This weekly overview brings you the main topics from Romania, in pictures. The voting scandal at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest hit the headlines last week in both local and international media. And the story is still unfolding. The May 16-22 week collection also includes photos from the Portuguese prime minister's visit to Romania, the new Park & Ride terminal in Bucharest, and a major defense event in the capital city. (Opening photo: Romania's representative, WRS, at Eurovision; photo source: Facebook/Eurovision Romania, credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett)

The hottest topic this past week was the voting scandal at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. In short, Romania and other countries saw their jury votes substituted in the final, and the Romanian public broadcaster TVR accused the organiser, EBU, of having "changed the rules during the game." EBU explained its decision in a press release issued on May 19, suggesting that Romania and five other countries had rigged their jury votes in the second semifinal. In a response issued one day later, TVR said it "is investigating the allegations brought by the EBU, but disapproves of the way it handled the situation generated by the votes expressed by the national juries during the semifinals and the final of the Eurovision 2022 competition." TVR also said it is considering Romania's withdrawal from future Eurovision editions and legal action against EBU. 

Portuguese prime minister António Costa travelled to Romania last week, on May 19. He met with Romania's president Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest, at the Cotroceni Palace. The two officials' agenda focused on the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation, the security situation at the EU border, ways to support Ukraine, the upcoming European Council meetings in May and June, and the strengthening of the Eastern Flank and the preparation of the NATO Summit in Madrid in June.

Also on May 19, president Klaus Iohannis and prime minister Nicolae Ciuca, together with Portuguese prime minister António Costa, visited a military base in Caracal. "I am honoured to have had the opportunity […] to meet the Portuguese soldiers deployed to the Caracal Military Unit and personally thank them for their work here with the Romanian military," the Romanian PM said after the visit.

At the start of the week, on May 16, Romanian health minister Alexandru Rafila and ambassador Rim Gap-soo attended a ceremony marking South Korea's donation of 600,000 rapid COVID-19 tests to Romania. They will be used for the testing of patients, to avoid outbreaks, and of potential cases, the Romanian Health Ministry said.

Also on the political scene, Catalin Drula, the acting president of reformist USR, launched his official candidacy for the top position in the party over the weekend. He took over the role of acting party head in February, after the resignation of Dacian Ciolos. According to the local media, USR is to elect a new leadership during a congress to be held in October.  

Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan had some good news to share early last week. On May 17, he announced that the Park & Ride Cora Pantelimon project in the capital city has finally been completed "after almost seven years of blockages and delays." The car park has 500 spaces, as well as a terminal for public transport (buses, trams), minibus stations, and a corridor that will make the connection with the future subway station.

The 8th edition of Black Sea Defense and Aerospace - BSDA 2022, the largest exhibition of military, aeronautical and security equipment in Eastern Europe, also took place last week in Bucharest. Held at Romaero Baneasa, the event brought together exhibitors from over 30 countries, among them Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, General Dynamics, BAE Systems, L3Harris, Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Naval Group, MBDA, Airbus, DAMEN, IVECO Defense Vehicles, Beretta, and Leonard.

Meanwhile, Saturday, May 21, over 1,200 amateur and professional athletes and several hundred other supporters gathered at the Sand Marathon held in the seaside city of Constanta. The big winners of the 42-kilometre race were Igor Timbalist and Diana Sinic.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com