Radio România Internațional

Tag: Gaza

  • February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    ELECTIONS The Central Electoral Bureau of Romania announced that it decided on Saturday to admit the registration of the Protocol on the establishment of the electoral alliance “Romania Forward”, signed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), in the ruling coalition, in order to support Crin Antonescu’s candidacy in the presidential elections. Antonescu is also backed by the group of ethnic minorities in the Romanian Parliament. The Central Electoral Bureau for the election of the president of Romania in May was selected on Friday. The Bureau is made up of 5 judges with the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the president and vice-presidents of the Permanent Electoral Authority and one representative of each party in Parliament. Parties, political or electoral alliances, ethnic minority organisations and independent candidates will be able to submit their candidacies by March 15, after which the Central Electoral Bureau is to rule on their validity. The election campaign begins on April 4 and ends on May 3, with the vote scheduled on May 4 and the second round on May 18. In December the Constitutional Court cancelled the presidential election over foreign interference in the electoral process. Thousands of Romanians, supporters of the independent sovereigntist candidate Călin Georgescu, who came out first in the first election round in December, took to the streets again in Bucharest on Saturday to demand that the elections be resumed with the second round.

     

    MIDDLE EAST Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan said on Saturday that Romania welcomes the release of the 6 Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza, one of whom has dual, Israeli and Romanian citizenship. “We take this opportunity to reiterate our support for implementing the ceasefire agreement and releasing the hostages, as well as for the urgent provision of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza,” president Bolojan posted on social media. He also mentioned that Romania thanks the US, Qatar, Israel and Egypt for the efforts made to free the hostages. On Saturday, Hamas handed over the last 6 hostages in a first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Israel in Gaza, which provided for the release of a total of 33 captives. Hamas, in turn, receives over 700 Palestinian prisoners from Israel.

     

    RATING Fitch has sent a clear signal that Romania must carry on its fiscal consolidation measures and restore budgetary balance, in order to improve its fiscal credibility, the finance minister Tanczos Barna said after the international financial rating agency announced on Friday that it is keeping Romania in the investment grade category. In a statement, the agency confirmed Romania’s long-term rating at ‘BBB minus’, with a negative outlook. According to Fitch, the rating relies on the country’s EU membership and capital inflows that contribute to public revenues and macro-stability. The gross domestic product per capita and the governance and human development indicators are also higher than in countries in the same rating category, the agency explains. These strengths are overshadowed, however, by a significant deterioration of public finances and a sharp slowdown in economic growth in 2024. Adding to this is a possible adverse effect of political uncertainty. In December last year, Fitch announced that it had downgraded the outlook assigned to Romania from stable to negative. The same announcement came later from Standard & Poor’s.

     

    ENERGY Electricity and natural gas tariffs could be offset in Romania even after April 1, when the current aid scheme is set to expire. The energy ministry has posted for public review a draft act extending the capping period, under which the scheme for electricity is extended until July 1, and for natural gas by one year, until April 1, 2026. The capping extension proposal comes as prices on European electricity and gas exchanges have increased significantly, and also as the low temperatures in Romania this winter entailed a significant increase in consumption. As a result, the line minister Sebastian Burduja announced that the government had decided to protect Romanians and support the competitiveness of Romanian companies. After the energy market was deregulated on January 1, 2021, Romania was among the European countries the most severely affected by record-high electricity and natural gas prices. Thanks to the government’s price capping decisions, households and businesses were protected from excessive prices.

     

    GERMANY Germany holds federal elections on Sunday that are crucial to the country’s future, as the far-right is on the rise and the economy is heading for a third year of recession. The vote comes after the coalition of the Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens led by the Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed late last year. According to polls, the Conservatives are expected to win. With the far-right in second place in the polls, however, analysts say that in order to govern, the Conservatives will have to reach a compromise with the Social Democrats or the Greens, overcoming their differences.

     

    AIRCRAFT US aircraft deployed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu base (southeastern Romania) are performing low-altitude training flights in and around Constanţa County these days, the Romanian Air Forces announced. They say that the exercises will continue until February 28 and promised that all safety measures have been taken to reduce the noise impact on civilians. Officials say that these trainings aim to increase the response capacity of aeronautical personnel.

     

    CORRUPTION A company and 2 individuals are prosecuted in a case handled by the Romanian National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), together with investigators from the US Department of Defence, the DNA announced today. The company owned by a Greek national has allegedly bribed a foreign official to get a EUR 9 mln contract to refuel aircraft at the NATO military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu. Two other individuals are suspected of complicity in continuing bribery in connection with an official of a foreign country.

