Radio România Internațional

Tag: Foreign Affairs Council meeting

  • February 24, 2025

    February 24, 2025

    WAR IN UKRAINE – The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, hailed Ukrainian “resistance” on marking three years since the start of the Russian invasion, when several European leaders came to Kyiv to reassert their support for Ukraine amidst a shift of US policy on the war. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, European Council president Antonio Costa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spanish Prime Minister Petro Sanchez, as well as presidents and prime ministers from Baltic and Nordic states arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning for a summit devoted to collective defense and security strategy. Another 24 European leaders, including Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, will take part via video link. Also today, French President Emmanuel Macron is meeting Donald Trump at the White House, hoping to convince the US president to take into account the security of Europeans. Demonstrations in support of Ukraine took place over the weekend in Paris, Prague and Vilnius, in front of the Russian Embassy in Washington and in several American cities. Several hundred people, mostly refugees from Ukraine, participated in demonstrations yesterday in Bucharest and Constanța (southeast) to mark 11 years of Russian aggression and three years since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In Bucharest, the Parliament Palace will be lit up in yellow and blue to express solidarity with Ukraine. The Chamber of Deputies today will observe a moment of silence to pay homage to the victims of the war.

     

    FAC – Romania’s Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu, is attending Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the agenda of the Council meeting includes Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, Congo and Georgia. Talks on the war in Ukraine will also mark three years since the start of the conflict and will focus on the latest developments and on continuing EU multidimensional support for Ukraine, especially amidst the latest geopolitical dynamics concerning Ukraine peace talks. Talks on the Middle East will refer to the recent developments in Israel and Gaza, the importance of upholding the ceasefire agreement and the humanitarian situation in the region.

     

    DEFENSE – The Senate is today debating a bill allowing the army to shoot down foreign drones that illegally enter Romanian airspace. The Senate is the decision-making body in this matter, so if approved, the draft law will be submitted to interim president Ilie Bolojan for approval. The initiative is designed to correct a legal loophole amidst heated debates on social media. The bill allows the Romanian army and the units of allied and partner states to use aerial and land systems to shoot down illegal drones. The bill also creates the legal framework for conducting military operations without declaring a state of emergency. NATO will also be able to assume command of structures of the Romanian Army over a limited period of time.

     

    CORRUPTION – Anti-corruption prosecutors are raiding over 40 locations in the port of Constanța (southeast), targeting possible cases of corruption. The investigation might involve port managers and officials who took or gave bribes of some €6 mln.

     

    WASTE CRISIS – The city of Ploiești (south) is on the verge of a health crisis after no waste has been collected for nearly a week. Mayor Mihai Poliţeanu has called on central authorities to declare a state of emergency. The mayor calls on the Interior and Environment ministries to urgently unlock procedures to award environment permits and take legal action against the management of the local waste collection company, whose contract expired on January 15 and license at the end of 2024. Mayor Poliţeanu says the municipality was unhappy with the quality of waste collection services, and that the newly contracted operator was unable to start its activity due to an illegal deed extending the contract of the old operator. Under these circumstances, the Prahova County Environment Protection Agency did not issue an environment permit for the new operator. The Ploiești municipality has filed a notification in this regard.

     

    GERMANY – The Conservatives have won Sunday’s parliamentary election in Germany, although the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the far-right party, grabbed its best score yet. The CDU/CSU coalition of center-right parties grabbed some 29% of the vote, while AfD came in second with 20%, an unprecedented result for a far-right party in post-Nazi federal Germany.  “We have never been stronger at national level”, AfD leader Alice Weidel said after the election. Set up in 2013, the anti-migration party doubled its score compared to the 2021 election. The acting chancellor Olaf Scholz is the big loser of the current ballot, after the Social-Democrats grabbed only 16% of the vote, compared to 25% in 2021. The Greens won some 13%, the radical left 9%, while the Liberals apparently won’t reach the 5% threshold that allows them representation in the Bundestag.

