Radio România Internațional

Tag: EPPO

  • March 25, 2024 UPDATE

    March 25, 2024 UPDATE

     

    MOTION In Bucharest, the Chamber of Deputies discussed on Monday a simple motion against the agriculture minister Florin Barbu (Social Democratic Party), accused of having backed a bill allowing the reed in the Danube Delta to be used for the financial benefit of certain politicians. The simple motion, called “Praising Ceauşescu will not save the Romanian agriculture,” was tabled by Save Romania Union in opposition, after the agriculture minister’s appreciative discourse about the country’s former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. USR also accused Florin Barbu of having treated the protesting farmers with contempt and of having ignored the MPs requests to present his activity. Barbu dismissed the motion as “a complete joke” and a string of “battle cries, propaganda and many untruths.” The Chamber is to vote on the motion on Tuesday.

     

    DRUG TRAFFICKING The Romanian police will be able to monitor and identify drug traffickers more efficiently once a new special register in this field has become operational. The bill regulating the register was signed into law by president Klaus Iohannis on Monday. Depending on the sentence received in court, traffickers will be entered into the registry for 5 to 20 years, during which the police will be aware of the risks of the monitored person selling banned substances again, the justice minister Alina Gorghiu explained. Drug using and trafficking have seen an upward trend in Romania lately. More than one tonne of drugs was seized last year, and also last year Romanian antidrug structures seized the largest amount of Ecstasy so far (230,000 tablets), the justice minister said.

    SCHENGEN Full Schengen accession by the end of this year is achievable, the Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu believes. He says Romania has already completed preparation for lifting checks at the EU internal air and maritime borders, as approved by the EU Council as of the end of this week. Predoiu added that Romania and Austria cooperate very well in fields like border protection and fighting illegal migration and cross-border crime, and said he suggested extending the cooperation between the 2 countries beyond Schengen, with a focus on fighting drug trafficking and human trafficking.

    INVESTIGATION Romanian prosecutors subordinated to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office seized assets worth EUR 2.4 mln from an Italian suspect subject to an investigation in Bologna concerning cross-border fuel trafficking. The total damages in the case amount to EUR 92 mln. In Romania, prosecutors seized 18 properties owned by the suspect, have frozen 14 bank accounts and assets in Romanian companies. Three Italian nationals are probed into for bringing into Italy oil products from refineries in Croatia and Slovenia, in order to resell them for lower prices to Romanian and British companies, and to bill them to Italian shell companies run by members of the crime group, the EPPO explained.

    ALERT The government of France has raised the terror alert warning to its highest level after Friday’s massacre in Moscow. The country’s PM, Gabriel Attal, said in a social media post that “the decision was taken in light of the Islamic State’s claiming responsibility for the attack and the threats weighing on our country.” France has seen some of the bloodiest terror attacks masterminded by Islamist fighters, such as the ones in 2015-2016, which left roughly 300 dead and hundreds wounded. The government in Paris has explained that the Islamist organisation has been recently involved in a series of attempted attacks, which have been thwarted by police forces in several European countries, such as France and Germany, and the PM Monday morning summoned the heads of the services responsible for the country’s security and safety.

    HANDBALL The Romanian women’s handball side Dunarea Braila has qualified for the final tournament of the EHF European League after a 26-25 home win against the Croatian side Podravka Vegeta on Sunday in the second round of the quarter finals. Dunarea, which also won the first game against Podravka, is Romania’s second representative in the EHF Finals Women, due on June 1 and 2 in Graz, Austria, after Gloria Bistrita. Romania’s champions CSM Bucharest have qualified for the quarter finals of the Champions League in women’s handball after a double win against the Slovenian side Krim Mercator Ljubljana and will be playing in the quarters against the French side Metz Handball.

  • Standarde de etică comune pentru instituţiile UE

    Standarde de etică comune pentru instituţiile UE

    Comisia Europeană a adoptat o propunere de creare
    a unui organism interinstituțional însărcinat cu chestiunile de etică pe care
    trebuie să le respecte membrii instituțiilor UE. Astfel,
    vor exista, pentru prima dată, standarde comune pentru conduita etică a
    membrilor și un mecanism formal de coordonare și schimb de opinii între
    instituții cu privire la cerințele în materie de etică.

    Datorită acestor
    schimbări, politicienii UE vor avea de respectat standarde comune, clare,
    transparente și ușor de înțeles. Deși tratatele stabilesc normele și
    principiile de conduită generale, majoritatea instituțiilor le-au detaliat în
    propriile lor regulamente de procedură sau coduri de conduită. Acest lucru a
    determinat o fragmentare între cadrele de etică ale instituțiilor, normele
    fiind complexe și dispersate. Deși unele diferențe se pot explica prin faptul
    că fiecare instituție are un rol specific și prin diferitele riscuri inerente diferitelor
    sarcini, a devenit clar că este necesară o cultură comună a eticii, prin
    standarde comune ridicate și cooperare între instituții.

    Vicepreședinta CE
    pentru valori si transparență, Vera Jourová,
    a oferit mai multe amănunte despre noua propunere:

    Vreau ca standardele
    să fie înalte, clare și aplicabile tuturor instituțiilor. De aceea propun
    această inovatoare și prima autoritate etică a Uniunii Europene. Acesta va reuni pentru prima dată 9
    instituții europene pentru a stabili standarde pe care instituțiile vor fi
    obligate să le implementeze intern. Organismul va avea trei sarcini principale
    – dezvoltarea standardelor înalte, schimbul de bune practici între instituții
    și promovarea și protejarea culturii etice.     Aceste
    standarde vor trebui transpuse în regulile interne ale fiecărei instituții.
    Definim domeniile în care dorim să lucreze noul organism, cum ar fi post-mandat
    și activitate secundară, declarații de interese și avere, cadouri, ospitalitate
    și călătorii, transparența întâlnirilor cu părțile interesate, tratarea
    hărțuirii și altele.

    Toate
    acestea se vor realiza într-un mod transparent și accesibil publicului. Alte
    organe, oficii și agenții ale Uniunii vor avea posibilitatea de a aplica
    în mod voluntar întregul set de standarde comune și de a participa la
    schimburile de opinii. Noul organism de etică nu se va ocupa de investigații
    specifice și nici nu se va implica în investigațiile organismelor existente
    recunoscute sau nu le va limita în niciun fel. În temeiul tratatelor, aceasta
    este responsabilitatea Parchetului European (EPPO), precum și a autorităților
    polițienești și judiciare naționale, în ceea ce privește cauzele penale care
    afectează interesele financiare ale Uniunii. Oficiul European de Luptă
    Antifraudă (OLAF) este responsabil pentru nereguli și încălcări ale
    obligațiilor profesionale, Ombudsmanul pentru cazurile de administrare
    defectuoasă, respectiv fiecare instituție în cazul oricărei încălcări a normelor
    sale.






  • March 1, 2023 UPDATE

    March 1, 2023 UPDATE

    Visit. The Romanian
    Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciuca, assured his Moldovan counterpart Dorin Recean of
    his support for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of his (predominantly
    Romanian-speaking) country within its internationally recognized borders. We
    are witnessing more and more attempts to destabilize the Republic of Moldova,
    to artificially create tensions and hostile narratives, built on the
    intentional propagation of false information, Nicolae Ciucă said. In turn, Dorin Recean stated that Bucharest
    is Chisinau’s most important partner. Bucharest helped us enormously in
    overcoming the energy crisis. Bucharest remains our advocate in all European
    institutions, so that we can accelerate the European course, added the
    Moldovan Prime Minister. He was also received by the president Klaus Iohannis
    with whom he reviewed the implementation status of priority objectives in the
    fields of energy, agriculture, transport and interconnectivity, health,
    education and information society. Iohannis reiterated Romania’s firm support
    in managing security challenges, as well as economic imbalances, caused in the
    Republic of Moldova by the conflict in Ukraine. It is the first official trip
    abroad of Dorin Recean since taking over the term of head of government in Chisinau.
    The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, also visited Bucharest
    last week.








    Seismic risk. Romania
    is a country at seismic risk, and for this reason the responsibility of
    construction companies regarding the resistance structure of the buildings they
    make will have to be regulated very clearly, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă
    said on Wednesday. The government has developed a bill that will be sent to Parliament
    for debate and approval, which provides for the ban on leasing apartments in
    buildings that are part of the first category of seismic risk. The document
    also sets deadlines for the rapid visual assessment of schools and hospitals, as
    a priority, followed by the assessment other state buildings and apartment
    blocks. The executive also adopted an emergency ordinance on the Safe
    and healthy schools program, which proposes a simplified procedure for the
    introduction of schools that are part of the first category of seismic risk
    into the investment program. The list will be drawn up by the Ministry of
    Education and will be sent to the Ministry of Regional Development, and the beneficiaries
    of the program will be the local public administrations. Also, Wednesday, at
    the beginning of the Government meeting, the first honorary government adviser
    in Romania, but also in the world, was presented, which is a structure
    exclusively based on artificial intelligence and which will receive proposals
    and observations from citizens, will synthesize and send them to the competent
    state institutions.










