Radio România Internațional

Tag: campaign

  • Vaccination campaign, affected by delays

    Vaccination campaign, affected by delays

    Romania has so far received around 785 thousand doses of anti-Covid vaccine. Of them, around 1,300 have been wasted due to exposure to temperatures outside the recommended range, deteriorated vials and incorrect reconstitution. The coordinator of the immunization campaign, military doctor Valeriu Gheorghita, has announced that Romania is short of 117 thousand doses at present. For this reason, authorities have decided to delay, by ten days, the vaccination of essential workers with the first dose, so as to have enough doses for the voulnerable categories such as chronic diseases patients and people aged over 65. This is the solution found by the authorities, after last week Romania received only half of the doses expected. However, the authorities have given assurances that the vaccination schedule for the other categories will not be affected and that, starting February 9, things will get back to normal.



    The period until February 5 is a little bit more difficult, Valeriu Gheorghita explained, adding that solidarity is what we need to overcome it. ”At present, the vaccination capacity depends on the number of vials delivered,” he also said, adding that there are also other countries facing the same problem due to delays in vaccine delivery, by pharmaceutical companies.



    According to the official, the authorities have prepared several scenarios in case there are more delays in the vaccine delivery, scenarios that involve delaying immunization for certain categories of people. Almost 68% of the people vaccinated in the second stage of the campaign have chronic diseases and are aged over 65, while all others are workers that unfold essential activities. The first stage of the campaign has reached its goal, with over 90% of the medical staff already vaccinated, he said.



    On the other hand, authorities have announced that by end-March, Romania should receive the remaining batches of vaccine, up to 3 million doses in total. According to Gheorghita, there is not a vaccine delivery schedule in place for the third quarter yet, but the number of vials will be significantly bigger, allowing for an increase in the immunization pace, so that over 10 million people will be vaccinated by September. Following the contract signed with the European Union, Romania should receive 12.5 million doses of vaccine. Moreover, Romania has also agreed with the European Commission on the delivery of 18 million doses of two vaccines that have not been approved yet, but which have high potential. (Translated by EE)





  • Second vaccination stage

    Second vaccination stage

    Romania has entered the second stage of coronavirus vaccination, for the high-risk population and workers in key, essential areas. The first category includes adults over the age of 65, as well as people with chronic diseases, regardless of age, depending on the indications of the vaccines used. The chronic diseases category includes diseases such as: diabetes, obesity and other metabolic diseases, cardiovascular, kidney, lung or liver diseases, oncological, neurological and autoimmune diseases, severe immunosuppression, patients undergoing biological or long-term therapies with corticosteroids, HIV / AIDS patients.



    The second category includes the key personnel for the functioning of state institutions (Presidential Administration, Parliament, Government, ministries and institutions subordinated to them); personnel in the field of defence, public order, national security and the judiciary; staff in vital economic sectors: processing, distribution and marketing of staple foods; water distribution plants, water treatment plants, transportation and distribution; production, transport and distribution of electricity, gas, liquid and solid fuels, medicines and sanitary materials; transport of persons and goods; railway hubs, civil and military airports, essential ports; communications (National Telecommunications Service, National Radio and Television); school and nursery staff; postal and courier staff; the staff of religious denominations, media personnel engaged in activities with an increased risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection; sanitation and waste disposal personnel.



    Those who want to register for vaccination can use several means, including a special online platform. The first stage, which ended on Thursday, covered employees in the medical and social fields. More than 160,000 people were immunised, with nearly six hundred common and minor side effects reported. Romania mainly uses the vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech but a first instalment from Moderna arrived in the country on Wednesday.Both vaccines are authorised, contracted and delivered by the European Union.



    “Mass vaccination is the only solution to get back to normal as soon as possible and to resume safely all the activities we have greatly missed in the last year,” President Klaus Iohannis said in a press conference on Tuesday. He also said that the success of the vaccination campaign is essential for both the recovery of the economy and the avoidance of severe crises, the effects of which can leave deep scars in society. (M. Ignatescu)

  • January 2-9, 2021

    January 2-9, 2021

    The anti-Covid vaccination campaign continues in Romania


    In Romania, the anti-Covid vaccination campaign, that started on December 27, is under way. The third batch of 150,000 doses of vaccine, was delivered on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of healthcare staff in medical and social units have been vaccinated in the first stage of the campaign. According to the authorities, the second stage will start at the end of next week, to include people aged over 60 and people who suffer from chronic diseases while the third stage, addressing all those who want to get vaccinated, is expected to start in April. PM Florin Citu said in an online post that the vaccination capacity will increase daily in Romania. Also, the Health Ministry said it works on a simplified procedure of opening and authorizing new vaccination centers. Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu says Romania should soon have one thousand such centers, with a capacity of 150,000 shots per day. Meanwhile, the European Commission has authorized this week the second Covid-19 vaccine, namely the one produced by the US company Moderna. In fact, the EC has already ordered 160 million dozes of the vaccine, on behalf of the EU member countries. The vaccine is to be used for people over 18 and, just like the one produced by Pfizer/BioNTech, will be administered in two dozes. Since the start of the pandemic, over 660 thousand people have been infected with the novel coronavirus in Romania and the death toll exceeds 16,500.




    When will Romanian schools reopen?


    Romanian schools and kindergartens may open in Romania as of February 8, at the beginning of the 2nd semester, depending on the epidemiological situation, Education Minister Sorin Cimpeanu said after talks with representatives of the trade unions in education and of student and parents associations. He said the health of students and teachers is important and so is proper education, especially for students who have National Evaluation and Baccalaureate exams this year, which will be held in an in-person format. However, on January 11 Romanian students will resume online classes, as decided by the government though an emergency order.




