April 20, 2015

For a roundup of domestic and international events, click here.

Ştefan Stoica, 20.04.2015, 12:00

TALKS — Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis is today holding a new round of talks with parliamentary parties. The main topics on the agenda are the reform of the election law and the fight against corruption. Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the Social Democrats agreed to reforming the election legislation, while the Liberals in opposition are supporting postal voting and a change in the financing of political parties. In turn, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians wants to set the percentage threshold in local elections at 3%, as well as strict regulations for postal voting. Attending the talks are also the National Union for the Progress of Romania and the Conservative Party, both in the ruling coalition, as well as representatives of ethnic minority groups. The agenda of the meeting also includes rules of procedure for approving the prosecution, detention and pre-trial arrest of MPs. President Iohannis has repeatedly criticized MPs for voting against such requests formulated by anti-corruption prosecutors.

EMERGENCY MEETING — The European Union has today called an emergency meeting of the EU’s Interior and Foreign Ministers, set to take place in Luxembourg. The meeting is aimed at dealing with Sunday’s shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea, where over 700 migrants trying to cross from Libya to Italy are now feared dead. The fishing boat they were on sank, with rescuers being able to save only 28 people. This is reportedly the largest disaster in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Italian press, which notes that since the beginning of 2015 some 900 migrants have been killed in shipwrecks of this kind. The meeting in Luxembourg will take place after the weekly meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers, who will discuss the EU’s relations with states in Latin America and the Caribbean, the crisis in Libya and the developments in Yemen and their impact on regional security. Representing Romania will be Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu.

DIPLOMACY — Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu today attended the meeting of the Group of Friends of Georgia, held in Luxembourg on the sideline of the Foreign Affairs Council. The Romanian official expressed Romania’s full support for Georgia’s efforts to join the EU and NATO. Bogdan Aurescu highlighted the importance of political consensus with respect to continuing the line of reforms and has praised the progress in implementing Georgia’s commitments in its relations with the EU and NATO. As regards the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit, due to take place in Riga in May, Minister Aurescu pointed out that its conclusions should reflect both the commitment of partner states to move closer to the EU, as well as the EU’s commitment to support their aspirations.

TENNIS — Romania has qualified to the Fed Cup World Group after beating Canada this weekend, overall score 3-2. Next year Romania will be competing in the Fred Cup quarterfinals, an accomplishment last managed in 1992. Romania will be playing along world superpowers such as Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, France, Russia and Germany.

DRILL — A code name ‘Tornado’ military drill is starting today and taking place over the course of the next five days in Estonia, involving Estonian military and US paratroopers. The objective is to simulate warfare tactics and to increase the level of training. This is the last training phase ahead of a series of wide-ranging military maneouvers scheduled to take place in Estonia between May 4 and 15, involving some 13,000 military. Two important NATO military drills are also taking part in Romania. The Wind Spring 2015 operation involving 2,200 military and war gear from Romania, the US, the UK and the Republic of Moldova is ongoing in the southeast until April 30. Meanwhile in Campia Turzii, northwestern Romania, joint military drills are taking place, with the participation of 350 US military and some 300 Romanian military. The drills are meant to express NATO’s support for countries in its eastern flank, especially amidst growing security tensions in the region.

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS — Today is the International Day of the Free Press, celebrated ever since 1991 on April 20 at the initiative of Reporters without Borders. According to the last press freedom ranking, made public in February, Romania ranks 52nd in a ranking of 180 countries. Ranking in top three positions are Finland, Norway and Denmark, while Syria, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea have the least free press. Reporters without Borders is this year celebrating 26 years of activity. The organisations champions press freedom and freedom of expression worldwide.