Radio România Internațional

Tag: Halep

  • The Week in Review (03-07.02.2025)

    The Week in Review (03-07.02.2025)

    The 2025 budget, adopted

    Romania’s state and social security budgets were adopted on February 6 by the Bucharest Parliament, shortly after being greenlit by the expert committees. The budget is built on an economic growth rate of 2.5% and a deficit of 7% of GDP. Last year, the deficit was close to 9%, prompting the new PSD – PNL – UDMR ruling coalition to make efforts for its gradual reduction. The government has promised that investments will not be affected by the budget rebalancing. According to the finance minister, Tánczos Barna, conditions are met to support the country’s development through record investments and to ensure the financial resources for the payment of salaries and pensions and the protection of the vulnerable categories. The opposition USR criticized the new budget provisions, for what they see as overestimation of income, indebtedness of Romanians through the measures adopted and the elimination of some tax facilities.

     

     

    Huge real estate scam with political overtones

    The vote on the state budget was not the only important event that took place on Wednesday, in Parliament. Representatives of both opposition groups in Parliament, the pro-Europeans and the sovereigntists, loudly demanded the resignation of the Social-Democratic prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. The reason is the insufficiently clarified connections which he allegedly has with the former Social Democratic MP Laura Vicol, who headed the Chamber of Deputies’ legal committee for four years, and with her husband, Vladimir Ciorbă. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses the two of having developed a financial scam through which they collected from clients, individuals and legal entities, over 195 million euros, without delivering the apartments and parking lots which their clients had paid for. The Vicol-Ciorbă couple and three other people with positions within the Nordis group of companies have been arrested this week after extensive searches carried out in Romania and abroad. The investigation targets 40 individuals and 32 companies. According to investigators, there were also cases of the same apartment being sold to different clients. The prosecutor’s office seized hundreds of apartments and houses, commercial spaces, land, cars and shares and blocked dozens of bank accounts of the individuals and companies involved. The tax office announced an internal control, after prosecutors claimed that four of its inspectors could be charged with favoring the criminal. The latter allegedly took no measures against the Nordis group, although they had already discovered irregularities three years ago. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who traveled on planes rented by Nordis, claims that he paid for his flights himself. He is not being accused of any crime, but his image is tainted by his presence, alongside other PSD leaders, in the company of such people.

     

    A new attempt to suspend the president

    Prime Minister Ciolacu is not the only one whose resignation is being requested. One of the three sovereigntist parties in the Romanian Parliament on Wednesday submitted a new request, the third, for the suspension of President Klaus Iohannis. The previous request had been rejected by the Permanent Bureaus. The new request is also signed by the Save Romanian Union (USR) whose members said they would vote for it if it reached the plenary session. The opposition claims that the presence of Iohannis at the helm of the state is illegitimate. However, Iohannis repeatedly ruled out the option of his resignation, arguing that the Constitution requires him to remain in office until the future president is sworn in. Iohannis remained in office although his second and last term expired on December 21, after the Constitutional Court annulled last year’s presidential election. A new vote will take place on May 4 and 18. The former liberal leader Crin Antonescu will also enter the race for the supreme office. Last Sunday he received the validation as a joint candidate of the coalition government (PSD-PNL-UDMR) also from the social democrats, after he had previously been confirmed by the liberals and ethnic Hungarians.

     

    Again, about the theft of the Dacian treasure pieces

    The prime minister’s control body has found deficiencies or legislative gaps in terms of protecting the cultural heritage, and failures of compliance with the legal framework that regulates the temporary export of classified movable cultural assets. This is the result of checks undertaken in relation to the conditions in which some of the artefacts from the Dacian treasure were exhibited in the Dutch Drents Museum in Assen. The control body also found that the security and anti-burglary security measures and conditions proposed by the foreign entities to which the assets were lent were not analyzed by specialists. Four of the most important artefacts from Romania’s national heritage have been recently stolen from the Drents Museum in the Dutch city of Assen, namely the gold helmet from Coţofeneşti, dating from the period between the 5th and 4th centuries before Christ, as well as three Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmizegetusa Regia, from the second half of the first century before Christ. The pieces, of inestimable historical value, were part of the Exhibition “Dacia – The Kingdom of Gold and Silver” which opened on July 7, 2024 and was to be closed on January 25.

     

    Retirement of a great champion

    “My body can no longer sustain the effort it takes to get back to where I once was, and I know what that requires.” This is how Simona Halep, the most valuable tennis player in the history of Romania, with the most titles, explained her retirement. The announcement was made on Tuesday, almost a year after returning to professional competitions, which she had been banned from due to doping allegations. Simona Halep was in first place in the WTA ranking for 64 weeks. Her record includes two Grand Slam titles – Roland Garros and Wimbledon – as well as three other finals played, two at Roland Garros and one at the Australian Open. She has won 24 titles and won more than 40 million dollars from tennis, being third on the all-time list of WTA earners, behind Serena and Venus Williams. (EE, LS)

  • December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    December 26, 2024 UPDATE

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • October 2, 2024 UPDATE

    October 2, 2024 UPDATE

     

    ALERT A new RO-Alert message was issued for the northern part of ​​Tulcea County (south-eastern Romania), after the national defence and security structures detected a possible attack by the Russian Federation on some targets on the territory of Ukraine. These messages are aimed at informing the people in the Romania-Ukraine border area that there are possible Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory and that some objects might fall on Romanian territory. The Romanian defence ministry firmly condemns once more these attacks carried out by the Russian Federation against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, which are unjustified and are serious breaches of international law.

     

    WARNING The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly advises Romanian nationals who are in Lebanon to leave that country by the air routes still available. The travel warning regarding major security risks is still valid, and commercial flights and travel routes may also be affected, according to the ministry. Some 1,136 Romanian citizens and their family members have so far registered their presence in Lebanon, at the Romanian Embassy in Beirut. On the ground, Iran announced that its attack on Israel had ended, after it launched more than 180 missiles in its direction on Tuesday night. Tehran says it targeted the infrastructure of the enemy state. According to international media, targets included the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad, as well as the most important air base, Nevatim, which is also used by Israel’s F- 35 long-range stealth strike fighter fleet. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Israel, there is no information regarding the loss of human life and damages.

     

    VISA WAIVER Romania meets all the technical conditions to be part of the Visa Waiver Program, the Romanian ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, said in a social media post. He also said that Romanians would most likely be allowed to travel visa-free in the first half of next year. “Should all the conditions and preparations proceed successfully, the program could take effect sometime in 2025” the US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, said on Tuesday. However, Ambassador Kavalec said, a number of important steps still need to be completed in the coming months to establish whether Romania is, in fact, eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

     

    ELECTIONS The president of the National Liberal Party in the ruling coalition in Romania, Nicolae Ciucă, has officially entered his candidacy in the presidential election with the Central Electoral Bureau. He has submitted lists of over 1.5 million signatures supporting his bid. Also today, the president of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians has also announced his candidacy, after gathering over 270,000 signatures. So far, candidates for the top position in the Romanian public administration also include George Simion (AUR party), Elena Lasconi (USR party), and Călin Georgescu, running independently. The deadline for entering candidacies for the presidential election is October 5, and lists of at least 200,000 supporters are required. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled on November 24, and the second one on December 8.

