Radio România Internațional

Tag: HUREZEANU

  • March 13, 2025 UPDATE 2

    March 13, 2025 UPDATE 2

    Support – Romania’s Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu reiterated, at a working meeting with EU ambassadors in Bucharest, Romania’s support for the neighboring Ukraine and for the consolidation of the European Union’s security and defense policy. At the same time, Hurezeanu emphasized the importance of a solid transatlantic partnership, vital for European security and prosperity. The meeting in Bucharest was held in the context of Poland holding the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

     

    Candidacy – The president of the opposition, pro-European party Save Romania Union (USR), Elena Lasconi, has submitted her application to run in the May presidential election. Also on Thursday, the leader of the populist, ultranationalist opposition party S.O.S. Romania, Diana Şoşoacă, registered in the May presidential race. Şoşoacă also ran in last year’s presidential race, but the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) rejected her candidacy. Elena Lasconi qualified for the final round of the presidential race, along with the pro-Russian extremist Calin Georgescu, but the CCR cancelled the vote due to the flaws in the electoral process which favored Georgescu. The Court definitively rejected Georgescu’s candidacy for the upcoming election. Following this decision, the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, and the leader of the populist ultranationalist Party of Young People (POT), Ana Maria Gavrilă, who supported Georgescu, announced that they would submit their candidacies, with one of them withdrawing after their validation. The former Social Democratic (PSD) leader and former Prime Minister Victor Ponta also entered the competition. Following this move, the PSD leadership excluded him from the party. The government coalition (PSD – PNL – UDMR) has a common candidate, the former liberal leader Crin Antonescu. He and the current Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, are the only political competitors accepted, so far, by the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) and validated by the CCR. The deadline for registering candidacies at the Central Electoral Bureau is March 15.

     

    ID – The first Romanian electronic identity cards will be issued in a week in Cluj County (northwest), and in the next two months, this type of document will be available throughout the country, the Interior Ministry (MAI) announced. The electronic identity card will have a standard size, similar to bank cards. In printed format, it will contain the name, surname, citizenship, date of birth, gender, a photo and the personal identification number (CNP), as well as the handwritten signature. The electronic format will also include other information, such as the parents’ first names, domicile, the prints of two fingers of the ID holder and digital certificates for authentication or electronic signature. According to the MAI, the electronic identity card will contain advanced security elements which ensure protection against forgery and identity theft. In Romania, the electronic identity card is not mandatory, and those who do not want it, can request simple identity cards, without a microchip.

     

    Deficit – Romania’s trade deficit increased by 38% in January, compared to the same period last year, data from the National Institute of Statistics shows. In 2024, Romania exported goods worth 6.5 billion Euros and imported goods worth 11.4 billion Euros. Romania continues to have a major deficit, especially in relations with China, Germany and Poland, while recording surpluses with the UK, the Republic of Moldova and the US, although at smaller volumes. A vulnerable sector remains trade in agricultural and food products, where Romania mainly exports raw materials and imports finished products. To reduce the trade deficit, of about 5 billion Euros, experts recommend a strategy focused on the export of value-added products and more efficient use of statistical data for better-founded economic decisions.

     

    Pensions – Pensioners in Romania whose pension incomes do not exceed 2,574 lei (517 Euros) will receive financial support of 800 lei (160 Euros). The decision, approved on Thursday by the Romanian Government, stipulates that the amount will be granted in two equal installments of 400 lei (80 Euros) in April and December respectively. In the case of people whose pension rights are established after April 1, the financial aid will be granted in December and will amount to 400 lei (80 Euros). The support targets Romanian pensioners residing in the country or abroad. According to official data, almost 2.7 million pensioners have incomes lower than or equal to 2,574 lei (517 Euros), and of these, over 86,000 are in the Diaspora. Also on Thursday, the executive amended, by emergency ordinance, the Statute of Forestry Personnel. Thus, the bonuses equivalent to at least 5 salaries for the last month of activity were eliminated, which, in the case of the heads of the National Forestry Agency, amounted to 10 salaries. Romsilva employees are contesting the changes adopted by the Government. Trade union representatives criticize a 25% reduction in foresters’ income and announce a protest in Bucharest next week. (LS)

