Radio România Internațional

Tag: swearing in

  • December 21, 2019 UPDATE

    December 21, 2019 UPDATE

    December 1989 — Military and religious ceremonies as well as civic manifestations devoted to the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution continued on Saturday in Bucharest and Cluj (northwest). Started in Timisoara on December 16, the revolution extended on December 21 to other big cities of Romania, culminating on December 22 with the escape of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu from the headquarters of the Communist Party in a helicopter. The Ceauseascus were captured and tried hastily then shot dead on December 25 in a barracks in Targoviste (south). Romania was the only country in central and eastern Europe where the toppling of the regime turned into bloodshed. On Thursday the EP adopted a Resolution on the commemoration of 30 years since the December 1989 anti-communist revolution, which pays homage to the heroes that died for freedom and democracy. The document mentions that, in the Romanian Revolution, 1,142 people lost their lives, over 3,000 were seriously wounded and several hundreds were illegally arrested and tortured. Through this resolution the EP admits that the sacrifice of the then peaceful protesters opened the path for Romania’s transition to democracy. The EP also called on the Romanian state to intensify efforts to find the truth about the 1989 revolution and on the EU institutions and members to do their best to make sure that the crimes made by the Communist regimes will not be forgotten, and to thus guarantee that such crimes will never be committed again.



    New mandate – President Klaus Ioahnnis was sworn in on Saturday for a second term in office as head of state, before the Parliament’s two Chambers. In his speech, president Iohannis said that the targets of his term in office are to modernize the administration, to regain the citizens’ confidence in the state institutions, to do away with red tape and simplify the legislation which should no longer include populist measures. He went on to say that he would continue to support the anti-corruption fight and that Romania’s international profile would be consolidated. On November 24, in the second round of the presidential election, Iohannis, supported by the National Liberal Party, obtained more than 66% of the votes, twice as much as his challenger, the former Social Democratic PM Viorica Dancila. On Thursday, upon the presentation of the activity report of his first mandate as head of state, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis said that his mandate was marked by major challenges, of which the most serious was Romania’s risking to swerve off its western path under the Social Democratic governments. In relation to foreign policy, Klaus Iohannis said his actions focused on boosting Romania’s role within the EU and NATO, and expanding and strengthening the strategic partnership with the US.



    Court clerks — The justice minister Catalin Predoiu had a meeting with the court clerks’ representatives in the context of the clerks’ protests of the past days. A justice ministry communiqué released on Saturday the talks focused on the government’s intention to change emergency decree no.114/2018 related to fiscal and budgetary measures and to eliminate the clerk’s special pensions. The clerks’ representatives also spoke about the lack of payment for overtime and the improper working conditions, given that, according to statistics, clerks’ life expectancy is 58 years. The justice minister said that a decision related to their problems should be made jointly by the government, the justice ministry and the Parliament. At the end of the meeting, the sides agreed that a new meeting should be held early next week between the representatives of the justice ministry and of the clerks.



    Sports — Romania will have 35 participants in the Youth Olympic Games to be hosted by Lausanne, Switzerland, between the 9th and 22nd of January 2020. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Olympic and Sport Committee, the Romanian athletes will compete in 10 of the 16 sport events scheduled at the Olympic Games. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Lillehammer – Norway, Eduard Căşăneanu won gold in the ice hockey event and Mihaela Hogaş won bronze in the speed skating event in mixed genre international teams. (update by L. Simion)

  • January 20, 2017

    January 20, 2017

    ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis said there are sufficient arguments to prompt the Government to withdraw its ordinances on amending the blanket pardon legislation and the Criminal Code. In a message posted on a social networking site, the President said the measures are ‘ineffective and ‘targeted. On Thursday, protests continued in Bucharest and other large cities against the Governments plans. Thousands of protesters fear the modifications are targeting major influential politicians and lawmakers, aimed at writing off their sentences. Similar charges were launched by opposition parties, civil society or magistrates associations. On the other hand, the Government claims the modifications are necessary to avoid prison overcrowding as well as to harmonize the existing legislation with Constitutional Court rulings.



    2017 BUDGET – The Government is today meeting to discuss the draft budget for 2017. The session will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development Sevil Shhaideh, who will serve as interim Prime Minister until Monday, pending Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanus return from Washington, where he is attending the official swearing-in of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Sorin Grindeanu said the draft budget will maintain the budget deficit below 3%. A delegation of the International Monetary Fund, led by mission chief for Romania Reza Baqir, on Thursday held a first meeting with Finance Minister Viorel Stefan concerning the state budget for 2017. At present Romania has no ongoing agreement with the IMF.



