Radio România Internațional

Tag: gold

Athlete of the week

The European Juniors’ swimming Championships, held in
Otopeni, nearby Bucharest, have drawn to close this past Sunday. Staged as an
absolute first in Romania, the competition brought 494 swimmers from 42
countries to the start line, The 26-strong Romanian delegation, made of 14 men
and 12 women, came in 3rd in the overall national competition
rankings, The Romanians walked away with 9 medals, 5 of which were gold and 4
silver. The delegations of Hungary and
Poland were the only ones that outclassed Romania. The most substantial contribution
to Romania’s medal tally was provided by swimmer David Popovici. David was a member
of Romania’s gold-winning freestyle relay team and of Romania’s mixed relay
team, which also scooped gold in the 4X100m freestyle event. Reason enough for radio
Romania International to designate David the Athlete of the week.

As a result of their scintillating run in Otopeni, David
Popovici and the French Mary-Ambre Moluh were designated the championships’
best swimmers, according to the number of points reflecting their results in
the competition. Top of the table with 951 points was Popovici. Following in
descending order were Ksawery Masiuk of Poland, with 941, and the Italian Lorenzo
Galossi, with 897. In the women’s version of the championships, Moluh had 920 points.

David Popovici was born in Bucharest on September 15,
2004. He distinguished himself at the juniors’ competition in 2021, when at the
European championships in Rome, David stepped onto the first step of the podium
at the European Championships in Rome, in the 200, 100 and 50m freestyle event.
David set a new world juniors’ record in the 50m event. Later, David broke the
world records in the 100 and 200m freestyle events. David also succeeded to
qualify for the Tokyo Olympics’, where he came in 4th in the 200m
freestyle event. Back then David Popovici was two hundredths of a second away
from stepping onto a step of the podium. In seniors’ competitions, David’s
major feat occurred in November 2021. We recall that in Kazan, Russia, he
became a European champion in the 200m freestyle event. At the world seniors’ championships
held in Budapest in June this year, David was at the top of the table in the
100 and 200m freestyle events. David’s next scheduled competition is the European
Seniors’ Championship, held in Rome, between August 11 and 17. Then in early
September David will be participating in the World Juniors’ Championships, held
in Lima, Peru.

(EN)

12 July 2022
Athlete of the week

The European Juniors’ swimming Championships, held in
Otopeni, nearby Bucharest, have drawn to close this past Sunday. Staged as an
absolute first in Romania, the competition brought 494 swimmers from 42
countries to the start line, The 26-strong Romanian delegation, made of 14 men
and 12 women, came in 3rd in the overall national competition
rankings, The Romanians walked away with 9 medals, 5 of which were gold and 4
silver. The delegations of Hungary and
Poland were the only ones that outclassed Romania. The most substantial contribution
to Romania’s medal tally was provided by swimmer David Popovici. David was a member
of Romania’s gold-winning freestyle relay team and of Romania’s mixed relay
team, which also scooped gold in the 4X100m freestyle event. Reason enough for radio
Romania International to designate David the Athlete of the week.

As a result of their scintillating run in Otopeni, David
Popovici and the French Mary-Ambre Moluh were designated the championships’
best swimmers, according to the number of points reflecting their results in
the competition. Top of the table with 951 points was Popovici. Following in
descending order were Ksawery Masiuk of Poland, with 941, and the Italian Lorenzo
Galossi, with 897. In the women’s version of the championships, Moluh had 920 points.

David Popovici was born in Bucharest on September 15,
2004. He distinguished himself at the juniors’ competition in 2021, when at the
European championships in Rome, David stepped onto the first step of the podium
at the European Championships in Rome, in the 200, 100 and 50m freestyle event.
David set a new world juniors’ record in the 50m event. Later, David broke the
world records in the 100 and 200m freestyle events. David also succeeded to
qualify for the Tokyo Olympics’, where he came in 4th in the 200m
freestyle event. Back then David Popovici was two hundredths of a second away
from stepping onto a step of the podium. In seniors’ competitions, David’s
major feat occurred in November 2021. We recall that in Kazan, Russia, he
became a European champion in the 200m freestyle event. At the world seniors’ championships
held in Budapest in June this year, David was at the top of the table in the
100 and 200m freestyle events. David’s next scheduled competition is the European
Seniors’ Championship, held in Rome, between August 11 and 17. Then in early
September David will be participating in the World Juniors’ Championships, held
in Lima, Peru.

(EN)

12 July 2022
June 26, 2022 UPDATE

FLAG DAY Events were organised in county capitals and in Romanian
localities hosting military units, to celebrate National Flag Day on the 26th
June. The National Flag Day was introduced to mark the day in 1848 when the
revolutionary government proclaimed the red, yellow and blue flag as the
national colours of all Romanians. The National Flag Day was introduced under a
1998 law.

