Radio România Internațional

Tag: ceasefire

  • Reactions as three Gaza hostages freed

    Reactions as three Gaza hostages freed

     

    Three Israeli hostages were released on Sunday by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, more than 15 months after they were kidnapped in a terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. Israel, in turn, freed 90 Palestinian prisoners, teenagers and women, from its prisons.

     

    It was the first exchange of prisoners after the ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian enclave. Radio Romania’s correspondent in Israel reports that Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, aged between 24 and 31, were released after 471 days of captivity, and adds that, after an initial checkup, the three were taken to a hospital in the center of the country, where they will remain for several days, for full examinations. They seem to have returned to the country in good health.

     

    Doron Steinbrecher, a veterinary assistant, also has Romanian citizenship. Romi Gonen, a dancer, has Romanian roots, as do several hundred thousand other Israelis.

     

    Through its ministry of foreign affairs, Romania welcomes the release of the first Israeli hostages after 15 months in captivity. In a statement, Bucharest thanks all the national stakeholders, including top-level institutions, for their excellent and permanent cooperation.

     

    “The release of the first hostages after the agreement was signed is a time of joy and relief for the families. The ceasefire agreement must be fully implemented in order to ensure the safe return of those still detained and to end the suffering of their families and loved ones, as well as of the civilian population in Gaza. At the same time, the implementation of the agreement paves the way for a lasting peace, which would ensure the security of the region as well as the reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Gaza,” the statement reads.

     

    Romania also praises what it calls the substantial efforts of the United States, Egypt and Qatar in brokering the deal between Israel and Hamas.

     

    Under the agreement, a total of 33 hostages and over a thousand Palestinian prisoners should be released in a first stage. The deal would also increase the volume of humanitarian aid for the population of Gaza, where, since the start of the Israeli military intervention, almost 47,000 people have been killed.

     

    In a second stage, Hamas is to release the last 65 hostages, while Israel is to pull out its troops from the enclave.

     

    According to Romanian mass media, Romania’s Ambassador to Israel Radu Ioanid calls for moderate optimism, because the situation in the Middle East is very fluid, and “what is gray today is pink tomorrow and black the day after.” (AMP)

  • January 19, 2025 UPDATE

    January 19, 2025 UPDATE

    GAZA The Israeli government has nominated 33 hostages to be released by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement that has taken effect. In a first phase, on Sunday, three women were released, including one of Romanian descent and one with dual Israeli and Romanian citizenship. Romania welcomes the release of the first group of hostages, including a Romanian citizen and a person of Romanian descent, President Klaus Iohannis said. ‘We thank all our partners for their support and call for a continued implementation of the agreement and for the return of the remaining hostages to their families,’ the head of state said. Israel’s minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned in protest of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Israeli media report. Ben-Gvir’s far-right and ultranationalist party will leave the governing coalition. After months of deadlock in the 15-month war in Gaza, a three-stage agreement was reached earlier this week. During an initial six-week ceasefire, 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza are to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, while the Israeli army is to pull out of densely populated areas in Gaza. Some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage during the unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas commandos on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel. The Israeli army responded with a large-scale ground offensive followed by air strikes on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, an operation that resulted in more than 46,000 casualties, according to Palestinian authorities.

     

    UNIONS Romanian trade unionists ask the politicians in power to talk directly with the people, because social tensions are high, and the powder keg could explode at any moment. This warning was issued by the Cartel Alfa federation in a statement that says political decision-makers have abandoned open communication with Romanians. The budget deficit must be corrected by improving collection, but the government refuses to take any measures outside of recipes that have proven ineffective for years, Cartel Alfa also says.

     

    JOBS Nearly 33,000 positions are declared vacant by employers in Romania, the National Employment Agency announced. Most of them, over 20,000, are intended for unskilled applicants, another 10,000 jobs require high school, post-secondary school or vocational education, and a little over 1,900 jobs require a degree, including positions as engineers in various sectors, computer programmers, financial and accounting experts or veterinarians. Also, employers from the European Economic Area offer employment through the EURES Romania network; 100 jobs are available in Germany and Spain, and another 27in Austria, Ireland and Malta.

     

    ECONOMY The World Bank has revised downward its outlook for the Romanian economy this year, mainly due to the fiscal consolidation measures recently announced by the government. In its latest global economic outlook report, the World Bank lowers its estimate for Romania’s economic growth rate to 2.1% this year, as against 3.8% forecast in June 2024. Also, in 2026, Romania’s GDP growth is expected to be 2.6% compared to 3.8%, as estimated in June. On the other hand, economic growth in Central Europe is expected to recover to 2.8% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, thanks to robust private demand. Export growth in Central Europe is expected to remain modest due to slow progress in the euro area. The level of investments, especially in Poland and Romania, is expected to improve, thanks to structural reforms and EU funding.

     

    TRADE FAIR Romania takes part in the “Green Week” exhibition in Berlin, the agriculture ministry announced. Until January 26, the national stand presents samples of Romanian products registered or in the process of being registered in European quality systems, meat preparations and cheese varieties, canned vegetables and fruits, bakery products, honey and cold-pressed oils, syrups, wines and spirits. The 2024 “Green Week” event is attended by over 1,400 exhibitors from 60 countries, attracting some 300,000 visitors.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian-Ukrainian pair Gabriela Ruse/Marta Kostiuk qualified for the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles event at the Australian Open on Sunday, after defeating Hanyu Guo (China) / Alexandra Panova (Russia) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10/6). Ruse and Kostiuk have played two Grand Slam women’s doubles semifinals together, one in Melbourne in 2023 and one at Roland Garros in 2024. In the quarterfinals, they will take on Su-Wei Hsieh (Taiwan) and Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia). (AMP)

  • January 19, 2025

    January 19, 2025

    UNIONS Romanian trade unionists ask the politicians in power to talk directly with the people, because social tensions are high, and the powder keg could explode at any moment. This warning was issued by the Cartel Alfa federation in a statement that says political decision-makers have abandoned open communication with Romanians. The budget deficit must be corrected by improving collection, but the government refuses to take any measures outside of recipes that have proven ineffective for years, Cartel Alfa also says.

