Radio România Internațional

Tag: Dacia

  • January 27, 2025

    January 27, 2025

     

    ART THEFT Recovering the golden helmet of Cotofenesti and the three Dacian bracelets of Sarmizegetusa Regia, stolen on Friday night from the Drents Museum in the Dutch city of Assen, is a priority, the Romanian authorities say. The prime minister’s office is checking the culture ministry’s documents under which the artifacts had been sent to the exhibition, and the culture minister Natalia Intotero will meet with the royal family and the prime minister of the Netherlands to convey Bucharest’s firm message that the heritage pieces be recovered as quickly as possible. Romania’s PM Marcel Ciolcu has set up a task force comprising interior ministry, justice and culture ministry officials as well as Romanian police, to manage the retrieval of these items of immeasurable historical value.

     

    BUDGET The leaders of the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, in the ruling coalition, should meet today for talks on the state budget bill and on means to reduce the deficit to no more than 7% of GDP this year. The original deadline was today, January 27, but the bill could be postponed, as recent trade union protests prompted the ruling parties to announce they are looking for legislative solutions to alter the order underlying the budget law. The alterations, which will be operated in Parliament in the first half of February, concern payment of overtime on weekends or public holidays for employees in the defence, public order and national security system. The coalition would have wanted the budget bill to reach the government this week for approval, and to be sent to Parliament early next month.

     

    FOREIGN AFFAIRS The EU foreign ministers convene today in a Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting, with the main topics on the agenda including the war in Ukraine, the Middle East crisis and relations with the US after Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The FAC meeting in Brussels is the first in this format organised under the Polish EU Council presidency, which began on 1 January, and will be chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. It is also the first such meeting attended by Emil Hurezeanu as head of the Romanian diplomacy. The EU ministers will also have informal conference call with their Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiga.

     

    AGRICULTURE The Romanian minister of agriculture, Florin-Ionuţ Barbu, takes part on Monday in the first AgriFish Council meeting of this year, held in Brussels. According to a news release issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR), the agenda will concern the programme of the Polish presidency, unfair trading practices and strengthening the position of farmers in the food supply chain, trade and performance verification. The Polish EU Presidency will present its work programme and set out the main priorities in the field of agriculture and fisheries for the next six months. In turn, Member State officials will analyse the necessary revision of the performance verification procedure under the financing rules of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Romanian agriculture ministry explained.

     

    BACCALAUREATE High school senior students in Romania are taking the oral tests in the first session of this year’s Baccalaureate exam starting today. The assessment of communication skills in Romanian takes place until Wednesday, with the oral tests in ethnic minorities’ native languages held over three days, starting on January 29. The foreign language oral tests are scheduled between February 3 and 5, and digital skills will be tested between February 5 and 7. The organisation of these tests during the school year has been criticised by some students, teachers and education experts, especially because high school students must also attend classes during the exam days. The written tests in the Baccalaureate exam begins on May 30 and end on June 30, when the final results are to be announced.

     

    BELARUS The incumbent president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko won the presidential election with 87.6% of the votes, according to an exit poll which also says his 4 opponents received 1-2% of the votes. International media say the elections are intended to give a seventh consecutive term to the authoritarian Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and viewed as the most compliant ally of Putin’s Russia. On the eve of the election, the EU diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas stated that the regime in Minsk has “no legitimacy” and called the “sham election” an affront to democracy. In turn, MEPs demanded that the results of the Belarus election not be recognized, especially since the previous elections, in 2020, which were very likely rigged, were followed by ruthless repression of protests. According to the UN, more than 300,000 Belarusians out of a total population of nine million have fled their country for political reasons, mainly to neighbouring Poland. There are reportedly over 1,200 political prisoners in Belarus. (AMP)

  • January 26, 2025

    January 26, 2025

    BUDGET Romania’s 2025 draft budget will be presented to the government and submitted to Parliament for approval in the following days. The Executive intends to submit it for voting by senators and deputies right in the first week of the future Legislature, which gets underway on February 3. The present budget construction targets a 7% GDP deficit as compared to 8.6% last year and in order to achieve that goal, the government has already decided to freeze any pay rise and indexation for state budget employees as well as any pension indexation aimed at adjusting to the inflation rate. Central public institutions and state companies are also to be reorganized and streamlined. The aforementioned austerity measures have caused discontent and a series of protests.

     

    PNL Liberals have today validated the former PNL president Crin Antonescu, as the ruling coalition’s joint candidate for the presidential election slated for May. Antonescu must also get validation from the ruling partners – PSD and UDMR, which is to be followed by a joint event aimed at launching Antonescu in the presidential race. The first and the second rounds of the presidential election have been slated for May 4 and 18, after the Constitutional Court’s cancellation of a first round in December. The Court based its ruling on a report issued by the country’s Higher Defence Council, which referred to foreign interference in the election process. The aforementioned allegations have not been confirmed by legal investigators yet. Tens of thousands Romanians have taken to the streets calling for the resumption of the December election, whose cancellation they believe was unjustified.

     

    HEIST The Dutch police have published the first images with the initial moments of the burglary at the Drents Museum in Assen, from where thieves stole priceless Romanian jewelry in the early hours of Saturday morning. The footage shows that the thieves used explosive to blast their way into the museum. Investigators, who have called on the Interpol to help with the investigation, have announced the discovery of a suspect burnt vehicle, which could be related to the robbery. The thieves have left with three Dacian spiral bracelets and the exhibition’s central piece – the decorated Helmet of Coţofeneşti, which are dating back almost 25 hundred years ago. All these artefacts belonged to Romania’s National History Museum, being the most valuable in an exhibition entitled ”Dacia! The Kingdom of Gold and Silver” opened at the Drents Museum in July last year, and which was supposed to have its last day today. During a phone call with president Klaus Iohannis, the Dutch Prime Minister, Dick Schoof, has given assurances that the police are doing everything possible to identify the thieves and recuperate the treasure.

     

    REACTION The General Prosecutor’s Office in Bucharest has announced the opening of a criminal file in the case of the Assen heist. The investigation is being carried out by prosecutors with the Higher Court Prosecutor’s Office and Romanian police experts. The ancient artefacts stolen from Drents must be quickly recovered and safely returned to Romania – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says. The chair of the Culture Committee with the Chamber of Deputies, Mihail Neamtu, has also called for an ample investigation into the way in which the Dacian treasure was exposed and jeopardized. The stolen artefacts are an incommensurable loss for Romania and the Romanian authorities jointly with their Dutch counterparts have the obligation to make all possible efforts to recover and bring them to Romania right away, says the opposition USR.

