May 16, 2016
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Newsroom, 16.05.2016, 12:00
MOTION Parliament in Bucharest is today debating on a simple motion suggestively entitled ‘the biggest disaster in the Romanian agriculture after December 1989’, which is targeting the country’s incumbent Agriculture Minister Achim Irimescu. The document, which was tabled by the Social Democrats (the largest left-wing party) and ALDE (the center-to-right liberal party), is criticizing the absence of a strategy and blocked investment in the irrigation infrastructure. Signatories of the motion have also pointed out the flawed payment to farmers and the defective management in the Agriculture Ministry. The Chamber of Deputies is expected to cast a vote on the aforementioned motion on Tuesday.
FILM Romanian director Bogdan Mirica’s debut film ‘Dogs’ was on Sunday premiered in Cannes, where it is presently running in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section. Another Romanian director, Alexandru Nanau has been awarded the France Culture Cinema prize in Cannes for a documentary entitled ‘Toto and his Sisters.’ The award is granted every year to the best production running in cinemas across France. Last week saw the screening of Cristi Puiu’s film Sieranevada, a director who in 2005 reaped the Un Certain Regard award for a feature film entitled ‘The Death of Mr. Lazarescu’. Sieranevada, which is currently running in the Palme d’Or section, has been well received by critics. Another Romanian film, ‘Bacalaureate’, directed by Cristian Mungiu, a Palme d’Or laureate in 2007 and currently at its third participation in the festival, is to be screened on Thursday. Romania is also being represented in Cannes by two short reels.
MEETING Foreign ministers from the EU, the USA and Libya’s neighboring countries have today convened in Vienna for talks over the situation in this north-African country currently facing political divergences and Jihadi threats. According to France Press, the meeting comes at a crucial moment, after ISIS Jihadists have extended their influence to the western city of Sirte and the failure of the UN-backed national unity government to impose itself after two months in power. The international community wants an executive capable of fighting the Jihadists and stemming migration towards Europe, France Press reports. Vienna will also be hosting a meeting of the international support group for Syria, agreed upon by US secretary of state John Kerry and the head of the Russian diplomacy Serghei Lavrov.
RELATIONS The community of Transylvanian Saxons and Swabians is a priceless source for consolidating ties with Germany and Europe, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on Sunday at the annual meeting of Swabians of Banat, which took place in Ulm, Germany. Ciolos, who paid a two-days visit to Germany, has praised the bilateral relations, which he described as ‘privileged, excellent relations with a long history’. The Saxons came to southern Transylvania back in the 13th century, while the Swabians settled there in the 17th — 18th centuries. The community of ethnic Germans in this region stood at several hundred thousands between the two world wars but it barely numbers several tens of thousands nowadays.
TENNIS Romanian tennis player Irina Begu has climbed up onto the 28th position in the WTA rankings made public today and will be a top-seeded player in Roland Garros, the year’s second Grand Slam tournament, which kicks off this week. This past Saturday Begu failed to go past the semi-finals, since she was defeated by the world’s number one tennis player Serena Williams. WTA top 100 players includes other Romanians as well. Best-placed is Simona Halep, ranking 6th. Monica Niculescu ranks 35th, while Sorana Carstea comes 100th. In the main draw at Roland Garros, joining Irina Begu are three other Romanians, Simona Halep, Monica Niculescu and Alexandra Dulgheru.
