Radio România Internațional

Tag: European Commission

April 3, 2020

CORONAVIRUS IN
ROMANIA – The death toll of the COVID-19 virus in Romania has reached 116, the
Group for Strategic Communication has announced today. The latest victim is a
70-year-old man from Mures County with a history of cardio-vascular disease and
high blood pressure. There are 2,738 confirmed cases in Romania, of whom 267
have recovered, while over 15,400 people are in quarantine and some 115,000 in
isolation. The number of Romanians living or working abroad who have tested
positive for COVID-19 has reached 217, 126 in Spain, 57 in Italy, 14 in France,
7 in Germany and 4 in the UK. Since the onset of the outbreak 25 Romanians have
lost their lives abroad, of whom 9 in Italy alone.

FINES – Starting today
an emergency decree takes effect in Romania, introducing higher fines for
people that don’t observe emergency security measures. Minimum fines for
natural persons have increased from 20 to 415 euros while maximum fines from 1,035
to 4,150 euros. Fines for legal entities
that don’t comply with military decrees have increased from 205 to 2,050 euros,
up to a maximum of 14,500 euros. Moreover, additional sanctions have been
introduced for people who don’t abide by legal provisions, such as the seizure
of any goods that make the object of an offence, access denial to the said
goods by putting them under seal, temporary suspension of activity, the
shutdown of construction works and the re-establishment of certain design
works. The additional sanctions can be taken depending on the nature and
seriousness of the offence.

CORONAVIRUS IN THE
WORLD – Over a million people have tested positive for coronavirus in the
world, the global death toll standing at 54,000 people, a recent report shows.
A quarter of cases have been reported in the US, where the pandemic is
spreading swiftly. Italy is the country where most people have died, 14,000,
followed by Spain with 10,000 deaths, the US with some 6,000, France with over
5,000 and China with 3,300 dead. The World Bank has announced it would allocate
160 billion dollars over the next 15 months to help countries fight the
pandemic. The money will be used to protect the poor and the vulnerable and
will support the business sector and the economic recovery process.

NATO -
Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu is today attending an informal video-conference
of NATO foreign ministers. The meeting will focus on the crisis caused by the
coronavirus pandemic, in the context of the latest developments at European and
global level. NATO ministers will discuss the possibility of coordinating at
consular level in order to continue to repatriate non-resident EU citizens, as
well as the strengthening of EU’s role in the field of international
cooperation and the provision of humanitarian aid, combating disinformation and
the importance of European solidarity. Yesterday, during a similar
video-conference, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu underlined the important role
of emergency air missions aimed at ensuring the transport of medical equipment,
stating that Romania was the first allied state to make use of NATO strategic
air transport capabilities in order to bring the necessary equipment and
materials from South Korea.

COMMISSION
– The European Commission is intensifying its response capacity against
COVID-19, proposing the creation of a solidarity instrument worth 100 billion
euros called SURE, which will help workers maintain their incomes and will
support businesses. Loans will be handed out based on guarantees provided by
Member States and will be directed to the areas facing most difficulties.
Available to all Member States, SURE will support partial unemployment schemes
and similar measures in order to help Member States protect their jobs,
employees and people carrying out independent activities. The Commission is
also proposing the redistribution of all available structural funds for this
year in order to help meet the needs of European healthcare systems.

ELECTION
– The Liberal Government will most likely postponed the early elections slated
for June, as the coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for such a
democratic process to be held in the best possible circumstances, Liberal Prime
Minister Ludovic Orban has said. A state of emergency was declared in Romania
on March 16 and quarantine measures have been in place since last week. The
early elections were scheduled for late June, while legislative elections were
due this November. The epidemic is expected to peak over April 20 – May 1, the
risk of spreading getting lower after this period, Orban went on to say. The
Romanian official will consult with the other parties regarding a date for the
early elections, based on the evolution of the pandemic. In another
development, Health Minister Nelu Tataru said movement restrictions could be
lifted in stages, starting mid-May.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

3 April 2020
March 2, 2020

COVID-19 – The Group
for Strategic Communication on Monday announced some 52 people are being
quarantined in institutional centers while over 8,000 are under house
monitoring. So far 3 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, of whom one
person has recovered, and the other two are in good health. On the other hand,
the global death toll of the coronavirus has exceeded 3,000 with 80,000 being
infected worldwide, mostly in China, where the number of victims is constantly decreasing.
South Korea and Italy are of particular concern right now, reporting dozens of
deaths. In Italy 500 new infections were reported in a single day. Several
major events at European level have been canceled.

GOVERNMENT – The Liberals are today
starting negotiations with parliamentary parties with a view to forming a new
majority that would support the investiture of Florin Citu’s Cabinet. The
Social-Democrats in opposition have criticized Florin Citu and accused the
Liberals of continuing to support the idea of early elections. The Save Romania
Union will make a decision depending on how negotiations unfold and on the
strict observance of their own priorities, namely the election of mayors in two
rounds. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians has warned that any
negotiation made after the presentation of the list of Ministers and the
governing program is bound to fail. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
claims the Liberals have presented the list of Ministers to ensure the new
Cabinet is rejected by Parliament, while the People’s Movement Party says a
Liberal Government supported by a minority in Parliament is unlikely to be
invested. Florin Cîţu’s nomination by president Klaus Iohannis came after the
Constitutional Court ruled as unconstitutional the president’s first choice,
the interim prime minister and leader of the National Liberal Party Ludovic
Orban. The latter’s government had been dismissed through a vote of
no-confidence at the beginning of February.

INVESTIGATION -
The head of the Maramures County Council and the president of the
Social-Democratic branch in Maramures, Gabriel Zetea, announced he would be
appointing today an interim manager of the Emergency County Hospital after its
manager and former Health Minister Sorina Pintea was arrested. Zetea wants to
exclude Pintea from the Social-Democratic Party along with anyone who might be
involved in the investigation, pending the end of the trial. Pintea was placed
under pre-trial arrest for 30 days for aggravated bribe taking. According to
anticorruption prosecutors, Pintea received 10,000 euros and the equivalent in
lei of around 25,000 euros between December 2019 and February 2020 from a
company, via an intermediary, accounting for 7% of the value of a contract
signed with that company to carry out rehabilitation works at a medical unit.

