September 17, 2017 UPDATE 2
Click here for an update on domestic and international news
Newsroom, 17.09.2017, 19:21
Weather — Eight people died and several dozens were wounded in a violent storm that Sunday hit several counties in western Romania. Most of the victims are from Timiş county. Several areas in western Romania were under a code orange alert for bad weather on Sunday afternoon.
UN General Assembly Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis will participate as of Monday until September 22 in the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly hosted by New York, the Presidential Administration announced on Sunday. During the session of debates the Romanian President will deliver a speech in which he will highlight the importance of an international order based on principles and rules, on the rule of law at international level, on the need to strengthen the UN and adapt it to the current challenges. The agenda of Romania’s president also includes participation in high-level meetings organized by Romania together with other states, a series of bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General, with the president of the UN General Assembly as well as with his counterparts from other states. Klaus Iohannis will also participate in the reception hosted by President Donald Trump and will meet with the representatives of the main Jewish organizations in the US and with the representatives of the Romanian community in Philadelphia.
Washington — The new Romanian defense minister Mihai Fifor is paying a 6-day working visit to Washington as of Sunday. According to a defense ministry communiqué, Mihai Fifor will meet with the American Secretary of Defense James Mattis, with the deputy national security advisor Ricky Waddell, with members of the US Congress and with representatives of the main companies in the American defense industry. The Romanian delegation accompanying the defense minister will participate in a military ceremony during which minister Fifor will lay a wreathe of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, Romania’s Strategic Partnership with the US is one of the fundamental pillars of Romania’s defense and security, which contributes directly to the consolidation of its euro-Atlantic profile, remaining an essential priority in the current, complex regional and international security environment.
Visit — European Commissioner for Security Union Julian King is paying an official visit to Romania on Monday. He will meet the PM Mihai Tudose, the justice minister Tudorel Toader and the interior minister Carmen Dan. Talks will focus on the anti-terror fight, the exchange of information, and the implementation of legislation recently adopted in the security field. The European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu will also be in Romania on Monday and Tuesday.
Table Tennis – Romania’s women’s table tennis team on Sunday defeated Germany’s team 3-2 in the final of the European Championship in Luxembourg. This is their 4th continental title. The Romanian women’s team’s 3rd European title was won 12 years ago. Eliza Samara, Bernadette Szocs and Daniela Dodean-Monteiro are the athletes that won the final. Romania’s team also included Irina Ciobanu and Adina Diaconu. In the semifinals the Romanian players defeated Russia and Germany defeated the Netherlands. Germany was European champion at the previous three editions, holding a total of 7 gold medals.
Davis Cup— Austria has won the Davis Cup playoffs after winning 3 singles against Romania’s team and losing only one double match. The matches were played in Austria, in the first-round playoffs to remain in the Europe/ Africa Group I. The score between Romania and Austria now stands at 3-all.
Football — The Romanian Football Federation has reached a provisional agreement with the current coach of the football team Dinamo, the former international footballer Cosmin Contra, to take over the position of coach of the national team. He will replace the German Christoph Daum, the first foreign coach of Romania’s national team, whose contract was terminated following the Romanian team’s failure to qualify to the 2018 World Championship to be hosted by Russia. Aged 41, Cosmin Contra has previously coached other teams such as Timişoara, Petrolul and Getafe of Spain. His record as coach includes Romania’s Cup won by Petrolul and the League’s Cup won by Dinamo. Contra will make his debut as coach of the national team on October 5th in a home match against Kazakhstan. The last match of the group, against Denmark, will take place on October 8. (translation by L. Simion)
