Radio România Internațional

Tag: Brussels

January 30, 2023

Parliament – The Romanian senators and deputies return, this week, to Parliament, for the first parliamentary session of the year. Among the priorities on the agenda are sensitive bills, such as the one on public service pensions, which should no longer exceed the salary from the active period, or the proposals to amend the education laws, on which the parties in the government coalition have so far failed to reach consensus.

Brussels — The Romanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Petre Daea, participated, today, in Brussels, in the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The agenda of talks includes important topics for agricultural producers in Romania, such as: the market situation, the bio-economy, honey labeling, the directive on industrial emissions and animal transport. In the opening of the meeting, the Swedish Presidency will make a presentation of its work program for the current semester in the field of agriculture and fisheries. European officials will receive information from the German delegation regarding the Global Forum on Food and Agriculture, which was held in Berlin on January 21.

Health — The Health Minister Alexandru Rafila said Sunday evening on a private television station that the number of flu and viral infection cases is decreasing in Romania. According to the minister, the flu epidemic will end in approximately two to three weeks. Alexandru Rafila stated that only in the last week, the number of cases reported was smaller by 25%, about 100,000 new cases of viral respiratory infections and cases of flu, compared to 140,000 a week ago. He also stressed that there were no problems with the stocks of medicines used in viral respiratory infections, even if their consumption has increased more than usual.

ICR – The Romanian Cultural Institute – ICR announced the relaunch of the Cantemir Cultural Partnerships and Financing Program, intended for international projects. The main aim of the program is to connect culture operators from Romania with partners from abroad. Through the Cantemir Program, previously run between 2006 – 2012 and resumed in 2023 with some changes, ICR will grant non-refundable funding for cultural initiatives in the fields of visual arts – fine arts, decorative arts, science/research and architecture, design, new media, photography, performance and performing arts – theater, music and dance.

Ukraine — The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg requested South Korea today to increase its military aid to Ukraine. The NATO leader is in Seoul, as part of a visit that will also include Japan. According to the BBC, Stoltenberg intends to strengthen NATO ties with the Asian allies of the United States. He mentioned the war in Ukraine alongside North Koreas nuclear and missile programs and Chinas growing assertiveness as reasons of concern for both East and West. In another development, on Sunday, in Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would not send fighter planes to Ukraine, while Kyiv continues to request weapons from the Western countries to counter the Russian invasion. On Wednesday, Berlin decided to send 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other European countries to supply similar tanks to Kyiv. Also on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was confident that his country could defeat Russia this year, despite Ukraines current difficulties on the battle front. ‘2023 must and will certainly be the year of our victory’ President Zelenski wrote in a social media post. At the same time, the Ukrainian leader admitted that the situation was very difficult regarding the heavy fighting in the east of the country.

Cairo – The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is meeting today in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to discuss regional issues such as the transition to democracy in Sudan and the elections in Libya. Blinken will also address the concerns related to the observance of human rights by the authorities in Cairo. Egypt is the first stage of the tour that the US official is taking in the Middle East, at a time of escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Today, Blinken will travel to Jerusalem, where he will reiterate the US calls for calm and the US support for a two-state solution, although US officials have admitted that the resumption of peace talks is unlikely in the near future. On Thursday, an Israeli raid on a refugee camp in the West Bank left ten people dead, and on Friday a Palestinian shot dead seven people near a synagogue in Jerusalem. The US Secretary of State will also travel to Ramallah, to meet with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. (LS)

30 January 2023
December 11, 2022 UPDATE

Budget — The state budget and social insurance draft laws will be debated in Romania’s Parliament on Monday. The final vote is to be given in the plenary sessions of the two chambers on Thursday. The state budget for next year is based on an economic growth of 2.8% and a revenue increase of 14%. The budget deficit is forecast to increase by almost 4.4% of the GDP, and the main novelty is the increase to 2.5% of the Defense budget. The state budget for next year will allow, according to the authorities, an increase in pensions by 12.5% and a minimum wage of 3,000 lei (about 600 Euros). According to the document, the Ministries of Defense, Development, Agriculture, Transport and Education will receive more funds. The fields of Energy, Justice and Health will receive less money. The opposition criticizes the Governments budget bill and announces that it will submit amendments in Parliament.

Visit — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will receive, on Monday, in Bucharest, the president of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis. The two will discuss the bilateral relationship and economic cooperation, with an emphasis on stimulating investments and identifying new areas of collaboration. At the same time, they will also exchange views on current topics on the international agenda, including the developments in Ukraine, humanitarian aid measures for the Ukrainian population and refugees, the consequences of the conflict in terms of energy, as well as in terms of global food security. Romanian-Swiss multilateral cooperation is also on the agenda of the discussions, including from the perspective of Switzerlands future mandate as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, which it will exercise in the period 2023-2024. On the other hand, the signing ceremony of the Romanian-Swiss Framework Agreement will take place, through which the second Swiss financial contribution to reduce economic and social disparities in the EU will be operationalized. President Ignazio Cassis also has a scheduled meeting with the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and will also be received by Her Majesty Margareta, the Custodian of the Romanian Crown.

Meeting — The Romanian Agriculture Minister, Petre Daea, is participating, on Sunday and Monday, in the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) in Brussels. According to an agriculture ministry communiqué, the meetings agenda includes important aspects for the Romanian agricultural sector, such as the market situation, the strategic plans of the CAP, animal welfare and fishing opportunities for next year. The ministers are discussing the progress of the new EU forest strategy for 2030 and the actions taken at EU and national level. At the same time, the ministers will debate the current situation of the market in the member states, the main issues related to the energy and fertilizer crisis, the high prices of production factors, as well as the pressure that the crisis exerts on both farmers and consumers. Also, the European officials will tackle the strategic plans included in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the context of the current situation in Ukraine and the new challenges facing both the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Agreement — The EU member states reached an agreement, on Saturday, regarding the unlocking of a financial assistance package worth 18 billion Euros, which will be granted to Ukraine in 2023. ‘Ukraine can count on the EU. We will continue to support Ukraine also from a financial point of view, as long as it is necessary’ shows a press release from the European Council. The proposal was adopted by the Council and will be presented to the European Parliament to be adopted next week. On Tuesday, Hungary vetoed the package proposed by the European Commission.

