18 August, 2017 UPDATE
Romania has joined the international community in condemning the terrorist attacks in Spain.
România Internațional, 18.08.2017, 19:33
Terrorism – Romania has joined the international community in condemning the attacks in Spain. President Klaus Iohannis has sent his condolences to King Felipe VI of Spain, saying the joint initiative to create an International Court for Terrorism must be pursued with even more determination. President Iohannis also reiterated Romanias determination to cooperate closely and continue the fight against terrorism. Three Romanian citizens were wounded in Thursdays terrorist attack in Barcelona, in which 14 people were killed. A van ploughed into the crowds walking along Las Ramblas, the citys busiest pedestrian street. People of more than 30 different nationalities from Europe, South America, Australia and Africa are among the victims. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. Just a few hours after the attack in Barcelona, in the resort of Cambrils, also in Catalonia, five people were shot dead by the police as they were launching another attack. More than 130 people were wounded in the two successive attacks. Three days of national mourning have been declared in Spain. In another development, several people were reportedly stabbed in the Finnish city of Turku. The police have confirmed that one person is in custody, after being shot in the leg.
Refugees – The Romanian foreign minister Teodor Melescanu said Romania recently offered to take in 1,942 refugees who are currently in Greece and Italy. 700 refugees are already in this country, Melescanu told a private TV station. He emphasised Romania was playing an active role in the operations carried in the Black Sea to stop the flow of refugees and rescue those at risk. He also said Romania was working on an initiative to deploy 50 gendarme and police forces to train the Iraqi security forces in the fight against the Islamic State.
Visit – The French president Emmanuel Macron will next Thursday travel to Romania at the invitation of his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis. Talks will focus on ways to expand and develop bilateral relations under the Strategic Partnership, as well as on European and international developments. The visit was decided on the sidelines of the European Council of June 23rd, when Macron accepted the invitation of president Iohannis to continue their dialogue in Bucharest.
Diaspora – The Summer University in Izvoru Muresului, central Romania, came to an end on Friday. The 200 Romanian participants from the historical communities around Romanias borders adopted a resolution calling for the creation of a national strategy to ensure their constitutional right to national identity and their fundamental rights and liberties as members of an ethnic minority. They also called for the creation of a department for Romanian ethnic minorities, an advisory body to support these communities and facilitate access and a direct relationship between the central administration and civil society. The participants raised the alarm about ongoing assimilation policies. The situation is dramatic in the Timoc province, in eastern Serbia, where the around 300,000 ethnic Romanians who live here have no fundamental rights. The representatives of the ethnic Romanian communities in Ukraine warned they are subject to an ongoing process of assimilation, by the dismantling and Ukrainisation of their schools and by discouraging ethnic Romanian children from speaking their mother tongue. They said they needed support from the Romanian state to help them maintain their national identity.
Weather – The Romanian National Meteorology Administration has issued a warning for extreme heat and thermal discomfort, affecting the entire country on Friday and Saturday. The weather will be hot in all regions, with highs reaching 36 degrees Celsius, and even 37 in the south. The temperature-humidity ratio will exceed the critical 80 unit threshold. On Sunday, the weather will grow unsettled in the west, and temperatures will start dropping there.
Football – Romanias football champions FC Viitorul lost 3-1 at home to the Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, in a qualifying match for the Europa League main groups. The return game will take place next Thursday in Austria. We recall that Romanias vice-champions FCSB (formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) have secured a place in the Europa League groups. FCSB hope, however, to play in the Champions Leagues. On Tuesday, they held Sporting Lisbon to a goalless draw in an away match as part of the Champions League playoffs. The return game is scheduled for August 23rd in Bucharest.
