Radio România Internațional

Tag: cooperation

  • February 18, 2025 UPDATE

    February 18, 2025 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, said on Tuesday at the annual meeting of the heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Bucharest that Romania is a democratic state, which continues to take action to strengthen its institutions and people’s confidence in them. He promised a free, fair and transparent election process in the upcoming presidential election. “Romania has a ruling coalition, which ensures the country’s stability”, the president said, and added that Romania’s foreign policy will stay on its normal course as an EU and NATO member with a strategic partnership with the USA, while also being open to cooperation with all the partners that share the same values and principles. According to Bolojan, Russia’s aggression in neighbouring Ukraine must stop, and a ceasefire followed by just and sustainable peace is a goal that must be pursued not only by the parties involved, but also by the entire international community.  Bolojan went on to say that support for the ex-soviet, Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova is a duty and this state’s resilience must be strengthened ahead of the parliamentary election due in 2025.

     

    RIYADH The first high-level US-Russia meeting in recent years took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. Moscow’s officials said the talks were “serious” and “positive,” while the American side announced that two teams would be set up to initiate negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine, Reuters and AFP report. While the delegations led by Marco Rubio and Sergei Lavrov were discussing in Riyadh, the Russian foreign ministry announced that it wanted NATO to revoke the decision taken at the 2008 summit in Bucharest regarding Ukraine’s accession to the Alliance. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would not recognise the outcome of Russian-American negotiations held in the absence of Kyiv, and European leaders convening in an emergency meeting in Paris on Monday promised to carry on their military support for Ukraine, while stepping up the strengthening of their own defence. Only a few European leaders were invited to the informal EU summit organised by president Emmanuel Macron, namely the German Chancellor, the Polish, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Danish and British prime ministers, as well as the president of the European Council, the head of the European Commission and the NATO Secretary General. France plans to host a second meeting on Ukraine and European security on Wednesday, Reuters reports. According to diplomatic sources, Norway, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Romania, Sweden and Belgium are invited to take part.

     

    JUDICIARY The Romanian justice minister Radu Marinescu Tuesday had a meeting with the Japanese ambassador to Bucharest, Takashi Katae. The two officials discussed, among other things, ways to find better solutions for judicial cooperation regarding Romanian nationals imprisoned in Japan. According to a news release issued by the justice ministry, Radu Marinescu appreciates the excellent judicial cooperation between the two states, while at the same time reaffirming Romania’s strong commitment to develop close institutional collaboration in the future. Bilateral relations between Romania and Japan were elevated to a strategic partnership on March 7, 2023. Last year, a Declaration of Cooperation between the justice ministries of the two countries was also signed, making Romania the first European Union member state to sign such a declaration with Japan, the news release also states.

     

    FOOTBALL The former Romanian international player Cristian Chivu was appointed coach of the Italian football team Parma on Tuesday, the club announced on its home page. For Chivu, this will be the first coaching experience at a senior level, after having trained several junior teams at Internazionale Milano, where he played between 2007 and 2014 and where he concluded his career as a footballer at the age of 34 due to recurring injuries. In the 2009-2010 season, under the Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, he won the Italian championship and Cup with Inter, as well as the Champions League. At Parma, Chivu will coach the Romanian international players Dennis Man and Valentin Mihăilă. The team is in 18th place out of 20 (relegation-threatened) and Chivu’s debut as a coach in Serie A will take place on February 22, on home turf, against Bologna. Another Italian team in Serie A, Genoa, is owned by the Romanian businessman Dan Şucu, who is also the major shareholder in Rapid Bucharest. (AMP)

  • Cooperation Romania – Bavaria

    Cooperation Romania – Bavaria

    ‘We are supporting Romania’s fully-fledged accession to Schengen’ – Markus Soder, the Prime Minister of the state of Bavaria assured his Romanian counterpart Marcel Ciolacu during the official visit he paid as head of a ministerial delegation that went to Munich on Monday and Tuesday.

    The Bavarian official mentioned the real headway made by Bucharest.

    Markus Soder: “We are seeing the progress Romania made, the security aspects. And we are a support to Romania for its fully-fledged accession to the Schengen zone. The cooperation with Europol, the process of fighting corruption have registered great progress and the authorities are cooperating very well. We have got very important and good information from the Bavarian Interior Ministry. And for this reason it is important for Romania to join Schengen as a fully-fledged member.”

    Munich also saw the first joint session of the Romanian and Bavarian governments, where they tackled ways of consolidating the bilateral, economic, social and security cooperation. The two sides have signed a memorandum on entrepreneurship, SMEs and start-ups. Out of all German states, Bavaria is Romania’s most important investor and trade partner with a volume of trade exchanges of 8.3 billion Euros at the end of last year. Marcel Ciolacu says that he wants that all major Bavarian companies invest in Romania.

    Marcel Ciolacu: “We want the big Bavaria-based companies in the field of car-making, engineering and aero-spatial industry, invest in Romania. We have one of the best growth-rates in Europe.”

    The Bavarian Prime Minister also stood for stepping up the bilateral economic relations adding that one domain that should be given increased attention is that of the defence industry. In fact, the talks between the two high officials also focused on the security situation at the Black Sea against the background of the conflict in Ukraine.

    Marcel Ciolacu reiterated Romania’s support for the neighbouring Ukraine and the intention of Bucharest to actively contribute to its reconstruction process. The officials also tackled the EU’s enlargement process.

    Marcel Ciolacu:  “We have reiterated our staunch support for the European future of the partners in the Western Balkans, as well as the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine on the candidates’ own merits in the reform process. We have also mentioned Romania’s appreciation for the sustained efforts of the authorities in Chisinau to implement the needed reforms and have emphasized the fact that we will continue to staunchly support the Republic of Moldova on its way to European integration.”

    The officials also had a meeting with the representatives of the Romanian community in the region. “Romania is also important because more than 213 thousand Romanian nationals are living in Bavaria, the largest foreign community. They have their own contribution and we are happy to have them here – Markus Soder said.

