Radio România Internațional

Tag: measles epidemic

  • May 13, 2024

    May 13, 2024

    PROTEST – The National Trade Union Bloc and its 29 affiliated trade union federations are today staging a large-scale protest action against the government’s taxation policies. Romania currently has one of the biggest fiscal burdens on labor costs at EU level, trade unions say. Romania is arguably the only country in the world where social security contributions of businesses are the responsibility of employees, which is why these contributions have doubled their value. Romania reported the third-lowest employment rate in the EU in 2023 after Italy and Greece, mainly due to low salaries and soaring taxation, National Trade Union Bloc representatives say. Only 69% of Romanians aged 20-64 are currently active on the labor market, meaning nearly a third of Romanians are out of work, a Eurostat report shows.

     

     

    FINANCE – Romania has so far received over 95 bln EUR from the EU since its EU accession, and contributed some 30 bln EUR to the EU budget, which shows a net balance of some 65 bln EUR, Finance Minister Marcel Boloș wrote in a Facebook post. “We’re talking about an opportunity to use the funding from Brussels to build modern infrastructure and create new opportunities for all Romanian citizens. I have been involved in this field ever since Romania’s EU accession, and this has convinced me that European funds can genuinely change lives”, Minister Boloș went on to say.

     

     

    VISIT – EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, is paying a two-day visit to Romania. Today, the EU official will meet Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu. He will then meet representatives of farmers’ associations and of the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. Tomorrow, Commissioner Wojciechowski will visit the port of Constanța (southeast) in order to conduct an assessment of the transport of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine. The agenda of his visit will end with a series of visits to projects funded by the EU. We recall the European Commission has recently disbursed 126 mln EUR worth of aid to Romania, to fund investment in the ports facing growing volumes of traded goods. Romania can also applying for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility – the Transport component, in order to boost investment in new and modern infrastructure.

     

     

    EPIDEMIC – Romania continues to struggle with a measles epidemic, Health Minister Alexandru Rafila says. The disease particularly impacts counties with a low vaccination rate, which is why the Health Ministry urges parents to vaccinate their children, also by reaching out to family physicians. Measles is an infectious disease with a high rate of transmission among unvaccinated children. Its evolution can lead to serious complications. Some 78% of the population has taken the first shot of the vaccine, while the rate for the second shot stands at 62% nationwide.

     

     

    LITHUANIA – Acting president Gitanas Nausėda will run against acting Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė in the presidential face-off in Lithuania, scheduled for May 26, a representative of the Lithuanian Election Authority announced earlier today. After counting nearly all the votes cast in Sunday’s first round of the presidential election, Gitanas Nausėda came in first with 46% of the vote, followed by Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė with 16% of the vote. The election campaign was marred by security threats, the AFP reports. With a population of 2.8 mln inhabitants, the former Soviet republic fears it could be next in line on Moscow’s list should the latter win the war in Ukraine. We recall Lithuania has been one of Ukraine’s staunch supporters as early as the start of Russia’s large-scale aggression in February 2022.

     

     

    HANDBALL – Two Romanian handball teams, Gloria Bistrița and Dunărea Brăila, have grabbed historic results in the current edition of the EHF European League, where they ranked 2nd and 4th respectively. Gloria Bistrița lost the final on Sunday to Storhamar Handball Elite of Norway, after defeating Dunărea Brăila in the semi-finals on Saturday, 37-26. In the bronze final, Dunărea Brăila lost dramatically to Nantes of France at the end of a nerve-racking game. The two teams were tied 33-33, with the French team securing the win at the penalty shootout, 6-5.

     

     

    TENNIS – Irina Begu (161 WTA) is today playing Danielle Collins (15 WTA) of the United States in the women’s round of 16 at the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome, offering some 4.8 mln EUR in total prizes. Collins leads 1-0 head-to-head after winning in 2018 in Miami. Also in the round of 16, Sorana Cîrstea (32 WTA) is playing Madison Keys (16 WTA) of the United States. Cîrstea leads 2-0 head-to-head, having defeated Keys in 2019 in Madrid and in 2023 at Indian Wells. (VP)

  • December 6, 2023

    December 6, 2023

    Measles – The Romanian Health Ministry has declared a national measles epidemic. The measure comes after the confirmation of almost 2,000 cases since the beginning of the year. In the last week of November alone, almost 200 cases were reported. The Ministry officials emphasize that the number of cases has increased alarmingly and more and more children need hospitalization in the pediatric and infectious disease wards. The measure taken by the authorities facilitates the vaccination of children aged between 9 and 11 months, as well as the recovery of those who are not vaccinated or whose vaccination schedule is incomplete. Measles is an extremely contagious viral disease, which can lead to complications such as encephalitis and pneumonia and even death. The symptoms of infection are similar to those of a cold, except that the temperature can rise up to 41 degrees C, the eyes are sensitive to light, and the rash first appears on the face and then spreads to the whole body. Anyone is at risk if they have not had the disease or are not vaccinated against measles.



    Visit – The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, continues his official visit to the US, together with the Ministers of Economy, Defense and Foreign Affairs. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, the government delegation left Washington and arrived in New York, where meetings are scheduled today with the president of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis, with the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, as well as with the president of the World Jewish Council, Ronald Lauder. On Tuesday, the Romanian PM discussed with members of the American Congress on the strategic partnership between the two countries in the fields of defense, security, energy and trade. After the meeting with the Secretary for Energy, Jennifer Granholm, Ciolacu stated that the projects of units 3 and 4 from Cernavodă (south-east) and that of the small nuclear unit from Doicesti (south) remain a priority, in the context in which Romania has set ensuring energy independence as one of its main objectives.



    Handball–Romania’s womens national handball team will play, on Thursday, in the Danish city of Herning, against Germany, its first match in the main Group III of the World Championship. Later, the Romanian players will meet Poland and Japan. The two top ranking teams qualify for the quarterfinals. Romania entered the group with 2 points, after, in the first phase of the competition, it defeated Chile and Serbia and was outranked by Denmark. The star of the Romanian national team, Cristina Neagu, four times appointed the best handball player in the world, has not yet played. Romania is the only team that has participated in all 26 editions of the World Womens Handball Championship and its record includes one gold medal (1962), two silver medals (1973, 2005) and one bronze medal (2015). In the previous edition, the Romanian handballers ranked 13th.



