Radio România Internațional

Tag: League

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    This weekend matches counting for the 25th leg of Romanias top football league are scheduled, accounting for the last but one stage in this regular season. Two matches on Friday, Chindia Targoviste vs FC Voluntari, in Ploiesti, and CFR Cluj vs Viitorul Constanta in Cluj, will be followed on Saturday by a game pitting Academica Clinceni against Gaz Metan Medias. Also on Saturday, Politehnica Iasi take on Universitatea Craiova. On Sunday, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe face FC Botosani, while later in the evening the traditional Romanian derby between Dinamo Bucharest and FCSB takes place on the National Arena.



    This is the 176th match between the two Bucharest clubs, and we cannot help noticing the perfectly even score in direct matches so far: each team has won 59 games, and the other matches ended in draws. In terms of championship matches, Dinamo have a slight advantage, with 48 wins against 43, whereas in Romanias Cup FCSB have so far won 15 games and lost 8 of its matches against Dinamo.



    The first time the 2 sides met in the Romanian League One was in November 1948, when Dinamo beat the Army Sports Club, as the team was called at that time, 1-nil. The most recent match was in October 2019, and was a 1-all draw. Dinamo has not won any direct matches against FCSB for almost 3 years, more specifically since May 1, 2017.



    Sundays match comes at a time when the 2 sides are widely apart in the championship standings. FCSB is ranked 3rd at the moment and targets a new champion title. Dinamo, on the other hand, ranks 9th, stands no more chances to move up into the playoffs and, for the 3rd consecutive year, will stay in the play-outs. Still, this is the one match in which the players drive and sense of competitiveness might overturn any previous mathematical estimates.



    We should also mention that the 25th championship leg will end on Monday with a game in Sibiu, pitting FC Hermannstadt against Astra Giurgiu.



    Topping the charts at present are CFR Cluj with 48 points, followed by Craiova and FCSB with 43 points each.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    This weekend matches counting for the 25th leg of Romanias top football league are scheduled, accounting for the last but one stage in this regular season. Two matches on Friday, Chindia Targoviste vs FC Voluntari, in Ploiesti, and CFR Cluj vs Viitorul Constanta in Cluj, will be followed on Saturday by a game pitting Academica Clinceni against Gaz Metan Medias. Also on Saturday, Politehnica Iasi take on Universitatea Craiova. On Sunday, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe face FC Botosani, while later in the evening the traditional Romanian derby between Dinamo Bucharest and FCSB takes place on the National Arena.



    This is the 176th match between the two Bucharest clubs, and we cannot help noticing the perfectly even score in direct matches so far: each team has won 59 games, and the other matches ended in draws. In terms of championship matches, Dinamo have a slight advantage, with 48 wins against 43, whereas in Romanias Cup FCSB have so far won 15 games and lost 8 of its matches against Dinamo.



    The first time the 2 sides met in the Romanian League One was in November 1948, when Dinamo beat the Army Sports Club, as the team was called at that time, 1-nil. The most recent match was in October 2019, and was a 1-all draw. Dinamo has not won any direct matches against FCSB for almost 3 years, more specifically since May 1, 2017.



    Sundays match comes at a time when the 2 sides are widely apart in the championship standings. FCSB is ranked 3rd at the moment and targets a new champion title. Dinamo, on the other hand, ranks 9th, stands no more chances to move up into the playoffs and, for the 3rd consecutive year, will stay in the play-outs. Still, this is the one match in which the players drive and sense of competitiveness might overturn any previous mathematical estimates.



    We should also mention that the 25th championship leg will end on Monday with a game in Sibiu, pitting FC Hermannstadt against Astra Giurgiu.



    Topping the charts at present are CFR Cluj with 48 points, followed by Craiova and FCSB with 43 points each.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Sports Weekend

    Sports Weekend

    Bucharests FCSB football club Thursday went up to the second place in the Romanian League One ranking. They beat FC Voluntari, away from home, 2-1, in a postponed match counting for the 18th leg of the championship. Darius Olaru from the defending vice-champion team scored first, 8 minutes into the game, for the first time since playing for the club. The hosts equalizer came in minute 32, with the winning goal coming only 10 minutes later from Florinel Coman. The hosts played the entire second half with only 10 players, after defender Igor Armas was sent out of the pitch one minute before the break for a foul.



    Games counting for the 24th leg of the football championship are scheduled this weekend. On Saturday Gaz Metan Medias play at home against CFR Cluj. On Sunday, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe take on Politehnica Iasi, FC Voluntari play at home against Dinamo Bucharest, and the legs derby pitches Universitatea Craiova against Viitorul Constanta, in the village of Ovidiu. Monday sees the last 2 matches of this leg: FC Botosani vs FC Hermannstadt, and FCSB vs Academica Clinceni.



    Top ranking are CFR Cluj with 47 points, followed by FCSB with 42 points.



