Radio România Internațional

Tag: HOSTAGES

  • February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    February 22, 2025 UPDATE

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • February 22, 2025 UPDATE

    February 22, 2025 UPDATE

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

  • January 25, 2025

    January 25, 2025

    RATING The financial rating agency Standard & Poor’s confirmed Romania’s ‘BBB minus’ rating, but revised the outlook from “stable” to “negative”. The reasons are related to high fiscal and external risks, the agency reports. According to S&P, the fragmented and uncertain political environment, as well as all the substantial spending ahead of the elections, pushed the fiscal deficit to almost 8.7% of GDP, far above expectations. The Romanian finance minister Tánczos Barna says the change in the outlook from stable to negative indicates that measures are needed to reduce the budget deficit, and that the country needs a balanced public budget and a streamlined government structure. He also said that the government’s measures to reduce the deficit and consolidate economic growth must be implemented at an alert pace, in the form already agreed on with the EU.

     

    PROTESTS The government of Romania is completely willing to find solutions to protect people’s spending power while at the same time preserving macro-economic balance, the prime minister’s office chief said after talks with representatives of the employees who protested in front of the Government headquarters. On Friday, thousands of civil servants, reserve officers, police staff, miners, foresters, steelworkers, Bucharest Metro employees and pensioners took part in a rally to protest a government order that froze salary increases for many public sector personnel at the beginning of this year, and suspended the cost-of-living adjustment of public pensions. A reorganisation of central public institutions and state-owned companies was also announced these days. According to PM Marcel Ciolacu, restructuring the public sector is a priority for the current governing coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.

     

    UKRAINE The president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is meeting today in Kyiv with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with PM Denys Shmykhal and with the Parliament Speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk. The main topics of the discussions are the connection of the infrastructure of the two states, trade, collaboration in the EU accession process, and regional security. An important topic on the agenda is the energy crisis caused by Russia, which has increased energy prices and left the citizens of Transnistria, a Russian-speaking breakaway region in the Republic of Moldova, without heat and electricity. The rest of Moldova is safe for the time being, thanks to electricity and gas imports from neighboring Romania.

     

    ELECTIONS The Liberals will convene on Sunday in a special National Council meeting to validate the former party president Crin Antonescu as the joint candidate of the ruling coalition in Romania. The Social Democrats scheduled a special congress on February 2 for the same purpose, and UDMR will make its decision at the beginning of next week. The first and second rounds of the presidential elections are scheduled for May 4 and 18. So far, the mayor of Bucharest, Nicuşor Dan, the independent candidate Călin Georgescu and the president of Save Romania Union, Elena Lasconi, have announced plans to run for president. The latter two were top placed in the presidential elections canceled last year. After the first election round on November 24 was validated, the Constitutional Court of Romania canceled the election as a whole on December 6, although voting in the second round had already begun abroad. The Court made its decision after the Supreme Defence Council published a report indicating foreign interference in the electoral process, but investigations have so far failed to confirm it. Tens of thousands of Romanians took to the streets to demand that the second round be resumed.

     

    HOLOCAUST The minister of culture Natalia Intotero will represent Romania, on Monday, at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. The event, held under the patronage of the president of Poland, marks the International Holocaust Remembrance Day declared by the United Nations, and brings together camp survivors, official delegations of states and international organisations. Romania’s participation in the ceremony on January 27 reflects its solid commitment to keeping alive the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, to fighting all forms of denial, distortion, or downplaying of this tragic moment, as well as to fighting anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalisation and hate speech, while at the same time promoting respect for fundamental human rights, both at national and international level, the Romanian culture ministry said.

     

    HOSTAGES Four Israeli female soldiers held hostage by Hamas since October 7, 2023, have reached Israel today. In exchange for them, Israel must release 200 Palestinians held in its prisons. This is the second prisoner exchange under the ceasefire that came into effect last Sunday between Israel and Hamas, after 15 months of war. In a first stage, which will last 6 weeks, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. A Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 killed 1,210 Israelis, most of them civilians. Of the 251 people kidnapped, 91 are still in Gaza, 34 of whom are dead according to the Israeli army. In retaliation, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip, resulting in at least 47,000 casualties, most of them civilians, and a humanitarian disaster. (AMP)

  • January 20, 2025

    January 20, 2025

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

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  • Reactions as three Gaza hostages freed

