Radio România Internațional

Tag: Lebanon

October 9, 2024 UPDATE

Sustainable development – The Romanian government approved, on Wednesday, a bill on the establishment of the Center of Excellence for public administration in the field of sustainable development. According to a government press release, the Center will facilitate the implementation of the National Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Romania 2030 and will be established on the pillars of research, education and dialogue about sustainable development. The draft law is to be submitted to Parliament for debate and approval. Also on Wednesday, the Government adopted two measures to support farmers affected by the drought: financial compensation and the suspension, of right, of reimbursing current and outstanding loans until August 2025. The decision was made in the context in which the crops of over 230,000 agricultural producers were affected by the drought between September 2023 and August 2024. The budget of this state aid scheme is two billion lei.

Holocaust – Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday issued a statement on the National Day of Commemorating the Holocaust, saying that terrorism, hatred, violence, disinformation and hate speech are again gaining ground and that it is the responsibility of today’s generations to put a stop to them. He reiterated the commitment of the Romanian state to the democratic values and the respect for human dignity. Prime minister r Marcel Ciolacu also said anti-Semitism is tragically a reality today, but that it is our duty not to make it a reality of the future.

Visit – Romania will remain by the side of the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), strongly supporting its integration into the European Union, said the Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Nicolae Ciucă. He met, on Wednesday, in Chişinău, with the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. ‘The vote in the European Parliament, which firmly supports the European path of the Republic of Moldova, represents an essential step towards the European future of our brothers across the Prut River’, Nicolae Ciuca said. According to him, the meeting with Maia Sandu was an opportunity to reiterated full support for the reforms initiated in the neighboring state.

Lebanon – A new group of 58 people in vulnerable situations, Romanian citizens and first degree family members, mostly women, children, medical cases, people in the maximum risk area, was assisted with a view to repatriation from Lebanon and was transported, on Wednesday, in Romania, on board an aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force. According to the Foreign Ministry, the 58 people were supported by the staff of the Romanian Embassy in Beirut and by two mobile consular teams from the Rapid Reaction Unit of the Foreign Ministry in order to issue their travel documents and complete all the necessary boarding formalities. To date, 270 Romanian citizens and their family members have been evacuated from Lebanon. The Foreign Ministry reminds that a level 8/9 “Avoid all travel!” warning has been in force since October 2023 for the entire territory of the Lebanese Republic.

Nobel – The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the American researcher David Baker from the Washington School of Medicine for computational protein design and to the British researchers Demis Hassabis and John Jumper from Google Deepmind for protein structure prediction, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has announced. In 2023, the prize was shared by Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots. The prizes will be awarded during a special ceremony held on 10^th December, on the day when Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, passed away in 1896. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has so far announced this year’s prizes for medicine and physics.

Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian stopped in the second round of the WTA 1,000 tournament in Wuhan (China), with total prizes worth about 3.2 million dollars. Cristian, the beneficiary of a wild card, was defeated, with the score 6-2, 6-4, by the Chinese Qinwen Zheng, the Olympic champion in Paris. The two are tied in direct matches, 2-2. Also on Wednesday, the Romanian-Spanish pair Monica Niculescu/Cristina Bucşa was defeated by the pair Ana Danilina (Kazakhstan)/Irina Hromaceva (Russia) with 4-6, 0-6, 10-8. Niculescu and her partner born in Chişinău are champions, this year, in Strasbourg.

Resolution – The European Parliament adopted, on Wednesday, with a large majority, a resolution on strengthening the resilience of the Republic of Moldova ahead of the upcoming presidential election and the referendum on EU accession on October 20. The resolution condemns the malicious activities, meddling and hybrid operations of the Russian Federation, pro-Russian oligarchs and Russian-sponsored local actors aimed at undermining the electoral process, the security, sovereignty and democratic foundations of the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, MEPs accuse Russia of fueling the divisions in the Moldovan society and of trying to derail the state’s pro-European trajectory.

Romania – Egypt – The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu on Wednesday had official talks with Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat. The two officials reiterated their countries’ common interest in consolidating dialogue and cooperation, both with respect to bilateral relations and in regional and international matters. Minister Odobescu conveyed Romania’s appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East and Africa and thanked the Egyptian authorities for their help with the repatriation of Romanian citizens from the Gaza Strip. She also reiterated Romania’s support for the consolidation of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership. The Egyptian minister, who co-chairs the mixed committee for economic, technical and scientific cooperation between Romania and Egypt, voiced her country’s interest in developing economic and sectoral relations with Romania. She also referred to the extended efforts of the government in Cairo for the development of international economic partnerships and the efficient management of the economic effects of regional crises. (LS, CM)

9 October 2024
October 2, 2024

A roundup of local and international news.

VISA WAIVER – Romania meets all the technical conditions to be part of the Visa Waiver Program, the Romanian ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, said on a social network. He also said that Romanians would most likely be allowed to travel visa-free in the first part of next year. “Should all the conditions and preparations proceed successfully, the program could take effect sometime in 2025” the US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, said on Tuesday. However, Ambassador Kavalec said, a number of important steps still need to be completed in the coming months to establish whether Romania is, in fact, eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

BNR – The Governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isarescu, was entrusted by Parliament on Tuesday, with a new 5-year mandate at the helm of the financial institution. He has led the Bank almost uninterruptedly since 1990. He only stepped down for one year, to serve as prime minister of Romania. He is the longest-serving governor of a central bank in the world. Isărescu said before Parliament that the institution would try to ensure price stability without discouraging long-term economic growth.

WARNING – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest strongly advises Romanian citizens who are in Lebanon to leave this country by the air routes still available. The travel warning regarding the existence of major security risks is still valid. These can also affect commercial flights and travel routes, according to the Ministry. Some 1,136 Romanian citizens and their family members have so far registered their presence in Lebanon, at the Romanian Embassy in Beirut. On the ground, Iran announced that its attack on Israel had ended, after, on Tuesday evening, it launched more than 180 missiles in its direction. Tehran says that it targeted the infrastructure of the enemy state. International media says that among the targets were the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad, as well as the most important air base, Nevatim, which is also used by Israel F- 35 long-range stealth strike fighter fleet. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Israel, there is no information regarding the loss of human life and damages.

ALERT – A new RO-Alert message was issued for the northern part of Tulcea county (south-eastern Romania), after the national defense and security structures detected a possible attack by the Russian Federation on some targets on the territory of Ukraine. These messages have the role of informing the population in the border area between Romania and Ukraine about the fact that there are possible Russian attacks on the Ukrainian territory and that some objects might fall on the Romanian national territory. The Romanian Defense Ministry firmely condemns once more these attacks carried out by the Russian Federation against some objectives and elements of Ukrainian civil infrastructure, which are unjustified and are serious breaches of international law.