    Accident. The Romanian
    Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă, sent a message of support for the Greek people
    and the authorities in Athens, after the tragic railway accident last night.
    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest has announced that no requests for
    assistance have been received so far from Romanian citizens, in the context of
    the accident in which at least 36 people died and over 80 were injured,
    following the collision of a passenger train with a cargo one. According to
    local media, it is the worst railway accident in Greece. The train, with 350
    passengers, was going from Athens to Thessaloniki. Several passengers were
    thrown out of the windows due to the impact. The Minister of Transport, Kostas
    Karamanlis, resigned, and a station master was arrested.














    NATO. The Parliament
    of Helsinki adopted on Wednesday the draft law that paves the way for Finland’s
    accession to the North Atlantic Alliance, Reuters reports. Both Finland and
    Sweden are preparing to become NATO members and have officially applied for
    membership in May 2022, ending decades of neutrality. Recently, a group of
    ambassadors from NATO member countries, including that of Romania, Dan
    Neculăescu, paid a working visit to Finland, in the context of this country’s
    aspirations to join the North Atlantic Alliance. At the Madrid Summit in June
    2022, the leaders of the NATO member countries took the decision to invite
    Sweden and Finland to join the Alliance. The accession protocols were signed by
    the 30 member states, of which 28 ratified them. Only Turkey and Hungary have
    not yet ratified the documents.











    Trafficking. 47 people were preventively arrested on Wednesday in Romania, and arrest warrants were issued for 18 in absentia, for migrant trafficking. Prosecutors with the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism in Romania (DIICOT) found 165 migrants hiding in the almost one hundred searches made in several counties and in the capital. Cars, money, ball guns, mobile phones and documents were confiscated. The criminal group was structured in two segments: the first one dealt with sheltering and transporting migrants to the boarding places in road cargo transport units, and the second segment was made up of truck drivers. According to DIICOT, the members of the group have also developed ties with people from some state institutions. The criminal activity took place from last year until now.

    EPPO. 121 cases opened
    last year by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office targeted Romania, with the
    estimated damages standing at over 508 million euros, the institution said in
    its annual report published on Wednesday. Also, at the end of last year,
    Romania was involved in ten active cross-border investigations. A number of
    persons were indicted in Romania who were involved in five cases investigated
    by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, with a final court decision being
    issued in one case. Most offences investigated in connection to Romania last
    year referred to non-procurement and procurement expenditure fraud, non-VAT and
    VAT fraud, corruption and money laundering. The European Public Prosecutor’s
    Office, in which 22 of the European Union’s member states are taking part,
    including Romania, is an independent body responsible for investigating,
    prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of
    the EU. It consists of 112 European delegated prosecutors, including 11
    from Romania.




    Spring. On March 1st,
    Romania celebrated the Mărțișor (Spring Amulet) custom to mark the first day of spring. Early
    20th century ethnologists found this ancient custom was practiced in the Romanian,
    as well as the Bulgarian and Albanian communities in the Balkans. In rural
    Romania, the Mărțișor was viewed as protection against disease and ill luck. A
    silver coin with a wool or cotton red and white thread would be tied around
    children’s wrists to protect them from disease. 12 days later, the coins would
    be tied to a tree to ensure that the tree would yield fruit, or around the neck
    of cattle to keep them healthy. Adopted by the urban world to become a fashion,
    the Mărțișor today comes in all shapes and forms, including as a small piece of
    jewelry to be worn as a broach or a necklace. The Mărțișor was inscribed in the
    UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017, following a joint
    application from Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria and North
    Macedonia. (MI)

  • December 12, 2022 UPDATE

    December 12, 2022 UPDATE

    TALKS The vote in the JHA
    Council is very problematic for all of us in Romania. I was disappointed and
    upset following this vote, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said on
    Monday, after receiving the president of the Swiss
    Confederation Ignazio Cassis in Bucharest. The Romanian president added that he
    would most certainly raise the issue of Romania’s denied Schengen bid at the
    meeting of the European Council due on December 15. Romania should be a part of
    Schengen, the Swiss president said in his turn. The 2
    officials discussed bilateral relations and economic cooperation, with an emphasis
    on boosting investments and identifying new areas of cooperation, and exchanged
    views on the latest international developments, including the war in Ukraine
    and its implications for the energy market and global security.


    FUNDING Romania’s PM Nicolae Ciucă Monday requested all ministries
    and coordinating institutions to give maximum priority to completing the 51 benchmarks
    and targets in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan related to the second
    payment request, amounting to EUR 2.8 bln, which Romania is scheduled to submit
    to the European Commission this month. This amount adds to the EUR 3.7 bln pre-financing
    amount and to a first EUR 2.6 bln instalment already cashed in by Romania. We
    cannot afford to deviate from our commitments, because a lot of elements
    related to reform processes, investments and even economic stability depend on
    us accessing this money, the PM said at a meeting of the inter-ministry
    Committee Coordinating the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Committee
    also reviewed the progress with respect to the 55 targets and benchmarks due
    for the 3rd and 4th quarters of this year, related to the
    3rd payment request that Romania is scheduled to submit to the EC
    this spring.


    BUDGET In Bucharest, Parliament’s specialist committees Monday approved
    the draft budgets of several ministries. The education, transport, development
    and defence ministries will have higher budgets next year, while the energy,
    justice and healthcare ministries will receive less money in 2023. The ruling
    coalition said the budget bill is based on record high investments and accounts
    for 7.2% of GDP. It takes into account an economic growth rate of 2.8% of GDP,
    an annual inflation rate of 8%, a growing number of people in employment and a
    lower unemployment rate of 2.7%. The opposition has criticised the budget bill.
    Both the power and the opposition have submitted amendments. The final vote is
    due on Thursday.


    MOTION Save Romania Union in
    opposition Monday tabled a simple motion against the interior minister Lucian
    Bode, whom they see as responsible for Romania’s failure to join the Schengen free-movement
    area. According to the party, Bode shares this responsibility with the
    president Klaus Iohannis, with the parliamentary majority and the diplomacy in Bucharest.
    USR also invited the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu to give Parliament
    explanations on this topic. Several EU member states voiced their
    disappointment with the denial of Romania’s and Bulgaria’s Schengen accession bids.
    Moreover, the EU commissioner for home affairs, Ylva Johansson, said this would
    be a priority of her term in office.



    EU European democracy is under attack, the head of the European
    Parliament Roberta Metsola said on Monday, voicing her outrage and sadness following
    allegations of corruption in the European Parliament in relation to Qatar. In
    turn, the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, Monday
    called for EU institutions to be governed by the highest standards of
    independence and integrity. The EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep
    Borrell described the EP corruption allegations as being of the utmost
    concern. Eva Kaili, a vice-president of the European parliament from Greece, and
    3 other individuals were detained and charged in Belgium in an international corruption
    investigation related to Qatar. The 4 were charged with participation in a criminal
    organisation, money laundering and corruption.


    FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Romanian diplomacy chief Bogdan Aurescu took part on Monday in Brussels in an informal meeting concerning the future of the Eastern
    Partnership, organised at the initiative of Minister Aurescu and his counterparts
    from Czechia, Sweden and Poland, and in a meeting of the Eastern Partnership
    foreign ministers    . In
    his addresses, Bogdan Aurescu pleaded for revitalising the Eastern Partnership
    and for adapting it to the new regional context, and reiterated Romania’s firm
    and continuing support for it. He argued that the Eastern Partnership can make
    a significant contribution to strengthening the stability, security and
    prosperity in the Eastern Neighbourhood, by consolidating regional cooperation,
    the security and resilience of partners and through an adequate joint response to
    the challenges facing the region. Mr. Aurescu also emphasised that in the new
    context generated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a more robust
    and more efficient security dimension of the Eastern Partnership is necessary.



    MEETING The Romanian justice minister, Cătălin
    Predoiu, had a meeting on Monday in Luxembourg with the head of the European
    Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), Laura Codruţa Kovesi. According to the
    Romanian justice ministry, the 2 officials discussed the protection of the EU’s
    financial interests, the EPPO human resources issue and the broadening of the
    Office’s powers to include the prosecution of breaches of EU sanctions. I am
    confidence that an in-depth dialogue with the EPPO may lead to ideas and
    solutions to make the cooperation between national and EPPO prosecutors more
    efficient. After all, they all fight crime, which affects both the interests of
    the EU and the national interests of member states, Catalin Predoiu said. (AMP)

  • Nachrichten 12.12.2022

    Nachrichten 12.12.2022

    In Bukarest hat die USR (Opposition) in der Abgeordnetenkammer einen einfachen Antrag gegen den Innenminister Lucian Bode eingereicht. Die Partei wirft Bode die gescheiterte Aufnahme Rumäniens in den Schengen-Raum vor. Nach Ansicht der USR sei der Minister gemeinsam mit Präsident Klaus Iohannis, den Vertretern der Parlamentsmehrheit und der Diplomatie in Bukarest verantwortlich. Die USR forderte auch Außenminister Bogdan Aurescu auf, an der Regierungsstunde im Parlament teilzunehmen, um die Situation zu erklären. Indes hat der Innenminister einen offenen Brief an seinen österreichischen Amtskollegen Gerhard Karner geschickt, in dem er seine tiefe Empörung über das österreichische Votum gegen den Schengen-Beitritt Rumäniens in der vergangenen Woche ausdrückt.


