Radio România Internațional

Tag: fire

  • November 17, 2020

    November 17, 2020

    COVID-19 Romania reports the highest SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rate in 24 hours: over 43%. On Monday the authorities announced 4,931 cases out of around 11,200 tests. The total number of cases since the start of the pandemic in late February is now over 365,000. With the 149 deaths reported on Monday, the death toll exceeds 9,000, whereas the number of patients in intensive care is now 1,187. Nearly 70% of the total number of patients have recovered. As of today, 5 towns and a village in Alba County, central Romania, are under a 2-week lockdown because of the large number of coronavirus infections. Also as of today, Constanta city in the south east is closing parks and playgrounds, and streets, pavements and market places will be disinfected on a daily basis. The city of Sibiu (centre) and 3 other localities in the same county also introduced a lockdown on Monday, while the city of Bistriţa (centre) is waiting for approval from the National Public Health Institute to implement the same measure.



    FIRE Investigators have completed inquiries into the fire that occurred on Saturday at the ICU of the Piatra Neamt County Hospital, treating Sars-Cov-2 patients. The criminal case concerns manslaughter and bodily harm offences, as 10 people died and 7 others were injured. Five of the victims could not be identified and DNA tests were required. Doctor Ioan Cătălin Denciu remains in a serious condition—he tested positive for COVID-19 prior to being transferred to Belgium, and the injuries are more severe than originally thought. The physician has 2nd degree burns on 75% of the body, which he suffered while trying to rescue the patients from the intensive care unit during the fire. The manager of the Piatra Neamţ Hospital has resigned. Joint teams from Public Health Directorates and the General Inspectorate for Emergencies have been conducting inspections, since Monday, in all intensive therapy units across the country, to check electrical installations and the state of medical equipment. The health minister Nelu Tătaru says many hospitals underwent rushed revamping in 2020, and now the authorities have to check whether safety rules were complied with.



    UNIONS Members of the SANITAS healthcare workers union Tuesday observed a moments silence for the victims of the Piatra Neamt hospital fire, in front of the Government headquarter. SANITAS had scheduled a rally for Tuesday, but the union decided to replace the protest with a commemoration of the victims and of the healthcare workers who lost their lives on the job. Unionists warn that the tragedy may occur again, anywhere in the country, because of the worn out equipment and overworked personnel. They call on civil society to put pressure on politicians to reform the Romanian public healthcare sector. SANITAS officials Monday submitted a list of demands to all county prefect offices.



    GAUDEAMUS The 27th edition of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organised by Radio Romania since 1994, is taking place online until November 22nd. The event will end on Sunday and will take place exclusively online due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Attending the event are more than 100 companies, among which prestigious book publishers and distributors, music and educational games producers. Hundreds of events can be followed online on gaudeamus.ro, the website of the event, which this year is organised jointly with elefant.ro. Writer Norman Manea, nominated several times for the Nobel Prize for Literature, is the honorary president of this edition of the Gaudeamus book fair.



    MOLDOVA The Republic of Moldovas ex-PM, the Pro-European Maia Sandu, is the first woman elected president of the country. In Sundays ballot she won 57.75% of the votes, according to the final data announced by the Electoral Committee in Chişinău. The incumbent president, pro-Russian Igor Dodon, who got 42%, announced however he was challenging the result. Maia Sandus priorities include ending corruption and public money theft and reforming the political class. The election result is a moral victory of pro-European forces which want genuine change, political commentators in Chisinau say. However, they warn that a tense period may follow, because Igor Dodons Socialists hold the largest number of seats in Parliament. (translated by A.M. Popescu)

  • November 16, 2020 UPDATE

    November 16, 2020 UPDATE

    Fire – Inspections are underway in ICUs across Romania following the fire that killed 10 patients on Saturday evening at the Emergency Hospital in Piatra Neamt (Northeast). The patients, who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and were receiving treatment in the ICU, could not be saved despite the efforts of the medical staff. The fire was caused by a short circuit, according to preliminary searches. Another 6 patients in a nearby room are in a serious condition. The management of the Public Health Directorate in Neamt said in that in order to treat more COVID-19 patients, the ICU of the County Emergency Hospital in Piatra Neamt was reconfigured on the day of the fire, without having previously asked for an approval in this sense. Prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation.





    Covid -19 Romania – The city of Sibiu, in central Romania, introduced a 2-week lockdown on Monday, after the combined contamination rate in 14 days exceeded 12 cases per one thousand inhabitants. The people of Sibiu will need documents from their work places or sworn statements to be able to travel inside or between the localities in lockdown. Shops will be open until 10 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday shops in shopping malls will be closed, except for pharmacies and food stores. People over the age of 65 can go shopping between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and religious services will be held outdoors. Over 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours, along with 149 deaths, which takes the total death toll to over 9,000. The number of patients in intensive care is near 1,200. PM Ludovic Orban said, after talks with the health minister, that an increase of the ICU capacity by at least 200 beds is planned for this week.





    Moldova – The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis Monday had a phone conversation with the President elect of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, during which they have agreed on extending and deepening the strategic partnership for Moldovas European integration. A first step in this sense will be the official visit which the Romanian president is going to make to Chisinau in the coming period, reads a presidential administration news release. Klaus Iohannis said that Maia Sandus result represented a victory of democracy and marked a decisive step towards Moldovas irreversible European path, which Romania has permanently supported and will continue to support without reservation. In Brussels, the head of the European Council Charles Michel promised that the EU is ready to strengthen the partnership with Chisinau. In turn, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Maia Sandu, and said her victory was a clear call for fighting corruption and restoring the rule of law. The EU is prepared to support Moldova, Von der Leyen also said. The pro-European candidate Maia Sandu defeated the pro-Russian candidate Igor Dodon, in the 2nd round of the presidential election in Moldova.





    Gaudeamus – The 27th edition of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organized by Radio Romania started online on Monday. The event will end on Sunday and will take place exclusively online due to the new coronavirus pandemic. On the website of the event, gaudeamus.ro, you can find more than 100 companies, among which prestigious book publishers and distributors, music and educational games, with individual presentation pages dedicated to the fair. Book lovers can also access the participants virtual stands and readers can buy books online. As many as 200 events can be followed online. Writer Norman Manea, nominated several times for the Nobel Prize for Literature, is the honorary president of this edition of the Gaudeamus book fair.