     

    NATURAL GAS OMV Petrom, a corporation in which the Romanian government holds 20% of the stock, announced that 2027 will see the first natural gas supplies extracted via the “Neptun Deep” project. “Neptun Deep” is the largest natural gas project in Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea and the first Romanian deep-water offshore project. OMV Petrom says works on the gas platform to be installed in 2026 have already started in shipyards in Italy and Indonesia. The platform will be approx. 140 high, with a 40 sq m base and will weigh over 7,000 tone. It will support the upper section of the Neptun platform, an element of the infrastructure required for the development of natural gas deposits. OMV Petrom also pointed out that “Neptun Deep” will contribute to the country’s energy security.

     

    DEFENCE The Romanian defence minister, Angel Tîlvăr, had an official meeting on Wednesday with his Portuguese counterpart, Nuno Melo. The 2 officials discussed the Romanian-Portuguese cooperation in the defence and security sector, both in bilateral terms and as members of NATO and the EU. other topics on the agenda included the Black Sea security situation and measures to consolidate NATO’s defence and deterrence posture on the Eastern flank. Angel Tîlvăr appreciated Portugal’s contribution to joint exercises and activities, the country’s commitment as part of the NATO Enhanced Vigilance Activities, with the deployment of a military unit to the Multinational Brigade South-East, headquartered in Craiova, and its presence in other Allied structures on Romanian territory.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep made her comeback to professional competitions, with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win against Arina Rodionova (Australia), in the first round of the WTA 125 tournament in Hong Kong. A former WTA leader, Halep last played in May, when she was forced to exit the first round at Trophee Clarins, in Paris, in a match against McCartney Kessler (US). In Hing Kong, Halephas secured 15 WTA points, and in the round of 16 she will face Russia’s Ana Blinkova, the 2023 winner of the Transylvania Open. (AMP)

  • March 23, 2024

    March 23, 2024

    ARRESTS The Kremlin announced on Saturday the arrest of 11 people, including four perpetrators of the recent attack at a concert hall on Moscow’s outskirts, claimed by a Jihadist group known as the Islamic State. Assailants dressed up in camouflage suits opened fire with automatic weapons against the people attending the concert. According to AFP and Reuters, the death toll stands at 150 and is expected to rise. Health Ministry sources have announced that 115 people have been admitted to hospitals, including five children. Parliament sources have announced on Telegram, that two suspects have been detained in the region of Briansk after a car chase. Other suspects have taken refuge in a forest nearby.

     

    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea is today taking on US challenger Sloane Stephens in the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, Florida with more than 8 million dollars in prize money. The game was postponed in the first set due to the rain at 5-2 to Cirstea. The other three Romanians in the competition, Simona Halep, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian have been eliminated in the first round. We recall that Halep, a former number one, has returned to competitions after a suspension of a year and a half for alleged doping.

     

    BORDER According to the Border Police General Inspectorate over 190 thousand people, Romanian and foreign citizens, as well as 57 thousand vehicles crossed Romania’s borders on 22nd of March. 96,119 people entered Romania yesterday, including 8,489 Ukrainian nationals. Since 10 February 2022, two weeks before the Russian invasion, 7,600,853 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania. According to the same sources, procedures at Romania’s border checkpoints are done under the national and community legislation.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side ended in a one-all draw their friendly against Northern Ireland in Bucharest on Friday. Romania will next play Columbia on neutral ground in Madrid on Tuesday. These are the first two training matches of our squad before EURO 2024 in Germany in summer. In June, Romania will be playing also in friendlies against the selections of Bulgaria and Lichtenstein. At the final continental tournament, our side is part of Group E where it will be playing Belgium, Slovakia and the winner of the tie game on Tuesday pitching Ukraine against Iceland. On Thursday night in the tie semis, Iceland secured a 4-1 win against Israel and Ukraine clinched a 2-1 win in Bosnia.

     

    WEATHER The weather is nice and warm in almost all Romanian regions with highs ranging between 11 and 21 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 18 degrees.

    (bill)

  • March 11, 2024 UPDATE

    March 11, 2024 UPDATE

    Elections – The Romanian government adopted on Monday, in an extraordinary meeting, a decision that establishes the calendar of the combined elections of June 9, 2024. According to the emergency ordinance on holding the two elections simultaneously, recently adopted by the executive, the local officials will be able to run on behalf of another political party if they announce that 45 days before the date of the elections. The document is criticized by the opposition. The United Right Alliance requested the Ombudsman to notify the Constitutional Court in relation to the emergency ordinance on merging the European Parliament elections with the local ones. The representatives of the Alliance state that they have identified provisions in the law adopted on Friday that violate both the Constitution and some previous decisions of the Court.

     

    Protests – The employees of the Romanian healthcare system protested, on Monday, in front of the headquarters of the Government, the Labor Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Parliament, the main dissatisfaction being related to salary incomes. Several thousand trade unionists, members of the Sanitary Solidarity Federation, participated. People continue to be dissatisfied, although the Government approved, last week, an increase in the healthcare staff’s salaries by 20% in two equal installments, in March and June. The trade union representatives believe that the increase is insufficient and state that the extra amounts do not cover the inflation rate. Moreover, they claim that the government’s emergency ordinance does not include any provision regarding increases or the hourly rate of on-call services.

     

    Tennis – After a year and a half break, the Romanian tennis player Simona Halep will return to the tennis courts, the former world leader leaving, this morning, for Miami. The athlete has not played an official match since August 2022 and will now make her debut at the WTA 1000 tournament in the USA (March 17-31). Outside the WTA ranking, Halep received a wildcard from the organizers, an invitation that allows her to be on the main draw of the tournament. We remind you that Simona Halep received the right to return to the tennis court after the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne has recently reduced her suspension for doping from 4 years to 9 months. The athlete managed to prove that the doping substance she unintentionally ingested came from a contaminated food supplement.

     

    Partnership – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, on Monday had a telephone conversation with her Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, in the context of the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Japan. The economic, sectoral and cultural projects were reviewed and their development opportunities were highlighted. Starting from the interdependence of security situations, the two ministers addressed the latest developments regarding Europe and the Indo-Pacific area. Both sides highlighted Romania’s and Japan’s firm support for Ukraine and each country’s contribution to the effort to mitigate the multiple negative effects of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including on its neighbors.

     

    Moldova – The Constitutional Court in Chişinău decided on Monday that the phrase “Romanian language” should remain in all the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, including the Constitution, the magistrates rejecting a notification submitted by socialist and communist deputies, Radio Chişinău reports. At the end of March last year, the deputies of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) submitted a notification to the Constitutional Court requesting the verification of the constitutionality of the decision to change the name of the state language, from Moldovan to Romanian, in all the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, including in the Constitution. The main argument of the authors of the complaint was that the parliamentary group of the ruling Action and Solidarity party changed the Constitution with the votes of a simple majority of deputies, and not with two-thirds of the votes. The respective bill was voted by the Moldovan Parliament in the final reading last year, and the president Maia Sandu promulgated the law.

