Radio România Internațional

Tag: floods

  • November 15, 2024

    November 15, 2024

     

    VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis is on an official visit to Germany as of today, at the invitation of his counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The Romanian official will also have meetings with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the president of the Bundestag. Talks will focus on consolidating the Romanian-German cooperation at political, economic and security level, including on strengthening the deterrence posture on NATO’s Eastern flank and the trans-Atlantic relationship. Other topics include continuing support for Ukraine and for the stabilisation and development of the Republic of Moldova. Germany is Romania’s main trade partner and the second-largest investor in the Romanian economy.

     

    FLOODS The number of Romanian nationals who died in the recent floods in the region of Valencia, Spain, has reached 9. The information has been confirmed by the Romanian foreign ministry. According to a special task force set up by the Spanish government to centralise data on the floods in Valencia on 29 October, of the total number of victims 26 were foreign nationals, and the largest number of these were Romanians. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Spain faced new floods caused by heavy rainfalls. The city of Málaga (south) was flooded, and so were smaller towns and villages on the peninsula. Thousands of people were evacuated.

     

    SALARIES The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis signed into law a bill transposing the EU legislation on minimum wages. PM Marcel Ciolacu announced that as of 1 January 2025, minimum wages in Romania will be increased to approx. EUR 810. Romania has reported the highest increase rate for minimum salaries in the EU in the last 10 years.

     

    MOLDOVA The new Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, as amended following the referendum of 20 October, has been published in the country’s Official Journal. Unde the new act, Radio Chişinău reports, EU integration is a strategic goal of Moldova, and the identity of Moldova’s nation is European. The new Constitution also stipulates that Romanian is the official language of the Republic of Moldova.

     

    CHRISTMAS The Christmas Fair in Sibiu (central Romania), one of the most visited in Eastern Europe, opens on Friday. The Sibiu Fair is the oldest such event in Romania, and receives around 300,000 Romanian and foreign visitors every year. Craiova (south) also opened its Christmas fair today, while similar events in the cities of Braşov (centre) and Oradea (north-west) are scheduled to begin on 29 November.

     

    SHOPPING Nearly three-quarters of Romanians are concerned with price increases, according to the 2024 Holiday Shopping Report, conducted at European level. 72% of the Romanians will have smaller budgets for the winter holidays and plan on cutting down certain types of spending substantially. France reports similar concerns, followed by Spain and Italy. Worried about price rises, energy costs and personal financial pressures, Europeans tend to focus on essential expenses.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania takes on Kosovo on home turf tonight, in the 5th round of the UEFA Nations League. A win secures the top place in the group for Romania, therefore interest in the match is huge. However, the 55,000-seat National Arena will not be filled, as a stadium section will be closed because of a penalty ruled against Romania in the game against Lithuania on 9 September. Romania’s last match in the group is against Cyprus, on Monday, 18 November. (AMP)

  • November 9, 2024 UPDATE

    November 9, 2024 UPDATE

     

    FLOODS The Romanian foreign ministry announced that, according to information from the Spanish authorities, two other Romanian citizens initially reported missing following the floods in Valencia have been found dead. The ministry sends its condolences to the bereaved families. According to the ministry, following the devastating floods in Spain, four Romanian nationals have died and seven are still missing. The embassy of Romania in Madrid and the consular office in Castellon de la Plana continued to check public information regarding the death of several Romanian citizens in the recent floods in the region of Valencia, but so far no confirmations have been received from the Spanish authorities.

     

    VISIT The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu will visit the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on November 12 and 13. He will have a meeting with his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, and will participate in the Romania-UK Economic Forum, the Romanian government announced. The government spokesperson Mihai Constantin explained that, ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to London, the Romanian government approved a memorandum that updates the Convention between the two countries in the field of taxation and prevention of tax evasion. According to Constantin, the new document takes into account the changes made in the Romanian legislation during the year 2023, as well as those related to Romania’s goal of joining the OECD. The leader of the Social Democratic Party (in power in Romania as part of a coalition with the National Liberal Party), Ciolacu is running for the presidency of Romania this month, on behalf of his party.

     

    UKRAINE The EU foreign policy coordinator, Josep Borrell, assured Ukraine of Europe’s unwavering support on Saturday in Kyiv. The European Union has already provided EUR 122 billion in military and financial support to Ukraine and has trained about 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers, Josep Borrell said, adding that the bloc aimed to reach 75,000 by the end of winter. Josep Borrell, whose term in office ends in December, announced that EU defence ministers will meet next week to discuss continued military and diplomatic support for Ukraine, and will call for “increased support at this critical time”. European leaders, convened in Budapest recently, called on US President-elect Donald Trump to maintain support for Ukraine, to avoid trade wars and preserve global order.

     

    SCHENGEN A meeting attended by Austria, Romania and Bulgaria will be organised in Budapest, Hungary on November 22, when Vienna might give up its opposition to the full accession of the two countries to the Schengen Area, Austrian media announced. The accession decision could be announced on December 12, at the upcoming Justice and Internal Affairs Council. The Austrian minister of the interior, Gerhard Kärtner, confirmed participation in the meeting with his Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts, and said discussions with both countries are ongoing. He reiterated that the essential condition for Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession remains the effective protection of external borders and, if necessary, controls at internal borders. According to Austrian media, the change in attitude is due to the decrease in migration in the Balkans and in the number of asylum applications in Austria.

     

    STRIKE The Romanian foreign ministry warns Romanian citizens who are in Italy or transiting or planning to travel to that country that on November 12 a 4-hour national strike will be organised by airport staff, between 1 PM and 5 PM. The strike will affect Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport, as well as the Pescara, Naples and Perugia airports. In this context, flight delays or cancellations are possible. Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone numbers of the Embassy of Romania in Italy, with calls being forwarded to the Contact and Support Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and answered by Call Center operators around the clock.

     

    TOURISTS Over 300 American and Canadian tourists arrive this weekend in Constanța Port at the Black Sea, on board two cruise ships, the National Maritime Port Agency announced on Saturday. The 2 vessels are Viking Kadlin, with 178 American and Canadian passengers on board, and the River Adagio, with another 144 American tourists. “The tourist programme will include trips in the Danube Delta, wine tasting sessions in Murfatlar, walks in the old center of the city of Constanţa and in Mamaia,” the agency explained.

