Radio România Internațional

Tag: king

A fresh perspective on Romania’s inter-war figureheads

Romania, for two decades, over 1920
and 1940, had to face the growing revisionist aggression coming from the country’s
two great powers lying nearby, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Revisionist
claims also came from Romania’s neighboring countries, Hungary and Bulgaria.
Nazi Germany occupied France in June 1940. At about the same time, the Soviet
Union issued two ultimatums to the Romanian government whereby it demanded the
ceding of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. On August 30, 1040, through the
Vienna Treaty, Germany and Italy imposed on Romania the ceding of Northern
Transylvania to Hungary. On September 7, 1940, through the Craiova Treaty, Germany
and Italy again imposed the ceding of the Quadrilateral region or Southern
Dobrogea to Bulgaria. The ensuing crisis made it possible for a certain government
to ascend to power, a government made of the Iron Guard and Marshal Antonescu. All things considered, King Carol II was the main character to be held to account
at that time. Shortly afterwards, King Carol II lost his throne.

The sovereign had an extremely
powerful personality. Clever and manipulative, in 1938 King Carol II instated a
personal authority regime, dismantling the political parties and banning free
press. For his son, King Carol II was an abusive father, since he dethroned him
in 1930, when Michael was a still a minor. The name of King Carol and his camarilla
were in many cases linked to corruption scandals. In his boundless vainglory, even
after the deep crisis of 1940, Carol II refused to step down. Instead, he simply
left the throne and the crown.

Notwithstanding, for his decade-long reign, between 1930 and 1940, the name of King Carol II is connected to Romania’s
most prosperous period. Capital city Bucharest was systematized and the building
of the Colentina river lakes in northern Bucharest was initiated. As for culture,
at that time it benefitted from substantial support. The King’s contemporaries were
not unanimous in stating that King carol II was a fated figurehead in Romania’s
contemporary history.

Gheorghe Barbul was
Marshal Antonescu’s personal secretary. In 1984, he was interviewed by then the
well-known historian Vad Georgescu of Radio Free Europe. The interview, in 1993,
was included in Radio Romania’s Oral History Center Heritage. According to
Gheorghe Barbul, despite Carol II’s fraught relation with Antonescu, the latter’s
mindset was largely based on political stability, while in Antonescu’s opinion,
monarchy and the King simply overlapped.

Gheorghe Barbul:

Monarchy, Antonescu believed, was indispensable
to a country like Romania, a young country. It was only monarchy that could
guarantee the continuity of the state in a world of demagogues, where, in his own
words, vote owners had replaced the land owners. He hinted at the gap between
pre-1914 Romania and Romania after 1920. And he believed that, given the
impending necessity for the country to have a monarchy, King Carol should in no
way be lambasted, whatever his sins may be. And that because a form of instability
on Romania’s throne could have posed a danger for the country. The father had
already dethroned the son and had ascended the throne, if what a certain part of
the opposition intended to do, especially the National Peasant Party and the Iron
Guard, namely having Michael remove Carol from power and ascending the throne for
the second time around, if all that meant instability.

For jurist and political detainee Radu
Boroș King Carol II was, just as he claimed in an interview dated 1995, one of Romania’s
most important sovereigns who also gave an impetus to the development of
aviation, a domain which at that time had been gaining ground in the country.

Radu Boros:

For me, as a Romanian,
King Carol is still la great king. And, had Romanians been able to understand
him, the progress that we would have made would have been a lot greater that it
actually was. All that was done from the end of World War One to the second
world war, everything that was achieved at home, in industry, in administration
and such like was entirely his will, all that occurred under his patronage, it
was imposed by him. When he came, he found out that in Romania, regarding
aviation, we had nothing! We, in World War One, had very few pilots and captive
balloons. We dealt more with captive balloons than with fighter planes or strategic
bombing capabilities. We, during World War One, had not been what we subsequently
were during the Second World War. Then he decided to give a fresh impetus to
aviation and the impetus he gave military aviation was really great. As part of
military aviation, he was the one who was dead set on founding Romanian
Aeronautics Enterprise in Brasov, where we also built a fighter plane, I.A.R.
14, which at that time, in 1937-1938, was one of the best fighter planes. And
yet, apart from military aviation, he realized we also needed civil aviation. He
was far-sighted and understood aviation was about to become an important means of
transport. And then he decided to establish a Romanian air transport society. Before
this Romanian company was created, Romania participated alongside France in the French-Romanian
Society.

King Carol II
is one of history’s controversial personality. Yet without such a personality,
existence would have been quieter but duller.

18 September 2023
The Coronation of 1922

On October
15th, 1922, Romanians witnessed an unexpected event, an event with a strong
impact in the mind of every Romanian, who had seen the years of the First World
War: the coronation of Romania’s sovereigns, King Ferdinand I and Queen Marie
in Alba Iulia. The kingdom of Greater Romania, took shape in the wake of WWI, being
the result of an incommensurable sacrifice of human and material resources, as
well as superhuman diplomatic efforts. Following that huge price in human lives
and material resources, the new Romania became the country where any citizen
could freely develop their personality and contribute to the general happiness
and wellbeing. The publications of the
time abounded in details on the organization of the aforementioned event. First
off they published the special venue, the city of Alba Iulia, where in 1600
Wallachian prince Michael the Brave entered in front of his army, an event
considered by historians the first political union of the Romanian
principalities.

Then there was the religious service
and the emotions caused by the coronation, the rituals going on and the leading
personalities attending the event. The press also wrote about the political
rivalries which didn’t cease to exist even during this event. The Liberal
government led by Ion I.C. Brătianu staged the entire coronation, which was
boycotted by the political opposition. At the same time, publications wrote
about the Pope’s disapproval of a Catholic king who was to be crowned in an
Orthodox church. However, these were all minor elements and the coronation went
on as planned, because there was nothing to hinder that major event in the life
of a nation.

In the
following minutes historian Ioan Scurtu is going to help us understand how that
moment was perceived by the main participants in the event, the king and the
queen. According to Ioan Scurtu the two very different personalities of the
king and his wife became very visible on that occasion.

Ioan
Scurtu: King Ferdinand was less
active and didn’t love public appearances, but he eventually accepted the
coronation protocol just like he did during the Crown Council in 1916 when he
announced he had to go against his will and accept Romania’s joining the war as
the Council had asked. Queen Marie had a more active role in politics unlike
Queen Elizabeth, who wasn’t allowed by her husband, King Carol I, to get
involved in Romania’s political life. Ferdinand believed that it was the
sovereigns’ right to coronation for their major contribution to the 1918 union
of the Romanian principalities. And that was also visible in the crowns of the
two royal figures. Ferdinand took over the steel crown of his predecessor, king
Carol, which had three precious stones added, representing Bessarabia, Bukovina
and Transylvania. Queen Marie decided that the crown she took over from Queen
Elizabeth was too modest, so she ordered one made up of gold adorned with a lot
of jewels, which was weighing more than two kilograms.