     

    NATO – Romania firmly supports the Open Door Policy of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, and “Sweden’s accession proves that NATO’s door remains open and that together we are stronger”, said the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr. On Monday, the ceremony of raising the flags of Sweden, Romania and NATO took place at the Romanian Defense Ministry headquarters, on the occasion of Sweden’s entry into the North Atlantic Alliance, in the presence of the minister and the ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Romania, Therese Hyden. According to a press release, during the ceremony, Angel Tîlvăr declared that Sweden, as a NATO member, will equally contribute both to the development of the Alliance policies and decisions and to the consolidation of allied forces. In turn, Therese Hyden stated that with Sweden’s joining NATO, the North Atlantic Alliance will be stronger and Sweden will be safer.

     

    EC – Romania received, on Monday, 642 million Euros from the European Commission for the Just Transition Platform – FTJ STEP, representing a single exceptional pre-financing within the ‘Strategic Technologies for Europe’ (STEP) platform – the Minister of Investments and European Projects, Adrian Hat announced. The platform will support the development of European industry and the stimulation of investments in critical technologies in Europe. According to the minister, at present, Romania has received sums worth 1.23 billion Euros within the Cohesion Policy 2021 – 2027, and by the end of this year, it will have in its accounts at least 5 billion Euros from the new Cohesion Policy. (LS)

  • Bittersweet victory for Simona Halep

    Bittersweet victory for Simona Halep

    The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has seen to an honourable ending the hardest match in her life, as she described it herself: proving that she has always been a clean athlete, in the face of doping accusations.

     

    The Lausanne Court of Arbitration for Sport admitted Halep’s appeal and cut down to 9 months the original 4-year suspension issued by the International Tennis Integrity Agency. The suspension had been decided for 2 alleged violations, the use of prohibited substances and irregularities in her biological passport.

     

    In Lausanne, the Romanian athlete did not deny her responsibility in making sure that she did not ingest any banned substances, but objected to allegations that she had done that on purpose, and argued that the positive test was the result of a contamination of the food supplement she was using in August 2022. According to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Halep has proved that the doping violation was unintentional.

     

    The suspension started in October 2022, therefore Simona Halep, who has not taken part in any competition for almost one and a half years, is free to return to professional competitions.

     

    The two-time Grand Slam champion was quick to respond to the decision. In an Instagram post, she said the overwhelming support of so many Romanians strengthened her resolve and enabled her to fight for a fair and honourable conclusion. “In the midst of this challenging journey, my unwavering belief in the integrity of the truth and in the principles of justice has been my beacon. Despite facing daunting accusations and formidable opposition, my spirit remained buoyant, anchored in my unwavering conviction of being a clean athlete. This ordeal has been a testament to resilience, and the triumph of truth is a bittersweet vindication that, albeit delayed, is immensely gratifying,” she said.

     

    Tennis legends like Chris Evert and Boris Becker welcomed the recent decision and the Romanian player’s imminent return to the WTA circuit. Coach Patrick Mouratoglou, with whom Simona Halep was working at the time of the positive test and who was blamed by Simona’s fans and some commentators for this painful moment, spoke about the incredible injustice that she suffered.

     

    Simona Halep won the battle for her image, but she still has to fight for the losses incurred during her suspension. She has sued the Canadian producer of the food supplements she believes led to the positive test results, asking for USD 10 mln in damages.

     

    As for her athletic performance, analysts agree that at over 32 years of age, Simona has a mountain to climb to make it back to the top tier of professional tennis. But they also believe that the mental strength and exceptional sport quality that won her the Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles, in addition to 20 other trophies, can be the engine of her return to elite tennis. (AMP)

  • March 6, 2024

    March 6, 2024

    Congress – The Congress of the European People’s Party (EPP) takes place, today and tomorrow, in Bucharest, being attended by over 2,000 delegates from 44 countries. The European People’s Party decides the strategy for the European parliamentary elections in June, establish the EPP manifesto and designate the candidate for the head of the European Commission. The incumbent president, Ursula von der Leyen, is the only one officially registered in this competition, her candidacy being validated, last night, by the EPP’s Political Assembly. At the end of the Congress, a document will be adopted that will include the request for Romania and Bulgaria to become full members of the Schengen area. The Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer, who is still opposed to this accession, will also attend the meeting. On Wednesday, at a meeting with young people from Romania, the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who is also participating in the congress, said that the Schengen Area will not be complete until it includes Romania. She has given assurances that Bucharest is supported by “numerous friends”, who will help it enter Schengen. She urged the young people to vote in the European Parliament elections and not to ‘underestimate’ their power to send ‘ambassadors’ to the EP. In parallel with the Congress, hosted by the National Liberal party – PNL (in the governing coalition), President Klaus Iohannis, the former leader of the Liberals, and the Social-Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu have meetings with the leaders present in Bucharest. At the meeting with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, they discussed the European Parliament elections, Romania’s European priorities, its full accession to the Schengen area and the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR.

     

    Tennis – The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has confirmed that Romanian Simona Halep can immediately return to the professional circuit, after her four-year suspension was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. Halep has not played an official match since the defeat registered in the first round at the US Open in 2022. She was suspended for four years for doping in September 2023 by the International Tennis Integrity Agency. The reduction of the suspension was welcomed by big names in the history of tennis.

     

    US elections – The former US president, Donald Trump, won, on Tuesday evening, the Republican primaries in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Maine, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Alabama, Minnesota, Colorado and Texas, which are at stake in the so-called ‘Super Tuesday’. 15 states are at stake in this electoral battle, and the world media write that Trump hopes to definitively exclude his last rival, Nikki Haley. In the Democratic camp, President Joe Biden, who wants to get a second term in office, does not face serious opposition. The candidacies of two Democrats, the elected representative of the state of Minnesota, Dean Phillips, and the successful author Marianne Williamson, did not really arouse enthusiasm, despite the recurring criticism of the octogenarian president. Biden already won, on Tuesday evening, in 12 states, including Vermont, North Carolina and Virginia.

     

     

    Drugs – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted, on Tuesday, as a decision-making body, the so-called “2 Mai” Law, which stipulates that high-risk drug traffickers can no longer receive suspended sentences. At the same time, the bill stipulates that trading products that have psychoactive effects represents a crime and is punishable by imprisonment. The Senate had adopted the bill in November 2023, as the first body notified. The bill is now being promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis.

     

    Romanian elections – Romania’s Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft law that allows the organization of the presidential election in September. The Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL, in the government coalition, agreed that the first round of the election should take place on September 15th and the second on the 29th. The law has already been challenged by Save Romania Union – USR and the Force of the Right at the Constitutional Court, which will discuss the notification of the opposition on March 20. We remind you that the local elections in Romania will take place, for the first time, simultaneously with the European Parliament elections, on June 9, and the vote for the Romanian Parliament on December 8.

     

    Swimming – The World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, Qatar, ended with a new success for the representative of the Universitatea Cluj Club (north-west Romania), Maier Orosz Judith, who competed in the 80-84-year category. The athlete won the gold medal in the 50m and 200m breaststroke and the 400m individual medley respectively, all with new national records, as well as in the 100m breaststroke. The other representative of Universitatea Cluj at the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, Vlad Dobra, finished sixth in the 50m and 100m backstroke and 400m individual medley of the 30-34-year category. More than 2,500 athletes participated in the Doha competition.

