Radio România Internațional

Tag: European Commission

  • Romania in the European Union

    Romania in the European Union

    After five years of struggle with
    the effects of the overarching crisis that swept Europe, Romania has now
    reached economic and financial stability, with obvious shortcomings and
    encouraging signs of progress. This is the main conclusion stemming from the
    Commission’s annual country report on Romania. In terms of shortcomings, the
    Commission pointed out our country’s failure to reach an agreement with its
    international lenders. This is mainly due to the Government’s unshaken determination
    to postpone the deregulation of gas prices and the privatization of two major
    state-owned energy companies. As a result, the IMF submitted no letter of
    intent.

    Economic pundits say the Government’s unbending resolve is also
    evidence of Romania’s decreasing dependency on repeated loan agreements with
    its external lenders. Additionally, the Commission’s report also highlights the
    potential vulnerabilities in the economic system, which are linked to the low
    level of investment, drawbacks in tax collection, the reform of pensions and
    public procurement. Our country’s strengths, on the other hand, have to do with
    cutting back on tax burden in the labor sector, especially with the lowering of
    social security contributions for employers. The fight against corruption is
    also a positive note in the report, with anti-corruption efforts peaking over
    the last year. Moreover, the Commission praises Bucharest’s actions to step up
    its absorption of EU funds, an area Romania has been lagging behind ever since
    its EU accession in 2007.

    At the end of last year, with great effort, the EU
    fund absorption rate barely exceeded 50%. In that respect, Line Minister Eugen
    Teodorovici has told Radio Romania that most EU-funded projects have little to
    no impact on the economy, unfortunately. Besides, the Minister wants to
    simplify the whole system of absorbing funds in addition to streamlining local
    and public administration in order to rid the system of all suspicions looming
    over it. The ideas seems to have been met with great enthusiasm, given that
    Romania ranks high among the countries known for siphoning off EU money to
    various organized crime groups, both in terms of the number of cases and the
    total value of the embezzled funds.

    Also on the negative side, according to the
    Eurostat, Romania has a minimum salary of 220 euros, which is far less as
    compared to other Member States. This is all the more worrying as in the
    2008-2015 period Romania reported the biggest increase in the EU, up to 95%, of
    the minimum salary. Bulgaria is the only other country with a similarly low
    rating in terms of living standards. At the opposite poll are the Baltic states
    and Poland, where the minimum salary stands at some 400 euros.

  • Romania in the EU

    Romania in the EU

    The European Commissioner for Regional Policies, Corina Cretu, chose to present the report on her first 100 days in office back home, in Bucharest. A former Social — Democrat MEP and since the autumn of 2014 the holder of a key portfolio in the European Commission, Corina Cretu announced that so far, 188 EU operational programs had been adopted, of which 175 under her coordination. The rate of absorption of community funds has increased at EU level, but the new member states, including Romania, still have difficulties absorbing such funds. In fact, Romania’s main problem, as it is seen in Brussels, is the poor administrative capacity to access European funding, as Mrs. Cretu warned.



    Moreover, the EU Commissioner also said, the European Commission had noticed that Romania had some weak points with regard to drawing up a social map, but also in the public procurement sector and in its inclusion strategy for the Roma population. Also, the Commission believes that it is important for Romania to have a long term strategy for rural areas and that is why it pays special attention to the coordination between urban and rural development. Attending the opening of the General Assembly of the Communes’ Association in Romania, Corina Cretu called on the Romanian local officials to identify products that could be seen as emblematic for a certain region and to promote projects that would benefit the people. Corina Cretu:



    “ We have European funds, economic diversity and new jobs, education for both children and adults, healthcare, leisure time. In the 2014-2020 programming period we can fund all those domains, provided you have concrete projects, which meet the needs of your communities, projects that must also be laid down in Romania’s strategies in the field.”



    A textbook case of what properly managed European money can do are the over 250 million Euros, available under a cross- border Romania — Bulgaria investment program, signed last Friday by the European Commissioner Corina Cretu. Mrs. Cretu told the Radio Romania correspondent in Brussels that the program would improve the living, learning and working conditions in the two countries’ border regions, thus rendering them more attractive to both tourists and investors. Also, the area is full of opportunities due to the proximity to both the Danube and the Black Sea. The good cooperation between the two south-East European countries, which joined the EU eight years ago, and their effort to jointly solve common issues are essential, the European Commissioner Corina Cretu also said.

