Radio România Internațional

Tag: Eurostat report

November 1, 2022 UPDATE

TALKS – The presidents of Romania
and the Republic of Moldova, Klaus Iohannis and Maia Sandu, respectively, on
Tuesday held talks in Bucharest about Romania’s support for Moldova
with a view to helping this country overcome the energy crisis. Talks also
focused on consolidating the excellent and substantial bilateral relation at
political, economic and sectorial levels and furthering projects of joint
strategic interest in the fields of energy, transport, healthcare, education or
information society. President Sandu thanked Romania for its swift action in
order to provide electricity, natural gas, fuel oil and firewood to Moldovan
citizens. In turn, president Iohannis hailed the 41% increase in bilateral
trade in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the similar period of 2021. The
Moldovan president also met with Romania’s Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă. Talks focused on regional
security and energy developments caused by Russia destroying electricity
infrastructure objectives in Ukraine. The two officials underlined the need to
boost border traffic by expanding existing bridges and transport routes and by
building new bridges over the Prut River that would improve interconnection
between the two states and further develop economic and business ties. Also on
Tuesday, Maia Sandu attended the international conference entitled Women MPs
in Romania and promoting gender equality as a national top priority held in
Bucharest.

REFUGEES – The
National Border Police announced that some 76 thousand people entered Romania
on Monday, of whom some 7,500 were Ukrainian nationals, a 15% drop compared to
the previous day. According to a press release, some 2.7 million Ukrainians have
entered Romania since February 10, most of whom were in route to Western
countries. 86,500 Ukrainian citizens have chosen to stay.

ENERGY – Romania
has one of the five highest increases in the price of electricity and natural
gas in the European Union in the first half of the year – 55%. According to
Eurostat, some EU states even saw prices drop, like The Netherlands, Slovenia,
Poland and Hungary, where the price is regulated by the state. In the first
half of the year, Europeans paid on average over 25 euros per 100 KWh from 22
euros in the first half of 2021. Natural gas was also more expensive across the
EU, from 6.5 to 8.6 euros for 100 KWh. The increasingly high energy bills have
pushed the inflation upwards in the eurozone to a record level of 10.7%,
according to provisional estimates published by Eurostat. This is the first
time that the increase in prices reaches double-digits in the eurozone. The
previous record of 9.9% was reached last month. In its attempts to keep the
inflation rate in check, the European Central Bank last week decided to raise
its monetary policy interest rates by a further 0.75%, with yet more increases
expected in the coming months.

NATURAL GAS – Romania’s
gas storage level nears 97%, said energy minister Virgil Popescu. He again
promised there won’t be problems with the gas supply this winter. The minimum
mandatory storage filling level in the European Union is 80%, and was reached
as early as mid September. Gas storage facilities across the Union are almost
full.

INVESTMENT – The
Finnish company Nokian Tyres will invest 650 million EUR in a tire factory in
Oradea, northwestern Romania, with zero-carbon emissions. Construction will
start next year while production is expected to start in two years. Some 500
workers will be employed to ensure an annual production capacity of 600 million
tires per year. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă has hailed the announcement,
stating that foreign investment in Romania has increased by over 46% in the
first months of 2022, standing at over 6.4 billion EUR.

PUBLIC RADIO
DAY
– Radio Romania turned 94 on Tuesday. November 1, 1928 saw the first broadcast
of the Society of Radiotelephonic Broadcasting, as the public radio service was
named in official documents when it was first established. Later becoming a
public autonomous service of national interest and with regional independence,
the station hosted, from as early as the 1920s, the first radio play, the first
children’s programme, the first live broadcast from the Romanian Opera House
and the first sports broadcast. In recognition of its role in the history of
Romania, Parliament in 2019 established 1st of November as National Radio Day
in Romania. (CM & VP)

1 November 2022
September 19, 2022 UPDATE

THE QUEEN – Tens of thousands
gathered on Monday in front of large screens set up everywhere across Great
Britain to watch the state funeral of her late Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth
II of Great Britain. Some 2,000 people attended the event, including 500 heads
of state and government, among them the Kings and Queens of Belgium, the
Netherlands and Spain, Emperor Naruhito of Japan, the presidents of the United
States and France, as well as the European Commission president. Romania’s
president, Klaus Iohannis, and Her Royal Majesty Margaret, Custodian of the
Crown of Romania, Prince Consort Radu and Princess Elena were also present. On
behalf of the whole Romanian people, I once again express our deep compassion
for this great loss, president Iohannis tweeted. In the last four days,
hundreds of thousands of Britons queued up to 30 hours to pay their last
respects to the late queen.

