Radio România Internațional

Tag: earthquake

  • October 30, 2020 UPDATE

    October 30, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 RO. Romanias Health Minister Nelu Tataru has warned that the next 3-4 weeks will be difficult for Romania, with the authorities trying to curb the number of infections with the new coronavirus, so that they may reach a ceiling. According to him, authorities rely on 1200 IC beds, with the possibility of adding another 300, where those infected are benefitting from the same treatments as the patients abroad. Over 6,540 new infections were confirmed on Friday and another 103 new fatalities were reported. Out of more than 11 thousand patients hospitalized, 917 are in a severe condition. Since the onset of the pandemic, the novel coronavirus has killed 6,867 people in Romania. According to Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, authorities are trying to identify the local causes favouring the spread of the virus. Orban says the government isnt considering additional measures yet.



    FUNDS. The EU is to earmark 220 million euros for the transfer of Covid-infected patients from one country to another, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday following a videoconference of EU leaders to discuss the present health crisis. A platform will be created allowing experts to provide counseling to national governments, share the best methods and scientific recommendations and also to avoid contradictory messages. Romanias president Klaus Iohannis made an appeal for the coordination of all efforts to deal with the health crisis and called for additional funds for the diversification of procurement sources for the future vaccines.



    PANDEMIC. Worldwide, the number of Covid-19 cases has exceeded 45.3 million, and the number of deaths is close to 1.2 million. More than 33 million people have been healed so far, according to the Worldometers.info. European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides on Friday called on EU member states to impose restrictions on the population in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus on the continent, Reuters reports. Travel restrictions came into force in Europe on Friday. In France, where quarantine measures have been imposed for the second time at national level, citizens are no longer allowed to travel more than one km from their personal home unless they have a real justification. In Spain, the Madrid Parliament has approved the extension of the state-imposed emergency at national level. The head of the German executive, Angela Merkel, has agreed with federal officials to set up a so-called limited lockdown, in parallel with tightening existing rules. Angela Merkel has warned that four long and difficult winter months are coming, as Europe is faced with s a significant increase in the number of coronavirus cases. The lower chamber of the Czech Parliament approved on Friday the extension of the state of emergency until November 20. In another development, the United States has exceeded the daily threshold of 90,000 contaminations for the first time, and the death toll and hospitalizations are also rising. For the third time in October, more than 1,000 people died in a single day.



    COLECTIV. On Friday, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis laid a wreath of flowers in memory of the victims of the fire that destroyed the Colectiv night club in Bucharest five years ago and killed 65 people. Also on Friday, the president promulgated a law granting lifetime treatment to the victims. Five years on, 150 young people are still in need of treatment. Several people were apprehended by the police back then including the club owners and representatives of the company that provided the fireworks for the concert. The club owners were sent to court, but investigation procedures dragged on for years. The file is now on at the Bucharest Court of Appeal with a deadline set by December this year. Thousands took to the streets after the tragedy five years ago, disgruntled by the authorities lack of involvement. The mass protests forced the Social-Democratic government of that time to step down.



    FIRE Spain, Portugal and Poland recorded the highest number of forest fires in EU countries in 2019, but Romania was the country that suffered the most damage in protected areas with 73,444 hectares of affected area, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). EFFIS data were taken from the annual report on forest fires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, drawn up by the European Commissions Joint Research Center. According to the EU Executive, in 2019 the year with the most disastrous effects of global forest fires in recent history, over 400,000 hectares of European natural land burned and a record number of protected natural areas were affected by forest fires.



    EARTHQUAKE. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu sent a message of solidarity to Turkey and Greece on Friday following the strong earthquake that occurred in the Aegean Sea. The head of diplomacy in Bucharest sent sincere condolences for the loss of human lives and regrets for the material damage suffered. The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced that, so far, the Turkish and Greek authorities have not notified Romanias diplomatic or consular missions in the two states with regard to the existence of Romanian citizens affected by Fridays earthquake. A strong earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale shook western Turkey on Friday and caused significant damage and property damage. The quake, which was felt from Istanbul to Athens, occurred in the Aegean Sea, southwest of Izmir, Turkeys third largest city, and near the Greek island of Samos. Turkey is located in one of the most active seismic areas in the world. In 1999, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the countrys northwest and killed more than 17,000 people.



    AIR FORCE. Two more F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, out of the group of five, which will be part of the Romanian Air Force, arrived on Friday, from Portugal, at the air base in Borcea, (south), the Romanian Ministry of Defense has announced. According to a press release, the last aircraft in the group of five will be delivered in the first quarter of 2021. The first two arrived in Romania in August. The Romanian Air Force has another 12 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, which are already performing air police missions under NATO command.



    ATTACK. In France, the government has announced the strengthening of anti-terrorist security measures, at the end of the Defense Council convened by President Emmanuel Macron, after the Islamist attack in Nice, in which three people were killed by a Tunisian immigrant. Increased forces will be mobilized immediately for better surveillance of public space, according to the Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who decided to reactivate 3,500 reservist gendarmes. Also, 100 police officers have been posted to Nice, where the population is dominated by a strong sense of insecurity. The Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has advised the French citizens living abroad to be cautious, as the threat to French interests is present in many parts of the world. Following Thursdays attack in Nice, France raised security alert for the entire territory to the highest level. The attack comes less than two weeks after an Islamist militant beheaded a teacher near Paris after he presented students caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.


    (M. Ignatescu)

  • June 28, 2020 UPDATE

    June 28, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The number of COVID-19 cases in Romania passes 26.300, with the death toll standing at 1,612. Of those who tested positive for the virus, 18,814 recovered. PM Ludovic Orban requested enhanced mobilisation of the authorities and more inspections. Meanwhile, Romanian researchers say the patients who have recovered from the COVID-19 are unlikely to get infected again. They reached this conclusion after having analysed the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the country, which they traced back to Wuhan, China. Most likely, the virus reached all parts of the country through community spread.



    PANDEMIC On Sunday the total number of coronavirus infections worldwide went over 10 million, a major benchmark for the pandemic which has so far killed nearly half a million people. According to the World Health Organisation, the number of COVID-19 cases is almost double the number of severe flu cases reported every year. The US, which is the worst hit country, reports more than 2.5 million cases, and states with record-high figures like Florida and Texas reintroduced containment measures, after the authorities had eased restrictions over the past few weeks. In turn, Europeans disagree over the list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter the EU as of July 1. According to France Presse sources, talks will continue on Monday, and the green lighted countries may include Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Serbia, but not the US. The European Union closed all external borders in mid-March, and now the countries that rely heavily on tourism, such as Greece, want the borders reopened as soon as possible. Restrictions will be lifted gradually however, with bimonthly assessments, and countries with decreasing infection figures will be privileged.



