December 12, 2014
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 12.12.2014, 12:00
The Romanian Government today convenes a special meeting to approve the 2015 draft budget. The budget was built on a 2.5% economic growth, an annual inflation rate of 2.2% and a budget deficit standing at 1.8% of the GDP. Under the new budget, in 2015 the biggest allocations will benefit the ministries of labour, finance, agriculture, European funds, transport and economy. The smallest amounts will go to the ministries of health, culture, administration and internal affairs. The draft budget is to be submitted to Parliament today, and the final voting will be held on December 21st. More on this after the news.
The European Institute of Romania has awarded the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation the 2014 Excellence Award, in the radio broadcasting category, for its promotion of the European spirit and values. The award was granted for the EuranetPlus project, developed by Radio Romania, which produces and broadcasts journalistic material on European issues and is funded by the EC. EuranetPlus is a network of 15 public and private, national, regional, and international radio stations, providing EU news to 20 million listeners every day.
Ukrainian president Petro Porosenko has today hailed what he says its a real truce in the east of the country, after 24 hours of no clashes between Ukrainian soldiers and pro-Russian secessionists. It’s for the first time, after seven months, that nobody has died in the rebel regions, where over 4 thousand 3 hundred people have died since April. In another move, Prime Minister Arseni Iateniuk has stated that Ukraine is on the verge of a financial collapse.
In Italy, public transport, the health care system, education and other sectors are today paralysed by an 8-hour all-out strike against the austerity measures promoted by prime Minster Mateo Renzi’s government. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled and hospitals only provide minimum care. Italian authorities have announced that intercontinental flights departing from Milan or Rome will not be affected. The strike is affecting in particular the north of the country, and it will be duplicate a week from now, in the south. Italian trade unions are unhappy with the government’s plan to reform the labour market. A recent law makes it easier for employers to sack their employees and also diminishes the latter’s rights.
The EU has decided to ban all flights operated by Libyan airlines. There are seven Libyan companies affected by the measure, and the European commission for transport, the Slovenian Violeta Bulc, has explained that, against the background of the recent events in Libya, that country’s civil aviation authority is no longer capable of observing its international obligations regarding security. In all, 208 foreign airlines from 21 countries are on the EU’s black list and are not allowed to operate within the community space.
Romania’s national women’s handball team has qualified for the main groups of the European Championships due in Hungary and Croatia, after defeating on Thursday the Ukrainian team 23-22, in its last match in group B. The Romanian squad finished the group on third position and went to the main group with just one point, won in the match against Denmark, which ended 29-29. In the second leg of the competition, Romania will on Saturday play against Hungary, and it will take on Spain and Poland on Monday and Wednesday respectively.
