May 27, 2014

News and current affairs from Romania

Eugen Cojocariu, 27.05.2014, 11:54

The left wing alliance made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Union for the Progress of Romania and the Conservative Party won the European Parliament elections in Romanian with 37.6%, according to centralized data, after counting 99.99% of the ballots. It is followed by the center right National Liberal Party with 15%, and by the Liberal Democratic Party with 12.23%. Independent Mircea Diaconu got 6.81% of the vote, while coalition member Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania got 6.3%. The pro-presidential Popular Movement Party obtained 6.21%. Every other political formation competing got below 5%. Thursday, the day election results are published, is the day before which the Central Election Bureau will analyze reported irregularities, and set the number of seats that go to each party according to the voting results

EU heads of state and government are meeting in Brussels on Monday to analyze the results of the European elections, marked by the usual low turnout and isolationism, especially in France, where the extreme right is leading the political spectrum, according to the AFP. Romania is represented at the meeting by President Traian Basescu. Also on Monday, European leaders are commencing consultations for designating the appointee for European Commission president. The European People’s Party won the most seats, 213 of 751, without earning a majority. Experts anticipate a possible alliance with the Socialists, who came in second, which would form a quorum, both for designating the new head of the EC and for counterbalancing Europhobic and extremist parties, which had unexpectedly good results. PM Victor Ponta will also be in Brussels, taking part in the meeting of heads of state and prime ministers of the European Socialist Party.

The Danube rose dangerously in the Romanian sector, especially in the southeast, where the river has already flooded hundreds of hectares of farmland, pastures and forests. The authorities are surveying the situation and are prepared to intervene. The weather in Romania is now warmer than usual for this time of the year, and more unstable. It rains in most areas, with isolated reported rainfall of over 25 liters per sqm, and possible hailstorms. Maximums are between 21 and 31 degrees Celsius, with a noon reading in Bucharest of 27 degrees.

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, ranked 4th in the WTA standings, plays on Tuesday against Russian Alea Klebanova, in a game counting towards the year’s second major Grand Slam. Another Romanian, Alexandra Cadantu, the world’s 81st seed, will go against Kiki Bertens from the Netherlands. 76th seed Monica Niculescu has made it to the second round, having snatched a win against Kaia Kanepi from Estonia. In the men’s singles version of the tournament, representing Romania is Victor Hanescu, while in the men’s doubles, another Romanian, Horia Tecau, will be pairing up with Jean Julien Roger of Holland. The two are favorites no. 13 at this year’s edition of Roland Garros.