    COMMEMORATION Romania, the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian diaspora commemorated on Sunday 80 years since the eastern Romanian territories were annexed by the Soviet Union. On June 28, 1940, following an ultimatum, Soviet troops occupied Bessarabia and northern Bucovina, Romanian regions totalling around 55,000 sq km, with a majority ethnic Romanian population. Hundreds of thousands of families sought asylum in Romania, and tens of thousands were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. The territories annexed by Moscow are currently part of the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.



    EARTHQUAKE A 3.1 Richer earthquake took place on Sunday afternoon, at 2:47 pm, 85 km underground in Vrancea, eastern Romania, the National Institute for Earth Physics announced. According to the said source, a total of 20 earthquakes, ranging between 2.4 and 3.9 degrees on Richter scale, have occurred in Romania in June alone. A 5.2 magnitude quake, the biggest this year, took place on January 31, also in Vrancea County.



    FINLAND The Romanian Foreign Ministry marked on Sunday the celebration of 100 years of diplomatic relations with Finland, and voiced Romanias desire to further consolidate the cooperation between the 2 states, at bilateral, European and global level. According to the Foreign Ministry, Romania recognised Finlands independence on April 8, 1920. At economic level, bilateral trade has been on an upward trend since 2013, from 267 million euros to 402 million euros in 2019, when a 3.46% increase was reported since the previous year. Finland is the 30th biggest foreign investors in Romania, with over 200 companies incorporated in Romania with Finnish capital and investments of over 70 million euros. The cooperation between Romania and Finland has been strengthened over the past few years, and at EU level the 2 countries were part of the same trio at the EU Council presidency, alongside Croatia, between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • April 19, 2020

    April 19, 2020

    EASTER Orthodox believers, who are a majority in Romania, and
    Greek-Catholics are today celebrating Easter or the Resurrection of Jesus
    Christ our Lord. The Christianity’s greatest event has this year been
    celebrated in empty churches as believers were prevented from attending
    religious services in order to observe social distancing rules imposed by the
    Covid pandemic. All the believers watched live transmissions on various media
    channels instead. The Holy light was brought on Saturday from Jerusalem after a
    special religious service, which was not attended by thousands of pilgrims like
    it used to in the past years. In his message to believers on this occasion,
    Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, says the resurrection of
    Christ is for us a source of spiritual power to fight the disease, the fear of
    death and suffering.








    MESSAGES The US ambassador to Romania, Adrian
    Zuckerman on Sunday conveyed a message on his behalf and on president Trump’s
    to the Romanians wishing them Happy Easter. In his Easter address to the
    Romanians, Prince Charles, heir of the British crown, expressed his wish to get
    back to Romania as soon as the pandemic is over and to meet members of the
    Romanian community in Britain. Prince Charles has also evoked the indispensable
    role many Romanians are playing in the British national health service, in its
    care homes and in other key roles as we address this unprecedented crisis. We owe them an immense debt of gratitude and I can hardly say
    how much their remarkable efforts are appreciated by us all, Prince Charles
    went on to say. In his Easter address yesterday, Romanian President Klaus
    Iohannis underlined the Resurrection of Christ is a celebration of hope in a
    season of rebirth. The head of the Romanian state urged the Romanians to
    express their love for the others by respecting the social distancing rules.
    Similar messages have been conveyed by Prime Minister Ludovic Orban and the
    Senate interim president, Social-Democrat, Robert Cazanciuc and also by other
    Romanian politicians.








    TOLL The death toll of the pandemic in Romania reached 434, while 87
    hundred infections have been confirmed. 19 hundred people have been cured and
    left hospitals. Over 1000 medical workers have tested positive for the virus,
    most of them in Suceava, northern Romania and in Bucharest. 60 Romanian
    nationals infected with the virus died abroad. 730 Romanians have been infected
    abroad, most of them in Italy and Spain.










    PANDEMIC The official number of COVID infections
    worldwide has exceeded 2.3 million, while the death toll stands at 160
    thousand, most of them, over 100 thousand, in Europe. The USA has so far
    reported 39 thousand fatalities and over 730 thousand infections confirmed. The
    US authorities are starting to gradually resume economic activities against the
    background of demonstrations for ending the quarantine, our correspondent in
    Washington has announced. The most affected European countries are Italy and
    Spain. Russia has reported a record number of infections, 6,000 in the past 24
    hours, the total number exceeding 42 thousand.














    QUAKE An earthquake of 3.4 Richter was felt today in the seismic region
    of Vrancea in south-eastern Romania, the National Institute for Earth Physics
    has today announced. 22 such small earthquakes have been reported in the area
    since the beginning of the month. The most powerful, a 5.2 quake was felt in
    Bucharest as well. On March 4th, 1977 a 7.2 earthquake, the most
    powerful to have hit Romania, killed 1570 people mostly in capital Bucharest
    causing 2 billion euros in material damage.












    (translated by bill)

  • January 25, 2020 UPDATE

    January 25, 2020 UPDATE

    PARLIAMENT The 2 chambers of Romanias Parliament will convene on January 28 for a special session focusing on a bill scrapping the so-called special pensions paid to magistrates, which are not based on the principle of previous contributions. The Judicial Inspection Division says the bill tramples on the principles of judge independence and immovability, and comes against provisions in the Constitution and regulations by the European Court for Human Rights. On January 29, Parliament also convenes in a joint session to discuss the bill reintroducing the 2-round voting system in local elections, for which the Government takes responsibility before Parliament. The Orban Cabinet says the bill is intended to strengthen democratic standards at local community level. President Klaus Iohannis had previously requested a special Parliamentary session to this end. The Social Democrats, in opposition, reiterated that jointly with the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, they will table a no-confidence motion against the Liberal Government.




    HOLOCAUST The Romanian PM Ludovic Orban takes part on Monday in an official ceremony celebrating 75 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, organised by the Polish authorities on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. According to a news release issued on Saturday by the Romanian Government, officials from several countries, Holocaust survivors and members of Jewish associations will be attending the ceremony, held under the patronage of the president of Poland Andrzej Duda. The Government of Romania, the release also reads, reconfirms its pledge to carry on Holocaust education and research efforts, to commemorate the Holocaust victims and to take responsibility for the countrys history.




