February 13, 2016 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 13.02.2016, 12:30
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has referred to the Black Seas strategic importance to NATO in an address at the International Security Conference underway in Munich. Among the topical issues under discussion, are the Alliances position towards the Russian Federation, the refugee crisis, the future of NATO, terrorism, the situation in Syria, Ukraine and Africa and climate changes. The United States has a profound interest in a very strong United Kingdom staying in a strong EU, which is currently facing the refugee crisis, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said at the Munich conference. The US official said the USA would help Europe to cope with the crisis by setting up an alliance naval surveillance mission off Turkey and Greece. EU countries have divergent opinions regarding what action should be taken against the inflow of refugees mostly from Syria. Germany is insisting on the refugee quotas to be received by the EU countries, an idea rejected by several member countries.
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos will be paying a visit to Brussels on Monday and Tuesday for talks with high EU officials, including the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and that of the European Parliament Martin Schulz. The Romanian official will be presenting the priorities of his cabinet, its programmes of administrative reforms as well as Romanias readiness to get involved in current European issues. Also high on the talks agenda are the issues of migration, European Energy Union and energy security, the progress made by Romania under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism highlighted by the latest European Commission report, as well as Romanias prospects of joining the Schengen zone. Ciolos will also be holding talks with the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn with the European Vice-president for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva as well as with Romanian officials heading various departments in European institutions.
Illegitimate, the only Romanian feature film running in the Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday saw its first international screening within the Berlinale Forum section of the festival. Directed by Adrian Sitaru, the film presents the incestuous love of two brothers. 18 feature films are presently vying for the Festivals Golden Bear prize, which is to be awarded on February 20th. The festivals jury is this year headed by American actress Meryl Streep, a triple winner of the aforementioned prize. Romania is also represented at the Festival by Roxana Stroes short reel A night in Tokoriki, which is running in the Generation 14plus section, while actress Iulia Ciochina and script writer Ruxandra Ghitescu are representing Romania in the Berlinale Talents section. Last year Romanian Director Radu Jude was awarded the Silver Bear for his feature film Aferim.
Romanias national rugby side on Saturday secured a 21-18 away win against Spain in Madrid in their second match of the European Nations Cup, the continents most important tournament after the famous Six Nations Cup. Romania started off on the right foot in the competition with a 39-14 home win against Portugal while Spain was outperformed by Russia 22-20. This month and in March, the Romanian players will be playing Russia, Germany and Georgia. Last autumn, with Welsh selector Lynn Howells at the helm, Romania participated in the World Cup in England, where they got one victory against Canada and lost to France, Ireland and Italy.
A third-seeded Romanian – Dutch pair made up of Horia Tecau and Jean-Julien Rojer has qualified for the semifinals of the double match in the ATP tournament in Rotterdam, a competition with 1.6 million euros in prize money. Tecau and Rojer have clinched a two sets win against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia. In the competitions semis Tecau and Rojer, who are the odds-on favourites, will be up against Philipp Petzschner of Germany and Austrian Alexander Peya. In 2014 the Romanian-Dutch pair had made it to doubles finals, which they lost to Mickael Llodra of France and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia.
According to a UN report, over four billion people the world over have access to a radio station. Radio programmes are reaching out to the most isolated communities and the most vulnerable people, easing communication in emergency situations and disasters. There are 600 radio stations broadcasting in Romania and World Radio Day, celebrated on February 13th upon a UNESCO initiative, calls into attention the importance of this mass media section.
