Radio România Internațional

Tag: tragedy

  • The Interior Ministry under scrutiny

    The Interior Ministry under scrutiny

    A tragedy that could have been avoided has caused a series of vehement reactions in Romania. A 13-year-old girl died last week after being fatally hit on a pedestrian crossing in Bucharest by a police car and a second girl, seriously injured, was taken to hospital. The police car had its lights on. The interior minister, Lucian Bode, also reacted to the tragedy and explained that the policeman who was driving the car was not on an emergency mission, but was simply doing his job, at the request of the Directorate for Persons Record. He also said that the police officers who drive a police car, whether they are on an emergency mission or not, are not exempt from criminal liability.



    Lucian Bode: “The law is very clear: everything that means driving in a priority situation, whether the police officer is on a police mission or on an emergency mission, the driver of a police car has the obligation to drive carefully and is exempt only from civil offense liability, not from criminal liability.”



    The policeman who caused the tragedy in Bucharest was employed from external sources, which means that he did not attend a police school. The interior minister, Lucian Bode, announced that, following the tragedy in the capital, the process of recruiting police officers from an external source will be reanalyzed, a process which, although necessary, proves to be risky in some situations. Actually, several people have been lately hired from external sources due to the staffing crisis caused by retirement and the small number of places in police schools.



    Another tragedy has prompted the interior minister to point the finger to the ‘rot of a system that has deteriorated constantly over the last 30 years’. ‘Insufficient human resources have sometimes proved to be poorly prepared, sometimes to be in collusion with the local political power and sometimes in collusion with local criminals Lucian Bode concluded.



    This time, the tragedy took place on January 9 in Bolintin Vale (south), where hundreds of people took to the streets to complain about the lack of involvement of the authorities, in the context in which a family terrorizes them and a member of that family killed a man by hitting him in the head with a stone. The locals from Bolintin Vale called for urgent measures to protect them from the Roma community that came from another locality and that are causing scandals. The city was declared a special area of public safety, and dozens of gendarmes and police were then mobilized there.



    These tragedies led the opposition Save Romania Party – USR to demand, once again, the resignation of the interior minister, who, they claim, has failed in his mission to reform the police system. USR considers that the interior minister position should be held by a man who is able to come up with clear and firm solutions, that should restore the prestige of the police uniform and the trust of Romanians in the state institutions that must protect them. (LS)

  • July 16, 2021

    July 16, 2021

    BLACK HAWK
    Authorities in Romania and the United States have launched an investigation
    into the recent incident involving a Black Hawk helicopter, which made a forced
    landing in downtown Bucharest on Thursday. The crew had initially reported
    technical issues during a training flight for the military ceremonies due on
    July 20th and 21st to mark Romania’s Aviation Day and the end of the Romanian
    contingent’s mission in Afghanistan. The helicopter crash-landed in a Bucharest
    square bringing down two lampposts and damaging two vehicles.






    EDUCATION Students from all over the world can enlist with the first
    interactive online high school of an international profile in Romania due to
    start activity in Cluj Napoca this autumn. Upon graduation, students are to receive
    Cambridge-accredited diplomas. The aforementioned British-styled high-school is
    going to function in a hybrid system. Students are going to attend online
    courses and interact with each other in camps. The idea to set up such a school
    came during the pandemic, when the organizers realized the importance of such
    an institution in Romania. Cambridge-accredited diplomas are recognized in over
    150 countries, Romania included, so students can easily opt for university
    studies in numerous countries around the world.






    WEATHER Almost 100 people have lost their lives while
    hundreds are reported missing after the heavy rainfalls and flooding that have
    recently affected Western Europe. In Germany, the most affected country, Chancellor
    Angela Merkel has described the situation as a ‘tragedy’ and pledged full
    support for the victims. Numerous towns and villages have been isolated and
    roads have been completely covered by waters, which disrupted electricity in
    more than 135 thousand households. Belgium has also reported fatalities and
    many people unaccounted for. Extreme weather phenomena have also caused
    material damage in the Netherlands where many people had to leave their homes.
    Experts are blaming the latest weather phenomena on human-induced climate
    change.






    COVID-19 Authorities in Romania have included Spain, Portugal and the
    Netherlands among the red-zone countries with a high infection risk, whereas
    Greece, one of the most sought-after tourist destinations this summer is
    presently in the yellow zone. Tourists who have been fully vaccinated do not
    have to stay in quarantine upon their return to Romania irrespective of the
    region they come from. Those unvaccinated coming from the red zone must stay in
    quarantine for 14 days, whereas those coming from the yellow zone must produce
    a negative PCR test made in the past 72 hours in order to avoid quarantine. The
    National Committee for Emergency Situations has approved a pilot project
    involving the use of trained dogs for detecting those infected. 62 new
    infections were reported in Romania on Thursday, out of 25 thousand tests, as
    well as three fatalities. 50 persons are being treated in ICUs. Since the
    beginning of Romania’s vaccine rollout on December 27th last year, 4.7 million people
    have been fully vaccinated in Romania, while authorities are trying to step up
    the vaccination campaign in this country.






