Radio România Internațional

Tag: anniversary

  • December 14, 2024 UPDATE

    December 14, 2024 UPDATE

     

    NEGOTIATIONS In Bucharest, negotiations on a future coalition of the pro-European parties in Parliament have made progress with respect to the structure of the new government. The Social Democratic Party will control 7 ministries, the National Liberal Party 4, Save Romania Union 3, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania 2, said the Social Democrats’ senior vice-president Sorin Grindeanu. It has not yet been decided which ministries will go to each party and the names of the new ministers. On the other hand, the Social Democrats and and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians plead for a single presidential candidate of the coalition. After the Constitutional Court cancelled the election for president, the future executive will have to decide by the end of the year on a new presidential election calendar, the UDMR believes. The pro-European parties elected in Parliament hope to come up with a cabinet by Christmas.

     

    EU FUNDING Romania collected EUR 1.9 billion in EU structural and cohesion funds in 2021-2027, and the overall absorption rate, 6.11%, is close to the EU average of 6.19%, the minister of investments and European projects, Adrian Câciu announced. The absorption rate for the structural and cohesion funds under centrally managed programmes is higher, namely 7.3%, Caciu said in a Facebook post. He emphasised that Romania is yet to to catch up on Regional Programmes, where the absorption rate is 3.2%, but he voiced confidence that the example set by the current coalition comprising the Social Democrats and the Liberals in terms of management and implementation of European funds, including decentralisation, will be followed by the new government, and the pace of EU fund absorption will be sustained, so as to replicate the success of the 2014-2020 period.

    PARLIAMENT On Monday the last week of work for the current legislature begins, with many bills still unfinished for Romanian Senators and Deputies. Until the new Parliament is convened, the Chamber of Deputies should adopt the new Forestry Code, which has been on the agenda for several months. The code is a benchmark in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and a priority for the Government, which says the document must be adopted by the end of the year. The bill provides, among other things, for the seizing of vehicles carrying stolen wood, for green belts around major cities, for preemptive rights and reasonably priced quality materials for local furniture manufacturers, for video monitoring of forest roads, and bans clear-cutting in all protected areas. Meanwhile, the Senate is expected to vote on a bill punishing holders of multiple positions financed from the state budget and on another one limiting to two the number of terms in office for the heads of the secret services. The current MPs remain in office until December 20, when the first session of the new Parliament is scheduled, following the December 1 general elections.

     

    ECONOMY Romania’s trade deficit was EUR 5.5 billion higher in the first 10 months of the year than in the same period in 2023, according to data made public by the National Bank. More than half of this deficit is the result of growing imports of goods. The central bank also says that the total foreign debt went up over EUR 18 billion and exceeded EUR 186 billion. According to analysts, along with the very high budget deficit, these are the main problems of the Romanian economy, and they must be solved concurrently, which is very difficult. They believe that through a correct budget adjustment, expenses would be cut, and revenues could be raised by eliminating corruption and through a fair tax system.

     

    ANNIVERSARY Timişoara marks 35 years since the anti-communist Revolution of December 1989, which broke out in this city in western Romania. Under the motto “35 years of freedom”, events dedicated to the 1989 heroes and celebrating the three and a half decades since Timişoara became the first city free from communism in Romania will take place between December 15 and 20. The agenda includes, as every year, religious services, wreath-laying, exhibitions and film screenings. A concert entitled Requiem in Memoriam is scheduled on Sunday at the Banat Philharmonic, Monday will see the inauguration of the Freedom Portal, a light installation that reproduces sounds from the Revolution, followed by the traditional march “Heroes Never Die”. Tuesday will be a day of mourning, and the events on December 20 will end with a concert called “Rock for revolution”. (AMP)

  • November 1, 2024 UPDATE

    November 1, 2024 UPDATE

     

    DEFENCE Romania and Norway continue to stand by Ukraine at these critical times, the defence minister Angel Tîlvăr said on Friday, after a meeting in Bucharest with his Norwegian counterpart, Bjorn Arild Gram. Minister Tîlvăr highlighted the successful cooperation between the two countries’ air forces under a programme in which the Romanian government awarded to Norway a contract for the procurement of 32 F-16 aircraft with initial logistic support, and for complementary goods and services from the US. A total of 12 airplanes have been received so far, after less than a week ago 3 F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role aircraft arrived in Romania. The entire lot is expected to be received by the end of 2025.

     

    FLOODS A person on the list of Romanian nationals missing following the devastating floods in Spain has been found dead, the Romanian foreign ministry announced on Friday. The foreign ministry via the Romanian consular office in Castellon de la Plana and the Romanian Embassy in Madrid continues to check information on an estimated 15 Romanian nationals on the list of missing persons. The region of Valencia, in the south-east of Spain, has been hit by unprecedented floods. At least 205 people died in Spain following the rainfalls and floods, according to updates provided by the Spanish authorities. Scores of people are still missing. Spain declared 3 days of national mourning.

     

    ELECTIONS The election campaign for the parliamentary elections of December 1st officially got under way on Friday. Romanian voters will elect 466 MPs, 330 in the Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate. The election campaign will come to an end on 30th November. Romanian citizens residing abroad will be able to cast their ballots either through postal voting or in person at one of the polling stations set up abroad. The Romanian foreign ministry submitted to the Permanent Electoral Authority its proposals for the 950 polling stations to be set up abroad for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. The election campaign for the presidential elections began a week ago. The first round will take place on 24th November, and the second round on 8th December. In June, Romania also saw European and local elections.

     

    ANNIVERSARY Radio Romania Friday celebrated 96 years of uninterrupted service. With over 3 million listeners a day, the public radio station must reinvent itself and make itself more attractive to younger audiences, said the director general of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, Răzvan-Ioan Dincă. Radio Romania broadcast its first programme at 5 pm on 1st November 1928. In recognition of its decisive role in the country’s history, in December 2019 Parliament declared 1st November National Radio Day in Romania. To mark this occasion, the Radio Concert Hall Friday night hosted an anniversary concert conducted by the celebrated Romanian conductor Cristian Mandeal.

