Radio România Internațional

Tag: Union of the Romanian Principalities

  • January 22, 2023 UPDATE

    January 22, 2023 UPDATE

    FAC – Romania’s Foreign
    Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is attending the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)
    meeting hosted by Brussels on Monday. According to a Foreign Ministry press
    release, talks will focus on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, with Ukraine’s
    Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba expected to take part in videoconference
    format. The meeting’s agenda also includes the developments in Sahel and
    coastal areas of Western Africa. European officials will also look at the
    latest developments in Iran, Montenegro, Afghanistan and Venezuela, as well as
    the launch of the EU mission to Armenia. With respect to Russia’s invasion of
    Ukraine, Minister Aurescu will reassert the need to continue the EU’s
    multidimensional assistance to Ukraine, in particular with a view to getting
    through the cold season safely and providing military assistance to the
    Ukrainian army via the European Peace Facility.




    CELEBRATION – The Union of the
    Romanian Principalities will be marked on January 24 by the Romanian Cultural
    Institute branches in Chișinău, Rome, Warsaw, Venice, Istanbul and Vienna. The
    Mihai Eminescu Institute in Chișinău is hosting a scientific conference marking
    164 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities. The Cultural and
    Human Research Institute in Venice is organizing a conference addressing the
    general public, aimed at highlighting cordial Romanian-Italian relations during
    the reign of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) and the two countries’
    symmetric efforts in achieving national unity. The Accademia di Romania in Rome
    will also mark the event by publishing a film on its Facebook page devoted to
    ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, produced by painter and photographer Carol Popp de
    Szathmari. The Cultural Institute in Warsaw will upload a documentary with
    Polish subtitles on its YouTube channel, titled The 1859 Union of the Romanian
    Principalities, directed by Radu Găină. A similar documentary will also be
    publicized by the Cultural Institute in Istanbul. The Cultural Institute in
    Vienna will also host events devoted to the figure of the Romanian ruler.




    MOLDOVA
    – The invasion of nearby Ukraine by the Russian Federation has prompted the
    Republic of Moldova to analyze the possibility of renouncing the country’s
    neutrality, stipulated in the Constitution, and joining an alliance, the
    pro-Western Moldovan president, Maia Sandu, has told Politico. There is now a
    serious debate about our capacity to defend ourselves, if we can fend for
    ourselves or whether we should be part of a larger alliance. And if our nation decides
    at one point it is time we changed our neutrality status, then this would be
    carried out via a democratic process, the president said, without naming any
    military alliance. President Sandu said the Republic of Moldova remains
    extremely vulnerable and is currently targeted by Russia’s hybrid warfare
    attacks through propaganda and disinformation. For the time being, Moldova doesn’t
    face any military threats, due to Ukraine’s resistance, the president said. The
    Republic of Moldova is not a member of NATO, although it is a partner of the Alliance.
    Moldova is also contributing to NATO’s peace-support operation in Kosovo
    (KFOR).






    HANDBALL – The Romanian women’s
    handball vice-champions, CSM Bucharest, on Sunday defeated SG BBM Bietigheim of
    Germany 27-25 in Champions League Group A. CSM is the leader of the group and
    has already secured qualification to the next phase. The match in Germany also
    marked a remarkable performance for CSM’s top goal scorer, Cristina Neagu, who
    scored her 1,000th goal in EHF Champions League, thus joining an
    elite hall of fame alongside Jovanka Radicevic of Montenegro and Anita Gorbicz of
    Hungary. Neagu is also this season’s top scorer with 90 goals. Also on Sunday, in Group B, Rapid Bucharest
    defeated 28-22 Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK of Turkey at home. With two rounds left
    to play, Rapid is ranked 3rd in the group tables and still holds
    chances of qualifying to the quarterfinals playoffs. (VP)

  • January 22, 2023

    January 22, 2023

    FAC -
    Romania’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is attending the Foreign Affairs
    Council (FAC) meeting hosted by Brussels on Monday. According to a Foreign
    Ministry press release, talks will focus on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,
    with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba expected to take part in
    videoconference format. The meeting’s agenda also includes the developments in
    Sahel and coastal areas of Western Africa. European officials will also look at
    the latest developments in Iran, Montenegro, Afghanistan and Venezuela, as well
    as the launch of the EU mission to Armenia. With respect to Russia’s invasion
    of Ukraine, Minister Aurescu will reassert the need to continue the EU’s
    multidimensional assistance to Ukraine, in particular with a view to getting
    through the cold season safely and providing military assistance to the
    Ukrainian army via the European Peace Facility.




