April 20, 2023
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 20.04.2023, 13:55
Aid. The Romanian Government is preparing to provide its own support to farmers who grow cereals, in addition to the compensation offered by the European Commission in the context of the cereal crisis in Ukraine. A draft decision in this regard is on the agenda of todays meeting, when the executive would discuss other measures related to the situation created by the import and transit of grain from the neighboring country at war. Yesterday, Romania decided to continue allowing the transit of grains from Ukraine, but introduced additional control measures to protect farmers. The decisions were announced after the discussions that the relevant Romanian minister Petre Daea had with his Ukrainian counterpart, Mikola Solski. On the same day, the ministers responsible for trade and agriculture from Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania analyzed the situation together with the vice-president of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, and the European commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski. The head of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced that integrated measures will be taken and promised a new financial aid of 100 million euros for farmers affected by the facilities offered to grain producers in Ukraine.
Moldova. The European Parliament adopted, on Wednesday, in Strasbourg, with a large majority, a resolution stating that the accession of the Republic of Moldova would represent a strategic investment in a united and strong Europe and pleading for the start of accession negotiations with Chisinau by the end of the year. The document states that Moldova remains exposed to Russian pressure and energy blackmail, the economic turmoil caused by the war in neighboring Ukraine, as well as the attempts supported by the Kremlin to destabilize the countrys pro-European government.
Expulsion. The Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking) has expelled a Russian diplomat who was accompanying the president of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnihanov, in his attempt to enter the territory of the republic. The diplomat, declared persona non grata, and another employee of the Russian embassy were accused of inappropriate behavior towards the border police, who did not allow the Tatarstan leader to enter the Republic of Moldova. Tatarstan is an autonomous Russian republic, and its president is a supporter of Russias war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Dorin Recean has stated that those who help to kill children and women in Ukraine have no business in the Republic of Moldova. The head of government also stated that the Chisinau authorities will not accept any association between the Republic of Moldova and the atrocities of the war in Ukraine.
Visit. On a formal visit to Brazil, the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, met with the vice-governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro and the vice-mayor of the city and signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at cooperation in the field of environment. Radio Romania reports that in the discussions with the local authorities in Rio de Janeiro, President Iohannis presented the economic opportunities offered by Romania and invited investors from the region to come here, mentioning the fact that joint projects can be developed in several fields. The head of state appreciated the intense involvement of the authorities in aspects related to environmental protection and encouraged the intensification of collaboration in this field, which can become one of the pillars of sectoral cooperation between the two countries. This was the last item on the agenda of the Romanian presidents visit to Brazil. His South American tour will continue with official visits to Chile and Argentina.
Ukraine. A Ukrainian military spokesman accused Moscow of “provocation” after its allied separatist forces it said the Ukrainian military blew up four buildings in the eastern mining town of Bakhmut, killing 20 civilians. He has stated that the Ukrainian troops never target civilians. Russia also denies involvement in the explosions. The Russian invasion army has been besieging Bakhmut for more than half a year. Ukraine sees the fighting there as essential to block the Russian forces on the entire eastern front, while military analysts say the citys strategic importance is limited.
Navy. The maritime surveillance vessel MAI 1106 of the Romanian Border Police participates in Italian waters in the joint operation “THEMIS” 2023, organized by the FRONTEX Agency. The Romanian crew, made up of 28 members, performs patrol, search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea, as the ships commander, police commissioner Nicolae Stignei, told the Radio Romania correspondent in Italy.
Dance. The Sibiu Ballet Theater (central Romania) was invited to participate in the third edition of the Poznan International Theater-Dance Festival called ” Poland – The boundaries of nature – The boundaries of culture”, organized by the Polish Dance Theater . The Sibiu Ballet will present in Poznan on April 25 for the general public and on April 26 in a closed-circuit event, the newest contemporary dance production made in Sibiu – the show “One way ticket”, created by choreographer Sandra Mavhima. The show is a choreographic essay about the challenges faced by Eastern Europeans who choose to emigrate to the West in search of a better life. Guest performances juxtapose different styles and understandings of the border concept. Along with the Sibiu Ballet Theatre, artists and dance companies from Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Poland will perform on the stage of the festival. (MI)