    Nachdem Österreich den Beitritt abgelehnt hatte, kündigten Landwirte, Gewerkschaften und Geschäftsleute in Rumänien an, österreichische Unternehmen, einschließlich Tankstellen, zu boykottieren. Bundeskanzler Karl Nehammer sagte im öffentlich-rechtlichen Fernsehen in Wien, er sei überzeugt, dass das österreichische Veto im JI-Rat keine Konsequenzen für österreichische Unternehmen haben werde. Dabei handele es sich um zwei getrennte Fragen, nämlich um die Sicherheits- und die wirtschaftspolitische Dimension. Mehrere europäische Länder haben ihre große Enttäuschung über das Votum gegen den Beitritt Rumäniens und Bulgariens zur Freizügigkeitszone zum Ausdruck gebracht. Darüber hinaus erklärte die EU-Kommissarin für Inneres, Ylva Johansson, dass sie den Beitritt der beiden Länder zum Schengener Abkommen zu einer Priorität ihres Mandats machen werde.



    In Bukarest haben die Fachausschüsse des Parlaments am Montag die ersten Stellungnahmen zu den Haushaltsentwürfen mehrerer Institutionen und Ministerien abgegeben. Die Geschäftsbereiche Bildung, Verkehr, Entwicklung und Verteidigung werden im nächsten Jahr mehr Mittel erhalten. Bereiche wie Energie, Justiz oder Gesundheit werden dafür im Jahr 2023 weniger Geld erhalten, hoffen aber auf zusätzliche Mittel bei künftigen Haushaltskorrekturen. Die Koalitionsparteien PSD, PNL und UDMR erklären, dass der Entwurf des Staatshaushalts für das kommende Jahr auf einem ihrer Meinung nach historischen Investitionsvolumen von 7,2% des BIP aufbaut. Der Entwurf ist auf ein Wirtschaftswachstum von 2,8% des BIP, eine jährliche Inflationsrate von 8%, eine steigende Zahl von Beschäftigten und eine auf 2,7% sinkende Arbeitslosenquote ausgelegt. Die Opposition kritisiert den Haushaltsentwurf. Laut der ökoliberalen USR seien die Prognosen der Regierung viel zu optimistisch und enthielten künstlich überhöhte Beträge. Die populistische AUR ist auch unzufrieden über die Unterfinanzierung einiger Ministerien. Sowohl die Regierung als auch die Opposition haben Änderungsanträge eingebracht. Die Schlussabstimmung über den Entwurf des Staatshaushalts und des Sozialversicherungsgesetzes ist für Donnerstag vorgesehen.



    Der rumänische Justizminister Cătălin Predoiu ist am Montag in Luxemburg mit der Generalstaatsanwältin der Europäischen Staatsanwaltschaft (EPPO), Laura Codruța Kovesi, zusammengekommen. Laut einer Erklärung des Ministeriums in Bukarest sprachen die beiden Beamten über den Schutz der finanziellen Interessen der Europäischen Union, die Frage der EPPO-Personalressourcen und die Ausweitung ihrer Befugnisse auf Verstöße gegen EU-Sanktionen: Er sei überzeugt, dass der Dialog mit der EPPO Ideen und Lösungen hervorbringen kann“, auch für die Straffung der Zusammenarbeit zwischen nationalen Staatsanwälten und EPPO-Staatsanwälten. Sie hätten schließlich einen gemeinsamen Kampf gegen die Kriminalität, der sowohl die Interessen der EU als auch die nationalen Interessen der Mitgliedstaaten berühre“, sagte Catalin Predoiu.



    Die Präsidentin des Europäischen Parlaments, Roberta Metsola, hat sich am Montag empört und traurig“ über den Korruptionsskandal im Europäischen Parlament erklärt. Die europäische Demokratie werde angegriffen, sagte sie. Auch die Präsidentin der Europäischen Kommission, Ursula Von der Leyen, forderte am Montag, dass die europäischen Institutionen mit hohen Standards der Unabhängigkeit und Integrität“ geführt werden. Der Hohe Vertreter der EU für auswärtige Angelegenheiten, Josep Borrell, bezeichnete die Tatsache, dass mehrere Personen, die mit dem Europäischen Parlament in Verbindung stehen, in Belgien angeklagt wurden, als äußerst besorgniserregend“. Die griechische Vizepräsidentin des Europäischen Parlaments, Eva Kaili, und drei weitere Personen waren in Belgien im Rahmen von Ermittlungen wegen Korruptionsverdachts im Zusammenhang mit dem Katar angeklagt und inhaftiert worden. Gegen die vier wurde Anklage wegen Mitgliedschaft in einer kriminellen Vereinigung, Geldwäsche und Korruption erhoben. In der Wohnung von Eva Kaili wurden bei den Durchsuchungen nach Angaben aus Justizkreisen angeblich Taschen voller Geld“ gefunden.

  • October 15, 2022 UPDATE

    October 15, 2022 UPDATE

    WAR IN UKRAINE – The USA will send
    ammo and military vehicle to Ukraine as part of a new assistance package worth
    725 million USD, meant to help Kyiv fend off the Russian invasion, the US
    Department of Defense has announced. Saudi Arabia will also send to Ukraine
    humanitarian aid worth 400 million USD. Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman told
    Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that his country is willing to
    continue its efforts to mediate a truce between Kyiv and Moscow. On the ground,
    Ukrainian investigators have exhumed Ukrainian military buried in one of the
    two mass graves discovered in the wake of the Russian withdrawal from Lyman,
    eastern Donetsk. Meanwhile, a power plant in Belgorod, Russia caught fire in
    what the regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has described as a Ukrainian
    attack.




    REFUGEES – According to the
    Romanian Border Police Inspectorate, some 96 thousand people entered Romania,
    of whom 8,800 were Ukrainian nationals, representing a 7% increase compared to
    the previous day. According to a press release published on Saturday, some 2.5
    million Ukrainians have entered Romania starting February 10. Most of them were
    in route to countries in Western Europe. According to the Interior Ministry,
    over 4,300 Ukrainians were given asylum in Romania, thus benefiting from every
    right under the Romanian law. Some 70,000 Ukrainians have obtained stay permits
    and benefit from temporary protection.




    VACCINES – The European
    Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has confirmed it is conducting an
    investigation into the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines in the European Union.
    In a post on Facebook, the EPPO stated no further details will be made public
    at this stage. The Social-Democratic Party (PSD) claims the EPPO should also
    investigation Romania’s own vaccine acquisition campaign carried out in 2021,
    which the party says resulted in a prejudice of 1 billion EUR. PSD says USR
    Health Ministers in charge of the campaign are yet to provide a relevant
    explanation to justify the acquisition.




    NICOLESCO – Countless celebrities
    in Romania mourn the death of soprano Mariana Nicolesco, who passed away on
    Friday aged 73. Also known as Regina del Belcanto, Primadonna Assoluta or Diva
    Divina, Mariana Nicolesco leaves behind a universe that she expanded throughout
    her career, musicologists say. Mariana Nicolesco was an honorary member of the
    Romanian Academy, Doctor Honoris Causa and honorary professor of several
    universities in Romania and neighboring Moldova. She is the recipient of
    numerous distinctions and awards, including Commander of the Italian Republic,
    Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters from France and the National Order of
    the Star of Romania in the Rank of Grand Cross. According to a study, Mariana
    Nicolesco featured in the largest numbers of premiers at Teatro alla Scala in
    Milan. She was invited by Pope John Paul II to perform Romanian carols as part
    of the Vatican Christmas Concert of 1993, broadcast live all over the world.




    NATO – Romania’s Foreign
    Ministry announced it has redirected unused sums of money previously allotted
    to supporting Afghan security forces to NATO funds designed to assist countries
    in the region. The total value of these funds stands at 1.4 million USD.
    Romania thus contributes to consolidating Ukraine’s resilience and defense
    capacity by earmarking up to 400 thousand USD.
    Romania will also provide 600 thousand USD to neighboring Moldova and
    300 thousand USD to Georgia, another two countries affected by the war in
    Ukraine. 100 thousand USD will be delivered to consolidating Jordan’s defenses.
    The Government took the decision in line with Romania’s foreign policy and
    security priorities, designed to increase our country’s standing at NATO level
    and achieve objectives tied to the consolidation of security and stability on
    the Alliance’s Eastern Flank, particularly in the Black Sea region.




