Radio România Internațional

Tag: judiciary

  • October 24, 2018 UPDATE

    October 24, 2018 UPDATE

    DISMISSAL The Romanian Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, Wednesday initiated the procedure to remove from office the Prosecutor General of Romania Augustin Lazar, whom he accuses of exceeding his duties. Toader presented an assessment of Lazars managerial performance, in which he criticises the latter, among other things, for having overlooked crisis situations, for generating conflicts of a constitutional nature and for making political statements containing unprecedented accusations targeting public authorities, the legislative bodies and the government. Toader announced that he would submit the assessment report and the proposal to dismiss the Prosecutor General to the Prosecutors Section of the Higher Council of Magistrates for an official opinion, and to the President of Romania for a decision in line with his powers. In February the Justice Minister also requested the removal from office of the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, accused of overstepping her powers. The head of state did not agree with the request, but the Constitutional Court found that a constitutional conflict between Presidency and Government had emerged, and issued a ruling forcing the President to remove Kovesi from office in July.



    CONSULTATIONS President Klaus Iohannis Wednesday held talks with Romanian parliamentary parties on the justice laws recently modified by the governing coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, but fiercely criticized by the opposition and civil society. Ahead of the talks, the President had said the justice laws had to be rethought, modernised and improved, and that the law-making cycle should be resumed. The Social Democratic Party disagrees with resuming the legislation process for the justice laws because a Government order has been submitted to Parliament in this respect, the party president Liviu Dragnea said at the end of the consultations with the head of state. Calin Popescu Tariceanu, president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, in power, said that consensus on the justice laws was necessary, but so were a set of shared assumptions, such as the need to end the abuse in the judiciary perpetrated under the secret protocols. The National Liberal Party, in the opposition, has voiced support for the resumption of parliamentary debates on the justice laws, as suggested by the head of state. Also in opposition, the leader of Save Romania Union, Dan Barna believes the Presidency could be a good mediation platform for debates between magistrates, politicians, civil society and the citizens of Romania who want the judiciary to remain independent and effective. The Peoples Movement Party, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the group of ethnic minorities also took part in the consultations with President Klaus Iohannis. Last week, the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe consultative body for the judicial sector, said in a report that the changes to the justice laws and Criminal Codes are undermining the fight against corruption and organised crime.



    LAW – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies Wednesday endorsed the Offshore Bill, after the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats reached an agreement on it last week. In early August, President Klaus Iohannis did not sign the bill into law and sent it back to Parliament for a review. What is at stake is, first and foremost, the profit that Romania will make from natural gas extraction in the Black Sea. Under the new bill, 50% of the natural gas output will be traded on the Romanian exchange, and the investments made by operators will be deducted from the tax on additional incomes up to a 30% ceiling. The Opposition argues that once again the bill has been passed without exact data and impact analyses regarding the use of the natural gas in the domestic market.



    3-PARTY MEETING President Klaus Iohannis will take part next week in Vienna in a 3-party meeting with the heads of state of Bulgaria and Austria. According to the Presidency, the meeting is aimed at ensuring the continuity of the 3 presidencies of the EU Council. In his talks with Rumen Radev and Alexander Van der Bellen, Klaus Iohannis will emphasise Romanias interest in working together with Bulgaria and Austria to meet the shared goal of promoting the European agenda, to the best interest of the EU citizens. During its presidential term, Romania will focus on promoting a pragmatic approach and feasible objectives, so that European citizens may benefit from concrete results. Romania will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union Council between January 1 and June 30, 2019.



    DEFENCE – The Romanian Government has earmarked 2% of the GDP for defense, for the second consecutive year, and it will keep doing so at least until 2026, Romanian Defence Minister Mihai Fifor said in Bucharest on Wednesday. He also said that this amount allows for one of the most solid army modernisation and development processes in NATOs eastern flank. Minister Fifor has announced that on Thursday, October 25, on the Romanian Army Day, ceremonies will be held in memory of the Romanian heroes who died for the country. A Romanian military delegation will take part on Thursday in the funeral ceremonies for 633 Romanian troops, to be re-buried in the Romanian Honorary Cemetery in Rossoshka, Volvograd region, in the Russian Federation. October 25th was also the birthday of Romanias former sovereign, Michael I who died in 2017 aged 96.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • October 11, 2018 UPDATE

    October 11, 2018 UPDATE

    SOUTH KOREA – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis said in Bucharest on Thursday that Romania will further pay special heed to strengthening the EU-South Korea Strategic Partnership. He made the statement during the talks he had in Bucharest with the Chairman of the National Assembly in Seoul, Moon Hee-sang. On that occasion, the president underlined the special relations between the two countries, given that South Korea is the first Asian country that Romania established a Strategic Partnership with, 10 years ago. President Iohannis also encouraged all efforts to capitalise on the economic cooperation potential, also by attracting new South-Korean investments on the Romanian market. In turn, the Seoul official said Romania is currently one of his countrys most important strategic partners in South-Eastern Europe.



    TRANSDNIESTER – Romania supports a thorough, peaceful and sustainable settlement of the Transdniester conflict, with the observance of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet state with a predominantly Romanian speaking population, Romanian Foreign Minister, Teodor Melescanu said on Thursday. He met in Bucharest with Franco Frattini, Special Representative of the Italian OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniester Settlement Process and the new head of the OSCE Mission in the Republic of Moldova, Klaus Neuekirch. Teodor Melescanu underlined, among others, that Romania will further pay special attention to monitoring the implementation of and compliance with the commitments made with regard to the situation of schools with Latin script teaching in the separatist region. Transdniester de facto got out from under the control of the central authorities in Chisinau in 1992, following an armed conflict which left hundreds of dead, and which ended with the intervention of the Russian army on the separatists side.



    TRANSPORTS – The Federation of Romanian carriers, FORT, has announced the resumption of transport activities across the country, after the relevant committee with the Chamber of Deputies announced it would organise a debate demanded by the protesters. Intercity passenger transport was severely disrupted in almost half of Romanias counties, where carriers protested the line ministrys plans to change the rules for the award of licenses. The protest was organised after the Transport Ministry announced it would change the scoring system for the companies taking part in bids for transport routes, on grounds that the current system has led to a monopoly in the market.



    JUDICIARY – The Public Ministry has all the resources required in order to make the Section investigating magistrate offences operational, the Prosecutor General Augustin Lazăr has announced. The statement comes after the Government passed an order on Wednesday regarding the establishment of that section, which is to take over all pending and finalised cases from the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, as of October 23. Augustin Lazăr said the act has already been made public in the Official Journal. Under the law, the new Section is to start working within six months after the law has taken effect, and the Higher Council of Magistrates is yet to initiate the procedures for making it operational. The new unit will be made up of 15 prosecutors, and its chiefs will be appointed further to a selection process run by a commission of 3 judges and a prosecutor from the Higher Council of Magistrates.



