October 15, 2015 UPDATE

Click here for a round-up of news from Romania

Newsroom, 15.10.2015, 12:17

EU SUMMIT – The leaders of the 28 EU member states gathered in Brussels on Thursday for a new summit on migration. The Commission is working out long-term measures to contain the flow of migrants, such as the reform of the European Asylum System and a permanent refugee redistribution scheme. The talks focused mainly on the aid destined for the countries around Syria to stop the wave of migrants and on the cooperation with Turkey, a country which shows reticence in making its contribution to the issue, FP reports, and on whose territory over two million Syrians have already found shelter. Romania is represented at the European Council by President Klaus Iohannis. Ahead of the summit, the Romanian President had a meeting with the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. The talks focussed on refugee-related issues and EU reforms. Schultz expressed his hope that a peaceful solution will be found to the conflict in Syria and said that Syrias neighbouring countries, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, need the support of the EU. In turn, President Klaus Iohannis said migration issues should be approached in their entirety, and in the areas where they emerge.

MIGRATION­– The Romanian Government has approved a bill under which the legal framework is established for increasing the amount spent on an asylum-seeker. According to the new regulations, the amounts paid by the state for foodstuffs have increased three times, and those for other expenses ten times. For the warm season, the total monthly expenses have been estimated at 250 Euro, and for the cold one, at 270 Euro, the Romanian Government writes in a communiqué. The law also establishes the conditions in which those who request international protection can benefit from the national health-care programs, can have access to the labour market and get unemployment benefits, as provided by law for the Romanian citizens. The bill will help consolidate the asylum-seekers rights, will increase the level of integration of these people into Romanian society and will also help prevent negative situations associated with illegal migration.

AFGHANISTAN– US President Barack Obama on Thursday announced a pause in the withdrawal of the approximately 10,000 US troops from Afghanistan, where some 5,500 troops will be maintained post 2016. Under a previous plan, only 1,000 troops should have been kept in Afghanistan. The extensive military intervention, started in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the US, was officially brought to a halt in late 2014. The approximately 10,000 troops who are still present in Afghanistan are focusing mainly on anti-terror operations and the training of the Afghan security forces. Over 2,300 US troops lost their lives in Afghanistan and the total cost of the US military participation in Afghanistan stands at some 1,000 billion US dollars.

MOLDOVA– The Parliament in Chishinau on Thursday decided to lift the immunity of MP Vlad Filat, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, who is accused of acts of corruption and direct involvement in bank fraud. The decision was made after 79 of a total of 101 MPs voted in favour of lifting Filats immunity. A prominent leader of the current ruling alliance in Chishinau, Vlad Filat has rejected the accusations levelled against him, saying the whole action has been politically staged by his opponents. He has also made public his intention to step down from the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party. The position will be taken over by the incumbent Prime Minister, Valeriu Streletz. Filat has been taken into custody for the following 72 hours.

DIPLOMACY–Romanian foreign minister, Bogdan Aurescu, on Thursday held talks with the Vice-President for the Energy Union, Maros Sefcovic, who is paying a visit to Romania on October the 14th and 15th. The agenda of the talks covered such issues as the demarches made at EU level in the energy field, in the context in which the European Council of March 2015 validated the Strategy to achieve a resilient Energy Union and the State of the Energy Union Report, that the European Commission is to make public on November the 18th. Also on Thursday, the Romanian foreign minister met with NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow. During the talks, Bogdan Aurescu said Romania pays special heed to the inclusion of the Black Sea region into the allied evaluation projects, underlining that a strong alliance is instrumental to the stability of the region and of the entire Europe.

DRILLS – Romanian defence minister, Mircea Dusa, on Friday will attend the Distinguished Visitors Day organised as part of the joint Romanian-US exercise “DACIAN VIPER 2015, which is unfolding at the 71st Air Base in Campia Turzii, central Romania. On that occasion, minister Dusa will have a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General, ambassador Alexander Vershbow. The Romanian-US drills are held between October the 13th and 30th. The Romanian Air Forces contribution to the exercise includes 200 military, six MiG-21 LanceR fighters and three IAR helicopters, and the United States participation consists in 200 military and eight F-16 fighters.

ENERGY–The memorandum of intent for the development of units 3 and 4 of Romanias Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, in the south-east, will be signed in November, Romanian energy minister Andrei Gerea announced on Thursday. The memorandum also sets the guidelines for future cooperation between Nuclearelectrica Romania and China General Nuclear Power Corporation, with a view to developing and implementing the project. After the signing of the Memorandum, the sides will start the negotiation process. The strategy for the development of units 3 and 4, based on CANDU 6 technology was approved by the Romanian government in July 2014.