    (bill)

  • June 19, 2024

    June 19, 2024

    Visit – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has today received his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, on the occasion of the latter’s official visit to Bucharest. “We have deep ties with Italy, an exceptional economic dynamic, and the soul of the relationship is the Romanian communities in Italy, very well integrated,” said Klaus Iohannis. At the same time, Iohannis expressed his appreciation for the solid community of Italian entrepreneurs in Romania. He pointed out that, last year, the two countries had bilateral exchanges worth 20 billion Euros. In terms of security, Klaus Iohannis stated that Romania and Italy would continue to work together to strengthen NATO’s deterrence role on the eastern front, as well as on the southern front. In turn, the Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, said that bilateral relations are excellent on all levels. According to a Presidential Administration press release, in 2024, Romania and Italy celebrate 145 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, as well as 60 years since these relations were taken to embassy level.

     

    Election results – The final results of the European Parliament elections were announced by the Central Electoral Bureau and published in the Official Gazette of Romania. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) – National Liberal Party (PNL) alliance ranked first with 48.5% of the votes, followed by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, with a little under 15%, the United Right Alliance, with 8.7%, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania with almost 6.5% and the SOS Romania party with a little over the required threshold of 5%. The independent candidate Nicolae Ştefănuţă was voted by 3.08% of Romanians and managed to obtain another European Parliament mandate. The voter turnout was 52.4%. The Central Electoral Bureau pointed out that, of the 33 MEP mandates going to Romania, 19 went to the PSD-PNL alliance, 6 to the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, 3 to the United Right Alliance and 2 to the SOS Romania Party and another 2 to the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.

     

    Citizenship – The Romanian Senate has adopted, as the first chamber notified, a draft law to amend the Citizenship Law, initiated by the Government, which establishes that the Romanian citizenship can be granted, upon request, to a foreign person who is married and lives outside the borders with a Romanian citizen for at least 10 years. The current legislation stipulates that, in order to grant citizenship to a foreign citizen married to a Romanian citizen, he or she must live in Romania for at least five years, which represents, in the opinion of the initiator, ‘an obstacle’. The law also provides for the necessary measures needed to acquire the Romanian citizenship and for rules to prevent its fraudulent acquisition. Thus, biometric checks are provided for persons applying for being granted the Romanian citizenship. The draft law will be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, which is a decision-making body.

     

    Euro 2024 – Today, the European Football Championship in Germany schedules one match in Group B, Croatia-Albania, and two in Group A, between the host country team and Hungary and between Scotland and Switzerland respectively. We remind you that on Tuesday, in Group E, Romania defeated Ukraine 3-0, and Slovakia won 1-0 against Belgium. Romania’s next matches are on Saturday, against Belgium, and next Wednesday, against Slovakia.

     

    Champions League – The Romanian football champions, FCSB, from Bucharest, will play in the first preliminary round of the Champions League with the San Marino team AC Virtus 1964, according to the drawing of lots made at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. FCSB will play the first away match on July 9 or 10, and the decisive leg in Bucharest on July 16 or 17. The winner of Romania’s Cup, the second division Corvinul Hunedoara (south-west), will face the Hungarian vice-champions, Paksi FC, in the first preliminary round of the Europa League. Corvinul will play the first away match on June 11, with the second match being scheduled in Romania on July 18. (LS)

  • Cooperation for Ukraine

    Cooperation for Ukraine

     

    While on a visit to Bucharest, the British Armed Forces Minister Leo Docherty had talks which he described as “very wide-ranging and positive” with his Romanian counterpart Angel Tîlvăr and with the defence chief of staff, and visited the British troops deployed to the Mihail Kogălniceanu base in the south-east of Romania.

     

    The British official praised the strong relations between the two countries, Romania’s “steadfast contribution” within NATO, and the joint effort to support Ukraine.

     

    “That is not just about Ukraine’s security, but about the Black Sea regional security. And the work that we are doing together to improve and enhance security at the Black Sea is hugely important; it’s not just important for our two countries, it’s not just important to the region, it’s actually important to the world, because a huge proportion of the world’s grain supplies and other economic activity takes place in the Black Sea,” Leo Docherty said, and warned that 2024 is a very important year for the war started by Russia.

     

    Regional security in the context of Russia’s war of aggression was also the topic of discussions held by the Romanian defence minister in Bucharest with his Georgian counterpart, Irakli Chikovani.

     

    “In Central and Eastern Europe, Romania is a role model in many respects, from defence of NATO’s eastern flank to consolidating democracy, the rule of law and human rights,” the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said in his turn upon receiving the Distinguished International Leadership award from the Atlantic Council in Washington D.C.

     

    The Romanian official emphasised that most Allied countries in the eastern flank are making progress in raising their budgets for defence and in upgrading their military infrastructure and equipment.

     

    Our countries were able to act together, with determination, and to represent a strong deterring force against Russian expansionism, while at the same time staying true to our fundamental trans-Atlantic democratic values, Klaus Iohannis added. He also said that Romania “was in the front line through its efforts to help Ukraine,” and mentioned that over 7.5 million Ukrainians crossed the border into Romania searching for shelter, safety and free passage.

     

    “Nearly 40 thousand Ukrainian children are now studying in Romanian classrooms. Millions of tonnes of humanitarian aid have reached Ukraine from and through Romania. Romania also helped Ukraine to preserve a vital economic lifeline, using our unique maritime connections and facilitating the transit of close to 40 million tonnes of grains—about 70% of Ukraine’s grain exports, via the Romanian Danube and Black Sea ports,” the Romanian president explained.

     

    And all these efforts “continue for as long as necessary,” because Romania is aware of the key role it plays in helping Ukraine secure its victory and peace, its economic stability and its EU accession, the president of Romania concluded. (AMP)

     

  • Cooperation in the field of security

    Cooperation in the field of security

    More than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Romania continues to play a key role in international efforts to support the administration in Kyiv. From logistics and information support, to the efforts made to support Ukrainian grain exports, Bucharest has proven its usefulness and value as a NATO and EU member state. Consequently, as early as 2022, Romania was placed by the Kremlin on the list of “unfriendly” countries, and criticism and even threats from Moscow have multiplied. In this context, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs, James O’Brien, traveled to Bucharest as part of a tour that also includes visits to Bulgaria, Switzerland and Slovenia.