    (bill)

     

  • January 25, 2025 UPDATE

    January 25, 2025 UPDATE

     

    UKRAINE The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, taking into account Ukraine’s cooperation with the Republic of Moldova, it is possible for Kyiv to cover Moldova’s entire electricity demand, and a 30% discount on the supply price is also possible. He made these statements at a meeting on Saturday in Kyiv with the president of Moldova, Maia Sandu. The two officials also discussed possible coal deliveries to the Republic of Moldova. In turn, Maia Sandu accused Russia of trying to create economic and social chaos in Moldova and bring a pro-Russian government in power in Chisinau. She traveled to Kyiv amid energy tensions in Transnistria, a pro-Russian breakaway region between the two countries, AFP reports. This strip of land with a population of about half a million, which remains outside Moldova’s control, was supplied by the Russian natural gas giant Gazprom for free, through a pipeline that crossed Ukraine. The latter ended the contract with Moscow on January 1, thus cutting off supplies to Moldova, including to Transnistria, which declared a state of emergency. With Kyiv fighting the Russian invasion for three years, Chisinau is worried about a possible spillover of the conflict to its territory, especially through the destabilisation of Transnistria by Russia. The rest of Moldova is for now safe from energy cuts, thanks to electricity and gas imports from Romania.

     

    EXHIBITION Romania’s foreign ministry announced that on Saturday the National Museum of History of Romania (MNIR) and the Culture Ministry were notified that an explosion took place and several exhibits were stolen at the Drents Museum in the Netherlands, which is hosting an exhibition called ‘Dacia! Rijk van goud en zilver’ (‘Dacia! Kingdom of gold and silver’), organised jointly with MNIR. According to the institution, initial investigations indicate that the blast was designed to help as yet unidentified perpetrators to break into the museum building and steal pieces from Romania’s Dacian treasure. The foreign ministry notified the Romanian interior ministry and the Romanian police, while the Romanian embassies in all neighboring countries are on alert. Romania’s foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu spoke with his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp, ​​highlighting the exceptional importance of the stolen exhibits. The Dutch side assured Romania of its operational and political determination to solve the case. The Dutch police also activated cross-border cooperation mechanisms and informed the Interpol of the matter. (AMP)

  • Record-high car output

    Record-high car output

    Last year, Romania saw a record-high increase in its domestic car output, to more than 4% above the total number of cars reported in 2019. According to Adrian Sandu, secretary general of the Romanian Carmakers Association, this increase was possible thanks to the efforts of the 2 local manufacturers, Dacia and Ford. The Romanian carmaker Dacia was set up in the mid-1960s, following a cooperation agreement with the French manufacturer Renault, which in 1999 took over 51% of the companys stock. In turn, Ford Romania, based in Craiova (south), is a subsidiary of the US producer Ford. Adrian Sandu believes the record is owing to the solutions identified by the 2 companies to the shortage of electronic components:



    Adrian Sandu: “The teams in both Dacia and Ford did their best to ensure a steady parts supply flow, so that, aided by a substantial demand, we were able to see a new record for the Romanian automotive industry, with some 513,000 units produced in 2023. We are hoping the year 2024 will bring further development, we hope for a new record to be reached this year, but this depends on the supply element, on steady or even growing demand for products made in Romania in the Western European and international market.ˮ



    On the other hand, the number of new automobiles registered in Romania went up 11.6% in 2023 compared to the previous year, with EV registrations witnessing an increase by over 25%, to a market share of nearly 24%, according to data made public by the General Directorate for Driving Licenses and Vehicles Registration and processed by the Association of Automobile Producers and Importers.



    According to statistics, the best-selling vehicle brand in Romania in 2023 was Dacia, with over 46,000 units, followed by Renault, with over 15,000. In 2023, Dacia Spring was also the best-selling EV brand in Romania, with nearly 6,900 units.



    It is also worth noting that in Europe, Dacia sales increased by some 17% last year, and the carmaker reached a market share of 4.3%, as against 4.2% in 2022, according to the figures released on Thursday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. The report covers EU member countries, the UK and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. (AMP)


  • Production record d’automobiles en 2023 en Roumanie

    Production record d’automobiles en 2023 en Roumanie

    L’année dernière, la
    Roumanie a enregistré une hausse record côté production de véhicules, soit de 4
    % de plus par rapport au nombre total d’automobiles produites en 2019. Selon
    Adrian Sandu, le secrétaire général de l’Association des constructeurs
    automobiles de Roumanie, cette augmentation a été possible grâce aux efforts
    des deux usines présentes en Roumanie, Dacia et Ford. Pour rappel, le
    constructeur automobile roumain Dacia a été créé au milieu des années 1960, et
    suite à un accord de coopération avec le constructeur français Renault en 1999,
    ce dernier a racheté 51 % des actions de Dacia. De son côté, Ford Roumanie est
    la filiale de l’entreprise américaine, située à Craiova (dans le sud). Selon
    Adrian Sandu, ce record a été enregistré aussi sur toile de fond de la crise
    des composantes électroniques :



    « Tant les équipes de Dacia que celles
    de Ford ont fait de leur mieux pour assurer un flux optimal dans
    l’approvisionnement en composantes afin que, sur toile de fond d’une demande
    consistante, l’on a enregistré une augmentation de la production. Par
    conséquent, en 2023 on a enregistré un nouveau record de production de
    véhicules en Roumanie, soit de 513 000 unités. Nous espérons bien que 2024 soit
    une nouvelle année de croissance pour la production de véhicules en Roumanie. Nous
    espérons pouvoir atteindre un nouveau record, mais tout dépend de
    l’approvisionnement et d’une demande constante, voire à la hausse, pour les
    produits fabriqués en Roumanie, sur les marchés où ils sont vendus, pas seulement
    en Europe Occidentale, mais aussi à des autres endroits ».


