NATO’s Shield Protector 22 taking place in Romania
Romanian Naval Forces plan and host an annual military exercise designed to persue NATO standards against air, underwater and land threats. The exercise is taking place today and tomorrow (June 22, 23) in the Black Sea region with ‘fights’ in an area between the Black Sea port of Constantza and southern Mangalia. Involved in the exercisse, the King Ferdinand frigate hosts some 800 servicemen of Romania’s Naval Forces. Home of three NATO allies and two close partners, the Black Sea is a strategically decisive arena for the West to not only contain Russia, but counter China and defend against Iran. The region also holds significant economic potential as an east-west corridor between Europe and Eurasia.
Simple motion of Romania’s right-wing USR against energy minister
A simple motion of the opposition right-wing Save Romania Union (USR) was put before Romania’s parliament lower house on Wednesday against the country’s Energy Minister Virgil Popescu. USR MPs claimed that Mr. Popescu’s policies resulted in higher fuel, energy and gas prices with a negative impact on both living standards and companies. “Therefore, USR calls for the minister’s resignation”, Ionuț Munteanu, leader of the USR parliamentary group in the lower house, said on Wednesday, quoted by Radio Romania. The House speaker is expected to establish a date for debates and a vote on the matter. It is a second motion filed against Mr. Popescu. His critics blamed the minister for his poor handling of the energy market liberalisation in 2021.
Romania’s president expected to attend an EU – Western Balkans summit in Brussels
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is expected to attend a two-day meeting in Brussels of EU-Western Balkans on Thursday and Friday (June 23 – 24). „Western Balkans are important to the EU, and the EU is important to the Western Balkans”, European Council President Charles Michel said in a statement on Wednesday. „Therefore, we must revive the enlargement process and advance the integration of our Western Balkans partners. We will meet them before our formal European Council summit. The current situation requires an in-depth discussion in the presence of the President of the European Central Bak and the President of the Eurogroup”, Mr. Michel pointed out. „We will also have to determine how we want to move forward on the Banking Union and Capital Markets Union”, Charles Michel added.
Alexandru Danga
