Radio România Internațional

Tag: flu

8 March, 2018

Serbia-Romania. The relationship between Romania and
Serbia is very good and will be even better, said Romania’s president Klaus
Iohannis on Thursday after talks with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic. Serbia is our main partner in the Western
Balkans, Iohannis also said, adding that the ethnic Romanians in Serbia and the
ethnic Serbians in Romania have an important role to play in consolidating the
bridge between the two countries. Klaus Iohannis also said that a solution to
the Kosovo problem would mean a huge step forward on the European path for the
entire Western Balkans. We recall that Romania is one of the five EU member
states yet to recognise Kosovo’s independence, a former Serbian province with a
majority ethnic Albanian population. The Serbian president said his country is
grateful for the support given by Romania on its path to Europe and that it is open
to cooperation in different areas.

Visit Croatia. Romania’s foreign minister Teodor
Melescanu has begun a 2-day official trip to Croatia. Today, he is attending
the opening of Romania’s honorary consulate in Split and is having talks with
the local authorities and the president of the Croatian Economic Chamber Luka Burilovic. Tomorrow, Melescanu is expected to meet
Croatia’s president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, prime minister Andrej Plenkovic
and other officials. His agenda also includes a visit to the Romanian Orthodox
Church in Zagreb and talks with representatives of the Association of Romanians
in Croatia. A collaboration protocol is to be signed during his trip between
the Romanian and the Croatian foreign ministries.

EU. The Romanian interior minister Carmen Dan
is attending, on Thursday and Friday, a meeting of the EU Justice and Internal
Affairs Council in Brussels. Talks focus, among others, on cooperation as part
of the Security and Common Defence Policy missions and operations and the European
agencies in the area of internal affairs. Carmen Dan will call for
consolidating coordination between the EU’s internal and external security. She
will also reiterate Romania’s firm support for strengthening cooperation to
combat organised crime, terrorism and extremism, tightening border security and
achieving the efficient management of migration in the EU neighbourhood.

International Women’s Day. More than 50 countries around the world celebrate
International Women’s Day in recognition of women’s contribution to the
development of society. The International Women’s Day first reflected the fight
of working women to obtain certain rights, and then the celebration of Mother’s
Day in the former Soviet bloc. Today, it is an opportunity to discuss women’s
role in society. Since 1975, International Women’s Day has been celebrated on
the 8th of March, and through a resolution adopted two years later,
the UN General Assembly recognised women’s role in the peace and development
efforts and called for a halt to discrimination and for supporting women’s
participation in the life of society.

Flu. The flu
death toll has reached 87 in Romania, according to the health ministry’s Centre
for the Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. The latest victim is
an 87-year-old woman who was suffering from other diseases and who had not
received flu vaccination. Health minister Sorina Pintea says there are no plans
to declare a flu epidemic at this stage.

Brexit. The Romanian minister delegate for European
affairs Victor Negrescu on Wednesday had talks with the UK Brexit minister
David Davis as part of Davis’ EU tour ahead of the upcoming European Council
meeting. The Romanian foreign ministry has said in a press release that both
parties expressed their wish for the withdrawal agreement to be established as
soon as possible to allow for the start of talks on future relations. The talks
also highlighted the need for deeper cooperation between the European Union and
the UK in order to reflect their close historical links and the common values.
The Romanian minister reiterated his country’s priority to protect the rights
of the Romanians living, working and studying in the UK.

Tennis. The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu
got off to a good start at the WTA tournament in Indian Wells, in the US, worth
8.6 million dollars in prize money. Begu defeated Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in three sets in the opening round and will next
play 5th seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the second
round. Four other Romanian players are in competition in the singles matches.
First seed Simona Halep, who goes straight into the second round, faces the
Czech player Kristyna Pliskova. In their first round matches on Thursday,
qualifier Monica Niculescu plays Sorana Cirstea, while Mihaela Buzarnescu faces
the American player Jennifer Brady. Halep won the title in Indian Wells in
2015.

8 March 2018
March 6, 2018 UPDATE

IMMUNOGLOBULIN CRISIS – Austria is the first country to respond to Romanias call for immunoglobulin, after Bucharest activated the European Mechanism for Civil Protection. The Romanian Health Minister Sorina Pintea has stated that there is no single dose left in the country, and that is why international help is needed. The Secretary of State with the Interior Ministry Raed Arafat has announced that Romania has also resorted to the NATO Mechanism regarding the provision of immunoglobulins. The Health Ministry has explained that the discontinuity in the supply of immunoglobulin was generated by the withdrawal from the market of producers that were covering more than 80% of the immunoglobulin needs. Romania needs 956 kilograms of immunoglobulins every year.

COOPERATION – Romanias Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Tuesday had a phone conversation with her Bulgarian counterpart Boiko Borisov, focusing on the organisation of a joint government session. According to a press release issued by the Romanian Government, Mrs. Dancila stressed the close partnership between the two neighbours and the importance of further developing it. The two officials discussed the organisation of a new Romania – Bulgaria – Greece – Serbia top-level meeting. Prime Minister Dancila also congratulated Bulgaria for its presidency of the EU Council.

EU COUNCIL PRESIDENCY – The Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu stated on Tuesday that preparations for Romanias taking over the presidency of the EU Council were on schedule. According to the Minister, there are several institutions involved in the preparations, including Parliament, the Cabinet and the Presidential Administration. Negrescu made the statements at a conference he attended in the town of Pitesti, in the south, titled : “Romanias EU Council Presidency: Expectations, Challenges, Responsibilities”. Romania is due to hold the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019.

MOLDOVA – At a press conference in Chisinau on Tuesday, held together with the interim Mayor of the Moldovan capital Silvia Radu, the Mayor of Bucharest Gabriela Firea announced that the two parties agreed to cooperate on outsourcing public services, with the aim of helping ensure an effective use of public money. She added that the two municipalities also intended to collaborate in urban regeneration projects. Firea said that Silvia Radu was very much interested in consolidating heritage buildings and wanted to learn from the Bucharest municipalitys expertise in the field. In turn, mayor Radu said that Gabriela Fireas visit to Chisinau was a step forward towards developing the good relations established in Bucharest on February 14th, when the two municipalities signed a cooperation agreement. Also, Firea announced that the Metropolitan Library in Bucharest will donate 20,000 volumes to the “B.P.Hasdeu” Library in Chisinau.

ANTICORRUPTION – The Romanian state has one billion Euros to collect from asset seizures decided in cases prosecuted by the National Anticorruption Directorate, the chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi announced on Tuesday. The head of the Directorate stated that when talking about asset freezing, reference is made only to those assets that are on Romanian soil, and its interesting how criminals have found ways of hiding their assets abroad. Its the obligation of the Romanian tax authorities now to enforce the decisions as soon as possible, Kovesi added. In 2017, anticorruption prosecutors froze assets worth more than 200 billion Euros.

FLU – 82 people have died from flu in Romania, according to the National Centre for Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. The last case reported is that of an 80-year old man from Bucharest, who had not been vaccinated against the flu and who was suffering from several diseases. According to official statistics, 1700 cases of flu were reported in the past week alone, as compared to only 85 in the same period last year.

