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Environmental sustainability projects awarded in Bucharest

“It is the 12th hour. If not now, never. If not us, nobody.” This is the imperative motto of the first edition of the Green Gala Report held early this year. The tone is set by the sense of urgency and the environmental problems of which we are all aware. The online publication Green Report has been notifying these problems for the past 15 years, ever since its establishment. But its online pages speak not only of these problems, but also put forth solutions, most of them identified by environmental watchdogs and some of them even by businesses.

In fact, the Green Report awards granted at the recent gala draw attention precisely to the way in which environmental problems start being tackled through sustainable economic projects in Romania. The awarded projects belong to NGOs, to business organisations and local authorities. Raluca Fișer, the president of Green Revolution Association, which initiated the Green Report, told us more about the criteria for selecting these projects:

Raluca Fișer: “We awarded 12 prizes, because we had 12 categories, but in the circular economy category we had 2 winners, a project put forth by a company and another one by an NGO with excellent projects in the field of circular economy. As many as 94 projects were selected in the 12 categories, and we had 54 companies and associations taking part. We were quite happy with the quality and diversity of the participating projects, which is a great thing for an event at its first edition. And we believe it is a great sign that people are becoming aware that sustainable economy is an integral part of any business plan and of any strategic approach of a market.”

The Green Report Gala also showcased the development of environmental thinking in Romania during these past 15 years.

Raluca Fișer: “Environment protection is no longer a topic for green activism alone, it has grown into a global emergency which informs the European and global agenda. We set out to show that circular economy and sustainable development are part and parcel of the business environment. An environment-friendly attitude is not only about everybody eating lettuce and walking around in forests, it also involves technology and efficiency in using our limited resources. We strongly believe that sustainable development must be integrated in any business, because it provides countless competitive advantages. And first of all, a company manager must be aware of their responsibility towards the community in which they work. Community involvement, one way or another, and the care for the environment are today so important that, if overlooked, they may push an enterprise into bankruptcy.”

The star of the Green Report Gala was an organisation called “Workshops without borders,” which won 2 awards, in the categories “Excellence in Circular Economy” with its “educlick” platform, and “Excellence in Agri-Food” for its “bio&co” social farm, and a nomination in a 3rd category. The programme director of the “Workshops without borders” association, Lorita Constantinescu, told us more about the winning projects:

Lorita Constantinescu: “We won the circular economy category with a project called EduClick. It is a platform to collect e-waste and repair computers, which we donate to schools in underprivileged areas which have no access to funding for their IT labs. Since the pandemic broke out, we have been sending computers to schools, which gave them to children who did not own a computer so that they could study online. In fact, the social component is the most important element for our association. Our social mission is to help re-include vulnerable people in the labour market. “Workshops without borders” was set up in 2008 and EduClick was the first workshop that we started. We basically created the conditions for vulnerable people to return to an active, employed life. We hire them for our workshops and for 2 years they take part in a job shadowing programme during which they learn the skills for a specific job. And when they complete the programme we help them find a job.”

This is not the only project through which “Workshops without Borders” proved that environmental protection goes hand in hand with social involvement. In the category “Excellence in Environmental Innovation,” the organisation received a nomination for its Remesh project, in which plastic banners are turned into accessories such as bags and purses. Just like with EduClick, workers from underprivileged backgrounds are employed in this social enterprise with environmental ramifications.

Lorita Constantinescu: “This is the 3rd workshop of our association: a social farm, where we grow vegetables and sell them in a farm-to-fork system. A few years ago, we set out to help vulnerable people to get employment in rural areas as well. While our first 2 projects, EduClick and Remesh, were located in Bucharest, we tried to do something for people in rural communities as well, so we went to the village of Ciocănari, some 30 km from Bucharest. We leased a plot of land and hired people from the vulnerable community in the village. It took around 3 years for us to get the organic farming certificate, and today we grow 80 vegetable varieties. We sell them to consumers in a direct subscription system.”

The farm in Ciocănari currently has just over 90 subscribers, but the organisation hopes the model will be replicated by as many enterprises as possible. (A.M.P.)

23 February 2022
February 7, 2022 UPDATE

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 February 2022
Invasive plant species in Romania

In recent years, invasion of eco-systems by alien
species has become a major problem in many parts of the world. Apart from the
expanding human activities, climate change also affects the intrusion of such
species and their spread in new territories, leading to the disruption of
habitats.

The
situation is so critical that the European Parliament and EU Council found it
necessary to put together a Regulation to prevent and manage the introduction and
overpopulation of such species. According to the document, the presence of alien
species, whether animals, plants, or microorganisms, in a natural environment
where they are not normally found, is not always a reason for concern. However,
a significant part of these alien species may become invasive, with serious
negative consequences on biodiversity and habitats, as well as other social and
economic effects that must be prevented.

Around
12,000 species in Europe are alien, and 10% to 15% of them are estimated to be
invasive. The threat they pose takes various forms, including a negative impact
on local species and on the structure and functioning of ecosystems by altering
habitats and competition among species, by transmitting diseases, by replacing
local species and hybridisation. Moreover, invasive alien species may also have
a significant impact on human health and economy.

The
same situation is to be found in Romania as well, where the environment
watchdog Conservation Carpathia found 6 invasive alien plant species in the
south-east of the Făgăraș Mountains, alongside water courses. The organisation
is taking steps to eliminate these species, as biologist Oliviu Pop told us:

Oliviu
Pop: These invasive plants, which are
in fact invasive alien species, appear in natural habitats that are degraded or
abandoned, such as abandoned fields or meadows or areas where waste has been
dumped. In time, they spread and eliminate the native species in those areas,
in other words they reduce biodiversity. These invasive plants gradually
eliminate valuable species, rare protected species or fodder plants. Recent climate
changes, more and more substantial, also help such alien species take control. As
their name suggests, these are species introduced, either accidentally or
deliberately, in the respective areas.