  • With or without the IMF?

    With or without the IMF?

    To a large extent, Romanian economy has managed to correct some of its internal and external imbalances, through a mix of solid macro-economic policies, but it is still vulnerable to external shocks. This is the conclusion of the international assessment mission to Bucharest, which ended on February 10th. The IMF, EC and WB experts came to Romania’s capital to assess the implementation of the 2 billion Euro precautionary stand-by agreement, valid until this autumn. So far, the Romanian authorities have not resorted to any of the funds provided for in the agreement, and that is why there are many voices saying that an extension of the accord would be pointless. The issue could be settled in April, when the lenders’ delegation plans to come back to Bucharest and when, according to the Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, the parties will resume talks on the two issues that they have not managed to reach an agreement on: the increase in the price of natural gas and the restructuring of coal-based energy sectors. Victor Ponta:



    “Our international partners have appreciated the many accomplishments on Romania’s part. In 2014, the GDP went back to the level it had before the crisis, and growth is now steady. Private consumption and exports have supported this economic re-launch. It is very important for the measures that are to be taken from now on to be in the same direction, both with regard to the fiscal code, absorbing European funds, and removing red tape barriers. We have an international agreement and I want to see it carried through successfully. Yesterday we did not sign the letter of intent for two things that we first had to think through and negotiate properly, bearing in mind the interests of those who elected us to represent them. On the one hand, with regard to the price of gas for domestic consumers, we want to make sure that the increase is really necessary, given that at world level energy prices have dropped, and secondly that such an increase is bearable enough, because otherwise we will be faced with the situation in which people and companies would no longer be able to pay their bills in the winter months. Secondly, I believe that Romania needs coal-based energy. This thing about closing down coalmines and plants is an old story. We’ve been talking about closing them down since 1996. However, I don’t believe this would be a good thing. I see we need all types of energy, be it hydro, nuclear, coal or renewable, but we also need restructuring, investment in the environment and measures aimed at rendering these companies more effective.”



    Among the economic entities on the lender blacklist is Oltenia Energy Compound, which digs up low quality coal and runs thermal plants able to supply 40% of the national energy consumption. An adviser to the PM and a former minister in Social Democratic governments, Ionel Blanculescu insists on the obligation of the Social Democratic government to protect its citizens:



    “There are very clear arguments. The IMF must understand that the 26,000 employees on the horizontal of the economy, which ensure 40 to 50,000 more in the state sector, cannot just be sent home overnight, you cannot shut down these entities overnight. You have to provide what the premier suggested, a rational program of restructuring and efficiency boosting, with a better management of those institutions, which may be a solution in time. At the same time, the second element in this dissent is the price of natural gas, especially for home users and gas heating plants. In this area I think that rushing things will do more harm than good, and I don’t think it should be that way, especially as world prices have fallen severely. Romania should not rush and totally change its trends in terms of the rise in these prices. After all, Romania’s population should enjoy for a time, as long as it lasts, this trend of drop in prices for gas, crude and oil products.”



    Economic analyst Radu Soviani believes that we should expect two months of insecurity before the parties sort out the dilemma of prolonging or not the IMF accord for Romania.



    “From my point of view, the fact that there is no IMF letter stating that Romania has lived by the obligations it took upon itself is a form of uncertainty for the upcoming period. What does that uncertainty mean? It means that at this point the IMF does not have the certainty of negative facts, which is why the de facto agreement is not declared failed, even though it has failed, and at the same time, for the Government of Romania, it means that it does not have the certainty of positive facts. Hence, we will have to wait until April, and in April we will see where the unknowns lie.”



    The head of the Tax Council, Ionut Dumitru, says that the opinions expressed by the IMF experts on energy compounds reveal a wider problem, which has been affecting for a long time the economic development of the country: the inefficiency of state capital companies. In the name of the Liberal opposition, former finance minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu said he was convinced that the lack of a letter of intent is proof that ‘the present government did none of the things it committed to doing.”


