June 17, 2014

Click here for a round-up of domestic and international news

Ştefan Stoica, 17.06.2014, 12:05

CELEBRATIONS-The Romanian Senate is today celebrating, in a solemn session, 150 years of existence. Attending the celebrations are former Presidents of Romania, former Speakers of the Senate, members of the Government, Crown Princess Margareta and other officials of the Romanian state. The Romanian Senate was founded at the initiative of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, in 1864, being one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Europe.

UKRAINE– Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced that Ukrainian forces managed to restore control over a 250 km sector of the border with Russia and has made public the authorities’ intention to take control of the whole border this week. According to the president, the situation along the border is the only discouraging factor as regards the cessation of fire in eastern Ukraine. In another move, the US and NATO have denounced the actions taken by Russia, which they accuse of supporting pro-Russian separatists in south-eastern Ukraine by providing them with armament, tanks and missile launchers.

GAS DISPUTE– A Ukrainian delegation is today going to Budapest to call on the European partners to cede to it a quantity of the natural gas they import from Russia. This request is being made after Moscow decided to halt gas supplies to the former Soviet republic, the Ukrainian company Naftogaz has announced. Budapest will host an international forum on energy security, FP reports. The Russian giant Gazprom has already announced that such deliveries would allegedly be illegal. On Monday, Russia halted gas supplies to Ukraine after negotiations with Kiev ended in a failure and the deadline for Ukraine’s paying back an instalment of its 4.5 billion dollar debt had expired. Gazprom, the largest natural gas producer, covers a third of Europe’s natural gas consumption. Half of this amount is transiting Ukraine.

CAR MARKET– Romania ranks first in the EU as regards the increase in the number of new car registrations made in the month of May, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association announced on Tuesday. Last month, the Romanian car market registered a 46.1% increase as compared to the same month of 2013, reporting the most significant growth in the EU. Car sales in the EU registered an increase in May, for the ninth month in a row, because the recovery of the Euro zone economy has encouraged consumers to buy new models, a communiqué shows.

IRAQ-US President Barack Obama has announced that 275 US troops are on point of being deployed to Iraq, to protect and guard the US embassy in Baghdad, FP and Reuters report. According to the US President, the troops will be stationed in Iraq until security is restored. This decision is being made against the backdrop of the crisis in Iraq, where Sunni Jihad fighters have taken control over large areas in northern and central Iraq, advancing on the capital city, Baghdad. “The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant”, which is coordinating the offensive, in an attempt to set up an Islamic state on Iraqi and Syrian territories, has announced it executed thousands of captured troops and released photos to give consistency to their announcements. Iraq is ravaged by violence, which took a toll of 4,600 lives since the start of the year.

SPAIN-The Spanish Senate is today debating the draft law which makes possible the enforcement of King Juan Carlos’ decision to abdicate. Last week, at the Deputies’ Congress, the draft law was adopted by an absolute majority. After it is passed by the Senate, the law is to be promulgated on June 18th, during a solemn session, by King Juan Carlos. On June the 19th, Crown Prince Felipe of Asturias will be proclaimed King Felipe VI of Spain, before the two chambers of the Spanish Parliament.

FOOTBALL– The first matches counting towards Brazil World Cup’s Group H are scheduled for today: Belgium will be taking on Algeria and Russia will be facing South Korea. Also today, Brazil will be playing their second Group A game, this time against Mexico. In their debut match, Brazil outclassed Croatia, 3-1. On Monday in Group G, Germany hammered Portugal 4-nil, while the USA snatched a 2-1 win against Ghana. In a Group F confrontation, Iran held Nigeria to a blank draw.