Radio România Internațional

Tag: losses

  • Key Priorities of the EU’s Belgian presidency

    Key Priorities of the EU’s Belgian presidency

    Although partial, the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Europes border-free area, Schengen, is a good thing, Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, whose country is holding the EUs half-yearly presidency, has said. De Croo says that the two countries accessions with their air and maritime borders on March 31st, are major steps and he expects the next stages to follow soon (Quote): “I know both countries have made great efforts, steps forward to answer all the questions asked by so many countries concerning Schengen and wed like to really applaud all the efforts made. I think those partial steps made are a good sign and a first step, but I expect, if things go as planned, the next steps to follow.



    The consequences of an incomplete Schengen accession are significant from the economic point of view. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said in the autumn of 2023 that the prejudice would be at least 2 % of the GDP and the former minister of the Economy, Florin Spataru says that Romanias annual loss stays around 10 billion euros. The losses incurred by Romanias transport companies are huge, Romanian MEP Dan Nica has also said. He added the Romanian transporters are being humiliated because they have to spend hours and even days at border checkpoints and he believes these drivers must get compensations for the losses.



    Dan Nica:” We must find funds for this and made them available immediately so that transport companies and transporters get compensations for their huge losses. They have done nothing wrong and deserve compensations for the huge financial losses incurred.”



    Although Romania and Bulgarias complete Schengen accession is important for the Belgian presidency of the EU, others are its key priorities. In the context of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas and the growing tension in the Red Sea region, the EU focuses its attention onto the presidential election in the USA, a country that has played a key role in Europes security since the end of WWII.



    A day after the former US president, Donald Trump, consolidated its status as the Republicans favourite candidate for the November election, the Belgian Prime Minister says that Europe should not fear Trumps return to the White House, in spite of his America first promoted principle.



    Alexander De Croo believes the EU must embrace the prospect in order to put Europe on a more solid footing – stronger, more sovereign, more self-reliant.



    De Croo has pledged the EUs Belgian presidency will contribute to the protection of its citizens, strengthening the economy and preparing the common European future.


    (bill)

  • Romania and the Ukrainian agricultural products

    Romania and the Ukrainian agricultural products

    The Russian-Ukrainian war also creates controversy from the point of view of the agricultural products from the neighboring country. Due to the armed conflict that led to the blocking of some trading routes, Ukraine was forced to call for the help of European countries. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, as of February 2022 until now, Kiev has increased its exports through its three ports on the Danube up to 1.5 million tons of grains per month. The farmers from Romania as well as from other countries in Eastern Europe are affected by the cheap imports, stating that they are almost on the verge of bankruptcy, as they cannot face this competition. Romanian farmers, who have recently staged protests, accuse that their losses amount to more than 200 million Euros due to grain imports from Ukraine, which are cheaper by about 100 Euros per ton. In a letter addressed to the European Commission, five countries, namely Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, requested additional support for farmers affected by the cheap Ukrainian agricultural products, as well as the reintroduction of customs duties on agricultural products from Ukraine.



    Subsequently, four of them, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia, announced the suspension of imports of cereals and other agricultural products from that country. Romania is the only country neighboring Ukraine that still allows the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. However, the Romanian authorities have started to control the quality of cereals entering the country, to seal and monitor the shipments in transit. The Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă said that Bucharest did not decide to block imports of agricultural products from Ukraine because, when adopting measures in the current context, we should take into account the entire set of consequences that these measures produce.



