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129-567: Since 3 September 1999, the company has also been broadcasting its own signal for the Republic of Moldova , under the Pro TV Chișinău brand. It broadcasts, in addition to Pro TV Bucharest programs (according to its own grid, different from the Romanian one), a series of local news and programs and its own advertising slots throughout the day. Targeting urban adults aged 21 to 54, Pro TV uses

258-471: A hat-trick by Alfredo Di Stéfano. This was Real Madrid's fifth consecutive title, a record that still stands today. Real Madrid's reign ended in the 1960–61 season when bitter rivals Barcelona dethroned them in the first round. Barcelona were defeated in the final by Portuguese side Benfica 3–2 at the Wankdorf Stadium . Reinforced by Eusébio , Benfica defeated Real Madrid 5–3 at

387-573: A prime minister as head of government . Under the presidency of Maia Sandu , elected in 2020 on a pro-Western and anti-corruption ticket, Moldova has pursued membership of the European Union , and was granted candidate status in June 2022. Accession talks to the EU began on 13 December 2023. Sandu has also suggested an end to Moldova's constitutional commitment to military neutrality in favour of

516-608: A vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1538, until the 19th century. In 1812, following one of several Russian–Turkish wars , the eastern half of the principality, Bessarabia , was annexed by the Russian Empire , marking the beginning of Russian influence in the region. In 1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as the Moldavian Democratic Republic and, following the decision of

645-769: A "partly free" country with a score of 62/100 in 2023. They summarized their finds as follows: "Moldova has a competitive electoral environment, and freedoms of assembly , speech , and religion are mostly protected. Nonetheless, pervasive corruption , links between major political figures and powerful economic interests, and critical deficiencies in the justice sector and the rule of law all continue to hamper democratic governance." According to Transparency International , Moldova's Corruption Perceptions Index improved to 39 points in 2022 from 34 in 2020. Reporters Without Borders improved Moldova's Press Freedom Index ranking from 89th in 2020 to 40th in 2022, while cautioning that "Moldova's media are diverse but extremely polarised, like

774-556: A 3–3 draw between Sporting CP and Partizan. The first goal in European Cup history was scored by João Baptista Martins of Sporting CP. The inaugural final took place at the Parc des Princes between Stade de Reims and Real Madrid on 13 June 1956. The Spanish squad came back from behind to win 4–3 thanks to goals from Alfredo Di Stéfano and Marquitos , as well as two goals from Héctor Rial . Real Madrid successfully defended

903-547: A clear separation of powers . The president serves as the head of state , is elected every four years, and can be re-elected once. The prime minister serves as the head of government , appointed by the president with parliament 's support. The head of government in turn assembles a cabinet , subject to parliamentary approval. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral Parliament of Moldova which has 101 seats and whose members are elected by popular vote on party lists every four years. The president's official residence

1032-566: A closer alliance with NATO and strongly condemned Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine . Moldova is the second poorest country in Europe by GDP per official capita after Ukraine and much of its GDP is dominated by the service sector . It has one of the lowest Human Development Indexes in Europe, ranking 76th in the world (2022). Moldova ranks 68th in the world on the Global Innovation Index as of 2024 . Moldova

1161-591: A competition modelled after the Challenge Cup, was created in 1927, an idea of Austrian Hugo Meisl , and played between Central European clubs. In 1930, the Coupe des Nations (French: Nations Cup ), the first attempt to create a cup for national champion clubs of Europe, was played and organised by Swiss club Servette . Held in Geneva , it brought together ten champions from across the continent. The tournament

1290-549: A component of its support for Moldova in its European integration efforts. The first joint meeting of the Governments of Romania and Moldova, held in March 2012, concluded with several bilateral agreements in various fields. The European orientation "has been the policy of Moldova in recent years and this is the policy that must continue," Nicolae Timofti told lawmakers before his election in 2012 . On 29 November 2013, at

1419-517: A conflict that left the Transnistrian region as a de facto independent state. Moldova continues to navigate a complex relationship between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions. In recent years, it has pursued closer ties with the European Union , submitting a formal membership application in 2022. In the November 2020 presidential election , the pro-European opposition candidate Maia Sandu

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1548-416: A deal to ensure tournament sponsors were given priority on television advertisements during matches, ensured that each of the tournament's main sponsors was given maximum exposure. From the 2012–13 knockout phase , UEFA used LED advertising hoardings installed in knockout participant stadiums, including the final. From the 2015–16 season onwards, UEFA has used such hoardings from the play-off round until

1677-458: A logo, and the "starball". The starball was created by Design Bridge, a London-based firm selected by TEAM after a competition. TEAM gives particular attention to detail in how the colours and starball are depicted at matches. According to TEAM, "Irrespective of whether you are a spectator in Moscow or Milan, you will always see the same stadium dressing materials, the same opening ceremony featuring

1806-661: A majority of voters support the proposal in a referendum. Furthermore, no revision can be made to limit the fundamental rights of people enumerated in the Constitution. The 1994 constitution also establishes an independent Constitutional Court , composed of six judges (two appointed by the President, two by Parliament, and two by the Supreme Council of Magistrature ), serving six-year terms, during which they are irremovable and not subordinate to any power. The court

1935-625: A number of more specialised police institutions including the Police Department of Chisinau Municipality and the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation. The Moldovan Border Police are responsible for border security. It was a military branch until 2012 when it was put under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to The Law on Police Use of Force Worldwide, "Moldova does not regulate and restrict

2064-813: A participant in NATO 's Partnership for Peace programme. The Francophonie was joined in 1996 with the country joining the World Trade Organization in 2001 and the International Criminal Court in 2002. In 2005, Moldova and the European Union established an action plan that sought to improve cooperation between Moldova and the union. At the end of 2005, the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM)