     

    HANDBALL CS Minaur Baia Mare qualified for the quarterfinals of the men’s handball competition EHF European Cup, although they were defeated by the Finnish team BK-46, 32-31, on Saturday, in Karis, in the second leg of the round of 16. Minaur also played the first match in Finland, on Friday, winning 33-30. Last season, Minaur Baia Mare reached the semifinals of the European Cup. (AMP)

  • February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    MIDDLE EAST Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan said on Saturday that Romania welcomes the release of the 6 Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza, one of whom has dual, Israeli and Romanian citizenship. “We take this opportunity to reiterate our support for implementing the ceasefire agreement and releasing the hostages, as well as for the urgent provision of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza,” president Bolojan posted on social media. He also mentioned that Romania thanks the US, Qatar, Israel and Egypt for the efforts made to free the hostages. On Saturday, Hamas handed over the last 6 hostages in a first phase of the ceasefire agreement with Israel in Gaza, which provided for the release of a total of 33 captives. Hamas, in turn, receives over 700 Palestinian prisoners from Israel.

  • February 18, 2025

    February 18, 2025

    VOTE Over 4 thousand applications have been registered on the webpage of the Permanent Election Authority for postal voting in the presidential election in Romania in May. The registration deadline for postal voting is March 20 and to cast a ballot in a certain polling station, March 4. The election period for the presidential voting kicks off this week on February 20 when the Central Election Bureau is set up. Candidacies can be submitted until March 15 and the election campaign kicks off on April 4.

    MEETING The Russian and American Foreign Ministers are today meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to prepare a high-level summit between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in an attempt to re-launch the relationship after three years of Russia’s isolation due to its invasion of Ukraine. According to the international press the talks are causing unrest among Washington’s European allies, concerned about the fact that the rapprochement between the two super-powers is taking place without their involvement and will have as a result a peace treaty imposed on Ukraine. President Zelenskyy says he is not going to accept any outcome of the Russian-American talks held in the absence of Kyiv, and the European leaders who convened in an emergency meeting in Paris on Monday said they maintain their support for Ukraine concurrently speeding up their defence. Only some European leaders were invited to the informal meeting hosted by president Macron, such as the German chancellor, the Polish, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and British premiers, as well as the president of the European Council, the head of the European Commission and the NATO Secretary General.

    DIPLOMACY Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, on Tuesday said at the annual meeting of the heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Bucharest that Romania is a democratic state, which continues to take actions to strengthen its institutions and the people’s trust in them. For the upcoming presidential election he pledged a free, fair and transparent election process. “Romania has a ruling coalition, which ensures the country’s stability”, the president says adding that Romania’s foreign policy will maintain its normal course as an EU and NATO member with a strategic partnership with the USA being also open to cooperation with all the partners sharing the same values and principles. According to Bolojan, Russia’s aggression in the neighboring country must stop and a ceasefire followed by just and sustainable peace is an objective, which must be observed not only by the parties involved, but also by the entire international community.  Bolojan also went on to say that the support for the ex-soviet, Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova is a duty and this state’s resilience must be strengthened in the context of the parliamentary election in 2025.

    GAZA Israel is getting ready to receive the last six alive Israeli hostages, as envisaged by the first stage of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. We recall that Hamas caved in to pressure from the brokering Arab countries and is going to transfer the bodies of some Israeli hostages who died in captivity, on Thursday. The last four bodies are to be transferred next Thursday. The next stages, providing for the permanent end of the war and the reconstruction of the enclave destroyed by bombardments are still under a question mark after Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday voiced readiness to endorse the US president Donald Trump’s plan, which rules out the Hamas movement and the Palestinian Authority from the future of the Gaza Strip. According to Radio Romania correspondent in Israel, many Arab countries started coming up with their proposals, aimed at avoiding the relocation of the Palestinian population from the enclave, as envisaged by the US plan.

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  • January 20, 2025

    January 20, 2025

    HOSTAGES The next release of the Israeli hostages kidnapped by the Palestinian Hamas terrorists and transferred to the Gaza Strip will take place next Saturday, when four persons are to be freed – Radio Romania correspondent in Israel says. Three Israeli female hostages were released on Sunday after 15 months of captivity since the Hamas terrorist attack, which led to the war in Gaza. One of the hostages also has Romanian citizenship and another one is of Romanian descent. Authorities in Bucharest hail the release of the first round of hostages upon the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

     

    FAIR Romania is being represented this week at the ”Green Week” exhibition in Berlin, the Agriculture Ministry in Bucharest says. Until January 26, the Romanian stand will be offering samples of Romanian natural food, such as cheese, meat, honey, dairy and bakery products, several types of brandy, wine and cold-pressed oil registered or under registration with European quality systems. Last year, the Green Week event in Berlin was visited by 300 thousand people.

