April 21, 2017 UPDATE

Romanian authorities condemn terrorist attack in Paris/ European Gymnastics Championships under way in Cluj Napoca/ Military drill in Latvia

Newsroom, 21.04.2017, 19:11

Paris attack – Bucharest has joined the international community to condemn Thursdays attack in France. Romania expressed solidarity with France and stood for more efficient prevention. In Paris, French president Francois Hollande on Friday chaired an interministerial crisis group in the wake of the attack claimed by the Islamic State terrorist organisation. A policeman was killed and two others wounded by a man who opened fire on the Champs-Elysées. The attacker, a 39-year-old Belgian national called Karim Cheurfi, was shot dead by the security forces. He was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting at police officers in 2001 but got an early release in 2016. The French police also issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect. Tension is high after the Champs-Elysées attack ahead of the first round of the French presidential elections on Sunday. The four frontrunners cancelled their public appearances. Two radicalised young men were arrested three days ago in Marseilles while plotting an attack on behalf of the Islamic State. France has been in a state of emergency since 2015, when 16 people were killed in attacks at the headquarters of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and at a Jewish store.

Brexit – Romania is in favour of a unitary, coherent and fair strategy during the future negotiations on the UKs exit from the European Union, said the Romanian minister delegate for European affairs Ana Birchall, who is on a working trip to Austria. According to a foreign ministry release, during talks with Austrian officials, Birchall also discussed the multiannual financial framework, migration and the Schengen area, the EU strategy for the Danube region, the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership and the need to consolidate cooperation in the run up to Austrias taking over the EU rotating presidency in the second half of 2018, followed by Romania in the first half of 2019. The officials pointed out that Romania and Austria are opposed to the idea of a multi-speed European Union. Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs Michael Linhart also reiterated his countrys support for Romanias entry into Schengen.

Gymnastics – The Romanian gymnasts Larisa Iordache, Olivia Cimpian and Ioana Crisan have qualified for the beam, floor and individual all-round finals at the European Gymnastics Championships under way in Cluj Napoca, north-western Romania. Three times Olympic champion Catalina Ponor has made it to the beam and individual all-round finals. She failed to qualify for the floor final after the judges reviewed her score. 274 gymnasts from 37 different countries, including 10 from Romania, are taking part in the competition. The Romanian womens team roster features Olivia Cimpian, Ioana Crisan, Larisa Iordache and Catalina Ponor, while the mens team roster features Marian Dragulescu, Cristian Bataga, Vlad Cotuna, Adelin Kotrong, Laurentiu Nistor and Andrei Ursache. Only one Romanian male gymnast has made it to the apparatus finals, namely Marian Dragulescu, who qualified for the floor and vault finals. The last time Romania hosted the European Gymnastics Championships was in 1957.

Tennis – The Romanian womens tennis team faces Britain in a Fed Cup World Group II play-off at home. The matches are held on Saturday and Sunday in the Black Sea resort of Mamaia. The Romanian team includes world no. 5 Simona Halep, world no. 33 Irina Camelia Begu, world no. 47 Monica Niculescu and world no. 61 Sorana Cirstea. The British team has two players in the top 100: world no. 10 Johanna Konta and world no. 72 Heather Watson. Romania has met Britain five times so far in the Fed Cup, winning four times.

Military drill – A detachment of Romanian military with Naval Infantry Battalion 307 is participating in Latvia, until April 30, in the “Summer Shield” multinational drill. More than 1,000 soldiers from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the US, Canada, the UK, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland are also participating in the drill. “Summer Shield” has been held in Latvia starting in 2004. As of 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, the drill has been part of the NATO exercises. In 2016, 1,300 soldiers participated in this drill.