     

    JOBS Nearly 33,000 positions are declared vacant by employers in Romania, the National Employment Agency announced. Most of them, over 20,000, are intended for unskilled applicants or primary and secondary school graduates. Another 10,000 jobs require high school, post-secondary school or vocational education. A little over 1,900 jobs require a degree, including positions as engineers in various sectors, computer programmers, financial and accounting experts or veterinarians. Also, employers from the European Economic Area offer employment through the EURES Romania network; 100 jobs are available in Germany and Spain, and another 27 in Austria, Ireland and Malta.

     

    ECONOMY The World Bank has revised downward its outlook for the Romanian economy this year, mainly due to the fiscal consolidation measures recently announced by the government. In its latest global economic outlook report, the World Bank lowers its estimate for Romania’s economic growth rate to 2.1% this year, as against 3.8% forecast in June 2024. Also, in 2026, Romania’s GDP growth is expected to be 2.6% compared to 3.8%, as estimated in June. On the other hand, economic growth in Central Europe is expected to recover to 2.8% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, thanks to robust private demand. Export growth in Central Europe is expected to remain modest due to slow progress in the Euro area. The level of investments, especially in Poland and Romania, is expected to improve, thanks to structural reforms and EU funding.

     

    MILITARY Hundreds of British military vehicles are on their way to Romania by ferry, in order to take part in a major NATO exercise, London announced. 2,400 British soldiers with 730 military vehicles will form the main battle group, supported by troops from five other NATO countries, with the United Kingdom assuming command of the land component. The new Allied Reaction Force (ARF) replaced the NATO Response Force (NRF) last year, and aims to respond quickly and effectively to any threat in times of peace, crisis or conflict.

     

    MIDDLE EAST A senior Israeli official said that Israel received a list of hostages in Gaza who are to be released today by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. Israel’s national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned to protest the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Israeli media reported today. Ben-Gvir’s far-right and ultranationalist party will leave the ruling coalition. After months of deadlock in the 15-month war in Gaza, a three-stage agreement was reached earlier this week. During an initial six-week ceasefire, 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza are to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, while the Israeli army is to pull out of densely populated areas in Gaza. Meanwhile, however, the army carried on its attacks in Gaza, where at least five people were killed.

     

    HANDBALL The women’s handball team CS Rapid Bucharest face today at home the Danish side Odense Handbold, in the Champions League Group B. The day before, in Group A, the Romanian champions CSM Bucharest defeated the Slovenian side Krim Mercator Ljubljana 36-23, also at home. In the same group, Gloria 2018 Bistriţa-Năsăud were defeated, away from home, by the Croatian team RK Podravka Vegeta Koprivnica, 26-25. In the group standings, CSM are in 4th place, with 10 points, and Gloria are in 6th place, with 6 points.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian-Ukrainian pair Gabriela Ruse/Marta Kostiuk qualified for the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles event at the Australian Open on Sunday, after defeating Hanyu Guo (China) / Alexandra Panova (Russia) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10/6). Ruse and Kostiuk have played two Grand Slam women’s doubles semifinals together, one in Melbourne in 2023 and one at Roland Garros in 2024. In the quarterfinals, they will take on Su-Wei Hsieh (Taiwan) and Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia). (AMP)

  • January 17, 2025

    January 17, 2025

     

    RUSSIA The Romanian ministry of foreign affairs firmly condemns the Russian forces’ irresponsible attacks that violate all the norms of international law, and emphasises that Russia’s illegal and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine generates risks for the entire region. The statement was made as the monitoring and surveillance systems of Romania’s defence ministry Friday morning noted violations of Romanian airspace, in Tulcea county, after Russian forces resumed their drone attacks on civilian targets and port infrastructure in Ukraine. ‘Respect for sovereignty, security and peace are obligations that the Russian Federation violates systematically and without provocation. The persistent aggressive actions, the illegal occupation of some of the neighboring territories and the illegal full-scale war that Russia has been waging for almost 3 years against a sovereign neighbor are a persistent and serious threat not only to Ukraine but to the entire Black Sea region and NATO’s eastern flank,’ the foreign ministry says. The foreign ministry and the defence ministry also mention that they have been informing NATO in real time about the situations caused by these attacks, and remain in permanent contact with it.

     

    PROTESTS Several thousand police officers and employees from defence, public order and national security institutions, as well as reserve officers from all over Romania take part in a protest in Bucharest today. They are unhappy with a government order that has significantly reduced their incomes. The act scraps overtime pay and payments for days worked on weekends or public holidays. The protesters argue that the income of operational police officers will be severely affected, with decreases ranging between EUR 200 and 2,000. The participants are marching towards the ministry of finance, the ministry of justice, the labour ministry, and the interior ministry, with the government headquarters as their final destination.

     

    ELECTIONS The first round of the presidential elections in Romania will take place on May 4, and the second round on May 18, the government has decided. Stricter rules have also been set for the election campaign, especially regulating online campaigns. Failure to comply with them may entail fines for major online platforms of up to 5% of their turnover. Romanians in the diaspora will still have 3 days to vote, but on the last day, that is, on Sunday, polling stations will close at 9:00 p.m. Romanian time, regardless of the local time zone. The new provisions have been criticised by several NGOs. The presidential election was cancelled at the end of last year by the Constitutional Court, on grounds that the election process had been flawed.

     

    FLU Flu vaccination remains the easiest, safest and most effective protection method against seasonal diseases, Romanian doctors reiterate amid increases in the number of respiratory infections. Specialists emphasise that as the percentage of the vaccinated population increased, flu viruses spread less in communities decreases. A National Institute for Public Health report shows that the number of people diagnosed with respiratory infections has doubled, with almost 91,000 cases reported in the last week. There are almost 600 patients diagnosed with clinical flu and over 200 for whom lab tests have confirmed infection with the flu virus, most of them in Bucharest, Cluj, Braşov, Constanţa, Alba and Galaţi. Five more people have died from the flu, bringing the death toll since the beginning of the season up to 9.

