Radio România Internațional

Tag: Romania’s rugby team

  • March 2, 2025 UPDATE 3

    March 2, 2025 UPDATE 3

    SUMMIT – 15 European leaders and the Prime Minister of Canada are discussing in London support for Ukraine after the failure of the Trump-Zelenskyy talks in Washington, but also about creating a security identity for Europe, in the context of a possible military withdrawal of the United States. This is a unique moment for European security, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the start of the discussions. Among the leaders attending the summit are the president of France, the Chancellor of Germany, the Prime Ministers of Italy and Poland, as well as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Representing Romania is interim president Ilie Bolojan. The agenda of the London meeting also includes security guarantees that the Europeans want to provide to Ukraine against Russia. The urgent increase in support for Ukraine and European defense are also high on the agenda of the special European summit to be organized on March 6. The EU Commission will table a proposal to deliver swift military aid to Ukraine, worth €20 billion. In addition, the Commission and Member States will consult on new instruments that should enable EU countries to increase defense spending this year, without falling into the infringement procedure for exceeding the budget deficit target. Last but not least, EU leaders will discuss the peace negotiations started by Trump and Putin without consulting or inviting either Ukraine or Europe to the table. The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said that if Ukraine is not satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, the EU will continue to provide military aid to Kyiv in order to achieve a just peace.

     

    TRANSPORT – Air passenger transport in Romania went up 6% last year and reached 26 million passengers, the National Statistics Institute reports. The largest traffic flows were recorded at the “Henri Coandă” airport in Bucharest, “Avram Iancu” airport in Cluj Napoca (northwest) and at the International Airport in Iași (northeast). The largest shares in domestic air transport were recorded by the Henri Coandă-Bucharest airport, with 49.8% of the total number of passengers boarded, “Avram Iancu” airport in Cluj-Napoca with 17.6%, and the “Traian Vuia” airport in Timișoara (west) with 14.4%. Most airline passengers arrived from Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France.

     

    ELECTION – Parties, political and election alliances, organizations representing national minorities and independent candidates have two weeks left to submit their candidacies to the Central Election Bureau for the presidential election slated for May. According to the election calendar set by the government and currently debated by Parliament, the election campaign will start on April 4 and last for a month. At home, the election will be held on May 4, while the vote abroad will start on May 2 and end on May 4. The second round is slated for May 18. This week Parliament dismissed Toni Greblă from the helm of the Permanent Election Authority and appointed an interim replacement. The Audiovisual Council also adopted a set of regulations that will apply to the election campaign.

     

    GAZA – Israel announced that it is suspending the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip, criticizing the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas for refusing an American proposal to extend the ceasefire agreement. “Israel will not accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas persists in its refusal, more consequences will follow”, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office reads. Hamas responded, describing Netanyahu’s decision to stop humanitarian aid as “cheap blackmail”, a “war crime” and “a blow” to the ceasefire agreement, Reuters reports. In a statement, Hamas urged the brokers of the ceasefire agreement to force Israel to end punitive measures against the Gaza Strip. The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement ended on Saturday without Hamas and Israel reaching an agreement to implement the second phase, which was supposed to take effect on Sunday and included the release of the remaining hostages in the Strip and a definitive end to the war.

     

    RUGBY – Romania’s rugby team lost 43-5 away from home to Georgia in the semi-finals of Rugby Europe Championship. Georgia thus claimed the Antim Ivireanu Cup, a trophy in play for every match pitting the two sides. In the other semi-final on Saturday, Portugal lost to Spain 42-31 in Lisbon. Georgia and Portugal will compete for the top spot while Romania will take on Spain for the third place final. Both matches are slated for March 14-16. (VP)

  • March 2, 2025 UPDATE 2

    March 2, 2025 UPDATE 2

    TRANSPORT – Air passenger transport in Romania went up 6% last year and reached 26 million passengers, the National Statistics Institute reports. The largest traffic flows were recorded at the “Henri Coandă” airport in Bucharest, “Avram Iancu” airport in Cluj Napoca (northwest) and at the International Airport in Iași (northeast). The largest shares in domestic air transport were recorded by the Henri Coandă-Bucharest airport, with 49.8% of the total number of passengers boarded, “Avram Iancu” airport in Cluj-Napoca with 17.6%, and the “Traian Vuia” airport in Timișoara (west) with 14.4%. Most airline passengers arrived from Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France.

     

    RUGBY – Romania’s rugby team lost 43-5 away from home to Georgia in the semi-finals of Rugby Europe Championship. Georgia thus claimed the Antim Ivireanu Cup, a trophy in play for every match pitting the two sides. In the other semi-final on Saturday, Portugal lost to Spain 42-31 in Lisbon. Georgia and Portugal will compete for the top spot while Romania will take on Spain for the third place final. Both matches are slated for March 14-16. (VP)

  • March 2, 2025 UPDATE 1

    March 2, 2025 UPDATE 1

    RUGBY – Romania’s rugby team lost 43-5 away from home to Georgia in the semi-finals of Rugby Europe Championship. Georgia thus claimed the Antim Ivireanu Cup, a trophy in play for every match pitting the two sides. In the other semi-final on Saturday, Portugal lost to Spain 42-31 in Lisbon. Georgia and Portugal will compete for the top spot while Romania will take on Spain for the third place final. Both matches are slated for March 14-16. (VP)

  • Sports Weekend

    Sports Weekend

    At the WTA 250 tennis tournament in Austin, offering some 275 thousand USD in total prizes, Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea (WTA 120) will take on 5th-seed McCartney Kessler (56 WTA) of the USA in the quarterfinals. In the round of 16, on Thursday, Sorana beat second-seed Diana Schnaider (WTA 13) of Russia, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. The Romanian player thus secured a 6,815-USD check and 54 WTA points.

