Radio România Internațional

Tag: UNITER Gala

May 28, 2024 UPDATE

SALARIES. The Romanian Government is to adopt, this week, a decision to increase the minimum wage to 3,700 lei (approx. 740 euros), starting July 1, the leadership of the PSD-PNL ruling coalition has decided, according to political sources. The coalition also discussed means of reducing budget spending by limiting it to what is strictly necessary, but also maintaining the cap on trade mark-up and extending it to all Romanian food products. Traders do not reject this idea, PM Marcel Ciolacu said, explaining that in France the measure has already proven its effectiveness in protecting domestic producers.

ELECTIONS. In Romania, over 200,000 candidates have registered for the local elections and 494 for the European Parliament elections, both due on June 9. The youngest candidate is just over 23 years old, and the oldest is 100 years old. Over 18,900,000 voters can vote in the elections, in over 19,800 polling stations in the country and abroad. 30 associations and foundations were accredited by the Permanent Electoral Authority to have observers at the European parliamentary and local elections on June 9. They can assist in all the operations of the electoral offices of the polling stations.

PENALTIES. The Romanian MPs have increased the severity of penalties for several crimes and introduced other acts into the scope of criminal penalties. For example, those who terrorize their neighbors, or exert pressure of any kind to force them to sell their homes, risk four years in prison. It is one of the provisions included in the two draft laws that bring changes to the Criminal Code and which received a favorable vote in the plenary on Tuesday. On the other hand, the town hall employees who issue false authorizations certifying that there are more than 15,000 inhabitants in the administered localities, risk imprisonment from six months to three years. The offense is also provided for the owners of gambling halls, which operate on the basis of false certificates. In Romania, gambling halls are prohibited in localities with less than 15,000 people. Deputies also adopted the increase in penalties for the crimes of trafficking in persons and minors, slavery or child pornography. They can reach up to 12 years in prison, without the possibility of suspending execution under supervision, and up to 20 years, if minors are involved.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS. The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, emphasized, at a meeting of her EU counterparts, the importance of rapid military assistance to Ukraine and the adoption of a new package of sanctions against Russia. The Romanian official also signaled Russia’s hybrid attacks on the Republic of Moldova. The meeting in Brussels also addressed developments in the Middle East. Minister Odobescu stressed the need to resolve the crisis in Gaza by continuing efforts to release all hostages, cease fire, provide comprehensive humanitarian assistance and resume the political process leading to a lasting peace, based on the two-state solution.

VISIT. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is on a visit to Chisinau for talks on the United States’ support for the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession, as well as energy security. Antony Blinken was in the Republic of Moldova two years ago, at the beginning of March, just a few days after Russia invaded the neighboring country, Ukraine. After the visit to Chisinau, the American official will go to Prague, in the Czech Republic, to participate in an informal meeting of the NATO foreign ministers, where the priorities of the Alliance’s next summit in July, in Washington, will be analyzed. The Republic of Moldova applied for EU accession in March 2022 and three months later it was granted the status of candidate country. In December 2023, EU leaders decided to open accession negotiations.

THEATRE. “Anthology of Disappearance”, directed by Radu Afrim, staged at the National Theatre in Iaşi (north-east), was designated best show at the 2024 UNITER Awards Gala, an event that rewards excellence in Romanian theatre. The awards for leading parts went to Cerasela Iosifescu and Tudor Cucu-Dumitrescu, the award for debut went to the actress Ramona Nicolae, and the “Ion Caramitru” award of excellence was received by actor Valer Dellakeza. Oana Pellea and Dan Condurache were honored with awards for their entire activity. The winner of Best Radio Drama show was “The summer in which my mother had green eyes”, directed by Diana Mihailopol, which was broadcast last year on the Radio Romania Culture Channel. (MI)

28 May 2024
Nachrichten 13.06.2023

Der rumänische Präsident Klaus Iohannis hat am Dienstag den PSD-Vorsitzenden Marcel Ciolacu als Kandidaten für das Amt des Ministerpräsidenten nominiert. Am Montag war der PNL-Vorsitzende Nicolae Ciucă gemäß der politischen Vereinbarung mit der PSD über die geplante Rotation an der Spitze der Regierung zurückgetreten, und am Dienstag wurde er zum Präsidenten des Senats gewählt. Der designierte Premierminister erklärte, er wolle, dass sich die künftige Regierung auf die Wirtschaft und Reformen konzentriere. Rumänien braucht diese Reformen und das Nationale Konjunktur- und Resilienzprogramm. Rumäniens Platz ist in der Europäischen Union und der NATO. Egal wie sehr einige versuchen, Rumänien in eine andere Richtung zu lenken, Rumäniens Weg ist sicher und mit politischer Stabilität wird er zu einer Gewissheit, sagte Marcel Ciolacu. Von Seiten der Opposition kritisierte die USR die Regierungsrotation und erklärte, dass der Wechsel des Premierministers die Probleme der Bürger nicht lösen werde.

