
Popescu, Interior Minister Andrei Nastase and Parliament Speaker Zinaida
Greceanii. In another development, the new head of diplomacy in the Republic of
Moldova will be paying a visit to neighboring Romania on July 1st -
the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced. Nicolae Popescu already talked
on the phone with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu on Friday; the
latter gave assurances on Bucharest’s readiness for a tight cooperation in the
spirit of the Strategic bilateral partnership for the Republic of Moldova’s
European integration. Sworn in by Parliament on June 8th, Moldova’s
new government took over its prerogatives a week ago upon the political
deadlock caused by the former centre-to-left executive controlled by tycoon
Vladimir Plahotniuc who refused to step down.

FESTIVAL Over 50 cultural events were scheduled for Sunday, the last day of
the 26th edition of the International Theatre Festival (FITS) hosted by Sibiu,
a city in central Romania. This year’s edition unfolded under the motto The
Art to Give and also included circus performances, music, book launches and
other related events. The Walk of Fame in Sibiu on Saturday was added more
stars to honour celebrities from the local and international showbiz, including
Romanian actress Maia Morgenstern, Italian director and actor Pippo Delbono,
and the director of the Theatre de Ville and the Autumn Festival in Paris,
Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota. This year’s edition of FITS, which kicked off on June 14th,
included roughly 540 events held in 75 performance areas, and has been attended
by 33 hundred artists and invitees from 73 countries. FITS, which has Radio
Romania among its co-producers, has been described as the largest and most
complex event of this kind in Romania and even Europe.

FOOTBALL
Romania’s Under-21 football
side will be up against France on Monday in Group C of the European Under-21
Football Championship underway in Italy and San Marino. The Romanians started
off on the right foot on Tuesday with a 4-1 win against Croatia and later
clinched a 4-2 victory against England. This is Romania’s second participation
in a final tournament after the one it hosted in 1998. Winners of the three
groups as well as the best side on the second position will qualify for the
semifinals. The first four sides will qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

(translated by bill)

23 June 2019
June 23, 2019

WEATHER
Orange and yellow warnings for
unstable weather have been issued for the entire Romanian territory, its
south-western regions being the most affected. Heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms
and hail are expected but this unstable weather is going to be over soon and
Romanians are bracing for a new wave of extremely hot temperatures. Flood
alerts have also been issued for rivers in 23 Romanian counties. The highs of
the day are ranging between 25 and 34 degrees Celsius with a noon reading in
Bucharest of 27 degrees.

DELEGATION A European Parliament delegation will on Monday go to Chisinau,
the Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet Romanian-speaking country, for an opinion
exchange with the country’s fresh government. Made up of four MEPs, the
delegation, which is headed by David McAllister, Chair of the European
Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, is going to hold talks with the country’s
Prime Minister Maia Sandu, President Igor Dodon, Foreign Minister Nicolae
Popescu, Interior Minister Andrei Nastase and Parliament Speaker Zinaida
Greceanii. In another development, the new head of diplomacy in the Republic of
Moldova will be paying a visit to neighboring Romania on July 1st -
the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced. Nicolae Popescu already
talked on the phone with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu on Friday;
the latter gave assurances on Bucharest’s readiness for a tight cooperation in
the spirit of the Strategic bilateral partnership for the Republic of Moldova’s
European integration. Sworn in by Parliament on June 8th, Moldova’s
new government took over its prerogatives a week ago upon the political
deadlock caused by the former centre-to-left executive controlled by tycoon
Vladimir Plahotniuc who refused to step down.

NATO Saber Guardian 2019, the most important
multi-national NATO exercise in Romania is due to end on June 24th.
The exercise has as its main objective the deepening of cohesion, unity and
solidarity of the allied and partner countries with a view to repelling any
aggression by means of the rapid mobilization and deployment of troops anywhere
in Europe. In order to raise the effectiveness of training in an international
context, Saber Guardian 2019 is carried out in connection with a series of
national and multi-national exercises so that the total number of participating
troops amounts to 13,500, out of which 7,600 are Romanian. 14 allied and
partner countries are being represented in these exercises.