    COMMEMORATION – Festivities were held in Alba Iulia on Saturday
    marking 100 years since the coronation of King Ferdinand I, and his wife, Queen
    Marie. Held on October 15, 1922, the coronation was a majestic event, lavishly
    described by the chronicles of the time and transparent in a large number of
    photographs. A century away, the city of Alba Iulia relived the emotion and
    grandeur of that event through various exhibitions, film screenings, historical
    reenactments, concerts and live performances attended by representatives of the
    Royal House of Romania. Ferdinand succeeded his uncle Charles I to the throne
    of Romania, becoming the second king of Romania in 1914. At the end of World
    War I, with Ferdinand as king, historical provinces inhabited by Romanians
    united under one single nation. Therefore, on October 15, 1922, Ferdinand
    became King of Greater Romania. The monarch passed away in 1927. (VP)


  • October 15, 2022

    October 15, 2022


    WAR IN UKRAINE – The USA will send
    ammo and military vehicle to Ukraine as part of a new assistance package worth
    725 million USD, meant to help Kyiv fend off the Russian invasion, the US
    Department of Defense has announced. Saudi Arabia will also send to Ukraine
    humanitarian aid worth 400 million USD. Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman told
    Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that his country is willing to
    continue its efforts to mediate a truce between Kyiv and Moscow. On the ground,
    Ukrainian investigators have exhumed Ukrainian military buried in one of the
    two mass graves discovered in the wake of the Russian withdrawal from Lyman,
    eastern Donetsk. Meanwhile, a power plant in Belgorod, Russia caught fire in
    what the regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has described as a Ukrainian
    attack.




    REFUGEES – According to the
    Romanian Border Police Inspectorate, some 96 thousand people entered Romania,
    of whom 8,800 were Ukrainian nationals, representing a 7% increase compared to
    the previous day. According to a press release published on Saturday, some 2.5
    million Ukrainians have entered Romania starting February 10. Most of them were
    in route to countries in Western Europe. According to the Interior Ministry,
    over 4,300 Ukrainians were given asylum in Romania, thus benefiting from every
    right under the Romanian law. Some 70,000 Ukrainians have obtained stay permits
    and benefit from temporary protection.




    COVID-19 – 478 new cases of
    SARS-CoV-2 infection were reported in the last 24 hours, 157 less compared to
    the previous day, the Romanian Health Ministry announced on Saturday. Most new
    infections were reported in Bucharest, Brașov and Timiș counties. Some 3.2
    million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Romania since the pandemic
    broke out.




    VACCINES – The European
    Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has confirmed it is conducting an
    investigation into the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines in the European Union.
    In a post on Facebook, the EPPO stated no further details will be made public
    at this stage. The Social-Democratic Party (PSD) claims the EPPO should also
    investigation Romania’s own vaccine acquisition campaign carried out in 2021,
    which the party says resulted in a prejudice of 1 billion EUR. PSD says USR
    Health Ministers in charge of the campaign are yet to provide a relevant
    explanation to justify the acquisition.




    NICOLESCO – Countless
    celebrities in Romania mourn the death of soprano Mariana Nicolesco, who passed
    away on Friday aged 73. Also known as Regina del Belcanto, Primadonna Assoluta
    or Diva Divina, Mariana Nicolesco leaves behind a universe that she expanded
    throughout her career, musicologists say. Mariana Nicolesco was an honorary
    member of the Romanian Academy, Doctor Honoris Causa and honorary professor of
    several universities in Romania and neighboring Moldova. She is the recipient
    of numerous distinctions and awards, including Commander of the Italian
    Republic, Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters from France and the National
    Order of the Star of Romania in the Rank of Grand Cross. According to a study,
    Mariana Nicolesco featured in the largest numbers of premiers at Teatro alla
    Scala in Milan. She was invited by Pope John Paul II to perform Romanian carols
    as part of the Vatican Christmas Concert of 1993, broadcast live all over the
    world.




    EXPLOSION – At least 40 miners
    were killed in an explosion at a coal mine in northwestern Turkey, according to
    the latest announcement made on Saturday by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.
    Labor accidents are frequent in Turkey, where the vast economic development in
    the last decade was encouraged to the detriment of safety measures,
    particularly in constructions and the mining sector. In 2014, 301 people died
    in Soma after an explosion caused an underground coal mine to collapse.




    HANDBALL – Romania’s handball
    champions CS Rapid Bucharest are today playing Buducnost Podgorica of
    Montenegro in a new Champions League Group B fixture. Rapid is undefeated in
    the last four matches, with three wins and one draw. On Sunday, in Group A,
    Romania’s vice-champions, CSM Bucharest, will take on DHK Banik Most of the
    Czech Republic at home. CSM is undefeated in the last four games, having
    grabbed three wins and a draw. Bucharest is the only European capital with two
    teams performing in the most important women’s European inter-club competition.
    (VP)

  • July 12, 2022 UPDATE

    July 12, 2022 UPDATE

    GAS – Romania will have
    enough natural gas stored to cover domestic demand in the next cold season, Romania’s
    Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă says. On Tuesday, the
    Romanian Prime Minister said a new record has been attained: Romania’s gas storage capacity from domestic production
    reached 70%. Romania is ahead of the European schedule in terms of storing gas,
    having already exceeded the target set for August 1. According to the Romanian official,
    if the current pace is maintained, Romania will meet the objective set at
    European level, namely to store natural gas at least at 80% capacity ahead of
    the set deadline, November 1.




    INFLATION – The year-on-year
    inflation rate reached 15.1% in June, as against 14.5% in May, the National
    Statistics Institute announced on Tuesday. According to the institution,
    non-foodstuff prices went up nearly 18%, food prices rose by roughly 15% and
    the price of services also increased by some 8%. The National Bank of Romania
    adjusted its inflation forecast to 12.5% for the end of this year and to 6.7%
    for the end of 2023.




    REFUGEES – Over the past 24
    hours around 226,800 people have crossed the border in and out of Romania, the
    Romanian Border Police Inspectorate announced. Of these, over 22,000 are
    Ukrainian nationals who came into Romania via various checkpoints. Since the
    start of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, more than 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens
    have crossed the border into Romania.




    COVID-19 – Starting Tuesday,
    COVID-19 updates will be released on a daily basis in Romania rather than
    weekly, after a steep rise in the number of cases, accounting for a doubling of
    new infection numbers every 7 days. On Tuesday the authorities announced over
    4,000 people tested positive in 24 hours, out of over 21,000 tests conducted.
    Nine COVID-related deaths were also reported, all of them in patients suffering
    from prior conditions. The number of hospitalized COVID patients is 1,361, with
    90 patients in intensive care. According to experts, the new Omicron
    sub-variant that causes the current infection wave around the world, and which
    has also been identified in Romania, affects the protection provided both by
    the vaccine and by natural immunization, but it generally seems to cause milder
    forms of the disease. The health minister Alexandru Rafila announced that
    prevention measures remain in place, especially wearing face masks and physical
    distancing. COVID-19 vaccines are still recommended by the authorities,
    particularly to vulnerable categories.




    MOLDOVA – Moldova’s
    president, Maia Sandu, on Tuesday called on the chief of the European Public
    Prosecutor’s office (EPPO), Laura Codruța Kovesi, to help Moldovan prosecutors
    investigate the frauds committed by wanted oligarchs. The two officials
    discussed issues such as the fight against corruption, eliminating abusive
    practices in the management of public funds and properties, as well as
    providing efficient tools to judicial institutions to help them combat graft.
    The Republic of Moldova is committed to joinining the EU, and a functioning
    judiciary and combating corruption remain key prerequisites in this process,
    president Sandu pointed out. The head of the EPPO is paying an official visit
    to Moldova until July 14.




    PARTNERSHIP – Romania has no
    better friend than the US, the US secretary of state Antony Blinken said on
    the celebration of 25 years since the launch of the Strategic Partnership
    between Washington and Bucharest. In turn, former US ambassadors to Bucharest
    state in a letter that the strategic partnership with Romania has proved to be
    one of the best investments in Europe for the US. They also say that Romania
    plays a decisive part in the defense and strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank
    and in consolidating stability and security at the Black Sea.




