April 29, 2014 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 29.04.2014, 20:08
Romania and Bulgaria must join Schengen if they meet the accession criteria, said on Tuesday the candidates to the presidency of the European Commission Martin Shulz and Jean Claude Juncker, during a debate hosted by the European Parliament. Martin Schulz said the Schengen treaty has many preconditions, but it clearly stipulates that when a country has meet the criteria, it is entitled to joining the free movement area. The Commission has proven that Romania and Bulgaria have met all accession criteria, said Jean Claud Junker also said. The European leaders’ candidate, Guy Verhofsdat, tackled the issue of worker mobility and criticized those countries which say that Romanians and Bulgarians go to those countries only to take advantage of their social security systems. Romania and Bulgarian should have joined Shengen in March 2011, but accession was postponed to so the opposition of some of the member countries.
The situation remains tense in eastern Ukraine, where the pro-Russian separatists are controlling several cities. On Tuesday, the insurgents launch an attack on the regional administration in Lugansk. The head offices of the security services of the city, which has approximately 465 thousand inhabitants and is the capital city of the region with the same name, was seized in early April. In another move, the Russian defense minister, Serghei Soigu, has given assurances that the Russian forces will not invade Ukraine. In a phone conversation with his American counterpart, Chuck Hagel, the Moscow official voiced his worries over what he called an unprecedented intensification of US and NATO activities near Russia’s borders. We recall that on Monday Washington and the EU set fresh sanctions against Russia, targeting especially politicians and business people connected to Vladimir Putin.
The Canadian defense minister Rob Nicholson has announced that 6 CF 18 Hornet war planes have left for Romania, part of Canada’s contribution to the NATO measures aimed at strengthening the security of its allies in central and eastern Europe. The six planes will join the Romanian and US forces to participate in training missions, the minister has stated. Canada’s announcement comes against the background of NATO’s decision to consolidate its air and ground forces. Previously, France had announced it would send several fighters part of the NATO mission of surveillance in the Baltic area. Great Britain, Germany and Denmark have also show willingness to provide support in that respect.
The Republic of Moldova, Romania’s neighbor with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, has planned to become a full member of the EU in 2019, when Romania takes over the rotating presidency of the union, said the Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca on Tuesday. In his turn, Romania’s PM Victor Ponta said that Romanian would continue to unconditionally support the European integration of its neighbor. The two met in a village on the border between Romania and Moldova to mark the elimination of visas for the Moldovan citizens who wish to travel to the EU for tourist purposes. In order to benefit from this measure, the Moldovan citizens must have biometric passports.
The Romanian training ship Mircea” is participating over April 30th — May 7th in the Black Sea Tall Ships Regatta 2014. Also participating are crews from Bulgaria, Malta, Great Britain, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. Alongside “Mircea”, which this year celebrates 75 years of service, the “Adornate” sailing ship will also represent Romania in the competition that starts on May 3rd in Varna, Bulgaria. On May 9th the ships will reach the Russian port of Novorossysk, and the repositioning cruise will be held between May 12 and 14. the final race of the 18 vessels will start on May 18th, in Soci. The final destination is the Romanian port of Constanta, due to be reached on May 24th.
