May 12, 2014
News and Current Affairs from Romania
Bogdan Matei, 12.05.2014, 11:59
OSCE President Didier Burkhalter and European foreign ministers pleaded on Monday in Brussels for dialog in the situation in eastern Ukraine, after the illegal referendums on Sunday in that region. They emphasized the importance of the presidential elections scheduled for 25 May. The head diplomats of the EU were attending a meeting dedicated to the volatile situation. Romania was represented by its foreign minister, Titus Corlatean. You can find out more after the news.
Delegate Minister for Romanians Everywhere, Bogdan Stanoevici visited Israel, discussing in Jerusalem with Immigration and Integration Minister Sofa Landver projects aimed at immigrants in Israel. They examined ways of helping immigrants integrate while preserving their identity. The two discussed future exchanges in education between Romanian and Israeli schools. The minister also met Natan Sharansky, head of the Diaspora Agency. The talks emphasized the importance of better relations between the two countries, especially in social matters. Stanoevici also met with representatives of HOR, the oldest and largest Romanian Israeli organization. Representatives of the 30 branches of the organization pointed out various issues facing members, especially Holocaust survivors. Around 400,000 Romanian Jews and their descendants live in Israel.
Consumer prices went up in April in Romania by 0.27% from the previous month, and by 1.21% as opposed to April 2013, the National Institute of Statistics reports. In the first quarter of the year, the monthly rate of inflation was 0.4%, as compared to 0.5% in the same period of last year. Romania’s National Bank expects inflation to drop from 3.5% to 3.3% by the end of the year.
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday received Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Avril D. Haines, discussing regional issues, as well as the good cooperation the Romanian and American security services enjoy. The head of state announced that US Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will soon be visiting Romania. The visits come against the background of the Ukraine conflict, and efforts by the US and NATO to assure its CEE allies that the alliance is making a common front in the face of mounting Russian pressure.
Employees of the Romania Postal Services have scheduled for Tuesday a token strike, as they claim poor work conditions and bad management. This action is part of a schedule of protests initiated last week. On Sunday, four thousands postal workers picketed the government building, announcing future action as well. The management of the Postal Service, which failed to privatize the institution last year, says that the market for paper mail is plummeting, which made necessary redundancies. By late March, the institution had accrued debts towards the state budget of over 200 million lei, around 45 million Euro.
