Radio România Internațional

Tag: League

  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club

    It appears that, as of late, everything has been going their way. We’re speaking
    about Romanian women’s handball club teams. The two squads representing Romania
    in the Champions League had an unprecedented competition season debut. For the
    first time ever in the Champions League, title holders Rapid are the only Romanian
    team with a no-defeat record in the League’s ongoing season. In six fixtures,
    Rapid secured four wins and drew twice. They are 2nd-placed in Group
    B, on a par with the leader, the very strong Hungarian team Gyor, whom they are
    pitted against in the Champions League’s two upcoming rounds.


    The team that in the Champions League’s last two competition
    seasons represented Romania, and the team that walked away with the League’s
    trophy in 2016, CSM Bucharest, has also secured its presence in the League this
    year. In Group A, CSM has joined Germany’s Bietigheim and Vipers Kristiansand of Norway. All three teams have four wins and a draw on
    their record sheet. In direct matches, CSM drew against German title
    holders and sustained a defeat in Norway. CSM Bucharest are in for a daunting
    task in the next two games they will play against Ferencváros Budapest of Hungary.


    The Champions League will interrupt until December 3rd
    and the 4th because of the European Championship due to kick-start in
    Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro next week. In Group C, Romania will
    join France, the Low Countries team and North Macedonia. The fixtures will be played
    in Skopje. The first three teams in descending order, in each of the four
    groups, advance to the Championship’s main group stage. France and the Low
    Countries are top and second-seeded, respectively, while Romania will fight host
    team North Macedonia for the 3rd position in the group. On Saturday,
    November 3rd, Romania will take on the Low Countries team, in its
    debut fixture as part of the 2022 edition of the European Championship. On November the
    5th Romania will face France, while on Wednesday, November 9th,
    our national squad go against North Macedonia.(EN)


  • October 23, 2022 UPDATE

    October 23, 2022 UPDATE

    NATO Spain is going
    to send F-18 and Eurofighter jets to Romania and Bulgaria, to help strengthen
    NATO’s eastern flank in the context of the war in Ukraine. According to Radio
    Romania’s correspondent in Madrid, the aircraft, pilots and relevant auxiliary
    and maintenance personnel will reach the Feteşti air base in the south of
    Romania on December 1, and will be stationed there until the end of March 2023.
    Currently stationed in Zaragoza, they will monitor air space in the region and
    take part in training missions. This is Spain’s response to the Allied request
    for an enhanced contribution to NATO’s prevention capability, the Spanish
    defence ministry said, and added that Spain has already installed a long-range
    air surveillance radar in Schitu, Constanţa County, operational since October
    17 and serviced by 38 troops.


    BORDER Romania’s
    border police announced that over 97,000 people entered Romania on Saturday, of
    whom more than 9,500 were Ukrainian nationals, up 15.6% since the previous day.
    According to current data, over 2.6 million Ukrainian citizens have entered
    Romania since February 10, and nearly 4,400 of them have applied for asylum
    here.


    NRRP Romania is
    set to receive EUR 2.6 bln in the coming days under the National Recovery and
    Resilience Plan, to be channelled into the country’s economic recovery. The
    funds are transferred after the European Commission authorised the payment of
    the first instalments of the non-reimbursable aid and loan components. Romania submitted
    the first payment request in May, after meeting the targets and benchmarks for
    the 4th quarter of 2021. In September, the European Commission’s assessment of
    these targets was approved and submitted to the Economic and Financial
    Committee, which also approved it. The Romanian minister for investment and
    European projects Marcel Boloş believes this is just the beginning of a long
    road, which, if successfully completed, will translate into investments in
    motorways, railways, schools and hospitals. The next payment request will
    amount to EUR 3.2 bln, for which over 50 targets will have to be met, related
    to the first half of this year. Romania may access a total of nearly EUR 30 bln
    under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, of which it has already
    received 2 pre-financing instalments amounting to a rough EUR 3.8 bln.


    COAL Romania has
    increased its coal output to mitigate the energy crunch. The amounts extracted
    in the first 8 months of the year went up 1.7% and imports rose by 13.5%, the
    National Statistics Institute reports. The National Strategy and Forecast
    Commission estimates for this year a coal output 10% higher than in 2021 and a
    2.8% rise in imports. For 2023, the Commission forecasts an 8% increase in
    output.


    CHINA The Chinese
    president Xi Jinping was re-elected on Sunday as leader of the ruling Communist
    Party, thus becoming China’s strongest leader since Mao Zedong, the founder of
    the Chinese communist regime, international news agencies report. Xi Jinping was
    appointed for a 3rd five-year term in office by a largely reshuffled Central
    Committee, and is very likely to be re-elected president as well in March. ‘China cannot develop without the world, and the world also
    needs China,’ he said, and praised what he called the two miracles achieved
    by his country-rapid economic development and long-term social stability. Xi
    Jinping appointed many of his close allies in the Standing Committee, a 7-member
    group in power in China. The all-powerful Politburo includes no women among its
    members for the first time in 25 years.


