Radio România Internațional

Tag: Defense Minister Mihai Fifor

  • November 8, 2018 UPDATE

    November 8, 2018 UPDATE

    MEETING – The Romanian Interior Minister Carmen Dan is attending in Washington the EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting. At the meeting, Carmen Dan will present Romanias priorities in the field during its presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year. The EU is represented in Washington by the Austrian ministers of the interior and justice, on behalf of the current Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the members of the delegation representing Romania, the country that is to take over the Presidency in January 2019, and the European Commissioners for migration, home affairs and security.



    ACCUSATION – The National Anticorruption Directorate claims that the Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, indirectly received 800,000 USD dollars worth of material benefits from an Austrian company while he was Romanias Prime Minister, in 2007-2008. The amount accounted for a 10% commission from the value of addenda and was used for the benefit of the dignitary. The case was opened in 2018, by bringing together three criminal cases, of which one was taken over by the anticorruption prosecutors, at the request of the Austrian judicial authorities. In a communiqué issued at the request of Agerpress News Agency, the Directorate also mentions the fact that, in keeping with the legal and constitutional provisions in force, prosecuting Tariceanu for bribe-taking is possible only if endorsed by the Senate. Previously, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu had stated the Government made no payment in relation to the Microsoft licenses during his term as prime-minister. We recall that several people, including ministers, have been prosecuted in the so-called Microsoft case, for acts of corruption in relation to license agreements concluded for schools, worth hundreds of millions of dollars.



    EC – On Thursday, the European Commission decided to send Romania a formal letter calling on the Romanian authorities to stop using the split VAT payment mechanism. According to the Commission, the mechanism runs counter to both the EU regulations in the field and the freedom to provide services. In another move, also on Thursday, the Commission noted that an energy producer in Romania – the Hunedoara Energy Complex – has received incompatible state aid amounting to 60 million Euros. According to the EC Representation in Romania, the state must recover the illegal aid and the related interests.



    JUDGE PANELS – On Friday, the High Court of Cassation and Justice will designate, by drawing lots, the members of the five-judge panels for 2018. There are four panels consisting of five judges, two for criminal and two for civil matters. On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court admitted the notification filed by prime-minister Viorica Dancila regarding the formation of the 5-judge panels and decided there was a constitutional conflict between Parliament and the High court of Cassation and Justice. The Constitutional Court has decided that the latter should urgently take measures to form the 5-judge panels.



    EPP – On Thursday, the German politician Manfred Weber was elected candidate of the European Peoples Party (EPP) for the seat of president of the future European Commission (2019-2024). Weber, who got 80% of the votes, defeated the Finish Alexander Stubb. The Romanian parties members of EPP, the National Liberal Party, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians and Peoples Movement Party supported Weber. On Wednesday, the first day of the Congress, EPP adopted a resolution calling for the observance of the EUs fundamental values. The document reads that nationalist and populist extremism, disinformation, discrimination and failure to observe the rule of law are the biggest threats against freedom and democracy in Europe, after the fall of the Iron Curtain. We recall that the next EC is to be formed after next years elections for the European Parliament, due in spring.



    AIR BASE – On Friday, the Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor and his Canadian counterpart Harjit Singh Sajjan pay a visit to the Mihail Kogalniceanu air-base in south-eastern Romania. According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, the two officials will meet with the Canadian detachment deployed in Romania. The 135 Canadian soldiers are taking part in air policing missions, under NATO command.



    HANDBALL – The Romanian mens handball team Dinamo Bucharest defeated Ademar Leon of Spain on home turf on Thursday, in a match part of Champions Leagues Group D. The victory brought Dinamo 10 points and made it top of the group. The main contenders for the qualification to the play-offs, are Ademar Leon, with 9 points, and Wisla Plock (Poland) and Elverum (Norway) with 8 points each. This is the third season for Dinamo Bucharest in the most important inter-club competition in the world.

  • October 20, 2018 UPDATE

    October 20, 2018 UPDATE

    JUSTICE – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis intends to summon all political parties represented in Parliament for talks on the justice laws, following Fridays report of the Venice Commission on the changes brought to these laws in Romania. The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law, believes that the changes brought to the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Proceeding and the justice laws will weaken the fight against corruption and organized crime. The Commission recommends large-scale public consultations, aimed at achieving a solid and coherent legislative change, supported by citizens and in compliance with the rulings of the Constitutional Court. Following the critical opinion of the Venice Commission, president Klaus Iohannis has stated that the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, himself a member of the Commission, has definitely compromised his credibility and should resign.



