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Tag: Baccalaureate

  • Baccalaureate for All

    Baccalaureate for All

    The 2024 baccalaureate had the highest passing rate in the last 10 years, at 76.4%. However, the confrontation with the “maturity exam” scares many, so several female students from Cluj, after graduating from high school with high averages and successfully passing the Baccalaureate, thought to make this experience easier for the less fortunate students like them. Baccademia became the name of the project, launched under the motto: “Pass the Baccalaureate without a headache”.

    The founder of the Baccademia project, Bianca Ionescu, told us:

    “Our story actually began in 2022. In that year, I took the baccalaureate exam and got a 10 in history, and a 9, 80 in Romanian language and literature. Although I was a Romanian national Olympian since middle school and continued to compete throughout high school, I still felt the stress of any 12th grader as the baccalaureate exam approached. And then, after taking the exam, I chose to digitize the materials I had structured. I had spent six months structuring the matter alone. In 2022 I started helping students online. I shared those materials, free of charge, on an Instagram account, and practically the generation that took the exam in 2023 was the first one I helped. And the idea of the Baccademia only started to take shape when the students sent me their baccalaureate results. For example, out of about 3000 students helped, most passed the exam with a grade above 9.50. Some even got a clean 10. For example, people who took the exam after 10 years or 20 years also got very good grades! And practically at that moment I realized that my materials really had a positive impact.”

    As a high-schooler until recently, Bianca Ionescu, added:

    “High school students were tired of the thick books, written in black and white and full of details that are not required for the baccalaureate, and I understood their frustration because I was in their shoes. We are in a country where it is still noticeable that the situation before the exams does not change much, it does not improve compared to previous years. It has been 10 months since we founded the Baccademia Publishing House and we differentiate ourselves, somehow, by the fact that our team is made up only of students who obtained a grade 10 in the baccalaureate exam, or in certain subjects. And also, all our collections are colored and synthesized. It also includes, for example, advice, solved topics, or jokes in places, jokes that the current generation would clearly understand.”

    Irina Selagea, is the author of the geography book for Baccademia and responsible for the interactive videos on social media. We asked her what the Baccademia was for her:

    “I’m the type of person who likes to help people and I’m very interested in bringing a new perspective when it comes to studying for the baccalaureate, because most people think it’s simply a test that you just have to cram for. But I would like to propose the idea and the solution that any baccalaureate test could be passed very easily just by understanding, by jokes, and by a more entertaining way than some very expensive materials or very long materials. I came up with the solution for students who are from Generation Z, who have a different understanding of how to learn certain subjects. And, quite simply, I wanted to bring a new way to motivate the student, perhaps, to read Romanian literature in a more non-conformist way.”

    As feedback, the Baccademia team said that several students told them that, with the help of these materials, they remembered in one minute all the one-hour material taught in class.

    And the team continues its work! Here is Bianca Ionescu:

    “We still lack the computer science, chemistry and physics collections, and we are currently working on them. They will be published sometime in September, around the middle of the month, we hope. Our success is largely due to the TikTok platform. That’s where we got popular with the videos made with artificial intelligence, for example. We’ve racked up almost 1,000,000 total views on the account so far.”

    There’s nothing more to say than Happy learning! Now it seems easier!

  • Baccademia: the baccalaureate exam for everybody

    Baccademia: the baccalaureate exam for everybody

    The 2024 session of the baccalaureate exam in Romania has seen the highest promotion rate in the last decade, accounting for 76.4%. Notwithstanding, the maturity exam has been frightening for many of the candidates. Reason enough for a couple of students in Cluj, central Transylvania, to have an initiative meant to make the experience easier for those colleagues who were lass lucky. The students successfully passed the baccalaureate exam with high grades and started Baccademia, a project that seeks to help candidates pass the baccalaureate exam with no trouble at all.

    Bianca Ionescu is the founder of the Baccademia project. Here is what she told us:

    “Our story actually began as early as 2022. That year I passed the baccalaureate exam, with a 10 in History and a 9.80 grade in the Romanian Language and literature test. Even though I competed in the National Romanian Language and Literature Olympiad ever since secondary school and I still competed all throughout the high school years, I was still stressed out as a 12th-grade, senior high-school pupil since the baccalaureate exam was drawing near. And then, having taken the exam, I opted for digitizing the materials I myself had been structuring.

    It took me a good six months to structure the subject matters all by myself. In 2022 I started helping pupils online. I shared those materials, free of charge, on an Instagram account and practically the generation that passed the exam in 2023 was the first one I helped. And then the idea of Baccademia began to take shape only when the pupils sent me their Baccalaureate exam grades. For instance, of the roughly 3,000 pupils I helped, most of them passed the exam with a grade above 9.50. Some of them even got a neat 10. There even were people who got very high grades having sat in for the exam 10 or 20 years later in life! And, practically, that very moment I realized my materials did have a positive impact on them.”

    Bianca Ionescu has been a high-school student until recently. Here is what she went on to say:

    “Pupils got fed up with bulky books, with a typical black-and-white print and full of details that were not required for the baccalaureate exam, and I could understand their frustration since I had been there before. We’re in a country where we can nonetheless see the situation ahead of the exams did not change that much, it does not improve as against the previous years. 10 months have passed since I founded Baccademia and we make the difference, somehow, as our team is only made of students who got a 10 in the baccalaureate exam or in some of the subject matters. And, also, all our collections are coloured and synthetic. It also includes, for instance, pieces of advice, solved tests or jokes, sometimes, jokes today’s generation is sure to understand very clearly. “

    Irina Selagea is the author of the Geography handbook. Also, she is responsible for the interactive videos on the social media. I asked her what Baccademia was, for her:

    “I am the kind of person who likes to help and I am keen on bringing in a new perspective when it comes to learning for the baccalaureate exam, since most of the people think it is just a test for which you only have to swot. But I should like to come up with the idea and the solution that any baccalaureate test could be passed with flying colours only though understanding, through jokes and in a much funnier way, rather than resorting to pricey materials or to very long materials. I have come up with the solution for the Generation Z pupils, who somehow have a different understanding of how to learn for certain subject matters. And I just wanted to bring in a new version, in a bid to motivate pupils, perhaps to read Romanian literature in an off-the-beaten-track way “.

