Radio România Internațional

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  • August 27, 2016

    August 27, 2016

    ITALY QUAKE – A day of national mourning has begun in Italy for those over 290 people who died when a powerful earthquake hit the country’s mountainous central regions. Country officlas will attend state funerals in the regional capital, Ascoli Piceno, for 50 of the victims from the town of Arquata. No survivors have been found since Thursday. Italian authorities say they will continue to search until they are certain everyone is accounted for. Over 1,000 aftershocks have been reported and many of the buildings still standing risk collapsing, which makes rescue operations even more difficult. Most victims were Italian, but several foreigners were among those killed, including 10 Romanians. Also, 16 Romanians are reported missing. A consular team from Bucharest travels today to the affected areas to support the Romanian diplomatic missions in Rome and Bologna, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced.




    GOVERNMENT – Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has met today in Suceava, north-eastern Romania, with his Polish counterpart, Beata Szydlo. After the meeting, PM Ciolos has said that the relations between Romania and Poland are very intense and that there are excellent premises for them to be strengthened. The two officials tackled bilateral ties in the context of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, and also topics on the European agenda, such as Brexit’s impact on the EU, the EU budget and the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework. Also approached was cooperation in the field of defense and the developments at the EU’s eastern border. The two officials will also have a meeting with representatives of the Polish community in Romania.




    MOLDOVA – Romania reaffirms its full support for Moldova’s bid for the European Union and the process of democratic reforms and modernisation of the state, in keeping with the expectations of the neighbouring country, the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a release on Saturday. Chisinau marks today 25 years since gaining its independence. Ceremonies devoted to this event will be more modest than in previous years, due to the economic crisis the country is going through. On August 27, 1991 the Republic of Moldova proclaimed its independence from the USSR. Romania was the first country to recognise Moldova’s independence.




    CELEBRATION – Romania marks today one hundred years since the country entered WWI. At the end of this war, on December 1st, 1918, the process of setting up the Romanian unitary nation state was finalized, following the union of all Romanian provinces with a majority Romanian-speaking population previously included in the neighbouring multinational empires. On August 27, 1916, Romania declared war on Austro-Hungary and the army crossed the Carpathians to Transylvania, which at the time was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Over 330 thousand soldiers died in this war and as many as 76 thousand were crippled. Ceremonies devoted to this day are held in Fundata, in central Romania, where the first Romanian officer was killed, but also in Curtea de Arges, at the tomb of King Ferdinand. On this occasion, the Romanian Royal House conveyed a message that reiterates the role that King Ferdinand played in Romania’s participation in WWI and the setting up the Romanian unitary nation state.




    TENNIS – The Romanian-Indian team made up of Monica Niculescu and Sania Mirza, WTA’s seed no. 2 in women’s doubles, defeated on Friday night the Slovenian team Andreja Klepac and Katarina Srebotnik in the semi-finals of the tennis tournament in New Haven, the US, with 695,900 dollars in prize money. In the final, Niculescu and Mirza will be up against Katerina Bondarenko of Ukraine and Chia-Jung Chuang of Taiwan. The US Open, the last grand slam of the year, kicks off on Monday. Niculescu, seed no. 57, will play against the Czech Barbora Strycova, seed no. 19. In the first round of the competition, Romanian Simona Halep, no. 5 in the world, will play against Belgian Kirsten Flipkens WTA’s 68th seed, while another Romanian, Irina Begu , seeded 22nd, will be up against Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, seed no. 80. In the same competition, Romanian Patricia Maria Tig, seed no. 129 will be up against Laura Siegemund of Germany, while Ana Bogdan, seed no. 117, will play in the first round against another Romanian, Sorana Cirstea, WTA’s 88th seed.



    (Translated by Elena Enache)



  • March 22, 2016

    March 22, 2016

    EXPLOSIONS – Several explosions have struck Brussels today. Two blasts tore through the departures area of Zaventem airport while another one hit Maalbeek metro station, close to the EU institutions. The provisional death toll made public by Belgian authorities is 26. Over 130 people have been wounded, of whom some are in a serious condition. The government raised the anti-terror alert in the country to the highest level. The attacks come four days after Salah Abdeslam, the main fugitive in the Paris attacks last November that killed 130 people, was captured in Brussels. Several European states have increased security measures following the events in Brussels. In Bucharest, the Presidency, Government and Foreign Ministry have conveyed a message of condolences to the Belgian people and have condemned the attacks, calling for joint efforts to fight terrorism.




