September 6, 2014 UPDATE
A look at some of the headlines in Romania today
România Internațional, 06.09.2014, 12:05
Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed on Saturday during a phone conversation that the ceasefire established on Friday is generally respected, the RIA Novosti news agency quotes the Ukrainian president’s office as saying. According to this same source, Poroshenko and Putin also emphasised the need for the OSCE to become involved in monitoring the situation and compliance with the ceasefire agreement. The truce came into force on Friday at 15,00 GMT following an agreement between Kiev and the rebels signed in Minsk. Radio Romania’s correspondent says, however, that many local residents are sceptical that the ceasefire will bring long-term peace after 6 months of clashes in which 2,600 people have been killed. The leader of the self-proclaimed Lugansk Republic, Igor Plotnitsky said the ceasefire does not mean giving up the idea of breaking up with Ukraine.
The ambassadors of the 28 EU member states on Friday approved new economic sanctions against Russia for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty, despite a new ceasefire between the Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels. The sanctions include consolidated measures on access to capital markets, defence, dual use goods and sensitive technologies. More names were also added to the list of persons targeted by specific sanctions, such asset freeze and travel bans.
The minister delegate for Romanians abroad, Bogdan Stanoevici, said on Saturday he is favour of voting by mail, something Romanians living abroad have required for a long time. He admitted, however, that implementing such a system is complex and difficult, partly because many Romanian nationals are not registered officially in their countries of residence abroad. Bogdan Stanoevici did not give a date for the implementation of the system, but said a bill regulating voting by mail is expected to be submitted to Parliament.
Over 12 million people in Romania will receive their health insurance cards by post by the end of the year. Health minister Nicolae Banicioiu says these cards will ensure a transparent system for spending public funds and guaranteeing health services. Prime minister Victor Ponta said the implementation of the health insurance card system was delayed by one year because of a serious corruption scandal involving the former management of the National Health Insurance Agency.
On Sunday in Piraeus, the national side of Romania will take on Greece in their first game in the qualifying tournament for the 2016 European Championship. The two sides also met last year, when Greece defeated Romania at home and drew in Bucharest to qualify for this year’s World Cup in Brazil. Romania’s Euro 2016 qualifying group also includes Hungary, Finland, Northern Ireland and the Faeroe Islands. Romania last qualified for a final tournament in 2008, for the European Championship.
