Radio România Internațional

Tag: OLympics

  • The Week in Review 9-15.09.2024

    The Week in Review 9-15.09.2024

    A new school year in Romania

    Schools must be absolutely safe for the students, the teaching staff and the rest of the educational staff, said, on Monday, President Klaus Iohannis, who participated in the opening ceremony of the new school year at a college in Bucharest. Attending the event alongside the Education Minister, Ligia Deca, the head of state emphasized that one of the top priorities of the “Educated Romania” project, transposed into the education laws of 2023, was the creation of a school and university environment that is not only conducive to educational development, but is also a space where all those involved feel protected and respected. Approximately three million Romanian preschoolers and pupils started a new school year on Monday. The government promises that the 2024-2025 school year will be the last one in which pupils go to school in three shifts. At present, there are only 19 such units in Bucharest and in Ilfov county (near Bucharest). According to the Education Ministry, at the beginning of the school year, 800 schools out of the total of over 6,000 school units in Romania are relocated for reasons of rehabilitation, modernization or construction.

     

    Romanian and the war in Ukraine

    Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has convened the meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) for September 19, in Bucharest, the Presidential Administration announced on Thursday. The agenda of the meeting includes topics related to the stage and prospects of the conflict in Ukraine following the illegal and unjustified aggression of Russia and the consequences for Romania, as well as the opportunities provided by the new geopolitical context for the consolidation of the Strategic Partnership with the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet with a majority Romanian-speaking population). In this sense, he mentions ‘ensuring the irreversibility of the European roadmap’ of the neighboring state. The CSAT members will also discuss the National Plan for the Implementation of the Civil Pact in the field of Common Security and Defense Policy, as well as the Endowment Plan of the Romanian Army for the period 2025 – 2034. Also on Thursday, the Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, stated, in a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, that the Black Sea was no longer an area of ​​cooperation, but a theater of war, as a result of the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation. According to the Defense Ministry, the Romanian minister reiterated the firm message of condemnation of the unjustified attacks and in serious contradiction with the norms of international law carried out by the Russian Federation against the civil port infrastructure of Ukraine on the Danube, in the proximity of the border with Romania. Rustem Umerov sent a message of gratitude regarding Romania’s decision to donate a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. He also thanked for the support given to Ukraine since the first day of the war of aggression started by Russia, in terms of humanitarian, diplomatic, grain export support, as well as in relation to other important areas.

     

    Electoral period in Romania

    The electoral period for the presidential election in Romania began on Thursday, with the setting up of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), according to the timetable approved by the Romanian Government. The BEC members were appointed by drawing of lots. Candidacies can be submitted until October 5 at the latest, and the election campaign will begin on October 25. The Romanian citizens with their domicile or residence abroad can vote by mail, and the deadline for submitting requests in this regard is September 24. The first round of the presidential election will take place on November 24, and the second on December 8. Also, Romanians will be called to the polls on December 1, on the National Day, when the parliamentary elections are scheduled.

     

    National Theatre Troupes are meeting in Chișinău

    16 national theatre troupes from Romania and the Republic of Moldova convened on Tuesday and will be together until September 22 in Chisinau for the 9th edition of the ‘Romanian National Theatres Convention’. In this period of time, theatre lovers in the capital of the Republic of Moldova will enjoy 46 cultural events such as outdoor and indoor performances, radio drama shows and premieres. The event will also include book launches and meetings with leading figures from the world of culture and theatre. The event in Chisinau is unfolding under the title “European Connections” and the patronage of the presidents of Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Klaus Iohannis and Maia Sandu, respectively. The event’s honorary guest is the “Ivan Franko Theatre” from Kyiv.

     

    Romania’s Olympic and Paralympic Athletes awarded by president Klaus Iohannis

    During a ceremony on Wednesday, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, gave awards to the athletes who represented Romania at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Taking the floor during the event Iohannis said quote, “it is essential that sport find its well-deserved place among the national priorities.” According to the president, the medals obtained by our athletes in Paris are “a symbol of the rejuvenation of the Romanian sports”.

    We recall that at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, athletes from Romania obtained four gold, four silver and three bronze medals. A judoka from Romania obtained gold and a table tennis player, silver in the Paralympic Games.

    In the Olympics, Romanian swimmer David Popovici won gold in the 200 meter freestyle race, and so did our double scull and eight crews. Silver came from the weight-lifting competition, the double scull and the pair races. Bronze medals were also claimed by swimmers and gymnasts from Romania.

    (LS&bill)

  • August 11, 2024

    August 11, 2024

    Paris – The International Gymnastics Federation has officially confirmed that the Romanian Ana Maria Bărbosu receives the bronze medal in the floor final at the Olympic Games in Paris. The confirmation comes after the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS), following the explanatory reports submitted by the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee. TAS allowed the Romanian gymnast to obtain the bronze medal, as the appeal filed by the American athlete Jordan Chiles was submitted beyond the regulatory deadline. Thus, the ranking of the floor final was changed, which is why Ana Maria Bărbosu climbed to third place, and the Romanian Sabrina Voinea to fourth. The American gymnast dropped to fifth place. On the other hand, the request made by Sabrina Voinea was rejected. The gold medal went to the Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, while the silver went to the American Simone Biles.