    Immatriculations en Roumanie


    Par ailleurs, le nombre
    d’immatriculations de véhicules nouveaux en Roumanie a augmenté de 11,6 % en 2023
    par rapport à l’année précédente. Parmi elles, la production de voitures
    électriques a connu une hausse de 25 % comptant actuellement pour 24 % du
    marché, selon la Direction des permis de conduire et immatriculations d’automobiles
    et de l’Association des producteurs et importateurs d’automobiles. Selon les
    statistiques, au niveau national, dans le classement des dix premières marques d’automobiles
    et de véhicules commerciaux, c’est Dacia qui occupait la première position en
    2023, avec plus de 46 000 unités, suivie par Renault, avec plus de 15 000. En
    2023, dans la hiérarchie des cinq premiers types d’automobiles à 100 %
    électriques les plus vendus l’on retrouve Dacia Spring, avec presque 6 900
    unités.




    La situation en Europe



    Il faut mentionner aussi
    le fait qu’en Europe, l’année dernière, les ventes d’automobiles Dacia ont
    enregistré une hausse de presque 17 % et que la part de marché de ce producteur
    automobiles a atteint les 4,3 % en 2023, contre 4,2 % en 2022, selon
    l’Association des constructeurs européens d’automobiles. Ces valeurs sont
    valables pour les Etats-membres de l’Union européenne, pour la Grande Bretagne
    et les pays de l’Association européenne de libre-échange, soit l’Irlande, le
    Lichtenstein, la Norvège et la Suisse.

  • Producție record de autovehicule

    Producție record de autovehicule

    Anul trecut, România a înregistrat o creştere record a producţiei de vehicule, depăşind cu peste 4% numărul total de maşini din 2019. Adrian Sandu, secretarul general al Asociaţiei Constructorilor de Automobile din România, este de părere că această creştere a fost posibilă datorită eforturilor celor două uzine, Dacia şi Ford. Producătorul român de automobile Dacia a fost înființat la jumătatea anilor ’60, în urma unui acord de cooperare cu constructorul francez Renault, care, în 1999, a preluat 51% din acțiuni. La rândul său, Ford România este un producător cu sediul la Craiova, subsidiar al companiei americane. Adrian Sandu consideră că acest record a venit și în urma soluțiilor găsite la criza componentelor electronice.

    Atât echipele de la Dacia, cât şi echipele de la Ford au făcut tot posibilul să asigure un flux optim de aprovizionare cu componente, astfel încât, pe fondul unei cereri consistente, avem această creştere a producţiei, înregistrând, astfel, în 2023, un nou record de producţie de vehicule în România, circa 513.000 unităţi. Noi sperăm ca acest an 2024 să reprezinte un nou an de creştere pentru producţia de vehicule în România, să atingem un nou record, dar depinde de factorul aprovizionare, depinde şi de menţinerea unei cereri constante sau chiar în creştere pentru produsele fabricate în România pe pieţele unde acestea se desfac, în Vestul Europei şi nu numaiˮ.

    Pe de altă parte, înmatriculările de autoturisme noi, în România, au crescut cu 11,6% în 2023 faţă de anul anterior, marjă în care autoturismele electrificateˮ au înregistrat un salt de peste 25%, până la o cotă de piaţă de circa 24%, arată datele Direcţiei Regim Permise de Conducere şi Înmatriculare a Autovehiculelor, prelucrate de Asociaţia Producătorilor şi Importatorilor de Automobile. Potrivit statisticii, pe piaţa naţională, în topul primelor zece mărci de autoturisme şi autovehicule comerciale, în 2023, pe primul loc se află Dacia, cu mai mult de 46 000 de unităţi, urmată de Renault, cu peste 15.000. În 2023, în clasamentul primelor cinci cele mai vândute autoturisme 100% electrice pe primul loc se află Dacia Spring – cu aproape 6900 de unităţi.

    De menționat faptul că, în Europa, anul trecut, vânzările de autoturisme Dacia au înregistrat un avans de circa 17%, iar cota de piaţă a producătorului de automobile a urcat la 4,3%, de la 4,2% în 2022, arată datele publicate joi de Asociaţia Constructorilor Europeni de Automobile. Aceste cifre sunt valabile pentru statele din Uniunea Europeană, Marea Britanie şi ţările din Asociaţia Europeană a Liberului Schimb (EFTA), respectiv Islanda, Liechtenstein, Norvegia şi Elveţia


  • November 20, 2023

    November 20, 2023

    Tour – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is paying a state visit to the Republic of Cape Verde today, where he is meeting with his counterpart Jose Maria Neves, the Prime Minister Jose Ulisses Correia e Silva and other officials. Last Tuesday the Romanian president started a tour in Africa that included Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar (autonomous territory belonging to Tanzania). The last stage of the tour is the official visit to Senegal.



    Visit – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, is visiting Paris today, where she is having talks with the head of the French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna. High on the agenda of talks are the bilateral cooperation in the field of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the current international crises, especially the situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Paris, the French FM, Catherine Colonna, will emphasize, again, Frances long-term commitment as the framework nation of the NATO Multinational Command in Romania to strengthen the defense on the Eastern Flank of the Alliance. The meeting between the two ministers represents a further opportunity to reaffirm the common decision for a lasting support given to Ukraine in all fields, hailing the efforts made by Romania for the functioning of the corridors for the export of Ukrainian cereals. The discussions also focus on the prospects of expanding the EU with the countries of the Western Balkans, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.



    Exhibition – The exhibition “Dacia – the last frontier of the Roman world” opens in Rome today. It can be visited until the end of April. Hundreds of archaeological objects from the territory of Romania, dating back over a thousand years, are on display. The artefacts come from 47 museums in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Italy, which provide a strong testimony of the Roman civilization. According to Ambassador Gabriela Dancău, the exhibition brings together archeology and technology, allowing access to a universe where the ancestors of the Getae-Dacians evolved. The opening of the exhibition, located in the National Museum Terme di Diocleziano in Rome, is being attended by the ministers of culture from Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Italy – Raluca Turcan, Sergiu Prodan, and Gennaro Sangiuliano, respectively.



    Cernavoda – Unit 1 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant has been resynchronized to the national energy system, and today it will operate at nominal power, the Energy Ministry informs. The unit was automatically disconnected from the national electricity distribution network on Saturday night due to winds that blew at over 100 kilometers per hour. In Constanţa county, in the south-east of Romania, the storm over the weekend felled 240 trees, tore off 50 roofs and damaged 60 cars. At the same time, approximately 40,000 consumers from 80 localities in the Dobrogea region were left without electricity. The energy supplier reported that, in the meantime, power has been restored for almost 93% of those affected.



