Tag: mihai fifor

  • România, nod central pentru tehnologia şi tehnica militară?

    România, nod central pentru tehnologia şi tehnica militară?

    Pentru
    România, ultimul an a consemnat cele mai importante achiziţii militare,
    contracte încheiate sau anunţate. Acest lucru survine în contextul în care înzestrarea
    Armatei României este prioritară, atât pentru apărarea naţională, cât şi pentru
    corelarea cu cerinţele NATO. Ministerul român al Apărării are programe
    importante de înarmare pentru toate categoriile de forţe: blindate,
    rachete, corvete, arme de asalt şi elicoptere. Toate acestea, în condiţiile în
    care 2018 este al doilea an consecutiv în care Bucureştiul alocă 2 procente din
    PIB pentru Apărare – decizie în acord cu angajamentele asumate de România din
    postura de membru al Alianţei Nord-Atlantice, în sprijinul securităţii
    regionale şi cu accent pe interesul naţional.

    Mai mult, guvernanţii de la
    Bucureşti vorbesc despre dorinţa de a transforma România într-un hub, într-un
    nod central pentru ceea ce înseamnă tehnologia şi tehnica militară pentru
    această regiune. Cât de viabilă este această idee? Analistul militar Radu Tudor, despre
    atuurile României: Potenţial
    uriaş avem, pentru că altfel nu am fi exportat armament în valoare de 10
    miliarde de dolari între 1979 şi 1989. Deci, din punctul ăsta de vedere, am
    putea să readucem în discuţie un potenţial uriaş, care a fost lăsat
    încet-încet, aş spune până la capacitate extrem de redusă, în ultimii 27 de
    ani. Evident că ne putem negocia poziţia. Suntem o ţară primitoare,
    respectuoasă, suntem toleranţi, ne dorim să facem performanţă în economie,
    suntem foarte relevanţi din punct de vedere strategic. Avem enorm de multe
    avantaje pentru noi.

    Este important, însă, mai spune Radu Tudor, să
    înţelegem că acest moment trebuie valorificat, iar acest lucru trebuie făcut
    acum. Decidenţii de la Bucureşti merg pe ideea aplicării legii offsetului, promovată
    în urmă cu 15 ani, dar prea puţin utilizată. Aceasta ar presupune derularea de
    achiziţii de tehnică modernă de luptă şi susţinerea, în acelaşi timp, a
    economiei României, prin implicarea întreprinderilor din ţară în realizarea
    tehnicii amintite. Pentru că, spune ministrul Apărării, Mihai Fifor
    guvernul român nu a ieşit la cumpărături cu banii statului, ci se doreşte
    transfer de tehnologie şi repornirea industriei de apărare românească: Este nevoie ca această
    industrie de apărare să fie repornită şi, într-adevăr, prin investiţii
    susţinute să putem deveni un hub regional al producţiei de armament. Unul din
    programele majore de înzestrări ale Armatei Române este cel referitor la
    transportoarele blindate 8×8, transportoare pe care le vom produce la Uzina
    Mecanică din Bucureşti. Foarte multe ţări din regiune sunt interesate să devină
    clienţi ai Uzinei Mecanice din Bucureşti, or, lucrul acesta nu poate decât să
    ne bucure.
    Iar România ar putea deveni chiar
    un producător şi un exportator important de armament modern în zonă, susţine Mihai
    Fifor, care a amintit şi alte programe majore de înzestrare a Armatei.