    JHA – The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, stated, after the Council of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) meeting, on Tuesday, in Brussels, that the Commissions objective remains to make a decision, this year, on the extension of Schengen and the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the free travel area. From Washington, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu explained that the political moment was not favorable for Romania to ask for a new vote in the JHA Council on Tuesday, but he expressed optimism that this could happen soon. Last year, Austria voted, in the JHA Council, against the admission of both countries to the Schengen area, while the Netherlands had reservations only regarding Bulgaria. For Schengen accession, unanimity is needed.



    PISA – The average scores obtained by Romanian students were similar to those recorded in 2018 in Mathematics, Reading and Science, according to the Program for International Student Assessment – PISA 2022, launched in Bucharest. Asia, led by Singapore, stood out once again in this educational program, carried out by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The results show that Romania is below the OECD average in all three areas tested. The main striking fact of the PISA 2022 edition consists in an “unprecedented drop in the performance” of students, according to specialists. Among the main reasons are: the health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis in the attractiveness of the teaching profession, which affects more and more countries, as well as the quality of teaching, the lack of support for teachers and students or cooperation in schools, or even the involvement of parents in schooling, which decreased compared to 2018. (LS)

  • Vaccination – information and disinformation

    Vaccination – information and disinformation

    The vaccines used in Romania are safe and efficient and are verified according to the highest standards that exist in the world, the Romanian health ministry said in reaction to a disinformation campaign launched in the public space and online. Messages on social media networks and printed materials distributed in busy areas or by post urge people not to have their children vaccinated. To give credibility to their messages, the authors of these materials use, without authorisation, the logos of the Romanian health ministry, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF.



    The health ministry has firmly denied any involvement in this disinformation campaign about the alleged inefficiency and risks of vaccination and warns that the materials distributed contain false information that can confuse parents and pose a threat to people’s lives. The health minister Sorina Pintea says legal action will be taken to hold the people behind this campaign accountable. In a similar reaction, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation say ensuring universal access to immunisation is more important than ever because of the measles epidemic that has broken out in several European countries.



    The two international bodies are worried that the measles vaccination rate in Romania is below the needed 95% threshold that ensures protection for the entire population. UNICEF and the World Health Organisation say they will continue to work with the Romanian health ministry to make sure that parents have access to the needed information and understand the benefits of vaccination, as well as the risks of the diseases that can be prevented through vaccination. They say it is inacceptable to see children dying from measles when a safe and efficient vaccine is available. The two organisations also say that by choosing immunisation for their children, parents will protect their children’s health and help protect the health of those around them. More than 80 fresh cases of measles were reported in Romania in the last week in August, according to the National Centre for the Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. According to this source, the total number of measles cases has exceeded 15,000, including 59 deaths.



    Out of four persons who develop measles, one needs hospitalisation, and for 1 in 1,000 people, the disease is deadly. In the experts’ opinion, the costs of prevention through vaccination would have been lower than the cost of treatment provided to the people who have caught measles, a disease which has become endemic in Romania. Specialists say all the deaths and the sick cases could have been prevented if the national calendar for vaccination for children and adults would have been respected in the case of 95% of the population, in keeping with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation. They also call for the sick children and teenagers who have not been vaccinated not to be allowed in groups.


    (Translated by C. Mateescu)

  • August 21, 2018

    August 21, 2018

    Swine fever — The Romanian sanitary-veterinarian authorities have confirmed new hotbeds of African swine fever. The situation is worrying especially in the farms where bio-security measures have already been taken. In all private households where people are breeding domestic pigs the experts are trying to limit the spreading of the virus by setting up disinfection filters. Despite the proliferation of the disease among pigs, food safety for the population is not endangered.



    Transgaz — Transgaz will invest 360 million Euros in the construction of a pipeline meant to transport gas extracted from the Black Sea and channel it into the export pipelines, shows the report for the first semester of the year published by the Romanian company administrators. The major target of this investment is to build a conveyance pipeline measuring 308 km in length meant to transport the natural gas resources to the Black Sea shore and the corridor linking Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria. According to Transgaz officials natural gas will thus be conveyed to Bulgaria and Hungary through the existing interconnecting pipelines between Giurgiu and Ruse and between Nadlac and Szeged.



    Prague Spring — Czechs and Slovaks are today commemorating 50 years since the repression of the Prague Spring reform movement. On August 21, 1968 the former Czechoslovakia was invaded by the tanks and troops of the Warsaw Pact Socialist countries. The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance of the Eastern bloc countries against NATO. The invasion was meant to halt the reforms started in the spring of 1968 by the then new leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubček. After the economic crisis which Czechoslovakia had faced, Dubček launched a program of reforms that included, among others, greater freedom of the press, the possibility of multi-party governing, the setting up of trade unions and freedom to travel to the West. Fearing an expansion of the reforms across the entire Communist bloc, the Soviet Union decided to take military action against the political experiment in Czechoslovakia. Romania refused to send troops to Prague. Scores of people were killed following the invasion of Czechoslovakia. On Monday as many as 300 people gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Prague. “We will never forget” and “Stop the Russian imperialism” were two of the slogans written on the banners carried by the people who were summoned by several NGOs. The people also carried flags of the Czech Republic, Ukraine, EU and NATO.



    Tennis –The Romanian Simona Halep, world’s no. 1 tennis player, will not participate in the WTA tournament of New Haven, Connecticut, the US, because of an Achilles tendon injury of her right foot, the organizers of the competition announced. She was the top seed of the tournament and was to play directly in the eighths finals of the tournament that precedes the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, the US Open, to start on Monday in New York. Simona Halep had two intense weeks in North America, where she won the tournament in Montreal and played in the Cincinnati final on Sunday, which she lost to Dutch Kiki Bertens.



