Radio România Internațional

Tag: drought

  • October 20, 2024 UPDATE

    October 20, 2024 UPDATE

    PROJECT Romania’s Prime Minister, Social-Democrat Marcel Ciolacu, who is running in the upcoming presidential election, on Sunday presented his ‘Project for Romania’. Raising the citizens’ purchasing power, protecting young people and the Romanians in the Diaspora and ensuring the country’s industrial development are among its main objectives. 14 people are presently running in the upcoming presidential elections – ten backed by political groups and four independents. Nicolae Ciuca, leader of the National Liberal Party, Elena Lasconi, from the Save Romania Union, George Simion from the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, Kelemen Hunor from the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the former deputy secretary general of NATO, the independent Mircea Geoana, are some of the main candidates. The first round of the presidential election is due on 24 November and the second round on 8 December. Between the two rounds, Romanians will go to the polls again to elect their MPs. We recall that this year Romania saw all kinds of elections. In June the Romanians cast their ballots for the local administration and the European Parliament.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian table tennis player Bernadette Szocs and Austrian Sofia Polcanova on Sunday became silver medalists in the European Table Tennis Championships in Linz, Austria. The two lost in the finals 3-2 to the Czechoslovakian pair Hana Matelova/Barbora Balazova. Also on Sunday Szocz got silver in the singles against her partner in doubles, Sofia Polcanova, who won the match 4-1. Romania’s delegation in Linz consisted of 11 players, six in the women’s competition and five in the men’s contest.

     

    WEATHER The duration and frequency of heat waves in Romania have significantly increased in the past years, and by 2040, hot temperatures will be affecting roughly 50% of the urban population – the latest national weather report says. According to the document, entitled Romania’s Weather State 2024, drought is another major challenge as the affected surfaces of farmland have also increased of late. The forecast also mentions the increased frequency of extreme weather phenomena, such as severe thunderstorms. And although climate change has been recognized as a serious issue, only 4% of the Romanians consider it a priority at national level. Most of the interviewees have attached higher importance to economic development, the report also says.

     

    FESTIVAL Bucharest is presently seeing the 34th edition of the National Theatre Festival, unfolding this year under a suggestive motto, “Dramaturgy of the Possible”. Until October 28th, theatre goers are offered the opportunity of watching a series of performances, a selection which, according to organizers, is aimed at expressing various possible scenarios. The edition’s official selection includes over 30 performances mounted by theatre troupes from all over the country. Among these there is the Anthology of Disappearance by Radu Afrim, William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, directed by Andrei Serban, and Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. This year’s edition has also brought together theatre troupes from abroad, from Germany, Ireland, Poland and Belgium. The event has been produced by the Theaters Union in Romania, UNITER.

    (bill)

  • August 29, 2024 UPDATE

    August 29, 2024 UPDATE

    Farmers – An insurance system for agricultural land will be approved by the Romanian Government as part of a series of measures to help farmers whose crops have been affected by the drought, agriculture minister Florin Barbu said on Wednesday. The measures, to be adopted next week, include funds for this summer’s damage as well as a mechanism to ensure autumn and spring crops. Minister Barbu specified that compensation of up to 3,000 lei ( about 600 Euros) per hectare will be granted, which will unblock lending to Romanian farmers, following discussions with the banks’ representatives. The necessary funds will be provided from the national budget, and 17 million Euros will come from the EU’s risk fund. Also, the state aid scheme called “Farmer’s Credit” will be supplemented with approximately 80 million Euros.

     

    Chişinău – The first 40 school buses out of the 69 purchased with the help of Romania were distributed to educational institutions in several districts of the Republic of Moldova, a country with a majority Romanian-speaking population. More than 1,000 students from 40 rural schools will go to school in the new minibuses. Almost 95% of the funds needed to buy them were provided by the Romanian authorities. The rest are to be delivered by the end of October, Radio Chişinău reports. Previously, Romania helped the Republic of Moldova to buy 196 school minibuses in 2014 and 2017, as well as to modernize several kindergartens, for which more than 25 million Euros were allocated.

     

    George Enescu – The 2024 George Enescu International Competition starts in Bucharest on Saturday. Until September 27, a record number of candidates, 667 musicians aged 13 to 35 from almost 60 countries, are competing in the Composition, Cello, Violin and Piano categories. This year’s edition of the Competition will also include a Master class consisting of musical workshops for young artists specializing in conducting, violin, cello or piano. The workshops will be held by the acclaimed Romanian conductor Cristian Măcelaru, principal conductor of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra and musical director of the National Orchestra of France. The George Enescu Competition started in September 1958 and this year it reaches its 19th edition.

     

    Elections – The Romanian government has set the dates for this year’s presidential election. The first round will take place on November 24, and the second on December 8. Last week the Government also decided the timetable for the parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place on December 1, when Romania’s National Day is celebrated. We remind you that on June 9, Romanians have already elected their representatives in the European Parliament, as well as their mayors and heads of local and county councils.

     

    Law – Dog owners in Romania will be obliged to ensure a minimum area for each individual animal, namely at least 4 square meters for small dogs and 6 square meters for large ones, according to a document put up for public debate by the National Veterinary Sanitary Authority and for Animal Safety. The bill also establishes fines between 2,000 and 5,000 lei for individuals who breed dogs for sale without being registered as kennel-type units. The document also provides clear conditions for issuing decisions to euthanize dogs from public and private shelters and allows local authorities to subsidize from their own budgets the actions of sterilization, identification and registration of stray common breed dogs.

