14 October, 2017

Romania and Ukraine to continue dialogue over the latters new education law./ Rally calling for end to violence against women held in Bucharest.

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Newsroom, 14.10.2017, 14:07

Government. The Social Democratic Party, the
senior partner in the ruling coalition, on Friday made public its proposals for
the new cabinet positions vacated after the resignations of Sevil Shhaideh,
Razvan Cuc and Rovana Plumb. Shhaideh and Plumb are being investigated by the
National Anticorruption Directorate for corruption. The new names proposed to
take over are Paul Stanescu for the development ministry, Felix Stroe for the
transport ministry and Marius Nica for the ministry for European funds. Prime
minister Mihai Tudose has said he will present these proposals to president
Klaus Iohannis on Monday. Also on Friday, the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats, the Social Democrat’s ruling partner, said it would not withdraw
support for its representative in the cabinet, the minister for the relation
with Parliament Viorel Ilie, who is under investigation for peddling in
influence.

Europe. The idea of a two or multi-speed Europe
or a Europe of concentric circles would only deepen divisions among member
states, and Romania will not accept this possibility, said the country’s
president Klaus Iohannis during talks with the European Council president
Donald Tusk in Bucharest. Tusk is on a tour to discuss a document on the consolidation
of the community space. President Iohannis also called for a united, strong and
coherent Europe that is closer to its citizens and has a clear identity at
global level. According to the president’s office, this goal will define
Romania’s term as holder of the EU Council presidency in the first half of
2019.

Ukraine education law. The minister for
Romanians abroad Andreea Pastirnac met the Ukrainian foreign minister Pavlo
Klimkin in Bucharest on Friday. The Romanian official expressed concern over
Ukraine’s new education law that drastically restricts the access of ethnic
minorities in Ukraine to education in their languages. She said she received
indications from the Romanian community in Ukraine about the negative impact of
this new piece of legislation, which she fears may lead to a gradual loss of
linguistic identity. She also emphasised that the standard and quality of
teaching in Romanian should not be affected by the administrative reform in the
neighbouring Ukraine. On Friday, the Ukrainian foreign minister also met his
Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu, who said the Romanian authorities were
counting on Ukraine’s willingness to make the necessary decisions to address
the situation. Ukraine is home to around 500,000 ethnic Romanians.

Violence against women. A rally to campaign for
an end to violence against women is held today in Bucharest. In its third year,
the event is held under the motto You Are not Alone, to convey a message of
solidarity with the women who are victims of gender-based violence. The NGOs
organising the event urge the authorities to take concrete steps to reduce this
type of violence, increase the number of reported and prosecuted cases and
improve assistance to women. According to a study by the European Union Agency
for Fundamental Rights, in 2014, one in four women in Romania suffered physical
or sexual abuse by their partners or had experienced this form of violence at
least once over their lifetime.

Award. The Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu
will next week receive the highest French distinction, Knight of the Legion of
Honour. The announcement was made on Friday by the director of the French
Institute in Bucharest Christophe Gigaudaut at the opening of a festival called
Films from Cannes in Bucharest. In 2007, Mungiu won the Palme d’Or trophy at
the Cannes Festival for his production 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days. He
is also the recipient of the best screenplay award for his film Beyond the
Hills in 2012, and of the best director award for Graduation in
2016. He has already received the title of Officer of the Arts and Letters from
the French ministry of culture.

Listener’s Day on RRI. Our annual Listener’s
Day programme will be held on November 5th. The theme this year is
fake news and public trust in the media. We would like to hear or read your
thoughts on this topic, so please contact us through our regular channels,
including by email at engl@rri.ro. We’re
looking forward to your written or recorded messages.