     

    UKRAINE Drones launched by the Russian invasion army hit Odessa, the largest Ukrainian port city at the Black Sea, where they killed one person and wounded 13, including two children, the regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Saturday, according to international news agencies. Residential buildings, private homes, shops and dozens of cars were damaged. Russia launched 51 drones, focusing on Odessa and the surrounding region, the Ukrainian air forces announced, claiming to have shot down 32 enemy aircraft.

     

    GAZA The Gaza Strip Civil Defence Saturday announced the death of 14 people, killed in 2 Israeli strikes, one on “a school”, the other in a camp of “tents for displaced persons”. A rocket fire on the Fahad al-Sabah school in Gaza City, turned into an emergency accommodation centre like most schools in the Strip, left “5 dead, including children, and 22 wounded”. The other Israeli airstrike targeted “tents for displaced people in Khan Younis” and resulted in “9 dead and 11 wounded”. The Israeli army fighting the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza Strip, said it had struck 50 terrorist targets in the last 24 hours in Gaza and Lebanon, where it says it plans to eliminate the Hezbollah Shia Islamists. Sources endorsed by the UN claim that more than 43,500 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023. (AMP)

  • November 9, 2024

    November 9, 2024

     

    FLOODS The Romanian foreign ministry announced that, according to information from the Spanish authorities, two other Romanian citizens initially reported missing following the floods in Valencia have been found dead. The ministry sends its condolences to the bereaved families. According to the ministry, following the devastating floods in Spain, four Romanian nationals have died and seven are still missing. The embassy of Romania in Madrid and the consular office in Castellon de la Plana continued to check public information regarding the death of several Romanian citizens in the recent floods in the region of Valencia, but so far no confirmations have been received from the Spanish authorities.

     

    VISIT The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu will visit the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on November 12 and 13. He will have a meeting with his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, and will participate in the Romania-UK Economic Forum, the Romanian government announced. The government spokesperson Mihai Constantin explained that, ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to London, the Romanian government approved a memorandum that updates the Convention between the two countries in the field of taxation and prevention of tax evasion. According to Constantin, the new document takes into account the changes made in the Romanian legislation during the year 2023, as well as those related to Romania’s goal of joining the OECD. The leader of the Social Democratic Party (in power in Romania as part of a coalition with the National Liberal Party), Ciolacu is running for the presidency of Romania this month, on behalf of his party.

     

    SCHENGEN A meeting attended by Austria, Romania and Bulgaria will be organised in Budapest, Hungary on November 22, when Vienna might give up its opposition to the full accession of the two countries to the Schengen Area, Austrian media announced. The accession decision could be announced on December 12, at the upcoming Justice and Internal Affairs Council. The Austrian minister of the interior, Gerhard Kärtner, confirmed participation in the meeting with his Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts, and said discussions with both countries are ongoing. He reiterated that the essential condition for Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession remains the effective protection of external borders and, if necessary, controls at internal borders. According to Austrian media, the change in attitude is due to the decrease in migration in the Balkans and in the number of asylum applications in Austria.

     

    STRIKE The Romanian foreign ministry warns Romanian citizens who are in Italy or transiting or planning to travel to that country that on November 12 a 4-hour national strike will be organised by airport staff, between 1 PM and 5 PM. The strike will affect Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport, as well as the Pescara, Naples and Perugia airports. In this context, flight delays or cancellations are possible. Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone numbers of the Embassy of Romania in Italy, with calls being forwarded to the Contact and Support Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and answered by Call Center operators around the clock.

     

    RUGBY Romania’s national rugby team plays in Bucharest today against Tonga, in their first test match this month. Romania (20th place in the world ranking) and Tonga (16th place) have met in 5 games so far, with Romania winning twice. The last time the two teams were face to face was last year, at the World Cup in France, when the Pacific team won 45-24. As part of their preparation for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers in Australia, Romania will also play at home against Canada on November 16 and Uruguay on the 23rd. In order to reach the final tournament, Romania must rank among the top two teams in Group B, i.e. win two of the three games it has to play: against Germany (February 1/2, 2025, in Bucharest), Belgium (February 8/9, away from home) or Portugal (February 15/16, again in Bucharest). Romania has taken part in all Rugby World Cup finals so far, except for the 2019 edition, when it was disqualified because it had used a naturalised Tongan player, who did not have the right to play.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu qualified for the semifinals of the WTA 125 tournament in Cali (Colombia), after defeating Australia’s Tina Smith, 6-1, 6-3. Begu (102 WTA), seed no. 2, won after an hour and 12 minutes against a younger and lower ranked opponent (322 WTA). The Romanian won USD 8,000 and 81 WTA points. Begu, who defeated her compatriot Anca Todoni in the quarter-finals, will play the final against the winner of the match between Hungarian Panna Udvardy (146 WTA) and the Slovenian Veronika Erjavec (199 WTA). (AMP)

  • November 6, 2024

    November 6, 2024

     

    US ELECTION The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis and PM Marcel Ciolacu today congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential elections. “Romania is a strong and committed strategic ally of the USA. Through our joint efforts, we will bring peace and prosperity to our countries and beyond, defending our common interests,” the Romanian president wrote on a social network. The Republican Donald Trump claimed an “unprecedented mandate,” in a speech held at West Palm Beach, Florida, after Fox News called the election for Trump, the only US news outlet to do this so far. Although technically the vote count is not yet over, Donald Trump thanked the Americans for electing him. “We made history,” he said, and promised to help the country “heal.” Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, said in his turn that “we have witnessed the greatest political comeback in US history.” His opponent, the Democrat Kamala Harris, has not yet addressed her supporters.

     

    SENATE The Republicans appear to have have gained control of the US Senate, previously held by the Democrats, with a majority of at least 51 seats out of 100, according to projections. The US Senate has 100 seats (2 for each US state) and 34 members are replaced following the vote organised concurrently with the November 5 presidential election. In the House of Representatives, neither party seems to have a decisive advantage, as the vote count in the 50 states continues today. The control of the two chambers of the US Congress is a major stake, as the room for maneuver of the country’s president depends largely on the laws they are able to get passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both vote on federal laws, but the Senate also has important exclusive powers, especially in the appointment or removal of key government members or in the confirmation of federal magistrates.

     

    EUROPEAN COMMISSION The Social Democrat Roxana Mînzatu, Romania’s nomination for vice-president of the new European Commission, received a positive review from the specialist committees of the Romanian parliament. Next week, she will also be heard in the committees of the European Parliament. In addition to the position of vice-president, the Romanian commissioner will also serve as Commissioner for People, Skills and Preparedness.

