November 22, 2015 UPDATE
The death toll of the Colectiv nightclub fire rises to 60/The pair made up of Romanian Horia Tecau and Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer on Sunday won the mens doubles final of the WTA Tournament in London.
Newsroom, 22.11.2015, 19:07
RESUMPTION OF PAYMENTS-The European Commission has unblocked the Regional Operational Program and the reimbursement of European funds will start in the near future, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on Radio Romania, on Sunday. He explained that, by the end of the year, the absorption rate of structural funds might reach 70%, for the 2007-2013 budget exercise. As regards the reform of the administration, Ciolos said he would lay emphasis on the principles of transparency and integrity. The integrity criteria, that have already been signed by the members of the new cabinet, will have to be assumed by all public administration employees. The Prime Minister said Romania needs a functional system so that corruption and bribe no longer permeate the administration.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP — Romanian State Secretary for Strategic Affairs, Daniel Ionita, and the US Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Hoyt Yee, will co-chair in Bucharest on Monday, the fourth meeting of the Task Force for the implementation of the Joint Declaration on the Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century between Romania and the US. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian and US officials will assess the stage of bilateral cooperation and will also discuss objectives, action lines and co-operation priorities for the ensuing period of time. The Joint Declaration on the Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century between Romania and the US was adopted, at the highest level, in September 2011. It is the first bilateral political document which validates, in writing, the Strategic Partnership between the two countries and includes key domains of bilateral cooperation.
COLECTIV FIRE VICTIM – One of the people who sustained burn injuries in the Colectiv nightclub fire died on Sunday in Vienna, where he was undergoing treatment. Thus, the death toll has risen to 60. 26 people were killed by the deadly fire that devastated Colectiv on October 30, and a 27th person died on the way to hospital. 33 other people died within the 3 ensuing weeks. 150 other people were injured and admitted to hospitals in Bucharest. 39 of them were taken to foreign hospitals, but 11 passed away, of whom 3 in the UK, one in Israel, two in the Netherlands, one en route to Switzerland, one in France, two in Germany and one in Austria. 40 injured people, of whom 10 in critical or severe condition, are still hospitalised in Bucharest.
TERROR ALERT– The Belgian authorities are on alert, for fear of possible attacks. Prime Minister Charles Michel has said there is credible information on the risk of attacks similar to those in Paris. On Sunday, Brussels was on lockdown, over serious threat, with the subway system, shopping centres, cinema halls, museums, restaurants and cafes closed. Stations and airports were guarded by heavily- armed joint police- army patrols. Military vehicles patrolled the streets of Brussels, while the security forces continue the manhunt for key suspect and Paris fugitive, Salah Abdeslam, who is believed to hide in the Brussels region, trying to find the opportunity to leave for Syria.
DIPLOMACY— US Secretary of State, John Kerry, is currently on a three-day visit to the Middle East. The agenda of the talks held in Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Ramallah (the West Bank) covers such issues as the situation in Syria, laying emphasis on the fight against the Islamic State terrorist organisation and the recent Israeli-Palestinian wave of violence. In the wake of the Paris attacks, the US tries to consolidate militarily the international coalition against the Islamic State, FP reports.
ECONOMY— The total value of Romania’s imports in 2014 exceeded 58 billion Euro, registering a 5.8% increase as compared to the previous year. Data made public by the National Institute for Statistics show 75.4% of the imported goods came from EU member states, particularly from Germany, Italy and Hungary. As compared to 2013, China outclassed the Russian Federation, in terms of the volume of imports made by Romania. According to the National Institute for Statistics, in 2014 Romania fostered trading relations with 212 countries.
BOOK FAIR-The “Gaudeamus” International Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania in Bucharest, came to a close on Sunday. Since it opened its doors, on November 18, the fair hosted 700 events and the stands of over 300 publishing houses. The honorary guest of this year’s edition was the Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions in Romania.
TENNIS– The pair made up of Romanian Horia Tecau and Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer on Sunday won the men’s doubles final of the WTA Tournament in London. In the last match of the competition, Tecau and Rojer defeated the pair Florin Mergea Romania)- Rohan Bopanna (India), 6/4, 6/3. It was for the first time in history that Romania had two representatives in this tournament with 7 million dollars in prize money up for grabs, which brought together the best 8 players of the 2015 season as well as the best men’s doubles pairs.