     

    AWARD – Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude has scooped the Silver Bear for best script at the Berlin International Film Festival, for his feature film “Kontinental 25”, which tells the story of a bailiff facing a moral crisis.

     

    TENNIS – Two tennis players represent Romania in the WTA singles top 100, according to this Monday’s updated standings – Irina Begu (75) and Jaqueline Cristian (85). Gabriela Ruse (101), Anca Todoni (102) and Sorana Cîrstea (120) are not far off. In the doubles standings, Monica Niculescu ranked 35th, while Gabriela Ruse 51st.  (VP)

  • Romanian foreign policy priorities

    Romanian foreign policy priorities

    The European Union understands that Romania remains a strong, stable state with priorities aligned with European ones, the Vice-President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu, said after meeting on Tuesday with Romania’s Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu, in Brussels. The two officials discussed support for the EU enlargement process, continuing support for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, developing a strategic vision for the Black Sea, promoting convergence and cohesion objectives in negotiations on the upcoming post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework or consolidating European action in the field of defense. Roxana Mînzatu:

     

    “We are aware Romania’s contribution is making Europe strong, not only from the perspective of the security of the Eastern Flank, of energy security. There are multiple ways Romania makes Europe stronger, and the European Union understands that. We also discussed Romania’s role in supporting candidate states, especially Moldova, Ukraine. It is important to look at how we support the preparation of candidate states. Romania’s role is particularly important”.

     

    According to the European Commission Vice-President, one of the topics discussed during the meeting referred to the automotive industry, a vital sector for Romania as well. “’I will be part of this effort to support industries, to create new jobs and develop new investments in Europe”, Roxana Mînzatu gave assurances. The two officials also discussed the Green Industrialization Plan, which the European Commission will soon launch and ways Romania can contribute, but also benefit from clear priorities within this mechanism.

     

    “We want Romania to be a well-developed, robust presence in areas of interest to the EU”, Emil Hurezeanu said in turn. The Romanian Foreign Minister added that the EU is preparing plans, ideas and strategic documents, and Romania has specific interests in this regard. Minister Hurezeanu in particular referred to projects targeting the Black Sea strategy, the Republic of Moldova or the 2028-2034 multiannual budget. During his two-day visit to Brussels, Emil Hurezeanu attended the Foreign Affairs Council meeting and discussed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The minister recalled Romania’s support for the sovereignty, integrity and independence of Ukraine and stressed the importance of continuing the EU’s multidimensional support for the neighboring state. Minister Hurezeanu also reiterated Romania’s support for the European accession efforts of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

     

    On the sidelines of his meeting with the NATO Secretary General, the Romanian official discussed security developments on the Eastern Flank, with a focus on the Black Sea region and the continued effort to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense postures. Emil Hurezeanu emphasized Romania’s contribution to Euro-Atlantic security and the deep commitment of Romanian society to democratic values. (VP)

  • June 24, 2024

    June 24, 2024

     VISIT – Chief of Defense Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, on Sunday met the Defense Minister of Luxembourg, Yuriko Backes, and Luxembourg’s Chief of Defense Staff, Steve Thull on the sidelines of his visit to Luxembourg. According to a Defense Ministry release, the agenda of talks focused on security developments in the extended Black Sea region, defense architecture in Euro-Atlantic space, as well as intensifying cooperation by means of multinational exercises on Romania’s territory. General Vlad highlighted the contribution of Luxembourg’s troops to the Forward Presence Battle Group deployed to Romania with a view to consolidating NATO’s deterrence and defense posture.

     

     

    FAC – Also in Luxembourg, Romania’s Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu on Monday is taking part in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. Participants will address Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, developments in the Middle East and Georgia. According to the Romanian MFA, talks on Russia’s war in Ukraine will focus on recent developments on the ground and EU military assistance to Kyiv. New sanctions against Russia and Belarus will also be discussed, in addition to EU-Ukraine security commitments and the conclusions of the Ukraine Peace Summit, hosted by Switzerland over June 15-16. As regards the Middle East, EU Foreign Ministers will consider the possibility of re-launching political talks for ensuring sustainable peace in the region. As part of an informal breakfast meeting with partners in the Western Balkans, participants will exchange views regarding the impact of geopolitical and security developments on this region.