    Games in the womens handball European championships are also scheduled this weekend. In the Champions League, main group 1, CSM Bucharest play away from home against the Norwegian team Vipers Kristiansand. In main group 2, SCM Ramnicu Valcea take on the defending European champions, the Hungarian team Gyor on home court. Both games take place on Saturday. The 2 Romanian teams in the EHF Cup are pitted against Hungarian sides. In Group B, Magura Cisnadie play against Siofok, while in Group C Gloria Bistrita-Nasaud is meeting ERD, on Sunday.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Sports Weekend

    Sports Weekend

    Bucharests FCSB football club Thursday went up to the second place in the Romanian League One ranking. They beat FC Voluntari, away from home, 2-1, in a postponed match counting for the 18th leg of the championship. Darius Olaru from the defending vice-champion team scored first, 8 minutes into the game, for the first time since playing for the club. The hosts equalizer came in minute 32, with the winning goal coming only 10 minutes later from Florinel Coman. The hosts played the entire second half with only 10 players, after defender Igor Armas was sent out of the pitch one minute before the break for a foul.



    Games counting for the 24th leg of the football championship are scheduled this weekend. On Saturday Gaz Metan Medias play at home against CFR Cluj. On Sunday, Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe take on Politehnica Iasi, FC Voluntari play at home against Dinamo Bucharest, and the legs derby pitches Universitatea Craiova against Viitorul Constanta, in the village of Ovidiu. Monday sees the last 2 matches of this leg: FC Botosani vs FC Hermannstadt, and FCSB vs Academica Clinceni.



    Top ranking are CFR Cluj with 47 points, followed by FCSB with 42 points.



    Games in the womens handball European championships are also scheduled this weekend. In the Champions League, main group 1, CSM Bucharest play away from home against the Norwegian team Vipers Kristiansand. In main group 2, SCM Ramnicu Valcea take on the defending European champions, the Hungarian team Gyor on home court. Both games take place on Saturday. The 2 Romanian teams in the EHF Cup are pitted against Hungarian sides. In Group B, Magura Cisnadie play against Siofok, while in Group C Gloria Bistrita-Nasaud is meeting ERD, on Sunday.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • The Week in Review, August 11-18

    The Week in Review, August 11-18

    The first budget revision of 2019


    The Government in Bucharest on Monday made the first budget revision this year. The Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici has said the budget revision is a positive one and it secures the payment of salaries and pensions by the end of the year. The Finance Ministry, the Development Ministry, Labour Ministry, the Environment Ministry as well as the Romanian Intelligence Service will receive more money from the state budget. On the other hand, the Transport Ministry, the Ministry for the Business Environment and the Education Ministry will have their budgets slashed. The Finance Minister has said that in the first quarter of the year the economic growth stood at 5% and that the 2.76% budget deficit target is not being exceeded.



    Eugen Teodorovici: “The budget revision secures the payment of salaries and pensions and the amounts needed for investment projects under way and for new projects set to begin by the end of the year. Funds will not be slashed, but certain overestimations, made when the 2019 budget was drawn up, will be corrected.



    Teodorovici has also said the budget revision will make available over one billion Euros for local communities, for social welfare expenses and for investment.



    The Liberals, in the parliamentary opposition, say the rectification is based on false figures. The President of the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, says:



    Ludovic Orban: “This budget shows in fact that the PSD-ALDE ruling coalition squandered the money collected from taxes and duties, spent public money in an unjustified manner, on things that have nothing to do with the interests of the Romanian citizens. Consequently, we have reached the point where the funds needed for vital expenses, for ensuring the activity of public services for the Romanian citizens, are threatened.



    The Social Democrats have also been criticized for the budget revision by their junior partners in the ruling coalition, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE). ALDE has asked for a new governing programme and a restructured and competent Cabinet.




    15 August- Romanian Navy Day


    August 15 is US Navy Day, celebrated in all the country’s marine and river ports. The most important events are held in Constanta, the biggest port city on the Black Sea. Over 15,000 people attended the show put on by the navy, with dozens of ships and aircraft. Over 3,000 military seamen took part in the biggest naval exercise of the year. They were joined by ships and aircraft from Italy, Ukraine, and the US. American destroyer the USS Porter was there next to Italian ships, while Italian Eurofighter jets ran mock dogfights.



    The star of the events was the training sail ship Mircea, which was decorated by President Klaus Iohannis, celebrating 80 years since it was baptized into the military navy. Attending the manifestations, the president recalled the strategic importance of the Black Sea region for both NATO and the EU. Defense Minister Gabriel Les warned that the security situation in the Black Sea forced NATO to adopt a defense and deterrence measure. Navy Day festivities were also held in the Danube ports of Tulcea, Braila, and Galati, as well as in the capital Bucharest.




    The 2019 Izvoru Muresului Summer University


    This week, the town of Izvoru Muresului in Harghita County hosted the 17th edition of the Summer University. The theme this year was Romania and Romanians Across the World One Year from the Centennial of the Great Union. Topics included the preservation of identity among Romanians in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in view of geopolitical evolution, as well as Romanian policy related to Romanians living abroad.



