Radio România Internațional

Tag: measures

  • January 25, 2025

    January 25, 2025

    RATING The financial rating agency Standard & Poor’s confirmed Romania’s ‘BBB minus’ rating, but revised the outlook from “stable” to “negative”. The reasons are related to high fiscal and external risks, the agency reports. According to S&P, the fragmented and uncertain political environment, as well as all the substantial spending ahead of the elections, pushed the fiscal deficit to almost 8.7% of GDP, far above expectations. The Romanian finance minister Tánczos Barna says the change in the outlook from stable to negative indicates that measures are needed to reduce the budget deficit, and that the country needs a balanced public budget and a streamlined government structure. He also said that the government’s measures to reduce the deficit and consolidate economic growth must be implemented at an alert pace, in the form already agreed on with the EU.

     

    PROTESTS The government of Romania is completely willing to find solutions to protect people’s spending power while at the same time preserving macro-economic balance, the prime minister’s office chief said after talks with representatives of the employees who protested in front of the Government headquarters. On Friday, thousands of civil servants, reserve officers, police staff, miners, foresters, steelworkers, Bucharest Metro employees and pensioners took part in a rally to protest a government order that froze salary increases for many public sector personnel at the beginning of this year, and suspended the cost-of-living adjustment of public pensions. A reorganisation of central public institutions and state-owned companies was also announced these days. According to PM Marcel Ciolacu, restructuring the public sector is a priority for the current governing coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.

     

    UKRAINE The president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is meeting today in Kyiv with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with PM Denys Shmykhal and with the Parliament Speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk. The main topics of the discussions are the connection of the infrastructure of the two states, trade, collaboration in the EU accession process, and regional security. An important topic on the agenda is the energy crisis caused by Russia, which has increased energy prices and left the citizens of Transnistria, a Russian-speaking breakaway region in the Republic of Moldova, without heat and electricity. The rest of Moldova is safe for the time being, thanks to electricity and gas imports from neighboring Romania.

     

    ELECTIONS The Liberals will convene on Sunday in a special National Council meeting to validate the former party president Crin Antonescu as the joint candidate of the ruling coalition in Romania. The Social Democrats scheduled a special congress on February 2 for the same purpose, and UDMR will make its decision at the beginning of next week. The first and second rounds of the presidential elections are scheduled for May 4 and 18. So far, the mayor of Bucharest, Nicuşor Dan, the independent candidate Călin Georgescu and the president of Save Romania Union, Elena Lasconi, have announced plans to run for president. The latter two were top placed in the presidential elections canceled last year. After the first election round on November 24 was validated, the Constitutional Court of Romania canceled the election as a whole on December 6, although voting in the second round had already begun abroad. The Court made its decision after the Supreme Defence Council published a report indicating foreign interference in the electoral process, but investigations have so far failed to confirm it. Tens of thousands of Romanians took to the streets to demand that the second round be resumed.

     

    HOLOCAUST The minister of culture Natalia Intotero will represent Romania, on Monday, at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. The event, held under the patronage of the president of Poland, marks the International Holocaust Remembrance Day declared by the United Nations, and brings together camp survivors, official delegations of states and international organisations. Romania’s participation in the ceremony on January 27 reflects its solid commitment to keeping alive the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, to fighting all forms of denial, distortion, or downplaying of this tragic moment, as well as to fighting anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalisation and hate speech, while at the same time promoting respect for fundamental human rights, both at national and international level, the Romanian culture ministry said.

     

    HOSTAGES Four Israeli female soldiers held hostage by Hamas since October 7, 2023, have reached Israel today. In exchange for them, Israel must release 200 Palestinians held in its prisons. This is the second prisoner exchange under the ceasefire that came into effect last Sunday between Israel and Hamas, after 15 months of war. In a first stage, which will last 6 weeks, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. A Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 killed 1,210 Israelis, most of them civilians. Of the 251 people kidnapped, 91 are still in Gaza, 34 of whom are dead according to the Israeli army. In retaliation, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip, resulting in at least 47,000 casualties, most of them civilians, and a humanitarian disaster. (AMP)

  • January 15, 2025

    January 15, 2025

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    CULTURE DAY – In Romania, January 15 is National Culture Day, which marks the birth date of the national poet Mihai Eminescu. This edition is all the more special as it celebrates the 175th anniversary of the birth of the one who is considered the greatest Romanian poet of all times. Numerous events are taking place in Bucharest and throughout the country: conferences, debates, concerts and exhibitions, and entry to many museums is free. The Bucharest National Opera celebrates National Culture Day this evening, with a gala performance that pays tribute to Romanian culture as Faith, Art and Identity. The “Luceafărul” exhibition can be visited at the Bruckenthal National Museum in Sibiu (center). The Lyric Theatre in Iași (northeast) has scheduled a special performance, while the “Past, Present and Future” exhibition is being opened at the Corvin Castle (west). On National Culture Day, the Radio Romania Culture channel invited a teenager from Vâlcea (south) to the theater for the first time. Through this symbolic gesture, the only national radio station dedicated exclusively to the arts, urges people and institutions to facilitate access to culture for their peers.

     

    NATIONAL BANK – The Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) convenes today for the first monetary policy meeting of the year. Most financial analysts and commercial bank experts believe that the Central Bank will maintain the key interest rate at 6.5%. Estimates are that the BNR could relax monetary policy in the second half of the year, pending clearer prospects regarding the evolution of inflation and fiscal measures. In 2024, the National Bank reduced the reference interest rate twice, from 7% to 6.5%.

     

    MOLDOVA – In Chisinau, President Maia Sandu accused the Russian Federation of wanting to provoke a political crisis in the Republic of Moldova by halting the supply of natural gas to the separatist Transnistrian region. On Tuesday, the Moldovan leader convened the Supreme Security Council to discuss the situation in the energy sector. Maia Sandu drew attention to the fact that the administration of the separatist Transnistrian region, which is facing a humanitarian crisis, has refused the aid offered by Chisinau, setting conditions for accepting the proposed solutions.

     

    HEARINGS – Former Romanian Prime Minister Petre Roman was summoned today at the General Prosecutor’s Office to be heard in the June 1990 Miners’ Riot case, in which he is accused of committing crimes against humanity. He denies any involvement. Former President Ion Iliescu and former Intelligence Service chief Virgil Măgureanu are also being prosecuted in this case, among others. Prosecutors must reopen the investigation in this case, after the evidence collected by investigators was annulled in Court. Initially, Ion Iliescu was sent to trial for crimes against humanity, along with Petre Roman and Virgil Măgureanu, but in December 2020 the High Court of Cassation and Justice decided to return the case to the Military Prosecutor’s Office, to restart the investigation from scratch. According to military prosecutors, on June 11 and 12, 1990, state authorities decided to launch a violent attack against demonstrators in the University Square in Bucharest, who were campaigning for democracy and the removal of former communist dignitaries from public office. Forces from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the Romanian Intelligence Service, and thousands of miners were allegedly illegally involved in this attack. The violence resulted in 4 deaths, hundreds of injuries, illegal arrests, and damages.