  • February 16, 2025

    February 16, 2025

    Conference – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu, on Saturday had meetings with his Dutch and Ukrainian counterparts on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference which ends on Sunday. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE), the Romanian FM and the Dutch official, Caspar Veldkamp, ​​addressed aspects of the bilateral agenda, given that this year Romania and the Netherlands are celebrating 145 years of diplomatic relations. A priority of the discussion was the investigation into the theft of the Dacian treasure pieces, which took place last month at the Drents Museum in Assen. The Dutch side gave assurances, once again, that all efforts are being made to recover the pieces, in close collaboration with the Romanian side. Also, Emil Hurezeanu had a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha. The two had an extensive review of the main themes concerning the Romanian-Ukrainian political and diplomatic dialogue, including the rights of persons belonging to national minorities. The Romanian minister reiterated Romania’s support for the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, insisting on the legitimate right of the Ukrainian people to obtain a just and lasting peace with the direct involvement of Ukraine, as well as of the neighboring states with which it shares the same vision. Also on the sidelines of the Munich Conference, Emil Hurezeanu had meetings with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, with the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and expatriates from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Ayman Safadi, with the foreign minister of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, with his Filipino counterpart, Enrique Manalo, as well as with his Serbian counterpart, Marko Djuric.

     

    Cooperation – Attending the conference in Munich, the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, met, on the sidelines of the Security Conference, with his counterparts from Albania, Pirro Vengu, and Bulgaria, Atanas Zaprianov. The discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation in the field of defense and military mobility. One of the essential topics addressed during the talks was the Pan-European Military Mobility Corridor VIII, a strategic project in which Romania participates together with Albania, Bulgaria, Italy and North Macedonia. Angel Tîlvăr reiterated Romania’s commitment to facilitating the rapid transit of forces and military equipment in South-Eastern Europe, emphasizing the importance of reducing bureaucratic barriers and harmonizing critical infrastructure, the Romanian Defense Ministry (MApN) informed. The ministers also discussed the importance of strengthening NATO’s defense and deterrence posture in the Black Sea region. Angel Tîlvăr thanked his counterparts for the contribution to the multinational NATO structures deployed on the territory of Romania, highlighting that this cooperation demonstrates the solidarity and unity of the Alliance, MApN also said. Another critical issue of the discussions was the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, scheduled for the summer of this year.

     

    Corruption – The head of the Joint Logistics Command of the Romanian Army, three-star general Cătălin Ştefăniţă Zisu, was placed by prosecutors under judicial control on bail worth one million lei (approx. 200 thousand Euros), for abuse of office with particularly serious consequences, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) reports. The defendant must make the amount available for the DNA within seven days. The Defense Ministry proposed his urgent transfer to the reserve status. The prosecutors also indicted the reserve colonel Lucian Amorăriţei, for several crimes of forgery, use of forgery and abuse of office, and the businessman Ionel Olteanu. The investigators show that, between 2022-2023, the two military approved the settlement of the issued invoices, although they knew that part of the works at the Ghencea Military Cemetery, in Bucharest, had not actually been carried out. The damage is estimated at almost 12 million lei (approx. 2.4 million Euros).

