Tag: EU

  • December 21, 2023 UPDATE

    December 21, 2023 UPDATE

    December 1989 — On Thursday, Bucharest venued events commemorating the heroes who died for freedom in the anti-communist uprising 34 years ago. December 21, 1989 is considered the first day of the uprising in Bucharest, after the failed rally called by the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, followed by the setting up of barricades in the center of the city and the bloody repression of the anti-communist demonstrators. Launched a week before, in Timisoara (west) and extedned to other big cities, the Uprising culminated in Bucharest, on December 22, with the escape of Ceausescu from the headquarters of the central committee of the Communist party. Captured and tried summarily, Ceausescu and his wife, Elena, were shot on December 25. Romania was the only communist country in Europe where the regime change was accompanied by a bloodshed. Over a thousand people were killed in December 1989. Young people must know that the freedom they have today was paid for with the lives of thousands of heroes, the PM Marcel Ciolacu said, emphasizing that the Romanian Revolution of December 1989 was the moment when the ideal of freedom defeated the terror strongly established among the population.



    Wind energy — The Romanian government approved, in Thursdays session, a draft law on the development of investments in the field of offshore wind energy in the Black Sea. According to the law the Energy Ministry is the authority in the field of offshore wind farms. “The adoption of a legislative framework for starting the exploitation of Romanias offshore wind resources is a vital step in ensuring Romanias energy independence and resilience, being, at the same time, something that Romania assumed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan”, shows a press release of the Energy Ministry which also writes that the World Bank data show that Romania has an offshore wind potential of 76 GW of installed power, being a favorable environment for the development of this type of renewable energy. Through this project, Romania is making progress in achieving the desired transition and decarbonization of the energy system, as well as in consolidating its status as a regional leader in the field of energy – the release states.



    Statistics – Romania ranks 1st in the EU in terms of the number of deaths from preventable and treatable causes, shows the EU State of Health report for 2023. In 2020, 358 preventable deaths per 100,000 inhabitants were registered in Romania, almost double the EU average (180 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants) and 235 deaths from treatable causes per 100,000 inhabitants, 2.5 times higher than the EU average of 92 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Expenditure for healthcare per capita in Romania remains the lowest in the EU countries, while numerous categories are exempted from the payment of health insurance. Romania allocates only 6.5% of the GDP to health. Life expectancy at birth in Romania, increasing until 2019 to 75.3 years, decreased by almost 3 years to 72.8 years between 2019 and 2021, currently being the third lowest in the European Union and by 5.4 years lower than the EU average.



    Ukraine – The European Commission has allocated over 65 million Euros so that four member states can provide support to people fleeing the war started by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. The money is made available to Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania and comes from the Community Fund for Asylum, Migration and Integration. The money can be used, for example, to help Ukrainian refugees move from collective accommodation to private housing, for language and vocational training, and to access medical services. Currently, the European Union hosts over four million Ukrainians who benefit from temporary protection. (LS)


  • EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum

    EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum

    The European Union tightens its migration policy, one of the most toxic political topics facing the bloc over the past years, by restricting the number of those who seek to enter its territory and rejecting asylum applicants that do not meet the requirements. The EU Council and the European Parliament agreed on a new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which should take effect next year.



    The deal reached at the end of the negotiations concerns 5 aspects of migrant management, including the screening of migrants, asylum procedures and crises when migration increases.



    The screening regulations introduce uniform rules concerning the identification of non-EU nationals upon their arrival and a shared data base system. Combined, the two elements will increase security in the EU, because the system will identify the unauthorised people or travels across the Union.



    Asylum procedures are also changed, to the effect that the return of those who cannot be accepted in the EU may be quicker. The regulation also comprises a solidarity mechanism for member states, which is particularly helpful in crisis situations. When a particular Member State is under migration pressure, it may request other countries to help by taking over some of the applicants. Should that state refuse to assist, it will have to pay EUR 20,000 for each rejected migrant.



    Apart from the regulations endorsed in the final negotiation between the European Parliament and the Council, the Pact also includes instruments for reducing migration, in cooperation with the countries of origin, and the European Commission earmarked funding in this respect.



    The document was subject to heated debate and negotiation since September 2020. The next step now is the formal endorsement of the document, which will take effect after its publication in the Official Journal.



    Several countries, including those where large numbers of migrants come every year, such as Greece and Italy, praised the agreement, but also voiced doubts that the new system would be effective, given the opposition of some of the EU member countries to taking over migrants. Examples include Hungary and Slovakia, which announced they refused both the compulsory relocation quotas and the “fines” for failure to observe them.



    The new pact on migration was also criticised by the search and rescue NGOs, which warned that the number of victims would increase, and by Amnesty International, according to which with the new deal the European migration legislation has been set back decades.



    The number of migrants in the EU saw a peak in 2015, when one million people, most of them war refugees, entered the European territory. The number dropped below 300,000 in 2020, but since then it has risen steadily, particularly on the Mediterranean route towards Italy. (AMP)


  • December 20, 2023 UPDATE

    December 20, 2023 UPDATE

    BUDGET Romania’s Parliament Wednesday endorsed the 2024 state budget
    and social security budget bills, backed by the parliamentary majority made up
    of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party. Next year,
    Romania’s budget will focus on investments of roughly 7% of GDP and a 3.4%
    economic growth rate, while the estimated budget deficit is 5% of GDP. According
    to PM Marcel Ciolacu, the 2024 budget is aimed at development and equity, is based
    on investment and secures the required funding for the promised pension and
    salary increases. The opposition on the other hand argues that the budget is
    built on unrealistic estimates which will fail to ensure economic development.


    EVASION The Romanian Chamber of Deputies passed new measures to curb
    tax evasion. Failure to withhold taxes and charges, submitting accounting
    documents for fictitious expenses, keeping double accounting records or the use
    of cash registers that are not connected to the National Information Control
    System will be considered offences. Punishments, which range from one to ten
    years in prison, are harsher for repeat offenders.


    TIMIŞOARA The western Romanian city of Timişoara Wednesday marked 34
    years since it declared itself the first city free of communism in Romania. To
    celebrate the victory against communism, several events took place, including
    short film and documentary screenings, and a marathon tour at the Brâncuşi
    exhibition at the Art Museum. 34 years ago, after the repression of the
    uprising that started on December 17, big factory workers went on strike and
    gathered in the centre of the city. In front of the crowd, the army withdrew to
    the barracks, the people arrested were released and the Romanian Democratic
    Front was established. From Timisoara, the people’s uprising against the regime
    led by the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu spread to several other cities in the
    country. Over 1,000 people lost their lives and around 3,000 were injured in
    the events.


    AWARD The president
    of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, was awarded on Wednesday the Timişoara
    for European values prize. The award and the EUR 30,000 prize will be handed
    to her on January 12-13. According to Timişoara’s Mayor Dominic Fritz, in
    selecting Maia Sandu as the recipient of this prize, the jury appreciated her
    clear stand on Moldova’s integrity, and her determination in pursuing the goal
    of Moldova’s European integration.