Conservation
Carpathia focuses on protecting nature, on reconstructing the areas affected in
the past by excessive forest harvesting, for example, and on restoring balance
in nature. To this end, a scientific study, coordinated by Oliviu Pop, has been
conducted along the main water courses and their tributaries in the southern
part of the Făgăraș Mountains. Based on the findings of this scientific
research, Conservation Carpathia put together an action plan, under which this
summer it organised actions to eliminate invasive alien plant species, together
with Romanian and foreign employees and volunteers.

Only
environment-friendly methods have been used, such as close cutting or uprooting.
These activities will carry on for several years, until the spread of such
species along the water courses included in the project has been reduced by at
least 50%. Here is Oliviu Pop once again:

Oliviu
Pop: We are currently implementing a project
to rebuild natural habitats, which includes both the habitats in riparian
areas, which are the most severely affected by human activities, and the
reconstruction of forests and shrubbery in the alpine area. Apart from planting
or replanting species that are native in these riparian areas, we are trying in
certain places to eliminate the invasive species. We started out by making an
inventory of the species along 165 km of river valleys, and then, together with
our employees and volunteers, we gradually managed to eliminate some of the invasive
species in those riparian habitats, on approx. 37 km. And now we are trying to
monitor and see what happens, how such new species appear, while at the same working
to restore these habitats, to replant the willows and alder, which are specific
to these areas.

Oliviu
Pop also warns that some invasive alien species have flowers and may seem
beautiful, as a decorative species, but in ecologic terms they are still
harmful. This topic, hardly ever discussed in the past, will be of growing
importance in the years to come, and actions such as the ones run by Conservation
Carpathia will be increasingly frequent at national and European level, the
environmental organisation predicts. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

31 December 2021
EU Missions for major challenges

The ongoing
climate and health crises facing all of us are forcing us to join efforts in
new and innovating ways. We need a courageous and ambitious policy, setting
clear goals to help us shape the future that we desire. This is the view of the
European Union, which is seeking answers to some of the most important current
challenges. These include fighting cancer, adjusting to climate change, protecting
oceans and waters, greener cities, a healthy soil and healthy food. New EU
missions have been initiated for all of these areas. Why is joint action
necessary? MEP Victor Negrescu attempts an answer:

Victor Negrescu: I believe the pandemic has once again proved how important it is for us
to work together. Global challenges require joint responses. We had to come up
with a joint response in the healthcare field, we had to come up with a joint response
in terms of economic recovery. And there is no doubt that in order to cope with
the new challenges related to the environmental and digital transition, we
still need a EU-wide, joint response. I think this pandemic has brought us all
together, helped us to better understand the importance of the European project
and is, somehow, a common starting point that we share regardless of our
political views. So I hope we will take advantage of this context, which
unfortunately is not in the least favourable, and understand the importance of
resetting the EU agenda and of a substantial development of what the EU will
mean in the future.

What
are these missions? A co-ordinated effort, says the European Commission, to
bring together the necessary resources in terms of financing programmes,
policies and regulations, as well as other activities designed to contribute to
fulfilling the goals. With research and innovation as their starting points, the
EU Missions set ambitious, concrete and measurable objectives, to be
accomplished in clearly defined timelines, in order to obtain tangible results
for all Europeans.

One goal
of these missions is to mobilise and actively involve stakeholders in the
public and private sector, member states, regional and local authorities,
research institutes, entrepreneurs and investors, as well as citizens, in order
to encourage the adoption of new solutions and approaches at society level. Not
least, the Missions are a novelty of the largest publicly funded research and
innovation programme, Horizon Europe, to be held until 2027. MEP Cristian
Bușoi explains:

Cristian Bușoi: Obviously, this Horizon Europe programme was
bound to take into account the challenges facing the EU at present, as well as
the Union’s strategic goals. This is why an important part of the programme
focuses on climate change, on digitisation, on artificial intelligence and, of
course, on healthcare, with special emphasis on beating cancer.

Supporting at
least 150 European regions and communities in becoming resilient to the effects
of climate change by 2030 is one of the EU objectives. In order to fulfil it, Mission
Adaptation to Climate Change intends to make 100 million euros available for
large-scale action related to major climate threats like flooding, adjusted to
local circumstances.

Mission
Conquering Cancer plans to introduce a new, common governance model able to
ensure systematic and effective integration of research, innovation and
political developments with respect to cancer across Europe. Its targets
are equally ambitious: cooperation with Europe’s
Beating Cancer Plan to improve the lives of over 3 million people by 2030 through
prevention, treatment and solutions for better and longer living. The implementation
will go beyond research and innovation, but this mission too originates in the
Horizon Europe programme.

Mission
Restore our Oceans and Waters will create a network of lighthouses and
broaden the networks of protected maritime areas.

As part
of Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, the selected cities will get
their citizens involved in drawing up contracts for climate-neutral cities so
as to contribute to ensuring climate neutrality by 2030. This is yet another ambitious
goal, whose reaching would entail substantial benefits, particularly
considering that, according to the UN, over two-thirds of the total carbon
emissions come from cities.

Not least,
Mission A Soil Deal for Europe will encourage people to take part in
scientific citizen initiatives to collectively improve the soil health.

The EU
Missions will help turn Europe into a greener, healthier continent, more
favourable to inclusion and more resilient, says Brussels. It is a set of actions
– research and innovation projects, policy measures and legislative
initiatives, citizens’ involvement – to achieve concrete goals with large
societal impact. We want
to deliver solutions to key global challenges by 2030!, said Margrethe Vestager, Executive
Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age. (tr.
A.M. Popescu)

15 October 2021
March 7-14, 2021

The evolution of coronavirus in Romania

The government in Bucharest decided to extend the state of alert by 30 more days, coming into effect on March 14, as the number of COVID-19 infections rises. According to PM Florin Citu, all restrictions already in place are here to stay. In addition, night circulation is forbidden between 22:00 and 5:00, one hour earlier than before. Another decision limits occupation in tourist accommodation to up to 70% of capacity. This measure is mostly aimed at accommodation in areas with skiing or winter sports facilities. At the same time, in order to speed up the vaccination campaign and contain the pandemic, on Thursday the third stage opened for people in localities with a rate of infection of over 4.5 to a thousand inhabitants. This stage will be applied nationally starting Monday, in which anyone who wishes to vaccinate can do so as well. Romania has immunized over 1.3 million people since the start of the vaccination campaign, on December 27, and over half have had the follow-up. On Thursday, the authorities in Bucharest have decided to temporarily suspend the use of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine up until the end of the evaluation run by the European Medicines Agency. The decision comes after several European countries registered severe reactions, even deaths, after the administration of these vaccines, part of a certain allotment.

