Radio România Internațional

Tag: EU

  • June 4, 2024

    June 4, 2024

     

    INVESTIGATION Scores of house search warrants are enforced today by the Organised Crime Service of the Romanian police and by prosecutors with the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences (DIICOT), as part of a criminal investigation into organised crime and migrant smuggling, the illegal crossing of Romania’s state borders, facilitating illegal stay in Romania and money laundering. The searches are conducted in the west and centre of the country and in Bucharest. An organised crime group is probed into for illegally obtaining work permits for nearly 1,200 foreign nationals, mostly from Pakistan and Bangladesh. DIICOT prosecutors are working together with anti-corruption prosecutors who are investigating corruption-related offences. A former interior ministry employee allegedly initiated and formed an organised crime group using several companies, with one of the group’s operations involving former and current interior ministry staff. The migrants reportedly paid EUR 500 to 1,000 for a work permit, and the group would collect as much as EUR 5,000-6,000 per person to expedite procedures.

     

    BANKING The foreign currency reserves of the National Bank of Romania exceeded EUR 65 bln at the end of May, up 4.1% compared to the previous month. According to the central bank, Romania’s international reserves (foreign currency plus gold) are currently around EUR 72.2 bln.

     

    DEFENCE The Romanian defence minister, Angel Tîlvăr had a meeting on Monday with the interim chief of the European Commission representation in Romania, Mara Roman, on which occasion he pointed out that the EU’s strategic approach to the Black Sea region must include support for the countries in the region, which are facing hybrid threats and the spill-over of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. According to the defence ministry, Angel Tilvar highlighted the support provided by Romania to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova. The participants also emphasised the increasingly important role played by the European Commission in supporting EU member states in the defence and security area, and the need to further develop the relations between the EU and NATO.

     

    TEACHERS In Romania, students, teachers and other education staff will have a day off on Wednesday, to celebrate Teachers’ Day. This day is marked every year on June 5, the birthday of the great professor Gheorghe Lazăr, the founder of Romanian modern education. Summer break begins on Friday, June 21.

     

    ATTACK The Syrian national who Monday threw a Molotov cocktail at the entrance of the Israeli Embassy building in Bucharest was arrested. The police say the attack was caused by personal grievances related to his visa application, and not by the Israeli operations in Gaza. The Ambassador of Israel to Bucharest, Reuven Azar, described the incident as a terror attack and praised the prompt response of the Romanian police.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football team is playing Bulgaria tonight and Liechtenstein on Friday, June 7, in two friendly matches ahead of the European Championship due to kick off on June 14 in Germany. Bucharest will host both matches. Romania was drawn in Group E alongside Ukraine, Belgium and Slovakia. The national team will play Ukraine on June 17 in Munich, Belgium on June 22 in Cologne, and finally Slovakia on June 26, in Frankfurt. Romania last took part in a European Championship in 2016 in France. (AMP)

  • The EU and the Black Sea

    The EU and the Black Sea

    “The EU’s strategic approach for the Black Sea region must also include support for the states in the region facing hybrid threats and the consequences of the aggression war Russia is presently waging on Ukraine”. The statement was made by Romania’s Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr, who on Monday met the interim chief of the European Commission Representation in Romania, Mara Roman.

    According to a communiqué of the field ministry, the European developments in the area of defence and the prospects of Bucharest in this context were high on the talks agenda of the two officials. Angel Tîlvăr and Mara Roman also tackled the EU’s role in supporting Romania’s two neighbours, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

    On this occasion, the Defence Minister highlighted the support Bucharest offered the two countries both in terms of their European integration efforts and in boosting resilience. The two also referred to the main initiatives and European instruments with relevance in the field of defence, such as the European Defence Fund, military mobility, the EU’s Defence Industry Strategy, namely the need for strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. “It is important that the European defence industry develop in a geographically-balanced manner, and the small and medium-size enterprises as well as the start-ups in the entire Europe be integrated in the industrial ecosystem” – Angel Tâlvăr said. According to him, the “EU-NATO cooperation on this issue for using the potential of the instruments the two institutions have at their disposal is essential.”

    According to the communiqué, the meeting between the two officials highlighted the ever increasing role played by the European Commission in supporting member states in terms of security and defence with emphasis on the need for carrying on the development of the synergic EU-NATO relations.

    In fact, at a specialized forum held last month in Bucharest, the head of the Romanian diplomacy, Luminita Odobescu said the Black Sea is essential from the viewpoint of security and connectivity for Europe and it is needed to be an open and free sea. “When we are thinking about the Black Sea, we are speaking about two key words, – security and connectivity” – Minister Odobescu went on to say.

    The official also pointed out that Romania contributes to the Black Sea security through national, bilateral actions, but also through projects and formats of regional cooperation as well as actions at the level of the EU and NATO. According to her, “reestablishing peace and security at the Black Sea is essential for the security of us all. The same idea has been repeatedly conveyed by the European officials, underlying the joint commitment to maintaining stability and security in this area of top strategic importance.

