Radio România Internațional

Tag: EHF EURO 2024

  • December 10, 2024 UPDATE

    December 10, 2024 UPDATE

    SCHENGEN – Austria will not oppose Romania and Bulgaria becoming full members of the Schengen European free movement area, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country holds the six-month presidency of the EU Council, said in turn that EU Interior Ministers will vote on December 12 in the Justice and Home Affairs Council on Hungary’s proposal to allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area with their land borders. Romania and Bulgaria received partial access to the Schengen area starting March 31, with the opening of air and sea borders. Land border checks, however, remained in force due to Austrian opposition, motivated by Vienna’s concerns about illegal migration. Romania could thus fully join the Schengen area 17 years after becoming a EU member.

     

    GOVERNMENT – The leaders of pro-European parties in the Romanian Parliament, PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and the group of the national minorities, are holding talks this week to form a new government. The Social-Democrats, who came first in the December 1 election, would like the party to decide on the future government structure and continue the projects started by the current PSD-PNL government. They want to maintain the pace of investments, increase purchasing power, support the Romanian private sector and reform the state. The Liberals say they have understood the need for change coming from the electorate and want negotiations to start from a clear program of reforms to the benefit of citizens. USR representatives want a government to be formed as soon as possible, while UDMR calls for solidarity for a common vision for Romania. Negotiations between PSD, PNL, UDMR, USR and the national minorities to form a new government are taking place after these parties had signed, before the presidential election was cancelled, a resolution for a pro-European majority in Parliament. They commit to implementing reforms and supporting the country’s development and rejecting any collaboration with the political parties in the sovereigntist (ultranationalist, populist) bloc formed by AUR, SOS Romania and POT.

     

    CLIMATE CHANGE – Romania made an argument during Tuesday’s public hearings regarding the UN General Assembly’s request to the International Criminal Court to issue an opinion concerning the obligations of states in respect of climate change. According to the Foreign Ministry, Romania joined other states as part of a core group of countries to negotiate the draft resolution of the UN General Assembly, whereby it called on the ICC to issue a consultative opinion. Participation in the proceedings reflects the importance Romania gives to the legal aspects of climate change and related effects, the Romanian MFA writes.

     

    MOLDOVA – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday announced a new 60 mln EUR support package for Moldova, to help reform the country’s judiciary and ensure economy stability. The EU official made the announcement following talks with Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, in Brussels. President von der Leyen said she expects EU accession negotiations with Moldova to kick off next year. In turn, president Sandu said talks focused on reforms required to bring Moldova closer to the EU. The Moldovan President is on a two-day official visit to Brussels, where she is meeting EU and NATO officials to discuss various topics, including Moldova’s integration on the European single market, judicial reforms, combating corruption and consolidating the rule of law.

     

    HANDBALL – Romania lost to Poland 24-29 in its final match in Group 1 at the European Handball Championship hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. In the first phase, Romania defeated Serbia and Czechia and lost to Montenegro. In the main group phase, our handballers defeated Sweden but lost to Hungary. The 16th edition of the European women’s championship for the first time has 24 teams in the lineup, compared to 16 in previous editions. Romania has taken part 14 times in the European Championships, winning bronze in 2010. (EE & VP)

  • December 5, 2024

    December 5, 2024

    COALITION – The leaders of the Social-Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians (UDMR), in addition to the group of national minorities, have agreed to create a coalition meant to ensure stable governance and continue reforms. The coalition seeks to avoid isolating Romania at global level, to uphold a sustainable pace of economic growth and to safeguard the country’s European track, the absorption of EU funds, implement reforms stipulated in the Recovery and Resilience mechanism and ensure Romania’s accession to Schengen and the OECD. The exact structure of the cabinet will be decided after Sunday’s second round of the presidential election.

     

    DOCUMENTS – The Prosecutor General’s office announced it would investigate the documents presented by secret services at the meeting of the country’s Supreme Defense Council, to ascertain whether there is sound legal basis to start a criminal investigation targeting Călin Georgescu, an independent candidate enrolled in the presidential race. According to documents declassified by president Klaus Iohannis, a state actor coordinated the activity of TikTok accounts, which boosted Călin Georgescu’s standing in global trends on TikTok, ahead of the first round of the presidential election. Tens of thousands of Russian cyber-attacks targeted the Permanent Electoral Authority, including on election night, intelligence services say. An independent candidate criticized for his pro-Russian, extremist views, Călin Georgescu will face pro-European candidate Elena Lasconi of USR in the presidential runoff slated for December 8.