     

    MIDDLE EAST Israel and Hamas have officially signed a ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza, after overcoming last-minute disputes. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the Security Cabinet and the government are meeting later today to ratify the document. The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he expects the implementation of the agreement to begin on Sunday as planned, with the release of the first 3 Israeli hostages. At least one of the far-right Israeli ministers who oppose the agreement has resigned. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Israel, political life in Israel is shaping up to be troubled, with a great potential for surprises and even changes.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis players Gabriela Ruse and Jaqueline Cristian, in separate pairs, qualified for the second round of the women’s doubles event at the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, after winning their respective matches on Friday in Melbourne. Ruse and Ukraine’s Marta Kostiuk won against the Australians Destanee Aiuava and Maddison Inglis 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), and in the second round they will face strong opponents in Elise Mertens (Belgium) and Ellen Perez (Australia), seeded 6th. Jaqueline Cristian and her Italian partner Camilla Rosatello defeated Cristina Bucşa (Spain) / Iana Sizikova (Russia) 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4. Cristian and Rosatello will next face Leylah Fernandez (Canada) and Nadia Kicenok (Ukraine), seeded 16th. In another first-round match in the women’s doubles, Monica Niculescu and Sofia Kenin (US) were defeated by Miyu Kato (Japan) / Renata Zarazua (Mexico), 6-4, 6-4. In the men’s doubles, the Romanian-Argentine pair Victor Cornea / Mariano Navone were defeated in the second round by Germany’s Kevin Krawietz / Tim Puetz, 4-6, 6-1. (AMP)

  • November 26, 2024

    November 26, 2024

     

    ELECTIONS The leaders of the Social Democratic Party (in the ruling coalition in Romania) have decided that Victor Negrescu should be in charge with the party’s political communication until the December 1 general elections, PM Marcel Ciolacu announced. The latter stepped down as party leader after failing to move into the second round of the presidential ballot. The leaders of the other party in the ruling coalition, the National Liberal Party, also resigned, beginning with its president Nicolae Ciuca, who only came out fifth in the first round. Party heavyweight Ilie Bolojan will serve as interim president for the Liberals. He announced his party would support the pro-European, right-of-centre Elena Lasconi in the second round due on December 8, against the pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu, the surprise winner of the first round.

     

    NATIONAL DAY Nearly 2,500 troops and specialists from the defence ministry, the interior ministry, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, the National Penitentiary Administration and the Romanian Customs Authority, with about 190 vehicles and 45 aircraft, will take part in the military parade organised on Sunday, December 1, in Bucharest, on the occasion of Romania’s National Day. Along with Romanian soldiers, around 240 foreign troops will also march in the parade, deployed to Romania from Albania, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Spain, the USA, Turkey and other countries. The foreign units include about 21 vehicles, including combat aircraft.

     

    EUROPEAN UNION A European Parliament plenary session has begun in Strasbourg, where the final vote on the new European Commission will be held tomorrow. The EU’s support for Ukraine, amid North Korea’s growing involvement on Russia’s side, and another hot topic, the Gaza Strip situation, are being discussed. Talks are also taking place ahead of the adoption of the Union’s 2025 budget. According to the Romanian MEP Victor Negrescu, one of the negotiators, Parliament managed to secure a EUR 10 billion higher budget for next year compared to 2024, namely almost EUR 199.5 billion in commitments and EUR 155 billion in total payments, including amounts for special instruments outside the multiannual financial framework. The issue of Romania and Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession will also be discussed in the evening, following a recent agreement in Budapest, according to which Austria will withdraw its veto in the Council to allow this last step. Discussions could also include references to the fact that the Dutch Parliament might block this full accession in early December, as the “Financial Times” wrote a few days ago.

     

    MIDDLE EAST Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah are about to conclude a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. According to Lebanese sources, the US and French presidents are expected to announce the ceasefire soon, after intense diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict that began last October, concurrently with Israel’s war against the Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza. The deal between Israel and Lebanon is not backed, however, by all the political forces in the state or by the presidents of local councils in the towns on the border between the two states, Radio Romania’s correspondent reports. According to him, PM Netanyahu has talks today with all the heads of the political factions in the ruling coalition in an attempt to convince them to support the agreement, and in the afternoon he will convene a meeting of the political and security cabinet to the same effect. What seems to have convinced the Israeli PM to accept the deal, the correspondent also says, was the United States’ guarantee that it would support Israel’s right to attack Lebanon if the terms of the agreement were violated. (AMP)

  • May 3, 2024

    May 3, 2024

     

    EASTER        Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians mark Great and Holy Friday, when they commemorate the Crucifixion and burial of Christ. Tonight believers attend the Vespers of the Taking-Down from the Cross, when an epitaphios is carried in procession to a low table in the church nave which represents the Tomb of Christ, with the epitaphios itself representing the body of Jesus wrapped in a burial shroud. The holy light from Jerusalem is to be brought to Romania on Saturday night and distributed to all parishes. The light is believed to be an Orthodox miracle, taking place every year on Holy Saturday in Jerusalem, at the end of Holy Week, a period of prayer when the faithful revisit the events of the last day in the life of Jesus Christ.

     

    GAZA Negotiations continue for a ceasefire and a new prisoner exchange in Gaza. The talks take place amid threats that Israel would strike the border town of Rafah, where the last Hamas units are located. But Rafah also hosts half of the population of the Gaza Strip, and the international community has warned that a land offensive there would cause a humanitarian disaster. A high-level UN official said the funds for the reconstruction of war-hit Gaza may reach as much as USD 40 bln. The UN Assistant Secretary-General Abdallah al-Dardari told a press conference that the scope of the destruction is unprecedented. Meanwhile, Gaza-related protests carry on in universities in the US. The police cleared a pro-Palestinian protest camp at UCLA in Los Angeles, with at least 200 people arrested. In Washington, president Joe Biden said that while he would always uphold the right to free speech, order must prevail.