    HANDBALL The
    Romanian women’s handball champions, Rapid Bucharest, Sunday defeated Storhamar Handball Elite,
    of Norway, 27-25, in a home match in Champions’ League Group B. Rapid remain
    undefeated after 6 matches in Group B. Their next game is scheduled on December
    3, away from home, against handball powerhouse Gyori Audi ETO KC. (AMP)

  • October 23, 2022

    October 23, 2022

    MILITARY The
    first shipment of French military equipment to join the NATO battle group deployed
    to Cincu, in central Romania, reaches the country on Sunday, the defence
    ministry announced. A second convoy, comprising a Leclerc main battle tank
    company, is set to arrive in November. The NATO Battle Group Forward Presence
    in Romania (BGFP) was created in May by transforming the Allied multinational
    elements of the NATO Response Force deployed to our country. Upon France’s
    proposal to take over the framework-nation role, the French battalion deployed
    to Romania, considered the Spearhead of the Very High Readiness Joint Task
    Force (VJTF), built up the BGFP on our national territory by integrating, on
    rotational basis, Belgian and Dutch troops. BGFP contributes to the increase of
    the Romanian military cooperation with France and, implicitly, to the consolidation
    of the Euro-Atlantic space security on the Eastern Flank. Cooperation with the
    strategic partners and the deployment of relevant combat structures on national
    territory contribute to the increase of defence and deterrence capacity in the
    context of the Ukraine war and the Black Sea region crisis, the defence
    ministry explains.


    BORDER Romania’s
    border police announced that over 97,000 people entered Romania on Saturday, of
    whom more than 9,500 were Ukrainian nationals, up 15.6% since the previous day.
    According to current data, over 2.6 million Ukrainian citizens have entered
    Romania since February 10, and nearly 4,400 of them have applied for asylum
    here.


    NRRP Romania is
    set to receive EUR 2.6 bln in the coming days under the National Recovery and
    Resilience Plan, to be channelled into the country’s economic recovery. The
    funds are transferred after the European Commission authorised the payment of
    the first instalments of the non-reimbursable aid and loan components. Romania submitted
    the first payment request in May, after meeting the targets and benchmarks for
    the 4th quarter of 2021. In September, the European Commission’s assessment of
    these targets was approved and submitted to the Economic and Financial
    Committee, which also approved it. The Romanian minister for investment and
    European projects Marcel Boloş believes this is just the beginning of a long
    road, which, if successfully completed, will translate into investments in
    motorways, railways, schools and hospitals. The next payment request will
    amount to EUR 3.2 bln, for which over 50 targets will have to be met, related
    to the first half of this year. Romania may access a total of nearly EUR 30 bln
    under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, of which it has already
    received 2 pre-financing instalments amounting to a rough EUR 3.8 bln.


    COAL Romania has
    increased its coal output to mitigate the energy crunch. The amounts extracted
    in the first 8 months of the year went up 1.7% and imports rose by 13.5%, the
    National Statistics Institute reports. The National Strategy and Forecast
    Commission estimates for this year a coal output 10% higher than in 2021 and a
    2.8% rise in imports. For 2023, the Commission forecasts an 8% increase in
    output.


    CHINA The Chinese
    president Xi Jinping was re-elected on Sunday as leader of the ruling Communist
    Party, thus becoming China’s strongest leader since Mao Zedong, the founder of
    the Chinese communist regime, international news agencies report. Xi Jinping was
    appointed for a 3rd five-year term in office by a largely reshuffled Central
    Committee, and is very likely to be re-elected president as well in March. ‘China cannot develop without the world, and the world also
    needs China,’ he said, and praised what he called the two miracles achieved
    by his country-rapid economic development and long-term social stability. Xi
    Jinping appointed many of his close allies in the Standing Committee, a 7-member
    group in power in China. The all-powerful Politburo includes no women among its
    members for the first time in 25 years.


    HANDBALL The
    Romanian women’s handball champions, Rapid Bucharest, play at home today
    against Storhamar, of Norway, in a Champions’ League Group B match. Rapid is
    3rd in the ranking, after the Hungarian side Gyor and the French side Metz. On Saturday, vice-champions CSM Bucharest
    lost their first game in the group, away from home, to defending champions
    Vipers Kristiansand of Norway, 35-29. CSM ranks 3rd in Group A, after the
    German side Bietigheim and Kristiansand. (AMP)

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    The last four fixtures counting towards the first round as part of Romanian
    Cup in Football’s group stage were played on Thursday. In Group A,
    Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe grabbed a 3-1 away win against Petrolul Ploiești. In
    Group B, CS Mioveni secured a 1-nil away win against Oțelul
    Galați. In Group C, in Cluj, Universitatea and CFR drew, 1-all, while in Group D,
    in Baia Mare, the match pitting the local side Minaur against FC Argeș ended in
    a blank draw.