UNEMPLOYMENT – The unemployment rate in Romania rose, in August, to 5.5%, up by 0.1% compared to the one recorded in July 2024, according to data published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). By gender, the unemployment rate for men exceeded that of women by 0.7% (the values being 5.8% for men and 5.1% for women). The unemployment rate among young people (15-24 years old) continues to be high – 23.2%. The number of unemployed (aged 15-74) was 452,300 in August, and went up both compared to the previous month (451,200 people) and to the same period of last year (449,500 people). The number of unemployed aged 25-74 accounted for 76.3% of the total number of unemployed estimated for August 2024.

SUPPORT – Romania will support Greece by sending 50 firefighters and equipment specialized in putting out fires. According to a press release by the Government, following the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, the Government of Romania responded to the request of the Greek authorities for international assistance.

MEETING – The Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, had, on Wednesday, in Bucharest, an official meeting with his Portuguese counterpart, Nuno Melo. The two ministers reviewed the state of Romanian-Portuguese cooperation in terms of security and defense from a bilateral perspective and from that of their countries’ NATO and EU membership. Topics related to the security situation in the Black Sea region and measures to strengthen the allied defense position and deter aggression on the Eastern flank were also addressed.

2 October 2024
October 1, 2024 UPDATE

VISAS Romania formally meets all the technical conditions to be part of the Visa Waiver programme, the country’s ambassador to the United States, Andrei Muraru has announced on a social network. Our assessment, based on the number of visa applications this year as well as the significantly downward trend in recent years, is that Romania went under the 3% ceiling of the rejection rate’, the ambassador also said. According to him, the first Romanians will be able to travel without visas in the USA most likely in the first part of the next year. If all conditions and preparations are done successfully, the programme could come into effect in 2025’, the US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec said on Tuesday. However, according to the US official, there are still major steps to be taken in the next months in order to see whether Romania is eligible for the Visa Waiver programme. In turn, Prime Minister Ciolacu said during his meeting with the US official in Bucharest that the government would remain involved in everything that means the accomplishment of all procedures needed to have Romania included in the Visa Waiver programme.

NATO The former Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, on Tuesday became the new NATO Secretary General during a ceremony held at the North-Atlantic Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. Rutte, who took over from the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, thanked the allies for trusting him with the role. Rutte detailed the three priorities of his four-year mandate: support for Ukraine, consolidating the collective allied defence and developing the international partnerships NATO already concluded with third countries. From Bucharest, Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, has conveyed a congratulation message to the newly-appointed NATO Secretary General, in which he has also expressed his gratitude for the activity of the former NATO Chief, Jens Stoltenberg.

ME Israeli raids in southern Lebanon on Tuesday triggered a new wave of international concern. Also on Tuesday, the Israeli army announced it had hit several Hezbollah targets in capital Beirut, although it had earlier announced that its troops would limit their operations only to regions close to the common border. Numerous airline companies have cancelled their flights to the area and Western countries have started to evacuate their citizens from Lebanon. Bucharest has announced that over 11 hundred Romanian citizens and family members have registered at Romania’s embassy in Beirut. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a level 8-9 warning for this country in October last year, which translates as ”Avoid any trip to Lebanon”. The warning is still in place due to the major security risks in the area. The Romanian diplomacy has firmly recommended the Romanian citizens on the Lebanese territory to leave the country by means of the flights still available.

PARLIAMENT Convened in a joint session on Tuesday, the Romanian deputies and senators appointed the members of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania. According to political sources, the current governor Mugur Isărescu, who has been holding this position since 1990, is supported for a new mandate at the helm of BNR. Also on Tuesday, the Parliament submitted for approval two requests from President Klaus Iohannis – the participation of the Romanian Army in the NATO Security Assistance and Training Mission for Ukraine and the establishment, on the Romania territory, of a maritime training facility for the Ukrainian personnel. The two Parliament chambers will be informed, on the other hand, about the approval of the transit, through Romania, of equipment and material goods donated by Sweden to Ukraine, but also about the presence on the Romanian territory, for a period of two years, of an American contingent of naval forces for special operations.

(bill)

1 October 2024
October 1, 2024

A roundup of local and international news.

NATO – A ceremony marking the transition to the new NATO Secretary General is being held in Brussels, in which Jens Soltenberg hands over the mandate to the new chief of the Alliance, Mark Rutte, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands. With 10 years at the helm of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg is the second longest-serving Secretary-General of the Alliance, since its establishment 75 years ago. His mandate began in the context of the annexation of Crimea by Russia, then went through the withdrawal of allies from Afghanistan, the COVID crisis, and now through the war started by Russia. NATO expanded to 32 members, after the accession of Montenegro, North Macedonia, Finland and Sweden.

VISA WAIVER – Romania formally meets all technical criteria in order to be included in the Visa Waiver program, the Romanian ambassador to the United States, Andrei Muraru, announced on a social network. The fiscal year in the United States ended on Monday, and the last condition that Romania had to fulfill was satisfied. We are waiting for a confirmation from the American partners in the upcoming period, but our assessment, based on the number of visa applications this year, as well as the strong downward trend in recent years, is that Romania has dropped below the 3% rejection rate, Muraru explained. According to the ambassador, the first Romanians will most likely be able to travel without visas to the United States, in the first part of next year.

LAW – The head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Romanian Laura Codruţa Kövesi, has called on the European Parliament to change the institution’s regulations, to allocate a bigger budget and for a better collaboration with the member states. She says that the number of cases of cross-border financial fraud has doubled year on year, and the information collected about organized crime exceeds the analytical power of the Prosecutor’s Office and even Europol. Last year, following the investigations of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, court sentences were given for the recovery of 1.7 billion euros, and 600 million euros have already been returned to the member states, Kövesi explained. At the moment, over 2,000 cases are under investigation, with damages estimated at 23 billion euros. Romania was involved in 260 cases, with a damage of almost 2 billion euros.

INVESTMENT – The net flow of direct foreign investments in Romania in 2023 was almost 6.75 billion euros, down by 36.3% compared to the record value recorded in the previous year, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) has announced. BNR experts say that this development is part of the current international context, marked by economic risks and geopolitical tensions. The main sectors that attracted foreign money in Romania were industry, financial intermediation, insurance and trade.