    In terms of feedback, the Baccademia team has told us several pupils confessed that with the help of these materials, they could memorize the entire content of a subject matter that was taught in one class, in one minute

    As for the team, they continue their work! Bianca Ionescu:

    We’re still in short supply of the IT, Chemistry and Physics exercise books, and that’s what we’re working won at the moment. They will be brought out sometime in September, in mid-month, we hope. Our success, to a great extent, is provided by the Tik Tok platform. It is there that we’ve gained our popularity with the clips we created using AI, for instance. We’ve so far gathered 1,000,000 views all told, in our account. “

    We can only wish candidates to be efficient in their learning efforts, now that everything has become easier for them.

  • August 19, 2024 UPDATE

    August 19, 2024 UPDATE

    GROWTH According to the Fiscal Council, this year Romania may register an economic growth under the 3.4% the government initially forecast. In its annual report published on Monday, the Council, which is an independent institution, has drawn attention to the fact that the budget deficit at the end of this year will exceed 7% of the GDP. The new pension law and the pay rises in the public sector are expected to generate additional costs in the second half of the year. According to the Council representatives, Romania needs concrete and credible policies to support fiscal-budgetary consolidation on medium term – both in terms of incomes and improving the tax-collection process.

     

    HEAT A persistent heat wave has engulfed Romania, where code red, orange and yellow alerts have been in place for a couple of days now. Extremely high temperatures have been reported in most of the regions with a Temperature-Humidity Index above 80 units. The highs of the day are ranging between 29 and 39 degrees Celsius. For a couple of days now, Romania’s capital city Bucharest has been seeing temperatures of 37-38 degrees Celsius.

     

    ATHENS Romanian firefighters are carrying on operations of putting out wildfires in Greece, especially in the region of Attica. Several fire engines are being employed for this mission, including a special one able to carry 30 thousand liters of water. In this mission, the Romanian firefighters are operating under the coordination of their Greek counterparts who are monitoring the situation in the regions with a higher risk of wildfires. Since August 14th the Romanian Air Forces have also been carrying out firefighting missions in Albania, a country, which is also facing the danger of wildfires.

     

    PENSIONS Millions of Romanian pensioners will receive pension benefits based on a new calculation formula as of September 1st. Authorities promise this new system would remove all inequities in the pension system. According to official data, after recalculation the average public pension benefits will increase from around 460 Euros to around 540 Euros. The finance minister, Marcel Boloș, says that in the forthcoming period the pressure on the public deficit will increase. Under the new regulations, in order to receive public pension benefits in Romania the minimum payment contribution period will be 15 years, with the retirement age planned to reach 65 for both men and women in 2035.

     

    RABLA A new session of the “Rabla Plus” national car scrapping programme, aimed at facilitating the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles by individuals, public institutions and local administration units, was launched on Monday. According to the Environment Fund Authority, applicants receive a voucher for the purchase of a new vehicle, in return for scrapping 1 or 2 vehicles older than 6 years. The voucher for the purchase of an EV is worth approx. EUR 5,000, and the one for a hybrid car or electric motorcycle is around EUR 2,600, irrespective of the number of cars scrapped. For public institutions, the voucher amounts to EUR 24,000.

    (bill)

  • August 19, 2024

    August 19, 2024

    HEAT WAVE A persistent heat wave is reported in Romania, with code red, orange and yellow alerts issued in most regions of the country. The temperature-humidity index is above 80%, while highs range between 29 and 39 degrees Celsius. In Bucharest, the temperature is expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius, after 31 degrees Celsius reported at noon.

     

    EU PM Marcel Ciolacu makes a visit to Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, to talk with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about the seats Romania will hold in the future Commission. According to governmental sources, Bucharest may appoint the new commissioner for enlargement, who will be nominated from among the Social Democratic MEPs. Meanwhile, also this week, the government is scheduled to discuss the national strategy for the defence industry. Its goals are to ensure the development, revamping and upgrading of defence facilities, and to promote research, development and innovation by opening excellence centres and by attracting foreign and Romanian investors.

     

    CAR SCRAPPING A new session of the “Rabla Plus” national car scrapping programme, aimed at facilitating the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles by individuals, public institutions and local administration units, has been launched today. According to the Environment Fund Authority, applicants receive a voucher for the purchase of a new vehicle, in return for scrapping 1 or 2 vehicles older than 6 years. The voucher for the purchase of an EV is worth approx. EUR 5,000, and the one for a hybrid car or electric motorcycle is around EUR 2,600, irrespective of the number of cars scrapped. For public institutions, the voucher amounts to EUR 24,000.

     

    PENSIONS Millions of Romanian pensioners will receive pension benefits based on a new calculation formula as of September 1. The authorities promise this new system would remove all inequities in the pension system. According to official data, after recalculation the average public pension benefits will increase from around EUR 460 to around EUR 540. The finance minister, Marcel Boloș, says that in the forthcoming period the pressure on the public deficit will increase. Under the new regulations, in order to receive public pension benefits in Romania the minimum payment contribution period will be 15 years, with the retirement age planned to reach 65 for both men and women in 2035.

