Radio România Internațional

Tag: 9/11

September 11, 2022 UPDATE

CELEBRATION The celebration of 150 years since the death of Avram Iancu, the leader of the 1848 Revolution in Transylvania, included events devoted to this national hero. Military ceremonies and religious services were held, followed by a traditional music show in Ţebea (Hunedoara County). In a message on this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis mentioned that Avram Iancu believed in the power of action and will be remembered as a fighter for social and national freedom. The head of state also mentioned Russias aggression against Ukraine and the revival of an “imperialist mindset.” The joint efforts of the international community, political dialogue rather than confrontation, and our goals, converging and complementary to those of NATO and the EU, will ensure the consolidation of European security and stability, especially in southeastern Europe and at the Black Sea, president Klaus Iohannis also said.

9/11 In Bucharest, PM Nicolae Ciucă Sunday addressed a message of solidarity with the people of the USA, 21 years since the terrorist attacks of 2001. “The tragedy of the American nation, shared by the entire planet, struck at the heart of freedom and democracy: the trust in and respect for the other. We honour the memory of those who passed away and we stand by the survivors and rescuers in the terrorist attacks of 9/11,” the Romanian Prime Minister said. Mr. Ciucă also mentioned Romanias continued solidarity with the US, as reflected in the military cooperation between the 2 countries. “Our troops, in increasingly complex missions, have proved professionalism and dedication, contributing to the safeguarding of peace and democratic values. In the most important missions, in Iraq and Afghanistan, Romanian troops showed solidarity with their American partners, fighting together the worlds democracies against terrorism and defending fundamental rights and liberties,” reads the message. Nearly 3,000 people were killed 21 years ago by 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacking 4 aircraft.

QUEEN The state funerals for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on Thursday, aged 96, will take place on the 19 September. Meanwhile, Britons will have several days to pay their respects to their former sovereign, first in Edinburgh and then in London, where the Queens coffin is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. On Saturday, King Charles III was proclaimed monarch, and today he was officially proclaimed head of state of Australia and New Zealand. The British monarch is the sovereign of 14 other countries apart from the UK, although with a largely ceremonial role. The King is also the head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 countries, most of them former British colonies. For over 4 decades, King Charles has been involved in charities lobbying for environment and heritage conservation, but as head of state he will take on exclusively constitutional responsibilities. As a Prince of Wales, the new King has visited Romania almost every year for 2 decades, supporting a number of organisations and projects, especially in Transylvania, where he owns several estates. The UK Embassy in Bucharest opened an online condolence book for members of the public, but hundreds of Romanians went to the embassy offices to bring flowers and light candles for the Queen. The flag at the embassy office was flown at half-mast.

FLIGHTS The national airline TAROM continues to repatriate the Romanians stranded in international airports after the private operator Blue Air suspended flights. On Sunday around 200 people were brought from Greeces Zakynthos and Rhodes islands, with another 200 to be repatriated on Monday, after 350 Romanian nationals were repatriated from Greece on Saturday. Four other special flights had previously been organised to Israel, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. Several thousand Romanians have been stranded in international airports since Tuesday night, when Blue Air announced it was suspending flights. Although the authorities have unfrozen the accounts of the airline, which had excessive debts to the Romanian state, Blue Air said it would only resume flights on 10 October. Blue Airs current estimated debts amount to EUR 230 mln.

UKRAINE Since early September the Ukrainian army has freed some 2,000 sq.km of the countrys territory, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Ukrainian forces are currently engaged in 2 counter-offensive campaigns, one in the south, targeting Herson, and the second one in the Kharkiv area in the north-east, where they entered the key cities of Kupyansk and Izyum. According to international media, these are the most important gains for Ukraine since early April, when the Russians were pushed out of Kyiv area. Reuters quotes a former chief of pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, Igor Girkin, as talking about a “major defeat” for Russia.

NUCLEAR Operations at the Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, controlled by Russian forces, have been fully stopped as a safety measure, Ukraines nuclear operator Energoatom announced on Sunday. Another emergency shut-down had been ordered in August. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling the nuclear plant, while president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the region around it to be demilitarised. (AMP)

11 September 2022
September 11, 2022

9/11 In Bucharest, PM
Nicolae Ciucă Sunday addressed a message of solidarity with the people of the
USA, 21 years since the terrorist attacks of 2001. The tragedy of the American
nation, shared by the entire planet, struck at the heart of freedom and democracy: the trust in and respect for the other. We honour the memory of
those who passed away and we stand by the survivors and rescuers in the
terrorist attacks of 9/11, the Romanian Prime Minister said. Mr. Ciucă also
mentioned Romania’s continued solidarity with the US, as reflected in the
military cooperation between the 2 countries. Our troops, in increasingly
complex missions, have proved professionalism and dedication, contributing to
the safeguarding of peace and democratic values. In the most important
missions, in Iraq and Afghanistan, Romanian troops showed solidarity with their
American partners, fighting together with the world’s democracies against terrorism
and defending fundamental rights and liberties, reads the message. Nearly 3,000 people were killed 21 years ago
by 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacking 4 aircraft.

QUEENThe state funerals for Queen Elizabeth II,
who passed away on Thursday, aged 96, will take place on the 19 September. Meanwhile,
Britons will have several days to pay their respects to their former sovereign,
first in Edinburgh and then in London, where the Queen’s coffin is scheduled to
arrive on Tuesday. On Saturday, King Charles III was proclaimed monarch, and
today he was officially proclaimed head of state of Australia and New Zealand. The
British monarch is the sovereign of 14 other countries apart from the UK, although
with a largely ceremonial role. The King is also the head of the Commonwealth, an
association of 56 countries, most of them former British colonies. For over 4
decades, King Charles has been involved in charities lobbying for environment
and heritage conservation, but as head of state he will take on exclusively
constitutional responsibilities. As a Prince of Wales, the new King visited
Romania almost every year for 2 decades, supporting a number of organisations
and projects, especially in Transylvania, where he owns several estates. The UK
Embassy in Bucharest opened an online condolence book for members of the
public, but hundreds of Romanians went to the embassy offices to bring flowers
and light candles for the Queen. The flag at the embassy office was flown at
half-mast.

FLIGHTS The national airline
TAROM continues to repatriate the Romanians stranded in international airports
after the private operator Blue Air suspended flights. Today around 200 people
will be brought from Greece’s Zakynthos and Rhodes islands, with another 200 to
be repatriated on Monday, after 350 Romanian nationals were repatriated from
Greece on Saturday. Four other special flights had previously been organised to
Israel, Greece, Cyprus
and Spain. Several thousand Romanians have been stranded in international airports
since Tuesday night, when Blue Air announced it was suspending flights. Although
the authorities have unfrozen the accounts of the airline, which had excessive
debts to the Romanian state, Blue Air said it would only resume flights on 10 October.
Blue Air’s current estimated debts amount to EUR 230 mln.