MOLDOVA Russia’s ex-president and PM Dmitri Medvedev threatens that
the Republic of Moldova will see its natural gas supplies cut and exports of
agri-food products to the Russian market banned, if Chişinău joins the West’s
economic sanctions against Moscow. Medvedev, currently the vice-president of
the Security Council, posted on his Telegram channel an extensive article on
the Republic of Moldova, which Thursday was recognised as an EU candidate country.
According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Moscow, Medvedev says the
accession process may take decades, which makes Moldova’s annexation by Romania
an easier option. And, Medvedev argues, both Bucharest and Chişinău are making
efforts in this respect. The Romanian foreign ministry says Dmitri Medvedev’s
statements are part of Kremlin’s already known false rhetoric, disseminated in
the Republic of Moldova both before, and after the illegal, unjustified and
unprovoked aggression of Russia against Ukraine.

FESTIVAL The Sibiu International Theatre Festival continues in central
Romania until the 3rd July. This year’s motto is Beauty. This 29th
edition of the festival brings together artists from around the world in
theatre, dance, cinema, musical, opera and circus performances. Concerts, book
shows and exhibitions are also organized as part of the festival. Some of the
performances taking place in cultural or unconventional venues can be watched
on the Festival’s official website, digital streaming platform www.scena-digitala.ro,
and on the event’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel.

INCOMES The average monthly income per household in Romania was
nearly EUR 1,100 in 2021, up 8.9% since the previous year, according to the
National Statistics Institute. The total incomes were 3.6 times higher in
households whose members are higher-education graduates. Also, families in the
35-49 year bracket earned the most, while in terms of geographic regions the
highest incomes were reported in Bucharest-Ilfov (south), and the lowest in the
north-east of the country.

G7 The group of 7 rich democracies announced a ban on Russian gold
imports, during a summit held on Sunday, in the context of the war in Ukraine
and its impact on the energy and grains markets. According to Reuters, this
adds to sanctions already introduced against Moscow after Russia invaded
Ukraine at the end of February. The new measures will directly affect Russian
oligarchs and strike at the heart of Putin’s war machine, the
British PM Boris Johnson said. We need to starve the Putin regime of its
funding. The UK and our allies are doing just that, Mr. Johnson added.

TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep, no 19 WTA and former
world leader, will take on the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova (82 WTA), in
the first round of the Wimbledon tournament. Halep, winner of the Wimbledon trophy
in 2019, is seed no. 16 this year in the competition. Another Romanian player,
Sorana Cîrstea, 32 WTA and seed no. 21, plays against Aleksandra Krunic of
Serbia (53 WTA). Gabriela Ruse (55 WTA) has the most difficult match in the All
England Club first round, against the American Coco Gauff, no. 12 in the world.
Irina Begu (43 WTA) is facing Ekaterine Gorgodze of Georgia (112 WTA), in the
same round, while Ana Bogdan (109 WTA) plays against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska
(74 WTA), and Irina Bara (121 WTA) against Chloe Paquet of France (101 WTA). In
turn, Mihaela Buzărnescu (126 WTA) will play against Natasja Schunk of Germany (156
WTA). This year’s Wimbledon tournament has record-large amounts in prize money
(over GBP 40 million) but the WTA and ATP announced they will not assign any
points, after the British organisers decided to bar Russian and Belarusian
players from taking part, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (AMP)

26 June 2022
Gold for Romanian Swimming

Romanian David Popovici is the new star of the
world swimming after his victory in the 200-meter freestyle race of the World Aquatics
Championships in Budapest on Monday night. The Romanian ended the race in one
minute, 43 seconds and 21 hundredths, setting a new world record for junior
contests.

Popovici, who is only 17, has thus started off
on the right foot in world competitions with a new title won in Olympic-size
swimming pools. We recall that Tamara Costache also reaped gold for Romania in
the 50-meter freestyle race in 1986 while Diana Mocanu became gold medalist in
the 200-meter backstroke race in 2001. Romania now boasts three gold medals in
these competitions, one silver and six bronze.

Popovici, who signed up with Dinamo Bucharest
sports club was followed by Sunwoo Hwang of South Korea and by Tom Dean of
Britain in the race. According to sports papers, Popovici lived up to his
status of odds-on favourite of the competition in Hungary. Popovici’s win is
all the more so impressive as he managed to outperform Tom Dean, Olympic
champion in Tokyo, where the Romanian came only fourth. US publication Swimming
World Magazine wrote quote ‘there was a feeling that here was a talent as rare
and as impactful as Ian Thorpe of Michael Phelps.

According to Romanian TV channel Digi 24,
Popovici shot to fame in July last year in Italy after he had won the European junior
title in the 100-meter freestyle race with such a good time that brought him
plane tickets for Tokyo Olympics. He was also voted the youngest athlete in
Europe in 2021 being awarded the 2021 Piotr Nurowski ‘Best Summer European
Young Athlete Prize during a ceremony held in Samorin, Slovakia at the General
Assembly of the European Olympic Committees.

Gazeta Sporturilor recalls that the time
Popovici ended the race in Budapest is the fourth best in the history of the
200-meter freestyle race. Only world-record holder Paul Biedermann and the
legendary Michael Phelps and Yannick Agnel managed better scores. Popovici’s
win is the best in the past decade. People at home believed in me! The medal
is for them the athlete said shortly after his victory. For David Popovici the
contest in Budapest is only the first major competition this summer as he is to
also attend the European Junior Swimming Championships in Romania next month, the
European Championships in Rome in August and the world Junior Swimming
Championships in Lima in late August and early September.

