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Tag: Fitch ratings

April 15, 2023 UPDATE

Easter. Orthodox Christians, the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics, celebrate, on Sunday, Easter or the Resurrection of Jesus, the biggest celebration of Christianity. Easter takes its name from the Hebrew word “Pesah” of the ancient Jews, which means “passing”. First, the word designated the bringing of the world by God from non-being into being, and then, the passing of the Israeli people from Egyptian slavery to full freedom. “Let the Easter holiday inspire us, let us be with a good thought and a gesture of solidarity closer to our fellow people in suffering, hit by war or misfortunes, affected by the loss of loved ones or the burden of loneliness” – president Klaus Iohannis said in a message conveyed on this occasion. He wished health, peace and prosperity to all Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Armenian and Neo-Protestant Romanians in the country and abroad. In turn, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, made an appeal to peace, joy and good thoughts and deeds for the sick, the poor, the lonely or the estranged.

Safety. In Romania, more than 24,000 policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are ensuring order and safety measures during the free days of the Easter holidays. During this period, high traffic is expected on the roads, as well as approximately 800,000 believers attending the religious services. Every day, over 2,700 gendarmes will be present at all the religious and cultural-artistic events taking place during this period, so that crowding or other incidents are avoided.

Art. On World Art Day, celebrated on April 15, the Romanian Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu, stated that art remains an expression of freedom and urged people to honor artists and enjoy their creations. “This year, World Art Day takes place on Holy Saturday, an extremely important day for the Orthodox believers who await the Resurrection of the Lord, another occasion in which we take care to feed our souls”, said the Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu. World Art Day was established by the International Art Association at its 17th General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico. Celebrated for the first time in 2012, the date was symbolically chosen to honor the memory of sculptor, painter, architect and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, born on April 15, 571 years ago.

Visit. Between April 18-26, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis, will pay formal visits to Brazil, Chile and Argentina. According to the Presidential Administration, these visits are aimed at relaunching high-level dialogue with Latin American states and boosting bilateral interactions at the political-diplomatic level. They are intended to open up new opportunities for collaboration in areas of increased interest, including those regarding the common response to a series of challenges at global level. One of the main goals of these visits is the promotion of sectoral contacts and the development of concrete bilateral projects in the fields of economy, trade, research, environmental protection and climate change, agriculture, education, culture, civil protection.

IMF. The European economy has done reasonably well in recent weeks, but growth is now slowing and faces multiple risks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned. The inflation rate remains at a high level and exceeds 10% in most countries in emerging Europe and in some advanced economies. According to the institution, a drop in inflation is expected following the drop in energy prices and the improvement of the situation in the supply chains, even if household expenses continue to go up. The IMF expects an average inflation rate of around 5.6% this year in advanced European economies, and 11.7% in emerging Europe. According to estimates, in Romania the annual inflation rate will probably accelerate its decrease in the next period. The Central Bank specified that the annual inflation rate decreased to 15.52% in February, from 16.37% in December 2022, which is relatively in line with forecasts.

Rating. Fitch Ratings confirmed on Friday, the BBB minus ratings for the long-term debt in foreign currency and local currency of the municipality of Bucharest and improved the outlook from negative to stable. Last month, Fitch reconfirmed Romanias government debt rating at BBB-/F3 for long- and short-term foreign currency debt and revised the countrys outlook from negative to stable. Fitch also revised the individual credit profile of the Romanian capital from BBB plus to A, reflecting the revision of the risk profile from low medium level to medium level, the solid operational performance and the ambitious investment plan . Bucharest is responsible for more than 30% of the countrys economy, and the local level of wealth is more than four times higher than the national average, the release states. The citys capital expenditures are expected to remain high during 2023-2025, leading to an average deficit of 3% of total revenues, Fitch estimates. (MI)

15 April 2023
Nacvhrichten 15.04.2023

Für die orthodoxen Christen, die die Mehrheit in Rumänien bilden, und die griechischen Katholiken ist heute Karsamstag, der letzte Tag vor dem Fest der Auferstehung Jesu Christi. Das Heilige Licht wird heute Abend aus Jerusalem gebracht und den Delegationen der anwesenden Diözesen am internationalen Flughafen Henri Coandă (in der Nähe von Bukarest) überreicht. Anschließend wird es an alle Pfarreien in Rumänien verteilt werden. Das Heilige Licht ist das offensichtlichste Wunder, das sich Jahr für Jahr in der Grabeskirche in Jerusalem am Samstag vor Ostern ereignet.

Der rumänische Staatschef Klaus Iohannis wird vom 18. bis 26. April Brasilien, Chile und Argentinien einen offiziellen Besuch abstatten. Nach Angaben der Präsidialverwaltung ist der Zweck der Besuche, den hochrangigen Dialog mit den lateinamerikanischen Ländern wiederzubeleben und die bilateralen Beziehungen auf politischer und diplomatischer Ebene neu zu beleben. Sie sollen neue Möglichkeiten der Zusammenarbeit in Bereichen von wachsendem Interesse eröffnen, einschließlich gemeinsamer Antworten auf eine Reihe von globalen Herausforderungen. Eines der Hauptziele dieser Besuche besteht darin, sektorale Kontakte zu fördern und konkrete bilaterale Projekte in den Bereichen Wirtschaft, Handel, Forschung, Umwelt und Klimawandel, Landwirtschaft, Bildung, Kultur und Katastrophenschutz zu entwickeln.

Fitch Ratings bestätigte am Freitag Bukarests langfristiges Rating für Fremd- und Landeswährungsschulden mit BBB minus und hob den Ausblick von negativ auf stabil an, wie die Ratingagentur in einer Erklärung mitteilte. Die Entscheidung erfolgt, nachdem Fitch im vergangenen Monat das Rating der rumänischen Staatsschulden mit BBB-/F3 für langfristige und kurzfristige Fremdwährungsschulden bestätigt und den Ausblick für das Land von negativ auf stabil angehoben hatte. Fitch revidierte auch das individuelle Kreditprofil Rumäniens von ‘BBB plus’ auf ‘A’, was die Revision des Risikoprofils von ‘mittel-niedrig’ auf ‘mittel’, die solide operative Leistung und den ambitionierten Investitionsplan widerspiegelt. Bukarest ist für mehr als 30 % der Wirtschaft des Landes verantwortlich und das lokale Wohlstandsniveau ist mehr als viermal so hoch wie der nationale Durchschnitt, heißt es in der Mitteilung. Es wird erwartet, dass die Investitionsausgaben der Stadt im Zeitraum 2023-2025 hoch bleiben und zu einem durchschnittlichen Defizit von 3% der Gesamteinnahmen führen werden, so die Einschätzung von Fitch.