    MEASURES – The Romanian Government is considering freezing salaries in the public sector in 2019. A letter sent this week by the Finance Ministry to Brussels reads that this is one of the measures envisaged for next year, for Romania to observe the deficit target of 2.58% of the GDP and subsequently to correct the deviation from the medium term objectives by reducing the structured balance which will exceed 3% of the GDP this year. According to the document posted on the European Commissions website, the Romanian Government intends to maintain the value of holiday tickets to approximately 300 Euro, and also the number of employees in the public sector.



    VISIT – Kuwait is the last leg of the Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancilas Near East tour. She has visited the cultural center Abdullah Al Salem, one of the largest cultural compounds in the world, the Scientific Center and the Grand Mosque in the capital. On the occasion, the Romanian PM highlighted the possibility of developing bilateral ties in research and innovation. Also, she appreciated the openness of the Kuwait authorities towards religious minorities and the efforts made to integrate them. Viorica Dancila also stressed the fact that the Muslim community in Romania had lived in peace alongside Christian and other ethnic groups. Previously, in the United Arab Emirates, Ms. Dancila had meeting with business people and officials, whom she encouraged to come and invest in Romania.



    INTERCEPTION – The Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor stated on Saturday, in relation to the Russian place intercepted near the Romanian air space, that there was no reason of concern. Such events are not isolated, and they test the reaction speed of the NATO forces, the minister also said. He also stressed the fact that Romania, as a member of NATO, was ready to fulfill its mission at any time. On Thursday, a Russian military aircraft, flying near the Romanian air space, was intercepted by Canadian fighters, in collaboration with the Romanian Air Forces. As soon as the Russian plane was detected by the Command and Control Center of the Romanian Air Forces, Canadian Hornet fighters were sent on mission. They watched the Russian plane from a short distance, until the latter left the area.



    US – The Romanian Secretary of State for bilateral and strategic relations in the Euro-Atlantic space, George Ciamba, has had meetings in Washington with US officials. During these meetings he stressed that the Romanian presidency of the EU Council will focus on strengthening the partnership between the EU and the US, according to a communiqué issued on Saturday. Romania will hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year. In the US, George Ciamba held talks with Wess Mitchell, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. During the talks, the Romanian official stressed that Romania will continue to be a committed ally to the US.



    PROCESSION – On Sunday in Bucharest, thousands of Roman and Greek Catholic believers and priests will take parte in a procession with relic and icon of Pope John Paul II. The relic consists in several drops of the Popes blood, a gift to the Saint Joseph Cathedral in Bucharest from Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former personal secretary of the Pope, currently Archbishop Emeritus of Krakow. Born on May 18th, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, Karol Wojtyla was elected pope in October 1978 and died on April 2nd, 2005, at the Vatican. Pope Francis declared him a saint in April 2014, so John Paul II was included in the calendar of the Catholic Church, and his liturgical commemoration was set for October 22nd of each year. In 1999, Pope John Paul II came to Romania, on the first visit to a predominantly orthodox country by a head of the Catholic Church.



    FESTIVAL – Bucharest is hosting the 28th National Theater Festival. For 11 days, theater lovers have the opportunity to participate in some 100 artistic events: shows, performances, exhibitions, book launches and meetings with special guests. The director of the festival, Marina Constantinescu, has stated that the money collected during the festival will be donated to the Daruieste viata (Give Life) Association, for the building of the first hospital of pediatric oncology and radiotherapy in Romania. Bucharest is also playing host to the event titled Cannes Films in Bucharest, an opportunity for film goers to watch films awarded at the prestigious festival, but also films signed by Romanian directors.



    INVICTUS – The Romanians who are participating in Sydney in the Invictus Games, the international adaptive multi-sport event, in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part, will start on Sunday the team competitions, said on Radio Romania Colonel Augustin Pegulescu, himself an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran. The Romanian team is made up of 15 wounded soldiers, most of them participating for the second time in the Invictus Games. More than 500 soldiers from across the world have come to Sydeny to take part in the games, created by Prince Harry four years ago.


