August 30, 2016
The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats continues in Bucharest
Newsroom, 30.08.2016, 12:15
ROMANIAN DIPLOMACY MEETING – The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats continues in Bucharest, having as guests of honour NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow and Slovakias Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák. Attending the meeting are Romanian and foreign diplomats, Government and Parliament members, representatives of the academic field, of the business sector and civil society. The meeting in Bucharest focuses on security developments, the dynamics of the EU internal processes and preparations for Romanias first turn at the EU Council presidency in the first half of 2019. The participants also discuss means to strengthen the capacity to provide professional consular assistance, in order to protect the interests and rights of the Romanians travelling and living abroad.
CEREMONY – Romanian Defense Minister Mihnea Motoc and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian attended on Tuesday in Bucharest a ceremony held in memory of the French soldiers who died in Romania during World War I. On this occasion, Minister Motoc has said that the French officials visit mirrors the strong relation between the two peoples. In his turn, the French official has said that the relations between Romania and France are strong and unique and have passed the test of time. On Monday Jean-Yves Le Drian tackled with Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos issues such as the consolidation of NATOs eastern border, security at the Black Sea and combating terrorism. The two official reiterated their countries commitment to developing the bilateral Strategic Partnership after the two sides had signed a new roadmap in June in the city of Paris.
ITALY QUAKE – Romanian prime minister Dacian Ciolos and Labor Minister Dragos Pislaru are today attending, in Italy, state funerals for a second group of victims of last weeks quake, which so far killed 292 people. The Romanian Orthodox Bishop in Italy is also attending the funerals held in Amatrice, in central Italy, where ten Romanians also lost their lives. The bodies of seven Romanians have already been repatriated and the Bucharest Government has taken special measures to support all people who were affected by the quake.
PROTEST – As many as two thousand books donated today by Bucharesters will be sent to the United States Embassy in Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, in protest at the recent statements by the American Ambassador in this country, James Pettit. At the same time, protests were held in Chisinau, against the US Ambassador in Moldova. On Saturday, when Moldova celebrated 25 years since gaining its independence from the USSR, the US official said in an interview for the public TV station that “Moldova is not Romania, Moldova has its own history and its own challenges, and that “getting united with Romania, as a way to join the EU or for any other reason, is not a practical choice and not a choice that will make things better in Moldova. Hailed by the leftist pro-Moscow factions in Moldova, Pettits statements have been harshly criticized by the pro-European leaders in Chisinau and by Romanian politicians. Established on a part of Romanias eastern territories annexed by the USSR in 1940, following an ultimatum, the Republic of Moldova proclaimed its independence from Moscow on August 27, 1991.
FOOTBALL – Romanias national squad will play on Sunday, in Cluj-Napoca, north-western Romania, against Montenegro, the first match of the 2018 World Championship preliminaries. The match against Montenegro marks German Cristoph Daums debut at the helm of the Romanian national squad. He replaced 66-year old coach Anghel Iordanescu after Romania’s failure to make it past the European Championship group stages. They finished bottom in Group A after losing to hosts France and Albania, and drawing with Switzerland.
(Translated by Elena Enache)