    Chisinau — An orange code alert for measles has been issued in Romania’s neighboring country, Moldova, after several children have lately come down with measles. The authorities speak of a rapidly spreading hotbed, thus the pupils who have not been vaccinated yet should be immunized against childhood diseases by September 1 when a new school year begins. So far, almost 100 cases of measles have been confirmed mainly in the south of Moldova, but the number is set to increase. Measles cases have reached a record level in Europe. In the first half of the year, 41,000 cases were registered in both children and adults, almost double the number reported last year, the World Health Organization announced. In Romania, in almost two years since the outbreak of the measles epidemic, the total number of measles cases reached 15,000. 59 people have died of measles. (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • August 12, 2018 UPDATE

    August 12, 2018 UPDATE


    PROTESTS – Military prosecutors have called on people who got
    injured in Friday night’s anti-Government protest in Victory Square as part of
    clashes between the riot police and protesters, and who can provide valuable
    information to appear before the Military Prosecutor’s Office on Monday and Tuesday.
    So far 19 complaints have been filed. Military prosecutors have launched a
    criminal investigation into the Friday night’s incidents and the way the riot
    police intervened. The police have arrested 2 people in connection with Friday
    night’s acts of violence and have opened 8 criminal cases. On the other hand,
    the Prosecutor’s Office with the Bucharest Court of Law and the Homicide
    Department with the Bucharest Police have called on the population to help
    apprehend a man involved in the assault of two gendarmes, a man and a woman,
    who were attacked by a group of hooligans. The woman’s gun was stolen. A court
    of law in Bucharest issued arrest warrants for two men, accused of assault and
    aggravated public order disturbance. We recall that some 100,000 people
    gathered on Friday in front of the Government headquarters in Bucharest,
    demanding the resignation of the cabinet and early elections. There were
    violent clashes between the protesters and the gendarmes, and riot police used
    tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The gendarmes moved in after
    some of their colleagues were attacked. Over 450 people, including 35
    gendarmes, received medical treatment further to the clashes. President Klaus
    Iohannis accused the Government of being irrational and acting against the
    interests of their own citizens. Social-Democrat Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă
    requested an immediate and comprehensive report from the Romanian Intelligence
    Service regarding the entities that planned and instigated the violence on
    Friday night, as well as concerning the response of state institutions. Thousands
    of people protested peacefully on Sunday for the third night in a row in
    Bucharest and other cities across Romania.




    MEASLES – 70 new cases of measles were reported over August 2-9 in
    Bucharest and 15 counties across the country. According to the National Center
    for Monitoring and Control of Transmissible Disease, 2 years since the epidemic
    broke out in Romania, the number of people who got sick now stands at 15,000,
    of whom 59 died. Measles can be prevented via vaccination. A quarter of the
    people suffering from measles need hospital care, and 1 in 1000 people dies in
    Romania to measles, doctors have warned.




    ANONIMUL – The Iceland-Denmark coproduction Under the Tree,
    directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson, won the 2018 Anonimul Trophy at the 15th
    edition of the Anonimul International Independent Film Festival, held in
    Sfantul Gheorghe, the Danube Delta. The public also picked the other winners.
    Kaveh Mazaheri’s Retouch won the award for best foreign short, while Emanuel
    Parvu’s Everything is far away got the award for best Romanian short. The
    Ovidiu Bose Pastina award bestowed by the Anonimul Foundation went to Mother,
    directed by Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen.




    NASA – On Sunday NASA successfully launched the Parker solar probe
    into space, which will try to ascertain whether the sun’s corona is hotter than
    its surface. The Parker probe will travel into the sun’s atmosphere, closer to
    any aircraft before. The spacecraft is fitted to withstand extreme temperatures
    and radiation. This will be the first aircraft to fly into the sun’s atmosphere
    and will transmit important data back to earth on the origin and evolution of
    solar wind. The probe will complete 24 orbits of the sun, travelling at
    approximately 700,000 km/h.




    GYMNASTICS – Andrei Muntean was ranked 8th in the still
    rings final at the European Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow. He was the
    only Romanian who qualified to an individual event final. Aged 25, Muntean won
    the Olympic youth title for this event in 2010 in Singapore.




    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Sunday defeated Sloane
    Stephens of the US, WTA no. 3, in the finals of the Rogers Cup in Montreal, 7-6,
    3-6, 6-4. Sunday’s game was actually a rematch of the Roland Garros final
    earlier this year, won by Halep. This was Simona’s third final at Montreal. She
    also won the 2016 edition.



    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • August 12, 2018 UPDATE

    August 12, 2018 UPDATE


    PROTESTS – Military prosecutors have called on people who got
    injured in Friday night’s anti-Government protest in Victory Square as part of
    clashes between the riot police and protesters, and who can provide valuable
    information to appear before the Military Prosecutor’s Office on Monday and Tuesday.
    So far 19 complaints have been filed. Military prosecutors have launched a
    criminal investigation into the Friday night’s incidents and the way the riot
    police intervened. The police have arrested 2 people in connection with Friday
    night’s acts of violence and have opened 8 criminal cases. On the other hand,
    the Prosecutor’s Office with the Bucharest Court of Law and the Homicide
    Department with the Bucharest Police have called on the population to help
    apprehend a man involved in the assault of two gendarmes, a man and a woman,
    who were attacked by a group of hooligans. The woman’s gun was stolen. A court
    of law in Bucharest issued arrest warrants for two men, accused of assault and
    aggravated public order disturbance. We recall that some 100,000 people
    gathered on Friday in front of the Government headquarters in Bucharest,
    demanding the resignation of the cabinet and early elections. There were
    violent clashes between the protesters and the gendarmes, and riot police used
    tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The gendarmes moved in after
    some of their colleagues were attacked. Over 450 people, including 35
    gendarmes, received medical treatment further to the clashes. President Klaus
    Iohannis accused the Government of being irrational and acting against the
    interests of their own citizens. Social-Democrat Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă
    requested an immediate and comprehensive report from the Romanian Intelligence
    Service regarding the entities that planned and instigated the violence on
    Friday night, as well as concerning the response of state institutions. Thousands
    of people protested peacefully on Sunday for the third night in a row in
    Bucharest and other cities across Romania.




    MEASLES – 70 new cases of measles were reported over August 2-9 in
    Bucharest and 15 counties across the country. According to the National Center
    for Monitoring and Control of Transmissible Disease, 2 years since the epidemic
    broke out in Romania, the number of people who got sick now stands at 15,000,
    of whom 59 died. Measles can be prevented via vaccination. A quarter of the
    people suffering from measles need hospital care, and 1 in 1000 people dies in
    Romania to measles, doctors have warned.




    ANONIMUL – The Iceland-Denmark coproduction Under the Tree,
    directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson, won the 2018 Anonimul Trophy at the 15th
    edition of the Anonimul International Independent Film Festival, held in
    Sfantul Gheorghe, the Danube Delta. The public also picked the other winners.
    Kaveh Mazaheri’s Retouch won the award for best foreign short, while Emanuel
    Parvu’s Everything is far away got the award for best Romanian short. The
    Ovidiu Bose Pastina award bestowed by the Anonimul Foundation went to Mother,
    directed by Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen.