    Covid-19 world – There are more than 55 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 around the world, with 1.3 million deaths reported, according to data provided by worldometers.info. The biggest number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 is reported by the US (over 11.3 million cases and around 1 million new cases in one week). India has so far reported 8.8 million cases and around 130 thousand deaths, and Brazil more 5.8 million cases with 165 thousand deaths. Europe is equally affected by the 2nd wave of the pandemic, with France and Russia having exceeded 1.9 million cases. Spain is nearing 1.5 million and Great Britain 1.4 million. Moderna announced on Monday its experimental vaccine had a 94.5% effectiveness rate in stage 3 trials. This is the second vaccine produced by an American company and having encouraging results, after Pfizers, produced jointly with BioNTech, which also reported over 90% protection in clinical trials. (tr. A.M. Popescu, L. Simion)

  • Romanian hospital fire kills ten

    Romanian hospital fire kills ten

    In the middle of the
    pandemic, Romania is in mourning because of a new tragedy. On Saturday night, a
    number of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 burned alive at the County Emergency
    Hospital in Piatra Neamț
    (in the north-east of the country), in a fire that broke out in the intensive
    care unit where they were being treated.




    Witnesses say everything happened very fast: a syringe
    pump connected to electricity and used to administer medication to the patients
    caught fire. The protective suit of a nurse standing nearby also caught fire
    and then the blaze spread quickly. The doctor on duty who tried to save the
    patients was badly injured, suffering severe burns on 40% of his body and being
    later taken to Bucharest to undergo surgery and then transferred to a hospital
    in Belgium.




    Shortly after the tragedy occurred, a team of
    prosecutors, police and fire experts began inquiries. The investigation is led
    by Marius Iacob, the same prosecutor who coordinated the investigations into
    the fire at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest five years ago, when 65 people
    were killed, and at the Giuleşti maternity hospital in Bucharest in 2010 when
    six prematurely born babies died and five others suffered severe burns.




    The terrible accident in Piatra Neamţ once again
    shows why the Romanian healthcare system needs profound change, said president
    Klaus Iohannis, who conveyed his condolences to the grieving families. Unfortunately,
    the pandemic has pushed the system to the limit, the president also said, and
    technicians must make sure that the equipment used is working properly. He called
    for the circumstances of the accident to be investigated quickly so as to
    identity what went wrong and prevent similar situations in the future.




    Prime minister Ludovic Orban has announced a series
    of inspections at all intensive care units around the country:




    I have requested joint teams from the Public
    Health Directorate, namely sanitary inspectors, and the county inspectorates
    for emergency situations, namely firefighters, to carry out an assessment beginning
    on Monday in all intensive care units and check all gas supplying installations
    and whether they comply with the regulations in place with respect to patients
    and staff safety in intensive care units.




    Investigators into the
    cause of the fire have already conducted searches and interviewed witnesses and
    have begun to check the documents and approvals authorising the functioning of
    the ward, all the more so as a number of changes were made recently to the
    hospital’s organisation, including in order to enhance the capacity of the
    intensive care unit.

  • November 16, 2020

    November 16, 2020

    Fire – Controls are being undertaken in ICUs across Romania following the fire that occurred on Saturday evening at the Emergency Hospital in Piatra Neamt (Northeast) which killed 10 patients. The patients, who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and were receiving treatment in the ICU, could not be saved despite the efforts of the medical staff. The fire was caused by a short circuit, according to preliminary searches. Another 6 patients in a nearby room are in a serious condition. The leadership of the Public Health Directorate in Neamt said in a communiqué that in order the extend the ICU with a view to treating more COVID-19 patients, the ICU of the Piatra Neamt County Emergency Hospital was reconfigured on the day of the fire without having previously asked for an approval in this sense. Prosecutors have opened an in rem criminal case file.



    Covid -19 Romania — The city of Sibiu, in central Romania, has today been quarantined for 2 weeks, after the cumulated contamination rate in 14 days exceeded 12 cases per one thousand inhabitants. The people of Sibiu will need documents from their work places or self declarations to be able to travel inside the localities in lockdown or between them. Shops will be open until 10 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday shops in shopping malls will be closed, except for pharmacies and food stores. People over the age of 65 can go shopping between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and religious services will be held in the open air. We remind that in 11 counties of Romania the cumulated rate of COVID-19 infections in 14 days per 1 thousand inhabitants exceeded 5 per thousand. Vrancea county (east) remains the county with the lowest infection rate (1.64 per thousand). Over 7 thousand new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours, most of them in Bucharest and the counties of Constanta and Brasov. 113 deaths have been reported, with 1,169 patients currently in ICUs.



    Moldova – The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Monday had a phone conversation with the President elect of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu during which they have agreed on extending and deepening the strategic partnership for Moldova’s European integration. A first step in this sense will be the official visit which the Romanian president is going to pay to Chisinau in the coming period, shows a presidential administration communiqué. Klaus Iohannis said that the result obtained by Maia Sandu represented a victory of democracy and marked a decisive step towards Moldova’s irreversible European path, which Romania has permanently supported and will continue to support without reservation. The pro-European candidate Maia Sandu defeated, in the 2nd round of the presidential election in Moldova, the pro-Russian candidate Igor Dodon.



    Gaudeamus – The 27th edition of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organized by Radio Romania started today online. The event will end on Sunday and will unfold exclusively online due to the new coronavirus pandemic. On the website of the event gaudemaous.ro you can find more than 100 companies, among which prestigious book publishers and distributors, music and educational games, with individual presentation pages dedicated to the fair. Also book lovers can access the participants’ virtual stands and readers can buy books online. As many as 200 events can be followed online. Writer Norman Manea, nominated several times for the Nobel Prize for Literature, is the honorary president of this edition of the Gaudeamus book fair.