2193-475: A political centre at the time of the foundation of the Principality of Moldavia in 1359. The origin of the name of the river remains unclear. According to a legend recounted by Moldavian chroniclers Dimitrie Cantemir and Grigore Ureche , Prince Dragoș named the river after hunting aurochs : following the chase, the prince's exhausted hound Molda (Seva) drowned in the river. The dog's name, given to

2322-502: A possibility for additional spots based on performance during the previous season. Clubs that finish below the qualifying spots are eligible for the second-tier UEFA Europa League competition, and since 2021, for the third-tier UEFA Conference League . In its present format, the Champions League begins in early July with three qualifying rounds and a play-off round, all played over two legs. The seven surviving teams enter

2451-537: A programming strategy of top international series and movies, as well as a wide variety of local productions including news programming, local entertainment and local fiction. On 29 August 2014, Pro TV launched its own streaming service, called Pro TV Plus, dedicated to original series. Later, in 2021, it was replaced by Voyo, which has the same series and original shows of the Pro channels, plus some other exclusives and original content. Pro TV Plus still exists, although Voyo

2580-460: A result, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being played as single match knockout ties at neutral venues in Lisbon, Portugal in the summer with the final taking place on 23 August 2020. The following is the default access list. Changes will be made to the access list above if the Champions League or Europa League title holders qualify for the tournament via their domestic leagues. Each year,

2709-664: A role in shaping foreign policy. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Government has frequently used its connections with the Russian Orthodox Church to block and stymie the integration of former Soviet states like Moldova into the West. In February 2023 Russia cancelled a 2012 decree underpinning Moldova's sovereignty. In May 2023 the government announced its intentions to withdraw from

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2838-463: A run-off on 3 November 2024. The referendum was seen as a test of Moldova's commitment to EU integration, amid claims of vote manipulation by criminal groups. The European Union created a Partnership Mission in Moldova through its Common Security and Defence Policy on 24 April 2023. The mission seeks to support the government of Moldova in countering hybrid threats the country faces as a result of

2967-508: A separate administration and are administratively part of either cities (41 of them) or communes (659). This makes for a total of 1,682 localities in Moldova, two of which are uninhabited. The largest city in Moldova is Chișinău with a population of approx. 695,400 people. The second largest city is Tiraspol at 129,500, part of the unrecognised breakaway region of Transnistria , followed by Bălți (146,900) and Bender (91,000). The Moldovan police force ( General Police Inspectorate ) reports to

3096-466: A single tournament en route to the tournament victory: Bayern Munich in the 2019–20 season. Real Madrid is the current European champion, having beaten Borussia Dortmund 2–0 in the 2024 final for their fifteenth title. The first time the champions of two European leagues met was in what was nicknamed the 1895 World Championship , when English champions Sunderland beat Scottish champions Heart of Midlothian 5–3. The first pan-European tournament

3225-502: A summit in Vilnius , Moldova signed an association agreement with the European Union dedicated to the European Union's ' Eastern Partnership ' with ex-Soviet countries. The ex-Romanian President Traian Băsescu stated that Romania will make all efforts for Moldova to join the EU as soon as possible. Likewise, Traian Băsescu declared that the unification of Moldova and Romania is the next national project for Romania, as more than 75% of

3354-550: A value of US$ 700,000, to the 22nd Peacekeeping Battalion of the Moldovan National Army to "increase the capability of Moldovan peacekeeping contingents." Moldova signed a military agreement with Romania to strengthen regional security in 2015. The agreement is part of Moldova's strategy to reform its military and cooperate with its neighbours. Since 2022, the army has begun a process of modernization, and has been provided with more than €87 million in support for

3483-499: A version of the official trophy : Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Milan and Liverpool. Since 2008, the official trophy has remained with UEFA and the clubs are awarded a replica. The current trophy is 74 cm (29 in) tall and made of silver, weighing 11 kg (24 lb). It was designed by Jürg Stadelmann, a jeweller from Bern , Switzerland, after the original was given to Real Madrid in 1966 in recognition of their six titles to date, and cost 10,000 Swiss francs . As of

3612-497: Is a unitary parliamentary representative democratic republic with its capital in Chișinău , the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. Most of Moldovan territory was a part of the Principality of Moldavia from the 14th century until 1812, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Ottoman Empire (to which Moldavia was a vassal state ) and became known as Bessarabia . In 1856, southern Bessarabia

3741-880: Is a member state of the United Nations, the Council of Europe , the World Trade Organization , the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development , the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation , and the Association Trio . The name Moldova is derived from the Moldova River ( German : Moldau ); the valley of this river served as

3870-512: Is also providing assistance to Moldova in implementing the necessary reforms for full accession by 2030. The European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of the Transnistria conflict . On 27 June, Moldova signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with

3999-558: Is contested by top-division European clubs . The competition begins with a round robin league phase to qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, and a single-leg final. It is the most-watched club competition in the world and the third most-watched football competition overall, behind only the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup . It is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in

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4128-664: Is doing right now?” ( Romanian : Tu știi ce mai face copilul tău? ) won the International Emmy Awards for “News”, being the first TV station in Eastern Europe to win this award. At the beginning of 2009, Pro TV won the NAB International Broadcasting Excellence Award for the social campaigns Știrile PRO TV had developed in the previous two years. The channel's initial identity was designed by Novocom in

4257-496: Is invested with the power of judicial review over all acts of parliament , over presidential decrees , and over international treaties signed by the country. The head of state is the President of Moldova, who between 2001 and 2015 was elected by the Moldovan Parliament, requiring the support of three-fifths of the deputies (at least 61 votes). This system was designed to decrease executive authority in favour of