    Reactions as three Gaza hostages freed

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • January 19, 2025 UPDATE

    January 19, 2025 UPDATE

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • January 2, 2024

    January 2, 2024

    PRICE HIKES The new year has brought a
    series of fiscal amendments to the Romanians, ranging from new VAT rises to other
    majored excises and taxes. Fines have also been raised, and companies reporting
    over 50 million euros in turnover will pay taxes of at least one percent of
    their turnover. Tobacco excises have been raised and there are VAT raises
    between 9 and 19 % for certain products and services. A special tax has been
    introduced for expensive goods, such as houses and cars as well as raised
    excises for sweet products. Fuel excises have also been raised and experts
    believe the new fiscal measures will translate into a higher inflation and a depreciated
    local currency against the Euro. Romania’s budget deficit this year has been
    estimated at 5% of the GDP with an economic growth of 3.4%. 7% of the country’s
    GDP has been earmarked for investment.






    QUAKE Authorities in Japan are in
    a battle against time in their attempt to find survivors after the 7.6
    magnitude earthquake on Monday, which was followed by many aftershocks.
    According to provisional tolls, scores have been killed and hundreds of
    buildings destroyed. Numerous fires caused by broken pipelines have been
    reported in the north of the Noto peninsula, close to the quake’s epicenter. As
    temperatures went below zero at night, rescuers are making great efforts to
    find survivors.






    GAZA Israel has pulled out its
    tanks from some parts of the Gaza city announcing a new stage in its war
    against the terrorist group Hamas. The new change in Israel’s tactics involves
    the partial pull out of its troops from the Gaza Strip and an increased focus
    on smaller-scale targeted operations. Israel says one of the key objectives is
    the complete elimination of the Hamas threat and the release of the hostages
    still kept by the famous terrorist group. According to Radio Romania
    correspondent in Israel, the attempts to release the Israeli hostages, which seemed
    to be compromised at a certain point, have these days been given a fresh
    impetus thanks to the mediation efforts of Qatar and Egypt. The war in Gaza,
    which broke out after the attack on Israel masterminded and conducted by the
    terrorist group Hamas on October 7, when 12 hundred people were killed and 240
    kidnapped, has so far caused the death of roughly 22 thousand Palestinians in
    the Gaza Strip. At the same time, most of the region’s 2.3 million people
    residents has been displaced.






    WEATHER The
    weather remains warm in Romania with temperatures higher than those usually
    registered at this time of the year. Showers have been reported in small areas
    in the country’s south-east. Wind has intensified at higher altitudes in the
    mountainous area of the Eastern and Western Carpathians. The highs of the day
    are ranging between 4 and 12 degrees Celsius while the capital city Bucharest
    reports higher temperatures than usual for the winter season, of at least 10-11
    degrees Celsius.




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  • December 16, 2023

    December 16, 2023

    BUDGET The 2024 state budget and social security budget bills will be reviewed by Parliament’s specialist committees as of Monday. On Tuesday the draft laws will be discussed in a joint plenary
    meeting, with a final vote expected on Wednesday. On Thursday night the
    government passed the two bills, which rely on better spending of EU funds and
    on improving tax collection by means of a more efficient operation of the
    national tax agency and on curbing tax evasion. PM Marcel Ciolacu, the leader
    of the Social Democratic Party, spoke about an increase of budget revenues from
    27% to 30% of GDP. According to him, the 2024 budget earmarks the largest
    funding in Romania’s history for education and investments. The Opposition, on
    the other hand, says the budget is based on unrealistic figures and that
    payment of public pensions will be a major problem next year.


    EU President Klaus Iohannis says the EU winter summit, which came to an
    end in Brussels on Friday, will be remembered for the historic decision to initiate
    accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The Romanian
    official encouraged the government of Moldova to step up the reforms required
    for EU integration. As for Ukraine, the president of the European Commission,Ursula von der Leyen, says the
    decision was a promise kept and an investment in stability and security. EU
    leaders also discussed the Israel-Hamas war, and condemned the continuing
    hostilities with growing numbers of victims among Palestinian civilians in Gaza
    and the West Bank. They argued that peace will only be achieved through a
    two-state solution. A revision of the 2021-2027 Multi-Annual Financial
    Framework, support for Ukraine, securitaty and defence, migration and the
    future EU Strategic Agenda were also discussed at the European Council meeting
    on Thursday and Friday in Brussels.