     

    BACCALAUREATE The autumn session of the baccalaureate exam is under way in Romania. After the Romanian language and literature test on Monday, written tests will be held in mathematics and history in the next few days, followed by tests in the subjects chosen by the applicants. The final results will be announced on August 30. Over 33,000 applicants have enrolled for the exam this autumn, following an over 78% pass rate at the June session.

     

    UKRAINE Ukraine continues its attacks in Russia’s Kursk region, where it destroyed a second strategic bridge on Sunday. Military analysts quoted by Reuters say there are 3 strategic bridges facilitating military supply for the Russian forces in Kursk. Kyiv claims to have seized some 1,150 square km and over 80 settlements so far. This is the 14th day of the Ukrainian strike, the first by a foreign army in Russia since WWII, with Moscow seemingly unable to initiate large-scale defence operations. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reiterated that Kyiv’s goal is to create a buffer zone to protect Ukraine’s border regions from Russian bombings. Meanwhile, Belarus announced the mobilisation of one-third of its army at the border, in response to the Ukrainian operations. At the start of the offensive in Kursk, Belarus, Russia’s closest ally and the country that allowed Russia to use its territory to attack Ukraine, claimed that Ukrainian military drones had violated its air space. (AMP)

  • August 12, 2024 UPDATE

    August 12, 2024 UPDATE

    Inflation – The annual inflation rate in Romania rose in July, to 5.42%, from 4.94% in June, as the prices of foodstuffs went up by 1.71%, of non-foods by 6.92%, and of services by 8.52%, according to data published on Monday by the National Institute of Statistics. According to the source, the annual inflation rate in July 2024 compared to July 2023 calculated on the basis of the harmonized index of consumer prices was 5.8%. The National Bank of Romania (BNR) revised downwards the inflation forecast for the end of this year to 4.0%, from the previously estimated 4.9%, and anticipates that it will reach 3.4% at the end of 2025, according to the data presented on Friday by the central bank governor, Mugur Isărescu.

     

    Baccalaureate – In Romania, the autumn session of the Baccalaureate continues, with over 33,000 high school graduates having registered for the exams. Monday saw the assessment of language skills for the Romanian language, mother tongue and modern languages, as well as of digital skills. On Tuesday and Wednesday, language skills in an internationally spoken language will be assessed. The written exams will start next Monday, with the Romanian language and literature test. In the summer session, 78% of the candidates passed the Baccalaureate, and approximately 28,000 were rejected.

     

    Firefighters – The Romanian firefighters in Greece are participating in an action to extinguish a wildfire near the town of Varnava, located in the prefecture of Attica, about 40 km from Athens. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Bucharest, the mission is made difficult because of the rugged terrain, and the high temperatures and low humidity are helping the spread of the fire. According to the assessments of the Greek Civil Protection, the risk of fire remains very high in many areas of the country. There are several outbreaks near the capital, and some residents of the region have received evacuation orders. Tens of wildfires have broken out in Greece since Saturday, and firefighters are still struggling to put some of them out. Hundreds of wildfires have occurred this summer in Greece.

     

    Drought – Almost 600 localities have restrictions on drinking water supply due to the drought, shows a press release of the Romanian Waters National Administration. The most affected are four counties in the east of Romania. Also, several sectors of the Danube have entered the warning phase, and the filling coefficient in the 40 reservoirs is 78%, slightly down compared to last week. On the other hand, the fire that broke out on Friday in the “Iron Gates” Natural Park (south-west) has so far covered over 120 hectares and it seems that it is still expanding. Firefighters, gendarmes, representatives of the park and Romsilva are acting to stop the fire expansion. Their mission is very difficult because of the wind and the rugged terrain.

     

    Bonds – On Monday the Romanian Finance Ministry launched a new issue of treasury bills with one-year terms, and an interest rate of 5.8%, and treasury bonds with three-year terms, with an interest rate of 6.6%. The state securities can only be bought by natural persons until September 5, both online and at the Treasury offices or through the rural units of the Romanian Post. They are transferable and can be redeemed in advance, and the income obtained from investing in securities is non-taxable. The funds obtained by the Finance Ministry through this issue will be used to finance the budget deficit and refinance the public debt. (LS)

  • June 18, 2024 UPDATE

    June 18, 2024 UPDATE

    TALKS On Tuesday after his talks in Munich with the Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Soder, underlined the importance of Romania’s fully-fledged accession to Schengen. He also mentioned that over 213 thousand Romanian nationals are presently living in Bavaria and highlighted their contribution to society. The German official also pleaded for stepped up economic relations. “Germany is Romania’s best partner, and Bavaria is the strongest trade partner of Romania” – the official went on to say. Prime Minister Ciolacu also mentioned the excellent cooperation relations between Romania and Bavaria and reiterated Romania’s staunch support for the European future of the partners in the western Balkans as well as of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Ciolacu also reiterated Romania’s solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the illegal and unjustified war waged by Russia as well as Romania’s commitment to the multidimensional support for Ukraine and the tight cooperation with Germany in this respect. During the visit to Munich, the governments of Romania and the state of Bavaria convened in a joint session marking 25 years of bilateral relations. The delegations signed a memorandum on entrepreneurship, the SMEs and startups.

     

    EXAM Tuesday saw the oral examinations in the Romanian language part of the baccalaureate exam. The examination of the linguistic and oral communication in the Romanian language is going to continue on Wednesday, and they will be followed by exams in the mother tongue, computer skills and the foreign language exams. The written exams are going to kick off on July 1st. Education officials have given assurances the measures taken for this Baccalaureate session will significantly reduce frauds. All the exams are being video and audio monitored and the written papers will be graded only on the digital platform.