     

    WASHINGTON – US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will create a new department, called the ‘Foreign Revenue Service’, whose task will be to collect customs duties, debts and all income from foreign sources, Reuters reports. Trump said on his social network Truth Social that he will sign the creation of this department on January 20, the day he is inaugurated as president. He has already announced that he will impose substantial customs duties on imports from Canada, Mexico and China, mentioning a 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico until these two countries neighboring the US take measures aimed at stopping illegal migration and drug trafficking at the borders. Donald Trump has also promised a 10% tariff on all imports and a 60% tax on imports from China, measures that economic analysts warn will have, among other effects, distorting trade flows, increasing costs and trade retaliation measures against American exports.

     

    PROTEST – In Romania, the National Federation of Culture and Press Unions ‘CulturMedia’ is protesting today, on National Culture Day, with white armbands, to draw attention to the underfunding of Culture and the salary inequities to which employees of museums, libraries and cultural centers are subjected. The Federation demands the allocation of 1% of GDP for Culture, the equalization of the salaries of museum and library employees with the with the ones paid for the same professions in education payment scheme, the elimination of the huge salary disparities between employees of performing arts institutions and employees of public museums and libraries, salary increases for work carried out on weekends and public holidays, as well as the payment of overtime. The unionists also demand the unblocking of vacant positions and the supplementation of job schemes to combat the chronic shortage of personnel in cultural institutions.

     

     

  • Plans for child protection and higher birth rate

    Plans for child protection and higher birth rate

    A year ago, the Bucharest Government adopted the National Strategy for the Protection of Children’s Rights, and now the Parliament has passed the Law according to which 2025 will be the Year of the Child in Romania. The authorities say that they are preparing a series of measures to support children and to promote their rights, especially of those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The law passed by Parliament at the beginning of this month provides for several lines of action, including the organization of events dedicated to the social, educational, cultural and civic development of children, as well as the allocation of specific funds to support these initiatives and the prioritization of investments in infrastructure aimed for children.

     

    Although there is specific national legislation, a clear strategy and an action plan called the European Child Guarantee in all EU member states, by adopting this law, the Romanian officials say, Romania is taking an additional step forward. The UN special representative for combating violence against children, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, is of the same opinion. On a recent visit to Romania, he appreciated the significant progress made in the field of child protection and rights, as well as regarding combating violence against minors in the last two years. Moreover, he believes that this initiative is an example of good practice and that such a year dedicated to children in several countries could stimulate global investments in child protection. Romania has key achievements in child protection and well-being, with multiple strategies, plans and legislative reforms in this field, the UN official said. I believe that Romania is in an excellent position not only to continue to lead these efforts domestically, but also to become an example in child protection at international level, he also said. However, the UN representative emphasized that the country still faces numerous challenges in this field.

     

    On the other hand, at a round table held on Tuesday in Bucharest, the problem of increasing birth rate in Romania was also addressed. In this context, Government representatives say, infertility must be included on the public agenda and a national strategy is needed to help women and all couples who want to become parents, to support them through fiscal and economic measures, as well as through adequate access to all health services. According to official statistics, infertility affects, globally, one sixth of the adult population. In Europe, for example, it is estimated that around 25 million couples have infertility problems. According to the authorities, low birth rates and increased infertility have such effects that, unless measures are taken now, could lead to irreversible phenomena. That is why, the birth rate is and will continue to be a priority, the Government representatives say. In this context, the Minister of Family and Youth, Natalia Intotero, said that the in vitro fertilization program is functional and will be extended, as it responds to the alarming decrease in the birth rate and the financial problems faced by families in Romania.

     

  • Measures against the effects of drought

    Measures against the effects of drought

     

    The heat wave that has been affecting Romania since June will gradually decrease in most of the country. People will be able to recover from the high temperatures, the increased thermal discomfort and the tropical nights that marked almost the entire summer. However, the weather is expected to be warmer than normal, with very few showers.

     

    Meteorologist Iris Răducanu: “On Wednesday, the heatwave will continue to be felt in the western regions, alongside high thermal discomfort. Maximum temperatures will be up to 35 degrees Celsius. In the south of the territory, the weather will be generally unstable and there will be showers, electrical discharges and wind intensifications.”

     

    Instability will also be present in the southeast, locally in the east, in the mountains and in smaller areas in the center and north. After three hot and dry months, what will September be like? Iris Răducanu: “The next four weeks will be with higher temperatures than those specific to the period, especially through the western and southern regions, while rains will be scarce.”

     

    The flow of the Danube at the entrance to Romania is slightly more than half of the multi-year average, and in 42 sectors out of the 120 monitored, it is below the minimum necessary to satisfy water demand, according to the Romanian Water Administration.

     

    As for the inland rivers, due to the heatwave and the lack of precipitation, two watercourses in the south have completely dried up. In over 600 localities in the country, especially in the east, the water supply is restricted. In almost 300 others, not connected to centralized systems, the wells have dried up. Vegetation fires add to this picture in the counties of Vâlcea (south) and Vaslui (east). In fact, in Vaslui alone, approximately 270 hectares of dry vegetation burned in the last few days, with military firefighters intervening to extinguish 25 outbreaks.

     

    Authorities have called on the population to be aware that fire in hot periods and with advanced dryness, out of control or in strong wind conditions, can endanger the health and even the lives of people and animals and cause significant material damage. In agriculture, farmers are preparing for a new agricultural year, but this summer’s drought has caused them significant damage. Moreover, the extent of the damage in Romania could have an impact on the entire European continent, according to analysts cited by Reuters. They believe that, for example, Romania, which competes with France for the title of the largest producer of corn in the EU, due to the numerous waves of drought and heat wave, could have a 30% lower production this year. It’s a challenge to grow corn in an oven. It is one of the most difficult seasons that Romanian farmers have faced – says one of the analysts. The Ministry of Agriculture in Bucharest announced that among the measures considered, in addition to compensation, is the suspension of bank installments for farmers from September 1.

     

  • January 26, 2024

    January 26, 2024

    Protests – The Romanian government has adopted several measures aimed at solving the problems that have brought farmers and transporters to the streets in recent weeks. Money has been allocated for subsidies for farmers of dairy cows, buffaloes, poultry and pigs, and the subsidy for diesel fuel used in agriculture has also been increased. The money will reach the farmers by the end of June this year. For farmers affected by the drought of 2023, the government adopted an emergency ordinance that allows them to postpone payment of installments to the banks. It was also decided to change the legal framework so that truck drivers will no longer be fined for the expiry of the vignette in the case of long waiting times at customs points, and as regards the healthcare employees, an overall 20% increase in the salaries was agreed in the healthcare field for 2024.



    Automobile – The production of vehicles in Romania reported a record increase last year and exceeded by more than 4% the total number of cars in 2019. Adrian Sandu, the general secretary of the Romanian Automobile Manufacturers Association, believes that this increase was possible thanks to the efforts of the two factories, Dacia and Ford, to find solutions to the crisis of electronic components. “Both the Dacia and Ford teams did their best to ensure an optimal supply flow of components, so that, against the background of a consistent demand, we have this increase in production, thus registering in 2023 a new record of production of vehicles in Romania, about 513,000 units”, said Adrian Sandu.



