June 24, 2018
Romanian opposition parties tables censure motion against government, President Iohannis announces intention to run for a new term in office as president
Newsroom, 24.06.2018, 13:53
Motion — The censure motion tabled by the Romanian opposition parties will be read out on Monday in Parliament plenum and Wednesday it will be debated and voted on. The initiators of the motion called “Ousting the Dragnea-Dancila government, a national emergency” claim that the current cabinet, through the measures taken, destroyed the economy and the justice system. On Saturday thousands of people protested in Bucharest and other cities of Romania against the Social Democratic government and the Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, asking for his and the government’s resignation. Also on Saturday, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced that he would run for a new term in office as president of Romania in 2019, saying that his decision was motivated by the troubled political environment in Romania. He said he had to clarify his position on the matter given that 80% of the population was discontented with and no longer trusted the political class. According to President Iohannis the PSD leader Liviu Dragnea should withdraw completely from Romania’s political life. On Friday the Social Democrats announced they would continue to support Dragnea in all the offices he is currently holding although he received a first instance sentence of 3 and a half years in prison for instigation to abuse of office. Dragnea said he would not resign so as to be able to implement his goals, among which the governing program.
Chisinau — A protest rally will take place Sunday in Chisinau to contest the court decision that invalidates the election as mayor of Chisinau of the pro-European opposition leader Andrei Nastase. The police announced on Saturday that they started criminal prosecution in the case of the rally, based on suspicions related to possible violent actions to take place at the rally. The US Department of State, the EU as well as diplomatic missions accredited to Chisinau conveyed messages in which they express concern with the developments in this case.
Brussels — Leaders from 17 EU states are today meeting in Brussels to discuss differences over migration in the run up to the EU summit scheduled for the coming weekend. The German chancellor Angela Merkel wants to obtain certain concessions that should allow her to maintain the governing coalition. The French president Emmanuel Macron is pleading for financial sanctions to be imposed on those EU members that turn away migrants with proven asylum status. He referred to Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, countries that are opposed to the asylum-seeker relocation program. The Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boiko Borisov, whose country is holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union until June 30, announced he would propose the immediate closure of the EU’s external borders for migrants and the setting up of centers for war refugees outside the community space, Reuters reports.
Turkey elections — Turkey is seeing Sunday early presidential and parliamentary elections. The presidential election is considered the most important challenge for the current president Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been ruling the country for 15 years. If he gets another 5-year term in office Erdogan intends to remove the prime minister position, a measure which the opposition claims will erode democracy in Turkey. His main challenger is Muharrem Ince representing the most powerful opposition party, the Republican People’s Party. If none of the candidates gets more than 50% of the votes on Sunday, a second round will be held on July 8. Also on Sunday Turks are called to the polls to elect 600 MPs for a 5-year term in office, the elections taking place in the context of a state of emergency imposed by president Erdogan himself in 2016 after the failed coup d’etat against him.
Romanian Blouse — The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is marked each year on June 24. The traditional Romanian blouse is the staple element of the national traditional dress and an international symbol of Romanian culture. On January 21, 2013 the online community “La Blouse Roumaine” proposed June 24 as the day devoted to the Romanian Blouse. In the same year the community “La Blouse Roumaine” organized the first Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse, which has become a global event marked in more than 50 countries. (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)
