NATO. For Romania, NATO accession was the fulfilment of a historical aspiration and a security imperative, and now the Alliance is an essential pillar of our foreign and security policy. The statement was made on Thursday in Brussels by Romania’s foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu in an address at a ceremony to mark NATO’s 75th anniversary. According to Odobescu, the Alliance passed the test of time and demonstrated a strategic vision, determination, resilience and capacity for adjustment. NATO became stronger in terms of size and influence, the minister also said. Romania is firmly committed to the adjustment process of NATO, so that the alliance becomes stronger and better prepared for the future, president Klaus Iohannis posted on social media. Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu said current security developments at regional and global level show the need for a joint defence concept in the face of threats generated by “Russian expansionist ambitions” and the aggression against Ukraine.
Investigation. The European Commission has opened two in-depth investigations in Romania in connection to possible problems with the implementation of a big EU-funded project. According to a statement from Brussels, the target is a tender launched by a company from Rovinari for the design, construction and exploitation of a photovoltaic park. The project is partially funded by the EU’s Modernisation Fund and the Commission believes there are sufficient indications that two of the bidders received foreign subsidies that distort the internal market. One of the consortiums that made a bid is listed on the Hong Kong exchange and the other is subordinated to the China Central People’s Government. Under the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation, companies are obliged to notify their public procurement tenders in the EU when the estimated value of the contract exceeds €250 million, and when the company was granted at least €4 million in foreign financial contributions from at least one third country in the three years prior to notification.
PES. German chancellor Olaf Scholz is travelling to Bucharest on Saturday to attend the meeting of the Party of European Socialists. He will be joined by the European commissioner for jobs and social rights Nicolas Schmit, from Luxembourg, the Socialists’ candidate to lead the European Commission, and the president of the Party of European Socialists, the former Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfven. Scholz will be received in Bucharest by Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. The talks will focus, among others, on bilateral, security and economic policy issues, according to Berlin. Scholz will then attend a round table with representatives of the business environment. Ciolacu and Scholz, whose parties belong to the same European political group, had an informal meeting in November last year in Malaga, in Spain, at the congress of European Socialists. The visit to Romania comes ahead of June’s European elections.
Handball. The Romanian women’s handball side are today facing Bosnia-Hertegovina away in Cazin, in their last-but final match as part of the qualifying matches for the European Championship, the EHF EURO 2024. The final match will take place in Buzău on 7th April against Greece. Romania have already qualified for the championship and are tipped to win their last two group matches.
Tennis. Romania’s Simona Halep said she accepted a wild card for the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid held between 23rd April and 5th May. The former world no. one previously won two consecutive titles in Madrid, in 2016 and 2017, and was runner-up in 2014 and 2019. In March, she lost to Spain’s Paula Badosa in the opening round of the Miami tournament in her first match since returning to professional tennis after her 4-year ban for doping was reduced to nine months.