    CORONAVIRUS China has announced extending the lockdown and introducing several other measures, such as suspending tour services abroad, in order to contain the newly discovered coronavirus, initially identified in Wuhan. In Hubei, a province in central China, bus, underground and ferry services have been suspended, and outbound planes and trains cancelled. The Chinese army has sent medical teams to the outbreak region, as the total number of cases is now over 1,300. Hong Kong has declared the highest state of emergency. The virus has reached Europe as well, with 3 cases confirmed in France. The European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides will have a meeting on Monday with relevant officials from member countries, to discuss ways to respond to the spread of the new virus.




    EARTHQUAKE At least 22 people died, more than 1,200 were injured n a major earthquake that hit eastern Turkey on Friday night, Turkish authorities have announced. 2,000 rescuers are searching for survivors in the collapsed buildings. The 6.8 magnitude quake was followed by scores of aftershocks. The earthquake, centred 550 km east of the capital city Ankara, in Elazig province, was also felt in Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Turkey is frequently affected by major tremors. In 1999, 17,000 people died and half a million lost their homes in a 7.6 earthquake in the north-west of the country, while another one hit the eastern province of Van in 2011, killing more than 500.




    FILM “Home, Romanian director Radu Ciorniciucs first film, premieres on Sunday in the international documentary competition of the most important American independent film festival, Sundance. “Home is the first Romanian documentary selected into this festivals competition, next to 11 other documentaries from around the world, in the World Cinema Documentary category. The film documents the life of a family who lived for 20 years in the Văcărești Delta, up until the place was declared a protected area and was renamed Văcărești Nature Park, the first urban nature park in Romania. Another Romanian film, Colectiv, by Alexander Nanau, will be screened in the festivals Spotlight section. This is a documentary on the events taking place in the first year after the fire in the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, in which 64 young people died.




    IMPEACHMENT Donald Trumps lawyers Saturday began to present their opening arguments in Senate, in the impeachment trial. They argued that removing the US president from office would set a very dangerous precedent in an election year. You will find that the President has done absolutely nothing illegal, the White House counsel Pat Cipollone, Trumps lead impeachment lawyer, has said. The Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his powers and obstructing Congress. The President will likely be cleared in the Senate, where the Republicans have a majority, but the impact of the trial on the public opinion remains to be seen.




    TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep, number 3 in the world, has moved up into the 4th round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the Kazakh Iulia Putintseva (38 WTA) 6-1, 6-4, on Saturday in Melbourne. On Sunday Halep is to take on Belgian Elise Mertens (17 WTA), who beat CiCi (Catherine) Bellis (600 WTA) 6-1, 6-7, 6-0 in the 3rd round. Last year in Melbourne Halep lost in the 4th round, and in 2018 she reached the Australian Open final. Also on Saturday Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Misaki Doi (Japan) moved up into the next round of the doubles tournament, having defeated the Japanese Nao Hibino/Makoto Ninomiya 6-2, 7-5. Niculescu and Doi are to play next against Hao-ching Chan and Latisha Chan (Taiwan).


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • January 25, 2020

    January 25, 2020

    PARLIAMENT The 2 chambers of Romanias Parliament will convene on January 28 for a special session focusing on a bill scrapping the so-called special pensions paid to magistrates, which are not based on the principle of previous contributions. The Judicial Inspection Division says the bill tramples on the principles of judge independence and immovability, and comes against provisions in the Constitution and regulations by the European Court for Human Rights. On January 29, Parliament also convenes in a joint session to discuss the bill reintroducing the 2-round voting system in local elections, for which the Government takes responsibility before Parliament. The Orban Cabinet says the bill is intended to strengthen democratic standards at local community level. President Klaus Iohannis had previously requested a special Parliamentary session to this end. The Social Democrats, in opposition, reiterated that jointly with the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, they will table a no-confidence motion against the Liberal Government.




    HOLOCAUST The Romanian PM Ludovic Orban takes part on Monday in an official ceremony celebrating 75 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, organised by the Polish authorities on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. According to a news release issued on Saturday by the Romanian Government, officials from several countries, Holocaust survivors and members of Jewish associations will be attending the ceremony, held under the patronage of the president of Poland Andrzej Duda. The Government of Romania, the release also reads, reconfirms its pledge to carry on Holocaust education and research efforts, to commemorate the Holocaust victims and to take responsibility for the countrys history.




    IMMIGRANTS Romanian border police caught 9 citizens of Egypt, Iraq and Somalia attempting to cross the border into Hungary illegally, with the help of 2 Romanian citizens, the Romanian Border Police announced on Saturday. The investigations revealed that the 7 men and 2 women, aged between 21 and 52, had applied for asylum in Romania. They are currently probed into for attempted illegal border crossing, while the Romanian citizens are facing human trafficking charges.




    CORONAVIRUS China has today announced extending the lockdown introduced in order to contain the newly discovered coronavirus, initially identified in Wuhan. Five cities in Hubei, a province in central China, have been added to the 13 where all bus, underground and ferry services have been suspended, and all outbound planes and trains cancelled. The Chinese army has sent medical teams to the outbreak region, after the death toll has reached 41, out of a total of over 1,300 cases. The virus has reached Europe as well, with 2 cases confirmed in France. The World Health Organisation has decided not to class the virus as an international emergency.




    EARTHQUAKE At least 21 people died, more than 1,000 were injured and several buildings collapsed in a major earthquake that hit eastern Turkey on Friday night, Turkish authorities have announced. The 6.8 magnitude quake was followed by scores of aftershocks. The earthquake, centred 550 km east of the capital city Ankara, in Elazig province, was also felt in Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Turkey is frequently affected by major tremors. In 1999, 17,000 people died and half a million lost their homes in a 7.6 earthquake in the north-west of the country, while another one hit the eastern province of Van in 2011, killing more than 500.




    FILM “Home, Romanian director Radu Ciorniciucs first film, premieres on Sunday in the international documentary competition of the most important American independent film festival, Sundance. “Home is the first Romanian documentary selected into this festivals competition, next to 11 other documentaries from around the world, in the World Cinema Documentary category. The film documents the life of a family who lived for 20 years in the Văcărești Delta, up until the place was declared a protected area and was renamed Văcărești Nature Park, the first urban nature park in Romania. Another Romanian film, Colectiv, by Alexander Nanau, will be screened in the festivals Spotlight section. This is a documentary on the events taking place in the first year after the fire in the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, in which 64 young people died.




    TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep, number 3 in the world, has moved up into the 4th round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the Kazakh Iulia Putintseva (38 WTA) 6-1, 6-4, on Saturday in Melbourne. On Sunday Halep is to take on Belgian Elise Mertens (17 WTA), who beat CiCi (Catherine) Bellis (600 WTA) 6-1, 6-7, 6-0 in the 3rd round. Last year in Melbourne Halep lost in the 4th round, and in 2018 she reached the Australian Open final. Also on Saturday Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Misaki Doi (Japan) moved up into the next round of the doubles tournament, having defeated the Japanese Nao Hibino/Makoto Ninomiya 6-2, 7-5. Niculescu and Doi are to play next against Hao-ching Chan and Latisha Chan (Taiwan).


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Projects aimed at reducing seismic risks in Bucharest

    Projects aimed at reducing seismic risks in Bucharest

    42 years on from the latest seismic
    disaster, through a project entitled Antiseismic District, two NGOs – the
    Romanian Association for Culture, Education and Normality (ARCEN) and Re:Rise -
    are trying to provide an answer to the question, ‘how is Bucharest and its
    residents prepared to cope with another major earthquake’. The project aims at
    training 20,000 Bucharesters to deal with seismic vulnerabilities in the event
    of another devastating earthquake which cannot be predicted beforehand. Under
    the Romanian legislation, buildings in Bucharest have been included in seismic
    risk categories ranking from 1 to 4. According to ARCEN director Edmond
    Niculusca, to most Bucharesters the legislation is ambiguous, difficult to
    understand and people are by no means ready for another event of this
    kind.






    Edmond Niculusca: According
    to the city hall, Bucharest currently has 300 buildings in the first category
    of seismic risk. But there are also more than 16 hundred buildings which have
    been included in emergency categories. Under the legislation, these emergency
    categories are used for prioritizing the buildings with the highest seismic
    risk that must be consolidated first. So, officially Bucharest has over 2,000
    buildings of high seismic risk, which could collapse in the event of a major
    earthquake. In reality this number is much lower and the real number of these
    buildings in urgent need of consolidation is pretty much unknown.


    According to experts with the
    Technical University of Construction, a 7.5 Richter earthquake at a depth of 90
    kilometers would cause significant damage to 42% of Bucharest’s buildings. Some
    of these, especially those built before 1963, are expected to be razed to the
    ground, while others will become unusable. But what can people do in order to
    diminish the effects of such a devastating earthquake. Here is again at the
    microphone Edmond Niculusca.








    Edmond
    Niculusca: We encourage people to do
    the things they, as individuals, can do and assume this responsibility, which
    enables them to make the difference between life and death, between major
    financial damage and moderate damage.






    One of the things people can do is
    to have a survival kit, which should include reserves of water and food
    supplies, a first aid kit, a portable radio, a whistle and several clothes.
    Residents whose blocks of flats were built before 1977, can ask for their reinforcement
    as the law provides for a free technical expertise as well as for loans to fund
    the works. Only owners associations may benefit the aforementioned facilities,
    which aren’t available to individual owners. Here is construction engineer
    Matei Sumbasacu with more on this issue.






    Matei Sumbasacu: We imagine
    that reinforcing these buildings is the only measure meant to reduce seismic
    risks, but that’s a false assumption. There are also other ways to get prepared
    for a disastrous event of this kind. The first thing is a dialogue with the
    neighbors on the probability of such an event. This is how Re:Rise came into
    being. I remember when I was living in a vulnerable block of flat I used to
    hold talks with my neighbors on Saturdays about the probability of a big
    earthquake to hit Bucharest. And those proved to be very useful discussions
    from which we learnt a lot and which eventually led to the gradual involvement
    of my neighbors in these anti-earthquake preparations.






    The involvement of citizens in this
    process may lead to an increased information level and the setting up of some
    communities, which could help each other out and reduce the effects of the
    disaster. However, as Edmond Niculusca recalls, bringing people together in
    this process is no easy task.






    Edmond
    Niculusca: In fact this is very
    difficult. Our first meetings as part of the Antiseismic District project were
    being attended by no more than 8 persons. It is very important though difficult
    to speak about a city, the city you live in, which is actually endangering your
    life. But it is wrong to not do it as well and leave things unchanged. This is
    another challenge for us, namely to convince people to have their buildings
    technically investigated by experts. Few buildings have been reinforced in the
    past 30 years and things aren’t likely to improve in this respect. I am not
    sure there is enough money for reinforcing all the buildings that need to be
    reinforced. Unfortunately the situation is the same at community level; there
    is too much red-tape and people don’t trust the authorities very much. But we
    want to encourage people to start considering the seismic risks they are
    presently facing and get involved in order to reduce these risks.




    (translated by bill)



  • November 10, 2019 UPDATE

    November 10, 2019 UPDATE

    ELECTION The incumbent president, Klaus Iohannis, backed by the ruling National Liberal Party, and the former Social Democratic PM Viorica Dancila will run in the second round of the presidential election in Romania on November 24, according to exit polls figures made public on Sunday night, after the first round. Iohannis got 39% of the votes, and Dancila some 22%. Third-ranking is the leader of Save Romania Union, Dan Barna, with 16%. All the other candidates got under 10% of the votes. These figures do not include the ballots cast abroad. According to the Central Electoral Bureau, the turnout was 47.66%. The election continues abroad, with polling stations closing on Monday morning on the US West Coast.




    EARTHQUAKE A 3.8 Richter earthquake was reported on Sunday in Vrancea, south-eastern Romania. The strongest earthquake this year in the country, 4.7 on the Richter scale, took place on May 18. On March 4, 1977, a 7.2 earthquake, the strongest to hit Romania, killed 1,570 people, mostly in Bucharest, and caused damages put at over 2 billion US dollars at that time. With 230,000 homes and hundreds of businesses destroyed, the tremor caused a social and economic crisis which, according to historians, the communist regime was unable to overcome until its collapse in 1989. Specialists warn that a similar earthquake to the one in 1977 may bring down hundreds of buildings in Bucharest.




    FOOTBALL Romanias national football team convened on Sunday night in Bucharest to prepare the last games in Group F of the 2020 European Championship qualifiers: on Friday, October 15, they are playing at home against Sweden, and on Monday October 18, away from home in Spain. Spain tops the group with 20 points, followed by Sweden with 15, Romania with 14, Norway with 11, Malta and the Faroe Islands, with 3 points each. The top 2 teams in each group move into the final tournament. The draw for Euro 2020 takes place in Bucharest on November 30. The Romanian capital city will also host 4 matches in the final tournament, 3 in the group stage and one eighth-final.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 10, 2019 UPDATE

    November 10, 2019 UPDATE

    ELECTION The incumbent president, Klaus Iohannis, backed by the ruling National Liberal Party, and the former Social Democratic PM Viorica Dancila will run in the second round of the presidential election in Romania on November 24, according to exit polls figures made public on Sunday night, after the first round. Iohannis got 39% of the votes, and Dancila some 22%. Third-ranking is the leader of Save Romania Union, Dan Barna, with 16%. All the other candidates got under 10% of the votes. These figures do not include the ballots cast abroad. According to the Central Electoral Bureau, the turnout was 47.66%. The election continues abroad, with polling stations closing on Monday morning on the US West Coast.




