Radio România Internațional

Tag: Army Day

  • October 25, 2021 UPDATE

    October 25, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 – Romania on Monday reported over 9,000 new Covid cases and a further 301 related fatalities as new restrictions came into place on Monday. Face mask wearing is mandatory in both enclosed and outdoor spaces and access to most public spaces requires the Covid green pass. Night-time movement is banned for people who are not fully vaccinated and kindergartens and schools are on an unplanned two-week holiday.

    ARMY DAY – The army remains a solid landmark and enjoys public trust, contributing to maintaining the stability needed to develop Romanian society, said president Klaus Iohannis on Monday at an event marking Army Day. He thanked all those who served their country and emphasized that the professionalism and commitment shown by the military in theatres of operation contributed to Romania’s Euro-Atlantic and European path and to the consolidation of its solid Strategic Partnership with the United States. Low-key festivities were held on Monday to celebrate Army Day, including an event outside the WWII Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Bucharest, with Romanian Air Force planes conducting a flypast. Similar events are taking place at memorials in honor of Romanian soldiers in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Hungary. According to defense ministry figures, more than 90,000 Romanian soldiers were killed, almost 60,000 reported missing in action and more than 330,000 wounded in combat in WWII.

    KING MICHAEL – Various events on Monday marked a century since the birth of Romania’s last sovereign, King Michael I. He was the last of the four monarchs of the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen to be crowned king of Romania. Born October 25, 1921, Michael ascended to the throne in 1940 after his father, the unpopular king Charles II, stepped down. On August 23, 1944, during WWII, King Michael I had Marshal Ion Antonescu arrested, the de facto ruler of Romania and ordered Romania break ties with Nazi Germany and enter the war on the side of its traditional allies, the United States and Great Britain, a decision historians say shortened the war by at least six months, helping save hundreds of thousands of lives. Three years later, when the country was under Soviet military rule, led by the communist regime, King Michael was forced to abdicate and flee the country. In exile, he supported the actions of the Romanian National Committee, seen as a government in exile, although Western democracies never recognized its status. The Monarch returned to Romania after the 1989 revolution, regaining Romanian citizenship along with part of his properties seized by the communists. King Michael I lobbied for Romania’s NATO and EU accession. He passed away on December 5, 2017. His eldest daughter, Princess Margaret, is King Michael’s successor at the helm of the Royal House and Custodian of the Crown.

    POLITICS – Monday’s round of talks aimed at securing support for a minority government made up of the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union and Ethnic Hungarians in Romania yielded no result. Prime Minister designate Nicolae Ciucă says the governing program is ready, although he hasn’t made it public. The Liberal official met with representatives of Save Romania Union, who again refused to support a minority government. USR president Dacian Cioloş pleaded for restoring the ruling coalition with PNL and UDMR. PNL leader and acting Prime Minister, Florin Cîţu, reiterated the responsibility of overcoming the political deadlock rests with USR and PSD, which together with AUR voted the no-confidence motion against the Cîţu Cabinet on October 5. The Prime Minister has until the end the week to present Parliament with a governing program and a list of ministers.

    MOLDOVA – The Republic of Moldova will call on Russia to set a fair tariff for natural gas imports, Moldova’s deputy Prime Minister, Andrei Spânu said on Monday, adding that negotiations would continue in Saint Petersburg on October 26, when he is to meet the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller. Russia too says the dialogue with the Republic of Moldova in the field of energy must continue, although president Vladimir Putin has no intention of continuing discussing this topic with the current administration in Chişinău, the Kremlin spokesman, Dimtry Peskov said. Gazprom has threatened the Republic of Moldova of suspending its natural gas deliveries to this country starting December 1 unless the government in Chişinău pays in full its debt, which now stands at 709 million USD, including penalties. Chişinău has called for an extension of the contract with Gazprom, although at a lower price. Moldova currently pays 790 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, give times higher than the average paid last year.

    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, former world no. 1, went up 1 place in WTA standings, now ranking 18th as of this week. Romanian-born Emma Răducanu, this year’s winner at US Open, also climbed up 1 spot to 23rd place. Sorana Cîrstea is ranked 38th, Irina Begu is now in 57th place, while Gabriela Ruse is ranked 85th. In women’s doubles, Raluca Olaru is ranked 36th, Monica Niculescu 39th and Irina Begu 65th. Raluca Olaru and Nadia Kicenok may qualify to the women’s WTA finals, now ranking 11th in WTA Race. (CM & VP)

