August 30, 2017
Deepening the Strategic Partnership with the US, boosting the transatlantic relation within NATO and further integration at EU level are major objectives of Romanias foreign policy says President Klaus Iohannis
Ştefan Stoica, 30.08.2017, 14:05
ROMANIAN DIPLOMACY –President Klaus Iohannis has today presented in Bucharest the objectives of Romanias foreign policy, during a meeting with the heads of the Romanian diplomatic missions and general consuls abroad, occasioned by the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. The Romanian president has called on them to get involved in the effort to address the problems the EU is currently facing, including Brexit. Just like in the past years, deepening the Strategic Partnership with the US continues to be a priority of Romanias foreign policy, especially in the context of Junes visit to Washington by Klaus Iohannis and of the talks he held with the U.S. President Donald Trump. Romania will further plead for a strong transatlantic relation within NATO, the head of state has also said. He has given assurances that, to Romania, further integration at EU level continues to be a major objective. At the same time, switching to the Single European Currency and joining the Schengen Area will be significant steps forward to strengthen Romanias role at European level, Klaus Iohannis has also underlined.
MAINTENANCE CENTRE – Romania will set up a maintenance centre at Aerostar Bacau, in the east, for the F16 fighters made in the US and purchased from Portugal. PM Mihai Tudose has today signed an agreement with Jonathan Hoyle, the vice-president of Lockheed Martin, for the transfer of state of the art technology for this type of aircraft. The defence minister Adrian Tutuianu and heads of military structures involved in the purchasing of military technology met on Tuesday with a delegation of Lockheed Martin, the American company specialised in the research, development, production and integration of state of the art technology in the military field, which has come up with proposals of cooperation with the national defence industry. The 2017-2026 Romanian Army Endowment Plan has been approved by Romanias Supreme Defence Council, with 9.8 billion Euro funds having been earmarked for the eight programs. We recall that Romania has signed a contract for the purchase of 16 F16 fighters and Adrian Tutuianu has made public the intention to purchase 36 other fighters in the following years.
JUSTICE – The draft aimed at amending the justice laws was sent to the Higher Council of Magistracy on Wednesday, the line minister Tudorel Toader has announced. He has added the document has not been sent to prosecutors offices. Earlier, the National Anti-corruption Directorate, DNA, has said the draft is a form of pressure exerted on the professional activity of prosecutors and Romanias Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, has said the prospective adoption of the draft would impact the independence of magistrates and the functioning of judicial institutions. According to the amendments envisaged by minister Toader, the countrys president will be eliminated from the process of nominating chief prosecutors and the judicial inspection unit will be subordinated to the Justice Ministry.
TENNIS – Romanian woman tennis player Sorana Cîrstea, no.54 WTA, has qualified to the second round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating the Dutch Lesley Kerkhove, no. 171 WTA. In the next stage of the competition, Sorana will meet Latvias Jelena Ostapenko, no. 12 WTA, on Thursday. On Tuesday, the match between Monica Niculescu no. 57 WTA and the French Kristina Mladenovic (no.13 WTA) was stopped because of heavy rain. Today, Ana Bogdan (no.108 WTA) will play against the American Taylor Townsend (no.119 WTA). Three other Romanian players have already got eliminated from the competition: Simona Halep (no.2 WTA), Irina Begu (no. 55 WTA) and Mihaela Buzărnescu (no.133 WTA). In the mens competition, Romanian Marius Copil (no.86 ATP), has also left the US Open.