    Drugs – The European Union states should focus on the fight against drug trafficking in ports, on an integrated basis at the international level, said the Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu on Thursday in Brussels. Attending the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, he mentioned that a working group has been organized in Romania that integrates several institutions with attributions in preventing and combating drug trafficking. Cătălin Predoiu showed that, just as drug traffickers work in networks at the international level, the structures to combat this phenomenon must be organized in the same way, and Romania will be in the front line of this fight. At the same time, he welcomed the decision made by the Council last year, to expand the Schengen area with Romania and Bulgaria to include the air and maritime borders.



    Flu – 18 people have died of the flu in Romania in the last week, and the total number of deaths caused by flu since the beginning of the cold season is 40. According to the National Public Health Institute, between January 15-21, over 120,000 cases of respiratory viruses and almost 7,000 cases of flu were registered, and hospitals are faced with increasing numbers of patients in the Emergency Outpatient Service Units. The youngest patients are babies only a few days old. Due to a lack of beds, doctors are forced to postpone the hospitalization of some of the patients. A little over 1 million people have been vaccinated against the flu this season, most of whom benefit from the reimbursable drug medicine scheme.



    First house – Financiers who did not participate in the previous year can also register for this years edition of the “First House” program in Romania, for which the state will grant a total ceiling of guarantees of one billion lei (approx. 200 million Euros). “First House” 2024, as the program is now called, is granted in lei, for the purchase of a single house, and the maximum value of the loan is 66,500 Euros for houses whose price is a maximum of 70,000 Euros. The requested advance payment is 5%, and 119,000 Euros for homes whose price is a maximum of 140,000 Euros, in this case the requested advance payment being 15%. Since 2009, when this program was launched, over 330,000 Romanians have received loans to buy a home. They were mainly young people between 26 and 35. Most of the financing was requested for apartments with an area between 50 and 100 square meters, at prices between 50,000 and 100,000 Euros. The program directly contributed to the stabilization and maturity of the real estate market and of the mortgage market.



    EU – The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, launched a strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture in the EU. The initiative does not involve the adoption of decisions, it only focuses on debates about a common vision of the member states regarding agricultural policies. The Group for Strategic Dialogue and for the Future of European Agriculture is a new platform to which all those involved or influenced by agricultural policies in all Member States, all types of farmers, consumers, environmental organizations, scientists or financial institutions have been invited to participate. The discussions take place in the context in which farmers protests are gaining momentum in several European states, such as Romania, Poland, Germany, Spain, Lithuania, the Netherlands and France. The main problems of European farmers are related to the impact of EU environmental policies and the inflow of Ukrainian agricultural products into the EU, which influence farmers productivity and competitiveness.



    Ankara — The Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan signed, on Thursday, the parliaments ratification of Swedens candidacy for NATO membership. Parliament ratified the document on Tuesday, eliminating a major hurdle in the way of expanding the Western military alliance after a 20-month delay. At this point, Hungary remains the only country that has yet to ratify the Nordic country’s NATO membership. When Sweden and Finland applied for joining NATO in 2022, Turkey surprised some members by saying the two countries were protecting groups that Ankara considers terrorists. It approved Finlands accession in April 2023 but, along with Hungary, left Sweden to wait. Ankara has called on Stockholm to toughen its stance on local members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the EU and the US consider a terrorist group. In response, Stockholm introduced a new anti-terrorism bill that makes membership to a terrorist organization illegal. Sweden, Finland, Canada and the Netherlands have also taken steps towards relaxing the arms export policies to Turkey. Tayyip Erdogan linked Swedens accession ratification to the USs approval of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to his country. (LS)


  • January 21, 2024

    January 21, 2024

    Protest — A protest by Romanian transporters and farmers was approved by the general mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, for three days, starting on Sunday, in the center of Bucharest. In this action, the local administration admitted the participation of no more than 5 thousand people, 100 tractors and 100 truck heads. The Bucharest Prefect, Rareş Hopincă, announced that, until Saturday, when the organizers had the obligation to notify the state institutions regarding the participating vehicles, the presence of only one vehicle had been communicated, but the Gendarmerie can extend this deadline. According to Radio Romania’s correspondents, on Saturday, a new protest took place in Sibiu (center), and dozens of tractors and trucks crossed the main roads of the city. A similar action took place on the southern belt of Craiova (south-west), and on the Jiului Gorge (south-west) tens of vehicles hampered road traffic, driving at low speed. Previously, the protesters also temporarily blocked Siret and Halmeu towns on the border with Ukraine, also dissatisfied with the drop in cereal prices generated by imports from the neighboring country. The European Commission is working on measures to solve to the problems caused by the export of cheap Ukrainian grains to the states bordering Ukraine – Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. The representatives of the EC confirmed that they received a letter from the five countries, one of the requests being aimed at the introduction of import taxes for Ukrainian grains. These are cheaper and do not have to meet the same quality standards as those produced in the EU.



    Parliament — The Romanian Senate was convened, on Monday, in an extraordinary session, to adopt the emergency ordinances recently issued by the government in the context of the farmers and transporters protests. There are several laws – one of them refers to the excise duty on diesel fuel, while other modifies regulations in the field of road transport. The government adopted the ordinances on Thursday as an urgent response to the requests of farmers and transporters who have been protesting throughout the country for more than 11 days. The emergency ordinances were proposed after negotiations from the Ministries of Agriculture and Transport. One of them modifies road transport regulations. The new provisions will allow category B license holders to also drive agricultural or forestry tractors with a maximum speed of 40 km/h on public roads. Another amendment eliminates the obligation to carry out the periodic technical inspection of slow vehicles, respectively of those whose maximum designed speed is up to 25 km/h. Regarding the diesel fuel excise duty, the Government decided to postpone until June 1 the application of a European directive by which diesel and kerosene must have the same tax mark. The ordinances were adopted to respond to an emergency situation, but during the parliament recess, so, according to the Constitution, the Parliament must be convened to turn them into laws. In this case, the Senate is the first chamber notified.



    Weather — The bad weather affected several areas in Romania. In Bucharest, more than 20 cars were damaged by fallen trees as a result of the heavy snowfalls. On some sections of national roads, road traffic was temporarily blocked due to the layer of snow and ice formed on the road. Currently, traffic unfolds in winter conditions, and the Traffic Police called on drivers not to travel if their cars are not equipped with winter tires. Railway traffic was also affected. On some sections of the railway trains are running at low speed. Other trains are delayed due to broken rails due to the low temperatures. Also, the air traffic at Bucharest’s airports takes place in winter conditions. Delays are reported for some flights due to aircraft de-icing actions, which are carried out after the boarding of passengers.



    Heavy snows — At least 50 people have died this week due to severe winter weather affecting the United States, the authorities have announced. Freezing, snow and ice made roads extremely dangerous, disrupted air travel, closed schools and left thousands of homes without electric power. More than 1,100 US flights were canceled and another 8,000 were delayed because of the weather, while the cold persisted in some regions, such as the center of the country. The wave of cold and heavy snow falls also hit Europe. In the west and north, hundreds of flights have been canceled in recent days. Most were at the Frankfurt airport. In Sweden, the snowstorm brought chaos to the roads and school buses, buses and commuter trains stopped running. Low temperatures and snow were also recorded in Great Britain, Scotland and France.



