Radio România Internațional

Tag: Bessarabia

  • October 23, 2016 UPDATE

    October 23, 2016 UPDATE


    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Sunday clinched a two-set win against US challenger Madison Keys in her first match in WTA Finals in Singapore, a tennis tournament with 7 million dollars in prize money. Halep, the competitions third favourite is playing in the Red Group, which also includes the worlds number one Angelique Kerber of Germany and Dominica Cibulkova of Slovakia. The competitions White Group includes Polish Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, Spanish Garbine Muguruza and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. The present WTA Finals edition represents Haleps third participation after that in 2014, when she took on Serena Williams in the finals and that last year when she was knocked out in the groups stage.



    CETA The EU has called on Belgium to announce until Monday night whether it supports the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). In case of a negative answer the signing ceremony scheduled for Thursday will be cancelled, France Press reports. The signing of the accord was blocked by the French-speaking region of Wallonia in southern Belgium disgruntled about some stipulations in the document, preventing the Belgian federal government from signing it. Romania has pinned its hopes on this free-trade agreement because a visa waiver for its citizens hinges on its conclusion. We recall the Romanian authorities negotiated with their Canadian counteparts the gradual lifting of visas beginning next year. In exchange Bucharest says it gives up any objections congerning CETA. However Wallonias opposition to CETA will also cast a question mark on the visa waiver for Romania whose president, Klaus Iohannis, pledged to continue talks with Canada for the implementation of the waiver irrespective of CETAs fate. Romania and Bulgaria are the only EU countries whose citizens need visas to travel to Canada.



    AWARDS Romanian director Cristi Puius film Sieranevada has reaped two major awards at the Chicago International Film Festival, according to the festivals webpage. Sieranevada got the Gold Hugo award for best film and Silver Hugo for best director. Another Romanian production, Graduation by Cristi Mungiu has been awarded Silver Plaque for best screenplay while Adrian Titieni got Silver Hugo for best actor. The Chicago International Film Festival has reached its 52nd edition this year.



    RALLY Supporters of Romanias union with the neighboring Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet Romanian-speaking country, on Sunday held talks with representatives of the Romanian political parties. They believe that under the present geo-political context, the union of the two states is the only solution for the ethnic Romanians in the Republic so that they may not become victims to a possible Russian aggression, like in Ukraine. On Saturday, Romanian capital city Bucharest saw a rally to support the union between the two countries, which was also attended by numerous citizens from the Republic of Moldova. The event was marked by incidents involving some protesters and riot police. Already a tradition in Bucharest, support rallies for Bessarabia were inaugurated in 2012, which marked 200 years since the annexation of this province by Czarist Russia. The present Republic of Moldova was created on a part of the historical province of Bessarabia, which joined Romania after the First World War and was re-annexed by the USSR back in 1940.




  • October 23, 2016

    October 23, 2016


    RALLY The Interior Minister in Bucharest, Dragos Tudorache has asked for a report from the Romanian Gendarme Corps over the events on Saturday in downtown Bucharest during the rally for the union of Romania with the Republic of Moldova. Five people have been detained by the gendarmes after clashes with protesters. Numerous participants in the rally came from the neighboring former soviet republic with a Romanian-speaking majority. They believe that under the present geo-political context, the union of the two states is the only solution for the ethnic Romanians in the Republic so that they may not fall victims of a possible Russian aggression, like that against Ukraine. Already traditional in Bucharest, support rallies for Bessarabia were inaugurated in 2012, which marked 200 years since the annexation of this province by Czarist Russia. The present Republic of Moldova was created on a part of the historical province of Bessarabia, which joined Romania after the First World War and was re-annexed by the USSR back in 1940.



    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Simona Halep will today be playing American Madison Keys in her first match of the WTA Finals held in Singapore with seven million dollars in prize money. Halep, the competitions third favourite is playing in the Red Group, which also includes the worlds number one Angelique Kerber of Germany and Dominica Cibulkova of Slovakia. The competitions White Group includes Polish Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, Spanish Garbine Muguruza and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova. The present WTA Finals edition represents Haleps third participation after that in 2014, when she took on Serena Williams in the finals and that last year when she was knocked out in the groups stage. Another Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu (WTA 51) on Saturday won the tournament in Luxembourg with total prizes of 250 thousand dollars after a two-set win 6-4, 6-0 against the tournaments odds on favourite Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic. This is the third WTA tournament Niculescu has won in her career after that in Florianopolis, Brazil in 2013 and Guangzhou, China in 2014.



    AWARDS Romanian director Cristi Puius film Sieranevada has reaped two major awards at the Chicago International Film Festival, according to the festivals webpage. Sieranevada got the Gold Hugo award for best film and Silver Hugo for best director. Another Romanian production, Graduation by Cristi Mungiu has been awarded Silver Plaque for best screenplay while Adrian Titieni got Silver Hugo for best actor. The Chicago International Festival has reached its 52nd edition this year.