  • July 29, 2018 UPDATE

    July 29, 2018 UPDATE

    ANTHEM DAY – National Anthem Day was celebrated in Romania on Sunday. On the occasion, president Klaus Iohannis conveyed a message, saying that this year, when Romanians celebrate 100 years since the formation of the Romanian unitary state, celebrating Anthem Day is another opportunity to reiterate this countrys commitment to the principles of democracy and the rule of law. National Anthem Day was proclaimed in 1998 and is celebrated every year on July 29th. The current anthem is titled Awaken, thee, Romanian! and is based on a poem by Andrei Muresanu, published in 1848.



    SIGHISOARA FESTIVAL – Sunday was the last day of the 25th Medieval Festival in Sighisoara, central Romania, the only medieval fortress in south-eastern Europe that is still inhabited. 270 artists from five countries participated in the festival with some 100 performances. This years theme was Medieval Legends. The organizers did their best to bring this years edition to the level deserved by the oldest medieval festival in Romania.



    NATO – Three vessels with the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group are stationed for four days in the Romanian Black Sea Port of Constanta, in south-eastern Romania. After stopovers in the ports of Burgas and Odessa, in Bulgaria and Ukraine respectively, the Romanian minesweeper Lt. Lupu Dinescu, the Turkish mine hunter TCG Anamur and the German auxiliary ship FGS Rhein are now docked in the Romanian port until July 31st. The vessels have participated in the multinational exercise BREEZE 18 in the territorial waters of Bulgaria and the Black Sea international waters, and also in joint drills with Ukrainian ships. On Sunday, the vessels were open to visitors. After the stop in the Constanta Port, the NATO ships will carry on their training and surveillance missions in the Black Sea.



    ARMY – The Romanian Defense Ministry carries on the army equipping program, by allotting this year one third of the total budget earmarked for this field, the Defense Minister Mihai Fifor has announced. He has also stated that a mobile anti-vessel missile launching system will be purchased. “We want all our major equipping programs to be able to bring back to the industry a large amount of money”, Mihai Fifor has said. As regards the Piranha 5 Infantry Fighting Vehicle program, the minister has stated that the first 36 vehicles are to be received this year. Six of them will be assembled at the Romanian Defense Industries National Company.



    GREECE – An investigation run by the Hellenic Fire Service has revealed that the first fire in Greece was started by a local, who wanted to burn some branches, and the authorities know the identity of that person. The New Democracy party, the main opposition party in Greece, has accused the Government of being incapable of protecting the Greek citizens lives and assets. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has stated he takes full political responsibility for the tragedy. The investigation into the causes of the disaster is still underway. The provisional death toll stands at 88. Romania helped the Greek authorities with one aircraft designed to extinguish fires and another one for logistical support. Their mission ended on Saturday, and the aircraft returned back home.



    WEATHER – Extreme weather is affecting the entire world. Northern Germany is faced with severe drought, and farmers have lost hope that anything will save their crops. They have called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency, in order for them to get state aid. Sweden is in a similar situation, affected by drought and wildfires. Norway too has reported the most severe drought in the past decades. Across the ocean, in northern California, forest fires have destroyed hundreds of buildings and continue to be a threat to thousands more. Also, dozens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. In Japan, several people have been wounded and thousands have had to leave their homes, as Typhoon Jongdari hit the west of the country, less then a month after the region was devastated by flooding.

  • July 29, 2018

    July 29, 2018


    ANTHEM DAY – According to the Romanian Defense Ministry, National Anthem Day is celebrated in garrisons across the country today. To honour the day, a religious mass and a musical show have been held in the National Flag Square in Bucharest. The Romanian head of state Klaus Iohannis has conveyed a message on the occasion, saying that this year, when Romanians celebrate 100 years since the formation of the Romanian unitary state, celebrating Anthem Day is another opportunity to reiterate this countrys commitment to the principles of democracy and the rule of law. National Anthem Day was proclaimed in 1998 and is celebrated every year on July 29th. The current anthem is called Awaken, thee, Romanian! and is based on a poem by Andrei Muresanu, published in 1848.



    SIGHISOARA FESTIVAL – Today is the last day of the 25th Medieval Festival in Sighisoara, central Romania, the only medieval fortress in south-eastern Europe that is still inhabited. 270 artists from five countries have participated in the festival with various shows and events. This years theme has been Medieval Legends. Todays program includes conferences, recitals, a shadow play based on the legend of Tristan, knight fighting and fire juggling. The organizers have tried to bring this years edition to the level deserved by the oldest medieval festival in Romania.



