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Tag: Foreign Ministry

Russian drones crash in Romania

The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest is firmly condemning the latest irresponsible attack of the Russian troops, after two drones with explosive payloads have violated Romania’s airspace and crushed on its territory close to the border with Ukraine.

Moscow’s charge D’affairs in Bucharest has been immediately summoned to the Foreign Ministry and has been briefed on the vehement condemnation of the repeated violation of Romania’s airspace by unmanned flying devices operated by the Russian military forces, which represent a blatant violation of the international law by a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

At the same time, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has underlined that these illegal and irresponsible attacks must stop, and that Romania has the right to take the response measures implied. These actions are an inseparable part of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, which has been carried on for almost three years and which has been causing security risks in the entire Black Sea region and the Eastern Flank of the North Atlantic Alliance, the aforementioned Ministry says.

Four jet fighters took off from the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase on Wednesday night after several targets had been detected in Ukraine’s airspace close to Romania and a potential impact zone on the national territory close to the city of Galati, in eastern Romania, had been announced.

In Romania a team of experts of the Romanian Defence and Interior Ministries on Thursday carried out a series of investigations close to the Romanian-Ukrainian border, where debris from the drone’s impact had been discovered.

The investigation revealed that both drones had explosive payloads, which were destroyed in the impact. The two sites are outside the inhabited areas and no infrastructure elements have been affected, Defence Ministry sources have announced.

Authorities in the neighbouring ex-soviet, Romanian-speaking, Republic of Moldova have also announced that two Russian drones violated the country’s airspace and exploded on the ground on Wednesday night, during a massive Russian attack against the port of Reni, in Ukraine. The two drones fell outside the inhabited areas. The two sites have been isolated and there is no threat to citizens presently, the country’s president, Maia Sandu, wrote on Facebook. In her post, she underlined that Russian drones and bombs are falling and exploding on Moldovan soil as the country lacks the necessary defence capabilities.

The North Atlantic Alliance is close to the Republic of Moldova against the Kremlin’s destabilizing actions and terrorist acts, NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, said at the end of the Thursday’s meeting of the NATO defence ministers in Brussels. According to him, Moscow’s actions in the Republic of Moldova are quote a ‘campaign of destabilization and, at times, state-sponsored terrorism aimed at your country’.

The aforementioned meeting came shortly after the US president Donald Trump announced he had commenced talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on putting an end to the war in Ukraine.

(bill)

14 February 2025
December 9, 2024

WEATHER Meteorologists have forecast warmer weather than usual for the entire Romanian territory until January 6^th. According to the National Administration of Meteorology, rain showers are expected in the country’s south, east and the regions between the Carpathians. The first winter month includes several weather phenomena such as snowfalls and blizzard most likely in the south and eastern Moldavia. Moderate showers are expected today and snow falls in the mountains. In Bucharest, the sky is overcast with moderate wind and highs of 11 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 8 degrees.

TIKTOK The Defence Ministry in Bucharest has pointed out new cases of online misinformation, mainly on the TikTok platform. According to the Defence Ministry’s portal known as InfoRadar, Romania’s borders and port infrastructure have been targeted this time. One of the posts falsely states that Romania is going to close its borders and beef them up with military troops and the other presents military equipment that the Romanian army actually doesn’t possess, which has allegedly been deployed to the port of Constanta. The aforementioned posts were aimed at spreading the fake news that Romania is actually getting ready for war. The Ministry has described the information as false adding that its structures will continue to signal any cases of misinformation identified. The National Audio-visual Council and the National Authority for Communication Administration and Regulation have reminded the TikTok, Meta, X and Google platforms the obligations they have on combating misinformation, under the European regulation in the field.

ASYLUM According to the Russian state press, the ousted president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad and his family are presently in Russia where they have been granted political asylum. A top-ranking Russian official has also confirmed the news. Syrian sources had earlier announced the dictator’s plane could have crashed while the city was being taken over by the rebel forces. The insurgents’ leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa said the public institutions would remain for a while under the surveillance of the country’s former Prime-Minister. Syria’s Premier Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali says he is ready to support the continuity of governance. According to commentators, being busy with the invasion of Ukraine and the conflict with Israel respectively, Russia and Iran, the main supporters of the Assad regime during the last decade’s civil war, didn’t have significant interventions against the rebels this time.

MAE The fall of the dictatorial regime in Damascus is marking a historic moment and a watershed point for the Syrian people, which was subjected to suffering and oppression, the Romanian Foreign Ministry says in a press release. According to the same sources, “Romania reiterates its support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time it voices hope that all Syrian people are going to have a free, safe and prosperous future, in which all the citizen rights are respected, including those of the minorities, the same communiqué also says.

