Radio România Internațional

Tag: forces

  • February 8, 2023 UPDATE

    February 8, 2023 UPDATE

    EARTHQUAKE The massive earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday killed around
    12,000 people, according to the latest reports. Two-thirds of the total
    casualties are reported in Turkey. Tens of thousands of people were injured. In
    spite of the freezing cold, rescuers are struggling to find survivors. President Tayyip Erdogan declared
    disaster areas in the 10 provinces affected by the quakes, and introduced a
    3-month state of emergency. Seventy countries have so far provided support in
    the search and rescue operations. Romania joined the international aid efforts
    and sent nearly 120 search and
    rescue specialists, doctors and nurses, as well as search and rescue dogs.
    Many Romanian nationals have contacted the Embassy in Ankara to report the situation there, but few of them
    requested to be repatriated. Turkey is located in one of the world’s
    main seismic areas. In 1999, an
    earthquake occurring in Düzce, in the north of the country, killed over 17,000 people. As regards Syria, Romania is going to provide mostly humanitarian aid,
    following that country’s request to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.


    PATRIOT Romania has received a second Patriot system, out of the total
    four, that were contracted for the first stage of the country’s Air Force
    equipping programme. According to the defence minister Angel Tilvar, the four
    systems represent the first stage in achieving state-of-the-art ground-based
    air defence capability, which can be fully integrated into the NATO system.
    Patriot systems were first delivered to Romania in 2020, and 2023 is the year
    when the first stage of the equipping programme is to be fully completed,
    according to the Defence Ministry. The Patriot system is one of the most
    advanced air protection systems of the US military arsenal. It is a mobile
    system that usually includes a powerful radar, a control station, a power
    generator, launch stations and support vehicles.


    EU The European Council on Thursday will hold a summit in Brussels to
    discuss the war in Ukraine, the EU economy and migration. A video-conference
    chaired by the European Council President, Charles Michel, was held on Tuesday
    and was also attended by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who said talks
    focused on the support granted to Ukraine, consolidating the competitiveness of
    the EU economy and implementing concrete measures of combating illegal
    migration. Although Schengen enlargement is not officially on the agenda,
    President Iohannis might approach it informally in the plenary or during
    bilateral meetings with his counterparts.


    MOTION The Chamber of
    Deputies Wednesday dismissed the simple motion tabled by the opposition against
    the interior minister Lucian Bode. The document signatories accuse Bode of plagiarism
    and blame him for Romania’s failure to join the Schengen area. In Monday’s
    debates on the motion, Lucian Bode argued that the opposition’s claims were
    untrue and prompted by the forthcoming elections.This is the
    second failed motion against minister Bode, after the one in October.


    PROTESTS Members of the Sanitas Trade Union Federation Wednesday held
    protest rallies in Bucharest, for the 3rd consecutive day, picketing
    political party offices. Several hundred unionists from around the country
    protested against the Salaries Law and the under-financing of healthcare
    institutions and social assistance in Romania. The list of demands includes a
    minimum 15% pay raise. The unionists warned that unless the authorities meet
    their demands, further protests may be planned. (E.E., A.M.P.)

  • August 4, 2022 UPDATE

    August 4, 2022 UPDATE


    INTEREST The 3-month ROBOR index, based on which the cost of consumer loans in lei with variable interest is calculated in Romania, rose on Thursday from 8.05% to 8.11% per annum, the highest level in the last 12 years. In early 2022, the index was 3% per year. Rates on mortgage loans and “First house” loans have increased by 50% since the beginning of the year and almost doubled as compared to a few years ago. IRCC, the reference index for consumer loans, is 2.65% p.a., up from 1.86% three months ago. In the last three months, more than 10,000 beneficiaries of the “First house” programme have requested to switch from ROBOR to IRCC for calculating loan interests.



