Radio România Internațional

Tag: alliance

  • February 23, 2025

    February 23, 2025

    UKRAINE The interim president of Romania Ilie Bolojan takes part on Monday in an online summit on ‘Defence and Security Strategy of Unity. Action Plan’, organised in the neighbouring Russia-invaded Ukraine, the Romanian presidency announced. On Wednesday, Bolojan took part in a meeting on Ukraine and the security challenges in Europe in Paris. The interim president stated that participants in the meeting in Paris concluded that the best way to solve the crisis is collaboration between European countries and the United States of America, so that there is a ceasefire and a just peace, which cannot be achieved without the participation of Ukraine and the European Union in the negotiations.

     

    ELECTIONS In Romania, the electoral alliance supporting Crin Antonescu as a presidential candidate in May has been officially registered with the Central Electoral Bureau. The alliance, called  “Romania Forward”, comprises the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), in the ruling coalition, and is also backed by the group of ethnic minorities in the Romanian Parliament. A former education minister, Daniel Funeriu, and the incumbent mayor general of Bucharest, Nicuşor Dan, have also announced plans to run for president. The election campaign begins on April 4 and ends on May 3, with the vote scheduled on May 4 and the second round on May 18. In December the Constitutional Court cancelled the presidential election over foreign interference in the electoral process.

     

    AIRCRAFT US aircraft deployed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base (southeastern Romania) are performing low-altitude training flights in and around Constanţa County these days, the Romanian Air Forces announced. They say the exercises will continue until February 28 and promised that all safety measures have been taken to reduce the noise impact on civilians. Officials say that these trainings aim to increase the response capacity of aeronautical personnel.

     

    FILM The Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude was awarded the Silver Bear for best screenplay at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival. The distinction was awarded for his latest film, “Kontinental ’25”, the story of a female bailiff in the grips of a moral crisis, filmed with a phone in just 10 days. In his acceptance speech, Radu Jude thanked his team and said that the award proves that there is a lot of talent in Romania. The Golden Bear for best film went to ‘Dreams (Sex Love)’/'(Drommer’), directed by the Norwegian Dag Johan Haugerud. The second most important trophy of the Berlinale, the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, was awarded to the Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro for the production ‘The Blue Trail’ (‘O último azul’), and the Silver Bear for best director went to the Chinese filmmaker Huo Meng for ‘Living The Land’ (‘Sheng xi zhi di’).

     

    GERMANY Germany is holding elections for the next Bundestag. The Christian Democratic Union leader Friedrich Merz, the most likely to become the country’s next chancellor, said at a rally in Munich that he would be a strong voice in Europe in these “troubled times.” The campaign was overshadowed by the rise of the far-right party Alternative for Germany, which is expected to come in second place, ahead of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, however, the fragmented political landscape requires complicated negotiations at a crucial moment for the strongest EU member state. Following a reform of the electoral law, the 21st Bundestag will have 630 MPs, 103 fewer than at present. The campaign was generally focused on hot topics such as illegal migration and, more recently, the challenges to NATO posed by the US President Donald Trump.

     

    HANDBALL  The Romanian women’s handball team Rapid Bucharest play away from home today against Buducnost, in a decisive match for the round of 16 of the Champions League. Whoever wins will play against the Romanian champions CSM Bucharest. Also today, Dunarea Braila play at home against Larvik for qualification in the quarterfinals of the women’s handball competition EHF European League. On Saturday evening, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea were defeated by the Danish team Ikast Handbold 36-34, in their last match in the competition’s Group B. On Saturday evening, CS Minaur Baia Mare qualified for the quarterfinals of the EHF European Cup men’s handball competition, although they were defeated by the Finnish team BK-46, 32-31 in Karis, in the second leg of the round of 16. (AMP)

  • February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    ELECTIONS The Central Electoral Bureau of Romania announced that it decided on Saturday to admit the registration of the Protocol on the establishment of the electoral alliance “Romania Forward”, signed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), in the ruling coalition, in order to support Crin Antonescu’s candidacy in the presidential elections. Antonescu is also backed by the group of ethnic minorities in the Romanian Parliament. The Central Electoral Bureau for the election of the president of Romania in May was selected on Friday. The Bureau is made up of 5 judges with the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the president and vice-presidents of the Permanent Electoral Authority and one representative of each party in Parliament. Parties, political or electoral alliances, ethnic minority organisations and independent candidates will be able to submit their candidacies by March 15, after which the Central Electoral Bureau is to rule on their validity. The election campaign begins on April 4 and ends on May 3, with the vote scheduled on May 4 and the second round on May 18. In December the Constitutional Court cancelled the presidential election over foreign interference in the electoral process. Thousands of Romanians, supporters of the independent sovereigntist candidate Călin Georgescu, who came out first in the first election round in December, took to the streets again in Bucharest on Saturday to demand that the elections be resumed with the second round.

     

    MIDDLE EAST Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan said on Saturday that Romania welcomes the release of the 6 Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza, one of whom has dual, Israeli and Romanian citizenship. “We take this opportunity to reiterate our support for implementing the ceasefire agreement and releasing the hostages, as well as for the urgent provision of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza,” president Bolojan posted on social media. He also mentioned that Romania thanks the US, Qatar, Israel and Egypt for the efforts made to free the hostages. On Saturday, Hamas handed over the last 6 hostages in a first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Israel in Gaza, which provided for the release of a total of 33 captives. Hamas, in turn, receives over 700 Palestinian prisoners from Israel.

     

    RATING Fitch has sent a clear signal that Romania must carry on its fiscal consolidation measures and restore budgetary balance, in order to improve its fiscal credibility, the finance minister Tanczos Barna said after the international financial rating agency announced on Friday that it is keeping Romania in the investment grade category. In a statement, the agency confirmed Romania’s long-term rating at ‘BBB minus’, with a negative outlook. According to Fitch, the rating relies on the country’s EU membership and capital inflows that contribute to public revenues and macro-stability. The gross domestic product per capita and the governance and human development indicators are also higher than in countries in the same rating category, the agency explains. These strengths are overshadowed, however, by a significant deterioration of public finances and a sharp slowdown in economic growth in 2024. Adding to this is a possible adverse effect of political uncertainty. In December last year, Fitch announced that it had downgraded the outlook assigned to Romania from stable to negative. The same announcement came later from Standard & Poor’s.

     

    ENERGY Electricity and natural gas tariffs could be offset in Romania even after April 1, when the current aid scheme is set to expire. The energy ministry has posted for public review a draft act extending the capping period, under which the scheme for electricity is extended until July 1, and for natural gas by one year, until April 1, 2026. The capping extension proposal comes as prices on European electricity and gas exchanges have increased significantly, and also as the low temperatures in Romania this winter entailed a significant increase in consumption. As a result, the line minister Sebastian Burduja announced that the government had decided to protect Romanians and support the competitiveness of Romanian companies. After the energy market was deregulated on January 1, 2021, Romania was among the European countries the most severely affected by record-high electricity and natural gas prices. Thanks to the government’s price capping decisions, households and businesses were protected from excessive prices.