     

    FARMERS The European Commission has extended the temporary framework enabling member states to provide state aid more easily to the farmers affected by the impact of the war in Ukraine. The mechanism was introduced in March 2022, after Russia attacked Ukraine, which triggered skyrocketing energy and fertilizer costs. The temporary crisis framework allowed member states to earmark up to EUR 280,000 in aid to affected farms until June 2024, and up to EUR 335,000 to fishery and aquaculture enterprises, as a derogation from the EU’s strict state aid rules. The agriculture ministers in 15 member countries also demanded an increase from EUR 20,000 to EUR 50,000 of the ceiling for the aid granted to an enterprise without consulting Brussels, but the request was dismissed.

     

    DISTINCTION Romanians have received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Second of May from the Community of Madrid, for their integration and for representing a cultural and economic asset for the region. “Apart from being hard-working, Romanians with their effort and courage help us create jobs and opportunities for others,” said the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuos. “The Romanian community in Madrid is not only the largest foreign community here, but also the one that contributes the most to the social and economic development of the local society,” the charge d’affaires with the Romanian embassy in Madrid, Raluca Mihăilă, said in turn. More than one million Romanians are currently living in Spain.

     

    SPORTS Romania came out 4th at the qualifiers for the European artistic gymnastics championships in Rimini (Italy), with Sabrina Voinea ranking 4th at the all-around event. Romania’s team, comprising Sabrina Voinea, Ana Maria Bărbosu, Lilia Cosman, and Amalia Ghigoarţă, was outperformed by Italy, the UK and France. On Sunday the Romanians take part in 4 apparatus finals—Ana Bărbosu in the vault final, Lilia Cosman in the beam final and Sabrina Voinea in the beam and floor finals. Maria Ceplinschi did not attend the qualifiers for health-related reasons. (AMP)

  • March 26, 2024 UPDATE

    March 26, 2024 UPDATE

    VOTE The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Tuesday turned down the simple motion tabled by the opposition USR and Force of the Right against the Social-Democratic Minister of Agriculture Florin Barbu. At the yesterday’s debates, the opposition criticized the way in which the minister handled the farmers’ protests at the beginning of the year but also the fact that he positively evoked the name of Romania’s former communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. At the same time, the initiators said that Minister Barbu defied the Romanians who are paying higher prices at the market and in shops on a daily basis, whereas he is only promoting the interests of his party. In turn, Barbu said the motion contained many falsehoods through which the signatories want to spark off confusion and irritation in order to get political capital in this election year.

     

    DAY The Romanian Cultural Institute and its representations abroad are staging a series of cultural events marking 106 years since the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, which are celebrated on Wednesday. A painting exhibition is to be launched at Romania’s Art Museum, which puts on display 100 works by artists from the Republic of Moldova while the National Theatre in Bucharest is staging three shows, involving actors from the two countries. The capital of the Republic of Moldova, Chisinau, will be seeing a classical music concert given by the National Chamber Orchestra including Romanian compositions and works by foreign composers.

     

    RESOLUTION The presidents of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, of the European Council, Charles Michel, and of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, have welcomed a United Nations resolution calling for the first time for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The UN Security Council adopted the resolution with 14 votes in favour and with the United States’ abstaining, demanding an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, which ends on 9th April, and leading to a lasting ceasefire. The resolution also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. The war in Gaza, which began five months ago, has so far killed over 32,000 people and injured more than 74,600, with most of the population of Gaza facing an imminent threat of starvation, according to Palestinian sources quoted by EFE. In response to the United States’ decision to abstain, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled an Israeli visit to the US. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Israel, Netanyahu’s decision is yet more proof of the worsening of Israeli-US relations.

     

    FINANCE Romania is still facing vulnerabilities relating to its external and fiscal accounts, the European Commission warned in an in-depth review of six member states published on Monday. According to the report, “the large current account, large government deficits and high inflation rate, which are all above pre-pandemic levels, make the economy potentially vulnerable to shocks”. So far, Romania has not had difficulties in covering its financing needs owing to its solid economy, medium-term growth and low debt levels. The report also notes that Romania’s hard currency reserves seem “broadly adequate”, covering almost five months of imports and more than 100% of short-term external debt at the end of 2023.

    (bill)

     

  • Call for freeing the hostages in Gaza

    Call for freeing the hostages in Gaza


    The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a major concern for the international community, which is seeking solutions to restore peace.



    The UN General Assembly has recently called for immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, under a resolution endorsed with 153 votes. The resolution also pleads for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas following the brutal attack of October 7, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, died, according to Tel-Aviv.



    Israels permanent representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, made it quite clear that the Israeli military operations in Gaza would only stop after hostages have been freed and Hamas has been dismantled.



    On the day of the attack, around 240 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Of these, some 135 are still in the hands of Hamas and affiliated groups, the Israeli army says, after 105 people were released during a 7-day ceasefire that ended on December 1.



    Romania joins the international community in supporting Israels efforts to get the Hamas hostages freed, PM Marcel Ciolacu said after a meeting in Bucharest on Thursday with the Israeli interior minister Moshe Arbel and the families of Romanian-born Israeli citizens held captive in Gaza.



    In the same context, the Romanian head of government reiterated that “de-escalation is a viable solution to restore security in the region.” Ciolacu once again highlighted that the Romanian government was firmly condemning the practice of hostage taking and terrorism in all its forms.



    Marcel Ciolacu also spoke about the death of Tal Haimi, a Romanian and Israeli citizen kidnapped by Hamas, and mentioned that he was just one of the victims of the “terrible attack launched by the terror group against the State of Israel.”



    In turn, the interior minister Cătălin Predoiu had a meeting with the Israeli delegation headed by his counterpart, Moshe Arbel. During the talks, the participants highlighted the need to carry on jointly the efforts to get all the remaining hostages freed and safe, regardless of the difficulty and the complexity of the process. Minister Predoiu also conveyed a message of solidarity to the families attending the meeting, and reiterated Romanias support for all the efforts that can be made to help release all the hostages.



