December 27, 2013 UPDATE
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Leyla Cheamil, 27.12.2013, 12:00
Romanian Foreign Ministry has vehemently condemned the attack in Beirut on Friday, which killed a former minister and several Lebanese citizens. The Ministry has reiterated Romania’s support for the stability and security of Lebanon. The bomb attack caused the death of five people, including Mohammad Chatah, former finance minister and advisor to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, leader of March 14th movement, which opposes the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
The health ministry in Bucharest on Friday launched for public debates the National Strategy aimed at bringing significant changes to the medical system by 2020 in order to make it function properly. The main objectives of the authorities are to improve the population’s health and raise its life expectancy. A major pillar of this strategy will be measures aimed at preventing heart diseases and various types of cancer, which could be prevented. Public debates on the National Health Strategy are to last 30 days.
The EU commissioner for enlargement Stefan Fule on Friday urged Turkey to treat the anti-corruption investigations in the scandal affecting the government led by Prime Minister Erdogan in an impartial and transparent manner. Turkish prosecutor general Maummer Akkas said pressure was exerted in order to block a new stage of the investigation into the corruption scandal involving the executive. Also on Friday, sources of the Turkish Army, protector of the country’s lay Constitution, said the troops would not get involved in the political crisis in Ankara. On Thursday, Prime Minister Erdogan made an ample government reshuffle following the resignation of three ministers, whose sons had been arrested for bribe-taking and illegal money transfers.
Switzerland will not be lifting restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian workers on January 1st 2014 like the members of the European Union, according to local press. Switzerland claims exception from rules lifting the ban as a non-EU member until 2016, with the possibility of extension until 2019. These measures were adopted in 2009 by popu8lar vote, while the option to extend was put in place by the Federal Council in April 2012, implementing limited access for workers from the eight of the ten states which joined the European Union in 2004, expanding it in 2013 for a year for the rest of EU countries. Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007.
The majority of Romanian Christians, of the Orthodox persuasion, as well as Greek Catholics, celebrated on Friday St. Stephen’s Day. St. Stephen is said to have been martyred for his faith in 33 CE, the first of a long line. This day is also the third and last day of Christmas. Over 422,000 Romanians bear his name, or derivatives thereof.
The United States expressed serious worry in relation to the increase in cases of violence and intimidation against opposition militants and journalists in Ukraine, according to AFP. This reaction comes after an opposition journalist critical of President Viktor Yanukovych was savagely beaten on Tuesday night. This act of violence sparked outrage, causing more street movements, especially in the wake of the Ukrainian executive refusing to sign the association agreement with the EU recently.
