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Tag: Iohannis

B9 condemns Russia

Heads of state
and government from Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia, who have convened in Bratislava as the
Bucharest 9 format, have vehemently condemned the brutal, unjustified and illegal
war Russia has been waging on Ukraine. In the joint statement issued during the
summit, which has also been attended by NATO Secretary General, Jens
Stoltenberg, the participants say that Russia must cease its ongoing attacks
against the civil population and infrastructure, and put an end to the deportation
of children and sexual violence and unconditionally pull out its troops from
the Ukrainian territory. At the same
time the participants have called on Belarus to cease its complicity in the
Russian aggression and pledged to hold the aggressors accountable for their
crimes by setting up a proper legal mechanism.

According to Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis, the security of the countries in NATO’s eastern flank
must be strengthened and the summit in the Slovakian capital has reconfirmed
that the B9 countries are taking action for strengthening the security of the
Euro-Atlantic community as a whole.

Klaus Iohannis: We, the countries in
the eastern flank, are the frontline in the process of countering the
disastrous effects of this war with multiple implications in terms of security,
in the humanitarian area, as well as in the fields of economy, food and energy
production. Russia will continue to be the biggest threat to European and
Euro-Atlantic security. And for this reason we all understand the need for consolidating
our national defence and for the creation of a robust and effective defence.

Iohannis has
specified that Romania will stay together with Ukraine as long as it is needed
and that Bucharest is staunchly supporting the Euro-Atlantic integration
prospects of the neighboring state.

At the same time,
Iohannis and the other B9 leaders have hailed Finland in its new capacity as a NATO
member and have reconfirmed the support granted to Sweden to become a
fully-fledged member as soon as possible, which they believe, will further
strengthen the Alliance

The B9
participants have also proposed the setting up of a joint center for research,
training and education with Ukraine, based in Poland, as well as a more
significant and comprehensive multi-annual support package aimed at
strengthening Kyiv’s defence capabilities including through the implementation
of NATO standards.

Last but not
least, the B9 leaders have condemned the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam
on the Dnieper, which they described as a war crime as the flood created in the
aftermath is presently threatening thousands of people. There is no information
on the perpetrators, but Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other for the
attack. The B9 format was established on November 4th 2015 in
Romania’s capital city Bucharest upon the initiative of the presidents of
Romania and Poland, Klaus Iohannis and Andrzej Duda respectively.

(bill)

7 June 2023
A royal visit

Many have wondered if Charles III, who became King of the United Kingdom after the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, last September, and was crowned at the beginning of May, will ever visit Romania again, in his new position. The attachment to the country which he first visited a quarter of a century ago, as Crown Prince, and which he has visited frequently since then, is, however, unaltered, and the fact that the new British monarch chose Romania as his destination for his first trip abroad is proof thereof. I have always felt rather at home in Romania, Charles said at the reception ceremony organized by President Klaus Iohannis in his honor on Friday.

The British sovereign had an emotional speech, which began in Romanian: Doamnelor si domnilor, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I cannot describe what great pleasure it gives me to be visiting Romania once again. I believe that 25 years have gone by since my first visit to this most remarkable country. When I came here, and even before, I felt a deep connection to Romania. As I have said before, I have come to love Romania – your culture and art, your heritage and history, your sweeping landscapes and priceless biodiversity, this ‘tara de gloria, tara de dor (country of glory, country of longing), if I may paraphrase your national poet, Mihai Eminescu.

President Iohannis thanked the British sovereign for the role he plays in protecting the values related to the Romanian identity and for his openness to what the Romanian village represents and recalled the efforts Charles made to protect the ecosystem and restore the unique biodiversity of Romania. If the first day of his visit, on Friday, in Bucharest, represented the courtesy component of his presence in Romania, Charles dedicated the next four to visits to towns in two Transylvanian counties, Covasna and Braşov, villages which won him over from the very beginning and where he owns properties that he has restored, saving them from destruction. He was warmly received by the locals, as has happened every time in the last two decades and he enjoyed nature walks.

He is showing us his affection through this gesture, said a local official about the King’s visit, quoted by AFP. The French news agency reports that King Charles is proud to be a distant relative of a 15th-century ruler known as Vlad the Impaler, who inspired the character of Count Dracula, and that he has, in his own words, ‘Transylvania in blood’. An avowed environmentalist, he discovered the region in 1998, and became a protector of the villages in the heart of Romania, founded by German settlers eight centuries ago, AFP recalls. It will be a unique moment for our community to welcome the king, a sign of recognition of the work done all these years, emphasized the president of the Mihai Eminescu Trust foundation dedicated to the protection of the Transylvanian heritage which is operating under the patronage of king Charles. (LS)

6 June 2023
June 4, 2023 UPDATE

Pentecost — The majority Orthodox Christians in Romania and the Greek Catholics will celebrate on Monday, the second day of Pentecost, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. On the second day of Pentecost in some areas of the country pots are offered to people, which should be decorated with flowers and be accompanied by a bread ring with a candle on top for those who have passed away. Beautifully decorated plates are also given away for the living. Pentecost or the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles marks the foundation of the Christian Church and is celebrated 50 days after Easter. According to the New Testament, the 12 Apostles, gathered in a house, received the Holy Spirit, who gave them the power to preach in languages they had never spoken before. Following the sermon of the Apostle Peter, 3,000 people were baptized and formed the first Christian community. In churches, on Pentecost day, the faithful receive blessed walnut leaves, symbols of the flames that appeared above the heads of the Apostles, at the time of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Prize – Human rights and human dignity are key elements for the construction of societies characterized by freedom, democracy and solidarity, President Klaus Iohannis said on Sunday, upon receiving the Franz Werfel Prize for Human Rights for the year 2023, during a ceremony held in Frankfurt on Main. The head of the Romanian state showed that for Romania, the people belonging to national minorities represent not only a rich cultural and human heritage, but also a real added value for the whole society. During the ceremony, the Laudatio speech was delivered by Jean-Claude Juncker, former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, who highlighted the merits of President Klaus Iohannis in the fight against corruption, in the observance of the rule of law and the protection of minorities. On Saturday, also in Germany, the Romanian president received the German Civic Award, granted by the Bad Harzburg Civic Foundation, in Dusseldorf. In his acceptance speech, Klaus Iohannis reiterated Romanias support for the European values, which gives legitimacy to the citizens desire to benefit from integration into the Schengen Area. He reminded that Romania fully meets the criteria for integration, managing the external borders with responsibility and efficiency. The foundation decided to award the prize based on the evaluation of the entire political career of the Romanian head of state.