    El a
    apreciat că prima corvetă multirol produsă în România ar urma să fie gata în
    trei ani şi, tot pe un şantier din ţară, ar putea fi construite şi trei
    submarine militare. Radu Tudor a dat şi el câteva exemple:În
    momentul de faţă, probabil cea mai performantă companie privată din domeniul
    industriei de apărare, Aerostar Bacău, are şansa de a deveni un lider regional
    prin două contracte derulate de Ministerul Apărării Naţionale în cadrul acestui
    program major de înzestrare. Unu: programul de achiziţii de avioane F16, doi:
    sistemul de rachete Patriot. Pentru ambele programe, Aerostar este privit de
    aliaţii noştri americani drept cea mai valabilă companie pentru executarea
    lucrărilor de mentenanţă şi întreţinere pentru ambele categorii de arme,
    avioanele de luptă şi sistemele de rachete. Or, din punctul ăsta de vedere, ne
    dăm seama cam ce ar putea să însemne pentru o companie privată românească
    astfel de contracte. Deci, un pas uriaş înainte. Doi: trasportoarele Piranha ar
    putea fi asamblate aici, la Bucureşti, şi înţeleg că asta scrie de fapt în
    contract, fapt care ar putea să determine renaşterea Uzinei Mecanice Bucureşti
    care se chinuia cu nişte mici contracte în ultimii 20 de ani; o perspectivă de
    a participa la un program major de înzestrare înseamnă salvarea acestei
    fabrici, poate chiar şi angajarea unor oameni în plus. Al treilea exemplu
    trebuie să fie cel de la Ploieşti, acolo unde o întreprindere privată va
    participa la un alt program de înzestrare cu rachete. Sunt nenumărate exemple
    pe care le putem da.

    Pentru România este foarte important însă,
    mai spune Radu Tudor, ca cea mai mare parte a acestor programe de înzestrare şi
    contracte să fie însoţite de aranjamente de tip offset – o şansă uriaşă care
    presupune, însă, în bună parte, şi o retehnologizare a industriei de apărare. Este
    vorba atât de offsetul direct, adică participarea României cu componente la
    realizarea produsului de bază pe care armata îl importă, cât şi de offsetul
    indirect, prin care produse superior manufacturate din România sunt cumpărate
    de ţara producătoare a tehnicii militare respective, iar Bucureştiul beneficiază
    astfel de resurse financiare pentru plata contractului de bază.

  • Securitatea a flancului dit apirita al NATO

    Securitatea a flancului dit apirita al NATO

    Easti ananghi ti coopeararea tra anvârtusearea a flancului dit apiritâ a Alianţãlei Nord-Atlantiti. Cu aestâ câftari nchisirâ moeabetli Bucureşti anamisa di miniştrili ali Apărari dit 9 stati ti ma ninti eara comunisti, ufitialităţ ali NATO şi reprezentanţa a Departamentului american ali Apărari. România, tru parteneriat cu Polonia, easti motorlu a aistei “Iniţiativi B9”, dit cari nica fac parti Vargaria, Cehia, Estonia, Letonia, Lituania, Slovacia şi Ungaria. Reprezentanţâli a lor ş-pripusirâ s-ndreagâ un baiur di cal’iuri directoari nintea a summitlui aliat di Bruxelles, dit meslu alunar.




    Tru aesta noima, ministrul român ali Apărari, Mihai Fifor, declara:


    Ază prezenţa aliată avansată easti bagata tru prcatico pi tut flancul dit apirita ali Alianţa, em tru nord-est, arealu baltic, em tru sud-estu, pi teritoriul naţional şi la Amarea Lae. Ma largu avem tru amprotusa aestu lucru dimec ti bagarea tru practico şi, tru aesta noima, aştiptăm tru alunar apofasi di mari simasie, yilipsitoari tra catastisea di apărari şi aliatl’i s-tal’e curayilu.”




    Acţiun’ile ali Rusie baga zori a tutaloru membriloru NATO tu flancul dit apirita, ama şi Alianţa tru ansamblul a l’ei, s-aibă ngatan maxus ti sistemlu comun di apărare. Lişor nu easti, ti furn’ia că, tru dzalili a noastri, una criză di securitati cafta em halat convenţionali, em niconvenţionali di turlie hibrida ica provocări asimetriti. Em, anamisa di ceareili ti li au tru mana si tra cari s-cundil’e maxus Bucureşti s-aradapseasca ahardzearea a 2% dit Produslu Internu Brut tra dumenea ali Apărari, lucru ti România alu fati nica di anlu ti tricu, tu idyiul chiro, deadun si cu cristearea a infrastructurlor naţionale, atea turlie ca mobilitatea a ascheriloru şi ali tehni militara aliata s-hiba ma hairlatică.




