January 23, 2024

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Newsroom, 23.01.2024, 13:55

CELEBRATION On January 24 Romanians
will celebrate 165 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities,
Moldavia and Wallachia, under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Military and
religious ceremonies will be held in major cities across the country, as well as performances,
exhibitions, events in museums and other cultural institutions. In Focşani, in
the south-east, a large-scale celebration will be held, including a military
parade and the traditional Union Round Dance in the town’s central square. The
city of Iaşi, in the north-east, will host a ceremony at the statue of ruler Alexandru
Ioan Cuza and a military parade. In Bucharest, the George Enescu Philharmonic
Orchestra will give a special concert. In January 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was
elected ruler both in Moldavia, and in Wallachia, and under the 1866
Constitution, the United Principalities started using the official name of
Romania.

VISIT Moldova’s deputy PM and minister of foreign affairs and European integration, Nicu Popescu, is on a working visit in
Bucharest today, where he is to have talks with his Romanian counterpart,
Luminiţa Odobescu, and other officials, MOLDPRES
news agency reports. The 2 foreign ministers will discuss means to develop and
consolidate the bilateral partnership, and the next steps in Moldova’s EU
accession negotiations. The European Council recommended the start of EU
accession negotiations with Ukraine and the R. of Moldova in December.

DIPLOMACY The president
of Romania Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday, at the annual meeting with the
ambassadors accredited to Bucharest, that Romania will continue to
stand by Ukraine. Iohannis emphasised that due to Bucharest’s efforts over 33
million tonnes of Ukrainian grains, accounting for more than 60% of the
products carried through the EU’s Solidarity Corridors, transited Romania. Klaus
Iohannis added that Romania will stand by Moldova and Ukraine in their
negotiations for EU accession, and emphasised that it is crucial for the 2
countries to continue to receive financial support and know-how for the
consolidation of their public institutions and economy. As for the situation in
the Middle East, he voiced support for a two-state solution, in line both with
the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and with Israel’s right
to security. In this context, president Iohannis mentioned that Romania conducted
a very difficult operation providing assistance and support to the Romanian
citizens in that region. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the
Romanian authorities involved in the evacuation of the Romanian nationals
there, as well as to thank our partners in Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan for
their support, Klaus Iohannis added.

UKRAINE
The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu stated in Brussels on Monday
that EU member countries must use all means to help Ukraine in its war
against Russia. Attending a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, she
emphasised that Ukraine must remain a priority on the EU agenda. It is
important for us to maintain pressure over Russia, and Romania supports a new
set of sanctions against Russia, the Romanian official added. Meanwhile, the
conflict carries on, with Russia attacking Kyiv and Kharkov with missiles this
morning. Stay tuned for more after the news.

VIETNAM Over 2,000 Vietnamese nationals are legally
employed in Romania, said the president of Romania’s Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Mihai Daraban at the Romania-Vietnam Economic Forum held in Bucharest
in the presence of Vietnam’s PM, Pham Minh Chính. Daraban called on
decision-makers in both countries to create a predictable environment for
employment, because the Romanian economy needs more workforce.

NATO Turkey’s
Parliament is today discussing the ratification of Sweden’s accession to NATO, said
the private tv station CNN Turk, quoted by France Presse. The foreign policy
committee in the Turkish Parliament last month endorsed the ratification, but a
vote in a plenary session is also necessary before the protocol may be signed
by president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO
countries yet to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession. Ankara cited Stockholm’s lack
of cooperation in extraditing to Turkey a number of individuals suspected of
ties with terrorist organisations, especially in the Kurdish region, while
Budapest says Swedish politicians have made a habit of criticising Viktor
Orban’s conservative regime, AFP reports.

ISRAEL The
Israeli Army announced today that 24 Israeli troops were killed in the Gaza
Strip clashes in the last 24 hours, making it the worst daily toll for the
Israeli Army since the start of the war against Hamas, Reuters reports. Last
week, Israel launched an offensive to capture the town of Khan Yunis, which
Israel says is now the main stronghold of the Hamas terrorists responsible for
the October 7 attack in the south of Israel in which 1,200 people were killed.
Some 26,000 people died in Gaza since the start of Israel’s military
operations, the healthcare authorities in Gaza announced. (AMP)