    (bill)

  • Security Pact between the Republic of Moldova and the EU

    Security Pact between the Republic of Moldova and the EU

    All military experts and political analysts say about the Republic of Moldova that it is Ukraine’s neighbor most seriously affected by the Russian invasion. In solidarity with the authorities in Kyiv, which are trying to resist the invaders, and host to many Ukrainian refugees, Chişinău has become, in turn, a target for the Russians. All the elements of a hybrid war, such as false bomb alerts, cyber-attacks, illegally financed protests, energy blackmail, are the challenges that the Internal Affairs system must face, the former minister of internal affairs in the pro-Western government, Ana Revenco told Radio Chișinău. Pro-war propaganda, she added, incitement to hatred, disinformation, parts of the same hybrid war, are meant to weaken the resilience of citizens. ‘There are already certainties that Russia is now using more and much more intensively the levers by which it tries to destabilize the situation in the Republic of Moldova, not without the support of the fugitive oligarchs’ the former minister Revenco said.

     

    Against this distressing background, the Republic of Moldova signed, on Tuesday, a security and defense pact with the European Union. Thanks to it, the signatories say, the collaboration between Chişinău and Brussels will be much closer and will offer the republic more tools to strengthen its security on multiple levels, including in the military field. The correspondent of Radio Romania in Brussels reports that, from now on, the Republic of Moldova can participate in the missions subordinated to the European policy for security and defense and will receive help to strengthen its military capabilities. Also, its soldiers will be integrated into the European rapid military deployment corps and will participate in joint exercises and training.

     

    Another way of collaboration between the EU and Moldova is the so-called European Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, through which the member states can acquire and deliver military equipment. The cooperation between the two sides is also extended to the fields of hybrid attacks, disinformation and securing critical infrastructure and borders. Practically, commentators say, everything related to the security of the Republic of Moldova is now the object of the collaboration provided for in the pact. With the status of neutrality stipulated, three decades ago, in a constitution that many consider outdated, Chișinău has one of the least numerous and poorly equipped armies in Europe. But the Defense Minister, Anatolie Nosatîi, a career military, with training courses in the United States, promises to strengthen the army, in the context of the hybrid war waged by Russia. In an interview to the media from Bucharest, Nosatîi also spoke about cooperation in the military field with the European Union, NATO and neighboring Romania and insisted that the North Atlantic Alliance “is not the scarecrow that the Russian propaganda is talking about.”(LS)

     

  • Romania in the EU: a net beneficiary

    Romania in the EU: a net beneficiary

     

    “Romania is a major chapter in the history of the European Union. It means a chance given together with the money from Brussels, for modern infrastructure and opportunities for all Romanians.”

     

    The statement was made by the finance minister Marcel Boloş on May 9th, Europe Day. Boloş voiced his confidence that the European funds are indeed changing lives. If only in financial terms, Romania’s EU membership has been a huge benefit, translating into funds that most likely the country could not have been able to receive from other sources.

     

    According to minister Boloş, for each euro contributed by Romania to the bloc’s budget, it has received 3 euros back. “Specifically, since its accession in 2007, Romania has received over EUR 95 billion, and it has contributed EUR 30 bln to the European Union budget. So the net financial balance points to benefits of EUR 65 bln,” the finance minister explained.

     

    According to him, due to these funds Romania managed in 2020 to have more than EUR 6 bln in EU funding invested in one year, and last year it has reached a record-high EUR 16 bln.

     

    On the other hand, Romania’s EU accession also meant integration in the single market, and the free movement of goods, people, services and capital, Mr. Boloş said. He argued that since the accession foreign investment has doubled, to approx. EUR 108 bln in 2022, and the fact that Romania has become attractive for EU companies meant not only investments, but also the development of sectors that had previously been neglected.

     

    For Romanians, the development entailed by the EU accession also meant higher salaries. Over the past 17 years, minimum wages have been increased 20 times, to a monthly gross EUR 660. Marcel Boloş also mentioned the dozens of schools and kindergartens built or revamped using EU funds, including in villages and small towns, and the 1,300 km of roads built or upgraded.

     

    The EU funding for the period 2014 – 2020 has helped over 95,000 Romanian companies to become more productive, thanks to investments in new equipment, automation, personnel training, and enhanced energy efficiency, the finance minister pointed out. Other projects funded from the EU budget include modernised regional airports, as well as thousands of km of utility networks.

     

    But what the EU accession has meant for Romania, even more important than access to resources and welfare, was embracing the values and principles governing the European bloc: the rule of law, freedom of expression, social inclusion, tolerance—the ingredients of a functioning democracy.

     

    And while self-styled sovereignsts and purported conservatives criticise and despise the European project, they know they have nothing sustainable to replace it with. (AMP)

  • Election and Misinformation

    Election and Misinformation

    The European Commission has kicked off an information campaign for citizens on the risks posed by misinformation and information handling by players from outside the European Union. The Brussels’ move comes after a survey it made over the social networks Facebook and Instagram, which it accuses of failing to comply with their obligations on fighting misinformation. In this context, the EU Executive has launched an audio-video clip to be broadcast on all the press channels in all the member states before the elections for the EU Parliament. The 30 second clip is advising the voters to have a critical attitude towards the content distributed by the online media, analyze and don’t believe everything they read.

    Voters must be aware the video and audio materials can contain fake or incomplete information especially at this time marked by the accelerated development of the AI programmes. Another piece of advice is that they should check information and rely on trusted sources, such as the main stream press and not on sites, blogs or other social media disseminating various opinions and rumors instead of verified information.