    The events were attended by people from Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and many other countries, with lectures by academics from the country and abroad, representatives of civil society, as well as the media. Presidential adviser Sandra Pralong said in the keynote speech that the Romanian state has to pay more attention to the needs of Romanians living outside the country. Secretary of State for the Ministry of Culture and National Identity Alexandru Pugna recalled that a 2019 executive order allocated 4 million Euro for churches abroad, in order to support Romanian communities, helping their parishioners preserve their Romanian identity. Representatives of Romanians from the counties of Covasna, Harghita, and Mures called for the creation of a government structure to protect the cultural identity of Romanian communities in those counties.




    Two Romanian football teams have qualified for the next stages of European competitions


    Romanian football champions CFR Cluj have qualified for the Champions League play-offs, where they will play against Czech champions Slavia Prague. Their presence has been secured in the Europa League group games. Vice-champions FCSB have won their away game on Thursday against FK Mlada Boleslav, 1-0, qualifying for the Europa League play-offs. In the first leg in Bucharest the score was blank. In order to make it to the groups of the European competition, FCSB has to get past the Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes. Universitatea Craiova was halted in the third preliminary round by getting routed by AEK Athens.

  • June 18, 2019 UPDATE

    June 18, 2019 UPDATE

    NO-CONFIDENCE The no-confidence motion against the Government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats was dismissed on Tuesday in the Parliament of Romania. Although apparently having more support than in the previous 2 attempts at removing Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet, the Opposition failed to get the required 233 votes. According to the text of the motion, Romania immediately needs a government with a pro-European stand and focusing on the countrys development priorities, namely education, healthcare, public investments and attracting European funds. The signatories, the National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, Peoples Movement Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, said Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet must be dismissed over the repeated attempts at issuing emergency orders in the field of the judiciary and the poor handling of the EP elections. PM Dăncilă, who is also the interim president of the Social Democratic Party, had asked the Social Democrat MPs to attend the meeting, but to abstain from voting.




    VISIT While on a visit in Romania, the US Attorney General William Barr was received on Tuesday by President Klaus Iohannis. The head of state appreciated the substance and dynamics of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the USA, which has grown stronger over the past few years, and reiterated Bucharests commitment to strengthening it at all levels, from politics to defence and security and from judicial cooperation to the rule of law. In turn, the US official voiced his appreciation for the Strategic Partnership with Romania, which is the USAs most reliable partner in the region. Also on Tuesday, William Barr discussed with PM Viorica Dăncilă. During the meeting, Viorica Dăncilă requested the Attorney Generals support for including Romania in the Visa Waver programme, an aspect of particular importance to the Romanian authorities. PM Dăncilă also stated that Romania is committed to carrying on the Strategic Partnership with the US in the field of international judicial cooperation in criminal matters and to strengthening this cooperation through constant dialogue and a positive approach.




    COUNCIL The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis takes part on Thursday and Friday in a meeting of the European Council in Brussels, the Presidency announced on Tuesday. The agenda will mainly include aspects related to the appointment of the new EU institution leaders, the endorsement of the EU Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, the new multi-annual financial framework, as well as the latest developments related to Brexit. On Friday Klaus Iohannis will also take part in a Euro Summit in an extended format. According to the Romanian Presidency, at the end of the 6 months that Romania held the rotating presidency of the EU Council, Iohannis will present the progress made in implementing the goals set by the European Council.




    BSEC The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu took part on Tuesday in the opening session of the high-level conference on cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation. The event was organised jointly by the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU and the Bulgarian presidency of the BSEC, with support from the European Commission. In his address, Teodor Meleşcanu expressed Romanias constant and firm commitment to stimulating regional cooperation in the Black Sea region, as an integral part of Romanias strategic profile. He also reiterated the importance attached by Romania to strengthening the cooperation between the 2 international organisations, so as to help better use the opportunities offered by the EU policies, initiatives and programmes towards the sustainable development of the Black Sea region.




    FOOTBALL Several Romanian football clubs found out their opponents for the first preliminary round of the European cups, following Tuesdays draw of lots in Nyon, Switzerland. The Romanian champions CFR Cluj are to play against FC Astana of Kazakhstan, in the Champions League. The first leg will be played in Kazakhstan on July 9th or 10th, and the return leg a week later in Cluj-Napoca. In Europa League, FCSB will take on Moldovas Milsami Orhei, with the first leg scheduled in Romania on July 11th and the second one in Moldova on July 18th. CSU Craiova takes on the Azeri team FK Sabail, also on July 11th, away from home, while the Romanian Cup winners FC Viitorul Constanta will go straight into the second round of the same competition.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    The situation of Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest in the Champions League main Group 2 is getting complicated. CSM sustained 23-22 away defeat by Slovenian opponents Krim Ljubljana. Ahead of the last round in the main group stage, CSM are 3rd-placed in the group, on a par with the 4th-placed team, Hungarys Ferencváros.



    CSM has already booked its ticket in the quarterfinals, but is to find out its opponent according to its place in the final rankings. If they eventually come 3rd in the group, CSM will be pitched against the 2nd-placed team in the other group, most likely Russian team Rostov Don. In the last round this coming Friday, CSM Bucharest faces German squad Thüringer.



