LEGISLATION — The draft law on the “vote by mail” is today being discussed by the Electoral Code Committee and representatives of the parliamentary groups. The document which is being discussed by Parliament stipulates that Romanian citizens who are domiciled abroad or who have their residence abroad have the right to vote by mail in the legislative, presidential and EP elections, as well as in the national referendums. The draft law was tacitly adopted by the Senate in April, and it is currently discussed by the Joint Commission of the two chambers with competence in drafting electoral legislation.
MIGRANT CRISIS — The migrant crisis in Europe is high on the agenda of the talks in Berlin by French president, Francois Hollande, and German chancellor, Angela Merkel. The meeting is aimed at giving a new impetus to a Euro-wide response to the refugee issue, by harmonising the migration and asylum policies. In an interview on the public broadcaster ARD, German vice-chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has said the record high wave of refugees who seek asylum in Germany is the biggest challenge his country has been facing since reunification, 25 years ago. In another move, he has criticised the passiveness of other European countries, arguing that migration and asylum policies in the EU should be strengthened and unified, and the refugees should be equitably distributed to the member states. The German government estimates the number of asylum seekers will amount to the record high of 800,000 by the end of the year. In the field, on Sunday, thousands of migrants, mostly Syrian refugees crossed Macedonia and entered Serbia, resuming their travel to Western Europe, after the Macedonian authorities, who announced their had closed borders, seemed to have abandoned the efforts to stop them by force. According to the European Border Surveillance Agency, the number of migrants to the EU amounted to 340,000 in the first seven months of the year, 100,000 of which were registered last month alone. Most of them flee conflicts in Syria and other Middle East countries.
MOLDOVA — The EU High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, has assured Moldova’s new Prime Minister, Valeriu Strelet, of Brussels’ full support for Moldova, in its effort to implement reforms aimed at modernising the republic and to further enforce its European agenda. During a phone conversation, the two officials assessed the progress made by the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet state with a predominantly Romanian speaking population in implementing its European integration agenda, as well as the stage of reforms which are necessary for the application of the stipulations laid out in the EU Association Agreement. Macro-financial stability, the reform of the judiciary, the fight against corruption, welfare and assuring the country’s energy security are some of the priories of the Moldovan government, said Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet, who is due to have talks with Federica Mogherini in Brussels, in September.
LIFE SATISFACTION POLL — 57% of the Romanians are satisfied with their living conditions, whereas 43% of them are dissatisfied with their life balance, a recently conducted opinion poll shows. 37% of the respondents expect to live at the same standards as in 2014, 33% to live better and 28% worse than last year. The poll is also analysing the political preferences of the respondents. The results show president Klaus Iohannis continues to be at the top of the preferences in terms of the confidence he inspires, and the National Liberal Party, in opposition, would be the favourite party in a virtual legislative election. We’ll revert to this issue, later in RN.
MUSICAL FEAST — On Sunday evening, the Romanian Youth Orchestra will open the 22nd edition of the “George Enescu” International Festival. Some 2,500 foreign musicians and 500 Romanians will attend this year’s edition of the festival. Participating will be outstanding orchestras such as the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of the internationally acclaimed conductor Zubin Mehta, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Munich State Opera, Staatskapelle Dresden, London Symphony Orchestra, the St. Petersburg Orchestra, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Orchestra in Amsterdam. According to the organiser of the festival, this year’s edition of the biggest international cultural event organised by Romania and the best promoter of the work of the great Romanian composer, George Enescu, will unfold between August 30 and September 20 and will host 58 concerts in halls, as well as many other musical events in the open air.
TENNIS — Romanian Simona Halep has re-become WTA’s second ranking tennis player, following her qualification to the finals of the Cincinnati Tournament. She was however outclassed in the final by the main favourite of the tournament, WTA’s 1st ranked Serena Williams, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Halep and Williams had met six times until Sunday, the overall score of the games being 5-1 for the American player. In another move, Simona Halep withdrew from the New Haven tournament in Connecticut, with 689,063 dollars prize money up for grabs. Halep, first seeded in the New Haven Tournament, which started on Sunday, withdrew from the competition after accusing pain the her left leg.
