Radio România Internațional

Tag: exercise

  • August 14, 2023

    August 14, 2023

    DRILL Roughly 250 French and
    Luxembourgish servicemen and 65 pieces of military equipment from the NATO
    Battle Group stationed in Romania are involved from today until August 18th in
    a military drill entitled DEPLOYEX, which is taking place in the shooting
    ground at Babadag, south-eastern Romania, the Defence Ministry in Bucharest has
    announced. The exercise is meant to test the rapid deployment of troops and
    military gear and contributes to improving the level of interoperability of the
    forces part of the NATO Battle Group being a sequel of the training programmes
    earlier staged in Cincu, central Romania. The NATO battle group contributes to
    increasing Romania’s military cooperation with the rotating participant
    countries, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and implicitly to
    strengthening the security of the Euro-Atlantic space on the Eastern Flank, a
    Defence Ministry communique says. Cooperation with the strategic partners and
    the existence on the national territory of relevant war structures contribute
    to raising the capabilities of defence and deterrence in the context of the war
    in Ukraine and the crisis in the Black Sea region, says the ministry.






    HOLIDAY
    This
    is the busiest period for the seaside resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast this
    summer as many Romanians are on a mini-holiday occasioned by the Christian
    celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God, also known as St. Mary. Over
    120 thousand tourists are estimated to be spending this mini-holiday in Romania’s
    seaside resorts. From the resort of Mamaia to Vama Veche, musical events, theatre
    performances and open-air recitals are attracting tourists as well as the
    demonstrative military drills due on August 15th, the Navy Day here
    in Romania. After a break of four years, people will be able to witness from
    the shores of the cities of Constanta and Mangalia a series of military
    exercises involving the participation of Romania’s naval forces followed by a
    parade of its warships. The Romanian seamen will participate in a series of games
    and contests, which will be followed by fireworks at night. Numerous events are
    already underway on the Romanian Black Sea coast, and are likely to continue for
    the entire week. Among them, the Festival of the ancient cities of Dobrogea at
    Tropaeum Traiani in Adamclisi, southern Romania, is taking pride of place.




    TENNIS Two Romanian tennis
    players, Sorana Cirstea and Irina Begu are on the main draw of the 1000 WTA tournament
    in Cincinnati, Ohio, the United States and will meet their opponents in the
    first round on Tuesday. Cirstea will be up against Russian Ekaterina
    Alexandrova and Begu will be taking on Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic. In
    another development, the double Grand Slam winner Simona Halep has come out of
    the top 500 of the WTA ranking as she was unable to participate in competitions
    due to her suspension amid doping allegations a year ago.






    WEATHER The weather is hot in
    most of the Romanian regions with a variable sky in the country’s southern
    territory where showers have been reported on isolated areas. The wind is mild
    and low and the highs of the day are ranging from 28 to 33 degrees with a noon
    reading in Bucharest of 33 degrees centigrade.


    (bill)

  • August 11, 2023 UPDATE

    August 11, 2023 UPDATE

    Inflation – Romanias annual inflation rate dropped to 9.4% in July from 10.3% in June, while the price of foods went up by over 16%, of non-foods by 4.25% and of services by almost 12%, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics. The National Bank of Romania revised its inflation forecast for the end of year up to 7.5% from 7.1% and to 4.4% for the end of 2024, the central bank governor Mugur Isărescu said on Wednesday. The projection is based on the legislation in force and does not take into account the impact of the fiscal consolidation measures recently proposed by the authorities.



    Transit — The Romanian Transport Minister, Sorin Grindeanu, announced that measures will be taken in the next period to increase the transit capacity of Ukrainian grains through Romania from 2 to 4 million tons per month. The statement was made following discussions with high officials from the US, the European Union and the Republic of Moldova about alternative transport routes, following Russias withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The meeting took place on Friday in Galati, a port on the Danube, in eastern Romania. The importance of Romanian land, rail, and naval transport routes for maintaining a continuous flow for exports and imports from Ukraine was emphasized. “Despite Russias merciless destruction of Ukrainian port infrastructure and grain warehouses, we remain committed to ensuring the uninterrupted continuity of Ukrainian grain exports to meet global demand,” the US Embassy in Bucharest announced. The US officials again accused the Kremlin of “turning food into a weapon and of endangering global food security.”



    Football – Romanias football champions Farul Constanța defeated Flora Tallinn of Estonia 3-nil on Thursday evening at home in the first leg of the third preliminary round of the UEFA Conference League. In the same leg, the vice-champions FCSB drew nil-all against FC Nordsjaelland of Denmark in a match in Bucharest, while the winner of the Romanian Cup, Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe, drew 1-all at home against FC Aktobe of Kazakhstan. The decisive matches will be held next week.



    Exercise — Approximately 250 soldiers from France and Luxembourg and 65 pieces of technical equipment from the NATO Battle Group in Romania will participate, between August 14 and 18, in the DEPLOYEX exercise in the Babadag range (south-east), the Defense Ministry announced on Friday. The movement of troops and technical means will take place on Monday, and the purpose of the DEPLOYEX organization is to practice the rapid deployment of the troops and equipment of the Battle Group, according to the aforementioned source. Also, this exercise contributes to improving the level of interoperability of the forces within the NATO Battle Group. This group contributes to increasing Romanias military cooperation with the participating countries – France, the Netherlands and Belgium (by rotation), as well as with Luxembourg and, implicitly, contributes to consolidating the security of the Euro-Atlantic area on the Eastern Flank.



    Deposit-refund – The deposit-refund scheme will become functional in Romania as of the end of November, announced the Environment Minister, Mircea Fechet. This means that, from that date, bottles, PETs and aluminum cans can be returned to stores. In exchange for them, citizens will receive money or vouchers, as happens in the other EU member states. The deposit-refund scheme is to help Romania reach the 55% recycling rate imposed by Brussels by 2025.