    News from indoor athletics, now. The European Athletics Indoor Championships have recently drawn to a close in Glasgow. The Romanian delegation, made up of 12 athletes, walked home with no medal. This past Sunday, Alina Rotaru provided the best result for the Romanian delegation, coming in 5th, with a 6.64-meter jump in the final of the long jump event. The other Romanian athlete who got through to the final, Florentina Marincu-Iuşco, came in 8th with a jump of 6.49 m. The gold medal went to Serbias Ivana Spanovic, who succeeded a jump of 6.99 meters.



    In Madrid this past Sunday, Romanias national rugby squad sustained an 18-21 defeat by Spain, in a fixture counting towards Rugby Europe Championship. It is the second defeat for the Romanian rugby team in this competition. Interesting to mention, though, is that the Romanians had a 13-nil lead during the game. For the Romanian lineup, Ionut Dumitru and Vladut Zaharia succeeded tries on 7 and 68 minutes, respectively. Then Florin Vlaicu converted two penalty kicks and managed a successful conversion. Spain managed three tries, all of them successfully converted.



    We go out with news from football, as this past weekend saw matches counting towards the 26th-round of League One, the last round of the regular season. Qualifying for the play-offs were CFR Cluj, FCSB, Universitatea Craiova, Astra Giurgiu, Viitorul Constanţa and Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe. The teams that have got through to the play-out were FC Botoşani, Poli Iaşi, Dinamo, Hermannstadt, Gaz Metan, Dunărea, FC Voluntari and Concordia Chiajna.




    (translated by: Eugen Nasta)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    The situation of Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest in the Champions League main Group 2 is getting complicated. CSM sustained 23-22 away defeat by Slovenian opponents Krim Ljubljana. Ahead of the last round in the main group stage, CSM are 3rd-placed in the group, on a par with the 4th-placed team, Hungarys Ferencváros.



    CSM has already booked its ticket in the quarterfinals, but is to find out its opponent according to its place in the final rankings. If they eventually come 3rd in the group, CSM will be pitched against the 2nd-placed team in the other group, most likely Russian team Rostov Don. In the last round this coming Friday, CSM Bucharest faces German squad Thüringer.



    News from indoor athletics, now. The European Athletics Indoor Championships have recently drawn to a close in Glasgow. The Romanian delegation, made up of 12 athletes, walked home with no medal. This past Sunday, Alina Rotaru provided the best result for the Romanian delegation, coming in 5th, with a 6.64-meter jump in the final of the long jump event. The other Romanian athlete who got through to the final, Florentina Marincu-Iuşco, came in 8th with a jump of 6.49 m. The gold medal went to Serbias Ivana Spanovic, who succeeded a jump of 6.99 meters.



    In Madrid this past Sunday, Romanias national rugby squad sustained an 18-21 defeat by Spain, in a fixture counting towards Rugby Europe Championship. It is the second defeat for the Romanian rugby team in this competition. Interesting to mention, though, is that the Romanians had a 13-nil lead during the game. For the Romanian lineup, Ionut Dumitru and Vladut Zaharia succeeded tries on 7 and 68 minutes, respectively. Then Florin Vlaicu converted two penalty kicks and managed a successful conversion. Spain managed three tries, all of them successfully converted.



    We go out with news from football, as this past weekend saw matches counting towards the 26th-round of League One, the last round of the regular season. Qualifying for the play-offs were CFR Cluj, FCSB, Universitatea Craiova, Astra Giurgiu, Viitorul Constanţa and Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe. The teams that have got through to the play-out were FC Botoşani, Poli Iaşi, Dinamo, Hermannstadt, Gaz Metan, Dunărea, FC Voluntari and Concordia Chiajna.




    (translated by: Eugen Nasta)

  • February 23, 2019 UPDATE

    February 23, 2019 UPDATE

    CONSULTATIONS The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, had talks on Saturday with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, on the sidelines of the EU – Leage of Arab States held in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt. According to a news release issued by the Presidency, Klaus Iohannis said the relationship between the 2 countries is very good and solid, and Egypt is one of Romanias traditional friends in the region and a key factor in ensuring regional stability and security. The 2 heads of state expressed their determination and interest in strengthening bilateral relations, with a focus on economic aspects. In this context, President Iohannis mentioned the increase in bilateral trade, which exceeded 918 million US dollars in 2018, making Egypt Romanias main trade partner in the region.




    PES The Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă had a meeting on Saturday with the PM of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, on the sidelines of the congress of the Party of European Socialists in Madrid. The 2 officials appreciated the decision to organise a Romania-Spain business and investment forum and the opening of a Romanian economic mission in Madrid, on March 13th. They also talked about the Romanian community in Spain, as well as means to diversify economic relations. PM Dancila reaffirmed interest in attracting Spanish investments in Romania, in infrastructure as well as in the automotive field, agri-food, pharmaceuticals, and IT.