Nach einem dreiwöchigen Generalstreik im Bildungswesen sind die rumänischen Schüler heute wieder in die Schule gegangen. Die Gewerkschaften und die Regierung haben am Montag eine Einigung erzielt. In zwei Dringlichkeitsverordnungen wurde vereinbart, die Gehälter von Lehrkräften und nicht lehrendem Personal in diesem Monat um rund 25 % anzuheben und bis 2027 einen jährlichen Bonus von 1.500 Lei (rund 300 €) für Lehrkräfte und 500 Lei (100 €) für nicht lehrendes Personal zu gewähren. Die Gehälter für Neueinsteiger werden ebenfalls auf dem Niveau des durchschnittlichen Bruttogehalts in der Wirtschaft liegen. Darüber hinaus hat die Regierung zugesagt, 50 % der Differenz zwischen den bisherigen Gehältern und der neuen Gehaltstabelle zu zahlen, sobald das neue Gehaltsgesetz am 1. Januar 2024 in Kraft tritt. Die Entscheidung, den Streik auszusetzen, hat jedoch einige Beschäftigte im Bildungswesen verärgert.

Die 31. Ausgabe der UNITER-Gala hat am Montagabend in Timisoara – Kulturhauptstadt Europas – ihre Gewinner ausgezeichnet. Ausgezeichnet wurden die besten Aufführungen sowie Persönlichkeiten aus der rumänischen Theaterwelt. Der UNITER-Preis für den besten Hauptdarsteller ging an Victor Rebengiuc für seine Rolle in Florian Zellers Vater (Regie: Cristi Juncu, Bulandra Theater Bukarest). Der Preis für das Lebenswerk ging an die Schauspielerin Ida Jarcsek – Gaza, und der Preis für die beste Hauptdarstellerin an Costinela Ungureanu für die Rolle der Ellida Wangel in Henrik Ibsens Die Frau vom Meer, Regie: Andri Zholdak, Teatrul National Marin Sorescu Craiova. Der Preis für das LebenswerkfürRegie ging an László Bocsárdi. Und der UNITER-Preis für das beste Hörspiel ging an Der Nussknacker und der Mausekönig von Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, Hörspielbearbeitung und künstlerische Leitung Diana Mihailopol, Rumänische Rundfunkgesellschaft.

Die Fregatte König Ferdinand, das Flaggschiff der rumänischen Marine, wird am 16. Juni nach sechswöchiger Teilnahme an einer Operation im Mittelmeer in den Militärhafen von Constanța zurückkehren, teilte der Generalstab der rumänischen Seestreitkräfte mit. Der Auftrag der rumänischen Seeleute bestand darin, die Einhaltung des von den Vereinten Nationen gegen Libyen verhängten Waffenembargos sicherzustellen und den illegalen Handel mit Erdölprodukten, Drogen und Menschen zu bekämpfen, indem sie den Seeverkehr überwachten, mehr als 160 Handelsschiffe verhörten und neun von ihnen besuchten, um die Operation vorzustellen. Die Fregatte König Ferdinand führte auch gemeinsame Aktivitäten mit Partnerschiffen des Marineverbands Operation IRINI in Italien, Deutschland und Griechenland durch.

Die jährliche Inflationsrate Rumäniens ist im Mai auf 10,64 Prozent gesunken, gegenüber 11,23 Prozent im April, teilte das Nationale Statistikamt am Dienstag mit. Nach Angaben des Amtes stiegen die Preise für Lebensmittel um fast 19 %, für Nicht-Lebensmittel um etwa 5 % und für Dienstleistungen um etwa 11 %. Es sei daran erinnert, dass die Rumänische Nationalbank im vergangenen Monat ihre Inflationsprognose für das Ende dieses Jahres auf 7,1 % nach oben korrigiert und ihre Schätzung von 4,2 % für Ende 2024 beibehalten hat.