Visit — King Charles III of Great Britain continues his private visit to Romania. On Saturday and Sunday, the British sovereign walked the streets of Valea Zălanului village in Covasna county (center), where he owns three houses. Dressed casually, the king was welcomed by the locals with flowers. He talked with the villagers and tourists who came especially to see him, and he also visited some picturesque places in the area. I love to come to Romania, said the monarch. Charles III was received, on Friday, at the Cotroceni Palace, by President Klaus Iohannis. It is the first visit that a British monarch pays to Romania, and also the first foreign trip of the sovereign since his coronation, which took place last month. As a Crown Prince, Charles visited Romania several times, the first time in 1998 and he declared himself an admirer of the country. He got involved in preserving the Romanian cultural heritage, buying and restoring old houses in the countryside, which he saved from destruction. In 2017, the Presidency granted him the National Order “Star of Romania” in the rank of Grand Cross.

Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse and Marta Kostyuk from Ukraine lost, on Sunday, in three sets, 7-6, 4-6, 2-6, the match in the round of 16 of the womens doubles in the Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros, against Jessica Pegula and CoCo Gauff, both from the USA. Ruse and Kostyuk were seeded 13th at Roland Garros, one of the most important international tennis tournaments.

Turkey – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on behalf of Romania, for his reconfirmation as President of Turkey and wished him success in fulfilling his new mandate, during the investiture ceremony that took place on Saturday. The event was attended by heads of state and government, ministers of foreign affairs, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to Ankara, among whom the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. He is in Turkey also for discussions aimed at solving the objections of the Ankara administration regarding the ratification of Swedens request for NATO membership. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian officials participation in the ceremony reflects Romanias desire to strengthen the bilateral Strategic Partnership, based on consistent political dialogue and close cooperation in a wide range of sectoral fields. For Romania, Turkey is the second commercial partner outside the EU and the first destination of Romanian exports outside the Union, last year the volume of exchanges registering almost 9.6 billion dollars. Recep Tayyip Erdogan took oath as president for the third time. On May 28, in the second round of voting, he defeated the candidate of the united opposition, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The Turkish leader dominated the countrys politics for 20 years, first as prime minister, then as president, but critics accuse him of authoritarianism and mismanagement of the economy. (LS)

4 June 2023
June 4, 2023

Visit — King Charles III of Great Britain continues his private visit to Romania. On Saturday, the British sovereign walked the streets of Valea Zălanului village in Covasna county (center), where he owns three houses. Dressed casually, the king was welcomed by the locals with flowers. He talked with the villagers and tourists who came especially to see him, and he also visited some picturesque places in the area. I love to come to Romania, said the monarch. Charles III was received, on Friday, at the Cotroceni Palace, by President Klaus Iohannis. It is the first visit that a British monarch pays to Romania, and also the first foreign trip of the sovereign since his coronation, which took place last month. As a Crown Prince, Charles visited Romania several times, the first time in 1998 and he declared himself an admirer of the country. He got involved in preserving the Romanian cultural heritage, buying and restoring old houses in the countryside, which he saved from destruction. In 2017, the Presidency granted him the National Order “Star of Romania” in the rank of Grand Cross.

Prize — Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis receives Sunday in Frankfurt am Main, the Franz Werfel prize for human rights, granted by the Center against Expulsions. Romania’s Presidential Administration specifies that the decision to grant this award represents the recognition of his activity in the field of promoting human rights and good coexistence between ethnic groups, throughout his political career. On Saturday, Romania’s president received the German Civic Award, offered by the Bad Harzburg Civic Foundation, in Dusseldorf (Germany). In the thank-you speech delivered in German, the Romanian head of state recalled the efforts made by Romania to contribute to securing the EU borders. Klaus Iohannis reiterated Romanias support for the European values, which gives legitimacy to the citizens desire to benefit from integration into the Schengen Area. He reminded that Romania fully meets the criteria for integration into the Schengen Area, managing the external borders with responsibility and efficiency. The foundation decided to award the prize based on the evaluation of the entire political career of the Romanian head of state, emphasizing the support for the harmonious coexistence of different ethnicities, the commitment to freedom, democracy and pluralism, the restoration and modernization of his hometown Sibiu (the center of Romania), the support for the anti-corruption fight and attachment to the idea of a united Europe.

Pentecost — The majority Romanian Orthodox Christians and the Greek Catholics celebrate, Sunday, the Pentecost or the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, an event that marks the foundation of the Christian Church. According to the New Testament, the 12 Apostles, gathered in a house, received the Holy Spirit, who gave them the power to preach in languages they had never spoken before. Following the sermon of the Apostle Peter, 3,000 people were baptized and formed the first Christian community. In churches, believers receive blessed walnut leaves, symbols of the flames that appeared above the heads of the Apostles, at the time of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, during the Pentecost mini-holiday, tens of thousands of tourists are in the resorts on the Prahova Valley (south) or on the Black Sea Coast (southeast). Many Romanians chose to spend their free time outside the country, especially in Bulgaria and Greece.

Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse and Marta Kostiuk from Ukraine are playing, today, in the round of 16 of the womens doubles in the Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros, against Jessica Pegula and CoCo Gauff, both from the USA. Ruse and Kostiuk qualified, on Saturday, after, in the second round of the Parisian competition on clay court, they defeated the pair made up of the Belgian Kirsten Flipkens and the American Shelby Rogers, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Ruse and Kostyuk are seeded 13th at Roland Garros, one of the most important international tennis tournaments.

Turkey – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on behalf of Romania, for his reconfirmation as President of Turkey and wished him success in fulfilling his new mandate, during the investiture ceremony that took place on Saturday. The event was attended by heads of state and government, ministers of foreign affairs, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to Ankara, among whom the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. He is in Turkey also for discussions aimed at solving the objections of the Ankara administration regarding the ratification of Swedens request for NATO membership. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the Romanian officials participation in the ceremony reflects Romanias desire to strengthen the bilateral Strategic Partnership, based on consistent political dialogue and close cooperation in a wide range of sectoral fields. For Romania, Turkey is the second commercial partner outside the EU and the first destination of Romanian exports outside the Union, last year the volume of exchanges registering almost 9.6 billion dollars. Recep Tayyip Erdogan took oath as president for the third time. On May 28, in the second round of voting, he defeated the candidate of the united opposition, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The Turkish leader dominated the countrys politics for 20 years, first as prime minister, then as president, but critics accuse him of authoritarianism and mismanagement of the economy. (LS)