     

    Romanian Language Day – The Romanian Academy celebrates, in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca (north-west) and Iasi (north-east), the Romanian Language Day, established by law on August 31. On Thursday, in the Hall of the Bucharest Academy, a festive session was scheduled. The Institute of Linguistics and Literary History in Cluj organizes cultural, academic and educational activities registered under the aegis of “Romanian Language Week – Words that connect us”. Moreover, on August 31, the Iaşi Branch of the Romanian Academy meets the public, in the Botanical Garden, for an event named “Romanian Language Day – the celebration of Romanians everywhere”. During this period, events are also organized in the Diaspora, the Romanian Language Day being one of the most important cultural diplomacy events, aimed at highlighting the diversity and cultural heritage of the various Romanian-speaking communities around the world.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse qualified, on Wednesday, to the third round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, after defeating the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, the winner of this year’s edition of Wimbledon in two sets, 6-4, 7-5. In the next round, Gabriela Ruse, who reaches the third round for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament, will be up against the Spanish Paula Badosa. The Romanian won the only direct match with her so far, in February 2022, in the first round in Dubai. (LS)

     

  • August 27, 2024 UPDATE

    August 27, 2024 UPDATE

     

    INDEPENDENCE President Maia Sandu on Tuesday conveyed a message congratulating the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the 33rd anniversary of the proclamation of the country’s independence. ”Moldova is our home and we choose a future of peace and prosperity. We are writing our history. Many Happy Returns, Moldova!” Sandu said, quoted by Moldpres. In Bucharest, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania will continue to provide strategic support to Moldova in all areas. ‘I congratulate the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on their Independence Day! You are part of the great European family and carrying on the present efforts will turn the EU accession into an accomplished goal,’ the Romanian head of state posted on X. In Chişinău, the presidents of the 3 Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—signed a joint declaration reiterating their support for Moldova’s EU accession. They attended the ceremonies occasioned by Moldova’s Independence Day, invited by president Maia Sandu, who did not take part in the celebration as she tested positive for coronavirus.

     

    PENSIONS As of October 1st the pension tax threshold in Romania is be raised from EUR 400 at present to EUR 600, the labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu announced on Monday night. She said the decision was made after a new round of talks she had with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. So, on October 1st, taxes will account for 10% of the amount exceeding RON 3,000. The minister’s statement comes after the PM announced that he had instructed the finance minister to analyse whether a new tax threshold was needed after the implementation of the new pension regulations. The finance ministry is expected to conduct another review so that pensioners may not incur loses or have food vouchers withdrawn. Pensions below EUR 400 are presently tax exempt, but a 10% tax is levied on pensions exceeding this sum.

     

    UNEMPLOYMENT In Romania, the unemployment rate was 3.09% at the end of July 2024, 0.03% more than in the previous month, the National Employment Agency announced. The number of unemployed people in rural communities is 3 times larger than in cities. Most unemployed people are aged 40 – 49, followed by people over 55 years of age.

     

    DROUGHT Two rivers in Argeş County (southern Romania) have completely dried up. In more than 600 settlements in Romania, water supply is restricted, and in hundreds of villages not connected to centralised networks wells are dried up because of the extensive drought and extreme heat. The Romanian Waters National Agency also says that on 42 of the 120 monitored sections, the Danube water flow is below the minimum level required to meet water needs. Fortunately, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant in the south-east of the country has no problems in terms of water supply.

     

    REAL ESTATE Home prices in Romania have risen by an average 12% this year compared to 2023, according to a recent real estate market survey. The city of Braşov has grown above expectations and is getting closer to Cluj Napoca, which sees the highest home prices in the country. The national average price is EUR 1,611 per square metre. Timişoara (west) remains the most affordable of the big cities, as compared to the salary level. On the other hand, rent has not grown as fast this year as it did in 2023.

     

    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse has qualified for the second round of the US Open, the year’s last Grand Slam tournament, after a two-setter against Julia Grabher of Austria. Ruse will be up next against Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, winner of this year’s Wimbledon tournament. The other Romanians in the singles contest, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian, have been knocked out in the first round after losing to Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands and 12th-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia, respectively. (AMP)

  • Measures against the effects of drought

    Measures against the effects of drought

     

    The heat wave that has been affecting Romania since June will gradually decrease in most of the country. People will be able to recover from the high temperatures, the increased thermal discomfort and the tropical nights that marked almost the entire summer. However, the weather is expected to be warmer than normal, with very few showers.

     

    Meteorologist Iris Răducanu: “On Wednesday, the heatwave will continue to be felt in the western regions, alongside high thermal discomfort. Maximum temperatures will be up to 35 degrees Celsius. In the south of the territory, the weather will be generally unstable and there will be showers, electrical discharges and wind intensifications.”

     

    Instability will also be present in the southeast, locally in the east, in the mountains and in smaller areas in the center and north. After three hot and dry months, what will September be like? Iris Răducanu: “The next four weeks will be with higher temperatures than those specific to the period, especially through the western and southern regions, while rains will be scarce.”

     

    The flow of the Danube at the entrance to Romania is slightly more than half of the multi-year average, and in 42 sectors out of the 120 monitored, it is below the minimum necessary to satisfy water demand, according to the Romanian Water Administration.

     

    As for the inland rivers, due to the heatwave and the lack of precipitation, two watercourses in the south have completely dried up. In over 600 localities in the country, especially in the east, the water supply is restricted. In almost 300 others, not connected to centralized systems, the wells have dried up. Vegetation fires add to this picture in the counties of Vâlcea (south) and Vaslui (east). In fact, in Vaslui alone, approximately 270 hectares of dry vegetation burned in the last few days, with military firefighters intervening to extinguish 25 outbreaks.

