June 6, 2017

For a roundup of domestic and international news, click here.

Newsroom, 06.06.2017, 13:44

PRESIDENT — Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis is today meeting the director of the Central Intelligence Agency Mike Pompeo as part of his five-day visit to the United States. The American Jewish Committee global forum presented Iohannis with the Light Unto the Nations distinction, the highest of its kind awarded to heads of state and government in recognition of their international efforts to promote peace, security, democracy and human values. On June 9 the president will meet the White House leader Donald Trump, Iohannis thus becoming the first head of state from Central and Eastern Europe to meet Trump since the US president took office. Talks will most likely focus on fostering bilateral relations and consolidating the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States, 20 years after being launched.

MIGRATION — Migration is one of the factors that can most influence the security context, Minister Delegate for European Affairs Ana Birchall has said. The Romanian official is attending the conference titled “International Migration and Global Security”, hosted by the “George C. Marshall” European Centre for Security Studies in Garmisch Partenkirchen. The event is co-organized by the US and Germany. Attending are experts and government officials from 45 countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Participants will tackle the prospects of migration, the future of global security and sustainable ways the international community could adopt to counter these challenges.

LONDON ATTACK — A moment of silence was observed on Tuesday in Great Britain in memory of Saturday’s terrorist attack. Meanwhile the authorities are continuing their investigation. Three attackers ploughed into a crowd of people on London bridge, abandoned the truck and assaulted passers-by. Claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group, the attack killed 7 people and wounded many others. A Romanian citizen who stood up to one of the terrorists on Saturday is now being praised for his heroics by international media.

QATAR — Qatar today called for an open and honest dialogue with its neighbours, saying it does not wish for the crisis to escalate. Arab nations on Monday announced the severance of all diplomatic ties with this country, whom they accuse of sponsoring terrorism. Airliners from several neighbour states have cancelled their flights to the capital-city Doha, while Qatar Airways was forced to call off some of its flights, although its flights are still operational in Europe. The United States, Russia, Turkey and Iran have called for dialogue. We recall that two weeks ago US president Donald Trump called on the Arab League to unite against extremist organizations and criticized Iran. Qatar plays host to the largest US military base in the region. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has warned all Romanian citizens planning a trip to Qatar that all land, air and maritime borders with Saudi Arabia are currently shut down.

MONTENEGRO — Montenegro is the 29th state to officially join the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization. Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic submitted his country’s accession portfolio in a ceremony hosted by the US State Department. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Montenegro’s accession will favour stability in the Western Balkans as well as international peace and security. With Montenegro’s accession NATO is now in control of the entire northern Mediterranean seacoast, from the Gibraltar to Syria.

FOOTBALL — FCSB, the former Steaua Bucharest, has filed a notification with the International Court for Arbitration in Sports challenging the decision of the Romanian Professional Football League whereby FC Viitorul was declared Romanian champion in the 2016-2017 season. Steaua had the same number of points as Viitorul at the end of the season and claims the title should be theirs, as Steaua has the advantage of direct encounters in the last four games. The Professional Football League decided to award Viitorul the title after taking into account only the results of the second half of the football season, when Viitorul defeated Steaua. Founded in 2009 by the former player Gheorghe Hagi, Viitorul is the youngest club in Europe ever to win a domestic competition.

TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Wednesday is playing Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the Roland Garros quarterfinals. The two players are tied in head-on encounters, Simona winning in 2013 once and Svitolina defeating the Romanian player in the final of the Rome tournament this year. In the women’s doubles, Raluca Olaru of Romania and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine are taking on third-seeds Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan and Martina Hingis of Switzerland in the quarterfinals. In the same event Irina Begu of Romania and Saisai Zheng of China are going up against Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua of Australia. (Translated by V. Palcu)