Radio România Internațional

Tag: green

  • Energy for the future

    Energy for the future

     

     

    Over the past few years, the European Union has managed to withstand critical risks to its security of energy supply, regain control over the energy market and prices, and accelerate the transition towards climate neutrality.

     

    These are some of the conclusions in the European Commission’s state of the energy union report made public in the first half of September. A state of the energy union report is released every year, to assess the progress made by the Union in meeting its energy goals.

     

    “We have designed a comprehensive framework to lead the energy sector towards a carbon-free future,” the energy commissioner Kadri Simson explained at the time. “The EU is now well equipped to meet its climate neutrality goal while making sure that industry stays competitive,” she went on to say, adding that the EU has agreed to higher renewable energy and efficiency targets and has reformed markets and the world’s highest standards for the hydrogen economy and reducing methane emissions. “Following two record years for renewables installations, in the first half of 2024 wind and solar have risen to new highs, overtaking for the first time ever fossil fuels in our electricity mix,” the European commissioner also said:

     

    Kadri Simson: “Green investments have reached a record level, thanks also to national recovery and resilience plans, and by mid-June this year out of the EUR 240 billion disbursed as part of national recovery and resilience plans, 184 billion have been allotted to energy-related reforms and investments. Market integration and grid and infrastructure development has also been key to ensure renewable expansion.”

     

    Europe must rely on more clean energy produced domestically, and import less fossil fuel, in order to secure the competitiveness, supply security and the Union’s energy independence and economic resilience, Kadri Simson also said. We have taken major steps with our joint projects and with the quick adjustment of our gas infrastructure to support the changing import models since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European official also pointed out.

     

    Kadri Simson: “Unity and solidarity have allowed us to turn a crisis into an opportunity. Together we have managed to put an end to decades of dependence on Russian fossil fuels. We used to import 150 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Russia every year, and it is now less than 50. Our dependence from Russia dropped from 45% in 2021 to 15% last year. And as we are looking ahead to the next winter, EU gas storage has reached the 90% filling target on August 19, weeks ahead of the 1st of November legislated deadline. We know that across Europe we decreased gas consumption by 18% between 2022 and 2024, which is also more than the goal initially set.”

     

    A member of the European Union and a part of the carbon-neutrality efforts, Romania has in turn reduced its natural gas consumption. While a few years ago demand peaked at 70 million cubic metres per day during winter, last year it barely reached 54-55 million.

     

    Natural gas reserves are currently close to a record-high 94% gas storage rate, and coal reserves are over 550,000 tonnes, so authorities say that the country will have no problems coming out a normal-temperature winter season on Romanian gas alone.

     

    But, energy transition goals aside, there are still people in Romania without access to electricity. Specifically, over 11,000 people live in some 5,400 homes in remote villages without electricity. They are the planned beneficiaries of a project called “Energy for life,” which brings solar panels to isolated areas, with the ambitious goal of leaving no homes without power. Here is Dumitru Chisăliță, president of the Smart Energy Association:

     

    Dumitru Chisăliță: “At the rate we are targeting, this extreme energy poverty can be eradicated, we believe. Obviously, this requires the participation of public institutions, with substantial funding. After all, 5,400 buildings is not a lot for Romania at present. Our math indicates that some 15 to 27 million euros should be enough to eradicate this energy poverty, and this money may be provided from certain funds, including the Green Home programme. Power distribution networks also need to be developed, because at the moment they are below the required technical and financial levels. Last but not least, the funding can be supplemented from sponsorship and various sustainability models that can be implemented.”

     

    In the past 4 years, the “Energy for life” project has brought electricity to 39 homes, 10 sheep farms and 2 mountain huts in 25 villages across 5 counties. (AMP)

  • A Green Pact in Romania

    A Green Pact in Romania

    Environmental protection must not be neglected, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has said during a meeting that brought together several NGOs in the field.  According to the president, thanks to the projects run by various NGOs, citizens have better understood the benefits of some actions aimed at environmental preservation and have become real partners in the green transition. Nevertheless, there are still challenges to address; the Romanian President went on to say. Iohannis says that he stands for the need of a national pact, under which the environmental protection becomes a priority and has underlined the importance of education for the environment and climate.

    Klaus Iohannis: “We are talking about projects, which propose new activities for students or contribute to the training of teachers to complete the still limited government capabilities in terms of environmental education. Moreover, many organizations have been taking moves directly involving communities in nature preservation but also in energy transition. Through suchlike projects, citizens are better understanding the benefits of some environmental activities and are becoming certain partners in the green transition.”

    The Romanian President believes that efforts aimed at protecting the environment can be implemented so that they may benefit the national economy.

    Klaus Iohannis:  “Measures in terms of energy access and energy efficiency must support the most vulnerable consumers through investment that simultaneously reduce both the bills and the pollution. At least part of the green technology used in the new investment must be made in Romania to create fresh jobs and added value.”

    In turn, Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has underlined the active role civil society is playing in developing and implementing environment policies. He pleaded for partnerships between the public sector and civil society with a view to contributing to the protection and preservation of natural resources and the creation of a cleaner and safer environment for the Romanian citizens.