     

    GERMANY Germany holds federal elections on Sunday that are crucial to the country’s future, as the far-right is on the rise and the economy is heading for a third year of recession. The vote comes after the coalition of the Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens led by the Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed late last year. According to polls, the Conservatives are expected to win. With the far-right in second place in the polls, however, analysts say that in order to govern, the Conservatives will have to reach a compromise with the Social Democrats or the Greens, overcoming their differences.

     

    AIRCRAFT US aircraft deployed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base (southeastern Romania) are performing low-altitude training flights in and around Constanţa County these days, the Romanian Air Forces announced. They say that the exercises will continue until February 28 and promised that all safety measures have been taken to reduce the noise impact on civilians. Officials say that these trainings aim to increase the response capacity of aeronautical personnel.

     

    CORRUPTION A company and 2 individuals are prosecuted in a case handled by the Romanian National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), together with investigators from the US Department of Defence, the DNA announced today. The company owned by a Greek national has allegedly bribed a foreign official to get a EUR 9 mln contract to refuel aircraft at the NATO military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu. Two other individuals are suspected of complicity in continuing bribery in connection with an official of a foreign country.

     

    HANDBALL CS Minaur Baia Mare qualified for the quarterfinals of the men’s handball competition EHF European Cup, although they were defeated by the Finnish team BK-46, 32-31, on Saturday, in Karis, in the second leg of the round of 16. Minaur also played the first match in Finland, on Friday, winning 33-30. Last season, Minaur Baia Mare reached the semifinals of the European Cup. (AMP)

  • February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    ELECTIONS The Central Electoral Bureau of Romania announced that it decided on Saturday to admit the registration of the Protocol on the establishment of the electoral alliance “Romania Forward”, signed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), in the ruling coalition, in order to support Crin Antonescu’s candidacy in the presidential elections. Antonescu is also backed by the group of ethnic minorities in the Romanian Parliament.

     

    The Central Electoral Bureau for the election of the president of Romania in May was selected on Friday. The Bureau is made up of 5 judges with the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the president and vice-presidents of the Permanent Electoral Authority and one representative of each party in Parliament. Parties, political or electoral alliances, ethnic minority organisations and independent candidates will be able to submit their candidacies by March 15, after which the Central Electoral Bureau is to rule on their validity. The election campaign begins on April 4 and ends on May 3, with the vote scheduled on May 4 and the second round on May 18.

     

    In December the Constitutional Court cancelled the presidential election over foreign interference in the electoral process. Thousands of Romanians, supporters of the independent sovereigntist candidate Călin Georgescu, who came out first in the first election round in December, took to the streets again in Bucharest on Saturday to demand that the elections be resumed with the second round.

  • February 19, 2025

    February 19, 2025

    MEETING Romania will be represented by the interim president Ilie Bolojan today, in the second meeting on Ukraine hosted by France, political sources told AGERPRES. The countries invited to take part are Norway, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Romania, Sweden and Belgium. On Monday, leaders from Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark met in Paris, at the invitation of president Emmanuel Macron, alongside the leaders of the European Union and the NATO Secretary General, to discuss the latest developments related to Ukraine, in the context of the peace initiatives launched by the new American administration. ‘Romania, in its dual capacity as the EU member country with the longest border with Ukraine and the country that has consistently and from the very beginning provided multidimensional, humanitarian, economic and military support to its neighbour, has a direct interest in carrying on the collective European and Euro-Atlantic support for Ukraine, in response to the brutal and illegal war of aggression by the Russian Federation,’ stated the Romanian foreign ministry. On the other hand, president Bolojan Tuesday told the ambassadors accredited to Bucharest that Romania believes in the future of the EU and remains a pro-Atlantic state and a responsible ally.

     

    ELECTIONS The ruling coalition in Bucharest convenes today to complete the steps to set up an electoral alliance comprising the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, which will back the former Liberal leader Crin Antonescu in the presidential elections due in May. Asked whether he would withdraw from the presidential race in favor of the interim president Ilie Bolojan, Crin Antonescu ruled out this possibility. The new alliance is to be registered with the Central Electoral Bureau on Thursday. The 5 supreme court judges who will be part of the Bureau will also be designated by a drawing of lots at that time.

     

    BRANCUSI Every year on February 19 the National Day of Constantin Brâncuși is celebrated in Romania. The Romanian Cultural Institute organises in the coming period, both in the country and abroad, events marking the 149th birthday anniversary of the great Romanian sculptor. In 2024, the monumental ensemble “The Path of Heroes”, created by Constantin Brâncuși in Târgu Jiu, was included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. That same year, an important exhibition devoted to the Romanian artist was organised at the Pompidou Center in Paris. Most of his works belong to the Pompidou Center, as a legacy left to the French state, but many other famous works by Brancuși are hosted by major museums in the world.

     

    FOOTBALL Romanian football champions FCSB will play on Thursday evening at home against the Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki in the decisive leg of the play-offs for the round of 16 of the Europa League. In the first leg against the Greek team coached by the Romanian Răzvan Lucescu, FCSB won 2-1 away from home last week.

     

    WEATHER At the 2 Bucharest airports, “Henri Coandă” and Băneasa, flights may experience delays due to the need to de-ice aircraft. According to the Bucharest Airports National Company, no flights have been canceled because of the weather conditions, the runways and taxiways are operational, and planes are landing and taking off safely. The roads in 12 counties, especially in southern and central Romania, as well as in the capital city Bucharest, have been affected by heavy snowfalls in recent days, and dozens of collisions and skids have occurred, as some roads are partly covered with snow. According to meteorologists, as the sky clears, temperatures will drop more and more by the end of this week and at the beginning of next week, possibly reaching minus 15 degrees Celsius, including in Bucharest.  (AMP)

  • Europe takes coordinated measures to fight drug trafficking

    Europe takes coordinated measures to fight drug trafficking

    Drug trafficking is
    becoming an acute problem not only in Romania, but in Europe as a whole. This
    is why coordinated measures are required, in order to efficiently fight
    trafficking in illegal substances, the use of which destroys lives.


    To this end, a new
    platform was created in Antwerp, Belgium to step up the fight against drug
    trafficking. Attending the launch meeting was, among others, the Romanian interior
    minister, Cătălin Predoiu. He said that, in spite of the extremely complex
    political agenda in Romania this year, fighting drug trafficking remains a
    priority.


