January 29, 2014
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Ştefan Stoica, 29.01.2014, 12:05
Heavy snowfalls and blizzard today have returned to southern and southeastern Romania. The country’s capital city and 14 counties in the region until tonight are on an orange-code warning, while for 11 other counties the yellow-code warning has been kept in place. Reported for that interval are heavy snowfalls and strong winds, which will reach 70-80 kilometers per hour in certain areas, banking the snow. The state of alert continues to be kept in place for eastern and south-eastern Romanian counties of Vrancea, Buzau and Braila, the counties that on Sunday were on a red-code blizzard warning. Railway traffic has again been jeopardized by the bad weather. Almost 180 trains have been cancelled, while along certain railway segments, traffic restrictions have been put in place. Romania’s Black Sea ports have been closed because of the strong winds, while maneuvers have been suspended for the Danube –Black Sea and the Sulina – Baia canals. Two of the three highways and several national and county roads are closed or partially blocked. Secondary-level classes today have been suspended for the third day running, in Romania’s capital city Bucharest and the southern and south eastern counties, where the orange-code warning is still in place.
The Ukrainian Parliament today will be holding talks on a fresh round of prospective concessions the power will grant the pro-Europeans, that including a pardon of some of the imprisoned protesters, with a view to defusing the crisis that has been affecting the country since late November, according to the AFP. This past Tuesday the power gave in already, once the government resigned and several allegedly repressive laws have been repealed. Currently on a visit to Kiev, the European Union’s high Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton will be holding talks with the country’s president Viktor Ianukovici and the opposition leaders, on finding solutions to the ongoing crisis. Romania’s Foreign Minister in Bucharest said he has been closely watching the developments in Ukraine, also monitoring the situation of the members of the Romanian community, which is clustered in the western part of the country, counting nearly half a million members.
Romania’s Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean has been on an official visit to Italy, the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. In Rome yesterday Corlatean held a meeting with Prime Minister Enrico Letta and Foreign Minister Emma Bonino. The two reiterated Italy’s support for Romania’s Schengen accession bid. We recall Italy will be taking over the European Union’s semestrial presidency as of July the 1st. Talks mainly focused on cooperation at political, but especially at economic level. Italy is Romania’s second biggest economic partner. At the Vatican, Corlatean held talks with his counterpart, Dominique Mamberti. Talks focused on ways to promote human rights, religious freedom, fighting Christianophobia and defending human dignity. Corlatean also had a meeting with the High Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Jean-Pierre Mezery, from whom he received the Pro Melito Melitensi Order in the Rank of Great Cross, in token of high esteem for the promotion of the cooperation between Romania and Malta, as well as for supporting ethical values at European and international level.
Romania’s indoor football team in Antwerp on Tuesday thrashed the national team of Belgium, 6-1, in the first group A game of the European Championship. In their forthcoming fixture on Thursday, the Romanians will be taking on the national team of Ukraine. Entitled to qualify for the quarterfinals are the first two teams in each of the four groups. Romania’s national indoor football team has qualified for a final tournament of the European Championship for the third time.
A conference is scheduled to be held in Bucharest on Thursday, focusing on ways to capitalize on the Black Sea’s development potential. Organizing the event are Romania’s Foreign Ministry and the European Commission. Taking part in the event are the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fishing Maria Damanaki and Romania’s Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean. The conference brings together state and private sector representatives from all Black Sea riparian countries, Bulgaria, The Russian Federation, Turkey, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania. According to Romania’s Foreign Minister, the event encourages the startup of new cross-border projects in such areas as sea environment preservation, long-lasting fishing, aquaculture, stimulating the economy through cross-border Black Sea projects.
A conference is scheduled to be held in Bucharest on Thursday, focusing on ways to capitalize on the Black Sea’s development potential. Organizing the event are Romania’s Foreign Ministry and the European Commission. Taking part in the event are the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fishing Maria Damanaki and Romania’s Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean. The conference brings together state and private sector representatives from all Black Sea riparian countries, Bulgaria, The Russian Federation, Turkey, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania. According to Romania’s Foreign Minister, the event encourages the startup of new cross-border projects in such areas as sea environment preservation, long-lasting fishing, aquaculture, encouraging the economy through cross-border Black Sea projects.