    COMMEMORATION Romania marks today 34 years since the start of the 1989 Revolution
    in Timişoara (west) which eventually led to the fall of dictator Nicolae
    Ceauşescu’s communist regime. In this context, the Revolution Memorial was
    opened to the public in Timişoara on Saturday. The organisers prepared a
    complex programme, providing information on the events of 1989, with a special
    section for the visually impaired.


    ISRAEL Hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv on Friday night,
    following an announcement that 3 Gaza hostages had been accidentally killed by
    Israeli troops. The protesters demanded that the government immediately signed
    a deal to free the remaining hostages. Over 100 people are still captive in
    Gaza, after being kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7th attacks on Israel.
    Meanwhile, humanitarian aid will reach Gaza via an Israeli checkpoint, for the
    first time since the start of the war, after Israel authorised access through
    the Kerem Shalom checkpoint. So far humanitarian aid could only go through the Rafah
    checkpoint from Egypt. After more than 2 months of armed conflict and the siege
    imposed by Israel since October 9th, living standards in Gaza Strip
    are described by the UN and NGOs for Palestinian civilians as a nightmare. According
    to the UN, some 1.9 million people, accounting for 85% of the region’s
    population, have been relocated. (AMP)

  • Call for freeing the hostages in Gaza

    Call for freeing the hostages in Gaza


    The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a major concern for the international community, which is seeking solutions to restore peace.



    The UN General Assembly has recently called for immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, under a resolution endorsed with 153 votes. The resolution also pleads for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas following the brutal attack of October 7, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, died, according to Tel-Aviv.



    Israels permanent representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, made it quite clear that the Israeli military operations in Gaza would only stop after hostages have been freed and Hamas has been dismantled.



    On the day of the attack, around 240 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Of these, some 135 are still in the hands of Hamas and affiliated groups, the Israeli army says, after 105 people were released during a 7-day ceasefire that ended on December 1.



    Romania joins the international community in supporting Israels efforts to get the Hamas hostages freed, PM Marcel Ciolacu said after a meeting in Bucharest on Thursday with the Israeli interior minister Moshe Arbel and the families of Romanian-born Israeli citizens held captive in Gaza.



    In the same context, the Romanian head of government reiterated that “de-escalation is a viable solution to restore security in the region.” Ciolacu once again highlighted that the Romanian government was firmly condemning the practice of hostage taking and terrorism in all its forms.



    Marcel Ciolacu also spoke about the death of Tal Haimi, a Romanian and Israeli citizen kidnapped by Hamas, and mentioned that he was just one of the victims of the “terrible attack launched by the terror group against the State of Israel.”



    In turn, the interior minister Cătălin Predoiu had a meeting with the Israeli delegation headed by his counterpart, Moshe Arbel. During the talks, the participants highlighted the need to carry on jointly the efforts to get all the remaining hostages freed and safe, regardless of the difficulty and the complexity of the process. Minister Predoiu also conveyed a message of solidarity to the families attending the meeting, and reiterated Romanias support for all the efforts that can be made to help release all the hostages.



    On the same occasion, the interior ministry said once again that Romania supported stepped-up efforts for a permanent ceasefire and for identifying diplomatic solutions for the Peace Process to be resumed. Bucharest also pleads for strict compliance with international law and international humanitarian law. (AMP)


  • December 14, 2023 UPDATE

    December 14, 2023 UPDATE

    Budget — After approval by the Romanian Government, Romania’s draft budget for 2024 will be sent to Parliament for debate. The calculations are based on an economic growth of 3.4%, a deficit target of 5% and an average annual inflation rate estimated at 6% of the GDP. The budget law includes the pension and salary increases already announced, and also most of the measures from the fiscal package assumed by the government. Among the ministries that will receive more money compared to the 2023 allocations are the education, development, environment and family ministries, while smaller budgets will go, among others, to the ministries of energy, of investments and European projects.



