Radio România Internațional

Tag: flooding

  • November 2, 2024 UPDATE

    November 2, 2024 UPDATE

    FLOOD According to authorities in Bucharest every Romanian national in the Spanish regions affected by the latest flooding will be able to benefit consular and logistic support by means of Romania’s diplomatic representations. Bucharest is effectively cooperating with the Spanish authorities to set up a rapid and effective mechanism for the repatriation of those willing to return to Romania if need be. Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is expected to meet his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez in a couple of days for talks over the setting up of a logistic centre to help the Romanian nationals affected by flooding in Spain. On Saturday Ciolacu said that a crisis management cell had been created by the Foreign Ministry, but a logistic centre would be also set up jointly with the Spanish authorities. Rescue teams in Spain are making it to the areas blocked by catastrophic flooding where the death toll has reached 211, including four Romanians. One of the victims has been confirmed by the Romanian authorities while a family with a child has been mentioned by the Spanish press. Nine Romanians are reported missing in Spain and the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest is verifying the information about them. The Romanian Embassy in Madrid and the consulate in Castellon de la Plana are in permanent contact with the Spanish authorities. The region of Valencia, in south-eastern Spain, has been affected by devastating floods, experts have deemed as unprecedented. Spain has declared three days of national mourning.

     

    ELECTION The ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova will be seeing the second round of its presidential election on Sunday. The incumbent pro-European president, Maia Sandu, will be running against the pro-Russian Alexandr Stoianoglo. The first round on October 20 was held concurrently with a referendum on the country’s EU accession and was marked by attempted frauds sponsored by Russia and the runaway oligarch Ilan Şor, who had fled the country in an attempt to avoid a prison sentence. In the first round of voting Maia Sandu got 42.49% and Alexandr Stoianoglo 25.95%. In another development the Constitutional Court has validated the referendum on the country’s EU accession after 50.38% of the Moldovans voted in favour. The Republic of Moldova submitted its EU accession candidacy in March 2022 and the EU kicked off accession negotiations with the former soviet republic in June this year.

     

    MOLDOVA In an interview to Radio Romania, the country’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, has highlighted the importance of the presidential election in the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet, Romanian-speaking country, both from the voters’ point of view and also from Bucharest’s desire to have a trustworthy dialogue partner in Chisinau. The Romanian minister has also said the Moldovans must vote not only with their hearts but also with their minds for a better future and to bring the republic where it belongs, namely in the European Union. Like in the first round of voting, 16 polling stations will be open in Romania; three in Bucharest, two in Cluj, western Romania and Iasi, in eastern Romania. The cities of Brasov, Sibiu, Timisoara, Craiova, Oradea, Suceava, Bacau, Galati and Constanta each will have one polling station. Moldovan citizens can cast their ballots in Romania by producing an ID or passport between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

     

    AUDITION The European Parliament’s specialized committees on Monday are expected to commence the audition of the designated European Commissioners. On this occasion the MEPs are going to assess the commissioners’ competences, independence and their attachment to European values, essential elements to serve as members of the new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen. According to the schedule announced by the European Parliament, the auditions are to end on 12 November, a day when the six executive vice-presidents of the future Commission, including Romanian Roxana Mînzatu who holds the portfolio, ‘People, competences, training’, will have to answer a series of questions. The entire European Commission will have to get greenlight from the European Parliament, the vote being scheduled for the plenary session of 25-28 November in Strasbourg. After getting Parliament confirmation, the European Commission will have to be officially appointed by the European Council through voting. The commission must have the yes-votes of 55% of the member states.

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  • October 31, 2024 UPDATE

    October 31, 2024 UPDATE

    SPAIN Six Romanian nationals out of the 22 reported missing in Spain are safe, the Romanian Foreign Ministry says. According to the same sources, the latest death poll stands at over 150 dead and scores missing in one of the biggest natural disasters in Spain’s recent history. In Bucharest, Prime Minister Ciolacu summoned the ministers and representatives of government institutions for talks over the situation of the Romanians in Spain affected by the latest flooding. According to government spokesman Mihai Constantin, the Prime Minister has called on the ministries to establish an action group in order to set up a logistic centre in Castellon de la Plana so that the Romanian state may provide additional assistance to the Romanians affected. Ciolacu has called on the ministries to keep permanent contact with the Spanish authorities and the Romanians there and provide transportation to those requesting repatriation. The Romanian diplomacy has cautioned that the Spanish weathermen have again issued alerts for heavy downpours in the region of Valencia, Tarragona, Andalusia and part of Catalonia.

     

     CAMPAIGN The electoral campaign for the parliamentary elections in Romania starts on Thursday night, and it will last until November 30. During this period, the parties, alliances or independents entering the race for a seat in the new two-chamber parliament will have to convince the electorate to grant them the vote on December 1. There are currently 330 parliamentarians in the Chamber of Deputies, and 136 in the Senate. We recall that, also during this period, the presidential election campaign, which started a week ago, is taking place in Romania. The first round of the presidential elections will take place on November 24 and the second round – on December 8.

     

    EC The European Commission has praised the progress made by the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in implementing reforms necessary for joining the EU. In the annual report on the enlargement of the Union, in which it makes an assessment of all accession candidate or aspirant states, the Commission expresses its hope that, next year, it will be able to start discussions on negotiation chapters with Chisinau and Kyiv officials. The Republic of Moldova showed commitment on the path of reforms and showed political stability in the last year, despite Russia’s hybrid attacks, the European Commission believes. Brussels draws attention to the fact that there is still a need for efforts in many areas, including Justice. Despite the steps taken before, additional efforts are needed, also on the part of Ukraine, the Commission says. Both Ukraine and Moldova started accession negotiations in the summer of this year.