    The Government prepares national budget for 2021


    The Bucharest Government has continued, this week, talks on the 2021 national budget. Liberal PM Florin Citu has announced that the draft budget will be ready this month so as to be submitted to Parliament on February 4. Until then, the projects that each ministry has for 2021 will be analyzed. PM Citu said he discussed with all ministers and asked them to present all normative acts that can be enforced. Also, he asked for all viable investment projects to be presented and decide whether they can or cannot be financed with European money, so as not to put more pressure on the national budget. According to the PM, the draft budget is built on a 7% deficit of the GDP, a figure that mirrors the firm commitment to fiscal consolidation, without affecting the economy. On Thursday, the Vice President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, after a telephone conversation with the Romanian Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare, said that the EU expects from Romania a robust budget for 2021, after in 2020 expenditure was very high and revenues dropped drastically due to the pandemic. Minister Nazare promised that promoting investment remained a priority, just like the use of European funds. Minister Nazare also gave assurances that the Romanian authorities are considering a fiscal consolidation and a gradual reduction, starting this year, of the budget deficit, which in 2024 would get below the level of 3%.




    The Costel Alexe file


    The former Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests in the previous Liberal Government in Bucharest, Costel Alexe, currently head of the Iasi County Council, is being targeted by a corruption investigation. Anticorruption prosecutors claim that between March and April 2020, while a minister, he allegedly directly claimed from the director of a steel plant, products made of sheet metal, in connection with the performance of his duties; they concern the free allocation of greenhouse gas emission allowances to the plant and the monitoring of the measures taken by it to close a non-compliant landfill. The said benefits, in the amount of 22 tons and having a value of over 20,000 euros, were allegedly received, in two instalments, at the working point of a company managed by a relative of his. At the same time, the representative of the steel plant is investigated for bribe giving and embezzlement. Previously, the former minister stated that he trusted the act of justice and that he wanted to see the action finalised as soon as possible. He is denying all allegations.




    Developments in Washington DC


    The Romanian Foreign Ministry said the violence that took place on Capitol Hill is worrying and unacceptable and expressed confidence in American democracy, which it said should remain a model for the entire world. The January 6 meeting of the US Congress aimed to certify the victory of the president-elect, the Democrat Joe Biden, was meant to be a symbolic one. Things ran out of control when supporters of President Donald Trump, who tried to prevent the validation of the election result, which they believe was rigged, took the building by storm. Four civilians and one member of the police force were killed during the attack. Dozens of protesters have been arrested. The head of security resigned and numerous collaborators of Donald Trump are leaving his team. Leaders from around the world have condemned the violent events in Washington DC.Trump conceded publicly for the first time on Thursday that he will not serve a second term, vowing for an orderly transition of power. The Congress eventually ratified the victory of the president elect Joe Biden, the final stage before he takes the oath of office. The inauguration day, the formal ceremony that marks the start of a new presidency, was set for January 20. (Translated by E. Enache)



  • Vaccination campaign picks up speed in Romania

    Vaccination campaign picks up speed in Romania

    The anti-Covid vaccination campaign picks up speed in Romania. On Monday, the number of immunized people almost equalled the one reported over the entire week before. The National Institute of Public Health announced on Monday evening a total of over 25 thousand shots, a figure supplied by the National Online Immunization Registry. Also by Monday evening, 47 cases of common mild side effects were reported. Of them, eight people experienced local side effects, with tenderness at the injection site while 39 others had general side effects such as fever, headache, muscle ache, joint ache, tiredness, anxiety and rash.



    The coordinator of the national vaccination campaign, Col. Dr. Valeriu Gheorghita, had previoulsy announced the immunization campaign would be sped up and also the start of vaccination in over 90% of the 370 centres in the country. The estimated figure is 20,000 immunized people a day. Valeriu Gheorghita also said that by mid-January most medical staff would get the first dose of the vaccine, which allows for the second stage of the campaign to start and to unforld at a higher speed, also depending on the number of doses available. Under the national immunization strategy, a total of 900 vaccination centres have been opened for the second stage.



    Romania will receive via the EU, in the first phase, 8.5 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine. As of Monday, vaccination is conducted in all military hospitals in Romania, according to the Defence Ministry, which said in a release that the vaccination of the healthcare staff is an act of responsibility that ensures their protection and secures further medical services for all patients. The vaccination unit at the Military Hospital in Bucharest is also operational, and 70% of its medical staff has requested to be immunised. The personnell who has assisted directly to the Covid patients are the first to receive the vaccine.



    Valeriu Gheorghita said Tuesday, after being immunized in front of the cameras, that vaccination is the safe, effective and quick measure that can help us go back to normal. It is time to reduce the negative consequences of this pandemic, limit the loss of lives and remove everything that has affected us during this period, he also said. (Translated by Elena Enache)




  • New measures ahead of the anti-Covid vaccination campaign

    New measures ahead of the anti-Covid vaccination campaign

    About a year after the first cases of Covid-19 were reported, triggering a global medical and economic crisis, the anti-Covid vaccine gives people hope that the virus can be defeated. Preparations for the vaccination campaign are under way in Romania, where the number of people infected gets close to 600 thousand. The Bucharest Government has adopted the norms regarding the authoritsation, structure and functioning of the vaccination centres. Also, funds have been allocated to this end, while the involvement of two other ministries in this campaign has been decided.



    Health Minister Nelu Tataru: “The legal framework has been drawn up so that the Defense Ministry and the Interior Ministry, through the institutions they coordinate, should carry out the activities stipulated under the law. Through this joint order, the authoritsation, structure and functioning of the vaccination centres have also been adopted, as well as the funds needed for the organization and functioning of these centres, to be covered from the budget of the institutions and ministries involved in this campaign.”