    Brussels – The leaders of the EU states, gathered in Brussels, decided on Thursday to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, after the European Commission had made a recommendation in this regard in November, AFP and Reuters report. The announcement was made by the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, who is presiding over the EU summit in Brussels. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis congratulated Moldova and Ukraine for the start of EU accession negotiations and considers the decision of the European Council as ‘historic’. At the European Council, besides the issue of EU enlargement, they also address the review of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, support for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and security and defense. Regarding the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis will plead for an approach that promotes the financing balance between the commitments already assumed and the new priorities on the European agenda and that does not involve reductions of funds for the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy. As regards the situation in the Middle East, Iohannis will insist on the need for increased involvement of the EU in the region, in order to protect civilians, de-escalate the conflict and resume the peace process based on the solution of two states, Israeli and Palestinian. On Thursday, on the sidelines of the European Council, Klaus Iohannis met with the recently appointed Prime Minister of Poland, the liberal Donald Tusk, with whom he analyzed the priorities on the NATO agenda and the bilateral relationship.



    Recovery and Resilience – Romania will send the third payment request from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to Brussels on Friday, December 15 — the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said at the meeting of the Interministerial Committee for the Coordination of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR. This has a total value of 2.7 billion euros, from which the pre-financing already received was deducted, and covers 74 targets and milestones corresponding to the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2022.



    Summit — The reconstruction of Ukraine and Romania’s strategic role in this process was the topic of an international conference, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday in Romania’s mountain resort of Sinaia. Attending the conferencce were officials from the country and abroad, independent experts, representatives of the business environment, academia and the diplomatic corps. The Romanian PM, Marcel Ciolacu, and the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denîs Şmîhal, sent video messages to the participants, in which they talked about the Romanian-Ukrainian partnership and Romanias support for Ukraine.



    Drones — The Romanian diplomacy strongly protests against the incident caused by the uncontrolled crash of a drone used in the attack on the Ukrainian port infrastructure, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, in an uninhabited area about four kilometers upstream from the town of Grindu, on the Danube. “This represents a new violation of Romanias airspace, contrary to international law,” the Romanian Foreign Ministry MAE states in a communiqué. MAE firmly requests Russia to stop the repeated attacks against the Ukrainian population and civil infrastructure, as well as the irresponsible escalation of the security situation, including at the border between Romania and Ukraine. Following the incident, MAE has summed the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Bucharest. The Romanians living in the area were warned by RO-ALERT messages about the possibility of objects falling from the airspace, they were advised not to panic and to take shelter, if the situation requires it. This year, the Romanian Defense Ministry identified remains from several drones used by Russia in attacks against the Danube ports in Ukraine, essential for the export of Ukrainian cereals.



    UN – The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) welcomed the 68th anniversary of Romanias admission to the United Nations on December 14. All these years, Romania asserted itself as a supporter and defender of multilateral diplomacy, including through active involvement in the organizations three fundamental areas of activity: international peace and security, development and human rights. MAE emphasizes that Romania will continue to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. At the same time, it will aim to strengthen the support dedicated to the most vulnerable partners, in order to respond to current challenges, as well as to develop sustainable economies and resilient, fair and inclusive societies.



    Hamas – Romania joins the international community to support Israels efforts to release the hostages kidnapped by Hamas, the PM Marcel Ciolacu said after meeting, on Thursday, in Bucharest, with Israels Interior Minister, Moshe Arbel, and with family members of Israeli citizens of Romanian origin who were held hostage in the Gaza Strip. In this context, the Romanian PM reiterated that “de-escalation is a viable solution for restoring security in the region”. Also on Thursday, the Romanian Foreign Ministry — MAE announced the death of a person with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, held hostage in the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas since October 7. The announcement comes after on December 2, MAE announced the death of another person with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, captive in the Gaza Strip. Currently, two people with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, are still held hostage by Hamas, and the Romanian diplomacy reiterates the need to release all the hostages. The Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv maintains contact with the Israeli authorities – the MAE also states. (LS)

  • November 26, 2023 UPDATE

    November 26, 2023 UPDATE

    Kyiv. Romania has assumed a role of utmost importance in ensuring the transit of Ukrainian grain to international markets and remains in solidarity with that country, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Saturday, in an online intervention at the Kyiv Summit on world food security. More than 60% of the total Ukrainian exports of agricultural products were made through the transport corridors in Romania, the head of the Bucharest government also said, and in the next period an increase in the transport capacity would follow, with the direct support of the international partners and the European Union. Ciolacu condemned in the strongest terms the illegal and unjustified attacks by Russia in Ukraine, which constitute war crimes, as well as the Russian bombings near the border with Romania, which affect the infrastructure necessary for the transport of grain to international markets.



