Radio România Internațional

Tag: Commission

  • TikTok management at EP hearing

    TikTok management at EP hearing

     

    The video-sharing app TikTok Tuesday defended before the European Parliament its measures to counter disinformation in the first round of Romania’s presidential election, and denied having favoured the far-right outsider Călin Georgescu.

     

    TikTok officials told the EP’s Committee on internal market and consumer protection that all candidates had been taken into account in the system without discriminating between independent contenders and those who were members of a party. The platform’s global head of product for authenticity and transparency, Brie Pegum, stated that of the networks taken down in recent months for unlawful political content, only one supported Călin Georgescu and it had much fewer followers than others supporting other candidates. She also stressed that the platform had eliminated over 66,000 fake accounts in Romania, around 7,000,000 fake ‘likes’, around 10,000,000 fake followers and 1,000 accounts that replicated candidate profiles.

     

    In turn, TikTok’s head of public policy and government relations, Caroline Greer, explained that the app had applied its own rules for electoral processes during the Romanian elections. She also added that in the months leading up to the elections she had had meetings with various authorities, including several political parties and the Romanian electoral authority. In addition, she mentioned that TikTok had 95 Romanian content moderators.

     

    Our view is strictly limited to what happens on the platform. We do not know what happens outside it, we do not know what the financial capacity of the candidates is or what they do elsewhere, the TikTok executive said. MEPs say, however, that the answers provided by the company do not clarify the question marks related to the transparency of the app operation or the tools used in countering manipulation.

     

    The Romanian MEP Dan Nica, leader of the Social Democratic group in the European Parliament, reiterated the request for the European Commission to get involved in the inquiry. He believes that it is important for European institutions to step in to prevent the misuse of online platforms for political purposes, which could affect the election process and citizens’ confidence in democracy.

     

    In fact, after the first round of the presidential election on November 24, Romania called on the European Commission to launch a formal investigation into the TikTok platform, based on the EU’s social media rules, which require companies to assess and mitigate threats to election integrity. Similar accusations were made against TikTok in connection with the recent parliamentary elections in Ireland. (AMP)

  • November 27, 2024

    November 27, 2024

     

    ELECTION The Constitutional Court of Romania is expected to validate the results of the first round of the presidential election by November 28, with the campaign for the second round due to begin on November 29. The Central Electoral Bureau Tuesday presented the final results of Sunday’s ballot. According to them, the non-affiliated candidate Călin Georgescu won the first election round with 22.94% of the votes. Second came the Save Romania Union leader, Elena Lasconi, with 19.18%, followed by the president of the Social Democratic Party, PM Marcel Ciolacu, with 19.15%. Ranking below them are the head of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, with 13.86%, the president of the National Liberal Party, Nicolae Ciuca with 8.79% and the former NATO deputy secretary general Mircea Geoană, who ran independently and was voted for by 6.32% of the voters. The other candidates got less than 5% each.

     

    EU The European Parliament is today voting on the new European Commission team, headed for her second term in office by Ursula von der Leyen. Romania’s nomination, Roxana Mînzatu, has been designated for a vice-president post in the new Commission, in charge with people, skills and preparedness. Von Der Leyen wants a different structure for the Commission, with 6 vice-presidents and 20 commissioners. The new body is to take office on December 1. Also today, the EP is to vote on the bloc’s budget for next year, which will be 6% higher than in 2024, namely almost EUR 199.5 billion in commitments and EUR 155 billion in total payments.

     

    MOLDOVA The European Parliament prepares a EUR 1.8 bln financial package for the Republic of Moldova. Convening in a plenary meeting in Strasbourg, MEPs agreed that the result of Moldova’s referendum on EU integration compels the Union to take measures to support the country. The Romanian MEP Siegfried Mureşan explained that, among other things, the EP will look into ways to adjust the grant-to-loan ratio. In turn, Victor Negrescu, a vice-president of the EP, said the goal was for the final vote on this package to take place in May 2025. He also said steps are being taken to open an EP office in Moldova’s capital city, to provide consultancy and support in transposing the EU legislation into national law. Meanwhile, Chişinău yesterday hosted the 10th Forum on European Integration, attended by Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu. Moldova submitted its official EU accession application on March 4 2022, just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, and in June 2022 the European Council acknowledged Moldova as on accession candidate country.

     

    SALARIES Gross minimum wages in Romania will be raised as of January 1 from approx. EUR 743 to roughly EUR 814, according to negotiations between the government, employers’ associations and trade unions. The bill drafted by the labour ministry has been subject to public review and might be approved by the government in today’s meeting. Romania may thus come in line with a European directive under which workers have the right to fair wages, able to ensure decent living standards. Gross minimum wages should range between 47% and 52% of the national gross average salaries, and a number of criteria should be taken into account, such as spending power, salary increase rates and national productivity rates.

     

    FOOTBALL Romanian football champions FCSB play on Thursday on home turf against Olympiakos Piraeus, in the 5th round of Europa League. FCSB rank 8th, with 9 points (3 wins and a defeat) while Olympiakos, the defending Conference League champions, rank 11th, with 7 points. The Romanian team is also to play in the current Europa League season against Hoffenheim (December 12, away from home), Qarabag (January 23, away from home) and Manchester United (January 30, on home turf). The top 8 teams qualify in the 8th-finals, while the teams ranking 9th to 24th will take part in playoffs for the 8th-finals. (AMP)

  • February 7, 2024

    February 7, 2024

    EU STRASBOURG The unity of the UE is being
    tested, said the president of Romania in his address before the European
    Parliament on Wednesday, as
    part of a debate in the This is Europe series. According to the Romanian
    official, instability has reached alarming levels in the EU. The European
    Union must improve the efficiency of its decision-making processes, and Romania
    is fully engaged in this effort, he added. As for the war in neighbouring
    Ukraine, Klaus Iohannis said Europeans must stand by Ukraine and its people. Prior to the address, the Romanian official had
    a meeting with the president of the EP, Roberta Metsola, and discussed Romania’s
    Schengen accession, the war in Ukraine and the neighbouring R. of Moldova. Romania’s
    full Schengen accession as soon as possible, with its land borders as well,
    will considerably strengthen the Union and its security and will facilitate
    cohesion and cooperation among member states, the Romanian official argued. In
    turn, Metsola said Europe would be stronger with Romania in the Eurozone and the
    Schengen area, and told Romanians it was important for them to take part in
    June’s elections for the EP and not to take Europe for granted.


