Radio România Internațional

Tag: Candidacies

  • March 13, 2025 UPDATE 2

    March 13, 2025 UPDATE 2

    Support – Romania’s Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu reiterated, at a working meeting with EU ambassadors in Bucharest, Romania’s support for the neighboring Ukraine and for the consolidation of the European Union’s security and defense policy. At the same time, Hurezeanu emphasized the importance of a solid transatlantic partnership, vital for European security and prosperity. The meeting in Bucharest was held in the context of Poland holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

     

    Candidacy – The president of the opposition, pro-European party Save Romania Union (USR), Elena Lasconi, has submitted her application to run in the May presidential election. Also on Thursday, the leader of the populist, ultranationalist opposition party S.O.S. Romania, Diana Şoşoacă, registered in the May presidential race. Şoşoacă also ran in last year’s presidential race, but the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) rejected her candidacy. Elena Lasconi qualified for the final round of the presidential race, along with the pro-Russian extremist Calin Georgescu, but the CCR cancelled the vote due to the flaws in the electoral process which favored Georgescu. The Court definitively rejected Georgescu’s candidacy for the upcoming election. Following this decision, the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, and the leader of the populist ultranationalist Party of Young People (POT), Ana Maria Gavrilă, who supported Georgescu, announced that they would submit their candidacies, with one of them withdrawing after their validation. The former Social Democratic (PSD) leader and former Prime Minister Victor Ponta also entered the competition. Following this move, the PSD leadership excluded him from the party. The government coalition (PSD – PNL – UDMR) has a common candidate, the former liberal leader Crin Antonescu. He and the current Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, are the only political competitors accepted, so far, by the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) and validated by the CCR. The deadline for registering candidacies at the Central Electoral Bureau is March 15.

     

    ID – The first Romanian electronic identity cards will be issued in a week in Cluj County (northwest), and in the next two months, this type of document will be available throughout the country, the Interior Ministry (MAI) announced. The electronic identity card will have a standard size, similar to bank cards. In printed format, it will contain the name, surname, citizenship, date of birth, gender, a photo and the personal identification number (CNP), as well as the handwritten signature. The electronic format will also include other information, such as the parents’ first names, domicile, the prints of two fingers of the ID holder and digital certificates for authentication or electronic signature. According to the MAI, the electronic identity card will contain advanced security elements which ensure protection against forgery and identity theft. In Romania, the electronic identity card is not mandatory, and those who do not want it, can request simple identity cards, without a microchip.

     

    Deficit – Romania’s trade deficit increased by 38% in January, compared to the same period last year, data from the National Institute of Statistics shows. In 2024, Romania exported goods worth 6.5 billion Euros and imported goods worth 11.4 billion Euros. Romania continues to have a major deficit, especially in relations with China, Germany and Poland, while recording surpluses with the UK, the Republic of Moldova and the US, although at smaller volumes. A vulnerable sector remains trade in agricultural and food products, where Romania mainly exports raw materials and imports finished products. To reduce the trade deficit, of about 5 billion Euros, experts recommend a strategy focused on the export of value-added products and more efficient use of statistical data for better-founded economic decisions.

     

    Pensions – Pensioners in Romania whose pension incomes do not exceed 2,574 lei (517 Euros) will receive financial support of 800 lei (160 Euros). The decision, approved on Thursday by the Romanian Government, stipulates that the amount will be granted in two equal installments of 400 lei (80 Euros) in April and December respectively. In the case of people whose pension rights are established after April 1, the financial aid will be granted in December and will amount to 400 lei (80 Euros). The support targets Romanian pensioners residing in the country or abroad. According to official data, almost 2.7 million pensioners have incomes lower than or equal to 2,574 lei (517 Euros), and of these, over 86,000 are in the Diaspora. Also on Thursday, the executive amended, by emergency ordinance, the Statute of Forestry Personnel. Thus, the bonuses equivalent to at least 5 salaries for the last month of activity were eliminated, which, in the case of the heads of the National Forestry Agency, amounted to 10 salaries. Romsilva employees are contesting the changes adopted by the Government. Trade union representatives criticize a 25% reduction in foresters’ income and announce a protest in Bucharest next week. (LS)