Handball — Romania’s handball champions Rapid Bucharest scored a prestigious victory in the Champions League in womens handball, 30-27 against the multiple champion Gyori Audi ETO KC (Hungary), on Sunday, at home, in a Group B match. After this victory, the Romanian handballers have reached 12 points in the group, as many as Gyori and Esbjerg (Denmark) and one below Metz (France). In the last match of this year, Rapid will meet, away from home, Storhamar (Norway), on December 17. The first two teams in the group go directly to the quarter finals, and the next 4 to the play-offs.

Corruption – The Greek vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, and three other people were indicted and imprisoned, on Sunday, in Belgium, in an investigation regarding suspicions of corruption in connection with Qatar. The four were accused of belonging to a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption. Eva Kaili could not benefit from her parliamentary immunity because she was caught in the act of committing the offence she is accused of was on Friday. According to the Federal Prosecutors Office, they suspect the payment of significant sums of money or the offering of significant gifts to third parties in a political and/or strategic position that allows them, within the European Parliament, to influence the decisions of this institution. On Saturday, the president of the European Parliament, the Maltese Roberta Metsola, decided on a first sanction against Eva Kaila. The Greek vice-president was left without all delegated responsibilities, including that of representative for the Middle East region. Left-wing MEPs and environmentalists demanded the resignation of Eva Kaili, who was also excluded from the Greek Socialist Party.

11 December 2022
December 11, 2022

Budget — The state budget and social insurance draft laws will be debated in Romania’s Parliament on Monday. The final vote is to be given in the plenary sessions of the two chambers on Thursday. The state budget for next year is based on an economic growth of 2.8% and a revenue increase of 14%. The budget deficit is forecast to increase by almost 4.4% of the GDP, and the main novelty is the increase to 2.5% of the Defense budget. The state budget for next year will allow, according to the authorities, an increase in pensions by 12.5% and a minimum wage of 3,000 lei (about 600 Euros). According to the document, the Ministries of Defense, Development, Agriculture, Transport and Education will receive more funds. The fields of Energy, Justice and Health will receive less money. The opposition criticizes the Governments budget bill and announces that it will submit amendments in Parliament.

Meeting — The Romanian Agriculture Minister, Petre Daea, is participating, on Sunday and Monday, in the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) in Brussels. According to an agriculture ministry communiqué, the meetings agenda includes important aspects for the Romanian agricultural sector, such as the market situation, the strategic plans of the CAP, animal welfare and fishing opportunities for next year. The ministers are discussing the progress of the new EU forest strategy for 2030 and the actions taken at EU and national level. At the same time, the ministers will debate the current situation of the market in the member states, the main issues related to the energy and fertilizer crisis, the high prices of production factors, as well as the pressure that the crisis exerts on both farmers and consumers. Also, the European officials will tackle the strategic plans included in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the context of the current situation in Ukraine and the new challenges facing both the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Gaudeamus — The 29th edition of the Gaudeamus book fair, organized by Radio Romania at the Romexpo exhibition center in Bucharest, comes to an end on Sunday. Starting on December 7, approximately 200 participants offered the public a varied range of editorial products, on different supports, suitable for all ages and fields of interest, music and educational games. For the first time, two spaces dedicated to interactive activities for the youngest visitors were set up within the fair. All stands were also found in virtual format on the gaudeamus.ro website. The honorary president of this years edition was the writer Ana Blandiana.

Agreement — The EU member states reached an agreement, on Saturday, regarding the unlocking of a financial assistance package worth 18 billion Euros, which will be granted to Ukraine in 2023. ‘Ukraine can count on the EU. We will continue to support Ukraine also from a financial point of view, as long as it is necessary’ shows a press release from the European Council. The proposal was adopted by the Council and will be presented to the European Parliament to be adopted next week. On Tuesday, Hungary vetoed the package proposed by the European Commission.

Negotiations — The EU countries participated in emergency negotiations on Saturday in an attempt to reach an agreement on capping the price of natural gas at the December 13 meeting of European Energy Ministers, but they remain divided over the plan. 12 member states, including Romania, Belgium, Italy, Poland and Slovenia, are pushing for a significantly lower cap on the price of natural gas across the Union. The latest proposal, according to Reuters, provides for a cap if prices exceed 220 Euros/Megawatt hour for five days, at the Natural Gas futures quotes of the Amsterdam-based TTF Hub (where reference prices are set in Europe) to be delivered the next month, and when the prices are higher by 35 Euros compared to the world average price for liquefied natural gas. It is a lower level than the limit of 275 Euros/Megawatt hour proposed by the European Commission, but the 12 EU member states say it is still not low enough.

Football – The French team, the defending world champions, qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar on Saturday, after defeating England 2-1 in the last quarter-final. Also on Saturday, the Moroccan national team became the first African team to qualify for the semi-finals, after defeating the Portuguese team, score 1-0. There are only four matches left in the final tournament in Qatar, the semi-finals, third-place playoff and the final. On Tuesday, Argentina will meet Croatia, and on Wednesday Morocco will be up against France. The third-place playoff will take place on December 17, and the final on December 18. (LS)

11 December 2022
December 7, 2022 UPDATE

JHA — The Romanian Justice Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, will participate, in Brussels, between December 7-14, in the works of the Justice and Home Affairs Council and of the General Affairs Council (CAG) of the European Union. According to JHAC communique, on the sidelines and in the period between the two councils, the Justice Minister will have a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from other member states and EU officials, in Brussels and Luxembourg. Within the JAH Council, minister Predoiu will present Romanias position regarding the legal instruments and European policies in the field of Justice on the Councils agenda. We remind you that the Home Affairs section of the JHA Council is to decide on the admission of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia to the free movement Schengen Area.