    EARTHQUAKE A 3.8 Richter earthquake was reported on Sunday in Vrancea, south-eastern Romania. The strongest earthquake this year in the country, 4.7 on the Richter scale, took place on May 18. On March 4, 1977, a 7.2 earthquake, the strongest to hit Romania, killed 1,570 people, mostly in Bucharest, and caused damages put at over 2 billion US dollars at that time. With 230,000 homes and hundreds of businesses destroyed, the tremor caused a social and economic crisis which, according to historians, the communist regime was unable to overcome until its collapse in 1989. Specialists warn that a similar earthquake to the one in 1977 may bring down hundreds of buildings in Bucharest.




    FOOTBALL Romanias national football team convened on Sunday night in Bucharest to prepare the last games in Group F of the 2020 European Championship qualifiers: on Friday, October 15, they are playing at home against Sweden, and on Monday October 18, away from home in Spain. Spain tops the group with 20 points, followed by Sweden with 15, Romania with 14, Norway with 11, Malta and the Faroe Islands, with 3 points each. The top 2 teams in each group move into the final tournament. The draw for Euro 2020 takes place in Bucharest on November 30. The Romanian capital city will also host 4 matches in the final tournament, 3 in the group stage and one eighth-final.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • September 3, 2019 UPDATE

    September 3, 2019 UPDATE




    POLITICS – The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, a
    former ruling coalition partner, on Tuesday decided to exclude all members who
    accept positions in Parliament and the Government without the party’s consent.
    One such example could be Vice-president Teodor Melescanu, who said he would
    run for the position of Senate Speaker. The Alliance expressed their support
    for Ion Popa, after the outgoing Speaker Calin Popescu-Tarcieanu resigned on
    Monday. Previously, three Alliance ministers stepped down, Environment Minister
    Gratiela Gavrilescu, Minister for Liaison with Parliament Viorel Ilie and
    Energy Minister Anton Anton. Foreign Minister Ramona Manescu preferred to
    resign from the party in order to preserve her ministry portfolio. Prime
    Minister Viorica Dancila said the Social-Democratic Party will remain in power
    in order to implement the governing program that won the party the election in
    2016. President Klaus Iohannis has called on the Government to seek
    Parliament’s vote of confidence.






    RATING -
    Political turmoil in Romania has increased the risks targeting public finance,
    Fitch Ratings agency reports. The break of the ruling coalition in an election
    year as well as growing macroeconomic imbalances have reduced the efforts to
    keep the rising budget deficit in check. Fitch Ratings also believes that the
    Government’s budget adjustment measures operated in August are not enough to
    reduce the deficit within the 2.76% mark. Fitch experts expect Romania’s
    deficit to stand at 3.4% of the GDP in 2019.






    EARTHQUAKE – A 4.5 Richter-scale earthquake shook
    Romania on Tuesday, the biggest in Romania this year. We recall that on March
    4, 1977 a 7.2 Richter-scale earthquake killed 1,570 people, mostly from
    Bucharest, and caused material damage estimated at the time at 2 billion
    dollars. 230 thousand residential buildings were destroyed or seriously
    damaged. The quake caused an economic and social crisis which, according to
    historians, the Communist dictatorship could no longer cope with, until it was
    toppled in December 1989. Experts warn that hundreds of buildings might
    collapse in Bucharest in the event of a similar quake.






    EXERCISE The
    Romanian Navy organizes as of Tuesday the Romanian-Ukrainian exercise Riverine
    2019, on the River Danube, the segment between Tulcea (Romania) and Izmail
    (Ukraine), with approx. 300 marines from the 2 countries taking part. The
    exercise is designed to improve cross-border cooperation between Romania and Ukraine
    in the naval field on the River Danube. Until September 7, inspection and
    towing exercises as well as emergency intervention drills will be organized.






    TABLE TENNIS – The Romanian men’s table tennis team
    defeated neighboring Hungary 3-1 in the opening match in Group 2 at the
    European Table Tennis Championships hosted by Nantes, France. On Wednesday, in
    the same Group, Sweden will play Hungary while on Thursday Romania will play
    Sweden. The winners of each group will advance to the quarterfinals. In the
    women’s competition, Romania, the defending European champion, has been drawn
    in Group A alongside Spain and Slovakia.






    FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football team is
    preparing the matches against Spain and Malta this week, both counting towards
    the European Football Championship held next year. After four matches Spain is
    top of the group tables with 12 points, followed by Sweden and Romania, each
    with 7 points, Norway with 5 points, Malta with 3 points and the Faeroe Islands
    with zero points. The top two teams will advance to the final championship. The
    draw for the 2020 European Championship will take place in Bucharest on
    November 30. Romania’s capital city will host four games at the European
    Championship, of which three in the group phase and one in the round of
    16.


    (Translated by V.
    Palcu)

  • March 4, 2019

    March 4, 2019

    DEBATES Romania’s Prime Minister Viroica Dancila is
    today attending debates in the Chamber of Deputies over controversial ordinance
    114, which imposes new taxes in the fields of banking, telecommunications and
    energy. The Prime Minister has been invited in Parliament by the Liberal
    opposition, which contested the law jointly with the opposition parties, the
    business environment and banks. Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici has called
    for postponed debates on the state ordinance so that the government may be able
    to analyze a series of amendments to this document. One of the ordinance’s
    contested provisions is the 2% tax for energy producers. Administrators of private
    pension funds are also likely to face problems, as, under the fresh ordinance
    they are supposed to increase social capital in order to be able to continue
    their activity.

    ELECTION According to the European
    Parliament’s webpage, the European People’s Party would get 181 seats, the
    European socialists 135 and the Liberals 75 in the future European Legislature
    that would form after the elections on May 23rd and 26th.
    The Europe of Nations and Freedom would come fourth with 59 seats followed by
    the Greens with 49. Romania, where these elections are scheduled for May 26th
    will have 33 seats one more than in the present legislature. The main ruling
    political party, the Social-Democrats, will have 11 seats, the opposition
    Liberals will have 9 seats, ALDE, also part of the ruling coalition, will have 3
    seats and so will the opposition USR and Pro Romania. Two other political
    forces, PLUS and UDMR will each have two seats. The estimates are based on
    national polls conducted by the end of February. The first direct elections for
    the European Parliament were staged 40 years ago on June 12th 1979.
    The ballot this year will be the most important in the history of the European
    Parliament, given the political context, the UK’s leaving the block, as well as
    other major political and cross-border challenges. The next European Parliament
    will have less MPs, 705, as compared to the present 751.

