Bucharest

President Klaus Iohannis welcomed on Wednesday, at Cotroceni Presidential Palace, the President of the French Senate, Gerard Larcher, the discussions focusing on the security agenda, the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, including from a parliamentary perspective, the European agenda and international issues.

The national legislatures of the countries making up the Bucharest Format (B9) have an essential role to play in the equitable sharing of burdens inside NATO, especially because of their specific part in approving budgets to support a more ambitious common defence and security approach, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday in the opening speech at the first B9 parliament

The opportunity to promote Romania's investment potential, with focus on the tourism industry, was on the agenda of the talks held on Tuesday at the Palace of Parliament between Chamber of Deputies Speaker Liviu Dragnea and the Minister of State for Economic and Trade Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber.

Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu and his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sultan Al Jaber signed on Tuesday in Bucharest, the memorandum of understanding regarding the setting up of a cooperation committee between the two countries, a body that will regularly meet every two years.

Ex-President Ion Iliescu on Tuesday left the Attorney General's Office after about an hour and 30 minutes without making statements to the press. He had been summoned to be informed that he is a subject in criminal investigation of the December 1989 Revolution, standing accused of crimes against humanity.

Hundreds of people celebrated on Saturday the reopening of the Japanese Garden in Herastrau Park by having picnics and taking photos of the blossoming cherries, an event that was also attended by Japanese Ambassador in Bucharest Kisaburo Ishii.

He officially opened the garden where Bucharest citizens came alongside their loved ones, with blankets and food to have a full-on picnic.

President Klaus Iohannis forwarded to the Justice Minister the request for prosecution in the case of the former head of state Ion Iliescu, former premier Petre Roman and in Gelu Voican Voiculescu's case, the Presidential Administration announced.

Premier Viorica Dancila received on Thursday French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, currently on a visit to Bucharest, with the two officials tackling, among others, Romania's goals regarding its bid for Schengen and OECD membership, the government said in a release.

Romania can count on France's support for the success of its first presidency of the Council of the European Union, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian told a joint press statement with his Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu in Bucharest, on Thursday.

An earthquake measuring 3.1 on the Richter scale occurred at 3:14 hrs on Tuesday morning in Buzau County, Vrancea seismic area, according to the National Research-Development for Earth Physics Institute (INFP).