Radio România Internațional

Tag: awards

  • March 19, 2019

    March 19, 2019

    DETENTION The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has voiced concern with what it called the abuse and improper conditions still to be found in Romanian detention centres. In a release made public today following a visit to 10 detention facilities this February, CPT members point to cases of physical ill-treatment by prison personnel and police on detainees as well as violence among detainees. They urge the Interior Ministry and the Romanian Police Inspectorate General to send a clear message that ill-treatment of detained individuals is illegal, unprofessional and will be punished accordingly. The CPT appreciates the efforts made since 2014 to reform the penitentiary system in Romania, particularly in terms of the development of the parole service, a 30% reduction of prison population and the introduction of compensations for those detained in overcrowded prisons.




    EPPO The first round of negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on the appointment of the new European chief prosecutor is scheduled for tomorrow. Romanias former anti-corruption chief Laura Codruţa Kövesi is one of the candidates for this post. In case the negotiation teams fail to reach an agreement tomorrow, further rounds will be held on March 27, April 4 and 10. The head of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani has recently sent the Romanian minister delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba, the incumbent chairman of the Council of the EU, the official letter announcing Laura Codruţa Kövesi as the European Parliaments candidate for the chief of the European Public Prosecutors Office. The Council of the EU on the other hand supports Jean-Francois Bohnert, of France. The EPPO, set to be up and running by end-2020, will be an independent body in charge of investigating and prosecuting crimes against the EU budget. The European chief prosecutor has a non-renewable 7-year term in office.




    SOCIAL EU-wide expenditure for social protection amounted to 2,890 billion euro in 2017, accounting for 18.8% of the GDP and for 41.1% of the total government spending, the European statistics bureau Eurostat announced today. Pension benefits accounted for 10% of the Unions GDP. Social protection spending was below 13% of GDP in Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Latvia, Romania, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, whereas 6 member states—Finland, France, Denmark, Italy, Austria and Sweden—allotted at least 20% of their GDP to this area.




    BREXIT The EU ministers for European affairs convene in Brussels today to prepare the European spring summit. They will also discuss the latest developments in the Brexit case, given that March 29 is the end of the 2-year period since the UK notified its intention to leave the Union. European leaders expect London to state clearly its intentions for the future, and many of them want the European bloc to deny a new extension of the deadline. Until a new vote in the British Parliament on the withdrawal deal, which London has already rejected twice, the EU ministers will analyse the political and judicial consequences of a Brexit deferral. Meanwhile, the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, had meetings with key EU leaders, including the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.





    AWARDS Odeon Theatre in Bucharest hosted last night the 19th edition of the Radio Romania Culture Awards Gala. The event rewarded the most important achievements in Romanian culture last year. Recipients included writer Gabriela Adameşteanu, stage director Radu Afrim, and screenplay writer Ivana Mladenović. “Teach for Romania Association won the section on education, for projects conducted in schools in underprivileged communities. A lifetime achievement award also went to pianist Valentin Gheorghiu.




    VOLLEYBALL The Romanian womens volleyball team CSM Alba Blaj is playing at home today against the Italian side Yamamay e-work Busto Arsizio, in the first leg of the CEV Cup finals. The second leg is scheduled next week in Italy. In the semis the Romanians beat their co-nationals of Ştiinţa Bacău (3-nil in both legs), and the Italians outplayed the Hungarian team Swietelsky Bekescsaba. Last year, Alba lost the Champions League finals to the Turkish side VakifBank Istanbul.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • May 28, 2018

    May 28, 2018

    BLACK SEA – The security situation in the Wider Black Sea Region is currently defined by volatility and marked by a potential for conflict, trends which are likely to continue in the short and medium run, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis believes. In a message conveyed on Monday at the opening of the 2018 edition of an event entitled ‘Security in the Black Sea Region: common challenges, sustainable future, the Romanian President also emphasised that in this complex and dynamic context the use of all international communication means is all the more important. Romania reiterates its goals of stabilising the region through dialogue and the peaceful resolution of divergences, the Presidents message also reads. Taking part in this years edition are representatives of regional, European and Euro-Atlantic decision-makers, academics and civil society leaders from 16 countries. the Programme is an alternative platform for communication and cooperation between diplomatic bodies, the academic environment and the security authorities in the Black Sea region. The 2018 edition, held between May 28 and 31, focuses on “Shaping the future of the Black Sea region: game-changers and predictors.




    FOREIGN AFFAIRS – The head of the Romanian diplomacy, Teodor Meleşcanu, takes part in Brussels today in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The agenda includes, among other things, the situation in Venezuela, Iran and Congo. The recent developments in Gaza Strip will also be discussed during an informal working lunch. On the sidelines of the meeting, the Austrian and the Bulgarian foreign ministers will host an informal breakfast with their Macedonian counterpart as the guest of honour.