    COMMEMORATION The National Institute
    for Earth Physics in Bucharest is today commemorating 42 years since the
    devastating earthquake in 1977, through a series of events aimed at raising
    awareness about the risk of another major earthquake in Romania. According to
    experts, the safest buildings in Bucharest are those built between 1963 and 1989
    as well as those constructed after 2000. On March 4th 1977, an
    earthquake of 7.2 magnitude, the severest to hit Romania, killed 1,570 people
    mostly in Bucharest, causing 2 billion dollars in damages. About 230 thousand
    households and other buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. The
    earthquake marked the beginning of a social-economic crisis the communist
    regime was unable to overcome until its demise in 1989. Experts are cautioning
    that in case of a similar earthquake, hundreds of buildings could collapse in
    Bucharest alone.

    TENNIS Three Romanian tennis
    players have entered straight the main draw at Indian Wells, the premier
    Mandatory Tournament in California, which kicks off today. WTA number 2nd
    Simona Halep, WTA 31st-ranked Mihaela Buzarnescu and Irina Begu, WTA
    67th-placed, are to find out today who their opponents are.
    Top-seeded in Indian Wells, Halep and Buzarnescu benefit from a first free
    round and will only prove their mettle in the competition this coming Friday or
    Saturday. We recall Simona Halep won the Indian Wells tournament in 2015, and
    reached as far as the semis in the previous edition. The drawing of lots for
    the men’s version of the tournament is to be held on Tuesday, while
    representing Romania at Indian Wells is Marius Copil.

    (Translated by D. Bilt)

  • October 16, 2018

    October 16, 2018

    VISIT – President Klaus Iohannis state visit to Italy focuses today on economic aspects, after on Monday the talks with the President and PM of Italy concerned the importance of the Romanian community in Italy and Bucharests priorities during its presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019. The President of Romania is taking part in the opening of the Romania-Italy business forum, an event designed to encourage the economic dimension of the consolidated strategic partnership. Also today President Iohannis will have a meeting with representatives of the Romanian community in Italy, the largest Romanian community abroad and the largest foreign community in Italy.



    DIPLOMATIC TOUR – While on an official working visit to the United Arab Emirates, the Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă had a meeting today with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the countrys vice-president and PM and the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. The 2 officials have assessed bilateral relations, with a focus on economic aspects. Viorica Dancila presented the main advantages of investing in Romania and encouraged the participation of Emirate companies in projects financed under current operational programmes, as well as in public-private investment partnerships. The Romanian PM also had a meeting today with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) in Dubai. Romania gives priority to long-term cooperation with the UAE in fields such as industrial and civilian constructions, technology transfers, agriculture and food safety, nuclear and green energy, defence and IT, PM Dancila said. On Monday the PM of Romania was on a visit to Turkey, where she was received by the head of state Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The 2 officials agreed last night in Ankara that Romania will continue to support Turkeys European accession efforts, and said the 2 countries are determined to work together to further develop their economic relations, to ensure security and fight terrorism. They have also signed 2 bilateral cooperation documents, in the field of healthcare and education.



    JUDICIARY – The Constitutional Court of Romania has today admitted part of the objection raised by President Klaus Iohannis to changes in the Law on local elected officials. The President argued that the changes introduce new penalties for local and county councillors, which were already regulated by the Conflict of Interests Act. The bill will therefore be returned to Parliament, which is to bring the unconstitutional articles in line with the ruling of the Constitutional Court. Also on Tuesday the institution admitted the objection raised by the head of state against the bill modifying the Law on the organisation and functioning of the Court of Accounts. On the other hand, the Constitutional Court postponed to October 25th the objections filed by the President and the National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union in opposition, regarding changes to the Administrative Code. The head of state says the law has been endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies in a special sitting, which comes against the Constitution and violates the principle of bicameralism. President Iohannis also believes several articles are unclear, and he criticises the scrapping of incompatibility as an integrity criterion in selecting the members of the Cabinet. Also today, the Constitutional Court has deferred to October 24th the notifications submitted by President Iohannis, the Supreme Court, and the opposition parties, against changes to the Criminal Code and the Law on preventing, investigating and punishing corruption offences.



    EXERCISE – The “Earthquake 2018 national exercise organised by Romania has reached its 4th day. The simulation exercise involved all the structures with responsibilities in a major earthquake response situation in Bucharest. Rescuers practice responses to critical situations, with thousands of dead, injured and evacuated people. The Romanian Interior Ministry announced that the EU ModEx exercise was also initiated, focusing on the coordination and collaboration of healthcare service modules. This is the largest and the most complex exercise for medical modules as part of the European civil protection mechanism. Observers and participants from 26 EU member states are involved, as well as capabilities from non-EU member countries.



    INVICTUS – Romanias representatives in the 2018 Sydney Invictus Games will be meeting today the Defence Minister Mihai Fifor and the Chief of Staff, Gen. Nicolae Ciucă. The 15 Romanian military wounded in the line of duty are taking part, between October 17 and 29, in 6 individual sports events—archery, athletics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, and swimming, and in the sitting volleyball event. Last year in the Invictus Games held in Toronto, Canada, Romania was represented by 15 wounded troops, in 6 individual events and 1 team event. In their first participation in the Games the Romanians won a gold, a silver and 2 bronze medals. Invictus Games is a sports competition first held in 2014, for national teams made up of veterans and troops wounded in theatres of operations.



    FOOTBALL – Romanias national Under-21 football team is playing tonight, on home turf, in Ploiesti, against Lichtenstein, in its last qualifier match for the 2019 European Championships in Italy. The other 2 matches scheduled in this group are Portugal vs. Bosnia and Wales vs. Switzerland. With 6 wins and 3 draws in its previous matches, Romania is top of the group with 21 points, and only needs a draw to qualify for its first under-21 final tournament in 20 years. Second comes Portugal with 19 points, and 3rd Bosnia with 18 points. The 9 preliminary group winners go straight into the final tournament, and playoffs will be held by the best 4 teams of the ones coming out second in the group stage.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Major Earthquake Drill in Romania

    Major Earthquake Drill in Romania

    Dubbed “Earthquake 2018”, the drill has mobilized all state structures that activate in case of a 7.5 Richter-scale earthquake, which could have multiple aftershocks and result in numerous deaths, primarily in the capital-city Bucharest. As part of the simulation scenario, rescue teams are tested to deal with thousands of deaths and injuries and people left destitute.



