August 28, 2019 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 28.08.2019, 19:57
DEFENSE – Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Les is attending a two-day informal meeting of the EU Defense Ministers held in Helsinki. The role of new technologies and artificial intelligence in European defense and the impact of climate change on security and defense are key topics during the talks. Later, together with EU foreign ministers, defense ministers will discuss maritime security and hybrid threats. The meeting will be chaired by High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.
PRESIDENCY — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that the current Government headed by the Social Democrat Viorica Dancila needs to be reconfirmed by Parliament. Iohannis asked for proceedings in this respect to be initiated and stated he rejects all reshuffle proposals submitted by the Prime Minister. The Social Democrats are in minority in Parliament after their foremer allies, the Alliance of Liberals and Democarts (ALDE) have announced their withdrawal from government. Also, three of the four ALDE ministers have resigned and the party leader, Calin Popescu Tariceanu has announced he will resign his position as Senate speaker as well. PM Dancila has said that her party will stay in power to further implement the governing programme and that the Foreign Minister, Ramona Manescu, promoted by ALDE, will keep her position, after the latter rejected Tariceanu’s request to resign.
RECORD — The Bucharest Fountains form the Longest Choreographed Fountain System in the world according to the World Record Academy. The fully digitally monitored system allows the control of each individual unit from the 44 independent wells that cover 1.4 kilometers. The Union Square Fountains, originally built at the end of the 1980s, were partially rebuilt and modernized in 2018.
UK – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis had a telephone conversation with the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at the request of the latter, the Romanian Presidency announced. The 2 officials mainly discussed the relations between Romania and the UK, and aspects related to Britain’s withdrawal from the EU. With respect to Brexit, the Romanian President emphasized that an orderly exit is in the interest of both the UK, and the European bloc. Iohannis also told Boris Johnson that Bucharest’s top priority is to protect the rights of the Romanian citizens living in Britain. The British PM assured the President of Romania that protecting the rights of the Romanians in the UK after Brexit was very important to London, and the British authorities would keep this goal in mind.
PARLIAMENT The Chamber of Deputies, convening in special session at the request of the Opposition, Wednesday dismissed a bill on amnesty and pardons for certain offences. The document, initiated in 2017 by former justice minister Florin Iordache, from the Social Democratic Party, was passed by Senate that same year, and provides pardons for prison sentences of up to 5 years. The agenda of the Chamber of Deputies also includes a bill on repealing the Law on compensatory appeals and a bill endorsing Government Emergency Order no 114, which introduces fiscal and budgetary measures and measures concerning public investments.
OIL Romania is among the EU countries that rely the least on oil imports, with net imports accounting for 61% of the national consumption, according to data for the year 2017 made public by Eurostat. Smaller dependency rates are reported for the UK (35%) and Denmark (negative 4%). At the opposite pole, the EU member states with the highest oil import dependency rates are Estonia (115%), Malta (104%), Slovenia (103%) and Bulgaria (102%). (Translated by Elena Enache)
