June 18, 2024
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 18.06.2024, 13:55
GOVERNMENT – The governments of Romania and the State of Bavaria are today convening in a joint session marking 25 years of bilateral ties. The two delegations will sign a memorandum on entrepreneurship, SMEs and startups. The agenda of the meeting also includes the Schengen Area, migration, security cooperation, the war in Ukraine, as well as Moldova’s EU integration. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and his Bavarian counterpart, Markus Söder, will hold bilateral talks, followed by a private meeting. Of Germany’s federal states, Bavaria is Romania’s biggest investor and trade partner, two-way trade exceeding 8 bln EUR.
MEETING – The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is meeting his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday in Bucharest. According to the presidency, the Italian president’s visit continues top-level exchanges after the Romanian president’s visit to Italy in 2018, the first after a 45-year break, as well as in the context of the joint Romanian-Italian government session hosted by Rome over February 14-15 this year. Romania and Italy this year celebrate 145 years of diplomat ties, as well as 60 years since relations were elevated to the rank of Embassy. The two officials will also tackle developments at European and global levels, focusing on the EU Strategic Agenda and security topics.
LAW – The Constitutional Court of Romania is today examining a notification from the High Court of Cassation and Justice regarding the so-called “Law on Fugitives”. At the end of 2023, the High Court referred to the Constitutional Court the Law on modifying and amending the 2009 Criminal Code Law, passed by the Chamber of Deputies in 2023. The said law stipulated that people with final sentences who do not turn themselves in to undergo imprisonment procedures within seven days of the sentence being passed are considered fugitives and risk an additional prison sentence of 6 months up to 3 years. The law allegedly violates the right to fair trial and the right to individual freedom, the High Court argues. Former Bucharest Mayor General Sorin Oprescu and former chief prosecutor of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, Alina Bica, are two examples of Romanian officials who managed to flee Romania to elude prison sentences. Italy and Greece are the top destinations for fugitives from the law.
BACCALAUREATE – The Romanian Baccalaureate continues today and tomorrow with the oral examination in the Romanian language. High-school pupils will then undergo the maternal and foreign language examinations as well as the computer skills test. The written exams are scheduled to start on July 1. Education Ministry officials say they have undertaken additional security measures to reduce the possibility of fraud. CCTV surveillance systems will be used to monitor all examinations, while the evaluation of written exams will be available on the digital platform only.
EXHIBITION – Italy’s capital-city Rome is hosting an exhibition featuring Romanian traditional costumes and ceramic items from the collections of the Romanian Village Museum, alongside other exhibits from the Museum of Civilizations in Rome. Open until July 14, the exhibition also marks the Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse, celebrated on June 24.
ELECTIONS – European heads of state and government met face to face, for the first time since the European Parliament elections, to negotiate the highest positions in European institutions. The current president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is favorite to be entrusted with a new term at the helm of the Commission, backed not just by the winner of the European Parliament elections, the European People’s Party, but also enjoying the support of most heads of state or government in Europe. The former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa is credited expected to be designated President of the European Council, while the Estonian Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, will reportedly be appointed High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
EURO 2024 – Turkey is today playing Georgia while Portugal will take on Czechia in Group F fixtures. On Tuesday, in Group E, Romania grabbed a 3-0 win against Ukraine, while Slovakia won 1-0 against Belgium. (VP)
