Radio România Internațional

Tag: EU

  • Effects of floods in Europe

    Effects of floods in Europe

    The storms that have affected Europe are now heading for Italy, where warnings of heavy rain, strong winds and flooding have been issued for much of the country. The warnings come in the context of rainfalls that have already ravaged parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Austria this week, causing several deaths. Storm Boris brought heavy rain and snow at the weekend, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes, in some cases with the help of helicopters, after taking refuge on rooftops or on top of cars. A state of natural disaster has been declared in all these states, with hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity or water, roads cut off and rail transport disrupted. Although the weather conditions show signs of improvement in several areas, the soil remains saturated and the rivers continue to overflow, which led the authorities to ask the population to be cautious.

     

    In Austria, many villages are still isolated. All in all, more than 33,000 interventions have been carried out since the beginning of the torrential rains and strong winds. In Vienna, four metro lines were partially closed, as were the city’s parks, due to the risk of falling trees. In the Czech Republic, over 60,000 homes do not have electricity, especially in the northeast. The water from the largest retention basin in the country, Rozmberk, located in the south, overflowed its banks. According to experts, these are the worst floods the region has seen since those in 2002 that affected Prague, Dresden and Vienna. The regions in the south-west of Poland were the most affected by the floods, on the border with the Czech Republic. In some localities, entire streets were covered by water. In the small town of Nysa, the waters flooded the district hospital, which had to be completely evacuated.

     

    In Romania, the eastern part was the most seriously affected. More than 6 thousand households were flooded. Numerous teams from the Interior Ministry are in the affected areas with intervention vehicles and high-capacity pumps to remove the water and mud from the flooded houses. Tent camps were set up for the stranded people. Meanwhile, aid started being distributed and the Government allocated the first direct financial support for the affected population. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, sent a message of solidarity to the people affected by the floods and declared that they would benefit from support from the EU. The frequency of floods associated with heavy rain is expected to increase in Central and Western Europe, in a world facing warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius on average, experts warn. (LS)

  • Compensations for energy?

    Compensations for energy?

    Romania will ask the EU for compensation for the significant energy price differences between the west and the east of the continent, claims the energy minister, Sebastian Burduja. He explained that these differences are allegedly caused by the lower hydropower production in the country due to the drought, and by interconnection problems, which did not allow the export of cheaper energy from the west to the east. Moreover, Romania supports the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine energetically, and all these create pressure on prices in the country. Sebastian Burduja added that the request would be submitted to the Council of Ministers, at the European level, and said that he hoped that Romania would be compensated for these price differences. He emphasized that he strongly supported the expansion of the single market.

     

    At present, Romania pays a price of almost 150 euros/MWh, well above the European average of almost 102 euros/MWh. The price is felt all the more as the country faces significant obstacles related to diversifying the energy mix and improving energy efficiency, according to the European Commission’s latest report on the energy union. The situation is also valid at the European level, even if the document shows that significant progress has been made regarding energy from renewable sources. Romania’s energy mix remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which account for 71% of the total energy consumption, slightly above the EU average of 69%. The country’s electricity mix is ​​dominated by renewables (42.4%), followed by fossil fuels (37.6%) and nuclear power (19.9%).

     

    To ensure its energy security, Romania operates six gas storage facilities with a total capacity of 3.1 billion cubic meters, the equivalent of 31% of the annual gas consumption. By mid-August, these storage facilities were already filled, ensuring the country for the coming winter. Romania is committed to expanding its nuclear capacity to meet the EU’s climate targets and to strengthen its energy security. Two new reactors (CANDU), each with a capacity of about 700 MWe, are to be built to complement the existing nuclear facilities. Despite the progress reported, Romania is facing integration and compliance challenges. The country’s wholesale electricity and gas markets are heavily influenced by government interventions that go beyond the EU’s emergency framework.

     

    At the same time, smart meters, a critical tool for increasing market flexibility, are installed in only 23% of Romanian households, which points to the need for improvements in terms of ensuring energy efficiency. According to the report, energy poverty remains a major concern in Romania. In 2023, 13.6% of the people had difficulty paying their utility bills and 12.5% ​​were unable to heat their homes adequately in winter, which is indicative of the need for accelerated building renovation and targeted social measures. (LS)

  • Report on renewable energy in the EU

    Report on renewable energy in the EU

    The European Commission has published a report on the energy situation in the EU. A first conclusion is the fact that the EU has managed to massively disconnect itself from the Russian gas supply, and community consumption has dropped significantly. The EU’s energy production is currently led by renewables, which supplied half of the electricity in the first part of the year. Wind energy alone has surpassed gas-based energy production, and nuclear energy, considered clean energy, is in first place. Primary energy consumption also decreased by 4.1%, thanks to efficiency measures. A decrease in gas consumption was also recorded, also due to efficiency measures. Thus, the European average shows a decrease of 18% compared to 2021. Also, in the field of gas, the EU managed to reduce dependence on Russia from 45% to 18% and now has new sources of supply from other regions.