    On the same occasion, the interior ministry said once again that Romania supported stepped-up efforts for a permanent ceasefire and for identifying diplomatic solutions for the Peace Process to be resumed. Bucharest also pleads for strict compliance with international law and international humanitarian law. (AMP)


  • November 22, 2023 UPDATE

    November 22, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT The president of Romania
    Klaus Iohannis Wednesday visited the UNESCO Heritage-listed Island
    of Gorée in Senegal, and had talks with the officials of the House of Slaves,
    now a museum. Mr. Iohannis said that Romania
    will support the efforts of Senegal’s Association for the Protection of Children
    with Mental Disabilities to ensure a better life for these children. On
    Thursday the Romanian official is to be received by his counterpart Macky Sall.
    Thursday’s agenda also includes participation in the opening of the United Nations
    House in Senegal, the opening of a traditional mask exhibition and a meeting
    with Senegalese experts who have studied in Romania. Senegal concludes the
    Romanian president’s 10-day tour in Africa, which also included Kenya, Tanzania
    and Cabo Verde.


    MILITARY Eurofighter aircraft
    from Germany arrived in Romania on Wednesday, at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base
    in the south-east of the country, in an enhanced air policing mission (Air
    Policing South), the German Embassy in Bucharest announced. In the previous
    weeks, large-scale preparations were conducted for the deployment of the German
    contingent of 150 troops. Four Eurofighter jets will be operational as of
    November 27, strengthening the air defence of NATO’s south-eastern flank.


    GAUDEAMUS The
    Gaudeamus Radio Romania International Book Fair opened its doors in Bucharest
    on Wednesday. It is one of the most eagerly awaited cultural events of the fall,
    reaching its 30th edition. Until Sunday, more than 500 releases and editorial
    events will take place at the fair. The longest-running book fair in the
    country gathers this year almost 200 participants, mainly publishing houses,
    but also educational, cultural and press institutions.


    ISRAEL The European Union, the US and Russia
    welcomed the deal for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza, over a four-day
    ceasefire. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said
    the Commission would use the truce to send as much humanitarian aid as possible
    to the Palestinian population in Gaza. In turn, the EU foreign policy chief,
    Josep Borrell, spoke about the European bloc’s willingness to get involved in finding
    a long-term solution to the conflict through the creation of a Palestinian
    state. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the Israeli government have
    agreed on a 4-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 50 Israeli women and
    children in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. The deal was brokered by Qatar.
    Hamas took around 240 hostages, including children and old people, during its
    attack on Israel in which another 1,200 people were killed according to Israeli
    sources. In turn, Hamas reported at least 13,300 Palestinians were killed in
    subsequent air strikes and the invasion of Gaza by the Israeli forces.



    BUDGET The 2024 EU budget was endorsed by the European Parliament convened
    in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The chief negotiator was the Romanian MEP Siegfried
    Mureşan. The EU budget currently stands at EUR 189 bln. According to Siegfried
    Mureşan, there are enough resources now to finance the European Union’s
    traditional priorities, such as the cohesion policy and the common agricultural
    policy. In these areas, Romania receives most of its non-reimbursable
    allocations. (AMP)

  • November 7, 2023

    November 7, 2023


    ROMANIANS IN GAZA – 103 Romanians and members of their families in Gaza were last night given permission to cross the Rafah border into Egypt, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced. The Romanians were notified about border-crossing procedures, and their evacuation to Egypt will be carried out today, in compliance with specific regulations. Subsequently, they will be flown home from Cairo onboard a special flight. Romanian authorities remain in contact with Egyptian and Israeli authorities with a view to bringing home the remaining Romanian citizens in Gaza whove asked for assistance.




    CEASEFIRE – Leaders of UN agencies have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, one month since hostilities broke out in the area. “An entire population is besieged and under attack, denied access to the essentials for survival, bombed in their homes, shelters, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable,” UN leaders said in a joint statement. The 18 signatories include Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and UN aid chief Martin Griffiths. In turn, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the situation in Gaza is a crisis of humanity, and that Palestinian territories bombed by the Israeli armed forces are rapidly turning into a “graveyard for children”. The so-called Hamas authorities announced the death toll has exceeded 10,000 in Gaza, of whom 4,000 children.




    CASH PAYMENTS – Cash payments made by natural persons or self-employed people will be restricted to a maximum of 1,000 EUR per day starting January 1, 2024, and further down to 500 EUR starting January 1, 2025. The limitation was included in the package of fiscal and budget measures over which Marcel Cioalcus Cabinet assumed responsibility in Parliament and which was ruled constitutional by the Constitutional Court. Marcel Ciolacu says the measure is designed to combat tax evasion. The Prime Minister also mentioned the government doesnt want to eliminate cash payments altogether, arguing however that Romania has the highest tax evasion rate at EU level, totaling 160 bln lei, accounting for 10% of the GDP. Representatives of SMEs and experts alike have criticized the measure.




    REVIEW – The Romanian Labor Ministry announced it will review the allowances and benefits awarded to people with disabilities in Ilfov County, after discovering irregularities in 1,400 of the 1,700 files they have examined so far. Minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu said the Ministry has notified the authorities and the members of the Ilfov County Committee for the Evaluation of People with Disabilities have been dismissed. The topic was discussed at coalition level, and its leaders decided to conduct checks regarding the way disability certificates are issued nationwide. Some 800,000 people own disability certificates and receive financial aid, which puts Romania at the top of the list in Europe, Prime Minister Ciolacu says. In turn, Liberal leader Nicolae Ciucă says it is hard to believe Romania has such a high number of people with disabilities.




    MOLDOVA – The Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), the ruling pro-European party in the Republic of Moldova, has won most of the district councils in Sundays local election. PAS failed to win in large cities. Former Socialist Ion Ceban won the race for the Chișinău City Hall from the first round. Authorities say the election campaign was marked by unprecedented interference from the Russian Federation in election processes, including the illegal funding of parties and swaying voters and candidates. The Russian Federation has denied the accusations. The local election is seen as a test ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections, which will be held in 2024 and 2025, respectively, in the Republic of Moldova. (VP)




  • May 23, 2021

    May 23, 2021

    COVID-19 The PM of Romania Florin
    Cîţu said the vaccine rollout must be stepped up so that the relaxation
    measures planned for the forthcoming period may be implemented as soon as
    possible. Several vaccination marathons are held this weekend in various
    towns in the country, and drive-thru centres are operational. Since the end of
    December, nearly 7.3 million vaccine doses have been administered in Romania,
    with more than 3.1 million people receiving the booster dose as well.
    Meanwhile, the number of new Covid-19 cases in Romania continues to drop, with
    307 new cases reported on Sunday out of nearly 18,500 tests. This is the lowest
    number in nearly 11 months. In hospitals, the number of coronavirus patients in
    intensive care is 590. Also, 56 COVID-related deaths were reported for the past
    24 hours.



