Radio România Internațional

Tag: CSM Bucharest

April 17, 2018

REVOLUTION CASE – Army prosecutors have today announced the extension of the interval for the criminal prosecution of the former president of the country Ion Iliescu to December 27-31, 1989, for which an endorsement of investigation is not necessary. Ion Iliescu has been summoned to the Prosecutor Generals Office to be informed about the start of his prosecution for crimes against humanity, in the 1989 Revolution Case. On April 13th, the current president Klaus Iohannis endorsed the start of the criminal prosecution of Ion Iliescu, of the former prime-minister Petre Roman and of the former deputy prime-minister Gelu Voican Voculescu in the Revolution Case. The three ex-officials are now being prosecuted and can be sent to court for crimes against humanity, allegedly committed between the 22nd and the 31st of December 1989, when they were holding positions in the National Salvation Front Council, which back then was holding both the executive and the legislative power. According to prosecutors, the armed incidents that occurred after December 22nd, in several towns and cities across Romania, are indicative of the fact that everything occurred as the result of a pre-established plan, aimed at helping the new leaders take over power and gain legitimacy. The three former officials, though, say they are innocent. According to official statistics, in December 1989 more than 1100 people were killed and more than 3000 were wounded, mostly after the arrest of dictator Ceausescu and his wife.

BUCHAREST FORMAT – Bucharest is hosting the first parliamentary summit of the Bucharest Format (B9), attended by representatives of nine European countries and high ranking NATO officials. The summit is aimed at strengthening the role of national parliaments in the security and defense fields. The agenda of the event, which will last until Thursday, includes topics such as the future presence of NATO, the defense and deterrence posture, fighting terrorism, perceptions regarding the threats facing the participant countries and legislative consolidation in the defense field. The B 9 summit is aimed at conveying a unitary and coherent message concerning the strengthening of NATOs Eastern flank, ahead of the NATO summit to be hosted by Brussels in July.

FAC – The EU foreign ministers, gathered in Luxembourg, have voiced support for all the measures aimed at preventing new chemical attacks against civilians in Syria and have called for a re-launch of the political process, aimed to put an end to the conflict. Attending the External Affairs Council, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has stated that Romania firmly condemns the use of chemical weapons in any circumstances, especially against civilians. Talking about the prolonged crisis in Syria, Melescanu has drawn attention to the danger of a military escalation, which would have serious consequences in the region, and has called on all the parties involved to support the UNs efforts to find a political solution.

SUMMIT – On May 4th, the Bulgarian city of Ruse will play host to an informal meeting of the presidents of Bulgaria, Austria and Romania, the countries holding successively the rotating presidency of the EU Council as of January 1st, 2018. According to the press office of the Bulgarian presidential administration, the three heads of state will debate topics of European interest, which are also among the priorities of the current Bulgarian presidency of the EU Council. The meeting in Ruse is an expression of the three countries political will to ensure a common stand with regard to the main topics on the EU agenda, such as the European prospects of the Western Balkans, the future of the cohesion policy and the interconnection of the energy networks in the region.

PROTESTS – Hundreds of employees of the County Emergency Hospital in Craiova, south-western Romania, have today continued their protest against the drop in their incomes an said that, unless their claims are settled, they will start an all-out strike. Health-care employees in Iasi, in the north-east, and Resita, in the west, have also protested today against the new salary scheme used in the sector. On Monday, hundreds of employees with several hospitals in Bucharest and other cities across Romania came to the streets to protest against the 30% cap on bonuses, which has diminished their incomes significantly. The health minister Sorina Pintea has stated that the incomes have dropped only for 10% of the health-care staff and has explained that the bonus cap must be observed. Pintea has also said that hospital directors must manage their activities properly and provide the money for the existing gaps from the hospitals own funds.

MUSIC AWARDS – On Monday, Radio Romania awarded the best Romanian music performers and the best pieces and albums recorded last year. The award for best female voice went to the pop singer Andra, and for best male voice to the soloist of the band Directia V, Cristi Enache. The rock band Vunk and the pop band The Motans won the awards for best rock and best pop artists respectively. The prize for best album and best singer of the year was won by Smiley, and the excellence award went to the pop-rock singer Dida Dragan.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champions CSM Bucharest will learn today their opponents in the Final Four semifinals, following a drawing of lots. CSM Bucharest qualified on Sunday night for the so called Final Four of the Champions League, although it had lost 20-27 to the French from Metz, in a match away from home. In the first match, on home turf, CSM had won 34-21. The other three teams that have qualified for the Final Four are the current champion Gyor ETO of Hungary, HC Vardar of Macedonia and Rostov-Don of Russia. The semifinals and the final will be held on May 12 and 13, in Budapest, where the Romanian team won the competition back in 2016. (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)

17 April 2018
April 15, 2018 UPDATE

DNA – Early next week, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis will announce his decision regarding the request for the removal from office of the Chief Prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi. Recently, the head of state, who had previously voiced his trust in the chief prosecutor, has stated that his decision will take into consideration all the documents provided by both parties. In February, the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader asked for the dismissal of the anti-corruption chief prosecutor, accusing her of having exceeded her powers. The Higher Council of Magistracy has issued a negative opinion on the request.

FAC – On Monday, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu will attend the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. Dominated by the situation in Syria, the agenda of talks also includes topics such as the relations with Iran, the developments in the Western Balkans, the relationship between Brussels and Moscow and the EU financial instruments to be used within the Multiannual Financial Framework post-2020. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will inform the foreign ministers about the developments in Gaza and Venezuela.

ATTACK – The US Ambassador to the UN Nikky Haley has stated that the United States will not pull out its troops from Syria until Washingtons goals are reached. In this way, she said, the US wants to make sure that no chemical weapons will be used in Syria, that the Islamic State will be defeated and the neighboring Iran will be closely monitored. In another move, Great Britain has stated it has no immediate plan to repeat Saturdays attack against installations and chemical weapons stores in Syria. The Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has warned, though, that the British will consider further action if the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad uses again chemical weapons against his own people. The statements were made after the US, Great Britain and France launched, in the early hours of Saturday morning, the largest attack against Syrian targets since the start of the civil war, in retaliation for the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Damascus regime.

SYRIA – In a message on Twitter, president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria and stands by the actions carried out by its strategic partners. The Romanian Foreign Ministry too has reasserted its firm support for any effort made by the international community to stop the conflict in Syria. Also, a message posted on the Governments Facebook page reads that Romania supports the firm response of its strategic partners to the attack in Syria, which claimed victims among the civilian population.

