MINISTER Romania’s accession to Schengen remains a priority for the
Romanian diplomacy, the country’s new Foreign Minister Ramona Manescu said in a
televised interview. Both the European Parliament and the European Commission
have said that from the technical and logistical point of view Romania is ready
to enter Schengen, the Romanian minister has recalled adding that practically
the country is de facto functioning as a Schengen state although is not
considered like one de jure. Romania doesn’t ask for anything but for the
observation of the treaty as we are a fully-fledged member, have met our
pledges and we continue to meet them. Nobody can contest Romania’s contribution
to the security zone because we are no longer talking about NATO’s eastern
flank, but also about the eastern flank of the EU, minister Manescu went on to
say. The head of the Romanian diplomacy has also spoken about the importance of
the Strategic Partnership with the United States adding that Romania has the
same position towards Russia as NATO and the European Union.
WEATHER The weather is hot in most of
Romania’s regions, particularly in the country’s west and south. Rain showers
have been reported in the mountains and the discomfort index is going to clear
the critical threshold of 80 units in many regions. Maximum temperatures are
going to range between 26 and 34 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest
was 30 degrees.
MEDALS Romanian swimmer David Popovici on
Thursday obtained the silver medal in the 50 meter freestyle race at the
European Youth Olympic Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan. Popovici had earlier
obtained the gold medal in the 100 free-style meter race setting a new
competition record. The Romanian athletes have so far obtained medals in judo,
wrestling, swimming and gymnastics competitions. 103 Romanian athletes are
participating in the aforementioned competition until July 27th.
DIASPORA As of Sunday
Romanians living abroad can register on the www.votstrainatate.ro platform, a site
created by the Election Authority to allow for the better information of the
Romanians abroad on the election process with the upcoming election in
November. The Ministry for the Romanians Abroad has also commenced an
information campaign, announcing that over five million and a half Romanians
have left the country. Together with those living in the traditional
communities, the number of Romanians living abroad is close to 10 million
people. In an interview to Radio Romania, field minister Natalia Intotero has said
that the role of the ministry she leads is to support all the certified
institutions to stage the future elections through all the means it has,
including through the Romanian associations abroad as well as through an
improved cooperation with the diplomatic missions and representatives of the
general consulates.
DIICOT Five persons have been apprehended by prosecutors from the Romanian Directorate
for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism DIICOT in a sting operation
against a crime ring dealing in smuggling migrants to Mexico, the United States
and other countries. The group made up of Romanian and Mexican citizens has
been operational since 2012 and has also been involved in credit card frauds. Money
coming from these crime activities has been used for buying plots of lands,
buildings, luxury cars or as capital for dubious companies based in Mexico and
Romania.
(translated by bill)