(bill)

21 June 2022
Athlete of the Week

Romanian gymnast Amalia Lică competed
in the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Tel Aviv, Israel, where
she reaped gold in the clubs event. The Romanian won 30.100 points being
followed by Liliana Lewinska of Poland and Kamila Gafarova of Azerbaijan. In
the ribbon event, Lica came fifth with the same number of points as the athlete
on the fourth position Anna-Maria Shatokin of Germany.

This is a
great performance for the rhythmic gymnastics in Romania, the first gold medal
in the clubs event. I’ve always said that hard work and efforts eventually pay
off and what our girls are doing is extraordinary. This is great joy for
Romania Doina Staiculescu Romania’s only gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics
told news.ro. ln the same competition another athlete from Romania, Cristina
Dragan, came third in the ball section and got the bronze medal with 30.700
points.

In the junior
team contest, with Cristina Dragan and Amalia Lica on the team, Romania became bronze
medalist after the host country, Israel, and silver medalist, Bulgaria. For her
performance, Radio Romania International has designated Amalia Lica, athlete of
the week.

Lică
was born in 2009 and made a good start in competitions this year with a gold
medal in the individual all round event of the international tournament in
Greece entitled ‘Aphrodite Cup’.

(bill)

21 June 2022
Athlete of the Week

Romanian gymnast Amalia Lică competed
in the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Tel Aviv, Israel, where
she reaped gold in the clubs event. The Romanian won 30.100 points being
followed by Liliana Lewinska of Poland and Kamila Gafarova of Azerbaijan. In
the ribbon event, Lica came fifth with the same number of points as the athlete
on the fourth position Anna-Maria Shatokin of Germany.

This is a
great performance for the rhythmic gymnastics in Romania, the first gold medal
in the clubs event. I’ve always said that hard work and efforts eventually pay
off and what our girls are doing is extraordinary. This is great joy for
Romania Doina Staiculescu Romania’s only gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics
told news.ro. ln the same competition another athlete from Romania, Cristina
Dragan, came third in the ball section and got the bronze medal with 30.700
points.

In the junior
team contest, with Cristina Dragan and Amalia Lica on the team, Romania became bronze
medalist after the host country, Israel, and silver medalist, Bulgaria. For her
performance, Radio Romania International has designated Amalia Lica, athlete of
the week.

Lică
was born in 2009 and made a good start in competitions this year with a gold
medal in the individual all round event of the international tournament in
Greece entitled ‘Aphrodite Cup’.

(bill)

21 June 2022
RRI Sports Club

The former double Olympic medalist Maricica Puica has
recently been awarded the Golden Girdle, the highest award given by Romania’s
Olympic and Sports Committee in recognition of a life dedicated to Sports and
Olympic ideals. Besides her career in sports, Maricica Puica has constantly
been involved in the process of supporting children and junior athletes on
their way to performance.

Her contribution along the years included prizes and
equipment for the promising young athletes. In 1997 she was nominated National Ambassador
for Sports, Tolerance and Fair Play with the Council of Europe. In 2000 she was
awarded the National Order of Faithful Service in rank of knight and in 2004
she got the Order of Sports Merit First Class.

Maricica Puică was born in Iasi on June 29th 1950
and trained at the Olympia Sports Club in Bucharest. Experts believe that this
remarkable athlete would have run during training and contests a total over 90
thousand kilometers, which means double the Earth’s circumference. In a sports
career spanning over 20 years she mustered 25 gold medals in top competitions,
21 silver and one bronze.

At the age of 17 she obtained her first notable performance
in Istanbul when she became a Balkan champion in a cross country race. She
became world champion in 1978 with a Romanian team which also included Natalia
Andrei, Georgeta Gazibara, Antoaneta Iacob and Fiţa Lovin.

She managed to win the world title in 1982 and 1984 also as
a cross-country racer. She set 6 world records on various distances, 2 European
and 15 Balkan.

In 1984, after she had become the world’s cross country
champion, she walked away from the Los Angeles Olympics with 2 medals, one gold
in the 3-thousand-meter race and bronze in the 15-hundred-meter dash.

At the Los Angeles Olympics, Puica set two records in the
3-thousand-meter race. Furthermore, she was the only athlete to have obtained a
world and an Olympic title in the same year. Her last big performance was the
gold medal she got at the European Championship in The Hague in 1989 at the age
of 39.

(bill)

28 April 2021
RRI Sports Club

The former double Olympic medalist Maricica Puica has
recently been awarded the Golden Girdle, the highest award given by Romania’s
Olympic and Sports Committee in recognition of a life dedicated to Sports and
Olympic ideals. Besides her career in sports, Maricica Puica has constantly
been involved in the process of supporting children and junior athletes on
their way to performance.

Her contribution along the years included prizes and
equipment for the promising young athletes. In 1997 she was nominated National Ambassador
for Sports, Tolerance and Fair Play with the Council of Europe. In 2000 she was
awarded the National Order of Faithful Service in rank of knight and in 2004
she got the Order of Sports Merit First Class.

