Radio România Internațional

Tag: Turkey

17 August, 2016

MINORITY — At the Summer University in Izvorul Muresului today, the themes for debate are the rights of minorities around Romanias frontiers and the Balkans, as well as relations with countries where Romanian communities live. Also under debate are granting Romanian citizenship, as well as the situation of Romanian schools and churches. Members of the diaspora and of Romanian minority groups in neighboring countries pleaded for Romanias unification with the Republic of Moldova. They issued an appeal to PM Dacian Ciolos for permanent and institutionalized dialog between the authorities of the two countries. Stay tuned for more after the news.

TURKEY – Turkey has a long and difficult road ahead before obtaining visa waiver status with the EU, and short term prospects are not encouraging, said the German Minister for European Affairs, Michael Roth, quoted by Reuters online. He said that it was clearly stated right from the start in the migration agreement between Turkey and the EU that Turkey has to meet 72 criteria before the Union would allow Turks to travel without a visa to its member countries. At the same time, Roth said that it was important for communication channels to be kept open, since Turkey is a major partner, and considering both the refugee crisis and the fact that the Turkish community in Germany numbers over 3 million.

FOOTBALL — Romanias vice-champions in soccer, Steaua Bucharest, on Tuesday suffered a crushing defeat on home turf in the game against English top team Manchester City. The victory came at the end of the game, when Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero managed a hat trick, while missing two penalty shots. The return leg is scheduled for August 24. In spite of this, Steauas presence is assured in the Europa League groups. At the same time, Romanian champions Astra play on Thursday, also at home, against another English team, West Ham United, seeking qualification to the groups of the second continental competition. Three other Romanian teams, CSMS Iasi, Viitorul Constanta and Pandurii Targu Jiu, were eliminated in the preliminaries of European cups.

OLYMPICS — Three Romanian female athletes compete today in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In wrestling, Emilia Alina Vuc competes in the 48 kg category, while Claudia Bobocea and Florina Pierdevara run in the 800 m track event. After 11 days in the Olympics, Romania still has only four medals: the gold obtained by the womens epee team, the silver obtained by the pair Florin Mergea/ Horia Tecau in the mens tennis doubles, and two bronze medals, obtained by Gabriel Sincraian in weightlifting, and by the womens coxed eight rowing team. Romania did not get any medal in gymnastics at this edition, which happens for the first time in the last 44 years. The last time the Romanians came back home without a medal in that discipline was in 1972, after the Munich Olympics.

TENNIS — Romanian tennis celebrity Simona Halep, seeded 4th, plays today against German Annika Beck, seeded 44th, in the second round of the tournament in Cincinnati, the US, with total prizes worth 2.8 million dollars. The two have recently met before four times, with Halep winning three of the matches. In the first round, another Romanian, Irina Begu, seeded 23rd, faces off against Swedish player Johanna Larsson, 65th seeded. In 2015, when Halep played in the finals in Cincinnati, she was defeated by Serena Williams. This tournament comes ahead of the US Open, the last major competition of the year.

BELGRADE — US Vice-president Joe Biden yesterday in Belgrade gave condolences to the Serb people for the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing campaign in the Yugoslav Wars. This is the first American high official to make such a gesture, after the NATO intervention in the Kosovo war. Hundreds of Serb nationalists protested against Bidens visit. Many Serbs continue to blame the US for its role in the wars that led to the break-up of Yugoslavia. Joe Biden had previously met Serb President Tomislav Nikolich and PM Aleksandar Vuchich, talking about bilateral relations, dialog between Belgrade and Pristina, and Serbias European integration. The US official urged officials in Belgrade to normalize relations with Kosovo, which declared unilaterally its independence in 2008.

17 August 2016
11 August, 2016

FUNERAL – Queen Anne, consort to the last Romanian sovereign, Michael I, is laid in state in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Bucharest. On Wednesday, at the former summer residence of Romanian royalty, Peles Castle, in Sinaia, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti, and Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos were among the many officials paying their respects. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday in Curtea de Arges, where the first king of Romania, Charles I, is buried. King Michael will be unable to attend the funeral due to ill health. The queen died on August 1st aged 92 in Switzerland, after a battle with cancer.

REPORT – British TV channel Sky News stands by its report on alleged weapon smuggling in Romania. A spokesperson for the channel said that the journalist who investigated the story was one of the most experienced investigative TV reporters. He said that the material was not staged. The British broadcasting oversight authority has been notified several times with regard to the report. British journalists claim that they were pointed to an isolated area of Romania after two months of negotiations, where they met weapon smugglers, who allegedly brought in weapons from Ukraine, to be sold in western Europe and the Middle East. As a result, the Romanian organized crime main unit started an investigation. The head of the unit, Daniel Horodniceanu, said that so far the report appears to have been staged. The go-between who introduced the reporters to the alleged weapon smugglers is a Romanian national who has been living in Britain for seven years. He told investigators that the TV channel paid people to act in the documentary, and that he was told the documentary would specify that it was a work of fiction. The Romanian embassy in London emphasized that the report was not accurate, and was prone to portray Romania in a negative light in Britain.

OLYMPICS – Romanian athletes will compete in fencing, tennis, rowing and swimming in the 31st edition of the Summer Olympic Games in Rio. Romanian fencers stand a chance of winning the first medal for the country. Romania’s team is considered the favorite for the silver. An eagerly expected game is the tennis match between the Romanian pair Horia Tecau- Florin Mergea and US pair Jack Sock/ Steve Johnson. The Romanians are considered favorites for winning. Following are the mixed doubles games played by the Romanian pair Florin Mergea/Monica Niculescu and David Ferrer/Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain, and Romanians Horia Tecău/Irina Begu – Lukasz Kubot/Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. In rowing, the womens coxed eight team competes in the second qualifying rounds, while the womens double sculls and the light paired oars boats fight for a medal as well. In swimming, Romania has one representative in the 50m event, In handball, having lost the two fixtures against Angola and Brazil, Romanias womens national handball teams this past Wednesday outperformed Montenegro, 25-21. If they want to make headway into the semifinals, the Romanians are in dire need of a win against Spain and at least a draw against Norway in the final round.