     

    At the same time, it already reached its winter gas storage target of 90% in August, well ahead of the November 1st deadline. However, energy and gas prices are a problem. Although stable and reduced way below the peak values reported during the crisis, they remain high for the European industry, an industry that competes with that of the United States and China, where prices are sometimes three times lower. The European Commissioner Kadri Simson says that prices will be lower after the implementation of the energy market reform, which will reduce the input of expensive fossil sources. As to the environment, the report shows encouraging signs. Between 1992-2022, the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 32.5%, while the economy grew by around 67%.

     

    According to the document, Romania has an energy mix, and this includes all types of energy, 71% based on fossil fuel, so it is in a worse situation than the European average, of 69%. On the other hand, however, the electricity mix is ​​better than that of the EU – 44% renewable as compared to the EU average of under 40%. As an overview, the report concludes that Romania has a limited production capacity of clean technologies. Moreover, public investments in research and development were halved between 2015 and 2022. A strong point is the reduced dependence on imported gas, given that Romania is the second European producer. Another strength is the fact that in the last 2 years it has managed to reduce gas consumption above the European average without affecting industrial activity. A third strong point is the gas storage capacity for winter, and Romania’s gas storage facilities are currently full. However, energy poverty remains one of the unsolved problems. 13.6% of Romania’s population had problems paying the bill, and 12.5% ​​could not afford to heat the house properly.  The EC reminds member states to submit the new energy and environment plans. Only 11 states have sent the documents, and Romania is not among them. (LS)

     

  • August 23, 2024 UPDATE

    August 23, 2024 UPDATE

     

    EU The Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu discussed, on Thursday, in Brussels, with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about the future European commissioner from Romania, about the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as well as about a new agreement on Romania’s budget deficit, which should extend over 7 years. Regarding the position of European commissioner, Marcel Ciolacu announced that he nominated Victor Negrescu, the current vice-president of the European Parliament. During the meeting, they tackled Romania’s accession to Schengen with its land borders, with the Prime Minister stressing that Ursula von der Leyen is the “biggest” supporter of this cause.

     

    DEFENCE The Chief of the defence staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, met on Thursday, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the French Republic, General Thierry Burkhard, who is on an official visit to Romania. The talks between the two focused on the regional security situation, the progress in achieving full operational capacity of the NATO Battle Group in 2025, and the responsibilities of the French structures deployed to Romania in strengthening the Allied deterrence and defence posture. General Gheorghiţă Vlad emphasised that, in the last two years, the excellent cooperation between the two armies to ensure collective defence were also reflected in the increased interoperability between structures and in the development of training and quartering infrastructure. The visit also included a meeting of the two heads of defence with troops from the NATO Battle Group, at the Getica National Joint Training Center in Cincu. France is the lead nation of the NATO Battle Group.

     

    US ELECTION The Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination as a candidate for the US presidency, at the Democratic National Convention. She told her supporters that the country has a chance to overcome resentment, cynicism and division. Harris promised tax cuts for the middle class. As regards abortions, she accused her opponent, the former Republican President Donald Trump, of wanting to introduce a national ban. In terms of foreign policy, Harris said that dictators around the world support Trump, the BBC reports.

     

    COMMEMORATION The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, in his message on the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Fascism and Communism, says that populism and hate speech are once again present, under various forms. He argues that this is precisely why society as a whole must stay alert to the risk of all the values embraced by Romania being pushed into irrelevance. Iohannis also mentioned the crucial decision made by King Michael I, who acted with responsibility and dignity and changed the fateful course of WWII, saving the country from imminent disaster. In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu reiterated the government’s firm commitment to fight all forms of extremism, and to strengthen civic engagement, by educating the youth with respect to all the landmarks in recent history.

     

    SCHOOLS Students in secondary schools and high schools in Romania will have more rules to observe in the new academic year. School rules stipulate, among other things, that students cannot hold mobile phones during classes and provide for penalties in case of violations. School operation rules have also been amended. Novelties include conduct grades for each module, separate tests for 9th grade admission, and a teacher in charge of EU-funded projects in each school, as well as online or hybrid classes for students in exceptional situations. On the other hand, secondary school and high school students with final grades above 9.50 will receive merits scholarships. For this academic year, the merit scholarship minimum amount is nearly EUR 90. This amount may be increased by school boards, depending on the budget earmarked by the local authorities.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse managed to reach the singles main draw of the US Open Grand Slam tournament, which starts on Monday in New York, after defeating Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in 3 sets. Ruse will face Julia Grabher from Austria in the inaugural round. She is the third Romanian to reach the singles main draw at the US Open, after Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian entered the singles draw thanks to ranking. Cristian will play against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina, seeded 12, while Ana Bogdan will meet the Dutch Arantxa Rus in the first round. (AMP)

  • August 22, 2024

    August 22, 2024

     

    ELECTIONS In its Wednesday meeting the government of Romania set the calendar for the parliamentary election scheduled for December 1. The election campaign will begin on November 1 and end at 7 AM on November 30. The Romanians in the country will be able to vote between 7 AM and 9 PM. For the Romanian nationals in the diaspora, the voting will begin on November 30 at 7 AM and end on December 1 at 9 PM. The legislative elections will take place between the 2 rounds of the presidential election. Romania organised local and European elections on June 9.

