Radio România Internațional

Tag: Romanian diplomacy

  • July 24, 2024 UPDATE

    July 24, 2024 UPDATE

    Diplomacy – Romania is a credible, involved and respected regional, European and international actor, a provider of security and stability, said the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, in the opening of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy, which takes place in Bucharest. He pleaded for the consolidation of the role and influence in the European Union and NATO and for the deepening of the strategic partnership with the US. About the partnership with the US, Iohannis said that it is an essential pillar of Romania’s foreign policy, that it has become more robust and acquired more substance. Regarding the relationship with the neighboring Republic of Moldova, Romania’s President showed that this represented a strategic priority, and bilateral cooperation reached “the highest level in history”. Also, Iohannis stated, Bucharest also promoted a constructive relationship with the Kyiv administration. Last but not least, the Romanian president stated that the accession to the Schengen Area also with the land borders, as well as the accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development remain priority objectives of the Romanian diplomacy.

     

     

    Odobescu – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, reiterated, on Wednesday, that Romania remains a firm supporter of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine at the European level and emphasized that the two countries must continue the reforms necessary for European integration. She condemned the war waged by Russia in Ukraine and stated that the Republic of Moldova remains the state most affected by this war after Ukraine. ‘I reiterate that Romania firmly and steadfastly supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova within their internationally recognized borders’, Odobescu also said.

     

    Venice Commission – Romania should complete the process initiated in view of taking into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission on the justice laws and of accelerating its efforts to ensure effective public consultations before the adoption of the legislation, the European Commission recommends in the annual report on the rule of law, published on Wednesday. Although some progress has been made in this area, the EC recommends Bucharest to continue its efforts to ensure adequate human resources for the justice system, taking into account European standards. Another recommendation is to take measures to ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of crimes in the judicial system, including acts of corruption. The EC recognizes, however, that Romania has made some progress in this regard. The Romanian Justice Minister, Alina Gorghiu, states that the report on the rule of law in Romania is the best so far. The main conclusion of the fifth edition of the Commission’s annual report on the rule of law in member countries is that they and the Union as a whole are much better prepared to detect, prevent and address emerging challenges, which contributes to the resilience of European democracies and supports mutual trust in the EU as well as the smooth functioning of the single market.

     

    Alert – The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations issued, last night, a RO-ALERT message for the north of Tulcea county (south-east), informing the population about the possibility of objects falling from the sky on the territory near the border with Ukraine. The message was issued after the structures with the role of defense and border surveillance noticed several Russian drones, involved in attacks on the Ukrainian infrastructure, which were approaching the Romanian border. The Defense Ministry reported that, currently, its teams are continuing the search for possible remains of drones that have fallen on the national territory. The same source stated that two F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force flew in the area to monitor the situation.

     

    Meeting – The Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel on Wednesday expressed his conviction, in a joint press statement held together with the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy, that Romania’s place is in Schengen and that “controls must stop” at the border. Xavier Bettel mentioned, on the other hand, that he visited the Cincu military base (center), after a similar visit in September, to show the “support and solidarity” of the government towards the young people of Luxembourg. Minister Luminiţa Odobescu said, in turn, that Romania wants more substantial cooperation with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, including in the field of the defense industry. She thanked for the presence of troops from Luxembourg on Romanian territory as part of strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea. (LS)

  • September 7, 2020 UPDATE

    September 7, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19
    – Some 900 new cases of SARS CoV-2 have been reported in the last 24 hours in
    Romania, taking the total number of infections to some 96.000. The official
    death toll has exceeded 3.900. 465 patients are currently in intensive care.
    6.600 Romanians living abroad have tested positive for COVID-19, mostly in
    Germany, Italy and Spain. Of these 126 have died.




    CAMPAIGN
    – The campaign for the local election due on September 27 continues in Romania
    with the observance of measures aimed at preventing the pandemic from
    spreading. According to the Interior Ministry, face masks are compulsory, while
    all people attending election events and meetings will undergo triage and will
    have to sanitize their hands. Access rules and individual health safety
    measures will be publicly displayed. Participants will also have to observe the
    minimum 1-meter distance. A maximum of 50 people are admitted for indoor
    activities for a maximum duration of 2 hours. In the case of outdoor events,
    the participation is limited to a hundred people. Candidates are vying for one
    of the 41 positions of presidents of county councils, 3.200 mayor seats, 1.300
    county councilmen and 40.000 local councilmen. Originally slated for June, the
    local election was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the
    mandates of local officials were extended by another six months.