POLLUTION – The
latest spike in pollution levels reported in Bucharest was caused by a number
of factors, such as uncontrolled vegetation fires and a fire, but the air
quality is currently showing signs of returning to normal parameters, Romania’s
Environment Minister told a press conference on Monday. National and private
networks for monitoring air quality on Sunday night and Monday morning reported
record-high pollution levels, exceeding the legal threshold by over 1,000%.
Romania was supposed to submit by April 1, 2019 all national programs aimed at
controlling pollution to the European Commission. For its failure to do so, the
European Commission has launched infringement procedures against Romania.

EUROVISION – Roxen will be representing
Romania in the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Alcohol You. The
song won Sunday’s national selection contest. The jury picked the song out of a
total of five songs that were selected for the final, each having prepared a
special show. The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted by Rotterdam, the
Netherlands, under the slogan Open Up. The semi-finals will take place on May
12 and 14, and the final on May 16. A total of 26 countries will take part in
the contest. Last year’s winner was Duncan Laurence, the representative of the
Netherlands, with his song Arcade. Romania’s best performance in the
Eurovision Song Contest was third place, which it obtained twice, in 2005 in
Kiev, with Let Me Try, performed by Luminita Anghel and Sistem, and in 2010
in Oslo with Playing with Fire, performed by Paula Seling and Ovi.

(Translated
by V. Palcu)

2 March 2020
European Commission releases 2020 Winter Forecast for Romania

Romania reported an economic growth
of 3.9% in 2019, compared to 4.4% in 2018, the European Commission winter
economic forecast shows. Published on Thursday, the report reveals that
Romania’s economic growth will continue to ease in 2020 and 2021. Compared to
the previous forecast published in November, the European Commission has
revised slightly upwards its economic forecast for Romania, considering that
last autumn the estimated economic growth for 2020 was 3.6% and 3.3% for 2021.
Right now, the Commission estimates a growth of 3.8% this year and 3.5% next
year. Of the 27 Member States, only Malta will report an economic growth above
Romania. The Commission recalls that real GDP growth declined from a
post-crisis peak of 7.1%

in 2017 to 4.4% in 2018 and is
expected to have moderated to 3.9% in 2019. Real GDP growth is forecast to
remain robust this year and the next, while the significant fiscal stimulus
planned in 2020 and 2021 is expected to give a new boost to private consumption
while also stimulating imports, the Commission also says. Investment is
expected to remain strong in 2020, supported by construction and greater use of
EU investment funds. The reversal in early 2020 of measures introduced in
December 2018 concerning the taxation of the banking and energy sectors is
expected to favor private investment, the Commission further notes. At the same
time, the European Commission estimates inflation to continue to shrink in
Romania, from an average of 3.9% in 2019 to 3.4% in 2020 and 3.3% in 2021. The
European Commission warns that the fiscal policy stance will be a key
determinant of the evolution of economic growth in 2020 and 2021. A
continuation of expansionary fiscal policies aggravating existing macroeconomic
imbalances could affect investors’ confidence and lead to higher funding costs.
Conversely, the start of much needed fiscal consolidation would contribute to the
unwinding of the accumulated imbalances but would also result in somewhat lower
economic growth over the forecast horizon, the winter forecast for Romania also
reads. More legislative unpredictability or rapidly deteriorating fiscal
deficit could also affect the business environment in Romania and have a
detrimental effect on investment decisions. As regards the Eurozone and the
European Union, the Commission announced Eurozone’s GDP growth is bound to
remain stable at 1.2%, both in 2020 and 2021. Over the same interval, the EU’s
growth is estimated to slow down slightly to 1.4%.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

14 February 2020
November 30, 2019 UPDATE

NATIONAL DAY – Alba Iulia on Saturday hosted a series of
ceremonies marking the National Day of Romania and the Great Union. Military
events, floral tributes, concerts and film screenings were held on this
occasion. On Sunday, December 1, some 4,000 military and specialists with the
Defense and Interior Ministries, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the
National Penitentiary Administration, in addition to 200 pieces of military
technology, will take part in the national military parade held in Bucharest on
December 1. According to the Defense Ministry, some 500 military from Romania’s
21 allied or partner countries will be taking part as well. Depending on the
weather, over 50 aircraft will be participating in the parade. The public will
also be able to visit an open-air exhibition. Various events will be held in
other cities in Romania. The national flag will be displayed on all military
buildings while all maritime and river ships will be dressed up overall.
Romanian military in theatres of operations in Afghanistan, the Western
Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland are also organizing military ceremonies and
specific activities on this occasion. December 1 became Romania’s National Day
after the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution and it marks the completion,
at the end of WWI, in 1918, of the process of creating the Romanian unitary
nation state, when all the provinces included in the neighboring multinational
empires, with a majority Romanian-speaking population, came under the authority
of Bucharest.

PUBLIC ORDER – Over 27,000 employees of the
Interior Ministry will be working to ensure public order and intervene in case
of emergency on December 1, the National Day of Romania. According to a press
release issued by the Interior Ministry, some 660 events will be held to mark
this day at national level. To ensure public order, law enforcement officers,
gendarmes, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilized. The measures are
meant to prevent and combat anti-social behaviors, ease road traffic,
especially in areas where restrictions are in place, as well as to provide
emergency medical care, where needed.

SAINT ANDREW – Christians on Saturday celebrated
St. Andrew the Apostle’s Feast Day. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of
Romania, after he preached the word of Jesus Christ in present-day Dobrogea, in
southeastern Romania. Saint Andrew died in Patras, Greece, crucified on an
X-shaped cross. President Klaus Iohannis conveyed a message to all Romanians at
home and abroad, to celebrate the spiritual identity of the Romanian people on
this special day, and use the celebration to strengthen the Romanian people in
unity and cohesion. Some 700,000 Romanians celebrated their name day.

NATO – London on Tuesday and
Wednesday is hosting the NATO summit, celebrating 70 years of NATO existence.
High on the agenda are the fight against terrorism, arms control and relations
with Russia and China. Representing Romania will be president Klaus Iohannis.
According to the presidency, Klaus Iohannis will highlight Romania’s contribution
as a NATO member and the need to continue determent and security efforts on the
eastern flank and in the Black Sea region.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
– The new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen will start its
activity on December 1. Member States have decided the new Commission will have
only 27 commissioners, after Great Britain refused to make a nomination.
Romanian Adina Valean from the European People’s Party has been appointed
Transport Commissioner. The College of Commissioners will convene on December 4
to make several administrative decisions.

HANDBALL – The
Romanian women’s team lost 31-16 to Spain in the first Group C fixture at the
World Cup held in Japan. Romania was drawn in Group C alongside Senegal,
Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Hungary. The top three teams will advance to the
next phase. From 1957 to 2017, Romania has never missed a World Cup. Our
country won silver in 2005 in Russia and bronze in 2015 in Denmark.

