Radio România Internațional

Tag: May 1st

  • April 30, 2023

    April 30, 2023

    Farmers. Until May 11, Romanian cereal producers can submit requests for financial support to make up for the losses suffered due to cheap cereal imports from neighboring Ukraine. The total amount is approximately 20 million euros, half from the European Union budget, and the other from the Romanian state budget. On Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv said that the limitation of Ukrainian grain imports into the Union countries was categorically unacceptable and that such restrictions would not be in accordance with the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU and with the principles and rules of the European single market. Previously, the European Commission announced that an agreement in principle had been reached to allow the resumption of the transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. In Bucharest, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă has welcomed the agreement that provides for a new support package worth 100 million euros for the affected farmers and stressed that Romanias strictly European position was a correct and balanced one.



    Aid. The Romanian Government has changed the method of granting the financial support offered by the Romanian state to Ukrainian refugees. As of May 1st, the money is allocated directly to the refugees, and not to the families that host them, as has happened so far. The aid will be offered unconditionally for one month only. In the next three months, Ukrainian refugees will have to get a job and enroll their children in school or kindergarten. From the 5th month, they can benefit from the help of the Romanian state only if they find a job.



    May 1st. For the current May 1 mini-holiday, Romanians have chosen, as usual, the mountain resorts on Prahova Valey and the seaside resorts. The seaside festivals have attracted tens of thousands of young people from the country and abroad, and the accommodation units have reported an occupancy rate of over 90%. About 400 festivals, concerts, fairs and sports activities are scheduled in Romania these days. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced that approximately 24 thousand policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are on duty, throughout the country, to prevent and combat illegal acts, to ensure the flow of road traffic, as well as for the safe conduct of public events. Also, the Border Police has announced that all the necessary measures have been taken to ensure an effective control and reduce waiting times at the border, in particular the crossing points on the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria.



    Book Fair. Today is the last day of the Leipzig Book Fair, in Germany, where Romania is present with over 150 new titles, but also with numerous events. Famous writers such as Mircea Cărtărescu, Gabriela Adameșteanu or Ioana Pârvulescu participated in the fair. According to the organizers, the 2023 edition has enjoyed great success especially because its been the first since 2019, because of the pandemic, and the public is particularly interested in getting back in touch with the world of books and their authors. About 2,500 exhibitors from over 40 countries presented their new editorial productions. This year, Austria was the guest of honor at the Leipzig Book Fair.



    Strike. Nurses in Great Britain are going on a one-day strike today, following a disagreement with the government over wage increases. They are demanding 10% higher salaries while the health minister has offered five percent and refuses to negotiate. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in London, the strike seriously affects the medical system, as, for the first time, the nurses who work in intensive care or in other wards where vulnerable patients are cared for are participating in the protest. In the following days, teachers will also go on strike, demanding higher salaries. Other union protests will take place at the end of next week, when the coronation of King Charles III takes place. Traffic officers and those who ensure regular parking will be on strike during the coronation.



    Handball. CSM Bucharest meets, today, away from home, the Danish team Esbjerg, in the quarterfinals of the Womens Handball Champions League. The return is scheduled for next Sunday, in Bucharest. The two teams have met 10 times since 2017. CSM has won 5 games, Esbjerg 3 and 2 games ended in a draw. Also in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, CS Rapid Bucharest takes on, on home turf, the Norwegian team Vipers Kristiansand. The return match is scheduled for next Saturday, in Norway. The Romanian national mens handball team plays, this evening, in Gummersbach, in Germany, against the team of Ukraine, the last match in Group 4 of the preliminaries of the European Mens Handball Championship – EHF EURO 2024. (MI)


  • May 1, 2020 UPDATE

    May 1, 2020 UPDATE

    CORONAVIRUS ROMANIA – Romanian authorities have announced another three deaths from the coronavirus, which brings the death toll to 726 in the country. So far 12,567 people tested positive to the virus, of whom 4,328 have recovered and 249 are in intensive care. Some 2,348 Romanian citizens have been infected abroad, of whom 91 have died.




    FUNDS – The Bucharest Government issued an emergency order on Thursday, for the allocation of over 42 million euros for the conducting in the mass media, of an information campaign regarding the rules that need to be observed during the state of emergency triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and also during the subsequent period, when restrictions are to be lifted. 47% of the amount will go to national televisions and 53% to the local and regional printed and online press and local and regional radio and TV stations. According to the Government, this is also a support mechanism for the media industry and journalists who, during this period, are highly affected by the dramatic drop in revenues from advertising. Some of the potential beneficiaries of these funds have announced they do not support the idea of receiving money from the Government under the pretext of an information campaign but rather as fiscal solutions to help the media industry indiscriminately. In another development, a number of websites have been closed over the spread of fake news at the request of the Romanian Government’s Group for Strategic Communication. Authorities said the measure was part of their efforts to block disinformation campaigns. The Ombudsman, however, has pointed out that restricting the right to free speech is not among the rights that can be restricted during a state of emergency.




    MAY 1st — The May 1st 3-day holiday in Romania, which started on Friday, is usually celebrated at the seaside or at the mountain, with barbecues and parties together with family and friends. This year, given the coronavirus pandemic, Romanians are urged by the authorities to stay home and continue to observe restrictions in place. Around 36 thousand policemen, gendarmes, military and firefighters are patrolling the roads and leisure areas to prevent people from travelling to the places where they traditionally spent the May 1st holiday. Authorities have warned that unless the social distancing measures are being observed during this period, the number of new infections may surge, which makes the planned easing of restrictions as of May 15th impossible.




    JOURNALISTS — At least 55 journalists have died so far in 23 countries from the coronavirus since the beginning of March, the Swiss NGO Press Emblem Campaign reports. The safety of media workers is particularly at risk during the pandemic because they must continue to provide information on the ground and testify by visiting hospitals, interviewing political, economic and scientific officials, doctors, nurses and patients, the NGO says on its website. Of the 55 journalists who have died 9 are from Ecuador, 8 from the US, 4 from Brazil, 3 from Britain and 3 from Spain.




    PANDEMIC — The coronavirus pandemic killed over 230 thousand people worldwide since its emergence in China in December, of whom 90% in Europe and the United States, according to a France Press report. Most deaths were reported in the US, Italy, Britain, Spain and France. Italy, which reported the largest number of victims in Europe, has started to ease restrictions while in Spain, after 48 days of almost total isolation, people are allowed to go out for a walk starting the 2nd of May. France is expected to ease restrictions starting the 11th of May.




    MEDICAL STAFF — As many as 42 Romanian doctors and nurses travelled to the Republic of Moldova on Thursday, to help their colleagues in the neighboring country fight the coronavirus. They are providing medical assistance to infected patients and help train the medical staff in hospitals in Chisinau, Balti and Cahul. Also, the Bucharest Government has granted 3.5 million euro humanitarian aid to Moldova, consisting protection masks, hazmat suits and medicines needed in the treatment of the disease. Also on Thursday, Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, travelled to Chisinau to convey a message of support in the context of the pandemic and to assure the country’s authorities of Romania’s support for Moldova’s EU integration bid. (Translated by Elena Enache)