ANKARA – At least eight people were killed and dozens wounded in two bombings by the PKK in Turkey. The attacks targeted police cars in south eastern Turkey, the majority Kurdish area of the country. Clashes resumed last year between Turkish security forces and the PKK, after a cease fire. The worst violence in the last 20 years ensued, resulting in hundreds of casualties among security forces.

ISIS – Between 2002 and 2015, terror groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda perpetrated over 4,900 attacks worldwide, leaving over 33,000 dead, according to a study run by the University of Maryland in the US. 80% of the attacks were committed using explosives, and only 16% using firearms. The most devastating attack, according to the study, occurred in June 2014 in Iraq, when 1,600 Iraqi army recruits were abducted in Tikrit to later be killed.

11 August 2016
July 30, 2016 UPDATE

AIR SHOW – The 8th edition of Bucharest International Air Show, the biggest air show in Romania was held on Saturday in the capital city. The event was a demonstration with an emphasis on military aviation and the Romanian Air Forces took part in it with all their models. The show included 100 civil and military aircraft and 250 pilots and parachutists from countries such as Romania, Spain, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the US, Greece, Austria, Belgium and Lithuania.

CONFLICT – The Turkish military has killed 35 Kurdish militants after they attempted to storm a base in the south-eastern Hakkari province, military officials say. The overnight attack came hours after clashes in Hakkaris Cukurca district between soldiers and militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that left eight soldiers dead, the military officials said. The attack, that took place close to the border with Iraq, is one of the bloodiest ones since the attempted coup of July 15th. The battle between Kurdish fighters and the Turkish army have continued even after the coup. In fact, the number of Kurdish attacks has increased in the past year. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict since the PKK — designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union — began its insurgency in 1984.

NATO – A large-scale military exercise is under way, until August 7th in Cincu, central Romania. As many as 2700 soldiers from 10 countries are taking part in it. Participating are NATO members, namely Romania, the USA, Canada, Poland and Bulgaria, joined by five members of the Partnership for Peace: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

CORRUPTION — The deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu, was placed under 30-day house arrest on Friday. Olteanu had been taken into custody on Thursday night for influence peddling. According to prosecutors, between July and November 2008, while serving as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Olteanu requested and received 1 million euro and election support from a business man, in exchange for appointing someone as governor of the Danube Delta. The same source mentions that the individual in question was appointed Danube Delta governor in September 2008. Olteanu’s lawyer has announced that on Monday his client will submit his resignation from the position of deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania. A Liberal since 1991, Bogdan Olteanu has been a deputy governor of Romania’s central bank since 2009. The National Bank explained in a news release that the investigation targets Bogdan Olteanu’s activity before he was appointed deputy governor.

BREXIT – Most Scots still back remaining in the United Kingdom despite Britons voting to leave the European Union, a move that was opposed by the majority in Scotland, according to an opinion poll published on Saturday, Reuters reports. Scotlands nationalist First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the vote for Brexit had put Scottish independence back on the agenda just two years after it was rejected in a referendum. While Britons backed leaving the EU by 52percent, Scots voted by 62percent to remain in the bloc. However according to Saturdays YouGov survey, 53 percent of Scots wanted to stay part of the United Kingdom with 47 percent backing independence, Reuters reports.

TERRORISM – Two brothers suspected of involvement in terrorist activities were detained on Friday evening in Belgium. The two allegedly planned attacks on the country’s territory. In this stage of the investigation, there is no connection between suspects and the investigation into the attacks committed on March 22nd in Belgium’s capital that claimed the life of 32 people.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

30 July 2016
July 30, 2016

NATO – A large-scale military exercise is under way, until August 7th in Cincu, central Romania. As many as 2700 soldiers from 10 countries are taking part in it. Participating are NATO members, namely Romania, the USA, Canada, Poland and Bulgaria, joined by five members of the Partnership for Peace: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

CORRUPTION — The deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu, was placed under 30-day house arrest on Friday. Olteanu had been taken into custody on Thursday night for influence peddling. According to prosecutors, between July and November 2008, while serving as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Olteanu requested and received 1 million euro and election support from a business man, in exchange for appointing someone as governor of the Danube Delta. The same source mentions that the individual in question was appointed Danube Delta governor in September 2008. Olteanu’s lawyer has announced that on Monday his client will submit his resignation from the position of deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania. A Liberal since 1991, Bogdan Olteanu has been a deputy governor of Romania’s central bank since 2009. The National Bank explained in a news release that the investigation targets Bogdan Olteanu’s activity before he was appointed deputy governor.

CONFLICT – As many as eight Turkish soldiers have been killed on Saturday morning by armed fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The attack, that took place close to the border with Iraq, is one of the bloodiest ones since the attempted coup of July 15th. The battle between Kurdish fighters and the Turkish army have continued even after the coup. In fact, the number of Kurdish attacks has increased in the past year. The Ankara Government’s conflict with the PKK, an organisation seen as terrorist by the US and the EU, which has made over 40 thousand victims since 1984 up to present.

BREXIT – Most Scots still back remaining in the United Kingdom despite Britons voting to leave the European Union, a move that was opposed by the majority in Scotland, according to an opinion poll published on Saturday, Reuters reports. Scotlands nationalist First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the vote for Brexit had put Scottish independence back on the agenda just two years after it was rejected in a referendum. While Britons backed leaving the EU by 52percent, Scots voted by 62percent to remain in the bloc. However according to Saturdays YouGov survey, 53 percent of Scots wanted to stay part of the United Kingdom with 47 percent backing independence, Reuters reports.