RUSSIAN SPY – The British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has stated that London will “respond appropriately and robustly” if the Russian state is found to have been involved in poisoning a Russian spy and his daughter. The two were hospitalised in Salisbury, in the south of England, after being found unconscious on a bench in a shopping center. The former spy is Sergei Skripal, aged 66, a former colonel of the Russian military intelligence service. Accused of espionage for the benefit of the United Kingdom, in 2006, Skripal was sentenced to 13 years in prison, but he got the status of refugee in England thanks to an exchange of prisoners between Moscow, London and Washington. Moscow claims that Sergei Skripal was paid 100,000 US dollars in exchange for providing the British intelligence service MI6 with the names of the Russian spies in Great Britain. 12 years ago, another Russian former spy, Aleksandr Litvinenko, was poisoned in London. Before dying, he said his assassination had been ordered by president Putin himself, but the Kremlin denied any involvement. (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)

6 March 2018
March 5, 2018 UPDATE

Mock exams — Unionists in the public education sector on Monday called for a boycott of the first test in the mock exams taken by 8th graders ahead of middle school graduation, namely the Romanian language and literature test. Several schools in Romania boycotted the test. Some of the problems pointed out by teachers are the effects of the new salary scheme on their incomes, the method of calculating bonuses and the scarce funds for equipment purchases. On the other hand, the Education Ministry reminded trade union leaders that the employees in the system received a 20% pay raise on March 1 and that the collective bargaining agreement is being renegotiated. Trade unions promised not to initiate a labour dispute.

Motion — The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Monday debated a new simple motion tabled by the opposition. The motion is targeted against the education minister Valentin Popa whom the Liberals accuse of lack of professionalism in dealing with the problems of the education system. The Liberals have drawn attention to the delays in paying salaries, to the lack of money for investments, which could result in the merger and closure of certain schools. Minister Popa has rejected all accusations. The vote on the motion will take place on Friday.

Corruption — The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest on Monday acquitted, through a definitive sentence, the president of the National Liberal Party Ludovic Orban. He was accused of using his influence for obtaining undue benefits. Last month Orban was acquitted in a trial court after the National Anti-Corruption Directorate accused him that in 2016 he allegedly contacted a businessman to ask for financial help for the election campaign in the run up to the local elections when he had been appointed by the Liberal Party to run for the position of mayor of Bucharest. Also on Monday the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed for March 22 ruling a definitive sentence in the case of the former president of the Prahova county council Mircea Cosma and his son, a former MP, Vlad Cosma, who were sentenced in a court of first instance at 8 years and 5 years in prison respectively. The two Social Democrats were prosecuted by the anti-corruption prosecutors for bribe taking, abuse of office and influence peddling. Subsequently, Vlad Cosma accused the prosecutors of having used him to fabricate evidence against several Social Democratic leaders, which caused a huge political and media scandal in Bucharest.

Drills – Over 1,700 Romanian and foreign troops will take part, as of Monday until March 15th, in a large-scale multinational exercise, organised by the Romanian Navy, in Dobrogea (south-eastern Romania) and in the international waters of the Black Sea. Spring Storm 18 is based on a unique training concept which brings together the navy, air and land forces, as part of a NATO immediate assurance action plan adopted at the 2016 Summit. Romanian troops are training jointly with fellow military from the US, France and Bulgaria, and from partner countries like Georgia and Ukraine.

Rome — In Italy, the leader of the Five Star Movement, Luigi Di Maio, on Monday claimed he had the right to govern Italy after voters did not return a majority to any single party. His anti-establishment party got 32% of the votes cast on Sunday. The coalition made up of the right wing Forza Italia and Lega Nord- the North League (far right) obtained almost 37% of the votes, while the leftist bloc, in power, got almost 23% of the votes. Italy is heading towards a Parliament without majority, after Sunday’s parliamentary elections in which the voter turnout was almost 73%. Italian analysts expect lengthy negotiations for the formation of a new government. They have remarked the failure of the center-left ruling coalition and the advance of the populist and Xenophobe parties. The European Commission expressed confidence that a stable government would be formed in Italy.

Flu — The number of people killed by the flu in Romania reached 79, the National Center for Monitoring and Controlling Transmissible Diseases announced on Monday. According to the aforementioned source, the victims were suffering from chronic diseases and had not been vaccinated against the flu.

Tennis — Romanian Simona Halep maintains the first position in the WTA ranking made public on Monday. Halep, 26, who has been holding the top position for 18 weeks, has an advance of 440 points compared to 2nd ranked Caroline Wozniacki. Third in the WTA ranking is Garbine Muguruza of Spain. Another 6 Romanian tennis players are in the WTA Top 100. Romania has two players in the WTA Race top 10: Halep on 2nd position 700 points away from the leader Caroline Wozniacki and Mihaela Buzărnescu on 10th position. (news translated and updated by Lacramioara Simion)

5 March 2018
March 4, 2018 UPDATE

Economic estimates — Standard&Poor’s rating agency estimates an economic growth rate for Romania of 4.7% in 2018 and a slow decrease towards 3.5% per year in the 2019-2021 period. The agency experts mention as main vulnerabilities the frequent political changes and especially the worrying attempts at changing the legislation. According to Standard&Poor’s these can have a major impact on institutional balance and may delay structural reforms, which are so necessary. The agency confirmed Romania’s ratings for long and short-term debts in hard currency and local currency at BBB minus (Stable).

Kiev — The Romanian Minister for Romanians Abroad, Natalia Intotero, has again called on the Ukrainian authorities to modify the article in the Education Law restricting the right of the Romanian community to learn in its mother tongue. The Romanian minority in Ukraine, in the historical regions of Cernăuţi and Transcarpatia (west), is well integrated and should have to right to learn in its language, said Mrs. Intotero, following her visit to the two regions. Almost half a million ethnic Romanians are living in Ukraine, mostly in the eastern Romanian territories annexed in 1940 by the former Soviet Union following an ultimatum. The territories were subsequently taken over by Ukraine as a successor state.

Drills — More than 1,700 Romanian and foreign soldiers will be participating, as of Monday until March 15, in one of the largest multinational drills organized by the Romanian Naval Forces in the southeast region of Dobrogea and in the Black Sea international waters. Spring Storm 18 is based on a unique concept of joint training of the naval, air and ground forces. The drill is part of the plan of NATO immediate assurance measures adopted at the NATO summit held in Warsaw in 2016. The Romanian soldiers will be training alongside soldiers from the US, France and Bulgaria as well as from partner states such as Georgia and Ukraine.

Commemoration — Romania commemorated on Sunday 41 years since the devastating earthquake of March 4, 1977. The 7.2 magnitude quake killed 1,579 people, mostly from Bucharest, and caused material damage estimated at the time at 2 billion dollars. 230 thousand residential buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged. The quake caused an economic and social crisis which, according to historians, the Communist dictatorship could no longer cope with, until it was toppled in December 1989. Experts warn that hundreds of buildings might collapse in Bucharest in the event of a similar quake.

Handball — Romania’s women’s handball champions CSM Bucharest on Sunday defeated, on home ground, the Danish team FC Midtjylland, 29-24, in a match in the main group 1 of the Champions League. The first 4 teams in the group will qualify to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, which CSM Bucharest won two years ago, at their first participation in the championship. On Saturday another two Romanian women’s teams played on home ground in the first round of the EHF Cup quarterfinals. HC Zalău defeated the Turkish team Kastamonu Belediyesi 29 — 28, and SCM Craiova lost to Lada Togliatti of Russia 23-25.

Flu — Vaccination against flu can save lives, said the director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases in Bucharest, Adrian Streinu-Cercel, after the number of deaths caused by the flu virus exceeded 70. He again made an appeal for the vaccination of those categories of population at high risk. Almost all the victims were suffering from chronic disease and had not been vaccinated. Over 800 people have been diagnosed with flu. Most of them are from Bucharest, Constanta (southeast), Olt (south), Brasov (centre) and Iasi (northeast). The health minister Sorina Pintea claims that Romania is not currently faced with a flu epidemic.

