February 11, 2017 UPDATE
Further large-scale anti-government protests announced for Sunday/ Interim justice minister to hold talks with bodies with expertise in the judicial field/ Fed Cup under way in Bucharest
Newsroom, 11.02.2017, 18:50
PROTESTS — Further large-scale anti-government protests have been announced for Sunday in Bucharest near the government headquarters, where the protesters intend to create together the biggest human three colors – red, yellow and blue, the colors of Romania’s national flag. On Saturday, a marathon was organized around the government building. As of January 31 protests have been staged every day in Bucharest and other cities of Romania against the leftist government that is accused of having tried to amend the criminal codes by an emergency government decree partly decriminalizing certain crimes to benefit several corrupt politicians. The largest protests took place last Sunday when over half a million Romanians took to the streets to protest. On the same day the government coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats repealed the controversial decree. On Thursday the initiator of the decree, justice minister Florin Iordache resigned, being replaced by Ana Birchall. She announced she would have a first meeting on Monday with the representatives of the Superior Council of Magistracy, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) and the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) as well as with all the bodies with expertise in the field of the judiciary. The purpose of the meeting is to work out the best solutions to fight corruption and defend fundamental human rights. In another move, pro-governmental and anti-presidential protests were also staged, but the number of protesters was much smaller. President Iohannis has been criticized for failing to play the role of mediator in the context of this crisis.
MOLDOVA — The Moldovan Government is not willing to take responsibility for the debt amounting to almost 6 billion dollars accumulated by the separatist region of Transdniester for the purchase of Russian gas. The statement was made by the Moldovan PM Pavel Filip at a meeting with the vice-president of Gazprom, Valeri Golubev. Recently the pro-Russian Socialist president of Moldova, Igor Dodon, had given assurances to Moscow that the debt would be paid by Moldova. Transdniester de facto went out of the control of Moldovan authorities in the early 1990s and has since been supported financially by Russia which deployed units of the 14th Army on its territory. Given that the independence of Transdniester is not recognized, Moscow believes that the Republic of Moldova should pay for the gas Russia delivers to that region on credit.
RUBGY — Romania’s national rugby team surprisingly lost 38-41 the away match against Germany, in the beginning of a new season of the Rugby Europe Championship. Officially, this match marked the start of the qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup, due in Japan. As part of the Rugby Europe Championship Romania will take on the Spanish team on February 18, Russia on March 4, Belgium on March 11 and Georgia on March 19.
TENNIS – Belgium leads Romania 2-0 after the first day of the Fed Cup competition taking place in Bucharest and counting for the first round of World Group II. Monica Niculescu (36 WTA) on Saturday lost 2-0 the match against Kirsten Flipkens (74 WTA), and Sorana Cîrstea (62 WTA) was defeated 2-1 by Yanina Wickmayer (60 WTA). On Sunday, also in the singles, Niculescu will take on Wickmayer and Cîrstea will face Flipkens. In the doubles, the pair Irina Begu (29 WTA)/Patricia Ţig (106 WTA) will be up against Elise Mertens (83 WTA)/Maryna Zanevska (123 WTA). Simona Halep (4 WTA) is not participating in this competition.
WWF — World Wide Fund for Nature Romania started a fund-raising campaign for a bear cub orphanage in the Eastern Carpathians, the only such institution in Europe facing financial problems. The campaign is meant to let Romanians know that they can adopt a bear cub, in the sense of contributing money for the cub’s care. After two years, the cub will return into the wild. Various Romanian artists have already adopted a cub. World Wide Fund for Nature Romania expects ordinary citizens to do the same. (translation by L. Simion)
