May 12, 2019
European Spartan 2019 will take place between May 13th to 24th in Romania
Newsroom, 12.05.2019, 13:45
Lithuania – Income inequality and poverty, in spite consistent economic growth are top election issues as Lithuanians vote today for a new president in the first round of a tight race. Nine candidates are vying to replace the independent president Dalia Grybauskaite, but only three of them stand real chances of making it to the second round due on May 26, on the same day with the European Parliament elections. Top contenders include centre-left Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, conservative-backed ex-finance minister Ingrida Simonyte and independent economist Gitanas Nauseda. Dalia Grybauskaite, who has served two terms as president of Lithuania, might replace Donald Tusk at the helm of the European Council.
Eastern Partnership — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Monday will participate in Brussels in a meeting of the representatives of the Eastern Partnership countries, which marks 10 years since the setting up of this initiative. According to the presidential administration, the Romanian president will highlight the fact that the partnership contributed to the strengthening of the economies and societies of the eastern countries, and also to an enlarged stability of the EU borders. President Iohannis will also underline that the EU expects a permanent political commitment from the partner countries in terms of the observance of commitments made in their relation with the EU. The Eastern Partnership is an initiative which created a common area of democracy, prosperity, stability and close cooperation among the EU member states and partners states such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The meeting will also be attended by other high-ranking EU officials.
Ammunition — The Republic of Moldova insists on organizing a documentary visit to the ammunition warehouse at Cobasna, with the participation of OSCE representatives. The statement was made by the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Cristina Lesnic, after a meeting with OSCE Special Representative Franco Frattini. The Moldovan official said there has been no clear report on the munitions warehouse in Cobasna so far and an effective inspection there, including with the participation of the OSCE, could clarify the situation. According to Cristina Lesnic, Chisinau had also asked for such an inspection last year, but to no result. On his part, Franco Frattini said they work on the organization of a visit by the mediators and observers at the Transnistrian Settlement Process to Cobasna. The warehouse contains obsolete munitions that cannot be transported elsewhere to be destroyed and these pose a threat to the people.
Exercise – Exercise European Spartan 2019 will take place between May 13th to 24th at the 90th Airlift Base in Otopeni, in the context of Romania’s holding the rotating 6-month presidency of the Council of the EU. According to a Defense Ministry communiqué, this military exercise is part of a series of activities planned and organized by the European Defense Agency (EDA) and the Romanian Air Forces, as part of the EATF (European Air Transport Fleet) program. It is designed as a multinational training program in the field of air transportation. Participating in the exercise, alongside Romania are: Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, and Slovakia and observers from other states owning Spartan aircraft, from Europe and also from the US and Australia.
Tennis – The Romanian/Duth team Horia Tecău/Jean-Julien Rojer are today playing the doubles final of the Madrid Open against the Argentinean/Austrian team Diego Schwartzman /Dominic Thiem. In women’s singles, Romanian Simona Halep lost Saturdays final to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, 6-4, 6-4, and missed the chance to become world’s no. 1 again. Halep so far won in Madrid two titles out of four finals and is currently ranked no. 2 in the world. (Translated by Elena Enache)