     

    TRUMP The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, is to kick off today his second mandate at the White House, after being sworn in at the US Capitol. Trump is planning to issue dozens of executive actions – more than 100 just on day 1 – including some aimed at ramping up US energy production, tightening border security reeling in regulations and other top policy priorities. Trump pledges to build an anti-missile system to protect the USA as well as the declassification of the files on the assassinations of the former president John F. Kennedy, his brother, Robert Kennedy, and civil-rights activist, Martin Luther King. All the three murders sparked off conspiracy theories that have been around for more than five decades. Relaxed environment protection initiatives and stepped-up petroleum extraction are also among the measures pledged by the new administration.

     

    SESSION Romania’s government coalition has convened today to asses a series of opinion polls on people’s voting intentions for the upcoming presidential election. Social-Democrats and Liberals are to also meet this week for separate talks on the joint candidacy of the former PNL president, Crin Antonescu. The present coalition will also tackle today the budget draft this year, which they want to submit for Parliament approval in the first week of February, when the Parliament session is due to begin.

     

    WEATHER The weather is quite warm in most Romanian regions, with temperatures higher than the season’s average. Insignificant periods of flurries and drizzle are expected in some isolated areas in the country’s west, north-west and center. The highs of the day in Bucharest are way above the season’s average reaching up to 9 and 10 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 7 degrees.

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  • Reactions as three Gaza hostages freed

    Reactions as three Gaza hostages freed

     

    Three Israeli hostages were released on Sunday by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, more than 15 months after they were kidnapped in a terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. Israel, in turn, freed 90 Palestinian prisoners, teenagers and women, from its prisons.

     

    It was the first exchange of prisoners after the ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian enclave. Radio Romania’s correspondent in Israel reports that Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, aged between 24 and 31, were released after 471 days of captivity, and adds that, after an initial checkup, the three were taken to a hospital in the center of the country, where they will remain for several days, for full examinations. They seem to have returned to the country in good health.

     

    Doron Steinbrecher, a veterinary assistant, also has Romanian citizenship. Romi Gonen, a dancer, has Romanian roots, as do several hundred thousand other Israelis.

     

    Through its ministry of foreign affairs, Romania welcomes the release of the first Israeli hostages after 15 months in captivity. In a statement, Bucharest thanks all the national stakeholders, including top-level institutions, for their excellent and permanent cooperation.

     

    “The release of the first hostages after the agreement was signed is a time of joy and relief for the families. The ceasefire agreement must be fully implemented in order to ensure the safe return of those still detained and to end the suffering of their families and loved ones, as well as of the civilian population in Gaza. At the same time, the implementation of the agreement paves the way for a lasting peace, which would ensure the security of the region as well as the reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Gaza,” the statement reads.

     

    Romania also praises what it calls the substantial efforts of the United States, Egypt and Qatar in brokering the deal between Israel and Hamas.

     

    Under the agreement, a total of 33 hostages and over a thousand Palestinian prisoners should be released in a first stage. The deal would also increase the volume of humanitarian aid for the population of Gaza, where, since the start of the Israeli military intervention, almost 47,000 people have been killed.

     

    In a second stage, Hamas is to release the last 65 hostages, while Israel is to pull out its troops from the enclave.

     

    According to Romanian mass media, Romania’s Ambassador to Israel Radu Ioanid calls for moderate optimism, because the situation in the Middle East is very fluid, and “what is gray today is pink tomorrow and black the day after.” (AMP)

  • January 19, 2025 UPDATE

    January 19, 2025 UPDATE

    GAZA The Israeli government has nominated 33 hostages to be released by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement that has taken effect. In a first phase, on Sunday, three women were released, including one of Romanian descent and one with dual Israeli and Romanian citizenship. Romania welcomes the release of the first group of hostages, including a Romanian citizen and a person of Romanian descent, President Klaus Iohannis said. ‘We thank all our partners for their support and call for a continued implementation of the agreement and for the return of the remaining hostages to their families,’ the head of state said. Israel’s minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned in protest of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Israeli media report. Ben-Gvir’s far-right and ultranationalist party will leave the governing coalition. After months of deadlock in the 15-month war in Gaza, a three-stage agreement was reached earlier this week. During an initial six-week ceasefire, 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza are to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, while the Israeli army is to pull out of densely populated areas in Gaza. Some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage during the unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas commandos on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel. The Israeli army responded with a large-scale ground offensive followed by air strikes on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, an operation that resulted in more than 46,000 casualties, according to Palestinian authorities.

     

    UNIONS Romanian trade unionists ask the politicians in power to talk directly with the people, because social tensions are high, and the powder keg could explode at any moment. This warning was issued by the Cartel Alfa federation in a statement that says political decision-makers have abandoned open communication with Romanians. The budget deficit must be corrected by improving collection, but the government refuses to take any measures outside of recipes that have proven ineffective for years, Cartel Alfa also says.

