Radio România Internațional

Tag: Rio Olympics

  • The Year 2016 in Review

    The Year 2016 in Review

    A new Government in Romania



    The President of the Timis County Council and former Social-Democrat MP Sorin Grindeanu was nominated for the position of Prime Minister. President Klaus Iohannis accepted the proposal, after previously rejecting the nomination of former Development Minister Sevil Shhaideh. Shhaideh had been the first option of Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea. If accepted, Shhaideh would have been the first female Prime Minister of Romania as well as the countrys first Muslim Prime Minister. Resting on a comfortable majority in Parliament, where the Social-Democrats and their coalition partners, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, are holding the majority, Grindeanus Cabinet marks the return to power of the Social-Democratic Party, following a year of technocratic rule under the leadership of Dacian Ciolos. We recall that Dacian Cioloss Cabinet was sworn in in November 2015, in the wake of mass anti-corruption protests against the Government led by Victor Ponta.



    The Social-Democratic Party scores landslide win in parliamentary elections



    The Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats also won the leadership of the new Parliament after winning the December 11 elections by a wide margin. Liviu Dragnea was appointed Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies while the co-president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats Calin Popescu-Tariceanu secured a new term as Senate Speaker, which is virtually the second-most powerful position in the state. The Social Democrats grabbed over 45% of the votes, while the Liberals grabbed only 25% of the votes, which prompted the resignation of Liberal leader Alina Gorghiu. Six months since its inception, the Save Romania Union, an NGO turned into a political party, became the third party to enter Parliament after securing 9% of the vote. Another three parties managed to get the minimum number of votes to enter Parliament: the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, which announced its support for the Grindeanu Cabinet, without getting any ministry portfolios, and the Peoples Movement Party led by former President Traian Basescu. Less than 40% of Romanians cast their votes to elect the 465 MPs of the new Parliament. The December 11 elections also marked a return to the old party-list voting proportional representation, replacing the 2012 first-past-the-post voting system, which resulted in an overinflated Parliament with 586 MPs.



    First female Mayor of Bucharest



    On June 5, Bucharesters elected the citys first female Mayor, Social-Democrat Gabriela Vranceanu-Firea, who entered politics 4 years ago. A former controversial journalist, Firea grabbed 41% of the vote in a city traditionally controlled by right-wing parties. The voter turnout was very low in Bucharest, standing at 33%, way below the national average of 48%. The local elections were held in a single ballot, the winner being the candidate who grabbed the largest number of votes. The system was criticized by civil society and the media, who have called the mayors legitimacy into question against the backdrop of a low voter turnout.



    Romanian diplomacy in 2016



    Romanias foreign policy in 2016 observed the same guidelines, both in respect to NATO and the European Union, and Russia. Former Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu constantly underlined the importance of a “substantial trans-Atlantic relation and pleaded for strengthening NATOs eastern flank. On the other hand, pragmatism dominated relations with Russia. Romania supported the economic and diplomatic sanctions imposed on Moscow by the European Union and NATO.



    A new president for Moldova



    With respect to the Republic of Moldova, in 2016 Romania continued to support the reform process in this country, with a view to consolidating Moldovas European track. The excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, also owing to the pro-Romanian sympathies of President Nicolae Timofti, as well as the setup of a pro-Western ruling coalition and Parliament majority, now risk crumbling with the election of pro-Russian Socialist Igor Dodon. After the election, president Klaus Iohannis merely said he had taken under advisement the Moldovan citizens vote. The presidencys press release makes no mention to Dodon, a critical opponent of Romania. Iohannis refers to him as “the new president of the Republic of Moldova, who must display wisdom and balance during his term in office.



