20 July 2018

A roundup of some of the main stories in Romania today.

Newsroom, 20.07.2018, 12:36

Brexit. The framework of the
European Union’s future relations with the UK is again being discussed today in
Brussels. The EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is to present the stage of
talks on the UK’s withdrawal from the community bloc. The talks with the
European relevant ministers, including Romania’s Victor Negrescu, will focus on
the progress of talks, aspects related to the border between Ireland and
Northern Ireland and the framework of the future relationship with the UK. Ahead
of the meeting in Brussels, Victor Negrescu said Romania, which will hold the
EU Council presidency when Brexit is due to happen, on March 30 next year, is
prepared for the failure of talks with the UK on the withdrawal agreement. The main
goal remains however the protection of the rights of the European citizens
living in the UK, the Romanian official also said.

New entity. The Sovereign Development and Investment Fund will be
established by government order, with the Constitutional Court saying this is
not possible through law, says finance minister Eugen Teodorovici. The Court
debated on Wednesday three objections raised independently by the president and
the opposition and accepted the point that the creation of the Fund falls
within the government’s, not Parliament’s, powers. The law provided that 33
companies in which the Romanian state is a share-holder will become part of the
Sovereign Development and Investment Fund, whose registered capital is to amount
to around 2 billion euros. The Social Democratic Party, the senior member of
the ruling coalition, says the Fund is an instrument that can help boost large
infrastructure projects, investments in agriculture, Romania’s
industrialisation and the creation of new jobs. The opposition, however, views
it as a means of facilitating corruption.

Rome camp. The undersecretary of state in the
ministry for Romanians abroad Victor Ionescu and MP and representative of the
committee for human rights, religious affairs and national minorities Florin
Manole were on a working trip to Italy this week to discuss with Romanian
citizens of Roma ethnicity. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, the
delegation had talks with residents of Camping River, a camp on the outskirts
of Rome, who presented their difficult situation. Their camp is about to be
dismantled, which means they should be relocated. The Romanian officials met
Italian authorities to find ways to cooperate and provide support. The Italian
side emphasised the need to follow the legal procedures in respect of the land on
which the camp is located and provide financial support to rent another space
for relocation or for repatriation. The Romanian undersecretary of state also
travelled to Naples, Bari and Catania, and his talks with the Italian local
officials, police and social assistance services highlighted the good
integration of the Roma communities. There are jobs for the Roma in Romania,
said Victor Ionescu, and an information campaign in this respect can be carried out
and also expanded abroad with the help of the foreign ministry, Romanian
associations and Romanian parishes.

Migrants. Ten Pakistani and Indian migrants trying to enter Romania
illegally were found by the border police in Botosani county, north-eastern
Romania. They were travelling on foot and did not carry identity papers. The
border police have established that they were trying to cross the border into
Romania illegally in order to reach a Schengen area country. The ten persons
were handed over to the Ukrainian authorities for further inquiries, based on a
readmission agreement between Romania and Ukraine.

Moldova. The
existence of the separatist region of Transnistria and the presence of the Russian troops in this
area are the biggest risks and threats for the Republic of Moldova, according
to this country’s National Defence Strategy approved by the Moldovan
Parliament. The document also includes the conflict in the east of the
neighbouring Ukraine and foreign propaganda. Voted by the pro-European parties,
the Strategy has been met with criticism by the pro-Russian Socialist MPs, who
view it as being against Moscow. Transnistria de facto broke away with
Chisinau in 1992 after an armed conflict that killed hundreds of people and that
ended with the intervention of the Russian troops who sided with the
separatists. Moscow is still to fulfil a commitment taken in 1999 to withdraw
its troops from Transnistria, despite repeated calls from the United Nations,
NATO and the OSCE.

Festival. Electric Castle Festival
is under way in Bonţida, Cluj county, western Romania until Sunday. The festival
is hosted by Bonffy Castle, one of the most beautiful baroque structures in
Romania. Tens of Romanian and international acts are performing on the
festival’s nine different stages. Organisers hope to attract more than 135,000
people. They also say that this year they have adopted a zero tolerance policy against
violence and that they plan to recycle all the waste generated.

Water polo. The
Romanian men’s water polo side today face Russia in their final Group D match
at the European Championships in Barcelona. In their previous two matches,
Romania defeated Slovakia 9-5 and lost to defending champions Serbia 5-11. The
continent’s best 16 sides are taking part in the competition. At the previous
edition two years ago, Romania finished tenth. Their highest ranking in the
European competition is the fourth place in 1993 and again in 2006.