     

    The Romanian rugby team will compete in the semifinals of the 2025 edition of Rugby Europe Championship, the second most important European competition after the Six Nations Tournament. The “Oaks” will take on Georgia in Tbilisi. Georgia is currently the best-performing team in Rugby Europe Championship, currently ranked 11th in world standings, better than the much more successful team of Wales, which is ranked 12th. In this global hierarchy, Romania ranks 20th. We recall that, by qualifying to the semifinals of Rugby Europe Championship after grabbing wins over Germany and Belgium in the group stage, Romania qualified to the 2027 World Cup, which will be held in Australia.

     

    This weekend will see matches in the Romanian Football Super League, counting towards the 29th round, the second-to-last of the regular season. On Friday, Unirea Slobozia will play Oţelul Galaţi whereas Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe will take on CFR Cluj. On Saturday, Universitatea Cluj will play FC Botoşani at home, while Universitatea Craiova will take on Farul Constanţa, also at home. In the first match on Sunday, in Iaşi, the local side Politehnica will meet Petrolul Ploieşti. The highlight match will take place on the National Arena stadium in the capital-city, pitting Rapid against Bucharest rivals FCSB. Rapid needs at least a draw to secure a place in the group stage. Finally, on Monday, Gloria Buzău will play UTA Arad while Dinamo Bucharest will take on FC Hermannstadt. FCSB tops the league tables with 52 points, followed by Universitatea Cluj with 51. (VP)

  • March 20, 2023

    March 20, 2023

    VISIT – On a visit to the United Arab
    Emirates, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis this morning met in Abu Dhabi with
    his counterpart, Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan. On this occasion, the
    countries’ relevant ministers and officials signed bilateral documents in the
    fields of energy, cyber-security and education. Yesterday, president Iohannis
    visited Masdar City, a model of urban sustainable development focusing on
    energy efficiency and environment protection. President Iohannis attended a
    presentation of projects in the fields of transport, urban ventilation and
    cooling, building-generated energy and making optimal use of sunlight in
    research and education institutions. Successfully tested in Masdar City, these
    solutions can inspire projects in other cities, including Romania, which have a
    growing interest for sustainable energy. Romanian researchers affiliated with
    institutes in Masdar City have also contributed to their development, the
    Presidency reports.


    EXERCISE – Over March 20 – April 2, some 3,400
    Romanian and international servicemen are taking part in the Sea Shield 2023
    exercise held in the Black Sea, the Danube River, the Danube Delta and coastal
    areas. Sea Shield 2023 is the largest-scale training exercise planned and
    carried out by the Romanian Naval Forces this year. Attending will be military
    units from 12 allied and partner states, accompanied by military watercraft,
    aircraft and other combat equipment. The exercise will help increase the level
    of interoperability of participant forces and is part of NATO’s multinational
    training programs.


    MEETINGS – Romania’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan
    Aurescu, is today attending the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
    According to a Foreign Ministry release, EU Foreign Ministers will discuss
    Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, with this country’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro
    Kuleba, expected to join talks in videoconference format. Minister Aurescu will
    discuss the need to maintain support for Ukraine at all levels, both from the
    EU and Member States individually, with a focus on providing military equipment
    and training for the Ukrainian army as quickly as possible as part of the EU
    Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). The Romanian
    official will also express support for consolidating the sanctions regime
    against Russia, while also streamlining the implementation of existing
    restrictions, with a focus on continuing diplomatic efforts to further isolate
    this aggressor state. Minister Aurescu will also address the security
    developments in the Republic of Moldova and destabilizing actions targeting the
    pro-European administration in this country. The Romanian Foreign Minister will
    encourage Member States to continue their support for Chișinău. Also today,
    Bogdan Aurescu is attending the joint meeting of EU Foreign and Defense
    Ministers and the International Conference of donors in support of the people
    of Turkey and Syria, affected by the February 6 earthquake.


    MOLDOVA – Romania’s Prime Minister, Nicolae
    Ciucă, will this week travel to the Republic of Moldova to meet his Moldovan
    counterpart, Dorin Recean. On this occasion, Prime Minister Ciucă will reassert
    Romania’s support for the reform process in this country, the consolidation of the
    economy, the resilience and security of Romania’s neighbor, as well as for
    advancing Moldova’s European track. On the other hand, Moldova’s Supreme
    Security Council is expected today to discuss what president Maia Sandu has
    called the exceptional situation of the country’s judiciary, after the
    General Assembly of Magistrates has delayed the appointment of members of the
    Superior Council of Magistracy. President Sandu argues Moldovan judges want to
    block efforts to reform the judiciary by setting their next meeting for the end
    of April. In last week’s address to Parliament, the Moldovan president called
    on the Government and Parliament to create a special court of law to
    investigate corruption cases in the justice system.


    AWARD – The Radio Drama show The Sixties
    written by Ema Stere and adapted and directed by Mihnea Chelaru scooped the
    Best European Drama award at the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2023 in a gala hosted
    by the BBC Broadcasting House in London. Starting 2012, the BBC Audio Drama
    Awards have been celebrating the range, originality and cut-through quality of
    audio drama on air and online and giving recognition to the creativity of
    actors, writers, producers, sound designers and others who work in this genre. The
    Best European Drama was introduced in 2019 to acknowledge the role of other
    European public service broadcasters in nurturing this distinctive genre.