    COUNCIL The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis takes part on Monday and Tuesday in a special European Council meeting to be held in Brussels. According to the presidency, the head of state will plead for quick and consistent implementation of the digital green certificates at European level, but will reiterate that these must not affect citizens freedom of movement. Iohannis will also call for a European mechanism to be put in place as soon as possible to ensure vaccine donations to non-EU countries. The main topics on the agenda of the European Council are the EU-wide coordination of COVID-19 measures, fighting climate change, and the Unions relations with Russia and the UK.



    MIGRANTS Romanian border police in Borş Sunday found 30 Syrian and Iraqi nationals trying to cross the border illegally into Hungary. According to the police, the migrants, aged between 3 and 34, were hiding in a truck registered in Turkey, with a Turkish driver, heading for France.



    EUROVISION The Italian band Maneskin won the 65th edition of the Eurovision song contest, held this year in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, under strict COVID-19 containment measures. Italys victory, the 3rd in the history of the country and the first since 1990, took place in a gala attended by only 3,500 people. The public had to produce negative COVID-19 tests and to wear face masks. Romania failed to qualify into this years Eurovision final. Over the years, Romanias best performances in this competition were two 3rd places (in 2005 and 2010) and a 4th place in 2006.



    MIDDLE EAST The UN Security Council Saturday called for full compliance with the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in its first statement since the conflict broke out on May 10, AFP reports. The Security Council members welcome the ceasefire signed on 21st May and acknowledged the major role played by Egypt and other countries in the region. Since the start of the crisis on 10 May, at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children and Hamas fighters, died in Israeli attacks, whereas in Israel 12 people died, including a child.



    FOOTBALL The football club Universitatea Craiova won Romanias Cup after defeating Astra Giurgiu away from home 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night. This is the 8th trophy of this kind for Universitatea. Meanwhile, CFR Cluj won its 4th consecutive football championship on Tuesday night, defeating FC Botoşani 1-0, away from home in the 9th round of the League I playoffs. CFR has won the national champions title 6 times before, and will be the only Romanian team in the Champions League. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • May 21, 2021

    May 21, 2021

    Covid-19RO. The number of new cases of coronavirus
    infection has been dropping in Romania. Only 484 cases were reported on Friday,
    out of 34,000 tests performed in 24 hours. The number of patients in intensive
    care has dropped too, down to 636. 49 Covid-related deaths were reported on Friday.
    The vaccination campaign continues. More than 4 million people have been
    vaccinated, 3 million of whom with both doses. In Bucharest, 36% of the
    population got at least the first jab.






    EU certificate. The European Parliament and the EU Member
    States have reached an agreement on the European digital Covid Certificate, which aims to facilitate travel
    in the EU. The so called ‘green certificate’ would allow anyone in the bloc to
    obtain a digital proof of coronavirus vaccination status, COVID test results or
    recovery from an infection. With regard to the two divergent points regarding
    the cost of PCR tests and the waiver of quarantine, it was agreed that the
    tests would be affordable and that the European Commission would allocate 100
    million Euro to purchase them; as for quarantine, Member States shall refrain
    from imposing it on those with a health certificate, unless such a measure is
    strictly necessary with regard to public health. People who have received a
    single dose of vaccine can also apply for the certificate, but only if they
    have been immunized with one of the anti-COVID vaccines approved by the
    European Medicines Agency: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson &
    Johnson. European Union officials want the European Covid-19 certificate to
    become operational next month. It will be discussed at the EU summit on 24-25
    May, and then an agreement will have to be approved in the European
    Parliament’s plenary session on 7-10 June.




    CoE. The head of the
    Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu, participates, today, in the 131st meeting
    of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), in
    videoconference system. The agenda of talks includes topics such as democracy,
    conflicts and crises in Europe. According to a communiqué of the MFA, during
    his intervention, Minister Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s position in
    favor of streamlining multilateralism and strengthening resilience based on
    democratic values ​​and international law. At the same time, he strongly
    supports freedom of expression and the fight against discrimination, racism,
    xenophobia and hate speech.




    Ceasefire. The EU has
    hailed the cease of the fire between Israel and Hamas and has committed to
    supporting efforts to find a long-term political solution to the conflict. The
    truce, mediated by Egypt, came into force today, putting and end to 11 days of heavy
    fighting. More than 230 Palestinians, of whom half women and children, have
    been killed in Gaza. Also, in Israel, 12 people, including 2 children, have
    been killed since the start of the conflict. The US President Joe Biden has
    stated that the ceasefire is an opportunity to move forward towards achieving peace.






    Celebration. Today, Orthodox
    Christians and Greek Catholics in Romania celebrate the Saint Emperors
    Constantine and Helena, the spiritual protectors of the Patriarchal Cathedral in
    Bucharest. Constantine was the first Christian emperor to become a saint. He
    ruled the Roman Empire between 306 and 337 and radically changed imperial
    policy toward Christians. More precisely, in 313, he promulgated a decree
    granting them the freedom to express their faith, after 250 years of
    persecution. Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, distinguished herself by finding
    the wood of the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified and by building
    several churches in the Holy Places. On this day, more than 1.8 million
    Romanians celebrate their name day.






    Swimming. Romanian swimmer
    Robert Glinta won the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke event at the European
    Swimming Championships in Budapest on Thursday. It is the first gold obtained
    by Romania at a European Swimming Championship for seniors in the men’s events
    and the first after a break of 17 years, the last achievement belonging to the
    girls, through Camelia Potec in 2004, in Madrid, in the 200 m freestyle. Also
    at the European Championships in Budapest, Robert Glinta, qualified for the
    Tokyo Olympics in the 100 m backstroke event, also won the 50 m backstroke
    silver. (MI)



  • May 21, 2021

    May 21, 2021

    Covid-19RO. The number of new cases of coronavirus
    infection has been dropping in Romania. Only 484 cases were reported on Friday,
    out of 34,000 tests performed in 24 hours. The number of patients in intensive
    care has dropped too, down to 636. 49 Covid-related deaths were reported on Friday.
    The vaccination campaign continues. More than 4 million people have been
    vaccinated, 3 million of whom with both doses. In Bucharest, 36% of the
    population got at least the first jab.