     

    During the meeting he had with the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, the American official stated that the US is working with Romania regarding the security risks arising in the context of the war in Ukraine. He emphasized the cooperation in the field of aerial, maritime and land surveillance for the detection and stopping of Russian drones that have reached the Romanian territory. O’Brien has also said that Romania has done a lot to build its own capacity in all these dimensions and appreciated the cooperation between Bucharest and Kyiv, which he said is ‘essential for the Ukrainian people’ and ‘also helps Romania be safer’. ‘The longer Ukraine can fight Russia and keep Russia occupied and Russia withdraws, the safer Romania will be. Our work with Romania is to make sure that the fight cannot expand and that Romania can well defend its territory and people against any risk of this battle coming its way’ O’Brien said. In turn, the representative of the Romanian government highlighted the need to strengthen the allied presence on the NATO’s entire eastern flank and said that this aspect is imperative for the security and stability of the extended Black Sea region and beyond.

     

    Despite the tense security context, Romania has not reduced its diplomatic efforts for full accession to the Schengen Area, a right that has been denied to it for years for political reasons. Starting from March 31, both Romania and Bulgaria were included in the European free travel area only with air and maritime borders, Austria being the country that until now has prevented, by veto, the introduction of Schengen rules at land borders as well. In a discussion held in Bucharest with her Romanian counterpart, the German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, praised the efforts made by Romania for European solidarity in the matter of asylum, as part of its effort to fully join the Schengen area. On the other hand, the Romanian Interior Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, has expressed his hope that the Schengen rules will be introduced at Romania’s land borders this year. (LS)

  • Cooperation in the field of justice

    Cooperation in the field of justice

     

    The former mayor of Baia Mare, in northern Romania, Cătălin Cherecheş, will be brought to the country to serve his 5-year prison sentence for bribery. He fled Romania on November 24, 2023, as soon as the Court announced its ruling, but was caught by the German police 4 days later in Augsburg Station in Germany. Cherecheş opposed extradition due to the bad state of Romanian prisons. In the German Court, however, the Romanian prosecutors explained that the Romanian penitentiary system meets all the requirements of the European Court of Human Rights, and the German magistrates agreed with them. The Romanian Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, said that the decision of the German Court is one more proof that the level of judicial cooperation with Germany, on criminal matters, is very good.

     

    Alina Gorghiu: “Cătălin Cherecheș will remain in custody until taken over by the Romanian authorities. The term is 10 days since the ruling delivered by the Court in Germany, which means that the fugitive will be in a Romanian prison by the end of this month. The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Munich informed us that the Court ruling can be appealed, but the procedure of handing over Cătălin Cherecheș to the Romanian authorities, is not affected in any way.”

     

    Cătălin Cherecheş is just one name from a long list of people who have tried to avoid prison sentences in Romania, a list that includes, among others, the former mayor of Bucharest, Sorin Oprescu, the former head of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism, Alina Bica, and the grandson of King Carol II, Paul Lambrino.

     

    In this context, the Romanian Justice Minister signed in Rome a joint statement with her Italian counterpart, Carlo Nordio, with a view to a closer judicial cooperation in criminal matters, in order to bring back to the country the convicted persons who try to avoid serving their sentence. She also said that, in 2023, the Romanian state brought home 120 fugitives  from Italy, and another 2 since the beginning of this year, although around 15% to 20% percent of the total extradition requests made by Romania continue to be rejected by the Italian courts.

     

    At the same time, Gorghiu pointed out that she initiated two important laws in this field, namely, the “Fugitives Law”, by which  convicted people, who do not report to the Police within 7 days to be incarcerated, will be considered escaped and risk a punishment between 6 months and 3 years, but also a law by which fugitives will pay the expenses incurred by the procedure of bringing them back to the country. The minister specified that, last year, Romania repatriated 803 fugitives and paid over 2 million euros for these procedures. (EE)

  • August 20, 2023 UPDATE

    August 20, 2023 UPDATE

    Working meeting – The heads of state and government from South-Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, including the Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu, will participate tomorrow, in Athens, in a working meeting organized at the initiative of Greece. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, will participate in the discussions. The Romanian government says that the discussions will focus on the development of regional cooperation in South-Eastern Europe, as well as on the challenges raised by the developments of the conflict in Ukraine on the states participating in the dialogue in Athens.



    Cooperation – One of Romanias objectives in the coming period is to re-conquer the traditional markets with Asian countries, such as Singapore, Vietnam and Japan – says the Economy Minister, Radu Oprea. In a press conference, Radu Oprea emphasized that the Romanian economy must take advantage of the markets and trade agreements signed by the European Union with Asian countries. The Economy Minister added that in October a joint committee meeting with South Korea will be held, and in November – the one with Vietnam, two countries with very high collaboration potential, both by attracting technology through investments in Romania, and by exporting, in the case Romanian companies.



    Inflation – Last month Romania registered one of the highest annual inflation rates in the European Union, 9.4%, show official data of the EU statistics. According to EUROSTAT, Romania ranked fifth, although the index was measured with a single digit. On first place is Hungary, with an inflation rate of 17.5%, followed by Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic, all with over 10%. The lowest annual inflation rate was in Belgium, 1.7%. Compared to June, EUROSTAT also shows, the annual inflation rate decreased in 19 member countries of the European Union, including Romania.



    Festival – The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, known throughout the world for its New Years concert, is coming to Bucharest, at the “George Enescu” Festival. The Viennese orchestra will perform two concerts at Sala Palatului – the Palace Hall in Bucharest, on September 10 and 11, according to the official program of the event. The festival will start in two weeks time, on August 27, with a recital by the “George Enescu” Philharmonic, with Cristian Măcelaru as conductor. The Royal Orchestra “Concertgebouw” from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the National Orchestra of France and the London Symphony Orchestra will also come to Bucharest.