(bill)

9 December 2024
November 10, 2023

JUDGE Through
a UN vote, Romania’s former Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu has become one of the
judges of the International Court of Justice in The Hague. It is for the first
time a Romanian has obtained such a position and for the first time when no
Russian candidate has been elected. The UN success reflects Romania’s firm
commitment for the international rule-based order, Romanian president Klaus
Iohannis says. According to the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, Aurescu’s new
position is a victory of the Romanian diplomacy as well as the recognition of
his professionalism and expertise. Aurescu, 50, is a member of the UN
International Law Commission and foreign policy advisor of the Romanian
president. Between 2004 and 2009, he was Romania’s agent for the International
Court of Justice and played a major role in the Romanian-Ukrainian file over
the maritime delineation in the Black Sea.

REPATRIATION 41 Romanian
citizens left the Gaza Strip on Thursday through the Rafa Border Crossing as a
result of the moves made by the inter-institutional crisis unit through the Romanian
embassy in Cairo and Romania’s Representation Office in Ramallah, the Foreign
Ministry has announced. They are to arrive in Romania in the following days.
The Foreign Ministry recalls that a group of 93 Romanian citizens and their
families arrived in Romania on Wednesday and the Romanian diplomacy is
continuing the dialogue with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities with the view
to easing the evacuation of the other citizens according to the latest
developments and the agreement of the parties involved.

TENNIS Romanian tennis
player Gabriela Ruse today takes on Mia Ristic in the first single match
pitching the women tennis sides of Romania and Serbia in the play-offs of the
Billie Jean King Cup in Kraljevo, Serbia. In the second single match, Cristian
will be up against Krunic. On Saturday, the Romanian will be taking on Ristic,
a match which will be followed by that pitching Ruse against Krunic. The
doubles will oppose the pair made up of Katarina Kozarov and Natalija
Stefanovic to Irina Bara and Monica Niculescu. Serbia has a 2-1 lead in the
head-to-head competitions and the victor will be playing in the qualifyiers for
the competition’s final tournament, whereas the defeated will go to Group 1. We
recall that Romania lost to Slovenia 3-2 in April and failed to qualify for the
final tournament.

RATE Romania’s
Central Bank governor Mugur Isarescu is today presenting the trimestral report
on inflation. The aforementioned updated report reconfirms the forecast of the
inflation’s downward trend in the following two years with an impetus in 2024
but slightly lower than previously forecast. So the annual inflation rate is
expected to increase at the beginning of the new year, under the impact of the
freshly raised taxes and duties and gradually decrease in the following
trimesters. The inflation’s downward trend is expected to gain momentum in
2025.

(bill)

10 November 2023
December 24, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Romania has
reported over 600 thousand infections with COVID-19 since the start of the
pandemic. Nearly 85% of the people infected have recovered. Over 4,300 new
cases and 146 related fatalities were announced on Thursday by the Group for
Strategic Communication. The national death toll has exceeded 14,900. 1,234
patients are in intensive care. The first symbolic batch of 10,000 dozes of
anti-Covid vaccine is due to arrive soon. The vaccine will be delivered to
infectious disease hospitals. The College of Physicians has argued in favor of
administering the vaccine, which it sees as the best solution to fight the
virus.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Mobility
restrictions are in place around the winter holidays in numerous EU states. In
Germany, public gatherings are limited to family members only until Saturday,
while the authorities in the Netherlands have reintroduced the lockdown until
mid-January. Italy is now a red zone, the authorities there have introduced a
series of measures marking the country with a high risk of contamination.
Similar measures were applied in March and April, when the country was
seriously affected by the pandemic. According to our correspondent in Rome,
Italian citizens are forbidden from moving between cities and leaving home
without justified reason. People are nevertheless allowed to attend mass in
Church for Christmas. For four days, stores, restaurants, bars and other venues
remain closed. With the recent discovery of a new strain of COVID-19, the
United Kingdom remains isolated. Dozens of countries have shut down their
borders to British citizens, fearing the spread of the mutated virus.

GOVERNMENT – The new
center-right Government led by Liberal Florin Cîţu is today taking office.
Supported by the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union – PLUS Alliance
and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, the Cabinet was voted on
Wednesday in Parliament and was sworn in later that evening. The top priorities
of the new Government include combating the pandemic and economic recovery.