DIASPORA – The Minister for Romanians Around the World Natalia Intotero continues her visit to Spain. On Sunday she had meetings with Mrs. Amparo Marco Gual, the mayor of Castellon de la Plana, and with representatives of the Romanian associations in the Valencian community. According to a communiqué issued by the ministry, the high level of integration of the local Romanian community, which is not only the largest foreign community, but also the best articulated in Castellon, has been a major topic on the agenda of talks. There are some 20,000 Romanians living in Castellon de la Plana, out of some 52,000 living in the Castellon region. Also on Sunday, Natalia Intotero met with representatives of Romanian associations in the region, for talks on ways in which the Romanian Government could better support the Romanian communities in the Iberian peninsula, including non-reimbursable funding for projects aimed at preserving Romanian identity.

VISIT – The Secretary of State Dan Neculaescu has met in Cernauti with representatives of the Romanian community in the region for talks on the situation concerning the rights of the Romanian community in Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian official has also held talks with the leadership of the regional and local administration, and stressed the need for a sustainable solution for the Romanian communitys legitimate interest in benefiting from education in their mother tongue, at all levels. Other topics were also approached during the meeting, such as cross-border cooperation, for the benefit of both parties.

HUNGARY – The central electoral committee of Hungary confirmed on Sunday the final results of the parliamentary elections held on April 8th. FIDESZ, headed by the nationalist prime-minister Viktor Orban, won 133 of the 199 seats. Second came the far right Jobbik party with 26, followed by the Socialists with 20. This is Orbans fourth term in office as prime-minister. Holding two thirds of the seats in parliament will allow him to change the constitution.

SPOTLIGHT – Sunday was the last day of the Spotlight Festival in Bucharest, during which giant images were projected on emblematic buildings in Bucharest. This years edition, the fourth, was titled United We Shine and brought to Bucharest 27 installations, projections and video mapping sessions from France, Australia, Israel, Germany, China, Russia, Italy, Spain and Romania. For the first time at the Spotlight Festival, works of art were also projected on the facades of several buildings, including the Romanian Atheneum.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champion CSM Bucharest on Sunday qualified for the Champions League Final Four, although it was defeated by the French team Metz 20-27, away from home, in the return game of the quarter finals. In the fist game, on home turf, the Romanians had won 34 to 21. The other teams that have qualified for the Final Four are the current European champion Gyor ETP of Hungary, HC Vardar of Macedonia and Rostov-Don of Russia. The semi-finals and the final will be held on May 12 and 13 in Budapest, where the Romanian team won the championship in 2016. On Saturday, SCM Craiova qualified for the final of the EHF cup, after a draw, 18-18, at home, with the Turkish team Kastamonu, in the decisive leg of the semi-finals. In the first game, the Romanians had won 23 to 22. This is Craiovas second participation in the European cups. In the final they will play against the Norwegians from Vipers Kristiansand.

15 April 2018
April 15, 2018

ATTACK – Representatives of Great Britain, France, Germany and the US are today meeting in London to coordinate their stands, following the western attacks in Syria, the German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass has announced. Even if Germany did not take part in the coordinated attacks, he has given assurances that the communication channels with Russia will be used for a constructive stand on the matter. On Friday night, the US, Great Britain and France launched the biggest attack on Syrian targets since the start of the civil war, in response to an alleged use of chemical weapons by the Damascus regime against its own citizens. The Syrian regime, however, has denied any responsibility. Russia, a supporter of Bashar Al-Assads regime, has denounced the attack on a sovereign state, but has stated that its military facilities in Syria have not been affected. On Saturday, the Syrian army announced they took control over Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, and that all the forces opposing Bashar Al-Assad left the region.

SYRIA – In a message on Twitter, president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria and stands by the actions carried out by its strategic partners. The Romanian Foreign Ministry too has reasserted its firm support for any effort made by the international community to stop the conflict in Syria. Also, a message posted on the Governments Facebook page reads that Romania supports the firm response of its strategic partners to the attack in Syria, which claimed victims among the civilian population.

DIASPORA – The Minister for Romanians Around the World Natalia Intotero continues her visit to Spain. Today, shes had meetings with Mrs. Amparo Marco Gual, the mayor of Castellon de la Plana, and with representatives of the Romanian associations in the Valencian community. According to a communiqué issued by the ministry, the high level of integration of the local Romanian community, which is not only the largest foreign community, but also the best articulated in Castellon, has been a major topic on the agenda of talks. There are some 20,000 Romanians living in Castellon de la Plana, out of some 52,000 living in the Castellon region. Also today, Natalia Intotero has met with representatives of Romanian associations in the region, for talks on ways in which the Romanian Government could better support the Romanian communities in the Iberian peninsula, including non-reimbursable funding for projects aimed at preserving Romanian identity.

CERNAUTI – The Secretary of State Dan Neculaescu has met in Cernauti with representatives of the Romanian community in the region for talks on the situation concerning the rights of the Romanian community in Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian official has also held talks with the leadership of the regional and local administration, and stressed the need for a sustainable solution for the Romanian communitys legitimate interest in benefiting from education in their mother tongue, at all levels. Other topics were also approached during the meeting, such as cross-border cooperation, for the benefit of both parties.

SPOTLIGHT – Sunday is the last day of the Spotlight Festival in Bucharest, during which giant images have been projected on emblematic buildings in Bucharest. This years edition, the fourth, was titled United We Shine” and has brought to Bucharest 27 installations, projections and video mapping sessions from France, Australia, Israel, Germany, China, Russia, Italy, Spain and Romania. For the first time at the Spotlight Festival, works of art were also projected on the facades of several buildings, including the Romanian Atheneum.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champions CSM Bucharest are today playing against the French squad Metz, in the return game of the quarter finals of the Champions League. In the fist game, on home turf, the Romanians won 34 to 21. On Saturday, SCM Craiova qualified for the final of the EHF cup, after a draw, 18-18, at home, with the Turkish team Kastamonu, in the decisive leg of the semi-finals. This is the teams second participation in the European cups. In the final they will play against the Norwegians of Vipers Kristiansand.

15 April 2018
April 5, 2018 UPDATE

ROMANIAN ACADEMY – Historian Ioan-Aurel Pop, the rector of the ”Babeş-Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca (north-western Romania) on Thursday was elected president of the Romanian Academy. He received 86 of the 148 votes that were cast during the General Assembly of the Romanian Academy. The newly elected president, who will have a four-year term in office, will take over the position 15 days since his election. The elections for four positions of vice-president and one of secretary general will be held on April 20. The former president of the Romanian Academy, Ionel Valentin Vlad, passed away in December 2017.