Der rumänische Kulturminister Lucian Romașcanu sagte anlässlich des Weltkünstlertages am Samstag, dass die Kunst ein Ausdruck der Freiheit bleibe, und forderte die Menschen auf, die Künstler zu ehren und ihre Werke zu genießen. Dieses Jahr findet der Weltkunsttag am Karsamstag statt, einem äußerst wichtigen Tag für die orthodoxen Gläubigen, die die Auferstehung des Herrn erwarten, eine weitere Gelegenheit, unsere Seelen zu nähren, sagte Kulturminister Lucian Romașcanu. Der Weltkunsttag, eine Initiative der Internationalen Kunstvereinigung auf ihrer 17. Generalversammlung in Guadalajara, Mexiko, wird am 15. April begangen. Das Datum wurde 2012 zum ersten Mal begangen und wurde symbolisch gewählt, um das Andenken an Leonardo da Vinci zu ehren, einen komplexen Bildhauer, Maler, Architekten und Erfinder, der am 15. April vor 571 Jahren geboren wurde.

In Rumänien sorgen mehr als 24.000 Polizisten, Gendarmen und Feuerwehrleute während der Osterfeiertage für Ordnung und Sicherheit. In dieser Zeit wird mit einem hohen Verkehr auf den Straßen sowie mit rund 800.000 Gottesdienstbesuchern gerechnet. Täglich werden mehr als 2.700 Gendarmen bei allen religiösen, kulturellen und künstlerischen Veranstaltungen in diesem Zeitraum anwesend sein, um Menschenansammlungen oder andere Vorfälle zu vermeiden.

In den südlichen und östlichen Regionen Rumäniens ist das Wetter warm. Vorübergehend bewölkter Himmel mit lokalen Schauern und Gewittern im Norden, in der Mitte und im Osten des Landes sowie in den Bergen und in begrenzten Gebieten auch in anderen Regionen. In einzelnen Gebieten werden Niederschläge von über 15…20 l/mp und Hagel erwartet. Im Hochgebirge wird es gelegentlich Schauer und Schnee geben. Der Wind weht schwach und mäßig, im Gebirge leicht verstärkt.Die Höchsttemperaturen reichen von 12 bis 22 Grad Celsius. In Bukarest waren es mittags 18 Grad.

15 April 2023
April 15, 2023

Holy Saturday. For Orthodox Christians, the majority in Romania, and Greek Catholics, today is Holy Saturday, the last day until the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holy light will be brought from Jerusalem, this evening, and will be offered to the delegations of the dioceses present at Henri Coandă International Airport (near Bucharest). The light will then be distributed to all parishes in Romania. The Holy Light is the most obvious miracle that takes place, year after year, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, on the Saturday before Easter. In a message sent on the occasion, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, urges people to offer light, peace and joy to those around them, especially to the poor, the sick, the lonely or the refugees.

Easter. In Romania, more than 24,000 policemen, gendarmes and firefighters are ensuring order and safety measures during the free days of the Easter holidays. During this period, high traffic is expected on the roads, as well as approximately 800,000 believers attending the religious services. Every day, over 2,700 gendarmes will be present at all the religious and cultural-artistic events taking place during this period, so that crowding or other incidents are avoided.

Art. On World Art Day, celebrated today, the Romanian Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu, has stated that art remains an expression of freedom and urged people to honor artists and enjoy their creations. “This year, World Art Day takes place on Holy Saturday, an extremely important day for the Orthodox believers who await the Resurrection of the Lord, another occasion in which we take care to feed our souls”, said the Minister of Culture, Lucian Romaşcanu. World Art Day, an initiative of the International Art Association at its 17th General Assembly in Guadalajara, Mexico, is celebrated on April 15. Celebrated for the first time in 2012, the date was symbolically chosen to honor the memory of Leonardo da Vinci, a complex sculptor, painter, architect and inventor, born on April 15, 571 years ago.

Visit. Between April 18-26, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis, will pay formal visits to Brazil, Chile and Argentina. According to the Presidential Administration, these visits are aimed at relaunching high-level dialogue with Latin American states and boosting bilateral interactions at the political-diplomatic level. They are intended to open up new opportunities for collaboration in areas of increased interest, including those regarding the common response to a series of challenges at global level. One of the main goals of these visits is the promotion of sectoral contacts and the development of concrete bilateral projects in the fields of economy, trade, research, environmental protection and climate change, agriculture, education, culture, civil protection.

Rating. Fitch Ratings confirmed on Friday, the BBB minus ratings for the long-term debt in foreign currency and local currency of the municipality of Bucharest and improved the outlook from negative to stable. Last month, Fitch reconfirmed Romanias government debt rating at BBB-/F3 for long- and short-term foreign currency debt and revised the countrys outlook from negative to stable. Fitch also revised the individual credit profile of the Romanian capital from BBB plus to A, reflecting the revision of the risk profile from low medium level to medium level, the solid operational performance and the ambitious investment plan . Bucharest is responsible for more than 30% of the countrys economy, and the local level of wealth is more than four times higher than the national average, the release states. The citys capital expenditures are expected to remain high during 2023-2025, leading to an average deficit of 3% of total revenues, Fitch estimates.

Tennnis. Romanias womens tennis team leads Slovenia 2-0 after Jaqueline Cristian (180 WTA) defeated Tamara Zidansek (102 WTA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday , in Koper, in the qualifications for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition. In the first singles match, Ana Bogdan (58 WTA) dramatically defeated the Slovenian Kaja Juvan (121 WTA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Today, the first singles match is due between Ana Bogdan and Tamara Zidansek. The last singles match pits Jaqueline Cristian against Kaja Juvan. In the doubles match, the pair Irina Bara/Monica Niculescu will play against Pia Lovric/Nina Potocnik . (MI)

15 April 2023
March 25, 2023 UPDATE

Visit. The European Council President Charles Michel will pay a formal visit to Bucharest on Monday, the Presidential Administration has announced. He will meet with the head of state, Klaus Iohannis, and at the end of their talks, the two officials will hold a press conference. The visit takes place shortly after the meeting in Brussels of the EU heads of state and government, focusing largely on the situation in Ukraine.

Rating. Fitch Ratings has reconfirmed Romanias Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at BBB- and changed the outlook from negative to stable, the Ministry of Finance announced on Saturday. This is the first positive change in Romanias rating outlook operated by the agency since April 2020. Fitchs decision represents a signal of confidence in the prospects for economic growth, based on the continuation of government programs and the support of Romanias development opportunities, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said. According to the Ministry of Finance, the decision is supported by the stabilization of the public debt and the implementation of policies aimed at ensuring a gradual fiscal consolidation. Fitch mentions both the economic resilience demonstrated by Romania in 2022, and the political stability that made it possible to address the crisis generated by the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, says the Ministry of Finance. According to Fitch, Romanias economy will register an increase of 2.3% in 2023 and 3% in 2024, given that the country will benefit from important European funds both from the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism. The main factors that could lead to the improvement of the country rating or the outlook are the firm stabilization of the share of public debt in the GDP in the medium term and the reduction of the fiscal deficit, the Ministry of Finance has also said.