     

    TRADE The Romanian minister of the economy, entrepreneurship and tourism, Ştefan-Radu Oprea, and the trade minister of Turkey, Omer Bolat, Friday chaired the second session of the Romanian-Turkish Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). The Romanian official said there is evident progress in terms of the value of bilateral trade, while Omer Bolat said bilateral economic relations have grown in all areas, from trade to investments, tourism, transport and services. He also appreciated Romania’s support for his country within the EU, in respect of the modernisation of the customs union. The Romanian-Turkish JETCO establishment declaration was signed by the two economy ministers on the sidelines of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Romania on April 1, 2015.

     

    JOURNALISTS In most cases in which journalists get killed around the world, their killers go unpunished, said UNESCO in a report on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which is marked every year on 2nd November. 85% of all crimes against journalists recorded by UNESCO in 2006 are still not solved, the report also writes. Over the two years covered by the UNESCO report, namely 2022 and 2023, 162 journalists were killed, almost a half of them in countries with ongoing armed conflicts. In 2022, Mexico reported the largest number of journalists killed, 19, followed by Ukraine, with 11 journalists killed. In 2023, Palestine reported the largest number of journalists killed, namely 24. (AMP)

  • Republic of Moldova, 33 years of independence

    Republic of Moldova, 33 years of independence

    In 1991, after the failure of the conservative forces to seize power in Moscow, the Moldovan Parliament met on August 27 to decide the fate of the Republic of Moldova. Tens of thousands of citizens, who had gathered in the Great National Assembly in the center of Chişinău, asked the Parliament to vote for independence. And Parliament voted with an absolute majority for the Declaration of Independence. Neighboring Romania, to which the Republic of Moldova was linked by history and language, was the first to recognize its statehood. On Tuesday, the Republic of Moldova marked 33 years of independence in a complicated moment for it and for the entire European continent, generated by the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

     

    President Maia Sandu, whose Covid infection prevented her from physically participating in the events, sent a congratulatory message to her fellow citizens. ‘There is always the option to give up. The decisions we make can prevent us from advancing. We could have given up. The path we are choosing can be hard. We could have cared less. We could have given up and lost our courage. Every decision we make keeps us still or pushes us forward. We are what we choose day by day. We choose to stand up, no matter how hard it is. We choose to work for our future. We persevere for our children. We choose hope and life. We believe in the power of our nation’ readds the message sent by Maia Sandu.

     

    The presidents of the Baltic states, which, like the Republic of Moldova, broke up the vassal relations to Moscow in the early 90s and chose independence, participated in the ceremonies in Chişinău. They signed a joint statement reiterating their support for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union. The three welcomed the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to the implementation of reforms, the consolidation of democratic institutions and economic growth.

     

    The highest officials in Bucharest also conveyed messages on the occasion, given that Romania remains the main political and economic sponsor of the small neighboring state. Romania, President Klaus Iohannis wrote on the X network, will continue to offer the Republic of Moldova strategic support at all levels. “I convey congratulations to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the occasion of Independence Day! You are part of the great European family, and the continuation of the current efforts will turn the accession to the European Union into an accomplished objective,” Klaus Iohannis emphasized.

     

    The Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also sent a congratulatory message, on Tuesday, to all the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, on the anniversary of Independence Day. Romania, he assured his counterpart from Chişinău, Dorin Recean, will be in the future, just as before, in the front line of efforts to consolidate the European path, the stability and democratic development of the neighboring country. “The place of the Republic of Moldova is in the European Union. I am convinced that, at the referendum on October 20, 2024, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova will bluntly reaffirm this truth”, said Marcel Ciolacu. Citizens will be asked if they support amending the Constitution in relation to the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union. (LS)

  • June 6, 2024 UPDATE

    June 6, 2024 UPDATE

     

    STATEMENT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis is one of the 17 heads of state to sign a joint statement pleading for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It is time for the war to end and this deal is the necessary starting point, the statement reads. The signatories call on both parties to agree to the US president Joe Biden’s plan, which provides for a 6-week ceasefire in a first stage, accompanied by an Israeli withdrawal from the densely populated areas of Gaza, and a hostage-prisoner exchange. In a second stage, whose details are yet to be set, a permanent end of hostilities and the release of all hostages would take place.

     

    WAGES The government of Romania Thursday approved an increase of national minimum wages to roughly EUR 740 as of July 1. Over 1.8 million employees are estimated to benefit from this measure. The EUR 40 tax deduction for minimum wages has also been raised to EUR 60. The government also passed a bill amending the Romanian Citizenship Act. According to the justice ministry, the measure was required in order to modernize the current legislative framework, to facilitate Romania’s participation in the US Visa Waiver programme, and to help complete benchmarks in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The new provisions concern the digitization of procedures, so that the application stages may be followed online, the introduction of a citizenship card, and the use of biometric identifiers such as face and fingerprints.

     

    D-DAY Scores of heads of state and government celebrated in Paris on Thursday the 80th anniversary of the Allied Normandy landings, a decisive moment in defeating Nazi Germany in WWII. The US president, Joe Biden, said Ukraine was invaded by a tyrant and promised his country and NATO would stand strong with Kyiv for as long as necessary in this conflict initiated by Russia. He vowed that the free world would not “surrender to bullies.” Attending the ceremonies in France were also King Charles and the French president Emanuel Macron.  They paid tribute to the 73,000 British troops who took part in the landings. Also present were WWII veterans, many of them over 100 years of age. Locals as well as lots of tourists were in attendance. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, was not invited to take part because of his role in the invasion of Ukraine.

     

    VOTE Polling stations opened on Thursday in the Netherlands, the first country to vote in the elections for the European Parliament due over June 6 and 9. Roughly 370 million people are expected to vote in all the 27 EU member states in the following days. Analysts are forecasting a rise of far-right and Euro-sceptical parties amid frustrations caused by the rising cost of living, migration and green policies that are getting more and more unpopular. Like in most EU countries, in Romania the vote for the European Parliament is due on Sunday, concurrently with the local elections. Romania gets 33 seats in the European Parliament.