    VOTE – The Romanian Parliament is today voting on the new Board of the public television TVR. Previously, Parliament’s culture committees have interviewed candidates proposed by parliamentary groups, government, presidency and TVR employees. The new Board has to come up with solutions to rescue the public television that has been dealing with severe financial problems. One of these solutions might be to change the insolvency law so that TVR can be declared bankrupt and a new structure be set up.




    VISIT – The US President Barack Obama ends his historic visit to Cuba today with meetings with Cuban dissidents and a televised speech. On Monday, Obama and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro said they planned to cooperate in fields of common interest. Obama also said that lifting the trade embargo would depend on actions Cuba takes on human rights.




    PRESIDENCY – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is paying a three-day official visit to Turkey as of today, to hold talks with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with PM Ahmet Davutoglu and with representatives of the Romanian community in this country. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties based on the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Turkey, signed in 2011. Official talks will focus on bilateral, regional and security issues, such as economic cooperation, the dialogue between Turkey and the EU with an emphasis on migration and also the collaboration within NATO. Also approached will be the need to increase efforts to fight terrorism against the background of several terror attacks that have taken place in Turkey recently.




    CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES – The Speaker of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Laura Boldrini, is currently in Bucharest for talks with Romanian high officials. Boldrini’s visit takes place at the invitation of her Romanian counterpart, Valeriu Zgonea. The two officials will sign a declaration dubbed More European Integration: The Road to Travel” , calling for more European integration. The document was signed by the presidents of the Lower Chambers of the Parliament of Italy (Laura Boldrini), France (Claude Bartolone), Germany (Norbert Lammert) and Luxembourg (Mars di Bartolomeo). Laura Boldrini will also have a meeting with representatives of the Italian investors in Romania.




    STRIKE — Thousands of Romanian doctors continue to be in a work-to-rule strike, unsatisfied with the outcome of the negotiations with the Health Ministry. The strike started on Monday, at the initiative of the Romanian Federation of Physician Unions and the “Hipocrat” Union Federation in Romania, which claims to represent over 7,000 employees in the sector. Their demands concern a consistent salary system, the payment of bonuses, and the implementation of working hour standards. Family doctores have announced new protests on Thursday at the Health Ministry headquarters.



    (Translated by E. Enache)


  • December 5, 2015 UPDATE

    December 5, 2015 UPDATE

    The Romanian Ministry for Finances made public the draft budget for 2016. The ministries that will receive more money than in the previous financial year include the defence, interior, education, culture and healthcare. Fewer funds than in 2015 will be allocated for the transport, labour, justice and finance ministries. According to the bill, the budget revenues for next year will be nearly 0.8 billion euros higher than in 2015, while expenses will be 3.5 billion euro higher, and cover all the measures approved this year by the Government and Parliament. According to the Government, next year’s budget reflects a number of principles, including fiscal predictability, aimed at encouraging private investments and enhancing the confidence of the business community, efficient budget spending, improved transparency in spending public money and a transformation of the relationship between the state and taxpayers, in the sense of a more friendly attitude of public institutions towards citizens.



    The Romanian Health Ministry announced that all the victims of the October 30th fire at Bucharest’s Colectiv nightclub who are still in hospitals in Romania would be transferred abroad if their doctors recommend it and their families agree. The decision comes after the management of the Hospital for Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery in Bucharest admitted that three of the patients injured in the tragedy died from infections acquired in the hospital. Sixty people died in that fire and many others were injured. At present there are 31 patients in hospitals in Bucharest and 30 in clinics abroad. The protests against corruption in central and local administration that followed the tragedy led to the resignation of the Social Democrat Victor Ponta’s Cabinet.



    Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic Christians in Romania Sunday celebrate St. Nicholas, also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Born in the 3rd Century in the Middle East, he has a reputation for gift-giving, and a lot of miracles are attributed to him. Nearly 800,000 Romanians bearing his name are also celebrating their name day on Sunday. According to Romanian tradition, the evening before St. Nicholas’ Feast Day shoes are taken out, and during the night the Saint will put gifts in them.



