Radio România Internațional

Tag: parade

December 1, 2024

National Day – Romania’s National Day is celebrated today, December 1, throughout the country, with parades, military and religious ceremonies and shows. Thousands of people attended the parade in the center of Bucharest, which enjoyed the participation of over 2,500 Romanian soldiers from the army and other law enforcement agencies. Along with the Romanian soldiers, 240 foreign soldiers participated in the parade, as part of detachments from allied countries: Albania, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States and Turkey. President Klaus Iohannis hosted, on Saturday, the last reception dedicated to the National Day in his capacity as head of state. At the end of his 10-year mandate, Iohannis sent a message of unity and solidarity, in order to overcome crises and move forward with dignity. The Romanian Cultural Institute organized abroad events dedicated to the National Day. December 1, 1918 marks the establishment of the Romanian unitary nation state. At the end of the First World War, all the provinces inhabited mostly by Romanians that were, until then, under the authority of the Austro-Hungarian and Tsarist empires: Transylvania, Banat, Bucovina and Bessarabia became part of the Kingdom of Romania.

Message – Romania’s commitment to security and democracy in Europe is a model for all nations to follow, said the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in a message sent on December 1 and published on the website of the US diplomatic mission in Bucharest. He congratulated the Romanians and conveyed that the United States is proud to collaborate with Romania in the process of modernizing the army and in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. “Romania’s support for Ukraine, including welcoming refugees and providing security assistance, has bolstered the cause of freedom in the face of Russia’s aggression. Your leadership in helping Ukrainian grain reach global markets has helped feed the world” Blinken recalled. He showed that his country is proud to collaborate with Romania, to address global challenges and secure the prosperity and wellbeing of our peoples.

Elections – In Romania, more than 18 million Romanian citizens with the right to vote are expected, today, to the polls, to vote for the future Parliament for the next four years. The representatives of 31 parties and alliances, as well as 19 organizations of national minorities, registered in today’s elections, are competing for the 331 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and the 134 senatorial seats. By 1 p.m. local time, more than 4.2 million people had gone to the polls, that is, approximately 24% of the citizens with the right to vote. More than 300 thousand Romanians abroad voted until 1 p.m., in the 950 polling stations opened by the authorities for those outside the borders. In the diaspora, Romanians can vote during two days, Saturday and Sunday. We remind you that on June 9, local and European Parliament elections took place in Romania simultaneously.

CCR – The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) will decide, on Monday, December 2, whether to validate or cancel the first round of the presidential election, held on November 24. The Central Electoral Bureau could complete, today, the recount of the votes, requested by the CCR following the notification of one of the candidates regarding possible fraud. The sending of ballots from abroad, which started on Friday, will continue until December 3, the Foreign Ministry announced. According to the results of the first round, the pro-Russian extremist Calin Georgescu, an independent, and the center-right pro-European candidate Elena Lasconi ranked on the first two places. The CCR’s decision to recount the votes was criticized by the majority of political forces, on the grounds that it would decrease the confidence of the population in the correctness of the electoral process and in the state institutions. The second round of presidential election is scheduled for December 8.

Handball – The Romanian women’s national handball team will meet the team of Montenegro today in Debrecen, Hungary, in the second match of group B of the European Championship to be hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. In the first match, the Romanian players defeated the Czech Republic, and the Montenegrin team defeated Serbia. The teams ranked on the first two places will qualify for the main groups. This is the first continental final tournament with 24 teams at the start.

Tbilisi – The new High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, on Sunday labeled as “unacceptable” the forceful dispersal by the Georgian police of the pro-EU demonstrations, which took place for the third night in a row, AFP informs. The American diplomacy also denounced the excessive use of force by the police against pro-European demonstrations. The Caucasus country has been prey to tensions since the ruling Georgian Dream party proclaimed its victory in the elections at the end of October, which the opposition and President Salome Zurabishvili consider rigged, press agencies write. The demonstrations were caused by the decision of the government, accused of pro-Russian authoritarian drift, to postpone until 2028 the discussions regarding the integration of this country from the Caucasus into the EU. These demonstrations were dispersed with water cannons and tear gas by the police, who made over 150 arrests. (LS)

1 December 2024
November 26, 2024

ELECTIONS The leaders of the Social Democratic Party (in the ruling coalition in Romania) have decided that Victor Negrescu should be in charge with the party’s political communication until the December 1 general elections, PM Marcel Ciolacu announced. The latter stepped down as party leader after failing to move into the second round of the presidential ballot. The leaders of the other party in the ruling coalition, the National Liberal Party, also resigned, beginning with its president Nicolae Ciuca, who only came out fifth in the first round. Party heavyweight Ilie Bolojan will serve as interim president for the Liberals. He announced his party would support the pro-European, right-of-centre Elena Lasconi in the second round due on December 8, against the pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu, the surprise winner of the first round.

NATIONAL DAY Nearly 2,500 troops and specialists from the defence ministry, the interior ministry, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, the National Penitentiary Administration and the Romanian Customs Authority, with about 190 vehicles and 45 aircraft, will take part in the military parade organised on Sunday, December 1, in Bucharest, on the occasion of Romania’s National Day. Along with Romanian soldiers, around 240 foreign troops will also march in the parade, deployed to Romania from Albania, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Spain, the USA, Turkey and other countries. The foreign units include about 21 vehicles, including combat aircraft.

EUROPEAN UNION A European Parliament plenary session has begun in Strasbourg, where the final vote on the new European Commission will be held tomorrow. The EU’s support for Ukraine, amid North Korea’s growing involvement on Russia’s side, and another hot topic, the Gaza Strip situation, are being discussed. Talks are also taking place ahead of the adoption of the Union’s 2025 budget. According to the Romanian MEP Victor Negrescu, one of the negotiators, Parliament managed to secure a EUR 10 billion higher budget for next year compared to 2024, namely almost EUR 199.5 billion in commitments and EUR 155 billion in total payments, including amounts for special instruments outside the multiannual financial framework. The issue of Romania and Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession will also be discussed in the evening, following a recent agreement in Budapest, according to which Austria will withdraw its veto in the Council to allow this last step. Discussions could also include references to the fact that the Dutch Parliament might block this full accession in early December, as the “Financial Times” wrote a few days ago.