     

    Handball – Romania’s men’s handball champion, Dinamo Bucharest, was defeated by the Portuguese team Sporting Lisbon, score 31-27, on Tuesday evening, at home, in its last match in the Main Group IV of the EHF European League. Dinamo finished on third place in the group and will play in the play-off with the second ranked team in the Main Group III, the Danish team Bjerringbro-Silkeborg. The first match will take place in Bucharest on March 26, and the return leg away from home on April 2. Also in Main Group IV and also on Tuesday evening, CSM Constanţa (south-eastern Romania) was defeated, away from home, by the trophy holder, the German team Fuchse Berlin, and finished the matches on last position. (LS)

  • March 5, 2024 UPDATE

    March 5, 2024 UPDATE

    Treasure – The National Bank of Romania and MEP Eugen Tomac organized an exhibition at the European Parliament on Tuesday about the Romanian Treasure owned by Russia and which has not been returned to our country for over a hundred years. It is a unique case in history, and Bucharest wants to bring it to the attention of the European Union as another example of violation of international law by Moscow. Next week, the European Parliament is expected to demand the reparation of this injustice, through a resolution supported by all political groups. The treasure consists of 91 tons of gold, works, artifacts and archival documents, which were sent to Moscow in 1916 and 1917, during the First World War, when much of the country was occupied by the forces of the Central Powers. Later, after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1918, the Soviet Union and then the Russian Federation refused to return the treasure, except for works of art and other cultural values. The exhibition at the European Parliament presents legal evidence and historical documents regarding the sending of the Romanian Treasure to Moscow, as well as Russia’s commitments to return it at the request of our country.

     

    Meeting – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, had a meeting, on Tuesday, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the neighboring Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. Earlier, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also discussed with Maia Sandu. In the context he reconfirmed his “firm” support for Chisinau’s European path. The meetings took place a day before the Congress of the European People’s Party (EPP), scheduled in Bucharest on Wednesday and Thursday. Led by Iohannis before he became president, the National Liberal Party – PNL (today in the governing coalition with the Social Democratic Party – PSD) is affiliated with EPP. Present in Bucharest, the president of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, said that he supported the decision to have “someone from a Central or Eastern European country” at the head of the EU, in the next mandates of the community institutions. Over 1,500 representatives of the European People’s Party, including 13 heads of state and government, are in Romania to participate in the congress of this political group in the next two days.

     

    Motion – The Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday dismissed the simple motion against Finance Minister Marcel Boloș, filed by Save Romania Union – USR and Force of the Right opposition parties. The motion was debated on Monday, opposition members criticizing the Minister for introducing a 10% tax on medical leave to cover the holes in the state budget. Minister Boloș is also accused of violating the law that stipulates that any tax must be enacted six months after its introduction. Marcel Boloș denied all accusations, slamming the opposition’s motion as a politicized initiative. The healthcare system is underfunded, and the government sought to discourage medical leave, which would bring less benefit to working employees, the Finance Minister said in response.

     

     

    Tennis – The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne has shortened tennis player Simona Halep’s sentence for doping from 4 years to nine months. The Romanian, the former world number one, will be able to return to the court, as her provisional suspension began on October 7, 2022. The Court decision, published on the court’s website, is final. We remind you that the tennis player has always claimed that she took a contaminated supplement, and at the hearings in February, she sought the help of a French expert specialized in pharmacology, toxicology and biology. The International Tennis Integrity Agency stated in September 2023 that Simona intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and suspended her for 4 years.

     

    Drugs – In Romania, high-risk drug traffickers will no longer be able to receive suspended sentences, and trading psychoactive substances will be punishable by 3 to 10 years in prison. A draft law in this regard was adopted on Tuesday by the Chamber of Deputies, which is a decision-making body. The MPs emphasized that the phenomenon of drug use has been ignored for a long time and that additional measures are needed to combat it: border scanners, rehabilitation and prevention centers. (LS)

     

  • December 12, 2023 UPDATE

    December 12, 2023 UPDATE

    MOLDOVA The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis had talks on Tuesday with
    his Moldovan counterpart, Maia Sandu, during which he reiterated Romania’s
    support for Moldova’s EU accession efforts. Romania, Iohannis emphasised, firmly
    supports the opening of EU accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova.
    Wednesday through Friday president Iohannis takes part in the EU – Western Balkans
    Summit and the European Council meeting in Brussels, in which context he will
    plead for a decision with respect to the start of accession negotiations with
    Ukraine and Moldova. Also on Tuesday, the Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu had a telephone
    conversation with the Moldovan PM Dorin
    Recean, in which he reiterated Bucharest’s steady support for the neighbouring
    country’s EU accession. The two prime ministers also discussed bilateral
    cooperation projects, especially in the field of cross-border energy
    interconnection and the financial assistance provided by Romania for Moldova’s
    development.


    SCHENGEN The Romanian interior
    minister Cătălin Predoiu highlighted, in a statement following the Salzburg
    Forum in Slovenia on Tuesday, the progress made in the talks concerning Romania’s
    Schengen accession. He said he had talks regarding the technical options for a
    decision to be made in December. As regards the fears concerning the transfer
    of illegal migrants in Austria, Predoiu explained that those concerns exclusively
    relate to the migrants originally registered in Romania. According to the
    current Dublin regulation, once captured in Austria and proved to be illegal
    migrants, these individuals are returned to the country from which they came, the
    Romanian official added. In 2023, 120 people were in this situation, Predoiu
    mentioned.


    ECONOMY Romania’s budget deficit in 2024 will be
    below 5% of GDP, lower than at the end of this year. According to the Romanian
    government made up of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal
    Party, next year substantial additional funding will be earmarked for public
    education, healthcare, transports and investments. Under the draft 2024 state
    budget, salaries in the public sector as well as pensions will be raised. The
    government promises that all these increases will be operated without
    concurrent tax raises. The leaders of the ruling coalition parties rely on a
    planned set of measures to increase budget revenue collection and curb tax
    evasion, as well as on the digitization of the national tax agency.

    AGREEMENT
    The Romanian foreign ministry took note of the publication of the Russian
    Federation’s government decision to withdraw from the bilateral agreement of
    2005 concerning the opening of a Romanian consulate general in Rostov-on-Don. According
    to a news release issued on Tuesday, Romania has not been officially notified
    yet on this decision. At present, apart from the embassy in Moscow, Romania
    also operates a consular office in Rostov-on-Don and one in Sankt Petersburg. This
    summer the Romanian foreign ministry requested Moscow to reduce the number of
    diplomatic personnel at the Russian embassy in Bucharest by 40.


    VISIT The PM of
    Romania, Marcel Ciolacu, Tuesday received the foreign minister and deputy PM of
    the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, in which context the head of the
    Romanian government emphasised that the excellent dynamics of bilateral
    relations ensure great potential to the bilateral cooperation towards the
    interconnection between Europe and the Caspian Sea region. According to a news
    release issued by the Romanian government, the Romanian PM hailed the upward
    trend of the political dialogue and economic cooperation between the two
    countries and mentioned that Kazakhstan is Romania’s largest economic partner
    in Central Asia. As regards the cooperation in the energy sector, the two
    parties agreed to encourage cooperation in order to enhance the security of
    energy supplies for the EU member states as well as for the Republic of Moldova
    and Ukraine, reads the news release. The two officials also discussed the
    regional security situation in the context of Russia’s military aggression in
    Ukraine.