    Sculptor – The sculptor Vlad Ciobanu, one of the most valuable fine artists in Romania, passed away at the age of 75. Since 1990 he had taught at the Bucharest National University of Arts. Throughout his career he received numerous awards, including the Prize of the Union of Fine Artists for Sculpture, in 2005. Vlad Ciobanu was the coordinator and curator of several editions of the International Sculpture Symposium ” Brâncusi Workshops” from Târgu Jiu, southwest Romania , in the period 2005-2021. He wrote numerous articles, papers and essays about the famous Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi. He had numerous solo or group exhibitions in the country and abroad, in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, France. Important monuments signed by Vlad Ciobanu can be found, among others, in Alexandria (south) – “Unknown Hero”, Alba Iulia (centre) – “King Ferdinand”, Onești (east) – “Dimitrie Cantemir”. The Artoteca Gallery, in Bucharest, hosted the last solo exhibition by Vlad Ciobanu called “Pilgrim” between December 4, 2023 and January 8, 2024. At the end of the exhibition, Maestro Vlad Ciobanu gave an interview, possibly his last interview, for our radio station, which you can listen to in one of the future editions of World of Culture. (LS)

  • Listeners’ Day

    Listeners’ Day

    Intro: Those
    of you who in the last decades have been tuning in to Radio Romania
    International…


    Those of you who have sent in their suggestions and
    comments on our programs…


    Those of you who have been sending in reception
    reports on our broadcast…


    Those of you who keep their hopes alive Short-Wave
    broadcast will not fizzle out, will not be discontinued…


    Those of you who are still dead set on tuning in to a
    radio receiver, in the digital era, on a digital planet…


    To ALL
    of you we dedicate this special 2023 edition, occasioned by LISTENER’S DAY
    ON RADIO ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL.


    Welcoming you to the programme
    this year are Daniel Bilt and Eugen Nasta.






    Today’s topic for debate is a very interesting one,
    ‘Climate Change’ which somehow brings to my mind Dickens’ famous line from his
    masterpiece ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst
    of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch
    of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity’.






    The line seems a great one to me, not because I majored
    in literature but because indeed I believe it is the best of times to address
    such an issue which has already been influencing our lives as human beings and is
    going to affect the generations to come. It is also the worst of times, because
    climate change and global warming reared its ugly head decades ago. It was the
    epoch of belief and the epoch of incredulity all in one, because many people
    nowadays are still denying the phenomenon while others believe that it is not
    man-made.




    Our listener,
    Alan Fenix, from the city of Naga in the Philippines, for instance has
    confessed that at first he refused to see the phenomenon for what it was.
    Quoting from his contribution on the topic:




    1. How
    has climate change influenced me?





    IT MADE ME TO STAY MORE INDOORS THAN OUTDOORS. SPECIALLY, WHEN THE
    TEMPERATURES ARE VERY PUNISHING.





    Initially, I was in denial regarding the genuine existence of climate
    change. I thought it was just another interest group pushing for their own
    agenda.





    However, during the daytime, when the heat is becoming unbearable
    and scorching to the skin, it made me say that, perhaps, climate change is
    real and true and is already with us. So, I make it a point to stay more
    indoors and do activities related to it.




    2. Steps
    to be taken to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.





    PROPER GARBAGE SEGREGATION AND DISPOSAL. AND, COMING UP WITH A TECHNOLOGY TO
    RECYCLE AND TURN THEM INTO RENEWABLE CLEAN ENERGY.





    For me, climate change goes hand in hand with our societal progress and
    development. It is its direct consequence. Progress and development
    caused climate change. It is the collateral effect of it.





    A concrete example: In a certain rural town, there used to be only two
    public transports providing service in and out of town. In time,
    with progress and development, more and more public transport was put into
    service. Now, there are traffic jams, accidents, smog problems…




    3.
    Individual contribution to reduce carbon footprint.





    SELF DISCIPLINE. No amount of garbage cans or trucks around will help solve and
    reduce our carbon footprint if we are very lazy to even put and segregate
    properly our garbage waste.




    4.
    Education and other platforms.





    Education among our children, youth and adults is only one of the many
    platforms that can be put into use towards spreading the awareness and call to
    action- discipline, discipline, discipline. Among other things, there are
    social media online, on air and print.







    In the end, it is a TIT for TAT*. With progress and development, comes climate
    change. However, we can still do something if we are properly informed,
    educated and disciplined.






    From Halmstad in Sweden, our long time
    contributor and friend Chister Brunstrom has sent in the following audio
    message about climate change.




    AUDIO………………………………………………………………………………






    Bidhan Chandra Sanyal of
    Dhaka Colony in West Begal, India has mentioned the fact that since the end of
    the industrial revolution, in the 19th century, temperature on Earth has kept on rising






    Climate
    change is a very dangerous phenomenon for human society. Since the end of
    the 19th century, the temperature of the Earth’s surface has increased by 0.3
    to 0.60 Celsius. This increase may seem very small to us but it may lead
    to the following disasters.



    Number one – agriculture



    Population
    growth is also increasing the demand for food. As a result, the pressure
    on natural resources is increasing. Climate change will cause changes in
    rainfall and temperature and will directly affect agricultural
    production. In addition, climate change will also have indirect effects on
    soil quality, pest and disease patterns. It is said that the production
    of food grains in India may decrease. Climate extremes such as heavy
    rainfall, high temperatures, floods, droughts etc. will adversely affect crop
    production.




    the weather



    A warmer
    climate will change rainfall patterns, increase the incidence of floods and
    droughts, melt more glaciers and polar ice sheets, and raise sea levels.
    It is said that one of the reasons for the increase in cyclones and hurricanes
    in the last few years is the rise in temperature.



    Swollen sea level



    One of the
    consequences of climate change is the rising sea levels. As a result of
    warming oceans, continued melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets, sea levels
    are expected to rise by half a meter this century. Sea-level rise will
    have adverse effects on coastal areas – land loss due to erosion and
    inundation, increased flooding, saltwater intrusion into residential
    areas. As a result, agriculture in coastal areas will be affected,
    sources of drinking water will be affected, and human settlements, livelihoods
    and health will also be adversely affected.



    People’s health will soon be affected



    Global warming will directly affect human health. Heat-related deaths
    will increase, infectious diseases will spread, dehydration will increase,
    malnutrition will increase, and public health infrastructure will suffer.



    Forests and Wildlife



    Plants and
    animals growing naturally are extremely sensitive to climate change. If
    the rate of climate change continues, many species of plants and animals may
    disappear from the earth.


    Environmental
    conferences in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, in Johannesburg in 2002 and in Kyoto,
    Japan have taken various measures to fully control greenhouse gas emissions




    When I was appointed to do this
    project with my favourite co-worker and friend Eugen, I almost leapt for joy.
    And that’s because among his lifetime hobbies like literature, art and cinema,
    the man is extremely fond of music with an impressive collection of CDs, Vinyl
    records and tapes. Now I am going to test his musical knowledge with a
    question. Eugen, do you remember that old song we used to sing a couple of
    weeks ago, mera joota hei Japani?




    Eugen:
    Of course I remember it…Yeh Patloon Englishtani, Sar pe Laal Topi Roosi, Phir
    Bhi dil hei Hundustani.




    Bill: Like
    I said friends, music is his life. I recalled that song, not only because our
    radio station boasts a huge lot of Indian listeners, but because we are also
    proud to mention the significant community of Japanese RRI listeners. So, from
    Japan, Seiichi Enomoto, of Otsu City, the Shiga Prefecture sent in the following
    contribution on climate change. Quoting from his message.