MIDDLE EAST Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah are about to conclude a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. According to Lebanese sources, the US and French presidents are expected to announce the ceasefire soon, after intense diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict that began last October, concurrently with Israel’s war against the Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza. The deal between Israel and Lebanon is not backed, however, by all the political forces in the state or by the presidents of local councils in the towns on the border between the two states, Radio Romania’s correspondent reports. According to him, PM Netanyahu has talks today with all the heads of the political factions in the ruling coalition in an attempt to convince them to support the agreement, and in the afternoon he will convene a meeting of the political and security cabinet to the same effect. What seems to have convinced the Israeli PM to accept the deal, the correspondent also says, was the United States’ guarantee that it would support Israel’s right to attack Lebanon if the terms of the agreement were violated. (AMP)

26 November 2024
Nachrichten 01.12.2023

Die Rumänen feiern am Freitag ihren Nationalfeiertag. Am 1. Dezember 1918, am Ende des Ersten Weltkriegs, stimmten die Vertreter der Rumänen aus Siebenbürgen (Zentrum), Banat, Maramureș und Crișana (Westen), die bis dahin unter der Herrschaft Österreich-Ungarns standen, in Alba Iulia für die Vereinigung mit dem Königreich Rumänien. Zuvor, am 28. November, hatte der Generalkongress der Bukowina (Nordosten), die bis dahin ebenfalls von den Habsburgern regiert wurde, eine ähnliche Entscheidung getroffen. Am 27. März 1918, vor dem Hintergrund der Auflösung des Zarenreichs, stimmte auch die basarabische gesetzgebende Macht, der Sfatul Țării, für die Vereinigung Bessarabiens mit Rumänien. Im Sommer 1940 annektierte die UdSSR nach einem Ultimatum sowohl Bessarabien als auch die nördliche Bukowina, Gebiete, die heute den ehemaligen Sowjetrepubliken Moldawien und der Ukraine angehören.

Mehr als 2.400 Soldaten und Spezialisten des Verteidigungsministeriums, des Innenministeriums, des rumänischen Nachrichtendienstes, des Sonderdienstes für Telekommunikation und der Nationalen Strafvollzugsverwaltung haben am Freitag in Bukarest an der Parade zum rumänischen Nationalfeiertag am 1. Dezember teilgenommen (…) Im Paradeblock befanden sich auch etwa 250 ausländische Soldaten aus verbündeten und Partnerländern: Belgien, Frankreich, Nordmazedonien, die Republik Moldau, Luxemburg, Polen, Portugal, Spanien, die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika und die Niederlande. Die Parade der militärischen Ausrüstung bestand aus etwa 130 technischen Mitteln. Die Luftausrüstung umfasste 40 rumänische Militärflugzeuge. 23 militärische Boden- und Luftausrüstungen gehörten den teilnehmenden ausländischen Militärs.

Die UN-Klimakonferenz in den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten in Dubai begann mit einer von den Teilnehmern als historisch bezeichneten Entscheidung über die Finanzierung von Schäden und Entschädigungen für Länder, die durch die globale Erwärmung gefährdet sind. 140 Staats- und Regierungschefs, darunter Rumäniens Präsident Klaus Iohannis, haben ihre Teilnahme zugesagt.

Die Europäische Staatsanwaltschaft (EPPO) hat im Rahmen von Ermittlungen wegen Betrugsverdachts im Zusammenhang mit von der EU kofinanzierten Roma-Integrationsprogrammen in Höhe von 5,5 Millionen Euro eine Razzia in den Büros des Rathauses von Deda im Kreis Mures (Zentralrumänien) und an anderen Orten durchgeführt. Die Programme zielten darauf ab, die Integration marginalisierter Roma-Gemeinschaften zu verbessern und das Risiko von Armut und sozialer Ausgrenzung zu verringern, indem sie eine frühzeitige Bildung für Roma-Gemeinschaften einführten und die Zahl der Schulabbrecher verringerten, sowie ihren Zugang zum Arbeitsmarkt förderten, das Unternehmertum unterstützten und die Wohnbedingungen verbesserten. Die Mittel waren auch für die Finanzierung von Antidiskriminierungskampagnen vorgesehen. Es besteht jedoch der begründete Verdacht, dass die Mittel, anstatt den Roma-Gemeinschaften zugute zu kommen, von den Projektteilnehmern oder ihren Verbänden teilweise für andere Zwecke verwendet wurden, indem sie den Verwaltungsbehörden falsche und ungenaue Unterlagen vorlegten. Die Ermittlungen laufen noch, um Art und Umfang der vermuteten kriminellen Aktivitäten zu ermitteln – so die Europäische Staatsanwaltschaft.

Acht rumänische Marken werden ab dem 1. Dezember und während des Jahres 2024 im Rahmen des Projekts 365 Days of Romania in Times Square den amerikanischen Traum auf dem berühmten Times Square in New York erleben, berichtet Agerpres. “Das Projekt wird es rumänischen Marken und Werten ermöglichen, sich zu beteiligen und starke Botschaften auf der ikonischsten Plakatwand der Welt zu teilen. Das Bild Rumäniens, das wir auf die ikonischste Plakatwand der Welt (Nasdaq) projizieren werden, wird also ein komplexes und bedeutungsvolles sein, so die Organisatoren. Demnach ist die Marke, die am 1. Dezember auf dem Times Square erscheinen wird, Arctic, die stärkste rumänische Marke, laut einer Studie des Forschungsunternehmens Unlock Market Research and Biz aus dem Jahr 2023. Andere Marken, die positiv auf das Projekt reagierten, waren Romstal, Vola.ro, Aqua Carpatica, Bittnet Group, Eazy Insure, Metaminds, 5togo. Sie alle werden ihre Werbekampagnen im Jahr 2024 starten.

Die Ukraine gab am Freitag bekannt, dass sie in der Nacht erneut von der russischen Invasionsarmee beschossen wurde. Insgesamt setzte der Feind im Süden des Landes zwei Kh-59-Raketen und 25 Angriffsdrohnen des Typs Shahed 136/131 ein, teilte die ukrainische Luftwaffe mit und behauptete, 18 Drohnen und eine Rakete abgeschossen zu haben. Die Behörden in Kiew werfen Russland vor, wie im vergangenen Jahr mitten im Winter systematische Angriffe auf die Energieinfrastruktur des Landes vorzubereiten. Damals waren Millionen von Menschen während eines Kälteeinbruchs für lange Zeit ohne Strom. Die Ukraine hat seitdem ihre Luftabwehr mit westlichen Waffen verstärkt, sagt aber, dass mehr nötig sei, um ihre gefährdeten Regionen zu schützen.

