Radio România Internațional

Tag: government

  • July 10, 2021

    July 10, 2021

    Pandemic. 36 new Covid cases from some
    24,000 tests were reported in Romania on Saturday, as well as 19 deaths, with
    only one being recorded in the last 24 hours. 54 Covid patients are still in
    intensive care. The Romanian government extended the state of alert nationwide
    for a further 30 days from 12th July. The coordinator of the mass
    vaccination campaign, dr. Valeriu
    Gheorghiţă warned that Romania may see an increase in the number of new Covid
    cases driven by the spread of the Delta variant. More than 4.8 million people
    have received the Covid vaccine in Romania since the start of the vaccine
    roll-out in late December, with at least 4.6 million being fully vaccinated.




    Government. Prime minister Florin Cîţu has taken over the finance
    ministry temporarily after sacking Liberal Alexandru Nazare for not fulfilling
    the goals undertaken. Cîţu expects budget execution in all chapters, in every
    ministry and public institution, and with regard to staff expenditure. He also
    wants to be briefed on the situation of investment projects every five months.
    Talks will be held next week to unblock finance ministry projects that were
    delayed. The prime minister said he would continue to assess the activity of
    ministers.




    Survey. 75% of Romanians are in favour
    of their country adopting the euro, according to a recent survey. This points
    to the highest increase in the proportion in favour of introducing the euro
    among EU countries. The survey was conducted in the seven EU states yet to
    enter the eurozone, namely Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary,
    Poland, Romania and Sweden. A majority of EU citizens in eurozone countries
    believes adopting the euro had positive consequences for their countries. The
    highest support for the European single currency was in Romania, with 75%, and
    Hungary, with 69%. The eurozone last expanded in 2015, when Lithuania became
    the 19th EU member state to switch to the single European currency.
    According to the 2020 convergence report, Romania falls short of meeting any of
    the four economic conditions needed to adopt the euro, namely price stability,
    sound public finances, exchange rate stability and convergence in long-term interest rates.




    Football. Italy and England are playing the
    European Football Championship final hosted by London’s Wembley stadium on
    Sunday. In the semis, England defeated Denmark 2-1 in extra-time, while Italy
    defeated Spain 4-2 on penalties. Bucharest hosted four Euro 2020 matches, three
    in the group stage and one in the round of last 16. The president of the
    European Commission Ursula von der Leyen hopes Italy
    beats England in the final, her spokesperson said. EU officials usually
    avoid taking positions, but the UK’s exit from the Union made von der Leyen’s
    allegiance to founding EU member Italy inevitable, Reuters notes. (CM)



  • No-confidence motion rejected in Parliament

    No-confidence motion rejected in Parliament

    The
    government led by the Liberal Florin Cîțu on Tuesday passed the test of its
    first no-confidence motion, which was initiated by the main opposition party,
    the Social Democratic Party, unhappy with the government’s measures in key
    sectors and with the way in which the National Recovery and Resilience Plan was
    devised. 234 votes were needed for the motion to pass, but only 201 MPs voted
    in favour, from the Social Democratic Party and the ultranationalist Alliance
    for the Union of Romanians. The MPs from the parties in the ruling coalition
    attended the voting but abstained, as agreed within the coalition, which is
    formed by the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union-PLUS Alliance and
    the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.




    Through
    the measures adopted, the current government does not respect the right to
    education and healthcare, ignores the constitutional provisions and promotes
    economic policies that lead to a drop in living standards, said the Social
    Democrats during the debates in Parliament. Their leader Marcel Ciolacu:




    The
    billions of euros that were loaned never reached the children, the pensioners,
    the private sector. They reached the friends of your party. Nothing for the
    Romanian people! Nothing for agriculture! Nothing for education and healthcare!
    Nothing for the Romanian companies! Everything for yourselves! You have systematically
    destroyed any last trace of trust in and credibility of the vaccination
    campaign.




    The Romanian
    economy has overcome its biggest crisis in the last 100 years, and the
    coalition is strong and ready to continue to govern, despite the fact that the
    Social Democratic Party has boycotted in Parliament all the reforms initiated
    by the government, said prime minister Florin Cîţu:




    You caused
    the Romanian people to panic unnecessarily! As you see, the economy is doing
    very well. The inflation rate is lower than at any other time when Romania was
    ruled by the Socialists, and so are the interest rates. The incomes of the
    Romanian people are growing at a pace that is almost double the inflation rate.
    Lower interest rates, incomes growing faster than the inflation rate – that’s a
    lesson in economic for you. That’s how you increase spending power! And how you
    create jobs.




    The co-president
    of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians George Simion also levied accusations
    against the government. He said railway workers are unhappy with the lack of
    vision for railway transport in Romania, and so are carriers and restaurant
    owners who say they received no help, and neither did small producers, whose goods
    don’t have access to hypermarkets, while prices have gone up and life is becoming
    increasingly hard.