SECURITY MEASURES – Over 50,000 employees of the Romanian Interior Ministry have been mobilised to maintain public order, safety and security across the country at Easter. Gendarme and police troops will be chiefly deployed around churches and other religious institutions. 250 thousand people are expected to attend more than 700 public events that will take place in Romania in the next four days. Traffic police, equipped with more than 300 traffic radars and backed by helicopters, will be monitoring traffic on Romanias motorways at Easter.

MARCH – The “Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi Institute for the Romanians abroad, an institution subordinated to the Ministry for the Romanians Abroad jointly with the Lauder-Reut Educational Complex will be staging a March of Holocaust survivors – “Lets learn together, in Poland, over April 9-13. The event, which has an educational character and is aimed at teaching students a dramatic episode in history, involves the participation of young people from 52 countries. The Romanian delegation includes students from Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The project is part of the IEH “The Romanian Identity Caravan, which includes a series of cultural events destined to promote Romanian culture and to consolidate Romanian national identity, and is part of the Strategic Programme – “The Romanian Common Cultural Area – the Great Union Centennial 1918 – 2018.

HEALTHCARE – Romanian health minister, Sorina Pintea, on Thursday said a revision of the legislation on the purchase of medicines is needed, in order to make sure that suppliers who take part in tenders provide the necessary amount of pharmaceutical products throughout the duration of the contract. She also said that the line authorities are permanently monitoring the stocks and the consumption level of pharmaceutical products in order to intervene urgently and legally, so that the necessary amount of medicines be provided to patients. The statements were made after last month, the relevant minister requested a report with centralised data as to the lack of medicines or to discontinuities in the process of supplying with medicines hospitals and medical centres included in the national oncology program.

SKRIPAL CASE – The US diplomats who have been declared persona-non grata by Russia, in retaliation for the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats by the US, in the wake of the Skripal scandal, on Thursday left the US Embassy in Moscow, on the last day set by the Kremlin for them to leave the Russian soil. Serghei Skripal, a former Russian double agent who was living in the UK and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury, south-western England on March 4. London has openly accused Russia of involvement in the case and has announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from British soil, a decision which was followed by similar measures taken by the US and over 20 other countries, with a total of 150 Russian diplomats being sent home. In late March, Russia, which denies any involvement, took a retaliatory measure, by expelling 60 US diplomats, closing down the US Consulate in Saint Petersburg and calling on London to reduce the number of its embassy and consular staff in Russia.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest on Friday will meet on home soil the French team Metz, in the first round of the Champions League quarter finals. In the three other matches, the defending champion, Gyor of Hungary will meet Buducnost Podgorica of Montenegro, FC Midtjylland of Denmark will face Vardar Skopje of Macedonia, and Ferencvaros Budapest of Hungary will take on Rostov- Don of Russia. The winners will qualify for the Final Four tournament. We recall that CSM Bucharest won the Champions League in 2016.(Translated by D.Vijeu and D. Bilt)

5 April 2018
February 4, 2018 UPDATE

VISIT — The deputy prime minister for Romania’s strategic partnerships’ implementation, Ana Birchall, is taking part in the European Open Government Leaders’ Forum held on Monday in Milan, Italy. The event is organised on the first day of Italy’s Open Government Week. The Forum will gather policy-makers, senior civil servants, high level experts and Civil Society Organizations’ representatives from across Europe to discuss the role of civic participation for better policy making and improved public governance systems. The debate will also be aimed at generating new political support for open government and strengthening commitment to action.

DEFENSE — Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor is paying an official visit to Chisinau on Monday, at the invitation of his Moldovan counterpart Eugen Sturza. Minister Fifor will be accompanied by the Chief of the Army General Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca. Tackled at the meeting will be the security situation in the region and bilateral cooperation in he field of defense, with an emphasis on joint projects aimed at helping Moldova continue on its European and Euro-Atlantic path. Previously, Mihai Fifor said that 2018 would be a year dedicated to the modernisation of the Romanian Naval Forces and in that respect a project would be presented at Wednesday’s government meeting, regarding the purchase of four multifunctional corvettes. The contract could be signed until the end of the year, and the corvettes are to be produced in Romania. The Romanian Naval Forces’ two frigates are also to be upgraded.

FORECAST – The Romanian National Commission for Prognosis has revised upwards the evolution of the country’s GDP this year, to 6.1% from an initial 5.5%. The final consumption is expected to go up by 6.3%, which is also more than initially forecast. However, consumption is going to slow down in the next three years to reach 4.9% in 2021. The European Commission has estimated an advance of Romanian economy of up to 4.4% this year, a figure similar to the one estimated by the IMF, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

REPATRIATION — A Romanian citizen was evacuated safely from Yemen, via Jordan, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday in a release. The Romanian citizen was constantly in touch with Romania’s Embassy in Amman, which monitored his repatriation and granted him consular assistance.

HANDBALL — On Sunday the Romanian women’s handball champion, CSM Bucharest, defeated the Danish side Midtjylland 31-26, in the Champions League’s Group 1 main round match away from home. CSM top the group which also includes Hungary’s Gyor Audi ETO KC, Nykoebing Falster Handbold of Denmark, Rostov of Russia and RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia. CSM Bucharest will play the next match at home, on February 11, against Rostov. On Saturday, Sport Club Municipal Craiova defeated the French side Brest Bretagne Handball, 16-15, in an EHF Cup Group A match. In another EHF Cup match on Sunday, Handbal Club Zalau beat the Norwegian side Larvik, the Group D leaders, 25-22, and qualified for the competition’s quarterfinals.

TABLE TENNIS – Romanian table tennis player Bernadette Szocs on Sunday won the ITTF Europe Top-16 Cup tournament in Montreux, Switzerland. Participating were Europe’s 16 best players. Szocs defeated in the final the Dutch Jie Li, the trophy holder, 4-1. The competition was first organised in 1971, and among the winners have so far been the Romanians Olga Nemes in 1983, Emilia Ciosu in 1993 and Otilia Badescu in 1995. There is also good news from tennis as Romania’s team on Saturday and Sunday defeated Luxembourg at home, 3-1, in the first round of Europe/ Africa Zone Group II of the Davis Cup. (Translated by Elena Enache)

4 February 2018
January 27, 2018 UPDATE

HANDBALL Romania’s champions in women’s handball, CSM Bucharest on Friday night clinched a 28-22 win against Hungarian side Gyor Audi ETO in the first game of the Champions League’s main groups. CSM reaped the trophy in 2016 and Gyor are the current European defending champions. The group’s other games are due on Sunday when Nykoebing Falster Handbold of Denmark take on Russian side Rostov and Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia plays Danish side FC Midtjlland. CSM tops the table with eight points followed by Gyor with six, Rostov and NFH each with four, Krim and Midtjylland each with two. The Romanians will be playing the following away game against Midtjylland on Sunday, February 4th.