    RUGBY – Romania’s national rugby team
    ranked 3rd in the 2023 edition of Rugby Europe Championship after
    securing a dramatic 31-25 win against Spain in the bronze final, held away from
    home. In the big final, Georgia defeated Portugal 38-11. Romania’s rugby team
    will next play friendlies against Georgia and Italy ahead of its participation
    at the World Cup in France this autumn. Romania has been drawn in Group B
    alongside Ireland, South Africa, Scotland and Tonga. (VP)







  • November 13, 2022 UPDATE

    November 13, 2022 UPDATE


    MISSION – Aircraft of the Air Policing Unit of the Romanian Air Forces on Saturday carried out an air policing mission in Romanian airspace, designed to intercept and escort a civilian aircraft flying from Poznan to Tel Aviv, following a report of civilian air traffic controllers about an onboard bomb alert. Following the interception of the aircraft, the Romanian jets escorted the civilian aircraft in line with the legislation and procedures in force, including over a section of Hungarian airspace, where it was taken over by Hungarys Air Forces. Coordinated by the NATO Center for Air Operations, the mission was carried out in completely secure circumstances.




    WAR IN UKRAINE – Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that, before leaving Kherson, the Russian invaders fully destroyed critical infrastructure in this city. The president promised all would be restored, warning however the process will take time. The mayor of Kherson also warned the city has run out of bread and medicine after Russia withdrew its occupation forces on Friday. After retaking the city, Ukraine is now focusing on the critical humanitarian crisis in Kherson, where residents have no heat or electricity. According to the BBC, authorities worry about a new possible attack on the city from Russia, after the international airport has been targeted by artillery fire.




    ELECTIONS IN THE US – The Democrats have secured control of the US Senate after a surprising victory in Nevada. This gives a significant boost for president Joe Biden into the second half of his mandate, as the Senate validates candidates nominated by the White House, particularly in the Department of Justice. The Senate can also reject any draft laws advanced by the House of Representatives in the event the Republicans secure the majority here and push their own agenda. This also marks the best result ever obtained by a ruling party in mid-term elections, while many Republicans are already talking about the need for a party-level change. Nevertheless, the Republicans have secured slightly more seats in Congress, which allows them to take control of the House of Representatives. Should the Republicans do so, they would still not give them the leverage they had expected, Radio Romanias Washington correspondent reports.




    SUMMIT – US president, Joe Biden, on Sunday told participants in the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia that lines of communication between the United States and China will remain open to avoid conflict with this country, highlighting, however, the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait and securing free navigation to the South China Sea. At the same time, the White House leader condemned Russias “brutal and unjust” invasion of Ukraine and North Koreas ballistic test threats. Next week, Southeast Asia will host the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. Before that, president Biden will meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, for the first time in his current tenure. The meeting will be held against the backdrop of Chinese-US relations deteriorating to the lowest level in recent decades.




    MEETING – Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Monday will attend the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in Brussels. Debates will focus on Russias aggression in Ukraine. Ukraines Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will participate via videoconference. Talks will also tackle the latest developments in the Western Balkans, Lebanon and Iran. At the same time, EU Foreign Ministers will look at the results of the UN meeting devoted to climate change, hosted by Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.




    EUROVISION – Artists can enroll in the national selection for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest starting Monday. The public TV station announced that both Romanian and foreign composers can submit their original compositions for audition. As a novelty this year, songs can be enrolled without having an interpreter. The winner will be designated exclusively by the public, with votes cast as part of a live show. The 2023 edition of the Eurovision song contest will be hosted in May by Liverpool. The United Kingdom will organize the contest on behalf of Ukraine, due to the Russian invasion of this country.




    RUGBY – Romanias rugby team lost 16-21 to Uruguay in a friendly match played at home. Both teams are qualified to the 2023 World Cup in France. Romania will play in Group B alongside South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and Tonga. Romania is ranked 17th in world standings. The last match for Romania this year will be on November 19 against Samoa at home. Last week, Romania defeated Chile 30-23. (VP)


  • April 28, 2022 UPDATE

    April 28, 2022 UPDATE

    REFUGEES – The number of Ukrainian nationals who
    crossed the border into Romania went up 30% on Wednesday compared to the
    previous day, reads a news release issued by the Romanian Border Police. As
    many as 8,635 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania in 24 hours, coming from
    Ukraine or the R. of Moldova. Since the start of the crisis over 2 months ago,
    over 800,000 Ukrainians have come into Romania. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee
    Agency (UNHCR) announced in a conference in Geneva that over 8 million
    Ukrainians may leave their country. According to the UNHCR spokesperson Shabia
    Mantoo, the Agency and its partners intend to raise 1.85 billion USD to support
    an estimated 8.3 million refugees in Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland,
    Romania and Slovakia, as well as in other countries in the region, including
    Belarus, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.


    UKRAINE – The authorities in Ukraine
    are hopeful about the future, despite the current difficulties, Romanian Senate
    Speaker, Florin Cîțu, said upon his return from Kyiv. Florin Cîțu visited the
    Ukrainian capital to attend the first congress of local authorities held since
    the start of the Russian invasion. Florin Cîțu said talks focused primarily on
    reconstruction. Ukraine needs support for this effort, and it is clear the
    country needs further assistance in order to defend itself, the Romanian
    official pointed out.


    TROOPS – The Romanian defence ministry announced that the Romanian
    Army currently has no troops deployed in the Republic of Moldova to take part
    in drills or other joint training programmes. The statement comes after a
    Russian-language publication released fake news according to which Romania
    plans to attack Transnistria with NATO support, and then to annex the
    Republic of Moldova, and claimed that Romanian troops have already been
    deployed to the neighboring country. Disinformation on Russian channels follows
    a number of attacks by unknown perpetrators, which took place in the past few
    days in Transnistria, a pro-Russian breakaway region in the east of the
    Republic of Moldova.