  • March 13, 2025 UPDATE 1

    March 13, 2025 UPDATE 1

    Candidacy – The leader of the populist, ultranationalist opposition party S.O.S. Romania, Diana Şoşoacă, on Thursday submitted her candidacy for the May presidential election to the Central Electoral Bureau. Also on Thursday, the president of the pro-Western opposition party Save Romania Union (USR), Elena Lasconi, will also submit her candidacy. Şoşoacă also ran in last year’s presidential race, but the Constitutional Court (CCR) rejected her candidacy. Elena Lasconi qualified for the final round of the presidential race, along with the pro-Russian extremist Calin Georgescu, but the CCR cancelled the vote due to the flaws in the electoral process which favored Georgescu. The Court definitively rejected Georgescu’s candidacy for the upcoming election. Following this decision, the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, and the leader of the Party of Young People (POT), Ana Maria Gavrilă, populist ultranationalists who supported Georgescu, announced that they would submit their candidacies, with one of them withdrawing after their validation. The former Social Democratic (PSD) leader and Prime Minister Victor Ponta also entered the competition. Following this move, the PSD leadership excluded him from the party. The government coalition (PSD – PNL – UDMR) has a common candidate, the former liberal leader Crin Antonescu. He and the current Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, are the only political competitors accepted, so far, by the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) and validated by the CCR. The deadline for registering candidacies at the Central Electoral Bureau is March 15.

    Deficit – Romania’s trade deficit increased by 38% in January, compared to the same period last year, data from the National Institute of Statistics shows. In 2024, Romania exported goods worth 6.5 billion Euros and imported goods worth 11.4 billion Euros. Romania continues to have a major deficit, especially in relations with China, Germany and Poland, while recording surpluses with the UK, the Republic of Moldova and the US, although at smaller volumes. A vulnerable sector remains trade in agricultural and food products, where Romania mainly exports raw materials and imports finished products. To reduce the trade deficit, of about 5 billion Euros, experts recommend a strategy focused on the export of value-added products and more efficient use of statistical data for better-founded economic decisions.

    Pensions – Pensioners in Romania whose pension incomes do not exceed 2,574 lei (517 Euros) will receive financial support of 800 lei (160 Euros). The decision, approved on Thursday by the Romanian Government, stipulates that the amount will be granted in two equal instalments of 400 lei (80 Euros) in April and December respectively. In the case of people whose pension rights are established after April 1, the financial aid will be granted in December and will amount to 400 lei (80 Euros). The support targets Romanian pensioners residing in the country or abroad. According to official data, almost 2.7 million pensioners have incomes lower than or equal to 2,574 lei (517 Euros), and of these, over 86,000 are in the diaspora. Also on Thursday, the executive amended, by emergency ordinance, the Statute of Forestry Personnel. Thus, the bonuses equivalent to at least 5 salaries for the last month of activity were eliminated, which, in the case of the heads of the National Forestry Agency, amounted to 10 salaries. Romsilva employees are contesting the changes adopted by the Government. Trade union representatives criticize a 25% reduction in foresters’ income and announce a protest in Bucharest next week. (LS)

  • March 2, 2025

    March 2, 2025

    SUMMIT – Leaders of Ukraine’s allies, including Romania’s interim president, Ilie Boljan, are meeting in London this afternoon for a crucial summit. They will discuss new security guarantees in the face of a US letdown following Friday’s heated meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. The Ukrainian president was warmly welcomed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday, and dozens of people gathered to cheer for him outside Downing Street. The British Prime Minister assured the Ukrainian president of the UK’s “absolute determination” to support Ukraine in the face of Russian invasion, and the two governments signed a £2.26 billion loan agreement, which the Ukrainian president said would be used for domestic arms production and would be repaid from Russia’s frozen assets in the West. Driven out of the White House after President Donald Trump accused him of not being grateful enough and refusing to make peace with Russia, Volodymyr Zelenskyy received the support of leaders of European countries, with the exception of Hungary and Slovakia. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said that the free world needs a new leader and that Europeans must accept this challenge. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, however, that the Ukrainian president must find a way to reconcile with Donald Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron said that after their falling out, the two leaders must find common ground through respect and gratitude.