    TENNIS The
    Romanian tennis player Simona Halep will be heard at the Court of Arbitration
    for Sport in Lausanne on February 7-9, in proceedings initiated by Halep
    against the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). In October, the twice
    Grand Slam winner lodged an appeal with the CAS against her 4-year suspension
    for doping. The Romanian athlete was penalised for two separate violations of
    the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, the first one concerning the identification
    of a banned substance at the 2022 US Open, and the second one concerning
    irregularities in her biological passport. (AMP)

  • September 13, 2023 UPDATE

    September 13, 2023 UPDATE


    SCHENGEN – In her state of the union address in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said Bulgaria and Romania proved that they are part of the Schengen area, showcasing best practices on asylum and returns. She urged that the two countries be admitted to the free movement area without further delay. Earlier, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola told the European Parliament that delaying the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen translates into restrictions to their right to freedom of movement and additional costs for their economies. The Romanian government plans to request compensations from the European Union arguing that keeping the country outside Schengen leads to economic losses of up to 2% of GDP. In July, European MPs passed a resolution urging for Romanias and Bulgarias admission into Schengen by the end of the year. Spain, the current holder of the EU presidency, also put this objective on its list of priorities. The decision must be taken by the heads of state and government of the 27 EU member states and Austria is the only country still opposed.



    DEFENCE – The Romanian Defence Ministry has begun building shelters for the residents of Plauru, the village in Tulcea county, in south-eastern Romania, near the border with Ukraine, where fragments were found of Russian drones used in strikes on Ukrainian river ports. A detachment of army engineers are building two concrete air-raid shelters, which will be then handed over to the local authorities. The Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that new fragments of a drone similar to the one used by the Russian army were found in Tulcea county. The Ministry reiterated that the Russian federation’s attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube, near the border with Romania, are unjustified and against international law.



    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep said she would appeal her 4-year ban from professional tennis on doping charges. She was suspended for two separate violations of the anti-doping regulations. Aged 31, Halep has 24 tournament titles to her record, including two Grand Slam trophies, at Roland Garros in 2018 and at Wimbledon one year later. First suspended provisionally in October last year, she has repeatedly denied consciously ingesting the banned substance for which she was charged, and has criticized the delaying of the case.



    EU – MEPs have approved, on Wednesday, the European Council’s decision to increase the number of seats in the European Parliament for the next legislative term from 705 to 720, as a result of the demographic changes in the EU since the 2019 elections. The 15 additional seats will be distributed among 12 countries. Romania, whose population has decreased, will remain with the same number of MEPs – 33.



    LIBYA — The most recent death toll, days after two catastrophic dam collapses on Sunday has exceeded 5,300. Thousands of people are missing and over 30,000 have been left homeless. A number of countries have already sent humanitarian aid and rescue teams to Libya. The European Commission announced on Wednesday that aid offered by Germany, Romania and Finland, under the civil protection mechanism, has been sent to Derna and that a first trench of 500,000 euros has been unblocked, to cover the most urgent needs of the people affected by the disaster. (EE)



  • The Week in Review 26.06 – 02.07.2023

    The Week in Review 26.06 – 02.07.2023

    Laws on sensitive topics adopted by Parliament



    The Romanian Parliament dedicated this past week of the ordinary session to some bills related, in one form or another, to pensions. On Monday, senators and deputies eliminated the special pensions granted to MPs, thus renouncing a privilege considered immoral by the press and public opinion. Two other sensitive laws were passed on Wednesday. One puts a ban on cumulating pensions with salaries in the public system but exempts from this ban exactly the local elected officials and parliamentarians, which makes the bill controversial. Other professional categories exempted from the rule are the teaching staff and the specialized medical staff, foster carers, as well as employees of the Romanian Academy, the National Bank of Romania and some national agencies. The law that aims to reform the special pensions, which are only partially based on the contribution from the active period and which benefit magistrates, the military, diplomats, parliamentary staff, the Court of Accounts staff or the aeronautics staff, also received a favorable final vote. However, the bill underwent major changes. Actually, the application of the reform was postponed by five years, so that, until 2028, prosecutors, judges and the military can retire under the same conditions as before. The retirement age will increase in stages, and magistrates will be required, in order to retire, to have at least 25 years of experience in the specialty. Pensions that exceed the average net income will be taxed by 15%. The opposition Save Romania Union – USR, which favors the total elimination of special pensions, voted against the bill, claiming that, after its adoption, there will be 210,000 special pensioners in Romania as before. The High Court of Cassation and Justice contested the constitutionality of the law on special pensions and the one on cumulating pensions and salaries in the public system. The reform of the special pensions is a milestone in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.



    The National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR, positive assessment



    With 49 milestones and targets met, out of a total of 51, Romania successfully passed the European Commission’s test regarding the second payment request submitted under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, worth 3.22 billion Euros. The two milestones that were not met are related to energy investments, and because of failing to meet these two targets, Bucharest will lose approximately 53 million Euros. However, nothing is irreparable, because Romania still has 6 months to prove that the two pending milestones have been met. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu says that the Commission’s positive assessment encourages the government to work to meet the targets, and he promises that the two delayed milestones in the energy field will be quickly recovered. Romania benefits from an allocation of over 29 billion Euros for the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and has already collected two pre-financing installments with a cumulative value of approximately 3.8 billion Euros.



    New European aid for farmers



    Romania will receive 30 million Euros from the European Commission as support for farmers affected by massive imports of cheap grains from Ukraine. It is the second aid package, and the money comes from the Union Reserve Fund. Of the five EU member states that have a border with Ukraine or are in its vicinity, Poland and Romania benefited from the largest aid packages: Poland, almost 40 million Euros and Romania 30 million Euros. Cumulatively, packages one and two bring Romanian farmers a support of 40 million Euros, and the Romanian Government has the Commission’s agreement to double it.



    Preparations ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius



    Leaders of NATO member states and the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg convened in the Hague for a meeting focusing on the preparation of the upcoming allied Summit, to be held in Vilnius in mid-July. Romanias president Klaus Iohannis also participated in the event. In the Netherlands, Iohannis reiterated that Russia is and will still be the immediate and the most direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security. Consequently, he insisted that the allies will have to be capable and ready to strengthen their position even further and continue to give the required support to Ukraine and to the most vulnerable partners, the Republic of Moldova, in particular. Given its strategic position, Romania is especially interested in further strengthening the Alliances Eastern Flank, through a coherent and unitary approach, Klaus Iohannis also stated. This means, according to him, providing the required forces, structures, capabilities and equipment, as well as the appropriate command and control arrangements. As regards Ukraine, if, in Bucharest, in 2008, the Allies decided that it should become a NATO member state, in Vilnius that commitment will have to be carried further, Klaus Iohannis said.