    INVESTIGATION Over 80 thousand people are being investigated in Turkey, of which 35 thousand have already been arrested after the abortive coup on July 15th, the Justice Ministry in Ankara has announced. The Turkish authorities are blaming the failed coup on the reclusive cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is currently living in the USA, and his supporters. Efforts to stifle the coup have caused the death of 270 people leaving thousands others wounded. Upon the events in July the Turkish authorities have commenced an unprecedented campaign in order to purge Gulens supporters from administration, a campaign that attracted a lot of heat from the West.




  • The Union of Bessarabia with Romania after 98 years

    The Union of Bessarabia with Romania after 98 years

    On Sunday, Chisinau saw a unionist rally marking 98 years since the union of Bessarabia, a Romanian historical province annexed by the former USSR in 1940, with Romania. The union’s advocates launched a forum called “The Country Council 2” meant to promote the reunification of the Republic of Moldova also identified, by and large, as the former historical province of Bessarabia, with Romania by 2018, when Romanians and Moldavans will mark 100 years since the union of the Romanian historical provinces into a unitary state.



    According to Radio Chisinau, the union of Moldova with Romania was asked by tens of thousands of people who took part in the largest-scale unionist rally ever held in Chisinau. The participants formed a huge three-color flag out of balloons, which they carried up to the city’s main station where there is a Monument devoted to the Romanians from Bessarabia who were deported by the Soviets to the labour camps in Siberia. The people chanted “Union”, “No borders at the Prut River” and “Bessarabia is Romania”.



    Over 1,700 delegates from all cities and towns of the Republic of Moldova, representatives of the unionist Diaspora and guests from Romania have adopted, during a congress, the timetable for reunification by 2018 and the subsequent steps. Some of their objectives include the start of an investment program for the Republic of Moldova, the endorsement of the reunification principles by the Romanian and Moldovan Parliaments, respectively, the twinning of all localities in the Republic of Moldova with localities in Romania, setting up a single audio-visual space in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, and unifying the educational programs between the two countries.



    Concurrently, the TASS Agency says that in Chishinau, less than 1,000 people participated in a separate meeting, protesting the union with Romania. Sunday’s march by the union’s supporters took place against the backdrop of prolonged political instability and massive rallies. Corruption, poverty, the lack of a clear-cut political direction, the ambiguity of geopolitical relations and the Transdniester conflict, which hasn’t been solved for over 26 years, keep the Republic of Moldova in the focus of attention of the European Union, which offered it in 2014, the chance of signing an Association Agreement. The Romanian Senator for the Diaspora, Viorel Badea, said on Radio Romania, on Sunday, that the situation is complicated.



    Viorel Badea: “I see a Republic of Moldova which hasn’t found the right track to follow, which has lost the pace we’ve thought it found in recent times; people are uncertain and reluctant: the other day I was talking to a mayor who told me people no longer trust anything and anybody”.



    Against this backdrop, it is not at all surprising that an increasing number of people see the union with Romania as the solution.

  • March 27, 2016 UPDATE

    March 27, 2016 UPDATE

    MESSAGE – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Sunday conveyed a message of solidarity with the victims of violence and intolerance. On the occasion of the Catholic Easter, Iohannis said in a post on his Facebook page that “these days, when we celebrate the gift of light and life, we should be close to all those who need our solidarity.” A German ethnic, President Iohannis is a Lutheran, the traditional religion of Transylvanian Saxons, who also celebrate Easter today. However, Iohannis attends the religious service at the Roman-Catholic Church in Sibiu, whose member his wife, Carmen, is. In Romania, about 1.5 million Christians are today celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The country’s majority Orthodox community and the Greek-Catholic believers will celebrate Easter on May 1st.




    SECURITY – The terrorist threat in Romania is real, but things are kept under control, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said. In an interview with a private TV station, Ciolos said that intelligence services must be provided with the instruments they need in order to monitor the situation without affecting transparency and citizens’ rights. Ciolos pleaded for a more thorough control of the prepaid phone cards sold, which in Romania can be purchased without checking the buyer’s identity, and explained that the issue was in the attention of the justice and interior ministers. Prepaid phone cards from Romania have been used during in preparation for the attacks in EU member countries, Ciolos pointed out.




    SYRIA – The Syrian army supported by its Russian allies recaptured the city of Palmyra from the so-called Islamic State. Military sources say the Syrian army now has “full control”. Government forces had been on the offensive for nearly three weeks to try to retake this Palmyra that fell to the extremists last May. IS demolished some of the best-known monuments of this UNESCO world heritage site, including two large temples dating back more than 1,800 years and a Roman triumphal archway.