    AIR FORCES As of August 4, the Canadian Royal Air Force is conducting an air policing mission in Romania. According to the defence ministry, a unit of 180 troops and 6 CF-188 Hornet aircraft, will operate under NATO command in the next 4 months, jointly with Romanian Air Force units, while another 2 aircraft will take part in drills organised jointly with NATO allies. This is the 6th rotation of Canadian troops at Romanias Mihail Kogălniceanu air base since 2017. Canadian forces were also deployed in Câmpia Turzii in central Romania in 2014. The presence of the CF-188 Hornet aircraft in Romania is part of the action plan for ensuring NATO operational capability in the eastern flank, and proves the Alliances unity and determination in response to recent security challenges, the Romanian defence ministry said.



    COVID-19 Three military hospitals in Romania have reopened wards for treating COVID patients. In Sibiu (centre), patients have five beds available, with another five available in Cluj Napoca (north-west). The Emergency Military Clinical Hospital in Timisoara (west) also reopened the Modular Medical Isolation and Treatment System, where patients have already been admitted. More than 4,000 people infected with coronavirus are currently hospitalised in Romania, and the number of those in Intensive Care is around 300. On Thursday, more than 8,600 new infections with SARS-COV-2 were announced in 24 hours. The authorities also reported 27 deaths.



    TAIWAN The Chinese army Thursday fired missiles towards the Taiwan Strait, shortly after the start of military drills around the island, France Presse and Reuters reported. China initiated large-scale live-fire drills around Taiwan in response to the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taipei. Pelosi is the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in the last 25 years. She assured Taipei of the USs commitment to supporting the democracy of the self-governed island claimed by Beijing. Taiwan has condemned the Chinese drills.



    UNTOLD Cluj-Napoca, in north-western Romania, is hosting until August 7 the UNTOLD electronica festival, currently at its 7th edition. For the opening night on Thursday, the organisers have brought to Romania, for the first time ever, a unique show by the German DJ and producer duo Claptone and 100 dancers and animators. The crowd will be welcomed by fantastic characters, international acrobats, animators, cheerleaders, dancers from Romania, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany and Ukraine, with parades, fireworks and laser shows. UNTOLD takes place in several locations, with the main stage placed in the Cluj Arena. The line-up includes the worlds best DJs, and the organisers expect nearly 400,000 people to attend. UNTOLD is one of the largest music festivals in the world. (AMP)

  • July 20, 2022

    July 20, 2022

    WEATHER Romanian authorities have issued an amber heat alert valid today
    in 12 counties in the west of the country, and amber and orange alerts covering
    more than three-quarters of the country for the period July 22 – 24. As of
    Thursday, the extreme heat wave will cover most of the country, with the
    temperature-humidity index (THI) exceeding 80. Highs will generally range from
    35 to 37 degrees Celsius, with temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius
    expected on Friday and Saturday in the west, north-west and south-west.


    NATO The Senate, as the decision-making chamber in the
    Parliament of Romania, convenes today in a special meeting to ratify the NATO
    Accession Protocols of Finland and Sweden. Previously,
    the Chamber of Deputies had endorsed the
    bill ratifying the protocols. The documents were signed on July 5 in Brussels. Finland’s and Sweden’s decision to
    join the North-Atlantic Alliance comes amid security concerns related to
    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.


    HOLIDAY Every year on July 20 Romania
    celebrates Aviation and Air Forces Day, which overlaps the religious holiday of St.
    Elijah, regarded as the patron saint of pilots. In Bucharest, a military ceremony is held
    today, which brings together over 20 military aircraft of the Romanian, British
    and Italian Air Forces, Interior Ministry and Intelligence Service helicopters,
    a Tarom plane and 4 planes from the Romanian Air Club. Military aircraft will
    be flying over other cities across the country. The Romanian military aviation
    was established in 1910,
    when Aurel Vlaicu designed the first military aircraft.


    COVID In Romania, the National Public
    Health Institute announced that in the previous week 171 Omicron infections
    were confirmed in the country. All of these are SARS-CoV-2
    variants that cause concern. According to the institution, by July 17, as many
    as 6,611 Omicron infections had been reported. The number of COVID-19 cases
    continues to rise, and experts say the current wave is caused by an Omicron
    sub-variant of the coronavirus, which spreads a lot more quickly and is able to
    infiltrate the protection given by
    the current vaccines and previous infections.


