Newsflash 11, 2016 UPDATE

The election campaign for the parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 11, has started in Romania/ A 25 km long gas pipeline linking Romania to Bulgaria, the longest in Europe so far, has been inaugurated by the line authorities

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Leyla Cheamil, 11.11.2016, 12:30

CAMPAIGN — Romania on Friday kicked off its parliamentary election campaign, scheduled for December 11. Almost 6,500 people have registered as candidates for the 466 seats in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, on behalf of political parties or as independents. This election, the list system has been reinstated; the last time it was used was in the 2004 elections, with new norms of representation introduced for senators and deputies.

REP. OF MOLDOVA — Pro-Russian Socialist candidate Igor Dodon and pro-European reformer Maia Sandu face off on Sunday in the presidential run-off in the Republic of Moldova. About three million citizens are called to the polls to vote directly for the president, for the first time in 16 years, time in which the head of state was appointed by Parliament. Pundits say that this election has not only a political stake, but also geopolitical implications. Dodon wants to join the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Union, while Sandu pleads for reforming the state and joining the EU.

PIPELINE — A gas pipeline between Romania and Bulgaria was inaugurated on Friday by the relevant authorities, the Bulgarian Energy Ministry has announced. Running over 25 km, the pipeline is the longest such installation in Europe so far. The Bulgarian portion runs over 15.4 km, the one in Romania is 7.5 km long, with 2.1 km running under the river Danube, separating the two countries. The pipeline provides a secure and permanent supply of natural gas for home and industry consumers in the two countries. Its inauguration meets the requirement of the European Energy Union requiring the creation of gas transportation systems between member states. The gas pipeline is part of a wider plan to link natural gas networks in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria by the end of 2019.

VETERANS DAY — Veterans Day was observed on Friday in Romania, too. Military and religious ceremonies were held in garrisons and at the heroes’ memorials across the country. Tribute was also paid to the 28 Romanian military who died in international missions, in Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia-Hertzegovina. On this occasion, the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, said the solid security guarantees that Romania enjoys at present are due, to a large extent, to the spirit of sacrifice, loyalty and patriotism. As of 2014, Romanians annually observe Veterans’ Day on November 11, concurrently with other European countries, the US, Canada and Australia. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended on November 11, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.

DIPLOMACY — German chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Thursday had a phone conversation with the US President elect, Donald Trump, about maintaining relations between Germany and the US. The statement was made on Friday by the spokesman for the German Government, Georg Streiter. He said Angela Merkel is also due to have a meeting in Berlin on Thursday with the acting US president, Barack Obama, for talks on the free trade agreement between the US and EU.

HANDBALL — The Romanian womens handball champions, CSM Bucharest, on Friday qualified for the next stage of the Champions League, after defeating the Russian team Rostov Don, 22-20, away from home. This is the first win grabbed by the Romanian team after having sustained three consecutive defeats. In the next stage, the Romanian team will face the Danish team Midtjylland. After having played five matches, CSM ranks second in the group, with 4 points, just like Midtjylland. (Translated by C. Cotoiu and D. Vijeu)