May 10, 2016
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Newsroom, 10.05.2016, 12:00
In Romania May 10 is a national celebration, marking 150 years since the start of Carol I’s rule. Also on May 10, 1877 the Romanian state proclaimed its independence and in 1881 Romania became a kingdom. On May 10, 1866 prince Carol Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was proclaimed ruling prince of the united Romanian Principalities under the name of Carol I. Royalty Day is being marked these days by various events across Romania. The Romanian Royal Family decided to celebrate on May 10 Monarchy Day at the Peles Castle in Sinaia, a castle built by King Carol I.
Romania reports a big delay in absorbing EU funds as part of the 2014-2020 financial program and it should do its best to use all opportunities provided by this program, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, said Tuesday in Bucharest. According to her, the number of new projects and operations approved is too small. She also reminded the Romanian officials that Romania needs highways, modern railways and hospitals. Corina Cretu added that the pace of projects development and fund absorption had to be accelerated and recalled that all steps were taken in Brussels for Romania to attract more European money. According to Commissioner Cretu, the target of the European Commission as well as of the Romanian authorities is for structural and cohesion funds to support again Romania’s economic growth and the creation of jobs for Romanians. Corina Cretu also warns that if Romania fails to start absorbing funds in the next months, Romania risks failing to achieve sustainable economic and social development. In the period 2007-2013 the absorption of European funds as shown by documents stood at 75%, Corina Cretu added.
On Monday the “Regina Maria” Theater in Oradea (western Romania) hosted the 24th edition of the Romanian Theaters’ Union Awards Gala. Attending were almost 500 actors, directors, stage designers and theater critics. The prize for best show of 2015 was awarded to the show “Our class” by Tadeusz Sobodzianek, directed by Laszlo Bocsardi from the “Lucian Blaga” National Theatre in Cluj-Napoca. Radu Afrim was designated best director for his show “Tihna”- “Rest” staged in Targu Mures. The awards for best actors in a leading role went to Marian Ralea and Emilia Dobrin. The play “Jucatorul de table” — “The Backgammon player” by George Arion, a production of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation won the best radio drama award.
The IMF has issued the Spring Economic Report for Central and Southeastern Europe. According to the report, after a period of solid growth, the region is heading for a troubled period. Between 2016-2017 the IMF expects a relatively robust growth in the region of 3% annually. Attending the launch of the report, the governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isarescu, pointed out that Romanians wanted to have, just like in 2007-2008, a rapid economic growth rate without considering its sustainability. He believes that the Romanian society is not ready to understand that an unsustainable economic growth will be corrected sooner or later. He added that there is no real substitute to coherent economic policies, implemented in the context of transformations taking place in Europe.
One man has been killed and three others wounded on Tuesday near Munich, in Germany, in a knife attack, with police investigating a possible Islamist connection. If suspicions are confirmed, this is the 3rd such attack since last September. The previous two attacks were targeted at policemen. German- speaking fighters who claimed to belong to the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria threatened Germany and the German chancellor Angela Merkel in August 2015. They swore to take revenge for the support provided by Germany to the fight against the Islamic State and for the presence of German soldiers in Afghanistan.
(news translated by Lacramioara Simion)
