January 18, 2017

Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has said strengthening the Partnership with the US and consolidating the EU and NATO continue to be the fundamental pillars of Romanias foreign policy/ An IMF delegation has started a visit to Romania

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Newsroom, 18.01.2017, 12:00

FOREIGN POLICY – The fundamental pillars of Romanias foreign policy continue to be the strengthening of the Partnership with the US and the consolidation of the EU and NATO, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has today said at a meeting with the foreign ambassadors accredited to Bucharest. He has added that Bucharest should further be a pillar of stability and predictability in the region. The Romanian President has also said that Romania should increase defence expenditure of up to 2% of the GDP, according to the commitments it has made. In another move, Klaus Iohannis has reiterated Romanias support for the Republic of Moldovas European path. He stood for a Brexit which should defend the interests of the Romanians living in Great Britain. Other priorities of the Romanian foreign policy will be the fight against terrorism and illegal migration.

IMF – A delegation of the International Monetary Fund, led by the head of the mission for Romania, Reza Baqir, has today started a one week visit to Romania, to establish contact with the new government in Bucharest. The members of the mission are due to meet high representatives of the Finance Ministry and of the National Bank of Romania, the prime minister and other ministries who hold economy-related portfolios. The agenda of the talks will also cover issues related to the construction of the state budget for 2017. Currently, Romania doesnt have a financing agreement underway with the IMF.

BORDER POLICE – Romanian border police officers have rescued 52 people, among whom a nine months pregnant woman and an injured man, in the Aegean Sea, as part of a FRONTEX mission. According to a communiqué issued by the General Border Police Inspectorate, those rescued were Syrian, Malian and Nigerian nationals, onboard a drifting vessel. They have been brought to safety and handed over to the Greek authorities. The Romanian policemen, currently on a mission in Greece, as part of Joint Operation “EPN Poseidon Sea, coordinated by the FRONTEX Agency also rescued on January 12, jointly with Greek policemen, 47 foreign citizens, who reached the Greek territorial waters onboard a small vessel.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT – Italian conservative Antonio Tajani (63), the candidate of the European Peoples Party, has been elected president of the European Parliament for a mandate of two and a half years. He defeated his compatriot, Socialist Gianni Pitella. Tajani was the spokesperson for the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and European Commissioner for Industry in the 2010 – 2014 period. He will take over the mandate from the German Socialist-Democrat Martin Schulz, who has withdrawn from the position to be able to return to the German political scene.

TENNIS – Romanian woman tennis player Sorana Cîrstea has today qualified, in Melbourne, in the third round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating tenth seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain. Cîrstea remains the only Romanian tennis player in the competition, after Irina Begu has sustained defeat earlier today. In the doubles, the pair made up of Romanian Monica Niculescu and American Abigail Spears got eliminated in the first round by the pair Lucic-Baroni (Croatia)/Andrea Petkovic (Germany). Two other Romanians will also play in the doubles, Irina Begu alongside Lara Arruabarrena of Spain, against the pair Louisa Chirico (the US/Elise Mertens (Belgium), and Raluca Olaru, alongside the Ukrainian Olga Savciuk, who will play in the first round against the pair Naomi Osaka (Japan) and Monica Puig (Puerto Rico). In the mens competition, Romanian tennis players Horia Tecău and Florin Mergea, playing in different pairs, on Wednesday qualified for Melbourne in the second round of the mens doubles event. (Translated by D. Vijeu)