May 29, 2019 UPDATE

may 29, 2019 update A roundup of domestic and international news

ELECTION - The National Liberal Party, leading the opposition in Parliament in Bucharest, got almost 27% of votes in the Sunday elections for the European Parliament, followed by the main ruling coalition party, the Social Democrats, with almost 23%. In third place comes the Save Romania Union-PLUS Alliance, with almost 22%. Also represented in the European Parliament is the Pro Romania Party, the Popular Movement Party, and the Democratic Union of Hungarians. The Central Election Bureau has counted 96% of votes. In the referendum on justice reform, held at the same time, a majority of voters said "Yes" in the issue of not granting amnesty and pardons for corruption cases, denying the Government the possibility of making such rulings by government order.


PRESIDENCY - President Klaus Iohannis has called for the resignation of Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu and Interior Minister Carmen Dan after problems reported on Sunday's European Parliament ballot organized in the Diaspora. Thousands of Romanians waited in lines for hours to exercise their constitutional right to vote, many of them unable to do so. The President said he would set up a mixed committee that should identify major problems, come up with solutions so the authorities can create regulations that would prevent the situation from ever happening. Previously Teodor Melescanu said he provided everything the embassies demanded for the election, admitting the vote did not unfold in the best conditions in several countries and adding an investigation will be carried out, calling for the adoption of a voting system that should meet the needs of Romanians living abroad.


GOVERNMENT - Romanian head of government Viorica Dancila announced that she would submit to President Klaus Iohannis a new list for nominations for cabinet positions left unfilled ahead of the European elections. Social Democrat Roxana Manzatu is the proposal for European Funds, Ana Birchall is the proposal for Minister of Justice, which she fills temporarily, while Natalia Intotero is the proposal for the Ministry of Romanians Abroad. Senator Titus Corlatean is nominated to replace Viorel Stefan as Deputy Prime Minister, who was appointed recently to the European Court of Auditors. The appointments were endorsed in Tuesday's meeting of the Social Democratic leadership, in the wake of the arrest of party leader Liviu Dragnea. In another development, Marcel Ciolacu, the candidate proposed by the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats was appointed Chamber of Deputies Speaker after Liviu Dragnea vacated this position.


POPE FRANCIS - Pope Francis sent a message to Romanians ahead of his upcoming visit, telling them that he is coming to the majority Orthodox country as a pilgrim and a brother. His state and ecumenical visit is scheduled for May 31st - June 2nd. The pontiff will be visiting Sumuleu Ciuc, an area in Transylvania with a majority Roman-Catholic ethnic Hungarian population, the city of Iasi, in the northeast of the country, another major Catholic center, and Blaj, in central Transylvania, the spiritual center of the Greek Orthodox community. There, Pope Francis will proclaim Blessed seven Greek-Catholic bishops who were killed for their faith in communist prisons. This is the second visit to Romania by a pontiff, after the visit made by Pope John Paul II in 1999, the first to a majority Orthodox country.


TENNIS - Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, title holder and third seed, qualified to the second round at Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the year. On Tuesday night she defeated Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. In the next round she will play Polish player Magda Linette, WTA no. 87. Irina Begu and Sorana Carstea are the other Romanian players qualified to the second round in the women's singles.

(Translated by V. Palcu)



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Publicat: 2019-05-29 19:47:00
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