Schengen — Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă welcomed, on Wednesday, the completion by the Parliament in The Hague of the procedure for approving the position of the Government of the Netherlands in favor of Romanias accession to Schengen. ‘We appreciate the recent cooperation with our Dutch partners and we consider that this result is a clear recognition of Romanias preparation,’ the Romanian Prime Minister Ciucă wrote on the Governments Twitter account on Wednesday. In turn, the Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, welcomed the favorable result of the vote, as a result of the close and intense political dialogue with the Dutch partners. Austria remains the only EU state that opposes the entry of Romania and Bulgaria.

Statistics — The Gross Domestic Product of the European Union grew by 0.4%, and that of the Eurozone by 0.3%, in the third quarter of 2022, as compared to the previous three months, and Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and Romania had the more significant advance – shows the data published on Wednesday by the European Statistics Office (Eurostat). The economy grew by 2.3% in Ireland and by 1.3% in Cyprus, Malta and Romania. The most significant decline was recorded in Estonia (minus 1.8%), Latvia (minus 1.7%) and Slovenia (minus 1.4%). Among the EU member states, the most significant annual advance of the economy was recorded in Ireland (10.6%), Croatia (5.5%), Cyprus (5.4%), Malta (5.2%), Portugal (4.9%) and Romania (4.7%), the only decreases being in Estonia (minus 2.3%) and Latvia (minus 0.4%).

CAP – The European Commission on Wednesday approved the strategic plans of Romania and Bulgaria within the Common Agricultural Policy. Almost 15 billion Euros will be made available for Romania. Bucharest’s plan aims at improving farmers means of subsistence and their competitiveness. Besides the support for income, over one billion Euros will be allocated to investments in farms and processing units. Romania uses about 40% of its budget for rural development, to encourage ecological practices in areas of high natural value, in order to protect biodiversity. About 11 thousand hectares of land will be subject to such practices. In order to maintain the attractiveness of rural areas in Romania, the plan will support the creation of over 12 thousand jobs, with financing for enterprises and infrastructure.

Gaudeamus — Wednesday saw the opening in Bucharest of the 29th edition of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organized by Radio Romania. Until Sunday, 200 participants will offer the public a varied range of editorial products, on different supports, suitable for all ages and fields of interest, music and educational games. More than 600 editorial events and related projects were announced. For the first time, two spaces dedicated to interactive activities for the youngest visitors have been set up within the fair. All stands will also be found in virtual format on the gaudeamus.ro website. The honorary president of this years edition is the writer Ana Blandiana.

Agreement – The governments of Romania and the State of Kuwait signed an agreement on cooperation in the military field, the Romanian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday. The agreement will provide the legal framework for cooperation between the two sides in areas of mutual interest such as military training and education, information exchange, military history and geography, and cultural activities. According to the Defense Ministry, during the visit of the delegation from Kuwait, discussions regarding the bilateral political-military dialogue took place. Against this background, the discussions focused on bilateral cooperation, the approach to the security situation in the Black Sea area and the Middle East and the efforts of the two countries to ensure stability at the regional level, the Defense Ministry mentions. (LS)

7 December 2022
Romanian PM Ciucǎ in Brussels

Romania’s accession to the passport-free travel area
was the central topic of the talks that Romania’s PM Nicolae Ciucă had in
Brussels on Wednesday with high-ranking EU and Belgian officials.

In fact, the theme was approached in all the
discussions with the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, the
European Commission chief Ursula von de Leyen, and with Belgium’s PM Alexander
De Croo.

In his meeting with the president of the European
Commission, PM Ciucă highlighted the very good conclusions of the recent EU
assessment mission, which in his opinion confirms that Romania is prepared to
join Schengen.

Alexander De Croo praised the efforts of the Romanian
authorities and said one last step needed to be taken, an important one for all
citizens. As for Nicolae Ciucă, he pointed out that Romania took all the
necessary measures to reach its goal. He emphasised that Romania made efforts
to meet all technical requirements and standards and that naturally, if
necessary, the Romanian authorities were open to clarifying any points based on
the Commission’s existing approaches and bilaterally, with any EU member
country interested in finding out more than the Commission’s report mentions.

At the NATO headquarters, PM Ciucă had talks with the
Alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. The latter reiterated that
Romania was a valuable Ally, which made important contributions to NATO’s
security, and that NATO is ready to protect both Romania, and all its other
members, in the context of the recent developments in Ukraine, whereby Russia
has turned the Black Sea region into a war zone. Jens
Stoltenberg also praised Romania’s efforts to support the French-led NATO
battle group in Romania, which comprises troops from the Netherlands and
Belgium as well.

Romania will continue to make active and responsible
contributions to promoting Euro-Atlantic security and stability, and the
consolidation of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture is essential, PM Nicolae
Ciucă said in his turn. Given the dynamic nature of these developments and
Russia’s unpredictability, he went on to say, NATO needs to closely monitor the
situation at the Black Sea. This war has unfortunately highlighted what Romania
has been arguing for a long time, namely the strategic relevance of the Black
Sea to NATO, to the Alliance’s major security interests.

Apart from Schengen-related matters and the EU’s
response to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, PM Nicolae Ciucă’s talks
with Brussels officials also tackled the strengthening of the Union’s
neighbourhood policies and the energy security. (AMP)

27 October 2022
The status of magistrates, adopted by the Romanian deputies

The draft law on the status of magistrates has been adopted by the Romanian Chamber of Deputies with a majority of votes, without major changes compared to the form drafted by the coalition government (PSD – Social Democratic Party, PNL – National Liberal Party, UDMR – Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania). The draft law will next be submitted to the debate of the Senate, which is the decision-making body in this case. After the notifications received from the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM), the amendment that allowed the appointment to the position of high-ranking prosecutor also from among judges was removed from the text of the draft law.

The bill still preserves, however, several provisions intensely criticized by the opposition, as well as by professional associations in the field of justice. For example, according to the document adopted by the Chamber of Deputies, judges and prosecutors have the obligation to refrain from defamatory manifestations or expressions in relation to the other powers of the state. The press in Bucharest claims that, in this way, the law silences those magistrates who want to report the actions against the law of the politicians in the Romanian Government and the Parliament, either when they promote aberrant laws or when they engage in acts of corruption. The law keeps the increase from two to three years of the school period at the National Institute of Magistracy and the possibility for the position of vice-president of the court to be filled without a competition.