    PENSIONS – In Romania, a new Pension Bill is to be sent to Parliament, after having been passed by the Government. The Labour Minister Olguta Vasilescu says no pension will be reduced under the new law, nor will the standard retirement age and contribution period be amended. Novelties include the introduction of masters degree and doctoral degree studies as corresponding to pension fund contribution periods. The new law is to come into force in several stages until 2021, when it has taken full effect. Its provisions will regulate the benefits paid to over 5 million Romanian pensioners.


    CLARIFICATIONS – The Craiova University has not signed and does not intend to sign any Memorandum with the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the higher education institution in south-eastern Romania announced on Thursday. The University makes clear that it hasnt received any cooperation request from and does not cooperate with the Russian Foreign Ministry or other institutions from Russia, other than universities. The reaction comes after the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zaharova, quoted by TASS news agency, announced plans to set up a Russian-Romanian commission for public diplomacy and cultural-scientific dialogue. The setting up of the commission is reportedly stipulated in an alleged memorandum that the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the University of Craiova intend to sign to mark 140 years since the inception of diplomatic relations between Russia and Romania, TASS quotes Zaharova, as saying. (Translated by AM Popescu and D. Vijeu)

  • The Week in Review, October 1-6, 2018

    The Week in Review, October 1-6, 2018

    Debate in the European Parliament on the rule of law in Romania


    The rule of law in Romania has been discussed in the European Parliament this week, with focus on the recent changes brought to the justice laws by the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila too was invited to Strasbourg for talks. The European Commission has been following with concern the latest developments in Romania, said the First Vice-President of the Commission Frans Timmermans at the start of the debate. He said that the country had taken steps backwards as regards the reform of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, speaking of the controversial changes brought by the left wing ruling coalition in Romania to the justice laws and the sacking of the head of the Anticorruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi, although the directorates activity had brought about a positive evaluation in the latest CVM report. In reply, Viorica Dancila said that a viable justice system must be built first for the citizens, and not for magistrates, politicians and institutions. She also said she did not come to Strasbourg to account, but out of respect and appreciation for the European forum, and called for a similar attitude towards Romania, just like the other member states.



    Viorica Dancila: “This mechanism has failed to meet the aim it was created for and I officially request for us to be told who drew up the CVM reports, who provided the data and failed to mention, out of negligence or in bad faith, these realities which are unconceivable in the European Union.



    Viorica Dancila also defended the Romanian Gendarmerie, accused of acting disproportionately at the anti-Government protest on August 10th in Bucharest. In her opinion, the gendarmes intervened just as other similar structures from other European countries have done. We recall that following the gendarmes brutal intervention, 770 criminal complaints have been filed by people who suffered during the protest, and several gendarmerie chiefs are being prosecuted. The debates in Strasbourg have triggered different reactions from the Romanian EMPs, who have criticized Frans Timmermans for his opinion or blamed one another or the current government. In Bucharest too, the stands taken by representatives of the various parliamentary parties have been different. The leaders of the ruling coalition hailed the prime-ministers speech, while the opposition National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union believe that Viorica Dancila presented a parallel reality.



    The EU chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier, on a visit to Romania


    The European Unions chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier, had a meeting in Bucharest with key Romanian political leaders. They looked at the current stage of the Unions negotiations with London, and at the next steps to be taken in Britains withdrawal from the European bloc. President Klaus Iohannis has underlined that preserving the unity of the 27 member states in the Brexit talks is extremely important. In turn, Michel Barnier emphasized that Romania, as the holder of the rotating presidency of the EU Council, will play a key role in the negotiations on the future relations between the EU and the UK. In turn, the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila underlined that Romania pays special heed to the Brexit file, given that a large Romanian community is living in the UK. Dancila also said that Romania will closely monitor the implementation of the exit agreement, so that all the Romanian citizens residing in the UK may continue to live, work and study in the same terms as they have done so far. Romanians make up the second largest foreign minority in the UK, after the Polish one.



    A former tourism minister and a former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism in Romania (DIICOT) have been detained in Costa Rica


    The Romanian police have confirmed that the former tourism minister Elena Udrea and the former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), Alina Bica, have been detained in Costa Rica. They have been placed under pre-trial arrest for two months. The two women have applied for asylum in Costa Rica. Udrea and Bica were under investigation, surveillance and monitoring by the Costa Rican authorities, as they were wanted internationally by Interpol, following the sentences they had received in Romania. For a long time seen as the most influential character in the former president Traian Basescus entourage, Udrea received from the High Court of Cassation and Justice a final 6-year prison sentence for bribe taking and abuse of office. The same court sentenced Bica to 4 years in prison, in a case in which she was accused of aiding and abetting a criminal.



    Referendum to revise the Constitution


    Some 19 million Romanian voters are called to the polls on Saturday and Sunday to vote in a referendum on redefining family in the Romanian Constitution, to say whether they agree to see the definition in the Constitution, which currently reads “the consented marriage between spouses, changed into “the consented marriage between a man and a woman. The draft has been voted in Parliament. Over 18,600 polling stations are set up at national level. 378 other polling stations have been opened for the Romanians living abroad. More than half of them have been set up at the diplomatic missions, consular offices and cultural institutes abroad, and the rest of them in other locations. Most polling stations have been opened in Italy, Spain, the Republic of Moldova, the US, Great Britain, France and Germany. For the referendum to be valid, at least 30% of the voters registered on permanent electoral lists must take part, and at least 25% of the votes must be valid.


    (translated by: Mihaela Ignatescu, Diana Vijeu)

  • August 28, 2018 UPDATE

    August 28, 2018 UPDATE

    JUDICIARY – The US government does not comment on the opinions or conclusions of private US citizens, the spokesperson of the US embassy in Bucharest, Donald Carroll said today. In a comment to Agerpress news agency, he emphasised that until recently, Romania had shown remarkable progress in combating corruption and building an efficient rule of law. This reaction comes after Rudolph Giuliani, a former district attorney and mayor of New York and currently part of Donald Trump’s legal team, sent a letter to president Klaus Iohannis and other Romanian officials recommending the assessment of the protocols between the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Romanian Intelligence Service and calling for an end to what he described as pressure on the judges. The General Prosecutor’s Office said that in December 2016, it signed two perfectly legal collaboration protocols with the Romanian Intelligence Service which were in place for three months. One of them was of a public nature and was concerned with the conditions to access technical systems of the National Centre for the Interception of Communications, while a second, secret, protocol, dealt with cooperation for crimes against national security, namely terrorism and crimes committed by military staff of the Romanian Intelligence Service. Against the backdrop of these debates, the justice minister Tudorel Toader recently announced he would begin an evaluation of the managerial activity of the prosecutor general, Augustin Lazar. On Tuesday, Toader added that the decision to assess the work of the prosecutor general did not rely exclusively on recent circumstances, but added that protocols between judicial institutions and intelligence services are “unnatural in a country governed by the law.