    HUNGARY – Romania wants to
    build a real strategic partnership with Hungary, Romania’s Foreign minister,
    Bogdan Aurescu, said on Tuesday at the end of his meeting with his Hungarian
    counterpart, Péter Szijjártó. Hungary and Romania are also examining an
    increase in the transport capacity for the cross-border gas interconnector, up
    to 3 billion cubic meters per year. Minister Aurescu also insisted on the need
    to come up with alternative energy resources, with a focus on renewable energy
    and nuclear energy. In turn, Minister Szijjártó recalled the high level of
    two-way trade, which stood at 11 billion EUR last year, as well as the good neighborly
    relations between the two countries. (AMP & VP)







  • July 11, 2022 UPDATE

    July 11, 2022 UPDATE

    PARTNERSHIP -
    Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has hailed the anniversary of 25 years since
    the launch of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States
    of America describing the document as one of the pillars of Romania’s foreign
    and security policy, according to a press release issued by the Presidential
    Administration in Bucharest. According to Iohannis, a common objective assumed
    by the two countries is Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver programme and
    both sides are making efforts in this respect. In turn, Romania’s Prime
    Minister Nicolae Ciucă said the Strategic Partnership with the USA in all its
    cooperation dimensions has become a priority for Romania. The country will
    continue to consolidate its defense and resilience to be a staunch and reliable
    ally of the USA in the region, a pillar of stability for NATO and EU’s eastern
    flank, Ciucă added. On the other hand, nine former US ambassadors have issued a
    joint statement, describing the Strategic Partnership as one of the best US
    investments in Europe, while including Romania in the Visa Waiver program would
    strongly boost this partnership. The US ambassadors also claim Romania plays a
    key role in defending and strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, as well as in
    consolidating stability and security in the entire Black Sea region.




    WAR IN UKRAINE – The number of
    Ukrainians entering EU member states has reverted to the level prior to the
    Russian invasion, while the resumption of school might prompt additional
    families to make a decision in this respect, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs,
    Ylva Johansson said on Monday. Starting February 24, when Moscow attacked
    Ukraine, over 6 million Ukrainians have entered Europe, FRONTEX reported at the
    end of June. Of these, 3.1 million have already returned to Ukraine.
    Commissioner Johansson went on to say that the Czech Republic is the country
    currently hosting the largest number of Ukrainian refugees per capita, followed
    by Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Latvia. Approximately 1.5 million Ukrainians
    have entered Romania since the start of the war. In Kyiv, Dutch Prime Minister
    Mark Rutte said the war might get protracted, which is why Western countries
    have a duty to support Ukraine by any means possible. Previously, Ukrainian
    authorities announced they are preparing an attack to recapture southern cities
    held by Russian invaders. A decree signed by president Volodymyr Zelensky will
    allow for mobilizing a greater number of people and modern defense technology
    received from Western partners. Defense Minister Oleksy Reznikov says 1 million
    Ukrainians will take part in the counterattack ordered by the president.




    PROSECUTION
    – The Military Department with the Prosecutor General’s Office has opened a
    criminal investigation into crimes against humanity in connection to the
    Russian invasion in Ukraine and the consequences of this military operation on
    Romanian citizens in the neighboring state. The Russian military attack is
    far-reaching and systematic, targeting both military and civilian objectives.
    According to data, the army bombed schools, hospitals, shopping centers,
    affecting the civilian population in Ukraine, Romanian military prosecutors
    say. The consequences of the attack are extremely serious. A large number of
    people died, including children, while many others were wounded. At the same
    time, as a result of the psychological trauma caused by the war, millions of
    civilians have fled Ukraine, currently residing as refugees in other states,
    including Romania.




    COVID-19
    – Romania is seeing a rising number of Covid-19
    infections and its Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, says the country is in
    for a peak of infections at the end of this summer, where the number of daily
    cases might reach 10 thousand. Luckily, the new variants are less aggressive
    and the minister recommends anti-Covid vaccination in autumn when new vaccines
    are to appear. According to Rafila, the new vaccine is to arrive in Romania in
    September and the country is presently relying on 8.5 million doses.
    Authorities have recommended hospitals to get ready for a wave of the pandemic
    and reactivate their action plans.




    MOLDOVA – The head of the
    European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), Laura Codruța Kovesi is paying a
    visit to Chișinău until July 14. Kovesi will meet representatives of the
    administration, including president Maia Sandu. In January, 2021, Maia Sandu
    told Kovesi in Brussels she wanted to cooperate with the EPPO in order to boost
    the reform of the Moldovan judiciary, according to Radio Chișinău. On the other
    hand, a delegation of the Moldovan Interior Ministry is for the first time
    attending the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting held in Prague. In a
    post on Facebook, Moldova’s Interior Minister Ana
    Ravenco said she will be discussing the expansion of EU security to include the
    Republic of Moldova as well. (DB & VP)



  • Ma mărli evenimenti a stămânăllei ţi tricu 26.06 – 02.07.2022

    Ma mărli evenimenti a stămânăllei ţi tricu 26.06 – 02.07.2022

    Rusia nu mata easti parteneră, că agiumsi s’hibă ună fuvirseari


    Summitul NATO di Madrid reprezintă ună ditru nai ma di simasie andamasi aliate tru añilli ditu soni tru atea ţi mutreaşti rezultatele tră România – spusi prezidentulu Klaus Iohannis. El cundille că tema di prota thesi a muabeţloru purtate şi a apofasiloru loati la summit fu aputrusearea militară ali Ucraină, viţină cu România, di cătră askerea rusă, iara noulu conceptu strategic al NATO, adoptat tru cadrul a summitului, yilipseaşti uidisitu cu catandisea actuală di securitate. Ase, Rusia numata easti luyursită partener, că easti mutrită ca hiinda nai ma semnificativă şi ma directă fuvirseari la adresa a securitatillei şi a stabilitatillei aliaţlor. Tru premieră, China comunistă easti stipsită că ufiliseaşti un mănuclliu lărguriu di activităţ politiţ, economiţi şi militare tră hidzeari a llei puteari pi mapamond. Ambiţiile diclarate ali Chină şi politiţli a llei coercitive suntu provocări tră sinferurli, securitatea şi valorli a noastre – constată statele membre NATO, cari stipsescu şi parteneriatlu strategic anamisa di Beijing şi Moscova, ndriptat contra ali aradă internaţională. NATO confirm şi ună anvărtuşeari ti prezența llei militare pe flancul estic, nica şi tru România. Forţa a llei di reacţie creaşte di la 40 di nilli la piste 300 di nilli di militari analtu instruiţi. “Aesta easti nai ma importantă reorganizare a apărarillei noastre colective di la Polimlu Araţi” tru ancoa – sumlinie secretarlu general Jens Stoltenberg, tru kirolu anda prezidintulu american, Joe Biden, spusi că “himu aclo” și “dimonstrăm că NATO easti ma anănghisită ca vrnăoară”. El dimăndă, tu arada-lli, ună anvărtuşeari a prezenței militare americane tru tută Europa. NATO taxi, tutunăoară, că va u agiută Ucraina, ahătu kiro cătu va s’hibă ananghi, tra s’ţănă keptu dituintea ali askeri arusească di invazie. Secretarul general Stoltenberg spusi că agiutorlu tră Kiev easti ună “borgi morală și politică”.



    România și criza gazelor


    Ună ditu văsiliili membri ali Uniunii Europene nai ma pţănu ligată di importurile di hidrocarburi arusești, România poati s’agiungă indipendintă energetic, furnizor di securitate energetică tru reghiune şi ună cali di transport tră gazele şi energia veardi ditu Amarea Caspică – susțăne ministrul Energiei, Virgil Popescu. El lo parti, marţă, diadunu cu prim-ministrul Nicolae Ciucă, la ţeremonia organizată la Vadu, tru giudiţlu Constanţa, cu furñia că ahuhri exploatarea a gazilor naturale tru proiectul Midia. Ministrul Popescu cundille că rezervele di gaze naturale ditu zona românească ali Amarea Lae suntu di 200 di miliardi di metri cubi.



    Extracţia a gazelor naturale ditu zona Midia easti primlu proiect di aestă turlie zona românească ali Amarea Lae tru 30 añi ditu soni, iara tru cirişaru intrară, di pi păzarea autohtonă protili cantităţ di gaze. Tu arada a lui, premierlu Ciucă spusi că dipozitele di gaze ditu văsilie suntu mplini, tu aestu kiro la ună capacitate di 41%, iara până la 1 di brumaru va s’agiungă la 80 di procente.