    A disappointing year for Romanian sports



    2016 was a lackluster year for Romanian sports. In August, at the Rio Olympics in Brazil, Romania grabbed only five medals: one gold, two silver and three bronze. To make matters worse, weightlifter Gabriel Sincraian lost his bronze medal after failing a doping test. Romania ranked 47th in the medal standings, the lowest position since 1952. In June, at the European Football Championship in France, Romania was bottom-of-the-tables in Group A. Subsequently coach Anghel Iordanescu was replaced by German Cristoph Daum, the first foreign coach in the history of Romanias national squad. However the performance and results of our footballers did not improve much with the first matches in the preliminaries to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In handball, although seen as medal favorites, Romania ranked 5th at the European Championships in Sweden. In tennis, Romanias best-seeded player, Simona Halep, ranked 4th at the end of the competitive season.

  • The Year 2016 in Review

    The Year 2016 in Review

    A new Government in Romania



    The President of the Timis County Council and former Social-Democrat MP Sorin Grindeanu was nominated for the position of Prime Minister. President Klaus Iohannis accepted the proposal, after previously rejecting the nomination of former Development Minister Sevil Shhaideh. Shhaideh had been the first option of Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea. If accepted, Shhaideh would have been the first female Prime Minister of Romania as well as the countrys first Muslim Prime Minister. Resting on a comfortable majority in Parliament, where the Social-Democrats and their coalition partners, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, are holding the majority, Grindeanus Cabinet marks the return to power of the Social-Democratic Party, following a year of technocratic rule under the leadership of Dacian Ciolos. We recall that Dacian Cioloss Cabinet was sworn in in November 2015, in the wake of mass anti-corruption protests against the Government led by Victor Ponta.



    The Social-Democratic Party scores landslide win in parliamentary elections



    The Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats also won the leadership of the new Parliament after winning the December 11 elections by a wide margin. Liviu Dragnea was appointed Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies while the co-president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats Calin Popescu-Tariceanu secured a new term as Senate Speaker, which is virtually the second-most powerful position in the state. The Social Democrats grabbed over 45% of the votes, while the Liberals grabbed only 25% of the votes, which prompted the resignation of Liberal leader Alina Gorghiu. Six months since its inception, the Save Romania Union, an NGO turned into a political party, became the third party to enter Parliament after securing 9% of the vote. Another three parties managed to get the minimum number of votes to enter Parliament: the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, which announced its support for the Grindeanu Cabinet, without getting any ministry portfolios, and the Peoples Movement Party led by former President Traian Basescu. Less than 40% of Romanians cast their votes to elect the 465 MPs of the new Parliament. The December 11 elections also marked a return to the old party-list voting proportional representation, replacing the 2012 first-past-the-post voting system, which resulted in an overinflated Parliament with 586 MPs.



    First female Mayor of Bucharest



    On June 5, Bucharesters elected the citys first female Mayor, Social-Democrat Gabriela Vranceanu-Firea, who entered politics 4 years ago. A former controversial journalist, Firea grabbed 41% of the vote in a city traditionally controlled by right-wing parties. The voter turnout was very low in Bucharest, standing at 33%, way below the national average of 48%. The local elections were held in a single ballot, the winner being the candidate who grabbed the largest number of votes. The system was criticized by civil society and the media, who have called the mayors legitimacy into question against the backdrop of a low voter turnout.



    Romanian diplomacy in 2016



    Romanias foreign policy in 2016 observed the same guidelines, both in respect to NATO and the European Union, and Russia. Former Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu constantly underlined the importance of a “substantial trans-Atlantic relation and pleaded for strengthening NATOs eastern flank. On the other hand, pragmatism dominated relations with Russia. Romania supported the economic and diplomatic sanctions imposed on Moscow by the European Union and NATO.



    A new president for Moldova



    With respect to the Republic of Moldova, in 2016 Romania continued to support the reform process in this country, with a view to consolidating Moldovas European track. The excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, also owing to the pro-Romanian sympathies of President Nicolae Timofti, as well as the setup of a pro-Western ruling coalition and Parliament majority, now risk crumbling with the election of pro-Russian Socialist Igor Dodon. After the election, president Klaus Iohannis merely said he had taken under advisement the Moldovan citizens vote. The presidencys press release makes no mention to Dodon, a critical opponent of Romania. Iohannis refers to him as “the new president of the Republic of Moldova, who must display wisdom and balance during his term in office.