  • The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism on Romania

    The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism on Romania

    Predominantly positive, but…there is room for improvement! That is the main conclusion of the European Commission Report on Romania’s progress in fighting corruption and reforming the judiciary, which praised the efforts undertaken and the achievements of the authorities in Bucharest, whose lassitude had attracted heat from the European institutions in the past.



    According to relevant minister Robert Cazanciuc, this report is the best in the past eight years, since the European forums started monitoring EU member Romania under what we know as the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, in short CVM.



    Efforts undertaken by National Anti-corruption Directorate, the National Integrity Agency, the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the Higher Council of Magistrates have been acknowledged by the 2014 report. The document focused on grand corruption cases, which led to the detention of leading figures from Romania’s political stage and administration. Also noteworthy was these institutions’ ability to carry on under constant political pressure.



    Robert Cazanciuc “The Impressive results obtained by the judicial institutions in the anti-corruption fight, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the National Integrity Agency, the DNA, the Public Ministry have been acknowledged. Also remarkable is the stand of the Higher Council of Magistrates, which struggled for the independence of the country’s legal system, fighting back any moves against justices, prosecutors and institutions in general.”



    The report levels criticism though against the present Legislature. Fingers have been pointed at the MPs’ decisions to block criminal investigations against several dignitaries, the endorsement of certain laws with a view to slowing down the fight against corruption and their delay in passing the legislation that could streamline the judicial mechanism. In a quick response, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Social-Democrat Valeriu Zgonea agreed to a simplified immunity-lifting procedure for the Romanian MPs. On one condition only:



    Valeriu Zgonea “We have to do away with the requirement for Parliament approval for lifting the MPs’ immunity. I personally agree, but we cannot do that without amending the Constitution.”



    So there is still a lot to be done to insure irreversibility in the process of reforming justice and fighting corruption, mainly for the benefit of society and its citizens, as Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis has put it. On Wednesday, when the report was published, the Romanian president invited the representatives of parliamentary political parties for talks. All of them have voiced readiness for streamlining procedures for the detention, arrest or searching of the MPs. Until the next CVM report, which is to be presented within a year, Romania has plenty of time to comply with the recommendations of the European Commission.

  • End of Barroso II Commission Term

    End of Barroso II Commission Term

    For the last time on Tuesday Jose Manuel Barroso chaired a meeting of the European Commission as its president. At the end of his 10-year term in office, he told a press conference that he was proud to leave this post knowing that he helped the 28-country bloc stay united through one of the most severe economic crises of the past decades. In his opinion, he leaves Europe “stronger and better equipped,” and added that in spite of hesitations from various capitals, it was possible to strengthen the EU institutional framework.



    His legacy primarily includes tighter budget rules, strengthened fiscal policies and the start of the banking union construction. Barroso also mentioned the benefits of the enlargement process that he coordinated. “Imagine for a minute,” Barroso said, “that those countries had not joined the EU when they did. In that case, probably we would not be only discussing now about Ukraine. We would probably be discussing now about Bulgaria. Or about the Baltic states. So it was the right thing to do.”



    Since 2004, when Barroso took over the EC presidency, the number of member states has almost doubled, from 15 to 28, and the number of Eurozone countries has risen from 13 to 19. The EU enlargement was one of the greatest achievements of the contemporary EU construction process, Jose Manuel Barroso emphasized.




    As news agencies comment, the end of Barroso’s term in office is shadowed by the rise of anti-European sentiment and of British euro-skepticism, which questions the strength of the EU project. The outgoing EC president said he regretted the hesitations of some member states and the lack of solidarity on certain decisions, and explained that the most disquieting elements are the citizens’ lack of confidence in the European institutions and the issue of social injustice, which the new Commission will have to tackle.



    Since its EU accession in 2007, Romania has been represented in the European Commission by Leonard Orban as Commissioner for Multilingualism, followed by Dacian Ciolos as Agriculture Commissioner. In the new College, headed by Luxembourg’s Jean Claude Juncker, the Romanian MEP Corina Cretu will be the new Commissioner for Regional Policy.