    Covid-19 world — There are more than 54.8 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 around the world, with 1.3 million deaths reported, according to data provided by worldometers.info. The biggest number of cases and deaths from Covid-19 is reported by the US that exceeded 11.3 million cases of contamination. India has so far reported 8.8 million cases and around 130 thousand deaths and Brazil more 5.8 million cases with 165 thousand deaths. Europe is equally affected by the 2nd wave of the pandemic, with France and Russia having exceeded the threshold of 1.9 million cases of infection. Spain is nearing 1.5 million and Great Britain 1.4 million. In London the PM Boris Johnson is in self-isolation after having been in contact with a person that tested positive for Covid-19. In turn, Austria will undertake mass testing for COVID-19 as of Tuesday until December 6, after Slovakia conducted rapid tests for approximately 3.6 million people of the country’s total population of 5.5 million. (tr. L. Simion)

  • November 15, 2020 UPDATE

    November 15, 2020 UPDATE

    FIRE. Joint teams of the Directorate of Public Health and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations will begin checks on Monday in all intensive care units in Romania to verify the use of medical equipment. The decision was made in the aftermath of the tragedy that occurred, on Saturday evening, at the Piatra Neamţ County Emergency Hospital (east). Ten patients suffering from Covid-19 died in the fire that broke out in the intensive care unit, and seven other people, including the doctor on duty, were seriously injured. The six patients were relocated to another hospital in the area and the doctor was transferred to a hospital in Brussels. Prosecutors with the General Prosecutor’s Office, police and fire experts have started an investigation into the cause of the tragedy. President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban and the leader of the opposition, the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu have all stated they are shocked and saddened by the tragic event and have once again complained about the precarious state of the Romanian healthcare system. The Health Minister Nelu Tataru has stated that the blame for the tragedy is a collective one. The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, has prayed for the victims. Messages of condolence have come from abroad as well, including from the US President Donald Trump, through the US Ambassador to Bucharest, the Hungarian President Janos Ader and the president of Israel, Reuven Ivlin. Also, at the Vatican, the Pope prayed and expressed his compassion. The embassies of France and Russia in Bucharest have also sent messages of condolence and the mayor of Chisinau laid a wreath at the Romanian Embassy in Moldova.



    COVID-19 RO. Since the beginning of the pandemic, over 360 thousand cases of infection and 8,926 deaths have been recorded in Romania. 7,096 new cases of infection and 113 deaths associated with COVID 19 were reported in the past 24 hours. 1169 patients are in intensive care. Romania no longer has a green zone in terms of coronavirus infections, after, on Saturday, the threshold of 1.5 cases of COVID-19 per thousand inhabitants against the last 14 days was exceeded in Vrancea county (east), the only place where the number of cases was lower. Against the background of the epidemiological situation, the state of alert was extended until mid-December.



    PANDEMIC. The restrictions imposed recently by the governments of many countries are starting to show the first results, but the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is a big burden for the healthcare systems. The greatest pressure is on the intensive care units. On the European continent, Germany, Austria and Portugal have announced new daily records. In Italy, as of Sunday, two more regions joined the so-called red list, and another nine became orange. It is forbidden for citizens to travel outside their place of residence, restaurants and shops are closed, except for food stores and pharmacies, and sports activities are suspended, including those held in outdoor sports centers. It is allowed to walk near the house, observing the distance of at least one meter from any other person and with the obligation to wear a protective mask. Nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools remain open. Austria will enter a new quarantine period from Tuesday 17 November until 6 December. The government will close schools, shops and services and impose new traffic bans. Globally, more than 54 million cases of Covid 19 have been reported since the virus first appeared in China almost a year ago, and the death toll has exceeded 1.3 million.



    NIGHT OF MUSEUMS. In Romania, this years edition of the Night of Museums took place on Saturday, in conditions adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and most of the events organized on the internet. More than 60 museums and cultural operators from all over Romania registered to celebrate this European event, usually organized in May. In 2020, however, because of the pandemic, it was moved to mid-November, and museums and cultural spaces organized interactive activities on social media and on their own websites. The offline projects were adapted to the new government measures on public safety. The Night of Museums was initiated 16 years ago by the French Ministry of Culture, sponsored by the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the International Council of Museums.



    FOOTBALL. The match between the Romanian national football team and the Norwegian national team, scheduled tonight in Bucharest, part of the League of Nations, was cancelled by UEFA. The decision was made as the guest team could not travel due to a coronavirus case, reads the official website of the Romanian Football Federation. The consequences will be established by the Disciplinary Committee of the European forum. The last match of the Romanian national team in this competition will be played on November 18, in Belfast, against the national team of Northern Ireland. These matches count for the FIFA ranking, which will determine the ballot boxes for the draw of the preliminary groups for the 2022 World Championship. (M. Ignatescu)

  • November 15, 2020

    November 15, 2020

    FIRE. Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has had a working meeting today with the Minister of Health, Nelu Tătaru, the Interior Minister Marcel Vela and the State Secretary Raed Arafat. Authorities have decided that joint teams of the Directorate of Public Health and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations will begin checks on Monday in all intensive care units at national level to verify the facilities and the operation of medical equipment. The decision was made in the aftermath of the tragedy that occurred on Saturday evening, at the Piatra Neamţ County Emergency Hospital (east). Ten patients suffering from Covid-19 died in the fire that broke out in the intensive care unit, and seven other people, including the doctor on duty, were seriously injured. The six patients were taken to the Modular Hospital in Lețcani, while the doctor was transferred today to a hospital in Brussels, for specialized treatment. The Minister of Health, Nelu Tătaru, considers that the guilt for the tragedy in Piatra Neamţ is a collective one because, he said: “we have agreed for 30 years to live in such a medical situation.” President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban and the leader of the opposition, the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu have all stated they are shocked and saddened by the tragic event and have once again complained about the precarious state of the Romanian health system. The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, has prayed for the victims. Prosecutors from the General Prosecutors Office, police and firefighters have started an investigation today to determine the causes of the fire. The team is headed by the prosecutor Marius Iacob from the General Prosecutors Office, the one who also investigated the fires at the Colectiv club and the Giuleşti Maternity.



    COVID-19 RO. In Romania, since the beginning of the pandemic, over 360 thousand cases of infection and 8,926 deaths have been registered. 113 deaths associated with COVID 19 were reported in the past 24 hours. 1169 patients are in intensive care. Romania no longer has a green zone in terms of coronavirus infections, after, on Saturday, the threshold of 1.5 cases of COVID-19 per thousand inhabitants against the last 14 days was exceeded in Vrancea county (east), the only one in which the number of cases was lower. Against the background of the epidemiological situation, the state of alert was extended until mid-December.