    Romanian troops will be training for a week, as of Monday, together with military from the USA and the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, at a shooting range in south-eastern Romania, which is hosting the Platinum Lynx 16.2 module of the Black Sea Rotational Force multinational exercise. The exercise is aimed at carrying on the joint training of troops, at enhancing the interoperability of participating forces and strengthening their partnership.



    The US Federal Bureau of Investigations officially rated as an act of terrorism the attack that killed 14 people and wounded 21 others on Wednesday in San Bernardino, California. The FBI chief, James Comey, said there are indications that the attackers were inspired by foreign terrorist organisations, but added that there is no evidence that they were members of a terrorist group.



    Romania’s national women’s handball team Saturday won its first match at the World Championship in Denmark, outperforming Puerto Rico 47-14. The next game, against Kazakhstan, is scheduled for Monday. The same Group D also includes Spain, Norway and Russia. The top four ranking teams in each group qualify into the eighth-finals. The World Championship is also a qualification criterion for the Rio Olympics, with the winner of this competition qualified to the Olympic Games and the teams ranking 2nd to 7th getting access to the pre-Olympic tournaments of April 2016. Romania is the only country which has taken part in all the World Championships final tournaments since 1957. The Romanians won gold in 1962 and silver in 1973 and 2005.

  • A look back at the tragedy in the Colectiv nightclub

    A look back at the tragedy in the Colectiv nightclub

    A terrible fire took place on October 30th in the “Colectiv” nightclub in Bucharest during a free concert by the rock band Goodbye to Gravity. According to preliminary data, the fire was caused by the fireworks used during the concert, killing 60 and wounding another 186. Given the gravity of the event the Romanian authorities declared three days of national mourning.



    The fire also brought people into the streets. They condemned the corruption of politicians and asked for the resignation of the then prime minister Victor Ponta, who eventually resigned on November 4th together with his government dominated by the Social Democrats. At present forensic experts are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances of the most serious accident in Romania after 1989.



    The police arrested several people in this case and the leadership of the Bucharest Inspectorate for Emergency Situations was dismissed after the press revealed that the institution hid the truth regarding the responsibilities it had in preventing the fire at the “Colectiv” nightclub. 37 people injured in the Colectiv fire are still in hospitals in Bucharest, of whom 6 are in a critical condition. Another 39 people who sustained burns are being treated in hospitals abroad, in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Great Britain, Norway and Israel.



    The government will fully cover the costs for the medical treatment the Romanian patients are getting abroad. An emergency ordinance set the monthly costs for a patient at between 90 thousand and 100 thousand euros, an amount that could be augmented, if need be. Tens of thousands of Romanians joined hand to help these people, proving solidarity and civic spirit.



    According to the American ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, their action was inspiring to many members of the international community. On Wednesday, the “Bagdasar-Arseni” Emergency Hospital in Bucharest received medical aid worth 100 thousand euros offered by the German Federal Government.

  • Lessons from a Tragedy

    Lessons from a Tragedy

    October 30, 2015 is one of those days that Romania will never forget. What should have been for many young people a nice weekend night out at a rock gig, turned into the bleakest day of their lives. The last one, for tens of them. For other tens of young people it was the first day of a completely different life, marked by complex and unpredictable medical interventions, physical pain and grief caused by the nightmarish moments in Bucharest’s Colectiv nightclub, where a fire changed the destinies of hundreds of people in a matter of seconds. The tragedy brought to light many and serious administrative and legislative flaws. It sparked emotion, solidarity with the victims and outrage at the perceived culprits.



    The authorities launched inspections in all clubs and bars in Romania. A mere 10% of them comply with the relevant legislation, experts say, and warn that in case of an earthquake, for instance, thousands of people would die in Bucharest’s Old City. The Romanian Society of Architects warns that the fire at Colectiv has revealed severe irregularities and errors in the fire safety authorisation and inspection process. The president of the Romanian Society of Architects, Serban Tiganas, explains in an interview with Radio Romania that the situation of big city architecture in Romania is rather poor:



