April 24, 2014
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Ştefan Stoica, 24.04.2014, 12:14
Flood risk still looms in several counties in southern Romania, where rivers have already burst their banks. For the rivers in eight southern counties, hydrologists have issued an orange code warning, in place until tonight, while for the other river basins in the south, a yellow code warning has been issued. For 11 counties in the south and south-east, a yellow code warning has been issued for heavy rainfalls and strong winds. In the aforementioned regions, water volume can exceed 25 to 30 liters per square meter Elsewhere across Romania, the weather is changing, with reported rainfalls and overcast skies. The highs of the day range from 14 to 24 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest stood at 14 degrees Celsius.
For the Romanians who submitted their candidacies for Europarliamentarian elections, today is the last day ahead of the election campaign’s official debut. According to data the Central Electoral Bureau has made public, all told, entering the election race will be 15 alliances and coalitions as well as eight independent candidates. The Euro ballot is due on May 25th.
The European Union’s Eastern Partnership this week celebrates its fifth anniversary, through an international conference held in Prague, under the heading, “ The Eastern Partnership Five Years On. Time for a New Strategy?” The Partnership’s anniversary summit will give participants the opportunity to hold talks on the prospects of the organization, according to the European Commission’s site. The Eastern Partnership was initiated by the European Union as part of the European Neighborhood Policy. The Partnership targets six countries of the former Soviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Moldovan President Nicolai Timofti will be taking part in the anniversary summit, scheduled between April 24th and 25th in Prague.
The European Union will rush in technical and financial aid to the Republic of Moldova, following the signing of the Association Agreement, thus enabling the Republic of Moldova to continue its reform process, French Foreign minister Laurent Fabius stated Wednesday. The French Foreign Minister and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Chisinau held talks with Moldova’s Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, as part of the French top-ranking official’s support visit to the Republic of Moldova, an important leg of the French diplomat’s European tour. The German Foreign Minister hailed the efforts the Republic of Moldova has made to step up the reform process, underscoring that partnership with Europe means cooperation and not confrontation. High on the agenda was the present situation in Ukraine. Participants advocated the idea of finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in the former Soviet Republic. We recall Chisinau sealed the Association Agreement in November 2013, and is due to seal the agreement in late June this year.
Tension is still looming in eastern Ukraine, where security forces today have regained the city hall in Mariuopl, a port city with 500,000 inhabitants, which separatists had seized since April 13, the AFP and Reuters news agencies have quoted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as saying. In another move, last night 100 separatists stormed a military base nearby Slaviansk. We recall on Wednesday Ukraine resumed its anti-terrorist operation in the southeast, in Donetsk and Lugansk, putting an end to the Easter Holiday truce. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow has accused the US and the EU of trying to stage a new revolution in Kiev, similar to that in 2004, and of using Ukraine as a pawn in its geopolitical game against Russia.
Negotiations are underway today between the Romanian Railway Company’s Unions and the government officials regarding the conclusion of a new labor contract. We recall yesterday morning railway personnel stopped their work for two hours. The protests have affected the circulation of almost 300 passenger trains. Romanian Railway Workers are unhappy with the fact that they work extra hours, while some of their salary rights were cut of cancelled.. Also, workers claimed their working conditions were substandard. Union leaders stated protest would be halted in the forthcoming period, on condition they obtain firm guarantees regarding a 2.4 % salary increase. For quite a few years now, the authorities have been trying to restructure and privatize state-owned railway companies, yet the company’s losses and debts have so far been constant.