     

    Motion – The opposition S.O.S. Romania party announced that it would submit to Parliament, on Monday, a censure motion against the Government led by the social democrat Marcel Ciolacu, a document also assumed by the opposition Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and signed by 125 parliamentarians. The Save Romania Union (USR) also in opposition said that they would decide whether or not to support the initiative when the document is submitted to the vote. Instead, the governing coalition assures that the motion has no chance to pass. No Social Democratic MP will vote for the censure motion against the Ciolacu Government, says the vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, the social democrat Daniel Suciu. He added that this approach, initiated by the opposition, would endanger the stability of the country. The interim president of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Cătălin Predoiu, says that the liberals will defend the Government by vote. Also on Monday, the Education Minister, Daniel David, is expected at the Chamber of Deputies, at the Government Hour, at the request of the AUR. The AUR MPs criticize the measures proposed by the minister regarding the elimination of the mandatory character of the study of geography and history by high school students and demand that these subjects remain in the school curriculum as a basis for educating the new generations.

     

    Handball – SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea from Romania qualified for the quarter-finals of the EHF European League women’s handball competition, after defeating the German team BV Borussia Dortmund, score 32-27, on Saturday evening, at home, in Group B. After five stages, the team from Vâlcea remains the undefeated leader, with 9 points, followed in the ranking by Ikast Handbold from Denmark (6 p.), Borrusia (3p.) and Sola HK from Norway (2p.). In the last stage, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea will play away from home with Ikast Handbold, on February 22. The group matches are played until February 23, and the top two teams qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition, scheduled for March 22nd and 23rd  and March 29th and 30th followed by the F4 Tournament, on May 3rd and 4th.

     

    Elections – Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, has given assurances that he will take all the necessary steps, within the limits of his powers, to organize free, fair and transparent elections. On Saturday, the interim president of the National Liberal Party (PNL), the interior minister Cătălin Predoiu, said that the Romanian state must do more to explain what happened in the presidential election last year and the reaction of the institutions to how the integrity and legality of the election were affected. The statement came after the US Vice President J.D. Vance said at the security conference in Munich that the decision to cancel the election in Romania was made based on “flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors.” Ilie Bolojan stated, on Saturday, at a meeting held in Bucharest with a delegation of the business environment from Romania, that he would make efforts to make Romanians regain trust in state institutions. (LS)

  • February 14, 2025

    February 14, 2025

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    SECURITY – Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu is taking part, until Sunday, in the  International Security Conference in Munich, where heads of state and government and hundreds of defense experts are discussing major global issues, especially a possible peace in Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, security threats and challenges in the political, economic, commercial and technological fields will be addressed. In the thematic sessions of the conference, Emil Hurezeanu will present Romania’s assessments of current challenges, with an emphasis on the deterioration of the security situation in the Black Sea region and the implications of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine for the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. At the same time, he will emphasize the danger of Russia’s hybrid actions and the importance of countering them. On the other hand, the Romanian official will highlight the importance of a more robust transatlantic relationship in managing these challenges and combating the threats faced by the Euro-Atlantic community and will highlight the importance of continuing to provide solid support for increasing the resilience of the Republic of Moldova.

     

    DRONES – The diplomacy in Bucharest firmly condemns the irresponsible attack of the Russian forces against Ukraine on February 13, when two drones carrying explosive material violated the airspace and fell on Romanian territory, near the border with Ukraine, invaded by Moscow’s troops. By order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emil Hurezeanu, the ad interim charge d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Bucharest was urgently summoned to the headquarters of the ministry, to be informed of the firm condemnation of the repeated violation of Romania’s airspace. These illegal and irresponsible attacks must end, Romania having the right to take the necessary response measures, the Ministry said.

     

    NEGOTIATIONS – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine will not agree to any peace deal negotiated by the United States and Russia without Kyiv’s involvement. Zelenskyy is due to meet US Vice President JD Vance today in Munich on the sidelines of the annual Security Conference, after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have agreed by phone to immediately begin negotiations to end the war. Trump said after the discussion with Putin that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is impractical and that its return to the borders it had, before the Russian invasion, is unlikely. The statements have angered Ukraine and European countries, who see them as a capitulation to Russia and a threat to Europe’s security.