     

    INVESTMENTS PM Marcel Ciolacu had a meeting with a delegation of Japanese investors on Tuesday in Bucharest. They expressed their interest in strengthening financial support for Romania in transport infrastructure, energy, digitisation and high techn projects. Previously, at a bilateral Energy Forum also held in the Romanian capital city, the energy ministry and the Japanese company Itochu Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a hydropower plant project in Cluj county (northwest Romania).

     

    VISIT The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, is on an official visit to Bucharest, where he takes part today in the national conference of the Romanian Farmers’ Club. According to a press release issued by the European Commission, the commissioner is a special guest in the interactive EU-Romania Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture, where he talks about the prospects of European farming in the context of the current environmental and geo-political challenges and of the EU enlargement. At the same time, the European official is to address a plenary session on “Vision and action for the sustainable transformation of agriculture”. Among other things, Janusz Wojciechowski will thank Romanian farmers for their vital contribution to food security, in Europe and beyond.

     

    FLOODS Another person on the list of Romanian nationals missing following the recent floods in Spain has been found dead. The Romanian foreign ministry announced that, according to the information sent by the Spanish authorities, up to this moment 2 Romanian citizens are dead and 7 are still missing. The Romanian embassy in Madrid and the consular office in Castellón de la Plana are checking public information regarding the death of some Romanian citizens, but no official confirmations have been received so far. Meanwhile, the Spanish government has declared a state of natural disaster in the affected areas and has pledged to cover 100% of the urgent expenses of the affected municipalities. A first emergency plan worth over EUR 10 billion was adopted. (AMP)

  • November 4, 2024

    November 4, 2024

    Visit – The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu is paying a working visit to France today, where he will meet with his counterpart, Michel Barnier, as well as representatives of the Romanian community in the Paris region. The visit begins at the Euronaval Exhibition, the largest and oldest exhibition in the world dedicated to the naval defense industry, which opened its doors this morning near Paris. This year’s edition of the exhibition, featuring over 500 exhibitors from around the world, is dedicated to naval security and enhancing combat capabilities, in a tense geopolitical context where the industry needs to provide rapid solutions to military Navies involved in conflicts and for protecting sensitive areas. France is one of Romania’s most important trade partners and investors. The relationship between the two countries has consistently strengthened in recent years, including in the political and defense areas, thanks to the strategic partnership and France’s commitment to its role as the framework nation of NATO’s multinational battle group in Romania, following the war of aggression Russia started against Ukraine.

     

    Floods – The Romanian Foreign Ministry is verifying, through the Romanian Embassy in Madrid and the Romanian Consulate in Castellon de la Plana, the information regarding four Romanian citizens who are reported missing following the recent weather phenomena in Spain. The rest of the individuals previously reported as missing are safe. The Valencia region, located in southeastern Spain, has been hit by devastating floods described by experts as “unprecedented,” which killed at least 217 people, including one Romanian. Dozens of others remain missing. The Spanish press also wrote on a Romanian family that lost their lives in the floods in La Torre, a district near Valencia. The ministry stated in a press release that the representatives of the diplomatic mission and the consulate office remain in constant contact with the Spanish authorities, and mobile consular teams have kept in contact with the Romanian citizens, depending on their requests.

     

    Moldova – The incumbent president of the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), the pro-European Maia Sandu, has won a second term in office after defeating the pro-Moscow candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo in the decisive round of presidential election held on Sunday. According to data provided by the Central Electoral Commission in Chișinău, Sandu received over 55% of the votes. She thanked the Moldovan citizens living in the Diaspora for voting for her in large numbers. The voter turnout in the diaspora, including in neighboring Romania, is considered historic, being the highest in the last 30 years. Over 320,000 Moldovan citizens voted abroad on Sunday, compared to nearly 240,000 in the first round of voting. The voter turnout in the second round of elections in the Republic of Moldova was 54.31%.

     

    Strike – A token strike was announced by the employees of the National Archives in Romania, the first in the 192-year history of this institution. The archivists from the 42 branches across Romania are unhappy that their salaries are much lower than those from the institution’s central structures. There are differences of 2,000 lei (500 Euros) between employees with the same skills and duties, say the trade unionists. Moreover, they want to warn the authorities that funds are needed to improve the conditions in which the documents, some of which are of inestimable value, are kept. Today’s token strike could turn into an all-out strike on November 11, if the authorities do not come up with an answer to the employees’ demands.

     

    Campaign – During this period, the campaigns for the presidential and parliamentary elections are being held simultaneously in Romania. On November 24, the first round of the presidential election will take place, on December 1 – the voting for the appointment of deputies and senators, and on December 8 – the second round of the presidential election. In the electoral campaign for the parliamentary elections, the parties, alliances or independents must convince the electorate to vote for them in order to win as many of the 466 seats of senators or deputies as possible. On the other hand, 10 candidates proposed by political parties and 4 independents are competing to become president of the country.

     

    US election – The Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and the Republican Donald Trump remain in a tight race in the seven swing states ahead of the US presidential election, according to the final New York Times/Siena College poll. The opinion poll shows that Vice President Harris has minimal advantages in Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin and the former President Trump in Arizona. According to the survey of 7,879 likely voters conducted in the seven states between October 24 and November 2, the two are very close in Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania. In all seven states, the results were within the poll’s 3.5% margin of error. About 40% of respondents have already voted and Kamala Harris leads by 8% among them, while Donald Trump leads among those who say they are very likely to vote but have not yet, the poll shows. Both candidates participated in campaign events at the end of the week in the swing states.

     

    Searches – 130 searches are taking place today in Bucharest and in six counties in the south of Romania, in a file regarding non-compliance with the arms and ammunition regime, qualified smuggling and drug trafficking. Also, 60 people, including the gallery leader of a football club and a singer, are brought to hearings. According to the judicial source, the investigations revealed that a foreign citizen of Turkish origin organized, together with several Romanians, a criminal group specialized in the procurement and sale of lethal firearms, without identification markings, made from components produced in Turkey. These weapons, known as ghost guns, are illegal in all European states. The traffickers brought them into Romania by road, hidden in goods transport vehicles or in the component parts of cars and they were sold through intermediaries to violent clans or individuals. So far, almost 50 such weapons have been confiscated. (LS)

  • November 1, 2024 UPDATE

    November 1, 2024 UPDATE

     

    DEFENCE Romania and Norway continue to stand by Ukraine at these critical times, the defence minister Angel Tîlvăr said on Friday, after a meeting in Bucharest with his Norwegian counterpart, Bjorn Arild Gram. Minister Tîlvăr highlighted the successful cooperation between the two countries’ air forces under a programme in which the Romanian government awarded to Norway a contract for the procurement of 32 F-16 aircraft with initial logistic support, and for complementary goods and services from the US. A total of 12 airplanes have been received so far, after less than a week ago 3 F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role aircraft arrived in Romania. The entire lot is expected to be received by the end of 2025.