TERRORISM – Two brothers suspected of involvement in terrorist activities were detained on Friday evening in Belgium. The two allegedly planned attacks on the country’s territory. In this stage of the investigation, there is no connection between suspects and the investigation into the attacks committed on March 22nd in Belgium’s capital that claimed the life of 32 people.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no. 5 in the world, is today playing against WTA’s 2nd seed, Angelique Kerber in the semi-finals of the Montreal tournament, worth 2.5 million dollars. In the quarterfinals, Halep defeated Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova (WTA’s 11th seed) in three sets. Halep also qualified to the semi-finals in women’s doubles alongside Romanian Monica Niculescu, and will next meet the team Andreja Klepca / Katarina Strebotnik of Slovenia.

(Translated by Elena Enache)

30 July 2016
July 29, 2016

CORRUPTION – The deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, Bogdan Olteanu, will appear today before the High Court of Cassation and Justice, which is to rule on a 30-day arrest request filed by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. Olteanu was taken into custody on Thursday night for influence peddling. According to prosecutors, between July and November 2008, while serving as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Olteanu requested and received 1 million euro and election support from a business man, in exchange for appointing someone as governor of the Danube Delta. The same source mentions that the individual in question was appointed Danube Delta governor in September 2008. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate has started prosecution proceedings against other individuals as well. A Liberal since 1991, Bogdan Olteanu has been a deputy governor of Romanias central bank since 2009. The National Bank explained in a news release that the investigation targets Bogdan Olteanus activity before he was appointed deputy governor.

UNEMPLOYMENT – The unemployment rate went down by 0.2% in July, to 568,000 people between 15 and 74 years of age currently jobless, the National Statistics Institute has announced. Unemployment among men is higher than the corresponding rate for women. People aged between 25 and 74 account for 78% of the total number of people on welfare in July.

ECONOMY –Fitch rating agency lowered its long-term local currency debt rating for the city of Bucharest from “BBB to BBB-, with stable outlook. According to the Agency, the changes take into account developments related to the country rating, because the rating for specific administrative units cannot be higher than the national one. Last week, Fitch adjusted Romanias long-term local currency rating to the BBB-, stable outlook rating for long-term foreign currency debt. Fitch also confirmed the ceiling for Romanias country rating at BBB+.

US ELECTION – Hillary Clinton has officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president of the US. The former state secretary became the first female presidential nominee, and her speech closed the Democratic Convention, launching Clintons direct race against her Republican opponent Donald Trump. During the Convention, the latter was subject to several attacks by key Democratic leaders, including President Barack Obama and vice-president Joe Biden. They accused Trump, a billionaire brought to public attention by a reality show, of demagogically posing as a defender of the middle class. Hillary Clinton has also criticised Trump, saying his vision divides the Americans. In her address at the Democratic Convention, Hillary Clinton emphasised her political experience, both as a senator and as a secretary of state, and approached all the topics of importance to American voters, from gun control to the need to revive the middle class.

TURKEY – The European Commissioner in charge with Turkeys EU accession negotiations, Johannes Hahn, warned Ankara with respect to its treatment of suspects after the attempted coup. He said that suspicions of treatment in breach of human rights legislation would have consequences. Hahn mentioned that the migrant subsidy agreement with Turkey was in force, and the migration wave towards the EU had been reduced. After the failed coup of July 15, Turkish authorities proceeded to a crackdown on all those suspected of involvement. Many observers speak about cleansing, given the scope of the campaign initiated by the authorities: over 60.000 army, judiciary, police, administration and education personnel have so far been arrested, fired or suspended from office.

TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no. 5 in the world, is playing today against Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova (11 WTA), in the quarter-finals of the WTA tournament in Montreal (Canada), which has 2.4 million dollars in total prize money. In the eighth-finals, Halep, which last year played the finals of this tournament, defeated the Czech Karolina Pliskova.

29 July 2016
26 July, 2016

NATO — Romanias Higher Defense Council met today in Bucharest to analyze the consequences of decisions made at the recent NATO summit in Poland in early July, as well as measures to implement the decisions, according to the presidency. President Klaus Iohannis has declared the summit in Warsaw a success, specifying that the final documents covered all issues of interest to Romania, mainly coordination in the new defense and deterrence posture on the eastern flank.

RUSSIA-TURKEY — Russia and Turkey are set to gradually resume economic and trade relations, frozen after the downing of a Russian fighter in November last year. This was the statement made by the Russian deputy prime minister to his Turkish counterpart. Officials announced that Vladimir Putin will meet Turkish head of state Tayyip Erdogan in early August. The Turkish president said that the EU has not sent any of the money it had pledged, upwards of 6 billion Euro, as part of a controversial accord aimed to stem the Middle Eastern refugee flow.

FOOTBALL — Romanian vice-champion football team Steaua Bucharest today plays an away fixture against Sparta Prague, of the Czech Republic. The game counts towards the first leg of the Champions League’s third preliminary round. Also in the first leg of the Champions League’s third preliminary round, defending champions Astra Giurgiu Wednesday on home turf take on Danish side FC Copenhagen. On Thursday in the first leg of the third preliminary round, this time in Europa League, Viitorul Constana play Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv on home turf. The third Romanian team playing in Europa League, CSMS Iasi, was knocked out of the competition’s previous round by Croatia’s Hajduk Split.

COUP — Two Turkish generals, commanding forces deployed to Afghanistan, have been detained by the authorities in Dubai, in the aftermath the failed military coup in Turkey, on July 15. The government in Ankara has suspended, detained, arrested and placed under investigation over 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, teachers, public servants and others in the wake of the failed coup.

US ELECTIONS — Philadelphia hosts the National Democratic Convention, held to nominate Hillary Clinton as the Democratic candidate for the office of President of the United States. The convention has been overshadowed by the publication by Wikileaks of 20,000 internal messages sent between the higher-ups in the Democratic Party, resulting in the resignation of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, party chairwoman. In spite of this, the Democrats still hope to present a united front, especially by emphasizing a contrast between their candidate and the Republican front runner, Donald Trump, who has a slight lead in the polls.

