June 14, 2015 UPDATE

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

Newsroom, 14.06.2015, 12:15

POLITICAL CHANGES – Gabriel Oprea, the leader of the National Union for the Progress of Romania in the ruling coalition has warned that his party might leave the Cabinet unless the Social-Democrats and Prime Minister Victor Ponta modify the provisions of the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes. The announcement follows Fridays motion of no-confidence the Liberal opposition filed against the Government coalition. The vote failed, with only 194 votes in favour, as compared to the 278 the motion required to pass. Earlier last week the National Anti-Corruption Directorate announced that Prime Minister Victor Ponta was being investigated for forgery of deeds, tax evasion, money laundering as a lawyer and for conflict of interest as acting Prime Minister.

ANNIVERSARY – Romania and the United States mark on June 14, 2015, 135 years of diplomatic relations. Over the last 25 years both countries made efforts to build, maintain and consolidate relations that are now flourishing under the Strategic Partnership, reads a US embassy press release. The US wants to further cooperate with Romania to build a world-class economy and to ensure the rule of law means equal justice for all. The US also wants to preserve one of the best military partnerships in the world at present, in order to defend freedom against regional and global threats. In turn, PM Victor Ponta said Romania stands by its commitment to consolidate its privileged alliance with the US, and that the partnership is a sign of mutual trust and a guarantee of the security, development and prosperity of both countries.

MILITARY – The US is ready to deploy heavy weaponry including tanks and up to 5,000 military in Romania, Baltic states and other East-European countries to counter Russias future aggressions, the New York Times reports. If the US executive approves Pentagons proposal, this will be the first time since the end of the Cold War for the US to deploy heavy weaponry to these countries. Washington is to greenlight the deployment of troops and military equipment ahead of the Summit of NATO Defense Ministers scheduled this month in Brussels.

VISIT – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis on Monday and Tuesday is visiting Croatia, in response to an invitation extended by Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. President Iohannis will also hold talks with PM Zoran Milanović and Parliament Speaker Josip Leko. On Tuesday, the Romanian president will be presenting floral tributes to the monument “Voice of Croatian Victims – The Wall of Pain.

BILATERAL RELATIONS – Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu is on Monday attending the ministerial meeting of the Central European Initiative. The meeting will review the recent developments in the region, with a focus on European integration. On the sideline of the event, the Romanian minister will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from participant countries.

COMMEMORATION – Romanians on Monday mark 126 years since the death of their national poet Mihai Eminescu, considered the greatest European Romantic poet. Numerous cultural institutions are holding literary criticism seminars, poetry recitals and theatre shows inspired by Eminescus works. Events are also being held in the Republic of Moldova and abroad. January 15, the birthday of Mihai Eminescu, has been declared Day of National Culture in Romania and Moldova.

TENNIS – Simona Halep has been seeded 1st in the WTA tournament in Birmingham, due to start on Monday and totalling 665,900 dollars in prize money. Halep will play directly into the second round, where she will play either Naomi Broady of Britain or Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia. Irina Begu and Monica Niculescu are also playing in the womens singles.

HANDBALL – The Romanian mens handball team on Sunday outperformed Italy on home turf 44-25 in a match counting towards the 2018 European Championship preliminaries. With four wins in four matches, Romania has won the group and qualified to the next phase. On Saturday, in Cluj, the Romanian womens team lost 24-28 to Serbia, the defending world vice-champion, but nevertheless qualified to the World Cup of December. In the first leg played last week, Romania defeated Serbia 32-26. Romania is the only womens team to qualify to every edition of the World Cup.

PROTEST – Romanians with loans in the Swiss currency on Sunday held a protest against politicians and the National Bank in the matter of the Swiss franc crisis. Protesters say that 5 months after the crisis started, authorities have done little to solve the problem. Banks are being protected while clients are bearing the costs. Protesters accuse bankers and the Central Bank of misinforming clients regarding the risks of this type of credit. National Bank spokesman Dan Suciu said that over 65,000 people were reported having loans in the Swiss currency, of which 36,000 have asked for their loans to be converted or re-structured.

DRILL – A Romanian Air Force unit, made up of 22 military, pilots, technical staff and tactical experts and a Spartan carrier are taking part in the European Air Transport Training 15 military drill in Beja, Portugal. Taking part are 550 military from 11 European countries, 15 carriers and F-16 fighter jets and helicopters. The drill is aimed at practicing and consolidating tactics and procedures to carry out daytime and nighttime air transport operations, low-altitude flights, landings on short strips, coordinating air and land forces and air-ground and air-air response actions.