     

     

    EU ACCESSION – The European Union on Tuesday is expected to launch EU accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the Belgian presidency has announced. The two countries’ negotiation chapters will be assessed separately. We recall the EU officially launched negotiation talks with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in mid-December 2023. Earlier this month, the European Commission announced Kyiv and Chișinău have officially met all requirements to open negotiation talks.

     

     

    INCIDENT – The body of the third young Romanian who drowned on May 31 in Italy was found on Sunday, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, the Italian authorities are investigating the intervention of response teams in the wake of this tragedy, more specifically how rescue teams were deployed and how emergency call operators responded. We recall that 3 Romanians died in May after the waters of Natisone River rose to dangerous levels in the wake of flash floods.

     

     

    WAR IN GAZA – Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, is paying an official visit to Washington to hold talks with US officials about developments in Gaza. On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said heavy fighting in Rafah against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas are about to end. According to Benjamin Netanyahu, the war won’t end until all Hamas control over Gaza is eliminated. We recall hostilities broke out in Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

     

     

    BLOUSE – June 24 marks the International Day of the Romanian Blouse, a specific item of traditional clothing.  Last weekend, Romanian and Moldovan communities in Belgium celebrated this special day. A symposium was held at Château de la Solitude, a heritage building in Auderghem, Brussels. Two debates were also held on this occasion, attended by a large audience, interested to learn more about ethnography and folklore, the process behind the manufacturing of the Romanian blouse and the transition from tradition to modernity. The connection between the Romanian blouse and the celebration of the Sânziene, gentle fairies in Romanian mythology, as well as literature on related folk stories were also topics of debate.

     

     

    RECORD – The Romanian-Moldovan-German Cultural Center in Nuremberg, Germany, entered the Guinness Book of Records twice for the longest belt manufactured within the space of three months, measuring over 1,600 meters and the heaviest belt, weighing 70 kg. The initiative was launched at the end of February, and since then over a thousand Romanians from all over the world have joined the project and helped manufacture the longest chain belt. Each segment displays the motif of a specific area of Romania, Ionela van Rees-Zota, coordinator of the Cultural Center, told Radio Romania. “We have a representative or an association from almost every county in Romania. We have people from all over the world, from New Zealand to the Republic of Moldova and from Norway to Asia”, Ionela van Rees-Zota said. (VP)

  • Romania and European diplomacy

    Romania and European diplomacy

    With few exceptions, Russia’s war against Ukraine dominates the meetings of EU member states at the level of foreign ministers. Such was also the case of the Foreign Affairs Council that took place on Monday in Brussels. Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, emphasized the need for swiftly providing military assistance to Ukraine, while at the same time adopting the 14th package of sanctions against Russia. The Romanian Minister also expressed support for the introduction of a new regime of sanctions for Russia’s hybrid actions. She condemned the recent unacceptable challenges to some EU member states in the Baltic Sea region and expressed Romania’s solidarity in that regard. The Romanian official also highlighted Russia’s hybrid attacks on the Republic of Moldova, which generate vulnerabilities in the context of the electoral processes in this country.

     

     

    Luminiţa Odobescu emphasized the need to continue and strengthen support for Ukraine and condemned Russia’s intense and repeated attacks on its civilian and energy infrastructure. Bucharest has offered substantial support to Ukraine in the field of energy and is willing to continue doing so, Minister Odobescu said. The Romanian chief of diplomacy also reiterated our country’s support for the European integration efforts of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and the organization of the first Intergovernmental Conferences by the end of June. With regard to president Zelenskyy’s peace plan, Minister Odobescu emphasized the importance of coordination at European level and with global partners to ensure the success of the Conference slated in June in Switzerland.