FESTIVAL Over 50 cultural events have been scheduled for today, the last
day of the 26th edition of the International Theatre Festival (FITS) hosted by
Sibiu, a city in central Romania. This year’s edition unfolded under the motto
The Art to Give and also included circus performances, music and book
launches and other related events. The Walk of Fame in Sibiu on Saturday was
added more stars granted to celebrities from the local and international
showbiz, including Romanian actress Maia Morgenstern, Italian director and
actor Pippo Delbono, and the director of the Theatre de Ville and the Autumn
Festival in Paris, Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota. This year’s edition of FITS, which
kicked off on June 14th, included roughly 540 events held in 75
performance areas, and has been attended by 33 hundred artists and invitees
from 73 countries.

(translated by bill)

23 June 2019
June 17, 2019 UPDATE

CONCLUSIONS The EU Council on Monday adopted a series
of conclusions concerning the EU’s commitment towards regional cooperation in
the Black Sea area during the proceedings of the Foreign Affairs Council in
Luxembourg where Romania was represented by its Foreign Minister Teodor
Melescanu. The Council has reiterated its long-term commitment to promoting
prosperity, stability and resilience in the Black Sea area. The Council has
underlined the increasingly strategic importance of the Black Sea region for
the EU calling for the union’s firmer involvement in regional cooperation
having as foundation the Black Sea Synergy. At the same time the Council
remains concerned about the security challenges in the Black Sea. In this
context, it reiterates that international law observance, including the
principles of independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, the UN
Convention on the law of the sea, including the freedom of navigation as well
as observance of the EU’s political decisions and its non-recognition policy
for Crimea are instrumental in the EU’s approach to regional cooperation in the
Black Sea.

MOTION MPs in Bucharest on Tuesday are
expected to debate upon and vote a censure motion the opposition tabled against
the PSD-ALDE coalition government. According to the document, Romania urgently
needs a government with a pro-European vision focused on the country’s
development priorities like education, health, public investment and attracting
European funds. The signatories of the motion – the National Liberal Party, the
Save Romania Union, the People’s Movement Party and the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, say the executive led by the Social-Democratic
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila must be sacked for the way in which they staged
the European Parliament election abroad and for repeatedly trying to issue
emergency ordinances in the justice field. The ordinance needs 233 votes to
pass and the initiators also needs the support of ProRomania Party led by the
country’s former Social Democratic Prime Minister Victor Ponta, from the
national minorities as well as votes from the ruling coalition. The incumbent
Prime Minister, who is also the interim president of the Social Democrats, has
called on the latter to attend the debates to ensure the quorum but to abstain
from voting.

MAYOR Romanian-born musician Octavian Ursu
has become the Christian-Democratic mayor of the German city of Gorlitz after
defeating in the second round of the local election Sebastian Wippel a former
policeman, representative of the Alternative for Germany. The Romanian mustered
55% of the votes in the second round of the election. Ursu, 51, graduated from
the Music Conservatory in Bucharest and left for Germany where he got hired at
the Gorlitz philharmonics as a soloist. In 2009, he enlisted with Angela
Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and in 2010 he took over the municipal constituency
in Gorlitz. In 2014 he got elected in the legislature of the Federal State of
Saxony. The Romanian got support from celebrities from Germany and abroad who
signed a petition urging the citizens to vote against ‘hatred and hostility,
isolation and discord. Famous movies like ‘Inglorious Basterds’ and ‘Monuments
Men’ have been shot in Gorlitz.

CARS
Over two thirds of the cars registered in Romania in the first five months of the
year are second-hand purchases. According to the National Directorate for
Licenses and Registration out of the 240 thousand vehicles registered in
Romania since January until the end of May, only 60 thousand are new vehicles.
Nevertheless, the number of new vehicles registered in this period is 20%
higher than the similar period of 2018. The so-called Rabla programme has
significantly contributed to this increase as under this programme 30 thousand
people have so far benefitted from bonuses to scrap their old vehicles. The
Romanians’ mostly preferred brands are the local Dacia, followed by Volkswagen,
Skoda, Renault and Ford. At the end of last year Romania had over 8 million
vehicles registered, 7% higher than in 2017.