    Nelu Tătaru has also said that through a government decision, the Health Ministry will receive more funds to purchase new stocks of medicines and treatment for the patients infected with Covid-19. The national committee that coordinates the anti-Covid vaccination campaign has announced that a first symbolic batch of vaccine will go to the medical staff working in the 10 phase I medical units. The next batch is expected to arrive in Romania around December 26-31, given that the European Medicine Agency set December 23 as the most likely date for vaccine approval.



    In January, Romania should receive another 600,000 doses of vaccine. The National Vaccine Centre, set up in Bucharest, will receive all vaccine doses and then distribute them to regional centres such as the Military Hospital in Timisoara and Brasov and to similar health units in Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Constanta and Craiova. From the regional centres, the vaccine will be distributed to immunization centres in every county. The World Health Organisation has warned that the people vaccinated against Covid-19 should further wear masks and observe the safety distance. (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • Romania’s 10-year plan on energy and climate

    Romania’s 10-year plan on energy and climate

    The European Commission has recently sent to Bucharest
    an analysis of Romania’s National Plan on Energy and Climate Change, 2021-2030.
    The analysis has identified several flaws, while the Commission has offered recommendations
    to that end. Romania’s plan, which has come under close scrutiny as of late,
    defines the way Romania will take action in the next decade, especially in the
    field of energy, against the backdrop of a global climate crisis. Having
    examined several chapters, the Brussels officials criticized the authors’ lack
    of ambition, since the set targets they have come up with were below the standards recommended by the
    European Union, even though those standards were a little bit higher as
    compared with the standards set in the previous reports. Accordingly, as
    regards renewable energy, the Commission has found out Romania continued to
    maintain a low-level set target, standing at 3.7%, although the country’s
    potential was bigger than that. Estimates have revealed that by 2030, Romania
    could have reached a renewable energy level standing at 34%. Even if the plan
    details the measures targeting the increased importance of green energy in the
    fields of electricity, heating and transport, the European experts have pointed
    to the fact that there was no clear-cut quantification of that.


    Greenpeace Romania
    climate and energy campaign coordinator, Vlad Catuna:


    ”Romania’s strategy in the field of
    energy and climate basically focuses on fossil fuels and nuclear energy,
    instead of focusing on green renewable sources of energy, given that Romania,
    Europe and the whole world are facing the effects of climate change. And when I
    say the effects of climate change, it is not only the melting of glaciers or
    the rise of ocean water level that I have in mind, but what I do have in mind
    are the effects we are beginning to feel also here, in Romania. And at that,
    what we have in mind are the dried-up lakes of Nuntasi and Iezer or southern
    Oltenia, where desertification is in full swing, if we take into account that
    we had to cope with storms and heavy downpours in the summer, or the drought we
    also had to cope with. For Romania, this year was one of the droughtiest ever
    to have been reported for this country. Against this backdrop, where we have to
    cope with such effects, Romania must come up with an ambitious plan, where
    green energy should be prioritized at the expense of dirty energy. In effect,
    when coal is still mentioned in Romania’s part of the energy mix, or when we
    come up with projects prioritizing natural gas extraction in the Black Sea,
    that means we have a very serious problem.”


    The transition to green energy is not an easy process,
    nor is it a cheap one. Everybody knows ecology is expensive and proof of that
    is the price of the bio products on display on shelves in specialized shops.
    Romania’s great advantage is that the European Union finances these
    transformations, moreover, Romania has a good potential, mainly because of its
    geographic position.

    Vlad Catuna:


    We have a tremendous potential
    in terms of wind power, mention is being made of the offshore renewable energy
    potential of the Black Sea, and we can also speak about a tremendous solar
    energy potential in the southern part of the country. You’re quite right when
    you say: yes, we need money and the good thing is that the European Commission,
    through its European Green Deal, offers Romania large sums of money for this
    kind of energy transition. We want it to be one from fossil fuels straight to
    the green energy. It will be very expensive and very difficult for us to go
    through an intermediary transition, through a kind of transition, where
    initially, we rely on gas instead of passing straight to renewable green
    energies. And that, because we ‘ve got time on our hands, we have the necessary
    resources, we have financing from the European Commission and we have the
    potential proper to implement such an energy transition.


    With respect to another chapter, that of energy
    efficiency, the European Commission has found out Romania has enhanced its
    level of ambition regarding the national contribution to the 2030 community
    objective, as compared to the plan project, with is most welcome. However, the
    contributions to the primary energy consumption and the final energy
    consumption are not at all ambitious. As for the positive side, the final plan
    includes useful info on buildings, pointing to the intention of going beyond a
    renovation rate standing at 3 or 4%. However, according to the European
    officials, Romania has not as yet come up with a long-term renovation strategy.
    The Commission also mentioned the fact that it encouraged measures regarding
    the energy efficiency of the heating networks. Eventually, the plan does not
    offer sufficient info on the quality of air and the interaction between the
    quality of air and the atmospheric emissions policy. Yet there are also
    examples of good practices, mainly due to the fact that the document includes
    elements of the European Green Deal for agriculture, mainly through the
    promotion of ecological farming and the limited use of fertilizers. Greenpeace
    Romania climate and energy campaign coordinator, Vlad Catuna, sounded upbeat
    about all that, stating things will no longer be as they are at present,
    because the new European Climate Law will come up with much more ambitious set
    targets. Once implemented, the law will compel the Romanian authorities to step
    up the energy transition process, to renounce coal and gas and invest in green
    energy.


    (Translation by Eugen Nasta)






    —–



  • General election campaign begins

    General election campaign begins


    The electoral campaign started on Friday in Romania. Almost 19 million Romanians are invited to polls on December 6, to elect the new parliament. This is the second election this year, after the local one held in late September.