JUDICIARY – Parliament’s
Judicial Commission on Monday greenlit the bill on the organization and
functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy with 16 votes in favor and 6
against. The report will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies for debate.
USR MP Stelian Ion asked for a postponement of the decision pending an opinion
of the Venice Commission. Committee chairman, Liberal MP Gabriel Andronache,
rejected his request, arguing that the bill is already overdue. The next bill
from the justice law package to be debated by the Committee will be the one
regulating judicial organization.

BELARUS – The Romanian Foreign
Ministry summoned Belarus’ chargé d’affaires ad interim in Bucharest following
comments by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko that the United States is
pushing Europe into a military confrontation with Russia on the territory of
Ukraine and that other states, including Romania, may become directly involved.
The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said in a statement that Romania
firmly rejects such inadmissible statements that fuel a rhetoric in
international relations based on appeal to force and recourse to force. The
statement also says that Romania is a member of NATO and benefits from all the
security guarantees that derive from this status.

EUROSTAT – Over a third of
Europeans (38%) claim they exercise or practice a sport at least once a week,
although approximately 45% admit they don’t. The situation is virtually the
same as five years ago, according to an analysis the Eurostat made public on
Monday. During the pandemic, half of Europeans reduced their activity or
stopped exercising altogether. In the case of Romania, only 2% of the
population exercises on a regular basis, which is half the percentage reported
in 2017. On the other hand, the percentage of people who claim they exercise a
lot has gone up to 18%, which is still below the European average. 62% of
Romanians say they never exercise.

ENESCU COMPETITION – The last final of
the George Enescu International Competition came to an end in Bucharest.
Alexandra Segal from Israel won the first place in the piano competition; the
young Benjamin Kruithof from Luxembourg won the cello competition; and
Romania’s Maria Marica won the violin competition. The winners of the
composition section were South Korea’s Shin Kim for symphonic music and Italy’s
Leonardo Marino for chamber music. The Enescu Competition was held this year
under the motto ‘The Music of Hope’ and marked the return to concert halls
after events were held either fully or partly online for two years due to the
COVID pandemic. (CM & VP)

19 September 2022
September 15, 2022 UPDATE

WAR IN UKRAINE – The EU will support
Ukraine for as long as it is necessary in its war against Russia, European
Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told a press briefing on Thursday,
held jointly with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. This is the
third visit to Ukraine the EU official has paid since February 24, the start of
the invasion. Meanwhile, Russian shelling continues on the ground. President Zelensky
said cities and settlements recaptured by Ukrainian troops were found destroyed
by the Russians. The Government has condemned the attacks, saying they come in
response to Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the northeast.

DECISION – The Romanian Government
has passed a draft law on protecting the IT systems of public authorities and
institutions in the context of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Thus, the
Government will have all central and local authorities replace the Russian
anti-virus software and apps for fear they may be used as spying tools by
Moscow. The draft law, initiated by the Ministry of Research and Innovation, is
in line with similar decisions taken by countries like Germany and Italy, which
have decided to replace the Kaspersky anti-virus software used by public
authorities in order to prevent any cyber-attacks from Russia.

ENERGY – Romania’s gas
stocks for the winter will exceed, by the end of this week, the minimum level
of 80% set by the European Commission, Energy Minister Virgil Popescu has
announced. According to Minister Popescu, Romania has enough stocks to get
through winter, although there will be a complicated period in the entire EU,
with uncertainties related to Russian gas supplies. Virgil Popescu said the new
decree on capping the price of energy could be modified to support people whose
life depends on oxygen devices that use a lot of energy and thus exceed the
ceiling set by the law in force. The Government has also announced it considers
granting bonuses to those who want to save energy.