PARLIAMENT – Convened in joint session, the Romanian deputies and senators are appointing, today, the members of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania. According to political sources, the current governor Mugur Isărescu, who has been holding this position since 1990, is supported for a new mandate at the helm of BNR. Also today, the Parliament submits for approval two requests from President Klaus Iohannis – the participation of the Romanian Army in the NATO Security Assistance and Training Mission for Ukraine and the establishment, on the Romania territory, of a maritime training facility for the Ukrainian personnel. The two Parliament chambers will be informed, on the other hand, about the approval of the transit, through Romania, of equipment and material goods donated by Sweden to Ukraine, but also about the presence on the Romanian territory, for a period of two years, of an American contingent of naval forces for special operations.

ISRAEL – The Israeli military launched a ground operation in a number of villages in southern Lebanon, saying it focused on clearing out militant infrastructure prepared by the elite force of the Hezbollah for the invasion of Israeli territory. The invasion was being supported by the Israeli air force, which targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area considered the stronghold of the Shiite movement. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had previously indicated that the army was ready for a ground operation, telling troops near the border with Lebanon that Israel was ready to use air, sea and land forces against Hezbollah targets. In turn, the deputy leader of the Hezbollah said that his militants are prepared for any Israeli operation in Lebanon.

1 October 2024
The Romanian foreign minister at the UN

Russia’s attacks on the civilian infrastructure in Ukraine carry on, and consolidating the defence in this country is important, which is an aspect to which Ukraine’s neighbor, Romania, also contributes with the donation of a Patriot missile defence system, the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu told the Romanian mass media.

The Romanian diplomacy chief last week took part in the UN General Assembly in New York, where she voiced support for the peace plan put forth by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

She said peace in Ukraine must be ‘a just peace,’ based on international law and the UN Charter, and one which recognizes the territorial integrity and independence of Moscow-invaded Ukraine.

The Romanian official explained that she had also discussed the drone attacks on Ukraine’s Romanian border with Bucharest’s Western partners and allies. She also mentioned that a merchant ship carrying Ukrainian grain was recently hit by a Russian missile in the Black Sea. Such attacks ‘affect the security and freedom of navigaton and are flagrant violations of international rules,’ the Romanian foreign minister emphasised.

On the other hand, the security situation in the Middle East is volatile and it is very important that a war affecting the entire region be avoided, Luminiţa Odobescu pointed out.

In the bilateral meetings in New York with political leaders in the Arab world—Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates—she reiterated that Romania consistently supported a two-state solution. But until that time, a lasting truce in Gaza is crucial, concurrently with the release of all the Israeli hostages kidnapped by the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas, and with continuing humanitarian aid for the civilians in Gaza.

Luminiţa Odobescu emphasized that Bucharest is providing humanitarian aid to Gaza and voiced willingness for Romanian hospitals to treat children from that region, which has been devastated for a year now by a war that has killed over 40,000 and left another 100,000 others wounded.

As for a possible spillover of this conflict to Lebanon, Luminiţa Odobescu said the Romanian diplomatic mission in that country focuses on the Romanian nationals who live there with their families. According to the Romanian official, so far nearly 1,000 Romanian nationals and family members have notified their presence in Lebanon to the Romanian Embassy in Beirut, but no evacuation requests have been received so far. Minister Odobescu reiterated the Romanian authorities’ call on Romanian nationals to avoid traveling to Lebanon, given the recent security developments in the region. (AMP)

30 September 2024
August 5, 2024 UPDATE

Harassment – The Government is this week expected to amend the legislation on sexual abuse, which currently disallows anonymous complaints. Authorities will adopt measures to protect the victims, regardless of the aggressor’s identity. The measures come in response to several reports of sexual harassment in universities. Education Minister Ligia Deca explained the police will quickly register reports of sexual abuse, and the new measures will apply to the entire public sector, including regulations regarding internal inquiries. We recall that, in the last week, a number of former female students presented allegations of sexual harassment against three university professors. The Police have launched a number of investigations. Professor Alfred Bulai of the National School of Political Science and Public Administration (SNSPA) was sacked from the position of chair of the Sociology Department, while Dorin Ștefan Adam from the University of Architecture in Bucharest and Marius Pieleanu of SNSPA have resigned.

Energy – The Romanian Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, signed, on Monday, together with the Minister of Mines and Energy from neighboring Serbia, Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic, a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Gas Interconnector Construction Project between the two countries. The Romanian official stated that the interconnector will play an essential role in energy security and in the regional integration of energy markets. According to him, on the territory of Romania, the natural gas transport pipeline will connect to the BRUA pipeline and will have a length of about 86 km. It is estimated that the investment will be completed by 2028. Burduja also showed that, in the first quarter of this year, Romania provided almost 30% of the gas production of the entire European Union and has all the chances to become an energy hub in the market.

Middle East – Romanian citizens must leave Lebanon quickly by the flights still available. It is the firm recommendation sent by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, in the context of an increased risk of escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The Ministry also recommends Romanians who are in Lebanon to register their presence at the Embassy in Beirut. On the other hand, the Romanian national airline TAROM announced that it is suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut, starting from Tuesday until August 12, following the current developments and the deterioration of the security context in the Middle East.

Drought – The filling rate in Romania’s 40 reservoirs is almost 79%, slightly downwards compared to last week. The National Administration of Romanian Waters states that the necessary raw water is provided for supply in a centralized manner, but draws attention to the fact that in 421 localities, from 17 counties, which have centralized supply systems, water is supplied with restrictions. In 270 localities, from 10 counties, where there are no water networks, the wells have dried up. Considering the forecast for the next period, specialists continue to call for the rational use of water during the drought.

Cars – The number of electric cars in the EU registered a significant increase last year, of 50%, but their share in the community car fleet remains low. Compared to the total stock of cars in the Union, electric cars account for only 1.7%. Denmark has the best percentage, 7.1 % of the total car fleet. Sweden, Luxembourg and the Netherlands follow, the last with five percentage points. Romania has approximately 0.5% and ranks 20^th in the EU. The lowest percentages are reported by Cyprus, Greece and Poland, each with 0.2%.

