Radio România Internațional

Tag: rally

  • After street clashes, political squabble

    After street clashes, political squabble

    A harmful influence, which fuels conflicts and persistently and deliberately induces discord in the Romanian society, disregarding and overstepping his constitutional powers. This is how the Social Democratic Party depicts the President Klaus Iohannis, in a harsh message that further strains the already tense relationship between the ruling party and the head of state.



    The Social Democrats accuse the President, whom they dub “the Divider, of daring to encourage the anarchic, anti-governmental and anti-Power street protests. There is no doubt, they go on, although without producing evidence for their claims, that Iohannis political supporters were involved in organising the protests, encouraged harsh and obscene rhetoric and attitudes, and some of them even predicted and plotted the street violence.



    The Social Democrats believe that the Presidents request for an investigation into the riot police response on Friday is aimed at humiliating and scaring the gendarmes into submission, weakening the determination of institutions that are vital to protecting public order.



    In response, Klaus Iohannis addressed the citizens, reiterating the opinion he had expressed shortly after Fridays street clashes, namely that the gendarmes intervention was blatantly disproportionate compared to the conduct of the vast majority of the protesters. Civic participation was severely punished with tear gas, water cannons and excessive brutality, Klaus Iohannis argued. Violence and the brutal repression of protesters are unacceptable under any circumstances, and attacking innocent people, journalists, women and children is unimaginable in an EU member state, the President said. The Social Democrats chaotic and irrational governing, with controversial and anti-constitutional regulations and with attacks against magistrates, is now followed by repressive conduct, Iohannis says:



    Klaus Iohannis: “Those who seek to crush the judiciary and the fight against corruption wanted a diversion, to build unnecessary and false tension within society. What will happen next, if this government continues to treat its own citizens like this, if it continues to resort to violent repression against those who do not want Romania thrown back into the past?



    Tens of participants in Fridays protests filed criminal complaints against riot police, and prosecutors extended their investigations for misdeeds ranging from abuse of office to misconduct. They also investigate whether the gendarmes left behind two of their colleagues, who were unprotected and were beaten by hooligans.



    Fortunately, the street violence, reminding people of the struggles to reconstruct Romanian democracy in the first years after the fall of communism, did not occur the following days. But the political disputes that it has triggered are only beginning.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Social Democratic Rally in Bucharest

    Social Democratic Rally in Bucharest

    Street music and theatre performances, a football match, marches in support of and against the LGTB community, meetings promoting the reunification of Romania with the neighbouring Republic of Moldova; these are just a few of the many events that the Romanian capital hosted on Saturday, a day which fortunately passed without serious incidents being reported.



    The largest event of the day was the rally staged by the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, which brought to Bucharest more than 100,000 people. Members and supporters were called from all across the country to protest against what the Social Democratic Leader Liviu Dragnea described as abuse and violation of the rule of law principles.



    Speaking on behalf of his party colleagues and Liberal-Democratic junior partners, he has accused the existence of an illegitimate, underground structure, which he has generically dubbed “the parallel state, which is allegedly influencing the decisions of the judiciary. This nebulous structure would include prosecutors, including the head of the National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, special services generals, civic activists, hostile journalists and right wing opposition politicians.



    Allegedly established by the former head of state Traian Basescu and currently headed by the current president Klaus Iohannis, the parallel state would be the one preventing the left from providing Romanians with the well-being they promised in 2016, when, after a short technocratic governing, the Social Democratic Party once again took the reigns of power. “We want prosperity, not security was one of the slogans chanted during the rally, hinting at the hideous political police of the communist dictatorship, the Securitate, which, they say, is now back to life, in a democracy which was nonetheless validated by Romanias joining the European Union and NATO.



    According to a large part of the media, constantly challenged by a civil society that accuses the power of wanting to stop the fight against corruption and manipulating the magistracy, the Social Democratic Party needed the rally to gain legitimacy as the main political force in the country.



    However marginal, there are voices in the party, though, who say that organizing a protest rally when you actually control the Government, Parliament, prefectures and three quarters of the countrys municipalities is rather absurd.



    To the Liberal opposition, the rally was a profoundly undemocratic action, aimed to intimidate the magistrates, the public servants and the state sector employees who refuse to obey political orders, and also the journalists who dare challenge and criticize the Social Democratic Party.