     

    Authorities have called on the population to be aware that fire in hot periods and with advanced dryness, out of control or in strong wind conditions, can endanger the health and even the lives of people and animals and cause significant material damage. In agriculture, farmers are preparing for a new agricultural year, but this summer’s drought has caused them significant damage. Moreover, the extent of the damage in Romania could have an impact on the entire European continent, according to analysts cited by Reuters. They believe that, for example, Romania, which competes with France for the title of the largest producer of corn in the EU, due to the numerous waves of drought and heat wave, could have a 30% lower production this year. It’s a challenge to grow corn in an oven. It is one of the most difficult seasons that Romanian farmers have faced – says one of the analysts. The Ministry of Agriculture in Bucharest announced that among the measures considered, in addition to compensation, is the suspension of bank installments for farmers from September 1.

     

  • August 26, 2024

    August 26, 2024

    Survey – The candidates of the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal party – PNL, Marcel Ciolacu and Nicolae Ciucă, would enter the second round of the presidential election in Romania, if elections were held next Sunday – shows a CURS survey published on Sunday. Regarding the parliamentary elections, the PSD leads in the preferences of the electorate, followed by its governing partner, the PNL. The survey, about which we talk in detail after the news, was conducted between August 6-22, on a sample of 1,067 respondents, with a margin of error of plus/minus 3%.

     

    Drought – The Romanian government will discuss, this week, the first set of measures for the farmers affected by the drought. Recently, the agriculture minister Florin Barbu and the farmers’ representatives have had a discussion aimed at granting compensations for the damage caused by the drought and for a new package of measures to combat the effects of the drought, a package that the minister is going to present to the members of the government. The authorities are also considering the creation of a mechanism agreed with the Financial Supervisory Authority for state insurance of an area of ​​about 7 million hectares with an insurance premium of 3,000 lei (600 Euros) for each hectare. The establishment of local irrigation systems and forest curtains is also under discussion.

     

    Weather – Almost all of Romania is under heat wave and severe thermal discomfort alerts, with maximum temperatures rising to 38 degrees Celsius. In the northwest, center-west, partially in the east and south, there is a code yellow alert for heatwave and high thermal discomfort. The temperature-humidity index will exceed the critical threshold of 80 units. The highs of the day will range from 34 to 36 degrees Celsius. In the coming days, the heat wave will subside and the atmospheric instability will increase. A Code Orange alert for hot weather is still in force today in 20 counties from the south, west, east and the city of Bucharest.

     

    Tennis – Three tennis players from Romania are performing today in the inaugural round at the US Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year. Coming from the qualifications, Gabriela Ruse will face Julia Grabher from Austria. The other two Romanian players on the singles table are Jaqueline Cristian, who will play against the Russian Daria Kasatkina, seed no. 12, and Ana Bogdan, who will meet the Dutch Arantxa Rus in the first round.

     

    Visa – The US administration is to announce, on October 15, a decision regarding the visa waiver for Romanians, which would apply starting from 2025, Romanian government sources stated. During this period, the Romanian executive is carrying out the “We qualify Romania” campaign, which aims at including the country in the American Visa Waiver program and at exempting it from obtaining travel visas to the US. As part of the campaign, launched on July 18, Bucharest undertook to meet the technical criteria for joining the Visa Waiver by September 30, 2024, the date on which the American fiscal year ends. Among them is a refusal rate below 3% of US B1 and B2 visas for business and tourism granted to Romanian citizens during the fiscal year 2024. In this sense, the government, through the Foreign Ministry, urges as many Romanian citizens as possible to renew their US visa by September 30.

     

    Attack – The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is today going to Solingen, to the scene of the knife attack for which a Syrian, suspected of links with the Islamic State (IS) organization, was arrested, AFP reports. IS claimed responsibility for the attack and pointed out that the attacker acted to avenge Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere. According to the French news agency, Friday evening’s attack, which left three dead and eight injured during local festivities, increases the pressure on the head of government a week before elections in two states of the former communist Democratic Republic of Germany, where the far-right party AfD is well placed to get an unprecedented score. The party accused the successive governments of causing ‘chaos’ by accepting too many immigrants and called for an expulsion offensive. The suspect arrived in the country in December 2022, according to several German media, and was the subject of an expulsion order to Bulgaria, the European Union state where his entry had been registered and where he should have applied for asylum, in accordance with the community rules. In recent years, Germany has been the scene of several jihadist attacks. The one committed with a truck, in December 2016, at a Christmas market in Berlin, killed 12. (LS)

  • August 24, 2024

    August 24, 2024

     

    CONVENTION Romanian Social Democrats convene today to elect their new leadership and to appoint their candidate in the forthcoming presidential election. The party leader, PM Marcel Ciolacu, seeks a new term in office, backed by a team of 21 candidates. Ciolacu has also announced he will be running for president of Romania, and is to be validated by the party congress today. Another topic on today’s agenda is the election campaign, and the Social Democratic spokesman, Lucian Romaşcanu, said the party is able to mobilise so that in December Romania may have a Social Democratic president. The party last won a presidential race in 2000. The first round of the election is scheduled on November 24, and the second on December 8th.

