Radio România Internațional

Tag: strike

12 July, 2016

ZIKA – Romania reported today its first Zika virus infection case. A 27 year-old woman who spent a vacation in Martinique was identified with the illness while in hospital. The Health Ministry specified that the case was isolated, with minimal risk of spreading. The virus was identified in 1947 in Uganda, and is spread mainly by mosquitoes, and is able to produce congenital conditions in babies born of infected mothers. At present, no vaccine is available to counteract the virus, which so far has spread in South and Central America mainly.

STRIKE – Local administration public servants are on a one day strike in Romania, after negotiations on wages failed late last week. For the duration of the protest, only death certificates and documents related to emergencies will be issued. Trade unions protest the fact that the Labor Ministry would not comply with the negotiated 25% salary raise and subsidies for employee vacations, as previously convened upon. Public servants claim that they are the worst paid state employees, with most of them being paid close to the average gross wage, the equivalent of around 277 Euro. They have already gone on a one hour strike last week.

COUNTRY PROJECT – The technocratic government in Bucharest submitted for debate the country project titled ‘Competitive Romania’, a strategy for sustainable economic growth until 2020. The project includes cutting red tape, boosting research and development, energy efficiency and modernizing the infrastructure, aiming to bring Romania to 5% economic growth. The document was designed by the government, the National Bank and the Romanian Academy, and will undergo public debate until September. The budget involved is upwards of 16.9 billion Euro, which accounts for about 10% of the GDP over five years.

TENNIS – Six Romanian tennis players debut today in the BRD Bucharest Open tournament, with prizes totaling 250,000 dollars. The favorite is Simona Halep, right now fifth placed in the world, who will compete against Czech player Barbora Krejcikova, 188th seeded, while Gabriela Ruse (318th seeded), plays against Latvian Anastasia Sevastova, 66th seeded. Monica Niculescu, ranked 47th, plays Andreea Mitu, ranked 159th, while Patricia Tig, ranked 100th, plays 17 year-old Ioana Minca, who is in the competition thanks to a wild card.

HANDBALL – Romania’s womens handball team today takes on Croatia in the quarterfinals of Moscow hosted U-20 World Championships. In the round of last 16 this past Monday Romania outclassed Japan by the narrowest of margins, 32-31. Earlier this month, at the World University Championships held in Spain, in Malaga, Romanias womens national handball team walked away with silver, while the mens team won the trophy.

GRADUATION – Almost 67% of the 130,000 high school students taking the graduation exam this year have passed the state examination, according to the Ministry of Education. Students who did not pass can make another pass at it in late summer. Last year, 67.9% of students who finished high school passed the graduation exam in 2015.

12 July 2016
June 11, 2016

OFFICIAL VISIT – French President Francois Hollande will come to Romania in September, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has announced. Ciolos, who paid a visit to Paris, attended, together with President François Hollande, the opening ceremony of the European Football Championship and the opening game, between the host country and Romania. Earlier on Friday the Romanian PM and his French counterpart Manuel Valls signed an updated roadmap for the strategic partnership between Romania and France. A day before Dacian Ciolos had taken part in a special meeting of the Council of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which Romania intends to join.

MILITARY DRILL – Romanian and American Navy Forces will carry out, as of Monday, joint military drills in the Black Sea, to practice standard procedures, with a view to developing interoperability between the two countries’ fleets. The Romanian side participates in the drill with the frigate Queen Mary, one corvette, two minesweepers and a Puma Naval helicopter, while the American partner will participate with the USS Porter destroyer.

COMMEMORATION – The Romanian Cultural Institute commemorates, in the Cernauti region in Western Ukraine, at the border with Romania, 75 years since the first deportations carried out by the Soviets in the eastern Romanian territories annexed by Moscow in 1940 following an ultimatum. To mark this event, the play “20 Years in Siberia”, will be performed on Saturday and Sunday at the National Theatre in Bucharest. The play was written after a book by Anita Nandris-Cudla, a Romanian peasant from Bukovina who described the terrible years she had spent in the Soviet Gulag. Once Bessarabia, northern Bukovina and the Herta region annexed by the Soviets, the Romanian population was subjected to deportations, arrests and forced relocations, which lasted until 1956. The first wave of deportations took place on the night of June 12, 1941 and affected over 32 thousand people, among whom personalities of the political, cultural and economic life of that time.