DIASPORA – One of the priorities
of the Foreign Ministry presented in the governing program for the next four
years is a number of policies focusing on the Diaspora, including increasing
the number of MPs representing Romanians living outside the country’s borders.
A wider section in the Foreign Ministry’s strategy is devoted to Romanians
abroad, and one of the headlines reads the Diaspora is Romania. Over 4
million Romanian citizens currently live in communities in Romania’s vicinity,
accounting for 20% of Romania’s total population. The Ministry also wants to
focus on Romanian citizens born abroad. We will be keeping a record of
Romanian children born abroad and make sure, together with local authorities
and via community centers, that these children are given access to information
on the Romanian language, identity and culture, when and should the parents
give their consent, including by means of a dedicated section of scholarships,
the Ministry also notes.

MOLDOVA – The
Moldovan Parliament on Thursday convened in an extraordinary session to invest
the president elect, pro-Western Maia Sandu, who won the presidential runoff on
November 15, winning 57% of the vote, thus defeating the former head of state,
Socialist Igor Dodon. A former Prime Minister of Moldova, an economist with an
MA in public administration of Harvard University and a former advisor to the
World Bank executive director, Maia Sandu is the first woman to become
president of the Republic of Moldova, three decades after the country
proclaimed its independence from Moscow. Shortly after the investiture, President
Sandu invited Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, on a visit to Chişinău.

BREXIT – The European Union
and Great Britain could finalize a post-Brexit trade deal today, although
negotiations are still underway concerning certain details, Reuters reports.
Member States have still to give their approval over the negotiated fishing
rights, but this will further require a meeting with EU ambassadors. Should EU
members greenlight the negotiated variant, the trade deal will take effect on
January 1, 2021 on a temporary basis, pending the ratification from the
European Parliament. (V. Palcu)

24 December 2020
June 7, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN
ROMANIA – Over 20.500 COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in Romania, over 14.600
people have officially recovered and the latest death toll has climbed to
1.326. According to the Group for Strategic Communication, some 3.304 Romanians
living abroad have tested positive for the virus and 114 have died. Most of
these cases are reported in Italy, while most deaths were reported in the UK,
over 40, considering the total number of infections in the UK is below 100. In
another move, Health Minister Nelu Tataru said a potential second wave of the
pandemic will be less deadly than the first. It is the Romanian Health
Minister’s belief that life will return to quasi-normal parameters by late July
– early August, should the population continue observing precautionary
regulations.

REPATRIATIONS – The Foreign Ministry says some 365
Romanian citizens have been repatriated from Great Britain, the Netherlands and
Jordan, via three special flights operated by the national passenger airliner
TAROM. Most of them are students, navigation crew, medical staff and people who
couldn’t extend their stay abroad for various reasons. Previously, 346 Romanian
nationals were returned to Romania from France, Italy and Belgium on June 5.
The action was part of a wider series of efforts to repatriate Romanians who
have been affected abroad by COVID-19 measures and flight restrictions.

COVID-19 IN THE
WORLD – Some 7 million people all over the world have been infected with SARS
CoV2 while over 400 thousand people have died to the virus, Reuters reports.
Some 3.5 million people have recovered. Brazil, one of the countries gravely
affected by the virus, decided to eliminate all data regarding the evolution of
COVID-19 in this country from the official website that has been monitoring the
outbreak. President Jair Bolsonaro explained the figures do not reflect
reality. Brazil has the second-largest number of infections, some 667 thousand,
and has reported over 36 thousand deaths.

TAROM – The national
airline company TAROM will reintroduce return flights to London starting
Monday. In a Facebook post, the company writes that only Romanian nationals
will be able to board in flights to Bucharest, while flights headed to London
will receive British citizens only. Also starting Monday travellers arriving in
the UK will undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

TOURISM – Employers in
the hospitality industry are calling on the Government to lift all restrictions
and reopen restaurants and cafes to interior service. In an open letter, employers
say the absence of this measure would make them incur 30% losses, tantamount to
some €6 billion. The second phase of easing lockdown restrictions would boost
partner sector, such as produce providers, soft drinks distributors, meat and
milk processors, bakeries and other types of providers, which together account
for 5% of Romania’s GDP.

REPO LINE – The European Central Bank and
the National Bank of Romania have agreed to set up a new repo line to address
possible euro liquidity needs in the presence of market dysfunctions due to the
COVID-19 shock. Under the new repo line, the National Bank will be able to borrow up to
€4.5 billion from the ECB in exchange for high-quality euro-denominated
collateral.