UKRAINE Since early September
the Ukrainian army has freed some 2,000 sq.km of the country’s territory,
president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Ukrainian forces are currently engaged
in 2 counter-offensive campaigns, one in the south, targeting Herson, and the
second one in the Kharkiv area in the north-east, where they entered the key
cities of Kupyansk and Izyum. According to international media, these are the
most important gains for Ukraine since early April, when the Russians were
pushed out of Kyiv area. Reuters quotes a former chief of pro-Russian militias
in eastern Ukraine, Igor Girkin, as talking about a major defeat for Russia.

NUCLEAR Operations
at the Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, controlled by Russian
forces, have been fully stopped as a safety measure, Ukraine’s nuclear operator
Energoatom announced on Sunday. Another emergency shut-down had been ordered in
August. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling the nuclear plant, while
president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the region around
it to be demilitarised. (AMP)

11 September 2022
20 years since 9/11

With colours flown at half-mast, the US commemorated on September 11 the nearly 3,000 people killed 20 years ago in the most severe attack on American territory. 19 Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked the civil aircraft that hit into New Yorks World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, while one other aircraft, believed to be heading for the White House or the Congress building, crashed after the passengers tried to take control.

In response, Washington started the so-called global war on terrorism, the first large-scale campaign being the one in Afghanistan, which ended last month. Political leaders from many countries sent solidarity and compassion messages, reiterating their determination to safeguard freedom and fight terrorist threats.

President Klaus Iohannis sent a letter to his US counterpart Joe Biden, emphasising that in the wake of the terror attacks, the common suffering turned into solidarity and a shared goal, in the US and around the world, in allied and partner countries, Romania included. President Iohannis reiterated that Romania stands by the American people in the fight against terrorism and in strengthening shared values like democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and the rule of law.

The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu also sent a message to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, highlighting Bucharests firm and long-standing commitment to taking part, alongside the international community and the US, a strategic partner for Romania, in the joint efforts to fight terrorism and extremism.

Also in Bucharest, the Government of Romania expressed its solidarity with the American nation, while in Washington, the Romanian Embassy paid tribute to the victims of the tragedy and sent a message to the survivors and to those who put their own lives on the line in the rescue operations 2 decades ago. “We remember and we honour the strength and resilience of the American people in the face of loss and suffering, the Ambassador of Romania Andrei Muraru and other Embassy staff said in a video address. “It was more than an attack against the US. It was an attack against the free world, against the values and ideals that we all share—freedom, compassion, dignity, humanity. It was an attack against civilisation, the message also says.

“September 11, 2001. A day that was brutally imprinted on our memory and history. A day beyond forgetting. The September 11 attack was not only an attack on the US, but an attack on all of us, the Romanian Mircea Geoană, NATO deputy secretary general, said in turn in a Facebook post. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

13 September 2021
September 11, 2021 UPDATE

9/11. The US commemorates 20 years since the bloodiest terrorist attacks
in its history. On 11th September 2001, two hijacked planes were
crashed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center, while another
was crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington, both landmark buildings
of American economic and military power. A fourth plane, believed to target the
Capitol building, which houses Congress, or the White House, crashed into an
empty field in Pennsylvania, after the passengers fought with the terrorists.
No person on board the planes survived, with almost 3,000 people being killed
in the attacks, most of them from the buildings that were hit. Carefully
planned by the head of the Al-Qaida network, the Saudi national Osama bin Laden,
the attacks were carried out by 19 men on a kamikaze mission.

Solidarity. Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis sent a letter to his American counterpart Joe Biden on the 20th
commemoration of the 9/11 attacks. The Romanian president said that after the
attacks, common suffering was transformed into solidarity and a common goal, in
the US and around the world, in allied and partner states, including Romania.
According to Iohannis, the general decision to face joint challenges together
remains a valuable lesson and always relevant at a time marked by threats from
state and non-state actors. He reiterated that Romania stands by the American
people and is committed to combating terrorism and violent extremism,
regardless of ideology, and to consolidating the common values of democracy,
human rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law. The foreign ministry
in Bucharest also sent a message of solidarity and compassion with the families
of the victims, who include four Romanian nationals, and with the rescuers who
risked their lives in the aftermath of the attacks. Romanian minister Aurescu
sent a letter to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, again stressing that
there is no justification for such violent attacks and extremist acts and
highlighting Romania’s firm and long-standing commitment and involvement,
alongside the US and the international community, in joint efforts to combat
terrorism and violent extremism.

Covid-19. Romania recorded on Saturday over 2,600 new Covid cases from
48,000 tests and 47 new related fatalities. Almost 5,000 Covid patients are receiving
hospital treatment, including 116 children. Some 580 are in intensive care, of
whom 8 are children. Only 5.2 million people are fully vaccinated in this
country, accounting for a mere third of the eligible population.

Festival. The north-western city
of Cluj Napoca is playing host to the 6th edition of Europe’s biggest
electronic music festival called Untold, which is coming to an end on Sunday. The
event brings together over 200 DJs and musicians, being held after a one-year
break. Over 100,000 spectators have attended the festival since Thursday, when
it began. The highlights of the line-up this year are acts like David Guetta, DJ Snake, Afrojack, Martin Garrix,
Nina Kravitz and Paul Kalkbrenner. (CM)

11 September 2021
September 11, 2021

9/11. The US is commemorating today 20 years since the bloodiest
terrorist attacks in its history. On 11th September 2001, two
hijacked planes were crashed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade
Center, while another was crashed into the Pentagon building in Washington, both
landmark buildings of American economic and military power. A fourth plane,
believed to target the Capitol building, which houses Congress, or the White
House, crashed into an empty field in Pennsylvania, after the passengers fought
with the terrorists. No person on board the planes survived, with almost 3,000
people being killed in the attacks, most of them from the buildings that were
hit. Carefully planned by the head of the Al-Qaida network, the Saudi national Osama
bin Laden, the attacks were carried out by 19 men on a kamikaze mission. George
W Bush, who was president at the time, placed the army on maximum alert and
promised that the perpetrators would be caught and punished. He warned that
Washington would make no distinction between terrorists and those who harbour
them. The US army entered Afghanistan, where bin Laden and his aides had been
given refuge by the Taliban. Most Al-Qaida leaders have been taken out in the meantime. The Taliban, who were removed from power by the Americans but
whose insurgency never ended, are now back in power after two decades,
amid the withdrawal of western troops.