Celebration. The Romanian Police celebrated, on Saturday, 201 years since it was first mentioned in documents. Various special actions and workshops were organized in the country. “Policemen are the ones who ensure safety, protection and are with people in difficult moments, having an important role in the national security system”, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă said in a message conveyed on f Romanian Police Day. The Head of the Executive emphasized, at the same time, the need to adapt the Romanian Police to the new forms of danger and criminality in order to respond to the citizens expectations.

Protest. Policemen and military pensioners in Romania protested on Saturday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior. Their main claims concern the urgent and full application of the Framework Law on wages, decent wages and the application of the Law on state military pensions, in the form originally voted, to ensure the stability and predictability of this pension system that exists in all the NATO and EU member states. The trade unionists also demand increases in the amount of salaries in payment, higher additional allocations for food and equipment, as well as a higher bonus for neuropsychic overload.

Talks. The Romanian Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, discussed with ambassadors from the Nordic countries accredited to Bucharest the security situation generated by the war started by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The Romanian official conveyed to the diplomatic representatives of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania that Romania will remain deeply engaged in the development of cooperative relations with their countries. The importance of carrying on the international support for Ukraine was emphasized and Romanias efforts in this regard were highlighted. Angel Tîlvăr reaffirmed the importance of supporting the partners from the Eastern neighborhood of the Alliance, such as the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking). (MI)

25 March 2023
March 25, 2023

Rating. Fitch Ratings has reconfirmed Romania’s Long-Term
Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘BBB-‘ and changed the outlook
from negative to stable. the Ministry of
Finance announced on Saturday. This is the first positive change in Romania’s
rating outlook operated by the agency since April 2020. Fitch’s decision
represents a signal of confidence in the prospects for economic growth, based
on the continuation of government programs and the support of Romania’s development
opportunities, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said. According to the Ministry of Finance, the
decision is supported by the
stabilization of the public debt and the implementation of policies aimed at
ensuring a gradual fiscal consolidation. Fitch mentions both the economic
resilience demonstrated by Romania in 2022, and the political stability that
made it possible to address the crisis generated by the war in Ukraine and the
energy crisis, says the Ministry of Finance. According to Fitch, Romania’s
economy will register an increase of 2.3% in 2023 and 3% in 2024, given that
the country will benefit from important European funds both from the
Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and from the Recovery and Resilience
Mechanism. The main factors that could lead to the improvement of the country
rating or the outlook are the firm stabilization of the share of public debt in
the GDP in the medium term and the reduction of the fiscal deficit, the
Ministry of Finance has also said.

Earth Hour. Millions of people, institutions and companies will turn
off their lights for one hour, today, the last Saturday in March, on the
occasion of the biggest environmental event in history – Earth Hour. According
to the Romanian Ministry of the Environment, this year the World Wildlife Fund
(#WWF) is launching the challenge for everybody to give Earth one hour every
month. The Ministry of the Environment warns that biodiversity is being lost at
an unprecedented rate, and the world economy is dependent on nature. The Earth
Hour event was organized for the first time on March 31, 2007 in Sydney, when 2
million people and more than 2,100 companies turned off their lights for an
hour, thus demonstrating concern for one of the biggest current issues: the extremely
rapid climate change. The Ministry of the Environment in Bucharest joins
institutions from more than 8,000 cities in 195 countries that participate, on
Saturday, from 20:30, in Romania, in the 17th edition of Earth Hour. To mark
this event, the interior, exterior and festive lighting of the Palace of Parliament
in Bucharest will be turned off between 20:30 and 21:30.

Summer time. On Sunday
morning, clocks are set forward by one hour in Romania to mark the beginning of
summer time. Thus, 3 a.m. becomes 4 a.m., making this Sunday the shortest in
the year. During the daylight saving time, the difference between Romania’s
official time and GMT will be of 3 hours. According to the National Railway
Company, the change will not affect the trains’ timetables.

Protest. Policemen and military pensioners in Romania have
protested today at the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior. Their main claims
concern the urgent and full application of the Framework Law on wages, decent
wages and the application of the Law on state military pensions, in the form
originally voted, to ensure the stability and predictability of this pension
system that exists in all the NATO and EU member states. The trade unionists
also demand increases in the amount of salaries in payment, higher additional
allocations for food and equipment, as well
as a higher bonus for neuropsychic overload. On Friday, the unions in the field organized a
protest meeting and a march to signal the existing problems in the public
defense and national security system.

Football. Today, the Romanian national football team meets Andorra
away from home, in the debut match of the EURO 2024
preliminaries, a tournament hosted by Germany. In group I, of which Romania is
a part, the matches Belarus – Switzerland and Israel – Kosovo are still being
played today. On March 28, the national team will face Belarus in Bucharest.
The top two finishers in each of the 10 preliminary groups qualify, with the
final three places to be decided in March 2024, following the Nations League
play-offs. (MI)

25 March 2023
October 8, 2022 UPDATE

European Council. President Klaus Iohannis reiterated, on Friday, in Prague, Romanias stand regarding the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and the continuation of Bucharests constant support, on multiple levels, including in preparation for winter, in the context of the new escalations caused by the Russian Federation. The head of state participated in the informal meeting of the European Council in the Czech capital, where he expressed Romanias openness to the reconstruction process. In another move, regarding the high level of energy prices, a constant concern for Romania, Klaus Iohannis recalled the need to adopt measures to ensure the decoupling of the price of electricity from the price of natural gas. The main topics on the agenda of the European Council meeting concerned the situation in Ukraine, developments in the field of energy, from the point of view of the impact of high prices and efforts for ensuring supply security, as well as the economic situation at the European level. As for Ukraine, European leaders strongly rejected and unequivocally condemned Russias illegal annexation of Ukraines Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions following fake referendums.

Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities have announced that two cemeteries were found in the city of Lyman (east), recently freed from the control of the Russian occupiers. Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region, was liberated from the control of the Russian forces a week ago. According to the BBC, the governor of the region, Pavlo Kirilenko, said that at one of the cemeteries there are about two hundred graves, where civilians are believed to be buried. The other is a mass grave, where both civilians and soldiers could be buried. Kirilenko stated that the authorities have started an investigation and soon the dead bodies will be exhumed. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of committing war crimes against civilians in the occupied areas. In another development, several rocket attacks on the city of Hharkiv were reported on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia was badly damaged after a truck was detonated alongside a train of fuel tank cars. The destruction of the bridge deals another serious blow to Russias war effort in Ukraine, disrupting a crucial supply route. Moscow illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, ahead of this years Russian invasion.