     

    THREAT – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that an explosion was heard overnight, followed by a fire at the new sarcophagus that protects parts of reactor 4 of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Fire safety personnel responded to the fire within minutes and no casualties were reported. Radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable, the Agency also reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky announced, in turn, that Russian drones had hit the radiation protection shield at Chernobyl. According to the Ukrainian head of state, after an initial assessment, it was found that the attack had seriously damaged the shield.

     

    PRESIDENCY – Ensuring Romania’s stability is the main priority of the interim president Ilie Bolojan during his three-month term. In his first message as head of state, after taking over the post from his predecessor, Klaus Iohannis, who had resigned, Ilie Bolojan said that his main priorities are ensuring the country’s economic, social and political stability. He also promised that the presidential elections in May will be fair and transparent.

     

    INFLATION – In Romania, the annual inflation rate decreased slightly, to 4.95%, last month, compared to January 2024, when it was 5.14%. According to data published today by the National Institute of Statistics, over the past 12 months, food prices have increased by 4.54%, non-food prices by 4.60%, and services by 6.54%. The latest inflation forecast of the Central Bank indicates a decrease of this index to 3.5%, for the end of the current year.

     

    FOOTBALL- The Romanian football champion FCSB defeated Greek team PAOK Thessaloniki 2-1 on Thursday evening in the first leg of the play-off for the Europa League’s round of 16. The decisive leg against the Greeks coached by Romanian Răzvan Lucescu is scheduled for February 20 in Bucharest. Also on Thursday, in men’s handball,  champion Dinamo Bucharest lost, 26-33, the home match against the Hungarian One Veszprem , in Group A of the Champions League.

     

  • January 31, 2025 UPDATE

    January 31, 2025 UPDATE

    GOVERNMENT The Romanian government has completed all the preliminary procedures before passing the draft 2025 state budget law on Saturday. According to PM Marcel Ciolacu, the news that the budget bill has been finalised has triggered a decrease in the interest rates at which the country borrows money in foreign markets. He said that, after the budget is endorsed in Parliament, other positive effects will follow. Ciolacu mentioned that exports will increase this year by over 3% as a result of Romania’s full Schengen accession, and emphasised that the warm weather in January allowed construction works to progress significantly, especially as regards the highway infrastructure. As a result, the budget earmarked to transportation has been increased by almost 20% compared to last year. A priority for this year is attracting foreign investments, Ciolacu added. In this respect, he announced that a foreign holding has announced plans to relocate a factory from Bulgaria to Romania. Moreover, the PM said that there are clear signals that the strategic partnership with the US is entering a new economic dimension and that next week he will have talks with the heads of major American investment funds.

     

    MOLDOVA Romania has stood by the R of Moldova and will continue to do so, in order to increase its energy resilience and support it in its EU accession efforts, the Romanian foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu promised in Chişinău on Friday, during his first official visit in this capacity. He was received by president Maia Sandu and had meetings with his Moldovan counterpart Mihai Popşoi, and with the speaker of parliament Igor Grosu. Maia Sandu and Emil Hurezeanu discussed ways to strengthen economic ties between the two states and to encourage Romanian companies to invest in Moldova. Emphasis was also placed on improving transport infrastructure, including the construction of new bridges over the Prut and streamlining cross-border traffic. During his meetings in Chişinău, Emil Hurezeanu emphasised that Moldova’s citizens are not alone in facing the energy crisis and can count on the support of Romania and other partners. ‘The destabilising effects of the energy crisis have helped tighten our ties. We are happy that Romania has managed to cover over 60% of the citizens’ current energy demand, and the preparation of high-voltage lines is also underway. We have been and will remain by the side of the Republic of Moldova,’ Emil Hurezeanu concluded.

     

    THEFT The Romanian justice minister Radu Marinescu called on his Dutch counterpart David van Weel to carry on efforts in the case of the theft of Romania’s Dacian treasury items and offered the Dutch side all the necessary support. The two ministers had a bilateral meeting during an informal meeting of EU justice ministers hosted by Warsaw. So far, 3 persons have been detained in connection to the theft. A break-in occurred last weekend at Drents Museum during which a golden helmet and three gold Dacian bracelets were stolen, some of Romania’s most important national heritage items.

