Radio România Internațional

Tag: Navy Day

Romania and security on NATO’s eastern flank

For the second consecutive year, Navy Day, the celebration of the Romanian naval forces, was held in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The war at the border with Romania, the enhanced strategic importance of the Black Sea and security on NATOs eastern flank were emphasized in the speeches of the high-ranking officials, who attended the ceremonies in Constanta. According to President Klaus Iohannis, Romanias security has been strengthened and efforts to consolidate the Alliances structures on the countrys territory, especially the NATO battle group established in 2022, will continue. Romania, the head of state said, plays a very important role in the Black Sea and, alongside its NATO partners, is a deterrence and defense force on the eastern flank. Klaus Iohannis: “The Romanian Naval Forces have contributed significantly to the improvement of regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security. The missions carried out by our allies and partners within NATO and the European Union, in order to make territorial and international waters safer, are proof of that”.

In his turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that the government he leads will allocate the necessary funds for the modernization of the naval forces. Marcel Ciolacu: “As a prime minister of Romania, my duty is to ensure the necessary resources for the equipping and modernization of the Romanian Naval Forces. In this respect, the budget allocation for defense has increased as of this year to 2.5% of GDP. We will maintain this level in the years to come.”

The former head of the Romanian Army General Staff, Nicolae Ciucă, now a political leader and speaker of the Senate, said that the Black Sea area has become a hotspot of the world and an area of great strategic importance for the North Atlantic partners. The security of these waters ensures the stability of the entire region and turns Romania into an important security provider, Ciucă also said.

The Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, pointed out that the war in Ukraine shows just how important it is for Romania, a country with access to the Black Sea, to have the capabilities to protect its territorial waters and its exclusive economic area. The Alliance, Tîlvăr also said, shows that it is united, that the transatlantic ties are solid and that the commitment assumed under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty is unshakable.

The head of the Naval Forces General Staff, Vice Admiral Mihai Panait, recalled that, this year, the Naval Forces have resumed their military presence in the Mediterranean Sea, after a two-year break, which shows that the Romanian Naval Forces and the Romanian Army are security providers both in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean Sea. Interior minister Cătălin Predoiu said that Romania, a border country of the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance, carries out, with professionalism, the responsibilities it has as a member of these organizations which are vital for the prosperity and security of the country.

16 August 2023
August 16, 2023

Security – Romania’s security has
been consolidated and the efforts to strengthen the structures of the North-Atlantic
Alliance on the territory of the country, especially the NATO battle group
established in 2022, will be continued, said President Klaus Iohannis, who, on
Tuesday, attended the ceremonies in Constanta (southeast), which marked Navy
Day. In turn, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances that the government
would allocate the necessary resources for equipping and modernizing the
Romanian Naval Forces. Security at the Black Sea ensures the stability of the
entire region and turns Romania into an important security provider, the speaker
of the Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, also said.

Government – The Romanian government resumes discussions
about the measures to balance the state budget. The executive should finalize
and adopt, by the end of the month, the emergency ordinances for reducing the
expenses of the civil servants’ apparatus and the increase in the budget revenue
receipts. According to a draft law, which appeared in the public space, owners
of luxury cars whose value exceeds 100,000 Euros will have to pay a tax, IT
employees whose salaries exceed 10,000 lei per month (about 2,000 Euros) will
no longer be exempted from taxes, and workers in constructions and agriculture
will have to pay health insurance contributions. At the same time, state
employees who have a gross monthly salary of over 10,000 lei may no longer
receive holiday vouchers. The government also intends to increase the excise
duty on sugar and to impose only two VAT rates of 9 and 19%. SMEs with incomes
up to 300,000 lei could be taxed with 1%, and those that exceed this income,
with 3%. Last but not least, companies that shift profits would have to pay a
15% surtax on the amounts transferred. As to the emergency ordinance regarding
the reduction of the size of the state apparatus, the government is analyzing
the possibility of abolishing 200,000 unfilled positions, merging some public
institutions and reducing the number of state secretaries, management
positions, members in the boards of administrators and the number of members in
the cabinets of local authorities.

Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea started
the WTA 1,000 tournament in Cincinnati, in the American state of Ohio with a
victory. Cîrstea, 31st in the WTA ranking, passed the Russian
Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round with a score of 6-0, 6-2 and will meet
in the second round Maria Sakkari, from Greece, seeded 8th in the
tournament. A second Romanian player in the main draw, Irina Begu, was defeated
by the Czech Marie Bouzkova, 6-2, 6-2. However, in the doubles, the pair Irina
Begu from Romania and Sara Sorribes Tormo, from Spain, qualified for the round
of 16 after defeating the pair Elisabetta Cocciaretto (Italy) / Mayar Sherif
(Egypt) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3). The Romanian-Spanish pair will meet the pair Storm
Hunter (Australia) / Elise Mertens (Belgium), seed number two, in the round of
16.

Gaudeamus – The Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair in
Sibiu (center) has come to an end. For five days, approximately 15,000 visitors
attended the event, more than at the previous edition. Conni Chifor, a representative
of the fair, talked about the very large number of children present and said
that, for them, literature was definitely the queen of the ball. She added that
the public, including those who watched the events online, could participate in
numerous contests with book prizes. The next edition of the Gaudeamus Radio
Romania Book Fair will take place in Iasi (east), during the first week of
school, between September 13-17.

Baccalaureate – Almost 34,000 high school graduates
from Romania, enrolled for the second session of the Baccalaureate exam, are today
taking the Romanian language and literature exam, with the papers being
assessed digitally for the first time. The tests will be scanned and uploaded
to a platform that will distribute them to two teachers from any corner of the
country, except from the county of origin of the student. On Thursday, the
mandatory written test in the specialty subjects is scheduled. The optional test,
at the student’s choice, in the specialty subject is scheduled for August 18
and on August 21 candidates who belong to national minorities will take the
written test in their native language and literature. The first results will be
announced on August 25, followed by the final results on August 29 after
examining potential appeals. In order to pass the baccalaureate exam, high
school graduates must pass all language and digital skills assessment tests and
must obtain an exam average grade of at least 6.00 in the written tests. At the
first session of the Baccalaureate exam, only 75% of the registered candidates
passed the exam.