(translated by bill)

17 June 2019
June 17, 2019

MAYOR Romanian musician Octavian Ursu, born
in Bucharest, has become the Christian-Democratic mayor of the German city of
Gorlitz after defeating in the second round of the local election Sebastian
Wippel a former policeman, representative of the Alternative for Germany. The
Romanian mustered 55% of the votes in the second round of the election. Ursu,
51, graduated from the Music Conservatory in Bucharest and left for Germany
where he got hired at the Gorlitz philharmonic as a soloist. In 2009, he enlisted
with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and in 2010 he took over the
municipal constituency in Gorlitz. In 2014, Ursu got elected in the legislature
of the Federal State of Saxony. The Romanian got support from celebrities from
Germany and abroad who signed a petition urging the citizens to vote against
‘hatred and hostility, isolation and discord’. Famous movies like ‘Inglorious
Basterds’ and ‘Monuments Men’ have been shot in Gorlitz.

DIPLOMACY The head of the Romanian
diplomacy, Teodor Melescanu, is in Luxembourg to participate in the EU Foreign
Affairs Council’s meeting. According to a communiqué from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Bucharest, the member states are holding talks on ways of
improving the Common Foreign Policy and Security. The participants are also
tackling topical issues such as the situation in the Republic of Moldova, an
ex-soviet Romanian-speaking country, and the latest developments in Sudan. They
will also be discussing the situation in the Middle East with their Jordanian
counterpart Ayman Safadi. A meeting of the foreign and defence ministers from
the EU countries is also taking place today. High on the agenda is the process
of implementing the EU Global Strategy.

FOOTBALL Romania’s under-21 football
side is today taking on Croatia in the European Football Championship in Italy
and San Marino. In the same group C, England will be playing France. In the
first matches in group A, Poland defeated Belgium 3-2 and Italy obtained a 3-1
win against Spain. In group B today, Serbia will be playing Austria and Germany
takes on Denmark. This is Romania’s second participation in a final tournament
after that in 1998 staged in Bucharest. Back then Romania ended in the last
position out of 8 participants. The finals will take place on June 30th.

TENNIS Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, a former world number one player,
is currently ranking 8th in the standings of the world’s
professional tennis players published today. First in the ranking comes Naomi
Osaka of Japan, followed by Ashleigh Barty of Australia and Karolina Pliskova
of the Czech Republic. Top 100 also includes another two Romanians, Mihaela
Buzarnescu, currently ranking 42nd and Sorana Cirstea who comes in
the 77th position.

CARS
Over two thirds of the cars registered in Romania in the first five months of
the year are second-hand purchases. According to the National Directorate for
Licenses and Registration, out of the 240 thousand vehicles registered in
Romania since January until the end of May only 60 thousand are new vehicles.
Nevertheless, the number of new vehicles registered in this period is 20%
higher than the similar period of 2018. The so-called ‘Rabla’ programme has
significantly contributed to this increase as under this programme, over 30
thousand people have so far benefited from bonuses to scrap their old
vehicles. The Romanians’ mostly preferred brands are the local Dacia, followed
by Volkswagen, Skoda, Renault and Ford. At the end of last year Romania had
over 8 million vehicles registered, 7% higher than in 2017.

(translated by bill)

17 June 2019
Misstrauensantrag gegen Außenminister Teodor Meleşcanu gescheitert

Die rumänischen Senatoren haben den Misstrauensantrag gegen den Au‎ßenminister der PSD-ALDE-Regierung, Teodor Meleşcanu, abgewiesen. Ihm wird vorgeworfen, die Abstimmung der Auslandsrumänen bei der Europawahl und dem Referendum in vergangenem Monat schlecht verwaltet zu haben.