Rating. Fitch Ratings Agency has confirmed Romanias sovereign rating at BBB minus with a negative outlook, this being the last note in the investment-grade category (recommended for investments). The rating is supported by the EU membership and the capital flows that support investment and macrostability, and the GDP per capita (GDP per capita value expressed in standard purchasing power parity), governance and human development indicators, which are above the values of other states benefiting from a BBB rating. However, these values are counterbalanced by a budget deficit and a current account deficit that are higher compared to the deficits of other countries, by low performances regarding budget consolidation and high budget rigidities, and a relatively high net external debt, Fitch says. The agency estimates a reduction of the fiscal deficit in 2022 to 6.4% of the GDP, following the solid performance on the revenue side. According to Fitch, the economy would register a 6.2% growth in 2022, one of the highest growth rates in the EU. This is driven by the build-up of stocks, but also by solid private consumption, despite the war in Ukraine.

Nobel. Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski, the Russian human rights organization Memorial and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties are the laureates of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for their defense of human rights and resistance against power abuses, the Nobel Committee announced on Friday from Norway. This award comes against the background of Ukraine fighting the Russian invasion, and there are many accusations that numerous war crimes have been committed. The Norwegian Nobel Committee explained, in its motivation, that the Peace Prize laureates have been promoting, for many years, the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. “They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy, the Committees announcement also reads.

Festival. More than 340 short and feature films are presented, until October 16, in several locations in Bucharest, at the 17th International Animation Film Festival Animest. According to the organizers, this year the event includes lots of screenings and special events, parties and masterclasses supported by professionals specially invited to Bucharest. The list of films participating in the festival includes titles that have attracted the attention of the entire industry over the last year, standing out in the competitions of major international film events. For example, the production Flee, directed by the Danish Jonas Poher Rasmussen, which received three Oscar nominations and numerous awards and which tells the story of a mans escape from Afghanistan to Denmark. There are also Romanian films presented at the festival, such as The Island, the latest feature film by Anca Damian, a surrealist comedy based on a reinterpretation of the story of Robinson Crusoe. (MI)

8 October 2022
October 8, 2022

European Council. President Klaus Iohannis reiterated, on Friday, in Prague, Romanias stand regarding the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and the continuation of Bucharests constant support, on multiple levels, including in preparation for winter, in the context of the new escalations caused by the Russian Federation. The head of state participated in the informal meeting of the European Council in the Czech capital, where he expressed Romanias openness to the reconstruction process. In another move, regarding the high level of energy prices, a constant concern for Romania, Klaus Iohannis recalled the need to adopt measures to ensure the decoupling of the price of electricity from the price of natural gas. The main topics on the agenda of the European Council meeting concerned the situation in Ukraine, developments in the field of energy, from the point of view of the impact of high prices and efforts for ensuring supply security, as well as the economic situation at the European level. As for Ukraine, European leaders strongly rejected and unequivocally condemned Russias illegal annexation of Ukraines Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions following fake referendums.

Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities have announced that two cemeteries were found in the city of Lyman (east), recently freed from the control of the Russian occupiers. Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region, was liberated from the control of the Russian forces a week ago. According to the BBC, the governor of the region, Pavlo Kirilenko, said that at one of the cemeteries there are about two hundred graves, where civilians are believed to be buried. The other is a mass grave, where both civilians and soldiers could be buried. Kirilenko stated that the authorities have started an investigation and soon the dead bodies will be exhumed. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of committing war crimes against civilians in the occupied areas. In another development, several rocket attacks have been reported today on the city of Kharkiv. Also today, the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to mainland Russia was badly damaged after a truck was detonated alongside a train of fuel tank cars. The destruction of the bridge deals another serious blow to Russias war effort in Ukraine, disrupting a crucial supply route. Moscow illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, ahead of this years Russian invasion.

Rating. Fitch Ratings Agency has confirmed Romanias sovereign rating at BBB minus with a negative outlook, this being the last note in the investment-grade category (recommended for investments). The rating is supported by the EU membership and the capital flows that support investment and macrostability, and the GDP per capita (GDP per capita value expressed in standard purchasing power parity), governance and human development indicators, which are above the values of other states benefiting from a BBB rating. However, these values are counterbalanced by a budget deficit and a current account deficit that are higher compared to the deficits of other countries, by low performances regarding budget consolidation and high budget rigidities, and a relatively high net external debt, Fitch says. The agency estimates a reduction of the fiscal deficit in 2022 to 6.4% of the GDP, following the solid performance on the revenue side. According to Fitch, the economy would register a 6.2% growth in 2022, one of the highest growth rates in the EU. This is driven by the build-up of stocks, but also by solid private consumption, despite the war in Ukraine.

Nobel. Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski, the Russian human rights organization Memorial and the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties are the laureates of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for their defense of human rights and resistance against power abuses, the Nobel Committee announced on Friday from Norway. This award comes against the background of Ukraine fighting the Russian invasion, and there are many accusations that numerous war crimes have been committed. The Norwegian Nobel Committee explained, in its motivation, that the Peace Prize laureates have been promoting, for many years, the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens. “They have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy, the Committees announcement also reads.

Festival. More than 340 short and feature films are presented, until October 16, in several locations in Bucharest, at the 17th International Animation Film Festival Animest. According to the organizers, this year the event includes lots of screenings and special events, parties and masterclasses supported by professionals specially invited to Bucharest. The list of films participating in the festival includes titles that have attracted the attention of the entire industry over the last year, standing out in the competitions of major international film events. For example, the production Flee, directed by the Danish Jonas Poher Rasmussen, which received three Oscar nominations and numerous awards and which tells the story of a mans escape from Afghanistan to Denmark. There are also Romanian films presented at the festival, such as The Island, the latest feature film by Anca Damian, a surrealist comedy based on a reinterpretation of the story of Robinson Crusoe. (MI)

8 October 2022
09.04.2022 (mise à jour)

LONDRE – L’agence de notation Fitch Ratings a confirmé, dans un
communiqué, la perspective négative de
la note de « BBB – » pour la Roumanie. Il s’agit de la note la
plus basse de la catégorie « investissement » (recommandé pour
investir) du classement qu’elle effectue chaque année. Fitch a assorti cette
note d’une perspective négative faisant état de l’incertitude entourant les
politiques de lutte contre les déséquilibres fiscaux structurels à moyen
termes, ainsi que la guerre en Ukraine et la crise énergétique. L’agence de
notation s’attend à un ralentissement de la croissance économique du pays,
passant de 5,9 % en 2021 à 2,1 %. Une baisse imputable au ralentissement
de la consommation et des exportations. Malgré l’adoption par le gouvernement
de mesures visant à compenser la hausse des prix de l’énergie, ces dernières
risquent d’être insuffisantes pour empêcher la baisse du pouvoir d’achat des
Roumains. C’est du moins ce que déclare l’agence Fitch qui estime à 4,8 % la
croissance économique de la Roumanie en 2023.