     

    Olympics – On Sunday the Romanian athletes are competing in athletics and wrestling at the Olympic Games in Paris. Romania dropped to 23rd place in the overall ranking, with nine medals: three gold, four silver and two bronze. Today is the last day of the Olympic Games and, this evening, the closing ceremony will take place at the Stade de France. Romania’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony will be Mihaela Cambei, silver medalist in weightlifting. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Paris, the ceremony will not be without surprises and, according to the little information given to the press, the spectators will follow a sci-fi story: beings from space will try to bring back to life the missing Olympic Games. The closing ceremony is also intended to be a relay handover for the Summer Games due in 4 years’ time in Los Angeles.

     

    Earthquake – A 4.7 magnitude earthquake occurred, on the night of Saturday to Sunday, in the west of Romania, in the county of Arad, according to the information published by the National Research and Development Institute for Earth Physics. The earthquake occurred at a depth of five kilometers. This year, the strongest tectonic movement, of magnitude 4.3, took place in Vrancea county (east), in January, at a depth of 74 kilometers, and last year in February, an earthquake of 5.7 occurred in Gorj county (south-west), at a depth of over 6 kilometers.

     

    Untold – The biggest music festival in Romania, Untold, ends on Sunday in Cluj-Napoca (north-west). For four days, over 250 top national and international artists were invited to entertain tens of thousands of fans from all over the world. Among the guest artists are famous performers who have been to Romania before, such as Lenny Kravitz or DJ Salvatore Ganacci, as well as some new comers such as Sam Smith and Burna Boy. The latter is the only African artist who had two sold-out events, two years in a row, at the London Stadium. Numerous law enforcement agents are present in the area, their priority being to maintain order and combat drug trafficking.

     

    Enescu – The 19th edition of the George Enescu International Competition starts on August 31, in Bucharest. This year, there was a historic record of entries to the Enescu Competition: 555 young people from 27 countries applied for the three sections of the competition – violin, cello and piano. Out of these, only 149 were selected to participate in the first stage of the competition. Each section will have two elimination stages, the semi-final and the final. The George Enescu International Competition is an event held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and financed by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture.

     

    Inflation – In Romania, the inflation rate is to decrease towards the end of the year to 4%, a value lower than the one forecasted by the National Bank, namely 4.9%. The downward trend of this indicator will continue in 2025, reaching 3.4% at the end of the year, according to data presented by Governor Mugur Isărescu. He stated that the inflation forecast also took into account possible risks or uncertainties, including the conduct of fiscal and revenue policies, as well as the evolution of energy and food prices. The national bank governor also said that the inflation forecast was also the basis for the recent drop in the reference interest rate. The National Bank has recently reduced, for the second consecutive time, the monetary policy interest rate to the level of 6.5%/year from 6.75% per year. (LS)

  • August 10, 2024

    August 10, 2024

    Fugitives – The Romanian Justice Ministry announces that it has brought back to the country other Romanian citizens who had fled abroad to avoid serving prison sentences, namely human traffickers and pimps. Among them there is a woman convicted of pimping at 6 years and 9 months, brought from the Netherlands. Another fugitive, brought from Italy, has to serve a sentence of 6 years and 1 month for human trafficking. We remind you that, this year, the so-called Fugitives Law entered into force, by which persons convicted and repatriated to serve their criminal sentence are obliged to pay the costs of being brought back to Romania. Only in 2023, the costs for bringing back to Romania over 800 Romanian citizens in this situation exceeded 10 million lei (around 2 million Euros).

     

    Untold – The biggest music festival in Romania, Untold, continues in Cluj-Napoca (north-west). Until Sunday, more than 250 top national and international artists perform for tens of thousands of fans from all over the world. Besides the concerts, the organizers have also prepared numerous thematic parties, and as a novelty, on the main stage, the performance of musical pieces is also done in sign language for people with hearing impairments. The authorities pay special attention to preventing the sale and consumption of drugs during the festival.

     

    Olympics – Today, Romanian athletes are competing at the Olympic Games in Paris, in one sport – wrestling. Romania has so far won eight medals at the Olympic Games – three gold, four silver and one bronze. After the races on the 14th official day of competitions, Romania dropped to 20th place in the nations’ ranking. On Friday, to the astonishment of many Romanians, Cătălin Chirilă failed qualification in the final of the 1,000 m canoe singles event, although in the heats he had broken the 20-year-old record of the event. The athlete, a world champion in 2022 and world vice champion in 2023, declared that he was confused by the weather, the wind being quite strong and the waves big.