    MOLDOVA For the Republic of Moldova, carrying on and
    consolidating strategic relations with neighbouring Romania in all sectors is a
    priority, was the message brought to Bucharest by Chişinău’s new foreign
    minister, Mihai Popşoi. He had talks with his Romanian counterpart, Luminiţa
    Odobescu, and was also received by PM Marcel Ciolacu, who emphasised the interest
    in developing joint projects benefitting the citizens of both states. Romania will
    continue to support Moldova in its EU accession negotiations, the Romanian
    official promised.


    FARMERS
    The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced
    the EC was dropping a proposal to halve the use of pesticides across the EU,
    and explained this had become a symbol of polarisation. The move seems to be a
    concession to the farmers protesting in many EU member states. Meanwhile, the
    EC proposed last week a partial derogation from rules obliging farmers to keep
    certain areas non-productive, and a limitation of Ukrainian imports, while also
    promising to streamline the Common Agricultural Policy.


    NAVAL The Damen Shipyard in Galaţi (south-eastern
    Romania) will build a state-of-the-art multifunctional vessel for the
    Portuguese Navy. The ship will be able to conduct ocean research missions,
    search and rescue as well as emergency aid missions, and will be equipped with a
    UAV launching system. Damen Group was awarded the construction works following
    an EU call for tenders. Funding will be provided under the EU Recovery and Resilience
    Mechanism.


    MIDDLE EAST The US secretary of state
    Antony Blinken is in Israel today, at a time when Tel Aviv is analysing
    the response given by Hamas to a proposed truce, including hostage releases,
    after 4 months of war that have seen countless victims. Blinken, whose country
    is a close ally of Israel, said he would discuss the Hamas answer with the
    Israeli authorities today, as part of his 5th tour in the Middle
    East since October 7. The US secretary of
    state, who has visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt and
    Qatar, is to travel next to the West Bank, an autonomous Palestinian territory
    occupied by Israel since 1967.


    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea plays today in the
    eighth-finals of the WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi (UAE), against third-seed
    Maria Sakkari of Greece (9 WTA). Cîrstea (26 WTA), leads 2-1 head-to-head, the
    Greek player having won the last match 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the second round at
    Cincinnati. (AMP)

  • May 3, 2023

    May 3, 2023

    BANK The foreign currency reserves of the
    National Bank of Romania were in excess of EUR 53 bln at the end of April, up 0.21%
    compared to the previous month. The gold reserves stay at 103.6 tonnes. High
    forex reserves ensure investor confidence, analysts explain, adding that this
    was mostly due to EU fund receipts.


    UNEMPLOYMENT The unemployment rate in Romania dropped slightly, from
    5.5% in February to 5.4% in March, but unemployment among youth remains high,
    at 22.2%, the National Statistics Institute reports. The number of people
    between the ages of 15 and 74 receiving unemployment benefits in March was over
    453,000, a decrease compared both to the previous month of this year and to the
    corresponding period in 2022. Among men, the rate was 5.8%, whereas the
    proportion of unemployed women was 5%. For adults aged 25 to 74, the
    unemployment rate stood at 4.4%.


    CORONATION Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of
    Romania, and the Prince Consort, will take part on Saturday in the coronation
    of King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
    the Royal House of Romania announced today in a Facebook post. In the 157 years of existence of the Royal House of
    Romania, the connection with the British royal family has been steady, based on
    admiration, respect and affection, both in its official dimension, representing
    the two nations, and in its private, family aspect, reads the post. The Royal
    House adds that this reliable relationship has spanned the 19th, 20th
    and 21st centuries and five generations.


    PRESS The World Press Freedom
    Day celebrated on the 3rd of May occasioned the opening of a special
    exhibition at the National Romanian Literature Museum in Bucharest. The event
    was organized jointly with the Romanian Union of Professional Journalists. The
    exhibition, which opens a series of events devoted to journalists in all fields,
    is intended as a starting point for a future Museum of Romanian Press. The World
    Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, and is
    designed to highlight the importance of and the need for freedom of expression.


    EDUCATION A draft law regulating higher education in Romania was
    approved by the specialist committee in the Chamber of Deputies, with a number
    of amendments. Among other things, grants and training programmes will be
    offered every year to Romanians from abroad who wish to study in Romania. Welfare
    grants may be received concurrently with other types of grants, should student
    meet relevant criteria. As for salaries, higher education institutions may
    increase salaries within their approved budgets. Fines have also been
    introduced, ranging from EUR 20,000 to 40,000, for those who sell BA, MA or
    doctoral theses online, in violation of intellectual property rights. The new
    laws on the undergraduate and higher education sectors will most likely be
    subject to voting in the Chamber of Deputies next week. The Senate is then to take
    its final vote.


    GRAINS The European Commission
    announced exceptional and temporary preventive measures on imports of
    a limited number of products from Ukraine. They concern only 4 products-wheat, maize,
    rapeseed and sunflower seed-and are designed to alleviate logistical
    bottlenecks concerning these products in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and
    Slovakia. Meanwhile, Romania will receive an additional EUR 30 bln
    to support farmers affected by the cheap grains imports from Ukraine. (AMP)

  • Romania takes a step closer to Schengen

    Romania takes a step closer to Schengen


    During a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, MEPs discussed Romanias and Bulgarias accession to theSchengen passport-free travel area.



    The Romanian MEPs pleaded for the 2 countries inclusion as soon as possible, given that they have met all technical requirements since as far back as 2011.



    “This year, since the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Romania has hosted over 1 million Ukrainian refugees. Romania is able to secure the Schengen border under any circumstances. The inclusion of the 2 countries will make the entire European Union safer,” the MEP Siegfried Mureşan argued.



