February 21, 2014
Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news.
Bogdan Matei, 21.02.2014, 12:00
ROMANIA’S STAND ON THE SITUATION IN UKRAINE-Romanian foreign minister Titus Corlatean has firmly condemned the violence which led to the loss of human lives in neighbouring Ukraine. Corlatean has underlined that the political leadership in Kiev has the obligation to take action for the immediate cessation of violence and for promoting political dialogue with the opposition. He has called on the leaders of the Ukrainian opposition to distance themselves from the actions carried out by radical groups. Corlatean has reiterated that Ukraine’s stability is essential to Romania, the more so as approximately half a million ethnic Romanians are living in the neighbouring country. In another move, the foreign minister firmly recommends to Romanian citizens to avoid travelling to Ukraine, unless their trips are absolutely necessary. The Romanian citizens who find themselves in difficult situations in Ukraine can call the Romanian Embassy in Kiev and the Romanian General Consulates in Cernauti, in the west, and Odessa, in the south. The Romanian Foreign Ministry mentions that, at the moment, it does not take into consideration the possibility of withdrawing the Romanian diplomatic staff from Kiev and that the embassy, the consular section included, is carrying out its activity in quasi-normal conditions. In Bucharest, participants in the 1989 Romanian anti-communist Revolution have expressed solidarity with the pro-European demonstrators and protested against the bloody repression in Kiev.
UKRAINE-Over 77 people got killed in Kiev on Thursday, in clashes between supporters of the opposition and the riot police, the Ukrainian Health Ministry announced on Friday morning. Some 600 others got injured. Pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych sacked the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Army, Vladimir Zamana. The latter’s deputy, Yuri Dumanski, tendered his resignation, deeming as unacceptable the involvement of military in a civil conflict. No clashes between the two sides were reported overnight, against the backdrop of European efforts being made to mediate the crisis, which, according to pundits, has taken the shape of a real civil war. According to our correspondent, Yanukovych has allegedly accepted to call early parliamentary and presidential elections, demanded by the opposition. In turn, Parliament decided to withdraw troops from barracks and demanded the cessation of fire. Ukrainian citizens are staying in long queues to withdraw their money from banks, following rumours according to which, against the backdrop of the political crisis, the population’s access to personal accounts might be blocked. The financial assessment agency Standard & Poors downgraded Ukraine to CCC, which means the country runs the risk of facing default of payment.
VISIT-The priority development projects of the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet country with a majority Romanian speaking population, the European integration agenda and bilateral cooperation relations are the focal points of the talks between visiting Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Moldovan high officials. Ponta is attending a forum devoted to the joint Romanian-Moldovan participation in European programs and he is due to meet his counterpart Iurie Leanca and president Nicolae Timofti. Earlier, Ponta has had talks with the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Corman. During the talks Ponta expressed the Romanian government’s readiness to share its experience with the Moldovan authorities in accessing European funds and to offer information on what EU integration means.
POLITICAL ROW- The Liberal co-president of the Social Liberal Union, the ruling alliance in Romania, Crin Antonescu, reiterated in a TV show on Thursday evening that if Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Monday refuses to nominate those proposed by the National Liberal Party to hold the portfolios of several ministries and to go to Parliament to restructure the government, the Liberals will consider themselves excluded from the cabinet and will call for the resignation of the Prime Minister. The tensions between the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party on the restructuring of the government has been lasting for over two weeks now and threatens the integrity of the Social Liberal Union.
SPORTS– Last week, after the success she scored in Doha, Qatar, Romanian Simona Halep became the 12th player in the history of women’s tennis to win seven WTA finals in a row. If she manages to win the next final, she will equal the performance of American Serena Williams, No 1 WTA, who won 8 title in 8 consecutive finals. The record is held by German Steffi Graf, who won 15 trophies in 15 finals played in a row.