Berlin — The French President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the fact that the German Social Democratic Party agreed with the formation of a new government coalition together with Angela Merkel’s Conservatives, adding that that vote was good news for Europe. The vote allows Germany to break an unprecedented political deadlock, more than 5 months after the legislative elections, following which no parliamentary majority could be formed. Angela Merkel, whose Conservative bloc reported a very low score in the September 24 elections, will be able to start her 4th term in office as chancellor in the near future. (news translated and updated by Lacramioara Simion)

4 March 2018
March 3, 2018 UPDATE

ELECTION – Over 51 million Italians are expected to cast their votes in Sunday’s general elections. The election campaign was feverish, with heated debates over immigration, security and the country’s struggling economy. Opinion polls have been banned in the past two weeks but analysts believe no party will manage to secure majority. Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right Forza Italia, that seems to have made a comeback in people’s preferences, the anti-establishment party Five Star Movement and the centre-left Democratic Party, who led the ruling coalition from 2013 to 2018 are the main contenders.

COMMEMORATION — On Sunday Romania marks 41 years since the devastating earthquake of March 4, 1977, the most powerful that has ever hit Romania. Measuring 7.2 degrees on Richters scale, the earthquake killed 1,570 people, most of them in the capital Bucharest, and caused damages worth over $2 billion. Around 230,000 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged and 760 economic facilities became inoperative. The earthquake generated a severe economic and social crisis, which historians say the communist authorities never fully overcame before their demise in 1989. Specialists warn that hundreds of buildings in Bucharest are at risk in case of a powerful earthquake.

CONSULTATIONS – Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, has announced that the first stage of public consultations on the topics of interest for Romania’s EU Council Presidency has been completed. According to Negrescu, 500 relevant actors participated in the debates, in a bid to contribute to the preparation of a highly important project for the whole society and came up with a lot of constructive ideas that are to be analysed, in the upcoming period, by the public system representatives. Romania will hold the EU Council Presidency between January 1 and June 30, 2019.

MIGRANTS — Almost 3 thousand illegal migrants were caught at Romania’s western border in 2017. Most of them were from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya. The migrants used several methods to get to the border, such as telephone apps to find the shortest route, or the guidance of other people. In most cases, the ones who guided the illegal migrants to the border were legal migrants who have been living in Romania for a long time.

ARMY – Romania’s Defense Minister Mihai Fifor, has announced that around 64 hundred people will be employed in the army, among whom soldiers, physicians and psychologists. Romania, Minister Fifor has said, needs to strengthen its military capabilities in order to continue to be the most important security supplier in the Black Sea. In this context, Mihai Fifor has announced that the procedure for the construction of four multifunctional corvettes has been launched. The minister also said that the winner of the auction would have to build all four corvettes in a Romanian shipyard.

FLU — The number of people who died of flu in Romania since the beginning of the cold season has reached 72, with three more deaths being reported recently. Almost all victims were also suffering from chronic diseases and had not been immunized. Over 800 people are currently being treated for flu. Most of them are in the capital Bucharest, but also in counties like Constanta, Olt, Brasov and Iasi. Health Minister Sorina Pintea says that for the time being we cannot speak about flu epidemic in Romania.

RUGBY — Romania’s national rugby team defeated Russia on Saturday on home turf, 25-15. The match counts towards the third round of the 2018 Rugby Europe International Championship. After losing to Spain in the previous match, Romania needed this win to keep alive its chances of qualifying to the 2019 World Rugby Cup hosted by Japan. The Romanians will also play against Belgium and Georgia on March 10th and 18th respectively.

TENNIS — The Romanian-Dutch team Horia Tecau /Jean Julien Rojer won the doubles’ final of the ATP tournament in Dubai after defeating on Saturday the team made up of Jamie Cerretani of the US and Leander Paes of India, 6-2, 7-6 (2). This is the second consecutive title in Dubai for Tecau and Rojer, seeded 2nd in the competition. For the Romanian tennis player this has been the 52nd doubles’ final of his career, of which he won 34 and lost 18. (Translated by Elena Enache)

3 March 2018
March 3, 2018

CONSULTATIONS – Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, has announced that the first stage of public consultations on the topics of interest for Romania’s EU Council Presidency has been completed. According to Negrescu, 500 relevant actors participated in the debates, in a bid to contribute to the preparation of a highly important project for the whole society and came up with a lot of constructive ideas that are to be analyzed, in the upcoming period, by the public system representatives. Romania will hold the EU Council Presidency between January 1 and June 30, 2019.

MIGRANTS — Almost 3 thousand illegal migrants were caught at Romania’s western border in 2017. Most of them were from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya. The migrants used several methods to get to the border, such as telephone apps to find the shortest route, or the guidance of other people. In most cases, the ones who guided the illegal migrants to the border were legal migrants who have been living in Romania for a long time.

ARMY – Romania’s Defense Minister Mihai Fifor, has announced that around 64 hundread people will be employed in the army, among whom soldiers, physicians and psychologists. Romania, Minister Fifor has said, needs to strengthen its military capabilities in order to continue to be the most important security supplier in the Black Sea. In this context, Mihai Fifor has announced that the procedure for the construction of four multifunctional corvettes has been launched. The minister also said that the winner of the auction will have to build all four corvettes in a Romanian shipyard.

COMMEMORATION — On Sunday Romania marks 41 years since the devastating earthquake of March 4, 1977, the most powerful that has ever hit Romania. Measuring 7.2 degrees on Richters scale, the earthquake killed 1,570 people, most of them in the capital Bucharest, and caused damages worth over $2 billion. Around 230,000 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged and 760 economic facilities became inoperative. The earthquake generated a severe economic and social crisis, which historians say the communist authorities never fully overcame before their demise in 1989. Specialists warn that hundreds of buildings in Bucharest are at risk in case of a powerful earthquake.

FLU — The number of people who died of flu in Romania since the beginning of the cold season has reached 72, with three more deaths being reported recently. Almost all victims were also suffering from chronic diseases and had not been immunized. Over 800 people are currently being treated for flu. Most of them are in the capital Bucharest, but also in counties like Constanta, Olt, Brasov and Iasi. Health Minister Sorina Pintea says that for the time being we cannot talk about a flu epidemic in Romania.

RUGBY — Romania’s national rugby team are today taking on Russia at home turf in Cluj, northwestern Romania. The match counts towards the third round of the 2018 Rugby Europe International Championship. After losing to Spain in the previous match, Romania needs a win and a bonus point to keep alive its chances of qualifying to the 2019 World Rugby Cup hosted by Japan. Last year in Sochi Romania won 30-10 against Russia. The Romanian team is ranked 16, while Russia is in 20th position. (Translated by Elena Enache)

3 March 2018
February 24, 2018 UPDATE

EU BUDGET – EU funding, particularly the cohesion and the agriculture funds, might be lowered by up to 15% in the next EU multi-annual budget, beginning 2020 when the UK will no longer be a member. The announcement was made by the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday, at the end of an informal meeting of EU leaders. He added that 15 out of 27 member states were willing to raise their national contributions to the common budget. President Klaus Iohannis said at the meeting that Romania was open to the idea of contributing more than 1.1% of the GDP instead of 1%, so that the current levels of the cohesion and Common Agricultural Policy funding be maintained, which countries like Romania need in order to bridge the gaps in social and economic development compared to Western Europe. EU leaders have agreed that the Union must spend more on defence and security, for the Erasmus education programme and for curbing illegal migration. The President of the European Council Donald Tusk has announced that EU leaders are willing to step up negotiations on the next multi-annual financial framework, but that an agreement is unlikely to be reached this year.