    Pensions – In Romania, the draft public pension system law passed the Senate and reaches, today, the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body. The government has calculated that it needs 5 billion Euros to increase pensioners incomes and it is still not clear where this money will come from. According to the draft law, two increases are scheduled for in 2024: as of January 1,a rise by 13.8% for all the approximately five million pensioners, and in September, a new increase, based on a new calculation formula, which takes into account the seniority, the contribution or the value of the correction index, targeting, this time approximately three million pensioners. Last week, in the Senate, the MPs of the ruling coalition, PSD and PNL, voted in favor of the draft pension law, which, they said, brings balance to the system. The opposition parties Save Romania Union – USR and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR abstained from voting. During the debates, the opposition senators criticized those in power for the lack of data regarding the resources and the budgetary impact regarding this draft law.



    Budget — The drafting of the budget bill for 2024 by the Government is going to be finalized this week. The PSD-PNL coalition has already agreed that, along with funding investments, priority will be attached to education and healthcare, but it seems that even these ministries will not receive as much money as they would like, given the constraints related to the budget deficit. And, meanwhile, there are more and more requests for money at the end of this year from the town halls as well as from the Transport Ministry. The main resource for supporting the future budget will be the fight against tax evasion. The social democratic PM Marcel Ciolacu said that, by eliminating tax evasion, the necessary funds can be obtained for pension increases, education and healthcare.



    Football – Qualified, mathematically, for the Euro 2024 from Germany, the Romanian national football team meets Switzerland, on Tuesday evening, in the last match of the Qualifying Group I. Undefeated, Romania occupies the first position, with 19 points, and can be the winner of the group if it does not lose the match with Switzerland, the team qualified for the 2024 European Championship. The Romanian footballers qualified after a 2-1 victory against Israel on Saturday. It will be the 6thparticipation of the national team in a final continental tournament, after those in 1984, 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2016.



    Handball – The finalist of Romania’s Women’s Handball Cup, CSM Târgu Jiu (south) qualified, for the first time, in the groups of the EHF European League competition, after defeating the Swedish team Onnereds HK, with the score of 26-23, on Sunday, at home, in the second leg of the third preliminary round. HC Dunărea Brăila (south-east) also qualified on Sunday after defeating the German team BV Borussia 09 Dortmund, with the score of 27-22, at home. Another Romanian team that will play in the EHF European League groups is CS Gloria 2018 Bistriţa-Năsăud (north). In the Champions League groups, Romania is represented by the Bucharest teams CSM and Rapid. (LS)

  • October 24, 2023 UPDATE

    October 24, 2023 UPDATE

    CARS The US auto giant Ford kicked off the
    production of two new models, Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier at the Otosan
    car-making plant in Craiova, southern Romania, on Tuesday. Attending the event,
    Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu thanked the company board for the
    investment and voiced his appreciation for the two cars as well as the Puma
    model also produced by the aforementioned Ford facility, which he took for a
    test-drive. Figures show that this project is already a great success the
    Prime Minister went on to say. Ford Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier will be
    available in three versions, two gasoline and diesel types and a third EcoBlue
    model fitted only with gasoline engines. Two electric versions, E-Transit
    Courier and E-Tourneo Courier will see production starting next year. Another big
    carmaker, the French Group Renault, is producing in Romania several versions of
    the local brand Dacia.




    MOTION Opposition parties in Romania, the USR and Force of the Right,
    on Tuesday tabled a simple motion against Finance Minister Marcel Bolos. The
    opposition is blaming Bolos for increased taxes after the new fiscal measures,
    for which the government assumed responsibility before Parliament, have been
    applied. The motion will be debated upon on Monday and voted on the following
    day.




    CLIMATE The effects of climate change are becoming
    increasingly acute for Romania’s citizens, said president Klaus Iohannis in
    Bucharest at an event entitled Climate change and development: prospects for
    Romania. He emphasized that the climate transition must be fair, inclusive and
    compatible with economic growth. Also today, the World Bank published the
    Romania climate and development report, saying this country can raise its
    national income almost threefold in the next 30 years if it implements measures
    to improve resilience to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    The investment needed for a decarbonized energy sector alone
    is estimated at 356 billion dollars by 2050, accounting for around 3% of the
    country’s GDP, the World Bank report also says.




    DEFICIT Hungary and Romania recorded the highest government deficit level in
    the second quarter of the year, according to data published by the European
    Statistical Office Eurostat. The highest level was recorded in Hungary, with
    6.6% of GDP, followed by Romania with 6.3%, while among EU countries the level
    was 3.2%. Previously, Romania’s deficit stood at 5.9% of GDP in the first
    quarter of the year and at 6.3% of GDP in the final quarter of 2022. According
    to Eurostat, the measures taken by governments to alleviate the impact of high
    energy prices again had a strong impact on public finance this year, with most
    EU member states still struggling with government deficit. On the other hand,
    Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, The Netherlands and Latvia have recorded a
    government surplus.


    (bill)

  • 04.07.2023 (mise à jour)

    04.07.2023 (mise à jour)

    Education – Le président Klaus Iohannis a promulgué mardi les
    nouvelles lois de l’Education nationale. Ancien professeur de lycée, à Sibiu
    (centre), le chef de l’Etat est désormais le promoteur du projet « La
    Roumanie éduquée », lancé en 2016. Parmi les objectifs envisagés
    mentionnons la majoration du budget alloué à l’Education, la baisse du
    décrochage scolaire et de l’illettrisme fonctionnel. Ces lois ont été adoptées
    par le Sénat le 22 mai dernier. Elles ont été contestées sans succès auprès de
    la Cour Constitutionnelle par l’Union sauvez la Roumanie (USR) et par la Force
    de la droite, les deux en opposition. Ces partis dénoncent le fait que les
    nouvelles normes limitent le droit à l’éducation et transgressent le principe
    de l’égalité des chances. Ces nouvelles lois ont été critiquées également par
    le Conseil national des élèves et par les organisations estudiantines qui y ont
    remarqué, à leur tour, des mesures discriminatoires. Mardi encore, le Ministère
    de l’Education a annoncé que 76,4% des collégiens en année terminale ont obtenu
    au Brevet une moyenne qui leur permet l’inscription au lycée souhaité. N’empêche,
    36.000 d’élèves ont raté cet examen et seront distribués dans des lycées où il
    reste toujours des places. Pour le Bac, le taux de promotion est pour l’instant
    de 78,4%.




