     

    BOOK FAIR Until June 16th, Romania will be attending the 83rd edition of the Madrid Book Fair with a national stand and 20 literary events. This has been Romania’s 13th participation in this large-scale event staged by the Romanian Cultural Institute through the National Book Centre and the Romanian Cultural Institute in Madrid, with support from the Ministry of Culture and the Romanian Embassy in Spain. Among the protagonists of the events there are writers Gabriela Adameşteanu, Eugen Barz, Aura Christi, Nichita Danilov, Cristian Fulaş, Miguel Gane, Stejărel Olaru, Radu Paraschivescu, Radmila Popovici, Andreea Răsuceanu and Radio Romania Journalist Corina Sabău.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian-Ukrainian pair Gabriela Ruse/Marta Kostyuk qualified without playing in the semis of the doubles contest in Roland Garros as Russians Mirra Andreeva and Vera Zvonareva failed to attend the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Ruse and Kostyuk have won a check of EUR 148,000 and 780 WTA points. This is the second Grand Slam semi-final for Ruse and Kostyuk after the Australian Open last year. In the semis Ruse and her partner will be playing the all-Italian pair, Jasmine Paolini/Sara Errani.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s football team will be up against Lichtenstein in Bucharest on Friday night in their last training game before the European Championship in Germany. In another friendly on Tuesday our footballers managed a goalless draw against neighbouring Bulgaria. In Group E of Euro 2024, Romania will be playing Ukraine on June 17 in Munich, Belgium on June 22 in Cologne and Slovakia in Frankfurt 4 days later. Officials of the football federation in Bucharest say they expect a large number of Romanian football fans to attend, whether residents in Germany or in other Western European countries. Romania’s last participation in a European football tournament was in 2016 and in the World Cup in 1998. (AMP, bill)

  • April 1, 2024 UPDATE

    April 1, 2024 UPDATE

    Deepfake – The National Cyber Security Directorate Romania published a “Guide to Deepfakes”, aimed at protecting and educating the general public on cyber security risks. The Guideline provides detailed information on deepfake production and identification. The authors are confident that by understanding these concepts, users are more aware of the related risks and may take adequate protection measures. Deepfake is a form of digital manipulation using advanced AI techniques to create false images or audio-video materials. According to the institution, this may have a severe impact on society, as it erodes public confidence in online information.

     

    Banking – The consumer credit reference index (IRCC) dropped to 5.90% per year, from 5.97% 3 months ago, the National Bank announced. This is the first significant decrease of the index in the past 12 months, and will lead to smaller interest rates as of this month. In June the IRCC is expected to decrease further, to 5.84%. The downward trend will help bring down interest rates for mortgage loans for nearly half a million Romanians. Meanwhile, the 3-month ROBOR index which influences the costs of variable-rate loans in the national currency has reached 6.06% per year, as opposed to 6.05%. IRCC is the index used for setting the interest rates for variable-rate loans in the national currency since May 2019, when it stood at 2.36%. It was designed by the government as a solution to offset the effects of the ROBOR index, which had been rising from one month to the next at the end of 2018.

     

    Parliament – The Parliament of Romania convenes on Tuesday in a joint meeting to mark 20 years since the country joined the North Atlantic Alliance and 75 years since the establishment of NATO. Parliament will adopt a declaration on this occasion. Also this week, the Chamber of Deputies is scheduled to give its final vote on a government bill introducing penalties for breaches of the EU regulation on the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases in appliances such as refrigerators or AC systems. The penalties may reach EUR 20,000 in fines, and 6-month to 3-year prison sentences. Deputies in the specialist committees are also to discuss as of this week new draft regulations on the compulsory motor insurance, stipulating fines 15 times higher than in the past for uninsured drivers and a ceiling of EUR 400 on self-paid car repairs. Also this week, the Senate is to discuss the merger of local elections with the European Parliament elections, scheduled for June 9th.

     

    Protests – The Romanian Post Workers’ Union went on an all-out strike on Monday, but the postal offices’ activity is taking place normally in most counties of Romania, as the management of the institution claims. The protesters demand an increase in salaries by a net amount of 400 lei (approx. 80 euros) and an increase in the loyalty bonus. They draw attention to the fact that the pay of 90% of the employees will be, as of this summer, at the level of the minimum wage. According to the authorities, it will increase to 3,700 lei (approx. 740 euros) from July 1. The company management announced that the demands of the employees are justified, but that there have already been significant salary increases. The Romanian Post is a national operator and is owned by the state.

     

    Drills – Joint exercises of the Moldovan, Romanian and American military are taking place in the Republic of Moldova until April 19. The Moldovan Defense Ministry announced that they would train, will exchange experience and increase the level of interoperability. The drills will take place in the training centers of the National Army of the Republic of Moldova.

     

    Visit – The special representative of the United States of America for the economic recovery of Ukraine, Penny Pritzker, arrives in Bucharest in two days. She will visit the UN Refugee Agency Center at the Romexpo Exhibition Compound, together with Romanian officials and the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec. She will talk about the life of refugees in Romania and their role in the reconstruction of Ukraine. At the same time, Penny Pritzker will meet with members of the Romanian Government and private sector leaders to discuss regional cooperation, including emergency energy assistance for Ukraine and the long-term benefits of infrastructure investments. (AMP, LS)

  • Radio Romania Awards Gala

    Radio Romania Awards Gala

    On November 1, Radio Romania celebrated 95 years since
    its first live broadcast. It happened in 1928, at 5 pm, when the announcement Hello,
    this is Radio Bucharest made by the then president of the Radio Telephonic
    Broadcasting Corporation, the physicist Dragomir Hurmuzescu, was first aired.




    This Wednesday, the moment of the first broadcast by
    the public radio was symbolically honoured at 5 pm in the first Radio Romania
    Gala, which awarded excellence in 12 fields, ranging from arts and culture,
    innovation and science, education, to multiculturalism and healthcare.




    In the categories Environment and Local Initiatives,
    the awards went to the foundation set up by the late great athlete Ivan
    Patzaichin. Coming on stage to receive the trophies was his daughter, Ivona
    Patzaichin:




    Ivona Patzaichin: This is a project started by my
    father, and called Pathfinders of the Waters. We have recently won a Europa
    Nostra award for the same project. It is one of our dearest projects, and we
    aim to teach children to use what they studied in school in building
    traditional canoes.




    In the Romania’s Ambassadors section, the winner was
    the conductor Cristian Măcelaru, while in the Arts and Culture section the
    award went to Constantin Chiriac, the director of the Sibiu International
    Theatre Festival:




    Constantin Chiriac: This is what Radio Romania
    has been doing for 95 years: saying good morning, good day, good night to all
    Romanians and all our friends in the world. Happy birthday, Radio Romania!