    ELECTION
    – The Permanent Election Authority on Monday announced some 3.032 Romanians
    living abroad have enrolled for postal voting, while 1.059 voters have registered
    for casting votes in the polls. The Authority recalls that eligible voters can
    register for physical or postal voting over April 1 – September 21. The
    president of the Permanent Election Authority, Constantin-Florin Mituleţu-Buică
    has recommended all citizens in the diaspora opt for postal voting, the safest
    way to cast their vote remotely, at zero costs and risks, all the more so in
    the given crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic.




    DIPLOMACY
    – ‘Increasing Romania’s role inside the EU and NATO and also consolidating and
    expanding the Strategic Partnership with the United States remain the key lines
    in Romania’s foreign policy’, is the message conveyed by the country’s
    president, Klaus Iohannis at the Romanian Diplomacy Annual Meeting. According
    to the president, in the wake of the pandemic crisis, the Romanian diplomacy is
    going to embrace some new facets and that involves additional ingenuity and
    flexibility. The present Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy has been held
    online for the first time as videoconference and is going to last three days
    under the title, ‘The impact of the pandemic over the international tendencies
    and the Romanian diplomacy response’. High on the agenda are the impact of the
    medical crisis over the international relations and global tendencies as well
    as the adjustment of the Romanian diplomacy instruments in this context. The
    guest list this year includes the head of the European diplomacy Josep Borrell
    and NATO’s deputy secretary general, Romanian Mircea Geoana.




    SCHOOL YEAR
    – Romania’s Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has said the school year begins on
    September 14, at the same time underlining that people’s right to education is
    fundamental. The Romanian official has explained local authorities are allowed
    to establish their own scenarios depending on the epidemiological situation in
    their region. In Bucharest the infection rate in the past two weeks has stood
    at 1.19 per thousand, which places the capital city in the yellow zone and that
    allows for the students’ return to schools. 43 localities have been placed in
    the red zone, where students are taking only online courses, while over 27
    hundred localities are in the green zone, allowing normal school attendance.
    The Health Ministry will this week provide direction lines for the organization
    of activity in education institutions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.




    BREXIT -
    Negotiations on post-Brexit relations between the EU and the UK will resume on
    Tuesday in London. British chief negotiator for Brexit, David Frost, has
    recently said that London does not fear a failure in reaching an agreement on
    trade. On the other hand, EU chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier,
    expressed concern and disappointment with the progress of negotiations. The two
    parties have only weeks at their disposal to settle the negotiations. According
    to officials in Brussels, negotiations will end next month. If an agreement is
    reached, Member States will require time to ratify it before taking effect on
    January 1, 2021, when the EU will officially leave the EU.






    (Translated
    by D. Bilt & V. Palcu)



  • The annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

    The annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

    Bucharest is currently hosting the meeting of the Romanian diplomacy, an
    event which has a special significance this year. On the one hand, Romania
    celebrates the Great Union Centennial and, on the other, one of the main topics
    on the agenda of talks is Bucharest’s first mandate at the helm of the Council
    of the EU in the first half of 2019.

    The annual meeting of the diplomacy is a
    large platform of debate on a series of topics of major interest for Romania,
    such as bilateral and strategic relations, which are national priorities,
    alongside regional cooperation, the eastern neighbourhood and economic
    diplomacy.

    Attending the meeting of the heads of Romania’s diplomatic and
    consular missions abroad, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu has stated
    that Romania’s diplomacy should remain a fundamental binder of society. He has
    recalled that the country’s modernization process was possible due to the
    consensus reached by the whole political class on Romania’s main objectives, accession
    to NATO and the EU, and he has underlined that Romania enjoys an
    unprecedentedly high level of security and prosperity.

    In another move, the
    Romanian Foreign Minister has said that in November, Parliament will adopt the
    main political objectives of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, underlining
    that there is solidarity at the level of the political class in Romania with
    respect to EU-related issues. He has given these assurances as there have been
    voices which cast doubt on Romania’s mandate, against the backdrop of political
    tensions in the country.

