May 6, 2017 UPDATE

France will host presidential elections on Sunday.

Newsroom, 06.05.2017, 19:11

FLIGHTS – The number of civil aviation events reported in Romania in 2016 was by 13% higher than in the previous year, standing at 1.531, of which 1,169 were operational events, according to an Annual Safety Report made public recently. Most of these operational events did not affect the safety of flights, while 9 were serious accidents. Moreover, 1,001 events took place on Romanias territory and 168 outside the country.

MIGRANTS — As many as 12 Iraqi citizens have been seized by Romanian border police while trying to illegally enter the country, from Serbia. They said they wanted to get to western Europe. The group of migrants was made up of three men, five women and four children aged between 1 and 17. According to a release by the Romanian Border Police, the Serbian authorities were notified for the event to be jointly investigated and the readmission accord applied.

COLLABORATION — The governments of Romania and the United States will collaborate to ensure the exchange of information between the authorities in charge with preventing, discovering and investigating serious crimes, including terrorism. The accord stipulates that Romanian and American authorities will provide reference data from their national identification systems, such as fingerprints and DNA. The document is part of Romania’s political and diplomatic efforts to become part of the Visa Waiver Programme. In another development, over 150 American companies will visit Romania during Trade Winds, an event organized in October in Bucharest by the Embassy of Romania to the US and the American Department of Commerce. Trade Winds is an annual event of the US Department of Commerce organized together with partner states that show an attractive economic and business profile for US companies. It represents a large-scale economic mission with a regional character.

TOURISM — Romania’s 14 tourist promotion offices abroad might be closed down after the Tourism Ministry in Bucharest launched a public debate on this matter. Previously, Romania’s Court of Accounts found some problems as to how the funds allotted to these offices were used. Over two thirds of the offices’ budget were spent on the rent. Tourism Minister Mircea Dobre has said that the country’s tourist promotion might be hosted by the Romanian diplomatic missions.

FRENCH ELECTION – Saturday was a day of reflection in France, ahead of the decisive round of the presidential elections due on Sunday. The election campaign for the French presidential office ended on Friday, against a tense background. The centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron has consolidated his position as favorite in Sundays presidential election. According to several polls, he has managed to draw on his side half of the far-right electorate, which accounted for 20% of the votes in the first round of elections. According to the Radio Romania correspondent, the second round, dubbed by the French media as historic and unique, will bring not only a winner, but many dilemmas on the political scene. As in June legislative elections will be held in France, the main question is with what kind of government will the next president run the country.