     

    FLOODS A person on the list of Romanian nationals missing following the devastating floods in Spain has been found dead, the Romanian foreign ministry announced on Friday. The foreign ministry via the Romanian consular office in Castellon de la Plana and the Romanian Embassy in Madrid continues to check information on an estimated 15 Romanian nationals on the list of missing persons. The region of Valencia, in the south-east of Spain, has been hit by unprecedented floods. At least 205 people died in Spain following the rainfalls and floods, according to updates provided by the Spanish authorities. Scores of people are still missing. Spain declared 3 days of national mourning.

     

    ELECTIONS The election campaign for the parliamentary elections of December 1st officially got under way on Friday. Romanian voters will elect 466 MPs, 330 in the Chamber of Deputies and 136 in the Senate. The election campaign will come to an end on 30th November. Romanian citizens residing abroad will be able to cast their ballots either through postal voting or in person at one of the polling stations set up abroad. The Romanian foreign ministry submitted to the Permanent Electoral Authority its proposals for the 950 polling stations to be set up abroad for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. The election campaign for the presidential elections began a week ago. The first round will take place on 24th November, and the second round on 8th December. In June, Romania also saw European and local elections.

     

    ANNIVERSARY Radio Romania Friday celebrated 96 years of uninterrupted service. With over 3 million listeners a day, the public radio station must reinvent itself and make itself more attractive to younger audiences, said the director general of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, Răzvan-Ioan Dincă. Radio Romania broadcast its first programme at 5 pm on 1st November 1928. In recognition of its decisive role in the country’s history, in December 2019 Parliament declared 1st November National Radio Day in Romania. To mark this occasion, the Radio Concert Hall Friday night hosted an anniversary concert conducted by the celebrated Romanian conductor Cristian Mandeal.

     

    TRADE The Romanian minister of the economy, entrepreneurship and tourism, Ştefan-Radu Oprea, and the trade minister of Turkey, Omer Bolat, Friday chaired the second session of the Romanian-Turkish Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). The Romanian official said there is evident progress in terms of the value of bilateral trade, while Omer Bolat said bilateral economic relations have grown in all areas, from trade to investments, tourism, transport and services. He also appreciated Romania’s support for his country within the EU, in respect of the modernisation of the customs union. The Romanian-Turkish JETCO establishment declaration was signed by the two economy ministers on the sidelines of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Romania on April 1, 2015.

     

    JOURNALISTS In most cases in which journalists get killed around the world, their killers go unpunished, said UNESCO in a report on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which is marked every year on 2nd November. 85% of all crimes against journalists recorded by UNESCO in 2006 are still not solved, the report also writes. Over the two years covered by the UNESCO report, namely 2022 and 2023, 162 journalists were killed, almost a half of them in countries with ongoing armed conflicts. In 2022, Mexico reported the largest number of journalists killed, 19, followed by Ukraine, with 11 journalists killed. In 2023, Palestine reported the largest number of journalists killed, namely 24. (AMP)

  • September 24, 2024

    September 24, 2024

     

    BUDGET The government of Romania approved the adjustment of the state budget, social security budget and unemployment insurance budget, taking into account the macroeconomic forecasts made by the National Forecast Commission. The indices on which the adjustment is based include a revised 2.8% economic growth rate, an updated GDP of nearly EUR 353 bln and a 6.9% budget deficit. The adjustment focuses on 4 major areas: supporting investments, education, healthcare and social programmes for citizens.

     

    UN The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is taking part on Tuesday and Wednesday in the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, held in New York. The central theme of the current session is ‘Unity in diversity for the progress of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere.’ The president’s participation in the UNGA this year is, according to the presidency, an opportunity to highlight Romania’s contribution to the global effort to step up progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Mr. Iohannis will give an address on Wednesday in the plenary meeting, when he will plead for maintaining multi-lateral dialogue, especially within the UN, as a key element of regional and global security. The Romanian official will also underscore Romania’s efforts and contribution at all levels to solving current global issues, from security crises such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, to major challenges for mankind, including climate change, the deterioration of human rights and cyber threats. Mr. Iohannis will also plead for a reformed UN system, able to meet all current and future challenges in an efficient and transparent manner.

     

    AMBASSADOR Romania is, along the other EU member states, among the main guardians and contributors in the field of human rights, the Romanian Ambassador to the UN, Cornel Feruţă, said in an interview to AGERPRES. He emphasised that Romania has a well-defined profile in terms of promoting international law, of a rule-based international order and the rule of law. According to the Romanian diplomat, the country has credibility in the international community thanks to its openness and willingness to support partners in various parts of the world, especially in Africa, Asia – Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, in fulfilling goals related to sustainable development and to strengthening public sector capabilities. Romania also intends to remain involved in defining global policies to fight climate change. The Romanian diplomat also said the dynamics in the diplomatic community in New York reflects the developments at global level, specifically the war of aggression waged by Russia for over 2.5 years against Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 tragedy.

     

    EDUCATION The Romanian education minister, Ligia Deca, is taking part today in a conference themed ‘A bright future beyond borders: Investing in early childhood education and care’, organised by UNICEF Moldova, Romania and the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia jointly with the LEGO Foundation. According to the education ministry, the conference is aimed at developing a shared view and deep understanding of the importance of high-quality early childhood education and care systems, including essential elements such as learning through play, consolidating partnerships and facilitating know-how exchanges in order to step up the development of high-quality early childhood education and care systems in Moldova and Romania. Success stories will also be presented, concerning the inclusion and integration of Ukrainian refugee children in Moldova and Romania.