    A disappointing year for Romanian sports



    2016 was a lackluster year for Romanian sports. In August, at the Rio Olympics in Brazil, Romania grabbed only five medals: one gold, two silver and three bronze. To make matters worse, weightlifter Gabriel Sincraian lost his bronze medal after failing a doping test. Romania ranked 47th in the medal standings, the lowest position since 1952. In June, at the European Football Championship in France, Romania was bottom-of-the-tables in Group A. Subsequently coach Anghel Iordanescu was replaced by German Cristoph Daum, the first foreign coach in the history of Romanias national squad. However the performance and results of our footballers did not improve much with the first matches in the preliminaries to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In handball, although seen as medal favorites, Romania ranked 5th at the European Championships in Sweden. In tennis, Romanias best-seeded player, Simona Halep, ranked 4th at the end of the competitive season.

  • August 29, 2016 UPDATE

    August 29, 2016 UPDATE

    EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RELIEF— The Romanian government on Monday adopted a first earthquake relief package for the Romanians wounded and affected by last week’s powerful quake in Italy. The cabinet will grant 6,000 Euro to the orphaned children, 1,000 Euro for each deceased person and 1,000 Euro for a relative (up to the second degree) who goes to Italy to support the surviving members of the affected families. The government also decided to grant 10,000 Euro to the families or persons whose dwellings in the area have been affected to a considerable extent, of more than 50%. This is valid for both the Romanian nationals who intend to maintain their residence in Italy and those who decide to return to Romania. The families or the persons who do not have their own home and who have been left destitute after the building they lived in has been reduced to rubble will receive 3,000 Euro, no matter if they decide to stay in Italy or to return to Romania. 3,000 Euro will also be granted, for reintegration, to the Romanian nationals able to work, who choose to return to Romania. All these forms of support will be granted by request. The latest figures released by the Romanian Foreign Ministry show the death toll stands at 11 dead, 6 injured and one reported missing, among Romanian nationals. The minister delegate for the relation with the Romanian diaspora, Maria Ligor, has met with representatives of the Italian Civil Protection as well as with Romanian nationals currently living in tents in Amatrice, the village the most severely affected by the quake.



    ROYAL HOUSE — Romania’s former sovereign, King Michael I, currently in a stable medical state, is grieving, but is supported by the love and respect of his family and looked after with flawless professionalism by his physicians, His Majesty’s Press Office reported. The news release comes after media speculated that, according to a representative of the Bishopric Palace in Curtea de Arges, where Romanian royalties are buried, Prince Radu had said King Michael’s health was worsening and signals were not positive. According to the Royal House of Romania, Prince Radu said the King was in a frail state, which, given his age and diagnosis, was declining. Any other speculations, assumptions or allegations are untrue, the Press Office added. Poor health recently prevented the former sovereign from attending the funeral of his wife, Queen Anne.



    ROMANIAN DIPLOMACY MEETING– PM Dacian Ciolos said on Monday, at the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats, that Bucharest has been denied access to the visa-free Schengen area, for political reasons, for more than 5 years. Ciolos added that Romania believes in the revival capacity of the European project and is determined to invest its diplomatic and political resources to that end. In turn, Romanian foreign minister, Lazar Comanescu, said one of the priorities of Romania’s foreign policy is to boost relations with such strategic partners as Germany, France, Poland, Italy and Spain. He underlined the importance of Romania’s relation with Turkey, which he deemed “a key partner of the EU and a major ally within NATO, a state with which Romania has signed a Strategic Partnership”. Lazar Comanescu also considered the Western Balkans an area of interest for Romania. He also added that the Republic of Moldova is “a priority” of Romania’s foreign policy.



