Radio România Internațional

Tag: defence

May 17, 2022

EU.
Romanian defence minister Vasile Dîncu is today attending in Brussels a meeting
of EU defence ministers as part of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council. Talks are
focusing on the security situation in Ukraine as a result of Russia’s invasion and
the Union’s support for Ukraine. Romania’s
foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu was also in Brussels yesterday to attend a
meeting of EU foreign ministers. He presented, among others, the measures taken
by Romania to support Ukraine and said his country would continue humanitarian
efforts, including assistance to the refugees crossing the border into Romania
and via the humanitarian hub in Suceava, in the north-east. He also expressed support
for the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, emphasising the need to
maintain pressure on the latter. He also called for broader international
effort to create a transport corridor for Ukrainian goods to third destinations,
including by sea, especially for cereals, saying Romania could also act as a
transit route.

Ukraine. An operation to rescue Ukrainian fighters trapped in the Azovstal steelworks, the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol, got under way today, according to Ukraine, who believes these soldiers have ended their mission. Ukraine confirmed last week that over 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, of whom 600 wounded, were at this industrial complex, whose underground tunnels stretch for kilometres. The port city of Mariupol is now in Russian hands, after being under siege from the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24th February. Owing to its location near the Sea of Azov, Mariupol is a strategic link between Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and the Donbas mining region, in the east of Ukraine, where there are two pro-Russian break-away republics and where most Russian attacks are now concentrated. It is not clear yet if the evacuation of the Azovstal steel works is the end of the defence of Mariupol.

France. Romanian prime minister Nicolae Ciucă in a Twitter post
congratulated Élisabeth Borne for her appointment as prime minister of France and
assured her of cooperation within the bilateral strategic partnership. Borne,
who was appointed yesterday evening by president Emmanuel Macron, takes over
from Jean Castex, who resigned earlier. Having served in every Macron
government, Élisabeth Borne is only the second woman to become prime minister in
France after Édith Cresson, who held this office for less than a year under the
socialist president François Mitterand. Castex’ resignation paved the way for a
much-awaited government reshuffle by president Macron, who, since re-election,
has promised to downsize government. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent
in Paris, Élisabeth Borne and her team will only be able to govern if the
presidential party and its allies obtain a majority in the parliamentary
elections of June 19th.

Vaccine. Romania has begun the roll-out of the fourth dose of the Covid
vaccine. This booster is only available
from Pfizer and only to be administered to persons over the age of 18 provided
they had earlier received an ARN messenger shot and more than fourth months
have passed since the previous shot. Doctors are advising persons at risk and
those who wish to be better protected against infection to take this booster
jab. Experts are taking into accounts the possibility of a new wave of Covid
infections in autumn.

Cannes. The 75th edition of the Cannes Festival is getting
under way today on the French Riviera. 18 productions are vying for the Palme d’Or
trophy, both French and international films, including RMN, by the Romanian
director Cristian Mungiu, a Cannes regular. Another Romanian film, from
first-time director Alexandru Belc is in competition in the Un Certain Regard
section, a festival sidebar that focuses on original and daring productions
from directors who are at the start of their careers or little known. (CM)

17 May 2022
Romanian – US talks

The international community has firmly condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, which triggered the most severe refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

It is precisely the fallout of this military aggression and the Allied efforts to manage it and to come up with an appropriate response that was in the focus of Mondays telephone talks between the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and the US secretary of state Antony Blinken.

The two officials discussed concrete ways to provide support to Ukraine, and a number of bilateral cooperation elements as part of the Romania – US Strategic Partnership. Bogdan Aurescu presented Bucharests assessments of the security developments on NATOs eastern flank and in the Black Sea region. He also detailed the complex measures taken by Romanian authorities to support neighbouring Ukraine at a political, logistic, and humanitarian level.

The Romanian diplomacy chief emphasised the importance of quickly implementing the decisions made at NATOs summit on March 24, particularly establishing as soon as possible the Romania battle group, as a first step in balancing and consolidating NATOs presence on the eastern flank in the long run.

On the other hand, he presented the needs of Romanias eastern neighbour, the Republic of Moldova, in handling the crisis entailed by Russias military aggression in Ukraine and strengthening this countrys resilience.

In turn, state secretary Antony Blinken thanked Romania on behalf of the US for the regional role that Bucharest has embraced and for the support given to Kyiv and other vulnerable partners in the region, including Chișinău. Moreover, Antony Blinken appreciated Romanias steadfast commitment, as a strategic partner of the USA and a reliable and trustworthy NATO Ally, to stability and security in the Black Sea region and at European and Euro-Atlantic level.

