May 23, 2014 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 23.05.2014, 20:50
Over 18 million Romanians are expected to cast their poll on Sunday for 32 MEPs. 15 alliances and political parties as well as 8 independent candidates are running for an MEP seat. The Romanian citizens abroad can vote in 190 polling stations on the premises of Romania’s diplomatic and consular missions, inside the country’s cultural institutes as well as in operation theatres in Afghanistan. The EU countries that started the voting on Thursday were Britain and the Netherlands. The Czech Republic and Ireland cast their votes on Friday. The partial returns of the EU Parliament election will be made public on Sunday night.
The European Commission has adopted partnership agreements with Germany, Poland and Greece, which will benefit from 134 billion euros worth of funds in the following 7 years. The sum represents more than a quarter of the total sum the Union has allotted for EU-funded projects, the commissioner for regional policies, Johannes Hahn has announced. Just like the other member countries Romania has sent a draft version of the Partnership agreement, which is under discussion by European Commission experts. According to Johannes Hahn all accords could be adopted during the mandate of the present commission, due to expire in late October.
On Friday night Bucharest and other cities across Romania hosted the Long Night of Galleries, a new landmark on the map of contemporary art events. On this occasion 70 galleries and art exhibitions opened their gates to visitors in Bucharest alone. Art lovers were thus able to attend the opening of several new exhibitions, watch special art productions and various events. New exhibition compounds were inaugurated on this occasion and projects aimed at promoting Romanian contemporary art were launched. The event was staged for the first time in Brasov, central Romania this year.
The interim president of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turcinov, has called on the Ukrainian people to go to the polls on May 25th for the presidential election. He pointed out that these elections would have as a result the formation of a legitimate and responsible Ukrainian government. Over 36 million people with the right to vote are expected to the polls on Sunday after months of political crisis when the stepping down of the former president Viktor Ianukovych and the escalation of violence brought the country on the brink of civil war, France Press reports. Russian president Vladimir Putin said he would respect the result of the presidential election in Ukraine. The elections take place against the backdrop of tension in the Russian-speaking regions in the east controlled by the pro-Russian separatists where the Ukrainian government troops are staging an anti-terrorist offensive. On Friday 5 people were killed in the clashes between the Ukrainian soldiers and the pro-Russian insurgents near Donetsk. We recall that the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk proclaimed their independence in mid May following a referendum unrecognized by Kiev and the West.
The EU and the US have condemned the coup d’etat in Thailand, Reuters and France Press news agencies report. The Thai army on Thursday took over power and suspended most of the people’s individual freedoms, after 7 months of political crisis and street clashes. Since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932 Thailand has seen 18 coups.