    NATO-NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, has thanked Romania for its consistent contribution to the missions and operations carried out by the Alliance in the past 12 years, since it joined NATO. He held talks on Monday with foreign minister Lazar Comanescu on the results of the NATO Summit in Warsaw and the priorities of the North Atlantic Alliance in the ensuing period of time. Alexander Vershbow attended the proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy in Bucharest, as a special guest of the plenary session focusing on “Fusions of Risks-Neighbourhoods. Implications for Romania”



    WWI COMMEMORATIONS — Bucharest on Monday hosted roundtable talks, a military exercise and a military music concert devoted to the commemoration of 100 years since Romania joined the First World War. On Sunday, in his opening address at the commemoration ceremonies, Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, paid tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country and called for the construction of a strong and dignified Romanian state. The commemoration of World War One is the strongest argument in favour of the European project, Iohannis added, defining it as the most comprehensive political and cultural project aimed at building the dialogue and understanding among Europeans.



    BRATISLAVA — The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, on Monday paid an official visit to Slovakia, to attend the commemoration of the anti-Nazi insurrection during World War II. The agenda also included a visit the Romanian military cemetery in Zvolen, for a ceremony in memory of the Romanian troops who died in the line of duty to free Slovakia from Nazi occupation. Motoc also held a meeting with his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Gajdos, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and cooperation within NATO and the EU.




    CORRUPTION – Rares Vaduva, was replaced on Monday from the position of head of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry, the government spokesperson has announced. The decision was made after Vaduva was indicted by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, in a corruption case. Five other former heads of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry are under criminal prosecution in the same file, as suspects. According to the anti-corruption prosecutors the six are accused of misuse of funds, embezzlement, forgery, fraud offences and abuse of office. The same sources said the charges are related to proceedings that had been disjointed from the case in which the former Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea was sent to court. According to the Anti-Corruption Directorate, during his term in office Gabriel Oprea increased the budget of the Interior Ministrys secret service in order to buy a limousine for his personal use.




    DOPING— Romania will be stripped of one of the five medals won at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Weightlifter Gabriel Sancraian, who had won a bronze medal in the 85 kg category tested positive for an illegal drug. Thus, Romania is left with four medals: one gold grabbed by the women’s epee fencing team, one silver in men’s double tennis and two bronze by the women’s coxed eight in the rowing competition and in mens 97-kg freestyle wrestling, respectively.


    (Translated by Diana Vijeu)

  • Athlete of the Week on RRI – Tennis player Horia Tecau

    Athlete of the Week on RRI – Tennis player Horia Tecau

    With the Rio Olympics now over, everyones eyes are again focusing on the most important ATP and WTA tennis tournaments. Two such competitions ended last week in Cincinnati, US. The mens competition offered 4.3 million dollars up for grabs, while the womens competition totaled 2.5 million dollars in prize money.



    In the womens singles, Simona Halep reached as far as the semi-finals. In the mens doubles event, the pair made up of Romanian Horia Tecau and the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer was very close to winning the final. They lost however to Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo of Brazil, who won 7-6, 6-7, 10-6.



    Following this result, Radio Romania International has designated Horia Tecau Athlete of the Week.



    Let us note that Tecau also had a remarkable run at the Rio Olympics. Together with his teammate Florin Mergea, he won silver in the doubles event.



    Horia Tecau was born on January 19, 1985 in Brasov, central Romania. He has been playing tennis since the age of 7. In 2002 he won the juniors tournament in Wimbledon alongside Florin Mergea. He turned pro in 2003. Since July 2008 he has been ranking among the worlds top 100 players in doubles standings, and as of November 2009 he is among the worlds top 50. He has been climbing constantly the doubles ladder, and is now ranked 2nd, a position he has been holding since November last year, after winning the 2015 ATP World Tour doubles final in London together with Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands. At present he is ranked 9th in ATP doubles standings. Horia Tecau has won 29 of the total of 46 doubles finals he has played.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)


  • Athlete of the Week on RRI – Tennis player Horia Tecau

    Athlete of the Week on RRI – Tennis player Horia Tecau

    With the Rio Olympics now over, everyones eyes are again focusing on the most important ATP and WTA tennis tournaments. Two such competitions ended last week in Cincinnati, US. The mens competition offered 4.3 million dollars up for grabs, while the womens competition totaled 2.5 million dollars in prize money.



    In the womens singles, Simona Halep reached as far as the semi-finals. In the mens doubles event, the pair made up of Romanian Horia Tecau and the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer was very close to winning the final. They lost however to Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Marcelo Melo of Brazil, who won 7-6, 6-7, 10-6.