4 June 2023
June 3, 2023 UPDATE

Visit – King Charles III of Great Britain is in Romania, on his first trip abroad since the coronation that took place less than a month ago. His five-day visit is private, and the meeting he had with President Klaus Iohannis on Friday was a gesture of courtesy. After the meeting with the head of the Romanian state, the British sovereign confessed that he always felt at home in Romania, which he called, in Romanian, “land of glory, land of longing”, quoting from the poem of Romania’s national poet Mihai Eminescu “What I wish for you, sweet Romania!. President Klaus Iohannis thanked the British sovereign for his involvement in protecting values related to the national identity and emphasized that the Charitable Foundation of King Charles III opened the possibility of rediscovering the Romanian village. It is the first time that a British monarch visits Romania. On Friday evening, the king arrived at his residence in the village of Valea Zălanului (central Romania), where he will spend a few days of vacation. As a Crown Prince, Charles visited Romania several times, the first time in 1998 and declared himself an admirer of the country. He got involved in preserving the Romanian cultural heritage, buying and restoring old houses in the countryside, which he saved from destruction. In 2017, the Presidency granted him the National Order “Star of Romania” in the rank of Grand Cross.

Turkey — The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu participated on Saturday, in Ankara, in the investiture ceremony of the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was re-elected on May 28 this year. The NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, was among the officials attending the event. According to a NATO press release, Jens Stoltenberg will try, during the two days he will stay in Ankara, to convince Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop opposing Swedens accession to NATO. Ankara has not yet ratified this countrys entry into the Alliance in its Parliament, so only Finland was accepted in the spring. Turkeys claims concern Swedens treatment of entities or persons considered by Ankara to be terrorists. On June 1, however, a new legislation regarding the fight against terrorism entered into force in Sweden, and it includes the elements requested by Turkey. The Hungarian Parliament has not ratified Swedens accession either, but the political world is sure that Budapests ratification will come immediately after Ankaras decision.

Award — Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis received, on Saturday, the German Civic Award, granted by the Bad Harzburg Civic Foundation, in Dusseldorf, Germany. In the thank-you speech delivered in German, Klaus Iohannis recalled the efforts made by Romania to contribute to securing the EU borders. Klaus Iohannis reiterated Romanias support for the European values, which gives legitimacy to the citizens desire to benefit from integration into the Schengen Area. He reminded that Romania fully meets the criteria for integration, managing the external borders with responsibility and efficiency. The foundation decided to award the prize based on the evaluation of the entire political career of the Romanian president, emphasizing the support of the harmonious coexistence of different ethnicities, the commitment to freedom, democracy and pluralism, the restoration and modernization of his hometown Sibiu (the center of Romania), the support for the anti-corruption fight and the attachment to the idea of a united Europe. On Sunday, Klaus Iohannis will receive, in Frankfurt am Main, the Franz Werfel prize for human rights, offered by the Center against Expulsions. The granting of this award represents the recognition of his activity in the field of promoting human rights and good coexistence between ethnic groups, throughout his political career.

Timisoara — This years edition of the Romanian Chamber Orchestra Tour began on Saturday, in Timișoara, the European Capital of Culture 2023. Now in its fifth edition, the current tour has the most extensive formula so far – over 50 musicians performing on the worlds great stages will reunite under the baton of Timișoara-born conductor Cristian Măcelaru. “It is a project in which we bring as many Romanians from outside Romania as possible, who want to return and contribute to the cultural life in Romania. Because in all the orchestras in Europe and in America there are Romanians of extraordinary quality, and this orchestra – the Romanian Chamber Orchestra – that was formed is, indeed, a dear project and every time the tour was held in Timişoara. That was my wish”, said the conductor Cristian Măcelaru. Tonights concert program includes works by Mozart, Schubert and Ligeti, the soloist being the clarinetist Carlos Ferreira.

Agriculture — In the last year, Romania was the second largest exporter of wheat to the EU, after France, being followed by Germany and Poland. Eurostat data shows that from July 1, 2022, Romania exported almost 4 million tons of wheat, but European data also shows an increase of over 200% in EU wheat imports. Spain is the largest European importer of wheat, more than 3 million tons, followed by Romania with over 890,000 tons. Data centralized by Eurostat also show that in the last year Romania exported more than half of the total amount of corn sold for export by the EU – 1.64 tons out of a total of almost 3 million tons. According to the provisional data announced by the National Institute of Statistics in Bucharest, Romania, which is the largest exporter of corn in the Union, obtained a grain corn production of 8.2 million tons last year, while in 2021 the harvest of grain corn was almost 15 million tons.

Accident – The death toll of the three-train crash in eastern India is hundreds of dead, and the authorities say that the number of victims will increase. Hundreds more people are injured in the worst train accident in India this century. Two passenger trains collided, and a goods train stationed in the area was also involved in the accident. India has seen many railway accidents over time, but safety on the railways has improved significantly in recent years due to massive new investments and technological upgrades.

Paris – The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse qualified, on Saturday, to the round of 16 of the womens doubles in the Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros, in which she pairs with the Ukrainian Marta Kostiuk. In the second round of the Parisian competition on clay court, the two defeated, in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, the pair made up of the Belgian Kirsten Flipkens and the American Shelby Rogers. In the round of 16, Gabriela Ruse and Marta Kostiuk will face the winners of the match between Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)/Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil) and 2nd seeds CoCo Gauff/Jessica Pegula (USA). (LS)

3 June 2023
May 30, 2023 UPDATE

VISIT Romanian president Klaus Iohannis
will be receiving King Charles III of the United Kingdom at the Cotroceni
Palace in Bucharest on Friday. After the welcome ceremony, His Majesty will be
having face-to-face talks with the Romanian president, and is expected to meet
local authorities, representatives of civil society and members of the
diplomatic corps. The British Ambassador in Bucharest, Andrew Noble, has told the
AGERPRES news agency that His Majesty’s visit is private and that he will meet
the Romanian president as a courtesy gesture. This will be the first visit of a
British Monarch to Romania. King Charles III owns property in Romania, which he
used to visit regularly when he was Prince of Wales.