    SWINE FEVER – The largest pig farm in Romania and the second largest in Europe, located in Braila County, south-eastern Romania, Tuesday initiated the slaughtering of all its 140,000 animals, because of the African swine fever virus. A similar operation is under way in another farm in the same county, where some 35,000 animals are being killed. The Agriculture Minister Petrea Daea said on Tuesday that all the farmers who have incurred damages because of the swine fever will receive compensations, after the forthcoming budget adjustment. He added that Romania will receive funding from the European Commission to fight the epidemics. Daea also explained that he requested support from experts from other European countries having faced this situation. One-quarter of Romanias counties are affected by the African swine fever epidemic, with over 700 hotbeds identified by authorities in the south-east and north-west of the country. The authorities estimate that around 300,000 animals will be killed.



    AMBASSADOR – Brexit will not have a negative impact on Londons relations with Bucharest or on the life of the Romanians who work in the UK, said the new British Ambassador to Bucharest, Andrew Noble. In his first press conference, he said Britain and Romania are working on a new strategic partnership, able to respond to the current concerns. The British official returned to Romania after nearly 30 years. According to Radio Romania Current Affairs, between 1983 and 1986 Andrew Noble worked as a secretary in the British Embassy in Bucharest.



    EMERGENCY NUMBER – Romanias National System for the 112 Single Emergency Number will be modernised using non-reimbursable European funds. The Romanian Minister for European Funds Rovana Plumb and the head of the Special Telecommunications Service Ionel-Sorinel Vasilca Tuesday signed a financing contract for the amount of 47.6 million euros. The project will be implemented in 36 months and consists in the upgrading of hardware and software components to ensure a quicker response of emergency agencies to citizens calls. Special telecoms experts will improve the precision of call tracing, will ease the access of people with disabilities, and the waiting time will be reduced by 5 seconds, to 54 seconds. Rovana Plumb said that during its 13 years of operation, the 112 emergency telephone number received more than 64 million calls.



    MOLDOVA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry is monitoring with close attention and concern the situation at Romanias border with the Republic of Moldova and, in the spirit of dialogue and cooperation that defines the relationship between the two countries, it requested explanations as to why some Romanian citizens were denied access to the country. A news release issued by the Foreign Ministry mentions that the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Bucharest was invited for additional clarifications. Also, the Romanian Embassy to Chisinau took measures to ensure that the rights of Romanian citizens are respected, as is normal for a country associated to the EU and for a strategic partner of Romania. The Foreign Ministry adds that the Moldovan border police Monday sent back from Albita checkpoint a group of Romanians taking part in the Union March, on grounds that they have disturbed public order in the border area.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • August 3, 2018 UPDATE

    August 3, 2018 UPDATE

    SECURITY – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, hails the USAs firm commitment to the European security and defence, as reflected in the budget earmarked for the defence sector, recently approved by the US Congress. According to the Presidency, 12.9 billion US dollars will go into the missile defence system, including amounts for supporting and operating the Aegis Ashore structure in Romania, as part of the NATO ballistic missile defence system. The Presidency also reiterates Bucharests determination to further keep its bilateral and NATO commitments, both in terms of the budget allotted for defence and the national contribution to NATO missions and operations, in keeping with the decisions made at the NATO summits in Wales, Warsaw, and more recently in Brussels.




    CENTENNIAL – Romanias inter-ministry committee in charge with the preparations for the Union Centennial Friday endorsed projects worth over 4.2 million euros. According to the Culture Minister George Ivaşcu, 7 of the projects have been put together by local authorities and have a combined budget of 2.3 million euros, while another 16 projects, proposed by various ministries, require a combined 2.5 million euros. The Committee has so far approved funding for over 500 projects, George Ivaşcu added. He explained that by the end of this month proposals designed by NGOs will also be selected for financing, out of a list of 232 projects.




    JUDICIARY – Mihail Vlasov, the former president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, was sentenced on Friday by the Bucharest Court of Appeals to 9 years and 10 months in prison, for offences including embezzlement, forgery and the misuse of influence or authority in view of obtaining undue benefits. The judges found that the offences in this case were concurrent with the offence of influence peddling, for which Vlasov received in 2015 a final prison sentence of 5 years and 8 months. Last September however he was released on parole. The Court therefore cancelled the conditional release decision and added an additional 3 years and 10 months to the sentence, resulting a total of 9 years and 10 months. The ruling is not final.




    TOURISM – Romania and Poland will have joint tourist routes to attract visitors from Asia, the Romanian Tourism Minister Bogdan Trif announced on Friday, adding that both countries excel in terms of UNESCO sites and medieval citadels. Trif made these statements in Bucharest, during an event also attended by Polands Minister for Sports and Tourism, Witold Banka. Bogdan Trif emphasised the importance of a Government Order passed by Bucharest on Thursday with respect to the full guaranteeing of tourism services, a system implemented by Poland 2 years ago. In turn, the Polish official said a task force will be set up, to design joint Polish-Romanian travel packages.




    WEATHER – The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced that the authorities in Spain, Portugal and Croatia have issued code red and orange alerts for extreme heat, whereas some parts of Greece and Portugal are under high wildfire alerts. Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden are also reporting very high temperatures. Weather experts announce that Europe may see a new record in terms of high temperatures in the forthcoming days. The current record is 48 degrees Celsius, reported in Greece in 1977.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • April 26, 2018 UPDATE

    April 26, 2018 UPDATE

    ISRAEL – While on an official visit to Israel, a Romanian delegation made up of PM Viorica Dăncilă, Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu, and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea, was received on Thursday by President Reuven Rivlin. The Romanian officials said that strengthening cooperation with Israel was a priority, particularly considering the 70-year long tradition of diplomatic relations. The agenda of talks also included the appointment of a Romanian ambassador to Israel, given that the post has been vacant for almost one and a half years, the relocation of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem and regional topics like the situation in Syria and the Iranian nuclear file. On Wednesday, PM Viorica Dăncilă and her counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the excellent level of bilateral relations. The Romanian prime minister voiced her satisfaction with the interest shown by the Israeli side in a proposed partnership that would generate joint projects in the field of new technologies. The participants also discussed means of cooperation in the military, strategic and cyber security fields. Also on Wednesday, the Romanian Prime Minister visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Centre, and had a meeting with the leader of the left-wing Opposition in the Israeli Parliament, Isaac Herzog.





