26 August, 2016 UPDATE

8 Romanian citizens have so far been reported dead in the earthquake that hit central Italy on Wednesday

Newsroom, 26.08.2016, 12:15

The Italian government has declared a national day of mourning on
Saturday, while state funerals will be held for the people killed in the
earthquake that hit central Italy. President Sergio Mattarella will attend the
funerals. At least 260 people died in the earthquake, while several hundred
were wounded. Rescue operations continue, but they are hampered by the large
number of aftershocks. The authorities have declared a state of emergency in
the region. Prime Minister Mateo Renzi has pledged 50
million euros in funds for reconstruction works and has introduced tax
exemptions for residents. In Bucharest, the Romanian Foreign Ministry on
Friday confirmed the death two other Romanians, which takes the number of
Romanian citizens killed in the earthquake to eight. A further five Romanians are
wounded and 19 are missing. The ministry has also said that a mobile consular
team as part of its rapid reaction unit will travel to Rome to support the
efforts of the mobile teams of the Romanian embassy in Rome and of the General
Consulate in Bologna, who are already at the site. The foreign ministry stays
in permanent contact with the relevant Italian authorities, while the Romanian
embassy in Rome and the Consulate in Bologna provide assistance to the Romanian
citizens.

Romanian
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Friday had talks with the European commissioner
for digital economy and society Günther Hermann Oettinger, who made a two-day
trip to Bucharest. According to a government release, the two officials talked
about the digital single market and cyber security. The government notes that
in the field of the digital single market, Romania seeks to reduce the gap
separating it from the other European states, to computerise its public
administration and increase the number of jobs in the digital sector. Also,
Romania aims to stimulate investments in the electronic communications
infrastructure and develop its IT research and innovation sector. The two
officials also discussed cyber security and crime, given that, in the current
regional context, Romania can play an increasingly important role in the field
of cyber security for the neighbouring states.

Military
ceremonies were held in Romania on Friday to commemorate its WWI heroes and
mark 100 years since Romania entered the war. Over 330,000 soldiers died in
this war and as many as 76,000 were crippled. Ceremonies were held in 100
cemeteries and memorials across the country. The creation of the Romanian unitary nation state was completed at the end of WWI, on December 1, 1918, when all of
the provinces with a majority Romanian-speaking population that had until then formed part of neighbouring multinational empires, came together under
Bucharest’s authority.

27 Syrian and Iraqi immigrants were arrested were Thursday night while
they were trying to illegally cross the border into Romania from Serbia. As
many as 600 foreign citizens have tried to illegally cross the border in the
first seven months of this year, 41% less than in the same period of last year.
According to a recent report published by the Border Police, 1,005 illegal
migrants were caught at the border in 2015. Most of the illegal migrants have
tried to cross the border hidden in various vehicles or using fake documents.
One week ago, the Romanian Interior Ministry deployed further border police and
gendarmerie forces at the border with Serbia, after several small groups of
immigrants attempted to cross the border. These actions are meant to ensure
public order and fight cross-border crime on Romania’s south-western frontier.

Romania’s football champions Astra Giurgiu and vice-champions Steaua
Bucharest on Friday found out the name of their opponents in the Europa League groups.
Astra will face the Czech side Viktoria Plzen, the Italian side AS Rome and the
Austrian side Austria Viena in Group E, while Steaua will play against the
Spanish side Villarreal, the Swiss side FC Zurich and the Turkish side
Osmanlispor in Group L. The first group matches are scheduled for the 15th
and the 29th of September.