13 June 2023
July 4, 2022

HEAT – A wave of extreme heat is sweeping Romania. Meteorologists
have issued code orange and yellow alerts against extreme heat for a number of
counties in the west. Temperatures here are expected to reach and exceed 39
degrees Celsius and stand at 34-37 degrees across the territory. Starting
Wednesday, meteorologists expect temperatures to drop in the north and west and
to reach the normal value for this period starting Thursday. Meanwhile, rainfall
will expand to a number of regions, including in the capital city Bucharest.
Extreme weather phenomena have affected a number of areas in Romania, some of
their effects still being felt locally.

SHARK ATTACK – The Romanian Foreign
Ministry has confirmed a Romanian woman was killed in a shark attack on Sunday
in Hurghada, a seacoast resort on the Red Sea in Egypt. According to the
Ministry, the Romanian Embassy in Cairo is making efforts to obtain additional
information regarding the woman’s death. Her family in Romania has been
notified and provided with all the details regarding the repatriation of her
body. This is the second shark attack in the area in recent days. Another
Austrian woman was killed in the same attack. The Egyptian authorities have
closed down a number of beaches on the Red Sea. The Romanian Foreign Ministry
recommends all Romanians in Egypt or planning to travel to this country to
observe the recommendations of local authorities and choose only beach areas
that are labeled safe for swimming.

WAR IN UKRAINE – The Russian army
presses its attack in Eastern Ukraine, after on Sunday it conquered Lysychansk,
a city of great strategic value for the Russians’ occupation strategy in
Donbas. The Russian forces seem to be focusing their attacks on Sloviansk and
Kramatorsk, two cities west of Lysychansk. President Volodymyr Zelensky has
tried to downplay the Russians’ announcement, saying his country will not give
up an inch of its territory and that the Ukrainian armed forces will retake the
areas controlled by the Russians owing to the increase in the delivery of
modern weapons to Ukraine. Moscow, however, is celebrating a major victory.

ESPIONAGE – 70 Russian diplomats and their families were expelled
from Bulgaria after local authorities accused them of espionage. In response,
Russia announced it would close down its Embassy in Sofia, which would be the
first Russian embassy closed down in an EU Member States. Bulgaria’s Prime
Minister, Kiril Petkov, accused Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova of
supporting the no-confidence vote against him. Petkov was removed from office
last week following a vote of no-confidence, and President Rumen Radev is
expected to nominate him again for forming a new government, before calling
snap elections. The Bulgarian Socialists, which were part of Petkov’s ruling
coalition, have accused the Prime Minister of single-handedly deciding to expel
the Russian diplomats, a decision they see as unwarranted, announcing they
would not support a second government led by the current Prime Minister.

THEATRE – The city of Bistrița in central Romania is today
hosting the UNITER Awards Gala. The 30th edition of the gala
rewarding the best theatre productions of 2021 will be attended by artists and
professionals from the world of theatre. According to organizers, the award of
excellence will be bestowed post-mortem to Ion Caramitru, the president of
UNITER for 31 years. Caramitru passed away last year. In other news, the
International Theatre Festival in Sibiu also came to a close yesterday night.
It brought to the public 800 performances of theatre, music, dance and circus,
street performances, exhibitions and conferences, involving 3,500 artists from
75 countries.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona
Halep is today playing Paula Badosa of Spain in the round of 16 at Wimbledon.
On April 30, Halep defeated Badosa 6-3, 6-1 in the second round at the WTA
Mutua Madrid Open. Paula Badosa has never reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals,
although she played in the round of 16 last year. A former world no. 1, Simona
Halep won the Wimbledon Grand Slam in 2019 and the French Open the previous
year. (VP)

4 July 2022
May 5-11, 2018

May 9th a day with threefold significance for Romania

May 9th has a threefold significance for the Romanians. On May 9th they celebrate the Independence Day, proclaimed in 1877, the victory of the United Nations coalition in World War Two and also Europe Day. At a reception offered by the Romanian Presidency on this occasion, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis deplored the fact that there are politicians in Bucharest who question the Union’s role and relevance, at the same time neglecting the benefits of belonging in this project, arguing that Romania would be better off outside the European family.

The country’s Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said in a communiqué that Romania believes in the European project and that it is taking action for its support and development. The Romanians’ standard of living has constantly grown after the country’s EU accession 11 years ago, Angela Cristea, the head of European Commission Representation also said. According to Mrs. Cristea, Romania has to continue its efforts to have the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism lifted, which is an instrument through which Brussels is monitoring the situation in Romania’s legal system.

