PM Boc, FM Baconschi, ministers addressed diplomats on annual meeting, depicting hard struggle between crisis and need for coherent foreign policy. Hungarian FM Janos Martonyi joined the summit to present priorities during rotating EU presidency.
Romanian diplomats met yesterday in Bucharest for their annual meeting “Romanian diplomacy: priorities for 2011” with high ranking officials, as well as foreign diplomats to Bucharest. They were addressed by PM Emil Boc, Senate Speaker Mircea Geoana, Foreign Minister Teodor Baconski, Interior Minister Vasile Blaga, Economy Minister Adriean Videanu and Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea. Former president Emil Constantinescu along with former foreign ministers Teodor Melescanu, Lazar Comanescu and Mihai Razvan Ungureanu were also present.
Opening speeches varied from appeals to demands and veiled criticism.
Premier Emil Boc called on diplomats, during a rather placid speech, to lobby for Romania’s interests, stressing that this endeavour does not breach their statute. “This is the challenge the current crisis is bringing to us, to find new business partners and to find new opportunities and markets for Romania,” PM Boc said.
The head of the...
The Social-Democrats and the Liberals met yesterday in order to agree on their anti-government strategy. PNL leader Crin Antonescu announced that the two parties will jointly work on the text of the no-confidence vote motion and will file it together. He added that PNL and PSD have agreed to continue their already traditional collaboration in Parliament. In what concerns the no-confidence vote’s chances of success, the Liberal leader stated that both his party and PSD will make efforts to collect signatures: “We will all make every effort in order to convince a...
The autumn parliamentary session started yesterday under a fairly tense spectre, with MPs’ activity being influenced by the announced no-confidence vote but also by the possible reshuffling of the current government, a reshuffle that will surely stir up the ruling parties. Moreover, the current session will also witness political migrations, with several Democrat-Liberals quitting the party or Independent MPs set to join PSD or PNL.
Other opposition representatives chose to join the independent group, like the Liberal Senator Constantin Cibu, who...
The ministers of Transport, Agriculture, Labour and Communications may be replaced. Vladescu, the Minister of Finance, is also on a razor’s edge.
Prime Minister Emil Boc was expected to present a review of the activity of each Cabinet member, as yesterday was the deadline which President Traian Basescu set for the re-evaluation of ministers’ performance. The meeting of the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL)’s parliamentary groups with the party’s National Standing Bureau was scheduled to take place at the Chamber of Deputies, starting 19:00, and, by the closing of this edition, no information reached us of the results of the meeting. The present Cabinet convened, however, in a prior meeting, before which the...
US military entering final phase of its mission in the country, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says.
WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD - President Barack Obama declared an end to the seven-year U.S. combat mission in Iraq on Tuesday and promised recession-weary Americans “my central responsibility” now is to repair the U.S. economy. Obama, who inherited the war from President George W. Bush and is fighting another in Afghanistan, said he had fulfilled a 2008 campaign promise to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq and declared the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for their security. “Now, it is time to turn the page,” Obama said in an Oval Office address, speaking from...
WASHINGTON - Israel’s defence minister said on Wednesday the Jewish state would be willing to hand over parts of Jerusalem in peace talks with the Palestinians to be launched by U.S. President Barack Obama. A flare-up of violence in the Palestinian West Bank and a deadlock over Jewish settlements there loom as potential deal-breakers for Obama, who will host Israeli and Palestinian leaders for dinner at the White House in Washington.
Obama brought Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together for face-to-face...
MOSCOW - Russian police detained more than 100 people including prominent opponents of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at anti-Kremlin protests on Tuesday, after Putin said demonstrators without permits could expect harsh treatment. In Moscow, police detained opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and dozens of other protesters who defied authorities by gathering on a central square declared off-limits last week, shouting “Shame!” and “Russia without Putin!”
Police dragged protesters through the crowd on Triumph Square and shoved them into buses, carrying...
Industry went up by 5.9 pc, compensating for faster decline in constructions.
Data of the National Statistical Institute (INS) confirm estimates published a few weeks ago. According to a release, the economy grew by 0.3 per cent in Q2 compared to Q1 of the year. On the other hand, economy was unable to recuperate enough on a year-on-year basis, reregistering a minus of 0.5 per cent. In fact, Romania has been in recession since Q3 of 2008, when the GDP started going down. In Q2 this year, the economy gained some strength, mainly thanks to export. Romania-made cars and telephones sold well, therefore the entire sector grew by over 20 per...
The home consumption of fast-moving consumer goods in H1 dropped by 4 per cent in national currency from a year earlier, being the first decrease recorded in the last ten years, with personal care products and home cleaning goods being the most affected, a GfK press release issued yesterday states. Among the categories with the steepest volume falls the ones that stand out are deodorants (-21 per cent), universal cleaning products (-19 per cent), chocolate tablets (-18 per cent), the decrease being primarily due to the fact that they were purchased by fewer...
