June 5, 2016 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 05.06.2016, 12:15

LOCAL ELECTIONS UPDATE – Bucharesters have for the first time elected a woman for the position of mayor: senator Gabriela Vranceanu Firea, a member of the Social Democratic Party, show exit polls issued on Sunday evening, at the closure of polling stations. A former controversial journalist, who joined the Social Democratic Party 4 years ago, Gabriela Vranceanu-Firea, 44, got 41% of the votes, being followed by Nicusor Dan, the leader of the Save Bucharest Union, a former NGO turned into a party, who got 30% and the leader of the National Liberal Party, Catalin Predoiu with 14%. According to the same polls, the Social Democratic Party has claimed at least 5 of the 6 sectors of the capital Bucharest. The Social Democrats and their allies from the National Union for the Progress of Romania obtained about 40% of the votes for Bucharest’s General Council, followed by the Save Bucharest Union whose percentage varies between 19% and 25%, and the Liberals with 19%. The turnout in Bucharest was only 33%, much below the national average of 48%. With almost 70% of the votes, the former PM Emil Boc from the Liberal Party remains the mayor of the biggest city in northwestern Romania, Cluj-Napoca. These local elections took place in one round, the winner being the candidate who got the simple majority of the votes cast. The measure has been criticized by civil society representatives and the media, which claim that, in the context of a low voter turnout, the future mayors will be considered illegitimate.

IOHANNIS – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, will pay a visit to Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday at the invitation of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The Romanian official will also meet with the prime minister Xavier Bettel, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Mars di Bartolomeo, and the foreign minister, Jean Asselborn. The talks will focus on deepening the political and sectoral relations between Romania and Luxembourg, with special emphasis on boosting economic cooperation as well as cooperation in the fields of research, development and industrial innovation. Another issue under debate will be the preparation of the NATO summit to be held in Warsaw, in July. On the occasion of the visit, the two officials will sign the Exchange Program in the fields of science and technology, education, culture and sports between the government of Romania and Luxembourg, valid for the period 2016- 2021.

MILITARY DRILL – Romanian, American and British soldiers are participating, as of Monday, in the SARMIS-16 multinational drill to be held in Cincu, central Romania. The exercises, which will come to an end on June 18, will be attended by 1,200 soldiers with the Romanian ground forces, 150 British and 200 American soldiers. Aircraft of the Romanian Air Forces will also participate in the military drill.

FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football team on Sunday reached France where they will participate in the finals of the European Championship. Romania will meet the French eleven on June 10 in Paris, in the opening match. They are playing in a group which also includes Switzerland and Albania. In the last training match held Friday in Bucharest the Romanian footballers defeated the Georgian eleven 5-1. In the previous matches, in Italy the Romanians drew the match with the team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1-1 and lost to Ukraine 3-4.

GYMNASYCS – The Romanian gymnast Catalina Ponor on Sunday won 2 bronze medals in the apparatus finals, in the floor and beam events, at the European Gymnastics Championships held in Berne, Switzerland. Ponor, 28, is one of the gymnasts who has obtained the most medals in the history of Romanian gymnastics. She also won 3 gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and another 7 continental titles.

SMURD – 3 of the 4 crew members of the SMURD Romanian emergency rescue service, who died in a helicopter crash in the neighboring Republic of Moldova, were buried with military funeral honors on Sunday, in Iasi (northeastern Romania). The fourth victim was buried with military funeral honors in Bacau (northeastern Romania). Physician Dumea Mihaela, principal medical assistant Sandu Adrian-Gabriel, commander Gavril Ilie Doru and captain-commander Şocae Constantin Voicu were decorated, post mortem, for their professionalism, humaneness and spirit of sacrifice proved in the many rescue missions they participated in. The helicopter crashed during a mission, 20 kms from the Moldovan capital, Chisinau.

(news translated by Lacramioara Simion)