EURO 2020 -
One million tickets will be made available over December 4-18 to the fans of
the 20 teams qualified to the European Football Championship 2020, the Romanian
Football Federation reports. The general public will be able to purchase part
of the tickets. Fans will be able to purchase tickets over December 4-8. The
fans of the four teams that will qualify after the playoffs, including Romania,
if our team eventually qualifies, will be able to buy tickets once matches are
concluded at the end of March, 2020. Over half of these tickets will be in the
lowest-price category, which is 30 Euros for Baku, Bucharest and Budapest and
50 Euros for the other host cities. The 2020 edition of the UEFA European
Championship is the biggest ever held, with over 3 million tickets, 82% of
which being available to the fans.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

30 November 2019
November 30, 2019

NATIONAL DAY – Alba Iulia on Saturday hosted a series of
ceremonies marking the National Day of Romania and the Great Union. Military
events, floral tributes, concerts and film screenings were held on this
occasion. On Sunday, December 1, some 4,000 military and specialists with the
Defense and Interior Ministries, the Romanian Intelligence Service and the
National Penitentiary Administration, in addition to 200 pieces of military
technology, will take part in the national military parade held in Bucharest on
December 1. According to the Defense Ministry, some 500 military from Romania’s
21 allied or partner countries will be taking part as well. Depending on the
weather, over 50 aircraft will be participating in the parade. The public will
also be able to visit an open-air exhibition. Various events will be held in
other cities in Romania. The national flag will be displayed on all military
buildings while all maritime and river ships will be dressed up overall. Romanian military in theatres of operations in
Afghanistan, the Western Balkans, Mali, Iraq and Poland are also organizing
military ceremonies and specific activities on this occasion. December 1 became
Romania’s National Day after the December 1989 anti-Communist revolution and it
marks the completion, at the end of WWI, in 1918, of the process of creating
the Romanian unitary nation state, when all the provinces included in the
neighboring multinational empires, with a majority Romanian-speaking
population, came under the authority of Bucharest.

PUBLIC ORDER – Over 27,000 employees of the
Interior Ministry will be working to ensure public order and intervene in case
of emergency on December 1, the National Day of Romania. According to a press
release issued by the Interior Ministry, some 660 events will be held to mark
this day at national level. To ensure public order, law enforcement officers,
gendarmes, firefighters and paramedics have been mobilized. The measures are
meant to prevent and combat anti-social behaviors, ease road traffic,
especially in areas where restrictions are in place, as well as to provide
emergency medical care, where needed.

SAINT ANDREW – Christians on Saturday celebrated
St. Andrew the Apostle’s Feast Day. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of
Romania, after he preached the word of Jesus Christ in present-day Dobrogea, in
southeastern Romania. Saint Andrew died in Patras, Greece, crucified on an
X-shaped cross. President Klaus Iohannis conveyed a message to all Romanians at
home and abroad, to celebrate the spiritual identity of the Romanian people on
this special day, and use the celebration to strengthen the Romanian people in
unity and cohesion. Some 700,000 Romanians celebrated their name day.

NATO – London on Tuesday and
Wednesday is hosting the NATO summit, celebrating 70 years of NATO existence.
High on the agenda are the fight against terrorism, arms control and relations
with Russia and China. Representing Romania will be president Klaus Iohannis.
According to the presidency, Klaus Iohannis will highlight Romania’s
contribution as a NATO member and the need to continue determent and security
efforts on the eastern flank and in the Black Sea region.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
– The new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen will start its activity
on December 1. Member States have decided the new Commission will have only 27
commissioners, after Great Britain refused to make a nomination. Romanian Adina
Valean from the European People’s Party has been appointed Transport
Commissioner. The College of Commissioners will convene on December 4 to make
several administrative decisions.

HANDBALL – The
Romanian women’s team lost 31-16 to Spain in the first Group C fixture at the
World Cup held in Japan. Romania was drawn in Group C alongside Senegal,
Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Hungary. The top three teams will advance to the
next phase. From 1957 to 2017, Romania has never missed a World Cup. Our
country won silver in 2005 in Russia and bronze in 2015 in Denmark.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

30 November 2019
A new European Commission

The new European
Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, was voted Wednesday in the European
Parliament and is set to start its activity on December 1. The Commission
grabbed most votes from the European People’s Party, the Party of European
Socialists and Renew Europe. Romania will be represented by Adina Valean, who
will be the new European Commissioner for Transport. Adina Valean told Radio
Romania she will seek to implement measures for a sustainable transport that
should ensure citizen safety, considering some 25,000 people die every year in
road traffic accidents across Europe.

The first thing
we will do is implement a smart transport system, which means monitoring all
roads. Secondly, there are issues pertaining to improving transport
infrastructure, because a road of very poor quality, without the proper signs,
can favor the incidence of such accidents. Then we are working on an industrial
policy, where people can afford a high-quality periodic inspection of their
cars. Finally, we want to exchange best practices in terms of driver
behaviors.

According to
Radio Romania’s Brussels correspondent, environment protection and climate
change, economic growth, inclusion, innovation and digitization, as well as
upholding democracy, European values, citizens’ rights and the rule of law are
the main priorities of the new European Commission president. Ursula von der
Leyen, the first woman to occupy this position, said the rule of law represents
the foundation of the European project, and that there can be no compromise in
this respect. President von der Leyen argued in favor of attracting states in
Balkans into the EU, and spoke of the importance of trans-Atlantic ties. Her
most ambitious project is the so-called European Green Deal, which she promised
would implement ever since she was elected president of the new European
Commission. The European Green Deal is a must for the health of our planet and
our people – and for our economy, von der Leyen said, adding Frans Timmermans
is the right person to make this happen. And I am delighted that he will be
supported by Kadri Simson, Adina Vălean and many others. The European Green
Deal is our new growth strategy. It will help us cut emissions while creating
jobs, she concluded. After Tuesday’s investiture vote, MEPs have greenlit the
EU budget for next year, which provides for additional support to protecting
climate, boosting investment in research and infrastructure and supporting
young people.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

28 November 2019
November 27, 2019 UPDATE

EU BUDGET – The European Parliament adopted the 2020 EU budget on Wednesday. Next years budget will continue to support growth and the competitiveness of the European economy, as well as other EU priorities, such as security and the management of migration. 21% of the budget will go towards measures aimed at addressing climate change. This has been achieved through increases for climate-related actions in several areas such as research and development, transport and energy infrastructure, and the EUs external action.Total commitments are set at 168.7 billion euros. This is an increase of 1.5% compared to the 2019 budget as amended. 1.5 billion euros have been kept available under the expenditure ceilings of the multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020, allowing the EU to react to unforeseeable needs. Total payments amount to 153.6 billion euros, rising 3.4% from 2019. This increase reflects the continuing implementation of the 2014-2020 programmes at full speed.