    NASA – On Sunday NASA successfully launched the Parker solar probe
    into space, which will try to ascertain whether the sun’s corona is hotter than
    its surface. The Parker probe will travel into the sun’s atmosphere, closer to
    any aircraft before. The spacecraft is fitted to withstand extreme temperatures
    and radiation. This will be the first aircraft to fly into the sun’s atmosphere
    and will transmit important data back to earth on the origin and evolution of
    solar wind. The probe will complete 24 orbits of the sun, travelling at
    approximately 700,000 km/h.




    GYMNASTICS – Andrei Muntean was ranked 8th in the still
    rings final at the European Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow. He was the
    only Romanian who qualified to an individual event final. Aged 25, Muntean won
    the Olympic youth title for this event in 2010 in Singapore.




    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on Sunday defeated Sloane
    Stephens of the US, WTA no. 3, in the finals of the Rogers Cup in Montreal, 7-6,
    3-6, 6-4. Sunday’s game was actually a rematch of the Roland Garros final
    earlier this year, won by Halep. This was Simona’s third final at Montreal. She
    also won the 2016 edition.



    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • December 9, 2017 UPDATE

    December 9, 2017 UPDATE


    KING MICHAEL I On Saturday, December 16th, the coffin carrying the dead body of the last sovereign of Romania, King Michael I, will be conveyed by hearse to the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. After the mass held at the cathedral, the coffin will be carried by the Royal Train to Curtea de Arges, where the former king will be buried. According to the program announced by the Royal House of Romania, on Wednesday, December 13, the coffin will arrive at the Otopeni Airport. Bucharest authorities have declared three days of national mourning on the 14th, 15th and 16th of December. Michael I died on December 5th at his residence in Switzerland, aged 96. The Romanian Parliament will gather on solemn session on Monday, to honour the memory of the last sovereign of Romania.



    COOPERATION On Saturday in Belgrade, Romanias Prime Minister Mihai Tudose and his counterparts from Bulgaria and Greece, Boyko Borisov and Alexis Tsipras, voiced their support for Serbias joining the EU. The three prime ministers and the Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic talked about the process and also about interconnecting their countries electricity and gas networks. This is the second four-party summit this year, after the one in Varna, Bulgaria. The four leaders have decided to also invite the ministers of transport and internal affairs to participate in the next five-party meetings.



    JUSTICE The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has announced that on Saturday he presented before the Venice Commission the legislative developments concerning the justice bills that are currently debated in parliament. In a message posted on social media he writes that on the sidelines of the meeting he has had a meeting with Marin Mrcela, the president of the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO). The new justice laws are highly promoted by the ruling left-wing coalition but harshly criticised by civil society. Established in 1990, the European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission, is a Council of Europe independent consultative body on issues of constitutional law, including the functioning of democratic institutions and fundamental rights, electoral law and constitutional justice.



    MEASLES More than one hundred new cases of measles have been reported in the past week in 16 counties in Romania, and the total number of cases has exceeded 10,000 since the outbreak of the epidemic. Most of those affected have not been vaccinated against measles, and 36 of them have died. Statistics show that for one in 1000 people infected, the disease is deadly, and the vaccine protects children against developing the disease.



    ISRAEL On Saturday, Israel launched new strikes on Gaza Strip, in response to rocket fire from the enclave. The Palestinian Islamist Hamas group claims two of its gunmen were killed in the bombings, Reuter reports. Militants fired at least three rockets towards Israeli towns from the Hamas -controlled strip on Friday, which was declared “a day of rage” by Palestinian factions protesting US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel. At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, some of the USs European allies issued a joint statement expressing their opposition to Trumps move. According to them, the decision was made before reaching a final common decision on the status of the city and was by no means helping the peace process in the region. In Bucharest, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has stated that Romania maintains its view on the existence of two states, Israel and Palestine, living as good and prosperous neighbors. According to Melescanu, Trumps announcement is a clear signal that the US wants to get involved in finding a solution.



    HANDBALL Romanias national womens handball team will take on the Czech squad on Monday, in the round of 16 of the World Championship hosted by Germany. On Friday night, the Romanian team lost to France, but they had already secured first seat in Group A, after four wins in their fixtures against Paraguay, Slovenia, Spain and Angola. If they manage to win the match against the Czechs, the Romanian handball players will be further playing against the winner of the game pitching the Netherlands against Japan. The Dutch are world and European champions. At the previous edition in 2015, Romania walked away with bronze. Romania is the only side that has so far participated in all the 22 editions of the world championship.




  • October 5, 2017 UPDATE

    October 5, 2017 UPDATE

    EPIDEMIC — The number of confirmed cases of measles reported in Romania has exceeded 9,400, the National Centre for Monitoring and Control of Viral Disease with the National Institute of Public Health announced on Thursday. So far the epidemic has killed 34 people. In another development, the draft law on organizing and funding vaccination activities was given a favourable opinion from the Senate’s Committee of Constitutionality. The new legislation is due to take effect on January 1, 2018.



    PROTESTS — Health Ministry representatives and trade unions in the healthcare system on Thursday held a new round of negotiations. They are against the bonuses policy, the unitary pay law and the transfer of social security payments from employers to employees. Also, they demand the elimination of the 30% cap on specific bonuses and the full application of salary increases for all healthcare and social assistance employees as of March 1, 2018. Protest actions have been held for almost two weeks in several cities in Romania, including Bucharest, where several thousand people gathered on Wednesday. Protests have been staged by one of the biggest trade union confederations in Romania, Cartel Alfa. A protesters’ delegation, including employees from the police, healthcare, transport, education and public administration sectors, attended the talks with the government. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for Friday.



    EU PRESIDENCY — Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu said Romania is making progress regarding preparations for taking over the Presidency of the EU Council in 2019. According to the Romanian official, the effort will involve some 1,500 people, who will undergo training with Romanian and European Commission experts. Romania wants to be more active at EU level and will try to make the most of its term at the helm of the EU, Negrescu went on to say.



    EU BODY — The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a document whereby the European Prosecutor’s Office will become operational in 2020. The Prosecutor’s Office will focus on combating VAT and community funds fraud. So far, some 20 Member States, including Romania, have signed off on the project. The new body will have the authority to investigate and criminally prosecute cases of embezzlement of structural funds, tax evasion and other crimes that are detrimental to the EU’s financial interests. The Prosecutor’s Office will be headquartered in Luxembourg. Every year, public authorities across Europe incur VAT-related losses of nearly 50 billion euros.