    In turn, MEP Dan Nica described the current situation as “humiliating and intolerable” for Bucharest, and called for European solidarity. And his colleague Eugen Tomac wondered “who benefits from keeping Romania and Bulgaria outside the borderless area?”



    “Eleven years ago, the conclusion was reached that Romania and Bulgaria were ready for Schengen, yet in 2022 we are still talking about it,” MEP Cristian Terheş added, in response to the German MEP Guido Reils statement that Romania and Bulgaria must not be accepted into Schengen and that their EU accession itself was a mistake.



    Dacian Cioloş also replied to the German MEP, and said that, unless Romania had flawlessly managed the Ukrainian refugee situation, Europe would have seen what the “Wild West” with which the German official likened Romania truly means.



    Only a few other MEPs, from Italian far-right parties, opposed the Schengen area enlargement, for fear of massive migration. Most of the speakers in the European Parliament agreed however that Romania and Bulgaria must joint Schengen.



    It is not the first time when MEPs say the 2 countries are ready for this. And the view is shared by the European Commission. But the decision rests with the Council. During the talks, the Czech presidency of the Council promised that efforts were being made for a decision regarding the issue to be adopted in the Councils December sitting. According to the Czech minister for European affairs Mikuláą Bek, completing the Schengen enlargement would be a major stage in the operation of the unrestricted travel area.



    In this context, the Czech presidency announced that next week a mission would be organised, with experts from the 2 countries and EC members, to assess the implementation of the main provisions in the Schengen legislation. The EC vice-president and Commissioner for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, mentioned that Romania and Bulgaria met the technical accession criteria a long time ago. (AMP)


  • 11.09.2022

    11.09.2022

    Céréales – Le ministre des Transports de France, Clément Beaune, a annoncé la signature aujourd’hui d’un accord avec les autorités roumaines visant à faire majorer les exportations de céréales ukrainiennes vers les Etats en cours de développement, surtout celles de la Méditerranée. Conformément à un projet d’accord franco-roumain, publié par Reuters, la France devrait contribuer à l’amélioration de l’efficacité du port roumain de Galati, à la dotation des postes-frontière du nord de la Roumanie, à l’utilisation extensive des conteneurs de céréales sur le port de Constanta et dans la majoration de la capacité de ce port et du Canal de Sulina. Le ministère de l’agriculture de Kiev a récemment estimé que les exportations de produits agricoles du pays pourraient progresser jusqu’à 6,5 millions de tonnes en octobre, soit le double par rapport aux volumes du mois de juillet, suite à l’ouverture graduelle des ports ukrainiens en mer Noire, en vertu de l’accord d’Istanbul. Il y a quelques jours, le président russe, Vladimir Poutine s’est déclaré mécontent du fait que seulement une petite partie des céréales exportées d’Ukraine en vertu de cet accord sont acheminées vers les Etats pauvres. Selon le leader russe il s’agirait uniquement de 2 bateaux sur 87 qui transportaient 60.000 tonnes de produits, chiffre contredit par les analystes du ministère britannique de la Défense. Ceux-ci citent les chiffres de l’Onu, selon lesquels 30% des céréales exportées dans le cadre de cet accord ont été fournies aux Etats d’Afrique, du Proche Orient et d’Asie.

    Parlement européen – Coup d’envoi aujourd’hui à Strasbourg de la session d’automne du Parlement européen. La présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, présentera le discours relatif à l’état de l’Union européenne, son troisième discours de ce genre. La responsable européenne doit évoquer l’impact de l’activité de la Commission durant cette année et ses plans pour l’avenir, notamment pour ce qui est de la solidarité de l’UE avec l’Ukraine, des sanctions à l’adresse de la Russie, des mesures visant à assurer l’approvisionnement en énergie de l’Union et à réduire sa dépendance envers les combustibles fossiles russes. Le pacte vert européen, la transition verte, la numérisation, la réponse de l’Union à la pandémie de Covid 19, les préparatifs visant les prochaines pandémies et le plan de redressement NextGenerationEU figureront également dans le discours d’ Ursula von der Leyen.

    Charles III – Le Roi Charles III s’est rendu ce matin au Parlement britannique à la réunion commune de la Chambre des Communes et de la Chambre des Lords qui présenteront leurs condoléances au nouveau monarque. Le Roi se rendra aujourd’hui au Parlement d’Ecosse pour une réunion similaire. C’est également à Edimbourg que se trouve depuis hier le cercueil d’Elisabeth II, déplacé aujourd’hui de la salle du trône du palais Holyroodhouse, résidence officielle de la famille royale lorsqu’elle se trouve à Edimbourg à la cathédrale Saint John’s, dans le cadre d’une procession publique à laquelle participent le nouveau roi et d’autre membres de la famille royale britannique. Mardi le cercueil arrivera à Londres au Palais Buckingham. Les funérailles d’Etat de la reine Elisabeth II décédée jeudi à 96 ans sont prévues pour le 19 septembre.

    Rapatriement – La compagnie aérienne d’Etat TAROM effectue aujourd’hui un vol spécial en Grèce pour rapatrier les voyageurs roumains immobilisés à cause de la suspension des vols de la compagnie low cost privée Blue Air. L’avion rentra en Roumanie avec 189 touristes de Zakynthos et Rhodes. TAROM a déjà effectué sept vols spéciaux, dont la plupart en Grèce pour récupérer les voyageurs de Blue Air, dont tous les vols ont été suspendus depuis mardi dernier. L’opérateur low cost souhaiterait reprendre ses liaisons aériennes le 10 octobre et cela même si les autorités de Bucarest ont décidé de lui débloquer les comptes en banque. Blue Air serait extrêmement endetté à l’Etat roumain et affirme ne plus disposer des fonds nécessaires pour acheter des carburants.