The extremely
strong personality of Queen Marie became very visible during the coronation,
but that strong personality was actually completing that of her husband. Here
is historian Ioan Scurtu at the microphone.

Ioan Scurtu: The
central figure in the programme of the Coronation Committee was of course King
Ferdinand. Queen Marie tried all the time to be close to the king, she wouldn’t
be overshadowed although she hadn’t had the king’s contribution to the union.
In her diary she wrote about a difficult moment for her when she had to kneel
before the king to have the crown placed on her head. However, the king helped
her to stand up and kissed her forehead. The king placed the crown on his head
like Napoleon Bonaparte.

The general happiness and the feeling of victory at the end of 1918
persisted right until the coronation. Here is historian Ioan Scurtu again.

Ioan Scurtu: The king was himself, he behaved in his style. After
the war, an armistice was signed and high officials, including the clergy had
to come to Bucharest those days. The queen was very happy and told him ‘Nando,
do you realize you have become the king of all Romanians, you’re a great man, a
historic personality?’ But the king had only a laconic reply ‘It was God’s
will!’ As if he hadn’t made such an extraordinary contribution to that union.
They were so different from each other, like I said, different personalities,
but what was important was the fact that they stayed together and everyone saw
the event as the coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie.

The coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie on October 15th
1922 was a triumph for an entire nation, which paid a huge price and the
sacrifice they made at that time will never be forgotten by the generations to
come.

(bill)

24 October 2022
September 11, 2022 UPDATE

CELEBRATION The celebration of 150 years since the death of Avram Iancu, the leader of the 1848 Revolution in Transylvania, included events devoted to this national hero. Military ceremonies and religious services were held, followed by a traditional music show in Ţebea (Hunedoara County). In a message on this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis mentioned that Avram Iancu believed in the power of action and will be remembered as a fighter for social and national freedom. The head of state also mentioned Russias aggression against Ukraine and the revival of an “imperialist mindset.” The joint efforts of the international community, political dialogue rather than confrontation, and our goals, converging and complementary to those of NATO and the EU, will ensure the consolidation of European security and stability, especially in southeastern Europe and at the Black Sea, president Klaus Iohannis also said.

9/11 In Bucharest, PM Nicolae Ciucă Sunday addressed a message of solidarity with the people of the USA, 21 years since the terrorist attacks of 2001. “The tragedy of the American nation, shared by the entire planet, struck at the heart of freedom and democracy: the trust in and respect for the other. We honour the memory of those who passed away and we stand by the survivors and rescuers in the terrorist attacks of 9/11,” the Romanian Prime Minister said. Mr. Ciucă also mentioned Romanias continued solidarity with the US, as reflected in the military cooperation between the 2 countries. “Our troops, in increasingly complex missions, have proved professionalism and dedication, contributing to the safeguarding of peace and democratic values. In the most important missions, in Iraq and Afghanistan, Romanian troops showed solidarity with their American partners, fighting together the worlds democracies against terrorism and defending fundamental rights and liberties,” reads the message. Nearly 3,000 people were killed 21 years ago by 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacking 4 aircraft.

QUEEN The state funerals for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on Thursday, aged 96, will take place on the 19 September. Meanwhile, Britons will have several days to pay their respects to their former sovereign, first in Edinburgh and then in London, where the Queens coffin is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. On Saturday, King Charles III was proclaimed monarch, and today he was officially proclaimed head of state of Australia and New Zealand. The British monarch is the sovereign of 14 other countries apart from the UK, although with a largely ceremonial role. The King is also the head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 countries, most of them former British colonies. For over 4 decades, King Charles has been involved in charities lobbying for environment and heritage conservation, but as head of state he will take on exclusively constitutional responsibilities. As a Prince of Wales, the new King has visited Romania almost every year for 2 decades, supporting a number of organisations and projects, especially in Transylvania, where he owns several estates. The UK Embassy in Bucharest opened an online condolence book for members of the public, but hundreds of Romanians went to the embassy offices to bring flowers and light candles for the Queen. The flag at the embassy office was flown at half-mast.

FLIGHTS The national airline TAROM continues to repatriate the Romanians stranded in international airports after the private operator Blue Air suspended flights. On Sunday around 200 people were brought from Greeces Zakynthos and Rhodes islands, with another 200 to be repatriated on Monday, after 350 Romanian nationals were repatriated from Greece on Saturday. Four other special flights had previously been organised to Israel, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. Several thousand Romanians have been stranded in international airports since Tuesday night, when Blue Air announced it was suspending flights. Although the authorities have unfrozen the accounts of the airline, which had excessive debts to the Romanian state, Blue Air said it would only resume flights on 10 October. Blue Airs current estimated debts amount to EUR 230 mln.

UKRAINE Since early September the Ukrainian army has freed some 2,000 sq.km of the countrys territory, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Ukrainian forces are currently engaged in 2 counter-offensive campaigns, one in the south, targeting Herson, and the second one in the Kharkiv area in the north-east, where they entered the key cities of Kupyansk and Izyum. According to international media, these are the most important gains for Ukraine since early April, when the Russians were pushed out of Kyiv area. Reuters quotes a former chief of pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, Igor Girkin, as talking about a “major defeat” for Russia.

NUCLEAR Operations at the Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, controlled by Russian forces, have been fully stopped as a safety measure, Ukraines nuclear operator Energoatom announced on Sunday. Another emergency shut-down had been ordered in August. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling the nuclear plant, while president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the region around it to be demilitarised. (AMP)

11 September 2022
September 10, 2022

KING King Charles III was officially proclaimed
monarch in a ceremony held at St. James’s Palace in London on Saturday, by the Accession Council, a body convened to confirm the new British
monarchs throughout history.
Also today, the Cabinet will have their first meeting with King Charles III,
just days after PM Liz Truss formed a new government. Thousands have gathered in front of Buckingham Palace, the main
residence of British monarchs in London, to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II,
who passed away on Thursday, aged 96, at Balmoral
Castle in Scotland. She will be brought to London, at Westminster Hall, and
the public will have 4-5 days to say goodbye. The
funerals will take place at Westminster Abbey, the church where British kings
are crowned. The BBC notes that the last funeral of a monarch at Westminster
Abbey took place in the 18th century. After the funeral, to be attended by
heads of state and government from around the world, the Queen will be taken to
Windsor Castle and buried in the Saint George Chapel within its premises.

ENERGY EU energy ministers voiced support for emergency
measures in response to the energy crisis, and even mentioned price capping for
natural gas imports. At Friday’s extraordinary meeting in Brussels, officials
for the 27 Member States agreed that a unified approach was needed to address
the rise in energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. They gave the
European Commission several days to come up with a solid and concrete plan, said
the Czech industry minister Jozef Sikela, whose country holds the rotating
presidency of the Union. Romania, who was represented by the energy minister,
Virgil Popescu, pleaded for measures such as a price cap on Russian gas imports
or an EU-wide platform for the joint procurement of natural gas. As for cutting
down consumption, Bucharest said this should be voluntary, depending on
national capacities and market developments.