     

    Inflation – The National Bank of Romania significantly improved, on Friday, the estimates regarding the evolution of inflation, from 4.9% to 4% per year for the end of 2024. The downward trend should be maintained at the beginning of next year, followed by a temporary increase in the spring of 2025, then a return to the downward trend. The national bank calculates an annual inflation rate of 3.4% for the end of next year, slightly below the previously estimated level. The central bank governor, Mugur Isărescu, stated that the inflation forecast also took into account possible risks or uncertainties, including the conduct of fiscal and revenue policies, as well as the evolution of energy and food prices.

     

    Moscow – The Russian aviation authority has banned Russian airlines from flying into Israel’s airspace in the following nights, the dpa news agency reports. The ban entered into force today and is valid until August 16. Moscow did not provide a reason for the decision, but dpa believes it could be linked to a feared Iranian airstrike on Israel. Russia is a close ally of Tehran and has recently stepped up its deliveries of air defense weapons to the Iranians. Many international airlines have canceled their flights to Israel due to the threat of war in the region. Meanwhile, Israel has agreed to sending negotiators to the new talks on a cease-fire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza, following an urgent appeal by the mediator countries – the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Hamas has not yet responded to the call, seen as an attempt to stop the escalation of the conflict, after the assassination of the political leader of the Palestinian group, Ismail Haniyeh. (LS)

     

  • Public funds for sports

    Public funds for sports

    To support Romanian sport and expand the selection pool, the government has adopted a bill amending the sports law to allow the state budget to also provide funding for private clubs. The money would only have to be used for children and juniors, and the private clubs in question must be certified by the state institutions in order to be able to access the funds. Moreover, the authorities said investments would be made in sports facilities in Bucharest and the surroundings, and works would continue on 380 other facilities, especially gyms and swimming pools from around the country. According to prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, in the last two years, the Romanian state finalised 200 gyms, 50 sports facilities and 16 swimming pools.

    The prize fund was also supplemented for the athletes winning medals at the Paris Games. In this context, the prime minister said the gymnasts Sabrina Voinea and Ana Maria Bărbosu, who appealed the scores they got, saying they were clearly disadvantaged by the judges, will also be rewarded by the state. “Both of them fully deserve it”, said Ciolacu. The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee said athletes would receive 140,000 euros for winning a gold medal, 100,000 euros for silver and 60,000 euros for bronze.

    Swimmer David Popovici, who won the gold in 200 m freestyle, said recently that he wished the medals he got in Paris would help bring in more investments in this field. For an educated and healthy Romania we need to invest more in sports, he said after winning a gold and a bronze in Paris.

    Emil Boc, the mayor of Cluj Napoca, in the north-west, said the county’s Olympic swimming pool, whose construction began in spring, will be named after Popovici. The pool, which is for everyone, is to be finalised by the end of next year and will be used to host national and international competitions. The mayor of Bucharest Nicușor Dan also said the Bucharest city hall should receive more money to be able to get involved in developing the sports infrastructure. The president of the Romanian Rowing and Modern Pentathlon Federation Camelia Potec said she was confident that a generation of swimmers could be created around David Popovici that would continue to bring in medals for Romania.

    The president of the National Agency for Sport Elisabeta Lipă said Romania already won more medals in Paris than in the previous edition in Tokyo. “I hope that Romania ends the Games well, because Romanian sport is not dead. Romanian sport has been revived, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need help”, she added.

  • August 1, 2024 UPDATE

    August 1, 2024 UPDATE

     

    Loan. Romania signed a financing agreement with the World Bank worth 600 million euros for development policies regarding fiscal management and green growth. The loan was conditioned on the implementation of some structural reforms, the actions related to the agreement being completed prior to the negotiation, the Finance Ministry announced on Thursday. According to a press release, it is about important structural reforms to strengthen fiscal management and improve resilience in the face of climate change. The financial support from the World Bank has a maturity of 15 years, with repayment in a single installment, on July 15, 2039. In the 32 years of partnership between Romania and the World Bank, the institution granted Bucharest 13 loans, worth 1.7 billion euros.

     

    Warning. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that, in the context of recent security developments and the increased risk of escalation, a travel warning is in force for the State of Israel, level 8/9 – AVOID ANY TRAVEL. The ministry strongly recommends rescheduling for a later date, depending on the evolution of the security situation, all trips for tourist or pilgrimage purposes. The security situation is volatile, significant damage can occur suddenly, without prior warning, with the consequence of closing the land and air borders of the State of Israel – warns the MFA. A similar warning, level 8/9 – AVOID ANY TRAVEL, is also in place for the entire territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The MFA points out that, against the background of the recent developments in the security situation in the Gulf area, several air transport companies have taken the decision to introduce a detour route for flights transiting the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz, given the real risk to passengers and crews’ safety.


    Commissioner.     The Social-Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that his colleague, MEP Victor Negrescu, is one of the options regarding the proposal that Romania is to make for the position of European Commissioner in the future European Commission. He specified that the Social-Democratic MEP Mihai Tudose refused a possible nomination for this position. August 30 is the deadline by which each member state of the European Union must propose two candidates for the post of European Commissioner in the future Community Executive. Re-confirmed for the second term as president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen emphasized, in a letter, that she wants each country to propose a man and a woman. In the former community executive, Romania was represented by the liberal Alina Vălean, who held the Transport portfolio.


