July 26, 2017 UPDATE
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 26.07.2017, 19:52
DEFENCE Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday held talks with the country’s defence minister, Adrian Tutuianu on the plan of equipping the Romanian armed forces. According to the Romanian presidency the aforementioned plan for the period 2016 — 2026 stipulates the implementation of the political commitment of 2015 to earmarking 2% of the country’s GDP for defence in the following decade beginning this year. The plan refers to the systems and gears that are to be purchased through the annual public procurement programme run by the National Defence Ministry.
TALKS Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader is in Brussels for talks with the First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans. High on the agenda are discussions on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism and its prospects. Other issues on the agenda: the package law on the judiciary, which Tudorel Toader wants to see passed by the Romanian Government by September 1st. The meeting with Frans Timmermans was agreed upon during the visit that Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has paid to Brussels recently.
AIR POLICING A British fighter jet stationed at the Mihail Kogalniceanu base in southeastern Romania has been sent to intercept two Russian bombers Tupolev, which were flying across the Black Sea, close to the NATO airspace. According to the British media, the NATO combined air operations centre in Torrejon, Spain, was the one that ordered the fighter to intercept the Russian bombers. There are four British Typhoon fighter jets at Mihail Kogalniceanu, and their role is to carry out patrol missions across the Black Sea.
MEASLES The high number of infections and deaths caused by measles has prompted the World Health Organisation to include Romania among the five countries, which together account for over 80% of the world’s measles cases. According to government statistics, Romania presently has 260 thousand unvaccinated children against measles and polio. Under these circumstances, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose on Wednesday held talks with field minister Florian Bodog, who presented a detailed report on the situation. According to the Prime Minister, the document is to cause a series of resignations in the Healthcare Ministry and also in the Public Health Department. As for the parents who refuse to immunize their children, the Prime Minister says the law should allow child protection institutions to intervene.