HOSTAGES — At least one person is reported dead in a hostage situation today in a church in the north west of France. Two persons armed with knives took hostages several people, and the French police now reports that the two have been neutralized. This comes at a very tense time in France, following the 14th of July Nice attack, claimed by ISIS. 84 people were killed and over 200 injured in the deadly event.

TENNIS — Two Romanian tennis players, Simona Halep and Monica Niculescu, qualified to the second round of the doubles competition in Montreal. The Romanian team roundly defeated the Canadian-Russian couple Gabriela Dabrowski and Alla Kdriavtseva. They go to play against the all Ukrainian team Katerina Bodnarenko- Olga Savchuk. In the first round of the singles side, Monica Niculescu, 61st seeded, plays against Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, 38th seeded.

26 July 2016
25 July, 2016

Romania’s
Supreme Defence Council meets on Tuesday in Bucharest to analyse the way in
which Romania’s concerns are reflected in the final documents of the NATO
summit of the 8th and 9th of July in Warsaw. The Council
will also establish the measures and actions that need to be taken to implement
the decisions adopted, the president’s office has said. President Klaus
Iohannis said the NATO summit in Warsaw was a success, with all of Romania’s
themes of interest being included in the final documents. These refer to a
balancing of the measures taken as part of the country’s new defence and
deterrence roles on the eastern flank, the president explained.

The Romanian White Sharks 341st infantry
battalion left on Monday for the theatre of operations in Afghanistan.
According to the defence ministry in Bucharest, the Romanian military are ready
to act as part of the NATO Resolute Support mission to ensure the protection of
the military basis in Kandahar and provide counselling to the Afghan security
forces. The 341st infantry battalion is an elite unit of the
Romanian Army and has so far carried out international missions in Kosovo, Iraq
and Afghanistan.

The death toll
following the attacks in Afghanistan has reached a record level this year,
according to a UN report. More than 1,600 civilians have been killed and 3,565
wounded in the first half of 2016, the highest number of victims since 2009.
According to the report, a third of the victims are children, most of whom were
killed in the explosion of makeshift bombs. The United Nations has described
the situation as alarming and shameful, with the anti-governmental forces
being responsible for the death of the highest number of civilians.

The association of European Magistrates for Democracy and
Liberty (MEDEL) urged the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to demand
Turkey to free the thousands of judges and prosecutors who were arrested a week
ago after the failed coup. The appeal comes as Turkish president Recep Tyyip
Erdogan reiterated his support for reintroducing the death penalty if the
Turkish people so wish. Erdogan also said he would disregard the position of
the European Union in this matter. In another move, Bratislava is playing host
to an informal meeting of ministers and secretaries of state responsible for
European affairs to discuss the situation in Turkey. The diplomats attending
the meeting wish to find out more about what happens in this country in the
aftermath of the failed coup and to analyse the impact of the new developments
on the EU agreement with Turkey meant to control the flow of immigrants trying
to reach Europe via Turkey.

12 people were
wounded on Sunday night in the German town of Ansbach in a suicide bombing.
According to the Bavarian authorities, a 27-year-old Syrian refugee exploded
the bomb in front of a building hosting a music festival. Also on Sunday, a
Syrian national killed one person and injured two in a machete attack in
Baden-Wurttemberg, in south-western Germany. The two incidents occurred
against the backdrop of a tense security climate after Friday’s attack in
Munich when an 18-year-old Iranian-German national killed 9 people and injured
35. In the fourth attack last week, several passengers were wounded on a train
by a young Afghan refugee who used a knife and a hatchet.

At least two people were killed and 16 more injured on
Monday in a shooting at a nightclub in Fort Myers, Florida. Six weeks ago, 49
people were killed at a gay nightclub, also in Florida, in the worst mass
shooting in the history of the United States.

Two Romanian
tennis players, world no. 5 Simona Halep, and world no. 61 Monica Niculescu are
competing in a tournament in Montreal worth 2.4 million dollars. In the first
round, Niculescu faces the Latvian player Jelena Ostapenko. If she
qualifies to the next round, she will meet world no. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska.
Halep, who goes straight into the second round, will face the winner between
Australia’s Daria Gavrilova and Germany’s Annika Beck. Last
year, Halep made it to the final in Montreal, from which she pulled out with an
injury, relinquishing the title to the Swiss player Belinda Bencic.

Romania’s football vice-champions Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday
take on the Czech side Sparta Prague in an away game, as part of the first leg
of the Champions League third preliminary round. As part of the same stage,
Romanian champions Astra Giurgiu face the Danish side FC Copenhagen on
Wednesday at home. On Thursday, in the first leg of the Europa League third
preliminary round, Viitorul Constanta face the Belgian side Gent away, while
Pandurii Targu Jiu play at home against the Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv. The third Romanian side
playing in the Europa League, CSMS Iasi, were eliminated in the previous round
by the Croatian side Hajduk Split. (Translated by: C. Mateescu)

25 July 2016
July 22, 2016 UPDATE

EU AFFAIRS – The PM of Romania, Dacian Cioloş, had talks on Friday with officials from the embassies of EU countries to Bucharest. The main topics approached included the future of the European bloc, the implications of Brexit and the situation in Turkey. The participants also discussed the developments in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, the visa regime for Romanian citizens traveling to Canada and the USA and the six-month presidency of the EU that Romania will hold in 2019. The meeting was informal and not aimed at making any decisions.

RULE OF LAW – The President of Romanias Higher Council of Magistrates, Mircea Aron, has expressed his deep concerns regarding a prospective violation of the rule of law, particularly with respect to judges and prosecutors, in the wake of the attempted coup in Turkey. He called on Ankara to guarantee compliance with all international human rights rules and treaties that Turkey is a party to. The Government in Turkey announced it would temporarily suspend the European Convention on Human Rights, after a three-month state of emergency was introduced on Thursday. Over the past few days tens of thousands of people, including officers, magistrates and civil servants, have been arrested or suspended from office.