    International news agencies have reported on the event, describing it as the majority gathering troops against magistrates and also noting that on Friday, right on the eve of the rally, the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed, for the third time, the verdict in the process in which prosecutors of the National Anti-corruption Directorate called on the judges to sentence Dragnea to 7 years and 5 months in prison for abuse of office and 2 years and 6 months for forgery. In 2016 he already got a suspended two-year prison sentence for attempted electoral fraud. (Edited by D. Vijeu)

  • June 10, 2018 UPDATE

    June 10, 2018 UPDATE

    PROTEST – A fresh anti-government protest was organized in Bucharest on Sunday evening. Under the slogan “The Country is on fire! Light for democracy, the civic organizations which initiated the rally want to express their disagreement with the policies pursued by the ruling coalition in such domains as justice, the environment and the economy. The protest is staged just a day after the Social Democrats and Liberals-Democrats on Saturday organized the biggest rally since taking over power, a year and a half ago. The over 100,000 participants protested against what they called abuses and the infringement of the principles of the rule of law. They denounced the existence of an illegitimate and underground structure, which they generically deem as “the parallel state and which allegedly influences the state institutions and decision-making in the justice field. On Friday, the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed issuing a verdict, for a third time, in a lawsuit in which the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, is accused of corruption offences. The anti-corruption prosecutors called on the court to issue a seven year and five month jail sentence for abuse of office on Dragneas name, in addition to two years and six months for forgery. In 2016, Dragnea got a final, suspended two year sentence, for attempted rigging.



    JUSTICE – A delegation of the Venice Commission pays a two-day visit to Romania as of Monday, for consultations on the modifications brought to the justice laws. The delegation is due to have talks with President Klaus Iohannis, with other officials at the Romanian Parliament, the Justice Ministry, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the Constitutional Court, the Prosecutor Generals Office, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, the Superior Council of Magistracy, associations of judges and prosecutors and civil society organisations. Both President Iohannis and the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) have requested the opinion of this consultative body, made up of independent experts on constitutional law, on the laws on judicial organisation, the functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy and the status of judges and prosecutors. The requests were made amidst accusations launched by the right-of-centre opposition, civic organisations and part of a press, according to whom by modifying these laws, the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania is allegedly trying to halt the fight against corruption and to subordinate magistrates.



    ADMINISTRATIVE CODE – The Romanian Senate will debate on Monday the draft Administrative Code, after it has been debated and adopted by the relevant parliamentary committee. The Senate is the first notified chamber in this case. The document regulates the organisation and functioning of authorities and institutions in the public administration: the government, ministries, prefects offices, county councils, city halls, defines the status of those working in these institutions and sets the guidelines for decentralisation and local autonomy.



    HALEP – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has congratulated the Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on her victory at the Roland Garros tennis tournament. In a message posted on a social network, the head of state has underlined that Haleps first Grand Slam trophy in her career comes at the end of a final in which she fought for every ball, without giving up any moment. In turn, PM Viorica Dăncilă has praised, in a message, the way in which Halep fought on court, saying her performance was a further confirmation that she deserved the trophy. Both the Romanian and international press has hailed Simona Haleps win in Paris. The no.1 WTA tennis player defeated the American Sloane Stephens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Her success at Roland Garros comes 45 years since Romanian Ilie Năstase won the tournament hosted by the French capital city for the second time in a row and 40 years since her current manager, Virginia Ruzici, won the French Open.



    SINGAPORE – The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, has arrived in Singapore, ahead of a historic summit with the US President, Donald Trump. In turn, the White House leader comes from Quebec, where he attended the G7 summit. The Kim-Trump Summit scheduled for Tuesday morning will be a first meeting between the Kim dynasty heir and an acting US President. The discussions which are likely to produce uncertain, unclear results, will be aimed at reaching an agreement on North Koreas complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation, in exchange for an easing of economic and diplomatic sanctions.



    CANOEING – Romanians Leonid Carp and Victor Mihalachi on Sunday won gold in the 500m double canoe race, at the European Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia. On Saturday they grabbed a silver medal in the 1,000 m double canoe race. Romanian Mihaela Lulea also got silver in the 200m paracanoe race.



    THEATRE FESTIVAL – The Sibiu International Theatre Festival, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world continues in Sibiu, central Romania. Sundays highlights included 50 events organised not only in halls but also in unconventional places: theatre and dance shows, contemporary circus, concerts, exhibitions, theatre workshops and street parades. We recall that over 3,300 artists from 73 countries are participating in the 25th edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, which runs until next Sunday.

  • June 10, 2018

    June 10, 2018

    HALEP – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has congratulated the Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on her victory at the Roland Garros tennis tournament. In a message posted on a social network, the head of state has underlined that Haleps first Grand Slam trophy in her career comes at the end of a final in which she fought for every ball, without giving up any moment. In turn, PM Viorica Dăncilă has praised, in a message, the way in which Halep fought on court, saying her performance was a further confirmation that she deserved the trophy. Both the Romanian and international press has hailed Simona Haleps win in Paris. The no.1 WTA tennis player defeated the American Sloane Stephens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Her success at Roland Garros comes 45 years since Romanian Ilie Năstase won the tournament hosted by the French capital city for the second time in a row and 40 years since her current manager, Virginia Ruzici, won the French Open.