STRIKE After a new round of talks with the government in
Bucharest, trade unions in Romania’s education sector have threatened to carry
on their all-out strike as their request for a pay rise has been turned down by
the authorities. According to them, the government offered only the equivalent
of 800 euros in bonuses for teachers and 300 euros for the auxiliary personnel.
Over 15 thousand teachers protested in front of the government building and the
presidential palace on Tuesday calling on the Romanian president, who used to
be a teacher before becoming the country’s president, to get involved in the
process of finding a solution to their claims. President Iohannis has voiced
readiness to act a mediator in the talks aimed at finding a solution to the
crisis in Romania’s education system. He described the teachers’ claims as
natural and legitimate but underlined that overcoming the deadlock in education
and ending the strike are crucial for the good functioning of the school year
and for maintaining a stability climate in the educational system. Students in
schools across Romania have voiced their support for their teachers’ protests
and for their claims.

AID The National Committee for Emergency Situations, convened on
Monday by the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciucă, approved the granting,
free of charge, of humanitarian aid to Syria. It is intended for the population
affected by the major earthquake produced on the territory of Turkey on
February 6, which caused casualties and big material damage in Syria as well.
The support is granted based on the humanitarian assistance request initiated
by Damascus through the European Civil Protection Mechanism. The Romanian
state, through the National Administration of State Reserves and the Romanian
Patriarchate, will send basic goods, food, medical devices and shelter items.
The transport will be carried out by air, with the support of the Ministry of
Defense.

UNITER The UNITER Gala, which awards the best Romanian theatrical
productions, will take place on June 12, in Timișoara, with a new concept,
specially created for the city in the west of the country, which holds the
title of Cultural Capital of Europe, the organizers announce in a press
conference on Monday. In the preamble, between June 7-10, three of the best
shows of 2022, nominated for the UNITER awards, will be presented: Oedipus King of the Marin
Sorescu National Theater in Craiova (south), Antonin Artaud. The
Cenci Family of the Vasile Alecsandri National Theater in Iasi
(east) and Seaside Stories of the Constanta State Theater
(south-east). The performances will be followed by interactive
question-and-answer sessions with the audience.

(bill&MI)

30 May 2023
May 29, 2023

BILL Romania’s Labour Minister Marius Budai is expected to
forward to the Chamber of Deputies a bill on the special pensions paid to several
categories of state employees. The document, which is a landmark in the
National Plan of Recovery and Resilience, was endorsed by the Senate in late
March. According to Budai, the retiring age will gradually increase for all the
Romanian citizens up to 65 years. At the same time no pension in Romania is
going to exceed the salary and will be calculated on the entire period of
contribution not only on the last years of activity. Minister Budai has tackled
the new amendments with representatives of the European Commission and they
have been agreed upon by the ruling coalition leaders.

STRIKE Trade union leaders in Romania’s education system are
today participating in a new round of talks with Labour Minister Marius Budai
for the future salary scale. Marius Nistor, head of the Trade Union Federation
in education, said the salary of a beginner teacher should be based on the
average gross salary in the economy. Nistor says that in the absence of a law
in this respect the all-out strike the teachers kicked off on May 22nd
is not going to stop. The government’s first offer includes a 500 euro bonus
that should be granted to teachers in two installments, while the auxiliary
personnel will benefit from 200 Euros also in two installments. However, trade
unions in Romania’s education system have asked for a 25% pay rise for all
employees until the single salary law comes into effect. Teachers are preparing
another meeting in front of the government building on Tuesday, the second
after the one last week attended by more than 10 thousand teachers.

ELECTION Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, has congratulated his Turkish
counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for having won another term in office. In a
Twitter post, Iohannis says he is looking forward to the continuation of the
tight cooperation based on the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for the past 20 years, on Sunday emerged as
winner in the second round of the presidential election in that country with
52.1% of the votes as compared to 47.9% mustered by his lay opponent Kemal
Kilicdarolu supported by an election alliance of six parties ranging from the
nationalist right to the liberal left. The Islam and the appeal to the Ottoman legacy
have been reinvigorated during Erdogan’s rule. The opposition says though that
his regime has become more and more authoritarian particularly after the
attempted coup in 2016. Erdogan has in the past years promoted a tougher rhetoric
against Turkey’s Western partners as well as a series of controversial economic
policies. The announcement of his victory has led to a new devaluation of the
country’s national currency, the lira.

DRILL The Centre for Battle Training in Smardan, south-eastern Romania, is
today hosting a major international drill entitled Saber Guardian 23. The
inauguration ceremony has been attended by the country’s Defence Minister Angel
Tîlvăr and Chief of Staff, General Daniel Petrescu. The exercise, which is to
take place until June 9th , represents the largest and most complex
multinational training activity with the participation of a record number of
forces and technical equipment. The drill has brought together roughly 10
thousand servicemen, half of them from Romania and the rest from 13 NATO and
partner countries. Saber Guardian 23 continues the series of drills started in
2013, which are taking place twice a year with a view to stepping up
interoperability within a wide range of missions.

(bill)

29 May 2023
May 28, 2023 UPDATE

MEDALS Romanian rowers walked away with six medals, five gold and
one silver, from the European Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia. So our
eight, double scull, pair-oared boat and lightweight single skiff won gold in
the women’s competition on Sunday. A day before the Romanian women’s four came
first in the race while our men’s eight became silver medalist. Romania lined
up 11 crews at the aforementioned competition and came second in the medal
ranking after Britain. We recall that rowers from Romania had walked away with
five gold and three silver medals from the previous edition of this prestigious
European contest held in Munich.

STRIKE Teachers in Romania are likely to carry on
their all-out strike into this week as well and they blame the government for its
failure to come up with a viable solution to the crisis. Trade unions have
called on the government to bring a new amendment to the pay law, allowing
beginner teachers to get the average gross salary in the economy. They are also
asking for a 25% pay rise until the salary law comes into effect. The spokesman
for the government, Dan Carbunaru, has announced the government’s offer remains
the same, a bonus of 25 hundred lei in two installments, in the months of June
and October to benefit around 220 thousand teachers.

DAY The Day of the Romanians all over the
world is a special moment and it has a major emotional, spiritual and cultural
dimension, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis says in the message conveyed on
this occasion on Sunday. According to him, Romania has a large Diaspora, which
could represent the force capable of promoting the Romanian values and
spirituality in a continuously changing Europe. The Day of the Romanians all
over the world is celebrated in the last Sunday of the month of May in order to
acknowledge the importance the state attaches to the communities of Romanians
living outside the country’s borders. In Italy this day has been marked through
a series of theatre shows. A team of professors and students from the
University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest has kicked off a project entitled,
‘A Caravan for the Romanians all over the world’, which has already had its
first shows in Rome and is going to give more performances in Lazio, Turin,
Padua and Venice. In Bucharest, over 300 Romanians from the historical
communities and from abroad have attended a three-day event entitled
‘Here-There’ unfolding under the auspices of the Romanian president.
‘Here-There’ comprised a series of events staged by the Department for the
Romanians All Over the World jointly with the Fine Artists Union in Romania and
has brought together artists from Romania and abroad from various fields, like
art, design, music and literature.