    For a while, the organisation of the general election this year was uncertain, after a bill was tabled to the effect of postponing it to March next year because of the pandemic. The bill however got stuck in the legislative process.



    As was the case with the local election as well, the pandemic, with the strict containment measures it entailed, will not only be the first and foremost topic for discussion, but will also take away much of the colour and dynamism of the campaign. During these complicated times, rallies are just a memory. For indoor events, participation is limited to 20 people, and for outdoor ones, to 50 people. As regards other street events, groups no bigger than 6 people are allowed, and door-to-door teams are also limited to 2 participants.



    The organisers of campaign activities are in charge with ensuring compliance with rules such as compulsory face covering and the visual triage of participants.



    As always, a lot is at stake in this election. The National Liberal Party has been governing for over a year in difficult political conditions, with a hostile Parliament in which the Social Democrats have the majority. This is why the Liberals, backed by president Iohannis, are making it clear that they seek a parliamentary majority to confirm their success in the local election.



    The Social Democrats, in turn, want a score as high as possible in order to preserve a strong position in parliament.



    The Save Romania Union-PLUS alliance are at their 4th election test, after the successful campaign for the European Parliament in 2019, last years presidential election and this years local ballot, and are now trying to win enough votes to force the Liberals to ask for their support in the new government.



    The leftist Pro Romania party, the right-of-centre Peoples Movement party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians will be merely struggling to make the parliamentary threshold.



    Parties currently outside parliament as well as non-affiliated candidates are also running for seats. Ethnic minority groups other than the Hungarian also have one seat each allotted in the Chamber of Deputies.



    As for the Romanians living abroad, they will be represented by 4 Deputies and 2 Senators. Over 39,000 Romanian nationals who live abroad have applied to vote by post, mostly from the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. The polling stations in foreign countries will be open for 2 days, on December 5 and 6.



    In the country, the vote will be held on Sunday, December 6. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • Environment protection measures

    Environment protection measures

    The long drought this year affects farming in the south and east of Romania more and more severely, and forestry officials are once again pleading for shelterbelts along plots of farmland. The head of the Forestation Service in the Romsilva National Forestry Authority, engineer Marius Ureche, says such shelterbelts create microclimates that protect from wind and humidity, keeping crop land safe from drought and desertification. He also says that shelterbelts have been needed in the south and east of the country for decades, but that most farmers have cut down trees and shrubs in order to extend their farms.



    Marius Ureche: “Unfortunately, since 1989 part of these shelterbelts have been cut down. This was a mistake, because farmers sought short-term gains, but they have come to realise that the impact on the agricultural yield has been dramatic.



    In this context, the Environment Ministry Wednesday launched the autumn stage of a forestation campaign entitled ‘A forest as big as a country, which follows a first stage implemented this spring. The annual reforestation programme provides for the reforestation of over 12,500 hectares, in 2 campaigns. Two-thirds of the total surface area will be subject to natural reforestation plans, and one-third to artificial forest regeneration projects.



    Over 17 million trees will be planted in this autumns edition of the campaign, mostly in the counties of Tulcea, Galaţi, Ialomiţa, Dolj and Vaslui, in the east and south of the country. Of these, over one million are oak trees, and the others are poplar trees, willow, ash, maple and other species.



    The Environment Ministry also announced that entirely new forests will be planted on 1,100 hectares, while additional trees will be planted on a total area of over 2,000 hectares. In the spring edition of this campaign, 2,400 forests were planted from scratch, and another 7,000 young forests were extended. Most of them are located in the counties Suceava (north-east), Maramureş (north) and Sibiu (centre).



    In related news, as part of the same effort to protect the environment, a second stage of a project designed to broaden Black Sea beaches is scheduled to start soon. The project benefits from over 800 million euros worth of EU funding. Several Black Sea resorts will have broader beaches to welcome their tourists, and they will be consolidated with seawalls. The project is also aimed at solving erosion issues in the Romanian seaside resorts. The works are scheduled to begin in October, and the total beach area is planned to increase by 200 hectare thanks to these measures.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • May 23, 2020

    May 23, 2020

    COVID 19 Another 4 people have been killed by the new coronavirus in Romania
    raising the total number of fatalities to 1170. The number of deaths caused by
    the new coronavirus has constantly dropped this week and the number of people
    cured was higher than the number of infections. Nearly 11200 people have been
    cured out of the 17850 infected, which accounts for 63 percent. The number of
    quarantined has gradually diminished by one third since the beginning of the
    week. However, the number of those in home isolation has significantly grown
    against the relaxation measures for the Romanian nationals who lived abroad and
    now are coming back to Romania. The national test rate stood at 10 thousand
    tests a day. Yesterday, the town hall of Bucharest launched an online platform part
    of a free campaign aimed at testing people for the new coronavirus. A first
    group of 11 thousand Bucharesters will be tested as part of this campaign and
    the municipality is to commence a medical survey during which another 10,500 Bucharesters
    will be invited to take the test.










    PANDEMIC China hasn’t reported any Covid infection today for the first time
    since Beijing started publishing data about the pandemic, in January. The
    outbreak was identified in the province of Wuhan, central China, late last
    year and the latest toll reported was 83 thousand infections and 4600 lethal
    cases. The epidemic soon turned into a pandemic and infected over 5 million
    people worldwide killing 335 thousand. The US administration said China should
    have let the world know about the contagion much sooner and questioned the
    accuracy of the death toll in that country. China denied all allegations. 96
    thousand people have been killed by the virus in the USA, the most affected
    country in the world. 172 thousand fatalities were reported in Europe last
    night out of a total number of 2 million infections.