The US official also reaffirmed Washingtons full commitment to protecting the territories of Romania and of all Allied states, especially those in the frontline.

Also on Monday, the Romanian defence minister Vasile Dîncu talked over the phone with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, about security developments in the Black Sea region, in the context of the war in Ukraine, as well as about the stage of setting up the Allied battle group in Romania.

Vasile Dîncu thanked the US for the commitment and substantial contribution to ensuring security on NATOs eastern flank. Relocating the Stryker combat team, deploying F-16 and F-18 aircraft to reinforce air policing missions in Romania are just two concrete examples of a solid trans-Atlantic relationship. (AMP)

19 April 2022
March 30, 2022 UPDATE

PARLIAMENT The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will address the Parliament of Romania, the Senate speaker Florin Cîțu announced on Wednesday. “As speaker of the Senate, I will make the arrangements for this to happen next week. Ukraine has all my support,” Florin Cîțu added. Also next week, the Ukrainian head of state is scheduled to address the parliaments of Ireland and Greece. Since the start of Russias invasion in Ukraine on February 24, Volodymyr Zelensky has talked by video link to the parliaments of several countries, including the UK, Canada, the US, Germany, Italy, Australia, Israel, Poland, and the European Parliament. He also gave an address in last weeks special NATO summit, also attended by the US president Joe Biden.

UKRAINE Russian forces have used cluster munitions, prohibited under international law, at least 24 times in populated areas of Ukraine in the 5 weeks since the start of the war, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet announced on Wednesday, according to EFE news agency. “Indiscriminate attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,” she also said, referring to the shelling of homes and administrative buildings, hospitals and schools, water stations and electricity systems. Meanwhile, Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky said there are positive signals regarding Tuesdays Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Turkey, but that Ukraine does not intend to relax its military efforts. He emphasised there can be no compromise with respect to his countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russias defence ministry said on Wednesday that Russian forces were regrouping near the capital Kyiv and Chernihiv in the north, to focus on other key regions and finalise what it called the freeing of Donbas. However, Reuters and the local authorities in Chernihiv confirmed that Russian attacks continued in both regions on Wednesday. On his first visit to China since his country invaded Ukraine, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov Wednesday announced plans for a new “just and democratic” world order, in a partnership with China.

GOVERNMENT The government of Romania Wednesday approved the National Strategy on Curbing Poverty, aimed at a 7% reduction of poverty in the country by 2027. The legislative framework is necessary in order for relevant EU funding to be accessed. Funds are also earmarked for the set-up of 100 care centres to send food to the elderly at their homes. The government also decided on a maximum 20% increase in school enrollment capacities, so as to receive child refugees from Ukraine. In related news, the education minister announced that the current school terms will be replaced by 5 education modules alternating with 5 holidays. The next school year is set to begin 2 weeks early, on September 5, and to end on June 16.

AID Funds raised under a humanitarian campaign for the Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Romania, launched by the Romanian embassy in the USA jointly with the Romanian United Fund, have reached the intended 200,000 US dollars, the Romanian embassy has announced. According to Ambassador Andrei Muraru, this successful campaign is an example of solidarity at a difficult time for the Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war. The funds will be used for buying food, clothes, medicines and hygiene items for the refugees, as well as for providing accommodation, equipment and psychological support. According to UN sources, over 10 million Ukrainians, including more than half of the countrys children, have left their homes since the beginning of the war in their country. Out of the total number, 6.5 million have been relocated inside the country whereas 3.9 million have left it. Out of these, roughly 580,000 have crossed the border into Romania.

NATO Romania will be taking action to strengthen its defence capabilities, including by allotting 2.5% of its GDP to defence instead of a previous 2.2%, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said in a message conveyed on the 18th anniversary of Romanias application for joining NATO. According to Iohannis, Romania will continue to promote the partnership between NATO and the EU, remaining a staunch ally, a security provider in the Black Sea area, dedicated to the fundamental values of the North Atlantic Alliance.

COVID-19 Over 3,500 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Romania on Wednesday, along with 36 fatalities, 22 of which from an earlier date. Little over 2,500 patients are currently hospitalised, 395 of them in intensive care. The health minister Alexandru Rafila says COVID-19 hospitals will gradually resume their regular operations by the end of September. Meanwhile, the vaccine roll-out continues in family physician practices. So far over 8 million people have been fully vaccinated and 17 million doses of vaccine have been administered.