Solidarity. Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis sent a letter to his American counterpart Joe Biden on the 20th
commemoration of the 9/11 attacks. The Romanian president said that after the
attacks, common suffering was transformed into solidarity and a common goal, in
the US and around the world, in allied and partner states, including Romania.
According to Iohannis, the general decision to face joint challenges together
remains a valuable lesson and always relevant at a time marked by threats from
state and non-state actors. He reiterated that Romania stands by the American
people and is committed to combating terrorism and violent extremism,
regardless of ideology, and to consolidating the common values of democracy,
human rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law. The foreign ministry
in Bucharest also sent a message of solidarity and compassion with the families
of the victims, who include four Romanian nationals, and with the rescuers who
risked their lives in the aftermath of the attacks. Romanian minister Aurescu
sent a letter to US secretary of state Antony Blinken, again stressing that
there is no justification for such violent attacks and extremist acts and
highlighting Romania’s firm and long-standing commitment and involvement,
alongside the US and the international community, in joint efforts to combat
terrorism and violent extremism.

Covid-19. Romania recorded on Saturday over 2,600 new Covid cases from 48,000
tests and 47 new related fatalities. Almost 5,000 Covid patients are receiving hospital treatment, including
116 children. Some 580 are in intensive care, of whom are children. Only 5.2
million people are fully vaccinated in this country, accounting for a mere
third of the eligible population.

Tennis. Britain’s 18-year-old Emma Răducanu, who is born to a Romanian
father, became the first qualifier in the open era to reach a Grand Slam final.
In the semis, she defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari in straight sets and will
face another rising star in world tennis, Canada’s 19-year-old Leylah
Fernandez, who defeated world no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the semis.
This will be the first all-teen US Open final since 1999, when Serena Williams
played Martina Hingis. Răducanu is only at her second Grand Slam appearance
after Wimbledon, where she withdrew with medical issues in the fourth round. (CM)

11 September 2021
Uniunea Europeană și stabilizarea Afganistanului

În urmă cu 20 de ani, SUA conduceau o alianță care ocupa Afganistanul ca parte a luptei antiteroriste. După lichidarea lui Osama bin Laden în 2011, cel care plănuise atacurile de la World Trade Center, misiunea militarilor aliați și a personalului umanitar s-a schimbat: de la operațiunile militare la instruirea forțelor guvernamentale și negocieri politice la programe educaționale și schimbări instituționale și legislative. Uniunea Europeană s-a aflat de la început în Afganistan și s-a implicat în transformarea țării. De aceea, blocul european dorește să rămână prezent acolo și după ce militarii internaționali vor pleca.

Am discutat cu expertul Mihai Sebe despre ce rol poate juca în continuare Uniunea Europeană în progresele Afganistanului:

“Uniunea Europeană este implicată încă din 2001 în Afganistan în oferirea de asistență masivă economică și socială, furnizând totodată asistență internaţională în domeniu. De ce doreşte Uniunea Europeană să rămână cât mai mult posibil în Afganistan? În primul rând datorită faptului că în ultimii 20 de ani a investit foarte multe resurse financiare, politice şi sociale în stabilitatea Afganistanului şi în dezvoltarea sa. Epopeea din Afganistan a avut un cost uman important în rândurile cetăţenilor europeni, fie că ne referim la trupe sau la personalul umanitar. Aceşti 20 de ani nu au fost ani pierduţi. S-au făcut progrese importante în ceea ce priveşte drepturile omului, în combaterea discriminării de gen şi nu numai.

Totodată, Uniunea Europeană este interesată de Afganistan din motive strategice. Indiferent dacă trupele rămân sau pleacă, un colaps al statului afghan, aşa cum este el construit în acest moment, precum şi un regres în domeniul drepturilor omului, nu ar face altceva decât să întărească flagelul terorismului internaţional, să ducă la o sporire a migraţiei ilegale şi la o sporire a riscurilor de criminalitate organizată.

Ce poate face Uniunea Europeană pentru a avea control și a încerca să stabilizeze situația? Cheia se află în implicarea politică și financiară a statelor membre și în transmiterea unui mesaj foarte clar: dacă guvernul afgan și dacă celelalte miliții, talibanii mai ales, vor continua o politică care să ducă la eliminarea rezultatelor politice obținute, Uniunea Europeană își rezervă dreptul de a reduce sau sista asistența oferită. Această asistență financiară foarte importantă, este de multe ori vitală în buna funcționare a statului afghan și a comunităților locale. Uniunea Europeană poate și trebuie să susțină o negociere politică între toate părțile implicate, inclusiv prin mobilizarea actorilor regionali interesați de situația din Afganistan, fie că vorbim de China sau de alte state din zona Asiei Centrale.”

RadioRomaniaInternational · Alo, Bruxelles? 15.07.2021

15 July 2021
September 11, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 1,391 new infections with SARS CoV-2 have been reported in Romania in the last 24 hours, the Group for Strategic Communication has said, bringing the total up to 101,075 cases at national level. Another 35 people have died, taking the total death toll to 4,100. 478 patients are in intensive care. 7,125 people infected with COVID-19 are currently receiving treatment in hospitals. 10,772 are in home isolation, 5,754 in institutional isolation. 33,129 people are quarantined at home while 12 are in institutional quarantine. Of the Romanians living abroad, 6,599 have tested positive so far, and 126 died.

PANDEMIC Over 28 million infections with SARS CoV-2and 914,000 deaths have been reported worldwide since the start of the pandemic. The United States continues to be the most affected country, with nearly 6.6 million infections and some 196,000 deaths. India is the second-most affected country in terms of the total numbers of infections, some 4.5 million, and 76,000 deaths. The resurge in the number of infections has forced many European states to consider new restrictions to contain the pandemic. France, Belgium, Italy and Great Britain are hit by a second wave, although less serious than that of March and April. In Croatia, Greece and Malta on the other hand, the increase in the number of cases is higher than in the first wave. As a result, the annual meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), presented as ‘the largest European conference on human rights, has been cancelled. A disquieting situation is also reported in Israel.

SCHOOLS The Government has earmarked an additional €20 million to the budget of the Education Ministry to fund the Safe Education National Programme. The money will be used for the purchase of laptops, medical equipment and electronic devices, such as webcams and tablets, so that teachers can conduct their lessons online where required. A new school year is starting in Romania on Monday.