     

    PROTEST – Bucharest on Saturday hosted a large protest against the government and in support of the former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu, placed on pre-trial arrest this week on a number of charges. Organized by the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), the protest gathered tens of thousands of participants in Victory Square. Protesters called for the resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the organization of the second round of the presidential election, annulled last year by the Constitutional Court. Attending the protest was Călin Georgescu himself, who is charged of instigation to actions against the constitutional order. Georgescu said only the Romanian people can judge him, and that he will not yet announce his candidacy for May’s presidential election. Attending the rally were also politicians from Bulgaria, Poland, Italy and Spain, who held speeches in support of Georgescu.

     

    ELECTION – Parties, political and election alliances, organizations representing national minorities and independent candidates have two weeks left to submit their candidacies to the Central Election Bureau for the presidential election slated for May. According to the election calendar set by the government and currently debated by Parliament, the election campaign will start on April 4 and last for a month. At home, the election will be held on May 4, while the vote abroad will start on May 2 and end on May 4. The second round is slated for May 18. This week Parliament dismissed Toni Greblă from the helm of the Permanent Election Authority and appointed an interim replacement. The Audiovisual Council also adopted a set of regulations that will apply to the election campaign.

     

    GAZA – Israel announced that it is suspending the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip, criticizing the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas for refusing an American proposal to extend the ceasefire agreement. “Israel will not accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas persists in its refusal, more consequences will follow”, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office reads. Hamas responded, describing Netanyahu’s decision to stop humanitarian aid as “cheap blackmail”, a “war crime” and “a blow” to the ceasefire agreement, Reuters reports. In a statement, Hamas urged the brokers of the ceasefire agreement to force Israel to end punitive measures against the Gaza Strip. The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement ended on Saturday without Hamas and Israel reaching an agreement to implement the second phase, which was supposed to take effect on Sunday and included the release of the remaining hostages in the Strip and a definitive end to the war. (VP)

  • The election period begins in Romania

    The election period begins in Romania

    The election period for the presidential elections in Romania begins this week, according to the calendar approved by the Bucharest Government. On September 12, the five judges with the High Court of Cassation and Justice, who will be part of the Central Election Bureau (BEC) for the presidential elections, will be elected by secret ballot. A day later, the president of the BEC will be appointed, as well as the members of the political formations that are not represented in Parliament and that proposed presidential candidates. Also, on September 14 at the latest, the Central Election Bureau will be completed with the president and vice-presidents of the Permanent Election Authority and with one representative of each parliamentary political party.

     

    September 24 is the date by which Romanian citizens domiciled or residing abroad can submit requests to vote by mail. The calendar also provides that, by September 28, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be informed about the localities abroad where polling stations must be established, as well as their number. No later than October 5th, the presidential candidacies will be submitted.

     

    It is expected that the current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, from the Social Democrats, the current Speaker of the Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, from the Liberals and the President of the Save Romania Union, Elena Lasconi, will enter the election race for the most important position in the Romanian state. The head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, George Simion, the leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, Kelemen Hunor, as well as several representatives of non-parliamentary parties and independent candidates, among whom stands out the former NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, who ended his mandate on Tuesday, are also expected to run for president.

     

    Until October 10, the process of establishing the candidacies takes place, and until October 12, the order of the candidates’ names on the ballot will be established. The election campaign will start in Romania on October 25. The voting process in the first round of the presidential elections will start abroad on November 22. Romanians in the Diaspora will vote until November 24, when citizens with the domicile or residence in the country will be asked to cast their ballot.