Die Opposition der Nationalliberalen Partei (PNL), der Union Rettet Rumänien (USR) und der Volksbewegung (PMP) bezichtigen den Au‎ßenminister, den Flaschenhals bei den Wahlen am 26. Mai im Ausland angelegt zu haben, damit möglichst wenig Stimmen abgegeben werden. Mihai Goţiu, Senator der Union Rettet Rumänien (USR), ist der Meinung, Meleşcanu müsse die Verantwortung für die stundenlangen Warteschlangen vor den Wahllokalen übernehmen. Viele Rumänen haben es nicht geschafft, ihre Stimme abzugeben. Meleşcanu habe es hingegen vorgezogen, die Schuld auf Botschaften und Diplomaten abzuwälzen. Mihai Goţiu:

“Sie haben entschieden, dass die Rumänen in den Gro‎ßstädten, in denen bekannterweise viele leben, bestraft werden müssen, und haben dort Wahllokale geschlossen. Es gibt keinen Zweifel, dass es sich um Absicht handelt und, dass sie die Anzahl der Wahlurnen und der Stimmzettel absichtlich falsch angegeben haben.”

Diesem erwiderte der ALDE-Vorsitzende, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu: Es hat nicht die geringste Absicht der Regierung gegeben, die Abstimmung zu behindern. Die Anzahl der Wahllokale erfolgte aufgrund der Bedarfskalkulation der rumänischen Vertretungen im Ausland.“ Er behauptete weiter, es gebe keine Angaben über die Zahl und die Wohnorte der im Ausland lebenden Rumänen.

Der liberale Senator Florin Cîţu wies darauf hin, dass diese Vorgehensweise der Regierung in Zukunft Schule machen könnte und sagte: Minister Meleşcanu und die PSD-ALDE-Regierung haben absichtlich die gleichzeitige Durchführung der beiden Abstimmungen boykottiert, und zwar indem sie ihren gesetzlichen Pflichten nicht nachgekommen sind. Die einzige Behörde, die laut Gesetz befähigt war, mehr Wahllokale im Ausland zu eröffnen und die Logistik für die Abstimmung am Referendum bereitzustellen, war das Au‎ßenministerium. “

Der Au‎ßenminister verteidigte sich, indem er erklärte, dass die Durchführung des Referendums gleichzeitig mit den Europawahlen die Abstimmung erschwert habe und dass zig Vertreter der Parteien am Wahltag nicht in den Lokalen erschienen seien. Er versucht auch, die Diskussion auf eine andere Schiene zu leiten, nämlich die der Änderung des Abstimmungsverfahrens im Ausland. Teodor Meleşcanu:

Mit der jetzt gültigen Gesetzgebung können wir nichts Weiteres tun und wir sind bereit, uns der parlamentarischen Kommission, die einberufen werden soll, zur Verfügung zu stellen. Wir schlagen eine vorgezogene, verlängerte Wahl, die von 3 bis 7 Tage dauern könnte, vor, die jedwede Form von Bürokratie entbehren würde und die sehr nützlich bei der Beschleunigung des Wahlverfahrens sein könnte. “

Das Parlament in Bukarest hat einen gemeinsamen Ausschuss eingesetzt, der über Änderungen am Wahlverfahren für die Auslandsrumänen beraten soll.

12 June 2019
11.06.2019 (mise à jour)

Visite – Le chef
du Sénat de Bucarest, Călin
Popescu-Tăriceanu, fera mercredi et jeudi une visite officielle en France, à
l’invitation de son homologue Gérard Larcher. En tant que démarche de la
diplomatie parlementaire, cette visite s’inscrit dans la direction de
l’approfondissement et de la diversification du dialogue politique et du
renforcement du caractère spécial de la relation amicale traditionnelle entre
les deux pays, fait savoir un communiqué du Sénat. De jeudi à samedi, Călin
Popescu-Tăriceanu participera également à Paris à la 20e réunion de
l’Association des Sénats d’Europe.

Gouvernement – Le président roumain Klaus Iohannis a signé mardi le décret désignant la nouvellement investie ministre de la Justice, Ana Birchall, vice-premier ministre par intérim des partenariats stratégiques. Rappelons-le, la semaine dernière, Klaus Iohannis avait refusé de nommer le sénateur social-démocrate Titus Corlăţean dans cette fonction. Selon le président, Titus Corlăţean avait géré de manière défectueuse le scrutin organisé à l’étranger en 2014, alors qu’il était ministre des Affaires étrangères. A l’époque, des dizaines de milliers de Roumains de l’étranger n’avaient pas pu voter pour les élections présidentielles de 2014.

