Radio România Internațional

Tag: Kavalec

  • December 17, 2024 UPDATE

    December 17, 2024 UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    GOVERNMENT – The pro-European parties represented in the future Parliament in Bucharest continued, on Tuesday, discussions on the governing program. The meeting was attended by representatives of PSD, PNL, UDMR, but also those of USR, who were absent from Monday’s discussions and who are asking for the measures to be adopted and next year’s budget to be first decided. In their opinion, the distribution of responsibilities and positions in the future Government can only be done after discussions on the governing program. The leaders of PSD, PNL and UDMR announced that they have the necessary votes in Parliament to form a majority and a government, in case USR decides to leave the coalition. On Monday, in the first part of the day, the heads of the four parties discussed the draft budget for 2025 with the Minister of Finance, Marcel Boloş, but also the budget execution for the current year. The future governing program should include a series of major reforms, which are to be finalized and made public by Friday, December 20, when the new Parliament is to be convened, the coalition leaders said.

     

     

    AMBASSADOR – “While there is always more work to do, it is clear Romania has chosen the right path – the European and Euro-Atlantic path – towards democracy, peace, security and prosperity – for all its citizens,” said the US ambassador to Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec, on Tuesday, at the Romanian Foreign Ministry offices, where she was conferred the Order of the Star of Romania.  Ambassador Kavalec extended her thanks to the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, for the collaboration aimed at strengthening the US-Romania strategic partnership. In this context, the US ambassador to Bucharest mentioned some of the objectives achieved together with the Romanian partners, including the strengthening of Romania’s defense capabilities and its role in promoting regional security, fulfilling the requirements of the Visa Waiver program. She also referred to investments, but also to the development of bilateral relations in the fields of education and culture. At the same time, Kathleen Kavalec also highlighted the joint aid offered to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the “remarkable” progress that Romania has made as a member of the EU and NATO and as strategic partner of the United States.

     

     

    ELECTIONS – Four American senators, both Republican and Democrat, have condemned Russia’s interference in the presidential elections in Romania and expressed their support for Bucharest in the fight for the integrity of the electoral process. The senators assured that the United States stands by Romania, as the country urgently takes measures for free and fair presidential elections. The first round of the presidential elections in Romania was cancelled after it was revealed that the voting had not bee not fair due to illegal practices supported by Russia on social media, especially on TikTok. For its part, the European Union announced on Monday that it adopted the first sanctions in response to “hybrid actions” on its territory, against Russian agents accused of “destabilizing” actions in the EU.

     

     

    FORESTRY – The new Forestry Code, a milestone of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, has been adopted by the Parliament in Bucharest. More than seven months after the normative it passed the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, as the decision-making body, adopted the project. The document, which received over 200 amendments, provides, among other things, for video surveillance of forest roads, imprisonment of up to five years for falsifying forestry computer data and the establishment of the National Forest Registry. The Minister of Environment, Mircea Fechet, said that the measures provided for in the law ensure forest conservation, economic development and new jobs. However, the opposition expressed dissatisfaction with the final form of the project.

     

     

    PRICES – Romania ranks first in the European price increase rankings. Since the beginning of the year, the country has recorded the largest price increases for food, clothing, footwear, electronics, household appliances and services among all European Union countries. Data from the National Institute of Statistics indicate that food and non-food products increased in price by 5% in November 2024, compared to November 2023, and services by 7.56%. According to Eurostat, over 25% of Romanians’ monthly income is allocated to food, well above the European average, despite the fact that salaries have increased compared to previous years. Romanians spend 30 billion euros annually on consumer goods, such as food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and personal and household care products. In the first nine months of 2024, sales of such items increased by 16%, the increase being covered, in fact, only by price increases, as consumption decreased.

     

     

    RECESSION – Entrepreneurs are drawing attention to the danger of an economic recession in Romania in 2025 and are calling on the future government in Bucharest to take measures. During the debate “Back to the Economy. How Entrepreneurs See 2025”, staged on Monday by the Coalition for Freedom of Trade and Communication, business people recalled that 2024 was an extremely challenging year and recommended that the future government should avoid measures that would excessively burden the business environment, in an attempt to reduce the budget deficit. They also spoke out in favor of more predictability.

  • November 19, 2024 UPDATE

    November 19, 2024 UPDATE

     

    PARLIAMENT The parliament of Romania convenes on Wednesday to approve 2 inquiry committees and their membership. The joint standing bureaus approved a draft resolution on setting up a joint parliamentary inquiry committee to check the spending by and on behalf of the Presidency in 2014 – 2024, initiated by the Social Democratic Party. Another joint inquiry committee will look into real estate mafia, beginning with the Nordis affair, initiated by the National Liberal Party. The Liberal Party president Nicolae Ciucă said the number of victims identified in this case is over 400. Many Romanians in the country and abroad were persuaded to purchase apartments in residential compounds and hotels built by Nordis, but the developers have sold the same apartments several times over to different buyers.

     

    ELECTIONS Romania sees the last days of the campaign for the first round of the presidential elections, scheduled for Sunday, November 24. There are 13 candidates for the president post, 9 of them backed by political parties and 4 running independently. The head of the Permanent Election Authority, Toni Greblă, says the official results of the election may be announced by late Monday, November 25. The second round of the presidential elections is due on December 8.