    EXHIBITION – Romanian
    traditional products are promoted in the Green Week 2023 international
    exhibition that will be hosted by Berlin over January 20-29. 60 out of the
    total of 700 registered traditional products, including traditional cheese
    preserved in tree bark or smoked trout in fir tree branches will be presented
    to the visiting public. Additionally, varietals of white, rosé and red wines
    will be available to sample, in addition to assortments of honey and
    cold-pressed oils, as well as jams, preserves, juices and syrups. The
    exhibition represents both a business platform as a well as a festival of
    gastronomic and folk traditions with a wide reach in Europe and around the
    world.




    CELEBRATION – The Union of the
    Romanian Principalities will be marked on January 24 by the Romanian Cultural
    Institute branches in Chișinău, Rome, Warsaw, Venice, Istanbul and Vienna. The
    Mihai Eminescu Institute in Chișinău is hosting a scientific conference marking
    164 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities. The Cultural and
    Human Research Institute in Venice is organizing a conference addressing the
    general public, aimed at highlighting cordial Romanian-Italian relations during
    the reign of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) and the two countries’
    symmetric efforts in achieving national unity. The Accademia di Romania in Rome
    will also mark the event by publishing a film on its Facebook page devoted to
    ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, produced by painter and photographer Carol Popp de
    Szathmari. The Cultural Institute in Warsaw will upload a documentary with Polish
    subtitles on its YouTube channel, titled The 1859 Union of the Romanian
    Principalities, directed by Radu Găină. A similar documentary will also be
    publicized by the Cultural Institute in Istanbul. The Cultural Institute in
    Vienna will also host events devoted to the figure of the Romanian ruler.




    EXERCISE – Over 100 American
    servicemen part of the 1-26 US infantry battalion will be training alongside
    Romanian military in the Sfântul Andrei 300 mechanized infantry battalion in
    Galați until March. According to a Defense Ministry release, the US troops were
    deployed at the end of last year to the Mihail Kogălniceanu military base in
    the southeast, and this week they relocated to Galați. The US servicemen will
    take part in daily exercises alongside Romanian troops based on a scheduled
    training program, adjusted to the existing equipment and military capabilities
    of both sides. The purpose of the exercise is to further develop combat
    techniques, tactics and operational procedures, to acquire new combat skills
    and boost existing military capabilities as well as the interoperability in
    line with NATO standards.




    MEDAL – Romanian athlete Andreea
    Grecu on Saturday scooped silver in the women’s monobob event at the European
    Championships in Altenberg, Germany. Grecu completed her run in 2mins02secs,
    being outrun by Laura Nolte of Germany. Kim Kalicki of Germany won bronze. (VP)



  • January 23, 2022 UPDATE

    January 23, 2022 UPDATE

    COVID-19 ROMANIA – A little over 14 thousand new cases of
    COVID-19 infection were reported on Sunday in Romania, in addition to 22
    related fatalities. Compared to previous waves, the rate of hospitalization of
    people who got infected is much lower, authorities say. Some 600 people are
    currently in intensive care. The authorities expect the infection rate to
    continue to rise in following days, which will in turn determine a rise in the
    rate of bed occupation across hospitals. In the worst-case scenario, Romania
    could report as many as 70 thousand daily infections in February. At present,
    the incidence rate in Bucharest has reached 9.50 per thousand inhabitants.
    Starting Sunday, people from Bucharest and Ilfov can test for COVID-19 in 20
    medical units, with an additional 8 expected to open next week. The measure
    follows an announcement made by the Ambulance Service, who said the number of
    people calling for COVID testing has increased alarmingly, causing delays of up
    to 72 hours in the arrival of testing teams. Over 8 million Romanians have so
    far received at least one shot of the anti-COVID vaccine.