    On Saturday, President Klaus Iohannis declared a state of emergency. In one of its bases, the army set up a field hospital. The city’s stadiums and satellite towns also hosted refugee centers. On Sunday, the focus was laid on international cooperation. Israel, Italy and Norway set up state-of-the-art field hospitals with intensive care units, while Austria and Hungary dispatched several ambulances.



    On a visit to Bucharest, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, was impressed by the participants and the amount of resources involved. According to the scenario enacted by the authorities, a toll-free crisis hotline was opened where relatives of people who are reported missing or injured can get more information. Authorities advise people remain calm and follow the appropriate safety instructions in case of an earthquake of this magnitude.



    Interior Minister Carmen Dan: “I want people to comply with this drill and understand how they need to react. It’s crucial that citizens know what to do in a situation like this, even the basic actions”.



    State Secretary Raed Arafat, the Head of the Department of Emergency Situations, said the drill provides a good opportunity for the authorities to see what’s at fault and improve standard procedures.



    Raed Arafat: “There are lots of things you can’t predict, things that haven’t been carefully planned for, so that everyone knows what to do and how to react, and this allows us to learn and identify the deadlocks and issues. For instance, we have come across certain decision-making procedures that could hinder our actions in case of a natural disaster. All that needs changing, we have taken it under advisement”.



    Although highly ridiculed by the media and social networks, the drill’s utility is undeniable. In the last 200 years, Romania has seen seven earthquakes of magnitude 7 and above. The one on March 4, 1977 killed 1,570 people, mostly in Bucharest, and caused material damage worth over 2 billion dollars at the time. Some 230,000 homes were severely damaged, while 760 businesses were decommissioned.



    The earthquake was followed by an economic and social crisis which, historians argue, the communist dictatorship at the time could never overcome until its demise in 1989. Experts warn that thousands of buildings in Bucharest are at risk in the event of a similar seismic event. (Translated by V. Palcu, edited by D. Vijeu)

  • October 14, 2018

    October 14, 2018

    RACE The Bucharest International
    Marathon is currently taking place in the Romanian capital this weekend, a
    competition that has been staged for the past 11 years in order to promote in
    Bucharest a healthy and active lifestyle. The classical marathon race of 42
    kilometers will be followed by the half-marathon and relay-race this Sunday
    while Saturday saw the races dedicated to children and teenagers. The 2018
    edition of this race has brought together about 19 thousand participants from
    over 70 countries.












    DRILL Romania is today seeing the largest earthquake drill and simulation in
    the EU in the past two decades. As part of this exercise the authorities have
    set up two camps for ‘victims’ in Afumati and Voluntari, two villages close to
    Bucharest, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations has announced. On
    Saturday night, also as part of this drill, the Romanian president ‘declared’
    the state of emergency. During the exercise, which is due to unfold until
    October 18th, response capabilities are to be tested in various
    simulated situations during night and day. The exercise is also to involve the
    participation of international structures. According to Rayed Arafat, the head
    of the Department for Emergency Situation, the exercise will gain an
    international dimension as an Israeli mobile hospital with its medical
    personnel has already arrived in Romania, as well as ambulances, doctors and
    paramedics from Austria, Italy and Hungary. Various rescue operations are to be
    simulated as well as the involvement of international structures in
    distributing humanitarian aid to those affected. Observers from the EU and the
    United States, as well as journalists from abroad are also attending the drill
    entitled SEISM 2018. According to the National Institute for Earth Physics,
    Romania has 6 major seismic zones, the most important being in Vrancea in the
    country’s south. In the past two centuries Romania has seen 7 major
    earthquakes, over 7 degrees on the Richter scale, the most devastating being
    those in 1940 and 1977, which killed 25 hundred people and wounded over 15
    thousand. The 1977 earthquake destroyed about 35 thousand buildings. Bucharest
    still has over 4 thousand buildings, which cannot withstand a major
    earthquake.












    VISIT As of today, Romanian president Klaus
    Iohannis is paying a four-day formal visit to Rome, the first by a Romanian
    high official in the past 45 years. On the visit’s first day, Iohannis will be
    seeing representatives of the Orthodox, Greek and Roman-Catholic churches at
    the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Archbishopric of Italy. Iohannis will
    also participate in a symbolic event, the projection of Romania’s flag colours
    on Trajan’s Column in Rome. On Monday, the Romanian official is to hold talks
    with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella with Prime Minister Giuseppe
    Conte and with presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Maria
    Elisabetta Alberti Casellati and Roberto Fico. The Romanian president’s agenda
    also includes talks with representatives of the Romanian community in Italy,
    the largest Romanian community abroad, which at present stays at 1.5 million
    people, as well as participation in a Romania-Italy business forum. Iohannis’
    visit to Italy comes at a time when Romania celebrates 100 years since the
    union of its principalities and 10 years since the two countries signed their
    Strategic Consolidated Partnership.












    FOOTBALL Romania’s national eleven today takes on the Serbian selection in a
    match counting towards Group 4 of the newly-created Nations league. Last month
    in Belgrade, the two sides ended their match in a draw, two-all. Serbia tops
    the group standings with seven points, followed by Romania with 5, Montenegro
    with 4 and Lithuania with no point. In another development, on Friday night, Romania’s
    under-21 side secured a two-nil home win against Wales in the preliminaries of
    the European Championships next year. Romania’s under-21 football team tops the
    group standings and needs a draw in their next game to qualify after 20 years
    for a final Under-21 final tournament.



  • October 14, 2018

    October 14, 2018

    RACE The Bucharest International
    Marathon is currently taking place in the Romanian capital this weekend, a
    competition that has been staged for the past 11 years in order to promote in
    Bucharest a healthy and active lifestyle. The classical marathon race of 42
    kilometers will be followed by the half-marathon and relay-race this Sunday
    while Saturday saw the races dedicated to children and teenagers. The 2018
    edition of this race has brought together about 19 thousand participants from
    over 70 countries.