    Easti ananghi tutunaoara, ti modernizarea a ascheriloru naţionale, prin ancupararea di echipamentu performantu. Deapoa, tru arada a unei andamusi a ufitialităţlor, viniti Bucureşti, cu prezidentul ali României, Klaus Iohannis, nu fu alasata nanapartui niti simasia a prezenţal’ei SUA pi flancul dit apirita si aesta s-yilipseasti pritu angajamentulu susto andicra di stabilitatea a reghiunil’ei, cum şi ananghea ti cristeari a singirlui transatlantic cu scupolu ti asiguripsearea a securitatil’ei tru tuta Alianţa.




    Caplu a statlui român napoi spusi, tutunaoara, ca easti ananghi ti cristearea a lucarlui deadun anamisa di NATO şi Uniunea Europeană, cundil’indalui că gaeretli ti anvartusearea, a rolui ali Uniunii tru dumenea ali apărari lipseasti s-dizvarteasca deadun cu Alianţa Nord-Atlantică. Ase, nu va s-agiunga pi daua şi va s-poata s-faca gaeret di catra dauli parta tru dumenii di sinfer. Prit boatea a ministrului ali Apărari, Mihai Fifor, România sa spusi etima tra s-aproachi un comandamentu militar al NATO pi nivel di trup di ascheri, deadun cu ateali daua comandamenti ti suntu, pi lucru, Craiova (sud), pi nivel di brigadă şi Bucureşti, di divizie. Aofasea va u l’ia Alianţa tru meslu alunar, Bruxelles.




    Autor: Roxana Vasile


    Armânipsearea: Tascu Lala

  • Securitatea flancului estic al NATO

    Securitatea flancului estic al NATO

    Este necesară cooperarea pentru
    consolidarea flancului estic al Alianţei Nord-Atlantice. De la acest imperativ
    au plecat discuţiile de la Bucureşti dintre miniştrii Apărării din 9 state
    foste comuniste, oficialităţi ale NATO şi reprezentanţi ai Departamentului
    american al Apărării. România, în parteneriat cu Polonia, reprezintă motorul
    acestei Iniţiative B9, din care mai fac parte Bulgaria, Cehia,
    Estonia, Letonia, Lituania, Slovacia şi Ungaria. Reprezentanţii lor şi-au propus să schiţeze o serie de
    linii directoare înaintea summitului aliat de la Bruxelles, din luna iulie. În
    acest context, ministrul român al Apărării, Mihai Fifor, a declarat: Astăzi prezenţa aliată avansată este materializată pe întreg flancul
    estic al Alianţei, atât în nord-est, arealul baltic, cât şi în sud-est, pe
    teritoriul naţional şi la Marea Neagră. Continuăm să ne focalizăm major asupra
    implementării sale şi, în acest context, aşteptăm în iulie decizii importante
    cu relevanţă pentru postura de apărare şi descurajare aliată.

    Acţiunile Rusiei îi forţează pe toţi
    membrii NATO de pe flancul estic, dar şi Alianţa în ansamblul ei, să acorde o
    atenţie deosebită sistemului comun de apărare. Uşor nu este, dat fiind faptul
    că, în zilele noastre, o criză de securitate poate implica atât mijloace
    convenţionale, cât şi neconvenţionale de tip hibrid sau provocări asimetrice. Or,
    printre soluţiile la îndemână asupra cărora s-a insistat la Bucureşti se numără alocarea a 2% din Produsul
    Intern Brut pentru domeniul Apărării, lucru pe care România îl face încă de
    anul trecut, în paralel cu dezvoltarea infrastructurilor naţionale, în aşa fel
    încât mobilitatea trupelor şi tehnicii militare aliate să fie îmbunătăţită.
    Este necesară, totodată, modernizarea armatelor naţionale, prin achiziţionarea
    de echipament performant.