30 March 2022
NATO enhances deterrence against Russia

As the Russian army carries on its aggression in
Ukraine, in Brussels NATO defence ministers decided to strengthen the Alliance’s
long-term posture, particularly in the eastern flank, including Romania.

The grounds for the decision were summarised by the
Alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, as follows: Russia’s
willingness to resort to force must not be underestimated, nor should one overlook
the fact that the country has nuclear capabilities.

Still, as NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea
Geoană explained, this is not an indication of an imminent conflict with the
Russian Federation, but rather a deterrence move.

NATO’s reset military positioning in the East will involve
a substantial increase in the number of rapid response land forces with prepositioned
equipment and supplies, more air power, strengthened integrated air and missile
defence, carrier strike groups, submarines and significant numbers of combat
ships. Cyber defence will also be enhanced.

According to Stoltenberg, Allies are united when it
comes to that NATO should not deploy forces on the ground or in the airspace of
Ukraine, to make sure that Vladimir Putin’s war doesn’t spiral into a conflict
between two nuclear blocs.

Nonetheless, NATO defence ministers decided to
continue providing financial, humanitarian and military assistance to Kyiv, as
they have done so far, which helped make the Ukrainian resistance possible. As for
discouraging Moscow’s possible plans to have the conflict escalate beyond Ukraine,
NATO’s battlegroup in Romania will be fully operational shortly.

With respect to the size or possible permanent status
of the new battlegroups in the East, NATO’s deputy secretary general Mircea
Geoană said a final decision would be taken in a summit in June. Meanwhile, given
that the entire security situation in Europe has changed, Allies were urged to
invest at least 2% of GDP in defence. Romania, which has done so for several
years now, has recently decided to increase the GDP share earmarked for defence
to 2.5%.

In short, NATO does not anticipate a Russian attack on
Allied territory, especially since 75% of Russia’s forces are deployed in
Ukraine, without notable results. But, secretary general Jens Stoltenberg reiterated,
NATO will not tolerate any attack on Allied sovereignty or territorial
integrity. The NATO official also called on Russia’s president Putin to stop
the war immediately and to engage in diplomacy in good faith.

The huge disproportion between NATO and Russian forces
favours the Allies, and this can be seen in Moscow as well, the participants in
the extraordinary meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels agreed. (A.M.P.)

17 March 2022
Supreme Defence Council discusses Ukraine crisis

Romania’s
Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) once again convened on Tuesday in the context of
the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Measures have been decided in several
respects. First among these were steps to substantially consolidate the
deterrence and defence posture in the eastern flank in the forthcoming period,
through the deployment of Allied forces and the accelerated set-up of the
battlegroup in Romania.

In
the near future, Romania will host 2,300 US
troops, 500 French, 300 Belgian and 170 Portuguese troops, as well as an
enhanced police unit. Moreover, the number of NATO aircraft in the country is
set to increase.

The CSAT also decided to provide support to
neighbouring Moldova, and to set up a logistics centre to
collect and ship international donations to Ukraine.

Klaus
Iohannis: In the general context created by the regional security situation,
support for the Republic of Moldova is necessary in several respects, because
the country is facing significant refugee inflows and possibly other
difficulties as well. In this respect, the CSAT decided Romania will take a
number of support measures. As for Romania’s contribution to the international
efforts to support Ukraine, we decided to set up a logistics facility, a hub for
centralising and transporting international donations and humanitarian aid to
Ukraine and to the Ukrainian people. We also decided to step up measures to
help the refugees from Ukraine and to manage the massive inflow of people to
Romania.

The
number of Ukrainian nationals coming into Romania is growing by the day. The authorities
say they have ready accommodation, food and clothing for half a million people.
Furthermore, based on an agreement among EU member states, Romania has shipped
fuel, bulletproof vests, helmets, ammunition and military equipment, water,
food and medicines to Ukraine.

In
the same CSAT meeting, the Romanian president said that in the current security
context Romania must take new consolidated measures in at least 2 respects:

Klaus
Iohannis: We need to enhance the defence capacity of the Romanian state. To this
end, we must increase the share of defence expenditure in the GDP from 2% at
present to 2.5%. Secondly, Romania must secure its energy independence, mainly
by developing renewable energy sources and civilian nuclear facilities.

The
president emphasised that for these strategic goals to be achieved, political
decisions must be agreed on and concrete action plans must be implemented by
relevant institutions. (A.M.P.)