    PANDEMIC. The restrictions imposed recently by the governments of many countries are starting to show the first results, but the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is a big burden for the healthcare systems. The greatest pressure is on the intensive care units. On the European continent, Germany, Austria or Portugal have announced new daily records. In Italy, as of today, two more regions join the so-called red list, and another nine become orange. It is forbidden for citizens to travel outside their place of residence, restaurants and shops are closed, except for food stores and pharmacies, and sports activities are suspended, including those held in outdoor sports centers. It is allowed to walk near the house, observing the distance of at least one meter from any other person and with the obligation to wear a protective mask. Nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools remain open. Austria will enter a new quarantine period from Tuesday 17 November until 6 December. The government will close schools, shops and services and impose new traffic bans. Globally, more than 54 million cases of Covid 19 have been reported since the virus first appeared in China almost a year ago, and the death toll has exceeded 1.3 million.



    ELECTION. The second round of the presidential elections takes place today in the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, mostly Romanian-speaking). Former Prime Minister Maia Sandu, representing the pro-Europe electorate, who won the first round of elections in November, is facing pro-Russia President Igor Dodon, backed by the Socialist Party. The 2,000 polling stations set up for this round will close at 21:00. In the diaspora, Moldovan citizens have at their disposal over 139 sections, 13 of which are in Romania. The election takes place after a tough campaign marked by numerous statements and accusations between the two competitors. In the campaign, the current president urged his supporters to post-election protests, if necessary to defend his victory. As for Maia Sandu, she spoke about the need for change and the fight against corruption.



    NIGHT OF MUSEUMS. In Romania, this years edition of the Night of Museums took place on Saturday, in conditions adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and most of the events organized on the internet. More than 60 museums and cultural operators from all over Romania registered to celebrate this European event, usually organized in May. In 2020, however, because of the pandemic, it was moved to mid-November, and museums and cultural spaces organized interactive activities on social media and on their own websites. The offline projects were adapted to the new government measures on public safety. The Night of Museums was initiated 16 years ago by the French Ministry of Culture, sponsored by the Council of Europe, UNESCO and the International Council of Museums. (M. Ignatescu)


  • Compensations for the victims of the Colectiv club fire

    Compensations for the victims of the Colectiv club fire

    The Romanian Senate on Monday approved a bill on granting lifelong financial aid for the payment of medical treatments to the victims of the Colectiv club fire. The bill was initiated by a group of senators from the Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union party, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and was unanimously adopted by the 111 senators attending the meeting.



    Under this bill, the authorities approve the payment, from the Healthcare Ministry budget, of the expenses for any needed medical treatment, for an unlimited period of time, in the country or abroad, both in private and state-owned hospitals, with independent physicians and therapists, for ambulatory or hospital care. The victims will benefit from lifelong medical treatments if their treatment is directly related to the fire that occurred on October 30, 2015 at the Colectiv Club. The law was adopted by the Senate, and a final vote will be given by the decision-making Chamber of Deputies.



    The 2015 tragedy left behind 64 people dead, mostly young people, and 200 wounded, and it took years of investigations until a verdict in this case was finally ruled. The fire started from a pyrotechnics display used during the show. For 2 years, the trial was blocked by procedural issues, and the judge initially designated to handle the case retired, being replaced in October 2018. The second judge promised to speed up the resolution of the case and he kept his promise, as tens of witnesses and victims were interviewed on a weekly basis.



    In the last month of 2019, more than 4 years after the tragedy, the Bucharest Court gave a first ruling in this case, which is not definitive though. The former mayor of the Bucharest sector where the Club was located, Cristian Popescu-Piedone, received a prison sentence of 8 years and 6 months for abuse of office in relation to the issuance of functioning authorizations for the respective club. The two owners of the club received prison sentences of 11 years and 8 months for aggravated felony murder, aggravated bodily injury and failure to take legal measures related to safety and health at the work place.



    The owners of the pyrotechnic devices company received sentences of 12 years and 8 months and 3 years and 6 months respectively, while the two pyrotechnic engineers received 9 years and 8 months and 10 years of imprisonment respectively. Two firefighters with the Bucharest Emergency Situation Inspectorate who checked the Colectiv club without taking the legal measures required regarding the legal norms observance received each sentences of 9 years and 2 months in prison.



    The people sentenced in this case have to pay, together with the city hall and the Emergency Situation Inspectorate, moral and material damages worth more than 50 million Euros to the survivors of the fire and to the families of the victims. We recall that none of the defendants in this case admitted their guilt and consequently their lawyers are asking for an acquittal. (translation by L. Simion)

  • November 23, 2019 UPDATE

    November 23, 2019 UPDATE

    ELECTIONS Romania holds the decisive round of its presidential election on Sunday. The incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, endorsed by the National Liberal Party, now in power, is facing the former Social Democratic PM Viorica Dancilă. Just like in the first round, the Romanians living abroad have 3 days to cast their ballots, and the number of pollings stations abroad has been doubled, to 838. The vote started at noon on Friday and will continue until Sunday. The number of citizens having voted so far indicates a higher turnout in the runoff than in the first round. By Saturday evening, over 315,000 Romanians had voted in foreign polling stations, of whom 17,500 voted by post, an option introduced this year for the first time. The largest numbers of voters were reported in Italy, followed by Britain, Germany, Spain and the Republic of Moldova.




    GAUDEAMUS The Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organised in Bucharest by Radio Romania, comes to an end on Sunday. On the last day of the fair, the awards of the 26th edition will be presented. 8,000 book stands have been put up as part of this edition, devoted to the 30 years since the anti-communist revolution of 1989. A total of 900 different events were scheduled, including book launches, debates and book signing sessions. On Saturday, the 4th day of the Fair, Prof. Thierry Wolton took part in the launch of the second volume of his trilogy “A World History of Communism. In this volume, entitled ‘The Victims’, Thierry Wolton speaks about the tens of millions that suffered imprisonment, deportation, torture and even extermination for their anti-communist beliefs.