    Following this result, Radio Romania International has designated Horia Tecau Athlete of the Week.



    Let us note that Tecau also had a remarkable run at the Rio Olympics. Together with his teammate Florin Mergea, he won silver in the doubles event.



    Horia Tecau was born on January 19, 1985 in Brasov, central Romania. He has been playing tennis since the age of 7. In 2002 he won the juniors tournament in Wimbledon alongside Florin Mergea. He turned pro in 2003. Since July 2008 he has been ranking among the worlds top 100 players in doubles standings, and as of November 2009 he is among the worlds top 50. He has been climbing constantly the doubles ladder, and is now ranked 2nd, a position he has been holding since November last year, after winning the 2015 ATP World Tour doubles final in London together with Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands. At present he is ranked 9th in ATP doubles standings. Horia Tecau has won 29 of the total of 46 doubles finals he has played.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)


  • August 21, 2016

    August 21, 2016

    24 people who intended to illegally cross the Romanian border coming from Serbia (in the south west) were caught last night by the Romanian border police. The arrested persons, 13 adults and 11 children, are immigrants of Turkish origin. According to the Border Police, the Romanian authorities have increased security measures at the border with Serbia, after this week, small groups of immigrants have tried to illegally cross the Romanian border on two occasions. In another development, illegal migration at Romania’s borders has dropped significantly by over 40% in the first 7 months of 2016 as compared to the same period of last year- show data published by the Romanian Border Police. As many as 600 foreign citizens have tried to illegally cross the country’s borders since the beginning of the year, as compared to more than one thousand last year. One hundred of them have been returned to the neighboring border authorities based on the readmission protocols and agreements Romania concluded with its neighbors. Of the total number of illegal migrants, most were organized in groups accompanied by more than 30 guides, Romanian and foreign citizens, who were, in turn, arrested by the border police.



    The Romanian High Court of Cassation and Justice will decide Monday whether to extend the remand in custody of the former deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu. At the end of July, he was accused by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate’s prosecutors of influence peddling, after, in 2008, when he was the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies representing the National Liberal Party, he asked for and received from a businessman one million euros and electoral support in exchange for appointing a certain person to the position of governor of the Danube Delta. Olteanu is the first national bank official ever arrested by prosecutors. The investigation targets his activity before becoming deputy governor of the national bank in 2009.



    Marathon runners Marius Ionescu and Nicolae Soare and wrestler Albert Saritov are representing Romania Sunday in the Rio Olympics, on the last day of the competition. After two weeks of competitions, Romania’s delegation is ranked 45 in the medal classification, with one gold in the women’s epee team competition, one silver won by tennis players Florin Mergea and Horia Tecău in the men’s doubles and two bronze, won by weightlifter Gabriel Sîncrăian and by the women’s eight rowing crew. The modest results obtained by the Romanian athletes in the Rio Olympics have made the president of the Romanian Olympics and Sports Committee, Alin Petrache, already announce his resignation. In another development, the police are investigating the activity of a company that delivered the equipment for the Romanian delegation participating in the Rio Olympics, as the athletes complained after only a few days of competitions that their T-shirts developed tears and the colors transferred to their skins. The company Pax Creative, that delivered the official equipment for Rio 2016 Olympics, was set up by the former president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Octavian Morariu, who is currently a member of the International Olympic Committee and by the acting secretary general, Ioan Dobrescu.



    This year’s eagerly awaited Romanian thriller, Dogs, directed by Bogdan Mirica, has won 2 awards at the Sarajevo festival, one of the most important film events in Europe. On Saturday night, during the closing gala, Romanian actor Gheorghe Visu received the Heart of Sarajevo award for best actor. The French weekly Telerama compares Visu, aged 60, whose career includes over 40 roles, to the cowboy film stars. The Romanian film has also received the Jury’s Special Mention. Beginning with 23 September, the film Dogs will be shown in Romanian cinemas, and during the coming months it will also be shown at festivals in Canada, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Spain.


