Radio România Internațional

Tag: training

  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club

    Many-time world and Olympic medalist, veteran kayak rower Vasile Diba died on February 20, 2024. The first Romanian Olympic kayak champion was born on July 24, 1954, in the Tulcea County locality of Jurilovca, in the east.

    Diba made his debut in rowing with the Delta Tulcea sports club in 1970, under the supervision of one of Romania’s greatest coaches, Igor Lipalit. In 1971, Vasile Dina succeeded his first great performance winning the national juniors’ title in men’s canoe sprint kayak single 500m race. Also in 1971, on the Snagov Lake in Romania, Diba became European juniors’ vice-champion in men’s kayak double.

    In 1973, being drafted for the military service in the structures of the Internal Affairs Ministry, Vasile Dîba was signed up by Dinamo Bucharest sports club. In 1977, Diba wins his first world titles in a seniors’ competition in Mexico’s Xochimilco. Diba won the title in men’s canoe sprint kayak single 500m race. Also, he was part of the team that won kayak 4x500m relay race.

    Vasile Diba’s career continued, until the end, with Dinamo Bucharest Sports Club. In 1976, as part of the Olympic Games in Montreal, Diba won the gold medal in men’s canoe sprint kayak single 500m race and the bronze medal in the 1,000m race. Also in the 500m and 1,000m races, in 1977 Vasile Diba won the world title in Sofia. In 1978, he retained his title in the 500m race at the World Championships in former Yugoslavia.

    In Moscow in 1980, Vasile Diba participated in the Olympics for the second time around in his career. Back then he won bronze in men’s canoe sprint kayak single 500m race and silver with men’s kayak four crew. Vasile Diba also took the start in the Los Angeles Olympics, in 1984, but he was unable to step onto a step of the podium.

    Vasile Dîba retired from competition in 1987. His record until them had been a scintillating one,so Diba is one of Romania’s greatest kayak rowers of all time. After he retired from competition, Diba opted for quitting the world of sports altogether, joining the Internal Affairs Ministry enforcement structures. He worked in the ministry’s Judiciary section in a Bucharest-based police station until 2001, when he retired.

  • Sports roundup

    Sports roundup

    The year 2025 in sports has begun in Otopeni, nearby Bucharest, with a top-flight water polo competition, actually the World Cup fixtures. On Tuesday, in Division One’s Group C, Romania sustained a 7-10 defeat by the United States. In the first part of the game, Romania succeeded to put on a balanced game against the bronze medalists at the Paris Olympics, yet the US team had the upper hand in the final part of the match. On Wednesday, Romania take on Japan.

    Division One’s first six teams in descending order advance to the Super Final. Joining them are Division Two’s two best teams. Taking part in the competition are the world’s strongest teams. Serbia, in Group B, is the defending Olympic champion. Also part of Group B is Croatia, the Olympic vice-champions. In Group A, Spain is the European champion and the current World Cup holders.

    After three legs in the Dakkar Rally, the Romanian motorcyclist Emanuel Gyenes is 3rd-placed. In the third leg, Gyenes was 30th-placed, finishing 24 minutes and 20 seconds later than the winner. In the auto class, one of the Romanian carmaker Dacia’s cars is piloted by the French Sebastien Loeb, a nine-time rallies world champion. Also driving a Dacia Sandriders is Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah, who is second-placed according to the general rankings, arriving 7 minutes and 17 seconds later than the leader, the South-African Henk Lategan, driving a Toyota Gazoo Racing.

    In news from tennis, on Wednesday Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar have advanced to the women’s doubles finals as part of the WTA 250 tournament in Tasmania’s Hobart, an event with 275, 094 USD in prize money. The Romanian-Hungarian in the round of 16 defeated the all-American pair made of Sabrina Santamaria and Sloane Stephens, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4. In Melbourne where the Australian Open is well under way, Anca Todoni and Gabriela Ruse have reached the last round of the qualifiers. On Wednesday, Todoni grabbed a 6-3, 6-2 win against Spanish challenger Leyre Romero Gormaz. Ruse defeated Germany’s Anna-Lena Friedsam, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

    A training stage is ongoing in Turkey’s Antalya for several Romanian football teams. In the recently-played friendlies, on Tuesday, FC Botosani and Bulgarian champion team Ludogoreţ Razgrad, drew, 1-all. Gloria Buzău grabbed a 2-1 win against third-tier Turkish team Kastamonuspor. FC Hermannstadt Sibiu grabbed a 3-nil win against third-tier German team Alemania Aachen. Alo on Tuesday, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe sustained a 1-4 defeat by Swiss champions Young Boys Berne. We recall on Monday Sepsi sustained a 1-3 defeat by second-league Belgian team Molenbeek.

