A roundup of domestic and international news
STRIKE - The all-out strike in the education system will continue next week as well. Union leaders are preparing a new rally in Bucharest, following Friday's protest actions in a number of cities across the country. Education employees are disgruntled with the Government's offer of €500 bonuses. The government has accepted to increase salaries for auxiliary staff by 9%, also providing them with bonuses of €200. Trade unions have called for a 25% increase in salaries, raising the entry level salary to some €600. The strike action started on May 22, education employees voicing discontentment regarding salaries and work conditions. Union leaders have warned that the strike will continue unless their demands are met.
HEALTH - The Government has adopted a new framework agreement for health insurances, to take effect starting July 1. The underlying feature of the new contract is prevention. Family physicians travelling to rural areas will receive bonuses. The agreement for the first time regulates performance-related payments. Family physicians will also be provided with new instruments to make pre-emptive consultations for patients of various ages. The agreement also stipulates the legal framework for employees' access to vocational medicine and outpatient rehabilitation services. In the case of hospitals, the agreement introduced some 100 new medical services that can be provided in the case of one-day hospital admissions.
PILGRIMAGE - Some 300,000 Roman-Catholic Christians from all over the world, including the president of Hungary, Novak Katalin, on Saturday took part in the Catholic Pentecost pilgrimage in Șumuleu Ciuc (central Romania). Organizers expect Catholics from all over Europe, particularly Hungary, but also Australia and the USA to attend. Considered the largest of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, the pilgrimage has a history of over 450 years and is devoted to the miracle-working statue to the Virgin Mary in the local Franciscan church. According to legend, in 1567, Transylvanian prince John Sigismund tried to forcefully convert the local Romanian-Catholic population of Ciuc, Gheorgheni and Cașin to Unitarianism. Only with the help of the miracle-working statue were the people able to resist and keep their ancestral faith. Since then, every Pentecost Eve, Catholics from all over the world go on pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary in Șumuleu Ciuc, home to the miracle-working statue.
SUMMIT - Germany will be moving its Patriot anti-missile defense system currently deployed to Slovakia to Lithuania, to protect the NATO Summit of July in Vilnius, the German Defense Minister said. Germany has stationed two Patriot units in Slovakia and another three in Poland. Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said the summit will be particularly devoted to clear-cut assistance to Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg a few days ago admitted Allies are divided over Ukraine's bid to join NATO, a topic which will be addressed at the summit in Vilnius. Stoltenberg recalled that all NATO decisions need to be unanimous.
ELECTION - Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkey's acting president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, took part in a support rally in Istanbul, ahead of Sunday's presidential run-off. President Erdoğan called on his supporters to vote for a united Parliament and presidency. His opposition rival, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the People's Republican Party, addressed his own supporters in Istanbul, highlighting the economic problems facing Turkey at present. We recall Recep Tayyip Erdoğan obtained nearly 50% of the vote in the first round, while Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu grabbed 45% of the vote. Kılıçdaroğlu is leading a coalition of opposition parties. In power for the last 20 years, Erdoğan appears to be close to securing a new five-year term as president, although many expect to be a close call. Over 64 mln Turks are expected to hit the polls on Sunday, of which 3.4 mln in the Diaspora. According to estimates, voter turnout in the Diaspora is expected to be higher compared to the first round. (VP)
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