FINA Romanian swimmer Robert Glinta has today qualified for the semifinals
of the 50 meter backstroke race of the FINA World Aquatics Championships in
Budapest, Hungary. The best time in the race was obtained by Justin Ress of the
USA, gold medalist in the 4×100 meter relay race. The 50 meter backstroke
semifinals is due tonight and the finals on Saturday. Glinta 25, had previously
ranked 8th in the 100 meter finals. He is colleague with David
Popovici, the 17 year old swimmer who on Wednesday was the second swimmer in
the world to have become world champion in the 200 meter and 100 meter
freestyle races in the same edition of a championships. Angelica Muscalu and
Constantin Popovici will be representing Romania in the diving competition of
the same championship due next week.
HOLIDAY Orthodox believers who are a majority in Romania together with the
Greek-Catholics are today celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, considered
the last prophet of the Old Testament, who announced the coming of the Messiah.
John the Baptist who had been born in the family of Jewish priest Zachariah six
months before Jesus urged people to repentance baptizing them in the Jordan
River. John also baptized Jesus introducing Him to the world as the Messiah who
was to come. This Christian holiday overlaps a heathen celebration known in
Romania as Sanziene, who were believed to be mythological creatures in charge
of prosperity and fertility.
CANDIDACY EU Leaders have granted the statute of accession candidates to Ukraine
and the Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet, Romanian speaking country. In turn,
Georgia has been encouraged to continue its reforms to be able to get this
status in the future. Romania has hailed the major step towards European
integration taken by its two neighbours.
EXAM
Over 83% of the eight graders in Romania’s secondary schools have recently been
admitted to high schools after passing the national Evaluation Exam, which is a
record figure of the past 10 years. After the results were listed on Thursday,
Education Minister Sorin Campeanu said the number of students taking the
aforementioned exam was also the highest in the past 6 years.
BLOUSE Today is the day of the Romanian traditional blouse known as Ie.
Starting this year Romanians will be able to celebrate this day legally after
the country’s president Klaus Iohannis issued a law, which was already
published in the Official Gazette. Under the new law, cultural, social and
artistic events can be staged in this respect while mass media is encouraged to
disseminate materials promoting this traditional piece of clothing. Education
units, cultural institutions, communication centers as well as Romania’s
diplomatic representations are invited to get involved in various actions of
promoting this event.
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