GRECO – The Romanian Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, this week had a meeting in Bucharest with a delegation of the Group of States against Corruption – GRECO, which traveled to Romania for an emergency assessment of the new justice laws in respect of the fight against corruption. The talks focused on the amendments to the justice laws and the practical consequences that they may have on the judiciary. The GRECO team also had meetings with representatives of other governmental agencies, the legislative power and the judiciary, as well as of relevant NGOs. GRECO said, at the end of the talks in Bucharest, that those in charge of investigating, prosecuting and trying corruption offences should benefit from adequate independence and autonomy, including in terms of disciplinary mechanisms. The delegation recommended that Bucharest requested the opinion of the Venice Commission regarding the planned judicial reform.

EDUCATION – Over 70 foreign education institutions are attending this weekend the 28th World Education Fair in Bucharest. Last year over 6,000 young Romanians chose to further their education abroad. Most of them went to Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Spain.

THE FLU – In Romania, 53 people have died from the flu this season, according to the latest report issued by the National Infectious Disease Monitoring Centre. The number of cases exceeds 800, with most of the flu patients reported in the capital city Bucharest, followed by the counties Constanta (south-east), Olt (south), Braşov (centre) and Iaşi (noth-east). The Healthcare Minister, Sorina Pintea, says we cannot speak about flu epidemic in Romania at the moment.

LOAN – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is giving out a loan of 60 million euro for the construction of a new gas pipeline crossing Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria (the BRUA pipeline), to support the regional European energy markets, the international financial institution announced in a news release. The funds will be given to Transgaz, the company building the Romanian segment of the gas pipeline. Totalling 1,318 km in length, the new European gas corridor will ensure better interconnection of the countries on its route, and will support the energy market enabling new connections with major infrastructure projects. The deputy PM Viorel Ştefan says the signing of the loan agreement between the EBRD and Transgaz on Friday in London is a confidence signal sent to investors with respect to business opportunities in Romania.

MILITARY – The Kandahar military base in southern Afghanistan Saturday hosted a ceremony to transfer authority from the Romanian Battalion 280 Infantry, Fearless Hearts, to Battalion 30 Mountain Troops, the Carpathian Eagles. For one month, the members of the two task forces conducted joint missions to enable the Mountain Troops to take over each segment of the theatre of operations. Among other things, the Romanian military are conducting land patrol missions on an area of 1,200 sq km, assisted by drones operated by the American partners and working together with the Afghan forces. Kandahar is Afghanistans second-largest town after the capital city Kabul. The area managed by the Romanian troops is densely populated, and threats are significant, the Radio Romania envoy reports. Analysts expect this summers parliamentary election to strengthen the Taliban presence in the region. A suicide attack by the Islamic State group in Kabul has killed 3 and wounded 5 people on Saturday.

EUROVISION – Romanias representative in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest held in Portugal will be chosen by the public on Sunday, by televoting. Fifteen songs will be competing in the final in Bucharest. The motto of this years edition was ‘Eurovision unites Romania!’. The Eurovision is an international music competition organised by the European Broadcasting Union, the largest association of public television broadcasters in Europe, and has been aired for 60 consecutive years. Romanias best performances so far have been the 2 third places (in Kiev, 2005, with Luminiţa Anghel & Sistem and in Oslo, 2010 with Paula Seling and Ovi) and a 4th place won by Mihai Trăistariu in 2006, in Athens.

COLD WAVE – Weather experts warn that Romania will be facing a cold wave for several days. Temperatures are expected to go down to lows of 20 degrees below 0, and stay at levels 10-15 degrees Celsius below multi-annual average figures. Strong winds will be adding to the low temperatures, while snowfalls will be reported mostly in the south, centre and south-west of the country. The cold front will be in place until around March 1st.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

24 February 2018
February 22, 2018 UPDATE

REPORT – Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader on Thursday presented the conclusions of a report on the managerial activity of the National Anticorruption Directorate. In his report the Justice Minister said he will start proceedings to dismiss the chief of the National Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi. He will send the report to the prosecutors department of the Superior Council of Magistracy and to Romanias President Klaus Iohannis, who is the decision-maker in this case. We recall that last week, he cut short an official visit to Japan after prime minister Viorica Dancila asked him to return to Romania and clarify allegations about the National Anticorruption Directorate circulating in the media. Earlier, the former Social Democrat MP Vlad Cosma, who received a 5-year-sentence for corruption in a court of first instance, accused anticorruption investigators of using him to fabricate evidence against other Social Democratic politicians. The head of the Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi firmly denied her investigators were using any illegal means, while president Klaus Iohannis reiterated his trust in the anticorruption body. On Wednesday evening, some 100 persons gathered in front of the presidents office to protest against the Directorate head, accusing her of a number of abuses, and against what they called the presidents passiveness.

PRESIDENCY – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis will attend an informal meeting of the European Council held on Friday in Brussels, the presidents office has announced. Talks will tackle the multiannual financial framework beyond 2020 and institutional aspects of the European Union. Klaus Iohannis is expected to emphasise that during its presidency of the EU Council in the first part of next year, Romania will seek a political agreement on a modern and efficient EU budget beyond 2020. The talks in Brussels are also expected to look at issues related to the composition of the European Parliament for the 2019-2024 parliamentary term. The Romanian president backs the Parliaments proposal for a new distribution of seats in the next term, which will increase Romanias seats to 33, one more than it currently has.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – In its annual human rights report, Amnesty International has criticised the attempt to decriminalise acts of corruption and the conditions in Romanian prisons. Published on Thursday in London, the report mentions that the attempt of the government coalition in Bucharest to ease anti-corruption legislation last year sparked wide-scale street protests in Romania and abroad. The Amnesty International report also notes that European and international institutions criticised the overcrowding of prisons and the detention conditions. Another observation made by Amnesty International is that in 2017, the Rroma in Romania faced discriminatory practices from the authorities.

GRECO – The Romanian Parliaments special committee on the justice laws on Thursday met with representatives of the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). The latter also met with employers associations in the field of justice, representatives of NGOs, civil society and public institutions. GRECO is due to issue an additional report on the way Romania complies with recommendations to prevent and combat corruption. Last year GRECO presented a report highlighting the insufficient progress Romania has reported in terms of preventing corruption at the level of MPs, judges and prosecutors.

ENVIRONMENT – Romania’s Environment Minister Gratiela Gavrilescu on
Thursday met in Bucharest with Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for the
Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fishing. Gavrilescu told a press conference
that by the end of May Bucharest will have an integrated air quality plan. The
Romanian official also presented the status for implementing the air quality
plan for the cities of Brasov and Iasi. In turn, the European Commissioner said
Romania has made important progress in the field of the environment. Romania is
committed to fulfilling environment legislation, Commissioner Vella added. We
recall that last month the European Commission launched infringement
proceedings against Romania and another eight European countries to take
measures to diminish air pollution.

FLU – The flu has killed 48 people in Romania this season according to the latest toll published by the National Centre for the Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. 500 people have the flu virus, mostly in Bucharest and the counties of Constanta, in the south-east, Brasov, in the centre, and Iasi, in the north-east. The authorities advise people to get vaccinated, and the health ministry says around 80,000 vaccine doses are still available. So far 920,000 have received vaccination. The healthcare minister Sorina Pintea says Romania is not faced with a flu epidemic.

EU FUNDS – The absorption rate of European funds is unsatisfactory and Romania risks losing 800 million euros under the Regional Operational Programme, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Thursday at the General Assembly of the Union of County Councils. She called on the local and central authorities to share the problems they face in this respect so that solutions can be quickly found. The governments mission is for Romania to climb to the top half of a ranking of the Unions strongest economies by 2020, Dancila also said. To achieve this goal, her cabinet is considering investing more in infrastructure, increasing peoples incomes, reforming the administration and reducing bureaucracy.

