June 17, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 17.06.2015, 12:15
The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, paying an official visit to the Republic of Moldova, was received on Wednesday by President Nicolae Timofti. Aurescu underlined the importance of political stability to be attained in Moldova, as an essential premise for the country to advance on the path towards EU integration, the consolidation of the state of law and economic development. At a news conference held jointly with his Moldovan counterpart Natalia Gherman, Bogdan Aurescu emphasised the need for a new government to be formed in Chisinau as soon as possible, after the resignation of Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici, and also the need for a parliament majority that should support the countrys European bid. Also on Wednesday Aurescu opened Romanias Information Centre at the State University in Comrat, in Gagauzia, southern Moldova. On Thursday, Bogdan Aurescu will attend the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization countries. Romania is to take over the organisations presidency.
The defence committees with the Romanian Senate and Chamber of Deputies passed on Wednesday a favourable report on Romanias National Defense Strategy for 2015-2019. Debates on this strategy as well as a vote on it will be held on Monday in Parliament. One of the novelties of the National Defense Strategy is the concept of extended security. National security is not approached only from the perspective of defence, but also from the perspectives of public order, economy, infrastructure, education, health, environment and culture. The strategic partnership with the United States and the NATO and EU membership are restated as pillars of Romanias foreign and security policy.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that Romania wants to become an exporter of energy security in the region. Iohannis also said that Portuguese companies showed interest in investing in this field in Romania. After the meeting in Bucharest with the Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva, Iohannis has said the bilateral ties have evolved significantly in the past few years and that the two countries will continue cooperation in the political-military field, and also within NATO and the EU. President Iohannis also talked about the Romanian community in Portugal, counting over 40 thousand people, voicing appreciation at the support granted to it by the Portuguese state. President Anibal Cavaco Silva invited Klaus Iohannis to pay an official visit to Portugal.
The former head of the Romanian Boxing Federation, Rudel Obreja, was sentenced on Wednesday to three years in prison for influence peddling. The sentence, delivered by the Bucharest Tribunal is not final. Obreja is accused of having asked an informer for one million Euros, saying he could make the judges give a favourable ruling.
Ambassadors with the 28 EU countries agreed on Wednesday to extend economic sanctions against Russia by six months. The sanctions, which expire on 31 July, are not expected to change in content. The decision needs to be ratified by the EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday. The sanctions, first imposed in July 2014, were the EU’s response to Russia’s support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Romanian soldiers are participating alongside foreign partners in military exercises held in Romania. The TRIDENT JOUST 15 exercise, designed to test the capacity of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples to lead a NATO collective defence operation brings together 1,000 troops from 25 NATO members in the Cincu shooting ground in Brasov county (central Romania).
