June 9, 2018 UPDATE 2

Extensive security measures taken for the rallies staged Saturday in Bucharest

Newsroom, 09.06.2018, 22:17

GRAND SLAM TITLE – World No. 1 Simona Halep of Romania on Saturday won the French Open, her first Grand Slam title. After being defeated in three previous Grand Slam finals Halep finally triumphed against US Open champion Sloane Stephens, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 after a nearly two-hour battle on Court Philippe-Chatrier. This is Simona’s third participation in the French Open. She lost the final twice, against Russian Maria Sharapova in 2014 and against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in 2017.Simona Halep is the first Romanian woman in 40 years to win Roland Garros, after Virginia Ruzici in 1978, and marks 10 years since she won the Junior title in Roland Garros in 2008.

RALLY – Extensive security measures were taken on Saturday in Romania’s capital city Bucharest, where a number of rallies were staged. Also, counter-terrorist teams were dispatched on the central streets. The ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats staged a rally with more than 100 thousand participants, against what the Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea calls the abuse and violation of the rule of law. Dragnea says an illegitimate structure has been set up, able to influence the decisions of the justice system. On Friday, the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed, for the third time, its ruling in a case in which Dragnea is accused of corruption. Prosecutors are asking for a prison sentence of 7 years and 5 months for abuse of office and a prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months for forgery. In 2016 Liviu Dragnea received a suspended jail sentence of 2 years for attempted electoral fraud.

MARCHES – Several hundred people participated on Saturday in Bucharest in a rally staged by sexual minorities, in support of civil rights equal for all citizens. The rally ended the Bucharest Pride festival week, previously known as Gay Fest, an annual event dedicated to the LGBT community in Romania. Attending were the British Ambassador to Bucharest, Paul Brummell and the German Ambassador, Cord Meier-Klodt. Previously, around 150 people took part in another rally, staged by Noua Dreapta (The New Right), a non-parliamentary group, in support of the values of traditional family and against the idea of same sex marriage. Participants asked for same sex marriage not to be allowed under the Constitution. Also on Saturday the supporters of Romania’s unification with the neighbouring Republic of Moldova staged rallies in the capital city. All these events unfolded without incidents.

ASSISTANCE – The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest makes available on its web page and the Facebook page of its consular department “The Guide for the 2018 FIFA World Cup”, for the people who want to travel to the Russian Federation for the matches that will start next week. The Guide presents the rules to be observed while travelling to Russia. The Foreign Ministry has announced that Romanians can also resort to the alert service via SMS and the “Travel safely” application, which offerss information, advice, and the possibility to ask for assistance while in a foreign country.

VENICE COMMISSION – A delegation of the Venice Commission will travel to Romania for two days of consultations regarding the amendments to the justice laws. The delegation will have meetings with President Klaus Iohannis, and with representatives of Parliament, Justice Ministry, the High Court of Cassations and Justice, the Constitutional Court, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, the Higher Council of Magistracy, associations of prosecutors and judges and civil society. Both President Iohannis and the monitoring committee of the Council of Europes Parliamentary Assembly have asked for the opinion of the Venice Commission, made up of independent experts in constitutional law, with regard to the laws on the judicial organization, the functioning of the Higher Council of Magistracy and the status of judges and prosecutors. The need for consultations emerged against the background of accusations leveled by the right-of-center opposition, the media and civic organizations against the ruling coalition, whom they accuse of trying to put an end to the anti-corruption battle and subordinate magistrates.

CEREMONY – General Nicolae Ciuca, the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Army, on Saturday attended the ceremony occasioned by the anniversary of the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at the invitation of Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart William Peach, according to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Defence Ministry. This is recognition of the good cooperation between the two armies and an opportunity to promote at military level the interests of the Romanian Army in the relation with the British Army, one of its most important allies, the communiqué also reads.

FINANCES – Romanians working abroad are among Romania’s most important investors, Central Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu has said. Isarescu has taken into account the value and destination of the money they send to the country. The Central Bank has said that the money of the Romanians working abroad is more and more used in starting a business. Around 3.5 million Romanians are working abroad, with countries such as Spain, Germany and Britain as their main destination.

HANDBALL — Romania’s national handball team will be up against Macedonia on Sunday evening, away from home, in the play-offs for the 2019 Men’s World Championship held in Denmark and Germany. Macedonia and Romania will close the first round of play-offs with their match on the Boris Trajkovski Arena in Skopje. Romania has not been at a World Championship since 2011 in Sweden. Romania enjoyed a good start to qualifiers for EHF EURO 2018 but their engine stuttered towards the end of the qualification. The return game with Macedonia will be held on Wednesday, June 13 in Cluj-Napoca, northwestern Romania. (Translated by Elena Enache)