    From
    the other camp, Dan Barna, the deputy prime minister and co-president of the
    Save Romania Union-PLUS Alliance, said: The no-confidence motion failed. The revolution
    of good government goes on. Unlike the signatories of today’s exercise in hypocritical
    demagoguery, we are trying to make this country a better place. The plan of
    this government and this coalition is to implement long-term reforms, robust
    reforms for Romania. (CM)



  • June 30, 2021

    June 30, 2021

    COMMEMORATION The 2 chambers of the Parliament of Romania are holding a special session today to commemorate for the first time in their history the victims of the Iaşi pogrom of June 1941, ordered by the anti-Semitic authorities of the time, and in which over 13,000 Romanian Jews were killed. Attending the meeting are the president of Romania, Government members, former presidents, foreign diplomats in Bucharest, the head of the Royal House, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church and other religious leaders, representatives of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, of the Romanian Army, of the Romanian Academy, as well as Pogrom survivors or relatives of the victims. In a message sent on Tuesday, president Klaus Iohannis said unconcealed hatred, appalling violence, absolute disregard for human dignity were just some of the instruments used by the authorities of the time in implementing an abominable plan—that of cleansing the town of Iaşi of the Jewish locals. He emphasised that the Iaşi pogrom is not just a tragedy of Iaşi Jews, following the one of the Jews killed during the far-right rebellion earlier that year, but a tragedy and a responsibility to be carried by the Romanian nation ever since. When public institutions not only fail entirely to meet their natural obligations as to a countrys citizens, but also discriminate against, persecute and kill them mercilessly, then the rule of absolute evil and arbitrariness begins, Klaus Iohannis added.



    GOVERNMENT The Government of Romania convenes to discuss 3 draft emergency orders. One of them brings changes to the law regulating police work, another has to do with regulations on sick leaves, and a third one with measures in the public pension system. On Tuesday, the Liberal Florin Cîțus Cabinet faced its first no-confidence motion, initiated by the main opposition party, the Social Democratic Party. The motion was backed by only 201 MPs, 33 less than the number required for the government to be dismissed.



    COVID-19 The Government Tuesday passed an emergency order on the COVID digital certificate, which will be required for all citizens who intend to travel in EU countries. The certificate can be downloaded by people having received the vaccine, having recovered from the disease or having tested negative for the coronavirus. The certificate is valid for one year for those who are immunised, and for 180 days since the first positive SARS-CoV-2 test for those who had the disease. Meanwhile, the number of new cases and of Covid-19 related deaths remains low in Romania.



    FILM The documentary ‘colectiv’ (“Collective), by Alexander Nanau, received the best feature award at the Gopo Gala devoted to the Romanian film industry. The film covers a journalist investigation into the corruption in the healthcare system, following the fire in the Colectiv night club in Bucharest, which killed scores of young people. “colectiv is the first Romanian film nominated for the Oscars in the best documentary and best foreign language film categories. Alexander Nanau also received a Gopo award for best director. The best leading actor and actress awards went to Mihai Călin and Diana Cavallioti, for their performances in the film ‘5 Minutes’. Actor Costel Constantin and set designer and costume producer Doina Levintza received lifetime achievement awards in the same Gala.



    TENNIS Four Romanians are playing today in Wimbledon, the 3rd grand slam of the year. Ana Bogdan (92 WTA), Sorana Cirstea (no. 45) and Patricia Tig (63 WTA) are playing in the first round, whereas Irina Begu (no. 79), is trying to qualify into the 3rd round. We remind you that Romanias best tennis player, Simona Halep, no. 3 in the world and the current trophy holder, is not taking part in this years competition because of an injury. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Motion of no confidence in Government

    Motion of no confidence in Government

    Six months after its inauguration, the Florin Cîțu Government faces the first motion of no confidence filed by the main opposition party in Romania. The Social Democrats accuse the government of implementing measures that have led to the impoverishment of the population and a free fall of the economy. They recall the freezing of pensions, salaries and child allowances and criticize the way in which the executive drafted the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, under which, they say, the population will pay more to benefit from European funds. The Social Democratic Party also accuses the lack of effective measures for the economic, health-care and education sectors.

    Senator Lucian Romaşcanu: The PNL-USR-UDMR government is leading the Romanian economy into the abyss at an astonishing speed. Romania lives from one day to the next on massive loans taken at astronomical interest rates. Prices have exploded, Romanians’ pockets have emptied. Invoices have doubled, staple food has become a luxury, essential medicines are either not available or are very expensive. The euro-leu exchange rate has reached 5 lei, and the liter of gasoline exceeded 6 lei. Only fantastic things happening!

    The Social Democrats say that many stakeholders contributed to the text of the motion, including trade unions, SMEs and employers’ associations. The document was read on Wednesday in Parliament plenary session, and the debate and the vote are scheduled for next week, when the two chambers will convene again. The leadership of the Social Democratic Party considers that the move has chances of success and says that, currently, they are negotiating with parliamentarians from other parties to support the motion. In response to the statements made by the Social Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu, according to which negotiations are underway, including with several parliamentarians from the governing coalition, the USR-PLUS co-president Dan Barna says that no senator or deputy of his party will support the motion.

    Dan Barna: We have not been contacted and I doubt that Mr. Ciolacu has any hope, other than as a joke, that any USR-PLUS parliamentarian would support this motion that they have announced. This is the role of the PSD, to remain in opposition , always ready, and I agree with this line.