Die Waffenruhe im Gazastreifen ist am Freitag im Morgengrauen ausgelaufen. Die israelische Armee hat ihre Luftangriffe und den Artilleriebeschuss auf Stellungen der palästinensischen islamistischen Bewegung Hamas wieder aufgenommen. Die so genannte Hamas-Regierung meldete bereits einen Luftangriff, bei dem sechs Menschen in Rafah im südlichen Gazastreifen getötet wurden, und das Gesundheitsministerium zählte 32 Tote, darunter Kinder, durch israelischen Beschuss. In der Nacht hatten intensive Verhandlungen über eine erneute Verlängerung der seit dem 24. November geltenden Waffenruhe stattgefunden, doch der israelische Premierminister Benjamin Netanjahu beschuldigte die Hamas, das Abkommen zu brechen und Raketen auf Israel zu feuern. Bis Donnerstagabend hatte die Hamas acht israelische Geiseln im Austausch gegen 30 palästinensische Gefangene in israelischen Gefängnissen freigelassen.

1 December 2023
December 1, 2022 UPDATE

NATIONAL DAY Romania celebrated on Thursday 104 years since the Great
Union of December 1, 1918. In the capital city Bucharest, over 1,500 troops and
staff of the defence ministry, interior ministry, the Romanian Intelligence
Service, the Special Telecommunications Service and the Penitentiary Agency as
well as vehicles and 40 aircraft took part in a military parade. Ceremonies were
also organised abroad, where Romanian troops are deployed. National Day events were
also held elsewhere in the country and abroad. The Romanian Cultural Institute
organises 50 events until December 10, to celebrate National
Day in 31 cities in the world. Romania’s national day has been celebrated on December 1 since 1990.
On this day in 1918, the National Assembly in Alba Iulia adopted a resolution
regarding the union of all provinces inhabited by Romanians.

MESSAGES Romanians need tangible and immediate progress to improve
their living standards and wellbeing, president Klaus Iohannis said, and urged
the authorities to use all the instruments they have available to this goal. At
a reception given on National Day, he also emphasised that Romania is a pillar
of security in a geopolitical area marked by uncertainty, and a stable country
that has made significant progress in recent years. Let us prove that December
1 is truly the day of our unity, the PM Nicolae Ciucă said in a message on
National Day. Today, just like at the end of the First World War, the main
topics on the national agenda are security, stability and the modernisation of
Romania. Unlike in 1918, today we have European funds for reforms and
development and the protection provided by NATO, the most powerful military
alliance in history, the PM posted on Facebook on Thursday. On behalf of the
United States of America, I congratulate the people of Romania as you celebrate
Great Union Day, and I wish them a very happy national day, the US
secretary of state Antony Blinken also said in a message on this occasion. The
US official emphasised that 2022 is a special year, as it marks the
25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between the U.S. and Romania. The
Ukrainian foreign ministry also sent a message congratulating the Romanian
people and calling for unity for peace and solidarity in Europe.

VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis will be on an official
visit to Greece on Friday and Saturday. He will have meetings with his Greek
counterpart, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and with the PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
According to the Presidency, the agenda will include talks about the potential
for development of the two countries’ relations in the economic and investment
sectors, as well as in culture, education, civil protection and tourism.
Special attention will be paid to infrastructure and inter-connection projects,
including in the energy sector, in order to minimize the dependence on Russian
natural gas and to improve Romania’s and Greece’s energy security.

SCHENGEN The Justice and Home Affairs Council included on the agenda of its
December 8-9 meeting topics related to the Schengen area. Specifically, the EU
justice and interior ministers will discuss the full application of the
Schengen acquis in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, which seek admission in the
passport-free travel area. Romania has been trying to join Schengen for more than 10 years. European
Commission experts found that Bucharest meets all EU border security standards.
Romania’s accession will increase Europe’s security, rather than be a danger
for the member states, Bucharest has repeatedly assured the few countries that
are still reluctant to the idea.

UNESCO The Inter-Governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage, convening in Rabat, Morocco, decided to
include the file The Art of the Traditional Blouse with Embroidery on the
Shoulder (Altiță) – an Element of Cultural Identity of Romania and the Republic
of Moldova in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity. The announcement was made on Thursday by the MP Ana-Maria
Cătăuţă, chair of the parliament’s special committee for UNESCO. The Romanian
blouse, as everybody knows it, […] is one of the identity elements that give us
strength and power, the Deputy Ana-Maria Cătăuţă said in a news release.

OSCE The Romanian
foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu took part on Thursday in a meeting of the
Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
held in Lodz, Poland. The Romanian diplomacy chief condemned the atrocities
committed by Russia against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The Romanian official reiterated the call for Moscow to immediately and
unconditionally end its military aggression and to pull out its troops and
equipment from Ukraine. Mr. Aurescu also spoke about the bilateral and
international support for the R. of Moldova, heavily affected by the war in Ukraine. (AMP)

1 December 2022
Preparations for National Day

Every year on December 1, the National Day of Romania is celebrated across the country as well as abroad, in theatres of operations where Romanian troops are deployed or in the Romanian communities abroad.

In Bucharest, the traditional Triumphal Arch parade is scheduled, which this year will see the most extensive participation of Allied troops. For the first time since the Covid pandemic, there will be no restrictions for the public. In addition to the previous years, the military parade will showcase the latest equipment purchased by the Romanian Army.

Apart from Romanian troops, the parade will include around 150 foreign servicemen from Belgium, France, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Portugal, the US and the Netherlands, as well as troops representing the countries contributing to the NATO structures in Romania, and military equipment, including fighter jets from Canada, Italy, Spain and the US.