HOLIDAY Catholic believers in Romania on Sunday celebrated
Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the other
followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. This holiday, which completes the Easter
cycle – the Resurrection, the Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit – is
a major Christian event always celebrated on Sundays, fifty days after Easter.
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands believers, including the president of
Hungary Novak Katalin, participated in the great pilgrimage on Catholic
Pentecost in Sumuleu Ciuc, central Romania. The event there brought together
Catholics from all over the world, most of them Hungarian-speaking believers,
including from countries like Australia and the United States. The pilgrimage
in Sumuleu Ciuc boasts a history of 450 years and has at its center the
miracle-working statue of Virgin Mary in the Franciscan Church there. Legend
has it that around the year 1567, the Transylvanian Prince John Sigismund would
have tried to impose Unitarianism to the Roman-Catholic believers who managed
to keep their faith with the help of the aforementioned statue. Hundreds of
gendarmes, policemen and firefighters have been deployed for the good
functioning of the pilgrimage, while the local authorities have imposed traffic
restrictions.

(bill)

28 May 2023
May 28, 2023

DAY The Day of the Romanians all over the
world is a special moment and it has a major emotional, spiritual and cultural
dimension, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis says in the message conveyed on
this occasion today. According to him, Romania has a large Diaspora, which
could represent the force capable of promoting the Romanian values and
spirituality in a continuously changing Europe. The Day of the Romanians all
over the world is celebrated in the last Sunday of the month of May in order to
acknowledge the importance the state attaches to the communities of Romanians
living outside the country’s borders. In Italy this day has been marked through
a series of theatre shows. A team of professors and students from the
University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest has kicked off a project entitled,
‘A Caravan for the Romanians all over the world’, which has already had its
first shows in Rome and is going to give more performances in Lazio, Turin, Padua
and Venice. In Bucharest, over 300 Romanians from the historical communities
and from abroad have attended a three-day event entitled ‘Here-There’ unfolding
under the auspices of the Romanian president. ‘Here-There’ comprised a series
of events staged by the Department for the Romanians All Over the World jointly
with the Fine Artists Union in Romania and has brought together artists from
Romania and abroad from various fields, like art, design, music and literature.

STRIKE The all-out strike of the Romanian
teachers is going to continue into the next week with a fresh protest rally in
Bucharest on Tuesday. Demonstrations took place on Friday in several major
Romanian cities, as teachers are disgruntled by the government offer of 500 Euro
bonuses in two installments. The Executive has accepted though a 9% pay rise
for the auxiliary staff who are going to get bonuses around 200 euros also in
two installments. Trade unions in the country’s education system have asked for
a 25% pay rise and for wages of 600 euros for beginners. Employees in the
primary and secondary education kicked off their protests on May 22nd
disgruntled with the low wages and working conditions. Trade union leaders have
threatened with more protests unless their claims are met.

MEDAL Romanian rower Ionela Cozmiuc has today reaped gold in
LW1x race of the European Championships in Bled, Slovenia. The Romanian made a
spectacular comeback and managed to overtake a Greek opponent. The women’s four
from Romania walked away with gold from the same competition on Saturday, while
the country’s crew of eight became silver medalist in the men’s competition. We
recall that last year, Romania walked away with five gold medals and three
bronze from the European Championships held in Munich, the best Romanian
performance in the aforementioned competition ever.

HOLIDAY Catholic believers in Romania are today
celebrating Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and the
other followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. This holiday, which completes the
Easter cycle – the Resurrection, the Ascension and the descent of the Holy
Spirit – is a major Christian event always celebrated on Sundays, fifty days
after Easter. On Saturday, hundreds of thousands believers, including the
president of Hungary Novak Katalin, participated in the great pilgrimage on
Catholic Pentecost in Sumuleu Ciuc, central Romania. The event there brought
together Catholics from all over the world, most of them Hungarian-speaking
believers, including from countries like Australia and the United States. The
pilgrimage in Sumuleu Ciuc boasts a history of 450 years and has at its center
the miracle-working statue of Virgin Mary in the Franciscan Church there.
Legend has it that around the year 1567, the Transylvanian Prince John
Sigismund would have tried to impose Unitarianism to the Roman-Catholic
believers who managed to keep their faith with the help of the aforementioned
statue. Hundreds of gendarmes, policemen and firefighters have been deployed
for the good functioning of the pilgrimage, while the local authorities have
imposed traffic restrictions.

(bill)

28 May 2023
4th summit of the Council of Europe

United around our values/United for Europe is the motto under which the 4th summit of the Council of Europe took place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Reykjavik, during the mandate of Iceland’s presidency. The meeting took place in the geopolitical context generated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It should be noted that the institution responsible for democracy, human rights and the rule of law was one of the first international organizations to react through a concrete action, namely by excluding Russia from among the member states.

For Romania, participating in this high-level meeting has a special significance, because in 2023, it marks 30 years since it joined the Strasbourg-based institution as a full member state. The decision regarding Romania’s accession was made in 1993, at the first summit of the Council. Bucharest is a firm supporter of the values of the Council of Europe, especially those regarding the rule of law, values that are sometimes subject to challenges in some member states, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday, in Reykjavik.

He showed that these values should be kept at the center of attention and it is essential to act firmly against extremism, populism, xenophobia and intolerance. The Romanian president stated that democratic countries support Ukraine and its citizens. Russia’s war is an attack on our common values and principles. But this crisis, the most severe since the end of the Second World War, catalyzed our unity and determination to defend the democratic way of life Klaus Iohannis added. He mentioned that, at the summit, a declaration was adopted establishing a ‘Register of Damage caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

This register is a first step for the establishment of a structure to compensate for all the damages caused by the war. Thus, we reaffirm the commitment of the participating states to the importance of achieving the objective to bring to international justice the persons responsible for planning and committing the crime of aggression against Ukraine, stated Klaus Iohannis.