  • October 25, 2018 UPDATE

    October 25, 2018 UPDATE

    ARMY DAY – The Romanian Army Day was celebrated on Thursday in all
    garrisons in the country, in the countries where Bucharest has accredited
    military attaches and in all military bases and theatres of operations where
    Romanian military are dispatched. Efforts must continue to modernize the army
    in line with NATO standards, President Klaus Iohannis has said, adding that the
    Defense Ministry should make transparent use of the 2% of the GDP it has been
    allotted. The President said Romania is an important pillar of stability in the
    region and a reliable NATO and EU partner. The army is a fundamental state
    institution contributing to Romania’s credibility worldwide, Prime Minister
    Viorica Dancila also said. In turn, Defense Minister Mihai Fifor said the Romanian
    Army Day is an important landmark, not only in the military traditions
    timetable, but also for the entire nation. According to him, thanks to the
    ultimate sacrifice made by its heroes, Romania was among the independent states
    of Europe in the late 19th century, and the descendants of these
    brave people, made possible the creation of the Romanian unitary state, on
    December 1, 1918. Also on Thursday, 633 Romanian military who fell in the line
    of duty in Stalingrad were reburied in the Romanian Memorial Cemetery in
    Rossoshka, in the Russian Federation. The earthy remains of 1,644 Romanian
    military who died in the line of duty in the toughest battle of the past
    century were entombed in this memorial cemetery, laid out in 2015.




    PROSECUTOR GENERAL – The prosecutors’ section of the Superior Council
    of Magistracy has announced that it will hear Romania’s Prosecutor General,
    Augustin Lazar, on November 13, before expressing an opinion on the decision
    made by the justice minister Tudorel Toader, to initiate the procedure to
    remove Lazar from office. The opinion issued by the Superior Council of
    Magistracy is only consultative, as the Prosecutor General is nominated and
    sacked by the President of Romania. Toader is accusing Lazar mostly of failing
    to comply with his legal duties. Lazar says however that observing
    constitutional principles and values has always been the underlying principle
    of all the decisions he has made. President Iohannis said he appreciates the
    activity of the prosecutor general and says Toader’s decision is inadequate and
    bound to undermine trust in the system and stir the concern of Romania’s
    European partners. The President also called for Toader’s resignation.




    NATO EXERCISE – NATO is carrying out in
    Norway the biggest military exercise since the end of the Cold War. Trident Juncture 18 will
    involve around 50,000 personnel from NATO Allies and partner countries, about
    250 aircraft, 65 vessels and up to 10,000 vehicles. It takes place from October
    25 to November 7 in central and eastern Norway, the surrounding areas of the
    North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, including Iceland and the airspace of
    Finland and Sweden, Reuters reports. NATO Secretary General, Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, said the security climate has
    significantly deteriorated in Europe over the past few years. He said that
    Trident Juncture will send a clear message that NATO does not look for
    confrontation, but is ready to defend all its allies from all threats. The
    spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, criticized in
    early October what she called the sound of arms.




    BALLISTIC – The European countries
    which are hosting US missile systems will become Russia’s targets in the event
    of a war- Russian president Vladimir Putin has warned against the backdrop of
    the Trump Administration’s announcement to withdraw the US from the
    Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The White House leader claims Russia
    has violated the Treaty. In response, the Putin Administration has repeatedly
    said that the ballistic systems placed by the US in Europe, including Romania,
    are violations of the agreement. In response, the Romanian Foreign Ministry
    says the reference to the Deveselu antiballistic shield is irrelevant in the
    context of the Treaty, given that this system is not part of it. The Ministry
    recalls that the anti-ballistic shield is purely defensive and represents a
    response to current threats, also observing international commitments. Russia
    has received all assurances and explanations both from Romania and NATO in that
    respect, the Ministry also writes.




    AMCHAM – President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday received a delegation
    of the American Chamber of Commerce in the EU, discussing aspects about
    bilateral relations between Romania and the United States, the EU-US
    trans-Atlantic partnership, as well as Romania’s presidency of the European
    Council in 2019. Tlaks also focused on Brexit and the business environment.
    President Iohannis said Romania’s Strategic Partnership with the US is key to
    the security and prosperity of both countries, while trade and investment play
    an important role. AmCham EU is an organization representing the interests of
    150 US businesses in Europe.




    NOMINATION – University Professor Nicolae Hurduc was nominated by
    Prime Minister Viorica Dancila to fill the position of Minister of Research.
    Hurduc is the dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environment
    Protection with the Gheorghe Asachi University in Iasi and is known as the
    most reputed researchers in the field of macro-molecular chemistry. He is also
    one of Romania’s three representatives in the European Organization for Nuclear
    Research. We recall the outgoing Minister of Research and Innovation, Nicolae
    Burnete, resigned on August 31.