  • The New European Commission

    The New European Commission

    The Prime Minister of Luxembourg for almost 19 years, until 2013, Jean-Claude Juncker witnessed the deep transformation that the European Union went through, the failure of the constitutional treaty of 2005, the birth of the Euro currency and, later, the debt crisis that threatened the common currency. As head of the Eurogroup, he contributed to saving the single currency. Now, Jean-Claude Juncker, described by news agencies as a veteran of European policy and a master in the art of compromise, is the new president of the European Commission. He is a Christian — Social politician skilled at striking alliances with the Socialists, and showing a keen sense of negotiation and balance.



    The membership of his new team in Brussels is yet another proof of his capacity to find solutions to the liking of all the parties involved. He managed to draw up a list of commissioners with a fairly satisfactory representation of small and large countries, western and eastern countries, and men and women.



    Right after announcing the names of the future European Commissioners, Jean–Claude Juncker said, “With the beginning of the new Commission, we have an exceptional opportunity, but also an obligation, to make a fresh start and get down to work to address the very difficult geo-political situation; to strengthen economic recovery and to build a united Europe that delivers jobs and growth for its citizens.”



    Once the list is made public, the European Parliament is preparing tough hearings for the members of the new European Commission, several MEPs have warned. Here is now our correspondent to Brussels, Cerasela Radulescu, with more:



    Cerasela Radulescu: “Out of the 28 commissioners, 15 are members of right and centre-right parties, 8 are socialists, and 5 liberals. Jean-Claude Juncker has managed to make up a solid team, and assigned the portfolios depending on the personality of each candidate, not on the country they represent. Juncker’s strategy focused on effectiveness and the will to move forward on crucial issues, regarding the economy, jobs and social solidarity, a political program based on economic growth and the creation of new jobs, as requested by both the socialists and the liberals, which are the main groups in the European Parliament, alongside European People’s Party.”



    According to a France Presse report, during his term, Jean-Claude Juncker will have to deal with five major files — economic growth and fighting unemployment, the Ukrainian crisis and international tension, the relations with Britain, the trade agreement currently under negotiation with the US as well as the climate and energy issues.



    Out of all the five areas, fighting unemployment and resuming economic growth will be the priority of the new EU executive, with Jean-Claude Juncker having already pledged an investment plan of 300 billion euros. The Juncker Commission will have to come up with a solution to provide economic growth without compromising on the reforms or on the measures aimed at curbing public deficits. Countries like France and Italy stand in favour of relaxing budget austerity measures, as opposed to countries like Germany, which are promoting budget consolidation.



    As far as foreign policy is concerned, the conflict in Ukraine and the crisis affecting the relations with Russia, the threat posed by Islamic fighters in Iraq and Syria and its effects on Europe, the permanent tensions in the Middle East are topical issues to be tackled by the new Commission. And so are fighting illegal migration from North Africa and the Middle East, and the relation with the United States, particularly the Transatlantic Free Trade Agreement.



    As regards the EU’s enlargement, the situation is very clear. In the next five years there is no prospect for a candidate country to complete accession negotiations. Therefore, the main candidates, Serbia and Montenegro, will have to wait. As regards the portfolio assigned to the Romanian MEP Corina Cretu, Regional Policy, the Union’s policies in this field are investment policies, and for that reason the budget allocated for the next few years is generous, 350 billion Euros. The emphasis will be on a key area in Juncker’s political platform, namely creating jobs, competitiveness, economic growth, better quality of life, and sustainable development.



    The new community executive will take office on November 1st.

  • A Romanian in the European Commission

    A Romanian in the European Commission

    Social Democrat MEP Corina Cretu was confirmed as Romania’s candidate in the new European Commission, whose membership, approved by the European Commission president-elect Jean-Claude Juncker, is to be validated by the EU Council. Although her exact position is yet to be announced officially, PM Victor Ponta and deputy PM Liviu Dragnea said she might be in charge with regional development.