    Happy Romanian Radio day! I am emailing you about climate
    change and global warming.

    Global warming has caused frequent intensive downpours in Japan this summer.
    The heavy rains have been concentrated in small areas for long periods of time,
    resulting in flooding of homes and landslides. I regret that the heavy use of
    online shopping tends to increase the

    amount of air, truck, and other forms of transportation and use a lot of
    energy. I would like to contribute to the reduction of energy used in
    transportation by not relying on online shopping as much as possible, but
    rather going to local stores to make purchases in person.



    Time now for a well-deserved musical break




    Elena
    Baltagan, known as Ellie White, is a Romanian dance music and trance
    singer-songwriter. Ellie’s ambition to become a solo artist turned out to be a
    good move. Our first musical treat is entitled What’s going to be left of us.




    2023 is set to become the warmest in recorded history,
    warns the EU Copernicus Service, after average temperatures measured around the
    world during the summer and in September have reached the highest levels ever
    recorded. Climate change has triggered not only temperature records, but also
    extreme phenomena: devastating fires, heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms and
    flooding.




    Here is what Johann Hechtl, based in Lengenfeld,
    Austria, thinks, to that effect, QUOTE Climate change is a fact nobody can
    deny, all reputable scientific

    evidence shows that climate is getting warmer at an unprecedented rate

    and getting more extreme. Yet what is missing in many models is the

    significance of human influence on climate. To what extend is humankind

    influencing the climate, 10%, 90%? Depending on that extend, humankind

    will either have to double efforts to counter effects of climate change

    or accept, that climate change has always happened in the past and

    mankind has to adapt. UNQUOTE




    We’ve been
    impressed by the acumen and in-depth knowledge of the topic in the contribution
    sent in by Muhammad Aqeel Bashir, a Pak Listeners Club, Member:
    International Radio Listeners Organization, Pakistan, from which we took
    the liberty to quote




    For me, an email on 2023 Listeners’ Day is relevant,
    important and
    it is an honor. I’d like for these few comments of mine to be included in the
    program, along with everyone else’s opinions on that particular day. Although
    my English is not as strong as that of individuals living in Europe, and I have
    to rely on Google Translate also, but I will do my best to put the thoughts in
    my heart into words. Climate change is one of the most important issues
    confronting our planet today, and it is already having a huge influence on the
    lives of people all over the world.


    How climate change has influenced me:


    Climate change is already having an influence on the
    world, with more extreme weather events, increasing sea levels, and changes in
    precipitation patterns. These consequences disproportionately harm the poorest
    and most vulnerable communities.


    I am concerned about climate change’s effects on
    biodiversity, food security, and human health. I’m also concerned about climate
    change’s potential to aggravate current social and economic inequities. Because
    of the climatic change, I’m having trouble sleeping because it is impossible to
    sleep properly in the summer. As a result, my health is suffering greatly.
    Similarly, in the country where I reside, gas is load-shedding during severe
    winters, which causes me terrible discomfort and impairs my capacity to work.


    Education as an instrument to tackle climate change:
    Education is critical for combating climate change. We must educate people on
    climate change science, its consequences, and what we can do to address it.
    Climate change education can assist to promote awareness, generate support for
    climate action, and empower individuals to make changes in their own lives.


    Platforms to discuss climate change:


    People can discuss climate change on a variety of
    venues, including social media, online forums, and in-person events. It is
    critical to have these venues where individuals can share their experiences,
    learn from one another, and build climate change solutions.


    The role of the media in climate change


    The media has a significant impact on promoting public
    awareness of climate change and affecting public opinion on the subject. Media
    outlets may give accurate and comprehensive news on climate change while also
    promoting solutions.


    I’d want to add that climate change is a complicated
    topic with no simple solutions. It is critical that the climate change debate
    include a wide range of views and opinions. We must also remember that climate
    change is a global issue, and that solutions must be developed and implemented
    on a worldwide scale.


    Education and communication:


    In my opinion, we must educate people on climate
    change science, its consequences, and what we can do to address it. We must
    also provide forums for individuals to discuss climate change and devise
    solutions.


    The media can help to raise awareness of climate
    change and shape public opinion on the subject. However, it is vital to be
    skeptical of the information we receive from the media. We should gather
    information from several sources and create our own opinions regarding its
    authenticity.


    Steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:


    There are several activities that can be performed at
    both the individual and societal levels to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.


    · Individually,
    we can reduce our carbon footprint by doing the following:


    · Using
    renewable energy sources


    · Driving
    less and more frequently walking, bicycling, or taking public transportation


    · Consuming
    less meats and more plant-based foods


    · We
    must reduce our use of goods and services.


    · Composting
    and recycling


    We must invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency,
    and public transportation at the social level. We must also impose a price on
    carbon emissions and support measures that encourage long-term development.


    I am optimistic that we will be able to work together
    to solve climate change and create a more sustainable future for
    all. Climate change is a major concern, but there is still time to
    respond. We can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, establish a more sustainable future,
    and safeguard people and the earth from the worst effects of climate change by
    working together.




    Romanian traditional music is for, its most part
    lively…It really gets you going!


    Our next musical treat is entitled Get on your feet
    and dance, Hai la joc, in Romanian, performed by one of the most accomplished
    traditional music vocalists, Stefania Rares.




    Brian Roebling, living in New Jersey, USA, was
    more down-to-earth in his contribution, also emphasizing the role education plays
    in climate change


    Dear RRI,


    Climate Change has influenced me to try and cut down
    on my Energy usage. Steps I’ve taken that many people may find easy
    to do; Less Automobile travel, regular car tune ups to maximize fuel
    efficiency. Replacing all incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, lowering the
    thermostat in Winter, and raising it in the Summer. Adding extra
    insulation in the home where possible. Turning down the temperature on the hot
    water heater. Line drying clothes instead of using a clothes dryer. Trying
    to grow vegetables and herbs in a backyard garden, with mixed results.
    Making fertilizer with natural elements, leaves, grass clippings, vegetation,
    etc instead of buying chemical fertilizer.


    Education on any subject, especially climate change
    will hopefully be useful, especially if the info is clear on how each
    individual can do something however small to reduce energy usage. Like
    statistics showing the energy saved if a certain quantity of people lowered the
    heating thermostat by a few degrees. There could be dedicated platforms
    about energy saving, such as tips for the day, tips for certain times of year.
    In terms of the Roles of Mass Media, i think the basic facts, explained in a
    way understandable to people will be helpful. And the avoidance of coverage of
    the climate deniers.