    Cătălin Predoiu mentioned
    he would tackle this through specific actions by the Romanian police, the
    border police and the public institutions that coordinate transportation,
    logistics and financial activities in Romania. The interior minister also
    discussed the need for coordinated action in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanţa.


    He warned that every year
    Europe is flooded by large amounts of illegal drugs entering member states through
    their major ports, facilitated by organised crime, corruption, blackmail and racketeering,
    which are essentially threats to the security of the EU member countries.


    Cătălin Predoiu said that
    last year a number of operations were initiated by the Romanian Police, which
    led to the dismantling of organised crime groups, and that such operations will
    continue in 2024 as well.


    The Supreme Defence
    Council comprises a task force that will coordinate the integrated efforts of
    several institutions to fight drug trafficking, the interior minister said. He
    also pointed out that this scourge must be curbed through domestic,
    inter-institutional cooperation and international cooperation between member
    states and at European Commission level.


    Cătălin Predoiu also
    emphasised once again that drugs are a national security threat, a threat
    against Romania’s citizens, and fighting it has become a multi-disciplinary
    science. It combines law enforcement skills with knowledge related to money
    circulation and laundering, with financial, accounting, management and
    logistics skills, the interior minister explained.


    Drug consumption has
    become a serious problem in Romania, and it has been the topic of extensive
    public discussion since a car crash at the seaside last summer, when a young
    man driving under the influence of psychoactive substances killed two people
    and injured several others. Drug consumption, especially among the youth,
    remains an issue, and as recently as on Wednesday prosecutors apprehended a
    number of young people involved in illegal drug trafficking in Bucharest and
    Oradea (west). (AMP)

  • NATO, the US and Europe

    NATO, the US and Europe

    Born in 1958, a former ambassador to Washington and a former foreign minister in the early 2000s, when Romania was admitted into NATO, Mircea Geană was described as one of the most forefront Atlanticist politicians in Romania.



    Between 2005 and 2010, he led the Social Democratic Party, which has been dominating the Romanian political scene for over 3 decades. And, unlike a long line of Social Democratic leaders, from Ion Iliescu to Liviu Dragnea, via Adrian Năstase and Victor Ponta, he was never involved in criminal investigations or subject to allegations of plagiarism.



    In 2009, Geoană lost the presidential election to Traian Băsescu, by a small margin. Since October 17, 2019, the Romanian Mircea Geoană has been NATOs deputy secretary general, and as of late the media and political analysts in Bucharest have noticed he has been more often in Romania than in Brussels, which suggests he might be interested in running for president once again, at the end of this year.



    Just days ago, the NATO deputy chief came home again, to launch his book, Battle for the future of Romania. Thoughts of a Romanian at the top of NATO in Ploieşti.



    On this occasion, speaking about the large-scale NATO exercise due to take place in Poland soon and expected to be the largest since 1988, Mircea Geoană said he wished the exercise to be read as a determent by prospective opponents. 90,000 people, the most diverse equipment, all Allies (…) taking part in this exercise, Romania included (…) You show your strength and your ability to bring additional forces from North America to Europe in a quick and professional manner, and you prove that the entire Alliance is able to mobilise, Geoană said.



    He also explained that America needs allies in Europe and elsewhere in the world, and if Donald Trump returns to the White House after this autumns election, there will probably be “shifts in the emphasis” of the US-NATO relationship.



    Geoană cited what not only Trump, but all US presidents have said: many of the USs European allies do not invest in defence, and America has to pay for the Allies security while they mind their own economy and get cheap natural gas from the Russians. However, Geoană went on to say, in his last State of the Union address nearly 4 years ago, Trump praised NATO.



    Speaking about the extent to which the Romanian army is prepared for a prospective conflict, Geoană emphasised the importance of military drills. When you hear about such exercises, do not be concerned. What I hope for Romania (…) is for this bigger investment (…) to be able to lead to a rebirth of the defence industry (….) It is a pity not to try to create jobs, not to create an innovation ecosystem around the defence sector, the NATO official concluded. (AMP)


  • Moldavian ruler Stephen the Great’s reign, revisited

    Moldavian ruler Stephen the Great’s reign, revisited

    The Romanian historian Liviu Campeanu, in 2012, while on a research stage at the Prussian Cultural Heritages Secret State Archives in Berlin, came across the manuscript of the diary kept by Liborius Nacker, the Secretary general of the Teutonic Order. Written in late 15th century, the document, whose existence had already been known to historians, mentions the contribution of the Teutonic knights who accompanied Polish King Ioan Albert in his campaign against then the Moldavian ruler Stephen the great. Resulting in the famous defeat of the Poles in the battle of Cosmin Woods, Codrii Cosminului, in Romanian, the campaign can be viewed in a fresh perspective and a more nuanced one, at that, according to the documents discovered by historian Liviu Campeanu. Actually, the discovered documents provided the starting point for Liviu Campeanus book, The Crusade against Stephen the Great. The Cosmin Woods 1497. Brought out by the Humanitas publishers in 2023, the volume depicts an even more complex and detailed picture of the woiwode. Stephen the Great s image was intensely hyped up according to the communist historiography.



    The Romanian Orthodox Church already canonized him as Stephen the Great and the Holy. Notwithstanding, in Liviu Campeanus volume, a more comprehensive and objective analysis is provided, of Moldavian woiwodes 47-year-long reign, from 1457 to 1504. It should be noted, though, that his most remarkable achievements are never questioned in the book. A telling example of that is Stephen the Greats stance towards the Ottoman Porte. We all remember Stephen the great has usually been described as a long-term and staunch anti-Ottoman opponent.



    Historian Liviu Campeanu:



    “Nothing new for the historians, yet for the lay public, for whom Stephen the Greats profile as a mighty crusader is all too familiar, a profile that has been constantly been build up towards, in the past two or three decades and even earlier, it may seem baffling to find out that, in earnest, Stephen the Great was an ally of the Sultan. Of his 47-year-old reign, Stephen the Great was at war with the Turks for 13 years, while of those 13 years, there were only three when he had to face large-scale Ottoman campaigns or massive Ottoman invasions that, on average, were conducted for about two months a year. Therefore, for 6 months out of 47 years he properly and openly fought the Ottoman Empire. Let me stress that once again, the state of belligerence lasted for about 13 years, while for the remaining number of years of the 47-year-old reign, Stephen the Great was an ally of the Sultan. “



    The alliance with the Ottoman Empire, just like the state of belligerence, at that time largely depended on specific circumstances and on the medieval states need for mutual help. The extremely volatile peace of the time, and the almost constant warlike atmosphere lead up to changes in the vassalage relationships, in keeping with the immediate interests and the looming dangers. As for Stephen the Greats Moldavia, it was no exception to that either, in Central and Eastern Europe.



