May 25, 2022
A rundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 25.05.2022, 17:08
WITHDRAWAL – Romania is today initiating its withdrawal from two international financial bodies controlled by Russia. The Government is going to pass later today a normative act based on which Romania can withdraw from the International Bank for Economic Cooperation and the International Investment Bank. Both banks were set up in Moscow in 1963 and 1970, respectively, through international conventions, at a time when Romania, turned by force into a communist country after WW2, was one of the Soviet Union’s satellites. Other former USSR satellites, such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria, who are now part of the EU and NATO, will withdraw from the International Bank for Economic Cooperation.
VISIT – Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, will be received today in Bucharest by President Klaus Iohannis, will meet with Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown and will visit a refugee centre hosting Ukrainians who fled the war in their country. Prince Charles will then head to Transylvania, where he has several properties. The British royal has been visiting Romania for over 20 years and is a promoter of the unique heritage and biodiversity of Romania’s rural areas. He has developed programs supporting small farmers and another programme in support of the Romanians injured in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is Prince Charles’s first visit to Romania in three years.
AGREEMENT – The National Gas Transmission Company Transgaz has signed a roadmap agreement with the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund, a dedicated commercial fund targeting infrastructure investments in Central and Eastern Europe, to collaborate on the construction of planned greenfield gas infrastructure in Romania. According to a release by Transgaz, the roadmap agreement acknowledges the strategic and economic importance of investment in Romania’s natural gas pipeline infrastructure, which is expected to drive economic development in the region, while also supporting European energy security and the energy transition in the Three Seas region.
AID – The Bucharest Government will green light today a draft order on granting the neighboring Moldova free humanitarian aid for a smooth running of its energy system. The aid consists in petrol, diesel and fuel oil worth around 4 million euros. Romania will also grant Ukraine humanitarian aid consisting in food and basic products, petrol and diesel fuel worth 2 million euros. Romania will also cover the cost of the transport.
TENNIS – Romanian tennis player, Irina Begu, will be up against Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round of the Grand Slam tournament in Roland Garros. In the first round, Begu defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10-5). Simona Halep, former world leader and French Open winner in 2018 and finalist in 2014 and 2017 qualified to the second round. She needed three sets to defeat German Nastasja Schunk, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. Sorana Cirstea also qualified to the second round, to next meet Sloan Stephens of the US. Another four Romanians, Gabriela Ruse, Ana Bogdan, Irina Bara and Mihaela Buzarnescu have left the competition. (EE)
