November 11, 2019
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 11.11.2019, 14:00
ELECTION – Acting President Klaus
Iohannis, supported by the National Liberal Party, will face former Social-Democrat
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila in the runoff for the
presidential election, scheduled for November 24. According to data released by
the Central Election Bureau, after counting 96% of the votes, Klaus Iohannis
won 36.91% of the vote, followed by Viorica Dancila with 23.45%, the leader of
Save Romania Union Dan Barna with 14.19% of the vote. The scores of the other
11 candidates range between 0.1% and 9.%. The voter turnout at national level
was 47.66%. In the Diaspora, where the vote started on Friday and lasted until
Sunday evening, a record high of 675 thousand people cast their votes.
DEFICIT – Romania’s trade deficit exceeded 12 billion euros in the first 9 months of the year, up by 2.1 billion
as compared to the same period last year, the National Statistics Institute
Reports. According to the latest data, exports accounted for 51.8 billion euros
in the first 9 months of the year, a 2% increase compared to 2018, while
imports stood at 63.8 billion euros, up by 5.1% compared to the same period of
last year. Over January 1 – September 30, cars, transport equipment and other
manufactured goods accounted for a great share of total exports and imports.
REMEMBRANCE DAY – The day of veterans and fallen heroes, known internationally as
Remembrance Day, is today being marked in military ceremonies held in Bucharest
and garrisons across the country. Similar events are staged at the tombs and monuments
devoted to Romanian soldiers. Remembrance Day is celebrated internationally on
November 11, marking the armistice signed by Germany and the Entente in 1918,
marking the end of the Great War. Also on this day in 2003, Iosif Silviu Fogoras
died in Afghanistan, the first Romanian soldier KIA in theatres of operations.
In 2014, on November 11, November 11 was declared Veterans’ Day in Romania, in
recognition of the merit of all military personnel who took part in military
actions.
FRIGATE – The King Ferdinand frigate is
taking part in a multinational anti-submarine military exercise, hosted by the
Turkish Naval Forces in the Mediterranean Sea until November 20, the Naval Forces General Staff
reports. The King Ferdinand crew will take part in specific training exercises
in Turkey’s territorial waters and nearby international waters, alongside military
from Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, Jordan, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain, the
United States of America and Turkey. According to the Romanian Naval Forces,
the participation of King Ferdinand helps boost interoperability between
Romania and partner states, and fosters the Romanian Army’s professionalism at
global level.
FAC – The European Union Foreign
Affairs Council is today convening in Brussels to discuss the Council’s
response to the crisis in Venezuela, Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in
the Eastern Mediterranean and the developments in Syria. As regards Venezuela,
the Council imposed a series of sanctions against this country two years ago,
considering the May 2018 election, when President Nicolas Maduro won a second
term in office, lacked credibility. As regards Turkey’s illegal drilling in the
Eastern Mediterranean, the Council has re-expressed its complete solidarity
with Cyprus regarding the observance of its sovereignty and rights, as per
international law. The Council will also call on Turkey to end its military
campaign in northeastern Syria.
(Translated by
V. Palcu)