On the other hand, the Romanian head of state announced the adoption of a political document, part of the summit declaration, which affirms the recognition, at the highest political level, of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right closely related to other human rights and international law. At the same time, the activity of the Council of Europe in the field will be boosted and, in the future, a Committee for the Environment and human rights will be established. (LS)

18 May 2023
May 17, 2023 UPDATE

Strike – In Romania, education employees will go on an all-out strike as of Monday. The meeting that the leaders of the main education trade union federations had, on Wednesday, in Bucharest, with the liberal Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and the leader of the Social Democratic Party – PSD, Marcel Ciolacu, did not produce any results that convinced the representatives of the employees to give up the protest, the president of the Federation of Trade Unions, Simion Hăncescu, announced. In turn, the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă said that there would be a new discussion on Monday. Education employees organized a two-hour warning strike on Wednesday. The unions announced that the protest is a stage in the labor conflict generated by the low wages and the lack of investments in the field. The National Federation of Parents Associations in the pre-university education system supports the teachers approach and understands their grievances, but specifies that the initiation of the all-out strike would harm the students, especially those in the final years.

Diplomacy – Romania is deeply committed to combating any form of extremism and hate speech at home and anywhere in the world and supports all the European projects dedicated to combating anti-Semitism. The statement was made on Wednesday morning by the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, at the solemn joint session of the Romanian Parliament marking 75 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations between Romania and the State of Israel. “Israel is one of Romanias strongest and most important partners in the Middle East, but also the state with which we have an increasingly strengthened economic relationship. I think, however, that the potential of commercial exchanges is much higher”, Nicolae Ciucă said. Present at the meeting in Bucharest, the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament, Amir Ohana, stated that Romania was one of the first countries to recognize the State of Israel and took important steps to commemorate the Holocaust, which demonstrates its commitment to combating anti-Semitism. According to Amir Ohana, the ties between Romania and Israel are “better than ever”.

Summit — The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, participated, in Reykjavik, between May 16-17, in the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe, held during the mandate of the Presidency of Iceland. On Wednesday, he delivered a speech during the general debate “United for Europe”. On the other hand, Klaus Iohannis said that Russias aggression against Ukraine must remain a central point on the organizations agenda. He pointed out that Romania fully supported the Reykjavik Declaration, adopted at the end of the summit, which reconfirms the particular role of the Council of Europe in the multilateral architecture at the European and international level. At the same time, the establishment of the International ‘Register of Damage’ caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in which Romania participates as a founding state, was also announced in Reykjavik. Also on Wednesday, the Romanian head of state had a series of bilateral meetings, on the sidelines of the Summit, with his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Austria and Slovenia.

Conference – The Chief of the Romanian Defense Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, participates, between May 17 and 19, in the 16th edition of the Conference of the Chiefs of the Defense Staffs from the Balkans on military cooperation issues, organized in Sofia, in neighboring Bulgaria. According to Romanian Defense Ministry, the agenda of the forum includes analyzes of the security situation in the Balkan area, as well as methods of collaboration between the states in the region. At the same time, General Daniel Petrescu will have a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart. The forum takes place annually and brings together the chiefs of defense staffs from nine countries in South-Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey. The forum aims to boost regional military cooperation by strengthening security and ensuring a climate of stability in the Balkan region, to identify and develop a regional crisis management mechanism and joint participation in exercises to increase the interoperability of the armed forces in the region. Defense chiefs from Croatia and Slovenia, as well as high-level representatives of NATO and the EU, are also invited to this edition of the conference.

CCR – The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) decided on Wednesday that the crime of abuse of office can be criminalized even without a value threshold, the judge being the one who can decide on the seriousness of the act. The Court rejected as unfounded the objection of unconstitutionality formulated by the High Court of Cassation and Justice regarding the criminalization of abuse of office without a value threshold. At the same time, the Court decided that the Romanian Intelligence Service’s interceptions cannot be used as evidence obtained on national security warrants also in the case of corruption cases. We remind you that, initially, the Senate established a value threshold of 250,000 lei (approx. 50,000 Euros) for criminalizing abuse of office, but following the scandal caused in the public space, the Justice Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, proposed a new threshold of 9,000 lei (approx. 1,800 Euros). Later, the Legal Committee of the Chamber of Deputies gave up the threshold, and the plenum adopted the draft law that amends the Criminal Code and refers to abuse and negligence in office without any threshold. (LS)

17 May 2023
May 15, 2023 UPDATE

MIG-21 On Monday Romania retired its aging Russian-made
MIG-21 LanceR fighters it inherited from the communist regime and replaced them
with more modern F-16s. The measure is part of the process of strengthening of
NATO’s eastern flank, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Romania now relies
on 17 second-hand F-16s purchased from Portugal. We recall that in November
last year the government in Bucharest signed a contract with Norway for another
batch of 32 F-16 fighters. A NATO member since 2004, Romania also wants to buy
the latest generation of F-35 fighters but experts believe this expensive
project will become reality in years. The total number of MIG 21 fighters
Romania has is secret but according to unofficial estimates it somewhere around
25. However, the communist Romania boasted nearly 400 of these famous Russian
fighters. According to Romania’s Defence Ministry, 30 Mig-21s sustained damage
in various flight incidents between 1991 and 2022.

STRIKE The SANITAS trade union
federation is gathering signatures in order to call for an all-out strike in
the country’s healthcare and social assistance systems, starting June 15.
Representatives of the federation believe that, in spite of the pressure put by
the authorities, the laws governing wages in the area are not applied in full.
They also claim that there are still categories of employees who have not been
properly compensated, and the line authorities show no real intention to comply
with the legislation.

VISIT President Klaus Iohannis is
taking part on Tuesday and Wednesday in Reykjavik, Iceland, in the fourth
summit of the Council of Europe. The meeting comes against the background of
the Russian invasion in Ukraine, and the council was one of the first
international institutions to react, by excluding the Russian Federation as a
member, according to the Presidential Administration in Bucharest. The summit
will inaugurate an international registry of damage caused by the Russian
invasion, and Romania will be a founding member state. This event has a special
significance for Romania, as this year is the thirtieth since it joined the
organization.

LAWS The draft education laws were submitted to
the Senate’s special committees, on Monday, which are expected to issue an
opinion. The laws are expected to be debated in the Education Committee on
Tuesday. A final vote on the education laws is scheduled for May 22 in the
Senate, the decision-making body in this case. According to Education Minister Ligia
Deca, the laws seek to prevent and combat school dropout and functional
illiteracy, to implement a pupil-oriented education, to ensure safety in
schooling units and provide teachers with better training and support
opportunities and observe professional ethics standards. Ruling coalition
parties say the laws will reform the education system, but the opposition has
voiced criticism, arguing the laws fail to provide solutions to the problems of
the education system and represent a failure of the Educated Romania project
endorsed by the presidency.