    Politiţ suţiali di criză


    Persoanili juridiţi cari vor ta ş-amănă ratili la bănţă lipseaşti s’dimonstreadză că, tru treilli meşi ditu soni, avură chireri di nai ma pţănu 25 di proţente, iara persoanele fiziţi lipseaşti să spună că lă criscură hărgili tru mesu cu 25% – pruveadi ună apofasi a Guvernului PSD-PNL-UDMR di la București, cari ari nădia, aestă turlie, s’ayălisească efectili di itia a păhadzloru multu mări. Amânarea s’faţi tră maximum nauă meşi şi maş la creditele fără restanţi tru şasilli meşi ditu soni. Amânarea ti păltearea a ratilor la credite tră aţelli zñiipsiţ di criştearea a păhadzloru easti un avantaj temporar — feaţi timbihi expertul Adrian Mitroi, profesor la Acadimia di Ştiinţe Economice di Bucureşti. El exighisi, la Radio România, că amânarea aduţi, păn tru soni, ună custuseari suplimentară. Atumţea cându dibitorlu s-toarnă ti pălteari, păradzlli ţi ălli ari borgi tru mesu va s’hibă ma mulţă, di itia că va s’includă şi niscănti comisioane bancari suplimentare. Executivlu nica adoptă şi un act normativ cari va s’agiută studinţălli şi tinirlli s’llia mpărmuturi bancari cu garanţia statului, tră 80% ditu sumă. Tru cazlu a studinţilor, easti zborlu ti 10.000 euro, iara tru cazlu a preaclliloru tiniri, ti 15.000, tru lei la cursul a dzuuăllei.



    Nomlu tăţearillei la români


    Şefa a Parchetului European (EPPO), fosta numirlu ună a DNA di la București, Laura Codruţa Kovesi, dimăndă că analizeadză posibilitatea ti sesizarea a Comisiillei Europene tră activarea mecanismului di condiţionare a fondurlor europene di tiñiseari a statlui di dreptu tru România. Uidisitu cu un comunicat al EPPO, furñia easti tu ligătură cu conţănutlu a nomlui tora ma ninti votat di parlament, cari transpune ună directivă europeană mutrinda protejarea avertizorilor di integritate. Actul normativ elimină raportarea anonimă a faptilor di corupţie. Protlu gaile easti că aestu lucru poati s’aibă un efectu di discurajare a potenţialilor avertizori ditu România, zñiipsinda negativ nivelu di ditectare a furlăkiloru cu păradz europeni, nica să spuni tru un comunicat a Parchetului European. Multi organizaţii ţiviţi autohtone dimăndară că va s’facă sesizari la Avocatlu a Popului mutrinda proiectul legislativ ti protecţia avertizorilor tru sinferu public şi feaţiră timbihi că România easti tu piriclli tra să-lli si da sancţiuni, di itia că actul normativ transpune selectiv directiva europeană tru materie.



    Florin Cîțu, nică ună dimisie


    Senatorllii români vacantară, ñiercuri, tru plen, ipotisea di prezidintu a camerăllei superioare a Parlamentului, după ţi loară actu di dimisia a liberalui Florin Cîţu. Ma ninti, Cîţu avea diclarată că dimisia lliu căftă prezidintulu PNL, premierul Nicolae Ciucă, şi secretarlu general, ministrul di Interne, Lucian Bodi, cari ălli diadiră hăbarea că ălli si lo adrupămintul a partidlui tră aestă ipotisi politică. El nica spuni că ălli si căftă giueapi ti diclaraţiile ţi li feaţi, añî arada, contra a politiţlor sociale și ti tiñiili di cafi mesu ali PSD, partenerul di guvernare al PNL. Cîţu sspuni că iase ditu funcţie pi idyea melodie pi cari intră – Dont Stop Me Now, a cunuscutăllei parei britanică Queen. Tră născănţă ziariști români – un economistu multu axizitu, tră alțăllii – un personaj ridicol, Florin Cîțu avu ună ascensiune și ună cădiari politică pi idyea iruşi.


    Cât kiro eara tru vrearea a prezidintului Klaus Iohannis, fu prim-ministru și przidintu PNL, iar după ţi agiumsi tru nivreari kiru dauli ipotisi, tru hăirlăticlu a gheneralui Ciucă.

    Interimatlu a funcţiei di prezidintu a Senatului va s’hibă asigurat di liberala Alina Gorghiu, ună juristă cu inițiative legislative controversate, lugursită tut ună protejată a șeflui a statlui. Aoa şi doi añi, ea pripunea ca infractorlli condamnaț la nai multu șapti añi di hăpsani s’facă pidiapsa di acasă, lucru ţi adusi ună dalgă di cutugurseri tru spațiul public românescu.



    Autoru: Bogdan Matei


    Armânipsearea: Taşcu Lala






  • Retrospectiva săptămânii 26.06 – 02.07.2022

    Retrospectiva săptămânii 26.06 – 02.07.2022

    Rusia
    nu mai e parteneră, ci amenințare


    Summitul
    NATO de la Madrid reprezintă una dintre cele mai semnificative reuniuni aliate
    din ultimii ani în ceea ce priveşte rezultatele pentru România – a spus
    preşedintele Klaus Iohannis. El a precizat că tema centrală a discuţiilor
    purtate şi a deciziilor luate la summit a fost invadarea militară a Ucrainei,
    vecină cu România, de către armata rusă, iar noul concept strategic al NATO,
    adoptat în cadrul summitului, reflectă adecvat situaţia actuală de securitate.
    Astfel, Rusia nu mai este
    considerată partener, ci e calificată drept cea mai semnificativă şi mai
    directă ameninţare la
    adresa securităţii şi a stabilităţii aliaţilor. În premieră, China comunistă e
    acuzată că foloseşte o gamă largă de activităţi politice, economice şi militare
    pentru a-şi proiecta puterea pe mapamond. Ambiţiile declarate ale Chinei
    şi politicile sale coercitive reprezintă provocări pentru interesele,
    securitatea şi valorile noastre – constată statele membre NATO, care acuză şi
    parteneriatul strategic dintre Beijing şi Moscova, îndreptat contra
    ordinii internaţionale. NATO a confirmat și o întărire a prezenței sale
    militare pe flancul estic, inclusiv în România. Forţa sa de reacţie creşte de
    la 40 de mii la peste 300 de mii de militari înalt instruiţi. Aceasta este cea
    mai importantă reorganizare a apărării noastre colective de la Războiul Rece
    încoace – a subliniat secretarul general Jens Stoltenberg, în timp ce
    președintele american, Joe Biden, a spus că suntem acolo și demonstrăm că
    NATO este mai necesară ca niciodată. El a anunțat, la rându-i, o
    întărire a prezenței militare americane în toată Europa. NATO a promis, de asemenea,
    că va sprijini Ucraina, atâta timp cât va fi necesar, pentru a rezista în fața
    armatei ruse de invazie. Secretarul general Stoltenberg a spus că sprijinul pentru
    Kiev e o obligație morală și politică.



    România
    și criza gazelor


    Una
    dintre țările membre ale Uniunii Europene cel mai puțin legată de importurile
    de hidrocarburi rusești, România poate deveni independentă energetic, furnizor
    de securitate energetică în regiune şi un coridor de transport pentru gazele şi
    energia verde din Marea Caspică – susține ministrul
    Energiei, Virgil Popescu. El a participat, marți, alături de
    prim-ministrul Nicolae Ciucă, la ceremonia organizată la Vadu, în judeţul
    Constanţa, cu ocazia începerii exploatării gazelor naturale în
    proiectul Midia. Ministrul Popescu a precizat că rezervele de gaze
    naturale din zona românească a Mării Negre sunt de 200 de miliarde de metri
    cubi.


    Extracţia gazelor naturale din zona Midia este primul proiect de acest gen din
    zona românească a Mării Negre din ultimii 30 de ani, iar în iunie au intrat,
    deja, pe piaţa autohtonă primele cantităţi de gaze. La rândul său, premierul
    Ciucă a spus că depozitele de gaze din țară sunt ocupate, în prezent, la o
    capacitate de 41%, iar până la 1 noiembrie se va ajunge la 80 de procente.



    Politici
    sociale de criză


    Persoanele
    juridice care vor să îşi amâne ratele la bănci trebuie să demonstreze
    că, în ultimele trei luni, au avut pierderi de cel puţin 25 de procente, iar
    persoanele fizice trebuie să arate că le-au crescut cheltuielile lunare cu 25%
    – prevede o hotărâre a Guvernului PSD-PNL-UDMR de la București, care speră,
    astfel, să atenueze efectele exploziei prețurilor. Amânarea se face pentru
    maximum nouă luni şi doar la creditele fără restanţe în ultimele şase luni.
    Amânarea plăţii ratelor la credite pentru cei afectaţi de creşterea preţurilor
    este un avantaj temporar – a avertizat expertul Adrian Mitroi, profesor la
    Academia de Ştiinţe Economice din Bucureşti. El a explicat, la Radio România,
    că amânarea aduce, de fapt, un cost suplimentar. Atunci când debitorul revine
    în plată, sumele datorate lunar vor fi mai mari, deoarece vor include şi
    anumite comisioane bancare suplimentare. Executivul a mai adoptat şi un act
    normativ care va ajuta studenţii şi tinerii să primească credite bancare cu
    garanţia statului, pentru 80% din sumă. În cazul studenţilor, este vorba despre
    10.000 euro, iar în cazul cuplurilor tinere, despre 15.000, în lei la cursul
    zilei.