     

    UKRAINE The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, sent a letter to his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Ukraine’s Independence Day. According to the Romanian presidency, Iohannis voiced his appreciation for the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian armed forces and civilians in defending their country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reiterated Bucharest’s firm commitment to provide constant, predictable and multidimensional support to Ukraine until its victory and further on in its reconstruction and European integration process. Iohannis emphasized that the security cooperation agreement signed by the 2 countries in July, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, proves that Romania’s support is not circumstantial, but long-standing, predictable and transparent. On Ukraine’s Independence Day, the Cotroceni Palace in Bucureşti, the headquarters of the Romanian presidency, will be lit tonight in Ukraine’s national colours.

     

    CROPS The European Union’s maize output will be smaller because of the drought and extreme heat in Romania, whose crops will be 30% lower. Estimates for the EU’s maize output were cut from 63 million tonnes, as reported last year, to 60-61 million tonnes, which is still above the level in 2022, when the drought affected the entire continent. Romania’s output is expected to drop from around 11 million tonnes last year to less than 8 million this autumn. In France, favourable humidity levels kept maize crops in a generally good condition, and the increase of the areas under crops should ensure higher output, namely over 14 million tonnes. In Poland, smaller areas under maize crops may lead to a 13% drop in output, while in Germany the crops are estimated to be 2% lower.

     

    PENSIONS The National Liberal Party, a junior member of the ruling coalition in Romania, proposes new amendments to the Pensions Law, so as to address the situation of pensioners whose benefits have been cut down in the latest revision. The Liberal leader and Senate speaker Nicolae Ciucă said the law should not have retrospective effect, and confirmed that the pensioners whose benefits have been cut down on paper will not benefit from cost-of-living adjustments for several years, although they will not be paid smaller amounts. According to official data, over 700,000 pensioners have received decisions by which their benefits have been cut down. These include workers in hazardous conditions, such as coal miners, engine drivers and nuclear industry personnel, who were able to stop working before the standard retirement age. Also at a disadvantage are people with disabilities, where the revised benefits are smaller by as much as 60%, for instance for the visually impaired. Hundreds of people are already asking for explanations from the authorities. They have until September 1 to appeal the decisions, and may even take the matter to court.

     

    SCHOOLS Students in secondary schools and high schools in Romania with final grades above 9.50 will receive merits scholarships, under the new School Regulations recently published in the Official Journal. Merit and resilience scholarships will be granted to at least 30% of the students in each class, including in professional and dual education units. Merit scholarships for 5th graders will be granted based on the average grades in the first two modules of the current school year. For 9th-graders, scholarships will be granted based on the high school admission results, which should be above 9.50. Scholarships in public secondary schools and high schools are financed by the education ministry, except for those in military high schools, which will be funded by the defence ministry. For the new academic year, the merit scholarship minimum amount is nearly EUR 90. This amount may be increased by school boards, depending on the budget earmarked by the local authorities. (AMP)

  • August 21, 2024 UPDATE

    August 21, 2024 UPDATE

    Visit – The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is visiting Brussels, accompanied by the Minister of Investments and European Projects and the Finance Minister. He will discuss with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, including about Romania’s portfolio in the future community executive. Ciolacu said that his option is Victor Negrescu, who is currently the vice-president of the European Parliament. Marcel Ciolacu and Ursula von der Leyen will also discuss the implementation stage of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Romanian prime minister might also present the general principles that he wants to put into practice to reduce the budget deficit.

     

    Drought – The drought has seriously affected cereal production in Romania, especially in the south of the country. The authorities say that an area of ​​approximately 2 million hectares is affected. According to some estimates, approximately 40% of the wheat, corn, rape and sunflower crops are allegedly compromised. It is the fourth year of drought in the last five years, and the losses of farmers are piling up. They put their hopes in the compensation that they can receive from the state. The Romanian Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, has recently declared that this year farmers will receive 200 Euros worth of aid per hectare for crops affected by the drought. He added that a unique mechanism in Europe was drawn up by which Romania should ensure 7 million hectares against the drought.

     

    NATO – NATO is strengthening Romania’s defense capacity with the LANZA air defense radar moved from Italy, including the technical team. Located in Tulcea county (southeast), the radar offers a unique capability to NATO’s command and control center, which provides both passive and active radar detection. This state-of-the-art radar is designed for detection, tracking and surveillance in advanced conditions. It is used to provide comprehensive situational awareness and improve the operational capabilities of various platforms, including military ships and submarines. Mobile active radars are highly effective and provide additional protection over airborne and static command and control platforms as they improve interoperability through alliances and partnerships and strengthen NATO’s air and space power readiness.

     

    Program – The Romanian government has decided to continue the program “Hot meals in schools”, for the almost 1.9 million children who go to kindergarten or school. They will receive fruits, vegetables, dairy and bakery products, and the local authorities and directors of the education units will be responsible for the smooth running of the program. Moreover, they will be taught why it is important to eat healthy food, through educational actions. Also during Wednesday’s meeting, the Government set the timetable for the parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 1. The election campaign will start on November 1 and end on November 30. Romanians in the country will vote between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. For the Romanian citizens in the Diaspora, the vote will begin on November 30, at 7:00 a.m. and will end on December 1, at 9:00 p.m..

     

    Washington – The American Democrats officially confirmed Kamala Harris as their candidate for the November 5 presidential election, on Tuesday evening in Chicago, during the party’s national convention. The delegations from all the states and U.S. territories once again cast their votes for Harris, accompanied by music, lighting effects, short speeches and much cheering in the event hall, after she had already been officially elected in an online roll call earlier this month. Vice President Kamala Harris (60 years old) is the second woman nominated by the Democratic Party for the presidential election since its creation in 1828 and could become, if elected, the first female president in US history. She replaces the current US president, Joe Biden (81 years old), who gave up his candidacy for a second term. The Republican counter-candidate in the presidential election is the former president, the billionaire Donald Trump (78 years old).