    Liviu Campeanu:



    “I have been trying to present to the public the results I have achieved, precisely thanks to the documents discovered in 2012 in the Archives of the Teutonic Order that have been preserved in Berlin, to this day: the fact that Moldavia had been tributary to the Ottoman Empire about 20 years earlier that it had been usually known. So, according to historiography, everybody agreed that Moldavia began to pay tribute in 1455 or 1456. But I discovered documents clearly attesting the fact that twenty years earlier already, so from 1432, Moldavia had become a stipendiary for the Ottoman Empire. So it was in that tradition that Stephen the Great fit in, he actually paid the tribute for three decades of his glorious reign, which is not a negative aspect. Perhaps very few people know that even the Hapsburgs paid the tribute to the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, what with the French King Francis the 2nd, being Suleiman the Magnificents ally in the first half of the 16th century. So such alliances and peace or mutual help treaties were just as normal at that time, and Stephen the Great was no exception to that himself. Besides, thanks to the tribute he paid, not only did he secure peace with the Ottoman Empire, but also, he got proper help from the Turks in various campaigns and battles he fought with the neighbors. Speaking of which, what I have in mind is Matthias Corvinuss Hungary or Casimir the 4th s Poland or Wallachia, where war was in full swing, pitting the Dracula against the Dan boyar families in the second half of the 15th century. In that conflict, Stephen the Great intervened on a number of occasions, sometimes even with Ottoman support. “



    At the time when Stephen the Great was at war with the Ottoman Empire, one of his most remarkable victories occurred, that of January, 1475, when he defeated Soliman Pasa in Vaslui. Following that victory, Pope Sixtus the 4th named him the Athlete of Christendom. However, the title should be viewed only in close connection to that particular moment of his reign. Subsequently, from 1486 to the year of his death, 1504, Stephen the Great complied with the politics of the Sublime Porte. And there is more to it than that: the Ottoman Empire was his ally in the conflict with the Polish King Jan Olbracht, resulting in Moldavians win in the battle of Cosmin Woods, Codrii Cosminului, in Romanian, in September 1497. Bach then, in the Cosmin Woods Battle, two great alliance systems went against one another: the Polish-Lithuanian Union and its vassals, the Duchy of Mazovia and the Teutonic Order, on one hand, and, on the other hand, Moldavia, with its allies, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate. But how exactly the buildup to the conflict occurred, even though Stephen the Great had become Polands vassal in 1495, through a treaty signed in Colomeea? Here is Liviu Campeanu once again, this time outlining the historical background of that.



    “It was precisely from that kind of vassalage and the responsibilities Stephen the Great and the Polish King Casimir the 4th mutually took in Colomeea, in 1485, that this conflict sprang from. In effect, in 1484, Stephen the Great had lost to the Turks the Chilia and Cetatea Alba fortresses. Then he tried to regain them from the ottomans totally on his own, but that was virtually impossible. And then he veered towards the King of Poland. The Polish King consented to helping him, on condition that the former took a vassalage oath, which actually happened, in September 1485. However, the military aid made available by Casimir the 4th was insufficient and in no way met Stephen the Greats expectations. And then, in 1487, the Pope proclaimed an anti-Ottoman crusade across the entire Christendom and the Crusaders Army massed in Poland. Yet he did not rush to help Stephen the Great, just as the Colomeea Treaty stipulated, but Prince Jan Olbracht, still a prince back then and the supreme commander of the crusaders army, hijacked the crusade in Podolia. It was then that the great rift occurred, between Stephen the Great and the Polish Kings. Several minor border conflicts occurred as well, on both sides, culminating with the conflict of 1497. “



    Notwithstanding, King Ian Olbrachts campaign against Stephen the Great had an inconclusive ending. Considering the intricacies of the inter-state alliances of that time and also taking into account his victories and the relationships he set with the other monarchs, the Moldavian woiwode Stephen the Great was one of Central and Eastern Europes leading political actors of his time.




  • 29.11.2022

    29.11.2022

    Réunion ministérielle – Les ministres des AE des Etats membres de l’OTAN et des partenaires de l’Alliance ainsi que des deux Etats candidats se trouvent aujourd’hui à Bucarest pour une réunion de deux jours. C’est la première réunion ministérielle organisée par la Roumanie depuis son adhésion à l’OTAN et le premier événement à se dérouler dans un Etat du flanc est de l’Alliance de l’Atlantique nord depuis le début de la guerre en Ukraine, rappelle le ministère des AE de Bucarest. La réunion prévoit trois sessions de travail – dont deux se déroulent dans le cadre d’un format allié qui inclut aussi la Suède et la Finlande, en tant qu’Etats invités à rejoindre l’organisation. La troisième réunion prévoit la participation des ministres des AE de Bosnie Herzégovine, Géorgie et République de Moldova. Le premier jour du rencontre doit s’achever sur un diner de travail auquel participeront aussi le ministre ukrainien des Affaires Etrangères, Dmitro Kuleba, ainsi que le Haut représentant de l’UE pour les Affaires Extérieures et la politique de sécurité, Josep Borrell. A l’ordre du jour du forum de Bucarest : des sessions relatives à la mise en application des décisions adoptées au sommet de l’OTAN de Madrid. La guerre en Ukraine et l’appui politique et pratique à long terme seront les principaux thèmes des débats. S’y ajoute la sécurité énergétique, la Chine et l’importance stratégique de la mer Noire. Le secrétaire général de l’OTAN, Jens Stoltenberg est venu dès lundi à Bucarest pour des rencontres avec les responsables roumains : le président Klaus Iohannis, le premier ministre Nicolae Ciuca et le ministre des Affaires Etrangères, Bogdan Aurescu.

    OTAN – Bucarest est en cette période la capitale de la diplomatie européenne, euro-atlantique et même au-delà de ces régions, affirme le ministre roumain des AE, Bogdan Aurescu. Hormis la réunion des ministres des AE de l’OTAN, la Roumanie accueille aussi pour la première fois la réunion des leaders de Munich. 75 hauts responsables gouvernementaux et experts en politique extérieure et de sécurité évoqueront les conséquences de la guerre en Ukraine, mais aussi d’autres questions sécuritaires dans la région. Coup d’envoi aussi à Bucarest de la 11e édition du Forum Aspen, avec la participation du secrétaire général adjoint de l’OTAN, Jens Stoltenberg. L’édition 2022 se déroule dans le contexte de la guerre en Ukraine qui a touche le monde entier tant du point de vue économique que sécuritaire et l’activité militaire ne devrait pas s’achever prochainement et la durée de la guerre ne fera qu’aggraver les crises multiples, estime l’institut Aspen, dans un communiqué posté à la veille de la réunion. Et c’est également à Bucarest qu’est prévue une réunion d’un nouveau groupe de coordination énergétique qui inclut des représentants du Groupe G7 des démocraties les plus industrialisées et d’autres Etats alliés, afin de mobiliser et de planifier la livraison d’équipements à l’Ukraine au plus vite.