The document also provides that the application of a disciplinary sanction will attract removal from management positions. From the opposition, Save Romania Union – USR and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR accuse the majority of not waiting for the opinions of the Venice Commission on the draft law and say that it does not respect the meritocracy criteria for occupying certain positions and that it has many unconstitutional articles.

On the other side, the Justice Minister, the Liberal Cătălin Predoiu, explained that the document went through all the legal procedural stages and received all the necessary approvals for adoption, including from the Superior Council of Magistracy – CSM. The status of magistrates is part of a larger package of laws through which Minister Predoiu claims that the Romanian judiciary will be fundamentally reformed. An internal stake, analysts show, would be to improve one’s own image in the eyes of society, because prosecutors and judges have never been in the top of Romanians’ confidence, and their indictments or sentences are frequently attacked by the media.

An external, fundamental stake, the power representatives claim, would be the lifting of the so-called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (MCV), through which Brussels monitors the functioning of the rule of law in Romania ever since its admission to the European Union in 2007. Lifting of the MCV, decision-makers in Bucharest say, would also allow Romania to enter the Schengen free movement area, to which, although it meets all the technical conditions, it has been denied access for more than a decade. However, voices from the country insist that, as long as Romanians, along with Bulgarians and Croats, are forced to wait for hours in the Union’s internal customs points, they will remain with the humiliating condition of second-rank European citizens. (LS)

5 October 2022
April 6, 2022 UPDATE

Robor – The three-month Robor index, based on which the cost of consumer loans in lei with variable interest rate is calculated, rose to 4.68% per year from 4.62%. According to the National Bank of Romania, it is the highest Robor level in the past 9 years. On Tuesday, the Central Bank decided to increase, as of Wednesday, the key interest rate from 2.5 to 3% per year, which influences the evolution of all bank interest rates and is the main tool in the fight against inflation. The Central Bank warns that the annual inflation rate is expected to rise more sharply in the coming months than anticipated in February. The worsening of the short-term outlook for inflation is caused by the too big increases in fuel and food prices, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and of international sanctions.

Embassy — The Romanian Foreign Ministry has rejected the reaction of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest following the incident at its headquarters this morning and considered the reaction hasty, completely inadequate and inappropriate. Previously, the Russian embassy had stated that “there was no doubt” that the driver who drove his car into the embassy fence “committed that act under the influence of an explosion of anti-Russian hysteria.” We remind you that the driver died after he drove his car into the embassy fence at dawn on Wednesday and then set himself on fire. The investigations in this case are being carried out by the Prosecutors Office of the Bucharest Tribunal and the Homicide Division of the Bucharest Police. The media in Bucharest reports that the perpetrator, Bogdan Drăghici, is a character with some notoriety, who had received a sentence for sexually abusing his daughter. He was also the head of the association called TATA (Anti-Discrimination Alliance of All Dads). On the previous day, he allegedly posted on Facebook a text showing his solidarity with Ukraine which was invaded by Russian troops.

Diplomats – Romania has expelled 10 Russian diplomats from its territory, joining other states such as France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden, which have made similar decisions in protest of the atrocities committed by the Russian army in Ukraine. Nearly 200 diplomats have been sent to Moscow in recent days, marking a further deterioration of the West’s relations with Russia. Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko told TASS news agency that his country would respond in the same way. He underlined that the expulsion of diplomatic personnel from the capitals of some European states would damage the diplomatic channels of communication.

Ukraine – The US has imposed new sanctions on Russia, namely against several companies and 18 people, including the daughters of President Vladimir Putin, as well as the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev. Two major Russian financial institutions, SberBank and Alpha Bank, are also targeted. The new round of sanctions also includes a ban on new investments in this country. Russia must be held accountable for the war crimes perpetrated by its forces in Ukraine, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said in a speech at the UN Security Council. Moscow has again denied accusations of war crimes. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Kyiv this week, where she will be accompanied by the foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned the “Bucha massacre” and kissed the Ukrainian flag sent from the Ukrainian city where, after the withdrawal of Russian troops, bodies were found tied up and shot in the street, as well as mass graves. On the ground, Ukraine is preparing for an offensive by the Russian forces in the east of the country and is trying to evacuate civilians before Russian forces cut off their retreat routes. Russian bombing continues both there and in other parts of the country. The international organization “Doctors Without Borders” has called for hospitals, patients and medical staff in Ukraine to no longer be targeted. According to the BBC, three hospitals in the city of Mikolaiv, under Russian assault, were bombed in just two days. Previously, other medical centers in Ukraine were the target of Russian bombings.

Sanctions — The employees of the companies that are forced to restrain or suspend their activity due to the conflict in Ukraine will be able to benefit from furlough benefits worth 75% of their salary, the Romanian Government decided on Wednesday. The measure applies both to companies directly affected by the military conflict and to those indirectly affected, announced the Labor Minister, Marius Budai. He pointed out that the government was supporting any measures to sanction Russia, saying that no Romanian citizen should suffer, hence that measure. Also on Wednesday, an emergency decree was approved under which the financial framework for the Anghel Saligny National Investment Program reaches 65.5 billion lei – approximately 13 billion Euros. The program targets investments in water and sewerage, roads and bridges, and natural gas distribution systems.

Trade unions — On Wednesday, the National Trade Union Bloc staged a protest rally in Bucharest, attended by thousands of people. The 35 affiliated trade union federations, both from the private sector and the public system, called for support measures to offset the economic and social effects of the war in Ukraine. At the same time, the National Trade Union Bloc requested urgent measures for Romanias energy and food security, in the context of rising electricity, gas and fuel prices.

Moldova – Germany, France and Romania co-chaired an international conference in Berlin on Tuesday on the creation of a support platform for the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet republic with a majority Romanian-speaking population. The participants – nearly 50 delegates representing countries and international organizations – pledged to provide more than 695 million Euros in financial aid to Chisinau, as well as political support in the context of the war in neighboring Ukraine. About 12,000 of the nearly 100,000 Ukrainian refugees on the territory of the Republic of Moldova will be taken over by other states.