    MIGRATION MEPs and
    the representatives of EU member states have reached an agreement on a
    comprehensive approach to the Union’s migration and asylum policies, one of the
    most toxic political topics facing the bloc in recent years. The document is
    aimed at standardising and stepping up migrant verification procedures at the
    EU’s external borders, a solidarity mechanism and the repatriation of the
    migrants ineligible for the refugee status. (AMP)

  • December 16, 2023 UPDATE

    December 16, 2023 UPDATE

    BUDGET The 2024 state budget and social security budget bills will be reviewed by Parliament’s specialist committees as of Monday. On Tuesday the draft laws will be discussed in a joint plenary
    meeting, with a final vote expected on Wednesday. The budget is based on a 3.4%
    economic growth rate, with investments amounting to 7% of GDP and the largest
    appropriations in history for public education. PM Marcel Ciolacu dismissed
    claims that the figures are over-optimistic, and voiced his confidence that budget
    revenues would be raised from 27% to 30% of GDP. Under the bill, as of June 1
    whole-economy minimum wages will be around EUR 745. Ciolacu also said he was
    counting on better EU fund absorption, on improved tax collection and on
    curbing tax evasion.


    EU President Klaus Iohannis says the EU winter summit, which came to an
    end in Brussels on Friday, will be remembered for the historic decision to
    initiate accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The
    Romanian official encouraged the government of Moldova to step up the reforms
    required for EU integration. As for Ukraine, the president of the European
    Commission,Ursula von der Leyen, says
    the decision was a promise kept and an investment in stability and security. EU
    leaders also discussed the Israel-Hamas war, and condemned the continuing
    hostilities with growing numbers of victims among Palestinian civilians in Gaza
    and the West Bank. They argued that peace will only be achieved through a
    two-state solution. A revision of the 2021-2027 Multi-Annual Financial
    Framework, support for Ukraine, security and defence, migration and the future
    EU Strategic Agenda were also discussed at the European Council meeting on
    Thursday and Friday in Brussels.


    COMMEMORATION In Timişoara (west) events were organised to mark 34 years
    since the start of the 1989 Revolution which eventually led to the fall of
    dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu’s communist regime. The rally in support of the
    Reformed pastor László Tőkés, who was under political police (Securitate)
    surveillance, turned into an uprising against the communist dictatorship. In
    this context, the Revolution Memorial was opened to the public in Timişoara on
    Saturday. The organisers prepared a complex programme, providing information on
    the events of 1989. The commemoration also includes exhibitions, concerts, a
    special meeting of the Local Council, and a commemorative march. In this
    context, the Senate Speaker Nicolae Ciucă said in a message that the sacrifice
    and courage of Timişoara’s heroes were the foundation of today’s free and
    democratic Romania.


    UNEMPLOYMENT Around 63% of the Romanians aged 15 to 64 had a job in
    July-September, according to the National Statistics Institute. The
    unemployment rate was 5%, but among youth aged 15 to 24 the rate reaches 22%. The
    economic analyst Constantin Rudniţchi says the INS data is not very different
    from previous reports and that the Romanian labour market is below its
    potential. As for unemployment, he believes the overall trend is to look for
    and to create jobs. Rudniţchi believes the most urgent issue to be the one
    million Romanians who are outside the social and employment system, i.e. who
    are neither in school nor employed.


    AGREEMENT Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria intend to sign an agreement on
    January 11, 2024, concerning a joint plan to remove mines floating in the Black
    Sea as a result of the war in Ukraine, the Turkish defence minister Yasar Guler
    said, according to Reuters. Officials from the 3 NATO member states met with
    the authorities of Georgia, Poland and Ukraine in April 2022 to discuss the
    issue, and also discussed the plan in a NATO meeting in Brussels in October and
    in Ankara, last month. Yasar Guler explained that the initiative will only
    include Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria for the time being, and the signing
    ceremony will take place in Istanbul.


    FAIR A special Christmas fair was opened at the Săvârşin Castle of
    Romania’s late King Michael I. The organiser, Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of
    the Crown of Romania, said the event was intended to promote and preserve the
    authenticity of Christmas traditions. It is something spiritual, and we often
    forget that Christmas has grown a little too commercial. So we are glad to have
    valuable people here, she said. On the estate in Arad County, western Romania,
    a Royal Automobile Museum, a souvenir shop, the auto repair shop of King
    Michael I and a Tea House are also opened to the public. During the event, carol
    performances and handicraft exhibitions are also organised for the visitors. (AMP)

  • Nachrichten 16.12.2023

    Nachrichten 16.12.2023

    Bukarest: Das Parlament in Bukarest diskutiert am Montag über die Entwürfe für den Staatshaushalt und den Haushalt der staatlichen Sozialversicherungen für 2024, wobei die beiden Gesetze von den Fachausschüssen geprüft werden. Am Dienstag werden die beiden Kammern in gemeinsamer Sitzung mit den Debatten beginnen. Die Schlussabstimmung wird für Mittwoch erwartet. Die rumänische Regierung hat am Donnerstagabend die Gesetzesentwürfe für den Staatshaushalt und den Haushalt der staatlichen Sozialversicherung für das kommende Jahr verabschiedet. Die Exekutive rechnet mit der Aufnahme europäischer Gelder im Jahr 2024 und setzt auf eine Erhöhung der Steuereinnahmen durch das bessere Funktionieren der Finazbehörde ANAF, des Zolls sowie auf eine Verringerung der Steuerhinterziehung. Premier Marcel Ciolacu, Vorsitzender der PSD, sprach von einem Anstieg der Einnahmen von 27% auf 30% des Bruttoinlandsprodukts. Er sagt, dass der Haushalt für 2024 die grö‎ßten Mittel für Investitionen und Bildung in der Geschichte Rumäniens vorsieht. Die Opposition meint jedoch, der Haushalt basiere auf unrealistischen Zahlen und ein gro‎ßes Problem werde im nächsten Jahr die Zahlung der Renten darstellen.



    Brüssel: Der Wintergipfel der Europäischen Union, der am Freitag in Brüssel zu Ende gegangen ist, bleibt geprägt von der historischen Entscheidung, die Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Ukraine und der Republik Moldau aufzunehmen, sagte Präsident Klaus Iohannis. Iohannis ermutigte die Regierung in Chisinau, die Reformen zur Integration in die Union weiter zu beschleunigen. Zur Ukraine sagte die Präsidentin der Europäischen Kommission, Ursula von der Leyen, dies sei ein eingelöstes Versprechen und eine Investition in Stabilität und Sicherheit. Die europäischen Staats- und Regierungschefs diskutierten auch über den Krieg zwischen Israel und der Hamas. Sie verurteilten die anhaltenden Feindseligkeiten auf beiden Seiten und die zunehmende Zahl von Opfern unter der palästinensischen Zivilbevölkerung sowohl im Gazastreifen als auch im Westjordanland. Frieden könne erst dann erreicht werden, wenn eine Zwei-Staaten-Lösung – Israel und Palästina – erreicht ist, so die EU-Staats-und Regierungschef auf dem Wintergipfel in Brüssel.



    Bukarest: 34 Jahre sind vergangen seit der Revolution von 1989 in Timișoara (Westrumänien), die zum Sturz des Regimes von Diktator Nicolae Ceaușescu führte. Die Unterstützung der Bevölkerung für den reformierten Pfarrer Laszlo Tokes, der von der Securitate überwacht wurde, verwandelte sich in eine regelrechte Revolte gegen die kommunistische Diktatur. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde am Samstag in Timisoara die Gedenkstätte der Revolution für die Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht. Die Organisatoren haben ein umfangreiches Programm vorbereitet, das den Besuchern Informationen über die Ereignisse von 1989 bietet.



