May 23, 2016 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 23.05.2016, 12:15
Dan Condrea, the owner of Hexi Pharma, the company at the center of the scandal involving diluted disinfectants used in Romania’s hospitals, died on Sunday in a car crash. The police have not ruled out the possibility of suicide. The investigation was taken over by the prosecutors assigned to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. At the same time, the crisis in the healthcare system will be next week on the agenda of Romania’s Higher Defense Council.
The Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş continues his working visit to the US. His main objective is to further develop economic cooperation between the 2 countries starting from the Strategic Partnership. On Monday, the Romanian official met in Detroit with Board members of the Ford Company and visited the company’s research and innovation center. In the next days Dacian Cioloş will hold talks, in Washington, with vice-president Joe Biden as well as with other American officials. During the visit Romania’s official delegation headed by the PM Dacian Cioloş will meet with representatives of the US business sector and with members of the Romanian community in the US.
The Romanian Foreign Minister, Lazăr Comănescu, on Monday participated in Brussels in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry the Romanian official highlighted the need to identify new ways to prevent the funding of terrorist groups. The talks focused on the EU regional strategy for Syria and Iraq/the anti-ISIS stretegy, the EU’s global strategy as well as the external aspects of migration. Also on Monday minister Comănescu also participated in the ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership that includes the 28 EU countries plus 6 partner states: the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. Talks focused on reiterating the joint commitment of the EU and its partners to continuing to promote the Eastern Partnership as a strategic instrument of action of the EU in its eastern neighborhood. The partnership is based on common interests and commitments and on supporting the reform process in the partner states.
The Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, winner of the Palme dOr in 2007, won on Sunday night, in Cannes, the best director award for his film Baccalaureate (Graduation). The feature film tells the story of a small town physician who has to settle an incident involving his daughter right before her graduation exam. Another Romanian director, Bogdan Mirica, won the film critics’ award for his movie “Dogs” in the Un Certain Regard section. The Palme dOr went to Ken Loach for “I, Daniel Blake”, and the Grand Prize went to ”Its Only the End of the World” by Xavier Dolan.
Romania’s best woman tennis player, Simona Halep, world’s no. 6, on Monday defeated the Japanese Nao Hibino (71 WTA) 6-2, 6-0 in the first round of the Roland Garros tournament. Another Romanian player, Alexandra Dulgheru (129 WTA) lost to Belgian Yanina Wickmayer (52 WTA) 1-6, 3-6. Another 3 Romanian players are participating in the tournament’s women’s singles. Irina Begu (28 WTA) will take on Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US (88 WTA), Monica Niculescu (35 WTA) will be facing the French Pauline Parmentier (95 WTA), and Sorana Carstea (99 WTA) will play in the first round against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (20 WTA).
(news translated by Lacramioara Simion)
