August 14, 2018 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 14.08.2018, 19:12
PROTESTS – Tuesday was the last day on which the people injured in Fridays protests in Bucharest could file for damages. More than 60 people, including gendarmes, have filed complaints. Prosecutors continue investigations into the forceful intervention of security forces against protesters. The Federation of Romanian Associations in Europe have called on the authorities to identify with due urgency the people who instigated violence on August 10th. The federation called on the president, the prime minister and on state institutions to urgently develop a strategy to put a stop to the exodus of Romanians from the country, at the same time encouraging the return of the Diaspora. They also call on the political class to stop using the Diaspora as a weapon in their domestic strife. On Monday, people were back on the streets to protest in Bucharest.
ECONOMY – The Romanian economy went up 4% in the first semester of the year as against the same period last year, according to the National Institute of Statistics. In its spring forecast, published in May, the European Commission maintained its 4.5% estimate regarding Romanias economic growth, with an expected growth of 3.9% next year. Data published on Tuesday by Eurostat show that, in the second semester, Romania registered the highest growth rate in the whole of the EU, as compared to the previous three months.
CELEBRATION – The Romanian Navy on Tuesday celebrated its heroes who died defending the countrys independence and sovereignty. On this occasion, sailors took part in the military and religions ceremony organized at the Monument of Sailors in Constanta. The most important naval exercise of the year will take place on Wednesday, on the Romanian Navy Day, celebrated on August 15th each year, with events being held in Constanta, Mangalia, Braila, Tulcea and Bucharest.
AFGHANISTAN – The third echelon of the Romanian battalion “Hawks of Carpathians” has arrived safely in Afghanistan, the 81st Brigade “General Grigore Balan” has announced. The deployment of Romanian soldiers in Afghanistan started on July 29th, as they will carry out missions to protect the military base in Kandahar, as well as training and counseling missions benefiting the Afghan National Forces. For six months, the 448 Romanian soldiers will take part in the NATO mission Resolute Support. The unit, set up 23 years ago, has proven it is capable of carrying out extremely complex missions both in the country and in theatres of operations abroad.
SWINE FEVER – The number of African swine fever outbreaks has reached 677, reported in 132 towns and villages in 8 counties in the north-west and south-east of Romania, the Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority announced on Tuesday. Farmers have received approximately 47,000 Euros in damages but the value of their claims exceeds 760,000 Euro. Some 100,000 pigs have been culled so far. The first outbreaks were reported in August 2017, but their number increased dramatically in June this year. The disease does not affect humans, but the social and economic impact is high.
ATTACK – Several pedestrians were injured on Tuesday after a driver ran over a checkpoint around the British Parliament building. The perpetrator was arrested and the area around Parliament was cordoned off. The anti-terror branch of Scotland Yard has opened an investigation. The UK was hit by a wave of attacks in 2017, which left 36 people dead and over 200 injured. 4 of the attacks have been claimed by ISIS.
ACCIDENT – At least 30 people died on Tuesday after a section of a highway bridge in northern Italy collapsed. The rescue teams that rushed to the place found cars and trucks that had plunged almost 300 feet into a heap of rubble below. The Italian Transport Minister Danilo Totinelli described the incident as an enormous tragedy. The bridge was built in 1960 and was refurbished in 2016. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has received no notification about potential Romanian victims. We recall that Romanians form the largest community of immigrants in Italy.
TENNIS – At the WTA tournament in Cincinnati, OH, with 2.8 million dollars in prize money, the Romanian Ana Bogdan was defeated on Tuesday by the Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the first round. Irina Begu too was eliminated in the first round by Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, who will play against the competitions first seed Simona Halep. In the doubles, Irina Begu pairs up with Monica Niculescu against the Australian-American pair Asleigh Barty/ CoCo Vandeweghe and the Romanian-Russian pair Raluca Olaru/Vera Zvonareva will play against the Czech couple Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova.