RESIGNATION – The former prime-minister of Romania, Viorica Dancila, stepped down on Tuesday night as president of the Social Democratic Party. She has stated she had to resign at the end of a tense meeting of the partys national executive committee, organized after Dancila lost the presidential runoff on Sunday to the current president of the country, Klaus Iohannis. The interim leadership of the Social Democratic Party is now held by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu. A party congress is likely to be held early next year.

DEFENSE – Romanias Supreme Defense Council, chaired by president Klaus Iohannis, on Wednesday endorsed the appointment of Leutenant General Daniel Petrescu as the new Chief of Staff of the Romanian Armed Forces. The office of Chief of Staff remained vacant after General Nicolae Ciuca was appointed Minister of Defense in the new Government. Also discussed at the meeting were Romanias objectives for NATOs summit to be hosted by London in December. The head of state announced that the number of troops to take part in operations outside the country’s borders in 2020, that is 21 hundred military and civilians. That was the first meeting of the Council attended by members of the new Cabinet, headed by the Liberal Ludovic Orban.

COLECTIV – Final arguments are being held at the Bucharest Tribunal in the Colectiv case, by the lawyers of the club owners and of the owner of the company that provided the fireworks, as well as of the firefighters and technicians that have been tried in this case. On Monday, the families of the young people who died in the fire four years ago asked for material and moral damages of dozens of millions of Euros from the former mayor of Bucharests 4th district Cristian Popescu Piedone. Also, prosecutors with the Anticorruption Directorate asked for a 15-year prison sentence for the former mayor. Piedone and another three town-hall clerks have been tried for illegally releasing permits for the club that burned down in 2015, killing 64 people and wounding another 200. The trial started in 2016, but it was constantly postponed for two years, until a new fjudge was appointed, who sped up the hearings.

VISIT – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis met on Wednesday in Bucharest with the future president of the European Council, Charles Michel. The two officials discussed the EUs Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, the 2021-2027 EU budget negotiations, Brexit, migration, foreign relations and fighting climate change. The visit of the former Belgian prime-minister is part of a tour in preparation for taking over the leadership of the European Council, on December 1st. He wants to learn more about the European leaders stand with regard to the main subjects on the EU agenda.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Gathered in plenary session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament voted on Wednesday the membership of the new European Commission, headed by the German Ursula von der Leyen, who presented her team and programme. The Romanian Adina Valean will be the new Transport Commissioner. The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was to guarantee that the Commission had the necessary democratic legitimacy to act for the benefit of the European citizens. Since late September until mid this month, the parliamentary committees held hearings with each of the candidates, in order to assess their capacity. Last week, the leaders of the political groups and the EP president David Sassoli agreed that the examination process had been finalized and that parliament was ready to vote. The new EC should have taken office on November 1st, but three proposals for commissioner were rejected, namely those made by Romania, Hungary and France. The Commission will start working on December 1st.

MIGRANTS – 48 people from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and India were found by border police while attempting to illegally cross the Romanian border via Nadlac, in western Romania, hidden in a truck. According to the border police, six of them are minor, three women and 39 men, all asylum seekers in Romania. The police are now carrying out investigations to establish whether its a matter of migrant smuggling.

IPIFF – The 14^th edition of the Independent Producers Indie Film Festival — IPIFF 2019, the only festival in Romania supporting independent filmmakers, is under way in Bucharest. The Festival is organised by the Romanian Union of Film and Audiovisual Producers – Romanian Association for Collective Management of Audiovizual Works. For five days, film lovers have the opportunity to watch at the Union Cinema in Bucharest, the latest Romanian independent features and short films. The current edition of the festival also includes a screenwriting competition for short and feature film. Workshops for scriptwriters will also be held, aimed at helping them turn their scripts into films. One of these workshops, dubbed “The art of project presentation, of finding the right co-producer and of negotiating the best co-production deal”, will be held on November 28 by Renate Roginas. (translated by E. Enache)

27 November 2019
November 27, 2019 UPDATE

EU BUDGET – The European Parliament adopted the 2020 EU budget on Wednesday. Next years budget will continue to support growth and the competitiveness of the European economy, as well as other EU priorities, such as security and the management of migration. 21% of the budget will go towards measures aimed at addressing climate change. This has been achieved through increases for climate-related actions in several areas such as research and development, transport and energy infrastructure, and the EUs external action.Total commitments are set at 168.7 billion euros. This is an increase of 1.5% compared to the 2019 budget as amended. 1.5 billion euros have been kept available under the expenditure ceilings of the multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020, allowing the EU to react to unforeseeable needs. Total payments amount to 153.6 billion euros, rising 3.4% from 2019. This increase reflects the continuing implementation of the 2014-2020 programmes at full speed.

RESIGNATION – The former prime-minister of Romania, Viorica Dancila, stepped down on Tuesday night as president of the Social Democratic Party. She has stated she had to resign at the end of a tense meeting of the partys national executive committee, organized after Dancila lost the presidential runoff on Sunday to the current president of the country, Klaus Iohannis. The interim leadership of the Social Democratic Party is now held by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu. A party congress is likely to be held early next year.

DEFENSE – Romanias Supreme Defense Council, chaired by president Klaus Iohannis, on Wednesday endorsed the appointment of Leutenant General Daniel Petrescu as the new Chief of Staff of the Romanian Armed Forces. The office of Chief of Staff remained vacant after General Nicolae Ciuca was appointed Minister of Defense in the new Government. Also discussed at the meeting were Romanias objectives for NATOs summit to be hosted by London in December. The head of state announced that the number of troops to take part in operations outside the country’s borders in 2020, that is 21 hundred military and civilians. That was the first meeting of the Council attended by members of the new Cabinet, headed by the Liberal Ludovic Orban.

