Radio România Internațional

Tag: law

  • January 31, 2025 UPDATE

    January 31, 2025 UPDATE

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

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

  • Harsher penalties for human trafficking

    Harsher penalties for human trafficking

    The Romanian Chamber of Deputies decided to provide assistance to the victims of human trafficking, slavery and rape, concurrently with harsher penalties for perpetrators.

     

    The Romanian Parliament decided to harshen penalties for human traffickers, in the context of an increase in the number of such cases. The draft law, passed by the Chamber of Deputies, provides that conducting or facilitating prostitution or obtaining patrimonial benefits from the practice of prostitution by one or more minors will be punished with  7 to 15 years in prison. If the perpetrator is a person who has previously committed a crime against sexual freedom and integrity, a crime of child pornography, human trafficking, trafficking of minors or pimping, the penalty for it will be 10 to 20 years behind bars.

     

    Human trafficking committed by a public servant in the exercise of their duties or by a person who has previously committed a crime from those listed above will be punished with 7 to 15 years in prison. The initiators of this law say that there is currently a non-uniform practice regarding the crimes of human trafficking and pimping in its aggravated form, carried out by coercion, and that the new normative act eliminates this deficiency and introduces a uniform legal treatment to people who commit antisocial acts of similar gravity.

     

    The Romanian deputies also adopted a bill according to which the state will grant free legal assistance and financial compensations to victims of domestic violence, rape, illegal deprivation of liberty, slavery, human trafficking, child trafficking and forced labor. According to the law, free legal assistance is granted, among others, to people who have been the target of attempted murder or qualified murder, to the victims of crimes of body injury, mistreatment of minors, family violence, slavery, human trafficking, child trafficking, forced or compulsory labor, rape, rape of a minor, sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor, sexual corruption of minors, sexual harassment, torture and child pornography. Free legal assistance is also granted to family members of deceased persons who were the victims of murder, qualified murder, as well as intentional crimes that resulted in the death of the person. The amount of the aid is 5 gross minimum salaries, established for the year in which the victim submitted the request for assistance.

     

    In 2022, Romania occupied a worrying first place in the European Union in terms of human trafficking. Thus, according to the European Commission, out of 7,000 women exploited annually in the EU, approximately 3,000 were Romanian. Also, according to the National Agency Against Human Trafficking, as of 2005 until the end of 2023, 19,000 victims of human trafficking were registered in Romania.

     

  • October 8, 2024 UPDATE

    October 8, 2024 UPDATE

    Commemoration – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest hosted an event, on Tuesday, to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack of 7th October 2023 in Israel. Representatives of the embassies accredited in Bucharest, senior officials, diplomats, victims and survivors of the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 attended the event. The participants strongly condemned the aggression of the Hamas group against the State of Israel and launched a call for the release of the hostages from the Gaza Strip. The ambassador of the State of Israel in Bucharest, Lior Ben Dor, declared that the terrorist attack of October 7 represents the greatest tragedy after the Holocaust. The representatives of the State of Israel thanked the Romanian authorities for the gestures of solidarity and friendship shown without reservations. On Monday, one year after the Hamas attacks against the State of Israel, the Romanian government reiterated its firm condemnation, as well as the appeals for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages still held captive by the terrorist organization.

     

    Law – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Tuesday passed a bill stipulating that causing or facilitating prostitution or obtaining a profit from prostitution by minors is punishable with 7 to 15 years in prison or 10 to 20 in case of persons with previous convictions for crimes against sexual freedom and integrity, child pornography, people trafficking, child trafficking and pimping. The bill amends and supplements the Criminal Code in respect of the criminalization of people trafficking and pimping. The crime of exploitation will also include obliging a person to commit acts covered by criminal law.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian-Spanish pair Monica Niculescu/Cristina Bucşa qualified, on Tuesday, in the round of 16 of the doubles of the WTA 1,000 tennis tournament in Wuhan (China), which has total prizes worth over 3.2 million dollars. The two athletes defeated the pair Demi Schuurs (Netherlands)/Luisa Stefani (Brazil) 6-0, 3-6, 10-4. Niculescu and her partner born in Chişinău, in the Republic of Moldova, champions this year in Strasbourg, will play, in the round of 16, against the pair Ana Danilina (Kazakhstan)/Irina Hromaceva (Russia).

     

    Nobel – John Hopfield, from the United States, and Canadian Geoffrey Hinton won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in the field of machine learning using artificial neural networks. According to a press release from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, “This technology was originally inspired by the structure of the brain. In an artificial neural network, the brain’s neurons are represented by nodes that have different values. These nodes influence each other through connections that can be likened to synapses and which can be made stronger or weaker. The network is trained, for example by developing stronger connections between nodes with simultaneously high values.”

     

    Heritage – Top heritage experts and European and Romanian high-ranking officials gathered in Bucharest to discuss public policy priorities for the protection of cultural heritage at EU level as part of the European Cultural Heritage Summit held between the 6th and the 8th of October. The event was organized by the Europa Nostra network under the patronage of the Romanian president and with the support of the European Commission, the Ministry of Culture and Bucharest City Hall. Researchers, decision makers, artists, historians and leading figures from civil society and the community of European heritage met on Tuesday for an event entitled “European Heritage Policy Agora – Upholding Quality Principles in Heritage Conservation”. Talks focused on the concept of quality in the restoration and preservation of cultural heritage, as well as the priorities for the future agenda of the European Commission. The participants analyzed the links between the EU’s major policies, such as the Green Deal and New European Bauhaus, and the key documents on the preservation of heritage, such as the European Quality Principles and the Davos Baukultur Quality System.