MEETING – Romanian Police chief Catalin Ionita on Thursday met in Munich with the head of Bavarias Police Department, Wilhelm Schmidbauer. Talks focused on exchanging information and cooperation in the field of organised crime. Cooperation between the two parties is based on a joint declaration of the Romanian Interior Ministry and Bavarias Interior Ministry, signed in 2004 in Munich.

(Translated by C. Mateescu & V. Palcu)

22 February 2018
22 February, 2018

EU. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis will attend an informal
meeting of the European Council held on Friday in Brussels, the president’s
office has announced. Talks will tackle the multiannual financial framework
beyond 2020 and institutional aspects of the European Union. Klaus Iohannis is
expected to emphasise that during its presidency of the EU Council in the first
part of next year, Romania will seek a political agreement on a modern and
efficient EU budget beyond 2020. The talks in Brussels are also expected to
look at issues related to the composition of the European Parliament for the
2019-2024 parliamentary term. The Romanian president backs the Parliament’s
proposal for a new distribution of seats in the next term, which will increase
Romania’s seats to 33, one more than it currently has.

Anticorruption. The Romanian justice minister Tudorel
Toader will today present the conclusions of a report on the managerial
activity of the National Anticorruption Directorate. Last week, he cut short an
official visit to Japan after prime minister Viorica Dancila asked him to
return to Romania and clarify allegations about the National Anticorruption
Directorate circulating in the media. Earlier, the former Social Democrat MP
Vlad Cosma, who received a 5-year-sentence for corruption in a court of first
instance, accused anticorruption investigators of using him to fabricate
evidence against other Social Democratic politicians. The head of the
Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi firmly denied her investigators were using any
illegal means, while president Klaus Iohannis reiterated his trust in the
anticorruption body. On Wednesday evening, some 100 persons gathered in front
of the president’s office to protest against the Directorate head, accusing her
of a number of abuses, and against what they called the president’s
passiveness.

Transparency Internationa. Romania remains on the 25th position in the European
Union in a ranking made by Transparency International in its corruption
perceptions index. The only EU members to score lower than Romania are Hungary
and Bulgaria. Made public in Berlin on Wednesday, the ranking looks at the
public sector in 180 states as perceived by the business community and
independent experts.

Human rights. In its annual human rights report, Amnesty
International has criticised the attempt to decriminalise acts of corruption
and the conditions in Romanian prisons. Published on Thursday in London, the
report mentions that the attempt of the government coalition in Bucharest to
ease anti-corruption legislation last year sparked wide-scale street protests
in Romania and abroad. The Amnesty International report also notes that
European and international institutions criticised the overcrowding of prisons
and the detention conditions. Another observation made by Amnesty International
is that in 2017, the Rroma in Romania faced discriminatory practices from the
authorities.

Flu. The flu has killed 47 people in Romania this season
according to the latest toll published by the National Centre for the
Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. 500 people have the flu
virus, mostly in Bucharest and the counties of Constanta, in the south-east,
Brasov, in the centre, and Iasi, in the north-east. The authorities advise
people to get vaccinated, and the health ministry says around 80,000 vaccine
doses are still available. So far 920,000 have received vaccination. The
healthcare minister Sorina Pintea says Romania is not faced with a flu
epidemic.

Air pollution. The Romanian
environment minister Gratiela Gavrilescu is today having talks in Bucharest with
the European Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Karmenu Vella. Romania has requested the support of the European
Commission as part of a mechanism designed to share expertise between national,
regional and local public authorities in charge of implementing EU
environmental law and policy within the EU member states. Last month, the
European Commission demanded Romania and eight other EU states to take measures
to reduce air pollution levels or face penalty procedures for exceeding the
level of harmful substances in the air.

European funds. The absorption rate of European funds is
unsatisfactory and Romania risks losing 800 million euros under the Regional
Operational Programme, prime minister Viorica Dancila said today at the General
Assembly of the Union of County Councils. She called on the local and central
authorities to share the problems they face in this respect so that solutions
can be quickly found. The government’s mission is for Romania to climb to the
top half of a ranking of the Union’s strongest economies by 2020, Dancila also
said. To achieve this goal, her cabinet is considering investing more in
infrastructure, increasing people’s incomes, reforming the administration and
reducing bureaucracy.

Europa League. The Romanian football vice-champions FCSB,
formerly Steaua Bucharest, today face the Italian side Lazio Rome in a return
match away as part of the Europa League last 32. A week ago, the Romanian side
pulled off a surprising win at home, 1-nil. This is the first time after five
years that FCSB have made it this far into the competition. Lazio Rome, who are
managed by the famous ex-player Simone Inzaghi, were the odds-on favourites to
win that match.

22 February 2018
February 21, 2018 UPDATE

BRUSSELS – Romania’s place is
clearly in the Schengen area, said in Brussels on Wednesday the European
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, in a joint press conference with the
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila. The EC President also said that the
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, by means of which the Commission
monitors the Romanian justice system, must be lifted. Also, Juncker said that,
in the first half of 2019, when it will
be holding the presidency of the EU Council, Romania will be faced with a huge
responsibility. In turn, the Romanian Prime Minister said that the CVM should
be lifted, because it’s not normal for Romania to take over the presidency of
the EU Council while still under sanction. Romania will make all possible efforts
to ensure a fair and transparent cooperation with the European institutions,
the Prime Minister also said. On Tuesday, Viorica Dancila, on her first formal
visit abroad as Prime Minister of Romania, held talks with the President of the
European Parliament Antonio Tajani and the European Council President Donald
Tusk.

MOTION – The simple motion
filed by the opposition National Liberal Party against the Labour Minister Lia
Olguta Vasilescu was rejected by the Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday.
157 deputies voted against, 96 for and 16 abstained. The Liberal Party accuses
the ruling coalition of disturbing the fiscal and social systems and of
creating gaps between the private and the public sectors. According to the
initiators of the no-confidence motion, shifting the obligation to pay social
security contributions from employers to employees has led to a drop in the
salaries of more than two million people. At the debate held in the Chamber of
Deputies, minister Olguta Vasilescu said that salaries cannot drop if employers
do the right thing, as provided by law.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – Romania’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday
rejected as inadmissible the complaints submitted by the Save Romania Union
regarding the revision in Parliament of the justice laws. The opposition Save
Romania Union had filed several claims of unconstitutionality against the Law
on the organization and functioning of the Superior Council of Magistracy, the Law on the status of judges and
prosecutors and the Law regarding judicial organization. According to the Save
Romania Union, the three laws, as endorsed by parliament, undermine the
independence of the Romanian magistrates. The political power in Bucharest, however, argues that the revision of
the justice laws was necessary, given that they had not been revised in over ten
years. On the other hand, the political opposition, part of civil society and
the magistrates’ professional organizations are against the changes, saying
they only serve the vested interests of some politicians and business people.

MOLDOVA – Romania’s President
Klaus Iohannis received on Wednesday in Bucharest the Deputy Prime Minister for
European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Iurie Leanca. On the occasion,
the Romanian president stressed the fact that a European road is the only way
for the future Republic of Moldova. Among other things, the two officials
talked about Moldova’s getting connected to the European energy system, through
Romania. On Tuesday, Leanca also held talks with the Romanian Foreign Minister
Teodor Melescanu and the Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor
Negrescu.

PROTEST – On Wednesday,
education trade unionists took to the streets and picketed the headquarters of
the Labour Ministry in Bucharest, protesting against the recent fiscal and
budgetary measures because of which, they say, thousands of employees on medical leave will lose important
amounts from their incomes. Also, they called for a renegotiation of the salary
law, whose provisions have led to situations in which certain public employees
are being discriminated against. They also want a revision of the pension law,
so that the teaching staff can retire three years before the standard age.
Similar protest actions are scheduled for Thursday.

