RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

March 9, 2017 UPDATE

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

March 9, 2017 UPDATE
March 9, 2017 UPDATE

, 09.03.2017, 19:44

SPRING COUNCIL – European leaders, including Romanias President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday re-elected Donald Tusk as European Council president. Other topics on Fridays agenda are employment, economic growth and competitiveness, migration, institutional matters, as well as the EUs foreign relations. The Council will convene on Friday in the 27-member formula, without Great Britain. Before the Spring Council meeting, President Iohannis reiterated the fact that Romania believes in a strong, united Union, and opposes the idea of a multi-speed Europe. According to the Romanian head of state, it would be completely counter-productive for the EU to accept only those projects that can be accessed by certain members of the Union.



MEETING – Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu on Thursday met in Brussels with Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. The two discussed mainly about the Governments priorities and bilateral cooperation in the economic, social and cultural fields. On this occasion, the two agreed that Prime Minister Grindeanu should pay an official visit to Vienna for a comprehensive discussion on the future of the EU, given that Romania will be taking over the rotating presidency of the EU in 2019, from Austria. Talks were held on the sidelines of the meeting of the Party of European Socialists. Prime Minister Grindeanu insisted on the need to reform the EU and explained that cohesion funds and the Common Agricultural Policy are extremely important for Romania. The Romanian Prime Minister also met with French President Francois Hollande, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini and with the president of the Party of European Socialists, Sergei Stanshev.



MOLDOVA – Moldovan officials on Thursday sent a letter to Moscow signaling a series of abuses against Moldovan MPs, Government members, special service employees and governing coalition politicians. According to a Parliament release, the complaints were voiced during the meeting between Prime Minister Pavel Filip, Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu and Russian Ambassador to Chisinau, Farit Muhametshin. The letter describes the way Moldovan officials are abusively detained upon entry into Russian Federation, interrogated, searched and subjected to humiliating treatment. The harassment of Moldovan officials and their being monitored internationally by means of Russias bilateral relations with third countries have escalated after investigation made headway into the the laundering of some 22 billion dollars from the Russian Federation via a Moldovan Bank.



HEALTHCARE – Since its EU accession in 2007, Romania has been faced with a mass exodus of medical staff, drawn by higher salaries and better work conditions to Western Europe, Reuters reports. The effect are telling, as Romania ranks among the EU states with the lowest number of doctors, although it ranks amongst its first in terms of the number of medical school graduates. Some 30% of positions in Romanian hospitals are vacant, while a third of Romanians have insufficient access to basic medical care. Former Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu is quoted as saying that entire cities lack a family physician. In 2016 the Health Ministry came up with a multiannual plan providing, among other things, for simplifying recruitment procedures and assistance for those who are not willing to practice medicine in rural areas, but the current Government has not adopted it yet, Reuters reports.



UNITARY PAY LAW – Salaries in Romanian education will grow, on average, by 57%, said the president of the Spiru Haret Trade Union Federation Marius Nistor after todays negotiations with the Labour Ministry on the unitary pay law. On Friday, the talks will continue with trade unions from culture. So far, ministry officials have discussed with representatives of the defense, public order and health-care sectors. The document is supposed to be adopted by July 1st in order to show effects as of January 1st, next year. According to the Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu, state employees salaries will be increased gradually by 2021, and the only ones who will benefit from a full rise in 2018 are the employees of the health-care sector.



GENEVA MOTOR SHOW – The 87th Geneva International Motor Show opened its doors on Friday. For ten days, visitors will have the opportunity to admire 900 automobiles, of which 148 are European and even world firsts. There are some 180 exhibitors attending the show in Geneva this year, an event supported by the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. At the Romanian stand, visitors can see the Stepway version of the Dacia Logan MCV make, the fourth most successful of the range. Also, Renault has come up with a new concept, Zoe e-Sport, a super sport version of the electric model, and Peugeot-Citroen is displaying in Geneva the Peugeot 3008, declared the car of the year in Europe.



TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Marius Copil, ranking 11th in the ATP classification, has for the first time reached the main draw of the ATP Masters tournament in Indian Wells, the US, with 6.9 million dollars in prize money. In Thursdays qualifiers, he defeated the American Denis Kudla, no. 130 in the rankings, and will play in the first round against the Argentinean Horacio Zebalos (73 ATP). In the same tournament, the Romanian Monica Niculescu, no.45 in the WTA rankings, has qualified for the second round, after defeating another Romanian, Sorana Cirstea, no. 66 in the classification. In the next round, Monica will play against the Swiss Timea Bacsinzky, no. 16. The best ranked Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no. 4 in the WTA classifications, will go straight to the second round to play against the winner of the match between the Croat Dona Vekic and the American Alison Riske. Irina Begu (31 WTA), also of Romania, will meet in the second round the US player Louise Chirico (65 WTA) and Patricia Tig (99 WTA) will play in the first round against the Colombian Mariana Duque Marino (112 WTA). (Translated by M. Ignatescu and V. Palcu)

Newsflash
Newsflash Tuesday, 05 November 2024

November 5, 2024

  EUROPEAN COMMISSION Roxana Mînzatu, Romania’s nominee for European Commissioner for People, Skills and Preparedness is interviewed today by...

November 5, 2024
Newsflash
Newsflash Monday, 04 November 2024

November 4, 2024 UPDATE

Visit. The Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is on a working visit to France where he will meet with his counterpart, Michel Barnier. The visit...

November 4, 2024 UPDATE
Newsflash
Newsflash Monday, 04 November 2024

November 4, 2024

Visit – The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu is paying a working visit to France today, where he will meet with his counterpart, Michel Barnier, as well...

November 4, 2024
Newsflash
Newsflash Sunday, 03 November 2024

November 3, 2024 UPDATE

Visit. Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu on Monday begins a working visit to France, where is he due to meet his counterpart Michel Barnier and...

November 3, 2024 UPDATE
Newsflash Sunday, 03 November 2024

3 November, 2024

Moldova elections. Neighbouring Moldova is holding the second round run-off of the presidential elections. Incumbent pro-European president Maia...

3 November, 2024
Newsflash Saturday, 02 November 2024

November 2, 2024 UPDATE

FLOOD According to authorities in Bucharest every Romanian national in the Spanish regions affected by the latest flooding will be able to benefit...

November 2, 2024 UPDATE
Newsflash Saturday, 02 November 2024

November 2, 2024

AUDITION The European Parliament’s specialized committees on Monday are expected to commence the audition of the designated European Commissioners....

November 2, 2024
Newsflash Friday, 01 November 2024

November 1, 2024 UPDATE

  DEFENCE Romania and Norway continue to stand by Ukraine at these critical times, the defence minister Angel Tîlvăr said on Friday, after a...

November 1, 2024 UPDATE

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company