    Visite -
    L’Allemagne soutient la Roumanie pour qu’elle adhère à la zone Schengen de
    libre circulation dans le courant de cette année, a déclaré mardi, le
    chancelier allemand, Olaf Scholz. « La Roumanie a fait des efforts majeurs
    qui méritent d’être appréciés et Berlin la soutient de toutes ses forces »
    a-t-il ajouté lors d’un point de presse commun avec le premier ministre
    roumain, Marcel Ciolacu, en visite de travail, à Berlin. Leurs discussions ont
    porté aussi sur la politique de sécurité sur le Flanc oriental de l’OTAN et sur
    le sommet de Vilnius, la semaine prochaine. « Nous nous proposons de
    démarrer des pourparlers entre nos gouvernements pour fixer un plan d’action
    commun sur des sujets d’intérêt stratégique et un format de dialogue permanent
    censé nous permettre d’atteindre nos objectifs. » Porter nos relations
    diplomatiques à un niveau stratégique représente un moment essentiel pour notre
    coopération bilatérale » a déclaré Marcel Ciolacu. A ses dires, l’Allemagne
    est le principal partenaire commercial de la Roumanie.








    Schengen – La cheffe de la diplomatie roumaine, Luminita Odobescu, a
    salué la position de l’Espagne actuellement à la tête du Conseil de l’UE, au sujet de l’admission de la Roumanie à la
    zone de libre circulation européenne. Dans une interview accordée en
    exclusivité à Radio Roumanie, celle-ci a assuré que l’adhésion à Schengen
    restait un objectif prioritaire des autorités roumaines. Antérieurement,
    l’ambassadeur d’Espagne à Bucarest, José Antonio Hernández Pérez-Solórzano, avait
    réitéré l’appui de son pays aux efforts de Bucarest de rejoindre l’espace de libre circulation européenne. Il a
    réaffirmé que le sujet de l’intégration de la Roumanie et de la Bulgarie se
    retrouverait à l’agenda du Conseil Justice et Affaires Intérieures, le plus
    probablement en automne. « C’est une priorité de notre présidence, d’inclure
    la Roumanie et la Bulgarie dans l’espace Schengen », a déclaré l’Ambassadeur
    d’Espagne à Bucarest.




    Dacia – Dacia, la marque low cost du groupe Renault, a annoncé
    lundi sa participation en tant que constructeur au rally-raid du Dakar en 2025
    avec un prototype utilisant un carburant de synthèse de Saudi Aramco et piloté
    par le multiple champion, le Français Sébastien Loeb. Acheté en 1999 par le
    groupe Renault, Dacia s’est relancée en 2004 grâce à sa Logane. Ultérieurement,
    le constructeur est devenu un des acteurs de notoriété sur le marché automobile
    européen.







    Météo – Les météorologues annoncent 3 journées caniculaires en
    Roumanie. Dans le sud notamment, les températures pourraient atteindre les 36
    degrés. En même temps la météo sera capricieuse, avec un ciel couvert, des
    pluies à verse et des phénomènes orageux sur les montagnes et les collines du
    sud et de l’est.



  • Dacia, la Raliul Dakar 2025

    Dacia, la Raliul Dakar 2025


    Raliul Dakar, ninte cunoscut sum numa di Raliul Paris-Dakar, nu ari – minduim — ananghi di multă prezentare. Compitiție automobilistică și di motociclism off-road, Raliul fu organizat, tră prima oară, tru 1978, după ţi pilotul francez Thierry Sabine s-kiru pritu pundille, furñia tra s’apufusească că pundillea cu arină easti un loc di tamam tră s’ndreagă ună compitiție auto-moto.



    Inițial, cursa s-dizvărti pi traseul Paris-Dakar (Senegal). Cu kirolu, ama, di lenu turlii, punctele di nkisită shi agiundzeari nica și traseul işişi fură alăxiti. Dimi, ditu cauza a fuviserloru teroriste ditu Mauritania, Raliul s-mută tru America di Sud ahurhinda cu ediția ditu 2009, iara ditu 2020 – tru Arabia Saudită. Tru cursa di pisti 8.000 di kilometri, sute di piloţi şi copiloţi – auto, moto, quad şi di camioane — s’prezintă la startul a unei aventură extraordituară.



    Emu, tora yini marea hăbarea, goda babageană, cum u spuni presa di la București. Ditu 2025, la Raliul Dakar va s’llia partia, tru calitate di constructor, și marca românească Dacia. Va s’ufilisească un prototip auto cari vas’ funcţioneadza pi bază di combustibili sintetici adraţ di ghigantul saudit Aramco, companie di energie evaluată la pisti 2.000 di miliardi di dolari. Ma mult di ahât! La volan va s’hibă multiplul campion la raliu, Sébastien Loeb. Nu ninte ca francezul și pilotul spaniol Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero s’ahuhrească s’concureadză tră Dacia, anlu yinitoru, tru fazele di testi, tră Raliul Maroc.



    Prototipurile pi cari le vor conduce ar urma să fie dizvăluite la truceputul lui 2024. Tru vârstă di 49 di ani, Sébastien Loeb diţine mai multe recorduri la Campionatul Mondial di Raliuri, tru timp ce Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero, 31 di ani, easti prima femeie-pilot ditu Spania cari a terminat Raliul Dakar tru 2017.


    foarte


    Cât tră Dacia, cari nregistrează vinderi multu buni cu automobilele a llei cu păhadz atractive, aceasta vrea să îşi promoveze noua sa iditutitate off-road la Raliul Dakar, prin natura sa un laborator di tehnologie, cari divine şi un laborator tră mobilitatea cu emisii reduse di carbon. Ma multu, Dacia țintește ndzeana : nu vrea să termine Raliul pi locul ţinţi I şasi.



    Tru paralel, Dacia, tru nicukirata a grupului Renault, va s’lanseadza un SUV ma mare şi ma elegantu andicra di actualul Duster, număsitu Bigster, minduitu maxus tră să u seducă muştiramea ma acvuta ditu Germania i Marea Britanie. S’nă aduţemu aminti că, priloată di francezii di la Renault tru 1999 şi rilansată tru 2004 cu modelu Logan, Dacia easti, tru aist kiro, un agiucător di notorietate pi păzarea auto europeană.