    This is quite an important field in terms of the budget it disburses, and for that reason it is quite appreciated by the Romanian politicians. The same was true in the previous legislative cycle, when Romania’s Dacian Ciolos served as Agriculture Commissioner. But since Juncker decided his team would only include new members, Ciolos, highly appreciated as the mastermind of the reformed Common Agricultural Policy, had to step down.



    Back in the country, the nomination of his successor was turned into another game of thrones, with the President and the Prime Minister once again at odds with each other over the nomination procedure. But in spite of the divergences between Power and Opposition, nothing seems to stand in Corina Cretu’s way to a European Commissioner seat.



    This post would complete her political career. Having had no major position in the central administration and no extensive media coverage, Corina Cretu, an economist by training, is at her third term in office in the European Parliament since Romania’s EU accession in 2007. She will have no easy job in the Commission, however, because the performance of Dacian Ciolos has set rather high standards for his successors.

  • Support for EU perishable fruit and vegetable producers

    Support for EU perishable fruit and vegetable producers

    Early this month, president Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning the imports of farm and food products from the countries which had imposed economic sanctions on Russia. The list includes meat and dairy products, as well as fruit and vegetables from the USA, the European Union and their allies — Canada, Australia and Norway. But as the Western countries are loyal to the principles of the international law which Putin’s Russia has violated remorselessly, Brussels does not step back, regardless of the costs entailed by firmness.



    On Monday, the European Commission disbursed 125 million Euros to support perishable fruit and vegetable producers affected by the restrictions imposed by Russia. The products targeted by that measure include tomatoes, carrots, white cabbage, apples, pears or eating grapes. According to analysts, there are no storage areas or alternative markets for those season products. That is why, all farmers, no matter if they are members of a producers’ organization or not, will be eligible for those support measures — the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Romanian Dacian Ciolos announced. He promised emergency measures, under the Common Agricultural Policy to reduce the supply and thus prevent the collapse of prices.



    EU officials quoted by press agencies make it clear that the main beneficiaries of that support are Poland, Lithuania, Belgium and the Netherlands. Romanian Agriculture Minister, Daniel Constantin, said that Romania was not seriously affected by Russia’s embargo. Irrespective of their political colour, the governments of post-communist Romania have been reticent to the maintenance or consolidation of the commercial dependence on an unpredictable and revanchist Moscow. So, last year, the exports of Romanian farm products to Russia amounted to over 40 million Euros.



    In another development however, Romanian vegetable and fruit producers say they cannot sell their production this year because of the in-flow of vegetables and fruit which were supposed to reach the Russian market. In the wake of the embargo, those products were turned back to the EU member states, Romania included, thus blocking the domestic and community trade. And for the absurd situation caused by the Kremlin’s expansionist drive to be complete, while the Western countries find it ever more difficult to deal with the surplus stocks, in Russia, which did away with its vegetable and fruit supply sources, markets are empty and consumers are ever more frustrated and bad-tempered.

  • The European Commission adopts Partnership Agreement with Romania

    The European Commission adopts Partnership Agreement with Romania

    The document paves the way for a 23 billion euro investment accounting for Cohesion Policy funding within the next 7 years. The minister responsible for European funds, Eugen Teodorovici, explains:



    “Our priorities are largely the same, namely big infrastructure projects related to the environment, transport and energy. The private area will also benefit from an allocation of 4 billion euros.”



    For the first time, 4 billion euros are being earmarked to research and innovation, as part of a separate chapter of the European Common Agricultural Policy. The Commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Dacian Ciolos, told Radio Romania that this area would for the first time benefit from specific measures and regulations.



    Dacian Ciolos: “Funding will go to research and innovation projects and the implementation of their results in agriculture. At the same time, through the Common Agricultural Policy, member states may finance operational groups as part of their rural development programmes. These groups bring together farmers, researchers, consultants and professional training experts working together to identify the areas where research is needed and support the application of their research.”



    Romania will also receive 8 billion euros for rural development and 168 million euros for its fishery and maritime sectors. Between 2014 and 2020, Romania is entitled to almost 5 billion euros of the European Social Fund. According to the European Commission, European investments will help fight unemployment and stimulate competitiveness and economic growth by supporting innovation, professional training and education in urban and rural areas.