     

    MOLDOVA On Sunday, November 3, the second round of the presidential elections takes place in the Republic of Moldova. Running are the incumbent president, the pro-European Maia Sandu, and the pro-Russian Alexandr Stoianoglo. In the first round, Sandu got over 42% of the votes, and her opponent, 26%. Maia Sandu has stated that joining the European Union is the only way forward for the Moldovan people and said about Stoianoglo that he is a tool of evil forces.

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  • September 25, 2024

    September 25, 2024

    UNO The Romanian president Klaus Iohannis is in New York to attend the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting’s central theme is ‘Unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere.’ In his address before the General Assembly, the head of the Romanian state is expected to plead for maintaining dialogue at a multilateral level, mainly within the UN format as an essential element of regional and global security. For this reason, Klaus Iohannis will be highlighting Romania’s multilateral contribution to solving all the present global issues, from security crises, such as the war in Ukraine or the Middle East, to major challenges for mankind such as climate change, the erosion of human rights and cyber threats.

     

    BUDGET During its session today, the government in Bucharest is expected to increase the budgets of the Environment Ministry and the Finance Ministry. Hundreds of families and people in emergency situations as a result of severe fires and weather phenomena or in special situations that might increase the risk of their social exclusion will be benefitting from emergency funds from the government amounting to roughly 300 thousand Euros. The budget of the Finance Ministry is expected to increase by over 50 thousand Euros. Also high on the agenda are budget raises for the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

     

    ELECTION The Central Election Committee in Chisinau has approved the participation of 11 candidates in the election for the presidential seat of the ex-Soviet, Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova. According to experts, the incumbent president, Maia Sandu, who is running for another term in office, is the odds-on favourite. Her main opponents are the former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo, backed by the socialists and the former mayor of the district of Balti, Renato Usatîi, leader of a political group entitled Our Party. The presidential elections are due on 20th October and a referendum on amending the Constitution so that the country may join the EU, is due concurrently. Most of the 14 parties running in the election are backing the idea of European integration. The socialists, however, are boycotting the referendum while the communists and one party belonging to the political bloc of oligarch Ilan Shor have declared themselves against the country’s EU accession.

     

    MEASURES The rising level of the Danube waters shouldn’t cause any problems whatsoever, the Romanian hydrologists believe. According to their estimates, the river’s maximum level would be lower than initially believed. The river’s waters are expected to reach their peak of eight thousand cubic meters per second on September 30th, but this level shouldn’t create any problems for the authorities who can handle it easily, is the conclusion of the representatives of all the central and local institutions in charge of the emergency situations. Thousands of sandbags have been made ready and part of them have already been deployed.

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  • The Danube water level on the rise

    The Danube water level on the rise

    Scores of people have been killed and reported missing in Central and Eastern Europe recently affected by Storm Boris. Although heavy rains ceased, swollen waters are still threatening various locations in the region, which is bearing the brunt of the latest flooding, which has also caused billions of Euros in material damage.

    According to the first expert estimates, in Romania the total damage would exceed one billion Euros. Others believe the figures are optimistic and the actual damage is double or even triple.

    A World Bank survey last year put the average damage caused by floods in Romania at roughly 1.7 billion Euros. Seven people have been killed and 65 thousand households affected by Storm Boris this year.

    The collective trauma is lingering and many are now fearing the rising level of Europe’s largest river, the Danube, caused by the heavy rainfalls and its many tributaries.

    The Danube’s rising level is not expected to cause issues to those in charge of its handling – Environment Minister Mircea Fechet said. According to him, a similar level was successfully handled in January this year and in December 2023.

    The Minister and Romanian Waters experts have flown by helicopter over the areas facing a higher flooding risk. According to expert estimates, the Danube’s level for the period between September 29 and 30 is expected to hit 79-80 hundred cubic meters per second. We recall that the river caused flooding in Romania in 2006, but its level at that time stood at more than 15 thousand cubic meters per second.

    Mircea Fechet: “According to the information made available by my colleagues, we aren’t going to have any problems whatsoever in Romania.   The flood peak in Budapest was lower than expected, about 500 cubic meters per second, which means that for the period we are going to see this peak in Romania, on September 28 or 29, forecasts have diminished from the initial ones standing at 95 hundred meters.”

    According to the latest data gleaned, the risk of serious issues on the Romanian sector of the Danube, is low, the Romanian Waters spokeswoman, Ana-Maria Agiu told Radio Romania. In turn, the president of Hydroelectrica board of directors, Karoly Borbely, said that the Danube’s rising level can be safely handled by Romania’s water installations. Mr. Borbely has also added that higher water levels also mean a significant electricity output.

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  • Assistance for people affected by flooding

    Assistance for people affected by flooding

    The state of alert has been instated in the counties of Galați and Vaslui, in eastern Romania, a region that bears the brunt of the latest flooding. The measure was aimed at enabling local authorities to access resources to rebuild the areas destroyed by the flooding waters.

    According to official data released, 26 towns and villages in the county of Galaţi and 20 in Vaslui, have been affected by heavy flooding, and the number of the households destroyed stands at 65 hundred. The urgent rebuilding of houses and buildings, as well as parts of the affected infrastructure such as roads and bridges, is a top priority, authorities say.

    In a special meeting on Monday, the Executive approved emergency aids of up to 2 thousand Euros for every affected family and another 2 thousand for the families who lost people, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has announced.

    Marcel Ciolacu: “The total amount of this first assistance programme is around 100 million lei. And I can assure the people affected by flooding that we aren’t going to stop until we have repaired all the bridges and roads in the area and have rebuilt all the households destroyed so that their lives may come back to normal as soon as possible.”

    214 tons of food and over 200 thousand liters of water have been dispatched to the affected areas and the first supplies have already been distributed.

    Another priority, the Prime Minister went on to say, is to enable the children in the affected areas to resume school classes.