    GOVERNMENT – The government on Thursday passed an
    emergency decree allowing economic operators on the Romanian Black Seacoast to
    sign contracts for renting and operating the newly created beach areas. In this
    context, the Minister of Tourism and Entrepreneurship, Constantin-Daniel
    Cadariu, announced that over 100 hotels will open their doors to guests for the
    May 1 mini-holiday, which have already booked approximately 80% of their units.
    Also on Thursday, the government passed another emergency decree implementing
    the provisions of the Omnibus Directive, whereby Romanian consumers will
    benefit from the same rights and protection as European citizens. The
    government also passed a draft law for the recognition of babysitters as a
    professional category of workers providing families with child day-care and
    monitoring services. Additionally, the government approved the setup,
    organization and functioning of the cross-ministry committee on climate change,
    which will be coordinated by Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă.


    NATURAL GAS – The European Union
    told Russia it would not give in to blackmail, after Moscow discontinued
    natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, which had refused to pay for
    natural gas in rubles. The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
    said the Union had other options to make up for the suspended deliveries, and
    warned member states not to breach the sanctions imposed by the EU after
    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We have to guarantee alternative supplies and the
    best possible storage levels across the EU, Von der Leyen explained. EU member
    states have implemented emergency plans for such a scenario and we have worked
    together in coordination and solidarity, the EU official added.




    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep on
    Thursday ousted Shuai Zhang of China in the opening round at the Mutua Madrid
    Open. Sorana Cîrstea however lost to Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain, while Irina
    Begu was defeated by Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. The Madrid Open takes place
    between April 28 and May 7. Simona Halep won the 2016 and 2017 editions.


    RUGBY -
    Romania’s rugby team has qualified to the 2023 World Cup in France after Spain
    was disqualified for using an ineligible player in two matches held as part of
    the 2021-2022 Rugby Europe Championship. World Rugby had previously opened an
    investigation following a query submitted by Romania, after finishing the Group
    in 3rd place. We recall Romania too was disqualified from the 2019
    World Cup for using an ineligible player.
    (AMP
    & VP)

  • March 2, 2019

    March 2, 2019

    FORUM – The Black Sea region presents huge investment opportunities
    for the development of infrastructure, including for the transport and
    production of energy, Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Ana Birchall said on the
    sidelines of the Economic Forum in Delphi, Greece, held over February 28 -
    March 2. Ana Birchall pointed out that the escalation of trade tensions,
    political uncertainty, the gap between the rich and the poor, the worsening of
    global finance, the prospect of a Brexit without an agreement, are risk factors
    that can destabilize an already slowed down global economy. The fourth edition
    of the forum has brought together political leaders, diplomats, economic
    experts and representatives of the most important international think tanks.
    Talks focused on the current economic challenges.




    GOVERNMENT – Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Monday will
    appear before the Chamber of Deputies upon the request of the Liberal
    opposition, who demands explanations over the controversial decree 114,
    bringing new taxes in the fields of banking, telecommunications and energy. The
    decree was passed tacitly by the Senate, without a proper debate and a vote,
    considering the deadline was March 1. A debate and a vote are scheduled for
    this week in the Chamber of Deputies. On Thursday, the European Commission
    winter report showed that the measures stipulated by decree 114 are weakening
    the second pillar of private pensions. The measures, EU experts warn, will have
    a negative impact on pensions, the capital market and future investment,
    increasing uncertainty and making Romanian economy less attractive for both
    Romanian and foreign investors.




    VISIT – Minister for Romanians Worldwide Natalia Intotero has paid
    a visit to Chisinau, where she met with the Minister of Culture, Education and
    Research, Monica Babuc. According to a press release, the two officials
    discussed the possibility of intensifying joint projects in the field of
    education and culture. A major topic on the agenda for talks was preserving and
    promoting tradition, considering both states have cooperated for the
    recognition of the Martisor symbol by UNESCO. The two parties discussed the
    promotion of the cross-border project The traditional blouse – an element of
    cultural identity in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the nomination for
    UNESCO’s Representative List of the Immaterial World Cultural Heritage.




    EP ELECTION – The European Parliament has made public a new estimate
    regarding its future structure after the European Parliament election due in
    May. The estimate is based on surveys carried out in individual Member States.
    According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, the new Parliament will
    have less MPs, 705 as compared to 751 right now, as a result of Brexit.
    Estimates show that the European People’s Party is expected to secure 181
    seats, Socialists 135, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats 75 followed by
    the Green Party with 49 seats. Figures also point to a slight decrease in the
    number of seats obtained by anti-European and Eurosceptic parties. Of the 73
    seats left vacant by British MEPs, 27 will be shared by some 14 member states,
    considered fairly underrepresented in the European Parliament. Romania will get
    one seat and will total 33 seats. Of these, 13 are expected to go to the
    Social-Democrats, 13 to the European People’s Party representatives, three to the
    Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, one each to the Conservatives and European
    reformists and three seats to other groups. The document also highlights voting
    intentions in Romania: the Social-Democratic Party in power is expected to win
    29.9% of the vote, followed by the Liberal Party in opposition with 24.4%, the
    Alliance of Liberals and Democrats with 9.1% and the Save Romania Union with
    9%.




    RATING – The International Standard and Poor’s financial rating
    agency has confirmed Romania’s rating at BBB minus/A-3 for long- and short-term
    debt in national and foreign currency. Romania’s rating reflects a moderate
    level of external and public debt as well as the current economic growth
    forecast, which remains robust, the agency writes. Standard and Poor’s however
    says Romania’s institutional efficiency remains weak, and the growing deficit
    could affect the country’s financial reserves in time.




    HANDBALL – Romanian handball team CSM Bucharest is today playing RK
    Krim Mercator Ljubljana of Slovenia away from home in Group 2 of women’s
    Champions League. The Romanian champions have already secured qualification to
    the Champions League quarterfinals, with two more games left to play in the
    group phase. In the group standings, the Romanians are ranked 2nd,
    after the title holders Hungary’s Gyor.