UN – Almost
10,000 civilians have lost their lives since the beginning of the war in
Ukraine, according to the UN. Thus, 9,444 civilians have died, including 500
children, and more than 16,940 have been injured since the beginning of the
Russian invasion in February 2022. The real figure is probably much higher. The
UN notes that the toll is not complete because data is missing from several
regions, especially from Mariupol, Lisiceansk and Severodonetsk, occupied by the
Russian forces after heavy fighting, and also from Kyiv. The figures also show
that the vast majority of those killed (7,339) died in Ukrainian regions bombed
by Russia and defended by the Ukrainian army. In the regions of Donetsk and
Lugansk, in the east, there were significantly more casualties on both sides of
the front than in the capital Kyiv, in the center and west of Ukraine. The UN
report also notes that more civilians died in the first months of the war. In
the spring and summer of 2023, between 170 and 180 civilians lost their lives
each month. (LS)

16 August 2023
August 15, 2023 UPDATE

GOVERNMENT — The Bucharest Government’s agenda this week includes two emergency orders on cutting public spending and reforming the fiscal system. According to a draft order, the government is considering tax increases and the elimination of certain tax facilities, as well as the cancelling of 200,000 public sector positions that are currently vacant and a reduction of expenditure in ministries. Also, public servants whose net salaries exceed 2000 euros a month will no longer receive holiday vouchers.

CELEBRATION – Orthodox Christians and Catholic believers on Tuesday marked the Dormition of Virgin Mary, also known as the Assumption of Virgin Mary, the oldest religious holiday dedicated to the Mother of Jesus. The term “Dormition“ or “falling asleep” is a reminder that Mary’s death was a gentle and holy passage from earthly life into heaven. It is a day of celebration for the reunion of Mother and her Son rather than one of mourning and loss. The Dormition or the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, marked every year on the 15th of August, is a public holiday in Romania.

NAVY DAY – The Romanian Naval Forces contribute significantly to the improvement of the regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security, and the missions carried out with our allies and partners from NATO and the European Union in order to make the territorial waters and those of the world safer, fully prove this fact, Romania President Klaus Iohannis said Tuesday in Constanta (south-east), where the Navy Day celebrations where held. The Romanian Naval Forces have had and will continue to have a significant contribution to the security of Romania and our partners in the North-Atlantic area, said in turn Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who also attended the ceremonies alongside other high-ranking officials.

EXERCISE – About 250 servicemen from France and Luxembourg and 65 pieces of military equipment from the NATO Battle Group stationed in Romania are involved as of Monday until August 18th in a military drill entitled DEPLOYEX, which is taking place in the shooting range at Babadag, south-eastern Romania, the Romanian Defense Ministry has announced. The exercise is meant to test the rapid deployment of troops and military gear and contributes to improving the level of interoperability of the forces making up the NATO Battle Group, being a sequel of the training programs earlier staged in Cincu, central Romania. The NATO battle group contributes to increasing Romanias military cooperation with the rotating participant countries, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and implicitly to strengthening the security of the Euro-Atlantic space on the Eastern Flank, a Defense Ministry communiqué writes. Cooperation with the strategic partners and the existence on the national territory of relevant war structures contribute to raising the of defense and deterrence capabilities in the context of the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Black Sea region, the ministry also shows.

MISSION – Two aircraft of the Romanian Air Force transported 20 Romanian firefighters and three special vehicles to the island of Corsica, France, on a mission to put out wildfires, the Romanian Ministry of Defense has announced. The Romanian firefighters thus answered the request for support by the French authorities through the CECIS (Common Emergency Communication and Information System) a dedicated information portal of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, as a result of the situation created by the extension of wildfires in recent days. The Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union coordinates the response to natural and man-made disasters at the EU level, allowing the provision of coordinated, effective and rapid assistance in support of the affected populations.

CHISINAU – Dozens of Russian diplomats and employees in administrative positions with the Russian embassy and consulate and the Russian culture center in Chisinau, as well as members of their families, left the Republic of Moldova on Monday. Last month, the small state neighboring Romania and Ukraine ordered the reduction of the number of Russian diplomats and technical personnel on its territory, to 25 from 80, to establish parity with Moldovas embassy in Moscow. The decision was taken amid concerns about alleged Russian attempts to destabilize Moldova. (EE)

15 August 2023
August 15, 2023

CELEBRATION – Orthodox Christians and Catholic believers are today marking the Dormition of Virgin Mary, also known as the Assumption of Virgin Mary, the oldest religious holiday dedicated to the Mother of Jesus. The term “Dormition“ or “falling asleep” is a reminder that Mary’s death was a gentle and holy passage from earthly life into the arms of her Son. It is a day of celebration for the reunion of Mother and her Son rather than one of mourning and loss. The feast is preceded by 14 days of strict fasting. The Dormition or the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, marked every year on the 15th of August, is a public holiday in Romania.

NAVY DAY – The Romanian Naval Forces contribute significantly to the improvement of the regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security, and the missions carried out with our allies and partners from NATO and the European Union in order to make the territorial waters and those of the world safer, fully prove this fact, Romania President Klaus Iohannis said in Constanta (south-east), where the Navy Day celebrations are under way. Romania, the head of state emphasized, is important for NATOs reinforced deterrence and defense posture, and the presence and activity of the 5,000 allied soldiers in the country clearly proves our unity, solidarity and unwavering commitment, as Allies, to the provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty, including in terms of collective defense. The Romanian Naval Forces have had and will continue to have a significant contribution to the security of Romania and our partners in the North-Atlantic area, said in turn Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who also attends the ceremonies alongside other high-ranking officials.

EXERCISE – About 250 servicemen from France and Luxembourg and 65 pieces of military equipment from the NATO Battle Group stationed in Romania are involved as of Monday until August 18th in a military drill entitled DEPLOYEX, which is taking place in the shooting range at Babadag, south-eastern Romania, the Romanian Defense Ministry has announced. The exercise is meant to test the rapid deployment of troops and military gear and contributes to improving the level of interoperability of the forces making up the NATO Battle Group, being a sequel of the training programs earlier staged in Cincu, central Romania. The NATO battle group contributes to increasing Romanias military cooperation with the rotating participant countries, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and implicitly to strengthening the security of the Euro-Atlantic space on the Eastern Flank, a Defense Ministry communiqué writes. Cooperation with the strategic partners and the existence on the national territory of relevant war structures contribute to raising the of defense and deterrence capabilities in the context of the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Black Sea region, the ministry also shows.

FIREFIGHTERS – Two aircraft of the Romanian Air Force transported 20 Romanian firefighters and three special vehicles to the island of Corsica, France, on a mission to put out wildfires, the Romanian Ministry of Defense has announced. The Romanian firefighters thus answered the request for support by the French authorities through the CECIS (Common Emergency Communication and Information System) a dedicated information portal of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, as a result of the situation created by the extension of wildfires in recent days. The Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union coordinates the response to natural and man-made disasters at the EU level, allowing the provision of coordinated, effective and rapid assistance in support of the affected populations.

CHISINAU – Dozens of Russian diplomats and employees in administrative positions with the Russian embassy and consulate and the Russian culture center in Chisinau, as well as members of their families, left the Republic of Moldova on Monday. Last month, the small state neighboring Romania and Ukraine ordered the reduction of the number of Russian diplomats and technical personnel on its territory, to 25 from 80, to establish parity with Moldovas embassy in Moscow. The decision was taken amid concerns about alleged Russian attempts to destabilize Moldova.

