Radio România Internațional

Tag: flag day

  • June 26, 2024

    June 26, 2024

    NATO – The 32 NATO member states have today confirmed the nomination of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as Secretary General of the Alliance. France Presse wrote that the withdrawal of the Romanian president’s candidacy and the objections of Hungary and Slovakia, secured Rutte a free path to obtaining the position of NATO Secretary General. He will take over his duties on October 1st, when the last extension of the mandate of the incumbent Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, appointed in 2014, expires. Stoltenberg’s mandate was extended four times, in the context of the war in Ukraine.

     

    SUMMIT – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. Support for the neighbouring Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the new structure of the European Parliament, are on the meeting’s agenda, according to a press release from the Presidential Administration in Bucharest. Also, the leaders of the European Union will continue discussions on the appointments at the top of the EU institutions, following the recent European elections.

     

    FOOTBALL – The Romanian national football side today play against Slovakia in Frankfurt at 7 pm, Bucharest time, their last match in Group E of the European Championship in Germany. The Belgium-Ukraine match is also played in the same group. In the first two matches, the Romanians beat Ukraine 3-0 and lost, 0-2, to Belgium. All four teams in the group have accumulated three points each, and Romania remains the leader due to the goal difference. An equal result would be enough for both Romania and Slovakia to qualify for the round of 16, which fuels media speculation about a fixed match. The coaches and players of the two teams categorically rejected such a hypothesis.

     

    ELECTION – The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) in Romania cancelled the elections for the position of mayor in the Black Sea resort of Costineşti, Constanța county, and ordered that the poll should be held again on July 7th. BEC approved the request to cancel the elections, made by the Constanta branch of the Social Democratic Party. In Costineşti, the Romanian press writes, the counting of the votes cast in the local elections on June 9 was repeated six times. In the end, the Liberal candidate was named the winner for the position of mayor, with a difference of one vote from the Social Democratic candidate. A number of irregularities were mentioned, based on supporting documents, including the fact that two people, including a Ukrainian citizen, voted without having this right.

     

    FLAG DAY- President Klaus Iohannis delivered, on Wednesday, a message on National Flag Day, in which context he emphasized Romania’s NATO, EU and UN membership and evoked the need for unity. The head of state said that the National Flag “represents a unifying element for Romanians, wherever they are. “It is present in moments of hardship or joy, at national and international events, in institutions, at parades or on the occasion of sports competitions”, the president pointed out. Klaus Iohannis recalled the history of this holiday and paid tribute to the Romanian soldiers who died in the theatres of operations. On his part, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu recalled that “under the colors of the National Flag, generations of Romanians fought for independence, sovereignty, unity and democracy, values ​​in which we strongly believe.”

     

    ACCESSION – The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have officially started EU accession negotiations, two years after they received the candidate status. The first talks took place in Luxembourg, were of technical nature and concerned the structure and timing of the negotiations. The two countries will negotiate and be evaluated separately, and the duration of the negotiation process depends on their ability to adopt the necessary reforms to meet the accession criteria. Throughout the entire process, Chisinau and Kyiv must align their national legislation with the EU provisions. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Brussels, since obtaining the candidate status until now, the two states have made general adjustments in key areas, through which they have demonstrated their will to get closer to the EU legislation.

     

    BUCHAREST – The leaders of the ruling PSD-PNL coalition in Romania did not manage to reach an agreement, on Tuesday evening either, on the date of the presidential elections, as each of the two parties insists on a different calendar. The Social Democrats want the election to take place in September, while the Liberals want presidential elections in November. Discussions within the coalition on this subject will resume on Friday. (EE)

  • June 26, 2020 UPDATE

    June 26, 2020 UPDATE

    Coronavirus RO — Latest figures published by the Strategic Communication Group show more than 25,600 cases of coronavirus infection. More than 400 cases have been reported over the past 24 hours, for the 2nd consecutive day. Most of the cases were reported in Bucharest and the Suceva county, in the north east. Almost 18,200 contaminated people have recovered. In this context, the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban has asked the authorities to mobilize and undertake more checks. He has pointed out that in the context of the danger posed by the coronavirus being questioned by some politicians, the current public information campaign must convince citizens to observe protection rules.



    Floods — Hundreds of people have been evacuated and hundred of households, plots of land and roads in the southwest of Romania have been flooded by Jiu River which outburst its banks. A flooding alert is also in place for Prut River, in the north east, but the authorities say the high flood is not a danger for the population.



    National Flag Day – Romanians celebrated the National Flag Day on Friday. Military and religious ceremonies as well as cultural events were held on this occasion. According to the Romanian Constitution, the flag of Romania has three colors, blue, yellow and red, arranged vertically from the flagpole. On June 26, 1848, the revolutionary government in Bucharest established, through its first decree, the Romanian flag.



    Coronavirus world — The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 491 thousand people globally since its emergence in December in China, according to worldometers.com. The total number of coronavirus infections at global level exceeded 9.7 million, with at least 5.2 million people having recovered. The US and Brazil are the countries reporting the highest virus spread rate. In the US the number of infections stands at 2.5 million while over 126 thousand people have died. The number of infections has also increased in Europe. Italy has reported two new hotbeds in the centre and south of the country. New cases have also been reported in Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova.



    Repatriations — The Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that 187 Romanian citizens and 4 British citizens were repatriated from the UK on Thursday. The move is part of the Romanian authorities’ efforts to facilitate the return of its citizens from abroad, who could not return home earlier because of the restrictions imposed on air transport. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, among the citizens repatriated are people who could not extend their stay abroad. The repatriation was made with an aircraft owned by a private company.