    Marcel Ciolacu: “Sometimes, some people forget that economic and social development must take into account and be in a state of balance with nature. And for this reason, your role is all the more so important as all these desiderata – sustainable development, fighting climate change, the rehabilitation and protection of natural areas, education and raising people’s awareness – have to be the main pillars, Romania’s development must be based upon.

    The minister has recalled a series of successful projects run in the past years, which contributed to the promotion of sustainable development and mentioned that politicians, through the decisions they make, must take into account the reality in Romania’s economy and social environment as well as the NGOs proposals.

    (bill)

  • Romania and the Green Economy

    Romania and the Green Economy

    Bucharest has these days become a regional hub for debates on climate change, as the Romanian capital is hosting Climate Change Summit, the largest event of this kind in Central and Eastern Europe.



    In a message conveyed in the onset of the event, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has said that no country or nation is safe from climate change effects. “We have to work together, beyond national and sectoral borders, to step up the process of global decarbonisation,” Iohannis went on to say. The Romanian official hails the fact that part of the event is being housed by universities and said that young people must be given authority and opportunities to participate in the process of stepping up the green transition. In turn the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, has announced the number of prosumers, those who arent only consumers but also produce energy by means of renewable sources, is estimated to reach 236 thousand by the end of 2025 and to go over 350 thousand by 2030.



    “This is a good thing that translates as decarbonisation, system decentralization and better resilience”, Burduja has also added. According to the minister, Romania has the big chance of an optimum position to benefit the energy revolution and the budget available for investment in the field, which presently stands at 18 billion euros, will enable the development of fresh projects in the area.



    The transformation of Romanias economy in one digital and green is a long-term process, which requires solid national planning that has to be accepted by all the political forces, by businesses and civic groups alike, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says. According to him the process of reducing climate change effects is a priority for the present cabinet. He pointed out that the Executive intends to both increase the resilience and sustainability of the energy system and agriculture and improve the management of water and mineral resources. Ciolacu added that future solutions will be developed through both the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the other national and European financial instruments so that Romania of the year 2030 may be better prepared to face climate challenges.



    Another step forward in the process of decarbonising the economy has been announced at the aforementioned summit by the Environment Ministry. According to state secretary, Ionuţ Banciu, Romania has succeeded in decoupling the economic growth and gas emissions and managed to curb their volume by two thirds. He says that Romania has reached the climate targets set in 2020 and the governments strategy to reach climate neutrality by 2050 is being debated upon and is expected to get the green light by the end of November.


    (bill)

  • March 31, 2023

    March 31, 2023

    DEFENCE The strategic partnership between
    the US and Romania has never been stronger, said the US secretary of defence,
    Lloyd Austin, during the talks with his Romanian counterpart Angel Tîlvăr in
    Washington on Thursday. According to a news release from the Pentagon, the US
    official praised the excellent relations between the two countries’ armed
    forces and thanked Romania for hosting thousands of US and Allied troops to
    bolster deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank, and for its role as a leader in the
    Black Sea region. The two officials condemned Russia’s reckless war of choice
    in Ukraine and reiterated their firm support for Ukraine. The Romanian defence
    minister is on a visit to the US for several days, and has meetings scheduled
    with senior US officials in the following days.

    B9 The meeting of foreign
    ministers in the Bucharest 9 format carries on today in Łódź (Poland),
    co-chaired by the head of the Romanian diplomacy Bogdan Aurescu and his Polish counterpart, Zbigniew Rau. On
    Thursday, the Romanian official announced that the first high-level conference
    on security in the Black Sea region will take place in Bucharest on April 13.
    During the talks in Lodz, B9 ministers focused on the consequences of Russia’s
    war of aggression against Ukraine at regional and Euro-Atlantic level, with an
    emphasis on the need to continue supporting Ukraine and to consolidate
    trans-Atlantic ties, the Romanian foreign ministry said. In his address, Mr.
    Aurescu called on B9 ministers to maintain increased Allied attention and
    involvement in the Black Sea region, which has strategic importance for the
    entire Euro-Atlantic space, as well as to strengthen trans-Atlantic
    coordination. Bogdan Aurescu reiterated Romania’s firm commitment to
    further provide multidimensional support to Ukraine. He also encouraged the
    Allies on the eastern flank to continue supporting Ukraine’s neighbours, which
    are vulnerable to Russia’s aggressive moves, especially Georgia and the
    Republic of Moldova, which is facing hybrid threats designed to destabilise the
    country and to undermine its EU accession efforts.


    VISIT The PM of Romania Nicolae Ciucă travels
    to Sweden today, the country that holds the rotating presidency of the EU. His
    agenda includes a meeting with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson. According
    to Radio Romania’s correspondent, talks will focus on Russia’s aggression
    against Ukraine and its impact on the countries in the region, on the
    enlargement of the Schengen area, on the priorities of the Swedish presidency
    of the EU Council and on bilateral cooperation, which PM Nicolae Ciucă has
    recently described as very good. Nicolae Ciucă will also have a meeting with
    the speaker of the Swedish parliament, Andreas Norlén. Also today, the Romanian
    head of government will attend a public conference on Threats and
    opportunities in the Black Sea region, which will also mark the end of his
    visit to Sweden.


