Radio România Internațional

Tag: BSEC

  • March 30, 2021 UPDATE

    March 30, 2021 UPDATE

    PROTESTS According to Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, protests are normal in
    functional democracies, but he underlined that violence, extremism and
    xenophobia are intolerable and completely unacceptable. The president has said
    that he understands that people are discontented after a year of restrictions
    but has reiterated that these measures are the only ones that can keep the
    Covid-19 pandemic at bay. He made an appeal to the authorities in charge to
    step up their dialogue with the people, explaining to them why such measures
    need to be implemented and which is their effectiveness. The president’s
    statement comes after a second day of protests in Bucharest and several other
    big cities across Romania. Some of these protests turned violent. The country’s
    Prime Minister Florin Citu said that after one year of restrictions, the
    citizens are entitled to protest, but these protests must be done under the
    law. According to Marcel Ciolacu, president of the opposition PSD, people took
    to the streets out of despair, being fed up with poverty and the ongoing
    crisis. In his opinion, a solution might be to reconsider the restrictions
    implemented. Interior Minister Lucian Bode has said that over 12 hundred
    protesters have been fined nationwide. 12 gendarme troops were wounded in the
    protest in Bucharest on Monday. Over 180 people have been investigated by the
    police in relation to the protest.








    VACCINE Over
    6,200 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Tuesday in Romania, out of 30,000
    tests. A record 1,405 patients are in intensive care, and 175 people died. The
    total number of infections since the start of the pandemic in Romania is over
    946,000, and the death toll is 23,400. Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues in
    Romania, with some 2 million
    people having received at least one dose so far and nearly half of them having
    also got the booster. The coordinator of the vaccination rollout
    programme, physician Valeriu Gheorghita on Tuesday announced the vaccination
    rollout in April would also involve family physicians. Gheorghita also said
    that foreigners residing in Romania would be able to schedule their vaccination
    online after April 10th. Romania is to receive over 3.3 million
    vaccine doses in April, when, according to Prime Minister Florin Citu, the
    vaccination rate is expected to reach 100,000 people per day. New measures are
    in place to contain the epidemic. In areas with infection rates above 4 per
    thousand, a weekend curfew is in place between 8 pm and 5 am, and shops must close
    at 6 pm. Where the infection rate is over 7.5 per thousand, these measures are
    applied throughout the week.






    BSEC Romanian diplomat Lazar Comanescu
    has been appointed Secretary General of the Organisation of the Black Sea
    Economic Cooperation BSEC. According to Romania’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan
    Aurescu, the appointment represents a success of the Romanian diplomacy and a
    proof of Romania’s commitment to the Black Sea cooperation. Comanescu served as
    a Foreign Minister, as Romania’s ambassador in Germany between 2009 and 2015
    and head of Romania’s representation with the EU from 2001 to 2008. At present
    BSEC consists of 13 member states: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria,
    Georgia, Greece, the Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania, the Russian
    Federation, Turkey, Ukraine and Serbia. In 2020 Romania assured the BSEC’s
    rotating presidency for the sixth time since its foundation in 1992.








    ASSISTANCE The Romanian government is
    to provide a 150 thousand Euros assistance package to Syrian refugees in 2021
    and will fulfill the multi-annual pledges assumed, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan
    Aurescu has announced. According to a communiqué issued by the Foreign Ministry
    in Bucharest, Aurescu delivered a speech over the future of Syria and the
    region during a video conference staged by the EU and UNO on Tuesday.






    (bill)



  • September 25, 2020 UPDATE

    September 25, 2020 UPDATE

    Elections — In the Romanian audiovisual Friday was the last day of the election campaign for Sunday’s local elections. The campaign started on August 28 being an atypical campaign due to the pandemic. For the first time in the country’s history the campaign unfolded under strict health security rules, under state of alert rules, and the elections will unfold in similar conditions. More than 18 million Romanians are expected to the polls to elect, in one single round, their mayors, county councils presidents and the members of the local and county councils for the next 4 years. The political fight will be fought like always by the big political parties and, according to analysts, the vote turnout is going to be decisive. The interior ministry has mobilized over 43 thousand policemen, gendarmes, border police, firefighters and employees of other structures for the election day. More than 20 thousand will have to ensure public order in the poling stations.