     

    EXHIBITION Italy’s capital-city Rome is hosting an exhibition featuring Romanian traditional costumes and ceramic items from the collections of the Romanian Village Museum, alongside other exhibits from the Museum of Civilizations in Rome. Open until July 14, the exhibition also marks the Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse, celebrated on June 24.

     

    MEETING The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is meeting his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday in Bucharest. According to the presidency, the Italian president’s visit continues top-level exchanges after the Romanian president’s visit to Italy in 2018, the first after a 45-year break, as well as in the context of the joint Romanian-Italian government session hosted by Rome over February 14-15 this year. Romania and Italy this year celebrate 145 years of diplomat ties, as well as 60 years since relations were elevated to the rank of Embassy. The two officials will also tackle developments at European and global levels, focusing on the EU Strategic Agenda and security topics.

    (bill)

  • May 22, 2024 UPDATE

    May 22, 2024 UPDATE

     

    PAY RAISE The government of Romania intends to raise the salaries of some categories of public sector employees by 10% this year, in 2 equal installments. A draft order in this respect has been put up for debate by the Labour Ministry. Some of the employees targeted by the measure have recently organised protests, but Prime Minister Ciolacu explained on Tuesday that the budget did not allow for more pay raises. The draft order concerns the employees of various cultural institutions, of the trade registry offices, diplomatic staff, defence personnel, town hall staff and employees of other institutions funded from the government’s and Parliament’s own sources.

     

    SECURITY President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that there is no direct threat against Romania and “no sign or indication” of any attacks or other “undesired events” targeting Romania. “Of the information I have, I can tell you that Romania is a safe country. Romanians have no reason to fear, but obviously we must always be ready for unexpected occurrences,” he explained. According to Iohannis, Romania, thanks to its NATO membership, benefits today from the most important security guarantees in its history. “It is very, very important for us to understand that we are not alone, we are together with our Allies and we can handle any situation quite well,” Klaus Iohannis pointed out.

     

    BSDA The Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu Wednesday said there are good prospects for the Romanian defence industry to conclude impressive contracts worth billions of euros. Attending the international exhibition “Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” in Bucharest, the PM said this is the biggest event devoted to the defence industry in the Black Sea region. The presence of 400 companies from 31 countries proves the importance of this event, Ciolacu went on to say. All the five operational fields (land, air, naval, cyber and space) are being represented, and the event’s main attraction is the multi-role F-35 jet fighter that the US Navy has for the first time brought to an exhibition in Europe. The event is aimed to identify opportunities and find production and business cooperation solutions contributing to the promotion of Romania’s defence industry worldwide.

     

    BACCALAUREATE In Romania, the high school graduates who were part of Olympiad teams and international arts or sports competitions Wednesday stood the compulsory speciality test in a special Baccalaureate session. The exam started on Tuesday with the Romanian language and literature test, with the alternate speciality test scheduled for Thursday and the native language and literature test on Friday. Students’ digital and linguistic skills will be tested in the following days, and the final results will be announced on June 4.

     

    FESTIVAL The International Theatre Festival ‘Shakespeare’ continues in Craiova, south-western Romania with a new series of theatre shows, multi-media installations, outdoor film screenings, book launches and round table talks.  ‘Macbeth’, produced by the Chisinau-based Teatrul Fără Nume company in the Republic of Moldova, and the ‘Twelfth Night’ directed by Andrei Serban at the State Theatre in Constanta were the festival’s main events on Wednesday. Shakespeare village, a British village from the 1600s built from scratch on the local hippodrome, is the venue for scores of concerts and shows, while the Craiova Promenade is hosting the Shakespeare Dimension cube, providing a virtual immersion into the Shakespearian world. At its 30th edition this year, the international event consists of 300 shows and events bringing together some of the world’s most famous directors and actors, such as Robert Wilson, Declan Donnellan, Peter Brook or Robert Lepage. (AMP)

  • August 17, 2023

    August 17, 2023

    Ukraine – The Romanian
    authorities firmly condemn Russia’s repeated aggressions against innocent
    people and civilian infrastructure after the attack on the Ukrainian ports of
    Reni and Izmail, located near Romania. The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa
    Odobescu, underlined that through these blatant violations of international
    law, Russia continues to endanger global food security and the safety of navigation
    in the Black Sea. The structures of the Romanian Defense Ministry, which ensure
    the monitoring of the airspace, state that they have not identified any threats
    of a military nature to Romania’s national territory or territorial waters following
    the attack, and have announced increased measures to monitor the national terrestrial,
    maritime and air space, in cooperation with the NATO structures.

    Trade – Germany is Romania’s most
    important commercial partner, the value of bilateral trade exchanges in 2022 standing
    at 40.68 billion Euros, higher by 17%, shows a press release of the Economy Ministry.
    In the same period, Germany was the first destination for Romanian exports,
    with a share of 20% of Romania’s total exports. At the same time, Germany represents
    for Romania the second source of foreign direct investments, with over 25,000
    investing companies, mostly in the high tech industrial sectors. On Wednesday,
    the Economy Minister, Ştefan-Radu Oprea, met with the ambassador of the Federal
    Republic of Germany in Bucharest, Peer Olav Gebauer. The talks focused on
    boosting bilateral economic cooperation, aiming both at attracting German
    investments in Romania and at encouraging national companies that want to
    initiate and develop projects on the territory of Germany.

    Football – Romania’s
    football champions, Farul Constanţa (south-east), qualified for the Europa
    Conference League play-off, on Wednesday evening, after defeating the Estonian
    team Flora Tallinn with the score 2-0, away from home, in the second leg of the
    third preliminary round of the competition. In the first match, Farul had won
    3-0. Farul will play in the play-off against the loser of the match pitting Qarabag
    FK (Azerbaijan) against HJK Helsinki (Finland), a match that takes place in the
    third preliminary round of the Europa League. The other two Romanian teams
    present in the Conference League, Sepsi Sfântul Gheorghe (central Romania) and
    FCSB, are playing today. Sepsi will play in Kazakhstan against FC Aktobe, after
    a one-all score in Romania, and FCSB will play in Norway against FC
    Nordsjaelland, with whom they ended the first match from Bucharest in a tie,
    0-0.

