April 15, 2014
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international events
Mihai Pelin, 15.04.2014, 12:14
One volunteer battalion of Ukraine’s National Guard has been deployed in the east, as in the last few days armed, balaclava-clad pro-Russian separatists have seized office buildings in a growing number of cities. The announcement has been made today by the President of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Andrei Parubi. We recall Ukraine’s interim President Oleksandr Turcinov had previously denounced the “brutal orchestrations” Russia masterminded to destabilize Ukraine. Turcinov also announced an anti-terrorist operation would start in Donetsk region’s northern part. Ukraine’s National Guard was set up in March, following Crimea’s annexation by Russia, as a response to the threat posed by a prospective invasion the Russian army might start in eastern Ukraine. The 60,000-strong guard could help Ukraine’s armed forces, counting 130,000 military. In a phone conversation yesterday, US President Barack Obama called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to use all his power so that pro-Russian separatists give up their weapons, while Washington and Ukraine’s current government have accused Moscow of having a hand in the tension that has flared up in eastern Ukraine. Moscow has denied such accusations.
A fresh round of talks staged to find a solution to the conflict pitting the Republic of Moldova against Pro-Russian breakaway region of the Trans-Dniester is scheduled in May, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has announced. The latter organization will be chairing the talks, to be held in a 5+2 format. Taking part in the discussions are the Republic of Moldova, the Trans-Dniester region, Ukraine and Russia, while the European Union and the USA have the status of observers for the aforementioned event. Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s, a conflict has pitted the predominantly Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova against the self-styled, Russian-speaking Trans-Dniester, a region that so far has not received international recognition. A brief war, pitting the two sides against one another over 1991 and 1992, claimed the lives of several hundred people. Separatists in the Trans–Dniester are backed by Russia, which still has its military stationed in the region, while Chisinau has opposed that altogether. Authorities in the Republic of Moldova fear the Crimean scenario will be imposed on their country as well, because of the regime in Tiraspol being dead set on the unification with Russia.
The American Newspaper The Washington Post and the British Daily The Guardian in New York on Monday night received the Pulitzer Prize, for their revelations on the American surveillance programs based on the leaded documents provide by the former NSA consultant Edward Snowden. The prize, which is one of the most prestigious journalistic awards, was granted under the “public service” category. We recall recent leaked information to be found in the documents provided by Snowden caused unrest among the US Government, fuelling tension in Washington’s relations with its allied countries, which discovered Americans had intercepted even some of their leaders’ private phone conversations.
Over 2007 and 2013, Romania accessed 15 billion Euro of the funds that were earmarked for that country, the Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Bucharest Angela Filote stated. The accessed sums facilitated the creation of more than 8,000 jobs. Around 1,200 SMEs received European support, while more than 1,000 kilometers of the country’s road infrastructure were repaired. In the European Union’s present budget exercise, over 2014-2020, Romania will receive around 39 billion Euro.
Romania’ s Defense Minister Mircea Dusa in Luxembourg wil be attending the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. Dusa wil be joining Defense ministers of EU member states. High on the agenda are boosting cooperation in the development of military capabilities and maritime security. This is the second time EU Defense ministers have convened at the Foreign Affairs Council since Greece has taken over the European Union Council’ s rotating presidency.