    BSEC – The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu on Friday presided, in his capacity of incumbent president of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, an informal, online meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers from the member states of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC). The event unfolded on the sidelines of the 75th top-level UN General Assembly meeting. Debates focused on the ways in which BSEC could efficiently respond in order to manage the social and economic consequences of the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said that, based on constructive commitment, Romania decided to extend, exceptionally, the national mandate as acting president also for the 2nd semester of 2020, given that Bucharest obtained from all the member states an agreement regarding a solution meant to ensure the continuity of the subsequent acting presidencies. The meeting was also attended by the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Turkey and by the deputy foreign ministers from Greece, Georgia, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Ukraine.



    CSAT — The country’s Supreme Defense Council – CSAT was summoned for October 6, the presidential administration announced on Friday. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis decided to summon the Council so as to analyze issues regarding the country’s defense and national security. The previous CSAT meeting took place at the end of May when the Council looked into the country’s national defense strategy for the period 2020-2024, among other things.



    Weather – Romanian meteorologists have issued a code orange alert for rain and strong winds for three quarters of the country and a code yellow alert for unsettled weather targeting half of the country, valid until Sunday morning. Heavy rainfalls will be reported in the mountains as well as in the north, center, east and southwest.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, top seed in Rolland Garros and world’s no. 2, will be up against the Spanish Sara Sorrives Tormo in the first round of the grand slam tournament in Roland Garros to start on Sunday. If she wins, Halep, a champion in 2018, will play in the second round with the winner of the match pitting Romanian Irina Begu against the Swiss Jil Teichmann. Another three Romanians are on the main table of the France Open. Patricia Ţig will play the Swiss Stefanie Voegele, Sorana Cîrstea will meet Elena Rîbakina from Kazakhstan, and Ana Bogdan will play against Hungarian Timea Babos. The number of Romanian players on the main table in Roland Garros reached 7 on Friday after Monica Niculescu defeated the Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 and Irina Bara won against the Dutch Richel Hogenkamp 6-2, 5-4. Also on Friday the Romanian Elena Ruse was defeated by the Austrian Barbara Haas 4-6, 5-7. Romania’s players will also participate in the doubles. (tr. L. Simion)

  • September 25, 2020

    September 25, 2020

    COVID-19 Romania has had 1,629 new SARS-CoV-2 cases in 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Friday at noon. The total number of infections thus reaches 119,683. Also on Friday, another 42 COVID-19-related deaths were reported, taking the total death toll up to 4,633. A total of 7,245 patients are currently hospitalised, with 508 of them in intensive care. Of the Romanians living abroad, 6,693 have so far tested positive for the virus, and 126 of them died.



    ELECTIONS In Romania, today is the last day of audio-visual campaigning ahead of the local elections due on Sunday. The campaign, which started on August 28 and was rather atypical because of the coronavirus pandemic, ends at 7 AM on Saturday. For the first time ever, the campaign took place in a state of alert and under strict healthcare protection regulations, and so will the ballot itself. A total of 18 million voters are expected in polling stations, to elect, in only one round, mayors, chairs of county and local councils and county and local councillors. Analysts say voter turnout will make an important difference in Sundays elections.



    SCHOOLS In Romania, face-to-face teaching in the schools where polling stations are organized for Sundays local elections will be suspended as of today, with classes only to be taught online until September 30. A number of 146 schools in Bucharest, which will not be hosting polling stations, will carry on in-person teaching, according to a scenario approved by the Bucharest Committee for Emergencies.



    RESIGNATION Giorgiana Hosu, chief prosecutor of DIICOT (the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism), Thursday announced she was stepping down. The decision follows a 3-year suspended sentence given to her husband by a court of first instance. Appointed this February, Giorgiana Hosu is the 3rd DIICOT chief to resign in the past 5 years. Dan Hosu, former chief in the Romanian Polices organised crime division, was sentenced for inciting illegal access to a computer system and inciting the use of information not intended for publication, in view of obtaining undue benefits for himself or others. The ruling is not final.



    MILITARY Over 200 troops from Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia and Turkey, with air and land equipment, are taking part in the 2020 Carpathian Eagle multinational exercise of Special Operations Forces, hosted by the Cincu base in Romania. According to the Defence Ministry, the exercise is designed to train military structures in planning, organising, implementing and managing independent special operations, with a view to enhancing regional security.



