August 17, 2018
Prosecutors are still receiving complaints related to August 10 protests; Canada sends in contingent for NATO air patrols
Ştefan Stoica, 17.08.2018, 13:11
PROTESTS — In Romania, military prosecutors announced they would continue to receive over the weekend complaints from people injured in the gendarme intervention in the so-called diaspora protests one week ago. So far, 200 criminal complaints have been registered, and 90 people interviewed. Military prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation in rem for abusive behavior, abuse of office and negligence while on duty related to the gendarme intervention in the August 10th protests.
MILITARY — Canada will send to Romania 135 military personnel and five F-18 Hornet fighters to take part in NATO air patrols, as announced by the Canadian Air Force, quoted by local sources. The Canadian mission to Romania will take place between September and December 2018, as part of Operation Reassurance, Canadas contribution to NATO activities in Central and Eastern Europe. The Canadian airmen and their fighters will be based at Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase in southeast Romania. Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said that the assistance offered by his country to air patrols in Romania is an important contribution and proof of support to the North Atlantic Alliance.
AWARDS — Ioana Uricaru, director of the film Lemonade, received the Heart of Sarajevo award in the Best Director category on Thursday night at the Sarajevo International Film Festival. The film Love 1. Dog, by Florin Serban, got the two Partners Awards granted by the Bosnian Filmmakers Association: the European Art Cinema Network Award, and the Cineeuropa award, for artistic quality, according to the event website. The award for best movie was granted to the movie Aga by Milko Lazarov. Lemonade, produced by Cristian Mungiu, is Ioana Uricarus feature length debut. Love 1. Dog is Florin Serbans third movie, after When I Want to Whistle, I Whistle, and BOX, and it opens his Love Trilogy, three movies about three ways of loving. Launched in 1995, the Sarajevo Festival became a major cultural event in the Balkan region.
FOOTBALL- Romanian football champions CFR Cluj, and vice-champions FCSB, have qualified in the Europa League play-offs, playing at home. The footballers from Cluj crushed Armenian side Alashkert 5-0, after winning the first leg 2-0. FCSB qualified to the chagrin of Croatian side Hajduk Split, winning 2-1 in Bucharest by a last second goal, after holding the Croatians to a blank draw in the first leg. However, CSU Craiova, Romanias Cup holders, missed the qualification after tying 1-all at home against the Germans from RB Leipzig. In the first leg, Craiova had lost 3-1. In their next games, CFR Cluj plays against Dudelange of Luxembourg, while FCSB plays against Rapid Viena.
TENNIS — Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, number one in the world, qualified to the eighth finals of the WTA tournament in Cincinnati, OH, with almost 2.9 million dollars in prize money, after defeating Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The game had been initially interrupted by rain, and rescheduled a few times. In the eighth finals, the Romanian will face off against Australian Ashleigh Barty, 16th seeded, whom she defeated on Saturday in the semifinals in Montreal. One other Romanian tennis star, Horia Tecau, plays in the doubles in Cincinnati.
BRIDGES — The National Road Company announced that the bridges in Romania are not in serious disrepair. Of the 4,250 bridges in the country, only 37 have technical problems, but most of them are situated on secondary roads, according to the company. The announcement comes after the catastrophic collapse of a bridge in Genoa, Italy, which left dozens of people dead, including one Romanian. One other Romanian is in a coma. The government in Rome opened an investigation into the company that provided maintenance for the bridge, which risks heavy fines.
