March 10, 2018
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Newsroom, 10.03.2018, 13:43
CONGRESS — Bucharest on Saturday is playing host to an extraordinary congress of the main ruling coalition party in Romania, the Social-Democratic Party. The Congress will occasion elections for the positions of executive president, secretary general and vice-presidents. The office of president, currently held by leader Liviu Dragnea, is not subject to vote, as all Social-Democratic branches across the country have expressed support for Dragnea. Running for the position of executive president of the party is Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, who enjoys the support of the Bucharest-Ilfov regional organization and that of party leader Liviu Dragnea. On Friday, the party’s National Executive Committee validated all the 24 candidacies submitted. Attended by 4,000 delegates from all over the country, the Congress is also expected to see the adoption of several governance resolutions.
VISIT — Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu met in Zagreb with high-ranking officials, agreeing to boost bilateral relations between the two countries. Minister Melescanu attended the opening ceremony for the Romanian Honorific Consulate in Split, which will help support the Romanian community in the area and all Romanian citizens visiting Croatia. The Romanian official told Radio Romania that Bucharest and Zagreb agree on several topics of EU interest, such as identifying a viable solution that should ensure the proper functioning of the EU post-Brexit.
MILITARY – Over 1,700 Romanian and foreign troops are taking part until March 15, in a large-scale multinational exercise, organized by the Romanian Navy, in Dobrogea (south-eastern Romania) and in the international waters of the Black Sea. Spring Storm 18 is based on a unique training concept which brings together the navy, air and land forces, as part of a NATO immediate assurance action plan adopted at the 2016 Summit. Romanian troops are training jointly with fellow military from the US, France and Bulgaria, and from partner countries like Georgia and Ukraine.
FLU — The Romanian National Public Health Institute announced another two people died to the flu virus, raising the death toll to 90 across Romania. Health Minister Sorina Pintea says there is no reason to declare an epidemic at this stage.
BOOK FAIR — Romania is guest of honor at the International Book Trade Fair in Leipzig, Germany. Attending the events are writers Mircea Cartarescu, Nora Iuga, Andrei Plesu and Varujan Vosganian. The Ministry of Culture and National Identity is organizing some 60 events at Romania’s pavilion under the motto “Romania. Zoom In”, including a concert by Ada Milea, with lyrics translated into German by Herta Muller, the Romanian-born winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2009. The International Book Fair in Leipzig started on Friday and will close on Sunday and is aimed at promoting contemporary literature.
TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, the world’s no. 1 player, qualified to the third round of the WTA tournament in Indian Wells, US, after defeating Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Simona will next play Caroline Dolehide of the United States. Another Romanian, Irina Begu, was knocked out in the second round by Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, 7-6, 6-1. Sorana Cirstea will also play Venus Williams of the US in the second round.
(Translated by V. Palcu)