NATO — The Romanian foreign minister, Bogdan Aurescu, participates, for two days, in the meeting of the foreign ministers of the NATO member states hosted by Brussels. The agenda of talks includes the implementation of the decisions of the Extraordinary NATO Summit on March 24, focusing on strengthening the Allied defense and deterrence posture on the Eastern Flank, following Russias aggression on Ukraine and its consequences for Euro-Atlantic security. According to a Romanian Foreign Ministry communiqué, the officials will also discuss the latest developments on the ground in Ukraine, including the crimes against the civilian population. Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate the importance of the rapid implementation of the decisions of the March NATO Summit, with an emphasis on the establishment of new NATO Combat Groups, one of which is in Romania. “We need to be realistic. The war could last a long time, a few months, even years,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg estimated before the meeting. He reiterated that Moscow was preparing an offensive in eastern Ukraine to take control of the entire Donbas region and to build a land bridge to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. (LS)

6 April 2022
NATO enhances deterrence against Russia

As the Russian army carries on its aggression in
Ukraine, in Brussels NATO defence ministers decided to strengthen the Alliance’s
long-term posture, particularly in the eastern flank, including Romania.

The grounds for the decision were summarised by the
Alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, as follows: Russia’s
willingness to resort to force must not be underestimated, nor should one overlook
the fact that the country has nuclear capabilities.

Still, as NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea
Geoană explained, this is not an indication of an imminent conflict with the
Russian Federation, but rather a deterrence move.

NATO’s reset military positioning in the East will involve
a substantial increase in the number of rapid response land forces with prepositioned
equipment and supplies, more air power, strengthened integrated air and missile
defence, carrier strike groups, submarines and significant numbers of combat
ships. Cyber defence will also be enhanced.

According to Stoltenberg, Allies are united when it
comes to that NATO should not deploy forces on the ground or in the airspace of
Ukraine, to make sure that Vladimir Putin’s war doesn’t spiral into a conflict
between two nuclear blocs.

Nonetheless, NATO defence ministers decided to
continue providing financial, humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv, as
they have done so far, which helped make the Ukrainian resistance possible. As for
discouraging Moscow’s possible plans to have the conflict escalate beyond Ukraine,
NATO’s battlegroup in Romania will be fully operational shortly.

With respect to the size or possible permanent status
of the new battlegroups in the East, NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea
Geoană said a final decision would be taken in a summit in June. Meanwhile, given
that the entire security situation in Europe has changed, Allies were urged to
invest at least 2% of GDP in defence. Romania, which has done so for several
years now, has recently decided to increase the GDP share earmarked for defence
to 2.5%.

In short, NATO does not anticipate a Russian attack on
Allied territory, especially since 75% of Russia’s forces are deployed in
Ukraine, without notable results. But, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg reiterated,
NATO will not tolerate any attack on Allied sovereignty or territorial
integrity. The NATO official also called on Russia’s president Putin to stop
the war immediately and to engage in diplomacy in good faith.

The huge disproportion between NATO and Russian forces
favours the Allies, and this can be seen in Moscow as well, the participants in
the extraordinary meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels agreed. (A.M.P.)

17 March 2022
March 4, 2022

Ukraine – The second week of Russias invasion of Ukraine began with an alert at Ukraines largest nuclear power plant in the southeast. A fire broke out following Russian bombings, and fighting around the Zaporozhye plant delayed firefighters. Ukrainian officials said that safety at the power plant, which was later occupied by Russian military forces, was guaranteed and that radiation levels had not risen in the area. Also in Bucharest, the authorities announced that they do not detect increased radioactivity. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of resorting to nuclear terror with the intention of repeating the Chernobyl catastrophe of 1986. The Kyiv leader spoke on the phone with the US President Joe Biden and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who urgently asked for summoning the UN Security Council. Also today, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has warned that the Russian army continues preparations for the landing of airborne troops in the Odessa region, and Radio Romania’s envoy to the region reports that a ground and sea offensive is imminent. On the other hand, the second round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations ended with an agreement on the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from the besieged areas, with the parties agreeing to meet next week as well. At least 1 million people have left Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. In Washington, President Biden has announced additional sanctions against Russian billionaires accused of supporting Vladimir Putins regime. At the same time, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is meeting today in Brussels with the NATO foreign ministers, and he will later travel to Eastern Europe.

Meeting – The Romanian FM, Bogdan Aurescu, is participating today in Brussels in the extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers of the NATO member states, convened to analyze the latest security developments, in the context of Russias military aggression against Ukraine and to further discuss the Alliances response. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Bogdan Aurescu will emphasize the need to strengthen the deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank, especially on the Black Sea, by deploying allied forces and by accelerating the establishment of a Fighting Group in Romania. Bogdan Aurescu will also present the measures adopted by Romania in support of Ukraine, including the creation of a logistical facility to coordinate humanitarian aid for this country. On the sidelines of todays meeting, the Romanian FM, Bogdan Aurescu, met with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavuşoglu. Bogdan Aurescu welcomed Turkeys implementation of its war responsibilities under the Montreux Convention (which came into force on November 9, 1936), which regulates the regime of civil and military naval traffic through the Black Sea straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles. The Turkish Foreign Minister thanked Romania in particular for its support for the evacuation of Turkish citizens from Ukraine, but also for Romanias efforts to evacuate Ukrainian and other citizens. Refugees from Ukraine continue arriving in Romania, as they flee the war. So far, more than 160,000 refugees have come from Ukraine.

OSCE — Romania has joined a group of 44 states within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in activating the so-called Moscow Mechanism for assessing the impact on human rights and the humanitarian situation of Russias assault on Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the mechanism facilitates sending experts on the field to collect data to document possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of international law, international humanitarian law and OSCE commitments in Ukraine. Romanias decision to support this move comes in the wake of its efforts to firmly condemn Russias military aggression against Ukraine, as well as to support Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, the Romanian Foreign Ministry added.

