August 14, 2015 UPDATE

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România Internațional, 14.08.2015, 12:15

Romania, alongside the Czech Republic and Poland, registered the highest economic growth rate in the EU in the second quarter of 2015, as compared to the same period of 2014, the European Office for Statistics, Eurostat, has announced. In the April-June 2015 period, the GDP increased by 4.4 % in the Czech Republic, by 3.7% in Romania and by 3.6% in Poland. In the same period, the GDP increased by 1.6% in the EU and by 1.2% in the Euro zone. In another move, the data made public by the National Institute for Statistics on Friday, show that in the first half of the year, Romanias GDP increased by 3.7% as compared to the same period of 2014, whereas in the second quarter of 2015 it increased by 3.2% as compared to the same period of 2014. In early May the European Commission improved Romanias economic growth estimates up to 2.8% for 2015 and up to 3.3% for 2016, due to consistent domestic consumption and the return of investors.

Christian believers in Romania are celebrating the Dormition of the Mother of God on Saturday, a feast that commemorates the falling asleep or death of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Hundreds of thousands of believers go on pilgrimages to places of worship such as the Nicula, Rohia, Hodoş-Bodrog monasteries or the catholic monastery in Cacica. Also on Saturday Romania marks the Navy Day, the Holy Virgin being considered the protector of seamen. One day before the 113th anniversary of the Navy Day, the Black Sea port of Constanta hosted the celebrations marking Thanksgiving Day, when homage was paid to all sailors who in times of peace or war lost their lives in various missions at sea. On Navy Day all the river and sea ports in Romania will host special festivities for which 2,000 marines and sailors have been mobilized alongside more than 35 ships and boats of various classes and categories, as well as 9 aircraft. In 2015 the Romanian Navy Day coincides with the anniversary of 155 years since the publication of the decree through which the modern military navy was created in 1860.

Romanias new ambassador to the United Nations Organisation, Ion Jinga, was received in New York on Thursday by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to whom he presented the letters of accreditation, a communiqué issued by Romanias Permanent Mission to the UN shows. Ion Jinga has mentioned Romanias remarkable tradition in the field of multilateral diplomacy, confirmed by its 60 year presence in the UN, the relation with this organisation being a priority of Romanias foreign policy. In turn, Ban Ki-moon has said the arrival of the new Romanian ambassador comes at the best possible moment, marked by the adoption of the sustainable development objectives for the 2015-2030 period and in a symbolic year, when the UN celebrates 70 years of existence.

The representatives of the Romanian parliamentary parties will meet on August 20th for technical talks on the new fiscal code bill, the first vice-president of the National Liberal Party (the main opposition party) Catalin Predoiu announced Friday. The National Union for the Progress of Romania, in the ruling coalition, confirmed their participation in the consultations. Early this month the interim president of the Social Democratic Party, the biggest party in the governing coalition, Liviu Dragnea, pointed out that the Social Democrats will go to any meeting on the topic of the fiscal code bill. The draft fiscal code was sent back to Parliament by the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on July 17th for re-examination and it will be reanalyzed in an extraordinary session at the end of August.

The American secretary of state, John Kerry, has paid a historic visit to Cuba, the first to be paid by an American official to this country in the past 70 years. On Friday John Kerry participated in the official ceremony marking the reopening of the American embassy to Havana after a 54-year break in the American- Cuban diplomatic relations. He attended the ceremony of hosting the American flag on the embassy building. The US and Cuba announced in December 2014 the resumption of diplomatic relations after more than 50 years.

Pakistan
marked Independence Day on August 14th. Pakistanis commemorated the day when Pakistan achieved independence and
was declared a sovereign nation following the end of the British Raj in 1947. Pakistan came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement that aimed for the creation of an independent Muslim state by division of the north-western regions of South Asia. The main Independence Day ceremonies take
place in Islamabad, where the national flag is hoisted at the Presidential and Parliament buildings.