May 22, 2023

Click here for a roundup of local and world news

Newsroom, 22.05.2023, 13:55

STRIKE An all-out strike has been initiated today in Romanian public
undergraduate education. According to trade unions, taking part are over 150,000
teachers and 70,000 non-teaching staff, disgruntled with the government’s
salary policies. A two-hour token strike in higher education is also scheduled
for today.

EDUCATION The new undergraduate and higher education bills are discussed and voted on as of today in the Senate, the
decision-making parliamentary body in this respect.
At the end of last week’s talks in the Senate’s committee on education, the
representatives of students and parents said that over 90% of their requests were
answered in the new legislation. In turn, the religious denominations welcomed
the amendments to the new bills. With respect to the undergraduate education,
the National Liberal Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic
Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, in power, say the bill meets students’
educational needs, supports teachers’ career development and fosters quality and
equity in the education system. The draft law includes measures to enhance
safety in schools and to ensure the access of children with special needs to
regular classes. The opposition, on the other hand, believes these important issues
noted by civil society are not solved.

VISIT The president of Germany, Frank-Walter
Steinmeier, will make an official visit to Romania on the 24th to 26th
May, at the invitation of president Klaus Iohannis. According
to the Romanian presidency, the visit is a major landmark for the excellent
Romanian-German relations. Talks will focus on extending and deepening
bilateral cooperation in political, security and economic areas. The Romanian
presidency also mentions that Germany is a reliable ally of Romania,
contributing to the security in the region, and also the country’s main trade
partner and the second-largest foreign investor in the national economy. The
two heads of state will also exchange opinions on current security developments
and on consolidating the defence posture in NATO’s eastern flank. During
his visit to Romania, the president of Germany will also travel to Sibiu
(centre) and Timisoara (west).

DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign
minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part today in the meeting of the EU Foreign
Affairs Council in Brussels. The EU foreign ministers discuss measures to
mitigate the effects of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. According to the
Romanian foreign ministry, Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s firm, multidimensional
and continuing support for Ukraine and will express hopes that an agreement
will be reached as soon as possible on the 8th support package for
the Ukrainian air forces under the EU Peace Facility. Minister Aurescu will
also highlight the importance of keeping pressure on Russia by consolidating
sanctions, and will reiterate the idea of setting up a special international tribunal
for the crime of aggression to prosecute Russian crimes of aggression during
the war in Ukraine.

TECHNOLOGY Bucharest Tech
Week, the largest technology and innovation trade fair in Central and Eastern
Europe, has begun in Bucharest today. The event brings together over 70 speakers,
national and international tech experts, and 1,500 professionals from over 100
companies operating in various fields. The first 5 days are devoted to
conferences on innovation, HR, retail, Java and Software Architecture, under
the heading Business Summits. The largest technology and innovation
exhibition, Tech Expo, will also be open to the public over the weekend of 26 May.

GREECE The right-of-centre party headed by Greece’s incumbent PM,
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has won Sunday’s parliamentary election, but failed to get
absolute majority. New Democracy won over 41% of the votes, and will have 146 seats
in parliament. Its left-of-centre rivals, Syriza party, won 21% of the votes
and 71 seats in parliament. The 3% threshold has been reached by 5 of the 36 parties
that took part in the election. Kyriakos Mitsotakis ruled out a coalition
government. Unless the winning parties manage to form a government, early
elections will be held on 25 June.

FOOTBALL Farul Constanţa
won Romania’s football championships, after defeating FCSB 3-2, on home turf
on Sunday night, in the 9th round of the Super League. Farul managed a spectacular come-back in the championship final,
after FCSB had been leading 2-0. (AMP)