October 11, 2022 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 11.10.2022, 20:00
Romania-Georgia. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said after talks in Bucharest with visiting Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili that Romania is one of the staunchest supporters of Georgias aspirations for European and euro-Atlantic integration. The Georgian president thanked Bucharest for its support and condemned, alongside president Iohannis, Russias actions in Ukraine, expressing solidarity with Kyiv. Iohannis also said Romania is working with Georgia and other partner states to carry out major strategic projects, one priority being the construction of an underwater optical fibre cable between the two countries to develop the digital connectivity between the EU, Georgia and, farther afield, in Central Asia. The two presidents also signed a joint declaration on the creation of a strategic partnership between Romania and Georgia.
Declaration. The presidents of 11 East European NATO members, including Romania, condemned on Tuesday the recent Russian bombings of some Ukrainian cities, calling them “war crimes”, AFP and Reuters report. In a declaration released by the Polish presidency, the leaders of the 11 countries – the members of the Bucharest 9 format (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary) plus Montenegro and North Macedonia – denounce Russias nuclear threats. At least 19 people died and 105 were injured in Mondays Russian bombing of several Ukrainian cities, according to the Ukrainian emergency services.
G7. US President Joe Biden and the leaders of the other G7 member states held an emergency virtual meeting on Tuesday to analyze what they can do more to support Ukraine, after the recent Russian missile and drone attacks. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky also attended the meeting and requested more anti-aircraft defense systems. He also demanded the imposition of new tough sanctions on Russia and once again ruled out any discussions with President Vladimir Putin. In a joint statement, the G7 pledged to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support to Ukraine for as long as it needs to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Moldova. The foreign minister of the Republic of Moldova Nicu Popescu has urgently summoned the Russian ambassador to Chișinău Oleg Vasnetsov to demand explanations about the launch of three cruise missiles against Ukraine from Russian military ships in the Black Sea that crossed Moldovan airspace. The Moldovan foreign ministry says the Republic of Moldova views this incident as extremely grave and regrettable and one that could cause additional tension. Violating our national airspace is completely unacceptable and the shelling of the neighbouring country must immediately stop, said the Moldovan foreign ministry in a statement. The countrys president Maia Sandu also strongly condemned what she described as Russias criminal attacks against different regions in Ukraine.
Schengen. European Commission experts are travelling to Romania to assess the countrys preparations to join the Schengen area. They will look into how border checks are conducted, the countrys asylum and migrant return policy and if the staff are trained in keeping with Schengen standards. Romanias accession to the passport free area was also discussed on Monday by prime minister Nicolae Ciucă with Romanian MEPs from the ruling coalition, who assured him that the biggest groups in the European Parliament will support next weeks resolution on the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen. In another development, interior minister Lucian Bode has asked politicians to make a truce and work together for Romania to be admitted into Schengen on 1st January. The Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte is expected to travel to Romania on Wednesday in the context of the preparations for the Schengen accession. In recent years, The Netherlands has been the only country to oppose Romanias entry.
Indictment. The European Public Prosecutors Office announced on its website that the Bucharest Tribunal indicted a Romanian businessman and the company he represents for fraudulently obtaining 3 million euros worth of European funds for the development of a research-development centre in medical recovery and bio reconstruction. The investigation is led by the Bucharest branch of the European Public Prosecutors Office. There are suspicions that in addition to the fraud against the EUs financial interests, the company that wrongfully obtained the project and their representative also laundered money after receiving the funds. The Romanian businessman acted in complicity with a company from Spain, the European Public Prosecutors Office also says on its website. (MI)