    Justice – A Bucarest, les élus nationaux de la commission spéciale d’examen des lois du domaine de la Justice commencent aujourd’hui les débats par articles sur la loi visant le Conseil supérieur de la magistrature. Les principaux éléments de nouvelles lois de la Justice sont entièrement en accord avec les recommandations du rapport du mécanisme de coopération et de vérification et avec les décisions de la Cour constitutionnelle de Roumanie, figurant aussi parmi les objectifs du Plan national de relance et de résilience, duquel dépend aussi l’adhésion du pays à l’espace Schengen, affirme le ministre de la Justice, Cătălin Predoiu, initiateur des trois projets de modification de la législation. Il s’agit du statut des Juges et des procureurs, de l’organisation Judiciaire et du Conseil supérieur de la magistrature. Lors des débats généraux, il a expliqué que les nouveaux textes législatifs renforçaient le rôle du Conseil supérieur de la magistrature, celui qui garantit l’indépendance de la justice, la professionnalisation du corps des magistrats, tout en rendant plus flexibles les procédures de délégation et de détachement des procureurs par rapport aux besoins du système.

    Inflation – Le taux annuel d’inflation en Roumanie a progressé à 15,32% au mois d’août de cette année de 14,96% en juillet. Conformément aux chiffres publiés lundi par l’Institut national de la statistique, les prix des marchandises alimentaires ont progressé de 18,22%, ceux des marchandises non-alimentaires ont été de 15,98% supérieures alors que le prix des services a progressé de 8,26. La banque nationale de Roumanie a majoré à 13,9% ses prévisions d’inflation pour la fin de cette année, tout en s’attendant à une inflation de 7,5% pour la fin de l’année prochaine selon les chiffres présentées en août par le gouverneur de la Banque nationale de Roumanie, Mugur Isărescu.

    Commission – La Commission européenne doit présenter cette semaine la série de propositions décidées durant la réunion de vendredi des ministres communautaires de l’énergie pour contrecarrer la crise énergétique. Parmi ces mesures figure le plafonnement des prix à la source et l’imposition des profits des entreprises du secteur énergétique, l’argent collecté étant ainsi acheminé vers de programmes d’appui de la population. Le ministre roumain de l’Energie, Virgil Popescu affirme que la Roumanie soutient une approche équitable envers tous les Etats membres. De l’avis des autorités de Bucarest, le plafonnement du prix du gaz au niveau de l’Union pourrait contribuer d’une manière significative à la réduction de la volatilité sur le marché européen.

    Météo – Les températures sont à la baisse sur la majorité des régions et les maximas tourneront autour des moyennes pluriannuelles uniquement sur le sud. Ciel variable sur l’ouest sur sud-ouest et un ciel couvert sur le nord-est. Les maximas iront jusqu’à 27 degrés. 21 degrés à Bucarest.

  • March 29, 2022

    March 29, 2022

    ECONOMY PM Nicolae Ciucă has a meeting in Bucharest today with the EU
    Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni. The Romanian official said the
    topics approached will include the temporary emergency measures taken recently
    by the European Commission and used by the Romanian authorities since the start
    of the conflict in Ukraine. Yesterday Paolo Gentiloni discussed with the
    finance minister Adrian Câciu the refugee issue as well as the economic
    decisions to be made in the event of shocks in supply chains. The EU
    Commissioner said the Union is discussing ways to curb inflation and address the
    economic consequences of the conflict in Ukraine. There are currently no risks
    to food safety in Europe, Paolo Gentiloni also said yesterday. On Monday he was
    also received by president Klaus Iohannis, who pleaded for flexibility with
    respect to the financial resources earmarked for 2014-2020 and not yet spent, allowing
    the money to be used for handling the Ukrainian refugee situation.


    UKRAINE A new round of peace talks takes place today and tomorrow in Istanbul,
    after several rounds held in Belarus and online. Kyiv says its goals in the
    negotiations include the pullout of Russian troops from Ukraine and security
    guarantees. In turn, Moscow wants Ukraine to give up its NATO accession plan,
    to recognise the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east and the
    incorporation of Crimea by Russia. In the field, Russian troops continue to
    shell the areas around the capital Kyiv, but Ukrainian forces withstand the
    attacks. The heaviest bombings were reported near Irpin, north-west of the
    capital, where Ukrainians say they have full control. The port city of
    Mariupol, in the south, is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster and must be
    fully evacuated, said mayor Vadym Boychenko. According to him, nearly 160,000 civilians are stranded
    in the city without water, food, medicines and electricity. The Red Cross has
    already requested Russia and Ukraine to secure a
    humanitarian corridor.


    REFUGEES EU interior ministers Monday approved a plan for better coordination with respect to
    Ukrainian war refugees. The EU Commissioner for home
    affairs, Ylva Johansson, has announced that so far 3.8 million people,
    especially women, children and elderly people, have fled Ukraine. Member states
    requested additional funding from the Commission to manage the inflows, with
    the Commission announcing additional aid is already being prepared. EU interior
    ministers also agreed to launch a EU-wide platform for the registration of
    refugees arriving in the Union and applying for temporary protection. They also
    put together unified rules for receiving and supporting children, including
    unaccompanied minors, and a plan against human trafficking. In this context,
    Romania continues to support Ukrainian refugees and the authorities in that
    country. Since the start of the war, over 570,000 Ukrainian nationals have
    entered Romania. Most of them only transited the country, while around 4,300 applied for asylum in Romania.


    COVID-19 Over 4,000 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed for
    the past 24 hours in Romania, the authorities announced on Tuesday, almost
    double the previous day’s figure. Little over 2,700 patients are being treated
    in hospitals for Covid, of whom 400 in intensive care. The authorities also
    announced 45 fatalities, one of which from a previous date. The health minister
    Alexandru Rafila said COVID-19 hospitals will gradually resume their regular
    operations by the end of September.


    FOOTBALL
    Romania’s national football team plays against Israel today, away from home, in
    a friendly match. This is the second test match played by the national squad
    under the management of Edward Iordanescu. In his first game as a coach, the
    team lost against Greece, 1-0 in Bucharest on Friday. (A.M.P.)