National Day celebrations will also be held in Alba Iulia, where messages for Romania will be sent out on November 29 as part of an educational programme hosted by the Principia Museum. On November 30, when St. Andrew, the patron saint of Romania is celebrated, Alba Iulia will host military ceremonies and wreath laying ceremonies. On the same day, a festival of traditions and customs is scheduled to begin, entitled Traditional Romania.

On December 1, the Union March will take place, and a military parade will be held in Alba Iulia, with around 850 troops and military equipment taking part, including land vehicles, helicopters and F-16 fighters. A unit of French troops, part of the NATO battle group in Cincu, Braşov County, will also take part in the parade.

The events also celebrate 100 years since the coronation of King Ferdinand I and Queen Marie in Alba Iulia, where in 1600 the Wallachian prince Michael the Brave entered with his troops in what was later seen as the first political union of the Romanian territories.

Nicknamed “The Unifier,” Ferdinand I was the first king of all Romanians, the sovereign under whose reign the great union of 1918 was achieved. Ferdinand I was the one who introduced a land reform and an election reform, who worked to strengthen the Romanian nation state, and whose reign was the most prosperous period in the modern history of the Romanian state.

Standing by his side was an exceptional personality: Queen Marie of Romania, who worked as a battlefield nurse during the First World War and as a diplomat in European capitals, the one without whom, historians agree, Ferdinands success would not have been the same and Greater Romania would have been a goal even harder to achieve. (AMP)

28 November 2022
July 14, 2022 UPDATE

PARADE The National Day parade in France was marked this year by the
war in Ukraine. Troops from 9 countries on NATO’s eastern flank, including 12
from Romania, paraded jointly with French military as a token of the unity of
NATO Allies and of solidarity with Ukraine, Radio Romania’s correspondent in
Paris reports. According to her, this year’s celebrations unfolded under the
motto ‘Partager la flame’ (Divide the Flame), with a dual meaning: to pay
homage to Hubert Germain, the last member of the French resistance against the
Nazi occupation, who died this year, and to hail the Olympic flame ahead the
Olympic Games Paris is due to stage in 2024. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis Thursday
sent president Macron a letter of congratulations and wishes of prosperity for
the French people. Iohannis highlighted the solidity and consistency of the
Strategic Partnership between Romania and France, built on common values and
excellent cooperation both at bilateral level and within the EU and other
international bodies. Bucharest celebrated France’s national day with a
reception at the French Embassy, attended by Romania’s Prime Minister Nicolae
Ciuca and by senior French officials.

ECONOMY Thanks to a
surprising 5.2% growth rate in Q1, the European Commission decided to update
its estimates on Romania’s economic growth this year, from 2.6% forecast in
March to 3.9% in its summer economic forecast made public on Thursday. The Commission
also operated a downward adjustment of its forecast for 2023, from 3.6% to 2.9%,
given that the growth trend is expected to slow down both globally and at EU
level. Private consumption and investments are expected to be the main growth
engines both this year and the next, whereas net exports will lead to a deeper
trade deficit, the Commission says.

VISIT Germany’s
foreign minister Annalena Baerbock will be on an official visit to Bucharest
and Constanţa on Friday, the German embassy in Bucharest announced. Annalena
Baerbock will co-chair the second ministerial conference of the Support
Platform for the Republic of Moldova together with her Romanian counterpart,
Bogdan Aurescu and the French state secretary for development, Francophonie, and international partnerships Chrysoula
Zacharopoulou. Also on Friday Annalena Baerbock will have meetings with PM Nicolae
Ciucă and foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu, focusing on bilateral and European
policy topics. In the Black Sea port of Constanţa the German official will
discuss with local officials and representatives of German companies about
Ukraine’s grain exports via Constanţa.

CENSUS The deadline for finalising the national population
and housing census has been extended by a week, from July 17 to 24, as the
current completion rate is below 90%. The organisers are hoping to bring the
rate up to 100% using fixed census locations and door-to-door operators. For the
first time in Romania, a first stage of the national census was conducted
online, with 11 million respondents registered, which is little under half of
the estimated resident population of Romania.

DRILL Over July 14 and 25 three Romanian warships take part in the
international exercise ‘Breeze 22’ staged and coordinated by the Bulgarian Navy
in the country’s territorial and the international waters of the Black Sea and
the Bulgarian port of Burgas. This year’s edition of the exercise has brought
together navy and air forces from Albania, Belgium, France, Georgia, Italy,
Latvia, Poland, Turkey and the USA. The drill is aimed at strengthening
tactical interoperability between the navy personnel and participating units
and at practicing conventional and non-conventional war procedures.

UKRAINE Addressing an international conference on the war crimes in
Ukraine held in The Hague, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Thursday requested the creation of a special tribunal to investigate Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine. The country’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba also asked
for a special court trying the crime of aggression, defined as an attack by one
state against another. All we want is for the crime of aggression to not go
unpunished, Dmytro Kuleba said during the same conference. Political,
diplomatic and judicial leaders from around the world convened on Thursday for
a conference on the crimes committed in Ukraine since February 24. The European
Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders mentioned that 20,000 investigations
concerning war crimes in Ukraine have been opened. Around 14 European countries
are investigating these crimes, and a European Joint Investigation Team has
been set up, he added. Russia denies the abuses of which its troops are being
accused, which include shelling civilians, executions, and rapes, and in
exchange accuses Ukraine of crime wars. Meanwhile, scores of civilians were
killed or wounded on Thursday in a Russian missile attack on the town of Vinnytsia,
in central Ukraine. (AMP)

14 July 2022
National Day, celebrated in Romania and abroad

On the 1st December 1918, in Alba Iulia,
central Romania, Transylvania joined the Kingdom of Romania, and that day is
now celebrated by all Romanians as National Day.

More than a century later, Romanians everywhere marked
their National Day amid restrictions entailed by the coronavirus pandemic. In his
address, president Klaus Iohannis said the country’s main goals are democracy, a
future within the EU and strengthening the rule of law, so as to produce prosperity
for all citizens. We are celebrating National Day at a time of suffering and concern.
The COVID-19 pandemic is still the painful reality of our times, said Klaus
Iohannis, but he also sent a message of encouragement, respect and gratitude:

Klaus Iohannis: The lesson of solidarity is more useful and timely than
ever. History has proved, time and again, that united we can adapt to any trends
and occurrences and that overcoming all challenges depends on our determination,
as a nation. Just like in so many other critical moments in our past, we have today
the necessary resources, the right instruments and the will to succeed. So I urge
you all to look ahead with hope!