    Culture and sport


    The headline-grabbing event of the week is the International Theatre Festival in Sibiu, which has now reached its 30th edition. Throughout the festival, the central Transylvanian town, still bearing the hallmark if its Saxon heritage, is literally sizzling. Thanks to the Radu Stanca theatre halls, the unconventional spaces, the churches, squares and medieval streets, Sibiu has yet again been the generous host of performing arts. Thousands of artists and hundreds of events literally galvanized the festival, held under the sign of the ‘Miracle, the theme picked for the recently-held edition.


    In sport, the headline-grabbing event this week has been the hearing of the Romanian tennis player Simona Halep by the court judging the doping charges pressed against Halep in October 2022. The past months have been long and costly for the career of the athlete who will be 32 in September. Halep no longer has a place among the worlds top 50 tennis players since she could no longer take part in tournaments. Halep, the former WTA number 1 and two-time winner of a Grand Slam tournament, will receive a final court ruling in July. (LS, EN)

  • 20.05.2023 (mise à jour)

    20.05.2023 (mise à jour)

    G7 – Le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis, a salué l’annonce faite samedi par le président américain, Joe Biden, au sommet du G7 au sujet du soutien estimé à 275 millions de dollars de la art des Etats Unis et du Japon, de la Corée du Sud et des Emirats arabes unis au projet des réacteurs nucléaires de petites dimensions de Roumanie. Autre bonne nouvelle que le chef de l’Etat roumain a annoncée : les agences américaines de crédit US Exim et US International Development Finance Corporation ont émis les lettres d’intérêt relatives à un soutien supplémentaire de 4 milliards de dollars pour la mise en œuvre du projet. Ces initiatives constituent un soutien essentiel pour l’objectif de la Roumanie de se situer en première ligne du développement de l’infrastructure révolutionnaire de l’énergie nucléaire. L’implémentation du projet en partenariat avec les Etats Unis permettra la production d’énergie propre, augmentera la sécurité énergétique, a souligné le leader de Bucarest dans un message sur les réseaux sociaux. Les leaders du G7 ont confirmé à Hiroshima, leur engagement d’identifier de nouvelles opportunités d’élargissement du partenariat visant l’infrastructure et les investissements mondiaux, l’initiative du président Biden et du G7 dans le domaine de l’infrastructure et qui prévoit le financement de la première centrale à réacteur modulaire de petites dimensions en Roumanie.

    Enseignement – Le premier ministre roumain, Nicolae Ciucă, a convoqué les syndicats de l’Education nationale, pour une rencontre dimanche, au siège du Gouvernement. Il a déclaré que la solution pour les revendications des salariés de l’Education figurait dans la loi de la grille unique des salaires. Le premier ministre qui est également leader du PNL, parti qui mène la coalition gouvernementale aux côtés du PSD et de l’Union démocrate magyare de Roumanie a également dit que le ministère du Travail bénéficiait de tout l’appui de la coalition gouvernemental pour réaliser la loi de la grille unique des salaires et la réforme des régimes spéciaux de retraites au plus vite. Les déclarations du premier ministre roumain interviennent après l’annonce faite par le président du PSD et de la Chambre des députés, Marcel Ciolacu selon lequel que toute négociation relative au prochain cabinet dont il sera le chef devrait être suspendue jusqu’à la résolution des demandes des syndicats et d’un arriéré « majeur » : la réforme des régimes spéciaux de retraites. Les syndicats de l’Education nationale ont annoncé le déclenchement de la grève générale le 22 mai. Leurs revendications sont principalement liées aux salaires.

    Education nationale –
    Les débats en marge des projets des lois de l’Education nationale se
    poursuivent dans la commission spécialisée du Sénat de Bucarest qui doit
    adopter jusqu’à ce lundi ses rapports à envoyer au plénum du Parlement. Si la
    loi de l’enseignement supérieur a déjà reçu un rapport favorable de la part de
    la commission, les articles visant l’enseignement préuniversitaire ont suscité
    des tensions entre le Pouvoir et l’Opposition. La pomme de discorde est le
    désir de l’Opposition, soutenue par les associations d’élèves et de parents,
    d’éliminer un possible examen supplémentaire après l’évaluation nationale -
    soit le brevet – en fonction duquel seront occupés la moitié des places
    disponibles dans un lycée. Les deux lois de l’Education nationale devraient
    recevoir le vote final du Sénat ce lundi.

    Schengen – Le président de la Cour de cassation de l’Union européenne, Koen Lenaerts, affirme que le dossier pour l’annulation de la décision de rejeter l’adhésion de la Roumanie à l’espace Schengen de libre circulation européenne devrait être rapidement solutionné. « Dès le début je souhaite préciser que la place de la Roumanie est à l’intérieur de la zone euro. Par conséquent, l’accès de la Roumanie et de la Bulgarie à Schengen devrait se produire au plus vite. » a déclaré Koen Lenaerts. Selon lui, « en recevant un nouveau membre tel la Roumanie, toutes les frontières de l’intérieur de l’Union s’ouvrent et les frontières intérieures peuvent être facilement traversées par les personnes et les marchandises des Etats membres. Parallèlement, les frontières extérieures de l’Union, leur défense devient un problème commun. Lorsque la Roumanie et la Bulgarie accèdent à la zone Schengen, la défense des frontières de l’UE devient automatiquement un problème de tous, et non seulement des Etats situés aux frontières ». L’accès de la Roumanie à l’espace de libre circulation européenne, n’a pas été possible à la fin de l’année dernière à cause de l’opposition de l’Autriche, même si le pays respectait tous les critères d’adhésion.

    Tennis – L’ancienne numéro 1 du tennis mondial féminin, la Roumaine Simona Halep suspendue depuis octobre pour infraction aux règles antidopage, est sous le coup d’une nouvelle affaire en lien avec des irrégularités dans les données de son passeport biologique, a annoncé vendredi l’instance antidopage du tennis (ITIA). L’Agence internationale pour l’intégrité du tennis (ITIA) confirme que la joueuse de tennis roumaine Simona Halep a été accusée d’une autre violation distincte du Programme antidopage du tennis, en relation avec des irrégularités dans son passeport biologique d’athlète (ABP), écrit l’instance dans un communiqué. L’ancienne N.1 mondiale, victorieuse de Roland-Garros en 2018 et de Wimbledon en 2019, est suspendue a titre provisoire depuis octobre dernier après avoir été contrôlée positive au roxadustat lors de l’US Open, en aout. Cette molécule interdite stimule la production de globules rouges et est interdite par l’Agence mondiale antidopage (AMA). Halep encourt jusqu’a quatre ans de suspension dans cette première affaire. Dans un communiqué diffusé vendredi soir sur son compte Instagram, la joueuse de 31 ans dit vivre le pire cauchemar de son existence depuis l’annonce de sa suspension, le 7 octobre dernier, et dénonce une forme de harcèlement de la part de l’ITIA qu’elle accuse de chercher a prouver que je suis coupable de quelque chose que je n’ai jamais fait.

    Meteo – La météo sera agréable et légèrement instable sur la majorité des régions de la Roumanie. Ciel variable avec quelques nuages, des pluies à verse et des orages notamment sur le relief. Les maximas dépasseront partout les 20 degrés pour grimper jusqu’à 28 degrés.

