Radio România Internațional

Tag: break

  • January 9, 2023

    January 9, 2023

    SCHOOLS
    Schools and kindergartens reopened in Romania today after the winter break,
    among seasonal flu and viral respiratory infection alerts. The authorities call
    on parents not to send their kids to school if they have symptoms. The
    education and health ministries have taken measures and issued guidelines to
    prevent the transmission of respiratory viruses.


    GOVERNMENT The government of Romania is
    considering a number of projects for the forthcoming period, which have already
    been agreed on within the ruling coalition, the PM Nicolae Ciucă announced.
    Healthcare, education and investments, including the targets and benchmarks
    undertaken under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, are the main areas
    to receive special attention. The government posted for public debate a draft resolution
    on master’s, Ph. D, post-doctoral and research grants abroad. In terms of
    healthcare system improvements, the proposed measures include hospital
    revamping using EU funds.


    UNEMPLOYMENT The unemployment
    rate in Romania dropped slightly, from 5.5% in October to 5.4% in November,
    according to data made public today by the National Statistics Institute. The
    number of unemployed people aged between 15 and 74 estimated for November 2022
    was 447,700, down from the 453,200 reported for the previous month and from the
    450,000 reported for November 2021. The unemployment rate is 0.9% higher among
    men (5.8% for men and 4.9% for women). Unemployment among youth under 24
    remains at a worrying 22.9%, the INS warns. The number of unemployed people
    aged 25 to 74 accounted for 74.3% of the total number estimated for November
    2022.


    CULTURE The first event in the series devoted to Timişoara – European
    Capital of Culture in 2023 takes place today, when the vice-president of the
    European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, will hand over this official title in
    a ceremony held at the Acropolis Museum in Athens. This year, the city of Timişoara
    in western Romania is one of the 3 European capitals of culture, alongside Elefsina
    in Greece and Veszprém in Hungary. The official opening of the event is
    scheduled for February 17 to 19, and throughout the year as many as 50 shows,
    concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events will bring together more than
    2,500 artists from Romania and abroad. Timişoara is included in a top of the best places to visit put together
    by the British daily The Independent. The publication
    recommends Timişoara’s Baroque buildings and historical squares, as well as art
    exhibitions, classical music concerts and jazz festivals. The mayor Dominic
    Fritz said this year’s priority is to attract both tourists, and investors.


    BORDERS As many as 302,000 people and over 75,000
    vehicles crossed into and out of Romania on Sunday. More than 92,700 people entered
    Romanian territory, including 6,880 Ukrainian nationals. This brings the total
    number of Ukrainian citizens having entered Romania since February 2022 to over
    3.27 million.
    Border checks are conducted efficiently at all checkpoints, in line with the
    national and EU legislation, and the Border Police are working at full
    capacity, the authorities announced.


    UKRAINE Wars like the one in Ukraine, where civilian areas are
    subjected to indiscriminate destruction, are a crime against God and
    humanity, Pope Francis said on Monday. In his annual speech to diplomats
    accredited to the Vatican, the Pope spoke about the war in Ukraine, with its
    wake of death and destruction, with its attacks on civil infrastructures that
    cause lives to be lost not only from gunfire and acts of violence, but also
    from hunger and freezing cold. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are withstanding constant
    Russian attacks on Bakhmut and other towns in the east of Donbas, the Ukrainian
    authorities announced today. Bakhmut is holding out against all odds,
    president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his Sunday address. The nearby town of
    Soledar is also holding out, Although there is even more destruction there and
    it is extremely hard, he added.


    TENNIS The Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea (43 WTA) was defeated today by Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil (156 WTA), 7-6, 6-1, in
    the first round of the Adelaide International 2 (WTA 500) tournament in Australia.Another
    Romanian, Irina Begu, will play in the main draw against Australia’s Storm
    Hunter. Begu reached the semi-finals of the Adelaide International 1(WTA 500), where
    she lost to the winner of the tournament, Arina Sabalenka of Belarus. (AMP)

  • The Week in Review, August 24-30, 2019

    The Week in Review, August 24-30, 2019

    Divorce in the ruling coalition


    The leftist government in Bucharest is increasingly fragile. The junior partner in the ruling coalition, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, decided to desert its ally, the Social Democratic Party, and to switch to the opposition together with Pro Romania, the Social Democratic splinter headed by the former PM Victor Ponta. Three Liberal Democrats, the environment minister Gratiela Gavrilescu, energy minister Anton Anton and the minister liaising with Parliament Viorel Ilie, tendered their resignations, while the ALDE leader Calin Popescu Tariceanu announced he would also step down as Senate Speaker. Recently sworn in, the foreign minister Ramona Manescu chose to stay in the government and to resign instead from her party. The Social Democratic PM Viorica Dancila said that in spite of losing the parliamentary majority, the Social Democrats would stay in power in order to carry on the governing programme that won the 2016 elections. She also added that Social Democratic ministers would temporarily fill the Cabinet vacancies. A steady opponent of the left wing, president Klaus Iohannis urged the government to seek new validation in Parliament. He requested that procedures be initiated to this end, and announced that he rejected all the replacement nominations sent by the PM. What the mass media dubbed a new “war between palaces is intensified by the forthcoming presidential election, in which president Iohannis, backed by the Liberals in opposition, and PM Dancila, supported by the Social Democrats in power, are 2 of the main runners.




    Public budget deficit


    Romanias consolidated budget, which comprises the state budget and the public pension and unemployment budgets, saw a nearly 4 billion euro deficit after the first 7 months of the year. The deficit accounts for 1.76% of the gross domestic product and is 52% deeper than in the corresponding period of 2018. Public personnel expenditure alone rose by 21.5% during this time. According to data made public by the Finance Ministry, investment expenses were 4.9 billion lei higher than in the first 7 months of 2018.




    Key guidelines for Romanian diplomacy


    The accession to the euro zone and to the Schengen visa-free area, when all conditions have been met, remains a priority for Romania, president Klaus Iohannis told the Romanian ambassadors and consuls attending the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy in Bucharest. The head of state emphasised that the confidence gained by Romania during its presidency of the Council of the EU must be put to good use. The strategic partnership with the US, he added, has grown stronger and gained in substance and stability, after the presidents 2 visits to the White House in as many years. The relation with the neighbouring Republic of Moldova also remains a top priority for Romania, the president also said. The relation with France has reached new heights over the past year, and the one with Germany is defined by dynamism supported by strong economic, social and human ties, the head of state added. Iohannis also emphasised that updating and deepening the strategic partnership with the UK will be of great importance after Brexit.




    Record in Bucharest


    The dancing fountains in Unirii Square, downtown Bucharest, have been recognised as “The longest choreographed fountain system in the world by the World Record Academy. The World Record Academy acknowledgment comes one year after the launch of the “Water Symphony music, light and water show performed every weekend in the centre of the Romanian capital city. So far 70 shows were held, attended by nearly 220,000 locals and tourists.




    Romanian athletes in continental competitions


    Romanias team has qualified into the eighth-finals of the European womens volleyball championships. Winning 2 of the 5 matches in Group C, against Estonia and Hungary, and defeated by the Netherlands, Croatia and Azerbaijan, the Romanians managed to seize the last ticket for the eighth-finals scheduled on Sunday, September 1. Romanias best performance in a European championship is a bronze medal in 1963. In football, Romanian champions CFR Cluj lost 0-1 both legs against the Czech side Slavia Prague, in the Champions League playoffs. CFR will play in the group stage of Europa League, a competition from which Romanian vice-champions FCSB was kicked out by the Portuguese team Vitoria Guimaraes.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)