The first meeting of the General Affairs Council under Romanian presidency
Romania has presented its priorities during its six months tenure of the European Union Council Presidency. The meeting was presided by the Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, George Ciamba, who has said that Romania aims to be an honest mediator, who would maintain the unity and cohesion of the European Union. In Brussels, the minister has presented Romania’s priorities for the six months mandate, including those related to reducing disparities between regions and sustainable and reasonable development for all citizens.
George Ciamba: Convrgence is very important for Romania, it is the motto of our presidency: „Cohesion, a common European value”, and at the same time, convergence is, in fact, the process that not only strengthens the common market, but also brings benefits to the citizens. It refers to creating jobs, delivering economic growth for our country, as well as for the rest of Europe. So it is very important for us that no discrimination arises vis-à-vis the European citizens.
Romania’s mandate will be full of challenges, minister Ciamba also said, as important subjects as Brexit of the new financial multiannual framework have to be dealt with. Romania wants to have genuine results and to settle agreements on many projects, so as to create the premises for the new European budget to be adopted this autumn. The ministers also discussed about disinformation as a threat to EU democracy. The subject has been brought on the agenda by Romania, and Minister George Ciamba has said that common efforts and actions are needed from the member states in this regard, especially with the upcoming elections for the European Parliament in May.
Romania will take in five migrants from Northern Africa who were received by Malta
Romania is the only Eastern member state from the European Union that has accepted to take in five of the Northern African migrants who reached Malta in the last few days. They came with two vessels carrying 49 migrants, which were stranded off Malta, without permission to dock. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the offer to take over the five migrants will be enacted within the current legislative framework and the Dublin Regulation, which provides for ways to handle such humanitarian situations. The Romanian Foreign Ministry says that the decision is a gesture of solidarity from Romania, which, as the rotating President of the European Union Council, aims to encourage other member states to do the same.
President Klaus Iohannis has again rejected the nomination of Adina Florea as DNA Chief Prosecutor
The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, has again refused the proposal by the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader to name Adina Florea as Head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA). The president has today sent a response letter to the justice minister, to his request to reassess the proposal for the chief DNA prosecutor. Iohannis says in the letter that the legal reasons he considered in his first decision to reject the nomination still subsist. The argument put forward by the President is that the ministry’s documents do not include the proof that Adina Florea didn’t collaborate with the Communist-era Securitate police.
Mădălina Brotăcel – RADOR