    Matches counting
    towards Romanian football Superleague’s last round of the home series, the 15th
    round, are played at the weekend. On Friday, Rapid Bucharest face Farul
    Constanța. On Saturday, FC Voluntari play a home game against Chindia
    Târgoviște, while FC U Craiova receive the visit of FC Hermannstadt. On Sunday,
    CS Mioveni play FC Botoșani, also on home turf. In Arad, the local side UTA take
    on Universitatea Craiova. Also on Sunday, Universitatea Cluj play the other
    team from Cluj, CFR. The 15th round’s last two fixtures are scheduled on Monday, when Petrolul Ploiești are pitted against FC Argeș, while Sepsi
    Sfântu Gheorghe go against FCSB. Farul are at the top of the table with 33 points,
    followed by Rapid, with 28.


    Matches counting towards the 6th round as part of the
    Champions League in women’s handball are scheduled at the weekend. On Saturday,
    in a Group A fixture, CSM Bucharest travel to Norway for a game against the
    2021 winner of the League, Vipers Kristiansand. CSM have a no-defeat record so far. CSM are 2nd-placed in the group with 9 points, on a
    par with German side Bietigheim, but with a poorer goal average. Vipers are 3rd-placed,
    with two points less than CSM Bucharest on their record sheet.


    In the Champions League’s Group B on Sunday, Rapid Bucharest play a home
    game against another Norwegian team, Storhamar. Holders Rapid is Group B’s
    only team with a no-defeat record in the 2022 edition of the Champions League. Rapid
    are 2nd-placed with 8 points, on a par with Hungarian Győr, but with a
    poorer goal average. Storhamar sustained three defeats in the five fixtures they
    have played so far and are 6th-placed in the group. (EN)


  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    The last four fixtures counting towards the first round as part of Romanian
    Cup in Football’s group stage were played on Thursday. In Group A,
    Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe grabbed a 3-1 away win against Petrolul Ploiești. In
    Group B, CS Mioveni secured a 1-nil away win against Oțelul
    Galați. In Group C, in Cluj, Universitatea and CFR drew, 1-all, while in Group D,
    in Baia Mare, the match pitting the local side Minaur against FC Argeș ended in
    a blank draw.


    Matches counting
    towards Romanian football Superleague’s last round of the home series, the 15th
    round, are played at the weekend. On Friday, Rapid Bucharest face Farul
    Constanța. On Saturday, FC Voluntari play a home game against Chindia
    Târgoviște, while FC U Craiova receive the visit of FC Hermannstadt. On Sunday,
    CS Mioveni play FC Botoșani, also on home turf. In Arad, the local side UTA take
    on Universitatea Craiova. Also on Sunday, Universitatea Cluj play the other
    team from Cluj, CFR. The 15th round’s last two fixtures are scheduled on Monday, when Petrolul Ploiești are pitted against FC Argeș, while Sepsi
    Sfântu Gheorghe go against FCSB. Farul are at the top of the table with 33 points,
    followed by Rapid, with 28.


    Matches counting towards the 6th round as part of the
    Champions League in women’s handball are scheduled at the weekend. On Saturday,
    in a Group A fixture, CSM Bucharest travel to Norway for a game against the
    2021 winner of the League, Vipers Kristiansand. CSM have a no-defeat record so far. CSM are 2nd-placed in the group with 9 points, on a
    par with German side Bietigheim, but with a poorer goal average. Vipers are 3rd-placed,
    with two points less than CSM Bucharest on their record sheet.


    In the Champions League’s Group B on Sunday, Rapid Bucharest play a home
    game against another Norwegian team, Storhamar. Holders Rapid is Group B’s
    only team with a no-defeat record in the 2022 edition of the Champions League. Rapid
    are 2nd-placed with 8 points, on a par with Hungarian Győr, but with a
    poorer goal average. Storhamar sustained three defeats in the five fixtures they
    have played so far and are 6th-placed in the group. (EN)


  • October 10, 2022

    October 10, 2022

    DEFICIT In the first 8 months of the year Romania’s trade balance
    deficit deepened by nearly EUR 7.4 billion, to EUR 22 billion. According to data
    made public by the National Statistics Institute on Monday, exports went up
    25%, to EUR 60.3 billion, and imports rose by 31%, to roughly EUR 83 billion.
    Vehicles and transport equipment, as well as other manufactured products,
    accounted for a large part of Romania’s foreign trade. Over 70% of the total
    imports and exports involved the EU market.


    PILGRIMAGE
    The north-eastern Romanian city of Iaşi is hosting these days a traditional
    pilgrimage devoted to St. Paraskeva, commemorated on the 14 October and viewed
    as the patron saint of Moldavia. Thousands of Orthodox believers from around
    the country and from abroad have already come to pray at St. Paraskeva’s relics,
    hosted by the Metropolitan Cathedral. The Iași pilgrimage is the largest
    Orthodox pilgrimage in the country, with around 300,000 people expected to
    attend this year.


    REFUGEES Romania is better prepared to
    receive Ukrainian refugees, although there is no indication that their number
    may increase, the state secretary with the interior ministry Raed Arafat
    said in Suceava, north-eastern Romania. On Sunday the Romanian official
    travelled to the Suceava hub for a donation ceremony also attended by the
    French ambassador to Bucharest, Laurence Auer, and the Ukrainian ambassador in
    Romania, Ihor Prokopchuk. Fifteen fire engines and ambulances were brought to
    the hub by 40 members of the French civil protection agency, and further
    materials will reach Suceava in a few days. The largest French aid batch for
    Ukraine, consisting in over 1 tonne of pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and
    intervention vehicles, has reached the Black Sea port of Constanţa Sud-Agigea.