    Navy – The Romanian Naval Forces are carrying out activities dedicated to the Romanian Navy Day in the run-up to 15th August, the Christian holiday of the Assumption, the Virgin Mary being considered the patron of sailors. Various events are scheduled in the capital city, in the Romanian Black Sea ports of Constanţa and Mangalia and the Danube ports of Brăila, Tulcea and Galaţi. On 15th August, Constanţa will play host to a demonstration exercise entitled The Romanian Naval Forces 2023 on the maritime stage in from the Fleet Command. The opening ceremony involving helicopters and speed boats flying the flags of Romania and NATO, will be followed by a parade by Romanias flagship vessel, Mircea. (LS, CM)

  • November 23, 2022 – UPDATE

    November 23, 2022 – UPDATE

    JUDICIARY The Romanian
    President Klaus Iohannis has hailed the conclusions of a European Commission report saying that the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism in Romania’s judicial
    sector would be lifted. A stage has
    ended, but further efforts must be made as reforms are vital, Iohannis said. In
    turn, PM Nicolae Ciuca said the European Commission’s report encourages the government
    to stay on the path of supporting the independence of the judiciary and the
    fight against corruption to the benefit of the Romanian society.


    VISIT The joint
    effort to support Ukraine and the strength of the Romanian-Latvian cooperation
    were highlighted in Riga by the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, in a joint
    press conference with his Latvian counterpart, Egils Levits. The Romanian
    official’s visit to Riga takes place in the context of the celebration of 100
    years of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries. The two presidents also
    discussed Romania’s Schengen accession. Klaus Iohannis emphasised that Romania
    has never been and will never be a country that allows uncontrolled migration
    through illegal border crossing. The president of Latvia highlighted the common
    approach of the two countries with respect to the future of the EU and welcomed
    Romania’s participation in the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states
    in 2023. On Thursday, Klaus Iohannis will be on an official visit to Lithuania,
    in Vilnius, while on Friday he will take part, jointly with his counterparts
    from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, in a summit devoted to strengthening NATO’s
    eastern flank and to supporting Ukraine and the R. of Moldova.


    COOPERATION Romania and Spain are pleading for a more capable and
    responsible European Union, one which is able to provide support and play a
    relevant role in implementing the Strategic Compass, fully complementary to
    NATO and avoiding redundancies, including in the current security context,
    marked by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, reads a joint statement
    signed on Wednesday in Castellón de
    la Plana, Spain, by the heads of the Romanian and Spanish governments. Bucharest and
    Madrid have also reiterated their commitment to a strong NATO, focusing on the
    full implementation of the Strategic Concept adopted in Madrid, with special
    emphasis on consolidating defence and deterrence on the eastern flank. The PM
    of Romania, Nicolae Ciucă, was received with military honours in Castellon de
    la Plana by the head of Spain’s government, Pedro Sanchez. According to Ciucă, bilateral relations are even stronger
    thanks to the nearly one-million strong, highly integrated and active Romanian
    community contributing to the development of Spain’s economy and society.


    NATO – A meeting of NATO
    foreign ministers will be held in Bucharest on November 29-30, 2022. The
    meeting will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.
    Attending will also be the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and
    Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as the foreign ministers of Finland and Sweden.


    DRILL NATO troops
    Wednesday conducted a military exercise to test the air and missile defence in
    Romania, one week after a stray missile crashed in Poland and revealed
    weaknesses in the Alliance’s air shield, Reuters reports. The French air defence
    system deployed to Romania repelled a simulated attack by Allied fighter jets,
    NATO’s Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany said. Taking part in the
    exercise were Turkish F-16 fighter jets, Spanish Eurofighters, US growler
    aircraft designed for electronic warfare and French Rafale jets.


    FOOTBALL Japan produced the second big surprise of the Qatar football World
    Cup, after defeating 4-times Cup winners Germany 2-1, on Wednesday in Group
    E. Also on Wednesday, world vice-champions Croatia drew against Morocco,
    0-0, in Group F. Another former world champion, Spain, takes on Costa Rica, and
    Belgium plays against Canada. On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia stunned football fans
    with one of the biggest upsets in the history of the World Cup, defeating
    2-times champions Argentina 2-1. Also on Tuesday, the defending champions, France,
    defeated Australia 4-1, while Denmark and Poland drew against Tunisia and
    Mexico, respectively, 0 – 0. (AMP)

  • August 1, 2022 UPDATE

    August 1, 2022 UPDATE

    Tax — Part of the amendments made to the Fiscal Code, which were approved in mid-July by the Romanian Government, came into force on Monday. Among them – the increase in excise duties for cigarettes and tobacco, as well as for alcohol and alcoholic products, higher taxes on gambling winnings and lower ceilings for granting tax exemptions for salaries in constructions, agriculture and the food industry. Other changes to the Fiscal Code, most of which have already been adopted, will be applied as of January 1, 2023.



    Exercise — The city port of Constanţa (south-east) is hosting as of Monday a multinational exercise organized by the Romanian Naval Forces. The exercise takes place in maritime districts off the Romanian Black Sea Coast and in the military port of Constanţa. 240 Romanian soldiers and 60 foreign soldiers from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, the United States and Turkey are participating in the exercise. The exercise contributes to increasing the level of training in the combat against makeshift bombs and against mines, as well as to strengthening interoperability between the participating forces.



    Statistics – In Romania, the unemployment rate in the month of June slightly decreased as compared to the previous month, from 5.4% to 5.3%. The National Institute of Statistics – INS estimates that the number of unemployed people was almost 440,000, down both from May 2022 and from June 2021. The unemployment rate for men slightly exceeded that of women, and many young people do not have a job – almost 23 % – the INS also announced. On the other hand, according to Eurostat, the unemployment rate in the European Union countries remained stable at the level of 6% as recorded in May, which was a historic low. The labor market is benefiting from the relaunch of the European economy, which is recovering from the recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The member states with the lowest unemployment rates are the Czech Republic and Poland. At the opposite pole are Spain and Greece, the only EU countries with a double-digit unemployment rate.



    Covid – More than 5,200 new cases of SARS-CoV—2 infection were registered in the last 24 hours in Romania, out of 14,900 tests, the authorities announced on Monday. At the same time, 12 deaths were reported. Currently, in specialized health units, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is over 4,150. Also, about 260 patients are in Intensive Care.