    RUGBY – Romania’s national rugby team
    is playing Spain on Sunday in its third fixture as part of the 2019 Rugby
    Europe Championship. In the first two games of this competition, Romania lost
    to Georgia 9-18 and won against Germany 38-10. In the upcoming fixtures,
    Romania will play Russia at home on March 9 and Belgium away from home on March
    17. Rugby Europe Championship is the second-tier of the famous Six Nations Cup.
    Romania is ranked 18 in international rugby standings, its lowest ranking in
    the past six years.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • November 24, 2018

    November 24, 2018


    RECEPTION – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and
    Romanian Orthodox Patriarch Daniel on Saturday were received by President Klaus
    Iohannis. Patriarch Bartholomew visited Bucharest to attend the consecration of
    the new national cathedral. President Iohannis said the moment represents a
    landmark for Romanian Orthodox believers at home and abroad, steeped in history
    and symbolism. On December 1 Romania marks 100 years since the Great Union.




    BREXIT – British Prime Minister Thereza May on Saturday will hold
    talks in Brussels ahead of Sunday’s crucial Brexit summit. Thereza May will
    talk with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European
    Council President Donald Tusk. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened
    to oppose the Brexit agreement unless the text provides an amendment in the
    case of Gibraltar, a state under British rule which Spain has claimed. Spain’s
    request is the last obstacle in the way of a unanimous approval of the Brexit
    agreement treaty. The European Union and the United Kingdom consented on a
    political declaration that sets the framework for post-Brexit relations,
    particularly regarding trade. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis will attend
    the European Council summit in Brussels on Sunday, aimed at voting the Brexit
    agreement. The President told the General Assembly of the European Center for
    Worker Issues that, for the first time since its EU accession in 2007, Romania
    will have to deal with major challenges such as Brexit, the post-2020
    multi-annual financial framework and migration as president of the EU Council
    in 2019.




    POLICE – The Romanian Police has taken part in the 16th
    international Rail Action Day – 24 Blue, held by the European Rail Police
    (RAILPOL) all across Europe. Over 400 rail police officers took part in the
    action. RAILPOL is an international association of organizations of EU member
    states in the field of maintaining public order and security in the field of
    rail transport. The main purpose of RAILPOL is to intensify rail policing
    cooperation and ensure the safety of rail travellers.




    PROTESTS – The French Police used tear gas and water cannons to
    disperse the crowd of people protesting in Paris against the increase in fuel
    prices in the second week of street protests. Clashes between the riot police
    and protesters were reported on Champs Elysees. At least one person was
    detained. Protesters chanted anti-Government slogans. Over 300,000 people
    protested last Saturday all over France.




    RADIRO – The International Festival of Radio Orchestras (RaDiRo)
    continues on Saturday with a concert performed by the Orchestra della Svizzera
    Italiana of Lugano, Switzerland. RaDiRo is the only event in Europe and the
    world devoted to radio orchestras. All concerts are broadcast live by Radio
    Romania’s stations, recorded and broadcast by the public television as well as
    members of the European Radio Broadcasting Union.




    RUGBY – The Romanian national rugby
    team is today playing Uruguay at home in a friendly match. Romania has dropped
    one position in world rankings to 17, after sustaining a bitter 5-31 defeat
    against the United States last week and failing to qualify to the World Cup to
    be held in Japan next year.




    HANDBALL – The Romanian women’s handball
    team has secured qualification to the Carpathians Trophy final after defeating
    Serbia on Friday in Bucharest. In the final Romania will be playing our
    country’s B team. The tournament comes ahead of the European Championship to be
    held in France in December, where Romania will play the Czech Republic, Germany
    and Norway. The first three teams in each group will advance to the next phase.
    Romania was ranked 5 at the European Championships of 2016 and grabbed its best
    performance in 2010 when it scooped bronze.




    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • March 2, 2018

    March 2, 2018

    VISIT — Minister for Romanians Worldwide Natalia Intotero is as of today paying a two-day visit to Ukraine. Her agenda includes meetings with representatives of local and regional authorities, members of the business community, representatives of Romanian-language media as well as promoters of Romanian culture and values in the cities of Chernivtsi and Solotvino. Ukraine is currently home to nearly half a million Romanians.



    FLU — Another person died on Thursday to the flu, taking the death toll to 69 across Romania, the National Institute for Public Health reports. 800 people have the flu virus, mostly in Bucharest and the counties of Constanta in the south-east, Olt in the south, Brasov in the center, and Iasi in the north-east. Health Minister Sorina Pintea says Romania is not faced with a flu epidemic.



    BUCHAREST — Romania’s capital city Bucharest will be promoted as tourist destination at the Light Bridge Romania-China, an event hosted tonight by the Romanian Ministry of Tourism jointly with the Bucharest City Hall. Graphic works will be projected on the National Theatre building in Bucharest, pertaining to the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year. The Romanian Ministry of Tourism says the event will contribute to promoting Bucharest as a tourist destination, as the event will be uploaded to ecty2018.org, the site of the European Travel Commission.



    MILITARY EXERCISE — Over 1,700 Romanian and foreign military are taking part in one of the biggest multi-national military exercises, organized by the Romanian Naval Forces over March 5-15 in Dobrogea, southern Romania, and in the international waters of the Black Sea. Dubbed Spring Storm 18, the exercise is based on an unprecedented training concept bringing together naval, air and ground forces, with a focus on specific amphibious operations under allied command, as well as naval mine simulations close to the shore. The exercise is part of NATO’s reassurance plan adopted at the Warsaw Summit in 2016. The Romanian military will be training alongside peers from the United States, France and Bulgaria, as well as two NATO partner states, Georgia and Ukraine.