    Investments will also promote entrepreneurship, combat social exclusion and contribute to the development of an environmentally friendly economy, where resources are used efficiently. Romania’s priorities also include youth unemployment, employment relevance, education and professional training, fighting poverty and social exclusion and improving the efficiency and quality of public administration.

  • The European Commission Looking for the Right Formula

    The European Commission Looking for the Right Formula

    After a few weeks of Romanian media speculating on the disagreements between the head of state Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta over Romania’s proposal for the position of European Commissioner, light has been eventually shed on the situation. Prime Minister Ponta has sent the new European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker a letter, informing him that Romania wishes its current representative, namely European Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos, to get a new term in office. Boasting an excellent reputation, both in Bucharest and in Brussels, Ciolos is the one who came up with the idea of a Common Agricultural Policy, a giant programme aimed at reforming EU agriculture. Agriculture is a fundamental portfolio, with allocations of 50 billion Euros every year, accounting for 40% of the entire EU budget, so other EU countries are also interested in getting this portfolio.



    The activity carried out by Romanian Ciolos during his term in office recommends him for another term in office, but there are other factors to be taken into consideration as well. For instance, the gender balance that Juncker must strike in the future commission. At a time when the debate on the proportion and role played by women in the EU structures is more lively than ever, the architecture of the European Commission must reflect equality. Although it may seem rather technical in nature, and it was given too much thought in the previous terms, the issue of gender balance may lead to a failure in October, when the votes on the new European Commission’s investiture are to be cast.



    Therefore, Juncker’s mission is going to be tough, all the more so as there are also high professional standards that must be taken into consideration. To Juncker, ensuring gender equality while at the same making sure that the right professional competence criteria are observed is the touchstone of the beginning of this term; and it’s not going to be easy, as very few member states have come up with proposals of women for the position of European Commissioner.

  • A New European Commission President

    A New European Commission President

    Former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker has been confirmed as the next president of the European Commission (EC) by the European Parliament. Junker claimed majority support during the European parliament vote on Tuesday, winning 422 ballots from the 751-seat chamber, votes secured by the European People’s Party.



    Seen as a genuine European politician, with major accomplishments in Luxembourg, which, during his term as Prime Minister became one of the countries with the highest GDP per capita, Junker has the capacity and will to bring Europe back to the fore-front of international politics. He actually played a major part in saving the European single currency while president of the Eurogroup, the informal body that brings together the finance ministers of the countries whose currency is the Euro.



    The speech he gave on Tuesday before the European Parliament is more proof that his plans are ambitious, matching the challenges posed by the position he is to take over on November 1st. He promised an investment plan worth 300 billion Euros, aimed at ensuring economic growth and fighting unemployment, which continues to affect young people. Also with regard to the economy, Juncker’s working agenda includes the revival of European industry, which is far from having recovered from the crisis, and the creation of a solid energy infrastructure in the EU.



    As for the free trade agreement with the US, the next head of the EC said it would not be signed at any cost. “ I will not sacrifice Europe’s safety, health, social and data protection standards on the altar of free trade” said Junker, who also promised that negotiations with the US will be transparent. He was equally blunt when speaking about the enlargement policy, saying that the EU will not expand in the coming five years, as it needs time to consolidate the ties between its 28 current members.



    However, he highlighted the real progress made by some of the countries that want to join the Union, such as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, which, alongside Georgia, have recently singed the association agreement with the EU. The European policy regarding migration and the Economic and Monetary Union are other priorities on Junker’s agenda, suggestively titled “ A New Start for Europe” .




  • A Dark Year for Press Freedom

    A Dark Year for Press Freedom


    2013 was the darkest year of the last decade in terms of the freedom of the press. This was especially true of Egypt, Turkey and Ukraine, but also the US, when it came to issues of national security. A Freedom House report shows that 44% of the world population lives in regions where there is no freedom of the press, while 42% lives in areas where freedom of the press is limited. The report said, “We see declines in media freedom on a global level, with both governments and private actors attacking reporters, blocking their physical access to newsworthy events, censoring content, and ordering politically motivated firings of journalists.”