4386-467: Is now promoted much more. Also, unlike Pro TV Plus, which could be used for free, Voyo has monthly or annual subscriptions. Since 2014, the idents for commercials and promos have become more different from those of other stations, focusing on the stars appearing in the station's shows. During the summer, idents are used that present activities that are practiced in the summer, while in the winter, idents are used that present things and activities related to

4515-542: Is one of the most popular news programs in Romania, with an average rating of 9.3 points and 25.1% market share, being watched by over a million urban viewers. According to 2022 report of Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism , 76% of the interviewed persons confirmed that Pro TV news are the most trusted ones. According to different research studies, Pro TV has at this moment a reach of 63% in terms of weekly use, 51% of

4644-466: Is played from September to January, while the knockout phase begins in February, with matches predominantly played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. After the league phase, a two-legged knockout play-off round is played between teams finishing 9–16 (seeded) and 17–24 (unseeded) in the league phase. Teams finishing in the top eight of the league phase receive a bye to the round of 16 as seeded teams, while

4773-399: Is set to the exclamations 'Die Meister! Die Besten! Les Grandes Équipes! The Champions!'. The anthem's chorus is played before each UEFA Champions League game as the two teams are lined up, as well as at the beginning and end of television broadcasts of the matches. In addition to the anthem, there is also entrance music, which contains parts of the anthem itself, which is played as teams enter

4902-597: Is the Presidential Palace, Chișinău . After the prime minister and government resigned in 2020 and the president and parliament failed to form a new government, early parliamentary elections were held in July 2021. According to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers, the 2021 parliamentary elections were well-administered and competitive, and fundamental freedoms were largely respected. The Party of Action and Solidarity won 63 seats in

5031-602: The 1985 European Cup final due to the Heysel Stadium disaster . "Magic...it's magic above all else. When you hear the anthem it captivates you straight away." — Zinedine Zidane The UEFA Champions League anthem, officially titled simply as "Champions League", was written by Tony Britten , and is an adaptation of George Frideric Handel 's 1727 anthem Zadok the Priest (one of his Coronation Anthems ). UEFA commissioned Britten in 1992 to arrange an anthem, and

5160-548: The 2013 final at Wembley , the chorus was played twice. In the 2018 and 2019 finals, held in Kyiv and Madrid respectively, the instrumental version of the chorus was played, by 2Cellos (2018) and Asturia Girls (2019). In the 2023 final , held in Istanbul, Hungarian pianist Ádám György performed the piano version of the anthem. The anthem has been released commercially in its original version on iTunes and Spotify with

5289-557: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . A memorandum dated 29 March 2023 stated that the mission aims at "enhancing the resilience of Moldova's security sector in the area of crisis management as well as enhancing resilience to hybrid threats, including cybersecurity, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference". The initial mandate of the mission is expected to be for two years and it will be made up of up to 40 police and customs officers and judicial officials. Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Germany, Poland , Sweden,

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5418-528: The Czech Republic , Portugal , Romania , and Denmark have all voiced support for the mission. On 2 February 2023 Moldova passed a law introducing criminal penalties for separatism , including prison terms. The law continues with penalties for financing and inciting separatism, plotting against Moldova, and collecting and stealing information that could harm the country's sovereignty, independence and integrity. The Moldovan armed forces consists of

5547-685: The Ernst-Happel-Stadion to win the 1963–64 season and replicate their local-rival's success. The title stayed in Milan for the third year in a row after Inter beat Benfica 1–0 at their home ground, the San Siro . Under the leadership of Jock Stein , Scottish club Celtic beat Inter Milan 2–1 in the 1967 final to become the first British club to win the European Cup. The Celtic players that day, all of whom were born within 30 miles (48 km) of Glasgow, subsequently became known as

5676-518: The European Free Trade Association . On 28 June 2023, the European Union announced a €1.6 billion support and investment programme for Moldova, as well as confirming reductions in the price of mobile data and voice roaming charges in Moldova by European and Moldovan telecoms operators, as well as Moldova joining the EU's joint gas purchase platform. Formal accession talks began on 13 December 2023. A referendum on joining

5805-612: The European Parliament approved a grant of €90 million to Moldova. The money was to supplement US$ 570 million in International Monetary Fund loans, World Bank and other bilateral support already granted to Moldova. In April 2010, Romania offered Moldova development aid worth of €100 million while the number of scholarships for Moldovan students doubled to 5,000. According to a lending agreement signed in February 2010, Poland provided US$ 15 million as

5934-580: The Ground Forces and Air Force . Moldova maintains a standing army of just 6,500 soldiers, and spends just 0.4 percent of its GDP on defence, far behind its regional neighbours. Moldova accepted all relevant arms control obligations of the former Soviet Union. On 30 October 1992, Moldova ratified the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe , which establishes comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment and provides for

6063-531: The Left Bank of the Dniester ). The final status of Transnistria is disputed , as the central government does not control that territory. 10 other cities, including Comrat and Tiraspol , the administrative seats of the two autonomous territories, also have municipality status . Moldova has 66 cities (towns), including 13 with municipality status, and 916 communes. Another 700 villages are too small to have

6192-586: The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) and is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, and criminal investigations. Several agencies responsible for border management, emergency situations, migration and asylum also report to the ministry. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. The Moldovan Police are divided into state and municipal organisations. State police provide law enforcement throughout Moldova while municipal police operate at

6321-583: The Neolithic and Bronze Ages . In antiquity , Moldova's location made it a crossroads for invasions by the Scythians , Goths , Huns , and other tribes, followed by periods of Roman and Byzantine control. The medieval Principality of Moldavia emerged in the 1350s , and was the medieval precursor of modern Moldova and Romania . It reached prominence under rulers like Stephen the Great before becoming