     

    JOBS Nearly 33,000 positions are declared vacant by employers in Romania, the National Employment Agency announced. Most of them, over 20,000, are intended for unskilled applicants, another 10,000 jobs require high school, post-secondary school or vocational education, and a little over 1,900 jobs require a degree, including positions as engineers in various sectors, computer programmers, financial and accounting experts or veterinarians. Also, employers from the European Economic Area offer employment through the EURES Romania network; 100 jobs are available in Germany and Spain, and another 27in Austria, Ireland and Malta.

     

    ECONOMY The World Bank has revised downward its outlook for the Romanian economy this year, mainly due to the fiscal consolidation measures recently announced by the government. In its latest global economic outlook report, the World Bank lowers its estimate for Romania’s economic growth rate to 2.1% this year, as against 3.8% forecast in June 2024. Also, in 2026, Romania’s GDP growth is expected to be 2.6% compared to 3.8%, as estimated in June. On the other hand, economic growth in Central Europe is expected to recover to 2.8% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, thanks to robust private demand. Export growth in Central Europe is expected to remain modest due to slow progress in the euro area. The level of investments, especially in Poland and Romania, is expected to improve, thanks to structural reforms and EU funding.

     

    TRADE FAIR Romania takes part in the “Green Week” exhibition in Berlin, the agriculture ministry announced. Until January 26, the national stand presents samples of Romanian products registered or in the process of being registered in European quality systems, meat preparations and cheese varieties, canned vegetables and fruits, bakery products, honey and cold-pressed oils, syrups, wines and spirits. The 2024 “Green Week” event is attended by over 1,400 exhibitors from 60 countries, attracting some 300,000 visitors.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian-Ukrainian pair Gabriela Ruse/Marta Kostiuk qualified for the quarterfinals of the women’s doubles event at the Australian Open on Sunday, after defeating Hanyu Guo (China) / Alexandra Panova (Russia) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10/6). Ruse and Kostiuk have played two Grand Slam women’s doubles semifinals together, one in Melbourne in 2023 and one at Roland Garros in 2024. In the quarterfinals, they will take on Su-Wei Hsieh (Taiwan) and Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia). (AMP)

  • December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    Christmas – For New Rite Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics and Catholics all over the world, including Romania, which has a majority Orthodox population, December 26 is the second day of Christmas, the celebration of the Nativity, one of the biggest in Christianity. On December 26, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, one of the oldest feasts in honor of the Virgin Mary. The holiday was established 1,500 years ago. Christmas is a celebration of generosity and compassion, of the revival of hope for a better future, President Klaus Iohannis wrote on a social network. Christmas is a celebration of joy, and true faith is the one that works through love, says the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made a new call for peace in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Old Rite Orthodox believers, who form the majority in Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Georgia, celebrate Christmas on January 7.

     

    Government – One of the priorities of the new Romanian government is to draft next year’s budget, which seems to be, at the same time, the main difficulty it will face in the assumed effort to reduce expenses. The draft budget is based on a new emergency ordinance regarding fiscal-budgetary measures, which is to be approved in the following days. In includes a large part of the unpopular measures that the government must implement in order to reduce the deficit. Some of the measures are the freezing of salaries and pensions in 2025 or the taxation of large fortunes. The investiture of the new government in Bucharest, made up of the PSD-PNL-UDMR, sent a positive signal to Romanian businessmen and to foreign investors, claims the Prime Minister and social-democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu.

     

    Schengen – As of January 1, 2025, when Romania enters the Schengen free travel area also with land borders, 33 border crossing points with Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as from the Black Sea and the maritime Danube, will be permanently closed, namely 17 road and rail crossing points located on Romania’s western border with Hungary and 14 road crossing points, including ferry crossings, rail and port crossing points on the border with Bulgaria and two port crossing points from Brăila and Cernavodă. The Interior Ministry has put up for debate a draft government decision in this regard. From the beginning of 2025, there will no longer be checks at the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria at the crossing points. Such checks will only be done randomly, based on risk analysis. Lifting controls at the land borders takes place after the so-called partial accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, made at the end of March, when they joined the area only with the air and sea borders.

     

    Recovery and Resilience – At the beginning of this week, Romania received over 37 million Euros from the European Commission as part of the second payment request from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan following the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, Romania has received 9.4 billion Euros out of a total of over 28 and a half billion Euros allocated to it. In mid December, the Romanian Government sent the European Commission the payment request number three, which involves a financing of 2.7 billion Euros. The money is given in the form of grants, and a series of reforms must be carried out in return.

