August 29, 2016 UPDATE

The Romanian government adopts a first earthquake relief package in support of the Romanian nationals affected by last weeks quake in Italy/ PM Dacian Ciolos says Romania has been denied Schengen access for more than 5 years for political reasons

Newsroom, 29.08.2016, 12:20

EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RELIEF— The Romanian government on Monday adopted a first earthquake relief package for the Romanians wounded and affected by last week’s powerful quake in Italy. The cabinet will grant 6,000 Euro to the orphaned children, 1,000 Euro for each deceased person and 1,000 Euro for a relative (up to the second degree) who goes to Italy to support the surviving members of the affected families. The government also decided to grant 10,000 Euro to the families or persons whose dwellings in the area have been affected to a considerable extent, of more than 50%. This is valid for both the Romanian nationals who intend to maintain their residence in Italy and those who decide to return to Romania. The families or the persons who do not have their own home and who have been left destitute after the building they lived in has been reduced to rubble will receive 3,000 Euro, no matter if they decide to stay in Italy or to return to Romania. 3,000 Euro will also be granted, for reintegration, to the Romanian nationals able to work, who choose to return to Romania. All these forms of support will be granted by request. The latest figures released by the Romanian Foreign Ministry show the death toll stands at 11 dead, 6 injured and one reported missing, among Romanian nationals. The minister delegate for the relation with the Romanian diaspora, Maria Ligor, has met with representatives of the Italian Civil Protection as well as with Romanian nationals currently living in tents in Amatrice, the village the most severely affected by the quake.

ROYAL HOUSE — Romania’s former sovereign, King Michael I, currently in a stable medical state, is grieving, but is supported by the love and respect of his family and looked after with flawless professionalism by his physicians, His Majesty’s Press Office reported. The news release comes after media speculated that, according to a representative of the Bishopric Palace in Curtea de Arges, where Romanian royalties are buried, Prince Radu had said King Michael’s health was worsening and signals were not positive. According to the Royal House of Romania, Prince Radu said the King was in a frail state, which, given his age and diagnosis, was declining. Any other speculations, assumptions or allegations are untrue, the Press Office added. Poor health recently prevented the former sovereign from attending the funeral of his wife, Queen Anne.

ROMANIAN DIPLOMACY MEETING– PM Dacian Ciolos said on Monday, at the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats, that Bucharest has been denied access to the visa-free Schengen area, for political reasons, for more than 5 years. Ciolos added that Romania believes in the revival capacity of the European project and is determined to invest its diplomatic and political resources to that end. In turn, Romanian foreign minister, Lazar Comanescu, said one of the priorities of Romania’s foreign policy is to boost relations with such strategic partners as Germany, France, Poland, Italy and Spain. He underlined the importance of Romania’s relation with Turkey, which he deemed “a key partner of the EU and a major ally within NATO, a state with which Romania has signed a Strategic Partnership”. Lazar Comanescu also considered the Western Balkans an area of interest for Romania. He also added that the Republic of Moldova is “a priority” of Romania’s foreign policy.

NATO-NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, has thanked Romania for its consistent contribution to the missions and operations carried out by the Alliance in the past 12 years, since it joined NATO. He held talks on Monday with foreign minister Lazar Comanescu on the results of the NATO Summit in Warsaw and the priorities of the North Atlantic Alliance in the ensuing period of time. Alexander Vershbow attended the proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy in Bucharest, as a special guest of the plenary session focusing on “Fusions of Risks-Neighbourhoods. Implications for Romania”

WWI COMMEMORATIONS — Bucharest on Monday hosted roundtable talks, a military exercise and a military music concert devoted to the commemoration of 100 years since Romania joined the First World War. On Sunday, in his opening address at the commemoration ceremonies, Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, paid tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country and called for the construction of a strong and dignified Romanian state. The commemoration of World War One is the strongest argument in favour of the European project, Iohannis added, defining it as the most comprehensive political and cultural project aimed at building the dialogue and understanding among Europeans.

BRATISLAVA — The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, on Monday paid an official visit to Slovakia, to attend the commemoration of the anti-Nazi insurrection during World War II. The agenda also included a visit the Romanian military cemetery in Zvolen, for a ceremony in memory of the Romanian troops who died in the line of duty to free Slovakia from Nazi occupation. Motoc also held a meeting with his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Gajdos, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and cooperation within NATO and the EU.

CORRUPTION – Rares Vaduva, was replaced on Monday from the position of head of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry, the government spokesperson has announced. The decision was made after Vaduva was indicted by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, in a corruption case. Five other former heads of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry are under criminal prosecution in the same file, as suspects. According to the anti-corruption prosecutors the six are accused of misuse of funds, embezzlement, forgery, fraud offences and abuse of office. The same sources said the charges are related to proceedings that had been disjointed from the case in which the former Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea was sent to court. According to the Anti-Corruption Directorate, during his term in office Gabriel Oprea increased the budget of the Interior Ministrys secret service in order to buy a limousine for his personal use.

DOPING— Romania will be stripped of one of the five medals won at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Weightlifter Gabriel Sancraian, who had won a bronze medal in the 85 kg category tested positive for an illegal drug. Thus, Romania is left with four medals: one gold grabbed by the women’s epee fencing team, one silver in men’s double tennis and two bronze by the women’s coxed eight in the rowing competition and in mens 97-kg freestyle wrestling, respectively.

(Translated by Diana Vijeu)