    USA – A la veille de la visite à Bucarest du secrétaire américain d’Etat, Antony Blinken, qui participe au Conseil de l’Atlantique nord, le département américain d’Etat a salué les 25 ans écoulés depuis la création du partenariat stratégique avec la Roumanie. L’institution souligne entre autres, la contribution de Bucarest aux opérations multinationales et de l’Alliance, le fait que la Roumanie accueille plusieurs structures militaires de l’OTAN et plusieurs formations militaires américaines, y compris des éléments du bouclier antimissile américain à Deveselu, dans le sud de la Roumanie. Je suis très heureux et fier d’affirmer que notre partenariat stratégique a atteint le niveau le plus haut de son histoire d’un quart de siècle, a déclaré aussi le premier ministre roumain Nicolae Ciuca, à l’issue d’une réunion à Bucarest avec le responsable américain. 25 constituent un repère particulièrement important qui nous fait penser au fait qu’en 1997 est née une génération qui a grandi pour arriver à maturité dans le cadre du Partenariat stratégique. Je suis convaincu que cette génération fera tout ce qu’elle puisse pour défendre la liberté, les droits et les valeurs démocratiques, a déclaré Nicolae Ciuca. Nous avons une alliance solide, reposant sur des valeurs communes, nous avons construit aussi de fortes relations dans le domaine économique, y compris dans celui énergétique, a déclaré Antony Blinken, soulignant en même temps les échanges dans les domaines académique et culturel entre les deux Etats.


    1er décembre – L’institut culturel roumain organise jusqu’au 10 décembre une cinquantaine d’événements dans 31 villes du monde afin de marquer la fête nationale de Roumanie. Selon le président de l’Institut cultuel roumain, Liviu Jicman, le déroulement des événements dans des espaces représentatifs des Etats respectifs positionnent les créations des artistes roumains parmi les repères culturels les plus importants du moment et contribue à la popularisation de la culture roumaine et des créateurs roumains parmi le grand public et les communautés artistiques et culturelles à l’étranger. Le 1er décembre la Fête nationale de Roumanie sera célébrée à Bucarest par un défilé sous l’Arc de Trimphe. Et c’est également le 1er décembre qu’un défilé militaire et prévu dans la ville d’Alba Iulia, avec la participation d’un détachement de militaires français du Groupement de combat pour la défense collective déployé à Cincu, dans le compté de Brasov, dans le centre. Lundi, le Parlement de Bucarest s’est réuni en session solennelle pour marquer les 104 ans écoulés depuis la Grande Union.


    Météo – Temps morose et ciel couvert sur le sud et l’est de la Roumanie, où des pluies sont prévues. Des chutes de neige sont également attendues sur le relief, à des altitudes assez élevées. Les maxima iront de 1 à 11 degrés. 5 degrés en ce moment sous un ciel de plomb à Bucarest.

  • June 10, 2022 UPDATE

    June 10, 2022 UPDATE

    NATO
    Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said that the leaders participating in the B9
    Summit held in Bucharest on Friday had a substantial exchange of opinions on
    the latest developments in terms of security, underlining the necessity that the alliance be able to defend each centimeter of its territory. The Romanian
    official underlined that the NATO’s future strategic concept must reflect as
    adequately and realistically possible the new security parameters, make the
    collective defence a top priority, define Russia as a threat and strengthen the
    alliance on all levels. Iohannis has also spoken about a boosted NATO presence
    on the Eastern Flank, mainly at the Black Sea, ‘the most exposed region to the
    Russian threats’. In turn, Polish president Andrzej Duda said the participant
    countries wish a ‘more advanced and stronger NATO presence in the region. In a
    twitter post, US president Joe Biden pledges to defend NATO’s eastern flank
    strengthening the region’s energy security and work together to support
    Ukraine. The summit in Bucharest was attended by the presidents of Poland,
    Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Bulgaria. The Czech and Slovak
    presidents had online interventions as well as NATO Secretary General, Jens
    Stoltenberg.








    VISIT French president Emmanuel Macron will be
    visiting Romania on Tuesday to meet with the French troops deployed here. This
    regional tour will be taking him to the Republic of Moldova, where he is
    expected to voice support for this country affected by the war in Ukraine, the
    Elysee Palace announced on Friday. According to sources in Paris, Macron will
    be visiting Ukraine in the future, but the date of this visit hasn’t been set yet.






    IMF The
    International Monetary Fund has improved Romania’s economic growth forecast to
    3.5%-4.5% for 2022 and 2023, said the head of the mission for Romania Jan Kees
    Martijn. He said the uncertainty associated with this forecast is high, with
    risks of the war escalating and Russian gas deliveries being cut leading to a
    further rise in energy costs and reducing trade exchanges between European
    partners. The IMF official also said GDP reached the level before the crisis in
    the first quarter of the year after last autumn’s Covid wave. According to
    provisional data published on 7th June by the National Institute of Statistics,
    Romania’s GDP rose by 6.5% in the first quarter of the year compared with the
    same period last year.






    FOOTBALL Romania’s
    national football side are preparing for their Saturday match against Finland
    in Bucharest, in Group 3 of League B of the UEFA Nations League. Romania has
    lost their first two group matches, nil-2 to Montenegro and nil-1 to Bosnia and
    Herzegovina. Romania will next face Montenegro in Bucharest next week and will
    play their final two matches in September, against Finland away and against
    Bosnia and Herzegovina at home.








    (bill)

  • Visite de la vice-présidente américaine Kamala Harris en Roumanie

    Visite de la vice-présidente américaine Kamala Harris en Roumanie

    Visite — La Roumanie a été extraordinaire par la générosité et le courage dont elle a fait preuve dans le contexte du conflit Russie — Ukraine, a déclaré vendredi, à Bucarest, la vice-présidente des Etats-Unis, Kamala Harris, au cours d’une conférence de presse conjointe avec le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis. Elle a ajouté que le monde entier avait vu le soutien offert par les Roumains aux réfugiés. A son tour, le le chef de l’Etat roumain a mis en exergue le fait que l’OTAN agira sans hésiter pour défendre chaque allié, la Roumanie comprise ; dans le dialogue avec Kamala Harris, il a été assuré de l’engagement des Etats-Unis à l’égard de l’article 5 du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord. La président Iohannis a affirmé aussi qu’il est nécessaire de continuer d’accroître la présence militaire américaine et alliée en Roumanie, sur le long terme, comme une mesure supplémentaire pour assurer la sécurité du pays et de l’ensemble de la région. Klaus Iohannis et Kamala Harris ont également parlé du besoin de renforcer les mesures de défense et de dissuasion dur le flanc est de l’Alliance, avec un accent sur sa partie sud, dans la région de la mer Noire. Par ailleurs, selon le président Iohannis, la crise énergétique peut constituer une opportunité historique de passer à une indépendance véritable énergétique européenne par rapport au gaz russe. Et ce par des investissements dans les sources renouvelables, dans le secteur nucléaire civil, par des importations de gaz liquéfié et par une interconnexion accrue. La vice-présidente des Etats-Unis s’est trouvée en première en Roumanie, deuxième étape, après la Pologne, d’une tournée diplomatique en Europe consacrée à la guerre d’Ukraine.