    (translation by Lacramioara Simion)

  • August 20, 2016 UPDATE

    August 20, 2016 UPDATE

    VISIT – Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Thursday is paying an official visit to the Republic of Moldova. The visit follows as earlier this month the Government disbursed the first installment worth 60 million euros of the total of 150 million euros worth of financial aid to the Republic of Moldova. The loan has been pre-conditioned on a series of commitments for the Moldovan authorities, such as creating a timetable for signing an agreement with the IMF, the reform of the judiciary and combating corruption.



    THE QUEEN – The funeral service of Queen Ana of Romania has brought together Romania and Moldova, the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the souls and hopes of Romanians across the world, Heir Princess Margaret has said. The Princess said the Queen served as an example of loyalty to the King and the Nation, while the love, respect and admiration with which Romanians have paid their last homage to her make us hope for a better future. Queen Ana was buried last Saturday at the New Archbishopric and Royal Church, built in the vicinity of the monastery of Curtea de Arges, the place of interment for the Royal House of Romania. The Queen died on August 1 in a hospital in Switzerland, at the age of 92. King Mihai could not attend the funeral service due to his serious health problems.



    DIASPORA – Representatives of historical communities of Romanians on the borders and in the Diaspora, taking part in the Summer University at Izvorul Muresului in central Romania, have signed a resolution, calling for the creation of a Ministry for Romanians Worldwide, facilitating proceedings for obtaining Romanian citizenship and setting up new cultural institutes. Romanians living outside borders have also asked for increasing the number of MPs representing a proportional number of Romanian citizens in the Diaspora and the Republic of Moldova. The resolution will be submitted to the Presidency, Parliament, the Government and political parties.



    STRIKE ACTION – Romanian carriers have announced they would go on work-in strike. They will run at 30 km/h for an hour every day across the country, until the civil liability premiums for car owners will be reduced to 1,100 euros per year. Employers in the field will also stage a large protest nationwide on September 15. Most carriers are on the verge of bankruptcy, after premiums for trade and passenger transport went up by 300% as compared to last year and by 500% as compared to 2014, carriers say.



    ANNIVERSARY – Saturday marked 48 years since the first Dacia car was produced in Mioveni, southern Romania. Today an exhibit at the Romanian Auto Club, the 1100 model was a copy of the famous Renault, based on an agreement between Romanian communist authorities and the French carmaker. The 1300 improved model followed later, which was nearly the only car used in Romania before 1989. In 1999, Renault bought 51% of the Dacia shares and re-launched the factory in Mioveni, bringing out the Logan and Duster makes, today popular all over the world.



    RIO OLYMPICS – Marathon runners Marius Ionescu and Nicolae Soare and wrestler Albert Saritov are representing Romania on Sunday, the last day of the Rio Olympics. After two weeks, Romania is ranked 45th in the medal standings, with gold won by the womens epee team, silver won by Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau in the mens tennis doubles, and two bronze, won by Gabriel Sincraian in weightlifting and the womens coxed eight crew in rowing. The results have prompted the chair of the Romanian Olympic Committee Alin Petrache to announce his resignation. The disappointing results also come amidst a domestic investigation into a corruption scandal. The Police is investigating the activity of the company that supplied the equipment of Romanias Olympic delegation. Athletes have complained their gear was torn after only a few days and its color has instilled on their skin. Pax Creative was set up by the former chairman of the Romanian Olympic Committee Octavian Morariu, at present a member of the International Olympic Committee and by the acting secretary general Ioan Dobrescu.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • August 20, 2016

    August 20, 2016

    DIASPORA – Representatives of historical communities of Romanians on the borders and in the Diaspora, taking part in the Summer University at Izvorul Muresului in central Romania, have signed a resolution, calling for the creation of a Ministry for Romanians Worldwide, facilitating proceedings for obtaining Romanian citizenship and setting up new cultural institutes. Romanians living outside borders have also asked for increasing the number of MPs representing a proportional number of Romanian citizens in the Diaspora and the Republic of Moldova. The resolution will be submitted to the Presidency, Parliament, the Government and political parties.