TENNIS On Saturday the world’s number one tennis player, Romanian Simona Halep, lost the Australian Open finals to the WTA number two Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. This is Halep’s third Grand Slam finals after those she lost in Roland Garros in 2014 and 2017. As of next week, Wozniacki is leader of the WTA ranking.

GOVERNMENT The two Parliament chambers in Bucharest are to convene in an extraordinary session on Monday afternoon to swear in the new PSD-ALDE executive and vote on an updated governing programme. The new ministers are to be heard by senators and MPs from the Parliament’s specialized committees before the swearing in ceremony. The new team led by the Social-Democratic MEP Viorica Dancila will have 27 ministers and 4 Deputy Prime Ministers, one more than the previous team led by former Prime Minister Mihai Tudose. Several ministers will continue their term in office, such as Social-Democrats Mihai Fifor, head of the Defence Ministry, Carmen Dan the Interior Minister, Labour Minister Olguta Vasilescu and Petre Daea, the Minister of Agriculture. The new ministers are Eugen Teodorovici at the Finance Ministry, doctor Sorina Pintea at the Health Ministry, actor George Ivascu at the Ministry of Culture and professor Valentin Popa as the Minister of Education. Natalia Intotero will be heading the Ministry for the Romanians Abroad. Independent Tudorel Toader, backed by the co-ruling Alliance of Liberals and Democrats ALDE, will be heading the Justice Ministry. The Liberal-Democratic ministers who will continue their activity with the new cabinet are Gratiela Gavrilescu, deputy Prime Minister and Environment Minister, Teodor Melescanu with the Foreign Ministry and Viorel Ilie, Minister for the Relation with Parliament. The only change is at the Ministry of Energy, where outgoing Toma Petcu has been replaced by Anton Anton. The opposition National Liberal Party is having talks with the other opposition parties to block the investiture of the new PSD-ALDE cabinet, the third in the past year.

ACCESSION Iurie Leanca, Deputy Prime Minister with the pro-Western government in Chisinau, has announced his intention to forward the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession application during the time when Romania takes over the EU’s rotating presidency in 2019. According to our correspondent in Chisinau, Leanca has said that the Republic of Moldova (an ex-soviet Romanian-speaking country) has to strengthen its dialogue with Brussels and carry on reforms. Leanca has previously served as the country’s Foreign Minister and Prime Minister and the government he led in 2014 concluded Moldova’s accords of association and free trade with the EU. Leanca has been recently appointed Deputy Prime Minister for European integration, a position that didn’t exist before.

HOLOCAUST Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Saturday conveyed a message on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in which he affirms that Romania continues to fight against any form of anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination. ‘Our deepest prayers and thoughts are today for the victims of the Holocaust’, the head of the Romanian state writes. The foreign Ministry in Bucharest has also paid homage to the memory of the Holocaust victims from all over the world voicing solidarity with the survivors of the tragic events of WWII. January 27th 1945 was the day when the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau were liberated by the Red Army.

27 January 2018
November 19, 2017 UPDATE

GERMANY — Negotiations continued on Sunday in Berlin on forging a governing coalition between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU), its Bavarian allies the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Greens and the business-minded Free Democrats. Merkel is trying to iron out disagreements with their would-be coalition partners over climate and migration policy, taxation and national security. France Presse reports that the Christian Democrats, the Bavarian conservatives and the Free Democrats want to set a cap of 200,000 per year on the number of refugees Germany will take. The Greens, however, plead for the resuming, as of next year, of the process of family reintegration for all refugees, a move that the Bavarian conservatives firmly reject. Unless an agreement is reached, Germany could be heading for a snap election.

EMPLOYERS – The CONCORDIA Employers Confederation, one of the largest in Romania, has called on the Government to urgently withdraw the law forcing companies to start collective negotiations with the employees within 30 days. The Confederation has voiced in a release their outrage at the complete lack of transparency in passing a law with a major impact on labour relations, whose constitutionality is still uncertain. The measure forces all employers in Romania to initiate collective negotiations within 30 days, in spite of the fact that the effects of the emergency decree transferring social security contributions from employers to employees have not been clarified. The Employers Confederation argues that the Government has operated this change without consulting with its social partners and with the purpose of making employers and trade unions assume responsibility for decisions unilaterally taken by the executive.

TRAVEL FAIR – The 38th edition of Romania’s Travel Fair ended on Sunday in Bucharest. The fair brought together over 200 tour operators and travel agencies. As many as 12 foreign countries from around the globe had their own stands at the fair, just like the Romanian county councils, which tried to promote travel destinations in their country.

GAUDEAMUS BOOK FAIR — The 24th edition of the Gaudeamus-Book of Learning International Fair, organised by Radio Romania, opens its doors on Wednesday. No less than 800 editorial and professional events will be organised during the fair, which will be attended by 300 exhibitors: Romanian publishing houses boasting a long tradition in the field, education institutions, book sellers and publications, professional associations and other organisations active in the field of culture and education. The honorary president of the fair will be the well-known playwright and journalist Matei Vişniec and the honorary guest of this year’s edition of the fair will be the European Commission. Thus, the event will mark 60 years since the Treaties of Rome were signed, 30 years since the launch of the Erasmus program and 10 years since Romania joined the EU, says Angela Cristea, head of the EC Representation in Romania.

HANDBALL — The Romanian women’s handball team, CSM Bucharest defeated on Sunday on home turf the Polish team Vistal Gdynia, 43-22, in the last match of the Champions’ League Group A. With five wins and a defeat, CSM ranks first in the group, which is also made up of Nykobing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark and RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia. CSM Bucharest won the Champions’ League in 2016 and is one of the favourites of the current edition of the most important European inter-club competition.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

19 November 2017
November 11, 2017 UPDATE

FINANCE — The fiscal measures adopted by the ruling coalition government, which include, among other things, the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees and cutting the income tax from 16 to 10%, were published on Friday in the Official Gazette, and are due to take effect on January 1, 2018. The Government has given assurances that neither the salaries will go down, nor will employers’ expenses go up. Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu said the transfer of social security contributions was prompted by the fact that 30% of companies currently don’t contribute to the health and pension funds, while Finance Minister Ionut Misa confirmed that over 157,000 businesses this year have not paid contributions for over 2 million employees. The right-wing opposition, trade unions and part of civil society have harshly criticized the move. On Monday the National Liberal Party will start procedures to file a motion against the Tudose Cabinet.