    (Translated
    by D. Vijeu & V. Palcu)

  • October 25, 2018

    October 25, 2018

    ARMY DAY — The Romanian Army Day is today celebrated by all garrisons in the country, in the countries where Bucharest has accredited military attaches and in all military bases and theatres of operations where Romanian military are dispatched. Also today, 633 Romanian military who fell in the line of duty in Stalingrad are reburied in the Romanian Memorial Cemetery in Rossoshka, in the Russian Federation. The earthy remains of 1,644 Romanian military who died in the line of duty in the toughest battle of the past century were entombed in this memorial cemetery, laid out in 2015. The Romanian Army Day is an important landmark, not only in the military traditions timetable, but also for the entire nation, Romanian defence minister, Mihai Fifor, has said. According to him, thanks to the ultimate sacrifice made by its heroes, Romania was among the independent states of Europe in the late 19th century, and the descendants of these brave people, made possible the creation of the Romanian unitary state, on December 1, 1918. Mihai Fifor has said the courage of those injured while on international missions or when carrying out actions across the country in the past two decades will never be forgotten.



    PROSECUTOR GENERAL — The prosecutors section of the Superior Council of Magistracy has announced that it will hear Romania’s Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, on November 13, before expressing an opinion on the decision made by the justice minister Tudorel Toader, to initiate the procedure to remove Lazar from office. The opinion issued by the Superior Council of Magistracy is only a consultative one, as the Prosecutor General is nominated and sacked by the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis. Toader is accusing Lazar mostly of failing to comply with his legal duties. Lazar says however that observing constitutional principles and values has always been the underlying principle of all the decisions he has made.



    NATO DRILLS — NATO is today carrying out in Norway the biggest military drills since the end of the Cold War. “Trident Juncture 18 will involve around 50,000 personnel from NATO Allies and partner countries, about 250 aircraft, 65 vessels and up to 10,000 vehicles. It takes place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 7 in central and eastern Norway, the surrounding areas of the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, including Iceland and the airspace of Finland and Sweden”, Reuters reports. NATO Secretary General, Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, said the security climate has significantly deteriorated in Europe over the past few years. He said that Trident Juncture will send a clear message that NATO does not look for confrontation, but it is ready to defend all its allies from all threats. The spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, criticized in early October what she called the sound of arms.



    BALLISTIC — The European countries which are hosting US missile systems will become Russia’s targets in the event of a war- Russian president Vladimir Putin has warned against the backdrop of the Trump Administration’s announcement to withdraw the US from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The White House leader claims Russia has violated the Treaty. In response, the Putin Administration has repeatedly said that the ballistic systems placed by the US in Europe, including Romania, are violations of the agreement.



    DST — Romania will revert to winter time on Saturday to Sunday night. Clocks will be shifted back, and 4.00 o’clock will become 3 o’clock, local time. Consequently October 28 will have 25 hours and will be the longest day of the year. The move is meant to balance the practice of setting the clocks forward 1 hour from standard time during the summer months, in order to make better use of natural daylight and reduce the consumption of electricity. The passenger division of the Romanian Railway Company, CFR Călători, has announced the train timetable will not be changed, following the clock shift. Considering that the shift is made simultaneously in all the neighboring countries on the same day, October 28, trains will be running according to the timetable between the border stations with the Republic of Moldova, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Ukraine.

  • October 25, 2017 UPDATE

    October 25, 2017 UPDATE

    ARMY DAY – It is essential to ensure the necessary equipment for the Romanian Army, and the funds earmarked to this end must be spent efficiently, President Klaus Iohannis said on Romanian Army Day celebrated on Wednesday. He pointed out that at present Romania looks more confidently towards the future thanks to its NATO and EU membership and to the strength of its partnership with the US, which he described as valuable, efficient and pragmatic. On Romanian Army Day, the national flag was flown at the headquarters of military institutions and on board Romanian vessels, and ceremonies and commemorations were held in all garrisons in the country and in the countries were Romania has accredited military attaches. Special ceremonies were organized in Carei (north-west), the last Romanian town freed from Hungarian occupation in World War II, 73 years ago. According to historians, the Romanian troops deliberately waited for the day of October 25 to launch the final attack, so as to dedicate the victory to King Mihai I on his birthday.