    Legea
    tăcerii la români


    Şefa
    Parchetului European (EPPO), fosta numărul unu a DNA de la București,
    Laura Codruţa Kovesi, a anunţat că analizează posibilitatea sesizării
    Comisiei Europene pentru activarea mecanismului de condiţionare a fondurilor
    europene de respectarea statului de drept în România. Potrivit unui comunicat
    al EPPO, motivul este legat de conţinutul legii recent votate de parlament,
    care transpune o directivă europeană privind protejarea avertizorilor de
    integritate. Actul normativ a eliminat raportarea anonimă a faptelor de
    corupţie. Principala îngrijorare este că acest lucru ar putea avea un efect de
    descurajare a potenţialilor avertizori din România, afectând negativ nivelul de
    detectare a fraudelor cu bani europeni, se mai arată într-un comunicat al
    Parchetului European. Numeroase organizaţii civice autohtone au anunţat că vor
    sesiza Avocatul Poporului referitor la proiectul legislativ privind protecţia
    avertizorilor în interes public şi au atras atenţia că România riscă să
    primească sancţiuni, pentru că actul normativ transpune selectiv directiva
    europeană în materie.



    Florin
    Cîțu, încă o demisie



    Senatorii români au vacantat, miercuri, în plen,
    funcţia de preşedinte al camerei superioare a Parlamentului, după ce au luat
    act de demisia
    liberalului Florin Cîţu. Anterior, Cîţu declarase că demisia i-a fost cerută
    de preşedintele
    PNL, premierul Nicolae Ciucă,
    şi de secretarul general, ministrul de Interne, Lucian Bode, care l-au informat
    că i s-a retras sprijinul partidului pentru această funcţie politică. El
    mai susține că i s-au reproşat declaraţiile pe care le-a făcut, ani în șir,
    împotriva politicilor sociale și salariale ale PSD,
    partenerul de guvernare al PNL.
    Cîţu susține că iese din funcţie pe aceeaşi melodie pe care a intrat – Don’t
    Stop Me Now, a
    celebrei trupe britanice Queen. Pentru unii ziariști români – un economist
    foarte competent,
    pentru alții – un personaj ridicol, Florin Cîțu a avut o ascensiune și o
    prăbușire politică la fel de rapide. Cât timp s-a aflat în grațiile
    președintelui Klaus Iohannis, a fost prim-ministru și președinte
    PNL, iar după ce ar fi
    căzut în dizgrație a pierdut ambele funcții, în
    beneficiul generalului Ciucă.

    Interimatul funcţiei de președinte al Senatului va fi asigurat de
    liberala Alina
    Gorghiu, o juristă cu inițiative legislative controversate, considerată tot o protejată a șefului statului. Acum
    doi ani, ea propunea ca infractorii condamnați la cel mult șapte ani de
    detenție să execute pedeapsa de la domiciliu, ceea ce a stârnit un val de
    critici în spațiul public românesc.


    RadioRomaniaInternational · EVENIMENT TOP 02.07.2022

  • November 4, 2021 UPDATE

    November 4, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid — Almost 9,000 SARS-CoV-2 contamination in 24 hours and 489 deaths, of which 55 prior to the reference interval, were announced on Thursday in Romania. All beds in ICUs at national level are occupied, and 1,902 patients are hospitalized, of whom 33 are children. Most new cases were registered in Bucharest, where the incidence rate stands at 12.44 cases per thousand inhabitants, on a downward trend for 13 days. The president of the Medical College, Daniel Coriu, stated that over 92% of the infected people who have died were not vaccinated against COVID. The vaccination rate has slowed in recent days, after it was on an upward trend for two weeks. Over 82 thousand people have got vaccinated against Covid in the past 24 hours, of whim 43 thousand with the first dose. The total number of fully vaccinated people is a little over 6,400,000.



    Government — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Thursday evening that he would call the parties for consultations when an assumed parliamentary majority that wants to propose a government is formed. According to him, it is clear that the attempts at forming minority governments have not yielded results. Iohannis recalled that the latest proposal did not gather enough votes in Parliament and the Ciuca Government did not go for approval in Parliament. The last Prime Minister designate, the liberal Nicolae Ciucă, relinquished his mandate, on Monday, after having failed to obtain parliamentary support for a minority government made up of the PNL – UDMR. The first person President Iohannis appointed as prime minister was the USR leader, Dacian Ciolos, who did not gain Parliament’s support. We remind you that the government led by the liberal Florin Citu was dismissed by a censure motion. Meanwhile, negotiations between the parties continue. The Liberal representatives discussed on Thursday with those of the opposition Social Democratic Party – PSD for the formation of a government with full powers and a stable majority in Parliament. On Wednesday, the Liberals resumed negotiations with USR and according to the PNL leader, Florin Cîţu, there are great chances for the right-wing coalition to be rebuilt. USR leader Dacian Cioloş was more reserved and is waiting for the Liberals decision, after discussions with PSD.



    EBRD – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD has significantly improved its estimates on Romania’s economic growth in 2021 forecasting a 7.2% growth this year as against 6% as it estimated in June, a report published on Thursday shows. In 2022 the Recovery and Resilience Facility could lead to a rise in investment and a gradual increase in exports whereas the reduced private consumption and the fiscal consolidation could translate into a 4.4% GDP growth, the bank experts believe. According to them the main risk is posed by the development of the pandemic as Romania has the second slowest EU vaccination rate. According to the EBRD, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria are seeing a significant economic recovery after the difficult year 2020. Romania’s main growth engine seems to be its domestic demand.



    Tax evasion – The European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) coordinated an action following which 4 people were arrested and 23 million Euros worth of assets were confiscated in a tax evasion case in the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia. According to an EPPO statement, those arrested are suspected of organized crime and tax evasion. The core of the criminal activity was located in Hamburg (Germany), and the money laundering was organized by companies from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with important connections in Romania. EPPO started operating on 1 June this year, being an independent EU body in charge of investigating, prosecuting and arraignment of those who perpetrated crimes against the EUs financial interests, including: fraud, corruption, money laundering, cross border VAT fraud. 22 of the 27 EU states are members of the EPPO.



    COP 26 — Nuclearelectrica executive director Cosmin Ghiţă and NuScale Power (USA) President and CEO John Hopkins on Thursday signed in Glasgow the official documents of the agreement based on which the two companies will work together to build a small modular nuclear reactor (Small Modular Reactor – SMR) in Romania. The power plant will be the first of its kind built in Europe. Nucleaelectrica and NuScale Power have concluded the partnership for its construction at a recent meeting of the heads of state, government officials, non-governmental associations and scientists at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.



    Foreign workers — The Romanian Labor Ministry suggest an increase in the number of newly admitted foreign workers on the Romanian labor market to 100,000 by 2022, double the figure reported in 2021. Foreign labor force is needed for the construction of residential and non-residential buildings, restaurants and road transport of goods. According to data provided by the General Inspectorate for Immigration, most foreign citizens who come to work in Romania are from Vietnam, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey and Nepal.



    WHO — The World Health Organization is concerned about the deteriorating health situation in Europe, currently considered the epicenter of the pandemic. According to the organizations director for Europe, Hans Kluge, the current transmission rate is worrying in several countries, and if the trend continues, there could be half a million new deaths by February. According to the WHO, the most complicated situations are currently reported in Eastern European countries that have poor vaccination coverage. Most deaths reported in the last seven days were registered in Russia, over 8,000, in Ukraine, 3,800 and in Romania, 3,100. The UK and Belgium have also been facing a surge in the number of new contaminations. A record number of new infections, almost 34,000, in 24 hours, has been reported in Germany, a situation that it last faced in December last year.




    Wrestling — The Romanian athlete Andreea Beatrice Ana won the gold medal in the 55 kg category on Thursday, in the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships held in Belgrade, after defeating the Russian Viktoria Vaulina in the final. Also on Thursday, another Romanian, Stefania Claudia Priceputu, won the bronze medal in the 50 kg category, after defeating the Tunisian, Sarra Hamdi (LS)

  • Biroul Procurorului Public European a lansat deja peste 350 de investigaţii

    Biroul Procurorului Public European a lansat deja peste 350 de investigaţii

    Biroul Procurorului Public European – EPPO – ar fi trebuit să fie operaţional la sfârşitul anului trecut, dar şi-a început activitatea la 1 iunie, ca o instituţie independentă însărcinată cu investigarea, urmărirea penală şi aducerea în faţa justiţiei a infracţiunilor împotriva bugetului Uniunii Europene, precum corupţia sau frauda transfrontalieră cu TVA de peste 10 milioane de euro. Dintre cele 27 de state membre ale Uniunii Europene, cinci au ales să nu participe: Danemarca, Irlanda, Polonia, Suedia şi Ungaria.

