March 29, 2016 UPDATE
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Newsroom, 29.03.2016, 12:30
Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday said the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) is a respected and credible partner in the Euro-Atlantic intelligence community and that the institution contributes to Romania’s image of a security provider in the region. Attending the presentation of the SRI report on 2015, president Iohannis praised the institution’s contribution to the fight against corruption and organized crime. The SRI did its duty completely, efficiently and with seriousness, Iohannis went on to say. In turn, the institution’s chief Eduard Hellvig said that almost 350 people running the risk of getting involved in terrorist activities were expelled or were refused entry into Romania last year alone. Among the institution’s challenges is the refugee inflow, Russia’s aggressiveness, the instability of the neighboring Ukraine and the lack of predictability in the Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet Romanian-speaking state close to Romania. There is room for improvement in terms of the institution’s transparency and managing its own resources, the SRI head admitted.
Romanian ship, Stephen the Great, currently on an international mission in the Mediterranean, has rescued over 250 illegal migrants. The operation took place off the Italian shores, where the Romanian vessel is taking part in the patrol mission coordinated by the European Border Agency, Frontex.
A competitiveness report was presented in Bucharest by the Romanian-American Chamber of Commerce AmCham on Tuesday. The AmCham report acknowledges the growth registered by the Romanian economy but at the same time points out to the big gap between the country and the EU average. Among the indicators, that registered a positive evolution as compared to the 2011 edition of the report, was the fight against corruption and the Internet connection rate. According to the document, among the seven fields requiring immediate intervention, there are the demographic transition, healthcare, education and the brain drain. Present at the event, deputy Prime Minister Costin Borc said that such reports are helping the government to improve its activity.
Romanian women’s volleyball side CSM Bucharest on Wednesday will be playing Turkish side Trabzon Ocagi in a home game counting towards the first round of the Challenge Cup’s finals. The return game is due in Turkey on April 3rd. In the competition’s semis CSM clinched a double win against another Turkish side the trophy holder Bursa BBSK. It’s for the first time when a women’s volleyball side from Romania is playing in the finals of a European cup.
