March 12, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 12.03.2015, 12:15
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and his Polish counterpart Bronislaw Komorowski have signed in Warsaw a declaration that consolidates the strategic partnership between the two countries, against the background of the conflict in Ukraine. This partnership is needed given the current situation and it has to be strengthened and equally important is strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, the Polish president said. To Romania, the relationship with Poland is of major importance, said in turn Romanian president Klaus Iohannis. He also reiterated Romania’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The two leaders agreed to organize in Bucharest this autumn a meeting of the heads of states in the region, in preparation for the NATO summit due in Warsaw in 2016. On Thursday, Iohannis met in Warsaw with representatives of the Romanian community in Poland.
The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, is on a visit to Romania, his first after taking over the office previously held by the Romanian Dacian Ciolos. Phil Hogan’s agenda includes meetings with Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin and members of the parliamentary committees for agriculture and European affairs. Currently the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture is waiting for the EC’s approval for the 2014-2020 National Rural Development Programme. The European Commissioner for Regional Policies, the Romanian Corina Cretu, has been in Bucharest too. On Thursday, the last day of her visit to Romania, she attended the conference called Funding opportunities for SMEs within the 2014 — 2020 framework”. Previously, the European Commissioner for Regional Policies talked with Bucharest authorities about Romania’s Transport Master Plan, seen by Brussels as a strategic document.
Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Thursday had a phone conversation with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto about the recent statements made at a commemoration meeting in Budapest, according to which Romania is “the EU’s Islamic state”. Such a wording is unacceptable, and it has nothing to do with the European spirit that should characterize the good neighbourhood and the strategic partnership between the two countries, Aurescu said. The Foreign Minister stressed that Bucharest wanted a rapid completion of the protocol of the Romanian — Hungarian Cooperation Committee on National Minority Issues, under negotiation since June 2011, for the document to be signed as soon as possible. The Hungarian Minister has announced that he has already taken the necessary measures for the finalisation of the protocol to be accelerated.
The European Parliament has called for an international independent investigation into the assassination of the Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtov in Moscow, on February 27th. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the MEPs stressed that the independence of the judiciary was not observed in Russia. One week after the assassination, several suspects were arrested in Russia. In the resolution the euro-parliamentarians say they took note of the arrests, but they also criticize Moscow’s systematic failure to observe the rule of law and to do justice for its citizens. Also, the European Parliament called on the Russian authorities to immediately release all political prisoners.
The euro continues to depreciate, going below the level of 1.06 US dollars for the first time in 12 years, after the European Central Bank started its asset purchase program on Monday. Experts say the ECB’s plan to purchase every month assets worth 60 billion euros dilutes the single currency’s value. Moreover, the euro is also affected by uncertainties regarding the economic situation of Greece. The Euro will continue to drop against other currencies in the upcoming period as well. Its depreciation is also caused by the American economy showing signs of improvement.
Pandurii Targu Jiu and Steaua Bucharest are the Romanian football sides that will play the League Cup final. On Wednesday night, Romania’s football champion Steaua Bucharest lost to Astra Giurgiu 0-2, but in spite of the defeat the squad managed to qualify, thanks to the first match win when they trashed Astra 3-0. The National Arena in Bucharest will host the competition’s final on May 20th.