     

     

    The Foreign Affairs Council also tackled developments in the Middle East, with informal exchanges between European ministers and counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States. The Romanian Foreign Minister hailed the role of regional states in maintaining regional stability, de-escalating security developments and helping broker peace, as well as facilitating the provision of urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. Luminiţa Odobescu emphasized the need to solve the crisis by continuing efforts to ensure the release of all hostages, secure a ceasefire, provide comprehensive humanitarian assistance and resume the political process leading to a lasting peace, based on the two-state solution, in coordination with the USA, Great Britain and regional partners. Minister Odobescu reasserted Romania’s constant commitment to improving the humanitarian situation and announced a new humanitarian assistance transport to Gaza via the humanitarian corridor in Cyprus. (VP)

  • January 23, 2023

    January 23, 2023

    FAC – Romania’s Foreign
    Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is today attending the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)
    meeting hosted by Brussels. According to a Foreign Ministry press release,
    talks will focus on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, with Ukraine’s Foreign
    Minister, Dmytro Kuleba expected to take part in videoconference format. With
    respect to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Minister Aurescu will reassert the
    need to continue the EU’s multidimensional assistance to Ukraine, in particular
    with a view to getting through the cold season safely and providing military
    assistance to the Ukrainian army via the European Peace Facility. The Romanian
    official will also call for the introduction of new sanctions against Russia
    and additional support to third countries affected by the fallout from the war.
    According to the Foreign Ministry, European officials will also look at the
    latest developments in Iran, Montenegro, Afghanistan and Venezuela, as well as
    the launch of the EU mission to Armenia. The EU will act as an observer and
    will report on developments alongside the Armenian-Azeri border, with a view to
    facilitating the process of normalizing relations between the two states
    through confidence-building measures.




    CHERNIVTSI – Chernivtsi could be the first region of Ukraine to
    implement a program designed to reintegrate internally displaced people, nearly
    a year since the start of the Russian aggression. The top concerns facing war
    refugees include access to social services, housing and long-term jobs. To come
    to their aid, Kyiv has launched this reintegration program, which will first be
    implemented in Chernivtsi, where Ukraine’s Minister for the Reintegration of
    temporarily occupied territories, Irina Vereshchuk paid a visit at the end of
    last week. The Ukrainian official said this would be a complicated process,
    since the integration of internally displaced people entails much more than the
    provision of social services. Since the start of the war, over 100 thousand
    Ukrainians have moved to Chernivtsi, which is so far the only region of Ukraine
    that has not been affected by attacks or shelling. Of these, most were in route
    to Romania, although part of them chose to stay. Over 30 factories from Eastern
    Ukraine relocated their production here.




    GEORGE BANU – The reputed
    Romanian theatre expert, George Banu, passed away at the end of last week, aged
    79. A graduate of the Theatre and Film Department of the I.L. Caragiale
    Institute for Theatre and Cinema arts in Bucharest, George Banu settled in
    Paris in 1973. He is three-time winner of the Award for Best Theatre Book in
    France. He served as director of the Experimental Theatre Academy, taught at Le
    Sorbonne in Paris and at the University of Louvain la Neuve in Belgium. His
    activity earned him many other distinctions: Les Palmes Academiques and L’Ordre
    des Arts et des Lettres, L’Ordre du Merite National (France), the Award of the
    city of San Paolo and the Award of the city of Bologna. He was designated Doctor Honoris Causa by several European
    universities. In 2006, George Banu was awarded the Honorary Prize by the
    Romanian Department of the International Association of Theatre Critics. George
    Banu got the award for his exceptional activity in the field of international
    theatre criticism and research and for promoting Romanian theatre at European
    cultural level.