    COMMEMORATION — On Sunday Romania marks 41 years since the devastating earthquake of March 4, 1977, the most powerful that ever hit Romania. Measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, the earthquake killed 1,570 people, mostly in Bucharest, and caused damages worth over $2 billion. Around 230,000 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged and 760 economic facilities became inoperative. The earthquake generated a severe economic and social crisis, which historians say the communist authorities never fully overcame before their demise in 1989. Specialists warn that hundreds of buildings in Bucharest are at risk in case of a similar event.



    POLAND — MEPs on Thursday voted the procedure whereby the European Commission plans to sanction Poland under Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty for what it considers a serious breach of the rule of law in this country. The Commission’s proposal was passed in Parliament with 422 votes in favour, 147 against and 48 abstentions. Concerned with the reform of the judiciary and restricting freedom of the press in Poland, the EU has triggered procedures under Article 7 to have Poland sanctioned, which in theory would suspend this country’s right to vote in the European Council, unless the Conservative Government in Poland rolls back all reforms prior to March 20, which the Government considered necessary to curb corruption and streamline the country’s judiciary. Political pundits claim the procedure is unlikely to go through, as it requires the unanimity of all Member States. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has already announced he would oppose the move.



    RUGBY — Romania’s national rugby team on Saturday will take on Russia at home in Cluj, northwestern Romania. The match counts towards the third round of the 2018 Rugby Europe International Championship. After losing to Spain in the previous match, Romania needs a win and a bonus point to keep alive its chances of qualifying to the 2019 World Rugby Cup hosted by Japan. Last year in Sochi Romania won 30-10 against Russia. Our team is ranked 16, while Russia is in 20th position. (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • February 11, 2018

    February 11, 2018

    BACCALAUREATE — The first session of the Romanian Baccalaureate kicks off next week with the Romanian language and communication oral tests. The digital skills testing will be carried out over February 16-20. The foreign language test is scheduled for February 21 and 22. The written exams are scheduled for June. First results will be announced on July 4, with the final results expected to be made public on July 9.



    EMVS — The European Medicines Verification System has been officially launched in Romania and will be rendered operational within a year EU-wide. As of February 2019, only medicine observing the new security regulations will be circulated in EU space. The authorities, representatives of pharmaceutical companies and pharmacists say the initiative is key to securing citizen health, considering the dangers of introducing counterfeit medicine in the trade system. Under the new regulations, medicines boxes can no longer be opened for individual pill handouts.



    JOINT DRILLS — One hundred Romanian troops will take part, as of Monday in joint military exercises alongside some 200 military from the United States, Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The exercises will be unfolding for five days, at a military base in Babadag, in Tulcea County, south-eastern Romania. Romanian military will carry out tactical drill and rescue operations as part of the Black Sea Rotational Force, an annual military exercise aimed at training the military for peacekeeping operations. The operation is headed by the US Naval Force Europe-Africa Command.



    STORM — A Romanian citizen was killed in Saturday’s storm in Malta. The Romanian Consulate in Catania, Italy, is monitoring the developments and providing consular assistance. The Romanian died after a tree fell on his car. The woman in the car was injured but is stable. Strong wind and heavy rainfall have hit Malta, blocking roads and escalating water levels.



    BORDER CONTROL — A state-of-the-art border control system was tested this week on the Calafat border crossing point as part of a research project involving a consortium of companies and authorities from seven EU member states. The project entails the use of a fully automated system for examining travel documents for people and vehicles in a database. Some €17 million have been allotted to this project, which will smoothen border crossing for EU citizens, while observing personal data and privacy. Similar systems are being tested in maritime and air border checkpoints in Spain and Portugal.



    RUGBY — Romania’s rugby team trounced Germany 85-6 on Saturday in Cluj Napoca in a match counting towards the 2018 Rugby Europe International Championship. The match also counted towards the 2019 World Cup preliminaries. Romania made it up for the 41-38 loss to Germany in February last year. Romania ranks first in the 2019 World Cup preliminaries with 17 points.



    TENNIS — Romania’s tennis team on Sunday won the Fed Cup match against Canada played at home, counting towards the first round of World Group II and will play in the playoffs for Group I. Irina Begu defeated Katherina Sebov in straight sets. On Saturday, Cirstea defeated Zhao 6-2, 6-2, while Begu won against Andreescu 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. Simona Halep could not play for Romania after an injury sustained in the Australian Open.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • March 10, 2017

    March 10, 2017

    SPRING COUNCIL — EU leaders are today convening in Brussels in the 27-member format, without Great Britain, to discuss the future of the EU. The main topic on the agenda for talks is the multi-speed Europe, one of the solutions proposed by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Representing Romania, President Klaus Iohannis said, before leaving, that Romania believes in a strong, united and solidary EU, opposing a multi-speed Europe. The president argued it would be counter-productive for the EU to accept only those projects that can be accessed by certain members of the Union. In turn, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu shared this view while taking part in the meeting of the Party of European Socialists. On the other hand, an increasing number of MEPs on all sides of the political spectrum are saying that the EU is already moving at different speeds and has subdivisions, such as the Schengen Area or the Eurozone. European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans told Radio Romania that any member state, including Romania, will be able to join the so-called “closer cooperation groups”. The debate process will end with a joint Declaration to be adopted at the EU Summit in Rome on March 25.



    UNITARY PAY LAW — Negotiations continue at the Labour Ministry in Bucharest between the Government and trade unions regarding the unitary pay law. On Friday, trade unions from the field of culture said they agree with the new pay scheme, adding there will be pay rises of up to 40%, benefitting especially employees with low salaries. Negotiations on the unitary pay draft law have already been carried out with trade unions in the defense, public order and healthcare sectors. The document is supposed to be adopted by July 1st in order to show effects as of January 1st next year. According to the Labour Minister Vasilescu, state employees’ salaries will be increased gradually by 2021, and the only ones who will benefit from a full rise in 2018 are the employees of the healthcare sector.