    REACTION The Romanian authorities have described as completely unacceptable the
    latest statements by Ion Chicu, the Prime Minister of the Romanian-speaking
    Republic of Moldova against Romania. In a Facebook post in which he rejects
    criticism of the way in which he is handling the medical crisis and delayed
    reforms, Chicu describes Romania as ‘having the biggest corruption in Europe’.
    In turn, Romania’s Foreign Ministry says such statements are all the more so
    inadequate as Romania has recently sent substantial medical aid to the Republic
    of Moldova to help the latter deal with the pandemic. According to the same
    sources, the statements are denoting a profound lack of respect for Romania, for
    the privileged bilateral relations of strategic partnership for the country’s European
    integration. Romania has pointed out that the implementation of the reforms
    assumed through the Association Agreement with the European Union is not only
    an obligation for the Republic of Moldova but also a guarantee of prosperity for
    its citizens, which can be ensured only through sustained efforts of implementing
    the rule of law and through democratic institutions.










    INQUIRY The National Anti-Corruption Directorate in Bucharest has this week
    announced it has been working on 33 files on the organization, distribution and
    execution of public procurement contracts in the medical field during the
    coronavirus pandemic. Prosecutors have observed ex officio in 25 cases.
    According to chief prosecutor Crin Bologa, the cases involve decision-makers in
    the institutions playing a major role in the procurement of medical equipment
    and materials. An inquiry has been launched against some private companies and
    state institutions.










    REPATRIATION 394 Romanian citizens, together with 20 foreign nationals who are their
    family members, have returned to Romania. According to the Romanian Foreign
    Ministry, this is a new measure aimed at facilitating the access of the
    Romanians who are living temporarily abroad and have been affected by the
    protection measures and the air-traffic restrictions during the Covid pandemic.
    Those repatriated were working on board of several cruise vessels off the North
    American coast and the Caribbean. Their repatriation has been coordinated by
    the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by means of Romania’s embassies in
    Washington and Havana and through Romania’s General Consulate in Miami.








    (translated by bill)

  • Adopt a linden tree!

    Adopt a linden tree!

    The linden trees in Iasi have long been a landmark of the city. In Copou Park, perched on the Copou Hill, the oldest and largest urban park in Iasi, next to the Lions Obelisk, which is the oldest-standing historical monument in Romania, we find a tree that has been declared a natural monument. Dubbed “Eminescus linden tree, it is about 540 years old, and it has become an emblem of the city. In addition to the major treatments it has benefitted from over the years, the tree mostly owes its survival to an unusual biological phenomenon, which has enabled it to grow additional roots within the decayed trunk, into the ground. These are called adventitious roots because they develop in unusual locations.



    With hundreds of linden trees growing in Copou Park and alongside the main boulevard in the city, and thus becoming a symbol of Iasi ever since the second half of the 19th Century, it comes as no surprise that several civic initiatives have emerged, in an effort to preserve the uniqueness of the city. Such an initiative belongs to the Iasi Athenaeum, which jointly with the Vienna-based Mihai Eminescu Association launched a campaign called “Adopt a linden tree! Andrei Apreotesei, manager of the National Athenaeum in Iasi, told us more about this campaign:



    Andrei Apreotesei: “In a developing city, pollution is bound to exist, so it was only natural for us to think about ways to fight it. And one of the ways to do so is this project in which the Athenaeum plans to plant 100 linden trees. Why linden trees? Because when you say Iasi, linden trees are one of the first things you think about, they are one of the landmarks of the city. Why 100? Because this year, the Iasi Athenaeum celebrates 100 years since its establishment, so this is somehow a birthday present for us. After a national tour entitled “Unity through Culture, where we performed in more than 100 towns across the country this year, we are now implementing this wonderful project, together with the Mihai Eminescu Association in Vienna.



    Laura Hant, the president of the Mihai Eminescu Association in Vienna, added:



    Laura Hant: “We set out to help the city of Iasi, and we started from the idea of planting 100 linden trees. We chose this because Iasi is the city of linden trees and because this year is the 100th anniversary of the Iasi Athenaeum. And then we thought about getting the local community involved as well, so the next step was for our Association to launch and manage a fundraiser. We were delighted to see the extent to which the community got involved, we raised a nice amount to buy some of the linden trees that will be planted, and the rest of them will be purchased by the Iasi City Hall.



    Iasi is, indeed, one of the most polluted cities in Romania. The centre of the city is affected by heavy traffic, and the concentration of dust and pollutants in the air is rather high. On the other hand, an adult linden tree is able to absorb between 28 and 67 kilos of carbon dioxide a year, and to produce 20 to 50 kilos of oxygen. In addition, trees retain substantial amounts of dust, which are subsequently washed away by rain and reach the soil. We should also mention the phytoncides, antimicrobial compounds emitted by linden trees, which help prevent and cure TB, dysentery and several lung diseases. Andrei Apreotesei, manager of the Iasi Athenaeum, gave us more details about the project:



    Andrei Apreotesei: “Adopt a linden tree! is not only about planting a tree, but also about taking care of these wonderful trees until they are old enough to take care of us. This is why we invited the people, the local community, to come up with ideas regarding places in the city where these trees should be planted. Then we went to the City Hall and obtained all the required permits, so now we are going to plant these trees along the Tatarasi cultural route, which connects the Tatarasi neighbourhood, where the Athenaeum is located, to Copou Park.



    In turn, the president of the Mihai Eminescu Association in Vienna, Laura Hant, urges all Romanians:



    Laura Hant: “We should all love Romania wherever we are, in the country and abroad, and we should be active and involved citizens, because change starts with us!