FUNERAL – Buckingham Palace
has provided more details about Monday’s state funeral of Her Royal Majesty
Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. The first religious service will take place
at 11 AM at Westminster Abbey. Some 3,000 guests, including heads of state,
members of the royal family, high-ranking officials and representatives of
humanitarian organizations are expected to attend. The coffin will subsequently
travel to Windsor Castle in western London for a second religious service. In the
evening, the Queen will be entombed at the George VI chapel as part of a
private ceremony. Romania will be represented by president Klaus Iohannis. Her
Royal Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania and Prince Consort
Radu, will also attend.

EUROSTAT – The highest share
of the population exposed to the risk of poverty and social exclusion at EU
level was last year reported in Romania (34%), followed by Bulgaria (32%),
Greece and Spain (both with 28%), the Eurostat reports. By contrast, the lowest
share was reported last year in the Czech Republic (11%), Slovenia (13%) and
Finland (14%). In 2021, 95.4 million people were at risk of poverty and social
exclusion, accounting for 21.7% of the population, a slight increase compared
to 2020 (94.8 million people, tantamount to 21.6% of the population). Last
year, some 73.7 million EU citizens were at risk of poverty, 27 million faced
serious financial difficulties and social exclusion, while 29.3 million lived
in households with very low work intensity.

THE POPE – Pope Francis on
Thursday sounded the alarm against the domino effect of military conflicts on
international relations at the end of the end of a religious summit hosted by
Kazakhstan that urged leaders to refrain from warmongering. On the sidelines of
the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions
hosted in the capital-city Nur-Sultan, representatives of 50 countries and
various confessions adopted a joint statement urging world leaders to abandon
aggressive and destructive rhetoric which leads to destabilization of the
world. Participants said extremism, radicalism, terrorism and all other forms
of violence and war have nothing to do with true religion and must be rejected
in the strongest possible terms. The statement also promotes the dignity and
rights of women and the improvement of their social standing as equal members
of the family and society. (VP)

15 September 2022
February 28, 2021 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The vaccination campaign continues
in Romania, a total of 1.5 million doses of vaccine having been administered so
far. Over 900 thousand people have received the vaccines developed by Pfizer /
BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna. Another 2,800 new COVID-19 infections were
reported on Sunday by the Group for Strategic Communication, the total number
of infections exceeding 801 thousand. 90% of people infected with COVID-19 have
recovered, while some 20,350 people have died. 1,000 people are in intensive
care.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The third wave of the pandemic
comes with the reintroduction of harsh restriction in several European states.
Meanwhile new vaccines are being greenlit across the globe, and doctors say
they are viable against the new strains of COVID as well. Schools in the
Republic of Moldova will close down for two weeks, although nursery schools
remain open. As of Monday, a lockdown will be in place in the Czech Republic.
People are not allowed to leave cities or villages, while schools and stores
selling non-essential products will be closed. In Italy, the Government will keep
anti-COVID measures in place until after Easter celebrations, with gyms, public
pools, entertainment areas and ski resorts staying closed. All bars and
restaurants will close at 6 PM. In Germany, most people seem to favor the idea
of a vaccination passport, if this will allow them to go to theatre, do sports
or travel abroad. In Hungary, the country’s president has taken the Chinese
Sinopharm vaccine. It is the only EU state to have accepted vaccines developed
by Russia and China. According to the latest worldometers.info update, at least
114 million infections have been confirmed worldwide since the start of the
pandemic, 2.5 million people have died while 89 million people have recovered.

BUDGET – The Romanian Parliament’s committees on
Saturday adopted the 2021 state and social security budget bills. The documents
passed in the form presented by the Government, and none of the 3,000
amendments were adopted. The opposition says this is an austerity budget,
providing for no increases in salaries, pensions and state allowances, while
the power claims the allocations will help overcome the health and economic
crisis caused by the pandemic. Labor Minister Raluca Turcan said the
social-security budget is higher than that of the past two years, and child
benefits will be increased in two stages. According to the calendar established
by the joint Permanent Bureaus, the joint sitting of the Chamber of Deputies
and the Senate on the state and social security budgets is scheduled for
Monday. The bill will get the final vote on Tuesday. The budget is based on a
deficit target of 7.16% of the GDP, and an economic growth rate of 4.31%.

