Day of the Holy Forty
Orthodox and Catholic Christians around the world are celebrating the Day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or the Holy Forty, a group of Roman soldiers in the Legio XII Fulminata whose martyrdom in 320 for the Christian faith is recounted in traditional history. They were killed near the city of Sebaste (present-day Sivas in Turkey), in Lesser Armenia, victims of the persecutions of Licinius, a Roman emperor who, for most of his reign, was a rival of Constantine I (the future St. Constantine in the Christian Orthodox Church) , known as the first Christian emperor. In Romania, the feast on March 9 is known as the „Mucenici”, a traditional holiday coinciding with the start of the agricultural year. In Romania and the former Soviet Republic of Moldova there is a traditional dessert also known as „mucenici”. The desserts are made in the figure 8 to look like garlands. Others believe that the figure 8 denotes a stylized human form of the martyrs themselves. In the Muntenia and Dobrogea provinces of Romania, the dough is boiled in water with sugar, cinnamon and crushed nuts. In Moldova, the „mucenici” are baked and include similar ingredients with honey added.
Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş on a visit to the Netherlands
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloş is in the Netherlands for an official visit on Wednesday. The Prime Minister is expected to present his cabinet’s plans also attempting to get the Dutch support for his country’s Schengen membership and the removal of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) established to asses the country’s progress in reforming its judiciary and the fight against corruption. Mr. Cioloş is expected to meet the heads of the two chambres in the Dutch Parliament, commisioners for European and foreign affairs ad representatives of the Romanian community in the Netherlands. It is the first visit to the Netherlands by Mr. Cioloş as Prime Minister and the first such visit of a Romanian Prime Minister in ten years.
Romania’s EU Commission Representation and Finance Ministry launch their „Country Report on Romania”
The European Commission Representation in Romania and the country’s Finance Ministry are expected to issue their „Country Report on Romania” on Wednesday. The report includes specific recommendations on three priorities inclunding investment, further structural reforms and accountable budget policy. The next step will be the National Reform Programme and the Covergence Programme the Romanian authorities should finalise by the end of May when the European Commission would issue its recommendations and guidlines for Romania’s economic policies in the future. The event is attended by government officials, university scholars and representatives of the European Commission in Bucharest and the country’s National Bank (BNR).
Fate of MP Cristian Rizea under debate in parliament
The Romanian Parliament’s lower house is expected to discuss a request by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, the DNA, concerning the preventive arrest of MP Cristian Rizea for his alleged involvement in a corruption-related case. Mr. Rizea, a member of the left-wing Social Democratic Party (PSD) is accused of embezzlement, money laundring and pressure on witnesses in order to change their statements. The parliament’s judicial committee already approved the request as deputies were expected to express their vote at the session on Wedesday.
Alexandru Danga