ANTI-ISIS COALITION – The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, visited Washington on Thursday and Friday, where he participated in a meeting of the countries contributing to the global anti-ISIS coalition headed by the US. He reiterated Romanias support for the international communitys efforts to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq within its internationally acknowledged borders. This year Romania will contribute a 50-strong contingent to the global coalition that will train and advise the Iraqi security forces.

RIO OLYMPICS – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, has handed the national flag to gymnast Cătălina Ponor who was designated by the Olympic Committee to carry Romanias flag in the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. On the occasion, President Iohannis said that extending the physical education curriculum in schools was an emergency, if Romania is to be a strong competitor in international competitions and to be a healthy nation. Romanias athletes will participate in 16 sports events at the 31st edition of the Olympic Games to be held in Rio between August 5 and 21. As many as 100 Romanian athletes will go to Rio, most of whom will be competing in the athletic and rowing events.

PARIS – French prosecutors say the author of last weeks attack in Nice had planned the attack for months and benefited from help. They pointed out that the French Tunisian attacker was in permanent contact with other plotters. 5 suspects linked to the Nice attack have already appeared before the court. In Nice 84 people, a Romanian citizen included, have lost their lives and over 200 have been wounded. A week after the attack, the situation remains tense in France where the existing state of emergency has been extended by six months. The state of emergency was instated after the November 2015 Jihadist attacks in Paris.

22 July 2016
July 20, 2016 UPDATE

Romania’s Constitutional Court decided on Wednesday that the law on the local officials’ pensions was unconstitutional. In February the government notified the Constitutional Court of this law which, according to the PM Cioloş, would affect the state budget, since local budgets are mainly supported from the state budget. The money that was to be spent on those pensions amounted to almost 90 million euros per year. The government also contests the retroactive enforcement of this law, which would introduce special pensions for mayors, deputy mayors, presidents and vice-presidents of county councils. Also on Wednesday, the Constitutional Court decided that the citizens’ proposal to revise the Constitution in the sense that a family can be established between a man and a woman, meets the conditions for acting upon this initiative. In May an NGO forwarded this proposal to the Senate. The initiative, supported by three million people, is meant to prevent same sex marriages.

Turkey is a key-partner for Romania and the EU and it needs stability, said Wednesday the Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş. He pointed out that after the failed coup d’etat attempt, Turkey should return to constitutional order and the observance of the rule of law and of human rights. Over the past days, tens of thousands of people, including soldiers, policemen, magistrates and public servants were arrested or dismissed. Several media companies have been closed. After the attempted coup President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a campaign against the supporters of his political adversary, the Muslim cleric Fehtullah Gulen who is currently living in the US. He was accused of being behind the Turkish opposition and of having masterminded the coup. Fehtullah Gulen denied the accusations and claimed that Erdogan was using the coup as a pretext to consolidate his power.

The Romanian Health Ministry announced Wednesday it identified a 2^nd case of infection with the Zika virus of a Romanian citizen from outside the country. The person is a 10-year old boy who lives in the French Guiana. He came on a visit to Romania on July 12. The first case of contamination was of a woman who had returned from a trip to Martinique earlier this month. Discovered in Uganda in 1947 the Zika virus causes a viral infectious disease in humans called Zika fever that is transmitted through mosquito bites or sexually. Experts say that babies born by mothers infected with the Zika virus can develop neurological disorders and congenital malformations. There is no vaccine for Zika, a virus that has affected more than 15 countries from Latin America and the Antilles, especially Brazil.

The great Romanian actor Radu Beligan, a living legend of Romanian theater, died Wednesday at 97 in a Bucharest hospital. He had a rich career in theatre, cinematography, television and radio drama. On December 15 2013 he was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest active professional theatre actor. In his long career he had more than 80 roles in theatre plays and 30 roles in movies. From 1969 to 1990 Radu Beligan was the manager of the National Theatre in Bucharest. In 2002 he was awarded the prestigious French order of distinction the Legion of Honor, being the first Romanian actor who received such a distinction.

One week after the attack in Nice, the state of emergency in France was extended by six months. The state of emergency, which had been declared in November last year after the Jihadist attacks in Paris, facilitates searches and house arrests as well as access to and use of computer and mobile phone data. The French socialist government has called on the French citizens to mobilize and help the security forces in the anti-terror fight. 84 people, a Romanian citizen included, died in the Nice attack and more than 200 were injured. 4 Romanians were wounded, of whom two are in a critical state, though stable.

(news translated by Lacramioara Simion)

20 July 2016
July 20, 2016

BUCHAREST — Turkey is a key partner for Romania and the European Union and stability is needed in that country, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has today stated. Ciolos went on to say it was crucial that, in the aftermath of the failed coup plot, Turkey should yet again comply with the constitutional order, the rule of law and observing human rights. These are values we all share across the European Union and we firmly believe Turkey shares such values as well, given the relations it has with the European Union, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos also stated.

BUCHAREST – The Healthcare Ministry in Bucharest has today confirmed the second Zika infection in a Romanian residing abroad. The person infected is a 10-year-old child living in the French Guyana who came on a visit to Romania on July 12th. The first case was a woman who came back from a trip in Martinique early this month. Discovered in Uganda back in 1947 the virus causes an infectious disease called the Zika fever and is transmitted by an infected mosquito or through sexual intercourse. The virus is not airborne and cannot be taken through physical contact. Experts believe that neurological complications and congenital malformations caused by the virus can be present in newly born babies as well. No vaccine has been discovered for Zika yet, an illness affecting over 15 countries in Latin America and the Antilles.