GAZ – La coalition gouvernementale au pouvoir en Roumanie a
accéléré les discussions sur la modification de la loi offshore d’exploration
des gaz naturels en Mer Noire. A l’heure où l’on parle, les leaders des trois
partis au pouvoir – le PNL, le PSD et l’UDMR ont décidé d’une forme finale du
texte. Du coup, le projet sera soumis à partir de la semaine prochaine au débat
parlementaire afin qu’il puisse être adopté en urgence. L’une des options
prises en considération permettrait à l’Etat roumain de toucher au moins 60% du
profit obtenu suite à l’exploration gazière, le reste de 40% étant attribué aux
compagnies privées. Récemment, le ministre de l’Energie, Virgil Popescu,
annonçait que les gisements de gaz de la Mer Noire permettront à la Roumanie
d’avoir un milliard de mètres cubes de gaz naturel de plus à partir de cette
année.

Collecte- Le monde a finalement promis 9,1 milliards
d’euros dans le cadre de la campagne #StandUpForUkraine, organisé samedi, sur
les réseaux sociaux au bénéfice des réfugiés ukrainiens. En outre, la
Commission européenne, en collaboration avec la BERD, a décidé d’ajouter un
milliard supplémentaire pour les personnes déplacées en Ukraine. Donc 10,1
milliards d’euros, s’est félicitée la présidente de la CE, Ursula von der Leyen. Selon la Représentation
de la Roumanie auprès de la Commission européenne, cette campagne mondiale des
donateurs a été convoquée par l’UE et le Canada. L’objectif: mobiliser des
fonds en faveur des 4 millions de personnes ayant fui l’Ukraine et qui ont déjà
cherché refuge dans l’UE. Par ailleurs, la collecte de fonds servira aussi à
offrir de l’assistance humanitaire aux 6,5 millions de personnes dont 2,5
millions d’enfants qui ont dû fuir leur foyer, mais sont restées en Ukraine et
sont désormais déplacées à l’intérieur du pays.

Météo -
La Roumanie se prépare à une chute brutale des températures dans les jours à
venir, notamment dans le centre, le sud et l’est du territoire. Dans toutes ces
régions, le ciel sera couvert et des pluies sont annoncées. Il neigera sur les
crêtes des Carpates et une nouvelle couche de neige sera présente en altitude.
Le vent soufflera à plus de 90km/heure sur les sommets. Dimanche, les
températures iront de 5 à 14 degrés. Météo Roumanie a émis une alerte
d’instabilité atmosphérique et de refroidissement accentué, en vigueur jusqu’à
mardi matin. Dimanche, des orages risquent de se produire dans le sud-est du
pays où une vigilance jaune à la neige est en vigueur jusqu’à lundi.

9 April 2022
O nouă rectificare bugetară, în pregătire

Guvernul
de la București pregătește o a treia rectificare bugetară prin care vrea, în
principal, să aloce bani mai mulți pentru sănătate, în contextul pandemiei de
coronavirus.

Premierul liberal Ludovic Orban spune că aceasta este necesară
pentru că în Parlament s-au adus modificări importante anterioarei rectificări
şi astfel au fost afectate programele de sprijin pentru redresarea economiei.
El a anunțat că, în acest moment, sunt analizate solicitările fiecărui
ordonator de credite, însă prioritate vor avea Ministerul Sănătăţii, precum şi
ministerele Transporturilor şi Dezvoltării. O parte din fondurile pe care
Ministerul Sănătăţii le va primi vor permite și achiziţionarea de noi doze de
Remdesivir, un medicament antiviral, facilitând crearea unei rezerve pentru
şase luni, afirma recent ministrul de resort, Nelu Tătaru.

În atenția
guvernului se află și proiectul de buget pe anul viitor, pe care îl vrea
adoptat înainte de sfârşitul acestui an, cel mai probabil după învestirea
noului executiv rezultat din alegerile parlamentare programate pe 6 decembrie.
Primul ministru a precizat că bugetul va ţine cont de realitatea economică din
România, fără să prevadă taxe suplimentare sau măriri de impozite. Acesta
trebuie să asigure resursele necesare pentru investiţii, dar şi banii pentru
plata pensiilor şi salariilor bugetarilor. Bugetul va urmări, în primul rând, să
asigure investiţii în dezvoltarea României, investiţii în dezvoltarea
infrastructurii de transport, energetice, de sănătate publică, şcolare și de
comunicaţii, preciza Ludovic Orban. El a mai explicat că trebuie gândită foarte
bine asigurarea părţii de cofinanţare care să permită absorbţia fondurilor
europene.

Despre creșterea pensiilor, un subiect intens disputat politic între
putere și opoziția de stânga, premierul a subliniat și că obiectivul său este
creșterea acestora, dar numai pe baza realității economice. Din opoziție, PSD
pune presiune pe Guvern să vină în Parlament cu proiectul de buget pe anul
viitor, unde ministrul de finanţe să prezinte cifrele şi să spună dacă vor
creşte taxele, sau dacă se vor face disponibilizări. Vicepreşedintele
partidului, Sorin Grindeanu, acuză că anul acesta autorităţile locale au fost
lăsate de Executiv să lupte singure cu pandemia și că dezvoltarea a fost
frânată.

Pe de altă parte, agenţia de evaluare financiară Fitch Ratings a confirmat
ratingul suveran al României la ‘BBB minus’ cu perspectivă negativă, aceasta
fiind ultima notă din categoria ‘investment-grade’, recomandat pentru
investiţii. Potrivit agenţiei, ratingul este susţinut de nivelul moderat al
datoriei guvernamentale, precum şi de un PIB per capita şi indicatorii privind
guvernanţa şi dezvoltarea umană, care sunt peste ale altor ţări care
beneficiază de un rating din categoria ‘BBB’. Punctele tari sunt, însă,
contrabalansate de un deficit bugetar şi un deficit de cont curent mari
comparativ cu ale altor ţări.

2 November 2020
January 11, 2020 UPDATE

EARLY ELECTIONS – Prime Minister and leader of
the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, announced following Friday’s talks
with President Klaus Iohannis that they reached an agreement to kick off
procedures to organize early elections. The Prime Minister said a special task
force will be set up to negotiate with parties to rally their support. Ludovic
Orban said the Social-Democratic Party, which holds a fragile majority in
Parliament, is hindering the legislative process, the only solution being the
organization of early elections at a date close to the local elections slated
for May. In another development, the Social-Democrats said they might call for
a no-confidence vote against the Government, saying the idea of early elections
would plunge Romania into a superficial political crisis. In turn, the Save
Romania Union-PLUS Alliance believes early elections might represent the best
solution at present.

