ROMANIA -
\nFRANCE RELATIONS – Romania is a key partner of France in the
\nregion, French Ambassador to Bucharest Michele Ramis said on Friday at the
\nreception celebrating the National Day of France. Michele Ramis congratulated
\nRomanian authorities for their successful presidency of the Council of the EU.
\nThe French official recalled that in 2019 bilateral relations were marked by
\nthe Romania – France culture season, which comes to an end on Sunday. The series
\nof events were a success, especially with the young generations, with over 800
\nevents held in 160 cities across France and Romania, Ambassador Ramis went on
\nto say. Michele Ramis also referred to the over 2,300 French businesses
\noperating in Romania, which make up for some 120,000 jobs. The National Day of
\nFrance was also celebrated in Iasi, Brasov, Cluj and Timisoara. <\/p>\n
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PRESIDENCY – The Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest on Friday
\nhosted a gala concert, marking the end of the Romanian Presidency of the
\nCouncil of the EU. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila presented the main results of
\nRomania’s term in office. Romania fought for a Europe for all, one that
\npromotes unity in diversity and where hatred and discrimination have no place,
\nPrime Minister Dancila said. Romania’s record at the helm of the Council of the
\nEU includes the completion of 90 legislative files and the adoption of 84
\nconclusions of the Council, on topics of common interest. Some 2,500 events and
\nmeetings have been organized, of which 300 in Romania. The Romanian official
\npointed out the Romanian presidency achieved its set goals and was appreciated
\nby all European partners. <\/p>\n
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EU – Former
\nSocial-Democrat MEP Ioan Mircea Pascu, proposed by the Government for the
\nposition of interim Commissioner for Regional Policy, was designated a member
\nof the Commission, although he will not be holding any portfolio. The same will
\ngo for Estonia’s candidate, Kadri Simson. The decision was taken by European
\nCommission President Jean-Claude Juncker, considering the short duration of the
\ntwo candidates’ term in office. On October 31, the new European Commission is
\nexpected to take office. Under the regulation, Juncker interviewed the two
\ncandidates on Thursday and assessed their skills. Ioan Mircea Pascu and Kadri
\nSimson will also appear on Wednesday before the European Parliament committee
\nchairmen, while Parliament will vote on their appointment on Thursday in
\nStrasbourg. Aged 70, Ioan Mircea Pascu is due to take over the regional policy
\nportfolio from Corina Cretu, who has won an MEP seat in the new Parliament on
\nbehalf of the Pro Romania Party. Ioan Mircea Pascu has been an MEP since 2007,
\nthe year of Romania’s EU accession. <\/p>\n
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ENVIRONMENT – Losing
\nbiodiversity is one of the global issues facing all societies today, said the
\nRomanian Minister of the Environment, the Deputy Prime Minister Gratiela
\nGavrilescu, at the first informal meeting of environment ministers organized
\nunder the Finish Presidency of the Council of the EU. Gratiela Gavrilescu has
\nrecalled that during the Romanian Presidency, which ended on June 30th this
\nyear, biodiversity was a priority, and efforts were made to push forward
\nnegotiations on the LIFE Programme post 2020, as well as to find common points
\nin the preparation for the post – 2020 Global Framework. The EU’s long-term
\nstrategy with regard to climate change was a major objective for Bucharest, the
\nRomanian minister has stated, adding that the EU must keep acting, both
\ninternally and externally, and support actions in the field by means of a large
\nnumber of cooperation instruments, including financial.<\/p>\n
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GOLDEN STAG – 12 artists from ten countries will compete
\nfor the Grand Trophy of the Golden Stag Music Festival in Brasov, central
\nRomania, which starts on August 22nd. The finalists are Tamara of Georgia,
\nRalfs Eilands of Latvia, Veronica Liberati of Italy, Florin Raduta of Romania,
\nAnna Odobescu of the Republic of Moldova, Alfie Arcuri of Australia, Renate of
\nRomania, Cynthia Verazie of Cyprus, Eliza G of Italy, Syuzanna Melqonyan of
\nArmenia, Monika Marija of Lithuania and Sara de Blue of Austria. Carrying on a
\n50 year long tradition, besides their own pieces, the competitors will also
\nperform a song in Romanian. The first edition of the festival was held in 1968.
\nIn time, it became the largest international music festival organized in
\nRomania and has enjoyed performances by famous artists such as Diana Ross, Amalia Rodrigues, Julio Iglesias, Dalida, Sheryl Crow, Tom
\nJones, Juliette Greco, Vaya con Dios, Coolio, Christina Aguilera, Cliff
\nRichard, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Martin, Kelly Family, Patricia Kaas, Gilbert
\nBecaud, Josephine Baker, Toto Cutugno, Enrico Macias, Boy George, James Brown,
\nRay Charles, UB 40, Scorpions or Pink.<\/p>\n
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TENNIS – Romanian
\ntennis player Simona Halep, no.7 in the WTA rankings, and the American Serena
\nWilliams, no. 10 WTA, on Saturday are playing the final of the Wimbledon
\ntournament, the third Grand Slam of the year. On Thursday, in the semifinals,
\nHalep defeated the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (8WTA) 6-1, 6-3, and Williams beat
\nthe Czech Barbora Strycova (54 WTA), 6-1, 6-2. This is the first time that
\nHalep has qualified to the Wimbledon final, and the fifth grand slam final on
\nher record sheet. She is the second Romanian to play the Wimbledon final, after
\nIlie Nastase, in the men’s singles, who lost the finals back in 1972 and 1976.<\/p>\n
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(Translated by M.
\nIgnatescu & V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A roundup of domestic and international news<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":75903,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[34873,33738,34872,34242,28900,32266],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-103639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsflash","tag-eu-environment-policy","tag-golden-stag-festival","tag-ioan-mircea-pascu","tag-romania-france","tag-simona-halep","tag-wimbledon-tournament"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n