    SWEARIN IN CEREMONY – Republican billionaire Donald Trump will be sworn in today as the 45th president of the United States of America. Attending the swearing-in ceremony held in Washington will be some 900,000 people. The businessman won the presidential elections after an election campaign marked by a series of very controversial declarations, as well as Russias alleged involvement in the campaign. According to the US intelligence agencies, the Russian Federation launched a series of cyber-attacks targeting the Democratic Party during the campaign. The swearing-in ceremony will be held against the backdrop of numerous protests in Washington, but also in Boston, Los Angeles and outside the US, in London and Sydney.



    AVALANCHE – At least four people were killed and another 25 are missing in the wake of an avalanche that hit a Hotel in Pescara province, central Italy. The Romanian Embassy was informed that three Romanian citizens, an adult and two minors, were in the hotel when the avalanche hit, and has immediately contacted local authorities. The Romanian Foreign Ministry reports that Romanias embassy and general consular office in Bologna are watching the developments and remain in permanent contact with the local authorities, being ready to provide any necessary consular assistance. Meanwhile Italian rescue teams continue to search for survivors on the ground, although the possibility of finding anyone still alive is very low.



    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea, Romanias last representative in the womens singles at the Australian open, on Friday qualified to the round of 16 for the first time in her career. In the third round, Cirstea defeated Alison Riske of the United States, 6-2, 7-6, 7-2. In the mens doubles, Horia Tecau of Romania and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands moved past Matt Reid and Jordan Thompson of Australia, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5. In the quarterfinals, the two will take on Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middlekoop of the Netherlands. Also qualified in the quarterfinals are Florin Mergea of Romania and Dominic Inglot of the United Kingdom, who knocked out Julien Benneteau and Jeremy Chardy of France, 6-3, 6-7, 6-7. (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • January 4, 2017 UPDATE

    January 4, 2017 UPDATE

    SWEARING IN — The Romanian Parliament on Wednesday granted the vote of confidence to the government formed by the Prime Minister designate, Social-Democrat Sorin Grindeanu, and its governing program, which was presented to the legislature. The 26 ministers proposed by the coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats had been previously heard by the relevant parliamentary committees. After the vote in Parliament, the members of the new cabinet were sworn in, with president Klaus Iohannis in attendance. Sevil Shhaideh, the first nomination made by the Social Democratic Party for the position of prime minister, who was rejected by president Klaus Iohannis, is now deputy prime minister and minister of Regional Development, Public Administration and European Funds. Among others, the portfolios of the ministries of the Economy, Education, Health, Justice, Transports and the Interior will be held by representatives of the Social Democratic Party. In exchange, representatives of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats have received four portfolios in the new cabinet- the Foreign Ministry, the Relation with Parliament, Energy and the Environment. Daniel Constantin, the co-leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, has been proposed for the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Environment Minister.



    MEASLES — The measles outbreak may be widening, according to experts with the main infectious disease hospital in Timisoara, in the west of Romania, the main city in the region with the most cases. According to them, 124 children have been stricken by the disease. In the first three days of the year alone, 30 patients were admitted into hospital for the disease, the youngest being six weeks old. The epidemic broke out in Romania in the autumn, with 10 confirmed deaths and over 2,000 infections throughout the country. According to the Ministry of Health, the main reason for the outbreak is the parents’ refusal to vaccinate their children, which physicians warn is hazardous.



    MINING — The miners in Lupeni, in Romanias coal country, have gone on a spontaneous protest against the economic situation of their employer, the Hunedoara Energy Complex. The protesters claim that they work for low wages only four days a week. The complex, which employs 5,200 people, has filed for insolvency proceedings, and awaits a court decision, which is the only way it can continue work.



    TURKEY — The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said the authorities have identified the perpetrator in the attack that left 39 dead on New Years Eve in Istanbul, without providing details. Turkish media alleged on Wednesday that he is from a Central Asian country. 16 people, including the wife of the attacker, have been detained. The attack occurred as Turkish forces are attempting to retake the northern Syrian city of Al-Bab, a stronghold of the so-called Islamic State, where Ankara leads an offensive against Jihadists, as well as Kurdish militias.



    EU PRESIDENCY — This year, Malta takes over the rotating presidency of the EU. Over the next six months, the new team will have to grapple with major issues such as migration, security, and social inclusion, as well as the expected Brexit crisis. Malta joined the EU in 2004, and is right in the path of refugees trying to reach Europe through the Mediterranean Sea.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, right now ranking fourth in the world, has been defeated by Czech player Katerina Siniakova, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, in the eighth finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen, China, with 625,000 dollars in prize money. Romania has no other representative in the competition after Sorana Carstea was defeated by Polish player Agnieszka Radwanska and Monica Niculescu, lost to Wang Qiang. In the womens doubles, the Romanian-Ukrainian pair Raluca Olaru- Olga Savchuk will be playing in the quarterfinals against the Chinese pair Chen Liang- Jing Jing Lu. We recall that Simona Halep was the winner of the Shenzhen tournament in 2015. (Translated by C. Cotoiu and D. Vijeu)