    PROTESTS Magistrates in Bucharest and several other Romanian cities decided to suspend work for a week, as of Monday, after on Friday they protested in front of court buildings against new changes in the justice laws. Prosecutors and judges say that Government Emergency Decree 7, passed by the Government early this week, may lead to institutional deadlock and affect their independence. One of the provisions that angered the magistrates says that judges having previously worked as prosecutors may be appointed as chief prosecutors, and waives the seniority criterion. The emergency decree has been criticised both in Brussels, by the European Commission, and in Romania, by magistrate associations, the prosecutors division in the Higher Council of Magistracy and by the right-of-centre Opposition.




    MEDAL The Aurelia Dacorum Romanian gendarme unit in Afghanistan was awarded the Non-Article 5 medal in recognition of its six-month participation in the Resolute Support Mission in that country. According to a Facebook post of the Romanian Gendarme Corps, the medal was granted by brigadier general Markus Kurczyk (Germany) and the director of Police Institutional Advisory Team, colonel Warren Brainard (US).




    HUNGARIAN The incumbent leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, Hunor Kelemen, was re-elected party president at the congress held in Cluj-Napoca, north-western Romania. The only candidate for this position, Hunor Kelemen won a 3rd term in office as president of the main political party representing the 1.5-million strong Hungarian community in Romania. The party supports the leftist ruling coalition in Romania, and has been represented in Parliament without interruptions since 1990.




    MOLDOVA In the Republic of Moldova, parliamentary elections are held on Sunday. The recently modified election legislation scrapped the so-called reflection day, so candidates may campaign on the very day of the election as well. For the first time, a mixed voting system will be used, with 50 MPs elected on party lists and another 51 in a single-choice system, in one voting round. Polls indicate President Igor Dodons pro-Russian Socialist party is ahead, with nearly 40% of voter intentions, followed by a pro-European right-of-centre election cartel called ACUM, with 25%, and the pro-Western Democratic Party with 15%. A referendum is also held at the same time, concerning the reduction of the number of MPs from 101 to 61 and the possibility to have them removed from office by citizens.




    HANDBALL The Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest was defeated on Saturday by the Hungarian side Gyor, 27-25, in a home game in Group 2 of the Champions League. In the first leg, title holder Gyor had won 36-27. With this victory, Gyor secured the top place in the group and remains undefeated in the Champions League in 19 games. CSM Bucharest is to play next on March 2, in Ljubljana, against RK Krim Mercator.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • February 23, 2019

    February 23, 2019

    DIPLOMACY The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has talks today with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, on the sidelines of the EU – League of Arab States summit to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The 2 officials will look at the bilateral relations and discuss concrete means to encourage and deepen the cooperation between the 2 countries, in all areas of mutual interest, particularly in the economy. According to a news release issued by the Presidency, the consultations will also be a good opportunity to discuss common priorities, in light of Romanias holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and of Egypts holding the presidency of the African Union. At the summit in Egypt scheduled on Sunday and Monday, Klaus Iohannis will give an address presenting Romanias views on the cooperation between EU member states and the Arab League countries in view of finding common solutions to current, as well as medium and long term future challenges.




    PES The Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă had a meeting today with the PM of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, on the sidelines of the congress of the PES in Madrid. The 2 officials expressed their satisfaction with the excellent bilateral relationship, confirmed by the Strategic Partnership, and with the dynamics of bilateral sectorial dialogue. They also discussed the 2 countries cooperation within the EU, given that Romania and Spain have similar views on major topics for the future of the Union, such as the post-2020 financial framework, the cohesion policy, the internal market, justice and home affairs, the Neighbourhood Policy and the EU enlargement. On Friday the Romanian PM had talks with her counterpart from Malta, Joseph Muscat, and with the Portuguese PM, Antonio Costa.




    PROTESTS Magistrates in Bucharest and several other Romanian cities protested on Friday in front of court buildings against new changes introduced to the justice laws. They also decided to suspend work for a week, as of Monday. Prosecutors and judges say that Ordinance 7, passed by the Government early this week, may lead to institutional deadlock and affect their independence. One of the provisions that angered the magistrates says that judges having previously worked as prosecutors may be appointed as chief prosecutors, and waives the seniority criterion. The emergency decree has been criticised both in Brussels, by the European Commission, and in Romania, by magistrate associations, the prosecutors division in the Higher Council of Magistracy and by the right-of-centre Opposition.




    DRUGS Romanian police jointly with German authorities dismantled a crime group that distributed large amounts of illegal drugs, particularly in Bucharest night clubs. During the operation, which took place last year, the authorities seized 11 kilos of high-risk drugs, 800 euro and 2 vehicles. Five individuals were arrested. The operation was based on intelligence received from German authorities, which found and seized a package containing over 3 kilos of high-risk drugs, during a routine check on a coach traveling from Rotterdam to Bucharest. Romanian police say the amount had been sent to a crime group distributing large amounts of drugs in Bucharest.




    WEATHER Romania struggles with exceptionally cold weather, particularly in the north and centre of the country. A code yellow alert for strong wind is in place across the country, except for a few counties in the south-west and the north. On Friday night authorities temporarily suspended navigation in all ports at the Black Sea, and railway traffic was also disrupted. The strong wind brought down tens of trees in the capital Bucharest on Friday night.