6450-628: The Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam and kept the title for a second consecutive season . Benfica wanted to repeat Real Madrid's successful run of the 1950s after reaching the showpiece event of the 1962–63 European Cup , but a brace from Brazilian-Italian José Altafini at Wembley gave the spoils to Milan, making the trophy leave the Iberian Peninsula for the first time ever. Inter Milan beat an ageing Real Madrid 3–1 at

6579-765: The UN Firearms Protocol , Stability Pact Regional Implementation Plan , the UN Programme of Action (PoA), and the OSCE Documents on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition. Since declaring independence in 1991, Moldova has participated in UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia , Côte d'Ivoire , Sudan , and Georgia . On 12 November 2014, the US donated to Moldovan Armed Forces 39 Humvees and 10 trailers, with

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6708-553: The Venice Commission across all areas and ensure effective and continuous implementation of human rights legislation." The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ' 2016 recommendations on hate crimes were "largely reflected in amendments to the Criminal Code adopted by the Moldovan Parliament and published on 3 June 2022", but the report notes that Moldovan law enforcement officers often fail to record

6837-495: The dissolution of the Soviet Union was underway, the Moldavian SSR declared independence and took the name Moldova. However, the strip of Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under the de facto control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990. The constitution of Moldova was adopted in 1994, and the country became a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and

6966-473: The " Lisbon Lions ". The 1967–68 season saw Manchester United become the first English team to win the European Cup, beating two-times winners Benfica 4–1 in the final. This final came ten years after the Munich air disaster , which had claimed the lives of eight United players and left their manager, Matt Busby , fighting for his life. In the 1968–69 season , Ajax became the first Dutch team to reach

7095-468: The 'starball' centre circle ceremony, and hear the same UEFA Champions League Anthem ". Based on research it conducted, TEAM concluded that by 1999, "the starball logo had achieved a recognition rate of 94 percent among fans". The UEFA Champions League used to begin with a double round-robin group stage of 32 teams until it evolved into a league phase of 36 teams, which is preceded by two qualification 'streams' for teams that do not receive direct entry to

7224-491: The 101-seat parliament, enough to form a single-party majority. The 1994 Constitution of Moldova sets the framework for the government of the country. A parliamentary majority of at least two-thirds is required to amend the Constitution of Moldova , which cannot be revised in times of war or national emergency. Amendments to the Constitution affecting the state's sovereignty, independence, or unity can only be made after

7353-486: The 2012–13 season, 40 gold medals are presented to the Champions League winners, and 40 silver medals to the runners-up. Starting with the 2024–25 season, the distribution of the prize money is as follows. A large part of the distributed revenue from the UEFA Champions League is linked to the "market pool", the distribution of which is determined by the value of the television market in each nation. For

7482-424: The 2019–20 season, Paris Saint-Germain , who were the runners-up, earned nearly €126.8 million in total, of which €101.3 million was prize money, compared with the €125.46 million earned by Bayern Munich, who won the tournament and were awarded €112.96 million in prize money. Like the FIFA World Cup , the UEFA Champions League is sponsored by a group of multinational corporations, in contrast to

7611-572: The 7:00 p.m. newscast in high-definition , thus becoming the first terrestrial television network in Romania to air in HD, starting terrestrial transmission until 2015. The station could be received via DVB-T (digital terrestrial transmission) on Channel 30 in Bucharest. Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe , on

7740-439: The Commonwealth of Independent States and the immediate suspension of its participation. In July 2023 Moldova passed a law on denunciation of the agreement on Moldova's membership in the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly . On 25 July 2023, the Moldovan government summoned the Russian ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Vasnetsov, after media reports of alleged spying devices on the rooftop of their embassy in Chişinău. On 26 July 2023,

7869-453: The EU is planned for autumn 2024, there will be no voting stations in Transnistria, however residents there will be free to travel into other areas of Moldova to vote, should they wish to. In Moldova's referendum on joining the EU, a narrow 50.17% voted "yes," with Maia Sandu alleging "unprecedented" outside interference. Sandu received 42% in the simultaneous presidential election, while her rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo, garnered 26%, leading to

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7998-636: The European Champion Clubs' Cup. The first European Cup took place during the 1955–56 season. Sixteen teams participated (some by invitation): AC Milan (Italy), AGF Aarhus (Denmark), Anderlecht (Belgium), Djurgården (Sweden), Gwardia Warszawa (Poland), Hibernian (Scotland), Partizan ( Yugoslavia ), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Rapid Wien (Austria), Real Madrid (Spain), Rot-Weiss Essen ( West Germany ), Saarbrücken ( Saar ), Servette (Switzerland), Sporting CP (Portugal), Reims (France) and Vörös Lobogó (Hungary). The first European Cup match took place on 4 September 1955, and ended in

8127-410: The European Cup final, but they were beaten 4–1 by Milan, who claimed their second European Cup, with Pierino Prati scoring a hat-trick. The 1969–70 season saw the first Dutch winners of the competition. Feyenoord knocked out the defending champions, Milan in the second round, before beating Celtic in the final . In the 1970–71 season , Ajax won the title, beating Greek side Panathinaikos in

8256-457: The Moldovan government expelled 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff due to "hostile actions" intended to destabilise the Republic of Moldova, according to Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu. On 30 July, the Russian embassy announced that it would suspend consular appointments "for technical reasons". The Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) also ended all partnership agreements with Russia's FSB after sending official notifications to