    JUDICIARY – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis Thursday referred a regulation on the organisation of the Official Journal to the Constitutional Court. The President argues that the public company that runs the Official Journal of Romania cannot be subordinated to the Chamber of Deputies as long as the law stipulates no powers for the Chamber in this respect. Meanwhile, also on Thursday the High Court of Cassation and Justice decided to refer to the Constitutional Court a bill on alternatives to imprisonment, under which sentences below 5 years in prison may be switched to house arrest or to weekend detention in special centres. The Chamber of Deputies endorsed this bill on Wednesday.




    PROTESTS – Deputy PM Viorel Ştefan Thursday promised the Romanian trade unions in the public healthcare sector that on May 2 he would come up with a solution to address the income losses in the sector. The unionists, who staged a rally in Bucharest on Thursday, announced they would not give up their protests. Several categories of healthcare staff claim their net wages have dropped since the implementation of the new tax and salary regulations, and they demand the scrapping of the current 30% cap on bonuses. The rally in Bucharest will be followed by a token strike on May 7, while May 11 is the announced start date of an all-out strike in the healthcare and social assistance sector.




    EPP – Ludovic Orban, president of the National Liberal Party, in opposition in Romania, announced that the European Peoples Party (EPP), the political family to which his party is also affiliated, will have a common candidate for president of the European Commission. Orban discussed the topic in Brussels with the EPP president, Joseph Daul. The candidate, Orban added, will be elected in the EPP congress due in November in Helsinki. Orban also said that he had discussed with the EPP leaders the details of a common strategy to ensure job stability at European level, a strategy that also targets the Romanians who will work in the UK after Brexit.





    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no 1 in the world, will take on CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) in Fridays quarter-finals of the WTA tournament in Stuttgart, which has 816,000 US dollars in total prize money. Halep previously defeated the Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova (18 WTA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. In last years edition of the Stuttgart tournament, Halep was defeated in the semi-finals.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • 1 March, 2018

    1 March, 2018

    Judiciary. The situation of the Romanian justice system is the focus
    of the talks held by the First Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans in Bucharest today. He has met
    president Klaus Iohannis, prime minister Viorica Dancila, Chamber of Deputies
    speaker Liviu Dragnea and Senate speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who are also
    the leaders of the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and
    the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, as well as members of the parliamentary
    committee overseeing the changes to the justice laws. Timmermans
    is also having talks with representatives of the judiciary. His visit comes after
    justice minister Tudorel Toader earlier proposed the dismissal of the
    anti-corruption chief Laura Codruta Kovesi for serious violation of duties and
    delaying the resolution of cases. Toader’s request has received a negative
    opinion from the Superior Council of Magistracy, but the final say belongs to
    president Iohannis, who has repeatedly voiced his appreciation for the
    anti-corruption body and its head.




    Salary rises. Beginning today,
    the salaries of doctors and nurses will rise to the maximum level of the salary
    scale for 2022. Labour minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu has announced this measure
    as a means of counteracting the exodus of Romanian doctors abroad in recent years.
    Consultants, for example, will see their salaries grow four times. The salaries
    of pre-university and university teachers will also grow, but less than in the
    medical sector.




    Weather. A yellow and amber code alert for
    cold is in place in Romania until Friday. Schools remain closed this week in
    the capital Bucharest and the counties in the south-east and travel is
    restricted on several national and local roads in the south and east. The Black
    Sea ports also remain closed because of powerful winds. Trains have been
    delayed and some cancelled and airports operate in winter conditions. The
    Giurgiu-Ruse bridge between Romania and Bulgaria is open, but traffic is busy
    and waiting times big. As for the electricity and natural gas supply, the authorities
    say there are no longer any problems.




    Cold. Almost 50 people have died of cold in Europe
    in recent days, especially homeless people. The authorities in some places in
    Belgium forced people living on the street to go to shelters, in Germany shelters
    were asked to stay open throughout the day and France has announced a record
    number of 150,000 places in emergency shelters. Hungary has also taken
    protection measures, with temperatures expected to drop to minus 20 in the
    west. Blizzard, snow and frost have engulfed the entire Europe, disrupting
    travel, cutting off localities and causing schools to close. The Romanian
    foreign ministry has issued travel warnings for several countries.




    Unemployment. In Romania, the
    seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.6% in January, the same as in
    December, the National Institute for Statistics has announced. At 5%,
    unemployment among men was 0.9% higher than among women. Unemployment among
    persons aged between 25 and 74 was estimated at 3.5% in January (3.9% among men
    and 2.9% among women). According to the National Institute for Statistics, the
    number of unemployed people in this age group accounted for 70% of the total
    number of unemployed people estimated for January.




    Visit. The European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides today had talks in Bucharest with
    interior minister Carmen Dan and the state secretary for emergency situations
    Raed Arafat. The topics discussed included ways to consolidate the efficiency
    of preventive action and of the collective capacity of EU member states to
    respond to disasters and the simplification of administrative procedures in
    case of emergency situations.





  • February 13, 2018 UPDATE

    February 13, 2018 UPDATE

    FLU – The number of deaths caused by the flu virus in Romania has reached 27, the National Institute for Public Health announced on Tuesday. Over 800,000 people have received flu vaccines, and doctors urge more people to get vaccinated as the number of flu cases is on the rise. The Healthcare Minister Sorina Pintea says this is not a flu epidemics, and added that prevention measures are of the utmost importance, while hospitals and public health directorates must implement the required measures.




    JUDICIARY – Romanias Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that some provisions operating changes on the law regulating the Higher Council of Magistracy come against the Constitution. The ruling comes after the Supreme Court and the National Liberal Party in opposition notified the Constitutional Court against some of these changes, introduced through a bill endorsed in late 2017 by the Senate. One of the main provisions concerns the judicial inspection corps, which is to operate as a separate structure under the umbrella of the Higher Council of Magistracy. Backed by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democrats and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, these changes are challenged by the right-wing Opposition, by part of Romanias civil society and by hundreds of magistrates, who argue that the judicial reform process is not transparent. In response, the Power claims the changes bring the laws on the judiciary in line with previous Constitutional Court rulings and with decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights.




