April 19, 2018
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Newsroom, 19.04.2018, 14:08
SUMMIT Representatives of nine European countries part of NATO’s eastern flank, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary and high-ranking NATO officials have convened in Romania’s capital city for the first Bucharest Format (B9) summit at Parliamentary level. On Wednesday, the first day of this meeting aimed at consolidating the role of national Parliaments in security and defence issues, the participants tackled among other things, defensive actions and military deterrents in the region as well as ways of fighting terrorism. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said the Parliaments of the countries part of the B9 Format have an essential role in the equitable share of responsibilities inside NATO. According to Iohannis, the allied presence in the eastern flank must be unitary, coherent and efficient. The Romanian official recalled that Romania remains a committed and responsible partner inside the Alliance. The participants have also referred to Russia’s unpredictable and aggressive actions, which constitute a threat to the region as well as to the entire Euro Atlantic community.
SOLUTIONS Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has called on the ministers of labour and finances to find a solution to the salary-related issues affecting Romania’s healthcare system. The Prime Minister’s call comes after a fresh day of protests in hospitals around Romania against the pay cuts caused by the new regulations, which limit bonuses at 30%. Health minister Sorina Pintea has recently announced that an agreement has been reached with hospital managers to offset the pay cuts, the employees saw in March, with money from the hospitals’ funds, which is to be further reimbursed by the government.
TENNIS Six Romanian representatives including Simona Halep, the world’s number one tennis player, are on the main draw of the year’s second Grand Slam tournament in Roland Garros due in Paris over May 21st and June 10th. Sorana Cirstea (WTA 34th), Irina-Camelia Begu (WTA 38th) Mihaela Buzarnescu (WTA 40th), Monica Niculescu (WTA 64th) and Ana Bogdan (WTA 66th) are to represent Romania in the women’s competition in Paris. Trophy holder Jelena Ostapenko (WTA 5th) who defeated Halep in the last year’s finals, will also be playing in the current tournament. Halep, Cirstea, Begu and Buzarnescu have also been summoned for the FedCup competition pitching Romania against Switzerland in the World Group play-off due this weekend in Cluj, northwestern Romania. In the men’s competition in Paris, Romania has only one player, the ATP 86th Marius Copil.
VISIT The incumbent president of Italy’s Council of Ministers, Paolo Gentiloni has today met in Bucharest Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila. The two officials have agreed to host a common session as soon as the future government in Rome has been established. The move could contribute to the diversification and consolidation of the already very good sectoral cooperation between Romania and Italy in several fields such as security and defence, economy, energy, environment, agriculture, justice and domestic affairs, healthcare, culture and education. During the visit he pays to Romania, Gentiloni has also been received by president Klaus Iohannis.
LIBYA During his formal visit to Libya, Romania’s foreign minister Teodor Melescanu has today met Ahmed Maatig, vice-president of the Presidential Council and deputy Prime Minister in the country’s Government of National Accord. Melescanu has evoked the traditional relations between the two countries underlying the importance of kick-starting the political dialogue with a view to revitalizing bilateral cooperation. He reiterated Romania’s stand to support Libya’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity and has mentioned the readiness of Romanian institutions to offer expertise in several fields, such as domestic affairs and emergency situations. Melescanu has also voiced Romania’s readiness to back the EU assistance projects for Libya mainly in the context of its future EU Council presidency. In turn Ahmed Maatig has voiced appreciation for Romania’s offer to provide expertise in various domains of interest for Libya, such as agriculture and education.
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