May 10, 2014
A look at some of the main stories in Romania today.
România Internațional, 10.05.2014, 13:47
10th of May is Royalty Day in Romania. A Royal Marathon was held in Bucharest as part of the celebrations, while the family of Romania’s last sovereign, King Michael I, laid a wreath of flowers at the statue of King Carol I. In the evening, the royal residence in Bucharest is playing host to a garden party with 6,000 guests from across the country and the Republic of Moldova, including leading public figures and representatives of the diplomatic corps. Royalty Day is linked to King Carol I. On the 10th of May 1866, he was sworn in before Parliament. On the 10th of May 1877, Carol proclaimed Romania’s independence, and four years later, again on the 10th of May, he was crowned king of Romania.
Bucharest is playing host to the inaugural meeting of the South–East European Cooperation Process Parliamentary Assembly whose presidency if held until June by the Romanian Parliament. The meeting, which ends on Sunday, tackles the future role of the assembly in Europe. The participating countries include Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey as founding members, as well as Bosnia and Hertegovina, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro and Slovenia.
German chancellor Angela Merkel and the French president Francois Hollande said on Saturday after informal talks in Germany, that the referendums called on Sunday by the pro-Russian separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine are illegal. The two European leaders called on Russia to reduce its troops on the border with Ukraine, and warned Moscow of consequences if the presidential elections due on the 25th of May in Ukraine fail. Earlier, the European Union and the United States criticised the visit by Russian president Vladimir Putin to Crimea to celebrate Victory Day. In Bucharest, the Romanian foreign ministry has voiced deep regret over Russia’s holding a military parade in Crimea, which Romania sees as an integral part of a sovereign and independent Ukraine.
Russia’s deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin on Friday warned of serious consequences for Chisinau if it signs its association agreement with the European Union. The agreement was initialled last November and is to be signed this summer. Rogozin, who attended the Victory Day parade in the break-away region of Transniester, in the east of the Republic of Moldova, also said that Moscow would do its best to maintain peace in Transniester and prevent the region’s isolation as a result of the events in Ukraine.
Paula Seling and Ovi and their song Miracle will be representing Romania in the Eurovision final held tonight in Copenhagen. The two are for the second time in the final, after coming in third last time they participated. 26 countries are competing this year. The event has often been associated with geopolitical interests when it comes to jury votes. 50% of the final points were already awarded on Friday night. The experts’ points will be complemented by the votes of the viewing public.
The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no 5 in the world and seed no 4 in the Madrid tournament currently under way, today defeated the Czech player Petra Kvitova to reach the finals. Two other top 10 players, Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska meet in the other semifinal. If she wins the Madrid tournament, Halep goes up one place in the WTA rankings to the reach the 4th position, the highest in the history of Romanian women’s tennis.
