17 August, 2016

Summer University discusses Romanian minority groups abroad, Germany: Turkey has a long way to go before visa waiver from EU

Corina Cristea, 17.08.2016, 11:59

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.