     

    CRIME – Anti-crime prosecutors (DIICOT) have arrested a 34-year-old Columbian, suspected of planning various subversive actions. In July, the suspect devised a plan to destroy objectives of national security importance, prosecutors say. The Columbian national was reportedly radicalized by a Russian citizen. Investigators also say that the man had been trained to collect intelligence in his home country, and had taken pictures of the objectives he was planning to attack.

     

    MOLDOVA – The Moldovan government could call a state of emergency in connection to the energy crisis, the line minister Victor Parlicov said, as the Russian provider Gazprom could cut gas supplies. Prime Minister Dorin Recean said he would announce a number of measures meant to ensure energy security on Thursday, adding that gas prices will not go up over the coming months.

     

    FRANCE – Michel Barnier’s Cabinet, sworn in in September at the end of a tough negotiation, has collapsed in the wake of a no-confidence vote called by the opposition in connection to next year’s budget. The far right and the alliance of left-wing parties all voted to oust Barnier. Sources close to Emmanuel Macron say the president will announce a new Prime Minister over the next 24h. The future head of government will need to stabilize financial markets on the short term, to prove France has a leadership, and to vote the state budget for 2025. At the end of Wednesday’s Parliament sitting, the French left-wing alliance persistently called on the president of the Republic to entrust them with forming a government. In turn, the far right warned it would block any and all actions of a leftist cabinet. Given the current structure of the National Assembly, none of the three main political groups can secure absolute majority to form a government by itself.

     

    HANDBALL – Romania tonight takes on France, the Olympic vice-champions, at the European Handball Championship hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland, in its first match in the main group phase. Romania will next play Sweden on Friday and Hungary on Sunday. We recall Romania has taken part 14 times in the European Championship, obtaining a single medal, bronze in 2010. Romania ranked 12th at the previous edition of 2022. (VP)

  • May 1, 2023

    May 1, 2023

    MAY DAY – The Romanian Black Sea coast was the favorite destination
    of Romanians for the May Day mini-holiday celebrating Labor Day. Over 75,000
    tourists celebrated this holiday on the seacoast, also attending various music
    and gastronomy festivals in the resorts of Costinești, Mamaia, Constanța or
    Vama Veche. Music festivals are scheduled to end on May 3. Many Romanians also
    chose to spend the holiday on Prahova Valley or in the Danube Delta, spending
    their time outdoors for picnics or barbecues. Over 400 festivals, concerts,
    trade fairs and sports competitions took place over the May Day long weekend
    across the country. The Interior Ministry mobilized some 24,000 police
    officers, gendarmes and firefighters across the country to prevent and combat
    crime, fluidize road traffic and reduce waiting times at border checkpoints as
    well as to ensure order and safety in various public events. The Border Police
    also took measures to optimize customs procedures and reduce waiting times, with
    a focus on crossing points on the Hungarian and Bulgarian borders.




    EXHIBITION – The Communism Remembrance Museum in Brașov (central
    Romania) is hosting the temporary exhibition dubbed May 1 – A Workers’
    Holiday. The exhibition displays a collection of photos and items recalling
    the way Labor Day used to be celebrated in the past, when it was one of the
    major holidays marked by communist authorities. Images capture snapshots of
    parades, pageants as well as the crowds attending the events marking this
    holiday prior to 1989. Also on show are various banners displayed by workers
    during these rallies. Organizers want the exhibition to make a thought-provoking
    comparison with the way May 1 is celebrated today, when Romanians usually relax
    outdoors alongside their families and friends. The temporary exhibition stays
    open until May 31.




    ASSISTANCE – Starting May 1 the government in Bucharest has changed
    the manner of providing financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees. Under the
    new regulations, the money will be wired to refugees directly instead of the
    families hosting them. The refugees will benefit from unconditional support for
    a month, while over the next three months they will have to find employment and
    enroll their children in schooling units, if they want to remain eligible for
    assistance starting the fifth month.