WASHINGTON –Romanian tennis player Irina Begu is today up against the Czech Marie Bouzkova, in the first round of the WTA tournament in Cincinnati (Ohio, USA). This is the first time that Begu and Bouzkova meet on court. The other Romanian in the competition, Sorana Cirstea, will face the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova on Wednesday, also for the first time, in the first round of the American tournament. (EE)

15 August 2023
August 14, 2023 UPDATE

Government – The Romanian government is working on finalizing two laws aimed at reducing the budget deficit. According to a draft law made public recently, the owners of luxury cars would have to pay a tax. Those who work in the IT field, now exempt from taxation, will have to pay the tax, if their salary exceeds 10,000 lei (about 2,000 Euros) per month. Those working in constructions and agriculture will have to pay health insurance contributions, from now on. Finally, state employees who have a monthly gross salary of over 10,000 lei will no longer receive holiday vouchers. SMEs with incomes up to 300,000 lei will pay a tax of 1%, and those that exceed this income will pay a tax of 3%. Regarding the emergency ordinance that will reduce the state apparatus, the government is analyzing the possibility of abolishing 200,000 unfilled positions, merging some public institutions and reducing the number of state secretaries, the number of management positions, the number of members in the boards of administrators and of members of local authorities offices. Some of the measures mentioned in the press are already publicly contested by state employees and the business environment.

Mini-holiday – This is the busiest period on the Romanian Black Sea coast resorts this summer as many Romanians are on a mini-holiday occasioned by the Christian celebration of the Assumption of Mary also called the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Eastern Church. Over 120 thousand tourists are estimated to be spending this mini-holiday in Romanias seaside resorts. From the resort of Mamaia to Vama Veche, musical events, theatre performances and open-air recitals are attracting tourists as well as the demonstrative military drills due on August 15th which also marks the Navy Day in Romania. After a break of four years, people will be able to witness from the shores of the cities of Constanta and Mangalia a series of military exercises involving the participation of Romanias naval forces followed by a parade of its warships. The Romanian seamen will participate in a series of games and contests, which will be followed by fireworks at night. Numerous events are already underway on the Romanian Black Sea coast, and are likely to continue for the entire week. Standing out among them is the Festival of the ancient cities of Dobrogea at Tropaeum Traiani in Adamclisi, southern Romania.

Conviction – The former Social Democratic finance minister, Darius Vâlcov, who was definitively convicted by the Romanian justice system and fled to Italy, was brought to the country on Monday afternoon, under escort, by an airline flight. He is to serve a 6-year sentence in a penitentiary. The extradition took place after the Court of Cassation in Rome issued a final sentence in this regard. Vâlcov is the first famous fugitive that the Romanian authorities manage to bring from Italy. Several Romanians convicted by the countrys courts, mostly in corruption cases, found refuge there to escape prison.

Exercise – About 250 servicemen from France and Luxembourg and 65 pieces of military equipment from the NATO Battle Group stationed in Romania are involved as of Monday until August 18th in a military drill entitled DEPLOYEX, which is taking place in the shooting range at Babadag, south-eastern Romania, the Romanian Defense Ministry has announced. The exercise is meant to test the rapid deployment of troops and military gear and contributes to improving the level of interoperability of the forces making up the NATO Battle Group, being a sequel of the training programs earlier staged in Cincu, central Romania. The NATO battle group contributes to increasing Romanias military cooperation with the rotating participant countries, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and implicitly to strengthening the security of the Euro-Atlantic space on the Eastern Flank, a Defense Ministry communiqué writes. Cooperation with the strategic partners and the existence on the national territory of relevant war structures contribute to raising the of defense and deterrence capabilities in the context of the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Black Sea region, the ministry also shows.

Ice cream – Romania is the ninth producer of ice cream in the European Union, with a production of 35 million liters in 2022, according to data published on Monday by Eurostat. Germany ranks first, with a production of 620 million liters, followed by France and Italy. Besides being the largest producer of ice cream in 2022, Germany produced, on average, the cheapest ice cream in the EU, at a price of 1.5 Euros per liter. At the opposite pole, the most expensive ice cream was made in Austria, with an average price of 7 Euros per liter. The member countries produced a quantity of 3.2 billion liters of ice cream last year, increasing by 5% compared to 2021.

14 August 2023
Crowds take to the seaside and mountain resorts

As every year around this time, the Romanian Black Sea Coast is the favorite destination of a large number of Romanians, as on August 15 Romanians celebrate both the Assumption of Mary and the Navy Day, and this year’s long weekend was another reason for choosing the Black Sea resorts. Official data show that more than 120 thousand tourists are now at the seaside during the Assumption mini-holiday. The accommodation units occupancy rate in the seaside resorts exceeds 90%, and many hotels, guesthouses or villas are at full capacity, despite the skyrocketing prices. Mamaia, Eforie Nord and Neptun are the most crowded resorts, and tourists come from all areas of the country.

Events take place all along the Black Sea Coast: music festivals attract thousands of young people to the beaches of Venus and Vama Veche, and theater, music and ballet evenings make headlines in Mamaia and Constanţa, where the Madrigal Choir offers a series of performances on the Casino Promenade. The events started a few days ago and will continue throughout the week. The peak of the events organized by the Romanian Naval Forces to celebrate Navy Day will be on August 15, in Constanţa. The military sailors will present, after an absence of four years, a joint demonstration exercise called Romanian Naval Forces 2023, on the esplanade in front of the Fleet Command. After the speeches addressed by Romanian officials and the religious service, anchors of flowers will be thrown into the sea water in memory of the seafaring heroes, who sleep their eternal sleep in the depths of the waters. The god Neptune will appear from the sea through a water gate, secured by tugboats. The demonstrations will thus start with the opening greeting message of the exercise performed by helicopters and fast boats, which will carry the flags of Romania, the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union.

The moment will be followed by the parade of the Mircea Training Vessel, Romanias Honorary Ambassador on the seas and oceans of the world, with cadets from the Mircea the Elder Naval Academy at the spars. The public will be able to admire from the promenades in Constanța and Mangalia the demonstration exercises of the naval forces and the parade of dozens of military ships, alongside aircraft and helicopters, soldiers from the national defense structures, as well as from the partner countries within the Alliance. Ship and sailor games and contests will be organized in the tourist ports, and in the evening, after the sailors retire with torches, the local authorities will offer a multimedia show created for the first time in Romania with the help of light drones and fireworks. The Interior Ministry has announced that it has increased public order troops, especially in congested areas, given that events with large audiences will be organized throughout the country. The mountain areas are also crowded during the Assumption mini-holiday as many Romanians chose the mountain resorts for relaxation these days. (LS)

14 August 2023
August 10, 2023

Bills.
The Romanian government has several bills on
the agenda of today’s meeting, including the amendment of the Criminal Code
article on incitement to hatred or discrimination. Currently, this article says
that inciting to hatred or discrimination against a category of people is
punishable by imprisonment from six months to three years or a fine. The
proposed amendment provides more details and says that incitement to violence
against a category of people or against a person based on race, nationality,
ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, opinion or political
affiliation, wealth, social origin, age, disability, chronic non-contagious
disease or HIV/AIDS infection is punishable by imprisonment from six months to
three years or a fine. The government also has an emergency ordinance on its
agenda that will offer the possibility to citizens who do not have their
domicile in Romania to temporarily register cars and trailers that they later
want to take out of the country in order to permanently register them in
another state and one that will improve the way in which projects financed from
non-reimbursable external funds are implemented.