Ministre – Une motion simple contre le ministre roumain des Affaires étrangères, Teodor Meleşcanu, déposée par les principaux partis de l’opposition, a été rejetée mardi au plénum du Sénat de Bucarest. La motion portait notamment sur les problèmes survenus à l’étranger pendant les récentes élections européennes du 26 mai, Les parlementaires de l’opposition – Parti national libéral, l’Union sauvez la Roumanie et le Parti du mouvement populaire – accusent de manque de responsabilité M Melescanu et son ministère pour l’organisation du scrutin européen pour la diaspora. Pour sa part, le chef de la diplomatie roumaine s’est à nouveau excusé devant les Roumains de la diaspora qui n’ont pas pu exercer leur droit du vote le 26 mai. Néanmoins, il soutient toujours que son ministère avait rempli toutes ses obligations légales. Il a annoncé que, dans la période à venir, des consultations auront lieu dans les ambassades concernées pour établir les responsables, mais aussi pour prévenir ce genre de situation à l’avenir.

UE – Chine – Le ministère roumain des Affaires étrangères a organisé mardi à Bucarest, dans le cadre de la présidence roumaine au Conseil de l’UE, une conférence internationale dédiée aux relations de partenariat stratégique entre l’Union européenne et la Chine. A cette occasion le chef de la diplomatie roumaine, Teodor Melescanu, a souligné que l’inter-connectivité entre l’UE et l’Asie a compté parmi les priorités de la présidence roumaine de l’Union. A son tour, le directeur général adjoint au sein du ministère chinois des AE, Yang Xiaoguang, a précisé que l’économie de la Chine et de l’UE comptaient, ensemble, pour 40% de la production mondiale. Au moment où le bloc communautaire et la Chine réunissent leurs forces, ils peuvent dynamiser le commerce global et promouvoir la croissance économique, a encore déclaré le responsable chinois. « La Chine est devenue un acteur global et un fournisseur important de technologie », a souligné aussi Zoltan Martinusz, directeur dans le cadre du Secrétariat général du Conseil de l’UE.

Moldova – En tant que partenaire stratégique de la République de Moldova, la Roumanie estime que dans un Etat démocratique, la volonté des citoyens, exprimée par vote et reflétée dans la configuration politique du Parlement, est la seule à même de garantir un processus politique légitime, fondé sur le dialogue, lit-on dans un communiqué transmis mardi par le ministère des Affaires étrangères de Bucarest. La Roumanie réitère son appel au calme et à la retenue et met en évidence la nécessité de respecter les principes de l’Etat de droit et de garantir une transition pacifique et inclusive, pour la sortie de crise, précise le même document. Rappelons-le, la République de Moldova voisine est actuellement confrontée à une sévère crise politique, où plusieurs forces politiques s’accusent l’une l’autre d’avoir accaparé le pouvoir.

Chişinău – La Procurature générale de la République de Moldova a ouvert un dossier sur le possible financement du Parti des socialistes du président Igor Dodon par la Fédération de Russie. Par ailleurs, le président élu Igor Dodon a annulé le décret signé par son remplaçant, Pavel Filip, (du Parti démocrate) qui décidait de la dissolution du Parlement et convoquait des élections législatives anticipées le 6 septembre prochain. Rappelons-le, le 9 juin, la Cour constitutionnelle moldave a suspendu Igor Dodon de ses fonctions de chef de l’Etat, le remplaçant par le premier ministre, Pavel Filip, en tant que président par intérim. Le Parti démocrate du controversé homme d’affaires Vladimir Plahotniuc considère que le gouvernement légal est celui de Pavel Filip, alors qu’un autre cabinet dirigé par la pro-européenne Maia Sandu fonctionne actuellement dans le siège du Parlement de Chisinau. Lundi a eu lieu la première réunion de ce gouvernement investi avec l’aide des socialistes, malgré la décision des juges de la Cour constitutionnelle d’invalider son investiture. Par ailleurs, Maia Sandu a assuré que son équipe réussirait à débloquer les financements extérieurs, notamment celui offert par l’Union européenne. Entre temps, la Commission de Venise a confirmé avoir reçu la solicitaion du secrétaire général du Conseil de l’Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, qui demande d’urgence l’avis de la Commission à l’égard des récentes décisions de la Cour Constitutionnelle moldave, notamment celles visant la dissolution du Parlement de Chisinau. Un avis doit être adopté dans le cadre de la séance plénière du 21 juin.