    Support.     Romania is among the nine member states to receive technical support for the preparation of their national plans for the implementation of the Pact on migration and asylum, the European Commission Representation in Romania announced. According to a press release, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Romania have submitted requests for support and will receive specific advice from experts for four months. This support will help Member States prepare their national implementation plans, which must be submitted by early December.

     

    Funeral. Thousands of people participated, on Thursday, in the state-organized funeral, in the capital of Iran, of the assassinated leader of the Palestinian movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, a ceremony marked by calls to avenge his death, France Presse reports. He is to be buried in Qatar on Friday. The Iranian government has declared three days of national mourning after the political leader of Hamas was assassinated in Tehran in an airstrike. Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated shortly after the military commander of the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah, another close ally of Iran, was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon. The two attacks generated fears that the war in the East could expand. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, quoted by the Radio Romania correspondent in Israel, admitted that difficult days will follow, but emphasized that the Israeli army is prepared for any scenario.

     

    Government. The Bucharest Government on Thursday approved an ordinance meant to regulate some measures for the management of European funds allocated to Romania through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism. The document also includes provisions necessary for the fulfillment of milestones and targets within the NRRP. According to a press release by the executive, the government also adopted a draft law for the ratification of the agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding its privileges and immunities in Romania. The ratification of this international agreement, signed in Bucharest on March 19, 2024, corresponds to the political commitment of the Romanian Government to support the efforts of the international community to respond to the urgent protection and assistance needs of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

     

    Olympic Games. Romanian rowers Andrei Cornea and Marian Enache won the gold medals in the men’s double sculls on Thursday at the Olympic Games in Paris. Ancuța Bodnar and Simona Radiș, Olympic champions in Tokyo, won the silver medal in the women’s double sculls event. The women’s four-man crew came out fourth, and the men’s four-man crew came out fifth. Romanian swimmer David Popovici won the bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle, on Wednesday evening, in a final in which the Chinese Zhanle Pan won the gold with a new world record. According to the specialized press, the final was a formidable one, the fastest in history. On Monday, Popovici (19 years old) won gold in the 200 meters freestyle. On Fiday, On Romanian athletes compete in athletics, rowing and yachting at the Olympic Games in Paris. (EE)

  • July 31, 2024

    July 31, 2024

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

  • Olympic gold for David Popovici

    Olympic gold for David Popovici

    The Romanian swimmer David Popovici is the new Olympic champion in the men’s 200 m freestyle race. On Monday, he won Romania’s first medal at this year’s Games and its first ever in men’s swimming. Only Romania’s female swimmers had won Olympic medals before, namely in 2000, in Sydney, thanks to Diana Mocanu, in the 100 and 200 m backstroke, and again in 2004, in Athens, thanks to Camelia Potec, in the 200 m freestyle.

     

    In the Paris final, Popovici was the favourite from the start. He had the best result of the season and had clocked the best time in the semifinals. The final, however, was a more balanced affair than initially expected. Germany’s Lukas Maertens, the Olympic champion in the 400 m race, had a strong start, but halfway through the race, he slowed down and things became more balanced. The American swimmer Luke Hobson and Britain’s Matthew Richards and Duncan Scott all looked like they could win the race, but the eventual winner was David Popovici. This is what he told exclusively to Radio Romania:

     

    “It was a very close finish. Just like, three years ago, I was 0.02 seconds away from the bronze medal, the swimmer who finished in second place this time was 0.02 seconds behind me. Congrats to everyone who made it into the final and everyone who qualified. I would like to thank to the people in Romania who have always supported me. I also want to thank those who did not believe in me, for without them, I would not be here. After the 100 m race and after the holiday I will have time to truly enjoy what just happened.”

     

    Aged only 19, David Popovici now has to his record the only medal he was missing: the Olympic medal. He has so far won two world titles, in Budapest, in 2022, and five European titles: in Kazan in 2021, two in Rome in 2022 and another two in Belgrade this year. His next challenge is the 100 m freestyle race, whose final is taking place on Wednesday evening. Popovici beat the world record in this race at the 2022 European Championships in Rome, when he finished in 46.86 seconds, breaking a 13-year-old record held by Cesar Cielo Filho of Brazil. At the world championships in Doha this year, China’s Pan Zhanle improved on Popovici’s record by 0.06 seconds. If David Popovici wins the gold in the 100 m freestyle race, Romania would go up in the medal ranking for the Paris Olympics, which on Monday it entered in 15th place.

  • July 29, 2024

    July 29, 2024

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

  • Sports roundup

    Sports roundup

    Attention-grabbing this past weekend was the kick-start of the Olympic Games in Paris. A couple of Romanian athletes have already entered the competition and their results so far are honorably above par.

