FBI Director Christopher Wray has met with Romanian Interior Minister and law enforcement officials
FBI Director Christopher Wray met in Bucharest on Wednesday with Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu and key representatives of law enforcement agencies: the Romanian Police, the Romanian Border Police, and the Romanian Gendarmerie. Along with U.S. Ambassador to Romania Kathleen Kavalec, Director Wray also held discussions with Prosecutor General Alex Florenta and leaders from the Ministry of Justice, the National Anticorruption Directorate, and DIICOT. The main topic of discussion was collaboration in combating transnational crime, including money laundering and cyberattacks, to ensure the security of both nations. It was agreed that the FBI would provide training sessions for Romanian prosecutors on investigating these types of crimes, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.
Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence has met on Wednesday with the security situation in the Black Sea region in focus
Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) convened on Wednesday, with the main topic on the agenda focusing on the serious security situation in the Black Sea region and its implications for Romania, according to the Presidential Administration. Analyzing the current situation, CSAT members ordered measures to strengthen the Romanian Armed Forces, as well as a set of actions aimed at consolidating the national cybersecurity system. For Romania, the war in Ukraine maintains the risks of incidents that can affect the territory and citizens, as well as the dangers regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. Against this backdrop, CSAT members analyzed the measures taken to protect the territorial integrity and population of the country, as well as additional actions required as a result of the worsening security situation in the region.
They also ordered measures to strengthen the armed forces and decided to continue diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine.
The meeting also approved the report on progress made in the field of defense planning, which aims to align with operational planning and integrate national priorities, including those not included in the current capability package.
Romania will held local elections along with European elections on June 9
The parties of Romana’s governing coalition have reached a consensus on merging some of the elections this year. The leaders of the PSD and PNL agreed that the local and European Parliament elections will take place on June 9, the presidential elections will be held in September, and the general elections, in December. Political stability and continuity of governance are the arguments of the PSD and PNL leaders for merging the elections. PNL President Nicolae Ciucă said that the decision also took into account the interests of Romanians and the security context.
Nicolae Ciucă: From all the discussions we have had, Romanians want stability, they want peace, they want to go about their daily lives, and in this way I believe it is absolutely necessary that at certain times the political parties show a minimum sacrifice of pride for everything that means the interests of the Romanians and the stability of the country.
PSD President Marcel Ciolacu recalled the high interest of Romanians in the local elections and specified that the decision to merge is an extra vote for democracy.
Marcel Ciolacu: We decided to also have an electoral alliance for the list of MEPs. It is clear that only the two major parties can unite and face an extremist wave. Neither of the two political forces can engage in this fight alone. It is about the path of Romania, not necessarily as of today, but about the future.
According to the calendar presented by the leaders of the PSD and PNL, the elections for the European Parliament and for the local public administrations will be organized on June 9. The two parties will have a common list of candidates for the European Parliament, and for the local elections they will run separately. The presidential elections will be brought forward to September, and the elections for the legislature will be scheduled for December 8.
Mădălina Brotăcel/mbrotacel
