August 29, 2016
Romanian still missing after Italy earthquake, Cabinet holds special meeting
Newsroom, 29.08.2016, 00:00
EARTHQUAKE – A Romanian citizen is still missing, after last weeks earthquake in Italy. According to data made public by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, a total of 11 Romanians died, and 6 were injured. The Minister delegate for relations with the Romanian diaspora, Maria Ligor, had talks with officials of the Italian Civil Protection Department and with Romanian nationals currently living in tents in Amatrice, the village the most severely affected by the quake. PM Dacian Cioloş has convened a special Cabinet meeting today, to look at ways to assist the Romanian citizens affected by the earthquake in Italy and their families.
DIPLOMACY – PM Dacian Cioloş said on Monday, at the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomats, that Bucharest has been denied access to the visa-free Schengen area for political reasons for more than 5 years. Romania, Ciolos added, believes in the revival capacity of the European project and is determined to invest its diplomatic and political resources to that end. According to Dacian Ciolos, a crisis-management approach has used up political energy and time this past year. The meeting in Bucharest focuses on security developments, the dynamics of EU internal processes and preparations for Romanias first turn at the EU Council presidency in the first half of 2019. The participants will also discuss means to strengthen the capacity to provide professional consular assistance, in order to protect the interests and rights of the Romanians traveling or living abroad.
KING MICHAEL – Romanias former sovereign, King Michael I, currently in a stable medical state, is grieving, but is supported by the love and respect of his family and looked after with flawless professionalism by his physicians, His Majestys Press Office reported. The news release comes after media speculated that, according to a representative of the Bishopric Palace in Curtea de Argeş, where Romanian royalty are buried, Prince Radu had said King Michaels health was worsening and signals were not positive. According to the Royal House of Romania, Prince Radu said the King was in a frail state, which, given his age and diagnosis, was declining. Any other speculations, assumptions or allegations are untrue, the Press Office added. Poor health recently prevented the former sovereign from attending the funeral of his wife, Queen Anne.
ANTI-CORRUPTION – The head of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department of the Romanian Interior Ministry, Rareş Văduva, has been indicted by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. According to judicial sources, charges include abuse of office and obstruction of justice, as well as favouring an offender. The same sources said the charges are related to proceedings that had been disjoinded from the case in which the former Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea was sent to court. According to the Anti-Corruption Directorate, during his term in office Gabriel Oprea increased the budget of the Interior Ministrys secret service in order to buy a limousine for his personal use.
WORLD WAR 1 – Bucharest is hosting today a roundtable, a military exercise and a military music concert devoted to the commemoration of 100 years since Romania joined the First World War. On Sunday, in his address given at the opening of commemoration ceremonies, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis paid tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives and called for the construction of a strong and dignified Romanian state. The commemoration of World War One is the strongest argument in favour of the European project, Iohannis added, defining it as the most comprehensive political and cultural project aimed at building the dialogue and understanding among Europeans.
DEFENCE – The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihnea Motoc, is on an official visit to Slovakia today, where he is taking part in the commemoration of the anti-Nazi insurrection during World War 2. He will also visit the Romanian military cemetery in Zvolen, where a ceremony will be held to commemorate the Romanian troops who died in battles to free Slovakia from Nazi occupation. Motoc will have a meeting with his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Gajdos, to discuss means to strengthen the bilateral military cooperation and cooperation within NATO and the EU.
US OPEN – Four Romanians are today playing their first matches at the US Open, the final grand slam of the season. Irina Begu (22 WTA) will take on Ukraines Lesia Tsurenko (80 WTA), Monica Niculescu (57 WTA) will play against the Czech Barbora Strycova (19 WTA), and Ana Bogdan, 117 WTA, will play against another Romanian, Sorana Cirstea, 88 WTA. Two other Romanians will enter the competition on Tuesday. Simona Halep (no. 5 in the world), will face Belgiums Kirsten Flipkens (68 WTA), and Patricia Maria Tig (129 WTA) will play against Laura Siegemund, from Germany, 28 WTA.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)