    NATO – Three vessels with the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group have docked for four days at the Romanian Black Sea Port of Constanta, in south-eastern Romania. After stopovers in the ports of Burgas and Odessa, in Bulgaria and Ukraine respectively, the Romanian minesweeper Lt. Lupu Dinescu, the Turkish mine hunter TCG Anamur and the German auxiliary ship FGS Rhein are now docked in the Romanian port until July 31st. The vessels have participated in the multinational exercise BREEZE 18 in the territorial waters of Bulgaria and the Black Sea international waters, and also in joint drills with Ukrainian ships. Today, the vessels are open to visitors. After the stop in the Constanta Port, the NATO ships will carry on their training and surveillance missions in the Black Sea.



    ARMY – The Romanian Defense Ministry carries on the army equipping program, by allotting this year one third of the total budget earmarked for this field, the Defense Minister Mihai Fifor has announced. He has also stated that a mobile anti-vessel missile launching system will be purchased. “We want all our major equipping programs to be able to bring back to the industry a large amount of money”, Mihai Fifor has said. As regards the Piranha 5 Infantry Fighting Vehicle program, the minister has stated that the first 36 vehicles are to be received this year. Six of them will be assembled at the Romanian Defense Industries National Company.



    GREECE – An investigation run by the Hellenic Fire Service has revealed that the first fire in Greece was started by a local, who wanted to burn some branches, and the authorities know the identity of that person. The New Democracy party, the main opposition party in Greece, has accused the Government of being incapable of protecting the Greek citizens lives and assets. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has stated he takes full political responsibility for the tragedy. The investigation into the causes of the disaster is still underway. The provisional death toll stands at 88. Romania helped the Greek authorities with one aircraft designed to extinguish fires and another one for logistical support. Their mission ended on Saturday, and the aircraft returned back home.



    WEATHER – Extreme weather is affecting the entire world. Northern Germany is faced with severe drought, and farmers have lost hope that anything will save their crops. They have called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency, in order for them to get state aid. Sweden is in a similar situation, affected by drought and wildfires. Norway too has reported the most severe drought in the past decades. Across the ocean, in northern California, forest fires have destroyed hundreds of buildings and continue to be a threat to thousands more. Also, dozens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. In Japan, several people have been wounded and thousands have had to leave their homes, as Typhoon Jongdari hit the west of the country, less then a month after the region was devastated by flooding.




  • January 16, 2018

    January 16, 2018


    STATE VISIT – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis is today receiving the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, who is on a formal visit to Bucharest, accompanied by a delegation of business people. According to the Presidential Administration, the Japanese Prime Minister will hold talks with various officials, will give statements to the press and will attend a state dinner given in his honour by President Iohannis. This is the first visit to Romania by a Japanese Prime Minister and it takes place against the background of Romania and Japan celebrating five years since the signing of the renewed partnership agreement between the two countries. Romania is one leg of the diplomatic tour that Abe is taking of central and eastern Europe, which also includes Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Serbia. Japan is thus trying to get support for its firm stand regarding the communist regime in North Korea.




    ROMANIAN PREMIER – The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has designated the Defence Minister Mihai Fifor as interim prime-minister, following the resignation of Mihai Tudose. The president has also announced that on Wednesday he will start consultations with the parliamentary parties on the nomination of a new prime-minister. He has voiced concern that within a year since the parliamentary elections Romania has already had two failing Social Democratic governments. In parallel, the National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party has gathered again to make a proposal for the office of prime-minister. Tudose announced his resignation last night, after the Social Democratic leaders withdrew their political support.





    NATO – A delegation of the General Staff of the Romanian Armed Forces, headed by general Nicolae Ciuca, is attending in Brussels the NATO Military Committee Conference, attended by the NATO chiefs of staff. The agenda of the meeting includes topics such as challenges to security on NATOs southern flank and the contribution of the Alliance to stabilizing the region, the next steps in the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, NATOs role in providing assistance for security reform in Iraq and the training of the Iraqi forces in 2018. Also, the participants will discuss proposals regarding means of adapting NATOs command structure, military recommendations and ways of harmonizing them with the political recommendations of the North Atlantic Council.



    ECHR – The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader is holding talks in Strasbourg today with the President of the European Court of Human Rights Guido Raimondi about the measures taken by the Bucharest authorities regarding conditions in penitentiaries. Recently, Tudose has stated that the Memorandum for the implementation of the pilot judgment of the Court will be submitted to Government for approval, and most likely on January 22nd the memorandum will reach the Court. January 25th is the deadline on which Romania is supposed to present the roadmap regarding prison conditions in Romania. In April, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that detention conditions in Romanian penitentiaries ran counter to the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and revealed structural dysfunctionalities that required urgent measures to be implemented by the state.