    EU certificate. The European Parliament and the EU Member
    States have reached an agreement on the European digital Covid Certificate, which aims to facilitate travel
    in the EU. The so called ‘green certificate’ would allow anyone in the bloc to
    obtain a digital proof of coronavirus vaccination status, COVID test results or
    recovery from an infection. With regard to the two divergent points regarding
    the cost of PCR tests and the waiver of quarantine, it was agreed that the
    tests would be affordable and that the European Commission would allocate 100
    million Euro to purchase them; as for quarantine, Member States shall refrain
    from imposing it on those with a health certificate, unless such a measure is
    strictly necessary with regard to public health. People who have received a
    single dose of vaccine can also apply for the certificate, but only if they
    have been immunized with one of the anti-COVID vaccines approved by the
    European Medicines Agency: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson &
    Johnson. European Union officials want the European Covid-19 certificate to
    become operational next month. It will be discussed at the EU summit on 24-25
    May, and then an agreement will have to be approved in the European
    Parliament’s plenary session on 7-10 June.




    CoE. The head of the
    Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu, participates, today, in the 131st meeting
    of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), in
    videoconference system. The agenda of talks includes topics such as democracy,
    conflicts and crises in Europe. According to a communiqué of the MFA, during
    his intervention, Minister Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s position in
    favor of streamlining multilateralism and strengthening resilience based on
    democratic values ​​and international law. At the same time, he strongly
    supports freedom of expression and the fight against discrimination, racism,
    xenophobia and hate speech.




    Ceasefire. The EU has
    hailed the cease of the fire between Israel and Hamas and has committed to
    supporting efforts to find a long-term political solution to the conflict. The
    truce, mediated by Egypt, came into force today, putting and end to 11 days of heavy
    fighting. More than 230 Palestinians, of whom half women and children, have
    been killed in Gaza. Also, in Israel, 12 people, including 2 children, have
    been killed since the start of the conflict. The US President Joe Biden has
    stated that the ceasefire is an opportunity to move forward towards achieving peace.






    Celebration. Today, Orthodox
    Christians and Greek Catholics in Romania celebrate the Saint Emperors
    Constantine and Helena, the spiritual protectors of the Patriarchal Cathedral in
    Bucharest. Constantine was the first Christian emperor to become a saint. He
    ruled the Roman Empire between 306 and 337 and radically changed imperial
    policy toward Christians. More precisely, in 313, he promulgated a decree
    granting them the freedom to express their faith, after 250 years of
    persecution. Constantine’s mother, St. Helena, distinguished herself by finding
    the wood of the Holy Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified and by building
    several churches in the Holy Places. On this day, more than 1.8 million
    Romanians celebrate their name day.






    Swimming. Romanian swimmer
    Robert Glinta won the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke event at the European
    Swimming Championships in Budapest on Thursday. It is the first gold obtained
    by Romania at a European Swimming Championship for seniors in the men’s events
    and the first after a break of 17 years, the last achievement belonging to the
    girls, through Camelia Potec in 2004, in Madrid, in the 200 m freestyle. Also
    at the European Championships in Budapest, Robert Glinta, qualified for the
    Tokyo Olympics in the 100 m backstroke event, also won the 50 m backstroke
    silver. (MI)



  • July 27, 2020 UPDATE

    July 27, 2020 UPDATE

    CORONAVIRUS Romanian authorities announced on Monday that local lockdown is not
    necessary in any of the 12 localities in Arges County, in the south, where the
    number of COVID-19 cases has risen substantially as of late.The number of new coronavirus
    infections in this county has exceeded 100 for the 5th consecutive day. The
    town of Faget and three nearby villages in Timis county, in the western part of
    Romania, are in lockdown for 14 days beginning on Sunday evening. Faget, where
    47 cases were confirmed, is the third locality in Romania to go into lockdown
    after Cartojani in Giurgiu county and Gornet in Prahova county, in the south.
    The number of coronavirus cases in Romania gets close to 46,000, with more than
    1,000 new cases reported on Monday, for the 6th day in a row. More than 25,800
    people have recovered and over 6,900 are in hospital, including 353 in
    intensive care. 19 new deaths were reported on Monday, taking the death toll to
    2,206. A growing number of countries are introducing restrictions for Romanian
    citizens. Cyprus, Finland and Lithuania have closed their borders to Romanian tourists.
    Travelers arriving in Greece from Romania by plane are now required to produce
    a negative Covid-19 test as well. The test must have been conducted no more
    than 72 hours prior. The measure is in place until August 4. Other countries,
    including Italy, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Estonia and Latvia have introduced 14-day
    isolation requirements for travelers from Romania, the Netherlands recommends
    isolation, while Hungary,m Belgium and France recommend testing. New entry
    conditions are also in place for travelers arriving in Austria from Romania. A
    negative Covid-19 test must now be produced that was conducted 72 hours prior
    instead of 4 days prior, and the isolation period has been reduced from 14 to
    10 days. These measures will remain in place at least until the end of September.




    WORKERS The Romanian foreign ministry announced on Monday that 150 Romanian nationals working on a farm in Dingolfing-Landau in south-eastern Germany have tested positive for COVID-19. The farm, which has been placed under lockdown by local authorities, employs nearly 480 people, most of them Romanian citizens. So far Romanias consular office in Munich has not received any requests for consular assistance from the employees of the farm in question, but it stays in contact with local authorities and with the employer, and is ready to provide assistance if necessary.




    UPDATE An updated list of countries of high epidemiological risk is available as of Monday. People coming from these countries to Romania must quarantine for 14 days. The list includes 44 countries and regions considered to be in the yellow area, and is available on the website of the National Public Health Institute. The quarantine location can be at home or at another location chosen by the individuals in question, or at a location decided by the authorities. The list was last updated on July 7.