  • September 17, 2024

    September 17, 2024

    EUROPEAN COMMISSION The EC president Ursula von der Leyen today unveiled the new college of commissioners. Romania’s nominee for one of the 27 European Commissioner posts, the former minister for EU funding and incumbent MEP Roxana Mînzatu, was appointed Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness and will also be the new Commissioner for Skills, Education, Quality Jobs and Social Rights. The team proposed by Ursula von der Leyen will next be interviewed by the European Parliament. Given the length of the procedures, the new commission might begin their term in office later than scheduled, possibly as late as December.

     

     

    FLOODS The government of Romania approved direct financial aid for the victims of the recent floods in the east of the country, which left 7 people dead and nearly 6,500 homes damaged. Hydrologists warn that the risk of flash floods is not over, and have issued code red, orange and yellow alerts for the counties already affected by heavy rainfalls and floods. People are still accommodated in the temporary sites arranged by the local authorities, and interior ministry personnel are helped by emergency inspectorate staff from other counties, who have brought over intervention vehicles and large capacity pumps to take out the water and mud from the flooded houses. Meanwhile, water and food supplies are being distributed to the victims, both from the state reserve and from private citizens and companies that have donated clothes, footwear, blankets and mattresses. The Red Cross also dispatched trucks with water and food to the area.

     

     

    LAW The Constitutional Court of Romania is to review today, after several postponements, a notification lodged by the High Court of Cassation and Justice with respect to the so-called Fugitives Act. The law endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies in November 2023 stipulates that citizens subject to a final court sentence who fail to turn themselves in within 7 days to be incarcerated are to be declared fugitives and receive a further 6 month to 3 year sentence. The supreme court believes the law comes against the right to fair trial and individual freedom. Sorin Oprescu, a former mayor of Bucharest, and Alina Bica, a former chief of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences, are some of the high-profile officials who managed to leave the country in order to escape a prison sentence. Italy and Greece are the countries preferred by the fugitives.

     

     

    CLIMATE Romania plans to be carbon neutral by 2045, as opposed to its previous target, 2050, according to a new version of the National Integrated Plan on Energy and Climate Change. Bucharest also intends to cover 38% of the country’s total energy demand from renewable sources by 2030. The energy ministry announced on Tuesday additional policies and measures to increase the share of renewable energy, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions substantially and to implement innovating solutions in all economic sectors. The revised plan includes measures to cut emissions in essential sectors such as energy, transport, housing and industry, and aims to implement advanced technologies such as the use of renewable hydrogen.

     

     

    ENESCU The 19th edition of the “George Enescu” International Classical Music Competition takes place in Bucharest until September 27, under the high patronage of the Romanian Presidency. Enrolled in this year’s competition are a record 667 musicians aged 13 to 35. The “George Enescu” International Competition, initiated in 1958, is one of the most important events of this kind in the world, providing a platform for rising musicians to prove their skills. Over the years, the competition has consolidated Romania’s standing in the global cultural arena, and is the only competition in the country affiliated to the World Federation of International Music Competitions. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation is one of the co-producers of the event.

     

     

    FESTIVAL The 12th edition of Bucharest Music Film Festival continues until September 22nd. The event has been redesigned to include concerts in a variety of music genres, from classical to jazz, film music and pop fusion, and it brings together hundreds of celebrated artists and orchestras. The festival is organised by the Bucharest City Hall’s cultural centre ARCUB, and is part of the Days of Bucharest series that marks 565 years since Bucharest was first mentioned in official documents. (AMP)

  • August 5, 2024 UPDATE

    August 5, 2024 UPDATE

    Harassment – The Government is this week expected to amend the legislation on sexual abuse, which currently disallows anonymous complaints. Authorities will adopt measures to protect the victims, regardless of the aggressor’s identity. The measures come in response to several reports of sexual harassment in universities. Education Minister Ligia Deca explained the police will quickly register reports of sexual abuse, and the new measures will apply to the entire public sector, including regulations regarding internal inquiries. We recall that, in the last week, a number of former female students presented allegations of sexual harassment against three university professors. The Police have launched a number of investigations. Professor Alfred Bulai of the National School of Political Science and Public Administration (SNSPA) was sacked from the position of chair of the Sociology Department, while Dorin Ștefan Adam from the University of Architecture in Bucharest and Marius Pieleanu of SNSPA have resigned.

     

    Energy – The Romanian Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, signed, on Monday, together with the Minister of Mines and Energy from neighboring Serbia, Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic, a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Gas Interconnector Construction Project between the two countries. The Romanian official stated that the interconnector will play an essential role in energy security and in the regional integration of energy markets. According to him, on the territory of Romania, the natural gas transport pipeline will connect to the BRUA pipeline and will have a length of about 86 km. It is estimated that the investment will be completed by 2028. Burduja also showed that, in the first quarter of this year, Romania provided almost 30% of the gas production of the entire European Union and has all the chances to become an energy hub in the market.