    Marcel Ciolacu: “For this reason we are providing four modular buildings that may serve as makeshift schools where children can attend classes until the situation comes back to normal. Local authorities jointly with the Ministry of Education are presently working in order to turn these temporary schools operational.”  

    Camps have also been made available for the flood victims and many institutions have launched appeals to solidarity and started collecting things. The Romanian Red Cross has launched an assistance campaign and has already sent trucks with water and food supplies.

    The Romanian Waters has deployed teams which are operating in the areas consolidating the defence lines against flooding. Through its Solidarity Fund and Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Union will be providing assistance to the Romanians and the Europeans in the other member countries, the chief-negotiator for the Union’s budget, Romanian MEP Siegfried Muresan says, adding that he will call for a more flexible multi-annual budget, so that the bloc may react faster in emergency situations.

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  • September 17, 2024

    September 17, 2024

    EUROPEAN COMMISSION The EC president Ursula von der Leyen today unveiled the new college of commissioners. Romania’s nominee for one of the 27 European Commissioner posts, the former minister for EU funding and incumbent MEP Roxana Mînzatu, was appointed Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness and will also be the new Commissioner for Skills, Education, Quality Jobs and Social Rights. The team proposed by Ursula von der Leyen will next be interviewed by the European Parliament. Given the length of the procedures, the new commission might begin their term in office later than scheduled, possibly as late as December.

     

     

    FLOODS The government of Romania approved direct financial aid for the victims of the recent floods in the east of the country, which left 7 people dead and nearly 6,500 homes damaged. Hydrologists warn that the risk of flash floods is not over, and have issued code red, orange and yellow alerts for the counties already affected by heavy rainfalls and floods. People are still accommodated in the temporary sites arranged by the local authorities, and interior ministry personnel are helped by emergency inspectorate staff from other counties, who have brought over intervention vehicles and large capacity pumps to take out the water and mud from the flooded houses. Meanwhile, water and food supplies are being distributed to the victims, both from the state reserve and from private citizens and companies that have donated clothes, footwear, blankets and mattresses. The Red Cross also dispatched trucks with water and food to the area.

     

     

    LAW The Constitutional Court of Romania is to review today, after several postponements, a notification lodged by the High Court of Cassation and Justice with respect to the so-called Fugitives Act. The law endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies in November 2023 stipulates that citizens subject to a final court sentence who fail to turn themselves in within 7 days to be incarcerated are to be declared fugitives and receive a further 6 month to 3 year sentence. The supreme court believes the law comes against the right to fair trial and individual freedom. Sorin Oprescu, a former mayor of Bucharest, and Alina Bica, a former chief of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences, are some of the high-profile officials who managed to leave the country in order to escape a prison sentence. Italy and Greece are the countries preferred by the fugitives.

     

     

    CLIMATE Romania plans to be carbon neutral by 2045, as opposed to its previous target, 2050, according to a new version of the National Integrated Plan on Energy and Climate Change. Bucharest also intends to cover 38% of the country’s total energy demand from renewable sources by 2030. The energy ministry announced on Tuesday additional policies and measures to increase the share of renewable energy, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions substantially and to implement innovating solutions in all economic sectors. The revised plan includes measures to cut emissions in essential sectors such as energy, transport, housing and industry, and aims to implement advanced technologies such as the use of renewable hydrogen.

     

     

    ENESCU The 19th edition of the “George Enescu” International Classical Music Competition takes place in Bucharest until September 27, under the high patronage of the Romanian Presidency. Enrolled in this year’s competition are a record 667 musicians aged 13 to 35. The “George Enescu” International Competition, initiated in 1958, is one of the most important events of this kind in the world, providing a platform for rising musicians to prove their skills. Over the years, the competition has consolidated Romania’s standing in the global cultural arena, and is the only competition in the country affiliated to the World Federation of International Music Competitions. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation is one of the co-producers of the event.

     

     

    FESTIVAL The 12th edition of Bucharest Music Film Festival continues until September 22nd. The event has been redesigned to include concerts in a variety of music genres, from classical to jazz, film music and pop fusion, and it brings together hundreds of celebrated artists and orchestras. The festival is organised by the Bucharest City Hall’s cultural centre ARCUB, and is part of the Days of Bucharest series that marks 565 years since Bucharest was first mentioned in official documents. (AMP)

  • September 16, 2024 UPDATE

    September 16, 2024 UPDATE

    AID The government in Bucharest has earmarked a first installment in the direct financial support for the population affected by flooding in eastern Romania. During its special session on Monday, the Executive decided that every family affected would benefit from aids up to 2 thousand Euros and the families of those who lost their lives would get another 2 thousand. The government has allotted a total of 20 million Euros to support nearly 65 hundred households affected by the flood, landslides and other unusual weather phenomena that recently struck the country. According to Prime Minister Ciolacu, mending the houses and other buildings destroyed by the floods and also the other parts of local infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, is a top priority. Ciolacu has announced that the Interior Ministry has already kicked off the procedures of declaring the state of alert in the heavily-affected counties of Galati and Vaslui. According to the Inspectorate for Emergency situations, seven people lost their lives in the recent flooding.

     

    PARTNERSHIP Romania is the first country in Europe to benefit from a 10 million dollars financial assistance from the USA to improve its national system of preventing and combating child trafficking. The governments of Romania and the USA on Monday signed the five-year Child Protection Compact Partnership known as CPC. The Us ambassador in Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec has said the United States will support Romania in its efforts to develop a victim-centered prevention strategy, to increase protection for child victims of trafficking and to improve investigations in order to prosecute and convict perpetrators of child trafficking. In turn, Romania’s Interior Minister, Catalin Predoiu, said the conclusion of this partnership is proof of the determination of the administration in Bucharest to combat abuse against children in any form, as this kind of abuse has alarmingly increased in recent years.

