14 May, UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
România Internațional, 14.05.2014, 19:53
The President of the opposition National Liberal Party Crin Antonescu met in Washington on Tuesday the acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs. Robert Manogue. Antonescu pleaded for a development of the economic dimension of the bilateral strategic partnership. Special emphasis was laid on the trans-Atlantic partnership for trade and investments, which is still subject to negotiations between the USA and the European Union. According to a press release, the creation of a single trade area from Hawaii to the Black Sea is the most audacious project for which the European Union and the USA have announced their commitment. In a series of talks Crin Antonescu held this past Monday with the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian affairs Hoyt Yee, the Romanian National Liberal Party leader called an enhanced American presence in Eastern Europe.
The Daily Telegraph has published official data compiled in February, revealing that major migration-related problems are not fuelled by either Romanians or Bulgarians. According to the survey, the number of migrants coming from Italy and Spain has grown by 66 % and 33 % respectively in one year alone, and the number of Portuguese has increased by 47%. British Prime Minister David Cameron refused to make any comments before the official data were made public. However, Cameron said it was amazing to have such large numbers of migrants coming from the European Union’s older member states, instead of the expected wave from Eastern Europe.
Talks started in Kiev on Wednesday, on Ukraine’s national unity, the first wide-scope dialogue since the start of the conflict in the south-east of the country. Participating are Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksandr Turcinov, candidates to May 25th and regional officials from the regions of Donetk and Luhansk. Kiev refused to invite representatives of the separatists, whom they call “terrorists”, despite the pressure put by Russia to that end, France Presse reports. The talks are held against the background of Sunday’s decision by the two regions in the east, Donetk and Luhansk, to separate from Ukraine, as a result of controversial referenda, unrecognized by Kiev and the western countries. 16 Ukrainian soldiers have died since the start of the anti-terror operation in the east of the country. Kiev and the West accuse Russia of supporting the separatists. Russia, which has already been sanctioned, has warned it will retaliate.
Russia’s already reeling economy may get to suffer even more, should tensions with the western contries contiue, said on Tuesday the IMF Chief Christine Lagarde. According to the International Monetary Fund, Rusia’s economic growth will slow down in 2014, reaching a mere 0.2%, instead of 1.3% as initially estimated. In another move, the IMF has decided to grant Ukraine 17 billion dollar worth of financial aid, mentioning though that the aid package might be revised, should Ukraine lose its territories in the east.
18 films are competing for the Palme d’Or Award at the 67th Film Festival in Cannes. This year’s opening production was “Grace of Monaco”, depicting an episode in the life of actress Grace Kelly. Romania is represented by Radu Jude’s short reel “It Can Pass Through the Wall”, in the Quizaine de Realisaterus section. Romania’s biggest achievement at Cannes was the Palme d’Or trophy won in 2007 by director and screenwriter Cristian Mungium, for the film “ 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days”.
Great Britain’s Crown Prince Charles has visited the Romanian Cultural Institute in London, which is playing host the Transylvania Festival. Prince Charles has two properties in Transylvania, central Romania, where he has traveled several times. Prince Charles is concerned with the preservation of historical monuments in the region and he got involved in the reconstruction of several settlements, some of which are on UNESCO’s world heritage list.
Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, ranked 5th in the WTA classification, on Wednesday defeated American Madison Keys in the second round of the tournament in Rome, with over 2 million euros in prize money. Last week, Halep managed to get as far as the final of the Madrid tournament, but was defeated by Russian Maria Sarapova.