Beer – Beer sales on the Romanian market increased by over 40%, compared to previous years. According to the survey of a food product delivery company, Romanians order the largest amounts of beer on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and the most requested assortment of beer is blonde beer, followed by dark. This year, the largest quantity was requested on June 22, during the European Football Championship, when the Romania – Belgium match took place. In a list of the cities with the most beer orders at national level, the capital Bucharest is in first place, followed by Cluj (north-west) and Braşov (center). (LS)

5 August 2024
July 31, 2024

OLYMPICS – Romanian athletes are competing on Wednesday, at the Olympic Games in Paris, in rowing, swimming, judo, table tennis, archery and triathlon. Japan remains in the top position in the medal standings at the Paris Olympics after Tuesday’s races, the fourth official day of competition, while Romania is 16th after the gold won by swimmer David Popovici in the 200m freestyle race on Monday. On Tuesday, David Popovici also qualified to the semifinals of the 100 m freestyle event. The final is taking place today. The Romanian artistic gymnastics team competed in the women’s team finals and finished in 7th place, 12 years after their previous participation, at the London Olympics, when they took the bronze medal. Romanian rowers Ancuța Bodnar and Simona Radiş, the Olympic champions in women’s double rowing, qualified, on Tuesday, to Final A. At the same time, Romanian rowers Florin Arteni and Florin Lehaci qualified to the final in men’s double sculls, after winning the first semi-final.

FIRES – 40 Romanian firefighters with 8 technical means left for Greece on Tuesday, where several wildfires are active. The mission lasts until September 15, the purpose of the program being to reduce the response time in the event of forest fires and improve interoperability between the participating forces. The head of the Romanian Department for Emergencies, Raed Arafat told the firefighters that, although they are going on a support mission, the situation is difficult in Greece and, most likely, they will participate in the interventions. The mission of the Romanian firefighters is part of the assistance program financed by the EU, provided as a measure of support for the Greek communities, after the devastating fires recorded in the past years.

TAROM – TAROM flights to and from Beirut have been suspended on Wednesday and Thursday, amid the growing tensions in the Middle East and following the alert issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest to avoid any travel to this region, the national air operator announced. Other European countries have also suspended their flights on the Beirut route. Several countries, including Romania, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon urgently, due to growing concerns about a possible large-scale retaliation by Israel, after Saturday’s rocket attack that killed 12 young people on the Golan Heights and for which the Lebanese group Hezbollah is accused. The Israeli army said it carried out a targeted strike in the area of the Lebanese capital against the Hezbollah command on Tuesday evening.

FRAUD – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office alerted Romania regarding several cases of fraud, including one with a possible damage of 4.3 million euros, involving a mafia group from Italy. The institution led by the Romanian Laura Codruţa Kovesi informed the Ministry of Investments and European Projects in Bucharest that there are possible systemic vulnerabilities in contracts with European funds in the country. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has signaled a high risk of fraud with letters of guarantee issued by fictitious entities or which did not have the right to issue such documents. According to a press release by the European institution, based on these false documents, several public tenders were won and then ended up being investigated.

HAMAS – The Palestinian group Hamas said that its leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran, in an Israeli raid on his residence in the capital Tehran. The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the “coward assassination” of the political leader of Hamas. Turkey also condemned the assassination of Ismail Hanyeh, a close associate of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, said that the blood of the assassinated Hamas leader will not be wasted. We remind you that the war in the Gaza Strip broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas committed an attack in southern Israel that led to the death of nearly 1,200 people, most of them civilians. Another 250 people were kidnapped then. In response, Israel promised to destroy Hamas, in power since 2007 in the Palestinian territory, which it sees as a terrorist organization, a position shared by the US and the EU. (EE)

31 July 2024
July 30, 2024 UPDATE

SENATE – The Romanian Senate was informed, on Monday, during an extraordinary session, about several normative acts adopted by the government that entered the parliamentary circuit. Among them, the draft law on the measures needed for the organization of this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections. The normative act aims to create a separate electoral infrastructure for the two types of elections, the method of appointing the members of the electoral offices, but also their payment at the level of allowances that the representatives of the electoral offices benefited from in the local elections of June 9. The deadline for tacit adoption expires at the end of September.

FIREFIGHTERS – Requests made from abroad for Romanian firefighters are proof that the civil defense system is working, Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu said Tuesday. The statements were made on the occasion of the departure to Greece of a contingent of rescue firefighters from Romania. They have proven their ability to save lives, to protect communities, in the country and abroad, the official also said. The missions are carried out within the framework of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, with European funding, and the Romanian firefighters are requested for the 4th time in a row to send teams to Greece. This first contingent consisting of 40 firefighters have travelled to Greece, with 8 technical means. They will be replaced after a period of several weeks by two other series of firefighters. They will operate in the Athens area, to help the Greek authorities manage the situations caused by the fires.

LEBANON – Several countries, including Romania, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, are urging their citizens to leave Lebanon urgently, due to growing concerns about a possible large-scale retaliation by Israel, after Saturday’s rocket attack that killed 12 young people on the Golan Heights, for which Hezbollah is blamed. At the same time, more and more airlines are suspending their flights on the Beirut route. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited, on Monday, the place where the rocket launched from Lebanon fell and stated that Israel’s response would be harsh. Hezbollah denies the accusation of having masterminded the attack. The White House has voiced confidence that a full-scale Israel-Hezbollah war could be avoided. In a conversation with the Israeli president, Itzhak Herzog, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the importance of preventing an escalation. In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, talked with Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, Hezbollah’s main ally, who warned that an attack on Lebanon would have serious consequences. The head of the Italian diplomacy has also spoken with his Israeli and Lebanese counterparts, and estimated that stopping violence is possible.

PROGRAM – The Romanian Ministry of Economy announces the start of a new edition of the “Women Entrepreneur” program, intended to finance the activity of commercial companies in which a woman owns at least 50% of the shares. Registrations are open for a period of 45 days, but the term can be extended, depending on the availability of funds. For each approved file, funding can reach up to 40 thousand euros, the total budget being calculated for one thousand beneficiaries. The eligibility criteria refer to the length of time as a shareholder, the value of the contribution to the investment, or the profitability of the company in the last two years. The fields that are not eligible for this program are forestry and agriculture, but also the production of ammunition and armaments.

AID – 500 tents and 2,000 blankets made available by the Romanian National Administration of State Reserves and Special Problems were offered free of charge to the Gaza Strip, the Department for Emergency Situations announced on Monday. The equipment was transported with the help of the European Commission, through the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Romania has announced that, in this way, it continues to observe its international commitments, remaining a reliable partner to the states that face major emergency situations. We recall that on April 19, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu convened the National Committee for Emergency Situations, and a Decision was approved on granting free international assistance to the affected civilian population in Gaza.