8385-423: The OSCE and UN fact-finding and observer missions. The foreign minister of Moldova , Andrei Stratan , repeatedly stated that the Russian troops stationed in the breakaway region were there against the will of the Moldovan government and called on them to leave "completely and unconditionally". In 2012, a security zone incident resulted in the death of a civilian, raising tensions with Russia. In September 2010,

8514-426: The Parliament (Sfatul Țării), united with Romania . During the Second World War it was occupied by the Soviet Union which reclaimed it from Romania. It joined the Union in 1940 as the Moldavian SSR . During this period, policies of Russification and economic transformation deeply influenced the region. The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 led to declared independence , followed by the Transnistria War in 1992,

8643-472: The Premier League that season. UEFA gave special dispensation for Liverpool to enter the Champions League, giving England five qualifiers. UEFA subsequently ruled that the defending champions qualify for the competition the following year regardless of their domestic league placing. However, for those leagues with four entrants in the Champions League, this meant that, if the Champions League winner fell outside of its domestic league's top four, it would qualify at

8772-415: The South American Championship of Champions was the inspiration for the European Champions Cup. After Stan Cullis declared Wolverhampton Wanderers "Champions of the World" following a successful run of friendlies in the 1950s, in particular a 3–2 friendly victory against Budapest Honvéd , Hanot finally managed to convince UEFA to put into practice such a tournament. It was conceived in Paris in 1955 as

8901-538: The United States, the logo (a PRO wordmark atop an RGB triband with TV in it) was designed by consultancy art director David Henry, who also did the same for its Slovenian counterpart Pop TV. The bevels and glossy effects were taken away in 2015, and the Pro TV logo is now enclosed in a blue square box. On 15 January 2016, Pro TV's logo became monochrome and the well-known red-green-blue stripes were removed. On 28 August 2017, Pro TV changed its logo and graphics again including with other MediaPro neighboring channels, with

9030-464: The authorities in Moscow. Moldova has set 2030 as the target date for EU Accession. Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union in Brussels on 27 June 2014. The signing came after the accord was drafted in Vilnius in November 2013. Moldova signed the membership application to join the EU on 3 March 2022. On 23 June 2022, Moldova was officially granted candidate status by EU leaders. The United Nations Development Programme

9159-484: The bias motivations behind hate crimes, and additionally recommended "developing its victim support system to ensure effective access to justice, assistance, and protection services for hate crime victims". In 2021, 8 hate crimes were recorded, 7 of which reached a successful conviction, with one going to prosecution but without a conviction. Moldova is divided into 32 districts ( raioane , singular raion ), three municipalities and two autonomous regions ( Gagauzia and

9288-413: The biggest domestic leagues qualified directly for the tournament group stage. Prior to this, three preliminary knockout qualifying rounds whittled down the remaining teams, with teams starting in different rounds. An exception to the usual European qualification system happened in 2005, after Liverpool won the Champions League the year before, but did not finish in a Champions League qualification place in

9417-670: The breakaway Transdniestria region, prosecution and imprisonment for peaceful dissent continued." On 18 June 2023, some 500 LGBT activists and supporters held a Pride parade in the capital city of Chișinău which for the first time needed no heavy police cordons to protect them from protesters largely linked to the Orthodox church. According to Human Rights Report of the United States Department of State , released in 2022, "While authorities investigated reports of human rights abuses and corruption committed by officials,

9546-491: The champions of Europe's domestic leagues, with its winner reckoned as the European club champion. The competition took on its current name in 1992, adding a round-robin group stage in 1991 and allowing multiple entrants from certain countries since the 1997–98 season. While only the winners of many of Europe's national leagues can enter the competition, the top 5 leagues by coefficient provide four teams each by default, with

9675-508: The chest and the left sleeve. Exceptions are made for non-profit organisations, which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor or in place of it; or on the back, either below the squad number or on the collar area. If a club plays a match in a nation where the relevant sponsorship category is restricted (such as France's alcohol advertising restriction), then they must remove that logo from their jerseys. For example, when Rangers played French side Auxerre in

9804-608: The country itself, which is marked by political instability and excessive influence by oligarchs." According to Amnesty International 's 2022/23 report, "No visible progress was made in reducing instances of torture and other ill-treatment in detention. Impunity continued for past human rights violations by law enforcement agencies. New "temporary" restrictions on public assemblies were introduced. The rights of LGBTI people were not fully realized, leading to cases of harassment, discrimination and violence. Some refugee reception centres turned away religious and ethnic minority refugees. In

9933-846: The country signed the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Convention to become a member and was also admitted in July 1995 to the Council of Europe . Moldova became a member state of the United Nations the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Cooperation Council , the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 1992. 1994 saw Moldova became

10062-646: The destruction of weapons in excess of those limits. The country acceded to the provisions of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in October 1994 in Washington, D.C. It does not have nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. Moldova joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 's Partnership for Peace on 16 March 1994. Moldova is committed to a number of international and regional control of arms regulations such as

10191-469: The eight winning teams from the knockout play-off round will enter the round of 16 draw as unseeded teams. Teams finishing 25th–36th place in the league phase and the eight losers of the knockout play-offs are eliminated from the competition and from European football since it is no longer possible to enter the Europa League from the league phase onwards. After the round of 16 the competition follows

10320-511: The exception that Acasă TV changed its name to Pro 2, Acasă Gold to Pro Gold and Sport.ro to Pro X. On that same day, Știrile PRO TV was rebranded with a new logo and look. In April 2022, Pro 2 and Pro Gold reverted to Acasă TV and Acasă Gold. Pro TV was the main television channel to broadcast the UEFA Champions League in Romania between 2000 and 2009. From 2009 to 2015, it broadcast Cupa României (Romanian Cup), at football,

