July 25, 2015 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news

Newsroom, 25.07.2015, 14:17

Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Saturday started a 2-day trip to
Salzburg for talks with his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer. The two leaders
will discuss bilateral relations and current European and international
developments. Klaus Iohannis will also attend, together with his wife, the
official opening of the famous music festival in Salzburg as guests of honour
of the Austrian head of state.

The minister
delegate liasing with the Romanian communities abroad, Angel Tîlvăr, who started on official visit to
Italy, on Saturday met representatives of the Romanian community and the
Romanian media in the centre and south of Italy. On Friday, he had talks in
Rome with municipal officials. It was agreed that Italian business people
carrying out activities in Romania would be involved in professional retraining
programmes for the Romanians who wish to return to their home country. With
around 1 million members, the Romanian community in Italy is the largest in the
world.

Romania’s foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone
conversation on Friday with NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg about
Russia’s recent announcements regarding the deployment of strategic bombers in
the Black Sea region. Talks also focused on other plans by Russia to develop
sophisticated military technology in response to NATO’s missile defence system.
Aurescu described these measures as completely unjustified given that the
military base in Deveselu, in southern Romania, which will be integrated into
the NATO ballistic missile defence system, does not target Russia.

Turkey on
Saturday intensified its campaign against Islamic State positions in Syria. At
the same time, it opened a new front against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, as
its aircraft targeted positions in the northernmost part of Iraq. Turkey’s
prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the operations would continue as long as
Turkey is under threat. Moreover, he authorised the United States to use some
of Turkey’s air bases near the border with Syria in the fight against the
Islamic State.

Hungary’s prime
minister Viktor Orban attended on Saturday a debate as part of the 26th
Summer University and Student Camp in Baile Tusnad, in central Romania. He said
illegal migration is a threat to Hungary and Europe and citizens’ safety
because it contributes to the spread of terrorism and rising unemployment.
Around 200 lecturers, representatives of the Hungarian government, experts,
university professors, business people, researches and diplomats from Romania
and Hungary attended the events in Tusnad. Talks focused on political, economic
and cultural aspects.

Romania’s coaxless four won the gold medal on
Saturday at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria,
ahead of the UK and Canada. Also on Saturday, in Portugal, at Montemor-o-Velho, Romania
won three silver medals at the Canoe Sprint Juniors and Under 23 World
Championships. Two medals came from Romania’s under 23 women’s Kayac 4 in the
500 m sprint and the men’s double 1,000 m canoe sprint and one in the junior
competition in the boys’ double 1,000 m sprint.

The biggest knightly flag in the world was flown
on Friday evening at the 23rd Mediaeval Festival in Sighisoara, in
central Romania, from the Clock Tower, the town’s emblematic building. This is
one of the world records the organisers of the festival wish to set this year.
They also wish to build the biggest sword in the world and create the biggest
traditional mask in the world. The festival, which is held in the only
inhabited mediaeval citadel in south-eastern Europe, also features concerts and
performances from 12 different music groups from Romania and Hungary, 11
theatre and mediaeval animation companies and 7 knight orders from Romania and
Bulgaria. Exhibitions, book launches, an organ concert and film screenings are
also part of the festival’s line-up.

Seven counties in western and eastern Romania were under an orange code alert for heat on Saturday, with temperatures going up to 39 degrees Celsius. Starting on Sunday, the alert will extend to 12 counties in the south and south-east of the country, including the capital Bucharest. In the west, north and centre, as well as in the mountains, rain showers and storms are expected.