June 19, 2019

The Presidents of Romania and Egypt, Klaus Iohannis and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, had official talks in Bucharest

Newsroom, 19.06.2019, 14:00

VISIT The Presidents of Romania and Egypt, Klaus Iohannis and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi respectively, had official talks today as part of the visit the head of the Egyptian state is making to Bucharest. The 2 leaders announced with satisfaction an increase in the volume of bilateral trade, and President Iohannis said closer cooperation is being discussed, both in bilateral terms and between the European Union and Egypt, in the field of social and economic development, research, the fight against terrorism, energy and migration. Informal negotiations are under way for an economic agreement between the EU and Egypt.

JUSTICE The European Commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said in Bucharest on Wednesday that Romania will very soon become a Schengen member, because it has fulfilled most of its commitments. The EU official made this statement ahead of the EU – USA ministerial meeting on justice and home affairs, an event organised under the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU. Taking part are also the European Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jourová, and European Commissioner for the Security Union, Julian King. For the first time, the US Attorney General William Barr is also attending the meeting. The US official had meetings yesterday with President Klaus Iohannis, with PM Viorica Dăncilă and with Justice Minister Ana Birchall. The agenda included topics of mutual interest in the field of justice. The US official also voiced his appreciation for the solid Strategic Partnership with Romania, which, he said, is the United States most reliable ally in the region.

BUSINESS PM Viorica Dăncilă said on Wednesday that the French investments in Romania are proof that this is a favourable country for the business environment. Dăncilă is taking part in the French-Romanian Economic Forum, an event organised by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Romania as part of the Romania-France Season. “We have all witnessed of late a true economic upswing in the bilateral relation, with many successful projects that have helped push the French-Romanian trade to over 9 million euro last year, the Romanian PM said. France is the 5th largest foreign investor in Romania. Over 3,000 French businesses operate in Romania, employing a combined 120,000 people, and France is the 3rd most important market for Romanian exports and the 6th largest source of Romanian imports.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Dacian Cioloş, who was elected into the European Parliament on the lists of the 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance, was chosen to lead Renew Europe, a pro-European group formed around President Emmanuel Macron following the May 26th European elections, and the 3rd largest group in the EP. “The presidency of Renew Europe group is just a step in the political construction we have been working to design for 2 years, Ciolos said. A former PM of Romania and former European commissioner for agriculture, Dacian Ciolos is the leader of PLUS party in Romania. The alliance formed by PLUS and Save Romania Union won 8 seats in the European Parliament, coming in 3rd in Romania after the National Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party.

MEDICINES Bucharest is hosting, between June 19th and 21st, the second meeting of the Heads of Medicines Agencies – HMA II. The agenda includes topics of strategic importance in the field of human and animal health products. Attending the meeting are the heads of medicines regulation and control agencies in the European Economic Area, representatives of the European Medicines Agency, of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and of the European Commission. The first HMA meeting organised under the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU was held in Timisoara in February.

WEATHER Romanian meteorologists Wednesday issued a code yellow warning for heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms and hailstorms, valid today in most parts of the country. Precipitation amounts will exceed 25 l/sq.m. The bad weather is expected to continue on Thursday. Experts also warn that thermal discomfort will remain high especially at noon time, with the temperature-humidity index sometimes exceeding the critical 80-unit ceiling.

FOOTBALL Romanias youth football team Tuesday night won 4-1 against Croatia, in its first match in the European Under-21 football championship hosted by Italy and San Marino. In the same Group C, France defeated England 2-1. On Friday, Romania takes on England and France plays against Croatia. This is the 2nd participation for a Romanian youth football team in a final tournament, after the one in 1998, organised in Bucharest. The 4 top-ranking teams qualify into the 2020 Olympics.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)