Radio România Internațional

Tag: Palm Sunday

  • April 27, 2024 UPDATE

    April 27, 2024 UPDATE

    PALM SUNDAY – On Sunday, Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians in Romania are celebrating Palm Sunday, marking the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. According to tradition, on this day people bring willow branches to church to be blessed, which they then take back to their homes for protection. Willow branches are substitutes for the palm and olive branches the crowds brought to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. This Sunday marks the start of the last week of Eastern Lent, when people prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, this year observed on May 5. Mass processions were held in several towns and villages in the country on Palm Sunday eve, and a traditional procession will be held on Sunday in Bucharest. Nearly 1.8 million Romanians celebrate their name day on this occasion.

     

     

    DEFICIT – Romania’s budget deficit has exceeded 2% of the GDP in the first three months of the year, according to data provided by the Finance Ministry. Spending was by approximately 7.4 billion EUR higher than revenues. Total revenues stood at a little over 26.5 billion EUR in the first quarter of the year, up by 16% compared to the same period of 2023, whereas spending stood at 33.7 billion EUR, up by 23% compared to last year. At the end of 2023, Romania’s budget deficit accounted for 5.68% of the GDP, by 0.08% less than in 2022.

     

     

    ENERGY – Romania has some of the lowest prices for electricity and natural gas at EU level. According to Eurostat, the prices for natural gas for household users were the third-lowest at community level, accounting for half of the EU average. For electricity, Romanians are paying 65% of the EU average. Household users in Hungary and Croatia have the lowest prices for natural gas, while the lowest prices for electricity are reported in Hungary, Bulgaria and Malta. Overall, the total value of energy bills for EU consumers went down in the second half of 2023, after the increase caused by the war in Ukraine.

     

     

    ELECTION – The Central Election Authority in Bucharest has announced mobile voting regulations ahead of the local and European Parliament elections to be held on June 9. Thus, voters who can’t cast their vote in person can submit a request to their local polling station and request a mobile ballot box be brought to their address, for both elections. Mobile voting is disallowed in polling stations abroad. The votes will be recorded on separate lists.

     

     

    GAUDEAMUS – The city of Cluj Napoca (northwest) is playing host to the Transylvania-Gaudeamus Book Fair, organized by Radio Romania. Having reached its 23rd edition, the fair this year has 85 publishers exhibiting their offers, including book launches, music and educational games. A few thousand volumes in Romanian and international or minority languages will be on display. Over 40 events are organized on the sidelines of the fair, book launches, panel discussions and book signings. The book fair will close on Sunday.

     

     

    ROWING – Romania on Saturday grabbed three medals at the European Rowing Championships in Szeged, Hungary. The gold went to the women’s pair made up of Gianina van Groningen and Ionela Cozmiuc. A silver medal was won by the women’s four-scull crew made up of Mădălina Bereş, Maria Lehaci, Magdalena Rusu and Amalia Bereş. Finally, Romania’s 8+1 men’s crew, made up of Mihăiţă Ţigănescu, Ciprian Tudosă, Constantin Adam, Mugurel Vasile Semciuc, Florin Arteni, Sergiu Bejan, Ştefan Berariu, Florin Lehaci and Adrian Munteanu grabbed bronze. On Sunday, Romania will be represented in the women’s single scull, men’s pair, men’s double-scull, women’s pair, men’s four-scull, women’s four-scull and women’s 8+1 events. Romania won 6 medals at the 2023 edition of the European Championships, hosted by Bled, Slovenia, 5 gold and 1 silver.

     

     

    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea on Saturday lost to Poland’s Iga Świątek, world no. 1, in the third round at the WTA 1000 Mutua Madrid Open in Spain. Ranked 30 in WTA standings, Cîrstea lost in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. Świątek leads 4-0 head-to-head. On Sunday, Jaqueline Cristian will take on Danielle Collins of the USA in the third round, after ousting Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia in the second round, 2-6, 6-0, 6-2. (VP)

  • April 27, 2024

    April 27, 2024

    PALM SUNDAY – On Sunday, Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians in Romania are celebrating Palm Sunday, marking the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. According to tradition, on this day people bring willow branches to church to be blessed, which they then take back to their homes for protection. Willow branches are substitutes for the palm and olive branches the crowds brought to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. This Sunday marks the start of the last week of Eastern Lent, when people prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, this year observed on May 5. Mass processions were held in several towns and villages in the country on Palm Sunday eve, and a traditional procession will be held on Sunday in Bucharest. Nearly 1.8 million Romanians celebrate their name day on this occasion.

     

     

    UKRAINE – Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr and the Chief of Defense Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad represented Romania in the 4th meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine, held in videoconference format. According to the Defense Ministry, the meeting examined progress reported since the previous meetings, and briefed participants regarding military developments linked to the conflict in Ukraine. Minister Tîlvăr highlighted Romania’s multi-dimensional support for Ukraine, including Romania’s participation in the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), training Ukrainian servicemen, as well as in the INTERFLEX mission led by the UK.

     

     

    MOLDOVA – EU integration is the best solution to boost the resilience of the Republic of Moldova in the face of current security challenges, Romania’s Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu said in Chișinău. The Romanian official referred to Romania’s project to assist Moldova in increasing its capacity to counteract non-conventional security risks, with a focus on cyber-security, the protection of critical infrastructure and hybrid threats. The second phase of this project was launched on Friday. “We will continue to provide support to consolidate the legal and institutional framework of the Republic of Moldova, in line with EU requirements”, Minister Odobescu pointed out.

     

     

    COOPERATION – Turkey is Romania’s top trade partner from outside the EU and the number one destination of Romanian exports, Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday after meeting Turkey’s vice-president, Cevdet Yilmaz in Bucharest. Talks focused on the current security context and the best cooperation solutions at bilateral and NATO levels. Also on Friday, the Romanian Prime Minister attended the third meeting of the Inter-Government Cooperation Committee of Romania and the United Arab Emirates. The Romanian official said the development of strategic projects will benefit the economic development of both states. Last week, Marcel Ciolacu paid a visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he met with high-ranking officials as well as representatives of companies interested in expanding their operations and investing in Romania.

     

     

    GAUDEAMUS – The city of Cluj Napoca (northwest) is playing host to the Transylvania-Gaudeamus Book Fair, organized by Radio Romania. Having reached its 23rd edition, the fair this year has 85 publishers exhibiting their offers, including book launches, music and educational games. A few thousand volumes in Romanian and international or minority languages will be on display. Over 40 events are organized on the sidelines of the fair, book launches, panel discussions and book signings. The book fair will close on Sunday.