    Ukraine – The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said in an interview given to the Spanish newspaper “El Pais” that he does not believe that giving up military aid to Ukraine will lead to peace. Josep Borrell added that Europe was doing everything possible to achieve peace negotiations that should recognize that “there is an aggressor and a victim.” The European official noted, on the other hand, that were it not for the conflict in Ukraine, it would take years for Kyiv to join the EU and he emphasized that this conflict pushed Ukraine towards the EU, where Russia did not want to see it.



    Ukraine – Ukraine will receive 42 F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands and Denmark, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday. The US, which produces the devices, has agreed to their transfer to the Ukrainian army. The Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said that one of the conditions for the delivery of the aircraft is the successful completion of the military training and the testing of the Ukrainian personnel who will operate them. He also said that training will begin soon and will last at least six months. On Sunday, Zelenski visited the Eindhoven military base in the Netherlands, in the south of the country, to discuss the delivery of F-16 aircraft with the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.



    Volleyball – Romania lost to Switzerland, 3-2, on Saturday evening, in Monza (Italy), in a Group B match of the European Womens Volleyball Championship – CEV EuroVolley 2023. The Romanian national team was coming after a 3 -1 victory against Croatia and a defeat by Italy, score 0-3. Romania will play against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday and against Bulgaria on Tuesday. The first four ranked teams in the group qualify for the round of 16 of the European Championship. CEV EuroVolley 2023 takes place between August 15 and September 3 in four countries, Belgium, Italy, Estonia and Germany. Romanias best result at a European Womens Championship was recorded in 1963, when the Romanian volleyball players won bronze on home ground.



    Academician – PhD Professor Constantin Bălăceanu-Stolnici, honorary member of the Romanian Academy, has passed away. On July 6, he had turned 100 years old. A neurologist by profession, a pioneer in the field of neuro-cybernetics, Bălăceanu-Stolnici wrote over 25 books and published hundreds of scientific works. After 1989, he supported the development of private education in Romania, he was among the founders of the Ecological University of Bucharest, where he taught courses in neuropsychology and the anatomy of the nervous system. Constantin Bălăceanu-Stolnici was considered the last authentic member of the old aristocracy in Romania, the last descendant of the Bălăceni family. In 2007, the National Council for the Study of the Securitate (Political Police) Archives decided that Bălăceanu-Stolnici was a collaborator of the communist political police, and the academician admitted that he had signed informative notes for the Securitate.



    Borders – The number of people who entered Romania through the Isaccea border crossing point, located on the eastern border with Ukraine, doubled, after Russia began the attack on the Ukrainian ports on the Danube, on July 24. In the last month, about 41,000 people entered Romania through Isaccea cross-border point, compared to almost 26,000 in the same period last year. The Romanian Coast Guard reported that these figures ​​are mainly caused by the doubling of ferry transport capacity across the Danube. According to it, if in 2022 ferry rides from one country to another took place every three hours, in this period the rides are at an interval of one and a half hours. At the same time, freight transport through Isaccea increased significantly compared to the same period last year. (LS)


  • August 20, 2023

    August 20, 2023

    Cooperation – One
    of Romania’s objectives in the coming period is to re-conquer the traditional
    markets with Asian countries, such as Singapore, Vietnam and Japan – says the Economy
    Minister, Radu Oprea. In a press conference, Radu Oprea emphasized that the
    Romanian economy must take advantage of the markets and trade agreements signed
    by the European Union with Asian countries. The Economy Minister added that in
    October a joint committee meeting with South Korea will be held, and in
    November – the one with Vietnam, two countries with very high collaboration
    potential, both by attracting technology through investments in Romania, and by
    exporting, in the case Romanian companies.

    Inflation – Last
    month Romania registered one of the highest annual inflation rates in the
    European Union, 9.4%, show official data of the EU statistics. According to
    EUROSTAT, Romania ranked fifth, although the index was measured with a single
    digit. On first place is Hungary, with an inflation rate of 17.5%, followed by
    Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic, all with over 10%. The lowest annual
    inflation rate was in Belgium, 1.7%. Compared to June, EUROSTAT also shows, the
    annual inflation rate decreased in 19 member countries of the European Union,
    including Romania.




    Festival – The
    Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, known throughout the world for its New Year’s
    concert, is coming to Bucharest, at the George Enescu Festival. The
    Viennese orchestra will perform two concerts at Sala Palatului – the Palace
    Hall in Bucharest, on September 10 and 11, according to the official program of
    the event. The festival will start in two weeks’ time, on August 27, with a
    recital by the George Enescu Philharmonic, with Cristian Măcelaru
    as conductor. The Royal Orchestra Concertgebouw from Amsterdam, the
    Netherlands, the National Orchestra of France and the London Symphony Orchestra
    will also come to Bucharest.




    Ukraine – The
    High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
    Policy, Josep Borrell, said in an interview given to the Spanish newspaper
    El Pais that he does not believe that giving up military aid to
    Ukraine will lead to peace. Josep Borrell added that Europe was doing
    everything possible to achieve peace negotiations that should recognize that
    there is an aggressor and a victim. The European official noted, on
    the other hand, that were it not for the conflict in Ukraine, it would take
    years for Kyiv to join the EU and he emphasized that this conflict pushed
    Ukraine towards the EU, where Russia did not want to see it.




    Volleyball
    – Romania lost to Switzerland, 3-2, on Saturday evening, in Monza (Italy), in a
    Group B match of the European Women’s Volleyball Championship – CEV EuroVolley
    2023. The Romanian national team was coming after a 3 -1 victory against
    Croatia and a defeat by Italy, score 0-3. Romania will play against
    Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday and against Bulgaria on Tuesday. The first four
    ranked teams in the group qualify for the round of 16 of the European
    Championship. CEV EuroVolley 2023 takes place between August 15 and September 3
    in four countries, Belgium, Italy, Estonia and Germany. Romania’s best result
    at a European Women’s Championship was recorded in 1963, when the Romanian volleyball
    players won bronze on home ground. (LS)

  • May 19, 2023

    May 19, 2023

    FORUM
    Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and the EU accession efforts of that country
    and of the Republic of Moldova are among the topics discussed in Bucharest in a
    forum devoted to security challenges at the Black Sea and in the Balkans. The
    2-day event comprises over 40 sessions, attended by senior civilian and
    military officials, diplomats and experts from the European Union and NATO, as
    well as partner states. Attending the event, PM Nicolae Ciucă pleaded for a
    strengthened NATO presence at the Black Sea, where free maritime and air
    traffic are jeopardised by Russia’s threats.