    The Liberal leader Ludovic Orban too has stated that he does not believe that MPs from the governing parties will support the Social Democrats.The National Liberal Party has mobilized its parliamentarians to be present when the motion is voted, but they will not exercise their right to vote, and the Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîţu says he is not worried at all, because the motion stands no chances of passing. (MI)

  • June 22, 2021 UPDATE

    June 22, 2021 UPDATE

    LAW — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis promulgated on Tuesday a law that allows people to buy seniority for retirement. The law sets the legal framework for non-pensioners to complete their period of contribution to the public pension system. Under the new law, until September 1, 2023, people can sign a social insurance contract, which can be paid in one installment or in monthly installments, until August 31, 2023.



    EXAMS – More than 130,000 8th graders are taking the national evaluation exams. The first test on Tuesday was the written Romanian language and literature examination. The mathematics exam will be held on Thursday, followed by the exam in the mother tongue on Friday. The results will be published on 4th July. The marks in the national evaluation exam are important for entering high school. Exams are held amid strict physical distancing and hygiene rules, and wearing face masks is obligatory.



    WEATHER — Meteorologists have issued an orange code alert for high temperatures valid for Wednesday in western and south-western Romania, where temperatures will go as high as 39 degrees Celsius. The weather will be hot in all other regions, where minimum temperatures will range from 12 to 24 degrees Celsius and maximums between 24 and 37 degrees.



    VOTE – MPs with the National Liberal Party (PNL) the main party in the ruling coalition will attend debates on the censure motion to be tabled by the Opposition, but will not vote, Liberal leader Ludovic Orban said on Tuesday. Orban doubts the fact that any MP with the parties in power will support the censure motion announced by the Social Democrats. On Wednesday, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) will table a censure motion against Florin Cîţu’s cabinet, with the document likely to be voted on next week. PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu believes that the motion stands good chances to pass. PSD says that six months after the parliamentary elections, the Cîţu government is inefficient and on the wrong path. In turn, Florin Cîţu says he is not worried at all.



    CORONAVIRUS — The epidemiological situation has a very good evolution in Romania, maybe one of the best in Europe, and this is also due to the fact that the immunization of people from various age brackets has been allowed, Dr. Valeriu Gheorghita, coordinator of the national vaccination campaign said. He also said it is important for the vaccination campaign to continue, in spite of the fact that the number of people who receive the first dose is on the decrease. On the other hand, representatives of the World health Organisation have warned that the Delta variant, which emerged in India, is the most contagious and the most dangerous of all variants known so far and is likely to affect vulnerable people, especially in areas with low vaccination rates. 26 cases of the Delta variant have been identified in Romania, associated with outbreaks involving Indian citizens. 41 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Tuesday in Romania from 17,600 tests, as well as four new related deaths recorded in the last 24 hours. 151 Covid patients are still in intensive care.



    PROGROM – The victims of the 1941 Iaşi Pogrom are commemorated these days in Romania and Israel. The Museum of the Jewish People at Tel Aviv University hosted an event organised by the Romanian Embassy in Israel to mark the 80th anniversary of the pogrom. This was the first event attended by Israels new minister for diaspora affairs Nachman Shai. Romanias ambassador Radu Ioanid introduced footage from a documentary film made by the Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Bucharest. The WWII pogrom in Iaşi, north-eastern Romania, was one of the most violent episodes in the history of Romanian Jews and was initiated by the regime of general Ion Antonescu, an ally of Hitlers Germany. More than 13,000 Jews were killed in the pogrom. (EE)

  • May 27, 2021 update

    May 27, 2021 update

    MEASURES The government in Bucharest on
    Thursday endorsed new relaxation measures to come into effect as of June 1st.
    Private parties with a limited number of people are to be allowed, while sports
    fans will be permitted to attend their favourite sporting events. Clubs and
    discotheques will open and so will children playgrounds and indoor swimming
    pools. The number of people allowed is still limited but can be higher if all
    the participants are vaccinated. Indoor cultural activities can be attended by
    1,000 people at the most. In order for these activities to become possible the
    infection rate in their area must stay under 3 per thousand. Face covering is
    no longer mandatory in offices with maximum 5 people, if they are all
    vaccinated. According to government sources, vaccinated people, those who had
    the disease 90 days before their entry and those who can produce a negative PCR
    test are allowed on the Romanian territory. Children under 16 who have tested
    negative can also enter the country.






    PROTEST Romanian policemen took to the streets of Bucharest on
    Thursday to protest the government’s social and pay policies. Over 100 trade
    unionists, members of the National Federation of Policemen and Contractors
    convened in capital Bucharest for a two-hour protest in front of the government
    building. The protesters denounced the freezing of pensions and salaries, the
    cutting of holiday gift vouchers, the dropping standard of living, the lack of
    personnel, the price hikes and the management crisis the institution is
    presently facing. The policemen have pledged to stage more protests until the
    government starts considering their claims.

    VACCINE Romanian prime minister Florin Cîţu on Thursday attended the
    launch of a public information campaign on anti-Covid vaccination. Comprising
    of 11 different ads targeting different categories of public, the campaign is
    based on the idea of vaccination as a form of solidarity and a way for the
    whole society to return to normalcy. Since the start of the vaccine rollout in Romania in late
    December last year, more than 4.2 million people received at least one dose of
    the Covid vaccine, while over 3.3 million people are fully vaccinated. Today, Romania
    recorded 307 new infections and 39 new fatalities, while almost 500 Covid
    patients are in intensive care.