    DEFENCE – Romania is considering the possibility of setting up a joint battalion with the neighbouring Republic of Moldova, the Defence Minister Mihai Fifor announced. In an interview to Radio Romania, Fifor said that, if created, this battalion will be similar to the ones that Romania has with 2 other neighbouring countries, Hungary and Ukraine. The Romanian Defence Minister has also denied allegations that Romania will deploy troops on Moldovas territory.




    ACCUSATIONS – The Judicial Inspection in Romania has taken note of the recent accusations against certain prosecutors with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate in Prahova County, and said checks are underway. In a televised programme, a former Social Democratic MP, Vlad Cosma, who has been sentenced to 5 years in prison by a court of first instance, claimed on Monday that anti-corruption prosecutors allegedly asked him to plant evidence in a case involving the former Social Democratic PM Victor Ponta and businessman Sebastian Ghita, who fled the country. Cosma produced audio recordings, in response, the head of the Ploiesti Anti-Corruption Directorate Lucian Onea told a press conference that the institution he runs has never tampered with evidence or made illegal understandings with defendants. The Anti-Corruption Directorate argues that Cosmas allegations are aimed at compromising those prosecutors and police officers who interfered with the interests of certain politicians.




    TENNIS – Romanias Fed Cup team will play on April 21 and 22, at home, against Switzerland, in the World Group playoffs, according to Tuesdays draw in London. On Sunday, in the first round of World Group II, the Romanians defeated Canada in Cluj, north-western Romania. Also on Tuesday, the Romanian Sorana Cîrstea (38 WTA) defeated 6-2 / 6-3, Maria Sakkari of Greece (no 60 WTA), in the first round of the Doha tournament in Qatar, which has 3.1 million US dollars in total prize money. In the same round, another Romanian player, Irina-Camelia Begu, no 37 in the world, lost 6-4 / 6-2, to Australias Samantha Stosur. On Monday Mihaela Buzarnescu (43 WTA) outplayed Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine (no 40 WTA), 7-5, 6-4, and Monica Niculescu (no. 92) beat Russias Maria Sharapova (no. 41), 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The worlds no. 2 player Simona Halep, who won the Doha tournament in 2014, takes on the Russian Ekaterina Makarova (36 WTA) on Wednesday.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • December 26, 2017

    December 26, 2017

    CHRISTMAS — In Romania, Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians celebrate today, on the second day of Christmas, the Synaxis of the Theotokos, which is a celebration of Mary, the Mother of God. This is one of the oldest feast days devoted to Virgin Mary, dating back to the 5th Century. The Synaxis of the Theotokos is the assembly of believers to honour the one through whom the incarnation of God was possible. Also today, Roman Catholic Christians celebrate St Stephen, the first martyr.





    HOLIDAYS — Thousands of Romanians are spending their winter holidays in the mountain resorts in Valea Prahovei region in the south, in Maramures in the north-west of the country and in Bucovina, in the north-east. Sinaia and Buşteni, on Prahova Valley, are among the most popular resorts in the country at this time of the year. In Bâlea Lac, in Făgăraş Mountains, at over 2,000 m altitude, the new Ice Hotel, the only one of its kind in Romania, was opened on Sunday. Most of the tourists having booked a room here come from abroad.




    ROYAL HOUSE — The Royal House of Romania attended on Tuesday the Christmas service held at the Orthodox church in Săvârşin, the west of Romania. The royals are on 40-day mourning after the death of Romania’s last king, Michael I. He passed away on December 5, aged 96, and was buried on December 16, in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania, where the other 3 monarchs of Romania are also interred. Tens of thousands of people took part in the national funerals of the one they regard as a model of dignity, honour, devotion and love for the country.




    CONSULTATIONS — The PM of Romania, Mihai Tudose, has agreed to hold talks tomorrow with representatives of over 40 NGOs involved in the street protests against the controversial changes in the justice laws. The organisations had sent the PM an open letter expressing their willingness to contribute to dialogue, consultation and solutions, in full compliance with the rule of law, democratic principles and fundamental human rights. They say there have been major deficiencies in the dialogue and consultations between lawmakers and society with respect to the justice laws and the changes of the criminal codes. On Friday, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, sent a letter to President Klaus Iohannis, urging him to request an official opinion from the Venice Commission with respect to the legislative reform endorsed by Parliament. Previously, the embassies of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden to Bucharest issued a joint letter calling on all stakeholders in the judiciary reform process to avoid measures that would weaken the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption. In response, the Foreign Ministry said strengthening the rule of law and fighting corruption are among the priorities of the Government of Romania. In turn, the leaders of ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, Liviu Dragnea and Calin Popescu Tariceanu, respectively, promised that the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, and Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu would inform embassies properly with respect to the legislative changes in this field.




    EU — The German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that if the EU managed to get a smart deal with Britain that governs relations with Europe after Brexit, it could be a model for other countries. The German diplomat added that Turkey and Ukraine are not likely to get full EU membership very soon, which is why the EU should consider alternative forms of closer cooperation. Gabriel also suggested that such an approach could take the form of a closer customs union with Turkey. Although the current situation proves that that country is still rather far from joining the EU, recent moves by Ankara indicate willingness to improve relations with Brussels, the German official also said. Shortly before Christmas, Turkey decided to free a German pilgrim after nearly 9 months of detention, and a German journalist who had spent 7 months in custody over alleged ties with a terrorist organisation.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • December 11, 2017 UPDATE

    December 11, 2017 UPDATE

    KING MICHAEL I — The Parliament of Romania convened in a solemn session on Monday, in the presence of President Klaus Iohannis, to pay tribute to King Michael I. The head of state said in his address that King Michael I symbolised the hope of a reborn and free country, and that His Majesty would forever be remembered as a great leader. The Royal House will continue to deploy all efforts, alongside the state institutions, for the country to advance within the EU and NATO, Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, also said. Attending the Parliament’s solemn session were former presidents Emil Constantinescu and Traian Basescu, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose, the speakers of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu and Liviu Dragnea and Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church. King Michael I died on December 5, at 96 years of age, in Switzerland. Ever since, Romanians have been bringing flowers and candles at the Romanian and Swiss residences of the Royal House. The King’s body will be brought to the country on December 13. The authorities have declared a national mourning on December 14, 15 and 16. King Michael I, the last of Romania’s 4 sovereigns, will be buried on Saturday, December 16, in Curtea de Arges, in the south of the country, where all Romanian royalty are interred. Many Romanian and foreign personalities are expected to attend the funerals. Historians agree that by having the pro-German Marshall Ion Antonescu arrested and having the country join the Allies, Michael I helped shorten WW2 by six months. Forced by the Communists to abdicate in 1947, the ex-King was only allowed to return to Romania after the fall of communism. He was one of the strongest supporters on Romania’s joining NATO and the EU.