COLECTIV – Final arguments are being held at the Bucharest Tribunal in the Colectiv case, by the lawyers of the club owners and of the owner of the company that provided the fireworks, as well as of the firefighters and technicians that have been tried in this case. On Monday, the families of the young people who died in the fire four years ago asked for material and moral damages of dozens of millions of Euros from the former mayor of Bucharests 4th district Cristian Popescu Piedone. Also, prosecutors with the Anticorruption Directorate asked for a 15-year prison sentence for the former mayor. Piedone and another three town-hall clerks have been tried for illegally releasing permits for the club that burned down in 2015, killing 64 people and wounding another 200. The trial started in 2016, but it was constantly postponed for two years, until a new fjudge was appointed, who sped up the hearings.

VISIT – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis met on Wednesday in Bucharest with the future president of the European Council, Charles Michel. The two officials discussed the EUs Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, the 2021-2027 EU budget negotiations, Brexit, migration, foreign relations and fighting climate change. The visit of the former Belgian prime-minister is part of a tour in preparation for taking over the leadership of the European Council, on December 1st. He wants to learn more about the European leaders stand with regard to the main subjects on the EU agenda.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Gathered in plenary session in Strasbourg, the European Parliament voted on Wednesday the membership of the new European Commission, headed by the German Ursula von der Leyen, who presented her team and programme. The Romanian Adina Valean will be the new Transport Commissioner. The purpose of Wednesday’s meeting was to guarantee that the Commission had the necessary democratic legitimacy to act for the benefit of the European citizens. Since late September until mid this month, the parliamentary committees held hearings with each of the candidates, in order to assess their capacity. Last week, the leaders of the political groups and the EP president David Sassoli agreed that the examination process had been finalized and that parliament was ready to vote. The new EC should have taken office on November 1st, but three proposals for commissioner were rejected, namely those made by Romania, Hungary and France. The Commission will start working on December 1st.

MIGRANTS – 48 people from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and India were found by border police while attempting to illegally cross the Romanian border via Nadlac, in western Romania, hidden in a truck. According to the border police, six of them are minor, three women and 39 men, all asylum seekers in Romania. The police are now carrying out investigations to establish whether its a matter of migrant smuggling.

IPIFF – The 14^th edition of the Independent Producers Indie Film Festival — IPIFF 2019, the only festival in Romania supporting independent filmmakers, is under way in Bucharest. The Festival is organised by the Romanian Union of Film and Audiovisual Producers – Romanian Association for Collective Management of Audiovizual Works. For five days, film lovers have the opportunity to watch at the Union Cinema in Bucharest, the latest Romanian independent features and short films. The current edition of the festival also includes a screenwriting competition for short and feature film. Workshops for scriptwriters will also be held, aimed at helping them turn their scripts into films. One of these workshops, dubbed “The art of project presentation, of finding the right co-producer and of negotiating the best co-production deal”, will be held on November 28 by Renate Roginas. (translated by E. Enache)

27 November 2019
November 24, 2019 UPDATE

ELECTION
– The second round of the presidential election is today taking place in
Romania. Romanians have to choose between the acting president, Klaus Iohannis,
supported by the National Liberal Party and the former Social-Democrat Prime
Minister, Viorica Dancila. 2 hours before polling stations close, some 48% of
the total of 18.2 million voters cast their votes. In the Diaspora the voting
process started on Friday at noon and will end on Sunday at midnight. Some
17.500 people living abroad voted by post. The total number of voting stations
abroad stood at 838. So far some 860 thousand Romanians living abroad have cast
their votes.

FRIGATE – The King Ferdinand frigate has returned to the military port of
Constanta after five weeks spent in the Mediterranean. The frigate took part in
the NATO-led Sea Guardian 19 operation and in the Dogu Akdeniz 19 multinational
exercise, during which it carried out joint missions to deter illegal
activities on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU, by means of monitoring
maritime traffic, under Allied Maritime Command.

POPE FRANCIS
– During his tour of Asia, which also included Thailand, Pope Francis visited
Japan on Saturday, where he conveyed an emotion-evoking message against nuclear
weapons. The Pope visited Nagasaki, one of the two cities struck in the Second
World War. The Pope told Japanese bishops he hopes to meet some of the victims
of the nuclear attacks, as well as the survivors of the Fukushima nuclear power
plant disaster. Another goal of his visit to Japan is to encourage the Catholic
community in this country, where only 1% of the population is Christian, half
of which is Catholic. This is the first visit by a Pope to Japan in the last 38
years and the second one in history.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Ambassadors of EU Member States have
agreed that the new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen should
start its activity on December 1 without a British Commissioner on the team,
after the British Government refused to make a nomination. Ambassadors have
adopted the list of the 27 Commissioners, which further requires Parliament’s
vote, slated for Wednesday. Since Brexit has been postponed for January 31,
2020, Great Britain was bound by EU treatises to make a nomination. Boris
Johnson’s Cabinet stated that no nominations can be made ahead of a British
election, as this country will host early legislative elections on December 12.
Following London’s refusal, the European Commission launched infringement
procedures against Great Britain on November 14.

GAUDEAMUS – The Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organized in Bucharest by
Radio Romania, came to a close on Sunday. On the last day of the fair, the
awards of the 26th edition were presented. The Gaudeamus awards went
to the Humanitas, Polirom and ART publishers. The award for the most
sought-after book went to Radu Paraschivescu’s volume, The Man who moves
Clouds. 7 Stories, released by Humanitas publishing house. In the media awards
section, Evenimentul Zilei grabbed the award for best print publication, Pro TV
won the award for best TV station, while Europa FM won the radio award. In the
news agencies section, the award went to the national news agency Agerpres. The
Award for Excellence went to the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi
Publishing House. The Antoaneta Ralian translation prize went to Luminita
Munteanu, for her translation of the Orhan Pamuk series into Romanian, as well
as to Daniel Ionita, the coordinator of the bilingual edition of the anthology
Testament. 400 years of Romanian poetry, released in Australia. 8,000 book
stands were put up as part of this edition, devoted to the 30 years since the
anti-communist revolution of 1989. A total of 900 different events were
scheduled, including book launches, debates and book signing sessions.

HANDBALL – Romanian handball club AHC Potaissa Turda is playing ZRHK TENAX
Dobele of Latvia in the second round of the men’s Challenge Cup. In the first
leg, the Romanian side won 38-35 away from home. Potaissa Turda won the
Challenge Cup in 2018 after defeating the Greek side AEK Athens. On Saturday,
another club, CSM Bucharest, advanced to the Challenge Cup’s round of 16
despite losing to HC Masheka of Belarus, 28-25 away from home, in the second
leg of the competition’s third round. Title holders CSM Bucharest had won the
first leg 34-28 on Friday.

