October 19, 2019 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 19.10.2019, 19:12

INTERMENT – The remains of the Queen
Mother Elena were reinterred on Saturday in the Royal tomb at Curtea de Arges,
southern Romania, after being brought to Romania on Friday. Queen Elena, born into the Greek royal family,
married prince Carol of Romania, the future King Carol II, but seven years
later she divorced him and focused on the education of her son, King Mihai I.
In January 1948, Queen Elena left Romania for good, together with her son, who
was forced by the communists to abdicate. A press release issued by the Royal
House of Romania reads that, after seven decades, Queen Mother Elena returns to
Romania for eternity.

CONSULTATIONS – Liberal Prime Minister
designate Ludovic Orban on Saturday said the second round of negotiations with
parliamentary parties, aimed at securing support for his new government, will
be held next week on Wednesday and Thursday. On Monday and Tuesday Orban will
consult with the civil society and the major state institutions. The Liberals’
stated objective is the swift installment of a legitimate government that has
to deal with multiple stringent problems, whose delay could seriously impact
Romania. Ludovic Orban needs 233 out of a total of 465 votes for his new
cabinet. This week he had the first round of talks with all the parties that
voted in favor of ousting the Dancila Cabinet.

NAVY
– The King Ferdinand frigate will join a Puma Naval battleship and a Special
Ops naval forces unit to take part in a new NATO mission in the Mediterranean
Sea, unfolded until November 7. According to a release of the Romanian Naval
forces, the main objectives of the Sea Guardian 19 military operation is the
deter illegal activities on the southern flank of NATO and the EU by means of
monitoring maritime traffic. During its mission, the King Ferdinand frigate
will stop in the ports of Aksaz in Turkey, Alexandria in Egypt, Haifa in Israel
and Limassol in Cyprus. For the first time, the Romanian Naval Forces have
invited members of the Romanian communities in Egypt, Israel and Cyprus to
visit the frigate. Over November 9-20, the King Ferdinand frigate will take
part in the Dogu Akdeniz multinational exercise, hosted by Turkey.

BREXIT – The European Commission has taken note of
Saturday’s vote in the House of Commons, whereby Britain decided to suspend a
vote on the Brexit deal, calling on the British Government to decide on the
next steps. The British Parliament on Saturday delayed the vote on the Brexit
deal concluded on Thursday between London and the EU, which could force Prime
Minister Boris Johnson to ask for a new delay of Brexit. British MPs voted a
Conservative amendment giving more time to discuss the deal in detail, without
running the risk of a no-deal Brexit on October 31. In a first reaction after
Saturday’s vote, Boris Johnson said he would not negotiate any further delay of
Brexit, but he would table the related legislation in Parliament. Meanwhile
thousands of people protested in central London against Brexit, calling for a
new referendum on this matter.

TENNIS – The pair made up of Horia Tecau and Jean-Julien Rojer of the
Netherlands lost to Mate Pavic of Croatia and Bruno Soares of Brazil, the
number 3rd seeds, in Saturday’s doubles semi-final at the ATP
tournament in Stockholm, totaling some 635 thousand euros in prize money. Tecau
and Rojer are still on for qualifying to the ATP finals. On Friday, Marius
Copil (92 ATP) lost to Andy Murray of Britain, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 in the
quarterfinals of the ATP tournament in Antwerp, Belgium.

MEDAL – Judoka Andreea Chitu on Saturday grabbed a new medal for
Romania, silver in the 57-kg category at the World Military Games hosted by
Wuhan, China. Chitu lost in the final to Rafaela Silva of Brazil. Previously,
Ana-Maria Popescu had won silver in the women’s epee singles.

(Translated by V. Palcu)