June 19, 2017
PM Grindeanu faces censure motion; President Iohannis visits Germany
Corina Cristea, 19.06.2017, 14:05
BUCHAREST — In Bucharest, less than 6 months after taking office, the cabinet led by PM Sorin Grindeanu faces its first censure motion, initiated by the parties that formed the government in the first place, the Social Democrats and ruling coalition partners ALDE. The text of the motion was read in full Parliament session on Sunday, and will be debated and submitted to a vote on Wednesday. The initiators of the motion claim that withdrawing their political support means the end of the governments mandate, and that PM Grindeanu should have resigned when the government coalition made the decision, after an evaluation of the executives activity.
BERLIN — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is on an official three day visit to Germany, holding talks with Chancellor Merkel and President Steinmeier. The parties will discuss strategic cooperation and major issues on the European and international agenda. The visit comes as 2017 is the 50th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations on an embassy level, 25 years since the singing of the partnership treaty between Germany and Romania, and 10 years since Romania joined the EU. Tomorrow, the head of state will receive a decoration from the Semper Opera of Dresden, and will speak at the Berlin History Museum at a ceremony commemorating victims of displacement. Also tomorrow, the president will attend the inauguration of a photography exhibition dedicated to bilateral relations at the Romanian embassy.
LONDON — British PM Theresa May said that the police are treating last nights attack in London as a potential terror attack, and has called an emergency cabinet meeting. One man was killed and ten people were injured after a van plowed into a group of people in the north-east of London exiting a mosque after a religious service for Ramadan. The victims are all Muslim. The driver, 48 years old, was immobilized by by-standers and then arrested. The mosque was known since the early 2000s as a place favored by Islamists in London, who came there to attend sermons by Egyptian cleric Abu Hamza, who was in the meantime given a life sentence by the United States for terror related activities. Last nights attack comes against high tensions, as the UK is in the aftermath of three terror attacks in three months, two of which have involved vehicles driven into crowds of pedestrians.
BRUSSELS — Negotiations have begun in Brussels for Britains exit from the European Union. Brits voted for the so-called Brexit in a referendum in June last year. Almost three months ago, PM Theresa May activated Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, regulating exit from the community. The negotiation process, which is supposed to end before 30 March 2019, is expected to be convoluted, considering the different perspectives of the parties on essential issues, such as Europeans living in Britain, and Brits living in the EU. Other points of contention are the Irish frontier, and the debts that the UK may have to pay on account of its EU commitments.
PARIS- French PM Emmanuel Macrons centrist party En marche and its ally, MoDem, have emerged victorious in the second round of Parliament elections on Sunday. They now hold the majority in the National Assembly, which would allow the implementation of the social liberal platform of the newly elected head of state. The two parties won 350 seats of the total of 577. However, the elections were marred by absenteism, with only 43% of voters showing up to the polls. The first law to be voted in the Paris legislative assembly will be on reducing privileges for dignitaries. Changes are also expected to be proposed in terms of labor regulations and taxation. At the same time, President Macron wants to bolster security contingents, in order to support the fight against terrorism.
