March 26, 2018 UPDATE
Romania to expel Russian diplomat in solidarity with Britain
Newsroom, 26.03.2018, 19:56
EXPULSION – The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest announced on Monday that Romania would expel a Russian diplomat, as part of a European coordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK. This is believed to be the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history. Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has said a sign of solidarity with the UK was needed, especially in the context of Brexit, to prove that the EU further wants a strong relationship with London in the field of security and defense, even after the country leaves the community bloc. President of the European Council Donald Tusk said 14 EU states had decided to expel Russian diplomats as a direct result of a meeting, held last week, about the Salisbury poisoning. Also, the US is expelling 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York. British PM Theresa May has hailed these decisions saying they send Moscow a clear signal that it cannot defy international law. Russia has vowed to respond with expulsions of its own, saying its response will be symmetrical. Moscow has previously denied any involvement in the poisoning of the Russian spy.
CENTENNIAL – On Tuesday, the Parliament in Bucharest will convene in a solemn plenary session, to debate and adopt a solemn declaration to celebrate the Union of Bessarabia with Romania. Attending will be President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, as well as a delegation of the Moldovan Parliament headed by its Speaker Adrian Candu, and a delegation of the pro-Western Government in Chisinau. The Romanian Academy on Monday hosted an event devoted to the celebration of 100 years since the Union of Bessarabia and Romania.
JUSTICE — On Monday evening the Romanian Senate adopted the controversial changes to the justice laws after earlier on Monday Parliament’s special committee for the justice laws issued a favourable opinion on the modifications brought to the laws on judicial organization, the status of magistrates and the functioning and structure of the Superior Council of Magistracy. The documents were re-drafted as per the rulings of the Constitutional Court. The Chamber of Deputies last week passed the three modified versions of the laws. Representatives of the opposition have criticized the modifications endorsed by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, supported by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, saying there are reasons to notify the Constitutional Court again. Some of the points in the new laws have prompted massive street protests and triggered the magistrates’ vehement disapproval.
TALKS — Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader on Monday met with his Serbian counterpart Nela Kuburovic in Belgrade. Among other things, talks focused on the status of former Romanian MP Sebastian Ghita, who is wanted in several criminal investigations and fled to Serbia, a non-EU state. Minister Toader said Romania fulfilled its obligations and sent Belgrade authorities all the information needed for its extradition. We recall Sebastian Ghita fled the country in December 2016 and was caught in Serbia in April 2017.
ECONOMY — Germany was Romania’s top trade partner in 2017, accounting for 20% of Romania’s exports and imports, reads a recent Eurostat report. Italy, France and Hungary are next on the list of Romania’s top trade partners. At EU level, the United States and China together accounted for a third of EU trade in 2017. The value of two-way trade between the EU and the US stood at €631 billion, while two-way trade between the EU and China stood at €573 billion.
FIRE — At least 64 people were killed in a fire that engulfed a shopping center in Kemerovo, southwestern Siberia, the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations reports. The fire broke out on the third-floor, close to the cinema and a play area. Dozens of people are still missing. Eye-witness reports say no one was there to order an evacuation, hence some people tried to save themselves by jumping off the windows, many of whom are now being hospitalized and treated for serious trauma. The work of rescue teams is extremely challenging, as there is a risk for the whole building to collapse. Authorities have launched an investigation.
FOOTBALL – On Tuesday in Craiova, southern Romania, the national football side will be up against Sweden in a friendly match. On Saturday, also in a friendly, the Romanians secured a two-one win against Israel in Netanya. (Translated by Elena Enache)