Météo – Les météorologues mettent en garde contre l’instabilité atmosphérique accentuée jusqu’à mercredi dans la nuit sur la plupart du territoire de la Roumanie. On attend des pluies à verse, des phénomènes orageux et du vent très fort, ainsi que de la grêle. Par endroits, les précipitations pourraient dépasser les 40 l/m carré. Dans les 24 prochaines heures les températures maximales iront de 27 à 34 degrés.

11 June 2019
June 11, 2019

FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side on Monday night clinched
a 4-0 win against the selection of Malta in group F of the 2020 European
Football Championship preliminaries. On Friday Romania ended their away game
against Norway in a 2-all draw but in March they lost to Sweden in Stockholm
2-1. Our footballers have also secured a 4-1 home win against the Faeroe Islands.
Spain tops the table with 12 points followed by Sweden and Romania, each with 7
points. The preliminaries are to resume in September when Romania will be up
against Spain in Bucharest. The first two sides in the group will book tickets
for the final tournament whose lots are to be drawn in Bucharest on November 30th.
The Romanian capital is to host four matches of the final tournament, three in
the group stage and one in the round of 16. We recall that also this month,
Romania’s Under 21 football selection will be playing in the European
Championship in Italy and San Marino. Romania is part of group C together with
England, France and Croatia.

EXPLANATIONS Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has today been
invited to the Chamber of Deputies upon a request from the opposition National
Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union to speak in the ‘Government’s Hour’.
Also on Tuesday the Senate is debating upon a simple motion tabled against the
Foreign Minister on the situation during the May 26th election when many
Romanians abroad had difficulty in casting their ballot. The opposition MPs are
calling for Melescanu’s resignation. On Monday the Foreign Minister again asked
the Romanians abroad to forgive him but said that the Ministry had fulfilled its
legal obligations. Melescanu has announced that talks are to be held at the
embassies where voters faced difficulty during the elections in order to find
the culprits and see to it that the situation will not repeat.

FILE The Prosecutor General of the Republic of
Moldova, an ex-Soviet Romanian-speaking country, has opened a file on the
possible funding of the Socialist Party of president Igor Dodon by the Russian
Federation. In another development, Dodon has announced that he cancelled the
decree signed by Pavel Filip on dismantling Parliament and staging snap election
on September 6th. On June 9th the Constitutional Court in
the Republic of Moldova suspended Dodon from the position of president and
appointed Prime Minister Pavel Filip as the country’s interim president. The
Democratic Party of controversial businessman Vlad Plahotniuc believes the
legal government is that led by Filip. The first meeting of the new cabinet led
by pro-European Maia Sandu, which enjoys the Socialists’ support, in spite of
the Constitutional Court’s invalidation took place on Monday. Sandu has given
assurances the government will succeed in unblocking foreign funding,
especially from the EU. The meeting was held on the Parliament premises as the
new cabinet was denied access to the government building, which is controlled
by the executive team of Filip. The Democratic Party has invited all the
Parliament parties to identify solutions for overcoming the political deadlock.
Andrei Nastase, one of the leaders of the ACUM bloc, has answered favorably,
saying these talks must take place.

CONFERENCE Romania’s Foreign Ministry is today staging
an international conference on the strategic partnership relations between the
EU and China. The event, which is held under the auspices of Romania’s
presidency of the EU, is aimed at promoting an inclusive dialogue platform for
the relations between the EU and China. High on the agenda are talks about the
future strategic EU-China partnership, the Europe-Asia connectivity and the
cooperation between the EU and China in a multilateral format. The event has
brought together representatives of the foreign ministries and the academic
world from the EU members and China, as well as representatives of the European
institutions.