  • Recent joint training sessions held on Romanian territory

    Recent joint training sessions held on Romanian territory

    The French colleagues of the NATO fighting group stationed in Romania, last week celebrated the 2024 edition of Goût de France, a Taste of France. The event was staged in a bid to promote French gastronomy. Attending were officials of Fagaras Municipality, Brasov County School Inspectorate, as well as partners, sponsors, collaborators and various other guests.

    The atmosphere was extraordinary, with top-flight participation. The Aurel Vijoli Technological High School/The French Vocational School in Fagaras, in partnership with the Brasov French Alliance, the French Consular Agency in Brasov, with the AIGLE-NATO Mission representatives in Cincu made a team, with the contribution of each member being extremely important. The high school pupils currently on a programme enabling them to become cooks, waiters or pastry cooks took the opportunity and enjoyed a hands-on experience in the preparation of dishes, salty or sweet, dishes that were then on display, much to the delight of the people attending.

    It was the perfect opportunity for participants to learn secrets of the French cuisine, but also to promote army cooks’ skills and culture.

    A joint urban warfare training session with NATO allies has been scheduled on the premises of the Getica National Joint Training Centre in Cincu, central Romania. The joint combat exercise targets the practice of procedures in urban warfare, together with the allies. In the Cincu Centre, the Dolj 20 Infantry Battalion troops continued their training, jointly with contingents from North Macedonia, Poland and Portugal. The troops carried a situational training exercise as part of the BLACK SCORPION 24 multinational exercise.

    The key objectives of the exercise were the improvement of interoperability and the joint training, mounted in order to cope with the international challenges, the learning and sharing of advanced attack tactics, as well as the capturing of strategic positions using modern infiltration, together with assault techniques.

    Also, training has been conducted for the defence of urban territory and the management of resources, in a bid to resist long-term enemy attacks. Such exercises are crucial in their bid to make sure armed forces are prepared to cope with the complex challenges of urban warfare.
    NATO fight groups are an obvious proof of the solidarity within the Alliance, of the determination and the capacity to defend NATO population and territory against any possible aggression.

    As an absolute first, on October 16, the Veterans’ Relay, now reaching its 11th edition and jointly carried by representatives of the Invictus Association in Romania and the Romanian Ground Forces, was received at the headquarters of the Caracal-based (in the south) 22 Infantry battalion by the command of the battalion. After that, the Romanati 22 Infantry Battalion, together with their Portuguese and North-Macedonian partners, passed the baton, after a 55-kilometer-long route, to representative of the Tudor Vladimirescu National Military College in the Craiova garrison (in the south). Jointly staged with the Invictus Romania Association, the event was held against the backdrop of the celebration, on October 25th, of Romanian Army Day.

  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club

    Romania’s national rugby team has had an auspicious start early into the
    international rugby season in 2024. In the first round as part of Rugby Europe Championship, Europe’s
    second-tier competition, Romania’s national rugby squad grabbed a 20-8 away win
    against Poland, in a fixture hosted by the Polish city of Gdynia. Romania’s Damian Strătilă, Alexandru Savin and
    Tevita Manumua scored three tries in the first half. Tudor Boldor converted a
    try in the second half of the game, through a penalty kick. One of Group B’s
    modest teams, Poland put on a performance that was more balanced than expected.
    We recall that in 2023, Romania trounced Poland, 67 to 27. In the most recent
    match, sadly, Romania was unable to score the fourth try, which could have
    brought the team the offensive bonus point.


    It was Romania’s
    first official match with the new management at the helm. The head-coach is the
    French David Gérard, a former second row player, who was selected in the French
    national team’s lineup. As a head-coach, in 2023 David Gerard trained the Portuguese
    national squad, with very good results.


    In Group B’s
    other match, surprisingly enough, Belgium grabbed a 10-6 home win against
    Portugal, the team that until this past Sunday ranked as favorite to winning the
    group. We recall Portugal’s run in the World Cup hosted by France in autumn was
    more than satisfactory, since Portugal defeated Fiji and succeeded a draw
    against Georgia. It now appears all teams stand real chances to win the group.


    In Group
    A, Spain grabbed a 20-18 away win against the Low Countries, while Georgia defeated
    Germany, 28-17, also away from home. The next rounds are schedule in the two coming
    weekends. The semi-finals follow, scheduled over March 2nd and 3rd,
    while the finals are to be played on March 17 in Paris. We recall in 2023, in
    the Rugby Europe Championship, Romania came in 3rd, having defeated
    Spain in the third-place final, 31-25, in Badajoz.


    Romanian
    national rugby team’s next scheduled matches will be played in Bucharest. On February
    10, Romanian goes against Belgium, while on February the 17, Romania faces
    Portugal. For this coming Saturday’s fixture, the national team’s technical
    management has operated five changes in the line-up, as compared to the line-up
    that went against Poland.