    “One of the reasons has to do with the legislative framework regulating the constructions sector. Romania is still governed by an obsolete outlook, which does not focus on the soft elements, so to say, the elements that are harder to assess or measure, such as the overall quality of architecture, and in which the essential thing is for the building not to come crumbling down during an earthquake, not to kill you while using it and to have enough polystyrene insulation to preserve heat. That’s just about it. So we have a rudimentary, imbalanced system of laws governing this sector. The second major problem is related to the enforcement of these laws, such as they are, with obviously good and reasonable parts, although difficult to implement. Romania is in a position where the inspection, fines and everything else entailed by enforcing these regulations face a lot of obstacles. And this is something everyone has learned well: you can build pretty much anything or stray from what the permit allows you to build, and nothing happens. And that is a disaster. The third problem is a matter of education, and here we have two aspects. On the one hand, there’s the education of the professionals in this sector. Our profession is subject to the pressure of degradation or of a loss of efficiency and coherence. On the other hand, there’s the education of the general public, in other words, you cannot have great architecture or be a good architect unless you have good clients. A good client is someone who understands the need for high-quality space, therefore the need for good architecture, instead of just focusing on cutting costs, as is usually the case in Romania.”



    The money was also the reason why the owners of Colectiv nightclub chose cheap and unsuitable material for sound insulation, a type of sponge that lighted instantly from the fireworks that were part of the show. The fire spread quickly and a thick smoke, heavy with toxic gases, caused severe internal burns to the victims. Meanwhile, the law regulating the authorisation of nightclub running, which was already under revision, was tightened, with fines substantially increased, the owners who breach regulations subject to criminal charges and the clubs closed down.



    On the other hand, Romania saw the exemplary mobilisation of civil society. Tens of thousands of people lit candles and laid flowers, organised silent marches and felt compelled to join in the support efforts. Thousands of people queued in hospitals to donate blood. Here is the director of the Bucharest Transfusion Centre, Doina Gosa:



    “This mobilisation is impressive, to be honest I have never seen anything like this in my life. People were extremely responsive to this tragedy… To the fact that most of the victims were so young, and died or suffered terrible burn injuries… As we all know now, the greatest possible physical pain is the one caused by burns. We’ve seen on all television channels that the doctors who gave first aid were also deeply affected and sympathised with the victims, although doctors are trained to do this and are accustomed to crises, to severe injuries and all sorts of traumas.”



    The tragedy prompted tens of thousands of people to take to the streets, in Bucharest and other cities in Romania and abroad. They demanded a reform of the entire political class, and following their protest, the Victor Ponta cabinet stepped down.

  • Death toll from Bucharest nightclub fire reaches 53

    Death toll from Bucharest nightclub fire reaches 53

    Two victims of the Colectiv nightclub fire died at Floreasca Emergency Hospital this morning, taking the death toll to 53.

    On Wednesday evening, Alexandru Pascu, the bassist of Goodbye to Gravity, the heavy metal band that was holding a free concert in the Colectiv club when fire broke out, on October 30, died in a French hospital, where he had been transferred earlier in the day.

    He is the fourth member of Goodbye to Gravity who died of injuries sustained in the fire. Guitarists Vlad Telea and Mihai Alexandru died in the club, while the band’s drummer, Bogdan Enache, died on November 8th, his condition having worsened while he was being transferred to a hospital in Switzerland.

    The band’s lead singer,Andrei Galut, is currently being treated in a hospital in the Netherlands, where he underwent surgery.

    Over 70 people, including 20 in critical condition, are still in hospital. 36 people have been transferred to hospitals in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Norway, Israel and Switzerland. All expenses related to transport and treatment are covered by the Romanian state.



    A crisis group made up of specialist doctors has also been created to provide psychological counseling to the injured and the families of the victims. In another development, judges decided on Wednesday to release the former mayor of Bucharests sector 4 where the fire occurred. Cristian Popescu Piedone was arrested last Saturday on charges of abuse of power and intellectual forgery. The magistrates decision is final.

  • November 11, 2015

    November 11, 2015

    Alexandru Pascu, the bassist of Goodbye to Gravity, the heavy metal band that was holding a free concert in the Colectiv club when fire broke out on October 30, died in a French hospital on Wednesday evening, where he had been transferred on the same day, raising the death toll in the disaster to 51.



    Alexandru Pascu is the fourth member of Goodbye to Gravity who died of injuries sustained in the horrific fire. Guitarists Vlad Telea and Mihai Alexandru died in the club, while the band’s drummer, Bogdan Enache, died on November 8th, his condition having worsened while he was being transferred to a hospital in Switzerland.