     

     

    ENERGY – Romania has some of the lowest prices for electricity and natural gas at EU level. According to Eurostat, the prices for natural gas for household users were the third-lowest at community level, accounting for half of the EU average. For electricity, Romanians are paying 65% of the EU average. Household users in Hungary and Croatia have the lowest prices for natural gas, while the lowest prices for electricity are reported in Hungary, Bulgaria and Malta. Overall, the total value of energy bills for EU consumers went down in the second half of 2023, after the increase caused by the war in Ukraine.

     

     

    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian is today playing Danielle Collins of the United States in the third round at the WTA 1000 Mutua Madrid Open, totaling 7.7 million EUR in prizes. On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian ousted Barbora Krejcikova of Czechia, 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 in the second round. Also today, Sorana Cîrstea is playing world no. 1 Iga Świątek of Poland in the third round. (VP)

  • April 2, 2023 UPDATE

    April 2, 2023 UPDATE

    NATO – Romania will promote the strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and the strategic partnership between NATO and the EU, says President Klaus Iohannis, in the context of the 74-year anniversary of the establishment of the North Atlantic Alliance and NATO Day in Romania marked on April 2. “We will remain involved in allied missions and commitments, and strengthening the national defense capacity will continue to be a priority for Romania, including by allocating, starting this year, 2.5% of the GDP for Defense”, said the Romanian president, according to a communiqué issued by the Presidential Administration. “Europe is facing the worst security crisis since the Second World War, and in the face of these challenges, our countrys membership to the Euro-Atlantic community of values ​​is all the more relevant”, the Romania foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu also said. He recalled that in the 19 years since Romania became a member of NATO, the Romanian diplomacy has demonstrated its ability to fulfill its obligations based on this fundamental role. “We are constantly and significantly contributing to the consolidation of Romanias position within NATO and to its reputation as a provider of security and stability. We are engaged in complying with our commitments to allies and partners and, equally, we support the strengthening of our military capabilities, in the transatlantic relationship and in the allied solidarity”, said Bogdan Aurescu.



    Visit – Two European commissioners are coming to Romania to launch of national programs financed under the EU cohesion policy. The European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, and Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira will meet on Monday, in Bucharest, with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, with the Minister of European Projects, Marcel Boloş, and with the Labour Minister, Marius Budai, after which they will go to Iaşi (northeast) and Vaslui (east). The two European officials will also visit a center for Ukrainian refugees.



    Catholic Palm Sunday – Pope Francis said, on Sunday, the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peters Square in the Vatican, after the Catholic Palm Sunday liturgy, which marked the entry into the Holy Week, preceding Easter. The 86-year-old pontiff was discharged from hospital the day before, after being treated for bronchitis during the week. The leader of the 1.3 billion Catholics has been suffering from health problems for several years, including knee pain that forces him to use a wheelchair and cane. Pope Francis celebrated ten years at the helm of the Catholic Church in early March. We remind you that, this year, Catholics and Protestants celebrate Easter a week earlier than the Orthodox and Greek Catholics.



    Paris – Parisians were called to decide, on Sunday, by referendum, whether or not to ban electric scooters for rent. In the five years since they were proposed as a means of transportation in Paris, people have accumulated a lot of dissatisfaction with scooters, considered by many a real danger for pedestrians, cars, as well as for unruly users. Last year alone, scooters were the cause of over 400 road accidents, three of which were fatal. The referendum does not refer to personal electric scooters, which, however, must obey stricter rules which have been recently announced by the Ministry of Transport. Children under 14 are no longer allowed to use scooters, they must be equipped with additional signaling and electronic systems for automatic speed limitation to 25km/h, and the fine for indiscipline in traffic increases from 35 to 135 Euros.



    Moldova – The President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu will have a meeting with the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, Margareta, on Monday, during a visit to Romania. At the end of the meeting, Maia Sandu will sign the Golden Book of the Elisabeta Palace, opened in 1937. The visit will be attended by representatives of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova and the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Bucharest, among whom the ambassador of the Republic of Moldova in Romania, Victor Chirilă. (LS)

  • April 2, 2023

    April 2, 2023

    NATO – Romania will promote the strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and the strategic partnership between NATO and the EU, says President Klaus Iohannis, in the context of the 74-year anniversary of the establishment of the North Atlantic Alliance and NATO Day in Romania marked on April 2. “We will remain involved in allied missions and commitments, and strengthening the national defense capacity will continue to be a priority for Romania, including by allocating, starting this year, 2.5% of the GDP for Defense”, said the Romanian president, according to a communiqué issued by the Presidential Administration. “Europe is facing the worst security crisis since the Second World War, and in the face of these challenges, our countrys membership to the Euro-Atlantic community of values ​​is all the more relevant”, the Romania foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu also said. He recalled that in the 19 years since Romania became a member of NATO, the Romanian diplomacy has demonstrated its ability to fulfill its obligations based on this fundamental role. “We are constantly and significantly contributing to the consolidation of Romanias position within NATO and to its reputation as a provider of security and stability. We are engaged in complying with our commitments to allies and partners and, equally, we support the strengthening of our military capabilities, in the transatlantic relationship and in the allied solidarity”, said Bogdan Aurescu.



    Visit – Two European commissioners are coming to Romania early next week for the launch of national programs financed under the EU cohesion policy. The European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, and Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira will meet on Monday, in Bucharest, with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, with the Minister of European Projects, Marcel Boloş, and with the Labour Minister, Marius Budai, after which they will go to Iaşi (northeast) and Vaslui (east). The two European officials will also visit a center for Ukrainian refugees.



    Palm Sunday — The Roman Catholic Christians are celebrating today Palm Sunday or Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. This marks the entry into the Holy Week, the last until Easter. In the Roman Catholic Church, the day of Palm Sunday also marks Youth Day, when public processions with flowers and branches are organized in memory of the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, almost 2,000 years ago. Such a procession is also organized in Bucharest. This year, the Catholics and Protestants celebrate Easter a week earlier than the Orthodox and Greek Catholics.



    Elections – Today, the Bulgarians elect their representatives in Parliament for the fifth time in two years. The massive anti-corruption protests of 2020 led to the fall of the Borisov Government, and since then no political party could obtain a parliamentary majority for the stability of the government. Opinion polls suggest that the GERB party of the former prime minister Boiko Borisov and the party of pro-Western reformers, led by Kiril Petkov, who was also prime minister until last year, when he was dismissed by a no-confidence motion, are competing in the elections. Also voters in Finland go to the polls today, to designate the new parliament makeup, with three party leaders having a chance to become prime minister. Opinion polls show that there will be a close race between the current prime minister, Sanna Marin representing the center-left social democrats, Petteri Orpo – from the center-right National Coalition, and Riikka Purra – from the Finns far-right party.