    In his turn, the Romanian Agriculture Minister, Petre Daea, met, last week, with his Ukrainian counterpart, Mikola Solski, with whom he agreed to keep in touch, weekly, in relation to the amounts of cereals that are to leave Ukraine, in an attempt to limit imports. Petre Daea insisted that it is important that any decision regarding the restriction of Ukrainian imports be made by common agreement with Brussels and not unilaterally, as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria did. “These decisions had to be lifted so that the Commission could intervene to establish the rules to protect our farmers, and we have also shown solidarity with the farmers from other countries,” minister Daea added. The European Commission has announced that it will provide farmers in Central and Eastern Europe, affected by the inflow of cheap agricultural products from Ukraine, with an additional aid of 100 million Euros. The possibility of banning the import of certain categories of products from Ukraine was also mentioned. (LS)


  • December 16, 2022

    December 16, 2022

    SCHENGEN
    The losses incurred by Romania for the rejection of its Schengen accession bid
    are over EUR 25 bln, says the Romanian interior minister Lucian Bode. For 11 years
    we have been securing Schengen’s border, investing in human resources,
    capabilities and modern technologies. The losses incurred by Romania during all
    this time, since it has fulfilled the criteria but has not benefited from the
    related rights, are immeasurable, Mr. Bode said at a meeting of EU gendarme
    chiefs. The topic of Romania’s Schengen accession and of the negative vote
    given by Austria in the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting last week was
    also raised by president Klaus Iohannis at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.
    Senior European officials conveyed a message of support for Romania’s and
    Bulgaria’s Schengen accession. The EC president Ursula von der Leyen and the
    Council president Charles Michel said further discussions would be held on this
    topic and progress was expected in the following months.


    FUNDING The
    Romanian ministry for EU funding and investments has submitted to the EC the
    second payment request, amounting to EUR 3.228 bln, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The 3rd payment request, amounting to EUR 3.1 bln, is to be submitted
    to the Commission next spring. Romania benefits from over EUR 29 bln for the
    implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, including grants
    of up to EUR 14.24 bln and loans of nearly EUR 15 bln. The country has already
    cashed in 2 pre-financing instalments totaling EUR 3.79 bln.


    EU The president of
    the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will attend in Bucharest on
    Saturday the signing of an agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan,
    Georgia, Romania and Hungary concerning the Strategic Partnership in the
    development and transport of green energy. The agreement will be signed by the
    president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the PM of Georgia
    Irakli Garibashvili, the PM of Romania Nicolae Ciucă, and the PM of Hungary
    Viktor Orban. According to the Romanian Presidency, the document is based on
    the interests of the 4 states concerning a strengthened national and regional
    energy security. The agreement will provide a financial and technical framework
    for the construction of an underwater renewable energy transport cable between
    Romania and Azerbaijan, via Georgia and the Black Sea, and further on for the
    transport of this energy to Hungary and the rest of Europe.

    INFLATION The EU
    annual inflation rate dropped from 11.5% in October to 11.1% in November, but in
    8 member countries the rate rose from one month to the other, including in
    Romania, where it went from 13.5% to 14.6%, Eurostat announced on Friday. In November,
    the EU member states with the highest inflation rates were Hungary, Latvia, Estonia
    and Lithuania. At the opposite pole, the lowest inflation rates were reported
    in Spain, France and Malta.


    PROTEST Hundreds
    of employees in the Romanian public education system are today picketing
    prefect offices in several counties, primarily demanding the full
    implementation of a law concerning their incomes. Education unions say the net
    salaries for this category are up to EUR 440 and warn that 2023 will bring a
    new series of union actions unless the government solves the problems in this
    sector. The trade unions also criticise the government’s failure to pay for
    overtime and travel expenses and to adjust revenues to the inflation rate.


    TIMISOARA Romania
    commemorates today 33 years since the start of the anti-communist uprising in Timişoara,
    western Romania. The anniversary is marked by a traditional solemn meeting of
    the Local Council. The participants, including members of revolutionary
    associations, discuss the events of December ’89 and observe a moment of
    silence to honour those who died during those days. Exhibitions, film
    screenings, round tables, a concert entitled Folk for the Revolution as well
    marches are also organised on this occasion. 33 years ago, in Timişoara, a
    solidarity rally for the Reformed pastor Laszlo Tokes grew into an uprising
    that spread across the country and led to the fall of the communist regime.