STRIKE – Air France pilots are on a 4-day strike as of today, which may disrupt plans for thousands of football fans on the second day of the Euro 2016 competition. Air France has already cancelled around 30% of the flights, but has announced it would prioritise journeys to cities that were hosting tournament matches. The pilots union wants the government to scrap new labour laws that will make it easier to hire and fire people. Also, rubbish will not be collected in Paris until Wednesday, while train services have only recently resumed after a nine-day strike. Strikes have also been announced in neighbouring Belgium.

THEATER FESTIVAL – The Romanian city of Sibiu is hosting, as of Friday, the International Theatre Festival, one of the biggest events in the world devoted to performing arts. The 23rd edition of the festival has brought together over 2800 artists from 70 countries, who will participate in some 450 shows and cultural events. The manager of the theatre in Sibiu and also the festival’s director, Constantin Chiriac, has announced that nine million euros have been made available for this year’s edition. The Grand Square in Sibiu has turned into a huge stage for acrobats, performing on platforms suspended above the square by means of a huge crane. The theatre marathon starts with actors from England, Spain, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Romania, while street performances are the attraction of the pedestrian area in the citys historical centre.

EURO 2016 – On Friday night, in Paris, Romanias national football squad was defeated by the French side 1-2, in the opening of the 2016 European Championship. Encouraged by more than 20,000 Romanians who watched the game from the stands of Stade de France, the Romanian players started in force and on 3rd minutes were about to score. For the next hour they managed to keep up with the aggressive game of the host team, who are the first seeds at the championship. Giroud scored the first goal in the 57th minute. After eight minutes, Stancu stroke the balance through a penalty shootout, but Payet scored the winning goal in the 89th minute. Euro 2016 continues today with the match between Switzerland and Albania. The next leg of the group will pit Romania against Switzerland and France against Albania on Wednesday. On Saturday, in group B, England takes on Russia, and Wales plays against Slovakia.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

11 June 2016
June 11, 2016

OFFICIAL VISIT – French President Francois Hollande will come to Romania in September, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has announced. Ciolos, who paid a visit to Paris, attended, together with President François Hollande, the opening ceremony of the European Football Championship and the opening game, between the host country and Romania. Earlier on Friday the Romanian PM and his French counterpart Manuel Valls signed an updated roadmap for the strategic partnership between Romania and France. A day before Dacian Ciolos had taken part in a special meeting of the Council of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which Romania intends to join.

MILITARY DRILL – Romanian and American Navy Forces will carry out, as of Monday, joint military drills in the Black Sea, to practice standard procedures, with a view to developing interoperability between the two countries’ fleets. The Romanian side participates in the drill with the frigate Queen Mary, one corvette, two minesweepers and a Puma Naval helicopter, while the American partner will participate with the USS Porter destroyer.

COMMEMORATION – The Romanian Cultural Institute commemorates, in the Cernauti region in Western Ukraine, at the border with Romania, 75 years since the first deportations carried out by the Soviets in the eastern Romanian territories annexed by Moscow in 1940 following an ultimatum. To mark this event, the play “20 Years in Siberia”, will be performed on Saturday and Sunday at the National Theatre in Bucharest. The play was written after a book by Anita Nandris-Cudla, a Romanian peasant from Bukovina who described the terrible years she had spent in the Soviet Gulag. Once Bessarabia, northern Bukovina and the Herta region annexed by the Soviets, the Romanian population was subjected to deportations, arrests and forced relocations, which lasted until 1956. The first wave of deportations took place on the night of June 12, 1941 and affected over 32 thousand people, among whom personalities of the political, cultural and economic life of that time.