    Abuse of office. The legal Committee of the Romanian Senate must react by Wednesday to the National Anticorruption Directorates request for the prosecution of the former Prime Minister, Liberal Senator Florin Cîțu. Former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, members of the Save Romania Union, are also accused of abuse of office, and president Klaus Iohannis would have to green-light the lifting of their immunity. Prosecutors say the three purchased 52 million doses more than necessary, causing a prejudice of 1 billion EUR. The vaccines were purchased at a very difficult time during the pandemic, dominated by uncertainty regarding the evolution of the virus, the availability of mass-production of vaccines and the need for re-vaccination, Vlad Voiculescu explained. The former Health Minister blamed Florin Cîțu for taking the final decision, and in turn the former Liberal Prime Minister said that every decision made during his mandate was in good faith and in compliance with the law. The President of the Save Romania Union, Catalin Drula, claims that the case against Vlad Voiculescu is an alarming evidence of how state institutions are used against the political opposition, given that elections are due next year. In turn, the Liberal Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu has criticized the accusations brought by the leader of SRU.



    Gaza. Two hostages with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, residing in Israel, are among those released from the Gaza Strip, the Romanian MFA announced on Sunday. Thus, currently, four people with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, are still hostages in the Gaza Strip, a context in which the ministry reiterates the need to release all hostages from Gaza. At the same time, the MFA welcomes the diplomatic efforts of the USA, the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt for the release of the hostages from the Gaza Strip. The Embassy of Romania in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General of Romania in Haifa stay in contact with the Israeli authorities.



    Vehicles. The Romanian state offers the biggest subsidies in the European Union for the purchase of electric and hybrid cars, the state secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, Bogdan Balanişcu, said on Friday. These are vouchers that can reach over 10,000 euros, benefiting those Romanian citizens who want to buy an electric car. It is a way to remove 250 thousand cars from the streets and to stop the pollution that these old cars create, the official explained. According to the latest data provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, approximately 8,000 vehicles with zero CO2 emissions were registered in Romania in the first semester of 2023. This past summer, there were some 33 thousand electric vehicles and 154 thousand hybrid vehicles registered in Romania.



    Counterfeit. The Romanian Customs Authority will carry out, next month, the “Pinocchio” operation, consisting of extensive controls on the traffic of counterfeit toys. Statistics show that at the end of the year, more than a third of the counterfeit goods that enter Romania are imported to be sold around Christmas. The authorities draw attention to the fact that these products, although they are often valued below the price of the original products, disappoint primarily due to their lower quality and non-compliance with standards.



    Gaudeamus. The Gaudeamus Radio Romania book fair, the longest-running event of its kind in the country, closed its doors on Sunday in Bucharest. The Gaudeamus trophies, by public vote, went, in order, to the publishing houses Humanitas, Litera and Polirom. The most coveted book, also determined by the publics vote, was More like the past, by Ana Blandiana, and the Education Award went to the Publishing House of the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. The Excellence Award, awarded by a jury, went to Vellant Publishing for the quality of its presence at the fair and for the long line of literature and arts books, published in refined graphic conditions and for its always attractive stand at the fair. Tens of thousands of people visited the Gaudeamus Book Fair over the course of a week.



    Handball. Romanian womens national handball team won, on Saturday, in Bistrita (north), the Carpathian Trophy, after defeating Austria with a score of 41-35, in the last match of the competition. Previously, Romania won against Switzerland 33-28 and Portugal with 32-22. The tournament in Bistrita was a final check before participating in the World Championship in Denmark, Norway and Sweden (November 29-December 17), where Romania will play in Group E. The Romanians will face Chile on December 1, Serbia on December 3 and Denmark on December 5. The top 3 will qualify for the main groups and then, from those, the top two are bound for the quarter-finals. The national team aims to rank among the first 7 places, in order to be able to participate in the pre-Olympic tournament. Romania is the only team that has participated in all 26 editions of the Womens Handball World Championship. (MI)



    Tennis. The Romanian womens tennis team will face the Ukrainian team, away from home, in the qualifications for the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup competition, according to the draw made on Sunday in London. The match will take place on April 12-13, 2024. This month, Romania beat Serbia 4-0, in Kraljevo, in the play-off to stay in the World Group of the competition, while Ukraine beat Lithuania 3-1, in Vilnius. Romania and Ukraine have met four times so far, and the Romanians lead 3-1. (MI)


  • November 26, 2023

    November 26, 2023

    Kyiv. Romania has assumed a role of utmost importance in ensuring the transit of Ukrainian grain to international markets and remains in solidarity with that country, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Saturday, in an online intervention at the Kyiv Summit on world food security. More than 60% of the total Ukrainian exports of agricultural products were made through the transport corridors in Romania, the head of the Bucharest government also said, and in the next period an increase in the transport capacity would follow, with the direct support of the international partners and the European Union. Ciolacu condemned in the strongest terms the illegal and unjustified attacks by Russia in Ukraine, which constitute war crimes, as well as the Russian bombings near the border with Romania, which affect the infrastructure necessary for the transport of grain to international markets.