  • 20.05.2023

    20.05.2023

    Education nationale – Les débats en marge des projets des lois de l’Education nationale se poursuivent dans la commission spécialisée du Sénat de Bucarest qui doit adopter jusqu’à ce lundi ses rapports à envoyer au plénum du Parlement. Si la loi de l’enseignement supérieur a déjà reçu un rapport favorable de la part de la commission, les articles visant l’enseignement préuniversitaire ont suscité des tensions entre le Pouvoir et l’Opposition. La pomme de discorde est le désir de l’Opposition, soutenue par les associations d’élèves et de parents, d’éliminer un possible examen supplémentaire après l’évaluation nationale – soit le brevet – en fonction duquel seront occupés la moitié des places disponibles dans un lycée. Les deux lois de l’Education nationale devraient recevoir le vote final du Sénat ce lundi. Parallèlement, le compte à rebours pour la grève annoncée également pour lundi a commencé. Les syndicats de l’éducation nationale ont dit qu’elles accepteraient d’éventuelles négociations au cours de ce weekend mais aussi des propositions de la part du gouvernement. Les revendications des enseignants sont principalement de nature salariale.

    G7 – Les dirigeants du G7 réunis a Hiroshima, au Japon, ont appelé samedi la Chine a faire pression sur la Russie pour qu’elle cesse son agression contre l’Ukraine, tout en affirmant vouloir des relations constructives et stables avec Pékin, selon l’AFP. Cette déclaration est le fruit de négociations entre des pays comme les Etats-Unis porteurs d’une position plus ferme, sur fond de tensions croissantes avec la Chine, et d’autres, côté européen, qui insistent pour éviter tout climat de confrontation avec le géant asiatique.Par ailleurs, le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky est arrivé samedi au Japon pour participer au sommet du G7. M. Zelensky, qui a atterri a Hiroshima en début d’apres-midi a bord d’un avion de la République française, a immédiatement estimé sur Twitter que la paix serait plus proche a la suite de ce sommet, apres avoir décroché la veille le feu vert américain a une livraison future d’avions de combat américains F-16 qu’il réclame de longue date. Le chef de l’Etat ukrainien tente d’élargir le cercle des soutiens du pays envahi il y a quinze mois par Moscou: au G7, il pourra rencontrer les dirigeants des sept démocraties les plus industrialisées, qui sont déja ses alliés, mais aussi d’autres pays invités non alignés comme le Brésil et l’Inde. Il était en provenance d’Arabie saoudite, ou il a plaidé vendredi la cause de l’Ukraine au sommet de la Ligue arabe devant certains pays qui, selon lui, ferment les yeux sur le conflit.

    Réfugiés – Plus de 4 millions de réfugiés sont entrés en Roumanie depuis le début de l’agression russe en Ukraine en février dernier. La majorité a seulement transité le pays pour arriver en Europe de l’ouest, mais selon les chiffres publiés par les autorités roumaines, 130 000 seulement ont bénéficié de la protection de l’Etat Roumain, dont 42 000 à Bucarest.

    Grèce – Dimanche les grecs sont appelés à voter dans le cadre d’élections législatives pour le parlement unicaméral de 300 députés. C’est le premier scrutin en 30 ans, organisé uniquement selon le principe de la représentation proportionnelle, avec un seuil de 3%. Selon les sondages, six partis devraient accéder au Parlement. En tête des sondages figure le parti actuellement au pouvoir de Kyriakos Mitsotakis, « la nouvelle démocratie », suivi par le parti de gauche de Syriza d’ Alexis Tsipras. En cas d’échec de constitution d’une coalition gouvernementale, de nouvelles élections se tiendront au mois de juin, mais le parti en tête bénéficiera d’un bonus de voix et pourra constituer un nouveau gouvernement.

    Tennis – L’ancienne numéro 1 du tennis mondial féminin, la Roumaine Simona Halep suspendue depuis octobre pour infraction aux regles antidopage, est sous le coup d’une nouvelle affaire en lien avec des irrégularités dans les données de son passeport biologique, a annoncé vendredi l’instance antidopage du tennis (ITIA), annonce l’AFP. L’Agence internationale pour l’intégrité du tennis (ITIA) confirme que la joueuse de tennis roumaine Simona Halep a été accusée d’une autre violation distincte du Programme antidopage du tennis, en relation avec des irrégularités dans son passeport biologique d’athlete (ABP), écrit l’instance dans un communiqué. L’ancienne N.1 mondiale, victorieuse de Roland-Garros en 2018 et de Wimbledon en 2019, est suspendue a titre provisoire depuis octobre dernier apres avoir été contrôlée positive au roxadustat lors de l’US Open, en aout. Cette molécule interdite stimule la production de globules rouges et est interdite par l’Agence mondiale antidopage (AMA). Halep encourt jusqu’a quatre ans de suspension dans cette premiere affaire. Dans un communiqué diffusé vendredi soir sur son compte Instagram, la joueuse de 31 ans dit vivre le pire cauchemar de son existence depuis l’annonce de sa suspension, le 7 octobre dernier, et dénonce une forme de harcelement de la part de l’ITIA qu’elle accuse de chercher a prouver que je suis coupable de quelque chose que je n’ai jamais fait

    Météo – Il fait beau en Roumanie, où les maxima vont de 20 à 28 degrés. Ciel variable, avec quelques nuages, des pluies à verse et des orages durant l’après-midi et en soirée, surtout sur le relief. A Bucarest, les maxima iront jusqu’à 28 degrés.

  • Domestic Events of 2022 in Review

    Domestic Events of 2022 in Review

    War in Ukraine, security crisis at Romania’s borders, prompt allied response



    After two years in which it monopolized the newscasts, the novel coronavirus is outclassed, in 2022, by the new Russian imperialism of Vladimir Putin, with the start of Russias illegal and unjustified war against its former vassal from the Soviet period, Ukraine. Together with its European Union partners and NATO allies, Romania firmly condemned the Russian aggression and coordinated its actions with them to face ‘the most serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security in recent decades, as the aggression is described in the declaration adopted at the end of the NATO meeting of the foreign affairs ministers held in Bucharest in November. Russia, the declaration shows, bears the full responsibility for this war, a blatant violation of international law and of the principles of the UN Charter, and its unacceptable actions, energy blackmail and reckless nuclear rhetoric undermine the rules-based international order. Any attack against the Allies will receive a united and determined response, the NATO states renewed their commitment. The actions that followed the Russian invasion were aimed at consolidating the eastern flank, the most exposed, of which Romania is also a part. The United States has boosted the number of troops sent to the territory of its strategic partner. Around 5,000 allied soldiers are currently in Romania, most of them from the USA, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Canada. A NATO battle group was established a few months after the start of the conflict, by transforming the allied multinational elements within the NATO Response Force, and France took over the role of framework nation.



    Energy crisis, inflation, measures to support the population



    Romania participated, from the very first moment, in the international support effort for Ukraine and continues to advocate for maintaining this support, at all levels. The Romanian authorities were praised for the way in which they acted in relation to the Ukrainian refugees and for the role they played in facilitating the transit of cereals from Ukraine to world markets. On the other hand, the Romanian authorities had to manage internal crises that the conflict generated or amplified. In line and in coordination with the European partners, Bucharest has diversified its energy sources in order to decrease its dependence on Russian gas. The government also adopted measures to compensate and cap gas and electricity bills, as the bills risked becoming unbearable for a population whose incomes were devoured by inflation that rose to 17% and endangered the existence of many companies. The budget for next year maintains the measures for capping energy bills, stipulates aid for the most vulnerable categories and allocates money for increasing pensions and the minimum wage.