    COMMISSIONER Romania must double its vaccination efforts this summer as only
    30% of its adult population has been vaccinated says the European Commissioner
    for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides who is paying a formal visit to
    Romania on Friday. According to this EU official, the highly-contagious Delta
    variant, which has been identified in Europe, represents a major risk for
    people who haven’t got the jab. Vaccination is the most powerful weapon against
    virus variants, the European Commissioner went on to say. According to a
    communiqué issued by the European Commission Representation in Bucharest, EU
    Commissioner Kyriakides will be meeting Health Minister Ioana Mihaila and pay a
    visit to the vaccination center in Petresti, southern Romania. The talks will
    be focusing on the EU’s vaccine strategy, Romania’s vaccine rollout as well as
    the guidelines provided by the European Health Union.






    (bill)

  • Tragedy in the Romanian mountain climbing

    Tragedy in the Romanian mountain climbing

    Zsolt Török, one of the best known Romanian mountain climbers, was found dead last weekend by mountain rescuers. After climbing the highest and most dangerous mountains of the world, from the Andes to the Himalayas, reaching altitudes of more than 7 thousand meters, where man literally meets the sky, Zsolt Török found his death at home, on Negoiu Peak, which is the second highest peak of the Romanian Carpathians measuring 2,535 meters in height. He had gone alone for several days to climb the Făgăraş Mountains.



    On Saturday, his wife reported him missing after a group of mountain climbers had found his things in a mountain shelter. Searches started right away and involved mountain rescuers and gendarmes from the counties of Sibiu and Arges as well as a helicopter of the interior ministry. The man was found dead several hours later. According to mountain rescuers, he seemingly slid down the rocks. The area where he was found was very unstable and generally avoided by mountaineers. Moreover, it had rained heavily in the previous days and the rocks were wet.



    Those who found Zsolt Török in the mountain abyss said he had no chance of survival as he had no equipment except for a climbing helmet. People who knew him say he would have never risked climbing difficult routes without taking safety measures, although danger is lurking around every corner in the mountains.



    Zsolt Török is known for his impressive mountain climbing achievements both in Romania and abroad. He was considered one of the best technicians among climbers in Romania and always talked passionately about his hobby. His last big climbing expedition was in 2018, when Romania celebrated the Union Centennial, and when he managed to place Romania’s flag atop Pumori Peak at 7,165 meters altitude in the Himalayas and to identify a new route towards that peak for the first time.



    Here is what Zsolt Török said at the time about the significance of his success: “I conveyed a short message of encouragement for climbers to think of me when they are in difficulty. It’s something symbolic for them to think of how I’ve overcome and I’m always overcoming obstacles and of how I have been keen on this professional mountain climbing job for 30 years.”



    Mountain peaks and Romanian climbing are now poorer and sadder — shows the message of condolence conveyed by Zsolt Török’s colleagues and friends from the National Mountain Rescuers Dispatching Center. Romania’s interim interior minister Mihai Fifor also posted a message in memory of mountain climber Zsolt Török who would have turned 46 on September 29. (translation by L. Simion)

  • Solidarity with Tragedy Victims

    Solidarity with Tragedy Victims

    Friday nights fire at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, which killed more than 30 people, has deeply impressed the Romanian society, which has mobilized in an unprecedented humanitarian effort. Sympathy messages are pouring in from abroad as well.



    President Klaus Iohannis Monday said he was impressed with the messages received from foreign heads of state and government, ambassadors and other officials, and thanked all of them. “There are warm words of support and encouragement sent to all Romanians, and I am reading them with a lot of emotion, Iohannis said. The President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, was among the first to send his condolences to the victims families.



    In turn, the European Commissioner for Regional Policies Corina Cretu voiced her grief and shock upon hearing about the tragedy in Bucharest. She called on fellow Romanians to remain united through this difficult moment. The embassies of the USA and the Russian Federation flew their flags at half-mast, while the ambassadors of the USA, Great Britain and France came to the Colectiv club to light candles and bring flowers in memory of the victims. We should note that several foreign citizens were among the victims of the fire.



