August 17, 2014 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 17.08.2014, 19:11
The resort of Eforie Nord on the Romanian Black Sea coast is hosting until August the 24th the second “Diaspora Estival” programme addressing the Romanians who live abroad. Attending this event organised by the Romanian Foreign Ministry are 200 representatives of Romanian associations around the world, and of the Government and Parliament of Romania. The programme includes workshops on topics of interest to the Romanian communities abroad. A training seminar on project management and accessing European, cross-border, public and non-reimbursable funds will also be held for the first time as part of the programme.
More religious and cultural events were held in Romania on Sunday as well, to commemorate 300 years since the death of Wallachian ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu and of his sons. On Sunday, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church blessed the Brancoveanu frescoe at the St. George Church at the Mogoşoaia Palace, after a liturgy held by 30 priests. On Saturday a religious service was held at St. George the New Church in Bucharest, the last church commissioned by Brâncoveanu. He was secretly buried here after his death as a martyr in 1714, in Constantinople. President Traian Basescu described Constantin Brâncoveanu in a message as one of the most brilliant political and cultural figures in Romanian medieval history. In turn, PM Victor Ponta said Romanians must look towards the future and learn from the character, wisdom and sacrifice of this great leader.
The Senate of Romania is to hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss the law on a 5% reduction of social insurance contributions starting October the 1st. Representatives of the Christian-Liberal Alliance in the opposition called for special sessions of the two Parliament chambers, to discuss the law. We remind you that the bill was sent back to Parliament by the President, on grounds that the reduction is not sustainable. President Traian Băsescu said he fully supported the measure, but that he had objections with respect to the means to offset the deficit created by its application.
Kiev accused Russia on Sunday of having sent three Grad missile systems into Ukraine and criticised the violation of Ukrainian air space by Russian unmanned aircraft. Also on Sunday, the Ukrainian army announced that pro-Russian rebels shot down a governmental fighter plane near Lugansk, in the east of the country. The pilot was taken by rescue teams to a secure place. Meanwhile, Kiev and Moscow agreed on procedures to inspect the Russian humanitarian convoy before it can enter Ukraine. Nearly 300 Russian trucks, carrying, according to Moscow, 1,800 tons of aid, have been waiting since Thursday on the Ukrainian border. Kiev and the West, which accuse Russia of arming the pro-Russian secessionists in east Ukraine, fear the convoy is a pretext for either a destabilising operation, or for sending reinforcements for the pro-Russian rebels.