    JUSTICE – A delegation of the Venice Commission pays a two-day visit to Romania as of Monday, for consultations on the modifications brought to the justice laws. The delegation is due to have talks with President Klaus Iohannis, with other officials at the Romanian Parliament, the Justice Ministry, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the Constitutional Court, the Prosecutor Generals Office, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, the Superior Council of Magistracy, associations of judges and prosecutors and civil society organisations. Both President Iohannis and the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) have requested the opinion of this consultative body, made up of independent experts on constitutional law, on the laws on judicial organisation, the functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy and the status of judges and prosecutors. The requests were made amidst accusations launched by the right-of-centre opposition, civic organisations and part of a press, according to whom by modifying these laws, the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania is allegedly trying to halt the fight against corruption and to subordinate magistrates.



    RALLY – Over 100,000 Romanians coming from all across the country on Saturday took part in a rally in Victory Square in Bucharest, organised by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania. They protested against what the Social Democrats and their junior partners in the ruling coalition called abuses and the infringement of the principles of the rule of law. They denounced what they called the existence of a illegitimate and underground structure, which they generically deem as “the parallel state which influence the state institutions and decision-making in the justice field. The Liberals, in the parliamentary opposition, claim the rally was a deeply undemocratic action to intimidate magistrates, civil servants and the public sector employees who do not listen to political command or journalists who are critical of the Social Democratic Party.



    ADMINISTRATIVE CODE – The Romanian Senate will debate on Monday the draft Administrative Code, after it has been debated and adopted by the relevant parliamentary committee. The Senate is the first notified chamber in this case. The document regulates the organisation and functioning of authorities and institutions in the public administration: the government, ministries, prefects offices, county councils, city halls, defines the status of those working in these institutions and sets the guidelines for decentralisation and local autonomy.



    SINGAPORE – The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, has arrived in Singapore, ahead of a historic summit with the US President, Donald Trump. In turn, the White House leader comes from Quebec, where he attended the G7 summit. The Kim-Trump Summit scheduled for Tuesday morning will be a first meeting between the Kim dynasty heir and an acting US President. The discussions which are likely to produce uncertain, unclear results, will be aimed at reaching an agreement on North Koreas complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation, in exchange for an easing of economic and diplomatic sanctions.



    THEATRE FESTIVAL – The Sibiu International Theatre Festival, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world continues in Sibiu, central Romania. Sundays highlights include 50 events organised not only in halls but also in unconventional places: theatre and dance shows, contemporary circus, concerts, exhibitions, theatre workshops and street parades. We recall that over 3,300 artists from 73 countries are participating in the 25th edition of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, which runs until next Sunday.

  • June 9, 2018

    June 9, 2018

    FINANCES – Romanians working abroad are among Romania’s most important investors, Central Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu has said. Isarescu has taken into account the value and destination of the money they send to the country. The Central Bank has said that the money of the Romanians working abroad is more and more used in starting a business. Around 3.5 million Romanians are working abroad, with countries such as Spain, Germany and Britain as their main destination.




    CEREMONY – General Nicolae Ciuca, the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Army, is today attending the ceremony occasioned by the anniversary of the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at the invitation of Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart William Peach, according to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Defence Ministry. This is recognition of the good cooperation between the two armies and an opportunity to promote at military level the interests of the Romanian Army in the relation with the British Army, one of its most important allies, the communiqué also reads.




    FESTIVAL– The Sibiu International Theatre Festival, which started on Friday, continues with over 40 events being held today. One of the festival’s sold-out shows is “Alle-Retour”, directed by Gigi Caciuleanu, which brings on the stage of the State Philharmonic Romanian and French dancers. Almost 13 million Euros is the budget of this years edition of the festival. Until June 17, the audience will have the opportunity to watch some 524 performances. The 25th edition of the festival has brought to Sibiu 3,300 artists from 73 countries. This is the first year when the festival has two honorary patrons: the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, a former mayor of Sibiu, and Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, who is famous for his passion for the region of Transylvania.




    RALLY – Romanian authorities have announced that extensive security measures will be taken during the public gatherings and marches to unfold later today in the capital Bucharest. The Social Democratic Party (PSD), the main party of the ruling coalition, is staging a rally, which, according to its leader, Liviu Dragnea, is against what he calls the abuse and violation of the principles of the rule of law. On Friday, the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed again, for June 21st, the ruling in a case involving the Chamber of Deputies Speaker, Liviu Dragnea, who is accused of corruption deeds. Dragnea denies all allegations. In 2016 he received a 2-year suspended prison sentence for attempting to rig a 2012 national referendum calling for impeachment of the country’s president. A March for Normality is also being held in Bucharest later today, in support of the values of traditional family, at the same time with a March for Diversity, promoting the rights of sexual minorities as human rights.