    Jayanta
    Chakrabarty of New Delhi, India is a
    faithful listener to our radio station and sees the global warming and climate
    change as some of the greatest challenges the world is facing nowadays. Quoting
    from his message




    All the
    continents being inter-connected are equally affected by this avoidable
    phenomenon. Yes, education, inequality, healthcare and lifestyle all play
    important role in educating, informing and implementing measures that will save
    our world from imminent disasters like landfalls, heatwaves, forest fires,
    floods, cloud bursts, cyclones, melting of glaciers and rise of ocean water
    levels. Humans, animals, environment and people’s livelihood are at stake.
    Pollution of air and water threatens animal and plant life and human habitat.
    So are the geopolitical and welfare of nations which are in peril. As concerned
    citizens it is our solemn duty to propagate corrective measures. Burning of
    fossil fuel, running coal-based industries and rampant use of private transport
    and affluent way of living are helping to increase the carbon emission. In this
    grave scenario, mass media like the radio has a crucial role to play. Through
    this cheap, convenient and highly effective media we can disseminate useful,
    educative information, issue warnings during natural calamities thus immensely
    aiding in reducing loss of life and property. In fact, media’s attention should
    go beyond the flow of information. It is the onerous duty to convey credible
    and authoritative information backed by scientific research and desist from
    spreading misinformation. Rather it should be the platform to attract general
    public opinion for creating political pressure for change. Today, radio has
    become a powerful tool to communicate information most effectively to billions
    of people at the regional and global levels. However, it’s regrettable that
    despite all the high-level summits on climate change, no significant positive
    change in the sensitivity of the people has been noticed. Radio Romania
    International is doing a yeoman service by informing, acting as watchdog and
    campaigning on social issues that will greatly help in combating the challenge
    of climate change. On this auspicious and happy occasion of Romanian Radio Day
    I would like to convey my sincere felicitations to all members of RRI for their
    stupendous endeavor in making our world a better place to live.




    Mitul
    Kansal, based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, believes that immediate action is
    need before it’s too late




    Addressing
    climate change and global warming is the need of the hour. Stop, think and act.
    It is time to heal the world.


    When fossil
    fuels are burnt, they release harmful toxins to the atmosphere which impacts
    climate change and causes global warming. Reduce the use of fossil fuel for well-being
    of the planet.


    Within this
    century, climate change could lead to the collapse of a vital ocean current
    system-and it could happen as soon as 2025, according to a study published in
    Nature Communications.


    The media and
    education can play a crucial role in shaping public discourse and bearing
    witness to the climate crisis by providing public interest content for the
    people and communities most affected by climate change, loss and damage and
    environmental exploitation.


    With global
    efforts far off-track to limit global warming and protect people from climate
    impacts, we need accelerated action by governments, businesses and finance
    leaders to cut greenhouse gas emissions and deliver justice for those on the
    frontlines of the climate crisis.


    BEAT THE HEAT




    Xaver
    Hellmayer, of Graeffelfing, Germany sent in an audio message we’re happy to
    include in our special Listener’s Day feature.




    Xavier
    Hellmayer AUDIO (5 min)




    Outro: Fatefully,
    we need to be Procrustian…as time is running short, for us. We’re so sorry to
    put a stop to the 2023 special edition of LISTENER’s DAY on Radio Romania
    International.


    In
    ancient Roman myth and religion, Janus was the god of physical and emotional
    gateways. He is traditionally shown as having two faces pointing in opposite
    directions, representing different perspectives, or perhaps a reconciliation of
    two points of view.


    For us,
    Daniel Bilt and Eugen Nasta, one such face is a well-wishing thought that goes
    something like TO THE VERY BEST OF TIMES!


    The
    other face looks at YOU, our Short-Wave listeners world-wide, and wishes you TO
    THE VERY BEST OF RADIO TIMES!







  • 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)

  • October 29, 2023

    October 29, 2023

    GOVERNMENT PM Marcel Ciolacu announced that
    preparations have started for drafting the 2024 public budget. The government
    will analyse the projects and programmes that went well, as well as the
    investment applications for next year. On the other hand, the PM dismissed the
    idea of other fiscal changes in addition to the ones for which his Cabinet has
    taken responsibility before Parliament. The law on measures to ensure Romania’s
    long-term financial sustainability, promulgated by president Klaus
    Iohannis on Thursday, introduces
    new taxes and tax raises and cuts off tax facilities.Some of the measures take effect
    on November 1, while the others will be enforced as of January 1. Marcel
    Ciolacu also estimated that the new pensions law will be endorsed in Parliament
    by the end of next month and will take effect on January 1, 2024.


    VISIT
    The European Commission vice-president for Values and Transparency, Věra
    Jourová, will be on an official visit to Romania on Monday, when she will have
    meetings with president Klaus Iohannis, PM Marcel Ciolacu and other Cabinet
    members. According to the European Commission, the EU official will discuss the
    rule of law and reforms in the judiciary, Romania’s goals in the digital
    decade, the digitisation projects included in the National Recovery and
    Resilience Plan, as well as AI and fighting disinformation.


    ISRAEL
    Israel has moved to the second stage of the war against Hamas, namely the land
    operation in Gaza Strip, the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu announced. In a
    televised address, he warned that this was going to be a long and difficult
    war, aimed at freeing the hostages taken by the Palestinian terrorist group and
    at destroying the military and leadership capabilities of Hamas. An Israeli
    tactics expert described Israel’s current operation as modular, with
    alternating attacks from 4 directions (water, air, land, and virtual). So far
    the Israeli Army resorted to air strikes to hit Palestinian territory, after
    the Hamas attacks of October 7 killed over 1,400 people in Israel. In turn, Hamas
    says the Israeli retaliatory strikes killed over 8,000 people. According to an
    Israeli army spokesman, the number of hostages held by Hamas was updated at 130.
    The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, voiced his surprise at the escalation
    of Israel’s military attack on the Gaza Strip after the UN General Assembly issued
    a resolution calling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Guterres said that
    in spite of this international consensus, the bombing has reached unprecedented
    levels. Pro-Palestinian rallies were organised on Saturday in many cities in
    the world.


    PEACE
    The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending a meeting in Malta,
    called for a global model based on his 10-point plan for peace with Russia, Reuters
    reports. An official list of the participants in the meeting is not yet
    available, but attending were officials for European, South-American, Arab,
    African and Asian countries. The plan includes clauses concerning the
    restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the pull-out of Russian troops,
    protection of food and energy supplies, nuclear security and the release of all
    prisoners. The co-chairs of the meeting, Ukraine and Malta, issued a joint
    declaration that mentions the participants’ commitment to just and sustainable
    peace, based on the UN Charter. The parties will take steps to arrange for a
    possible peace summit at a later date.


    DST On Saturday night, Romania switched to winter time, setting
    clocks back one hour from 4 AM to 3 AM. Sunday is thus 25-hour long. Daylight
    saving time, first suggested by the scientist Benjamin Franklin in 1784, is
    currently used in 70 countries. The concept has come under debate in recent
    years, with the EU asking member states to end seasonal clock changes and
    choose either winter time or summer time, but a decision in this respect is yet
    to be made. (AMP)

  • New fiscal measures approved as constitutional

    New fiscal measures approved as constitutional


    The oppositions notification against theset of fiscal and budget-related measures for which the Cabinet has taken responsibility before Parliament has been dismissed by the Constitutional Court. The judges decided that the bill is constitutional, so the president may sign it into law. The president of the Constitutional Court of Romania, Marian Enache, explained:



    Marian Enache: “The Court is satisfied that the Governments responsibility with respect to the bill concerned a unique and unified purpose, namely to increase revenues to the public budget and to cut down on expenditure. After the constitutionality review, we concluded that, in procedural terms, the responsibility procedure was in line with the requirements of the Constitutional Court and its case law. In terms of the substance, the Court found that provisions challenged by the signatories of the unconstitutionality notification are within the scope of the lawmakers right of suitability assessment in the financial and fiscal area.”