BUDGET — The Romanian Finance Ministry has announced a second budget adjustment this year, scheduled to be operated later this month. The adjustment will be positive and will observe the target deficit of 2.96% of the GDP. Additional funds will go to the ministries of Labour, Transport, Healthcare, Justice, Education and the Interior Ministry. The ministries of the Business Environment, Regional Development, Culture and the Environment will see their budgets slashed. The budget readjustment is based on an estimated economic growth of 6.1% as compared to the previous one of 5.6%, and to the initial estimate of 5.2%.

VETERANS DAY — On November 11 Romania marked Veterans Day, alongside other European countries, the United States, Canada and Australia. The authorities hosted military and religious ceremonies at the resting places and memorials of heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty. The Great War ended on November 11, 1918. On the same day in 2003 the first Romanian soldier deployed in Afghanistan was killed. According to the Defense Ministry, since 1996 some 29 military died in theatres of operations abroad and over 180 have been wounded. Tens of thousands of soldiers have during this time been deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, the Western Balkans or to other military operations in Africa and Europe.

RADIOACTIVE CLOUD — The radioactive cloud recently detected in Europe posed no threat, the latest studies conducted in Romania’s atmosphere by experts with the National Commission on Monitoring Nuclear Activity have shown. The head of the institution, Rodin Traicu, told Radio Romania that the levels registered pose no threat to the population and require no public warning. According to the Institute for Nuclear Safety in France, the radioactive cloud could be the result of a nuclear event in Russia or Kazakhstan, which might have occurred sometime in late September. French specialists have potentially located the event at a nuclear fuel treatment facility or at a radioactive medical center. The French Institute has however ruled out the possibility that the cloud could be hazardous to human health.

ISIS — The Islamic State has caused damages worth $100 billion in Iraq during the three years of jihadist occupation, Baghdad authorities have announced. In 2014 ISIS conquered nearly a third of Iraqi territory, north and west of Baghdad, destroying a big part of ancient Mesopotamian ruins. In Mosul ISIS plundered pre-Islamic sites, bombed the iconic al-Nouri mosque and its 12th-century minaret and burned the main library. Fighting to drive the terrorists out has left cities in ruin. Authorities estimate the cost of rebuilding Iraq at some $1,000 billion.

TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Mihaela Buzarnescu, 72 WTA, on Saturday qualified to the finals of the ITF tournament in Tokyo after easing past Dalma Galfi of Uruguay, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 in the semi-finals. In the finals Buzarnescu will take on the number one seed Shuai Zhang of China, 36 WTA. Zhang won the previous game against Buzarnescu in 2012, in the Roland Garros preliminary rounds. After winning the Tokyo semi-finals Buzarnescu has climbed to the 69th position in WTA standings, her career best. A win on Sunday will put Buzarnescu in 61st place.

HANDBALL — Romania’s handball champions CSM Bucharest on Saturday defeated RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia, 33-30, in the fifth fixture of Group A in Champions League. With four wins and one loss, CSM ranks first in the group, which also includes Nykobing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark and Vistal Gdynia of Poland. CSM won the competition in 2016 on its first ever appearance and is dubbed favorite to win this year’s edition.

FOOTBALL — Romania’s under-21 team drew 1-all against Portugal at home, in a match counting towards the 2019 under-21 European Championships preliminaries. Romania has so far won three matches away from home and has drawn twice at home. Romania’s next fixture will be on November 14 against Wales. Romania tops the group tables, followed by Bosnia Herzegovina, Switzerland, Wales, Portugal and Lichtenstein. The winners of the nine preliminary groups will qualify directly to the European Championships to be hosted by Italy, while four of the second-placed teams in all groups having the best score will qualify to the playoffs. (Translated by V. Palcu)

11 November 2017
November 11, 2017

FINANCE — The fiscal measures adopted by the ruling coalition government, which include, among other things, the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees and cutting the income tax from 16 to 10%, were published on Friday in the Official Gazette, and are due to take effect on January 1, 2018. The Government has given assurances that neither the salaries will go down, nor will employers’ expenses go up. Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu said the transfer of social security contributions was prompted by the fact that 30% of companies currently don’t contribute to the health and pension funds, while Finance Minister Ionut Misa confirmed that over 157,000 businesses this year have not paid contributions for over 2 million employees. The right-wing opposition, trade unions and part of civil society have harshly criticized the move. On Monday the National Liberal Party will start procedures to file a motion against the Tudose Cabinet.

BUDGET — The Romanian Finance Ministry has announced a second budget adjustment this year, scheduled to be operated later this month. The adjustment will be positive and will observe the target deficit of 2.96% of the GDP. Additional funds will go to the ministries of Labour, Transport, Healthcare, Justice, Education and the Interior Ministry. The ministries of the Business Environment, Regional Development, Culture and the Environment will see their budgets slashed. The budget readjustment is based on an estimated economic growth of 6.1% as compared to the previous one of 5.6%, and to the initial estimate of 5.2%.

VETERANS DAY — On November 11 Romania marked Veterans Day, alongside other European countries, the United States, Canada and Australia. The authorities hosted military and religious ceremonies at the resting places and memorials of heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty. The Great War ended on November 11, 1918. On the same day in 2003 the first Romanian soldier deployed in Afghanistan was killed. According to the Defense Ministry, since 1996 some 29 military died in theatres of operations abroad and over 180 have been wounded. Tens of thousands of soldiers have during this time been deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, the Western Balkans or to other military operations in Africa and Europe.

RADIOACTIVE CLOUD — The radioactive cloud recently detected in Europe posed no threat, the latest studies conducted in Romania’s atmosphere by experts with the National Commission on Monitoring Nuclear Activity have shown. The head of the institution, Rodin Traicu, told Radio Romania that the levels registered pose no threat to the population and require no public warning. According to the Institute for Nuclear Safety in France, the radioactive cloud could be the result of a nuclear event in Russia or Kazakhstan, which might have occurred sometime in late September. French specialists have potentially located the event at a nuclear fuel treatment facility or at a radioactive medical center. The French Institute has however ruled out the possibility that the cloud could be hazardous to human health.