    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no.1 in the WTA rankings and first-seed at the French Open, is today playing the final against the American Sloane Stephens, no.10 in the world. In the semifinals, Halep defeated the Spanish Garbine Muguruza, number three in the world, and winner in Paris in 2016, while Sloane Stephens defeated her co-national Madison Keys (no.13 WTA). This is the third Roland Garros final for Simona Halep, after the ones in 2014 and 2017, which she did not manage to win. (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • June 4, 2018 UPDATE

    June 4, 2018 UPDATE

    Rally — The leader of the Social Democratic Party, the main party in the governing coalition, and speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Liviu Dragnea, announced the organization, on Saturday, of a rally against what they call abuses and violation of the rule of law principles. The Social Democrats point the finger to the existence of an illegitimate underground structure, which they generically called the ‘parallel state’ and which influences the decisions of the judiciary. On the eve of the rally, on Friday June 8 the High Court of Cassation and Justice might give its verdict in a case in which Dragnea is accused of corruption crimes. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutors asked the court for a sentence of 7 years and 5 months in prison for abuse of office and of 2 years and 6 months for intellectual forgery. They accuse Dragnea of having ordered the fictitious employment of two Social Democratic Party members at the Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection when he was president of the Teleorman county council. The two were paid from public money although they worked exclusively for the Social Democratic Party. In 2016, Dragnea received a definitive, suspended two-year sentence for attempted electoral fraud.



    Bute Gala— The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest might give its verdict in the so-called Bute Gala case on Tuesday. In this case the former minister of regional development Elena Udrea was sentenced, in a court of first instance, to 6 years in prison for bribe taking and abuse of office. She also has to pay around 3 million Euros worth of damages. In the same case, the former president of the Romanian Boxing Federation, Rudel Obreja, was sentenced to 5 years in prison while the former economy minister Ion Ariton was acquitted. According to the National Anti-Corruption Directorate prosecutors, Udrea coordinated a system through which people in her entourage received money from the representatives of certain companies, to guarantee them the payment, on time, of the works funded by the ministry she headed. Currently Elena Udrea is in Costa Rica where she has asked for political asylum.



    Chisinau — More than 100 mayors from the Republic of Moldova who have this year signed symbolic declarations for the union with neighboring Romania have called on the Romanian government and parliament to receive delegations from the unionist mayoralties and to set up an institution meant to coordinate their relationship. The signatories say the Romanian authorities have shown openness towards the issue and believe they have the moral right to ask for support from the state which they want to unite with. They also added that they would help gather signatures for the modification of the Romanian Constitution with the purpose of national reunion. The unionist mayors have made the appeal after, on Sunday, the candidate of the pro-European group Andrei Nastase won the early local elections for the Chisinau city hall after defeating the pro-Russian Socialist Ion Ceban.



    Motion — The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Monday debated the simple motion tabled by the opposition Liberal Party against the Social Democrat minister of finance Eugen Teodorovici. Entitled ‘The fiscal mess of the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats will leave you without pension money’, the motion accuses the lack of predictability of the government measures in the fiscal domain as well as their intention to render Pension Pillar 2 optional. In reply, minister Teodorovici said that all the modifications adopted this year were aimed at simplifying procedures and diminishing administration costs. The simple motion will receive the final vote on Wednesday in the plenum meeting of the Chamber of Deputies.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep, world’s no. 1 and 1st seed in Roland Garros, the year’s 2nd Grand Slam tournament, on Monday defeated the Belgian player Elise Mertens (16 WTA) 6-2, 6-1, in the eight finals. In the quarterfinals, Halep will play against the German Angelique Kerber (12 WTA) who defeated the French Caroline Garcia (7 WTA), 6-2, 6-3. Also on Monday in the women’s doubles the pair Mihaela Buzărnescu/Irina Maria defeated 6-4, 6-3 the American pair Jennifer Brady/Vania King thus reaching the quarterfinals. Next the Romanian pair will be up against the pair Hao-Ching Chan (Taiwan)/Zhaoxuan Yang (China), 8th seeded, who defeated the pair Sorana Cîrstea (Romania)/Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spain) in the eights finals 6-2, 6-4.