    DEFENCE – The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihai Fifor, is as of Monday on a 3-day official visit to France, at the invitation of his counterpart, Florence Parly. According to a news release issued by the Romanian Defence Ministry, the 2 will discuss, among other things, the security situation at the Black Sea and the development prospects of the bilateral relations in the field of defence, including in the area of military equipment. The Romanian official will also have a meeting with President Emmanuel Macrons diplomatic adviser, Philippe Etienne, the former Ambassador of France to Romania. The agenda also includes visits to the companies MBDA and Airbus Helicopter, the Defence Ministry release reads.




    AWARDS – Bucharest is hosting tonight the 46th Awards Gala of the Romanian Filmmakers Association. More than 500 guests are expected to take part in the event. According to the organisers, the films “Fixeur by Adrian Sitaru, “Anna, mon amour by Cătălin Peter Netzer and “One step behind the seraphims, by Daniel Sandu have been nominated for the Great Prize and the Romanian Filmmakers Association Trophy. “Anna, mon amour also competes for the Jurys Special Prize, alongside “Perfectly Healthy directed by Anca Damian and Breaking News, by Iulia Rugină. The Awards Gala of the Romanian Filmmakers Association celebrates and supports the values of the film industry by awarding those who have excelled in the field, have represented Romania in international competitions and have made a notable contribution to the film industry.




    STATISTICS – One in 5 Romanians (19,7%) aged between 20 and 64 was residing in another EU member state in 2017, which makes Romania the top EU country in terms of labour mobility, data made public by the Eurostat on Monday show. Next come Lithuania (15%), Croatia (14%), and Portugal (13.9%). Eurostat data also indicate that in 2017 compared to 2007, the share of Romanians who live in other EU countries rose by 12.3%, the highest increase reported in the EU. At the opposite pole, only 1% of Germanys citizens aged between 20 and 64 live in other member states. Germany is followed by the UK, Sweden and France.




    TENNIS – The Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru (160 WTA) continues today the match against the American Christina McHale (no 85 in the world), at the French Open, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year. The match is resumed after being suspended yesterday at 1-1. Also today, another Romanian player, Mihaela Buzărnescu (no 32 WTA), plays the first round against the American Vania King (1276 WTA). Four other Romanians are playing in this years Roland Garros. World no 1 and first seeded in the tournament, Simona Halep, takes on Alison Riske (USA, 105 WTA). Halep has so far lost 2 Roland Garros finals. Irina Begu (41 WTA) takes on the Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (no 78), Sorana Cîrstea (45 WTA) faces the Australian Daria Gavrilova (no 24), and Ana Bogdan (no 65 WTA) plays against the Czech Marketa Vondrousova (no 90). In the mens competition, the only Romanian player, Marius Copil (95 ATP), faces today the Italian Marco Cecchinato (72 ATP).


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Gaudeamus – the only book fair organized by a public radio

    Gaudeamus – the only book fair organized by a public radio

    300 exhibitors, over 700 related events, first-time participants and many surprises are in store for the visitors of the 22nd edition of the Gaudeamus International Book Fair hosted by Bucharest from Wednesday to Sunday. This is one of the most important book fairs in Romania and aboard. Gaudeamus is the only book fair in the world organized by a public radio — Radio Romania. Its main target is to support the Romanian culture through exhibitions devoted to books and education. The 2015 edition takes place under the motto “The most read book fair at the most listened to radio”.



    This year, the guest of honor is the Group of French-Speaking Embassies, Delegations and Institutions in Romania (GADIF), the host of the event being Victor Ieronim Stoichita, a researcher and art history professor who currently lives in Switzerland. For 5 days visitors will have the opportunity to attend book launches, creation workshops, round tables and exhibitions. Of the traditional projects of the Fair one could mention “Books return home”, “Best Olympiad winners”, “The GAUDEMAUS Raffle”, Books and multimedia, the Education Stock Exchange, the “Ion Creanga” Children’s Book Fair, the Gaudeamus Creation Workshop, the mini-exhibition entitled “Lost and found publishers”, the “The School of Yore” exhibition, etc.



    On Sunday, the last day of the fair, the GAUDEAMUS awards will be granted, as every year, to three of the exhibitors. One of the awards will be granted for the “Most wanted book of the fair” and will be offered based on the visitors’ vote. Other awards to be granted on Sunday are the Excellence Award, the Antoaneta Ralian Translation Award, the Education Award and the Miss Reading Award. The “Mircea Santimbreanu” Press Trophy for the radio, TV, news agencies and online sections will be granted to the accredited journalists who will report on the fair.



    (translated by L. Simion)