     

    FLU The number of respiratory infections is on the rise in Romania and the health ministry declared a state of epidemiological alert. Official data show that almost 134,000 patients were diagnosed with respiratory infection symptoms last week, including 11,000 flu cases. Eight people died from flu last week, taking the toll to 22 this season.

     

    JUSTICE The Romanian justice minister Radu Marinescu Friday took part in an informal meeting of EU justice ministers in Warsaw, where current issues were discussed, such as mutual cooperation in the field of ​​justice, the consequences of Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine and the future of justice. According to a news release issued by the Romanian justice ministry, Radu Marinescu stressed that Romania has offered war victims both support for access to justice, through professional bodies, and other forms of counseling, through Romanian NGOs and authorities. In a separate work session, Radu Marinescu welcomed the initiative of the Polish presidency to continue discussions dedicated to judicial cooperation, under the umbrella of the rule of law.

     

    SPORTS Romanian football champions FCSB (Bucharest) lost 2-0 on Thursday on home turf to the English team Manchester United, in Europa League’s 8th and final round. According to the draw in Nyon (Switzerland) on Friday, the Bucharest team will take on the Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki, coached by the Romanian Răzvan Lucescu, in Europa League’s play-offs for the round of 16. FCSB will play the first leg away from home on February 13, and the return leg in Bucharest on February 20. The winner will play in the round of 16 against Olympique Lyon. In tennis, Romania plays Bulgaria in Craiova on Friday and Saturday, in the Davis Cup World Group I play-offs. The winner moves up to World Group I, while the defeated team will play in World Group II. Romania and Bulgaria have met only once before in the Davis Cup, in 1988, when Romania won decisively with a score of 5-0. (AMP)

  • January 31, 2025 UPDATE

    January 31, 2025 UPDATE

    MOLDOVA Romania has stood by the Republic of Moldova and will continue to do so, in order to increase its energy resilience and support it in its EU accession efforts, the Romanian foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu promised in Chişinău on Friday, during his first official visit in this capacity. He was received by president Maia Sandu and had meetings with his Moldovan counterpart Mihai Popşoi, and with the speaker of parliament Igor Grosu.

     

    Maia Sandu and Emil Hurezeanu discussed ways to strengthen economic ties between the two states and to encourage Romanian companies to invest in Moldova. Emphasis was also placed on improving transport infrastructure, including the construction of new bridges over the Prut and streamlining cross-border traffic. During his meetings in Chişinău, Emil Hurezeanu emphasised that Moldova’s citizens are not alone in facing the energy crisis and can count on the support of Romania and other partners.

     

    ‘The destabilising effects of the energy crisis have helped tighten our ties. We are happy that Romania has managed to cover over 60% of the citizens’ current energy demand, and the preparation of high-voltage lines is also underway. We have been and will remain by the side of the Republic of Moldova,’ Emil Hurezeanu concluded. (AMP)

  • January 31, 2025 UPDATE 2

    January 31, 2025 UPDATE 2

    Budget – Romania’s draft budget law for 2025 is going through the last stages of debate before the Government approves it in a meeting that is to take place on Saturday. The Finance Minister in the governing coalition (PSD-PNL-UDMR), Tanczos Barna, stated that there is money in the budget for investments in infrastructure, for the payment of salaries and pensions, at the level of November 2024. The budget will be built on a deficit of no more than 7% of the GDP. The funds allocated to the Presidential Administration, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will decrease and the budgets of some ministries will increase, such as the environment, health, education or transport ministries.

     

    Chişinău – On Friday the Romanian FM Emil Hurezeanu is going on ​​a working visit to the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Radio Chişinău reports. The agenda of the visit includes discussions with the Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihail Popşoi as well as the reception by the country’s president, Maia Sandu, by the president of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Grosu, and by the deputy prime minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov. The two foreign ministers are to deliver a joint press statement.