    NATIONAL DAY 3,500 Romanian troops and another 500 from over 20 allied or partner countries, 200 military vehicles and over 50 aircraft will take part on December 1 in Bucharest in the National Day parade, the Defence Ministry has announced. The Romanian military on missions in theatres of operations in Afghanistan, the Western Balkans and Mali will also organise military ceremonies on National Day. Proclaimed a national holiday after the anti-communist revolution of 1989, December 1 marks the conclusion of the establishment of the Romanian nation-state at the end of World War 1, in 1918.



    COLECTIV After the Bucharest Court completed its investigations, on Monday the prosecution and the defence will present their closing statements in the case concerning the fire in Colectiv night club in Bucharest 4 years ago, in which 64 people died, one committed suicide further to the trauma and 200 others were injured. The Colectiv trial started in April 2016. After 2 years of deferrals over procedural matters, the judge assigned to the case retired, and during another year the new judge has heard the statements of scores of witnesses and victims.




    UN The 15 members of the UN Security Council endorsed a declaration reaffirming the ban on chemical weapons. The Council has reached a consensus long undermined by the war in Syria, and the Skripal affair in the UK or Kim Jong-nam case in Malaysia, AFP reports. The Council reaffirms that the use of chemical weapons is a violation of international law, and declares its firm opposition to it. The declaration, proposed by Great Britain, was passed unanimously. The UN Security Council urges all states that have not yet done so to sign the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, which was signed in 1993 and came into force in 1997. Syria joined the Convention in 2013, Israel has signed it, but is yet to ratify it, whereas North Korea, Egypt and South Sudan are not yet parties to this Convention.




    POPE Pope Francis arrived in Japan on Saturday, on the second leg of his tour of Asia whose main goal is to send a message against nuclear weapons in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the only cities in the world ever hit by atomic bombs, Reuters says. On Sunday in Nagasaki the Pope, a vocal militant against nuclear weapons, will read a message against weapons of mass destruction. He will also meet with survivors of the Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 11, 2011, the most destructive after the one in Chernobyl in 1986. After Thailand, the first stop in his tour, the Pope reached Tokyo, where he will stay for 4 days. This is the first visit by a Sovereign Pontiff to this country in 38 years, and only the second in history. Another goal of his visit is to encourage the Catholic community in Japan, where only 1% of the population are Christians and half of these Catholics. The Pope will perform 2 services, one in Nagasaki and one in Tokyo, and will have meetings with senior Japanese officials and with Emperor Naruhito.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 23, 2019

    November 23, 2019

    ELECTIONS In Romania, the campaign for the second round of the presidential election, due on November 24, has come to a close this morning at 7 am. Competing are the incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, endorsed by the National Liberal Party now in power, and the former Social Democrat PM Viorica Dancilă. The Permanent Election Authority has announced that the Electoral Register has been updated and the total number of voters in the roll is 18,217,411. In the first round, in which 14 candidates took part, Klaus Iohannis got nearly 38% of the votes, and Viorica Dăncilă a little over 22%. The voter turnout was 51.19%. In the Romanian communities abroad, where the vote took place over 3 days, record-high turnout was reported, with over 675,000 people showing up in polling stations. For Sundays runoff as well, the 835 polling stations abroad are open for 3 days, Friday through Sunday, with the possibility for the vote to be extended until midnight on Sunday. The number of Romanians
    having voted abroad in the runoff suggests a higher turnout than in the first round. The vote rate increased in the
    past few hours, after polling stations reopened in all the countries in Europe,
    which host the largest Romanian communities in the world. First ranking are the
    Romanians in Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain and the Republic of Moldova.




    GAUDEAMUS 8,000 book stands have been put up as part of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organised in Bucharest by Radio Romania, in an edition devoted to the 30 years since the anti-communist revolution of 1989. During the 5 days of the Fair, 900 different events are scheduled, including book launches, debates and book signing sessions. Today, on the 4th day of the Fair, Prof. Thierry Wolton takes part in the launch of the second volume of his trilogy “A World History of Communism. In this volume, entitled ‘The Victims’, Thierry Wolton speaks about the tens of millions that suffered imprisonment, deportation, torture and even extermination for their anti-communist beliefs.




    COLECTIV After the Bucharest Court completed its investigations, on Monday the prosecution and the defence will present their closing statements in the case concerning the fire in Colectiv night club in Bucharest 4 years ago, in which 64 people died, one committed suicide further to the trauma and 200 others were injured. The Colectiv trial started in April 2016. After 2 years of deferrals over procedural matters, the judge assigned to the case retired, and during another year the new judge has heard the statements of scores of witnesses and victims.




    DiscoverEU Youth of over 18 years of age may enrol by November 28 in a programme called DiscoverEU, which enables them to travel free of charge in the European Union. Eligible applicants must be citizens of one of the member states and fill in an online form. This is an initiative of the European Parliament, designed to provide young people with new mobility opportunities. The selected candidates will be able to travel, especially by train, for max. 30 days between April 1 and October 31, 2020. Since the programme was launched in 2018, Romania offered nearly 2,000 such permits, out of a total of 50,000 issued in the EU.




    UN The 15 members of the UN Security Council endorsed a declaration reaffirming the ban on chemical weapons. The Council has reached a consensus long undermined by the war in Syria, and the Skripal affair in the UK or Kim Jong-nam case in Malaysia, AFP reports. The Council reaffirms that the use of chemical weapons is a violation of international law, and declares its firm opposition to it. The declaration, proposed by Great Britain, was passed unanimously. The UN Security Council urges all states that have not yet done so to sign the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, which was signed in 1993 and came into force in 1997. Syria joined the Convention in 2013, Israel has signed it, but is yet to ratify it, whereas North Korea, Egypt and South Sudan are not yet parties to this Convention.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • The week in review, 27 October – 2 November 2019

    The week in review, 27 October – 2 November 2019

    Romanias nominee for EU commissioner, still uncertain


    There are “serious doubts that Romanias new nomination for European Commissioner has been made by Bucharest “in a legitimate manner, given that the Government failed to coordinate with President Klaus Iohannis, the European Commission spokesperson Mina Andreeva said. She added that this does not mean a rejection from the Commission, but that the issue must be clarified in Romania. Given the forthcoming challenges and opportunities, it is to everybodys best interest for Europe to move on without delay and, whoever the Romanian candidate may be, they must be acceptable for the President-elect of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and get the required support in the European Parliament, Mrs. Andreeva emphasized. The outgoing PM Viorica Dancila had nominated the former minister delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu for the post, but President Iohannis said that after being dismissed on October 10 in a no-confidence vote in Parliament, Dancila no longer has the legitimacy to nominate a new candidate. Previously, 2 other nominations made by the Social Democratic Party had fallen through: the former minister Rovana Plumb, rejected by the European Parliaments committee on legal affairs over integrity questions, and Dan Nica, for whom official procedures did not even get to start.