STRIKE – Air France pilots are on a 4-day strike as of today, which may disrupt plans for thousands of football fans on the second day of the Euro 2016 competition. Air France has already cancelled around 30% of the flights, but has announced it would prioritise journeys to cities that were hosting tournament matches. The pilots union wants the government to scrap new labour laws that will make it easier to hire and fire people. Also, rubbish will not be collected in Paris until Wednesday, while train services have only recently resumed after a nine-day strike. Strikes have also been announced in neighbouring Belgium.

THEATER FESTIVAL – The Romanian city of Sibiu is hosting, as of Friday, the International Theatre Festival, one of the biggest events in the world devoted to performing arts. The 23rd edition of the festival has brought together over 2800 artists from 70 countries, who will participate in some 450 shows and cultural events. The manager of the theatre in Sibiu and also the festival’s director, Constantin Chiriac, has announced that nine million euros have been made available for this year’s edition. The Grand Square in Sibiu has turned into a huge stage for acrobats, performing on platforms suspended above the square by means of a huge crane. The theatre marathon starts with actors from England, Spain, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Romania, while street performances are the attraction of the pedestrian area in the citys historical centre.

EURO 2016 – On Friday night, in Paris, Romanias national football squad was defeated by the French side 1-2, in the opening of the 2016 European Championship. Encouraged by more than 20,000 Romanians who watched the game from the stands of Stade de France, the Romanian players started in force and on 3rd minutes were about to score. For the next hour they managed to keep up with the aggressive game of the host team, who are the first seeds at the championship. Giroud scored the first goal in the 57th minute. After eight minutes, Stancu stroke the balance through a penalty shootout, but Payet scored the winning goal in the 89th minute. Euro 2016 continues today with the match between Switzerland and Albania. The next leg of the group will pit Romania against Switzerland and France against Albania on Wednesday. On Saturday, in group B, England takes on Russia, and Wales plays against Slovakia.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

11 June 2016
April 8, 2016

In 2015 Romania’s GDP registered a real 3.8% growth as compared to the previous year, shows a report published by the National Institute for Statistics (INS) on Friday. The National Forecast Committee has revised up its forecasts on Romania’s economic growth in 2015 to 3.7% and to 4.2% for this year. In turn, the European Commission has improved its estimates on Romania’s economic growth for 2015, 2016 and 2017. According to the new data released in February, the EU executive estimates that Romania’s GDP growth in 2015 was 3.6%, the highest after 2008. In 2016, the GDP is believed to reach a peak of 4.2%, while in 2017 it would go down to 3.7%.

The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest is today ruling on the last court appearance in the ‘Referendum’ file, in which Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea got a previous suspended prison sentence of one year. Dragnea has been accused by DNA prosecutors of having coordinated a complex mechanism aimed at rigging turnout figures during the referendum on president Traian Basescu’s resignation. 74 other people, presidents and members of polling stations in 4 counties have been either acquitted or got suspended prison sentences in the same file. We recall that 87% of the voters voted for the president to step down, but the referendum didn’t get validation due to the lack of quorum.

WTA 34-th ranked tennis player Irina Begu of Romania on Thursday qualified for the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Charleston, South Carolina, with more than 687 thousand dollars in prize money, after defeating Monica Puig of Puerto Rico in three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 7-6. Begu will be up against the world’s second best player Angelique Kerber of Germany in the quarters. Head-to-heads revealed that Begu and Kerber are equal in terms of wins, two-all, but Kerber outperformed Irina in Charleston’s quarters last year.

Doctors in Romania are threatening with a warning strike unless their claims are met, mainly those related to work conditions and payment. The medical personnel is disgruntled with the law on unitary payment in the healthcare system, based on the minimum wage of 280 euros. The medical personnel has also claimed all the bonuses that have been cut and also the time of rest and relaxation. They have also asked for free medical services to all those working in the system. Hundreds of doctors took to the streets on the World Health Day on Thursday, while their representatives were attending talks with institution officials. The protest timetable announced last month include an all-out strike on April 18th leaving only one third of the activities managed by the personnel as well as emergency cases.