UKRAINE – Washington has announced a new security assistance package for Ukraine, worth up to 200 million dollars. According to White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, the package includes “key combat capabilities for Ukraine, including air defense interceptors, munitions for rocket systems and artillery and anti-tank weapons”. The US Department of Defense also announces significant funding for the Security Assistance Initiative to support Ukraine’s long-term defense capability. Kyiv has been urging its allies for months to provide more air defense systems so that Ukraine can counter missile and drone attacks by Russian forces on its territory. The US has provided Ukraine with more than $50 billion in military aid since 2022. (EE)

30 July 2024
July 29, 2024

ANTHEM DAY – President Klaus Iohannis has today conveyed a message on National Anthem Day, saying that this is ‘a good opportunity to reaffirm our generation’s collective commitment to further developing Romania’. Iohannis also said that the national anthem “expresses the unity of our nation and defines not only the important moments in history, but especially the fulfilment of the ideals that we have assumed over time – ensuring freedom and sovereignty, establishing democracy and the state of law, Romania’s EU and NATO membership.’ National Anthem Day is marked today with military ceremonies in all garrisons in Romania. In Bucharest, the program has included a religious service and a concert performed by the Representative Music of the Ministry of National Defense. Romania’s National Anthem Day was proclaimed in 1998 and is celebrated every year on July 29. “Awaken thee, Romanian!” was composed by Anton Pann and the lyrics were written by the poet Andrei Mureșanu.

SECURITY ALERT – The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) recommends Romanian citizens to avoid any trip to Lebanon, given the recent armed confrontations on the Lebanese-Israeli border. Romanian citizens already in this state are urged to responsibly assess the need to stay in Lebanon, and those in the southern part of the country are strongly advised by the ministry to leave the region immediately. At the same time, the MAE strongly recommends Romanian citizens who are in Lebanon to register their presence at the Romanian Embassy in Beirut. Israeli warplanes struck several Hezbollah targets in northern Lebanon on Saturday night, following the rocket attack that killed 12 people, including children, on a soccer field in the occupied Golan Heights of Israel.

OLYMPICS – Romanian athletes are today competing at the Olympic Games in Paris, in rowing, mountain biking, swimming, tennis and table tennis. Swimmer David Popovici qualified, on Sunday, in the final of the 200 m freestyle event with the best time in the semi-finals, 1:44:53. Popovici (19 years old), double world champion and quadruple European champion, had previously achieved the best time of the series, 1:45:65. He was fourth in the 200m freestyle final three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. Also on Sunday, Romania qualified for the women’s team final in artistic gymnastics, 12 years after its previous participation. The Romanian men’s water polo team was defeated by the Greek team, 14-7, in their first match in Group A. Romania will play the next match on July 30, against the American team.

UNESCO – The monumental ensemble “The Heroes’ Path” (“Calea Eroilor”) sculpted by Constantin Brâncuşi in Romania and the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Made by the Romanian sculptor almost 90 years ago, the ensemble is considered by experts as an exceptional work. The Romanian authorities submitted the nomination file as early as January 2018, and a technical evaluation mission took place in Romania last year. The second application accepted by UNESCO concerns Roman fortifications (the so-called Danube Limes) erected along the northern border of the province of Dacia, totaling 277 sites from 16 counties, part of the general defense system of the Roman Empire, the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia.

CHILDREN – The total number of children in Romania who had both parents working abroad was, at the end of March 2024, 9,039, some 719 less compared to the the previous year, according to data supplied by the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption (ANPDCA). Also, the number of children with parents working abroad dropped to 61,007 at the end of March, from 64,936 on December 31, 2023.

FUEL – The average price of a liter of gasoline in Romania increased by 5.1% compared to last month, and the average price of a liter of diesel increased by 4.7%. In Bucharest, a liter of standard gasoline is sold at prices between 7.35 lei and 7.49 lei, and a liter of standard diesel is between 7.44 lei and 7.57 lei (1 euro is the equivalent of around 5 lei). Romania is currently in third place in the European Union among the countries with the cheapest gasoline, after Bulgaria and Malta, and in fourth place in terms of the lowest diesel price, after Bulgaria, Lithuania and Malta. (EE)

29 July 2024
October 30, 2023 UPDATE

MOTION The
Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Monday debated a simple motion to censor
Finance Minister Marcel Bolos, part of the Social Democratic- National Liberal
coalition cabinet. The opposition parties USR and Force of the Right, which
introduced the motion, believe he is responsible for increased taxation, as an
effect of applying fiscal measures that the government took responsibility for
in Parliament recently. The signatories also say that the main reason for the
budget deficit is the explosion in state spending, and draw attention to the
fact that measures taken by the government would not resolve the situation. USR
MP Claudiu Nasui, former minister of the economy, said that the new taxes hurt
small businesses, which will be forced to reduce their workforce, and bring up
prices for goods and services, which will have an immediate impact on the
population. In reply, Marcel Bolos said that Romania is at a crossroads, and
that concrete and sustainable measures are needed to overcome this hurdle. The Finance
Minister said that, absent this, there is a risk of losing access to European
funds. The vote for this simple motion is set for Tuesday.

VISIT The vice president of the European Commission for Values and
Transparency, Vera Jourova, held talks in Bucharest on Monday with the Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis. High on the agenda were the rule of law, the reforms
in justice, Romania’s accession to Schengen, the support for Ukraine and the
situation in the Middle East. She earlier met Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu
with whom she talked about the recommendations in the report on the rule of
law, the pension law, measures for the right way of assuring human resources,
proposed measures for digitization, AI and fighting online crime. In an
interview to the national radio station, Jourova said Romania is doing well
with the legal system, but there are new laws, which must be implemented so
that citizens may have access to a well prepared judicial system.

ISRAEL The Israeli army has
announced that it struck targets in Syria and Lebanon, in response to rocket
fire coming from these countries. In another development, new rocket attacks
launched from the Gaza Strip targeted, today, the south of Israel, the most affected
being the city of Netivot, where a residential block was hit, writes The Times
of Israel, noting that there were no victims. Palestinians in the north of Gaza
also said there had been intense air and artillery strikes as Israeli troops,
backed by tanks, launched a ground assault on the enclave. The Israeli military
say they have hit more than 600 targets in recent days, killing dozens of
terrorists and continuing to expand its ground operations in Gaza. After the
attacks of the Islamist group Hamas on October 7, more than 1,400 people have
been killed in Israel. On the other hand, Hamas authorities in Gaza say that
the toll of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes has exceeded 8,300.

