August 27, 2015
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Newsroom, 27.08.2015, 12:00
The national committee for special emergency situations is convening today to assess the impact on national security generated by the increasing wave of migrants at Romania’s borders. Headed by the deputy prime minister, Gabriel Oprea, the committee includes representatives of ministries, special services and other administrative structures. The meeting is held in the context in which Romania’s neighbors, Hungary, Bulgaria and Serbia are being faced with a wave of migrants coming from the Middle East and Africa. Experts with the border police say the fence between Hungary and Serbia could divert the migrants’ flow through Romania. In turn, the president of the defense committee within the Romanian Senate, Marius Obreja, said the solution of migrant quotas proposed by the European Commission for each member state is not appropriate and that the EU should set up a long term plan targeting the stability of the migrants’ countries of origin.
Immigration is also the main topic of discussion at today’s meeting held in Vienna and devoted to the Western Balkans, which is being attended by leaders from the region and the EU. The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it would allot a further 1.5 million euros as humanitarian aid for the western Balkan region, which is facing an unprecedented wave of migrants, most of whom come from conflict areas. They are trying to transit the Balkans heading for the Schengen area.
The Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta is visiting the neighboring Republic of Moldova today, when this country is celebrating Independence Day. Accompanied by a government delegation, PM Ponta will meet with his Moldovan counterpart, pro-western Valeriu Strelet, who was sworn in last month. He will also meet with the Moldovan president, Nicolae Timofti, and with the speaker of parliament Andrian Candu. On Wednesday, the Romanian government approved the agreement related to the interconnection of natural gas and electricity networks of the two states and decided on the extension from 4 to 8 years of the period set for granting a non-reimbursable contribution of 100 million euros to Chisinau. Set up on part of the Romanian eastern territories annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, following an ultimatum, the Republic of Moldova proclaimed its independence on August 27, 1991.
Following Thursday’s talks, the leaders of the Romanian parliamentary parties reached a consensus over the fiscal code bill, which was sent back to Parliament for re-examination by president Klaus Iohannis. They agreed that the code would be passed in the initial form, except for the date on which certain provisions will come into force. On Monday the parties in the governing coalition as well as the opposition parties agreed that the code should not be adopted in haste and gave up the extraordinary parliamentary session they had especially scheduled for the debate and voting of the draft code. The request for re-examination will be voted in an ordinary session next week. Previously supported by the Government and unanimously voted by senators and deputies, the fiscal code bill was sent back to Parliament by president Iohannis who claims its application is not sustainable.
Increasing the interoperability of the NATO members’ armies and strengthening the defense capabilities of the Alliance’s eastern flank were high on the agenda of talks held in Berlin between the chief of staff of the Romanian Army, lieutenant general Nicolae Ciuca and his German counterpart, general Volker Wieker. General Ciuca told Radio Romania that the joint training of the two countries’ soldiers would continue both at the level of command and control and through common exercises of the air, ground and naval forces.
Romania’s champions Steaua Bucharest is today playing Rosenborg Trondheim of Norway in the second leg of the Europa League playoffs. Last week in the first leg played in Bucharest, Steaua lost nil-3 to Rosenborg. Previously Steaua had been knocked out of the Champions League third preliminary round after losing to Partizan Belgrade of Serbia. Also on Thursday, Romania’s other representative in Europa League, Astra Giurgiu, is playing AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands away from home. In the first leg Astra won narrowly 3-2.