     

    Air show – The biggest air show in Romania will take place on Saturday, August 31 at the Băneasa Airport near Bucharest. More than 100 civil and military aircraft and more than 150 pilots and paratroopers from 13 countries will participate. The event will mark the 20th anniversary of Romania’s accession to NATO. The pilots of the Romanian Air Force will perform demonstrations with F-16 and IAR-99 Şoim and STANDARD aircraft, among others, as well as with Spartan and Hercules transport aircraft. Special guests this year are the aerial acrobats from the Baltic Bees, the Latvian jet team with a unique in the world style of piloting, performing artistic maneuvers of maximum difficulty. The famous Lithuanian pilot Jurgis Kairys, a multiple world champion in aerobatics, is not missing this year either. (LS)

  • August 20, 2024 UPDATE

    August 20, 2024 UPDATE

     

    CANDIDACY The leader of the Social Democratic Party, PM Marcel Ciolacu, will run for president of Romania. Just days ahead of the party congress, he announced his fellow party members of his decision. “I am confident that together we will manage to once again win a presidential election, after 20 years. Romania needs stability and balance,” Ciolacu said.

     

    CSP10 The geopolitical environment is marred by mistrust and disrespect for the international order, which leads to the escalation of regional conflicts and a new arms race, said the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu. The head of Romanian diplomacy is taking part until Friday in the Conference of States Parties (CSP10) to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which is being held in Geneva, under the presidency of Romania. In her address, the Romanian minister highlighted the celebration of 10 years since the entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty, underlining its essential role in the current geopolitical context, as well as the importance of cooperation between all actors involved in reducing human suffering, promoting peace, security and international stability. Also, Luminiţa Odobescu pointed out the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the CSP10, which ends on 23 August, 2024. Romania’s priorities included encouraging a dynamic dialogue between member states regarding the effective implementation of the Treaty, universalisation activities and measures to increase the transparency of conventional arms exports and imports.

     

    AGRICULTURE Romania is safe in terms of food security, even if this year was a dry one, the Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, said on Tuesday in a specialised conference. According to him, Romania produced almost 1.7 million tons of wheat more than last year, and it will have a very good corn crop. Florin Barbu also pointed out that the agriculture ministry must take urgent measures, because this year, due to climate change and drought, more than two million hectares have been affected throughout the country. He also mentioned the importance of investments in the irrigation system in Romania, stating that currently over 1.6 million hectares of land are rehabilitated and irrigated. According to the National Institute of Statistics, last year Romania’s wheat output was over 9.6 million tons, on an area of ​​2.2 million hectares, while the corn kernel output was over 8.5 million tons on almost 2.4 million hectares.

     

    INFLATION The annual inflation rate in the European Union went up to 2.8% in July, from 2.6% in June, according to data released on Tuesday by the EU statistical office, Eurostat. The EU members with the highest inflation rates last year were Romania (5.8%), Belgium (5.4%) and Hungary (4.1%). The EU countries with the lowest inflation rates were Finland (0.5%), Latvia (0.8%), and Denmark (1%).  As compared to the month of June, the inflation rate went down in 9 EU members, remained stable in 4 countries and grew in 14 other. In July Romania reported an inflation rate of 5.8%, from 5.3% the previous month.

     

    VISIT The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, Monday received the Minister of Defense Pål Jonson and the Minister of Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin from the Kingdom of Sweden. High on the agenda of talks were the security situation in the Black Sea and Baltic Sea regions, against the backdrop of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, cooperation within NATO, the implementation of the decisions of the Washington Summit, the evolution of projects developed within the European Union, as well as participation in missions and operations under the EU aegis. “Sweden has a significant contribution to Euro-Atlantic security, once it has joined NATO. We act together to promote and implement Allied measures on the entire eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance and to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including in terms of preparing our armies for the challenges of the future”, said Angel Tîlvăr. The officials reiterated their constant support for Ukraine, as well as for the Republic of Moldova, and highlighted the importance of maintaining a constant political and military dialogue, in order to streamline and harmonise joint efforts in the field of defence. (AMP)

  • Prolonged drought wreaks havoc on Romania

    Prolonged drought wreaks havoc on Romania

    With record high temperatures and scarce precipitations, the past two years have wreaked havoc on Romania presently witnessing a chronic drought with devastating effects on the economy and the everyday life of its citizens. Restrictions to drinking water consumption have been maintained in more than 4 hundred towns and villages across the country, the most affected regions being the eastern counties of Botoşani, Iaşi, Vrancea, Neamţ and Bacău.

    But water supplies have also been affected in the southern counties of Giurgiu and Gorj and representatives of the Romanian Waters have again urged people to avoid wasting water supplies as reservoirs are presently filled only 78%. Water supplies have been seriously diminished in 120 towns and villages in Botoşani County as reservoirs here cannot accumulate enough water and residents have been advised to make their own minimum reserves during outages.

    In villages around the area, which lack centralized water supplies, wells have completely dried up and people must travel 3-4 kilometers to get water. Against the scarce water supplies, experts urge people to use drinking water only for drinking and resort to alternatives for other activities whenever possible.

    The prolonged drought this summer has wreaked havoc on crops as well. In July this year, field minister Florin Barbu notified EU Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski that large areas of Romania’s farmland had been affected by drought and he has recently called on the European Commission to compensate the Romanian farmers heavily affected by drought.