(translated by bill)

11 June 2019
May 30, 2019 UPDATE

VISIT Pope Francis will be in Romania from Friday until Sunday
where he will be visiting capital city Bucharest and the cities of Iasi, in
north-east, Blaj and Sumuleu Ciuc, in central Romania. On Thursday, the Pope
posted a brief message on a social network, in which he announced the believers
of the event, asking them to pray for him. The first security measures, imposed
by the Pope’s visit to Romania, have already been implemented in capital
Bucharest. Courses have been suspended in several schools while parking is
banned in the areas the Pontiff is going to get involved in public activities.
On Friday, the day of his arrival, courses will be suspended in all schools in
Bucharest. This is the second visit paid by a Pontiff to Romania after the one
of Pope John Paul ll two decades ago, which was a first for a country with an
Orthodox majority.

PRESIDENT Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Thursday announced he summoned the
parliamentary parties next week for talks to decide on how to put into practice
the outcome of the referendum on May 26th, when 6.5 million
Romanians answered ‘yes’ to the changes in the country’s justice system.
Iohannis blamed the government for what happened in the Diaspora during the
European Parliament elections and the referendum. The Romanian Minister of the
Interior, Carmen Dan and the country’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu
announced they would not resign as they don’t feel responsible for the situation
created. However, the Romanian president said he didn’t call on them to tender
their resignations, he called for their sacking. Tens of thousands Romanians
abroad spent hours in queues to be able to cast their ballot and some of them
were even unable to vote. The president said he would set up a committee to
identify major issues and present their solutions to the authorities, which can
adopt regulations such as Parliament, the Government and the Permanent
Electoral Authority.

WEATHER The weather is to remain unstable
in most of Romania’s regions until Monday morning. Heavy rainfalls,
thunderstorms and gale-force winds are expected in almost all regions except
for the country’s north-west and south-east. Minimum temperatures will be
ranging between 10 and 19 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperatures will be
between 19 and 27 degrees Celsius.

COMMEMORATION Sighetu Marmatiei, in north-western Romania, on Thursday hosted
events commemorating the Jews deported from Transylvania and Maramures 75 years
ago, when these Romanian provinces were under Hungarian occupation. Attending
are representatives of the Presidential Administration, members of the
diplomatic corps and of the Jewish communities. 131,600 Jews, men, women and
children, were deported from the area and most of them exterminated in the
Auschwitz – Birkenau concentration camp in the spring of 1944. One of Sighet’s
Holocaust survivors is the winner of the Nobel Prize Elie Wiesel, in the honour
of whom the local authorities have set up a memorial house.

(translated bill)

30 May 2019
13 May, 2019

Eastern Partnership. Romania’s
president Klaus Iohannis attends a meeting in Brussels of the Eastern
Partnership countries held on the 10th anniversary of this
initiative. According to the president’s office, Klaus Iohannis is expected to
emphasise that the partnership has contributed to the consolidation of the economies
and societies of the Eastern states and the expansion of stability on the EU
borders. The Romanian president will also highlight that the EU expects
continual political commitment from its partner states with regard to
compliance with the pledges made. The Eastern Partnership is an initiative that
consists in the creation of a common area of democracy, prosperity, stability
and close cooperation between the EU and the partner states, namely Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The meeting
in Brussels is attended by the president of the European Council Donald Tusk,
the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, the Union’s high representative
for foreign affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini and the president of
the European Parliament Antonio Tajani.

EU foreign affairs. The Romanian foreign minister Teodor
Melescanu today attends a meeting of the EU foreign affairs council. The agenda
of talks features issues such as the situation in Libya and the Sub-Saharan
African region of Sahel. The Romanian official will also attend various
activities held in connection to the 10th anniversary of the Eastern
Partnership. On Tuesday, EU foreign and defence ministers will hold a joint
session with their counterparts in the G5 Sahel countries, namely Burkina Faso,
Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

Military exercise. The European Spartan 2019 military
exercise is taking place at the 90th Airlift Base in Otopeni, in the
south, in the context of Romania’s presidency of the Council of the EU.
According to a statement from the Romanian defence ministry, the exercise,
which will come to an end on the 24th of May, forms part of a series
of activities planned and organised by the European Defence Agency and the
Romanian Air Force within the European Air Transport Fleet programme, being
designed as a multinational training event in the field of transport aviation.
Romania takes part in the exercise alongside Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania and
Slovakia, as well as observers from other states owning Spartan aircraft in
Europe and from the US and Australia.