  • Engines at full throttle

    Engines at full throttle



    2024 appears to be an eventful year in terms of training and exercise for Romanian military. but also for the foreign detachments dislodged as part of the NATO Combat Group, on Romanian territory. Irrespective of the country and the arms they are part of, for all military, specialized preparation is the underpinning element of their training programme.




    Early into 2024, training was ongoing for the French, Luxembourg and Portuguese partners at the military training range in central Romanias Cincu base. The set target of the training session, specific for anti-aircraft defense, was that of enhancing the interoperability level among the forces that took part in the mission.




    Here is what platoon commander of the Portuguese military, second-lieutenant Maria Ines Cruz, had to say about the aforementioned exercise:




    “We participated in training under difficult conditions, including both specialized preparation and a physical preparation session, meant to increase cohesion within a mixed team. The most important tactical moments during training were the movement of vehicles in difficult terrain, the engagement of targets the response to an ambush and the observation of the Frech anti-drone weapons”




    Apart from the anti-aircraft artillery forces, also engaged in the training session were the French and Belgian tank corps who for three weeks now have undergone training as part of a multinational exercise that tests their stamina but also the response on the battle field. The start of the training session was given straight from central Romanias Bogata range. The military of the three nations will implement all procedures and tactics they acquired in time, so that they can be harmonized with a maximum efficiency. Lieutenant-colonel Mihai Pintiliciuc, the commander of 841 Tanks Battalion is well aware of the fact that “2024 will be a difficult year, replete with training activities and challenges which we are set to approach using the experience we acquired throughout the years. This year we want to maintain the pace of our training, staging at least four exercises in the Turda range, one in Cincu and, most likely, the biggest one in the coming fall, in the Smardan shooting range, Zimbrul 24.”




    We recall France is the frame nation leading the Combat Group on Romanian territory. France is the leading contributor in terms of troops and technical equipment, with its state-of-the art Leclerc tanks. Here is what the Head of NATOo Combat Group in Romania, lieutenant-colonel Constant Deforge, said ” The Present French detachment has been dislodged in Romania since November, long enough for them to get accustomed to the climate conditions and seize the auspicious opportunity to work alongside the Romanian partners, in a range other than the one in Cincu. “




    We now leave the Bogata training range and reach the Getica Joint National Training Center, based in Cincu, Brasov. There the Luxembourg military received the visit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourgs Defense Minister, Yuricko Bockes and the Luxembourg head of defense, General Steve Thull. The high-ranking officials were welcomed by the Romania National Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr and the Romanian Chief of Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad. High on the agenda was the security in the Black Sea region and the West Balkans. The high-ranking participants laid emphasis on the continuation of offering support to Ukraine and Republic of Moldova. Also, the parties involved analyzed the stage of the bilateral cooperation relations in the military field and the improvement prospects of these relations, especially in the field of joint training and cyber defense.




  • Sports flash

    Romanian women’s
    basketball team Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe sustained a 61-71 home defeat by Spanish
    opponents Valencia Basket Club, The fixture counted towards Group A as part of women’s
    basketball Euro league. A first timer among European basketball’s first-tier teams,
    holders Sepsi are 7th placed according to Group A tables, with 13 points
    in 11 games, the same as 8th-placed, bottom-of-the-table Polish team
    Lublin. Sepsi’s next fixture is the away confrontation against Hungarian side
    Miskolc on January 18.


    In men’s
    basketball, in EuroCup’s Group B, U-BT Cluj-Napoca has succeeded its 10th victory,
    securing a 90-74 home win against Greek opponents Aris Thessalonicca. Holders
    U-BT have maintained their 3trd position in the group and will next play an
    away match against Germany’s ratiopharm Ulm.


    In FIBA Europe
    Cup, CSM CSU Oradea sustained an 81-101 away defeat by Italian challengers
    Varese, in a fixture counting towards the competition’s Group N. Romanian
    vice-champions have lost their second fixture in a row. According to group A’s tables,
    German team Chemnitz are at the top, with 6 points. The other three teams in
    the Group, Varese, CSM CSU Oradea and Low Countries’ Leiden have 4 points each.


    Romania’ s men national handball team on Friday plays its debut fixture
    as part of the European Championship in Germany. In Mannheim, Romanian goes
    against Austria in a Group B fixture. On Sunday, Romania takes on Spain, then
    on Tuesday, Romania plays Croatia. EURO 2024 kick-started on Wednesday, with Group
    A fixtures.


    In Düsseldorf, France outclassed North Macedonia, 39 to 29, while Germany
    defeated Switzerland, 27 – 14. After a 28-year gap, Romania has regained its
    place among the teams vying for a top position in Europe. Romania last participated
    in a European championship in Spain, in 1996, when our national squad was 9th-placed.