    In a press conference given jointly with his German
    counterpart Heiko Maas, the special guest of the Bucharest-meeting, Teodor
    Meleşcanu has also said that Romania will hold this presidency under the
    auspices of the idea of a more united, integrated and cohesive Europe. In turn,
    the German official has voiced confidence that the Romanian presidency of the
    EU Council will be an efficient one and underlined that Bucharest will enjoy
    Berlin’s support during its term at the helm of the Council.

    Heiko Maas has
    also recalled what the main challenges of this mandate will be: Brexit, the multi-annual financial framework and migration-related issues. The German Foreign
    Minister has also referred to the reform of the judiciary in Romania and
    underlined that the right balance in the separation of state powers can be reached.
    The German official has also said that compromise can be reached, and that
    would in turn render society more united.

  • The annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

    The annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

    Bucharest is currently hosting the meeting of the Romanian diplomacy, an
    event which has a special significance this year. On the one hand, Romania
    celebrates the Great Union Centennial and, on the other, one of the main topics
    on the agenda of talks is Bucharest’s first mandate at the helm of the Council
    of the EU in the first half of 2019.

    The annual meeting of the diplomacy is a
    large platform of debate on a series of topics of major interest for Romania,
    such as bilateral and strategic relations, which are national priorities,
    alongside regional cooperation, the eastern neighbourhood and economic
    diplomacy.

    Attending the meeting of the heads of Romania’s diplomatic and
    consular missions abroad, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu has stated
    that Romania’s diplomacy should remain a fundamental binder of society. He has
    recalled that the country’s modernization process was possible due to the
    consensus reached by the whole political class on Romania’s main objectives, accession
    to NATO and the EU, and he has underlined that Romania enjoys an
    unprecedentedly high level of security and prosperity.

    In another move, the
    Romanian Foreign Minister has said that in November, Parliament will adopt the
    main political objectives of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, underlining
    that there is solidarity at the level of the political class in Romania with
    respect to EU-related issues. He has given these assurances as there have been
    voices which cast doubt on Romania’s mandate, against the backdrop of political
    tensions in the country.

    In a press conference given jointly with his German
    counterpart Heiko Maas, the special guest of the Bucharest-meeting, Teodor
    Meleşcanu has also said that Romania will hold this presidency under the
    auspices of the idea of a more united, integrated and cohesive Europe. In turn,
    the German official has voiced confidence that the Romanian presidency of the
    EU Council will be an efficient one and underlined that Bucharest will enjoy
    Berlin’s support during its term at the helm of the Council.

    Heiko Maas has
    also recalled what the main challenges of this mandate will be: Brexit, the multi-annual financial framework and migration-related issues. The German Foreign
    Minister has also referred to the reform of the judiciary in Romania and
    underlined that the right balance in the separation of state powers can be reached.
    The German official has also said that compromise can be reached, and that
    would in turn render society more united.

  • August 30, 2017

    August 30, 2017

    ROMANIAN DIPLOMACY –President Klaus Iohannis has today presented in Bucharest the objectives of Romanias foreign policy, during a meeting with the heads of the Romanian diplomatic missions and general consuls abroad, occasioned by the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. The Romanian president has called on them to get involved in the effort to address the problems the EU is currently facing, including Brexit. Just like in the past years, deepening the Strategic Partnership with the US continues to be a priority of Romanias foreign policy, especially in the context of Junes visit to Washington by Klaus Iohannis and of the talks he held with the U.S. President Donald Trump. Romania will further plead for a strong transatlantic relation within NATO, the head of state has also said. He has given assurances that, to Romania, further integration at EU level continues to be a major objective. At the same time, switching to the Single European Currency and joining the Schengen Area will be significant steps forward to strengthen Romanias role at European level, Klaus Iohannis has also underlined.