(bill&VP)

15 May 2023
May 12, 2023 UPDATE

GOVERNMENT The Government of Romania passed an emergency
order on rebalancing the state budget, in a special meeting on Friday, the
finance minister Adrian Câciu announced. He outlined the key measures in the plan, including a 10% reduction on
expenditure with products and services, except for expenses in public
healthcare and education, and a ban on procuring, leasing and rentals of automobiles
and office equipment in public institutions. One exception is the car scrapping
programme for the public authorities purchasing non-polluting vehicles. The
programme is designed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport
sector, by encouraging the use of eco-friendly vehicles. The
finance minister also announced that the number of advisers to officials in
central administration structures, currently standing at around 900, will be
reduced by one-half following the implementation of the emergency order aimed
at making public spending more efficient.

INFLATION In Romania,
the year-on-year inflation rate dropped significantly in April, to 11.23% compared
to nearly 15% in March. While this does not mean that products and services are
growing cheaper, the rise in prices has nonetheless slowed down. According to
data released by the National Statistics Institute on Friday, there are
products that were more affordable in April than in March, including sunflower
oil. Also on Friday, the National Bank confirmed that this downward trend in
consumer price increase will continue. But the central bank governor Mugur
Isărescu also warned those who have or are planning to take out loans in
foreign currencies, and said that interest rates for the euro and US dollar
will increase further. The National Bank forecasts a 7.1% inflation rate for
the end of this year, as against 7% announced previously, and a 4.2% rate for
the end of next year. Mugur Isărescu added that prices for fruit and vegetables
will likely continue to go up for another 2 months, as the yield will be
affected by the weather conditions in Europe, the drought in Spain and the
aftermath of the earthquakes in Turkey.

ENERGY The Polytechnic University in Bucharest officially launched
the first NuScale Energy Exploration (E2) Centre outside the United States on
Friday. The centre hosts a simulator of the NuScale Power’s VOYGR™ small
modular reactor (SMR) power plant control room, and will educate and train the
next generation of nuclear engineers to operate advanced civil nuclear reactor
technologies while establishing Romania as a regional educational and training
hub for the next stage of civil nuclear deployments across Romania and Europe,
reads a news release issued by the US Embassy in Bucharest.

MUSEUMS
The National Network of Romanian Museums has announced an absolute record
number of cultural events enlisted as part of the Night of Museums – 297 in
Romania and 14 in the Republic of Moldova. Bucharest will host around 60 events
proposed by museums, art galleries, cultural centres, opera houses, choirs,
palaces, institutes, high schools and music festivals. The special guest of the
current edition is the War Childhood Museum, for the first time in Romania. The
exhibition, entitled Listen, is hosted by the Romanian Peasant Museum. Access
is free of charge.

AWARD – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will receive the Franz
Werfel Human Rights Award granted by the German Centre against Expulsions, DPA
reports. Aged 63, Iohannis will become the 11th winner of this award, granted
to him for his tireless and multilateral commitment to defending human rights
and minority rights in Romania and Europe. The award, granted every two years,
comes along with a money prize of 10,000 euros. Among the previous laureates
are former German president Joachim Gauck, the winner of Nobel prize in
Literature, Herta Muller and historian Karl Schlögel. The prize will be awarded
during a ceremony held on June 4 in Frankfurt, Germany, when a congratulatory
speech will delivered by former European Commission President Jean Claude
Juncker.

YOUTH Over 1,400 Romanian 18-year olds are among the 35,000 beneficiaries
of free EU travel passes granted this year under the Discover EU programme. In
order to find out more about the culture and history of the EU and to come in
touch with people across the continent, the beneficiaries will be able to
travel by train, individually or in groups of up to 5 people, between June 2023
and September 2024. The current round of the programme saw more than 145,000 applicants
from EU member states and Erasmus Plus countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey). (AMP)

12 May 2023
May 10, 2023 UPDATE

Education laws — The package of laws reforming the education system in Romania was voted on Wednesday by the Chamber of Deputies, as the first body notified. During the general debates, the Education Minister, Ligia Deca, recalled that the measures are aimed at reducing the phenomenon of functional illiteracy and at preventing school dropout. The opposition parties criticized the draft laws and voted against them. The two bills go to the Senate for debate and a decisive vote. Also on Wednesday, in Bucharest, the Education trade unions organized a protest rally aimed at drawing attention to the problems facing the Romanian education system. The trade unionists are asking the Government to increase the salaries of the education staff, to pay the extra hours worked by the auxiliary teaching and non-teaching staff, and also to increase the annual investments, and to improve the infrastructure. The union leaders remind that a referendum is under way on the triggering of an all-out strike in education, starting on May 22. Recently, the education minister stated that she is confident that there will be no all-out strike in education, and that the school year will end well.

Visit – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, on Wednesday received the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Han Duck-soo, in the context of the latter’s official visit to Bucharest. The President spoke in favor of capitalizing on the potential of bilateral cooperation, showing that the relations between the two countries can register a new qualitative leap, by updating the Strategic Partnership. The Korean official hailed the intensive bilateral dialogue and the intensification of economic cooperation, by increasing mutual investments. At the same time, Han Duck-soo shared the same vision with that of Klaus Iohannis regarding regional and global challenges, against the backdrop of the consequences of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine. With the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, the Seoul official agreed to strengthen relations in areas such as investments and industry, including the defense and cyber security industries. The Korean side expressed readiness to contribute to the construction of the new reactors 3 and 4 at the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant, as well as to the development of small modular reactors. On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding was also signed between the administrations of the ports of Constanta and Busan in South Korea, the fifth busiest port in the world by tonnage and the largest in Northeast Asia in terms of transshipment capacity.

Defense – The Chief of the Defense Staff of Romania, General Daniel Petrescu, is taking part on Wednesday and Thursday in the meetings of the NATO Military Committee and the EU Military Committee, respectively. Defense chiefs from the 31 Allied states, with the Swedish chief of defense as a guest, will look at the dynamics of the war in Ukraine. Talks will focus on analyzing the implementation of measures aimed at strengthening NATOs defense and deterrence posture, ahead of the decisions to be made at the NATO Summit in Vilnius. The participants will also look at ways to continue supporting Ukraine. Another major topic of the meeting is the analysis of member and partner states participation in EU missions and operations.

Independence – Romania celebrated its National Independence Day on Wednesday. On May 10, 1877, Prince Carol I, who would subsequently become the first king of Romania, signed the countrys Proclamation of Independence from the Ottoman Empire. The document had been read in Parliament the day before by the foreign minister Mihail Kogălniceanu, and endorsed by Parliaments two chambers. The occasion was celebrated in Bucharest with a ceremony at the Heroes Monument in front of the National Defense University, while military and religious ceremonies were also held in cities across the country.