POSEIDON 21 – Some 700 soldiers, 13 military ships, 9
aircraft, a pyrotechnic intervention vehicle and a remote-controlled underwater
robot will be deployed during the exercise ‘Poseidon 21’ organized by the
Romanian Naval Forces between February 26 and March 6. It is the first
multinational exercise in the Black Sea this year, and involves the
participation of forces and equipment from France, Greece, Romania, Spain, USA
and Turkey. Bulgaria had to cancel its participation due to last-minute COVID
infection cases reported among its sailing crews. The NATO maritime command has
authorized the participation of NATO permanent anti-mine naval forces. The
exercise will include training against underwater threats, involving
hydrographic mapping operations to identify and neutralize mines and IEDs,
combat sequences to suppress air strikes, as well as towing damaged ships,
at-sea resupplying and rescue maneuvers.

EUROSTAT – Romania was one the countries that
earmarked the least funds to social protection in 2019, according to a recent
EUROSTAT report. Romania’s social welfare budget stood at 11.9% of the GDP,
nearly 7% under the EU average. Other countries with comparatively low social
welfare allocations were Ireland, Malta and Bulgaria. At the opposite pole are
Finland, France, Denmark, Italy and Austria, with over a 20% budget share for
social welfare. According to the same report, Romania’s healthcare allocations
were also below the EU average of 7%, while its education spending was also
under the EU average of 4%.

MĂRŢIŞOR – Mărţisor, the celebration of the start of spring
on March 1, will be marked by the Romanian Cultural Institute abroad by means
of children’s workshops, screening documentaries, hosting debates featuring
ethnologists, sociologists and anthropologists and the publication of a series
of digital postcards signed by Romanian artists, comic books or the
presentation of March porcelain and ceramic amulets. The Institute’s branches
in Brussels, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, New York, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm,
Tel Aviv, Warsaw and Venice will be promoting the Mărţisor celebration online. Cultural
practices associated with Mărţisor in 2017 were included on UNESCO’s list of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of a joint application
filed by Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova and Romania.

FILM – The Berlin Film Festival will
be held online starting Monday. There will be no red carpet or grandiose film
screenings this year, and even no jury president. The 71st edition
was divided in two phases, as screenings in front of the public were postponed
for June. For the first time in a major film festival, the Silver Bear prizes
for best acting will go gender neutral. Romanian film director Radu Jude, who
won the Golden Bear in 2015 with his film, Aferim!,
is returning to the competition with his latest feature, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, a Romania-Luxembourg-Croatia-the
Czech Republic coproduction, which will be premiered in the event. The film
deals with individual relations with society, and tells the story of a school
teacher who finds her career and reputation under threat after a personal sex
tape is leaked on the Internet. Adina Pintilie, the 2018 winner of the Golden
Bear award for best film for Touch Me Not,
will be part of the jury this year.

GAUDEAMUS – The spring edition of
the Gaudeamus book fair is being held on line over March 1-31. Organized by
Radio Romania, the book fair awaits its visitors on www.gaudeamus.ro. Some 70
publishers will take part in scores of events, while the latest releases and
many other surprises are the highlights of this year’s marathon edition.

(V.P.)

28 February 2021
February 28, 2021

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The vaccination campaign continues
in Romania, a total of 1.5 million doses of vaccine having been administered so
far. Over 900 thousand people have received the vaccines developed by Pfizer /
BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna. Another 2,800 new COVID-19 infections were
reported on Sunday by the Group for Strategic Communication, the total number
of infections exceeding 801 thousand. 90% of people infected with COVID-19 have
recovered, while some 20,350 people have died. 1,000 people are in intensive
care.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The third wave of the pandemic
comes with the reintroduction of harsh restriction in several European states.
Meanwhile new vaccines are being greenlit across the globe, and doctors say
they are viable against the new strains of COVID as well. Schools in the
Republic of Moldova will close down for two weeks, although nursery schools
remain open. As of Monday, a lockdown will be in place in the Czech Republic.
People are not allowed to leave cities or villages, while schools and stores
selling non-essential products will be closed. In Italy, the Government will keep
anti-COVID measures in place until after Easter celebrations, with gyms, public
pools, entertainment areas and ski resorts staying closed. All bars and
restaurants will close at 6 PM. In Germany, most people seem to favor the idea
of a vaccination passport, if this will allow them to go to theatre, do sports
or travel abroad. In Hungary, the country’s president has taken the Chinese
Sinopharm vaccine. It is the only EU state to have accepted vaccines developed
by Russia and China. According to the latest worldometers.info update, at least
114 million infections have been confirmed worldwide since the start of the
pandemic, 2.5 million people have died while 89 million people have recovered.

