News review of the day – November 27

NATO’s anti-missile shield in Deveselu – a “choice made by Romania, not Romanians” – Sergey Naryshkin

Speaker of the Russian State Duma Sergey Naryshkin has stated today in Bucharest that the Russian Federation respected Romania’s choice to set up an anti-ballistic missile shield in Deveselu. He added that NATO’s enlargement over the last 20 years was triggered by the false idea that Russia represented a threat. Sergey Naryshkin said the recent attacks in Paris proved no allied infrastructure managed to avoid the tragedy.

Sergey Naryshkin: Development of the NATO system claims a lot of budget money from all countries involved, including money from Romanian citizens.[…] The choice to set up this anti-missile shield belongs to Romania and we are nothing but respecting this choice. However, I consider this is not a choice made by the Romanian people.

Speaker Sergey Naryshkin made the statements at the end of a three-day reunion of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) hosted by Bucharest. The speech by the State Duma Speaker was accompanied by a protest of Ukraine’s parliamentary delegation, Radio Romania reported.

Chief of the US National Guard received by President Klaus Iohannis

Chief of the US National Guard Bureau General Frank Grass has been received today at Cotroceni Palace by President Klaus Iohannis. During the meeting, the two officials talked about mutual interest and availability to continue bilateral cooperation regarding defense and security by promoting and extending the undergoing common projects. According to a press release, aspects regarding developments in Afghanistan and the Western Balkans have also been discussed as well as the strategic importance of rapprochment between Romania and the United States under the current security context in South Eastern Europe, Radio Romania reported.

Price of electricity and thermal power expected to go down in 2016, natural gas to go up

Price of electric and thermal power for the population may go down next year, according to relevant authorities in the field. On the other hand, price of natural gas for household consumers is expected to rise.

President of ANRE (Romania’s Regulatory Authority for Energy) Niculae Havrileţ announced that price of electricity is expected to go down by at least 5% for household consumers. Thermal energy is also likely to become cheaper by nearly 4%. As for natural gas, a price reduction will be made only for industrial consumers whereas household consumers will see a rise by 6 RON on each Megawatt hour (MWh), according to the gas price liberalisation calendar in Romania.

Health condition of 8 Belgium-based patients injured in Bucharest club fire is improving

37 persons with severe burns after the fire in Colectiv club are still receiving care in hospitals across Bucharest, six of them being in critical condition, according to data centralized by the Health Ministry.

39 patients with burn injuries are being treated in European hospitals, most of them in the UK and the Netherlands. Good news is coming from Belgium, where doctors have declared themselves satisfied with the evolution of 8 patients hospitalized at „Reine Astrid” Military Clinic. Seven out of eight persons are now out of the intensive care unit and their condition is stable, but they will need further surgeries and the recovery will be made step by step. Remaining concerns are related to recovery of their wrists which entails special care of dressings and kinetotherapy after they will be released. The longterm treatment requires special medical equipment, called pressure garment for burn scars. Dr. Serge Jennes from Reine Astrid Hospital in Brussels said the clinic is ready to provide further assistance and support for the injured, should Romanian authorities request this.

So far, 60 persons died after the fire in Colectiv club in Bucharest, 27 on the night of the tragedy and the rest of them during the following days, due to complications.

Spanish tenor José Carreras visited Bone Marrow Transplant Center in Bucharest

Acclaimed Spanish tenor José Carreras has visited today the Center for Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant of Fundeni Clinical Institute in Bucharest to whose development he contributed by donations from his foundation. The managers took the opportunity to express their gratitude whilst the singer also praised the Romanian scientists and doctors and said he was glad to have been able to help patients in our country. 130 bone marrow transplants are now being performed every year in the medical center. Last night, the Spanish tenor had a concert in Bucharest where he paid an emotional tribute to the 60 victims of the nightclub fire on October 30.

Popular public radio broadcaster Victor Spirache dies at 55

One of the most popular entertainers and broadcasters of the Romanian public radio, Victor Spirache, passed away last night at the age of 55. In the early ’90s, he was at first an accredited journalist at Romania’s Senate. He gradually became a successful and appreciated broadcaster who was honored in 2003 with the National Order of Cultural Merit, 1st class conferred by Romania’s Presidency, Radio Romania reported.

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