    MOLDOVA In the Republic of Moldova, the election campaign for Parliament continues. The recently modified election legislation scrapped the so-called reflection day, so candidates may campaign on the very day of the election as well. For the first time, a mixed voting system will be used, with 50 MPs elected on party lists and another 51 in a single-choice system, in one voting round. Polls indicate President Igor Dodons pro-Russian Socialist party is ahead, with nearly 40% of voter intentions, followed by a pro-European right-of-centre election cartel called ACUM, with 25%, and the pro-Western Democratic Party with 15%. A referendum is also held at the same time, concerning the reduction of the number of MPs from 101 to 61 and the possibility to have them removed from office by citizens.




    SPORTS The Romanian womens handball team CSM Bucharest plays today at home against the Hungarian side Gyor, in a game counting towards the Champions League main group stage. Also today, Dinamo Bucharest plays Sporting Lisabon away from home, in the first qualifying round for the 8th-finals of the mens version of the same competition.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • September 5, 2018

    September 5, 2018

    CONSULTATIONS – President Klaus Iohannis has invited the PM Viorica Dancila to consultations on Thursday concerning the forthcoming state budget adjustment. The invitation comes after on Tuesday the head of state suspended the meeting of the Supreme Defence Council on this topic and explained that an agreement had not been reached with the Government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The President criticised the cuts in the budgets of the intelligence services. In response, the Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici says the Presidents decision will obstruct the payment of salaries, investments and compensations for the African swine fever cases.




    PARLIAMENT – The Chamber of Deputies Wednesday rejected a request by the right-wing Opposition to set up 2 inquiry committees, one on the Governments handling of the African swine fever crisis, and another one on the intervention of riot police at the anti-government protests in Bucharest on August 10th. The authors of the request said they wanted to identify the causes for the quick spreading of the disease in Romania and to find out whether certain public institutions were involved in activities beyond their legally defined powers. At present swine fever outbreaks are reported in 11 counties in Romania, triggering the culling of over 140,000 pigs and spreading further, in spite of the measures taken by authorities. On Tuesday the Senates defence committee cancelled the hearings on this topic, at the request of the Social Democratic Party in power. Scheduled to be heard in Parliament were the Interior Minister, Carmen Dan, the coordinator of the gendarme intervention Laurenţiu Cazan, and the Prefect of Bucharest, Speranţa Cliseru. So far 770 people affected by the brutal police intervention during the protests have filed criminal complaints.




    ANTI-CORRUPTION – A nomination for the new chief of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate will be announced on Thursday, said the Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader. On Tuesday he interviewed the last 3 candidates for the post, after the interviews of another 3 candidates on Monday. The Justice Minister is to send his proposal to the Higher Council of Magistracy, which is to communicate an official opinion on the candidate, and then the nomination is to be approved by President Klaus Iohannis. The former chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, was dismissed in July, under a presidential order imposed by the Constitutional Court of Romania. The dismissal had been requested by the Justice Minister, further to a report that had not been approved by the Higher Council of Magistracy.




    SPORTS MINISTER – The Romanian media hail the appointment of Romanian-born swimmer Roxana Mărăcineanu as the new sports minister in France. She has been living in France since 1984, when her parents fled communist Romania. Aged 43, the athlete born in Bucharest won a silver medal at the 200-m backstroke event of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, when the Romanian Diana Mocanu won the gold. “I felt it was my anthem as well, she said after hearing the Romanian national anthem played at the award ceremony. Two years before, Roxana Maracineanu had won the first world champion title for France, and in 1999 she had won the European swimming championship.




    FESTIVAL – Over 100 artists, representing the music and culture of some 70 countries, are taking part in World Experience Festival, held these days in Bucharest. The main theme of the event is World Music, promoted through concerts and workshops such as the ones focusing on Irish dances, the tea ceremony or the kimono dressing ceremony. Music instruments from 30 countries in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia and so on are also presented. The main stage of the festival is located in one of Bucharests parks.




    FORUM – The International Economic Forum carries on in the Polish town of Krynica. Romania is represented by some 50 politicians, analysts and business people. Participants from 60 countries in Europe, Asia and North America are looking at the prospects of world economy, and discuss topics such as the future of Europe, the energy field, international cooperation between EU member countries, the state of the European agriculture, as well as continental security. According to the Radio Romania correspondent, special attention will also be paid to the Black Sea region, where security has been vulnerable since 2014, when Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.




    FOOTBALL – Romanias national football team carries on its preparations for the first game in the newly created League of Nations, which it is to play on home turf in Ploiesti against Montenegro on Friday night. On Monday the national team will play against neighbouring Serbia in Belgrade, and in October they will take on Lithuania, also away from home, in Group 4 of the competition. The results in the League of Nations are counting towards the preliminaries of the 2020 European Championship.