The government has reached an agreement with trade unions from Romania’s healthcare system

After spontaneous protests in hospitals around the country, several rounds of talks between the government and trade unions and a two-hour token strike, employees of Romania’s healthcare system decided to give up their all-out strike scheduled for May 11th. The agreement between the government and trade unions also provides that all employees who lost money as a result of the new salary law will be reimbursed. The healthcare minister Sorina Pintea now says the government will again amend the law on public sector salaries.

The changes will only cover the way in which benefits are granted, the labor minister Lia Olguţa Vasilescu has pointed out. She says on-duty time performed by physicians and nurses will no longer be subject to the provision that stipulated a 30% cap on benefits. Commentators say, however, that this does not heal the most acute problems in the system: old hospitals with precarious equipment and full of bacteria, shortages of sometimes essential medicine, insufficient and still unmotivated medical staff, or staff hostile to patients despite the generous pay rise.

Financial disputes between the President and the government

The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Monday again called for the resignation of the Social Democratic Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă. The president this time invoked a series of low economic performances by the present government. After the publication of the budget execution report for the first quarter of the year, the president argued the national budget is under a tremendous pressure against the backdrop of increasing total expenses and that the evolution of public finances is completely unsatisfactory. The president has lashed out at the PSD-ALDE government, which he accuses of having neglected major investments and of having failed to turn Romania’s economic growth rate of 7% into a rise in revenues.

Klaus Iohannis: “After almost one year and a half of Social Democratic governing, including this debatable situation of the so-called pay rises, we see no roads, no motorways, no schools, no hospitals. The Social Democratic Party is in fact mortgaging the future of the country. It raises salaries and pensions and neglects major investments in infrastructure or investments that are needed for the country’s development in general.”

The Government, on the other hand, says that Romania’s economic parameters for the first quarter of the year grew as compared to the same period of 2017. Deputy Prime Minister Viorel Stefan has stated that budget revenues grew by 12%, and investments doubled as compared to 2017.

UNITER Gala

Directors Mihai Măniuţiu and Yuri Kordonski and actors Mariana Mihuţ and Victor Rebengiuc are the big winners of this year’s UNITER Awards Gala. The Theater Union of Romania — UNITER — has this year celebrated the best actors and directors of the year 2017 in the Transylvanian city of Alba Iulia, in central Romania, the symbol of the Great Union of the Romanian historical provinces, which took place 100 years ago.

The award for best performance in 2017 went to ‘Rambuku’ by the Norwegian writer Jon Fosse, adapted by Anca Măniuţiu and directed by Mihai Măniuţiu. Best director was designated the Russian Yuri Kordonsky, for the show ‘The Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Erendira and her Heartless Grandmother’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Great actors Mariana Mihut and Victor Rebengiuc won the best actress and best actor awards respectively, for their parts in ‘Exit the King’ by Eugene Ionescu, directed by Andrei and Andreea Grosu.

The best TV drama performance was designated ‘Midwinter Night’s Dream’ by Tudor Muşatescu, and the best radio drama award was won by ‘Ovid, the Pontus Euxinus Exile’, based on a script by Emil Boroghină and produced by the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. The award for the best Romanian play in 2017 went to Daniel Oltean, for the play ’50 seconds’. Also, UNITER handed the lifetime achievement award to actor Horaţiu Mălăiele.

The Romanian Foreign Minister heard in Parliament in relation to the relocation of the Romanian Embassy in Israel

The Memorandum on the relocation of the Romanian Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was discussed in Government last week and was submitted to the President only after being approved by the Executive, the Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu stated. On Wednesday, he was heard by the Foreign Policy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies in relation to the memorandum, which created a conflict between the President and the Government. According to the law, the head of state is the only one that can move an embassy from one city to another, and Klaus Iohannis has voiced discontentment with the fact that statements on the topic have been carried in the public space as if a decision had already been made. Meleşcanu also stated that the document was not classified as top secret, but that it includes information that is not public, and is therefore confidential.

Teodor Melescanu: “Our concern is to conduct a serious analysis of the legal, political and economic implications of the decision to relocate the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem and to provide the arguments that political decision-makers — Parliament, President and Prime-Minister- need in order to take a common stand on the matter.”

Minister Meleşcanu has also admitted that the talks on the relocation of the embassy might affect Romania’s candidacy for a position of non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020-2021.

12 May 2018