    BSEC The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu will char today an informal, online meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), held on the sidelines of the 75th top-level UN General Assembly meeting. Romania is the acting president of the BSEC until the end of this year. The special guest of the meeting is the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.



    FOOTBALL Romanias football champions, CFR Cluj, qualified into the Europa League playoffs, after defeating Thursday night the Swedish team Djurgaarden IF, 1-0 away from home. In the playoff due on October 1, the Romanians will play on home turf against the Finnish side KuPS Kuopi. On the other hand, Romanias Cup winner FCSB (Bucharest), Thursday night lost at home to the Czech team Slovan Liberec, 0-2, and failed to qualify in the Europa League playoffs. FCSB played with a team of substitutes, because of the large number of coronavirus infection cases reported among its regular players. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 18, 2019 UPDATE

    June 18, 2019 UPDATE

    NO-CONFIDENCE The no-confidence motion against the Government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats was dismissed on Tuesday in the Parliament of Romania. Although apparently having more support than in the previous 2 attempts at removing Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet, the Opposition failed to get the required 233 votes. According to the text of the motion, Romania immediately needs a government with a pro-European stand and focusing on the countrys development priorities, namely education, healthcare, public investments and attracting European funds. The signatories, the National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, Peoples Movement Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, said Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet must be dismissed over the repeated attempts at issuing emergency orders in the field of the judiciary and the poor handling of the EP elections. PM Dăncilă, who is also the interim president of the Social Democratic Party, had asked the Social Democrat MPs to attend the meeting, but to abstain from voting.




    VISIT While on a visit in Romania, the US Attorney General William Barr was received on Tuesday by President Klaus Iohannis. The head of state appreciated the substance and dynamics of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the USA, which has grown stronger over the past few years, and reiterated Bucharests commitment to strengthening it at all levels, from politics to defence and security and from judicial cooperation to the rule of law. In turn, the US official voiced his appreciation for the Strategic Partnership with Romania, which is the USAs most reliable partner in the region. Also on Tuesday, William Barr discussed with PM Viorica Dăncilă. During the meeting, Viorica Dăncilă requested the Attorney Generals support for including Romania in the Visa Waver programme, an aspect of particular importance to the Romanian authorities. PM Dăncilă also stated that Romania is committed to carrying on the Strategic Partnership with the US in the field of international judicial cooperation in criminal matters and to strengthening this cooperation through constant dialogue and a positive approach.




    COUNCIL The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis takes part on Thursday and Friday in a meeting of the European Council in Brussels, the Presidency announced on Tuesday. The agenda will mainly include aspects related to the appointment of the new EU institution leaders, the endorsement of the EU Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, the new multi-annual financial framework, as well as the latest developments related to Brexit. On Friday Klaus Iohannis will also take part in a Euro Summit in an extended format. According to the Romanian Presidency, at the end of the 6 months that Romania held the rotating presidency of the EU Council, Iohannis will present the progress made in implementing the goals set by the European Council.




    BSEC The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu took part on Tuesday in the opening session of the high-level conference on cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation. The event was organised jointly by the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU and the Bulgarian presidency of the BSEC, with support from the European Commission. In his address, Teodor Meleşcanu expressed Romanias constant and firm commitment to stimulating regional cooperation in the Black Sea region, as an integral part of Romanias strategic profile. He also reiterated the importance attached by Romania to strengthening the cooperation between the 2 international organisations, so as to help better use the opportunities offered by the EU policies, initiatives and programmes towards the sustainable development of the Black Sea region.




    FOOTBALL Several Romanian football clubs found out their opponents for the first preliminary round of the European cups, following Tuesdays draw of lots in Nyon, Switzerland. The Romanian champions CFR Cluj are to play against FC Astana of Kazakhstan, in the Champions League. The first leg will be played in Kazakhstan on July 9th or 10th, and the return leg a week later in Cluj-Napoca. In Europa League, FCSB will take on Moldovas Milsami Orhei, with the first leg scheduled in Romania on July 11th and the second one in Moldova on July 18th. CSU Craiova takes on the Azeri team FK Sabail, also on July 11th, away from home, while the Romanian Cup winners FC Viitorul Constanta will go straight into the second round of the same competition.