PENTECOST – Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians around the world, including
Romania, on Sunday celebrated the Pentecost, marking the descent of the Holy
Spirit upon the Apostles of Jesus Christ, 50 days after Easter, as well as the
foundation of the early Christian Church. According to the New Testament, the
12 apostles received the Holy Spirit, which allowed them to speak languages
never before spoken. Peter’s sermon led to the baptism of three thousand souls.
Orthodox believers received sanctified walnut leaves, symbolizing the flames of
the Holy Spirit resting on the heads of the Apostles. Thousands of tourists
enjoyed the Pentecost miniholiday in mountain or seacoast resorts or in the
Danube Delta, which according to travel agencies was 80% booked.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)

7 June 2020
May 22, 2020

MEETING – President Klaus Iohannis is today chairing a meeting reviewing the
economic situation in the context of the coronavirus crisis, the Presidency
reports. Attending are Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, National Bank Governor
Mugur Isarescu and Finance Minister Florin Citu. On Thursday, the Government
adopted a series of measures to support Romanian businesses with over 100,000
employees, large energy consumers, as well as farmers, by extending the
deadline for filing the single payment form by June 15. Moreover, the
Government will provide over 2 million people with protection masks. The
categories include pensioners and people with disabilities. Under the
newly-decreed state of alert, the wearing of face masks is mandatory in
enclosed spaces, public means of transportation and at work.

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The total number of confirmed infections
with the COVID-19 virus stands at 17.712, of which some 10.800 people have
recovered. 1.159 people have died, while 200 patients are still in intensive
care, the Group for Strategic Communication announced earlier today. The
Bucharest City Hall has launched an online platform where some 11,000 people
living in Bucharest can sign up for voluntary testing against COVID-19. A
second testing project will kick off next week and will be addressing 10.500
people. Both are aimed at measuring the spread of the virus in the capital
city.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Some 5.2 million people around the world
have been infected with the coronavirus, and over 334 thousand have died. Some
2 million people have recovered. The United States is the most affected
country, with nearly 1.6 million confirmed cases and some 95.000 deaths.
President Donald Trump ordered flags to fly at half-staff to honor the coronavirus
victims. The Russian Federation is the second-most affected country in the
world, some 317 thousand infected, followed by Brazil with 310 thousand. Europe
continues to report the highest number of victims, over 170,000, whereas the
updated death toll could be much bigger. Italy may have a higher number of
deaths than officially reported. The Italian Social Security Institute
yesterday announced that an additional 19,000 people could have died in their
homes, without having been tested for COVID-19, compared to the official figure
announced by the Civil Protection, namely 32,000 dead.

REPATRIATIONS -
The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced that over May 21-24 seven
flights will be set up to European states to bring home Romanian nationals with
temporary stay permits who have been affected by the measures adopted by other
states to prevent the pandemic from spreading. 5 flights will head to Spain,
one to France and one to Great Britain. Yesterday the Ministry announced 306
Romanian nationals and six foreign citizens who worked on cruise ships in North
America and the Caribbean have been returned to the country.

BORDER – The
Nadlac border crossing point reported heavy traffic today as well, despite all
border crossing points having been opened yesterday on the Hungarian border.
Wait times were close to 90 minutes this morning on both ways, considering
thorough checks are being carried out to prevent the COVID-19 virus from
spreading. The Hungarian authorities have shut down two border crossing points
in Satu Mare County. The decision follows Thursday’s announcement by the
Romanian Border Police, according to which Romanian citizens can now use a
number of crossing points, including the two in question. The Satu Mare Border
Police says the two points are open only to freight traffic, commuters,
students and medical emergencies.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

22 May 2020
Missile Defence and Security Threats

All it took was a tiny spark from the US, for Russia to blow things
out of proportion. The US President Donald Trump announced his country would
pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) signed with
Moscow in 1987, and which, according to the White House, has been repeatedly
violated by Russia for years. Vladimir Putin was quick to react, and claimed
the decision to denounce the treaty would lead to a new arms race. Hinting at
dangerous, even apocalyptic future scenarios, according to some of his aides,
Putin threatened with a quick and effective response in kind. Those European
countries that would agree to station US missiles would expose their territory
to the threat of a possible retaliatory strike, Putin added, and said he was
hoping to discuss the issue with President Trump during their meeting in Paris
on November 11.

Meanwhile, Romania, which feels targeted directly by these
statements, given that under the NATO umbrella the USA has activated in
Deveselu, southern Romania, a missile shield base equipped with missile
interceptors able to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles while they are still
in space, responded to Putin’s statements. According to the Romanian Foreign
Ministry Russia’s mentioning this system in the context of the dispute on the
INF is completely irrelevant. Moreover, Moscow’s aggressive rhetoric is
unwarranted and counterproductive, given that Kremlin has received long ago all
the necessary assurances and explanations both from Romania, and the
North-Atlantic Alliance. Still, Bucharest reiterates them now, and says the
missile shield is purely defensive and complies with all international
commitments.

