June 3, 2017
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 03.06.2017, 14:01
UN – On Friday, Romania officially launched the campaign promoting its candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, in 2020-2021. The event was held at the UN headquarters in New York and enjoyed the participation of a large number of diplomats and UN high-ranking officials. The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, who also attended the event, has stated that a new mandate as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council is a strategic commitment and an objective to be pursued by all political parties in Romania. Since its joining the UN in 1995, Romania has had four such mandates.
TIFF 2017 – The 16th Transylvania International Film Festival continues in Cluj-Napoca, north-western Romania. King of the Belgians, a comedy written and directed by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth opened the festival on Friday. 12 films have registered for the official competition, but the festival is hosting 255 films from 53 countries, to be screened until June 11. More than 1200 Romanian and foreign guests are attending the many screenings, concerts, workshops, debates and launches included in the programme of the festival, to which Radio Romania is a media partner. This years special guest is the French actor Alain Delon, on his first visit to Romania.
MALTA – Early elections are underway in Malta today, which will decide the fate of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, whose record at the helm of the Government includes both economic growth and corruption scandals, France Presse reports. The latest opinion polls have shown that Muscat, who is the leader of the Labour Party, might win, but with a much lower share than in the parliament elected four years ago, now approaching the end of its term. His opponent Simon Busuttil, the leader of the Nationalist Party, counts on a victory too, after four years of labour rule, shadowed by the famous Panama Papers scandal. Malta, the smallest member of the EU, with a population of 430,000 people, is currently holding the rotating presidency of the Union.
NOBLE JUMP 2017 – A 50 strong Norwegian contingent has come to Romania to take part in the international exercise Noble Jump 2017 , at the Cincu shooting range in Brasov County, central Romania. Also participating are 8 NATO convoys, comprising some 300 military staff and 150 combat vehicles and carriers. In total, 4000 military staff from Romania and another 11 NATO member countries are taking part in the exercise, which is unfolding on Romanian, Greek and Bulgarian soil. This is the largest NATO exercise this year.
JUDO – 52 Romanian athletes, 34 men and 18 women, are participating in the European Judo Open hosted by the Romanian capital as of today. Unfortunately, the Romanian champion Andreea Chitu cannot attend, because of an injury. The big hope this year is Monica Ungureanu, in the 48 kg category, a bronze winner at the 2016 and 2017 European Championships. This is the most important judo competition hosted by Romania, with 438 athletes from 31 countries participating.