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • May 16, 2018 UPDATE

    May 16, 2018 UPDATE

    PRESIDENCY – The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis is taking part on Wednesday and Thursday in Sofia, Bulgaria, in an informal meeting of the European Council and the EU – Western Balkans Summit. According to the Presidential Administration, the agenda of the informal European Council meeting includes topics concerning the digital, research and innovation sectors, as well as the decision of the US to introduce customs duties for steel and aluminum imports. At the EU-Western Balkans Summit, the heads of state and government will discuss connectivity, security and migration. President Iohannis will emphasise the importance of projects in the field of connectivity, infrastructure, energy and digital networks, which are able to enhance the convergence between the EU and the Western Balkans region, the Presidency also says.



    EU PRESIDENCY – The Minister delegate for European affairs Victor Negrescu Wednesday presented Parliaments specialist committees with a first draft of Romanias priorities during its EU presidency in the first half of next year. Safety and Europes shared values, the Europe of convergence: growth, cohesion, competitiveness, connectivity, and Europe as a global player are the four themes of interest of Romanias term at the helm of the EU Council. The document, which is undergoing validation procedures, will be presented in Parliament next month by PM Viorica Dăncilă. Negrescu said a national and political consensus on the final document was necessary.



    EMBASSY – The Ambassador of Palestine in Romania, Fuad Kokaly, was called to Ramallah for emergency talks, the Palestinian Embassy in Romania announced. The Foreign Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) resorted to the measure as Romania is one of the countries having blocked a joint EU statement on the relocation of member state embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the news release reads. France Presse and DPA report that the Palestinian Authority announced on Wednesday having recalled “for consultations its ambassadors to 4 EU member countries that sent their representatives to a ceremony organised on Sunday by Israel to mark the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem. The 4 countries are Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania. The EU criticised the US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his decision to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.



    PROTESTS – The Government of Romania Wednesday passed an emergency order operating changes in the law on public sector employee salaries, agreed on with trade unions. The changes will benefit employees in public education and healthcare. Under the order, all the healthcare staff whose net incomes dropped in March compared to February will receive compensations. Also, the 30% ceiling on bonuses will no longer apply to on-duty time for doctors and nurses. Also on Wednesday the Government of Romania passed an emergency order earmarking the funds required for keeping specialised personnel in the defence industry. Defence industry staff Tuesday and Wednesday picketed the Government headquarters to warn about the problems facing the companies and the employees in this sector. The Romanian defence industry risks getting shut down because of the shortage of skilled personnel and the lack of investments, one of the protest organisers told AGERPRES news agency.



    BSEC – The Speaker of the Senate of Romania Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu Wednesday took part in a summit bringing together the heads of parliaments of the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation member states. In an address during general debates on ’25 years of BCEC: the role of parliaments in shaping the future of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation’, Tăriceanu pleaded for an integrated approach to transport and energy infrastructure projects, able to improve the connectivity of member states. The Speaker of the Romanian Senate also reiterated his confidence in the future of cooperation at the Black Sea and in the contribution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in promoting peace, stability and wellbeing in member countries.



    TENNIS – Romanian and world no 1 Simona Halep will play on Thursday against the American Madison Keys, seed no 13, in the eighth-finals of the WTA tournament in Rome. On Wednesday in the second round Halep defeated Japans Naomi Osaka, no 21 WTA, in straight sets, while Madison Keys won against the Croatian Donna Vekic. This will be the 7th match between Simona Halep and Madison Keys, with the Romanian having won 5 of them. Also on Wednesday Irina-Camelia Begu, no 41 WTA, was defeated in the second round by the German Angelique Kerber, no 12 WTA.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • May 22, 2017 UPDATE

    May 22, 2017 UPDATE

    BSEC The head of diplomacy in Bucharest, Teodor Melescanu, reiterated in Istanbul on Monday, Romania’s support for the European progress of the ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, as well as for Georgia and Ukraine under the implementation of the Association Agreements. Attending a meeting of the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Melescanu has also reconfirmed Romania’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the neighboring Ukraine within the borders internationally recognized. On this occasion the participants have adopted a joint statement on the BSEC’s development prospects. The organisation at present boasts 12 member countries, Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.



    SALARIES The Unified Pay Scale bill, which provides for raising state employee salaries gradually until 2022 was put to a vote in the Senate in Bucharest on Monday. The Senate labor committee passed a number of amendments, among them raising by 25% the indemnities of local elected officials working on projects financed with European funds, and granting a 15% bonus to public servants in decentralized services under the Ministry of the Environment. The Unified Pay Scale bill raises state budget wages across the board. Dissatisfied with the solution proposed trade unions in the public administration have announced fresh protests for the next week all over Romania, including the capital Bucharest. According to trade union leaders 120 thousand employees are expected to attend the meetings.