    Autoru: Roxana Vasile


    Armânipsearea: Taşcu Lala



  • July 4, 2023 UPDATE

    July 4, 2023 UPDATE

    Education. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, promulgated the new education laws on Tuesday. A former high school teacher himself, the head of state is the promoter of the “Educated Romania” project, launched in 2016, based on a series of public consultations. Its main goals include the increase in funding for education, the decrease in school dropouts, and the reduction of functional illiteracy. The education laws were adopted by the Senate on May 22. They were unsuccessfully contested at the Constitutional Court by the opposition Save Romania Union because, among other things, they said it would limit the right to education and violate the principle of equal rights. The education laws were criticized by both the Pupils National Council and by university student organizations, for various provisions considered discriminatory. “I am firmly convinced that, with the new laws that we have promulgated, we have a solid framework on which we can build an education system prepared for the current challenges”, said the head of state. Also on Tuesday, it was announced that the percentage of secondary school graduates who obtained at least the average grade of 5 in the National Assessment stands at 76.4%. The number of grades of 10 reached 466 nationally, but more than 36,000 children have grades below five.



    Support. Germany will support Romania become a full member of the Schengen area this year, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday. He added that Romania has already undertaken major efforts and these should be appreciated. “We are involved with all our strength for this”, said Scholz in a joint press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who is on a working visit to Berlin. Scholz also said that the discussions focused on the security policy on NATOs Eastern Flank and the Allied Summit in Vilnius next week. “Germany is Romanias most important trading partner, a fact that constitutes a solid basis for boosting our bilateral relationship and offers real development prospects that we want to materialize as soon as possible”, the Romanian Prime Minister said.



    Schengen. The Romanian Foreign Minister Luminiţa Odobescu has welcomed the position of Spain, which is currently holding the rotating presidency of the European Union, regarding Romanias accession to Schengen. In an exclusive interview for Radio Romania, she said that accession to Schengen remains a priority goal for the Romanian authorities. Previously, the Spanish ambassador to Bucharest, José Antonio Hernández Pérez-Solórzano, had reiterated his countrys support for Romanias accession to the free movement area. He stated that the issue of the accession of Romania and neighboring Bulgaria will be put on the agenda of the Justice and Home Affairs Council most likely this fall. “It is a priority of our presidency to include Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen Area” – said the Spanish diplomat.



    DACIA. Dacia has announced it will take part in the 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally as one of the official manufacturers. Dacia representatives announced its prototype race car will use a synthetic fuel supplied by Aramco. Piloting one of Dacias cars into the series will be several-time Dakar champion Sébastien Loeb of France.



    Inquiry. The Romanian Government will launch an official inquiry into medical leaves. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has called on the National Health Insurance Authority to submit an updated report, after last year over 8 million requests for medical leave were submitted, considering Romanias active population totals some 6 million people. Total medical leave costs stood at some 1.2 bln EUR. Parliament has previously voted out an initiative designed to empower the Health Insurance Authority to verify people on medical leave without violating their privacy.



    Ukraine. The battles against the Russian invasion army are difficult, Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, hailing however what he has termed progress reported as part of the June counteroffensive campaign. “Last week was difficult, but we are making headway. Were taking it one step at a time”, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. Previously, deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that “Ukraine has liberated 28.4 square kilometers in the south and 9 square kilometers in the east over the past week”, taking the total area liberated by the Ukrainian army since the launch of the counteroffensive to 158 square kilometers. “The enemy is fighting back, the current battle is very tough”, deputy minister Mailar went on to say. (MI)


  • July 4, 2023

    July 4, 2023

    EDUCATION – Romania’s
    president Klaus Iohannis is today expected to ratify the education laws. A
    former high school teacher, Klaus Iohannis spearheaded the Educated Romania
    project in 2016, launched in the wake of a series of public consultations. Its
    objectives include increasing funds for education, reducing school dropout and
    functional illiteracy. The education laws were adopted by the Senate on May 22.
    The opposition parties USR and the Right Force appealed the laws at the
    Constitutional Court, without success. The opposition claims the laws infringe
    on access to education and on the principle of equality of rights. The
    education laws were also criticized by the National Pupils Council and
    students’ organizations, which condemned various provisions they deemed to be
    discriminatory.




    VISIT -
    Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is as of today paying a two-day visit to
    Germany, where he will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the
    vice-president of the German Parliament, Katrin Gorind-Eckardt. Prime Minister
    Ciolacu will also attend meetings with representatives of the business and
    defense industry sectors. Marcel Ciolacu will also meet members of the Romanian
    community in Germany and pay floral tributes to the Holocaust Memorial in
    Berlin. Germany is Romania’s number one trade partner, which provides a robust
    basis for boosting bilateral ties, offering genuine development perspectives
    that we want to carry through as soon as possible, the Romanian official said.




    DACIA – Dacia
    has announced it will take part in the 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally as one
    of the official manufacturers. Dacia representatives announced its prototype
    race car will use a synthetic fuel supplied by Aramco. Piloting one of Dacia’s
    cars into the series will be several-time Dakar champion Sébastien Loeb of
    France.




    MEDICAL LEAVE – The Government will
    launch an official inquiry into medical leaves. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu
    has called on the National Health Insurance Authority to submit an updated
    report, after last year over 8 million requests for medical leave were
    submitted, considering Romania’s active population totals some 6 million
    people. Total medical leave costs stood at some 1.2 bln EUR. Parliament has
    previously voted out an initiative designed to empower the Health Insurance
    Authority to verify people on medical leave without violating their privacy.




    WAR IN UKRAINE – The battles
    against the Russian invasion army are ‘difficult’, Ukraine’s president
    Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, hailing however what he has termed ‘progress’
    reported as part of the June counteroffensive campaign. Last week was
    difficult, but we are making headway. We’re taking it one step at a time,
    Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. Previously, deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar
    said that Ukraine has liberated 28.4 square kilometers in the south and 9
    square kilometers in the east over the past week, taking the total area
    liberated by the Ukrainian army since the launch of the counteroffensive to 158
    square kilometers. The enemy is fighting back, the current battle is very
    though, deputy minister Mailar went on to say.