    For the
    Romanian Super League football teams, winter training sessions are in full swing.
    On Wednesday, in Turkey’s Antalya, FC Voluntari defeated Azeri opponents Turan
    Tovuz, 2-nil, while Universitatea Craiova drew against fourth-league German
    team Greifswalder, 1-all. Also on Wednesday, in Hungary, UTA Arad defeated Hungarian
    second-league team FC Ajka.



  • Romania. The Eastern Flank

    Romania. The Eastern Flank

    A new detachment of French soldiers has arrived in Romania, replacing the one that for 4 months has carried out missions on our country’s territory alongside the allied partners and the Romanian forces.



    Attending the authority transfer ceremony held on Friday, November 3, at the National Combined Training Center in Cincu, the deputy commander of the Multinational Division Southeast Command, Brigadier General Loic Girard, thanked everyone for their efforts and stated that his presence at the ceremony is meant to “highlight once again the level of operationalization of the NATO battle group. It is a multinational battle group made up of military from Belgium, France and Luxembourg. I appreciate the very good and special relationship that we have with the Romanian citizens and especially with the Romanian military with whom we meet in all phases of training and mutual support”.



    One of the objectives this year was to strengthen the artillery and engineer capabilities of the battle group. At the same time, under the coordination of the Multinational Division Southeast Command, ties with the allied forces deployed in Romania were strengthened through a consistent program of missions and exercises.



    At the end of the mandate of the fifth rotation, Colonel Philippe le Duc stated that he had achieved all his objectives, the biggest challenge being “the mountain range and the passes of the Carpathians which are a very important tactical point. Of course, we had to train and highlight the interoperability between the two armed forces of the NATO alliance”.



    Set up in May 2022 by transforming the allied multinational elements within the NATO Response Force deployed in our country, the NATO Battle Group is currently sized at the level of a battalion, but is designed to expand, if necessary, at the level of brigade. Established as a NATO allied defense and deterrence military force, deployed to protect and ensure security in the states closest to Russia, this formation deployed at the National Combined Training Center in Cincu has approximately 1,500 soldiers. The number of deployed forces will increase by 230 Spanish soldiers, their presence being announced by the Spanish Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, on the sidelines of the informal meeting of the defense ministers of the European Union member states.



    France is the framework nation that leads the battle group on the territory of Romania as it contributes to the greatest extent both troops and in terms of technical equipment, the spearhead of this structure being the 13 Leclerc tanks as well as the M270 multiple launch missile system.



    An exercise with multinational participation that has taken place these days at the National Combined Training Center is Black Scorpions, which involved more than 450 soldiers from the 20th Infantry Battalion “Black Scorpions” as well as allied soldiers from North Macedonia, Poland and Portugal, with over 60 technical combat equipment. The training was aimed at increasing the cohesion of the training structures through field training exercises and tactical exercises with combat firing.



    In the context of the centennial anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, the Institute for Political Studies of Defense and Military History together with the “Fatih” Institute of Military History in Istanbul organized a symposium at the Palace of the National Military Circle. One of the states contributing personnel to the forces of NATOs Multinational Division Southeast Command in Sibiu is Turkey, its presence also being noted at sea during the exercises, the last exercise being the one carried out together with the frigate Queen Marie, dedicated to the National Day of Turkey.



    We remain in the Black Sea area to announce the visit, to the Fleet Command, of the commander of the South-East Europe Brigade, Brigadier General Bilbil Bitri, the work agenda including topics related to the security situation in the Black Sea region. (Teodora Mazere, tr. LS)

  • Working in Romania

    Working in Romania

    The Ukrainian citizens who want to get jobs in Romania
    do not need an employment permit for 12 months, which can be extended
    subsequently. They are only required to get registered with the local
    employment agencies, and they have the same employment rights as the Romanian
    citizens, the National Employment Agency announced.


    Through its local offices, the institution provides
    the Ukrainian nationals registered in its records a number of free of charge
    services. These include professional guidance and information on the Romanian
    labour market, on the latest developments in terms of professions, advice for
    job seekers and assistance during the job induction process.


    The National Employment Agency (ANOFM) connects
    employers with job seekers and offers the latter free of charge professional
    training schemes in order to improve and diversify their skills and facilitate
    their mobility and integration in the labour market. The Agency also assesses
    and certifies the professional skills gained in formal and informal contexts
    for those who are not certified in specific areas.


    Not least, the institution provides EURES assistance
    to the Ukrainian nationals who arrive in Romania, so that they may find jobs in
    the EU and the European Economic Area. These services include the provision of
    information on the EU labour market; information on working and living
    standards in the EU and EEA member countries, information on the EURES European
    and national portal, on vacancies across the EU, on mobility schemes and
    similar assistance and financial support programmes.