    GOVERNMENT The government of Romania is
    scheduled to pass a bill today concerning the procurement of some of the
    most advanced electric trains, powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Only 3 countries
    in the EU are currently using or testing such trains. The Transport Ministry
    plans to purchase a total of 12 hydrogen electric trains. Also in the transport
    sector, the government intends to start expropriation procedures in order to
    widen the Bucharest South ring road. The Cabinet will also discuss the
    2022-2027 National Strategy on Research, Innovation and Smart Specialisation,
    which will create the framework for an efficient and effective spending of national
    funds. Two other documents are due to be reviewed today, a memorandum concerning
    talks with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on non-reimbursable
    EU funding, and another memorandum endorsing the 2022-2024 strategy for
    governmental debt management.


    ANTI-SEMITISM The
    pandemic context, vaccination campaigns, public campaigns raising awareness on
    the rise in cases of anti-Semitism and the information on the history of the Holocaust
    are the main factors contributing to a strengthening of online and offline hate
    speech, reads the latest monitoring report issued by the ‘Elie Wiesel’ National
    Institute for Holocaust Research in Romania. According to the institution, vandalism
    cases, the praising of inter-war far-right figures and people convicted for war
    crimes or known for their extremist attitude, anti-Semitic messages in
    Parliament and minimising the memory of Holocaust victims remain common
    occurrences in Romania. Central authorities have reconfirmed their commitment
    to fight extremist actions by endorsing a National Strategy for preventing and
    fighting anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalisation and hate speech and by
    introducing Jewish and Holocaust history as a school subject, the report also
    says. However, the lack of awareness and responsibility among local authorities
    hinders the implementation of the principles upheld by the central authorities. (AMP)

  • July 11, 2022

    July 11, 2022

    PARTNERSHIP Romanian president Klaus
    Iohannis has hailed the anniversary of 25 years since the launch of the
    Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States of America
    describing the document as one of the pillars of Romania’s foreign and security
    policy, says a communiqué issued by the Presidential Administration in
    Bucharest. According to Iohannis a common objective assumed by the two
    countries is Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver programme and both sides
    are making efforts in this respect. In turn, Romania’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca
    said the Strategic Partnership with the USA in all its cooperation dimensions
    has become a priority for Romania. The country will continue to consolidate its
    defence and resilience to be a staunch and reliable ally of the USA in the
    region, a pillar of stability for NATO and EU’s eastern flank, Ciuca added.








    DEFICIT According to
    the National Institute for Statistics, Romania’s trade deficit went up to 12.7
    billion euros in the first five months of the year, 40% more than in the
    similar period last year. Exports rose by 23.5% to reach 36.9 billion euros and
    imports by 28.1% to amount to 49.6 billion euros. In May this year, exports
    totaled 7.9 billion euros while imports stood at 10.7 billion with a deficit
    of 2.7 billion.








    WAR Russian forces continued to bomb eastern Ukraine, killing at least 15
    people in an attack, which destroyed a residential building in Chasiv Yar on
    Sunday. Authorities have reported five rocket attacks and massive artillery
    shelling against the populated cities in the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk.
    Russian artillery attacks have also included civilian targets in the region and
    according to British experts, the Russian troops are making small headway. The
    Russian Defence Ministry has accused the Ukrainians of placing civilians and
    weapons in schools and other civilian buildings in several localities in
    Donetsk and Kharkiv. Experts say that Russians are making progress in eastern
    Ukraine as they managed to deploy more troops and resources in the region than the Ukrainians. The
    situation could become balanced through a counterattack by Ukrainian forces
    which are now relying on modern military equipment from the West. The latest military
    aid announced by the USA stays at 400 million dollars worth of four HIMARS rocket
    systems to be added to the 8 Kyiv already uses while the 155 mm cannons with intelligent ammunition have already been
    deployed.