In Bucharest, some 1,500 troops and over 100 vehicles
took part in the traditional military parade at the Arch of Triumph, while
around 30 military aircraft flew over the city. It was the second parade since
the pandemic broke out, but the first that the public were able to attend.

Thousands also attended the military parade in Alba
Iulia, in which over 500 troops, accompanied by land and air combat equipment,
took part. The ceremonies continued with folklore performances and a drone show.

In Timișoara (west), National Day was celebrated with
a military and religious ceremony, followed by a brief march by the Guard of
Honour.

On the National Day of Romania, we thank you for your
friendship and for all the good things we have done and will do together in the
future, the president of the neighbouring Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu said
in a message.

Celebrations were organised around the world, either
by Romania’s diplomatic offices abroad or by Romanian communities. In Israel, National
Day was marked in Tel Aviv by Romanian and Israeli officials, who praised the
bilateral relations and the growing cooperation between the 2 countries.

The Romanian
Embassy in Italy organised a concert in the presence of over 600 Romanian and
Italian politicians, diplomats, and other participants. Romania’s National Day reminds
us, first and foremost, of the will of our forefathers, of our cultural,
political and diplomatic elites, to fight for the ideal of national unity, the
Ambassador of Romania to London, Laura Popescu, said in turn in a message to
all Romanians. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

2 December 2021
Mariä Himmelfahrt: Landesweite Pilgerfahrten und Zeremonien

In Rumänien, das eine orthodoxe Mehrheit hat, sind Pilgerfahrten zu verschiedenen Klöstern im ganzen Land zu diesem Anlass üblich. Zahlreiche orthodoxe Gläubige versammelten sich um das Nicula-Kloster in Klausenburg im Nordwesten Rumäniens, während griechisch-katholische Gläubige den Gottesdienst in der Kirche der Marienschwestern in Klausenburg besuchten.

Tausende von Gläubigen verschiedener Konfessionen versammelten sich in der Maria-Radna-Basilika in Arad, Westrumänien, wo der Gottesdienst in mehreren Sprachen, Ungarisch, Rumänisch, Deutsch und Kroatisch, abgehalten wurde. Und da die heilige Maria auch als Schutzpatronin der Seeleute bekannt ist, feiert Rumänien am 15. August auch den Tag der Marine mit einer Reihe religiöser und militärischer Zeremonien in seinen Häfen und Städten am Schwarzen Meer sowie entlang der Donau. Der Tag der Marine wurde am Sonntag im Militärhafen von Constanta an der Schwarzmeerküste mit einer Jubiläumsfeier begangen, an der auch der rumänische Staatspräsident Klaus Iohannis teilnahm.

Wegen der Covid-19-Pandemie in diesem Jahr durfte die Öffentlichkeit nicht an den Feierlichkeiten teilnehmen, die sich auf eine Militärparade der Kriegsschiffe beschränkten. Diese konnten Einheimische und Touristen von der Küste aus beobachten. An der Parade, die in diesem Jahr von der Fregatte Marasesti, dem größten jemals in Rumänien gebauten Kriegsschiff, angeführt wurde, nahmen Schiffe der rumänischen Streitkräfte und des Innenministeriums sowie eine Fregatte aus der Türkei teil. Bei dieser Gelegenheit begrüßte Staatschef Klaus Iohannis die Ehrengarde, die aus rumänischen, britischen und amerikanischen Soldaten bestand. Außerdem zeichnete er die Fregattenflottille 56 und die Maritime Hydrographische Direktion für ihre vorbildliche Arbeit aus.

Der Präsident dankte den rumänischen Seeleuten und ihren Familien für ihre täglichen Anstrengungen und Opfer und erwähnte die strategische Rolle, die die rumänische Marine in der heutigen Zeit spielt, in der die geostrategische Bedeutung der Schwarzmeerregion als Außengrenze der EU und durch die NATO-Mitgliedschaft des Landes gestiegen ist.

Die nationale Sicherheit und die Sicherheit der rumänischen Bürger sind die wichtigsten Vektoren, die unsere strategische Positionierung und die Bemühungen der rumänischen Streitkräfte leiten, so Iohannis weiter. Dem rumänischen Staatschef zufolge wurden in den letzten Jahren erhebliche Fortschritte bei der Ausstattung der rumänischen Marine mit der notwendigen Ausrüstung erzielt, unter anderem durch ein Programm zur Straffung des Küstenschutzsystems. Als Teil dieses Prozesses erinnerte Iohannis daran, dass die Dokumente eines zwischenstaatlichen Beschaffungsabkommens zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und Rumänien im April unterzeichnet wurden.

16 August 2021
Ceremonies and pilgrimages in Romania

In Romania, which has an Orthodox
majority, pilgrimages to various monasteries around the country are commonplace
on this occasion. Numerous Orthodox believers gathered around the Nicula
Monastery in Cluj, north-western Romania, while Greek-Catholics attended the
religious service at the St. Mary’s Sisters Church in Cluj-Napoca.

Thousands of believers of various
denominations gathered at the Maria Radna Basilica in Arad, western Romania,
where the religious service was offered in several languages, Hungarian,
Romanian, German and Croatian. And because St. Mary is also known as the patron
saint of sailors, on August 15th Romania also celebrates its Navy
Day, with a series of religious and military ceremonies in its ports and cities
at the Black Sea and the Danube. The Navy Day was marked on Sunday in the
Military Port of Constanta, on the Black Sea coast through an anniversary
ceremony, which was also attended by the country’s president Klaus Iohannis.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this
year the public wasn’t allowed to attend the ceremonies, which were limited to
a military parade of the war vessels, which the locals and tourists could watch
from the coast. The parade this year, which was headed by the Marasesti
Frigate, the biggest warship ever built in Romania, was attended by vessels
belonging to Romania’s Armed Forces and to its Interior Ministry and by a
frigate from Turkey. On this occasion, President Iohannis reviewed the Guard of
Honour, made up of Romanian, British and US troops and offered medals to Fleet
56 and the Maritime Hydrographic Direction for their activity.