    The linden trees that will be planted as part of the project will increase the value of the historical buildings in the area, and the project as a whole will be an example of best practice, to be followed across the country.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 23, 2019

    November 23, 2019

    ELECTIONS In Romania, the campaign for the second round of the presidential election, due on November 24, has come to a close this morning at 7 am. Competing are the incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, endorsed by the National Liberal Party now in power, and the former Social Democrat PM Viorica Dancilă. The Permanent Election Authority has announced that the Electoral Register has been updated and the total number of voters in the roll is 18,217,411. In the first round, in which 14 candidates took part, Klaus Iohannis got nearly 38% of the votes, and Viorica Dăncilă a little over 22%. The voter turnout was 51.19%. In the Romanian communities abroad, where the vote took place over 3 days, record-high turnout was reported, with over 675,000 people showing up in polling stations. For Sundays runoff as well, the 835 polling stations abroad are open for 3 days, Friday through Sunday, with the possibility for the vote to be extended until midnight on Sunday. The number of Romanians
    having voted abroad in the runoff suggests a higher turnout than in the first round. The vote rate increased in the
    past few hours, after polling stations reopened in all the countries in Europe,
    which host the largest Romanian communities in the world. First ranking are the
    Romanians in Italy, the UK, Germany, Spain and the Republic of Moldova.




    GAUDEAMUS 8,000 book stands have been put up as part of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organised in Bucharest by Radio Romania, in an edition devoted to the 30 years since the anti-communist revolution of 1989. During the 5 days of the Fair, 900 different events are scheduled, including book launches, debates and book signing sessions. Today, on the 4th day of the Fair, Prof. Thierry Wolton takes part in the launch of the second volume of his trilogy “A World History of Communism. In this volume, entitled ‘The Victims’, Thierry Wolton speaks about the tens of millions that suffered imprisonment, deportation, torture and even extermination for their anti-communist beliefs.




    COLECTIV After the Bucharest Court completed its investigations, on Monday the prosecution and the defence will present their closing statements in the case concerning the fire in Colectiv night club in Bucharest 4 years ago, in which 64 people died, one committed suicide further to the trauma and 200 others were injured. The Colectiv trial started in April 2016. After 2 years of deferrals over procedural matters, the judge assigned to the case retired, and during another year the new judge has heard the statements of scores of witnesses and victims.




    DiscoverEU Youth of over 18 years of age may enrol by November 28 in a programme called DiscoverEU, which enables them to travel free of charge in the European Union. Eligible applicants must be citizens of one of the member states and fill in an online form. This is an initiative of the European Parliament, designed to provide young people with new mobility opportunities. The selected candidates will be able to travel, especially by train, for max. 30 days between April 1 and October 31, 2020. Since the programme was launched in 2018, Romania offered nearly 2,000 such permits, out of a total of 50,000 issued in the EU.




    UN The 15 members of the UN Security Council endorsed a declaration reaffirming the ban on chemical weapons. The Council has reached a consensus long undermined by the war in Syria, and the Skripal affair in the UK or Kim Jong-nam case in Malaysia, AFP reports. The Council reaffirms that the use of chemical weapons is a violation of international law, and declares its firm opposition to it. The declaration, proposed by Great Britain, was passed unanimously. The UN Security Council urges all states that have not yet done so to sign the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, which was signed in 1993 and came into force in 1997. Syria joined the Convention in 2013, Israel has signed it, but is yet to ratify it, whereas North Korea, Egypt and South Sudan are not yet parties to this Convention.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 20, 2019 UPDATE

    November 20, 2019 UPDATE

    ELECTIONS The campaign ahead of the second round of Romania’s presidential elections on Sunday continues until Saturday morning at 7 am local time. The incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, who is endorsed by the National Liberal Party, now in power, is facing the former Social Democrat prime minister Viorica Dancila. The Standing Electoral Authority has announced that the electoral register has been updated and the total number of voters in the lists is 18,217,411. The total number of citizens residing abroad and entitled to vote in this election is 715,064. In the first round, which included 14 candidates, Iohannis won almost 38% of the votes and Dancila a little over 22%. Voter turnout stood at 51.19%. In the diaspora, where voting took place over three days, a record turnout was reported, with 675,000 people casting their ballots. The second round of voting is also taking place over three days abroad: on Friday between 12 am and 9 pm and on Saturday and Sunday between 7 am and 9 pm, with the possibility for the voting to be extended until midnight. The foreign ministry has already distributed the materials needed for the voting process abroad. 4 million, six hundred and eight thousand and 175 ballots were distributed among the 835 polling stations set up abroad, 100,000 more ballots than was requested in the first round.




    FINANCE The European Commission Wednesday recommended that Romania should implement an annual structural adjustment of 1% of the GDP in 2020, to ensure that the nominal increase in net primary government expenditure will not exceed 4.4%. Romania is also advised to use any exceptional revenues in order to reduce the deficit, with budget consolidation measures aimed at ensuring sustainable improvement of the government structural balance, able to encourage growth. Bucharest is also requested to present the Council with a report on the measures taken in this respect, no later than April 15, 2020.



    MEETING The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu had a meeting on Wednesday with the US State Secretary Michael Pompeo, on the side-lines of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. The Romanian minister appreciated the US constant support for strengthening NATOs defence and deterrence posture on the eastern flank and pleaded for enhanced American military presence in Romania, given the volatile security context in the Black Sea region. He also reiterated the firm commitment of the new government in Bucharest for a fair sharing of responsibilities within NATO, confirming that Romania will continue to earmark 2% of its GDP to defence and to take part in foreign military missions. Also on Wednesday, Bogdan Aurescu had talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on which occasion he mentioned the Common Declaration on the Strategic Partnership signed in 2018 by the presidents Klaus Iohannis and Emmanuel Macron, which re-launched the bilateral relation.