    MAINTENANCE CENTRE – Romania will set up a maintenance centre at Aerostar Bacau, in the east, for the F16 fighters made in the US and purchased from Portugal. PM Mihai Tudose has today signed an agreement with Jonathan Hoyle, the vice-president of Lockheed Martin, for the transfer of state of the art technology for this type of aircraft. The defence minister Adrian Tutuianu and heads of military structures involved in the purchasing of military technology met on Tuesday with a delegation of Lockheed Martin, the American company specialised in the research, development, production and integration of state of the art technology in the military field, which has come up with proposals of cooperation with the national defence industry. The 2017-2026 Romanian Army Endowment Plan has been approved by Romanias Supreme Defence Council, with 9.8 billion Euro funds having been earmarked for the eight programs. We recall that Romania has signed a contract for the purchase of 16 F16 fighters and Adrian Tutuianu has made public the intention to purchase 36 other fighters in the following years.



    JUSTICE – The draft aimed at amending the justice laws was sent to the Higher Council of Magistracy on Wednesday, the line minister Tudorel Toader has announced. He has added the document has not been sent to prosecutors offices. Earlier, the National Anti-corruption Directorate, DNA, has said the draft is a form of pressure exerted on the professional activity of prosecutors and Romanias Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, has said the prospective adoption of the draft would impact the independence of magistrates and the functioning of judicial institutions. According to the amendments envisaged by minister Toader, the countrys president will be eliminated from the process of nominating chief prosecutors and the judicial inspection unit will be subordinated to the Justice Ministry.



    TENNIS – Romanian woman tennis player Sorana Cîrstea, no.54 WTA, has qualified to the second round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating the Dutch Lesley Kerkhove, no. 171 WTA. In the next stage of the competition, Sorana will meet Latvias Jelena Ostapenko, no. 12 WTA, on Thursday. On Tuesday, the match between Monica Niculescu no. 57 WTA and the French Kristina Mladenovic (no.13 WTA) was stopped because of heavy rain. Today, Ana Bogdan (no.108 WTA) will play against the American Taylor Townsend (no.119 WTA). Three other Romanian players have already got eliminated from the competition: Simona Halep (no.2 WTA), Irina Begu (no. 55 WTA) and Mihaela Buzărnescu (no.133 WTA). In the mens competition, Romanian Marius Copil (no.86 ATP), has also left the US Open.

  • August 29, 2017

    August 29, 2017

    Justice — Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors have rejected most of the proposed changes to the justice system presented by the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, which they see as a form of pressure exerted on their professional activity. The judicial reform plan, which comes 6 months after the left-of-centre government tried to loosen the anticorruption laws, stipulates, among other things, the narrowing of the powers of the National Anticorruption Directorate, which under the new bill would no longer be entitled to investigate judges. The proposed changes concern a variety of areas, from the procedure to appoint chief prosecutors to the set-up of a special unit to prosecute offences committed by magistrates. Also, under the proposed bills, the President would be left out of the procedure of appointing the chief prosecutors. On Sunday evening thousands of people took to the streets of the capital Bucharest and of several other cities in protest at the planned changes to the justice laws. Similar protests have been announced for next Sunday.




    Diplomacy — Bucharest is hosting as of today the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. The event that ends on Friday is a good opportunity to present the Foreign Ministry’s activity and to reflect on the future priorities of the Romanian diplomacy, in a regional, European and global context. The meeting includes talks on topical issues such as the future of the EU, Romania’s European agenda and its EU council presidency as well as international security and regional cooperation. The special guests of the meeting are Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó.




    Brexit — The third round of Brexit negotiations is under way in Brussels. Britons are anxious to discuss future commercial accords with the community bloc, while the Europeans insist on prioritising key issues such as citizens rights and the UKs divorce bill. Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, suggested on Monday that Britain’s demands were unclear saying they need UK papers that were clear in order to have constructive negotiations. Britain will present in detail papers on issues ranging from customs arrangements to data sharing during this weeks talks. Government policy papers released last week show Britain would often seek to replicate closely existing arrangements with the EU.




    United Nations – The United States, Japan and South Korea have requested a United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea’s firing of a missile over Japan, diplomats said on Monday. Japans warning system kicked in, advising citizens on its northern Hokkaido Island to take precautions, as the missile headed towards land. The missile later broke into three pieces and landed in the sea. The Japanese military made no attempt to shoot down the unidentified missile, but condemned the launch in the strongest terms possible. The Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has asked for further sanctions against North Korea.