    Large regions in Romania have been affected by drought and the heavy losses incurred by farmers are jeopardizing the economic viability of the Romanian farms as well as the country’s security interests, Bucharest has reported. ”The significant damage caused by unfavorable weather phenomena are calling for urgent compensations in the basis of an exceptional measure to contribute to solving the specific issues caused by these phenomena” says the letter Romania’s Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu sent to the European Commission. According to the ministry, the total estimated budget of maximum 75.2 million dollars for the crops sown in the autumn of 2023 must be urgently reimbursed to farmers. The low level of precipitations and the temperatures higher than usual this summer have wreaked havoc on the crops sown in spring as well, mainly corn and sunflower on a surface of roughly two million hectares. According to the Minister, Romania has incurred losses of 200 Euros per hectares.

    (bill)

  • August 13, 2024

    August 13, 2024

    Drought – The Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, requested the European Commission to grant urgent compensation to Romanian farmers, affected by the prolonged drought that Romania has been facing. According to him, over two million hectares of corn and sunflower crops have been compromised, the average loss being estimated at 200 – 230 Euros per hectare. He requested that the total budget of over 75 million Euros, intended for crops cultivated in the fall of 2023, be reimbursed to farmers through a single community legal act, which should include technical rules and sources of financing, both from the European Union, and additional national aids. The loss of income of agricultural producers endangers the viability of farms and Romania’s security interests, the minister Florin Barbu also said.

     

    Fires – On Tuesday Romania sent a second contingent of firefighters to support the efforts to fight the vegetation and forest fires affecting Greece’s Attica region. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, 40 firefighters and two special extinguishing and rapid intervention vehicles were supplied to Greece by air and two other 3,000-liter forest fire extinguishing machines and 4 rescuers, by land. On Monday, the Inspectorate announced that a Romanian firefighter, who participated in putting out a fire in Greece, suffered superficial injuries to his face, but did not require specialized treatment. Emergency services in Greece are battling the biggest fire this year, with multiple outbreaks, spread over an area of ​​200 square kilometers of vegetation and forest northeast of Athens. Entire towns have been evacuated. Meteorologists have warned that almost half of the country will be under a code red alert for fire, due to high temperatures that will reach 40 degrees Celsius in many regions of the country, and to the strong winds. EU states, as well as Turkey and Serbia, sent firefighters, planes and intervention trucks to Greece, after the Greek government activated the European Mutual Civil Protection Mechanism.

     

    Mini-holiday – Romanians will have a new mini-holiday this week on the occasion of the Christian feast of the Dormition and the Day of the Romanian Navy, celebrated on August 15. The coast will be the favorite destination, the Black Sea resorts expecting one of the busiest weekends of this summer season, with an estimated number of over 140,000 tourists. According to statistics, the occupancy rate in the seaside hotels will be over 90%. 122 years after the first anniversary, the Romanian Naval Forces announce that the Day of the Romanian Navy will be celebrated in the Black Sea and the Danube cities as well as in Bucharest through various events that include demonstration exercises, technical and armament exhibitions, interactive workshops, cultural activities with maritime specificity as well as military music concerts.

     

    Tarom – The Romanian airline TAROM maintains the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut until August 16, the national airline operator announced in a press release. The company suspended, as of August 6, flights to these destinations following the travel alerts issued by the authorities, the recent developments in the Middle East area and the deterioration of the security context in the region. “TAROM advises all passengers to follow the official communications for the latest updates and to contact the company to reschedule their trip to a later date. Passengers may also request a refund of the cost of the plane ticket”, the press release states.

     

    Baccalaureate – The autumn session of the Baccalaureate continues today and tomorrow with the assessment of language skills in an internationally spoken language. The written exams will start on August 19 with the Romanian language and literature. On August 20, the obligatory written test of the profile is scheduled, and on August 21, the optional written test of the profile and specialization. The first results will be published on August 26, and the final results will be issued on August 30. Almost 34,000 high school graduates registered for the autumn session of the Baccalaureate this year. In the summer session, the exam pass rate was a little over 78%.

     

    Barometer – Young people in Romania want to be supported in relation to the labor market, housing and access to education, as well as to guidance and career counseling, show the conclusions of an opinion barometer regarding the situation of youth and their expectations, carried out at the order of the Ministry of Family, Youth and Equality of Chance. Another conclusion is that, for young people, high incomes and job security are the most important aspects. Young people considered the quality of life problematic and in terms of mobility and emigration, the barometer shows that going abroad is still a desire for many young Romanians. (LS)

  • August 12, 2024 UPDATE

    August 12, 2024 UPDATE

    Inflation – The annual inflation rate in Romania rose in July, to 5.42%, from 4.94% in June, as the prices of foodstuffs went up by 1.71%, of non-foods by 6.92%, and of services by 8.52%, according to data published on Monday by the National Institute of Statistics. According to the source, the annual inflation rate in July 2024 compared to July 2023 calculated on the basis of the harmonized index of consumer prices was 5.8%. The National Bank of Romania (BNR) revised downwards the inflation forecast for the end of this year to 4.0%, from the previously estimated 4.9%, and anticipates that it will reach 3.4% at the end of 2025, according to the data presented on Friday by the central bank governor, Mugur Isărescu.

     

    Baccalaureate – In Romania, the autumn session of the Baccalaureate continues, with over 33,000 high school graduates having registered for the exams. Monday saw the assessment of language skills for the Romanian language, mother tongue and modern languages, as well as of digital skills. On Tuesday and Wednesday, language skills in an internationally spoken language will be assessed. The written exams will start next Monday, with the Romanian language and literature test. In the summer session, 78% of the candidates passed the Baccalaureate, and approximately 28,000 were rejected.

