August 29, 2023 UPDATE

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 29.08.2023, 20:11

DIPLOMACY Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania wants to see an increased American
presence in the region at all levels, military, economic, political as well as in
the field of energy. The Romanian official delivered a speech on Tuesday at the
meeting, which brought together heads of diplomatic missions, consulates and
directors of Romania’s cultural institutions. The development and deepening of
our Strategic Partnership with the United States represents a pillar whose
relevance has been reconfirmed and consolidated. We are profoundly committed to
maintaining and strengthening the transatlantic relationship, the president
went on to say adding that Romania’s accession to Europe’s border-free area, Schengen,
remains a priority for the coming period. Bucharest is these days hosting the
Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy, under the suggestive motto ‘A firm
foreign policy of Romania’s: managing challenges and making the most of opportunities’.
The special guests of Romania’s Foreign Minister,
Luminita Odobescu, are her counterparts from Chile, Alberto van Klaveren Stork
and Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis. Against the background of Russia’s war
of aggression in Ukraine, the event is focusing on the need for stepping up
diplomatic dialogue and social-economic efforts with a view to strengthening
the security architecture and the rule-based international order.

POLICE The
Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, has announced that the new
interim head of the Constanţa Police Inspectorate (IPJ) is Chief Commissioner
Mădălina Sorina Vlangăr. She has replaced Chief Constantin Glugă, who announced
his resignation following the investigation into the accident on May 2, in
which a 19-year-old drugged driver killed two young people and injured another
three. According to the minister, the entire organizational structure at IPJ
Constanta will be rethought and adapted to the extent of the criminal
phenomenon specific to this county and a new transitional managerial team will
ensure the operation of the system until the new organization comes into
operation. The control body of the Minister of the Interior proposes the
initiation of a preliminary investigation of the head of the Constanta County
Police Inspectorate, as well as of other officers involved in the faulty
management of the May 2 case. Cătălin Predoiu has announced that IPJ Constanţa
will be completely reorganized, and that is where the reformation of the entire
Romanian police apparatus will start.

TALKS The
Romanian ministers of Finance, Labour and European Funds held talks in Brussels
with the technical teams of the European Commission on issues related to the
National Plan of Recovery and Resilience and the future law of special
pensions. The Romanian authorities want to convince Brussels to accept a budget
deficit of up to 5.5% instead of the previously assumed 4.4%. The one percent
difference, the ministers say, comes from unplanned additional expenses owing
to the war in Ukraine. Romania has spent 0.5% more from the GDP on defence-related
issues and has incurred losses because of the imports of cheap Ukrainian grain.
Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels recalls that Romania is the only
country with an infringement procedure opened against it on budget deficit,
which has been suspended due to the crisis.

F-16 Romania’s Minister
of Defence, Angel Tilvar, on Tuesday signed the letter of intent with the
Netherlands and the US company Lockheed Martin on setting up the F-16 training
center for Ukrainian pilots in Romania. According to the Romanian Defence
Ministry, the Dutch Royal Forces will deploy several F-16 jet fighters to the
86 Airbase in Romania while Lockheed Martin, which produces this aircraft, will
ensure the technical support consisting of flight instructors and engineers. By
setting up this centre, Romania joins the other NATO allies in the process of training
the Ukrainian pilots allowing them to use these planes in the future. Minister Tilvar
is presently in Toledo, Spain, to attend the informal meeting of the EU defence
ministers.

(bill)