     

    Middle East – Romanian citizens must leave Lebanon quickly by the flights still available. It is the firm recommendation sent by the Romanian Foreign Ministry, in the context of an increased risk of escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The Ministry also recommends Romanians who are in Lebanon to register their presence at the Embassy in Beirut. On the other hand, the Romanian national airline TAROM announced that it is suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut, starting from Tuesday until August 12, following the current developments and the deterioration of the security context in the Middle East.

     

    Drought – The filling rate in Romania’s 40 reservoirs is almost 79%, slightly downwards compared to last week. The National Administration of Romanian Waters states that the necessary raw water is provided for supply in a centralized manner, but draws attention to the fact that in 421 localities, from 17 counties, which have centralized supply systems, water is supplied with restrictions. In 270 localities, from 10 counties, where there are no water networks, the wells have dried up. Considering the forecast for the next period, specialists continue to call for the rational use of water during the drought.

     

    Cars – The number of electric cars in the EU registered a significant increase last year, of 50%, but their share in the community car fleet remains low. Compared to the total stock of cars in the Union, electric cars account for only 1.7%. Denmark has the best percentage, 7.1 % of the total car fleet. Sweden, Luxembourg and the Netherlands follow, the last with five percentage points. Romania has approximately 0.5% and ranks 20th in the EU. The lowest percentages are reported by Cyprus, Greece and Poland, each with 0.2%.

     

    Beer – Beer sales on the Romanian market increased by over 40%, compared to previous years. According to the survey of a food product delivery company, Romanians order the largest amounts of beer on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and the most requested assortment of beer is blonde beer, followed by dark. This year, the largest quantity was requested on June 22, during the European Football Championship, when the Romania – Belgium match took place. In a list of the cities with the most beer orders at national level, the capital Bucharest is in first place, followed by Cluj (north-west) and Braşov (center). (LS)

  • A new Forestry Code in Romania

    A new Forestry Code in Romania

    On the very International Day of Forests, the Romanian government approved a new Forestry Code, developed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. “It is a balanced Forestry Code, which came to life following an extensive, serious and well-argued dialogue with all the actors in the forestry field”, said the Minister of the Environment, Mircea Fechet. The coming into force of this law is intended to rationalize the legal framework, to combat illegal logging and improve forest management. The document also provides for the establishment of the National Forestry Council, which will bring together all the professional organizations in this field, and the forest owners will be registered in a national forest register.

     

    At the same time, one of the most important provisions prohibits clear-cutting in almost half of the country’s forest area. Until now, clear-cutting was prohibited only in National Parks. Also, the ban will be extended in the Natural Parks. The new Forestry Code will allow the state to reforest those lands that have been deforested and abandoned by the owners, and the Environment Minister, Mircea Fechet, said that there are many such cases. He also mentioned that this bill establishes the legal framework for the digitized fight against illegal forest logging, using satellite images and smart cameras. At the same time, the new Forestry Code entitles forest owners, be they state institutions or private entities or individuals, to alternative security solutions: from specialized structures to security ensured by own means and based on regulations, specifying that forest security is mandatory by law.

     

    Also, the bill establishes the communities dependent on the forest products and prioritizes them in relation to access to forest resources and introduces the phrase “agroforestry use” which means that pastures and agricultural crops will be able to be integrated with trees and shrubs. The bill also establishes the setting up of the National Forestry Council, which monitors and ensures that the forestry personnel operate in conditions of professional ethics, with the observance of professional standards. Ecosystems with high conservation value are defined and the National Catalog of ecosystems with high conservation value – strictly protected – is established. According to another provision, a new concept is introduced, the so-called “aging islands”, which become the mechanism through which forest areas covering at least 0.1 ha, with a great role in maintaining biodiversity, will be protected from cutting. Last but not least, another provision regulates access on foot or by bicycle to the lands of the National Forestry Authority. The new Forestry Code was sent by the government to Parliament, which will analyze and approve it in the form of a law that will replace the old code dating from 2008. (LS)

  • E-cigarettes no longer sold to minors in Romania

    E-cigarettes no longer sold to minors in Romania

    After last week’s ban on the sale of energy drinks to minors in Romania, now it is time for the e-cigarettes to be included in the same category of banned products. The law banning the sale of such products to minors has been endorsed by the decision-making Chamber of Deputies.

    The Romanian MPs have endorsed a bill banning the sale of vapes to young people under 18. This category of banned products also includes the tobacco heating devices and oral nicotine products.

    Any violation of the new law will be sanctioned with high fines in accordance with the crime gravity, including the sale of the aforementioned banned products via the vending machines, easyboxes or couriers.

    Customers will have to produce an ID in shops or when they get their online orders. At the same time, students are not allowed to use the aforementioned products in schools or other education units. At the same time, schools will have to introduce in their regulations, coercive measures in order to make students comply with the law banning the sale, ownership or use of tobacco-based products, e-cigarettes and tobacco-heating devices on school premises.

    The definition of the e-cigarette and its refills has been taken over from the European legislation. Several amendments, initially rejected by the specialized committees, have also been endorsed during the latest debates housed by the Chamber of Deputies.

    Most of these belong to the Chamber’s interim president Social-Democrat Alfred Simonis, who has also initiated the aforementioned bill.

    Alfred Simonis: “Children will no longer be able to buy such electronic cigarettes. Neither will they be able to buy those nicotine pouches. These products will no longer be available in vending machines at that, while fines will be up to 20 thousand Euros for any shop that sells these things to minors.”