    Protests – Hundreds of thousands of people protested, on Saturday evening, in Israel, for the 13th consecutive week, against the judicial reform promoted by the government. Protesters say it will limit the role of the Supreme Court. The largest demonstration took place in Tel Aviv, where, according to the organizers, 175,000 Israelis protested. Clashes took place between protesters and counter-demonstrators, and 19 people were arrested. (LS)

  • April 4, 2020 UPDATE

    April 4, 2020 UPDATE

    DECREE – Authorities
    in Bucharest on Saturday passed a new military decree, the seventh since the
    onset of the state of emergency called due to the spread of the coronavirus in
    Romania. Under the new decree, total quarantine has been declared in the town
    of Tandarei, Ialomita County, after some 800 locals returned home from abroad
    and did not observe home isolation regulations. Starting 23:00 on Saturday, all
    commercial flights inbound and outbound to Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the
    United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey and Iran are
    suspended. Flight connections had been already
    cut off with Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Charter flights addressing the
    transport of seasonal workers to other states are permitted. Another provision
    in the decree refers to the extension of the period of suspension for
    international road transport of people to and from Italy, Spain, France,
    Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Ireland, the Netherlands and Turkey all
    throughout the state of emergency. According to the latest figures, the death
    toll in Romania has reached 140. The number of infections stands at 3,613, of
    whom 329 people have recovered. 119 patients are in intensive care. Some 15,000
    people are quarantined at national level and over 113,000 are in home
    isolation. Two hospitals in the northeast were fully or partially shut down,
    respectively, for a period of 14 days, for decontamination, after over 100
    medical staff tested positive for COVID-19. 317 Romanian citizens abroad have
    tested positive for COVID-19 and 26 have died.




    CORONAVIRUS IN THE
    WORLD – The global death toll for the coronavirus has exceeded 60,000. The
    World Health Organization says over 200 countries and territories are currently
    being affected. The most serious situation is in the United States, which
    reports a quarter of the total number of infections, and in Europe, the
    continent with the largest number of deaths. The WHO warns that COVID-19 might
    seriously hit Japan next, unless this country takes swift prevention measures.
    In Europe, the number of infections in Spain has exceeded that of Italy, and is
    reporting 11,000 dead. Italy instead is reporting decreasing number of
    infections, and the death toll is closing in on 15,000. France reports the
    third-largest number of victims, over 6,500.




    RECESSION -The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global economy
    to a standstill and plunged the world into a recession that will be way worse
    than the global financial crisis a decade ago, the head of the International
    Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. The IMF official called on
    advanced economies to step up their efforts to help emerging markets and
    developing countries survive the economic and health impact of the pandemic. A
    similar message was delivered by World Bank President, David Malpass. The
    European Commission and the European Investment Bank have green-lit the
    disbursement of 700 million euros to the agri-food sector as part of the
    Investment Plan for Europe. The program will help maintain and create new jobs
    in rural areas. The Commission has announced a temporary suspension of customs
    taxes and VAT for medical and protection imports from outside the EU, which
    will ease pressure on public spending for national governments.




    LEGISLATION – Parliament on Friday passed three bills regarding the
    suspension of the bank loan payments, technical unemployment and fiscal
    measures aimed at helping individuals and businesses. The plenary session was
    held online and MPs voted via telephone. Under the first bill, initiated by the
    Social Democrats, bank loan payments can be suspended on demand, without
    interest rates or penalties. The Social-Democrats say the document will correct
    errors in the emergency decree passed by the Liberal Government. The Liberals,
    in power, say they will refer the bill to the Constitutional Court, saying it
    is a populist measure that piles up pressure on the state budget. The Liberals
    will also challenge the bill that postpones the payment of social security
    contributions and utility bills for a period of three months, which addresses
    people who have filed for technical unemployment benefits. All parties in
    Parliament voted the bill that proposes the payment of an allowance tantamount
    to 75% of the base salary of employees affected by the reduction or suspension
    of activity.




    PALM SUNDAY – Catholic Christians worldwide are celebrating Palm Sunday,
    marking the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, where the crowd
    welcomed him holding palm branches. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last
    week of Lent, also known as Holy Week, when Christians prepare to celebrate the
    Resurrection of Christ. This year, due to restrictions caused by the
    coronavirus pandemic, masses in Romania as well as in other countries will be
    celebrated in empty churches and broadcast on TV, radio or online. The Church
    urges everyone during this pandemic to discover the beauty and plenitude of
    prayer, praying with our loved ones in our churches at home, with our families,
    the spokesman of the Roman-Catholic Diocese in Bucharest, Father Francisc Dobos
    has said, adding that the situation is not ideal, but is the best possible one.
    By uniting in spirit via various means of communication, television, radio or
    the Internet, we stay together with Christ, Francisc Dobos added. This year
    Roman-Catholic Christians celebrate Easter on April 12, while Orthodox
    Christians on April 19.




    (Translated by V. Palcu)



  • April 4, 2020

    April 4, 2020

    DECREE – The
    Bucharest Government has passed an emergency decree transferring all medical
    units into the authority of the Health Ministry, Health Minister Nelu Tataru
    announced on Friday. The Romanian official pointed out that Public Health
    Directorates and Ambulance Services will start recruiting over the coming days.
    Some 4.7 million euros have been allotted for real-time molecular tests. There
    are currently 35 testing centers in Romania, compared to only one on February
    26. Minister Tataru said there are currently three COVID-19 hotbeds in Romania:
    Suceava in the northeast and Arad and Deva in the west. The Romanian official
    said there aren’t sufficient reasons to instate total quarantine for Arad and
    Deva. Suceava and 8 neighboring villages have entered total quarantine early
    this week. The death toll in Romania has reached 133. The number of infections
    stands at 3,183, of whom 283 people have recovered. 83 patients are in
    intensive care. Of the total number of infected 474 are medical staff, mostly
    from Suceava. Some 13,000 people are quarantined at national level and over
    110,000 are in home isolation. 221 Romanian citizens abroad have tested
    positive for COVID-19 and 25 have died.




    CORONAVIRUS IN THE
    WORLD – The global death toll for the coronavirus has exceeded 59,000. The
    World Health Organization says over 200 countries and territories are currently
    being affected. The most serious situation is in the United States, which
    reports a quarter of the total number of infections, and in Europe, the
    continent with the largest number of deaths. The WHO warns that COVID-19 might
    seriously hit Japan next, unless this country takes swift prevention measures.
    In Europe, the number of infections in Spain has exceeded that of Italy,
    standing at some 11,000. Italy instead is reporting decreasing number of
    infections, and the death toll is closing in on 15,000. France reports the third-largest
    number of victims, over 6,500.