HANDBALL The Romanian women’s
handball champions, CSM Bucharest, secured a 29-24 away win against Buducnost
Podgorica of Montenegro in the Champions League’s Group A, on Sunday. The Romanians
obtained their third victory in this European season. After six stages, the
Romanian champions are in the 4th position with 6 points, in a group
dominated by Gyor Audi of Hungary. In the competition’s next stage, CSM, on
their home turf will be up against the Hungarian side Debrecen, on November 11.
On Saturday, in the competition’s Group B, vice-champions Rapid Bucharest outperformed
Krim Ljubljana from Slovenia, 27-22. In the next round, they will be playing at
home the Norwegian side Vipers Kristiansand, on November 12.

(bill)

30 October 2023
August 10, 2020 UPDATE

RULING The Court of Appeal in Bucharest on Monday
decided it lacks the material competence needed to rule regarding a request
from the Department for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) to
reopen an inquiry into the activity of the former chiefs of the Gendarme Corps
in the file of the protest rallies staged by the Romanians living abroad on
August 10th 2018 in Bucharest, against the Social Democratic
government of that time. The trial has been moved to the Bucharest Court, which
has admitted a request by the former heads of the Romanian Gendarme Corps
involved in this case. Last week, the Court of Appeal postponed the request. On
Tuesday the chief prosecutor of DIICOT, Giorgiana Hosu, dismissed the decision
to close the case and ordered the recommencement of prosecution against the
former officials of the Romanian Gendarme Corps. The case had been closed in
late June, when the case prosecutor decided that there was neither evidence of
an attempted coup, as gendarme officials had claimed at the time, nor evidence
that the crackdown on the protests had been planned beforehand. The reopening
of the case must be approved by a judge, and then the investigation will be taken
over by the Military Prosecutor’s Office. The former gendarme chiefs will be
probed into, among others, for abuse of office and improper participation in
misrepresentation, abusive conduct and fraud.

COVID-19 In Romania, the total number of COVID-19
infections is now over 62,500, with 779 new cases reported on Monday and with
the death toll standing at 2,729, of which 29 in the last 24 hours, according
to the Strategic Communication Group. As many as 476 patients are in intensive care units, and over 30,311 have recovered. The
largest numbers of SARS-CoV-2 cases are reported in Bucharest and in the
counties of Suceava (north-east) and Arges (south). Healthcare experts once
again urged citizens to observe protection rules. They warned that private
parties or family gatherings do not eliminate infection risks even if they take
place outdoors. Today, the National Public Health Institute decided to include
Spain in the yellow risk area. As of Tuesday, all
those who travel from Spain to Romania must self-isolate for 14 days, and all
flights from Spain to Romania are cancelled. Meanwhile, Italy has
extended itsself-isolation requirement for all people having stayed or
transited Romania up to 14 days before arriving in Italy. The measure will be
in place until September 7. Around the globe,
some 20 million cases and 730,000 deaths have been confirmed so far. The US and
Latin America are severely affected, in Asia the worst hit country is India, with
over 43,000 deaths, while in Africa the worst situation is reported in South
Africa. The Gulf region is also severely hit, with over 600,000 cases
confirmed in Iran and Saudi Arabia alone.

FOOTBALL According to the polls cast in
Nyon, Switzerland, on Monday, Romania’s football champions CFR Cluj will be
taking on Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb in the second preliminary round of the
Champions League if they defeat Floriana FC of Malta in the first round. The
match against the Croatian champions is due on August 25th or 26th
in Romania. CFR will be taking on Floriana on August 18 or 19 in Malta. All the
games in the first three preliminary rounds are to take place in the same time due
to the extended 2019-2020 season after the recess imposed by the novel
coronavirus. In Europa League, Romanian side FCSB will be playing Armenian side
FC Shirak in Bucharest, while FC Botosani, another side from Romania, will go
to Kazakhstan to play the local side Ordabasy. Another Romanian side CSU
Craiova will be up against Lokomotiv Tbilisi of Georgia in an away game. All
the matches are due in a single round on August 27th.

DEFICIT Romania’s trade deficit for the first 6 months of the
year stands at 8.665 billion euros, up 935.7 million euros since the level
reported for the first half of 2019, the National Statistics Institute
announced on Monday. Between January 1 and June 30, Romania’s exports totaled 28.590
billion euros, and imports 37.255 billion euros. During the same period,
exports dropped by 18.1%, while imports went down 12.6%, compared to the
corresponding period of 2019.

LEBANON Nearly one week after the devastating
blast in Beirut, which killed 158 people and injured 6,000, the international
community put together an emergency aid package of nearly 253 million Euros for
Lebanon, and promised it would reach the Lebanese people directly. The money
was pledged at a virtual donor conference hosted by France. An investigation is
underway to clarify the causes of the disaster, and leaders around the world have asked for a transparent inquiry. Meanwhile,
in Beirut, protests are growing, having already led to the resignation of 3
cabinet ministers. For 2 days in a row, protesters demanded the government
should step down, and accused politicians of incompetence and corruption. Clashes
have been reported between the protesters and the police, with 250 people
wounded and 65 hospitalised according to the Lebanese Red Cross. One policeman
was killed.

(translated by
bill)

10 August 2020
August 10, 2020

COVID-19 In Romania, the total number of COVID-19 infections is now over 62,500, with 779 new cases reported on Monday and with the death toll standing at 2,729, of which 29 in the last 24 hours, according to the Strategic Communication Group. As many as 476 patients are in intensive care units, and over 30,311 have recovered. The largest numbers of SARS-CoV-2 cases are reported in Bucharest and in the counties of Suceava (north-east) and Arges (south). Healthcare experts once again urged citizens to observe protection rules. They warned that private parties or family gatherings do not eliminate infection risks even if they take place outdoors. Today, the National Public Health Institute decided to include Spain in the yellow risk area. As of Tuesday, all those who travel from Spain to Romania must self-isolate for 14 days, and all flights from Spain to Romania are cancelled. Meanwhile, Italy has extended its self-isolation requirement for all people having stayed or transited Romania up to 14 days before arriving in Italy. The measure will be in place until September 7.

PANDEMIC Around the globe, some 20 million cases and 730,000 deaths have been confirmed so far. The US and Latin America are severely affected, in Asia the worst hit country is India, with over 43,000 deaths, while in Africa the worst situation is reported in South Africa. The Gulf region is also severely hit, with over 600,000 cases confirmed in Iran and Saudi Arabia alone.