    GREEN ENERGY The European Commission
    vice-president Frans Timmermans travels to Bucharest today, for talks on
    the European Green Deal and the bloc’s strategy to switch to a zero-emission
    economy. The agenda of the visit includes meetings with president Klaus
    Iohannis, with the environment minister Tánczos Barna, and with other
    government officials. Frans Timmermans will also have meetings with civil
    society members, to discuss ways to fight climate change in Romania and the
    role of the European Commission in this respect.


    AGRICULTURE
    The European Commission intends to revise the amount of compensations granted
    to farmers from 5 countries affected by the imports of cheap grains from
    Ukraine. The Commission is to disburse another EUR 75 mln, of which Romania
    might get EUR 15mln, in addition to the EUR 10mln earmarked already. In an open
    letter to the government, Romanian farmers argue however that Romania has lost
    a lot more because of the priority and advantages received by Ukrainian
    producers in the European market.


    TENNIS The Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea
    (74 WTA) today takes on Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic (12 WTA), in the
    semis of the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami (Florida). Twice a Wimbledon champion (2011,
    2014), Kvitova qualified into the semifinals on Thursday, when she defeated
    Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in 3 sets. On Wednesday Sorana Cîrstea had outplayed Arina Sabalenka of
    Belarus, no 2 in the world. This will be the 11th direct
    match between Sorana Cîrstea and Petra Kvitova, with
    the Czech athlete winning 6 of them so far. The winner will take on Elena Rybakina
    of Kazakhstan in the final. (AMP)

  • March 9, 2023

    March 9, 2023

    BILLS Government in Bucharest will today hold talks on the final draft laws
    on education to be submitted for Parliament approval. The government believes
    that the laws, which have sparked off heated debates in society, will significantly
    curb school dropout, improve the country’s education system and allow the young
    people to adjust to the labour market requirements. However, the opposition has
    lashed out at the amendments announced by field minister Ligia Deca, describing
    the bills as faulty, superficially made and prone to creating imbalances. The
    bills have also been criticized by all those involved in the educational
    process, students, teachers and parents.










    TALKS Defence Ministers from EU member countries on Wednesday convened in
    Stockholm for talks over a two-billion euro plan of providing howitzer shells to
    Ukraine so that the country will improve its fighting capabilities against Russia.
    A final decision on the aforementioned project is expected during a similar
    conference due on March 20th. According to press agencies, Ukraine
    has cautioned that the quantity is not enough to make the difference in the war
    against Russia. Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who also attended
    the conference in Stockholm, says that his country needs at least one million 155mm
    artillery shells, which would cost 4 billion euros, double than the plan
    presented in Stockholm. The total EU support for Ukraine presently stands at 12
    billion euros.








    COVID-19 The number of COVID-19 infections is on the rise in Romania and
    according to the latest reports, the figures doubled last week as compared to
    February. Physicians believe though that the present situation should not
    create concern, whereas experts say that the real number of infections could be
    higher than officially announced. At the same time, the number of respiratory
    infections is dropping under 100 thousand cases confirmed in late February.




    ENERGY Italian electricity and gas provider Enel has today announced the transfer
    of its operations in Romania towards Public Power Corp (PPC) of Greece, in
    exchange for 1.26 billion euros as part of a plan focusing on green energy
    production and cutting debts. Enel has made public its intention to focus on
    countries with growth potential like Italy, Spain, the United States, Brazil,
    Chile and Columbia. The Enel-PPC deal is expected to complete in the third
    quarter of this year. The Italian group has been a major player on Romania’s
    energy market since 2005 and currently boasts 3 million customers in three
    major regions of this country.








    VISIT Presently on a Far East tour, which also took him to Japan, Romanian
    president Klaus Iohannis is today paying a two-day visit to the Republic of
    Singapore. Boosting cooperation in fields such as education, research, food
    safety, fighting climate change and green transition are high on his agenda.
    Romania is the third biggest EU provider of IT services to Singapore and
    Bucharest is interested in boosting this cooperation through fresh bilateral
    projects. Romania’s interest in attracting Singaporean investment will also be
    promoted. President Iohannis is expected to underline Romania’s contribution to
    global food safety and the potential of the Romanian Black Sea and Danube ports
    in connecting to Central Europe.






    (bill)

  • European funding for green transition

    European funding for green transition

    The European Commission has announced
    that in its second year of operation the Modernisation Fund disbursed a
    total EUR 4.11 bln in support of 61 projects in 8 beneficiary countries.


    Romania received the largest amount, nearly one-third
    of the total-EUR 1.39 bln. The project financed in Romania is aimed at building
    8 photovoltaic parks and 2 power plants, as well as at upgrading the country’s
    energy networks.


    Payments have also been made to Croatia, Czechia,
    Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia. According to the EC, the
    Modernisation Fund is designed to support EU member states with
    lower revenues in their clean energy transition. The projects will contribute
    to the modernisation of energy networks, to reducing greenhouse emissions in
    the energy sector, industry, transport and agriculture, and to improving energy
    efficiency.