    Abuse of office. The legal Committee of the Romanian Senate must react by Wednesday to the National Anticorruption Directorates request for the prosecution of the former Prime Minister, Liberal Senator Florin Cîțu. Former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, members of the Save Romania Union, are also accused of abuse of office, and president Klaus Iohannis would have to green-light the lifting of their immunity. Prosecutors say the three purchased 52 million doses more than necessary, causing a prejudice of 1 billion EUR. The vaccines were purchased at a very difficult time during the pandemic, dominated by uncertainty regarding the evolution of the virus, the availability of mass-production of vaccines and the need for re-vaccination, Vlad Voiculescu explained. The former Health Minister blamed Florin Cîțu for taking the final decision, and in turn the former Liberal Prime Minister said that every decision made during his mandate was in good faith and in compliance with the law. The President of the Save Romania Union, Catalin Drula, claims that the case against Vlad Voiculescu is an alarming evidence of how state institutions are used against the political opposition, given that elections are due next year. In turn, the Liberal Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu has criticized the accusations brought by the leader of SRU.



    Gaza. Two hostages with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, residing in Israel, are among those released from the Gaza Strip, the Romanian MFA announced today. Thus, currently, four people with dual citizenship, Israeli and Romanian, are still hostages in the Gaza Strip, a context in which the ministry reiterates the need to release all hostages from Gaza. At the same time, the MFA welcomes the diplomatic efforts of the USA, the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt for the release of the hostages from the Gaza Strip. The Embassy of Romania in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General of Romania in Haifa stay in contact with the Israeli authorities.



    Hostages. A new exchange of Israeli hostages with Palestinian prisoners is planned for today, on the third day of the truce between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas. Saturdays group of hostages was belatedly released, to the dismay of desperate families, following a dispute between Israelis and Palestinian Islamists over the implementation of the four-day ceasefire. It came into force on Friday, when Hamas released a first group of 24 hostages – 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and a Filipino. In return, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners. On Saturday evening, the Islamist group released a second group – 13 Israeli hostages and 4 Thai citizens. In turn, the Israeli authorities released another 39 Palestinian people from prisons. The ceasefire agreement should lead to the release of a total of 50 Hamas hostages and 150 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. In addition, every day of the truce, trucks with food, medicine and fuel will enter Gaza. The war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip was triggered by an attack of unprecedented scale and violence committed by Hamas, on October 7, in southern Israel. According to the authorities, 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and about 240 people kidnapped on the day of the attack. In retaliation, Israel has bombed the Gaza Strip ever since, and almost 15,000 people were killed, including over 6,000 children, according to Hamas. At the same time, Israel started a ground operation, in the north of the Gaza Strip, for the total destruction of Hamas.



    Vehicles. The Romanian state offers the biggest subsidies in the European Union for the purchase of electric and hybrid cars, the state secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, Bogdan Balanişcu, said on Friday. These are vouchers that can reach over 10,000 euros, benefiting those Romanian citizens who want to buy an electric car. It is a way to remove 250 thousand cars from the streets and to stop the pollution that these old cars create, the official explained. According to the latest data provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, approximately 8,000 vehicles with zero CO2 emissions were registered in Romania in the first semester of 2023. This past summer, there were some 33 thousand electric vehicles and 154 thousand hybrid vehicles registered in Romania.



    Gaudeamus. The Gaudeamus Radio Romania fair, the longest-running event of its kind in the country, is coming to an end. Today is the last day of the 30th edition. As usual for the visitors, the organizers prepared over 100 events for all ages: launches, debates or workshops. Despite the bad weather, the visitors came in large numbers to the fair on Saturday as well. In the central pavilion at Romexpo, in Bucharest, the public was attracted by the editorial offer, but also by the significant price reductions. On an area of ​​thousands of square meters, stands and event spaces have accommodated the nearly 200 participants, who have come with an extremely varied range of editorial products, on different supports, suitable for all ages and fields of interest, music and educational games.