    UKRAINE
    Several blasts were reported this
    morning in the Ukrainian capital city and in Lviv, Ternopil and Dnipro. The
    Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu announced that Romanian diplomatic
    staff in Kyiv is safe, although a missile hit 850m from the Romanian embassy
    office. The Romanian official firmly condemns Russian missile strikes on
    civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities as a blatant violation of
    international human rights law. Meanwhile, Russia’s Security Council convenes today at president
    Vladimir Putin’s request, after Saturday’s
    partial destruction of the Kerch bridge connecting Russia to Crimea. According
    to Putin, this was a terrorist act committed by Ukraine. The Ukrainian
    authorities neither confirmed nor denied their involvement in the incident. In
    Washington, the White House declined comments on the topic and mentioned it
    would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine. Also today, the UN is holding an
    emergency session to discuss Russia’s recent annexation of 4 other Ukrainian
    provinces. Radio Romania’s correspondent in the US mentions that the UN General
    Assembly condemned the annexation of Crimea in 2014.


    AIRPORT As of today, the Bucharest Otopeni Airport is upgrading its baggage
    handling systems at the Departures terminal, the Bucharest National Airport
    Company has announced. Until next August, the number of check-in counters will
    be significantly reduced, and waiting time will be longer. The current baggage
    handling system is more than 20 years old, and its replacement requires an over
    EUR 20 million investment. After the works, the processing capacity will be 40%
    higher, and 12 counters for passengers to drop off their own baggage without
    resorting to a check-in counter will also be available, the Company announced.


    VETERINARY EU experts are assessing these days the veterinary services
    at the border check points Stamora Moraviţa, in Timiş County, on the border
    with Serbia, and at the Bucharest Henri Coandă Airport, the National Veterinary
    and Food Safety Agency announced. The assessment comes in the context of
    Romania’s prospective Schengen area accession. The Czech presidency of the EU
    Council announced last week that in the December summit it will seek a
    unanimous decision on Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the passport-free
    travel area.



    SPORTS The Romanian team CSM Bucharest defeated
    the Dutch side Odense Handbold, 31-27 (16-13), on Sunday, away from home, in
    Group A of the women’s handball Champions’ League. Undefeated in 4 matches, the
    Romanian team is to play next at home on 16 October, against DHK Banik Most. In
    turn, CS Rapid Bucharest won 34-32 (19-14) against the Danish team Team
    Esbjerg, in a home game on Sunday in Group B of the same competition. This was
    the 3rd win for the Romanian champions in the competition. Rapid will
    play next against Buducnost Podgorica, away from home, on 15 October. (AMP)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup




    The Romanian water polo teams CSM Oradea and
    Steaua Bucharest have moved up to the second qualification round of the
    Champions League. CSM Oradea won all their matches in the League’s qualifier
    Group B, held in Oradea: 10-7 against the Italian side Savona, 12-3 against ASA
    Tel Aviv and 12-8 against Galatasaray Istanbul, finishing 1st in
    their group. In the Netherlands, in qualifier Group A, Steaua defeated the host
    team, Het Ravijn, 15-9, and then beat the Bosnian side Invictum Sarajevo, 29-2.
    Two defeats followed: 3-10 against Vasas Budapest, of Hungary, and 11-14 against
    Primorac Kotor, of Montenegro. The Romanian champions qualified into the second
    round after they came out 3rd in their group.




    Romania’s national team won the Carpathians
    Trophy in women’s handball, held last week in the town of Bistriţa. Romania
    started out with a draw against Austria, 32-all, a match in which they avoided
    a defeat by scoring 2 goals in the last minute. Next came a 26-20 win against Serbia,
    and in their last match manager Florentin Pera’s team defeated Spain, 25-23 and
    finished top of the standings. Romania is training for the EURO 2022, a competition
    scheduled to take place between 4 – 20 November in Slovenia, North Macedonia and
    Montenegro. Romania is part of Group C, alongside France, the Netherlands and
    North Macedonia.




    This weekend saw matches counting towards
    the 12th round of the Romanian football Super League. On Friday,
    Universitatea Craiova drew against FC Voluntari, 1-all, while on Saturday the
    other team based in Craiova, FC U, drew away from home against CS Mioveni, 2-all.
    Also on Saturday, CFR Cluj won 1-0 against Petrolul Ploieşti. On Sunday,
    Hermannstadt had their first defeat this season, 1-2 against Sepsi Sfântu
    Gheorghe, Farul Constanţa beat UTA Arad 2-0, and in Bucharest FCSB struggled to
    defeat FC Argeş, 3-2. The last 2 matches in this round were scheduled for
    Monday: FC Botoşani vs Universitatea Cluj and Chindia Târgovişte vs Rapid
    Bucharest. The current leaders in the ranking are Farul, with 27 points,
    followed by Rapid, with 24, and Hermannstadt, with 22 points. (AMP)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup




    The Romanian water polo teams CSM Oradea and
    Steaua Bucharest have moved up to the second qualification round of the
    Champions League. CSM Oradea won all their matches in the League’s qualifier
    Group B, held in Oradea: 10-7 against the Italian side Savona, 12-3 against ASA
    Tel Aviv and 12-8 against Galatasaray Istanbul, finishing 1st in
    their group. In the Netherlands, in qualifier Group A, Steaua defeated the host
    team, Het Ravijn, 15-9, and then beat the Bosnian side Invictum Sarajevo, 29-2.
    Two defeats followed: 3-10 against Vasas Budapest, of Hungary, and 11-14 against
    Primorac Kotor, of Montenegro. The Romanian champions qualified into the second
    round after they came out 3rd in their group.




    Romania’s national team won the Carpathians
    Trophy in women’s handball, held last week in the town of Bistriţa. Romania
    started out with a draw against Austria, 32-all, a match in which they avoided
    a defeat by scoring 2 goals in the last minute. Next came a 26-20 win against Serbia,
    and in their last match manager Florentin Pera’s team defeated Spain, 25-23 and
    finished top of the standings. Romania is training for the EURO 2022, a competition
    scheduled to take place between 4 – 20 November in Slovenia, North Macedonia and
    Montenegro. Romania is part of Group C, alongside France, the Netherlands and
    North Macedonia.




    This weekend saw matches counting towards
    the 12th round of the Romanian football Super League. On Friday,
    Universitatea Craiova drew against FC Voluntari, 1-all, while on Saturday the
    other team based in Craiova, FC U, drew away from home against CS Mioveni, 2-all.
    Also on Saturday, CFR Cluj won 1-0 against Petrolul Ploieşti. On Sunday,
    Hermannstadt had their first defeat this season, 1-2 against Sepsi Sfântu
    Gheorghe, Farul Constanţa beat UTA Arad 2-0, and in Bucharest FCSB struggled to
    defeat FC Argeş, 3-2. The last 2 matches in this round were scheduled for
    Monday: FC Botoşani vs Universitatea Cluj and Chindia Târgovişte vs Rapid
    Bucharest. The current leaders in the ranking are Farul, with 27 points,
    followed by Rapid, with 24, and Hermannstadt, with 22 points. (AMP)

  • Sports Weekend

    Sports Weekend

    Steaua Bucharest
    started out on the right foot in Group 1 of the Water Polo Champions League
    qualifiers, held in Het Ravijn, the Netherlands. Romania’s champions defeated the
    host team ZPC Het Ravijn 15-9. In another game in the group, Primorac Kotor, of
    Montenegro, defeated Invictum Sarajevo, of Bosnia Herzegovina, 36-4. The group
    also includes the Hungarian side Vasas Budapest. Steaua is to play 2 matches on
    Saturday, against Invictum Sarajevo and Vasas Budapest, while on Sunday they
    will take on Primorac Kotor. The top 2 teams in the ranking qualify into the
    next stage of the competition, while the other teams will play in the EuroCup.




    Romania’s
    women’s handball team drew against Austria, 32-all on Thursday, the first day
    of the Carpathians Trophy, a competition hosted by the Romanian town of
    Bistriţa. In the debut match for manager Florentin Pera, the Romanian national
    team avoided a defeat with 2 goals scored in the very last minute of the game. Cristina
    Neagu was Romania’s top scorer, with 11 goals. In the first match of the day,
    Serbia beat Spain 30 – 28. Two matches are scheduled for Friday: Austria vs.
    Spain and Romania vs. Serbia. Romania is preparing for the EURO 2022, a
    competition to be held in Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro this
    November. The Romanian team will play in Group C, against the Netherlands, France
    and North Macedonia.




    Matches are
    scheduled this weekend in the 12th round of Romania’s football Superleague.
    Universitatea Craiova take on FC Voluntari on Friday, while on Saturday FC
    Mioveni play against FC U Craiova at home, and CFR Cluj are facing Petrolul
    Ploieşti. On Sunday, FC Hermannstadt play against Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, Farul
    Constanţa against UTA, and FCSB against FC Argeş, on the National Arena in
    Bucharest. On Monday, FC Botoşani take on Universitatea Cluj, and Chindia Târgovişte
    on Rapid Bucharest. At the moment, Farul and Rapid top the charts with 24
    points, followed by Hermannstadt, with 22. (AMP)

  • Sports Weekend

    Sports Weekend

    Steaua Bucharest
    started out on the right foot in Group 1 of the Water Polo Champions League
    qualifiers, held in Het Ravijn, the Netherlands. Romania’s champions defeated the
    host team ZPC Het Ravijn 15-9. In another game in the group, Primorac Kotor, of
    Montenegro, defeated Invictum Sarajevo, of Bosnia Herzegovina, 36-4. The group
    also includes the Hungarian side Vasas Budapest. Steaua is to play 2 matches on
    Saturday, against Invictum Sarajevo and Vasas Budapest, while on Sunday they
    will take on Primorac Kotor. The top 2 teams in the ranking qualify into the
    next stage of the competition, while the other teams will play in the EuroCup.