    Andrei Galut, the band’s lead singer, is currently being treated in a hospital in the Netherlands, where he underwent surgery.



    Over 70 people who suffered severe burns are still in Bucharests hospitals, some of them in critical and serious condition. Around 30 patients have been transferred to hospitals in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Norway, Israel and Switzerland. All expenses related to transport and treatment are covered by the Romanian state. A crisis group made up of specialist doctors has also been created to provide psychological counseling to the injured and the families of the victims.



    According to the tests run by the National Coroner’s Institute in Bucharest, toxic doses of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide have been found in the blood of all the people who died on the very evening of the tragedy at the Colectiv nightclub.



    The victims with respiratory, cardiovascular and kidney failure had levels of hydrogen cyanide above lethal limits. Since the toxic effects of those substances can occur even later and not right away, the people who escaped safe and sound from the fire have been advised to have a medical check up.

  • November 11, 2015

    November 11, 2015

    Alexandru Pascu, the bassist of Goodbye to Gravity, the heavy metal band that was holding a free concert in the Colectiv club when fire broke out on October 30, died in a French hospital on Wednesday evening, where he had been transferred on the same day, raising the death toll in the disaster to 51.



    Alexandru Pascu is the fourth member of Goodbye to Gravity who died of injuries sustained in the horrific fire. Guitarists Vlad Telea and Mihai Alexandru died in the club, while the band’s drummer, Bogdan Enache, died on November 8th, his condition having worsened while he was being transferred to a hospital in Switzerland.



    Andrei Galut, the band’s lead singer, is currently being treated in a hospital in the Netherlands, where he underwent surgery.



    Over 70 people who suffered severe burns are still in Bucharests hospitals, some of them in critical and serious condition. Around 30 patients have been transferred to hospitals in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Norway, Israel and Switzerland. All expenses related to transport and treatment are covered by the Romanian state. A crisis group made up of specialist doctors has also been created to provide psychological counseling to the injured and the families of the victims.



    According to the tests run by the National Coroner’s Institute in Bucharest, toxic doses of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide have been found in the blood of all the people who died on the very evening of the tragedy at the Colectiv nightclub.



    The victims with respiratory, cardiovascular and kidney failure had levels of hydrogen cyanide above lethal limits. Since the toxic effects of those substances can occur even later and not right away, the people who escaped safe and sound from the fire have been advised to have a medical check up.

  • Victims of Bucharest nightclub fire still in hospital

    Victims of Bucharest nightclub fire still in hospital

    The death toll in the wake of the fire at the Colectiv rock nightclub in Bucharest in late October rises by the day. The number of injured patients in the Bucharest hospitals has gone down to around 70, 20 of whom being in a critical and serious condition. A total of 30 burnt people have been flown to clinics in Israel, Belgium, Austria, Holland, Great Britain and Norway, by a NATO aircraft included. The manager of the University Hospital, Catalin Carstoiu explained that the hospital he ran could not provide treatment after the patients had overcome the acute phase and the decision on the patients’ transfer had been correct.



    Catalin Carstoiu: “We can’t treat these patients during the post-acute phase, which is now beginning. That is why, I think the decision on their transfer was quite correct and was made when those patients could be moved from one place to another. Just think that the transfer of such patients from a ward to an operating theatre and back to the ward can trigger complications.”



    Physicians from Germany and France are now in Bucharest evaluating the condition of injured patients in the Bucharest hospitals to decide on their possible transfer to hospitals in Europe. Romanian-born doctor Ciprian Isacu, head of the Hand Unit of the Plastic Surgery Department of the Hospital University Centre in Bordeaux, France said that the medical staff in Romania had taken an exact and correct action. In his view, doctors in France, Belgium or Great Britain could not have taken a better action.



    Ciprian Isacu: “To my surprise, not only can’t we teach any lessons, but I also wonder what we would have done to cope with such a big disaster in our center in the south-west of France, maybe the biggest in France. The Romanian doctors did quality work, you can’t imagine it. From a technical point of view, Romanian physicians are very good; from a humane point of view, one can’t blame them. Burn injuries are extremely complex, the pathology in this case is maybe the most difficult and expensive one. One day of resuscitation abroad amounts to over 8,500 Euros. So, action has been taken quite as it should be.”