    The opposition USR and AUR have also endorsed the bill, but added that banning advertisements to these products is equally important. Here is the USR MP, Emanuel Ungureanu.

    Emanuel Ungureanu: “Publicity – banning advertisements to these products is the key, as in this way you sanction the sellers as well. You thus stop the spreading of fake news even to committees – that these products are less toxic than traditional smoking. Being exposed to commercials for these products is the most toxic thing, which you cannot prevent only through banning the products.”

    Scientific research shows that the use of this type of products entails a series of health risks.

    (bill)

     

  • February 27, 2024 UPDATE

    February 27, 2024 UPDATE

    Paris – The participants in the Paris Conference in support of Ukraine, organized at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, reiterated their unity and determination to continue supporting the war effort of the Ukrainian army. President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a recorded message, in which he thanked the French president for the initiative and the leaders present for the help given to his country so far and for their future involvement. President Macron stated that the defeat of Russia is indispensable to guarantee the security and stability of the European continent. The leaders present agreed on the formation of a coalition to provide Kyiv with medium and long range missiles and bombs, necessary for defense purposes. Attending the meeting, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed President Macron’s approach and emphasized that the unity and solidarity of the international community in support of Ukraine are essential and must be maintained. Iohannis said that Romania would continue to support Ukraine on all levels, as long as it is needed.

     

    Law – The Romanian deputies adopted, on Tuesday, the draft law that prohibits the sale to minors of electronic cigarettes, of devices for heating tobacco, and nicotine sachets for oral use. According to the new provisions, those who violate the law will pay fines of up to 100 thousand lei (20 thousand Euros). The bill also provides that the sanctions for pupils who use these products in educational institutions will be established by the Education Ministry. Also on Tuesday, the Chamber of Deputies adopted the legal framework for the establishment of detention and education centers for minors, in all eight development regions of the country. Sections specialized in the treatment and social reintegration of young people addicted to psychoactive substances will also operate for the first time within these units. In recent years, there has been an increase in juvenile delinquency in Romania.

     

    Protests – Airport workers on Tuesday picketed the Finance Ministry in Bucharest, to denounce what they consider to be wage discrimination against other state companies. Qualified aviation personnel are not easy to find and cannot be trained from one day to the next, and Romania is already struggling with a shortage of specialized labor force, according to the aviation trade union. The union calls for the elimination of criteria based on salary ceilings, because they are discriminatory and discourage professionalism. On the other hand, taxi drivers continue their protest that started on Monday in the center of Bucharest. They claim that the alternative transport platforms give them unfair competition and ask the government to issue an emergency ordinance so that they comply with the same rules. Taxi drivers request the limitation of the number of authorizations for alternative transport and similar rates for the mandatory civil liability insurance policy for motor vehicles.

     

    NATO – NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, and the leaders of the member countries welcomed the ratification, with an overwhelming majority of votes, in the Hungarian Parliament, of Sweden’s accession to NATO, the final stage that precedes the reception of the last Scandinavian country in the North Atlantic Alliance. With Sweden within NATO, we will strengthen the defense and deterrence posture on the eastern flank and we will continue the strong support for Ukraine, said, in turn, Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis.

     

    Nature restoration – The European Parliament adopted a new nature law on Tuesday, which stipulates that, by 2030, the Union must implement restoration measures for at least 20% of land and sea surfaces and for all ecosystems by 2050. At the moment, over 80% of European habitats are in a precarious state. In order to improve biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems, EU countries will have to make progress on certain indicators, including the grassland butterfly index and the stock of organic carbon in cropland mineral soils. Measures to increase the common farmland bird index must also be taken as birds are good indicators of the overall state of biodiversity. At the same time, measures must be taken to increase the index of common birds specific to agricultural land. The law requires, among other things, progress in relation to several indicators for forest ecosystems and requires three billion more trees to be planted. (LS)

  • December 29, 2023 UPDATE

    December 29, 2023 UPDATE

    BUDGET President
    Klaus Iohannis Friday promulgated the state budget law and the social security budget
    law for the year 2024. Next year, Romania’s budget will be focused on
    investments of about 7% of the GDP, as well as on an economic growth rate of
    3.4%, while the budget deficit is estimated at 5% of the GDP. The government
    passed the bills on December 15, and the budgets were endorsed five days later
    by the joined chambers of the Romanian Parliament.


    PARLIAMENT Romania’s Senate Friday dismissed 3 bills
    tabled by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania regarding the autonomy of the Szeklers Land, a
    region in the centre of the country. The
    initiatives were rejected by the Chamber of Deputies on Thursday. At the
    plenary talks, the MPs from all the other parties stressed that the bills came against
    several articles in the Constitution and harmed the rule of law, while the
    initiators argued the opposite, saying that territorial autonomy worked in a
    number European states. The bills provided for the Covasna and Harghita
    counties and a part of Mureş county becoming autonomous, as part of a region
    with legal personality. In that presumed autonomous entity, the Hungarian
    language would have had the same status as the official language of the
    Romanian state. The land would also have its own president, elected for a
    four-year term by universal ballot. The so-called Szeklers Land, the only area
    in Romania where the Hungarian population is the majority, benefited from
    autonomy between 1952 and 1968. According to historians, this was an experiment
    in Soviet-occupied Romania imposed on Bucharest by the Kremlin dictator Joseph
    Stalin, at the insistence of the communist leaders in Budapest. The ethnic
    Hungarian population in Romania has been represented, without interruption, in
    the Parliament of post-communist Romania since 1990 until today, by the
    Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians. Since 1996, the UDMR has been part of
    numerous coalition governments in Bucharest, whether right-wing or left-wing.