BUDGET – The Romanian Parliament’s committees on
Saturday adopted the 2021 state and social security budget bills. The documents
passed in the form presented by the Government, and none of the 3,000
amendments were adopted. The opposition says this is an austerity budget,
providing for no increases in salaries, pensions and state allowances, while
the power claims the allocations will help overcome the health and economic
crisis caused by the pandemic. Labor Minister Raluca Turcan said the
social-security budget is higher than that of the past two years, and child
benefits will be increased in two stages. According to the calendar established
by the joint Permanent Bureaus, the joint sitting of the Chamber of Deputies
and the Senate on the state and social security budgets is scheduled for
Monday. The bill will get the final vote on Tuesday. The budget is based on a
deficit target of 7.16% of the GDP, and an economic growth rate of 4.31%.

POSEIDON 21 – Some 700 soldiers, 13 military ships, 9
aircraft, a pyrotechnic intervention vehicle and a remote-controlled underwater
robot will be deployed during the exercise ‘Poseidon 21’ organized by the
Romanian Naval Forces between February 26 and March 6. It is the first
multinational exercise in the Black Sea this year, and involves the
participation of forces and equipment from France, Greece, Romania, Spain, USA
and Turkey. Bulgaria had to cancel its participation due to last-minute COVID
infection cases reported among its sailing crews. The NATO maritime command has
authorized the participation of NATO permanent anti-mine naval forces. The
exercise will include training against underwater threats, involving
hydrographic mapping operations to identify and neutralize mines and IEDs,
combat sequences to suppress air strikes, as well as towing damaged ships,
at-sea resupplying and rescue maneuvers.

EUROSTAT – Romania was one the countries that
earmarked the least funds to social protection in 2019, according to a recent
EUROSTAT report. Romania’s social welfare budget stood at 11.9% of the GDP,
nearly 7% under the EU average. Other countries with comparatively low social
welfare allocations were Ireland, Malta and Bulgaria. At the opposite pole are
Finland, France, Denmark, Italy and Austria, with over a 20% budget share for
social welfare. According to the same report, Romania’s healthcare allocations
were also below the EU average of 7%, while its education spending was also
under the EU average of 4%.

MĂRŢIŞOR – Mărţisor, the celebration of the start of spring
on March 1, will be marked by the Romanian Cultural Institute abroad by means
of children’s workshops, screening documentaries, hosting debates featuring
ethnologists, sociologists and anthropologists and the publication of a series
of digital postcards signed by Romanian artists, comic books or the
presentation of March porcelain and ceramic amulets. The Institute’s branches
in Brussels, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, New York, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm,
Tel Aviv, Warsaw and Venice will be promoting the Mărţisor celebration online. Cultural
practices associated with Mărţisor in 2017 were included on UNESCO’s list of
the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of a joint application
filed by Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova and Romania.

FILM – The Berlin Film Festival will
be held online starting Monday. There will be no red carpet or grandiose film
screenings this year, and even no jury president. The 71st edition
was divided in two phases, as screenings in front of the public were postponed
for June. For the first time in a major film festival, the Silver Bear prizes
for best acting will go gender neutral. Romanian film director Radu Jude, who
won the Golden Bear in 2015 with his film, Aferim!,
is returning to the competition with his latest feature, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, a Romania-Luxembourg-Croatia-the
Czech Republic coproduction, which will be premiered in the event. The film
deals with individual relations with society, and tells the story of a school
teacher who finds her career and reputation under threat after a personal sex
tape is leaked on the Internet. Adina Pintilie, the 2018 winner of the Golden
Bear award for best film for Touch Me Not,
will be part of the jury this year. (V.P.)