     

    ISRAEL The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu Tuesday discussed over the telephone with Israel’s new diplomacy chief, Gideon Saar. According to the Romanian foreign ministry, Luminiţa Odobescu praised the dynamics of bilateral dialogue and cooperation, and its potential for development in key sectors. The 2 officials also exchanged opinions regarding the security situation in the Middle East. Odobescu voiced support for the international community’s efforts towards de-escalation, a ceasefire, the freeing of all hostages and the improvement of the humanitarian situation in the region. The Romanian minister also reiterated Bucharest’s firm commitment to fighting anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial, a topic constantly on the agenda of the Romanian government and supported by concrete measures. Gideon Saar praised the special relations between the 2 countries and thanked for Romania’s steady support.

     

    UKRAINE Despite 1,000 days of terrible warfare, Ukraine stands unbowed, the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec said in a statement on Tuesday, marking 1000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She also said that, according to the UN, Russian forces have killed more than 11,000 Ukrainian civilians, including more than 600 children, and continue to engage in shocking war crimes, including torture of civilians and prisoners of war. Russian bombs have obliterated schools, hospitals, and treasured sites of Ukrainian history, culture, and memory. According to the American diplomat, Ukraine has shown remarkable courage and resolve in defence of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, helped by the enduring support of its friends and allies around the world. Romania has shown true leadership in support of Ukraine and its citizens and, as strategic partners and NATO allies, the United States and Romania stand together to counter the threats posed by Russia in Ukraine and in Europe, Kathleen Kavalec also said.

     

    FOOTBALL The Romanian national football team defeated Cyprus 4-1 on Monday night at home, in their last match in Group C2 of the Nations League. The Romanians thus won their fifth victory in the group and moved into the competition’s League B. Romania is still waiting for UEFA’s decision regarding the match against Kosovo in Bucharest on Friday, when the guests left the pitch little before the end, at a goalless score, when they heard pro-Serbian chants from the host fans. The Kosovo Football Federation denounced what it saw as an “unacceptable and unsafe atmosphere”. The Romanian Football Federation dismissed the accusations as unfounded.

     

  • November 19, 2024

    November 19, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    MESSAGE – Despite 1,000 days of terrible warfare, Ukraine stands unbowed, the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec has said today in a statement, marking 1000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She also said that, according to the UN, Russian forces have killed more than 11,000 Ukrainian civilians, including more than 600 children, and continue to engage in shocking war crimes, including torture of civilians and prisoners of war. At the same time, Russian bombs have obliterated schools, hospitals, and treasured sites of Ukrainian history, culture, and memory. According to the American diplomat, Ukraine has shown remarkable courage and resolve in defense of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, helped by the enduring support of its friends and allies around the world. Romania has shown true leadership in support of Ukraine and its citizens and, as strategic partners and NATO allies, the United States and Romania stand together to counter the threats posed by Russia in Ukraine and in Europe, Kathleen Kavalec also said.

     

    RUSSIA – Moscow continued to criticize Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use American long-range missiles to attack Russia. Deputy National Security Adviser for the Biden Administration, John Final, emphasized the fact that Russia is waging a war of aggression. However, Joe Biden’s decision was criticized by President-elect Donald Trump’s team members. They accuse Biden of escalating the conflict two months before leaving office. On the other hand, on Monday, Ukraine marked 1,000 days since Russia’s large scale invasion of its territory. The invasion led to the destruction of numerous Ukrainian towns and cities, and 6 million people were forced to flee the country. Thousands of civilians were killed during the bombings. On the battlefield, losses are described by Reuters as catastrophic and estimated at hundreds of thousands of dead and wounded on both sides.

     

    ELECTIONS – These are the last days of the election campaign for the first round of the presidential elections in Romania, scheduled for Sunday, November 24. There are 13 candidates for the position of head of state, nine proposed by political parties and four independents. The head of the Permanent Election Authority, Toni Greblă, says that it is possible that, by late Monday, November 25, the official results of the election be announced. The second round of the presidential elections is scheduled for December 8.

     

    INFLATION – The annual inflation rate in the European Union rose to 2.3% in October, from 2.1% in September, and Romania is, for the eighth month in a row, the country with the highest inflation rate in the community bloc, with an annual price increase of 5%, according to data published on Tuesday by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat). Last month, the lowest annual inflation rates in the EU were recorded in Slovenia (0.0%), Lithuania and Ireland (each 0.1%), while the highest were in Romania (5%), Belgium and Estonia (each 4.5%). The National Bank of Romania has revised upwards, to 4.9%, from 4% previously, the inflation forecast for the end of 2024 and estimates that it will reach 3.5% at the end of 2025, according to data presented on Monday by the Governor of the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Isărescu.

     

    FOOTBALL – The Romanian national football team defeated Cyprus 4-1 on Monday night at home in its last match in Group C2 of the Nations League. The Romanians thus won their fifth victory in the group and advanced to the competition’s League B. Romania still has to wait for UEFA’s decision for the match against Kosovo on Friday in Bucharest, abandoned by the guests with only a few tens of seconds before the end, at a goalless score, when they heard pro-Serbian chants from the host fans. The Kosovo Football Federation denounced what it saw as an “unacceptable and unsafe atmosphere”. The Romanian Football Federation rejected the accusations as unfounded.