November 30, 2019

NATIONAL DAY - Alba Iulia on Saturday hosted a series of ceremonies marking the National Day of Romania and the Great Union. Military events, floral tributes, concerts and film screenings were held on this occasion. On Sunday, December 1, some 4,000 military and specialists with the Defense and Interior Ministries, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the National Penitentiary Administration, in addition to 200 pieces of military technology, will take part in the national military parade held in Bucharest on December 1. According to the Defense Ministry, some 500 military from Romania's 21 allied or partner countries will be taking part as well. Depending on the weather, over 50 aircraft will be participating in the parade. The public will also be able to visit an open-air exhibition. Various events will be held in other cities in Romania. The national flag will be displayed on all military buildings while all maritime and river ships will be dressed up overall.  Romanian military in theatres of operations in Afghanistan, the Western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland are also organizing military ceremonies and specific activities on this occasion. December 1 became Romania's National Day after the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution and it marks the completion, at the end of WWI, in 1918, of the process of creating the Romanian unitary nation state, when all the provinces included in the neighboring multinational empires, with a majority Romanian-speaking population, came under the authority of Bucharest.

PUBLIC ORDER - Over 27,000 employees of the Interior Ministry will be working to ensure public order and intervene in case of emergency on December 1, the National Day of Romania. According to a press release issued by the Interior Ministry, some 660 events will be held to mark this day at national level. To ensure public order, law enforcement officers, gendarmes, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilized. The measures are meant to prevent and combat anti-social behaviors, ease road traffic, especially in areas where restrictions are in place, as well as to provide emergency medical care, where needed.

SAINT ANDREW - Christians on Saturday celebrated St. Andrew the Apostle's Feast Day. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Romania, after he preached the word of Jesus Christ in present-day Dobrogea, in southeastern Romania. Saint Andrew died in Patras, Greece, crucified on an X-shaped cross. President Klaus Iohannis conveyed a message to all Romanians at home and abroad, to celebrate the spiritual identity of the Romanian people on this special day, and use the celebration to strengthen the Romanian people in unity and cohesion. Some 700,000 Romanians celebrated their name day.

NATO - London on Tuesday and Wednesday is hosting the NATO summit, celebrating 70 years of NATO existence. High on the agenda are the fight against terrorism, arms control and relations with Russia and China. Representing Romania will be president Klaus Iohannis. According to the presidency, Klaus Iohannis will highlight Romania's contribution as a NATO member and the need to continue determent and security efforts on the eastern flank and in the Black Sea region.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - The new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen will start its activity on December 1. Member States have decided the new Commission will have only 27 commissioners, after Great Britain refused to make a nomination. Romanian Adina Valean from the European People's Party has been appointed Transport Commissioner. The College of Commissioners will convene on December 4 to make several administrative decisions.

HANDBALL - The Romanian women's team lost 31-16 to Spain in the first Group C fixture at the World Cup held in Japan. Romania was drawn in Group C alongside Senegal, Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Hungary. The top three teams will advance to the next phase. From 1957 to 2017, Romania has never missed a World Cup. Our country won silver in 2005 in Russia and bronze in 2015 in Denmark.

(Translated by V. Palcu)