    The support provided to these investments, the
    Commission says, will help the beneficiary member states to reach their
    environment and climate targets for 2030 and to step up the EU’s green
    transition.


    Last year, the Fund disbursed nearly EUR 900 mln to 8
    beneficiary countries, and complemented other EU financing instruments like
    the Cohesion Policy and the Just Transition Fund. The Modernisation
    Fund operates under the responsibility of its beneficiary countries, in
    close cooperation with the European Commission and the European Investment Bank.


    For the next investment cycle, countries may submit
    investment proposals in order to obtain assistance from the Modernisation Fund
    by 19th January 2023 for non-priority proposals and by 16th
    February 2023 for priority proposals.


    For Romania, next year’s main challenge will be
    related to the spending of EU funds, including those under the National
    Recovery and Resilience Plan ,where 41% of the EUR 29 bln earmarked to
    the country will be channelled into the green energy transition.


    The head of the Romanian Investors Association
    Cristian Pârvan says the top concern for the business community and
    policy-makers should be the accessing of EU funding, by reaching the benchmarks
    and targets undertaken under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and by
    submitting, selecting and funding viable projects:


    Cristian Pârvan: The business community is trying to
    make progress in its mission and obviously to make profits. But it is facing
    lots of challenges, from those in the energy sector to those related to
    workforce, and to the fact that for the time being the European economic
    solidarity is just an aspiration, rather than translating in pan-European
    projects.


    Cristian Pârvan also says that a firm, coherent and
    targeted policy may take Romania to a higher development level. (AMP)

  • December 16, 2022

    December 16, 2022

    SCHENGEN
    The losses incurred by Romania for the rejection of its Schengen accession bid
    are over EUR 25 bln, says the Romanian interior minister Lucian Bode. For 11 years
    we have been securing Schengen’s border, investing in human resources,
    capabilities and modern technologies. The losses incurred by Romania during all
    this time, since it has fulfilled the criteria but has not benefited from the
    related rights, are immeasurable, Mr. Bode said at a meeting of EU gendarme
    chiefs. The topic of Romania’s Schengen accession and of the negative vote
    given by Austria in the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting last week was
    also raised by president Klaus Iohannis at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.
    Senior European officials conveyed a message of support for Romania’s and
    Bulgaria’s Schengen accession. The EC president Ursula von der Leyen and the
    Council president Charles Michel said further discussions would be held on this
    topic and progress was expected in the following months.


    FUNDING The
    Romanian ministry for EU funding and investments has submitted to the EC the
    second payment request, amounting to EUR 3.228 bln, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The 3rd payment request, amounting to EUR 3.1 bln, is to be submitted
    to the Commission next spring. Romania benefits from over EUR 29 bln for the
    implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, including grants
    of up to EUR 14.24 bln and loans of nearly EUR 15 bln. The country has already
    cashed in 2 pre-financing instalments totaling EUR 3.79 bln.


    EU The president of
    the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will attend in Bucharest on
    Saturday the signing of an agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan,
    Georgia, Romania and Hungary concerning the Strategic Partnership in the
    development and transport of green energy. The agreement will be signed by the
    president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the PM of Georgia
    Irakli Garibashvili, the PM of Romania Nicolae Ciucă, and the PM of Hungary
    Viktor Orban. According to the Romanian Presidency, the document is based on
    the interests of the 4 states concerning a strengthened national and regional
    energy security. The agreement will provide a financial and technical framework
    for the construction of an underwater renewable energy transport cable between
    Romania and Azerbaijan, via Georgia and the Black Sea, and further on for the
    transport of this energy to Hungary and the rest of Europe.

    INFLATION The EU
    annual inflation rate dropped from 11.5% in October to 11.1% in November, but in
    8 member countries the rate rose from one month to the other, including in
    Romania, where it went from 13.5% to 14.6%, Eurostat announced on Friday. In November,
    the EU member states with the highest inflation rates were Hungary, Latvia, Estonia
    and Lithuania. At the opposite pole, the lowest inflation rates were reported
    in Spain, France and Malta.


    PROTEST Hundreds
    of employees in the Romanian public education system are today picketing
    prefect offices in several counties, primarily demanding the full
    implementation of a law concerning their incomes. Education unions say the net
    salaries for this category are up to EUR 440 and warn that 2023 will bring a
    new series of union actions unless the government solves the problems in this
    sector. The trade unions also criticise the government’s failure to pay for
    overtime and travel expenses and to adjust revenues to the inflation rate.


    TIMISOARA Romania
    commemorates today 33 years since the start of the anti-communist uprising in Timişoara,
    western Romania. The anniversary is marked by a traditional solemn meeting of
    the Local Council. The participants, including members of revolutionary
    associations, discuss the events of December ’89 and observe a moment of
    silence to honour those who died during those days. Exhibitions, film
    screenings, round tables, a concert entitled Folk for the Revolution as well
    marches are also organised on this occasion. 33 years ago, in Timişoara, a
    solidarity rally for the Reformed pastor Laszlo Tokes grew into an uprising
    that spread across the country and led to the fall of the communist regime.