     

    Rugby – The Romanian national rugby team will make their debut on Friday evening in Bucharest, in a match against Germany, in the 2025 edition of the Rugby Europe Championship. The Romanians will also play against Belgium, on February 8, away from home, in Mons, and against Portugal, on February 15, at home, in Botoşani (northeast). Romania can secure direct qualification for the Rugby World Cup in Australia, if it finishes the championship in one of the first two places of the group. With one exception, Romania has participated in all the world final tournaments.

     

    Candidacy – The president of the opposition Save Romania Union (USR), Elena Lasconi, will run again in the presidential election in May. She announced that she has the support of her party and is responsible for the votes cast by citizens two months ago. In turn, the mayor of Bucharest, Nicuşor Dan, said that he maintained his decision to enter the presidential race as an independent and the governing coalition (PSD-PNL-UDMR) would support a common candidate in the race, the former Liberal leader, Crin Antonescu. We remind you that, in December, the Constitutional Court of Romania annulled the presidential election, citing interference by a state actor, and decided that the electoral process should be entirely resumed. The first round had been won by independent sovereigntist Călin Georgescu and the USR leader Elena Lasconi. On the other hand, European Union member states, including France, Germany and Romania, requested the Commission to take measures to protect the elections in the community space from interference by external actors.

     

    Aircraft – An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, purchased by Romania from the Kingdom of Norway, landed, on Thursday, at the 71st General Emanoil Ionescu Air Base at Câmpia Turzii. The aircraft thus completes the 48th Fighter Squadron with all 16 aircraft, the Romanian Defense Ministry informs. The purchase of the new batch of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and the related package of goods and services ensures the increase of Romania’s security by defending the national or NATO airspace, in peacetime and in crisis situations, through the Permanent Combat Service – Air Policing, under NATO command.

     

    Collision – Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, sent a message of solidarity to the American people on Thursday following the collision in the air, above Washington, of an American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter of the US army. “Our thoughts go out to the families of the victims” – the head of state wrote on platform X. The American Airlines plane, with 64 people on board, and the military helicopter with three soldiers on board crashed, on Wednesday evening, in the Potomac River. Extremely difficult search operations were launched. Since February 2009, there have been no fatal passenger plane accidents in the United States. (LS)

     

     

  • January 30, 2025 UPDATE 1

    January 30, 2025 UPDATE 1

    Candidacy – The president of the opposition Save Romania Union (USR), Elena Lasconi, will run again in the presidential election in May. She announced that she has the support of her party and is responsible for the votes cast by citizens two months ago. In turn, the mayor of Bucharest, Nicuşor Dan, said that he maintained his decision to enter the presidential race as an independent and the governing coalition (PSD-PNL-UDMR) would support a common candidate in the race, the former Liberal leader, Crin Antonescu. We remind you that, in December, the Constitutional Court of Romania annulled the presidential election, citing interference by a state actor, and decided that the electoral process should be entirely resumed. The first round had been won by independent sovereigntist Călin Georgescu and the USR leader Elena Lasconi. On the other hand, European Union member states, including France, Germany and Romania, requested the Commission to take measures to protect the elections in the community space from interference by external actors.

     

    Chişinău – On Friday the Romanian FM Emil Hurezeanu is going on ​​a working visit to the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population), Radio Chişinău reports. The agenda of the visit includes discussions with the Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihail Popşoi as well as the reception by the country’s president, Maia Sandu, by the president of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Grosu, and by the deputy prime minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov. The two foreign ministers are to deliver a joint press statement.

     

    Collision – Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, sent a message of solidarity to the American people on Thursday following the collision in the air, above Washington, of an American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter of the US army. “Our thoughts go out to the families of the victims” – the head of state wrote on platform X. The American Airlines plane, with 64 people on board, and the military helicopter with three soldiers on board crashed, on Wednesday evening, in the Potomac River. Extremely difficult search operations were launched. Since February 2009, there have been no fatal passenger plane accidents in the United States.