    SOLAR
    POWER Individual households in Bucharest and Ilfov County may enroll, as of
    today, in a new session of the Photovoltaic Green Home programme, addressing
    people who want to install solar panels using state assistance. According to
    the environment ministry, the app used for enrolment is available for separate
    development regions, in alphabetical order, with 3 working days earmarked for
    each region. The programme has a budget of around EUR 35 mln, covering over 87,000
    photovoltaic systems.


    EDUCATION Members of the
    Senate’s committee on education have today resumed discussions on the
    undergraduate education bill. On Thursday the analysis of the higher education
    bill was finalized and a positive report was issued, with certain amendments. The
    Opposition criticized the final draft of the document, which they say fails to
    ensure a true reform of the system. On the other hand, the representatives of
    the ruling coalition, made up of the Social Democratic Party, National Liberal
    Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, said the
    amendments improved the bill. Parliament is scheduled to vote on both education
    bills on Monday, when trade unions in the sector announced they would go on
    all-out strike. Negociations continue today to avoid a strike, but
    after the talks yesterday the unions announced they would not give up their
    planned strike unless their salary demands were met.


    UNESCO Codex Aureus, the
    best-known and most important illuminated medieval manuscript, currently in Alba
    Iulia, central Romania, has been included in the UNESCO heritage list. According
    to the National Library of Romania, the famous manuscript is part of the Memory
    of the World Register, which comprises 9 other 1,200-year old works from various
    countries in Europe. Most
    manuscripts are fragments of Latin gospel books, written in gold ink, and
    featuring portraits of the 4 evangelists.


    SANCTIONS The
    US and their G7 allies Friday announced new sanctions to reduce Russia’s
    ability to carry on its war in Ukraine. The sanctions, which target Russia’s
    highly profitable diamond exports, were decided right ahead of the G7 Summit in
    Hiroshima, Japan. Diamond exports, mainly to the UAE, India and EU member state
    Belgium, earn Moscow several billion US dollars a year. A
    EU official said India’s joining the new set of sanctions would be crucial. Invited to
    attend the summit in Hiroshima is also the Indian PM Narendra Modi, whose
    country has strong ties with Moscow and has been reluctant so far to condemning
    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.


    RADIO The Romanian and
    Bulgarian public radio broadcasters announced they would strengthen their
    cooperation. The president and director general of the Romanian Radio
    Broadcasting Corporation, Răzvan Ioan Dincă, and the head of the Bulgarian
    National Radio Corporation, Milen Mitev, will sign an agreement in Sofia, under
    which the 2 parties will exchange news and radio programmes free of charge,
    will produce joint programmes and will provide access to archive recordings to
    their respective listeners in the next 2 years.. Radio Romania International aired
    Bulgarian-language programmes between 1946 and 1949, and again between 1995 and
    2004. Since 2022 the Bulgarian National Radio has a Romanian-language web page.
    (AMP)

  • 25.04.2023 (mise à jour)

    25.04.2023 (mise à jour)

    Buenos Aires – En visite officielle en Argentine, le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis, a convenu avec son homologue argentin Alberto Fernandez, de dynamiser le dialogue politique et diplomatique et d’intensifier la coopération dans plusieurs domaines : la protection de l’environnement et les changements climatiques, l’éducation, la recherche et l’innovation, la numérisation, l’agriculture, l’énergie verte, le nucléaire civil, la culture et le tourisme. « L’Argentine est un ami traditionnel de la Roumanie dans la région de l’Amérique latine » a déclaré le président Iohannis rappelant que ce lundi les deux Etats ont célébré les 92 ans écoulés depuis la création des représentations diplomatiques permanentes des deux Etats. Un mémorandum entre le ministère roumain de l’Intérieur par le département des situations d’urgence et l’agence argentine de coopération internationale et d’assistance humanitaire – « les casques blancs », a également été signé mardi en présence des deux chefs d’Etat. S’y ajoute aussi la signature d’un document bilatéral de coopération dans le domaine de la recherche agricole et de la protection de l’environnement. Klaus Iohannis et Alberto Fernandez ont également évoqué les évolutions enregistrées dans toute une série de dossiers régionaux prioritaires, avec un accent sur les perspectives de résolution de ceux-ci. L’Argentine conclut la tournée que le président roumain Klaus Iohannis a fait en Amérique latine et démarrée le 18 avril. Le chef de l’Etat a visité aussi le Brésil et le Chili.

    Skopje – Visite ce mardi du ministre roumain de la défense Angel Tîlvăr, en Macédoine du nord. Le responsable roumain a rencontré le président Stevo Pendarovski et la ministre de la Défense, Slavjanka Petrovska. Au cours de sa visite, les responsables des deux Etats ont évoqué le dialogue politique et militaire entre leurs pays, l’instruction en commun ou encore la collaboration dans les domaines de l’enseignement militaire et des forces d’opérations spéciales. Le ministre roumain a souligné l’engagement des alliés de mettre en œuvre les mesures alliées de dissuasion et de défense sur le territoire de la Roumanie. Il a également remercié la Macédoine du nord pour sa contribution avec un peloton d’infanterie à la Brigade multinationale sud-est en Roumanie, qui constitue un signal fort de la solidarité alliée. Parallèlement, Bucarest soutien fortement les aspirations européennes des Etats des Balkans de l’ouest, a déclaré le ministre Angel Tîlvăr qui a également réitéré l’implication totale de la Roumanie dans l’appui accordé au peuple ukrainien et a souligné l’importance de la poursuite du soutien international accordé à ce pays.