    CORRUPTION – The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, convened in plenary sitting, has decided to make an urgent assessment of the draft laws in the Romanian justice system. According to the Council of Europe’s communiqué on Monday, various institutions and public persons from Romania and from abroad have voiced serious concerns at the fact that these projects might endanger the effectiveness of the battle against corruption and might undermine the independence of the judiciary. This is the first time when GRECO uses this newly introduced regulation. It can be applied when an institutional reform, a legal initiative or a procedural revision can lead to a serious violation, by a member state, of the Council’s anti-corruption standards. Thousands of people took to the streets once again on Sunday night in Bucharest and other major cities, to protest the changes to the justice laws promoted by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The protesters say the Power is attempting to have the judiciary subordinated to political circles and to stop the fight against corruption.




    LAWS — The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest endorsed on Monday the changes to the status of magistrates proposed by the special parliamentary committee for the justice laws. In keeping with the new provisions, prosecutors become part of a hierarchy topped by the justice minister. Also, the head of state may no longer challenge judge and prosecutor appointments but can still hold his current responsibilities with regard to appointing the prosecutor general and the heads of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and of the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism. The bill will be submitted to the Senate, the decision making body in this case.




    BUDGET — The Parliament of Romania begins the debates on the 2018 state budget bill this week. The public budget is based on a 5.5% economic growth rate and earmarks higher funds for healthcare, education, agriculture and investments. The state budget and social security budget bills were distributed on Thursday to the MPs, who had until this morning to submit amendments. The proposals will be discussed by Parliament’s specialised committees starting on Tuesday and will be finalised on Saturday. Debates on the amended texts will begin next Monday in Parliament, with the final vote scheduled on December 21.




    STATISTICS — Romania’s trade deficit in the first 10 months of the year was 10.2 billion euros, nearly 2.3 billion euros more than in the corresponding period of 2016, the National Statistics Institute announced. According to the institution, in October, Romania’s exports exceeded 5.7 billion euro, while imports reached 7 billion euros. As compared to October 2016, exports were 13.3% higher, and imports rose by 16.7%. The intra-EU trade accounted for 75.9% of Romania’s total imports and exports in the first 10 months of the year.




    ISRAEL — While on a visit to Brussels on Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and said he expected European countries to follow suit. Ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers, Netanyahu pointed out that Trump’s decision, condemned by Palestinians and by the European governments, would make Middle East peace possible. He called on Palestinians to recognise Israel as a Jewish state and Jerusalem as its capital. Netanyahu had a meeting on Monday with the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who welcomed the first visit by an Isaraeli PM to the EU in 22 years. She emphasised that the bloc would respect the “international consensus” on the status of Jerusalem and reiterated the Union’s commitment to a two-state solution. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, says Trump’s recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel threatens to compromise the Israel-Palestinian peace efforts. Street protests against the decision continued in Muslim countries, while the Arab League has called on the US Administration to reverse it, on grounds that it will escalate tensions in the region.




    HANDBALL — Romania’s women’s handball team was defeated by the Czech Republic on Monday, 27-28 in the round of 16 of the World Championships in Germany. Romania had won four matches in group A against Paraguay, Slovenia, Spain and Angola and had lost the match against France. Romania won the bronze medal in the previous championship, held in 2015, and is the only team to have taken part in all the 22 world final tournaments in the history of the competition.


    (Translated by Elena Enache)


  • December 11, 2017

    December 11, 2017

    KING MICHAEL I – The Parliament of Romania convenes in a solemn session today, in the presence of President Klaus Iohannis, to pay tribute to King Michael I. Princess Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, will also give an address. The former sovereign died on December 5, at 96 years of age, in Switzerland. Ever since, Romanians have been bringing flowers and candles at the Romanian and Swiss residences of the Royal House. The Kings body will be brought to the country on December 13. The authorities have declared a national mourning on December 14, 15 and 16. King Michael I, the last of Romanias 4 sovereigns, will be buried on Saturday, December 16, in Curtea de Arges, in the south of the country, where all Romanian royalty are interred. Many Romanian and foreign personalities are expected to attend the funerals. Historians agree that by having the pro-German Marshall Ion Antonescu arrested and having the country join the Allies, Michael I helped shorten WW2 by six months. Forced by the Communists to abdicate in 1947, the ex-King was only allowed to return to Romania after the fall of communism. He was one of the strongest supporters on Romanias joining NATO and the EU.




    BUDGET – The Parliament of Romania begins the debates on the 2018 state budget bill this week. The public budget is based on a 5.5% economic growth rate and earmarks higher funds for healthcare, education, agriculture and investments. The state budget and social security budget bills were distributed on Thursday to the MPs, who had until this morning to submit amendments. The proposals will be discussed by Parliaments specialised committees starting on Tuesday and will be finalised on Saturday. Debates on the amended texts will begin next Monday in Parliament, with the final vote scheduled on December 21.




    PROTESTS – Thousands of people took to the streets once again on Sunday night in Bucharest and other major cities, to protest the changes to the justice laws promoted by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. The protesters say the Power is attempting to have the judiciary subordinated to political circles and to stop the fight against corruption. They were joined by the leaders of the right-wing opposition, the president of the National Liberal Party Ludovic Orban, and the president of Save Romania Union Dan Barna, and by the former PM Dacian Ciolos, who accused the ruling coalition of attacking the very foundation of the rule of law. In response, the head of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania and Senate Speaker Calin Popescu-Tariceanu says the revision of the laws regulating the judicial system is designed to strengthen the rule of law and the independence of magistrates.




    STATISTICS – Romanias trade deficit in the first 10 months of the year was 10.2 billion euros, nearly 2.3 billion euros more than in the corresponding period of 2016, the National Statistics Institute announced. According to the institution, in October, Romanias exports exceeded 5.7 billion euro, while imports reached 7 billion euros. As compared to October 2016, exports were 13.3% higher, and imports rose by 16.7%. The intra-EU trade accounted for 75.9% of Romanias total imports and exports in the first 10 months of the year.




    ISRAEL – While on a visit to Brussels today, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US President Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and said he expected European countries to follow suit. Ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers, Netanyahu pointed out that Trumps decision, condemned by Palestinians and by the European governments, would make Middle East peace possible. He called on Palestinians to recognise Israel as a Jewish state and Jerusalem as its capital. Netanyahu had a meeting today with the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who welcomed the first visit by an Isaraeli PM to the EU in 22 years. She emphasised that the bloc would respect the “international consensus on the status of Jerusalem and reiterated the Unions commitment to a two-state solution. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, says Trumps recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel threatens to compromise the Israel-Palestinian peace efforts. Street protests against the decision continued in Muslim countries, while the Arab League has called on the US Administration to reverse it, on grounds that it will escalate tensions in the region.