    UNION – Romania will mark 163
    years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities on Monday by means of
    various events. On January 24, 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was proclaimed ruler
    of the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, voted by the Elective Assembly
    in Bucharest. Cuza’s rule (1859-1866) laid the foundations of modern Romania
    through radical reforms. Cuza adopted the Civil and Criminal Codes and created
    a national army. It also introduced mandatory primary education and founded the
    first universities. Cuza was forced to step down and go into exile in 1866. His
    successor was King Charles I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. His
    long rule wound earn Romania its independence from the Ottoman Empire. In 1918,
    King Ferdinand the Unifier completed the nation-building process by uniting the
    territories with a Romanian majority population in 1918.




    FAC MEETING – Romania’s Foreign
    Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)
    meeting in Brussels on Monday. EU Foreign Ministers will discuss security
    developments in Europe and the developments in Libya and Syria. Attending by
    videoconference will also be US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. High on the
    meeting’s agenda are also the latest developments in Mali, Sudan and the
    India-Pacific area. The meeting will continue debates occasioned by the Gymnich
    meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brest, France, held on January 13-14.
    Minister Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s position in the current context, with
    a focus on EU unity, based on the shared principles and values. The Romanian
    official will call on the EU to continue to adopt firm and reliable deterrence actions
    with respect to Russia, while at the same time to consolidate Ukraine’s
    resilience and other partners in the Eastern vicinity.




    RUSSIA-NATO RELATIONS – The United States
    find the accusations over Moscow’s plans to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine
    deeply concerning, the White House said in response to a report by
    the British Foreign Office. The Ukrainian people have the sovereign right to
    determine their own future, and we stand with our democratically elected
    partners in Ukraine, National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said.
    In a harsh press release, British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, condemned what
    she has termed the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine.
    The British Foreign Office claims Russia is trying to install a pro-Russian
    leader in Kiev as Moscow weighs up a further invasion and occupation of
    Ukraine. In another development, NATO has rejected Russia’s request to withdraw
    its troops from Bulgaria and Romania and denounced the idea of a spheres of influence
    in Europe. Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, urged European leaders to
    adopt a firm and unitary attitude against Russia, in the wake of Moscow’s plans
    to invade Ukraine. Moscow has rallied over 100 thousand troops on the Ukrainian
    border. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all members of NATO, will provide
    Ukraine with anti-tank and anti-air missile systems made in the United States.
    Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has called a meeting of the country’s
    Supreme Defense Council to discuss the growing tensions in the region. (VP)

  • January 23, 2022

    January 23, 2022




    COVID-19 ROMANIA – A little over 14 thousand new cases of
    COVID-19 infection were reported on Sunday in Romania, in addition to 22
    related fatalities. Compared to previous waves, the rate of hospitalization of
    people who got infected is much lower, authorities say. Some 600 people are
    currently in intensive care. The authorities expect the infection rate to
    continue to rise in following days, which will in turn determine a rise in the
    rate of bed occupation across hospitals. In the worst-case scenario, Romania
    could report as many as 70 thousand daily infections in February. At present,
    the incidence rate in Bucharest has reached 9.50 per thousand inhabitants.
    Starting Sunday, people from Bucharest and Ilfov can test for COVID-19 in 20
    medical units, with an additional 8 expected to open next week. The measure
    follows an announcement made by the Ambulance Service, who said the number of
    people calling for COVID testing has increased alarmingly, causing delays of up
    to 72 hours in the arrival of testing teams. Over 8 million Romanians have so
    far received at least one shot of the anti-COVID vaccine.




    COVID-19 WORLD – The United
    States, the largest donor to the World Health Organization, continues to oppose
    proposals for a larger independence of the WHO, officials involved in
    negotiations have announced. The proposal stipulates an increase in the annual
    financial contribution of each member state as part of a broader plan to reform
    the Organization in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The US Government opposes
    the reform because it doubts the WHO will have the capacity to face future
    threats, including from China. In other news, the Omicron variant has become
    dominant in Europe, without however provoking an increase in the number of ICU
    hospitalizations. On Saturday, Poland announced a record-high number of
    infections, nearly 41 thousand. Russia too announced 57 thousand infections,
    the highest since the pandemic began. Italy reported 171 thousand new cases. In
    turn, the United Kingdom also reported 76 thousand infections in a single day,
    which confirms the downward trend of the incidence rate in this country.