    Romania’s
    women’s handball team drew against Austria, 32-all on Thursday, the first day
    of the Carpathians Trophy, a competition hosted by the Romanian town of
    Bistriţa. In the debut match for manager Florentin Pera, the Romanian national
    team avoided a defeat with 2 goals scored in the very last minute of the game. Cristina
    Neagu was Romania’s top scorer, with 11 goals. In the first match of the day,
    Serbia beat Spain 30 – 28. Two matches are scheduled for Friday: Austria vs.
    Spain and Romania vs. Serbia. Romania is preparing for the EURO 2022, a
    competition to be held in Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro this
    November. The Romanian team will play in Group C, against the Netherlands, France
    and North Macedonia.




    Matches are
    scheduled this weekend in the 12th round of Romania’s football Superleague.
    Universitatea Craiova take on FC Voluntari on Friday, while on Saturday FC
    Mioveni play against FC U Craiova at home, and CFR Cluj are facing Petrolul
    Ploieşti. On Sunday, FC Hermannstadt play against Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, Farul
    Constanţa against UTA, and FCSB against FC Argeş, on the National Arena in
    Bucharest. On Monday, FC Botoşani take on Universitatea Cluj, and Chindia Târgovişte
    on Rapid Bucharest. At the moment, Farul and Rapid top the charts with 24
    points, followed by Hermannstadt, with 22. (AMP)

  • SPORTS ROUNDUP

    SPORTS ROUNDUP

    In Group A of the
    Women’s Volleyball European Championships qualifiers, Romania defeated Israel
    away from home on Sunday, 3-2. In another game in the same group, Croatia beat Faeroe
    Islands, 3-0. In the final group ranking, Romania comes 1st with 14 points,
    followed by Croatia, also with 14 points, Israel (8 points) and Faeroe Islands
    with 0 points. Romania and Croatia have qualified to the final tournament hosted
    next year by Belgium, Estonia, Germany and Italy.




    The Women’s Handball Champions League kicked
    off this weekend, with good news for the participating Romanian teams, which
    got off on the right foot. In Group A, on Sunday CSM Bucharest played at home against
    the Slovenian side Ljubljana, and won cu 30-28. In a Group B match on Saturday,
    Rapid defeated Lokomotiv Zagreb of Croatia away from home, 31-27.




    On Saturday, in the
    Eastern Conference of the Rugby Europe Super Cup, the Romanian Wolves played
    their first match at home, against the Israeli side Tel Aviv Heat. The guests
    won 25-20. In the other game in the conference, the Georgian side Black Lion defeated
    another Georgian team, Batumi, 29-3.




    In the 10th
    round of the Romanian football League One, on Friday FC Botoșani lost at home
    to UTA Arad 1-2. On Saturday, Chindia Târgoviște lost to Sepsi Sf. Gheorghe 1-2,
    FC Hermannstadt defeated Petrolul Ploiești 2-1 and FCU Craiova beat Rapid Bucharest
    1-0. On Sunday, Farul Constanța beat FC Argeș 3-0 and CFR Cluj defeated CSU
    Craiova 2-0. The round concludes on Monday night with games pitting CS Mioveni against
    Universitatea Cluj and FCSB against FC Voluntari. Farul tops the current
    ranking with 21 points, followed by Rapid (also 21) and FC Hermannstadt (19). (AMP)

  • SPORTS ROUNDUP

    SPORTS ROUNDUP

    In Group A of the
    Women’s Volleyball European Championships qualifiers, Romania defeated Israel
    away from home on Sunday, 3-2. In another game in the same group, Croatia beat Faeroe
    Islands, 3-0. In the final group ranking, Romania comes 1st with 14 points,
    followed by Croatia, also with 14 points, Israel (8 points) and Faeroe Islands
    with 0 points. Romania and Croatia have qualified to the final tournament hosted
    next year by Belgium, Estonia, Germany and Italy.




    The Women’s Handball Champions League kicked
    off this weekend, with good news for the participating Romanian teams, which
    got off on the right foot. In Group A, on Sunday CSM Bucharest played at home against
    the Slovenian side Ljubljana, and won cu 30-28. In a Group B match on Saturday,
    Rapid defeated Lokomotiv Zagreb of Croatia away from home, 31-27.




    On Saturday, in the
    Eastern Conference of the Rugby Europe Super Cup, the Romanian Wolves played
    their first match at home, against the Israeli side Tel Aviv Heat. The guests
    won 25-20. In the other game in the conference, the Georgian side Black Lion defeated
    another Georgian team, Batumi, 29-3.