FLU – 45 people have died from flu this winter,
according to a report presented on Wednesday by the National Center of
Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control. The number of infected people
exceeds 500. Most of them live in the capital and in the counties of Constanta,
Olt, Brasov and Iasi. Authorities recommend vaccination, and the Ministry of
Health has announced that there are still some 80,000 shots available. So far,
920,000 people have been vaccinated against the flu. According to the Health
Minister Sorina Pintea, at the moment we cannot speak of a flu epidemic in
Romania.

21 February 2018
February 20, 2018 UPDATE

VISIT — Romania’s Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă, on Tuesday, after a meeting in Brussels with the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, said that they discussed about Romania taking over the presidency of the EU Council in 2019. Strengthening the relations between Bucharest and Brussels is essential, PM Dăncilă said, both in the context of Romania taking over the presidency of the EU Council and for the country’s involvement in the most important projects on the European agenda. In his turn, Antonio Tajani called on the Bucharest Government to continue the fight against corruption and further consolidate the rule of law. This is PM Dancila’s first official visit to Brussels in this capacity. Also on Tuesday, the Romanian official had meetings with the head of the European Council, Donald Tusk and with the European Commissioner for regional policy, Corina Creţu. On Wednesday she will have a meeting with the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Junker.

MOTION — The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday is voting on a simple motion against the Social Democrat Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu, tabled by the National Liberal Party, in the opposition. During the debates on Monday the Liberals asked for the Minister’s resignation over the fact that the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees, starting January 1st, has resulted in pay cuts for a significant number of employees in Romania. The signatories of the simple motion also said that through the laws that she endorsed, Lia Olguta Vasilescu has created chaos in the public and private sector alike. In her turn, the Labour Minister said before Parliament that the Liberal’s estimates were not correct and that Labour Inspectorates must look into the matter and make sure the employees’ salaries do not go down.

MEETING – The development of the economic component of the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership was the main topic discussed on Tuesday with the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Hans Klemm, Speaker of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, Liviu Dragnea, said on Tuesday. Dragnea defined the Partnership as vital for Romania and hailed the development of its military component, but voiced regret at the fact that Bucharest did not gain more in economic terms. The Romanian official said that also discussed with Ambassador Klemm was the Romanian-American cooperation within NATO.

TRIAL — The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest on Tuesday started trying the case concerning the June 1990 miners’ riots, in which the ex-president Ion Iliescu and former PM Petre Roman are charged with crimes against humanity. Prosecutors argue that the authorities have planned the violent attacks against peaceful protesters gathered at the University Square in Bucharest in June 1990. Governmental agencies were illegally involved in the crackdown, prosecutors claim, alongside coal miners and other workers from various parts of the country. Four people died and nearly 1,400 were wounded.

FLU — Another 2 people died from the flu in Romania, with the death toll reaching 39, and more than 500 cases this season, reported the authorities have announced. Most of the flu patients are in Bucharest, and in the counties of Constanta (south-east), Olt (south), Braşov (centre) and Iaşi (north-east). The authorities recommend vaccination, and the Healthcare Ministry announced that around 80,000 shots were still available. So far over 920,000 people have received flu vaccines. The Healthcare Minister, Sorina Pintea, says Romania is not facing a flu epidemic at present.

MAGISTRATES – For a nation that aspires to a dignified future, the law and the independence of the people working in the justice system are not negotiable, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Tuesday. At a meeting with graduates of the National Institute of Magistracy, Iohannis said they chose to become magistrates “at a time when the act of justice is questioned publicly, by the very people that are being brought to justice.” The head of state made these statements against the background of accusations levelled against the National Anti-Corruption Directorate by politicians involved in corruption cases. On Thursday, Justice Minister Tudorel Toader will present an assessment of the activity of the General Prosecutor’s Office, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism.

DEFENCE — The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihai Fifor, says the state will get involved in extending the military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the south-east of the country, and announced talks in this respect had already been held with the American partners. He added he would like a permanent American presence in that unit. Over the past few years, thousands of Romanian and American troops have taken part in joint military exercises in Mihail Kogălniceanu, some of them also attended by troops from other NATO countries. The same base hosted last year air policing missions, with British, Canadian and Romanian aircraft taking part.

FOOTBALL – Romanian football vice-champions FCSB, former Steaua Bucharest, last week defeated Italy’s Lazio Rome 1-nil on National Arena Stadium in Bucharest and are now preparing for the return leg, scheduled for next Thursday, to be played on Stadio Olimpico di Roma. The match is counting towards the first leg of the Europa League round of 32. (Translated by E. Enache)

20 February 2018
February 20, 2018

VISIT – The PM of Romania, Viorica Dăncilă, is on her first official visit to Brussels in this capacity. The Romanian official will have meetings with the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, with the head of the European Council, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani and with the European Commissioner for regional policy, Corina Creţu. Strengthening the relations between Bucharest and Brussels is essential, PM Dăncilă says, both in the context of Romania taking over the presidency of the EU Council in 2019, and for Romanias involvement in the most important projects on the European agenda. She also pleads for active involvement in talks regarding the economic future of the Union.

DEFENCE – The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihai Fifor, says the state will get involved in extending the military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the south-east of the country, and announced talks in this respect had already been held with the American partners. He added he would like a permanent American presence in that unit. Over the past few years, thousands of Romanian and American troops have taken part in joint military exercises in Mihail Kogălniceanu, some of them also attended by troops from other NATO countries. The same base hosted last year air policing missions, with British, Canadian and Romanian aircraft taking part. Meanwhile, the Senate Monday endorsed a bill on the procurement of HIMARS multiple rocket launchers for the Romanian Army. Under the document, the Romanian Government is awarding to the US Government contracts for the procurement of 3 systems of 18 launchers each, amounting to a total 1.5 billion euro. The bill is to be forwarded to the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this respect.

TRIAL – The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest has today started trying the case concerning the June 1990 miners riots, in which the ex-president Ion Iliescu and former PM Petre Roman are charged with crimes against humanity. Prosecutors argue that the authorities have planned the violent attacks against peaceful protesters gathered at the University Square in Bucharest in June 1990. Governmental agencies were illegally involved in the crackdown, prosecutors claim, alongside coal miners and other workers from various parts of the country. Four people died and nearly 1,400 were wounded.

FLU – Another 2 people died from the flu in Romania, with the death toll reaching 39, and more than 500 cases this season, reported the authorities have announced. Most of the flu patients are in Bucharest, and in the counties of Constanta (south-east), Olt (south), Braşov (centre) and Iaşi (north-east). The authorities recommend vaccination, and the Healthcare Ministry announced that around 80,000 shots were still available. So far over 920,000 people have received flu vaccines. The Healthcare Minister, Sorina Pintea, says Romania is not facing a flu epidemic at present.

DIPLOMACY – The Romanian minister delegate for European affairs, Victor Negrescu, had a meeting in Bucharest on Monday with the Republic of Moldovas deputy PM in charge of European integration, Iurie Leancă. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the two officials reviewed the key elements of Moldovas European agenda, particularly in terms of implementing the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the EU. Victor Negrescu emphasised that the strategic objective of the Bucharest-Chisinau relations is the EU accession of Moldova. He also stressed the importance of stepping up the reform and modernisation process, to the benefit of all Moldovan citizens.

