December 25, 2018 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 25.12.2018, 18:48
CHRISTMAS – On Tuesday, Christians around the world celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. In a message conveyed on the occasion, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, says that this celebration is one of gift-offering, to children, elders, orphans, sick and lonely, and to all the loved ones. “This celebration is our response to the gift of Gods love, shown in Jesus Christ”, Patriarch Daniels message also reads. At the Vatican, Pope Francis firmly criticized what he termed as mankinds consumerist voracity and called on people to reflect on the spiritual meaning of their lives and to share with the poor . “The little body of the Child of Bethlehem is a new model of life: not to devour or to grasp, but to share and to give”, the Pope said, recalling that the name Bethlehem means the house of bread. The Sovereign Pontiff gave the traditional blessing of Urbi et orbi (to the city and the world), before the Christians gathered in St. Peters Square.
MESSAGES – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis has conveyed a Christmas message to all Romanians, saying that the birth of Jesus Christ is a celebration of the miracle of life and of kindness, compassion and generosity. “We need to reconnect to those values that bring us closer to each other and unite us. In the spirit of these holy celebrations, we should take care of each other and of our country”, the presidents message also reads. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has wished all Romanians good health and well being. The custodian of the Romanian Crown, Margareta, has too sent a Christmas message, saying she promised to carry on the work started by her father, King Michael, towards ensuring Romanias prosperity and stability an strengthening its international position.
JUSTICE – The former Romanian minister Elena Udrea and the former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, Alina Bica, who were in custody in Costa Rica since October 3rd, were released after the Bucharest Tribunal revoked the extradition requests issued on their names. The Public Ministry of Costa Rica decided to release them after receiving from the Romanian Justice Ministry the documentation stating that the two requests had been withdrawn. In Romania, Udrea and Bica have received definitive sentences for corruption. Just like them, other high-ranking officials in Romania have benefited from the suspension of the prison sentences they have received for corruption, after the Constitutional Court of Romania ruled that the setting up of the 5-judge panels at the High Court of Cassation and Justice was illegal.
DEFENSE – A new meeting of Romanias Supreme Council of National Defense will be held on December 28th, focusing on the request made by the Defense Minister Gabriel Les with regard to posts in the armys leadership. On Wednesday, Gabriel Les announced he would not extend the term of the current Chef of Staff Nicolae Ciuca, which expires on December 31st. The previous meeting of the Council was held on December 19th, when the army equipment programme for 2019-2028 was approved, as well as the capabilities to be deployed by Romania next year for missions and operations abroad. 1902 Romanian soldiers will be part of international theaters of operations, 127 more than in 2018. Also, another 759 army and police officers will take part in EU, OSCE, NATO and UN missions. Romania will keep participating in the NATO Resolute Support operation in Afghanistan and will maintain its contribution to the allied operations carried out in the Western Balkans. As a first, a detachment of transport and evacuation helicopters will participate in the UN mission in Mali.
EMPLOYMENT – Romanias National Employment Agency has committed to integrating into the labour market some 110,000 unemployed registered in their data base, by means of a project co-funded by the Social European Fund, through the Operational Programme Human Capital 2014-2020, covering a period of four years. According to the Agency, the allocated budget stands at around 265 million Euros, of which 226 million non-reimbursable. The project will be implemented with support from the local employment agencies.
TSUNAMI – The death toll from the tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra on Saturday has exceeded 400. Also, 1500 people were injured and more than 150 are reported missing, according to a local official quoted by news agencies. The tsunami hit the southern coast of Sumatra and the western side of Java, triggered by an undersea landslide caused by the eruption of Krakatau volcano, some 50 km off the coast.
ATTACK – At least three people, including a Libyan diplomat, died in a terrorist attack on the headquarters of Libyas Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. The Interior Minister Fathi Agha has admitted that the chaos that the country is facing in terms of security continues to turn it into a fertile ground for the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. Libya has been plunging into havoc since the fall of Muammal Gaddafis regime back in 2011. The country is divided into several rival entities, with a National Union Government in Tripoli, supported by the international community, and a parallel government formed in the east, supported by the National Libyan Army, self-proclaimed by Marshall Khalifa Haftar.