Following these new threats targeting European countries, and
precisely in order to remind President Putin that NATO stands by its members,
the Alliance initiated in Norway on Thursday the biggest military drills since
the Cold War, simulating a response to an attack on one of the Allies. Taking
part in the manoeuvres, known as Trident Juncture and scheduled to end on
November 7, are 50,000 troops, 250 aircraft, 65 vessels and 10,000 land
vehicles from 31 NATO member and partner states. NATO does not want a conflict,
but it is prepared to protect all its members against any threat, the
organisation’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said. Moscow retorted
quickly, describing the exercise as provocative and anti-Russian.

(Translated by A.M. Popescu)

26 October 2018
August 10, 2018 UPDATE

PROTEST – Some 100,000 people on Friday protested in front of the Government building in Bucharest, joining in the rally of Romanians living in the Diaspora. Protesters called for the demise of the Government and early elections. Violent clashes have been reported between protesters and gendarmes. The riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The Police said groups of instigators infiltrated the crowds in front of the Government building who assaulted riot police officers. Hundreds of people required medical care. The authorities prepared for a large number of participants in the event, and have deployed an appropriate security detail to ensure public order. The gendarmes urged protesters to refrain from any acts of violence. Similar actions on a large scale in solidarity with the rally in Bucharest were held in Brasov, Sibiu, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca and Baia Mare. In a message on social media, President Klaus Iohannis has condemned the riot polices “disproportionate use of force on Friday and called on Interior Minister Carmen Dan to provide an immediate explanation for her management of the situation.

PENSIONS – Romanian Labor Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu presented publicly the new pension bill in the public sector. The document was published on Thursday on the ministry website, announcing higher pensions and the elimination of inequities in the system. It also provides for pensions to be paid out function of individual contributions. It also states that people who have worked the same amount of time but retired at different times receive the same amount in retirement benefits. The pension reference point is supposed to be raised incrementally by 70% until 2021 up from 1,100 lei as it is at present. The bill is supposed to be submitted to Parliament for debate next month, enabling it to come into effect, if voted on 1 January 2019.

APPLICATIONS – The Justice Ministry on Friday launched the procedure for appointing the new Romanian judge at the European Union Court of Law. Applications must be submitted until August 24. According to the ministry, applicants must also include an affidavit showing they never worked as agents or informers of the political police and are not working as undercover agents of intelligence services. Accepted applications will be followed by an interview before the Committee presided by the Justice Minister over September 11-12. Romania is one of the nine member states designated to appoint an additional judge at the European Union Court of Law. Member States are invited to make their proposals for the seats left vacant before October 1, 2018. The nine judges will start their term in office on September 1, 2019.

REACTION – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has expressed its deep concern with the escalation of violence in Gaza on the Israeli border. The Foreign Ministry calls on all parties involved to prevent the situation from further escalating. At the same time, the Ministry has expressed support for international efforts to bring all hostilities to a halt. Over the last few days the Israeli army has launched air strikes on 150 targets in Gaza in reaction to Gazas missile attack on Israel. Several people died and scores were wounded in the conflict.

AGRICULTURE – Nearly a quarter of Romanias population was employed in agriculture in 2017, placing Romania in top position at EU level, where the agriculture employment average stands at 4.5%, according to data released by Eurostat. Romania has 24% of its population employed in the agriculture sector, followed by Bulgaria with 19%, Greece with 11% and Poland with 10%. As regards employment in the industry sector, last year the Czech Republic had the largest employment share, 36%, followed by Slovakia and Poland, both with 31%, and Romania with 30%.

SWINE FEVER VIRUS – The number of African swine fever hotbeds in Romania has reached 645, located in eight counties in the northwest and the southeast, the National Health and Food Safety Authority has announced on Friday. Over 83,000 pigs from pig farms and households were slaughtered. Animal owners will be compensated for their losses, as additional funds have been earmarked under the new budget adjustment bill to eradicate the disease. In Giurgiulesti, the Republic of Moldova, an automatic mobile disinfection system was set up, in the context of the disease spreading to neighboring Moldova. The system disinfects all vehicles entering Moldova, both from Romania and Ukraine. Since early 2016, a total of 15 swine fever hotbeds were identified in Moldova.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

11 August 2018
August 10, 2018 UPDATE

PROTEST – Some 100,000 people on Friday protested in front of the Government building in Bucharest, joining in the rally of Romanians living in the Diaspora. Protesters called for the demise of the Government and early elections. Violent clashes have been reported between protesters and gendarmes. The riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The Police said groups of instigators infiltrated the crowds in front of the Government building who assaulted riot police officers. Hundreds of people required medical care. The authorities prepared for a large number of participants in the event, and have deployed an appropriate security detail to ensure public order. The gendarmes urged protesters to refrain from any acts of violence. Similar actions on a large scale in solidarity with the rally in Bucharest were held in Brasov, Sibiu, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca and Baia Mare. In a message on social media, President Klaus Iohannis has condemned the riot polices “disproportionate use of force on Friday and called on Interior Minister Carmen Dan to provide an immediate explanation for her management of the situation.

