US VISIT – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, will meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington, later today. President Iohannis has said the meeting will have a major positive impact both on the people in Romania and on the Romanian community living in the US. According to the Presidential Administration, deepening the bilateral Strategic Partnership will be high on the agenda of the meeting, the more so as in 2017 the two countries celebrate 20 years since it was launched. The Romanian head of state will also reiterate Bucharests firm commitment to further be a predictable and trustworthy ally of Washington. Also today, the Romanian President is due to meet Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. Earlier, Klaus Iohannis awarded several members of Congress for the efforts they have made to strengthen the bilateral Strategic Partnership.
VISIT – Deputy Secretary General of the European Commission, Jean-Eric Paquet, is today paying a visit to Romania. The European official will hold talks with the Romanian authorities on community law and the correct transposition in due time of the EU legislation. Jean-Eric Paquet will also take part in a dialogue with students and representatives of civil society, academia and mass media, on the future of Europe.
UK ELECTIONS – The British Conservative Party of Prime Minister Theresa May has lost the overall majority in the British Parliament, following Thursdays early legislative elections, partial returns show. Although they won the largest number of seats, 318, in the House of Commons, the Tories cant form the government by themselves. Ranking second is the Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn, with 262 seats, whereas the centre-leftist pro-European National Scottish Party of Scottish Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is said to have secured 34 seats. Also, the Liberal-Democratic Party (centre) has reportedly secured 13 seats. Theresa May fails to secure a stronger mandate in the run up to Brexit negotiations, pushing the British political scene into uncertainty, with a likely impact on the future talks with the EU, FP reports.
ROLAND GARROS – The best ranking Romanian woman tennis player, Simona Halep, no. 4 WTA, on Saturday will face the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko (no. 47 WTA) in the final of the Roland Garros tennis tournament. On Thursday evening, in the semi-finals, Halep defeated the Check Karolina Pliskova (no.3 WTA), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Its the second time that Halep plays the final of the Roland Garros in Paris, after she lost to Maria Sharapova, in 2014. If she wins, Halep will step up to the first position in the world rankings.
THEATRE – Some 500 performances and events will be hosted by the International Theatre Festival in Sibiu, the largest such festival in Romania and one of the most important in Europe. Attending the festival will be 3,300 artists from 72 countries. The theme of the festival this year is love.
TIFF – The 16th edition of the Transylvania International Film Festival – TIFF 2017, continues today in the western Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, with the special screening of the film “Pour la peau dun flic, a thriller shot in 1981, with the French actor Alain Delon in the leading role. On this occasion, Alain Delon has come for the first time to Romania, as honorary guest, and will receive a life-time achievement award. Alain Delon, 81, is this year celebrating 60 years since he made his debut in cinematography. Also during the TIFF, the beloved Romanian actress Tora Vasilescu will also receive an excellency prize. An overall number of 255 films from 53 countries will be screened until June 11 in various venues and cinema halls in Cluj Napoca and other towns in the county. Over 1,200 Romanian and foreign guests attend various cultural events organised on the occasion, such as screenings, concerts, workshops, as well as the launch of the largest Romanian festival of its kind, where Radio Romania is a media partner.