    (translated by Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Nachrichten 21.07.2017

    Nachrichten 21.07.2017

    Der rumänische Premierminister Mihai Tudose hat am Freitag einen Besuch

    in die benachbarte, mehrheitlich rumänischsprachige ex-Sowjetrepublik Moldau unternommen. Dabei ist Mihai Tudose mit seinem Amtskollegen Pavel Filip zusammengekommen. Nach dem Treffen dankte Premierminister Filip Rumänien für die konsequente Unterstützung. Seinerseits sagte Mihai Tudose, Rumänien und die Republik Moldau seien besonders eng verbunden. Auf der Agenda des rumänischen Premiers stand jedoch kein Treffen mit dem russlandnahen Präsidenten Igor Dodon. Für Tudose, der sein Amt Ende Juni übernahm, ist es schon der zweite Besuch in Chisinau. Letzte Woche war er er in Brüssel, wo er den Vertretern der EU-Institutionen mitteilte, dass Rumänien die gewaltige Aufgabe habe, den proeuropäischen Fahrplan der Republik Moldau zu sichern“.



    Das Parlament der ex-sowjetischen, mehrheitlich rumänischsprachigen Republik Moldau hat am Freitag eine Erklärung angenommen, wodurch der Rückzug der russischen Truppen aus Transnistrien gefordert wird. Transnistrien ist eine abtrünnige, mehrheitlich russischsprachige Region im Osten der Republik Moldau. Laut besagter Erklärung seien 25 Jahre nach der Einstellung der Waffeneinsätze in Transnistrien die im Abkommen festgehaltenen Vorschriften zur friedlichen Lösung des Transnistrien-Konflikts nicht eingehalten. Die ununterbrochene Stationierung von russischen Truppen in Transnistrien sei ein Versto‎ß gegen die Verfassungsnormen betreffend die Unabhängigkeit, die Souveränität, die territorielle Integrität und die Neutralität der Republik Moldau, sowie eine Verletzung des Völkerrechts, steht noch in der Erklärung des moldauischen Parlaments. Ferner wird Russland aufgefordert, den Rückzug seiner Truppen aus der Republik Moldau wiederaufzunehmen und zu finalisieren. Nach einem kurzen Krieg von März bis August 1992 erreichte Transnistrien eine De-facto-Unabhängigkeit, während die Republik Moldau ihre Souveränität über das Gebiet einbü‎ßte. Die bewaffneten Auseinandersetzungen forderten über 1000 Todesopfer auf beiden Seiten. Transnistrien ist seit 1992 zwar faktisch unabhängig, wurde jedoch bislang von keinem anderen Staat anerkannt und wird weiterhin von der Republik Moldau beansprucht.



    Rumänien hat im ersten Quartal des Jahres 2017 ein Haushaltsdefizit von 3,2% des BIP verzeichnet, das zweithöchste EU-weit und über dem Ziel, das von der Bukarester Regierung der Sozialdemokraten und Liberalen und Demokraten bei fast 3% festgelegt wurde. Dies verlautet aus den Daten des europäischen Statistikamts Eurostat. Von den 20 EU-Staaten, für die Daten zur Verfügung stehen, hat nur Frankreich ein höheres Haushaltsdefizit im ersten Quartal (3,3% des BIP). Im Falle eines Haushaltsdefizits über der Grenze von 3% des BIP kann die EU gegen den jeweiligen Staat ein Verfahren wegen exzessiven Defizits einleiten. Das rumänische Finanzministerium teilte am Freitag mit, dass Rumänien sich ans Defizitziel für 2017 halte; der Wert von 3,2% Defizit vom BIP sei nach dem sogenannten saisonberichtigten ESA-Saldo berechnet und am BIP im ersten Quartal gemessen worden — und im ersten Quartal erreiche das BIP traditionell den geringsten Wert, so die Behörde.



    Der Internationale Währungsfonds (IWF) ist unter bestimmten Bedingungen bereit, das hochverschuldete Griechenland mit einer weiteren Finanzspritze zu unterstützen. Der IWF genehmigte am Donnerstag im Grundsatz einen Kredit in Höhe von 1,8 Milliarden Dollar. Mit dem Geld soll das laufende Rettungsprogramm untermauert werden, das derzeit ausschlie‎ßlich von den europäischen Institutionen geschultert wird. Voraussetzung seien aber “konkrete und glaubhafte Versicherungen” der europäischen Gläubiger, was die Schuldentragfähigkeit des Landes angehe. Au‎ßerdem müsse Griechenland auf Reformkurs bleiben.



    Die rumänische Fu‎ßballmannschaft von Astra Giurgiu hat sich für die dritte Vorrunde der Europa-League qualifiziert — am Donnerstagabend spielte das Team 0-0 gegen den Zira FK aus Aserbaidschan. Im Hinspiel hatten die Rumänen 3-1 gewonnen. In der nächsten Runde geht es gegen den ukrainischen Klub FK Oleksandria. In der gleichen dritten Vorrunde der Europa League gibt es für die beiden anderen rumänischen Mannschaften harte Nüsse zu knacken: Universitatea Craiova trifft auf den starken AC Mailand und Dinamo Bukarest versucht sein Glück beim Athletic Bilbao aus dem spanischen Baskenland. In der Champions League geht es für den frischgebackenen Erstmeister Viitorul Constanţa gegen APOEL Nicosia aus Zypern. Der Vizemeister FCSB — die frühere Steaua Bukarest — hat die Tschechen vom FC Viktoria Plzen zum Gegner.

