November 24, 2019 UPDATE

ELECTION – The incumbent president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, supported by the governing National Liberal Party, won the presidential runoff on Sunday, defeating the former Social Democratic Prime Minister Viorica Dancila. According to partial results, after the counting of 99% of the ballots, Klaus Iohannis got some 64% of the votes. “The winner today is modern Romania, European Romania, the normal Romania” Iohannis said after the polls had closed, and promised to be a president for all Romanians. In turn, Viorica Dancila stated that the Social Democratic Party regained the trust of those who had voted the party back in 2016 and promised that the Social Democrats would do everything in their power to win next years local and parliamentary elections. The turnout in the country stood at 50%. In the Diaspora, where voting was held over three days, a record 940 thousand Romanians had voted until 11 p.m. The highest turnouts were reported in Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Spain and the Republic of Moldova.

Newsroom, 24.11.2019, 23:57

FRIGATE – The King Ferdinand frigate has returned to the military port of Constanta after five weeks spent in the Mediterranean. The frigate took part in the NATO-led Sea Guardian 19 operation and in the Dogu Akdeniz 19 multinational exercise, during which it carried out joint missions to deter illegal activities on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU, by means of monitoring sea traffic, under Allied Maritime Command.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Ambassadors of EU Member States have agreed that the new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen should start its activity on December 1 without a British Commissioner on the team, after the British Government refused to make a nomination. Ambassadors have adopted the list of the 27 Commissioners, which further requires Parliaments vote, slated for Wednesday. Since Brexit has been postponed for January 31, 2020, Great Britain was bound by EU treatises to make a nomination. Boris Johnsons Cabinet stated that no nominations can be made ahead of a British election, as the UK is to host early legislative elections on December 12. Following Londons refusal, the European Commission launched infringement procedures against Great Britain on November 14.

POPE FRANCIS – During his tour of Asia, which also included Thailand, Pope Francis visited Japan on Saturday, where he conveyed an emotion-evoking message against nuclear weapons. The Pope visited Nagasaki, one of the two cities struck in the Second World War. The Pope told Japanese bishops he hoped to meet some of the victims of the nuclear attacks, as well as the survivors of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. Another goal of his visit to Japan is to encourage the Catholic community in this country, where only 1% of the population is Christian, half of which is Catholic. This is the first visit by a Pope to Japan in the last 38 years and the second one in history.

GAUDEAMUS – The Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organized in Bucharest by Radio Romania, came to a close on Sunday. On the last day of the fair, the awards of the 26th edition were presented. The Gaudeamus awards went to the Humanitas, Polirom and ART publishers. The award for the most sought-after book went to Radu Paraschivescus volume, “The Man who moves Clouds. 7 Stories”, released by Humanitas publishing house. In the media awards section, Evenimentul Zilei grabbed the award for best print publication, Pro TV won the award for best TV station, while Europa FM won the radio award. In the news agencies section, the award went to the national news agency Agerpres. The Award for Excellence went to the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi Publishing House. The Antoaneta Ralian translation prize went to Luminita Munteanu, for her translation into Romanian of the Orhan Pamuk series, as well as to Daniel Ionita, the coordinator of the bilingual edition of the anthology titled “Testament. 400 years of Romanian poetry”, released in Australia. 8,000 book stands were put up as part of this edition, devoted to the 30 years since the anti-communist revolution of 1989. A total of 900 different events were scheduled, including book launches, debates and book signing sessions.

HANDBALL – Romanian mens handball team AHC Potaissa Turda on Sunday qualified for Challenge Cups round of 16, after a draw with ZRHK TENAX Dobele of Latvia. In the first leg, the Romanian side won 38-35 away from home. Potaissa Turda won the Challenge Cup in 2018 after defeating the Greek side AEK Athens. On Saturday, another Romanian club, CSM Bucharest, advanced to the Challenge Cups round of 16 despite losing to HC Masheka of Belarus, 28-25 away from home, in the second leg of the competitions third round. Title holders CSM Bucharest had won the first leg 34-28 on Friday.