Radio România Internațional

Tag: conflict

  • 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)


  • Ce înţelegem din ce nu se vede

    Ce înţelegem din ce nu se vede

    În Ucraina continuă luptele. Sunt oprite pe rând ba ofensiva ucraineană, ba cea rusească. După lupte și pierderi semnificative, beligeranții revin la pozițiile anterioare. Este definiția clasică a războiului de poziții, a luptei încremenite în pământ dar cu foc și sânge curgând peste tot.



    În Israel, al doilea război al momentului, peste 200 de cetățeni răpiți la 7 octombrie rămân în mâinile teroriștilor. În același timp, armata israeliană și-a continuat acțiunea în Gaza, a înconjurat un spital sub care ni s-a spus ca se află un întreg orășel subteran, construit de Hamas. Luptele continuă și aici. Oricine ar fi presupus că așa se va întâmpla: atacul din 7 octombrie al militanților veniți din Gaza avea să fie urmat de acțiunea armatei israeliene, pentru care răzbunarea este cea mai puțin importantă intenție. Soldații statului atacat vor să-i salveze pe cei răpiți și să-i distrugă pe atacatori. Populația civilă, neimplicată în atacul declanșator al războiului, a fost sfătuită insistent să plece spre sudul Fâșiei Gaza.



    În sud se află o țară arabă, Egiptul, care nu vrea însă nici să-și ia responsabilitatea primirii pe teritoriul său a unor refugiați care ar putea ascunde militanți periculoși, nici să importe fenomene care i-ar afecta activitatea turistică intensă. Nu se vede, dar se înțelege. Israelul nu vrea să scape din mână acest exod, fiind pe urmele celor care au semănat moartea la 7 octombrie. Și nici să riște introducerea unor arme clandestin, printre ajutoarele umanitare atât de necesare în Gaza.



    Dacă Israelul le cere civililor palestinieni să plece în sud, militanții nu îi lasă, nefiind nicio îndoială că se ascund în spatele lor sau printre ei. În lumina frontului, așa se văd lucrurile. Dar peste tot se vorbește, nu de cei 200 de ostateci, de fapt, persoane răpite, ci de ecuația mai amplă, mai largă, care ar explica și ce se întâmplă acum, și ce se va întâmpla în lume. Se spune că nu este pentru oricine, aceste ecuații speciale nu sunt la înțelegerea oricărui om de pe pământ.



    În valuri consecutive, explicația implică statele vecine, apoi vecini indirecți, se duc spre bazele militare și drumuri comerciale anterioare. Se ajunge până în Rusia și China, cei doi poli care își revendică un loc esențial, dacă nu bipolar, în viitorul planetei. În prezent, acest rol este doar antiamerican, dar se lucrează la o coaliție internațională care să funcționeze cât mai eficient și în mai multe domenii. Mult entuziasm s-a cheltuit la lansarea acestei alianțe de tip tiermondist, dar calculele reale ale situației existente îi îndeamnă la precauție pe cei care ar fi trebuit să evolueze în siajul axei Beijing-Moscova.



    Atracțiile rămân tot în lumea occidentală, și știu asta și oligarhii ruși sau puternicii politicieni care și-au trimis familiile acolo, cu tot cu diferitele agoniseli. O știu și oamenii din China, și din Iran, și din Brazilia, și din Africa de Sud, ce nu par dispuși să treacă la războaie economice și să-și reducă semnificativ nivelul de lux și trai. În ultimul timp, atracția strălucitoare a noilor centri internaționali de putere a început să genereze teamă și reținere. Mișcarea migraționistă vizează în continuare Europa și SUA. Nimeni nu se refugiază în Rusia sau China, ci dimpotrivă, de acolo se pleacă.



    Promisiunile belicoase au pălit sub presiunea preocupărilor de zi cu zi, schimbările esențiale în echilibrul politic internațional se amână sau se anulează în liniște, fără zgomotul sau emfaza de la început. Asta ar fi trebuit să vedem, o acțiune unită a noilor poli de putere, care ar fi crescut vertiginos în greutate și importanță, suficient să nu mai țină cont de legile și principiile conviețuirii internaționale fără război. Fără îndoială, oamenii merg spre democrație, vor lideri aleși, vor să controleze puterea politică, și nu invers, vor acces la un nivel de viață din ce în ce mai bun și mai modern, vor libertate de exprimare, de opinie, de alegere.



    Dictatura nu mai este compatibilă cu societatea omenească de secol XXI. Accesul la informație și comunicarea sunt rapide și ieftine, manipularea de orice fel pierde din eficiență, oamenii vor să fie stăpâni pe propria viață, vor ca viața lor și a semenilor lor să fie respectată și ocrotită de cei care au puterea.