    COVID-19 Romania is seeing a
    rising number of Covid-19 infections and its Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila,
    says the country is in for a peak of infections at the end of this summer,
    where the number of daily cases might reach 10 thousand. Luckily, the new
    variants are less aggressive and the minister recommends anti-Covid vaccination
    in autumn when new vaccines are to appear. According to Rafila, the new vaccine
    is to arrive in Romania in September and the country is presently relying on
    8.5 million doses. Authorities have recommended hospitals to get ready for a
    wave of the pandemic and reactivate their action plans.








    VISIT The European Chief Prosecutor, Laura
    Codruta Kovesi, is to arrive today in Chisinau, capital of the ex-soviet
    Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova. Until July 14, the EU official is to hold
    talks with government officials, including the country’s president Maia Sandu.
    In January Sandu told Kovesi that she wanted to cooperate with the European
    institution in order to give an impetus to the legal reforms in the republic.
    In another development, a delegation of the Moldovan Interior Ministry will
    today participate in the in the EU’s JHA Council underway in Prague. In a
    Facebook post, Minister Ana Revenco said the talks would also focus on the
    enlargement of the EU security space to also include the Republic of Moldova.





    (bill)

  • April 28, 2022

    April 28, 2022

    REFUGEES The number of Ukrainian nationals who crossed the border into Romania
    went up 30% on Wednesday compared to the previous day, reads a news release
    issued by the Romanian Border Police. As many as 8,635 Ukrainian citizens
    entered Romania in 24 hours, coming from Ukraine or the R. of Moldova. Since
    the start of the crisis over 2 months ago, over 800,000 Ukrainians have come
    into Romania. Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced in a
    conference in Geneva that over 8 million Ukrainian may leave their country.
    According to the UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo, the Agency and its partners
    intend to raise USD 1.85 billion to support an estimated 8.3 million refugees
    in Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, as well as
    in other countries in the region, including Belarus, Bulgaria and the Czech
    Republic.


    TROOPS The Romanian defence ministry announced
    that the Romanian Army currently has no troops deployed in the Rep. of Moldova
    to take part in drills or other joint training programmes. The statement comes
    after a Russian-language publication released fake news according to which
    Romania plans to attack Transnistria with NATO support, and then to
    annex the Rep. of Moldova, and claimed that Romanian troops have already been
    deployed to the neighbouring country. Disinformation on Russian channels
    follows a number of attacks by unknown perpetrators, which took place in the
    past few days in Transnistria, a pro-Russian breakaway region in the east
    of the Rep. of Moldova.


    NATURAL GAS The European Union
    told Russia it would not give in to blackmail, after Moscow discontinued
    natural gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, which had refused to pay for
    natural gas in rubles. The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
    said the Union had other options to make up for the suspended deliveries, and
    warned member states not to breach the sanctions imposed by the EU after
    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We have to guarantee alternative supplies and the
    best possible storage levels across the EU, Von der Leyen explained. EU member
    states have implemented emergency plans for such a scenario and we have worked
    together in coordination and solidarity, the EU official added.


    ARMY Military ceremonies, concerts and competitions take place in Bucharest
    today to mark the Romanian Land Forces Day. Events are announced throughout the
    day, including ceremonies, cultural, scientific and educational events, sports
    competitions and military drills, book fairs, concerts and documentary
    screenings. In Arad (west), a military equipment exhibition opens today on this
    occasion, and on Saturday the city will host military and religious ceremonies.


    COVID-19 Nearly 1,150 new SARS-CoV-2 infection cases were reported in Romania on
    Thursday. The authorities have also reported 15 Covid-related deaths. Of the over
    1,200 patients in hospitals, 193 are in intensive care, and most of them are
    unvaccinated. Meanwhile, as interest in vaccination dropped significantly,
    immunisation centres are closing these days across the country. Those who want
    to get the vaccine will be able to do so only in family physician offices as of
    May.