HANDBALL — Romania’s handball champions CSM Bucharest is today playing RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia in the fifth fixture of Group A in Champions League. With 3 wins and one loss, CSM ranks first in the group, which also includes Nykobing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark and Vistal Gdynia of Poland. CSM won the competition in 2016 on its first ever appearance and is dubbed favorite to win this year’s edition.

FOOTBALL — Romania’s under-21 team drew 1-all against Portugal at home, in a match counting towards the 2019 under-21 European Championships preliminaries. Romania has so far won three matches away from home and has drawn twice at home. Romania’s next fixture will be on November 14 against Wales. Romania tops the group tables, followed by Bosnia Herzegovina, Switzerland, Wales, Portugal and Lichtenstein. The winners of the nine preliminary groups will qualify directly to the European Championships to be hosted by Italy, while four of the second-placed teams in all groups having the best score will qualify to the playoffs. (Translated by V. Palcu)

11 November 2017
Athlete of the Week on RRI – Handballer Cristina Neagu

The Romanian women’s handball club CSM Bucharest has defeated Nykobing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark 39-26 in a match counting towards Champions League Group A. In the previous match played in Denmark, the host team had won 25-22. With this win CSM has secured qualification to the next phase of the competition. The topscorers for the team from Bucharest were Cristina Neagu and Iulia Curea, each with 7 goals. CSM dominated the game, holding the lead through the game. In the other group fixture, RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia won 39-22 against Vistal Gdynia of Poland. With two games still to play, the Romanian champions top the Group tables with 6 points, followed by Krim Ljubljana with 6 points, Nokobing Falster Handboldklub with 4 points and Vistal with zero points. In the next game CSM will take on Krim Mercator away from home.

Like in all the previous games, CSM’s playmaker, Cristina Neagu, put in a solid performance, showing good leadership skills. For her remarkable performance, we have designated her Athlete of the Week on RRI.

Cristina Neagu was born in Bucharest in 1988. She plays both left wing and center. She started out at Activ Ploiesti, then played for Rulmentul Brasov, Oltchim Ramnicu Valcea, Buducnost Podgorica and starting this year for CSM Bucharest. She played the Champions League Finals in 2010 with Oltchim and won the competition in 2015 with Buducnost.

She has been captain of Romania’s national team since 2016 and has won bronze at the European Handball Championships of Denmark and Norway in 2010, as well as at the World Cup of 2015 in Brazil. At the 2010 European Championships, Cristina Neagu was the competition’s topscorer with 53 goals. In 2010 and 2015 the International Handball Federation designated Neagu Player of the Year. In 2011 and 2012, Cristina Neagu withdrew from all competitions to treat her right-shoulder. A subsequent injury in 2013 kept Neagu 6 months away from the court. (Transated by V. Palcu)

7 November 2017
Athlete of the Week on RRI – Handballer Cristina Neagu

The Romanian women’s handball club CSM Bucharest has defeated Nykobing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark 39-26 in a match counting towards Champions League Group A. In the previous match played in Denmark, the host team had won 25-22. With this win CSM has secured qualification to the next phase of the competition. The topscorers for the team from Bucharest were Cristina Neagu and Iulia Curea, each with 7 goals. CSM dominated the game, holding the lead through the game. In the other group fixture, RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia won 39-22 against Vistal Gdynia of Poland. With two games still to play, the Romanian champions top the Group tables with 6 points, followed by Krim Ljubljana with 6 points, Nokobing Falster Handboldklub with 4 points and Vistal with zero points. In the next game CSM will take on Krim Mercator away from home.

Like in all the previous games, CSM’s playmaker, Cristina Neagu, put in a solid performance, showing good leadership skills. For her remarkable performance, we have designated her Athlete of the Week on RRI.

Cristina Neagu was born in Bucharest in 1988. She plays both left wing and center. She started out at Activ Ploiesti, then played for Rulmentul Brasov, Oltchim Ramnicu Valcea, Buducnost Podgorica and starting this year for CSM Bucharest. She played the Champions League Finals in 2010 with Oltchim and won the competition in 2015 with Buducnost.

She has been captain of Romania’s national team since 2016 and has won bronze at the European Handball Championships of Denmark and Norway in 2010, as well as at the World Cup of 2015 in Brazil. At the 2010 European Championships, Cristina Neagu was the competition’s topscorer with 53 goals. In 2010 and 2015 the International Handball Federation designated Neagu Player of the Year. In 2011 and 2012, Cristina Neagu withdrew from all competitions to treat her right-shoulder. A subsequent injury in 2013 kept Neagu 6 months away from the court. (Transated by V. Palcu)

7 November 2017
November 3, 2017

ECONOMIC GROWTH – The National Forecasting Committee has
revised again, upwards, the forecast regarding Romania’s economic growth in
2017, from 5.6 to 6.1%. The Committee has maintained the GDP growth estimates
for 2018, 2019 and 2020 at 5% every year. The International Monetary Fund has
too revised the forecast regarding the development of Romanian economy, from
4.2% to 5.5%. According to the IMF, Romania and Iceland will register the
highest economic growth rates this year. A similar estimate has been presented
by the World Bank. In another move, specialists draw attention to the fact that
Romania’s economic growth is mainly triggered by consumption, and that the
volume of public investment has dropped.

STRIKE
– State sector employees are the main victims of the political manipulation by
means of which the payment of social security contributions has become an
employee responsibility. This decision will actually annul the 25% salary
increase, turning it into a political scam, reads a communiqué issued by the
‘Solidaritea Sanitara’ (Solidarity for Health) Trade Union Federation.
According to the federation, a general strike in the budget sector would be a
normal sanction against the government, which is trying to impose an agenda
that runs counter to the commitments it had made to the employees. On Thursday,
another trade union federation, CNSLR Fratia, announced the start of procedures
for a national strike, also in response to the government’s decision regarding
social security contributions. This decision has been harshly criticised by
other unions, as well as by the president and the liberal opposition. In
response, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has stated that the measure will benefit
everybody.

EU
COUNCIL – The presidency of the EU Council, which Romania will be holding in
2019, will reflect the need for consensus, not political interests, said on
Thursday the Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu. He
attended the launch of the guide to the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, a
document developed by the European Expertise Centre – Europuls. Victor Negrescu
has stated that currently there are some 1500 experts preparing for the future presidency. In another
development, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs will be in London for
two days to talk with representatives of the Romanian community about the
Brexit implications. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has launched an information
clip on this topic. According to the Ministry, there are 328,000 Romanians
living in Great Britain.

