March 31, 2019 UPDATE

VISIT - EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Canete on Monday and Tuesday is paying an official visit to Bucharest, the European Commission's Representative Office in Bucharest has announced. On April 1, the EU official will attend the meeting titled "The Regional Energy Cooperation Initiative in Central and Eastern Europe". The event will bring together ministers and high-ranking officials from member states and contracting parties of the Energy Community. The meeting will include ceremonies for the signing of energy grants under the European Interconnection Mechanism. EU officials will also look at progress obtained so far and will address the priorities for the future of natural gas and energy markets and the development of infrastructure and sustainable energy sources. On Tuesday, Miguel Arias Canete will attend the Informal Energy Council, on the sidelines of which the first meeting of Energy Ministers from EU states and the Eastern Partnership will be held, with a view to consolidating regional energy cooperation.

FRONTEX - Over April 1 - June 30 the Romanian Border Police will take part in the 2019 POSEIDON mission organized by FRONTEX, providing a maritime patrol ship MAI 1101 as part of the Coast Guard. The mission will take place in the Aegian Sea. The ship and the two crews will carry out patrol, surveillance, search and rescue missions alongside the other participant states. The purpose of the operation is to provide Greek authorities with support in the surveillance and control at teh EU's maritime borders, as well as for the search and rescue of people in distress on the EU's external borders.

EARTH HOUR - Romania joined around 180 other countries in celebrating Earth Hour on Saturday, a movement that warns about climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm, lights went out in several towns and cities across the country, including the capital Bucharest, in a symbolic gesture to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the planet. Performances, bike races and other events were also held. According to some estimates, if every person in Romania took part in Earth Hour by switching off their lights for one hour, this would save more than 1 million kilowatts, enough to supply the electricity of a community of 2,200 people for a year. Romania has marked Earth Hour since 2009.

DST - On Saturday night Romanians turned forward their clocks one hour in observance of Daylight Saving Time. So, three o'clock became four o'clock with a three hour GMT difference. The switch this year could be one of the last such changes, as the European Parliament this week voted a proposal to renounce DST changes at EU level starting 2021. Member States are free to choose to observe standard time or DST.

TRADE FAIR - Romania is taking part in the HannoverMesse, one of the biggest industrial technology fairs in the world, held over April 1-5. The event opens on Sunday under the slogan "The future development of industry". A total of 6,500 exhibitors from all over the world are expected to take part. This year's partner country is Sweden.

ELECTION IN SLOVAKIA - Liberal Zuzana Caputova has won the second round of Saturday's presidential election in Slovakia, thus becoming the country's first female head of state. Aged 45, Zuzana Caputova grabbed 58% of the vote, as compared to 41% obtained by the other candidate, Maros Sefcovic, an EU Commissioner backed by the left-of-center ruling party. Shortly after the results were announced, Zuzana Caputova called for unity. She said the result shows it is possible to fight populism and earn people's trust without using aggressive language and personal attacks. Her adversary conceded defeat. In turn, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini expressed hope for a positive cooperation with the new president.

SURVEY - If presidential elections were held tomorrow in Romania, the incumbent president Klaus Iohannis would grab the majority of the vote, and would face off Calin Popescu Tariceanu, Senate Speaker and President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the second round, reads a recent survey conducted by the Center for Urban and Regional Sociology. Klaus Iohannis would grab 36% of the vote, while Calin Popescu Tariceanu would get 23% of the vote, followed by Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, with 15% of the vote. Former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos would win 9% of the vote, while European Commissioner Corina Cretu would get 6%. The survey was commissioned by Omnibus and conducted over March 12-25 with a sample population of 1,067 people and a margin for error of plus/minus 3%.

 (translated by V. Palcu)