  • Vaccination et restrictions

    Vaccination et restrictions

    Alors que l’Europe occidentale est confrontée à une nouvelle progression de la pandémie de Covid 19, la Roumanie enregistre un nombre d’infections et de décès légèrement à la baisse qui devraient arriver ces jours-ci aux niveaux les plus bas en deux mois. Le taux moyen d’infection est inférieur aux 3,5 cas par mille habitants et plus de moitié des départements du pays sont sortis de la zone rouge. Le taux de vaccination demeure péniblement bas avec quelque 50% de la population adulte du pays ayant reçu au moins une dose de vaccin. Par conséquent le danger est loin d’être écarté. Selon une étude réalisée par une compagnie médicale de Roumanie, une personne vaccinée à la troisième dose, comme le recommandent les autorités, aura dix fois plus d’anticorps par rapport aux valeurs enregistrés six mois après la dose de rappel, d’où une efficacité accrue face aux formes sévères de la maladie. Si le rythme de la vaccination ralentit en Roumanie, le pays enregistrera probablement une cinquième vague de la pandémie au mois de février.

    Ce qui plus est, les chercheurs estiment que les pays qui introduisent des mesures fermes de limitation du déplacement des personnes non-vaccinées devraient sortir plus rapidement de la crise sociale et économique pour revenir à la normale. Andrian Marinescu, directeur médical de l’Institut « Matei Bals » de la Capitale, explique ce que signifie une nouvelle vague de la pandémie dans les Etats d’Europe où la majorité des citoyens se sont fait vaccinés. « En analysant les Etats d’Europe et non seulement, où le taux de vaccination est élevé, nous allons découvrir que pour eux la cinquième vague se traduit en fait par un grand nombre d’infection et non pas par une pression accrue sur le système médical, ni par un nombre élevé de formes sévères de Covid 19. Ces aspects nous les avons découverts dès le début de la campagne de vaccination là où une certaine protection a été obtenue au niveau de la population. » a déclaré Valeriu Gheorghita.

    Entre temps, le nombre de cas de coronavirus connait une progression inquiétante en Europe centrale sur la toile de fond des nouvelles protestations contre le durcissement des restrictions, et tout le continent est à nouveau l’épicentre des infections dans le monde. L’Autriche est à nouveau en confinement pour les trois prochaines semaines, et l’Allemagne, avec un nombre record de cas de Covid envisage des mesures extrêmes. En échange, le Royaume Uni qui décompte des chiffres importants de l’épidémie exclut entièrement la vaccination obligatoire contre le coronavirus. Des restrictions ont à nouveau été introduites en Italie et la majorité des 27 Etats de l’UE imposent l’utilisation du pass sanitaire dans les transports en commun ou pour accéder à un restaurant. Des protestations, dont certains violents, ont récemment eu lieu en Autriche, Belgique, aux Pays-Bas et en Croatie suite à l’institution de nouvelles restrictions, notamment aux personnes non-vaccinées.

    Selon un communiqué officiel, la Commission européenne comprend le fait que le public en avait assez des restrictions, après deux ans de pandémie et respecte le droit aux protestations pacifiques. La Commission européenne exhorte toujours au respect des mesures décidées par les Etats membres puisque ces mesures, aux côtés de la vaccination constituent la sortie de la pandémie. Pour sa part, l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé avertit que durant les trois prochain mois, un demi million de personnes pourraient décéder à cause de la Covid 19 sur le contient, qui décompte déjà 60% du total des cas au niveau mondial.

  • Optimistic economic forecast

    Optimistic economic forecast

    Romania will have the highest economic growth rate in the EU this year, according to the summer forecast of the European Commission, which predicted the Romanian economy will grow by 7.4% this year and by 4.9% next year.



    The new forecast for 2021 is 2.3% higher than the spring estimates, because, according to the European institution, the Romanian economy performed strongly in the first quarter. The confidence of consumers and business people has also remained high so far. Private consumption is expected to stay sound, backed by the lifting of COVID restrictions, particularly in the fields hit severely by the pandemic, and by the increase in salaries in the first months of the year, the Commission said.



    Moreover, investments will remain strong in 2021-2022, supported by both the private and public sectors. Exports are set to improve in line with the ongoing recovery in Romanias main trading partners but the contribution of net exports to growth is expected to remain negative over the forecast horizon, the Commission believes. Growth is projected to continue into 2022, although at a slower pace.



    PM Florin Cîţu says these forecasts are the consequence of the private sector responding well to the measures implemented so far, and having confidence that all the reforms announced by the government will be implemented.



    Meanwhile, professor Mircea Coşea, Ph.D., explains what these figures actually mean for Romania, in his opinion:


    Mircea Coşea: “This 7% growth is actually not growth but recovery. In macroeconomic terms, there is a major difference between recovery and economic growth. What we are actually doing is recovering, that is, getting back to where we were. This is not necessarily to mean we will live better. Moreover, if we look at whats behind these figures, we will see things are rather disquieting. A recovery at this record-rate for the EU is not healthy. Compared to other countries around us, this extremely high figure means that in fact Romania does not rely on a proper economic foundation, but on loans.



    At EU level, the economy is expected to grow by 4.8% this year and 4.5% in 2022, after economic activity above expectations in the first quarter and after the easing of COVID containment measures in the second quarter. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Talks on dismantling the special section investigating magistrates

    Talks on dismantling the special section investigating magistrates

    The dismantling of the special section investigating criminal offences within the judiciary is back in the public spotlight after the Venice Commission said this was a good thing and reaffirmed that super-immunity for magistrates should be eliminated and that the Higher Council of Magistrates should not be in a position to filter out criminal charges against judges and prosecutors.



    The Justice Minister Stelian Ion explained the position of the Venice Commission, namely that the so-called guarantees for magistrates actually provide them with special immunity, which would merely “cast a shadow on the judicial process. According to the minister, there are no arguments to keep this special section in place, and a decision in this respect may be taken next week in the Senate.