INNOVATION The city of Cluj-Napoca (in north-western Romania) is among the EUs 6 most innovating cities, alongside Vienna, Valencia, Espoo (Finland), Helsingborg (Sweden) and Leuven (Belgium). The announcement was made by the European Commission on Friday, following a competition run in several stages with hundreds of participating localities. The Commission will announce the 2020 European Capital of Innovation on September 24, in an online ceremony. The winning city will receive one million euros.

DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone talk on Friday with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau, on topics of mutual interest, with an emphasis on the situation in Belarus. The 2 diplomats reiterated their ‘firm support for the democratization of the country and for the civil society in Belarus’. In this context, minister Aurescu resumed his call for the authorities in Minsk to end the pressure on the opposition and civil society or the mass media. The talks also tackled the developments in the Three Seas Initiative, given the extensive cooperation between Romania and Poland in this respect.

9/11 Friday marked 19 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11 in the United States, considered the bloodiest in world history. Some 3,000 people, including Romanians, were killed by 19 Al Qaeda terrorists who hijacked 4 passenger airliners, crashing them into key buildings in the US. The death toll continued to rise after the attacks, many people dying due to exposure to dust from the site. (translated by: A.M. Popescu, V. Palcu)

11 September 2020
September 11, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The Government in
Bucharest announced it would adopt the decision to extend the state of alert in
Romania on Monday. The document could not be voted in Thursday’s Government
meeting as it lacked the go-ahead of the Legislative Council. 1,391 new
infections with SARS CoV-2 have been reported in Romania in the last 24 hours,
the Group for Strategic Communication has said, exceeding a total of 100,000
infections at national level. Another 35 people have died, taking the total
death toll to 4,100. 478 patients are in intensive care. 7,125 people infected
with COVID-19 are currently receiving treatment in hospitals. 10,772 are in
home isolation, 5,754 in institutionalized isolation. 33,129 people are
quarantined at home while 12 are in institutionalized quarantine.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Over 28 million
infections with SARS CoV-2 have been reported worldwide since the start of the
pandemic. The United States continues to be the most affected country, with
nearly 6.6 million infections and some 196,000 deaths. India is the second-most
affected country in terms of the total numbers of infections, some 4.5 million.
76,000 people have died to the virus in India. The resurge in the number of
infections have determined numerous European states to reintroduce restrictions
to prevent the pandemic from spreading. France is playing host to a new meeting
of the Defense and Health Safety Council, devoted to managing the pandemic.
Belgium, Italy and Great Britain are also hit by a second wave, although less
serious than that of March and April. In Croatia, Greece and Malta the increase
in the number of cases is higher than compared to the first wave.

SCHOOLS – The Government has
earmarked an additional €20 million to the budget of the Education Ministry to
fund the Safe Education National Programme. The money will be used for the
purchase of laptops, medical equipment and electronic devices, such as webcams
and tablets, so that teachers can conduct their lessons online wherever the
epidemiological context requires it. A new school year is starting next Monday
in Romania.

ECONOMY – There was no way
for the Government to avoid the economic slump this year, as its main goal was to
reduce the negative effects generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance
Minister Florin Cîţu told an online conference. I’ve examined the consumption
figures, and, for instance, retail sales are nearing the level prior to the
pandemic. I’ve looked at investments, as they continued even during the crisis.
We have a positive overall contribution of investments. Prices for the month of
August went down, the inflation rate is 2.7%, down from 4.1% last year, the
highest at EU level at the time, Florin Cîţu went on to say. The Finance
Minister says EU leaders are happy with the measures our Government has
introduced during the health crisis, which helped protect both the population’s
health and the economy.

BREXIT – The European Union
is determined to reach a post-Brexit trade agreement with the United Kingodm,
despite significant divergences that still stand at the end of several days of
negotiations, the EU chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier has said. The
EU official warned that Europe is preparing for any outcome. One obstacle in
the way of an agreement is the protocol on Northern Ireland, providing that
this British province should continue to observe some EU rules even
post-Brexit, to guarantee the absence of a physical frontier with the Republic
of Ireland, a member of the EU. Yet London’s amendment explicitly states that
some provisions will be enacted even if they go against the withdrawal
agreement. The European Commission has allowed the UK to withdraw the amendment
by the end of the month, warning that in the case of a refusal it would attack
the decision in court. London has dismissed the ultimatum, saying the amendment
still stands.

9/11 – Today marks 19
years since the terrorist attacks of September 11 in the United States,
considered the bloodiest in world history. Some 3,000 people, including
Romanians, were killed by 19 Al Qaeda terrorists who hijacked 4 passenger
airliners, crashing them into key buildings in the US. The death toll continued
to rise after the attacks, many people dying due to exposure to dust from the
site.

(translated
by V. Palcu)

11 September 2020
Dimensiunea terorismului în 2019

Despre atentatele de acum 18 ani din SUA s-a spus că au schimbat lumea. Aproape 3.000 de persoane, inclusiv români, au fost ucise după ce 19 terorişti ai reţelei Al Qaeda au deturnat, pe 11 septembrie 2001, patru avioane de pasageri. Atentatele au fost considerate cele mai sângeroase din istorie, iar acţiunile de combatere a terorismului sunt departe de a se încheia. Atentatele au scos la iveală vulnerabilităţi şi au schimbat politica internaţională.

Invitat la Radio România, generalul Decebal Ilina face o trecere în revistă a conjuncturii în care s-au produs atentatele (track): Terorismul se bazează pe elementul surpriză. Prima linie de apărare în lupta împotriva terorismului îl deţin de serviciile de informaţii şi s-a dovedit că serviciile de informaţii, deşi aveau unele date, nu au putut să le coroboreze şi să le interpreteze. Aveau şi foarte multe indicii care ar fi putut să îi conducă la ideea că se pregăteşte un atentat împotriva SUA, dar din foarte multă naivitate, din multe alte considerente, nu au acţionat atunci când trebuia. Ceea ce a fost bun după toate acestea – s-a creat o coaliţie internaţională a serviciilor de informaţii în combaterea terorismului, adică se face un transfer de informaţii, ceea ce e un lucru foarte important, pentru că fiecare poate contribui cu elemente în stabilirea unor detalii, care pot combate actele acestea teroriste. Dar din punctul de vedere al felului cum au acţionat Statele Unite, s-au dovedit total nepregătite. Din punctul meu de vedere, istoria nu învaţă pe nimeni nimic, dar îi pedepseşte pe cei care nu îi cunosc lecţiile. Adică nu au luat în considerare faptul că se întâmplaseră atât de multe acte teroriste până la 11 septembrie.”