     

    Firefighters – The Romanian firefighters in Greece are participating in an action to extinguish a wildfire near the town of Varnava, located in the prefecture of Attica, about 40 km from Athens. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Bucharest, the mission is made difficult because of the rugged terrain, and the high temperatures and low humidity are helping the spread of the fire. According to the assessments of the Greek Civil Protection, the risk of fire remains very high in many areas of the country. There are several outbreaks near the capital, and some residents of the region have received evacuation orders. Tens of wildfires have broken out in Greece since Saturday, and firefighters are still struggling to put some of them out. Hundreds of wildfires have occurred this summer in Greece.

     

    Drought – Almost 600 localities have restrictions on drinking water supply due to the drought, shows a press release of the Romanian Waters National Administration. The most affected are four counties in the east of Romania. Also, several sectors of the Danube have entered the warning phase, and the filling coefficient in the 40 reservoirs is 78%, slightly down compared to last week. On the other hand, the fire that broke out on Friday in the “Iron Gates” Natural Park (south-west) has so far covered over 120 hectares and it seems that it is still expanding. Firefighters, gendarmes, representatives of the park and Romsilva are acting to stop the fire expansion. Their mission is very difficult because of the wind and the rugged terrain.

     

    Bonds – On Monday the Romanian Finance Ministry launched a new issue of treasury bills with one-year terms, and an interest rate of 5.8%, and treasury bonds with three-year terms, with an interest rate of 6.6%. The state securities can only be bought by natural persons until September 5, both online and at the Treasury offices or through the rural units of the Romanian Post. They are transferable and can be redeemed in advance, and the income obtained from investing in securities is non-taxable. The funds obtained by the Finance Ministry through this issue will be used to finance the budget deficit and refinance the public debt. (LS)

  • August 5, 2024 UPDATE

    August 5, 2024 UPDATE

    Harassment – The Government is this week expected to amend the legislation on sexual abuse, which currently disallows anonymous complaints. Authorities will adopt measures to protect the victims, regardless of the aggressor’s identity. The measures come in response to several reports of sexual harassment in universities. Education Minister Ligia Deca explained the police will quickly register reports of sexual abuse, and the new measures will apply to the entire public sector, including regulations regarding internal inquiries. We recall that, in the last week, a number of former female students presented allegations of sexual harassment against three university professors. The Police have launched a number of investigations. Professor Alfred Bulai of the National School of Political Science and Public Administration (SNSPA) was sacked from the position of chair of the Sociology Department, while Dorin Ștefan Adam from the University of Architecture in Bucharest and Marius Pieleanu of SNSPA have resigned.

     

    Energy – The Romanian Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, signed, on Monday, together with the Minister of Mines and Energy from neighboring Serbia, Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic, a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Gas Interconnector Construction Project between the two countries. The Romanian official stated that the interconnector will play an essential role in energy security and in the regional integration of energy markets. According to him, on the territory of Romania, the natural gas transport pipeline will connect to the BRUA pipeline and will have a length of about 86 km. It is estimated that the investment will be completed by 2028. Burduja also showed that, in the first quarter of this year, Romania provided almost 30% of the gas production of the entire European Union and has all the chances to become an energy hub in the market.

     

    Middle East – Romanian citizens must leave Lebanon quickly by the flights still available. It is the firm recommendation sent by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, in the context of an increased risk of escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The Ministry also recommends Romanians who are in Lebanon to register their presence at the Embassy in Beirut. On the other hand, the Romanian national airline TAROM announced that it is suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut, starting from Tuesday until August 12, following the current developments and the deterioration of the security context in the Middle East.

     

    Drought – The filling rate in Romania’s 40 reservoirs is almost 79%, slightly downwards compared to last week. The National Administration of Romanian Waters states that the necessary raw water is provided for supply in a centralized manner, but draws attention to the fact that in 421 localities, from 17 counties, which have centralized supply systems, water is supplied with restrictions. In 270 localities, from 10 counties, where there are no water networks, the wells have dried up. Considering the forecast for the next period, specialists continue to call for the rational use of water during the drought.

     

    Cars – The number of electric cars in the EU registered a significant increase last year, of 50%, but their share in the community car fleet remains low. Compared to the total stock of cars in the Union, electric cars account for only 1.7%. Denmark has the best percentage, 7.1 % of the total car fleet. Sweden, Luxembourg and the Netherlands follow, the last with five percentage points. Romania has approximately 0.5% and ranks 20th in the EU. The lowest percentages are reported by Cyprus, Greece and Poland, each with 0.2%.

     

    Beer – Beer sales on the Romanian market increased by over 40%, compared to previous years. According to the survey of a food product delivery company, Romanians order the largest amounts of beer on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and the most requested assortment of beer is blonde beer, followed by dark. This year, the largest quantity was requested on June 22, during the European Football Championship, when the Romania – Belgium match took place. In a list of the cities with the most beer orders at national level, the capital Bucharest is in first place, followed by Cluj (north-west) and Braşov (center). (LS)

  • July 23, 2024

    July 23, 2024

    ENERGY – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday in Bucharest that only with energy security, accessible energy for the economy and for the people and economic competitiveness can the decisive step be taken towards the next vital objective, that is obtaining clean, green energy. The Prime Minister attended the Business Forum of  Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation, where high-ranking representatives from the public and private energy sectors discussed energy security and transition, infrastructure projects and how cities apply clean, green strategies. On the other hand, Marcel Ciolacu announced that Romania will negotiate with the new European Commission a seven-year agreement to re-enter the 3% deficit target, saying the country is in a period of ‘accelerated’ development and it is very important that the investments continue.

