June 20, 2016 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 20.06.2016, 12:30
VISIT The relation with Germany is privileged and of strategic importance for Romania, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said on Monday after holding talks in Bucharest with his German counterpart Joachim Gauck. Iohannis said that for several years Germany had been Romania’s first trade partner and the third investor in its economy and that development potential continues to be high. The German official said that Romania must offer a legal framework that offers security so that it may benefit from the economic potential it has. Gauck said that Germany is closely monitoring the reforms and anti-graft fight in Romania and the Romanian anti-corruption agency DNA offers positive signals to the business and political environments. The German official went on to say that Germany received an important signal from the Romanian state and society of being loyal to Europe, particularly at a difficult time like this. Also on Monday Joachim Gauck met Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos and the presidents of the two chambers of Parliament.
DECEASED Romania’s former Defence Minister between 1990 –1991, gen. Victor Atanasie Stanculescu died at the eage of 88 on Sunday. He was a key player in the Romanian anti-communist uprising of 1989, when as a deputy of the then Minister of Defence, was sent to stifle the street protests in Timisoara, western Romania. After the flee of dictator Ceausescu and his wife, it was general Stanculescu who ordered the troops to return to their barracks and stop shooting at protesters. However, for the role he played in repressing the revolts in Timisoara, the Supreme Court had Stanculescu sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2008. He did five years of his sentence before being released on medical grounds.
HOLIDAYS Over 60,000 Romanians have spent their Pentecost holidays in various resorts on the Black Sea coast spending roughly 8 million euros in three days, says data released by the Romanian Tourist Employers Federation. On the other hand, according to a survey by an on-line travel agency, some of the affluent Romanians who rely on mobile devices to plan and book holiday tickets, could pay even up to 1,500 euros for a holiday. London was the top tourist destination of mobile device users last year. Women also prefer holidays in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris and Athens, while Athens comes next in the men’s preferences followed by Berlin, Rome and Amsterdam. The average age of those booking holiday tickets via mobile devices is 34 years.
WEATHER Bad weather wreaks havoc on Romania. In the centre of the country a two-year-old girl died when a tree broken by storm smashed into the family car. Gale force winds have destroyed hundreds of roofs, including of two churches, as well as many electricity poles, leaving over 10 thousand households without electricity. A man was killed and another one wounded by lightning in the west of the country. Meteorologists have issued a code yellow alert for bad weather in 12 counties in the north, northwest, centre, west and southwest, valid through Tuesday. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos will be hosting a videoconference tomorrow with the prefects in the affected areas to discuss measures to reduce the effects of the bad weather. The weather remains unsettled for this period, with showers, thunderstorms, gale-force winds and even hailstorms in some places. The country’s south and centre have been plagued by hot weather, where the discomfort index remains above 80.
FOOTBALL Disciplinary procedings have been opened against football federations in Romania and Albania for the incidents involving their fans during the game between the two sides in Lyon on Sunday. We recall that on Sunday night Romania’s national football side blew its chances to qualify for the round of 16 of the European Championships in France after conceding a one-nil defeat to Albania. With only one point, Romania ended on the last position in Group A. We recall that Romania was also outperformed by France 2-1 in the tournament’s first game, ending in a one-all draw their match against Switzerland. The Sunday’s game pitching France against Switzerland ended in a goaless draw. The two sides have qualified for the competition’s next stage, while Albania only stands theoretical chances. Romania’s last participation in a European Football Championship was in 2008, when our side was also eliminated in the group’s stage.