     

    Aircraft – An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, purchased by Romania from the Kingdom of Norway, landed, on Thursday, at the 71st General Emanoil Ionescu Air Base at Câmpia Turzii. The aircraft thus completes the 48th Fighter Squadron with all 16 aircraft, the Romanian Defense Ministry informs. The purchase of the new batch of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and the related package of goods and services ensures the increase of Romania’s security by defending the national or NATO airspace, in peacetime and in crisis situations, through the Permanent Combat Service – Air Policing, under NATO command. (LS)

     

  • January 27, 2025 UPDATE

    January 27, 2025 UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    OPINION – The decision to annul the election results should be taken by the highest electoral body, and the power of the Constitutional Court (CCR) to do so should be limited to exceptional and clearly regulated circumstances, the Venice Commission says in a report on the annulment of the presidential elections in Romania. In Bucharest, the opposition political parties, namely USR, AUR and the Young People’s Party, reacted by emphasizing that, in effect, the consultative body of the Council of Europe confirmed that the Constitutional Court’s decision was illegal and abusive. Former Minister of Justice, Tudorel Toader, explained, however, that this commission issued opinions, not a decision, and the suggestions made are not binding. We recall that the presidential elections scheduled for November 2024 were annulled by the CCR before the second round. The court made its decision based on documents provided by the Supreme Council for National Defense, citing interference from a so-called state actor.

     

     

    DECISION – The EU foreign ministers, convened within the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), decided on Monday to extend for another six months, until July 31, 2025, the restrictive measures applied against Russia for its continued actions to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, according to a statement from the EU Council, Agerpres reports. These economic measures, first introduced in 2014, were significantly extended as of February 2022 in response to Russia’s illegal, unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine, the statement also reads. The FAC meeting in Brussels is the first in this format organized during the Polish presidency of the EU Council, a position taken on January 1. It is also the first such meeting attended by Emil Hurezeanu as head of the Bucharest diplomacy.

     

     

    ARTIFACTS – Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu had talks with his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp in Brussels on Monday regarding the theft of Romanian artifacts, including a 2,500-year-old golden helmet, from the Drents Museum in Assen, the Netherlands. The two ministers agreed to cooperate very closely at operational and diplomatic level. The golden helmet of Coţofeneşti, as well as three Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmizegetusa Regia, some of Romania’s most important artifacts, were stolen following a ‘particularly serious incident,’ the Ministry of Culture announced. The General Prosecutor’s Office reported that a criminal case had been opened ex officio. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced the organization, at the Government level, of a crisis team for the efficient coordination of activities to recover the four stolen artifacts.

     

     

    HOLOCAUST – Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu emphasized on Monday the Romanian Government’s firm commitment to combat the scourge of anti-Semitism and to promote the memory of the Holocaust victims, saying it is the authorities’ duty to ensure that the “Romanian society knows and does not repeat the mistakes of history”. In his opinion, education must play a central role in this respect. The Prime Minister participated, at the Coral Temple, in a ceremony dedicated to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the commemoration of the victims of the anti-Jewish Legionary Pogrom in Bucharest. Ciolacu welcomed the release of the first Israeli hostages, including two women with Romanian citizenship and Romanian origins, following the signing of the Agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which offers the prospect of lasting peace in the region.

     

     

    BELARUS – The current president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, won the presidential election with about 87% of the vote, according to preliminary results announced by the electoral commission. His four opponents reportedly received 1% to 2% percent of the vote. International media write that the elections were intended to give a seventh consecutive term to the autocrat Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and considered the most docile ally of Putin’s Russia. On the eve of the vote, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said that the leader in Minsk “has no legitimacy” and that “the new electoral charade is an affront to democracy.” On Monday, Britain, the European Union and their allies condemned the “rigged” presidential elections in Belarus. “We are united in condemning the sham presidential elections in Belarus on January 26, as well as the ongoing human rights violations committed by the Belarusian regime,” a joint statement by Australia, Canada, the EU, New Zealand and the United Kingdom said.