    Chişinău: Die Europäische Investitionsbank gewährt der Republik Moldau ein Darlehen von über 41 Mio. EUR zur Verbesserung der Verkehrsinfrastruktur. Ergänzt wird das Darlehen durch einen Zuschuss der Europäischen Union in Höhe von 12 Mio. EUR. Laut EU-Verkehrskommissarin Adina Vălean wird das Geld für die Sanierung von rund 128 Kilometern Eisenbahnstrecke und die Stärkung der Solidaritätskorridore verwendet, die nach der russischen Aggression zur Unterstützung der Ukraine eröffnet wurden. Die EU-Exekutive ist der Ansicht, dass die Entscheidung insbesondere zur Stärkung des Donaukorridors beitragen wird, in dem die Republik Moldau und Rumänien die Hauptakteure sind.



    Tel Aviv: Hunderte Menschen haben sich am Freitagabend im Zentrum von Tel Aviv versammelt, nachdem bekannt geworden war, dass drei Geiseln aus dem Gazastreifen versehentlich von israelischen Soldaten getötet worden waren. Die Demonstranten forderten die Regierung auf, dringend ein Abkommen zur Freilassung der übrigen Geiseln zu schlie‎ßen. Mehr als 100 Menschen werden immer noch im Gazastreifen gefangen gehalten, nachdem sie bei den Angriffen auf Israel am 7. Oktober von der Hamas gefangen genommen worden waren. Unterdessen wird zum ersten Mal seit Beginn des Krieges humanitäre Hilfe über einen israelischen Grenzübergang in den Gazastreifen gelangen, nachdem Israel den Zugang über den Grenzübergang Kerem Shalom erlaubt hat. Bislang war humanitäre Hilfe nur über den ägyptischen Grenzübergang Rafah erlaubt.

  • December 16, 2023

    December 16, 2023

    BUDGET The 2024 state budget and social security budget bills will be reviewed by Parliament’s specialist committees as of Monday. On Tuesday the draft laws will be discussed in a joint plenary
    meeting, with a final vote expected on Wednesday. On Thursday night the
    government passed the two bills, which rely on better spending of EU funds and
    on improving tax collection by means of a more efficient operation of the
    national tax agency and on curbing tax evasion. PM Marcel Ciolacu, the leader
    of the Social Democratic Party, spoke about an increase of budget revenues from
    27% to 30% of GDP. According to him, the 2024 budget earmarks the largest
    funding in Romania’s history for education and investments. The Opposition, on
    the other hand, says the budget is based on unrealistic figures and that
    payment of public pensions will be a major problem next year.


    EU President Klaus Iohannis says the EU winter summit, which came to an
    end in Brussels on Friday, will be remembered for the historic decision to initiate
    accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The Romanian
    official encouraged the government of Moldova to step up the reforms required
    for EU integration. As for Ukraine, the president of the European Commission,Ursula von der Leyen, says the
    decision was a promise kept and an investment in stability and security. EU
    leaders also discussed the Israel-Hamas war, and condemned the continuing
    hostilities with growing numbers of victims among Palestinian civilians in Gaza
    and the West Bank. They argued that peace will only be achieved through a
    two-state solution. A revision of the 2021-2027 Multi-Annual Financial
    Framework, support for Ukraine, securitaty and defence, migration and the
    future EU Strategic Agenda were also discussed at the European Council meeting
    on Thursday and Friday in Brussels.


    COMMEMORATION Romania marks today 34 years since the start of the 1989 Revolution
    in Timişoara (west) which eventually led to the fall of dictator Nicolae
    Ceauşescu’s communist regime. In this context, the Revolution Memorial was
    opened to the public in Timişoara on Saturday. The organisers prepared a
    complex programme, providing information on the events of 1989, with a special
    section for the visually impaired.


    ISRAEL Hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv on Friday night,
    following an announcement that 3 Gaza hostages had been accidentally killed by
    Israeli troops. The protesters demanded that the government immediately signed
    a deal to free the remaining hostages. Over 100 people are still captive in
    Gaza, after being kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7th attacks on Israel.
    Meanwhile, humanitarian aid will reach Gaza via an Israeli checkpoint, for the
    first time since the start of the war, after Israel authorised access through
    the Kerem Shalom checkpoint. So far humanitarian aid could only go through the Rafah
    checkpoint from Egypt. After more than 2 months of armed conflict and the siege
    imposed by Israel since October 9th, living standards in Gaza Strip
    are described by the UN and NGOs for Palestinian civilians as a nightmare. According
    to the UN, some 1.9 million people, accounting for 85% of the region’s
    population, have been relocated. (AMP)

  • December 14, 2023

    December 14, 2023

    BUDGET Romania’s draft 2024 budget is to be endorsed by the
    Cabinet in a meeting today. The document will subsequently be submitted for
    review in Parliament. The budget is based on a 3.4% economic growth rate, a
    budget deficit target of 5% of GDP and an estimated annual inflation rate of 6% of GDP. The
    draft law also includes the already announced salary and pension increases, as
    well as most of the measures in the Government’s new legislative package. The
    ministries that will receive more money than in 2023 are the education,
    development, environment and family ministries, while lower appropriations
    would be received by the energy ministry and the ministry for investments and
    EU projects.


    SUMMIT The president of
    Romania, Klaus Iohannis, takes part on Thursday and Friday in the European
    Council meeting in Brussels, where important and complex topics will be
    approached, according to the Romanian Presidency. These include the EU
    enlargement, a revision of the 2021-2027 Multi-Annual Financial Framework,
    support for Russia-invaded Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, security and
    defence, migration and the Union’s future Strategic Agenda. As far as the
    Multi-Annual Financial Framework for 2021-2027 is concerned, president Iohannis will plead
    for an approach that promotes financial balance between the already existing
    commitments and the new priorities on the EU agenda, and does not involve a cut
    in the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Policy, the
    Presidency says. As for the situation in the Middle East, Mr. Iohannis will
    insist on the need for increased involvement of the EU in the region, in view of protecting
    civilians, de-escalating the conflict and resuming the two-state peace process.


    UKRAINE The reconstruction of Ukraine and Romania’s strategic role
    in this process is the topic of an international conference held in the
    Romanian mountain resort of Sinaia. Taking part are Romanian and foreign
    officials, independent experts, business people, academia and diplomats. The
    head of the Romanian government, Marcel Ciolacu, and the Ukrainian prime
    minister Denys Shmyhal, sent a video message to the participants, highlighting
    the Romanian-Ukrainian partnership and Romania’s support for Ukraine.


    FUNDING On Friday, December 15, Romania will submit its 3rd
    payment request under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the PM Marcel
    Ciolacu said at a meeting of the inter-ministry coordination committee for this
    programme. The funding under the Plan amounts to EUR 2.7 bln and covers 74
    targets and benchmarks for the second half of the year 2022.