A Canadian frigate part of NATO’s Standing Naval Force Mediterranean is as of today making a three-day stop in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta. During the visit, the commander of the Canadian fleet in the Atlantic, comodore Craig Baines will be participating in meetings with Romanian navy officials. The Romanian and Canadian sailors will be training together in joint anti-submarine exercises and surveilance operations. The mission is part of the collective defence measures.

Romania’s communication and transport infrastructure must be modernized and the people’s IT skills must be strengthened, the European Commissioner for Internal market and industry Elzbieta Bienkowska told a news conference in Bucharest on Friday. She encouraged the Romanian government to increase investment opportunities and EU fund absorption. The European official held talks with Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos who briefed her on the government’s main objectives, one of them being the improvement of Romania’s investment climate.

8 April 2016
The Week, 21-27 March

Romania, in solidarity with Belgium after Brussels terrorist attacks

Romania has joined the international community in firmly condemning the bloody attacks carried out in Brussels on Tuesday, which killed scores and injured hundreds of people, of 40 nationalities, among which 4 Romanians. In memory of those who fell victim to the attacks claimed by the Islamic State terrorist organisation, Romania observed a day of national mourning on Thursday. In token of solidarity, the government building in Bucharest was lit in the colours of the Belgian flag, and a book of condolences was opened at the Belgian Embassy in Bucharest. Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, politicians, foreign ambassadors accredited to Bucharest and ordinary people, alike, left messages in the book. The Romanian President said the scourge of terrorism can be combated only by solidarity and unity, and the Prime Minister underlined that in such situations the solution is to boost cooperation between the EU member states.

The Romanian President paid an official visit to Turkey

During his official visit to Ankara on Wednesday and Thursday, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, firmly condemned terrorism and stood for solidarity. Iohannis said countries should have a common and clear response, in the effort to combat the attacks. He underlined that Turkey, as a country which is hosting a large number of refugees on its territory, plays a key role in solving the migrant crisis, in terms of humanitarian assistance, the control of the migration inflow and the fight against networks of human traffickers. Klaus Iohannis:

Klaus Iohannis: “This visit comes against the backdrop of a complicated geopolitical and regional context. There are many security risks and challenges that we should face and find solutions to. I am confident that together, based on a strong partnership between Romania and Turkey, we can better manage these risks. Our citizens want security and prosperity.

Ways to combat terrorism and the migration crisis were also approached during President Iohannis talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The two sides agreed to boosting bilateral cooperation in several fields. Iohannis and Davutoglu also approached the need to boost bilateral cooperation based on the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, to enhance cooperation in the Black Sea area and within NATO. The two officials laid special emphasis on economic cooperation, given that Turkey is Romanias largest non-EU trade partner and the fifth largest world partner. The two countries also intend to increase the volume of trade, up to 10 billion dollars. Klaus Iohannis also met in Istanbul with representatives of the Romanian community in Turkey.

The Prime Ministers Control Unit presents the conclusions of the report on the Colectiv nightclub tragedy in Bucharest

Nearly five months after the devastating fire at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, which killed 64 people and wounded another 200, the Prime Ministers Control Unit made public a report on the events that night. The document reveals that response operations on the night of the fire were largely uncoordinated and improvised. The situation was caused due to the lack of training in emergency situations, legislative inconsistencies and the scarcity of materials, the report also states. According to the same document, the code red intervention plan was not started immediately, being delayed by bureaucratic procedures, although at least one of the calls received clearly signalled the seriousness of the situation, in which case the legislation in force allows for the use of faster intervention mechanisms. The report also notes that there were institutions that did their job properly and others that did not, such as the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations.