Protest.
Civic associations in Romania are
organizing, this evening, near the government headquarters, a protest to demand
the urgent trial of the gendarmes guilty of violence against participants in the anti-government rally on August 10, 2018.
On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General’s Office announced that it had sent to trial
the chiefs of the Gendarmerie in office at the time of the rally, for abuse of
office, intellectual fraud and abusive behavior. According to the prosecutors,
the Gendarmerie leadership performed their duties improperly and ordered
subordinates, in violation of the legal provisions, to intervene by force in
order to disperse the entire mass of protesters attending. According to the
investigators, the actions of the defendants restricted the freedom of assembly
and the right to physical and mental integrity of the demonstrators, and caused
physical suffering or injuries, requiring medical care, to a number of more
than 400 people. The forceful intervention of the gendarmes was done in
violation of the principles of necessity, gradualness and proportionality,
principles enshrined in the legal regulations on the matter and reflected in
the ECHR jurisprudence, say the investigators. Thus, the gendarmes would have
acted not only against the people who demonstrated violently, but also against
the peaceful demonstrators, who constituted the vast majority of the
protesters.

Inflation.
The National Bank of Romania expects a slightly
higher inflation towards the end of this year than it anticipated a few months ago.
According to the new forcast presented, on Wednesday, by the governor of the
Central Bank, Mugur Isărescu, towards the end of the year, inflation could reach
7.5%, up from the initial forecast of 7.1%, to then drop to 4.4% at the end of
next year. According to Mugur Isărescu,
economic growth shows signs of slowing down, as does consumption.

Navy
Day. The Turkish corvette TCG
‘Kinaliada’ will make a stopover in the port of Constanţa, between August
12-16, to participate in the Romanian Navy Day, alongside Romanian military and
civilian ships, informed the General Staff of the Naval Forces. On Tuesday,
August 15, the Turkish corvette will join Romanian military ships at sea,
participating in demonstration exercise ‘Romanian Naval Forces 23’. It will
consist of elements of reconnaissance-diversion, repelling the attack of enemy
aviation, searching for and attacking an enemy submarine, repelling a maritime
landing, combating illegal migration at sea. The Guard of Honor, set up on the
seafront in front of the Fleet Command, will be made up of military platoons
from France, the USA, Turkey, the 30th Guards Brigade ‘Mihai Viteazul’ and the
Romanian Naval Forces. The evening of August 15 will end with the torchlight
retreat of the sailors and a fireworks and drone show, which will mark the end
of the 121st anniversary of the Romanian Navy.

Football.
Three Romanian football teams will play,
this evening, on home turf, the first leg of the third preliminary round of the
UEFA Conference League. The champion Farul Constanța (southeast) faces Flora
Tallinn from Estonia, the vice-champion FCSB (Bucharest) takes on the Danish
team FC Nordsjaelland, and the winner of the Romanian Cup, Sepsi OSK Sfântu
Gheorghe (center), will play against the FC Aktobe team from Kazakhstan. The
decisive games will take place a week from now. (MI)

10 August 2023
August 5, 2023 UPDATE

Navy Day. Events devoted to Navy Day started on Saturday in the main ports of Romania. Navy Day is celebrated in Romania on August 15, when Christians also celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, considered the protector of sailors. The garrisons of Brăila and Tulcea organized an open doors day, and the Galati garrison will also have an open day on Sunday, an opportunity for the public to visit the battleships and learn about the technique, equipment and specific weaponry used by the river fleet soldiers. Those interested can enjoy military music concerts, exhibitions, interactive workshops, but also military-religious ceremonies with the participation of hundreds of sailors, marine infantrymen and river divers on board military ships and speedboats. The ports of Constanţa and Mangalia, on the Black Sea, have organized open days as well. A special attraction is the training ship Mircea, the symbol vessel of the Naval Forces, recently returned from the annual training march of the Naval Academy students. Since 2009, August 15 is a national holiday in Romania.

Niger. Another Romanian citizen, the fifth, was evacuated from Niger on a Spanish flight bound for Madrid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest has informed that, currently, there are no other requests for consular assistance from other Romanians. The democratically elected Nigerian president, Mohamed Bazoum, was recently ousted in a coup détat, the seventh in West Africa since 2020. The military regime installed following the coup denounced any external interference and said it would fight in the event of an intervention. This could lead to a wider regional conflict, given that two other military regimes that came to power following coups, those of Burkina Faso and Mali, have signaled that they are ready to intervene in support of the Nigerian putschists. Niger is of strategic importance to the United States, China, the EU and Russia, given its uranium and oil reserves, but also the role it plays in the fight against Muslim extremists in the Sahel region.

Aviation Safety. The Romanian authorities notified the EU Aviation Safety Agency regarding the issue of flights operated by Wizz Air in Romania, after nine flights were canceled in just one day for technical reasons. The Secretary of State in the Ministry of Transport, Bogdan Mândrescu, has called on the management of Wizz Air to urgently come up with a plan of concrete measures to reduce the number of flights canceled for technical reasons and to ensure the consistency of air flights. He also asked the company to solve its issues with the navigation staff, who work over the allowed time limit. The Consumer Protection Office has too notified the European Authority for Passenger Rights in relation to the situations generated in Romania by Wizz Air, which has been canceling or postponing numerous flights.

Festival. The 11th edition of the “Haferland Week” festival is taking place these days near Sighișoara, the only inhabited medieval fortress in south-eastern Europe, located in the center of Romania. It is one of the most important events dedicated to the culture of the Saxons – ethnic groups of German origin settled in Transylvania. 10 villages in the so-called Country of Oats are animated by concerts, workshops with local craftsmen, exhibitions, outdoor film screenings, traditional Saxon dances and brass band music. Festival-goers have the unique chance to travel back in time to rediscover old brass band music, traditional Saxon dances and songs, plays in the Saxon language, an exhibition of traditional Saxon costumes, organ concerts in fortified churches, as well as traditional crafts from the region. The central theme of the edition, attended by officials and public figures from Romania and Germany, is sustainability in the landscape of the Saxon villages of Haferland.