    According to the tests run by the National Coroner’s Institute in Bucharest, toxic doses of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide have been found in the blood of all the people who died on the very evening of the tragedy at the Colectiv nightclub. The victims with respiratory, cardiovascular and kidney failure had levels of hydrogen cyanide above lethal limits. Since the toxic effects of those substances can occur even later and not right away, the people who escaped safe and sound from the fire have been advised to have a medical check up.

  • November 9, 2015

    November 9, 2015

    46 people have so far died following the October 30th fire in a Bucharest nightclub, the authorities say. Tens of wounded, of whom many are in a serious condition, are still in care in the Bucharest hospitals. 30 patients have been transferred abroad. In another development, the Romanian government has today approved the financial aid necessary for treating the injured. The interim prime minister, Sorin Campeanu, has announced the Labor Ministry is preparing programs to assist and help the victims of the tragedy integrate.



    The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, has today invited the presidents of parliamentary parties for a new round of consultations with a view to designating a candidate for the position of prime minister. A first round of talks was held last week when the political parties failed to assume responsibility for governing the country. For the first time invited at the consultations were the representatives of civil society and of the protesters, who have been protesting in the streets of Bucharest for one week. They call for the eradication of corruption, saying that the new government should be made up of people who do not have legal problems. On Sunday evening President Iohannis went to the University Square to talk with the protesters.



    One of the biggest British destroyers, DUNCAN, is in the Romanian port of Constanta until November 11. During this time the Romanian and British marines will exercise the joint operation procedures for the drills to be held in the Romanian territorial waters and in the Black Sea international waters in the coming period. The destroyer is ready to take part in operational missions around the globe. Its propulsion system is able to produce enough energy to fuel an entire small town. The current missions of such ships in the international waters include fighting piracy and drug trafficking as well as providing humanitarian aid to the population affected by natural disasters in various parts of the world.



    The President of the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Nicolae Timofti, continues consultations, on Monday, with parliamentary parties with a view to designating a new candidate for the prime minister position. Last week the Moldovan president held talks with the leaders of the pro-European parties in the former governing alliance including the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party, whom he asked to reach a consensus. The former government led by the Liberal-Democrat Valeriu Strelet was dismissed at the end of last month following a no-confidence motion filed by the socialist and Communist opposition and also voted by the Democratic Party.



    The National Bank of Romania revised the inflation rate estimate for 2015 downwards by 0.4%, down to minus 0.7%, while the estimate for 2016 was revised upwards to 1.1%, the increase being of 0.4%. The national bank governor Mugur Isarescu said the drop in the inflation rate was caused by the reduction of the VAT for foodstuffs to 9% this summer. He also warned that the fiscal measures taken generated big fluctuations in terms of inflation rate evolution. So, from a negative estimate this year valid until mid 2016, the inflation rate estimates will go up. The national bank inflation rate target for the next years is 2.5%, plus/minus 1%. In another move Romania’s trade balance deficit increased by more than 1.23 billion euros in the first 9 months of 2015 as compared to the same period of last year.

  • November 9, 2015

    November 9, 2015

    46 people have so far died following the October 30th fire in a Bucharest nightclub, the authorities say. Tens of wounded, of whom many are in a serious condition, are still in care in the Bucharest hospitals. 30 patients have been transferred abroad. In another development, the Romanian government has today approved the financial aid necessary for treating the injured. The interim prime minister, Sorin Campeanu, has announced the Labor Ministry is preparing programs to assist and help the victims of the tragedy integrate.



    The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, has today invited the presidents of parliamentary parties for a new round of consultations with a view to designating a candidate for the position of prime minister. A first round of talks was held last week when the political parties failed to assume responsibility for governing the country. For the first time invited at the consultations were the representatives of civil society and of the protesters, who have been protesting in the streets of Bucharest for one week. They call for the eradication of corruption, saying that the new government should be made up of people who do not have legal problems. On Sunday evening President Iohannis went to the University Square to talk with the protesters.



    One of the biggest British destroyers, DUNCAN, is in the Romanian port of Constanta until November 11. During this time the Romanian and British marines will exercise the joint operation procedures for the drills to be held in the Romanian territorial waters and in the Black Sea international waters in the coming period. The destroyer is ready to take part in operational missions around the globe. Its propulsion system is able to produce enough energy to fuel an entire small town. The current missions of such ships in the international waters include fighting piracy and drug trafficking as well as providing humanitarian aid to the population affected by natural disasters in various parts of the world.