    RECESSION -The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global economy
    to a standstill and plunged the world into a recession that will be way worse
    than the global financial crisis a decade ago, the head of the International
    Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday. The IMF official called on
    advanced economies to step up their efforts to help emerging markets and
    developing countries survive the economic and health impact of the pandemic. A
    similar message was delivered by World Bank President, David Malpass. The
    European Commission and the European Investment Bank have green-lit the
    disbursement of 700 million euros to the agri-food sector as part of the
    Investment Plan for Europe. The program will help maintain and create new jobs
    in rural areas. The Commission has announced a temporary suspension of customs
    taxes and VAT for medical and protection imports from outside the EU, which
    will ease pressure on public spending for national governments.




    LEGISLATION – Parliament on Friday passed three bills regarding the
    suspension of the bank loan payments, technical unemployment and fiscal
    measures aimed at helping individuals and businesses. The plenary session was
    held online and MPs voted via telephone. Under the first bill, initiated by the
    Social Democrats, bank loan payments can be suspended on demand, without
    interest rates or penalties. The Social-Democrats say the document will correct
    errors in the emergency decree passed by the Liberal Government. The Liberals,
    in power, say they will refer the bill to the Constitutional Court, saying it
    is a populist measure that piles up pressure on the state budget. The Liberals
    will also challenge the bill that postpones the payment of social security
    contributions and utility bills for a period of three months, which addresses
    people who have filed for technical unemployment benefits. All parties in
    Parliament voted the bill that proposes the payment of an allowance tantamount
    to 75% of the base salary of employees affected by the reduction or suspension
    of activity.




    PALM SUNDAY – Catholic Christians worldwide are celebrating Palm
    Sunday, marking the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where the crowd welcomed
    him holding palm branches. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last week of
    Lent, also known as Holy Week, when Christians prepare to celebrate the
    Resurrection of Christ. This year, due to restrictions caused by the
    coronavirus pandemic, masses in Romania as well as in other countries will be
    celebrated in empty churches and broadcast on TV, radio or online. The Church
    urges everyone during this pandemic to discover the beauty and plenitude of
    prayer, praying with our loved ones in our churches at home, with our families,
    the spokesman of the Roman-Catholic Diocese in Bucharest, Father Francisc Dobos
    has said, adding that the situation is not ideal, but is the best possible one.
    By uniting in spirit via various means of communication, television, radio or
    the Internet, we stay together with Christ, Francisc Dobos added. This year
    Roman-Catholic Christians celebrate Easter on April 12, while Orthodox
    Christians on April 19.




    (Translated by V. Palcu)







  • April 21, 2019 UPDATE

    April 21, 2019 UPDATE

    Palm Sunday – On Sunday Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania celebrated Palm Sunday, commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to his Crucifixion. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last week of Lent, known as Passion Week, which remembers the most dramatic events in the life of Jesus. On Palm Sunday, as many as 1.4 million Romanians bearing names of flowers celebrated their name day. In another development, Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrated Easter on Sunday, the biggest holiday in the Christian world. Pope Francis held a Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican and read the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ message (To the City and the World). The pontiff spoke about the violence in Libya, the crisis of the Syrian refugees fleeing to Lebanon and Jordan, the children affected by the conflict in Yemen, the sufferance of those in the conflict area in eastern Ukraine and about the crisis in Venezuela.



    Message — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis addressed Catholic and Protestant Christians the traditional Easter wish “Christ is Risen!” and made wishes to all those who celebrated their name day on Palm Sunday. Also on Sunday, the PM Viorica Dancila conveyed a message to Orthodox Christians, recalling the significance of Palm Sunday and of the Passion Week, when people should show more empathy to each other. The PM also made good wishes to those Christians who celebrated Easter on Sunday.



    Colombo — Heads of state and government from around the world condemned the bomb attacks occurring on Sunday, on Easter Day for Catholics and Protestants, on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. The explosions killed and wounded hundreds of people, among whom foreign citizens. Pope Francis expressed sadness at the events and prayed for the victims of violence. The Romanian President decried the attacks in Sri Lanka and said that religious freedom and faith needed to be defended. The PM Viorica Dancila firmly condemned the bloody attacks in Sri Lanka as well. The Romanian Foreign Ministry officials announced that the authorities in Colombo had not notified the Romanian Embassy in Sri Lanka in relation to the existence of Romanian citizens among the victims of the blasts. The PM of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe also decried the attacks and announced the government would take measures to control the situation. A state of emergency was declared in Sri Lanka, an island country in South Asia, with a majority Buddhist population, where Catholics account for almost 1.2 million of a total population of 21 million.



    HMS Echo – HMS Echo multi-role hydrographic survey ship arrived on Sunday in the port of Constanta (south-eastern Romania) for a 4-day stopover — the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Navy announced. During the stopover, the ship representatives will have working meetings with experts from the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate in Constanta and will have official meetings with public authorities, civilian and military officials. The presence of HMS Echo military ship in the Black Sea is part of the NATO measures meant to provide the security of Allied members on the eastern flank, according to NATO’s commitment to collective defence.



    Customs — The customs authorities from Romania and the Republic of Moldova have agreed on a set of actions aimed at speeding up the crossing of the common border during the Easter holidays. To this end, a higher number of employees will be working in the customs administrations. The Romanian Border Police also called on the Bulgarian and Hungarian authorities to bring additional staff as well, if the case may be, based on the agreements on the joint control of borders. Cross border traffic has been intense these days, as the Romanian citizens who work abroad are coming home for the Easter holidays. (news translated and updated by L. Simion)

  • April 21, 2019

    April 21, 2019

    Palm Sunday – Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania are today celebrating Palm Sunday, commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to his Crucifixion. On Saturday, many believers and priests took part in processions in Bucharest and other cities. Palm Sunday marks the start of the last week of Lent, known as Passion Week, which remembers the most dramatic events in the life of Jesus. On Palm Sunday, as many as 1.4 million Romanians bearing names of flowers celebrate their name day. In another development, Catholic and Protestant Christians are celebrating Easter today, the biggest holiday in the Christian world. Today Pope Francis holds a Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican and will read the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ message (To the City and the World).



    Message — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis addressed Catholic and Protestant Christians the traditional Easter wish “Christ is Risen!” and made wishes to all those who are celebrating their name day on Palm Sunday. Also on Sunday, the PM Viorica Dancila conveyed a message to Orthodox Christians, recalling the significance of Palm Sunday and of the Passion Week, when people should show more empathy to each other. The PM also made good wishes to those Christians who are celebrating Easter on Sunday.