    PARLIAMENT The Parliament of Romania continues its special session this week. The agenda of the Senate includes a citizen initiative under which convicted criminals are no longer allowed to hold public office. Debates on this topic were postponed twice last week, due to the lack of quorum. The bill has already been endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies. Also discussed in the Senates expert committees will be the issue of the Romanian seasonal works who left for Germany from the International Airport of Cluj Napoca, in spite of the fact that a military order was in place. On Monday the Chamber of Deputies passed a bill under which the date of parliamentary elections must be set by law at least 60 day prior to ballot date. Previously, it was the Government that set the date of parliamentary elections. The bill was also passed by the Senate on the same day.




    UKRAINE A ceasefire backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskiy came into force in Ukraine on Monday. This is the most recent reconciliation attempt in a series of failed peace efforts between government forces and the pro-Russian rebels. Putin expressed concerns over a recent bill in the Ukrainian parliament paving the way for regional elections in 20220, saying it runs counter to the Minsk agreements and puts settlement prospects in jeopardy. Kiev plans to hold regional elections in October all over the country except for the separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. Around 13 thousand people have been killed in the conflict, according to UN estimates. Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of direct involvement in the conflict. (Translated by Elena Enache, Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • September 12, 2016

    September 12, 2016

    A NEW SCHOOL YEAR — Education and not corruption should mark the way to success in Romania, said Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, during the ceremonies occasioned by the start of a new school year. He has made public one of his wishes for Romania, in his capacity as head of state, namely a society upholding real values. This prompted him to launch the project “Educated Romania”, focussing on a different type of education, adapted to the needs of society. In turn, PM Dacian Ciolos says the Romanian education system should bring a change of perspective and let pupils room to express themselves and to learn to be responsible. He urged pupils to take confidence in their own forces and not to simply chase high grades and “empty titles, depleted of any content”, which do not bring them any progress at personal level. Over 3 million pupils have today started a new school year.



    ROMANIAN-FRENCH TIES — French President, François Hollande, is paying a state visit to Romania. On Tuesday, he will be received in Bucharest by his Romanian counterpart, Klaus Iohannis. The two high officials will approach issues on the bilateral as well as the European agenda, following Great Britain’s decision to leave the community block. François Hollande and Klaus Iohannis will also visit the Research Centre in Magurele, near Bucharest. Agreements in the field of education and research will be signed with the two presidents in attendance. They will also participate in the Economic Forum” Future French-Romanian Partnerships”. Romania counts on a boost in the bilateral economic relations, France being Romania’s fourth largest trading partner and the fifth largest investor. According to the French Presidency, François Hollande, will attend the inauguration of an Airbus helicopter factory in Brasov, central Romania. The Romanian authorities intend to boost the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, after in June, the French and Romanian prime ministers revised and signed the roadmap. We recall that Romania, a Francophone and Francophile country was the first southeast European state to strike a Strategic Partnership with France, in 2008. The Partnership was signed in Bucharest by the then presidents, Nicolas Sarkozy and Traian Basescu.



    ROMANIAN DIASPORA — The minister delegate for the relation with the Romanian Diaspora, Maria Ligor, has met with members of the Romanian community in Canada, where she underlined the importance of voting by mail. The Romanian official has presented the measures that have already been taken and are considered for implementation in the ensuing period of time, which are aimed at enhancing professionalism, transparency and efficiency of the Department of Policies for the Relation with the Romanian Diaspora. Talks also laid emphasis on the high interest for cooperation in such domains as tertiary education, business, promotion of Romanian artists, substantiating and evaluating the consequences of public policies on Romanian communities living outside the country’s borders. Maria Ligor has also met with the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees, John McCallum, together with whom she approached ways to boost bilateral cooperation, including a visa waiver for Romanian citizens and boosting cooperation between the EU and Canada.



    ROMANIAN CARRIERS — Romanian carriers are today running at low speed on ring roads across the country, again, in protest against the high mandatory liability insurance premiums. They protested every Monday in recent times, and in the absence of a measure taken by the government, they will stage a big rally at national level on September 15. Meanwhile, the government has made public its decision to change the laws on mandatory liability insurances. According to a draft emergency ordinance that has been launched for public debate by the Finance Ministry, contracts can also be signed for a period ranging from one month to one year and the payment can also be made in instalments. Furthermore, the beneficiary can request the termination of the contract. A ceiling will be introduced for the level of premiums, with the Financial Surveillance Authority being allowed to change them.



    REDUNDACIES — Some 850 employees of the Hunedoara Energy Compound in western Romania will be laid off, under a restructuring program which takes effect as of today. Trade unions have made public their decision to give up on the planned protests after reaching an agreement with the company management on Friday and signing a Collective Employment Agreement, which stipulates, among others, the rights of those to be made redundant. The management has announced the restructuring program will not impact labour productivity and will allow for continuing activity in the following years. Collective layoffs do not solve the problems that have long been outstanding at the Hunedoara Energy Compound, the more so as the company’s debts to the state budget and to its suppliers exceed some 330 million Euros. Furthermore, nothing has been done in the past three years to render the activity more efficient.



    SYRIA — The nationwide ceasefire agreement in Syria, negotiated by the US and Russia, is to come into effect today, after a weekend marked by heavy air strikes, which took some 100 lives, among civilians. The agreement has been negotiated by US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, and provides for a nationwide ceasefire, improved humanitarian access and joint military actions against Islamist groups such as the Islamic State and the former AL-Nusrah Front, affiliated to Al Qaeda. Many Syrian rebel groups have shown reservation towards the planned peace deal, saying it only strengthens the regime in Damascus and increases the suffering of the people, the BBC and FP report. The regime of Bashar al-Assad and his allies have announced they will abide by the ceasefire.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep, continues to be ranked as world no.5 in the WTA rankings made public today, whereas German Angelique Kerber becomes the new no.1 in tennis. Romanian Irina Begu ranks 23rd, Monica Niculescu 55th and Sorana Carstea 89th. (Translated by Diana Vijeu)