The president thanked the Romanian
sailors and their families for their daily efforts and sacrifices and mentioned
the strategic role played by the Romanian Navy in our present time, when the Black
Sea region’s geo-strategic role had been increased as the foreign border of the
EU and by its NATO membership.

The National Security and the
security of the Romanian citizens are the main vectors guiding our strategic
positioning as well as the efforts of the Romanian Armed Forces’, Iohannis went
on to say. According to the Romanian official, ‘significant progress has been
made in recent years in the process of fitting the Romanian Navy with the
necessary equipment, including through a programme aimed at streamlining the
coastal defence system. As part of this process, Iohannis recalled that the
documents of an inter-governmental procurement agreement between the United
States and Romania were signed in April.

(bill)

16 August 2021
August 15, 2021

Covid Romania – On Sunday Romania registered 323 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, a smaller number than in the previous day, but the number of patients in ICUs is on the rise, reaching 112 at present. Six Covid-related deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours. On the other hand, interest in vaccination remains low. All in all, about 5 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated.

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

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

Afghanistan — A peaceful transfer of power to a transitional government will take place in Afghanistan, where the Taliban are close to taking full control of the country, Afghan Interior Minister Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said on Sunday, according to AFP and Reuters. He said there would be no attack on the capital Kabul. Previously, the Taliban said they had been ordered to remain at the city gates and not enter the Afghan capital. In the last ten days, insurgents have taken control of most of Afghanistans provincial capitals. The crisis in Afghanistan and Belarus actions point to the need to reshape EU rules on migration and asylum, European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas said on Sunday. Many member states fear that events in Afghanistan could lead to a new migrant crisis similar to that which Europe faced in 2015-2016, when the chaotic arrival of more than 500,000 people from the Middle East tested the European countries’ security and social welfare systems.

Pandemic — Sunday saw the coming into effect of the updated list of countries with an epidemiological risk. As of August 15 inlcuded on the red list are Turkey, Israel and the USA, a list which also includes Spain, Greece, Great Britain and Portugal. Instead, the Netherlands and Malta returned to the yellow zone, following a decrease in the Covid incidence. Bulgaria remains in the green zone. Since August 13, for crossing state borders within the EU, only digital certificates have been recognized as documents proving vaccination, recovery from the disease and a negative Covid test result. The obligation to present the digital certificate is valid only for those countries that require such documents as a vaccination certificate, negative test results or vaccination proof, as well as upon return to Romania from countries on the yellow and red lists. Tourists returning from a country on the green list do not have to present the digital certificate and are not quarantined. (LS)

15 August 2021
July 14, 2021

PROJECT Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis is today attending
a government session during which the Executive is to assume a presidential
project entitled Educated Romania. Political debates over this project came to
an end last week when the head of state announced the document enjoys the
support of the government coalition and the acceptance of the opposition for
turning it into law. Part of the priorities and reforms comprised by the
project are to be funded through the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience.
Among other things, the plan includes measures to curb school dropouts and
provide support to 25 hundred pre-university education facilities, to fit 10
thousand school labs and 75 thousand classrooms with the proper equipment and
build a network of green schools. The plan also provides for training 100
thousand teachers for online education, though the structure of the country’s
education system is to remain preponderantly the same.

DAY France today resumes its traditional military parade
on Champs Elysees, to celebrate the country’s national day, a tradition which
was interrupted last year by the pandemic. Authorities have warned the
participants in the aforementioned event, expected to be attended by thousands
people, that they must have vaccination permits on them or the proof of a
negative test and they have to wear masks. A total of 5,000 servicemen, out of
whom 4,300 infantrymen are to march in the parade, which also involves the participation
of 73 aircraft, 24 helicopters, 221 military vehicles, 200 horses of the
Republican Guard as well as elite units from France and 7 other countries in
Europe. The day will end with fireworks over the Eiffel tower in Paris. The
National Day of France is also marked at the French embassy in Bucharest, an
event expected to be attended by high officials from Romania like president
Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Florin Citu.

EU Post-pandemic recovery plans drawn up in 12 EU
countries have been greenlighted by the EU Ministers of Economy and Finances.
This is the final stage, which allows these countries to conclude advantageous
loan agreements with EU institutions in order to implement the aforementioned
recovery plans. These countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain. According to
Romanian MEP Dragos Paslaru with the ruling USR/PLUS Alliance, the EU Executive
is in direct dialogue with Bucharest for the last details in the country’s
recovery and resilience plan, also known as PNRR. The Romanian official says
that PNRR could be approved in September. From opposition the Social-Democratic
MEP Victor Negrescu says the government should explain Romania’s request for
having the assessment period for PNRR extended.

FOOTBALL Romania’s
football champions CFR have qualified for the Champions League’s second
preliminary leg although they lost 2-1 to Bosnian side Borac Banja Luka. CFR
had won the first match 3-1. The Romanians will be up against Lincoln Red Imps,
the champions of Gibraltar who have defeated Fola Esch of Luxembourg.

COVID-19 Romania has reported 87 infections with the Delta variant of
coronavirus since the first case was discovered on its territory. According to
the National Institute of Public Health, three people have so far lost their
lives to the new variant. Most of the infections have been reported in
Bucharest and in three other counties in the country’s south. On Tuesday 51 new
cases were reported out of 27 thousand tests conducted. 52 patients are being
treated in ICUs, whereas a quarter of the country’s total population has been
vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.

(bill)

14 July 2021
The National Day of Romania

December 1 became Romania’s National Day after the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution. It marks the finalization, at the end of WWI, in 1918, of the process of creating the Romanian unitary nation state, when all the provinces with a majority Romanian-speaking population from the neighboring multinational empires united under the authority of Bucharest. According to President Klaus Iohannis, this is the most emotional celebration of the Romanian nation, a symbol of freedom. It is a celebration of democracy, of the fundamental rights and liberties.

On December 1 the Romanian head of state participated in the traditional military parade at the Arch of Triumph in Bucharest and later in the day he hosted a reception at the Cotroceni Palace to mark the National Day, when Romanians also celebrated 101 years since the great union of 1918. President Iohannis reminded that this year Romania also marks 3 decades since the December 1989 revolution. He went on to say that Romanians defended democracy in the street and also at the polling stations, adding that he wanted all the Romanians who are now living abroad to come back home.