    RESCUERS Romanian
    mountain rescuers were awarded in Paris at the International Rescuers Congress,
    attended by relevant institutions, associations and research institutes from
    over 60 countries in the world. Salvamont Romania was acknowledged as one of
    the best drone-assisted search and rescue services, and the distinction was
    received for the Data Analysis Centre in Târgu Jiu. The centre uses special software
    and drones for victim identification. (AMP)

  • August 21, 2022 UPDATE

    August 21, 2022 UPDATE

    WEATHER The weather will be rather cool in Romania’s
    south-western regions, with a cloudy sky and showers. In the rest of the
    regions it will be hotter than usual with a higher heat and discomfort index
    mainly in the country’s south-east. Heavy rainfalls are expected particularly
    in the southern Carpathians and their surroundings as well as thunderstorms and
    hail. The highs of the day are ranging between 23 and 33 degrees centigrade.
    Yellow and orange alerts for unstable weather have been issued until Monday
    night for several counties in the center, south, west and north-west of the
    country.








    COVID-19 Over 2,000 new Covid-19 infections have been
    reported in the past 24 hours in Romania out of 99 hundred tests conducted,
    sources with the Health Ministry have announced. 7 related fatalities have also
    been reported while 34 hundred people are presently being treated in hospitals.
    Face covering is no longer mandatory in schools and no special protection measures
    are to be taken, the prefect of Bucharest Toni Grebla has announced. Health
    Minister Alexandru Rafila had earlier recommended the use of masks in schools
    adding though that the only protection measure is the proper ventilation of the
    classrooms.








    MEDALS Romanian athlete Catalin Chirila won bronze
    in the 500 meter race at the Canoe Sprint European Championships in Munich. A
    world vice-champion in Halifax, Canada, Chirila also reaped gold in the 1000 meter
    single canoe race in Munich. Another two athletes from Romania, Constantin
    Popovici and Catalin Preda walked away with gold and silver from the high diving
    event of the European Aquatics Championships held in Rome. Popovici made
    history as the first European champion in this event with 455.70 points. Preda,
    who took the lead after the first three rounds, eventually ended second with
    436.20 points. Italian Alessandro De Rose came third in the aforementioned
    event. Constantin’s namesake David claimed two European titles and a world
    record in the pool and has been designated the best athlete in the men’s events
    at the present edition of the Aquatics in Rome.






    SALES Hybrid and
    electric car sales almost doubled in Romania in the first 7 months of the year
    as compared to the same period of 2021. According to the Association of Car
    Producers and Importers (APIA) out of the 15 thousand green vehicles sold in
    the period between January and July this year, 47% were in the full hybrid
    category, nearly 40% were electric vehicles while the rest plug-in hybrid
    electric vehicles.






    VOLLEYBALL Romania’s national men’s volleyball side
    have qualified for the European Championships due next year after a 3-0 win
    against Albania in their last away game in the preliminary group G. Romania
    ranks first in the group with 5 wins and 15 points followed by Switzerland with
    12 points, Bosnia-Herzegovina 4 points and Albania with two. The seven winning
    sides of the preliminaries as well as the best five runner-ups are qualified
    for the final tournament. Romania won a European title in 1963, two silver
    medals in 1955 and 1958 and two bronze in 1971 and 1977. At the 2019 edition of
    the European Championship our side ranked 21st.








    DIPLOMACY According to the spokeswoman for the
    Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, Russia will have a proper response
    to Bucharest’s decision to declare persona non grata an employee of its embassy
    in Romania. Zakharova says that Romania has declared the Russian employee
    persona non grata ‘without any reason and under exaggerated pretexts’. The
    Romanian Foreign Ministry says that a decision to expel the Russian employee
    has been made because the person was involved in activities incompatible with
    the Vienna Convention of 1961 concerning diplomatic relations, a generic
    definition for espionage allegations.




    (bill)

  • September 20, 2021 UPDATE

    September 20, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 The COVID certificate has become mandatory
    in Romania as of Monday for participants in various indoor events in all areas with
    an infection rate between 3 and 6 per thousand. The green pass proves the
    holder has been fully vaccinated, recovered from the disease or tested
    negative, and grants access to indoor events like theatre and cinema shows,
    sporting competitions, weddings or baptism ceremonies. Children under 6 are
    exempt. Authorities in Bucharest Monday announced 3,342 new infections out of
    over 21,000 tests conducted. 78 new Covid-related fatalities were also reported,
    while 952 patients are presently in ICUs. Over 100 towns and villages in
    Romania have infection rates of over 3 per thousand. Only 19 beds are currently
    available nation-wide for COVID patients, except for those set aside for people
    with certain medical conditions and testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. According
    to the Strategic Communication Group, the capital city Bucharest has no more
    beds available at the moment.










