June 16, 2019 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 16.06.2019, 19:14
MOLDOVA The PM of Romania Viorica Dăncilă sent a support message to her counterpart from the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and invited her to Bucharest on her first official visit in this capacity. According to a news release issued on Sunday by the Government, Romania is confident that the new Cabinet in Chisinau will carry on the EU accession efforts and successfully implement the required reforms, the Association Agreement and the Free Trade Agreement with the EU. PM Dăncilă also reiterated Bucharests willingness to carry on the Strategic Partnership for the European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, which is at the core of the two countries bilateral cooperation. Meanwhile, PM Maia Sandu has called for the resignation of the Constitutional Court judges, who Saturday cancelled their previous rulings that dismantled Parliament and invalidated the new government, thus favouring the Democratic Party headed by tycoon Vlad Plahotniuc. On Friday the Democratic Party relinquished power and its leader left the country.
FAC The Romanian diplomacy chief Teodor Meleşcanu takes part on Monday in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. EU foreign ministers will discuss means to enhance the efficiency of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and will tackle topics of interest such as the situation in the Republic of Moldova and the developments in Sudan. Over an informal working lunch with Jordans Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, the EU officials will also exchange opinions on the developments in the Middle East. Also on Monday, the EU foreign and defence ministers will have a joint meeting to assess the implementation of the Unions Global Strategy.
NO-CONFIDENCE A no-confidence motion tabled by the right-of-centre opposition in Romania against the Government made up by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats will be discussed on Tuesday in Parliament. According to the document, Romania immediately needs a government with a pro-European stand and focusing on the countrys development priorities, namely education, healthcare, public investments and attracting European funds. The motion signatories, the National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, Peoples Movement Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, believe Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet must be dismissed over the repeated attempts at issuing emergency orders in the field of the judiciary and the poor handling of the EP elections. For the motion to pass, it needs 233 votes. PM Dăncilă, who is also the interim president of the Social Democratic Party, has asked the Social Democrat MPs to attend the meeting, but to abstain from voting.
THEATRE The 26th edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival (FITS) continues. This years motto is “The Art of Giving. Scheduled for Sunday were a Japanese theatre performance and a concert by the French artist Adam Naas, among other performances. A total of 540 events are held as part of the Festival until the 23rd of June, bringing to Sibiu more than 3,300 artists and guests from 73 countries. According to the organisers, FITS is a celebration of the performing arts, from theatre to dance and music, but book launches, exhibitions and conferences are also organised on the sidelines of the event. This is the largest and most complex theatre festival in Romania and in Europe, and Radio Romania is one of the co-producers.
WINNERS The winners of RRIs quiz, Govora – Spa Tourism at European Level, Hans Verner Lollike and his wife, Inge-Lise, of Denmark, arrived in Bucharest on June 15th and travelled to Valcea County in southern Romania. They are staying at Palace Hotel in Govora Resort, and will be visiting the main cultural, tourist and religious sites in the area, including the town of Râmnicu Vâlcea, the Ocnele Mari salt mine, the famous Cozia and Turnu monasteries, the pottery workshops in Horezu, the UNESCO-listed Horezu Monastery and others. Our listeners will also go on a trip on Romanias highest-altitude motorway, the Transalpina. Our guests will leave Vâlcea County on June 23rd. RRI received 225 correct and complete answers in its latest quiz.
Hong Kong Hundreds of thousands once again rallied in Hong Kong on Sunday, asking for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam. On Saturday, Carrie Lam announced an indefinite suspension of the extradition bill that allowed for Hong Kong citizens to be extradited and stand trial in China. The new draft law triggered Hong Kongs most violent protests in decades. Carrie Lam apologised to the protesters, saying she was sorry for the problems caused by what she called shortcomings in her work.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)