Klaus Iohannis: “The Union is our celebration, a celebration of all of us, no matter where we are. I wish all the Romanians who are now living in various parts of the world returned home; when they come back I want them to find here a functional Romania, a normal country that should give them the chance of a better future and ensure decent living standards. I believe this can come true one day, and it is up to us to make this possible.”

The military parade in Bucharest was attended by thousands of people among whom important political leaders and various personalities of the Romanian society. Participating in the parade were around 4 thousand Romanian military and experts and also military from over 20 allied or partner states, alongside 50 aircraft and over 200 military vehicles. The celebrations continued in Alba Iulia, in central Romania, the symbol of the Great Union, under the motto ‘The first year in a new century’.

Attending the celebration in Alba Iulia, the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban, addressed the participants: “My dear fellow Romanians, good afternoon! I have a simple message for you, the message chanted after each item in the Union declaration: Hooray, hooray, hooray! Long live the Greater Romania!”

A religious service was held at the Union Cathedral by high officials of the Romanian Orthodox Church that was followed by a military parade involving 1,400 military and employees of the Interior Ministry. The National Day was marked in all of Romania’s cities and also abroad. The Romanian soldiers on mission in the theaters of operations in Afghanistan, the western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland also participated in military ceremonies.

In Bucharest, in a message on the national day, the Senate speaker, Teodor Melescanu, underlined that this day brings to the forefront the ideals of union, prosperity and freedom, which we have to cherish and support, to make Romania powerful. In turn, the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, urged the Romanians to remain united in the face of obstacles, to give Romania the place that it deserves and to make it brighter. (translation by L. Simion)

2 December 2019
December 1, 2019

National Day — On December 1, the National Day of Romania, as many as 4 thousand military and experts with the Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the National Administration of Penitentiaries and around 200 vehicles participated in Bucharest in a traditional military parade. The event, which was attended by President Klaus Iohannis, also involved the participation of 500 military from 21 allied countries. Various events are taking place in other cities of Romania as well, with the national flag flying at all the military institutions across the country. The great ensign was displayed on sea and river ships. The Romanian military who are on mission in the theaters of operations in Afghanistan, the western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland are participating in military ceremonies to mark the national day. The city of Alba Iulia, in the center, the place of the Great Union of December 1, 1918, will also host a military parade in which 1,400 military will participate, in the presence of the PM Ludovic Orban. Alongside members of his cabinet, the PM has laid a wreath of flowers at the monument of the Great Union.

Message — On the occasion of the National Day of Romania the Liberal PM Ludovic Orban has conveyed a message to Romanians: ‘Today, 101 years since the Great Union, when Romania had to suffer a lot because of the war, of Communism and even because of recent events, we are celebrating the National Day with the feeling of true liberation and of making a new dream come true’, said the PM. He added that we have the chance to change things for the better, to live in a democratic country in which the state institutions serve the citizens and the law is valid for everyone. The PM went on to say that it was high time we consolidated the European Romania that should guarantee its citizens their fundamental rights and liberties.

EU – The new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen will take office on December 1. The EU members have decided that the new Commission will have only 27 commissioners, after Great Britain refused to appoint a commissioner in the context of Brexit. The Romanian Adina Valean with the European Peoples Party has been appointed Transport Commissioner. The College of Commissioners will meet on December 4 to make several administrative decisions.

NATO — London will host the NATO summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will mark the Alliance’s 70th anniversary. High on the agenda of talks are issues such as the fight against terrorism, arms control and the relations with Russia and China. Romania will be represented by President Klaus Iohannis. According to the presidential administration, Romania’s head of state will highlight Romania’s contribution within NATO and will underline the need to continue the process of adapting the alliance posture of deterrence and defense on the eastern flank and the Black Sea region.

Handball – Romania’s national handball team has obtained its first victory at the world championship hosted by Japan defeating the team of Senegal 29-24 on Sunday, in Kumamoto, in the championship’s Group C. On Saturday, in their first match, the Romanian hadnballers were defeated by Spain 31-16. In the other matches of the group, Montenegro defeated Kazakhstan 30-21 and Spain defeated Hungary 29-25. Romania’s next match is scheduled for December 3, against Kazakhstan. (translation by L. Simion)

1 December 2019
30.11.2019 (mise à jour)

Journée nationale – Le 1 Décembre, à l’occasion de la Journée nationale roumaine, quelque 4000 militaires et experts des Ministères de l’Intérieur, de la Défense, des Services roumains de Renseignements et de l’Administration locale des Pénitentiaires, appuyés par 200 moyens techniques participeront à la traditionnelle parade militaire nationale organisée sur Bucarest. Y seront également sur place, 500 soldats des 21 pays alliés ou partenaires de la Roumanie. Si la météo le permet, un spectacle aérien avec 50 avions sera également au programme. Des cérémonies similaires auront lieu sur l’ensemble de la Roumanie. La Journée nationale sera marquée aussi par les soldats roumains déployés en Afghanistan, dans les Balkans de l’Ouest, au Mali et en Irak, tout comme en Pologne. Une série de manifestations ont eu également lieu samedi à Alba Iulia, au centre de la Roumanie. Décrétée Journée nationale après la chute du communisme, en décembre 1989, le 1 Décembre marque la Grande Union de toutes les Principautés roumaines à l’issue de la Première Guerre Mondiale.

Visite – Le ministre roumain de la Défense nationale, Nicolae Ciuca et le remplaçant du chef de l’Etat major, le général lieutenant, Daniel Petrescu, ont eu samedi, une entrevue à Bucarest, avec le chef de l’Etat major de la défense ukrainienne, le général- lieutenant, Ruslan Khomchak, qui fait une visite officielle en Roumanie. Les discussions ont porté notamment sur le stade et les perspectives des relations de coopération bilatérale dans le domaine de la défense. Toujours à l’agenda des pourparlers: les récentes évolutions de la sécurité régionale et la croissance de l’interopérabilité en vue des manoeuvres militaires communes.