    TENNIS The Romanians Simona Halep, Sorana Cîrstea and Irina Begu take part in
    the first round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid, which starts today.
    Sorana Cîrstea takes on Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain (52 WTA). Simona Halep
    plays against Shuai Zhang of China (40 WTA), and Irina Begu faces Belinda
    Bencic (13 WTA) of Switzerland. WTA Madrid Open takes place between April 28
    and May 7. Simona Halep won the 2016 and 2017 competitions. (AMP)

  • Ukraine – dernhières évolutions

    Ukraine – dernhières évolutions

    La Russie retire certaines de ses forces qui se trouvaient dans la région de la capitale et celle de la ville de Tchernihiv, située à environ 130 km au nord-est de Kiev, ont déclaré vendredi des responsables ukrainiens locaux. En même temps, un conseiller du président Volodymyr Zelensy affirme que les troupes ukrainiennes forcent les troupes russes à reculer au nord-est et au nord-ouest de la capitale, selon Reuters. « Nous constatons des déplacements compacts de colonnes de véhicules militaires russes de différentes tailles », certaines en partance vers le Belarus, a annoncé sur Telegram le gouverneur de la région de Kiev, Oleksandr Pavliuk. Le ministère russe de la Défense a diffusé une déclaration qui mentionnait que les troupes de la Fédération de Russie se regroupaient près de Kiev et de Tchernihiv pour se concentrer sur d’autres zones essentielles et « libérer » complètement le Donbass, soit l’est séparatiste prorusse de l’Ukraine. Le secrétaire générale de l’OTAN, Jens Stoltenberg, a souligné antérieurement que l’Alliance n’était pas sûre que la Russie négocie de bonne foi, vu que l’objectif militaire de Moscou depuis le déclenchement de l’invasion en Ukraine demeure inchangé. Il a assuré que les Etats de l’Alliance continueraient à fournir des armes à l’Ukraine, tant que cela est nécessaire. Par ailleurs, la présidente du Parlement européen, Roberta Metsola, a tweeté jeudi soir qu’elle était « en route pour Kiev », sans fournir d’autres détails sur son déplacement. Selon les agences de presse, Roberta Metsola sera le premier leader d’une institution politique européenne à visiter la capitale ukrainienne depuis le début de l’invasion russe le 24 février. Avant elle, les premiers ministres polonais, tchèque et slovène et la procureure en chef européenne, la Roumaine Laura Codruța Kӧvesi, s’étaient rendus en Ukraine.

  • Forces américaines supplémentaires en Roumanie

    Forces américaines supplémentaires en Roumanie

    Un millier de militaires arriveront prochainement depuis l’Allemagne en Roumanie et quelque 2 000 seront déployés depuis les États Unis en Pologne et en Allemagne. John Kirby, porte parole du Pentagone a précisé qu’il s’agissait de missions temporaires visant à consolider la défense des alliés européens sur la toile de fond des tensions avec la Russie qui a déployé à son tour d’importantes forces à la frontière ukrainienne. Au sujet des troupes déployés en Roumanie, John Kirby a précisé qu’il s’agissait d’un bataillon d’attaque et d’une unité d’infanterie, déployables dans les plus brefs des délais.

    Ces forces s’ajouteront aux quelque 900 militaires américains déployés constamment en Roumanie et aux structures présentes périodiquement pour des exercices militaires communs. Selon le responsable du Pentagone, tout mouvement des forces américaines implique des consultations préalables avec les États qui les accueillent, comme ce fut dans le cas de la Roumanie, de la Pologne et de l’Allemagne. John Kirby a salué les annonces faites par des États tels l’Espagne, le Danemark, le Royaume Uni et les Pays-bas au sujet de la possibilité d’envoyer des forces supplémentaires pour consolider ce flanc est de l’OTAN.