Gaudeamus – The Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair opened its doors on Wednesday in Oradea (north-west). On an area of over 660 square meters, until May 14, editorial events, contests with prizes in books and workshops for children will take place. At this edition, more than 50 brands are present in 45 stands, among which the most prestigious publishing houses and Romanian and foreign book distribution agencies. The editorial offer is completed by a selection of educational games and quality music, as well as by a new area called Bookoteca, for second-hand books. The honorary president of this edition is the historian PhD Constantin Demeter, an active personality in the cultural life of the city.

Gas – The European Commission launched, on Wednesday, the first-ever international tender for joint purchasing of EU gas supplies in a move to help boost security of supply and tackle high energy prices. The EC representatives say that the joint purchasing of gas will help the European industry not only through prices, but also through the establishment of economic relations for contracting alternatives, given that the member states want to completely eliminate Russian gas from consumption. The first tender will take place until May 15 and targets gas to be delivery as of June 2023 until May 2024. (LS, AMP)

10 May 2023
05.05.2023 (mise à jour)

Couronnement – Le président roumain, Klaus Iohannis, participe, à Londres, aux festivités déroulées à l’occasion du couronnement du roi Charles III. Y seront également présents la Princesse Margarita, Gardienne de la couronne de Roumanie, et son époux, le prince consort Radu, qui sont arrivés jeudi à Londres. Samedi matin, le jour du couronnement, le roi Charles III et la reine consort Camilla partiront du Palais de Buckingam dans le cadre d’une procession vers l’abbaye de Westminster. A noter aussi que le Roi Charles III est considéré par la presse roumaine comme un ami très proche de la Roumanie, étant donné ses visites périodiques ces deux dernières décennies. Fasciné par les traditions de Transylvanie (centre), il a contribué constamment au maintien et à la popularisation de ces coutumes. D’ailleurs, le futur monarque britannique détient plusieurs maisons traditionnelles et terrains en Roumanie.

Carburants – En Roumanie, les prix de l’essence et du diesel sont à la baisse, ayant atteint une valeur moyenne de 6,55 lei (1,30 euros) le litre, pour les deux carburants. A Bucarest, un litre d’essence varie de 6,40 à 6,62 lei et celui du diesel – de 6,42 à 6,60 lei. A l’heure actuelle, la Roumanie se classe 2e en UE parmi les pays ayant l’essence la moins chère et 3e parmi les Etats-membres dont le prix du diesel est le plus bas.

Education nationale – Le ministère de l’Education nationale de Roumanie a lancé ce vendredi le programme de financement de la construction et du développement d’un réseau pilote d’écoles vertes, une composante du Plan national de relance et de résilience. 225 millions d’euros sont destinés à ce programme qui se déroulera en deux directions. La majorité des fonds sont destinés à des travaux de rénovation par le biais desquels les immeubles devront fonctionner avec une consommation d’énergie plus basse et devenir plus vertes – isolations thermiques, panneaux solaires, facilités pour le tri sélectif des déchets. De nouvelles écoles devraient être construites avec des matériaux écologiques, une meilleure ventilation, des émissions réduites de dioxyde de carbone et une consommation d’eau plus basse.

Théâtre – Une quarantaine de spectacles participent l’édition de cette année du festival de théâtre de Bacău (dans le nord-est de la Roumanie) Fest Monodrame, un évènement culturel à tradition du théâtre Bacovia de la ville. 11 comédiens roumains et un artiste émérite de l’Ukraine sont en lice pour le trophée du festival. La pièce d’ouverture est « Amalia respire profondément », une production indépendante de l’Association Anti-théâtre de Brasov. Deux autres spectacles extraordinaires figurent à l’affiche du festival avec la participation de comédiens de renom du théâtre roumain : Marcel Iureş, Marius Bodochi, Florin Piersic junior. Le 10 mai, lors du dernier jour du festival le théâtre Bacovia présente sa production la plus récente, le spectacle « L’Usine des artistes ». L’entrée du public est gratuite, avec une inscription préalable sur le site du théâtre de Bacau.

Santé – Le gouvernement de Bucarest a approuvé jeudi le calendrier des procédures portant sur la signature d’ici la fin de l’année des contrats de financement de plusieurs investissements dans le secteur sanitaire. Il s’agit entre autres de faire construire et équiper 7 nouveaux hôpitaux départementaux et 20 hôpitaux publics dans des villes ou des municipalités. La somme totale prévue en ce sens approche les 2 milliards d’euros, alloués de fonds européens et par la Banque européenne d’investissement. Par ailleurs, l’Exécutif roumain a aussi décidé d’allouer cette année aussi une aide financière aux élèves et aux étudiants issus de familles à bas revenus qui souhaitent s’acheter des ordinateurs.

Moldova – Les chefs des diplomaties européennes ont approuvé jeudi une aide de 40 millions d’euros à la République de Moldova et de 30 millions d’euros à la Géorgie pour soutenir leurs secteurs de la défense nationale. L’argent sera alloué à Chisinau via le fonds de l’Instrument européen pour la paix, qui finance aussi l’aide militaire pour l’Ukraine. Ce financement sera utilisé pour des mesures et acquisitions non-létales censées renforcer la capacité du pays à se défendre.

Sommet – Par ailleurs, la même la République de Moldova fermera sont espace aérien pour les aéronefs civils à compter du 1er juin prochain, pour des raisons de sécurité, dans le contexte où sa capitale, Chisianu, accueillera un sommet des leaders européens, a fait savoir l’Autorité moldave pour l’aviation civile. Seuls les vols des avions officiels seront permis, a-t-il été précisé. L’interdiction pour la circulation des drones entrera en vigueur, elle, au 31 mai. Tout cela, en vue du Sommet de la Communauté Politique européenne qui réunira à Chisinau une cinquantaine de chefs d’Etat, de gouvernement et d’institutions de l’UE et de 17 autres pays d’Europe. Pour rappel, sise entre l’Ukraine et la Roumanie, la République de Moldova est le pays le plus touché par les conséquences de la guerre en Ukraine.

Météo – Le temps se réchauffe en cette fin de semaine en Roumanie, notamment dans le sud, l’est et le centre du territoire. Il pleut quand même par endroits sur les collines et les montagnes. Les maxima dépasseront les 20 degrés pour arriver à 23 degrés à Bucarest.

5 May 2023