April 15, 2018

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 15.04.2018, 14:05

ATTACK – Representatives of Great Britain, France, Germany and the US are today meeting in London to coordinate their stands, following the western attacks in Syria, the German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass has announced. Even if Germany did not take part in the coordinated attacks, he has given assurances that the communication channels with Russia will be used for a constructive stand on the matter. On Friday night, the US, Great Britain and France launched the biggest attack on Syrian targets since the start of the civil war, in response to an alleged use of chemical weapons by the Damascus regime against its own citizens. The Syrian regime, however, has denied any responsibility. Russia, a supporter of Bashar Al-Assads regime, has denounced the attack on a sovereign state, but has stated that its military facilities in Syria have not been affected. On Saturday, the Syrian army announced they took control over Eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, and that all the forces opposing Bashar Al-Assad left the region.

SYRIA – In a message on Twitter, president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria and stands by the actions carried out by its strategic partners. The Romanian Foreign Ministry too has reasserted its firm support for any effort made by the international community to stop the conflict in Syria. Also, a message posted on the Governments Facebook page reads that Romania supports the firm response of its strategic partners to the attack in Syria, which claimed victims among the civilian population.

DIASPORA – The Minister for Romanians Around the World Natalia Intotero continues her visit to Spain. Today, shes had meetings with Mrs. Amparo Marco Gual, the mayor of Castellon de la Plana, and with representatives of the Romanian associations in the Valencian community. According to a communiqué issued by the ministry, the high level of integration of the local Romanian community, which is not only the largest foreign community, but also the best articulated in Castellon, has been a major topic on the agenda of talks. There are some 20,000 Romanians living in Castellon de la Plana, out of some 52,000 living in the Castellon region. Also today, Natalia Intotero has met with representatives of Romanian associations in the region, for talks on ways in which the Romanian Government could better support the Romanian communities in the Iberian peninsula, including non-reimbursable funding for projects aimed at preserving Romanian identity.

CERNAUTI – The Secretary of State Dan Neculaescu has met in Cernauti with representatives of the Romanian community in the region for talks on the situation concerning the rights of the Romanian community in Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian official has also held talks with the leadership of the regional and local administration, and stressed the need for a sustainable solution for the Romanian communitys legitimate interest in benefiting from education in their mother tongue, at all levels. Other topics were also approached during the meeting, such as cross-border cooperation, for the benefit of both parties.

SPOTLIGHT – Sunday is the last day of the Spotlight Festival in Bucharest, during which giant images have been projected on emblematic buildings in Bucharest. This years edition, the fourth, was titled United We Shine” and has brought to Bucharest 27 installations, projections and video mapping sessions from France, Australia, Israel, Germany, China, Russia, Italy, Spain and Romania. For the first time at the Spotlight Festival, works of art were also projected on the facades of several buildings, including the Romanian Atheneum.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball champions CSM Bucharest are today playing against the French squad Metz, in the return game of the quarter finals of the Champions League. In the fist game, on home turf, the Romanians won 34 to 21. On Saturday, SCM Craiova qualified for the final of the EHF cup, after a draw, 18-18, at home, with the Turkish team Kastamonu, in the decisive leg of the semi-finals. This is the teams second participation in the European cups. In the final they will play against the Norwegians of Vipers Kristiansand.