    Previously, the Chamber of Deputies had upheld the position of the Higher Council of Magistrates concerning the trying of judges and prosecutors for any criminal offences, including corruption.



    Stelian Ion: “With this confirmation from an independent body of the Council of Europe, a body comprising mainly constitutional law experts, whom I would like to thank especially for answering our requests with such swiftness, and leaving aside this local turmoil, these disputes and clashes over the topic, so with all this in mind, I can see no further impediments.



    The opinion of the Venice Commission confirms that my efforts as chair of the Legal Committee and the efforts of my fellow Liberal Senators towards scrapping super-immunity for magistrates, were justified, the Liberal Senator Iulia Scântei said in her turn. According to her, by dismantling the special section, a shameful chapter of recent history will be ended, a period when the independence of magistrates was under siege.



    USR PLUS, the Liberals partners in the ruling coalition, believes the position of the Venice Commission comes as no surprise, given that the creation of this special division had been criticised by all European institutions. Investigating corruption must be brought back into the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, and the relevant amendments to the law must be scrapped, USR PLUS says.



    Conversely, the Social Democrats in opposition remain adamant that no changes should be operated on the laws regulating the judiciary without a broad consensus of magistrates over the protection of judges from any type of pressure and abuse.



    Several magistrate associations in Romania believe the head of the Higher Council of Magistrates should resign following the opinion communicated by the Venice Commission. Making the prosecution of magistrates for corruption conditional on the approval of the Higher Council of Magistrates is an unconstitutional filter and decreases public confidence in the judicial process, professional associations argue. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • 12.06.2021

    12.06.2021




    Coronavirus – Le nombre de
    contaminations au nouveau coronavirus reste bas en Roumanie. Samedi, on a
    rapporté 127 contaminations et 5 décès des suites de l’infection. 236 malades
    sont actuellement en réanimation. Le rythme de la campagne de vaccination a
    quelque peu ralenti – un peu plus de 41.000 doses de vaccin anti-Covid-19 ont
    été administrés durant les dernières 24 heures. Plusieurs mesures sanitaires évoluent à partir de ce samedi 12 juin. Davantage de personnes peuvent participer aux événements privés tels les mariages et les baptêmes, jusqu’à 200 personnes dans les espaces intérieurs et sans limite dans les espaces extérieurs, à condition que le taux d’incidence dans l’endroit où a lieu l’événement ne dépasse pas les 3 pour mille habitants et que les invités soient vaccinés, soient testés négatifs ou aient été malades de la Covid-19 dans les trois mois précédant l’événement. Le nombre de participants aux activités culturelles, artistiques ou de divertissement déroulées en plein air a également augmenté de 500 à 1 000. Toutefois, les participants sont tenus de respecter les mêmes conditions : vaccin, test négatif ou preuve d’une infection récente. De même pour les rassemblements électoraux, limités à 1 000 participants, qui doivent respecter aux mêmes règles.




    UE – La Commission européenne a
    commencé l’évaluation des plans nationaux d’investissement envoyés par les
    Etats membres qui souhaitent bénéficier du Plan européen de relance. L’exécutif
    européen a déjà réclamé à Bucarest des informations supplémentaires concernant
    les disparités entre les montants communiqués par le gouvernement pour les
    mêmes projets dans différents documents. La Commission dispose de deux mois pour
    aviser les plans nationaux, qui doivent nécessairement respecter deux
    conditions : la répartition des fonds envisagée par chaque pays doit allouer au
    minimum 37% des fonds à la transition écologique et 20% au secteur digital. L’éducation,
    la santé, les transports, l’infrastructure, la digitalisation et la réforme de
    l’administration publique sont les principaux domaines d’investissement compris
    dans le Plan national de relance et de résilience de la Roumanie. Les quelques
    30 milliards d’euro demandés à l’Europe devraient être dépensés avant la fin de
    l’année 2026.




    Culture – Un nouvel espace d’art, les
    Ateliers Malmaison, a ouvert officiellement ses portes hier à Bucarest. Le
    projet, qui occupe environ 3 000 mc d’un bâtiment historique du centre de la
    capitale, regroupe une cinquantaine d’artistes, des galeries et des
    associations culturelles. C’est la plus importante initiative de ce type à
    Bucarest, et elle suit en quelque sorte le modèle de Cluj, avec Fabrica de
    pensule / La fabrique de pinceaux, reconnue au niveau international pour
    notamment ce qu’on a appelé l’Ecole de Cluj. Les Ateliers Malmaison occupent partiellement
    deux étages du bâtiment du même nom, vieux de 177 ans. Ici ont fonctionné, tour
    à tour, une école militaire, un tribunal militaire, une prison politique durant
    le régime nazi du maréchal Antonescu et un centre de détention de la Securitate
    au début du régime communiste. Les artistes qui s’y trouvent disent vouloir réintroduire
    le bâtiment dans la vie de la ville et démarrer ainsi une nouvelle étape de sa
    longue histoire.




    Musées – La 17e édition de
    la Nuit des musées a lieu cette nuit en Roumanie, un peu avant la date retenue
    par d’autres pays européens, à savoir le 3 juillet. De nombreux événements se
    dérouleront dans près de 200 lieux culturels de 70 villes et villages un peu
    partout en Roumanie. A Bucarest, on compte plus de 40 espaces qui seront ouverts
    au public cette nuit, dont, et c’est une première, le bâtiment de l’Hôtel de
    ville, construit au début du 20e siècle. Ce soir, vous aurez le
    choix entre admirer des expositions, seuls ou lors de visites guidées, assister
    à différents concerts et spectacles ou bien découvrir des lieux plus secrets,
    comme les bâtiments des Instituts culturels étrangers ou des ateliers d’artistes.
    Lancée en 2005 par le ministère français de la Culture et placée aujourd’hui
    sous le patronage de l’Unesco, du Conseil de l’Europe et du Conseil
    international des musées, la Nuit européenne des musées a lieu tous les ans. En
    2020, à un moment où la pandémie de Covid-19 avait fortement impacté les
    institutions culturelles au niveau mondial, plus de 60 musées et opérateurs
    culturels roumains s’étaient organisés pour célébrer la Nuit de musées le 14
    novembre, notamment à travers des événements en ligne.