    În intervenţia sa, în faţa Comisiei de control bugetar a Parlamentului European, procurorul-şef Laura Codruţa Kovesi a deplâns faptul că EPPO nu este încă operaţional în toate statele membre participante. De exemplu, întrucât Slovenia nu şi-a numit candidaţi la timp pentru a fi numiţi procurori delegaţi, nu pot fi investigate cazurile din această ţară care cad sub competenţa Parchetului European – lucru care afectează serios şi toate anchetele transfrontaliere lansate în alte state membre şi care implică Slovenia. Astfel, procurorii trebuie să acţioneze ca şi cum EPPO nu ar exista în Slovenia – a explicat dna Kovesi. În opinia sa, faptul că un stat membru împiedică funcţionarea unei instituţii precum EPPO creează un precedent periculos. Pentru a evidenţia importanţa Parchetului European, Laura Codruţa Kovesi a dat exemplul unui procuror european care a constatat recent că cel puţin cinci anchete iniţiate în diferite state membre sunt de fapt legate între ele, dauna totală fiind estimată la peste jumătate de miliard de euro.

    O altă provocare este aceea că multe aspecte legate de organizare şi funcţionare nu au fost soluţionate de statele membre. De plidă, unele nu au transmis către EPPO toate cazurile existente sau nu au acordat acces procurorilor la toate bazele de date necesare.

    Sarcina noastră este de a detecta şi de a ancheta fraudele europene. Fără detectare nu poate exista tot acest proces, grupările infracţionale implicate nu pot fi combătute, iar bunurile nu pot fi recuperate. Lipsesc resursele – atât financiare, cât şi de personal – a subliniat Laura Codruţa Kovesi.


  • September 14, 2021 UPDATE

    September 14, 2021 UPDATE

    EPPO — The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced on Tuesday that since it started its operations on 1 June 2021, it has registered more than 1700 crime reports from participating EU Member States and private parties. 300 investigations have been opened, with some crime reports still under evaluation. The damage to the EU budget that is estimated to have occurred as a result of the activities currently under investigation is almost 4.5 billion euros. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is an independent and decentralised prosecution office of the European Union, with the competence to investigate, prosecute and bring to judgment crimes against the EU budget, such as fraud, corruption or serious cross-border VAT fraud. At this stage, there are 22 participating EU countries. Denmark, Ireland, Hungary, Poland and Sweden do not participate in the EPPO. Of the participant countries, Slovenia has not yet appointed its delegate-prosecutors, a situation emphasized repeatedly by the EPPO chief, the Romanian Laura Kovesi, France Press reports.



    CORONAVIRUS – Romania reported 4,000 new Covid cases on Tuesday from around 47 thousand tests, as well as 96 new deaths. 675 Covid patients are in intensive care, their number being on the rise. The coordinator of Romania’s mass vaccination campaign Valeriu Gheorghita said the vaccination rate among children over the age of 12 is nearing 15%, which he described as “insufficient”. He warned that the number of intensive care admissions among children is likely to grow. More than 5.2 million people are fully vaccinated in Romania, which accounts for only a third of the eligible population.



    ENERGY – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday received a delegation from the Italian energy and utility group Enel led by the latter’s director Francesco Starace. Iohannis said at the meeting that a joint effort of energy companies and state authorities was needed, to take the best measures to protect vulnerable consumers and companies in the production sector, which have been highly affected by the current increase in energy prices. Iohannis emphasised the need for considerably more investment in the development of new production units in the energy sector, that should consolidate Romania’s and the region’s energy security. The Enel delegation also met with prime minister Florin Cîţu with whom they discussed, among others, about investment in renewable energy and digitization. The Enel visit to Romania comes amid hikes in wholesale electricity and gas costs and the prospect of significant increases in energy costs for end consumers this winter. In Romania, Enel controls two major electricity and natural gas suppliers, three electricity distribution operators, a renewable energy plant operator and the local branch of its advanced energy solution company, Enel X.



    DEFICIT – Romania’s current account deficit passed 9 billion euros in the first seven months of the year, compared with 5.35 billion same time last year, according to a National Bank report. The country’s foreign debt also grew by over 6 billion euros since the beginning of the year, to reach 132 billion euros, of which almost 73% represents long-term foreign debt. The National Bank report also says that direct foreign investments grew to reach some 4 billion euros in the first seven months of the year.



    LGBTIQ – The European Parliament adopted a resolution requiring the removal of all obstacles faced by LGBTIQ persons when exercising their fundamental rights, including freedom of movement, anywhere in the European Union, according to a statement published on Tuesday on the European Parliament’s website. Under the resolution, the marriages and registered partnerships formed in another member state must be recognised across the Union, while same-sex spouses and partners must enjoy equal treatment as opposite-sex couples. Following a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Coman & Hamilton case recognising that the term “spouse” includes same-sex spouses under the EU freedom of movement directive, the Commission is called on to take measures against Romania if the government does not update the domestic legislation to reflect this judgment, MEPs have requested. In June 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that EU states cannot hinder the freedom of residence of a EU citizen by refusing to grant residency to their same-sex spouse from a non-EU country. The case referred specifically to the Romanian citizen Relu Adrian Coman and his American spouse Robert Clabourn Hamilton. MEPs also take note of the discrimination faced by LGBTIQ communities in Poland and Hungary.



    PARTNERSHIP – Romania and the United States will continue to be a bulwark of Euro-Atlantic values and meet future challenges together as friends and allies, read a joint press statement from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State on Tuesday. The statement was released on the 10th anniversary of the signing of a joint declaration on Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century and the Agreement on the deployment of the Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania. (EE)


  • Parchetul European și-a început activitatea

    Parchetul European și-a început activitatea

    Noua instanţă menită să lupte
    împotriva fraudei cu fonduri UE, Parchetul European (EPPO), şi-a început
    anchetele pe 1 iunie, cu câteva luni întârziere față de termenul prevăzut, respectiv
    sfârșitul lui 2020, dar la timp pentru a supraveghea cheltuirea miliardelor de
    euro din planul de relansare care urmează să fie distribuite țărilor
    comunitare. Condus de fosta şefă a parchetului anticorupţie din România, Laura
    Codruţa Kövesi, Parchetul European este complet independent faţă de Comisie,
    celelalte instituţii şi organe ale UE, precum şi faţă de statele membre.
    Această instanţă supranaţională are drept sarcină anchetarea şi urmărirea în
    justiţie a autorilor de infracţiuni care aduc atingere bugetului Uniunii. Conform
    estimărilor primului procuror-șef european, Laura Codruța Kövesi, corupţia, deturnarea
    de fonduri şi frauda în multiplele sale forme provoacă bugetului comunitar
    pierderi anuale de circa 500 de milioane de euro.


    Laura Codruța Kövesi: Acesta este un moment istoric.
    Parchetul European își preia atribuțiile. Nu mai visăm la viitor, realizăm
    acest lucru. Avem o responsabilitate enormă. Nu există un precedent pentru un
    Parchet European. Succesul nostru este o chestiune de credibilitate pentru
    Uniunea noastră. Avem o structură complexă, un nivel central cu 15 membri
    permanenți, în care diferite combinații de 22 de procurori europeni și cu mine
    vom lua decizii cheie în mii de cazuri în fiecare an. Avem birouri
    descentralizate pentru toți împreună 140 de procurori europeni delegați
    folosind diferite echipamente, tehnologii, metode și limbi. Suntem un singur
    birou care operează sub 22 de regimuri procesuale penale diferite. Acest lucru
    nu a fost niciodată încercat înainte. Ținta noastră: criminalitatea economică
    și financiară. Nu vă înșelați, aceasta este cea mai comună amenințare pentru
    orice societate democratică. Este subestimată, tolerată chiar și în beneficiul
    organizațiilor criminale organizate care aspiră să subverseze și să înlocuiască
    autoritățile legitime. În cele din urmă, cu aceasta vom avea de-a face, oameni
    care nu se feresc de violența extremă pentru a-și asigura impunitatea. Acesta
    este motivul pentru care independența Parchetului este vitală, doar o justiție
    independentă poate aplica legea în mod egal pentru toată lumea. Avem o
    competență unică, avem puteri mari, avem atât de mult potențial. Prin
    protejarea bugetului Uniunii Europene, vom juca un rol esențial în consolidarea
    încrederii cetățenilor europeni în Uniune, mai puternic ca niciodată.


    Parchetul European va investiga şi
    urmări penal frauda în materie de TVA – dacă implică cel puţin două state
    membre şi sume de cel puţin 10 milioane de euro, corupţia sau deturnarea de
    fonduri care afectează interesele financiare ale UE şi spălarea de bani.
    Parchetul European are sediul central la Luxemburg şi este condus de Laura
    Codruţa Kovesi, alături de un colegiu de 22 de procurori, câte unul din fiecare
    stat participant. Dintre cele 27 de state ale Uniunii, Polonia, Ungaria,
    Danemarca, Suedia şi Irlanda au decis să nu participe în noul Parchet European,
    în timp ce Finlanda şi Slovenia încă nu şi-au desemnat procurorii.