     

    EUROPEAN COMMISSION While on a visit to Brussels, PM Marcel Ciolacu has talks today with the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen about the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the seat Romania will hold in the new Commission. According to a government spokesman, the Romanian PM is not making any nominations at this point, but he will indicate the European commissioner post Romania is seeking, more specifically one related to the economic field. Marcel Ciolacu is accompanied in Brussels by the finance minister, Marcel Boloş and by the official in charge with European projects, Adrian Câciu.

     

    BONDS The government passed an order enabling Romanian nationals living abroad to purchase treasury bonds online. The measure comes as the finance ministry is preparing the introduction of new technical solutions for the online purchase of such bonds. At present, people who want to purchase government bonds online must register on a special governmental platform. Government bonds are low-risk financial instruments through which the government borrows money from citizens to finance the budget deficit and refinance public debt.

     

    US ELECTION Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’s running mate in the campaign for the US presidential election, has today accepted officially the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice-president. On Tuesday night in Chicago, in the party’s national convention, the US Democrats officially confirmed Kamala Harris as their candidate for the November 5 presidential election. Delegates from all US states and territories once again expressed their support for Harris in a symbolic vote, after she had been already elected in an online ballot early this month. Vice-president Kamala Harris (60) is the second woman nominated by the Democrats for president since its establishment in 1828, and could become the first female president in the history of the US. The incumbent US president Joe Biden (81) withdrew his candidacy for a second term in office. The Republican candidate in the presidential race is the former president Donald Trump (78).

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Ana Bogdan has qualified for the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland (Ohio), after defeating Greet Minnen (Belgium) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. In the quarter-finals she is to play against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova. Another Romanian player, Gabriela Ruse, managed to reach the last qualifying round of the US Open main draw in New York. In the second qualifying round, Ruse defeated China’s Ye-Xin Ma 6-3, 6-3. And in the WTA 500 tournament in Monterrey (Mexico), Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Hanyu Guo (China) have today qualified into the semi-finals of the doubles competition, after winning against Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway) / Aldila Sutjiadi (Indonesia) 6-4, 5-7, 10-3. (AMP)

  • August 20, 2024

    August 20, 2024

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

    Brussels – The main challenge regarding next year’s EU budget is identifying the necessary funds to finance recovery plans and maintaining budget allocations for traditional European programs, said Victor Negrescu, the chief negotiator of the European Parliament on the Union’s budget for 2025, in a social media post. The Romanian MEP recalls that the amount initially foreseen for 2025 for the financing of the recovery and resilience mechanism was 2,677.8 million Euros, while the real estimated costs are almost double. Victor Negrescu claims that the current situation is generated by the high costs of interests for the recovery mechanism, by the emergence of new priorities and programs generated by the new challenges in the field of defense, international and industrial, by the amendments brought through the modification of the multiannual financial framework, as well as by the need to strengthen the borders and the security of the member states. The framework document that underlies the negotiations between the political groups in the European Parliament is to be presented by the end of August, and in October the EP will approve its budget plan so that it can be negotiated in November with the representatives of the EU Council. (LS)

  • August 19, 2024

    August 19, 2024

    HEAT WAVE A persistent heat wave is reported in Romania, with code red, orange and yellow alerts issued in most regions of the country. The temperature-humidity index is above 80%, while highs range between 29 and 39 degrees Celsius. In Bucharest, the temperature is expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius, after 31 degrees Celsius reported at noon.

     

    EU PM Marcel Ciolacu makes a visit to Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, to talk with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about the seats Romania will hold in the future Commission. According to governmental sources, Bucharest may appoint the new commissioner for enlargement, who will be nominated from among the Social Democratic MEPs. Meanwhile, also this week, the government is scheduled to discuss the national strategy for the defence industry. Its goals are to ensure the development, revamping and upgrading of defence facilities, and to promote research, development and innovation by opening excellence centres and by attracting foreign and Romanian investors.

     

    CAR SCRAPPING A new session of the “Rabla Plus” national car scrapping programme, aimed at facilitating the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles by individuals, public institutions and local administration units, has been launched today. According to the Environment Fund Authority, applicants receive a voucher for the purchase of a new vehicle, in return for scrapping 1 or 2 vehicles older than 6 years. The voucher for the purchase of an EV is worth approx. EUR 5,000, and the one for a hybrid car or electric motorcycle is around EUR 2,600, irrespective of the number of cars scrapped. For public institutions, the voucher amounts to EUR 24,000.

     

    PENSIONS Millions of Romanian pensioners will receive pension benefits based on a new calculation formula as of September 1. The authorities promise this new system would remove all inequities in the pension system. According to official data, after recalculation the average public pension benefits will increase from around EUR 460 to around EUR 540. The finance minister, Marcel Boloș, says that in the forthcoming period the pressure on the public deficit will increase. Under the new regulations, in order to receive public pension benefits in Romania the minimum payment contribution period will be 15 years, with the retirement age planned to reach 65 for both men and women in 2035.

     

    BACCALAUREATE The autumn session of the baccalaureate exam is under way in Romania. After the Romanian language and literature test on Monday, written tests will be held in mathematics and history in the next few days, followed by tests in the subjects chosen by the applicants. The final results will be announced on August 30. Over 33,000 applicants have enrolled for the exam this autumn, following an over 78% pass rate at the June session.