    In the 10th
    round of the Romanian football League One, on Friday FC Botoșani lost at home
    to UTA Arad 1-2. On Saturday, Chindia Târgoviște lost to Sepsi Sf. Gheorghe 1-2,
    FC Hermannstadt defeated Petrolul Ploiești 2-1 and FCU Craiova beat Rapid Bucharest
    1-0. On Sunday, Farul Constanța beat FC Argeș 3-0 and CFR Cluj defeated CSU
    Craiova 2-0. The round concludes on Monday night with games pitting CS Mioveni against
    Universitatea Cluj and FCSB against FC Voluntari. Farul tops the current
    ranking with 21 points, followed by Rapid (also 21) and FC Hermannstadt (19). (AMP)

  • September 7, 2022

    September 7, 2022

    FLIGHTS Freezing the accounts of the Romanian air
    operator Blue Air does not justify an immediate suspension of flights, says the
    Romanian environment minister, Tánczos Barna, who calls on the company to meet
    its obligations to passengers and the state budget. Blue Air’s accounts were
    frozen by the Environment Fund Agency because the company owes over EUR 5 mln
    and is undergoing foreclosure. Three thousand people are affected, after Blue
    Air suspended all its domestic and international flights until Monday, 12th
    September. According to the company, the decision was made after the
    Environment Ministry froze its accounts.


    MOTION A simple motion tabled by Save Romania Union (USR) in
    opposition against the Liberal energy minister Virgil Popescu was dismissed by
    the Chamber of Deputies today, with 191 votes against and 85 votes in favour of the document, coming
    from USR, the nationalist party AUR and the Force of the Right, splintered from
    the Liberal Party and headed by the ex-PM Ludovic Orban. The opposition
    criticised the energy minister for the lack of investments in production
    facilities and for his management of the electricity and natural gas price caps.
    Minister Virgil Popescu dismissed the accusations and described the USR motion
    as a populist move. He also added that the new mechanism related to energy
    bills will discourage speculation in the market.


    VISIT The president of Hungary, Katalin Novak, was received with
    honours in Bucharest today by the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, as part of
    her official visit at the invitation of the president of Romania. The talks
    will concern the means to diversify and deepen the bilateral dialogue, as well as the current regional, European and global situation, following Russia’s
    military aggression against Ukraine. The visit comes as the 2 countries
    celebrate 20 years since the governments of Hungary and Romania signed a
    Strategic Partnership Declaration for 21st Century Europe. According
    to the Romanian Presidency, president Iohannis will highlight Romania’s openness to strengthening bilateral cooperation and dialogue with
    Hungary, a very important neighbour of Romania, so as to promote projects of
    mutual interest to the benefit of the citizens of the 2 countries. This
    afternoon, the Hungarian official will also have meetings with the PM Nicolae
    Ciucă and with the speakers of the 2 chambers of Parliament.

    ECONOMY Romania’s economy grew 5.3% in the second quarter of
    this year compared to the corresponding period of 2021, the National Statistics
    Institute announced. In the first half of the year, the GDP went up 5.8%,
    compared to the first 6 months of last year. Contributing to this growth were
    trade, automotive repairs, transport and storage services, the hospitality and
    the IT&C sectors. According to the institution, the areas that hindered
    economic growth were industry, where operations dropped in the reference
    period, and the negative ratio between imports and exports.

    SURVEY A Eurobarometer survey released on Tuesday by the European
    Commission points to increased confidence of European citizens in the EU and
    continuing strong support for the Union’s response to Russia’s aggression
    against Ukraine. An overwhelming majority of EU citizens supports investments
    in renewable energy and steps to reduce the bloc’s reliance on Russian energy
    sources. Europeans are increasingly concerned with the economic situation in
    the Union and in their respective countries.


    FOOTBALL Romania’s football champions, CFR Cluj, Thursday play
    away from home against FC Ballkani, in Pristina, Kosovo, in their first
    match in Group G of the Europa Conference League. The other match in the group
    is pitting Sivasspor, of Turkey, against the Czech side Slavia Prague. Romanian
    vice-champions FCSB Bucharest also play away from home, in London, against West
    Ham United, in Group B of the same competition. The Belgian side Anderlecht
    takes on the Danish team Silkeborg IF, also in Group B. Two other Romanian
    teams, CS Universitatea Craiova and Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe, have lost the
    qualifying stage of the Europa Conference League. (AMP)

  • August 26, 2022

    August 26, 2022

    LAWS Draft laws on the reform of
    Romania’s education system could be submitted to the government in early
    September – Education Minister Sorin Campeanu has announced. The minister says
    that upon public debates over the documents, almost 15 hundred amendments,
    which are to be assessed by experts with the ministry. We recall that
    representatives of the teaching staff, students, parents and society have
    called for the extension of the period of debates, but the ministry turned down
    the proposal.










    EO The government in Bucharest has endorsed an emergency
    ordinance providing for a 30 Euros pay rise for state employees starting August
    1st, Labour Minister Marius Budai has announced adding that the
    raise is only one fourth of the level stipulated in Law 153 for the year 2022
    and it accounts for 2 billion lei of the state budget. According to Budai,
    almost one million out of the 1.2 million state employees will benefit from the
    new ordinance. The medical personnel and several other categories had already
    benefitted the aforementioned pay rise.