    Baccalaureate
    – In Romania, high school graduates enrolled for the autumn session of the
    Baccalaureate took the test in Mathematics or History today. On Wednesday, they
    took the written test in Romanian Language and Literature. Friday will see the exam
    in the optional subject chosen and on August 21 the candidates of the national
    minorities will take the written test in their Mother Tongue Language and
    Literature. The final results will be announced on August 29. Almost 34,000
    students signed up for this session where, for the first time, papers are
    assessed in a digitized system.

    Meeting – The
    Secretary of State for Strategic Affairs with the Romanian Foreign Ministry,
    Iulian Fota, had a meeting with the Undersecretary of State for Arms Control
    and International Security from the US State Department, Bonnie Jenkins. The
    two firmly condemned the military aggression of the Russian Federation against
    Ukraine and the continuation of Moscow’s attacks on the Ukrainian population
    and civil infrastructure. Secretary of State Iulian Fota reiterated Romania’s
    commitment to promoting the international agenda regarding arms control, disarmament
    and non-proliferation. At the same time, he expressed Romania’s major concern
    over the worrying developments at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which
    endanger both the civilian population and regional security. (LS)





  • August 16, 2023 UPDATE

    August 16, 2023 UPDATE


    SECURITY Romanias security has been consolidated and the efforts to strengthen NATO structures on national territory, especially the NATO battle group established in 2022, will carry on, said President Klaus Iohannis, who attended the Navy Day ceremonies in Constanta on Tuesday. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu promised that the government would earmark the resources required for equipping and modernising the Romanian Naval Forces. Security at the Black Sea ensures the stability of the entire region and turns Romania into an important security provider, the speaker of the Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, also said.



    ECONOMY The EU economy grew 0.5% and the Eurozone economy went up 0.6% in Q2 2023, compared to the corresponding period in 2022, with Ireland and Romania reporting the most significant growth rates, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday by the European Statistics Office (Eurostat). Among the EU member countries for which data are available, the highest growth rates in April-June 2023 are reported in Ireland (2.8%), Romania (2.7%), Cyprus and Portugal (2.3%), while the most important negative rates were in Estonia (-3%), Sweden (-2.4%), Hungary (-2.3%) and Poland (-1.3%). Across the ocean, the US GDP went up 0.6% compared to the previous 3 months and 2.6% against the corresponding quarter last year.



    BACCALAUREATE Nearly 34,000 high school graduates in Romania, sitting the second session of this years Baccalaureate exam, Wednesday had the Romanian language and literature test, with papers graded digitally for the first time. The tests are scanned and uploaded on a platform, where they are assigned for grading to teachers in any part of the country except for the county where the student went to high school. The two tests in students major subjects are scheduled for August 17th and 18th. In order to pass the exam, candidates need an overall grade of at least 6 in their written tests. In the first Baccalaureate session, 75% of the candidates passed the exam.



    TRAFFIC Over 2.2 million Romanians and foreigners crossed Romanias borders during the Assumption of Mary holiday period, up 24% compared to the corresponding period of last year, the Romanian Border Police announced. The most crowded checkpoints were those on the Hungarian and Bulgarian borders, and those in airports. During the same period, border police issued fines totalling over EUR 60,000 and seized assets of over EUR 600,000. More than 100 Romanian nationals were denied exit and 90 foreign nationals were not allowed to enter the country for various reasons.



    UKRAINE The Romanian Defence Ministry strongly condemns the repeated strikes by Russian armed forces targeting critical infrastructure in Ukraine and regions inhabited by civilians in that country. The statement comes after on Wednesday morning the Danube River ports in Izmail and Reni, near the border with Romania, were hit by drone strikes. The war of aggression started by Russia against Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, says the Defence Ministry, also adding that it has enhanced the monitoring of Romanias national territory and its maritime and airspace, jointly with NATO forces, to strengthen defence on the entire eastern flank and to deter possible aggressions against NATO member countries. (AMP)


  • June 27, 2023 – UPDATE

    June 27, 2023 – UPDATE

    RECOVERY The European Commission Tuesday endorsed a positive preliminary
    assessment of the second payment request submitted by Romania under the
    National Recovery and Resilience Facility, and found 49 out of the 51 targets
    and milestones to be completed. Two
    milestones, concerning investments in the energy sector, are deemed as not satisfactorily
    fulfilled, and therefore the Commission activated a ‘payment suspension’
    procedure. The EC acknowledged the first steps already taken by Romania to
    fulfil these outstanding milestones, but emphasised that important work remains
    to be done. Romania is to submit its observations within one month, and has an
    additional 6 months to fulfil the outstanding milestones. If and when they have
    been completed, the Commission will lift the payment suspension. In this
    context, the EC chief Ursula von der Leyen stated that Romania has progressed
    well in the implementation of its recovery and resilience plan, for instance
    carrying out reforms on road safety, renewable energy and public sector cloud
    services. PM Marcel Ciolacu says the
    two delayed milestones will be recovered quickly, so that the country may
    receive all the funds earmarked for them. The total amount in the second
    payment request is EUR 2.8 billion, but Romania will receive EUR 53 million
    less. The USR leader in opposition, Cătălin Drulă, says the money will only
    arrive in September and the 3rd and 4th payments, also
    scheduled for this year, stand no chances of being received


    PROTEST About 700 employees with the police and penitentiary systems,
    as well as court clerks protested in front of the Parliament building on
    Tuesday, against the revision of the military and service pension system.
    Protesters also asked for the elimination of all wage inequities, ceilings and
    postponements imposed by the Government since 2010. According to protesters,
    the increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 is unjustified and will turn
    Romania into the country with the most unfavourable retirement terms in the
    NATO bloc. On Monday, the Romanian MPs passed a bill on the reform of all
    special pensions received by some professional categories in Romania. The
    changes concern, among other things, the increase in the retirement age for
    some beneficiaries and the taxation of amounts that exceed the net average
    salary. On the same day, Parliament eliminated the special pensions of senators
    and deputies.