    Education – Quelques centaines de syndicalistes de l’Education nationale ont manifesté mardi à Bucarest, une heure durant, devant le siège du gouvernement, dénonçant les salaires trop bas. Les syndicats rejettent les mesures envisagées par l’Exécutif afin de réduire les dépenses budgétaire, estimant qu’elles auront un impact négatif sur les salariés du système. Ils ont annoncé leur intention de poursuivre les protestations, mercredi, toujours devant le siège du gouvernement et d’organiser aussi une marche, le 10 mai prochain. Plus de 15 000 manifestants y sont attendus.

    Autriche – Le ministre autrichien de l’Intérieur, Gerhard Karner, effectuera mercredi une visite officielle en Roumanie pour des pourparlers avec son homologue roumain, Lucian Bode. Au centre des discussions : la situation de la migration en UE et notamment la lutte commune contre le trafic de migrants et les abus en matière d’asile, sans oublier la protection des frontières extérieures. Pour rappel, à la fin de l’année dernière, le ministre autrichien de l’Intérieur s’est opposé à l’adhésion de la Roumanie et de la Bulgarie à l’espace Schengen, invoquant justement le fait que la Roumanie se trouverait sur la route balkanique de la migration illégale, une accusation démentie par le gouvernement de Bucarest et par les institutions européennes, dont l’Europol.

    Tennis – La joueuse de tennis roumaine Sorana Cîrstea s’est qualifiée mardi au 2e tour du tournoi WTA 1000 de Madrid, après avoir vaincu l’Américaine Lauren Davis, sur le score de 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. La prochaine adversaire de la Roumaine sera Arina Sabalenka de Biélorussie, n° 2 mondiale, qu’elle a d’ailleurs vaincue récemment dans les quarts de finale du tournoi de Miami. Ce mardi encore, la Roumaine Ana Bodgan a eu raison de la Hongroise Anna Bondar. A son tour, Gabriela Ruse a vaincu la Française Leolia Jeanjean, au dernier round des qualifications au tableau principal de la compétition espagnole.

    Météo – Dans les 24 prochaines heures les températures seront à la baisse en Roumanie. Le ciel sera couvert et l’on attend des pluies à verse sur le centre, l’est et le sud du territoire, alors que la neige et la giboulée sont attendues en montagne, à plus de 1600 m d’altitude. Le vent sera plus fort aussi, notamment sur les sommets, où les rafales pourraient dépasser les 75-85 km/h. Les maxima de mercredi devraient aller de 8 à 18 degrés.

  • April 22, 2023 UPDATE

    April 22, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT The presidents of Romania and
    Chile, Klaus Iohannis and Gabriel Boric respectively have agreed to develop
    cooperation between the two countries in fields like trade exchanges,
    investment, green energy, the environment and climate change, civil protection,
    education, culture, research, innovation and digitalization. The two high
    officials met at the La Moneda Palace in Santiago, during a visit, which is part of the Romanian
    president’s South-American tour. Iohannis said that Chile is one of Romania’s
    traditional partners in Latin America as well as an economic partner with a
    major potential. Iohannis has announced that the first Romanian language
    lectureship in South America will be set up this year at the University of
    Chile. A memorandum has also been signed during Iohannis’ visit to Chile for
    cooperation in emergency situations, such as earthquakes and wildfires.
    Iohannis has visited Brazil and will leave for Argentina.



    EXTRADITION The former president of the County Council in Neamţ, north-eastern Romania, Social-Democrat Ionel Arsene will not be extradited to Romania where he must serve a prison sentence of six years and eight months on corruption charges. A court in Italy has rejected the extradition application filed by the Romanian authorities. The politician had fled the country shortly before the sentence was pronounced and went to Italy to join the other indicted Romanians who found refuge in that country. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Italy, extradition in that country is conditioned by the so-called ‘double criminality’ requirement, which means the act that is the subject of the criminal procedure for which extradition is requested must be provided as a crime both in Italian and in foreign criminal law.






    GOLD
    Romanian athlete Nicoleta Anghel walked away with gold from the European
    Wrestling Championships in Croatia after a win against Turkish opponent Buşe Tosun in the 72 kilogram
    category. This has been Anghel’s best performance so far after the bronze medal
    she reaped in Kaspiysk, Russia and the world’s third performance she obtained
    last year in Belgrade. Anghel has also brought the second continental title for
    Romania that she won in Zagreb after that claimed by Andreea Beatrice in the 55
    kilogram category. Romania has so far won four medals, all in the women’s
    contest, two gold and two bronze, claimed by Catalina Axente in the 76 and
    Kriszta Tunde Incze in the 65 kilograms category.






    STRIKE Trade unions in Romania’s education system have commenced the
    procedure of gathering signatures for an all-out strike after their claims have
    been rejected by the authorities. According to a press communiqué released on
    Saturday, the decision to launch this extreme form of protest is all the more
    so justified as under the latest emergency ordinance on new fiscal-budgetary
    measures, the government intends to implement more measures with an additional
    negative impact for the employees in the country’s education system. Several
    major trade unions in the field are going to again picket the headquarters of
    the Romanian government over 25th and 26th of April and
    stage a protest march, which is expected to be attended by 15 thousand trade
    unionists on May 10th.




    (bill)

  • Romania and Poland to step up cooperation

    Romania and Poland to step up cooperation

    The Prime
    Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday paid a visit to Bucharest
    where he was received by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and held talks with
    his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca and Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr.




    We want that our close relations in term of security and
    defence be doubled by a robust and fruitful economic cooperation according to
    the potential offered by the two economies, the Romanian President said after
    the meeting he had with the Polish official. Iohannis has added that Poland is
    one of the most important trade partners Romania has in the region, with trade
    exchanges, which last year reached an all time high, standing at roughly 11
    billion euros.




    In turn, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă said the
    Tuesday’s joint session of the two governments, Polish and Romanian, offered an
    opportunity for the two sides to confirm their 2022-2026 action plan agreed
    upon in the previous sittings. So, new bilateral goals and action plans have
    been established for every ministry in fields like research, digitization,
    SMEs, demographic growth, youth, sport, defence and transports.