Conclusions in the fire at the Matei Bals hospital

The Romanian government will file a case with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate following the conclusion of the Control Body in relation to the fire at the Matei Bals Institute in Bucharest. Inspectors who investigated the area after the 29 January reached the conclusion that the fire was caused by the poor and antiquated infrastructure, the undersized wiring, and the poor supervision of the patients. We recall that over 20 people have died in the fire in one pavilion of the hospital, causing over 100 COVID patients to be relocated.

The 2021 budget passes

President Klaus Iohannis endorsed this week the state budget and social insurance law for 2021. According to the Presidency, investment, reforms, and economic growth are the pillars of the 2021 budget, observing all the principles of fiscal responsibility and sustainability of public finance. The budget deficit target of 7.16% of the GDP indicates a considerable effort towards budget consolidation, without unduly burdening citizens with new taxes, the release also indicates. Considerable amounts of money are earmarked for the transportation infrastructure, schools and hospitals, but also for managing the vaccination campaign, as well as the risks associated with the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Major investments are aimed at supporting businesses, new opportunities for development, and creating better paying jobs, the document states. Last week, Parliament passed the budget bill in the form issued by the government, without accepting amendments. This year, the budget is based on an economic growth of 4.31%.

Romania reports record economic growth for 2020 4th quarter

Romania had the highest GDP growth of any EU country in the fourth quarter of the past year compared to the previous quarter. According to data published on Tuesday by Eurostat, the Romanian economy grew by 4.8% during that period. Previously, the Romanian National Institute of Statistics reviewed downwards its expectation for growth from 5.3% to 4.8% for the GDP in the last quarter of last year. It did not, however, adjust its estimate for 2020, according to which the Romanian economy shrank by 3.9% in real terms. The shrinkage in the GDP was caused by industry, trade, agriculture, and entertainment related activities.

The authorities in Bucharest want to eliminate cumulative pensions

Romania has launched a public debate on a bill to ban cumulative pensions with state wages. Minister of Labor Raluca Turcan announced that around 35,000 tax payers are receiving both a pension and a salary. There will be exceptions to this, however, such as teachers, members of the Romanian Academy, and elected officials. The bill also provides for the possibility of continuing work up until 70 years of age, applying to both state and private employees. Another bill was submitted for public debate, along with an emergency executive order, allowing for parents who return to work earlier than their parental leave allows to receive a higher bonus for returning.

The Green Friday campaign is launched

The Romanian Ministry of the Environment launched on March 12 the Green Friday initiative, encouraging the use of alternative transportation for going to and from work in order to reduce pollution, especially in the big cities. The campaign provides that every Friday people should not use their personal vehicles and go to and from work using public transport, bicycles, or just on foot. Minister of the Environment Tánczos Barna announced he would launch an invitation to everyone to take part, while town halls were extended a proposal to offer free public transportation on Fridays. (tr. C. Cotoiu)

13 March 2021
March 12, 2021

PENSIONS Public and private sector employees may continue working until the age of 70 if they choose to, the Romanian labour minister Raluca Turcan announced. She explained that unlike private sector staff, in the public sector the employees reaching retirement age who continue working cannot receive both public pensions and salaries. Another bill drafted by the labour ministry concerns an increase of the bonuses paid to new parents who stay on parental leave for less than 6 months, from 130 euros to around 300 euros.

VACCINE Romania temporarily suspends the use of an AstraZeneca vaccine batch, until the European Medicines Agency completes its assessment. The National Vaccine Coordination Committee decided however to continue using the doses from batches where problems have not been reported. The decision comes after other European countries reported severe side effects and even deaths among people having received AstraZeneca doses from a particular batch. Romania received 81,600 doses from the AstraZeneca batch no. ABV 2856, and has used over 77,000 of them. The remaining shots are temporarily suspended, until the European Medicines Agency completes its assessment. Today, over 100,000 doses of Moderna vaccine reach Romania. Also, in order to step up the vaccine rollout and contain the pandemic, on Thursday the last stage of the vaccination programme was launched in places with more than 4.5 infections per 1,000 people. On Monday the 3rd vaccination phase, targeting the general public, begins across the country. On Friday Romania reported over 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. 108 COVID-related deaths were also reported, and 1,166 patients are in intensive care.

PANDEMIC The European Medicines Agency has approved the use of a 4th COVID-19 vaccine in the EU—the single-shot Johnson & Johnson. Meanwhile, as a precaution, 9 countries have suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines over blood clot fears. These countries are Austria, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. The first to do so was Austria, following the death of a person from multiple thrombosis. Other countries using this vaccine, including Spain, Sweden and the UK, say they had no problems of this kind. 17 EU member states have received doses from the batch in question. The European Commission urges member states to follow the advice of the European Medicines Agency, which says that at this point nothing points to higher blood clot risks in people having received the Covid-19 vaccine. Astrazeneca insists that its vaccine has been tested extensively and is well tolerated. On Thursday night, in the US, the worst-hit country in the world, president Joe Biden gave his first prime-time address, marking 1 year since the pandemic was declared officially. Biden announced that his goal of having 100 million Americans immunised in the first 100 days of his term in office will be reached sooner than planned. According to worldometers updates, over 119 million people have caught the coronavirus so far. Of them, around 94.7 million have recovered and at least 2.6 million people died.

ENVIRONMENT The environment ministry has today launched a campaign called Green Friday, calling on Romanians to switch from automobiles to walking, cycling or using public transport every Friday. The point is primarily to reduce pollution in big cities. Minister Barna Tanczos explained that 60% of urban pollution is caused by automobiles.

