May 30, 2016

Prince Charles visits Romania; Last week of local campaigning in Romania

Newsroom, 30.05.2016, 11:59

PRINCE CHARLES — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis receives today in Bucharest Prince Charles of Wales. He has scheduled talks with PM Dacian Ciolos. Last year, Prince Charles launched in Romania his own foundation for preservation of heritage and sustainable development. He has been visiting Romania a lot over the last few years, where he owns a few pieces of property, spending vacations. He is passionate about the medieval Saxon architecture in the center of the country, fortifications, fortified churches, and houses built by Germans who colonized Transylvania in the Middle Ages.

ELECTIONS — Romania enters today in its last day of campaigning for local elections, held on Sunday. Over 250,000 people are in the race for mayoral positions, as well as positions in local and county councils. Also campaigning are candidates for sector council or the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest. For the first time in post-communist Romania, there will be only one round of voting, a move that was strongly opposed by civil society and the press, who claim that elected officials will lack legitimacy because of the low attendance rates for voting. Commentators add, however, that this election may clean up local administrations, generally discredited by a large number of corruption scandals. Last year alone, prosecutions were launched against 14 municipal mayors, nine county council chairmen, and one prefect. In Bucharest, the mayor and four of the six sector mayors were detained on anti-corruption charges.

UNIONS — A new round of negotiations between the technocrat government in Bucharest and trade unions in education failes today, after disagreements were not overcome regarding salary raises demanded by unionists. They announced that they have scheduled for the 1st of June, Childrens Day, a protest in Bucharest. The executive had proposed an average salary raise of 5% starting on 1 January, 2017, but unions did not agree with the offer.

TENNIS — Romanian Simona Halep, 6th seeded, and Australian Samantha Stosur, 21st seeded, today resume the game in the eighth finals of the Roland Garros tournament, interrupted on Sunday by rain. Halep leads in the first set 5-3. Also in the eighth finals in the womens singles, Romanian Irina Begu was eliminated by American Shelby Rogers. In the mens doubles, the Romanian-Indian pair Florin Mergea/ Rohan Bopanna won on Sunday their game against the US- New Zealand pair Brian Baker/ Marcus Daniell, also in the eighth finals.

NATO — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg started today a two day visit to Warsaw, having scheduled high level meetings with Polish officials. The talks revolve around the organization of the NATO summit scheduled for July 8-9 in the Polish capital, which comes against the background of increased tensions with Moscow. Previously, at the NATO foreign minister meeting, Stoltenberd had said that the Alliance does not wish for a new Cold War, but that the message to Russia was clear: any attack against one of the allies an an attack on the entire North Atlantic alliance. On this occasion, Romanian Foreign Minister Comanescu called on NATO to pay more attention to the Black Sea area, which has been the seat of some of the greatest security challenges in the last few years.

SCULPTURE — Over 129,000 Euro have been gathered in donation so far for Brancusis sculpture The Wisdom of the Earth, as announced today by Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos. This is not much, the premier admitted, but he said he hoped the money would be gathered by 19th May, the end of the fundraiser. The Culture Ministry hopes to gather six million Euro by 30 September. Ciolos recently announced he would donate his own salary for the month of April to the cause. Starting Friday, the ministry accepts donations by text message, telethons, online contributions, public tender, special events, as well as by wire transfer.

FOOTBALL — Romanias national soccer team was defeated on Sunday night in Turin, Italy, 3-4, by the Ukraines national team, in a preparation match for the European championship to be held in France next month. On Wednesday, in Como, the Romanians tied 1-1 against Congo. On June 3rd Romania will play in Bucharest against Georgia, in the last preparation match before the final tournament. In Paris, Romania will meet the host team on 10 June, in the opening of Euro 2016. Also part of Group A are Switzerland and Albania.