    BACCALAUREATE Romanian high school graduates Tuesday sat the
    compulsory test in their respective majors as part of the Baccalaureate exam. The
    last test of the exam for most students is scheduled for Wednesday, with only
    ethnic minority students left to sit a mother tongue test on Thursday. During
    the examinations all classrooms are subject to audio and video surveillance,
    and access with electronic devices or any other materials may lead to expulsion.
    The grades will be announced on 3 July, and they may be appealed on the same
    day, with the final results to be announced on 7 July.


    FARMERS Romania will receive EUR 30 million from the European
    Commission in aid for farmers affected by the import of cheap grain from
    Ukraine. The support package, the second approved by Brussels after the one in
    March, is worth a total EUR 100 million and is granted to five border countries
    – Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia. Poland, with almost EUR 40
    million and Romania with EUR 30 million are the biggest beneficiaries of this
    aid. The deadline for payments to farmers is 30 September. After the Ukrainian
    Black Sea ports were blocked following the Russian invasion, the Romanian port
    of Constanţa has become the most important alternative shipping route. (AMP)

  • June 25, 2023

    June 25, 2023

    Baccalaureate. In Romania, the 12th grade graduates are starting, on Monday, the written tests of the baccalaureate exam, with the Romanian language and literature. On Tuesday, they will be sitting the mandatory examination of the profile, and on Thursday the test of choice for profile and specialization. On June 29, students who belong to national minorities will sit the test in their native language and literature. Next week, the first results of the national assessment will be announced for students who have completed the eighth grade. Due to the general strike in education, registrations for the National Assessment and Baccalaureate were extended until June 16.



    SITF. Seaside Stories, directed by Radu Afrim, the winner of the UNITER award for the best show, is part of todays program of the International Theater Festival in Sibiu. In the Outdoor section, the audience will have the opportunity to watch the Pioneers Last Word, a modern show based on Hip Hop street dance culture, with a rich and energetic repertoire. Also today, the band Mahala Rai Banda will be performing on stage in the Big Square. The 30th edition of SITF started on Friday and is the biggest such event in Romania. The festival is hosting 800 events in approximately 80 locations, enjoying the participation of 5,000 artists and guests from 75 countries.



    Moscow. The forces of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner began to leave their positions in Russia as ordered by their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who turned back after directly defying the authority of President Vladimir Putin, FP reports. After a day of spectacular armed rebellion, Prigozhin is to leave for Belarus, and the charges against him will be withdrawn, the Kremlin announced. FP recalls that Wagners troops were heading for the capital on Saturday, after occupying during the morning the headquarters of the Russian army in Rostov (southwest), the sensitive center of operations in Ukraine. Wagner claimed that the Russian strikes caused a very large number of casualties in his ranks and accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of being responsible for that. According to the Washington Post and New York Times, the American intelligence services warned the White House about the imminence of a Wagner revolt in Russia a day before it broke out. Faced with the biggest challenge since he came to power in late 1999, President Putin has tried to keep his hand strong in the face of this unprecedented rebellion, denouncing a treason and evoking the specter of a civil war.



    Swimming. Romanian swimmer David Popovici won the 100 m freestyle event on Saturday at the Sette Colli Trophy competition at the Foro Italico (Rome). The double European and world champion and holder of the world record competes today in the 200 m freestyle. In the 50 m backstroke event, his compatriot, Andrei Anghel, won the bronze medal. Romania is represented at the competition by ten swimmers.



    Football. Romania failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Under-21 European Football Championship, which is hosting together with Georgia, after the second defeat suffered in group B, 0-1 against Ukraine, on Saturday evening, in Bucharest. In the first game, the national team lost 2-0 against Spain. The Iberians won against Croatia and qualified further along with the Ukrainians. In the last stage, on Tuesday, Spain will face Ukraine, and Croatia take on Romania. The final tournament takes place between June 21 and July 8 and brings together 16 teams, divided into four groups. Two are hosted by Romania, in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca (north-west), and two by Georgia. In Romania, two quarter-finals and a semifinal will take place. The top three finishers qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris next year.



    Weather. Romanian meteorologists have issued two codes, orange and yellow, for severe atmospheric instability, valid until Monday. In most of the country, there will be showers, electrical discharges, short-term intensification of the wind and in some areas gales and hail. In short intervals of time or through accumulation, the water quantities will be 20…25 l/m2 and even up to 30…40 l/m2. Throughout the day, in the mountains, in the center and southeast of the country, and in the evening and at night especially in the southeast, locally there will be torrential showers, electrical discharges, short-term intensification of the wind, with gusts of 65…75 km/h and in limited areas storms and hail. In short intervals of time or through accumulation, the water quantities will be 30…40 l/m2 and isolated over 50…60 l/m2. Maximum temperatures will range from 24 to 30 degrees. Weather is turning unstable in Bucharest as well, with showers, electrical discharges and short-term intensification of the wind. (MI)


  • Strike in Romania’s Education System

    Strike in Romania’s Education System

    The all-out strike in the Romanian education system, already in its third week, continues. The number of protesters has seemingly decreased. Minister Ligia Deca has announced that 10,000 employees will have given up the protest and that only 53% of the total number of employees in the system are continuing the protest. If the percentage falls below 50, the strike should be stopped and the teachers could recover the lost classes, as the minister stated.