    TENNIS – Three Romanian
    tennis players are today competing in the women’s singles at Wimbledon. 29th-seed
    Irina Begu (29 WTA) will take on Rebecca Marino of Canada (83 WTA). Sorana Cîrstea
    (36 WTA) will go up against Tatjana Maria of Germany (58 WTA), last year’s
    semi-finalist. Another player on the main draw, Jaqueline Cristian (133 WTA),
    will take on Lucia Bronzetti of Italy (65 WTA). The Romanian-born Canadian
    player Bianca Andreescu will play Anna Bondar of Hungary. On Monday, Ana Bogdan
    (61 WTA) ousted Liudmila Samsonova of Russia (15 WTA), 7-6, 7-6. (VP)



  • Dacia ist bei der Rallye Dakar 2025 dabei

    Dacia ist bei der Rallye Dakar 2025 dabei


    Die Rallye Dakar, früher bekannt als Rallye Paris-Dakar, benötigt keine gro‎ße Einführung. Die Idee zur Rallye kam dem französischen Automobil- und Motorradrennfahrer Thierry Sabine im Jahre 1977, als er mehrere Tage in der Wüste verschollen war. Am 26. Dezember 1978 startete die erste Rallye Paris-Dakar, deren Organisation Sabine übernahm. Das Rennen wurde ursprünglich auf der Strecke Paris-Dakar (Senegal) ausgetragen, doch im Laufe der Zeit wurden die Start- und Zielorte und sogar die Strecke selbst geändert. Die terroristische Bedrohung führte dazu, dass die Rallye seit 2009 in Mauretanien und ab 2020 in Saudi-Arabien verlegt wurde. Viele Fahrer und Beifahrer in Autos, Motorrädern, Quads und Lastwagen nehmen an dem 8 000-Kilometer-Rennen teil. Und jetzt kommt die gro‎ße Ankündigung, die Bukarester Presse nennt es einen kolossalen Coup! Ab dem Jahr 2025 wird der rumänische Automobilhersteller Dacia an der Rallye Dakar teilnehmen. Der Prototyp wird mit synthetischen Kraftstoffen betrieben, die vom saudischen Riesen Aramco hergestellt werden. Zudem gibt es noch weitere Details! Am Steuer wird der mehrfache Rallye-Champion Sébastien Loeb sitzen. Der Franzose und die spanische Fahrerin Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero werden im kommenden Jahr für Dacia in den Testphasen der Rallye Marokko antreten. Das Fahrzeug, das sie fahren werden, soll Anfang 2024 enthüllt werden. Der französische Rallyefahrer Sébastien Loeb hält mehrere Rekorde in der Rallye-Weltmeisterschaft. Die spanische Rallyefahrerin Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero ist die erste Fahrerin aus Spanien, die die Rallye Dakar 2017 beendet hat. Dacia, das sich durch seine preisgünstigen Fahrzeuge auszeichnet, möchte bei der Rallye Dakar seine neue Offroad-Identität präsentieren, die sich auch zu einem Technologielabor für kohlenstoffarme Mobilität entwickelt hat. Dacia hat sich hohe Ziele gesetzt, um die Rallye nicht auf dem fünften oder sechsten Platz zu beenden. Zusätzlich zu dem aktuellen Duster wird Dacia einen grö‎ßeren und schlankeren SUV auf den Markt bringen, der vorwiegend wohlhabendere Kunden in Deutschland oder Gro‎ßbritannien ansprechen soll. Dacia ist ein bekannter rumänischer Automobilhersteller, der 1999 von dem französischen Renault-Konzern übernommen wurde und 2004 mit dem Modell Logan wieder auf den europäischen Automobilmarkt zurückgekehrt ist.

  • Dacia, au rallye Dakar 2025

    Dacia, au rallye Dakar 2025

    Le Dakar c’est un repère particulièrement important pour tous les passionnés du monde automobile. Connu auparavant en tant que Rallye Paris-Dakar, cette course automobile a été organisée pour la première fois en en 1978, mais son histoire débute une année auparavant. En 1977, le pilote Thierry Sabine se perd en moto dans le désert de Libye au cours d’un rallye. Sauvé des sables in extremis, il se promet de faire partager cette découverte et imagine un parcours partant d’Europe. Le rallye initial reliait Paris à Dakar, mais à travers le temps le départ et le terminus ont changé pour différentes raisons. A cause des menaces terroristes en Mauritanie, le rallye s’est déplacé en Amérique du sud à compter par l’édition 2009 et en 2020, il fut déplacé en Arabie Saoudite.

    Plusieurs centaines de pilotes et copilotes avec leurs motos, autos, quads et camions s’inscrivent chaque année dans cette aventure automobile qui s’étend sur plus de 8 000 km. Or, l’annonce selon laquelle en 2025, Dacia ouvrira sa saison en rallye-raid avec sa participation au Dakar en tant que constructeur en catégorie T1+ est un repère très important pour la marque roumaine. Le prototype Dacia utilisera du carburant de synthèse produit par Aramco, leader mondial dans le secteur de l’énergie et des produits chimiques, un géant évalué à plus de 2 000 milliards de dollars. Les carburants de synthèse fournies par Aramco sont produits en combinant de l’hydrogène renouvelable avec du CO2 capturé, ce qui donne un carburant à faible teneur en carbone et compatible avec les moteurs d’aujourd’hui. Le Dakar est le terrain d’expérimentation idéal de cette technologie pour la marque Dacia, selon le communiqué de presse de Dacia.

    Le multiple champion du monde de rallye français Sébastien Loeb et la pilote de rallye espagnole Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero courront officiellement pour Dacia dès 2024 au Rallye du Maroc lors des phases de test. Pilote de rallye espagnole, Cristina Gutierrez Herrero est devenue la première femme espagnole dans la catégorie auto à terminer le Dakar en 2017. Agée de 31 ans, elle a déjà à son actif 7 participations au rallye Dakar entre 2017 et 2023. Pilote de rallye français âgé de 49 ans, Sébastien Loeb a remporté le championnat du monde des rallyes 9 fois consécutives de 2004 à 2012. Il est le pilote le plus titré du sport automobile et souvent considéré comme le plus grand pilote de rallye de tous les temps. Par ailleurs, le Dakar sera un terrain d’expérimentation et un laboratoire d’idées pour Dacia qui enregistre des chiffres exceptionnels en termes de ventes. Il permettra de tester et d’éprouver de nouvelles solutions malignes « à la Dacia », en termes de fonctionnalités outdoor, mais aussi de choix énergétique. Ce qui plus est, Dacia se lance dans cette aventure avec des objectifs ambitieux qui ne visent certainement pas la 5e ou 6e place.