    Tennis — Romania’s best tennis player Simona Halep, no. 2 in the world, was defeated by Maria Sharapova, in the first round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year. Sharapova is ranked 145th because of her long layoff mandated by the imposed penalty for taking performance enhancing drugs. In August 2014 Simona Halep reached 2nd place in the WTA standings, the highest position ever held by a tennis player from Romania and has been in the top ten ever since.


    (Translated by Elena Enache)



  • August 29, 2016 UPDATE

    August 29, 2016 UPDATE

    EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RELIEF— The Romanian government on Monday adopted a first earthquake relief package for the Romanians wounded and affected by last week’s powerful quake in Italy. The cabinet will grant 6,000 Euro to the orphaned children, 1,000 Euro for each deceased person and 1,000 Euro for a relative (up to the second degree) who goes to Italy to support the surviving members of the affected families. The government also decided to grant 10,000 Euro to the families or persons whose dwellings in the area have been affected to a considerable extent, of more than 50%. This is valid for both the Romanian nationals who intend to maintain their residence in Italy and those who decide to return to Romania. The families or the persons who do not have their own home and who have been left destitute after the building they lived in has been reduced to rubble will receive 3,000 Euro, no matter if they decide to stay in Italy or to return to Romania. 3,000 Euro will also be granted, for reintegration, to the Romanian nationals able to work, who choose to return to Romania. All these forms of support will be granted by request. The latest figures released by the Romanian Foreign Ministry show the death toll stands at 11 dead, 6 injured and one reported missing, among Romanian nationals. The minister delegate for the relation with the Romanian diaspora, Maria Ligor, has met with representatives of the Italian Civil Protection as well as with Romanian nationals currently living in tents in Amatrice, the village the most severely affected by the quake.



    ROYAL HOUSE — Romania’s former sovereign, King Michael I, currently in a stable medical state, is grieving, but is supported by the love and respect of his family and looked after with flawless professionalism by his physicians, His Majesty’s Press Office reported. The news release comes after media speculated that, according to a representative of the Bishopric Palace in Curtea de Arges, where Romanian royalties are buried, Prince Radu had said King Michael’s health was worsening and signals were not positive. According to the Royal House of Romania, Prince Radu said the King was in a frail state, which, given his age and diagnosis, was declining. Any other speculations, assumptions or allegations are untrue, the Press Office added. Poor health recently prevented the former sovereign from attending the funeral of his wife, Queen Anne.



    ROMANIAN DIPLOMACY MEETING– PM Dacian Ciolos said on Monday, at the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats, that Bucharest has been denied access to the visa-free Schengen area, for political reasons, for more than 5 years. Ciolos added that Romania believes in the revival capacity of the European project and is determined to invest its diplomatic and political resources to that end. In turn, Romanian foreign minister, Lazar Comanescu, said one of the priorities of Romania’s foreign policy is to boost relations with such strategic partners as Germany, France, Poland, Italy and Spain. He underlined the importance of Romania’s relation with Turkey, which he deemed “a key partner of the EU and a major ally within NATO, a state with which Romania has signed a Strategic Partnership”. Lazar Comanescu also considered the Western Balkans an area of interest for Romania. He also added that the Republic of Moldova is “a priority” of Romania’s foreign policy.



    NATO-NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, has thanked Romania for its consistent contribution to the missions and operations carried out by the Alliance in the past 12 years, since it joined NATO. He held talks on Monday with foreign minister Lazar Comanescu on the results of the NATO Summit in Warsaw and the priorities of the North Atlantic Alliance in the ensuing period of time. Alexander Vershbow attended the proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy in Bucharest, as a special guest of the plenary session focusing on “Fusions of Risks-Neighbourhoods. Implications for Romania”



    WWI COMMEMORATIONS — Bucharest on Monday hosted roundtable talks, a military exercise and a military music concert devoted to the commemoration of 100 years since Romania joined the First World War. On Sunday, in his opening address at the commemoration ceremonies, Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, paid tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country and called for the construction of a strong and dignified Romanian state. The commemoration of World War One is the strongest argument in favour of the European project, Iohannis added, defining it as the most comprehensive political and cultural project aimed at building the dialogue and understanding among Europeans.