2 March 2022
February 11, 2022 UPDATE

NATO Romania, as a NATO member country and strategic partner of the US,
benefits from all the security guarantees that it needs, in the context of the
most serious crisis since the fall of the Iron Curtain. The statement was made
by Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Friday, during a visit he made
together with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Alliance’s
Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoana, at the military base in Mihail
Kogalniceanu, south-eastern Romania. The officials met with military personnel
from allied nations deployed to Romania. In his turn, Stoltenberg said
the presence of NATO troops in Romania is important because it is a powerful
demonstration of NATO unity. Around 1,000 American military were relocated to
Romania, amid concerns raised by the Russian military build-up at the Ukrainian
border. France has also voiced willingness to deploy troops to Romania. A NATO
member since 2004, Romania was already hosting 900 American, 250 Polish and 140
Italian troops. A unit of the US Air Forces
in Europe (USAFE), comprising around 150 troops and 8 F-16 Fighting Falcons, will
have joint training missions with troops and aircraft of the Romanian
Air Forces for 2 weeks, as of Friday. According to a news release, the US
aircraft will also conduct enhanced air policing missions, jointly with Romanian
troops and with the Italian Air Forces unit deployed to Romania in December.

CORONAVIRUS The number of new Covid-19 infections continues to drop in Romania.
On Friday, the Group for Strategic Communication announced 22,737 new cases and
132 deaths, five of which from an earlier date. The Romanian authorities
consider easing the restrictions taken in the context of the pandemic, but in a
gradual manner, as did the countries that have already overcome the peak of the
current wave, the head of the Department for Emergencies, Raed Arafat, said.
The number of new cases is dropping, and if we stay on this trend, we could be
restriction free by Easter, Arafat said. In turn, the head of the immunization programme,
Valeriu Gheorghita, said that in the future vaccination against Covid-19 will
be seasonal, just like the flu vaccine, and adjusted to the strain in
circulation at a particular moment. The vaccination rate among adults stands at
50.5% in Romania at present, Valeriu Gheorghita said.

MOLDOVA A number of bilateral documents were signed in Chisinau on
Friday after a joint meeting of the Romanian and Moldovan governments,
including an inter-government agreement under which Romania is to provide EUR
100 million worth of non-reimbursable aid. The Romanian PM Nicolae Ciucă and
his Moldovan counterpart Natalia Gavriliţa also signed a joint statement on
strengthening cooperation in economy and investments. Other agreements concern
the building, maintenance, repair and use of a cross-border bridge in Ungheni,
and roaming and international call tariffs, cooperation in energy security,
digitisation, research and innovation and defence, justice and home affairs. The
Romanian PM emphasised that this is the most substantial openness ever seen in
bilateral relations, and promised that Romania will remain a determined and
vocal supporter of the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession efforts. In turn,
Moldova’s PM Natalia Gavriliţa
said her Cabinet has undertaken to provide a predictable and attractive
environment for investments in the country, in line with European best
practices.Nicolae Ciucă was received by the president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, to
whom he conveyed Romania’s full support for the reforms she initiated in the
judicial field in particular.

TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu (56 WTA) Friday defeated
Tereza Martincova (42 WTA) of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-2, and qualified into
the semis of the Sankt Petersburg tournament. Martincova had won (6-7, 6-4,
6-4) her only previous match against Begu, in Tashkent in 2019. (A.M.P.)

11 February 2022
Supreme Defence Council discusses security situation

As a member of the
strongest political and military alliance in history, Romania benefits from all
the security guarantees, president Klaus Iohannis pointed out at the end of the
meeting of the Supreme Defence Council, which looked at the security situation
at the Black Sea and on NATO’s eastern flank and at measures to develop the
country’s response capacity to new security challenges.

The current crisis
created by Russia is not only about Ukraine, not only about regional security
at the Black Sea and not even about European security alone, but rather about
the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic area, Klaus Iohannis said. He emphasised
that the escalation of tensions and Russia’s massive military build-up around
Ukraine and in the Black Sea region affect security and stability at
international level, making unity and solidarity within NATO and the EU all the
more important.

We have run a comprehensive
analysis of the situation, including the military, economic and energy
implications, as well as implications in terms of uncontrolled migration, the
president explained. He mentioned that Romania’s border with Ukraine is over
600 km long and the country must make sure it is prepared for any scenario-including
the situation where Moscow refuses further diplomatic dialogue, which plays a
critical role in defusing the crisis, Klaus Iohannis also said.