    EDUCATION The Romanian government Friday passed the 2024 – 2027
    National Strategy on Adult Education, aimed at enhancing citizen participation
    in life-long learning programmes and at improving the quality of adult
    education and training. The targeted participation rate by the end of 2027 is
    12%, as against 5.9% at present. The EU average life-long learning
    participation rate is 11.9%. The low level of participation in lifelong
    learning schemes has led to persisting lack of skills, which prevents economic
    development and hinders Romania’s adjustment to a fast-changing labour market
    in the digital era, the government said in a news release.


    TIMIŞOARA The activities carried out part of the ‘Timişoara – European Capital
    of Culture 2023’ programme, including the Constantin Brâncuşi exhibition,
    received the most votes (29%) to receive the title of ‘event of the year 2023
    in Romania’, in a survey carried out by the Romanian Institute for Evaluation
    and Strategy (IRES). According to the poll, the second event that marked
    Romania in 2023 was the qualification of the national football team to the
    final tournament of the European Championship – UEFA EURO 2024, which will take
    place next summer in Germany (24% of responses). Regarding culture and free
    time, 58% of the survey respondents said that they read at least one book in
    2023, and 41% that they also bought books, 36% went to a show, and 20% went to
    a stadium or attended a sports competition. More than three quarters of the
    survey participants (76%) stated that they went to church this year.


    POLICE Close to 24,000 interior ministry staff will be on
    duty during the 4-day New Year’s holiday, while road traffic will be monitored
    by 360 radar speed guns and DUI check teams. Meanwhile, the authorities announced
    having seized over 100 tonnes of fireworks kits and opening more than 500 criminal
    investigations in this respect, and have once again called on parents not to
    buy firecrackers for their children as such materials may be extremely
    dangerous.

    HANDBALL The men’s national handball team of Romania Friday won the
    Carpaţi Trophy international handball tournament, organised in Pitesti,
    southern Romania, after defeating Georgia 31-25 in the final. For Romania, trained by the famous Spanish
    coach Xavi Pascual, this was the last test before the European Championship -
    EHF EURO 2024 to be held in Germany, between January 10 and 28, 2024. The
    Romanians will play in Group B, alongside Spain, Austria and Croatia. The first
    two ranked teams will qualify for the so-called main groups. A 4-times world
    champion in the 1960s-70s, Romania had not qualified for a European
    Championship since 1996. (AMP)

  • November 21, 2023

    November 21, 2023


    VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis today starts an official visit to Senegal, the last stage of his African tour. The agenda includes, among other things, a visit to the Senegalese association for the protection of children with mental disabilities, based in Dakar, a visit to the UNESCO Heritage-listed island of Gorée on Wednesday, and official talks with Senegals president Macky Sall on Thursday. President Iohannis African tour also included visits to Kenya, Tanzania and Cabo Verde.



    BUDGET The leaders of the Social Democratic Party and of the National Liberal Party in Romanias ruling coalition are holding talks today on the 2024 state budget law, which should be endorsed by December 10. According to government sources, the PM Marcel Ciolacu intends to adjust the method of earmarking ministry budgets, with appropriations granted based on programmes and projects. The participants will also discuss the replacement of the directors of agencies subordinated to the finance ministry, except for the Fiscal Administration Agency, and the reorganisation of these agencies in order to improve their operation. Also today, a meeting is scheduled between government officials, trade unions and employers associations. The head of the Romanian SME Association, Florin Jianu, says unions are expected to demand an increase of minimum wages as of January 1, 2024, but he says the business environment is unable to cope with a new increase after the one operated in October.



    ISRAEL The Senate and Chamber of Deputies are holding a secret meeting today, focusing on recent developments and the situation in Israel. The joint meeting was suggested by the MP representing the Jewish community in Romania, Silviu Vexler. Journalists are denied access to the meeting, and audio and video recording or live posts are prohibited.



    FAIR The Gaudeamus International Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania, begins in Bucharest on Wednesday. The event marks 95 years since the first broadcast of Radio Romania, 30 editions of the Gaudeamus Book Fair in Bucharest and over 140 national and local editions. Some 200 participants will organise more than 500 events as part of this years fair, which will come to an end on November 26. (AMP)


  • November 16, 2023

    November 16, 2023

    VISIT President Klaus Iohannis today concludes his 3-day visit to
    Kenya, in an African tour that is taking him next to Tanzania. In Nairobi, the
    Romanian official will visit an all-girls school to inaugurate a donation by
    Romania under its development assistance programme. In fact, consolidating
    Romania’s profile as a provider of education and training to African countries
    is one of the goals of the African tour undertaken by president Iohannis. On
    Wednesday, in Kenya, Mr. Iohannis had talks with his Kenyan counterpart William
    Ruto, on which occasion four agreements were signed in the fields of environmental
    protection and climate change, scientific cooperation, food safety and
    diplomatic training. The tour, which also includes the Republic of Cabo Verde and
    Senegal, is the first political and diplomatic initiative at this level in the
    past 30 years, and aims to re-launch Romania’s relations with the countries on
    the African continent.