    Orban cabinet seeks Parliaments approval


    Thirteen of the 16 candidates for minister seats in PM designate Ludovic Orbans new Liberal government were green-lighted in the hearings held by the relevant parliamentary committees. The exceptions were Ion Stefan, the candidate for the Ministry for Public Works, Development and Administration, Violeta Alexandru, for the Labour Ministry, and Florin Citu, for the Public Finances Ministry. At the end of the interviews, the PM designate said the negative opinions had been political in nature, and appreciated the performance of all candidates. He added he would keep the same candidates for Mondays vote in Parliament. The specialized committees only have consultative power on the matter. In response, the Chamber of Deputies Speaker, Marcel Ciolacu (Social Democrat) said the practice so far has been for the candidates rejected by the committees to be replaced by the PM designate. Orban needs 233 votes to become PM, and to this end he has signed political agreements with Save Romania Union, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, the Peoples Movement Party, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and MPs representing ethnic minorities.



    14 presidential candidates


    By no means spirited or in any way exciting, the campaign for the presidential election continues, with 14 candidates in the race. All parliamentary parties have representatives in the campaign: the incumbent President Klaus Iohannis backed by the National Liberal Party, the incumbent PM Viorica Dancila backed by the Social Democrats, Dan Barna (USR-PLUS), Theodor Paleologu (Peoples Movement Party), Mircea Diaconu backed by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and by Pro Romania, and Kelemen Hunor (Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians). The candidates Catalin Ivan, Ninel Peia, Sebastian-Constantin Popescu, John-Ion Banu, Ramona-Ioana Bruynseels and Viorel Catarama are supported by parties from outside Parliament. Bogdan Stanoevici and Alexandru Cumpanasu are independent candidates. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for November 10, and the second for November 24. Under a Government resolution, the Romanians living abroad will be able to vote between November 8 and 10 for the first round of the election, and between November 22 and 24 for the second. The countries hosting the largest numbers of polling stations will be Spain (148), Italy (142), Germany (84), Britain (73), France (48), the USA (38) and the Republic of Moldova (36). The voters registered on a dedicated online platform may already vote by mail.




    Colectiv fire, commemorated


    On Wednesday in Bucharest religious ceremonies and a protest rally marked 4 years since Romanias largest civilian disaster since the fall of communism. On October 30, 2015, during a concert held in the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, fireworks candles ignited the insulating material covering the walls of the overcrowded hall. Sixty-four people died on the spot because of the smoke or burns, and around 200 others were injured. Two years after the fire, a survivor committed suicide, bringing the toll to 65. The trial against the nightclub owners is still lingering. The then Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu has failed to appear before the prosecutors, who had subpoenaed him as a witness in a criminal investigation into the response of the authorities after the fire. Meanwhile, a civic group based in Iasi (north-east) filed a criminal complaint against the chiefs of the Department for Emergency Response, headed by state secretary Raed Arafat. They are accused of having concealed evidence, more specifically video recordings, after the media released previously unseen footage of the emergency unit intervention the night of the tragedy. “Now we know how chaotically they acted. We had always suspected the ‘rescuers of unprofessionalism and lack of empathy, but the footage confirms our suspicions, the militants said. In turn, Arafat says he has known nothing about the recording and that he will not resign, but will leave if asked by the Prime Minister.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • April 16, 2019

    April 16, 2019

    NOTRE DAME The danger of the Notre Dame fire in Paris has been contained, but the French authorities say that whether or not the structure of the building has resisted the fire is yet to be established. The spire of the famous Paris masterpiece has collapsed. The cause of the disaster is yet unknown, and investigations carry on. The flames affected the cathedral, destroyed the roof and the spire, but the outer walls and the 2 belfries are still standing. The 12th-century UNESCO world heritage site attracted millions of tourists every year. The billionaire families Arnault and Pinault have donated 300 million euros for the rebuilding works. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and PM Viorica Dancila have sent solidarity messages.




    CULTURE The European ministers of culture convene in Bucharest today, under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Attending the event is also the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics. Also taking part in the meeting chaired by the Romanian Culture Minister, Valer Daniel Breaz, are officials from the Council of the European Unions secretariat general and from the Government of Romania. The 2 sessions will be devoted to funding and innovation for the cultural and creative industries, and to the European cultural heritage. The participants will also present the conclusions of a conference on heritage held in Sighisoara, central Romania, last week.





    ENERGY A simple motion on the topic of energy is subject to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies today. The National Liberal Party in opposition, which initiated the motion, voices concern with the large number of procedures that come against the EU legislation, with the delays in the endorsement of a national strategy for the energy sector and with the rising prices of electricity and natural gas. Other members of the Opposition, including Save Romania Union and the Peoples Movement Party, also support the motion, adding that the current Power has brought the energy sector under political control and that all measures are against free market principles. On the other side, the line minister, Anton Anton, says progress has been made in drafting the energy strategy, and that Government Emergency Order no. 114 introduces a 3-year cap on energy prices. The Energy Minister also denied the Liberals claims that 15,000 miners will be made redundant.





    CORRUPTION The High Court of Cassation and Justice has today postponed to June 11 the appeal in a case involving the prime ministers adviser Darius Vâlcov, a former mayor of the town of Slatina in the south and former minister for finances. Valcov was sentenced to 8 years in prison by a court of first instance, for money laundering and influence peddling. The sentence was passed in February 2018, but the 3 judges were one year late in making public the reasoning for the ruling. In the same case, another former mayor of Slatina, Minel Prina, received a 4-and-a-half-year prison sentence, while Darius Valcovs former driver, Lucian Petruţ Şuşală, was given a 2-year suspended sentence.