    The award for Innovation and Science went to Sergiu
    Paşca, a psychiatry and behavioural sciences professor at Stanford University,
    in the US. Tăşuleasa Association was honoured with an award in the
    Multiculturalism section, for its project Via Transilvanica.Another association, Dăruieşte Viaţă, was awarded
    twice for its efforts to build the first major child oncology hospital in
    Romania, financed exclusively from private funds and donations. And in the
    sports category, Radio Romania honoured David Popovici, the first Romanian
    swimmer to win a world title in the 100m freestyle event, and representing a
    new generation of Romanian swimming achievers.




    At the end of the gala, the president and director
    general of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation Răzvan Ioan Dincă introduced
    the Radio Romania app:

    Răzvan Ioan Dincă: Today we have launched the Radio
    Romania app, and I am told by those who created it, Radio Romania’s Digital
    Media team, that it has already been downloaded by over 1,000 people. So check
    out the app!




    The Radio Romania Gala also featured popular Romanian
    artists who performed music pieces rearranged especially for this event by the
    Radio Big Band. (AMP)

  • November 1, 2023 UPDATE

    November 1, 2023 UPDATE

    TAXATION Some of the new fiscal measures aimed
    at reducing the budget deficit in Romania came into force on Wednesday. Under
    the law for which the Government has assumed responsibility in Parliament, personnel
    in the IT sector will pay an income tax for amounts exceeding EUR 2,000 per month. Local
    public institutions and authorities cannot use public funds for the organisation
    of community events, such as festivals, concerts, local competitions or other
    themed celebrations. Other fiscal measures, such as the introduction of new
    taxes for SMEs and the payment of health insurance contributions for the value
    of meal vouchers, will take effect on January 1, 2024. The measures run counter
    to many entrepreneurs’ interests. At a conference on this topic, organised by
    the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, the participants argued that in
    order to contain the budget deficit, top priority measures should include combating
    tax evasion, improving revenue collection and improving the work of the Tax
    Office. The President of the Chamber, Mihai Daraban, said that the government
    now has more options available before attacking the business community.




    PENSIONS In Romania, a draft pensions law has been posted for public
    review on the Labour Ministry’s website. The document was approved by the
    ruling coalition, and the government is seeking to have it endorsed under an
    emergency procedure by the end of this month. Under the new legislation, all
    pension benefits will be adjusted to the annual inflation rate, and will be
    re-calculated based on a new formula. No benefits will be lower than they are
    at present, the PM Marcel Ciolacu promised after a meeting of the ruling
    coalition. The minimum contribution period will be 15 years, and the maximum
    period 35 years, with bonuses given for workplace stability. According to the
    Prime Minister, pensions will be raised in 2 stages next year, on January 1 and
    on September 1, respectively.






    DONATION The first F16 fighter jets that the
    Netherlands will donate to Ukraine will arrive at a training center set up in
    Romania in two weeks, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced. He emphasised
    that the current situation in the Middle East should not and will not be able
    to distract the Netherlands from the fight of the Ukrainians against the
    Russian aggression. Denmark, Norway and Belgium have also announced that they
    will supply Ukraine with F16 aircraft.




    FOOTBALL The match between the national
    football teams of Israel and Romania, in the EURO 2024 Qualifying Group I, will
    take place in Hungary, the Romanian football federation announced. The game
    will be played on November 18, in Felcsut, approximately 50 kilometers from
    Budapest. UEFA stated that the presence of spectators will be
    allowed. Previously, the organisation had decided to suspend all matches scheduled
    in Israel, because of the armed conflict there. After the match against Israel,
    Romania is to meet Switzerland, on November 21, in Bucharest. After eight
    games, Romania is undefeated and ranks first in the group, with 16 points.
    Switzerland (15 points) and Israel (11 points) have played one match and two
    matches less, respectively. The two top-ranking teams go to the final
    tournament in Germany. Romania has not reached a European championship final
    tournament since 2016, and a World Cup since 1998.




    RADIO Radio Romania celebrated 95 years of uninterrupted broadcasting.
    In recognition of the critical role that Radio Romania has in Romania’s
    history, in December 2019 Parliament decided to establish November 1 as the
    National Radio Day. Over three million people listen to Radio Romania every
    day. Public institutions, NGOs, major personalities in Romania’s arts and
    cultural scene have congratulated Radio Romania on the occasion. PM Marcel Ciolacu pointed
    out that for 95 years, the public radio broadcaster has been a source of
    information and education for generations of listeners, while the Senate
    speaker Nicolae Ciucă said that Radio Romania has been promoting Romanian
    traditions and values for nearly a century and deserves recognition for its
    efforts in this respect. The president of the Romanian Academy Ioan-Aurel Pop
    also congratulated the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, which, he said,
    has been a witness to all the milestones in Romanian history. In Timişoara,
    this year’s European Capital of Culture, the Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair takes
    place until November 5. On Friday, November 3, an anniversary concert of the
    National Radio Orchestra is scheduled, and between November 22 and 26, a new
    edition of the Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair, the longest-running project
    of its kind in the country, will be organised at the Romexpo exhibition centre
    in Bucharest. (AMP)

  • November 1, 2023

    November 1, 2023

    Measures – Part of the new fiscal measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit in Romania have come into force today. According to the law for which the Government has assumed responsibility in Parliament, those working in the IT field will pay the income tax for amounts exceeding 10,000 lei (the equivalent of 2,000 euros). Local public institutions and authorities cannot finance from budget funds the organization of community events, such as festivals, concerts, local competitions or other themed celebrations. Other fiscal measures, such as the introduction of new taxes for SMEs or the payment of the health insurance contribution for the value of meal vouchers, will take effect on January 1, 2024. The measures run counter to many business people’s interests. At a conference on this topic, organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, the participants argued that to limit the budget deficit, the priority measures should include combating tax evasion, improving revenue collection and improving the work of the Tax Office. The President of the Chamber, Mihai Daraban, said that the governors now have more options available before attacking the business environment.



    Donation – The first F16 fighter jets that the Netherlands will donate to Ukraine will arrive, in two weeks, at the training center created in Romania –the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced. He emphasized that the current situation in the Middle East should not and will not be able to distract the Netherlands from the fight of the Ukrainians against the Russian aggression. For their part, Denmark, Norway and Belgium have announced that they will supply Ukraine with F16 aircraft.