    Football — Romania’s national football team will take on the Finish eleven, on Tuesday, on home ground, in the southern city of Ploiesti, in a friendly match. Romania’s team, who failed to qualify to the World Cup this month, in Russia, played, last week, in Austria another friendly match against Chile, the en titre champion of South America, which they won 3-2. These are the last preparation matches of the Romanian footballers ahead of the newly created Nations League, where, in autumn, they will play in Group 4 of League C of the Nations’ League against Serbia, Montenegro and Lithuania. The match in Ploiesti is the last one for goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont (40) who played 85 times for the national team. (news translated and updated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • May 28, 2018 UPDATE

    May 28, 2018 UPDATE

    BLACK SEA – The security situation in the Wider Black Sea Region is currently defined by volatility and marked by a potential for conflict, trends which are likely to continue in the short and medium run, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis believes. In a message conveyed on Monday at the opening of the 2018 edition of an event entitled ‘Security in the Black Sea Region: common challenges, sustainable future, the Romanian President also emphasised that in this complex and dynamic context the use of all international communication means is all the more important. Romania reiterates its goals of stabilising the region through dialogue and the peaceful resolution of divergences, the Presidents message also reads. Taking part in this years edition are representatives of regional, European and Euro-Atlantic decision-makers, academics and civil society leaders from 16 countries. The Programme is an alternative platform for communication and cooperation between diplomatic bodies, the academic environment and the security authorities in the Black Sea region. The 2018 edition, held between May 28 and 31, focuses on “Shaping the future of the Black Sea region: game-changers and predictors.




    POLITICAL – The Social Democratic Party, in power in Romania, organises in Bucharest on June 9 a large-scale Government support rally, the president of a county branch of the party told Agerpress news agency on Monday. According to him, party members and supporters from around the country will be present, but all citizens who have confidence in the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats are invited. President Klaus Iohannis has repeatedly called on the PM Viorica Dăncilă to step down, on grounds that she is unable to run the government. The announcement regarding the Social Democrats rally came on the same day when Pro Romania platform launched its political agenda. The platform is headed by the former PM Victor Ponta, and it was joined by several former Social Democratic members and MPs who are unhappy with what they see as the authoritarian approach of the partys current president, Liviu Dragnea.



    FOREIGN AFFAIRS – The head of the Romanian diplomacy, Teodor Meleşcanu, reiterated, at the Brussels meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, Romanias support for the efforts of France, Germany and the UK to carry on the nuclear deal with Iran, as well as the importance of the dialogue with the US to identify a sustainable solution to the Iranian file. The EU foreign ministers reaffirmed in Brussels their support for keeping the agreement with Iran in place after the withdrawal of the US, and the need for Iran to continue to implement it. The agenda of the meeting also included the recent developments in Venezuela and Congo.



    VISIT – The Minister delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, was on a visit to Helsinki on Monday, and had meetings with Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sport Sampo Terho, and with the secretary of state for European affairs Kare Yrjo Halonen. During the talks, the two parties reiterated their commitment to strengthening dialogue and cooperation in the field of European affairs, in the context of the successive presidency of the European Union Council by Romania and Finland in the 2 semesters of 2019. The participants also emphasised the common goal of the 2 presidential terms, namely to contribute to promoting a European agenda based on unity and the cohesion of the European project. Victor Negrescu said Romania and Finland share the goal of making the EU more flexible, more cohesive and more pragmatic in its actions, but, above all, closer to its citizens.



    DEFENCE – The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihai Fifor, is as of Monday on a 3-day official visit to France, at the invitation of his counterpart, Florence Parly. According to a news release issued by the Romanian Defence Ministry, the 2 will discuss, among other things, the security situation at the Black Sea and the development prospects of the bilateral relations in the field of defence, including in the area of military equipment. The Romanian official will also have a meeting with President Emmanuel Macrons diplomatic adviser, Philippe Etienne, the former Ambassador of France to Romania. The agenda also includes visits to the companies MBDA and Airbus Helicopter, the Defence Ministry release reads.



    TENNIS – Two Romanian players have qualified into the second round of this years Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year. Mihaela Buzărnescu (no 32 WTA) defeated the American Vania King, 2-0 on Monday, while Alexandra Dulgheru (160 WTA) beat the American Christina McHale. In the mens competition, the only Romanian player, Marius Copil (95 ATP), lost to the Italian Marco Cecchinato (72 ATP) in 5 sets. Four Romanians are playing in the French Open on Tuesday. World no 1 and first seeded in the tournament, Simona Halep, takes on Alison Riske (USA, 105 WTA). Halep has so far lost 2 Roland Garros finals. Irina Begu (41 WTA) takes on the Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (no 78), Sorana Cîrstea (45 WTA) faces the Australian Daria Gavrilova (no 24), and Ana Bogdan (no 65 WTA) plays against the Czech Marketa Vondrousova (no 90).