    JUDICIARY Romania must immediately return to the path of reform and carry on the fight against corruption, the European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová said at a debate in the European Parliament regarding the rule of law. According to the European official, the current situation in Romania poses serious risks of regress in terms of the rule of law, particularly with respect to the independence of courts and the fight against corruption. The Commission will resort to all means available to it, should the situation fail to improve, the EU official added. Last November, the European Parliament voiced concern with the changes in the Romanian judicial sector, and warned that they may jeopardise the separation of powers and the fight against corruption.





    DEVELOPMENT The European Union has always been at the forefront of global sustainability, and sustainable development weighs significantly in all EU treaties, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu said in Bucharest today. Speaking at an international conference on “The 2030 Agenda: Partnerships for Sustainable Development, he also said that the EU has played a key role in defining the UN global targets for the year 2030 in this respect. Taking part in the conference were government officials in charge of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda from EU member countries, the Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans, Central Asia, alongside civil society representatives.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Homage paid to the victims of the Colectiv fire

    Homage paid to the victims of the Colectiv fire

    A subway breaks down in-between stops on the morning after the fire at the Bucharest-based nightclub Colectiv. The passengers start to interact. In brief, this is the plot of the independent production “We Get Off at the First Stop, directed by Tedy Necula and premiered on Tuesday evening in Bucharest, to mark three years since the tragedy that left a whole country horror-struck.



    On October 30, 2015, during a concert of the rock band Goodbye to Gravity at Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, a fire broke out after a spark from the bands pyrotechnics ignited the clubs acoustic foam, making the fire spread rapidly. Hundreds of people found themselves trapped inside, with only one exit. The victims died either to burns or after inhaling a deadly mix of toxic discharges. A total of 64 people died and 200 others were injured. Nearly two years after the tragedy, a young man who had survived the fire committed suicide, suffering from severe psychological trauma.



    The capital city Bucharest and other cities across Romania on Tuesday hosted commemorative events devoted to the Colectiv victims. In Bucharest, special religious services were held and a commemorative march titled “The March of the Guitars. Hundreds of people gathered in Union Square in downtown Bucharest and marched to the place of the tragedy. Many others joined and once they reached the club, they observed a moment of silence at 10:30 PM, the exact time the fire broke out. Relatives, friends and colleagues of the victims and passers-by laid wreaths and lit candles in memory of the victims, heart-broken and helpless to bring about any change in politics, healthcare or society as a whole.



    Speaker: “Theres much to learn here and we ought to always remember theres something that needs changing in our country, and we should do something about it.



    Speaker: “This will only take five minutes, you know how people make a fuss about things but then they let it all settle and everyone goes about his business.



    Three years on, Health Minister Sorina Pintea admitted that Romania is incapable of dealing with a fire of such magnitude. Hospitals all over the country can accommodate only 11 patients suffering from severe burns and authorities would have to call on outside help should a similar tragedy occur. Moreover, to this day Romania still has scores of bars, nightclubs, guesthouses and shopping malls running without a permit from the fire department. As regards the criminal case regarding the Colectiv fire, it is still ongoing in the court of first instance, with the victims families still waiting for justice to be served.


    (translated by: Vlad Palcu)

  • Colectiv, three years on

    Colectiv, three years on

    On October 30th, Bucharesters commemorate three years since the devastating blaze that destroyed the Colectiv night club in Bucharest killing 64 and wounding over 100. A young man wounded in the blaze killed himself two years after the tragedy. Eugen Iancu, president of the Colectiv GTG 3010 Association and father of a young man who lost his life in the blaze told the journalists, quote: “Three years have passed since the blaze, and this entire time people who suffered injuries have been desperately trying to recover as much as possible, for they will never recover 100%. They are tired of surgeries, anesthetics, doctor appointments and pain.”



    After the tragedy, Romania’s healthcare system hasn’t changed very much, being still plagued by the shortage of personnel and lack of proper equipment. Adina Apostol, one of the survivors, said that most of those who survived the tragedy and hospital infections are now running the gauntlet of the recovery procedures. Rescue teams may be quick to respond in such cases but the shortage of hospital beds and the proper equipment is taking its toll on the survivors.



    According to health minister Sorina Pintea, Romania can offer proper treatment for only 11 severely burnt patients and is likely to resort to foreign support in case of a similar tragedy. In fact, no country in Europe can offer proper treatment to such a large number of victims as in the Colectiv case, Pintea went on to say. Three years on from the Colectiv tragedy, parents and survivors alike are still angry with the Romanian justice, which has failed to find and punish the culprits. Legal procedures in the Colectiv file have resumed this month, after the magistrate in charge of the casehas retired. November 9th was set as the date for submitting the evidence and for starting the hearing of the witnesses.



    The situation hasn’t improved in terms of safety measures either. The latest data released by the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations show that there are still problems when it comes to granting fire safety certificates to certain night clubs, bars and restaurants. Three years since the tragedy, 6% of the pubs are still functioning without such a certificate.



    A show inspired by the Colectiv tragedy was mounted on the stage of the National Dance Center in Bucharest under the title ‘153 seconds’ with a screenplay based on a survivor’s story. The project has been coordinated by director Ioana Paun who talked to survivors, sociologists and psychologists and staged a show on accepting one’s destiny. The title, ‘153 seconds’ has been inspired by the duration of the fire that ripped through the building.


  • July 27, 2018 UPDATE

    July 27, 2018 UPDATE

    VISIT — Romanian PM Viorica Dancila who is on an official tour of the West Balkans, visited Skopje on Friday, where she met with her Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev. Dancila reconfirmed Bucharest’s strong commitment to supporting Macedonia in its bid to join the EU and NATO. Dancila also discussed with Zoran Zaev about the Macedonian citizens in Romania and about the Aromanians in Macedonia. She also said she was confident that there are excellent opportunities for cooperation in the field of agriculture.




    JUSTICE – The Justice Ministry in Bucharest announced on Friday that it would resume the procedure for proposing a candidate for head prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA). The selection of candidates will start on August 6th and it will last one month, with the interviews to be held at the beginning of September. A conclusion will be presented on September 6, the Justice Ministry announced. The Ministry announced that all four candidacies submitted for the position of chief prosecutor of the Anti Corruption Directorate were rejected and that the procedure would be resumed. The four candidates were interviewed on Thursday by line minister Tudorel Toader. The four are Florentina Mirică, head prosecutor for the anti-corruption service of the DNA, Cristian Lazăr — head prosecutor with the criminal investigation section, Marius Iacob, deputy head prosecutor, and Elena Grecu, head prosecutor with the central section of the DNA. The position became vacant when former chief prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kovesi was dismissed by presidential decree on 9 July, compelled by a Constitutional Court ruling.