  • Après le Conseil OTAN-Russie

    Après le Conseil OTAN-Russie

    Quatre heures de pourparlers à Bruxelles et aucune mesure concrète pour résoudre la crise engendrée par les prétentions de Moscou de recevoir de soi-disant garanties pour sa propre sécurité. Telle est, très brièvement, la conclusion du Conseil OTAN-Russie de mercredi. La Russie nie avoir l’intention d’envahir l’Ukraine, mais dit vouloir, entre autres, l’arrêt de l’expansion de l’OTAN et le retrait des forces alliées des pays d’Europe centrale et orientale qui ont rejoint l’Alliance après 1997.



    Selon le secrétaire général de l’OTAN, Jens Stoltenberg, les discussions qui viennent de s’achever à Bruxelles ont été utiles, les deux parties en auront d’autres, mais les alliés rejettent tout compromis sur leurs principes fondamentaux, y compris celui lié à l’intégrité territoriale de chaque pays d’Europe. La Russie a donc été informée que toute négociation sur sa demande que l’Alliance arrête l’adhésion de nouveaux États est exclue. Elle a également reçu un « non » ferme quant à son souhait que l’OTAN retire ses troupes des États membres de l’Est, laissant pratiquement cette zone sans défense. Incidemment, l’Alliance, par l’intermédiaire de Jens Stoltenberg, a expliqué que tout le concept de défense et de dissuasion et donc les exercices et la présence militaire de l’OTAN dans la zone orientale de l’Alliance étaient et continuent d’être une réponse au comportement de plus en plus agressif de la Russie et à sa disponibilité évidente d’utiliser la force pour modifier les frontières des pays voisins. Dans ce contexte, le message transmis à Moscou a été que si elle entre de nouveau en Ukraine, en plus des sanctions politiques et économiques contre la Russie, les alliés apporteront également leur soutien à Kiev. C’est pourquoi l’OTAN a renouvelé son appel au retrait des soldats russes massés ces derniers mois aux frontières de l’Ukraine. La seule concession possible à Moscou serait de ne pas déployer certains types de missiles en Europe. L’adjoint au secrétaire général de l’OTAN, le Roumain Mircea Geoană, a toutefois expliqué que les systèmes appelés boucliers de Roumanie et de Pologne ne relevaient pas de cette catégorie. Mircea Geoană :



    « Ils ne peuvent pas fonctionner comme des armes offensives contre la Fédération de Russie et ne pourront donc pas faire partie d’un tel accord potentiel. Dans le même temps, il existe une importante mobilisation de missiles de différentes capacités, y compris de dernière génération, de la Fédération de Russie à proximité du territoire de l’Alliance. C’est un sujet qui nous préoccupe. »



    En Roumanie, lors de la réunion annuelle avec les chefs des missions diplomatiques accrédités à Bucarest, le président Klaus Iohannis a déclaré que le renforcement de la présence militaire américaine dans ce pays restait un objectif important, face aux récents défis sécuritaires. Et aussi qu’il est évident que la Roumanie a besoin d’une action plus forte de dissuasion et de défense. Parallèlement, selon Klaus Iohannis, les récents développements en matière de sécurité qui peuvent affecter l’espace euro-atlantique ont réaffirmé l’importance cruciale des relations transatlantiques.


    (Trad. : Ligia)

  • Cent ans depuis la création de la Petite Entente

    Cent ans depuis la création de la Petite Entente

    C’est ainsi qu’avait vu le jour la Société des Nations, appelée
    aussi la Ligue des Nations. Ancêtre de l’ONU, la Société des
    Nations se voulait le forum d’élection où les conflits naissants
    allaient pouvoir être réglés à l’amiable. C’est ici que
    furent énoncées, en effet, les idées les plus généreuses, c’est
    ici encore que la guerre fut mise au ban des nations, qui lui
    refusait dorénavant le droit de pouvoir régler les disputes entre
    les Etats.


    Mais alors que les vainqueurs
    de la Grande Guerre s’efforçaient de faire émerger un nouveau
    droit international, les Etats vaincus n’avaient de cesse de
    reprendre la main, en contestant le nouveau tracé des frontières,
    décidé à Versailles. Progressivement, les nations commençaient à
    se ranger dans deux camps, que tout opposait. Les nations
    victorieuses essayèrent de leur côté de se regrouper en
    différentes types d’alliances régionales, pour mieux défendre
    leurs intérêts communs, et pour éviter de rendre les armes devant
    les visées révisionnistes de leurs voisins vaincus.

    La
    diplomatie de la Grande Roumanie, nation victorieuse à l’issue de
    la Grande Guerre, s’était résolument engagée dans cette bataille
    d’influence, s’efforçant de bâtir un système d’alliances
    régionales pour préserver ses intérêts. C’est ainsi que la
    Roumanie signe son premier traité d’alliance d’après la guerre
    avec la Pologne, en 1921. Et c’est toujours en 1921, au mois
    d’octobre, que fut créée la Petite Entente, alliance qui
    réunissait la Roumanie, la Tchécoslovaquie et la Yougoslavie,
    prenant pour exemple la Triple Entente, scellée durant la guerre,
    entre la France, le Royaume-Uni et la Russie. Le troisième mécanisme
    de coopération régionale fut créé seulement en 1934, et
    réunissait, sous l’appellation de l’Entente balkanique, la
    Roumanie, la Yougoslavie, la Grèce et la Turquie, les 4 Etats légués
    contre les visées révisionnistes de la Bulgarie notamment.