Sport. Romanian athletics had an exceptional day, on Friday, at the Francophonie Games in Kinshasa (Congo), with 9 medals – five gold, one silver and three bronze. The gold was won by Mihaela Popa in the womens 20 km march and by Ionuţ Vasilića Pleşu in the similar mens race. At the same time, the first place in the mens javelin event was won by Alexandru Novac, who also set a new competition record, and in the hammer throw, the European champion Bianca Florentina Ghelber came in first. Finally, Marius Musteaţă also won gold, in weight throw. Romania also had a good day in judo, with a gold medal, thanks to Alexandru Sibişan in cat. 90 kg, and a silver medal. The Romanian athletes are in second place in the overall medal ranking, with 17 gold, 8 silver and 11 bronze, being overtaken by those from Morocco. The Francophonie Games take place between July 28 and August 6. (MI)

5 August 2023
August 5, 2023

Navy Day. Events devoted
to Navy Day start today in the main ports of Romania. Navy Day is celebrated in
Romania on August 15, when Christians also celebrate the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary, considered the protector of sailors. Today in the garrisons of
Brăila and Tulcea, and tomorrow in the one in Galati, is Open Day, an
opportunity for the public to visit the battleships and learn about the
technique, equipment and specific weaponry used by the river fleet soldiers.
Those interested can enjoy military music concerts, exhibitions, interactive
workshops, but also military-religious ceremonies with the participation of
hundreds of sailors, marine infantrymen and river divers on board military
ships and speedboats. Open day is today also in the ports of Constanţa and
Mangalia, on the Black Sea. A special attraction is the training ship Mircea,
the symbol vessel of the Naval Forces, recently returned from the annual training
march of the Naval Academy students. Since 2009, August 15 is a national
holiday in Romania.

Niger. Another Romanian
citizen, the fifth, was evacuated from Niger on a Spanish flight bound for
Madrid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest has informed that,
currently, there are no other requests for consular assistance from other
Romanians. The democratically elected Nigerian president, Mohamed Bazoum, was
recently ousted in a coup d’état, the seventh in West Africa since 2020. The
military regime installed following the coup denounced any external
interference and said it would fight in the event of an intervention. This
could lead to a wider regional conflict, given that two other military regimes
that came to power following coups, those of Burkina Faso and Mali, have
signaled that they are ready to intervene in support of the Nigerian putschists.
Niger is of strategic importance to the United States, China, the EU and
Russia, given its uranium and oil reserves, but also the role it plays in the
fight against Muslim extremists in the Sahel region.

Festival. The 11th
edition of the Haferland Week festival is taking place these days
near Sighișoara, the only inhabited medieval fortress in south-eastern Europe,
located in the center of Romania. It is one of the most important events
dedicated to the culture of the Saxons – ethnic groups of German origin settled
in Transylvania. 10 villages in the so-called Country of Oats are animated by
concerts, workshops with local craftsmen, exhibitions, outdoor film screenings,
traditional Saxon dances and brass band music. Festival-goers have the unique
chance to travel back in time to rediscover old brass band music, traditional
Saxon dances and songs, plays in the Saxon language, an exhibition of
traditional Saxon costumes, organ concerts in fortified churches, as well as traditional
crafts from the region. The central theme of the edition, attended by officials
and public figures from Romania and Germany, is ‘sustainability in the
landscape of the Saxon villages of Haferland’.

Sports. Romanian
athletics had an exceptional day, on Friday, at the Francophonie Games in
Kinshasa (Congo), with 9 medals – five gold, one silver and three bronze. The
gold was won by Mihaela Popa in the women’s 20 km march and by Ionuţ Vasilića
Pleşu in the similar men’s race. At the same time, the first place in the men’s
javelin event was won by Alexandru Novac, who also set a new competition
record, and in the hammer throw, the European champion Bianca Florentina
Ghelber came in first. Finally, Marius Musteaţă also won gold, in weight throw.
Romania also had a good day in judo, with a gold medal, thanks to Alexandru
Sibişan in cat. 90 kg, and a silver medal. The Romanian athletes are in second
place in the overall medal ranking, with 17 gold, 8 silver and 11 bronze, being
overtaken by those from Morocco. The Francophonie Games take place between July
28 and August 6. (MI)

5 August 2023
August 15, 2022 UPDATE

Celebrations. Christian believers celebrated on Monday the
Assumption of Mary, one of the biggest feasts of the year. Some 2.3 million
Romanians celebrated their name day. August 15th is also the Navy
Day, as Virgin Mary is the protector of sailors. Events to mark this day were
staged in Romania’s Danube and Black Sea ports. The festivities in Contanta were
attended by Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, who stressed the importance of
sailors’ work, which entails lots of sacrifices
but also satisfaction. PM Nicolae Ciuca too conveyed a message, stating
that he would support programs aimed at modernizing the Romanian army. In turn,
the defense minister Vasile Dincu voiced conviction that starting next year,
the Romanian Naval Forces would be better equipped and prepared. He pointed out that the war in Ukraine had shown how
important the ability to protect its territorial waters and exclusive economic
zone was for Romania.

Firefighters. Romanian firefighters continue their mission
south of Bordeaux, France, operating in harsh conditions: high temperatures,
low humidity and strong winds. Their mission is to keep the fire from spreading
to the residential area and to put out hidden outbreaks. A total of 77
firefighters are supporting the French
authorities in their fight against wildfires, caused by extreme heat and severe
drought.

Baccalaureate. Almost 35,000
candidates have registered to sit in the autumn session of the Romanian
baccalaureate, which starts on Tuesday. Approximately
22 thousand candidates are class of 2022, the rest being from the previous classes. The
final results will be announced on September 3. In the summer session, held in
the second part of June, the baccalaureate pass rate was over 75% – the best in
the last 10 years.

Rasnov. Two special screenings and 12
international documentaries, from 11 countries, are part of the program of the 14th edition of the Film and History
Festival underway in Rasnov, central Romania. The selection of documentaries
includes films from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Romania, France,
Australia, USA, Belgium, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. According to the
organizers, the theme of the festival this year is focused around the idea of
borders, a concept that aims to bring answers to multiple questions and
challenges related to individual and creative freedoms that today’s society
faces.

Swimming. The Romanian swimmer David Popovici won
on Monday evening the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle final of the European
Aquatics Championship in Rome. He is the defending world champion in this
event. On Saturday, he won the 100 meter freestyle final and set a world
record, becoming the youngest athlete with such a record in the history of
world swimming.