Euro 2020 – Un million de billets seront mis en vente du 4 au 18 décembre pour les supporters des 20 équipes nationales de football qualifiées à l’Euro 2020. Les supporters des 4 équipes qui obtiendront leur qualification suite aux barrages, y compris ceux de Roumanie, pourront acheter leurs places juste après les matchs des plays off prévus les 26 et 31 mars prochains. Plus de la moitié des billets s’encadreront dans la catégorie de prix la plus accessible allant de 30 euros pour les matchs de phase de groupe disputés à Bakou, Bucarest et Budapest à 50 euros, dans le cas des matchs prévus dans les autres villes. L’Euro 2020 est le plus important Championnat européen jamais organisé par l’UEFA. Quelque 3 millions de billets seront mis en vente dont 82% à la disposition de tous les supporters.

Handball – La sélection nationale de handball féminin de la Roumanie s’est inclinée samedi, devant l’Espagne, lors de son premier match du groupe C des préliminaires de la Coupe du monde accueillie par le Japon jusqu’au 15 décembre. Dans le même groupe l’on retrouve le Sénégal, le Kazakhstan, le Monténégro et la Hongrie. Les 3 premiers classés se verront qualifier dans l’étape suivante de la compétition. Notons qu’entre 1957 et 2017 la Roumanie n’a jamais manqué une compétition mondiale de handball. Les Tricolores ont décroché l’argent en 2005, en Russie et le bronze, en 2015, au Danemark.

Météo – Dans les 24 prochaines heures, la météo sera plutôt clémente, en dépit des températures qui continueront à baisser. Les températures maximales iront de 1 à 8 degrés. Il pleuvra sur le sud-est du territoire et la neige fera son apparition en altitude.

30 November 2019
30.11.2019

Journée nationale – Des cérémonies se déroulent ce samedi, à Alba Iulia, à la veille de la Fête nationale roumaine marquée le 1 Décembre, jour de la Grande Union. Des parades militaires, des dépôts de gerbes, des concerts et des films auront lieu tout au long de la journée. Demain, quelque 4000 militaires et experts des Ministères de l’Intérieur, de la Défense, des Services roumains de Renseignements et de l’Administration locale des Pénitentiaires, appuyés par 200 moyens techniques participeront à la traditionnelle parade militaire nationale organisée sur Bucarest. Y seront également sur place, 500 soldats des 21 pays alliés ou partenaires de la Roumanie. Si la météo le permet, un spectacle aérien avec 50 avions sera également au programme. Des cérémonies similaires auront lieu sur l’ensemble de la Roumanie. La Journée nationale sera marquée aussi par les soldats roumains déployés en Afghanistan, dans les Balkans de l’Ouest, au Mali et en Irak, tout comme en Pologne. Décrétée Journée nationale après la chute du communisme, en décembre 1989, le 1 Décembre marque la Grande Union de toutes les Principautés roumaines à l’issue de la Première Guerre Mondiale.

Forces de l’ordre – Plus de 27.000 fonctionnaires du Ministère roumain de l’Intérieur seront déployés dimanche, sur l’ensemble de la Roumanie, pour assurer l’ordre public à l’occasion des cérémonies censées marquer la Fête nationale de la Roumanie. Selon un communiqué de presse du ministère susmentionné, on s’attend à plus de 600 manifestations qui nécessiteront la présence des policiers, gendarmes, sapeur- pompiers et secouristes du SMURD.

Saint André – Les chrétiens du monde entier, y compris de Roumanie, pays à majorité orthodoxe, marquent ce samedi la Saint-André. D’après l’Eglise orthodoxe, Saint André est le patron de la Roumanie après avoir prêché, en première, le christianisme, en Dobrodgea. Il est mort crucifié à Patras, en Grèce. Dans un message à l’occasion de cette journée de fête, le chef de l’Etat, Klaus Iohannis, a rappelé aux Roumains de Roumanie et d’ailleurs, d’œuvrer ensemble pour préserver l’identité spirituelle du peuple roumain. Cette journée devrait nous offrir l’occasion de renforcer l’unité et la cohésion nationale, a encore précisé le président roumain. Presque 700.000 Roumains portent le prénom d’André ou ses dérivés.

Commission européenne – La Commission Européenne de l’Allemande, Ursula von der Leyen, entrera en fonction le 1 décembre. Les Etats membres ont décidé que le nouvel Exécutif pourra fonctionner avec 27 commissaires à la place de 28, après le refus de Londres d’avancer sa proposition dans le contexte du Brexit. De la part de la Roumanie, c’est Adina Valean, issue du Groupe des Populaires européens, qui s’est vu attribuer le portefeuille des Transports. La première réunion officielle du Collège des commissaires aura lieu le 4 décembre et portera sur l’adoption de plusieurs décisions bureaucratiques.

OTAN – Un sommet de l’OTAN aura lieu mardi et mercredi, à Londres, pour marquer le 70ème anniversaire de l’Alliance de l’Atlantique Nord. Les pourparlers porteront sur la lutte contre le terrorisme, le contrôle des armements ou encore les relations sino-russes. La Roumanie y sera représentée par le chef de l’Etat, Klaus Iohannis. Une occasion pour Klaus Iohannis de mettre en évidence le rôle de la Roumanie au sein de l’OTAN et la nécessité de poursuivre le renforcement de la sécurité sur le flanc oriental et dans la région de la Mer Noire.

Handball – La sélection nationale de handball féminin de la Roumanie affronte l’Espagne, ce samedi, dans son premier match du groupe C des préliminaires de la Coupe du monde accueillie par le Japon jusqu’au 15 décembre. Dans le même groupe l’on retrouve le Sénégal, le Kazakhstan, le Monténégro et la Hongrie. Les 3 premiers classés se verront qualifier dans l’étape suivante de la compétition. Notons qu’entre 1957 et 2017 la Roumanie n’a jamais manqué une compétition mondiale de handball. Les Tricolores ont décroché l’argent en 2005, en Russie et le bronze, en 2015, au Danemark.

Météo – En Roumanie, la météo devient de moins en moins clémente, à l’exception du sud-est où les températures continuent à dépasser légèrement la normale saisonnière. Il pleut presque partout en Roumanie et la neige et la giboulée font leur apparition en altitude. Le vent souffle assez fort, notamment à la montagne où les rafales atteignent les 80 km/heure. Les températures maximales vont de 4 à 14 degrés. Ciel couvert et 7 degrés à midi, à Bucarest

30 November 2019