    AUSTRALIAN OPEN – The Romanian-Swiss
    pair made up of Monica Niculescu and Viktorija Golubic is today playing Storm
    Hunter of Australia and Elise Mertens of Belgium, the competition’s fourth
    seeds, in the round of 16 of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open. Also
    in the round of 16, Gabriela Ruse of Romania and Marta Kostiuk of Ukraine will
    play the all-Czech pair Miriam Kolodziejova and Marketa Vondrousova. Romania
    has no more players left in the singles competition. (VP)

  • January 22, 2023 UPDATE

    January 22, 2023 UPDATE

    FAC – Romania’s Foreign
    Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is attending the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)
    meeting hosted by Brussels on Monday. According to a Foreign Ministry press
    release, talks will focus on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, with Ukraine’s
    Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba expected to take part in videoconference
    format. The meeting’s agenda also includes the developments in Sahel and
    coastal areas of Western Africa. European officials will also look at the
    latest developments in Iran, Montenegro, Afghanistan and Venezuela, as well as
    the launch of the EU mission to Armenia. With respect to Russia’s invasion of
    Ukraine, Minister Aurescu will reassert the need to continue the EU’s
    multidimensional assistance to Ukraine, in particular with a view to getting
    through the cold season safely and providing military assistance to the
    Ukrainian army via the European Peace Facility.




    CELEBRATION – The Union of the
    Romanian Principalities will be marked on January 24 by the Romanian Cultural
    Institute branches in Chișinău, Rome, Warsaw, Venice, Istanbul and Vienna. The
    Mihai Eminescu Institute in Chișinău is hosting a scientific conference marking
    164 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities. The Cultural and
    Human Research Institute in Venice is organizing a conference addressing the
    general public, aimed at highlighting cordial Romanian-Italian relations during
    the reign of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) and the two countries’
    symmetric efforts in achieving national unity. The Accademia di Romania in Rome
    will also mark the event by publishing a film on its Facebook page devoted to
    ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, produced by painter and photographer Carol Popp de
    Szathmari. The Cultural Institute in Warsaw will upload a documentary with
    Polish subtitles on its YouTube channel, titled The 1859 Union of the Romanian
    Principalities, directed by Radu Găină. A similar documentary will also be
    publicized by the Cultural Institute in Istanbul. The Cultural Institute in
    Vienna will also host events devoted to the figure of the Romanian ruler.




    MOLDOVA
    – The invasion of nearby Ukraine by the Russian Federation has prompted the
    Republic of Moldova to analyze the possibility of renouncing the country’s
    neutrality, stipulated in the Constitution, and joining an alliance, the
    pro-Western Moldovan president, Maia Sandu, has told Politico. There is now a
    serious debate about our capacity to defend ourselves, if we can fend for
    ourselves or whether we should be part of a larger alliance. And if our nation decides
    at one point it is time we changed our neutrality status, then this would be
    carried out via a democratic process, the president said, without naming any
    military alliance. President Sandu said the Republic of Moldova remains
    extremely vulnerable and is currently targeted by Russia’s hybrid warfare
    attacks through propaganda and disinformation. For the time being, Moldova doesn’t
    face any military threats, due to Ukraine’s resistance, the president said. The
    Republic of Moldova is not a member of NATO, although it is a partner of the Alliance.
    Moldova is also contributing to NATO’s peace-support operation in Kosovo
    (KFOR).






    HANDBALL – The Romanian women’s
    handball vice-champions, CSM Bucharest, on Sunday defeated SG BBM Bietigheim of
    Germany 27-25 in Champions League Group A. CSM is the leader of the group and
    has already secured qualification to the next phase. The match in Germany also
    marked a remarkable performance for CSM’s top goal scorer, Cristina Neagu, who
    scored her 1,000th goal in EHF Champions League, thus joining an
    elite hall of fame alongside Jovanka Radicevic of Montenegro and Anita Gorbicz of
    Hungary. Neagu is also this season’s top scorer with 90 goals. Also on Sunday, in Group B, Rapid Bucharest
    defeated 28-22 Kastamonu Belediyesi GSK of Turkey at home. With two rounds left
    to play, Rapid is ranked 3rd in the group tables and still holds
    chances of qualifying to the quarterfinals playoffs. (VP)

  • January 22, 2023

    January 22, 2023

    FAC -
    Romania’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is attending the Foreign Affairs
    Council (FAC) meeting hosted by Brussels on Monday. According to a Foreign
    Ministry press release, talks will focus on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,
    with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba expected to take part in
    videoconference format. The meeting’s agenda also includes the developments in
    Sahel and coastal areas of Western Africa. European officials will also look at
    the latest developments in Iran, Montenegro, Afghanistan and Venezuela, as well
    as the launch of the EU mission to Armenia. With respect to Russia’s invasion
    of Ukraine, Minister Aurescu will reassert the need to continue the EU’s
    multidimensional assistance to Ukraine, in particular with a view to getting
    through the cold season safely and providing military assistance to the
    Ukrainian army via the European Peace Facility.