WASHINGTON — Billionaire Donald Trump has been designated the Republicans’ candidate for the presidential election in the US, scheduled on November 8. According to AFP, Trump would officially accept his candidacy Thursday, in the end of the Republicans’ Convention staged in Cleveland. Democrat Hillary Clinton will most likely be Trump’s challenger for the White House. The Democrats’ camp is to officially designate their candidate next week at their Philadelphia convention.

PARIS – French National Assembly last night has green-lighted a six-month extension, until the end of January 2017, of the emergency state across the country. The decision has been taken six days after the attack in Nice. The Government proposition is to be debated upon in Senate, today. The state of emergency mainly facilitating search operations, has been instated in the wake of the Jihadi attacks in Paris, perpetrated in November last year. 84 people, a Romanian included, lost their lives, and over 200 people were injured in the Nice attack. As many as four Romanians sustained injuries in the attack, among whom two people, the wife and the son of the deceased, are in a serious yet stable condition.

BUCHAREST – Prosecutors with Romania’s General Prosecutor’s Office have established that Hexi Pharma’s owner Dan Condrea has committed suicide and have closed the file over his death. Condrea’s death occurred amid the largest scandal in the Romanian healthcare system; we recall that his company had sold diluted disinfectants to hospitals all over Romania. In another move, Romania’s General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar has recently said that in the Hexi Pharma file over 200 hospitals have joined proceedings as civil parties, while the total prejudice stood at 70 million lei.

BUCHAREST — Romania’s Constitutional Court is today holding a debate on the official notification the Government submitted as regards the special pensions bill for local authorities. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has been adamant in stating the law affects the state budget, since for their most part local budgets receive funding from the state budget. The negative impact on the state budget stands at around 90 million Euros per year, Ciolos went on to say. The Government has also contested that the aforementioned pension bill, stipulating special pensions for mayors, deputy mayors, county council presidents and vice presidents, is to take effect retroactively. The law, due to take effect as of January 2017, among other things, stipulates, that pension money would be earmarked from local budgets and that no special pensions would be granted to former local officials who received final sentences for graft accusations during their term in office. Also today, Romania’s Constitutional Court discusses a legislative proposition targeting the change, in the Constitution, of the notion of family. In May an NGO submitted with the Senate a proposition stipulating the family was based on the marriage between a man and a woman. Three million people signed the petition, which was aimed at hampering same-sex marriage.

WASHINGTON — Romanian Defense Minister Mihnea Motoc as of today is in Washington at the meeting of the contributing countries of the US-led Global Anti –ISIS Coalition. High on the talks’ agenda are issues targeting the stage of the campaign against terrorist threats which affects security in the extend region of the Middle East and Northern Africa as well as security at international level. Today the meeting is held, bringing together defense ministers of the coalition’s contributing countries, while on Thursday a joint session will be held, of Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers of the same countries.

ANKARA — Turkey’s Higher Education Council has banned all academic staff from travelling abroad until further notification, in the wake of the recent failed coup plot. The decision has been taken one day after the Council made redundant 1,577 university professors. In turn, the Education Ministry has withdrawn the teaching licence of 21 thousand teachers from private institutions. In the last days, around 30 thousand people, among whom military, policemen, judges, public sector workers have been arrested or made redundant. Furthermore, a string of media companies has been closed down. Following the failed coup plot, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a campaign against the supporters of his opponent, Muslim cleric Fehtullah Gullen, a resident of the United States. Gullen has been facing accusations of being behind the opposition in Turkey. Also, Gullen has been suspected of having masterminded the coup plot in Turkey. However, Fehtullah Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup, accusing Erdogan of using the plot as a pretext for consolidating his power.

BUCHAREST — Romania’s National anti-Corruption Agency has today announced deputies Madalin Voicu and Nicolae Paun are being investigated in a file targeting the embezzlement of European funds earmarked for the Rroma population’s social integration. Social Democrat MP Madalin Voicu and Rroma minority representative in Parliament Paun are facing accusations of having put together a plan to embezzle more than six million euro, pretending they would help thousands of Rroma people to find a job or become entrepreneurs, over 2010-2015. Other counts targeting Voicu and Paun have to do with money laundering, influence peddling and forgery in official statements.

20 July 2016
Romania and the Recent International Crises

France and Turkey have lately faced horrific days of terror that
have left behind many victims. On Thursday evening, when France was celebrating
Bastille Day, a Franco-Tunisian man rammed his lorry through the crowds
gathered on the waterfront, killing more than 80 people and wounding hundreds,
including children. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State Jihadist group.
Romanian citizens are reported among the victims. The Romanian Foreign Ministry
has announced that the representatives of the Romanian diplomatic mission in
France are in permanent contact with the medical staff and are monitoring the
evolution of the health condition of the Romanians who were injured. The
Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş has talked on the phone with his French
counterpart Manuel Valls about the Romanian citizens who were in Nice when the
attack occurred.

France declared three days of national mourning and observed a
moment of silence in memory of the people killed in the attack. Over 500 people
have so far asked for psychological counseling at the support centers set up in
Nice for the witnesses of the attack who were traumatized by what they saw. The
French authorities have arrested several people suspected of involvement in the
attack.

In another development, around 300 soldiers and civilians have been
killed and 1,400 wounded in Turkey, in a failed coup d’etat attempt. Part of
the Turkish army tried, on July 15, to remove the Turkish President Recep Tayyp
Erdogan from power. The army said their move was meant to preserve secularism
and freedoms as well as to reinstate constitutional order in Turkey. Later,
President Erdogan announced the attempted coup d’etat had failed and called on
the people to take to the streets. The failed coup was followed by thousands of
arrests and dismissals.

