March 21, 2016

For a roundup of domestic and international events, click here.

România Internațional, 21.03.2016, 12:00

FARMING – Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos is today in Alba Iulia, central Romania, to launch a support program for farmers. The Government wants farmers to be able to support their families using the income they get from farming activities. The program contains such measures as hiring members of the family, promoting farmers associations, selling or processing production and better access to development loans or co-financed projects. At present of Romanias 3 million farmers nearly a third live off self-sufficiency farming, and only 1% are part of associations.

BUDGET DEFICIT – Romania risks exceeding its target budget deficit of 3% of the GDP, alongside other 8 EU member states, Bloomberg reports. The EU has asked Governments to reduce their budget deficit below 3% of the GDP and cut their debts below 60% of the GDP. Failure to do so will entail fines, even if the EU has never resorted to such measures, despite the many infringements. Since the Stability and Growth Treaty was signed in 1998, 25 of the EUs 28 Member States have exceeded their target deficits. Sweden, Estonia and Luxemburg are the only states that have always observed the set norms.

EXERCISE – Some 350 Romanian, Bulgarian, Slovenian and US military are as of today taking part in the Black Sea Rotational Force exercise under NATO auspices carried out in Babadag, southeast Romania. Held every year for a week in the Black Sea area, the Balkans and the Caucasus region, the exercise is supervised by the US Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa. The exercise is aimed at boosting the cooperation and combat power of NATO states with a view to responding to any crisis anywhere in the world.

STRIKE ACTION – A large part of Romanias medical staff today went on a work-in pre-emptive strike, the last in a series of protests announced by trade unions in the healthcare sector. Protesters want the provisions of the single salary law to be applied in the healthcare sector as well, so as to reposition all staff with the national minimum gross salary of 280 euros. Doctors also want their benefits to be calculated based on their total salaries, as well as their working and rest hours to be observed. Their list of demands also includes free-of-charge access to healthcare services for all the employees in the system. On Sunday, Health Minister Patriciu Achimas Cadariu said he supported the 25% salary increase for healthcare employees in 2016, after a similar increase enforced last year. The Minister will submit a new memorandum to the Government in an attempt to make more jobs available in this sector.

ACCIDENT – A Romanian student was killed in Sundays coach crash in the Catalonia region in Spain, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced. At least 13 girls were killed in the accident, while another 30 wounded were taken to nearby hospitals. The coach was carrying 60 Erasmus students from 19 countries. The driver lost control of the wheel, crossing the median strip and colliding with an oncoming car, causing the coach to capsize. The University of Barcelona and regional authorities have declared two days of mourning.

ATHLETICS – Romanias 4×400-m womens relay team won the bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Athletics hosted by Portland, USA. Made up of Adelina Pastor, Mirela Lavric, Andrea Mijlos and Bianca Razor, Romania finished the race in third place, after the USA and Poland. Andrei Gag also grabbed silver in the shot put final. Romanias previous medal in a World Indoor Championship was in 2004.

HANDBALL – The Romanian womens handball team on Sunday drew 23-all against Montenegro in the final match in the pre-Olympic tournament in Aarhus, Denmark, thus qualifying to the Rio Olympics. In the first two games, Romania defeated the host country Denmark 32-25 and Uruguay, 36-19. Last years bronze medallist at the World Championships, Romania will take part in the Olympic Games for the fourth time, being the only team to represent Romania.

ONE WORLD – The 9th edition of the One World Romania Documentary Film and Human Rights Festival is kicking off today in Bucharest. Over 60 films will be screened as part of this years edition, dedicated to the global refugee crisis. Environmental NGOs will stage a debate on the Chernobyl disaster and the nuclear threats.

VISIT TO CUBA – US President Barack Obama is on a historic visit to Cuba, the first visit of a US acting president to this country after 1928. The visit comes after nearly a century of hostilities between Washington and the communist regime in Havana. The agenda of the visit includes talks with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro and an address on the public television station. Political pundits see Obamas visit to Cuba as an attempt to normalize relations with Cuba, particularly at economic level, and to persuade communist leaders to give more liberties to the people. According to Radio Romanias Washington correspondent, Barack Obama will also meet with Cuban dissidents, some of whom are outraged by Obamas affability towards a regime whose practices and values go against American fundamental principles.

(Translated by V. Palcu)