February 12, 2020
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 12.02.2020, 13:56
NATO – The NATO defense ministers have gathered today at the NATO headquarters in Brussels to discuss the Alliances modernization and adjustment to the regional and international security challenges. Romania is represented by its defense minister, Nicolae Ciuca. The agenda of the two days of talks includes the allied operations, with focus on the NATO missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, other topics are the cooperation between NATO and the EU, with the aim of ensuring European and transatlantic security, as well as reconfirming the unity of the Alliance by means of a substantial contribution to equal responsibility sharing.
CVM – The EC expert mission continues in Bucharest its evaluation of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. On Tuesday, the experts talked to the acting justice minister Catalin Predoiu about the dismantling of the special department for investigating magistrates and the stage of discussions on this topic. In the latest CVM report, the EC had criticized the setting up and the activity of this department, describing it as an instrument of political pressure. The experts have also met with members of parliaments legal committees and discussed the stage of legislative projects in the field. In October 2019, the EC proposed the setting up of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, saying that Romania had taken steps back in the fight against corruption and also with regard to the independence of the judiciary.
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – The Constitutional Court of Romania is to discuss today several complaints regarding laws and regulations. The agenda includes the objections raised by the opposition Social Democratic Party to the Liberal Governments assuming responsibility for the 2020 budget law and the changes to the controversial emergency decree 114/2018. Also, the constitutional court judges might rule on the Ombudsmans objections regarding the changes brought to the Administrative Code. Another topic on the Courts agenda is the proposal regarding the amending of the law on salaries for personnel paid from public funds.
LONDON – The Romanian Foreign Ministry, via the Romanian Embassy in London, has called on the British Foreign Office and the London metropolitan police for clarifications, after two Romanian companies based in London got anonymous letters with a xenophobic content, reads a communiqué issued by the Romanian ministry. The ministry has also called on the British authorities to take measures in order to prevent and sanction such behaviors targeting the Romanian citizens in the UK. Also, the Representation of the EC in Great Britain has been informed, given that the principle of nondiscrimination and protection of the rights of all European citizens is extremely important to the EU. The Romanian Foreign Ministry firmly condemns any form of xenophobic and discriminatory behavior and encourages the Romanian citizens faced with such situations to inform both the Romanian Embassy in London and the British competent authorities, for them to take the necessary measures. Also, the Foreign Ministry has stressed the fact that this incident is not representative for the attitude of British society towards the Romanian citizens who are living and working in Great Britain, as the Romanian community in the Kingdom is very well integrated into society and appreciated for its active contribution to the development of the British economy and society.
EUROVISION – Roxen will represent Romania at the 2020 Eurovision singing contest in Rotterdam. Several songs have been written for her, and the five best will be publicly presented on February 21st, to then get into the national selection stage on March 1st. Roxen rose to fame last summer thanks to the song “You Dont Love Me”, which was played in France, Mexico, the US, Russia, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, Turkey, Kazkhstan and Estonia. At the Eurovision, Roxen will compete on May 12, in the first semi-final. The final of the Rotterdam contest will be held on May 16th. The best results obtained by Romania along the years were third place in 2005 and 2010.
WRESTLING – The Romanian athlete Alin Alexuc – Ciurariu, aged 30, has won the gold medal in the 130 kg category of the wrestling event of the European Wrestling Championship in Rome. He defeated in the final the Georgian Levan Arabuli , 6-1. At the European Championship in 2018 Ciurariu won the bronze in Kaspiysk, Russia, and also won another bronze medal last year in Bucharest. Another two Romanian wrestlers failed to won the bronze medals in Rome, Florin Tita was defeated by the Georgian Nugzari Turtsumia in the 55 kg category, and Mihai Mihut, a European champion in 2018, lost to the Hungarian Erik Torba in the 63 kg category. 16 Romanian athletes are participating in the European championship.