Although Recep Tayyp Erdogan was elected
democratically, he is accused by some of trying to impose Islamic values in his
country. Despite his popularity, over the past years President Erdogan has been
criticized for preventing access to a free press, for silencing his critics,
including journalists, for promoting Islam in the secular environments and for
extending his presidential prerogatives. In the aftermath of the coup, air
traffic was disrupted in Ankara and Istanbul. Many Romanian citizens have been
affected, as their flights to and from Turkey were cancelled or postponed. The
Romanian Foreign Ministry has made available a hot line for the Romanian
citizens affected by the events in Turkey, and over 2 thousand calls have
already been reported. Hundreds of Romanian citizens have been sent back home
at the expense of the Romanian Foreign Ministry with the help of the crisis
cell set up in Bucharest.

Two mobile consular teams within the Romanian Embassy in Sofia
(Bulgaria) have facilitated the transit of scores of vehicles transporting
Romanian citizens through two crossing points on the border with Turkey. The
Romanian Foreign Ministry has recommended Romanian citizens to avoid traveling to
Turkey, unless strictly necessary.

18 July 2016
July 18, 2016 UPDATE

CLEANSING Turkish security forces on Monday continued the “cleansing” operation ordered by president Recep Tayyp Erdogan following Friday night’s attempted coup. After a faction of the army failed to take over power, Erdogan launched a cleansing campaign among the army and the judiciary, which has been met with concern by the international community. Almost 9,000 interior ministry staffers, mostly police and gendarmes, have been sacked. Earlier, around 6,000 people had been arrested, most of whom military, as well as 3,000 magistrates, including judges and prosecutors, who are suspected of involvement in the coup. Also on Monday Prime Minister Binali Yildirim decided that the annual holiday of more than three million public servants all over Turkey be suspended until further notice. According to the latest toll, at least 290 people have been killed in the coup, while more than 1,400 have been wounded.

MEETING The EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the EU foreign ministers on Monday called on Turkey to refrain from possible general repression in the wake of the failed coup. Mogherinin said the rule of law must be protected in the interest of the country. A meeting of the EU External Affairs Council was held in Brussels on Monday to discuss the failed military coup in Turkey, the attacks in France and the UK’s leaving the European Union. Talks also looked at the Union’s global strategy in respect of China. EU foreign ministers held an informal meeting with the US state secretary John Kerry. Romania was represented in Brussels by its Foreign Minister, Lazar Comanescu.

SEARCH French and Romanian authorities are still looking for a Romanian national reported missing after the terrorist attack in Nice last week. His wife, who was also missing, was found in a hospital in serious, but stable condition. Their minor son, who was also wounded, is in a hospital in Nice. Two other Romanians, husband and wife sustained injuries in the attack. A third day of national mourning was observed in France on Monday. The perpetrator of the attack was a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian man who, investigators say, minutely planned his Bastille Day attack. This is the third terrorist attack taking place in France after January 2015, when 17 people died, and November last year, when 130 people were killed, both times in Paris.

DRILL 1,000 Romanian military and another 1,000 from Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, Poland, the US, Turkey and Ukraine are taking part in the biggest multinational exercise held this year by the Romanian Naval Forces. Called Sea Shied 16, the drill is being carried out between the 18th and the 22nd of July in Romania’s territorial waters and the Black Sea international waters. The 2,000 troops will conduct joint training and apply NATO standard operational procedures to fight sea, underwater and aerial threats. In another move, the Romanian Naval Forces are taking part in an exercise held and coordinated by the United States Naval Forces Europe and the Ukrainian Naval Forces which takes place starting Monday until the end of the month in the Black Sea and on Ukrainian territory. Participating in this exercise are military from NATO states such as Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania, Britain, Poland, Romania, the US and Turkey, and the signatory countries of the Partnership for Peace, namely the Republic of Moldova and Georgia.

18 July 2016
July 17, 2016

COUP Turkey is Romania’s strategic partner and its NATO ally and the country’s stability on the basis of observing democracy and democratically-elected institutions is important for regional, European and international security, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said in an official communiqué issued after the aborted coup in Turkey, which left almost 300 dead. According to the authorities in Bucharest, there are no Romanians among the victims. The Romanian embassy and consular offices in Turkey are granting support, if need be, to those nearly 10 thousand Romanian citizens currently on holiday in this country. Bucharest has already sent two humanitarian transports to Istanbul with support from the Romanian Foreign Ministry, which set up a crisis cell. Apparently the situation in Turkey returns to normality, with no borders closed or travel restrictions. The Turkish embassy in Bucharest says that all institutions are functioning properly. Turkish president Recep Erdogan has called on the USA to extradite cleric Fetullah Gulen, whom he considers responsible for the coup. Washington has pledged support in investigating the aborted coup but has called on the authorities in Ankara to prove that Gulen is guilty indeed.

MISSING A Romanian who was on holiday in Nice with his wife and son has been reported missing following the terror attack on Thursday. The boy was found on Saturday in a hospital close to the site of the attack, and according to the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, his condition is stable, while his mom has been identified with severe wounds. In a phone call with his Romanian counterpart Dacian Ciolos, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has given assurances that the authorities ‘are doing their best to clarify the situation’. France is today in mourning for the 84 people who lost their lives in the attack on France’s national day claimed by ISIS. Seven people in connection with the Tunisian attacker have been arrested. According to French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneueve, the attacker seems to have been radicalized very quickly. The French official has mentioned a new type of terror attacks, which proves the complexity of the anti-terror fight.

SUMMIT Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has said during the ASEM summit held in Ulan Bator that Romania can be a major transport hub, thanks to its opening to the Black Sea. In a statement to Radio Romania, Ciolos has said that thanks to the Danube, Romania can assure the transport of the goods arriving in the port of Constanta to the entire Europe. The Prime Minister has underlined Romania’s readiness to get involved in such projects adding that Bucharest has already started talks with countries riparian of the Black Sea, the Caspian and countries from Central Asia on this issue. On Friday and Saturday Ciolos took part in the 11th ASEM Summit hosted by Mongolia to mark 20 years since the opening of the political dialogue between Asia and Europe, ‘a major event in the economic and political relations between European and Asian countries’ as it was described in a communiqué issued by the Romanian government. Against the background of the latest terror attacks, the Romanian official has said that setting up an international tribunal against terrorism, a Spanish-Romanian initiative, would be a clear message that action can be taken at a multilateral level with instruments that are stronger than political statements.

