June 15, 2022

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 15.06.2022, 13:55

Visit. Romania and France have increased their
security cooperation recently amid the crisis generated by Russia’s military
aggression in Ukraine, said Romanian president Klaus Iohannis after talks with
his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Mihail Kogălniceanu air base in
Constanţa county, in south-eastern Romania. During a joint press briefing,
Iohannis again thanked France for the deployment of military and its
coordination of NATO’s new battle group in Romania. The two presidents talked
about the need to consolidate the deterrence and defence posture on the NATO
eastern flank, especially in the Black Sea, NATO’s new strategic concept and
the accession of Finland and Sweden. Emmanuel Macron said Romanian-French
relations are based on a friendship that goes back two centuries. He added that
the two countries wish to further boost bilateral cooperation and that an
ambitious plan is being worked on, at the request of the Romanian authorities,
to support the Romanian Navy. The agenda of talks also included Romania’s
accession to the Schengen free movement area and its active involvement in the
protection of the EU’s external borders. Emmanuel Macron’s next stop is the
Republic of Moldova, where he will be received by president Maia Sandu.

NATO.
Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday had talks in The Hague with the
prime ministers of Belgium, Latvia, Poland and Portugal and with NATO secretary
general Jens Stoltenberg on the preparation of the upcoming NATO summit hosted
by Madrid at the end of the month. Iohannis emphasised the need for consolidated
and effective allied presence on the NATO eastern flank, saying collective
defence is and must remain NATO’s priority fundamental task. The participants
also discussed the latest security developments, further assistance to Ukraine
and the prospects of Sweden’s and Finland’s joining NATO. A joint declaration
was adopted at the end of the meeting reaffirming the solidarity of the
signatory countries with Ukraine and again calling on Vladimir Putin to stop the
war in Ukraine and withdraw his troops.

Defence.
NATO defence ministers are today meeting in Brussels to discuss additional
weapons deliveries to Ukraine and Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO. The
Russian offensive in Donbas and its territorial gains have prompted Ukrainian
officials to request more weapons from the West. The US and Britain have
already promised to deliver several rocket launchers, but Ukraine says it needs
more to stage an effective counteroffensive. The meeting is Brussels is chaired
by the US defence secretary Lloyd Austin.

Protest.
More than 10,000 members of healthcare employees and social workers are today staging
a protest outside the government headquarters. They are mainly requesting
higher pay, bonuses, holiday vouchers and eliminating a 30% cap on bonuses,
compensations and other salary rights for healthcare and social workers.
Protesters say the Romanian government in the last two years has systematically
violated the salary law by blocking salary increases.

Football.
Romania lost to Montenegro 3-nil on Tuesday evening in Bucharest in the UEFA
Nations League. Romania had also lost their away match, 2-nil. In their four
matches in this competition so far, Romania suffered three losses, two to
Montenegro and one to Bosnia and Herzegovina, having only won against Finland.
They are now bottom of the group, while Bosnia and Herzegovina are in the lead. (CM)