    JUDICIARY – The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader Wednesday presented the bill modifying the laws on the judiciary to the special committee in Parliament. He emphasised that as far as the appointment of high-ranking prosecutors is concerned, the Ministry expected an opinion from the Venice Commission on this aspect. Minister Toader also announced his proposal to make the judicial inspection corps an autonomous institution, subordinated to neither the Higher Council of Magistrates not to the Justice Ministry, and mentioned that a special law must be endorsed within 6 months, to regulate the status of that institution. Also, in terms of the liability of magistrates, the Justice Minister said judges would be subject to pecuniary liability for errors made in bad faith. The ruling coalition decided last week that the bill modifying the laws on the judiciary should be tabled as a parliamentary initiative rather than a government draft law. Next week the bill will be discussed by the special parliamentary committee, and then it will be send to the Chamber of Deputies. The decision-making body for this law is the Senate.




    KING MIHAI I – King Mihai I of Romania turned 96 on Wednesday, and had a private birthday celebration at his residence in Switzerland. On behalf of Romanias former sovereign, Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, decorated Romanian and foreign personalities and collaborators of the Romanian Royal House, in a ceremony in Bucharest. On Wednesday evening the Romanian Athenaeum hosted the 10th annual concert organised by the charity Princess Margareta of Romania. King Mihai I is suffering from two severe forms of cancer, and last spring he withdrew from public life. In 1947, only 7 years after taking the throne, Mihai I was forced by the communist regime to abdicate and to leave the country. He was only able to return to Romania after the 1989 anti-communist Revolution, and he regained his Romanian citizenship and some of his estate. King Mihai I lobbied for Romanias NATO and EU accession, as a special ambassador.




    OLYMPIAD – The city of Cluj-Napoca, in north-western Romania, will host between July 3rd and 14th next year the International Mathematical Olympiad, the Romanian Education Ministry has announced. Expected to take part in the prestigious competition organized for the 4th time in Romania, are around 600 students from more than 100 countries. The International Mathematical Olympiad was launched by Romania in 1959, and the first editions only involved participants from the former Communist bloc countries. The first Western country took part in the 1969 edition, and since the 1970s the number of Western participants has increased. Romania holds the record as a host country, having organized the 1969, 1979 and 1999 editions. Romania and Bulgaria are the only countries to have taken part in all editions so far, and in an unofficial ranking of nations, Romania comes third.




    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 1 in the world, was defeated on Wednesday by the Danish player Caroline Wozniacki (6 WTA), 6-0, 6-2, in her second Red Group match in the WTA Finals in Singapore. Wozniacki has secured her spot in the semi-finals, whereas Halep has to win the last match in the group, against Elina Svitolina (Ukraine, 4 WTA), to move on in the competition. In the White Group, the Czech Karolina Pliskova (3 WTA) has 2 wins and has already qualified into the semi-finals.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • A Day of Special Significance

    A Day of Special Significance

    October 25th is the Day of the Romanian Army, celebrated with military and religious ceremonies across the country and in theatres of operations abroad. Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc highlighted the importance of this day:



    Mihnea Motoc: “On this day, we honour the traditions of the Army, handed down from one generation to the next, from the brave founders of our nation to the military of the third millennium, hardened in theatres of operations. It is the day when we honour all the heroes fallen in the battles fought by our Army throughout its history. It is an opportunity to thank the veterans of our Army, both the brave survivors of World War II, and those who have taken part in international missions over the past few decades.



    One of the institutions enjoying the highest level of public confidence, as indicated by all opinion polls conducted in post-communist Romania, the Romanian Army is also celebrated in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova. Moldovan Defence Minister Anatol Salaru, spoke about the sacrifice of the Romanian soldiers who had died in World War II. It is thanks to those who gave their lives for faith, truth and nation at that time, that the current generations may speak Romanian, the defence minister in the pro-Western government in Chisinau pointed out.



    The day of October 25th is itself tied to World War II. On this day in 1944, by seizing the town of Carei in the north-west, the Army freed the last plot of the Romanian territory occupied by Hungarian troops up to that point. Both the protagonists of that moment, and historians agree that this event could have taken place earlier and that officers chose to allow their troops to rest for a few days, so as to have the final attack and the victory coincide with the anniversary of King Michael I, who was also the commander of the Army.



    Born on October 25th, 1921, King Michael I was the last of the four sovereigns in the German dynasty of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, who acceded to the throne in 1866 and built the modern Romanian state. Michael I came to power in 1940, after his father, the unpopular Carol II, had stepped down. On August 23rd, 1944, the King ordered that the de facto leader of the country, Marshal Ion Antonescu, be arrested, took Romania out of its alliance with Hitlers Germany and brought it back by the side of its traditional allies, the US and Great Britain.