Maricica Puică was born in Iasi on June 29th 1950
and trained at the Olympia Sports Club in Bucharest. Experts believe that this
remarkable athlete would have run during training and contests a total over 90
thousand kilometers, which means double the Earth’s circumference. In a sports
career spanning over 20 years she mustered 25 gold medals in top competitions,
21 silver and one bronze.

At the age of 17 she obtained her first notable performance
in Istanbul when she became a Balkan champion in a cross country race. She
became world champion in 1978 with a Romanian team which also included Natalia
Andrei, Georgeta Gazibara, Antoaneta Iacob and Fiţa Lovin.

She managed to win the world title in 1982 and 1984 also as
a cross-country racer. She set 6 world records on various distances, 2 European
and 15 Balkan.

In 1984, after she had become the world’s cross country
champion, she walked away from the Los Angeles Olympics with 2 medals, one gold
in the 3-thousand-meter race and bronze in the 15-hundred-meter dash.

At the Los Angeles Olympics, Puica set two records in the
3-thousand-meter race. Furthermore, she was the only athlete to have obtained a
world and an Olympic title in the same year. Her last big performance was the
gold medal she got at the European Championship in The Hague in 1989 at the age
of 39.

(bill)

28 April 2021
Medals at the European Rowing Championship

46
athletes represented Romania at the European Rowing Championship held in the
Italian city of Varese. The Romanians competed in 13 disciplines and eventually
walked away with six medals, two gold and four silver. The Romanian women’s
pair boat and double scull and the Romanian women’s eight stepped onto the
podium’s first step. The Romanian women’s pair and the light women’s double
scull, the Romanian men’s four and eight became silver medalists.

Romania
has ended the competition on the fourth position in the medal ranking after
Britain, Italy and the Netherlands. The competition in Varese was somehow
atypical as many of the teams attending were in full training campaign for the
upcoming Olympics in Tokyo, so their objective wasn’t actually winning a medal
but obtaining the best contest formula. For other teams, the competition in
Varese was the final rehearsal before the Lucerne regatta in mid-May, which
will decide the last boats qualified for the Olympics. Many Romanian teams are
in this situation, trying to obtain a better ranking in Lucerne. Fans have
pinned their hopes on the Romanian women’s eight, which put up a good show in
Varese and stands good chances in Lucerne as well.

We’ll
wait and see which are the new changes operated by the Romanians’ opponents in
Lucerne and how these changes are going to influence the results of the
upcoming competition. The Romanian federation can also operate some changes but
it is more expected to try to increase the performances of our athletes.
Qualification for the Olympics is a must for the Romanian rowing tradition as
our athletes have been participated in these competitions since 1952 and they
missed only the 1956 edition in Melbourne.

After gymnastics, rowing boasts the
best Romanian participation in the Olympic Games with 19 gold medals, 10 silver
and 9 bronze. And the Romanian women’s eight has been on the Olympic podium
since 1996 with the exception of London edition in 2012. With three Olympic
golds, three silver and three bronze, the Romanian women’s eight boasts the
best performances of a rowing team in Romania.

(bill)

12 April 2021
December 20, 2020 UPDATE

Meeting — The two chambers of Romania’s new Parliament elected on December 6 were summoned by President Klaus Iohannis to meet on Monday in separate sessions in the opening of the 2020-2024 legislature. The two chambers are declared legally set up after the validation of two thirds of the MP mandates and after their being sworn in. 466 MPs were elected following the December 6 legislative elections, 330 deputies and 136 senators. In parallel, the representatives of the future majority center-right coalition in Parliament continued negotiations regarding the common governing program. PNL, USR-PLUS and UDMR also reached an agreement over the distribution of the key positions in the state. The presidency of the Chamber of Deputies will be held by a Liberal and that of the Senate by a representative of the USR-PLUS alliance. The proposal for the PM post will be the current Liberal finance minister Florin Citu. In the future cabinet, PNL will hold 9 portfolios, USR-PLUS 6 and UDMR 3. There will also be 2 deputy prime ministers from USR-PLUS and UDMR. On the other hand, PSD, ranked first after the legislative elections, insists that the correct solution, in the context of the pandemic, would be a national union government, headed by Professor Alexandru Rafila, Romania’s representative at the WHO. The Social Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu said that his party would never vote for a government made up of PNL- USR-PLUS and UDMR, which keeps Romania in a crisis, according to him.

Covid-19 Ro — 3,350 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours in Romania, after a little over 12,200 tests were performed. The total number of cases exceeded 591,000, according to data provided on Sunday by the Strategic Communication Group. At the same time, another 98 Romanians have died from Covid-19, the total death toll reaching almost 14,400. 1,267 patients are in ICUs. In another development, preparations are being made in Romania before the arrival of the first COVID 19 vaccines. The Cantacuzino National Institute for Medical-Military Research and Development in Bucharest is expected to be approved as a national vaccine storage center. The Institute has already completed all stages of arranging the storage spaces, including the installation of the storage freezers providing a temperature of -80 degrees Celsius. The unit will have a storage capacity of approximately 1.5 million doses, while around 200,000 doses will be stored in each of the six regional centers. During this period, the training of the personnel who will perform the vaccination will also take place. The first 10,000 doses of anti-COVID-19 vaccine are expected in Romania on December 26. They are intended for the medical staff from 10 infectious diseases hospitals across Romania.