    The President of the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Nicolae Timofti, continues consultations, on Monday, with parliamentary parties with a view to designating a new candidate for the prime minister position. Last week the Moldovan president held talks with the leaders of the pro-European parties in the former governing alliance including the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party, whom he asked to reach a consensus. The former government led by the Liberal-Democrat Valeriu Strelet was dismissed at the end of last month following a no-confidence motion filed by the socialist and Communist opposition and also voted by the Democratic Party.



    The National Bank of Romania revised the inflation rate estimate for 2015 downwards by 0.4%, down to minus 0.7%, while the estimate for 2016 was revised upwards to 1.1%, the increase being of 0.4%. The national bank governor Mugur Isarescu said the drop in the inflation rate was caused by the reduction of the VAT for foodstuffs to 9% this summer. He also warned that the fiscal measures taken generated big fluctuations in terms of inflation rate evolution. So, from a negative estimate this year valid until mid 2016, the inflation rate estimates will go up. The national bank inflation rate target for the next years is 2.5%, plus/minus 1%. In another move Romania’s trade balance deficit increased by more than 1.23 billion euros in the first 9 months of 2015 as compared to the same period of last year.

  • November 8, 2015 UPDATE

    November 8, 2015 UPDATE

    The death toll following the fire in Bucharest’s Colectiv club rose to 45. Four more people died of their injuries on Sunday and nine people on Saturday. Authorities and doctors warned that the number of fatalities could rise.



    Over 40 people continue to be in critical condition in Bucharest hospitals, due to severe burns. Some 20 patients have already been transferred to hospitals abroad. The blaze at Bucharests Colectiv club on October 30 was started by fireworks.



    The firm contracted to ensure the pyrotechnics show at the club on the night of the tragedy is being investigated, its owners having been arrested. They are also suspected of having tried to destroy evidence.



    The three club owners are also under arrest, on suspicion of aggravated manslaughter and involuntary bodily harm, as the venue was overcrowded, lacked the required number of emergency exits, and may not have been authorised to hold such a concert. Cristian Popescu-Piedone, the former mayor of Bucharest District 4 where the tragedy occurred is also under arrest, for having issued permits for the club’s functioning in spite of the fact that the club did not qualify.



    Concerns that safety at the club was compromised because of corruption – a long-standing issue in Romania – have further fuelled public anger against the political elite. Thousands of protesters are holding daily rallies in Bucharest and several other cities, which have triggered the resignation of the left-of-centre government led by Victor Ponta.

  • November 8, 2015 UPDATE

    November 8, 2015 UPDATE

    The death toll following the fire in Bucharest’s Colectiv club rose to 45. Four more people died of their injuries on Sunday and nine people on Saturday. Authorities and doctors warned that the number of fatalities could rise.



    Over 40 people continue to be in critical condition in Bucharest hospitals, due to severe burns. Some 20 patients have already been transferred to hospitals abroad. The blaze at Bucharests Colectiv club on October 30 was started by fireworks.



    The firm contracted to ensure the pyrotechnics show at the club on the night of the tragedy is being investigated, its owners having been arrested. They are also suspected of having tried to destroy evidence.



    The three club owners are also under arrest, on suspicion of aggravated manslaughter and involuntary bodily harm, as the venue was overcrowded, lacked the required number of emergency exits, and may not have been authorised to hold such a concert. Cristian Popescu-Piedone, the former mayor of Bucharest District 4 where the tragedy occurred is also under arrest, for having issued permits for the club’s functioning in spite of the fact that the club did not qualify.



    Concerns that safety at the club was compromised because of corruption – a long-standing issue in Romania – have further fuelled public anger against the political elite. Thousands of protesters are holding daily rallies in Bucharest and several other cities, which have triggered the resignation of the left-of-centre government led by Victor Ponta.

