October 20, 2013 UPDATE
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România Internațional, 20.10.2013, 19:18
POLITICS – The prime minister of Romania Victor Ponta starts on Monday an official three-day visit to the US. At the White House, he will have talks with vice-president Joe Biden about the strategic political and military partnership of the two countries, as well as about the inclusion of Romania in the visa-waiver programme. The Romanian prime minister will also meet with World Bank head, Jim Yong Kim, with several Congress members and representatives of important American companies operating in Romania, to discuss investments in energy, IT, heavy industry and modern technologies. Ponta’s visit to the US comes after the Romanian defence minister Mircea Duşa met on Friday with officials in the American State Department.
PROTESTS – Several thousand people took part on Sunday in Bucharest in a rally organised by a coalition of NGOs supporting the union of the Republic of Moldova with Romania. The participants expressed support for the neighbouring country. According to the organisers, Chisinau is subject to trade pressure from Russia, which attempts to hinder Moldova’s European accession plans. We remind our listeners that the Republic of Moldova was established on part of eastern Romanian territories annexed by the Soviet Union further to an ultimatum in 1940.
ECONOMY – Starting on Tuesday, the Romanian government intends to sell 15% of the shares of Romgaz, and estimates to get between 300 and 400 million euros. Fifty-seven million shares are up for sale, in the largest such operation so far. As a novelty, the stock will be sold both in the Bucharest and the London stock markets. The stock will cost between 5.4 and 7.1 euro per share, and the government intends to offer discounts for small investors. Romgaz, which will become the first Romanian company listed in the London stock market, is the largest producer and provider of natural gas in Romania and operates over half of the country’s reserves and exploitation facilities.
SPORTS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep (aged 22), Sunday won the final of the tournament in Moscow, defeating the Australian Samantha Stosur 7-6, 6-2. this is the 5th win for Halep this year, making the Romanian one of the world’s top 15 tennis players. For winning the Moscow tournament, Halep will get a check for 132,470 dollars and 470 WTA points. This year Simona Halep has also won the tournaments in Nürnberg, s-Hertogenbosch, Budapest and New Haven.