    According to Ciuca, the field of research,
    development and digitalization is a major one and both countries have shown special
    potential and common interests in identifying the solutions, which should
    ensure its consolidation and development. The Romanian official has also
    referred to the common interest in finding solutions for carrying on the
    process of digitalization to the benefit of both the citizens and the small and
    medium-sized enterprises.


    Ciuca has also added that opportunities for continuing
    the process of developing the road, rail and sea transportation infrastructure
    have also been tackled.


    The Romanian official has underlined the
    importance of this infrastructure also known as Via Carpathia and the Rail-2-Sea
    project, which is connecting two ports – the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanţa
    and the Polish port of Gdansk at the Baltic Sea. There are elements, which we
    are convinced they will continue to help not only our countries, Romania and
    Poland but other countries as well, such as Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria in
    the south, linking the southern part of Europe. And there are infrastructure
    elements, which will help Ukraine as well Ciuca also said. He also referred to
    the very good talks in the field of defence and the decision of setting up a
    technical committee to operate in the defence field under the commitments
    assumed in Warsaw last year. In turn, Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz
    Morawiecki, has described the mutual cooperation as very good adding that the
    economic growth in the two countries has made that the voices of Warsaw and
    Bucharest to be better heard in Europe and around the world.


    (bill)

  • March 28, 2023 UPDATE

    March 28, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, received the
    PM of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki in Bucharest on Tuesday. Klaus Iohannis said
    Poland was a close and long-standing friend, a key strategic partner and a
    reliable ally for Romania. We are connected by sound shared strategic and
    security interests, which are further consolidated by today’s rather tense
    regional security context, the Romanian official said. Mr. Iohannis added that
    the 2 countries will maintain their unequivocal support for Ukraine for as long
    as necessary, and will boost their support for the most vulnerable and most
    severely affected partners in the region, especially the Republic of Moldova.
    In turn, PM Morawiecki said Romania and Poland were the pillars of the
    North-Atlantic Alliance in this part of Europe and highlighted the Allies’
    willingness to reinforce it through improved military cooperation. Previously,
    the PM of Romania Nicolae Ciuca had a meeting with his Polish counterpart, and
    together they attended the Romania-Poland Economic Forum organised by the
    Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr. Ciuca said bilateral trade had
    increased by 20% in 2022 compared to the previous year, reaching EUR 11bln.


    MOLDOVA The EU will
    prepare a support package for the Rep. Moldova before summer, the president of
    the European Council Charles Michel said in Chişinău on Tuesday, at a joint
    press conference together with Moldova’s president Maia Sandu. Chişinău has a
    lot of strong friends in Brussels, who want the Republic of Moldova to become a
    part of the EU family as soon as possible, Charles Michel also said, and added
    that this is a historic opportunity for Moldova and for its people. In turn, president
    Maia Sandu emphasised the importance of Moldova’s EU integration. European
    integration is the only path that ensures the survival of Moldova, its becoming
    a free and prosperous country. It is the only chance for its citizens to live
    in peace at home. We must withstand the hybrid attacks targeting our determination
    to be part of the free world, Maia Sandu said.


    DEFENCE The Romanian
    state secretary for defence policy, planning and international relations,
    Simona Cojocaru, is on an official visit to India until March 31, at the
    invitation of defence secretary Giridhar Aramane. According to the Romanian
    defence ministry, the two parties Tuesday signed an inter-governmental defence
    cooperation agreement. The document creates the framework for the development
    and consolidation of bilateral relations, through enhanced cooperation. The
    Romanian defence ministry also notes that it is for the first time in the
    history of the 2 countries’ bilateral relations that a cooperation agreement in
    this sector has been signed.


    PENSIONS The Senate’s
    specialist committees Tuesday issued a positive report on the bill on special
    pensions. The amendments tabled by the ruling coalition made up of the Social
    Democratic Party, National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic
    Hungarians in Romania were passed, although USR in opposition voted against and
    AUR party’s MPs abstained from voting. One of the changes accepted by the
    committees was that beneficiaries of multiple special pensions must choose only
    one of them within 30 days after the law takes effect. Other provisions in the
    bill are that pension benefits will be adjusted to inflation on a yearly basis,
    and that special pensions cannot be higher than the salary received while in
    office. As of Wednesday the bill will be discussed in plenary session by the
    Senate, the first parliamentary chamber to vote on it. (AMP)

  • February 24, 2023 UPDATE

    February 24, 2023 UPDATE

    Ukraine. Ukraine will do everything in its power to win, says president Volodymyr Zelensky, one year after the beginning of the Russian invasion. We endured and did not let ourselves be defeated, reads the Kyiv leaders message, released to the public on Friday. He declares himself convinced that 2023 will be the year of victory and thanks all Ukrainians for their courage. For their part, the leaders of NATO and the European Union say that they will continue to support Ukraine from a political, economic and military point of view, for it to regain its territorial integrity, in accordance with the principles of international law. They condemn Russia not only for its attack on Ukraine, but also for its irresponsible nuclear threats and its use of food and energy as weapons in the hybrid warfare. NATO officials are calling on Russia to immediately stop the war and withdraw from the occupied territories, in accordance with the resolution adopted by the United Nations on Thursday. Reuters notes that the war in Ukraine has become one of attrition, and both sides are suffering increasing losses. Russia is controlling around a fifth of Ukrainian territory



    Support. President Klaus Iohannis sent a message on Friday, one year after the start of Russias war against Ukraine, in which he states that Romania will continue to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people for as long as necessary. “This battle must be won by Ukraine, and Russia must be held accountable for the crimes committed and the lives destroyed. Dear Ukrainian people, you are not alone! You have a reliable friend in Romania, who is supporting you in this unjust battle! It is our responsibility, of us all, to contribute to the victory and build a better future, in peace! Romania stands and will continue to stand by Ukraine!”, said the Romanian president in his video message. He also thanked the Romanian people for their solidarity with and empathy for their Ukrainian neighbours. Prime minister Nicolae Ciucă said the Romanian people, who are strongly attached to the values of the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance, will continue to support the objective of peace and freedom in Ukraine, a country that has become the outpost of the fight to defend the democratic world. In another move, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, visited the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogălniceanu in the south-east of Romania on Friday. “Romanians, Americans, Italians and French train together, carry out missions together, eat together and share each others culture, like a big family. An unshakable wall that protects Romania and the entire Eastern Flank of NATO. We will never accept the invasion of a sovereign state”, Ciolacu later wrote on Facebook.