10449-429: The expense of the fourth-placed team in the league. Until 2015–16, no association could have more than four entrants in the Champions League. In May 2012, Tottenham Hotspur finished fourth in the 2011–12 Premier League , two places ahead of Chelsea, but failed to qualify for the 2012–13 Champions League , after Chelsea won the 2012 final . Tottenham were demoted to the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League . In May 2013, it

10578-544: The field. The complete anthem is about three minutes long, and has two short verses and the chorus. Special vocal versions have been performed live at the Champions League final with lyrics in other languages, changing over to the host nation's language for the chorus. These versions were performed by Andrea Bocelli (Italian; Rome 2009 , Milan 2016 and Cardiff 2017 ), Juan Diego Flores (Spanish; Madrid 2010 ), All Angels ( Wembley 2011 ), Jonas Kaufmann and David Garrett ( Munich 2012 ) and Mariza ( Lisbon 2014 ). In

10707-464: The final. Since 2021, the UEFA also used Virtual Board Replacement (VBR) technology to offer region-based advertising; regional sponsors are inserted into the hoardings as shown on the broadcast feed in specific regions along with the global sponsors. Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising. However, only two sponsorships are permitted per jersey in addition to that of the kit manufacturer, at

10836-790: The final. the season saw a number of changes, with penalty shoot-outs being introduced, and the away goals rule being changed so that it would be used in all rounds except the final. It was also the first time a Greek team reached the final, as well as the first season that Real Madrid failed to qualify, having finished sixth in La Liga the previous season. Ajax went on to win the competition three years in row (1971 to 1973), which Bayern Munich emulated from 1974 to 1976, before Liverpool won their first two titles in 1977 and 1978. The following seasons saw victories in 1978–79 and 1979–80 for Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest . The following year Liverpool won their third title before Aston Villa continued

10965-408: The first teams to reach the Champions League group stage after playing in all three qualifying rounds. Real Madrid and Barcelona hold the record for the most appearances in the group stage, having qualified 25 times, followed by Porto and Bayern Munich on 24. Between 1999 and 2008, no differentiation was made between champions and non-champions in qualification. The 16 top-ranked teams spread across

11094-403: The fourth-placed teams were eliminated from the competition. For the next stage – the last 16 – the winning team from one group played against the runners-up from another group, but teams from the same association could not be drawn against each other (see random two-sided matching ). From the quarter-finals onwards, the draw was entirely random, without association protection. The group stage

11223-489: The group stage in favour of an expanded league phase. The number of participating teams was increased from 32 to 36 teams. Teams are no longer divided into groups of four teams each but are ranked in a single table. Each team plays eight matches against eight different opponents. For the draw of the league phase, teams are divided into four seeding pots according to their UEFA coefficient . Each team will play against two teams from each pot, one home and one away. The league phase

11352-555: The league phase, joining 29 teams qualified in advance. The 36 teams each play eight opponents, four home and four away. The 24 highest-ranked teams proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match in late May or early June. The winner of the Champions League automatically qualifies for the following year's Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup , and the FIFA Club World Cup . Spanish clubs have

11481-569: The legislature. Nevertheless, the Constitutional Court ruled on 4 March 2016 that this constitutional change adopted in 2000 regarding the presidential election was unconstitutional, thus reverting the election method of the president to a two-round system direct election . After achieving independence from the Soviet Union, Moldova's foreign policy was designed with a view to establishing relations with other European countries, neutrality, and European Union integration. In May 1995

11610-506: The local administrative level. National and municipal police forces often collaborate closely for law enforcement purposes. The Special Forces Brigade "Fulger" is a specialized combat-ready police force primarily responsible for tackling organized crime, serious violent crime, and hostage situations. They are subordinate to the General Police Inspectorate and therefore under strict civilian control. There are also

11739-406: The matches with Romanian teams from UEFA Europa League , and the preliminaries of the UEFA Champions League. From 2015, Pro TV took back the rights for UEFA Champions League and in 2016 it obtained the rights for UEFA Euro 2016 . From 2021, Pro TV took back the rights for UEFA Europa League , and also for UEFA Europa Conference League and FA Cup . On 1 December 2006, Pro TV started to broadcast

11868-685: The modernization of the defence sector and the strengthening of security through the European Peace Facility . In October 2022, Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii claimed that 90 percent of the country's military equipment is outdated and of Soviet origin, dating back to the 1960s and 1980s. In April 2023, Valeriu Mija, Secretary of State for Defence Policy and National Army Reform in the Defence Ministry, claimed that Moldova needed $ 275 million to modernize its armed forces, especially in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and

11997-466: The most victories (20 wins), followed by England (15 wins) and Italy (12 wins). England has the most winning teams, with six clubs having won the title. The competition has been won by 23 clubs and 13 of them have won it more than once. Real Madrid is the most successful club in the tournament's history, having won it 15 times. Madrid is the only club to have won it five times in a row (the first five editions). Only one club has won all of their matches in

12126-524: The northeastern corner of the Balkans . The country spans a total of 33,483 km (12,928 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 2.42 million as of January 2024. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester river on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova

12255-662: The people watching the programs at least three times per week. Știrile Pro TV won the International Emmy Award News of 2008 in September 2008. Andreea Esca is the longest-standing newscaster in Romania. She began her career in 1993, and has been with Pro TV since 1995. The look of the news operation was changed in March 2020, changing its color from blue to red. Pro TV news programs are broadcast daily, multiple times per day. In September 2008, Știrile Pro TV's social campaign “Any idea what your kid

12384-521: The piece was performed by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields . Stating that "the anthem is now almost as iconic as the trophy", UEFA's official website adds it is "known to set the hearts of many of the world's top footballers aflutter". The chorus contains the three official languages used by UEFA: English, German, and French. The climactic moment