    ISRAEL The
    Romanian foreign ministry this morning announced the death of another person
    with Romanian and Israeli citizenship taken hostage in Gaza by the Islamist
    group Hamas. Tal Haimi was kidnapped on October 7, and his death had
    already been announced by the Israeli Embassy in Romania. According to a
    Facebook post by the Israeli diplomatic office, Tal Haimi’s wife had come to
    Bucharest in late October to request Romania’s assistance in the efforts to get
    the Hamas hostages freed. On December 2, the foreign ministry said the Israeli
    authorities announced the death of a person with dual, Romanian and Israeli
    citizenship, captive in Gaza. Two other people with Romanian and Israeli
    citizenship are currently held hostage by Hamas, and Romania’s foreign ministry
    reiterates the need for all hostages to be released. The Romanian Embassy in
    Tel Aviv stays in touch with the Israeli authorities, the foreign ministry also
    said.


    ALERT Alert
    messages were sent to the citizens in the counties of Galaţi and Tulcea, near Romania’s Ukrainian border, on Wednesday night. People
    were warned against objects falling from the airspace, were urged not to panic
    and take shelter if necessary. These were the first RO-ALERT messages sent to
    the population in nearly 3 months, in the context of the war in Ukraine. This
    year the defence ministry identified parts of 3 drones used by Russia in
    strikes on Ukrainian Danube ports, which had fallen in Tulcea County. (AMP)

  • December 12, 2023 UPDATE

    December 12, 2023 UPDATE

    MOLDOVA The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis had talks on Tuesday with
    his Moldovan counterpart, Maia Sandu, during which he reiterated Romania’s
    support for Moldova’s EU accession efforts. Romania, Iohannis emphasised, firmly
    supports the opening of EU accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova.
    Wednesday through Friday president Iohannis takes part in the EU – Western Balkans
    Summit and the European Council meeting in Brussels, in which context he will
    plead for a decision with respect to the start of accession negotiations with
    Ukraine and Moldova. Also on Tuesday, the Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu had a telephone
    conversation with the Moldovan PM Dorin
    Recean, in which he reiterated Bucharest’s steady support for the neighbouring
    country’s EU accession. The two prime ministers also discussed bilateral
    cooperation projects, especially in the field of cross-border energy
    interconnection and the financial assistance provided by Romania for Moldova’s
    development.


    SCHENGEN The Romanian interior
    minister Cătălin Predoiu highlighted, in a statement following the Salzburg
    Forum in Slovenia on Tuesday, the progress made in the talks concerning Romania’s
    Schengen accession. He said he had talks regarding the technical options for a
    decision to be made in December. As regards the fears concerning the transfer
    of illegal migrants in Austria, Predoiu explained that those concerns exclusively
    relate to the migrants originally registered in Romania. According to the
    current Dublin regulation, once captured in Austria and proved to be illegal
    migrants, these individuals are returned to the country from which they came, the
    Romanian official added. In 2023, 120 people were in this situation, Predoiu
    mentioned.


    ECONOMY Romania’s budget deficit in 2024 will be
    below 5% of GDP, lower than at the end of this year. According to the Romanian
    government made up of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal
    Party, next year substantial additional funding will be earmarked for public
    education, healthcare, transports and investments. Under the draft 2024 state
    budget, salaries in the public sector as well as pensions will be raised. The
    government promises that all these increases will be operated without
    concurrent tax raises. The leaders of the ruling coalition parties rely on a
    planned set of measures to increase budget revenue collection and curb tax
    evasion, as well as on the digitization of the national tax agency.

    AGREEMENT
    The Romanian foreign ministry took note of the publication of the Russian
    Federation’s government decision to withdraw from the bilateral agreement of
    2005 concerning the opening of a Romanian consulate general in Rostov-on-Don. According
    to a news release issued on Tuesday, Romania has not been officially notified
    yet on this decision. At present, apart from the embassy in Moscow, Romania
    also operates a consular office in Rostov-on-Don and one in Sankt Petersburg. This
    summer the Romanian foreign ministry requested Moscow to reduce the number of
    diplomatic personnel at the Russian embassy in Bucharest by 40.


    VISIT The PM of
    Romania, Marcel Ciolacu, Tuesday received the foreign minister and deputy PM of
    the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, in which context the head of the
    Romanian government emphasised that the excellent dynamics of bilateral
    relations ensure great potential to the bilateral cooperation towards the
    interconnection between Europe and the Caspian Sea region. According to a news
    release issued by the Romanian government, the Romanian PM hailed the upward
    trend of the political dialogue and economic cooperation between the two
    countries and mentioned that Kazakhstan is Romania’s largest economic partner
    in Central Asia. As regards the cooperation in the energy sector, the two
    parties agreed to encourage cooperation in order to enhance the security of
    energy supplies for the EU member states as well as for the Republic of Moldova
    and Ukraine, reads the news release. The two officials also discussed the
    regional security situation in the context of Russia’s military aggression in
    Ukraine.


    TENNIS The
    Romanian tennis player Simona Halep will be heard at the Court of Arbitration
    for Sport in Lausanne on February 7-9, in proceedings initiated by Halep
    against the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). In October, the twice
    Grand Slam winner lodged an appeal with the CAS against her 4-year suspension
    for doping. The Romanian athlete was penalised for two separate violations of
    the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, the first one concerning the identification
    of a banned substance at the 2022 US Open, and the second one concerning
    irregularities in her biological passport. (AMP)

  • Schengen-Beitritt Rumäniens: Österreich verlangt mehr Grenzschutz

    Schengen-Beitritt Rumäniens: Österreich verlangt mehr Grenzschutz

    Solange Bukarest und Sofia in den Schengenraum nicht aufgenommen werden, werden sich die Bürger dieser Länder weiterhin als europäische Bürger zweiter Klasse betrachten, warnen die Medien und Politiker in den beiden Ländern seit Jahren. Im Vorfeld der Wahlen zum Europäischen Parlament, die im Juni nächsten Jahres anstehen, hat das Thema an Dringlichkeit gewonnen, und die Frustration, die durch diesen Ausschluss hervorgerufen wird, treibt die Zustimmungsraten der europaskeptischen oder antieuropäischen Parteien in beiden Ländern in die Höhe. Nach ihrem Beitritt zur EU im Jahr 2007 wurde Rumänien und Bulgarien der Schengen-Beitritt fast ein Jahrzehnt lang verweigert, während Kroatien, das der EU 2013 beigetreten ist, im vergangenen Jahr in den visumfreien Raum aufgenommen wurde.



    Über 400 Millionen Menschen können innerhalb des Schengen-Raums reisen, ohne Grenzkontrollen zu durchlaufen. Von allen EU-Mitgliedstaaten sind nur Rumänien, Bulgarien, Zypern und Irland nicht Teil des Schengen-Raums, zu dem auch vier Nicht-EU-Länder gehören: die Schweiz, Lichtenstein, Island und Norwegen. Für den Beitritt ist ein einstimmiges Votum aller Schengen-Mitglieder erforderlich. Bislang haben die Niederlande den Beitritt Bulgariens und Österreich mit einem Veto die Aufnahme Rumäniens blockiert. Am Montag kündigte Österreichs Innenminister Gerhard Karner Ma‎ßnahmen an, die Rumänien umsetzen muss, bevor Österreich grünes Licht für den Schengen-Beitritt beider Staaten geben kann, indem es seine Luftgrenzen öffnet. Im Bereich der Landau‎ßengrenzen der EU sind weitere Fortschritte erforderlich, indem die Zahl der Grenzpolizisten verdreifacht wird.