    Last but not least, European citizens should avoid conveying unverified information so that they themselves may not become a misinformation channel. The informative clip, which is going to appear on media channels in Romania as well by the end of this month, comes against the election campaign for the local and EU Parliament election, which kicked off in Romania on May 10th. We recall that it’s for the first time when Romanians will be voting for their local administration and their favourite MEPs on the same day, June 9th.

    For 30 days from now on, discriminatory messages and slogans or those inciting to hate and intolerance as well as other forms of defamation are strictly forbidden.

    The Central Election Office is firmly recommending to election contenders to obey the general rules of the campaign have a balanced, sincere and constructive discourse and avoid distorted and manipulated information in order to be able to prevent the dissemination of fake news or other forms of derailment that may hinder the good functioning of the election process. The head of the Permanent Election Authority, Toni Greblă, has announced that roughly 21 million ballot papers have been printed, and that for the first time ever 900 polling stations will be set up in foreign countries upon the request of the Romanian communities living in those countries.

    The official has also pointed out that Romanians also have access to the “Code of Good Practices regarding Misinformation” as well as the “Guide for the Prevention and Combating Misinformation Actions Targeting Voters’, available on the websites of the Central Election Office and the Permanent Election Authority.

    (bill)

  • April 13, 2024 UPDATE

    April 13, 2024 UPDATE

    Salary – In Romania, the average net salary rose to 4,876 lei (about 980 Euros) in February, up 17 lei compared to the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The lowest values ​​are still in the field of clothing manufacturing, and the highest in information technology. As to the evolution of consumer prices, the average wage was actually slightly lower than in January, but, compared to February 2023, it increased by 14%. The minimum wage in Romania will increase, from July 1, from 3,300 lei to 3,700 lei (740 Euros).

     

    Aid – The European Commission sent the member states the proposal to extend the measures regarding state aid, in the context of the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Until June 30, the EU countries can grant a series of facilities to limit the negative effects of the conflict in such domains as agriculture and energy. The Commission made this decision following the difficulties faced by European farmers in particular and as a result of their consultation through the online survey completed on March 27. According to the survey, the markets of the member states are still unbalanced by the effects of the war, and also by the measures taken by the EU to support the Ukrainian export of agricultural products. According to the commission’s proposal, member states can grant state aid of up to 280,000 Euros to agricultural companies, up to 335,000 Euros to those in the field of fishing and aquaculture and up to 2.25 million Euros to those in the rest of the affected sectors. A second type of aid is aimed at compensating energy costs, and primarily targets the large industrial consumers.

     

    Tennis – The Argentinean tennis player Francisco Cerundolo, world number 22, will be the top seed of the Ţiriac Open (ATP 250) tournament, which will take place at the Năstase / Marica Sports Base in Bucharest, between April 15-21. Cerundolo will enter directly into the round of 16, when he will face the winner of the match between the French Richard Gasquet and the Argentinean Federico Coria, according to Saturday’s drawing of lots. The main singles draw will feature, among others, the Swiss “veteran” Stan Wawrinka, whose opponent in the first round will be the Portuguese Nuno Borges, and the Canadian Denis Shapovalov who will face the French Corentin Moutet. The Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, the second seed, and the American Sebastian Korda, seed no. 3, will enter directly into the round of 16. The winner of the Bucharest tournament will get 250 ATP points. The total prizes offered are worth 580,000 Euros.

     

    Congress – Representatives from almost 70 countries are debating within the World Congress of Ukrainians, which is taking place at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, ways to encourage the strengthening of Ukrainian culture, identity, traditions and language in communities around the world. Nicolae Miroslav Petreţchi, a deputy from the Ukrainian minority in the Romanian Parliament, said that the choice of the venue is not accidental. He says that Romania is a reliable partner for Ukraine, the bilateral relations being very close and at a strategic level. The Ukrainian diaspora is one of the largest in the world, with over 26 million members, plus about 6 million refugees following the Russian invasion of 2022.

     

    Kyiv – The situation on the Eastern Front has deteriorated considerably in the last few days, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff, Oleksandr Sîrski, said on Saturday. He said that this was mainly due to a significant intensification of the Russian offensive after the presidential election in Moscow. Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months for more ammunition and anti-aircraft defense systems. However, the aid is running out due to political blockages in Washington, which forces the Ukrainian military to save ammunition, the press agencies write. On Saturday, Germany announced that it would supply Kyiv with an additional Patriot air defense system to defend against increased attacks. “Russian terror against Ukrainian cities and the country’s infrastructure is causing immeasurable suffering,” said the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

     

    Canberra – Six people were killed in a mass stabbing in a Sydney mall on Saturday afternoon, while others are in hospital, including a child, police and emergency services said, as quoted by news agencies.  The police, who shot dead the attacker, say that he acted alone. Also, the police claim that nothing at the scene of the attack indicates the motivation of the knife attack, but they state that they do not exclude a terrorist track. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the police officer who shot the criminal, saying that, through her courage, she has saved lives. (LS)

  • April 13, 2024

    April 13, 2024

    Salary – In Romania, the average net salary rose to 4,876 lei (about 980 Euros) in February, up 17 lei compared to the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The lowest values ​​are still in the field of clothing manufacturing, and the highest in information technology. As to the evolution of consumer prices, the average wage was actually slightly lower than in January, but, compared to February 2023, it increased by 14%. The minimum wage in Romania will increase, from July 1, from 3,300 lei to 3,700 lei (740 Euros).