    THE QUEEN – The funeral service of Queen Ana of Romania has brought together Romania and Moldova, the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the souls and hopes of Romanians across the world, Heir Princess Margaret has said. The Princess said the Queen served as an example of loyalty to the King and the Nation, while the love, respect and admiration with which Romanians have paid their last homage to her make us hope for a better future. Queen Ana was buried last Saturday at the New Archbishopric and Royal Church, built in the vicinity of the monastery of Curtea de Arges, the place of interment for the Royal House of Romania. The Queen died on August 1 in a hospital in Switzerland, at the age of 92. King Mihai could not attend the funeral service do his serious health problems.



    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, the worlds no. 4 player, has advanced to the semi-finals of the WTA tournament in Cincinnati, totaling 2,5 million dollars in prize money, after knocking out Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, 5th WTA. Halep is today playing Angelique Kerber of Germany, 2nd WTA, for a place in the finals. The current Olympic vice-champion Kerber could become the worlds no. 1 player if she wins the tournament in Ohio. Halep has a 4-2 lead in direct encounters with Kerber. Horia Tecau and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands have also qualified in the mens doubles semi-finals.



    RIO OLYMPICS – Romania ranks 45 in the medal standings at the Rio Olympics after 14 days. The United States ranks 1st with 105 medals, followed by Great Britain, China and Germany. The Romanian delegation has so far scooped 4 medals. The womens epee team won gold in the team event. Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau won silver in the mens doubles. Gabriel Sincraian won bronze in weightlifting and the womens coxed eight crew won bronze in rowing.



    NICE – The number of people killed in the terrorist attack in Nice on July 14 has increased to 86, the BBC reports. The French Government announced a man wounded in the attack on Promenade des Anglais died to his injuries. Claimed by the Islamic State, the attack was orchestrated on the National Day of France by a Tunisian citizen living in France. 10 children and teenagers were among the dead.



    STRIKE ACTION – Romanian carriers have announced they would go on work-in strike. They will run at 30 km/h for an hour every day across the country, until the civil liability premiums for car owners will be reduced to 1,100 euros per year. Employers in the field will also stage a large protest nationwide on September 15. Most carriers are on the verge of bankruptcy, after premiums for trade and passenger transport went up by 300% as compared to last year and by 500% as compared to 2014, carriers say.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • August 12, 2016 UPDATE

    August 12, 2016 UPDATE

    Saturday was declared a day of national mourning in Romania and the neighboring Republic of Moldova to honor the memory of Queen Anne, the consort of the last king of Romania, Michael I. The funerals will take palce at the royal necropolis in Curtea de Arges (in southern Romania), after the Queen’s remains were held for two days in the Throne Hall of the Royal Palace in Bucharest, where thousands of people went to pay their final respects. Aged 94 and himself in poor health condition, King Michael I will not be able to attend his wife’s funerals. He was at her side every day at the Swiss clinic where she died of cancer on August 1. Born in Paris, in 1923, Princess Anne of Bourbon Parma met King Michael in London, in 1947. In the same year, on December 30, when the country was under Soviet occupation and was ruled by a puppet Communist government, King Michael was forced to abdicate and go into exile. The king returned to Romania after the anticommunist uprising of December 1989 and regained his Romanian citizenship, which had been withdrawn by the Communists, and part of his properties. King Michael promoted in the western chancelleries Romania’s admission into NATO in 2004 and its EU accession in 2007. His first-born daughter, Crown Princess Margareta, is the king’s successor to the throne.



    A former deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu, has been placed under 16-day arrest under an order issued by Romania’s Supreme Court on Friday. He was already on house arrest, in an investigation in which he is accused of influence peddling. According to the National Anti-corruption Directorate, between July and November 2008, when he was the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Olteanu, a member of the National Liberal Party, requested and received from a businessman 1 million euros and election campaign support, in exchange for an appointment as governor of the Danube Delta. Bogdan Olteanu is the first National Bank official ever detained by prosecutors. The central bank said the investigation concerns the period before Bogdan Olteanu became deputy governor in 2009.