    DRILL Romania is today seeing the largest earthquake drill and simulation in
    the EU in the past two decades. As part of this exercise the authorities have
    set up two camps for ‘victims’ in Afumati and Voluntari, two villages close to
    Bucharest, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations has announced. On
    Saturday night, also as part of this drill, the Romanian president ‘declared’
    the state of emergency. During the exercise, which is due to unfold until
    October 18th, response capabilities are to be tested in various
    simulated situations during night and day. The exercise is also to involve the
    participation of international structures. According to Rayed Arafat, the head
    of the Department for Emergency Situation, the exercise will gain an
    international dimension as an Israeli mobile hospital with its medical
    personnel has already arrived in Romania, as well as ambulances, doctors and
    paramedics from Austria, Italy and Hungary. Various rescue operations are to be
    simulated as well as the involvement of international structures in
    distributing humanitarian aid to those affected. Observers from the EU and the
    United States, as well as journalists from abroad are also attending the drill
    entitled SEISM 2018. According to the National Institute for Earth Physics,
    Romania has 6 major seismic zones, the most important being in Vrancea in the
    country’s south. In the past two centuries Romania has seen 7 major
    earthquakes, over 7 degrees on the Richter scale, the most devastating being
    those in 1940 and 1977, which killed 25 hundred people and wounded over 15
    thousand. The 1977 earthquake destroyed about 35 thousand buildings. Bucharest
    still has over 4 thousand buildings, which cannot withstand a major
    earthquake.












    VISIT As of today, Romanian president Klaus
    Iohannis is paying a four-day formal visit to Rome, the first by a Romanian
    high official in the past 45 years. On the visit’s first day, Iohannis will be
    seeing representatives of the Orthodox, Greek and Roman-Catholic churches at
    the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Archbishopric of Italy. Iohannis will
    also participate in a symbolic event, the projection of Romania’s flag colours
    on Trajan’s Column in Rome. On Monday, the Romanian official is to hold talks
    with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella with Prime Minister Giuseppe
    Conte and with presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Maria
    Elisabetta Alberti Casellati and Roberto Fico. The Romanian president’s agenda
    also includes talks with representatives of the Romanian community in Italy,
    the largest Romanian community abroad, which at present stays at 1.5 million
    people, as well as participation in a Romania-Italy business forum. Iohannis’
    visit to Italy comes at a time when Romania celebrates 100 years since the
    union of its principalities and 10 years since the two countries signed their
    Strategic Consolidated Partnership.












    FOOTBALL Romania’s national eleven today takes on the Serbian selection in a
    match counting towards Group 4 of the newly-created Nations league. Last month
    in Belgrade, the two sides ended their match in a draw, two-all. Serbia tops
    the group standings with seven points, followed by Romania with 5, Montenegro
    with 4 and Lithuania with no point. In another development, on Friday night, Romania’s
    under-21 side secured a two-nil home win against Wales in the preliminaries of
    the European Championships next year. Romania’s under-21 football team tops the
    group standings and needs a draw in their next game to qualify after 20 years
    for a final Under-21 final tournament.



  • September 30, 2018 UPDATE

    September 30, 2018 UPDATE

    RULE OF LAW – The situation in Romania, including the independence of the judiciary will be on the agenda of talks between the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the First Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans. The talks are scheduled for Monday in Strasbourg. According to the website of the European Parliament, the preliminary opinion of the Venice Commission on three drafts to revise the Justice Laws, on the status of judges and prosecutors, judicial organisation and the functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy will also be approached during the talks. The meeting is held ahead of Wednesdays debate in a plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg, on the rule of law in Romania, a debate that the Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă has been invited to attend. Dăncilă has already held talks on this issue in Brussels, earlier this week, with the main groups in the European Parliament.



    INDONESIA – The provisional death toll of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami which rocked the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Friday stands at over 830 dead, the National Disaster Management Agency has announced. Many people are caught in the rubble, after several buildings collapsed following Fridays earthquake which measured 7.5 degrees and caused tsunami waves of up to 6 m in height. Rescue teams in the town of Palu, on the western coast of Sulawesi, are making huge efforts to take people out from under the rubble. Most victims have been identified in Palu. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has sent messages of condolence to the victims families. The ministry expresses compassion and solidarity with the Indonesian people and authorities and expresses deep regret over the high number of victims, as well as for the high volume of material damage caused by that natural disaster, the Romanian Foreign Ministry writes in a communiqué.



    SOVEREIGN FUND – The Romanian Finance Ministry has launched a public debate on the setting up of the Sovereign Development and Investment Fund. The document establishes the legal form, the registered capital, the strategy and management of this fund which, in the governments opinion, is needed to mobilise the available financial resources and channel them towards profitable projects. According to the relevant ministry, this Sovereign Fund is also aimed at developing and financing profitable and sustainable investment projects, from own funds and from attracted funds. The fund will include 33 state owned companies and the registered capital will stand at some 2 billion Euros.



    GUAM – The former Soviet states which are making up the GUAM group, namely Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and the Republic of Moldova, will join efforts and will better coordinate their positions to defend their territorial integrity, representatives of the GUAM member states have announced in Chisinau, during a session of the GUAM Parliamentary Assembly. The delegates have also criticised Russias involvement in fuelling territorial conflicts in the region. GUAM was set up in 2006, with the declared aim of developing cooperation between the member states, by boosting stability and common security in the European space. The Republic of Moldova, a country with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, is currently holding the presidency of this organisation.



    TRANSPORTS – Road passenger traffic in Romania increased by some 14% in the first half of the year, as against the similar period of 2017, and air traffic by 7.5%, data released by the National Statistics Institute show. The n umber of passengers who travelled by plane in the first six months of the year stood at some 10 million, 86.6% of whom were registered on international flights. In exchange, railway passenger traffic decreased by 2.7% in terms of the number of passengers. A 23.4% drop was also reported on Romanias internal waterways. No passenger sea traffic was reported in the aforementioned time span.



    TENNIS– Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no.1 WTA, on Sunday abandoned the match she played with Tunisian Ons Jabeur, no.113 WTA, in the first round of the Beijing tennis tournament with some 8 million dollars in prize money, after the Tunsiain player won the first set 6-1. Halep is still affected by back problems. Another Romanian, Sorana Cirstea no.57 WTA, is facing Dutch Kiki Bertens no.11 WTA, whom she has defeated in all matches they have played so far. Although she was defeated by Slovenian Polona Hercog, Cîrstea made it to the main tables, after Australian Ashleigh Barty withdrew from the competition, after Fridays defeat. In the doubles, Romanian women players Mihaela Buzărnescu and Monica Niculescu have qualified for the second round, after defeating the pair Hao-Ching Chan (Taiwan)/Zhaoxuan Yang (China). Buzărnescu and Niculescu will face in the eighth finals the pair made up of Abigail Spears (the US)/Alicja Rosolska (Poland).