28 February 2021
April 6, 2020

CORONAVIRUS IN ROMANIA – President Klaus Iohannis is today chairing a new meeting analyzing
measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, jointly with the Prime Minister and
Government members. The death toll in Romania has reached 157. According to the
latest data centralized by the Group for Strategic Communication, the total
number of infections stands at 4,057 confirmed cases, of whom 406 people have
recovered. Some 24,000 people are quarantined and another 106,000 are under
medical monitoring in home isolation. 627 Romanian citizens abroad have tested
positive for COVID-19 and 29 have died.

CORONAVIRUS WORLDWIDE – Some 1,2 million people have contracted the coronavirus at global
level and 70,000 have died to the virus, France Press reports. Europe is facing
the most difficulties at present, with Italy, Spain and France reporting half
of the total number of deaths at global level. In Italy the number of infected
is going down every day. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Rome,
the authorities want to keep restrictions in place until May 9. In Spain too
the number of deaths has been on the wane for the past four days, and the
situation seems to improve in France as well, with the exception of Paris,
where the number of sick continues to rise. Some patients are being transferred
to other regions of the country as well as abroad. The United States is also
facing serious problems, the local death toll standing at nearly 10,000. The
authorities say the epidemic has not reached its peak and speak of a nationwide
impact similar to the Pearl Harbor and 9/11 attacks.

ADJUSTMENT – The Liberal Government is today analyzing
the budget adjustment draft law, which is necessary to continue the fight
against the pandemic. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said the Government session
today will also address a draft emergency decree under which bonuses will be
paid to medical and auxiliary staff treating the coronavirus sick. The bonuses
will be paid using European funds, which will also be employed to purchase
medical equipment and materials used to treat the sick. Under the same decree
the state will be able to recover the money paid to companies whose employees
have applied for technical unemployment benefits during the state of emergency.

AGRICULTURE – Two Romanian counties, Calarasi and
Ialomita, both in southeast, are among the EU’s regions most specialized in
agriculture, a recent Eurostat report reads. Ileia on Greece’s western coast is
the country with the highest agricultural activity in Europe, followed by
Silistra in northeastern Bulgaria. In 2017, Caralasi accounted for 20.4% of the
region’s gross value added coming from agriculture.

CORONABONDS – EU Commissioner for the Internal
Market, Thierry Breton of France and the EU Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni of Italy, have called on the
27 Member States to prove their solidarity by setting up a pan-European aid
programme capable of issuing long-term bonds in response to the coronavirus
crisis. Their plea was published in an article released by Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung and Le Monde. At the same time, the President of France’s
National Assembly, Richard Ferrand and the President of the Bundestag, Wolfgang
Schauble, have pleaded for more financial solidarity and integration in Europe,
in a press article carried by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Le Figaro,
France Press reports. The two officials pointed out that all instruments at
EU’s disposal must be used to deal with the emergencies arisen and to convey a
message of solidarity across the EU. EU members have called on Germany and other
states in northern Europe to back the so-called coronabonds, under which
certain debt will be mutualized in order to deal with the effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Germany, the Netherlands and other wealthy northern states
have ruled out calls to create a common debt instrument.

(Translated
by V. Palcu)

6 April 2020
September 17, 2019

ATTACK – The
Romanian Foreign Ministry firmly condemns the September 14 attacks on two oil facilities
in Saudi Arabia. We convey our full support for and solidarity with the Saudi
authorities and people. We reiterate the fact that any attack on civilian
infrastructure is unacceptable, in breach of international law and a genuine
threat to regional stability, while taking into account the escalating tensions
in the area, the Foreign Ministry writes in a release. The Ministry also
writes that the attack is bound to heighten uncertainty on the global market by
affecting the oil production capacity of Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil
producer, by potentially increasing oil prices on the international market and
undermining dialog efforts with a view to identifying solutions to existing
disputes. On the other hand, President Donald Trump said the United States has
the means to respond to the drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, but
for the time being the focus is on identifying those responsible. The attacks
were claimed by Shiite and Houthi militias supported by Iran, at war with Saudi
Arabia and its Sunni allies for the past four years.

EUROSTAT -
Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Romania reported the largest employment share in
the field of agriculture at EU level, reads a Eurostat report released earlier
today. Among the eastern and southern areas of the EU, 27 different regions
reported an employment share at least three times as high as the EU average of
4.5%, including five out of the six regions in Bulgaria, eight out of the
thirteen regions in Greece, six regions in Poland, and five out of the eight
regions in Romania. The Vest development area of Romania had a share of
employment in industry nearly three times as high as the EU average of 15.3%.