    Au
    centenaire de la signature de la Petite Entente, l’historien Ioan
    Scurtu nous décrit le contexte régional qui prévalait en 1921 : « Aussi bien la
    Tchécoslovaquie, que la Yougoslavie et la Roumanie, tous ces pays
    avaient conclu des traités de paix avec la Hongrie, lorsque fut
    signé le Traité de Trianon, le 4 juin 1920. Mais ces Etats
    craignaient les visées révisionnistes magyares, et désiraient se
    mettre à l’abri. Cette alliance se constitua à partir du statut
    de la Société des Nations, cette institution internationale qui
    venait juste d’être mise sur pied, en 1919, faisant suite à la
    proposition du président des Etats-Unis, Woodrow Wilson. L’objectif
    de l’alliance était de mettre en échec toute tentative
    révisionniste, car elle était censée avoir un caractère
    dissuasif, excluant d’emblée la guerre du champ du possible. Pour
    constituer la Petite Entente, il y a évidemment eu des négociations
    préalables. L’on avait d’ailleurs commencé par signer des
    traités bilatéraux. La Roumanie et la Yougoslavie désiraient se
    prémunir des menaces hongroises et bulgares, alors que la
    Tchécoslovaquie n’avait aucun différend avec la Bulgarie et
    qu’elle n’avait pas considérée utile d’intervenir dans un
    premier temps. »


    Et
    en effet, l’alliance entre la Roumanie, la Yougoslavie et la
    Tchécoslovaquie s’était construite à travers trois traités
    bilatéraux. L’historien Ioan Scurtu détaille : « Ces traités
    comprenaient des articles similaires en tous points. Dans le cas du
    traité entre la Roumanie et la Tchécoslovaquie, il était prévu de
    défendre la frontière avec la Hongrie. Le traité avec la
    Yougoslavie parlait d’une riposte commune en cas d’éventuelle
    attaque non provoquée, venant de la part de la Hongrie ou de la
    Bulgarie. La
    Petite Entente a été la première alliance multilatérale conclue
    après la fin de la Grande Guerre, dans l’esprit de la Société
    des Nations. Une alliance qui a fait naître beaucoup d’espoirs. »


    Mais
    l’historien Ioan Scurtu est tranchant : ces alliances
    régionales, constituées contre la Hongrie et la Bulgarie, étaient
    disproportionnées. Et il met tout cela sur le dos de la propagande. « Si l’on regarde de
    plus près, l’on constate que les trois Etats qui s’alliaient
    comptaient ensemble 683.000
    kilomètres carrés et 50 millions d’habitants. Ils se léguaient
    contre un Etat qui ne comptait 93.000 kilomètres carrés et 9
    millions d’habitants. Chaque Etat allié, pris séparément, pesait
    plus que la Hongrie seule. Je me suis alors demandé à quoi tout
    cela servait. Surtout que, conformément au traité de Trianon, la
    Hongrie avait dû démanteler son armée et son industrie d’armement,
    et elle avait été empêchée de constituer d’autres formes
    d’organisation paramilitaire. Et pour moi cela reste un mystère,
    mais je crois que les trois Etats alliés avaient surévalué la
    puissance de la diplomatie et de la propagande externe hongroise,
    traditionnellement influentes. Ils avaient sans doute pensé donc que
    face à une éventuelle agression hongroise, appuyée par des forces
    extérieures, les Etats de la Petite Entente se devaient d’agir
    ensemble. »


    Mais
    vers la fin des années 1930 il devenait évident que les politiques
    antagoniques qu’opposaient les deux blocs ne pouvaient plus
    continuer à l’infini. Les vainqueurs de la Première guerre
    mondiale se sont alors montrés plus conciliants, ce qui n’a
    pourtant rien arrangé, croit savoir l’historien Ioan Scurtu. « La Hongrie, appuyée
    de façon manifeste par l’Italie fasciste et l’Allemagne nazie,
    mais bénéficiant également de l’accord de la France et de la
    Grande-Bretagne, les puissances garantes des traités, avait obtenu
    le droit de réarmer. Par
    l’Accord de Bled de
    1938, les trois Etats
    de la Petite Entente donnaient à leur tour leur accord, sous
    prétexte que cela allait pouvoir garantir la paix. Qu’à cela ne
    tienne. Au mois de novembre 1938, la Hongrie reprend une partie de la
    Tchécoslovaquie, puis, au mois d’août 1940, la partie nord de la
    Transylvanie, à la suite du Diktat de Vienne. Enfin, au mois d’avril
    1941, ce sera le tour de la Yougoslavie. »



    Les alliances régionales,
    bâties pour arrêter une nouvelle guerre et défendre le statu quo
    des frontières établies à Versailles, avaient finalement montré
    leurs limites. Et la plus prometteuse entre toutes, la Petite
    Entente, n’a pas fait mieux. (Trad. Ionut Jugureanu)

  • May 12, 2021 UPDATE

    May 12, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 Romania stays in the so-called green scenario as Bucharest and all counties report COVID-19 infection rates below 1.5 per thousand. In the past 24 hours 930 new cases were reported, out of over 24,300 tests conducted acros the country. The Strategic Communication Group announced another 98 COVID-related deaths, which brings the total death toll to 29,233, and 874 patients in intensive care. The coordinator of the vaccine rollout Valeriu Gheorghiţă said the fall in infection numbers is the result of the immunisation campaign. Over 3.7 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 2.5 million have also got the booster dose. People may get jabs without prior appointment in all vaccination centres in the country. After Timişoara (west) and the capital Bucharest, another major city, Craiova (south), is organising a vaccination marathon, with similar events scheduled this weekend in other cities in Romania.



    RECOVERY The PM of Romania Florin Cîţu reconfirmed, during his
    meeting with the European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis in
    Brussels on Wednesday, the Romanian government’s goal to ensure economic
    recovery and sustainable post-pandemic economic growth, with a focus on reform
    and investments.Florin Cîţu also voiced gratitude to the European
    Commission for its support, guidance and cooperation, after the talks on
    Romania’s priorities as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan held
    on Wednesday with Margrethe Vestager, EC executive vice-president. Previously,
    the Romanian PM had also had talks with Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for
    Transport.



    PUBLIC MEDIA As of Tuesday night, Romania’s public radio and TV corporations have new interim directors. Parliament has appointed journalist Liviu Popescu as head of the Romanian public radio, while Ramona Saseanu has become interim director of the national TV. The two are to hold these positions for 6 months, until the appointment of new boards of directors for the two institutions. On Tuesday, Parliament rejected the annual reports submitted by the two institutions for the years 2017, 2018, 2019, which entailed the dismissal of the 2 boards of directors.



    ECONOMY Romanias economy is expected to grow by 5.1% in 2021 and 4.9% next year, according to the spring economic forecast made public by the European Commission. The institution has upgraded its February estimates, when it forecast a 3.8% growth this year and 4% in 2022. Brussels also expects the unemployment rate in Romania to go up from 5% last year to 5.2% in 2021, but to drop to 4.8% in 2022. Inflation is also set to reach 2.9% this year, with a slight decrease to 2.7% predicted for next year. According to the same forecast, the budget deficit will drop from 9.2% of GDP last year to 8% of GDP this year and to 7.1% of GDP next year.



