August 29, 2023

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 29.08.2023, 13:55

Police. The Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, has announced that the new interim head of the Constanţa Police Inspectorate (IPJ) is Chief Commissioner Mădălina Sorina Vlangăr. She has replaced Chief Constantin Glugă, who announced his resignation following the investigation into the accident on May 2, in which a 19-year-old drugged driver killed two young people and injured another three. According to the minister, the entire organizational structure at IPJ Constanta “will be rethought and adapted to the extent of the criminal phenomenon specific to this county and a new transitional managerial team will ensure the operation of the system until the new organization comes into operation”. The control body of the Minister of the Interior proposes the initiation of a preliminary investigation of the head of the Constanta County Police Inspectorate, as well as of other officers involved in the faulty management of the May 2 case. Cătălin Predoiu has announced that IPJ Constanţa will be completely reorganized, and that is were the reformation of the entire Romanian police apparatus will start.

Accident. Many of the Romanian companies that sell LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) operate under illegal conditions, the central and local authorities have found after extensive checks launched at these companies. The checks were decided following the explosions that occurred, on Saturday, at an LPG station in the south of the country, and which caused the death of two people and the injury of several dozen, most of them firefighters. The station was operating illegally, and the National Anticorruption Directorate started two cases to investigate possible abuses by some civil servants who were supposed to control its authorization. According to the Ministry of Health, nine patients are intubated and mechanically ventilated, and 29 are hospitalized in moderate or mild condition. 12 patients have been taken over by hospitals from abroad.

Diplomacy. The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy began in Bucharest today, under the title A firm foreign policy of Romania: managing challenges and maximizing opportunities. President Klaus Iohannis is receiving the heads of diplomatic missions, the heads of consular offices and the directors of Romanian cultural institutes. Foreign Minister Luminiţa Odobescus special guest will be the counterparts from Chile, Alberto van Klaveren Stork, and Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis. The main theme of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy in 2023 is centered on the reaffirmation of foreign policy priorities, in the sense of managing challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities created by the current international environment. In the context of Russias war of aggression in Ukraine, the need to intensify diplomatic dialogue and socio-economic efforts will be addressed, in order to strengthen the security architecture and international order based on rules. The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy is traditionally organized every year, close to the Day of Romanian Diplomacy – which, since 2005, has been marked on September 1.

Talks. In Brussels, the Romanian Ministers of Finance, Labor and European Funds discussed with the technical teams of the European Commission issues related to the NRRP and the future law on special pensions. The Romanian authorities want to convince Brussels, among other things, to accept a budget deficit of up to 5.5% , as compared to the 4.4% previously established. The difference of one percent, say the ministers, comes from unplanned additional spending against the background of the war in Ukraine. Romania has spent 0.5% more of its GDP on defense and suffered losses due to the cheap Ukrainian imports. The Radio Romania correspondent in Brussels recalls that Romania is the only country for which there is an infringement procedure regarding its budget deficit, which was suspended in the context of the crisis.

Schengen. Romanias accession to the Schengen area remains a priority for the next period, said the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, in Bucharest, in the opening of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. “Romanias place is in the Schengen area, and this objective must be achieved, both on the basis of our recognized performances, and as a confirmation of the fact that the Union is able to respond to the need for cohesion, resilience and increased security”, said Iohannis. He told the Romanian diplomats that, especially in the current context, they must convey even more firmly than before that Romania is “part of the solution and contributes directly and tangibly to the security of the European Union”. “In the face of all this, we have a legitimate expectation from all our European partners to demonstrate solidarity”, the Romanian president stressed.

Defense. The Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, is participating, today and tomorrow, in Toledo (Spain), in the informal meeting of the EU Defense Ministers. The event will be opened by a working session dedicated to the EUs contribution to security commitments for Ukraine and the analysis of the regional and global impact of the Russian Federations war of aggression against the neighboring country. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, on the sidelines of the event, the Romanian will participate in the second meeting of the Steering Committee of the EU Satellite Center and will sign, together with his counterpart from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the representative of Lockheed Martin, the letter of intent regarding the establishment of the F-16 training center in Romania.

Tennis. Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea started with a victory this years edition of the US Open tournament, the last Grand Slam of the year. She defeated Kayla Day, on Monday, 2-0, at the Flushing Meadows arenas in New York. Cîrstea, seed number 30, will face the Russian Ana Kalinskaia in the second round. This will be the third duel between the two, who, so far have shared victories. Four other Romaians are playing, today, in the inaugural round of the US Open: Irina Begu will take on the German Tamara Korpatsch, Ana Bogdan will play against the American Sofia Kenin, Patricia Tig against the Canadian Rebecca Marino, and Gabriela Ruse, coming from the qualifications, against Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic. (MI)