  • October 17, 2023 UPDATE

    October 17, 2023 UPDATE

    ISRAEL — Romania remains a consistent state within its relations in the Middle East and maintains its position as a promoter of peace, but it will unconditionally stand by its allies in difficult moments, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday, at the end a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, in Israel. He pointed out that Romania strongly condemned what happened in Israel in the last few days, and that alongside with the international community it calls for the immediate release of all hostages and persons kidnapped and for refraining from any other act of aggression, especially against civilian targets. At the same time, Ciolacu called for the opening of humanitarian corridors in Gaza. In turn, Benjamin Netanyahu thanked for the solidarity Romania showed to Israel in the face of the Hamas attacks. In this context, Netanyahu assured his counterpart that the Israeli authorities would do everything in their power to help evacuate Romanians from the Gaza Strip. During his visit to Israel, Marcel Ciolacu also met with members of the Romanian community, which he assured of the full support of the government in Bucharest. The Romanian authorities have so far provided support for the safe repatriation of over 2,200 Romanian citizens from Israel and are further making efforts to offer consular assistance to Romanian citizens who ask for support to return to the country.




    COMMEMORATION — The prime ministers of Belgium and Sweden will pay tribute together on Wednesday to victims of Monday’s attack in Brussels, France Presse reports. The Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, wrote a message on a social network saying the two countries “weep together” for the victims – two Swedes, supporters of their national football team, who travelled to Brussels for the qualifying match to the European Championship, against the national team of Belgium. The Swedish PM, Ulf Kristofferson, announced his presence in Brussels for the commemoration. The perpetrator of the attack, a 45-year-old Tunisian, who lived in Belgium illegally, was shot dead by the Belgian police on Tuesday morning. After the “brutal terrorist attack”, as PM Alexander De Croo called it, Belgium raised the state of security alert to the highest level in the countrys capital, Brussels.



    GAS — Romania’s gas deposits are full, so if winter is mild, the country may get through the next period without having to resort to imports, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said. Moreover, Romania can support in this respect, if needed, the neighboring Republic of Moldova. On the other hand, Minister Burduja says the capped prices for energy and gas for consumers should be maintained, given that international markets have felt the effects of the security crisis in the Middle East.




    GRAIN — Ukraine exported 10.5 million tons of grain through the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta in the first nine months of the year, the port authority told Reuters on Tuesday. Overall, the port shipped over 25 million tons of grain between January and September 2023, the authority said, matching its previous annual record high. During his visit to Bucharest last week, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a ‘corridor’ would be soon be established to take Ukrainian grain to Romania via Moldova. The Romanian government has said that, with investment in infrastructure ongoing, it aims to double the monthly transit capacity for Ukrainian grain to 4 million tons, while port operators are also investing in equipment to increase loading speeds. Ukraine’s grain production in 2023 is likely to exceed 56 million tons, but Russia’s blocking its main Black Sea ports has affected deliveries.




    SUPPORT – Convened in a plenary session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament voted on Tuesday in favor of further support for Ukraine worth 50 billion euros, for the 2024-2027 period. The funds are aimed for the “reconstruction and modernization” of the country. The Ukraine Facility is part of the Unions long-term budget review, which needs to be adjusted after multiple crises that have taken place since 2021. The EU has so far allocated 30 billion euros from its budget to support Ukraine after the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Starting June 2022, Ukraine has the status of candidate country to EU accession.




    TEL AVIV — The U.S. President, Joe Biden, will travel to Israel on Wednesday to hold talks with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and to make it clear that Israel has the right to defend itself, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced. President Biden will reaffirm his solidarity with Israel, in the context of a ground offensive prepared by Israel against the Hamas militants in Gaza, Blinken has also said. According to the US Secretary of State, Biden will be informed about how Israel will conduct its operations in such a way as to minimize the loss of civilian lives and allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza without Hamas benefiting from it. (EE)

  • MAE continuă demersurile în vederea evacuării cetățenilor români din Fâșia Gaza

    MAE continuă demersurile în vederea evacuării cetățenilor români din Fâșia Gaza

    Pe fondul deteriorării situației de securitate din Statul Israel și Fâșia Gaza, Celula de Criză continuă demersurile în regim permanent în vederea evacuării, în condiții de siguranță, a cetățenilor români din Fâșia Gaza care s-au notificat pe lângă Oficiul de Reprezentare al României la Ramallah pentru a fi evacuați, precizează Ministerul Afacerilor Externe de la Bucureşti (MAE).

    Aproximativ
    200 de cetăţeni români vor să părăsească Fâşia Gaza şi au cerut sprijinul
    autorităţilor române

    MAE, prin intermediul Ambasadei României la Tel Aviv, al Oficiului de Reprezentare al României la Ramallah și al misiunilor diplomatice ale României din regiune menține coordonarea cu alte state și organizații internaționale care întreprind demersuri similare pentru proprii cetățeni/funcționari și continuă dialogul cu autoritățile israeliene și cele egiptene în vederea asigurării condițiilor necesare pentru evacuarea acestora, ținând cont de evoluțiile de securitate din teren.

    58 de cetăţeni
    români au fost aduşi, sâmbătă, în ţară, din Israel cu o cursă aeriană operată de o companie privată. Până în prezent, 2.220 de conaţionali au fost repatriaţi din Israel. MAE a confirmat, până acum, moartea a patru cetăţeni
    româno-israelieni.

  • RO-ALERT la graniţa cu Ucraina

    RO-ALERT la graniţa cu Ucraina

    Cetăţenii români aflaţi în zona de
    graniţă cu Ucraina vor fi averizaţi în cazul unui pericol reprezentat de drone,
    a decis Comitetul Naţional pentru Situaţii de Urgenţă. Astfel, vor fi emise
    mesaje RO-ALERT pe o zonă stabilită de Ministerul Apărării Naţionale, dacă
    acolo există riscul de cădere a unor elemente aparţinând mijloacelor de luptă
    utilizate în conflictul din statul vecin.