ECONOMY In Romania, the trade balance deficit in January was nearly 1.2 billion euros, down since last January, with imports dropping 5.8% and exports 4.9%. According to data made public on Friday by the National Statistics Institute, exports amounted to 5.4 billion euro, and imports to 6.6 billion euro. In related news, the INS announced on Friday that in January the average net salary in Romania was nearly 700 euro, down 6.2% since the previous month. The highest salaries in Romania are paid in IT&C, and the smallest in the hospitality industry. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

12 March 2021
High-Level Corruption

The former Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests in the previous Liberal Government in Bucharest, Costel Alexe, is being targeted by a corruption investigation. President Klaus Iohannis has approved the request of the National Anticorruption Directorate that Alexe be prosecuted, a mandatory procedural step in the case of high dignitaries.

Costel Alexe served as Minister of Environment for a year, between November 2019 and November 2020, and is currently head of the Iasi County Council, the most powerful stronghold of the Liberals in Moldova, which is a less developed province in eastern Romania, politically controlled by the Social – Democrats.

According to the National Anticorruption Directorate, Alexe is suspected of bribe-taking and instigating the crime of embezzlement. Anticorruption prosecutors claim that there is evidence that give rise to a reasonable suspicion that, between March and April 2020, he allegedly directly claimed from the director of a steel plant products made of sheet metal in connection with the performance of his duties; they concern the free allocation of greenhouse gas emission allowances to the plant and the monitoring of the measures taken by it to close a non-compliant landfill.

According to the investigators, the said benefits, in the amount of 22 tons and having a value of 103,000 lei (over 20,000 euros), were allegedly received, in two instalments, at the working point of a company managed by a relative of his. Former Minister Costel Alexe stated, immediately after the announcement made by the Anticorruption Directorate, that he requested the approval of his criminal investigation, that he trusted the act of justice and that he wanted to see the action finalised as soon as possible.

I did not ask for and did not take, in my entire public activity, undue benefits in violation of the law, said the Liberal leader in his defence. He promised not to make any public reference to the current situation of the judicial action, stressing that in the next period he would analyse the accusations brought against him and would fully and transparently cooperate with the judicial bodies. It is a delicate moment for the National Liberal Party, the number one in the new coalition government that settled in Bucharest at the end of last year, given that Alexe is not only the president of the County Council, but also the president of the Iasi branch of the party.

On the other hand, unlike their political opponents in the Social Democratic Party, the Liberals have not exposed themselves to public criticism by blocking, in Parliament or other procedural channels, the investigations targeting some of their own.

The most important thing, however, is that the National Anticorruption Directorate shows signs of life. The management was going through a period of lethargy after the departure from the leadership, against her own will, of Laura Codruţa Koveşi, who in the meantime has become the head of the European Prosecutor’s Office. We recall that her revocation from the position of chief prosecutor of the Anticorruption Directorate, in July 2018, which President Iohannis had to do, forced by a decision of the Constitutional Court, was described as abusive by the European Court of Human Rights. (M. Ignatescu)

6 January 2021
January 5, 2021

COVID-19 In Romania a total of nearly 650,000 coronavirus
infections have been confirmed so far, according to the Strategic Communication
Group, with 4,729 new cases out of 31,022 tests reported in the past 24 hours.
121 people died since Monday’s report, taking the total death toll to 16,178. The vaccination of healthcare staff
continues, with more than 25,500 immunised so far, using the Pfizer BioNTech
vaccine, according to the National Committee coordinating the vaccination
programme. The authorities say the vaccination of healthcare staff is an act of
responsibility ensuring the protection of medical personnel and preserving the
country’s capability to provide safe healthcare services to all patients.

SCHOOLS The Education Ministry announced this week consultations with students, teachers and parents to analyse the option of reopening schools. Minister Sorin Cîmpeanu is considering a return to face-to-face classes as of the start of the second semester of the school year, provided the COVID-19 situation allows it. The National Students Council warned that online classes are inefficient and demanding. Many students lack access to education because they do not have tablets or an internet connection. Since March 2020, with a brief intermission, Romanian students have attended online classes exclusively.

CORRUPTION The National Anti-Corruption Directorate requested the General Prosecutors Office to notify president Klaus Iohannis of the commencement of prosecution against former Environment Minister Costel Alexe. Prosecutors say that while a member of the Ludovic Orban Cabinet, Alexe allegedly demanded sheet metal products worth over 20,000 euros from the manager of a steel works, in exchange for awarding greenhouse gas certificates to the company. Alexe denied the accusations and claimed he had confidence in the judiciary. The Social Democrats in Opposition asked Alexe to step down as chairman of the Iasi County Council, a post he has held since this autumns local elections.

HOUSING In the 27 EU member countries, 17.2% of the people were living in overcrowded households last year, i.e. the number of rooms was insufficient for the number of family members, according to data released today by the European Statistics Office (Eurostat). First by overcrowding rate was Romania, with nearly half of its population (45.8%). Other EU member states with similar problems in 2019 included Latvia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Poland. The countries with the lowest overcrowding rates were Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and the Netherlands.

SPORTS Gymnast Larisa Iordache, twice European champion last year in Turkey, ranks first in a standing of Romanias best athletes of the year 2020, put together by the Romanian Council of Sport Media Association. Iordache won 4 medals at the European Championships in Turkey, gold in beam and floor, and silver in vault and in the team event. Second comes tennis player Simona Halep and wrestler Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu. Halep, number 2 in the world, won 3 tournaments last year, in Dubai, Prague and Rome, while Alexuc won the gold at the European Chapionships in Rome. Ranking 9th in the standings is the incumbent Youth and Sports Minister, Carol-Eduard Novak, who won 3 medals at last years World Para Athletics Championship.