     

    UKRAINE Ukraine continues its attacks in Russia’s Kursk region, where it destroyed a second strategic bridge on Sunday. Military analysts quoted by Reuters say there are 3 strategic bridges facilitating military supply for the Russian forces in Kursk. Kyiv claims to have seized some 1,150 square km and over 80 settlements so far. This is the 14th day of the Ukrainian strike, the first by a foreign army in Russia since WWII, with Moscow seemingly unable to initiate large-scale defence operations. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reiterated that Kyiv’s goal is to create a buffer zone to protect Ukraine’s border regions from Russian bombings. Meanwhile, Belarus announced the mobilisation of one-third of its army at the border, in response to the Ukrainian operations. At the start of the offensive in Kursk, Belarus, Russia’s closest ally and the country that allowed Russia to use its territory to attack Ukraine, claimed that Ukrainian military drones had violated its air space. (AMP)

  • June 28, 2024 UPDATE

    June 28, 2024 UPDATE

     

    LAW Penalties for slavery and human trafficking can no longer be suspended prison sentences in Romania, under a new law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. The document, which takes effect this week, also provides for harsher penalties for such crimes, with sentences going as high as 15 years in prison. In addition, the production, storage, exposure, promotion and distribution of child pornography is punished by 3 to 10 years imprisonment.

     

    ELECTIONS The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu announced he would invite the leaders of all political parties for consultations next week on the calendar of the presidential election. The announcement comes after the Social Democrats and the Liberals in the ruling coalition failed to reach an agreement on a date for this election. The prime minister pointed out that the talks were necessary as the Liberal interior minister Cătălin Predoiu was not allowed by his own party to present in this Friday’s Cabinet meeting the resolution setting September 15 as the presidential election date, as previously decided by the coalition. Ciolacu mentioned that as head of government he cannot favour any party or coalition, and a consultation with all political parties in Romania was “the right approach.” He also indicated that he would not dismiss the interior minister, so as not to create a governmental crisis and instability in the country.

     

    POVERTY As many as 4 million Romanians were affected by poverty last year, nearly 60,000 people fewer than in 2022, according to the National Statistics Institute. The institution also says that if pensions and other social transfers had not been made last year, nearly half of the country’s population would have been below the relative poverty threshold, especially the elderly. The highest poverty risks were reported in households with 3 or more children, followed by single-parent families. In terms of regions, the highest poverty rates were reported in the south-east, followed by the south-west (Oltenia), and the lowest in Bucharest and Ilfov County.

     

    EU – Attending the European Council meeting in Brussels, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis emphasised, during the talks on the EU’s Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029, that the document must reflect the joint commitment to continue efforts towards a stronger, more resilient and more influential EU. The Romanian head of state said the new Agenda must highlight the advancement of the enlargement policy, the unity of the Union in terms of support for Ukraine and the importance of cooperation between the EU and NATO. Also in Brussels, the EU leaders decided on the top positions in the bloc’s institutions. Ursula von der Leyen was nominated for the presidency of the Commission, the Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for the position of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, while former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa will take over the presidency of the European Council.

     

    OSCE Bucharest hosts, as of Saturday, the 31st annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The theme of the summit is the parliamentary perspective on the role of the OSCE in the current security climate. The participants, MPs from the over 50 OSCE member states, will adopt the Bucharest Declaration, a document that will include the resolutions of the general committees and additional ones initiated by members of the Assembly. Among them will be a resolution regarding the worsening of the human rights situation in the Russian-speaking breakaway region of Trans-Dniester, in the Republic of Moldova. Russia and Belarus have been excluded from the meeting in Bucharest.

     

    WILDFIRES Eighty Romanian fire-fighters are going to France to help the local authorities there put out the wild fires that may occur this summer. The measure is designed to reduce response times in the case of wild fires, to make training more efficient and to improve cooperation among the participating forces. A first group of 40 fire-fighters and 8 engines has already left for France, the General Emergency Inspectorate announced. This assistance programme is financed by the European Union as a support measure for the French communities, following the wild fires reported in the past few years in that country.

     

    AIRCRAFT Another 3 F-16 aircraft purchased by Romania from Norway reached the Câmpia Turzii air base in the centre of Romania, the defence ministry announced. The Romanian Air Forces have so far received 9 of the total 32 planes it has purchased, with the rest of them scheduled to reach the country by the end of next year.

     

    POLL The first round of the snap elections for the appointment of representatives in the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the French Parliament, takes place on Sunday. The almost 49 million eligible voters will choose between a nationalist-populist right, at the top of the electorate’s preferences, a left wing which is struggling to remain united, and a pro-Macron majority unprepared to give up the government. The second round is scheduled for July 7. President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly on June 9, after his party’s failure in the European elections. (EE, AMP)

  • June 28, 2024

    June 28, 2024

    EU – Attending the European Council meeting in Brussels, the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, emphasized, during the talks on the EU’s Strategic Agenda for the period 2024-2029, that the document must mirror the joint commitment to continue efforts towards a stronger, more resilient and more influential EU. The Romanian head of state emphasized that the new Agenda must highlight the advancement of the enlargement policy, the unity of the Union in terms of support for Ukraine and the importance of cooperation between the EU and NATO. Also in Brussels, the European leaders decided on the top positions in the EU institutions.  Ursula von der Leyen was nominated for the presidency of the Commission, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for the position of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, while former Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, will take over the presidency of the European Council.