Covid — President Klaus Iohannis is today hosting a meeting on the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is attended by the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and members of the government. This week, the health ministry proposed relaxation measures in the next period, after a constant decrease of all indicators. The latest report from the Strategic Communication Group shows 5,602 new cases of infection in 24 hours and 67 associated deaths, 2 of which are previous to the reference period.

Peace — Today, 150 European public radio stations, including Radio Romania, simultaneously broadcast the song “Give Peace a Chance” written by former Beatles member John Lennon, to ask for an end to the war in Ukraine. The well-known song could be heard in 25 countries, including Ukraine, and also on private radio stations that joined the German public radio’s initiative. (LS)

4 March 2022
February 21, 2022

UKRAINE – Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden have agreed in principle to hold a summit to discuss the crisis over Ukraine. The talks, proposed French President Emmanuel Macron, will only take place if Russia does not invade its neighbor, the French presidency said in a communiqué. Russia and Ukraine continued to blame each other, on Sunday, for the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin agreed on Sunday, during a phone call, to make all efforts to prevent the situation from escalating and to preserve peace, according to the French presidencys press office. Also, the French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, is today holding a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov while the OSCE convenes in extraordinary session. Observers from the OSCE European security body on Saturday reported more than 1,500 ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine in a single day. The US accuses Russia of planning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which the latter denies.

BRUSSELS – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu is today attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Foreign affairs ministers will discuss the latest developments in Russias military build-up around Ukraine and will hold a discussion on the European security situation. The Romanian official will emphasize on this occasion, the need to further look for a diplomatic solution to the crisis and to prepare a comprehensive package of sanctions in coordination with the US, the UK and Canada, in case the crisis escalates. EU foreign affairs ministers will also hold an informal meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during which Aurescu will reiterate Romanias solidarity with Ukraine and its support for the countrys European and Euro-Atlantic path. Also, EU foreign affairs ministers will meet their counterparts from the Gulf countries in the joint council of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council and will run a cyber-exercise.

CARRIERS – New rules as part of the mobility package are in place as of today for goods carriers working in EU member states. Trucks must be returned at company’s headquarters every two months, which leads to higher fuel consumption, pollution and delays at customs, especially for companies from Eastern Europe, Romania included. The new measures were decided two years ago and were taken so as to provide more rights for drivers.

CORONAVIRUS – The number of Covid-19 infections in Romania is going down significantly, with 30% fewer cases than last week being reported. The number of infections per one thousand inhabitants is also on the decrease, but it still is above 3/1,000 in Romanias counties. The infection rate in the capital Bucharest is 32.8%. Almost 7,700 new cases have been reported in Romania today, by 4,000 less than a week ago. This is the smallest daily number of new infections since the beginning of the 5th wave, more than a month ago. Some 85 related deaths have also been announced. 1,100 people are treated in intensive care units. The biggest number of daily infections in Romania was reported on February 1st – 40,018.

JUDICIARY – The draft law on the dismantling of the Special Section Investigating Crimes in the Judiciary is on todays agenda of the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest. Last week, the Legal Committee green lighted the project. According to Justice Minister, Catalin Predoiu, the dismantling of the Special Section is an objective stipulated in the governing programme, with a clear deadline, and it could have an impact on Romanias joining the Schengen area. Predoiu gave assurances that the dismantling of the Special Section is the result of transparent consultations, including with foreign partners. (EE)

21 February 2022
February 18, 2022 UPDATE

Coronavirus Ro — In Romania the number of new COVID-19 cases is dropping, while the number of related deaths remains quite high. 14,524 new cases and 135 deaths – of which 10 from the previous days were reported on Friday. The health minister Alexandru Rafila and those in charge of managing the crisis are talking about a gradual relaxation, by fields of activity, which might start in two or three weeks’ time. As to vaccination, more than 8.1 million people have been vaccinated with the first doze, and 2.5 million with the 2nd one.

Brussels – Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, on Friday met in Brussels with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. The two discussed security developments in the EUs Eastern Neighborhood, the support for the Republic of Moldova’ EU accession, energy security, the package of measures to combat climate change and the enlargement of the Schengen area. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Romanian President’s participation in the 6th European Union-African Union Summit, held on Thursday and Friday in Brussels. President Iohannis underlined that for Romania, education is traditionally an important area of cooperation with Africa. He pointed out that thousands of African citizens are using their skills acquired in Romanian universities to serve their countries and to help build bridges. More than 17,500 young Africans have studied at Romanian universities in the last five years alone, and around 3,500 students from at least 40 African countries are getting enrolled in universities each year. Their presence in Romania enriches the academic life and stimulates a better understanding between the people from the two continents, shows a communiqué of the Romanian Presidential Administration.

Berlin – The Romanian defense minister, Vasile Dîncu, participates, between February 18-20, in the Munich Security Conference, where talks will focus on the context created by the massive deployment of Russian troops on the borders of Ukraine. According to a Defense Ministry communiqué, the officials will also address issues related to the importance of nuclear security, risk reduction in this area and transparency in terms of disarmament and non-proliferation, for global and regional stability and security. Topics such as climate change and hybrid threats will also be approached. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Munich on Friday that the escalation of clashes in eastern Ukraine was a “challenging scenario” designed by Russia to justify an attack on Ukraine. ‘Although we are doing everything in our power to make it clear that there is a diplomatic way’, ‘we are deeply concerned that this is not the way Russia has embarked on’ the US Secretary of State said.

Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has failed to qualify to the final of the WTA 500 tournament in Dubai, which has total prizes worth approximately 800 thousand dollars. She was defeated in the semifinals by Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, in three sets: 6 – 2, 6 – 7, 0 – 6. Halep won the Dubai tournament twice, in 2015 and 2020.