    În acelaşi timp, administraţiile
    locale vor lua măsuri pentru informarea oamenilor, verificarea şi eliberarea
    tuturor spaţiilor cu destinaţie de adăposturi publice, precum şi identificarea
    altor spaţii ce pot fi folosite pentru protecţia populaţiei. Hotărârea a fost
    adoptată în contextul găsirii unor fragmente de drone pe teritoriul naţional în
    urma atacurilor recente asupra porturilor ucrainene de la Dunăre Reni şi
    Ismail, aflate în imediata apropiere a graniţei de sud-est a României.

  • November 7, 2022 – UPDATE

    November 7, 2022 – UPDATE

    DROUGHT In Romania, the total area affected by drought is more than
    one million hectares. According to the agriculture ministry, losses have been
    reported in most counties. The most affected crops include wheat, barley, oats,
    rye, rape, corn and sunflower.


    ENVIRONMENT Romania fully supports the EU in spearheading the
    efforts to limit climate change and the joint commitment of EU member states to
    reducing net greenhouse gas emissions, president Klaus Iohannis said on Monday
    at the Climate Implementation Summit held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt as part of
    the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27). We must ensure an orderly climate
    transition, with multiple benefits, including investments in research-development-innovation,
    green economy and job creation, the Romanian official also said. He emphasised
    that access to affordable energy can be secured through investments in low-carbon production capacities, in resilient energy networks and
    by creating a regulatory framework tailored for renewable energy. The cost of
    climate inaction is much higher than the cost of action. Climate change
    generates loss and economic as well as non-economic damages throughout the
    world, Klaus Iohannis pointed out.


    MOLDOVA Romania covers at present more than 90% of Moldova’s
    electricity needs, Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, said at a TV
    station. He also said the situation is serious in the neighbouring country,
    given its full dependency on foreign natural gas and electricity resources.
    According to Aurescu, Romania has also supported Moldova by supplying it with
    fuel oil and firewood. Bucharest has called on the international community to provide
    grants to Chisinau, so as the latter may purchase energy from the free market.


    ANI Romania’s National Integrity Agency (ANI) has found that the mayor
    of the capital city’s District 1, Clotilde Armand, has breached conflict of
    interest rules. According to a news release issued by the institution, Armand
    appointed herself as the manager of an EU-funded project, from which she
    obtained material gains. ANI has also announced it notified the Prosecutor’s
    Office and the Bucharest Prefect Office in this respect. A French citizen born
    in 1973, Clotilde Armand settled in Bucharest in 1999, after marrying a
    Romanian citizen. She was one of the founders of the current Save Romania Union
    (USR) in 2015, which she represented at the local elections of 2020 when she
    won the mayor seat of one of the capital’s richest districts.


    REACTION The Romanian Foreign Ministry denies the allegations made by
    Russian President Vladimir Putin in a recent Unity Day speech, which falsely
    induce the idea that Romania would have territorial claims in Ukraine. In a news
    release, the Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Romania’s firm commitment to the
    independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its
    internationally recognized borders. In his speech, Putin talked about
    territories forcibly seized by Ukraine from Hungary, Romania and Poland.


    THEATRE The National Theatre Festival (NTF) continues in Romania
    until November 13. Theatre performances during this event will have in-person
    attendance, after two years of pandemic with online performances. The NTF
    includes over 60 theatre shows staged by public and independent companies from
    Romania and abroad. The festival, held this year under the motto, ‘Fragile
    borders. Fluid histories’ also includes an on-air section comprising a number
    of exquisite radio drama shows. (AMP)

  • Răspunsul Bucureştiului la aserţiunile Moscovei

    Răspunsul Bucureştiului la aserţiunile Moscovei

    Ministerul român de Externe a respins, la finele săptămânii trecute, alegațiile președintelui rus, Vladimir Putin, care – potrivit unui comunicat al diplomației de la București – ʺinduc în mod fals ideea ca România ar avea pretenții teritoriale de la Ucraina.ʺ

    Liderul de la Kremlin a profitat de Ziua Unităţii Naţionale pentru a critica, sâmbătă, din nou, Occidentul și Ucraina, dar și pentru a-și justifica, în plus, războiul pe care îl duce împotriva țării vecine României. Între altele, în opinia lui Putin, Occidentul ar fi denaturat în mod intenționat adevărul despre al Doilea Război Mondial și despre rolul Uniunii Sovietice în victoria asupra Germaniei naziste.

    Și tot Vladimir Putin a continuat: ʺȘtim despre ideile politicienilor din Polonia de a face o țară ʹde la o mare, la altă mareʹ… înainte de al Doilea Război Mondial se vorbea mult despre asta. Era o idee fixă. De la Marea Baltică la Marea Neagră. Vedem, acum, că oficialii polonezi și ucraineni se iau în brațe, dar această idee este vie. Iar ideea absorbirii Ucrainei tot acolo e. Tot așa cum se discută, cu siguranță, despre returnarea acelor teritorii care au fost luate Poloniei, trebuie să recunoaștem că au fost luate de Stalin, după al Doilea Război Mondial. Teritorii mari din România, din Ungaria, au fost luate.ʺ – a mai spus președintele rus.

