November 14, 2015

The French President Francois Hollande on Saturday announced three days of national mourning following Friday night’s terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 128 people, among whom 2 Romanian citizens, and wounded more than 250. The Jihadist group the Islamic State has claimed the attacks. “France will have not pity” said the French president who asked the French people to be united and keep a cold head. Following the tragedy the state of emergency was declared in France and temporary customs controls have been reintroduced. The 6 near-simultaneous attacks took place in various locations in Paris. Tens of people were taken hostage and killed in a concert hall where a rock concert was under way. Explosions were heard in the “Stade de France” area in the north, in the east and center, where the terrorists opened fire in crowded places. The 8 attackers were killed, seven being suicide bombers. In Bucharest the Romanian Foreign Ministry has activated a crisis unit, pointing out that a Romanian citizen was slightly wounded in the attacks. The Romanian Intelligence Service announced the level of terror alert would not be changed. The international community condemned the attacks in Paris labeled as cowardly and barbaric acts. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said these attacks that killed innocent people should be a signal for the entire international community that should prove more determined to fight terrorism and defend human values.

Newsroom, 14.11.2015, 14:49

The French President Francois Hollande on Saturday announced three days of national mourning following Friday night’s terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 128 people, among whom 2 Romanian citizens, and wounded more than 250. The Jihadist group the Islamic State has claimed the attacks. “France will have not pity” said the French president who asked the French people to be united and keep a cold head. Following the tragedy the state of emergency was declared in France and temporary customs controls have been reintroduced. The 6 near-simultaneous attacks took place in various locations in Paris. Tens of people were taken hostage and killed in a concert hall where a rock concert was under way. Explosions were heard in the “Stade de France” area in the north, in the east and center, where the terrorists opened fire in crowded places. The 8 attackers were killed, seven being suicide bombers. In Bucharest the Romanian Foreign Ministry has activated a crisis unit, pointing out that a Romanian citizen was slightly wounded in the attacks. The Romanian Intelligence Service announced the level of terror alert would not be changed. The international community condemned the attacks in Paris labeled as cowardly and barbaric acts. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said these attacks that killed innocent people should be a signal for the entire international community that should prove more determined to fight terrorism and defend human values.

The structure of the new Romanian government and the governing program will be presented Saturday or Sunday at the latest. The hearing of the future ministers is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday when Parliament is expected to vote for the new ministers. The prime minister designate Dacian Ciolos has not ruled out a new round of negotiations with some parliamentary parties ahead of presenting the list of ministers. After the first talks the National Liberal Party, the National Union for the Progress of Romania and the national minorities group have announced their unconditional support for the new government. The Social Democratic Party, the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania are waiting to see the new ministers and the governing program before announcing their support.

14 people who were injured in the October 30th fire in a Bucharest nightclub continue to be in a critical state. So far 55 young people have died following the terrible fire. At present over 60 patients are in hospitals in Bucharest and around 30 are being treated in Great Britain, Belgium, Austria, Israel and the Netherlands. The fire started from the fireworks used in the show. Many of the people who were in the club on October 30th died due to poisoning with toxic fumes.

As many as 20 countries and international organizations are meeting today in Vienna in an attempt to reach an agreement over the ways to ensure the political transition and Syria and over a possible truce between the regime in Damascus and the different factions in opposition. Washington and Moscow have different viewpoints on the Syrian crisis. Russia and Iran support Damascus while the US and its European and Arab allies support certain groups in opposition and ask for the resignation of the Syrian president Bashar al Assad. A first round of negotiations regarding the situation in Syria took place in Vienna at the end of October. Then, Moscow proposed a plan, which includes, among others, an 18- month process of constitutional reform followed by elections. The plan was rejected by the West, though.