HANDBALL – AHC Potaissa from Turda, north-western Romania will take on the Norwegians Fyllingen Bergen in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup, according to Tuesdays draw in Vienna. The Romanians will play the first leg on home ground, on March 24 or 25, and the second leg in Norway a week later. If they move on to the semi-finals, Potaissa will have to face the winner of the matches pitting SKIF Krasnodar (Russia) against IBV Vestmannaeyjar (Iceland). Last season Potaissa lost the Challenge Cup to the Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

20 February 2018
February 19, 2018 UPDATE

PARLIAMENT – The Chamber of Deputies Monday discussed a simple motion tabled by the Liberals in Opposition against the Labour Minister, Lia Olguta Vasilescu. The Liberals criticise the drop in salaries for certain employee categories further to the introduction of the unified wage scheme and the transfer of social security payments from employers to employees. In turn, the Labour Minister says there are no statistical data to verify the claims that 2 million Romanians have seen their incomes drop further to the “fiscal revolution. MPs will vote on the motion on Wednesday.

EIB – Romania is interested in further benefitting from the variety of financing instruments offered by the European Investment Bank, especially those that help improve the absorption of non-reimbursable EU funding, the Romanian Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said in Bucharest on Monday, after a meeting with the EIB vice-president Andrew McDowell. In turn, the EIB official pointed out that the banks products are designed to reduce the investment deficit in Romania, to contribute to the countrys economic growth and to help create new jobs. According to an EIB report made public on Monday in Bucharest, over the past 25 years the group has granted loans of over 13 billion euros to Romania. Official data indicate that in 2017 alone, the EIB Group, which comprises the EIB and the European Investment Fund, provided support to Romania amounting to 1.9 billion euros.

TRANSPORT – The European Commission announced on Monday that 1.3 billion euro in cohesion funds will be invested in upgrading a section of the railway corridor connecting Curtici, on the Romanian – Hungarian border, to Constanta on the Black Sea Coast, reads a news release issued by the EC Representation in Bucharest. The works will target a significant improvement of speed and safety on the segment between Curtici and the town of Simeria, where 13 railway stations will be upgraded, the improvement of the signalling and passenger information systems and the building of related infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels.

FLU – Another 3 people died from the flu in Romania, with the death toll reaching 35, and more than 500 cases reported, the authorities announced on Monday. Most of the cases are reported in Bucharest, followed by the counties Constanta (in the south-east), Olt (south), Brasov (centre) and Iasi (north-east). The authorities recommend vaccination, and the Healthcare Ministry announces around 80,000 shots are still available. So far more than 920,000 people have got flu shots. The Healthcare Minister Sorina Pintea says Romania is not facing a flu epidemic. She added that prevention measures are of the utmost importance, while hospitals and public health authorities must implement all the necessary measures.

JUDICIARY – The High Court of Cassation and Justice will pass a final ruling on March 5 in a case where Ludovic Orban, the president of the main Opposition party, the right-wing National Liberal Party, was tried for influence peddling with a view to obtaining undue benefits. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate is seeking a one-year imprisonment sentence in the case. Orban was found not guilty by the court of first instance, but an appeal has been filed. According to prosecutors, in March 2016 Orban contacted a businessman requesting financial support for the local election campaign, in which he was running for Mayor General of Bucharest.

DEFENCE – The Senate of Romania Monday endorsed a bill on the procurement of multiple rocket launchers for the Romanian Army. Under the document, the Government of Romania is awarding to the US Government the contracts for the procurement of 3 sets of 18 launch systems each, including the ammunition, control elements, sensors, logistic support as well as personnel training. The funds will be taken from the Defence Ministry budget. The Chamber of Deputies is to make the final decision on this bill.

AmCham – Investments must be a priority in this years public budget, the American Chamber of Commerce in Romania states in a report made public on Monday. According to AmCham, it is only through investments that economic growth can translate into wellbeing, modern infrastructure, high performance administration and high quality public services. The report says that in 2017 compliance with the deficit target was the main concern in public budget execution, but this was at the expense of investments, which hit a 12-year low. AmCham argues that authorities have sacrificed public investments in order to be able to increase public sector salaries and pensions. AmCham also recommends better absorption of European funds, fiscal stability, increased productivity and a focus on high value-added economic activities.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

19 February 2018
February 14, 2018 UPDATE 2

DNA ROW – The chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, DNA, Laura Codruta Kovesi, on Wednesday evening gave a press conference, saying the attack on the institution she runs is meant to subdue the State and humiliate Romanian society. She added that the DNA Ploiesti prosecutors didnt give in to the pressure that had been exerted on them. Kovesi also gave assurances she will not step down, the more so as, over the past few years, the institution she runs got the best results in its history. Also on Wednesday, Romanian PM Viorica Dancila said that on Thursday she will have a meeting with the Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, on the latest information which emerged in the public space on the DNA. In another move, the President of the Higher Council of Magistracy in Romania, Simona Marcu, on Wednesday called on the politicians who say that some people must leave their positions following the scandal created around the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, DNA, to wait for the unfolding of legal mechanisms. Earlier, Interior Minister Carmen Dan has called on the DNA chief prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kövesi to revoke the detachment of two policemen. They appear in several audio recordings concerning the activity of DNA Ploieşti, in the south. Former Social Democratic MP Vlad Cosma, sentenced to five years in prison by a court of first instance, claims the DNA Ploiesti prosecutors allegedly asked him to plant evidence in a file involving former Social Democratic PM Victor Ponta and businessman Sebastian Ghiţă, who fled the country to Serbia.

ANTI-CORRUPTION – The former head of the National Integrity Agency, ANI, Horia Georgescu, on Wednesday was sentenced to four years in prison by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, in a file on the damages paid by the National Agency for the Restitution of Property, ANRP. Former MPs Cătălin Theodor Nicolescu and Marko Attila-Gabor ( on an APB) have been sentenced in the same file to 9 and 5 years in prison, respectively. 12 people are involved in this file.

FLU – The number of deaths caused by the flu virus in Romania has reached 29, the National Institute for Public Health announced on Wednesday. Over 800,000 people have received flu vaccines and doctors urge more people to get vaccinated as the number of flu cases is on the rise. The Health Minister Sorina Pintea says this is not a flu epidemics, and added that prevention measures are of the utmost importance, while public health directorates and hospitals must implement the required measures.

ECONOMY– Romania’s economy grew by 7% in 2017 as compared with the previous year, which accounts for the highest growth rate in the last 9 years, according to data published by the National Institute for Statistics on Wednesday. In the last quarter of last year, the growth of the GDP slowed down compared to the similar period in 2016 to reach 6.9%, from 8.8% in the third quarter. The annual inflation rate went up in January this year to 4.3% from 3.3% in December last year, as a result of higher food and non-food prices compared with January last year. Experts are worried, however, about the boom of the Romanian economy. France Presse news agency quotes analyst Cristian Paun as saying that Romania, which had the strongest growth rate in Europe thanks to vigorous consumption, is neglecting investment and will have to prepare for difficult consequences. The European Commission has also warned that the main driving engine of economic growth was household consumption as a result of lower taxes and higher salaries and that public investment has dropped for the second year in a row.

NATO-The Romanian defence minister Mihai Fifor is attending, in Brussels, as of Wednesday, a two-day meeting of his counterparts from other NATO countries. According to a defence ministry release, on the first day, the participants discussed planning and policy for nuclear deterrence. Talks will focus on the modernisation of the Alliance, the adjustment of NATO’s institutional and command structure, European defence and cooperation between NATO and the European Union. Another important issue on the agenda is the NATO members’ allocation of 2% of their GDPs to defence. Prior to the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said more European defence spending and capabilities can strengthen NATO, but only if the EU’s efforts are a complement and not an alternative to NATO.