    Nu numai că Bucureștiul a respins aserţiunile potrivit cărora ar avea pretenţii teritoriale faţă de Ucraina, dar, prin Ministerul de Externe, a reiterat că agresiunea pe care Rusia a declanșat-o pe 24 februarie reprezintă o încălcare gravă și brutală a principiilor de drept internațional, inclusiv a suveranității și integrității teritoriale ale Ucrainei.

    Prin același comunicat, Bucureștiul și-a reafirmat, ca, de altfel, în numeroase alte ocazii anterioare, susținerea fermă pentru independența, suveranitatea și integritatea teritorială ale Ucrainei, în actualele sale frontiere recunoscute internațional. În viziunea Bucureștiului, repetată constant de la debutul războiului, invazia Rusiei în Ucraina este ilegală și are consecințe multiple regionale și globale.

    Să amintim că, încă de la începutul ostilităților din Ucraina, în plan diplomatic, Bucureștiul a fost parte activă a demersurilor la nivel multilateral de condamnare a agresiunii ruse și pledează pentru tragerea la răspundere a celor răspunzători. Apoi, Bucureștiul a acordat sprijin umanitar milioanelor de refugiaţi care au tranzitat graniţele românești. Guvernul român a răspuns constant solicitărilor Kievului şi a oferit, printre altele, combustibil, medicamente, alimente şi ambulanţe. Prin hub-ul internaţional umanitar înființat la Suceava, România a facilitat zeci de transporturi umanitare din alte state.

    Nu în ultimul rând, România s-a implicat extensiv și în facilitarea transportului şi tranzitului cerealelor ucrainene către pieţe internaţionale.

  • Îngrijorări înaintea iernii

    Îngrijorări înaintea iernii

    România parcurge o toamnă blândă, cu temperaturi mult peste cele normale la început de noiembrie, dar românii se tem de ce s-ar putea întâmpla la iarnă. Aproape 60% dintre ei spun că le va fi foarte greu să achite facturile pentru utilităţi în sezonul rece, iar tinerii sunt cei mai speriaţi de o astfel de posibilitate, arată studiul realizat de o companie de cercetare de piaţă.

    Jumătate dintre respondenţi sunt îngrijoraţi că nu vor reuşi să-şi încălzească locuinţa, iar, într-un procent asemănător, se aşteaptă să existe întreruperi de furnizare a căldurii din cauza infrastructurii vechi. 58% dintre români estimează că temperatura din casă va fi mai mică iarna aceasta decât în anii anteriori, capitol la care tot tinerii sunt cei mai pesimişti. Jumătate dintre respondenţi vor folosi mai multe metode de încălzire a locuinţei, iar 32% iau în calcul chiar deconectarea de la serviciul public de termoficare. Studiul mai relevă că românii au început deja să se pregătească de facturi record în această iarnă, ceea ce îi obligă să economisească pentru a le putea achita.

    Costurile crescute cu utilităţile au determinat schimbări profunde în comportamentul de consum şi cumpărare: 55% dintre români declară că au renunţat să mai cumpere produse care nu sunt esenţiale, într-o măsură semnificativ mai mare persoanele de peste 65 de ani. Referitor la soluţiile pe care românii le iau în calcul pentru sezonul rece, 48% declară că vor reduce consumul de energie electrică, în special bărbaţii şi vârstnicii. 42% dintre români sunt pregătiţi să se îmbrace mai gros în casă, iar 29% vor opri încălzirea în camerele neutilizate şi vor folosi apa la o temperatură mai scăzută.

    Centrala termică pe gaze naturale este considerată a fi metoda cel mai puţin costisitoare de a încălzi locuinţa, iar cea mai scumpă este considerată centrala termică electrică. Studiul mai semnalează că, în prezent, 28% dintre români declară că intenţionează să îşi schimbe, în următorul an, metoda de încălzire a locuinţei, în special cei care folosesc o centrală termică electrică sau pe lemne. 17% dintre cei chestionaţi declară că beneficiază de ajutorul oferit de stat pentru încălzirea locuinţei, însă puţini consideră că el este suficient.

    Potrivit studiului, scumpirile îi îngrijorează pe români mai mult decât alte surse de nelinişti din societate, cum ar fi extinderea conflictului de la graniţele ţării, nivelul corupţiei sau un nou val al pandemiei. 40% dintre români declară că valoarea facturii pentru energia electrică sau gazele naturale este cel mai mare motiv de nelinişte pentru perioada următoare, iar 25% se declară îngrijoraţi de creşterea preţurilor la articolele de bază. Doar 18% dintre conaţionali se declară optimişti, în vreme ce 43% sunt mai degrabă pesimişti cu privire la nivelul de trai pentru iarna care urmează.