    ARREST The owner of the Romanian company that provided pest extermination services to 2 apartment buildings in Timişoara, western Romania, was taken in pre-trial custody for 30 days, under accusations of manslaughter, bodily harm and trafficking in controlled substances. Three people died, including a 9-day baby, over 40 others, mostly children, are hospitalized, and the buildings have been evacuated. The tragedy caused panic among the locals, with scores of people requesting medical check-ups. Investigations have revealed that the substances used for pest extermination had been purchased on the black market and contained a highly toxic compound. Concurrently with the criminal investigation, new decontamination operations were conducted on Wednesday, and a Health Ministry team is running on-site tests.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 19, 2019

    November 19, 2019

    ELECTION In Romania, the campaign for the second round of the presidential election continues. The vote is scheduled for Sunday, November 24th. Competing are the incumbent president, Klaus Iohannis, backed by the National Liberal Party in power, and the former Social Democrat PM Viorica Dancila. According to data made public by the Central Electoral Bureau and validated on Friday by the Constitutional Court, in the first round Klaus Iohanis got 37.82% of the votes and Viorica Dăncilă 22.26%. The turnout was 51.19%. Abroad, where Romanian citizens were able to vote Friday through Sunday, record-large numbers of voters showed up in polls (over 675,000). In the runoff as well, the Romanians living abroad will have 3 days to cast their ballots, between noon on Friday and Sunday at 9 PM, with a possible extension to midnight.




    AUTOMOTIVE In October Romania was the most dynamic automobile market in Europe, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association announced. Last month, around 11,000 vehicles were registered in Romania, up 58.1% since the same month last year. In the first 10 months of 2019, around 135,000 automobiles were registered in Romania, accounting for an annual growth rate of 18.9%, whereas the European automobile market saw a 0.7% decline. Dacia reported a 7.8% rise in sales in Europe in October, to 40,687 units. The Romanian carmaker Dacia was taken over by Renault in 1999. Relaunched in 2004 with the new Logan model, Dacia turned into a major player in the European automobile market.




    TRAGEDY The owner of the Romanian company that provided pest extermination services for 2 apartment buildings in Timişoara, western Romania, was arrested for 24 hours this morning, under charges of manslaughter, bodily harm and trafficking in controlled substances. The court will decide whether he will be kept in pre-trial arrest. Recently, 3 people died following a pest and rodent extermination operation—a 9-day baby, a 3-year old and his mother, while 20 other people, adults and children, are hospitalised. The 2 buildings have been evacuated. Preliminary investigations reveal that the intoxication was caused by neurotoxins. The tragedy caused panic among the locals, with scores of people requesting medical check-ups.




    STATISTICS Over one-quarter (27.7%) of the population of Romania were living in 2018 in households without indoor toilets. The figure is down from the 29.7% reported in 2017, but still more than 10 times above the EU average of 2.1%, according to data made public today by Eurostat, on World Toilet Day. In as many as 19 member states, the percentage of people living in housing without indoor toilets in 2018 was below 1%, including Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden where the figure is very close to zero. At the opposite pole, Romania is preceded by Bulgaria with 15.3%, Lithuania (10.6%), Latvia (9.9%) and Estonia (5.3%). Still, the number of people living without proper sanitation services in the EU dropped from 3.3% in 2010 to 2.1% last year, and in Romania it fell from 40.9% to 27.7%.




    THEATRE The Government of Japan awarded the Order of the Rising Sun to the actor Constantin Chiriac, director of the Radu Stanca National Theatre in Sibiu and president of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, in recognition of his contribution to promoting the Japanese culture in Romania and the cultural exchanges between the 2 countries. The Order of the Rising Sun was established in 1875, and is one of the most important decorations bestowed by the Japanese government, second to the Order of the Chrysanthemum, and is the highest awarded to foreign citizens, for distinguished achievements in international relations, for the promotion of the Japanese culture and of projects aimed at preserving the environment.




    FOOTBALL Romanias Under-21 football team are playing tonight away from home against Northern Ireland in the 2021 European Championship qualifying Group 8. With 3 wins and a loss in previous matches, the Romanians rank second in the group, after Denmark. The senior team Monday lost to Spain, 0-5 away from home, in Group F of next years European Championship qualifiers, and finished 4th in the group. After the defeat, manager Cosmin Contra announced his resignation. The only chance left for Romania to qualify into the final tournament is the Nations League playoff due in March. The draw for Euro 2020 will take place in Bucharest on November 30. The Romanian capital city will also host 3 group matches and an eighth-final.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 16, 2019

    November 16, 2019

    Election campaign – The election campaign continues in Romania in the run up to the second round of the presidential election due on November 24. Left in the presidential race after the first round of voting are Romania’s incumbent president Klaus Iohannis who is backed by the National Liberal Party and the former Social Democratic PM Viorica Dancila. According to data provided by the Central Electoral Bureau that were validated on Friday by the Constitutional Court in the first round of voting, when 14 candidates faced off, Klaus Iohannis obtained 37.82% of the votes and Viorica Dancila 22.26%. The vote turnout at national level was 51.19%. In the diaspora, where the Romanian citizens could vote for 3 days, a record vote turnout was reported, more than 675 thousand people. For the final round of the voting, the vote for the Romanian citizens living abroad will also last 3 days, starting on Friday at 12 a.m. local hours until 9 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The voting program may be extended until midnight.



    Tourism — 230 travel agencies from 16 countries are attending, until Sunday, Romania’s largest tourism fair held in Bucharest. The event gathers travel agencies, tour-operators as well as travel associations and county councils representing certain tourist areas. Visitors can choose holidays for the winter of 2019 as well as for the summer of 2020. Travel agencies provide discounts of up to 45% for travel packages.