    A Bucarest, le président roumain Klaus Iohannis, le premier ministre Nicolae Ciuca et le ministre de la défense, Vasile Dîncu ont salué l’initiative des États Unis et souligné que celle-ci jouerait un rôle important de dissuader toute évolution négative en termes de sécurité régionale et de renforcer les capacités défensives de l’armée roumaine. D’ailleurs, le chef de l’État a exprimé son appui au renforcement de la présence militaire de l’OTAN et respectivement des États Unis en Roumanie et dans la zone de la mer Noire.


    Nous sommes fiers de nous tenir à vos côtés alors que la situation sécuritaire à vos frontières, qui sont aussi les nôtres, se dégrade a également déclaré le ministre français des Affaires Étrangères, Jean-Yves le Drian en visite ce mercredi à Bucarest. Le chef de la diplomatie française a affirmé que du point de vue de la France les frontières appartiennent en fait à tous les États membres, d’où la décision de la France de s’impliquer dans l’actuel contexte sécuritaire, fortement détérioré par les actions de la Russie dans la région. De l’autre côté, la Russie a qualifié de destructive la décision du Pentagone de déployer des forces supplémentaires en Europe de l’Est.

    Le vice-ministre russe des Affaires Étrangères, Aleksandr Grusko a évoqué une mesure injustifiée, censée justement escalader les tensions militaires et réduire la possibilité d’arriver à une décision politique. Moscou a récemment demandé d’exclure tout élargissement supplémentaire de l’OTAN à l’est et le retrait des troupes de l’Alliance déployés dans les États de l’Europe de l’Est ayant adhéré après 1997. Les États Unis ont rejeté ces demandes évoquant en échange de possibles mesures visant à augmenter le taux de confiance réciproque. Parmi ces mesures figure aussi la possibilité de faire inspecter par la Russie les éléments du bouclier antimissile américain situés en Pologne et en Roumanie.

  • June 16, 2021 UPDATE

    June 16, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 Romanian authorities announced on Wednesday 104 new SARS-CoV-2 cases for the past 24 hours, out of over 30,000 tests. Close to 1,000 people are hospitalised, with 192 patients currently in intensive care. Another 71 COVID-related deaths have also been reported, but only 18 of them occurred in the past 24 hours. Given the declining trend in the pandemic, the authorities are considering a return to normal activity in a growing number of hospitals. Meanwhile, the vaccine roll-out continues, although the pace is considerably slower than in previous months. Over the past 24 hours around 32,000 doses have been given, accounting for around one-third of the figures in peak periods. As many as 4.6 million Romanians have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and over 4.2 million of them have received both doses.



    VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis
    Wednesday began a 2-day official visit to Estonia. He had a meeting in Tallin
    with his counterpart Kersti Kaljulaid, and will also have talks with PM Kaja
    Kallas and with the Estonian Parliament speaker Jüri Ratas. After the talks,
    the Romanian official announced having invited Estonia to take part in the
    Euro-Atlantic Centre for Resilience in Bucharest. Romania and Estonia share
    views and interests at EU level, which facilitates the close cooperation
    between our countries in relation to the current agenda and future priorities
    of the EU, Iohannis said. He also added that the talks tackled means to
    strengthen bilateral cooperation in the digital sector, in cyber security and
    AI, given Estonia’s experience in the field and the fact that Romania is
    hosting the EU’s new cyber centre. Kersti
    Kaljulaid said Estonia is very open to working with Romania in the digital
    sector.



    OMBUDSMAN Romanian MPs have endorsed the dismissal of Renate Weber as Ombudsman. She was appointed to office 2 years ago, when the Social Democrats were in power. The current right-of-centre parliamentary majority Tuesday rejected the institutions annual reports for the past 3 years. Renate Weber has been criticised for exceeding her powers, which resulted in breaches of the Constitution and of the legislation regulating the activity of the institution. The Social Democratic Party in opposition say they are considering taking the matter to the Constitutional Court, because in their view the Ombudsman has not broken the Constitution.