    While on a visit to Romania, the President of Poland Andrzej Duda laid flowers and lit a candle at Colectiv. The Presidents of Armenia, Estonia and Turkey have also sent messages of condolences to their Romanian counterpart. The authorities of the neighbouring Republic of Moldova have donated nearly 700 litres of blood to help the injured, while in Chisinau thousands of people have lit candles and kept a moment of silence in front of the Romanian Embassy building.



    President Nicolae Timofti said it was time for the Republic of Moldova to prove it stood by its Romanian brothers, given that Romania has always shown its solidarity with the citizens of Moldova.



    Prince Charles, known as a friend of Romanians, wrote, “I was utterly appalled to hear of the dreadful tragedy in the Bucharest nightclub on Friday and wanted you to know how deeply I feel for all those Romanians who lost their loved ones in this terrible fire. My heart also goes out to the poor victims who are in hospital and to their families who wait anxiously by their bedsides. My thoughts and special prayers are with you and the Romanian people, Prince Charles said in a message to President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Victor Ponta.

  • October 31, 2015 UPDATE

    October 31, 2015 UPDATE

    NATIONAL MOURNING -
    The Prosecutor’s Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice on
    Saturday carried out the first part of the investigation into Friday night’s
    fire, which broke out in a club in downtown Bucharest. The death toll stands at
    27 people dead and some 150 injured. The Romanian government has decreed three
    days of national mourning, to be observed on October 31st, November
    the 1st and 2nd, in -what is being considered- the second worst tragedy to strike Romania since 1989. The death toll could go up,
    because some of the injured are in a critical condition. Four foreign nationals
    are among them: two Spaniards, a German and an Italian. Between 300 and 500
    young people were attending a rock concert when the fire broke out. Romania’s
    President, Klaus Iohannis, has expressed grief but also revolt that such a
    tragedy could occur in downtown Bucharest, most likely against the backdrop of
    laws and norms in the field being ignored. The President of the European
    Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, has sent a message of condolences to the
    families and friends of the victims of the tragic accident that occurred on
    Friday night. In turn, the European Commissioner for Regional Policies, Corina
    Cretu, has expressed her deep sorrow and shock at the news of the tragedy in
    Bucharest. The Embassies of the United States of America and of the Russian
    Federation in Bucharest, respectively, have also sent messages of condolences.



    PLANE CRASH – All 224 people on board the Airbus321-200 passenger jet belonging to the Russian airline “Metrojet, which crashed on Saturday morning in Egypts Sinai Peninsula, lost their lives, the Egyptian government and the Russian Embassy in Cairo have confirmed. According to France Presse, the Egyptian wing of the Islamic State Jihadist group claimed responsibility for the crash on Tweeter, in retaliation for Rusias intervention in Syria. However, the Egyptian authorities say there is no clear evidence confirming an attack scenario. The Russian chartered plane was en route from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh to the Russian city of Saint Petersburg. President Vladimir Putin decreed a day of national mourning on November 1.




    SUMMIT- Representatives of nine Central and East European countries, alongside NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, will attend a summit in Bucharest, on November the 4th. The NATO official has recently said a series of risks might appear when Russia gets involved in operations unfolding very close to NATO territory. Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, the host of the summit, has said the participants will launch a common message on NATOs adjustment to the current security conditions.




    CHISINAU – The Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the non-affiliated MPs in the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet country, with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, on Friday had a first meeting for the formation of a new ruling coalition, Radio Chishinau has announced. The meeting was not attended by the Liberal Democratic Party, which has announced a decision will be made in the following days on whether or not it participates in the formation of a new alliance. The politicians have said a new pro-European majority is needed and invited the Liberal-Democrats to join the talks. We recall that the pro-European cabinet led by Liberal Democrat Valeriu Strelet was dissolved by Parliament on Thursday, following a censure motion initiated by the Socialists and the Communists, and backed by the Democratic Party, one of the members of the ruling coalition. Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Gheorghe Brega has been designated interim prime minister by Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.



    TRADE UNIONS – Romanian trade unions affiliated to the SED LEX Federation will make a decision early next week on having a reaction at national level on the governments decision to increase the salaries of some of the state sector employees. SED LEX says the 50% increase in the basic salaries of people working in the financial system, as of November the 1st, is applied only to those working in central structures. Consequently, only 3,000 employees of the Finance Ministry and of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration, ANAF, will benefit from pay-rises, and not the 23,000 people working in the territorial structures of the public finance system. The Finance Ministry announced on Friday that approximately 5,700 employees of ANAF and the line ministry will benefit from an average 22% increase in their basic salaries. The ministry claims the measure is justified by the complex activities carried out in the aforementioned institutions and the urgent need to ensure the stability of the specialised staff.