    According to the Agency, by September 18 as many as 19,349
    Ukrainian nationals had registered with local employment offices in order to
    benefit from these services. The largest numbers of Ukrainian refugees are
    reported in Bucharest (4,722), Constanța (4,604), Ilfov, near the capital city
    (1,561), Brașov (1,259), Maramureș (1,135), Suceava (733), Cluj (628), Galați
    (604), Iași (584) and Sibiu (538). Thanks to the Agency’s work, 1,815 Ukrainian
    citizens have been employed in the past few months, and 518 employers have
    expressed their willingness to hire Ukrainian nationals, announcing 5,223 vacancies
    for them as well.


    Most jobs available for Ukrainian nationals are for
    unskilled workers in various industries such as textiles or constructions, or
    in the hospitality sector. The professions of the Ukrainian citizens who came
    to Romania range from unskilled workers in the steel industry, constructions,
    the automotive industry and hospitality, to musicians, teachers, translators,
    architects, IT and administrative staff. (AMP)

  • July 31, 2023

    July 31, 2023

    TAXES Fresh talks are scheduled today in
    the Cabinet on tax-related measures designed to rebalance the state budget.
    The Social Democratic PM Marcel Ciolacu is to have meetings with the finance
    minister Marcel Boloș, and a report is expected from the national tax agency
    with respect to revenue collection. The ruling coalition is considering tax
    increases and the elimination of certain tax facilities, as well as the
    cancelling of 200,000 public sector positions that are currently vacant and a
    reduction of expenditure in ministries. According to the PM, the proposed
    measures will be implemented in 3 stages, beginning on September 1, October 1 and
    January 1, 2024.


    VEHICLES The local segment of the car
    scrapping programme Rablaˮ started today, in an effort by the Romanian
    authorities to get heavily polluting vehicles out of circulation. Apart from
    the funds provided by the Environment Ministry, local authorities contribute
    20% of the vouchers granted to citizens who de-register cars older than 15
    years. In a first stage in April, town halls enrolled in this programme, and as
    of today citizens may apply for the funds available in the programme, no later
    than the end of August. The Environment Ministry earmarked some EUR 50 mln for
    this programme, and estimates around 100,000 polluting cars will be scrapped.


    CONCERT The Bucharest National Opera
    orchestra Sunday night performed for the first time at the Musikverein hall in
    Vienna, which hosts the traditional New Year’s concert in the Austrian capital
    city. The concert was a tribute to the Romanian composer Ciprian
    Porumbescu, as the year 2023 was declared the year of Ciprian Porumbescu, to
    mark 170 years since the birth and 140 years since the death of the famous
    composer. The programme consisted exclusively of works by Ciprian Porumbescu:
    New Moon, the first Romanian operetta, the Ballad, the
    Romanian Rhapsody. The soloists, choir and orchestra of the
    National Opera House in Bucharest were conducted by Daniel Jinga, with special
    guests including maestro Gheorghe Zamfir and the soloist Maria Coman.


    TRAINING The training ship Mircea has today
    returned to the military port of Constanţa, after a 28-day training session in
    the Mediterranean. On board were 64 sophomore students with the Mircea cel
    Bătrân Naval Academy, as well as 10 exchange students from partner
    academies in Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey, Latvia, Italy and Spain. The training
    ship had stopovers in the ports of Piraeus in Greece, Taranto in Italy and Izmir
    in Turkey, and completed an over 2,200 mile journey.


    UKRAINE Ukraine has today confirmed that
    Saudi Arabia will host a peace summit aimed, according to Kyiv, at restoring
    peace in line with the Ukrainian formula, EFE reports. According to the head
    of Ukraine’s presidential office Andriy Yermak, apart from guaranteeing peace
    for Ukraine, the 10-point formula will create mechanisms to counter future conflicts. For
    Kyiv, the formula includes the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory.
    According to Western diplomats, the choice of Saudi Arabia to host the talks is
    designed to facilitate the participation of China, which has good relations
    with Moscow and with Riyadh.