PANDEMIC Several countries introduce new restrictions to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Italy introduces a 2-day lockdown today, and is to return on January 7 to the measures prior to the winter holidays, including a night curfew and mandatory 2-week quarantine for all citizens who enter the country. In Britain, PM Boris Johnson announced a new lockdown, comparable to the one in spring 2020, as the healthcare system is overwhelmed. Similar measures came into force at midnight in Scotland, whereas the local governments in Wales and Northern Ireland announced schools would stay closed. Austria, in turn, is extending the lockdown at least until January 24th, and so is Germany, which according to Deutsche Welle is extending tough containment measures for another 3 weeks. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

5 January 2021
Environment protection measures

The long drought this year affects farming in the south and east of Romania more and more severely, and forestry officials are once again pleading for shelterbelts along plots of farmland. The head of the Forestation Service in the Romsilva National Forestry Authority, engineer Marius Ureche, says such shelterbelts create microclimates that protect from wind and humidity, keeping crop land safe from drought and desertification. He also says that shelterbelts have been needed in the south and east of the country for decades, but that most farmers have cut down trees and shrubs in order to extend their farms.

Marius Ureche: “Unfortunately, since 1989 part of these shelterbelts have been cut down. This was a mistake, because farmers sought short-term gains, but they have come to realise that the impact on the agricultural yield has been dramatic.

In this context, the Environment Ministry Wednesday launched the autumn stage of a forestation campaign entitled ‘A forest as big as a country, which follows a first stage implemented this spring. The annual reforestation programme provides for the reforestation of over 12,500 hectares, in 2 campaigns. Two-thirds of the total surface area will be subject to natural reforestation plans, and one-third to artificial forest regeneration projects.

Over 17 million trees will be planted in this autumns edition of the campaign, mostly in the counties of Tulcea, Galaţi, Ialomiţa, Dolj and Vaslui, in the east and south of the country. Of these, over one million are oak trees, and the others are poplar trees, willow, ash, maple and other species.

The Environment Ministry also announced that entirely new forests will be planted on 1,100 hectares, while additional trees will be planted on a total area of over 2,000 hectares. In the spring edition of this campaign, 2,400 forests were planted from scratch, and another 7,000 young forests were extended. Most of them are located in the counties Suceava (north-east), Maramureş (north) and Sibiu (centre).

In related news, as part of the same effort to protect the environment, a second stage of a project designed to broaden Black Sea beaches is scheduled to start soon. The project benefits from over 800 million euros worth of EU funding. Several Black Sea resorts will have broader beaches to welcome their tourists, and they will be consolidated with seawalls. The project is also aimed at solving erosion issues in the Romanian seaside resorts. The works are scheduled to begin in October, and the total beach area is planned to increase by 200 hectare thanks to these measures.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

18 September 2020
A European biodiversity strategy

The coronavirus pandemic will probably be followed by even more deadly and destructive epidemics, unless we put an end to their root cause—the endemic destruction of the natural world.

The warning comes from world-famed biodiversity experts, who argue that “the recent pandemics are a direct consequence of human activity, particularly of our global financial and economic systems, which seek economic growth at all costs. We have a small window of opportunity to overcome the challenges of this crisis, so as to avoid sawing the seeds of future ones”.

Professors Josef Settele, Sandra Diaz and Eduardo Brondizio coordinated the largest health assessment project ever conducted, whose findings were made public in 2019 by Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Their conclusion is that human society is in danger because of the accelerated decline of Terra’s natural life support systems.

In an article published recently together with Peter Daszak, Ph.D, who is working on the next health assessment, they warn that “Rampant deforestation, uncontrolled agricultural expansion, intensive farming, mining and the exploitation of wild species have created a ‘perfect storm’ for the spillover of diseases.”

Researchers say the economic recovery packages in the trillions of US dollars, made available by governments, must be used to strengthen and enforce environment protection and that a global, unified, ‘One Health’ approach is required. Because “Human health is inextricably linked to the health of wild animals, the health of domestic animals and the health of the environment. It is, in fact, one health”.

“The coronavirus crisis showed us how vulnerable we are and how important it is to recover the balance between human activity and nature, the executive vice-president for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans says in his turn.

In May, the European Commission adopted 2 new strategies, one focusing on biodiversity and the other on the food system. The new biodiversity strategy stipulates, among other things, that by 2030, 30% of Europe’s land and sea will be turned into efficiently managed protected areas, and at least 10% of the utilised agriculture land will include diverse landscapes such as hedges, trees and ponds that enhance carbon sequestration, prevent soil erosion and water depletion.

Adopted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the strategy is a central element of the EU’s recovery plan, essential to preventing future epidemics and strengthening resilience to possible epidemics, Frans Timmermans explains.

Another strategy adopted by the Commission, “Farm to Fork”, provides for a 50% cut in the use of pesticides, a minimum 20% reduction in the use of fertilisers, a 50% reduction of sales of antimicrobials used in animal farms and fisheries, as well as for 25% of the agriculture land to be farmed organically.

The strategy targets a new, better balance between nature, food systems and biodiversity, to protect the health and welfare of our citizens and at the same time to increase the Union’s competitiveness and resilience, Frans Timmermans also says.

The 2 strategies reinforce each other, bringing together nature, farmers, enterprises and consumers to create a sustainable and competitive future. According to Brussels, under the European Green Deal, the EU launches ambitious actions and commitments to fight the decline of biodiversity in Europe and worldwide and to turn our food systems into global benchmarks for competitive sustainability, the protection of human and planetary health, as well as for the subsistence means of all stakeholders in the food value chain.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

21 August 2020
9 April 2020, UPDATE

Romania toll. 441 new coronavirus cases
were reported in Romania on Thursday, with the total number passing 5,200. 647
people have recovered and 248 have died. Two Romanians who returned from Italy
in March are reported to have contracted the virus a second time, ten days
after being released from hospital. 679 Romanians living abroad, most of them
in Italy, have been infected and 38 have died.

Coronavirus world. More than 1.5 million
coronavirus cases have been reported around the world, while the death toll is
close to 89,000. The European Commission has proposed a ban on all
non-essential travel to the EU until May 15th, thus extending
current restrictions. According to the Commission, the measures taken to
prevent the spread of the virus must be enforced for over 30 days in order to
work. Also, the Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has called on member
states to eliminate bans on medicine exports to prevent shortages within the EU
bloc. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warns Europe is
yet to reach the peak of the pandemic.

