August 26, 2019 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 26.08.2019, 19:50

POLITICS – The Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats will withdraw from the governing coalition, its leader Calin
Popescu-Tariceanu announced on Monday. The decision follows after the
Social-Democratic Party, the Alliance’s ruling coalition partners, did not
support their claim to reshuffle the government and present a new governing
program, Tariceanu says. Tariceanu will also withdraw from the presidential
race, while his party will support the candidacy of Mircea Diaconu, who has
also rallied the support of the Pro Romania Party. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu will
also resign from the position of Senate Speaker. In turn, Prime Minister and
Social Democrat leader Viorica Dancila said her party will stay in power. The Prime Minister on Tuesday will make new nominations to replace the outgoing ministers from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats.

ELECTIONS – The
Romanian Government’s decisions regarding the presidential election in November
enter into force this week. The document includes information and regulations
regarding the vote in Romania and abroad. The deadline for the submission of
candidacies is September 22. The election campaign will start on October 12.
The first round of elections will be held on November 10 and the second one on
November 24.

DIPLOMACY -
Bucharest is hosting for four days the annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy,
staged by the Romanian Foreign Ministry. Approached at the meeting will be the
future of the EU and its global role, the trans-Atlantic ties, the ties with
the eastern neighbors, European affairs, Romania’s political and economic ties
with countries in the Asia-Pacific area, the Middle East, Africa and Latin
America, humanitarian aid and the contribution to world peace and security.
Attending the event are Foreign Minister Ramona Manescu, minister-delegate for
European affairs George Ciamba and heads of Romania’s consular and diplomatic missions
abroad. The special guests of this year’s meeting are the foreign ministers of
Bulgaria and Moldova and the Croatian state secretary for European affairs. On
Monday, the Foreign Ministry and the UN Development Program signed a
cooperation memorandum.

MILITARY – A new
detachment of the Romanian Gendarmerie is leaving on Tuesday to Afghanistan for
a six-month NATO mission. The 16 officers and agents will provide training,
counseling and assistance to Afghan security forces and institutions. Attending
the departure ceremony on Monday, Inspector General with the Romanian
Gendarmerie Constantin Florea said the participation of Romanian gendarmes in
missions in Afghanistan started in 2011, with notable results prompting
international bodies to call on Romania to contribute special forces to
training and counseling missions. So far Romanian gendarmes have helped train
over 17,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers.

MINISTERS – Prime
Minister Viorica Dancila on Monday submitted the proposals for new ministers
decided at Saturday’s National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic
Party to President Klaus Iohannis. The party’s secretary general, Mihai Fifor
will be heading the Interior Ministry, Ana Birchall will become Deputy Prime
Minister for Strategic Partnerships while MP Iulian Iancu will be Deputy Prime
Minister in charge of economic affairs. Dana Girbovan was nominated for the
Justice Ministry, but the move has been harshly criticized by the opposition
who emphasized the fact that Girbovan was a staunch supporter of the justice
reforms that had been proposed by PSD and ALDE with the alleged intention to
gain control over the magistrates and hinder the anti-graft fight.

G7 – World
leaders gathered in Biarritz for the last day of the G7 Summit on Monday. UN
Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on the international community to
take action to protect the Amazon region, swept by wildfire. French president Emmanuel
Macron said the industrialized states of G7 have agreed on a 20-million-dollar
fund which states in the Amazon can use to combat wildfire. President Macron also
said an international initiative for the Amazon at UN level will be launched,
looking into ways to reforest the affected areas.

VOLEYBALL – The
Romanian national women’s volleyball team defeated Estonia 3-1 on Sunday in
Budapest, Hungary, in Group C of the European Championship. This is the second
consecutive win of the Romanians, after defeating the host country’s team on
Saturday, 3-1. The Netherlands is first in the group, with 6 points in 2
matches, followed by Romania, with 6 points in 3 matches, Croatia, Hungary,
Azerbaijan and Estonia. On Tuesday Romania will take on Croatia and on Thursday
it will play Azerbaijan.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)