Financial analysts claim that renewing the agreement with international financiers is a must. Most consider this is the advisable strategy, ‘Adevarul’ reports. The idea of a new agreement for a loan is already being accredited in the public sphere. Some economists argue this is not the best approach. “The present agreement is still in progress, yet, at Cabinet level, the idea of a new agreement is already explored. Or, the focus should be on restructuring expenses, otherwise, the effect on investors may be the exact opposite,” investment consultant Doru...
The government reshuffle dominated the end of this summer. The reshuffling decision was to be announced yesterday evening. Seen by many as a ploy aimed at somewhat soothing public discontent, the reshuffle has become the favourite topic for televisions and politicians alike. For Democrat-Liberals, who make up the main ruling party, the reshuffle is thought as a safety valve seeking to fulfil many purposes.
On one hand, a few ministers being changed is hoped to alleviate tensions mounting in the party. Several voices have been criticising for some time now the performance of some of the ministers or the cabinet as a whole, with even Premier Emil Boc being a target. On his personal blog, Cristian Preda has recently written that Emil Boc’s arrogance is comparable to that of Adrian Nastase, the former Social-Democrat PM during 2001-2004.
On the other hand, some of the ministers being reshuffled might reduce the opposition’s appetite for criticism. Not least, it would...
Ahead of its game against Romania, a game scheduled on Friday in Piatra Neamt and counting for the EURO qualifiers, Albania’s sports press published several statements made by Albanian players that want to take advantage of the bad period Romania is going through in order to deliver the big surprise.
“There is a good atmosphere within the team and I am convinced that we will give...
NEW YORK - Rafa Nadal made a smooth start to his bid to capture the one grand slam that has eluded him when he wore down Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili 7-6 7-6 6-3 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday.
Dressed menacingly in an all black outfit, Nadal had to dig deep to see off the stubborn Gabashvili after three hours of intense shotmaking from both men at Arthur Ashe...
All but two of FC Vaslui’s players boycotted the team’s morning training session on Wednesday, under the pretext that club owner Adrian Porumboiu gave them several days of holiday. Porumboiu is displeased with head coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro’s performance, the team being 14th in the standings with only 5 points in 6 games, but hesitates sacking him. FC Vaslui finished last season on a...
A performance from worldwide famous taiko drummer Eitetsu Hayashi will highlight this autumn.
Eitetsu Hayashi will perform on October 20 at the Palace Hall in Bucharest, organizers inform by press release. The event is put together by Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Japan Foundation, with the support of Japan’s Embassy. The best up-to-date taiko musician’s concert will be highlighted by Isao Matsushita’s ‘Hi-Ten-Yu’ - A Concerto for Japanese drum and Orchestra,’ as well as traditional...
The National Theatre Festival (FNT) will present, in its 20th edition, the latest play directed by Silviu Purcarete – Le Roi se meurt (Exit the King), by Eugene Ionesco, an international production. The show premieres on September 15, within the Ex Ponto Festival in Slovenia, and will be presented, then, within the FNT, before touring to France, Italy, Montenegro, Macedonia and Croatia. This new...
The legendary Jazz musician is for the first time in Romania.
The Palace Hall will sound of the best in jazz sounds this fall, as on October 29 as of 8 pm, a unique and first-time concert featuring Herbie Hancock will delight quality music fans.
Herbie Hancock is a true icon of modern music. Throughout his explorations, he has transcended limitations and genres while still maintaining his unique, unmistakable voice. The musician’s success at...
Turkish ship sinks near Constanta
A Turkish flag ship loaded with scrap iron sank near the Port of Constanta yesterday, Mediafax reports. Wednesday morning at about 4:30, the ship started to lurch. Two other vessels were sent to the area to rescue the ship, but failed. The 17 sailors onboard were rescued. No one knows for sure what caused the distress, but two options are being...
Secretary of State Bogdan Aurescu says Romania will not tolerate discrimination against its own citizens, EC calls for Roma integration in both native country and where they choose to settle.
During talks with European Commissioners Viviane Reding (Justice and Fundamental Rights) and Cecilia Malmstrom (Internal Affairs) in Brussels on Tuesday, French ministers defended their controversial crackdown on the Roma minority, insisting that repatriations fully comply with European law.
France has been facing mounting criticism for its decision to demolish illegal nomad camps and...
Romanian researchers discovered a type of cells which, together with stem cells, may encourage the regeneration of the heart muscle, after an infarction, Mediafax reports. Specialists at the Victor Babes Institute found serendipitously, while studying cells in the intestine, tiny cells which contribute to organ regeneration.
According to Laurentiu Popescu, the head of the Academy of...
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