     

    US ELECTIONS – The Republican Donald Trump’s campaign team claims his victory in Thursday night’s first televised election debate with his contender,  the Democratic President Joe Biden. Biden believes, however, that he ‘did well’, while the reactions to his performance are divided even in the democratic camp. The American and international media notes that the debate between the two candidates to the US presidency  has been marked by personal attacks, hesitations by Biden and lies told by Trump. Abortion rights, migration, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the assault on the Capitol in January 2021 and the country’s economy were the main topics covered.

     

    LAW – Penalties for slavery and human trafficking can no longer be suspended prison sentences in Romania, under the new law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. The document, which takes effect this week, also provides for harsher penalties for such crimes, with sentences going as high as 15 years in prison. In addition, the production, storage, exposure, promotion and distribution of pornographic materials with minors, is punished with 3 to 10 years behind bars.

     

    OSCE –  Bucharest hosts, as of Saturday, the 31st annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The theme of the summit is the parliamentary perspective on the role of the OSCE in the current security climate. The participants – parliamentarians from over 50 member states of the Organization – will adopt the Bucharest Declaration, a document that will include the resolutions of the general committees and the additional ones initiated by members of the Assembly. Among them will be a resolution regarding the worsening of the human rights situation in the Russian-speaking breakaway region of Trans-Dniester, in the Republic of Moldova. Russia and Belarus have been excluded from the meeting in Bucharest.

     

    WEST BANK – The Israeli War Cabinet has legalized five settler outposts in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a move likely to further strain the situation in the region and complicate Israel’s relationship with the United States. Israel considers that most Jewish settlements in the West Bank are legal and that only a few, established without approval, are illegal. The international community, however, sees all colonies as illegal. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating by the day. On the other hand, France, Germany, Canada and the United States have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon, amid fears of conflict expansion in the Middle East.

     

    POLL – The first round of the snap elections for the appointment of representatives in the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the French Parliament, will take place on Sunday. The almost 49 million people with the right to vote will choose between a nationalist-populist right, at the top of the electorate’s preferences, a left wing which is struggling to remain united and a pro-Macron majority unprepared to give up the government. The second round is scheduled for July 7. We remind you that President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly on June 9, after his party’s failure in the European elections. (EE)

     

     

     

  • June 27, 2024 UPDATE

    June 27, 2024 UPDATE

    LAW – In Romania, the sentence for slavery and human trafficking can no longer be suspended prison, in keeping with a law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. The document also provides for harsher penalties for these crimes, which can reach up to 15 years in prison and the prohibition of certain rights. If the crimes in which minors are involved are committed by a public official, a family member or a person in charge of the child’s upbringing, the penalties reach up to 20 years in prison. The law punishes with deprivation of liberty from 3 to 10 years the production, storage, exposure, promotion and distribution of pornographic materials with minors. Moreover, watching such images will be punished with 5 years in prison and from 1 to 3 years the unauthorized access to pornographic materials with minors through computer systems or other means of electronic communication. According to the document, attempts to commit the crimes of slavery and human trafficking are also punished.

     

     

    NATO – The Dutch Premier Mark Rutte is officially the future NATO Secretary General. The 57 year-old politician has benefitted from support from all 32 representatives of the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s main decision-making body and his mandate is to kick off on October 1st. Rutte will replace the Norwegian chief Jens Stoltenberg and is known for his critical position against Russia and for supporting Ukraine in terms of its NATO and EU accession. The Netherlands is supporting Ukraine also militarily, including with F-16 jet fighters, which have been given the permission to strike Russian targets. Besides the war in Ukraine and the tense international political background, Rutte will have the task of negotiating with a possible US administration led by Donald Trump, if the latter wins the upcoming election where he runs against the incumbent president Joe Biden.

     

     

    BRUSSELS – EU leaders started a two-day summit in Brussels on Thursday, focused on the appointments at the top of European key institutions and the approval of its strategic agenda for the mandate resulting from the European parliamentary elections. The 27 leaders, writes the EFE agency, arrived at the European Council with the nominations for the top positions already agreed between the three pro-European political groups, favorable to the deepening of European integration and the consolidation of the prerogatives of Brussels, respectively the European People’s Party (EPP), the Social Democrats (S&D) and the Liberals (Renew). According to the agreement between the respective three groups, Ursula von der Leyen, from the EPP, will keep her position as president of the European Commission, that of European Council president will go to the former Portuguese social-democratic prime minister Antonio Costa, and the head of the Estonian government, the liberal Kaja Kallas, will be High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy. The summit also marks the end of the Belgian presidency of the Union, which will be taken over by Hungary for the next six months. Romania is represented at the summit by President Klaus Iohannis.