    ROMANIAN INTELLIGENCE — During his visit to the Western University of Timisoara on Thursday, Romanian Intelligence chief Eduard Hellvig said he has repeatedly called on Parliament’s support for adopting the legislation on national security. Hellvig says the Romanian Intelligence Service is not involved in power games and wants a transparent and civil leadership of the Service, via the Parliament’s special committee. Hellvig added that the leadership of the service should not become a political instrument or tool for the media.



    CONFERENCE — Romanians trust the EU more than other citizens from the community bloc, and more often than not seek the answers to their problems in Brussels, the head of the European Commission’s Office in Bucharest, Angela Cristea said on Thursday. Cristea added that Romania is not one of those member states that react poorly to recommendations from Brussels. Angela Cristea attended the 6th edition of Bucharest Forum, devoted to geopolitical and economic issues and bringing together high-ranking officials, representatives of the business sector and world experts.



    SPAIN — Spain’s Constitutional Tribunal on Thursday decided to call off Monday’s plenary session of the Parliament of Catalonia, when the independence of this province was to be announced. In another development, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the only way out of the deadlock was to abandon the declaration of independence. In turn, European Commission Vice-president Frans Timmermans called for dialogue between the two parties, saying that this is a matter for Spain to resolve of its own accord.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea no. 44 WTA qualified on Thursday to the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Beijing with more than 6.3 million dollars up for grabs, after defeating world no. 4 and former world leader Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 7-5. On Friday Cirstea will be up against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, no. 9 in the world. Another Romanian player, Simona Halep, no. 2 in the world, qualified to the quarterfinals after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia and will next play against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina. (Translated by E. Enache & V. Palcu)

  • October 5, 2017 UPDATE

    October 5, 2017 UPDATE

    EPIDEMIC — The number of confirmed cases of measles reported in Romania has exceeded 9,400, the National Centre for Monitoring and Control of Viral Disease with the National Institute of Public Health announced on Thursday. So far the epidemic has killed 34 people. In another development, the draft law on organizing and funding vaccination activities was given a favourable opinion from the Senate’s Committee of Constitutionality. The new legislation is due to take effect on January 1, 2018.



    PROTESTS — Health Ministry representatives and trade unions in the healthcare system on Thursday held a new round of negotiations. They are against the bonuses policy, the unitary pay law and the transfer of social security payments from employers to employees. Also, they demand the elimination of the 30% cap on specific bonuses and the full application of salary increases for all healthcare and social assistance employees as of March 1, 2018. Protest actions have been held for almost two weeks in several cities in Romania, including Bucharest, where several thousand people gathered on Wednesday. Protests have been staged by one of the biggest trade union confederations in Romania, Cartel Alfa. A protesters’ delegation, including employees from the police, healthcare, transport, education and public administration sectors, attended the talks with the government. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for Friday.



    EU PRESIDENCY — Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu said Romania is making progress regarding preparations for taking over the Presidency of the EU Council in 2019. According to the Romanian official, the effort will involve some 1,500 people, who will undergo training with Romanian and European Commission experts. Romania wants to be more active at EU level and will try to make the most of its term at the helm of the EU, Negrescu went on to say.



    EU BODY — The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a document whereby the European Prosecutor’s Office will become operational in 2020. The Prosecutor’s Office will focus on combating VAT and community funds fraud. So far, some 20 Member States, including Romania, have signed off on the project. The new body will have the authority to investigate and criminally prosecute cases of embezzlement of structural funds, tax evasion and other crimes that are detrimental to the EU’s financial interests. The Prosecutor’s Office will be headquartered in Luxembourg. Every year, public authorities across Europe incur VAT-related losses of nearly 50 billion euros.



    ROMANIAN INTELLIGENCE — During his visit to the Western University of Timisoara on Thursday, Romanian Intelligence chief Eduard Hellvig said he has repeatedly called on Parliament’s support for adopting the legislation on national security. Hellvig says the Romanian Intelligence Service is not involved in power games and wants a transparent and civil leadership of the Service, via the Parliament’s special committee. Hellvig added that the leadership of the service should not become a political instrument or tool for the media.



    CONFERENCE — Romanians trust the EU more than other citizens from the community bloc, and more often than not seek the answers to their problems in Brussels, the head of the European Commission’s Office in Bucharest, Angela Cristea said on Thursday. Cristea added that Romania is not one of those member states that react poorly to recommendations from Brussels. Angela Cristea attended the 6th edition of Bucharest Forum, devoted to geopolitical and economic issues and bringing together high-ranking officials, representatives of the business sector and world experts.



    SPAIN — Spain’s Constitutional Tribunal on Thursday decided to call off Monday’s plenary session of the Parliament of Catalonia, when the independence of this province was to be announced. In another development, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the only way out of the deadlock was to abandon the declaration of independence. In turn, European Commission Vice-president Frans Timmermans called for dialogue between the two parties, saying that this is a matter for Spain to resolve of its own accord.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea no. 44 WTA qualified on Thursday to the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Beijing with more than 6.3 million dollars up for grabs, after defeating world no. 4 and former world leader Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 7-5. On Friday Cirstea will be up against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, no. 9 in the world. Another Romanian player, Simona Halep, no. 2 in the world, qualified to the quarterfinals after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia and will next play against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina. (Translated by E. Enache & V. Palcu)

  • August 25, 2017 UPDATE

    August 25, 2017 UPDATE

    JUDICIARY REFORM – The European Commission has asked the Government of Romania to provide more details regarding the suggested reform of the judiciary, and has expressed concerns that this may be a step back in the fight against corruption. The European Commission requested further explanations from Bucharest and mentioned that the irreversibility of Romania’s progress in curbing corruption over the past 10 years is vital. The ruling Social Democratic Party called for calm and reiterated that the endorsement of the new legislation is a lengthy process, requiring approvals from many institutions, and that its coalition partner, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, believes the changes will strengthen the rule of law. The National Liberal Party in opposition accuses the ruling coalition of trying to make the judiciary subordinated to the executive power. President Klaus Iohannis described the proposed changes of the justice system laws, announced on Wednesday by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, as an attack against the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption. In turn, the National Anti-Corruption Agency criticises the changes announced by the Justice Ministry, and announces a general assembly meeting in a week’s time, in order to express the institution’s views on these changes.



    CORRUPTION — Chief anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi on Friday called for the Senate to be notified with a view to starting criminal investigations against the Minister for Liaison with Parliament, Viorel Ilie. According to the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Ilie is suspected of using or granting unauthorized people access to classified information during his term in office. Last month the Ministry for Liaison with Parliament organized a public vacancy-filling contest which the Directorate believes to have been rigged, favoring certain candidates over others in filling vacancies within the Ministry.