He reiterated that NATO’s
steps to strengthen its military presence on the eastern flank are a strictly defensive
response to the growing security risks, threats and challenges in the region:

Klaus Iohannis: Consolidating the Allied presence on NATO’s
eastern flank, including in Romania, is very important to regional stability
and to the security of the Alliance as a whole and of the citizens of the
Allied states. Regardless of the current developments in the region, NATO must
keep its defence and deterrence capacity at a high level, enabling it to
efficiently meet the strictly defensive-and I repeat, strictly defensive-goals for
which the Alliance was created in the first place.

The Supreme Defence
Council agreed on a number of important measures for the current security
crisis, such as carrying on the efforts to enhance the NATO and US presence in
Romania and the management of prospective refugee inflows. (A.M.P.)

27 January 2022
January 14, 2022

Energy. The
Romanian government is planning an emergency order within the coalition formed
by the National Liberal Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic
Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania to support the citizens affected the rise
in electricity and natural gas prices. This announcement was made by prime
minister Nicolae Ciucă after a meeting of the three-party council for social
dialogue. He said protection measures will expand beyond 1st April
based on a special bill. Trade unions say electricity and natural gas prices
should be capped at the level of December 2020, before the liberalisation of
prices, both at the producers’ end, and at the suppliers’ end, for at least
another six months, even a year. They say the cap should be uniform for the
population and small businesses.

Defence. A European
consolidated strategy in the field of defence is more than urgent in a
conflictual international context, EU foreign ministers agreed in Brest as part
of the first meeting organised by France as holder of the rotating presidency
of the EU Council. EU foreign ministers are holding fresh talks today on the
Strategic Compass, the Union’s future instrument guiding its actions in the
area of defence until 2030. During the talks, Romanian foreign minister Bogdan
Aurescu highlighted the importance of the partnership with NATO and the US and
called for a suitable reflection of the current security situation in the
eastern neighbourhood, including the larger Black Sea area, and for an enhanced
role from the EU in solving these situations, including by means of the
strategic document discussed.

Covid-19
update. Romania reported today almost 9,900 new Covid cases, 60% more than a
week ago, as well as 30 deaths, including three recorded earlier. Some 450
Covid patients are in intensive care. 230 outpatient centres are now available
across the country for the persons infected with Covid to check their health condition
and receive free antiviral medicine based on daytime hospitalisation,
irrespective of whether they have health insurance. Health minister Alexandru Rafila says it is very important for
patients to use these centres, unless they are in critical situation, thus
lowering pressure on hospitals.

Inflation.
The annual inflation rate went up in Romania to 8.19% in December from 7.8% in
November, while the price of non-food products grew by 10.73%, that of food
products by 6.69% and that of services by 4.49%, according to data published on
Friday by the National Institute for Statistics. The National Bank’s latest report
on inflation published in November projected a 7.5% inflation rate for
November 2021, saying it might see a
drop to 5.9% by the end of this year. The National Bank spokesman Dan Suciu
recently told Radio Romania that the central bank is trying keep the inflation
in check by increasing the monetary policy interest rate and discourage further
price increases in the other components, given that 70% of the inflation
increase was driven by the cost of energy prices.

Culture Day.
Romania’s National Culture Day is again celebrated this year through numerous
concerts, performances, exhibitions, guided tours and workshops. We have a
sacred duty. To honour our personalities, our works of art and our national
heritage, said culture minister Lucian Romaşcanu, adding: I’m encouraging all
Romanians, of all ages, to continue to respect their history, national identity
and traditions, for they are the only visiting card that never loses its
currency. National Culture Day has been celebrated for the last 12 years on 15th
January, on the anniversary of the birth of national poet Mihai Eminescu. As part
of the programme of events held this year, the Romanian Academy is today
hosting a special event attended by leading local cultural figures. (CM)

14 January 2022
January 13, 2022

COVID-19 Nearly 10,000 new SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported for
the last 24 hours in Romania, along with 36 related deaths, the authorities
announced on Thursday. The incidence rate is on the rise around the country,
including in the capital Bucharest, where it passed 3 cases per 1,000
inhabitants, the city now being in the red tier. This means that restaurants,
cinemas, gyms and other venues can open at 30% capacity. Also, schools where
the vaccine uptake among staff is under 60% will switch to online teaching.
Some 1.8 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in Romania since the
start of the pandemic, and around 60,000 COVID patients died. Amid anti-vaccine
feelings fuelled by certain media outlets, politicians and opinion leaders,
Romania has the second-lowest vaccination rate in the EU.