    TENNIS
    Romania’s Sorana Cirstea has outperformed Shuai Zhang of China 6-2, 6-1 in the
    round of last 16 of the Strasbourg tennis tournament. The match, which was
    initially scheduled for yesterday, was postponed because of unfavourable
    weather. The only match the two played was in 2008 in Cuneo, in Italy, which
    the Romanian won. Cirstea reached the round of last 16 after winning against
    Venus Williams in three sets, which is the first time Cirstea ever defeated the
    American player.

    (bill)



  • April 21, 2021

    April 21, 2021

    COALITION Ioana Mihăilă, state secretary with the Health Ministry, has been nominated by USR-PLUS to be the new health minister, after the Liberal PM Florin Cîțu dismissed Vlad Voiculescu last week. Previously, the leaders of the right-of-centre ruling coalition in Romania had reached an agreement ending the tensions that followed the unexpected dismissal of Vlad Voiculescu. They signed an addendum to the governing protocol, stipulating among other things that the prime minister is to inform the relevant political party of his intention to exercise his constitutional power to dismiss a cabinet member. The COVID-19 vaccine rollout remains a priority for the government and the coalition, reads the document signed on Tuesday night.




    VACCINE President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday that he was quite satisfied with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Romania. ‘We are very close to our targeted capacity of 100,000 people vaccinated per day. I am very happy with how the campaign has unfolded so far, and the preparations for this stage have been completed in record time,’ the president said. Mobile vaccination centres are operational in Romania as of Wednesday. So far the vaccination capacity is over 80,000 doses per day, and a total of over 2.7 million people have received at least one dose. In this context, the head of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination Coordination Committee, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, announced that authorities are considering the option of giving vaccines in non-COVID hospitals for patients with chronic diseases. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, 3,006 new COVID-19 infections were reported, and the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic is now over 1 million. More than 26,600 COVID-related deaths have also been reported so far, 175 of them in the last 24 hours, and 1,436 patients are in intensive care.




    CORRUPTION The Senate of Romania Wednesday greenlighted criminal proceedings against the former health minister Florian Bodog, at the request of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. Anti-corruption prosecutors claim that while a minister, the Social Democratic Florian Bodog took steps to ensure that one of his personal advisers was paid for one year without showing up for work or actually fulfilling his obligations as an employee. Meanwhile the Liberal PM Florin Cîţu approved the resignation of Gelu Puiu (PNL) as a state secretary with the Environment Ministry, after an independent publication, ʹRecorderʹ, made public recordings pointing to a blackmailing campaign coordinated by Puiu and aimed at replacing county forestry managers with members of the Liberal Party that had no qualifications for the job.




    TRIAL Former Minneapolis police Derek Chauvin was found guilty on Tuesday on all 3 charges brought against him after African-American George Floyd was killed last year. According to AFP, the sentence may be out in 8 weeks. The defendant may be sentenced to 12.5 years behind bars, although the judge may decide to increase it if there is evidence of aggravating circumstances. Tuesdays ruling is seen as a landmark in the US racial history and as a criticism of the treatment given by the police to African Americans, the international media note. According to Radio Românias correspondent in Washington, after the ruling the US president Joe Biden addressed the nation, describing systemic racism as “a stain on the nation’s soul and mentioning that the killing of George Floyd entailed protests unseen in the country since the 1960s. Derek Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Floyd, 46, for over nine minutes during his arrest last May.




    HANDBALL Romanias womens handball team plays tonight away from home, in Skopje, the return leg against North Macedonia in the playoffs for the 2021 World Championship. On Saturday in the first leg the Romanians beat their opponents 33-22. Romania has taken part in all the 24 editions of the womens World Championship so far, and has won 4 medals (gold in 1962, silver in 1973 and 2005, and bronze in 2015). In the latest season of the World Championship in 2019, in Japan, Romania came out 12th.




    FOOTBALL Romanias football team will play in Group B of the Tokyo Olympics, alongside New Zealand, South Korea, and Honduras, according to the draw that took place in Zurich on Wednesday. The group matches are scheduled between July 22 and 28. The Olympics football tournament in Tokyo ends on August 7. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • New trade union protests

    New trade union protests

    Unsatisfied with the draft state budget law and the ordinances related to it, trade unions’ representatives staged protests in the capital Bucharest, in front of the Government building and the offices of the parties making up the centre-right ruling coalition, as well as in front of a number of prefect’s offices. They argue the austerity budget will prologue the economic crisis, lowering living standards and condemning citizens to poverty. ”Decent work, social justice and social dialogue” is the slogan of the trade unionists affiliated with the CNS Cartel Alfa, who, on their fifth week of protests, picketed the offices of the USR-PLUS alliance and the Government’s headquarters. Protesters are asking for decent wages, fair pensions, quality public services and the unblocking of collective bargaining.



    The freezing of salaries for various categories of workers and the elimination of holiday vouchers is also a reason for discontent, as protesters fear this may affect the hospitality industry, a sector already highly affected by the restrictions imposed in the context of the sanitary crisis. Cartel Alfa’s general secretary, Petru Dandea, explains: “Romania is in the grip of an economic crisis. No austerity measures should be imposed in this context, because they only make things worse. The Government does not seem to understand that. This is our goal, to convince the ministers and the Government to come up with development policies, which we don’t have at this point.”