    Handball. Romanian womens national handball team won, on Saturday, in Bistrita (north), the Carpathian Trophy, after defeating Austria with a score of 41-35, in the last match of the competition. Previously, Romania won against Switzerland 33-28 and Portugal with 32-22. The tournament in Bistrita was a final check before participating in the World Championship in Denmark, Norway and Sweden (November 29-December 17), where Romania will play in Group E. The Romanians will face Chile on December 1, Serbia on December 3 and Denmark on December 5. The top 3 will qualify for the main groups and then, from those, the top two are bound for the quarter-finals. The national team aims to rank among the first 7 places, in order to be able to participate in the pre-Olympic tournament. Romania is the only team that has participated in all 26 editions of the Womens Handball World Championship. (MI)


  • November 22, 2023 UPDATE

    November 22, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT The president of Romania
    Klaus Iohannis Wednesday visited the UNESCO Heritage-listed Island
    of Gorée in Senegal, and had talks with the officials of the House of Slaves,
    now a museum. Mr. Iohannis said that Romania
    will support the efforts of Senegal’s Association for the Protection of Children
    with Mental Disabilities to ensure a better life for these children. On
    Thursday the Romanian official is to be received by his counterpart Macky Sall.
    Thursday’s agenda also includes participation in the opening of the United Nations
    House in Senegal, the opening of a traditional mask exhibition and a meeting
    with Senegalese experts who have studied in Romania. Senegal concludes the
    Romanian president’s 10-day tour in Africa, which also included Kenya, Tanzania
    and Cabo Verde.


    MILITARY Eurofighter aircraft
    from Germany arrived in Romania on Wednesday, at the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base
    in the south-east of the country, in an enhanced air policing mission (Air
    Policing South), the German Embassy in Bucharest announced. In the previous
    weeks, large-scale preparations were conducted for the deployment of the German
    contingent of 150 troops. Four Eurofighter jets will be operational as of
    November 27, strengthening the air defence of NATO’s south-eastern flank.


    GAUDEAMUS The
    Gaudeamus Radio Romania International Book Fair opened its doors in Bucharest
    on Wednesday. It is one of the most eagerly awaited cultural events of the fall,
    reaching its 30th edition. Until Sunday, more than 500 releases and editorial
    events will take place at the fair. The longest-running book fair in the
    country gathers this year almost 200 participants, mainly publishing houses,
    but also educational, cultural and press institutions.


    ISRAEL The European Union, the US and Russia
    welcomed the deal for the release of 50 hostages held in Gaza, over a four-day
    ceasefire. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said
    the Commission would use the truce to send as much humanitarian aid as possible
    to the Palestinian population in Gaza. In turn, the EU foreign policy chief,
    Josep Borrell, spoke about the European bloc’s willingness to get involved in finding
    a long-term solution to the conflict through the creation of a Palestinian
    state. The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the Israeli government have
    agreed on a 4-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 50 Israeli women and
    children in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. The deal was brokered by Qatar.
    Hamas took around 240 hostages, including children and old people, during its
    attack on Israel in which another 1,200 people were killed according to Israeli
    sources. In turn, Hamas reported at least 13,300 Palestinians were killed in
    subsequent air strikes and the invasion of Gaza by the Israeli forces.



    BUDGET The 2024 EU budget was endorsed by the European Parliament convened
    in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The chief negotiator was the Romanian MEP Siegfried
    Mureşan. The EU budget currently stands at EUR 189 bln. According to Siegfried
    Mureşan, there are enough resources now to finance the European Union’s
    traditional priorities, such as the cohesion policy and the common agricultural
    policy. In these areas, Romania receives most of its non-reimbursable
    allocations. (AMP)

  • November 4, 2023 UPDATE

    November 4, 2023 UPDATE

    CASH Romanian Prime Minister, Social-Democrat Marel Ciolacu, has
    announced a government meeting next week, which is also going to be attended by
    representatives of the SMEs and the main banks for talks on cash payments. The
    issue has sparked off heated debates in the past days after some banks have
    notified clients on their intention to raise the commissions for cash
    withdrawal and deposits. Under the new fiscal-budgetary legislation, cash
    payments between legal and natural persons have been limited to the equivalent
    of one thousand euros per day, with the exception of wages. Cash payment
    between two natural persons has been limited to two thousand euros per day,
    while between legal persons it must not exceed 200 euros per day. These
    thresholds are to be cut in half on January 1, 2025. Liberal leader Nicolae
    Ciuca from the ruling PNL-PSD coalition has announced the decision might be
    talked upon between the coalition members. The most affected are the small
    traders, mainly in the country’s rural areas where people mostly rely on
    cash.