PROTEST Public education staff are today picketing the headquarters of the
government and of the Social Democratic Party and National Liberal Party in
power. Trade unions in the sector are unhappy
with the government’s failure to increase wages as stipulated by the 2017
Salary Law. The protest is organised by the 3 major trade union federations in
the sector, which argue that the teachers’ net pay raise of only 13 euro per
month as of January 1 triggered overwhelming discontent among employees. The 3
federations are currently holding a poll to decide whether to go on strike over
the matter.

MEETING Europe’s security architecture is being
discussed today by the EU foreign and defence ministers, convening in a meeting
in Brest organised by the French presidency of the EU Council. EU defence
ministers will focus on the situation in Ukraine and the threat posed by
Russia’s military build-up on the Ukrainian border. Another topic on the agenda
is the Strategic Compass project, a roadmap for the Union’s security and
defence by 2030, which stipulates the deployment of 5,000 troops in crisis
situations by 2025. The talks in Brest will be followed by an
informal 2-day meeting of the EU foreign ministers, attended by the High Representative of the European Union
for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borell. Romania
is represented by Bogdan Aurescu. The agenda includes the security developments
in the Eastern Neighbourhood, the EU-China relations and the developments in Mali.
Bogdan Aurescu will present Romania’s assessment of the current security
situation and will reiterate the importance of preserving the unity of the EU
and of maintaining firm and credible deterrence measures concerning Russia.

OSCE The Permanent Council of the OSCE convenes
in Vienna today to carry on the dialogue between Russia, the US and its
European allies. After tense discussions in Geneva between the US deputy
secretary of state Wendy Sherman and Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei
Ryabkov, on Wednesday in Brussels NATO and Moscow found that deep differences
remain between their views on security in Europe. The West sees Moscow’s about
100,000 troops deployed on the Ukrainian border as an indication of an
impending attack on that country, a plan that Russia denies.NATO’s
secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said there is a real risk for a new armed
conflict in Europe, and added that it is up to Russia to de-escalate and
end the crisis. In turn, the EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell accused Russia of
attempting to rebuild the Soviet bloc in Europe and to divide the US and Europe. Moscow,
on the other hand, says the military build-up is a response to the perceived
growing and threatening presence of NATO in its area of influence.

TENNIS The Romanian players taking part in the Australian
Open, due to begin on Monday, have found out their opponents. In the first
round, Simona Halep (15 WTA and 2018 Australian Open finalist) takes on
Poland’s Magdalena Frech. Sorana Cîrstea (38 WTA) will have a difficult match
against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic (21 WTA). Irina Begu (58 WTA) plays
against the French Oceane Dodin (96 WTA), and Jaqueline Cristian (73 WTA) will
take on Greet Minnen of Belgium (84 WTA), in her first match at the Australian
Open. Gabriela Ruse (82 WTA), also for the first time in Melbourne, will play
against the Italian Jasmine Paolini (52 WTA). (tr. A.M. Popescu)

13 January 2022
On democracy and NATO’s eastern flank

At the Bucharest Forum of the Aspen Institute, the
NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, called on Allies to invest in
critical infrastructure and to reduce reliance on resources from states that
are potential adversaries.

Jens Stoltenberg nominated Russia and China as
the main global actors that undermine a world order based on rules and that
operate in areas that have become essential for the security of democracies.

Our potential adversaries are using our
vulnerabilities to advance their interests, investing in our critical infrastructure
as a way to interfere in our societies, and trying to exploit our dependencies
on essential supplies – like gas, oil and rare earth minerals, Jens
Stoltenberg pointed out.

Hementioned several times Russia’s aggressive
conduct, and at the same forum the Romanian defence minister Vasile Dîncu said Russia
should be included in NATO’s new strategic concept as a potential serious
military threat. Russia has a comprehensive plan to destabilise the Alliance,
including through a possible attack on Ukraine, Vasile Dâncu emphasized:

Vasile Dâncu: Russia should be
featured as a potential serious threat to NATO in military terms. Obviously,
dialogue must remain the main form of engagement and it must be strengthened,
but although NATO has followed this path for a decade, we can see now that this
approach has failed, at least in the medium run; perhaps only in the beginning.

At the same forum in Bucharest, the US Department
of State issued a warning and an assessment. As the deputy assistant secretary
of state for Europe, Douglas Jones, put it, Russia’s recent military build-up
and the threat of repeating aggression on Ukraine clearly indicate that Russia
is the most immediate threat to collective security. We need to maintain strong defence and deterrence against Russia and,
united, to make it clear that Russia will have to pay if it keeps this aggressive
stance.