     

     

    DECLARATION – The United States applauds Romania’s leadership in consolidating the Ukrainian air defense, particularly Romania’s recent decision to provide one Patriot system to Ukraine and it deeply appreciates Romania’s crucial role in promoting Euro-Atlantic security and its leadership on NATO’s eastern flank, according to a statement released by the Governments of the United States of America and Romania on the occasion of the U.S. – Romania Strategic Dialogue.  The meeting was held on June 21 and was opened by consultations between the Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. The United States commends Romania on its successful opening of Europe’s first F-16 regional training center this year, the statement also says. The United States and Romania underlined that Russia’s continued aggression has made the Black Sea region host to a number of serious threats. The two sides remain strongly committed to strengthening their efforts to ensure a secure, stable, and prosperous Black Sea region, with the implementation of the United States Black Sea Strategy being an integral part of this effort.

     

     

    FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football side qualified for the round of 16 of the European Football Championship after a one-all draw against Slovakia in Frankfurt on Wednesday night. Razvan Marin scored the equalizer from a penalty shot and his performance pushed the side coached by Edward Iordanescu on top of the group. Our footballers will be up against the Netherlands on the famous Allianz Arena in Munich. Thousands of fans took to the streets of Romania to express their joy for the performance. (EE)

  • June 26, 2024

    June 26, 2024

    NATO – The 32 NATO member states have today confirmed the nomination of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as Secretary General of the Alliance. France Presse wrote that the withdrawal of the Romanian president’s candidacy and the objections of Hungary and Slovakia, secured Rutte a free path to obtaining the position of NATO Secretary General. He will take over his duties on October 1st, when the last extension of the mandate of the incumbent Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, appointed in 2014, expires. Stoltenberg’s mandate was extended four times, in the context of the war in Ukraine.

     

    SUMMIT – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. Support for the neighbouring Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the new structure of the European Parliament, are on the meeting’s agenda, according to a press release from the Presidential Administration in Bucharest. Also, the leaders of the European Union will continue discussions on the appointments at the top of the EU institutions, following the recent European elections.

     

    FOOTBALL – The Romanian national football side today play against Slovakia in Frankfurt at 7 pm, Bucharest time, their last match in Group E of the European Championship in Germany. The Belgium-Ukraine match is also played in the same group. In the first two matches, the Romanians beat Ukraine 3-0 and lost, 0-2, to Belgium. All four teams in the group have accumulated three points each, and Romania remains the leader due to the goal difference. An equal result would be enough for both Romania and Slovakia to qualify for the round of 16, which fuels media speculation about a fixed match. The coaches and players of the two teams categorically rejected such a hypothesis.

     

    ELECTION – The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) in Romania cancelled the elections for the position of mayor in the Black Sea resort of Costineşti, Constanța county, and ordered that the poll should be held again on July 7th. BEC approved the request to cancel the elections, made by the Constanta branch of the Social Democratic Party. In Costineşti, the Romanian press writes, the counting of the votes cast in the local elections on June 9 was repeated six times. In the end, the Liberal candidate was named the winner for the position of mayor, with a difference of one vote from the Social Democratic candidate. A number of irregularities were mentioned, based on supporting documents, including the fact that two people, including a Ukrainian citizen, voted without having this right.

     

    FLAG DAY- President Klaus Iohannis delivered, on Wednesday, a message on National Flag Day, in which context he emphasized Romania’s NATO, EU and UN membership and evoked the need for unity. The head of state said that the National Flag “represents a unifying element for Romanians, wherever they are. “It is present in moments of hardship or joy, at national and international events, in institutions, at parades or on the occasion of sports competitions”, the president pointed out. Klaus Iohannis recalled the history of this holiday and paid tribute to the Romanian soldiers who died in the theatres of operations. On his part, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu recalled that “under the colors of the National Flag, generations of Romanians fought for independence, sovereignty, unity and democracy, values ​​in which we strongly believe.”

     

    ACCESSION – The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have officially started EU accession negotiations, two years after they received the candidate status. The first talks took place in Luxembourg, were of technical nature and concerned the structure and timing of the negotiations. The two countries will negotiate and be evaluated separately, and the duration of the negotiation process depends on their ability to adopt the necessary reforms to meet the accession criteria. Throughout the entire process, Chisinau and Kyiv must align their national legislation with the EU provisions. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Brussels, since obtaining the candidate status until now, the two states have made general adjustments in key areas, through which they have demonstrated their will to get closer to the EU legislation.

     

    BUCHAREST – The leaders of the ruling PSD-PNL coalition in Romania did not manage to reach an agreement, on Tuesday evening either, on the date of the presidential elections, as each of the two parties insists on a different calendar. The Social Democrats want the election to take place in September, while the Liberals want presidential elections in November. Discussions within the coalition on this subject will resume on Friday. (EE)

  • June 25, 2024

    June 25, 2024

     

    ELECTION The ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party is to make a decision today on the date of the presidential election. The two parties are considering 2 dates for the first election round, September 15th or 29th. The government has until early July to pass an emergency order on the calendar of the presidential election, if the vote is to be held in September. The Liberals insist however that the election should be organized towards the end of the year, although they had initially agreed with a date in September. They argue that holding the election in September would disrupt the start of the new school year, and the campaign would overlap the holiday season. The Social Democrats, on the other hand, rule out any change in the agreed calendar. The 2 ruling parties must also decide whether to have separate candidates for the presidential post. On June 9th, they had a common candidate list for the European Parliament election, but had separate candidates in the local elections.