    Chişinău — The Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavriliţa on Monday met with the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Cristian-Leon Ţurcanu, in the context of the start of his mission in Chişinău. According to a press release of the Moldovan government, Natalia Gavriliţa thanked the Romanian Government for supporting Moldova’s European integration and for the constant support offered in overcoming multiple crises. During the talks, the Romanian official reiterated Romania’s support for strengthening national energy security and its readiness to provide the necessary assistance in overcoming logistical challenges. Cristian-Leon Ţurcanu has recently ended his mandate as Ambassador of Romania to Kyiv.




    Cereals – The European Union and NATO welcomed, on Monday, the departure of the first ship carrying cereals from Ukraine and demanded the “full application” of the agreement concluded in Istanbul for the resumption of Ukrainian exports — AFP reports. A first ship left the Ukrainian port of Odessa on Monday with 26,000 tons of corn on board, heading for Lebanon. Before arriving there, however, it is to be inspected in Istanbul, under the authority of the Joint Coordination Center (CCC), inaugurated last Wednesday. The agreement was signed on July 22 by Russia and Ukraine, with the mediation of Turkey and the United Nations. Turkey and the UN allow the resumption of Ukrainian exports under international supervision. In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky estimated that, following the Russian invasion, this years cereal crops in Ukraine could be diminished by half. Before the launch of the Russian invasion on February 24, Ukraine held 46% of the worlds sunflower exports, 9% of the wheat exports, 17% of the barley exports and 12% of the corn exports, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.



    Census – 18.15 million people, i.e. more than 95% of the estimated targeted resident population of Romania on December 1, 2021, were counted, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) informed on Monday. Sunday was the last day, after the INS had already extended twice the review period, to give additional time to those who could not do it for various reasons. The capital and the big cities had the lowest review percentages. The final data of the census will be made public at the end of next year. This was the first census in Romania organized entirely in digital format, the 13th census in history and the 4th after the 1989 Revolution.



    Airport — Băneasa Airport, in the north of Bucharest, reopened on Monday. For nine years, the airport was closed to commercial flights and underwent a program of modernization of buildings and equipment. On Băneasa airport, the time required for the formalities will be less than an hour, unlike Otopeni Airport, where passengers must go at least two hours before boarding. Băneasa Airport was inaugurated in 1920, but its history begins on August 1, 1912, when the Romanian Aviation League, led by Prince George Valentin Bibescu, establishes, in Băneasa, a flight school for military pilots.



  • June 3, 2022

    June 3, 2022

    UKRAINE 100 days have passed since the start of the Russian invasion in
    Ukraine. Since February 24, Russia has captured a sizeable part of its
    neighbouring country’s territory, but the Ukrainian army has put up a tougher
    resistance than most experts had expected. Russian forces now control around
    20% of the Ukrainian territory, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said
    in his midnight address, which has become a tradition since the start of the
    war. He added that the entire occupied territory is now a disaster area, and
    Moscow is fully responsible for this. Violent clashes continue, especially in eastern
    Ukraine, where Russia tries to capture Donbas. The fiercest battles are
    currently fought in the town of Severodonetsk, the most important one still
    controlled by the Ukrainian forces in Luhansk region. Russian forces have
    resorted to intensive shelling, including on civilian targets, having
    completely destroyed several Ukrainian cities, such as Mariupol, captured after
    3 months’ fighting, and Severodonetsk, where two-thirds of the homes are in
    ruins. Russia has suffered substantial losses, over 30,000 dead and thousands
    of pieces of equipment according to Ukraine, but it still retains superiority
    in the field. Moscow is also superior in terms of heavy weaponry, but as of
    recently Ukraine is receiving this type of weapons from its Western supporters.


    MILITARY Romanian troops and Allies from 5 European
    countries and the USA are taking part in a multinational exercise at the
    Smârdan NATO Centre in eastern Romania. As part of the exercise, today a drill
    is organised in which NATO military use land and air equipment. Taking part in
    the training operation, which started on May 24, are over 1,000 Romanian
    troops, joined by military personnel from France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy,
    Portugal and the US. The training session is designed to enhance
    inter-operability, so as to enable the Multinational Brigade South-East Command
    to manage forces deployed to NATO’s south-east region to protect the Alliance,
    the national defence ministry explains.


    AID The government of Romania will grant
    EUR 140 in aid next month to pensioners whose retirement benefits do not exceed
    EUR 400. The measure was approved on Thursday and is designed to help the most
    vulnerable pensioners cope with the recent price rises. The government is also
    working on an emergency order increasing the value of meal vouchers.


    JUBILEE Britain is celebrating these days the Platinum Jubilee of Queen
    Elizabeth II, the monarch with the longest reign in the history of the country.
    The Royal Family convene today for a religious service at St. Paul’s Cathedral,
    celebrating the Queen’s 70-year rule,
    however the sovereign will not be present after experiencing discomfort while
    watching Thursday’s parade at Buckingham Palace. On Thursday London hosted a
    large-scale military parade, with 70 aircraft, some of
    them used during WWII, flying over the crowds.


    FILM The 3rd edition of the Romanian Film
    Festival in Washington, the largest event promoting Romanian cinema in the USA,
    begins on June 3rd at Miracle Theatre. Organised by the Embassy of
    Romania to Washington and the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, the festival
    is devoted to the 25 years since the signing of the Strategic Partnership
    between Romania and the USA. Screened as part of the event, under the heading Reinventing
    realism: the Romanian New Wave, are 12 feature films: Blue Moon,
    Berliner, The Windseeker, Poppy Field,
    Mikado, Unidentified, #dogpoopgirl, Luca,
    Man and Dog, Lebensdorf, Otto the Barbarian, and Miracle. The festival
    will come to an end on June 19. (AMP)

  • September 23, 2021

    September 23, 2021

    Covid — The COVID-19 epidemic in Romania continues on an upward trend. On Wednesday a new, unprecedented threshold for this year was exceeded. 7,045 new cases of coronavirus infection have been reported out of almost 54,000 tests. Most new cases have been reported in Bucharest, where the contamination rate is maintained at over 1,000 new cases in 24 hours. 130 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours. The number of COVID patients in ICUs exceeded 1,000, a situation that has not been recorded since the first half of May. More than 300 localities across Romania, including the capital, are in the red scenario, after the infection rates exceeded the threshold of 3 per thousand.