    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number one in the WTA rankings, has today qualified for the second round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, defeating the Australian Destanee Aiava 7-6, 6-1. In the second round, Halep, who is the tournaments first seed, will play against Eugenie Bouchard of Canada. Halep is the third qualified Romanian player, after Irina Begu and Sorana Carstea. Also today, the Romanian Ana Bogdan has defeated in two sets the French Kristina Mladenovici.


    (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)




  • September 23, 2017 UPDATE

    September 23, 2017 UPDATE



    ALERT SYSTEM – A text-message alert system advising people of potential dangers due to adverse weather conditions in Romania will be ready within a few weeks according to specialists in the field. The warnings, to be issued by the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations or by local inspectorates are meant to reach both locals and tourists in the affected areas. The authorities have decided to speed up the process of putting in place such a system following the powerful storms that hit Romania last Sunday, killing 8 people and wounding 140.



    INVICTUS GAMES – The Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor and the Romanian Army Chief of Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca, are attending the opening of the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. Invictus Team Romania, participating for the first time in these paralympic games, is made up of 15 soldiers wounded in theatres of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The two officials will also attend the teams training sessions and part of the sporting events. The members of Invictus Team Romania will take part in six individual events: archery, athletics, indoor rowing, power lifting, cycling and swimming. Also, the Romanian team will compete in the sitting volleyball competition. Photos posted on social media show the Romanian Invictus team meeting with Prince Harry of Great Britain, the one who established the competition in 2014.



    GERMAN ELECTIONS – Parliamentary elections are due in Germany on Sunday. Angela Merkel is hoping for a fourth term as Chancellor, even if her party, the Christian Democratic Union, is not likely to get majority and will therefore have to bring in partners to form a coalition. According to the latest opinion polls, Mrs. Merkels party and its Bavarian branch – the Christian Social Union – would get 36% of the votes. Second, with 23%, comes the Social Democratic Party, headed by the former President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz. Angela Merkel is preferred by 48% of the voters, while Martin Schulz is supported by only 22% of the voting population.



    MIGRATION – At least 21 people died yesterday when a boat carrying migrants sank in the Black Sea, off the Turkish coast, France Presse reports. 70 people were on board the boat which was heading for Romania, most of them Iraqi citizens. According to France Presse, some 570 illegal migrants have reached Romania since August following the Black Sea route, which allows them to avoid Greece. If found in Greece they run the risk of being returned to Turkey, under the agreement concluded between the EU and the Turkish government.



    FRENCH ELECTIONS – A Romanian-born ethnic Roma, who graduated from the Sorbonne, is running for one of the 348 seats in the French Senate. Anina Ciuciu, aged 27, was invited to take part in Sundays elections by ecologists. She militates for free access of all children to education and is a fierce fighter against discrimination and police brutality.



    GEORGE ENESCU FESTIVAL – The George Enescu International Festival, held every two years in Romania, ends on Sunday. On the last day of the event, in the Grand Orchestras of the World series, performing will be the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam conducted by Daniele Gatti. Some three thousand artists have been invited to participate in this years edition of the festival held over September 2nd – 24th. The first edition of the George Enescu Festival was held in 1958. In 1971, the communist regime decided to put an end to it, and the festival was only resumed after the fall of the regime in 1989.



    TENNIS – On Saturday, the Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu defeated the Chinese Fangzhou Liu 2-6, 6-1, 6-0, in the last round of qualifications for the WTA tournament in Wuhan, China, with some 2,300,000 dollars in prize money. In the first singles event, Monica Niculescu, ranked 56th in the WTA classification, will take on the Dutch Kiki Bertens, no. 29 WTA. Simona Halep, no.2 in the WTA rankings, is second seed at the tournament and she will go straight into the second round. Another Romanian taking part in the tournament is Sorana Cirstea, no. 52 WTA, who will play against the Chinese Yafang Wang. In the doubles, Halep and Niculescu will play in the first round against the pair made up of the Romanian Sorana Cirstea and the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. Raluca Olaru, also of Romania, and the Ukranian Liudmila Kicenok will take on the pair Raquel Atawo(US)/Darija Jurak(Croatia).