October 25, 2014 UPDATE
A roundup of Romanian and international news
România Internațional, 25.10.2014, 13:00
Romania will benefit from EU assistance in view of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, without having to increase its energy prices, President Traian Basescu announced at the end of the European Council meeting held in Brussels. The 28 EU heads of state and government struck a new deal on climate and energy for 2020-2030. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Brussels, the deal involves three main targets related to the emission level, renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as the common goal of improving energy interconnection between EU member states. The European leaders have also agreed on a 300-billion euro plan to encourage economic growth and new jobs, proposed by the new EC headed by Jean-Claude Juncker, which will take office on November the 1st.
October the 25th, the Day of the Romanian Army, was celebrated in Bucharest, around the country and in the operation theatres abroad, with religious and military ceremonies. President Traian Basescu and PM Victor Ponta, alongside several Cabinet members, took part on Saturday in the ceremonies in Carei, north-western Romania, where the last part of the Romanian territory was freed from Hungarian and German occupation on October the 25th, 1944. The head of state paid tribute to the over 800 thousand Romanian troops who died, were wounded or went missing, including those who fought in World War 1 and the Independence War. He also thanked the Romanian Army for its professional conduct in missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, in the Balkans, in Kosovo, and Africa. October the 25th was also the birthday of Romania’s former sovereign, King Mihai I, who turned 93. In a message released on this occasion, PM Victor Ponta said the King was a moral model that Romanian society looks up to.
Radio Romania has launched a series of events to celebrate 86 years since its first broadcast, aired on November the 1st, 1928. Saturday was the Radio Romania Open Door Day in Bucharest, at the public broadcaster’s head offices, with similar events held elsewhere in the country as well. November the 1st is the 86th anniversary of the public radio corporation as well as of the Radio Romania Orchestras and Choirs. The National Radio Orchestra was set up in the same year, 1928, at the initiative and under the leadership of Romanian musician Mihail Jora. The Romanian public broadcaster aired its first programmes abroad in the 1930s.
Ukraine took a day for reflection on Saturday ahead of the early parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday. Opinion polls indicate the Parliament will be dominated by pro-Western parties. According to Radio Romania’s special correspondent, the most likely to win is a new pro-presidential party, the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, which may get over 30% of the votes. Next comes the right-wing nationalist Radical Party headed by Deputy Oleg Lyashko, with 10%. The pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine announced they would not hold elections in the areas under their control.
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has qualified for the WTA Tour Finals in Singapore, after defeating Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-2, 6-2, on Saturday, in the semi-finals of this tournament with 6.5 million US dollars in prize money. No. 4 WTA Halep finished the match against Radwanska in little over an hour, and she is to play against world leader Serena Williams in the final. Simona Halep managed the greatest performance in her career, and is the third Romanian taking part in the WTA Finals, after Virgina Ruzici and Irina Spirlea.