    Police – Over the past week Romanian police have undertaken missions to bring back to Romania 13 people who are wanted suspects- officials with the Romanian Police General Inspectorate announced on Saturday. 5 suspects under an international arrest warrant were extradited and handed over by the British authorities, 2 suspects from Germany and 2 from Belgium and 1 suspect from each of following countries: France, Italy, Austria and Slovenia. 7 people convicted in Slovakia were moved to prisons from Romania to finish their time in prison, 1 from Belgium, 2 from Germany and 2 from Austria. Also 11 suspects were handed over by the Romanian authorities to their counterparts from Austria, Belgium, the Republic of Moldova, France, Germany, Hungary and Great Britain, the officials with the Romanian Police General Inspectorate also said.



    Football — Romania’s football team on Friday evening lost 0-2 against Sweden in Bucharest in their last but one match in Group F of the 2020 European Football Championship preliminaries. The Romanian eleven will end the preliminaries on Monday in Spain. The teams of Spain with 23 points and of Sweden with 18 points have already qualified to the next stage. Romania’s team is 3rd in the group with 14 points and it still has chances to qualify at the playoffs of the Champions League due in March. The drawing of lots for Euro 2020 will be held in Bucharest on November 30. Bucharest will also host 4 matches of the final tournament, 3 matches in the group phase and one match in the eight finals. On Thursday evening Romania’s Under 21 team defeated on home turf 4-1 the team of Finland, in group 8 of the 2021 European Championship preliminaries.



    USR — The members of the Save Romania Union, the 3rd largest party in Romania’s Parliament, are voting online if Dan Barna, the party leader, should resign his position. Barna said he was expecting the result of the vote and was ready to resign, after dissatisfaction within the party with the result obtained in the first round of the presidential election, when he got only 15%, given that on May 26, the Save Romania Union party got 22% of the votes in the elections for the EP. (translation by L. Simion)

  • The Week in Review, 10-15 November 2019

    The Week in Review, 10-15 November 2019

    The right and left face each other in presidential runoff


    On Sunday, November 10, Romanians went to polls in the first round of the presidential election. Out of the 18.2 million voters, 51.19% showed up in polling stations and decided that facing each other in the second round, due on November 24, would be the Liberal candidate, the incumbent president Klaus Iohannis, who got 37.82% of the votes, and the ex-PM and Social Democrat leader Viorica Dancila, who got 22.26%. An outspoken opponent of the Social Democratic Party, which he blames for damaging reforms in the judiciary and economy, Klaus Iohannis warned that a victory is not yet certain, and urged people to come to polls in the runoff as well:



    Klaus Iohannis: “As for the runoff, I call all those who were with me in the street to defend the rule of law to come to polling stations so that your efforts may not be in vain! To those who want hospitals, schools, motorways, I tell you, come to polling stations to remove the Social Democrats from power completely, and to build all these things together! To those who no longer want to see their children and grandchildren leave the country, I tell you, come to polls, because now is the time to change things! And to the many people who are already away, I tell you, come to polls, because now you can make a difference!



    In turn, the Social Democrats chief voiced confidence in her victory:



    Viorica Dancila: “The votes cast today help us to carry on our campaign, a campaign in which we will tell Romanians both what we have achieved so far, and, more importantly, what we intend to do for them once we win the presidential election. Our fight is not against a political party, we dont try to dismantle a political party because democracy means that any party must be allowed to present its view. Our fight will be, as it has been so far, a fight for Romanians, for Romania, for balance and consensus, for unity, for a dignified representation of Romania both in the country and abroad.



    Whereas the turnout in the country in the first round was rather modest, the Romanians living abroad mobilized and went to polls in record numbers, reaching 675,000 people.




    Strategies for the second round of the presidential election


    Although the first day of the campaign for the presidential runoff is November 15, the competition between the 2 candidates started shortly after the first round and is already tougher than ever. The decision taken by President Klaus Iohannis and his campaign staff not to participate in any direct debate with Viorica Dancila is surprising for many people. On Tuesday, the President, who made no secret out of his goal to remove the Social Democrats from power, has written in a post that there can be no debate with a candidate of a party that ruled against the Romanians and which only goes through the motions of democracy. Dancila, who repeatedly asked for a debate ahead of the first election round, has reacted by saying that a debate would help her dismiss all “dirty accusations levelled against her and her party in the past few years. In a press conference on Wednesday, Klaus Iohannis pointed out:



    Klaus Iohannis: “Mrs. Dancila is the representative of an anti-democratic, unreformed party, which has governed against Romanians’ best interests. In the current election campaign, she pretends to be a democratic candidate, expecting due respect from everyone, as if she had been defending Romanian democracy and Romanians all along.



    Viorica Dancila was quick to retort:


    Viorica Dancila: “Mr. Iohannis speaks of a disastrous government. If disastrous government means increasing salaries and pensions, investing in local communities, making Romanian economy second at EU level in terms of growth, then the President is either dishonest or misinformed. Moreover, disastrous governing wouldn’t have been praised by Member States and third-party states for the good handling of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.



    The campaign is due to conclude on Saturday, November 23, at 7.00 AM.




    Romanias nominee for Transport Commissioner, approved by the EP


    Adina Valean, designated by Romania for the post of European Commissioner for Transport, Thursday got the green light from the specialist committee in the European Parliament. Her priorities include an environment-friendly, fair and transparent transport network and fewer road accidents, in which respect Romania has the poorest figures in the EU. The president elect of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will present the full commission and its programme to the European Parliament on November 27.



    A new political crisis in the Republic of Moldova


    The Republic of Moldovas pro-Russian president Igor Dodon Wednesday entrusted one of his advisers, Ion Chicu, with the formation of a new government. The nomination comes after the Cabinet headed by the pro-European PM Maia Sandu was dismissed in a no-confidence vote initiated by Dodons Socialists, although they were part of the ruling coalition. On Thursday the new Cabinet was endorsed by the Moldovan Parliament and shortly after that they were sworn in.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)