PENSIONS – Romanian Labor Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu presented publicly the new pension bill in the public sector. The document was published on Thursday on the ministry website, announcing higher pensions and the elimination of inequities in the system. It also provides for pensions to be paid out function of individual contributions. It also states that people who have worked the same amount of time but retired at different times receive the same amount in retirement benefits. The pension reference point is supposed to be raised incrementally by 70% until 2021 up from 1,100 lei as it is at present. The bill is supposed to be submitted to Parliament for debate next month, enabling it to come into effect, if voted on 1 January 2019.

APPLICATIONS – The Justice Ministry on Friday launched the procedure for appointing the new Romanian judge at the European Union Court of Law. Applications must be submitted until August 24. According to the ministry, applicants must also include an affidavit showing they never worked as agents or informers of the political police and are not working as undercover agents of intelligence services. Accepted applications will be followed by an interview before the Committee presided by the Justice Minister over September 11-12. Romania is one of the nine member states designated to appoint an additional judge at the European Union Court of Law. Member States are invited to make their proposals for the seats left vacant before October 1, 2018. The nine judges will start their term in office on September 1, 2019.

REACTION – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has expressed its deep concern with the escalation of violence in Gaza on the Israeli border. The Foreign Ministry calls on all parties involved to prevent the situation from further escalating. At the same time, the Ministry has expressed support for international efforts to bring all hostilities to a halt. Over the last few days the Israeli army has launched air strikes on 150 targets in Gaza in reaction to Gazas missile attack on Israel. Several people died and scores were wounded in the conflict.

AGRICULTURE – Nearly a quarter of Romanias population was employed in agriculture in 2017, placing Romania in top position at EU level, where the agriculture employment average stands at 4.5%, according to data released by Eurostat. Romania has 24% of its population employed in the agriculture sector, followed by Bulgaria with 19%, Greece with 11% and Poland with 10%. As regards employment in the industry sector, last year the Czech Republic had the largest employment share, 36%, followed by Slovakia and Poland, both with 31%, and Romania with 30%.

SWINE FEVER VIRUS – The number of African swine fever hotbeds in Romania has reached 645, located in eight counties in the northwest and the southeast, the National Health and Food Safety Authority has announced on Friday. Over 83,000 pigs from pig farms and households were slaughtered. Animal owners will be compensated for their losses, as additional funds have been earmarked under the new budget adjustment bill to eradicate the disease. In Giurgiulesti, the Republic of Moldova, an automatic mobile disinfection system was set up, in the context of the disease spreading to neighboring Moldova. The system disinfects all vehicles entering Moldova, both from Romania and Ukraine. Since early 2016, a total of 15 swine fever hotbeds were identified in Moldova.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

11 August 2018
August 2, 2018

VISIT — British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson is today paying an official visit to Romania. He is meeting with his Romanian counterpart, Mihai Fifor. The two will visit Airbase 57 in Mihail Kogalniceanu, southeastern Romania, where they will meet with the flying and technical crews of the four Typhoon fighter jets of the British Air Forces, as well as with the Romanian military personnel at the base. A British military brigade comprising 160 soldiers is in Mihail Kogalniceanu until late August to undergo air policing missions under NATO command. Mihai Fifor and Gavin Williamson previously met in June on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO Defense Ministers hosted by the Alliance’s main headquarters.

SWINE FEVER VIRUS — The owners of the animals slaughtered for being suspected of carrying the African swine fever virus will be compensated in the amount of 2 euros per kilogram, the National Food Safety Authority president Geronimo Branescu has announced. The authorities have called on the population to cooperate in order to prevent the spreading of this virus, for which no vaccine or treatment has yet been found. The number of swine fever holes is nearing 550, of which only 3 were identified in pig farms, while the remaining in local households.

EXTREME HEAT — The Romanian Foreign Ministry has issued several travel warnings for Greece, France, Portugal and Spain, currently affected by extreme weather phenomena. Greece, a popular holiday destination for Romanians, will see heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, hail and strong wind. Central and northern Portugal are today under a code red alert against extreme heat, in place until August 4. Temperatures are expected to hit 42 degrees in southern France until August 5. Meteorologists have also announced highs of up to 46 degrees Celsius in southwestern Spain. In Italy too, the Health Ministry has decreed a code red alert against extreme heat for 18 cities, including Bologna, Brescia, Florence, Milan, Rome and Venice. The wave of heat has also hit northern Europe, with Finland reporting the highest temperatures in the last hundred years.