    TRAVEL FAIR — The Ministry of Tourism is promoting Romania at the International Travel Fair in Berlin, which is running through Sunday, having Botswana as official partner. Some 40 travel agents and representatives of city halls and associations from Romania are taking part of the largest travel event in the world. Attending the opening event, Romanian Tourism Minister Mircea Dobre met with the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai. The Romanian official outlined Romania’s plans to promote our country at international level.



    OLTCHIM — Romanian Economy Minister Mihai Tudose has assured the people living in Ramnicu Valcea, southern Romania, whose income depend more or less on the local petrochemical works facility that the enterprise will continue to operate after being privatized. The Minister said he favors any bid that provides for the continuous functioning of the unit, ruling out the selling of parts of the facility. Oltchim Ramnicu Valcea is the last petrochemical company in Romania, and one of the biggest of its kind in southeastern Europe. 10 years ago Oltchim exported over a third of its products to 80 countries all over the world. The facility is currently insolvent. After several failed privatization attempts, the creditors’ assembly adopted a new plan to sell all or parts of its assets organized in bundles, with no obligation on the part of the buyer to take over the company’s 2,000 employees.



    VACCINES — A new law on vaccination will be submitted for public debate within a month, the Health Minister Florian Bodog has announced. Once adopted, the law will force parents to comply with mandatory child vaccination schemes. The initiative was prompted against Romania’s dropping rate of vaccination, which has recently caused serious epidemics. Referring to the shortage of vaccines, Minister Bodog announced he signed the purchase contracts for hexavalent and tetravalent vaccines, while the vaccine against Hepatitis B will be purchased with EU funds. As regards the pneumococcal vaccine the Ministry will soon take action to renew its supplies.



    ATTACKS — A man injured seven people with an ax on Thursday evening at the Dusseldorf train station in Germany, three of whom are in critical condition. According to the German Police, the attacker is a 36-year-old male from the former Yugoslavia with mental problems. Germany is on high terrorist alert, particularly in the wake of December’s attack at a Christmas market in Berlin, which killed 12 people. In another development, two people were killed and a third was seriously wounded in a bar shooting in Basel, northwestern Switzerland. The attackers managed to escape.



    SOUTH KOREA — The Constitutional Court of South Korea today ruled to remove President Park Geun-Hye from office in the wake of a massive corruption scandal, France Press reports. The Court claims Park’s actions seriously impaired the spirit of representative democracy and the rule of law. The South Korean President tried to cover up the illegal businesses of a close friend, accused of demanding millions of dollars to large industrial groups. Under the law, snap elections will be held within 60 days. Supporters of Park gathered to protest outside the Court building, two of them being killed in clashes with the riot police.



    RUGBY — Romania’s rugby team is on Saturday taking on Belgium away from home in the fourth round of Rugby Europe Championship, the competition replacing the European Nations’ Cup, the second continental rugby competition after the Six Nations’ Tournament. So far, Romania has defeated Russia away from home and Spain on home turf, but lost surprisingly to Germany away from home. Romania is ranked 2nd after Georgia, while Belgium is bottom-of-the-table. Romania is ranked 16th in world rankings at present.



    TENNIS — Three Romanian tennis players will tonight play in the second round at Indian Wells, a tournament totaling some 7 million dollars in prize money. The world’s no. 4 player, Simona Halep, will take on Dona Vekic of Croatia, 86th WTA. Monica Niculescu, 45th WTA, will play Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland, 16th WTA, while Irina Begu will take on Louise Chirico of the US, 65 WTA. The fourth Romanian player, Patricia Tig, 99th WTA, was eliminated in the first round of the main draw to Mariana Duque Marino of Columbia, 112th WTA. In the men’s competition, Marius Copil, 111th ATP, will take on Horacio Zeballos of Argentina in the first round of the main draw. (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • February 27, 2016 UPDATE

    February 27, 2016 UPDATE

    CORRUPTION – The High Court of Cassation and Justice on Saturday greenlighted the pre-trial 30-day arrest of MP Nicolae Paun, representing the Roma community in Parliament. Paun was taken into custody on Thursday by anti-corruption prosecutors in a case where he is accused of embezzling European funds and money laundering. Prosecutors say that together with Social-Democratic MP Madalin Voicu, Nicolae Paun planned to embezzle 6 million euros worth of funds addressed to the Roma community. Voicu is investigated on bail, after deputies last week voted against the request to place him on pre-trial arrest. In another development, the High Court of Cassation and Justice on Friday greenlighted the pre-trial arrest of Liberal Senator Doina Tudor. In 2013 Doina Tudor allegedly helped her former husband, Daniel Tudor, at the time the vice-president of the Financial Surveillance Authority, receive 200,000 euros in bribes from an insurance company in exchange for helping it pass an audit. Daniel Tudor was placed on house arrest pending the investigation.



    SYRIA – The situation was quiet on Saturday in the main conflict areas in Syria after the Russian-American ceasefire has come into effect. The agreement applies only to a small part of Syrian territory, as jihadists, the Islamic State terrorist organization and the Al-Nusra Front are controlling more than half of the territory. Russia on Saturday announced it stopped all airstrikes in Syria as per the ceasefire agreement. The UN Security Council in a resolution on Friday called on all parties involved in the Syrian civil conflict to observe the terms of the agreement and to allow the quick and safe access of humanitarian organizations nationwide. The Council insisted that the Syrian Government and opposition resume talks under UN mediation. This is the first ceasefire of its scale since the Syrian conflict broke out in March 2011, killing over 270,000 people. Over half of the countrys population has fled Syria, the large number of immigrants destabilising the Middle East and Europe.