    Conflict – The ambassadors from the group of Arab states and of some member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had a meeting with the members of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Romanian Senate. The ambassador of Lebanon in Bucharest, Rana Mokaddem, thanked Romania for the humanitarian aid given to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip and warned that the conflict in the Middle East risks expanding. “We are here as if we represented Palestine in this situation, calling for a peaceful solution, but one that respects the dignity of the Palestinians. Palestine is a victim, from our point of view” – she said. Previously, the members of the Senate Foreign Policy Committee received Ella Haimi, the wife of the Romanian-Israeli citizen held hostage in the Gaza Strip. She also met with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and asked for help both for her husband and for the other hostages taken by Hamas terrorists. The Romanian Foreign Ministry informs that two other people with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, residing in Israel, who are hostages in the Gaza Strip, have been identified.



    Anniversary – Today, Radio Romania celebrates 95 years of uninterrupted broadcasting. In recognition of the determining role that Radio Romania has in Romanias history, Parliament decided, in December 2019, to establish November 1 as the National Radio Day. Over three million people listen to Radio Romania every day. Tonight, the Radio Romania Gala will take place at the Radio Hall, which will honor the moment of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation’s first transmission. In Timişoara, this years European Capital of Culture, the Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair will take place until November 5. Friday, November 3, the anniversary concert of the National Radio Orchestra is scheduled. Between November 22-26, a new edition of the Gaudeamus Radio Romania Fair, the longest-running project of its kind in the country, will be organized at the Romexpo Compound in Bucharest.



    Football – The match between the national football teams of Israel and Romania, from the EURO 2024 Qualifying Group I will take place in Hungary, the Romanian football federation announced on its official website. The game will be played on November 18, in Felcsut, approximately 50 kilometers from Budapest. UEFA stated that “the presence of spectators will be allowed”. Previously, the continental forum decided to suspend all scheduled matches in Israel, due to the armed conflict there. Apart from the match against Israel, Romania is to meet Switzerland, on November 21, in Bucharest. After eight games, Romania is undefeated and occupies first place in the group, with 16 points. Switzerland (15 points) and Israel (11 points) have one match and two matches respectively to play. The two top-ranking teams go to the final tournament in Germany. Romania has not reached a European football championship since 2016, and a World Cup since 1998. (LS)

  • September 21, 2023

    September 21, 2023

    ACCIDENT A
    criminal investigation was initiated with respect to the blast that occurred last
    night on a gas pipeline on the Moldova Motorway construction site in eastern
    Romania, in which four people died and 5 others were injured. Two men with burn
    wounds affecting 30% and 40% of their bodies, respectively, were transferred to hospitals in
    Bucharest. Prosecutors are investigating manslaughter and bodily harm offences,
    as well as failure to take or observe work safety measures. According to the
    Vrancea Emergency Inspectorate, the blast was caused by the construction works
    conducted in the vicinity of the pipeline, which was also carrying natural gas
    to the neighbouring Republic of Moldova.


    TAXES The
    Cabinet had a first discussion on the set of measures aimed at the long-term
    rebalancing of the state budget and at facilitating the absorption of tens of
    billions in EU funding. Apart from cutting down public
    spending, the bill focuses on fighting tax evasion, introduces taxes on large
    profits and wealth, and eliminates tax privileges. Ahead of the Cabinet meeting,
    the measures were discussed in the three-party Social Dialogue Council, which
    brings together government officials and representatives of employer
    associations and trade unions.


    UN The wider
    Black Sea area must be protected against the effects of Russia’s war against
    Ukraine, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in his address at the UN
    General Assembly in New York. The Romanian official added that his country
    would not let down its most vulnerable partners, and mentioned the transit of
    Ukrainian grain via Romania, a topic he also approached in talks with the
    president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of the European
    Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister, Mariya
    Gabriel. President Iohannis also said Romania was concerned with the effects of
    climate change, of pollution, of energy insecurity, and is making visible
    efforts to fight them. According to him, climate education is a priority for
    Romania, and the climate-security interconnection should rank higher on the UN
    agenda. Stay tuned for more details on the Romanian president’s address at the
    UN after the news.


    WHEAT Egypt’s General
    Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) announced having purchased 120,000
    tonnes of wheat from Romania in an international purchasing tender, Reuters
    reports. GASC also said that since early June Cairo has imported approx. 2.14
    million tonnes of wheat, mainly from Russia (1.5 million tonnes) and Romania
    (420,000 tonnes). Egypt is the world’s largest wheat buyer, mainly for its
    national bread subsidy programme benefiting more than 70 million of its 103
    million citizens.


    BUCHAREST The
    Romanian capital city is celebrating these days 564 years since its first
    mention in official documents. Maps, plans, archive images and 3-dimensional
    scale models showcasing the 19th Century history of the city are
    displayed in an exhibition opened until Sunday at the ARCUB Cultural Centre. On
    Saturday, around 200 arts high school students will dance in front of the
    National History Museum of Romania, and the music of old-time Bucharest will be
    performed in the George Enescu Festival Square in front of the Romanian
    Athenaeum. (AMP)

  • September 13, 2021 UPDATE

    September 13, 2021 UPDATE

    School year — Almost 3 million school and preschool pupils started a new school year in Romania on Monday. The school year has 34 weeks, being divided into two semesters and it will end on June 11, 2022. On the first school day, festivities were allowed with the participation of parents, the wearing of protective masks and keeping the physical distance from other participants being mandatory. However, there are also children who cannot attend school physically, because, in several localities, the COVID-19 infection rate exceeded 6 cases per thousand inhabitants, and also because the schools where they study were not repaired. The Education Minister, Sorin Cîmpeanu, expressed hope that important progress would be made in relation to pupils’ vaccination after the beginning of school, given that the authorities showed availability to organize mobile teams to bring vaccination closer to schools.



    Partnership — The Romanian FM Bogdan Aurescu on Monday hailed the 10th anniversary of the conclusion of the Romania-US Strategic Partnership, as well as of the Agreement on the installation of an anti-missile system in Romania. In his turn, the charge daffaires of the US Embassy in Bucharest, David Muniz, pointed out that Romania fought side by side with America and the other allied forces in some of the toughest theaters of operations in the world. “Through their actions, the Romanian military brought peace to the affected areas and protected the vulnerable from forces that would have treated them like prey,” said David Muniz. He added that Romania remained an essential link in the NATO anti-missile defense chain.



