Radio România Internațional

Tag: EU Summit in Bratislava

  • September 9, 2016

    September 9, 2016

    DIASPORA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry is urging Romanians living abroad to sign up with the Election Registry so as to be able to take part in the legislative elections of December 11. September 14 is the deadline by which all Romanians with a right to vote, living or residing abroad, can submit their applications for the Election Registry. Romanians must also stipulate whether they opt for postal voting or for voting in one of the polling stations. The election campaign will run from November 11 through December 10.



    MEETING – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis is today meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel in Berlin. The visit is part of the efforts to prepare the informal Summit of the Council of Europe in Bratislava on September 16. Ranking high on the agenda for talks is the future of the EU after the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom. According to the Presidency, the meeting in Berlin is also part of a series of contacts between president Iohannis and European leaders regarding the future of the EU.



    TRANSDNIESTER – The Romanian presidency has said that the decision of Yevgeny Shevchuk, the leader of the breakaway region of Transdniester, east of the Republic of Moldova, to join Russia is part of a “provocative rhetoric. The presidency spokesperson said this topic must be approached with care and responsibility to avoid the further escalation of tensions. The President supports the efforts of the acting presidency of the OSCE to peacefully solve the conflict in the region.



    FUNDING – EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Romanian Corina Cretu, met in Brussels with the Bucharest General Mayor Gabriela Firea, whom she ensured of her support for several ongoing projects, including the completion of subway construction works and the modernization of the heating system. According to a European Commission release, other projects that might benefit from funding are the system of waste collection and the building of a subway link to Henri Coanda Airport. Over 2014-2020 Bucharest has been earmarked 2,3 billion euros, accounting for over 10% of the European Fund for Regional Development and the European Cohesion Fund.



    NUCLEAR TEST – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern with the completion of North Koreas fifth nuclear test. Holding the presidency of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, Romania will continue to carefully monitor the developments of North Koreas nuclear program, the Foreign Ministry also announced. The test was detected as 5.3 Richter-scale earthquake in the nuclear test area. South Korean president Park Geun-hye has labeled the move as an act of self-destruction, showing the North Korean President Kim John-uns blatant ignorance. Meanwhile, the United States has warned against serious consequences.



    ACCUSATIONS – All education units in Romania observe the legislation in force, Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu said after meeting with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak. The declaration comes in response to a series of harsh attacks by representatives of the Turkish diplomacy in Romania, claiming that the “Lumina educational centers in Romania are being controlled by the Turkish presidents most vocal opponent, Fetullah Gulen.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • September 7, 2016 UPDATE

    September 7, 2016 UPDATE

    INTERIOR MINISTER – Dragos Tudorache, the new Interior Minister, was sworn in on Wednesday before president Klaus Iohannis. Dragos Tudorache also announced the priorities of his term in office. The first is preparing the December 11 elections in Romania. Tudorache said he would set up a command cell at Ministry level, to cooperate with the Election Authority, which is in charge of organizing the elections. Another priority is the streamlining of the Department for Intelligence and Domestic Protection, whose former leadership is being investigated for corruption. A former chief of the Government Chancellery, Tudorache is replacing Petre Toba, currently investigated by anti-corruption prosecutors for favoring the offender. According to prosecutors, Toba refused to declassify certain documents necessary to the investigation, involving several Minsitry officials, also accused of embezzlement.



    PHONE TALK – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has talked with the president of the European Council Donald Tusk about the summit in Bratislava, which has on the agenda, among other things, the EUs future after the Brexit. In the phone call, Iohannis said the EU countries must remain united and committed to winning the citizens trust in the European project adding that for Romania, the consolidation of the EU is a strategic objective. President Iohannis will be having talks in Berlin on Friday with German chancellor Angela Merkel about the preparations for the summit in Bratislava due on September 16th.



    PROCEDURES – The Chamber of Deputies has simplified travel procedures for Romanian minors. The main provision amending the law on the free travel of Romanian citizens is the introduction of a single parental consent for several travels over a period of up to three years, without the stipulation of the destinations. Additionally, exempted from presenting the parental consent are all minors who reside or live in the country of destination. Moreover, the amendment also eliminates the superlegalization or authentication of documents issued by foreign states.



    SCULPTURE – Romanians have been left only this month to raise donations for Constantin Brancusis statue ‘Wisdom of the Earth. The funds raised so far amount to 700 thousand euros. Under these circumstances an amendment has been recently voted on in the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest obliging the government to find money to buy the sculpture irrespective of the sum raised by October 1st. The final vote is to be given by the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest. Currently part of a private collection, the ‘Wisdom of the Earth is estimated at 11 million euros, out of which the government pledged 5 million. The rest of the money was supposed to come from donations. ‘Wisdom of the earth together with ‘The Kiss and “The Prayer belongs to the artists best period of creation.



    TAX CUT – The Senate in Bucharest has passed a draft law on amending the Fiscal Code so that pensions above 235 euros will be exempted from the 16% tax, while health insurances are to be paid from the state budget. The document is to be submitted to the decision-making Chamber of Deputies shortly. Discussions on the document have been marked by heated debates between the Liberals and the Social Democrats. The latter say the law has been expected by many pensioners and blamed the Liberals for having cut incomes when they were in power. The Liberals response was that the law would favor those with big pensions while the budget impact would be a significant one. The initiative has been frowned upon by the government.



    HOLIDAY – 24th January, a day marking the unification of the Romanian principalities, has been declared a state holiday in Romania, under a decision by the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest. The unification of the Romanian principalities on January 24th took place in 1859, after ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza had been elected in two of Romanias historical provinces, Wallachia and Moldavia.



    RANKING – Romania is 4th-placed in a ranking of states in the Central and Eastern Europe, with 46 companies exceeding 46 billion dollars in sales in 2015, according to data under the 10th CE Top 500 Deloitte Report made public on Wednesday. Romanian companies in the field of consumer goods reported an 18% growth last year as compared to 2014, with sales standing at 15 billion euros. Dacia is the best-selling Romanian company, ranking 25th, followed by OMV Petrom in 27th place and Rompetrol in 52nd place. The energy and resources industry is best represented in the ranking, with revenues of 17 billion euros. Deloitte CE Top 500 officials have warned that Romania must continue developing its infrastructure, education and health care systems, to be able to provide better services and attract more investments in production.


    (Translated by C. Mateescu and V. Palcu)