    Historians say this decision shortened the war by at least 6 months and saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Three years later, with the country virtually under Soviet occupation and headed by a puppet communist government, the King was forced out of the country. The Sovereign was only able to return to Romania after the anti-communist revolution of 1989, when he regained his Romanian citizenship withdrawn by the communists, and recovered some of his estate. King Michael I acted as special ambassador of the country, lobbying for Romanias NATO accession in 2004 and EU accession in 2007.

  • October 25, 2016

    October 25, 2016

    CELEBRATION – On October 25, King Mihai I turns 95 and the Royal House of Romania organises a series of events, until October 28, to mark his anniversary. Medals and distinctions are being offered, concerts and book launches are held and Radio Romania broadcasts a radio drama written by King Mihai and Queen Ana. Mihai I is Romanias last king and the only surviving head of state from WWII. He ruled the country two times, between 1927 and 1930, and between 1940 and 1947, respectively. Forced by the communists to abdicate, on December 30, 1947, the former sovereign lived in exile. After the Anti-communist Revolution of 1989, he returned to his native Romania. Military and religious ceremonies are being organised in all garrisons and theatres of operation across the country. Floral tributes are also paid at the cemeteries and memorials, in honour of the Romanian heroes in Austria, Bosnia and Hertzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Russia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. A reburial ceremony is held at Rossoshka, in the Russian Federation, for 594 Romanian military who died in the line of duty in the battle of Stalingrad (todays Volgograd) during WW II. At present, 780 Romanian military are taking part in international missions around the world, 629 of them in Afghanistan.



    NON FISCAL FEES– The Romanian Chamber of Deputies has today approved the draft law initiated by the Social Democratic Party to abolish over 100 non-fiscal taxes, including the radio and TV license fee, which covers most of the public broadcasters financing. On Monday, the Social-Democrats announced they gave up the idea of cancelling the radio and TV licence fee, against the backdrop of harsh criticism voiced by the political class, civil society, representatives of public media institutions, who said the absence of such a fee would significantly impact the autonomy of the public radio and TV broadcasters. Today, however, Social-Democrat Liviu Dragnea made a come back and called again, in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, for the elimination of the public radio and TV license fee. The draft law has been endorsed by the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies is the decision making body on the issue.



    CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – Romanias Constitutional Court is today delivering its ruling on 33 notifications regarding the unconstitutionality of the new law on giving in payments, which allows mortgage debtors who cant repay their loans to give the mortgaged assets to the bank and stop paying back the loans. The law was enforced on May 13th. Also, the bill allowing the conversion of Swiss-franc loans into the local currency at below-market rates has also reached the Constitutional Court. The Government contested the law because, in their opinion, the form under which it was endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies has come to be more than a form of social protection. Under this bill debtors can ask banks to convert their outstanding debt to local currency loans at the exchange rate prevailing when the loan was extended.



    SMEs– Private small and medium sized enterprises in Romania, which got prizes in the 24th edition of the National Top of the Private Companies in Romania, reported a turnover of 2.2 billion Euro and employed over 26,000 people, Florin Jianu, the President of the National Council of SMEs has today said. According to him, the business environment in Romania should be supported by the state, by measures aimed to cut red tape, encourage the work force and grant funds to SMEs. Jianu has also said it is very important to attract investment, be it local or foreign.



    CETA – The European leaders say the summit scheduled for Thursday and devoted to the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA) is “still possible, in spite of Belgiums finding it impossible to approve it at the moment, as it announced. Attending the meeting will also be Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, government officials from Ottawa have announced. Today, the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, the Canadian trade minister, Chrystia Freeland, and the head of the Belgian region of Wallonia, Paul Magnette, have held talks in an effort to breathe new life into the negotiations on this agreement. All EU member states have expressed their agreement on the conclusion of a treaty, with the exception of Belgium, which needs the agreement of all its five federal entities. The region of Wallonia, discontent about several provisions of the treaty, particularly those referring to the arbitration of trade disputes between companies and governments, has rejected the agreement.



    TENNIS– Romanian tennis player Simona Halep (WTA no.4) is today facing Angelique Kerber of Germany (WTA no.1), in the Red Group of the Champions Tournament in Singapore. Simona is first seeded in the group, after having defeated in the first round, American Madison Keys, whereas Kerber is second seeded, the German player defeating Slovak Dominika Cibulkova (WTA no.8). In the White Group, the Czech player Karolina Pliskova (WTA no.5) defeated the Roland Garros defending champion, Spanish Garbine Muguruza (WTA no.6), and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova (WTA no.9) defeated last years winner of the title, Polish Agnieszka Radwanska (WTA no.3). Simona Halep is participating for the third time in the Champions Tournament, after in 2014 she met Serena Williams in the finals, and last year failed to go past the group stage.(Translated by D. Vijeu)