Ethnic groups in Russia

Romanians take a deep liking to Western states, with Germany topping the rankings of the countries towards which feelings are rather positive, with 87.3% of the options (84.3% in July 2014), according to an INSCOP survey released on Monday to AGERPRES.

Photo credit: (c) inscop.ro

At least 300 people from the Turkish-speaking minority in eastern Ukraine, known as the Meskhetian Turks, have fled their houses in Slaviansk following clashes between government forces and pro-Russian separatists, a community representative has said.

Turkey accused Russia of not keeping the promises it has given reagarding Crimean Tatars' rights and announced that it will send a delegation to monitor developments in the region.

The Federation of the Caucasian Associations in Turkey (KAF-FED) will hold a conference on the 150th anniversary of the Circassian exile in Ankara on Dec. 13-14, within the scope of Human Rights week.

Romanians continue to trust their soldiers and churchmen more than their political leaders, according to an opinion poll published on Thursday. Parliament and other democratic institutions languish at the bottom of the credibility ratings.

Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL) presidential candidate Klaus Iohannis told a TV show late on Thursday he wants to offer as head of state the guarantee of a Western-type capitalism and to be a link, not a leader who divides the society.

Deputy Prime Minister Daniel Constantin said on Sunday, at Pitesti (north-west of Bucharest), that Romanians have the opportunity to make a good choice for the country for the first time, considering that this presidential election is the most important of the last 25 years.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Titus Corlatean cast his ballot in the presidential polls early on Sunday at "Nicolae Tonitza" Plastic Art High School, stressing that he has voted "thinking of our brothers beyond the Prut."

He came accompanied by his wife, his daughter and his wife's grandmother.

Some 18.3 million Romanians aged 18 and over are eligible to vote in the presidential elections. In total, 18,550 polling stations will open across Romania. Another 294 are available for Romanian citizens living abroad.

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Prime Minister Victor Ponta said during a visit to Turin, Italy on Saturday that he wants to be a prime minister of all Romanians, not only of those who live in Romania, but also of the Romanians living outside the country's borders.