    HMS Echo – HMS Echo multi-role hydrographic survey ship arrives today in the port of Constanta (south-eastern Romania) for a 4-day stopover — the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Navy announced. During the stopover, the ship representatives will have working meetings with experts from the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate in Constanta and will have official meetings with public authorities, civilian and military officials. The presence of HMS Echo military ship in the Black Sea is part of the NATO measures meant to provide the security of Allied members on the eastern flank, according to NATO’s commitment to collective defence.



    Colombo — The explosions occurring on Sunday, on Easter Day for Catholics and Protestants, on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka have killed almost 160 people among whom 35 foreign citizens. Over 300 people have been injured. The PM of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe has condemned the attacks and has given assurances that the government is taking immediate action to control the situation. The Romanian President also condemned the attacks in Sri Lanka and said that religious freedom and faith need to be defended. Sri Lanka, an island country in South Asia, has a majority Buddhist population, Catholics accounting for almost 1.2 million of a total population of 21 million.



    Tennis — Romania’s and France’s teams have equal scores, 1-1, in the Fed Cup semi-finals, after Simona Halep, world’s no.2 player, defeated Kristina Mladenovic (66 WTA), and Mihaela Buzărnescu (30 WTA) was defeated by Caroline Garcia (21 WTA) in Rouen. Sunday will see 3 matches: Caroline Garcia – Simona Halep, Kristina Mladenovic – Mihaela Buzărnescu and Caroline Garcia / Kristina Mladenovic – Irina Begu / Monica Niculescu. For the 2nd time in history, after 46 years, Romania goes as far as the Fed Cup semi-finals. France’s performance in this competition is notable: two times champion in 1997 and 2003, finalist in 2004, 2005 and 2016, semi-finalist several times, most recently last year. If Romania defeats France, it will take on the winner of the match pitting Australia against Belarus in the final scheduled for November.



    Elections — As many as 30 million people are today expected to the polls in Ukraine to vote for the president in the final tour pitting the current president Petro Poroshenko against comedian Volodimir Zelenski, who runs as favourite in the surveys and who obtained a landslide victory in the first round. According to France Press new agency the slow pace of the anti-corruption fight and the deadlock in the conflict in eastern Ukraine made the Ukrainians vote for Zelenski. On the other hand, Poroshenko is credited by his supporters with getting the country closer to the West, redressing the army and saving the country from collapse, although no high official was indicted for corruption, France Press also writes. (translation by L. Simion)

  • April 20, 2019

    April 20, 2019

    EASTER Catholic and Protestant Christians are preparing today for the Easter holiday, while Orthodox and Greek-Catholics are getting ready for Palm Sunday. Tonight Roman-Catholic churches are holding the Easter Vigil, the religious service that celebrates the Resurrection of Christ. Also today, on the eve of Palm Sunday, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers in many parts of Romania organise religious processions to commemorate Christs arrival in Jerusalem prior to the Crucifixion.




    HOLIDAYS In Romania, over 10,000 police and 8,000 gendarmes will be deployed on the Orthodox Palm Sunday and Catholic Easter Sunday, to ensure the safety of the citizens taking part in the events related to these holidays. Traffic police and over 300 radar units will also be on duty, to prevent accidents and to ensure smooth road traffic. Meanwhile, many Romanians working abroad are beginning their Easter visits home, and checkpoints are getting increasingly crowded. Over 4,000 border police will work every day to ensure efficient border controls during this period. The Romanian Border Police has also called on the authorities of Bulgaria, Hungary and the Republic of Moldova to increase the number of staff available in checkpoints, if necessary.




    RESHUFFLING President Klaus Iohannis will announce early next week his decision on the new nominations in the Dancila Cabinet. The Social Democratic Party, the main party in the ruling coalition, has nominated the deputy speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Eugen Nicolicea to replace Tudorel Toader as justice minister. The Social Democrats withdrew their political support for Toader after he refused to pass new controversial changes in the criminal codes, and consequently Tudorel Toader stepped down. The Prime Minister also forwarded to the Presidency the resignations of Rovana Plumb as Minister for European Funds and of Natalia Intotero as Minister for Romanians Abroad. The 2 are running for the European Parliament in the upcoming elections. Nominated to replace them are Deputy Oana Florea, for the Ministry for European Funds, and Senator Liviu Brăiloiu for the ministry in charge of the diaspora. The President has hinted that he disapproves of these proposals. In his opinion, this government reshuffling strengthens what he called “the Social Democrats siege of the judiciary.




    DIPLOMACY Regional and international security and the contribution to the fulfilment of NATOs goals were the main topics approached by the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu in a meeting with his counterparts from Poland and Turkey in Ankara. The ministers reconfirmed the need for constant efforts in order to efficiently respond to all challenges, wherever they may come from, and to implement the measures regarding the Black Sea region. The participants also agreed to hold meetings with the main representatives of the 3 countries military industries. Teodor Meleşcanu also mentioned the support provided by Romania to its eastern partners—Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine—and to the Western Balkans states. He also said that Romania aims to support these countries in advancing their relations with NATO and the EU.




    CULTURE As part of the 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season, the French Film Festival kicks off today in 10 cities in Romania. Launched in November 2018, in France, the cultural dialogue between the 2 countries continues in Romania with scores of theatre shows, dance performances, concerts, film screenings, literature-related events, exhibitions and debates held in over 30 towns and cities. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, pointed out that this was an important landmark in the arts and cultural life in Romania and France. The event strengthens the economic, scientific, cultural and social ties between the 2 states. The official closing of the 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season, which overlaps the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will be on July 14, Frances National Day.