    Ligia Deca: We are happy with the downward trend. It is clear that teachers are slowly returning to classes, the education staff are returning to schools, and this allows us to organize a recovery program at the level of each educational unit, so that, by the end of the school year, students should recuperate the lost classes and the teaching and non-teaching staff should recuperate their pay lost in May due to the protest actions.



    However, the unions accuse the authorities of creating confusion and say that 87% of the teaching and non-teaching staff are actually participating in the all-out strike. They are unhappy with the Government’s salary increase offer, far below what they wanted. At stake is more than a decent salary, it is the very status of the teacher, in particular, and of the education system in Romania, in general – the teachers say. However, as the exam session is approaching, education officials, representatives of students, parents and trade unions participated in new discussions at the Ministry headquarters, following which they agreed that, for the time being, there is no need to change the dates on which the national exams are scheduled.



    Minister Ligia Deca is back at the microphone: We are still on schedule so as not to change the exam dates. If at the end of the week – because it is then that we can have an accurate assessment – we come to the conclusion that there are not enough human resources to organize these exams, we will announce the measures that the ministry is taking into account. Our wish, of us all, would be to be able to hold the exams on the announced dates, so that all the students should continue on the path they have chosen. For the other categories of students, we are still on the school year schedule. Classes will end on June 16. There may be remedial classes in the context of the school year, and for any non-covered subject, the plans for the following year can be redone.



    According to the current schedule, the oral tests of the baccalaureate exam should start on June 12, and the written tests on June 26. As for the National Assessment of the 8th graders, prior to entering high school, the tests should start on June 19. In the meantime, however, in some cities in Romania, the street demonstrations of education employees continued. A new large-scale rally is expected in Bucharest, on Thursday, after the recent ones in which tens of thousands of people participated. (LS)

  • August 16, 2022 UPDATE

    August 16, 2022 UPDATE


    Budget. The Romanian Government
    is this week preparing the first budget adjustment in 2022, which has been
    described by the country’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca as positive. The
    Ministries of Finance, Labour and European Projects are to get more money and
    so are the Ministries of Healthcare, Energy, Transport, Justice and
    Agriculture. The Ministries of the Interior, the Environment and Culture have
    seen their funds trimmed as Finance Minister Adrian Caciu has announced that a
    key priority are the measures the Executive has taken in order to boost the
    economy and support the citizens against the backdrop of a soaring inflation
    rate. Among the aforementioned measures there are a support scheme aimed at
    offsetting growing prices in gas and electricity, state subsidies for fuel
    consumption in agriculture as well as loans for farmers. Under the new measures,
    the consolidated budget deficit is estimated to exceed 16 billion euros, accounting
    for 5.8% of the GDP.








    Protests. Police trade
    unionists took to the streets again on Tuesday, this time in front of the
    Ministry of Interior and in front of the Ministry of Labor, after picketing the
    Ministry of Finance last week. They claim that their rights and those of
    military pensioners are still ignored by the Government and demand a fair
    application of the salary law for budget employees, higher bonuses and the
    right meal tickets. The Minister of
    Labour, Marius Budai, talked to the protesters. According to Radio Romania News and Current
    Affairs, on Wednesday, the police unionists will picket the offices of the
    Government, of the Social Democratic Party and of the National Liberal Party.












    Ukraine. An ammunition
    depot of the Russian army exploded on Tuesday in the occupied Crimea. Sources
    cited by the Russian media say that the explosion was caused by a fire and that
    there are no serious injuries. Recently, in Crimea, there have been several
    incidents of this type, including a series of simultaneous explosions at an air
    base. Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied that the explosions were caused by
    attacks carried out by its forces. In another Russian-controlled area, in
    Donbas, Ukrainian forces bombed the headquarters of the Wagner Group, a
    mercenary organization controlled by the oligarch Evgeni Prigozhin, dubbed Putin’s
    chef. The Wagner Group was also involved in the Syrian civil war and conflicts
    in Africa. Its members have allegedly committed war crimes both in Syria, with
    at least one case documented by independent Russian media, and in Ukraine.
    Meanwhile, the Kyiv Parliament voted the extension of the state of emergency
    throughout the country for another 90 days.




    Baccalaureate. Roughly 35 thousand students have registered for the autumn session
    of the national baccalaureate, which started on Tuesday. 22 thousand of them have
    graduated from high-school this year. The exam’s final results are to be made
    public on September 3rd. The success rate in the first session of this exam
    held in July stood at 75%, the highest rate in the past 10 years.






    Border-crossing. Over 1, 500, 000 people,
    Romanian and foreign nationals, crossed Romania’s borders over August 12th and
    15th the General Border Police Inspectorate has announced. The most intense
    traffic was reported at Romania’s border with Hungary. 13 thousand Ukrainian
    nationals entered Romania on Monday 0.2% more than in the previous day, which
    brings up to 2 million the number of refugees that have crossed into Romania
    since the beginning of the conflict in February.




    Covid. 3,600 new cases of
    Covid-19 were registered in 24 hours in Romania, which is less than a week ago.
    Most cases – over 400 – and the highest incidence rate, 7.3 per one thousand
    inhabitants – have been reported in Bucharest. Some 4000 patients are
    hospitalized, of whom 280 in intensive care. Also, 18 related deaths were
    reported, three of which from the previous reporting period.




