December 4, 2023
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 04.12.2023, 13:55
Anniversaries. The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest are meeting in a special session today to mark the National Day of Romania celebrated on 1st December and the anniversary of 105 years since the Great Union. In the wake of WWI, on 1st December 1918, all provinces with a majority ethnic Romanian population came under Bucharests authority. Meeting in Alba Iulia, in the centre, the representatives of the Romanians in Transylvania, Banat, Maramureș and Crișana, territories which were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, voted to become united with the Kingdom of Romania. Earlier, on the 28th November, a similar decision was taken at the General Congress of Bukovina, another province that had been annexed by the Hapsburgs. On 27th March 1918, amidst the dissolution of the Tsarist Empire, the Country Council in Chișinău had already voted in favour of the union with Romania of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina, which today are in the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine.
Cop 28. Romania joined the International Solar Alliance, an organisation numbering 120 states, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference hosted by the United Arab Emirates. Romanias energy security will grow following this move, said president Klaus Iohannis. In his address, he reiterated Romanias firm commitment to become carbon neutral, including by using renewable energy sources. At the weekend, Iohannis had talks with the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry on expanding the climate change, environment and green transition component of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States. The Romanian president also met members of the European Youth Forum whose aims include protecting the planet and making young people part of the democratic consultation process.
Visit. Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu and the cabinet members accompanying him on his trip to the United States are today attending a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington. Also today, the Romanian prime minister will meet defence secretary Lloyd Austin and secretary of state Antony Blinken. Later today, he is also due to meet secretary of energy Jennifer Granholm. Ciolacu is accompanied on his US visit by defence minister Angel Tîlvăr, foreign secretary Luminiţa Odobescu and economy minister Radu Oprea. On Tuesday, Ciolacu will meet representatives from Lockheed Martin, the arms manufacturing company, and leaders of the armed services committees in the House of Representatives, and later also representatives of Google and the United States Energy Association. On Wednesday in New York, on the final day of his US trip, the Romanian prime minister will meet the president of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder, the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres and the president of the UN General Assembly Dennis Frances.
Handball. Romania defeated Serbia 37-28 on Sunday evening in Herning, Denmark, in Group E at the World Womens Handball Championship. Having also won their opening match on Friday against Chile, 44-19, Romania have already qualified for the competitions main groups. In their final group match, they will face Denmark on Tuesday evening. The Romanian star player Cristina Neagu, four times the winner of the best player in the world title, is yet to make an appearance at this championship. Romania is the only side to have taken part in all the 26 editions of the World Womens Handball Championship, winning the world title back in 1962, as well as two silver medals, in 1973 and 2005, and a bronze medal, in 2015. At the previous edition, Romania ranked 13th. (CM)