    Météo – Le mauvais temps continue ce
    week-end en Roumanie, avec la plupart du pays placée sous vigilance jaunes pluies,
    orages et vents forts. 15 départements sont sous vigilance jaune crues jusqu’à
    lundi midi, la où les quantités d’eau pourront dépasser, par endroits, les
    35-40 l/mc. Toutefois, les températures restent élevées, avec des maximales qui
    iront dans la journée de 20 à 29°C. 24° et un ciel couvert à midi à Bucarest.

  • 03.04.2021

    03.04.2021

    Vaccination – Le premier ministre roumain Florin Cîţu a informé que la Roumanie était dans le processus de sélection lancé au niveau européen pour produire des vaccins anti-Covid-19. Une compagnie roumaine sera évaluée par le groupe opératif de la Commission européenne pour l’étape de développement des vaccins anti-Covid. La Roumanie est représentée par neuf compagnies et deux instituts au sein du groupe de travail constitué par la Commission pour accroître la production de vaccins en Europe. Par ailleurs, on vient de mettre à jour la liste des pays jugés à haut risque épidémiologique. Les personnes voyageant depuis ces destinations doivent effectuer une quarantaine de deux semaines à leur arrivée sur le sol roumain. La liste comprend, parmi d’autres, la Bulgarie, l’Italie, la France, la Hongrie, la République tchèque, l’Autriche, la Belgique, les Pays-Bas, la Pologne, la Turquie, la République de Moldova ou encore le Brésil et l’Afrique du Sud.

    Coronavirus – La Roumanie fait état de près de 5.500 nouvelles contaminations au Sars-Cov-2 en ce samedi 3 avril. Bucarest dépasse de peu le taux de 7 personnes infectées pour mille habitants. 154 malades sont décédées des suites de la Covi-19 et environ 1.500 se trouvent actuellement en réanimation. Côté restrictions, un couvre-feu est instauré dans tout le pays entre 22h et 5h du matin. Dans les communes où le taux d’incidence dépasse 4 pour mille habitants, cette règle change de vendredi à dimanche. Durant ces trois soirs-là, le couvre-feu est imposé de 20h à 5h du matin et les commerces doivent fermer à 18h. Ces restrictions s’étendent à toute la semaine là où le taux d’incidence dépasse 7,5 pour mille habitants.


    Gendarmerie – La Gendarmerie roumaine fête 171 ans depuis sa création. La structure militaire a été fondée en 1850 à l’initiative du seigneur Grigore Alexandru Ghica. Placée aujourd’hui sous l’autorité du ministère de l’Intérieur, la Gendarmerie a pour attribution le maintien de l’ordre public, la garde et le transport de valeurs, des biens et des produits dangereux, ainsi que la protection des points sensibles d’importance nationale. Les gendarmes roumains ont participé également à des missions et des opérations extérieures, afin de maintenir la paix et la sécurité et de gérer les situations de crise.

    Pâques – Les fidèles catholiques et protestants du monde entier et de Roumanie vont célébrer Pâques demain, 4 avril. C’est la deuxième année où le Pape François présidera des célébrations en format réduit en raison de la pandémie de Covid-19. En Roumanie, la circulation des personnes est autorisée les 3 et 4 avril entre 20h et 2h du matin, pour se rendre aux lieux de culte.

    Tourisme – Les chiffres du tourisme en Roumanie montrent une baisse des fréquentations de 60% en février 2021 par rapport à février 2020, le dernier mois d’activité normale avant le début de la pandémie de Covid-19. Ce février, il y a eu 61% de touristes étrangers de moins en Roumanie et les voyages à l’étranger à but touristiques des Roumains ont baissé de 59%. Les structures hôtelières ont enregistré une baisse des enregistrements de 31% en février 2021 rapporté à l’année précédente et une baisse du nombre de nuitées de 33%. Quant au pourcentage entre les touristes roumains et étrangers dans les hébergements de Roumanie, les étrangers ont compté pour seulement 4% des enregistrements dans les hôtels en février 2021.

    Séisme – Un tremblement de terre de magnitude 3,4 s’est produit aujourd’hui en Roumanie, dans la zone séismique de Vrancea, dans l’est du pays. L’Institut national de recherche-développement pour la physique et la terre informe que le foyer du séisme était situé à 107 kilomètres de profondeur. Depuis le début de l’année, 82 séismes se sont produits dans le pays, de magnitudes allant de 2 à 4,2 sur l’échelle de Richter, la plupart dans cette même région. Le plus fort tremblement de terre de l’année dernière a eu lieu toujours dans la région de Vrancea. D’une magnitude de 5,2 et situé à une profondeur de 121 km, il a été ressenti dans la capitale Bucarest.

    Musique – Triste nouvelle pour les fans de musique traditionnelle roumaine : la chanteuse Gabi Luncă est décédée hier, à l’âge de 83 ans, des suites d’une infection au coronavirus. Elle avait commencé sa carrière en 1951, aux côtés de son père, et en 1955 elle faisait ses premiers enregistrements à la Radiodiffusion roumaine. Elle a sorti son premier album avec la maison de disques Electrecord à seulement 19 ans. Elle a fait de nombreuses tournées, dont les plus mémorables restent ceux de Berlin en ’82, New York en ’83, Paris et Madrid en ’92. La chanteuse s’était retirée de la vie artistique en 1993. La nouvelle de sa mort vient seulement un jour après qu’un autre lăutar célèbre, Nelu Ploieşteanu, est décédé des suites de la Covid-19.

    Météo – On annonce trois jours de pluies et de températures plus basses en Roumanie. Les Carpates méridionales et orientales sont placées sous vigilance jaune tempêtes de neige, à partir de ce soir et jusqu’à lundi matin. Les températures maximales iront, dans la journée, de 5° à 14°. Il faisait 12° à midi à Bucarest.

