June 22, 2017
Negotiations start for a new government in Romania; Pres. Iohannis attends European Council session
Ştefan Stoica, 22.06.2017, 13:53
BUCHAREST — Parties represented in Parliament are expected on Monday by the head of state, Klaus Iohannis, to designate a new prime minister. Former head of government Sorin Grindeanu was voted out on Wednesday by the coalition his cabinet represented. Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea said that the measure was needed because an executive capable of carrying out the ambitious governing platform that got the Social Democrats elected in December 2016 is a necessity. The opposition did not take part in the vote.
BRUSSELS — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will attend a two day session of the European Council in Brussels. The head of state will be informing European leaders on the conclusions of his recent visit to the United States. According to his staff, the president will meet his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to talk about bilateral relations and European affairs. The main points on the agenda of the meeting are security and defense, jobs, economic growth and competitiveness, migration, and climate change. As part of discussions on the EUs trade policy, Klaus Iohannis will emphasize the fact that the Union has to consolidate its global leadership role in sustainable free and equitable trade, economic growth, jobs, and innovation. The Romanian President will also support European strategy regarding the single digital market, promoting innovation, competitiveness and sustainable growth in the EU, as well as easing access for people and businesses to new digital means.
BREXIT — The Brexit is a priority topic in Brussels for the summit there. British PM Theresa May will submit to the 27 EU leaders present there her vision on the negotiations for her country leaving the EU, which have started officially on Monday. The 27 member countries will hold a working session on Article 50, and will pass the procedures to relocate to other member states two European agencies which have so far been headquartered in the UK. Romania will play host to the European Medicines Agency.
REFUGEES — The Romanian border police identified last night at a western border crossing point, in Varsand, five Syrian citizens attempting to cross illegally into Hungary, aided by a Croatian citizen. The two men and three women are aged between 17 and 42. They said that they wanted to reach a western European country in spite of not holding a visa. More and more illegal border crossings have been uncovered in Romania as of late.
PROTEST — Over a million EU citizens have signed the campaign #StopTheTrucks against the export of live animals, including from Romania, according to the initiators of the protest, Eurogroup for Animals. The campaign was launched after the Eurobarometer indicated that 94% of Europeans believe that protecting the welfare of farm animals was important. According to official data, each year, over a billion yard birds, as well as 37 million sheep, pigs and horses are transported live to the EU and third party countries. Gabriel Paun, EU director of Animals International, pointed out that Romanian is the country that exports the most sheep and calves to the Middle East and North Africa, with over a million a year.