Work-to-rule strike action in the Romanian health sector

Some 12,000 medical staff in Romania this week called a work-to-rule strike. Their demands concern a consistent salary system, the payment of bonuses and observing working and rest hours. Family physicians have also started a protest this week, unhappy with the low budget allocations and the faulty IT system. Here is the vice-president of the National Association of Family Medicine, Sandra Alexiu:

Sandra Alexiu: The most important thing we demand is better funding for family medicine. This year we got even less funds than in previous years, way below the European average allocation to family physicians. Whereas the budget share is 9% at European level, we only get 5,8%, which makes family medicine a difficult job.

Mondays strike action is the first in a series of protests trade unions in the health sector say will continue also in April.

26 March 2016
The week in review 24-28 August 2015

The new Fiscal Code to be re-examined by Parliament next week

On Thursday, the leaders of the Romanian political parties reached an agreement on the Fiscal Code, which President Klaus Iohannis had sent back to Parliament for re-examination. The Fiscal Code will be adopted in its initial form, with the only difference being that certain provisions will be enforced at a different date. On Monday, the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Union for the Progress of Romania and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and also the opposition parties, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, agreed that the Fiscal Code should not be adopted in a hurry and gave up the idea of an extraordinary Parliament session devoted to this matter. MPs will have their say on the Fiscal Code in an ordinary session next week. Previously supported by Government and unanimously green lighted by senators and deputies, the Code had been sent back to Parliament as President Iohannis deemed it unsustainable.

Romanian authorities take the first measures to compensate farmers affected by drought

The Romanian Agriculture Ministry will earmark 145 million euros from its 2016 budget for the upgrading of the irrigation system, but a political agreement is needed for a similar amount to be granted for seven years in a row, Romanian Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin has said. Constantin presented before the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee for Agriculture a report on the damage caused by the severe drought this year. Farmers have reported losses amounting to 2 billion euros and have called on the Government to help them avoid bankruptcy. 70% of the corn crops, 60% of sunflower crops as well as large areas of rape and soy have been destroyed. According to a World Bank report, around 1 billion euros is needed to upgrade Romania’s main irrigation system.

Romanian air traffic controllers threaten to call an all-out strike as of September 1st

Employees with the Romanian Air Traffic Services Administration (ROMATSA) might call for an all-out strike for an indefinite period of time starting September 1st, after negotiations between trade unionists and Transport Ministry representatives on salary levels and working conditions ended in a deadlock. Trade unionists have repeatedly called for the sacking of the ROMATSA general manager, Ion Aurel Stanciu, who in the meantime has been appointed State Secretary with the Transport Ministry following PM Victor Ponta’s decision. According to ROMATSA, which currently has around 1,500 employees, Romania’s air space is crossed by around 2,500-3,000 aircraft a day.

Migrants who have taken Europe by storm in the past few days might also reach Romania

Although Europe is faced with an unprecedented migration crisis, the pressure on Romania has not increased yet, the Vice-Premier for Security Gabriel Oprea, said after Thursday’s meeting of the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations. Nevertheless, Oprea announced that Romania would tighten security on the border with Serbia. Romania already has six regional accommodation centres, with a total capacity of some 1,500 places, which are only 20% occupied at the moment.

Education Trade Unions demand higher salaries

Negotiations on raising salaries in the Romanian education system will be resumed after September 15, when there will be concrete elements regarding the enforcement of the Salary Law and the new Fiscal Code, Education Minister Sorin Campeanu has said. Proposals to increase salaries in the education system have been tackled at Government level, with education trade unions asking for a 15% increase. On the other hand, the Government green-lighted, through an emergency ordinance, a 25% increase in the salaries of the medical staff, starting October 1st.