FLIGHTS The national airline TAROM provides today
2 additional flights to Greece to repatriate the Romanian passengers abandoned
by the low-cost operator Blue Air, which announced it lacked funding even for
fuel. TAROM has so far organised 4 other special flights, to Israel, Greece,
Cyprus and Spain. Several thousand Romanians have been stranded in
international airports since Tuesday night, when Blue Air announced it was
suspending flights. Although the authorities have unfrozen the accounts of the
airline, which had excessive debts to the Romanian state, Blue Air said it
would only resume flights on 10 October. The transport minister Sorin Grindeanu
urged Blue Air customers to try to find other options to return, and pointed
out TAROM could not replace all the flights that had been cancelled. In 2020, during
the COVID pandemic, Blue Air took out a state-guaranteed loan of over EUR 60
mln. This summer, it was fined EUR 2 mln by the Consumer Protection Authority, for
cancelling over 11,000 flights in 2021 and 2022. Blue Air’s current estimated
debts amount to EUR 230 mln.

AUTOMOTIVE Romania’s
automotive industry output went up nearly 25% in July and August, compared to
the corresponding period of 2021. According to the Automotive Producers
Association, more than 61,000 vehicles were assembled in the Ford plant in
Craiova and Dacia-Renault plant in Mioveni. In the first 8 months of the year, over
330,000 vehicles were produced, accounting for a 15.5% increase since 2021.

UKRAINE Romania and 3
other EU member states (Greece, Poland and Lithuania) call on the European
Commission to grant them exemptions from the budget deficit rules, with respect
to military expenditure, in order to be able to make the investments required
after the Russian invasion in Ukraine. They want this expenditure excluded from
the deficit calculation, so that the 3% of GDP ceiling required by the EU may
be observed. The 4 countries argue that this would help them mitigate the risks
facing the Union. Meanwhile, a report made public by the World Bank, the
Ukrainian government and the European Commission indicates that Ukraine’s
reconstruction after the Russian invasion may cost around USD 350 bln, with figures set to increase in the coming months,
as the war continues. According to the report, reconstruction and revamping
needs in the social, industrial and infrastructure fields are 1.5 times higher
than Ukraine’s GDP in 2021. Russia’s aggression had caused direct damages of
over USD 97 bln by 1 June, with the most affected areas including housing (40% of
the total damages), transports (31%), trade and industry (10%). The regions of Donetsk,
Luhansk and Kharkiv are the most heavily hit, followed by Kyiv, Chernihiv and
Zaporizhzhia.

TENNIS The Romanian tennis players Sorana Cîrstea and Irina Begu,
ranking 37 and 42 in the world, respectively, take part in the first edition of
Ţiriac Foundation Trophy, held between the 10th and 18th September in
Bucharest. The 2 players received wild cards from the organisers, and their
current world rankings makes them seed no 1 and 2 in the tournament hosted by
the Romanian capital city. Ţiriac Foundation Trophy is a WTA 125 tournament
organised by the Romanian Tennis Federation and supported by the Ţiriac
Foundation and the Sports Ministry. The main draw includes 32 players, and the
doubles competition involves another 16. They compete for USD 115,000 in total
prize money and 160 points in the WTA ranking. (AMP)

10 September 2022
October 24, 2021 UPDATE

COVID-19 New restrictions take effect on Monday in Romania, as the country is struggling with an unprecedented epidemiological crisis. For 30 days, the digital COVID certificate will be compulsory in most public places, except for food shops and drugstores, face covering will be compulsory in all indoor and outdoor public areas, and a ban on outdoor concerts and shows, as well as on private events, including weddings, conferences and workshops, will be in place. Also on Monday, public and private kindergartens, primary, secondary schools and high schools will take a 2-week break. After-schools will also be closed, although nurseries will stay open. Companies with more than 50 employees will organise shifts or remote work, sports competitions will be held without public in attendance, and a night curfew will also be introduced, between 10 pm and 5 am, for the unvaccinated. On Sunday the authorities reported 11,725 new SARS-CoV-2 cases and 389 COVID-related deaths in 24 hours.

VACCINE A new batch of over 300,000 doses of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is set to arrive in Romania on Monday and will be distributed across the country. So far Romania has received more than 13.6 million doses of Pfizer BioNTech serum, and almost 9 million of them have already been used. Romania is also using AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson&Johnson vaccines. The vaccination campaign has been energised in recent days as the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections surged and as people see their access to various activities restricted without the digital COVID certificate. Since the start of the vaccination programme in late December, some 5.9 million people have completed the vaccination plan.

GOVERNMENT The head of the National Liberal Party and interim PM Florin Cîţu said on Sunday that after the Liberals nominated Nicolae Ciucă as prime minister designate, it is time for the parties that voted the no-confidence motion to prove responsible and to back a cabinet made up of the Liberals and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. This was a reference to the Social Democratic Party and Save Romania Union, the latter formerly partners with the Liberals in the ruling coalition. Meanwhile, the prime minister designate carried on negotiations over parliamentary support for his new cabinet. Nicolae Ciucă discussed on Saturday with representatives of ethnic minorities and with the head of the Social Democratic Party in opposition, Marcel Ciolacu. The Social Democrats made their temporary support for a minority government conditional on the inclusion of 10 urgent measures suggested by the Social Democrats to overcome the healthcare and energy crises. Save Romania Union left the ruling coalition over disagreements with PM Florin Cîţu and backed a no-confidence motion initiated by the Social Democrats against the Cîţu government. The first politician designated by president Klaus Iohannis to form a new government, Save Romania Union leader Dacian Cioloş, failed to get endorsed by Parliament.

CENTENNIAL On Monday Romania marks the centennial of the birth of Michael I of Romania, the countrys last king. On this occasion, public radio stations will broadcast a show entitled “Romania needs art,” produced jointly with the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation, benefitting the Young Talents Programme. The National Art Museum will also open to visitors the historic areas of the Royal Palace. The public will be able to visit the Royal Dining Hall, the Throne Hall and the Voivodes Staircase, as well as an exhibition on Fragments of memory: royal potraits, comprising art works depicting King Michael at various stages of life. The 25th of October is also the Day of the Romanian Army, and the “King Ferdinand I” National Military Museum will open a temporary exhibition entitled “Michael I: a century of history.” King Michael I passed away on the 5th December 2017. Thousands of people, who saw him as a model of dignity, patriotism and duty towards his country, queued for days to pay tribute to the late king in Bucharest. He was buried in the Mausoleum of the Royal Family in Curtea de Argeş (south), where his predecessors, kings Carol I, Ferdinand and Carol II also rest.