    Romanian women’s gymnastics team have qualified to the Olympic finals, an absolute first after a disappointing 12-year gap. The Romanian gymnasts came come in 8th in the qualifiers, also succeeding several positions in the individual events. Ana Maria Bărbosu and Amalia Ghigoarţă will compete in the all-around finals. Sabrina Maneca Voinea has advanced to the beam and floor finals. Ana Maria Barbosu has also qualified to the floor final.

    In rowing, Romania’s women’s four crew made of Adriana Adam, Maria Lehaci, Magdalena Rusu and Amalia Bereş has qualified straight to the A Final. The Romanian crew came in second in the second heat, being outclassed by the Netherlands. The first two crews in the heats have secured their participation to the finals, while the following teams, in descending order, will prove their mettle in the repechage. Other Romanian crews have also qualified to the semifinals, such as the women’s pair and the women’s lightweight double sculls, as well as the men’s and women’s pair crews.

    In table tennis, Bernadette Szőcs and Ovidiu Ionescu were unable to go past the mixed doubles quarterfinals Szocs and Ionescu were defeated by South Korea’s Jonghoon Lim and Yubin Shin, 4-nil. In the individual event, Bernadette will carry on competing, having made it to the round of 32.

    In water polo, in their debut game in Paris, the Romanian national team sustained a 7-14 defeat by Greece. The latter team had the upper hand all throughout the game, succeeding a fairly laid-back win.

    In the other Group A matches, Croatia defeated Montenegro, 11-8, while Italy outperformed the United States, 12-8. Romania will next play the United States on July 30. The first four teams in descending order qualify to the quarterfinals.

    Matches counting towards the third round as part of the Romanian football Super League’s were played at the weekend, On Friday, Hermannstadt FC and Unirea Slobozia, drew, one-all, in a fixture hosted by Sibiu team, while FCSB sustained a nil- 2 defeat by Oţelul Galaţi. On Saturday, Gloria Buzău grabbed a 2-1 away win against Poli Iaşi cu 2-1, while in Sfântu Gheorghe, the local side Sepsi and Dinamo Bucureşti drew, 1-all.

    On Sunday, FC Botoşani snatched a 1-nil away win against Farul Constanta, in Ovidiu, while in Cluj, Universitatea succeeded a 2-nil away win against CFR. With a similar number of points, 7, Universitatea Craiova, Oţelul Galaţi and Sepsi are leaders according to the current standings.

  • July 27, 2024 UPDATE

    July 27, 2024 UPDATE

    UNESCO – The Monumental Ensemble “The Heroes’ Path “, made by Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi in Târgu Jiu (southern Romania), and the “Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia” have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The announcement was made on Saturday, during a session of the UNESCO Committee, which is taking place in New Delhi, India. The new entries complete the Romanian presence on the world heritage list, which includes, among others, the Danube Delta, the Dacian fortresses in the Orăştiei Mountains or churches in Moldova and Maramureş.

     

    SCHENGEN – Hungary, which holds the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, will put on the European agenda in autumn the accession of the neighboring Romania to the Schengen Area with the land borders, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, said once more. In his speech at the Summer University in Băile Tuşnad (central Romania), Orban said he hopes there will be a favorable vote by the end of the year. He also spoke about the conflict in Ukraine, warning that Europe will have to pay the price of this war if the Republican Donald Trump wins the presidential elections in the United States.

     

    OLYMPICS – The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu was defeated by Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the current world leader, 6-2, 7-5, on Saturday, in the first round of the women’s singles event at the Paris Olympic Games. Begu is at her third participation in the Olympic Games, after losing in the first round in the singles in 2012 in London and in 2016 in Rio. Her best Olympic result is reaching the quarter-finals in mixed doubles in 2016, alongside Horia Tecau. Irina Begu will also play in Paris in the women’s doubles, teaming up with Monica Niculescu, against the Taiwanese Su-Wei Hsieh/Chia Yi Tsao. Another Romanian, Ana Bogdan was defeated by the Italian Jasmine Paolini, 7-5, 6-3. Bogdan will also play in the women’s doubles, with Jaqueline Cristian, the opponents in the first round being the Japanese Shuko Aoyama/Eni Shibahara.

     

    DISBURSEMENT – The European Commission approved the release for Romania of 1.7 billion euros for strategic projects in research and innovation. The Minister of Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, announced that after 2 years of negotiations, the Commission considerers fulfilled the condition called “Good governance of the national or regional smart specialization strategy”, coordinated by the ministry. The European money is for investments in all regions of the country, and the goal is, according to the minister, “an ecosystem of innovation that supports entrepreneurs in the field, Romanians who develop last-generation technologies and bring value to the economy and industry”.

