July 24, 2017
Romania applies to host European Medicines Agency; Stifling weather afflicts Romania
Bogdan Matei, 24.07.2017, 13:59
AGENCY — Romanian Health Minister Florian Bodog and the delegate minister for European affairs, Victor Negrescu, are today on a visit to London, accompanied by the President of the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices, Nicolae Fotin. The officials are pleading for Romania to become host to the European Medicines Agency after Britain leaves the EU. The Romanian government has finalized its application for the move. Competitors for the position of host of the agency are France, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary and Bulgaria, who have already applied. The European Commission will evaluate the projects and issue its verdict by 15 September, with the final decision resting with the General Affairs Council, meeting in November.
JUSTICE — Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader meets this week in Brussels First Vice President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans. The two will discuss the bill package aimed at justice reform, which Toader wants adopted by the Romanian government on September 1, to consequently be sent for debate and voting in Parliament. The meeting was set up during the visit to Brussels by PM Mihai Tudose two weeks ago.
WEATHER — In Romania, the capital city and 15 counties in the west, southwest and south are under code yellow alert for sweltering heat and a high heat index. Some regions are expected to have the heat index over the critical level of 80. Skies are variable, with some clouds in the east, where showers and thunderstorms are expected. Maximum temperatures will be between 28 and 37 degrees. The noon reading in Bucharest was 32 degrees.
TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Irina Begu on Sunday won both finals of the BRD Bucharest Open tournament, with 230,000 dollars in prize money. In the singles, Begu, who ranks 38th in the WTA, defeated German Julia Goerges, 40th seeded, 6-3, 7-5. In the doubles, Begu and her compatriot Raluca Olaru, disposed of Elise Mertens of Belgium and Demi Schuurs of Holland 6-3, 6-3. This is Begus fourth WTA title in the singles, and the fifth in the doubles.
FOOTBALL — This is a major week for Romanias football clubs representing the country in European championships, according to the press in Bucharest. On Tuesday, vice-champions FCSB, formerly Steaua Bucharest, meet at home Czech team FC Viktoria Plzen, in the first leg of the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League. On Wednesday, the new Romanian champion, FC Viitorul Constanta, also plays at home, against APOEL Nicosia. On Thursday, also in the 3rd preliminary round, CS Universitatea Craiova will play the Italian powerhouse AC Milan. Dinamo Bucharest plays against Athletic Bilbao of Spain, and Astra Giurgiu plays against Ukrainian team FK Oleksandria. All the games are in Romania. The return legs are scheduled for next week.
MOLDOVA — The Embassy of the United States in the capital of Moldova, Chisinau, issued a statement expressing disappointment that the Parliament and government of Moldova have ignored the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the OSCE on reforming their election system. The European Commission also criticized the change, while the European Popular Party, the most numerous in the European Parliament, called for Moldova to be cut off from funding. On Thursday, the Parliament in Chisinau voted to introduced a mixed election system, with half of deputies in the legislative being elected on party lists, and the other half in uninominal districts. Analysts quoted by Radio Romania correspondents in Chisinau said that the introduction of the uninominal system to replace the party list system puts at an advantage the biggest parties, namely the pro-Western Democrats led by PM Pavel Filip and the Socialist Party led by Igor Dodon.
WARSAW — Polish President Andzej Duda said today that he would veto the controversial laws on justice introduced by the Conservatives. He also said that the bills, passed by Parliament in Warsaw last week, had to be rectified. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets all over the country to protest the changes, which regard mainly the Supreme Court. Certain provisions in the bills are considered unconstitutional by the political opposition and civil society, with strong protests coming from the European Commission and the US State Department.