IRAN-US
CRISIS – Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski and his French counterpart,
Emmanuel macron, on Saturday agreed that French specialists should help decode
the black boxes recovered from the Ukrainian Airlines passenger jet shot down
on Wednesday, near Teheran, which killed all the 176 people onboard. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
misidentified the plane as a cruise missile, taking it down with a short-range
ballistic missile. According to the Fars agency, the Supreme Leade, Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, was informed that the tragedy was the result of a human error,
and the leader wanted the truth to be made public. Iranian President Hasan Rouhani expressed his
deep regret over the incident which he labeled a great tragedy and an
unforgivable error. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski said the culprits
must be held accountable as compensation to the victims’ families. In turn,
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for justice to be served to the
victims’ families. We recall a Ukrainian airliner crashed on Wednesday shortly
after taking off from Teheran airport, hours after Iran launched a missile
attack on two US military bases in Iraq. The plane was bound for Canada via
Kiev, with most of the passengers on the manifest due to disembark in the
Ukrainian capital city.

RATING – Fitch Ratings has confirmed the ratings for long-term loans in
local and hard currency at BBB minus, with a stable outlook. The short-term
prospect was set at F3. The financial rating agency believes Bucharest has
stable income sources, while its growth prospects are in line with Romania’s
GDP growth. Bucharest is also the capital and the biggest city in Romania,
being home to 2.1 million inhabitants with living conditions above the national
average. Over 11% of Romania’s population lives in Bucharest, the city’s GDP
contribution exceeding 20%. The unemployment rate was 1.4% at the end of 2018,
and the city boasts numerous job opportunities.
The city’s population is growing, while the GDP per capita is four times
the national average, Fitch also writes.

ROMAN-CATHOLIC CHURCH – As of Saturday Aurel Perca
(aged 68) has become the new Roman-Catholic Archbishop of Bucharest. To mark
this event a solemn mass was officiated at the St. Joseph Roman-Catholic
cathedral in the capital city, attended by thousands of faithful and over 200
priests, two cardinals, 24 Catholic bishops, civil and political authorities,
representatives of the diplomatic corps and knights of the Sovereign Military
Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. Aurel
Perca was appointed Archbishop of Bucharest by Pope Francis after Ioan Robu
turned 75, the canonical age of retirement under the laws of the Catholic
Church. Previously Perca served as auxiliary bishop of Iasi. He was ordained in
1979 and named bishop in 1999. Ioan Robu will become an emeritus metropolitan
archbishop.

OMAN – Romania’s President Klaus
Iohannis on Saturday conveyed his condolences for the death of Oman’s Sultan,
Qaboos bin Said al-Said. Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, Qaboos’s cousin, was sworn
in on Saturday as the new sovereign leader of Oman, the Government in Muscat
has announced. Oman’s Royal Family decided to open the letter where Qaboos
designated his successor. The Constitution of Oman stipulates that the Royal
Family can appoint a successor of its own within three days of the throne
falling vacant. Sultan Qaboos of Oman passed away on Friday, aged 79, after
nearly half a century of rule. Supported by Western powers, Qaboos ascended to
the throne in 1970, at the end of a bloodless coup, assisted by Great Britain.
The new Sultan, Haitahm bin Tariq, aged 65, a sports enthusiast, served as
deputy secretary of state in the Foreign Ministry before becoming Minister of
Heritage and Culture in the mid-90s. In the 1980s Haitham bin Tariq became the
first president of Oman’s Football Federation.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona
Halep will play Germany’s Angelique Kerber in a demonstrative doubles match
featuring other special guests on Sunday in Adelaide, organizers of the WTA
tournament say. The match will be part of the event called The Adelaide
International Rally for Resilience, meant to raise funds to support the
victims of the wildfires in Australia. 27 people were killed in the raging
bushfires and 63,000 square kilometers burned to the ground. World no. 3,
Simona Halep is seeded 2nd in the Adelaide tournament, also
featuring the WTA leader Ashleigh Barty, Czech player Petra Kvitova (WTA no.
7), Belinda Bencic of Switzerland (WTA no. 8) and Kiki Bertens of the
Netherlands (9 WTA). Halep is now training with her coach, Darren Cahill in
Adelaide.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

11 January 2020
September 3, 2019 UPDATE

POLITICS – The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, a
former ruling coalition partner, on Tuesday decided to exclude all members who
accept positions in Parliament and the Government without the party’s consent.
One such example could be Vice-president Teodor Melescanu, who said he would
run for the position of Senate Speaker. The Alliance expressed their support
for Ion Popa, after the outgoing Speaker Calin Popescu-Tarcieanu resigned on
Monday. Previously, three Alliance ministers stepped down, Environment Minister
Gratiela Gavrilescu, Minister for Liaison with Parliament Viorel Ilie and
Energy Minister Anton Anton. Foreign Minister Ramona Manescu preferred to
resign from the party in order to preserve her ministry portfolio. Prime
Minister Viorica Dancila said the Social-Democratic Party will remain in power
in order to implement the governing program that won the party the election in
2016. President Klaus Iohannis has called on the Government to seek
Parliament’s vote of confidence.

RATING -
Political turmoil in Romania has increased the risks targeting public finance,
Fitch Ratings agency reports. The break of the ruling coalition in an election
year as well as growing macroeconomic imbalances have reduced the efforts to
keep the rising budget deficit in check. Fitch Ratings also believes that the
Government’s budget adjustment measures operated in August are not enough to
reduce the deficit within the 2.76% mark. Fitch experts expect Romania’s
deficit to stand at 3.4% of the GDP in 2019.

EARTHQUAKE – A 4.5 Richter-scale earthquake shook
Romania on Tuesday, the biggest in Romania this year. We recall that on March
4, 1977 a 7.2 Richter-scale earthquake killed 1,570 people, mostly from
Bucharest, and caused material damage estimated at the time at 2 billion
dollars. 230 thousand residential buildings were destroyed or seriously
damaged. The quake caused an economic and social crisis which, according to
historians, the Communist dictatorship could no longer cope with, until it was
toppled in December 1989. Experts warn that hundreds of buildings might
collapse in Bucharest in the event of a similar quake.

EXERCISE The
Romanian Navy organizes as of Tuesday the Romanian-Ukrainian exercise Riverine
2019, on the River Danube, the segment between Tulcea (Romania) and Izmail
(Ukraine), with approx. 300 marines from the 2 countries taking part. The
exercise is designed to improve cross-border cooperation between Romania and Ukraine
in the naval field on the River Danube. Until September 7, inspection and
towing exercises as well as emergency intervention drills will be organized.

