May 16, 2017
Romania reports most significant economic growth in the EU/ Finance ministry employees' protest/ General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels
Newsroom, 16.05.2017, 13:50
Statistics — Romania has reported the most significant growth of all 28 EU states, with a GDP increase of 5.6% in the first quarter of 2017 as compared to the same period of last year- shows the preliminary estimate published on Tuesday by Eurostat. After Romania, the biggest growth rates in the period January — March 2017 were reported by Poland and Lithuania (both with 4.1%). Also in the first quarter of 2017, as compared to the previous 3 months, Romania reported the highest economic growth rate in the EU, namely 1.7%. According to data published on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics, Romania’s economy increased by 5.7% in the first quarter of 2017 as compared to the same period of last year.
Protest — As many as 15 thousand employees of the Romanian Ministry of Finance continue, Tuesday, their spontaneous protest against the draft law on the salaries of the public sector employees which could lead to salary cuts. Customs workers are also participating in the protest. On Monday as many as 22 thousand employees of the institutions subordinated to the Finance Ministry stopped work to start a spontaneous protest both in Bucharest and several counties of Romania. The talks between trade unions’ leaders and the finance ministry’s officials have ended in no results.
General Affairs Council — The Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Ana Birchall, is today participating in the meeting of the General Affairs Council in Brussels. According to a press communiqué, the European foreign affairs ministers are debating the agenda of the future European Council meeting to be held between June 22- 23. High on the agenda are issues such as migration, security and defense, employment, economic growth and competitiveness, and foreign relations. The General Affairs Council also intends to follow the implementation of the measures adopted at the March European Council in the context of efforts meant to streamline decision-making at European level and to ensure transparency of their implementation, to the benefit of European citizens. Another issue on the meeting agenda refers to the presentation by the European Commission of the actions taken following the launch of the White Paper on the future of the EU.
Climbing Everest — Romanian Horia Colibăşanu on Tuesday obtained a remarkable sport achievement at international level, which is also a national first, after he climbed on Mount Everest (8,848m), the highest mountain on the planet, without oxygen reserves and without the help of Sherpas. Horia Colibăşanu’s climbing lasted almost 12 hours, his last camp being set up at 8,300 m. Mount Everest is the 8th climbing attempt in the Horia’s record and it was a real challenge for him. He wants to climb the world’s all 14 peaks exceeding 8,000 meters. This has been Horia’s 19th international expedition.
Tennis — Romanian tennis player Irina Begu (44th WTA) is taking on today Latvian Anastasija Sevastova (17th WTA) in the first round of the Rome tennis tournament, which has prizes up for grabs worth 2.7 million dollars. In the same round, Monica Niculescu (48th WTA) will be taking on today the Dutch player Kiki Bartens (20th WTA). After winning the Madrid tournament for the 2nd consecutive year, Simona Halep (4th WTA), will play on Wednesday, directly in the 2nd round, against the German Laura Siegemund (32nd WTA).
Migrants — As many as 30 foreign citizens, from Iraq and Syria, were caught by the Romanian border police at the frontier with Serbia while they were trying to illegally enter Romania- shows a communiqué of the Territorial Inspectorate of the Border Police. They illegally crossed the border between Serbia and Romania in their attempt to head for western European countries. (translation by L. Simion)