     

    Moldova – The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO, on Wednesday, of trying to turn the Republic of Moldova into a logistics center for the supply of the Ukrainian army and of trying to bring its military infrastructure closer to Russia. Maria Zaharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said that the majority of the population of the Republic of Moldova (mostly Romanian speaking) does not want to join the military alliance. She referred to the extensive arms transfers to Moldova in recent months and to Maia Sandu’s pro-Western views. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis congratulated Maia Sandu on taking over her second mandate. Romania and the Republic of Moldova will continue to work for well-being, stability, European values, resilience and democracy, said Klaus Iohannis. On December 24, Maia Sandu was officially inaugurated as president of the Republic of Moldova. In her speech, she emphasized that European integration and justice reform remain the main objectives in her second term. Despite the regional and global crises, caused by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, external threats and the Kremlin’s energy blackmail, the Republic of Moldova managed to maintain peace and advance on the European path, she said. Maia Sandu is the first woman to hold this position and the first president elected by direct vote, who obtained two mandates.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep forfeited her matches for the WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, and for the Australian Open in which she had to participate in the following period due to some medical problems. ‘I will rest and I intend to participate next in the tournament in Cluj (north-western Romania, February 1-9), where I can’t wait to play in front of the extraordinary Romanian fans,  said Halep, former world number one player. The WTA 250 in Auckland, with total prizes worth 275,094 dollars, is scheduled from December 30 to January 5, while the Australian Open, next year’s first Grand Slam tournament, will be held in Melbourne between 6 and January 26.

     

    Gaza – A Palestinian television channel, affiliated to the Islamic Jihad group, on Thursday announced the death of five of its journalists in an Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip. The people were allegedly killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the center of the Palestinian enclave, ‘while carrying out their journalistic and humanitarian duty’. In turn, the Israeli army stated, on the Telegram network, that it executed ‘a precise strike on a vehicle with an Islamic Jihad terrorist cell on board in the Nuseirat area.’ The Israeli forces claim that before the attack, measures were taken to reduce the risk of hitting civilians. Last week, the Palestinian Union of Journalists announced that more than 190 journalists had been killed and more than 400 wounded since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023.

     

    Rescue – Three Ukrainians lost in the Maramureş Mountains (northern Romania) were rescued after difficult searches. The three crossed the border into Romania in extreme weather conditions and asked the authorities for help. The rescuers expanded the search area after they did not find the lost people at the place they had indicated. An aerial search was not possible due to bad weather, and searches were carried out only on foot. After several hours, the rescuers found the Ukrainians in a dangerous valley, with mild hypothermia, and one with traumas caused by falling in that rugged area. The three were hospitalized. Ukraine invaded by Russian troops has repeatedly reported cases of men dying while trying to flee the country to escape military service. In particular, the mountain river Tisa, which flows along Ukraine’s border with Hungary and Romania, has made numerous victims. (LS)

  • December 2, 2024

    December 2, 2024

     

    ELECTIONS Romania’s new Parliament will be comprised of 7 political parties. In Sunday’s general elections, the Social Democratic Party in power won the largest number of votes, around 22%, followed by the sovereigntist AUR party with roughly 18%, double their figure in the last election 4 years ago. Third comes the National Liberal Party, another member of the ruling coalition for the past 4 years, which won some 14% of the votes, and 4th is the right-of-centre USR party, with around 12%. The 5% parliamentary threshold was also made by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, the extremist party S.O.S. Romania led by the controversial MEP Diana Șoșoacă, and the newly founded sovereigntist Young People’s Party (POT). The turnout was over 52%, the highest in the last 20 years. Outside Romania, some 800,000 Romanian nationals voted, 3 times more than in the previous parliamentary election.

     

    COURT The Constitutional Court of Romania is expected to decide today whether to validate or cancel the first round of the presidential election of November 24. On Thursday, the Constitutional Court judges requested the recount of all ballots, after receiving a complaint that votes obtained by a candidate who had withdrawn from the race at the last minute had been transferred to another contender. The recount decision was criticized by most of the candidates in the race, who warned that a possible cancellation of the November 24 election would generate tensions and instability. If the Constitutional Court validates the first round, the second round will take place on Sunday, December 8 between the top two candidates – Călin Georgescu, running independently and widely seen as a pro-Russian extremist, and the president of the USR party (opposition), Elena Lasconi.

     

    NATIONAL DAY Romania’s National Day, marked on December 1, was celebrated on Sunday throughout the country with parades, military and religious ceremonies, shows, artistic events, and fireworks. The traditional parade took place in the capital city, attended by over 2,500 Romanian and foreign military personnel. President Klaus Iohannis, who hosted his last National Day reception as head of state, sent a message of unity and solidarity to overcome crises and move forward with dignity.

     

    GAUDEAMUS The Gaudeamus Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania, takes place between December 4 and 8. This year’s edition has the writer Mircea Cărtărescu as honorary president. The official opening of the 31st edition takes place on Wednesday, December 4, at Radio Romania’s stand at the fair. The 200 participants have prepared hundreds of events on this occasion.