    DNA – The head of Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruţa Kövesi, will be interviewed on Monday at the Higher Council of Magistracy for another term as chief of the DNA. On February 29, Justice Minister Raluca Pruna proposed Kovesi for another term in office. Investigating high level corruption, recovering demages and confiscating illegal fortunes are among Kovesi’s goals for the new period. Her management project, posted on the website of the Higher Council of Magistracy, has been launched for public debate. Codruta Kovesi also palns to further reject any action aimed at intimidating or discrediting prosecutors. Under the Romania law, the DNA chief prosecutor is appointed by the head of state, at the proposal of the justice minister, with the advisory opinion of the Higher Council of Magistracy.




    ANNIVERSARY – Thousands of people attended on Sunday in Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, the events marking the 98th anniversary of the union of Bessarabia with the Kingdom of Romania. The anniversary was celebrated in Romania and in the Romanian communties outside the country. On March 27, 1918, as the Russian Empire fell apart, the legislative body of Bessarabia voted in favour of the mostly Romanian-speaking province joining the Kingdom of Romania. The establishment of the Romanian nation state was to be completed late that same year with the union of Bukovina, in the north-east and Transylvania, Banat, Crisana and Maramures, which had that far been part of the Habsburg Empire. In 1940, further to an ultimatum, Moscow annexed both Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, which are currently part of the national territories of the ex-Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.




    DST – Clocks changed in Romania on Saturday night, when 3 am became 4 am. The practice, known as Daylight Saving Time, is meant to use sunlight as much as possible. In summer, clocks are turned forward by one hour. Now there is a 3-hour difference between Romanias time and UTC. Sunday is thus the shortest day of the year, with only 23 hours. More than 100 different countries worldwide use Daylight Saving Time. In Romania, this system has been used since 1932.



    (Translated by Elena Enache)

  • March 27, 2016

    March 27, 2016

    MESSAGE – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has today conveyed a message of solidarity with the victims of violence and intolerance. On the occasion of the Catholic Easter, Iohannis said in a post on his Facebook page that “these days, when we celebrate the gift of light and life, we should be close to all those who need our solidarity.” A German ethnic, President Iohannis is a Lutheran, the traditional religion of Transylvanian Saxons, who also celebrate Easter today. However, Iohannis attends the religious service at the Roman-Catholic Church in Sibiu, whose member his wife, Carmen, is. In Romania, about 1.5 million Christians are today celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The country’s majority Orthodox community and the Greek-Catholic believers will celebrate Easter on May 1st.




    SECURITY – The risk of terrorist attacks in Romania is real, but things are kept under control, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has said. In an interview with a private TV station, Ciolos has said that intelligence services must be provided with the instruments they need in order to monitor the situation without affecting transparency and citizens’ rights. Ciolos has pleaded for a more thorough control of the prepaid phone cards sold, which in Romania can be purchased without checking the buyer’s identity, and has explained that the issue is in the attention of the justice and interior ministers. Prepaid phone cards from Romania have been used during in preparation for attacks in EU member countries, Ciolos has said. His statements come after Tuesday’s attacks at Brussels’s airport and metro station that killed 31 people and injured around 300.




    DST – Clocks changed in Romania on Saturday night, when 3 am became 4 am. The practice, known as Daylight Saving Time, is meant to use sunlight as much as possible. In summer, clocks are turned forward by one hour. Now there is a 3-hour difference between Romanias time and UTC. Sunday is thus the shortest day of the year, with only 23 hours. More than 100 different countries worldwide use Daylight Saving Time. In Romania, this system has been used since 1932.




    ANNIVERSARY — Street events are marking this evening in downtown Bucharest, the 98th anniversary of the union of Bessarabia with the Kingdom of Romania. On March 27, 1918, as the Russian Empire fell apart, the legislative body of Bessarabia voted in favour of the mostly Romanian-speaking province joining the Kingdom of Romania. The establishment of the Romanian nation state was to be completed late that same year with the union of Bukovina, in the north-east and Transylvania, Banat, Crisana and Maramures, which had that far been part of the Habsburg Empire. In 1940, further to an ultimatum, Moscow annexed both Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, which are currently part of the national territories of the ex-Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.




    FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football team is playing this evening against the defending European champions Spain, in a friendly game on home turf, in preparation for the European Championship scheduled to take place this summer in France. On Wednesday, Romania won a match against Lithuania, 1-nill, in the southern Romanian town of Giurgiu. In Euro 2016, the Romanians will play the opening game, on June 10, against France, in a group that also includes Switzerland and Albania. Romania’s latest participation in a continental final tournament was in 2008, when they left the competition in the group stage.