Economy. The Romanian government
expects the economy to shrink by 1 to 3% due the crisis caused by the new
coronavirus, but an exact figure will be calculated after April 15th,
prime minister Ludovic Orban told a television channel. He explained that 30%
of the country’s economy has already been affected and budget revenues have
been severely diminished. Orban said it is not yet known how the other EU economies
will react, with many Romanian businesses depending on those in the EU. In
another development, the World Bank has revised Romania’s economic growth rate
for this year down to 0.3% from 3.8% three months ago, but estimates a recovery
to up to 4.4% next year.

Workers. Several
planes carrying east-European seasonal workers landed on Thursday on the
airports in Berlin, Hamburg and Dusseldorf, despite the restrictions aimed at
preventing the spread of the coronavirus. German farmers said they were
relieved to be able to bring in workers to take care of seasonal crops such as white
asparagus, which is a delicatessen. The workers had to undergo a medical
check-up at the airport before starting working on the farms, where they are in
effect in isolation. Romanian workers are among them, and they departed from
the airport in Cluj, in the centre. More than 1,500 people gathered in the
airport’s parking lot without respecting social distancing rules and without
wearing protective gear. Prime minister Ludovic Orban has ordered an inquiry.

Reimbursement. Airlines must refund
the flights cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, said the European
commissioner for transport Adina Valean, quoted by Reuters. Valean, who was
Romania’s pick for the job, rejected calls from airlines to relax European rules
in the field. She explained that changing these rules would require wider
support from EU institutions. Airlines are seeking government support, saying
reimbursing hundreds of thousands of tickets would lead them to bankruptcy. In
Romania, transport minister Lucian Bode said Bucharest is having talks with the
European Union with a view to obtaining financial support of around 130 million
euros for the Romanian airlines TAROM and Blue Air, who have been seriously hit
by the crisis caused by the pandemic.

Environment. The environment
ministry in Bucharest is launching a multi-annual street lighting programme
aimed at reducing electricity consumption by 40% in every town and village in
Romania. The budget for this year is around 80 million euros. Local authorities
will be able to replace high energy consuming lights with LED lights and
purchase flow-based systems. Street lighting currently accounts for over 20% of
the total electricity consumption in Romania. (Tr.: CM)

9 April 2020
15 February 2020, UPDATE

Conference. Romania’s goal to join
the Schengen area was highlighted by acting prime minister Ludovic Orban at a
meeting on Saturday with his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the Munich Security
Conference. He gave assurances that Romania is fully prepared and advocated for
a boost of Dutch investments in the Romanian economy. The interim defence
minister Nicolae Ciuca, who was also in Munich, spoke at a round table event about the
need for careful monitoring of the security developments in the Black Sea area,
emphasising the need to consolidate the NATO presence in the region. He also
underlined the crucial strategic importance of the Black Sea area for
European and Euro-Atlantic security. Dozens of heads of state, ministers, heads
of businesses and representatives of international organisations and the
academic community are in Munich to discuss security threats in the
Euro-Atlantic area, the crises in its vicinity and the relationship between the
European Union and NATO.

Energy. The
United States will finance energy projects worth 1 billion dollars in countries
in Central and Eastern Europe that are members of the Three Seas Initiative to
consolidate their energy independence from Russia, US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference. Our aim is to galvanise private sector investment
in their energy sectors, said Pompeo. The Three Seas Initiative, launched
in 2015, is a group of 12 EU states located between the Baltic, Adriatic and
Black Seas, namely Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.
The aim of the initiative is to consolidate cooperation among its members in
areas such as energy, infrastructure and security, especially in the face of
Russia, which some of these states view as a direct threat. Like the United
States, the Three Seas Initiative states are opposed to the North Stream 2
pipeline aimed at doubling the direct supply of Russian gas to Western Europe
across the Baltic Sea, thus bypassing the eastern part of the continent. The
United States has adopted sanctions against the companies associated with the
construction of the pipeline, saying the project would increase Europe’s
reliance on Russian gas and thus strengthen Moscow’s influence.

Coronavirus. The death toll caused by the new coronavirus in continental
China has exceeded 1,500, while the first death in Europe was reported in
France. The victim is an 80-year-old Chinese tourist who has been in hospital
in Paris since the end of January. A joint mission with China led by the World
Health Organisation begins an outbreak investigation this weekend. One Romanian
citizen of the 17 on board the cruise ship Westerdam that docked in Cambodia
has been sent to Romania. The Romanian foreign ministry says all crew and
passengers tested negative for coronavirus. In Bucharest, the health ministry
says no case has been reported in Romania. However, a Romanian citizen from the
Diamond Princess cruise vessel, found in the Japanese territorial waters,
tested positive for the new pneumonia virus and was transferred to a Japanese
hospital. Romania’s diplomatic mission in Japan is in contact with the Romanian
citizen in hospital and the other Romanian nationals on board the vessel.

Environment. Romania’s environment
minister Costel Alexe and the European environment commissioner Virginijus
Sinkevičius on Friday met in Brussels to analyse the solutions proposed by the
Romanian government to close the infringement procedures triggered by the European
Commission against Romania over illegal logging and its failure to finalise a
national air quality control programme. The two officials also discussed issues
related to biodiversity, the expansion of the Natura 2000 network, the
development of the air quality monitoring system, waste management and
environmental funding programmes, according to a statement by the Romanian
environment ministry. The European Commission on Wednesday sent a letter to
Romania urging it to properly implement the EU Timber Regulation, which
prevents companies in this sector to place on the market products obtained from
illegal logging. The European Commission has given Bucharest one month to take
the necessary measures.

Measles. Measles cases are on the
rise in Romania, with 53 new cases reported this week. The total number of
cases is 19,381, including 64 deaths. According to the National Centre for
Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, the new cases were located
in five counties. Measles is a contagious disease that often leads to
complications. One in four people developing measles needs hospitalisation and
for one patient in 1,000 cases the disease is deadly. Prevention against
measles is achieved through vaccination.