    HANDBALL – Romanias womens handball team is playing against the Czech Republic today, in the round of 16 of the World Championships in Germany. If they win, the Romanians will be facing next the winner of the match between the Netherlands and Japan. So far, France, Montenegro, Denmark and Sweden have qualified into the quarter-finals. Romania won the bronze medal in the previous championship, held in 2015, and is the only team to have taken part in all the 22 world final tournaments in the history of the competition.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • December 7, 2017

    December 7, 2017

    KING MICHAEL – Every evening until December 10 religious services will be held at King Michaels residence in Switzerland, where he spent most of his life in exile and where he also died, the Royal House announced. In the country, Romanians continue to bring flowers and candles in front of the former royal palace in Bucharest and at the Elisabeta Palace, the late Kings residence in the capital city. King Michaels body will be flown to the country on Wednesday, December 13, and placed at the Peles Castle in Sinaia, in the southern Carpathians. On the evening of the same day, the coffin will be brought to the Royal Palace in Bucharest. The funeral will take place on Saturday, December 16, in Curtea de Arges, southern Romania, where all Romanias former kings are interred. The Government declared a national mourning on December 14, 15 and 16. On Monday, December 11, the joint chambers of the Romanian Parliament will pay tribute to the former sovereign in a solemn session. The King of Romania between 1940 and 1947, Michael I passed away on Tuesday, at the age of 96.




    PROTESTS – Hundreds of people last night picketed the building of the Romanian Parliament, to protest the changes brought to the law on the status of magistrates, which were subject to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies. Traffic in the area was disrupted and incidents were reported, involving the protesters and the police. Unplanned protests were also held in the cities of Cluj Napoca, in the north-west, and Constanta in the south-east. The participants demanded that the Social Democratic leader Liviu Dragnea step down as Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, given that he has already received a suspended sentence and is prosecuted in two other cases. MPs from Power and Opposition also traded insults and invectives during the meeting.




    BUDGET LAW – Leaders of the Romanian Parliament are to set today a roadmap for the endorsement of the 2018 state budget law. The bill was passed by the Government on Wednesday, and is based on a forecast economic growth rate of 5.5% and a 3.1% annual inflation rate. Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said it was the first time that the countrys GDP exceeded 200 billion euros, which would allow for salary and pension increases.




    DIPLOMACY – The US Ambassador to Bucharest, Hans Klemm, accuses Moscow of conducting misinformation campaigns aimed at generating confusion and division among NATO member states. Taking advantage of our democratic societies, Russia seeks to influence public opinion and often to influence elections as well, by disseminating fake news, the American diplomat said at a public debate organised in the north-western city of Cluj. On the other hand, he once again called on Romania to further fight corruption and defend the independence of the judiciary.




    MIDDLE EAST – US President Donald Trumps recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel triggered strong international condemnation. The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Friday, at the request of 8 members, including the UK and France. The Arab League announced an emergency meeting on Saturday. All Palestinian organisations criticized the move and called for strikes and protests, while many countries in the region warned that the decision would entail religious tensions. Turkey threatened to break ties with Israel. Another US ally, Saudi Arabia, slammed Trumps decision as “irresponsible. Traditional US allies from Europe also voiced opposition to the move, whereas Russia and China have expressed concerns that conflicts in the region will be exacerbated.





    HANDBALL – Romanias womens handball team is playing tonight against Angola, in Group A of the World Championships hosted by Germany. The Romanians have already secured their qualification in the round of 16, after having defeated Paraguay, Slovenia and Spain. On Friday they will play the last match in the group, against France. Romania won the bronze medal in the 2015 championship, and is the only team to have taken part in all the 22 world championship final tournaments so far.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • November 6, 2017 UPDATE

    November 6, 2017 UPDATE

    PROTESTS – Tens of thousands took to the streets on Sunday night in Bucharest and other major Romanian cities, protesting the plans of the ruling coalition to amend the tax code and the laws on the judiciary. The bills modifying the legal framework for the judiciary, drafted by the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader and currently under debate in Parliament, stipulate among other things the transfer of judicial inspection powers from the Higher Council of Magistrates to the Justice Ministry. The bills also exclude the head of state from the procedure to appoint the chief prosecutors. Meanwhile, the Government postponed to Wednesday a special meeting, originally scheduled on Monday, in which several fiscal measures were to be adopted, including the transfer of social security payments from employers to employees, the introduction of a so-called employment insurance contribution covering medical leaves and unemployment costs, and a reduction of income taxes from 16 to 10%. Also on Monday, the Senate dismissed a simple motion tabled by the Opposition against the Finance Minister Ionuţ Mişa. The Opposition, trade unions and employer associations say the measures proposed by Misa would severely affect the private sector. In turn, President Klaus Iohannis says a substantial postponement of changes in fiscal legislation is necessary, and added that their implementation as of January 1, 2018 would be ill-timed.




    DIPLOMACY – While on a 2-day visit to Montenegro, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu had a meeting on Monday with his counterpart Srdan Darmanovic. Melescanu reiterated Romanias firm support for Montenegros European accession efforts. The two officials also reviewed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including employment and social security, science and technology, tourism, energy and the environment. The visit is part of Romanias efforts to increase its presence in the Western Balkans, one of Romanias foreign policy priorities, ahead of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019.




    EXHIBITION – The Ambassador of Japan to Bucharest, Kisaburo Ishii, took part in the opening of an exhibition on “Meiji-era Stamps, organised by the Stamp Cabinet of the Romanian Academy Library as part of the “Japanese Culture Month in Romania, and hosted by the Theodor Pallady Hall of the Romanian Academy Library. The exhibition will close on November 12.




    MOLDOVA – Should early elections be held in the Republic of Moldova, only 3 parties would make the parliamentary threshold: the Socialists Party, the Action and Solidarity Party and the Democratic Party, according to an opinion poll released on Monday by the Public Opinion Fund organisation. The Socialists would get 50% of the votes. The poll also reveals low public confidence rates for the Parliament and Government. Eighty per cent of the respondents are unhappy with the current state of affairs in the Republic of Moldova. According to the poll, only one-fifth of the people would support their country joining NATO or uniting with Romania.