  • March 13, 2022 UPDATE

    March 13, 2022 UPDATE

    VISIT The Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid thanked Romania, during a
    visit to Bucharest on Sunday, for the assistance given to Ukrainian refugees,
    especially Israelis, and praised the long-lasting Israeli-Romanian friendship.
    He called on the Russian Federation to resolve the conflict with Ukraine
    through negotiations. We will do everything in our power to reach a solution
    for peace. We are working together with our allies-the US and European
    partners-to try to end this tragedy as soon as possible, the Israeli foreign
    minister said. In turn, the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu reiterated
    Romania’s commitment to providing continuing assistance for the evacuation of
    Israeli citizens and Jewish people from Ukraine. The severe multidimensional
    crisis caused by Russia’s illegal military aggression against Ukraine is not
    just a regional problem, not only a European problem, but has effects on a
    global scale, Bogdan Aurescu said. During his meeting with the Israeli
    official, the Romanian PM Nicolae Ciucǎ firmly condemned Russia’s unprovoked,
    unjustified and illegal aggression in Ukraine, and praised the EU’s and NATO’s
    strong and unified response to consolidate the eastern flank and to guarantee
    security.


    CONSULTATIONS The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is having political
    consultations in Bucharest on Monday with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di
    Maio. The visit takes place in the context of Russia’s illegal military
    aggression in Ukraine and of Italy’s interest in supporting the management of
    the Ukrainian refugee crisis. Bogdan Aurescu and Luigi Di Maio will discuss
    means to manage the multiple effects of the Russian invasion, on efforts to
    stop the conflict, on sanctions against Russia and on consolidating NATO’s
    eastern flank. On the other hand, the 2 foreign ministers will discuss means to
    develop and deepen the Romanian-Italian consolidated strategic partnership and
    the bilateral and sectoral economic cooperation.


    FOODSTUFF The agriculture minister Adrian Chesnoiu once again promised on
    Sunday that Romania does not run the risk of a foodstuff crisis. In a meeting with
    representatives of retail chains and Romanian sunflower oil producers, he said
    Romania produces enough food to cover the national demand. He also recommended
    that people refrain from buying more than they need, so that everybody may have
    access to basic food stuffs. The statements come after substantial amounts of
    sunflower oil were purchased in recent days for fear that shops would run out
    of this product. Speculations on the topic are fuelled by the fact that
    war-affected Ukraine is the world’s biggest sunflower seed exporter. Romanian
    authorities promised that Romania has sufficient foodstuff stocks, including
    sunflower oil. Just days before, for fear of skyrocketing fuel prices,
    unprecedented queuing was reported in petrol stations. The previous weekend,
    foreign currency was heavily purchased in Romania, amid rumours that the
    national currency would plummet. Romanian authorities warned once again that
    such fake news is designed to create panic among people.


    CENSUS Beginning on March 14, for 4 months, data will be collected for a
    population and household census in Romania. The operation is conducted every 10
    years and is necessary for the production of official national and European
    statistics. The census was originally scheduled to take place last year, but
    was postponed over the COVID-19 pandemic. This year brings a novelty, in that
    self-census options are available. Self-census is done online, based on a
    simple procedure, according to the authorities. Citizens are to fill in an
    online pre-registration form at www.recensamantromania.ro, followed by the
    questionnaires for each member of the household. Those who do not want or
    cannot fill in those forms will be assisted by census operators in door-to-door
    visits.


    REFUGEES The Romanian transport ministry launched an app for the Ukrainian
    refugees. The app includes information in Ukrainian, English and Romanian on
    the green transport corridors in Romania, covering areas like the road, railway
    and air network, customs, train stations, petrol stations and airports. Ukrainian
    refugees may travel free of charge in Romania, based on a government resolution
    in this respect. Moreover, the emergency number 112 and the special children
    emergency number, 119, are available for calls in Ukrainian as well. Additional
    measures were taken in border checkpoints to prevent human trafficking. As of
    Friday, another online platform has also been available, centralising
    assistance offers for displaced Ukrainians. On Saturday, several cities in
    Romania saw various solidarity actions with Ukraine. In Bucharest, the National
    Arena hosted a charity concert for refugees, with over 35 Romanian and foreign
    artists taking part, which raised some EUR 800,000. Solidarity events were also
    organised in Constanţa, Iaşi, Cluj-Napoca, Piatra Neamţ and Roman. Around 400,000
    Ukrainian nationals have entered Romania since the start of the Russian
    invasion. Many of them have already left for Western Europe.


    UKRAINE Russian shelling continued in Ukraine on Sunday. NATO expects the
    fighting and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine to get worse in the coming days.
    The Alliance’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has once again called on
    Vladimir Putin to stop the war, to pull out all troops and accept
    diplomacy. In Vatican, Pope Francis voiced on Sunday his harshest
    condemnation yet of the war in Ukraine, saying that the unacceptable
    armed aggression must end. Pope Francis added that bombing hospitals and
    other civilian targets is barbaric and has no valid strategic reason.


    COVID-19 1,626 new SARS-CoV-2 infection cases were reported in Romania for
    the past 24 hours. According to the health ministry, 26 related deaths were
    also registered on Sunday, 5 of them from a previous date. Over 3,700 patients
    are hospitalised, 580 of whom are in intensive care. On March 9th Romania
    lifted all Covid-related restrictions, and no more rules are in place to
    prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (A.M.P.)