    Ambassador – Romania has been a candidate for accession to the Visa Waiver program for almost 15 years, said the new Romanian ambassador to Washington, Andrei Muraru, who recalled that there are only three EU member states whose citizens need a short – stay visa on the territory of the US. According to Andrei Muraru, the visa rejection rate is currently at a fairly high level, around 10%, but he pointed out that the Romanian authorities are working with the American side so that a maximum rejection rate of 3% can be reached, which is necessary for accessing to the Visa Waiver program. The Romanian ambassador to the US also said that an information campaign will be organized in Bucharest for citizens to find out how they can apply for a visa, what the reasons are for the rejection of their application and why they should not apply, since they do not meet the criteria that the American side considers fundamental.




    Exercise — A ship of the Romanian Navy, the “Vice Admiral Constantin Bălescu” minesweeper leaves, today, from the Military Port of Constanţa (southeast), to participate in the operation EUNAVFOR MED “Irini”, in the Mediterranean Sea, from October 1 to December 31. The Romanian military sailors will ensure the observance of the arms embargo imposed on Libya by the United Nations. Their mission also aims to combat illicit trafficking in oil products, drugs and people by monitoring maritime traffic and carrying out inspections of suspicious vessels in the Mediterranean basin. A detachment of navy combat divers is on board the ship. The 85 crew members were vaccinated against COVID, tested and quarantined in the accommodation facilities of the Romanian Navy before departure.




    Covid certificate — The COVID green certificate remains in force in those localities where the infection rate is or exceeds 3 per thousand inhabitants, for access to restaurants, bars, shows or private events, and in the case of children the certificate will be mandatory for those over 12 years, according to the decision made today by the Romanian authorities. Until now, the certificate was necessary for children aged over 6. Another measure allows businesses to also operate after 6 p.m. if the infection rate is between 3 and 6 per thousand inhabitants. The night quarantine will be established on weekends in those localities where the infection rate exceeds 6 per thousand and throughout the week in areas where the COVID-19 incidence is over 7.5 per thousand. The PM Florin Cîţu has today announced that the vaccinated people will be allowed to leave the house without a self-declaration in the localities where the quarantine was imposed. On the other hand, the emergency ordinance regarding the COVID digital certificate was adopted by the Senate, as the first legislative chamber notified, and will be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, as a decision-making body in this case. The COVID digital certificate was created in the European Union to facilitate free movement during the pandemic. The document – which can only be verified by scanning the QR code – certifies vaccination, the existence of a negative test or the recovery from the disease.




    Ordinance – The Romanian government has approved an emergency ordinance under which drivers who have to repair their cars based on a car insurance policy issued by the City Insurance company will be compensated faster through the Insured Guarantee Fund. They will not have to wait until the court finally declares the bankruptcy of the former leader on the insurance market, a procedure that can last more than a year. At the time of the recent withdrawal of the operating license, City Insurance had 3 million insurance policies issued. (LS)

  • May 11, 2021

    May 11, 2021

    COVID-19 According to the latest updates, 620 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Romania in 24 hours, out of 11,000 tests conducted. Most cases occurred in Bucharest. The authorities also announced another 68 COVID-19 related deaths and 962 patients in intensive care. Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues, at a record high rate of over 100,000 jabs per day. Measures such as vaccination marathons and drive-through vaccination centres helped increase the number of people immunised every day, and so did the involvement of family physicians. Coordinator Valeriu Gheorghita said on the other hand that there is not enough scientific data to confirm the need for a third vaccine dose to cover possible viral mutations.



    ALERT The state of alert will be extended by another month as of Thursday, the government of Romania decided. Certain restrictions have been lifted, such as the ones concerning participation in religious processions or pilgrimages, while others, including in the hospitality sector, remain in place. Pilot cultural and sports events will be organised, attended by people who have got the vaccine or recovered from COVID in the past 3 months, as well as those who test negative for the disease.



    TRAVEL The National Committee on Emergency Situations updated the list of countries with high epidemiological risk for which quarantine is required upon entering Romanian territory. The number of countries in the list went up from 57 to 75. Countries like India, Nepal, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Monaco and the United Arab Emirates are new on the list, joining the Netherlands, France, Germany and Hungary or summer tourist destinations like Greece, Croatia or the Maldives.



    EXERCISE The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda are attending today a multinational military exercise in Galaţi County in the east. The exercise takes place at the Smârdan base, and Poland takes part with the military forces it has deployed to Romania as part of the Allied matched forward presence in the eastern flank through the NATO multinational brigade stationed in Craiova. Justice Sword 21 is a tactical exercise aimed at testing the capacity of participating structures to implement planned actions and measures, as well as Romanias ability to provide support to the military forces and equipment that transit its territory.



    ATTACK At least 11 people, mostly children, were killed, and many others wounded by an unknown number of attackers in a school shooting in the Russian town of Kazan, some 725 km east of Moscow. The town is the capital of Tatarstan, an autonomous republic with mostly Muslim population. Russian media quoted by international news agencies speak about one or two teenage shooters. School shootings are uncommon in Russia. A similar incident was reported in 2018, in Crimea, annexed by Russia 4 years before, where a student killed 19 people and killed himself. In September 2004, some 325 people, mostly kids, were also killed after Russian special forces stormed a school in Belsan, North Ossetia, where pro-Chechen mercenaries were keeping over 1,000 hostages.



    TENSIONS The EU called for an immediate end to the clashes between Israeli and Palestinians. According to the EU, rocket strikes from Gaza strip against civilians in Israel are unacceptable and fuel escalation. The US also condemned “in the strongest terms the Hamas rocket attacks, calling them “an unacceptable escalation. The UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab also condemned the attacks and called for immediate de-escalation on both sides. Tensions have been reported in the region since the start of the Ramadan, the Muslim fasting and prayer month, with many Palestinians angry over the Israeli police restricting access to some sectors in Jerusalem. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 14, 2021 UPDATE

    January 14, 2021 UPDATE

    VACCINATION More than 3,500 new coronavirus cases and 66 related deaths were recorded on Thursday in Romania. The total number of confirmed cases is now over 684,000, while the death toll is 17,035. 1,101 Covid patients are in intensive care. 90% of Romanians who caught the virus have recovered. Some 155,000 healthcare workers and those working in social care have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in Romania. Phase two of the vaccination campaign gets under way on Friday, targeting the elderly, chronic patients and workers in key sectors, totalling some 5 million people. PM Florin Cîțu says the pace of vaccination will be stepped up, the target being the immunisation of more than 10 million people by September. 62% of Romanians say they want to be given the vaccine according to a poll conducted by Reveal Marketing Research between 6th and 11th January.