    The document also shows that a large part of the press continues to be used by owners for political and economic gain. The best situation can be found in the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, while the worst situation is found in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and North Korea. China is also close behind, and India fares badly as well, which is quite significant given that the two put together have almost a third of the Earth’s population. Russia cannot boast free media, and Freedom House reports that in the United States things worsened in 2013 as compared to 2012, because of limited distribution of information to journalists and increasing numbers of lawsuits against them. Seventy-one journalists were killed, 800 arrested, and over 2,000 assaulted in 2013, according to the international organizations gathered together on World Press Freedom Day.



    The EC, which this year launched four special projects to encourage freedom of the press, spoke about the Freedom House report through its digital agenda commissioner, Ryan Heath. He said the Commission was proud that Europe has some of the freest countries in the world in terms of freedom of the press, and pledged to do everything in its power to support freedom of the press. It is worrying, however, the EC official added, that independent organizations have established that some countries in Europe do not yet have the standards that we would all like to see. The EU has only limited powers when it comes to this issue, since this is not simply a question of legislation, but one of culture and professionalism in the journalistic community, Heath explained.



    In Romania, which Freedom House placed at the middle of the list, Active Watch published yet another report on this issue. The head of the local organization, Mircea Toma, told us about the worst problems facing the Romanian press:



    Mircea Toma: “Media owners are imposing their own political and economic agenda on the media institutions they control. This is information that manipulates, that causes behavior favoring the small profiteers. The most important means of reacting against the danger of manipulation is to consult a variety of media products from various media groups. You can buy three or four pieces of information, and if they conflict, then you have to ask yourself questions, see where the truth actually is.”



    The FreeEx report also reads, “Romanian media institutions continue to be politicized and affected by strong business interests that undermine the impartiality and freedom of the press.”



    A new situation presented in the report on press freedom is that of football coverage, which was pushed towards a positive image on football clubs. Another issue is that some media institutions and some journalists are pressing colleagues to soften their coverage of them, and threaten with legal action. At the same time, some media institutions are using freedom of expression abusively, to bully people, social and political groups, as well as the judicial system. FreeEx coordinator Razvan Martin told us about the current situation in Romania:



    Razvan Martin: “The press is extremely fragmented, incapable of imposing a set of professional values and norms, incapable of fighting for its rights, and is losing credibility. Journalists are extremely vulnerable in relation to management, and this makes their professional rights very vulnerable, especially the right to freedom of expression, which is badly tampered with by the special interests of owners.”



    In its message on World Press Day, the UN said that journalists should be able to work in a safe environment, free of pressure and intimidation.

  • From International Lenders to European Funds

    From International Lenders to European Funds

    After consultations with government and opposition leaders, with bankers and with businessmen, the IMF, EC and World Bank assessment mission ended without a new letter of intent being signed. The international experts and the government failed to reach an agreement on the 5% reduction of social security contributions, which the Ponta Cabinet intends to implement as of October the 1st.



    PM Ponta says the budget has enough resources for this and the measure will not require new tax increases or the widening of the budget deficit. The PM insisted that the current stand-by loan agreement remains valid, but will not be renewed, as Romania does not intend to access these funds anyway. Economic analyst Aurelian Dochia is rather cautious:



    Aurelian Dochia: “Without further agreements with the IMF, we may wonder about the economic policies that the government will implement, in the absence of the constraints usually imposed by the Fund. Our experience so far suggests there are certain risks in this respect. On the other hand, I think eventually we must move on from this stage and be able to stand on our own feet.”



    Political analysts are even more suspicious of such populist measures being taken in an election year. But the Cabinet is quick to retort, and says Romania will have plenty of resources, because its agreement with the EC on the allotment of new EU funds will be signed by the end of the year. According to Minister Eugen Teodorovici, by end-2015 as much as 80% of the budget earmarked to Romania for 2007-2014 will have been spent.

  • European Talks in Chisinau

    European Talks in Chisinau

    The European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who paid a visit to Chisinau, just two weeks ahead the signing of the Republic of Moldova’s Association Agreement with the EU, on Thursday signed two documents that guarantee European financial support for reform implementation in that country. Thus Brussels will provide the Republic of Moldova with 21 million Euros for the implementation of the free movement agreement, 14 million for rural development and several other millions for the development of the energy sector.



