August 23, 2021 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 23.08.2021, 20:00

CRIMEA
-Romania
has been and will continue to be a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity and is firmly committed to the policy of
non-recognition of Crimea’s illegal annexation by the Russian Federation,
Romanian PM Florin Citu said Monday in Kiev, at the opening of the Crimean
Platform Summit. He also said Romania supports Ukraine’s aspiration to become a
EU and NATO member. The Romanian official also said that the response to to the
challenges to regional security and stability at the Black Sea is the
consolidation of democracies in this region as well as of cooperation and
dialogue. Ukraine convened the international summit
to build up pressure on Russia over the annexation of Crimea. 44 countries and
international organizations are attending, including 14 heads of state,
government and EU representatives. Ukrainian officials say that the
militarization of the peninsula and Moscow’s aggressive policy in the region
concerns all countries in the Black Sea region. Florin Citu met in Kiev with
his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, occasion on which he reiterated
Romania’s availability to boost bilateral cooperation. The Romanian PM also
voiced Bucharest’s wish for the rights of the Romanian minority in Ukraine to
be respected. The Romanian official also discussed with the US Energy
Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, about the partnership for nuclear projects and
Romania’s commitment to cooperate in energy-related matters.

CORONAVIRUS – 415 new cases of Covid-19 infection have
been reported in the last 24 hours out of 15,000 tests performed, the Strategic
Communication Group announced. Most cases were reported in the capital
Bucharest – 56, and in the counties of Cluj – 50, Ilfov – 33 and Constanta -
23. Also, 13 related deaths were reported. Since the onset of the pandemic,
almost 34,500 people infected with the novel coronavirus have died. Romania
continues to be in the green zone, but the number of infections is on the rise.
Some 1,378 people are treated in hospital of whom 193 in ICUs. At national
level, the vaccination rate remains low. Over 5 million people in Romania have
completed the full vaccination scheme.

AUGUST 23 – President Klaus Iohannis on Monday conveyed a message
marking Black Ribbon Day, also known as the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for
the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. The president said
the infamous Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, signed on August 23, 1939, marked the
beginning of Europe’s tragedy, a milestone that paved the way for a string of
deadly abuses, tearing apart territories by dividing Central and Eastern Europe
into spheres of influence. The so-called non-aggression pact shattered the
hopes and ideals of European nations, triggering the Second World War, with
devastating consequences for mankind, the president’s message reads. Klaus
Iohannis also referred to King Michael I’s act of courage, on August 23, 1944,
when he broke ties with Nazi Germany, supported by the Romanian Army. Let us
keep in mind the lesson of that great moment of political prowess as a symbol
of vertical thinking, unity and morality, the president said. The European
Parliament in 2008 designated August 23 as a Europe-wide day of Remembrance for
the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. In 2011, the
Romanian Parliament designated August 23 the Day of Remembrance of the Victims
of Fascism and Communism.

US-ROMANIA RELATIONS – Defense Minister Nicolae Ciucă and the head of
general staff, General Daniel Petrescu, on Sunday met with a delegation of the
US Congress, discussing security in the Black Sea region and major investment
projects aimed at consolidating military infrastructure in Romania. The US
delegation was led by Senator Richard Shelby, the head of the US Senate
Committee on Appropriations. According to a Defense Ministry release, talks
focused on hot topics on the security and defense agenda and elements
pertaining to US-Romanian cooperation, at bilateral level as well as at NATO
level. Minister Nicolae Ciucă said the American military presence on Romanian
soil is evidence of the USA’s firm commitment to ensuring security and
stability, reiterating the importance of consolidating this presence.

FESTIVAL – 27 events were scheduled for Monday on the sidelines of the
International Theatre Festival in Sibiu. The Play Stock Exchange opened its
doors on Monday in Sibiu, titled Outdoor performing arts: purpose and
relevance at local, national and international level. Over 100 performances
and events have brought together thousands of spectators from across the world
during the first three days of the festival. Performances were held on outdoor
stages, as well as online. The 28th edition of the Festival runs
until August 29 under the slogan Building hope together. Over 2,000 artists
from 38 countries are attending the festival, the biggest such event in Romania
and one of the most important of its kind in Europe.