    PROTEST Around 2,000 people gathered this morning in
    front of the government’s headquarters in Bucharest, in a national protest
    against the public pension system and the recent law on tax-related measures. The
    rally organised by the Meridian National Trade Union Confederation, brought
    together representatives of various public sector staff, from local police to
    civil servants or forestry and agriculture workers around the country. The main
    source of discontent is the bill on public pensions, passed by the Cabinet on November
    9, which according to trade unionists writes off some retirement rights currently
    enjoyed by several personnel categories. On Wednesday employees of Romanian
    public pensions agencies, healthcare agencies and employment agencies temporarily
    suspended work and took to the streets. Healthcare Ministry staff and
    pharmacists are also disgruntled and demand solutions from the government.


    ECONOMY
    Romania will conclude the year with a 2.2% economic growth rate, as against 4.6%
    in 2022, the European Commission’s autumn forecast indicates. Growth estimates
    have been lowered for the entire European bloc. In Romania, the causes include an
    inflation rate above the EU average, low foreign demand and limited financing
    options. The GDP growth rate is expected to reach 3.1% in 2024 and 3.4% in 2025,
    which the 2023 public deficit is put at 6.3% of GDP, instead of the 5.7%
    estimated by the Romanian government. Romania is already subject to an
    excessive deficit procedure and it must narrow the gap between public spending
    and revenues, so as not to lose EU funding.


    CONFERENCE European and Asian media professionals are taking part in
    the Media and Culture Days conference, organised by Radio Romania at the Carol
    I Central University Library in Bucharest. The conference focuses on the key
    role played by public mass media in promoting high-quality cultural content and
    in supporting diversity and inclusion, with special emphasis on local and
    regional communities. At the reception held on Wednesday night at Elisabeta
    Palace, H.R.H. Prince Radu emphasised the historical ties between the Royal
    Family and Radio Romania, two institutions in which Romanians still have
    considerable confidence.



    ISRAEL The UN Security Council has adopted a
    resolution calling for humanitarian pauses in Gaza, AFP reports. The
    resolution, drawn up by Malta and endorsed with 12 members voting in favour,
    none against and three abstentions (Russia, United Kingdom, United States) also
    calls for urgent and extended humanitarian corridors in Gaza for a
    sufficient number of days to allow aid for the civilians there, as well as for
    the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and
    other groups, especially children. Both Israel and the Palestinian side
    criticised the resolution. The observer for Palestine, Riyad Mansour, said the
    UN should have called for ceasefire instead of only pauses, while the Israeli
    Ambassador Gilad Erdan condemned the resolution as meaningless. On site, Israeli
    fighter jets hit the home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, the Israeli
    army announced today. Haniyeh’s house was used as terrorist infrastructure and
    often served as a meeting point for Hamas’ senior leaders to direct terror
    attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF (Israel Defence Forces)
    soldiers, the Israeli military said. (AMP)

  • November 15, 2023 UPDATE

    November 15, 2023 UPDATE

    ECONOMY Romania will
    see its economic growth slowing down because of the high inflation, according
    to the European Commission’s autumn economic forecast. Romania’s GDP growth has
    been adjusted to 2.2%, as against 4.6% last year, because of an inflation rate
    above the EU average, of the low foreign demand and limited financing options. The
    inflation rate is expected to drop in the next 2 years, restoring the overall economic
    balance. In spite of the moderate economic growth at year end, the labour
    market remains stable. However, significant increases in salaries and pensions
    and the slight increase in governmental spending support a general rise in
    private consumption, although retail and services are on a downward trend and
    the industrial output is decreasing. On the other hand, tighter monetary policy
    and financing conditions have led to a significant slow-down in private sector
    loans, with a negative impact on investments. Romania’s real GDP growth rate is
    expected to reach 3.1% in 2024 and 3.4% in 2025, while the public deficit is
    predicted to stand at 6.3% of GDP this year, 5.3% in 2024 and 5.1% in 2025, as
    a result of the fiscal consolidation measures to be implemented as of January.


    PENSIONS The new pensions law drafted by the government will next
    Monday be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making
    body for this piece of legislation, having already been passed by the Senate on
    Tuesday. The parliamentary majority formed by the Social Democrats and the
    Liberals says the law eliminates the inequalities in the system, while the
    opposition condemns the lack of funding sources to sustain the considerable
    pensions increases planned for next year. The new pensions law favours current
    pensioners and penalises those who are still working, the head of the National
    Trade Union Bloc Dumitru Costin said on Wednesday, after analysing the document.
    Costin also warns that the financial impact will be huge, and the extent to
    which it can be covered is unknown.


    PRESIDENT The
    president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Tuesday began his African tour with an
    official visit to Kenya. The tour, which also includes Tanzania, the Republic
    of Cabo Verde and Senegal, is the first political and diplomatic initiative at
    this level in the past 30 years, and aims to re-launch Romania’s relations with
    the countries on the African continent. At a joint press conference on Tuesday,
    president Iohannis emphasised the need for Romania to have its own medium and
    long term strategy for Africa based on concrete collaboration at government
    level, while Kenya’s president William Ruto spoke about the effects of the war
    in Ukraine for the African continent. Four agreements were signed in the fields
    of environmental protection and climate change, scientific cooperation, food
    safety and diplomatic training. On Wednesday, president Iohannis had a meeting
    with Kenya’s secretary for tourism and wildlife, Alfred Nganga Mutua, as part
    of a visit to the Nairobi National Park.