    Covid-19 — Almost 1,850 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Romania on Monday, out of more than 22,000 tests. In addition, another 46 deaths were reported in patients infected with the novel coronavirus. At least 5,280 people infected with COVID-19 are hospitalized. There are now over 630 patients in intensive care. Romania has 860 intensive care beds for Covid patients, and the authorities are looking to increase their number. 5.2 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated, which means one third of the eligible population.



    Investigation – A Romanian Parliament committee will start this week investigating the increase in energy prices. The commission was set up with the support of all parliamentary groups, in the context of an increase of more than 20%, over the summer, in energy prices and amid fears that financial pressure on households will increase substantially in the cold season. A National Institute of Statistics analysis shows that more than one million families could not afford to pay their electricity and gas bills even when the energy prices were regulated. The authorities have recently approved the Vulnerable Consumer Law, but experts believe this is not enough.



    Firefighters’ Day – On Monday, President Klaus Iohannis decorated the Battle Flag of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Bucharest and the commanders of the units that acted, this summer, to put out the fires in Greece, as part a ceremony on the occasion of Firefighters Day, marked, every year, on September 13th. At the same time, President Iohannis handed over battle flags to 11 County Emergency Inspectorates in sign of appreciation for the devotion and spirit of sacrifice of the Romanian rescuers in fulfilling the missions of protecting the citizens and the community. In turn, the PM Florin Cîţu congratulated the firefighters and spoke about their dedication and professionalism.



    Pope – Pope Francis is on an official visit to Slovakia until Wednesday. After a meeting with members of the Jewish community, including Holocaust survivors, he will travel, on Tuesday, to the poorest regions of Slovakia, where he will have talks with representatives of the Roma community, and on Wednesday he will hold a religious service in Bratislava in the open air. Earlier, Pope Francis paid a brief visit to Budapest, where he pleaded for openness towards our fellows during his discussion with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is known for his anti-immigration policies.



    Film – The film “Immaculate”, directed by Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark, won the “Leone del Futuro” film debut award at the 78th edition of the Venice International Film Festival. The production, presented for the first time in the world, features Ana Dumitraşcu, Vasile Pavel and Cezar Grumăzescu in the main roles. Monica Stan received an award also for the screenplay of the film “Immaculate” in the section dedicated to authors under the age of 40. The two filmmakers also won the best director award in a parallel section, entitled “Authors Days”, created after the “Directors Week” section of the Cannes Film Festival. The Venice Film Festival ended on September 11th. (LS)

  • The Village Museum Days

    The Village Museum Days

    The week of May 10, a sanctuary of quiet, nature, tradition and culture, the “Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum in Bucharest, hosted events, exhibitions and fairs to mark the Village Museum Days, 85 years since the institution was established.



    The museum was opened on 10 May 1936, in the presence of King Carol II, and since then it has been one of the citys major tourist attractions. The motivation for setting up an outdoor museum was the importance of the village, of rural traditions and craftsmanship in Romanian culture.



    On the banks of Herăstrău lake in Bucharest, many genuine households and installations, the oldest one built in the 17th century, have been reassembled here, after having been brought to the city by train, cart or boat—an extraordinary effort that gave birth to the museum. We talked to the museum manager Paulina Popoiu, Ph.D., about the anniversary:



    Paulina Popoiu: “We organised these “museum days activities, and devoted about one week in May to the Village Museum, precisely in order to mark this anniversary and to celebrate its founders. Obviously, because of the pandemic the celebration is a little smaller in scale than the events we organised on the 80th anniversary, but this is natural given the circumstances. Even so, I should say there was plenty to see and do, and there were a lot of surprises. For the first time, we introduced the official title of “honorary ambassador of the Village Museum, to reward those who, one way or another, have contributed either to the development of the museum, or to promoting it in the country or abroad. I hope we will continue to give this title until the museums 100th anniversary.



    Mrs. Paulina Popoiu gave us a few details about the beginnings of the museum and about the exhibitions focusing on that period:



    Paulina Popoiu: “Perhaps what I should begin with is that all these events were held under the motto “The Museum and the Royal House. Why? Because the founding and existence of the Village Museum is closely connected to the Royal House, which at the time of the establishment of the museum provided both financial and moral support to the research conducted by Dimitrie Gusti and the Bucharest sociology school in the over 600 villages of Romania, and the “Prince Carol Foundations contributed significantly to the birth of the museum. So we think of the museum as a royal establishment, and it was only natural to remind the people that we also celebrate 100 years since the birth of King Michael, who was a great friend of the museum in his later years and whom we would meet in the morning on the alleys here. There was an exhibition opened on 10 of May, a symbolic day because it is the day of the Romanian Royal House and because it follows the celebration of Romanias independence and Europe Day on 9 May. This series of events are beautifully connected, and the Village Museum is an important character in this story. This exhibition called “The Museum and the Royal House presents the life of King Michael and the life of the museum. We worked with the National Archives and the Royal House and we included archive photos and several items that belonged to King Michael. To recreate the atmosphere of 1936, we brought here vintage cars, really outstanding and well worth seeing cars. Also, for 7 days we had ladies and gentlemen wearing period costumes borrowed from the National Theatre in Bucharest, in an attempt to recreate the urban atmosphere in which the Village Museum was set up. I think it is very interesting that this museum of the village and of traditional civilisation is located at the heart of the capital city, Bucharest. In a way, the Village Museum is the beating heart of this great city, because it showcases identity values, the values created over the centuries by Romanian peasants, and the houses here are a present for us from generations and generations of peasants.



    At the end of our dialogue, the manager of the “Dimitrie Gusti Village Museum, Paulina Popoiu, was proud to tell us about the interest shown by tourists for this special place in Bucharest:



    Paulina Popoiu: “It is worth noting that before the pandemic the museum had 910,000 visitors a year, many of them foreigners. There even was a year when we had more than half a million of foreign tourists coming here. So I would call the Village Museum the ambassador of Romania worldwide, and I hope after this difficult period is over we will pick up where we left off. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • The 140th anniversary of the birth of Dimitrie Gusti

    The 140th anniversary of the birth of Dimitrie Gusti

    The Romanian Academy has held a special conference to pay tribute to Dimitrie Gusti on the 140th anniversary of his birth. The founder of the School of Sociology in Bucharest, Gusti was a magnet for prominent figures such as Mircea Vulcanescu, who drafted the theoretical foundation of the sociological system, HH Stahl, another remarkable sociologist, as well as the likes of Anton Golopentia, Constantin Brailoiu, Mihai Pop and Pompiliu Caraion.