TABLE TENNIS – The Romanian men’s table tennis team
defeated neighboring Hungary 3-1 in the opening match in Group 2 at the
European Table Tennis Championships hosted by Nantes, France. On Wednesday, in
the same Group, Sweden will play Hungary while on Thursday Romania will play
Sweden. The winners of each group will advance to the quarterfinals. In the
women’s competition, Romania, the defending European champion, has been drawn
in Group A alongside Spain and Slovakia.

FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football team is
preparing the matches against Spain and Malta this week, both counting towards
the European Football Championship held next year. After four matches Spain is
top of the group tables with 12 points, followed by Sweden and Romania, each
with 7 points, Norway with 5 points, Malta with 3 points and the Faeroe Islands
with zero points. The top two teams will advance to the final championship. The
draw for the 2020 European Championship will take place in Bucharest on
November 30. Romania’s capital city will host four games at the European
Championship, of which three in the group phase and one in the round of
16.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)

3 September 2019
July 14, 2018

Venice Commission — The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, believes that the preliminary opinion of the Venice Commission related to the changes made to the justice laws is an extremely worrying signal regarding the independence of the judiciary and calls on Parliament not to ignore these recommendations. According to the Presidential Administration, the Venice Commission confirms the points of view expressed by civil society in Romania, by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, by judges and prosecutors as well as by the Romanian president, including through notifications related to the unconstitutional character of these modifications and the requests for re-examination of these laws. The Venice Commission recommends the Romanian authorities to reconsider the modifications to the justice laws mainly in relation to the appointment and dismissal of chief prosecutors of the main prosecutors’ offices. According to these modifications, the Romanian president can refuse the appointment made by the justice minister only once and providing solid arguments. The European experts also recommend the authorities to give up the scheme for the early retirement of magistrates which would entail a massive depopulation of courts and also to give up the idea of setting up a special section for investigating magistrates. The opposition National Liberal Party has called on the Constitutional Court to take note of the preliminary report on the justice laws. Social Democrat MP Eugen Nicolicea, the president of the legal commission in the Chamber of Deputies, claims the Venice Commission’s preliminary report runs counter to a previous report related to European standards regarding the independence of the judiciary.

Fitch Ratings — The Fitch Rating agency has confirmed the ratings for Bucharest’s long term credits in hard currency and local currency at BBB-stable, shows a communiqué of the rating agency. Fitch ratings has also confirmed the F3 rating for currency on short term. The confirmation of the ratings reflects Bucharest’s robust operational performance, the moderate level of debt in relation to its operational balance and current revenues. The rating also includes the solid taxation base, due to Bucharest’s welfare level, which is substantially higher than the national average. The negative side of it is that the rating reflects the dependence of operational revenues on economic cycles and the uncertainties related to contingent debt, shows the Fitch Ratings. Following the 2016 local elections, an ambitious and modern plan for investments was adopted, with the leftist government willing to further develop the city infrastructure, mainly the road infrastructure, Fitch Ratings reports.

France — On the occasion of France’s National Day the French ambassador to Romania, Mrs. Michele Ramis, said in an interview to the Romanian public radio, that the two countries have common roots and her objective is to build a common future for theirs and Europe’s prosperity. Mrs. Ramis said that, at present, in Romania there are almost 2 thousand students from France who are studying mainly medicine, and she expressed hope that this student exchange will be intensified. In another development, trade exchanges between France and Romania increased by 4.4% in 2017 as compared to 2016, reaching 7.8 billion Euros, shows the French Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Romania. There are almost 3 thousand French companies operating in Romania, with a total of direct investments of 4.2 billion Euros.

Football — CFR Cluj, Romania’s football champions, and U Craiova 1948, the cup winner, are today playing for Romania’s Super Cup. The match will take place in Craiova, in southern Romania. CFR Cluj will represent Romania in the preliminaries of the Champions League while U Craiova will play in the preliminary rounds of the Europa League. In the second continental competition are also playing another two Romanian teams vice-champions FCSB, the former Steaua Bucharest, and FC Viitorul, from southeastern Romania. (translation by L. Simion)

14 July 2018
February 13, 2018

ANTI-CORRUPTION – The Judicial Inspection in Romania has taken note of the accusations launched publicly against some prosecutors of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate in Prahova County, southern Romania, and has announced that it makes verifications. In a televised program, the former Social-Democrat MP, Vlad Cosma, who has been sentenced to five years in prison, in a first instance court, on Monday claimed that the anti-corruption prosecutors allegedly asked him to plant evidence in a file related to the former Social Democrat PM Victor Ponta and businessman Sebastian Ghiţă, who fled to Serbia. Vlad Cosma has made available audio recordings. In response, the DNA Ploiesti chief-prosecutor, Lucian Onea, has told a press conference that evidence has never been falsified and illicit understandings with the defendants have never been made in the institution he runs. The Anti-corruption Directorate claims that Vlad Cosma’s allegations are aimed at compromising prosecutors and police officers who affected the interests of some politicians. The president of the ruling Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, has said that if the accusations related to the activity of DNA Prahova turn out to be true, there are elements of political police in Romania. In another move, representatives of the right wing opposition say the respective information should not be the subject of political debate. According to them, finding the truth is the responsibility of the Judicial Inspection, the Supreme Council of Magistracy, the Justice Ministry and the Prosecutor’s Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

JUSTICE OVERHAUL — Romania’s Constitutional Court is today analysing the notifications forwarded by the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the main opposition party, the National Liberal Party, regarding the modifications brought to the Law on the organisation and functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy. Late last year, the Senate adopted, as decision-making body, the draft modifying the Law on the functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy. Some of the most important provisions referred to the Judicial Inspection, which will be functioning as a structure within the Superior Council of Magistracy, as a legal body. Backed by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party-the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, the modifications are contested by the right wing political opposition, part of the public opinion and hundreds of magistrates, who consider the judicial overhaul to be a process lacking transparency. In exchange, the representatives of the ruling coalition say the changes are meant to bring the justice laws in line with earlier rulings issued by Romania’s Constitutional Court and by the European Court of Human Rights.

FINANCIAL –“Romanias expansionary fiscal policy looks set to continue following last months change of prime minister and this will increase macro-economic imbalances” the London-based Fitch Ratings said in a commentary published on its website. Fitch also sees a sizeable structural budget deficit which will make Romanias public finances more vulnerable to shocks. “Pro-cyclical fiscal policy has boosted growth but increased the risk of the economy overheating. A strong fiscal impulse contributed to robust consumption-driven growth of close to 7% in 2017 – the highest in the EU,” Fitch has also noted. “With the economy operating above capacity, further fiscal easing risks increasing macroeconomic imbalances, potentially increasing inflationary pressures, weakening competitiveness and widening the current account deficit”, the ratings agency added. Fitch also noted that the Dancila cabinet has presented its governing programme which includes proposals for further tax cuts and increases to minimum wages and pensions, as well as for introducing tax exemptions for medical doctors.