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • October 8, 2017 UPDATE

    October 8, 2017 UPDATE

    NATO — The NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, is coming to Bucharest on Monday, when he is to discuss with President Klaus Iohannis about the forthcoming NATO summit and the status of its eastern flank. The two officials will take part together in the opening of the plenary meeting of the 63rd session of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly. More than 50 delegations from NATO member or partner countries are taking part in the session hosted by the Romanian capital city. Members of the Romanian Government have already addressed the participants, pleading for closer cooperation between the Allies. Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu warned that the buildup of Russian forces at the Black Sea does not target this region alone, but also the Mediterranean and the Middle East, while the Defence Minister Mihai Fifor argued that simplified procedures and legislation in European countries would facilitate the movement of NATO troops from one country to another, allowing for easier participation in exercises involving large numbers of troops and equipment.



    LEGISLATION — The leaders of the Social Democratic Party and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, the two parties in the ruling coalition, will discuss next week the final texts of the laws on the judiciary. After that, according to the Social Democratic president Liviu Dragnea, the new legislation will be discussed in Parliament. Dragnea says the justice minister Tudorel Toader is drawing closer to finalising the new legislative package. Heavily criticised by the Opposition, civil society and the mass media, and disapproved of by the Higher Council of Magistrates, Toader’s draft laws stipulate, among other things, that the president of the country will no longer be involved in the appointment of the Prosecutor General and the chiefs of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism. The bills also make the judicial inspection corps subordinated to the Justice Ministry, and increase the length in office required for the promotion of magistrates.



    SPAIN — Hundreds of thousands once again took to the streets on Sunday in Barcelona, to call for unity and protest the planned secession of Catalonia. The Nobel-winning Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, who is a Spanish citizen as well, was among the protesters. Employers organisations in Catalonia have also voiced concerns over the separatist intentions of the regional government, announced after last week’s referendum. Rulled illegal by the Spanish constitutional court, and marred by police violence, the referendum brough 2 million out of Catalonia’s 5.3 million people to polls, and 90% of the votes were in favour of secession.



    TENNIS — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep Sunday lost the Beijing tournament final to Caroline Garcia (France), 6-4, 7-6. On Saturday, in the semi-finals, Halep had defeated Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, a victory thanks to which as of Monday Halep is the new WTA no 1. Her performance was hailed by top personalities in Romanian and world sports, Romanian politicians and tennis fans. Simona Halep’s coach, the Australian Darren Cahill, the great gymnast Nadia Comăneci and former tennis player Boris Becker of Germany were among those who congratulated Simona Halep. According to Romanian tennis player Ilie Năstase, WTA no 1 in the ‘70s, the hardest is yet to come for Simona Halep, the first Romanian tennis player to have won the top world position in the women’s singles.



    HANDBALL — Romania’s women’s handball champions CSM Bucharest started the 2017-2018 Champions League season with a clear home win against Slovenians Krim Ljubljana, 30-18. In the other Group A game, the Danish side Nykobing Falster outplayed the Polish Vistal Gdynia, 27-21. In the next match in the group, CSM will play in Gdynia, on October 11. In the men’s competition, CSM Bucharest lost at home, 26-30, against SKA Minsk, of Belarus, in the first leg of the second round of the EHF Cup. The decisive leg will be played on October 15, in Minsk.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Demonstration and Contestation

    Demonstration and Contestation

    Every night, hundreds of people take to the streets of Bucharest and other big cities across the country and abroad to protest, peacefully but firmly, against the Government who has decided to turn a deaf ear to their protests and go on with the emergency ordinance amending the criminal codes and the bill on collective pardon.



    On Thursday, President Klaus Iohannis challenged the emergency ordinance amending the Criminal Codes at the Constitutional Court, evoking the conflict this ordinance creates between the Government, on the one side, and Parliament and the judiciary, on the other. The President says that the Government, which he has unhesitatingly termed as “reckless, made an illegal move by issuing the ordinance, as the matter was by no means an urgent one. He has again called on the Social Democrat Prime-Minister to abrogate the ordinance and has invited politicians to consultations.



    Klaus Iohannis: “I have to ask people to come to Cotroceni and find a solution to this crisis, because things are getting worse by the day and, even if people are protesting in the street, voicing their legitimate discontent, we cannot find solutions there. Solutions must come from politicians so, next week I will definitely invite them to present their solutions to this issue.



    Also on Thursday, Grindeanu and his Cabinet met with the central and local Social Democrat leaders to get their vote of confidence and carry on with the governing program. The leader of the party and the real iron fist of the left wing, Liviu Dragnea, has recalled, again, that the Social Democrats won the December 11 elections thanks to the legitimate votes cast by Romanian citizens.