     

    FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu took part on Monday in the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. On this occasion, Mrs. Odobescu highlighted the importance of stepped-up military support for Ukraine and mentioned the decision of Romania’s Supreme Defence Council to transfer a Patriot system to Ukraine.

     

    FUNDING On Monday Romania received close to EUR 1.1 bln from the European Union for projects in the energy sector, particularly for renewable energy production. According to an EU news release, Romania and 9 other countries received total funding of EUR 3 bln, intended for 39 programmes. The largest amount was given to Romania, followed by the Czech Republic (EUR 835 mln) and Poland (EUR 700 mln).

     

    ACCESSION The ex-Soviet republics of Moldova and Ukraine today begin their official EU accession negotiations. The first talks are to be held in Luxembourg, and during this process Chişinău and Kyiv must align their national legislation to the bloc’s regulations. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, since their recognition as candidate countries, the two states have made general adjustments in key areas, proving their willingness to adapt to the EU legislation. Beginning with these inter-governmental conferences, Ukraine’s and Moldova’s progress in the implementation of relevant reforms will be assessed separately. Analysts believe this could be an advantage for Moldova, which according to the European Commission has made better progress than Ukraine so far.

     

    FORUM The Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu takes part on June 25 – 27 in the Salzburg Forum Ministerial Conference in Laxenburg, Austria. According to the interior ministry, the event focuses on current and future challenges in the field of security and migration, including security and migration challenges for the EU in 2024 – 2029, security along the Danube in the context of digitization, as well as migration and migrant smuggling.

     

    THEATRE The Performing Arts Market opened today in Sibiu (central Romania) as part of the famous Sibiu International Theatre Festival. Currently in its 27th edition, the Performing Arts Market has, this year as well, face-to-face, hybrid and online components. More than 80 officials for cultural organisations and institutions in over 30 countries convene in Sibiu to establish contacts and implement joint projects. The Festival founder and president, Constantin Chiriac, says this is the only performing arts market in Romania and in Eastern and Central Europe.

     

    FOOTBALL In the European Football Championship hosted by Germany, the last matches in Group D and C are scheduled for tonight. In Group D, the Netherlands take on Austria and France play Poland, while in Group C, England plays against Slovenia, and Denmark against Serbia. Romania concludes its Group E matches on Wednesday in Frankfurt, with a game against Slovakia. In the same group, Belgium is scheduled to play against Ukraine. All 4 teams in the group have 3 points each, with Romania still first-placed in the group thanks to a better goal difference. A draw against Slovakia is enough for the team to move up into the eighth-finals. (AMP)

  • June 23, 2024 UPDATE

    June 23, 2024 UPDATE

    PENTECOST Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians in Romania Sunday celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus, a feast day also known as the Pentecost and in Romanian as “Rusalii”. The Pentecost is a symbol of the establishment of the Christian Church, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ and 10 days after Ascension Day. Believers evoke the moment when the Holy Spirit gave the 12 Apostles the gift of speaking many languages to preach to the crowds, and when the first 3,000 people were baptised, thus establishing the first Christian community.

     

    FOREIGN AFFAIRS The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu takes part on Monday in the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, focusing on the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, the developments in Georgia. The EU foreign ministers will also have an informal exchange of opinions with their counterparts in the Western Balkans, as part of a working luncheon. According to the Romanian foreign ministry, talks on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine will focus on the recent developments on site and the support the EU must provide to Ukraine, particularly in the military area. The participants will also discuss new restrictions against Russia and Belarus, the EU-Ukraine security commitments and will assess the Ukraine Peace Summit held in Switzerland on June 15-16.

     

    MOLDOVA The Republic of Moldova’s Sovereignty Day was marked in Romania’s neighbouring country on Sunday. Since it adopted its Sovereignty Declaration on June 23, 1990, Moldova has struggled with difficulties, but it has remained a peaceful and democratic state, in which the Moldovan nation has been sovereign and has decided the fate of the state, the country’s president Maia Sandu pointed out. She added that the citizens will decide whether to join the EU in a referendum scheduled for this autumn. In her address, Sandu also said that the years of independence have taught Moldova democracy and freedom cannot be taken for granted and must be defended every day.

     

    TIFF The winner of this year’s Transylvania International Film Festival is the Indian film “Girls Will Be Girls”, directed by Shuchi Talati, a drama on the condition of women in a repressive system. Another Indian film, “The Adamant Girl,” by Vinothraj Palani, received the jury’s special award. The Indian director was also awarded at TIFF in 2021, for his debut work, “Pebbles”. Also at the TIFF Gala, the director Sebastián Quebrada won the best director award for “El Otro Hijo.” The best actor award went to the Iranian Hasan Pourshirazi, for his performance in “The Old Bachelor”, while “Dismissed” by Horia Cucută and George ve Ganćaard was voted the best feature in the Romanian Film Days.