    TALKS Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, talked on the
    phone with her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen about the situation of the
    Romanian citizens and their family members who requested support for being
    evacuated from the Gaza Strip. On this occasion, the official in Bucharest has
    reiterated the Foreign Ministry’s readiness to offer consular assistance to all
    the Romanians who need to leave Gaza. The Israeli official has given assurances
    the evacuation of the Romanian citizens is a major concern for the authorities
    in Tel Aviv. On Friday, the Foreign Ministry announced that another two people
    with double Israeli-Romanian citizenship are still being held hostage in Gaza.
    The ministry has called for the release of all hostages, including the six
    people with Israeli-Romanian citizenship.






    RATING Moody’s rating agency has reconfirmed Romania’s credit
    rating at Baa3 with stable outlook. The country’s Finance Minister Marcel Bolos
    says this is a new confirmation of the fact that the incumbent government has taken
    the right measures to combat the social-economic effects of the latest crises
    and for ensuring sustainable public finances. The announcement contributes to
    maintaining a favourable economic climate to cutting funding costs and the
    promotion of investment in our country Bolos went on to say. He underlined that
    the reforms and measures aimed at achieving fiscal-budgetary consolidation
    remain the priorities of the Finance Ministry.


    (bill)

  • November 3, 2023

    November 3, 2023


    STRIKE Romanian public health insurance personnel have suspended relations with the public indefinitely, because their salaries have not been increased for over 6 years. The protest disrupts services to patients and it might jeopardise the disbursement of expenses incurred by healthcare service providers, the head of the National Trade Union Bloc Dumitru Costin explained. He said the National Health Insurance Agencys budget can cover the requested pay raises, but that the measure must be endorsed in Parliament, where a bill in this respect has been pending for a long period and is currently stuck in the Chamber of Deputies. The health minister Alexandru Rafila said suspending the provision of healthcare services is unacceptable, and that he hoped for a dialogue between the management and the staff of the National Health Insurance Agency.



    BUDGET The ruling coalition have started talks on next years public budget. The government has approved a memorandum drawn up by the finance ministry, which lists the significant public investment projects on which the budget will be based. The transportation ministry has the largest number of projects in the list, i.e. 108 projects in various implementation stages, which means this ministry will receive the largest appropriations in the 2024 budget.



    HOSTAGES The Romanian foreign ministry announced that checks conducted by the Romanian authorities based on the information provided by Israel indicate that another person with dual (Romanian and Israeli) citizenship and living in Israel is a hostage in the Gaza Strip. The foreign ministry also announced that the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Romanian Consulate in Haifa are in touch with the Israeli authorities. So far 4 people with Romanian and Israeli citizenship are known to be held hostage by the Hamas terrorists.



    ISRAEL The US secretary of state Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday morning to persuade Israel to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. This is Blinkens second trip to the Middle East since the Hamas Islamists attacked Israel on October 7. International mass media report that the US diplomacy chief will have meetings with the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, and with members of his security cabinet. From Israel, Blinken is to travel next to neighbouring Jordan. Meanwhile, Israel announced that its forces have surrounded Gaza City, the largest urban centre in Gaza and previously controlled by Hamas.



    BOOK FAIR The Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair invites book lovers to Timişoara, a European Capital of Culture in 2023. The fair takes place until Sunday, and it brings together scores of publishers presenting their most recent releases, best-sellers, special offers and discounts. Todays most eagerly awaited event is the launch of a volume of dialogues between Robert Şerban and the contemporary Romanian poet Şerban Foarţă. Q&A sessions with writers, roundtables and book signing events are also scheduled. The Timisoara-based writer Patricia Lidia released a volume entitled “Adventures in Brancusis World,” an event that complements the exhibition devoted to the great Romanian-born sculptor opened these days at the National Art Museum in Timişoara. (AMP)