CATALONIA – On
Thursday, thousands of Catalans protested against the arrest of eight regional
ministers, sacked because of their involvement in the attempt to separate
Catalonia from Spain. They are accused of rebellion, revolt and embezzlement of
public funds. Prosecutors have requested a European arrest warrant for the
Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who
is currently in Belgium. Last week, the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
imposed direct rule on Catalonia, dissolved the regional parliament and
announced local elections to be held on the 21st of December.

FOOTBALL – Romanian Vice-champions FCSB
(formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) has qualified to Europa League last 32
round, following the 1-1 result in Group G against Israeli football team Hapoel
Beer Sheva on Thursday evening in Bucharest. In the previous match, FCSB
defeated Hapoel 2-1 away from home. FCSB now has 10 points and heads the group.
Second comes Viktoria Plzen with 6 points, following the victory against FC
Lugano of Switzerland. FCSB will play in Group G two more matches against
Viktoria Plzen on November 23 away and against Lugano on December 7 at home.

HANDBALL – Romania’s women’s handball champions CSM Bucharest are
playing on Saturday, on home turf, against the Danish team Nykobing Falster
Handboldklub, its fourth match in Champions League’s group A. In other matches,
CSM has defeated the Slovenian team RK Krim Mercator Ljubliana and Vistal
Gdynia of Poland. In the rankings, the Romanians come first with 4 points, just
like the Danish, who come second. CSM Bucharest won the Champions League in
2016 and is one of the first seeds at the current edition of the most powerful
European inter-club competitions.

3 November 2017
October 23, 2017

BILATERAL RELATIONS — Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, who is on an official visit to Israel, will meet President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is also the country’s Foreign Minister. The agenda for talks includes the status of bilateral relations, the developments in Israel’s vicinity, the situation in Syria and Iraq, the prospects of Iran’s nuclear agreement and the peacemaking process. On Sunday, Minister Melescanu met with representatives of the Romanian-born Jewish community in Jerusalem. Several days ago, the Chairman of the Knesset Committee on Foreign Relations and Defense, Avi Dichter, met with Teodor Melescanu in Bucharest. The Romanian official hailed the visit of the Israeli Parliamentary delegation to Romania as an opportunity to reassert the excellent level of bilateral relations.

NEGOTIATIONS — Trade unions in the field of healthcare are today resuming talks with the Health Ministry. Union representatives are discontented with the new legislation that is to take effect on January 1 and which, they believe, would considerably curb the income of healthcare personnel. Trade unions want the Government to eliminate the 30% cap on specific bonuses and to renounce its plan to transfer the payment of social security contributions from employers to employees, which will arguably counterbalance the 25% salary increase stipulated by the new salary law. Unless they reach consensus with the authorities, healthcare trade unions threaten to resort to new protests. Last week some 10,000 employees from all over the country attended a large-scale protest action in Bucharest.

SPLIT VAT — The Romanian Parliament is today debating the Split VAT collection mechanism. Finance Minister Ionut Misa is today expected to explain before the Chamber of Deputies how the measure will be implemented. The measure has already taken effect by emergency Government decree and is currently optional. It will become mandatory for all businesses starting January 1, 2018. The Liberals have called on the Government to repeal the decree, saying it will upset the economy. Conversely, the left-wing ruling coalition plans on modifying the law so that it becomes mandatory only for businesses with a bad credit record or which are currently in default. Split VAT has stirred harsh criticism from businesses, who’ve warned the new mechanism will cause an economic deadlock.

REFERENDUM — The majority of voters in the regions of Veneto and Lombardy in northern Italy have voted for greater autonomy as part of the two referendum held on Sunday. Over 90% of the voters said “yes” to the consultation held by the North League, an extremist political party. According to our correspondent on the group, the result of the vote might lead to negotiations with Rome authorities, with a view to securing better financial agreements with the two regions.

HANDBALL — The Romanian women’s handball team CSM Bucharest lost 25-22 to Nykobing Falster Handboldklub of Denmark away from home, in the third match in the Champions League Group A. CSM previously defeated RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia on home turf and Vistal Gdynia of Poland away from home. CSM ranks first in the group tables with 4 points, the same as Nykobing, who is runner-up. The next fixture for the Romanian handballers will be the return leg against Nykobing Falster Handboldklub, scheduled on November 4 at home. CSM Bucharest won the Champions League last year on its first ever appearance in this competition. This year CSM is favourite to win.

TENNIS — Tennis player Simona Halep, WTA no. 1, is seeded first in the WTA finals hosted by Singapore. Halep is today playing Caroline Garcia of France, WTA no. 9 in the first match in the Red Group. In the second Group fixture, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, WTA no. 4, will take on Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, WTA no. 6. On Sunday on the first day of the competition, Garbine Muguruza of Spain defeated 6-3, 6-4 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, who has for the first time qualified to this event. In the other match in the White Group, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic defeated Venus Williams of the United States, 6-2, 6-2. This is Simona Halep’s fourth participation in the WTA Finals. Four years ago she made it all the way to the final. (Translated by V. Palcu)

23 October 2017
May 7, 2017 UPDATE

EMPLOYEE RIGHTS The International Trade Union Confederation has called on the Romanian Government, on behalf of the Romanian trade unions affiliated to the Confederation, to amend the legislative framework and thus resume social dialogue. The Confederation has warned that, unless legislation is changed, it will report, by means of the appropriate UN surveillance mechanisms, that fundamental rights have been constantly violated in Romania. A communiqué issued by the National Trade Union Bloc in Romania reads that the changes brought to the relevant legislation in 2011 have significantly affected employees right to collective bargaining as well as their right to set up or be part of a trade union.

EU AFFAIRS On Tuesday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis will address Parliament on the celebration of 140 years of independence from the Ottoman Empire, proclaimed in May 1877, and also on Europe Day. Against the same background of celebrating Europe Day, 10 years after Romania joined the EU, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will pay a visit to Bucharest. On Thursday, he will meet with Romanian citizens, in a dialogue on the future of the Union and the way in which EU institutions could better meet European citizens needs. Also, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, the Romanian Corina Cretu, will pay a two day visit to Bucharest, as of Monday. She will launch the 2017 Structural Funds Caravan, a project that includes a string of regional conferences on the management of European money.