Sports. Romania’s rowing
team, made up of 35 athletes, returned home on Monday with five gold and three
bronze medals won at the European Championships in Munich. According to the
general secretary of the Romanian Rowing Federation, Sandu Pop, the performance
of the Romanian delegation is the greatest in the history of Romanian rowing in
the continental competition. In another development, Romanian tennis player
Simona Halep (15 WTA) won the WTA 1,000 tournament in Toronto (Canada), with
over 2.5 million dollars in prize money. She defeated, on Sunday, in the final,
the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (24 WTA), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Simona thus won the
Canadian Open for the third time, after the finals she won in Montreal in 2016
and 2018. For the former world leader, this is the 24th title of her career.
After the victory in Toronto, Simona Halep climbed nine places up the rankings
and is now sixth in the WTA classification. (MI)

15 August 2022
August 15, 2022

Celebrations. Christian believers are celebrating today the
Assumption of Mary, one of the biggest feasts of the year. Some 2.3 million
Romanians are celebrating their name day today. August 15th is also
the Navy Day, as Virgin Mary is the protector of sailors. Events to mark this
day are underway in Romania’s Danube and Black Sea ports. The festivities in
Contanta have been attended by Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, who stressed
the importance of sailors’ work, which entails lots of sacrifices but also satisfaction. PM Nicolae Ciuca too
has conveyed a message, stating that he will support programs aimed at
modernizing the Romanian army. In turn, the defense minister Vasile Dincu has
voiced conviction that starting next year, the Romanian Naval Forces will be
better equipped and prepared. On Navy Day, visitors to the port of Constanta
can watch exhibitions and a virtual sea battle.

Firefighters. Romanian firefighters continue their mission
in the Chapelle Saint Blaise area, south of Bordeaux, France. 36 firefighters
and several pieces of equipment have been deployed in the region, where they
have to work in harsh conditions: high temperatures, low humidity and strong
winds. Their mission is to keep the fire from spreading to the residential area
and to put out hidden outbreaks. A total of 77 firefighters are supporting the French authorities in their fight against wildfires,
caused by extreme heat and severe drought.

Olympiad. Young Romanians
obtained new outstanding results in Informatics. The Romanian team won four
medals, the second place in Europe and the 8th place in the world, out of 90
countries, at the International Olympiad in Informatics held in Indonesia.
Alexandru Luchianov won the gold medal, Luca Perju Verzotti and Alexandru Raul
Todoran each took the silver and Andrei Robert Ion, the bronze medal. The
Minister of Education, Sorin Cîmpeanu, who announced on Facebook the success of
the Romanian high school students, said that now Romania is in second place in
a ranking of the international informatics Olympiads of all time. He thanked
all those who over the years have made such a performance possible, students,
teachers and parents.

Rasnov. Two special screenings and 12
international documentaries, from 11 countries, are part of the program of the 14th edition of the Râşnov Film and
History Festival (central Romania). The selection of documentaries includes
films from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Romania, France, Australia, USA,
Belgium, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. According to the organizers, the theme
of the festival this year is focused around the idea of borders, a concept
that aims to bring answers to multiple questions and challenges related to
individual and creative freedoms that today’s society faces.

Tennis. Romanian tennis
player Simona Halep (15 WTA) won the WTA 1,000 tournament in Toronto (Canada),
with over 2.5 million dollars in prize money. She defeated, on Sunday, in the
final, the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (24 WTA), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Simona thus
won the Canadian Open for the third time, after the finals she won in Montreal
in 2016 and 2018. For the former world leader, this is the 24th title of her career.
After the victory in Toronto, Simona Halep climbed nine places up the rankings
and is now sixth in the WTA classification.

World record. The Romanian swimmer David
Popovici has qualified for today’s 200 m freestyle final at the European
Aquatics Championship in Rome. On Saturday, he set a new 100 meter freestyle
world record . The 17-year-old athlete is also the defending world champion in
the 200 m freestyle. Romania is represented in Rome by a delegation of 11
athletes. (MI)

15 August 2022
August 14, 2022 UPDATE

Navy Day. On Sunday, the
Romanian Naval Forces marked a day of gratitude in memory of the seafaring
heroes who lost their lives in the service of the country. On August 15, the
Naval Forces celebrate Navy Day with events staged in Romania’s river and Black
Sea ports. President Klaus Iohannis will participate in the festivities in
Constanţa (port on the Black Sea), and will give a speech at the official
ceremony. He will also visit the training ship Mircea, recently
returned from an international training march. In Port Tomis, the activities
organized on Navy Day include exhibitions of military equipment, and ship
enthusiasts can virtually witness a naval battle in a specially arranged space.

Firefighting. 36 Romanian
firefighters, using special vehicles and a large-capacity tanker, continue
extinguishing the wildfires near the city of Bordeaux, in the southwest of
France. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, the
firefighters are working in extreme conditions: high temperatures, low humidity
and strong winds. Their mission is to limit the spread of the fire to the homes
in the area and to extinguish hidden outbreaks. Romania supports the French
authorities in the fight against wildfires with a team made up of 77
firefighters and several specific pieces of equipment. France, like other European
countries, is facing successive heat waves and an unprecedented drought.

Rushdie. Writer Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed on
Friday, during a literary event in the state of New York, remains in the
hospital, but no longer requires artificial ventilation. Writers around the
world expressed their joy that Rushdie could finally speak, and President Joe
Biden joined international voices in condemning the attack, and hailing Sir
Rushdie for promoting universal ideas. Authorities have not made public the reason
given by the man who stabbed the writer. The attacker, aged 24, was born in
California to immigrant parents from southern Lebanon. One of his social media
accounts shows that he is a sympathizer of extremist Shiite groups and the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, but it is not clear if he has any ties to
them. In the Muslim community, Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses
sparked numerous controversies, due to what many Muslims considered to be
blasphemy. The novel was banned in India, was burned at some demonstrations in
the United Kingdom, and triggered violent riots in Pakistan. In February 1989
the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a kind of decree, a
fatwa, calling on all good Muslims to kill Rushdie or help assassinate him and
his editors.

Anonimul. The film 107
Mothers (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine), directed by Peter Kerekes, won
the Anonimul 2022 trophy. The film tells the true story of mothers in a women’s
prison in Odessa (Ukraine). The feature film won, at the Venice Film Festival
2021, the prize of the Orizzonti section for the best screenplay and was
included in the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera competition of the San Sebastian Film
Festival. Fragmentări (Fragmentations) by Miruna Minculescu was
designated the best Romanian short reel, and the award for the best foreign
short film went to Fantasma Neon (Brazil), by Leonardo Martinelli.
Aurică, a dog’s life, directed by Mihai Dragolea, is the short film
to which the Anonimul Foundation awarded the Ovidiu Bose Paştină Award. 12
films participated in the Romanian short film competition, and 10 in the
international short film competition. The 19th edition of the Anonimul
International Independent Film Festival took place between August 8 and 14, in
Sfântu Gheorghe (Danube Delta).

Rasnov. Two special
screenings and 12 international documentaries, from 11 countries, will be
presented at the 14th edition of the Râşnov Film and History Festival (central
Romania), which takes place from August 14 to September 4. The selection of
documentaries includes films from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Romania,
France, Australia, USA, Belgium, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. According
to the organizers, theme of the festival this year is focused around the idea
of borders, a concept that aims to bring answers to multiple questions and
challenges related to individual and creative freedoms that today’s society
faces.

