The Week in Review 15-20 February
A roundup of the week's main stories
Newsroom, 20.02.2016, 13:46
The EU and the UK strike a deal in Brussels An agreement on renegotiating the UKs EU membership was reached, European Council president Donald Tusk announced late on Friday. After two days of talks in Brussels with other EU leaders, British Premier David Cameron said the EU provided the concessions he sought. Romania was represented at the summit by its President, Klaus Iohannis. The meeting also tackled migration and the distribution of refugees among member states. The European Council President Donald Tusk has announced a special meeting with Turkey early this March after having reiterated the importance of joint efforts by the EU and Ankara as to the refugee crisis. The 28 EU heads of state and government have unanimously agreed that a European approach is needed in dealing with the migrant issue. On the sidelines of the meeting, Klaus Iohannis had talks with the Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, with whom he discussed the Romanian-Polish relation and the security challenges in eastern Europe.
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos pays visit to Brussels
Romania’s joining the Schengen area, migration, energy union and the European workers’ rights in the UK were the main topics on the agenda of the Romanian prime minister Dacian Ciolos during his two-day official visit to Brussels. Ciolos held talks with the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Junker, who said after the meeting that the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism on Romania’s judicial system could be lifted during his term in office. PM Ciolos also met with the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, to whom he presented the priorities of his Cabinet, such as the smooth running of the local and parliamentary elections and the reform projects. The two officials also tackled the situation in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova. Ciolos insisted on Romania’s joining the Schengen area and said he would travel to the Netherlands in March to discuss the issue with the officials of this country, which had repeatedly used their vote to block the Schengen access of Romania and Bulgaria.
Moldova’s President met with his Romanian counterpart in Bucharest
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis reiterated in Bucharest, during talks with his Moldovan counterpart, Nicolae Timofti, Romania’s determination to support Moldova’s European efforts. Iohannis pointed out that more Romanian-Moldovan economic projects are needed in this respect, such as the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline. As for the financial aid requested by Moldova, President Iohannis said that Romania would grant the required amount provided that the Chisinau Government continued its reform programme. In his turn, President Timofti thanked the Romanian authorities for assisting Moldova in getting closer to the EU. Moreover, he voiced hope that Romania would further contribute to the development of Moldova’s energy sector, which would make his country less vulnerable in this respect.
Anti-corruption prosecutors investigate two other Romanian MPs
Romanian MPs said no to a request from the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) regarding the preventive arrest the Social Democratic MP Madalin Voicu. On the other hand, the MPs have voted in favour of lifting the immunity of Nicolae Paun, who represents the Roma minority in Parliament and is investigated in the same case. Both MPs are accused of having unlawfully obtained and used European funds. According to prosecutors, over 2010-2015, pretending they would assist thousands of Roma people in finding a job or becoming entrepreneurs, the two deputies conceived a plan through which they misappropriated over 6 million euro worth of EU funds.
Several children in Arges County diagnosed with haemolytic-uremic syndrome are treated in a Bucharest hospital
About two weeks after the first cases of infants from Arges County with serious digestive infections were reported, some of them are still being treated in a Bucharest hospital as they have been suffering major complications. The microorganism that has already killed several children has not been identified yet. A group of doctors from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control travelled to Romania to assist in finding the cause of infection. The authorities expanded the epidemiological inquiry in Arges to test the animals in the areas where the children live.
The Romanian state resumes the process of purchasing Brancusi’s work “The Wisdom of the Earth”
The Romanian state has recently announced its intention to resume proceedings for the purchase of the sculpture “The Wisdom of the Earth”, one of Constantin Brancusi’s masterpieces. The commemoration of 140 years since one of the greatest fine artists of all time was born was marked in Romania with a number of events held in the Romanian artist’s native village, Hobita, in Targu Jiu, which hosts some of his best known works, and in several other cities. The Romanian Culture Ministry has recently announced that it will resume efforts to put the open-air ensemble in Targu Jiu on UNESCO’s heritage list.
(Translated by Elena Enache)