    TALKS The US president Joe Biden and his Russian
    counterpart Vladimir Putin had talks in Geneva on Wednesday, at a time of tense
    relations between the two countries. The meeting took under 4 hours, less than
    expected. The US-Russia
    relation must be stable and predictable, president Biden said in a separate
    press conference after the summit. He added he made it clear that his agenda
    was not against Russia, but that the US will continue to raise human rights issues.
    According to Biden, the last thing Putin wants now is a cold war. In turn, the
    Russian president described the meeting as constructive, with no hostility, and proved the 2 leaders’ desire
    to understand each other. Putin also said Russia and the US share
    a responsibility for nuclear stability and willhold
    talks on possible changes to their recently extended New START arms limitation
    treaty. News
    agencies also report that diplomats recalled earlier this year will return to
    post.



    MILITARY The Parliament of Romania approved the participation of Romanian troops and military equipment in the Takuba Task Force in Sahel, led by France. Romania will contribute 50 troops beginning the last quarter of this year, and the funds required for the participation will be supplied by the National Defence Ministry. In March 2020, a group of 13 countries announced the set-up of the Takuba Task Force designed to fight terrorist groups in the Liptako region in Africa.



    FOOTBALL According to the draw in Switzerland for the second preliminary round of the new football competition Europa Conference League, Romanias vice-champions FCSB will play against Shahtior Karaganda (Kazakhstan), while Romanian Cup winner Universitatea Craiova will take on the winner of the match pitting Lach (Albania) against FK Podgorica (Montenegro), in the first preliminary round. Another Romanian team, Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe, will play against the winner of the match between Spartak Trnava (Slovakia) and Mosta (Malta). Romanian champions CFR Cluj, in case they lose to Borac Banja Luka in the ChampionsLeague first preliminary round, will have to play in the second preliminary round of the Europa Conference League against the loser in the match pitting Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania) against Linfield Belfast (Northern Ireland). (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 14, 2021 UPDATE

    January 14, 2021 UPDATE

    VACCINATION More than 3,500 new coronavirus cases and 66 related deaths were recorded on Thursday in Romania. The total number of confirmed cases is now over 684,000, while the death toll is 17,035. 1,101 Covid patients are in intensive care. 90% of Romanians who caught the virus have recovered. Some 155,000 healthcare workers and those working in social care have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in Romania. Phase two of the vaccination campaign gets under way on Friday, targeting the elderly, chronic patients and workers in key sectors, totalling some 5 million people. PM Florin Cîțu says the pace of vaccination will be stepped up, the target being the immunisation of more than 10 million people by September. 62% of Romanians say they want to be given the vaccine according to a poll conducted by Reveal Marketing Research between 6th and 11th January.



    SALARY LAW The government is looking at bonuses in the public sector and if they are justified as part of drafting the state budget for this year, PM Florin Cîţu said on Thursday. He explained that he is considering amending the salary law to eliminate inequalities in the public sector. He said the pensions law would also be amended this year to take into account the contribution principle. The government on Wednesday increased the gross minimum wage by approx. 3%.



    SCHOOLS Most schools in Romania will reopen on February 8, if the COVID-19 situation stays the same as in the past few weeks, president Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday. He had a meeting with the PM Florin Cîţu, the education minister Sorin Cîmpeanu, the health minister Vlad Voiculescu, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, and the head of the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control, Adriana Pistol. Iohannis explained that when the infection rate in a locality goes above 6 per thousand, a lockdown will be introduced. He also said the situation will be re-assessed prior to opening schools, with a final decision to be made on February 2. As far as universities are concerned, each institution will be free to decide. With the exception of two months, schools have been closed in Romania since March last year, with teaching being conducted online.



    PROTEST Healthcare trade unions in Solidaritatea Sanitara federation picketed the government building in Bucharest and prefecture offices around the country to demand more protection measures for healthcare workers amid the pandemic. They also demand a rise in the basic salary for all healthcare staff as of January 1 this year, to the level stipulated in the salary law for 2022. The federation also wants the government to give up on the reduction of the basic salary as a result of a government order issued at the end of 2020, and to grant all healthcare workers special bonuses and a risk incentive for the entire duration of the pandemic.



