Newsflash, July 17, 2013
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Mihai Pelin, 17.07.2013, 14:14
Negotiations got underway in Bucharest on Wednesday, between a joint delegation of the IMF, the European Commission, the World Bank and the Romanian authorities for the conclusion of a new precautionary agreement. The latest economic programme agreed upon with the international financiers successfully drew to a close in late June, although Romania benefited from a series of derogations for some criteria it did not meet. The head of the IMF Christine Lagarde who was in Bucharest on Monday and Tuesday said the Romanian authorities had made notable progress in the fiscal, healthcare and energy sector, throughout the last two agreements it signed with the IMF. Lagarde went on to say, however, that reforms would have to be continued for the state-owned companies.
Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu’s new film ‘When Evening Falls on Bucharest’ or ’Metabolism’ has been selected for the international contest of the 66th edition of the Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland, due to begin in early August. Out of the 20 productions selected for this international competition, 18 are world premieres. The jury to give the festival’s top prize, the Golden Leopard, will be presided by Filipino director Lav Diaz. The Romanian-Hungarian co-production ‘Roxanne’, director Valentin Hotea’s debut film, will be vying in the section ‘Cineasti del prezente’, while Mihaela Popescu’s short-reel ‘The Walk’ will be screened in the ‘Pardi di domani’ section.
Romania’s president Traian Basescu on Wednesday in Chisinau held a meeting with his Moldovan counterpart Nicolai Timofti. Basescu said the Republic of Moldova did not have an alternative to its European pathway and that Romania would continue to be a staunch supporter of the country’s European pursuits, at the same time respecting Chisinau’s military neutrality option. In October in Vilnius, the Republic of Moldova prepared to sign the Association and the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union. In turn, president Timofti highlighted the importance of several joint economic projects such as the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline, three high-power lines and two new bridges over the frontier river of Prut. President Basescu’s agenda also included talks with Prime Minister Iurie leanca and the Parliament’s speaker Igor Coman.
Romania came on top position in Europe and was the world’s 5th-placed country at the International Physics Olympiad, held between July 7 and 15 in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The Romanian Olympics won gold and three silver medals. They were competing against more than 380 contenders from 83 countries. Late last week two high school students from Romania won two gold medals, a bronze and a silver medal at the International Informatics Olympiad, held in the Australian city of Brisbane.
The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Ashton on Wednesday paid a visit to Cairo, where she pleaded for ‘a swift return to the democratic transition’, amid continuing tension in Egypt. Supporters of the recently ousted president Mohamed Morsi have protested against the newly installed power in front of the government building. A new Egyptian government, which does not include Islamist parties, was sworn in on Tuesday, less than two weeks after Morsi had been ousted from power. The new government has been rejected by the Muslim brotherhood, the movement, which supported the former president.
Romania came on top position in Europe and was the world’s 5th-placed country at the International Physics Olympiad, held between July 7 and 15 in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The Romanian Olympics won gold and three silver medals. They were competing against more than 380 contenders from 83 countries. Late last week two high school students from Romania won two gold medals, a bronze and a silver medal at the International Informatics Olympiad, held in the Australian city of Brisbane.