UN The values and principles of the United Nations Charter remain relevant 76 years later, and are the basis of international relations today, says the Romanian Foreign Ministry in a message on UN Day. According to the institution, the COVID-19 pandemic has once again proved that global issues require joint solutions, solidarity and international cooperation, and in this respect, supporting and strengthening multilateralism, founded on the UN system, are essential. “In its 66 years of UN membership, Romania has stood out as an active supporter and advocate of the achievements of multilateral diplomacy. The Romanian diplomacy will continue to actively promote the UN goals, in its efforts to ensure progress towards a safer, freer and more thriving world,” the message also reads. The United Nations Day is celebrated on the 24th October, when the UN Charter entered into force in 1945. Romania joined the organisation on 14th December 1955.

HANDBALL Romanian womens handball champions, CSM Bucharest, won at home on Sunday against Buducnost Podgorica of Montenegro, 30-22, in a Champions League Goup A match. This is the 3rd consecutive win for CSM, which in the previous leg defeated away from home the German side Borussia Dortmund. The Romanian team is next to take on the French side Brest Bretagne Handball, on 30th October. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

24 October 2021
October 24, 2021

COVID-19 New restrictions take effect on Monday in Romania, as the country is
struggling with an unprecedented epidemiological crisis. For 30 days, the
digital COVID certificate will be compulsory in most public places, except for
food shops and drugstores, face covering will be compulsory in all indoor and
outdoor public areas, and a ban on outdoor concerts and shows, as well as on
private events, including weddings, conferences and workshops, will be in place.
Also on Monday, public and private kindergartens,
primary, secondary schools and high schools will take a 2-week break.
After-schools will also be closed, although nurseries will stay open. Companies
with more than 50 employees will organise shifts or remote work, sports
competitions will be held without public in attendance, and a night curfew will also be introduced, between 10 pm and 5 am, for
the unvaccinated. On Sunday the authorities reported 11,725 new
SARS-CoV-2 cases and 389 COVID-related deaths.

VACCINE Over
45,000 people got vaccinated in Bucharest since Friday, almost half of them as
part of a vaccination marathon held in the capital city over the weekend.
Nation-wide, some 127,000 people got vaccinated in the last 24 hours, most of
them (over 91,000) with the first dose. The vaccination campaign has been energised
in recent days as the number of SARS-CoV-2
infections surged and as people see their access to various activities restricted without the
digital COVID certificate. Since the start of the vaccination programme in late
December, nearly 5.9 million people have completed the vaccination plan. An
efficiency survey on COVID-19 vaccination in Romania indicates that
immunisation has reduced contamination risks 5 times,
hospitalisation risks 10 times, intensive care admission risks nearly 14 times
and COVID-related death risks over 20 times.

GOVERNMENT The head of the
National Liberal Party and interim PM Florin Cîţu said on Sunday that after the
Liberals nominated Nicolae Ciucă as prime minister designate, it is time for
the parties that voted the no-confidence motion to prove responsible and to
back a cabinet made up of the Liberals and the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians in Romania. This was a reference to the Social Democratic Party and
Save Romania Union, the latter formerly partners with the Liberals in the
ruling coalition. Meanwhile, the prime minister designate carried on
negotiations over parliamentary support for his new cabinet. Nicolae Ciucă
discussed on Saturday with representatives of ethnic minorities and with the
head of the Social Democratic Party in opposition, Marcel Ciolacu. The Social
Democrats made their temporary support for a minority government conditional on
the inclusion of 10 urgent measures suggested by the Social Democrats to
overcome the healthcare and energy crises. Save Romania Union left the ruling
coalition over disagreements with PM Florin Cîţu and backed a no-confidence motion initiated by the Social
Democrats against the Cîţu government. The first politician designated by
president Klaus Iohannis to form a new government, Save Romania Union leader
Dacian Cioloş, failed to get endorsed by Parliament.

CENTENNIAL On Monday Romania marks the
centennial of the birth of Michael I of Romania, the country’s last king. On
this occasion, public radio stations will broadcast a show entitled Romania
needs art, produced jointly with the Margareta of Romania Royal Foundation,
benefitting the Young Talents Programme. The National Art Museum will also open
to visitors the historic areas of the Royal Palace. The public will be able to
visit the Royal Dining Hall, the Throne Hall and the Voivodes’ Staircase, as well as an exhibition on ‘Fragments of
memory: royal potraits,’ comprising art works depicting King Michael at various
stages of life. The 25th of October is also the Day of the Romanian
Army, and the King Ferdinand I National Military Museum will open a
temporary exhibition entitled Michael I: a century of history. King
Michael I passed away on the 5th December 2017. Thousands of people, who saw him as a model of dignity,
patriotism and duty towards his country, queued for days to pay tribute to the
late king in Bucharest. He was buried in the Mausoleum of the Royal
Family in Curtea de Argeş (south), where his
predecessors, kings Carol I, Ferdinand and Carol II also rest.

UN The values and principles of the United Nations
Charter remain relevant 76 years later, and are the basis of international
relations today, says the Romanian Foreign Ministry in a message on UN Day.
According to the institution, the COVID-19 pandemic has once again proved that
global issues require joint solutions, solidarity and international
cooperation, and in this respect, supporting and strengthening multilateralism,
founded on the UN system, are essential. In its 66 years of UN membership, Romania
has stood out as an active supporter and advocate of the achievements of
multilateral diplomacy. The Romanian diplomacy will continue to actively
promote the UN goals, in its efforts to ensure progress towards a safer, freer
and more thriving world, the message also reads. The United Nations Day is
celebrated on the 24th October, when the UN Charter entered into
force in 1945. Romania joined the organisation on 14th December 1955.

HANDBALL Romanian women’s handball
champions, CSM Bucharest, play at home today against Buducnost Podgorica of
Montenegro, in a Champions League Goup A match. In the previous leg, CSM defeated away from home the German side Borussia
Dortmund. The Romanian team ranks 6th in the group, but should they
win this match they would move on to 4th place. The top 3 teams in
the group are Rostov on Don (Russia), FTC-Rail Cargo of Hungary
and Team Esbjerg (Denmark). (tr. A.M. Popescu)

24 October 2021
Queen Elisabeth and King Carol I

Wedded in 1869, King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth, Romanias first royal couple, generally had a calm and warm marriage until the late 1890. Proof in this respect, among other things, is brought by the 2 volumes recently released by Humanitas Publishers, comprising the correspondence exchanged by the two spouses and entitled “With warm love, Elisabeth. Always faithfully yours, Carol.

Born in Neuwied in 1843, Elisabeth sought and managed to encourage artists and arts in her new country. She was in fact keen on literature and writing easily in German, Romanian, French and English using the pen-name Carmen Sylva. It is in arts that she sought refuge after the death of her only child, princess Maria, at the age of 5, in 1874. She would express her need for maternal love years later, in her relationship with one of her ladies in waiting, Elena Văcărescu. Born into an eminent family of local noblemen and scholars and awarded twice by the French Academy for her literary skills, Elena Văcărescu was for a brief period involved in a politically unacceptable romance with Carols adopted nephew, crown prince Ferdinand, the heir to Romanias throne.