     

     BORDERS The Romanian Foreign Ministry warns the Romanians traveling to Germany to prepare for longer waiting times. The German government decided to extend, as of Monday, for a period of six months, temporary controls at all land borders, in order to reduce illegal migration. Besides those already existing at the borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there will also be controls at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Radio Romania’s correspondent in Germany reports that every person who crosses the border can be stopped and controlled by the federal police, in any border region and at any time. Not only the identity, but also the vehicle may be subject to examination during border controls. The luggage, goods and valuables may also be subject to police checks. Romanians facing special situations can call the embassy’s hotlines in Berlin, as well as the Romanian consulates in Germany.

     

    HANDBALL Romania’s handball champions, CSM Bucharest, defeated Storhamar Handball Elite at home on Sunday, score 32-28 (17-15), in the second match of group A of the Champions League for women’s handball. With the three goals scored in this game, Cristina Neagu collects 1,139 goals in total, in the race for the title of all-time top scorer of the competition, in the last season of her career, being only three goals away from obtaining this title. CSM Bucharest lost the debut match in group A, in Romania, against Gloria Bistriţa, score 26-30. In the third stage, CSM Bucharest will play Podravka (Croatia) away from home, on September 21, and Gloria Bistriţa will play Krim (Slovenia) at home on the same day. Romania’s vice-champion, Rapid Bucharest, also plays in group B of the competition. The first-ranking teams in the two groups qualify directly for the quarterfinals, and the teams on the 3rd to the 6th places will play in the play-off, for the other four places available in the quarterfinals, a phase in which they will fight for the Final Four Tournament in Budapest due between 31 May and 1 June.

     

    F35 The US State Department has approved plans to sell 32 F-35 fighter jets to Romania, in a contract worth nearly 7 billion dollars. The Romanian Defense Ministry has welcomed the decision. The sale must now be approved by Congress. The move will improve the stability of a NATO ally and strengthen stability in Europe. Romania occupies a strategic position in the vicinity of Ukraine and the Black Sea.

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  • Severe flooding in eastern Romania

    Severe flooding in eastern Romania

     

    Romania is on alert, relief camps have been set up and rescue operations launched after the flash floods of the past few days killed at least 6 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the east of the country. The authorities have used boats and military aircraft to evacuate people.

     

    In this context, president Klaus Iohannis sent a message of solidarity with the disaster-hit families, and promised that the authorities and rescue teams mobilised all resources available in order to ensure a quick and efficient intervention.

     

    In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu, who travelled to the affected areas together with several Cabinet members, said the top priority at present is to prevent further loss of human lives. A task force was set up within the health ministry to ensure medical assistance for the locals of Galaţi and Vaslui, the most affected counties in the region. Task force members stay in touch with the local authorities and with the public health directorates in the 2 counties.

     

    The interior and the defence ministries have mobilised hundreds of fire-fighters, gendarmes, military personnel and equipment to help evacuate the victims and rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by waters.

     

    Local authorities also stepped in, to arrange temporary camps for hundreds of displaced victims. The government announced funds would be earmarked to help rebuild their homes, and approved the use of water, food and lightweight building structures from the state reserve.

     

    On Sunday, an energy task force was convened by the line minister, Sebastian Burduja. He says all intervention teams are mobilised in the affected counties. The number of people left without electricity was over 24,000 on Saturday, when the situation was at its worst.

     

    On Sunday, several segments of national and county roads in Galaţi and Vaslui were still closed because of the flooding. Railway traffic in the east and the south of the country was also affected by the heavy rainfalls.

     

    Meanwhile, in Galaţi County, the hardest hit by flash floods, scores of schools have been closed down for Monday and Tuesday, the education ministry announced.

     

    The situation remains critical, with closed roads, flooded homes and displaced people. Weather experts warn that in the forthcoming period as well rainfall and flooding are likely, and the weather will remain unstable.

     

    Romania is not the only country hit by severe weather. Several other countries in central and eastern Europe have also reported substantial damage, victims and missing persons. Tens of railway routes in Austria, Czechia and Poland have been suspended, disrupting connections with the neighbouring states. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, voiced solidarity with all the victims and said the EU was ready to provide assistance. (AMP)

  • September 14, UPDATE

    September 14, UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    FLOODING – More than 5,000 households in several localities in Galati county (eastern Romania) were affected by floods, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations announced on Saturday. At least four people died and several hundred were evacuated. Also, in Vaslui County (east) there were floods in several localities, and dozens of people were evacuated. In several eastern counties, road and rail traffic were disrupted, and the electricity supply was interrupted. The authorities have announced that several camps will be set up for the citizens evacuated following the floods. The government specified that the residents of the flooded areas in Galati county, the most affected by the episode of severe weather and the consequences of the heavy rains, will receive water and food immediately, for a period of 7 days.

     

    WEATHER – The heavy rain created problems in the Republic of Moldova, in several districts near the border with Romania, as well as in the capital Chisinau, where a number of main streets in the city center were flooded, the authorities being forced to suspend the circulation of several public transport lines. There are also problems in other states in Central and Eastern Europe, after days of heavy rainfall. In the Czech capital, Prague, which suffered catastrophic flooding in 2002, flood barriers were erected. In the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, there is a state of emergency following heavy rains. In Poland, due to the overflow of a river, the authorities decided to close a border crossing point with the Czech Republic, and it is not possible to drive on several national roads.