    MILK – Shelf prices for milk are expected to drop by 20% starting
    May 1, according to an agreement stipulating that processors and traders must
    apply a 10% reduction each if the price exceeds €1.4 per liter. The agreement
    will remain in place for the next six months, while all large trade networks
    have agreed to sign. However, it may take a few months before the measure is
    applied in all stores. Competition Council president Bogdan Chirițoiu said
    contracts must be renegotiated with each producer while existing stocks must
    first be depleted.








    HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s handball team has secured
    qualification to the EHF EURO 2024 European Championship despite losing to
    Ukraine 31-26 on Sunday in Germany in the final match of the Group 4
    preliminaries. Romania last qualified to the European championship in 1996. In
    the other group fixture, Austria defeated the Faeroe Islands. Austria ranked
    first in the group tables, followed by Romania, the Faeroe Islands and Ukraine.
    The top two teams in each preliminary group qualify to the final tournament,
    alongside four of the third best-place teams. The 2024 European Championship
    will be hosted by Germany over January 10 – 28, 2024. In news from women’s
    handball, both Rapid Bucharest and CSM Bucharest lost in the first leg of the
    Champions League quarterfinals. (VP)



  • April 30, 2023

    April 30, 2023

    Farmers. Until May 11, Romanian cereal producers can submit requests for financial support to make up for the losses suffered due to cheap cereal imports from neighboring Ukraine. The total amount is approximately 20 million euros, half from the European Union budget, and the other from the Romanian state budget. On Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv said that the limitation of Ukrainian grain imports into the Union countries was categorically unacceptable and that such restrictions would not be in accordance with the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU and with the principles and rules of the European single market. Previously, the European Commission announced that an agreement in principle had been reached to allow the resumption of the transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. In Bucharest, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă has welcomed the agreement that provides for a new support package worth 100 million euros for the affected farmers and stressed that Romanias strictly European position was a correct and balanced one.



    Aid. The Romanian Government has changed the method of granting the financial support offered by the Romanian state to Ukrainian refugees. As of May 1st, the money is allocated directly to the refugees, and not to the families that host them, as has happened so far. The aid will be offered unconditionally for one month only. In the next three months, Ukrainian refugees will have to get a job and enroll their children in school or kindergarten. From the 5th month, they can benefit from the help of the Romanian state only if they find a job.



    May 1st. For the current May 1 mini-holiday, Romanians have chosen, as usual, the mountain resorts on Prahova Valey and the seaside resorts. The seaside festivals have attracted tens of thousands of young people from the country and abroad, and the accommodation units have reported an occupancy rate of over 90%. About 400 festivals, concerts, fairs and sports activities are scheduled in Romania these days. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced that approximately 24 thousand policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are on duty, throughout the country, to prevent and combat illegal acts, to ensure the flow of road traffic, as well as for the safe conduct of public events. Also, the Border Police has announced that all the necessary measures have been taken to ensure an effective control and reduce waiting times at the border, in particular the crossing points on the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria.



    Book Fair. Today is the last day of the Leipzig Book Fair, in Germany, where Romania is present with over 150 new titles, but also with numerous events. Famous writers such as Mircea Cărtărescu, Gabriela Adameșteanu or Ioana Pârvulescu participated in the fair. According to the organizers, the 2023 edition has enjoyed great success especially because its been the first since 2019, because of the pandemic, and the public is particularly interested in getting back in touch with the world of books and their authors. About 2,500 exhibitors from over 40 countries presented their new editorial productions. This year, Austria was the guest of honor at the Leipzig Book Fair.



    Strike. Nurses in Great Britain are going on a one-day strike today, following a disagreement with the government over wage increases. They are demanding 10% higher salaries while the health minister has offered five percent and refuses to negotiate. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in London, the strike seriously affects the medical system, as, for the first time, the nurses who work in intensive care or in other wards where vulnerable patients are cared for are participating in the protest. In the following days, teachers will also go on strike, demanding higher salaries. Other union protests will take place at the end of next week, when the coronation of King Charles III takes place. Traffic officers and those who ensure regular parking will be on strike during the coronation.