     

    INVESTMENT – The funds to be granted to Romanian farmers whose crops have been compromised by drought will almost triple the budget allocations for subsidies in agriculture, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. Ciolacu visited, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, the counties of Vrancea and Galati, some of the most affected by the weather conditions, where corn and sunflower crops are over 90% lost. Around 2 million cultivated hectares are compromised by drought in the entire south and east of the country. Ciolacu gave assurances that Romania does not have any problem regarding food security, because it has a fairly large irrigated agricultural area. On the other hand, he said the Government would present a plan to reduce expenses on September 1. Neither the increase in VAT nor in the social contributions is considered, Ciolacu said. We remind you that the European Union announced that it maintains the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. Similar actions were launched on Friday for six other member states, including France, Poland and Hungary. (EE)

     

     

     

  • July 27, 2024

    July 27, 2024

    OLYMPICS – Nadia Comaneci was last night one of the surprises of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, along with other world sports legends. The Romanian, alongside Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Carl Lewis, held the Olympic torch while aboard a boat on the River Seine, before handing it to various French athletes that took it the place where the Olympic Cauldron was lit. 90 heads of state attended the festivities. The fight for medals started a few days ago in certain disciplines. The first Romanian to enter the competition is the rower Mihai Chiruţă, who has qualified, this morning, in the quarter-finals of the men’s single rowing event, after winning the second series. Also, the rowers Andrei Cornea and Marian Enache qualified directly for the semifinals of the men’s double rowing event, after clearly winning the second series. Romania is participating in the Summer Olympic Games in Paris with 106 athletes.

     

    DISBURSMENT – The European Commission approved the release for Romania of 1.7 billion euros for strategic projects in research and innovation. The Minister of Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, announced that after 2 years of negotiations, the Commission considerers fulfilled the condition called “Good governance of the national or regional smart specialization strategy”, coordinated by the ministry. The European money is for investments in all regions of the country, and the goal is, according to the minister, “an ecosystem of innovation that supports entrepreneurs in the field, Romanians who develop last-generation technologies and bring value to the economy and industry”.

     

    INVESTMENT – The funds to be granted to Romanian farmers whose crops have been compromised by drought will almost triple the budget allocations for subsidies in agriculture, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. Ciolacu visited, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, the counties of Vrancea and Galati, some of the most affected by the weather conditions, where corn and sunflower crops are over 90% lost. Around 2 million cultivated hectares are compromised by drought in the entire south and east of the country. Ciolacu gave assurances that Romania does not have any problem regarding food security, because it has a fairly large irrigated agricultural area. On the other hand, he said the Government would present a plan to reduce expenses on September 1. Neither the increase in VAT nor in the social contributions is considered, Ciolacu said. We remind you that the European Union announced that it maintains the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. Similar actions were launched on Friday for six other member states, including France, Poland and Hungary.

     

    SCHENGEN – Hungary, which holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of the year, will put Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with its land borders, back on the European agenda. This is what the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who participated, on Thursday, in Bucharest, in a working breakfast with PM Marcel Ciolacu, promised. The Hungarian leader is in Romania today to participate in the Summer University in Baile Tuşnad (center). Hungary is Romania’s third largest trade partner. Trade between the two neighboring countries amounts to approximately 13 billion euros, and the two prime ministers agreed that there is still potential for development. They also decided, at the meeting, to start the feasibility studies for a high-speed railway between Bucharest and Budapest, a strategic project of regional interest.

     

    GAZA – Israel and Hamas are preparing for a new round of negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the United States, through several officials, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, insisted during Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, on the need for a quick agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. During the meeting on Friday evening at the residence of former US President Donald Trump in Florida, Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed that the Israeli delegation of negotiators will go to Rome next week, where the next high-level conference of mediating countries is held. (EE)

     

     

     

     

  • July 25, 2024

    July 25, 2024

    Paris – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, is participating, today, in the inauguration of the House of Romania in Paris, an event organized by the Romanian Embassy in France. Tomorrow, he will attend the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, as well as the reception offered on this occasion by the French President, Emmanuel Macron. Last week, Iohannis received, at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, the Romanian Olympic team that will compete in the Olympics. He handed the athletes the national flag, which will be carried during the opening ceremony by rowers Ionela and Marius Cozmiuc. The Romanian Olympic team has 106 athletes.

     

    Elections – The Romanian government is meeting today to discuss the organization of the parliamentary and presidential elections in November and December, respectively. The government will also analyze several draft emergency ordinances regarding the field of competition, the Romanian citizenship law and setting the maximum number of posts for the National Institute of Magistracy and the National School of Clerks. On the agenda of talks is also a bill that will bring a series of amendments and additions to the law on the public service of thermal energy supply, and the Interior Ministry is to benefit from a series of donations consisting of equipment, consumables and IT equipment. Also today, the budgets of the Ministries of Research, of the Environment, of the Legislative Council and the General Secretariat of the Government for the National Sports Agency will be supplemented. Last but not least, the Romanian government is to adopt a draft emergency ordinance regarding the implementation of the Start-Up Nation program for stimulating small and medium-sized enterprises, the 2024 edition.