    Enfin, sachez aussi que Dacia Groupe Renault compte lance une SUV plus imposante que l’actuelle Duster, reposant sur le concept Bigster et imaginé spécialement pour séduire les clients d’Allemagne ou du Royaume-Uni. Rappelons-le, les usines Dacia ont été rachetées par le groupe Renault en 1999 qui a relancé la marque en 2004 avec la Logan une voiture issue du concept « low-cost », peu à peu abandonné ces derniers temps. Actuellement, le « smart-buy » l’identité de Dacia qui compte parmi les acteurs importants du marché automobile européen. (trad.Alex Diaconescu)

  • Din România în Palestina și înapoi

    Din România în Palestina și înapoi


    Prezența evreilor în spațiul românesc este una foarte veche, ei sunt atestați sporadic încă din timpul cuceririi romane a Daciei. Ei devin vizibili din secolul al 14-lea de când datează cele mai vechi documentele de cancelarie ale Principatelor Române. În secolul al 19-lea, când naționalismul apare și se dezvoltă peste tot în lume, se naște și sionismul cu o pondere importantă în România unde, conform recensământului din 1930, locuiau aproximativ 730.000 de evrei sau aproximativ 4% din populația totală. Însă apariția fascismului și a antisemitismului în România, manifestare locală a unei tendințe europene, a făcut ca mulți evrei să aleagă să plece în Palestina aflată sub mandat britanic de la finele primului război mondial.



    Fiecare dintre cei plecați au avut un destin unic, fiecare destin este o poveste. În 1995, Centrul de Istorie Orală din Radiodifuziunea Română l-a intervievat pe Samuel Stein și am aflat astfel povestea sa în teritoriul ales al Palestinei pentru poporul evreu și întoarcerea în România. Ca orice tânăr plin de energie, Stein a aderat la concepții de viață și opinii politice radicale. S-a alăturat din convingere tineretului comunist și a fost arestat pentru activitate comunistă în 1935 și închis la penitenciarul Doftana până în 1936. La data interviului din 1995, el își amintea de personaje despre care astăzi citim în cărțile de istorie precum juristul și politicianul Wilhelm Filderman, liderul comunității evreiești din România, și Iuliu Maniu, președintele Partidului Național Țărănesc.


    “Eu nu aveam o părere prea bună despre Filderman pentru faptul că el era cu liberalii, iar partidul evreiesc din Ardeal, din care făceau parte şi evreii din Bucovina, Basarabia, unii din Vechiul Regat erau mai mult legaţi de naţional-ţărănişti. Majoritatea evreilor, mai ales din Transilvania şi din provinciile alipite, erau cu naţional-ţărăniştii, erau cu partidul evreiesc care era un partid sionist. Eu nu eram sionist, eu eram comunist. Ceea ce ne-a revoltat împotriva lui Maniu şi a Partidului Naţional Ţărănesc a fost pactul lui cu legionarii, ceea ce i-a ridicat pe legionari mult. Până atunci erau nişte vagabonzi, nişte ticăloşi, aşa îi ştia toată lumea, și nu vorbesc ca evreu, vorbesc așa cum îi priveau românii.”



    Samuel Stein era un evreu deplin integrat în societatea românească, așa cum erau majoritatea covârșitoare a evreilor deveniți cetățeni români după 1918.


    “Eu aveam mulţi prieteni români, după cum m-am comportat și în armată am reuşit, prin felul meu de a fi, să ajung ceva în armată şi eram prieten cu toată lumea. Până şi un legionar a venit la mine, după un timp, să îi ţin prăjiturile pentru că îi era frică să nu i le fure ceilalţi, proprii lui camarazi. Deci a venit la jidanul Stein ca să îl ajute. Şi l-am ajutat. De multe ori discutam cu el despre legionarismul lui, dar spunea nu are ieşire, că dacă iese îl omoară.”



    În 1939, Stein ia decizia să plece în Palestina. Îmbarcat în portul Constanța, împreună cu alți 780 de evrei, pe un vapor de transport de vite, oamenii își caută o nouă patrie. În arhipelagul Dodecanez, nu departe de insula Rhodos, cei 780 de pasageri evrei sunt evacuați din cauza unui incendiu de la bord. Îmbarcați pe un alt vas trimis de o organizație sionistă, ajung în fine în Palestina.



    Aici începe a doua viață a lui Stein. Intră în partidul comunist, însă refuzul de a se înrola în armată face ca partidul să-l excludă. A ales să lucreze un an în kibbutzul Ramat Rahel de lângă Ierusalim.


    “Kibbutzul era, mi se pare, de 100 de dunami (aproximativ 10 hectare), nu-mi amintesc câte persoane erau acolo. Unii lucrau în oraș la Ierusalim, unii erau agricultori acolo în kibbutz, alţii mergeau la Marea Moartă. Adică integrarea asta se făcea treptat: stăteai aici vreo două săptămâni, la Marea Moartă, întâi lucrai la descărcarea şi încărcarea vaselor de pe Marea Moartă şi încărcarea unor camioane care duceau încărcăturile la Ierusalim. Alteori lucrai tot ca un fel de hamal la gara din Ierusalim. Purtam saci de 100 kilograme în spinare.”



    Întrebat despre relațiile evreilor cu arabii, Samuel Stein nu are amintiri personale legate de tensiuni sau violențe.


    “Într-o zi am plecat de la Ramat Rachel la Ierusalim unde aveam două rude. M-am dus la rudele mele şi apoi m-am dus pe jos acasă. Când au aflat că m-am dus pe jos acasă la Ramat Rahel, mi-au spus: Eu, direct, n-am avut nici o problemă propriu-zis. Ba chiar mi-amintesc, la un moment dat, am fost de gardă undeva şi a venit la mine un arab și a spus că ar vrea şi el să se facă evreu. La care i-am răspuns că eu nu eram abilitat pentru astfel de lucruri și să se ducă unde vrea.”



    Cel de-al doilea război mondial îl face însă să se înrolează în brigada evreiască din armata britanică și participă la luptele din Africa de Nord, sudul Italiei, Franța, Belgia. Iar după război, în 1947, Samuel Stein face din nou alegerea vieții: se va întoarce în România.