    SPORTS PM Marcel Ciolacu congratulated the
    Romanian athletes and coaches who took part in the European Youth Olympic
    Festival hosted this year by Maribor (Slovenia). He said Romania once again
    confirmed its rebirth as a sports powerhouse after it finished the competition
    with 20 medals, shoulder to shoulder with France, which came 3rd in
    the final ranking. Their result reconfirms their hard work, talent and the
    pride of proving to the world that we are a country which, in spite of
    difficulties, remains able to cultivate the spirit required of great champions,ˮ
    Ciolacu said. Romania’s performance at this year’s European Youth Olympic
    Festival was the best after the ones in a Bath (1995) and Paris (2003). (AMP)

  • July 12, 2023

    July 12, 2023

    Summit — NATO reiterated the fact that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance, said the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Vilnius summit. However, the moment of accession and the conditions that need to be fulfilled by Kyiv have not been established. The leaders of the NATO member states decided to simplify Ukraines accession procedures and to boost the total support that the Alliance will continue to provide to Kyiv in the war to free the territory occupied by Russia. Jens Stoltenberg announced that the decisions of the allies change Ukraines accession from a two-stage process to a single-stage one, ensure that the Ukrainian military will continue to receive support and that the Ukrainian officials will have a seat at the table of discussions through the formation of a new NATO-Ukraine Council. Attending the meeting, Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, stated that Romania will obtain a consolidation of NATOs eastern flank and increased attention for the Black Sea area, including for the neighboring Republic of Moldova. Today, a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of heads of state and government is scheduled in Vilnius, in the presence of Sweden, as a guest, and of the partners from the Indo-Pacific region, Australia, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand. Vilnius is also hosting the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine council in a new format.



    Training — A coalition made up of 11 states will begin to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark, while a training center will also be set up in Romania. “We hope that we will be able to see results at the beginning of next year,” Denmarks interim defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands led an international coalition effort to train pilots and support staff, maintain aircraft, and eventually supply Ukraine with F-16s. Belgium and Luxembourg will also participate in this program, supported by the US, while France and Great Britain are providing assistance. The air forces of the latter and Luxembourg do not own F-16 aircraft. Currently, Romania has 17 F-16 aircraft and will acquire another 32 from Norway.



    Schengen — The European Parliament will vote, today, the resolution based on a petition filed by the Romanian civil society which challenges the legality of Austrias veto regarding Romania’s accession to the Schengen area. MEP Vlad Gheorghe, a member of the Renew Europe political group, said that if it passed, the resolution would legally establish for the first time that what happened to Romania and Bulgaria represented discrimination. He emphasized that, also for the first time, compensation is being discussed for the financial losses that the two countries have incurred, as well as for environmental losses. The European Commission will be obliged to subsequently evaluate the losses incurred due to Austrias veto and to propose legal mechanisms by which Romania and Bulgaria will be compensated. We remind you that, at the end of last year, in the Justice and Home Affairs Council, a unanimous decision failed to be adopted in relation to the entry into the Schengen area of ​​the two EU member countries, after Austria and the Netherlands opposed it. The Austrian chancellor, Karl Nehammer, motivated his country’s stand by bringing into question the illegal migrants who arrived in his country, many of whom would have come through Romania and Bulgaria, as he claimed, although the data is contradicted by the authorities in Bucharest. In turn, the Netherlands stated that it supported Romanias accession, but not together with that of Bulgaria.



    Football — Romanias football champions, Farul Constanţa, meet today, at home, Sheriff Tiraspol from the Republic of Moldova, in the first preliminary round of the Champions League. The return match takes place in a week’s time. If it is eliminated in the first preliminary round, the team coached by the great former Romanian international footballer Gică Hagi will continue in the Conference League. Three other Romanian teams are already present in this competition. In the 2nd preliminary round, CFR Cluj, the team with the highest coefficient in the UEFA ranking, ensured its presence for the sixth consecutive year in the European cups and will meet Adana Demirspor, from Turkey. Sepsi, the winner of Romania’s Cup and Supercup, will play against CSKA Sofia from Bulgaria. The opponent of the vice-champions FCSB is CSKA 1948 Sofia, another team from Bulgaria. These three games are scheduled for July 27, and the return match one week later.



    Statistics – The average net salary in Romania fell to 4,543 lei (approx. 915 Euros) in May this year, 0.5% less than in April 2023, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) announced on Wednesday. The average gross salary was 7,229 lei (approx. 1,460 Euros), 1.1% lower than in April 2023. The highest values ​​of the average net salary were recorded in the IT service-provision field, and the smallest values in the hospitality industry. Compared to May 2022, the average net salary increased by 15.7%. In May, in most activities in the economic sector, the level of the average net salary decreased as a result of the granting, in the previous months, of occasional awards, rights in kind and money aid, sums from the net profit and from other funds. Also, the decreases in the average net salary were caused by production failures or lower receipts (depending on contracts/projects), as well as by the employment of personnel with lower than average salary earnings, from some economic activities, the aforementioned source states. (LS)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    14-year-old
    Romanian swimmer Daria Silisteanu has succeeded a recent national seniors’
    record in the 50m backstroke event. As part of the European Juniors’ swimming Championships
    in Belgrade on Tuesday, Daria Silisteanu clocked 28 and seconds 59 hundredths
    of a second, that is 14 hundredths of a second better than the old record set
    by two-time Olympic champion Diana Mocanu in 2002. On Wednesday, in the 50m
    backstroke event final, Daria improved the record, clocking 28 seconds and 46 hundredths
    of a second, thus winning the bronze medal.


