August 21, 2019
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 21.08.2019, 13:58
PARTNERSHIP US president Donald Trump and his Romanian counterpart
Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday adopted a joint statement pledging to take action as
friends and allies to forward the robust and strategic partnership between the
two countries. The two leaders have agreed that energy security translates as national
security and have underlined their opposition towards projects that have
rendered allies and partners energy-dependent on Russia. The US and Romanian
leaders have said the excellent partnership in the field of law enforcement and
the anti-graft fight is based on mutual commitment to the rule of law and
independent justice. The two high officials have also highlighted the
significant increase in the bilateral trade as well as the mutual interest in
the creation of an investment climate, which provides transparency,
predictability and stability. The two presidents have also tackled Romania’s
inclusion in the Visa Waiver programme and the USA has reiterated its support for
Bucharest’s efforts towards achieving eligibility in accordance with the US
legislation. This has been the second meeting between the two presidents after
the one in Washington in 2017.
TALKS British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is today
having talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel on changing the terms of the
Brexit agreement, the BBC reports. Johnson is expected to reiterate his call
for the Irish border backstop plan to be scrapped. The
British Prime Minister has said the arrangement to avoid a hard border after Brexit
is anti-democratic and must be removed to secure a deal but the EU
has rejected the possibility of any changes to the backstop. The backstop is
part of the withdrawal agreement negotiated between Brussels and former Prime
Minister Theresa May, which has been rejected by Parliament three times. On
Thursday Boris Johnson is expected to meet French president Emmanuel Macron and
to participate in the G7 summit in France on Saturday.
FESTIVAL The 17th intercultural festival ProEtnica kicks
off today in Sighisoara, central Romania, the only medieval city inhabited in
south-eastern Europe. For five days the event brings together 50 ensembles of
the ethnic communities in Romania. Stands of various national minorities and
craftsmen are on view in this medieval citadel during the festival. According
to organizers, a first for this festival is a literary section, which allows
writers belonging to the national minorities as well as writers who write about
minorities to present their works and stage debates, lectures, presentations,
exhibitions and book launches. ProEthnica is aimed at promoting inter-cultural
dialogue and artistic interaction at European level.
FOOTBALL Romania’s football champions CFR Cluj were defeated by
Czech side Slavia Praga 1-0, on their own turf in the first round of the
Champions League’s play-off on Tuesday night. The return game pitching Slavia
against CFR will take place in Prague on August 28th. CFR Cluj has
so far defeated Astana of Kazahstan, Maccabi Tel-Aviv of Israel and Celtic
Glasgow of Scotland, whereas the Czech champions have qualified directly for
this stage of the competition. In the Europa League, Romania’s vice-champions
FCSB will be taking on Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes in an attempt to
qualify for the groups.
(translated by bill)
