June 11, 2019 UPDATE
Simple motion against Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, rejected
Newsroom, 11.06.2019, 19:58
INVESTIGATION — Moldova’s General Prosecutor’s Office has opened a case on the possible funding, by Russia, of president Igor Dodon’s Socialist Party. In another development, Dodon has announced that he cancelled the decree signed by Pavel Filip on dismantling Parliament and calling snap elections on September 6. On June 9 Moldovas Constitutional Court suspended Dodon from the position of president and appointed Prime Minister Pavel Filip as the countrys interim president. The Democratic Party of the controversial businessman Vlad Plahotniuc believes the legal government is the one led by Filip, while the cabinet headed by Maia Sandu operates in the Parliament building. On Monday, the first meeting of the new cabinet led by the pro-European Maia Sandu was held. She enjoys the Socialists support, in spite of the Constitutional Courts invalidation of the new cabinet. Sandu has given assurances the government will succeed in unblocking foreign funding, especially from the EU. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland asked the Venice Commission for its opinion.
APPEAL – Romania, as strategic partner of the Republic of Moldova, believes that in a democratic state, the will of the citizens, expressed through the vote and reflected in the political configuration of Parliament, is the only one that ensures a legitimate political process, based on dialogue, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a communiqué on Tuesday. Romania made an appeal for calm and restraint, the observance of the rule of law and a peaceful and inclusive transition, as solutions out of the crisis, the communiqué also reads.
MOTION -The simple motion against the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, initiated by the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and People’s Movement Party, in opposition, was rejected on Tuesday by the Senate’s plenary sitting. The motion was motivated by the situation created at the May 26 European elections, when many Romanians abroad could not cast their ballot. The initiators of the motion say Melescanu and the Foreign Ministry organized the elections abroad in an irresponsible manner. In his turn, the Foreign Minister apologized to the Romanians in the Diaspora for the situation and said the ministry is looking into the matter at the embassies that reported problems and tries to find ways to prevent such situations in the future.
DECREE – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday signed the decree endorsing the appointment of Justice Minister Ana Birchall as interim deputy PM for the implementation of Romania’s strategic partnerships. Iohannis rejected, last week, the appointment of the Social Democrat senator Titus Corlatean in this post, arguing that the latter is responsible for the poor organization of the presidential elections abroad in 2014 when he was a foreign minister.
VISIT — Romanian Senate Speaker, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, is paying a two-day official visit to France that starts on Wednesday, at the invitation of his counterpart Gérard Larcher. The visit is aimed at consolidating and diversifying political dialogue and strengthening the traditional fiendship ties with this country. From Thursday to Saturday Tariceanu will also attend, in Paris, the 20th meeting of the Association of European Senates. (Translated by Elena Enache)