This is actually the trigger of the correspondence between the King and the Queen included in the second volume of the book “With warm love, Elisabeth. Always faithfully yours, Carol, as historian Alina Pavelescu tells us:

Alina Pavelescu: “This is the volume where the human dimension of the protagonists is best revealed. Their letters revolve around the scandal prompted by Prince Ferdinands romance with Elena Văcărescu. (…) The affair resulted in Queen Elisabeth being exiled for several years, and most of the correspondence dates back to this exile, a period when her perfect marriage with King Carol I experienced its biggest crisis, perhaps even bigger than the fact that the queen could no longer have children and therefore heirs to the Romanian throne. The King displays a great deal of composure and reason and patience in trying to make her understand what she had done wrong, and in the way he tries to put behind some of the most delicate and potentially unforgivable moments in his relationship with his wife.

But what was the actual story behind Prince Ferdinands engagement to Elena Văcărescu? Romanița Constantinescu, one of the editors of the correspondence volume, explains:

Romanița Constantinescu: “Actually that marriage was not as unlikely as it seems today, and apparently the whole situation was on the edge. Around Easter time in 1890, Ferdinand got engaged to Elena and asked the Kings permission to marry her. Although concerned with the political consequences, the King did not reject the idea out of hand, primarily out of love and respect for the Queen, who encouraged the affair, and for his nephew, the crown prince, as we learn from these letters. He left the decision to his Council of Ministers, and as we know the Council, chaired at the time by general Ioan Emanoil Florescu, did not approve the engagement.

Romanias politicians denied the marriage in order to avoid a prospective competition for influence over the throne between the local noble families related to Elena Văcărescu. Apart from the suffering inflicted on the two lovers, this decision affected Queen Elisabeth as well, who was forced into exile in several European countries, to return to Bucharest only in 1894. Silvia Irina Zimmermann, the other editor of the correspondence volume, tells us more about the Queens exile:

Silvia Zimmermann: “These are not only the letters of a queen, but also the letters of a skilled writer and fine artist. We thought that period had been a bleak time, a break with literature, but the letters tell us something else. Queen Elisabeth spent her exile years in Italy, in Venice and Palanzza, until June 1892, and at her mothers estate in Neuwied until the end of July 1894. In one letter, the Queen tells her husband she was so ill and upset that she lost all inspiration and drive for writing. However, her exile years were particularly productive both in terms of literature and in terms of decorative arts, with some of the most outstanding works still on display in Romanian museums. During these years, Queen Elisabeth worked on 3 poetry volumes and 2 plays, published under the pen-name Carmen Sylva between 1891 and 1893.

Also during those years, the Queen started writing a number of texts which, after her return to Romania, were included in her memoirs and in her fairy tale collections. In other words, Queen Elisabeth was able to convert the trials of her exile into works of art. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

18 July 2021
October 25, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 Bucharest is considering the reintroduction of night curfews in several parts of the country, the PM Ludovic Orban said after 3 counties in central Romania (Alba, Cluj and Harghita) as well as the capital Bucharest have passed 3 infections per thousand inhabitants this week. According to the most recent national update, 3,855 new cases and 73 deaths were reported in 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 6,391. Over 800 COVID-19 patients are in intensive care. Romania is one of the 23 European countries where the pandemic causes serious concern at EU level, both in terms of the daily infection numbers among the elderly, and in terms of the death rate, which is the second-highest in Europe.

PANDEMIC Spain decided on Sunday to declare a state of emergency and to order lockdowns across the country, as the number of COVID-19 cases is again rising at a fast pace. This will be the second time a state of emergency is declared in Spain, after one that lasted from March until June. A growing number of countries have introduced new restrictions to help contain the pandemic. Spain and France are seeing the largest numbers of infections, over 1 million cases each, out of the total 8.5 million reported in Europe as a whole. Across Europe, the number of COVID-19 related deaths has passed 260,000.

VISIT The PM of Romania Ludovic Orban will be on an official visit to France on Monday and Tuesday. According to the Romanian Government, Ludovic Orban will have meetings with his French counterpart Jean Castex, with the speakers of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, and the Senate, Gerard Larcher, and with the leader of the centre-right party ‘Les Republicains’, Christian Jacob. The Romanian PM will also take part in a meeting of the Council of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and will have official talks with the OECD secretary general Angel Gurria. The visit also includes a meeting with members of the Romanian community in France.

KING In Bucharest, an international sculpture competition was officially launched on Sunday, for a statue of Michael I, the last king of Romania. The statue will be place next year in Sinaia, a mountain town that was the royal residence during the rule of Romanias first king, Carol I. The ceremony was organised on the day when Romania marks 99 years since the birth of King Michael I. Romanias last sovereign died on December 5, 2017.

HANDBALL The Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest Sunday defeated the German side SG BBM Bietigheim, 32-22, away from home, in the Champions League Group A. CSM tops the group at present. The other Romanian team in the competition, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea, was scheduled to play at home on Saturday against the german club BV Borussia 09 Dortmund, but the match was postponed after several members of the Vȃlcea team tested positive for Covid-19. SCM Ramnicu Vâlcea is ranking last in Group B of the Champions League. The top 4 teams in each group qualify into the competitions quarter-finals. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

25 October 2020
December 24, 2017 UPDATE

TALKS — The Prime Minister of Romania, Mihai Tudose, accepted to meet the representatives of 43 NGOs active in the street protests initiated against the planned changes in the justice laws and the criminal codes. In a Facebook post, Tudose voiced his openness to dialogue and suggested that the meeting took place on December 27. The 43 organisations sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, expressing their willingness to contribute to dialogue, consultation and solutions, in full compliance with the rule of law, fundamental human rights and the democratic principles. New street protests were held on Saturday night in Bucharest and other Romanian cities, against the bills designed to amend the justice laws. On Friday, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland sent a letter to the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, urging him to request an opinion from the Venice Commission on the legislative reform already endorsed by Parliament.

CHRISTMAS — Orthodox believers celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25th, one of the greatest feast days of the Christian world. “The celebration of Nativity is a call for compassion and solidarity with those who need our support. I wish you a happy Christmas, wherever you are,” reads a message from the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis.

ROYAL HOUSE — This is the first Christmas without King Michael, but the Royal House is celebrating the Nativity and pays tribute to the life and achievements of the 4th monarch of the Romanian state, the Custodian of the Crown, H.M. Margareta wrote in a message to the nation, as Romania’s former sovereign used to send every Christmas Eve. She noted the solidarity of the Romanian people during the King’s funeral 2 weeks ago, and recalled the care and attention with which every year King Michael would write his Christmas address, which during the exile years was his only form of communication with the Romanians. Michael I died on December 5, in Switzerland, aged 96, and was buried on December 16, in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania.