12513-673: The population speaks Romanian. A document written in 2021 by the Russia's FSB's Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation, titled "Strategic objectives of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova" sets out a 10-year plan to destabilise Moldova. Using energy blackmail, political and elite sources in Moldova that are favourable to Russia and the Orthodox Church. Russia denies any such plan. Religious leaders play

12642-617: The presence of 1,500 Russian soldiers in Transnistria . In June 2023, Poland also sent a transport of military equipment worth €8 million (including drones , laptops, explosive ordnance disposal equipment , and ultrasound equipment) to the Moldovan police to increase the country's internal security. Analysts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis have called for further western weapon donations. Freedom House ranked Moldova as

12771-562: The previous five Champions League, Europa League and Conference League seasons. The higher an association's coefficient, the more teams represent the association in the Champions League, and the fewer qualification rounds the association's teams must compete in. Five of the remaining seven qualifying places are granted to the winners of a four-round qualifying tournament between the remaining 43 or 44 national champions, within which those champions from associations with higher coefficients receive byes to later rounds. The other two are granted to

12900-500: The process was slow and burdensome. During the year, authorities indicted and detained several former high-level officials including former President Igor Dodon, former member of parliament Vladimir Andronachi, Shor Party member of parliament Marina Tauber and former director of Moldovan Railways Anatolie Topala. None of these cases resulted in conviction by a court at year's end. Authorities took some steps to identify, investigate, and prosecute officials for human rights abuses, but progress

13029-743: The river, extended to the principality. For a short time in the 1990s, at the founding of the Commonwealth of Independent States , the name of the current Republic of Moldova was also spelled Moldavia . After the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the country began to use the Romanian name, Moldova . Officially, the name Republic of Moldova is designated by the United Nations. The history of Moldova spans prehistoric cultures , ancient and medieval empires, and periods of foreign rule and modern independence . Evidence of human habitation dates back 800,000–1.2 million years, with significant developments in agriculture , pottery , and settlement during

13158-530: The sense of English dominance in 1982 . In 1982–83, Hamburger SV broke the English dominance. Liverpool regained it in 1983–84 before losing to Juventus (1984–85); Steaua București then won in 1985–86, Porto in 1986–87, PSV Eindhoven in 1987–88; Milan (2), Red Star Belgrade and Barcelona became champions before the competition was re-formulated as the UEFA Champions League . All English clubs were banned for five years (Liverpool for six years) following

13287-431: The single main sponsor typically found in national top-flight leagues. When the Champions League was created in 1992, it was decided that a maximum of eight companies should be allowed to sponsor the event, with each corporation being allocated four advertising boards around the perimeter of the pitch, as well as logo placement at pre- and post-match interviews and a certain number of tickets to each match. This, combined with

13416-522: The streets, introduced Valentine's Day to Romania and launched a line of local celebrities. Among its remarkable innovations was a series of lottery-style programs under the name Te uiţi şi câştigi (You Watch and Win), presented by Florin Călinescu. One such event was held on the day of the 1996 Romanian general election , in which the station offered television sets to urban voters, in contrast to TVR's offer of tractors in areas of high rural turnout. There

13545-590: The title for the third consecutive season. In a rematch of the first final, Real Madrid faced Stade Reims at the Neckarstadion for the 1959 final , and won 2–0. West German side Eintracht Frankfurt became the first team not to compete in the Latin cup to reach the European Cup final. The 1960 final holds the record for the most goals scored, with Real Madrid beating Eintracht Frankfurt 7–3 at Hampden Park , courtesy of four goals by Ferenc Puskás and

13674-415: The title of Champions League Theme. In 2018, composer Hans Zimmer remixed the anthem with rapper Vince Staples for EA Sports ' video game FIFA 19 , with it also featuring in the game's reveal trailer. In 1991, UEFA asked its commercial partner, Television Event and Media Marketing (TEAM), to help brand the Champions League. This resulted in the anthem, "house colours" of black and white or silver and

13803-502: The tournament proper. The two streams are divided between teams qualified by virtue of being league champions, and those qualified by virtue of finishing second, third or fourth in their national championship. The number of teams that each association enters into the UEFA Champions League is based upon the UEFA coefficients of the member associations. These coefficients are generated by the results of clubs representing each association during

13932-415: The traditional knockout format with quarter-finals, semi-finals (both two legged and without association draw protection) and then the final at a venue chosen prior to the season. The final is typically held in late May or early June. Prior to the 2024–25 season, the tournament proper began with a group stage of 32 teams, divided into eight groups of four. The draw to determine which teams entered each group

14061-572: The trophy next season in their home stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu , against Fiorentina . After a scoreless first half, Real Madrid scored twice in six minutes to defeat the Italians. In 1958 , Milan failed to capitalise after going ahead on the scoreline twice, only for Real Madrid to equalise. The final, held in Heysel Stadium , went to extra time where Francisco Gento scored the game-winning goal to allow Real Madrid to retain

14190-501: The use of firearms by law enforcement officials as international law requires. Police use of a firearm can only be lawful where necessary to confront an imminent threat of death or serious injury or a grave and proximate threat to life." UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL ) is an annual club association football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that

14319-514: The winners of a three-round qualifying tournament between ten and eleven clubs from the associations ranked 5–6 through 15, which have qualified based upon finishing second, third or fourth in their respective national league. In addition to sporting criteria, any club must be licensed by its national association to participate in the Champions League. To obtain a license, the club must meet certain stadium, infrastructure and finance requirements. In 2005–06 , Liverpool and Artmedia Bratislava became

