November 29, 2013
A roundup of domestic and international news.
România Internațional, 29.11.2013, 13:00
EASTERN PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT – The Republic of Moldova and Georgia have today signed the association and free trade agreements with the EU, at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius. The Prime Minister of Moldova, Iurie Leanca, has said the agreement is a symbol of the trust and openness that define Moldova’s relation with the EU. The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, hailed the determination, courage and political will of the authorities in Chisinau and Tbilisi. Ukraine did not initial the two agreements, as originally planned. President Viktor Yanukovich said Ukraine still intends to sign the agreements with the EU in the future, but would like the Community to provide a financial and economic aid package to his country. The Lithuanian presidency of the EU said the Ukrainian leaders have chosen a path that leads nowhere. However, the European foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton pointed out that the EU door remains open to Ukraine.
NATIONAL DAY – In Alba Iulia, central Romania, the Congress of Romanian Culture begins today. Taking part are delegates from 23 countries on several continents. The theme of this year’s edition, the 17th, is “The State of the Romanian Community 95 years after the Great Union of 1918”. The Romanian provinces were brought together in a nation state in Alba Iulia, on December 1st, 1918. After the fall of communism, this day was proclaimed the National Day of Romania. The day will be celebrated around the country, culminating with the traditional military parade in Bucharest on Sunday, the largest in 20 years. This year, 140 American, French, Polish and Turkish soldiers also take part in the parade. Romania’s national day is also marked by Romanian diplomatic missions around the world, through classical and jazz music concerts, exhibitions, theatre performances, film screenings and receptions.
STATE BUDGET – The draft social security budget for next year will be discussed, as of today, by the specialised committees in the Parliament of Romania. Meanwhile, the joint budget-finances committees continue to analyse the state budget bill. Yesterday they approved the budgets for several ministries, including regional development, defence, home affairs, foreign affairs, and transport. On the other hand, President Traian Basescu warned that he would not endorse the budget bill unless the Government gave up plans to raise fuel excises by 7 eurocents. The Liberal Democrats in opposition also criticise the budget bill, arguing that the tax increases stipulated in the document are an unprecedented aggression against taxpayers.
EU FUNDS – Fifty-two financing contracts involving European structural funds have been signed today in Bucharest. The contracts total 142 million euros and concern projects in the IT&C sector. The money will go into inter-operability, e-governance and Agriculture Registry projects. Some of the beneficiaries are county councils, the Foreign Ministry, the National Integrity Agency, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the Romanian Adoption Office.
FILM FESTIVAL – New York is hosting, until December the 3rd, the 8th edition of the most important Romanian film festival in the USA, called “Making Waves.” The event takes place at the prestigious Lincoln Centre, where the public can watch movies by Nae Caranfil, Corneliu Porumboiu, Iulia Rugină, Adrian Sitaru, as well as the Romanian submission for the Oscar, the film “Child’s Pose” by Călin Netzer, winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. For the first time, the festival has a theme this year, which is “Propaganda,” the organiser of the event, Corina Şuteu has told Radio Romania.
LIBYA – In Libya, over 40 people have been killed today in a blast at a weapons depot. In Benghazi, 4 soldiers were killed in new clashes between special army forces and Ansar al-Sharia, the Islamist organisation that staged the 2012 attack which killed the American ambassador in Libya. The UN decided to send a special unit to protect its personnel in that country. The violence in Libya takes place against the backdrop of the efforts made by the country’s newly established army to reduce the influence of the Islamists and the militia forces, which would not surrender their weapons after the civil war.