    Liviu Dragnea: “We are determined to exercise our executive, governmental power, as well as the legislative power granted to us by citizens, and to do that legitimately and by observing the Constitution. We believe that any attempt to undermine the Governments activity is an attempt to destabilize the rule of law in Romania, through means that are arguably legal.



    Far from being monolithic, though, both the Government and the Social Democratic Party have started to show cracks in the foundation. Just one month after being sworn in, the Minister for Business Environment Florin Jianu has resigned, saying that, in order to be able to look his child in the eyes, he can no longer be party to the implementation of such ordinances, which would render innocent dozens of officials charged with and sentenced for corruption.



    The former MP Aurelia Cristea, the State Secretary Ciprian Necula and the local advisor in Resita, south-western Romania, Valentin Lupsa have, too, left the party. Also, the Vice-President of the Social Democratic Party and mayor of Iasi, the largest city in north-eastern Romania, Mihai Chirica, has called for the withdrawal of the ordinance and the resignation of its author, Justice Minister Florin Iordache. (Translated by M. Ignatescu, edited by D. Vijeu)

  • October 21, 2016

    October 21, 2016

    VISA AGREEMENT – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis has announced in Brussels today that Romania reached an agreement with Canada regarding the lifting of visa requirements. Under this multi-stage deal, the Romanian citizens who have previously obtained visas will be allowed to enter Canada without such requirements as of May 1, 2017. All Romanian citizens will then be able to travel to Canada without visas as of December 1 next year. Klaus Iohannis has added that Bucharest no longer objects to the EU – Canada Trade Agreement. On the other hand, the EU leaders convening in Brussels carry on talks today regarding the Unions foreign relations, with a focus on the relations with Russia. President Iohannis says the bombing of Aleppo must cease immediately and humanitarian aid must reach the area. On the sidelines of the Council meeting, Iohannis had talks with the British Prime Minister, Theresa May. According to the Romanian official, May guaranteed that she would be personally involved in making sure there would be no additional pressure on the Romanians working in the UK.



    OFFICIAL VISIT – The Prime Minister of Romania, Dacian Cioloş, and the Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, are on a visit to Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina today, the Government announced in a news release. The two officials will have talks with the commanders of the NATO missions (KFOR and NATO Sarajevo) and EU mission (EUFOR) and will meet with the Romanian troops taking part in missions in the Western Balkans. They will also place flowers at the monument erected in honour of sublieutenant Remus Brânzan, who died during a mission to broaden the Gorazde corridor in Bosnia and Herzegovina.




    BUCHAREST RALLY – Organisers have announced that at least 10,000 people are expected to take part on Saturday in Bucharest in a rally in support of the Republic of Moldova joining Romania, with many of the participants coming from neighbouring Moldova. They believe that, in the current geopolitical context, the union of the two countries is the only solution for the ethnic Romanians, who make up the majority population of Moldova, not to be the victims of a Russian campaign similar to the one against Ukraine and for Moldova to reach the European democracy, lawfulness and prosperity standards. Already a tradition in Bucharest, the pro-Bessarabia rallies started in 2012, with the commemoration of 200 years since this province was first annexed by Tsarist Russia. Todays Republic of Moldova has been established on part of the territory of Bessarabia, which had re-joined Romania after World War 1 and was re-annexed by USSR in 1940.



    ILLEGAL MIGRANTS – Romanian border police Thursday night apprehended 7 Nigerian citizens attempting to illegally cross the border from Serbia in order to enter the Schengen area. The migrants said they had crossed the border on foot, in order to get into a Western European country. They are currently investigated for illegal border crossing. The Serbian authorities were also notified, so that they may conduct joint investigations and implement the readmission agreement.




    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu (no 51 in the world) is playing today against the Dutch Kiki Bertens (22 WTA), in the semi-finals of the Luxembourg tournament, which has 250,000 US dollars in prize money. Niculescu got to this stage of the competition after her opponent in the quarterfinals, the Danish Caroline Wozniacki, pulled out due to illness. Meanwhile, in the quarter-finals of the ATP tournament in Antwerp, which has over 550,000 euros in prize money, the Romanian player Marius Copil (198 in the world) will play Belgiums David Goffin, seed no 1 and currently no 12 in the world. In the second round of the competition, on Thursday, Copil had deafeated another Belgian, Steve Darcis.