EXERCISE – Some
5,400 military from 16 countries, including Romania, are taking part in the
Saber Junction 19 multinational exercise hosted by Germany until September 30.
The Romanian Land Forces General Staff has announced. Also taking part are
military from Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Italy, Kosovo,
Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, the United States, Turkey and Ukraine.
Saber Junction 19 is contributing to boosting Europe’s security, promoting
regional security and stability. For the joint exercise in Germany the Romanian
army is represented by 150 infantry soldiers and 20 pieces of technical
equipment. Another 50 military of the Romanian Land Forces are training with
military from the Republic of Moldova as part of the Shield Fire 19.2 exercise
held until September 20 at the Combat Training Center of the Moldovan National
Army.

ENESCU FESTIVAL -
The George Enescu International Music Festival continues in Bucharest, held
over August 31 – September 22 and bringing together over 2,500 of the world’s
most prestigious musicians as part of 84 concerts and recitals. The capital
city in Romania and cities in Germany, France, Italy, Canada and the Republic
of Moldova are hosting concerts as part of the festival.

ELECTION IN ISRAEL
– Legislative elections are being held today in Israel for the second time this
year. The main political parties fighting for seat in the Parliament are the
right-wing Likud Party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the
center-left Blue-White Party. Pundits recall that April’s ballot was followed
by weeks of chaos, as parties struggled to form a ruling coalition. A debate
has flared up society over the religious or secular character of the Jewish
state, although pundits say it was meant to overshadow Netanyahu’s corruption
accusations.

VOLLEYBALL – The
Romanian men’s volleyball team lost 1-3 to Greece in a Group A match at the
European Championship hosted by Montpellier, France. Our team will play in the
last group fixture against Portugal on Wednesday. Romania previously lost to
France, Bulgaria and Italy in Group A, and now holds only mathematical chances
of securing 4th place in the standings, which could ensure
qualification to the round of 16. This is Romania’s first appearance in a
European Championship after a 24-year break. In the women’s competition,
Romania was knocked out in the round of 16 by Serbia.

TENNIS -
Romanian tennis player Ana Bogdan has today advanced to the round of 16 at the
WTA tournament in Seoul, South Korea, totaling 250,000 dollars in prize money. After
making it past the qualifying phase, Bogdan, 143 WTA, surprisingly knocked out
Polona Hercog of Slovenia, the competition’s 6th seed, 6-1, 3-6,
6-1. Another Romanian, Mihaela Buzarnescu, who last week reached the
semi-finals of the tournament in Hiroshima, lost to 21-year-old Priscilla Hon
of Australia, 6-3, 6-4. Also today, Patricia Tig is playing the number one seed
Maria Sakkari of Greece in the first round.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

17 September 2019
January 17, 2019

PRESIDENCY – Romania’s Presidency of the EU Council on Wednesday
concluded the first file on the protection of personal data. The new
regulations penalize the abusive use by political parties of personal data in
order to influence voters’ behavior. The text must be adopted quickly by the
European Parliament and the European Union Council over the next weeks in order
to serve as reference for the European election in May. The proposal is part of
a wider package of measures launched by the European Commission and aimed at
ensuring free and fair elections.

STRIKE – Energy Minister Anton Anton and State Secretary Doru Visan
are today meeting with trade unions representing the Oltenia Energy Complex in
southern Romania, who are on strike. The company leaders are willing to come up
with a new offer, General Director Sorin Boza has said. He has given assurances
that, while part of the Rovinari thermal power plant shut down last night due
to low coal stocks, the company’s production capacity remains unaffected. The
mixed negotiation committee has approved holiday vouchers and a 150-euro gross
salary increase. Miners demand a raise of at least 340 euros. On Wednesday, the
Gorj Tribunal passed a ruling establishing the illegality of the strike and
calling its immediate end. The management says losses stand at around 3.2
million euros per day. The strike at the Oltenia Energy Complex started on
Friday evening in the Jilt Nord quarry and eventually spread to all the
company’s quarries. Miners report in every day but refuse to work.