    The EC head made an appeal for national cohesion for reform implementation and talked about Moldova’s European integration efforts as a priority that should be embraced by the entire Moldovan people. “Our relationship with Moldova is not just political or diplomatic, not just for politicians or diplomats, but for the people. We want the Moldovan citizens to be closer to the European Union” Barroso said.



    He went on saying that the Association Agreement with the EU is perfectly compatible with Moldova’s free trade agreement with the Commonwealth of Independent States and called on Russia not to oppose Moldova’s European integration efforts. “I call upon Russia to take advantage of the new opportunities and not to take punitive measures further to the upcoming signature and implementation of the Agreement with Moldova. There is no economic reason nor legal justification for such behaviour” the European Commission President said.



    The latest opinion polls show that 46% of the Moldovan citizens want their country to join the EU, and only 18% favour Moldova’s joining NATO. The Republic of Moldova is not part of the military component of the Commonwealth of Independent States, but the neutrality stipulated in the Constitution could be revised. On Thursday, the Moldovan Defense Minister Valeriu Troenco stated that, given the violent clashes in neighboring Ukraine, Moldova should be prepared to react, if need may be. Valeriu Torenco:


    “It is possible that we wake up tomorrow morning and see that part of the territory had been annexed. NATO has obviously become, for us all, a warrant of stability and a protector of the smaller countries’ interests. There is no other force that could better cope with Russia.”



    Manuel Barroso’s support visit to Chisinau was part of a longer tour taken by the European official, who is now approaching the end of his second term as head of the European Commission. The tour also includes Georgia and Azerbaijan, which are also members of the EU’s Eastern Partnership.


  • European Parliament Election Campaign – coming to an end

    European Parliament Election Campaign – coming to an end

    In Romania the campaign for the European Parliament elections due on May 25th is drawing to a close. There has been nothing spectacular about this campaign and the political parties have failed to increase the public’s interest in these elections. This is strictly their fault as they treated these elections as a warming up for the presidential elections due in November. In this context, the results anticipated by opinion polls are unlikely to undergo dramatic changes.



    According to a survey run by the Centre for Political Studies and Research between May 12th and 14th on a group of 1,800 people with an error margin of 3.1%, the electoral alliance made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Union for the Progress of Romania and the Conservative Party, a leftist alliance that also dominates the government majority, ranks 1st in the Romanians’ preferences with 41% of voters’ choice. It is followed by center-rightist parties: the National Liberal Party with 15%, the Liberal Democratic Party with 12% and the pro-presidential party the People’s Movement Party with 9%.



    The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, in the governing coalition, is credited with 6% of the voting intentions. An analysis made by the non-governmental body the Institute for Public Policies shows that almost half of the mandates Romania is likely to obtain will reach the socialists group to which the Social Democratic Party is affiliated. According to the aforementioned analysis, the European People’s Party will win the votes obtained by the Romanian Liberal Democratic Party, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and most likely the People’s Movement Party.



    According to current estimates, the 3 Romanian parties could send to the European Parliament 9 MEPs. The Institute for Public Policies shows that this election campaign has not fundamentally changed the voters’ political options, either at European level or at national level. The organization says it has taken into consideration the most credible surveys made across Europe and the estimated results for the European Parliament elections remain very tight, with 28% of the votes going to the European People’s Party and 27% to the Socialists.



    Under these circumstances, the Institute for Public Policies believes that the new structure of the European Commission will be decided only through close cooperation of the two winning groups and also of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe to which the Romanian National Liberal Party is affiliated.



    The Socialists and the European People’s Party are expected to share the 3 main positions in the European Executive, namely the presidency of the European Commission, the presidency of the European Council and the position of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in a 2+1 format, depending on the results obtained in the elections. On the other hand, the Institute for Public Policies estimates that the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the 3rd largest group, alongside the Conservatives and the Greens, are expected to lose most seats. As regards the group of Euro skeptics and radicals, it maintained the same popularity rating in the voters’ preferences as before the European Parliament election campaign.