Definit ca o tactică de luptă neconvenţională, terorismul se bazează pe producerea unui efect psihologic generalizat de panică și intimidare, sporit de folosirea manipulativă a mediei, cu scopul atingerii unui obiectiv greu de realizat prin mijloace democratice sau convenționale.

În opinia lui Decebal Ilina, cu toate eforturile internaţionale de combatere a acestui flagel, inclusiv prin crearea coaliţiei internaţionale antiteoriste, conduse de SUA, omenirea este încă departe de a găsi soluţia care să reducă pericolul terorismului:

“Terorismul a însoţit lumea din vremurile antice. Or, în toată perioada asta, comunitatea internaţională s-a concentrat să combată efectele pe care le-au avut cazurile acestea de terorism şi s-a aplecat mult mai puţin sau aproape deloc în combaterea cauzelor. Pentru că oamenii nu se nasc terorişti, femeile nu nasc terorişti, ci nasc copii liberi, oameni liberi. Oamenii aceştia devin terorişti datorită condiţiilor, mediului în care trăiesc. Eu cred că lumea asta ar putea fi mult mai bună dacă am înlocui căile acestea belicoase, deci ale războiului, cu diplomaţia. Mie mi se pare foarte corect ce face preşedintele Trump că începe să dialogheze şi că se gândeşte să retragă trupele americane din majoritatea conflictelor pe care predecesorii lui le-au iniţiat.”

Datele statistice arătau acum câţiva ani că numărul atentatelor teroriste era în creştere, cele mai multe atacuri fiind concentrate în Asia de Sud-Est, în Orientul Apropiat şi Mijlociu, în Nordul Africii şi în vestul Europei – în Franţa şi Belgia. Institutul pentru Economie şi Pace din Sidney a centralizat datele pentru 2014, de exemplu, care relevă că peste 32 de mii de oameni şi-au pierdut viaţa în atentate, cu 80 la sută mai mulţi decât în anul precedent. Ţările cele mai afectate de terorism – Afganistan, Irak, Nigeria, Pakistan şi Siria.

Mai bine de jumătate din victime intrau în responsabilitatea organizaţiilor teroriste “Statul Islamic” şi Boko Haram” — o organizaţie teroristă africană activând mai ales în Nigeria. Al Qaida era, de asemenea, în continuare o ameninţare de luat în serios. Numărul victimelor atacurilor teroriste s-a diminuat, însă, considerabil la nivel mondial în 2018. Într-un interviu pentru Deutsche Welle, expertul în terorism Matthew Henman a explicat care sunt cauzele și de ce nu trebuie, totuși, să fim prea optimiști.

“În anii 2016 și 2017, numărul atentatelor teroriste a crescut în mod dramatic din cauza luptelor cu gruparea teroristă Statul Islamic pentru controlul unor teritorii din Irak și Siria, în orașele Mosul și Rakka, dar și în alte regiuni. În 2018 nu s-a mai ajuns la lupte de aceste dimensiuni pentru controlul unor aglomerări urbane mai mari”, spune Matthew Henman, potrivit căruia, scăderea numărului atentatelor din Siria și Irak a fost factorul cel mai important care a contribuit la diminuarea numărului atacurilor teroriste la nivel mondial.

Evoluția aceasta se explică în primul rând prin slăbirea Statului Islamic. Ar fi o eroare gravă să credem, însă, că Statul Islamic a fost învins, mai spune expertul în terorism. Pericolul persistă, teroriștii de la ISIS sunt activi în continuare, nu doar în Irak și Siria, ci și în Afganistan, Africa de Vest, Yemen, Somalia și Asia de Sud-Est. Doar pericolul reprezentat de talibani se mai apropie de ISIS. În 2018, numărul victimelor acestor extremiști s-a dublat în comparație cu anul precedent, au existat multe victime din rândurile forțelor de ordine din Afganistan. De la începutul acestui an, doar la Kabul, aproape 200 de persoane au fost ucise şi circa 900 au fost rănite în atacuri teroriste.

20 September 2019
September 14, 2019 UPDATE

EU The Romanian Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici believes it is absolutely necessary for any major initiative of the new European Commission to take into account the interests of all member countries, and not only of the stronger, more influential members. According to a news release issued by the ministry, Eugen Teodorovici took part on Friday in a meeting of the Eurogroup in inclusive format and in an informal meeting of the EU ministers for economic and financial affairs (ECOFIN), organised by the Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU. The Eurogroup talks focused on the budget for convergence and competitiveness. The agenda of the ECOFIN meeting, which continued on Saturday, included topics like hybrid threats and the resilience of financial market infrastructure, enhanced action on climate change and rebooting the capital markets union. While in Helsinki, Minister Teodorovici also had a meeting with the vice-president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Pierre Heilbronn, with regard to the Banks projects in Romania and its future strategy, as well as to the national strategy to develop the Romanian capital market.

ELECTION The Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania has drawn up and posted for public debate a draft law endorsing the Guidelines for financing the campaigns for the 2019 presidential election. Meanwhile, the Romanians who live abroad only have Sunday left to announce how they intend to vote in this election. By filling in an online form at www.votstrainatate.ro, people may choose to vote by post or at polling stations abroad. Also, beginning Thursday and until October 19, Romanian diplomatic missions may request to the Foreign Ministry the set-up of polling stations abroad. The first round of Romanias presidential election is scheduled on November 10, with the runoff due on November 24.

VISIT The Minister for the Romanian diaspora, Natalia Intotero, is in Italy until September 18, to discuss with representatives of the Romanian communities in that country about the options for voting in the forthcoming presidential election. Meetings are held in Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Cagliari, Catania, Cosenza, Bari, Naples and Rome. Other topics approached also include human trafficking and the problems facing the Romanian nationals in various economic sectors in Italy, which is the host of the largest Romanian community abroad (around 1.2 million people).

MILITARY Nearly 300 troops from Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, the USA and Ukraine have taken part this week in a new training module as part of the multinational exercise Black Sea Rotational Force 19 (BSRF), held in the town of Babadag, in the south-east of Romania. The module included tactical shooting drills, first aid simulations as well as practice involving command and control procedures. BSRF is an annual exercise conducted by the US Marine Corps Forces Europe in the Balkan, Black Sea and Caucasus region. The exercise is aimed at enhancing the inter-operability of the armed forces, by means of joint training for peacekeeping and counter-insurgence operations.

MEASLES In Romania, the total number of confirmed measles cases is close to 18,300, according to the latest report made public by the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control. In the past week 54 new cases have been reported. Complications caused by this disease have killed 64 people in Romania since the start of the epidemic.