HOLIDAYS — Thousands of Romanians will be spending their holidays in mountain resorts. At the top of the travel destinations these days are the resorts in the Prahova Valley region in the south of Romania, such as Predeal, Sinaia and Buşteni, where occupancy rates are around 80%. In Bâlea Lac, in Făgăraş Mountains, the new Ice Hotel, the only one of its kind in Romania, has opened today. Most of the tourists having booked a room here come from abroad. Music is the chosen theme of this 13th ice hotel built at over 2,000 metres in Făgăraş Mountains. Each of the 15 rooms has been decorated with snow and ice sculptures representing Romanian and international music stars.

POLICE — In Romania, nearly 23,000 police, gendarmes and fire fighters are working every day throughout the Christmas holiday. Special attention will be paid to preventing public order incidents, fighting anti-social conduct, streamlining road traffic and check point transit, as well as to the management of emergency situations. Police workers and gendarmes will be present especially in crowded places like fairs, train stations, tourist resorts, as well as over 16,400 churches, where special religious services will be held. Bulgarian-speaking Romanian policemen will also be part of joint patrols with their counterparts from the neighbouring Bulgaria, in the mountain resort of Bansko, until next March, providing support and assistance to the Bulgarian police. This is the 8th winter season when such joint missions are organised in Bulgaria.

TENNIS — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 1 in the world, plays today against the Czech Karolina Pliskova, no 4 WTA, in the Intercontinental World Tennis Championship finals in Thailand. On Saturday in the quarter-final, Halep defeated Britain’s Johanna Konta, 2-0, while Pliskova outplayed Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, no 7 WTA. Ostapenko and Konta are playing on Sunday for the 3rd place in the competition.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

24 December 2017
December 12, 2017 UPDATE

King Michael – King Michaels body will be brought from Lausanne to Romania on Wednesday. The former sovereign died on December 5, at the age of 96, in Switzerland. On Monday Romanias Parliament convened in solemn session to pay tribute to King Michael I. Attending the ceremony were President Klaus Iohannis, Princess Margareta, the Custodian of the Crown of Romania, the former presidents of Romania Emil Constantinescu and Traian Basescu, the PM Mihai Tudose, the speakers of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu and Liviu Dragnea, and the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel. The Romanian authorities have declared December 14, 15 and 16 days of national mourning. King Michael I will be buried on Saturday, December 16 with state honours at Curtea de Arges, where all Romanian kings have been interred.

World Bank – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis received in Bucharest on Tuesday a World Bank delegation headed by the vice-president for Europe and Central Asia, Cyril Muller. During the talks, the participants discussed the need to carry on structural reforms in order to strengthen Romanias chances of sustainable economic development. In this respect, the transport infrastructure should be viewed as a top priority of public investments. According to the Presidency, the agenda of the meeting also included the issue of education, on which occasion the head of state stressed the importance of this sector and the need to improve it. The participants also looked at the recent economic developments in Romania, emphasising the need for responsible policies in this field, so that the taxation and budget framework may ensure predictability and stability for the business environment and also that it may cope with prospective risks.

PROTESTS – The National Union Bloc (BNS), one of the largest trade union organisations in Romania, organised a rally in Bucharest on Tuesday to protest the measures introduced by the new Fiscal Code, particularly the transfer of social security payment obligations from employers to employees as of January 1, 2018. The unionists sought to warn the Government against the negative short, medium and long-term effects generated by this transfer. The National Union Bloc believes the rights of workers to be threatened, and the chances for employment relations based on respect to worsen. The new tax code measures have also been criticised by other trade unions, by the business community and the right-of-centre opposition.

NATO – The 29 NATO member states Tuesday decided to extend Jens Stoltenbergs term in office as secretary general of the organisation until September 30, 2020. A former prime-minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg has been the NATO secretary general since October 1, 2014. He was originally elected for 4 years, replacing Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark. Romania has been a NATO member since 2004.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

12 December 2017
December 11, 2017

KING MICHAEL I – The Parliament of Romania convenes in a solemn session today, in the presence of President Klaus Iohannis, to pay tribute to King Michael I. Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, will also give an address. The former sovereign died on December 5, at 96 years of age, in Switzerland. Ever since, Romanians have been bringing flowers and candles at the Romanian and Swiss residences of the Royal House. The Kings body will be brought to the country on December 13. The authorities have declared a national mourning on December 14, 15 and 16. King Michael I, the last of Romanias 4 sovereigns, will be buried on Saturday, December 16, in Curtea de Arges, in the south of the country, where all Romanian royalty are interred. Many Romanian and foreign personalities are expected to attend the funerals. Historians agree that by having the pro-German Marshall Ion Antonescu arrested and having the country join the Allies, Michael I helped shorten WW2 by six months. Forced by the Communists to abdicate in 1947, the ex-King was only allowed to return to Romania after the fall of communism. He was one of the strongest supporters on Romanias joining NATO and the EU.

BUDGET – The Parliament of Romania begins the debates on the 2018 state budget bill this week. The public budget is based on a 5.5% economic growth rate and earmarks higher funds for healthcare, education, agriculture and investments. The state budget and social security budget bills were distributed on Thursday to the MPs, who had until this morning to submit amendments. The proposals will be discussed by Parliaments specialised committees starting on Tuesday and will be finalised on Saturday. Debates on the amended texts will begin next Monday in Parliament, with the final vote scheduled on December 21.

PROTESTS – Thousands of people took to the streets once again on Sunday night in Bucharest and other major cities, to protest the changes to the justice laws promoted by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The protesters say the Power is attempting to have the judiciary subordinated to political circles and to stop the fight against corruption. They were joined by the leaders of the right-wing opposition, the president of the National Liberal Party Ludovic Orban, and the president of Save Romania Union Dan Barna, and by the former PM Dacian Ciolos, who accused the ruling coalition of attacking the very foundation of the rule of law. In response, the head of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania and Senate Speaker Calin Popescu-Tariceanu says the revision of the laws regulating the judicial system is designed to strengthen the rule of law and the independence of magistrates.

STATISTICS – Romanias trade deficit in the first 10 months of the year was 10.2 billion euros, nearly 2.3 billion euros more than in the corresponding period of 2016, the National Statistics Institute announced. According to the institution, in October, Romanias exports exceeded 5.7 billion euro, while imports reached 7 billion euros. As compared to October 2016, exports were 13.3% higher, and imports rose by 16.7%. The intra-EU trade accounted for 75.9% of Romanias total imports and exports in the first 10 months of the year.