    AIR FORCES Four Romanian F-16 aicraft with Air Base 86 in Borcea (south-eastern Romania), together with US Air Force aircraft deployed in Europe, took part on Thursday in the Prime Accord multinational military exercise. The exercise included escort and combat patrol missions. According to the Romanian defence ministry, the action was designed to reinforce NATO assurance measures in south-east Europe, and to check the integration of Romanian and NATO command and control structures. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • July 20, 2020

    July 20, 2020

    SUMMIT The EU leaders convened in Brussels to carry on negotiations on a post-crisis economic recovery plan, in one of the largest EU summits in 2 decades. According to European sources, a new plan will be presented to the 27 delegations, proposing 390-billion euro subsidies. This is a substantial decrease from the 500 billion euro stipulated in the original plan of the European Commission and rejected by the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. The initial plan was worth a total 750 billion euro, with 250 billion euro in loans and 500 billion in subsidies. Attending the summit, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said intensive talks are held within the European Council with respect to the conditions for granting the amounts, with some Member States pleading for more relaxed conditions and others for strict control by the Council or the Commission. He also added that many states agreed to make the allotment of funds conditional on compliance with the rule of law. Klaus Iohannis said that the rule of law is not a problem in Romania and he is not against such conditions.



    AIR FORCES Ceremonies have been held today, in a low-key form in keeping with the coronavirus containment measures, to celebrate the Day of the Romanian Aviation and Air Forces. PM Ludovic Orban attended an event in Bucharest, where he thanked all professionals in the field for their work, courage and professionalism. 15 military aircraft flew over the Air Heroes Monument in Bucharest, where a religious service was also held.



    COVID-19 Romania reports a total of over 38,100 COVID-19 cases, with 681 new infections confirmed in the last 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group announced today. The total number of deaths caused by SARS CoV-2 has reached 2,038. Nearly 22,700 patients have recovered, accounting for 60% of the total number. Abroad, 5,215 Romanian nationals have tested positive for the virus, with the death toll standing at 122. The health minister Nelu Tătaru said he was concerned with peoples disregard for health protection measures at the seaside and in the mountain resorts where many Romanians are on holiday. He does not rule out reducing the working hours of outdoor restaurants and bars, which are highly popular in Romania at this time of the year.



    PARLIAMENT The Parliament of Romania is working this week as well in a special session. The agenda of the Senate includes a citizen initiative under which convicted criminals are no longer allowed to hold public office. The bill has already been endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies, but has been pending on Parliaments agenda for over a year.



    CRISIS In Bulgaria, the COVID-19 crisis overlaps a political crisis, with Parliament scheduled to discuss today an anti-corruption motion initiated by the Socialist Party and backed by the ethnic Turkish party. The vote will most likely be held on Wednesday. Meanwhile, anti-corruption protesters are set for a new week of rallies, demanding the resignation of PM Boiko Borisov and of prosecutor general Ivan Gheshev, whom they see as working with the organised crime networks in Bulgaria.



    PANDEMIC The total number of coronavirus infections worldwide passes 14.6 million, with the death toll in excess of 600,000, according to worldometers.info. The US and Brazil remain the worst hit countries, and the global daily rate of new cases is still on the rise. The scientific coordinator of the World Health Organisation (OMS), Soumya Swaminathan, said researches into the coronavirus genome started in January and great progress has been made so far. The WHO is currently testing over 20 vaccines, and the chances of all of them failing are rather slim, Soumya Swaminathan added. She explained that a vaccine might be available as of early next year, with hopes for mass production and distribution in mid-2021. Oxford Universitys coronavirus vaccine, which is apparently already being slated for production by a pharmaceutical company, is in the most advanced stage in Europe. Amind growing tensions between the UK and Russia, the British foreign secretary Dominic Raab accused Russia of attempting to steal information used by the coronavirus vaccine researchers, while the Russian Ambassador to London, Andrei Kelin, dismissed the accusations.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)