Transports — Three employers organizations of Romanian road haulers are preparing to organize street protests if the Government does not intervene for capping the prices of motor liability insurance (RCA), shows a communiqué issued on Friday by the Confederation of Romanian Authorized Operators and Carriers (COTAR). The president of this confederation, Vasile Ştefănescu, pointed out that the increase in the price of motor liability insurance policies will have the effect of bankrupting the road transport companies, which means that Romania will get blocked. The employers organization recalls that in recent years the Financial Supervisory Authority has identified, on several occasions, violations of the law by insurance companies, increases in tariffs made even after capping, non-transparent tariffs which included all operating costs of insurance companies, although these companies have several business lines. The finance minister, Adrian Câciu, said on Friday that a law that will limit the price of insurance policies for 6 months was put out for public debate, adding that he was convinced that the bill will be adopted by the government as a matter of urgency. (LS)

18 February 2022
February 17, 2022

Covid RO — In Romania, the number of Covid-19 cases is dropping for the 5th consecutive day, while the number of deaths remains quite high, according to partial data announced on Thursday by the authorities. Today, 15,374 cases have been reported alongside 125 deaths, 3 of which are from previous days. Almost 1,120 people are in ICUs. In another move, on Wednesday, almost 7,500 people were vaccinated against Covid in 24 hours, of whom a little over 1,200 with the first dose and almost 4,000 with the booster dose – the National Vaccination Committee announced. The National Public Health Institute reports that between February 7 and 13, 50.6% of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in unvaccinated persons.

Statistics — The National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis has revised downwards to 4.3% Romania’s economic growth forecast for this year, compared to 4.6% as previously estimated, given the inflation shock of the last quarter of last year and the 5th wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Commission also points out that it did not take into account the outbreak of a conflict caused by geopolitical tensions on the border with Ukraine. At the same time, the agricultural year 2022 does not start under good auspices, but with drought, and with very high prices for fertilizers and energy, the Romanian Corn Producers Association representatives announced. Last year, the Romanian economy grew by 5.6%.

Summit — Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis is today participating in Brussels in the 6th EU-African Union Summit (EU-AU), focusing on re-launching Europes relations with Africa. During the two days of the summit, the participants will discuss the way the two continents can generate greater prosperity, the purpose of the meeting being to launch an ambitious Africa-Europe investment package in the context of global challenges. President Klaus Iohannis will highlight Romanias constant efforts aimed at achieving the common EU-AU objectives, focused on peace, security and good governance, support for the private sector and economic integration, sustainable economic development through education, culture and vocational training, climate change and energy transition, health systems and vaccine production. The Romanian president intends to give a new impetus to Romanias traditional ties with the African states, and also to reconsolidate Romanias profile as a development assistance donor, especially in the field of education.

Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is playing today against the Tunisian Ons Jabeur in the quarterfinal of the WTA 500 tournament in Dubai which has total prizes up for grabs worth 770,000 dollars. Halep defeated another Romanian player Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the round of 16, score 6-3, 6-2, and Jabeur passed the American Jessica Pegula, 6-3, 6-1. Halep (23 WTA) and Jabeur (10 WTA) have played against each other twice so far, the score being equal, 1-1. The Romanian is for the 4th time in the quarterfinal of this tournament, which she won in 2015 and 2020.

NATO — The Romanian defense minister Vasile Dîncu is participating today as well in the two-day meeting of his counterparts from NATO member states which is unfolding at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Today, the Allies will have a meeting with their partners from Georgia and Ukraine, when they will express their political support for these two aspiring states. Yesterday, on the sidelines of the meeting, the Romanian minister discussed with his counterparts from Turkey and Norway, focusing on the tense security situation in the Black Sea region, in the context of the significant mobilization of Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders. The Romanian official underlined the importance of maintaining unity and cohesion at the Alliance level and of continuing efforts to strengthen the deterrence and defense posture on the eastern flank. Minister Vasile Dîncu hailed the excellent relations between Romania and Turkey, a strategic partner of our country, with a special role in the regional security architecture. The agenda of talks with the Norwegian counterpart focused on bilateral military cooperation. (LS)

17 February 2022
February 16, 2022 UPDATE

Covid-19 RO – 17,447 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported in the last 24 hours and 183 deaths, 12 of which from previous days – the Strategic Communication Group reported on Wednesday. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, two years ago, over 2.5 million cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Romania, and almost 62 thousand people diagnosed with the novel coronavirus have died. The country has the second lowest vaccination rate among the 27 EU members, after Bulgaria.

Kiev — The Romanian embassy in Kiev, in neighboring Ukraine, is fully operational, the FM Bogdan Aurescu said on Wednesday. During his hearing in the foreign policy committees of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies on the security developments in the Black Sea basin, Bogdan Aurescu announced that the procedure was completed for the repatriation to Romania of the family members of the diplomatic staff at the Romanian embassy in Kiev (central Ukraine) and from the consulate general in Odessa (south, a port on the Black Sea). The other two consular missions, which are at Solotvino in Transcarpathia and Cernăuţi in northern Bukovina, both in western Ukraine, were not targeted by the measure, as they are located in regions with a higher degree of security – the minister added. Aurescu said that all the embassies of the EU member states in Kiev have the same logic of operation and it was important to send a unitary message.

Paris — The EU leaders will meet on Thursday to discuss the massive build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, officials in Brussels have said. They pointed out that the meeting was not a reaction to certain special developments, but an opportunity to exchange views and keep up to date with the latest information. No conclusions will be issued after the meeting. The ad hoc meeting will take place ahead of the long-planned EU-Africa summit. The Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, will also be present in Brussels.

NATO – NATO has tasked its military commanders with setting the details for the deployment of battle groups on the Alliances southeastern flank in response to the build-up of Russian troops on Ukraines borders, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Wednesday. Speaking to the press after a meeting of the allied defense ministers, Stoltenberg explained that the ministers decided to develop options to further strengthen defense and deterrence, including considering the establishment of new NATO combat groups in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe. According to Jens Stoltenberg the NATO military commanders will set the details and report within weeks. New battle groups, if approved, will be carried out in Romania and in the Black Sea region, he went on to say. ‘We have increased our presence in the east in a defensive way and we are considering increasing it even more. Romania is ready to host a tactical group, France is ready to command it, and several allies want to participate in this multinational force, but no final decision has been made’, Jens Stoltenberg added.