    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, No. 5 in the world, will play against British Heather Watson in the fourth round of the Miami Open, with 6 million dollars in prize money. In the third round Halep defeated German Julia Goerges in two sets, 6-4, 6-1. In the same round, Romanian Monica Niculescu will be up against the American Coco Vanderweghe while Irina Begu will play against Krstyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic.




    (Translated by Elena Enache)

  • March 26, 2016 UPDATE

    March 26, 2016 UPDATE

    Brussels attacks – The Belgian Interior Minister, Jan Jambon, urged people not to take part in a “march against fear scheduled to take place on Sunday in response to the terrorist attacks in Brussels, which killed 31 and wounded around 300 others. He said all police resources were needed for the completion of the investigation into Tuesdays attacks. Previously, the authorities announced that Brussels international airport, Zaventem, would not be reopened before Tuesday. Meanwhile, the freelance journalist Fayçal Cheffou, arrested on Friday by the Belgian federal police, was identified as the third member of the crew that perpetrated the terrorist attacks at the airport.



    Politics – Deputy Valeriu Steriu was elected on Saturday president of the National Union for the Progress of Romania, the third-largest party in the Parliament of Romania. Steriu, 50, is an engineer currently at his second term in office in the Chamber of Deputies, and between 2001 and 2004 he was a state secretary for European integration in the Agriculture Ministry, as part of a Social Democratic Cabinet. His election came after the founding president of UNPR, the ex-deputy PM and interior minister Gabriel Oprea, resigned. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate accused Oprea of abuse of office in two corruption investigations. In the meantime, the interim leader of the party, the Bucharest District 2 mayor Neculai Onţanu, was arrested for bribe-taking.



    Anniversary – Street events will mark, on Sunday night in downtown Bucharest, the 98th anniversary of the union of Bessarabia with the Kingdom of Romania. On March 27, 1918, as the Russian Empire fell apart, the legislative body of Bessarabia voted in favour of the mostly Romanian speaking province joining the Kingdom of Romania. The establishment of the Romanian nation state was to be completed late that same year with the union of Bukovina, in the north-east and Transylvania, Banat, Crisana and Maramures, which had that far been part of the Habsburg Empire. In 1940, further to an ultimatum, Moscow annexed both Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, which are currently part of the national territories of the ex-Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.



    Sports – Romanias national football team is playing Sunday night against the defending European champions Spain, in a friendly game on home turf, in preparation for the European Championship scheduled to take place this summer in France. On Wednesday, Romania won a match against Lithuania, 1-nill, in the southern Romanian town of Giurgiu. In Euro 2016, the Romanians will play the opening game, on June 10, against France, in a group that also includes Switzerland and Albania. Romanias last participation in a continental final tournament was in 2008, when they left the competition in the group stage.

  • Romania and Moldova

    Romania and Moldova

    This weekend will mark 98 years since the National Council voted Bessarabia’s unification with the Kingdom of Romania, on March 27, 1918. Voted at the end of the First World War and in the wake of the disintegration of the Russian Empire, the document represents the first fundamental act of the Romanian state. Later that year the historical provinces of Bukovina, Transylvania, Banat, Maramures and Crisana, previously annexed by the Habsburg Empire, also joined what would be known as Grater Romania.



    For Bessarabia however, the union lasted only 22 years. In the summer of 1940, following an ultimatum issued by Moscow, Stalin annexed both Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, which are today the territories of Moldova and Ukraine. Hundreds of Bessarabians fled the country at the time, and others tens of thousands were deported to Siberia or to Kahzahstan, being replaced with colonists from all the corners of the former empire.



    “Today’s republic is not the Bessarabia of 1918, neither in terms of its demographic structure, nor in terms of territory and borders. The Republic of Moldova is today much more divided then the Bessarabia of 1918, from a political, administrative, ethnic, linguistic and religious point of view”, the Moldovan Ambassador to Bucharest Mihai Gribincea has said. In an interview to Agerpres news agency, the Moldovan official has warned that the nearly half a century of Russian occupation makes it hard to cast away the ghost of the former Soviet regime. An outspoken advocate of Moldova’s European integration, Mihai Gribincea says the prospective unification with Romania, an idea gaining traction both in Bucharest and in Chisinau, should be dealt with realistically, wisely and sensibly.



    In recent years, people of both countries took part in unionist rallies under the slogan “Bessarabia is Romania!” Many of them were inspired by the belief that the only solution for Moldova, commonly seen as Europe’s poorest country with a deeply corrupt political class and divided by the pro-Russian separatism in Transdniester, would be the unification with Romania, an EU and NATO member state, with a functional rule of law and with a GDP per capita 20 times bigger than Moldova’s.



    The unification centennial of 2018 is drawing near, fuelling unionist undertones in the media and society. In recent years Bucharest has been a fierce supporter of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova, as well as of its European integration efforts.



    (Translated by V. Palcu)