    DRILL As of Monday, almost
    400 troops from Romania, Portugal and Poland with over 65 pieces of military
    equipment are participating in a drill called Green Scorpions 21.3 hosted by
    the National Training Centre ‘Getica’ close to Brasov, in central Romania.
    According to sources with the Defence Ministry, the drill’s main goal is the
    joint training of troops, raising the level of interoperability between NATO
    members as well as the setting up of some joint battle techniques, tactics and
    procedures for the successful accomplishment of missions. The command is
    provided by infantry battalion 22 jointly with Portuguese and Polish detachments.






    ELECTION The Foreign
    Ministry in Bucharest has announced it does not recognize the legitimacy of the
    election for the Russian Parliament held in the annexed region of Crimea. The
    Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated its support for the
    sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring Ukraine, recalling that
    Romania does not recognize the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of
    Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by Moscow. Bucharest also notes with regret
    that Russia has opened polling stations in Transdniester against the will of
    the constitutional authorities in Chisinau, a fact that runs against the
    sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova. According to
    the Central Electoral Commission, president Putin’s party, United Russia, is
    preserving its majority in the State Duma following the parliamentary election
    held for three days. United Russia got around 50% of the votes, but this
    accounts for over 300 of the 450 seats in Russia’s parliament, allowing the
    party to pass laws and implement reforms with no support from other political
    forces. Second came the Communist Party with some 19% of the votes. The
    nationalist LDPR party and the Fair Russia party also got into parliament,
    alongside a new party called New People, seen by some as a Kremlin project
    designed to divide Putin’s opponents.











    MEETING The
    Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, and the country’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan
    Aurescu Monday attended the 76th session of the UN General Assembly
    in New York. For the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the
    event has been attended in person by heads of state and governments of UN
    countries. Romania’s participation at the highest level in the UN sessions
    reconfirms Bucharest’s support for pragmatic and effective multilateral
    diplomacy as a landmark of Romania’s foreign policy, as well as the Romanian
    contribution to international and UN activities. On the sidelines of the event
    in New York, the country’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu will be attending a
    number of multilateral meetings. According to the Foreign Ministry in
    Bucharest, special attention will be paid to bilateral meetings with
    counterparts from countries in the Caucasus, Central, East and South Asia, the
    Middle East, Africa and the Pacific area. (tr. A.M. Popescu, D. Bilt)

  • September 17, 2021 UPDATE

    September 17, 2021 UPDATE

    CORONAVIRUS The government Friday passed a resolution making
    the green certificate, attesting vaccination, negative testing or recovery from
    COVID-19, compulsory upon entering
    restaurants, gyms, or attending public and private events in areas where the infection rate is over 3 per
    thousand. This is the same digital certificate required this summer for travel
    within the EU. On Friday, authorities announced 4,478 new cases of COVID-19
    infection in 24 hours, from over 46,000 tests.
    In the same interval, 73 related fatalities were also reported and 762
    patients treated in intensive care. Bucharest exceeded, on Friday, the
    threshold of 2 per thousand inhabitants cumulated in 14 days, which brings the
    capital city in the yellow zone. Meanwhile, on Thursday the National Committee
    on Emergency Situations approved a new list of high-risk countries, valid as of
    September 19. Bulgaria and France are now back in the yellow zone, and Spain is
    listed as a green-zone country.






    CONNECTING EUROPE Romania needs to step up investments in the rail
    infrastructure, the European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said on
    Friday. Attending the arrival in Bucharest’s main railway station of Connecting
    Europe Express, a special train designed in the European Year of Rail, she
    explained that Romania must plan its investments well, come up to solid
    projects and manage these investments as efficiently as possible. I am aware of
    the situation of railways in Romania and I undertake to do everything in my
    power to help finance and develop it, the interim transport minister Dan Vîlceanu
    said in his turn. Connecting Europe Express will stop in stations in 26
    countries during its five-week, 20,000-km journey, before arriving in Paris on
    October 7. The train departed from Lisbon and, before reaching Paris, it will
    stop in Ljubljana, connecting the Portuguese, Slovenian and French presidencies
    of the Council of the EU.






    VISIT The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, will be in
    Bucharest on September 27, the EC deputy spokesperson Dana Spinant announced on
    Friday. She added that in the coming days the Commission will complete its
    assessment of Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Under the Plan,
    Bucharest is set to receive over 29 billion euro, half of it in grants and half
    in loans. Romania plans reforms and investments in transports, environment,
    agriculture, healthcare, education, business environment, research, innovation,
    digitisation as well as resilience in crisis situations. According to the
    Commission, 18 states have already seen their national recovery plans approved,
    and 12 of them have already received the first instalments of the funds for
    investment projects.




    COURT Romania’s Constitutional Court will discuss on September 28 the notification filed by the Liberal Prime
    Minister Florin Cîţu’s Cabinet, in connection with an alleged constitutional
    conflict with Parliament concerning the no-confidence motion filed by the
    USR-PLUS alliance, a former junior coalition partner, and AUR, a nationalist
    party, in the opposition. The Government denounced Parliament’s alleged
    unconstitutional, disloyal and abusive behaviour towards the Government, as the
    no-confidence motion tabled by the latter had allegedly been initiated, tabled
    and communicated in terms that are against the Constitution. Pending the Court’s ruling, the debate and
    vote on the motion are in standby, Parliament decided.