TERRORISM The White House confirmed on Saturday that Osama bin Ladens son and successor as Al-Qaida leader, Hamza bin Laden, was killed, Reuters and AFP report. According to the US Presidency, Hamza bin Laden was killed in a counter-terrorism operation in the Afghanistan/Pakistan region. Hamza bin Laden was regarded as the favourite son and virtual successor of Osama bin Laden, the founder of the terrorist network behind 9/11, was was also killed in 2011, in Pakistan.

TENNIS The Romanian tennis players Patricia Ţig, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian Saturday managed to get past the qualifiers in the Korea Open. Two other Romanians, Mihaela Buzărnescu and Irina Begu, are also taking part in the competition. Mihaela Buzărnescu was defeated on Saturday by Japans Nao Hibino, 4-6, 6-0, 0-3, in the semi-finals of the WTA tournament in Hiroshima (Japan).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

14 September 2019
11 September, 2019

9/11. Romanian senators on Wednesday held a moments silence to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001. The United States also commemorates the victims of these attacks 18 years ago. Almost 3,000 people, including Romanians, were killed in the attacks perpetrated by 19 members of the Al Qaeda network who hijacked four passenger planes to crash them into some of the United States most emblematic buildings. The number of victims who inhaled toxic substances at the time continued to grow in the years that followed. The 9/11 attacks were considered the bloodiest in history, and their impact is still strongly felt among Americans.

Visit. The Romanian defence minister Gabriel Les today begins a two-day trip to North Macedonia, during which he will have talks with his counterpart Radmila Sekerinska-Jankovska. The visit by the Romanian official is the first since the signing of the protocol for North Macedonias accession to NATO in February, with Romania being among the first allied states to ratify the document. Talks will focus on issues such as the development of bilateral cooperation in the area of defence, international security, measures to combat terrorism and the commitments of the two states within regional initiatives, as well as the progress made by North Macedonia on its path to the join the European Union.

Elections. Today is the last day when the Romanian citizens who wish to vote abroad in the presidential elections on the 10th and the 24th of November can register online at www.votstrainatate.ro. Some 28,400 requests were received until Tuesday for voting at the polling booth and some 29,800 requests for voting by post. At the beginning of the month, prime minister Viorica Dancila said she requested the electoral authority to extend the registration deadline to increase the number of those who can vote by post. On Tuesday, the president of the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, said his party requested the government to extend the registration deadline for Romanian citizens living abroad who wish to vote in the presidential elections. The National Liberal Party also wants an extension to the deadline by which Romanian citizens in the diaspora can ask for the creation of new voting stations.

Museum. The Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday passed a bill to create a national museum of Jews and the Holocaust in Romania. Funding will be provided by the state from the budget of the Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust, as well as own funds, donations and sponsorship. The goal of the museum will be to present and promote the history of the culture and traditions of the Jewish community in Romania, the protection of the victims of the Holocaust and combating anti-Semitism. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this case. The bill was also passed by the Senate on the 4th of September. 78 years ago, the regime of marshal Ion Antonescu, an ally of Nazi Germany, began the deportation of the Jews in eastern Romania to the occupied Soviet territories. More than 300,000 Romanian Jews were killed between 1941 and 1945.

Protest. 200 trade unions in the defence industry have today staged a protest outside the government headquarters, accusing the government of failing to fulfil its promises. They demand the cancellation of fiscal obligations, the creation of a research centre for weapons and ammunition, changing the term “the defence industry” into “strategic industry of national interest” and better salaries for the employees in this sector. Trade unions also request legislation to exempt defence employees from paying income tax for a period of ten years.

Football. Romanias Under-21 side lost 2-1 to Denmark away in their first match as part of a qualifying round for the Under-21 European Championship of 2021. In the same group, Finland drew against Northern Ireland 1-all, while Ukraine defeated Malta 4-nil. Romania will next face Ukraine on the 10th of October.

(Translated by Cristina Mateescu)

11 September 2019
September 11, 2018 UPDATE

VISIT – The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, had talks in Bucharest on Tuesday with his Romanian counterpart, Viorica Dăncilă. The latter said that during the Romanian presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year, Romania will pay special attention to the negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework for 2021-2027. PM Dǎncilǎ also added that the goal of strengthening the EU domestic security will be one of Romanias priorities during its presidential term. In turn, the Slovak PM, Peter Pellegrini underlined that Slovakia supports Romania in its effort to join Schengen, adding that an extension of the free movement area is needed to better protect the EU. In terms of bilateral relations, Viorica Dăncilă and Peter Pellegrini discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of defence and energy. A bilateral cooperation protocol was signed, which will benefit the Romanian workers employed in Slovakia, as well as a ministry-level Education Cooperation Programme. Also on Tuesday, PM Peter Pellegrini was received by President Klaus Iohannis, for talks on topical issues.

ROMANIAN-DUTCH RELATIONS – Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, will receive in Bucharest on Wednesday the Dutch PM, Mark Rutte. According to a communiqué released by the Presidential Administration, the stage of bilateral relations and the focal points on the European agenda will be approached during the talks. The Romanian presidency of the Eu Council, in the first half of 2019, the future EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, ways to tackle migration and Brexit will also be on the agenda of talks, according to the Presidential Administration.

CONSULTATIONS – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday received the foreign ministers of Poland, Jacek Czaputowicz, and Turkey, Mevlut Cavusoglu, accompanied by their Romanian counterpart Teodor Meleşcanu, who had taken part in an informal three-party meeting on security-related topics. According to the Presidential Administration, the talks focused on the main means of cooperation in this format, launched in 2012 at Romanias initiative in order to promote the regional and international security agenda, working on the conclusions of the NATO summit in Brussels in July. Jacek Czaputowicz and Mevlut Cavuşoglu pointed out that Romania is a trustworthy ally and partner, with which they share similar security assessments. Also on Tuesday, on the side lines of the consultations, ministers Jacek Czaputowicz and Mevlut Cavuşoglu had talks with PM Viorica Dăncilă. The three-party meeting in Bucharest between Romania, Turkey and Poland is the 5th in this format, the previous one being held in Warsaw last year.

PARLIAMENT – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Tuesday discussed a simple motion tabled by the National Liberal Party, in Opposition, against the Interior Minister Carmen Dan. The motion, entitled “The Social Democratic Partys batons, a slap in the face of Romanian democracy, will be voted upon on Wednesday. The Liberals accuse Carmen Dan of having coordinated the brutal intervention against the participants in the anti-governmental protests of August 10th in Bucharest. On Monday, hundreds of people protested again, in the same place, and demanded the resignation of the Cabinet and of those responsible for the gendarme intervention. More than 400 people were injured a month ago, and the General Prosecutors Office initiated hearings in the case, with the Mayor General of Bucharest Gabriela Firea also heard. She requested the resignation of the Interior Minister, who, Firea claims, is trying to pass responsibility for the brutal gendarme intervention to the prefect of Bucharest. So far 770 victims of the clashes have filed criminal complaints. The Senates defence committee is also holding hearings concerning the protests of August 10th.