(Translated
by V. Palcu)

24 November 2019
November 24, 2019 UPDATE

ELECTION
– The second round of the presidential election is today taking place in
Romania. Romanians have to choose between the acting president, Klaus Iohannis,
supported by the National Liberal Party and the former Social-Democrat Prime
Minister, Viorica Dancila. 2 hours before polling stations close, some 48% of
the total of 18.2 million voters cast their votes. In the Diaspora the voting
process started on Friday at noon and will end on Sunday at midnight. Some
17.500 people living abroad voted by post. The total number of voting stations
abroad stood at 838. So far some 860 thousand Romanians living abroad have cast
their votes.

FRIGATE – The King Ferdinand frigate has returned to the military port of
Constanta after five weeks spent in the Mediterranean. The frigate took part in
the NATO-led Sea Guardian 19 operation and in the Dogu Akdeniz 19 multinational
exercise, during which it carried out joint missions to deter illegal
activities on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU, by means of monitoring
maritime traffic, under Allied Maritime Command.

POPE FRANCIS
– During his tour of Asia, which also included Thailand, Pope Francis visited
Japan on Saturday, where he conveyed an emotion-evoking message against nuclear
weapons. The Pope visited Nagasaki, one of the two cities struck in the Second
World War. The Pope told Japanese bishops he hopes to meet some of the victims
of the nuclear attacks, as well as the survivors of the Fukushima nuclear power
plant disaster. Another goal of his visit to Japan is to encourage the Catholic
community in this country, where only 1% of the population is Christian, half
of which is Catholic. This is the first visit by a Pope to Japan in the last 38
years and the second one in history.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Ambassadors of EU Member States have
agreed that the new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen should
start its activity on December 1 without a British Commissioner on the team,
after the British Government refused to make a nomination. Ambassadors have
adopted the list of the 27 Commissioners, which further requires Parliament’s
vote, slated for Wednesday. Since Brexit has been postponed for January 31,
2020, Great Britain was bound by EU treatises to make a nomination. Boris
Johnson’s Cabinet stated that no nominations can be made ahead of a British
election, as this country will host early legislative elections on December 12.
Following London’s refusal, the European Commission launched infringement
procedures against Great Britain on November 14.

GAUDEAMUS – The Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organized in Bucharest by
Radio Romania, came to a close on Sunday. On the last day of the fair, the
awards of the 26th edition were presented. The Gaudeamus awards went
to the Humanitas, Polirom and ART publishers. The award for the most
sought-after book went to Radu Paraschivescu’s volume, The Man who moves
Clouds. 7 Stories, released by Humanitas publishing house. In the media awards
section, Evenimentul Zilei grabbed the award for best print publication, Pro TV
won the award for best TV station, while Europa FM won the radio award. In the
news agencies section, the award went to the national news agency Agerpres. The
Award for Excellence went to the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi
Publishing House. The Antoaneta Ralian translation prize went to Luminita
Munteanu, for her translation of the Orhan Pamuk series into Romanian, as well
as to Daniel Ionita, the coordinator of the bilingual edition of the anthology
Testament. 400 years of Romanian poetry, released in Australia. 8,000 book
stands were put up as part of this edition, devoted to the 30 years since the
anti-communist revolution of 1989. A total of 900 different events were
scheduled, including book launches, debates and book signing sessions.

HANDBALL – Romanian handball club AHC Potaissa Turda is playing ZRHK TENAX
Dobele of Latvia in the second round of the men’s Challenge Cup. In the first
leg, the Romanian side won 38-35 away from home. Potaissa Turda won the
Challenge Cup in 2018 after defeating the Greek side AEK Athens. On Saturday,
another club, CSM Bucharest, advanced to the Challenge Cup’s round of 16
despite losing to HC Masheka of Belarus, 28-25 away from home, in the second
leg of the competition’s third round. Title holders CSM Bucharest had won the
first leg 34-28 on Friday.

(Translated
by V. Palcu)

24 November 2019
November 24, 2019

ELECTION
– The second round of the presidential election is today taking place in
Romania. Romanians have to choose between the acting president, Klaus Iohannis,
supported by the National Liberal Party, the former Social-Democrat Prime
Minister, Viorica Dancila. In the first six hours since voting stations opened,
some 22% of the total of 18.2 million voters cast their votes. In the Diaspora
the voting process started on Friday at noon and will end on Sunday at
midnight. Some 17.500 people living abroad voted by post. The total number of
voting stations abroad stood at 838. So far some 500 thousand Romanians living
abroad have cast their votes.

FRIGATE – The King Ferdinand frigate has returned to the military port of
Constanta after five weeks spent in the Mediterranean. The frigate took part in
the NATO-led Sea Guardian 19 operation and in the Dogu Akdeniz 19 multinational
exercise, during which it carried out joint missions to deter illegal
activities on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU, by means of monitoring
maritime traffic, under Allied Maritime Command.

POPE FRANCIS
– During his tour of Asia, which also included Thailand, Pope Francis visited
Japan on Saturday, where he conveyed an emotion-evoking message against nuclear
weapons. The Pope visited Nagasaki, one of the two cities struck in the Second
World War. The Pope told Japanese bishops he hopes to meet some of the victims
of the nuclear attacks, as well as the survivors of the Fukushima nuclear power
plant disaster. Another goal of his visit to Japan is to encourage the Catholic
community in Japan, where only 1% of the population is Christian, half of which
is Catholic. This is the first visit by a Pope to Japan in the last 38 years
and the second one in history.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION – Ambassadors of EU Member States have
agreed that the new European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen should
start its activity on December 1 without a British Commissioner on the team,
after the British Government refused to make a nomination. Ambassadors have
adopted the list of the 27 Commissioners, which further requires Parliament’s
vote, slated for Wednesday. Since Brexit has been postponed for January 31,
2020, Great Britain was bound by EU treatises to make a nomination. Boris
Johnson’s Cabinet stated that no nominations can be made ahead of a British
election, as this country will host early legislative elections on December 12.
Following London’s refusal, the European Commission launched infringement
procedures against Great Britain on November 14.