    TENNIS Romanias Simona Halep (2 WTA) is playing today in Rouen against Kristina Mladenovic (66 WTA) in the first round of the Fed Cup semi-finals between Romania and France. In the second match of the day, Mihaela Buzărnescu (30 WTA) will take on Caroline Garcia (21 WTA). Three other matches are scheduled on Sunday: Caroline Garcia vs. Simona Halep, Kristina Mladenovic vs. Mihaela Buzărnescu and Caroline Garcia / Kristina Mladenovic vs. Irina Begu / Monica Niculescu. For the second time in history, 46 years apart, Romania is playing a Fed Cup semi-final. Frances performance in this competition is much better: the French tennis players were twice champions, in 1997 and 2003, finalists in 2004, 2005 and 2016, and semi-finalists several times, including last year. Should Romania get past France this weekend, it will play the final in November against the winner of the match pitting Australia against Belarus.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • April 1, 2018 UPDATE

    April 1, 2018 UPDATE

    NATO — 14 years after Romania joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the alliance continues to be the most important guarantee of the country’s defense and security and a permanent connection to a 28 states’ community sharing the same values and a firm commitment to freedom and democracy, reads a release of the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest on the occasion of the NATO Day celebrated on April 1st. On the same occasion Romanian President Klaus Iohannis conveyed a message in which he said that Romania sees in NATO its strongest security guarantee. PM Viorica Dancila also said that the authorities want to further prove that Romania is a credible and stabile ally in the Black Sea region. Dancila pointed out that Bucharest sticks to its commitment to allot 2% of the GDP to army equipping. To mark NATO Day a military ceremony was held at the Romanian Defence Ministry headquarters. Romania joined NATO in March 29, 2004. NATO Day in Romania is celebrated every year in the first Sunday of April.




    Religious celebrations — Roman Catholic and Protestant believers from Romania and the world over celebrated Easter on Sunday, April 1st. Pope Francis held the Easter service at the Vatican’s St. Peters Basilica and urged Catholics not to remain paralysed in the face of injustices around them. This year Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers celebrate Easter one week later, so on April 1st they marked Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. This religious celebration was marked in Bucharest and other cities across Romania though religious services and processions. Also on Sunday Holy Week began. The most solemn week of the Christian year, Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter and is the week during which Christians particularly remember the last days of Jesus’s life.




    eCall — The eCall system is operational across the EU as of Sunday, April 1st. eCall is activated automatically as soon as in-vehicle sensors and/or processors detect a serious crash. Once set off, the system dials the European emergency number 112, establishes a telephone link to the appropriate emergency call centre and sends details of the accident to the rescue services, including the time of incident, the accurate position of the crashed vehicle and the direction of travel. 112 eCall is not a black box. It does not record constantly the position of the vehicle, it records only a few data to determine the position and direction of the vehicle just before the crash and these data are only transmitted to emergency call centres if there is a serious crash. Also, eCall cannot be used to monitor motorists moves.




    Immunoglobulin — The first immunoglobulin vials requested through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism have reached Romania and will be distributed to patients, the Health Ministry officials announced. Actually 16 thousand vials from Austria will be sent to Romania by the end of May. The Health Ministry’s medicine distributor bought the immunoglobulin vials from foreign producers. Discontinuities in immunoglobulin supply were caused by the withdrawal from the Romanian market of the producers that ensured more than 80% of the needed amount.




    Weightlifting— Romanian athlete Nicolae Onica won two gold medals in the mens 94 kg category (clean and jerk, total) at the European Weightlifting Championships that ended on Sunday in Izvorani, Romania. Onica also won the silver medal in the snatch event. Romania hosted two other editions, in 1972 in Constanta and in 2009 in Bucharest. (Translated by Elena Enache)




  • April 1, 2018

    April 1, 2018

    Religious celebrations — Roman Catholic and Protestant believers from Romania and the world over are today celebrating Easter. Pope Francis held the Easter service at the Vatican’s St. Peters Basilica and urged Catholics not to remain paralysed in the face of injustices around them. This year Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers celebrate Easter one week later, so today they mark Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. To mark this religious celebration Bucharest and other cities across Romania are hosting religious processions. Also today Holy Week begins. The most solemn week of the Christian year, Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter and is the week during which Christians particularly remember the last days of Jesus’s life.




    NATO — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has today conveyed a message on the occasion of the celebration of NATO Day in Romania. President Iohannis says in his message that Romania sees in NATO its strongest security guarantee. PM Viorica Dancila has also said, in a message occasioned by NATO Day that the authorities want to further prove that Romania is a credible and stabile ally in the Black Sea region. Dancila has pointed out that Bucharest sticks to its commitment to allot 2% of the GDP to army equipping. To mark NATO Day a military ceremony was held at the Romanian Defence Ministry headquarters. Romania joined NATO in March 29, 2004. NATO Day in Romania is celebrated every year in the first Sunday of April.




    Immunoglobulin — The first immunoglobulin vials requested through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism have reached Romania and will be distributed to patients, the Health Ministry officials announced. Actually 16 thousand vials from Austria will be sent to Romania by the end of May. The Health Ministry’s medicine distributor bought the immunoglobulin vials from foreign producers. Discontinuities in immunoglobulin supply were caused by the withdrawal from the Romanian market of the producers that ensured more than 80% of the needed amount.




    eCall — The eCall system is operational across the EU as of today. eCall is activated automatically as soon as in-vehicle sensors and/or processors detect a serious crash. Once set off, the system dials the European emergency number 112, establishes a telephone link to the appropriate emergency call centre and sends details of the accident to the rescue services, including the time of incident, the accurate position of the crashed vehicle and the direction of travel. 112 eCall is not a black box. It does not record constantly the position of the vehicle, it records only a few data to determine the position and direction of the vehicle just before the crash and these data are only transmitted to emergency call centres if there is a serious crash. Also, eCall cannot be used to monitor motorists moves.




    Weather — 29 counties in the north, center and west of Romania are under code yellow alert for strong wind and heavy rainfalls that is valid until Sunday night. The weather is getting colder all across Romania with temperatures dropping by 10 up to 12 degrees C as compared to the previous day. The wind speed will reach 45, 55 km per hour and around 75 km in the mountains and in the west, centre and south of the territory. Maximum temperatures range from 9 to 17 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 10 degrees. ​




    Weightlifting— Romanian athlete Nicolae Onica on Saturday evening two gold medals in the mens 94 kg category (clean and jerk, total) at the European Weightlifting Championships held these days in Izvorani. Onica also won the silver medal in the snatch event. The European Senior Weightlifting Championships end today. Romania hosted two other editions, in 1972 in Constanta and in 2009 in Bucharest. (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • 25 March 2018, UPDATE

    25 March 2018, UPDATE

    Extradition. The
    Romanian justice minister Tudorel Toader will travel to Belgrade on Monday for
    a meeting with his Serbian counterpart Nela Kuburovich.
    The two are also expected to discuss the situation of the former Romanian MP
    and businessman Sebastian Ghita who fled to Serbia just before an interview
    with the National Anticorruption Directorate and one day before his parliamentary
    immunity was about to expire. The Romanian justice minister has said recently
    that the Romanian side has handed over all the information needed for Ghita to
    be extradited. The latter is the subject of several criminal cases in Romania.
    Seen as a close aide of the former Social Democratic prime minister Victor
    Ponta, Ghita fled the country in December 2016 and was arrested in Serbia in
    April last year. The Romanian authorities are now trying to obtain his
    extradition.