  • Support to vulnerable democracies

    Support to vulnerable democracies

    The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Wednesday called on the democratic community to offer firm support to Ukraine and vulnerable democracies. Aurescu hosted and chaired an emergency meeting of the Governing Council of the Communities of Democracies, that focused on the situation in Ukraine, and was dubbed Solidarity in the context of the war against democracy. Currently holding the presidency of this international body, Romania firmly condemned, through the voice of Minister Aurescu, the unprovoked, illegal and unjustified military aggression of Ukraine by Russia, including the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift the alert level of nuclear forces. Aurescu highlighted the fact that, by these actions, Russia violated all international accords, the UN Chart in particular, and disturbed international order which is founded on democratic norms, values and principles.



    The Romanian official also emphasized the need to approach, within this multilateral forum, the ways in which democratic countries across the world can support and encourage the young Ukrainian democracy and its democratically elected leaders, in order to overcome this unprecedented crisis. Aurescu called for cooperation, solidarity and firm commitments in support of peace, to prove that democracies are stronger when they cooperate. Aurescu also said that, in order to discourage the Russian aggressor, firm international measures and strong local measures are equally needed. He reiterated Romania‘s solidarity commitment to Ukraine, by condemning Russian aggression at the level of all international organizations, supporting sanctions against it and offering Ukraine support at national level.



    The Romanian official joined the UN countries in co-sponsoring the resolutions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly and in condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine. Romania has also supported the tough sanctions imposed by the international community, including the shutting down of Russian propaganda publications in the EU. Bogdan Aurescu also mentioned the humanitarian aid granted by the Romanian authorities and citizens to the Ukrainians forced to flee war. This is the battle of our generation and a test to our democracies , Aurescu said. (EE)

  • February 27, 2022 UPDATE

    February 27, 2022 UPDATE

    UKRAINE – Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said the Ukrainian government would send a delegation to meet with its Russian counterparts in a region on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, news agencies cite the Kiev Presidency as saying. Zelensky agreed to negotiations with Russia “without preconditions”. According to the Ukrainian army chief, Valery Zalujnyi, a missile launched on Kyiv from Belarus on Sunday was destroyed by the Ukrainian army. Meanwhile, Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine for the fourth consecutive day. The Ukrainian army says it still holds control of its positions but admits the situation around Kyiv is getting worse. Heavy fighting has also been reported in Kharkov, the second largest city, in the north of the country, and in Vasylkiv, a town 40-km away from Kyiv, where Russian bombardment hit an oil depot. In response to the statements of Western world leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military command to put nuclear-armed forces on high alert. The international community has imposed additional economic sanctions on Russia and increased military support to Ukraine. Leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Canada and the United States have decided to block the access of certain Russian banks to the SWIFT international payment system and vowed further action to come. The measure also includes restrictions on the Russian central banks international reserves. President Zelensky hailed the setting up of an international coalition of countries that supports Ukraine in the conflict with Russia and called on the international community to suspend Russia’s veto right in the UN Security Council, saying that Moscow’s actions are close to genocide.



    SUPPORT – Romania will support Ukraine with fuel, bullet-proof vests, helmets, ammunition, military equipment as well as food, water and medicines, worth a total of 3 million euros. The Bucharest Government has also offered to treat in Romanian hospitals the Ukrainians injured during confrontations with the Russian invaders. Additional measures have been taken by Bucharest to help the Ukrainian refugees who fled the war, who have been offered support, accommodation and medical assistance. Ukrainians who enter Romanian on foot are also offered. A platform that can be accessed on the Romanian Government’s website is now available to any person, volunteer or private entity willing to support Ukrainian refugees. The UN estimates that the Russian invasion of Ukraine may trigger a refugee crisis, with up to 5 million people likely to be displaced. On the other hand, a number of European states have announced they will send troops and military technique to Romania. Thus, more than 9,500 French military will be mobilized or in stand-by, of whom 500 will be deployed to Romania, the French Army has announced. Belgium will send 300 troops to Romania, as part of NATO’s efforts to consolidate its eastern flank. Also, Italy will send fighter jets and troops to Romania.



    CORONAVIRUS – The number of new Covid-19 infections continues to drop in Romania. A little over 4,200 new cases were reported on Sunday, along with 59 related deaths. 7,000 people are treated in hospital. Some of the restrictions may be lifted in the country if the number of patients in ICUs drops below 900, said Health Minister Alexandru Rafila. The number of people who get vaccinated is also going down, with less than 3,100 people immunized with the first dose in 24 hours.



    TRAFFIC – New provisions of the Romanian Traffic Code took effect on Sunday. The new laws provide for higher fines and are clearly defining aggressive driving. Drivers exceeding the 70 km/hour speed limit are going to have their driving license suspended for a period of 120 days and so will those infringing the rules at railway crossings. The new laws are also clearly defining the idea of aggressive driving, including the excessive use of horns or headlights, handbrake turns and other forms of road rage and aggressive driving. (EE)


  • Government sets up task force on Ukraine

    Government sets up task force on Ukraine


    Romania supports an immediate end to the military attack on Ukraine, to enable diplomatic efforts to be resumed, PM Nicolae Ciucă said. “What we see is an unprovoked aggression against a sovereign and independent state, a member of the United Nations. The Russian Federation has chosen armed force to fulfil revisionist political goals,ˮ Nicolae Ciucă added. He emphasised that Bucharest stays constantly in dialogue with its NATO allies and EU partners.