    NEW
    MEDIA ART The
    biggest new media art event in Romania will be held on Saturday. iMapp
    Bucharest – Winners league is also among the top three international video
    mapping competitions. The works of teams from the US, Germany, Ukraine, Japan
    and Hungary will be presented on the world’s biggest screening area, namely,
    the façade of the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, of 23,000 sqm. The theme of
    this year’s edition is The Show Must Go On and celebrates through works that
    blend light, technology and music, the way in which people have been returning
    to normal life.








    NATO Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant-General Daniel
    Petrescu is taking part over September 17-19 in the conference of the NATO
    Military Committee, which brings together in Athens, Greece heads of military
    from Allied countries. Talks will tackle NATO operations, missions and
    activities. Additionally, the conference will also address means of
    implementing the Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area, and NATO’s
    Warfighting Capstone Concept. According to the Romanian Defence Ministry, the
    Military Committee will analyze the NATO 2030 initiative and all its military
    implications and opportunities. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Brussels proposes digital green certificate

    Brussels proposes digital green certificate

    On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed to create an electronic green certificate to facilitate safe and free movement within the European Union during the coronavirus pandemic.



    The certificate will prove that the holder has either received a vaccine, or has tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection, or has had the disease and recovered. The document will be available free of charge, in digital or paper format, and will include a QR code to ensure security and authenticity. The European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean from Romania, explained in a TV statement:



    Adina Valean: What the Commission tries to do is propose an EU-wide regulation, which means a compulsory standard, rather than a voluntary one. This regulation will unify the various types of information. There will be only one digital green certificate, issued in the same way in all Member States, which may be checked easily at border crossing, and obviously designed to also counter the possible fraud types that we see emerging already.



    She emphasised however that no country may deny the access of non-vaccinated citizens. The Digital Green Certificate will not be a pre-condition to free movement and it will not discriminate in any way, the EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said in turn.



    The Commission will create a gateway and support Member States to develop software that authorities can use to verify all certificate signatures across the EU. No personal data of the certificate holders passes through the gateway, or is retained by the verifying Member State.



    The certificates will include a limited set of information such as name, date of birth, date of issuance, relevant information about vaccine/test/recovery and a unique identifier of the certificate. They will be valid for all EU Member States and open for Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway as well as Switzerland. The new documents should also be issued to non-EU nationals who reside in the EU and to visitors who have the right to travel to other Member States.



    Member States remain free to accept proof of vaccination to waive certain public health restrictions such as testing or quarantine, and they would be required to accept, under the same conditions, the documents issued under the Digital Green Certificate system. In order to be ready by summer, the Commissions proposal needs to be endorsed quickly by the European Parliament and Council. The measure is temporary, and will be suspended once the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the COVID-19 international health emergency. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • March 7-14, 2021

    March 7-14, 2021


    The evolution of coronavirus in Romania


    The government in Bucharest decided to extend the state of alert by 30 more days, coming into effect on March 14, as the number of COVID-19 infections rises. According to PM Florin Citu, all restrictions already in place are here to stay. In addition, night circulation is forbidden between 22:00 and 5:00, one hour earlier than before. Another decision limits occupation in tourist accommodation to up to 70% of capacity. This measure is mostly aimed at accommodation in areas with skiing or winter sports facilities. At the same time, in order to speed up the vaccination campaign and contain the pandemic, on Thursday the third stage opened for people in localities with a rate of infection of over 4.5 to a thousand inhabitants. This stage will be applied nationally starting Monday, in which anyone who wishes to vaccinate can do so as well. Romania has immunized over 1.3 million people since the start of the vaccination campaign, on December 27, and over half have had the follow-up. On Thursday, the authorities in Bucharest have decided to temporarily suspend the use of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine up until the end of the evaluation run by the European Medicines Agency. The decision comes after several European countries registered severe reactions, even deaths, after the administration of these vaccines, part of a certain allotment.



    Conclusions in the fire at the Matei Bals hospital


    The Romanian government will file a case with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate following the conclusion of the Control Body in relation to the fire at the Matei Bals Institute in Bucharest. Inspectors who investigated the area after the 29 January reached the conclusion that the fire was caused by the poor and antiquated infrastructure, the undersized wiring, and the poor supervision of the patients. We recall that over 20 people have died in the fire in one pavilion of the hospital, causing over 100 COVID patients to be relocated.



    The 2021 budget passes


    President Klaus Iohannis endorsed this week the state budget and social insurance law for 2021. According to the Presidency, investment, reforms, and economic growth are the pillars of the 2021 budget, observing all the principles of fiscal responsibility and sustainability of public finance. The budget deficit target of 7.16% of the GDP indicates a considerable effort towards budget consolidation, without unduly burdening citizens with new taxes, the release also indicates. Considerable amounts of money are earmarked for the transportation infrastructure, schools and hospitals, but also for managing the vaccination campaign, as well as the risks associated with the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Major investments are aimed at supporting businesses, new opportunities for development, and creating better paying jobs, the document states. Last week, Parliament passed the budget bill in the form issued by the government, without accepting amendments. This year, the budget is based on an economic growth of 4.31%.