    Handball. CSM Bucharest meets, today, away from home, the Danish team Esbjerg, in the quarterfinals of the Womens Handball Champions League. The return is scheduled for next Sunday, in Bucharest. The two teams have met 10 times since 2017. CSM has won 5 games, Esbjerg 3 and 2 games ended in a draw. Also in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, CS Rapid Bucharest takes on, on home turf, the Norwegian team Vipers Kristiansand. The return match is scheduled for next Saturday, in Norway. The Romanian national mens handball team plays, this evening, in Gummersbach, in Germany, against the team of Ukraine, the last match in Group 4 of the preliminaries of the European Mens Handball Championship – EHF EURO 2024. (MI)


  • April 29, 2023 UPDATE

    April 29, 2023 UPDATE

    UDMR — Deputy Prime Minister in the Romanian government, Kelemen Hunor, was re-elected, on Saturday, to the position of president of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR, for a fourth term. At the Congress of the Union, which took place in Timisoara (west), he was the only candidate for that position. Of the 835 delegates attending, 653 voted for his re-election, seven votes were invalid, and the rest did not vote. Kelemen said that he wanted to keep UDMR in the government coalition with the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the Liberal Party — PNL. The liberal leader, the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, and the Social Democrat leader and speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, who attended the congress, expressed their support for continuing this partnership. Present, for 33 years, in all the post-communist Romanian Parliaments, since 1996 UDMR has been part of numerous coalition governments in Bucharest, either right-wing or left-wing.



    Drugs – 11 people who were participating in a festival in the resort of Mamaia, on the Black Sea Coast (south-eastern Romania) are being investigated for drug trafficking, as various banned substances were found on them. According to the police, the 11 persons were caught red-handed while selling such substances. They also promoted the sale of drugs through messaging applications, specifying the prices for each type of drug. Six of the persons, foreign citizens, were held on remand for 30 days.



    Handball — Romania’s mens national handball team meets, on Sunday evening, in Gummersbach, Germany, the Ukrainian national team, in its last match in Group 4 of the preliminaries of the European Mens Handball Championship – EHF EURO 2024. The hosts are the Ukrainians, who, after their country was invaded, last year, by the Russian troops, play their home matches abroad. In the same group, the match Austria — the Faroe Islands is also played. In the ranking, Austria is on first place, with 10 points, followed by Romania, 4 points (goal average +5), the Faroe Islands, 4 points (-5), and Ukraine, 2 points (-21). The top two ranking teams in the eight preliminary groups qualify for the final tournament, together with the four best teams on third place. The European Mens Handball Championship will take place in Germany, between January 10 and 28, 2024. World champion four times in the 1960-70s, Romania has not qualified for a European Championship since 1996, when it ranked 9th.



    Book – Romania is attending the Leipzig Book Fair, in Germany, with over 150 new titles: fiction, childrens literature and non-fiction, as well as numerous events hosted at the national stand, with the direct participation of famous writers, such as Gabriela Adameșteanu, Ioana Pârvulescu and Mircea Cărtărescu. The 2023 edition is enjoying great success, as the event has not been organized since 2019, due to the pandemic, and the public is particularly interested in meeting the world of books and their authors – writer Ioana Pârvulescu told Radio Romania.



    Moldova – The Moldovan Foreign Ministry officials say they will not comment on what they call the absolutely unacceptable language used in their statements by some Russian officials, but announce that the ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet republic with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Oleg Vasnetsov, will be summoned to the ministry to give explanations. The former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev, today the vice-president of the Security Council in Moscow, said that the Republic of Moldova does not even exist as a state anymore, because “it was sold” to Romania. And the spokesman for the Kremlin, Dmitri Peskov, states that the Republic of Moldova is about to be “absorbed” by Romania. They made these statements after the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, the pro-Western Dorin Recean, announced that several Russian officials, responsible for the invasion of neighboring Ukraine, including President Vladimir Putin, have been denied entry into Moldova. Created on part of the eastern Romanian territories annexed by Stalin’s Soviet Union, following an ultimatum, the Republic of Moldova proclaimed its independence from Moscow in 1991.



    Veterans — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis sent a message on the occasion of War Veterans Day, emphasizing that love of the country, belonging to the nation and courage guided their deeds of arms on the battlefield. Romania currently benefits from “the most solid security guarantees in history”, and the unity and solidarity within NATO “increase the strength of the collective defense”. The “substantial” presence of the allies on the national territory is proof thereof, the president added. “Romania owes its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity to the war veterans and it remembers their heroism” the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă also said. The PM stated, in his message, that it is an act of national conscience to honor the people on whose bravery Romania relied in difficult times for the entire world. (LS)