     

    Aid – The European Commission sent the member states the proposal to extend the measures regarding state aid, in the context of the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Until June 30, the EU countries can grant a series of facilities to limit the negative effects of the conflict in such domains as agriculture and energy. The Commission made this decision following the difficulties faced by European farmers in particular and as a result of their consultation through the online survey completed on March 27. According to the survey, the markets of the member states are still unbalanced by the effects of the war, and also by the measures taken by the EU to support the Ukrainian export of agricultural products. According to the commission’s proposal, member states can grant state aid of up to 280,000 Euros to agricultural companies, up to 335,000 Euros to those in the field of fishing and aquaculture and up to 2.25 million Euros to those in the rest of the affected sectors. A second type of aid is aimed at compensating energy costs, and primarily targets the large industrial consumers.

     

    Tennis – Romania is led by Ukraine 2-0 after the first matches played, on Friday, in the USA, in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. Elina Svitolina defeated Jaqueline Cristian, and Ana Bogdan lost to Lesia Ţurenko. Today, Bogdan will face Svitolina, and the last singles match will pit Cristian against Ţurenko. The pair Liudmila Kicenok/Nadia Kicenok and Mara Gae/Anca Todoni will meet in the doubles match. Romania and Ukraine have met four times so far, with the Romanians leading with the score 3-1. In November, Romania defeated Serbia in the play-off to stay in the World Group of the competition, while Ukraine defeated Lithuania.

     

    Middle East – The American forces in the Middle East and the Israeli forces are on alert to respond to a possible Iranian attack. Tehran has threatened to respond to the April 1 attack, blamed on Israel, on a building belonging to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, in which a prominent commander of the Revolutionary Guards was killed. According to the Radio Romania News and Current Affairs (RRA) correspondent, Israel’s defense system announced that all the military departments of the army are prepared for the conflict with Iran at any moment it may occur. In order to prepare in advance the reaction to a possible launch of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or drones, the Israeli air force keeps patrolling and observation planes in the air 24 hours a day, and all interception systems are on high alert.

     

    Kyiv – The situation on the Eastern Front has deteriorated considerably in the last few days, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff, Oleksandr Sîrski, said on Saturday. He said that this was mainly due to a significant intensification of the Russian offensive after the presidential election in Moscow. Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months for more ammunition and anti-aircraft defense systems. However, the aid is running out due to political blockages in Washington, which forces the Ukrainian military to save ammunition, the press agencies write. The Ukrainian military are also having difficulty in the recruiting process, to face larger and better-equipped Russian forces. (LS)

     

  • Safeguarding Democracy: the role of the media in the European Elections 2024

    Safeguarding Democracy: the role of the media in the European Elections 2024

     

    RRI’s Eugen Cojocariu talked to Sabine Verheyen, chair of the Committee on Culture and Education and rapporteur on the European Media Freedom Act, adopted in March by the European Parliament, about what the new legislation means for the public media and the private press sector in Europe.

     

    Sabine Verheyen also discussed the means for EU institutions to counter disinformation in the coming elections for the European Parliament, so as to prevent prospective interference from third countries.

     

    Convincing the young generations to vote is also important, Sabine Verheyen says, and in this respect European youth need more information coming from EU institutions.

     

     

  • March 14, 2024

    March 14, 2024

     

    ELECTIONS The ruling coalition in Romania convenes today to discuss a joint candidate in the election for mayor general of Bucharest. So far the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party have failed to reach an agreement on the topic. The 2 parties will however present a joint list of candidates for the elections for the European Parliament, due on 9 June, concurrently with the country’s local elections. The head of the European Commission’s representative office in Bucharest, Ramona Chiriac, the top nominee on this list, announced she would take unpaid leave to prepare her campaign. A career diplomat, Chiriac has nearly 20-year long experience in European affairs. The election campaign starts on 10 May and ends the day before the elections. Also this year, Romania will hold presidential elections in September and parliamentary elections in December.

     

    TREASURE  In a debate on Thursday, MEPs called on Russia to fully return Romania’s national treasure, and urged the European Commission and other relevant EU institutions to support Romania in its efforts. This was the first discussion in the European Parliament concerning the Romanian national treasure illegally appropriated by Russia during WWI. The EU Commissioner for cohesion and reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said the treasure had been sent for safekeeping to Russia, but was never fully returned, either by the Soviet Union or the Russian Federation. The EU is prepared to support the Romanian authorities in fully recovering the treasure, should they request EU assistance, Elisa Ferreira said, but she warned that Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine entailed the suspension of cooperation mechanisms with Moscow. The EP debate on the treasure will be followed by a vote on a resolution in this respect. During WWI, Romania sent its national treasure for safekeeping to Russia, its only ally in the vicinity, but the Communist regime seized the assets and refused to return them. The National Bank entrusted Moscow with a total of 91.48 tonnes of pure gold.

     

    MEDIA The European Parliament passed the European Media Freedom Act, which is designed to protect journalists and media organisations in the EU from political and economic interference. According to the Radio Romania News and Current Affairs’ correspondent, under the new legislation member states will be obliged to protect journalists from governmental, political, economic and private interference, and all forms of interventions in editorial decisions will be banned. In order to ensure transparency with respect to mass media ownership, all channels, regardless of their size, will have to make public their ownership structure and their use of public funding.