    Romania reports record economic growth for 2020 4th quarter


    Romania had the highest GDP growth of any EU country in the fourth quarter of the past year compared to the previous quarter. According to data published on Tuesday by Eurostat, the Romanian economy grew by 4.8% during that period. Previously, the Romanian National Institute of Statistics reviewed downwards its expectation for growth from 5.3% to 4.8% for the GDP in the last quarter of last year. It did not, however, adjust its estimate for 2020, according to which the Romanian economy shrank by 3.9% in real terms. The shrinkage in the GDP was caused by industry, trade, agriculture, and entertainment related activities.



    The authorities in Bucharest want to eliminate cumulative pensions


    Romania has launched a public debate on a bill to ban cumulative pensions with state wages. Minister of Labor Raluca Turcan announced that around 35,000 tax payers are receiving both a pension and a salary. There will be exceptions to this, however, such as teachers, members of the Romanian Academy, and elected officials. The bill also provides for the possibility of continuing work up until 70 years of age, applying to both state and private employees. Another bill was submitted for public debate, along with an emergency executive order, allowing for parents who return to work earlier than their parental leave allows to receive a higher bonus for returning.



    The Green Friday campaign is launched


    The Romanian Ministry of the Environment launched on March 12 the Green Friday initiative, encouraging the use of alternative transportation for going to and from work in order to reduce pollution, especially in the big cities. The campaign provides that every Friday people should not use their personal vehicles and go to and from work using public transport, bicycles, or just on foot. Minister of the Environment Tánczos Barna announced he would launch an invitation to everyone to take part, while town halls were extended a proposal to offer free public transportation on Fridays. (tr. C. Cotoiu)

  • March 12, 2021

    March 12, 2021

    PENSIONS Public and private sector employees may continue working until the age of 70 if they choose to, the Romanian labour minister Raluca Turcan announced. She explained that unlike private sector staff, in the public sector the employees reaching retirement age who continue working cannot receive both public pensions and salaries. Another bill drafted by the labour ministry concerns an increase of the bonuses paid to new parents who stay on parental leave for less than 6 months, from 130 euros to around 300 euros.



    VACCINE Romania temporarily suspends the use of an AstraZeneca vaccine batch, until the European Medicines Agency completes its assessment. The National Vaccine Coordination Committee decided however to continue using the doses from batches where problems have not been reported. The decision comes after other European countries reported severe side effects and even deaths among people having received AstraZeneca doses from a particular batch. Romania received 81,600 doses from the AstraZeneca batch no. ABV 2856, and has used over 77,000 of them. The remaining shots are temporarily suspended, until the European Medicines Agency completes its assessment. Today, over 100,000 doses of Moderna vaccine reach Romania. Also, in order to step up the vaccine rollout and contain the pandemic, on Thursday the last stage of the vaccination programme was launched in places with more than 4.5 infections per 1,000 people. On Monday the 3rd vaccination phase, targeting the general public, begins across the country. On Friday Romania reported over 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. 108 COVID-related deaths were also reported, and 1,166 patients are in intensive care.



    PANDEMIC The European Medicines Agency has approved the use of a 4th COVID-19 vaccine in the EU—the single-shot Johnson & Johnson. Meanwhile, as a precaution, 9 countries have suspended the use of AstraZeneca vaccines over blood clot fears. These countries are Austria, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Norway, Iceland and Denmark. The first to do so was Austria, following the death of a person from multiple thrombosis. Other countries using this vaccine, including Spain, Sweden and the UK, say they had no problems of this kind. 17 EU member states have received doses from the batch in question. The European Commission urges member states to follow the advice of the European Medicines Agency, which says that at this point nothing points to higher blood clot risks in people having received the Covid-19 vaccine. Astrazeneca insists that its vaccine has been tested extensively and is well tolerated. On Thursday night, in the US, the worst-hit country in the world, president Joe Biden gave his first prime-time address, marking 1 year since the pandemic was declared officially. Biden announced that his goal of having 100 million Americans immunised in the first 100 days of his term in office will be reached sooner than planned. According to worldometers updates, over 119 million people have caught the coronavirus so far. Of them, around 94.7 million have recovered and at least 2.6 million people died.



    ENVIRONMENT The environment ministry has today launched a campaign called Green Friday, calling on Romanians to switch from automobiles to walking, cycling or using public transport every Friday. The point is primarily to reduce pollution in big cities. Minister Barna Tanczos explained that 60% of urban pollution is caused by automobiles.




    ECONOMY In Romania, the trade balance deficit in January was nearly 1.2 billion euros, down since last January, with imports dropping 5.8% and exports 4.9%. According to data made public on Friday by the National Statistics Institute, exports amounted to 5.4 billion euro, and imports to 6.6 billion euro. In related news, the INS announced on Friday that in January the average net salary in Romania was nearly 700 euro, down 6.2% since the previous month. The highest salaries in Romania are paid in IT&C, and the smallest in the hospitality industry. (tr. A.M. Popescu)