    TRADE Romania’s exports of drinks have increased by 52 % in the
    first five months of 2022 up to 108 million Euros, the National Institute for
    Statistics has announced. Between January and May this year Romania’s imports
    of beverages grew by 45% up to 251 million Euros, which resulted in a trade
    deficit of 143 million Euros. According to papers in Bucharest, the most
    sought-after drink is the Romanian version of the French cognac. The demand for
    this product has significantly increased on markets in Europe, the USA and
    Japan.








    FOOTBALL Romania’s football champions CFR Cluj qualified for the
    groups of Europa Conference League after a 1-0 home win on Thursday against
    Slovenian side NK Maribor in the play-offs. The first game in Slovenia ended in
    a goaless draw. FCSB, runner up in the Romanian championship, have also
    qualified after a 3-1 away win against their Norwegian opponents. Another
    Romanian side Universitatea Craiova was eliminated in the play-offs by the
    Israeli side Hapoel Beer-Sheva during the penalty shootout. Lots will be drawn
    for the competition’s next stage today in Nyon, France.










    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player, seventh seeded Simona Halep,
    will be up against an opponent from the qualifying round of the US Open, the
    year’s last Grand Slam tournament. Halep last year made it to the round of 16
    of the aforementioned competition, her best performance being in 2015, when she
    played in the semifinals. Another tennis player from Romania, Irina Begu, will
    be up against Elise Mertens of Belgium who has so far won all head-to-head
    matches. Sorana Cirstea, also from Romania will be up against Laura Siegemund
    of Germany while Gabriela Ruse will be playing Daria Saville of Australia.
    Another Romanian player Jaqueline Cristian will be up against Anett Kontaveit
    of Estonia.




    (bill)

  • July 29, 2022

    July 29, 2022

    VISIT The president of the R. of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is today on an
    official visit in Romania, at the invitation of her counterpart Klaus Iohannis.
    At the press conference following the official meeting, the Romanian president
    said the talks were solid and focused on many topics of bilateral interest,
    taking into account the long-lasting and sincere connections between the 2
    countries. He congratulated Maia Sandu on Moldova’s EU accession candidate
    status granted at the European Council meeting on June 23-24. This is a historic
    achievement, a landmark in the history of the country, Klaus Iohannis said, and
    added that Romania will continue to support Moldova through all the means available
    to it. Mr. Iohannis also pointed out that the 2 presidents agreed to take
    decisive steps in terms of inter-connecting the electricity networks of their
    countries, and discussed the potential of the Iaşi-Ungheni-Chişinău pipeline
    as a vital element of Moldova’s energy security. In
    turn, the
    president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, said Bucharest stood by Chisinau over the
    years, and Romania’s voice ‘resounded strongly’ in Brussels in support of
    Moldova’s EU candidate status. Maia Sandu voiced her confidence that the
    Moldovan-Romanian partnership will contribute to overcoming the difficulties
    entailed by the war in Ukraine.


    ANTHEM Every year on July 29 Romania celebrates National Anthem Day.
    According to the defence ministry, ceremonies are held today in all military
    units across the country. In Bucharest, a religious service was held in front
    of the National Military Palace, while in Râmnicu Vâlcea local authorities
    organized events devoted to the song Awaken Thee, Romanian!, which was first
    performed officially in this town 174 years ago. National Anthem Day was
    proclaimed by Parliament in 1998. The song was written by Anton Pann, on lyrics
    by the poet Andrei Mureşanu. The message of the National Anthem has a strong
    impact, and calls for national unity, courage, dignity and responsibility,
    president Klaus Iohannis said in a news release. In turn, PM Nicolae Ciucă said
    the anthem, national colours and the coat of arms define the identity of the
    Romanian nation and signify the strong connection between the past, present and
    future.


    FESTIVAL Sighişoara,
    in central Romania, is hosting this weekend the 28th edition of the
    first medieval festival in Romania. The Sighişoara citadel will be the stage of
    theatre performances, music and dance shows, improvisation, arts and crafts
    demonstrations. While the previous edition was attended by some 11,000
    visitors, the organisers hope 16,000 people will take part this year. A
    spectacular fireworks show is planned for the closing ceremony on Sunday night.
    Sighisoara is the only inhabited medieval citadel in south-eastern Europe.


    FOOTBALL All the Romanian football teams taking part in the European
    Conference League qualifiers have moved into the 3rd preliminary
    round. On Thursday Universitatea Craiova defeated the Albanian side
    Vllaznia 3-0 on home turf, after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. In the 3rd
    preliminary round, Craiova will play against the Ukrainian team Zaria Luhansk. In
    Bucharest, FCSB defeated Saburtalo (Georgia) 4-2, and is next to take on the
    Slovakian team Dunajská Streda. The Romanian Cup winners Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe had
    the most difficult match on Thursday, against Olimpija Ljubljana of Slovenia, and
    lost 2-0, away from home, after having won 3-1 in the first leg. In the penalty
    shootouts, the Slovenians missed twice, and Sepsi moved forward in the
    competition. Their next opponent is Djurgården (Sweden). And on Wednesday, CFR Cluj drew 1-1 away from home
    against Inter Club d’Escaldes, of Andorra, after 3-0 at home, and are pitted
    next against Belarusian champions Shahtior Soligorsk. (AMP)