     

    FLOODS The Danube flow rate upon entering Romanian territory will be 8,000 cubic meters per second at most, on September 29-30, the Romanian Waters Administration announced. Based on current information, the risk of major problems caused by the propagation of floods to the Romanian segment of the river is low, explained the institution’s spokesperson, Ana-Maria Agiu. In turn, the chairman of the Board of Hidroelectrica, Karoly Borbely, promised that the high level of the Danube waters entering the country can be handled safely. (AMP)

  • The Week in Review 16-20.09.2024

    The Week in Review 16-20.09.2024

    Aid for victims

     

    Like the authorities in several European states, the Romanian authorities have also been on alert this week, after the severe floods that hit eastern Romania. Refugee camps have been set up and rescue operations have been organized following the floods that killed seven people and destroyed thousands of homes. A crisis cell was organized at the Health Ministry to provide medical assistance to the residents of Galaţi and Vaslui counties, the most affected by the floods. The Interior and Defense Ministries have mobilized hundreds of firefighters, gendarmes, soldiers, as well as equipment to help evacuate the victims and intervene in the restoration of the infrastructure destroyed by the waters. Camps with capacities of hundreds of places were set up in the most affected localities. And the Romanian Red Cross launched a disaster relief campaign and sent trucks with water and food to the area. The Romanian Government also allocated food and water and approved the removal from state reserves of some modular buildings where children can learn. It also approved, in the special meeting on Monday, emergency aid for the affected families. The Romanian authorities continue to promise support for the affected population. And the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced a 10-billion-Euro worth of aid from the EU Cohesion Fund for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania, affected by floods.

     

    Supreme Council for National Defense meeting in Bucharest

     

    A meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT) took place in Bucharest on Thursday. The war in neighboring Ukraine, the endowment of the Army in the next ten years, as well as the strengthening of the Strategic Partnership with the Republic of Moldova were among the main topics of discussion. The CSAT members stated that Romania is directly interested in having industrial capacities on its territory that can ensure both the production of modern military equipment for equipping the force structure in peacetime, as well as the development of new equipment for multiplying military capabilities in crisis or war situations. Given the recent developments in the neighboring country, the CSAT members discussed additional measures to deter and combat security threats, to be implemented at the national level, as well as with the support of NATO allies. On the other hand, Romania reiterated its support for Moldova’s European path by supporting the implementation of reforms and the necessary public policies.

     

    B9 meeting in Bucharest

     

    NATO must react to Russia’s incursions into the airspace of its member countries, in the context of the war in Ukraine, says the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr. At the B9 meeting in Bucharest of the defense ministers from the allied states on NATO’s eastern flank, the Romanian official said that the security situation in the Black Sea region remains worrying due to the threats generated by the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, including through disinformation and cyber-attacks.

    Angel Tîlvăr: “The B9 states are deeply concerned about the repeated incursions of the Russian Federation drones and missiles into the NATO airspace in Poland, Romania, Latvia, as well as about the escalation of tensions along NATO’s borders. That is why a robust and coordinated response at the allied level is necessary, as well as the implementation as soon as possible of the rotational model of NATO’s integrated air and anti-missile defense”.

    Also on Wednesday, in Bucharest, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha asked Romania to analyze the possibility of shooting down the Russian drones and missiles near the Romanian airspace. During the meeting with his counterpart Luminiţa Odobescu, he appreciated the support for the defense of Ukraine’s independence through Romania’s decision to donate a Patriot system. The Romanian FM reaffirmed Romania’s full support for the defense of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

     

    Roxana Mânzatu, vice-president of the European Commission

     

    Romania has, for the first time, a position of vice-president of the European Commission, which will be occupied by the social-democratic MEP Roxana Mînzatu, a former minister of investments and European projects in Bucharest. The announcement was made by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who presented, on Tuesday, the makeup of the new EC. Roxana Mînzatu will also hold, in Brussels, the position of commissioner for Skills and Education, Jobs, Social Rights and Demography. She declared that the field received by Romania, in this case the labor market, is essential for the competitiveness of the EU. After the nomination, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said that, in this way, Romania becomes part of decision-making in the European Union.

     

    National plan for large industry

     

    The governing coalition in Bucharest decided on Tuesday to complete as quickly as possible the support scheme for the large strategic investments in the manufacturing industry and in metallurgy, steel and the chemical industry. According to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the plan has three main components: a state aid of 500 million Euros and tax facilities for investments of over 150 million Euros, another state aid of one billion Euros for six years for the decarbonization of production processes and energy efficiency and a third aid of about 250 million Euros for 15 companies that implement investments in the production of industrial raw materials.

     

    Partnership for the prevention of child trafficking

     

    The Romanian and American governments have signed a framework partnership in the field of child protection, intended to unfold over a period of five years. The US Ambassador to Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec, has given assurances that the United States will support Romania in its efforts to develop a victim-centered prevention strategy, to increase protection for children who are victims of trafficking and to improve its investigations. In turn, the Romanian Interior Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, has said that the signing of the partnership is a continuation of other collaborations and shows the determination of the Romanian authorities to combat child abuse in any form. Romania is the first country in Europe that will benefit from American financial support worth 10 million dollars for the improvement of the national system for preventing and combating child trafficking. (LS)

  • September 20, 2024 UPDATE

    September 20, 2024 UPDATE

     

    BUDGET Early next week the government of Romania is scheduled to discuss a proposed budget adjustment presented by the finance ministry, with significantly increased expenditure. This is the first state budget adjustment this year, and public healthcare, education and transportation are expected to receive additional funding. Under the draft order posted on the finance ministry website, most of the money will go to transport (about EUR 1.1 billion), with healthcare, internal affairs and investments earmarked an extra EUR 600 mln each. The social security fund is also to be increased to ensure money for the pensions raised as of September 1. There are also authorising entities that will have smaller budgets: the general secretariat of the government, the ministry of the economy, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies and the Special Telecommunications Service. According to the draft, the budget deficit will deepen to almost 7%, 2% up compared to early-year forecasts, while the economic growth rate is now predicted to reach 2.8% as opposed to 3.4% previously forecast.

     

    INTERIOR MINISTRY The Romanian interior minister, Cătălin Predoiu, had a telephone discussion with his British counterpart, Yvette Cooper. The talks highlighted the very good cooperation between the two parties, with activities conducted both under the Romanian-British Strategic Partnership, and for the development of operative cooperation between equivalent structures. The dynamics of intelligence, data and know-how exchange has seen an upward trend in recent years. The 2 officials focused on topics of interest in the field of illegal migration and cross-border crime, and have agreed to strengthen future cooperation in the field of internal affairs.

