March 16, 2015 UPDATE
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Roxana Vasile, 16.03.2015, 12:15
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday starts a formal visit to Ukraine, which has high on the agenda talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko. The two officials are expected to deliver a joint press statement. President Iohannis will be holding talks with the president of Ukraine’s Rada Volodymyr Groysman and with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The Romanian president’s visit to Ukraine comes against a complex geo-political background and the talks with his Ukrainian counterpart will be focusing on the latest developments in the region, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine. President Iohannis has repeatedly expressed Romania’s staunch support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and has firmly condemned the deterioration of the regional security. President Iohannis said that Bucharest stands for a diplomatic solution based on dialogue and for ceasing the armed conflict in Ukraine and that Romania is willing to get involved in solving the crisis in the region.
A Russian spy plane on Monday flew in the international waters in the Black Sea over the area where a major drill was carried out by Standing NATO Maritime Group 2. Romanian Defence Minister Mircea Dusa, who was attending the exercise, explained the incident was not unusual as the Russian military were gleaning information. The exercise in the Black Sea was joined on the Romanian side by two missile boats and the frigate ‘Marasesti’, alongside three airships. The maritime group is made up of four frigates, from Canada, Turkey, Italy and Romanian frigate Queen Marie, which carries a helicopter, alongside an American cruiser and a German support ship. They ran anti-submarine warfare and anti-ship defense operations, including against speedboats. As of today, the airbase at Campia Turzii will be hosting until March 26th the joint Dacian Warhawk Romanian-American exercise. Taking part in it are around 200 Romanian troops including pilots and support staff, with six MiG-21 Lancers and four helicopters, while the US side brings in 250 soldiers with six F-16s from the European US contingent. This is a major review of standard air tactics and procedures aimed at increasing interoperability.
The 28 EU Foreign Ministers, including Romanian Bogdan Aurescu, on Monday agreed to unblock Bosnia Herzegovina’s stalled accession bid. But EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, have warned Bosnia that it must achieve “meaningful progress” in implementing reforms before it can formally apply for membership. Also on Monday, it was decided that the heads of European diplomacies participate in the EU-The Republic of Moldova Association Council. In this context, Romania and France have staged the proceedings of a Group for the European Action of the Republic of Moldova. The participants underlined the need for the Moldovan authorities to keep the pace of the reform process in order to obtain progress in reforming key-fields, like the country’s legal system, in leading the fight against corruption and improving the business environment.
The head of the National Integrity Agency in Romania, Horia Georgescu, is being investigated by anti-corruption prosecutors. According to judicial sources, Georgescu is suspected of abuse of office, in a case opened after an official notification from the National Authority for the Restitution of Property regarding restitution of over-evaluated property. This is a completely separate case from that of the head prosecutor with the main national organized crime department, Alina Bica, who was also prosecuted for the illegal restitution of over-evaluated land. Horia Georgescu was until 2010 a member of the central commission that set the damages owed by the state to people who owned property confiscated by the former communist regime. An opposition MP has also been heard in the case.
Transparency International Romania on Monday started in Bucharest a civic campaign aimed at mobilizing public opinion against corruption to a higher level then before. According to the organization, witnesses and victims of corruption who want to do something about their situation will get free assistance from the Center for Legal Assistance Against Corruption, which will also ensure their confidentiality. Each complaint will be analyzed by experts, who will also provide a plan of action. Radio Romania supports the Transparency International initiative, alongside major institution such as the Higher Council of Magistrates, the General Anti-Corruption Department, the People’s Advocate and the Romanian Association of Magistrates.
74% of Romanians believe the EU is on the right track, as opposed to the average European percentage, 56, while 34% believe that Romania is not on the right track. This is according to the latest data from the Eurobarometer, which also shows that 53% of Romanians are satisfied with the way in which the EU exercises democracy, while a mere 25% are satisfied with democracy in Romania. This figure, however, is 10% higher than it was in 2013. At the same time, 72% of Romanians support the EU expansion policy, compared to 39% of Europeans. Domestically, Romanians are most worried about unemployment and inflation, as well as by the healthcare system and the social assistance system. The Eurobarometer was run between November 8 and 17, 2014.