European elections. The campaign for the European
elections on the 26th of May continues in Romania. 13 political
parties are in the race: the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of
Liberals and Democrats, both in the ruling coalition; the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who have an agreement of parliamentary
collaboration with the government; the opposition parties: the National Liberal
Party, the USR-PLUS Alliance, the People’s Movement Party and Pro Romania, whose
members are defectors from the Social Democratic Party; as well as the
extra-parliamentary parties: the National Union for the Progress of Romania,
the National Unity Bloc and United Romania, Prodemo, the Romanian Socialist
Party and the Independent Social Democratic Party. Three independent candidates
are also in the race. Romania has 33 seats in the future European Parliament,
but the 33rd seat is awarded when the UK’s withdrawal comes into
effect. 441 polling stations have been put in place for the Romanians living
abroad, mostly in Italy, Spain and the neighbouring Republic of Moldova. A
referendum on justice called by president Klaus Iohannis will also be held on
the same day as the European elections.

Migrant trafficking. Romania’s
Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism today searched the
homes of suspected members of a migrant trafficking network in the counties of
Timis and Arad, in western Romania, which was part of an international group.
Searches were conducted at 15 different addresses, with the result that 12
migrants were found. The leader of the group in Romania, a Syrian citizen, was
found in Timisoara. Investigators say the network, which includes both Romanian
and foreign nationals, took migrants wishing to reach western Europe across the
border using cargo trucks. The migrants, who come from countries such as Syria,
Afghanistan and Iraq, paid 10,000 euros to reach the destination. 20 people are
under investigation for trafficking migrants and creating a specialised crime
group.

Olympiad. Romanian pupils won six
silver medals at the 17th edition of the European Union Science
Olympiad (EUSO) held between the 4th and the 11th of May
in the Portuguese town of Almada. This event is a multidisciplinary team
competition. Each country sends two three-member teams. The participants have
to work together to solve a practical 4-hour task in three disciplines,
biology, chemistry and physics. This year’s edition has brought together 50
teams from 24 countries.

Eurovision. The 64th
Eurovision song contest is taking place this week in Tel Aviv. Ester Peony,
Romania’s representative, will sing a song entitled On a Sunday in the second
semifinal held on the 16th of May. The first semifinal takes place
on Tuesday, while the final is scheduled for the 18th.
Representatives of 14 countries are in competition this year.

Football. CFR Cluj mathematically won a new title as
Romanian football champions. On Sunday night, they defeated Universitatea Craiova 1-nil at home
in the last but one leg of League One Group 1 and have five points ahead of the
runner-up FCSB with one leg to go. This is CFR’s fifth championship title in the
club’s history and the second in a row. On the 25th of May, the
former champions Astra Giurgiu and Viitorul Constanta will play the Romanian
Cup final for the first time.

13 May 2019
רומניה ממשיכה לתמוך בפתרון “שתי המדינות” ישראל ופלסטין

שר החוץ של רומניה, TEODOR MELESCANU, קיבל ב09 במאי 2019, את שגרירי מדינות ערב והאיסלמיות בבוקרשט. בזמן שרומניה היא נשיאת המועצה האורופית, השר הדגיש את תמיכת השוק השותף בהמשך פיתוח היחסים בין מדינות השוק לבין המדינות מדרום כדור הארץ ומאיזורים גאוגרפים אחרים וזאת כדי לעמוד ביחד באתגרים המשותפים כגון הטרור וההגירה ההמונית.

המשתתפים בפגישה החליפו דעות גם בנושא ההתפתחויות במזרח התיכון ובדרום אסיה. בהזדמנות זו שר החוץ MELESCANU הזכיר מחדש שעמדתה של רומניה היא שיש צורך בשתי מדינות, ישראל ופלסטין, שיתקיימו זו לצד זו, בשלום ובכיבוד סידורי בטחון וזאת כדי להביא לסיומו את הסיכסוך הישראלי — הפלסטיני. MELESCANU הצהיר, שאת גורל ירושלים יש לקבוע אך ורק במו”מ ישיר בין שתי המדינות.

10 May 2019