    UNION – Romania will mark 163
    years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities on Monday by means of
    various events. On January 24, 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was proclaimed ruler
    of the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, voted by the Elective Assembly
    in Bucharest. Cuza’s rule (1859-1866) laid the foundations of modern Romania
    through radical reforms. Cuza adopted the Civil and Criminal Codes and created
    a national army. It also introduced mandatory primary education and founded the
    first universities. Cuza was forced to step down and go into exile in 1866. His
    successor was King Charles I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. His
    long rule wound earn Romania its independence from the Ottoman Empire. In 1918,
    King Ferdinand the Unifier completed the nation-building process by uniting the
    territories with a Romanian majority population in 1918.




    STRIKE – The strike at the
    Bucharest Municipal Transport Company (STB) continued on Sunday for the fourth
    consecutive day, despite having been declared illegal under a court order. The
    Company operated at 25% capacity, although hundreds of drivers refused to do
    their daily rounds. The STB board decided not to take disciplinary action
    against those who wanted to resume work, considering no offenses have been
    reported so far. Bucharest Mayor, Nicușor Dan, announced numerous STB employees
    lodged complaints on the dedicated hotline, claiming they are intimidated,
    threatened and aggressed by trade unions if they choose to return to work. STB
    employees say their salary demands have not been solved and call for the
    resignation of the company’s director. Representatives of the transporters
    trade union have repeatedly claimed this was an independent protest of STB
    employees and that it played no part in its organization. (VP)

  • Romanians celebrated the Union of 1859

    Romanians celebrated the Union of 1859

    On January 24, 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, elected a week earlier ruler of Moldavia, was elected by the Elective Assembly in Bucharest as sovereign of Wallachia and proclaimed ruler of the United Principalities.



    During his 7-year rule, Cuza promoted several radical reforms, which established the institutional foundation of modern Romania, further consolidated by Kings Carol I and Ferdinand. Dubbed the “Unifier”, Ferdinand would unite in 1918, at the end of WWI, all the Romanian territories that until then had been under the rule of the neighboring multi-national empires.



    The Little Union of 1859 was celebrated on Wednesday through religious and military ceremonies, floral tributes and open air shows. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis participated in the official mass held at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest and also in the scientific session organized by the Romanian Academy.



    Iohannis reiterated his conviction that Romania’s progress is indissolubly linked with the existence of a coherent and stable legislation, which sanctions abuses and dishonesty. Klaus Iohannis: “People who rule the country have the duty to pay more attention to citizen’s needs, to be more concerned about the long-term consequences of the decisions they make and to be more open to dialogue. We need a state to serve the interests of society, because Romanians want a decent and efficient governing.”



    In a message posted on the Government’s site, the interim PM Mihai Fifor says that the union of the Romanian principalities 159 years ago was the effort of the entire Romanian nation, which managed to turn history into a direction that was different from the one the foreign powers had envisaged. The union message was carried from Bucharest to Iasi, the historical capital of the Principality of Moldavia, by a train symbolically named “the Union Train”, with a locomotive painted in Romania’s national colors: red, yellow and blue. The ceremonies in Iasi were attended by the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, Princess Margaret, MPs, local authorities and guests from the Republic of Moldova.



    According to our correspondents, the Union Day was also celebrated in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, where floral tributes were paid at the statue of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza and many people of culture, historians and politicians talked about the importance of that historic moment.



    Also, for ten years now, a community in Rome, made up of Romanian Christians of different denominations — Orthodox, Greek and Roman- Catholic — have celebrated the Union together through a religious mass. The Te-Deum held on Wednesday was also attended by the Romanian ambassadors to Rome and the Vatican. (Translated by M. Ignatescu, edited by D. Vijeu)