October 18, 2015 UPDATE
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 18.10.2015, 12:13
The Social Democratic Party, the largest partner in the ruling coalition in Romania, Sunday elected, in a special congress, its new National Standing Bureau, after having validated Liviu Dragnea as party president. After winning the party election last Saturday, he proposed a new leadership structure for the Social Democratic Party, with a smaller National Standing Bureau having slightly different powers. Liviu Dragnea had been the interim president of the Social Democrats since July, when incumbent PM Victor Ponta stepped down as president of the party, further to a corruption scandal in which he is tried for forgery, accessory to tax evasion and money laundering. Liviu Dragnea was also sentenced, in May, by a court of first instance, to one year in prison for frauds perpetrated in 2012, during the referendum on the impeachment of the ex-President Traian Băsescu.
The Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is making an official visit to Israel on Monday and Tuesday, and is to meet the PM and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the agenda of the visit also includes meetings with the head of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, and with other members of the Israeli government. The talks focus on strengthening bilateral political and diplomatic relations, on diversifying the economic cooperation in the field of energy, tourism, agriculture, research and development, culture, education and healthcare. International issues and regional developments will also be approached, particularly the prospects of the Peace Process in the Middle East and the situation in Syria. Aurescu will also have meetings with researchers from the Yad Vashem memorial museum and with members of the community of Israeli citizens born in Romania.
Switzerland elected on Sunday the members of its two-chamber Parliament, in a vote in which the immigration issue was the main concern. Voting by post, available to most citizens, was opened two weeks ago. According to exit polls, right-wing parties are likely to see their weight in the Swiss Parliament increased further to this ballot. The Socialist Party is also expected to stay firm and preserve its runner-up position. Smaller parties and the Greens will likely lose seats as support for the right wing is growing.
The President of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan Sunday said other EU member countries, like France, UK, or Spain, should also support Turkeys bid for EU accession. Previously, in a joint press conference with PM Ahmet Davutoglu, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Berlin was ready to help step up Turkeys EU accession process, in exchange for Turkeys help to stem the influx of migrants into Europe. Turkeys PM Ahmet Davutoglu said Ankara was willing to work with Germany on illegal migration, but said that without a solution to the conflict in Syria the migrant crisis cannot be solved. The EU Thursday agreed on an action plan in this respect with Turkey, which is currently the gateway into Europe for hundreds of thousands of migrants. Brussels wants Turkey to strengthen security on its border with the Union. In exchange, Europe will provide financial support and stronger ties, including the prospect of easier travel visas for Turkish citizens.
The Romanian mens handball champions HCM Minaur Baia Mare Sunday defeated at home, 21-20, the team Metalurg from Skopje, Macedonia, in a Champions League Group D match. This is the second victory for the Romanian team in this competition. Meanwhile, CSM Bucharest qualified on Saturday into the third preliminary round of the EHF Cup, although they lost, 23-22, away from home, the game against the Austrian team Bregenz Handball. In the first game CSM Bucharest had won at home, 28-24. CS Dinamo, from Bucharest, also qualified into this stage of the competition.