WRD– World Radio Day is being celebrated today the world over. It is for the seventh year in a row that World Radio Day is being celebrated on February 13, to mark the anniversary of the first broadcast by UN Radio in 1946, when it transmitted its first call sign: “This is the United Nations calling the peoples of the world.” The theme of World Radio Day this year is “Radio and Sports”. In Romania, the first broadcast by the public radio was aired on November 1, 1928, 90 years ago. February 13 is a day to celebrate radio, to improve international cooperation between broadcasters and to encourage major networks and community radios to promote access to information, freedom of expression and gender equality over the airwaves. World Radio Day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of radio, facilitate access to information through radio, and enhance networking among broadcasters.

TENNIS — Romania’s Fed Cup team will play Switzerland over April 21-22 on home turf in the World Group playoffs. On Sunday, Romania defeated Canada at home in the first round of the second world group. Today Irina-Camelia Begu, 37 WTA, is playing Samantha Stosur of Australia, 44 WTA, in the first round of the Qatar Total Open in Doha, offering $3.1 million in prize money. Also today, Sorana Cirstea, 38 WTA, is playing Maria Sakkari of Greece, 60 WTA. On Monday, in the first round, Mihaela Buzarnescu, 43 WTA, ousted Lesia Tsurkenko of Ukraine, 40 WTA, in straight sets. Monica Niculescu, 92 WTA, upset Russia’s Maria Sharapova, 41 WTA, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Simona Halep, WTA no. 2, who won the Qatar Open in 2014, will play in the second round against Ekaterina Makarova, 36 WTA. In the women’s doubles, Irina Begu and Monica Niculescu will take on Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.

13 February 2018
24.08.2017 (mise à jour)

Visite — Le président de la Roumanie, Klaus Iohannis, et celui de la France, Emmanuel Macron, ont décidé jeudi à Bucarest d’approfondir le Partenariat stratégique bilatéral, notamment dans les domaines politique, économique, culturel et de la recherche. Le chef de l’Etat roumain a affirmé que la visite de son homologue français a lieu à un moment hautement symbolique. En effet, en 2017 on célèbre les 25 ans écoulés depuis l’entrée en vigueur du Traité d’entente amicale et de coopération entre la Roumanie et la France, tandis qu’en 2018 les deux pays marqueront le 10e anniversaire de leur Partenariat stratégique. Klaus Iohannis s’est également félicité de la dynamique des échanges économiques bilatéraux et a souhaité que les investissements français en Roumanie se diversifient. A son tour, le président français, Emmanuel Macron, a déclaré que la Roumanie était dans son droit de demander l’intégration dans l’espace Schengen et s’est dit très ouvert sur ce sujet. Toujours jeudi, le président français a eu un déjeuner de travail avec le premier ministre roumain, Mihai Tudose.

Message — Le ministère roumain des Affaires étrangères a transmis jeudi un message de félicitations à l’Ukraine, à l’occasion de la Fête nationale de ce pays. La diplomatie roumaine réaffirme le soutien de Bucarest à l’intégrité territoriale du pays voisin. La Roumanie est et restera un partenaire de l’Ukraine dans la région et continuera à appuyer son parcours européen, est-il dit dans le message posté sur la page Facebook du ministère des Affaires étrangères.

Economie — La Roumanie a connu un nouveau trimestre de croissance économique solide, de 5,7%, soit le rythme le plus important sur l’ensemble de l’UE. Toutefois, les politiques fiscales procycliques et la majoration rapide des salaires en 2017 ont accru le risque de surchauffe de l’économie, met en garde l’agence d’évaluation financière Fitch Ratings. Celle-ci souligne que, le mois dernier, lorsqu’elle a confirmé la notation de la Roumanie, soit BBB moins avec perspective stable, elle a révisé à la hausse ses estimations de croissance de l’économie roumaine en 2017, de 4,8% à 5,1%. Par contre, pour les deux ans à venir, Fitch s’attend à un ralentissement du rythme de croissance, allant jusqu’à 3,4% en 2018 et à 3,5% en 2019, en raison de l’impact des politiques économiques récemment adoptées. En outre, la croissance rapide commence à engendrer des risques à l’égard des indicateurs extérieurs. L’agence d’évaluation financière n’exclut pas non plus une éventuelle surchauffe de l’économie, consécutive à une hausse salariale dépassant la productivité. Fitch soutient également que le taux de croissance s’explique entre autres par l’allégement fiscal et que la diminution des accises et de la TVA a mené à la situation de rater les cibles fiscales. Les revenus s’étant maintenus constants, alors que les dépenses ont augmenté, le déficit budgétaire de la Roumanie sur les cinq premiers mois de l’année en cours a été trois fois plus grand que celui enregistré dans la même période de 2016.

Législation – La Direction nationale anti-corruption de Roumanie critique les changements de la législation spécifique, annoncés par le ministre de la Justice, Tudorel Toader, et annonce qu’elle convoquera la semaine prochaine son Assemblée générale qui devrait exprimer ses opinions à ce sujet. Selon un communiqué rendu public jeudi, cette Assemblée se prononcera aussi sur l’impact que ces modifications auront sur l’activité des procureurs anti-corruption. Le Parquet national anti-corruption a également envoyé une lettre ouverte au ministre de la Justice, au Conseil supérieur de la magistrature, au chef du Parquet général et à la présidence de la Haute Cour de Cassation et de Justice. Le document porte sur les conséquences de telles mesures, précisant qu’elles risquent d’affecter l’indépendance des procureurs.

Accident — Quatre ressortissants roumains ont été gravement blessés dans un accident de la route qui s’est produit dans le nord-ouest de l’Allemagne, a annoncé le ministère des Affaires étrangères de Bucarest. L’autocar, dans lequel se trouvaient 42 Roumains, a dérapé et s’est renversé dans le land allemand de Basse Saxe. Selon la police allemande, la plupart des personnes présentes dans l’autocar étaient roumaines, travailleuses saisonnières dans l’agriculture. L’ambassade de Roumanie à Berlin continue ses démarches auprès des pouvoirs locaux afin d’obtenir des informations sur l’identité des victimes et sur leur état de santé. L’ambassade est prête à fournir de l’assistance consulaire en cas de besoin.

Météo — Dans le prochain intervalle de 24 heures, il fera généralement beau et le mercure grimpera d’un cran. Les températures maximales iront de 24 à 33 degrés.

24 August 2017