     

    DEFENSE – The U.S. State Department on Friday announced it has approved the sale of 32 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Romania in a deal worth roughly $7.2 billion. Romania’s deal for the Lockheed Martin-made F-35s will also include F135 engines made by Pratt & Whitney for each jet and a spare engine, the Pentagon announced. The Romanian Defense Ministry hailed the decision and specified that, in addition to the jets, the purchase would also provide logistics and maintenance support, navigation, communications and cryptographic equipment, ammunition and weapons, training for pilots and other personnel, and simulators. “Romania is a key NATO Ally in promoting security and stability in the Black Sea region and beyond. The F-35As will provide Romania with unparalleled air defense capabilities and enhance interoperability among NATO air forces”, U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec said.

     

    ENERGY – Romania’s natural gas deposits are full and the coal stocks are are at the required level. This is the conclusion of Friday’s meeting of the National Energy Command, convened by Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja. He specified that the problem is the significant fluctuation of energy prices in the short term, and one cause is the lack of interconnectivity between Austria and Hungary. The energy ministers from Romania, Bulgaria and Greece will present in about 10 days, to the Council of Ministers of the European Union, a preliminary plan for accelerating investments in interconnections, so that when energy is cheaper in one part of ​​Europe, the other part can also benefit similar prices. Romania continues to be the second largest gas producer in the EU.

     

    GERMAN BORDER – The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns its citizens traveling to Germany to prepare for longer waiting times, because the government in Berlin has decided to extend temporary checks at all land borders to reduce illegal migration. As of Monday, in addition to the temporary checks already in place at the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there will also be checks at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, for a period of six months. Romanians facing special situations can call the embassy’s hotlines in Berlin, as well as the Romanian consulates in Germany.

     

    FARMERS – Romanian farmers will receive a bigger advance from the European funds, the Agriculture Ministry in Bucharest announced. According to the institution, advances will be granted in the amount of 70% from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund for direct payments and 85% from the European Fund for Rural Development, as a result of a derogation approved by the European Commission. The Romanian Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, has said that this will help farmers cope with the liquidity problems they face, in order to prepare for the new agricultural year. The Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture specified that a budget of approximately 1 billion euros was allocated to cover these amounts and that it is making efforts to start payments on October 16.

     

    DRUGS – Three Albanian and three Romanian drug traffickers were detained by the Romanian law-enforcement agency DIICOT, after they were caught with approximately 4.5 kg of heroin. The drugs were prepared in a house in Ialomiţa county (south) and were intended for the Romanian market. The value of the heroin is approximately 50,000 euros. According to the Romanian Police, investigations began after two Albanian citizens entered the country on September 9, with the aim of trafficking a large amount of heroin. They then met with other members of the group in a house in Ialomiţa, where the drugs were mixed with additives, portioned and packaged. Later, the narcotics were distributed among the members of the group, according to DIICOT.

     

     

  • September 14, 2024

    September 14, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    WEATHER – The weather is getting colder in Romania in most regions, with temperatures below the normal ones for this time of year. Normal values ​​are recorded in the eastern and southeastern areas. Showers and storms are present in most regions. Five people lost their lives in Galati (east), on Friday night, and hundreds of people were evacuated following severe flooding caused by the heavy rain. In certain situations, the fire-fighters had to use pneumatic boats, as the water was 1.5m high in some areas. The floods led blocked county and national roads. Maximum temperatures today are between 13 and 25 degrees Celsius, with 17 degrees Celsius in Bucharest at noon.

     

    DEFENSE – The U.S. State Department on Friday announced it has approved the sale of 32 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Romania, in a deal worth $7.2 billion. Romania’s deal for the Lockheed Martin-made F-35s will also include F135 engines made by Pratt & Whitney for each jet and a spare engine, the Pentagon announced. The Romanian Defense Ministry hailed the decision and specified that, in addition to the jets, the purchase would also provide logistics and maintenance support, navigation, communications and cryptographic equipment, ammunition and weapons, training for pilots and other personnel, and simulators. “Romania is a key NATO Ally in promoting security and stability in the Black Sea region and beyond. The F-35As will provide Romania with unparalleled air defense capabilities and enhance interoperability among NATO air forces”, U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec said.

     

    ENERGY – Romania’s natural gas deposits are full and the coal stocks are are at the required level. This is the conclusion of Friday’s meeting of the National Energy Command, convened by Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja. He specified that the problem is the significant fluctuation of energy prices in the short term, and one cause is the lack of interconnectivity between Austria and Hungary. The energy ministers from Romania, Bulgaria and Greece will present in about 10 days, to the Council of Ministers of the European Union, a preliminary plan for accelerating investments in interconnections, so that when energy is cheaper in one part of ​​Europe, the other part can also benefit similar prices. Romania continues to be the second largest gas producer in the EU.

     

    GERMAN BORDER – The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns its citizens traveling to Germany to prepare for longer waiting times, because the government in Berlin has decided to extend temporary checks at all land borders to reduce illegal migration. As of Monday, in addition to the temporary checks already in place at the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there will also be checks at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, for a period of six months. Romanians facing special situations can call the embassy’s hotlines in Berlin, as well as the Romanian consulates in Germany.

     

    FARMERS – Romanian farmers will receive a bigger advance from the European funds, the Agriculture Ministry in Bucharest announced. According to the institution, advances will be granted in the amount of 70% from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund for direct payments and 85% from the European Fund for Rural Development, as a result of a derogation approved by the European Commission. The Romanian Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, has said that this will help farmers cope with the liquidity problems they face, in order to prepare for the new agricultural year. The Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture specified that a budget of approximately 1 billion euros was allocated to cover these amounts and that it is making efforts to start payments on October 16.

     

    DRUGS – Three Albanian and three Romanian drug traffickers were detained by the Romanian law-enforcement agency DIICOT, after they were caught with approximately 4.5 kg of heroin. The drugs were prepared in a house in Ialomiţa county (south) and were intended for the Romanian market. The value of the heroin is approximately 50,000 euros. According to the Romanian Police, investigations began after two Albanian citizens entered the country on September 9, with the aim of trafficking a large amount of heroin. They then met with other members of the group in a house in Ialomiţa, where the drugs were mixed with additives, portioned and packaged. Later, the narcotics were distributed among the members of the group, according to DIICOT.