Commemorations — Manifestations continue in Romania, in the context of the pandemic, to honor the memory of the heroes who died 31 years ago in the anti-Communist revolution. Started on December 16 in Timisoara (western Romania) the revolution extended on December 21 to Bucharest and other cities of Romania, culminating on the next day with the dictators fleeing in a helicopter from the headquarters of the Communist Party central committee that was being besieged by thousands of protesters. Arrested, the dictators were superficially tried and shot dead on December 25 in a military barracks in Targoviste (south). Romania was the only country in central and southeastern Europe where the toppling of the Communist regime turned into a bloodshed. More than 1,100 people died and over 3,000 were seriously wounded while several hundreds were illegally arrested and tortured.

Gymnastics – Romanian gymnast Larisa Iordache on Sunday won gold in the floor event at the European Women’s’ Artistic Gymnastics Championships hosted by Mersin, Turkey. Previously she had obtained gold in the beam event and silver in the vault event. The silver medal won by Silviana Sfiringu in the beam event and the silver medal Romania obtained in the team competition bring to 5 the total number of medals the Romanian senior gymnasts won in Turkey. To all these also add the medals won Romania’s junior gymnasts — 6 gold medals in all events (team, all-around, apparatus), two silver medals in the all-around and floor events and one bronze in the beam event.

Handball — CSM Bucharest easily obtained qualification to the eighth finals of the men’s handball competition of the EHF European Cup on Sunday, after defeating, on home ground, the Turkish team Spor Toto SC 38-28 in the second leg of the 3rd round. CSMB had also won the first match hosted by Ankara 33-27. One week ago, Minaur Baia Mare (north) had qualified to the eighth finals of the same competition after a double victory against the Cypriot team Parnassos Strovolou, 28-25 and 29-24 respectively. (tr. L. Simion)

20 December 2020
EU-Meisterschaft in Schießsport: Laura Coman gewinnt Gold in Luftgewehr-Wettbewerb

Bei den Europameisterschaften der Sportschützen 2019 in Osijek, Kroatien, die vom 15.03. bis zum 24.03.2019 stattgefunden haben, gewann Laura-Georgeta Coman Gold mit dem Luftgewehr. Die Rumänien lieferte sich ein hei‎ß umkämpftes Duell mit der Herausforderin aus der Schweiz, Nina Christen, die sich letztendlich mit Silber begnügen musste. Die Österreicherin Franziska Peer wurde Dritte. Eine weitere Rumänin, Roxana Sidi, belegte den 6. Platz. Die rumänische Delegation, bestehend aus Laura Coman, Roxana Sidi und Eliza Molnar, erreichte den 3. Platz. Rumänien hat im Kleinen Finale Österreich besiegt. Die Goldmedaille ging an Russland, das im Finale gegen Italien als Sieger hervorging.

Laura-Georgeta Coman wurde am 30. April 1993 in Bukarest geboren und ist seit 2010 Sportschützin. Seit 2012 nimmt sie regelmä‎ßig an Wettbewerben teil. Sie ist Mitglied des Sportclubs Dinamo Bukarest, ihr Trainer ist Olimpiu Marin. Laura Comans Ziel ist, sich für die Olympischen Spiele 2020 in Tokyo zu qualifizieren und auf diesen auch eine Olympiamedaille zu gewinnen. Laura Coman ist schon heute eine Hoffnungsträgerin unter den Sportschützen. Bei den Olympischen Spielen im nächsten Jahr liegen viele Hoffnungen auf ihr.

Mit Alin Moldoveanu hat Rumänien bei den Olympischen Spielen 2012 in London bereits einen Olympiatitel mit dem Luftgewehr gewonnen.

1 April 2019
December 17, 2016

COMMEMORATION – In the western Romanian city of Timişoara, ceremonies have been organised to commemorate 27 years since the start of the Revolution of December 1989, which brought down the communist regime. A day of mourning is observed on Saturday in the city, in memory of the heroes who died in Timisoara. Sparked by the locals opposition to an abusive measure of the city hall, the protests quickly spread across the country, culminating on December 22 with dictator Nicolae Ceausescus attempted escape. More than 1,000 people died and another 3,400 were wounded between December 16 and 25, 1989. Romania was the only Eastern Bloc country where the communist regime was overthrown in a violent manner and the communist leaders were executed.

DISPUTE – The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the issue of the Romanian gold reserve had a significant historical component and that it was first and foremost something for a bilateral team of historians to deal with. According to the Russian diplomacy, historical issues, including the matter of the gold reserve, were not covered by the Russian-Romanian Treaty, and a joint team of historians was tasked with researching the issue. The Russian authorities say the interim findings of this committee are to be presented at a meeting held in Moscow next year. The Russian Foreign Ministry made these clarifications after Mugur Isarescu, Governor of the National Bank of Romania, said Russia was still to return to Romania the gold reserve sent for safekeeping in the Russian Empire 100 years ago. According to the archive of the central bank, in 1916 and 1917 Romania sent to Moscow 1,926 cases containing gold coins and bars, as well as cases of jewellery belonging to Queen Marie.