GAUDEAMUS – The Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organized in Bucharest by
Radio Romania, came to an end on Sunday. On the last day of the fair, the
awards of the 26th edition were presented. On Saturday, the 4th
day of the Fair, Prof. Thierry Wolton took part in the launch of the second
volume of his trilogy A World History of Communism. In this volume, entitled
‘The Victims’, Wolton speaks about the tens of millions that suffered
imprisonment, deportation, torture and even extermination for their
anti-communist beliefs. 8,000 book stands have been put up as part of this
edition, devoted to the 30 years since the anti-communist revolution of 1989. A
total of 900 different events were scheduled, including book launches, debates
and book signing sessions.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)

24 November 2019
Development gaps between Europe’s regions

A new cold shower for Romania in
Brussels this week, as the European Commission on Monday made public the 2019
results of its Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI), which has been measuring
major factors of competitiveness for European regions every three years. This confirms
the fact that, despite the claims of local and central authorities in Romania,
according to whom Romania has been bridging the development gap compared to
other Western regions, the gaps are still there. The Regional Competitiveness
Index measures factors such as innovation, the complexity of the business
environment, infrastructure or the labor market.

According to an official
Commission release, the 2019 results confirm a polycentric pattern with a
strong performance of most capitals and regions with large cities, while other
regions in the same country in some cases score much worse. Such is the case of
Bulgaria and Romania. According to the 2019 RCI, ranking first in Europe is the
Swedish capital Stockholm, with 100 points, followed by London and Utrecht in
the Netherlands, with 99 points. The most economically dynamic region in
Romania is the Bucharest-Ilfov region, which nevertheless ranks far below other
European regions, namely 158th in a ranking of 268 regions, with
55.9 points. Bucharest too is far from other capitals in Central and Eastern
Europe such as Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava.

The North-West region in Romania,
which also includes the biggest city in Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, ranks 246th
with 20.9 points. This is also the only region that fares above the national
average of 17.84 points. The North-West region ranks above the European average
only in terms of labor market effectiveness. There are, however, criteria where
Romania’s North-West region has fared poorly compared to similar regions in
Greece, Slovakia and Poland: infrastructure and basic education. Besides,
compared to 2010, when the first RCI results were compiled, the North-West now
ranks below the West region, driven by its largest city, Timisoara. The
South-East region of Romania is ranked in the last-but one position at EU
level, ahead only of the North Aegean region. Pundits note that Romania’s
south-east, including counties such as Braila, Buzau, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea
and Vrancea, in fact fares below the French Guiana, an overseas department and
region of France, which is the third most underdeveloped region in the 2019
RCI. Experts also say this is a sign of
poor local administration. Galati and Braila are Romania’s biggest ports on the
Danube, while Constanta is one of Europe’s largest maritime ports, flanked by
popular seacoast resorts. Tulcea, on the other hand, encompasses the Danube
Delta, and all the aforementioned counties boast significant industrial
activities.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)

8 October 2019
What the new European Commission will look like

Soon the executive team led by
Jean-Claude Juncker will leave the European Commission, to make room for the
new European cabinet. Its president elect, Ursula von der Leyen, has already
presented in Brussels the list of commissioners and the structure of the new
Commission. Ursula von der Leyen promised to adopt new measures against climate
change, to consolidate the partnership with the United States and redefine
relations with China. Mrs. Von der Leyen claims her team will be balanced,
agile and modern, devoted to sustainable policies and a champion of
multilateralism.

Since Great Britain has made no nomination, the new Commission
will have 27 members, of whom 8 vice-presidents, including the High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell of Spain.
The central policies of the new Commission will be coordinated over the next
five years by executive vice-presidents, as follows: Social-Democrat Frans
Timmermans of the Netherlands will be in charge of fighting climate change, Denmark’s
Liberal Margrethe Vestager will be in charge of digital competitiveness, while
Latvian Democrat Valdis Dombrovskis will take over the social and business
sector. The media writes that keeping Vestager at the helm of the fight against
the Silicon Valley-based US companies’ monopoly of European markets will most
likely attract criticism from the White House.

The appointment of Romanian MEP
Rovana Plumb as Commissioner for Transport was met with equal criticism in
Bucharest. A member of the Social-Democratic Party for the last 25 years, Plumb
has held repeated terms at the helm of the Environment, Labor, European Funds,
Education and Transport Ministries. The opposition says Rovana Plumb’s
integrity and set of skills make her utterly unfit for the job. In turn she claims
the opposition has done little for the country. Political pundits find it
ironical that Plumb should be appointed Transport Commissioner, considering
Romania has been struggling to build a motorway network and has reported little
improvement in decades in terms of modernizing its rail network.

Controversies
revolve around the other members of the new Commission as well. A case in point
is that of Sylvie Goulard of France, nominated for the position of Commissioner
for the Internal Market, the very day she was deposed by the French judicial
police in a case involving fictional jobs. A considerable amount of uproar was
caused by von der Leyen’s decision to make migration part of a wider portfolio
dubbed protecting our European way of life, a label the left-wing Greens have
found frightening. According to procedures, the designated Commissioners will
appear before the relevant Parliament committees, with Parliament expected to
cast its final vote afterwards. Once the Commission is approved by Parliament,
the European Council will formally appoint the European Commission.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

11 September 2019
March 7, 2019

REPORT – Romania’s estimated Gross Domestic Product for 2018 stood at around 196 billion euros, up by 4.1% in real terms as against 2017. According to the National Statistics Institute, industry contributed the most to this growth, with almost 24%. The gross fixed capital formation, a higher volume of imports of goods and services and a reduced volume of activity in the construction sector had a negative contribution to the GDP increase. The European Commission has recently pointed out, in its winter economic forecast, that the economic boom that started in Romania in 2017 slowed down in 2018. The real GDP growth decreased from 7% in 2017 to 4% in 2018, according to the EC report. In the fall of 2019 the IMF has revised downwards its economic forecast for Romania for both 2018 and 2019.

PROTESTS — Professors and students with the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) on Thursday have expressed their solidarity with the magistrates’ protests and have joined their colleagues in other university centers in condemning attempts to subordinate justice to the political power. Actors in several theatres across Romania, the capital Bucharest included, have organized protest rallies in support of the magistrates. The recent emergency order 7, modifying again the justice laws, is vehemently criticized by the magistrates.

EC – Romanian PM Viorica Dancila continues her working visit to Brussels. Today she is meeting with the Brexit EU Chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, to discuss the protection of the European citizens’ rights, given the nearing exit deadline set for March 29. On Wednesday, the first day of the visit, Dancila met with the European Commission’s First Vice President, Frans Timmermans, and discussed about the recent modifications to the justice legislation in Romania. The European official has voiced concern with respect to the latest evolutions in matters regarding the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification. Dancila and Timmermans have decided that Romanian and European Commission experts should meet next week to further discuss these matters.