    FOOTBALL – Romanias national football team has convened for friendly matches against Turkey and the Netherlands, scheduled to take place in Cluj-Napoca on November 9 and in Bucharest on November 14, respectively. Manager Cosmin Contra invited 30 players, including 17 Romanian footballers playing for foreign clubs. This is the start of Romanias preparations for the Euro 2020 qualifiers. The Turkish national team is coached by the Romanian Mircea Lucescu.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • October 8, 2017 UPDATE

    October 8, 2017 UPDATE

    NATO — The NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, is coming to Bucharest on Monday, when he is to discuss with President Klaus Iohannis about the forthcoming NATO summit and the status of its eastern flank. The two officials will take part together in the opening of the plenary meeting of the 63rd session of NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly. More than 50 delegations from NATO member or partner countries are taking part in the session hosted by the Romanian capital city. Members of the Romanian Government have already addressed the participants, pleading for closer cooperation between the Allies. Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu warned that the buildup of Russian forces at the Black Sea does not target this region alone, but also the Mediterranean and the Middle East, while the Defence Minister Mihai Fifor argued that simplified procedures and legislation in European countries would facilitate the movement of NATO troops from one country to another, allowing for easier participation in exercises involving large numbers of troops and equipment.



    LEGISLATION — The leaders of the Social Democratic Party and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, the two parties in the ruling coalition, will discuss next week the final texts of the laws on the judiciary. After that, according to the Social Democratic president Liviu Dragnea, the new legislation will be discussed in Parliament. Dragnea says the justice minister Tudorel Toader is drawing closer to finalising the new legislative package. Heavily criticised by the Opposition, civil society and the mass media, and disapproved of by the Higher Council of Magistrates, Toader’s draft laws stipulate, among other things, that the president of the country will no longer be involved in the appointment of the Prosecutor General and the chiefs of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism. The bills also make the judicial inspection corps subordinated to the Justice Ministry, and increase the length in office required for the promotion of magistrates.



    SPAIN — Hundreds of thousands once again took to the streets on Sunday in Barcelona, to call for unity and protest the planned secession of Catalonia. The Nobel-winning Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, who is a Spanish citizen as well, was among the protesters. Employers organisations in Catalonia have also voiced concerns over the separatist intentions of the regional government, announced after last week’s referendum. Rulled illegal by the Spanish constitutional court, and marred by police violence, the referendum brough 2 million out of Catalonia’s 5.3 million people to polls, and 90% of the votes were in favour of secession.



    TENNIS — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep Sunday lost the Beijing tournament final to Caroline Garcia (France), 6-4, 7-6. On Saturday, in the semi-finals, Halep had defeated Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, a victory thanks to which as of Monday Halep is the new WTA no 1. Her performance was hailed by top personalities in Romanian and world sports, Romanian politicians and tennis fans. Simona Halep’s coach, the Australian Darren Cahill, the great gymnast Nadia Comăneci and former tennis player Boris Becker of Germany were among those who congratulated Simona Halep. According to Romanian tennis player Ilie Năstase, WTA no 1 in the ‘70s, the hardest is yet to come for Simona Halep, the first Romanian tennis player to have won the top world position in the women’s singles.



    HANDBALL — Romania’s women’s handball champions CSM Bucharest started the 2017-2018 Champions League season with a clear home win against Slovenians Krim Ljubljana, 30-18. In the other Group A game, the Danish side Nykobing Falster outplayed the Polish Vistal Gdynia, 27-21. In the next match in the group, CSM will play in Gdynia, on October 11. In the men’s competition, CSM Bucharest lost at home, 26-30, against SKA Minsk, of Belarus, in the first leg of the second round of the EHF Cup. The decisive leg will be played on October 15, in Minsk.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • August 31, 2017

    August 31, 2017

    DIPLOMACY – The Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy continues in Bucharest today with a conference on the role of the Romanian business community in economic diplomacy. During Wednesdays meeting with the Romanian ambassadors and consuls abroad, President Klaus Iohannis called on diplomats to promote the rule of law and focus on protecting the rights and interests of the Romanian citizens abroad. The head of state also discussed the importance of the strategic partnership with the United States and urged the Romanian diplomats to support the trans-Atlantic relation. This years meeting of Romanian diplomats was themed A changing world: the goals of Romanias foreign policy.



    EXCISES – Romanian carriers criticise the Governments decision to increase fuel excises, and predict dark times will come for Romanian transports. The Romanian Federation of Transport Operators says each additional eurocent in the price of petrol and diesel will have a direct impact on the competitiveness of Romanian road carriers and will force many international transport operators to buy fuel from abroad. On Wednesday the Government decided to increase fuel excises in 2 stages, as of September 15 and October 1, respectively. Finance Minister Ionuţ Mişa explained that the measure would be introduced gradually so as not to generate a shock, consisting in higher prices and lower consumption, which would affect the state budget.



    LANGUAGE DAY – Today is the Romanian Language day, celebrated on the last day of August since 2013. On this occasion, the Ministry for the Romanian diaspora is organising in Bucharest, in a partnership with the Romanian Academy, a conference on Romanian language revival and renewal in the diaspora, while the Romanian Cultural Institute organises activities in major cities abroad. Conferences, roundtables, book launches, recitals and exhibitions are organised in Istanbul, New York, Madrid, Tel Aviv and Warsaw. The Romanian Language Day is also celebrated in the Republic of Moldova, and according to the ambassador of Romania to Chisinau, Daniel Ioniţă, this is further proof of the profound unity of the people living on the two banks of Prut River.




    JUDICIARY – The Romanian Justice Ministry has made public the bill modifying the laws on the judiciary, on which Minister Tudorel Toader has requested the official opinion of the Superior Council of Magistrates. The bill, which is intended to make the management of courts and prosecutor offices more efficient, stipulates changes primarily in terms of the professional assessment, promotion, and appointment to senior positions of staff in the judicial system. Some of the changes announced a while ago by Minister Tudorel Toader concern the appointment of the prosecutor general and of the chief prosecutors of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism by the Superior Council of Magistrates based on a nomination by the Justice Minister, and the setup of a special directorate to investigate offences committed by magistrates. The measures have been criticised and prompted street protests. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate says this is a form of pressure on the work of prosecutors, while the Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, says that if endorsed, the bill would affect the independence of magistrates and the activity of judicial institutions.



    FOOTBALL – Romanias national football team is preparing for the game against Armenia, to be played on Friday on home turf, and the one against Montenegro away from home on Monday, as part of the preliminary Group E of next years World Football Cup hosted by Russia. The unchallenged leader of the group is Poland, with 16 points, followed by Montenegro and Denmark, with 10 points each, Romania and Armenia, 6, and Kazakhstan, with 2 points. In this preliminary campaign, the Romanian team is for the first time in its history managed by a foreign coach, the German Cristoph Daum.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)