     

    Diplomacy – Bucharest is hosting the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. On this occasion, President Klaus Iohannis met, on Wednesday, with the heads of diplomatic missions, the heads of consular offices and the directors of Romanian cultural institutes. Romania, the president said, has become, in the last ten years, a credible, involved and respected regional, European and international actor, a real provider of stability and security. He told the Romanian diplomats that Romania’s major foreign policy objectives remain the consolidation of the role and influence in the EU and NATO and the deepening of the strategic partnership with the US. The second day of the meeting begins with a thematic session dedicated to hybrid threats and how to respond to them, with the participation of the Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Stefano Sannino and Oana Lungescu, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) expert and former spokesperson for NATO. The debates will continue in a session with an economic theme, attended by guests from the government apparatus and the business environment. On this occasion the opportunities and perspectives regarding the stage of Romania’s accession process to the OECD and current topics on the diplomatic agenda will be addressed, as well as Romania’s economy in the current geopolitical context.

     

    Eurobarometer – More than 72% of the EU citizens believe that the community forum plays an important role in supporting the rule of law in their country, according to a recent Eurobarometer. In Romania, the proportion is 65%. The poll was released on Wednesday at the same time as the Rule of Law in the EU report, and shows that almost 9 out of 10 Europeans think it is important for all member states to respect the Union’s core values, an opinion unchanged from 2019 to present. Compared to 5 years ago, the proportion of those who feel informed about these values ​​has increased, from 43% to 51%. Through these fundamental values, Europeans understand the observance of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. The survey also shows that for 86% of Europeans it is important that the press and civil society organizations can work freely, without any pressure, even if they are critical of the government.

     

    Drone – Remains of a Russian drone were found in the north of Tulcea county, in the southeast of Romania, after the attacks from Tuesday night to Wednesday on the civil and port infrastructure in Ukraine, near the border with Romania, the Defense Ministry (MapN) reported on Thursday. According to MapN, the locations identified as possible areas of incidence are outside inhabited areas, with no infrastructure elements being affected. The Ministry announced that it has intensified the monitoring and surveillance measures of the national airspace. At the same time, MApN has sent a firm message of condemnation of these attacks by Russia on objectives and elements of Ukrainian civil infrastructure, which are unjustified and in serious contradiction with the norms of international law. We remind you that on the last two nights, the residents of the northern part of Tulcea County received RO-ALERT messages, informing them about the possibility of objects falling from the sky on the Romanian territory near the border with Ukraine. Similar incidents, in which fragments of Russia n drones fell on Romanian soil, were reported in the fall of 2023 and this year, in March.

     

    US – The US President Joe Biden said he withdrew from the race for a new term as president because he needs to unite the Democratic Party before the November elections. “I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation” he said. Biden said his domestic and foreign policies deserved another term, but American democracy must be saved, a statement that observers interpreted as an allusion to former Republican President Donald Trump’s despotic tendencies. He has said that he is now supporting Vice President Kamala Harris to become the new Democratic candidate in the electoral battle against Trump. In this context, the Democratic Party Committee agreed on a plan to officially nominate Harris as a presidential candidate on August 1, 20 days before the party convention. It is going to nominate its vice-president by August 7. (LS)

  • July 22, 2024 UPDATE

    July 22, 2024 UPDATE

    DROUGHT –  In almost 450 localities in Romania, accounting for 15% of the total, water is supplied with restrictions, against the background of the heat wave that has worsen the drought. In another 250 localities with no running water the wells are dry, the Romanian Waters National Administration has announced. There are no water supply problems for the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant. The Romanian Water representatives call on the population to use water rationally, mainly for drinking.

     

    TALKS – The Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, had, on Sunday, a bilateral meeting with his Hungarian counterpart, Sandor Pinter, in the context of the Informal Meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council hosted by Budapest. The talks focused on the Schengen issue, organized crime and border-related issues. Sandor Pinter reiterated the Hungarian presidency’s goal to obtain the decision for the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area also by land, by the end of 2024. Regarding bilateral cooperation, the two ministers stated that boosting cooperation to combat organized crime, with an emphasis on migrant trafficking, have proven their effectiveness, and the results have been very good. On the other hand, the two agreed on a set of measures to avoid the increase in waiting times at common border crossing points.

     

    MISSION –  Two B-52H Stratofortress planes of the US Air Force landed Monday at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, in southeastern Romania, to take part in the Bomber Task Force Europe 24-4 mission. According to a press release from the Office of Public Relations of the American Air Forces in Europe, cited by the United States Embassy in Bucharest, it is the first time that American strategic bombers operate from Romania. The squadron will be integrated with NATO allies and other international partners to pool capabilities and ensure security commitments within the US European Command’s area of responsibility.

     

     DRUG TRAFFICKING – The Romanian Government has supplemented the funds for combating drug trafficking, given that the age of consumption gets younger by the day. The anti-drug expert Cătălin Ţone told Radio Romania that for the first time in the history of the country, a drug-related Roadmap was created, one billion lei (over 200 million euros) were allocated, and the Romanian authorities are making efforts to recruit 200 more police officers and agents into the anti-drug structures. Some 500 actions were carried out by the Romanian Police and the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism to prevent and combat drug trafficking, in the first 6 months of this year. In this interval, 700 kilograms of high-risk drugs, almost 4 tons of marijuana and the same amount of doping substances were seized. Also, over 800 people were arrested and over 150 others were placed under judicial control for trafficking in prohibited substances.