    Representatives of Solidaritatea Sanitara Federation protested at the headquarters of the National Liberal Party, the main party of the ruling coalition, and then at the Government’s headquarters. They asked more money for the healthcare system, the observance of the legal rights and protection measures for healthcare workers, who face higher risks than they did before the pandemic and the bonuses are not the same.


    The PUBLISIND Federation, affiliated with the National Trade Union Bloc, with employees from the police, public administration, social assistance, finance and financial control, also protested against measures likely to trigger a decrease in the public servants’ salaries. Trade union leader, Cosmin Andreica: “This is the seventh week of protests. We protest because the law is not enforced, because Romania is ruled through emergency ordinances. We saw, at the end of last year, that the Government issued an emergency ordinance that prevents the salary law from 2017 from taking effect, a law aimed at doing away with inequities and discrimination in the system”.



    Employees with the public rail system also protested in Bucharest, unhappy with the lack of investment in rail infrastructure and the small salaries. They argued that the number of rail workers is insufficient and the railway is on the verge of collapse, due to the lack of any investment in the last 30 years. (EE)


  • February 16, 2021

    February 16, 2021

    COVID-19 2,676 new SARS-CoV-2 cases were reported
    in Romania in the last 24 hours, out of nearly 33,000 tests conducted
    nation-wide, according to the Strategic Communication Group. So far Romania has
    had around 766,000 confirmed coronavirus infections. Nearly 90% of the patients
    have recovered. The authorities also announced another 81 COVID-19 related
    deaths, taking the death toll to over 19,500. Another 943 patients are in
    intensive care.

    ECONOMY PM Florin Cîţu says a “V-shaped recovery of the Romanian economy is certain, after data made public by the National Statistics Institute for the last quarter of 2020 point to a 5.3% growth rate. He mentioned that in 2020, Romanias economy, just like the global economy, was hit by the biggest crisis of the last century. Florin Cîţu also added that last year Romania performed 5% better than originally estimated, and 2.5% in average better than all forecasts made by international institutions, the EC, financial rating agencies and other financial institutions.



    PROTESTS Representatives of the hospitality industry organise in Bucharest today new protests against the pandemic containment measures introduced by the authorities. Employers in the sector demand the payment of the promised compensations for last year, when their operations declined by 70%. In Mondays meeting with hospitality representatives, the economy minister Claudiu Năsui promised that the government earmarked over 510 million euros for financial support in the draft budget. On Monday, members of Sanitas Union Federation picketed the Finance Ministry headquarters to warn that a smaller budget for public healthcare in a year with a coronavirus pandemic is not only an injustice to the workers in the system, but also deeply immoral to Romanias citizens.



    MOTION The Chamber of Deputies is to vote on Wednesday on the first simple motion of this legislative term, tabled by the Social Democrats in opposition against the health minister Vlad Voiculescu. The Deputies discussed the motion on Monday. The Social Democrats claim that minister Vlad Voiculescu was not sufficiently involved in the immunisation and testing programmes, and that he issued messages conflicting with the coordinators of the national vaccination campaign, discouraging the healthcare workers involved in the process. Vlad Voiculescu replied that during his 2 months in office, he earmarked close to 19 million euros for investments in hospitals.



    DIPLOMACY Slovakias foreign minister, Ivan Korcok, is on an official visit to Bucharest today, when he has meetings scheduled with his counterpart Bogdan Aurescu and PM Florin Cîţu. According to the Foreign Ministry, the visit is a new opportunity to reconfirm the excellent bilateral relation and the continuity of the dialogue and historical ties between the 2 countries. The officials will also discuss the coordination of topics of mutual interest at EU level, such as fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing the multi-annual framework and the European Recovery Plan, the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Eastern Partnership and the EU enlargement process.



    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 2 in the world, Tuesday lost in Melbourne to the American Serena Williams (no 11 WTA), 6-3, 6-3, in the eighth-finals of the Australian Open. Halep and Williams have so far had 11 matches in professional competitions, with Williams winning 9 of them. The latest match was the Wimbledon final of 2019, when the Romanian won 6-2, 6-2. In 2019, they also played against each other in the eighth-finals in Melbourne, when Williams won 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Ruling coalition discusses budget bill

    Ruling coalition discusses budget bill

    The government is working to complete the 2021 budget bill, bound to stay under a 7% of GDP budget deficit ceiling, as agreed with Brussels. Preparations have been stepped up lately, as the goal is for the document to be submitted to Parliament early next month, when the parliamentary session begins. But with major expenditure triggered by the pandemic, the distribution of the limited funds available is rather difficult.



    The Liberal PM Florin Cîţu asked the members of his coalition government for a list of key projects for each ministry, so as to ensure efficient fund distribution, and says he hopes the talks with the main authorising officers will lead to a balanced budget, able to support economic growth. Investments and healthcare will certainly be the funding priorities, the PM said, and mentioned plans to amend the legislation on public sector salaries and pensions.



    Florin Cîţu: “The pension law must be based on the principle of contributions, this will be the starting point. As for the salary law, the point is to ensure more efficiency in public administration, tying salaries to performance. Apart from a clear hierarchy, we must also introduce performance indicators tied to these incomes.



    Under the current legislation, the pension increase scheduled for this year entails a financial effort of roughly 1.6 billion euros, and a reform of the public pension system, as desired by the prime minister, takes time and will have no effect on this years budget.