EU BUDGET – The European Commission on Wednesday made public several proposals for the next budget of the community bloc, which include cuts of funds in some domains and tries to identify other sources of income after the departure of Britain. Reuters quotes the European Commissions Budget Commissioner Guenther Oettinger as saying the European Unions next long-term budget should be bigger than the current one despite the departure of major net contributor Britain. The European Commission also claims the disbursement of European funds should be conditioned by the observance of the rule of law by the member states. The alternatives presented by the European Commission will be debated by the EU heads of state and government in a meeting scheduled for February 23. The Commission will make public in May its final proposals for the next budget of the EU, spanning 2021-2027.

PSD -The National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party, PSD, (the main party in the ruling coalition in Romania) on Wednesday decided to organise an extraordinary congress, PM Viorica Dăncilă has announced. In turn, the party president, Liviu Dragnea, who is also the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, has said that approximately 30 state secretaries supported by the party will be replaced, for several reasons.

MIGRANTS – Almost 5,000 people submitted asylum applications in Romania last year, more than double compared with 2016. Of them, more than 1,300 qualified for refugee status or subsidiary protection and another 1,500 people benefited from other forms of protection and were signed up for integration programmes. 174 foreign nationals were relocated from Greece and Italy and 43 Syrian refugees arrived in Romania as part of the extra-EU relocation scheme. Most asylum applicants come from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

LITERARY PRIZE– The Romanian writer Mircea Cartarescu wins the Thomas Mann prize for literature in 2018, one of the most prestigious German literary prizes. The 25,000-euro prize is granted jointly by the city of Lübeck and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts and will be handed on the 17th of November. According to the jury, in the past four decades, Mircea Cartarescu has become the most important voice in Romanian literature, first through his poetry, then through his novels, short stories and essays, while his unusual, polyphonic romantic trilogy Blinding earned him a place in world literature. Cartarescu is the recipient of many national and international prizes, including the Leipzig Book Award for European Understanding in 2015. His work is available in German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Bulgarian and Hungarian. (Translated and updated by D. Vijeu)

14 February 2018
February 14, 2018 UPDATE

UPDATE (20.30): DNA ROW – The chief
prosecutor of the National
Anti-Corruption Directorate, DNA, Laura Codruta Kovesi,
on Wednesday evening gave a press
conference, saying the attack on the institution she runs is meant to subdue
the State and humiliate Romanian society. She added that the DNA Ploiesti
prosecutors didn’t give in to the pressure that had been exerted on them.
Kovesi also gave assurances she will not step down, the more so as, over the
past few years, the institution she runs got the best results in its history.
Also on Wednesday, Romanian PM Viorica Dancila said that on Thursday she will
have a meeting with the Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, on the latest
information which emerged in the public space on the DNA. In another move, the
President of the Higher Council of Magistracy in Romania, Simona Marcu, on Wednesday called on the
politicians who say that some people must leave their positions following the
scandal created around the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, DNA, to wait
for the unfolding of legal mechanisms. Earlier, Interior Minister Carmen
Dan has called on the DNA chief prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kövesi to revoke the
detachment of two policemen. They appear in several audio recordings concerning
the activity of DNA Ploieşti, in the south. Former Social Democratic MP Vlad
Cosma, sentenced to five years in prison by a court of first instance, claims
the DNA Ploiesti prosecutors allegedly asked him to plant evidence in a file
involving former Social Democratic PM Victor Ponta and businessman Sebastian
Ghiţă, who fled the country to Serbia.

FLU – The number of deaths caused by the flu virus in Romania has reached 29, the National Institute for Public Health announced on Wednesday. Over 800,000 people have received flu vaccines and doctors urge more people to get vaccinated as the number of flu cases is on the rise. The Health Minister Sorina Pintea says this is not a flu epidemics, and added that prevention measures are of the utmost importance, while public health directorates and hospitals must implement the required measures.

ECONOMY– Romania’s economy grew by 7% in 2017 as compared with the previous year, which accounts for the highest growth rate in the last 9 years, according to data published by the National Institute for Statistics on Wednesday. In the last quarter of last year, the growth of the GDP slowed down compared to the similar period in 2016 to reach 6.9%, from 8.8% in the third quarter. The annual inflation rate went up in January this year to 4.3% from 3.3% in December last year, as a result of higher food and non-food prices compared with January last year. Experts are worried, however, about the boom of the Romanian economy. France Presse news agency quotes analyst Cristian Paun as saying that Romania, which had the strongest growth rate in Europe thanks to vigorous consumption, is neglecting investment and will have to prepare for difficult consequences. The European Commission has also warned that the main driving engine of economic growth was household consumption as a result of lower taxes and higher salaries and that public investment has dropped for the second year in a row.

NATO-The Romanian defence minister Mihai Fifor is attending, in Brussels, as of Wednesday, a two-day meeting of his counterparts from other NATO countries. According to a defence ministry release, on the first day, the participants discussed planning and policy for nuclear deterrence. Talks will focus on the modernisation of the Alliance, the adjustment of NATO’s institutional and command structure, European defence and cooperation between NATO and the European Union. Another important issue on the agenda is the NATO members’ allocation of 2% of their GDPs to defence. Prior to the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said more European defence spending and capabilities can strengthen NATO, but only if the EU’s efforts are a complement and not an alternative to NATO.

EU BUDGET – The European Commission on Wednesday made public several proposals for the next budget of the community bloc, which include cuts of funds in some domains and tries to identify other sources of income after the departure of Britain. Reuters quotes the European Commissions Budget Commissioner Guenther Oettinger as saying the European Unions next long-term budget should be bigger than the current one despite the departure of major net contributor Britain. The European Commission also claims the disbursement of European funds should be conditioned by the observance of the rule of law by the member states. The alternatives presented by the European Commission will be debated by the EU heads of state and government in a meeting scheduled for February 23. The Commission will make public in May its final proposals for the next budget of the EU, spanning 2021-2027.

ANTI-CORRUPTION – The former head of the National Integrity Agency, ANI, Horia Georgescu, on Wednesday was sentenced to four years in prison by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, in a file on the damages paid by the National Agency for the Restitution of Property, ANRP. Former MPs Cătălin Theodor Nicolescu and Marko Attila-Gabor (on an APB) have been sentenced in the same file to 9 and 5 years in prison, respectively. 12 people are involved in this file.

PSD -The National Executive Committee of the Social Democratic
Party, PSD, (the main party in the ruling coalition in Romania) on Wednesday
decided to organise an extraordinary congress, PM Viorica Dăncilă has
announced. In turn, the party president, Liviu Dragnea, who is also the Speaker
of the Chamber of Deputies, has said that approximately 30 state secretaries
supported by the party will be replaced, for several reasons.

MIGRANTS – Almost 5,000 people submitted asylum applications in Romania last year, more than double compared with 2016. Of them, more than 1,300 qualified for refugee status or subsidiary protection and another 1,500 people benefited from other forms of protection and were signed up for integration programmes. 174 foreign nationals were relocated from Greece and Italy and 43 Syrian refugees arrived in Romania as part of the extra-EU relocation scheme. Most asylum applicants come from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

LITERARY PRIZE– The Romanian writer Mircea Cartarescu wins the Thomas Mann prize for literature in 2018, one of the most prestigious German literary prizes. The 25,000-euro prize is granted jointly by the city of Lübeck and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts and will be handed on the 17th of November. According to the jury, in the past four decades, Mircea Cartarescu has become the most important voice in Romanian literature, first through his poetry, then through his novels, short stories and essays, while his unusual, polyphonic romantic trilogy Blinding earned him a place in world literature. Cartarescu is the recipient of many national and international prizes, including the Leipzig Book Award for European Understanding in 2015. His work is available in German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Bulgarian and Hungarian.

14 February 2018