    SALARY LAW The government is looking at bonuses in the public sector and if they are justified as part of drafting the state budget for this year, PM Florin Cîţu said on Thursday. He explained that he is considering amending the salary law to eliminate inequalities in the public sector. He said the pensions law would also be amended this year to take into account the contribution principle. The government on Wednesday increased the gross minimum wage by approx. 3%.



    SCHOOLS Most schools in Romania will reopen on February 8, if the COVID-19 situation stays the same as in the past few weeks, president Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday. He had a meeting with the PM Florin Cîţu, the education minister Sorin Cîmpeanu, the health minister Vlad Voiculescu, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, and the head of the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control, Adriana Pistol. Iohannis explained that when the infection rate in a locality goes above 6 per thousand, a lockdown will be introduced. He also said the situation will be re-assessed prior to opening schools, with a final decision to be made on February 2. As far as universities are concerned, each institution will be free to decide. With the exception of two months, schools have been closed in Romania since March last year, with teaching being conducted online.



    PROTEST Healthcare trade unions in Solidaritatea Sanitara federation picketed the government building in Bucharest and prefecture offices around the country to demand more protection measures for healthcare workers amid the pandemic. They also demand a rise in the basic salary for all healthcare staff as of January 1 this year, to the level stipulated in the salary law for 2022. The federation also wants the government to give up on the reduction of the basic salary as a result of a government order issued at the end of 2020, and to grant all healthcare workers special bonuses and a risk incentive for the entire duration of the pandemic.



    AIR FORCES Four Romanian F-16 aicraft with Air Base 86 in Borcea (south-eastern Romania), together with US Air Force aircraft deployed in Europe, took part on Thursday in the Prime Accord multinational military exercise. The exercise included escort and combat patrol missions. According to the Romanian defence ministry, the action was designed to reinforce NATO assurance measures in south-east Europe, and to check the integration of Romanian and NATO command and control structures. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • September 25, 2020

    September 25, 2020

    COVID-19 Romania has had 1,629 new SARS-CoV-2 cases in 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Friday at noon. The total number of infections thus reaches 119,683. Also on Friday, another 42 COVID-19-related deaths were reported, taking the total death toll up to 4,633. A total of 7,245 patients are currently hospitalised, with 508 of them in intensive care. Of the Romanians living abroad, 6,693 have so far tested positive for the virus, and 126 of them died.



    ELECTIONS In Romania, today is the last day of audio-visual campaigning ahead of the local elections due on Sunday. The campaign, which started on August 28 and was rather atypical because of the coronavirus pandemic, ends at 7 AM on Saturday. For the first time ever, the campaign took place in a state of alert and under strict healthcare protection regulations, and so will the ballot itself. A total of 18 million voters are expected in polling stations, to elect, in only one round, mayors, chairs of county and local councils and county and local councillors. Analysts say voter turnout will make an important difference in Sundays elections.



    SCHOOLS In Romania, face-to-face teaching in the schools where polling stations are organized for Sundays local elections will be suspended as of today, with classes only to be taught online until September 30. A number of 146 schools in Bucharest, which will not be hosting polling stations, will carry on in-person teaching, according to a scenario approved by the Bucharest Committee for Emergencies.



    RESIGNATION Giorgiana Hosu, chief prosecutor of DIICOT (the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism), Thursday announced she was stepping down. The decision follows a 3-year suspended sentence given to her husband by a court of first instance. Appointed this February, Giorgiana Hosu is the 3rd DIICOT chief to resign in the past 5 years. Dan Hosu, former chief in the Romanian Polices organised crime division, was sentenced for inciting illegal access to a computer system and inciting the use of information not intended for publication, in view of obtaining undue benefits for himself or others. The ruling is not final.



    MILITARY Over 200 troops from Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia and Turkey, with air and land equipment, are taking part in the 2020 Carpathian Eagle multinational exercise of Special Operations Forces, hosted by the Cincu base in Romania. According to the Defence Ministry, the exercise is designed to train military structures in planning, organising, implementing and managing independent special operations, with a view to enhancing regional security.



    BSEC The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu will char today an informal, online meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), held on the sidelines of the 75th top-level UN General Assembly meeting. Romania is the acting president of the BSEC until the end of this year. The special guest of the meeting is the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.



    FOOTBALL Romanias football champions, CFR Cluj, qualified into the Europa League playoffs, after defeating Thursday night the Swedish team Djurgaarden IF, 1-0 away from home. In the playoff due on October 1, the Romanians will play on home turf against the Finnish side KuPS Kuopi. On the other hand, Romanias Cup winner FCSB (Bucharest), Thursday night lost at home to the Czech team Slovan Liberec, 0-2, and failed to qualify in the Europa League playoffs. FCSB played with a team of substitutes, because of the large number of coronavirus infection cases reported among its regular players. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • July 21, 2020

    July 21, 2020

    RECOVERY The 27 EU member states this morning in Brussels have reached an agreement on a historic economic recovery plan for the Union. The 750 billion euro post-crisis plan adds to the EUs multi-annual budget of 1,074 billion euro for 2021-2027. Of the 750 billion euros, 390 billion will be granted in subsidies to the countries worst hit by the corona crisis, while 360 billion euro will be available in loans. President Klaus Iohannis announced that Romania will receive 80 billion euros, to build schools and hospitals and upgrade major public systems.



    COVID-19 According to the latest report released by the Strategic Communication Group, the last 24 hours saw 994 new COVID-19 cases in Romania, bringing the total number to 39,133 since late February. 36 people died over the past 24 hours, with the total death toll standing at 2,074. As many as 1.087 patients have been released at their request, while nearly 300 others are still in intensive care. PM Ludovic Orban has once again called on citizens to comply with protection rules and to use face masks indoors. He said the authorities would not like to introduce new restrictions or measures that would impact the economy. The number of checks and inspections in crowded areas, such as markets, outdoor restaurants or public transport, has been increased.



