26 January, 2018 UPDATE

Ruling coalition announces membership of new government./ Romania's Simona Halep to face Caroline Wozniacki in Australian Open final.

Newsroom, 26.01.2018, 19:40

Government. The
ruling coalition in Romania formed by the Social Democratic Party and the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats on Friday made public the final membership
of the new government led by the Social Democrat Viorica Dancila. The
government will have four deputy-prime ministers. The Social Democratic
ministers who keep their seats in the new cabinet are the defence minister
Mihai Fifor, the interior minister Carmen Dan, the labour minister Olguta
Vasilescu and the agriculture minister Petre Daea. Eugen Teodorovici takes over
the finance ministry, doctor Sorina Pintea the healthcare ministry, the actor
George Ivascu the culture ministry and professor Valentin Popa the education
ministry, while Natalia Intotero takes over the ministry for Romanians abroad.
The independent Tudorel Toader supported by the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats keeps his justice ministry. The Liberal Democratic ministers who keep
their posts are deputy-prime minister and environment minister Gratiela
Gavrilescu, foreign minister Teodor Melescanu and the minister for the
relationship with Parliament Viorel Ilie. Toma Petcu, who resigned as energy
minister, will be replaced by Anton Anton. Senators and deputies will vote on
the new cabinet and its governing platform on Monday. The National Liberal
Party is having talks with the other political parties in opposition to block
the installation of the new government, the third within the span of one year.

Talks. Next
Wednesday in Brussels, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis will meet the
president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and the president of
the European Council Donald Tusk, the president’s office announced on Friday.
Talks are expected to focus on the situation in Romania and the changes made to
legislation concerning the judicial system and the fight against corruption, as
well as on the preparations for Romania’s taking over the EU presidency in the
first part of 2019. In another development, the European Commissioner for
Justice Vera Jourova said on Friday in Sofia that the European Commission is
closely monitoring the situation in Romania, where citizens are protesting
against the recent judicial reform and against corruption. Jurova said the
Commission wants to see reforms leading to a more independent and better functioning
judiciary and greater public confidence in it.

Flu. A man aged 40 died on Friday
in Iasi, in eastern Romania, because of complications caused by seasonal flu,
the healthcare ministry has announced. This is the fourth death caused by the
flu this winter. The healthcare ministry says over 770,000 people considered at
risk have received free anti-flu vaccination.

Australian Open. World no. 1 Simona Halep of
Romania on Saturday plays her first Australian Open final against world no. 2
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. In the semifinals, Halep defeated former world
no. 1 Angelique Kerber of Germany in a dramatic match. This is Halep’s third Grand Slam final, having lost the first
two at Roland Garros in 2014 and 2017.
Both Halep and Wozniacki are seeking their first Grand Slam title.