DEFENCE – The Romanian authorities are making progress in identifying another 12 aicraft to be included in the equipment of the Romanian Air Forces, but talks with the representatives of the country that produces these devices must first be held, the Romanian Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc said on Friday at Air Base 86, Borcea. He answered a question regarding the acquisition of a new squadron of F-16 fighters. In 2013, Romania decided to purchase 12 used F-16 aircraft from Portugal, but according to experts the country needs 48 multirole planes, that is, another 4 squadrons.

LEGISLATION – The bill drafted by the Social Democratic Party on the scrapping of 102 charges and fees, including the radio and television license fee, will be sent back to Parliament for review. President Klaus Iohannis made this decision on the same day that the Constitutional Court announced the bill did not come against the Constitution. The Presidents move triggered the discontent of the Social Democratic leader, Liviu Dragnea, the initiator of the bill. Dragnea vowed not to give up the elimination of the respective charges, and said the bill would once again be pushed through Parliament.

US-RUSSIA – US President Barack Obama said his country would respond to the cyber-attacks launched by Russia during the presidential election campaign in November. The American authorities say they have evidence that hackers linked to Kremlin broke into the email accounts of members of the Democratic candidate Hillary Clintons team, to help the campaign of Republican candidate Donald Trump. Not much happens in Russia without Vladimir Putin, President Obama told a press conference, virtually confirming the view that Russian President Putin was personally involved in the attempts to hack into the computers of the National Democratic Committee. Russia denied the accusations.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

17 December 2016
Tischtennis-EM: Beachtliche Leistung für rumänischen Kader

Wenn man die Hintergründe kennt, dann bekommt man den Überblick über die herausragende Leistung der rumänischen Tischtennisspieler bei der Europameisterschaft in Budapest. Zum einen ist die Bronzemedaille im gemischten Doppel die Folge eines direkten Aufeinandertreffens zwischen Rumänen im Halbfinale: Dort unterlag das rumänische Duo Bernadette Szocs und Ovidiu Ionescu den späteren Europameistern, der Rumänin Daniela Dodean und ihrem portugiesischen Partner und Ehemann Joao Monteiro. Zum anderen verloren die anderen rumänischen Bronzemedaille-Gewinner jeweils dramatische Halbfinal-Begegnungen, die im entscheidenden Satz endeten.

Zwei Monate nach den wohl schwächsten Olympischen Sommerspielen in der Geschichte des rumänischen Sports hatte so mancher Beobachter die Zukunft aller Sportarten stark in Frage gestellt. Jetzt könnten die Ergebnisse bei der Tischtennis-EM einen Denkanstoß darstellen und sogar einige optimistische Szenarien zulassen, stellt das Sportportal lead.ro fest.

Er habe die Teilnahme an den Olympischen Spielen nicht an der Anzahl der gewonnenen Medaillen messen“ wollen, hatte der Trainer des Judo-Kaders, Florin Bercean, vor den Wettbewerben noch gesagt. Schließlich hätten unsere Sportler vier Jahre lang hart um die Qualifikation gekämpft und in Rio würden sie ohnehin auf die besten Sportler des Planeten treffen.

Und die Tischtennis-EM sollte ihm Recht geben. Rumäniens Tischtennisspieler hatten in Rio eine beachtliche Leistung gebracht, jedoch schieden sowohl die Damen als auch die Herren in den späteren Runden gegen die Weltelite des Sports aus Asien aus. Das wäre wohl unvermeidbar gewesen. Auch bei der Europameisterschaft trafen die Rumänen unter anderem auf die Große Mauer, viele europäische Länder haben nämlich chinesische Spielerinnen und Spieler eingebürgert, um im Tischtennis zur Spitze aufschließen zu können. Allerdings war die Luft bei diesem Turnier nicht so dünn und das spiegelte sich in den Resultaten des Kaders wider.

Angesichts der hohen Anzahl der Spielerinnen chinesischer Herkunft kann sich vor allem die Leistung der Anführerin des Damenkaders, Eliza Samara, sehen lassen. Die amtierende Europameisterin aus Rumänien verlor im Halbfinale gegen Yu Fu, eine von Portugal eingebürgerte Spielerin. Auch das zweite Halbfinale des Einzelturniers der Frauen wurde von zwei Tischtennisdamen chinesischer Herkunft bestritten.

Jedoch wirklich erfreulich ist die Nachricht, dass Rumänien nach wie vor nicht nur über Spitzenspielerinnen sondern auch über eine Spitzenmannschaft verfügt. Neben Samara und Daniela Dodean, die jeweils zwei EM-Medaillen mit nach Hause nehmen, punktete auch das Doppelduo aus der jungen und vielsprechenden Bernadette Szocs und Ovidiu Ionescu. Darüber hinaus gingen drei der vier Medaillen an Teilnehmer am gemischten Doppel.