ISRAEL – While on a visit to Brussels today, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US President Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and said he expected European countries to follow suit. Ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers, Netanyahu pointed out that Trumps decision, condemned by Palestinians and by the European governments, would make Middle East peace possible. He called on Palestinians to recognise Israel as a Jewish state and Jerusalem as its capital. Netanyahu had a meeting today with the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who welcomed the first visit by an Isaraeli PM to the EU in 22 years. She emphasised that the bloc would respect the “international consensus on the status of Jerusalem and reiterated the Unions commitment to a two-state solution. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, says Trumps recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel threatens to compromise the Israel-Palestinian peace efforts. Street protests against the decision continued in Muslim countries, while the Arab League has called on the US Administration to reverse it, on grounds that it will escalate tensions in the region.

HANDBALL – Romanias womens handball team is playing against the Czech Republic today, in the round of 16 of the World Championships in Germany. If they win, the Romanians will be facing next the winner of the match between the Netherlands and Japan. So far, France, Montenegro, Denmark and Sweden have qualified into the quarter-finals. Romania won the bronze medal in the previous championship, held in 2015, and is the only team to have taken part in all the 22 world final tournaments in the history of the competition.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

11 December 2017
Romanians pay tribute to King Michael I

Royal Hose loyalists, tourists and passers-by have stopped in front of the Royal Palace in Bucharest or of Elisabeta Palace, the Royal Familys residence in the capital city, to sign the books of condolences, light candles or lay flowers in memory of King Michael I, who died on Tuesday in Switzerland, aged 96. The Peles Castle in Sinaia, in the Southern Carpathians, the former summer residence of Romanias kings, has also become a focal point for those wishing to pay tribute to King Michael. His death prompted the biggest outpouring of grief seen in Romania in recent times, and the way simple people speak about him mirrors the deep admiration and respect that Romanians have for their king:

Speaker: “At personal level, I feel Ive lost the last connection with my grandparents, who fought alongside His Majesty. At historical level, the loss is huge. Ive always been impressed with his grace and elegance and with how clear he spoke Romanian after so many years of exile. “

Speaker: “May God rest his soul, and we hope that he will continue to watch over Romania and its people whom he loved so much.

Speaker: “We have come to light some candles for the King. He was a good man.

Speaker: “We thank him for everything that he did for Romania.

Special religious services are held in churches in Romania and Switzerland until Wednesday, December 13, when King Michaels body will be flown to Romania and placed in the Hall of Honour of the Peles Castle in Sinaia. On the evening of the same day, the coffin will be brought to Bucharest and placed in the Throne Hall of the Royal Palace, to lie in state until the 15th of December.

The King will be buried on December 16 in Curtea de Arges, in the south, where all of Romania’s kings are interred, including his wife, Anna of Bourbon-Parma. Around 100 personalities from all over the world, including heads of state and government and members of royal families, are expected to attend the funeral. Princess Margareta, the eldest of King Michael’s five daughters and the Custodian of the Crown, vowed to carry on his fathers legacy.

Princess Margareta: “Throughout his long life, Romanias 4th king relied on faith, hope and patience. In every situation, he answered with justice and, when possible, with forgiveness. I am sure that in the future Romanians will continue to love the Crown, united in thought and action for the national good, as members of NATO and the EU.

On Monday, December 11, Parliament will convene in plenary sitting to pay homage to the former monarch. December 14, 15 and 16 will be days of national mourning. King Michael of Romania was the countrys longest living monarch, living 96 years of the countrys 151 years of monarchy.

He was credited with pre-emptively saving thousands of lives in World War II when, at 22, he had the courage to arrest the pro-Nazi leader, Marshal Ion Antonescu, a move that brought Romania on the side of the Allies. Historians say the monarchs action might have shortened the war in Europe by six months. King Michael was forced by the communists to abdicate and leave the country, and his exile lasted almost 50 years.

(translated by: Elena Enache)

8 December 2017
December 7, 2017

KING MICHAEL – Every evening until December 10 religious services will be held at King Michaels residence in Switzerland, where he spent most of his life in exile and where he also died, the Royal House announced. In the country, Romanians continue to bring flowers and candles in front of the former royal palace in Bucharest and at the Elisabeta Palace, the late Kings residence in the capital city. King Michaels body will be flown to the country on Wednesday, December 13, and placed at the Peles Castle in Sinaia, in the southern Carpathians. On the evening of the same day, the coffin will be brought to the Royal Palace in Bucharest. The funeral will take place on Saturday, December 16, in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania, where all Romanias former kings are interred. The Government declared a national mourning on December 14, 15 and 16. On Monday, December 11, the joint chambers of the Romanian Parliament will pay tribute to the former sovereign in a solemn session. The King of Romania between 1940 and 1947, Michael I passed away on Tuesday, at the age of 96.

PROTESTS – Hundreds of people last night picketed the building of the Romanian Parliament, to protest the changes brought to the law on the status of magistrates, which were subject to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies. Traffic in the area was disrupted and incidents were reported, involving the protesters and the police. Unplanned protests were also held in the cities of Cluj Napoca, in the north-west, and Constanta in the south-east. The participants demanded that the Social Democratic leader Liviu Dragnea step down as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, given that he has already received a suspended sentence and is prosecuted in two other cases. MPs from Power and Opposition also traded insults and invectives during the meeting.

BUDGET LAW – Leaders of the Romanian Parliament are to set today a roadmap for the endorsement of the 2018 state budget law. The bill was passed by the Government on Wednesday, and is based on a forecast economic growth rate of 5.5% and a 3.1% annual inflation rate. Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said it was the first time that the countrys GDP exceeded 200 billion euros, which would allow for salary and pension increases.

DIPLOMACY – The US Ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, accuses Moscow of conducting misinformation campaigns aimed at generating confusion and division among NATO member states. Taking advantage of our democratic societies, Russia seeks to influence public opinion and often to influence elections as well, by disseminating fake news, the American diplomat said at a public debate organised in the north-western city of Cluj. On the other hand, he once again called on Romania to further fight corruption and defend the independence of the judiciary.

MIDDLE EAST – US President Donald Trumps recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel triggered strong international condemnation. The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Friday, at the request of 8 members, including the UK and France. The Arab League announced an emergency meeting on Saturday. All Palestinian organisations criticized the move and called for strikes and protests, while many countries in the region warned that the decision would entail religious tensions. Turkey threatened to break ties with Israel. Another US ally, Saudi Arabia, slammed Trumps decision as “irresponsible. Traditional US allies from Europe also voiced opposition to the move, whereas Russia and China have expressed concerns that conflicts in the region will be exacerbated.

HANDBALL – Romanias womens handball team is playing tonight against Angola, in Group A of the World Championships hosted by Germany. The Romanians have already secured their qualification in the round of 16, after having defeated Paraguay, Slovenia and Spain. On Friday they will play the last match in the group, against France. Romania won the bronze medal in the 2015 championship, and is the only team to have taken part in all the 22 world championship final tournaments so far.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

7 December 2017
October 25, 2017 UPDATE

ARMY DAY – It is essential to ensure the necessary equipment for the Romanian Army, and the funds earmarked to this end must be spent efficiently, President Klaus Iohannis said on Romanian Army Day celebrated on Wednesday. He pointed out that at present Romania looks more confidently towards the future thanks to its NATO and EU membership and to the strength of its partnership with the US, which he described as valuable, efficient and pragmatic. On Romanian Army Day, the national flag was flown at the headquarters of military institutions and on board Romanian vessels, and ceremonies and commemorations were held in all garrisons in the country and in the countries were Romania has accredited military attaches. Special ceremonies were organized in Carei (north-west), the last Romanian town freed from Hungarian occupation in World War II, 73 years ago. According to historians, the Romanian troops deliberately waited for the day of October 25 to launch the final attack, so as to dedicate the victory to King Mihai I on his birthday.