    CVM monitoring lifted, Schengen accession postponed



    The European Commission proposed, towards the end of the year, the lifting of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism monitoring for Romania, established upon the country’s EU accession in 2007, in order to monitor the reform of the judiciary. The adoption of the justice laws, repaired, to a good extent, after the damage caused to the legislation in the field by the social-democratic government between 2017-2018, had a big say in this decision. The same European Commission found that Romania meets, like Bulgaria, the technical conditions for joining the Schengen free travel area and recommended the EU states to speed up the accession of the two. The European Parliament, for its part, voted a resolution with a similar message. The support of the community institutions and the member states, including the Netherlands, which, in the past, was an intransigent opponent of Romanias and Bulgarias Schengen accession, was, however, blocked by the unexpected and obstinate refusal of Austria. The fact that Romania is not on the route of the illegal migrants flow, which was confirmed by the official data provided by Frontex Agency, and the reports of the Commission, which attest to Romania’s positive results in protecting the Union’s external border and in controlling illegal migration, did not matter. Vienna’s veto in the Justice and Home Affairs Council in December blocked Romanias Schengen accession which had been waited for 11 years. The gesture led to the souring of diplomatic relations between Bucharest and Vienna. Against the background of frustration and indignation, many people, including some leading politicians, called for a boycott of Austrian companies. President Klaus Iohannis called for calm and disagreed with any such boycott. At the last EU summit in 2022, he made an appeal for unity and solidarity, reiterating that Romania deserves its place into the Schengen Area.



    Sentences in the COLECTIVE file



    After almost 7 years since the fire at the Bucharest club Colectiv, which killed dozens of young people who had come to enjoy a rock concert, the court established the guilt and the punishments. The former mayor of the sector where the club that burned down was located received a 4-year sentence for abuse of office, reduced by half compared to the one received in the court of first instance. In his case, the judges eliminated the aggravated element of the crime of abuse of office. The owners of the club received prison sentences between 6 and almost 12 years, and the firefighters from the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations who checked the Colectiv Club without taking the legal measures regarding compliance with fire regulations, were definitively sentenced to 8 years and 8 months in prison. The court decided that some of the convicts should pay compensation of tens of millions of Euros to the families of the victims and the survivors. The latter say that the main culprit for the lost lives is the Romanian state, with its public systems unable to develop antibodies against corruption, indolence and administrative incompetence.



    Popovici, the new star of world swimming



    2022 in sports was a good year, with successes in rowing, kayak-canoeing, table tennis, athletics and weightlifting. However, in 2022 Romanian sports gave much more, namely a name for history, David Popovici. The high school student from Bucharest was the winner of the Junior and Senior World and European Championships in the 100m and 200m long course swimming events, and in Rome he set a new world record in the 100 meter freestyle. The sports press talks about the Popovici phenomenon, and the famous Swimming World magazine designated him the swimmer of the year. Instead, a former world number one, the Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, received, in 2022, the news of a provisional suspension after she was detected positive in an anti-doping control carried out at the US Open. The double grand slam winner, considered a model of integrity in sports, began, according to her own words, the most difficult match of her life, one for the truth, in which she struggles to prove that she is innocent. (LS)

  • October 22, 2022 UPDATE

    October 22, 2022 UPDATE

    ROME Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the
    ministers making up Italy’s most right-wing and Eurosceptic cabinet since 1946
    were sworn in on Saturday, AFP reports. The head of the League formation,
    Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani, a leading figure in Silvio Berlusconi’s
    Forza Italia are the country’s new deputy prime ministers. The ministers appointed by Giorgia Meloni, who
    obtained with her post-fascist party Fratelli d’Italia a historic win in the
    legislative elections last month with 26% of the votes, have shown readiness to
    ease tensions caused by the coming to power of a far-right Prime Minister. The
    nomination of the former president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani
    for the position of Foreign Minister has been hailed by the president of the
    European People’s Party Manfred Weber as a guarantee for a pro-European Italy.
    The head of the Romanian government, Nicolae Ciuca, has congratulated the new
    Italian Prime Minister, voicing his confidence that the two countries will
    continue to develop their Consolidated Strategic Partnership.








    COVID The European Centre for Disease
    Prevention and Control has cautioned against the spread of a new Omicron
    subvariant, which is expected to increase the number of infections in Europe,
    the EFE Agency has reported. Preliminary surveys conducted in Asia have shown
    the aforementioned subvariant could evade the immune response of the human
    body. Andrea Ammon, director of the aforementioned institution has called on
    European states to remain vigilant about the spread of the new subvariant and
    monitor the number of infections as well as the hospital treatment of patients.
    According to the same institution, raising the vaccination rate remains a
    priority, and that risk groups, such as the elderly and the people with
    comorbidities, need additional booster doses.










    TENNIS Romania’s best tennis player and
    two-times major winner, Simona Halep, has been provisionally suspended after
    testing positive for a banned anti-anemia blood-booster called roxadustat at
    the latest edition of the US Open. The world’s former number one, Halep
    described the ban as ‘the biggest shock of her life’ and denied knowingly
    taking any banned substance. Throughout my whole career, the idea of cheating
    never even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have
    been educated with. Facing such an unfair situation, I feel completely confused
    and betrayed, the athlete wrote on Twitter. The 31 year old Romanian athlete
    and winner of the Roland Garros tournament in 2018, says that her fight was not
    about ‘titles and money’ but her honour and that she hoped the truth would
    eventually come out.










    PERMITS Specialised structures with the
    Romanian Interior Ministry have in the past 24 hours issued 302 residence
    permits for Ukrainian refugees. A total of 78 thousand such permits have been
    issued since March. According to authorities in Bucharest only one Ukrainian
    citizen has applied for asylum in the past 24 hours. Roughly 44 hundred
    Ukrainians have applied for asylum in Romania since the beginning of the
    conflict and they are benefitting from all the rights stipulated in the
    national legislation. According to the same sources, 83 thousand people have
    crossed the borders into Romania in the past 24 hours, out of which 93 hundred
    are Ukrainian citizens.
















    VISIT The use by Russia of the nuclear
    weapon would be ‘an act of hostility against humankind’, Japanese Prime
    Minister Fumio Kishida said during his visit to Australia on Saturday, France
    press reports. The Russian intimidation concerning the use of nuclear weapon is
    a severe threat to the peace and security of the international community and is
    absolutely unacceptable, says the leader of the only country ever hit by a
    nuclear weapon. In 2023, Kishida is expected to welcome the G7 leaders in
    Hiroshima, the town which was razed to the ground by an atomic bomb in 1945
    when 140 thousand people died. The city of Nagasaki was also bombed three days
    later. In another development, Australia and Japan on Saturday signed an
    agreement on security issues aimed at offsetting China’s military power in the
    region.




    (bill)