May 10, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 10.05.2024, 19:46
Elections. The election campaign for the 9th of June local and European Parliamentary elections got under way on Friday across Romania. The Central Election Bureau has urged candidates to observe the relevant legislation, to preserve a balanced, honest and constructive approach to all communications and to refrain from misrepresenting and manipulating information. Throughout the campaign, all messages and slogans with discriminatory overtones, inciting to hatred and intolerance are prohibited, in addition to the use of any means and actions designed to slander or stir religious or ethnic hatred.
Trade deficit. Romania’s trade balance deficit in the first three months of the year stood at almost 6.7 billion euros, 1.5% lower than in the same period in 2023, according to a report by the National Institute for Statistics published on Friday. The executive president of the National Association of Exporters and Importers from Romania, Mihai Ionescu, says the data show that Romania continues to live on debt. He said the representatives of the business community will submit a series of proposals to the government to help reduce the trade deficit. These include support for businesses to make here products now imported from abroad. The Association also proposes the reestablishment of a network of economic advisors abroad by creating 100 new jobs covering markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Missiles. The USA approved the sale of Sidewinder Block advanced missile technology to Romania, in a deal worth 70 million dollars. The missile systems will provide advanced air-air capabilities for F-16s owned by the Romanian Air Forces. The procurement is part of a broader and long-term effort to modernize the Romanian Air Forces, a US Embassy press release reads. US Chargé d’Affairs, Michael Dickerson, said the deal is an excellent example of robust security and defence cooperation between Romania and the USA. In turn, Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr said the access of Romanian Air Forces to state-of-the-art air-air military technology will give a significant boost to the security of Romanian and allied airspace, also increasing interoperability with similar structures of the US Army.
10 May. Romania celebrated three major historical events on 10th May. Three major events in the history of Romania are observed on May 10. In 1866, King Carol I was crowned the first monarch of the freshly created Kingdom of Romania. 11 years later, on May 10, 1877, Romania proclaimed its independence from the Ottoman Empire. On May 10, 1881, Romania officially became a monarchy. Between 1866 and 1947, May 10 was celebrated not only as Monarchy Day and Independence Day but also as the National Day of Romania. May 10 was declared a national holiday in 2015.
Olympic Games. Romanian wrestler Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu has qualified for the Paris Olympics after a series of wins at the World Olympic Games Qualifier for Wrestling in Istanbul. The Romanian competed in the 130-kg Greek-Roman category. This will be the fourth edition of the Olympic Games for Alexuc-Ciurariu, after the London Olympics of 2012, Rio Olympics of 2015 and the Tokyo Olympics of 2020. Two other Romanian wrestlers are still trying to secure qualification for the Olympic Games – Răzvan Arnăutu and Nicu Ojog. Romania’s delegation includes 13 wrestlers, and its objective is to qualify at least 2 athletes for the Olympic Games. Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu is the second Romanian athlete to secure qualification after Andreea Beatrice Ana, who booked her tickets to the Paris Olympics in the 53-kg category at the Baku qualifier in April. So far, 83 athletes have secured qualification to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in 12 Olympic events.