PM Victor Ponta travels to Chisinau

We feel Romania’s support in these difficult times and the circumstances are favourable at present for a close collaboration between the governments and people on the two sides of the River Prut, the Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti said at a meeting with Romanian PM Victor Ponta. The Romanian official travelled to Chisinau on Thursday to celebrate the Republic of Moldova’s Independence Day. Timofti and Ponta discussed Moldova’s European path, the regional situation and the developments in the Transdniester region. Ponta also met with his Moldovan counterpart, Valeriu Strelet, who thanked Romania for supporting his country. The two officials signed a protocol that extended, until 2020, the implementation of the financial assistance agreement, worth 100 million euros, made available by Bucharest.

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is again 2nd placed in the WTA rankings

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is again 2nd ranked in the WTA classification, following her qualification to the final of the Cincinnati tournament, which she lost on Sunday to the American Serena Williams. Serena continues to be world’s no. 1 while the Russian Maria Sarapova ranks 3rd. Another 4 Romanian tennis players are in the top 100. Irina Begu ranks 28th, followed by Monica Niculescu who is the 37th, Alexandra Dulgheru, 51st and Andreea Mitu 74th.

29 August 2015
August 28, 2015

The total population residing in Romania remains under 20 million people, according to preliminary data from the National Statistics Institute. On January 1, 19,861,000 people were residing in Romania, down 85,900 since the beginning of the previous year. According to experts, the main cause of this decrease is the negative rate of natural increase. The urban and female population account, respectively, for 53.8%, and 51.1% of the total, and the ageing phenomenon is deepening, with the difference between the population over 65 and the young population of up to 14 years of age having widened to more than 300,000 people. The survey also indicates that Romania remains an emigration country, with a number of emigrants 42,000 higher than the number of immigrants last year.

The Bucharest Court has today dismissed a notification filed by the management of the Romanian Air Traffic Authority (ROMATSA) regarding the unlawfulness of the strike announced by employees. Their union leaders announced an all-out strike starting in September 1, unless an agreement is reached with the Transport Ministry on the unions demands. Air traffic controllers want a pay raise, the reduction of the retirement age from 65 to 55, improved working conditions as well as the resignation of the management. On July 15, the employees went on a two-hour warning strike, an unprecedented situation in the Romanian air transport system. According to the Romanian Air Traffic Authority, which currently has around 1,500 employees, between 2,500 and 3,000 planes transit the Romanian territory every day. On Wednesday, union leaders from the state-owned sector announced that 85,000 public sector employees might express their solidarity with the air traffic controllers planned strike.

The Embassy of Romania in neighbouring Hungary has been notified by the Hungarian police that 12 Romanian citizens, suspected of trafficking in human beings, were detained and questioned by the Hungarian authorities, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. According to a news release, the Embassy is monitoring the case, stays in touch with the local authorities and is prepared to provide consular assistance, within the limits of the law. Meanwhile, the Austrian police carry on investigations into the case involving a lorry abandoned near the Hungarian border, and which contained tens of dead immigrants. According to a spokesperson for the Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, the vehicle had been registered by a Romanian citizen, but the Romanian Foreign Ministry has learned, through its embassies, from the Hungarian and Austrian authorities, that no Romanian citizens are actually involved in the case. After the news well have more on the measures taken by Bucharest with respect to the migrant wave facing Europe.

The Romanian Youth Orchestra will open in Bucharest on Sunday night the 22nd “George Enescu International Festival. Nearly 2,500 foreign artists and 500 Romanian ones will take part in this years edition of the Festival. The participating orchestras include the San Francisco Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, conducted by the world famous Zubin Mehta, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Bavarian State Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, London Symphony Orchestra, Sankt Petersburg Orchestra, Monte Carlo Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. According to the organisers, the 2015 edition of the largest cultural event organised in Romania and the worlds leading promoter of the works of the great Romanian composer George Enescu, will take place between August 30 and September 20, and will consist in 58 indoor concerts and many other outdoor events.

BUCURESTI – In Romania, the autumn session of the Baccalaureate exam concludes today, when over 36,000 high-school graduates give the last written test in their chosen major. The first results will be announced on September 1, appeals may be filed on the same day. The final results will be made public on September 4. Around 55,000 high school graduates took part in the autumn session of the Romanian Baccalaureate.

