November 25, 2018 UPDATE

The leaders of the 27 EU member states signed off the Brexit withdrawal agreement/ The National Cathedral in Bucharest has been consecrated by the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

Mihai Pelin, 25.11.2018, 18:46

BREXIT DEAL – The leaders of the EU members states, gathered in Brussels on Sunday, signed off the Brexit withdrawal agreement and the declaration defining the EU-Britain post Brexit-relation. The 27 EU member states have also stood for having as tight a relation as possible with London, after Brexit. The withdrawal agreement provides for the legal conditions under which Great Britain leaves the EU on March 29, 2019. The political declaration accompanying the agreement underlines Londons and Brussels common objectives to define their future relation. Great Britain becomes the first country to leave the EU, 45 years after its accession. The British Parliament is set to vote upon the Brexit agreement before Christmas. Romania was represented at the Brussels summit by President Klaus Johannis. The president gave assurances the agreement protects the Romanian nationals who live and work in the UK.

NATIONAL CATHEDRAL – The National Cathedral in Bucharest has been consecrated by the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, with many Romanian and foreign prelates in attendance. Tens of thousands of Romanians from across the country, some of them wearing national costumes have also attended the event. The idea of erecting a Cathedral emblematic for the Romanian space emerged soon after the country gained its independence, following the 1877-1878 war. Back then, the leaders noticed there was not a church in Bucharest large enough to accommodate all those willing to attend a mass. “It is a national event- The National Cathedral, Romanias Cathedral, in the centenary year, said PM Viorica Dăncilă. On December 1, Romania celebrates the centennial anniversary of the Great Union of all Romanian historical principalities in a single state.

SWINE FEVER – There are over 1,100 swine fever outbreaks in some 300 small towns and villages in 17 Romanian counties, the latest data released by the National Sanitary-Veterinary Authority show. Over 360,000 pigs have been culled so far and some 8,000 farmers have received damages. The Authority also says the disease has been eradicated in the north-eastern county of Satu Mare, where the first case was reported in the summer of 2017. In exchange, a new hotbed was reported in a household in Olt county, in the south-east. Romania has requested EU support to grant financial compensations to the affected farmers. The African swine fever is not transmissible to humans, but it has a significant economic impact.

RadiRo – The International Festival of Radio Orchestras, RadiRo, organised by Radio Romania, has come to a close. The festival ended with an all Tcaikovsky program concert given by the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. On Saturday, performing on the stage of the festival was LOrchestra della Svizzera Italiana, of Lugano, Switzerland. Over 9,000 spectators in eight days of the festival, eight symphonic concerts, and as a premiere 4 jazz concerts – this is in brief, the summary of the most prestigious cultural event, the only in the world devoted to radio orchestras. The concerts broadcast live by Radio Romania have also been recorded and later broadcast by the Romanian Television Company and by other radio broadcasters, that are EBU members.

CARS – In 2017, only 7% of the EUs population didnt afford to buy a car, but the percentage points were four times higher in Romania, data released by Eurostat show. Bulgaria and Hungary are other EU member states where more than a fifth of the population does not afford to buy a car. The EU member countries with the lowest percentage points of people who do not afford to buy a car are Cyprus and Malta, with only 1.7% of the total population. In Romanias case, the number of people who did not afford to buy a car decreased from 32.9% in 2016, to 29.8% in 2017. Official data show Romanias national car fleet stood at 7.635 million cars, 9% more than in the previous years. Over 1.320 million cars of them are registered in Bucharest alone.

HANDBALL – Romanias national womens handball team has won the 50th edition of the Carpathian Trophy, after having defeated the Romania B team, 33-24. The defending Olympic champion Russia ranked third, after defeating Serbia 33-32 on Saturday, in the other final. The tournament played in Bucharest is the last test for Romania ahead of the European Handball Championship due in France in December, when it meets the Czech Republic, Germany and Norway. Romania ranked 5th at the 2016 European Championship, and it put up its best performance in 2010, when it grabbed the bronze medal.