     

    RECOVERY The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu Thursday announced that the ministers coordinating reforms would have a meeting next week with Celine Gauer, the European Commission’s director general of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force, to analyse major benchmarks in Romania’s 3rd payment request. He denied that the National Recovery and Resilience Plan has reached a deadlock, and emphasised that Romania’s relation with the European Commission is quite good. Previously, the minister for European investments and projects, Adrian Câciu, also said the 3rd payment request was not frozen. The explanations came after information was leaked regarding the European Commission freezing the 3rd payment request under the NRRP for failure to meet certain benchmarks, which according to Save Romania Union in opposition were related to appointments in the management of state-owned energy corporations and the agency charged with monitoring state-owned companies. Under the NRRP, all these institutions, without exception, must operate in compliance with corporate governance principles. On Thursday the government approved changes to the multi-annual budget for the reforms and investments undertaken in the NRRP.

     

    AID The National Emergency Committee passed a resolution under which Romania is to grant international assistance to Jordan, consisting in medical equipment and supplies necessary for the operation of a field hospital in Gaza. The donated products and equipment come from the medical emergency inventory managed by the Inspectorate General for Emergencies, and were flown to the site by aircraft made available by the defence ministry.

  • March 11, 2024 UPDATE

    March 11, 2024 UPDATE

    Elections – The Romanian government adopted on Monday, in an extraordinary meeting, a decision that establishes the calendar of the combined elections of June 9, 2024. According to the emergency ordinance on holding the two elections simultaneously, recently adopted by the executive, the local officials will be able to run on behalf of another political party if they announce that 45 days before the date of the elections. The document is criticized by the opposition. The United Right Alliance requested the Ombudsman to notify the Constitutional Court in relation to the emergency ordinance on merging the European Parliament elections with the local ones. The representatives of the Alliance state that they have identified provisions in the law adopted on Friday that violate both the Constitution and some previous decisions of the Court.

     

    Protests – The employees of the Romanian healthcare system protested, on Monday, in front of the headquarters of the Government, the Labor Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Parliament, the main dissatisfaction being related to salary incomes. Several thousand trade unionists, members of the Sanitary Solidarity Federation, participated. People continue to be dissatisfied, although the Government approved, last week, an increase in the healthcare staff’s salaries by 20% in two equal installments, in March and June. The trade union representatives believe that the increase is insufficient and state that the extra amounts do not cover the inflation rate. Moreover, they claim that the government’s emergency ordinance does not include any provision regarding increases or the hourly rate of on-call services.

     

    Tennis – After a year and a half break, the Romanian tennis player Simona Halep will return to the tennis courts, the former world leader leaving, this morning, for Miami. The athlete has not played an official match since August 2022 and will now make her debut at the WTA 1000 tournament in the USA (March 17-31). Outside the WTA ranking, Halep received a wildcard from the organizers, an invitation that allows her to be on the main draw of the tournament. We remind you that Simona Halep received the right to return to the tennis court after the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne has recently reduced her suspension for doping from 4 years to 9 months. The athlete managed to prove that the doping substance she unintentionally ingested came from a contaminated food supplement.

     

    Partnership – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, on Monday had a telephone conversation with her Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, in the context of the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Japan. The economic, sectoral and cultural projects were reviewed and their development opportunities were highlighted. Starting from the interdependence of security situations, the two ministers addressed the latest developments regarding Europe and the Indo-Pacific area. Both sides highlighted Romania’s and Japan’s firm support for Ukraine and each country’s contribution to the effort to mitigate the multiple negative effects of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including on its neighbors.

     

    Moldova – The Constitutional Court in Chişinău decided on Monday that the phrase “Romanian language” should remain in all the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, including the Constitution, the magistrates rejecting a notification submitted by socialist and communist deputies, Radio Chişinău reports. At the end of March last year, the deputies of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) submitted a notification to the Constitutional Court requesting the verification of the constitutionality of the decision to change the name of the state language, from Moldovan to Romanian, in all the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, including in the Constitution. The main argument of the authors of the complaint was that the parliamentary group of the ruling Action and Solidarity party changed the Constitution with the votes of a simple majority of deputies, and not with two-thirds of the votes. The respective bill was voted by the Moldovan Parliament in the final reading last year, and the president Maia Sandu promulgated the law.

     

    NATO – Romania firmly supports the Open Door Policy of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, and “Sweden’s accession proves that NATO’s door remains open and that together we are stronger”, said the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr. On Monday, the ceremony of raising the flags of Sweden, Romania and NATO took place at the Romanian Defense Ministry headquarters, on the occasion of Sweden’s entry into the North Atlantic Alliance, in the presence of the minister and the ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Romania, Therese Hyden. According to a press release, during the ceremony, Angel Tîlvăr declared that Sweden, as a NATO member, will equally contribute both to the development of the Alliance policies and decisions and to the consolidation of allied forces. In turn, Therese Hyden stated that with Sweden’s joining NATO, the North Atlantic Alliance will be stronger and Sweden will be safer.