    MIGRATION — Illegal migration at Romania’s western border has surged recently, says the Regional Border Police Inspectorate. The Timisoara police found more than 100 migrants, including 42 children, in a local boarding house. Out of the total number, 82 are Iraqis, and most of the others are African refugees. The majority are coming from Serbia and trying to cross into Hungary, so as to go further into western Europe. Another group of 12 migrants, of whom 7 underage children, were apprehended while trying to cross from Hungary. Apart from the increase in the number of migrants trying to get into the Schengen area, the number of people smugglers identified and arrested by the Romanian border police.



    TALKS — A new round of trilateral talks Romania-Poland-Turkey took place on Friday in Warsaw. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, talks focused on the Euro-Atlantic and international security agenda, with a focus on NATO priorities ahead of the upcoming summit. Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu outlined the latest developments in the Black Sea region and underlined the importance of fully implementing the decisions on consolidating NATO’s position in the region, as part of efforts to strengthen deterrence and defense on the Alliance’s eastern flank. Additionally Minister Melescanu called on active support for NATO’s eastern partners — Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. Friday’s round of the talks was the fourth observing this format. The previous round of talks took place in Ankara in August 2016.



    EPIDEMIC — The number of deaths caused by measles in Romania has reached 33, the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control, subordinated to the National Public Health Institute, has announced. The latest victim was a 10-month Iraqi girl, who came into Romania through Timis County, in the west, in early July. Romania is struggling with the most severe measles epidemic of the past few years. More than 8,000 cases have been reported so far. The large number of cases and deaths made the World health Organisation include Romania on a list of 5 countries that account for a combined 80% of the total number of measles cases in the world. The Government of Romania has recently passed a bill that makes children vaccination mandatory.



    MILITARY — Constanta County in south-eastern Romania, is hosting several multinational naval and air exercises. The Romanian Navy and the American destroyer USS PORTER are taking part in a joint exercise at the Black Sea, aimed at enhancing the interoperability of the participating vessels. The military drills will end on August 28th. The USS PORTER, which arrived in the port of Constanta on Tuesday, is in Romania for the 4th time. Meanwhile, 4 CF-188 Hornet aircraft of the Canadian Air Forces will conduct air policing missions together with Romanian Air Force planes, as part of NATO’s plan to strengthen the Alliance’s eastern flank.



    FOOTBALL — Romanian vice-champions FCSB has been drawn in Europa League Group C alongside Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic, Hapoel Beer Sheva of Israel and FC Lugano of Switzerland. On Wednesday, FCSB lost 1-5 in the return leg of the playoffs for the Champions League group phase to Sporting Lisbon of Portugal. The return leg ended in a blank draw. On Thursday, champions Viitorul Constanta lost nil-4 the return leg of the playoffs for the Europa League group phase to Red Bull Salzburg of Austria. Red Bull had won 3-1 against Viitorul in the first leg. (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • July 21, 2017 UPDATE

    July 21, 2017 UPDATE

    Chisinau — The Moldovan PM, Pavel Filip, thanked neighboring Romania for the consistent support provided to this ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population. He made this statement after his meeting in Chisinau with his Romanian counterpart Mihai Tudose, with whom he talked about intensifying bilateral cooperation. In turn, PM Tudose said the relationship between Romania and the Republic of Moldova was more than special. The Romanian PM did not have any meeting scheduled with the pro-Russian Socialist president Igor Dodon. Mihai Tudose’s visit to Chisinau was the second visit abroad in his capacity as PM, in which he was designated at the end of June. Last week Tudose went to Brussels where he told the EU officials that Romania had the huge task of making sure that Moldova was on a pro-European path.



    Transdniester — The Moldovan Parliament on Friday passed a declaration through which they ask for the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Transdniester (a pro-Russian separatist region in the east of Moldova). According to the declaration, 25 years after the end of hostilities in Transdniester, the sides still do not observe the provisions of the Agreement on the peaceful resolution of the conflict. The Moldovan Parliament says the Russian troops still stationed in Transdniester represent an infringement of the constitutional provisions regarding Moldova’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and neutrality as well as a violation of the international law. The document calls on Russia to resume and finalize the withdrawal of its troops. Transdniseter de facto went out of the control of the Moldovan authorities in 1992, after an armed conflict that killed hundreds of people and that was ended following the Russian troops’ intervention on the side of the separatists.



    Measles epidemic — In Romania, the number of deaths caused by measles reached 32, the National Center for Monitoring and Control of Communicable Diseases announced on Friday. The Health Ministry officials this week started a public information campaign meant to encourage vaccination. Also the line minister, Florian Bodog, announced that a package of measures would be applied in partnership with the Interior Ministry aimed at curbing the effects of the measles epidemic. Romania has been facing the biggest measles epidemic of the past years. So far, more than 8 thousand cases have been reported.



    International Tennis Federation — The coach of Romania’s Fed Cup team, the former tennis player Ilie Năstase, has been suspended from any official position he was holding until 2021, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced on Friday. According to this organization, at a match held in Romania against the UK, in April, he used insulting words against Romania’s adversaries, against a referee and a journalist. Also Ilie Năstase received a fine worth 10 thousand dollars. According to the president of the Romanian Tennis Federation, George Cosac, the ITF’s decision is too tough and the accusations leveled against Năstase exaggerated. Năstase and the Romanian Tennis Federation can appeal the decision in an independent court in 3 weeks time. Ilie Năstase, 71, won 2 Grand Slam titles in the 1970s, being the first world leader in the tennis history. (translation by L. Simion)

  • July 18, 2017 UPDATE

    July 18, 2017 UPDATE


    PRESIDENCY– Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Tusday stated he favoured administrative decentralization but not autonomy on ethnic criteria, which would be an obstacle to development. During his visit to the counties of Harghita and Covasna, in central Romania, the only Romanian counties with a predominantly Hungarian population, President Iohannis has stated he is concerned about the future of the young people there, who do not speak Romanian and who thus have fewer opportunities on the labor market. Iohannis has also said that intolerance and the rejection of people with different ethnic origins, by either a minority or a majority group, tend to block the country as a whole. He has also said that, in spite of their tourist potential, the counties of Harghita and Covasna hardly attract any investors. The Hungarian community in Romania, made up of around 1.5 million members, is concentrated in Transylvania, in central Romania. This community has been represented in Romanias Parliament uninterruptedly, since 1990, by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) which has been part of many coalition governments in Bucharest.