TENNIS The world’s fifth tennis player Simona Halep on Saturday qualified for the finals of the BRD Bucharest Open after a match that lasted more than two hours against Vania King of the USA. The Romanian will today be taking on Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia. The odds-on favourite has thus qualified for the second finals in 2016 and could get the second title in Bucharest after the one in 2014 and the 13th in her career. Cluj Napoca, a city in central Romania will also today be seeing the last games of the single Davis competition pitching Romania against Spain. Marius Copil of Romania will be playing Robert Bautista Agut, while Adrian Ungur will be taking on Feliciano Lopez. Before these games, the score is 2-1 to Spain.

17 July 2016
July 16, 2016

According to the latest toll, at least 265 people were killed and over 1,1440 wounded in the attempted military coup on Friday to Saturday night in Turkey. Fire exchanges and explosions were reported both in the capital Ankara and in Istanbul. The headquarters of the Turkish secret services seem to have been one of the attackers targets. Also, the Army Chief of Staff was taken hostage, but then released. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that the government is controlling the country. More than 2,800 army staff have been arrested for involvement in the attempted coup. The US and the EU have voiced their support for the Turkish government. An emergency parliament meeting is held today.

Romanias President Klaus Iohannis is in permanent contact with the competent Romanian authorities with regard to the situation in Turkey, a strategic partner to Romania and a NATO ally, the presidential administration has announced. According to the presidential release, Turkeys stability, on the basis of a full respect for democracy and the democratically elected authorities is important to regional, European and international security. In another move, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that a crisis cell has been activated to analyse the most effective ways to provide consular assistance to the Romanian citizens currently on Turkish soil and also the political implications of the recent events. The Foreign Ministry recommends Romanian citizens to avoid travelling to and around Turkey. No Romanian victims have been reported so far. A team of the Romanian Consulate in Istanbul is at the Ataturk International Airport to help the Romanians there. The ground border between Turkey and Bulgaria has been closed at the exit to Turkey.

Four men close to the Tunisian who committed the attack in Nice have been arrested, according to a French judicial source. Out of the four, whose identities have not been disclosed, one was arrested on Friday and the other three on Saturday. The former wife of the attacker has also been arrested. The French President Francois Holland has decreed three days of national mourning, in memory of the 84 people who were killed in Nice, in the attack claimed by the Islamic State terrorist organisation. A Franco-Tunisian man driving a 25-tonne lorry ram through the crowds who had gathered on the citys waterfront for a firework display to celebrate Frances National Day. Around 100 people sustained injuries, including two Romanian nationals. The UN Security Council has described the attack as “barbaric”, while US president Barack Obama has said his country stands in solidarity with France, its oldest ally. In Bucharest, president Klaus Iohannis has sent a message of condolence to the grieving families and has said that the scourge of terrorism, which seeks to plant fear and despair, will not succeed in dividing Europe in its fight for and belief in freedom and democracy.

Alongside Spain, Romania has proposed the setting up of an international court against terrorism. The initiative was set forth at the Asia-Europe summit in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator and was supported by several countries, said the Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos. He has also stated that this is aimed at strengthening the international communitys capacity to react in such situations. 50 heads of state and government from European and Asian countries attending the Asia-Europe Summit discussed the current economic situation, climate change, the fight against terror and migration. On the sidelines of the summit, the Romanian Prime Minister had several meetings with counterparts from the participating countries. Previously, Ciolos went to Vietnam, in a bid to relaunch bilateral economic and cultural relations.

The Davis Cup second-round match between Romania and Spain continues today in Cluj, north-western Romania, with the double between Horia Tecau/Florin Mergea and Marc Lopez/Pablo Carreno. After the first day of the meting, Spain is two wins ahead Romania. On Friday, Marius Copil was defeated by Feliciano Lopes 2-3, and Adrian Ungur lost to Roberto Bautista, 0-3. Sunday will see the last games between Copil – Bautista and Ungur – Lopez respectively. The winning team will get to the World Group play-offs in autumn, and the runner-up will remain in Group I. In another development, the best Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no. 5 in the WTA rankings, defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in the quarter finals of the BRD Bucharest Open and qualified for the semi-finals. Halep is the only Romanian still in the competition, a tournament with 250,000 dollars in prize money.

The Romanian national womens handball team won the bronze medal a the Under-20 World Championship in Moscow, after defeating Germany on Friday, 26-25. In the semi-finals the Romanian players lost 25-28 to Denmark. Early this month, the Romanian mens team won the World University Handball Championship in Malaga, Spain, and the womens team got silver at the same competition.

16 July 2016
UPDATE Attempted Coup in Turkey

Military factions in Turkey attempted to seize control of the country Friday night. There were indications that military coup leaders did not have the control on many parts of the country. Supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to the streets of Istanbul to oppose the coup factions, and it seems that some leaders have been arrested. Early Saturday morning, President Recep Tayyp Erdogan flew to Istanbul Ataturk airport, which could be a strong signal that the coup was failing.

Martial law was declared in the country. Social media worked with interruptions or were blocked. President Erdogan used an iPhone app from an undisclosed location to broadcast messages asking the people to resist the coup attempt: “There is no power higher than the power of the people,” he said. Leaders of two opposition political parties, who have been against Erdogan’s government, spoke out the military coup.

The Romanian Foreign Ministry asked Romanian citizens to avoid Turkey the next days and the Romanians being already in this country not to leave their hotels or homes, not to go in public crowded places and to inform themselves about the situation at any moment. A crisis cell was set up to the Foreign Ministry, to assist the Romanian citizens who will ask for assistance and to evaluate the political implications of the situation in Turkey.

16 July 2016