March 3, 2016 UPDATE

For a roundup of domestic and international events, click here.

România Internațional, 03.03.2016, 12:15

ILLNESS – Numerous politicians and cultural figures in Bucharest have expressed their concern at the news that Mihai I, the last king of Romania is in poor health, expressing hope that he recovers. After his recent cancer operation, he announced his withdrawal from public life, and that his first of five daughters, Crown Princess Margaret, will represent him in public.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL – Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos represents Romania for the second time at the European Council in Brussels, according to the presidency. Ciolos will attend the meeting of heads of state and government of member countries of the EU with Turkey, the country crucial to stopping the exodus of refugees in the Middle East. President Klaus Iohannis delegated technocrat PM Dacian Ciolos to represent Romania at these meetings late last year.

COOPERATION – Romania is a strategic economic partner for neighbouring Hungary, given that two-way trade rose to 7.3 billion euros last year. The declaration was made on Thursday by State Secretary with the Hungarian Foreign Ministry László Szabó at an economic forum. According to the Hungarian official, the most important areas for cooperation are energy, transport and tourism. In turn, State Secretary with the Romanian MFA Alexandru Micula, said that in 2015 two-way trade hit a record level. Romanian companies invested some 200 million euros in Hungary, where seven thousand Romanian SMEs are currently operating, Micula added.

VISIT – EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu on Thursday expressed concern with Romanias slow pace of submitting projects for the 2014-2020 EU financial framework. The EU official has warned that Romania risks losing up to 4 billion euros in the short term unless proper action is taken. In turn, Deputy Prime Minister Vasile Dancu said over the last years Romania could have had a better absorption rate. Due to the public procurement system, the deficient inter-institution cooperation and its lack of experience, Romania had a low rate of absorbing EU funds.

E-COLI INFECTION – Local authorities in Arges County, in southern Romania, said that the statements made by the minister of agriculture, Achim Irimescu, on E-coli infections were irresponsible. The cheese products made by a local dairy maker are suspected of being the source of infections that led to hemolytic uremia syndrome in dozens of babies, resulting in three fatalities. So far it is not known how the bacteria ended up in the cheese made by this factory, which has in the meantime been shut down. Farmers who provide milk to the factory have stated that they would sue the minister, who said that the infection came from the milk. They said that the ministers statements halved their sales. On the other hand, the National Veterinary Health and Food Safety Authority on Thursday announced the first lab tests of the milk originating from farms in Arges and Dolj counties turned out negative, and that milk in these production units can be processed without any restrictions.

DEFENCE – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday said the Army is one of the pillars of the Romanian state, a fundamental institution that Romanians proudly look up to. I have full confidence in the Romanian Army, said the president at a public review of the activity of the Romanian Defence Ministry in 2015. Also attending the event, PM Dacian Ciolos said Romania would continue to be a provider of security on NATO and the EUs eastern flank, against a complicated geopolitical backdrop. In this context, Dacian Ciolos said increasing the defence budget by 2% of the GDP in 2017 and maintaining the same level over the next ten years is of paramount importance.

IMF – An IMF team led by the new head of mission for Romania, Pakistani Reza Baqir, is in Bucharest for the annual evaluation of Romanias economy. Until March 15, international experts have scheduled meetings with representatives of the authorities, political parties, unions, businesses, academia and banks. According to the IMF statute, this economic evaluation is obligatory for all member states. At present, Romania has no loan contracted with the Fund.

REFUGEES – Sweden and Denmark on Thursday announced the temporary extension of border controls until April in order to cope with the large flow of immigrants. Swedish Interior Minister Anders Ygeman said Europe failed to ensure the security of its external borders, which is why his country must enforce short-term measures at home. While European countries faced with large number of refugees continue to strengthen their borders, over 25,000 people are still struggling to cross the border in Greece. The first 15 refugees arrived in Romania via Greece, and they will be accommodated in Galati. Our country is to host a total number of 6,000 refugees.

(Translated by V. Palcu)