    Swimming. On Monday, Romanian swimmer David Popovici won
    gold in the 200 meter freestyle race of the European Aquatics Championships in
    Rome. Popovici, aged 17, the world’s defending champion, ended the race in one
    minute, 42 seconds and 97 hundredths, a new world and European record. We
    recall that Popovici also walked away with gold from the 100 and 200 meter
    freestyle races of the World Championships in Budapest. The Romanian swimmer
    also got the title on Saturday night in the 100 meter freestyle race with a new
    world record of 46 seconds and 86 hundredths. David Popovici will be racing in
    the 400 meter event on Wednesday. (MI)



  • August 15, 2022 UPDATE

    August 15, 2022 UPDATE

    Celebrations. Christian believers celebrated on Monday the
    Assumption of Mary, one of the biggest feasts of the year. Some 2.3 million
    Romanians celebrated their name day. August 15th is also the Navy
    Day, as Virgin Mary is the protector of sailors. Events to mark this day were
    staged in Romania’s Danube and Black Sea ports. The festivities in Contanta were
    attended by Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, who stressed the importance of
    sailors’ work, which entails lots of sacrifices
    but also satisfaction. PM Nicolae Ciuca too conveyed a message, stating
    that he would support programs aimed at modernizing the Romanian army. In turn,
    the defense minister Vasile Dincu voiced conviction that starting next year,
    the Romanian Naval Forces would be better equipped and prepared. He pointed out that the war in Ukraine had shown how
    important the ability to protect its territorial waters and exclusive economic
    zone was for Romania.








    Firefighters. Romanian firefighters continue their mission
    south of Bordeaux, France, operating in harsh conditions: high temperatures,
    low humidity and strong winds. Their mission is to keep the fire from spreading
    to the residential area and to put out hidden outbreaks. A total of 77
    firefighters are supporting the French
    authorities in their fight against wildfires, caused by extreme heat and severe
    drought.










    Baccalaureate. Almost 35,000
    candidates have registered to sit in the autumn session of the Romanian
    baccalaureate, which starts on Tuesday. Approximately
    22 thousand candidates are class of 2022, the rest being from the previous classes. The
    final results will be announced on September 3. In the summer session, held in
    the second part of June, the baccalaureate pass rate was over 75% – the best in
    the last 10 years.






    Rasnov. Two special screenings and 12
    international documentaries, from 11 countries, are part of the program of the 14th edition of the Film and History
    Festival underway in Rasnov, central Romania. The selection of documentaries
    includes films from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Romania, France,
    Australia, USA, Belgium, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. According to the
    organizers, the theme of the festival this year is focused around the idea of
    ​​borders, a concept that aims to bring answers to multiple questions and
    challenges related to individual and creative freedoms that today’s society
    faces.




    Swimming. The Romanian swimmer David Popovici won
    on Monday evening the gold medal in the 200 m freestyle final of the European
    Aquatics Championship in Rome. He is the defending world champion in this
    event. On Saturday, he won the 100 meter freestyle final and set a world
    record, becoming the youngest athlete with such a record in the history of
    world swimming.




    Sports. Romania’s rowing
    team, made up of 35 athletes, returned home on Monday with five gold and three
    bronze medals won at the European Championships in Munich. According to the
    general secretary of the Romanian Rowing Federation, Sandu Pop, the performance
    of the Romanian delegation is the greatest in the history of Romanian rowing in
    the continental competition. In another development, Romanian tennis player
    Simona Halep (15 WTA) won the WTA 1,000 tournament in Toronto (Canada), with
    over 2.5 million dollars in prize money. She defeated, on Sunday, in the final,
    the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (24 WTA), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Simona thus won the
    Canadian Open for the third time, after the finals she won in Montreal in 2016
    and 2018. For the former world leader, this is the 24th title of her career.
    After the victory in Toronto, Simona Halep climbed nine places up the rankings
    and is now sixth in the WTA classification. (MI)

  • The education law under review

    The education law under review

    During the 32 years since Romania’s
    anti-communist revolution, no other sector has been subject to so many, and
    often so confusing, changes as public education. The country’s chronic
    political instability brought at the top of the education ministry a long line
    of characters eager to introduce innovations that would make them famous. They
    were quickly replaced, so all they managed to do was to cancel the reforms
    promoted by their predecessors.


    Three decades of constant innovation
    later, the results are evident. Both students and parents complain about the
    sense of confusion caused by rules changing midgame. Romanians who can afford
    it send their children to school abroad, and in turn the country’s brightest
    graduates chose to leave the country.


    There is no vocational education to speak
    of, so it is increasingly difficult to find a good plumber or mechanic. Because
    of the stress and low pay, the teaching profession is no longer attractive, so
    the number of substitute teachers is growing, especially in the countryside and
    in smaller towns. And relevant surveys converge with respect to the high rate
    of functional illiteracy among Romanian school graduates.


    In this rather dismal context, the
    incumbent education minister Sorin Cîmpeanu, a Liberal Party member, announces
    notable changes in the field, which, he claims, are likely to improve the situation.


    National colleges, i.e. the best high
    schools in the country, will be able to select 90% of their students by
    organising their own admission exams. The remaining 10% of the students will be
    selected based on candidates’ results in the national evaluation, a test that
    middle school graduates must take at present.


    Moreover, starting in 2024, the middle school grade average will no longer be taken into account in the high school
    admission process, because, minister Cîmpeanu says, it has lost its relevance.


    Changes are planned for the baccalaureate
    exam as well, which will no longer be conditional on passing the optional
    written test in a candidate’s major specialisation.


    Access to a teaching career will also be
    different, the education minister announced. Under the new law, a one-year
    traineeship under a tutor’s guidance will be introduced, and tenure exams and
    organisation will be changed.


    The new education bill will be subject to public
    review for a month, until August 17. And according to commentators, just like
    many draft legislative acts put together by the Cabinet, this too will very
    likely be amended substantially. (AMP)