WORLD FORUM Romania has attended in Baku the 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, on the theme “Advancing Intercultural Dialogue – New avenues for human security, peace and sustainable development”. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Culture Ministry, the event, organized by the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was held under the patronage of prestigious organisations, such as UNESCO, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO), the Council of Europe, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the North-South Center of the Council of Europe. The State Secretary with the Romanian Culture Ministry Alexandru Oprean attended the meeting and stressed the importance of peace, security and sustainable development. He also held a meeting with his Azeri counterpart Samadov Nazim Adil Oglu, during which the two officials discussed the renewal of the cooperation agreement between the culture ministries of the two countries.

COOPERATION The governments of Romania and the US respectively will collaborate, through national contact points, to ensure an exchange of information between the bodies in charge of preventing, discovering and investigating serious crimes, including acts of terrorism. According to a bill passed by the Romanian Government, the agreement stipulates the provision, by both parties, of reference data from the national fingerprint and DNA identification systems. The document is the result of political and diplomatic actions carried out by Romania in order to be included in the Visa Waiver programme. In another development, this autumn Romania will host Trade Winds, the largest annual U.S. government-led trade mission, which will lead U.S. companies and organizations to Southeast European markets in 2017, to connect them to promising business opportunities. Some 100 American companies will be present in Romania, interested in the economic opportunities offered by this country and the region.

UNEMPLOYMENT In Romania, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.55% in March, as compared to the previous month, and the number of jobless people stood at approximately 400,000 according to data made public by the National Employment Agency. The biggest share of the unemployed is that of men aged 40 to 49, from the rural environment and with a low education level. The highest unemployment rates were recorded in the counties of Vaslui, Teleorman, Mehedinti and Buzau. The county of Ilfov, near Bucharest, is at the opposite pole.

INNOVA Romania has won the big prize of the INNOVA Barcelona 2017 International Invention, Research and New Technology Fair, thanks to the invention of two scientists with the National Research and Development Centre in Ramnicu Valcea, southern Romania. They developed a process that can control air pollution and solid-gas separation. At the INNOVA Fair, where Romania participated with 30 inventions, our country won 27 gold medals, three silver and 19 special awards. Another four inventions were presented in the environmental protection category, which won two gold and two silver medals. Some 200 innovative projects were presented at this years edition of the Spanish invention fair.

HANDBALL On Sunday evening, Romanias womens handball champion CSM Bucharest defeated Buducnost Podgorita of Montenegro 26-20, thus winning the bronze medal at the Champions League Final Four. On Saturday, in the semi-finals, the Romanian squad had been defeated by the Macedonian team HC Vardar Skopje 38-33. Some 1,500 Romanian supporters attended the matches played by Buducnost, whose team included the best handball player in the world, the Romanian Cristina Neagu. As of now, Cristina Neagu will play for CSM Bucharest.

7 May 2017
May 7, 2017

ELECTION 47 and a half million French voters are expected to the polls today to elect their president for the next five years. The French citizens in Romania can vote in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca and Iasi, the cities where voting sections have been set up especially for them. After a tense election campaign, in the second, decisive round, the centrist Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker and former minister of the economy during the Hollande presidency, is dubbed the favourite and likely to win more than 60% of the votes. His contender is the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, expected to win less than 40%. Its for the first time in decades that neither the conservative right, nor the socialist left have had any candidates in the final of the presidential race. Both finalists have given assurances that they stand for the renewal of the political class, but one defends free exchange and European integration, while the other one condemns the savage globalisation and immigration and stands for a clever protectionism, France Presse reports. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Paris, the ballot, dubbed by the media as historic and unique, will bring not only a winner, but lots of dilemmas on the political scene.

EU VISIT The European Commissioner for Regional Policy, the Romanian Corina Cretu, on Monday starts a two-day formal visit to Romania. The European official will hold talks with the Deputy Prime-Minister Sevil Shhaideh and will take part in several conferences and public events. Corina Cretu will also visit a project funded from European Funds, at the Romanian Patriarchy, and will attend the launch of the Structural Funds Caravan, a project that includes regional conferences on the management of European funds. Her visit to Romania coincides with the celebration of Europe Day, 10 years since Romanias accession to the EU. The European Commissioner has stated that its a time of reflection for both Romania and the EU, now in the focus of a large-scale debate on its future in the 27-member formula.

COOPERATION The governments of Romania and the US respectively will collaborate, through national contact points, to ensure an exchange of information between the bodies in charge of preventing, discovering and investigating serious crimes, including acts of terrorism. According to a bill passed by the Romanian Government, the agreement stipulates the provision, by both parties, of reference data from the national fingerprint and DNA identification systems. The document is the result of political and diplomatic actions carried out by Romania in order to be included in the Visa Waiver programme. In another development, this autumn Romania will host Trade Winds, the largest annual U.S. government-led trade mission, which will lead U.S. companies and organizations to Southeast European markets in 2017, to connect them to promising business opportunities. Some 100 American companies will be present in Romania, interested in the economic opportunities offered by this country and the region.

UNEMPLOYMENT In Romania, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.55% in March, as compared to the previous month, and the number of jobless people stood at approximately 400,000 according to data made public by the National Employment Agency. The biggest share of the unemployed is that of men aged 40 to 49, from the rural environment and with a low education level. The highest unemployment rates were recorded in the counties of Vaslui, Teleorman, Mehedinti and Buzau. The county of Ilfov, near Bucharest, is at the opposite pole.

INNOVA Romania has won the big prize of the INNOVA Barcelona 2017 International Invention, Research and New Technology Fair, thanks to the invention of two scientists with the National Research and Development Centre in Ramnicu Valcea, southern Romania. They developed a process that can control air pollution and solid-gas separation. At the INNOVA Fair, where Romania participated with 30 inventions, our country won 27 gold medals, three silver and 19 special awards. Another four inventions were presented in the environmental protection category, which won two gold and two silver medals. Some 200 innovative projects were presented at this years edition of the Spanish invention fair.

HANDBALL In the Champions League Final Four, Romanias womens handball champion CSM Bucharest is fighting for the third place in Budapest today, in a match against Buducnost Podgorita. On Saturday, in the semi-finals, the Romanian squad was defeated by the Macedonian team HC Vardar Skopje 38-33. In the other semi-final, Gyor defeated Buducnost Podgorica, whose team includes the best Romanian handball player in the world, Cristina Neagu. Gyor and Vardar Skopje will fight for the title of European champion, which last year was won by CSM Bucharest.

7 May 2017