    Drugs — The head of the Bulgarian department for combating drug trafficking within the institution fighting organized crime Ţvetan Pankov has been arrested on suspicion of bribe taking and collaboration with the traffickers, news agencies report. Another two employees of the same department have been equally arrested, on suspicion of protecting several drug trafficking groups that were operating both on the Bulgarian territory and abroad. Bulgaria is a key country on the east European route of drug traffickers linking Turkey to Western Europe, and in the past years it has become a transit country for the transportation of cocaine. (translation and update by L. Simion)







  • June 26, 2017 UPDATE

    June 26, 2017 UPDATE

    PRIME MINISTER – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, Monday night designated the interim Economy Minister Mihai Tudose, 50, as the new Prime Minister. Further to consultations held throughout the day with the leaders of parliamentary parties, the head of state accepted the proposal made by the ruling coalition, formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The coalition feels entitled to make the nomination, after last week they voted to dismiss their own government, headed by Sorin Grindeanu. According to President Iohannis, the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats say they have a majority in Parliament, and the opposition parties did not come up with any proposals, nor did they hint that they have a political agreement on the topic. On the other hand, the President added, the current crisis severely damages Romania and it must end as soon as possible. This is why the President called on all parliamentary parties to put together an agenda enabling them to complete the parliamentary procedures this week, so that Romania may have a new Government.




    BACCALAUREATE – 135,000 high school graduates in Romania Monday took the Romanian language and literature test, the first test in the Baccalaureate exam. On Tuesday the students with native languages other than Romanian will be tested in their native language and literature, and on Wednesday the compulsory test corresponding to the chosen profile is scheduled, with the last written test of the current session scheduled on Friday. Statistics show that in the academic year that has just ended, the total number of students in the Romanian education system was nearly 3.6 million, down 45,000 since the previous year.




    FLAG DAY – On Monday, Romania celebrated the National Flag Day. On this occasion, the Foreign Ministry pointed out in a news release that the national flag was the ultimate symbol of Romanian identity and unity. Flown at all the events organised by the Romanian diplomatic missions, consular offices and cultural institutes, the national flag is also a symbol of cultural and spiritual identity for the Romanians living abroad. June 26 was declared the National Flag Day in 1998, to mark the day in 1848 when the three-colour flag was first adopted as a national symbol.




    TENNIS – The Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea (62 WTA) Monday qualified into the second round of the Eastbourne tournament in the UK, with USD 750,000 in total prize money. She defeated the Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 6-2, and is to play next against Britains Johanna Konta. Two other Romanians, Simona Halep, number 2 in the world and Monica Niculescu (51 WTA) will also play in the second round. Halep will take on the Chinese Ying-Ying Duan, while Niculescu is up against the Bulgarian Tvetana Pironkova, after Petra Kvitova (the Czech Republic) withdrew from the competition. Eastbourne is the last test before the third Grand Slam of the year, Wimbledon.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 26, 2017

    June 26, 2017

    CONSULTATIONS — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis holds consultations today with parliamentary party leaders to designate a new PM. The coalition in power, the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, believes it is entitled to nominate the premier, even though last week they removed their previous government, headed by Sorin Grindeanu. The Social Democrats will designate their proposal for the position within their executive committee. The center-right opposition ruled out any collaboration with the Social Democrats. At the same time, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania has a protocol for parliamentary collaboration with the Social Democrats, and signaled they would vote in favor of a government proposed by the ruling coalition.



    BACCALAUREATE — 135,000 high school graduates in Romania have their first baccalaureate test today, the Romanian language and literature test. On Tuesday, students with alternate native languages will have their own test in language and literature. Wednesday, all students take the test that is compulsory as part of their chosen profile. The last test, the optional, is scheduled for Friday. Statistics show that almost 3.6 million students registered for all levels of study in the school year ending, almost 45,000 less than last year.



    LONDON — Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea, 62nd seeded, plays today against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, 39th seeded, in the first round of the tournament in Eastbourne, in the UK, with 750,000 US dollars in prize money. Two more Romanians, Simona Halep, second in the world, and Monica Niculescu, 51st, are scheduled to play in second round. Halep has already qualified, while Niculescu will play against Petra Kvitova, also of the Czech Republic, 12th seeded. In the first round, Niculescu defeated Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, 27th seeded, 2-1. The Eastbourne tournament is the last preliminary for the tournament in Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam of the year.



    FLAG — Today Romania celebrates National Flag Day, celebrated by all public authorities and state institutions. It is also celebrated by the military with ceremonies, held alongside those held by the Interior Ministry. National Flag Day, June 26, was instituted in 1998, celebrating the date in 1848, during the revolution, when the tricolor flag was adopted as national symbol.



    STRASBOURG — Fighting government corruption and migration are two of the topics on the agenda of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, which starts today its summer session. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Strasbourg, the members of parliament are discussing four reports on migration. The documents include human rights implications of the European reaction to transition migration in the Mediterranean area. The Council of Europe has 47 members, including all EU members.



    FILM — The Romanian film Short Circuit, by Catalin Saizescu, won the award for remarkable artistic achievement at the Shanghai International Film Festival, now in its 20th edition. Organizers said the award was given for the courage to touch on sensitive contemporary dramas, and the ability to blend a variety of perspectives on the same truth. This is the first Romanian film selected for the official competition of the festival. The movie was inspired by the tragic event of August 2010, when several babies born prematurely died in a Bucharest maternity. It is the love story of two teenagers caught in the tragedy.