September 23-27

A roundup of the week's main stories

Bogdan Matei, 28.09.2019, 14:00

President Iohannis attends the UN General Assembly

Romania will do more to achieve the
objectives pertaining to the UN’s 2030 sustainable development agenda,
President Klaus Iohannis told the UN General Assembly meeting held in New York.
High on the agenda are eradicating poverty, clean energy for affordable prices
and swift measures to combat climate change. The President recalled that
Romania too had to deal with the adverse effects of climate change and has
initiated programs to curb greenhouse gas emissions. President Iohannis also
condemned terrorist attacks and reiterated Bucharest’s firm commitment to
combating global terrorism. He recalled that two Romanian military have been
recently killed in Kabul in attacks orchestrated by the Taliban. On the
sidelines of the UN General Assembly, President Iohannis had bilateral talks
with his Ukrainian and Moldovan counterparts, Volodimir Zelenski and Igor
Dodon, respectively, whom he assured of Romania’s support for the two
countries’ European accession efforts.

Prime Minister Dancila on a visit to the US

Also in the United States Prime
Minister Viorica Dancila met with US Energy Secretary Rick Perry, on which
occasion Romania and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding
concerning strategic civil nuclear cooperation (NCMOU). According to a
Government release, the Romanian official expressed her Government’s commitment
towards the development of economic cooperation under the Strategic Partnership
between the two states, grounded on a pragmatic and mutually advantageous
cooperation. Viorica Dancila also met with the Secretary General of the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Angel Gurria, expressing
Romania’s firm commitment and readiness to start OECD accession negotiations.

Laura Codruta Kovesi appointed at the helm of the EPPO

Romanian Laura Codruta Kovesi will
become the first European chief prosecutor, after the European Parliament and
the Council of the European Union reached a final agreement in this matter. The
former head of the National Anticorruption Directorate in Romania, Laura
Codruta Kovesi is extremely competent, with an impressive record of
achievements in fighting corruption, the Budget Control Committee Chair Monika
Hohlmeier said. The agreement over the appointment of Kovesi as European chief
prosecutor must now be made official by the European Parliament and the Council
of the European Union. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is set to start
its activity next year, and will be able to investigate, prosecute and bring to
court any offences against the EU budget, such as tax evasion, corruption and
major cross-border VAT fraud.

Uncertainties over Romania’s
candidate for the position of European Commissioner

Romanian Social-Democrat MEP Rovana
Plumb’s candidacy for the position of European Commissioner for Transport was
rejected on Thursday by the European Parliament’s Judicial Committee, with 15
votes against, 6 in favor and two abstentions. According to procedures, without
the Committee’s go-ahead, Plumb’s hearing in the Transport Committee was
cancelled. Plumb was called to appear before the judicial committee to answer
the questions raised over her wealth declaration.

Energy interconnection

Three agreements on the
implementation of the project aimed at interconnecting the energy grids of
Moldova and Romania were signed on Thursday in Chisinau. According to the
agreements, Chisinau is due to access a 60-million-euro loan from the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with another 40 million euros due to be
disbursed by the European Union. The funds will be used to modernize the energy
sector, especially for building a station that will interconnect Moldova and
Romania’s energy grids. Moldova’s Western Partners have pointed out that the
project will help consolidate energy security and reduce Moldova’s dependency
on Russian gas imports.

Presidential election candidates

Meanwhile, in Bucharest, the
Central Election Bureau has finished the registration of candidates for the
November 10 presidential election. All parliamentary parties have submitted a
candidate, and pundits expect a second ballot will most likely be held on
November 24. The top candidates are acting President Klaus Iohannis,
Social-Democrat Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Dan Barna representing the Save
Romania Union – Plus Alliance, Theodor Paleologu, the candidate of the People’s
Movement Party, Mircea Diaconu, who has rallied the support of the Alliance of
Liberals and Democrats, and Kelemen Hunor from the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians. The other candidates are either independent or supported by small
non-parliamentary parties, which have so far kept a low key on the Romanian
political stage.

(Translated by V. Palcu)