  • European coordination against Covid-19

    European coordination against Covid-19

    Ever since this spring, EU member states, each struggling to handle its own coronavirus crisis at home, answered the Commissions call for solidarity. Consequently, protection equipment was donated, medical teams were sent to countries in need, patients were treated in neighbouring countries and European citizens blocked abroad were repatriated. As for Romania, it sent medical teams to Italy in early April, to support their colleagues overwhelmed by the big number of patients. At the same time, the EU set up rescEU, a joint European reserve of medical equipment for emergency situations, financed exclusively by the Commission, to help member countries deal with the pandemic. Germany and Romania were the first countries to host this reserve and purchase the necessary equipment. The EU also extended its support to include countries in the Eastern Partnership and critical regions in Africa, Asia and Latin America. There have been constant meetings in Brussels and conference calls held by leaders of the EU countries.



    The most recent online meeting was held on Thursday evening, to decide the allocation of 220 million euros to finance the transfer of patients across borders within the bloc, to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed, as Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations spike. EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen said that, in order to facilitate these transfers, member states must supply accurate, real time data. Moreover, she sent five key messages to the member states: exchange information, exchange expertise, increase testing capacity, tracing and follow-up, and also vaccination. The Commission is also intensifying its efforts to get potential vaccines against the novel coronavirus, which will be made available to all countries at the same time. There will be a fair distribution of vaccines once available. That would be done in proportion to population, the European official explained.



    President Klaus Iohannis asked, on behalf of Romania, for more money for the diversification of the sources of these vaccines: ”As regards the vaccine against Covid-19, once available, hopefully as soon as possible, it will be distributed to all member states. However, increasing the financing available under the emergency aid instrument is also needed, in order to have more vaccine supply sources.”



    Another message sent after Thursday’s conference call was that, while fighting the pandemic, economies must be kept functional, borders must be kept open and the single European market must be protected. (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • MEPs have called for reinstating the free movement principles

    MEPs have called for reinstating the free movement principles

    Reopening borders even if the pandemic is
    not over yet is necessary, the MEPs believe, who on Friday endorsed with a
    landslide majority a resolution clearly expressing their position. A swift and
    coordinated return to a fully functional Schengen area is of utmost importance
    to safeguard freedom of movement, one of the main achievements of European
    integration, and to ensure the EU’s economic recovery after the pandemic the
    European document reads.






    At the same time the MEPs have rejected
    any uncoordinated bilateral action of the EU members underlining the principle
    of non-discrimination in the process of reopening borders. They have called for
    a new round of debates over a recovery plan for the Schengen zone including a
    series of measures for emergency situations such a second wave of the pandemic.
    The move comes after the EU countries have started to lift border control and
    travel restrictions they introduced to limit the spread of the novel
    coronavirus.






    According to the MEPs, it’s good news that
    all these restrictions are being lifted, but the way this has been done so far is
    unsatisfactory. They believe that a fully functional Schengen zone is a
    cornerstone of the way towards recovery recalling that mutual trust and
    solidarity are key values of the European Union.




    For Bucharest, Sofia and Zagreb, the
    resolution has a bigger stake, as through this the MEPs are calling on the EU
    Council and the member states to take all the necessary measures for the
    Schengen accession of Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia.




    The MEPs’ latest appeal comes after a
    similar one by the Committee on Civil Liberties Justice and Home Affairs with
    the European Parliament also being in line with the statement by EU Home
    Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson who recently proposed the three countries
    to join Schengen as the EU needs to update and strengthen this free-movement
    area.




    Long-time
    applicants Romania and Bulgaria should have joined Schengen in March 2011. They
    got the greenlight from the European Parliament a long time ago and this
    position has been constantly reaffirmed by higher EU bodies. However, their
    effective accession has been hindered by countries like the Netherlands, which
    conditioned their accession on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism although
    the community acquis criteria had been checked.




    Croatia,
    the Union’s youngest state, got the greenlight from the European Commission in
    October last year but the final decision regarding their accession needs a
    unanimous vote in the Justice and Home Affairs Council.

    (translated by bill)

  • Plans to restart the EU economy

    Plans to restart the EU economy

    The world is currently facing one of the most severe healthcare crises of the past decades, generated by the feared SARS Cov-2 virus. This has also been a major shock for the European and global economy.



    Travel restrictions, border closing, temporary suspension of businesses, drops in sales, physical distancing measures taken to contain the spread of the virus, have had negative effects on many economic sectors.



    In order to counter the chain effect of the pandemic, European leaders have called for solidarity in taking measures to mitigate the impact of the corona crisis.



    And this impact will very likely be substantial. According to the International Monetary Fund, the EU is expected to see a record drop in its GDP, by as much as 7.1% this year, while the crisis looming ahead of the 19 Eurozone countries threatens to be the most severe in the brief history of the single currency, launched in 1999.



    At a summit on Thursday, the 27 EU leaders asked the Commission to put together a plan to exit the crisis, including a draft budget for 2021-2027. This should also cover a fund for revitalizing the European economy following the containment measures. The plan should be presented next month.



    Although the exact figures have not been decided, officials talk about a plan ranging between 1 and 1.5 trillion euro.



    The French president Emmanuel Macron has admitted that a consensus is yet to be reached by member states with respect to budget transfers to the regions and sectors the worst hit by the pandemic. He pleaded for a comprehensive recovery plan, including not only loans, but also such financial transfers, and warned that “If we let part of Europe fall, all of Europe will fall with it.



    Deeply affected by the pandemic, southern European countries like Italy and Spain once again called for a new joint debt, which would enable them to benefit from the low interest rates offered to the northern member states.



    The German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised a temporary increase of her countrys contributions to the EU budget.



    The Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, backs the set up of an economic recovery fund, benefitting all member states, as an additional instrument to the support measures already taken at European level. The fund should be used for the needs in specific sectors, such as medical and economic, which have been hit by this crisis.



    On the other hand, Klaus Iohannis announced Romania will remain a firm supporter of the cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy, which, as he emphasized, have not lost their relevance in the current, complicated context.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)