October 2, 2015
For a roundup of domestic and international events, click here.
Newsroom, 02.10.2015, 12:00
DIESELGATE – Bucharest authorities are looking into the ripple effects of the global emissions scandal targeting the German carmaker Volkswagen. The German group admitted that some of its diesel-powered makes have been fitted with a software designed to cheat car pollution tests. According to Serban Dobre, the head of the Pollution and Technical Assistance Department with the Romanian Car Registry Authority, cars will be recalled to service units only after the German car certification authority provides concrete data regarding cars flagged for experiencing emission problems. Bucharest doesnt rule out the possibility of demanding damages for any green taxes paid by Romanian car owners that are not in line with the agreed European norms and standards.
MOLDOVA – Moldovan president Nicolae Timofti has warned there are forces trying to thwart Moldovas efforts to join the European Union. The armed conflict in neighbouring Ukraine and Russias repeated embargos on Moldovan products have seriously affected internal politics, the president told the media in his review of social and political events. President Timofti admitted that anti-government protests are the result of peoples discontent at the activity of public institutions or with certain officials. The president has warned however that protests might be manipulated by pro-Russian revanchist groups seeking to turn the internal turmoil to their advantage and thus block Moldovas path to EU accession. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced the Government in Bucharest would give Moldova a refundable loan of 150 million euros, and that pro-Russian factions might regain control of Moldova. As of September 6, a new wave of protests has swept the capital city Chisinau, against the backdrop of waning economic growth and huge corruption scandals involving high-ranking officials from the pro-Western Moldovan Cabinet.
SYRIA – French president François Hollande and Russian president Vladimir Putin are today discussing fears of Russia carrying out ‘indiscriminate airstrikes targeting Syrian militants. The White House has recently announced that Russias airstrikes this week are ‘indiscriminate and thus risk sinking Russia deeper into this crisis, the BBC reports. Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov says however that the airstrikes are directed against the very same terrorist groups targeted by the US-led international coalition and has even suggested Russia join the fight against the Islamic State. Russia and France are split over the fate of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. While the Syrian president has Moscows backing, Paris and Washington want to oust Assad from power as quickly as possible, seeing him as sole responsible for sinking Syria into chaos.
GERMAN UNITY DAY – US Secretary of State John Kerry has congratulated Germany for marking 25 years since its reunification, labelling US-German relations ‘the cornerstone of the entire transatlantic partnership, reads a DPA news agency release. “The unified Germany we see today inspires people around the world because of its commitment to democracy, human rights and prosperity, the US official said. Next week German president Joachim Gauck will pay a visit to the United States to celebrate German reunification together with president Barack Obama at the White House. Divided by the Allies after the collapse of the Nazi regime, Germany was made whole again on October 3, 1990, when the former German Democratic Republic adhered to the laws and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany.
TABLE TENNIS – Romanian table tennis players Elizabeta Samara and Bernadette Szocs have qualified to the womens singles round of last 32 at the European Championships in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Andrei Filimon and Ovidiu Ionescu are also competing in the mens doubles. Elizabeta Samara and Georgina Pota from Hungary, Adina Diaconu and Mateja Jeger of Croatia, as well as Cristina Hirici and Camelia Postoaca are competing in the womens singles. We recall that Romania has won silver in the team event after losing the final to Germany.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis players Irina Begu and Monica Niculescu on Friday have qualified to the doubles final of the WTA tennis tournament in Wuhan, China, totalling 2.2 million dollars in prize money. In the semi-finals, the Romanians won against Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic, seeded 6th in the competition. All of Romanias representatives in the womens singles have been knocked out.
SHOOTING – US president Barack Obama has condemned Thursdays shooting in a college campus in Oregon. The president once again called on Congress to pass new firearms control laws. Obama delivered a wake-up call to the entire nation to beseech action. A gunman opened fire onto an Oregon college campus, killing at least 10 people and wounding another 25 before the police shot him dead.