     

    By November 29, the names of the two candidates who will participate in the second round of voting will be announced, and on the same day the election campaign will start again. The second round of the elections for the president of Romania will start abroad on December 6 and, just like in the first round, Romanians abroad will have 3 days to express their political option. In the country, Romanians will go to the polls on December 8th. According to the Permanent Election Authority, the total number of citizens entitled to vote, registered in the Election Register at the end of August, was almost 19 million, of which about 960,000 had their domicile or residence abroad.

     

  • October 22, 2020

    October 22, 2020

    COVID-19 Romania reported on Thursday new record-high figures in terms of COVID-19 infections: 4,902 cases out of over 34,000 tests conducted, and 98 deaths. More than 10,354 people are hospitalised, 778 of them in intensive care. Since the start of the epidemic in Romania, the total number of cases has reached 196,004and the death toll stands at 6,163. The Government will amend the Quarantine Act today, in an emergency order, in view of preventing hospital overcrowding. Patients with mild forms of the disease and those without symptoms are to be treated at home, unless they suffer from previous conditions, the health minister Nelu Tătaru explained. The bill has been criticised by family physicians, who say examining patients at home is out of the question because physicians would be at risk.



    ELECTIONS Today is the deadline for entering candidacies for the parliamentary elections in Romania, due on December 6. The highest-ranking parties in polls have already submitted their lists of Bucharest candidates to the Municipal Election Bureau. Also today is the last day when Romanian citizens living abroad can register for postal voting. The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Constantin-Florin Mituleţu-Buică, says that in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, postal voting is a safe and comfortable option, which does not require traveling, costs and risks. President Klaus Iohannis said the parliamentary election is crucial, in that it represents the only democratic option that would enable a representative parliament to manage the current healthcare crisis.



    GOVERNMENT The Government is analysing in todays Cabinet meeting a draft order allowing parents to take days off from work if they need to stay at home with their children when schools are closed. The bill also stipulates support measures for employers and employees in the context of the ongoing pandemic. PM Ludovic Orban announced that also today the Bucharest Prefect Gheorghe Cojanu would be replaced. Cojanu has been criticised, including by president Klaus Iohannis, for his response when the COVID-19 infection rate in Bucharest moved over the 3 per thousand threshold. His replacement may be Traian Berbeceanu, a former police with the Organised Crime Division and currently the chief of staff of the interior minister Marcel Vela.



    MILITARY Two Romanian troops were wounded on Wednesday night in Afghanistan, during a patrol mission. According to the Defence Ministry, they are stable, under medical supervision at the hospital within the Kandahar Air Base. The 2 are members of 191st Golden Lions Force Protection Battalion, and were deployed to Afghanistan in August, for a 6-month mission. Romanian troops have been present in Afghanistan since 2003, one year before Romania was admitted into NATO. Nearly 30 Romanian servicemen have been killed in that country.



    AFGHANISTAN The situation in Afghanistan is discussed today by the NATO defence ministers as well, alongside the threat posed by Chinas and Russias space programmes, which may jeopardise NATO satellite communications. The Alliances secretary general Jens Stoltenberg explained that NATOs baseline requirements for national resilience have already been updated, including 5G and telecommunications, cyber threats, the security of supply chains, and the consequences of foreign ownership and control. Stoltenberg also voiced concern with Turkeys decision to purchase Russian S-400 defence systems, which cannot be integrated in the NATO system.