For the first time in 12 years, Romania will have no representatives in the group stage of the European inter-club football competitions. Although on Thursday night Romanian champions Steaua defeated Norways Rosenborg Trondheim, 1-0 away from home, the Romanians were knocked off the Europa League play-off, because the Norwegian team had won in Bucharest 3-0. The new failure comes after Steaua was also eliminated from the third round of the Champions League by the Serbian team Partizan Belgrade. Also in Thursdays Europa League play-off, Astra Giurgiu failed to qualify, after losing 0-2, against the Dutch team AZ Alkmaar, which it had beaten in the first leg. The other two Romanian teams in the competition, vice-champions ASA Târgu Mureş and FC Botoşani, were sent home from the qualifiers stage. According to Romanian sports media, the last hope for the local football fans remains the national team, which is the leader of the preliminary group of next years European Championships. Romanias next match in the group is scheduled for September 4, when the national team takes on Hungary in Budapest.

28 August 2015
27 May, 2015

Members of the National Federation of Unions in Administration are protesting today in Bucharest for higher wages for public servants in Romania, as well as regulating as of 2015 the issue of food vouchers, a type of employee benefit widespread in Romania. The federation warned it would call to general strike indefinitely all federations in the sector, gridlocking local public administration, if demands were not met. This is the third protest this year, after a warning strike in February and a general one-day strike in April.

Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu goes today to Strasbourg for two days for meetings at the Council of Europe. The ministry announced his agenda, which includes meetings with Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, Nils Muiznieks, Human Rights Commissioner, and Venice Commission Secretary Thomas Markert. The Romanian minister will also attend the world gathering of international law national associations, where he is promoting Romania’s initiative of creating an international terrorism tribunal. The ministry announced that the event allows the dissemination of this initiative among international law experts, encouraging the involvement of international law national associations in the debate on using international law against terrorism.

Hundreds of homes have been flooded, dozens evacuated, and several schools closed down in three counties in northern Romania, after flash floods came as a result of heavy night rains that poured down as much as 50 to 60 liters per sqm. The floods also damaged cultivated farmland, roadways and bridges. A warning is in effect for the entire country for rains and adverse weather. Temperatures are holding within normal limits, with maximums today between 10 and 28 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 22 degrees.

The world’s number three tennis player, Romanian Simona Halep, who is third favorite to winning the ongoing edition of the Grand Slam tournament in Roland Garros, will today be facing Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, in the second round of the tournament. Another Romanian tennis player, Alexandra Dulgheru, in the women’s singles today will be proving her mettle against French player Alize Cornet. Also competing for Romania in the women’s singles are Irina Begu and Andreea Mitu. Irina Begu and two other Romanian tennis players, Monica Niculescu and Horia Tecau, will be playing today their games in the doubles version of the Roland Garros tournament.

G7 finance ministers and governors of central banks gathered for the rest of this working week in Dresden, Germany, to discuss the global economy and the Greek situation, according to AFP. The meeting will be attended by the head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, and the European commissioner for monetary policy Pierre Moscovici. Tomorrow, finance ministers of the G7 will be meeting experts in economy and monetary policy to seek solutions for the present economic problems. The IMF, European Central Bank and the European Commission are attempting to reach an agreement with Athens for releasing a new international loan, but are meeting resistance in the issue of austerity measures they are demanding from Greece.

Six FIFA officials were placed under arrest today in Zurich for corruption, after the US filed a request with the Swiss federal tribunal, according to Reuters. They represent sports media and sports marketing companies, and are accused of bribing high officials in international football in exchange for media and marketing rights related to competitions in the US and South America. The New York Times writes that the FIFA high officials who were arrested were in Switzerland to attend the congress of the organization meeting to elect its new president. Incumbent Joseph Blatter faces off against Jordanian prince Ali Bin al-Hussein for the position, defending what would be his fifth term. The US authorities allege that the people under arrest have received bribes worth 100 million dollars.

27 May 2015