    BRUSSELS– Four months after the European Commission presented its White Paper on the future of the EU, the debate on the future of Europe is picking up speed with potentially over 30 million citizens involved, the European Commission announced in a communiqué on Tuesday. In the White Paper, the European Commission presented five scenarios for how the EU could develop in the next decade. A broad debate has since been taking place, supported by political institutions and by civil society. To date, over 270,000 citizens have attended some 1,750 events organised or supported by the Commission with many more participating online. Citizens are invited to continue to express their views, notably prior to the annual State of the European Union speech on 13 September 2017, when President Juncker will outline his vision for the future of Europe.



    PROJECT– Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has proposed his Bulgarian counterpart, Boiko Borisov to connect Bucharest to Sofia and Athens through a high speed railway. The two PMs have also talked over the phone about speeding up projects for the construction of two new bridges over the Danube. Tudose and Borisov have agreed to hold a joint meeting of the Romanian and Bulgarian governments in September, when the details of a Romania, Bulgaria, Greece trilateral cooperation are to be set.



    ANAF – Romanias Prime Minister Mihai Tudose has appointed Mirela Calugareanu as President of the National Fiscal Administration (ANAF). She is replacing Bogdan-Nicolae Stan, who was sacked under a Prime Ministers decree. On Monday, the president of the main party in the ruling coalition, the Social Democrat Liviu Dragnea, stated that he had called on PM Tudose to conduct a rigorous analysis of ANAFs activity and to take the necessary measures to render the institution more effective. Dragnea was unhappy mainly with the level of taxes and fees collected to the state budget.



    MEASLES – The Romanian Health Minister Florian Bodog has announced that a set of measures will be implemented, in cooperation with the Interior Ministry, to curb the effects of the measles epidemic. Also, this week the Health Ministry has started an information campaign aimed at encouraging vaccination. Romania is faced with the biggest measles epidemic of the past years. So far, some 8000 cases have been reported. 31 patients have died.



    SABER GUARDIAN 17 – Saber Guardian 17, one of the largest and most complex NATO exercises in recent years continues in Romania. Some 8,000 Romanian and foreign soldiers are participating in the exercise, which also unfolds on Hungarian and Bulgarian soil. In the past day, soldiers have taken part in training sessions at the bases in Borducani and Cincu, in central Romania, but also in a MASCAL simulation held at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base, in the south-east of the country.



    RATING– Fitch Ratings has improved Romanias economic growth outlook for 2017 from 4.8% to 5.1%. The Agency forecasts that Romanias budget deficit this year will reach 3.7% of the GDP, which is more than the Romanian governments target of 2.9% of the GDP. Structural deficit is expected to reach 3.9% of the GDP, the current account deficit 3.1% of the GDP and the public debt 39.9% of the GDP, Fitch agency has also announced. The Romanian governments projection for 2017 is a 5.2% economic growth rate, as compared to the one estimated by the European Commission, of only 4.4%.



    IRAQ – Iraq needs massive investments to rebuild the towns and cities destroyed in the fights with the Islamic State terrorist organisation, said the Iraqi ambassador to Romania Hussain Sinjari. He has called on Romanian business people to take part in this effort, in particular to rebuild schools, hospitals and roads. Investments in agriculture are also needed, especially with regard to irrigation. Hussain Sinjari has stated that the Iraqi embassy in Romania is ready to ensure rapid access to such potential investors, by speeding the visa grating process.




  • July 15, 2017 UPDATE

    July 15, 2017 UPDATE

    WIMBLEDON – The women’s doubles final at Wimbledon on Saturday ended after only 54 minutes. The pair made up of Monica Niculescu of Romania and Hao-Ching Chan of Taiwan stood no chance before the Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, who won 6-0, 6-0. In the semi-finals on Friday, Niculescu and Chan had defeated the Japanese/Czech pair Makoto Ninomiya/Renata Voracova 7-6, 4-6, 9-7.



    SABER GUARDIAN 17 – On Saturday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis attended the exercise Saber Guardian 17, which is unfolding at the Cincu shooting range in central Romania. Participating are military staff from most NATO countries but also from the neighboring countries. This is the largest military exercise in Romanias modern history. 10 battle and logistics ships, 12 vessels and 18 ground battle vehicles of the Romanian Naval Forces carry out sea, air and ground drills alongside 25,000 Romanian and foreign soldiers. General Petr Pavel, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, who is also attending the exercise, has stated that Bucharest is a reliable ally and has appreciated Romanias significant contribution to NATOs missions and operations, being one of the first 10 contributors to the mission in Afghanistan.



    ROMANIA-CHINA COMMITTEE – Prime Minister Mihai Tudose will set up a Romania – China Inter-ministerial Committee, whose goal would be to analyze bilateral projects. The announcement was made after the event “2017 China -Central and East European Countries Political Parties Dialogue”, organized in Bucharest by the ruling Social Democratic Party and a meeting with Liu Yunshan, a top level official of the Chinese Communist Party. During the proceedings hosted by Romanias Parliament, the Chinese official said that Beijing intends to develop new platforms of communication and cooperation with the central and eastern countries, especially as regards large scale projects. According to the head of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea, the Chinese authorities are very much interested in serious investments in infrastructure in Romania, such as motorways and high-speed railways. The parties also discussed the resumption of the Bucharest – Beijing flights and a better organizations of foodstuff exports.



    MEASLES EPIDEMIC – The number of officially confirmed cases of measles has reached 8000 in Romania, according to the National Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control. The epidemic is spread across the country, and the largest numbers of cases were reported in the counties of Timis (west), Caras-Severin (south-west) and Arad (west). Three quarters of the cases were reported in children under 10, with the 1-4 years old age group being the most affected, with 3,100 cases. So far, the epidemic that broke out late last year has claimed 31 lives.



    COMMEMORATION – Turkey has organized a string of events to mark one year since the failed coup of July 2016. 15 July has been declared a day of national celebration. President Recep Tayyp Erdogan and his supporters claim that the victory against the failed coup in 2016 marked a revival of the nation. To others, though, the events back where less triumphant. The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has voiced support for the Turkish citizens who opposed the attempted coup and said that attempts to undermine democracy in the allied countries are unacceptable. Some 50,000 people were arrested and 150,000 have been sacked or suspended from office because of their involvement in the failed coup.