World record. The Romanian
swimmer David Popovici on Saturday set a new 100 meter freestyle world record
at the European Aquatics Championships in Rome. The 17-year-old athlete,
already a double world champion, broke by half a tenth of a second the previous
record, set 13 years ago, by the Brazilian Cesar Cielo, finishing the race
after 46 seconds and 86 hundredths, and winning the gold medal. David Popovici
says his goal now is to get under 45 in the 100m freestyle. On Sunday, David
Popovici qualified for the semifinals of the 200 m freestyle event.

Rowing. On Sunday,Romania won gold in the women’s 8+1 event
at the European Rowing Championships in Munich. Also on Sunday, Romanian
athlete Ionela Cozmiuc won the gold medal in the lightweight single sculls. So
Romania ended the championships with an excellent record: five gold and three
bronze medals. At last year’s European Rowing Championships, in Varese (Italy),
Romanian rowers won six medals, two gold and four silver. (MI)

14 August 2022
August 14, 2022

Navy Day. Today, the
Romanian Naval Forces are marking a day of gratitude in memory of the seafaring
heroes who lost their lives in the service of the country. On August 15, the
Naval Forces will celebrate Navy Day with events staged in Romania’s river and
Black Sea ports. President Klaus Iohannis will also participate in the
festivities in Constanţa (port on the Black Sea), and will give a speech at the
official ceremony. He will also visit the training ship Mircea,
recently returned from an international training march. In Port Tomis, the
activities organized on Navy Day include exhibitions of military equipment, and
ship enthusiasts can virtually witness a naval battle in a specially arranged
space.

Firefighting. 36 Romanian
firefighters, using special extinguishing vehicles and a large-capacity tanker,
continue extinguishing the wildfires near the city of Bordeaux, in the
southwest of France. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency
Situations, the firefighters are working in extreme conditions: high
temperatures, low humidity and strong winds. Their mission is to limit the
spread of the fire to the homes in the area and to extinguish hidden outbreaks.
Romania supports the French authorities in the fight against wildfires with a
team made up of 77 firefighters and several specific pieces of equipment. France,
like other European countries, is facing successive heat waves and an
unprecedented drought.

Rushdie. Writer Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed on
Friday, during a literary event in the state of New York, remains in the
hospital, but no longer requires artificial ventilation. Writers around the
world expressed their joy that Rushdie could finally speak, and President Joe
Biden joined international voices in condemning the attack, and hailing Sir
Salman for promoting universal ideas. Authorities have not made public the
reason given by the man who stabbed the writer. The attacker, aged 24, was born
in California to immigrant parents from southern Lebanon. One of his social
media accounts shows that he is a sympathizer of extremist Shiite groups and the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, but it is not clear if he has any ties to
them. In the Muslim community, Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses
sparked numerous controversies, due to what many Muslims considered to be
blasphemy. The novel was banned in India, was burned at some demonstrations in
the United Kingdom, and triggered violent riots in Pakistan. In February 1989
the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a kind of decree, a
fatwa, calling on all good Muslims to kill Rushdie or help assassinate him and
his editors.

Anonimul. The film 107
Mothers (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine), directed by Peter Kerekes, won
the Anonimul 2022 trophy. The film tells the true story of mothers in a women’s
prison in Odessa (Ukraine). The feature film won, at the Venice Film Festival
2021, the prize of the Orizzonti section for the best screenplay and was
included in the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera competition of the San Sebastian Film
Festival. Fragmentări (Fragmentations) by Miruna Minculescu was
designated the best Romanian short reel, and the award for the best foreign
short film went to Fantasma Neon (Brazil), by Leonardo Martinelli.
Aurică, a dog’s life, directed by Mihai Dragolea, is the short film
to which the Anonimul Foundation awarded the Ovidiu Bose Paştină Award. 12
films participated in the Romanian short film competition, and 10 in the
international short film competition. The 19th edition of the Anonimul International
Independent Film Festival took place between August 8 and 14, in Sfântu
Gheorghe (Danube Delta).

Rasnov. Two special
screenings and 12 international documentaries, from 11 countries, will be
presented at the 14th edition of the Râşnov Film and History Festival (central
Romania), which takes place from August 14 to September 4. The selection of
documentaries includes films from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Romania,
France, Australia, USA, Belgium, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. According
to the organizers, theme of the festival this year is focused around the idea
of borders, a concept that aims to bring answers to multiple questions and
challenges related to individual and creative freedoms that today’s society
faces.

World record. The Romanian
swimmer David Popovici on Saturday set a new 100 meter freestyle world record at
the European Aquatics Championships in Rome. The 17-year-old athlete, already a
double world champion, broke by half a tenth of a second the previous record,
set 13 years ago, by the Brazilian Cesar Cielo, finishing the race after 46
seconds and 86 hundredths, and winning the gold medal. David Popovici says his
goal now is to get under 45 in the 100m freestyle. Today, David Popovici has qualified
for the semifinals of the 200 m freestyle event.

Rowing. Romanian athlete
Ionela Cozmiuc won the gold medal in the lightweight single sculls event at the
European Rowing Championships in Munich. It is the seventh medal won by the
Romanian delegation in Munich, which got four gold and three bronze medals. At
last year’s European Rowing Championships, in Varese (Italy), Romanian rowers
won six medals, two gold and four silver.

Tennis. The Romanian
tennis player Simona Halep is playing today with Beatriz Haddad Maia the final of the WTA 1,000
tournament in Toronto, with 2,527,250 dollars in prize money, after the
Brazilian defeated Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic), 6-4, 7-6 in Saturday’s
second semifinal. Simona Halep defeated the American Jessica Pegula, 2-6, 6-3
6-4 and qualified for the final. Following this success, the former world
leader, seed number 15, will return to the world top 10, according to the WTA website.
For Simona Halep it is the fourth final at the Canadian Open, of which she won
two. (MI)

14 August 2022
August 13, 2022 UPDATE

Celebration. More than 200 thousand tourists are expected, these days, on the Romanian Black Sea coast, to spend the mini-vacation occasioned by the Assumption of Mary, on August 15, when the Day of the Romanian Navy will also be celebrated. The military ports of Constanta and Mangalia have opened their doors for locals and tourists to visit military ships, technical and armament exhibitions or stands presenting the educational offers of military educational institutions. On Monday, everyones attention will focus on the events organized to celebrate the navy. Thousands of people are expected to attend the parade of ships on the sea, in Constanţa, and a naval exercise in Mangalia, but also the seamanship competitions and games in the tourist ports of the two towns. In the evening, there will be music concerts and the spectacular torchlight retreat of the sailors, as well as fireworks. Until then, this weekend, the Romanians who chose to spend their mini-vacation at the seaside can benefit from a wide range of entertaining events, from theater and music evenings, opera and ballet performances to a pop-rock festival and a jazz festival organized outdoors. Throughout this period, 25,000 employees of the Ministry of the Interior – policemen, gendarmes or firefighters – are mobilized at national level to secure order and public safety.