     

    PARDON The outgoing US President Joe Biden has announced that he has pardoned his 54-year-old son Hunter, who was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm, of lying to prosecutors, and who pleaded guilty to tax fraud. When he took office, Biden promised not to interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making. Now, the president, who leaves office on January 25, says Hunter Biden was selectively and unfairly prosecuted simply because he is his son. President-elect Donald Trump, a Republican, has described the move as an abuse.

     

    AID The UK will increase by GBP 19 mln its humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the situation is “catastrophic”, the British international development minister, Anneliese Dodds said ahead of traveling to Cairo for a conference on the subject, AFP reports. Dodds says that the people of Gaza are in vital need of food and shelter during the winter and that the Cairo event will be an opportunity to come up with concrete solutions to the humanitarian crisis. Dodds insists that Israel must act immediately to guarantee unhindered access for humanitarian aid to Gaza, while international aid organisations accuse the Israeli authorities of not allowing aid trucks to enter the besieged Palestinian territory in sufficient numbers. The UK has committed to a total of GBP 99 mln in humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories this year, the British government said. (AMP)

  • November 21, 2024 UPDATE

    November 21, 2024 UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

    RULING – The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Al-Masri, known as Mohammad Deif. The Hague-based court’s Pre-Trial Chamber rejected Israeli challenges to its jurisdiction and said there were sufficient grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by approving attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip. The ICC also issued a warrant Thursday for the arrest of Muhammad Deif, Hamas’ military chief. Israel said in August that it had killed Deif but Hamas has not confirmed his death.

     

    ENERGY – The Bucharest Government on Friday adopted the national energy strategy for the next 10 years, with an extension until 2050. It aims at gradually shifting from coal-based production to natural gas-based production, which is less polluting, and, in the medium and long term, to nuclear energy. Three other economic strategies were also on the Government’s agenda. The first is the Romanian industrialization strategy for the period 2024-2030. This involves the transition of Romanian industry towards clean energy. The second strategy is the one regarding non-energy mineral resources and aims to develop an integrated chain in the mining industry, from research, exploitation and development to processing. The third national strategy is the one for market surveillance. It is about a single market and the need, on the one hand, to guarantee the free movement of products in the European Union and, on the other hand, to make sure that these products meet quality standards.

     

    ELECTION – The first round of the presidential election takes place in Romania on November 24. The second round is scheduled for December 8, and legislative elections are held on December 1. There are 13 candidates in the race for president, 10 supported by parties and 3 independents. There are 14 names on the ballots, but one of the candidates withdrew in favor of another. The authorities opened 950 polling stations for Romanians outside the borders, a record number. They can vote, in the first round of the presidential election, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

     

    TRACTORS – Small Romanian farms that own old and polluting tractors will be able to buy new ones by applying to the “Tractors Scrap” program. The budget allocated to the project by the administration of the environmental fund is 500 million lei (the equivalent of about 100 million Euros). The registration of the companies from which farmers can purchase the tractors starts on Friday and can be done until November 28 at the latest. The vouchers acquired by farmers will cover between 65% and 80% of the purchase value, which should not exceed 55,000 Euros.

     

    TOURISM – The autumn edition of the 2024 Romanian Tourism Fair opened on Thursday in Bucharest. Visitors have access to a wide range of promotional packages, exclusive discounts and holiday ideas for all tastes and budgets, the organizers say. More than 100 participating companies offer destinations from all over the world, and discounts on vacation packages during the fair are up to 50%. Among the participants are tour operators from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Israel, Austria, Hungary, Egypt, Vietnam and Italy.

     

    EC – The right-wing, centrist and social democratic parties in the European Parliament reached, on Wednesday evening, a political agreement to approve the new European Commission makeup. The Romanian Roxana Mînzatu will thus become Executive Vice-president for People, Skills and Preparedness in the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen. The European Parliament will give its final vote on the new EC membership on November 27, in a plenary session in Strasbourg.

     

     

  • November 9, 2024 UPDATE

    November 9, 2024 UPDATE

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • The Romanian foreign minister at the UN

    The Romanian foreign minister at the UN

     

     

    Russia’s attacks on the civilian infrastructure in Ukraine carry on, and consolidating the defence in this country is important, which is an aspect to which Ukraine’s neighbor, Romania, also contributes with the donation of a Patriot missile defence system, the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu told the Romanian mass media.

     

    The Romanian diplomacy chief last week took part in the UN General Assembly in New York, where she voiced support for the peace plan put forth by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

     

    She said peace in Ukraine must be ‘a just peace,’ based on international law and the UN Charter, and one which recognizes the territorial integrity and independence of Moscow-invaded Ukraine.

     

    The Romanian official explained that she had also discussed the drone attacks on Ukraine’s Romanian border with Bucharest’s Western partners and allies. She also mentioned that a merchant ship carrying Ukrainian grain was recently hit by a Russian missile in the Black Sea. Such attacks ‘affect the security and freedom of navigaton and are flagrant violations of international rules,’ the Romanian foreign minister emphasised.