     

    DAVIS CUP – The Romanian team leads China 2-0 in the Davis Cup World Group II after the first matches in Craiova (southwest). Saturday has started with the doubles match pitting Victor Cornea/Bogdan Pavel against Fajing Sun/Rigele Te. The last two singles matches will be played between Filip Cristian Jianu and Bu Yunchaokete, and between Creţu and Yi Zhou respectively. On Friday, tennis player Cezar Creţu beat Yunchaokete Bu 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, and Gabi Adrian Boitan defeated Yi Zhou 7-6, 6-2. Romania and China have never  met at the Davis Cup before.

  • Romania hit by flooding

    Romania hit by flooding

    Several hundred people were stranded in Romania because of flash floods, which swept away bridges and blocked national and local roads. Dozens of homes were damaged or completely destroyed, railway travel was disrupted and torrential rain made traffic difficult on the motorway to the Black Sea coast. And, tragically, a 74-year old man died as he was carried away by the floods in a village in the west of the country. In Arad county, torrential rain in Brazii village was followed by two flash floods that swept everything away, leaving behind damaged homes, flooded households, blocked roads and swallowing up cars and trees. A village road was destroyed and the supply of drinking water was interrupted in two villages due to damage to the chlorination station. In Hunedoara county, hundreds of people were stranded because of the destruction caused by the flooding to access roads, with teams of electricians dispatched to repair the damage and restore the supply with electricity to over 1,200 persons. A number of bridges were destroyed by flooding following heavy rain in the northern part of Buzău county, where fire fighters were sent in to drain the water from the flooded households.



    The spokesman for the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations Adrian Marin summed up the situation:



    “Following heavy precipitation, 65 settlements were affected in 21 counties and the capital Bucharest. Our teamswere dispatched to drain the water in 54 homes, more than 220 courtyards, 62 cellars and two streets. Other teams cleared away 20 trees and two poles that fell on the road and damaged four cars. Road travel was also disrupted, with three county roads being blocked in the counties of Arad, Covasna and Hunedoara and travel on two other national roads and two county roads temporarily disrupted because of the water and the alluvia deposited on the road. With regard to the supply with electricity, damages were recorded in nine villages in two counties, Hunedoara and Vrancea, where over 8,000 users were left without power.”



    Fire fighters, gendarmes, road maintenance workers and the local authorities are working round the clock to address the negative effects of the dangerous weather phenomena that have hit the country, said the authorities. Hydrologists are warning that there is still a risk of flooding on many waterways around the country, especially with respect to the water coming down from the mountains, flash floods and rising levels of small streams and rivers causing local flooding. (CM)

  • May 21, 2023

    May 21, 2023

    EDUCATION
    In Bucharest, the Liberal PM Nicolae Ciucă, the Social Democratic leader Marcel
    Ciolacu and the labour minister Marius Budăi invited trade unions in public
    education to talks in order to avoid an all-out strike announced for tomorrow. Unionists
    said protests could only end when the solutions to their demands, particularly
    concerning salaries, were introduced in officially endorsed legislation. The
    finance minister Adrian Câciu said the teaching staff’s demands could have been
    solved, if Romania had received the money in the second disbursement round
    under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which is currently suspended
    because of targets that have not been met in the field of energy, for which the
    National Liberal Party is responsible. On the other hand, PM Nicolae Ciucă said
    the solution to the unions’ demands has to do with the unified salary law that
    the labour ministry headed by the Social Democrats has failed to finalise in
    spite of the support of the entire ruling coalition. Amid these disagreements, the
    president of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacu, demanded that
    negotiations on the new cabinet make-up following the PM rotation should be
    suspended until the issue in the education sector has been solved, and the Democratic
    Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, a junior partner in the ruling
    coalition, agreed. The Liberals on the other hand argue that the government
    transition should be completed quickly in order to maintain stability and
    balance. Under a protocol signed by the 2 parties, on 26 May the Social
    Democrats should take over the prime minister post from the Liberals, for the
    next 1,5 years, until the next general elections.


    MOLDOVA
    A large-scale rally is held in Chişinău today, at the
    initiative of president Maia Sandu, in order to prove Moldovans’ support for
    the country’s EU accession. Europe is the Republic of Moldova. The Republic of
    Moldova is Europe. Moldova is not alone, the president of the European
    Parliament, Roberta Metsola said in Romanian at the European Moldova National
    Assembly. Participants adopted a resolution confirming the support of Moldovan
    citizens for the country’s EU accession efforts. The rally takes place as the Republic
    of Moldova, an EU accession candidate country, would like to begin accession
    negotiations by the end of this year. For this stage to begin, Moldova must
    complete 9 recommendations, which will be assessed by this autumn in a European
    Commission report. In Bucharest, the Organisation of Moldovan Students
    organised a similar rally in front of Moldova’s Embassy. Scores of people
    watched the speeches in Chisinau jointly with the Moldovan Ambassador to
    Bucharest, Victor Chirila.


    UKRAINE The US president Joe Biden Sunday announced new military aid
    measures for Ukraine, following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy,
    on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima. The new aid package will
    consist of ammunitions, artillery and armoured vehicles, Joe Biden explained, just
    days after approving the provision of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. According
    to Reuters, this new package is worth up to USD 375 mln and is designed to
    strengthen Ukraine’s defence in the war against Russia. The British PM Rishi
    Sunak also announced in Hiroshima that his country would start training
    Ukrainian pilots this summer, to support Ukraine’s air forces in the conflict.
    Rishi Sunak added that no one wants peace more than Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but
    the terms for peace, he added, should be based on Ukraine’s principles. In the
    3-day summit in Japan, the G7 nations voiced their willingness to stand by
    Ukraine in the long run.