     

    DROUGHT – Against the background of the severe drought affecting Romania, water supply is restricted in about 450 cities, towns and villages, most of them in the eastern part of the country. Many farmers say that they have lost their crops, especially where irrigation is not possible. In trying to support those affected, the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, had a first meeting on Monday with commercial banks representatives, whom he asked for solutions to cover rates and interests on loans for farmers facing drought. The affected area so far is almost 2 million hectares for corn and sunflower and 100,000 hectares for wheat and rapeseed. Water levels are also dropping. More on this topic, after the news.

     

    STUDENT CAMP – The Prefect’s Office in Harghita County (central Romania) has announced that that the institutions of the Interior Ministry will ensure public order between July 23 and 28, when the ‘Tusványos’ 2024 Summer University and Student Camp are held in the town of Băile Tuşnad, also attended by the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban. 80 police officers from the public order, traffic, criminal investigations and special operations structures will be present daily in the area and in its vicinity.

     

    SUPPORT – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, mentioned, once again, Romania’s support for the neighboring Ukraine, invaded by the Russian troops, and emphasized the need to speed up the European Union’s assistance, including the military one, granted to Kyiv. At Monday’s meeting in Brussels with her European counterparts, Odobescu reaffirmed Romania’s support for the formula for ending the war proposed by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskky, which she believes is capable of guaranteeing sustainable peace, respecting territorial integrity and the principles of the UN Charter.

     

    CONCERT – The Orchestra and Choir of the Bucharest National Opera will hold, on Wednesday, a sacred music concert at the “Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael” Orthodox Cathedral in Paris. The Romanian Opera tour ends on July 25, at the Romanian Embassy in Paris, with another concert, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Romanian House at the Olympic Games. On Monday, Romanian artists performed in the gardens of the Versailles Palace, an event also held in the context of the Summer Olympics. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Paris, the extraordinary concert entitled “Éthos Roumain” is a project financed by the Government of Romania, through the Department for Romanians Everywhere, in partnership with the Romanian Cultural Institute in Paris. The event aims to increase the visibility of Romanian culture and its promotion abroad, as well as to strengthen the cultural ties between Romania and France.

     

    FOOTBALL – The Romanian football champion, FCSB is up against the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv this evening on home turf, in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the Champions League. The return match is scheduled for July 31, in Budapest, Hungary, because, due to the security situation in the region, the Israeli teams cannot host international matches at home. (EE)

     

  • November 7, 2022 – UPDATE

    November 7, 2022 – UPDATE

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


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


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


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


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


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

  • August 22, 2022 UPDATE

    August 22, 2022 UPDATE

    Measures – The Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, the Energy Minister, Virgil Popescu, and the representatives of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority will once again analyze the support measures for the population, in the context of the skyrocketing prices for electricity. The measures will apply next year, after March 31, the date until which household and non-household consumers benefit from electricity and gas price compensation, depending on consumption. The government wants to invest in new infrastructure projects in the field, which should exploit local natural resources. On the other hand, the Romanian government could adopt, in this weeks meeting, the emergency ordinance that provides for the increase in the salaries of public sector employees by a quarter of the amount they were supposed to receive this year. The Finance Minister, Adrian Câciu, explained that the increase has already been applied in the education and health domains, and next the other state employees are going to benefit from this increase.



    Weather – In the next 24 hours, the weather in Romania will be generally unstable. The National Meteorological Administration has issued Code Yellow and Code Orange alerts for weather instability and heavy rain falls, valid until Tuesday evening in almost all regions of Romania. For short periods of time, and especially through accumulation, the water amounts recorded will be of 25…35 l/sq.m., and of than more than 60…70 l/sq.m on small areas. Hail storms are expected in isolated areas. From a thermal point of view, the weather will be relatively cool in the southwest, and in the east and southeast warm with high discomfort conditions (the humidity temperature index reaching and slightly exceeding the critical threshold of 80 units). Highs across Romania will range between 24 and 34 degrees Celsius.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu on Sunday qualified for the round of 16 of the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland USA, which has total prizes up for grabs worth over 250 thousand dollars. The Romanian player secured a two-set win against the American Peyton Sterns and next she will be up against the winner of the game pitting Sofia Kenin of the USA against other qualified player. Another Romanian in the competition, Sorana Cîrstea will play against fourth-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium in the first round.



    Covid – About 2,600 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been registered in the last 24 hours in Romania, after more than 11,800 tests were carried out, the Health Ministry announced on Monday. 10 deaths were also reported. In specialized health units, the number of COVID-19 patients is 3,580. 253 people are in ICUs. On the other hand, the protective mask will not be mandatory in schools and no special sanitary measures will be taken, said the prefect of Bucharest, Toni Greblă. Upon checking the stage of preparations for the beginning of the school year, the prefect explained that there were no discussions about additional measures to be imposed in educational units, in the context of the increase in the number of COVID cases. Recently, the Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, said that he recommended the use of protective masks in schools, but the only additional protective measure would be the ventilation of the classrooms.



    Drought — In Romania, the crops area affected by the drought, at national level has so far exceeded 400,000 hectares located in 34 counties, according to the data provided by the Agriculture Ministry. Out of the total cultivated area, more than half of the plots cultivated with wheat and triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye, have been affected, followed by corn crops, covering over 75,000 hectares. 2020 was considered by meteorologists the driest year in Romanias history for important areas in the country, such as Dobrogea (south-east). The drought reported two years ago was reflected in the crops registred by Romania, which were much smaller in compariosn with the previous years. 9LS)