     

    POLLS The former Deputy General Secretary of NATO, Mircea Geoană, has a minimal lead over the left-wing Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in the first round of the presidential elections that will take place this autumn in Romania, according to an opinion poll conducted by the INSCOP research institute. Mircea Geoana (66), a former president of the Social Democratic Party, who lost the presidential elections in 2009 and who is now running as an independent, is predicted to get 21.4% of the votes in the first round, and the current Social Democratic leader, Marcel Ciolacu (56), 20.3%. Elena Lasconi, leader of the right of centre Save Romania Union (USR), in opposition, ranks third, with 14.2% of the votes, while the Liberal leader Nicolae Ciucă comes in sixth place, below two ultra-nationalist candidates. Eleven candidates have so far announced their plans to run for president and replace Klaus Iohannis, who ends his second and last term in office in December. Although the president’s role is largely ceremonial, his prerogatives include appointing the prime minister after elections, appointing judges and prosecutors, and sending draft legislation back to parliament for reconsideration. The presidential elections will take place in two rounds, on November 24 and December 8, respectively, with parliamentary elections in between. 1,102 people participated in the September survey, which has a margin of error of 3%.

     

    INVESTIGATION The criminal case concerning the December 1989 anti-communist revolution in Romania, in which the defendants include the former president Ion Iliescu and the former senior deputy PM Gelu Voican Voiculescu, has been sent back to the prosecutor’s office because of irregularities on the part of the military prosecutors on the case. The decision was made by the supreme court on Friday, and it is final. The High Court of Cassation and Justice argued that the indictment was unable to define the object and the limits of the trial. In mid-June, a separate supreme court panel ruled that irregularities existed in the indictment and gave the Military Prosecutor’s Office time to address them, but prosecutors have failed to comply.

     

    AID The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced a EUR 10 billion aid package from the EU Cohesion Fund for the Central European countries, including Romania, affected by floods. ‘This is an emergency response,’ she stated after a meeting with the heads of government from Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia. “For me it was (…) heartbreaking to see the destruction and devastation” caused by storm Boris, said the EC chief. Since last week, strong winds, exceptionally heavy rainfall and flooding have killed at least 24 people in the region: seven each in Romania and Poland, and five each in Austria and the Czech Republic.

     

    NOKIAN TYRES Partnership with the private sector is the sure way for Romania’s development, the Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday, during a working visit to the Nokian Tyres factory in Oradea (west), which was inaugurated on Thursday. Relocated from Russia to Romania, the factory is a success story that brings together a world-class investor, local authorities and the Government of Romania, which strongly supported such an investment, he added. Nokian Tyres is the world’s first tyre factory with zero carbon dioxide emissions. As of 2025, its 550 employees will produce 6 million car tyres annually, including for large SUVs. The factory uses green energy only, and all the technological steam is obtained without fossil fuels. The Finnish investment in Oradea, put at EUR 650 million, to which the Government contributed with a state aid of EUR 100 million, is one of the most valuable made in Romania in recent years.

     

    ELECTION The foreign ministry Friday posted the Guidelines for postal voting for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections. The deadline for the Romanian nationals living abroad to register as voters by mail is October 10 for the presidential election and October 17 for the general election. All the necessary information has been made public on the foreign ministry’s home page, at www.mae.ro.

  • European aid for flood victims

    European aid for flood victims

    Dozens of people have been killed or are missing in the floods caused by storm Boris in central and eastern Europe. While rain has mostly stopped, flash floods still pose a threat to homesteads in these regions. The floods have caused significant material damage estimated at billions of euros, according to an analysis made by an investment company on international stock exchanges.

    Early estimates in Romania put the damage at over 1 billion euros, while others say this is an optimistic figure, expecting it to be double or even three times that much. A World Bank report published last year estimated the annual average losses caused by flooding in Romania at 1.7 billion euros. In the recent floods, seven people were killed and more than 6,500 homes damaged. The government has allocated around 20 million euros in immediate aid for the flood-hit families. Although Romania has an obligatory insurance scheme in place, the insurance rate in the worst-hit regions in Galaţi and Vaslui, in the south-east, is 7-8%, three times lower than the national average of 23%.

    The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday announced aid worth 10 billion euros out of the Union’s Cohesion Fund for the flood-hit countries in Central Europe, including Romania. She said the European Union has two potential sources of aid, the Cohesion Fund and the Solidarity Fund, which it can use to help finance repair and reconstruction work.

    Also on Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution in which it voices its concern for the increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events in Europe and around the world, as well as its dissatisfaction with the recent budget cuts in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. In its document on the devastating floods in Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, MEPs are calling for sufficient and upgraded resources in order to increase preparedness and improve capacity building, especially in the view of the next EU multi-annual budget. They also called for the Solidarity Fund to be “commensurate with the increasing number and severity of natural disasters across Europe”, urged the Commission to speed up the distribution of funds to the flood-hit regions and asked for other types of technical and financial aid to also be made available.

    In the last 30 years alone, the media have noted, flooding has affected 5.5 million people in Europe, causing almost 3,000 deaths and economic damages of over 170 billion euros.

  • September 19, 2024 UPDATE

    September 19, 2024 UPDATE

    CSAT – A meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT) took place in Bucharest, on Thursday, the agenda including topics such as the war in Ukraine and the endowment of the Army in the future. The CSAT members came to the conclusion that Romania is directly interested in having industrial capacities on its territory that can ensure both the production of modern military equipment for equipping the peacetime force structure, as well as the development of new equipment that should contribute to the multiplication of military capabilities in crisis or war situations. This, in the context in which they debated the Romanian Army’s endowment plan for the next 10 years, after the major change in the regional security situation, generated by Russia’s aggressive stance in Ukraine. In this context, taking into account the recent developments in the neighboring country, the council discussed additional measures to deter and combat security threats, to be implemented at the national level, as well as with the support of NATO allies. Consolidating the Strategic Partnership with the Republic of Moldova was another topic on the agenda, and Romania reiterates its support for Chişinău’s European roadmap by supporting the implementation of reforms and the necessary public policies.

     

    Reindustrialization – The Romanian government is concerned with the country’s reindustrialization and is working on a National Plan for Large Industry worth almost 2 billion Euros. It will be focused on three main pillars: support for strategic investments in the processing industry, state aid for large companies that carry out investments capable of reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions, respectively energy consumption, and support for companies that produce raw materials. According to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the government wants to strengthen the economic development model based on investments.