    LAW In Romania, a new law on quarantine and self-isolation has taken effect today. The bill introduced by the Government was drastically amended by Parliament, after the Constitutional Court ruled that such restrictions can only be imposed by law, even in the case of COVID-19 patients. The Cabinet convened this morning to introduce the provisions of the new law in an executive order that extends the state of alert by 30 days, as of July 17. Under the new law, healthcare authorities may decide that patients be hospitalised for 48 hours, for an assessment of their state, after which doctors may either extend the hospitalisation period or send the patient home, if the risk of disease transmission is low. Patients may challenge in court the obligation to self-isolate. The same applies for quarantine measures, which concern people coming from high-risk areas or who have been in contact with infected people. The law also stipulates that doctors and nurses may be transferred to hospitals experiencing staff shortages, but only for 30 days, and they are entitled to bonuses for their work. The law defines the conditions for local or regional lockdowns, a measure that the authorities have been talking about recently.



    PANDEMIC With many restrictions lifted and the holiday season in full swing, the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has doubled in the past 7 weeks, to 15 million, of which 5.3 million active cases at present. Over 614,000 people died. The most affected countries remain the US, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, Peru, Mexico, Chile, and the UK. In Europe, the countries with the highest death tolls are the UK, Italy, France and Spain. Asia also sees large numbers of cases in India, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The WHO warns that indigenous peoples in the Amazon rainforest and other parts of the world, accounting for nearly half a million people, are highly vulnerable and measures must be taken as soon as possible.



    MILITARY Two Romanian military vessels are taking part in a multinational exercise called “Sea Breeze 20, held between July 20 and 27 in Ukraines territorial sea, in the Black Sea international waters and the port of Odessa. Over 20 military vessels, 19 aircraft and nearly 2,000 troops and officers take part in this NATO exercise.



    SPORT The football sides FCSB from Bucharest and Sepsi OSK from Sfântu Gheorghe will be playing the Romanian Cup final on neutral ground in Ploiesti this Wednesday night. In the semi-finals, Sepsi outplayed CSM Poli Iaşi, and FCSB defeated Dinamo Bucharest. Last month, the domestic championship was resumed, after being suspended in March over the COVID-19 epidemic. Topping the standings is CSU Craiova, followed by defending champions CFR Cluj. All football matches in Romania are played without public access.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 13, 2019 UPDATE

    November 13, 2019 UPDATE

    COMMISSIONER The Liberal MEP Adina Vălean, Romania’s pick for the position of EU transport commissioner, will be interviewed on Thursday by the European Parliament’s specialist committees alongside the French and Hungarian nominees. On Tuesday, she was given the green light by the Committee on Legal Affairs, which looked at possible conflicts of interest. Also on Tuesday, Vălean was heard by the joint European affairs committees of the Romanian Parliament, whose opinion is advisory. When the formal hearings are over, the president elect of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will present the full commission and its programme to the European Parliament on the 27th of November. Adina Vălean has said that if she becomes EU commissioner, she will support the continuation of the European Interconnection Mechanism, under which 1.24 billion euros worth of investment reached Romania for transport infrastructure and 500 million euros more for energy. The mechanism aims to connect the transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructures in the European Union.




    GOVERNMENT The new Liberal government Wednesday passed an emergency order to provide social protection for the miners about to lose their jobs in the Jiu Valley, in the centre-west. The order comes in response to the demands of the employees of the coal mines in Paroşeni and Uricani, who recently barricaded themselves underground for 11 days. An estimated 360 people are to be laid off this year, with another 700 due to lose their jobs by 2024. Also on Wednesday, the Government passed an emergency order on the status of British citizens in Romania in the event of a no-deal Brexit. According to the Prime Ministers chief of staff Ionel Danca, this order is necessary and requested by the British side, and is aimed at ensuring mutual terms for the status of the Romanian citizens living in Britain post-Brexit. In late October, the ambassadors of the 27 EU member states agreed to extend the Brexit deadline to January 31.




    FINANCE In the first 9 months of the year, the current account on the balance of payments saw a deficit of over 8.1 billion euros, as against 6.8 billion in the corresponding period of last year, the National Bank of Romania announced. Foreign direct investments in Romania totaled over 4.2 billion euros in the first 3 quarters, which is approx. 280 million euro less than in the first 9 months of 2018. The central bank also announced that the total foreign debt rose by nearly 8.4 billion euros in the first 9 months, exceeding 108 billion euros.




    MOLDOVA Igor Dodon, the pro-Russian president of the Republic of Moldova, Wednesday nominated the presidential adviser Ion Chicu as prime minister. The decision comes after the Socialist MPs agreed to the presidents proposal to form a government of technocrats, and after the negotiations with the pro-European bloc ACUM failed. Dodon invited parliamentary parties to talks on Wednesday on a new majority, following the dismissal of Maia Sandu’s pro-European cabinet through a no-confidence vote on Tuesday. The parties have three months to form a new government and avoid early elections. Sandu accused her former Socialist partners, de facto led by Dodon, of bringing down the government because they are afraid of the law. Romania and the European Union have warned the Republic of Moldova that their support, including of a financial nature, is conditional on the continuation of reforms and respect for the rule of law and for democratic standards.




    NAVY The King Ferdinand frigate is taking part in an international anti-submarine warfare exercise organised by the Turkish Navy in the Mediterranean Sea and which is under way until the 20th of November, the Navy Chief of Staff has announced. The Romanian crew will be carrying out specific training activities in Turkey’s territorial waters and neighbouring international waters alongside colleagues from Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, Jordan, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain, the United States and Turkey.