    REPATRIATION The
    foreign ministry in Bucharest said another 17 Romanian nationals and family
    members left the Gaza Strip via the Rafah checkpoint and are on Egyptian territory, waiting to be
    repatriated. The foreign ministry noted the evacuation was the result of
    complex efforts from an inter-institutional crisis cell, the Romanian embassy
    in Cairo and Romania’s Representation in Ramallah. 220 Romanian citizens and
    family members who have been evacuated from Gaza have arrived in Romania.


    AGEING Romania is one of the top 10 countries in the world in terms
    of population ageing rate, which is likely to put tremendous pressure on the
    country’s entire economic system, particularly on its healthcare and pension systems.
    The statement was made on Wednesday at the opening of a specialised congress in
    Bucharest. Sociological research indicates that 55% of the elderly people in
    Romania feel lonely, more than 30% of them only interact with 3-4 people every
    month, and 3 in 10 elderly people have no one to rely on in if necessary.



    MILITARY
    The Romanian Army Wednesday tested the operation of the Patriot surface-to-air missile
    system acquired by the Romanian Air Forces in 2020. The test was part of the PATRIOT
    SPARK 23 tactical exercise held these days at the Capu Midia shooting range in
    the south-east of the country. The Patriot system purchased by Romania is a
    state-of-the-art one, able to identify, track and neutralise any type of air
    threat. Attending the event were the PM Marcel Ciolacu, the Senate Speaker and
    former PM Nicolae Ciucă, and the defence minister Angel Tîlvăr. The Romanian
    Air Forces have so far acquired 3 other Patriot systems, which will be
    operational by the end of next year. Another 3 systems will be delivered to
    Romania under a USD 4 bln agreement. (AMP)

  • Pensions and social assistance, reviewed in Parliament

    Pensions and social assistance, reviewed in Parliament


    A new pensions law will be discussed and voted on this week in the 2 chambers of Romanias Parliament. The document was recently passed by the government, after heated talks between the Liberals and the Social Democrats concerning the impact of the new legislation on the budget in the years to come.



    The bill provides for two pension increases, one on January 1 and the other one on September 1, next year.



    The law is stable and sustainable, based on respect for lifetime contributions and for work, and the new rules for calculating pension benefits will lead to cancelling current inequities, the labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu says:



    Simona Bucura-Oprescu: “The new calculation method will lead to major changes. First of all, there will no longer be inequities between Romanians who have done the same work, but retired at different moments. Secondly, we reduce the inequities between men and women. And thirdly, an important injustice that will be tackled is the one concerning the social minimum allowance.”



    The government would like the bill rushed through Parliament by November 20, and taking effect on January 1, 2024. The labour and social solidarity minister, Simona Bucura-Oprescu:



    Simona Bucura-Oprescu: “We want it finalised by November 20, so as to meet the deadline agreed on with the committee renegotiating the National Recovery and Resilience Plan; the renegotiation concerns, among other things, the 9.4% GDP impact parameter, which would have led to freezing Romanians pension benefits until 2070.”



    AUR party in opposition argues that the new legislation benefits people with big pensions. Marius Lulea, AUR senior vice-president:



    Marius Lulea: “Romania needs fair pensions, it needs to raise the benefits for the underprivileged categories, but the reform they are aiming at is not a reform that addresses inequities, but rather one that makes poor Romanians even poorer and the rich, the ones who already have privileges, even richer”.



    Another legislative package, on the reform of the social assistance system, adopted last week by the Cabinet, has also reached Parliament. The new law will no longer allow the operation of a social assistance centre before on-site inspections, and reduces the duration of provisional permits from one year to 3 months for centres with accommodation facilities and to 6 months for those without accommodation. The new legislation also introduces unannounced inspections, and in case violations are found, the permit will be suspended a lot more quickly.



    According to the labour ministry, fines are also increased up to 5 times, to EUR 20,000, in case of abuse. The new provisions come after serious irregularities were uncovered this year following inspections in senior centres in Ilfov County, near Bucharest. Subsequently, centres operating illegally and exploitation and abuse cases instead of specialised care were also identified in other parts of the country. (AMP)


  • November 1, 2023 UPDATE

    November 1, 2023 UPDATE

    TAXATION Some of the new fiscal measures aimed
    at reducing the budget deficit in Romania came into force on Wednesday. Under
    the law for which the Government has assumed responsibility in Parliament, personnel
    in the IT sector will pay an income tax for amounts exceeding EUR 2,000 per month. Local
    public institutions and authorities cannot use public funds for the organisation
    of community events, such as festivals, concerts, local competitions or other
    themed celebrations. Other fiscal measures, such as the introduction of new
    taxes for SMEs and the payment of health insurance contributions for the value
    of meal vouchers, will take effect on January 1, 2024. The measures run counter
    to many entrepreneurs’ interests. At a conference on this topic, organised by
    the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, the participants argued that in
    order to contain the budget deficit, top priority measures should include combating
    tax evasion, improving revenue collection and improving the work of the Tax
    Office. The President of the Chamber, Mihai Daraban, said that the government
    now has more options available before attacking the business community.