SUBPOENA – The former chief of the Anti Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, has been subpoenaed today by the Section for the Investigation of Magistrates, to be heard in a case in which she is accused of abuse of office, bribe taking and false testimony. Kovesi denies the accusations. The case involving Kovesi was opened in December 2018 following a complaint filed by the former MP Sebastian Ghita, a fugitive who has been prosecuted in several corruption cases in Romania and has fled to the neighboring Serbia. The former chief prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Directorate in Romania, Laura Codruta Kövesi, is the first on the list of preferences for the position of European Chief Prosecutor. The New European Prosecutor’s Office will closely cooperate with OLAF, to detect and investigate cases of fraud all across the European Union.

JAI – The Justice and Home Affairs ministers in Bucharest, Carmen Dan and Tudorel Toader respectively are taking part on Thursday and Friday in Brussels in the Justice and Home Affairs Council, taking place in the context of Romania’s holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The meetings’ agenda includes topics such as European cooperation in the field of justice and border security, the reform of the European asylum-granting system as well as migration and terrorist threats. On Friday, justice ministers will be updated on the most recent steps taken for the setting up of the European Prosecutor’s Office to become operational in 2020 and to have its headquarters in Luxembourg.

TENNIS – In the first round of the US tournament in Indian Wells, the Romanian-born Canadian tennis player Bianca Andreescu defeated Romania’s Irina Begu, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. Simona Halep and Mihaela Buzarnescu will prove their mettle in the women’s singles’ second round. In the women’s doubles, Monica Niculescu and Raluca Olaru have got through to the round of 16. Monica Niculescu will pair up with American tennis player Abigail Spears, while Raluca Olaru will play alongside Croatia’s Darija Jurak. (Translated by Elena Enache)

7 March 2019
February 25 – March 1

Protests
by magistrates in Romania

Unprecedented protests by magistrates,
prosecutors and judges in Romania have been staged after the adoption by the
government of a new emergency ordinance changing the justice laws. The activity
of several prosecutors’ offices has been suspended this week in token of
protest. The Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism,
DIICOT, has decided for the first time to suspend its activity over February 26
-March 8, with only emergency cases being solved during this time span. Judges
from the Bucharest Tribunal have suspended their activity, too, until March 7,
in token of protest, all ongoing cases, with the exception of emergencies,
being postponed. The magistrates also demand that Ordinance no.7 be repealed
and ask for measures to suspend the activity of the Section for the Investigation
of Criminal Offences in the judiciary until the EU Court of Justice issues a
ruling on the challenges against this special section. Meanwhile, the justice
minister, Tudorel Toader, has announced he has
drafted a new emergency ordinance, which repeals several provisions of
Ordinance no. 7, which has stirred a wave of protests. The changes are meant to
abrogate the article which stipulates that judges, alongside prosecutors, may
become top level prosecutors.

The
former head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate in Romania, favourite
to become the European Union’s Public Prosecutor

The formerhead of the Anti-Corruption Directorate in Romania, Laura Codruţa Kovesi,
has got the largest number of votes following hearings in the European
Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), in
the race to become chief prosecutor of the future European Public Prosecutor’s
Office. Earlier she had got the best result in the European Parliament’s
Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT). Ranking on the second and third
positions were French Jean-François
Bohnert and German Andres Ritter. Laura Codruţa Koveşi says the vote in
the European Parliament is more than a personal victory to her:

This vote is not only for me, but for the
Romanian justice system as a whole. This vote is for all the citizens in
Romania who over the past few years have supported the fight against corruption
and the rule of law. It is a vote for all the prosecutors and judges in Europe
who work under pressure. I had no support from the Government of Romania, I
have neither asked for it nor expected it.

In Bucharest, the
right-of-centre parliamentary opposition has hailed the remarkable achievements
by the former DNA chief prosecutor and criticised the ruling coalition made up
of the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats,
saying it has betrayed Romania and has orchestrated a denigration campaign to
tarnish the image of the Romanian candidate. The negative vote cast by the MEPs
of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats and
the reactions of the left-of-centre power in Bucharest are edifying. The Social-Democratic senator Claudiu Manda has said
the Social-Democratic MEPs voted against appointing Laura Codruţa Kovesi at the
helm of the European Union’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, claiming she has
committed abuses during her tenure at the DNA. The future chief prosecutor of
the European Prosecutor’s Office will be appointed following negotiations
between the European Parliament and the EU Council.

European
Commission recommendations for Romania

The Romanian economy
is facing higher risks, the European Commission warns, in the half-yearly
report on each member state. The EC mentions in the document released on
Wednesday, among other things, that the emergency ordinance no.114 issued by
the Government, as well as a law adopted by Parliament which retroactively caps
interest rates for mortgage loans might severely impact the normal functioning
of the financial sector. The European
Commission report shows the measures stipulated by the emergency ordinance no.
114 weaken the second pillar of pensions based on defined contributions, which
is privately administered. Experts say the measures have a negative impact on
the Romanians’ future pensions and will hamper the development of the capital
market and future investment, will increase uncertainty and make Romanian
economy less attractive for both domestic and foreign investors. The high risks
run by the Romanian economy are stemming from the increase in the current
account deficit and higher costs with the labour force, following the increase
in the minimum wage in economy and in the salaries of public sector employees.
The European Commission draws attention to the weak performance in the field of
education and research. The EC underlines, in its analysis, the need to promote
investment, to pursue responsible budgetary fiscal policies and to implement
well designed reforms.

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis,
attended the Bucharest Format (B9) Summit in Slovakia

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has
pleaded in Kosice, Slovakia, for a more consistent NATO presence to the Black
Sea, during the Bucharest Format (B9)
Summit, which is made up of EU and NATO member states on the eastern flank of
the Alliance. The B9 leaders agreed, in the final declaration, that the
European Union and NATO are stronger together. The focal points of the talks,
attended by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, too, included
security evolutions in the eastern neighbourhood and in the Black Sea region.
Klaus Iohannis has expressed concern with the evolution in the Black Sea
region, in the context in which Russia further threatens regional stability. He
underlined that the evolutions in the Black Sea region show that the allied
countries should do more, for a robust land, air and sea defence. President
Iohannis says NATO’s eastern partners, such as Ukraine and Georgia, should be
supported more, to enhance their capacity to defend themselves from any type of
threats, be they military, cyber or purely propagandistic threats. Launched at
the initiative of the heads of state of Romania and Poland, B9 Format Summits
were first held in November 2015 in Bucharest and then in Warsaw, in June 2018.

2 March 2019