    EXHIBITION – Romanian
    traditional products are promoted in the Green Week 2023 international
    exhibition that will be hosted by Berlin over January 20-29. 60 out of the
    total of 700 registered traditional products, including traditional cheese
    preserved in tree bark or smoked trout in fir tree branches will be presented
    to the visiting public. Additionally, varietals of white, rosé and red wines
    will be available to sample, in addition to assortments of honey and
    cold-pressed oils, as well as jams, preserves, juices and syrups. The
    exhibition represents both a business platform as a well as a festival of
    gastronomic and folk traditions with a wide reach in Europe and around the
    world.




    CELEBRATION – The Union of the
    Romanian Principalities will be marked on January 24 by the Romanian Cultural
    Institute branches in Chișinău, Rome, Warsaw, Venice, Istanbul and Vienna. The
    Mihai Eminescu Institute in Chișinău is hosting a scientific conference marking
    164 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities. The Cultural and
    Human Research Institute in Venice is organizing a conference addressing the
    general public, aimed at highlighting cordial Romanian-Italian relations during
    the reign of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1859-1866) and the two countries’
    symmetric efforts in achieving national unity. The Accademia di Romania in Rome
    will also mark the event by publishing a film on its Facebook page devoted to
    ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, produced by painter and photographer Carol Popp de
    Szathmari. The Cultural Institute in Warsaw will upload a documentary with Polish
    subtitles on its YouTube channel, titled The 1859 Union of the Romanian
    Principalities, directed by Radu Găină. A similar documentary will also be
    publicized by the Cultural Institute in Istanbul. The Cultural Institute in
    Vienna will also host events devoted to the figure of the Romanian ruler.




    EXERCISE – Over 100 American
    servicemen part of the 1-26 US infantry battalion will be training alongside
    Romanian military in the Sfântul Andrei 300 mechanized infantry battalion in
    Galați until March. According to a Defense Ministry release, the US troops were
    deployed at the end of last year to the Mihail Kogălniceanu military base in
    the southeast, and this week they relocated to Galați. The US servicemen will
    take part in daily exercises alongside Romanian troops based on a scheduled
    training program, adjusted to the existing equipment and military capabilities
    of both sides. The purpose of the exercise is to further develop combat
    techniques, tactics and operational procedures, to acquire new combat skills
    and boost existing military capabilities as well as the interoperability in
    line with NATO standards.




    MEDAL – Romanian athlete Andreea
    Grecu on Saturday scooped silver in the women’s monobob event at the European
    Championships in Altenberg, Germany. Grecu completed her run in 2mins02secs,
    being outrun by Laura Nolte of Germany. Kim Kalicki of Germany won bronze. (VP)



  • June 24, 2018 UPDATE

    June 24, 2018 UPDATE

    Motion — The censure motion tabled by the Romanian rightwing opposition parties will be read out on Monday in Parliament plenum and Wednesday it will be debated and voted on. The initiators of the motion called “Ousting the Dragnea-Dancila government, a national emergency” claim that the current cabinet, through the measures taken, collapsed the economy and the justice system. Over the past days thousands of people protested in Bucharest and other cities of Romania against the Social Democratic government and the Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, asking for his and the government’s resignation. On Friday the Social Democrats announced they would continue to support Dragnea in all the offices he is currently holding although he received a first instance sentence of 3 and a half years in prison for instigation to abuse of office. Dragnea said he would not resign so as to be able to implement his goals, among which the governing program. On Saturday, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, announced that he would run for a new term in office as president of Romania in 2019, saying that his decision was motivated by the troubled political environment in Romania. He said he had to clarify his position on the matter given that 80% of the population was discontented with and no longer trusted the political class.