    Resolution. Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Thursday at a special meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York that Bucharest wants peace for Ukraine but that at the moment the hostilities are at an alarming level, with no signs of diminishing, with unimaginable suffering for the civilian population and drastic and long-term consequences. According to a statement from the Romanian foreign office, minister Bogdan Aurescu also said the hybrid warfare conducted by Moscow and further intensified by fake news, disinformation and malign influences seeks not only to destabilize the region and the most vulnerable states, but also to undermine their unity, mutual trust and solidarity. Minister Aurescu recalled that Romania supports the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine. He welcomed the adoption, by overwhelming majority, of a resolution entitled “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine” in which the UN General Assembly condemns Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and calls for the cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of troops.



    Cooperation. Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă expressed his appreciation for the excellent cooperation between Romania and the European Commission within the European Civil Protection Mechanism, during a meeting he had on Friday with Janez Lenarcic, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management , on a working visit to Bucharest. During the discussions, the excellent cooperation in the management of Ukrainian refugees and humanitarian aid to the neighboring country was appreciated, and the need to develop disaster resilience and civil protection capabilities both at the EU level and in the neighboring states was stressed. The European Commissioner participated in Bucharest in the ministerial round table with the theme Understanding and communicating existing and future risks: Ensuring evidence-based communication and preventing mis- and disinformation, organized by the Department for Emergency Situations.



    Concert. To mark one year since Russias war in Ukraine, violinist Alexandru Tomescu, cellist Răzvan Suma and pianist Sînziana Mircea together with Radio Romanias orchestras and music choirs will give a special performance on Saturday at Radio Romanias Concert Hall entitled “Life in a Suitcase”. Ukrainian-born flutist Mariia Velia, a second-year student at the University of Music in Bucharest, is also invited to perform. Organised by Radio Romanias culture channel, the concert aims to highlight the drama of the millions of people who were forced to leave their country, taking with them nothing but a suitcase. Also in connection with the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the foyer of Radio Romanias Concert Hall on Thursday hosted the opening of an exhibition of photographs by Ilie Pintea, the special correspondent in Ukraine of Radio Romanias news and current affairs channel. Entitled “Ukraine – faces of war”, the exhibition stays open until the end of March. (MI)

  • February 5, 2023 UPDATE

    February 5, 2023 UPDATE

    Cairo – The Romanian Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă, met, on Sunday, in Cairo, with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The talks focused on topics such as bilateral cooperation in the economic and social fields, as well as the impact of the Russian military aggression on Ukraine. The Egyptian president thanked, on this occasion, for the support provided by Romania for the evacuation from Ukraine of the more than one thousand repatriated Egyptian students last year, as well as for facilitating the export of Ukrainian grains to Egypt. Nicolae Ciucă highlighted the need to support Romanian farmers through access to the production of fertilizers from Egypt necessary for agricultural crops. At the same time, the two agreed to increase Romanian farmers grain exports to the Egyptian market. On Sunday, the Romanian Prime Minister also participated in the Egypt-Romania Business Forum, as well as in the signing ceremony of several bilateral documents. On Saturday, Nicolae Ciucă discussed with his Egyptian counterpart, Mostafa Madbouly, about the intensification of bilateral relations, both at the political, commercial and economic levels. He also had a meeting with the representatives of the Romanian community in Egypt and with Egyptian citizens who studied in Romania.



    EU – Starting on February 5, the European Union has completely suspended imports of Russian refined oil products, such as gasoline, diesel and fuel oil, in the context of the war in Ukraine. Until now, the embargo targeted crude oil. Also as of February 5, another European measure came into force, taken together with the allied states, the G7 group of highly industrialized states as well as Australia. The measure is about limiting the price of Russian oil products transported by sea. European limits provide a maximum of 100 dollars per barrel for expensive products, such as diesel and gasoline, and a maximum of 45 dollars per barrel for less refined ones, such as fuel oil. These measures come after a previous cap at 60 dollars per barrel of Russian crude oil imposed on December 5. Beyond this ceiling, Western companies were prohibited from providing maritime services to Russia, given that the G7 countries provide for approximately 90% of the global transport.



    Gas – In Romania, the natural gas stock in deposits is currently 1.880 billion cubic meters, i.e. 61% of the their capacity. According to Depogaz, the main underground natural gas storage operator in Romania, the country has no problem in securing natural gas for the cold season, this stock being by 780 million cubic meters higher than last year. The latest statistics show that Romania has the fastest emptying rate of stored gas deposits in the EU.



    Weather – In Romania, the National Meteorological Administration has issued a cold weather alert valid in all regions, until Friday, as well as Yellow Code Alerts for snow and blizzard, for areas in 27 counties, valid until Monday evening. According to meteorologists, in the Southern and Eastern Carpathians, it will snow locally and temporarily, and the wind speed will increase at 60 – 70 km/h, and at altitudes above 1,700 m, the gusts will exceed 80 – 90 km /h. Until Friday, the weather will be cold in all regions, with mostly negative highs. It will be frosty at night and in the morning in the intra-Carpathian regions, as well as on smaller areas and in the rest of the territory. The minimum temperatures will range between -14 and -4 degrees, and between -20 and -18 degrees C in isolated areas.



    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse reached the last qualifications round of the tennis tournament in Abu Dhabi. That happened following the abandonment of the Czech Tereza Martincova, at the score of 6-3, 3-0 for Gabriela Ruse. The Romanian Sorana Cîrstea entered the main singles draw directly and will play in the first round against the Ukrainian Marta Kostiuk. The winner will face the Swiss Belinda Bencic, the second seed, in the round of 16. Monica Niculescu will play in the doubles, where she pairs with the Japanese Miyu Kato, the opponents in the first round being Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway) and Alexa Guarachi (Chile). (LS)