    The core principles of the new legislative package include reducing public fund misuse by restricting procurement, reducing the number of executive positions and merging certain public institutions, scrapping a number of tax exemptions, fighting fraud and tax evasion.And according to PM Marcel Ciolacu, the implementation of these measures will help narrow this years budget deficit to 5.7% of the GDP.



    The Constitutional Courts decision proves that the allegations of the Opposition were ungrounded, says Gabriel Andronache, head of the Liberal floor group in the Chamber of Deputies:



    Gabriel Andronache: “This is obviously not the same situation as the precedent mentioned by the Opposition parties in their notification. These are provisions that are organically connected, so the grounds for unconstitutionality cannot be upheld.”



    Save Romania Union, in opposition, which challenged the bill, sees the Courts decision as unfair and argues that the new legislation is an attack against the incomes of Romanias honest citizens. Ionuţ Moşteanu, spokesman for USR:



    Ionuţ Moşteanu: “What we see today is Ciolacu raising the taxes for honest Romanians using the hand of the Constitutional Court. But this Court has renounced its constitutional role, and is trampling on its own past decisions. Essentially, the Court helps Ciolacu to get his hands into the pockets of hardworking people, to raise taxes so that he may continue to pay his party cronies.”



    The USR president, Cătălin Drulă, announced the party would table a simple motion against the finance minister. (AMP)


  • October 18, 2023

    October 18, 2023

    GOVERNMENT The first joint meeting of the Romanian and Ukrainian governments takes place in Kyiv today. The agenda includes the development of
    infrastructure in the border region, economic cooperation and regional security.
    The main topic is a mechanism allowing Ukraine to export grains to Romania. First
    of all, the grain quality must be similar to that of grains in Romania and the
    EU, and secondly, only the Romanian farmers who prove they no longer have grain
    stocks will be authorised to import from Ukraine. Another topic is the ethnic
    minorities in Ukraine, with Bucharest requesting that their rights be the same
    as the rights enjoyed by minorities in Romania. The Romanian government
    believes Ukraine should no longer recognise the Moldovan language, arguing that
    in fact it does not exist. Marcel Ciolacu is accompanied by the minister of
    defence, Angel Tâlvăr, the minister of public health, Alexandru Rafila, the
    economy minister, Radu Oprea, the agriculture minister, Florin Barbu and the
    secretary of state with the interior ministry, Raed Arafat. The Romanian PM
    will have talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal, and with the
    chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk. Marcel Ciolacu is also
    scheduled to meet the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in
    Bucharest last week.


    BUDGET The Constitutional Court dismissed the
    notification filed by Save Romania Union and the Force of the Right in
    opposition in Romania with respect to the bill on fiscal and
    budget-related measures for which the Government has undertaken responsibility
    before Parliament. The Constitutional Court president, Marian Enache, said the
    Cabinet’s responsibility concerned a sole and unified purpose, namely to
    increase revenues to the public budget and to cut down on expenditure, and that
    the responsibility procedure was in line with the requirements of the
    Constitutional Court and its case law. Marian Enache also says the Court’s
    decision was made on a majority of votes. After the decision of the
    Constitutional Court, the bill may be signed into law by the president of
    Romania, Klaus Iohannis.


    GAZA
    The Romanian foreign ministry voices shock and deep sadness at the news of the
    blast and loss of innocent lives on Tuesday night at
    the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza. In a message issued on Wednesday, the
    ministry emphasises that all civilians and civilian infrastructure must be
    protected at all times, and that responsibility must be
    clearly identified. Hundreds of people were killed or wounded
    in a missile strike on the hospital in Gaza, for which Israel and the
    Palestinians blame each other. The Israeli army denies that its forces were
    responsible for the attack, and blames the incident on a failed launch of a
    missile from Gaza by the Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian armed group, which
    in turn denies the allegations. The attack was condemned by the international
    community, with several Arab leaders accusing Israel of war crimes. The US leader Joe Biden, who is on a solidarity
    visit to Israel today, has voiced regret and anger at the event. Jordan has
    cancelled a summit in which Joe Biden was to discuss the war with King Abdullah II, with
    Mahmoud Abbas and the president of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. On the other hand, the UN secretary general
    Antonio Guterres will be in Cairo on Thursday, for talks with Abdel Fattah al-focusing
    on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The talks take place as Egypt calls on Israel to allow aid
    shipments to that territory. On Tuesday,
    the US authorised its non-essential embassy staff to leave Beirut, as security
    worsens in Lebanon as well, in the context of the war between Israel and Hamas.


    ALERT Belgium,
    France, Italy and Spain have raised their terrorist alert levels to a maximum, following
    attacks in western Europe over the past few days. On Monday 2 Swedish nationals
    were killed in Brussels by a Tunisian illegal migrant, later on identified and
    shot by the Belgian police. The Islamic State group
    claimed the attack and said it targeted Sweden because of its affiliation to
    the global coalition against Jihad movements. On Tuesday, Versailles palace
    in Paris was evacuated and stayed closed for the day after a new bomb alert,
    just as it happened with the Louvre Museum on Saturday. The president of France
    Emmanuel Macron said Islamic terrorism is rising once again and that all
    European countries are vulnerable to this threat. Over 100 people have been
    arrested over the past week in France under anti-Semitism charges and for
    terrorism support. On Tuesday, EU leaders, including the president of Romania
    Klaus Iohannis, discussed the conflict between Israel and Hamas which killed more
    than 4,000 people in the last 10 days, and agreed to do whatever they can to
    avoid a regional escalation of the conflict. (AMP)

  • Government pushes on with tax and budget measures

    Government pushes on with tax and budget measures

    The
    bill that the Government of Romania is seeking to push through Parliament is
    intended to increase the effectiveness of the fight against tax evasion, to
    curb the squandering of public funds and to ensure tax equity by scrapping
    exemptions and privileges.




    Under
    the new legislation, all employees will pay public healthcare contributions,
    including the staff in constructions and agriculture, who benefited from
    exemptions so far, while IT personnel with salaries above EUR 2,000 a month
    will now have to pay income taxes as well.




    On
    the other hand, public sector staff with salaries above EUR 1,600 will no
    longer receive holiday vouchers and meal allowances. A special tax is
    introduced for owners of houses worth over EUR 500,000, unless they have taken
    out bank loans to pay for them. Large companies and banks will pay a 1% tax on
    turnover.




    As
    for the VAT, there are no substantial changes. According to PM Marcel Ciolacu, the
    9% rate for foodstuffs and medicines and the 5% rate for power, firewood,
    natural gas and books will stay in place.




    The
    PM dismisses claims that these are austerity measures. But, he says, Romania
    can no longer afford to grant privileges and facilities amounting to EUR 15
    bln, nor can it allow tax evasion to account for 15% of its GDP (i.e. EUR 30 bln
    a year). Marcel Ciolacu mentioned that minimum wages will be raised by 10%,
    while in the constructions sector the raise will reach 12.5%.




    The
    PM argues that this set of measures will implement the most ambitious reform of
    the public sector in post-communist Romania. The Opposition, however,
    criticises the draft law and says it must be stopped by all constitutional
    means available.