     

    On the other hand, the security situation in the Middle East is volatile and it is very important that a war affecting the entire region be avoided, Luminiţa Odobescu pointed out.

     

    In the bilateral meetings in New York with political leaders in the Arab world—Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates—she reiterated that Romania consistently supported a two-state solution. But until that time, a lasting truce in Gaza is crucial, concurrently with the release of all the Israeli hostages kidnapped by the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas, and with continuing humanitarian aid for the civilians in Gaza.

     

    Luminiţa Odobescu emphasized that Bucharest is providing humanitarian aid to Gaza and voiced willingness for Romanian hospitals to treat children from that region, which has been devastated for a year now by a war that has killed over 40,000 and left another 100,000 others wounded.

     

    As for a possible spillover of this conflict to Lebanon, Luminiţa Odobescu said the Romanian diplomatic mission in that country focuses on the Romanian nationals who live there with their families. According to the Romanian official, so far nearly 1,000 Romanian nationals and family members have notified their presence in Lebanon to the Romanian Embassy in Beirut, but no evacuation requests have been received so far. Minister Odobescu reiterated the Romanian authorities’ call on Romanian nationals to avoid traveling to Lebanon, given the recent security developments in the region. (AMP)

  • September 1, 2024 UPDATE

    September 1, 2024 UPDATE

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • August 17, 2024

    August 17, 2024

    WEATHER Meteorologists have issued code red alerts for extremely hot weather for seven counties in south-western Romania, whose residents are bracing up for temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius. Another eight counties and the capital city Bucharest are under a code orange alert for hot weather and a higher temperature-humidity index. The highs of the day here are to stay around 38 degrees Celsius, while in the rest of the territory they will be between 34 and 37 degrees.

     

    STATISTICS Greenhouse gas emissions caused by economic activities in the EU  last year dropped in 20 member countries, remained stable in Cyprus and rose in Romania, Malta, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece and Slovenia. The most significant reductions of these gases have been reported by Bulgaria, over 15% and Germany 7%. The process of curbing the greenhouse gas emissions has affected Europe’s GDP, which grew only 0.3%, according to Eurostat. Out of the 20 countries, which managed to curb their gas emissions, eight have also reported a drop in GDP, whereas 12 have announced minor GDP growths.

     

    FAIR The Gaudeamus Book Fair staged by Radio Romania remains open in the historical center of the city of Sibiu in central Romania over the weekend. In all its 15 pavilions, the book fair has brought together over 40 exhibitors, which include some of Romania’s best-known publishing houses as well as a series of suppliers of books, games, music and other educational materials. Gaudeamus book fair also includes editorial events, book launches and autograph shows, which can be watched online at gaudeamus.ro.

     

    MIDDLE EAST Talks regarding a ceasefire and the release of the Israeli hostages held by the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip are to be resumed in Cairo next week around a fresh US proposal. The information is included in a joint statement issued in Doha by the USA, Qatar and Egypt, the main mediators between Israel and Hamas. Washington presented a roadmap, which includes several stages for the cessation of hostilities and the release of the hostages kidnapped during the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7th. Now the way is open to save lives, to help the population in Gaza and reduce regional tensions – the mediator countries say. In response Hamas rejected the new Israeli conditions – two Hamas representatives told France Press. According to them, the new conditions include the presence of the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip along its border with Egypt. The war that followed the Hamas attack in October led to a disastrous situation for almost all the 2.4 million famished Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, the Israeli bombardments and onslaught have caused the death of roughly 40 thousand Palestinians, mostly civilians.

    (bill)

  • July 27, 2024 UPDATE

    July 27, 2024 UPDATE

    UNESCO – The Monumental Ensemble “The Heroes’ Path “, made by Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi in Târgu Jiu (southern Romania), and the “Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia” have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The announcement was made on Saturday, during a session of the UNESCO Committee, which is taking place in New Delhi, India. The new entries complete the Romanian presence on the world heritage list, which includes, among others, the Danube Delta, the Dacian fortresses in the Orăştiei Mountains or churches in Moldova and Maramureş.

     

    SCHENGEN – Hungary, which holds the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, will put on the European agenda in autumn the accession of the neighboring Romania to the Schengen Area with the land borders, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, said once more. In his speech at the Summer University in Băile Tuşnad (central Romania), Orban said he hopes there will be a favorable vote by the end of the year. He also spoke about the conflict in Ukraine, warning that Europe will have to pay the price of this war if the Republican Donald Trump wins the presidential elections in the United States.