    Mr. Ciucă Thursday set up a government task force to handle the situation triggered by the military conflict in Ukraine. The main responsibilities of the group are to monitor the situation and to coordinate the measures taken by governmental agencies in order to make sure that all public services are operating.



    According to the PM, the relevant governmental agencies are prepared to take over possible refugee inflows. “We reiterate our solidarity with the Ukrainian nation, and we are ready to provide humanitarian aid to those in need. We are monitoring the situation of the Romanian nationals in Ukraine and we are prepared to provide consular assistance and support through the inter-institutional task group with the Foreign Ministry,” the head of the Romanian government added.



    Romanian authorities say Romania could receive 500,000 Ukrainian refugees. In a first stage, they will be hosted in camps located in 4 counties, namely Maramureş (north-west), Botoşani (north-east), Suceava (north-east) and Tulcea (south-east). But other counties as well, such as Braşov (centre), Galaţi (south-east) and Vaslui (east), voiced willingness to accommodate refugees.



    Meanwhile, many Ukrainian citizens, mostly of Romanian descent, have already reached Romania, trying to escape the war. Most of them come from border areas.



    On the other hand, PM Nicolae Ciucă emphasised that Romania benefits from the strongest security guarantees in its history. He pointed out that Romania, along with its fellow EU member states and with its NATO allies, especially in light of its strategic partnership with the US, is part of the most robust protection umbrella comprising the worlds democracies.



    “The security and safety of Romanian citizens are in no way affected,” Mr. Ciucă promised. He also said that the authorities have made sure that Romania has enough natural gas stocks to cover the demand during the cold season. “We are constantly monitoring and measuring natural gas imports and exports on all routes in the country, to make sure we can take any measure required to secure steady gas supplies,” the prime minister explained. (A.M.P.)


  • February 21, 2022

    February 21, 2022

    UKRAINE – Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden have agreed in principle to hold a summit to discuss the crisis over Ukraine. The talks, proposed French President Emmanuel Macron, will only take place if Russia does not invade its neighbor, the French presidency said in a communiqué. Russia and Ukraine continued to blame each other, on Sunday, for the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin agreed on Sunday, during a phone call, to make all efforts to prevent the situation from escalating and to preserve peace, according to the French presidencys press office. Also, the French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, is today holding a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov while the OSCE convenes in extraordinary session. Observers from the OSCE European security body on Saturday reported more than 1,500 ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine in a single day. The US accuses Russia of planning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which the latter denies.



    BRUSSELS – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu is today attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Foreign affairs ministers will discuss the latest developments in Russias military build-up around Ukraine and will hold a discussion on the European security situation. The Romanian official will emphasize on this occasion, the need to further look for a diplomatic solution to the crisis and to prepare a comprehensive package of sanctions in coordination with the US, the UK and Canada, in case the crisis escalates. EU foreign affairs ministers will also hold an informal meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during which Aurescu will reiterate Romanias solidarity with Ukraine and its support for the countrys European and Euro-Atlantic path. Also, EU foreign affairs ministers will meet their counterparts from the Gulf countries in the joint council of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council and will run a cyber-exercise.



    CARRIERS – New rules as part of the mobility package are in place as of today for goods carriers working in EU member states. Trucks must be returned at company’s headquarters every two months, which leads to higher fuel consumption, pollution and delays at customs, especially for companies from Eastern Europe, Romania included. The new measures were decided two years ago and were taken so as to provide more rights for drivers.



    CORONAVIRUS – The number of Covid-19 infections in Romania is going down significantly, with 30% fewer cases than last week being reported. The number of infections per one thousand inhabitants is also on the decrease, but it still is above 3/1,000 in Romanias counties. The infection rate in the capital Bucharest is 32.8%. Almost 7,700 new cases have been reported in Romania today, by 4,000 less than a week ago. This is the smallest daily number of new infections since the beginning of the 5th wave, more than a month ago. Some 85 related deaths have also been announced. 1,100 people are treated in intensive care units. The biggest number of daily infections in Romania was reported on February 1st – 40,018.



    JUDICIARY – The draft law on the dismantling of the Special Section Investigating Crimes in the Judiciary is on todays agenda of the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest. Last week, the Legal Committee green lighted the project. According to Justice Minister, Catalin Predoiu, the dismantling of the Special Section is an objective stipulated in the governing programme, with a clear deadline, and it could have an impact on Romanias joining the Schengen area. Predoiu gave assurances that the dismantling of the Special Section is the result of transparent consultations, including with foreign partners. (EE)

  • February 7, 2022 UPDATE

    February 7, 2022 UPDATE

    COVID-19
    Bucharest extended the COVID-19 related state of alert in the country for
    another 30 days, beginning on Monday, February 7. Face covering remains compulsory
    both indoors and outdoors. In places with infection rates below 3 per
    thousand, cinema and theatre
    halls as well as restaurants may operate at 50% of their capacity, with the
    ceiling going down to 30% in places with infection rates above this level. An
    emergency order also extends the deadline for filling in the digital forms for
    entering the country, from 24 to 72 hours. Nearly 17,000 new
    Covid cases were reported in Romania on Monday, along with 81 related
    fatalities. In the capital Bucharest the incidence rate continues to rise,
    reaching 32.75 per thousand on Monday. The vaccination rate is close to 42% in
    urban communities and around 30% in the countryside. Only 8 million adults are
    fully vaccinated so far.