     

    EC – Romania received, on Monday, 642 million Euros from the European Commission for the Just Transition Platform – FTJ STEP, representing a single exceptional pre-financing within the ‘Strategic Technologies for Europe’ (STEP) platform – the Minister of Investments and European Projects, Adrian Hat announced. The platform will support the development of European industry and the stimulation of investments in critical technologies in Europe. According to the minister, at present, Romania has received sums worth 1.23 billion Euros within the Cohesion Policy 2021 – 2027, and by the end of this year, it will have in its accounts at least 5 billion Euros from the new Cohesion Policy. (LS)

  • The Romanian Senate Speaker pays visit to Chisinau

    The Romanian Senate Speaker pays visit to Chisinau

    One day, Romania and the Republic of Moldova will be together in the great European family. This is the message conveyed, in Chisinau, by the Speaker of the Bucharest Senate, Nicolae Ciucă. He paid a visit to the neighboring, ex-Soviet, mostly Romanian-speaking country where he met with the Moldovan President, Maia Sandu and with the head of Parliament, Igor Grosu. “The citizens of the Republic of Moldova already know that Romania is their most reliable partner. My thoughts also go to the hundreds of thousands of Moldovan citizens who live in Romania and who are worried about their families across the Prut River”, said Nicolae Ciucă.

     

     

    He pointed out that the place of the Republic of Moldova is in the European Union, and that Romania remains its main partner in this endeavor.  “I am convinced that, as the institutions of the Republic of Moldova implement the necessary reforms in the key areas, the European idea will become more concrete, more tangible, more desired, by the society and by the entire political class”, Ciucă also said. He emphasized that the Republic of Moldova is an independent and sovereign country and the only one that can decide its own fate.

     

     

    On the other hand, the Romanian official pointed out at the meeting in Chisinau with President Maia Sandu, that the hybrid war started by Moscow did not reach its objectives in Moldova, which is a victory and very good news in Bucharest as well.   In turn, Maia Sandu said that Romania is the most important political and economic partner of the Republic of Moldova. She emphasized the importance of continuing energy interconnection projects, including through the Suceava-Bălţi (north) overhead power line, which will increase the energy independence of her country. At the same time, the two officials also discussed the projects to modernize and build several bridges over the Prut River, which will ease cross-border traffic, intensify economic cooperation and bring Moldova even closer to Romania and the European Union. Maia Sandu thanked for the unconditional support provided by Romania over time, noting that the Chisinau authorities count a lot on Romania’s expertise and contribution in the European integration process.

     

     

    At the meeting with the head of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Grosu, Nicolae Ciucă discussed topics related to the reform agenda, inter-parliamentary cooperation, cooperation in the energy field and the acceleration of infrastructure projects. The Romanian official mentioned, on this occasion, that Romania supplies a part of the gas consumption of the neighboring state. “We will continue to support the Republic of Moldova in this respect, given the energy blackmail that the Russian Federation uses as a weapon in the relationship with the rest of Europe”, Ciucă added. The two presidents also discussed ways of expanding cooperation in the economic and investment fields. Also, the Romanian official conveyed a message of solidarity and support in the particularly complicated security context for the Republic of Moldova.

    (EE)

  • February 27, 2024 UPDATE

    February 27, 2024 UPDATE

    Paris – The participants in the Paris Conference in support of Ukraine, organized at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, reiterated their unity and determination to continue supporting the war effort of the Ukrainian army. President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a recorded message, in which he thanked the French president for the initiative and the leaders present for the help given to his country so far and for their future involvement. President Macron stated that the defeat of Russia is indispensable to guarantee the security and stability of the European continent. The leaders present agreed on the formation of a coalition to provide Kyiv with medium and long range missiles and bombs, necessary for defense purposes. Attending the meeting, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed President Macron’s approach and emphasized that the unity and solidarity of the international community in support of Ukraine are essential and must be maintained. Iohannis said that Romania would continue to support Ukraine on all levels, as long as it is needed.

     

    Law – The Romanian deputies adopted, on Tuesday, the draft law that prohibits the sale to minors of electronic cigarettes, of devices for heating tobacco, and nicotine sachets for oral use. According to the new provisions, those who violate the law will pay fines of up to 100 thousand lei (20 thousand Euros). The bill also provides that the sanctions for pupils who use these products in educational institutions will be established by the Education Ministry. Also on Tuesday, the Chamber of Deputies adopted the legal framework for the establishment of detention and education centers for minors, in all eight development regions of the country. Sections specialized in the treatment and social reintegration of young people addicted to psychoactive substances will also operate for the first time within these units. In recent years, there has been an increase in juvenile delinquency in Romania.

     

    Protests – Airport workers on Tuesday picketed the Finance Ministry in Bucharest, to denounce what they consider to be wage discrimination against other state companies. Qualified aviation personnel are not easy to find and cannot be trained from one day to the next, and Romania is already struggling with a shortage of specialized labor force, according to the aviation trade union. The union calls for the elimination of criteria based on salary ceilings, because they are discriminatory and discourage professionalism. On the other hand, taxi drivers continue their protest that started on Monday in the center of Bucharest. They claim that the alternative transport platforms give them unfair competition and ask the government to issue an emergency ordinance so that they comply with the same rules. Taxi drivers request the limitation of the number of authorizations for alternative transport and similar rates for the mandatory civil liability insurance policy for motor vehicles.

     

    NATO – NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, and the leaders of the member countries welcomed the ratification, with an overwhelming majority of votes, in the Hungarian Parliament, of Sweden’s accession to NATO, the final stage that precedes the reception of the last Scandinavian country in the North Atlantic Alliance. With Sweden within NATO, we will strengthen the defense and deterrence posture on the eastern flank and we will continue the strong support for Ukraine, said, in turn, Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis.