    Romanias public budget is under huge pressure at present, because of the need to comply with the deficit target agreed on with the European Commission, says the leader of the USR PLUS party, deputy PM Dan Barna:



    Dan Barna: “We will see how the final bill comes out and how we will meet the deficit target agreed on with the EC. And in this respect, we will also see the amendments, if any, submitted by our parliamentary groups.



    This years state budget must be balanced and must target development, investments and jobs, the president of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, deputy PM Kelemen Hunor said in his turn:



    Kelemen Hunor: “We must be very, very efficient in spending the money for development, from the National Rural Development Programme, from the operational programmes, and from the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme, because the national budget will have less money available for investments than what citizens and local authorities would like.



    The Social Democrats in opposition have drafted an alternative budget, to prove that the country has enough money to provide massive support to the economy and to increase citizens incomes. (translated by: A.M. Popescu)

  • January 15, 2021

    January 15, 2021

    VACCINATION The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis received
    the Covid 19 vaccine on Friday, at the Central Military Hospital in Bucharest. He
    subsequently said the vaccine is safe and efficient, and immunisation and
    compliance with the protection rules will help us overcome the pandemic. The 2nd
    phase of the vaccination programme started today in Romania. It targets the
    high-risk population and workers in key sectors. Since
    the start of the pandemic, Romania has reported more than 688,000 coronavirus
    infections. Over 619,000 patients have recovered and more than 17,000 died. Over
    3,300 new cases and 63 deaths were reported on Friday, and 1,091 patients are
    in intensive care.



    CORRUPTION Liviu Dragnea, former president of the Social Democratic Party and former Chamber of Deputies speaker, has been charged with influenced peddling in another corruption-related case, concerning his presence at the US president Donald Trumps inauguration in Washington in early 2017. Prosecutors claim the former Social Democratic chief received undue benefits for himself and his party, in the amount of 380,000 US dollars, consisting in the travel package, political consultancy and various lobby services. In the same case, his former adviser and Romanias consul general in Bonn, Gheorghe Dimitrescu is also accused of influence peddling. Liviu Dragnea is currently serving a prison sentence for inciting abuse of office. In 2019 he was sentenced to 3 and a half years in a case involving fictitious employment contracts in Teleorman County.



    GOVERNMENT The government of Romania is holding an online meeting today. On Thursday the finance minister Alexandru Nazare said the Cabinet was preparing a reform of state-owned companies, and that on Friday loss and debt reduction targets will be presented, as well as means to monitor their activity. The state budget bill for this year is to be finalized at the end of this month.



    CULTURE Romania celebrates today 171 years since the birth of poet Mihai Eminescu, with online events or events without a live audience. As a tribute to Romanias greatest poet, January 15 was declared the National Culture Day, aimed at promoting culture, arts and academic effort. This day has been celebrated since 2010 in Romania, the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, and in the Romanian communities abroad. Diplomatic and consular missions as well as Romanian cultural institutes abroad are hosting special events devoted to this day. In turn, Radio Romania will celebrate Mihai Eminescus role in the national and world culture, with special shows, interviews, documentaries and festive events.



    INNOVATION Only 14.6% of the companies with at least 10 employees in Romania reported any innovation activity in 2016-2018, which places the country last in the EU, according to a survey made public by the Eurostat today. At EU level, 50.3% of companies had innovation activities in the respective period, with the highest number of innovative enterprises reported in Estonia, Cyprus, Belgium and Germany. Bottom of the list are Romania, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria. In Romania, the share of companies conducting innovative activities rose from 10% in 2016 to 14.6% in 2018.



    INAUGURATION In the US, president elect Joe Bidens team has cancelled a train trip and a rehearsal for the inauguration ceremony due on January 20, over concerns for Bidens security. Washington mobilised police forces and the National Guard, amid information pointing to attempts to organise armed protests to prevent the Biden administration from taking office. According to Radio Romanias correspondent, the FBI is looking into large-scale and disquieting online activity related to possible violence at the inauguration ceremony. Over 200 suspects tied to the US Capitol riots of January 6 have been identified so far, and more than 100 have been arrested. Trumps impeachment procedure has been moved to the Senate, but debates are set to begin after the inauguration of the new president. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 13, 2021

    January 13, 2021

    ALERT On Wednesday Romania extended its state of alert over the COVID-19 pandemic by another 30 days. Among other things, face covering remains mandatory in all indoor and outdoor public areas. After a first stage of the national vaccination programme, covering healthcare personnel, on Friday enrolment begins for the beneficiaries of the second stage, namely people over 65, chronic patients and employees in key sectors. President Klaus Iohannis said in a press conference that the success of the vaccine rollout is a prerequisite for a return to normal and reopening the economy. On Wednesday in Romania around 4,400 new COVID-19 cases and 88 related deaths were reported. 1,081 patients are currently in intensive care.



    GOVERNMENT The government is discussing in todays meeting this years state budget bill, and a bill increasing minimum wages from roughly 455 euro to 470 euro. The increase is not to cover employees with higher education degrees, whose minimum wages will be kept at the current 480 euro. This years state budget bill is to be submitted to Parliament by February 4. PM Florin Cîţu asked his cabinet members to present reports on their top priorities, and promised that this year public money will be spent in an efficient and strict manner. He also warned that the budget deficit, estimated to reach 7% of GDP this year, must also be taken into account. The government is also expected to pass today an emergency order on bonuses paid to the personnel involved in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.