Tennis. The Romanian tennis player Simona
Halep, world no. 2, is seeded first at the WTA tournament in Dubai, the United
Arab Emirates, worth 2.6 million dollars, and which gets under way on Monday.
Halep plays straight into eight finals, where she will be facing the winner
between Alison Riske of the US and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia. Halep won the Dubai
tournament in 2015. Sorana Cirstea, world no. 69, will play against Germany’s Julia Goerges (31 WTA), while Ana Bogdan, world no.
90, faces China’s Shuai Zhang (32 WTA). In other tennis news, another Romanian
player, Patricia Tig,
world no. 105, failed to qualify for the finals of the WTA tournament in Hua
Hin, Thailand, being defeated by Poland’s Magda Linette, world no. 42, in the
semifinals. (CM)

15 February 2020
15 February, 2020

Conference. The Romanian
acting prime minister Ludovic Orban is attending the 56th edition of
the Munich Security Conference which brings together top level representatives
of political and business circles and which comes to an end on Sunday. In his
opening remarks on Friday, Germany’s president Frank-Walter
Steinmeier criticised the great powers the United States, China and Russia for
making the world less safe through their stance on international politics.
Dozens of heads of state, ministers, heads of businesses and representatives of
international organisations and the academic community are in Munich to discuss
security threats in the Euro-Atlantic area, the crises in its vicinity and the
relationship between the European Union and NATO.

Energy. The
United States will finance energy projects worth 1 billion dollars in countries
in Central and Eastern Europe that are members of the Three Seas Initiative to
consolidate their energy independence from Russia, US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo said on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference. Our aim is to galvanise private sector investment
in their energy sectors, said Pompeo. The Three Seas Initiative, launched
in 2015, is a group of 12 EU states located between the Baltic, Adriatic and
Black Seas, namely Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.
The aim of the initiative is to consolidate cooperation among its members in
areas such as energy, infrastructure and security, especially in the face of
Russia, which some of these states view as a direct threat. Like the United
States, the Three Seas Initiative states are opposed to the North Stream 2
pipeline aimed at doubling the direct supply of Russian gas to Western Europe
across the Baltic Sea, thus bypassing the eastern part of the continent. The
United States has adopted sanctions against the companies associated with the
construction of the pipeline, saying the project would increase Europe’s
reliance on Russian gas and thus strengthen Moscow’s influence.

Coronavirus. The death toll caused by the new coronavirus in continental
China has exceeded 1,500, while the first death in Europe was reported in
France. The victim is an 80-year-old Chinese tourist who has been in hospital
in Paris since the end of January. A joint mission with China led by the World
Health Organisation begins an outbreak investigation this weekend. One Romanian
citizen of the 17 on board the cruise ship Westerdam that docked in Cambodia
has been sent to Romania. The Romanian foreign ministry says all crew and
passengers tested negative for coronavirus. In Bucharest, the health ministry
says no case has been reported in Romania. However, a Romanian citizen from the
Diamond Princess cruise vessel, found in the Japanese territorial waters,
tested positive for the new pneumonia virus and was transferred to a Japanese
hospital. Romania’s diplomatic mission in Japan is in contact with the Romanian
citizen in hospital and the other Romanian nationals on board the vessel.

Environment. Romania’s environment
minister Costel Alexe and the European environment commissioner Virginijus
Sinkevičius on Friday met in Brussels to analyse the solutions proposed by the
Romanian government to close the infringement procedures triggered by the European
Commission against Romania over illegal logging and its failure to finalise a
national air quality control programme. The two officials also discussed issues
related to biodiversity, the expansion of the Natura 2000 network, the
development of the air quality monitoring system, waste management and
environmental funding programmes, according to a statement by the Romanian
environment ministry. The European Commission on Wednesday sent a letter to
Romania urging it to properly implement the EU Timber Regulation, which
prevents companies in this sector to place on the market products obtained from
illegal logging. The European Commission has given Bucharest one month to take
the necessary measures.

Measles. Measles cases are on the
rise in Romania, with 53 new cases reported this week. The total number of
cases is 19,381, including 64 deaths. Measles is a contagious disease that often leads to
complications. One in four people developing measles needs hospitalisation and
for one patient in 1,000 cases the disease is deadly. Prevention against
measles is achieved through vaccination.

Tennis. The Romanian tennis player Simona
Halep, world no. 2, is seeded first at the WTA tournament in Dubai, the United
Arab Emirates, worth 2.6 million dollars, and which gets under way on Monday.
Halep plays straight into eight finals, where she will be facing the winner
between Alison Riske of the US and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia. Halep won the Dubai
tournament in 2015. Sorana Cirstea, world no. 69, will play against Germany’s Julia Goerges (31 WTA), while Ana Bogdan, world no.
90, faces China’s Shuai Zhang (32 WTA). In other tennis news, another Romanian
player, Patricia Tig,
world no. 105, failed to qualify for the finals of the WTA tournament in Hua
Hin, Thailand, being defeated by Poland’s Magda Linette, world no. 42, in the
semifinals. (CM)

15 February 2020
14 February, 2020

Conference. Romania’s acting prime minister Ludovic Orban has attended
as a guest of honour the Munich Europe Conference in Germany where the spoke
about his country’s solid European profile. According to a government
statement, Orban underlined Romania’s active involvement in efforts to
consolidate the European Union and its major policies and to improve cohesion
among member states. The Europe Conference, which is organised as part of the
56th edition of the Munich Security Conference, has been held for
the last 15 years and brings together top level representatives of political
and business circles. The prime minister, who is accompanied by foreign
minister Bogdan Aurescu, is also due to meet in Munich counterparts from a
number of states and representatives of the business community.

Brexit. Almost 500,000 Romanians had applied, by the end of January, for
residency in the UK as part of the settlement scheme made available by the UK
government to European citizens wishing to continue to live in this country
after 31st of December. The foreign ministry in Bucharest said in a
statement that 63,000 people applied in January. The deadline for submitting
applications is 30th June 2021 for the European citizens reaching UK
territory by 31st December this year.

