March 22, 2015 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Corina Cristea, 22.03.2015, 19:14
Threatening to use force against a NATO member country is inadmissible, said the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, following statements made by the Russian ambassador to Copenhagen, Mihail Vanin. The Russian official warned Denmark not to join the US — NATO missile-defence system, seen by Moscow as a threat. If this happens, Vanin said, Danish vessels will become targets for the Russian nuclear missiles. In 2014 Denmark accepted to participate with at least one frigate in NATO’s defence system in Europe, a system that will include ground elements, stationed in Romania and Poland, and also navy installations. On several occasions the US and NATO have explained that the defence systems in Europe do not target Russia; they are just security systems ensuring protection from threats posed by countries that do not abide by international regulations, such as Iran.
450 Romanian and US soldiers participated for a week in the Dacian Warhawk exercise held at the air base no. 72 in Campia Turzii, central Romania. Defense Minister Mircea Dusa, who on Sunday attended a demonstration carried out as part of the bilateral exercise, has stated that several hundreds of drills have been planned for this year, some of them together with NATO and EU partners, which will ensure a constant allied presence on the eastern flank. The exercises, the minister explained, are aimed at ensuring joint training and giving Romanian soldiers the opportunity to improve their skills.
The US has several options at hand to prevent Iran from getting the nuclear bomb if international negotiations with Iran fail, said on Sunday the CIA Director John Brennan. During a talk show on Iran’s nuclear potential, Brennan voiced trust in the US and international surveillance and intelligence capacity. The big powers that make up the 5 + 1 group, namely the US, China, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany will on Wednesday resume negotiations with Teheran on the Iranian nuclear program, which should lead to the conclusion of an agreement by the end of the year.
The German company Lufthansa has resumed its normal program, after four days of strike, which affected both internal and European flights, as well as intercontinental and cargo flights. On Saturday night, the 5,400 pilots who had initiated the strike decided to stop it, but they are still threatening with fresh round of protests in the coming period, as they have not managed to reach an agreement with the board of the company. It is estimated that some 240,000 passengers were affected by the strike organized by the Cockpit trade union, which has approximately 9,300 members and which opposes Lufthansa board’s intention to eliminate the early retirement system.
According to the president of Beekeepers’ Association, Ioan Fetea, every year Romania exports 50-60% of its total production of honey. The main markets that Romanian honey goes to are Germany, Spain and the Nordic countries, the countries with the highest rates of honey consumption. Smaller quantities also reach China and the Middle East. Romania produces on average some 20,000 tons of honey per year, ranking fourth in Europe, with a total of 1.5 families of bees last year. 40 thousand bee keepers are officially registered in Romania.
Romanian gymnast Andreea Munteanu came first in the beam finals and second in the floor finals at the Tournament of Masters in Cottbus Germany, part of the World Challenge Cup. In the floor event, the first place was taken by the Polish Marta Pihan-Kulewsza. Andreea Munteanu won 750 Swiss francs for earning first place on beam and another 600 for the floor exercise. She has also secured for herself 30 and 25 World Challenge Cup points respectively.
