July 4, 2017 UPDATE
For a roundup of domestic and international news, click here.
Newsroom, 04.07.2017, 19:37
ROMANIA-US RELATIONS — The Strategic Partnership with the US has had a decisive impact on Romania’s development, President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday at a cocktail party marking the National Day of the USA, July 4. In turn, Ambassador Hans Klemm said he wants to strengthen cooperation in all fields of the strategic partnership, a document signed over 20 years ago by the then presidents Bill Clinton and Emil Constantinescu. Last month Klaus Iohannis and Donald Trump reasserted the tenets of the partnership during the Romanian president’s visit to Washington. Our shared priorities, Ambassador Klemm argues, are fostering security, democracy, promoting and rule of law and prosperity.
DEFENSE COUNCIL — The European Union security and defense strategy ranked high on Tuesday’s meeting of the Supreme Defense Council. According to President Klaus Iohannis who chaired the meeting, Romania wants to take part in this project. The president said that in the first phase the strategy focuses on military research, to see how Europe’s defense industry can be improved and how national armies can cooperate more closely. On the other hand, the Council adopted the number of troops and equipment used by the Interior Ministry that can be deployed for missions outside Romania’s territory. Finally, the Council passed the activity report of the Romanian Intelligence Service in 2016.
MOLDOVA — The European Parliament on Tuesday signed off on a 100-million-euro aid package for the Republic of Moldova, of which 60 million euros will count as a loan, while the remaining 40 million euros will be non-reimbursable. If Moldova meets all the requirements, the money will be transferred in three instalments, in 2017 and 2018. MEPs have called on Moldova for safeguards in terms of the independence of its judiciary, freedom of the press and depoliticizing public administration. According to our Strasbourg correspondent, a report filed by the Romanian Social-Democrat MEP Sorin Moisa, Moldova is asked to renounce its controversial reform of the election law, by means of which half of the MPs are voted in the single-winner system. Criticized by the Venice Commission, opposition parties and civil society, the reform allegedly favours large parties, such as the pro-Russian Socialist Party and the pro-European Democratic Party.
FUNDS — Between 2007 and 2013, Romania was allocated 18.8 billion Euro by the EU, and absorbed 17 billion of them by the end of last year. This is the lowest rate of absorption, with 90.4%, 5% below other states receiving such funds, according to a report published by the National Bank of Romania. Around two thirds of this money was earmarked for major projects such as infrastructure in transportation, environmental protection, and developing education and vocational training, as well as SMEs. The rest of the funding was directed towards social inclusion and improving the economy.
NBG — National Bank of Greece, the second largest Greek Bank, will send some of its assets in the Balkans, including its operations from Romania, NBG General Director Leonidas Fragiadakis told Reuters on Tuesday. The move is part of the European Commission’s plan to restructure the main Greek banks by increasing capital and reducing their operations abroad. NBG bought the majority package at the Romanian Bank in 2003. With a primary capital of 155 million euros and a network totalling 110 branches across the country, the Romanian Bank has been operating for 22 years on the Romanian banking market.
NEVERSEA — The Romanian Black Seacoast is getting ready to host the first edition of the Neversea festival. Taking place Over July 7 and 9 in Constanta, the festival will bring together some 150 artists from the international music industry. Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Jason Derulo, Tiesto, Fatboy Slim and Years&Years are some of the names of artists and bands who will perform live on the stages set up along the coast. Some 150,000 have been sold so far. Neversea is organized by the team behind the prestigious Untold festival, hosted by Cluj in central Romania. Having reached its third edition, Untold will run over August 3-6.
TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea, 63 WTA, qualified on Tuesday to the second round at Wimbledon, the most important Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, 7-6, 6-4. Sorana Cirstea will next take on Bethanie Mattek Sands of the US. On Monday, Simona Halep, WTA no. 2, eased past Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, 129 WTA. Halep will next take on Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil. Ana Bogdan, 115 WTA, defeated Ying-Ying Duan of China, WTA no. 62, and will next play Caroline Garcia of France. After defeating Naomi Broady of Great Britain, Irina Begu, 64 WTA, will advance to the second round too, where she will go up against Ana Konjuh of Croatia. Monica Niculescu, 51 WTA and Marius Copil, 85 ATP, were eliminated from the competition. (Translated by V. Palcu)