    In news from tennis, in Wimbledon, foul weather
    did damage to the schedule of the year’s third Grand Slam tournament. Romania is represented only in the women’s version of the tournament’s main draw. The first Romanian tennis
    players to have gone past the first round were Ana Bogdan, Sorana Cîrstea and Jaqueline Cristian. On Monday, Bogdan defeated 15th-seeded
    player, Russia’s Lyudmila Samsonova, 7-6, 7-6. On Wednesday, Cristian outclassed
    Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, 6-3, 6-4, while Cîrstea defeated the 2022 semifinalist,
    Tatjana Maria of Germany, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.


    The Romanian football teams are currently finalizing
    their summer training stage. In The Netherlands, in a friendly game, FCSB and PAOK
    Thessalonica, a team head-coached by Razvan Lucescu, drew, 1-all. We recall
    that in their first training stage this summer, FCSB sustained a 2-5 defeat by Anderlecht
    Brussels.


    In Austria on Wednesday, Dinamo Bucharest sustained
    a 1-4 defeat by Dinamo Kyiv, a team head-coached by Mircea Lucescu. We recall that
    in their previous friendly games, in Slovenia, Dinamo defeated Croat opponents Slaven
    Belupo, 1-nil and lost to Hungarian team Zalaegerszeg, nil-1.


    The other
    Romanian team taking part in the training stage in Slovakia, Rapid Bucharest, sustained a 1-4 defeat by Slovan
    Bratislava in Samorin. Previously, Rapid and Dunajska Streda drew, 1-all, then
    secured a 1-nil win against Győr, thrashing FK Rača, 5-nil.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    14-year-old
    Romanian swimmer Daria Silisteanu has succeeded a recent national seniors’
    record in the 50m backstroke event. As part of the European Juniors’ swimming Championships
    in Belgrade on Tuesday, Daria Silisteanu clocked 28 and seconds 59 hundredths
    of a second, that is 14 hundredths of a seconds earlier than the old record set
    by two-time Olympic champion Diana Mocanu in 2002. On Wednesday, in the 50m
    backstroke event final, Daria improved the record clocking 28 seconds and 46 hundredths
    of a second, thus winning the bronze medal.


    In news from tennis, in Wimbledon, foul weather
    did damage to the schedule of the year’s third Grand Slam tournament. Romanian
    is represented only for the tournament’s main draw. The first Romanian tennis
    players to have gone past the first round were Ana Bogdan, Sorana Cîrstea and Jaqueline Cristian. On Monday, Bogdan defeated 15th-seeded
    player, Russia’s Lyudmila Samsonova, 7-6, 7-6. On Wednesday, Cristian outclassed
    Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, 6-3, 6-4, while Cîrstea defeated the 2022 semifinalist,
    Tatjana Maria of Germany, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.


    The Romanian football teams are currently finalizing
    their summer training stage. In The Netherlands, in a friendly game, FCSB and PAOK
    Thessalonica, a team head-coached by Razvan Lucescu, drew, 1-all. We recall
    that in their first training stage this summer, FCSB sustained a 2-5 defeat by Anderlecht
    Brussels.


    In Austria on Wednesday, Dinamo Bucharest sustained
    a 1-4 defeat by Dinamo Kyiv, a team head-coached by Mircea Lucescu. We recall that
    in their previous friendly games, in Slovenia, Dinamo defeated Croat opponents Slaven
    Belupo, 1-nil and lost to Hungarian team Zalaegerszeg, nil-1.


    The other
    Romanian team taking part in the training stage in Slovakia, Rapid Bucharest
    sustained a 1-4 defeat by Slovan
    Bratislava in Samorin. Previously, Rapid and Dunajska Streda drew, 1-all, then
    secured a 1-nil win against Győr, thrashing FK Rača, 5-nil.

  • Sports Flash

    Sports Flash




    Krakow
    and the region of Malopolska in Poland are these days hosting the European
    Games. On Wednesday, Romanian athletes won 2 more medals. In boxing, Lăcrămioara
    Perijoc qualified into the semi-finals of the 54 kg category, thus securing a
    spot in the Paris Olympics. She will take on Turkey’s Hatice Akbaş, the
    category’s defending world champion, and if she loses, she still gets the
    bronze medal. In teqball, the Romanian athlete Kinga Barabasi, no 5 in the
    world, has secured a place in the women’s final, after defeating Nanna Lind
    Kristensen (Denmark) in the semi-final on Wednesday. The other finalist is
    Amelie Julien of France.




    Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse failed to
    move up to the main competition of the Wimbledon, after losing the 2nd
    qualification round to Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Gabriela
    Ruse gets GBP 21,750 and 20 WTA points. Irina Begu, Sorana Cîrstea, Ana Bogdan and
    Jaqueline Cristian are taking part in the main draw, with Begu seed no 29.




    Also in tennis, Monica Niculescu and Eri
    Hozumi are playing the semi-finals of the WTA 250 tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany.
    In the quarter-finals, the Romanian – Japanese pair defeated seeds no 2, Yana
    Sizikova (Russia) and Kimberley Zimmermann (Belgium), 6-2, 3-6, 10-8.




    Romanian football teams have started their
    summer training season. Rapid Bucharest, currently on a training session in
    Slovakia, drew 1-all against Dunajska Streda in a friendly played on this
    occasion. On Saturday, they are playing another friendly against the Hungarian
    side Győr, and next Wednesday they are scheduled to play against Slovakian
    champions Slovan Bratislava. (AMP)

  • Sports Flash

    Sports Flash




    Krakow
    and the region of Malopolska in Poland are these days hosting the European
    Games. On Wednesday, Romanian athletes won 2 more medals. In boxing, Lăcrămioara
    Perijoc qualified into the semi-finals of the 54 kg category, thus securing a
    spot in the Paris Olympics. She will take on Turkey’s Hatice Akbaş, the
    category’s defending world champion, and if she loses, she still gets the
    bronze medal. In teqball, the Romanian athlete Kinga Barabasi, no 5 in the
    world, has secured a place in the women’s final, after defeating Nanna Lind
    Kristensen (Denmark) in the semi-final on Wednesday. The other finalist is
    Amelie Julien of France.




    Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse failed to
    move up to the main competition of the Wimbledon, after losing the 2nd
    qualification round to Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Gabriela
    Ruse gets GBP 21,750 and 20 WTA points. Irina Begu, Sorana Cîrstea, Ana Bogdan and
    Jaqueline Cristian are taking part in the main draw, with Begu seed no 29.




    Also in tennis, Monica Niculescu and Eri
    Hozumi are playing the semi-finals of the WTA 250 tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany.
    In the quarter-finals, the Romanian – Japanese pair defeated seeds no 2, Yana
    Sizikova (Russia) and Kimberley Zimmermann (Belgium), 6-2, 3-6, 10-8.




    Romanian football teams have started their
    summer training season. Rapid Bucharest, currently on a training session in
    Slovakia, drew 1-all against Dunajska Streda in a friendly played on this
    occasion. On Saturday, they are playing another friendly against the Hungarian
    side Győr, and next Wednesday they are scheduled to play against Slovakian
    champions Slovan Bratislava. (AMP)

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend



    Head-coach Dan Petrescus contract with CFR Cluj has been terminated, by mutual consent. We recall that, with Dan Petrescu at the helm, in recent years CFR Cluj has dominated Romanian football. However, In 2023, CFR came in 3rd in the Superleague and had to play a playoff game against FC U Craiova to secure a ticket for Europa Conference League. The Italian Cristiano Bergodi is the favourite for the position of head-coach. We recall Bergodi had been at the helm of CFR Cluj before, for the 2006-2007 competition season.



    A training stage is underway for Romanias national football team, in Mogosoaia, nearby Bucharest, ahead of the EURO 2024 preliminaries. On Saturday, the national squad plays a friendly game against a team that has been freshly promoted to the second League, CS Tunari, Then the national team travels to Pristina for a friendly against Kosovo on June 16. On June 19, the national squad plays an away game against Switzerland, in Lucerne. Following the national squads wins, in March 2023, in the games against Andorra and Belarus, Romania is the runner-up team in Group I as part of EURO 2024 preliminaries, with six points, on a par with Switzerland.



    In news from volleyball, Romanian teams these days play their fixtures in the Golden League European competition. In Pitesti on Thursday, in the Leagues Group B, our womens national team sustained a 1-3 defeat by the team of the Czech Republic. The latter team is at the top of the table in group B, with six points in two wins and one defeat. Slovakia follows suit, with three points in one win and one defeat. Romania is third-placed also with tree points in one win and two defeats. On June the 14th, Slovakia goes against the Czech Republic, while on June 17th Slovakia takes on Romania. However, Romania doesnt stand much of a chance to be placed in one of Group Bs first two places and qualify to the competitions semi-finals.



    In mens volleyball, this coming Saturday in Brasov and also in the Golden league, Romania plays Turkey in Group A. After three fixtures, our national squad is 4th-placed in the group, with one away win against the previous editions vice-champion, Turkey, and two defeats, in Portugal and Denmark. The Romanian national squad next takes on Denmark this coming Wednesday and Portugal, on Sunday, June 18th.