    Anniversary. A large rally to
    celebrate the 100th anniversary of the union of Bassarabia with
    Romania was held on Sunday in Chisinau, the capital of the ex-Soviet,
    majority-Romanian speaking Republic of Moldova. The participants adopted a
    proclamation in which they pledge to seek reunification with Romania. The event
    was also attended by Romanian politicians, including the former president
    Traian Basescu. A province with a majority ethnic Romanian population that
    formed part of the Tsarist Empire, Bassarabia became united with Romania at the
    end of the First World War, on the 27th of March 1918. The Soviet
    Union later re-annexed Bassarabia in 1940 following an ultimatum, and created
    today’s Republic of Moldova on its territory. The 100th anniversary
    of the union of Bassarabia with Romania will also be celebrated by the
    Parliament in Bucharest on Tuesday through a special meeting.




    Palm Sunday. Roman-Catholic Christians across the world,
    including Romania, which is a majority Orthodox country, celebrated Palm
    Sunday, which marks the beginning of Passion Week. The celebration honours
    Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by people holding
    fig branches. In Bucharest, believers took part in a procession held in the
    centre of the city. On Palm Sunday, the Roman-Catholic Church also celebrates
    World Youth Day, which is now in its 33rd year. On this occasion,
    Pope Francis urged young people to overcome their fears, to be authentic and
    have courage in loving God and their peers, after the example of the Virgin
    Mary. Catholics and Roman-Catholics celebrate Easter next Sunday, followed by
    the Orthodox and the Greek-Catholics a week later.




    Catalonia. The
    former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont was detained on Sunday in Germany after
    the Spanish authorities issued an international arrest warrant for six Catalan
    politicians who fled abroad, including Puigdemont. 25 separatist politicians
    are to appear before the Supreme Court in Madrid on charges of rebellion,
    misuse of public funds and disobeying the state. On the 27th of
    October last year, the Catalan Parliament approved through secret vote the
    proclamation of the region’s independence from Spain and the creation of a
    republic based on a referendum. Later, the Spanish Senate suspended Catalonia’s
    autonomy and sacked all regional leaders, saying the declaration of
    independence was illegal.






    Flood
    alert.     Temperatures will continue to rise slightly in the next 24 hours in most
    of Romania, but it’s still colder than usual at this time of the year. Rain is
    expected in the south and south-east and sleet in the mountains. Hydrologists
    have issued a yellow code alert for flooding from Monday lunch-time until
    Wednesday evening for rivers in several counties in southern Romania. An orange
    code alert is also in place until the end of the month warning of flooding on
    several sections of the river Danube and in the Danube Delta.

  • April 9, 2017 UPDATE

    April 9, 2017 UPDATE

    UNIFIED PAY LAW – The unified pay law for state sector employees will be submitted to Parliament on Sunday, for debate, so it may take effect as of July 1. The bill creates equal conditions for all those who carry out the same activity and have the same seniority. Another principle is that of creating a scale, a hierarchy, for heads of institutions not to have smaller salaries than their subordinates. The bill also sets a timetable for the pay- rises to be made in the following years. The ratio between the smallest and the highest salary in the Romanian state sector will be 1/12. The political opposition in Bucharest contests this unified pay law drafted by the coalition Government made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, saying it is unrealistic, as there is not enough money to cover all pay rises. In turn, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isarescu, says the pay-rises are necessary but they should be kept in check, given that Romania managed to secure the current economic and financial balance at high costs.



    STOCKHOLM ATTACK VICTIM – Bishop Macarie Dragoi, the representative of the Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe on Sunday visited the Romanian woman who got injured in Fridays Stockholm attack. The woman, 83, was hit by fragments of concrete projected by the truck which rammed into a group of people. She suffered a double leg fracture. The Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe writes in a communiqué that bishop Macarie has encouraged the woman and assured her of his entire support. 4 people got killed and 15 others were wounded in the Stockholm attack. The Romanian Foreign Ministry firmly condemned the attack and reiterated Romanias commitment to the effort of combating all forms of terrorism.



    HOLY WEEK – Christian believers the world over, among which those in Romania, a country with a majority Orthodox population, on Monday enter the Holy Week, the week immediately before Easter. The Holy Week, was preceded by Palm Sunday, which celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On Palm Sunday, thousands of Orthodox and Catholic believers attended the traditional Palm Sunday processions, carrying icons, willow tree branches and flowers. This year, orthodox and Catholic believers will celebrate Easter at the same time.



    ROAMING CHARGES – As of June 15, roaming charges will no longer be applied to European citizens travelling to another EU member state. Thus, the Europeans will be able to call, text and go online in another EU country without paying extra-charges. European mobile users will thus be charged the same price for using their phone while abroad as they pay in their country of residence. The European Commission has taken action for 10 years to reduce and finally eliminate extra-charges imposed by telecommunication operators, and last week, the European MPs eliminated the last obstacle in the effort to completely eliminate roaming charges.



    ROAD TAXES – The National Road Company of Romania intends to notify the European Commission relative to the new system of cashing in road taxes instated by Bulgaria. Sofia eliminated the possibility of purchasing the road vignette from petrol stations, a move which results in long queues of trucks at the Giurgiu-Ruse border checkpoint between Romania and Bulgaria. According to the company, the Bulgarian side has so far rejected all proposals made by Romania in an effort to ease traffic. Giurgiu-Ruse is the main border checkpoint between Romania and Bulgaria, and is transited by over 1,000 trucks a day.



    CHURCH BOMBINGS – The Islamic State Jihadist group has claimed responsibility for Sundays church bombings in Egypt, which left scores of dead and over 100 others injured. The bombings hit two Coptic churches in Tanta and Alexandria, respectively, while the believers were celebrating Palm Sunday. Coptic believers are making up the largest Christian community in the Middle East, accounting for some 10% of the total population of 92 million Egyptians.



    SYRIA – Russian and Iranian Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rohani, respectively, on Sunday had a phone conversation, condemning the recent US strikes on a Syrian air-base. The US cruise missile strikes came in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in north-western Syria.Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rohani have underlined the US aggressive actions against a sovereign state are unacceptable and running counter to the rule of law. The two presidents called for an objective investigation to be made in order to cast light on the circumstances in which the chemical attack occurred. Russia and Iran are the main supporters of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has said on CNN that President Donald Trump does not rule out the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Russia and Iran for the support they provide to the Syrian leader. Washington made public its intention to launch further attacks if need be, but it expressed hope this will not be necessary.