  • Nachrichten 02.08.2016

    Nachrichten 02.08.2016

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

  • Nachrichten 22.08.2014

    Nachrichten 22.08.2014

    BUKAREST: Die rumänische Regierung hat ein Gesetzesprojekt angenommen, laut dem die Folterknechte des kommunistischen Regimes den Opfern des Kommunismus Entschädigungen in Höhe von 25% bis 75% ihrer Monatsgehälter bezahlen müssen. Dies gab am Freitag der Berater des rumänischen Ministerpräsidenten, Corneliu Vişoianu, bekannt. Vişoianu brachte eine Botschaft des Ministerpräsidenten Victor Ponta beim 21. Kongress der Internationalen Assoziation ehemaliger politischer Gefangenen und Opfer des Kommunismus in Osteuropa (INTERASSO), der in Bukarest statfindet. An dem Kongress beteiligen sich Delegierte aus Deutschland, Kroatien, Ungarn, aus der Slowakei, Lettland, Litauen, Estland, Albanien und aus der Republik Moldau. Die Teilnehmer sind bedeutende Vertreter des antikommunistischen Widerstands. Rumänien wird beim Kongress vom Verband der ehemaligen politischen Gefangenen (AFDPR), Mitglied der INTERASSO, vertreten. Beim Kongress in Bukarest werden 25 Jahre seit dem Fall des Kommunismus in Mittel- und Osteuropa begangen; dabei gedenken die Kongressteilnehmer den Opfern des totalitären kommunistischen Regimes und würdigen den Kampf gegen die Diktatur. Seit 2009 ist der 23. August der Europäische Tag des Gedenkens an die Opfer von Stalinismus und Nationalsozialismus.



    BUKAREST: Der rumänische Aussenminister Titus Corlăţean hat seine Empörung über die Ermordung des US-Journalisten James Foley von der Terrormilitz Islamischer Staat geäu‎ßert. Corlatean hat das Terrorverbrechen scharf verurteilt und betont, es sei inakzeptabel, dass Journalisten Ziele von Terrorangriffen in bewaffneten Konflikten und Opfer bei der Ausübung ihres Berufes werden. Solche grausame Taten müssten von der ganzen internationalen Gemeinschaft scharf verurteilt und die Täter müssten vor Gericht gebracht werden, fügte Rumäniens Aussenminister hinzu. Rumänien werde auch ferner als NATO-und EU-Staat seinen Beitrag zur Bekämpfung des internationalen Terrorismus leisten; Terrorismus sei eine ernste Bedrohung für den Frieden und die Sicherheit der ganzen Welt, so Titus Corlatean.



    CHISINAU: Der russische Vizepremierminister Dmitri Rogozin bespricht mit Vertretern der prowestlichen moldauischen Regierung in Chisinau die angespannten bilateralen Wirtschaftsbeziehungen. Laut dem Radio-Rumänien-Korrrespondenten dürften dabei der von Russland verhängte Importstopp gegen moldauische Produkte und die russischen Gaslieferungen nach Chisinau im Mittelpunkt der Gespräche stehen. Der aktuelle Vertrag, der die russischen Gaslieferungen für die Republik Moldau regelt, läuft am 31. Dezember aus. Ferner soll Rogozin die prorussische separatistische Region Transnistrien besuchen. Neulich hatte der Präsident der nicht anerkannten abtrünnigen Republik, Evgheni Şevciuk , einen Erlass über die militärische Teilmobilmachung unterzeichnet. Die separatistische Region Transnistrien sei von der Republik Moldau und der benachbarten Ukraine einer Wirtschaftsblockade ausgesetzt, erklärte Şevciuk. Transnistrien steht faktisch seit 1992 nicht mehr unter der Kontrolle Chisinaus, nach einem bewaffneten Konflikt, der hunderte Opfer forderte und mit dem Einsatz Russlands auf der Seite der Separatisten endete. Selbst wenn Moskau offiziell erklärt, es respektiere die territoriale Integrität der Republik Moldau, unterstützt Russland die separatistische Bewegung in Transnistrien.



    SPORT: Der rumänische Pokalsieger Astra Giurgiu hat sich am Donnerstag auswärts mit 2 zu 1 gegen den mehrfachen Meister Frankreichs, Olympique Lyon, im Playoff-Rückspiel der Europe League durchgesetzt. Ein anderer Vertreter Rumäniens in der Europe League, Petrolul Ploiesti verlor im Heimspiel mit 1 zu 3 gegen die Kroaten von Dinamo Zagreb. Am Dienstag setzte sich Rumäniens Meister Steaua Bukarest im Playoff-Spiel der Champions League mit 1 zu 0 gegen den Meister Bulgariens, Ludogoreţ Razgrad durch. Die Rückspiele finden nächste Woche statt.