     

    EU Next week the European Union starts its accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The EU Council’s Belgian presidency announced the official opening will take place on June 25, and that the 2 countries’ accession roadmaps will be assessed separately. The EU Council brings together the 27 Member States, which have already approved the accession and negotiation frameworks for the 2 candidate states. Chişinău and Kyiv submitted their candidacies shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania lost 2-0 to Belgium, on Saturday night in Cologne, but remains top placed in the most evenly balanced group at the European Football Championship. Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine all have 3 points each ahead of the last round in Group E, with better goal differences for Romania and Belgium. Romania’s decisive match for qualification in the eighth-finals is scheduled on Wednesday against Slovakia, in Frankfurt. Moving up into the next stages of the competition are the top 2 teams in each group and the best 4 third-ranking teams in each group. (AMP)

  • Romanian – Italian relations talked in Bucharest

    Romanian – Italian relations talked in Bucharest

    Romania is for Italy an extremely important partner at the bilateral, European, and international level and we wish this country join the border-free zone of Schengen including with its ground borders. The statement was made by the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, during his formal visit to Bucharest, where he was received by the country’s President Klaus Iohannis and the Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu. In turn, Klaus Iohannis hailed the solid ground for the development of the bilateral relations and the multi-domain cooperation with Italy including within the European and Euro-Atlantic frameworks. Trade exchanges between Romania and Italy last year hit 20 billion Euros, the president went on to say adding his appreciation for the aforementioned meeting which is a follow-up of the constant dialogue between the two countries.

    At the same time, the head of state hailed the valuable contribution of Italy to the security of the areas neighbouring Romania. He mentioned that both countries would continue to work together with all the allies for strengthening NATO’s role in preventing any kind of war.

     

    Klaus Iohannis:  “We tackled our concerns regarding security, caused by the war Russia is waging on Ukraine, with a negative impact on the region and also the entire Euro-Atlantic zone. We are going to work together to strengthen NATO’s role in preventing any type of war and of defending our states, by consolidating its deterrence and defence posture on the eastern flank as well as on the southern flank.”

    As for the EU enlargement, the Italian president voiced hope that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova would join as soon as possible.

    Sergio Mattarella also referred to the visit he earlier paid to Chișinău.

    Sergio Mattarella: “For us the EU enlargement is indispensable as well as the involvement of the candidate countries. I went to the Republic of Moldova and I reiterated the support for the Republic of Moldova and for Ukraine. We have similar positions regarding the accession process, namely the EU accession of these countries as soon as possible“.

     

    During the talks with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the head of the Italian state underlined the importance of the economic cooperation as a pillar of the bilateral relation. The Romanian-Italian economic cooperation, the common values and the connection between citizens are strengthening the bilateral relations, the Prime Minister went on to say.

     

    A major issue during the talks was that about the Romanians living in Italy, one of the most numerous Romanian communities abroad. In this context, the Prime Minister hailed the support offered by the Italian authorities for the integration of the Romanian community, the observance of rights and the acknowledgement of the benefits it brings to the Italian society.”

    (bill)

  • The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine can begin their EU accession negotiations

    The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine can begin their EU accession negotiations

    The European Commission has announced that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova have met the right conditions to be able to start negotiations to join the bloc. According to Brussels, Ukraine has made the last amendments to the laws regulating lobbying activities, as well as in the field of minorities, while the Republic of Moldova has operated changes to its legal system. In both cases, the Commission will be monitoring the implementation of the aforementioned amendments, but the steps taken by the two countries will allow them to kick off the negotiations for EU accession.

    The first stage after this moment is for the community countries to endorse the Commission’s recommendation in the European Council. Kyiv submitted its EU-entry application in February 2022 after the conflict it had with Russia in the east for several years, was followed by a large-scale invasion of the latter’s troops. A month later, the Republic of Moldova – whose pro-Russia breakaway region of Transdniester had also caused a lot of concern after the war in early 90s – asked to join the European Union.

    European leaders officially recognized Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as accession candidates in June last year. The next stage, after the EU members have approved the Commission’s recommendation, will be the setting up of an inter-governmental conference with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, a moment, which is actually the beginning of the negotiations aimed at bringing their entire legislations in line with the European one.

    These negotiations will end with the accession per se. The Council’s presidency is being currently held by Belgium, a country, which wants to summon the first inter-governmental conference during its mandate, namely by the end of this month.

    After Belgium, the EU rotating presidency will be taken over by Hungary, a country, which has repeatedly questioned the opportunity of EU enlargement.

    On Thursday at the meeting with the EU ambassadors accredited to Bucharest, occasioned by the conclusion of the Belgian presidency, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis highlighted the ‘significant reform efforts’ accomplished by both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova under extremely difficult circumstances.

    He pleaded for the continuation of the accession process of these two countries and for summoning intergovernmental conferences by the end of the Belgian presidency. The Romanian president has repeatedly mentioned Romania’s support for the two countries during their European integration process.

    Furthermore, press agencies announced as early as Wednesday that a group of eleven out of the 27 EU members have called on the Belgian presidency to endorse the negotiation frameworks for the EU accession of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova so that the inter-governmental conference with the two may be summoned late this month.

    Opening accession negotiations would offer additional motivation to both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the eleven signatories, Romania included, of the ‘Joint Letter on EU Accession have said.

    (bill)