     

    COACH – The Romanian Football Federation announced the end of the collaboration with the national team coach, Edward Iordănescu. According to an official statement, the contract between the two parties expires at the end of the month, and the coach decided not to continue on the national team. Appointed at the beginning of 2022, Edward Iordănescu led the Romanian football team in 28 matches, of which 10 ended in victories and 10 in draws. At the European Football Championship, held this year in Germany, under the leadership of Edward Iordănescu, Romania won Group E, beating Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine. In the first match of EURO 2024, the Romanians achieved a decisive victory against Ukraine, 3-0.

     

    WASHINGTON –  The Democratic President of the United States, Joe Biden, has announced that he will no longer run against the Republican Donald Trump in the presidential elections due in November. The announcement was made in a written statement, issued while Biden was in isolation due to COVID-19. The leader of the White House expressed his support for the Democratic Party’s nomination of its vice president, Kamala Harris, as a presidential candidate. Democratic leaders were quick to welcome Joe Biden’s decision to retire, while also praising his political career. Republican candidate Trump has stated that he considers Harris easier to defeat in the election than Biden.

     

    OLYMPICS – Most of Romania’s Olympic team – 82 of the 107 athletes – arrived in Paris on Sunday, for the 32nd edition of the Olympic Games, which will begin on July 26. Rowers Ionela and Marius Cosmiuc, husband and wife, will be the bearers of the country’s flag at the opening ceremony. The competition will end on August 11.

     

  • Olympic Prospects

    Olympic Prospects

    A new edition of the Olympic Games is expected to kick off in the French capital Paris in less than 6 weeks.

    The last qualification contests are underway and the athletes who booked tickets for Paris are completing their training. 91 athletes from Romania have so far qualified for the Olympic Games. The latest qualified is the Stella Rutto, a Romanian athlete of Kenyan origin, who went fourth in the 3 thousand meter hurdles at the recent championships in Rome, where she ended the race in 9 minutes, 22 seconds and 36 hundredths, a fresh personal record on the aforementioned distance.

    Joan Chelimo Melly got the only medal for Romania, silver in the half-marathon race, which is also a record for Romania. This Kenyan athlete is one of Romania’s runners in the Olympic marathon competition in Paris. Another Kenyan athlete, Delvine Meringor will also compete for Romania in Paris.

    Romanian sports fans have also pinned their hopes on their canoe sprinters. Last week at the European Kayak-Canoe Championships in Szeged, Hungary, Romanian Catalin Chirila clinched the European title in the one thousand meter canoe race, which is also an Olympic event.

    Romania hasn’t had a favourite canoe sprinter since Ivan Patzaichin, who reaped the Olympic gold in Munich, in 1972.

    Rowing is another Olympic discipline where Romania might have something to say in Paris as its athletes walked away with eight medals, four gold, two silver and two bronze, from the European championship in April. Our women’s eight stepped onto the podium’s highest step, as well as our male and female light double sculls, and women’s coxless pair. Silver went to the men’s pairs and the women’s four. The rowing events in Paris will be attended by 45 athletes from Romania.

    (bill)

  • Athlete of the Week

    Athlete of the Week

    Last week, the Spanish city of Barcelona hosted one of the most prestigious international swimming competitions entitled Mare Nostrum. Every year this event brings together the world’s best swimmers. With the upcoming Olympics in Paris, the Mare Nostrum contest was a major landmark in the training timetable of our swimmers. Among the athletes who compelled recognition in Barcelona was the Romanian swimmer David Popovici who won the freestyle races of 100 and 200 meters with an excellent timing for which Radio Romania International has designated him athlete of the week.

    David’s first win in Barcelona was on Wednesday in the 200 meter freestyle race, which he ended in one minute, 44 seconds and 74 hundredths, a new record for the competition and Popovici’s personal record.

    The Romanian ended the race one second ahead of runner up Sun-woo Hwang of South Korea, which is also the world champion of the race. A day later, Popovici won the 100 meter race in 48 seconds and 49 hundredths. Popovici again beat Sun-woo Hwang, but only by two hundredths this time.

    David Popovici was born in Bucharest on September 15, 2004. He compelled recognition in the European championship for junior swimmers in Rome in 2021, when he won the 200, 100 and 50 meter races. In the last race he set a world record in junior competitions. He later beat the world records in the 100 and 200 freestyle races. He managed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics where he came fourth in the 200 meter race missing the third place by two hundredths.

    In the senior competitions he obtained his first major performance in November 2021, when in Kazan, Russia, he became European champion in the 200 meter freestyle race. In 2022, he compelled recognition at the World Championship in Budapest, winning the 100 and 200 meter races, which was also a premiere for the Romanian swimming.

    Then at the European Championships in Rome he ended the 100 meter race in 46 seconds and 86 hundredths, a new world record. His performances in 2023 weren’t that good but his latest results in Barcelona prove that David Popovici remains Romania’s best bet at the Olympic swimming competitions in Paris.

    (bill)