    PENSIONS In Romania, a draft pensions law has been posted for public
    review on the Labour Ministry’s website. The document was approved by the
    ruling coalition, and the government is seeking to have it endorsed under an
    emergency procedure by the end of this month. Under the new legislation, all
    pension benefits will be adjusted to the annual inflation rate, and will be
    re-calculated based on a new formula. No benefits will be lower than they are
    at present, the PM Marcel Ciolacu promised after a meeting of the ruling
    coalition. The minimum contribution period will be 15 years, and the maximum
    period 35 years, with bonuses given for workplace stability. According to the
    Prime Minister, pensions will be raised in 2 stages next year, on January 1 and
    on September 1, respectively.






    DONATION The first F16 fighter jets that the
    Netherlands will donate to Ukraine will arrive at a training center set up in
    Romania in two weeks, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced. He emphasised
    that the current situation in the Middle East should not and will not be able
    to distract the Netherlands from the fight of the Ukrainians against the
    Russian aggression. Denmark, Norway and Belgium have also announced that they
    will supply Ukraine with F16 aircraft.




    FOOTBALL The match between the national
    football teams of Israel and Romania, in the EURO 2024 Qualifying Group I, will
    take place in Hungary, the Romanian football federation announced. The game
    will be played on November 18, in Felcsut, approximately 50 kilometers from
    Budapest. UEFA stated that the presence of spectators will be
    allowed. Previously, the organisation had decided to suspend all matches scheduled
    in Israel, because of the armed conflict there. After the match against Israel,
    Romania is to meet Switzerland, on November 21, in Bucharest. After eight
    games, Romania is undefeated and ranks first in the group, with 16 points.
    Switzerland (15 points) and Israel (11 points) have played one match and two
    matches less, respectively. The two top-ranking teams go to the final
    tournament in Germany. Romania has not reached a European championship final
    tournament since 2016, and a World Cup since 1998.




    RADIO Radio Romania celebrated 95 years of uninterrupted broadcasting.
    In recognition of the critical role that Radio Romania has in Romania’s
    history, in December 2019 Parliament decided to establish November 1 as the
    National Radio Day. Over three million people listen to Radio Romania every
    day. Public institutions, NGOs, major personalities in Romania’s arts and
    cultural scene have congratulated Radio Romania on the occasion. PM Marcel Ciolacu pointed
    out that for 95 years, the public radio broadcaster has been a source of
    information and education for generations of listeners, while the Senate
    speaker Nicolae Ciucă said that Radio Romania has been promoting Romanian
    traditions and values for nearly a century and deserves recognition for its
    efforts in this respect. The president of the Romanian Academy Ioan-Aurel Pop
    also congratulated the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation, which, he said,
    has been a witness to all the milestones in Romanian history. In Timişoara,
    this year’s European Capital of Culture, the Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair takes
    place until November 5. On Friday, November 3, an anniversary concert of the
    National Radio Orchestra is scheduled, and between November 22 and 26, a new
    edition of the Gaudeamus Radio Romania Book Fair, the longest-running project
    of its kind in the country, will be organised at the Romexpo exhibition centre
    in Bucharest. (AMP)

  • New draft of the special pensions law, endorsed

    New draft of the special pensions law, endorsed

    The
    Social Democrats and the Liberals, holding a majority of seats in Romania’s
    Chamber of Deputies, managed to pass a new draft of the special pensions law, after
    adjusting it to meet the requirements of the Constitutional Court.


    The
    only provisions that were revised in the new draft concerned the pensions of
    magistrates, to bring the text in line with the requirements issued by the
    Constitutional Court judges, and compared to the draft endorsed by the Senate
    the Deputies only introduced technical amendments.


    The
    Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party basically rejected all
    the amendments tabled by the Opposition. USR, AUR and the Democratic Union of
    Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) criticised the bill, on grounds that it
    actually preserves the high, even indecent level of pension benefits paid to
    magistrates and other categories of public sector employees, and that it
    continues to overlook the rule that pension benefits should depend on the
    amount of contributions paid by a beneficiary to the public pension fund, as it
    happens with regular pensioners.


    Moreover,
    Save Romania Union (USR) claims that non-permanent bonuses have been introduced
    in calculations, to benefit party cronies, while UDMR mentions that its
    proposal to introduce heavy taxes on all incomes in excess of the president’s salary
    was dismissed.


    The
    Social Democrats reply that the bill complies with both the Constitutional
    Court decisions and with the requirements coming from the European Union,
    enabling Romania to access the EUR 2.8 bln earmarked for this chapter in the
    National Recovery and Resilience Plan.


    In
    turn, the Liberals claim the Opposition’s amendments were against the decisions
    issued by the Constitutional Court. While they admit that special pensions remain
    in place, they emphasise that the new bill does take into account, to some
    extent, the contributions paid during one’s working period and introduces a
    taxation threshold, so that pension benefits are reduced.


    Under
    the new law endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in
    this respect, magistrates may retire at the age of 60, with pension benefits
    accounting for 80% of the average monthly incomes, including bonuses, received
    during the 4 years before retirement.


    The
    law also allows judges, prosecutors, assistant magistrates with the supreme
    court and the Constitutional Court, as well as other judicial personnel, to
    retire as of next year if they have at least 25-year length of service and are
    aged at least 47 years and 4 months. The retirement age is then set to increase
    by 4 months per year, until it reaches 60.


    Also,
    pension benefits cannot exceed the net income in the last month of work, and
    the tax rate is to increase gradually up to 20%. (AMP)