HOLOCAUST — The “Elie Wiesel” Institute is todaying paying homage to the victims of the Roma genocide during the Holocaust. Over 74 years ago, some 3,000 Roma were exterminated in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. On this occasion, the National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania warns that discrimination and racism are still affecting societies. In 2015 the European Parliament decreed August 2 as the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day.

UNTOLD — The famous electronic music festival Untold kicks off today in Cluj-Napoca, central Romania. Some 350,000 people from Romania and another 75 countries are expected to attend the festival until August 5. This year organizers have set up 10 stages to host the 250 artists who will perform live, including The Chainsmokers, Armin van Buuren, Tiesto, Tujamo and Afrojack. Authorities say they have taken all measures in order to make Untold the safest festival in Europe. Over 1,100 gendarmes, police officers, firefighters and medical staff will ensure public safety and provide emergency care. Scores of video surveillance cameras have been set up around the stages.

FOOTBALL — Romanian champions CFR Cluj have been ousted from Champions League after drawing 1-all against Swedish side Malmo FF in the return leg of the second preliminary round. In the first leg CFR had lost nil-1. Romania’s champions will now play in the third preliminary round of Europa League, where they are expected to play either Sutjeska Niksic of Montenegro or Alashkert of Armenia. Also in Europa League, Romania’s vice-champions FCSB are today taking on NK Rudar Velenje of Slovenia in the second leg of the second preliminary round. In the first leg FCSB had won 2-nil. In the same phase of the competition, Viitorul Constanta is playing Vitesse Arnhem of the Netherlands. The first leg ended 2-all. Romanian Cup winners CSU Craiova will compete directly in the third round.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

2 August 2018
The Week in Review, February 26 – March 4

Reactions to the scenario concerning a two-speed Europe

On Wednesday, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker presented 5 potential scenarios regarding the future of the EU after Brexit. The so-called ‘white paper’ marks the beginning of a process through which the 27 EU members will decide together the future of the Union. The paper analyses the way in which Europe will change in the next ten years, from the impact of new technologies on society and jobs, to doubts concerning globalization, security threats and the rise of populism. The five scenarios range from the EU becoming nothing but the single market to the possibility of a federalized Europe. One of the scenarios is that of a multi-speed Europe, with some of the member countries developing faster, without forcing the community bloc to follow the same pace. The option has already raised concern in the east, including in Romania. Bucharest stands against a multi-speed Europe, as Romanian authorities believe that such a differentiated integration might widen the economic and social gaps between the member countries. In Brussels, the Romanian MEP Victor Bostinaru called for a political debate at national level on the concept of a double-speed Europe. The issue was also tackled by Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis during the meeting he had with the Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat, whose country is holding the six-month rotating presidency of the Union. The head of state stood firmly against the idea of a multi-speed Europe, saying that such a reconfiguration formula might lead to the dismantling of the Union. Both the president and Prime Minister Grindeanu stressed the need for a unitary stand on maintaining the single market and the rights of the European citizens in Great Britain, after the Brexit. The two prime-ministers also discussed the preparation process for Romania’s taking over the rotating presidency of the EU in the first half of 2019.

Attracting more European funding — a priority for the Grindeanu Government

The main priority of the Romanian government is to attract European funds worth 5.2 billion Euros by the end of this year, according to the Minister of Regional Development Sevil Shhaideh, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister of Romania. Romania lost 3.5 billion worth of EU funds that it could have accessed between 2007-2013. From the 30 billion Euro budget earmarked for the 2014-2020 financial framework, Romania has only managed to spend one percent. At European level, the absorption rate stands at some 3% for the 2014-2020 period. In Warsaw, where he attended the meeting of the ministers in charge with cohesion policy of the Visegrad countries, plus Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia, the Romanian Minister for European Funds Rovana Plumb said that the cohesion policy after 2020 should remain the main investment pillar at EU level. Plumb also said that a strong and effective cohesion policy would generate a smart and sustainable growth, favouring inclusion in all Europe’s regions.

Investigation into the double standards used for foodstuffs sold in eastern and western Europe

The existence of double standards regarding the quality of food products sold in eastern and western Europe will be checked by the Romanian authorities as well, the Romanian Agriculture Minister Petre Daea has announced. The decision was made following accusations by several east European governments, according to which some food producers include in the products they sell in central and eastern Europe ingredients that are cheaper than those used in the West, although prices are the same. European legislation does not ban this practice, but the EU requires that the ingredients used must be clearly indicated on packaging. Producers say that the differences in composition are just a matter of local taste. The leaders of the countries members of the Visegrad Group, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, want the EU to take firm measures against the food producers who include ingredients of poorer quality in the products sold on the markets of the poorer member countries.