    TENNIS The Romanian-Dutch pair Horia Tecău and Jean-Julien Rojer Wednesday defeated the world no. 1 and Wimbledon and US Open winners Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia in the ATP Finals in London. This is the first victory for the pair in this years edition of the ATP Finals. In the first match of Group Max Mirnyi on Monday, Tecău and Rojer lost to the Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies in 3 sets. The Romanian-Dutch pair won the ATP Finals in 2015 and also qualified for this tournament in 2014 and 2017. This year, they won the titles in Madrid and Basel.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, Cristina Mateescu)

  • October 26, 2019 UPDATE

    October 26, 2019 UPDATE

    MILITARY Nearly 1,400 Romanian and foreign troops with 220 vehicles are taking part in the multinational exercise Scorpions Legacy 2019, held between October 25 and November 8 in Cincu, Braşov County, in central Romania, the press office of the Multinational Brigade South-East announced. The goal of the exercise is to train the staff of the multinational brigade headquartered in Craiova and of the affiliated units in Bulgaria, Italy and Portugal, though computer-assisted command drills, field training practice and shooting practice. The Headquarters Multinational Brigade Southeast ensures high-level capability to command forces deployed in the south-east of the Allied territory, with an important contribution to NATOs collective defence.



    MOTORWAY The Romanian Transport Ministry has submitted a funding application to the European Commission, concerning a 122 km-long motorway connecting Sibiu in central Romania to Pitesti in the south. According to the ministry, the first stage, for which funding is requested, consists in the construction of 53 km of motorway. The project amounts to a total 1.3 billion euros, 85% of which will come from the EU budget in non-reimbursable funds, and the balance from the Romanian government. The deadline for completion is December 2023.



    REPATRIATION Three Romanian citizens, 2 of them underage, were repatriated from Libya, via Tunisia and Turkey, the Foreign Ministry announced. The measure is part of the constant assistance and consular protection efforts made by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, via diplomatic offices in countries with major security risks. The Ministrys homepage continues to run a maximum-alert travel warning for Libya, reading “Major threat – leave country or area immediately!.



    MIGRANTS Border police from the Nădlac checkpoint, western Romania, found 20 citizens from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and India hiding in a truck while attempting to cross the border illegally. The police say they were trying to reach Western Europe. Investigations are now conducted against the truck driver, suspected of human trafficking and against the foreign citizens for attempted illegal border crossing.



    BREXIT The ambassadors of the 27 EU member states have deferred a decision regarding the Brexit postponement period to next week. Recently, they have agreed in principle on a new postponement of Britains exit from the Union, scheduled for October 31, and are now to reach a consensus on a new deadline. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, recommended a 3-month extension, to January 31. The European Parliament also agrees with this date, which would allow Britain to clarify its position and the EP to properly fulfil its duties.



    TENNIS The Romanian Simona Halep, number 5 in the world, landed in the Purple Group of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen (China), held between October 27 and November 3. On Monday she will play against the Romanian-born Canadian Simona Andreescu, no 4 WTA. Halep, winner of this years Wimbledon trophy, takes part in the tournament of the worlds elite 8 for the 6th time in her career. The Purple Group also includes Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) and Elina Svitolina (Ukraine), according to Fridays draw release. This edition has record-high prizes—14 million USD, twice as much as last year.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • October 26, 2019

    October 26, 2019

    MILITARY Nearly 1,400 Romanian and foreign troops with 220 vehicles are taking part in the multinational exercise Scorpions Legacy 2019, held between October 25 and November 8 in Cincu, Braşov County, in central Romania, the press office of the Multinational Brigade South-East announced. The goal of the exercise is to train the staff of the multinational brigade headquartered in Craiova and of the affiliated units in Bulgaria, Italy and Portugal, though computer-assisted command drills, field training practice and shooting practice. The Headquarters Multinational Brigade Southeast ensures high-level capability to command forces deployed in the south-east of the Allied territory.




    DST Romania switches to winter time tonight, with clocks set one hour back, from 4:00 AM to 3:00 AM. Sunday will be the longest day of the year. The switch does not affect railway traffic timetables. The European Commission suggested that Europe should give up seasonal DST switches in Europa, and member states will decide whether they want to keep the summer time or winter time permanently as of 2021.




    MIGRANTS Border police from the Nădlac checkpoint, western Romania, found 20 citizens from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and India hiding in a truck while attempting to cross the border illegally. The police say they were trying to reach Western Europe. Investigations are now conducted against the truck driver, suspected of human trafficking and against the foreign citizens for attempted illegal border crossing.




    BREXIT The ambassadors of the 27 EU member states have deferred a decision regarding the Brexit postponement period to next week. Recently, they have agreed in principle on a new postponement of Britains exit from the Union, scheduled for October 31, and are now to reach a consensus on a new deadline. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, recommended a 3-month extension, to January 31. The European Parliament also agrees with this date, which would allow Britain to clarify its position and the EP to properly fulfil its duties.




    TECHNOLOGY Sixteen Romanian ITC companies took part in the worlds largest mobile communications exhibition – Mobile World Congress 2019, held in Los Angeles. According to the Romanian Ministry for the Business Environment, Trade and Entrepreneurship, the Romanian participants presented their products in a national pavilion of around 150 sq.m. The Los Angeles fair is the third specialised event, after the ones in Barcelona and Shanghai, which brings together technology providers and producers, influencers and innovators in the ITC industry.




    TENNIS The Romanian Simona Halep, number 5 in the world, landed in the Purple Group of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen (China), held between October 27 and November 3. On Monday she will play against the Romanian-born Canadian Bianca Andreescu, no 4 WTA. Halep, winner of this years Wimbledon trophy, takes part in the tournament of the worlds elite 8 for the 6th time in her career. The Purple Group also includes Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) and Elina Svitolina (Ukraine), according to Fridays draw release. This edition has record-high prizes—14 million USD, twice as much as last year.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • September 3, 2019

    September 3, 2019

    REPATRIATION The remains of Queen Helen, mother to King Michael I of Romania, will be repatriated this autumn and taken to the new Archdiocesan and Royal Cathedral in Curtea de Argeş, following a decision of the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, Princess Margareta, made public on Tuesday. Seventy-one years after Queen Helens exile and 37 years after her death, Princess Margareta decided to bring back to Romania the remains of her grand-mother. Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark was the daughter of King Constantine I of Greece and Queen Sophia of Prussia. In 1921 she married crown prince Carol in Athens, whom she divorced in 1928. In 1940 she became Queen Mother of Romania. She died in November 1982, in Lausanne, Switzerland. Unlike King Michael I, Queen Helen never saw her country again after her forced exile.