    Dimitrie Gusti was the creator of an original sociological system that was recognised internationally, as well as an excellent manager of cultural institutions. He studied philosophy in Germany, earning his doctoral title in 1904, and later also studied law. He then returned to Romania and in 1910 joined the staff of the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy of the Iasi University. He became a member of the Romanian Academy in 1919 and between 1944 and 1946 was also the president of this institution. He also served as minister of education, culture and the arts between 1932 and 1933 and taught at the University of Bucharest and Iasi.



    Nicu Gavriluta, from the Faculty of Philosophy and Social and Political Science in Iasi, says Dimitrie Gusti was always in tune with his times:



    Nicu Gavriluta: “Dimitrie Gusti embraced the ideas of his times. Being a pupil of Wilhelm Wundt, a German psychologist and philosopher, Gusti was bound to be interested in the famous controversy between nature and spirit; natural sciences versus the sciences of the spirit. Wundt’s answer is based on the individual or social psyche, while Dimitrie Gusti said society is the sui generis reality that can explain and mediate between the two worlds. Society, Gusti proposed, must be analysed in a complex and subtle manner. This is why he placed emphasis on the frames of research. We all know that some of these frames are social par excellence, the psychological and historical frames for example. However, two other frames, the cosmological or cosmic and the biological are extra-social. Because they are extra-social, the researcher must then go out and do fieldwork and see reality for what it is. So he did, he went out and travelled through the countryside.”



    Between 1925 and 1948, Dimitrie Gusti initiated and coordinated the monographic research of Romanian villages. Also, thanks to his efforts, social service was regulated by law in 1939. Sociological research combined with practical social action and social pedagogy was laid down in law for the first time in the world. Gusti is also known for his interviews carried out in the rural areas and in which he documented aspects from the daily lives of the people in those days:



    Nicu Gavriluta: “A thorough, precise, accurate examination of reality is a compulsory element in sociological research, and its importance is undeniable even today. On the other hand, if we want to understand the more profound layers of the social system, we need to go into the invisible dimension of social reality, into those elements handed down from one generation to the next and which continue to shape a community’s thinking and behaviour in fundamental ways. And Dimitrie Gusti, as a disciple of Durkheim, relied on the idea that social reality is a system of meaningful human acts, and strived to identify meanings and interpretations. He also believed that that the original meanings of such acts disappear over time, and are replaced by other, equally important values that are created by society collectively.”



    Zoltan Rostas, a sociologist and researcher with the “Gusti Co-operative,” coordinates a team that works to promote an accurate image of Gusti’s complex personality:



    Zoltan Rostas: “The Gusti case is still open, and requires a different approach. We believe that researching and rediscovering professor Gusti’s legacy is the true tribute to his personality. And this is easier said than done, because, although we have access to information and to his works as part of Romania’s recent history, we risk getting stuck with a subjective, superficial and incomplete view on his personality. We can only discover Gusti if we discover the world in which he lived. So our path is a return to the roots of his biography and to the exact contexts that help us understand the forces that contributed to the birth of Gusti’s sociological theory.”



    The “Gusti Co-operative” is an online platform mainly designed to make available social history works and testimonies on the Bucharest School of Sociology and on social science in Romania. The initiator of the project is sociologist Zoltan Rostas.


    (translated by: Cristina Mateescu, Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope John Paul II

    100th anniversary of the birth of Pope John Paul II


    For Christian Catholics and
    perhaps other denominations as well, 18th May is a special day. St. Peter’s
    Basilica in the Vatican, which, like many churches across Europe, had been closed
    because of the coronavirus pandemic, opened its doors for the celebration of
    Mass at John Paul II’s tomb to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth
    of the former pope. From heaven
    he continues to intercede for the People of God and peace in the world,
    said the current pontiff Francis about the most popular pope in history.




    John Paul II was born Karol
    Josef Wojtyla in 1920 near Cracow, in Poland. He was ordained in 1946 after finishing
    his university theological studies. In 1948 he was awarded a doctoral title in
    theology from the Angelicum University in the Vatican and in 1964 was appointed
    archbishop of Cracow, before being made a cardinal three years later. On 16th
    October 1978, after the death of John Paul I, the papal conclave elected Karol
    Josef Wojtyla as the 263rd successor of Saint Peter, making him the
    first Polish pope in history and the first non-Italian pope since 1522. His tenure
    as head of the Catholic Church and bishop of Rome began officially on 22nd
    October 1978.




    An outstanding figure, Pope John Paul II dedicated his
    reign to campaigning for a better world and promoting understanding between people
    and peace. He advocated for closer relations between the sister churches, the
    Orthodox and the Catholic Churches, and was the first pontiff in history since
    the Great Schism of 1504 to visit a majority Orthodox country, Romania. This extraordinary
    ecumenical event took place between 7th and 9th May 1999
    in response to an invitation from the then head of the Romanian Orthodox Church,
    patriarch Teoctist. Pope John Paul II was also the first head of the Catholic
    Church to travel to Israel and visit a synagogue, as well as the first to enter
    a mosque. He was vocal against totalitarian regimes and also got involved in
    causes and conflicts with political connotations from across the world.




    He made over 100 pastoral trips outside of Italy and
    almost 150 in Italy, he saw almost 18 million believers during general
    audiences and as head of state made 38 official visits. He was chosen The Personality
    of the Year by Radio Romania International’s listeners twice. After 27 years in
    office, John Paul II died on 2nd April 2005 and was buried six days
    later in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica. He was beatified in 2011 and
    canonised in 2014. His famous words Be not afraid are still very much topical
    today. (CM)



  • May 8, 2020

    May 8, 2020

    Economy.
    A meeting was held in Bucharest today to assess the economic situation in the
    context of the crisis generated by the Covid-19 outbreak. President Klaus
    Iohannis had talks with prime minister Ludovic Orban, the governor of the
    National Bank Mugur Isarescu and the finance minister Florin Citu. After the meeting, president Klaus Iohannis said he was optimistic about the
    country’s economy and that solutions were found to tackle the current challenges.
    There exist programmes, solutions to finance the deficit, to achieve economic
    recovery and we believe that if we do things right, as we intend to, then Romania’s
    economy stands good chances of recovery and of getting out soon of the unpleasant,
    crisis situation it is now facing, he said. Also today, the government is expected to submit draft legislation to
    regulate the transition from the state of emergency to the state of alert after
    15th May. The proposals in question will also be subject to public
    debate so that companies and employers targeted by the lifting of restrictions
    may be able to voice their opinions. In the meantime, public health and work
    safety experts are finalising a set of specific norms to be implemented by each
    sector for work to be resumed.