  • April 9, 2017

    April 9, 2017

    PALM SUNDAY – Christian believers the world over are celebrating Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, before He was crucified. This religious feast also marks the beginning of the last week of Lent. On Saturday, thousands of believers in Romania, a country with a majority Orthodox population, attended the traditional Palm Sunday Procession, carrying icons, willow tree branches and flowers. The icons and flowers symbolise “virtues gathered in the soul as flowers of light, during Lent.



    STOCKHOLM ATTACK VICTIM – Bishop Macarie Dragoi, the representative of the Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe has visited the Romanian woman who got injured in the Stockholm attack in Sweden, a couple of days ago. The woman, 83, was hit by fragments of concrete projected by the truck which rammed into a group of people. She suffered a double leg fracture. The Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe writes in a communiqué that bishop Macarie has encouraged the woman and assured her of his entire support. 4 people got killed and 15 others were wounded in the Stockholm attack. The Romanian Foreign Ministry firmly condemned the attack and reiterated Romanias commitment to the effort of combating all forms of terrorism.



    ROAD TAXES – The National Road Company of Romania intends to notify the European Commission relative to the new system of cashing in road taxes instated by Bulgaria. Sofia eliminated the possibility of purchasing the road vignette from petrol stations, a move which results in long queues of trucks at the Giurgiu-Ruse border checkpoint between Romania and Bulgaria. According to the company, the Bulgarian side has so far rejected all proposals made by Romania in an effort to ease traffic. Giurgiu-Ruse is the main border checkpoint between Romania and Bulgaria, and is transited by over 1,000 trucks a day.



    ROAMING CHARGES – As of June 15, roaming charges will no longer be applied to European citizens travelling to another EU member state. Thus, the Europeans will be able to call, text and go online in another EU country without paying extra-charges. European mobile users will thus be charged the same price for using their phone while abroad as they pay in their country of residence. The European Commission has taken action for 10 years to reduce and finally eliminate extra-charges imposed by telecommunication operators, and last week, the European MPs eliminated the last obstacle in the effort to completely eliminate roaming charges.



    SYRIA WAR– Russian foreign minister, Serghei Lavrov, and US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, have had a phone conversation on the situation in Syria. The talk is to continue in Moscow next week. On Friday, Washington carried out a cruise missile strike against a Syrian air base, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack in northwestern Syria. The White House blames the chemical attack on the forces loyal to the Syrian president. According to a communiqué issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov underlined that “an attack on a state whose Government fights against terrorism unfolds according to the extremists expectations, creating additional threats to regional and global stability. Also, Moscow dispels accusations levelled against the Syrian army which reportedly used chemical weapons against civilians in the Idlib province, on April 4, saying these accusations do not match reality. Washington made public its intention to launch further attacks if need be, but it expressed hope this will not be necessary. Romania, which supports all efforts meant to put an end to the conflict, considers the American intervention in Syria is a firm reaction to the atrocities committed by the regime of Bashar al-Assad. As of March 2011, Syria has been ravaged by revolts, which have been stifled violently and by a military conflict between the security services subordinated to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the opposition forces and terrorist groups, among which the Islamic State. The death toll of the conflict stands at over 270,000.

  • April 24, 2016

    April 24, 2016

    LEGISLATION – The Romanian Labour Ministry will initiate tomorrow talks with its social partners on a new emergency order aimed at doing away with inequities in public sector salaries. The new legislation is scheduled to be finalised within three weeks. In an interview to Radio Romania, the Finance Minister Anca Dragu said the Government intended to increase the lower salaries in the public administration, because the budget resources were limited. She also explained that according to data available to the Finance Ministry, in the first months of the year revenues to the state budget were higher than estimated.



    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Ministry hails the celebration, on April 24, of 85 years since diplomatic relations were established between Romania and Argentina. According to a news release, these relations are expressed in a constant political dialogue, including as members of international organisations, as well as in mutual economic and trade interests. Grassroots contacts, the old Romanian community in Argentina and the Latin origin of the two languages are also key elements that define bilateral relations. The first official contacts between Romania and Argentina were reported in 1880. Diplomatic relations were established on April 24, 1931, at legation level, and on March 29, 1964, the diplomatic offices were upgraded to embassy.



    NATO – The deputy Secretary General of NATO, Alexander Vershbow, will be received on Monday by President Klaus Iohannis, and will also have a meeting with the Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc. According to the Defence Ministry, the NATO official is in Romania between April 24 and 26 to take part in a meeting of of political leaders in the defence ministries of NATO member states. Meanwhile, the US President, Barack Obama, who is to have a meeting tomorrow with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, will call on Germany to get more involved in the defence of eastern NATO member countries. German governmental sources quoted by Der Spiegel magazine said additional NATO troops might be deployed to Romania, Poland and the Baltic States. An official decision on increasing the NATO military presence in the east is to be made at the Alliance Summit due in Warsaw. The Pentagon has already announced in late March that the US will send more troops to Eastern Europe, Romania included, as of 2017, as part of the measures to guarantee security against the backdrop of Russias recent actions.



    PALM SUNDAY – Romanian Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrate Palm Sunday today, which is a commemoration of Jesus Christs entry in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The previous day, thousands of believers and hundreds of priests took part in processions, in the country and abroad, in a symbolic reconstruction of Christs journey to Jerusalem. Palm Sunday opens the last week of Lent, also known as Passion Week, which commemorates the most dramatic days in the life of Jesus Christ. On Palm Sunday, nearly 1.4 million Romanians named after flower names celebrate their name day.



    FESTIVALS – The feature film “Soy Nero, directed by the Iranian Rafi Pitts, last night won the Grand Prize of the 12th Bucharest International Film Festival (BIFF). “Soy Nero tells the story of a Mexican who gets deported and returns to the US illegally in search of his own identity. The award for the best director went to Mia Hansen-Love (France) for “L’avenir. “Death in Sarajevo by Danis Tranovic won the award for best script. Meanwhile, in the southern Romanian city of Craiova, the 10th Shakespeare International Theatre Festival came to an end last night. This latest edition commemorated 400 years since the death of the great British playwright.




    TENNIS – The Romanians Florin Mergea and Horia Tecău are playing today, in the doubles final of the BRD Năstase – Ţiriac Trophy in Bucharest, with 460,000 Euros in prize money, against Chris Guccione (Australia) and Andre Sa (Brazil). Yesterday, in the semi-finals, the Romanians outplayed the Dutch Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop, 3-6, 6-2, 10-8. Meanwhile, the Romanian Andreea Mitu and Turkeys Ipek Soylu, are playing today in the doubles final of the Istanbul tournament, against Xenia Knoll (Switzerland)/Danka Kovinic (Montenegro).