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MOTION – The Social-Democratic Party, currently the largest party in the ruling coalition, has changed the timetable for the no-confidence motion they plan on filing against the Cabinet led by Sorin Grindeanu. The motion will be read today in Parliament, one day earlier than originally scheduled. The debates and the vote are slated for Wednesday. To pass the motion needs 233 votes, and the Social-Democrats together with their allies the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats currently hold 247 seats in Parliament. On Saturday national branches of the Social-Democratic Party voted a joint statement condemning what they call “the illegal and unconstitutional attempt by two former members of the party, Sorin Grindeanu and Victor Ponta, to take over executive power”. On Friday, former Social-Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta was appointed Secretary General of the Government, a move pundits see as Grindeanu’s attempt to rally support amongst influential Social-Democrats. We recall Grindeanu refused to resign after the ruling coalition withdrew their political support for him and most ministers resigned. Sorin Grindeanu is accused of being ineffective in implementing the governing program, an accusation he dismissed. President Klaus Iohannis said Romania needs a stable Government and the crisis needs to be solved quickly. The National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union in opposition said they would not attend reading the motion.
VISIT TO BERLIN – Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Monday is paying a three-day visit to Germany, where he is due to meet his counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel. The agenda for talks focuses on boosting strategic bilateral relations as well as hot topics on the European and international agenda. The visit marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two states, 25 years since the signing of the Treaty on cooperation and partnership between Romania and Germany and 10 years since Romania joined the EU. On June 20, President Iohannis will be guest of honour in a ceremony commemorating the victims of refuge and expulsion, to be hosted by the German History Museum in Berlin.
NATIONAL LIBERAL PARTY – The National Liberal Party, the main opposition party in Parliament, is today convening in its National Council to appoint four first vice-presidents, the party’s secretary general, 16 vice-presidents and the 16 members of the executive bureau. A total of 100 members have signed up for office. The Liberals elected Ludovic Orban, a former Minister of Transportation in the 2007-2008 period as the Party’s new president in Saturday’s congress. Orban grabbed four times more votes than his opponent, MEP Cristian Busoi. Right after being elected Ludovic Orban said he wants his party to win the upcoming parliamentary elections.
SIBIU FESTIVAL – The 24th edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival came to a close on Sunday. Over 40 events were held on the last day of the festival, including the staging of “The Kid on the 13th floor or Dear Society”, a performance of the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts in Chisinau. Throughout the 10 days of the festival over 500 theatre plays and cultural events performed by 3,300 artists from ten countries were staged. On Saturday, Luxemburg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis attended one of the events marking 10 years since Sibiu and Luxemburg were jointly designated Europe’s Capital of Culture.
FESTIVAL – The second edition of the Myths of the Citadel International Theatre Festival devoted to ancient theatre is being held in Constanta over June 19-27. Taking part are 20 theatre companies from Romania, Italy, France, Bulgaria, South Korea, the United States, Serbia and the Republic of Moldova. Organisers have devoted this year’s edition to poet Publius Ovidius Naso, one of the classics of Latin literature, who died 2,000 years ago. The State Theatre of Constanta celebrated the poet in 1957 when they marked 2,000 years since his birth. Publius Ovidius Naso was exiled in the year 8 C.E. by order of Emperor Octavian Augustus to Tomis citadel, the place where present-day Constanta was founded.
ELECTIONS IN FRANCE – The second round of the French parliamentary election is held today against the backdrop of tight security measures in place since the terrorist attacks of November 13, 2015. Polls have dubbed Emmanuel Macron’s party La Republique En Marche as favourite to win. Last week in the first round most of the party’s candidates qualified to the final round, and according to polls they are very likely to win 400 of the total of 577 constituencies. The forthcoming General Assembly is likely to tackle two laws President Macron is very keen on, the reform of the Labour Code and the law on moralizing public life aimed at cutting some of the privileges currently enjoyed by high-ranking French officials. (Translated by V. Palcu)
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