Aid – The Romanian government on Wednesday approved an aid scheme for the hospitality industry, severely affected by the pandemic. An emergency ordinance has also been adopted that allows the running of a credit scheme for the SMEs with a subsidized interest. Also on Wednesday, a joint order was published in the Official Gazette, which establishes the way of settling the amounts granted by the state to the electricity and gas suppliers for the compensation of the bills. Approximately 90% of the Romanian population currently benefits from this scheme. Moreover, starting with February 1 until the end of March, all non-household consumers benefit from the compensation scheme, except for the big energy consumers, said the energy minister Virgil Popescu. On the other hand, farmers will have free access to irrigation water this year as well, and the Organizations of Irrigation Water Users will receive up to 50% compensation for their electricity costs. (LS)

16 February 2022
Conclusions of the Romanian PM’s visit to Brussels

The Government continues to be strongly committed to consolidating dialogue with the European partners and Romania remains a reliable ally, fully dedicated to the European project. This is the main message conveyed by PM Nicolae Ciuca at the two-day meetings he had with the EU officials in Brussels.

The PM insisted during the talks on a quick decision to be taken as regards Romanias accession to the Schengen area. In terms of monitoring of the justice system, he gave assurances that the governing program includes clear objectives and investment likely to convince the European Commission that the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, imposed on Romania 15 years ago, when the country joined the EU, should be lifted. Ciuca also discussed with the EU officials about the way in which the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, funded with EU money, would be implemented. He received guarantees that Romania would benefit technical assistance from the Commission to draw these funds. Nicolae Ciuca announced, in Brussels, that the Romanian government would set up a structure that should monitor, coordinate and check the way in which this European instrument is used. Nicolae Ciuca: ”We cannot afford to lose this chance. We already have 12 billion euro cohesion funds, which must be spent in a very short time. There are the funds received under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the European funds under the multi-annual financing framework. These require the involvement and responsibility of each of us, in order to reach our goal.”

Talks with the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, focused on pandemic and the impact of the new variant, Omicron. Ciuca gave assurances that the authorities are trying to find the most effective ways to convince people to get vaccinated in order to avoid a new wave of casualties like the one Romania saw in November. Nicolae Ciuca: ”There were talks regarding the way in which the vaccination campaign unfolds and the need for the people to get immunized. This is, in fact, the only instrument that protects us, helps us deal easier with the disease and have fewer infections than in the fourth wave.”

During the meetings with the US Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, Nicolae Ciuca voiced Romanias concern with the complicated situation at Ukraines eastern border, and insisted on the need to strengthen deterrence actions on NATOs eastern flank and at the Black Sea. At the same time, he gave assurances that Romania would further observe its commitment to allocate 2% of its GDP to defense. (EE)

22 December 2021
December 21, 2021

COMMEMORATION The
heroes of the anti-communist uprising of December 1989 are commemorated in
Bucharest today. Religious services and military ceremonies are held at the
Revolution Heroes Cemetery and at the dedicated monuments downtown. Similar
events are scheduled on Wednesday at the Romanian Revolution Heroes Monument,
at the Radio Hall and the Romanian Television Corporation. Originating in Timișoara
(west), on 16th December, the uprising spread across the country,
culminating with dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu fleeing the capital city on 22nd
December amid the protests of hundreds of thousands of Romanians. Captured by
the Army, Ceauşescu and his wife Elena were subject to a summary trial and
executed in the southern town of Târgovişte. Romania was the only country behind the
Iron Curtain where the change of regime was accompanied by bloodshed. Over 1,000
people were killed and some 3,000 wounded.

BUDGET The draft 2022 state budget and social security budget laws
will be discussed and voted on in Parliament on Thursday. MPs have until this
afternoon to table amendments. Also today, the budgets of the main public
institutions are discussed in Parliament’s specialised committees. The
government passed the bills on Monday and promised they are based on
predictability and stability. The budget is based on an estimated
economic growth rate of 4.6% and a GDP of some 260 billion euro, a predicted
inflation rate of 6.5% and gross average salaries of 1,200 euros per month, with
the budget deficit expected to stay within the limits agreed on with the
European Commission under the excessive deficit procedure, namely 5.84% of GDP.
The public pension fund will receive 7.32% of GDP. The Liberal
president Florin Cîţu criticised the fact that only 6.7% of GDP was earmarked
for investments, instead of 7% as agreed within the ruling coalition. The
Social Democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu argued however that the budget
execution is more important than the exact breakdown of expenditure. The leader
of USR party in opposition, Dacian Cioloş, says the draft budget relies on
over-estimated revenues and said although public education is a priority for
President Iohannis, not enough funding has been earmarked for the sector.

TALKS The PM of Romania Nicolae Ciucă continues his first visit
to Brussels since taking over the office less than a month ago. After last
night’s working dinner with the president of the European Council, Charles
Michel, Nicolae Ciucă has meetings scheduled today with the head of the
European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen, and with the NATO secretary general,
Jens Stoltenberg. Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels says Romania’s
Schengen accession is a priority in the prime minister’s talks with EU
officials. European security, with a focus on tensions in Romania’s
neighbouring areas and at Ukraine’s eastern border, will be tackled in the
meeting with the NATO secretary general.

COVID-19 Traffic is hindered in downtown Bucharest today, as protesters
encouraged by the nationalist opposition party AUR are picketing the Parliament
Palace, disgruntled with the authorities’ plan to make the digital COVID
certificate a requirement at the workplace. Measures to prevent a potential new
pandemic wave were discussed by the health minister Alexandru Rafila with
business community representatives, and the idea of a law making access to jobs
conditional on the digital COVID certificate was put forth. According to the
health ministry, the measure could be taken in case the number of COVID-19
infections goes up 1.5 times for 3 consecutive weeks. Today the
authorities announced 826 new COVID infections in 24 hours, and 88 related
fatalities, 22 of them from a previous date. Since the start of the pandemic, some 1.8 million COVID-19
cases have been reported in Romania and over 58,000 COVID patients died. Romania
has the second-lowest vaccination rate in the EU, after Bulgaria. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

21 December 2021