June 24, 2016 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 24.06.2016, 12:20

LONDON — Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday announced plans to step down by October further to Britain’s vote to leave the EU. According to the final results of Thursday’s referendum, 51.9% of the British citizens voted against their country staying in the EU. The voter turnout was over 72%. The referendum revealed major regional differences, with both Scotland and Northern Ireland having voted to stay within the Union, while England and Wales preferred to leave. The UK vote risks encouraging similar referendums in other EU member countries. In the Netherlands, anti-immigration leader Geert Wilders has already called for a similar vote in his country, and so did in Italy and France the far-right parties Northern League and National Front, respectively. Paris has called on Europe to move to regain the confidence of its citizens. Berlin spoke about a sad day for Europe and for the UK, and is to host on Saturday a meeting of the ambassadors of the 6 EU founding member states. In Brussels, the EU’s leaders called on London to start the exit procedure as soon as possible. The President of the European Council Donald Tusk said the Union was determined to keep its unity as a 27-member bloc. The head of the European Parliament Martin Schulz announced a special meeting of Parliament on Tuesday. President Barack Obama said the US respects Great Britain’s decision to leave the EU. He said the special relationship between Washington and London will continue and added that both the EU and Great Britain remain the US’ partners. In turn, president Vladimir Putin said London’s decision to leave the community block will also impact Russia. Putin said that, if need be, Moscow will change its economic policy, to reduce to a minimum the effects produced by Brexit.

ROMANIAN REACTIONS TO BREXIT — Romania regrets the UK vote to leave the EU, but respects it, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Friday after talks with PM Dacian Cioloş, the central bank governor, Mugur Isarescu, and the leaders of Romanian political parties. The PM emphasised that Brexit will not have a great impact on the Romanian economy and it will be managed without major problems. The National Bank Governor said the impact on the national currency is small and manageable, while local political leaders say Romania’s path is within the Union, alongside the other member states. The EU is a highly valuable project, and it must carry on, said President Iohannis. He added that in the negotiations preceding the actual separation, Romania will do its best to protect the Romanians who work and live in that country. Klaus Iohannis also pointed out that UK will remain an important partner for Romania, but it will not have a privileged status compared to the EU. Not least, the President pleaded for redefining the European project, so that it might be easier to understand by and more beneficial to its citizens. The leaders of the political parties say the European project must continue, with Romania being part of the process, and Bucharest should maintain and develop the strategic partnership with Great Britain.

CEASE-FIRE DEAL- The Romanian Foreign Ministry hails the signing, in Havana, on June 23rd, of the Agreement between the Columbian Government and the rebel group FARC, on a final cessation of fire, the laying down of weapons, security guarantees and the fight against criminal organisations. According to a press release issued on Friday, the Romanian Foreign Ministry says the document is a “crucial step” forward, towards the signing of a final peace agreement, meant to put an end to a conflict which spanned over five decades, and will open a new chapter in Columbia’s history. The conflict took a toll of over 220,000 lives, with tens of thousands of people reported missing, and caused a huge humanitarian crisis.

ROMANIANS AROUND THE WORLD — Bucharest is hosting on Friday and Saturday the first Congress of Romanian Diaspora, attended by forty-five delegations from 13 countries. On the first day, the participants also approached the issue of the Diaspora’s unity, to serve the interest of the Romanian citizens and called for the Romanian authorities’ support to help preserve national identity. For two days, the talks will mainly focus on the problems faced by the Romanian communities abroad. The agenda also includes talks on the establishment of new cultural institutions for the diaspora, to promote national culture among the Romanian communities in Romania’s neighbouring countries.

CELEBRATION — The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse was celebrated on Friday in the main cities across the country with exhibitions, fairs, and conferences on the present and future of one of the elements of Romania’s national culture. The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse was initiated by the online community “La Blouse Roumaine” in 2013 and grew into a global event, celebrated in over 50 countries. It is marked in cities like Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Paris, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Milan and Vienna.

NIGHT OF CULTURAL INSTITUTES — Bucharest is hosting tonight the 10th White Night of Cultural Institutes, in which institutions like the British Council, Goethe Institut, Cervantes Institute, the French Institute and the Romanian Cultural Institute are taking part. Fifteen cultural entities organise more than 50 events in 12 venues. The agenda includes concerts, film screenings, sculpture and photography exhibitions. The White Night of Cultural Institutes is a project of the network of EU National Cultural Institutes, and is organised with support from the Representative office of the European Commission in Romania.

TENNIS — The Wimbledon draw was made available on Friday. Romania’s Simona Halep (WTA’s no.5) will be playing Anna Schmiedlova (Slovakia), in the first round, Irina Begu (WTA’s no.27) will be facing Carina Witthoeft (Germany), and Monica Niculescu (WTA’s no.47) will be playing a tennis player emerging from the qualifications. Sorana Carstea (WTA’s no.86) will meet 11th seeded Petra Kvitova (the Czech Republic) and Patricia Ţig (WTA’s no.100) will be playing Sara Errani (Italy). The Wimbledon tournament, the oldest and most prestigious of the four Grand Slam tournaments in the world is scheduled for June 27-July 10.

(Translated by Ana Maria Popescu and Diana Vijeu)