SIREN ALERT DRILL – The outcomes of the alarm drill carried out in Romania this week indicate that the coverage of siren signal is below 50% of the total national territory. According to data provided by the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, hundreds of sirens could not be tested because of breakdowns or of a shortage of siren operators. In the capital city Bucharest, less than a quarter of the sirens were operational during the drill. Under these circumstances, the Inspectorate, jointly with the Communications Ministry, is analysing the option of setting up a complementary citizen information system for disaster situations. Mobile phone texting is one of the options, which will be discussed until mid-May with telecoms operators, said the Communications Minister Augustin Jianu.
EARTH DAY – On April 22nd, every year, International Earth Day is celebrated. This year the event was held under the motto Environmental and climate literacy, launching a 3-year world education campaign, according to a UN resolution. In Bucharest, Earth Day was marked with an open door day at the National Geology Museum. Special activities for children, concerts and street art events were also organised, and in other cities in Romania people were also invited to take part in events, competitions and exhibitions on environmental topics.
MILITARY – Romanian troops from Battalion 307 Marines are taking part, until April 30th, in a multinational exercise in Latvia, called “Summer Shield. Alongside the Romanian troops, over 1,000 military from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the US, Canada, UK, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland are taking part. Air defence, exploration and artillery support exercises will be held, as well as weapons of mass destruction defence, anti-tank defence and military engineering exercises. “Summer Shield has been held in Latvia since 2004. Starting 2014, when Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, the exercise became part of NATO manoeuvres. As many as 1,300 troops took part in it in 2016.
FINANCIAL RATING – Moodys has reconfirmed its BAA3 rating for Romanias long-term debt and P-3 rating for the short-term debt. According to a news release issued by the Finance Ministry, the outlook was changed from positive to “stable, in line with the level granted from other international agencies, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch and JCRA. The Romanian Finance Minister Viorel Ştefan said Romanias sustainable economic growth, improved institutional framework, continued structural reforms and low public debt will contribute to a future improvement of the country rating.
AVALANCHE – Two teenagers died on Saturday in an avalanche in Retezat Mountains, south-western Romania. The victims were part of a group of 51 people, many of whom were children. The local mountain rescue service had warned on Friday against imminent avalanche risks triggered by the snowfalls of the past few days.
ILLEGAL MIGRANTS – over 100 migrants, who were trying to leave Romania illegally, hidden in a lorry, were apprehended at Nădlac II checkpoint in the west of the country. More than 40 of them were children. The refugees, who had applied for asylum in Romania, came from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and India. They admitted that they were trying to enter the Schengen area, and have been charged with attempted illegal border crossing.
FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – Over 50,000 police and gendarme will be working to ensure safety and order during the presidential election, PM Bernard Cazeneuve announced after Thursday nights shooting on police forces on Champs-Élysées Boulevard in Paris. The attack upset the agendas of the candidates and brought the fight against terrorism back to the forefront of the debate. A poll run after the Champs-Élysées shooting finds Emmanuel Macron at the top of voter preferences, with 24.5%, followed by the far-right leader Marine Le Pen, with 23%, and François Fillon and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who share the third place, with 19% each.
TENNIS – Romanias womens tennis team is playing this weekend against the UK at home, in the playoffs for the Fed Cup World Group II. On Saturday, the British Johanna Konta defeated Sorana Cirstea, 6-2, 6-3, after in the first match of the day Simona Halep had outplayed Heather Watson, 6-4, 6-1. On Sunday Halep is to play Konta and Irina Begu will take on Watson. Later on Sunday the doubles game will be played, between Monica Niculescu/Sorana Cirstea and Laura Robson/Jocelyn Rae. Romania and Britain have so far played against each other in Fed Cup five times, with Romania winning four of the ties. Meanwhile, Romanias FED Cup captain, the former world no 1 player Ilie Nastase, caused a scandal ahead of the play-off, through reportedly racist comments about Serena Willians and inappropriate conduct in relation to the British team captain Anne Keothavong. The ITF has begun an investigation.
GYMNASTICS – The Romanian Marian Drăgulescu Saturday won the gold in the floor finals of the European Gymnastics Championships in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The European competition was hosted by the Transylvanian city, between April 19 and 23, 60 years after the first edition held in Romania. 274 athletes from 37 countries have taken part, with Romania represented by 10 gymnasts. On Sunday, Larisa Iordache and Cătălina Ponor will compete in the beam finals. Also on Sunday, in the mens competition, Marian Drăgulescu takes part in the vault finals. in last years edition, in Bern, Marian Drăgulescu won 2 silver medals in the mens floor and vault finals, and Cătălina Ponor won 2 bronze medals in the womens floor and beam events.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)