14448-500: The winning team is presented with the European Champion Clubs' Cup, the current version of which has been awarded since 1967. From the 1968–69 season and prior to the 2008–09 season any team that won the Champions League three years in a row or five times overall was awarded the official trophy permanently. Each time a club achieved this, a new official trophy had to be forged for the following season. Five clubs own

14577-493: The winter holidays, but also things related to winter. Pro TV dates back to the creation of a UHF channel in Bucharest, Canal 31, in June 1993. Its founder, Adrian Sârbu, received the license to operate as a sports channel and, in 1994, found a foreign partner ( CME ) in order to launch the channel on a national scale as Pro TV. Pro TV was the first television channel in Romania to be modelled on Western-style (Western European and American) principles. The channel brought viewers to

14706-521: The world and the most prestigious club competition in European football, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national associations. Introduced in 1955 as the Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens (French for European Champion Clubs' Cup ), and commonly known as the European Cup , it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to

14835-406: Was seeded based on each team's UEFA coefficient , and no group could contain more than one club from each association. Each team played six group stage games, meeting the other three teams in its group home and away in a round-robin format. The first place team and the runners-up from each group then progressed to the next round. The third-placed teams entered the Europa League's knockout round and

14964-426: Was a mystery grand prize for viewers who sent their proof of vote. Regional broadcasts from its twelve stations stopped on 1 April 2018 as a business decision. From that day, the news produced in Bucharest was the only one seen nationwide. Regional news teams continued their activities. The station's local productions include entertainment shows, news programs and TV series. Știrile Pro TV (English: Pro TV News )

15093-438: Was decided that, starting from the 2015–16 season (and continuing at least for the three-year cycle until the 2017–18 season ), the winners of the previous season's UEFA Europa League would qualify for the UEFA Champions League, entering at least the play-off round, and entering the group stage if the berth reserved for the Champions League title holders was not used. The previous limit of a maximum of four teams per association

15222-738: Was disputed by Soviet Russia , which in 1924 established, within the Ukrainian SSR , a so-called Moldavian autonomous republic on partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia. In 1940, as a consequence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union , leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR). On 27 August 1991, as

15351-491: Was elected as the new president of the republic, becoming the first female elected president of Moldova. In the November 2024 presidential election , President Maia Sandu was re-elected with 55% of the vote in the run-off. The Republic of Moldova is a constitutional republic with a unicameral parliamentary system of government and competitive, multi-party elections . The constitution provides for executive and legislative branches as well as an independent judiciary and

15480-558: Was established at the joint request of the presidents of Moldova and Ukraine. EUBAM assists the Moldovan and Ukrainian governments in approximating their border and customs procedures to EU standards and offers support in both countries' fight against cross-border crime. After the 1990–1992 War of Transnistria , Moldova sought a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Transnistria region by working with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia, calling for international mediation, and co-operating with

15609-482: Was increased to five, meaning that a fourth-placed team from one of the top three ranked associations would only have to be moved to the Europa League if both the Champions League and Europa League winners came from that association and both finished outside the top four of their domestic league. In 2007, Michel Platini , the UEFA president, had proposed taking one place from the three leagues with four entrants and allocating it to that nation's cup winners. This proposal

15738-483: Was part of Platini's plan to increase the number of teams qualifying directly into the group stage, while simultaneously increasing the number of teams from lower-ranked nations in the group stage. In 2012, Arsène Wenger referred to qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four places in the Premier League as the "4th Place Trophy". The phrase was coined after a pre-match conference when he

15867-461: Was played from September to December, whilst the knockout stage began in February, with matches usually played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The knockout ties were played in a two-legged format, with the exception of the final. In the 2019–20 season , due to the COVID-19 pandemic the tournament was suspended for five months. The format of the remainder of the tournament was temporarily amended as

15996-482: Was questioned about Arsenal's lack of a trophy after exiting the FA Cup . He said "The first trophy is to finish in the top four". At Arsenal's 2012 AGM, Wenger was also quoted as saying: "For me there are five trophies every season: Premier League, Champions League, the third is to qualify for the Champions League..." Beginning with the 2024–25 season, UEFA changed the format of their three club competitions, abandoning

16125-416: Was rejected in a vote at a UEFA Strategy Council meeting. In the same meeting, however, it was agreed that the third-placed team in the top three leagues would receive automatic qualification for the group stage, rather than entry into the third qualifying round, while the fourth-placed team would enter the play-off round for non-champions, guaranteeing an opponent from one of the top 15 leagues in Europe. This

16254-482: Was returned to Moldavia, which three years later united with Wallachia to form Romania , but Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878. During the 1917 Russian Revolution , Bessarabia briefly became an autonomous state within the Russian Republic . In February 1918, it declared independence and then integrated into Romania later that year following a vote of its assembly. The decision

16383-555: Was slow." In a meeting with the European Union in October 2022, EU representatives "welcomed positive developments in Moldova such as the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, the adoption of legislation on hate crime , and the ongoing work to reform the Electoral Code. It encouraged Moldovan authorities to address shortcomings identified by OSCE/ODIHR and

16512-605: Was the Challenge Cup , a competition between clubs in the Austro-Hungarian Empire . Three years later, in 1900, the champions of Belgium , Netherlands and Switzerland , which were the only existing leagues in continental Europe at the time, participated in the Coupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz , thus being dubbed as the "club championship of the continent" by the local newspapers. The Mitropa Cup ,

16641-590: Was won by Újpest of Hungary. Latin European nations came together to form the Latin Cup in 1949. After receiving reports from his journalists over the highly successful South American Championship of Champions of 1948, Gabriel Hanot , editor of L'Équipe , began proposing the creation of a continent-wide tournament. In interviews, Jacques Ferran (one of the founders of the European Champions Cup, together with Gabriel Hanot), said that

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