  • November 6, 2015 UPDATE 2

    November 6, 2015 UPDATE 2

    Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis announced on Friday that fresh consultation for the appointment of a candidate for the prime minister position was set for next week. On Thursday and Friday the head of state met with representatives of parliamentary parties and, for the first time in Romanian politics, with civil society members. President Iohannis, who on Thursday appointed the Education Minister Sorin Câmpeanu as interim PM, said a solution could be presented towards the end of next week. Consultations are held following the resignation of the Social Democrat PM Victor Ponta, against the background of large-scale street protests in the past few days. Last week’s deadly fire at a nightclub in Bucharest, which killed 32 people and left more than 100 severely injured, fuelled public anger at the political elite. Tens of thousands of people protested every evening in Bucharest and other Romanian cities against corrupt politicians, asking for a reform of the political class.




    As many as 65 people injured in a fire at Bucharest’s nightclub “Colectiv” last Friday continue to be in critical condition. The fire killed 32 people. Romania’s interim prime minister Sorin Campeanu announced that his cabinet will approve next week the payment of the medical treatment for patients who will be transferred to hospitals abroad, in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Israel, Germany and France. According to Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu skin transplant was performed on several patients and some of them underwent surgical procedures needed to help them breathe. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate has announced it initiated criminal proceedings against the former mayor of Bucharest District 4, Cristian Popescu-Piedone, for abuse of office and forgery. He is accused of having issued permits for the club’s functioning in spite of the fact that his owners did not get the approval of the Department for Emergency Situations first. The club’s three owners were taken into temporary custody on suspicion of manslaughter and involuntary bodily harm.




    Thousands of British holidaymakers are stranded in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, following London’s decision to suspend all flights to and from the Egyptian resort. The measure was taken over concerns voiced by the British Premier David Cameron and US President Barack Obama that it was possible a bomb on board had brought down the Russian plane which crashed last week, 23 minutes after takeoff from the Sinai resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The crash on Saturday killed all 224 people on board.




    Nicolae Timofti, the President of the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet republic with a mostly Romanian speaking population, appointed Mihai Gribincea as the country’s Ambassador to the neighbouring Romania. Gribincea will replace the current Moldovan Ambassador, Iurie Renita, whose mandate has expired. Before being appointed in this new position, Mihai Gribincea was Moldova’s Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and head of Chisinau’s mission with NATO. According to the Chisinau media, Mihai Gribincea is a staunch supporter of the Euro-Atlantic values.


  • November 5, 2015

    November 5, 2015

    Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has today announced it appointed Education Minister Sorin Cimpeanu as interim prime minister to replace Victor Ponta who resigned on Wednesday after mass street protests. President Iohannis will hold talks with political parties later today and will nominate a new prime minister later this week, tasked with forming a new government, which needs parliamentary approval. The head of state is today meeting with representatives of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), part of the ruling coalition, of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) – both in opposition -and of the group of national minorities. Consultations will continue on Friday with the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), both part of the ruling coalition. President Iohannis has also announced that he will bring “a new actor” to the table, that is a group which represents civil society and the street, to listen to their wishes and opinions.




    133 people, of whom 80 in serious condition, are still in hospital following the fire in the “Colectiv” nightclub, which caused the death of 32 people, authorities have announced. The death toll could rise significantly, doctors have warned, given that the club décor that burnt in the fire gave off extremely noxious gases and the injuries caused are atypical, including burns involving large areas of the skin, lung necrosis and extensive respiratory damage.




    Wednesday evening’s protests in Bucharest and several other Romanian cities, attended by tens of thousands of people, made headlines throughout the world. In spite of prime minister Victor Ponta’s resignation, France Press reports, protesters are asking for a government made up of technocrats, against the background of their lack of confidence in political parties. Reuters reports that protesters believe that the government’s resignation should be the start of a reform of the political class and the public administration, generally seen as corrupt. In its turn, the BBC says that concerns that safety has been compromised by corruption, fuelled people’s anger at the political elite. People are unsatisfied with politicians getting richer and richer while ordinary Romanians are becoming poor and poor, the Liberation writes.




    Romanian gymnast Larisa Iordache won the all-around title at the 32nd edition of the annual “Arthur Gander Memorial” competition on Wednesday in Morges, Switzerland. Iordache, the all-around bronze medallist in Glasgow, competed on vault, balance beam and floor exercise to easily win the title. The Romanian gymnast sailed to victory amassing a 2-point margin over second place Pauline Schäfer of Germany. Another Romanian, Diana Bulimar, came out 3rd. First held in 1984, the annual competition honors the legendary Arthur Gander, the former president of the International Gymnastics Federation.