September 14, 2015

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

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Newsroom, 14.09.2015, 12:02

MIGRANT CRISIS – Brussels will be the venue for the first official meeting of EU member states representatives, who will be holding negotiations on the European Commissions proposal to set compulsory refugee quotas. The increasingly high number of refugees has started to create problems in Germany, which announced it will temporarily reintroduce border controls. A similar decision was made by the Czech Republic. According to the European Commission, an inappropriate response to the refugee influx might put in jeopardy the Schengen free movement area. Deputy prime minister for national security and interior minister, Gabriel Oprea, who represents Romania at the Brussels meeting, has said Bucharest complies with its initial commitments to receive 1,785 immigrants, in line with its current capacity. He will vote against compulsory quotas imposed by the Commission, according to which Bucharest should take in over 6,000 people. Overall, 10 EU member states are opposed to compulsory quotas.

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR – At the start of a new school year, Romanias president, Klaus Iohannis, has today wished over the 3 million pre-school children and pupils, to enjoy a good year, which should take them closer to their professional and intellectual dreams. He attended the official start of the 2015-2016 school year in the southern Romanian city of Targoviste, where he said education is an issue which should make the object of a national debate and laying emphasis on a pupils education is not a slogan, but a principle. Himself a teacher by profession, Klaus Iohannis underlined that an important element of education is to correlate it with the labour market, the realities and needs of society. issue, later in RN.

MOLDOVA – The organisers of the anti-government protests in the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet state with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, have urged the population to start an all out strike. The participants in the rally adopted a resolution calling for the setting up of a new political movement and of a so-called government of popular confidence, to replace the current cabinet. Some incidents were also reported when a group of young people, who claimed the only solution to overcome the crisis in the Republic of Moldova is to unite with neighbouring Romania, were forced out of the square.

DIPLOMACY – Romanian foreign minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is currently on a visit to Turkmenistan. He is due to meet his counterpart Rashid Meredov and to be received in audience by president Gurbanguli Berdamuhamedov. High on the agenda of the talks will also be the relation between the two countries, laying special emphasis on economic cooperation in the field of energy and transports. The Romanian official pays this visit in the context of diplomatic demarches being made in order to boost Romanias foreign policy actions in its eastern neighbourhood and in Central Asia.

EGYPT – 12 tourists have been killed accidentally by the Egyptian security forces, who opened fire at some vehicles with Mexican tourists onboard in the Western Dessert, the Egyptian Interior Ministry announced on Monday. 10 others have been injured. The tourist car convoy entered a restricted area, while the joint police and armed forces were following Islamist militants. After the former Islamist president Mohammed Morsi was removed from power by the army, in 2013, following violent protests, the Egyptian security forces were the target of various attacks committed by the militants.

MUSIC – The “George Enescu International Festival continues in Romania. Performing in the “Great Orchestras of the World series will be the Choir and Orchestra of the George Enescu Philharmonics in Bucharest. European classical music orchestra “Les Dissonances will perform as part of the “Chamber Recitals and Concerts series. Last night in Bucharest, Richard Strausss “Elektra, considered to be one of the most difficult pieces of music was performed by the Bavarian Satate Orchestra, conducted by Sebastian Weigle, with the participation of the Radio Academic Choir, under the baton of Dan Mihai Goia.

SPORTS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has consolidated its second position in WTAs rankings, made public today, after she reached the semi-finals of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. Ranking first is American player Serena Williams. Russian Maria Sharapova, who didnt play at the tournament in New York ranks third. The surprise winner of the US Open, Italian Flavia Pennetta, is ranking eights. Four other Romanians are among the top players of the world: Irina Begu ( WTA ranking: 30), Monica Niculescu (WTA ranking: 39), Alexandra Dulgheru (WTA ranking: 52) and Andreea Mitu (WTA ranking: 79 WTA).