    BRATISLAVA — The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, on Monday paid an official visit to Slovakia, to attend the commemoration of the anti-Nazi insurrection during World War II. The agenda also included a visit the Romanian military cemetery in Zvolen, for a ceremony in memory of the Romanian troops who died in the line of duty to free Slovakia from Nazi occupation. Motoc also held a meeting with his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Gajdos, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and cooperation within NATO and the EU.




    CORRUPTION – Rares Vaduva, was replaced on Monday from the position of head of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry, the government spokesperson has announced. The decision was made after Vaduva was indicted by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, in a corruption case. Five other former heads of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry are under criminal prosecution in the same file, as suspects. According to the anti-corruption prosecutors the six are accused of misuse of funds, embezzlement, forgery, fraud offences and abuse of office. The same sources said the charges are related to proceedings that had been disjointed from the case in which the former Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea was sent to court. According to the Anti-Corruption Directorate, during his term in office Gabriel Oprea increased the budget of the Interior Ministrys secret service in order to buy a limousine for his personal use.




    DOPING— Romania will be stripped of one of the five medals won at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Weightlifter Gabriel Sancraian, who had won a bronze medal in the 85 kg category tested positive for an illegal drug. Thus, Romania is left with four medals: one gold grabbed by the women’s epee fencing team, one silver in men’s double tennis and two bronze by the women’s coxed eight in the rowing competition and in mens 97-kg freestyle wrestling, respectively.


    (Translated by Diana Vijeu)

  • September 3, 2015 UPDATE

    September 3, 2015 UPDATE

    FISCAL CODE – Romanian deputies have voted in favour of
    the new Fiscal Code, after Senators adopted the document on Tuesday. Once
    promulgated by the President, the code will provide for a gradual decrease in
    the VAT, down to 20% as of January next year and further to 19% in 2017. The
    tax on special constructions and the additional excise on fuel will be
    postponed until 2017. A tax on dividends will also apply starting this date.
    The code also provides for a surcharge of all abandoned buildings and plots of
    land in built-up areas starting January 2016.





    NATO – The first NATO command on Romanian
    territory has opened in Bucharest, concurrently with 5 other similar Allied
    structures on NATO’s eastern flank. These centres are part of NATO’s process of
    adapting to security developments. The NATO Force Integration Unit is one of
    the two Allied structures that will operate in Bucharest. Its mission is to
    plan operations, carry out military drills and coordinate the deployment of
    NATO response forces. The new unit will employ some 42 military, of whom 27
    Romanian.





    MIGRATION – President Klaus Iohannis said on
    Thursday, at the meeting with the Romanian ambassadors accredited abroad, that
    migration continues to be a challenge at European level. He stood for boosting
    efforts to fight human trafficking, to identify and implement sustainable
    solutions of dialogue and cooperation with third states, so that the deep-going
    causes of this scourge be eliminated. In another move, the president drew
    attention to the fact that Romania will have to cope with complex challenges,
    and the Romanian diplomacy will have major responsibilities in that respect. He
    reiterated Romania’s support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of
    neighbouring Ukraine and underlined anew the unacceptable infringement of the
    international law, by the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, by the Russian
    Federation.





    DIPLOMACY – Romanian foreign minister
    Bogdan Aurescu said on Thursday that Jordan is an oasis of stability in the
    extremely complicated context in the Middle East and serves as a model for the
    countries in the region, by promoting peace, security and stability. At a
    meeting in Bucharest with his Jordanian counterpart, Naser Judeh, Aurescu has
    also said that Jordan is a privileged partner of both the EU and NATO and has
    hailed the efforts made by that country to solve the refugee crisis. In turn,
    the Jordanian foreign minister has said his country is facing multiple
    challenges. We should oppose terrorism, extremism, and educate the youth to
    reject such ideas, in order not to become vulnerable to the radical movements’
    propaganda, he has also said. Alongside the foreign ministers of Poland,
    Slovakia and Norway, Naser Judeh is one of the special guests of the annual
    meeting of the Romanian diplomacy, which is traditionally held every year, in
    early autumn.





    NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DIRECTORATE -
    Romanian Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Thursday went again to the
    National-Anticorruption Directorate, which has started a criminal investigation
    against him, on corruption charges. Ponta said the meeting with the case
    prosecutor took place at his request. On June 5th, prosecutors
    started criminal investigation against Ponta, for having forged documents, for
    accessory to tax evasion and money laundering. These allegations relate to his past work, as a lawyer. In the same
    case, Ponta is prosecuted for conflict of interests while acting as Prime
    Minister. In July, the prosecutors placed Ponta’s
    assets and real estate property under sequester. The first prime minister of post-communist Romania to be
    prosecuted during his term in office, Ponta rejected both the prosecutors’
    accusations and the requests made by president Klaus Iohannis and the liberal
    opposition to resign.





    MOLDOVA – The
    European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has reasserted its firm
    commitment to support the economy of the Republic of Moldova and the
    Government’s reforms, although has called on Moldovan authorities to step up
    their efforts to combat the banking crisis and ensure the transparency of
    stockholders in this field. Moldova cannot afford to lose another billion
    dollars as it happened last year, EBRD Executive Director for Eastern Europe
    and the Caucasus Francis Malige said in a meeting with Moldovan officials in
    Chisinau. According to Malige, the Government’s decision to close down the
    three banks involved in the mysterious loaning of 1 billion dollars to unknown
    recipients at the end of last year represents a first promising step. The EBRD
    official also said the country was undergoing a very difficult period, marked
    by the banking crisis, the weakening of the national currency and a severe
    economic slump. In order to attract more investment to generate jobs and boost
    growth, Moldova urgently needs to reform its banking system and crack down on corruption, Francis Malige went on to say. The EBRD has so far invested 1
    billion euros in projects aimed at supporting the private sector in the
    Republic of Moldova.





    NOMINATION – Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, has
    nominated and supports Ioana Petrescu, his former finance minister, to take
    over as vice-president of the European Investment Bank, news agencies quote
    government sources as confirming on Thursday. For a year, until Romania’s
    mandate expires, Petrescu is to replace Mihai Tanasescu, a former finance
    minister, and Romania’s representative at the IMF in the 2007-2012 period.
    Media sources in Bucharest say Tanasescu has become undesirable to the bank
    management after his involvement in a huge corruption scandal related to the
    purchase of Microsoft licences in Romania, for which he allegedly took a 90,000
    Euro bribe.


    FILM – Italian
    filmmaker Adriano Valerio’s debut feature film Il Viaggio has been selected
    for the Venice International Film Festival in the Settimana della critica
    section. Having reached its 72nd edition, the prestigious festival will run
    through September 12. The opening night will be held on September 4 and will be
    attended by a Romanian delegation. Il Viaggio tells the story of three young
    people facing personal crises. The female protagonist, Clara ,has just ended a
    long-term love affair and is about to lose her job. Ivo is unemployed, and his
    frustrations cause him to make rash decisions. The film tells the story of a
    counter-migration flow, from Italy to Romania, where people seek jobs and
    happiness. The film’s cast also includes Romanian actor Stefan Velniciuc. Il
    Viaggio was co-produced by Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and Macedonia.





    FOOTBALL – Romania’s national team will
    play Hungary on Friday, in an away match, as part of the 2016 European Cup
    preliminaries. On Monday, Romania will play Greece at home. After four wins and
    two draws in six games, Romania is the leader of Group F, with 14 points,
    followed by Northern Ireland with 13 points and Hungary with 11. The last
    matches will be played in October, when Romania plays against the Faeroe
    Islands, away from home, and Finland, on home turf. Romania last qualified to a
    European Championship in 2008, when it did not move past the group stage. Also
    on Friday, Romania’s Under-21 team will play, on home turf, in the central
    Romanian city of Targu Mures, against Bulgaria, as part of the 2017 UEFA
    European U-21 Championship qualifying competition. On Tuesday in Yerevan, the
    young Romanian footballers will meet Armenia, which they defeated in a first
    match played on home turf in March, 3-0.






    RUGBY -
    Romania’s national rugby team will meet Tonga’s squad in Bucharest on Saturday,
    in the last test-match ahead of the Rugby World Cup due in Great Britain. Romania is part of Group D, alongside
    France, Ireland, Canada and Italy. The matches of the group will start on
    September the 18th. Dubbed The Oaks, the Romanian rugby players
    have participated in all final tours of the World Cup, but they never moved
    past the group stage.