VIRUS – The number of deaths caused
by the cold virus this season reached 10. The last victim is a 82-year-old man
from Arad County with a medical history who hadn’t taken the anti-influenza
vaccine. The list of dead also includes a 10-month baby and a 17-year-old man.
Health Minister Sorina Pintea has dismissed the possibility of a flu epidemic,
saying the virus is simply more widely circulated. She said some 1,3 million
anti-flu shots were procured, with some 100,000 shots still remaining. The
Health Ministry recalls the anti-influenza vaccine is the safest and most
effective way to stay healthy.

EUROSTAT – Romania is one of the EU member states with the lower
number of physicians in 2016, a Eurostat report reads. Most member states had
between 60 and 120 physicians per a hundred thousand inhabitants in 2016. Two
countries fared above this mark, namely Portugal (253) and Ireland (179).
Austria, the Netherlands and France followed, with as many as 160 physicians
per a hundred thousand inhabitants. At the opposite pole, the lowest numbers of
physicians were reported in Greece (42), Bulgaria (64), Slovenia (68), Latvia
(72), Spain (75), Great Britain (76) and Romania (77).

ELECTION – The United States has urged Moldovan authorities to take
all necessary action to ensure a free and fair ballot ahead of the legislative
election scheduled for February 24, as well as transparent results that should
observe the voters’ choice. In a declaration of the US State Department, all
candidates must be allowed to enroll and be able to carry out their campaign
without any fear of physical aggression or harassment. The vote will be mixed,
namely 50 MPs will be elected based on party lists, while another 51 from the
constituencies they represent, in a single ballot. According to preliminary
polls, pro-Russian Socialists are favorite to win, followed by a pro-European
right-wing coalition and the Democratic Party in power. At the same time a
referendum will be held regarding the reduction of the number of deputies from
101 to 61, as well as the possibility of them being revoked by citizens.

VISIT – Russian President Vladimir Putin is today paying an
official visit to Serbia aimed at strengthening cooperation with this country
that wants to join the EU. In an interview to Serbian media, Vladimir Putin
denied the accusations of Western powers claiming that Moscow wants to destabilize
the Balkans. On the contrary, Putin argued, the destabilizing factor is the
policy of America and other Western states who want to consolidate their
domination in the region, including by supporting breakaway Kosovo and
attracting Montenegro and Macedonia into NATO. President Putin pointed out
Russia would continue to support Serbia by helping it strengthen its defense
capabilities. The Russian official’s presence in Belgrade triggered increased
security measures, after the latest protests targeting President Aleksandar
Vucic and his Government party, accused of blocking freedom of the press and
attacking the opposition.

BREXIT – The British Conservative Party on Wednesday survived a
vote of no-confidence the Labor Party has launched against Theresa May after
her Cabinet sustained a historic defeat in the House of Communes the other day
on her plan for leaving the European Union. Prime Minister May announced she
would immediately start consultations with parliamentary parties in order to
come up with solutions that would lead to getting the deal voted. The Prime
Minister, who is expected to present a new agreement proposal in Parliament
over the coming days, has invited MPs to work together and ruled out the
possibility of another Brexit referendum. In Bucharest, President Klaus
Iohannis said Wednesday’s vote in the British Parliament is regrettable, saying
there is no reason to worry however given that European leaders have contingencies
in place.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis
player world number one Simona Halep earlier today defeated Sofia Kenin (37
WTA) of the United States in the second round at the Australian Open, score
6-3, 6-7, 6-4. In the men’s singles draw, Marius Copil was ousted by Belgium’s
David Goffin, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4. Also today in the women’s doubles, Sorana
Cirstea of Romania and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia advanced to the second round
after knocking out Ying-Ying Duan of China and Vera Lapko of Belarus, 6-2, 6-7,
7-6. In the next round they will be taking on fifth-seeds Andreja Klepac of
Slovenia and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain. Another Romanian pair, Irina
Begu – Mihaela Buzarnescu, made headway into the competition after winning 7-5,
3-6, 6-4 against Lizette Cabrera and Jaimee Fourlis of Australia. They will
next play Alize Cornet of France and Petra Martic of Croatia.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

17 January 2019