The Romanian Foreign Minister’s visit to Budapest

Early this week, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu paid a visit to Budapest, where he met with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto and with the Prime Minister Viktor Orban. During talks, the officials stressed the idea that the relation between Romania and Hungary must become a model, including for other countries in the region. The Romanian Foreign Minister said that the parties were considering a joint session of the two governments, preceded by a session of the Joint Romanian — Hungarian Collaboration Commission. The Hungarian Minister said that dialogue was needed in the relation between Bucharest and Budapest, and voiced hope that sensitive issues, such as the minorities’ situation, would be settled. Melescanu’s agenda also included a meeting with representatives of the Romanian community in Hungary and, as a first for a Romanian minister, a speech given at the annual meting of Hungarian diplomacy.

4 March 2017
July 16, 2016

According to the latest toll, at least 265 people were killed and over 1,1440 wounded in the attempted military coup on Friday to Saturday night in Turkey. Fire exchanges and explosions were reported both in the capital Ankara and in Istanbul. The headquarters of the Turkish secret services seem to have been one of the attackers targets. Also, the Army Chief of Staff was taken hostage, but then released. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that the government is controlling the country. More than 2,800 army staff have been arrested for involvement in the attempted coup. The US and the EU have voiced their support for the Turkish government. An emergency parliament meeting is held today.

Romanias President Klaus Iohannis is in permanent contact with the competent Romanian authorities with regard to the situation in Turkey, a strategic partner to Romania and a NATO ally, the presidential administration has announced. According to the presidential release, Turkeys stability, on the basis of a full respect for democracy and the democratically elected authorities is important to regional, European and international security. In another move, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that a crisis cell has been activated to analyse the most effective ways to provide consular assistance to the Romanian citizens currently on Turkish soil and also the political implications of the recent events. The Foreign Ministry recommends Romanian citizens to avoid travelling to and around Turkey. No Romanian victims have been reported so far. A team of the Romanian Consulate in Istanbul is at the Ataturk International Airport to help the Romanians there. The ground border between Turkey and Bulgaria has been closed at the exit to Turkey.

Four men close to the Tunisian who committed the attack in Nice have been arrested, according to a French judicial source. Out of the four, whose identities have not been disclosed, one was arrested on Friday and the other three on Saturday. The former wife of the attacker has also been arrested. The French President Francois Holland has decreed three days of national mourning, in memory of the 84 people who were killed in Nice, in the attack claimed by the Islamic State terrorist organisation. A Franco-Tunisian man driving a 25-tonne lorry ram through the crowds who had gathered on the citys waterfront for a firework display to celebrate Frances National Day. Around 100 people sustained injuries, including two Romanian nationals. The UN Security Council has described the attack as “barbaric”, while US president Barack Obama has said his country stands in solidarity with France, its oldest ally. In Bucharest, president Klaus Iohannis has sent a message of condolence to the grieving families and has said that the scourge of terrorism, which seeks to plant fear and despair, will not succeed in dividing Europe in its fight for and belief in freedom and democracy.

Alongside Spain, Romania has proposed the setting up of an international court against terrorism. The initiative was set forth at the Asia-Europe summit in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator and was supported by several countries, said the Romanian PM Dacian Ciolos. He has also stated that this is aimed at strengthening the international communitys capacity to react in such situations. 50 heads of state and government from European and Asian countries attending the Asia-Europe Summit discussed the current economic situation, climate change, the fight against terror and migration. On the sidelines of the summit, the Romanian Prime Minister had several meetings with counterparts from the participating countries. Previously, Ciolos went to Vietnam, in a bid to relaunch bilateral economic and cultural relations.

The Davis Cup second-round match between Romania and Spain continues today in Cluj, north-western Romania, with the double between Horia Tecau/Florin Mergea and Marc Lopez/Pablo Carreno. After the first day of the meting, Spain is two wins ahead Romania. On Friday, Marius Copil was defeated by Feliciano Lopes 2-3, and Adrian Ungur lost to Roberto Bautista, 0-3. Sunday will see the last games between Copil – Bautista and Ungur – Lopez respectively. The winning team will get to the World Group play-offs in autumn, and the runner-up will remain in Group I. In another development, the best Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no. 5 in the WTA rankings, defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in the quarter finals of the BRD Bucharest Open and qualified for the semi-finals. Halep is the only Romanian still in the competition, a tournament with 250,000 dollars in prize money.

The Romanian national womens handball team won the bronze medal a the Under-20 World Championship in Moscow, after defeating Germany on Friday, 26-25. In the semi-finals the Romanian players lost 25-28 to Denmark. Early this month, the Romanian mens team won the World University Handball Championship in Malaga, Spain, and the womens team got silver at the same competition.

16 July 2016