PROSECUTOR The European Parliament has
\nreiterated its support for the former head of Romania’s main anti-corruption
\nagency (DNA), Laura Codruta Kovesi, as their candidate for the position of
\nEuropean Chief Prosecutor. As the European Parliament president David Maria
\nSassoli has explained in a communiqu\u00e9, it is essential that investigation and
\nprosecution in cases involving EU budget frauds, corruption or cross-border VAT
\nfrauds be ensured as soon as possible. Sending a letter of support from the
\nEuropean Parliament was decided upon Thursday at the Conference of Presidents
\nof the European Parliament (which brings together heads of political groups in
\nParliament). We recall that in spring, the European Parliament decided to back
\nKovesi to head the European Prosecutor’s Office whereas the EU Council preferred
\nFrench candidate Jean-Francois Bohnert. Several rounds of talks between the
\ndelegates of the two institutions have so far ended in a deadlock. Under the
\ninternal regulations of the future European institution the Council and
\nParliament must agree upon the nomination of the chief prosecutor for a 7-year
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CONFERENCE During a ministerial conference in
\nWashington on promoting religious liberty staged by the US State Department,
\nRomanian state secretary Maria Magdalena Grigore has said that Romania will
\nalways be a promoter of religious liberty and the spirit of tolerance, the Foreign
\nAffairs Ministry in Bucharest has announced. ‘We believe that ethnic and
\nreligious diversity are sources of development enriching any culture or society
\nand the latest visit Pope Francis paid to Romania is proof of the inter- confessional harmony in our country’, the
\nRomanian official went on to say. The conference has brought together over 100
\nforeign ministers and high-ranking government officials from all over the world.
\nParticipants have tackled the present challenges to religious freedom as well
\nas concrete ways of fighting religious persecutions. Hosted by secretary of
\nstate Mike Pompeo, the conference is the largest event of this kind in the
\nworld. Romania has associated to two declarations made during the event, one
\nreferring to the respect for religion and faith and the other to the protection
\nof worship places, the same communiqu\u00e9 says. <\/p>\n
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VISIT A delegation of the Romanian
\nMinistry for Business Environment, Commerce and Entrepreneurship is visiting
\nJapan over July 19th and 26th in order to attract
\nJapanese investors in the Romanian economy. According to a communiqu\u00e9 the
\nMinistry issued on Friday, the Romanian delegation’s agenda includes a series
\nof talks and meetings in Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto and Tokyo with officials from
\nJapan’s government institutions and representatives of the business and banking
\nenvironment about opportunities deriving from the coming into effect early this
\nyear of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. Also high on the agenda
\nare talks with representatives of several major Japanese companies. Bilateral
\ntrade between the two countries stood at 710 million dollars in 2018. Romania
\nexports to Japan tobacco, wood, honey, car parts, clothes, medicine, electrical
\nequipment and imports cars, industrial machinery and equipment, metal and
\nchemical products, instruments as well as optical and photo equipment. <\/p>\n
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FESTIVAL The 11th Histories
\nand Film Festival kicks off in Rasnov, central Romania today. Film screenings,
\ntheatre shows, concerts of rock and baroque music will be taking place in the
\ncity centre until July 28th. The festival will also host debates on
\nthe anti-communist revolution of December 1989, economic freedom, the liberty of
\nmusic, freedom gained and freedom lost 30 years after the demise of the
\ncommunist regime in Romania, cinema and freedom. Other issues are to be tackled
\nduring the festival such as Romanian migration, Europe’s future after the
\nBrexit, the digitization of society or the minorities issue. 50 years since the
\nfirst moon landing are to be also marked during the event as well as 70 years
\nsince the foundation of NATO. <\/p>\n
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FOOTBALL Three Romanian teams will play in Europa League’s second
\npreliminary round. Winners of Romanian Cup in football, Viitorul Constanta take
\non Belgian opponents KAA Gent, straight into the second preliminary round.
\nVice-champions FCSB grabbed a two-legged win in the tie against Milsami Orhei
\nof Republic of Moldova. FCSB will next take on Armenian opponents Alashkert FC,
\nwhile CSU Craiova, whose most recent record also includes a double-legged win
\nin the tie against Azeri team FK Sabail, are up against Hungarian side Honved
\nBudapest. Romania’s champions CFR Cluj have got through to the Champions
\nLeague’s second preliminary round, where they will face Israel’s champion team
\nMaccabi Tel Aviv. <\/p>\n
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(translated by bill)<\/p>\n
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