February 18, 2020
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 18.02.2020, 13:55
ORBAN CABINET – The specialized committees of the Romanian Parliament continue the hearing of the ministers that would form the Ludovic Orban 2 cabinet. Today, economy minister Virgil Popescu got endorsed, while development minister Ion Stefan got a negative opinion. On Monday, Nicolae Ciuca, the current interim minister of defense, was the only one who got endorsed. Another three, namely the finance minister Florin Citu, the interior minister Marcel Vela and the environment minister Costel Alexe got negative opinions. The 16 ministers of the Orban 2 government, which has the same structure and membership as the government dismissed by means of a motion of no-confidence, are being heard until Wednesday, and the investiture vote is scheduled for February 24. The Prime Minister Designate has decided to maintain the same membership of the Government because he was satisfied with their activity The opposition Social Democratic Party has announced it will not vote the candidates proposed to form the new government. The National Liberal Partys plan is to get the rejection of two governments, in order to dissolve parliament and start early elections. The parliamentary elections might thus be held between the 15th and the 30th of June, which is within the same timeframe as the local elections.
VISIT – The Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak is paying a formal visit to Romania. He will have political consultations with the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Slovak officials visit is in line with joint efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, which are excellent, and to boost cooperation in fields of common interest, as well as an exchange of opinions on regional, European and international developments that concern both countries. Also today, Miroslav Lajcak will be received by presid ent Klaus Iohannis and PM Ludovic Orban.
MIGRANTS – 15 citizens from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan were found in Calafat, southern Romania, by border police while attempting to illegally enter the country hidden in a refrigerating truck driven by a Greek citizen. According to the Border Police, the truck was registered in Bulgaria and was heading for Italy. During the preliminary investigation, the border police established the fact that six men were from Syria, five from Iraq and four from Afghanistan and were aged 18 to 40. They said they had got on the truck in Greece, helped by a citizen whose identity they did not know and each of them paid 6000 Euro to get to Italy.
DACIAN REAPER -20 – The Chief of Staff of the Romanian Army, General – Lieutenant Daniel Petrescu, is attending today, at the General Emanoil Ionescu 71 Air Base in Campia Turzii, in north-western Romania, in the Distinguished Visitors Day of the Romanian – American Exercise DACIAN REAPER-20. One of the most advanced drones in the world, owned by the US Army, will be presented on the occasion. Over January – March 2020, the Airbase in Campia Turzii is hosting this event organized and planned in 2019. The US soldiers are members of a unit that carries out information, surveillance and research missions from the Miroslawiec airport in Poland.
COVID-19 – The toll of the COVID-19 outbreak now stands at some 1900 dead and more than 72,000 people infected with the new coronavirus, mostly in continental China. In Bucharest, the interim health minister Victor Costache has announed that the condition of the Romanian who was on board the Diamond Princess cruise schip in the Japanese territorial waters, who tested positive for the virus, is good and stable. He has also stated that the other 16 Romanians on board the ship are healthy. In turn, the Romanian foreign minister has announed that, after February 19th, when the quarantine officially ends, the Romanian passengers will be able to leave the ship based on a health certificate issued by the Japanese authorities, while the crew members could be forced to get into another 14 day quarantine period.
TENNIS – The International Tennis Federation has announced that China has withdrawn from the Davis Cups World Group I playoffs and will not play the match against Romania, scheduled for early March. According to the Romanian Tennis Federation, the Chinese team cannot leave the country because of the coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, the Romanian team qualifies to World Group I. In another move, the Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea ( 70 WTA) is today playing against Anett Kontaveit of Estonia (24 WTA), in the first round of the Dubai tournament, with some 2.6 million dollars in prize money. Simona Halep, worlds no.2 and the main seed at the competition, will play straight into the second round, on Wednesday, against the Tunisian Ons Jabeur ( 45 WTA). Halep won the Dubai tournament in 2015, and last year was eliminated in the quarter finals by the Swiss Belinda Bencic ( 4 WTA).