    Die Kommission muss auch Mittel für die Sicherung der Grenzinfrastruktur an der bulgarisch-türkischen und rumänisch-serbischen Grenze bereitstellen. Minister Karner fordert auch, dass Rumänien und Bulgarien Asylbewerber aufnehmen, insbesondere Afghanen und Syrer, die auf dem Weg nach Österreich nach Rumänien kommen könnten. Der bulgarische Ministerpräsident Nikolai Denkov bezeichnete die österreichischen Bedingungen als inakzeptabel und erklärte, seine Regierung lehne die Aufnahme von Migranten aus Österreich ab. Der rumänische Ministerpräsident Marcel Ciolacu hat die Ankündigung begrü‎ßt und sie als persönlichen Erfolg bezeichnet.



    Die Opposition hält die Ankündigung von Karner jedoch für Augenwischerei, da die Schengen-Landgrenzen für Tausende von Lastwagen, die tagelang auf die Überfahrt warten, geschlossen bleiben, während der Staat Verluste in Millionenhöhe erleidet. Die rumänische Au‎ßenministerin Luminița Odobescu rief zur Geduld auf und sagte, dass auch das niederländische Parlament seine Zustimmung zur Aufhebung des Vetos gegen den bulgarischen Schengen-Beitritt geben müsse, bevor die nächsten Phasen geplant werden könnten

  • December 9, 2023 UPDATE

    December 9, 2023 UPDATE

    Diphtheria – The Romanian Health Ministry announced on Saturday that medical doctors detected strains of non-toxigenic cutaneous diphtheria in two men aged 38 and 40, drug users, infected with HIV. According to the quoted source, the two were admitted to an infectious diseases hospital in Bucharest, with skin lesions, but their evolution is favorable. The last case of diphtheria with toxigenic strains was registered in Romania in 1989. This type of diphtheria is prevented by vaccination from the first year of life, with the vaccine included in the National Program, the Health Ministry informs.



    Ukraine — The Romanian FM, Luminiţa Odobescu, reiterated, on Friday, Romanias support for opening accession negotiations between the EU and Ukraine, a topic which, along with the launch of a similar action for the Republic of Moldova, will dominate the European summit scheduled, in one week, in Brussels. During the discussions in Bucharest, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Ştefanișina thanked Romania for the constructive dialogue related to the prospects of accession and pointed out that her country made enormous efforts to overcome the obstacles in the way of reforms. The deputy prime minister also recalled that the Ukrainian parliament adopted, on Friday, the amendments to the National Minorities Law, in order to implement the latest recommendations of the European institutions. On November 8, 2023, the European Commission positively assessed Ukraines reforms in the field of rule of law and fighting corruption, but asked Kyiv to make rapid improvements to the law on the use of national minorities languages ​​in the education system and the public space, according to the Venice Commissions recommendations. The decision to launch accession negotiations requires unanimity from the 27 member states, but is threatened by the opposition of the Hungarian PM Viktor Orban.



    Timişoara – 80,000 people have so far visited the Brâncusi Exhibition, open at the National Art Museum in Timişoara (western Romania) until January 28, 2024. According to the authorities, it is the most successful event of the European Capital of Culture program and represents the debut of major artistic projects. Timişoara officially ended the European Capital of Culture program with a festive gala held on Friday evening at the Palace of Culture. “Timişoara 2023 has shown that we can imagine a creative and prosperous future of solidarity, not just for our city, but for the entire Europe, said the mayor of the city, Dominic Fritz. The events that mark the end of the Timişoara European Capital of Culture program will end on Sunday with the concerts given by Jessie J and Roisin Murphy, international stars with thousands of fans around the world.



    Handball — Romania’s womens handball team defeated Japan 32-28, in the second match of the main groups at the World Championship organized in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In the first game, they lost to Germany. With four accumulated points, the Romanian handballers are ranked 3rd in a group led by Germany and Denmark. Their last match is on Monday, against Poland. Romania is the only team that participated in all 26 editions of the World Womens Handball Championship and has a gold medal, two silver medals and one bronze. In the previous edition, the Romanian players took 13th place.



    Swimming – The Romanian athlete David Popovici ranked only fourth in the final of the 200 m freestyle, on Saturday, at the European Short Course Swimming Championships (25 meters) in Otopeni, near Bucharest. Popovici, the defending European champion, had qualified for the final with the best time. On Friday, Andrei Ungur won the first medal for Romania, bronze in the 100m backstroke.



    Tel Aviv – Israel on Saturday continued bombing the Gaza Strip in the war against Hamas, after the US vetoed a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is apocalyptic, according to NGOs. France Presse reports that Washingtons blocking the UN Security Council resolution was quickly condemned by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas terrorists, who have been in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007. The Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said a ceasefire would prevent the collapse of the Hamas organization. The war was triggered by a bloody attack committed on October 7 by Hamas commandos who infiltrated the Israeli territory, an attack in which 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to Israeli authorities. Approximately 240 people were taken hostage and taken to Gaza, where 138 are still being held. (LS)

  • Ukraine und Moldaurepublik: schwieriger Weg in die EU

    Ukraine und Moldaurepublik: schwieriger Weg in die EU





    Die Ukraine und die Republik Moldau sind seit letztem Sommer EU-Beitrittskandidaten, und die Europäische Kommission hat in der ersten Novemberhälfte die Aufnahme von Beitrittsverhandlungen empfohlen — eine erfreuliche Nachricht für die pro-westlichen Regierungen der beiden ehemaligen Sowjetstaaten, doch bis zur Integration ist es noch ein langer Weg. Der erste Schritt wäre die Entscheidung des Europäischen Rates Mitte Dezember. Alle Mitgliedstaaten müssen der Empfehlung der Kommission zustimmen, und einige, wie z. B. Ungarn, haben bereits Bedenken geäu‎ßert. Wenn diese Hürde im Dezember überwunden wird, soll die Europäische Kommission im März 2024 einen neuen Bericht vorlegen, in dem die Fortschritte der Ukraine und der Republik Moldau im Hinblick auf die Rechtsstaatlichkeit bewertet werden.



    Im Falle der Ukraine empfiehlt die Kommission nun, dass die Verhandlungen beginnen sollten, sobald Kiew die verbleibenden Bedingungen zur Bekämpfung der Korruption und zur Stärkung der Standards für den Minderheitenschutz erfüllt. Für die Republik Moldau gilt ebenfalls die Bekämpfung der Korruption sowie eine verbesserte Regulierung des Finanzmarktes. Die Ukraine wird Mitglied der Europäischen Union sein. Und wir werden dies vor allem durch die Transformation unseres Landes erreichen — eine interne Transformation, die sicherlich im Interesse unserer Bevölkerung ist. Für die Ukraine bedeutet die EU wirtschaftliche Sicherheit und soziale Stabilität, und für die EU bedeutet die Ukraine eine Stärkung der gesamten Gemeinschaft“, sagte Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj in Kiew.