Firefighters. 36 Romanian firefighters, with nine piece of equipment, continued, on Saturday, the mission of extinguishing wildfires in the south-west of France, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations has stated. According to the quoted source, the firefighters must intervene in extreme conditions: high temperature, low humidity (below 10%) and strong wind. The support mission that Romania offers to the French authorities in the fight against wildfires has been carried out by deploying a specialized intervention module made up of 77 rescue firefighters, with specific means of intervention. The aid is granted based on the request for international assistance requested by the French government through the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

Rushdie. In an interview just weeks before he was stabbed and seriously injured by an assailant in New York state, writer Salman Rushdie said he was leading a “relatively normal” life after being forced to hide for years due to death threats, Reuters informs. Rushdie, who has been an American citizen since 2016, said in an interview with the German magazine Stern that he was concerned about threats to democracy in the United States. They are driven by racism and hatred of the achievements of liberalism and constitute “a preliminary stage of fascism”, Rushdie said. New York police have arrested Rushdies attacker, a 24-year-old man from New Jersey, but have not yet determined a motive for the attack. Salman Rushdie has written about 15 novels, stories for young people, short stories and essays. However, he became famous thanks to his novel The Satanic Verses, from 1988. The book, considered blasphemy by many Muslims, generated widespread protests, and the former supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, called for the assassination of the writer and his editors. For decades, Salman Rushdie was forced to live in hiding.

Championships. At the European Championships in Rome, 17-year-old David Popovici grabbed the gold medal in the 100 m freestyle on Saturday, with a world record of 46.86. The young Romanian swimmer shattered the old record fom 2009, when the Brazilian Cesar Cielo Filho stopped the clock at 46.91. Also on Saturday, Romanian athletes won 6 medals in Saturdays events of the European Rowing Championships in Munich, Germany. Romania will take part in the race for medals on Sunday as well, in the finals of the lightweight womens single sculls and womens 8+1. At last years European Rowing Championships, in Varese (Italy), Romanian rowers won six medals, two gold and four silver.

Tennis. The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has qualified for the semifinals of the WTA 1,000 tournament in Toronto, with over 2.5 million dollars in prize money. Halep (30 years old, 15 WTA) defeated the American player Cori Gauff 6-4, 7-6. In the next round of the competition she will play against another American, Jessica Pegula. The two will face each other for the first time in the professional circuit. Simona Halep won the Canadian Open twice, which is played alternately in Montreal and Toronto, each time winning when the competition took place in Montreal (2016, 2018). She lost the 2015 final in Toronto. (MI)

13 August 2022
August 15, 2021 UPDATE

Covid Romania – On Sunday Romania registered 323 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, a smaller number than in the previous day, but the number of patients in ICUs is on the rise, reaching 112 at present. Six Covid-related deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours. On the other hand, interest in vaccination remains low. A report issued on Sunday shows that a little over 5,500 vaccine doses had been administered in the past 24 hours, with almost 5 million Romanians having been fully vaccinated.

Navy Day — Navy Day was marked on Sunday in Constanta, the largest Black Sea port in Romania, through a restricted ceremony, due to the pandemic. Attending the ceremony, alongside high-ranking state officials, the President Klaus Iohannis congratulated the Romanian seafarers and highlighted that the spirit of sacrifice, devotion and professionalism are their most important qualities. According to President Iohannis, the strategic relevance of the Black Sea area for Euro-Atlantic security is a certainty today. However, the region is still facing security challenges, both military and non-military, conventional, as well as hybrid and cyber, which is why an increased commitment is required to strengthen security and increase national resilience, the President added. A formation of fighter planes consisting of Puma Naval helicopters, a Puma IAR helicopter, Romanian Air Force MIG-21 and F-16 aircraft, British Typhoon aircraft and a US P-8 research aircraft flew over the Military Port at the end of the official ceremony. A parade of military ships took place at sea, which was led by the frigate Marasesti, the largest warship ever built in Romania.

Assumption of the Virgin Mary — Christians on Sunday celebrated the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which commemorates the moment of the Virgin’s departure from this world. The Virgin Mary is the person who enjoys the greatest honor in the Christian religion, after the persons of the Holy Trinity. The Virgin Mary is the patron saint of most monasteries in Romania, the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin being considered the feast of pilgrimages. Crowds of pilgrims visited the monasteries dedicated to the Virgin, to pray before her miracle-working icons. The religious events also marked the 150th anniversary of the first gathering of the Romanians abroad and the first Congress of Romanian students, which took place from August 15-16, 1871 at the Putna Monastery (northeast). It was then that the ideals of unity of all Romanians were affirmed. Among the pilgrims present in Putna there are 650 students from the country and abroad, who will participate in a congress on Monday.

Kabul — The Taliban commanders have announced they have taken over control of the Afghan presidential palace. Quoting Kabul officials, news agencies had previously reported that President Ashraf Ghani had left the country. On Sunday the Taliban entered the capital, Kabul, the last major government-controlled city, after a surprising 10-day offensive. It is “more urgent than ever” to find a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, the North Atlantic Alliance officials said on Sunday. The crisis in Afghanistan and the actions of Belarus point to the need of reshaping the EU rules on migration and asylum, European Commission Vice President for Promoting the European Way of Life Margaritis Schinas said on Sunday. Many member states fear that the events in Afghanistan could lead to a new migrant crisis similar to the one which Europe was faced with in 2015-2016, when the chaotic arrival of more than 500,000 people from the Middle East tested the security and welfare systems of the European countries.

Port–au-Prince – Efforts to search and rescue survivors after the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit the island state of Haiti continue, with the authorities announcing hundreds of deaths. The powerful earthquake destroyed hundreds of houses in that country that had not yet fully recovered after another major earthquake, which occurred 11 years ago. The economic and social crisis affecting Haiti was already exacerbated by the assassination of head of state Jovenel Moise following an attack on July 7, the news agency reports.

Rowing – Romania won two gold medals and one bronze in the finals of the World Rowing Junior Championship held on Sunday in Plovdiv (Bulgaria). The gold medals went to the double sculls crew, Andrei-Petrişor Axintoi and Iliuţă-Leontin Nuţescu, and to the women’s quadruple sculls crew, Daria-Ioana Dinulescu, Maria Guzran, Elena-Maria Robitu and Ancuţa-Adelina Ungurean. The bronze was won by Romania’s womens eight crew (Mariana-Laura Dumitru, Elena Silvia Mocanu, Florentina-Georgiana Neculăeasa, Ana-Maria Loghin, Petruţa-Ionela Popa, Elena-Andreea Cerbu, Valentina Amalia Azoiţei, Alexandra-Georgiana Ruşcuţă , Victoria-Ştefania Petreanu). (LS)

15 August 2021