    Luxembourg — The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu will participate on Monday in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council to take place in Luxemburg. The foreign ministers of the EU member states will meet in common session with the defense ministers, to assess the stage of development in the field of security and defense. The ministers will also discuss the consolidation of the EU-NATO relationship in the presence of the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Also on Monday Romania and Bulgaria will brief the participants on the stage and perspectives of the regional cooperation initiatives in the Black Sea region with the EU’s support.



    Chisinau — Several thousand people protested on Sunday in Chisinau against a court decision that invalidates the election as mayor of Chisinau of the opposition leader, pro-European Andrei Nastase. The protesters voted on a resolution which criticizes the court’s decision that cancelled the elections, claiming that, in this way, a dictatorship was being instated in the Republic of Moldova. One day before, the police had announced that they had started criminal prosecution in the case of the rally, based on suspicions related to possible violent actions to take place at that rally. The US Department of State, the EU as well as the diplomatic missions accredited to Chisinau conveyed messages in which they expressed concern with the developments in this case.



    Rowing — Romania’s men’s four crew got the 2nd place on Sunday in the men’s four final at the World Rowing Cup hosted by Linz-Ottensheim (Austria). First came the crew of Australia while third came Germany. In the lightweight Women’s Double Sculls-Final, en-titre world champions Romanians Gianina Beleagă and Ionela-Livia Cozmiuc came 3rd after Italy and the Netherlands.



    Romanian Blouse — The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is marked each year on June 24. The traditional Romanian blouse is the staple element of the national traditional dress and an international symbol of Romanian culture. On January 21, 2013 the online community “La Blouse Roumaine” proposed June 24 as the day devoted to the Romanian Blouse. In the same year the community “La Blouse Roumaine” organized the first Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse, which has become a global event marked in more than 50 countries. (news translated and updated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • February 26, 2018 UPDATE

    February 26, 2018 UPDATE

    ANTICORRUPTION — The head of the National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, on Tuesday is due to appear before the Superior Council of Magistracy, as a first step in the process Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has started with a view to removing Kovesi from office. The Council’s Prosecutors’ Department is expected to rule on the Justice Minister’s request. Under the law, the Superior Council of Magistracy is due to issue an opinion in this matter and refer it to President Klaus Iohannis, who will make a final decision. In another development, large-scale protests were staged in Bucharest and other large cities across the country against the Social-Democratic Party, the main coalition party in Romania, and against Justice Minister Tudorel Toader. The protests started on Thursday evening, in the wake of a report Toader presented to the media, whereby he started proceedings to having Kovesi removed from office. Toader accused Kovesi of overstepping the bounds of her authority, getting personally involved in some of the pending cases and of not investigating certain prosecutors suspected of having abused their position. The Justice Minister also claimed that the National Anticorruption chief defied Parliament’s authority on numerous occasions and challenged rulings of the Constitutional Court. Backed by the Parliament majority held by the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, Toader’s report has been harshly criticized by the right-wing opposition.



    FAC – Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu on Monday took part in Brussels in the monthly meeting of the EUs Foreign Affairs Council, where he discussed with his counterparts the situation in the Republic of Moldova, the crisis in Venezuela, and the Middle East peace process. On this occasion Minister Melescanu hailed the progress Moldova has reported, reiterating Romania’s full support for the EU integration of its neighbor state. On the sidelines of the Council meeting, the Romanian Foreign Minister chaired the meeting of the Group for Moldova’s European Action, with Moldovan Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi as special guest. On Tuesday, Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila will travel to Moldova to discuss with her counterpart Pavel Filip the bolstering of cooperation between the two states.



    RULING — The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest Monday ruled against a request from the National Anti-Corruption Directorate to re-open an investigation which may involve Social Democratic Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stanescu. Judicial sources claim that the case started from a memo issued by the Court of Accounts regarding embezzlement involving the county council of Olt county, which Stanescu was head of between 2008 and 2016, with the fraudulently obtained funds allegedly being used to finance a soccer team. The official said he would resign if he is indicted in this case.




