August 27, 2023 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 27.08.2023, 20:00

EXPLOSIONS -
Prosecutors with the High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest have
taken over the investigation in Saturday’s explosions at an LPG filling station
in Crevedia near Bucharest. According to Prosecutor General Alex Florența, the preliminary
investigation shows that the first blast occured as employees of the station
were trying to transfer LPG from one tank to another, when they discovered a
source of fire. The second blast occurred
as firefighters were trying to put out the fire. Alex Florența says the
investigation also seeks to establish the role of institutions that should have
inspected the functioning permits of the LPG station, which was a storehouse in
official documents after its fuel trading license had been suspended by the
Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in 2020. The Military Prosecutor’s Office
also started a criminal investigation into the emergency response on scene.
According to the latest update provided by the authorities, one person died of
a heart attack, one person died to the burns while in hospital and another 60
were injured, mostly firefighters. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Sunday
visited the scene of the blasts, announcing all LPG stations in Romania will be
inspected starting Monday. On the other hand, the authorities have activated
the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and 12 victims have already been transferred to
burn clinics in Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany and Norway. Dozens of other
victims are treated in hospitals across the country.

MOLDOVA -
Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, conveyed a message marking the National
Day of the Republic of Moldova, celebrated 32 years since the proclamation of
independence. Romania stands with Moldova and will continue to support its EU
accession, its resilience, its safety and the prosperity of its citizens,
president Iohannis tweeted. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu conveyed a
message of congratulations to Moldovan citizens. The Republic of Moldova has
chosen the path of freedom, it has chosen Europe, the European Commission
president Ursula von der Leyen wrote online, expressing solidarity, friendship
and support for the brave inhabitants of the Republic of Moldova. In 1991,
after the failed coup of conservative forces, the Moldovan Parliament convened
on August 27 to decide the future of the country. The vote was followed by the
biggest National Assembly. 278 deputies voted in favor of the Declaration of
Independence. On March 2, 1992, Moldova became a full member of the UN.

ENESCU FESTIVAL -
The 26th edition of the George Enescu International Music Festival kicked
off on Sunday in Bucharest. For 29 days, 3,500 of the most renowned artists in
the world and over 40 orchestras from 16 countries will climb on stage as part
of 90 concerts. This year’s theme, Generosity through Music, reflects the
fundamental values of the great composer George Enescu and the George Enescu
Award he set up in 1913, describing new approaches in the field of social
engagement, education, training, inclusion and community-wide contribution,
specific to this artistic event. The Vienna Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw
Royal Orchestra of Amsterdam, the National Orchestra of France, the Tonhalle
Orchestra of Zurich, London Symphony Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic
Orchestras are some of the renowned orchestras that will take part in the
festival, alongside such conductors as Cristian Măcelaru, the festival’s
artistic director, Zubin Mehta, Sir Simon Rattle, Wilson Hermanto, Paavo Jarvi,
Delyana Lazarova, Lawrence Foster or Vladimir Jurowski. The George Enescu
Festival has been held in Bucharest since 1958, honoring the memory and works
of the great Romanian composer, pianist, violinist and conductor George Enescu.

ROWING – Romanian
athletes Ilie Sprincean and Oleg Nuță ranked 6 in the
men’s double-canoe 500m race on Sunday at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World
Championships hosted by Duisburg, Germany, which guarantees qualification to
the Paris Olympics next year. On Saturday, the two grabbed bronze in the men’s
double-canoe 1000m race. Romania grabbed 3 medals in the competition – Cătălin Chirilă grabbed
gold in the 500m race, silver in the 1000m race while Ilie Sprincean and Oleg Nuță won bronze in
the 1000m race. So far 10 Romanian athletes have secured qualification to the
Paris Olympics. (VP)