    Pandemic Romania. Ten more people infected with the novel coronavirus have died in Romania, taking the death toll to 898. The
    number of confirmed cases passes 14,800, while more than 6,400 people have
    recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, number of infections reaches 2,444,
    mostly reported in Italy and Spain, while the death toll is 96.


    Pandemic world. The number of
    infections worldwide passes 3.9 million, while the death toll is 270,000.
    The United States is the worst hit country in the world, with 2,400 deaths reported in 24
    hours, taking the death toll to more than 75,500. The UK is the worst
    hit country in Europe, with over 30,000 deaths, followed by Italy, Spain,
    France and Germany. Russia, where 10,000 new cases were reported in the last 24
    hours, is now fifth in the world in terms of the number of infections, with
    over 187,000, overtaking Germany and France. In another move, restrictions
    are being eased in Norway and Denmark, where schools and shopping centres are
    reopening.




    VE Day. Romania’s foreign minister
    Bogdan Aurescu is today attending, via video conference, an informal meting of
    the UN Security Council to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of
    WWII in Europe. On Thursday, the foreign ministers of nine European countries,
    including Romania, as well as the United States signed a joint declaration on
    this anniversary in which they paid tribute to the victims of war and the
    soldiers who fought to defeat Nazi Germany and put an end to the Holocaust.
    Because of the coronavirus restrictions, European states are holding low-key events
    to mark Victory in Europe Day.




    EU funding. The European Union has
    approved 750 million euros to be made available to small and medium sized
    enterprises in Romania, on top of co-funding from the Romanian state and
    possible contributions from the beneficiaries, leading to a total intervention
    sum of 1 billion euros, said the minister for European funds Marcel Bolos. The
    way in which these funds may be accessed will be finalised soon, with four
    options currently on the table, the minister added.




    Republic of Moldova. The
    Constitutional Court in the Republic of Moldova has cancelled the agreement for
    a loan from the Russian Federation worth 200 million euros. The ruling has been
    criticised by president Igor Dodon, who accused the Court of political bias, while
    the opposition has praised the Court’s judges for giving a fair ruling despite
    the pressures that were put on them. The agreement in question had been
    ratified by Parliament with the votes of the Party of Socialists and the
    Democratic Party. The opposition warned, however, that the agreement with
    Moscow would have allowed Moldova’s debts to also include the debt accumulated
    by the break-away region of Transnistria for the gas delivered by Russia and
    amounting to 6.5 billion dollars. (CM)

  • 25 November 2019

    25 November 2019

    Elections. The incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, backed by the ruling
    National Liberal Party, has won a runoff vote against the former Social
    Democratic prime minister Viorica Dancila. After the counting of 99.67% of the
    ballots cast on Sunday in Romania, Iohannis won 65.88% of the votes, while his
    rival won 34.12%. Voter turnout was around 50% in Romania, 2% more than in the
    first round. Abroad, where the voting process took place over the course of
    three days, 944,000 voters cast their ballots, which is a record figure. The
    biggest turnout was registered in Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain and the
    Republic of Moldova.




    Economy.
    Romania’s economic growth rate is projected to slow down to 3.2% in 2020 and go
    up to 3.7% in 2021 according to the latest estimates of the Organisation for
    Economic Cooperation and Development. Its report expects the trade deficit to
    continue to grow because of weak foreign demand and lower low price
    competitiveness. Investment growth is expected to remain at a moderate pace,
    supported by a higher absorption of European funds. According to the OECD
    report, the budget deficit is projected to grow over the next two years. The organisation’s
    experts say that in order to reduce budget deficit, the government should
    reconsider the scope and timetable of pension reform. Otherwise, spending cuts
    may be necessary in priority areas such as education, healthcare and
    infrastructure. The pension reform is expected to increase budget spending by
    2% of the GDP by 2021.




    Trial. The Bucharest
    Tribunal is today hearing the closing arguments in the Colectiv trial, four
    years after a devastating fire at a Bucharest nightclub. On trial among others
    are the mayor of the Bucharest sector in which the club was located, Cristian
    Popescu, and the club’s owners. The trial into the tragedy at Colectiv
    nightclub began in April 2016. After two years of delays based on procedural
    issues, the magistrate in charge of the case retired. The new judge sped up the
    hearings, setting weekly court dates. 64 people were killed in the fire, one
    committed suicide because of the trauma, and almost 200 suffered injuries.




    Anniversary. Bucharest celebrates
    today 100 years of parliamentary tradition in united Romania. In 1919,
    precisely one year after the achievement of the Great Union, the first
    Parliament of Greater Romania held its first session. The result of elections
    held for the first time in a state that brought together almost all territories
    that had been inhabited by a majority Romanian population, that first
    parliament brought together an impressive host of prominent figures. The
    Romanian Academy is holding a special event today to mark this anniversary.




    European Commission. The European Parliament meets in plenary session in
    Strasbourg. The main topic on its agenda is voting on the membership and
    programme of the future European Commission. Ursula von der Leyen, who was
    designated president of the Commission in July, is presenting her team and her
    Commission’s programme. MEPs will vote following a debate. If it wins a simple
    majority of votes, the European Commission will begin work on the 1st
    of December. The vote in the European Parliament brings to an end a long
    process of careful examination of each commissioner proposed.




    Pope visit. On a visit to Japan, pope Francis met emperor Naruhito, with
    whom he talked about the environment. Earlier, the pope met the survivors of
    the earthquake and tsunami that hit north-eastern Japan in March 2011, in which
    18,500 people were killed and were followed by a nuclear disaster at Fukushima.
    The pontiff voiced concern about the sources of energy of the future,
    referencing a call by Japanese Catholic bishops for an end to nuclear energy.
    Another goal of the pope’s trip to Japan is to provide support for the Catholic
    community in this country, where only 1% of the population identifies as Christian,
    half of them Catholics. This is the first visit by a pope to Japan in the last
    38 years and the second in history.