COMPET – The EU Competitiveness Council (COMPET) continues its
\nagenda today with one its most important innovation and research programmes,
\nHorizon Europe. The meeting is presided by Romanian Research Minister Nicolae
\nHurduc and the program represents one of Romania’s top priorities during its
\nterm at the helm of the Council of the EU. According to the Romanian official,
\nresearch and innovation should be the core engine of the European Union, which
\nhas the human resources and necessary infrastructure to maintain its status of
\nleader in the field of scientific research. Romania wants to ensure the
\nnecessary conditions for the continuation of the Horizon Europe program
\nstarting 2021.<\/p>\n
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GAC – The General Affairs Council
\nmeeting today in Brussels is expected to decide the work agenda of the European
\nCouncil meeting due next month. Presiding is Romanian Minister for European
\nAffairs, George Ciamba. Talks will focus on the multiannual financial framework
\npost-2020, considering a political agreement on the future budget of the EU
\nshould be reached as late as this autumn. EU officials will also look at the
\nstatus of triggering Article 7 sanctions procedures against Poland for failure
\nto observe the rule of law, and against Hungary, respectively, for failure to
\nuphold fundamental European values.<\/p>\n
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BRANCUSI DAY – Romanians today celebrate Brancusi Day, devoted to
\nthe birth anniversary of famous sculptor Constantin Brancusi. The artist
\nembodies Romanian identity in its material and spiritual entirety, succeeding
\nin committing it to the legacy of universal culture, says Ioan-Aurel Pop, the
\nPresident of the Romanian Academy. An iconic figure of modernist art,
\nConstantin Brancusi was born in Romania and moved to Paris. He is recognized as
\none of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century. The National
\nMuseum of Modern Art in Paris hosts a great number of Brancusi’s works, which
\nin his will he left to Romania. However, upon the refusal of the communist
\nauthorities in Romania to bring home Brancusi’s works upon the sculptor’s
\ndeath, the collection was bequeathed to France along with the contents of his
\nworkshop in Paris. The Romanian Parliament declared February 19 Brancusi Day
\nin 2015.<\/p>\n
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FLU – The death toll of the flu epidemic in Romania has reached
\n138. According to a press release of the National Center for Infectious Disease
\nSurveillance and Control, the last three victims are a 68-year-old woman
\nwithout a previous history of medical diseases who had taken the anti-flu shot
\nand another two women, aged 64 and 81 respectively, both suffering from other
\nmedical conditions and who had not taken the anti-flu vaccine. <\/p>\n
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PSD – The Executive Committee of the
\nSocial-Democratic Party (PSD) is today meeting to decide on the new nominations
\nfor the positions of Transport and Regional Development ministers. The
\nnominations are expected to be discussed later today jointly with coalition parties.
\nAccording to Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, the proposals will also be
\npresented to President Klaus Iohannis before an official announcement is made.
\nTalks follow after Social-Democrat Mircea Draghici withdrew his candidacy for
\nthe position of Transport Minister. Previously, Lia Olguta Vasilescu also
\nwithdrew her candidacy for the position of Minister of Regional Development.
\nPresident Klaus Iohannis has repeatedly refused the nomination of Lia Olguta
\nVasilescu, although he made no reference to Mircea Draghici.<\/p>\n
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RETRIAL – The High Court of Cassation and Justice today admitted
\nthe appeal for annulment filed by former Romanian Senator Dan Sova against his
\n3-year prison sentence in a case where he was charged with influence peddling.
\nThe National Anticorruption Directorate accused Sova of having received 100,000
\neuros in exchange for facilitating a judicial assistance contract between a
\nthermal power plant in Govora and a local law firm. Dan Sova was released from
\nprison in December last year after having served six months of his detention
\ntime, following a Constitutional Court ruling concerning the illegal structure
\nof the five-judge panel.<\/p>\n
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HANDBALL – Romanian handball side CSM
\nBucharest will play RK Borac Banja Luka of Bosnia Herzegovina in the
\nquarterfinals of the men’s Challenge Cup, following a draw hosted today by
\nVienna. The first leg will be played on home turf on March 23 or 24 while the
\nreturn leg will be played the week thereafter.
\nA win against the Bosnian side will pit CSM Bucharest against the winner
\nof the match between HC Vise BM of Belgium and Russia’s HC Neva SPb Sankt
\nPetersburg.<\/p>\n
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TENNIS – Romanian tennis player world no. 2
\nSimona Halep is today playing Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in the second round of
\nthe Dubai Duty Free Championships, totaling 2.8 million dollars in prize money.
\nHalep has played Bouchard four times, the last time winning against her in the
\nAustralian Open last year. Simona Halep has three wins against Eugenie
\nBouchard. Also today the pair made up of Raluca Olaru of Romania and Darija
\nJurak of Croatia defeated second-seeds Nicole Melichar of the United States and
\nKveta Peschke of the Czech Republic 7-6, 7-6 and have advanced to the doubles
\nquarterfinals. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
(Translated by V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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