INVESTIGATION The Bucharest Court of Appeals is today analysing the request of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences (DIICOT) to reopen the investigation against senior gendarme officials with respect to the anti-government protests of August 10, 2018. Last week, the Court of Appeals postponed the request. On Tuesday the chief prosecutor of DIICOT, Giorgiana Hosu, dismissed the decision to close the case and ordered the recommencement of prosecution against the former officials of the Romanian Gendarme Corps. The case had been closed in late June, when the case prosecutor decided that there was neither evidence of an attempted coup, as gendarme officials had claimed at the time, nor evidence that the crackdown on the protests had been planned beforehand. The reopening of the case must be approved by a judge, and then the investigation will be taken over by the Military Prosecutors Office. The former gendarme chiefs will be probed into, among others, for abuse of office and improper participation in misrepresentation, abusive conduct and fraud.

DEFICIT Romanias trade deficit for the first 6 months of the year stands at 8.665 billion euros, up 935.7 million euros since the level reported for the first half of 2019, the National Statistics Institute announced on Monday. Between January 1 and June 30, Romanias exports totaled 28.590 billion euros, and imports 37.255 billion euros. During the same period, exports dropped by 18.1%, while imports went down 12.6%, compared to the corresponding period of 2019.

LEBANON Nearly one week after the devastating blast in Beirut, which killed 158 people and injured 6,000, the international community put together an emergency aid package of nearly 253 million euros for Lebanon, and promised it would reach the Lebanese people directly. The money was pledged at a virtual donor conference hosted by France. An investigation is underway to clarify the causes of the disaster, and leaders around the world have asked for a transparent inquiry. Meanwhile, in Beirut, protests are growing, having already led to the resignation of 2 cabinet ministers. For 2 days in a row, protesters demanded the government should step down, and accused politicians of incompetence and corruption. Clashes have been reported between the protesters and the police, with 250 people wounded and 65 hospitalised according to the Lebanese Red Cross. One policeman was killed.

ELECTION The incumbent president of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, won a new term in office with 80.23% of the votes cast in Sundays election, according to preliminary results. Viewed as Europes last dictator, Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994. Svetlana Tihanovskaia, a former English teacher turned Lukashenkos main challenger in the presidential election, got 9.9% of the votes. The results were challenged by protesters who took to the streets on Sunday. Clashes with the police were reported, with at least one person dead and scores of others injured. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

10 August 2020
August 9, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 In Romania, another 1,145 coronavirus infections were reported, taking the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 61,768. More than 30,000 patients have recovered. The Strategic Communication Group announced that 458 patients are still in intensive care. The death toll of the pandemic in Romania is 2,700. Romania requested 10 million vaccine doses, when one is available, the health minister Nelu Tătaru announced. He added the vaccine will primarily be given to healthcare staff, to the elderly and people with previous conditions. Tǎtaru also warned that many cases are confirmed among tourists returning from their holidays, and reminded that the number of cases depends to a great extent on peoples compliance with face covering and distancing requirements. Apart from tourism, the health minister added, a number of other major risks have been identified, including business activities and regional commuting and transport. Tǎtaru expects a steady number of new cases rather than an increase, but warned that the situation depends entirely on people observing protection rules. Meanwhile, Italian authorities extended the self-isolation requirement for all people having stayed or transited Romania up to 14 days before arriving in Italy. The measure will be in place until September 7.

PANDEMIC Meanwhile, in spite of international and local efforts, the covonavirus continues to spread. worldometers.info reports some 20 million cases worldwide, over 729,000 deaths, and at least 12.7 million patients recovered since the first case was reported in China 7 months ago. The worst hit country is the USA. Many countries are stepping up efforts to create a vaccine. Singapore is starting trials on 100 patients next week, in a first stage that would take until October. In Israel human trials will also begin soon. The US has recently increased investments to support a potential vaccine currently in the final stage of clinical trials. Pharmaceutical companies around the world have signed contracts with countries like Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands for experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

GOVERNMENT The interim Senate speaker Robert Cazanciuc presented in a press conference on Sunday the “black book of the Liberal government, which will be the foundation for a no-confidence motion announced by the Social Democratic Party against Ludovic Orbans cabinet. The largest opposition party in Romania says that under the Liberal government the healthcare situation is out of control, and the number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks proves that the government has failed to properly handle the epidemic. The Social Democrats also believe the Liberal government backed by the President of Romania has fumbled all economic recovery attempts, failing to properly implement any measure. According to the Social Democrats, these are the results of a government only interested in elections and in quick gains for party clients.

ECONOMY Romania will avoid technical recession and its economy will shrink by less than predicted by rating agencies, the European Commission, the IMF and the banking sector, thanks to a prompt and efficient package of economic policies, the Romanian finance minister Florin Cîţu says. In a Facebook post, he says the countrys economic recovery will begin in the 3rd quarter, which means positive economic growth in 2021. Florin Cîţu argues that the fiscal policy gave an “immediate, strong and, more importantly, targeted response to the challenges entailed by the pandemic.

LEBANON The French president Emmanuel Macron has called for quick and effective action to ensure the international aid reaches the Lebanese people, in the wake of the massive explosion that ravaged Beirut. In a virtual international donor conference on Sunday, Macron also called on the Lebanese authorities to respond to the demands legitimately voiced by people in the streets with adequate political and economic reforms. The French official pleaded for an impartial, credible and independent inquiry into the causes of the disaster on August 4. Fifteen heads of state and government, including the US president Donald Trump, took part in the conference co-hosted by France and the UN and attended by representatives of some 30 countries and international organisations. Romania has already joined the international relief effort. Nearly 8 tonnes of medical materials and pharmaceuticals were donated and shipped on Saturday from Romania to Lebanon. At least 158 people died, 6,000 were injured and 300,000 lost their homes in Beirut when a warehouse storing more than 2,000 tonnes of amonium nitrate caught fire. The blast came amid the already unfolding COVID-19 crisis, a deep economic crisis and anti-governmental discontent among the Lebanese people. (Translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 August 2020
August 9, 2020

COVID-19 In Romania, another 1,145 coronavirus infections were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 61,768. More than 30,000 patients have recovered. The Strategic Communication Group announced that 458 patients are still in intensive care. The death toll of the pandemic in Romania is 2,700, with 41 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The first COVID-19 case in the country was confirmed on February 26. The authorities urge citizens to get information from official sources only. Romania requested 10 million vaccine doses, when one is available, the health minister Nelu Tătaru announced. He added the vaccine will primarily be given to healthcare staff, to the elderly and people with previous conditions. Tǎtaru also warned that many cases are confirmed among tourists returning from their holidays, and reminded that the number of cases depends to a great extent on peoples compliance with face covering and distancing requirements. Apart from tourism, the health minister added, a number of other major risks have been identified, including business activities and regional commuting and transport. Tǎtaru expects a steady number of new cases next week, rather than an increase, but warned that the situation depends entirely on people observing protection rules.