    EXERCISE The Romanian Navy organises as of today 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 organised.




    FESTIVAL In Bucharest the George Enescu International Festival continues with a concert by the London Philharmonic Orchestra together with the Academic Choir of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. Two other performances take place in Cluj-Napoca and Sibiu. The central theme of this years edition of the festival is “The World in Harmony, and the artistic director is Vladimir Jurowski. Until September 22, Bucharest and 10 other cities in Romania and 5 other countries (Germany, France, Italy, Canada and the Rep. of Moldova) will host performances associated to the Festival. In Bucharest, over 2,500 of the most valuable musicians of the world will hold 84 concerts and recitals.




    PROGRAMME The EU programme designed to encourage children to eat fruit, vegetables and dairy at school continues in 2019. Of the total budget of 250 million euro, Romania will receive this academic year over 17 million euro. Last year, more than 20 million children in the EU benefited from this programme implemented in schools, whose goal is to promote healthy eating habits.




    EARTH Romanian students won one gold and 3 silver medals in this years edition of the International Earth Science Olympiad held in Daegu, South Korea between August 26 and September 3. The International Earth Science Olympiad encourages cooperation between students from various countries, by setting up international teams that receive research topics on environment issues in a specific geographic area and must come up with a project with proposed solutions to the respective issues. Taking part in this 13th International Earth Science Olympiad were 163 students from 41 countries.




    SPENDING EU citizens spent an average 377 euro for a holiday, and Romanians rank at the bottom of the list with around 135 euro earmarked for a vacation, according to data released by Eurostat on Tuesday. The biggest holiday spenders in the EU are the citizens of Luxembourg, with an average 769 euro for a holiday in 2017.




    TENNIS The young Canadian tennis player Bianca Andreescu, of Romanian descent, qualified into the quarter-finals of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the American Taylor Townsend in 3 sets. It is the first time that Andreescu (aged 19, number 15 in the world) takes part in the US Open, and also her first Grand Slam quarter-final. Taylor Townsend (116 WTA), had previously outplayed 2 Romanians, Simona Halep and Sorana Cîrstea. In the quarter-final Andreescu will take on Belgiums Elise Mertens (26 WTA).


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • 22 July 2019, UPDATE

    22 July 2019, UPDATE

    Presidential elections. The president of the Social
    Democratic Party, in power in Romania,
    PM Viorica Dăncilă, is to have talks with the leaders of the Alliance of
    Liberals and Democrats, also in the ruling coalition, and of Pro Romania, the
    party headed by the former leftist prime minister Victor Ponta. The
    negotiations concern the forming of a coalition with a common candidate in the
    forthcoming presidential election. Viorica Dăncilă has recently said she would
    like a much broader support platform, including non-parliamentary parties,
    trade unions and NGOs, for the November election. Next week, the Social
    Democrats are scheduled to nominate their presidential candidate, who will be
    validated at a special congress on August 3rd.




    Exports. Romania’s exports to the other 27 EU member countries went
    up 4.9% between January and April 2019, as compared to the corresponding period
    of last year, whereas imports from the Union grew by 7.5%, the National
    Statistics Institute reports. Romania’s top 3 EU export markets were Germany
    (23.3%), Italy (11.1%) and France (7.4%). As for imports, the three largest
    partners are Germany (19.9%), Italy (9.2%) and Hungary (7.2%). In the first 4
    months of the year, Romania’s total FOB exports amounted to 23 billion euro,
    and total imports to 28.1 billion euro, up 8.3% since January-April 2018. The
    trade deficit was little over 5 billion euro, i.e. 1.3 billion euro more than
    in the corresponding period of last year.




    Exercise. The 10th Eurasian Partnership MCM Dive multinational
    exercise began on Monday in Constanta and other maritime areas along the
    Romanian Black Sea coast. Until Thursday, tens of military divers from Romania,
    Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia and the US are taking part in explosive device
    search and identification drills, conducting open, semi-closed and
    surface-supplied diving missions and target searches using underwater drones.
    This is the only annual multinational exercise organised in the west part of
    the Black Sea and designed to improve the training of military divers from NATO
    members and the signatories of the Partnership for Peace.




    Ukraine elections. Sunday’s parliamentary
    elections in Ukraine were free and competitive and the vote counting was
    transparent and well-organised, the OSCE, who monitored the voting process,
    said on Monday. With some 80% of the votes counted, five parties look set to
    enter Parliament: president Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People,
    estimated to have won almost 43% of the votes; the Opposition Platform for Life
    with some 13%; followed by ex-president
    Petro Poroshenko’s European Solidarity party in third place and former PM Yulia
    Timoshenko’s Batkivshcina party in fourth place and the newly formed Voice
    party founded by the rock star Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, in 5th place.
    According to the Central Election Commission in Kiev, with almost half of the
    voters casting their ballot, this was the lowest turnout in the history of
    independent Ukraine.






    Brexit. The
    European Commission is ready to establish working relations with any new
    prime minister of the United Kingdom, a spokeswoman said on Monday, with
    former foreign secretary and Brexit supporter Boris Johnson expected to become
    the new Conservative leader, Reuters news agency writes. The European
    Commission has also said that it is ready to engage
    with the member states that would be most affected by any no-deal Brexit,
    something Johnson has said he is prepared to go for to ensure Britain
    leaves on Oct. 31, Reuters also notes. The EU executive is looking at what
    programmes could be used for such emergency support, Reuters also quotes the
    European Commission spokeswoman as saying.




    Sports. Georgiana Antuca and Ana Maria
    Pârvu on Monday won Romania’s first medals, gold and silver in wrestling, at the summer edition of the European Youth Olympics Festival in Baku,
    Azerbaijan. Antuca defeated Gultakin Shirinova of
    Azeribaijan in the 46 kg category, while Pârvu took the silver in the 49 kg
    category. Romania has 103 participants in the 15th edition of the
    competition, which takes place until Saturday. According to the Romanian
    Olympic and Sports Committee, the participants are aged between 14 and 18 and
    take part in athletics, cycling, artistic gymnastics, handball, swimming, judo,
    wrestling, tennis and volleyball. The aims of the Romanian delegation is to win
    between 8 and 10 medals.