    BUDGET – The general consolidated budget deficit in Romania in the first semester of this year reached 3.2 billion Euro, 1.61% of the GDP, according to the Finance Ministry. In the first half of the year, revenues were almost 13% higher, but expenditure rose more sharply, by almost 19% more than the same period of 2017.




    BIAS — Baneasa Airport in Bucharest is hosting on Saturday the Bucharest International Air Show & General Aviation Exhibition, the biggest air show in Romania. Over one hundred pilots and parachutists from 13 countries will attend, with 150 civil and military aircraft. Poland will be attending for the first time, alongside pilots from Greece, Hungary, the US, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Germany.




    ELECTION — The Chisinau Parliament decided on Friday that the next parliamentary elections in Moldova to be held on February 24th, 2019. The mandate of the current Parliament expires on November 30, and elections must be held three months after this date at the latest, that is end-February 2019, in keeping with the Moldovan law. Experts say the next election will be based on the mixed election system passed in 2017 against the Venice Commission’s recommendations.




    EXTRADITION – Serbia rejected the Romanian Justice Ministry’s request for the extradition of former Romanian MP Sebastian Ghita. The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Belgrade has decided that Ghita is eligible for being granted asylum in Serbia. Being investigated in a number of criminal cases, Sebastian Ghita fled Romania in December 2016. After an international arrest warrant was issued, Ghita was detained, in April 2017, in Belgrade, after presenting a fake passport. In May, Serbia’s Supreme Court approved his release on bail.




    REPATRIATION — The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced it finalized the procedure to repatriate from Syria, via Turkey, a group of seven people, six Romanian citizens, five of them minors, and a Syrian citizen, a member of the same family. The Ministry reiterates its firm calls on Romanian citizens to leave Syria. Since the beginning of evacuations from Syria, in 2011, over 750 Romanian citizens and their families were brought back to the country.




    FIRE — In Greece, the number of victims of the fires close to Athens has reached 87, but the toll could be higher, since a number of people are still reported missing. The authorities, accused of having intervened too slowly, said that there are strong indications that the fires may be the result of criminal acts. In Bucharest, the Foreign Ministry announced that there is no information regarding Romanian citizens being among the victims. We recall that Romania sent two airplanes in support of the authorities in Greece: one fire fighting aircraft, and a C-130 Hercules for logistical support.

  • March 26, 2018 UPDATE

    March 26, 2018 UPDATE

    EXPULSION – The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest announced on Monday that Romania would expel a Russian diplomat, as part of a European coordinated response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK. This is believed to be the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history. Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has said a sign of solidarity with the UK was needed, especially in the context of Brexit, to prove that the EU further wants a strong relationship with London in the field of security and defense, even after the country leaves the community bloc. President of the European Council Donald Tusk said 14 EU states had decided to expel Russian diplomats as a direct result of a meeting, held last week, about the Salisbury poisoning. Also, the US is expelling 48 envoys at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 more at the UN in New York. British PM Theresa May has hailed these decisions saying they send Moscow a clear signal that it cannot defy international law. Russia has vowed to respond with expulsions of its own, saying its response will be symmetrical. Moscow has previously denied any involvement in the poisoning of the Russian spy.




    CENTENNIAL – On Tuesday, the Parliament in Bucharest will convene in a solemn plenary session, to debate and adopt a solemn declaration to celebrate the Union of Bessarabia with Romania. Attending will be President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, as well as a delegation of the Moldovan Parliament headed by its Speaker Adrian Candu, and a delegation of the pro-Western Government in Chisinau. The Romanian Academy on Monday hosted an event devoted to the celebration of 100 years since the Union of Bessarabia and Romania.



    JUSTICE — On Monday evening the Romanian Senate adopted the controversial changes to the justice laws after earlier on Monday Parliament’s special committee for the justice laws issued a favourable opinion on the modifications brought to the laws on judicial organization, the status of magistrates and the functioning and structure of the Superior Council of Magistracy. The documents were re-drafted as per the rulings of the Constitutional Court. The Chamber of Deputies last week passed the three modified versions of the laws. Representatives of the opposition have criticized the modifications endorsed by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, supported by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, saying there are reasons to notify the Constitutional Court again. Some of the points in the new laws have prompted massive street protests and triggered the magistrates’ vehement disapproval.




    TALKS — Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader on Monday met with his Serbian counterpart Nela Kuburovic in Belgrade. Among other things, talks focused on the status of former Romanian MP Sebastian Ghita, who is wanted in several criminal investigations and fled to Serbia, a non-EU state. Minister Toader said Romania fulfilled its obligations and sent Belgrade authorities all the information needed for its extradition. We recall Sebastian Ghita fled the country in December 2016 and was caught in Serbia in April 2017.




    ECONOMY — Germany was Romania’s top trade partner in 2017, accounting for 20% of Romania’s exports and imports, reads a recent Eurostat report. Italy, France and Hungary are next on the list of Romania’s top trade partners. At EU level, the United States and China together accounted for a third of EU trade in 2017. The value of two-way trade between the EU and the US stood at €631 billion, while two-way trade between the EU and China stood at €573 billion.




    FIRE — At least 64 people were killed in a fire that engulfed a shopping center in Kemerovo, southwestern Siberia, the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations reports. The fire broke out on the third-floor, close to the cinema and a play area. Dozens of people are still missing. Eye-witness reports say no one was there to order an evacuation, hence some people tried to save themselves by jumping off the windows, many of whom are now being hospitalized and treated for serious trauma. The work of rescue teams is extremely challenging, as there is a risk for the whole building to collapse. Authorities have launched an investigation.




    FOOTBALL – On Tuesday in Craiova, southern Romania, the national football side will be up against Sweden in a friendly match. On Saturday, also in a friendly, the Romanians secured a two-one win against Israel in Netanya. (Translated by Elena Enache)