     

    Nature restoration – The European Parliament adopted a new nature law on Tuesday, which stipulates that, by 2030, the Union must implement restoration measures for at least 20% of land and sea surfaces and for all ecosystems by 2050. At the moment, over 80% of European habitats are in a precarious state. In order to improve biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems, EU countries will have to make progress on certain indicators, including the grassland butterfly index and the stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils. Measures to increase the common farmland bird index must also be taken as birds are good indicators of the overall state of biodiversity. At the same time, measures must be taken to increase the index of common birds specific to agricultural land. The law requires, among other things, progress in relation to several indicators for forest ecosystems and requires three billion more trees to be planted. (LS)

  • February 20, 2024

    February 20, 2024

    VISIT The Romanian Senate Speaker, Nicolae Ciucă, who is on an official visit to Madrid, has talks scheduled today with the head of the People’s Party in Spain, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, and the secretary general for defence policy, Juan Francisco Martinez Nunez. Mr. Ciucǎ will also have a meeting with the Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Spain and Portugal, Timotei. On Monday, after the meeting with his counterpart, Pedro Rollan Ojeda, Nicolae Ciuca announced that the Romanians living in Spain may hold dual citizenship as of this year.

     

    ELECTIONS The leaders of the Social Democratic Party and National Liberal Party in Romania’s ruling coalition are meeting again on Wednesday to decide on whether to merge this year’s elections, after the talks so far have failed. The Liberals want the local elections to take place this summer concurrently with the elections for the European Parliament, while the Social Democrats want the parliamentary elections due this autumn to be held jointly with the second round of the presidential election. Save Romania Union, in opposition, threatened to take any legislation merging the elections to the Constitutional Court. This year all 4 types of elections are scheduled in Romania (local, parliamentary, and presidential ballots, and elections for the EP).

     

    HEALTH Some 3.3 million sick leaves were given in Romania last year, which is significantly below the over 4 million reported in 2022. Most sick leaves were taken by cancer patients and pregnant women. The head of the National Health Insurance Agency, Valeria Herdea, says this is not about the number of sick leave days taken by people, but about the fact that many citizens have health problems. Recently, the government has issued an order introducing a 10% tax on sick leave allowances. The authorities argued this was to discourage the practice of taking sick leaves for minor health problems. But the order triggered discontent especially among cancer patients. The Senate withdrew the provision, and the order is to be discussed next in the Chamber of Deputies.

     

    AUTOMOTIVE The Romanian automotive market will likely see a moderate 5% growth this year, the Romanian Automobile Producers and Importers Association (APIA) announced. The Association expects EV sales to continue to increase, and sales of diesel vehicles to drop in 2024.

     

    MISSION The European Union has launched its own naval mission to protect commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Romania may also take part in the mission. Greece will provide a commander for its operational headquarters, while Italy will provide the force commander. According to the Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani, since November Houthi rebels have been attacking commercial vessels on this route, allegedly in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza.

     

    TABLE TENNIS Romania’s men’s team have qualified in the round of 32 of the world table tennis championships in Busan, South Korea, after defeating Iran, 3-1 on Tuesday. On Monday, Romania’s women’s team went straight into the eighth-finals. Taking part in the men’s and women’s competition in South Korea are 40 teams. The top 8 teams at the World Championships are qualified in this year’s Olympic Games in Paris. (AMP)

  • February 14, 2024 UPDATE

    February 14, 2024 UPDATE

    Rome — The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu on Wednesday started a two-day working visit to Rome, the focal point of which is the third joint meeting of the governments of Romania and Italy. The previous intergovernmental summit was 13 years ago. On this occasion, there will also be an economic forum with the participation of the business environment from the two countries. The prime minister also has scheduled meetings with the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, with representatives of the Romanian community in Italy, as well as a papal audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Romanias ambassador to Italy, Gabriela Dancău, said that, a joint declaration will be signed by the prime ministers on the development of the consolidated strategic partnership, and, at the level of the ministers, several sectoral cooperation documents will be signed. On Thursday, Marcel Ciolacu will have an official meeting with his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, after which they will make press statements. Italy is home to the largest community of Romanians abroad, over 1,100,000. Italy is Romanias second trading partner, with a share in our countrys total trade of approximately 9.5%.



    Cyber attack – Several hospitals in Romania, including in Bucharest, have been targeted by a cyber-attack that encrypted data on their servers, the National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) announced. Most of the healthcare units affected by the incident had safety copies of their data. According to the health ministry, exceptional security measures have been implemented, with many units in the healthcare system disconnected from the internet for further inquiries. The Directorate Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism Offences has started a criminal investigation.



    Farmers – The European Commission has officially endorsed a regulation which grants a one-year exemption from the rule requiring farmers to keep 4% of their arable land fallow. The rule, designed to help improve environment conditions, had sparked protests across the EU, including in Romania. In exchange, farmers are now required to grow nitrogen fixing crops such as lentils or peas. The new regulation is intended to give farmers more flexibility, while also protecting biodiversity and land quality. The measure is to be applied for the year 2024. Member States have 15 days to notify the Commission of the implementation option that they choose out of the 2 alternatives available.



    Statistics — Romanias economy grew by 2% in 2023, according to the data published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics in Bucharest. In exchange, the gross domestic product increased last year by only 0.5% both in the EU and in the euro zone. At the same time, the annual rate of inflation in Romania was 7.41% in January compared to 6.61% in December 2023. Services prices rose the most, by 1.55%, followed by foodstuffs, by 1 .3%, and non-food products, by 0.74%. More important price drops were recorded in milling products and edible oil.