    President Klaus Iohannis has congratulated Romania’s women’s epee team for the gold medal obtained in the Rio Olympics. ‘Through their talent, their stamina and after thousands of hours of training, Simona Gherman, Ana Maria Popescu, Simona Pop and Loredana Dinu have managed to bring Romania a gold medal, making an entire country proud of their performance’ the Romanian president wrote on his Facebook page on Friday. The Romanians defeated titleholder China, 44-38. This is the first medal obtained by the Romanian delegation in Rio and the 16th ever obtained by the Romanian fencers in the Olympic Games.



    The Romanian police are investigating the activity of a company that delivered sports equipment to the Romanian Olympic delegation participating in the Rio Olympics. The company is suspected of counterfeiting an equipment brand. On Friday the police searched the headquarters of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee from where they seized sports equipment, but have not heard anybody yet. According to press reports, the members of the Olympic delegation complained about the quality of equipment, namely that the colors transferred to the athletes’ skin and tears developed in the fabric after only a few days. The same press reports write that the company Pax Creative, that delivered the official equipment for Rio 2016 Olympics, was set up by the former president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Octavian Morariu, who is currently a member of the International Olympic Committee and the acting secretary general, Ioan Dobrescu.



    5 Romanian citizens, among whom 4 minors, have been evacuated from Syria, via Turkey, upon request, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced in a communiqué on Friday. According to the source the 5 were repatriated by air and land with the support of the Romanian embassies in Damascus and Ankara, of the General Consulate in Istanbul and of the International Organization for Migration. The Romanian citizens reached Romania safe and sound on Thursday. The Romanian Foreign Ministry recalls that since the start of the civil war in Syria, in 2011, it has provided consular assistance and protection and has facilitated the evacuation and repatriation of 722 Romanian citizens and members of their families. (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • The Olympic Games without the Romanian gymnastics

    The Olympic Games without the Romanian gymnastics

    40 years ago, Romanian Nadia Comaneci got the first perfect 10 in the history of modern gymnastics, after her performance in the uneven bars final at the Montreal Olympics. The scoreboard recorded her prefect 10 as 1, since the hardware was not capable of displaying 10. Since then, along the years, the Romanian women gymnasts have stepped onto the Olympic podium bringing Romania the most medals at the Olympic Games: 25 gold, 20 silver and 26 bronze.



    The Romanian women’s gymnastics team was strong and feared, always competing for top rankings. Unfortunately, they missed qualification to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this summer, which has not happened since the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968. Romania has failed to qualify to the Rio Olympics, ranking 7th in the pre-Olympic tournament. After many failures and with some injured gymnasts, Romania was outrun even by Australia, which a while ago, did not even count in the world standings. Instead, Brazil, Germany, Belgium and France qualified to the Rio Olympics. Coached by Lucian Sandu, Adela Popa and Maria Furnea, Romania lined up Diana Bulimar, Maria Hobura, Anamaria Ocolisan, Catalina Ponor, Dora Vulcan and Silvia Zarzu in the pre-Olympic tournament. Although Catalina Ponor, multiple World and European champion and Olympic medallist, got the highest mark of the Romanian gymnasts in the beam event, she failed in the vault competition.



    Diana Bulimar, Anamaria Ocolisan and Dora Vulcan performed poorly in the uneven bars event, experts considering that apparatus the most difficult one. Vulcan and Zarzu put up a modest show in the floor event as well. The disappointment comes after the men’s team, bronze medallist at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, also failed to qualify to the Rio Olympics.



    However, Romania will be represented by three gymnasts at the Rio Olympics. Marian Dragulescu, who qualified due to the silver medal he had got in the vault event at the World Championships in Glasgow in 2015 and another gymnast, to be subsequently designated, will participate in the men’s competition. The teams that missed qualification are given a place by the International Federation. Since no Romanian women’s gymnasts managed to reap a silver medal at the World Championships and the women’s teams failed to qualify, Romania will get an invitation from the International Federation for another gymnast.


    (Translated by A.M. Palcu)