    PROTEST Trade unions in the police, public administration, social assistance and the penitentiary system are taking part today in a rally in front of the Labour Ministry in Bucharest and of prefecture offices elsewhere in the country. PUBLISIND trade union federation initiated the protests on December 31, 2020, after the government decided to freeze salaries in the public sector. Sanitas Federation also started employee support actions yesterday, picketing the government headquarters and prefecture offices. They say the Governments unwillingness to observe the law and give healthcare personnel their due salaries is an affront to the efforts they make every day at the work place. President Klaus Iohannis said the salary freezing is a fair measure given the current economic crisis.



    CORRUPTION President Klaus Iohannis approved the commencement of criminal prosecution against the former PM and Senate speaker Călin Popescu Tăriceanu. He is accused of bribe taking in 2007 and 2008, during his term in office. Prosecutors say he indirectly received from an Austrian company material benefits worth 800,000 dollars consisting in consultancy services. In exchange, Tăriceanu pushed for the adoption by his cabinet of decisions that benefitted this company. A previous request of the National Anticorruption Directorate, in November 2018, to the same effect, had been dismissed by the Senate in June 2019. Prosecutors are now saying they have additional evidence and new elements have appeared in the case.



    US The House of Representatives endorsed a resolution asking for the removal of outgoing president Donald Trump, for inciting last weeks storming of the US Congress. But given that vice-president Mike Pence said he will not use the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump, a vote on a second impeachment is very likely to take place today. Mike Pence said using the 25th Amendment would only deepen the existing tensions. Several Republicans said they would vote with the Democrats for Trumps impeachment. The Democrats are planning to impeach Trump for “incitement of insurrection, after his supporters stormed the US Capitol. Donald Trump described the actions against him as a witch hunt.



    SPORTS The Romanian tennis player Mihaela Buzărnescu (137 WTA), plays today against American Whitney Osuigwe (161 WTA) in the last qualifying round for the Autralian Opens main draw. Five Romanians already have a spot in the main draw—Simona Halep (2 WTA), Patricia Ţig (56 WTA), Sorana Cîrstea (71 WTA), Irina Begu (78 WTA) and Ana Bogdan (92 WTA). The first Grand Slam this year is scheduled to take place between February 8 and 21. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 4, 2021 UPDATE

    January 4, 2021 UPDATE

    TALKS The government of Romania will hold talks this week on the 2021 state budget. According to Liberal Prime Minister Florin Citu, the budget is going to be based on a 7% deficit and will be submitted for Parliament approval by the end of the month. According to the Prime Minister, the 7% target is proof of the firm commitment to fiscal consolidation without hindering the economy. The budget will allow for an extension to June 30th of economic measures triggered by the pandemic, including compensations to employees during the suspension of employment and financial support for employers. A state aid scheme for the hospitality industry and travel agencies, totalling 500 million euros and financed from EU funds, will also be in place. The government might also discuss this week a bill raising the national minimum wage, while all wages in state-owned companies are to be frozen at the level of December 2020.




    COVID-19 – In the past 24 hours Romania has reported over 3,100 fresh cases of Covid-19 infections, out of 10,000 tests carried out nationwide, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Monday. Roughly 644,000 people have been infected with the virus since the first case was reported in Romania in February last year. Out of these, 577,000 have recovered. Another 78 people died to the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll since the onset of the pandemic to 16,057. 1,100 are in intensive care and the authorities are bracing up for a new wave of infections after the winter holidays. According to Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations, although the immunization campaign in Romania has commenced, prevention measures, like face covering, hand washing and social distancing remain mandatory. The vaccination campaign has been extended in Romania, which is to activate over 90% of the 376 centres for healthcare personnel and care centres. Nearly 13,500 medical workers were immunized in the first week since the vaccine was brought to Romania, with authorities targeting a daily 20,000 vaccination rate in the forthcoming period. The coordinator of the vaccination programme, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, says the second stage of the programme, targeting patients in care centres, may be initiated in mid-January.




    FLIGHTS The National Committee for Emergency Situations in Romania has updated their list of countries and areas in the COVID-19 red zone and decided to resume flights to and from the UK. People coming to Romania from this country are to isolate themselves for 10 days and must have taken a Covid-19 test at least 48 hours before their arrival. Flights to the UK were suspended on December 20th after a fresh, more contagious virus strain had been discovered in Britain. Italy has been included on the list of countries with a higher risk of transmission.




    AUTOMOTIVE The number of new car registrations went up 16% in Romania in December 2020 compared to December 2019, to 15,974 units, according to the Romanian Association of Automotive Makers (ACAROM). However, for the entire year 2020 the number dropped by 22%. As regards used vehicles registered in Romania for the first time, the number dropped by 5% in December 2020 compared to 2019, to 34,174 units. The best selling new cars in Romania in 2020 are Dacia, followed by Skoda, Renault, Volkswagen and Ford.




    ENERGY The European Commission Monday greenlighted the acquisition by the Europe Division of MIRA investment fund (Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets) of electricity production and supply assets held by the Czech group CEZ. In October 2020, CEZ Group announced the sale of its assets in Romania to MIRA, the worlds largest infrastructure management company. The transaction involved 7 companies, including electricity distribution and supply networks and Europes largest onshore wind farm, in Fântânele – Cogealac (south-eastern Romania).