    In der Stellungnahme der moldauischen Präsidentin Maia Sandu hei‎ßt es wiederum: Die Entscheidung der Europäischen Kommission ermutigt uns und gibt uns die Verantwortung, das fortzusetzen, was wir begonnen haben: die Moldaurepublik stärker zu machen und zu einem Staat werden lassen, der den Frieden im eigenen Land gewährleistet, zur regionalen Sicherheit beiträgt und sich um das Wohlergehen seiner Bürger kümmert. Es gibt noch viel zu tun. Der Weg, den wir eingeschlagen haben, ist voller Herausforderungen. Wir haben keine Angst vor der Arbeit, und unser Ziel ist es, dass die Republik Moldau bis zum Jahr 2030 der EU beitreten kann“, so Präsidentin Maia Sandu.



    Doch wie realistisch ist der Beitrittstermin 2030? Das hänge von jedem einzelnen Land ab, meint der Historiker, Universitätsprofessor und ehemalige Au‎ßenminister Rumäniens Adrian Cioroianu:



    Der Zeitplan ist als Orientierung gedacht, natürlich ist niemand verpflichtet, das Jahr 2030 als Endpunkt zu betrachten, aber er ist eine Ermutigung. Andererseits entspricht es der EU-Politik, diese Länder in der Nähe zu halten und ihnen ein Ziel vorzugeben. Sehen Sie sich die realen politischen Schwierigkeiten an, mit denen die Republik Moldau konfrontiert ist — bei jedem Wahlgang sind wir angesichts der politischen Konstellation des Landes nervös. Schauen Sie, was in Serbien passiert, wie schwierig es ist, diesen Streit beizulegen, und wie traumatisiert die Serben noch in Bezug auf den Kosovo sind. Diese Länder müssen ein Ziel haben. Der Beginn des Fahrplans spricht eher von einer gegenseitigen Absicht und einem gewissen gegenseitigen Versprechen. Die EU erkennt an, dass sie diese Länder braucht, aber diese Länder müssen auch erkennen, dass sie europäische Prinzipien und Werte walten lassen müssen. Und natürlich wollen wir am Ende mehr Gemeinsamkeiten als Unterschiede haben, auch wenn es selbst innerhalb der EU noch Unterschiede gibt. Lasst uns also hoffen, dass die Gemeinsamkeiten grö‎ßer sind als die Unterschiede.“



    Die Umsetzung der Empfehlungen der Venedig-Kommission steht auf der To-do-Liste der Ukraine. Sind die Kiewer Behörden entschlossen, diesen Empfehlungen zu folgen? Der rumänischsprachige Journalist Marin Gherman, Leiter des Instituts für politische Studien und soziales Kapital in Tscherniwzi (Czernowitz), ist da eher skeptisch:



    Meiner Ansicht nach wird es eine Reihe von Versuchen seitens Kiews geben, insbesondere die Empfehlungen zur Verbesserung des Minderheitenschutzes nicht einzuhalten. Wir haben auch hochrangige Erklärungen zu diesen Empfehlungen, die diesen Trend bestätigen. Warum ist das so? Weil es im ukrainischen parlamentarischen Umfeld Widerstand gegen die Idee gibt, die Gesetzgebung im Bereich der nationalen Minderheiten zu ändern, da dieses Thema in der Ukraine ausschlie‎ßlich durch die Kriegsbrille und im Zusammenhang mit der russischen Minderheit gesehen wird. Für Kiew ist es ein schmerzhaftes Thema, es herrscht Krieg mit Russland, die gro‎ß angelegte Invasion Russlands ist allgegenwärtig, und wenn die Frage nach Minderheiten gestellt wird, denken die meisten Ukrainer an die Russen, an Russifizierung, an alles, was dieser Krieg bedeutet. Und es ist sehr schwer, die ukrainische politische Elite von dieser Sichtweise abzubringen.“



    Die Ukraine brauche auch eine Reform der Geheimdienste, sagte Marin Gherman weiter, und die Korruptionsbekämpfung werde auch kein leichtes Spiel sein.



    Wie geht es indessen in Transnistrien weiter, angesichts der Tatsache, dass Chișinău praktisch keine Kontrolle mehr über die separatistische Region hat? Kann Chișinău die Übernahme des acquis communautaire (des gemeinschaftlichen Besitzstandes) in der gesamten Republik Moldau durchsetzen? Iulian Groza, Exekutivdirektor des Instituts für Europapolitik und Reformen in Chișinău, ist gedämpft optimistisch:



    Ich glaube: Ja. Und wir haben einen Präzedenzfall — das Assoziierungsabkommen mit der EU. Als es abgeschlossen wurde, wurde vereinbart, dass es im ganzen Land gelten würde. Der wichtigste Teil des Abkommens, der Handelsteil, ist zwei Jahre nach der vorläufigen Geltung in Kraft getreten. Die Region Transnistrien ist heute dank des Zugangs zum EU-Markt viel stärker im europäischen Raum verankert. Und das ist heute, vor dem Hintergrund des Krieges und der Umwälzungen in der Region, ein wichtiges Element, um ein Gegengewicht zum Einfluss Russlands in der transnistrischen Region zu schaffen.“

  • November 22, 2023 UPDATE

    November 22, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT The president of Romania
    Klaus Iohannis Wednesday visited the UNESCO Heritage-listed Island
    of Gorée in Senegal, and had talks with the officials of the House of Slaves,
    now a museum. Mr. Iohannis said that Romania
    will support the efforts of Senegal’s Association for the Protection of Children
    with Mental Disabilities to ensure a better life for these children. On
    Thursday the Romanian official is to be received by his counterpart Macky Sall.
    Thursday’s agenda also includes participation in the opening of the United Nations
    House in Senegal, the opening of a traditional mask exhibition and a meeting
    with Senegalese experts who have studied in Romania. Senegal concludes the
    Romanian president’s 10-day tour in Africa, which also included Kenya, Tanzania
    and Cabo Verde.


    MILITARY Eurofighter aircraft
    from Germany arrived in Romania on Wednesday, at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base
    in the south-east of the country, in an enhanced air policing mission (Air
    Policing South), the German Embassy in Bucharest announced. In the previous
    weeks, large-scale preparations were conducted for the deployment of the German
    contingent of 150 troops. Four Eurofighter jets will be operational as of
    November 27, strengthening the air defence of NATO’s south-eastern flank.


    GAUDEAMUS The
    Gaudeamus Radio Romania International Book Fair opened its doors in Bucharest
    on Wednesday. It is one of the most eagerly awaited cultural events of the fall,
    reaching its 30th edition. Until Sunday, more than 500 releases and editorial
    events will take place at the fair. The longest-running book fair in the
    country gathers this year almost 200 participants, mainly publishing houses,
    but also educational, cultural and press institutions.


    ISRAEL The European Union, the US and Russia
    welcomed the deal for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza, over a four-day
    ceasefire. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said
    the Commission would use the truce to send as much humanitarian aid as possible
    to the Palestinian population in Gaza. In turn, the EU foreign policy chief,
    Josep Borrell, spoke about the European bloc’s willingness to get involved in finding
    a long-term solution to the conflict through the creation of a Palestinian
    state. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the Israeli government have
    agreed on a 4-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 50 Israeli women and
    children in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. The deal was brokered by Qatar.
    Hamas took around 240 hostages, including children and old people, during its
    attack on Israel in which another 1,200 people were killed according to Israeli
    sources. In turn, Hamas reported at least 13,300 Palestinians were killed in
    subsequent air strikes and the invasion of Gaza by the Israeli forces.