Und schließlich punktete Rumänien bei dieser EM nicht nur für den Medaillenspiegel und durch die Leistung, sondern auch in punkto Emotionen. Daniela Dodean, die nach den Olympischen Spielen in Rio ihre Karriere beenden und sich ihrer einjährigen Tochter widmen wollte, wuchs über sich hinaus und holte in Budapest die Goldmedaille im gemischten Doppel. Und das nicht mit einem beliebigen Partner, sondern mit ihrem Ehemann, dem Portugiesen Joao Monteiro. Zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte des Tischtennis überhaupt gewinnt ein Ehepaar die Goldmedaille im gemischten Doppel bei einem Endturnier. Es geht also auch nach Rio 2016 weiter mit dem rumänischen Sport.

31 October 2016
Nachrichten 12.08.2016

BUKAREST: Zahlreiche Mitglieder der königlichen Familien Europas werden der Bestattungszeremonie der Königin Anna, der verstorbenen Ehegattin des letzten Königs von Rumänien, Michael I., beiwohnen. Bislang haben Mitglieder der kaiserlichen Familien von Russland, Österreich und Deutschland, und der königlichen Familien aus den Niederlanden, Belgien und Luxemburg ihre Teilnahme bestätigt. Tausende Menschen erwiesen inzwischen am Donnerstag und Freitag der im Thronsaal des Königspalastes in Bukarest aufgebahrten Königin die letzte Ehre. Die Bestattungszeremonie wird am Samstag im südrumänischen Curtea de Argeş stattfinden. König Michael I. von Rumänien, mit dem Anna von Bourbon-Parma seit 1948 verheiratet war, wird der Bestattungszeremonie aus gesundheitlichen Gründen fernbleiben müssen. In Rumänien und der Republik Moldau wurde zum Anlass Staatstrauer angeordnet.

BUKAREST: Der frühere stellvertretende Notenbankchef Bogdan Olteanu ist nach einem Beschluss des Obersten Gerichtshofs für 16 Tage in Untersuchungshaft genommen worden. In dem Verfahren, in dem er der Vorteilsannahme beschuldigt wird, war er zunächst unter Hausarrest gestellt worden. Laut Ermittlern soll er 2008 als Vorsitzender der Abgeordnetenkammer und Mitglied der National-Liberalen Partei eine Million Euro von einem Geschäftsmann gefordert und auch erhalten haben. Als Gegenleistung sollte Olteanu seinen Einfluss geltend machen, damit eine bestimmte Person aus dem Umkreis des Geschäftsmannes zum Verwalter des Reservats im Donaudelta ernannt wird – der Betreffende bekam in der Tat den Job.

BUKAREST: Die Polizei ermittelt gegen die Firma, die das Outfit des rumänischen Kaders für die Olympischen Spiele geliefert hat. Darunter sollen sich gefälschte Markenartikel befinden. Am Freitag waren die Beamten zu einer Hausdurchsuchung beim Rumänischen Olympischen und Sportkommittees aufgebrochen. Dort beschlagnahmten sie Sportkleidung, jedoch war bislang niemand zu Anhörungen geladen worden. Laut Presseberichten hatten sich mehrere Mitglieder des olympischen Kaders über die Qualität der Kollektion beklagt. Nach nur einigen Tagen wären die Sportanzüge gerissen und abgefärbt. Die Firma Pax Creative, die für die Lieferung für Olympia verantwortlich ist, soll laut Journalisten von dem Ex-Vorsitzenden des Rumänischen Olympischen Kommittees, Octavian Morariu, sowie dem amtierenden Generalsekretär, Ioan Dobrescu, gegründet worden sein. Morariu ist derzeit Mitglied des Internationalen Olympischen Kommitees.

BUKAREST: Die rumänische Justizministerin Raluca Pruna hat am Freitag die neue nationale Antikorruptionsstrategie vorgelegt. Sie sprach dabei von einem Paradigmenwechsel – der Schwerpunkt der Strategie werde diesmal auf Prävention und Verantwortung der Führungskräfte gelegt. Jede Korruptionsstraftat sei ein Führungsversagen, für das sich jemand zu verantworten hat, so die Ministerin. Die Strategie behält anfällige Bereiche wie die Justiz und die Politik im Auge, achtet jetzt prioritär aber auch auf Bildung und Gesundheit.

SPORT: Es sieht langsam etwas rosiger aus für den rumänischen Olympia-Kader in Rio de Janeiro. Die Degendamen besiegten im Finale ihre chinesischen Gegnerinnen 44 – 38 und holten sich das Gold – es ist die erste rumänische Medaille bei dieser Ausgabe der Sommerspiele. Und im Tennis besiegten Horia Tecău und Florin Mergea im Halbfinale des Herrendoppels das amerikanische Team von Jack Sock und Steve Johnson. Jetzt geht es im Finale gegen die spanischen Topstars Rafael Nadal und Marc Lopez. Gegen Spanien treten auch die Handballdamen am Freitagabend an – nach enttäuschenden Niederlagen gegen Angola und Brasilien und einem Sieg gegen Montenegro stehen sie allerdings unter hohen Druck: sie brauchen einen Sieg für den Einzug ins Viertelfinale.