     

    Floods – The Romanian Institute of Hydrology and Water Management has announced that the flow of the Danube at the entrance in Romania on the Baziaş section will increase significantly, until September 24, up to 8,000 cubic meters per second, i.e. more than double the multi-year average of September. The authorities in the field give assurances, however, that the dam at Portile de Fier (Iron Gates) is ready to receive and transit the flood expected after the heavy rainfall in central Europe. Meanwhile, the risk of flooding remains in eastern Romania, already heavily affected by the passage of cyclone Boris. Code orange and yellow alerts are in effect for major runoff from slopes, torrents, streams and flash floods on small rivers. In the localities flooded last weekend, firefighters from all over the country, rescuers, gendarmes and volunteers are on alert and are intervening to help people, who also need the bear necessities. We remind you that the recent floods have claimed lives and have caused huge material damage.

     

    Statistics – The National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis (CNSP) changed the economic growth estimate for this year down to 2.8%, from the previous 3.4%. According to the Projection of the Main Macroeconomic Indicators, a GDP growth of 3.5% is estimated for 2025 and of 3.7% for 2026, then, from 2027, the trend will be downward to 3.3%, respectively 2.9% in 2028. Inflation at the end of the year is forecast at 4.5%, above the national bank target of 4%, falling to 3.8% next year and to 2.9% in 2026. The average exchange rate is projected at 4.98 lei/Euro in 2024. The current account deficit is estimated to rise to 7.7% of the GDP this year, from 7% of the GDP last year. The trade deficit will increase, according to the Commission, to 32.7 billion Euros this year, from 28.9 billion Euros last year, after a growth in exports of 1.8% and in imports of 4.5%. According to the CNSP, the average net monthly wage could rise by 14.8% in 2024, to 5,066 lei (approx. 1,020 Euros).

     

    Trafficking – Three drug traffickers (two Moldovan citizens and one Romanian) were arrested in Bucharest, after being caught red-handed with 10 kilograms of prohibited substances. The leader of the network has developed numerous connections in the drug and psychoactive substance trafficking communities in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. According to the police, the psychoactive substance has a market value of 200,000 Euros. The drugs were to reach over 100,000 consumers.

     

    Elections – The electoral campaign for the presidential election in Romania will start on October 25, the Permanent Electoral Authority announced on Thursday. Electoral competitors can submit their candidacy by October 5 at the latest. The authorities will organize approximately 19,000 polling stations in the country, and the Romanian citizens abroad will be able to cast their vote in over 900 stations. According to the most recent data, there are over 18 million voters in Romania for whom ballots will be printed, and approximately 5 million ballots will be prepared for the citizens abroad, says the president of Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă. (LS)

  • Effects of floods in Europe

    Effects of floods in Europe

    The storms that have affected Europe are now heading for Italy, where warnings of heavy rain, strong winds and flooding have been issued for much of the country. The warnings come in the context of rainfalls that have already ravaged parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Austria this week, causing several deaths. Storm Boris brought heavy rain and snow at the weekend, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes, in some cases with the help of helicopters, after taking refuge on rooftops or on top of cars. A state of natural disaster has been declared in all these states, with hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity or water, roads cut off and rail transport disrupted. Although the weather conditions show signs of improvement in several areas, the soil remains saturated and the rivers continue to overflow, which led the authorities to ask the population to be cautious.

     

    In Austria, many villages are still isolated. All in all, more than 33,000 interventions have been carried out since the beginning of the torrential rains and strong winds. In Vienna, four metro lines were partially closed, as were the city’s parks, due to the risk of falling trees. In the Czech Republic, over 60,000 homes do not have electricity, especially in the northeast. The water from the largest retention basin in the country, Rozmberk, located in the south, overflowed its banks. According to experts, these are the worst floods the region has seen since those in 2002 that affected Prague, Dresden and Vienna. The regions in the south-west of Poland were the most affected by the floods, on the border with the Czech Republic. In some localities, entire streets were covered by water. In the small town of Nysa, the waters flooded the district hospital, which had to be completely evacuated.

     

    In Romania, the eastern part was the most seriously affected. More than 6 thousand households were flooded. Numerous teams from the Interior Ministry are in the affected areas with intervention vehicles and high-capacity pumps to remove the water and mud from the flooded houses. Tent camps were set up for the stranded people. Meanwhile, aid started being distributed and the Government allocated the first direct financial support for the affected population. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, sent a message of solidarity to the people affected by the floods and declared that they would benefit from support from the EU. The frequency of floods associated with heavy rain is expected to increase in Central and Western Europe, in a world facing warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius on average, experts warn. (LS)

  • September 16, 2024

    September 16, 2024

    Floods – The situation is still critical in the east of Romania, where there have been severe rainfalls and floods in recent days. There are still inaccessible roads, flooded homes and evacuated people. A crisis cell was organized at the Health Ministry to provide the necessary medical assistance to the residents of Galati and Vaslui counties (eastern Romania), the most affected by the floods. The Interior and Defense Ministries have mobilized hundreds of firefighters, gendarmes, soldiers, as well as equipment to help evacuate the victims and to intervene for restoring the infrastructures destroyed by the waters. Camps with capacities of hundreds of places were set up in the most affected localities. At least six people have died, and thousands of homes have been destroyed following the floods of the last few days. Also, students from 25 schools in Galati County do not attend classes on Monday and Tuesday. The Education Minister, Ligia Deca, is today visiting educational units in the areas affected by floods. According to the line ministry, she will assess the need for support of the local residents so that the education process should be resumed as soon as possible. The government ordered the emergency release from the state’s national reserves of four modular buildings where children can learn temporarily, until the situation returns to normal.

     

    Border control – The Romanian Foreign Ministry warns 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.