    RESIGNATION The president of USR party in opposition, Dacian Cioloş, Monday
    announced his resignation. The decision came after the party’s National Bureau
    convened on Monday rejected Cioloş’s plans to change the structure and
    operation of the party, with 14 votes against and 11 in favour. Dacian Cioloş, who
    had been elected to office in October, when the right-of-centre USR and PLUS
    parties had merged, warned his colleagues that he would step down unless his
    restructuring plan was implemented. USR vice-president Cătălin Drulă will take
    over as interim party president.


    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said there was no danger of
    Romania being drawn into a military conflict with the Russian Federation.
    Romanian citizens need not worry that we will be dragged into a war close to
    our country, he said in an interview on a private television channel. There
    is at the moment a very powerful security umbrella, which provides all possible
    guarantees for the security and stability of Romania and its citizens, and this
    umbrella is the NATO membership, adding to which is the very strong strategic
    partnership with the US, minister Aurescu mentioned. If Russia attacks
    Ukraine, he added, responses will come both from NATO, which will consolidate
    its eastern flank, and from the EU, which will introduce a substantial set of
    economic and individual sanctions targeting the political decision-makers in
    Russia. In turn, the head of the Information and Public Relations Directorate
    with the Defence Ministry, brigadier general Constantin Spînu, said that the crisis in Ukraine is not a security
    situation that directly concerns Romania or any other NATO member state. Romanians and all other nations in the Euro-Atlantic
    space should not feel directly threatened, gen. Spînu said.


    AGRICULTURE Romania’s agriculture minister Adrian Chesnoiu rules out a
    possible food crisis in Romania and a food rationing scenario. He says the
    authorities are looking for solutions to support both citizens and farmers.
    Chesnoiu also says that authorities are considering the options of introducing
    ceilings on food prices or of stabilising and balancing prices.

    WASTE
    The number of border checkpoints where waste can be brought to Romania for
    recycling will be reduced to 15, and all shipments will have to be entered in
    an electronic register as soon as possible, the environment minister Tánczos
    Barna announced on Monday. The authorities want to make sure that waste is not
    misplaced or discarded in unauthorised places. Last year alone, more than 500
    offences related to waste imports were identified, and over 15,000 tonnes of
    mixed waste were prevented from entering the country, the interior minister Lucian
    Bode said in his turn.


    OLYMPICS Natalia Ushkina, Romania’s representative in
    the biathlon contest has ended the competition on the 57th place in the
    individual 15 km race at the winter Olympics in Beijing. In
    the giant slalom event, Maria Ioana Constantin also from Romania, has come out
    45th, while another Romanian, Raluca
    Strămăturaru, is ranking 30th after the first 2 legs of the luge event. At the current
    edition of the winter Olympic Games, Romania is being represented by 21
    athletes. (A.M.P., D.B.)

  • Romania and the Ukrainian crisis

    Romania and the Ukrainian crisis

    The Russian-Ukrainian crisis has sparked international tensions but Kiev and the Western powers put their hopes in a diplomatic solution and are coordinating their efforts to find it. Russia, on the other hand, says it has no intention to invade Ukraine. Nevertheless, Moscow continues to dispatch troops at the common border, which has prompted the US to send another contingent on NATO’s eastern flank.



    As NATO member and neighbor of Ukraine in the north and east, Romania is concerned with the prospect of war. The head of the Romanian diplomacy, Bogdan Aurescu, said in a TV show that, if Russia invades Ukraine, it will be responded. ˮWe have already prepared for this response and the Russian Federation should be aware that this is not something to be desired. On the one hand, this is a response from NATO, through a proportional but consistent consolidation of its eastern flank and on the other hand, a response from the European Union, through a very robust and substantial set of sanctionsˮ, Aurescu said. According to the Romanian official, these sanctions are economic, are related to the financial and commercial sector and are directed against individuals involved in decision making.



    The Foreign Minister also said that at present Romania is not at risk of being involved in a military conflict with the Russian Federation, in spite of possible evolutions in its vicinity. He explained that ˮthere is a very strong security umbrella in place, which offers all possible guarantees for the security and stability of Romania and of its citizens, namely, the country s NATO membership and its very solid Strategic Partnership with the United States. ˮ



    Aurescu also talked about the anti-missile shield in Deveselu (south), saying is not a threat. According to Aurescu, the Russian Federation has constantly said that the anti-missile shield in Deveselu has an offensive purpose and that Tomahawk offensive missiles have been or could be installed there in no time. ˮIt is a purely defensive system, which has nothing to do with the Russian Federation, because the types of interceptors there are against ballistic missile inbounds from outside the Euro-Atlantic area, from the Middle Eastˮ, Aurescu explained. He also said the missile-defense system in Deveselu is a type that does not allow for offensive missiles to be installed and its interceptors cannot be replaced with other types of missiles. (EE)