The Russian-Ukrainian crisis was once again tackled
on Thursday by the US president Joe Biden, this time in talks with the leaders
of the Bucharest Nine countries. On this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis pleaded
for strengthening NATO’s presence in the eastern flank and for fully equipping
the Alliance to meet Russia’s challenges.

The White House leader promised NATO states in
Central Europe to earmark additional military capabilities, and reiterated the
US commitment to Article 5 in the NATO Treaty, under which an attack against one
Ally is an attack against all.

Previously, president Biden assured his Ukrainian
counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that the US unwaveringly supports Ukraine’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

10 December 2021
November 30, 2021

COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
Tuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
warn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
testing, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
announced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
tests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
the vaccination rate remains low, with only around 12,800 people getting the
first dose on Monday, and almost twice as many booster doses administered on
the same day.

REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
the suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, are
scheduled to land today on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest. All the passengers
will be tested and quarantined. The around 50 seats available in the Tarom aircraft
that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member states to repatriate
their own citizens, as part of the European civil protection mechanism. The
Romanian foreign ministry announced today that after Moroccan authorities
decided to suspend commercial flights to that country over Omicron concerns, the
Romanian Embassy to Rabat is handling the situation of 72 Romanian tourists
whose flights have been cancelled. The Romanian embassy has already taken steps
to identify alternative flights. The foreign ministry urges citizens to analyse
the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the new
coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section on
the institution’s home page.

NATO The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part on
Tuesday and Wednesday in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Riga, Latvia.
The meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
Strategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
able to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
security environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
discuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
need to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
a coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
Black Sea region.

ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
celebrate today St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint
of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in today’s Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast.
St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in the city of Patras,
in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named after St. Andrew the Apostle.

FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
edition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
defence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
companies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
showcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence.

NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
as foreign military will take part on December 1 in a parade celebrating
Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. Alba Iulia will also host a military
parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed a
national holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
Romanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
territories with predominantly Romanian population. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

30 November 2021
November 30, 2021

COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
Tuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
warn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
testing, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
announced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
tests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
the vaccination rate remains low, with only around 12,800 people getting the
first dose on Monday, and almost twice as many booster doses administered on
the same day.

REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
the suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, are
scheduled to land today on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest. All the passengers
will be tested and quarantined. The around 50 seats available in the Tarom aircraft
that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member states to repatriate
their own citizens, as part of the European civil protection mechanism. The
Romanian foreign ministry announced today that after Moroccan authorities
decided to suspend commercial flights to that country over Omicron concerns, the
Romanian Embassy to Rabat is handling the situation of 72 Romanian tourists
whose flights have been cancelled. The Romanian embassy has already taken steps
to identify alternative flights. The foreign ministry urges citizens to analyse
the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the new
coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section on
the institution’s home page.

NATO The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part on
Tuesday and Wednesday in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Riga, Latvia.
The meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
Strategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
able to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
security environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
discuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
need to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
a coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
Black Sea region.

ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
celebrate today St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint
of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in today’s Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast.
St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in the city of Patras,
in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named after St. Andrew the Apostle.

FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
edition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
defence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
companies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
showcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence.

NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
as foreign military will take part on December 1 in a parade celebrating
Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. Alba Iulia will also host a military
parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed a
national holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
Romanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
territories with predominantly Romanian population. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

30 November 2021
November 30, 2021

COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
Tuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
warn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
testing, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
announced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
tests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
the vaccination rate remains low, with only around 12,800 people getting the
first dose on Monday, and almost twice as many booster doses administered on
the same day.

REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
the suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, are
scheduled to land today on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest. All the passengers
will be tested and quarantined. The around 50 seats available in the Tarom aircraft
that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member states to repatriate
their own citizens, as part of the European civil protection mechanism. The
Romanian foreign ministry announced today that after Moroccan authorities
decided to suspend commercial flights to that country over Omicron concerns, the
Romanian Embassy to Rabat is handling the situation of 72 Romanian tourists
whose flights have been cancelled. The Romanian embassy has already taken steps
to identify alternative flights. The foreign ministry urges citizens to analyse
the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the new
coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section on
the institution’s home page.

NATO The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part on
Tuesday and Wednesday in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Riga, Latvia.
The meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
Strategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
able to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
security environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
discuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
need to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
a coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
Black Sea region.

ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
celebrate today St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint
of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in today’s Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast.
St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in the city of Patras,
in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named after St. Andrew the Apostle.

FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
edition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
defence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
companies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
showcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence.

NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
as foreign military will take part on December 1 in a parade celebrating
Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. Alba Iulia will also host a military
parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed a
national holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
Romanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
territories with predominantly Romanian population. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

30 November 2021
November 30, 2021

COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
Tuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
warn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
testing, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
announced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
tests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
the vaccination rate remains low, with only around 12,800 people getting the
first dose on Monday, and almost twice as many booster doses administered on
the same day.

REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
the suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, are
scheduled to land today on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest. All the passengers
will be tested and quarantined. The around 50 seats available in the Tarom aircraft
that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member states to repatriate
their own citizens, as part of the European civil protection mechanism. The
Romanian foreign ministry announced today that after Moroccan authorities
decided to suspend commercial flights to that country over Omicron concerns, the
Romanian Embassy to Rabat is handling the situation of 72 Romanian tourists
whose flights have been cancelled. The Romanian embassy has already taken steps
to identify alternative flights. The foreign ministry urges citizens to analyse
the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the new
coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section on
the institution’s home page.

NATO The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part on
Tuesday and Wednesday in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Riga, Latvia.
The meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
Strategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
able to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
security environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
discuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
need to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
a coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
Black Sea region.

ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
celebrate today St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint
of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in today’s Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast.
St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in the city of Patras,
in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named after St. Andrew the Apostle.

FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
edition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
defence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
companies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
showcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence.

NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
as foreign military will take part on December 1 in a parade celebrating
Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. Alba Iulia will also host a military
parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed a
national holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
Romanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
territories with predominantly Romanian population. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

30 November 2021
November 30, 2021

COVID-19 Over 1,600 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours were reported on
Tuesday in Romania, along with 147 deaths, 17 of which from a previous date. Doctors
warn that although ambulance services are receiving fewer requests for home
testing, a large number of teams are still being deployed. After several states
announced finding the Omicron variant of the virus, which has over 50 mutations,
tests in Romania are now taking into account this strain as well. Meanwhile,
the vaccination rate remains low, with only around 12,800 people getting the
first dose on Monday, and almost twice as many booster doses administered on
the same day.

REPATRIATION The Romanian nationals stranded in South Africa following
the suspension of flights to the EU over the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, are
scheduled to land today on Otopeni Airport near Bucharest. All the passengers
will be tested and quarantined. The around 50 seats available in the Tarom aircraft
that flew to Pretoria were offered to other EU member states to repatriate
their own citizens, as part of the European civil protection mechanism. The
Romanian foreign ministry announced today that after Moroccan authorities
decided to suspend commercial flights to that country over Omicron concerns, the
Romanian Embassy to Rabat is handling the situation of 72 Romanian tourists
whose flights have been cancelled. The Romanian embassy has already taken steps
to identify alternative flights. The foreign ministry urges citizens to analyse
the situation carefully before traveling to countries affected by the new
coronavirus variant and to check out the COVID-19 Travel Warnings section on
the institution’s home page.

NATO The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu takes part on
Tuesday and Wednesday in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers held in Riga, Latvia.
The meeting is a major landmark in preparing negotiations on NATO’s new
Strategic Concept and for the summit due in Madrid next year. Minister Bogdan
Aurescu will reiterate Romania’s support for preparing the new Strategic Concept,
able to provide adequate response instruments to the challenges of the current
security environment. According to the foreign ministry, Aurescu will also
discuss the latest security developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood and the
need to carry on efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in
a coherent and comprehensive manner for the entire Eastern Flank, including the
Black Sea region.

ST. ANDREW Christians around the world
celebrate today St. Andrew’s feast day. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint
of Romania. He spread the word of God and baptized the first people in today’s Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast.
St. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion on an X-shaped cross in the city of Patras,
in Greece. Over 900,000 Romanians are named after St. Andrew the Apostle.

FAIR Romania is taking part, until December 2, in the 2nd
edition of Egypt’s International Defence Expo, EDEX 2021, hosted by Cairo. Public
defence companies as well as private operators will be present. Some 400
companies from around the world are taking part in this year’s edition,
showcasing the latest technologies in the field of defence.

NATIONAL DAY 1,500 troops, Interior and Defence Ministry staff, as well
as foreign military will take part on December 1 in a parade celebrating
Romania’s National Day in Bucharest. Alba Iulia will also host a military
parade, a photo exhibition and concerts to mark the occasion. Proclaimed a
national holiday after the 1989 anti-communist revolution, December 1 marks the completion of the
Romanian nation state in 1918, after World War 2, by the union of all
territories with predominantly Romanian population. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

30 November 2021