    FLOODING
    In Italy, code red alerts for heavy rainfalls with landslide risks are valid
    today as well, in the Emilia Romagna region in the north of the country, already
    affected by unprecedented flash floods. Fourteen people died and 36,000 others
    were evacuated by the authorities. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent
    in Italy, in Ravenna province alone, the most severely hit by the floods, over 16%
    of the territory has been evacuated. A preliminary estimate by Confagricoltura,
    the association of Italian farmers, indicates that the flooding in Emilia
    Romagna caused crop damages of over EUR 1.5 bln.


    GREECE
    Greece is holding elections today for its single-chamber 300-seat parliament, with
    around 9.5 million people expected to take part in the vote. As many as 36 parties
    and political associations are running for parliamentary seats, for which they
    need at least 3% of the votes. The most likely to win is incumbent PM Kyriakos
    Mitsotakis’s party, New Democracy, with 33% of the voting intentions in polls. The
    left-of-centre Syriza party, headed by Alexis Tsipras, is predicted to carry
    26% of the votes. A novelty in this election is the scrapping of the 50-seat
    bonus for the winning party. Unless the parties manage to form a new
    government, early elections will be held in July, with a return to the previous
    bonus system. (AMP)

  • May 18, 2023 UPDATE

    May 18, 2023 UPDATE

    FORUM The world has changed and everything in the area of security
    has been rewritten and must be revised in our Black Sea region, where a large
    part of the components of Russia’s large scale war of aggression in Ukraine are
    taking place, said Romanian prime minister Nicolae Ciucă in Bucharest at the
    7th edition of the Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum. Ciucă went on to say
    that the region must cope with a long and high-intensity war that is exhausting
    the resources of both the country in conflict and those of the countries of
    Europe. The two-day forum hosts over 40 sessions. Attending are top civilian
    and military officials, diplomats and experts from the European Union and NATO,
    as well as partner states. The themes discussed include support for the
    European integration of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the reconstruction
    of Ukraine and the European security architecture after the war, as well as the
    food crisis caused by Russia’s invasion, security energy in Europe, the
    security of the Western Balkans and cyber resilience.


    FLOODING Prime minister Nicolae Ciucă said the Romanian authorities
    are ready to provide assistance with rescue operations following the floods in
    Italy. The region of Emilia Romagna in the north of Italy is on high alert as a
    result of heavy rain that caused massive floods and left victims. According to
    Radio Romania’s correspondent, thousands of people have already been evacuated,
    but several tens of thousands are still stranded in areas that have been left
    without electricity. Some trains are still stationary, traffic is disrupted and
    sections of the motorway are closed.


    AGREEMENT The government of Romania and of the UK Thursday
    signed a joint action plan in Bucharest on fighting human trafficking. The
    document is part of the vision and strategy that Bucharest has embraced for the
    past 2 years to turn Romania into a country hostile to people traffickers but
    safe and friendly to the victims of this phenomenon, reads a news release
    issued by the Romanian government. Signing the document also proves our
    government’s concern and care for its more vulnerable citizens, those more
    exposed to the risks of human trafficking, who live either in Romania or in one
    of the largest Romanian diaspora communities, namely in the UK. It is absolutely vital for us to keep our
    firm commitment of fighting this scourge and our capacity and willingness to
    tackle this issue on all three key levels-prevention, combating and victim
    protection. (…) My message is quite clear: trafficking in human beings is a
    form of crime for which the government of Romania has zero tolerance, PM
    Nicolae Ciucă said.



    WB In order to solve external imbalances, Romania
    needs a mix of fiscal consolidation and structural reforms, reads a World Bank
    analysis. Political measures aimed at improving its fiscal situation include
    broadening taxable revenues, improving tax compliance, introducing critical
    reforms in public pensions and salaries and cutting inefficient expenditure. A
    consolidation of public investment management would help release significant EU
    funding and would improve critical sectors lagging behind in Romania, such as
    the public education and healthcare, reforming state-owned enterprises, or
    infrastructure. In turn, the latter would contribute to improved productivity
    and competitiveness, with a positive impact on Romania’s foreign position. Romania’s
    external imbalances have deepened lately. Since 2018, the country has seen
    deepening fiscal and current account deficits, jointly with an expansionary
    fiscal policy. The two major external shocks, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war
    in Ukraine, have strengthened these imbalances. (AMP)

  • July 19, 2021

    July 19, 2021

    WEATHER Yellow and orange-code alerts for heavy rainfall are in place in Romania, with unstable weather expected until at least midweek. Thunderstorms will first hit the south-west, west, centre and north of the country, and spread to the south and south-east beginning on Tuesday. The extreme weather has caused major damages in the west of the country over the past few days, with several parts of Alba County affected by flash floods.




    FLOODING The death toll of the disastrous flooding in Western Europe is over 190, as many missing people are found dead. Germany reports the largest number of victims. Chancellor Angela Merkel visited some of the worst hit regions, and promised immediate aid from the federal government for reconstruction works, while also pledging more efforts will be made to fight climate change. The EU has announced it would provide aid both to Germany and to the other countries affected by floods, such as Belgium and the Netherlands. In Belgium, more than 30 people are dead and others are missing. Italy also sees heavy rainfalls causing floods in the northern and southern parts of the country.




    COVID-19 The Romanian health minister Ioana Mihăilă said the 4th wave of the Covid-19 pandemic will affect unvaccinated people, and said less than 1% of those who have got the vaccine caught the disease. Ioana Mihăilă urged even those who recovered from the disease to get the vaccine, arguing that this would prevent a severe form of the Covid-19, even when the Delta variant is involved. In spite of continuing public campaigns promoting vaccination, the target of 5 million fully vaccinated Romanians is yet to be reached, over one and a half months after the deadline set by authorities. Meanwhile, 44 new infection cases were reported on Sunday in Romania, out of close to 19,000 tests. One new COVID-related death has also been reported, and 30 patients are in intensive care out of the 255 currently in hospital.