    Medicines – The National Agency for Medicines in Romania will establish, this year, a list of vital medicines for our country. The decision comes after, at the European level, around 200 medicines have been identified that often miss from the markets of several member states. The European list will be transformed into a series of national lists of critical medicines, said the President of the Agency, Răzvan Prisada. About the medicines included in the document he explained that they are not necessarily in short supply at present, but that risks may arise once they become scarce. Among the causes that can lead to a shortage of medicines, Prisada identified an entire range, from commercial reasons to the lack of raw materials. He added that, at the European level, there is a seasonal problem with the lack of antibiotics, but this will be solved once the epidemiological season ends.



    Renewable energy – Romania remained the last country in the European Union that failed to regulate the trading of guarantees of origin for the export of renewable energy, which limits the national renewable energy market. This takes place in the context of the multiplication of long-term contracts for the purchase of electricity negotiated directly, against the background of the spread of energy from renewable sources. The Secretary of State in Romania’s Energy Ministry, Dan Drăgan, has given assurances that the problem will be solved. He estimates that, by mid 2024, the National Energy Regulatory Authority will become part of the European regulatory framework, and by the end of this year guarantees of origin will be able to be traded at the European level. (AMP, LS)

  • February 14, 2024

    February 14, 2024

    VISIT A Romanian
    delegation headed by PM Marcel Ciolacu is on a visit to Rome as of today. The
    main item on the agenda is the 3rd joint meeting of the 2 countries’
    governments, held 13 years
    after the previous inter-governmental summit. An economic forum will also be organised,
    attended by business people from the 2 countries. PM Ciolacu has meetings today with
    members of the Romanian community in Italy, and is to be received by His
    Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. Also today, the Romanian official has
    talks with the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri. On Thursday Marcel Ciolcacu
    will have an official meeting with the PM of Italy, Georgia Meloni, followed by
    joint press statements. Italy is home to the largest Romanian community abroad,
    comprising more than 1.1 million citizens, and is Romania’s second-largest
    trade partner, with exchanges accounting for approx. 9.5% of the country’s
    foreign trade.


    CYBER ATTACK Several hospitals in Romania, including
    in Bucharest, have been targeted by a cyber-attack that encrypted data on their
    servers, the National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) announced. Most of the
    healthcare units affected by the incident had safety copies of their data.
    According to the health ministry, exceptional security measures have been
    implemented, with many units in the healthcare system disconnected from the
    internet for further inquiries. The Directorate Investigating Organised Crime
    and Terrorism Offences has started a criminal investigation.


    FARMERS The European Commission has officially endorsed a regulation which
    grants a one-year exemption from the rule requiring farmers to keep 4% of their
    arable land fallow. The rule, designed to help improve environment
    conditions, had sparked protests across the EU, including in Romania. In exchange, farmers
    are now required to grow nitrogen fixing crops such as lentils or peas. The new
    regulation is intended to give farmers more flexibility, while also protecting
    biodiversity and land quality. The measure is to be applied for the year 2024. Member
    States have 15 days to notify the Commission of the implementation option that they
    choose out of the 2 alternatives available.


    STUDENTS Romanian schoolchildren may
    have free of charge access to museums, concerts, theatre and opera shows,
    movies and other cultural and sports events organised by public institutions,
    within approved budgets, under a new bill passed in the Senate and backed by
    all parliamentary parties. In a society threatened by the absence of role
    models, museums and other informal learning venues should be available to
    students free of charge, and this facility is an investment in their
    educational future, the bill authors argue. The draft law is to be forwarded to
    the Chamber of Deputies for the decisive vote.


    TRANSPORTS Special lanes for EU and third-country lorries will be
    operational in several Romanian checkpoints as of this week, the public road
    company has announced. This is one of the measures agreed on with the carriers
    that have been protesting in Romania over the past month, and it is designed to
    reduce waiting times at the border. Moreover, carriers will no longer be
    charged additional fees for weight 5% over the accepted ceiling. A new round of
    talks on separate flows for EU and non-EU lorries was held on Tuesday by the
    transport ministry, the public road company and road transport operators.


    INTERESTS The
    National Bank of Romania has decided to keep the monetary policy interest rate
    at 7% per year, the institution announced. The key interest rate has not been
    changed since last January, when the National Bank decided to raise it from
    6.75% to 7% per year. A balanced mix of macroeconomic policies and structural
    reforms, including the use of EU funding to encourage the country’s growth
    potential in the long run, are vital to maintaining macroeconomic stability and
    to strengthening the Romanian economy’s capacity to withstand negative
    developments, the institution said.

    NATO Eighteen NATO member states will reach the 2% of GDP defence allocation
    target in 2024, the NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg announced on
    Wednesday, ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers. According to Reuters, he
    also said that EU member states will invest a combined USD 380 bln in defence
    this year. The decision to earmark at least 2% of GDP to defence dates back to
    2006, but only some member states have reached this target. After Russia
    invaded Ukraine in February 2022, NATO member countries reiterated this
    commitment. Romania has channelled over 2% of its GDP for defence for several
    years, and after the start of the war in Ukraine it has committed to invest
    2.5% of GDP in Army equipment. (AMP)