     

    Border security – The British government announced the setting-up of an elite command in charge of border security, one of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s campaign promises, a few hours after a new shipwreck of migrants in the English Channel, AFP reports. Elected by a comfortable number of voters in July, Starmer promised to make the fight against illegal immigration one of his priorities. The promised measures include the creation of an elite command in charge of border security, increased border controls authorized under anti-terrorism legislation, as well as new prerogatives in the field of financial investigations to detect networks and organized crime. This new structure “will co-ordinate the work of all our police and intelligence services to carry out joint investigations with their European counterparts to combat organized crime linked to immigration”, Downing Street announced. (LS)

  • September 15, 2024

    September 15, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    FLOODS – A crisis cell was set up at the Health Ministry to provide the necessary medical assistance to the residents of Galati and Vaslui counties (eastern Romania) affected by the floods. The Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry have mobilized hundreds of firefighters, gendarmes, soldiers and equipment to help evacuate the victims and repair the infrastructure destroyed by the waters. Dozens of modular homes have already been sent and others are being prepared. Camps with capacities of hundreds of places were set up in the most affected localities. At least four people died and thousands of homes were destroyed following the floods in the last few days. Also, aid from the state reserves is taken to the affected areas. On Sunday, an energy command was convened by minister Sebastian Burduja. According to him, all the intervention teams of the local distribution operator are mobilized in Galati County. The number of people without electricity exceeded 24,000 on Saturday. Several sections of national and county roads in Galati and Vaslui were still closed on Sunday due to the flooding.

     

    WEATHER – Torrential rains have been reported in Central and Eastern Europe in recent days, causing rivers to swell and triggering flood warnings in the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Flood dams were erected in the Czech capital, Prague. 51,000 households in the northern part of the country were affected by power cuts, according to Czech electricity company CEZ. Poland has evacuated residents of Glucholazy, a town near the border with the Czech Republic, after the very high level of a river threatened the lives of people in the area.

     

    FARMERS – Farmers in the European Union will benefit from faster advance payments to cope with this year’s drought and other extreme weather phenomena. The European Commission announces that it has authorized such payments based on requests received from several member states. Thus, starting from October 16, farmers will be able to receive up to 70% of direct payments in advance, compared to 50% at present. According to the European Commission, farmers in the EU face liquidity problems due to the extreme weather phenomena of recent years, drought, but also floods, high interest rates on the financial markets and high production costs. In Bucharest, the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, gave assurances that farmers whose crops were affected by this year’s drought will receive compensations by October 15. According to official data, over two million hectares of corn and sunflower crops were compromised by the lack of precipitation in Romania.

     

    ELECTIONS – Romanian citizens who have their domicile or residence abroad can express their electoral option by mail in the presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled in November and December. The application deadline is September 24. So far, approximately 2,800 applications for voting by mail in the parliamentary elections have been registered on the website of the Permanent Election Authority. A little over 3,000 Romanian citizens domiciled or residing abroad registered for the presidential elections. We remind you that the first round of the presidential elections is scheduled for November 24, and the second for December 8. The voting for the election of the future Parliament will take place on December 1, when the National Day of Romania is being celebrated.

     

    DAVIS CUP – Romania defeated China 3-2, in the Davis Cup’s World Group II, after the tennis player Cezar Creţu defeated Rigele Te, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, on Saturday, in Craiova (south). Also on Saturday, the Romanian tennis player Gabi Adrian Boitan was defeated by Yunchaokete Bu, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), while the Victor Cornea/Bogdan Pavel pair was defeated by Fajing Sun and Rigele Te, 6-4, 6-4, in the doubles. On Friday, in the first singles match, Cezar Creţu (292 ATP) defeated Yunchaokete Bu (113 ATP) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), while Gabi Adrian Boitan (364 ATP) beat Yi Zhou (527 ATP) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2. Romania and China have never met before in the Davis Cup.

  • September 1, 2024 UPDATE

    September 1, 2024 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY Diplomacy plays a crucial role in ensuring peace and a framework favourable for the development of the country, president Klaus Iohannis said on the Romanian Diplomacy Day, celebrated on September 1. In an international context marked by conflicts, crises and challenges to the rule-based international order by certain actors, Romania benefits from security and stability, and contributes to ensuring Europe’s security, thanks to a coherent and courageous foreign policy, guided by well defined and well applied principles and values, the president emphasised. In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu said the role of Romania’s diplomacy is to make a contribution to the regional and global stability and security, as well as to protect and promote national interests and the interests of Romanian citizens. The foreign ministry will remain an institution that safeguards the interests of Romania, as a democratic, free and responsible EU member country and a trustworthy NATO Ally, the foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu said in her message on this occasion.

     

    PENSIONS The ministry for labour and social solidarity has completed the revision of public pension benefits in time, and over 82% of pensioners will receive increased benefits as of September, according to a message posted by the institution on its Facebook account. More than 3.8 million people have had their pensions raised by an average 26.65%. The ministry reiterated that although decisions were issued under which certain pensioners’ benefits were cut down, this is only valid on paper and the higher amount will continue to be paid. Meanwhile, the Parliament of Romania resumes its sessions on Monday, and its agenda includes a bill raising the pension tax threshold from EUR 400 at present to EUR 600. The ruling coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party decided to rush the new bill through Parliament, so that it may take effect on October 1.

     

    FLOODS Rivers in Dobrogea (south-east) are under a code yellow alert for flash floods, Romanian weather experts warned on Sunday. The two counties in the region, Constanta and Tulcea, were under code yellow and orange alerts for heavy rainfalls and strong wind on Sunday as well. The heavy rainfalls in the past few days caused damage in the south-east of Romania. The most affected region was the Black Sea coast, where precipitations reached 200 litres per square metre, the equivalent of 6 months’ worth of rain. Agigea, Tuzla, Venus, Saturn, Mangalia and Vama Veche were among the most affected resorts.

     

    INSURANCE Four out of 5 households in Romania are vulnerable to natural disasters, fire or explosion, according to data released by the National Insurers Union. Only 17% of the homes in Romania are protected by an optional insurance policy. Only 3 regions are above the national average—Bucharest-Ilfov, 29%, the west of the country, with 20%, and the centre of the country, 18%.

     

    SCHOOLS The number of schools in Romania to use electronic class registers in the school year beginning on September 9 is 63% higher than last year. According to the education ministry, nearly 1,900 schools will use electronic registration, 733 more than in 2023. As many as 167 of them are in Bucharest. Under the law, they use private software or platforms, and cannot request students or their families to pay for these services. All electronic registers will have authentication options for teachers, students and parents.

     

    STRIKE The families of the Israeli hostages in Gaza have called for an all-out strike, to push the government into reaching an agreement with the Hamas Palestinian terrorist group concerning the release of all hostages. Civil service personnel around the country responded by declaring a half-day strike as of Monday. The call for a strike was made after the Israeli army found the bodies of 6 Israeli hostages in a tunnel in Rafah, in the south of Gaza Strip. Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the hostage killing proved that Hamas was not interested in a deal, the BBC reports. (AMP)