April 15, 2018 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 15.04.2018, 20:09

DNA – Early next week, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis will announce his decision regarding the request for the removal from office of the Chief Prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi. Recently, the head of state, who had previously voiced his trust in the chief prosecutor, has stated that his decision will take into consideration all the documents provided by both parties. In February, the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader asked for the dismissal of the anti-corruption chief prosecutor, accusing her of having exceeded her powers. The Higher Council of Magistracy has issued a negative opinion on the request.

FAC – On Monday, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu will attend the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. Dominated by the situation in Syria, the agenda of talks also includes topics such as the relations with Iran, the developments in the Western Balkans, the relationship between Brussels and Moscow and the EU financial instruments to be used within the Multiannual Financial Framework post-2020. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will inform the foreign ministers about the developments in Gaza and Venezuela.

ATTACK – The US Ambassador to the UN Nikky Haley has stated that the United States will not pull out its troops from Syria until Washingtons goals are reached. In this way, she said, the US wants to make sure that no chemical weapons will be used in Syria, that the Islamic State will be defeated and the neighboring Iran will be closely monitored. In another move, Great Britain has stated it has no immediate plan to repeat Saturdays attack against installations and chemical weapons stores in Syria. The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has warned, though, that the British will consider further action if the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad uses again chemical weapons against his own people. The statements were made after the US, Great Britain and France launched, in the early hours of Saturday morning, the largest attack against Syrian targets since the start of the civil war, in retaliation for the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Damascus regime.

SYRIA – In a message on Twitter, president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria and stands by the actions carried out by its strategic partners. The Romanian Foreign Ministry too has reasserted its firm support for any effort made by the international community to stop the conflict in Syria. Also, a message posted on the Governments Facebook page reads that Romania supports the firm response of its strategic partners to the attack in Syria, which claimed victims among the civilian population.

DIASPORA – The Minister for Romanians Around the World Natalia Intotero continues her visit to Spain. On Sunday she had meetings with Mrs. Amparo Marco Gual, the mayor of Castellon de la Plana, and with representatives of the Romanian associations in the Valencian community. According to a communiqué issued by the ministry, the high level of integration of the local Romanian community, which is not only the largest foreign community, but also the best articulated in Castellon, has been a major topic on the agenda of talks. There are some 20,000 Romanians living in Castellon de la Plana, out of some 52,000 living in the Castellon region. Also on Sunday, Natalia Intotero met with representatives of Romanian associations in the region, for talks on ways in which the Romanian Government could better support the Romanian communities in the Iberian peninsula, including non-reimbursable funding for projects aimed at preserving Romanian identity.

VISIT – The Secretary of State Dan Neculaescu has met in Cernauti with representatives of the Romanian community in the region for talks on the situation concerning the rights of the Romanian community in Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian official has also held talks with the leadership of the regional and local administration, and stressed the need for a sustainable solution for the Romanian communitys legitimate interest in benefiting from education in their mother tongue, at all levels. Other topics were also approached during the meeting, such as cross-border cooperation, for the benefit of both parties.

HUNGARY – The central electoral committee of Hungary confirmed on Sunday the final results of the parliamentary elections held on April 8th. FIDESZ, headed by the nationalist prime-minister Viktor Orban, won 133 of the 199 seats. Second came the far right Jobbik party with 26, followed by the Socialists with 20. This is Orbans fourth term in office as prime-minister. Holding two thirds of the seats in parliament will allow him to change the constitution.

SPOTLIGHT – Sunday was the last day of the Spotlight Festival in Bucharest, during which giant images were projected on emblematic buildings in Bucharest. This years edition, the fourth, was titled United We Shine and brought to Bucharest 27 installations, projections and video mapping sessions from France, Australia, Israel, Germany, China, Russia, Italy, Spain and Romania. For the first time at the Spotlight Festival, works of art were also projected on the facades of several buildings, including the Romanian Atheneum.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champion CSM Bucharest on Sunday qualified for the Champions League Final Four, although it was defeated by the French team Metz 20-27, away from home, in the return game of the quarter finals. In the fist game, on home turf, the Romanians had won 34 to 21. The other teams that have qualified for the Final Four are the current European champion Gyor ETP of Hungary, HC Vardar of Macedonia and Rostov-Don of Russia. The semi-finals and the final will be held on May 12 and 13 in Budapest, where the Romanian team won the championship in 2016. On Saturday, SCM Craiova qualified for the final of the EHF cup, after a draw, 18-18, at home, with the Turkish team Kastamonu, in the decisive leg of the semi-finals. In the first game, the Romanians had won 23 to 22. This is Craiovas second participation in the European cups. In the final they will play against the Norwegians from Vipers Kristiansand.