    VISIT – EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova will pay a visit to Bucharest on Monday. The European official will meet with Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, Justice Minister Raluca Pruna, Labour Minister Claudia-Ana Costea, as well as other MPs. Talks will focus on various topics, including the progress Romania has reported in reforming its justice system, the judiciarys contribution to the European Commission priorities, such as the Single Digital Market and the European Security Agenda. Commissioner Jourova will attend a discussion panel attended by NGOs operating in the field of Roma integration, to discuss Romanias experience in terms of implementing the national strategy for the integration of the Roma.



    CONFERENCE – Minister Delegate for Romanians Abroad Dan Stoenescu on Friday attended the conference “Repatriot – Entrepreneurship through Repatriation, held in Munich. The purpose of the event was to raise the awareness of Romanians abroad regarding the need to develop entrepreneurial skills and to present business opportunities back home. Also on Friday Minister Stoenescu met with Herta Daneil, the head of the Federation of Transylvanian Saxons and with Peter-Dietmar Leber, the chairman of the Association of Banat Swabs in Germany. On this occasion, the Romanian official highlighted the importance of the Romanian community in Germany and of the German community in Romania for bilateral relations between the two countries.



    MISSILE – A missile on Friday hit the military base in Kandahar, Aghanistan, where Romanian military are also stationed. According to a press release of the Romanian Defence Ministry, no victims and material damage have been reported. The entire personel of the military base followed procedures and took shelter in special areas. Romania has over 600 military deployed in Afghanistan. The Ministry is carefully monitoring their mission and all safety measures and procedures.



    RUGBY – Romanias national rugby team trounced Russia 30-nil on Saturday at home in the European Nations Cup, the second most important European competition after the Six Nations Tournament. In the first two games, Romania defeated Portugal 39-14 on home turf and Spain 21-18 away from home. In March Romania will also play Germany and Georgia in the competitions highlight match. We recall at in autumn, the team coached by Lynn Howells of Wales took part in the World Cup in England, where it defeated Canada and lost to France, Ireland and Italy in the group phase.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • February 27, 2016

    February 27, 2016

    CORRUPTION – MP Nicolae Paun, representing the Roma community in Parliament, will today find out whether he will be investigated on unconditional bail or he will be detained, after magistrates on Friday postponed a decision in this respect. Paun was taken into custody on Thursday by anti-corruption prosecutors in a case where he is accused of embezzling European funds and money laundering. Prosecutors say that together with Social-Democratic MP Madalin Voicu, Nicolae Paun planned to embezzle 6 million euros worth of funds addressed to the Roma community. Voicu is investigated on bail, after deputies last week voted against the request to place him on pre-trial arrest. In another development, the High Court of Cassation and Justice on Friday greenlighted the pre-trial arrest of Liberal Senator Doina Tudor. In 2013 Doina Tudor allegedly helped her former husband, Daniel Tudor, at the time the vice-president of the Financial Surveillance Authority, receive 200,000 euros in bribes from an insurance company in exchange for helping it pass an audit. Daniel Tudor was placed on house arrest pending the investigation.



    SYRIA – The situation is quiet in the main conflict areas in Syria only hours after the Russian-American ceasefire has come into effect. The agreement applies only to a small part of Syrian territory, as jihadists, the Islamic State terrorist organization and the Al-Nusra Front are controlling more than half of the territory. Russia on Saturday announced it stopped all airstrikes in Syria as per the ceasefire agreement. The UN Security Council in a resolution on Friday called on all parties involved in the Syrian civil conflict to observe the terms of the agreement and to allow the quick and safe access of humanitarian organizations nationwide. The Council insisted that the Syrian Government and opposition resume talks under UN mediation. An assessment of the ceasefire agreement is scheduled to take place today in Geneva as part of a new meeting of the International Support Group for Syria. This is the first ceasefire of its scale since the Syrian conflict broke out in March 2011, killing over 270,000 people.



    VISIT – EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova will pay a visit to Bucharest on Monday. The European official will meet with Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, Justice Minister Raluca Pruna, Labour Minister Claudia-Ana Costea, as well as other MPs. Talks will focus on various topics, including the progress Romania has reported in reforming its justice system, the judiciarys contribution to the European Commission priorities, such as the Single Digital Market and the European Security Agenda. Commissioner Jourova will attend a discussion panel attended by NGOs operating in the field of Roma integration, to discuss Romanias experience in terms of implementing the national strategy for the integration of the Roma.



    CONFERENCE – Minister Delegate for Romanians Abroad Dan Stoenescu on Friday attended the conference “Repatriot – Entrepreneurship through Repatriation, held in Munich. The purpose of the event was to raise the awareness of Romanians abroad regarding the need to develop entrepreneurial skills and to present business opportunities back home. Also on Friday Minister Stoenescu met with Herta Daneil, the head of the Federation of Transylvanian Saxons and with Peter-Dietmar Leber, the chairman of the Association of Banat Swabs in Germany. On this occasion, the Romanian official highlighted the importance of the Romanian community in Germany and of the German community in Romania for bilateral relations between the two countries.



    MISSILE – A missile on Friday hit the military base in Kandahar, Aghanistan, where Romanian military are also stationed. According to a press release of the Romanian Defence Ministry, no victims and material damage have been reported. The entire personel of the military base followed procedures and took shelter in special areas. Romania has over 600 military deployed in Afghanistan. The Ministry is carefully monitoring their mission and all safety measures and procedures.



    RUGBY – Romanias national rugby team is today playing Russia at home in the European Nations Cup, the second most important European competition after the Six Nations Tournament. In the first two games, Romania defeated Portugal 39-14 on home turf and Spain 21-18 away from home. In March Romania will also play Germany and Georgia in the competitions highlight match. We recall at in autumn, the team coached by Lynn Howells of Wales took part in the World Cup in England, where it defeated Canada and lost to France, Ireland and Italy in the group phase.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)