    GALA The UNITER Awards Gala, rewarding the best Romanian theatre performances, is hosted by the National Theatre in Bucharest tonight. This is the 29th edition of the event, held annually since 1991. A jury makes the nominations for each category, while a separate jury votes the winner of each award.




    FESTIVAL Tickets for the 25th George Enescu International Festival are available as of today. The festival, scheduled to take place between 28 August and 26 September, brings to Bucharest 3,500 Romanian and foreign artists. Healthcare measures will be in place this year, to protect the public, the artists, the organisers and journalists. Some of the worlds most celebrated orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the National Orchestra of France conducted by the Romanian Cristian Măcelaru, and the Munich Philharmonic conducted by Valery Gergiev, will take part in this years festival, alongside world-famous soloists like violinists Maxim Vengerov, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Joshua Bell, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianists Denis Matsuev, Jean Yves Thibaudet and Kirill Gerstein.




    AGRICULTURE The Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Oros takes part today in the first meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held under Slovenian presidency. One of the main topics on the agenda is the action plan for the development of organic agriculture. The European Commissions “Farm to Fork Strategy presented in 2020 aims at earmarking at least 25% of the blocs farmland for organic agriculture by 2030.




    PANDEMIC Greece reintroduces COVID-19 restrictions in spite of the tourist season being in full swing. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Athens, several Greek islands deemed free of COVID-19 are introducing night curfews and banning the access of unvaccinated people in restaurants and clubs. The Greek government will also make vaccination compulsory for several categories of employees. France tightens access restrictions for travelers from certain countries, including the UK, Spain, Greece and the Netherlands, who will be required to get tested 24 hours prior to arriving in the country. On the other hand, England lifted all restrictions today, in spite of alarming increases in the number of Delta variant infections. London argues that containment measures cannot be kept in place forever, and the vaccines provide protection. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • July 18, 2021 UPDATE

    July 18, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The number of coronavirus infections in Romania remains low, with 44 new cases reported on Sunday out of 18,800 tests conducted in 24 hours. One new COVID-related death was also reported, and 30 patients are in intensive care. In related news, the European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides, who was recently on a visit to Romania, urged the authorities to step up the vaccine rollout, to protect against the new coronavirus variants. Since 27 December 2020, when the vaccination campaign began in Romania, over 9.2 million vaccine doses have been given to more than 4.8 million people. Around 4.7 million people are fully vaccinated at present.



    RISK A new list of high epidemiological risk countries took effect in Romania on Sunday. Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands are on the red list, while Greece, one of the holiday destinations of choice for Romanians, is now in the yellow zone. On arriving in Romania, travellers who are fully vaccinated are not required to isolate, regardless of the country from which they come. All persons without a full vaccine travelling from a red-list country will have to follow the 14-day quarantine requirement, while those coming from a yellow-list country are only required to quarantine if they dont have a negative PCR test or proof of having recovered from the disease.



    AID The people in the parts of Alba County (central-western Romania) affected by flash floods may receive financial aid from the government as of Monday, the PM Florin Cîţu promised on Sunday. He visited the area affected by flooding, together with the interior minister Lucian Bode, and the defence minister Nicolae Ciucă. Record amounts of precipitations have been reported in the region over the past few days, with 223 litres of rainwater per square metre within 5 hours causing unprecedented flooding in that part of the country. Minister Bode emphasised that the most important thing is that there are no victims, and mentioned that nearly 300 people have been evacuated. Also according to the interior minister, over 120 homes were destroyed, national roads were obstructed and water supply disrupted. Meanwhile, private persons, volunteers and Red Cross representatives were involved in distributing water, food and other supplies.



    FLOODS The death toll of the devastating flooding in Germany reached 156 on Sunday, bringing the total number of deaths in Western Europe up to at least 183, AFP reports. In Germany, people have been urged to stay away from basements and underground garages and passage ways, and authorities warned that flooded roads are a danger to citizens. Chancellor Angela Merkel described the situation as a ‘national tragedy and promised state aid for reconstruction and repair works. These efforts are expected to cost several billion euros. In Austria, fire fighters are in standby in the regions of Salzburg and Tirol, while the town of Hallein is under water. ‘Unfortunately, the heavy rainfalls and storms have caused severe damage in several parts of Austria,’ PM Sebastian Kurz has tweeted.



    PESTICIDE Several batches of ice-cream have been recalled from the Romanian market. The products contained small amounts of a carcinogen. The European Commission decided that products containing the additive locust bean gum (E410) contaminated with ethylene oxide must be withdrawn from the EU market even if the pesticide is not detected. After 3 emergency meetings held on the 29 and 30 June and on 13 July, the Commission also decided that the products already purchased by consumers should be recalled.



    VISIT The president of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu will be on an official visit to Georgia on 19-20 July, MOLDPRES reports. The Moldovan president will attend an international conference in Batumi, entitled ‘Three states – one choice: Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine on the move. The event aims to improve cooperation between the 3 EU associated partners. In Batumi, Maia Sandu will have meetings with her Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili, with the Ukrainian PM Volodimir Zelenski, and with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel.



    TENNIS Horia Tecău (Romania) / Kevin Krawietz (Germany) were defeated by Tim Puetz (Germany) / Michael Venus (New Zealand), 6-3, 6-7 (3), 10-8, on Sunday, in the doubles final of the Hamburg tennis tournament. Tecău and Krawietz played their 4th final, and the only title they won together was in June, in the Halle tournament. (tr. A.M. Popescu)