     

    OLYMPICS – The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu was defeated by Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the current world leader, 6-2, 7-5, on Saturday, in the first round of the women’s singles event at the Paris Olympic Games. Begu is at her third participation in the Olympic Games, after losing in the first round in the singles in 2012 in London and in 2016 in Rio. Her best Olympic result is reaching the quarter-finals in mixed doubles in 2016, alongside Horia Tecau. Irina Begu will also play in Paris in the women’s doubles, teaming up with Monica Niculescu, against the Taiwanese Su-Wei Hsieh/Chia Yi Tsao. Another Romanian, Ana Bogdan was defeated by the Italian Jasmine Paolini, 7-5, 6-3. Bogdan will also play in the women’s doubles, with Jaqueline Cristian, the opponents in the first round being the Japanese Shuko Aoyama/Eni Shibahara.

     

    DISBURSEMENT – The European Commission approved the release for Romania of 1.7 billion euros for strategic projects in research and innovation. The Minister of Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, announced that after 2 years of negotiations, the Commission considerers fulfilled the condition called “Good governance of the national or regional smart specialization strategy”, coordinated by the ministry. The European money is for investments in all regions of the country, and the goal is, according to the minister, “an ecosystem of innovation that supports entrepreneurs in the field, Romanians who develop last-generation technologies and bring value to the economy and industry”.

     

    INVESTMENT – The funds to be granted to Romanian farmers whose crops have been compromised by drought will almost triple the budget allocations for subsidies in agriculture, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. Ciolacu visited, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, the counties of Vrancea and Galati, some of the most affected by the weather conditions, where corn and sunflower crops are over 90% lost. Around 2 million cultivated hectares are compromised by drought in the entire south and east of the country. Ciolacu gave assurances that Romania does not have any problem regarding food security, because it has a fairly large irrigated agricultural area. On the other hand, he said the Government would present a plan to reduce expenses on September 1. Neither the increase in VAT nor in the social contributions is considered, Ciolacu said. We remind you that the European Union announced that it maintains the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. Similar actions were launched on Friday for six other member states, including France, Poland and Hungary. (EE)

     

     

     

  • July 27, 2024

    July 27, 2024

    OLYMPICS – Nadia Comaneci was last night one of the surprises of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, along with other world sports legends. The Romanian, alongside Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Carl Lewis, held the Olympic torch while aboard a boat on the River Seine, before handing it to various French athletes that took it the place where the Olympic Cauldron was lit. 90 heads of state attended the festivities. The fight for medals started a few days ago in certain disciplines. The first Romanian to enter the competition is the rower Mihai Chiruţă, who has qualified, this morning, in the quarter-finals of the men’s single rowing event, after winning the second series. Also, the rowers Andrei Cornea and Marian Enache qualified directly for the semifinals of the men’s double rowing event, after clearly winning the second series. Romania is participating in the Summer Olympic Games in Paris with 106 athletes.

     

    DISBURSMENT – The European Commission approved the release for Romania of 1.7 billion euros for strategic projects in research and innovation. The Minister of Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, announced that after 2 years of negotiations, the Commission considerers fulfilled the condition called “Good governance of the national or regional smart specialization strategy”, coordinated by the ministry. The European money is for investments in all regions of the country, and the goal is, according to the minister, “an ecosystem of innovation that supports entrepreneurs in the field, Romanians who develop last-generation technologies and bring value to the economy and industry”.

     

    INVESTMENT – The funds to be granted to Romanian farmers whose crops have been compromised by drought will almost triple the budget allocations for subsidies in agriculture, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. Ciolacu visited, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, the counties of Vrancea and Galati, some of the most affected by the weather conditions, where corn and sunflower crops are over 90% lost. Around 2 million cultivated hectares are compromised by drought in the entire south and east of the country. Ciolacu gave assurances that Romania does not have any problem regarding food security, because it has a fairly large irrigated agricultural area. On the other hand, he said the Government would present a plan to reduce expenses on September 1. Neither the increase in VAT nor in the social contributions is considered, Ciolacu said. We remind you that the European Union announced that it maintains the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. Similar actions were launched on Friday for six other member states, including France, Poland and Hungary.

     

    SCHENGEN – Hungary, which holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of the year, will put Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with its land borders, back on the European agenda. This is what the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who participated, on Thursday, in Bucharest, in a working breakfast with PM Marcel Ciolacu, promised. The Hungarian leader is in Romania today to participate in the Summer University in Baile Tuşnad (center). Hungary is Romania’s third largest trade partner. Trade between the two neighboring countries amounts to approximately 13 billion euros, and the two prime ministers agreed that there is still potential for development. They also decided, at the meeting, to start the feasibility studies for a high-speed railway between Bucharest and Budapest, a strategic project of regional interest.

     

    GAZA – Israel and Hamas are preparing for a new round of negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the United States, through several officials, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, insisted during Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, on the need for a quick agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. During the meeting on Friday evening at the residence of former US President Donald Trump in Florida, Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed that the Israeli delegation of negotiators will go to Rome next week, where the next high-level conference of mediating countries is held. (EE)