April 9, 2016 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news.
Newsroom, 09.04.2016, 12:20
GOVERNMENT – Romania’s technocratic government held an informal meeting on Saturday, to discuss the European agenda and preparations for Romania’s taking over the presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2019. Attending the meeting was also Romania’s Ambassador with the European Union, Luminita Odobescu. Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, has asked the Government ever since last autumn, to start preparations early. Iohannis said at the time that Romania’s taking over the European Council’s presidency was a huge responsibility for that country.
HEALTHCARE – Quality standards in the Romanian healthcare system will be introduced in two years, head of the National Authority for Quality Management in Heathcare, Vasile Cepoi, has said. According to Cepoi, these standards will apply to hospitals, family doctors, outpatient care and pharmacies. The medical system will not be able to operate and ensure quality services unless all its structures apply the new standards, Vasile Cepoi has said.
RATING – The international rating agency Standard&Poor’s has decided to maintain Romania’s rating at BBB minus, with a stabile outlook. This is the first rating in the category of those granted to countries recommended for investment. In general, a credit rating is used by sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and other investors to gauge the credit worthiness of Romania thus having a big impact on the countrys borrowing costs.
FESTIVAL – The “Ion Creanga” National College in Bucharest is hosting, on April 9 and 10, the 20th edition of the Japanese Culture Festival “Taiju Matsuri”. Participants will have the chance to learn more about the Japanese culture through Japanese language classes, origami and kimono workshops, film screenings and shows. The theme of this year’s edition is centred on the five basic elements in Japanese philosophy: fire, water, air, earth and void.
FRIGATE — A Canadian frigate part of the NATO Standing Maritime Group in the Mediterranean Sea is currently in the Black Sea Port of Constanta. For three days, Craig Baines, Commander of the Canadian Fleet Atlantic, will have meetings with officials of the Romanian Naval Forces. The Romanian and Canadian marines will train together to perfect tactics and procedures specific to anti-submarine fight and maritime traffic monitoring.
HANDBALL – On Saturday, the Romanian women’s handball team, CSM Bucharest qualified to Champions League Final Four after defeating the Russian team Rostov Don away from home, 29-28. In the first leg, CSM Bucharest grabbed a 26-25 win. On Sunday, HCM Baia Mare, also away from home, face Montenegro’s Buducnost Podgorica, after a 29-24 win for Buducnost in the first leg.
(Translated by E. Enache)