    SAVINGS Four out of ten Romanians managed to save during the pandemic, as compared to two-thirds before. A survey conducted by the Romanian Research and Strategy Institute (IRES), and commissioned by the Romanian Banks Association, also shows that two-thirds of the household and corporate savings are in the local currency, mostly in short-term deposits. According to the survey, if they had money to spare, 28% of Romanians would invest in their or their familys education, 23% would keep the money in banks, 16% would start up a company and 10% would buy hard currency. The poll was conducted in December 2020.




    AIR FORCES MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft and around 90 US Air Force personnel are deployed for the next few months to ‘Gen. Emanoil Ionescu’ 71st Air Base in Câmpia Turzii, north-western Romania. According to the Romanian Defence Ministry, the Romanian Air Forces will provide technical, logistic and operational support to the MQ-9 Reapers intelligence, surveillance and recon missions as part of NATO operations. The US-Romanian cooperation is designed to strengthen the defence capacity and enhance security in the region. (tr. A. M. Popescu)

  • Government keeps public spending in check

    Government keeps public spending in check

    Less than a week after the Liberal Florin Citu took over the prime minister seat, his rigour as finance minister, a position he previously held, started to be felt. The coalition government, made up of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the USR-PLUS Alliance and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) decided on Wednesday, through an emergency order, not to increase the salaries of public servants next year. Salaries, just like bonuses, compensations and food subsidies have been capped at their level this month. The decision applies to the entire staff working in the central and local public administration, including dignitaries. The ordinance postpones by one year the payment of the so-called special pensions of mayors, pensions that do not comply with the contribution principle. According to PM Citu, all these measures are aimed to keep public spending in check and to increase investment.



    The budget deficit target for 2021 has been set at 7% of the GDP. Under the emergency order, over 3 billion euros from the national budget will be saved. The document also provides support for the hospitality industry, the payment of technical unemployment and of 41.5% of the salary of the employees whose jobs are preserved. Another emergency order extends by another three months the deadline for interest rate postponement applications. The payment of interest rates can be postponed for 9 months at the most.



    Vasile Dancu, head of the National Council of the Social Democratic Party, in the opposition, says that the new cabinet governs in an anti-social manner, as the promises made by the parties in power during the election campaign were in fact empty words. Apart from the political games, trade unions in the healtcare system say that the salary cap will also affect those who fight directly with the pandemic, that is the medical personnel. Employees with the Interior Ministry are also unhappy with the measure and have sent their message to the Interior Minister Lucian Bode. Clerks have also threatened with protests both in Bucharest and in half of the prefect’s offices in the country.



    Moreover, the recent announcement of the Electoral Authority that political parties will ask for the repayment of more than 30 million euros, representing some of the expenses made during the parliamentary elections this year, has increased the state of irritation at society level. The amount is almost four times bigger than at the 2016 parliamentary elections, although less than one third of the electorate went to the polls this year and that only 9% of Romanians said they trust political parties, thus making the legitimacy of the latter even more questionable. (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • Bucharest Government takes new financial and economic measures

    Bucharest Government takes new financial and economic measures

    A former Finance Minister, Romania’s new PM, the Liberal Florin Citu, started its mandate with decisions focused on figures, that will hopefully help the country overcome the predictable economic crisis triggered by the pandemic. According to a draft emergency order, launched for public debate on Monday evening, the public servants’ salaries will not be modified in 2021 and the value of bonuses will stay at its level in 2020. The so-called special pensions of mayors will be suspended all throughout next year.



    The government, made up by representatives of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the USR – PLUS alliance and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) promises to extend the support granted to the employees and companies affected by the pandemic. All these measures have a considerable financial impact and must be taken into account in the drafting of the 2021 budget.



    The budget for next year will be based on a 7% deficit of the GDP and will carry out, until June 30, the support programmes initiated this year, such as the subsidy granted to employees for the period when their individual labour contracts are suspended and supporting employers by covering 41.5% of the gross salary of the staff they keep. PM Citu has also announced a support package for the hospitality industry and travel agencies and the further granting of holiday vouchers in order to stimulate tourism in the country.



    Government sources have also said that next year’s budget provides for a 10% increase in child allowances, starting January 1, and by another 10% as of August 1st. Irrespective of how generous they may seem, these measures do not answer all societal expectations. The new government may soon be faced with trade union protests, less than a week after taking over its prerogatives.



    One of the largest trade union confederations, Cartel Alfa, voiced its disapproval with an only 15-euro increase in the minimum gross salary. This is an amount which the PM says it will help preserve jobs, but which trade union leaders deem too small to even cover the cost of protective masks.



    In their opinion, this measure announces a new austerity policy, which puts the costs of the economic crisis on the shoulders of workers and the poor. Another important trade union confederation, Blocul National Sindical, sees the amount proposed by the government as a compromise solution, given that there is a very big number of employees who receive the minimum salary. Commentators however, do not see the trade unionists’ fears as ungrounded. Starting January 1, when the energy market is liberalised, the price of energy will increase by up to 26%, triggering a general increase in prices. (Translated by Elena Enache)