FAMILY-The Romanian Senate, as a decision making forum, on Tuesday adopted a proposal to revise the Constitution in order to redefine the concept of family, with 107 “yeas and 13 “nays. The leader of the Social Democratic Party, the senior member of the ruling coalition, Liviu Dragnea, in his capacity as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, has recently announced the referendum on family will be held on October 7. Several NGOs, grouped into the so-called “Coalition for Family, have collected some three millions signatures, in order to hold a referendum to block same-sex marriages. In its current form, the Constitution stipulates that the family is based on the freely consented marriage between spouses, whereas the “Coalition for Family would like the text to stipulate the marriage between a man and a woman.

9/11 – Leading politicians in Bucharest have expressed solidarity with the American people, on the day when the country commemorates the tragedy of September 11 2001, and have reiterated Romanias commitment to fighting “against the common threat of terrorism. The entire international community commemorates 17 years since the terrorist attacks in the US, when around 3,000 people were killed, including 5 Romanian nationals.

RUSSIA – Russia on Tuesday launched the largest-scale military moves in its history, criticised by NATO as a rehearsal for a major conflict. According to the Russian defence ministry, around 300,000 troops will take part, including Chinese and Mongolian forces, 36,000 vehicles, 1,000 aircraft and 80 sea vessels. The large drill, called East-2018, will take place until September 17, in eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. The drills take place in the context of lingering tensions between Russia and the West, marked by the Ukrainian crisis, the conflict in Syria and countless allegations of Russia meddling with the domestic policy of other countries, including the US, international news agencies say. (Translated by AM Popescu and D. Vijeu)

11 September 2018
September 11, 2018

VISIT – The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, had talks in Bucharest today with his Romanian counterpart, Viorica Dăncilă. The latter said that during the Romanian presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year, Romania will pay special attention to the negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework for 2021-2027. PM Dǎncilǎ also added that the goal of strengthening the EU domestic security will be one of the pillars on which Romanias priorities in its presidential term will rely. In terms of bilateral relations, Viorica Dăncilă and Peter Pellegrini discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in the field of defence and energy. A bilateral cooperation protocol was signed, which will benefit the Romanian workers employed in Slovakia, as well as a ministry-level Education Cooperation Programme for 2018-2022. Also today, PM Peter Pellegrini was received by President Klaus Iohannis.

PARLIAMENT – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest today discusses a simple motion tabled by the National Liberal Party, in Opposition, against the Interior Minister Carmen Dan. The motion, entitled “The Social Democratic Partys batons, a slap in the face of Romanian democracy, will be voted on Wednesday. The Liberals accuse Carmen Dan of having coordinated the brutal intervention against the participants in the anti-governmental protests of August 10th in Bucharest. On Monday, hundreds of people protested again, in the same place, and demanded the resignation of the Cabinet and of those responsible for the gendarme intervention. More than 400 people were injured a month ago, and the General Prosecutors Office initiated hearings in the case, with the Mayor General of Bucharest Gabriela Firea also heard. She requested the resignation of the Interior Minister, who, Firea claims, is trying to pass responsibility for the brutal gendarme intervention to the prefect of Bucharest. So far 770 victims of the clashes have filed criminal complaints. The Senates defence committee is also holding hearings concerning the protests of August 10th.

CONSULTATIONS – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis has today received the foreign ministers of Poland, Jacek Czaputowicz, and Turkey, Mevlut Cavusoglu, accompanied by their Romanian counterpart Teodor Meleşcanu, who had taken part in an informal 3-party meeting on security-related topics. According to the Presidential Administration, the talks focused on the main means of cooperation in this format, launched in 2012 at Romanias initiative in order to promote the regional and international security agenda, working on the conclusions of the NATO summit in Brussels in July. Jacek Czaputowicz and Mevlut Cavuşoglu pointed out that Romania is a trustworthy ally and partner, which which they share similar security assessments. Also today, on the side lines of the consultations, ministers Jacek Czaputowicz and Mevlut Cavuşoglu had talks with PM Viorica Dăncilă. The 3-party meeting in Bucharest between Romania, Turkey and Poland is the 5th in this format, the previous one being held in Warsaw last year.

9/11 – Leading politicians in Bucharest have expressed solidarity with the American people, today, when the country commemorates the tragedy of September 11 2001, and have reiterated Romanias commitment to fighting “against the common threat of terrorism. The entire international community commemorates 17 years since the terrorist attacks in the US, when around 3,000 people were killed, including 5 Romanian nationals.

RUSSIA – Russia has today launched the largest-scale military moves in its history, criticised by NATO as a rehearsal for a major conflict. According to the Russian defence ministry, around 300,000 troops will take part, including Chinese and Mongolian forces, 36,000 vehicles, 1,000 aircraft and 80 sea vessels. The large drill, called East-2018, will take place until September 17, in eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. The drills take place in the context of lingering tensions between Russia and the West, marked by the Ukrainian crisis, the conflict in Syria and countless allegations of Russia meddling with the domestic policy of other countries, including the US, international news agencies say.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

11 September 2018
September 11, 2017 UPDATE

9/11 — United States President Donald Trump joined the nation in a minutes silence on Monday morning, to mark the 16th anniversary of the September 11 attacks which killed nearly 3,000 people when hijackers flew commercial planes into the World Trade Center. Four Romanians were among the victims. Commemorations are under way across much of the US. The names of all the victims killed were read aloud at the 9/11 Memorial Museum while Donald Trump also participated in a special ceremony at the Pentagon. The anniversary came as the country struggles with the widespread destruction caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. President Trump drew a parallel between the nation’s response to the terror attacks and natural disasters, saying, “When Americans are in need, Americans pull together.”

ABU – The 3rd Asia-Pacific – Europe Media Dialogue conference is under way in the Romanian mountain resort of Sinaia. The three-day event, that started on Monday, is organized jointly by Radio Romania and ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union), and brings together experts from all over the world in an effort to respond to current challenges in a rapidly changing media landscape. The interim director general of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, Georgică Severin, delivered the opening speech on Monday. He underlined the fact that the general topic of the conference is the growing power of the media in a fast changing world, and that accuracy of information is paramount. Also on the first day of the conference, Olya Booyar, Head of Radio at ABU talked about how radio can flourish in the new media age, Fayyaz Sheheryar, Director General of All India Radio talked about ways of reaching the listeners without losing the essence of public broadcasting while Dr. Javad Mottaghi, ABU Secretary General, delivered a speech on how to change the challenge into opportunity.