    SINGAPORE – Czech tennis player Petra Kvitova has qualified for the finals of the WTA Tournament of Champions, in Singapore, with 7 million US dollars total prize money up for grabs. She managed to defeat Russian Maria Sharapova in a two set match played on Saturday. World number five Petra Kvitova will face, in the finals, Polish Agnieszka Radwanska, WTA no.6 ranked player, who defeated in the semi-finals second-seeded Spanish Garbine Muguruza.

  • October 31, 2015

    October 31, 2015

    NATIONAL MOURNING – The Romanian government, meeting in an emergency session today, has decreed three days of national mourning, after 27 people died following a powerful fire, which broke out on Friday night during a rock concert in a nightclub in Bucharest. The authorities warn the death toll could go up because some of the 146 people who are being treated in hospitals are in a critical state. When the fire broke out, between 300 and 500 people were attending a rock concert. Hundreds of people answered the appeal launched by the authorities to donate blood at the transfusion centres in Bucharest. The investigation into the case has been taken over by the Prosecutors Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice. Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, went to one of the hospitals treating the victims and then to the site of the tragedy. He has expressed grief but also revolt that such a tragedy could occur in downtown Bucharest. According to the Romanian President, there is information leading to the conclusion the event might have occurred against the backdrop of laws and norms in the field being ignored. The President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, has sent a message of condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the tragic accident which occurred on Friday night. He expressed sadness at the loss of so many young lives, who had such a tragic end. In turn, the European Commissioner for Regional Policies, Corina Cretu, has expressed her deep sorrow and shock at the news of the tragedy in Bucharest. She called on her Romanian co-nationals to stay united in such difficult times.



    PLANE CRASH – Egyptian search and rescue teams which arrived at the site of the crashed Airbus-321 passenger jet belonging to the Russian airline “Kogalymavia managed to extract at least 100 bodies from the wreckage of the plane, Reuters and Tass quote a representative of the Egyptian security services as saying. According to the local media, no survivors of the 224 people on board have been found so far. Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed a day of national mourning on November 1, 2015. The administration of the airport in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh said all crew-members and passengers on board the plane were Russian nationals. The plane, en route to the Russian city of Saint Petersburg, crashed north of the Sinai Peninsula on Saturday morning.



    SUMMIT- Representatives of nine Central and East European countries, alongside NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow, will attend a summit in Bucharest, on November, 4. The NATO official has recently said a series of risks might appear when Russia gets involved in operations unfolding very close to NATO territory. Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, the host the summit, has said the participants will launch a common message on NATOs adjustment to the current security conditions.


    TRADE UNIONS – Romanian
    trade unions affiliated to the SED LEX Federation will make a decision early
    next week on having a reaction at national level on the government’s decision
    to increase the salaries of some of the state sector employees. SED LEX says
    the 50% increase in the basic salaries of people working in the financial
    system, as of November the 1st, is applied only to those working in
    central structures. Consequently, only 3,000 employees of the Finance Ministry
    and of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration, ANAF, will benefit from
    pay-rises, and not the 23,000 people working in the territorial structures of
    the public finance system. The Finance Ministry announced on Friday that
    approximately 5,700 employees of ANAF and the line ministry will benefit from an
    average 22% increase in their basic salaries. The ministry claims the measure
    is justified by the complex activities carried out in the aforementioned
    institutions and the urgent need to ensure the stability of the specialised
    staff.


    CHISHINAU – The Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and
    the non-affiliated MPs in the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet country,
    with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, on Friday had a first
    meeting for the formation of a new ruling coalition, Radio Chishinau has
    announced. The meeting was not attended by the Liberal Democratic Party, which has
    announced a decision will be made in the following days on whether or not it
    participates in the formation of a new alliance. The politicians have said a
    new pro-European majority is needed and invited the Liberal-Democrats to join
    the talks. We recall that the pro-European cabinet led by Liberal Democrat
    Valeriu Strelet was dissolved by Parliament on Thursday, following a censure
    motion initiated by the Socialists and the Communists, and backed by the
    Democratic Party, one of the members of the ruling coalition. Liberal Deputy
    Prime Minister Gheorghe Brega has been
    designated interim prime minister by Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.


  • 27 dead in Bucharest nightclub fire

    27 dead in Bucharest nightclub fire

    According to information provided by the authorities, the death toll of the powerful fire that broke out in a nightclub in downtown Bucharest on Friday night has taken the number of victims to 27. Over 180 persons are being treated in hospital. The line authorities have issued a code red allert. It is an emergency plan that comes into effect at the Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU) and the Interior Ministry when prompt action is required in multiple-victim accidents, and particularly if the number of victims is beyond the response capacity. In such cases, more forces are mobilized. Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea has said the line ministry is in a state of general alert, following the fire. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has expressed his compassion for and solidarity with the families of those affected by the tragedy.