    TALKS Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Ana Birchall on Monday said in Brussels at the General Affairs Council (GAC) that for the authorities in Bucharest the key of the Brexit-related talks is protecting the rights of the Romanians in Britain. In his address, the delegate minister has reiterated Romania’s support for ongoing cooperation with the British side for the prevention of any forms of discrimination or abuse against the Romanian workers in the UK. According to the Romanian official, the EU needs to have a unitary voice during the talks. Romania also supports the European Commission’s approach for keeping a close relation with Britain, particularly in the fields of justice, domestic affairs, security and defence, Minister Birchall has also said.



    HEARING Former Romanian MP Sebastian Ghita, currently under arrest in neighboring Serbia was heard in a videoconference on Monday by the High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest. Last week during hearing by Serbia’s Supreme Court, he asked not to be extradited in order to avoid the political persecution he might allegedly face in Romania. A well-known businessman believed to be close to Romania’s former Social-Democratic Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Sebastian Ghita is presently under investigation in several corruption files. After an international search warrant had been issued in his name, Ghita was finally apprehended in Belgrade while trying to identify himself with a Slovene passport, a crime that can get him a jail sentence between six months and three years in non-EU Serbia.



  • December 8, 2015 UPDATE

    December 8, 2015 UPDATE

    The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis will be receiving the British PM David Cameron on Wednesday. The meeting will be followed by a joint press conference. The British PM is making a visit to Romania, during which he is also to meet the Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş. The talks will tackle, among others, the migrant crisis. Prior to the visit, the Romanian PM said that, in the context of London preparing a referendum with respect to Britains EU membership, Bucharest thinks the UK staying in the EU would be beneficial to both London and Brussels.



    A 17-year old from the southern Romanian city of Craiova, suspected of jihadist propaganda, was taken for questioning by Romanian prosecutors on Tuesday. The high-school student has allegedly posted support messages for the IS group. This is apparently the first Romanian citizen taken into custody under suspicion of jihadist propaganda. So far 9 foreign citizens have been expelled from the country for activities related to terrorist ideologies or movements. Another over 240 Middle East citizens have been denied access to the country, according to the Romanian Intelligence Service.



    The Committees for European Affairs in the two Parliament Chambers Tuesday approved the mandate of the Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş for the European Council meeting of December 17 and 18. The idea of Romania being represented by its prime minister came from the President Klaus Iohannis. In this context, the PM said he suggested a meeting of the two parliamentary committees, focusing on European affairs, given that one of the priorities of his Cabinet is to start preparing Romanias agenda for the presidency of the EU Council in 2019.



    While on an official visit to Montenegro, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies in the Romanian Parliament Valeriu Zgonea emphasised Romanias support for the national objectives of that country, namely the EU and NATO integration. According to a news release, Zgonea was received by the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic, and had talks with the Parliament Speaker, Ranko Krivokapic. On this occasion, Zgonea said Montenegros NATO accession will be a valuable gain for the Alliance.



    The Romanian Foreign Minister, Lazăr Comănescu, in his capacity as sitting president of the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Tuesday received the Secretary General of the International Permanent International Secretariat of the BSEC, Michael Christides. The visit takes place in the context of the conclusion of Romanias presidency of the organisation, in December, and ahead of the meeting of the Council of BSEC Foreign Ministers, due on December 11 in Bucharest. According to a news release, the topics of the talks included key issues on the agenda of the organisation and the contribution of Romanias current BSEC presidency term to fostering regional economic cooperation.



    The USA will never recognise Russias annexation of Crimea and will continue to apply sanctions against Russia and against Vladimir Putin personally, until the last occupant leaves Ukraines Donbas, the US vice-president Joe Biden said in Kyiv on Tuesday. In an address to the Ukrainian Parliament, Biden also said the president of the Russian Federation was afraid Ukraine might become a successful state and the people in the east of the country, temporarily occupied, will no longer want to be a part of the Russian world. During his visit to Kyiv, Biden announced the US will grant Ukraine additional assistance, amounting to roughly 200 million US dollars.

    (translation by: Ana-Maria Popescu)