    CONFERENCE Strengthening Romanias Strategic Partnership with Poland underscores the special relationship and the firm commitment to contributing to regional security, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in a message on Wednesday at an international conference devoted to the centennial of the Romania-Poland Defensive Alliance. The event was hosted by the Romanian Embassy in Poland. The head of the Romanian state mentioned that the Romanian-Polish Defensive Alliance signed in 1921 was the first regional collective security project and the first strategic partnership with Poland.



    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign ministry confirmed that the Russian Federation declared the deputy military attaché with the Romanian Embassy in Moscow, Alin Iliescu, a persona non grata, in retaliation to a similar measure taken by Romania on April 26 with respect to the Russian Embassys deputy military attaché Aleksey Grishaev. Romanian authorities argued that the decision was prompted by Grishaevs activity, which came against the 1961 Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Many central and east-European ex-communist countries made similar decisions to expel Russian diplomats in the past few weeks. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • L’OTAN et ses obligations financières

    L’OTAN et ses obligations financières

    Malgré la crise économique provoquée par le coronavirus, les Etats membres de l’Alliance de l’Atlantique Nord ont continué à investir dans la défense, lit-on dans le rapport annuel de l’OTAN que son secrétaire général Jens Stoltenberg a présenté à Bruxelles. Il a averti que les menaces d’avant la pandémie n’avaient pas disparu et que durant cette période, le principal objectif de l’Alliance a été d’éviter que la situation sanitaire ne se transforme en une menace sécuritaire. Parmi les menaces actuelles, M Stoltenberg a énuméré l’agressivité de la Russie, l’influence croissante de la Chine, le terrorisme et les attaques cybernétiques. Même les changements climatiques ont des conséquences sécuritaires, a mis en garde le chef de l’Alliance de l’Atlantique Nord.

    C’est pourquoi il a proposé que l’OTAN augmente l’enveloppe allouée à la défense et à la dissuasion, pour que les alliés qui mettent des capacités militaires à la disposition de l’organisation ne supportent plus l’intégralité des coûts. Par conséquent, plus de membres de l’Alliance devraient participer à des actions à l’Est, aux missions de police aérienne, aux mission maritimes et aux exercices conjoints. M Stoltenberg a également expliqué que la nouvelle formule devrait mieux refléter le principe de la défense commune et rendre plus équitable le partage des responsabilités et des dépenses. Une Europe qui investit plus dans la défense est un avantage majeur pour l’Alliance et pour l’UE ; il n’y a aucune alternative sécuritaire à l’OTAN, a souligné le secrétaire général de l’Alliance. Selon son rapport, la France, la Norvège et la Slovaquie ont rejoint en 2020 le club des Etats alliés qui allouent au moins 2 % de leur PIB à la défense. Il s’agit actuellement de 11 Etats, dont les Etats-Unis, la Grèce, l’Estonie, le Royaume-Uni, la Pologne, la Lettonie et la Roumanie.

    En ce qui nous concerne, le document présenté par le responsable otanien constate que la Roumanie a dépensé l’année dernière plus de 4,3 milliards d’euros pour la défense. Près d’un quart de ce montant a été alloué aux équipements, alors que les frais de personnel ont compté pour la moitié du budget de la défense nationale.

    L’importance de la relation transatlantique a également été évoquée par l’adjoint au secrétaire général de l’OTAN, le Roumain Mircea Geoana. L’Amérique du Nord et l’Europe ont plus que jamais besoin l’une de l’autre, afin de répondre aux défis actuels tels les attaques informatiques, les changements climatiques et la compétition entre les grandes puissances, a souligné M Geoana. Il a salué les contributions du Canada et du Royaume-Uni au commandement d’unités multinationales dans la région Est de l’Alliance, le déploiement de bâtiments de guerre et d’aéronefs censés maintenir la sécurité de l’espace aérien et maritime allié, mais aussi l’adoption des nouvelles technologies, la numérisation et l’innovation.

    Les ministres des AE des 30 Etats membres de l’OTAN devraient se réunir la semaine prochaine à Bruxelles pour la première fois en présentiel depuis le début de la pandémie. Selon plusieurs sources, le nouveau secrétaire d’Etat américain Antony Blinken y est également attendu. (Eugen Coroianu)

  • L’OTAN, le message d’unité

    L’OTAN, le message d’unité

    « Un pour tous et tous pour un », tel était le message du secrétaire général de l’OTAN, Jens Stoltenberg, délivré mercredi à la fin du sommet de l’Alliance atlantique. Il a réuni à Londres, deux jours durant, les chefs des Etats membres de l’organisation politico-militaire créée il y a maintenant 70 ans. Les deux jours de discussions ont abouti sur une déclaration commune où les leaders alliés affirment leur solidarité, unité et cohésion, malgré les dissensions importantes qui subsistent sur certains thèmes.

    Dans le document, l’OTAN souligne son caractère défensif et sa volonté de désarmement, mais déclare qu’elle restera une alliance nucléaire, tant que ce type d’armes existera. « Nous renforçons encore notre aptitude à assurer la dissuasion et la défense par une combinaison appropriée de capacités nucléaires, conventionnelles et de défense antimissile, que nous continuons d’adapter », souligne le communiqué. Les divergences à l’intérieur de l’Alliance sont inévitables tant que 29 leaders mondiaux se retrouvent autour de la même table, a souligné le secrétaire général de l’OTAN. Mais il existe des points de vue communs lorsqu’il s’agit d’assurer la sécurité, de lutter contre le terrorisme ou des menaces perpétrées par la Russie.

    La déclaration précise surtout la volonté de démarrer un processus de réflexion concernant l’avenir de l’Alliance transatlantique, une décision qu’a tenu à saluer le président français Emmanuel Macron. Il a d’ailleurs maintenu son point de vue selon lequel l’OTAN serait « en état de mort cérébrale ». M Macron a notamment fait état de son mécontentement quant à l’intervention militaire de la Turquie en Syrie et à l’achat par Ankara d’un système russe de défense anti-missiles. Le sommet de Londres a aussi été le premier où les leaders de l’OTAN ont évoqué la montée en puissance de la Chine sur le plan international. « Les leaders se sont mis d’accord qu’il fallait trouver une manière pour encourager la Chine à participer aux accords sur le contrôle des armements. Ce n’est que le début d’un processus, mais c’est un premier pas important », a déclaré Jens Stoltenberg.

    Dans le même temps, le président américain Donald Trump a affirmé avoir convaincu les alliés que la compagnie chinoise de télécommunications Huawei constituait une menace pour la sécurité. Pour sa part, le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis, a exprimé la nécessité d’un processus de réflexion à l’issue de ce sommet : « Nous devons décider ensemble des menaces auxquelles est confronté l’OTAN, comment traiter le terrorisme international, mais aussi la manière d’aborder les théâtres d’opérations, où l’Alliance n’est pas présente en tant qu’organisation, mais où sont présents des Etats membres. » (Trad. Elena Diaconu)