    RESCUERS Romanian
    mountain rescuers were awarded in Paris at the International Rescuers Congress,
    attended by relevant institutions, associations and research institutes from
    over 60 countries in the world. Salvamont Romania was acknowledged as one of
    the best drone-assisted search and rescue services, and the distinction was
    received for the Data Analysis Centre in Târgu Jiu. The centre uses special software
    and drones for victim identification. (AMP)

  • Festivals postponed

    Festivals postponed

    Major festivals, which had become a tradition in Romania and used to be scheduled every summer, were officially cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic and of relevant restrictions.



    Untold was due to take place between July 31 and August 2 in Cluj-Napoca (north-west), while Neversea was scheduled for early July in Constanţa, on the Black Sea coast.



    According to organisers, the decision was made in the context of the uncertainties looming over the events industry and of the strict conditions under which people are allowed to meet. The Culture Ministry presenting Parliament with a bill banning events with more than 1,000 people in attendance until August 31, 2020, did not help either.



    It is with broken hearts, but also with the belief that this is the best decision for the health and safety of all Romanians, that we have decided to postpone this years Untold and Neversea for 2021, the organisers of the 2 festivals announced.



    Summer Well, held every summer for the past few years near Bucharest, was also rescheduled for next year, and so was Electric Castle, another festival due in Cluj in mid-July. This was a very difficult decision and we are aware of the disappointment and sadness it brings not only to our fans, but also to all those who make this festival possible every year, said the organisers. Also in Cluj, another landmark event, Jazz in the Park, was cancelled over the COVID-19 pandemic.



    Those who have purchased tickets for this years festivals may choose to use them for the forthcoming editions, or to get a refund, where possible.



    Starting on June 1, Romanian authorities allow concerts and other performances held outdoors, with a maximum of 500 people in attendance, seated 2m from each other and wearing protective face masks throughout the shows.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Compensations for the losses caused by swine fever

    Compensations for the losses caused by swine fever

    The African swine fever virus has been reported in over 200 localities in 12 Romanian counties. There are around 900 outbreaks, most of them in the south-east. The virus is also present in 3 counties in the north-west, where it was first confirmed a year ago. The disease cannot be cured and it requires the culling of all the animals in the affected households and farms. Hundreds of thousands of pigs have already been slaughtered. And although the disease cannot be transmitted to humans, its economic and social impact is already felt. In many small households, pig breeding is a means of subsistence. On the other hand, hundreds of people working for major farms and slaughterhouses have been fired. As a compensation measure, the Government decided that the workers laid out should receive, apart from the unemployment benefits, an amount of roughly 100 euros, tax-free, for maximum 6 months.



    The Government has in fact requested financial support from the European Commission to mitigate the impact that the African swine fever epidemic has on the Romanian agriculture. The European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, Thursday had talks in this respect with PM Viorica Dancila and the line minister Petre Daea. According to the data presented by Commissioner Hogan, three-quarters of the pigs raised in EU households are actually found in Romania. This is why Bucharest and Brussels are working together to see what must be done in terms of monitoring, detection and control services, Phil Hogan said.



    Halting production because of the swine fever control programme, triggers substantial economic losses, and Bucharest will apply for EU aid for the farms affected by the epidemic. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister Petre Daea announced that Romania and neighbouring Bulgaria, which is also affected by this epidemic, are considering the set up of a swine fever research centre. The institution will be designed to research the causes of the disease and to come up with solutions so as to successfully eradicate it at lower costs.



    On the other hand, the Romanian Intelligence Service said it had informed the relevant central and local authorities about the prospective emergence of the virus as far back as in June 2016. Since then and up until August this year, the Service has issued over 130 memos on this topic. The Romanian Intelligence Service has also warned against another virus that may appear in Romania, namely one that affects smaller ruminants. The revelations provide additional arguments to those who slammed the Government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for its handling of the African swine fever crisis, with President Iohannis and the right-of-centre Opposition among the fiercest critics.