     

     

    BACCALAUREATE – High school senior students in Romania have been taking the oral tests in the first session of this year’s Baccalaureate exam starting on Monday. The assessment of communication skills in Romanian takes place until Wednesday, with the oral tests in ethnic minorities’ native languages held over three days, starting on January 29. The foreign language oral tests are scheduled between February 3 and 5, and digital skills will be tested between February 5 and 7. The organisation of these tests during the school year has been criticised by some students, teachers and education experts, especially because high school students must also attend classes during the exam days. The written tests in the Baccalaureate exam begins on May 30 and end on June 30, when the final results are to be announced.

     

     

  • January 24, 2024

    January 24, 2024

    CELEBRATION Military and religious ceremonies, performances and exhibitions took place on Friday in all the major cities in Romania, marking the Union of the Principalities. In Orthodox churches, special services were performed and bells were rung for a minute. 166 years ago, on January 24, 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected ruler of Wallachia, after having been elected ruler of Moldavia on January 5. The political decision by the principalities to unite was the first stage in the creation of the modern Romanian state. Leading politicians sent messages on the Day of the Union of the Romanian Principalities. “January 24 is a moment of assessment and reflection on the legacy of our ancestors and on the responsibility we have to preserve and promote it,” president Klaus Iohannis emphasised. PM Marcel Ciolacu pointed out that the Union is an example of how an important political project undertaken in accordance with the will of the people can become reality. Romanians enjoy an extended weekend on this occasion, as Union Day has been declared a public holiday. Many have chosen to spend it in mountain resorts.

     

    PROTEST Railway workers, reserve officers, police staff, miners, foresters, steelworkers, Bucharest Metro employees and pensioners Friday took part in a protest rally in front of the Government headquarters. People are unhappy with the government order that froze salary increases for many public sector personnel at the beginning of this year, and because public pensions are no longer adjusted to the inflation rate. According to Radio Romania, a trade union delegation had talks with government officials, but without results. 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.

     

    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu will have a meeting with NATO’s secretary general Mark Rutte at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, January 28, reads a statement from the North Atlantic Alliance. On January 14, Emil Hurezeanu received the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien. According to a foreign ministry news release, on that occasion the Romanian official appreciated the US contribution to the security and defense of NATO’s Eastern Flank, as well as to the development of the strategic approach to the Black Sea region. The two officials also appreciated the bilateral relationship, highlighting ‘significant’ achievements such as Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver program, the development of economic and energy sector cooperation, and coordinated Romania – US – EU action.

     

    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 in the presidential elections in May. 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.

     

    CORRUPTION The mayor of the popular Romanian mountain resort of Sinaia, the Liberal Vlad Oprea, was placed under court supervision on Thursday, with bail set at over EUR 100,000, as part of a corruption-related investigation. Charges of abuse of office also entailed a ban on him holding the mayor position. According to prosecutors with the National Anticorruption Directorate, among other things, Vlad Oprea allegedly demanded and received almost EUR 240,000 in bribe from a businessman, in exchange for expediting the paperwork for the building of a hotel in the resort.

     

    EXPULSION The Romanian Embassy in Belgrade has asked for clarifications from the Serbian authorities as to why a Romanian national was expelled from the country. Other EU and third country citizens taking part in an NGO training workshop were also involved in the incident. The Romanian, a member of an organisation involved in social projects, was taken to a police station in Belgrade, along with other participants in the workshop. Without explanation, but citing national security reasons, they were ordered to leave Serbia within 24 hours, and banned from entering this country for one year. The Romanian national left the country safely. The expulsion of EU citizens from Serbia is unprecedented. (AMP)