Coronavirus. China’s revised death toll of the new coronavirus today neared
1,400. Some 64,000 cases of infection have been recorded so far in continental
China, excluding Hong Kong and Macao, which marks a sharp rise over the last
two days, as a result of a new benchmark to measure the outbreak. In Bucharest,
the health minister has announced that no case of infection has been reported
in Romania. The foreign ministry says a Romanian citizen from the Diamond
Princess cruise vessel, found in the Japanese territorial waters, tested positive
for the new pneumonia virus. He was transferred for isolation and treatment to
a Japanese hospital specialising in such situations. Romania’s diplomatic
mission in Japan is in contact with the Romanian citizen in hospital and the
other Romanian nationals on board the vessel.

Protest. A number of environmental groups are today staging a rally in
central Bucharest asking the authorities to take urgent measures to reduce air
pollution in the capital city. Environmentalists say their action comes amid
alarming spikes in pollution levels and in protest against the fact that the
authorities provide insufficient air quality data. The organisers of the rally
demand environmentally friendly public transport, bike lanes, pedestrian
infrastructure, more green areas and proper air quality monitoring. On
Thursday, the environment minister Costel Alexe admitted that the national air
quality monitoring system does not function properly, which can affect that
accuracy of the data collected, especially in big cities. Bucharest’s mayor
Gabriela Firea claims, however, that air quality has improved in Bucharest in
recent years.

Economy. The growth rate of the Romanian economy slowed down to 4.1%
last year after rising to 4.4% in 2018 and 7.1% in 2017, according to estimates
by the National Institute for Statistics published today. In November last
year, the National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis revised its economic
growth forecasts for last year down to under 4% compared with the 5.5% level
estimated in its spring forecast. On Thursday, the European Commission said
Romania saw a 3.9% economic growth rate in 2019 compared with 4.4% in 2018,
according to winter forecasts. The economic growth level is expected to
continue to slow down in Romania this year and the next.

Corruption. The former Social
Democratic health minister Mircea Beuran has been detained by anti-corruption
prosecutors for bribe taking. He is accused of receiving 10,000
euros to propose holding a recruitment contest for the position of assistant
teacher at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest and making sure
the person giving the bribe gets the job. Beuran was the head of the surgery
department at a Bucharest hospital until last month, when he was sacked after a
patient died as a result of burns sustained while on the operating table. In
2003 when he was minister, a specialist committee established that one of his
books was plagiarised. In another move, the former president of the National
Commission for Prognosis, Ion Ghizdeanu, is under criminal investigation for
fraud. He is accused of forging more
than 1,000 memos needed by the local authorities around the country to obtain
funding under the Development and Investment Fund. (CM)

14 February 2020
Environmentally-friendly businesses in Romania

75% of the respondents in the same
2019 survey showed their interest in environmentally focused campaigns on waste
management while 86% were concerned about deforestation. People’s involvement
in environmentally focused campaigns is lower though, 38% of the Romanians
would participate in waste management activities while only 33% would get
involved in reforestation campaigns.

There are more and more
initiatives, either individual or belonging to smaller groups, of involvement
in curbing pollution and other environmentally friendly activities. A case in
point is Dinu Drog, a lawyer from Bucharest, who founded a civic engagement
group involved in solving some of the issues currently facing the district he lives
in.

Mr. Drog has recently become an
entrepreneur in the field of renewable energy. Late last year, upon the
initiative of one of his neighbours, he set up a renewable energy cooperative
together with a Dutch partner. The cooperative, which initially had 15 members
now, two months after its launch, boasts a total number of 140. But what
exactly is a renewable energy cooperative? Here is Dinu Drog at the microphone.

Dinu Drog: A renewable
energy cooperative is actually an energy community, a business vehicle, which
provides renewable energy to the members of this network. At the same time it
produces energy in keeping with the EU legislation. Energy democracy is a trend
in Europe nowadays with a view to involving its citizens in this process of
producing energy by means of solar panels. We, the members of this cooperative,
are presently holding talks for the purchase of an entire solar field. For the
time being the cooperative is functioning as an investment fund and its members
are making interest in exchange for their contributions.

Members of the aforementioned
energy cooperative are also shareholders; they benefit from the energy they
produce but they are going to turn into suppliers as soon as they have obtained
a production license. Sometimes these cooperatives are allowed to invest in
renewable energy facilities. Although unique in Romania and Eastern Europe at
this time, Mr. Drog’s cooperative is an example of civic engagement proving the
increasing concern some citizens have for the world they live in and the air
they are breathing. Here is Dinu Drog at the microphone again.

Dinu Drog: Individual
solutions are easy to find, if people want to. They can start by sorting waste,
recycling, monitoring electricity consumption…But we also need public instruments,
communities, whose contribution to this initiative is even greater because it
brings people with the same degree of interest in sustainability and
environmentally -friendly activities together.

Another example of
environmentally-friendly entrepreneurship is the Seneca publishing house, which
describes itself as Romania’s first green publishing house. The enterprise also
includes a bookshop and a cafeteria showcasing books on environment and where
visitors pay for the time spent rather than for the drinks, which they prepare
themselves out of natural ingredients. Here is director Stefania Oprina with
more on how a green publishing house is actually working.

Stefania Oprina: When you
make a product, you need to take into consideration the environment. We produce
books, and that means we need to use recycled paper and we also recycle the
waste resulting from the production process. We use this paper to print
leaflets or other materials in order to avoid using fresh paper. The type of
ink that we use is also a special one, and all these efforts eventually pay off
as the final result is very beautiful books, always well-received by readers
who know that less trees had been cut for their production.

The growing interest of the
Romanians in environment preservation has been proven by the fact that ‘The
Almost Zero Waste Family’, a book written by Jeremie Pichon and Benedicte Moret
was a best-seller at the Gaudeamus Book Fair last year. Here is Stefania Oprina
again.

Stefania Oprina: People are
already looking for practical solutions to apply. They carry reusable textile
bags to avoid using plastics and are no longer using plastic forks and knives
for the same reason. Some are interested in recipes of less polluting
detergents in a bid to save money and time both in supermarkets and at home
because these recipes allow them to produce the quantity of detergent they
need.

All these initiatives, ranging from
investment in renewable energy to avoiding the use of plastics or polluting washing
powders are indicative of the Romanians’ growing interest in a cleaner and
healthier environment.

(translated by bill)

22 January 2020