  • July 15, 2017

    July 15, 2017


    SABER GUARDIAN 17 – On Saturday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis attended the exercise Saber Guardian 17 , which is unfolding at the Cincu shooting range in central Romania. Participating are military staff from most NATO countries but also from the neighboring countries. This is the largest military exercise in Romanias modern history. 10 battle and logistics ships, 12 vessels and 18 ground battle vehicles of the Romanian Naval Forces carry out sea, air and ground drills alongside 25,000 Romanian and foreign soldiers. General Petr Pavel, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, who is also attending the exercise, has stated that Bucharest is a reliable ally and has appreciated Romanias significant contribution to NATOs missions and operations, being one of the first 10 contributors to the mission in Afghanistan.



    ROMANIA-CHINA COMMITTEE – Prime Minister Mihai Tudose will set up a Romania – China Inter-ministerial Committee, whose goal would be to analyze bilateral projects. The announcement was made after the event “2017 China -Central and East European Countries Political Parties Dialogue”, organized in Bucharest by the ruling Social Democratic Party and a meeting with Liu Yunshan, a top level official of the Chinese Communist Party. During the proceedings hosted by Romanias Parliament, the Chinese official said that Beijing intends to develop new platforms of communication and cooperation with the central and eastern countries, especially as regards large scale projects. According to the head of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea, the Chinese authorities are very much interested in serious investments in infrastructure in Romania, such as motorways and high-speed railways. The parties also discussed the resumption of the Bucharest – Beijing flights and a better organizations of foodstuff exports.



    MEASLES EPIDEMIC – The number of officially confirmed cases of measles has reached 8000 in Romania, according to the National Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control. The epidemic is spread across the country, and the largest numbers of cases were reported in the counties of Timis (west), Caras-Severin (south-west) and Arad (west). Three quarters of the cases were reported in children under 10, with the 1-4 years old age group being the most affected, with 3,100 cases. So far, the epidemic that broke out late last year has claimed 31 lives.



    COMMEMORATION – Turkey has organized a string of events to mark one year since the failed coup of July 2016. 15 July has been declared a day of national celebration. President Recep Tayyp Erdogan and his supporters claim that the victory against the failed coup in 2016 marked a revival of the nation. To others, though, the events back where less triumphant. The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has voiced support for the Turkish citizens who opposed the attempted coup and said that attempts to undermine democracy in the allied countries are unacceptable. Some 50,000 people were arrested and 150,000 have been sacked or suspended from office because of their involvement in the failed coup.




  • July 9 – 14

    July 9 – 14


    Romanias new prime minister, the Social Democrat Mihai Tudose traveled to Brussels this week on his first foreign trip



    He gave assurances that Romania remains a reliable partner that will rigorously fulfill its commitments. He met the presidents of the European Council and of the European Commission, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker respectively, the head of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani and the Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu. The talks tackled a series of subjects, from the latest economic developments to Romanias Schengen accession, the state of the judiciary and the absorption of European funds. Regarding this latter subject, the prime minister said he was seeking better collaboration between his ministers and European officials:



    “All ministers involved in European projects are to travel to Brussels at least once a month to discuss with the Commissioners; there will be regular contacts with the Council and the Commission to make sure that what we do in Romania does not reach Brussels in a distorted way and that there are no major discrepancies between reality and perception.”



    Speaking about the economy, Tudose said Romanias budget deficit would not exceed 3% of the GDP and that his government was no longer planning to introduce the controversial turnover tax.



    Romanian military are taking part the Saber Guardian 17 multinational exercise



    Romanian military are taking part, until the end of next week, in the Saber Guardian 17 multinational exercise hosted by three allied states, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. The exercise involves more than 25,000 service members and 2,000 technical resources from over 20 allied states. The military will train in the fast movement of combat equipment, tanks and armoured vehicles backed by air forces, combat shooting, crossing water courses, medical evacuation and the treatment of the wounded. On Thursday, president Klaus Iohannis travelled to Mihail Kogalniceanu, in southeastern Romania, where a Saber Guardian exercise was taking place.



    The president said Romania requested an offer from the United States with regard to the acquisition of Patriot missile systems. Klaus Iohannis:


    “We have requested an offer from the American side and you probably heard that our request has been published on the State Departments website. The request is still to be approved and then negotiations will begin and when we have a clear result we will make it public.”



    The Patriot missile system is a surface-to-air advanced system that can be used in the event of an attack by aircraft and ballistic and cruise missiles.



    The Romanian Education reform is back in the spotlight



    The baccalaureate pass rate stands at 72.9% this year after the first session, up almost 5% compared with 2016, the education ministry has announced this week. At a debate held recently and attended by representatives of employers and the authorities, the idea was put forward that introducing a dual education system, which would allow graduates to enter the labour market while continuing their studies, is the number one factor that could support Romanias reindustrialisation. Participants said the elimination of vocational training was a mistake that needs to be corrected as soon as possible because the lack of skilled personnel is an obstacle to development. Parliament had passed a bill that changes the organisation and structure of dual education in Romania, but president Klaus Iohannis refused to sign it into law, sending it back to Parliament. Iohannis says that in its current version, the bill would have negative effects on the quality of the education process. His decision was welcomed by the main opposition party, the National Liberal Party, which called on all parliamentary parties to re-examine the bill as soon as possible.



    Romania is facing the biggest measles epidemic in recent history



    Since September last year, when the epidemic broke out, 31 persons have died and 7,500 have become sick. The immunization rate has dropped significantly, mainly because parents refuse to vaccinate their children. In a government meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said 180,000 children have not received vaccination against measles. He called on the healthcare minister Florian Bodog to come up with a wide-scale information campaign:


    “By next week at the latest, Im expecting you to put together, jointly with the media and any other means of communication, a campaign that would make it clear for all Romanians that they need to have their children vaccinated. The situation is unacceptable! I understand that while the vaccines are available, they havent reached the beneficiaries.”



    The World Health Organisation has described the measles outbreak, which has caused 35 deaths in Europe, mostly in Romania, an “unacceptable tragedy”.



    The first edition of the NeverSea Festival was held at the weekend on the beach of Constanta



    For three days, some 150,000 people danced to the electronic music tunes in what organizers termed a success. It was the largest such festival held on a beach in Romania, and the only one of its kind in Europe. Some 150 international artists electrified the audience, putting on a memorable show with amazing choreographies on the seven stages of the festival. NeverSea put Constanta on the map of top-level music events, alongside the Untold festival, which turned Cluj-Napoca in northwestern Romania into a favourite destination for music fans in summertime. Organized by the same team behind NeverSea, this year Untold will reach its 3rd edition, running from August 3 through 6.