December 31, 2018 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 31.12.2018, 16:51

EU COUNCIL – For the first time since its
EU accession in 2007, on January 1 Romania is taking over the rotating
presidency of the EU Council. The priorities of the Romanian presidency fall
into 4 categories: Europe of convergence, a safer Europe, Europe – a stronger
global actor and Europe of common values. During its term, Romania will have to
manage several complex issues like Brexit, the 2021-2027 budget, a coherent
strategy on migration and increasing the Union’s global role. The official web
page of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council has been launched. The page,
available at romania2019.eu, in Romanian, English and French, provides useful
information for journalists, the general public and European affairs experts.

EUROPEAN
COMMISSION – The European
Commission says the latest attacks on the chief of the EU Representation in Bucharest,
Angela Cristea, are unacceptable, the European Commission spokesperson Mina
Andreeva said on Monday. The EU official said the EU ambassador to Bucharest
should be treated with the same respect the Commission is treating the Romanian
ambassador in Brussels. The reaction follows the statement of the President of
the National Council of the Social Democratic Party, Mihai Fifor, who said
Angela Cristea is responsible for the misinformed opinion European Commission
President Jean-Claude Juncker has regarding the developments in Romania.

NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE – The President of Romania,
Klaus Iohannis, Monday released a New Year’s address, in which he urges
Romanians to capitalize on the presidency of the EU Council in order to prove
that Romania is fully committed to consolidating the European project. PM
Viorica Dancila also said in her New Year’s address on Monday that Romania is
prepared for the presidency of the EU Council. She emphasized that this is a
national project that must bring together public institutions, political actors
and civil society. Viorica Dancila also said that in 2019 her Cabinet will
continue to take the right decisions for Romania, and added that the
Government has a clear role: sustainable economic growth and major investments
able to ensure better living standards for as many citizens as possible.

RUSSIA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry
requested the Russian Embassy in Bucharest to update the historical information
it uses, and stressed that past bilateral relations must not allow for
speculations and unfounded opinions. The message follows a Russian Embassy
Facebook post deploring the fact that Romanian and western media regularly
publish articles that slander the Red Army troops who freed Central and Eastern
Europe from fascism. Anti-Soviet and anti-Russian critics insist on telling
people that the Red Army was a gang of ruthless thieves and rapists, says the
Embassy in the post that, the Romanian Foreign Ministry argues, lacks the
accuracy required for an academic debate. Bucharest also mentions that a
commission of Romanian-Russian historians has been set up, and is best suited
to analyze the history of bilateral relations. The Soviet troops that marched
into Romania at the end of World War 2 only left this country in 1958, and the
communist dictatorship they ushered in lasted until 1989.

JOURNALISTS – The number of journalists and
mass media workers killed on the job this year went up to 94, as compared to 82
in 2017, the International Federation of Journalists announced. The victims
include 84 journalists, cameramen and technicians, as well as 10 media staff
such as drivers and protection officers. They died in targeted killings, bomb attacks
and cross fire incidents. The most dangerous place for journalists this year
was Afghanistan.

UKRAINE – The presidential election
campaign in Ukraine started on Monday and will last until March 31. Candidates
have until February 3 to enroll and until February 8 to register their
candidacy with the Central Electoral Commission. According to the latest polls,
the former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko, is the frontrunner with 16-18% of the
vote intentions. The incumbent president, Petro Poroshenko, is gaining ground
and ranks second in current polls with 14%, followed by actor and comedian
Vladimir Zelenskiy, with 8-12%.

(Translated
by A.M. Popescu & V. Palcu)