14 April 2014, UPDATE
A roundup of of domestic and international news
Valentin Țigău, 14.04.2014, 20:11
On Monday, Romanian President Traian Basescu said in Constanta, Romania’s main port on the Black Sea, that he was not an adversary to Moscow, but he could not help noticing that Moscow had built a circle of fire around the Black Sea. The president made the statement after visiting the US destroyer Donald Cook, which is on a four day stopover in Constanta. Until Thursday, US and Romanian seamen will be running training activities in Romanian territorial waters and international waters in the Black Sea. The mission of the destroyer, as announced by the US Department of Defense, is to offer guarantees to NATO allies and Black Sea Partners.
The interim president of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turcinov, on Monday signed a degree regarding the start of a special operation in eastern Ukraine. He ordered the enforcement of April 13th decision regarding immediate measures to combat terrorist threats and preserve Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The enforcement of the decision is to be supervised by the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. Also on Monday Turcinov talked about the possibility of holding a referendum on the status of the country on the same day as the presidential elections, scheduled for May 25th. Russia, accused by the West of fueling tensions in Ukraine, has called on Kiev to put an end to the war against its own people and has stated that the West’s reactions to the events in Ukraine are mere hypocrisy.
On Monday, the EU approved a one billion Euro aid to Ukraine, reducing customs taxes for that country, which is currently facing a tough economic situation. The EU foreign ministers have put another four people on the list of 18 pro-Russian Ukrainians sanctioned for embezzlement. The EU wants to grant Ukraine a total of 11 billion Euros worth of financial aid, but the installments must be approved by the IMF. At the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg, Romania was represented by Titus Corlatean.
2014 is decisive for the future of Moldova, and Romania believes in Moldova’s European aspirations, said Valeriu Zgonea, chairman of Romania’s lower chamber of parliament, while on a visit to Chisinau. He met his counterpart from Moldova, Igor Corman, and his counterpart from the Czech Republic, Jan Hamacek. At the same time, Zgonea praised the progress made by the authorities in Chisinau towards European integration, emphasizing the successful negotiation of the Association Agreement, which is soon to be signed. The Czech parliamentarian reaffirmed his country’s support of Moldova’s European orientation, pointing out that social unity is needed to see this project through.
The documentary ‘The Square’, a US-Egypt joint production, directed by Jehane Noujaim, won the Cinepolitica trophy at the Bucharest International Film Festival. The movie was nominated at the Oscars for Best Documentary, and tells the story of young people in Egypt struggling for their rights in the face of serious obstacles. The award for best political movie went to the Brazilian film Neighboring Sounds, directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho. An honorable mention went to the Ukraine-France-Georgia-Armenia production Paradjanov, directed by Serge Avedikian and Olena Fetisova.