    FOOTBALL Romanias football champions CFR Cluj are playing tonight away from home against the Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, in their first match in the Europa League Group A. Also today, in the same group, the Swiss side Young Boys Berna takes on AS Rome. Kicked out of the Champions League qualifiers into the Europa League, CFR Cluj is the last Romanian club to be playing in this years edition of the European football cups. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • August 25, 2019 UPDATE

    August 25, 2019 UPDATE

    MEETING – The Chamber of Deputies will
    convene over the coming days to debate the possibility of eliminating amnesty
    and pardon as well as Emergency Decree 114, providing for a series of economic
    and fiscal measures. The opposition considers the decree to be the most toxic
    instrument in Romanian economy. The Social-Democrats say the decree also
    provides for an increase in pensions starting September 1, as well as capping
    natural gas and electricity prices for home consumers.






    CANDIDACIES – About
    one thousand Social Democrats from the PSD, number one in the government
    coalition in Bucharest, on Saturday convened in a congress to launch the
    candidacy of Romania’s incumbent Prime Minister Viorica Dancila for the
    presidential election in November. The country’s incumbent president Klaus
    Iohannis has also announced his intention to run for a second term in office
    with support from the main opposition party, the National Liberal Party. Dan
    Barna, leader of the opposition USR-PLUS, will also run for the presidential
    seat and so will Calin Popescu Tariceanu, leader of ALDE, part of the present
    ruling coalition. The former Culture Minister Theodor Paleologu is the
    candidate of the People’s Movement Party, voted unanimously on Sunday by the
    party’s national college, upon the proposal of former president Traian Basescu.






    MINISTERS – Saturday’s
    National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party also adopted
    proposals for the ministers the Prime Minister is going to submit to president
    Iohannis on Monday. The party’s secretary general, Mihai Fifor will be heading
    the Interior Ministry, Ana Birchall will become Deputy Prime Minister for
    Strategic Partnerships while MP Iulian Iancu will be Deputy Prime Minister in
    charge of economic affairs. Dana
    Girbovan had been proposed for the Justice Ministry, but the move attracted a
    lot of heat from the opposition who recalled that Girbovan was a staunch
    supporter of the justice reforms that had been proposed by PSD and ALDE with
    the alleged intention to gain control over the magistrates and hinder the
    anti-graft fight.






    GOLDEN STAG – The
    2019 Golden Stag trophy went to Eliza G of Italy. 12 artists from ten countries
    competed for the trophy. The jury decided on Saturday to award 1st
    prize to Sara De Blue of Austria, 2nd prize to Ralfs Eilands of
    Latvia, and 3rd prize to Monika Marija of Lithuania. Alfie Arcuri
    got the award for best interpretation of a Romanian song, awarded by the
    Romanian television and radio corporations. The Golden Stag Festival started in
    1968 and continued for 18 editions, the last staged in 2018. Radio Romania is
    co-producer of the festival.








    PROETNICA – The
    Pro-Etnica Intercultural Festival came to a close on Sunday in Sighisoara. For
    five days traditional ensembles of Italian, Greek, German, Roma, Macedonian,
    Serbian, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Jewish communities performed live on stage. Craftsmen’s
    workshops and national minority pavilions were open all throughout the
    festival. The 17th edition of the Festival also introduced the
    Literary Salon, a place devoted to national minority writers presenting their
    works, organizing debates, readings as well as book launches.






    TENNIS – Romanian
    tennis player Simona Halep, world no. 4, on Tuesday will be playing Nicole
    Gibbs of the US in the first round of US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament
    of the year. Another four Romanians have made it to the main draw. Sorana
    Cirstea (106 WTA) will play Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, Monica
    Niculescu (105 WTA) will play Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine, Mihaela Buzarnescu
    (136 WTA) will play Andrea Petkovic of Germany, while Ana Bogdan (147) will play
    Harriet Dart of Great Britain. In the men’s competition, Marius Copil (96 ATP)
    will take on Ugo Humbert of France.






    VOLLEYBALL – The
    Romanian national women’s team on Saturday grabbed its first win in the 2019
    European Championship, defeating Hungary 3-1 in Group C. On Friday, Romania had
    lost nil-3. Romania will next play Croatia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.


    (Translated by V.
    Palcu)