    WEATHER — Bucharest and 27 counties, mostly in the east and south of Romania, are under extreme cold weather warning until March 1. In these areas, low temperatures will be around the record lows registered in previous years. Maximums will frequently fluctuate between -12 and -8 degrees Celsius, with minimums of -22 and -12 degrees. Thousands of intervention workers have been mobilized in case of emergencies. Traffic has been cut off by snow on two national motorways in the south, and three Black Sea ports have been shut down by strong wind.



    VISIT — Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor is on a three-day official visit to Israel, invited by his counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman. The main points on the agenda are defense cooperation and the security situation worldwide. This year, Romania and Israel celebrate 70 years of continuous diplomatic relations.



    FLU — The flu has killed 57 people in Romania this season according to the latest toll published by the National Centre for the Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. 800 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.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is back at the top of the WTA standings, published on Sunday, after five weeks of being second to Danish player Caroline Wozniacki. The latter replaced her after winning the finals in the Australian Open. Halep held the first place in the world between October 2017 and January 2018. Five other Romanians are in the top 100 in the world. Sorana Cirstea is up one place, to 35, Irina Begu went up two notches, to 36, and Mihaela Buzarnescu went up one place, to 38. Monica Niculescu went down three places to 72, and Ana Bogdan climbed one step, to 86.


    (Translated by C. Cotoiu & V. Palcu)

  • February 6, 2017

    February 6, 2017

    PROTESTS — Over half a million people on Sunday protested the Government decree amending the criminal legislation despite its repeal. Protesters in Bucharest and other cities shouted anti-Government slogans and messages against the Social-Democratic Party. Also on Sunday, a pro-Government rally was staged in front of the Presidency building, totalling some 2,000 people. Justice Minister Florin Iordache said he would present a new draft law on amending the criminal codes in order to harmonize some of their provisions with Constitutional Court rulings.



    NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE — The National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union in opposition have filed a no-confidence vote in Parliament against the Grindeanu Cabinet. The no-confidence vote was filed in the wake of a controversial decree the Government passed last week modifying the criminal legislation. The decree was rescinded on Sunday amidst mass street protests. Interim Liberal leader Raluca Turcan said the move was unprecedented, labelling it as an act of defiance against the population. In turn, the Save Romania Union leader Nicusor Dan said the Government is pushing Romania further away from civilization and is fostering corruption. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians has also argued against the Government decree, while the People’s Movement Party has also rallied the efforts of the Liberal Party and Save Romania Union. We recall that the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats are currently enjoying a steady majority in Parliament.



    BUDGET FOR 2017 — Parliament is today debating the draft budget for 2017. On behalf of the ruling coalition made up of the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, Finance Minister Viorel Stefan told Parliament committees that the bill observes the main guidelines in the governing program, such as cutting the VAT from 20% to 19%, eliminating the income tax for pensions lower or tantamount to 450 euros. The budget is based on an economic growth of 5.2% and a budget deficit of 3%, and will also allow Romania to fulfil its commitments at NATO level regarding the allocation of 2% of the country’s GDP to the field of defence. The right-wing opposition on the other hand claims the figures regarding revenues underlying the budget are overestimated.



    VISIT — Moldovan President Igor Dodon is on a three-day visit to Brussels, where he is meeting with EU and NATO officials. Elected in November 2016, Dodon last month paid his first official visit to Moscow, where he announced he would renounce the Free Trade agreement with the EU and called in favour of closer ties with the Eurasian Union. President Dodon said he would call a meeting with NATO leaders in order to sanction the neutrality of the Republic of Moldova. Political pundits in Chisinau fear Dodon’s visit to Brussels might actually worsen relations between the Republic of Moldova and the West. In another development, Moldovan Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu highlighted the President’s limited remit regarding foreign policy, and that the current Parliament majority has made it its priority to implement the Association Agreement with the EU. (Translated by V. Palcu)