    According
    to procedure, one such option is a no-confidence vote, which would lead to
    dismissing the Cabinet if the Opposition wins. But this is only possible in
    theory, given that the actual parliamentary make-up favours the Social
    Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party, the current ruling coalition. Another
    option is to challenge the bill before the Constitutional Court.




    But
    the most dangerous scenario would be for the new measures to be invalidated by
    economic reality. The Economic and Social Council, an independent body, has
    already passed a negative opinion on the legislation, stating that the measures
    to cut public expenditure are unconvincing and will have a negative impact on
    the economy. In the past, covering the budget deficit by increasing the tax
    burden on the business sector ended up having the opposite effect, and very
    likely revenues to the state budget would decrease instead of going up, the
    Council warns. (AMP)

  • Tax measures under review

    Tax measures under review


    New fiscal measures are set to take effect on October 1 in Romania, after they were posted for public review by the finance ministry, following months of negotiations. The authorities are hoping to narrow the budget deficit and to avoid losing billions of Euro in EU funding.



    One such measure is a 1% tax on turnover for small and medium-sized enterprises with annual revenues of up to EUR 60,000, and a 3% tax if their revenues go above this threshold. Banks and large companies with turnover in excess of EUR 50 mln are to pay a minimum tax of 1%.



    In the IT industry, the income tax exemption valid so far will only remain in place for employees making up to EUR 2,000 a month, while contributions to public health insurance funds are reintroduced for workers in agriculture, the food industry and constructions.



    Holiday vouchers will be worth more, but they will only be received by public sector employees with net incomes below EUR 1,600, and a ceiling will be introduced for the bonus paid for dangerous or harmful working conditions.



    In turn, the VAT for housing and photovoltaic panels will be raised from 5 to 9%, and foodstuffs with high sugar content will carry a standard 19% VAT rate. The 5% VAT remains in place for firewood, thermal power, books and access to tourist sites and cultural events.



    In the case of houses worth over EUR 500,000 and vehicles over EUR 75,000, a 0.3% tax will be levied on the difference between those ceilings and the asset value.



    The government also plans to cut at least 25% of the state secretary positions, to scrap vacant posts and restrict executive positions in public institutions and in companies running on public capital.



    The bill outlining these measures is first to be passed in Cabinet, and then the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party will take responsibility for it before Parliament. Within 3 days after the document is presented to Parliament, a no-confidence motion may be tabled, and if endorsed, it leads to the Cabinet stepping down.



    The Opposition argues that the proposed measures will have a negative impact on the economy, on entrepreneurs and the liberal professions, which is why Save Romania Union announced it was already discussing with other parliamentary parties the options for a no-confidence motion.



    In theory, such a motion stands no chances to pass, but in practice nothing is impossible. And since in 2024 Romania will hold local, parliamentary, presidential and EU elections, the stakes are huge and a failure, either for the government, or for the Opposition, is equally dangerous. (AMP)


  • The priorities of the second parliamentary session

    The priorities of the second parliamentary session

    The Romanian Senate and Chamber of Deputies on Monday began the second ordinary parliamentary session of the year. According to the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, the priorities include, besides the government’s taking responsibility before Parliament for a legislative package aimed at fiscal changes and administrative reform, a new pension law and tougher punishments for drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs:



    Marcel Ciolacu: “We know that there are many inequities in the old pension law. We continue to have in Romania pensions of 1,500 lei (almost 300 Euros), and also of 30-40,000 lei (that is 6 – 8,000 Euros). I have also discussed with my colleagues about the package that will be included in a single law, the law on assuming responsibility, which includes measures for combating evasion, for reforms in the local administration, as well as measures to accommodate a smaller deficit than last year”.



    Moreover, the Prime Minister tried, the other day, in Brussels, to convince the European Commission of the capacity of the Romanian government to respect a new budget deficit target this year, higher as compared to the one assumed by Romania, of 4.4%, to cover the aid that Bucharest granted to neighboring Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNNRand special pensions were also at the center of recent negotiations. The governing partners of the Social Democrats, the Liberals, announced that a new pension law, which would solve the inequities in the system, represents a priority. For the moment, however, the document regarding the reform of special pensions has been declared partially unconstitutional by the judges of the Constitutional Court of Romania, even if the changes made to special pensions represent a requirement under the PNRR.



    On the other hand, the opposition announces a censure motion if the package of fiscal-budgetary measures is adopted by the government’s taking responsibility for it before Parliament. The Save Romania Union leader, Cătălin Drulă, believes that an increase in fees and taxes is not a viable solution.



    Cătălin Drulă: “Ciolacu is preparing to bury Romanias economy! He has already slowed economic growth, businesses are complaining, there are no more orders, sales are decreasing and they want to increase taxes and drive investors away from Romania. Why? To pay the bill for the budget fraud”.



    However, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances in Brussels that Romania is a credible and responsible and above all a fair partner, both of the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament. The Romanian government experts continue to discuss with European officials about the renegotiation of the PNRR, taking into account the principles established by the prime minister at the meetings he had in Brussels. After the European Commission sees the reforms that the government is making, it will propose to the European Council a renegotiation of the value of the budget deficit, which will allow Bucharest to obtain a higher deficit. A decision on the new percentage could be made by the end of the year. (LS)

  • Fiscal measures to reduce the budget deficit

    Fiscal measures to reduce the budget deficit


    A state budget deficit significantly above the target has prompted the Romanian authorities to take steps to address the situation.



    The finance minister Marcel Boloș announced on Thursday that this set of tax-related measures must be endorsed in September, first of all in order to ensure that EU funding is not suspended.



    “Not implementing these measures or implementing them too late would lead to a budget deficit of around 7% of GDP,” Marcel Boloș explained, and warned that this is a turning point for Romania.



    The set of changes announced by the finance minister includes measures targeting multinational corporations and a 10-fold increase in fines in order to curb tax evasion. Adding to these are increased royalties, even 1000 times, for mineral resources and hydrocarbons, and an extensive reorganization plan for the national tax administration agency in order to improve revenue collection.



    Marcel Boloş: “It is unfair for companies that develop mineral resources and have billions in turnover and huge profits to pay minimal, even insulting royalties to the state budget. These will be rearranged, and some royalty categories will be even 1,000 times higher. It is only reasonable. These are royalties for the exploitation of mineral resources and hydrocarbons as well as for the land itself, and it is ridiculous and absurd for the state budget to receive RON 2.5 million for 300,000 hectares.ˮ



    As for the measures targeting the public sector, Marcel Boloş mentioned decentralization and the regionalisation of public services, so as to eliminate what he called the “splurge” of public money.



    “We need a lot less bureaucracy, a lot more thoughtfulness in spending public money,ˮ Marcel Boloș pointed out. According to him, these measures are expected to have a combined impact of 2% of GDP.



    Meanwhile, the news from the Fiscal Council is not encouraging. The institution made an upward adjustment of its budget deficit forecast, and says the deficit will be over 6% of GDP unless correction measures are implemented. According to the Councils annual report, the budget deficit for the first half of the year, standing at 2.3% of GDP, is around 0.63% higher than in the corresponding period of last year. The reasons have to do with the slower dynamics of certain categories of revenues and an increase in spending above the levels in the budget law. The Council reiterated the importance of introducing immediate corrections and of substantially increasing tax revenues. (AMP)