PANDEMIC Meanwhile, in spite of international and local efforts, the covonavirus continues to spread. worldometers.info reports at least 19.8 million cases worldwide, over 729,000 deaths, and at least 12.7 million patients recovered since the first case was reported in China 7 months ago. The worst hit country is the USA, which currently has over 5.1 million cases and over 165,000 deaths. Problems are still reported in Europe, with Britain still the worst affected (46,000 deaths), followed by Italy (35,000), France (30,000) and Spain (28,000). Many countries are stepping up efforts to create a vaccine. Singapore is starting human trials next week, in a first stage that would take until October. In Israel trials will also begin soon, while Russia announced it was producing 2 vaccines to be distributed this month—an announcement received with reserve by the World Health Organisation. The US has recently increased investments to support a potential vaccine currently in the last stage of clinical trials. Pharmaceutical companies around the world have signed contracts with countries like Canada, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands for experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

TIFF Today brings the last screenings as part of the Transylvania International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca. On Saturday night, the winners of this years edition were announced, in an event where the director Cristi Puiu caused a stir when he urged people to take off their protection masks. At the opening of his latest movie, “Malmkrog, Puiu argued that it is “inhuman to have people watch a 200-minute long film with their faces covered. The Transilvania trophy went to ”Babyteeth, the debut feature of the Australian director Shannon Murphy. The award gala was held for the first time outdoors, in the Union Square in Cluj-Napoca, as were all the around 140 film screenings this year.

LEBANON The leaders of the worlds most powerful states are discussing today, in a conference call initiated by France and the UN, means to raise aid for Lebanon, after the massive explosion that ravaged Beirut. The US president Donald Trump said he planned to join the call. Several countries promised millions of US dollars in aid and sent vessels, healthcare workers and materials to help. Romania has joined the international relief effort. Nearly 8 tonnes of medical materials and pharmaceuticals were donated and shipped on Saturday from Romania to Lebanon. Authorities estimate the blast caused losses of up to 15 billion dollars. At least 158 people died, 5,000 were injured and 300 lost their homes. On Saturday several thousand people took to the streets, and clashes with the police were reported. Lebanons PM Hassan Diab said he would push for early elections. Lebanon was already in a major economic crisis and struggling with the coronavirus pandemic.

NAGASAKI The mayor of the Japanese city of Nagasaki urged the government to take more steps to eradicate atomic bombs in the world. Tomihisa Taue gave an address during the commemoration of the 1945 American attack on the city, which killed over 80,000 people, and said that as the only country in the world to experience the devastating effects of nuclear weapons, Japan should sign and ratify as soon as possible the agreement prohibiting nuclear weapons. On August 9, 1945, an atomic bomb nearly obliterated Japans fourth-largest city, after on August 6 another bomb had killed over 140,000 in Hiroshima. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 August 2020
Nachrichten 05.07.2014

LONDON: Rund fünf Millionen Aktien der Gesellschaft Electrica sind am Freitag gehandelt worden. Electrica ist die grö‎ßte rumänische Stromvertriebsgesellschaft. Deren Aktien wurden am Freitag zum ersten mal an der Börse eingeführt. Die Aktien wurden gleichzeitig an den Börsen in Bukarest und in London gehandelt. Der Gesamtwert des verkauften Aktienpakets betrug über 430 Millionen Euro. Der Börsengang von Electrica stellte die grö‎ßte Ausschreibung einer rumänischen Gesellschaft an der Börse dar. Diese übertraff das Angebot des Erdgasunternehmens Romgaz, für das Investoren rund 400 Millionen Euro gezahlt haben. Anwesend in London erklärte Ministerpräsident Victor Ponta für CNN, dass der Erfolg der Börseneinführung der Aktien von Electrica der Beweis für das Vertrauen der Investoren in die rumänische Wirtschaft, in die Stabilität und Vorhersehbarkeit des Landes sei.

BUKAREST: Seestreitkräfte aus Rumänien, Bulgarien, Griechenland, der Türkei und den Vereinigten Staaten beteiligen sich seit Freitag zehn Tage lang an der Übung Breeze-2014“. Besagte Übung findet im westlichen Teil des Schwarzen Meeres statt. Mit dabei sind Militärschiffe, ein amerikanisches Patroullienflugzeug und Boote der ständigen NATO-Seeflotte zur Minenbekämpfung. Zweck der gemeinsamen Übung der fünf NATO-Alliierten ist die Verbesserung der Zusammenarbeit und der Kapazität zur Teilnahme an Krisebekämpfungseinsätzen.

BUKAREST: Sieben rumänische Bürger sind am Freitag auf Antrag aus Syrien und dem Lebanon in die Heimat zurück gebracht worden. Laut den bukarester Behörden in Bukarest, boten die Botschaften Rumäniens in dem Lebanon und Syrien den rumänischen Bürgern Unterstützung und konsularische Assistenz an. Sie leiteten auch Verfahren zur guten Durchführung der technischen Formalien ein. Seit Beginn der Konflikte in Syrien hatte die rumänische Botschaft in Damaskus durch eigene Verfahren über 500 rumänische Bürger zurück in die Heimat befördert. Das Au‎ßenministerium wiederholt den Aufruf an alle rumänischen Bürger, die sich auf syrischem Boden befinden, dieses Land unverzüglich zu verlassen.

SPORT: In Bukarest findet ab Samstag bis zum 13. Juli das erste WTA Turnier in Rumänien, BRD Bucharest Open, statt. Besagtes Tournier ist mit Preisen in Höhe von 250.000 Dollar ausgestattet. Favoritin ist die Rumänin Simona Halep, Nr. 3 WTA, diesjährige Finalistin bei Roland Garros und neulich Halbfinalistin bei Wimbledon. Rumänien wird auch durch Monica Niculescu, Irina Begu, Alexandra Cadanţu, Alexandra Dulgheru, Andreea Mitu vertreten. Eingeladene ausländische Tennisspielerinen sind Roberta Vinci und Karin Knapp, beide aus Italien, Klara Koukalova und Petra Cetkovska aus Tschechien, Annika Beck – Deutschland, Anna Schmiedlova aus der Slovakei, Polona Hercog – Slowenijen und Vania King aus den USA.

5 July 2014