12 August 2016
Nachrichten 02.08.2016

Das rumänische Königshaus hat mitgeteilt, dass Königin Anna von Rumänien am 13. August im Kloster Curtea de Arges zur Ruhe gelegt werden soll. Sie war am Montag im Alter von 92 Jahren in der Schweiz nach schwerer Krankheit gestorben. Anna von Bourbon-Parma hatte 1948 den damals bereits abgedankten König Michael von Rumänien geehelicht. Präsident Klaus Iohannis würdigte Königin Anna als Sinnbild der Weisheit, Würde und Moral. Sie habe König Michael im bitteren Exil beigestanden und sich anschließend für das Wohl Rumäniens eingesetzt, so der Präsident. Kondoliert haben auch Premierminister Dacian Cioloş und der orthodoxe Patriarch Daniel sowie Spitzenpolitiker aus allen Parteien. Mehr zu diesem Thema nach den Nachrichten.

Der 2. August ist der Tag des Gedenkens an den Völkermord an den Roma im zweiten Weltkrieg. An der Gedenkstätte für die Opfer des Holocausts in Bukarest und im Nationalen Palast der Offiziere fanden Veranstaltungen statt. Vertreter der rumänischen Präsidentschaft, Mitglieder der Regierung und mehrerer Nichtregierungsorganisationen wohnten den Gedenkveranstaltungen bei. Am 2. August 1944 waren im Konzentrationslager Auschwitz drei Tausend Roma ermordert worden.

Die Devisenreserven der rumänischen Zentralbank haben Ende Juli 32,6 Milliarden Euro erreicht – 930 Millionen Euro mehr als zum Ende des Vormonats, teilte die Bank mit. Der Input lag bei 1,1 Milliarden Euro, dazu beigetragen haben Überweisungen auf das Konto der Europäischen Kommission sowie Zahlungen nach den neuen Vorgaben für Mindestrisikorücklagen der Geschäftsbanken. Die Goldreserven hielten sich bei 103,7 Tonnen, also 4 Milliarden Euro.

Die EU-Kommissarin für Regionalpolitik, Corina Cretu, hat ihre Besorgnis über den langsamen Start Rumäniens bei der praktischen Umsetzung von EU-Projekten geäußert. Von den EU-Fonds für die Zeitspanne 2014-2020 habe Rumänien bis jetzt nichts verwendet, die Abschöpfungsrate liege bei 0%, so Cretu. Nach Polen und Italien erhält Rumänien die drittgrößten EU-Fonds für langanhaltende Städteentwicklung. Die rumänische Regierung hat beschlossen, dass 20% der für die laufende Zeitspanne zugewiesenen EU-Fonds von den Kommunalpolitikern direkt verwaltet werden. 39 Kreishauptstädte werden einen Großteil der EU-Fonds für eine langanhaltende Städteentwicklung direkt verwalten, und somit eine wichtige Rolle bei der Implementierung der Kohäsionspolitik spielen.

Der türkische Premierminister Binali Yildirim und sein Stellvertreter, Numan Kurtulmuş, haben zum ersten Mal mögliche Fehler bei der Säuberung nach dem gescheiterten Putschversuch vom 15. Juli eingeräumt. Zurzeit werden die Entlassungen der letzten zwei Wochen überprüft, einige der Betroffenen seien Opfer fehlerhafter Verfahren gewesen, hieß es. Rund 60.000 Angehörige der Streikräfte und des öffentlichen Dienstes sowie Journalisten wurden nach dem Putschversuch verhaftet, entlassen oder vom Dienst suspendiert.

Die Vorbereitungen für das größte Festival für elektronische Musik in Rumänien laufen auf Hochtouren: die diesjährige Ausgabe von Untold beginnt am 4. August in Cluj. Fünf der weltbesten DJs legen bei Untold auf – darunter Armin van Buuren, Tiesto, Afrojack und Hardwell. Zudem sollen 150 internationale Bands und Musiker auftreten: Faithless, Scooter, Parov Stelar oder James Arthur sind nur einige von ihnen. Untold startete als Festival letztes Jahr und wurde beim Wettbewerb der Fachveranstaltungen im holländischen Groningen als bestes seiner Klasse gekürt.

Rumäniens Fußballmeister und Vizemeister, Astra Giurgiu bzw. Steaua Bukarest treten am Mittwoch die entscheidenen Partien in der dritten Vorrunde der Champions League an. Astra Giurgiu spielt auswärts gegen den FC Kopenhagen, nachdem das Hinspiel 1-1 endete. Steaua begegnet in Bukarest Sparta Prag. Die beiden hatten sich in Prag 1-1 getrennt. In der Europa League haben die rumänischen Mannschaften von Pandurii Târgu-Jiu und Viitorul Constanta kaum Aussichten auf ein Weiterkommen. Pandurii verlor 1-3 gegen Maccabi Tel Aviv, Viitorul 0-5 gegen Gent aus Belgien.

2 August 2016