SCHOOL – A new school year started in Romania on Monday for some 2.3 million pupils and high-school students. Authorities have prepared several changes, including with regard to the baccalaureate exam, which will start earlier. Also, teachers will be able to check online, from home, the papers of the applicants to the national evaluation and baccalaureate examinations. Many schools in Romania, in particular in the rural areas, have not been able to obtain the necessary licenses and equipment to properly start the new school year, and the 5th grade pupils still do not have textbooks. Attending the festivities at a prestigious high-school in Bucharest, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stated that the education law must stop being just a puzzle with pieces that keep changing all the time. In his opinion, we cannot speak of an educated Romania in the absence of an education system that is predictable and centred on the student.

SANCTIONS – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday voiced her support for tougher U.N. sanctions against North Korea in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a German government spokesman said. The two officials agreed that the conflict about North Koreas nuclear armament must be resolved peacefully. Merkel told Putin she supported efforts of the U.N. Security Council to rapidly adopt further sanctions against North Korea to make Pyongyang change its course. The U.N. Security Council is going to vote on a new watered-down sanctions resolution against North Korea that eliminates initial U.S. demands to ban all oil imports to the country and freeze international assets of the government and its leader Kim Jong Un. The new document provides for a “progressive” embargo on oil to Pyongyang and stipulates a ban on textile imports from North Korea, applicable to all the UN member states. Washington has changed the initial draft also with regard to the North-Korean expatriates. The new sanctions proposed by the US come after the nuclear test conducted by North Korea on September 3rd at an unprecedented level. The UN Security Council has already adopted 7 resolutions including sanctions against North Korea, in a bid to convince Pyongyang to negotiate its nuclear and conventional weapons programmes.

GEORGE ENESCU FESTIVAL – The George Enescu International Classical Music Festival continued in Bucharest on Monday with a performance by the London Philharmonic Players and concerts by the Russian National Orchestra and the Radio Academic Choir. The programme of the George Enescu Festival, which has become one of the most prestigious in Europe, includes 80 concerts and events, with more than three thousand artists attending. Radio Romania is the only media institution in the country that is broadcasting live the festival concerts, through the Radio Romania Music and Radio Romania Culture channels. The festival is held every two years and lasts three weeks.

TRADE – Romanias trade deficit went up by 33.1% in the first seven months of the year, as compared to the similar period in 2016, to 6.824 billion Euros, reads a communiqué issued by the National Statistics Institute. The value of the intra-EU trade in goods stood at more than 27 billion euros in exports and 32 billion in imports. As for the extra-EU trade, exports stood at some 8.7 billion euros, and imports at 10.3 billion. A major share of the exports is held by the machine and transport equipment industry.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

11 September 2017
September 11, 2017

SCHOOL – A new school year
started in Romania today for some 2.3 million pupils and high-school students.
Authorities have prepared several changes, including with regard to the
baccalaureate exam, which will start earlier. Also, teachers will be able to
check online, from home, the papers of the applicants to the national
evaluation and baccalaureate examinations. Many school in Romania, in
particular in the rural areas, have not been able to obtain the necessary
licenses and equipment to properly start the new school year, and the 5th
grade pupils still do not have textbooks. Attending the festivities at a
prestigious high-school in Bucharest, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis has
stated that the education law must stop being just a puzzle with pieces that keep
changing all the time. In his opinion, we cannot speak of an educated Romania
in the absence of an education system that is predictable and centered on the
student.

9/11 – The US
is today commemorating the 9/11 attacks. 16
years ago, some three thousand people, including Romanians, were killed
by Al Qaeda terrorists, who hijacked four planes and used them to destroy
emblematic buildings. The number of victims has grown in the years that
followed the attack, as during those days many people inhaled carcinogens.

IRMA – Hurricane Irma,
which is currently tearing through the western coast of Florida, has been
downgraded to category 1, but it is still extremely dangerous according to the US weather services. Storm
tide warnings are still in place for large areas in Florida, where at least 5
people have died and 6 million have received evacuation orders. Reuters reports
that some one million households have no electricity. Although Miami is not in
the way of the hurricane, the strong wind and heavy rain accompanying the storm
have caused damage, with dozens of streets flooded and trees felled down. There
are some 30,000 Romanians living in Florida, and the Romanian Foreign Ministry
has already activated a crisis team to provide them with support if necessary.

NORTH-KOREA – Following intense
negotiations carried out in the past
four days, with Beijing and Moscow in particular, Washington has revised
the resolution draft by including new sanctions against North Korea. The draft
is to be endorsed by the UN Security Council this afternoon. The new document
provides for a progressive embargo on oil to Pyongyang, eliminating the full
and immediate embargo. Also, the document stipulates a ban on textile imports
from North-Korea, applicable to all the UN member states. Washington has changed
the initial draft also with regard to the North-Korean expatriates and has
accepted to no longer freeze the assets of the North-Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.
The new sanctions proposed by the US come after the nuclear test conducted by
North Korea on September 3rd at an unprecedented level. The UN Security Council
has already adopted 7 resolutions including sanctions against North Korea, in a
bid to convince Pyongyang to negotiate its nuclear and conventional weapons
programmes.

TRADE – Romania’s trade
deficit went up by 33.1% in the first seven months of the year, as compared to
the similar period in 2016, to 6.824 billion Euros, reads a communiqué issued
by the National Statistics Institute. The value of the intra-EU trade in goods
stood at more than 27 million Euros in exports and 32 billion in imports. As
for the extra-EU trade, exports stood at some 8.7 billion Euros, and imports at
10.3 billion. A major share of the exports is held by the machine and transport
equipment industry.

GEORGE ENESCU FESTIVAL – The ‘George
Enescu’ International Classical Music Festival continues in Bucharest today
with a performance by the London Phylarmonic Players and concerts by the
Russian National Orchestra and the Radio Academic Choir. The programme of the
‘George Enescu’ Festival, which has become one of the most prestigious in
Europe, includes 80 concerts and events, with more than three thousand artists
attending. Radio Romania is the only media institution in the country that is
broadcasting live the festival concerts, through the Radio Romania Music and
Radio Romania Culture stations. The festival is held every two years and lasts
three weeks.

11 September 2017