JUDICIARY – The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader Wednesday presented the bill modifying the laws on the judiciary to the special committee in Parliament. He emphasised that as far as the appointment of high-ranking prosecutors is concerned, the Ministry expected an opinion from the Venice Commission on this aspect. Minister Toader also announced his proposal to make the judicial inspection corps an autonomous institution, subordinated to neither the Higher Council of Magistrates not to the Justice Ministry, and mentioned that a special law must be endorsed within 6 months, to regulate the status of that institution. Also, in terms of the liability of magistrates, the Justice Minister said judges would be subject to pecuniary liability for errors made in bad faith. The ruling coalition decided last week that the bill modifying the laws on the judiciary should be tabled as a parliamentary initiative rather than a government draft law. Next week the bill will be discussed by the special parliamentary committee, and then it will be send to the Chamber of Deputies. The decision-making body for this law is the Senate.

KING MIHAI I – King Mihai I of Romania turned 96 on Wednesday, and had a private birthday celebration at his residence in Switzerland. On behalf of Romanias former sovereign, Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, decorated Romanian and foreign personalities and collaborators of the Romanian Royal House, in a ceremony in Bucharest. On Wednesday evening the Romanian Athenaeum hosted the 10th annual concert organised by the charity Princess Margareta of Romania. King Mihai I is suffering from two severe forms of cancer, and last spring he withdrew from public life. In 1947, only 7 years after taking the throne, Mihai I was forced by the communist regime to abdicate and to leave the country. He was only able to return to Romania after the 1989 anti-communist Revolution, and he regained his Romanian citizenship and some of his estate. King Mihai I lobbied for Romanias NATO and EU accession, as a special ambassador.

OLYMPIAD – The city of Cluj-Napoca, in north-western Romania, will host between July 3rd and 14th next year the International Mathematical Olympiad, the Romanian Education Ministry has announced. Expected to take part in the prestigious competition organized for the 4th time in Romania, are around 600 students from more than 100 countries. The International Mathematical Olympiad was launched by Romania in 1959, and the first editions only involved participants from the former Communist bloc countries. The first Western country took part in the 1969 edition, and since the 1970s the number of Western participants has increased. Romania holds the record as a host country, having organized the 1969, 1979 and 1999 editions. Romania and Bulgaria are the only countries to have taken part in all editions so far, and in an unofficial ranking of nations, Romania comes third.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 1 in the world, was defeated on Wednesday by the Danish player Caroline Wozniacki (6 WTA), 6-0, 6-2, in her second Red Group match in the WTA Finals in Singapore. Wozniacki has secured her spot in the semi-finals, whereas Halep has to win the last match in the group, against Elina Svitolina (Ukraine, 4 WTA), to move on in the competition. In the White Group, the Czech Karolina Pliskova (3 WTA) has 2 wins and has already qualified into the semi-finals.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

25 October 2017
October 24, 2017

KING MIHAI I – King Mihai I of Romania turns 96 on Wednesday, and will have a private birthday celebration at his residence in Switzerland, the website romaniaregală.ro reports. On behalf of Romanias former sovereign, Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, will decorate Romanian and foreign personalities and collaborators of the Romanian Royal House, in a ceremony in Bucharest. On Wednesday evening the Romanian Athenaeum will host the 10th annual concert organised by the charity Princess Margareta of Romania. King Mihai I is suffering from two severe forms of cancer, and last spring he withdrew from public life. In 1947, only 7 years after taking the throne, Mihai I was forced by the communist regime to abdicate and to leave the country. He was only able to return to Romania after the 1989 anti-communist Revolution, and he regained his Romanian citizenship and some of his estate. King Mihai I lobbied for Romanias NATO and EU accession, as a special ambassador.

DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Teodor Melescanu, was received on Monday in Jerusalem by the Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin. The two officials highlighted the excellent bilateral cooperation, consolidated during the 69 years of constant diplomatic relations. The talks focused on diversifying economic and sectoral cooperation, ahead of resuming the third session of Romanian-Israeli inter-governmental talks. Another important topic had to do with fighting anti-Semitism and promoting education in this respect. The agenda also included an exchange of opinions on topical international matters, such as the Middle East peace process, the crisis in Syria, Iraq and the Gulf region, and the prospects of the Iran nuclear deal. As part of his visit to Israel, FM Teodor Melescanu also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.

CONFERENCE – The Romanian capital city Bucharest is hosting today and tomorrow the IAA Global Conference, an international technology, marketing and communication forum. The event brings to Bucharest some of the worlds greatest entrepreneurs and inventors, including Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder alongside with Steve Jobs and the inventor of the first personal computer in the world. Also addressing the hundreds of participants will be speakers from IBM, the Disney studios, Google and the BBC. This years conference is themed Creativity can change the world.

TOURISM – Around 100 Romanian and foreign journalists, bloggers, vloggers, and instagramers are visiting these days places in Romania that are worth seeing but are not properly promoted, as part of Experience România, the largest Romanian tourism promotion project. The guests come from nearly 20 countries, including Australia, Canada, India, the US, Germany, Italy and Spain. A similar project, run in spring and promoting the capital city Bucharest was followed by millions online and attracted tourists from far away places like Alaska, Argentina and Japan.

EU – The EU labour ministers reached an agreement in Luxembourg on Monday night on a proposed reform of the posted workers directive. The participants agreed to limit secondments to 12 months, as France had proposed, but to allow for a six-month extension at the request of the company that posts workers. France also had to accept a compromise with respect to the status of workers in the road transport sector, a particularly delicate point in that Spain and Portugal, as well as the Visegrad Group countries (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia), were concerned with the negative impact of the reform on their truck drivers.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no 1 in the world, is playing on Wednesday against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark (6 WTA), in the second Red Group match of the WTA Finals in Singapore. In the other match of the day, the French Caroline Garcia (9 WTA) will face the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (4 WTA). On Monday, Halep beat Garcia, and Wozniacki defeated Svitolina. In the White Group today, the American Venus Williams (5 WTA), the only WTA Finals winner of this years participants, is playing against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia (7 WTA), while Garbine Muguruza of Spain (2 WTA) takes on the Czech Karolina Pliskova (3 WTA). On Sunday, Muguruza defeated Ostapenko and Pliskova won the match against Williams.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

24 October 2017