    FOOTBALL – Romanias football champions Astra Giurgiu Thursday night won 2-1 away from home, in their match against the Czech side Viktoria Plzen in Europa Leagues Group E. these are the first points won by the Romanian team, which had lost their first two matches, 2-3, on home turf against Austria Viena and 0-4, away from home, against AS Rome. Also on Thursday, in Group L, vice-champions Steaua Bucharest drew 1-all against F.C. Zurich, from Switzerland. Steaua had the exact same result in their previous match, against Spanish side Villarreal, after having lost 0-2 in Turkey against Osmanlispor.

  • New Large-scale Protests in Chisinau

    New Large-scale Protests in Chisinau

    This years general elections and the latest sociological research studies were pointing to the ideological divide in the Republic of Moldova, a country split between pro-Europeans and pro-Russians, between anti-communists and the USSR nostalgics. These factions are themselves split right now, with each group developing radical tendencies.



    The three party ruling coalition of pro-Western orientation, made up of the Liberal-Democrats, the Democrats and the Liberals came to power six years ago on top a wave of public discontent at the long series of abuse and corruption of the pro-Moscow communist rule of the 2001-2009 period. The stake back then, which earned them their mandate, was the countrys European integration.



    Last year the Republic of Moldova signed Association and Free Trade Agreements with the European Union, 2020 being set as the envisaged accession target. However, members of this pro-European Government, in turn, became the targets of huge corruption scandals. The last drop came at the end of last year, when 1 billion dollars mysteriously disappeared from the Moldovan banking system, accounting for 15% of the countrys GDP.



    This was simply unacceptable for the population, whose contribution was key to instating the current power. In the last month, the “Dignity and Truth Platform, a coalition of pro-European NGOs has been organizing rallies in downtown Chisinau, with daily turnouts of tens of thousands of people. Protesters want to hold accountable high-ranking corrupt officials, whom they see responsible for the countrys degrading economy.



    Some protesters have gone as far as labeling Moldova a failed state, openly promoting the idea of re-uniting with neighboring Romania as the only possible solution to fulfill the European standards of equality, democracy and economic development. Against the rising tensions, the socialist and populist opposition has stepped in, blocking the city center and calling on president Nicolae Timofti to step down. The central figure of the anti-presidential strain of the protest movement is Socialist leader Igor Dodon, a known associate of Populist Mayor of Balti, Renato Usatii, whose election campaign was financed by Moscow. In turn, president Timofti admitted the anti-government protests were prompted by a general discontent towards the performance of public institutions and some officials.



    The president has warned, however, that the protests risk being manipulated by pro-Russian revanchist groups seeking to turn the internal turmoil in Moldova to their own advantage and thus block the countrys efforts to join the EU. Last week, Bucharest announced it would give Moldova a 150 million euro refundable loan. The Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta claimed that unless Moldova received support, it risked falling back under the control of the pro-Russian political factions.

  • Wide-scale Protests in Chisinau

    Wide-scale Protests in Chisinau

    A glaring example of corruption is the disappearance of significant funds from three banks: The Savings Bank, the Social Bank and Unibank. The sums of money involved in this case that has already been dubbed the plunder of the century, are said to range between one and two billion US dollars and account for over 15% of Moldova’s GDP.



    The protest movement took place in the Grand National Assembly Square, which, since 1989, has been the stage of the significant events in the recent history of this former Soviet Republic.



    According to the correspondent of Radio Romania, the protesters have also blamed the authorities for Moldova’s side-slipping from its path towards the European Union and have been critical of the political class which failed to find solutions to the real problems of the Republic of Moldova, considered to be one of Europe’s poorest states.



    The initiator of Sunday’s protest is the “Dignity and Truth” Civic Platform, set up in February 2015, with the declared aim of putting pressure on the leadership of the Republic of Moldova, which is said to have stuck into corruption. “If the leaders of main structures do not step down and real reforms are not implemented, society will never know who is responsible for the theft of money from banks”-the co-president of the Civic Platform, Angela Arama, told journalists.



    Similar protests have taken place in Chisinau as of March, but Sunday’s rally has been the widest-scale protest so far. “If the rulers do not step down, we will place tents around Parliament and the Prosecutor’s Office next time we organise a rally”- an activist of the movement, writer and TV presenter Constantin Cheianu has said.



    The scandal around the disappearance of money from the three aforementioned banks serves the Communist opposition in Parliament, which is interested in discrediting the pro-European parties in the ruling alliance and in turning the idea of the country’s integration into the European structures into a failure.



    The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, drew attention in Chisinau last week that solving the crisis which is rocking Moldova’s banking system, and stepping up the reform of the judiciary and the fight against corruption are instrumental in the effort to comply with the commitments made under Moldova’s Association Agreement with the European Union. An analysis of the progress made so far is to be presented at the forth-coming Eastern Partnership Summit of the European Union, which is due in Riga, between May 21st –22nd.