June 12, 2019 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 12.06.2019, 19:47

SIGNAL – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has called on the
government on Wednesday to take measures for the quick consolidation of public
finances and to improve tax collection. Attending a meeting of the Coalition
for Romania’s Development, Iohannis has pointed out that at the start of the
year he sent the 2019 budget back to Parliament for reexamination. He also said
that the Social Democrats, representing the most important party of the
governing coalition, have neglected investment in favor of a policy with short-term
effects, and that this will affect everyone in the future. Iohannis also
pointed out that the business environment has been affected lately by
unexpected measures. Private investors and employers need infrastructure
modernization and development, Iohannis said, explaining that he refers not
only to motorways but to everything related to modern living standards for the
citizens, such as hospitals, schools, railways, airports, energy infrastructure
and so on.

MOTION – The censure motion filed by the right-wing
opposition against the ruling coalition in Bucharest was read on Wednesday in
Parliament and will be submitted to vote on Tuesday. 233 MPs need to vote the
motion in order to pass. The National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and
the People’s Movement Party in opposition also need the support of the Pro
Romania party headed by the former Social Democrat PM Victor Ponta, by the MPs
of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), of the other
national minorities and even of the ruling coalition. On the other hand, Prime
Minister Dancila has asked the Social Democratic MPs to be present at the
meeting to secure the quorum but not to cast their vote.

EXERCISE – The Saber
Guardian 2019 military exercise continues in Romania until June 24. Its main
goal is to enhance the cohesion, unity and solidarity of the partner and allied
countries, with a view to ensuring defense against any type of aggression,
especially by means of rapid mobilization and response, anywhere in Europe. In
order to render international military training more effective, Saber Guardian
is correlated with a number of other national and multinational exercises, so
the total number of participants stands at some 13,500. Attending are 14 allied
and partner countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany,
Great Britain, the Republic of Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the US. 7,600 of the participants are
Romanian. Saber Guardian was held every year between 2013 – 2017, and was
hosted, in rotation, by Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine. The exercise is included
in the United States Army Europe and designed to improve the integration of
multinational allied and partner combat forces.

VISIT – Romanian Senate Speaker, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, is
paying a two-day official visit to France that started on Tuesday, at the
invitation of his counterpart Gérard Larcher. The visit is aimed at
consolidating and diversifying political dialogue and strengthening the
traditional friendship ties with this country. From Thursday to Saturday
Tariceanu will also attend, in Paris, the 20th meeting of the Association of
European Senates.

FORUM – Current or former high government officials, both
civilian and military, leading think tanks and prominent scholars and political
analysts from EU and NATO member states and partner countries, including a
strong contingent from the United States are taking part, as of Wednesday, in
the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum held in the Romanian city of Constanta
between June 12 and 14, 2019. This third edition of the Black Sea and Balkans
Security Forum is held under the auspices of the Romanian Presidency of the
Council of the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. In a complex and troubled international
environment, the Forum of 2019 seeks to address security concerns in the Black
Sea and the Balkans. The 16 scheduled panel discussions will cover a vast range
of topics such as the militarization of the Black Sea, the classical and newly
emerging security challenges, the vital importance of the transatlantic ties
and the on-going regional cooperation initiatives. Also tackled will be cyber
security, energy, climate change, religion and security, connectivity and
military mobility, urban and community development, hybrid operations and
information warfare.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Elena-Gabriela Ruse (221
WTA) on Wednesday advanced to the round of 18 at the WTA tournament in
Nottingham, UK, totaling 250,000 dollars in prize money. Ruse ousted Evgenyia
Rodina of Russia (76 WTA), 6-3, 6-3. After two days of heavy rain at
Nottingham, organizers have decided to move some of the matches indoors. Ruse
was originally supposed to play against Dayana Yastremska, but the Ukrainian
player withdrew. In the next round Ruse will play the winner of the match
pitting Ludmilla Samsonova of Russia against Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland.

(Translated by Elena Enache & V. Palcu)