    BUDGET The 2024 EU budget was endorsed by the European Parliament convened
    in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The chief negotiator was the Romanian MEP Siegfried
    Mureşan. The EU budget currently stands at EUR 189 bln. According to Siegfried
    Mureşan, there are enough resources now to finance the European Union’s
    traditional priorities, such as the cohesion policy and the common agricultural
    policy. In these areas, Romania receives most of its non-reimbursable
    allocations. (AMP)

  • Nahost: Gaza wird zum globalen Krisenherd

    Nahost: Gaza wird zum globalen Krisenherd





    Der Raketenbeschuss, die Zerstörung des Grenzzauns, der den Gazastreifen von Israel trennt, das Eindringen in israelisches Hoheitsgebiet — aus der Luft, zu Lande und zu Wasser — und die Massaker in mehreren Kibbuzim und bei einem Musikfestival, das einem jüdischen Feiertag gewidmet war, haben die internationale Gemeinschaft schockiert, denn die Offensive der Terrororganisation Hamas war so hart und überraschend wie nie zuvor. Der 7. Oktober 2023, als die Terroristen bei ihrem Überfall rund 1200 Menschen in Israel töteten, darunter Frauen, Kinder und ältere Menschen, mehrere Tausend verwundeten und mehr als 200 Geiseln nahmen, wird als schwarzer Tag in die Geschichte eingehen. Zudem löste er eine umfassende israelische Reaktion aus, die ihrerseits und zu einer humanitären Krise im Gazastreifen führte.



    Israel hat zum ersten Mal seit dem Jom-Kippur-Krieg von 1973 den Kriegszustand erklärt und 300.000 Reservisten einberufen, und Premierminister Benjamin Netanjahu sagte ausdrücklich, das Ziel Israels sei, die Hamas vollständig zu vernichten. Hunderttausende Palästinenser sind aus dem Norden des nur 365 Quadratkilometer langen Gazastreifens in den Süden der Enklave geflohen, während die übrigen entweder auf der Suche nach einer Unterkunft sind, oder unter Strom-, Wasser-, Lebensmittel- und Medikamentenknappheit leiden. Die muslimische Welt ist über das Vorgehen Israels empört und hat in vielen Ländern des Nahen Ostens sowie in Europa und den USA mit zum Teil gewalttätigen Demonstrationen reagiert. Der Antisemitismus in den USA habe nach der Gewalt in Israel und im Gazastreifen historische Ausma‎ße“ erreicht, sagte der Direktor des FBI, während andere Länder, darunter Gro‎ßbritannien und Frankreich, ebenfalls vor einem starken Anstieg antisemitischer Vorfälle gewarnt haben.



    Die Krise im Nahen Osten wird als Riss im regionalen Sicherheitsgefüge gesehen, und laut einigen Analysten sei deutlich geworden, dass die EU bei der Bewältigung der geopolitischen Krise in ihrer Nachbarschaft nur begrenzte Einflussmöglichkeiten hat, nicht zuletzt aufgrund der Erschöpfung der Ressourcen nach der russischen Aggression gegen die Ukraine. Nach Ansicht von Ștefan Ciochinaru, Universitätsprofessor für Politikwissenschaft, lie‎ßen sich die beiden Kriege in Bezug auf die Reaktion Europas zwar vergleichen, jedoch nur bis zu einem gewissen Punkt, da die politischen Ziele der Aggressoren unterschiedlich seien:



    Im Falle der Ukraine ist das Ziel des Aggressors die Zerstörung der europäischen Ordnung und die Vertreibung der USA aus Europa. Denn das ist der Grund, warum Moskau die Integration der Ukraine in die EU und die NATO ablehnt. Putin will, wie er auch unverhohlen erklärt hat, eine Rückkehr zur Situation von 1994, er will Länder in Europa in seiner Einflusssphäre halten, wie es zu Zeiten der Sowjetunion der Fall war. Im Falle der Aggression gegen Israel hingegen richtet sich das Ziel der Hintermänner des Aggressors Hamas wie beim Billard ebenfalls auch gegen die USA. Daher das riesige Netzwerk der Komplizenschaft, das eine Vielzahl arabischer Staaten mit der antiamerikanischen Linken in Europa, mit Russland, mit dem Iran und seinen Vasallen und nicht zuletzt, wenn auch viel subtiler, mit China verbindet. Sie versuchen einfach, die gesamte muslimische Welt gegen die Vereinigten Staaten, gegen den Westen aufzubringen, denn in der strategischen Konzeption derjenigen, die die Weltordnung um jeden Preis umkrempeln wollen, ist Amerika das Hauptziel. Wenn man Amerika zu Fall bringt, kann man den Rest leicht erledigen. Europa ist, strategisch gesehen, ein Zwerg. Japan, Südkorea und Australien würden isoliert bleiben. Der glorreiche Westen würde dann wie eine Sandburg zusammenfallen. Und die Reaktion Europas ist, wie so oft, sehr, sehr kurzsichtig. Seit einem Jahr erleben wir die Folgen der Inkonsequenz in der Haltung und der Reaktion gegenüber dem Krieg in der Ukraine. Wir dürfen nicht vergessen, dass der Krieg in der Ukraine vor unserer Haustür auf europäischem Territorium geführt wird, und dessen Ausgang wird die Zukunft des europäischen Kontinents mitbestimmen. Was die Reaktion auf den Angriff auf Israel und auf die in unterirdischen Tunnels geplanten Terroraktionen betrifft, so ist die Lage noch schlimmer. Die europäische politische Linke hat sich mit Rechtsextremisten und der eingewanderten muslimischen Bevölkerung verbündet und verurteilt in einer Täter-Opfer-Umkehr den Staat Israel als Aggressor. Währenddessen hat Europa seine eigenen Katakomben, in denen die alte und neue Rhetorik des Antisemitismus, des Antiamerikanismus und der antidemokratischen Gesinnung mehr oder weniger sichtbar weiter schwelt.“



    Man könnte sich zu Recht fragen, in was für einer Welt wir heute leben. Vielen Menschen sei klar, führt Professor Ștefan Ciochinaru weiter aus, dass wir in einer Welt leben, die von einem hybriden Krieg heimgesucht wird, der nichts Heiliges an sich hat.



    Wir sehen, wie nach dem Flächenbrand im Nahen Osten Lehrer in Frankreich ermordet werden, wie Bahnhöfe und Flughäfen in ganz Europa mit Bomben bedroht werden, wie Davidsterne auf die Häuser von Juden in Berlin gemalt werden, wie jüdische Friedhöfe geschändet werden, wie es in Ländern mit lange bestehenden demokratischen Traditionen zu Kundgebungen kommt, die das Opfer verurteilen und sich mit dem Angreifer solidarisieren. Wir sehen, wie die demokratische Presse in Europa die Verbrechen der Russen auf der Krim, die Verbrechen der Hamas in Israel vergessen zu haben scheint, aber stattdessen sehr besorgt ist über die sogenannten Vergeltungsma‎ßnahmen der israelischen Armee.“



    Unter Verweis auf den seit Beginn des Krieges mit der Hamas deutlich gestiegenen Antisemitismus in der Welt riet Ministerpräsident Netanjahu indessen den israelischen Bürgern, nicht ins Ausland zu reisen. Diese Aufforderung ist jedoch nur schwer zu befolgen, da es an vielen Orten der Welt israelische Unternehmen und Betriebe gibt und der wirtschaftliche Faktor eine wichtige Rolle spielt. Zum anderen hat die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) die Zustände in Gaza als unsäglich“ bezeichnet. Es ist zu spät, den Toten zu helfen, aber wir können den Lebenden helfen“, sagte WHO-Chef Tedros Ghebreyesus und rief zu einer humanitären Feuerpause bei den Kämpfen in Gaza auf.

  • Negotiations for EU enlargement

    Negotiations for EU enlargement


    On Wednesday the European Commission recommended the launch of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the granting of candidate status to Georgia, once the latter meets certain conditions.



    The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said this enlargement of the bloc was “the call of history.” “Completing our Union also has a strong economic and geopolitical logic. Past enlargements have shown the enormous benefits both for the accession countries and the EU. We all win,” Ursula von der Leyen pointed out.



    In turn, the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola voiced her satisfaction with these countries being on the right path towards opening accession negotiations. The Commissions recommendation must next be approved by the 27 members at the EU Summit of December 14-15.



    In the meantime, the countries will have to implement some key measures in this respect. As far as Chișinău is concerned, these conditions concern fighting corruption and improving financial regulations. Moldova has made the best progress of the countries that wish to join the European Union, the Commission says, but out of the 9 steps towards launching accession negotiations, the justice reform, fight against corruption and de-oligarchisation still remain unfulfilled. The Commission mentions the length of judicial proceedings, low clearance rates and the large backlog of cases. Also, there has been no significant progress in the prosecution of high-profile corruption cases.



    This is why the Commission urged Chișinău to ensure a transparent and merit-based process for appointments to the main judicial and prosecutorial governance bodies, including for the appointment of a Prosecutor General, and ensure that anti-corruption institutions are functioning within a clear organisational structure and with adequate resources.



    The president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, hailed the Commissions decision to open accession negotiations. “Moldova is firmly on the path for EU membership and we will continue working relentlessly towards this goal,ˮ Maia Sandu said.



    As for Ukraine, the Commission recommends that negotiations be opened once Kyiv meets the remaining conditions concerning the fight against corruption, the regulation of lobby activities and strengthening minority protection standards. The recommendation is a major milestone on Kyivs path towards European integration, and a strategic move for the European bloc, given that Ukraine has been struggling with Russias military invasion since February 2022. The European Commission finds that the country has proved to be capable of progress in harmonising its laws with the EU legislation, even in times of war. (AMP)


  • October 29, 2023 UPDATE

    October 29, 2023 UPDATE

    PARLIAMENT The Chamber of Deputies will discuss on
    Monday the simple motion tabled by Save Romania Union and the Force of the
    Right, in opposition in Romania, against the finance minister Marcel Boloş. The
    Opposition argues that the enforcement of the new fiscal measures for which the
    Government has taken responsibility before Parliament, will lead to tax
    increases. The USR MP Claudiu Năsui says the Liberal finance minister chose to
    triple taxes instead of cutting special pensions and to levy taxes on turnover,
    which he believes will have countless negative effects on companies and
    ultimately on consumers. The Chamber will vote on the motion on Tuesday. Also
    early this week, the Senate will vote on a government emergency order
    regulating the gambling sector. The document, which introduces an additional
    tax for companies in the sector, has been passed by specialist committees. The
    Senate is also to discuss a bill tabled by the Social Democratic MP Alfred
    Simonis and banning the sale of electronic cigarettes and similar tobacco
    products to minors.


    SCHENGEN The Romanian MEP Eugen Tomac, the leader of the People’s
    Movement Party, announced plans to appeal the EU Tribunal ruling dismissing his
    claims regarding Austria’s alleged abuse of power with respect to Romania’s
    Schengen accession. He said he would take the matter to the Court of Justice of
    the European Union, and voiced hopes that the judges would approach the issue in
    a more complex and more detailed manner, in line with the EU treaties and the
    Schengen agreements. Moreover, Tomac said, Bucharest can only overcome the situation
    by means of this appeal, in which the Romanian government would be a privileged
    applicant. Austria opposes the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria,
    arguing that the 2 countries are on the EU illegal migration route, an
    allegation disputed by the Romanian authorities and European institutions.
    Vienna also believes the Schengen area as it is at present is ineffective and
    said it would oppose any enlargement project.


    VISIT
    The European Commission vice-president for Values and Transparency, Věra
    Jourová, will be on an official visit to Romania on Monday, when she will have
    meetings with president Klaus Iohannis, PM Marcel Ciolacu and other Cabinet
    members. According to the European Commission, the EU official will discuss the
    rule of law and reforms in the judiciary, Romania’s goals in the digital
    decade, the digitisation projects included in the National Recovery and
    Resilience Plan, as well as AI and fighting disinformation.


    ISRAEL
    The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the British
    PM Rishi Sunak emphasised, in a phone discussion on Sunday, the need for urgent
    humanitarian support in Gaza Strip, after Israel announced stepping up its
    military response to the Hamas attack of October 7. In turn, the US security
    adviser called on the troops entering Gaza to make a distinction between
    civilians and the Hamas terrorists, who are legitimate targets. Israel
    announced that in the coming days it would allow a significant increase in aid
    for the civilians in Gaza. The Israeli defence ministry asked Palestinian
    civilians to move towards the south, to an area designated as humanitarian, where
    aid will be delivered under a joint mechanism created by the US, Egypt and the
    UN. Two aid convoys with foodstuffs, water and medicines entered the Rafah
    terminal on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The UN secretary general,
    Antonio Guterres, voiced his surprise at the escalation of Israel’s military
    attack on the Gaza Strip after the UN General Assembly issued a resolution
    calling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian
    rallies were organised on Sunday as well in many cities in the world.


    PEACE
    The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending a meeting in Malta,
    called for a global model based on his 10-point plan for peace with Russia, Reuters
    reports. An official list of the participants in the meeting is not yet
    available, but attending were officials for European, South-American, Arab,
    African and Asian countries. The plan includes clauses concerning the
    restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the pull-out of Russian troops,
    protection of food and energy supplies, nuclear security and the release of all
    prisoners. The co-chairs of the meeting, Ukraine and Malta, issued a joint
    declaration that mentions the participants’ commitment to just and sustainable
    peace, based on the UN Charter. The parties will take steps to arrange for a
    possible peace summit at a later date.


    GOVERNMENT PM Marcel Ciolacu announced that preparations have
    started for drafting the 2024 public budget. The government will analyse the projects
    and programmes that went well, as well as the investment applications for next
    year. On the other hand, the PM dismissed the idea of other fiscal changes in
    addition to the ones for which his Cabinet has taken responsibility before
    Parliament. The law on measures to ensure Romania’s long-term financial
    sustainability, promulgated by presidentKlaus Iohannis on Thursday, introduces new taxes and tax raises and cuts off tax facilities. Some
    of the measures take effect on November 1, while the others will be enforced as
    of January 1. Marcel Ciolacu also estimated that the new pensions law will be
    endorsed in Parliament by the end of next month and will take effect on January
    1, 2024. (AMP)