    Apoi, în cadrul unei întâlniri a oficialităţilor
    prezente la Bucureşti cu preşedintele României, Klaus Iohannis, nu a fost
    ocolită nici importanţa prezenţei SUA pe flancul estic ca dovadă a angajamentului
    ferm faţă de stabilitatea regiunii, precum şi nevoia de dezvoltare a relaţiei
    transatlantice în vederea asigurării securităţii întregii Alianţe.Şeful
    statului român a reiterat, de asemenea, necesitatea dezvoltării cooperării dintre
    NATO şi Uniunea Europeană, precizând că demersurile de consolidare a rolului
    Uniunii în domeniul apărării trebuie să se deruleze în complementaritate cu Alianţa
    Nord-Atlantică. Astfel, vor fi evitate duplicările inutile şi se vor putea face
    eforturi conjugate în domenii de interes comun. Prin vocea ministrului Apărării,
    Mihai Fifor, România s-a oferit să găzduiască un comandament militar al NATO la
    nivel de corp de armată, alături de cele două comandamente existente, deja, la
    Craiova (sud), la nivel de brigadă şila Bucureşti, de divizie. Decizia va
    fi luată de Alianţă în iulie, la Bruxelles.

  • Nachrichten 13.03.2018

    Nachrichten 13.03.2018

    Bukarest:
    Die Regierung in Bukarest hat am Dienstag die Gründung eines
    interministeriellen Ausschusses für die
    Umsetzung der Ziele, die sich aus der strategischen Parnerschaft mit den USA
    und anderen bilateralen Projekte Rumänien USA ergeben, bekanntgegeben. Laut einer Mitteilung der Exekutive, werde
    der Ausschuss seine Tätigkeit unter der Koordinierung der
    Vizepremierministerin Ana Birchall
    entfalten. Es beteiligen sich mehrere Ministerien, wie das Außenministerium,
    das Verteidigungsministerium, das Finanzministerium sowie das
    Wirtschaftsministerium. Der Ausschuss soll einmal im Jahresquartal
    zusammentreffen, sowie wenn die Situation dies erfordert, um die Lage der
    Umsetzung der bilateralen Projekte zu überwachen.



    Bukarest: Die Staaten an der Ostflanke der NATO teilen eine Reihe von gemeinsamen und besonderen Bedenken hinsichtlich der Wahrnehmung von Sicherheitsrisiken und –Bedrohungen. Das sagte Rumäniens Verteidigungsminister Mihai Fifor am Dienstag bei einem Treffen mit seinen Amtskollegen im Rahmen der sogenannten Initiative Bukarest 9“. Die Anwesenden waren sich einig, dass eine engere Zusammenarbeit erforderlich ist, um die Ostflanke des Nordatlantischen Bündnisses zu stärken. Diskutiert wurde auch über die Vorbereitung des NATO-Gipfels in Brüssel im Juli. An dem Treffen nahmen Verteidigungsminister aus neun ehemaligen kommunistischen Staaten teil (Rumänien, Polen, Bulgarien, Tschechien, der Slowakei, Ungarn und den baltischen Staaten), sowie NATO-Beamte und Vertreter des US-Verteidigungsministeriums. Die Initiative wurde von Rumänien im Jahr 2014 als Plattform für die Vertiefung des Dialogs und der Zusammenarbeit zwischen den beteiligten Verbündeten ins Leben gerufen.




    Bukarest: In Rumänien hat die Grippe zwei weitere Menschenleben gefordert. Damit ist die Zahl der Todesfälle auf 99 angestiegen, kündigte das Nationale Zentrum für die Überwachung und Kontrolle ansteckender Krankheiten an. Bei den letzten beiden Grippetoten handele es sich um zwei ungeimpfte Männer im Alter von 49 und 63 Jahren aus der Landesmitte. Die Gesamtzahl der Fälle von akuten Infektionen der Atemwege war in der letzten Woche auf über 140.000 angestiegen, die Ziffer ist damit um 67% höher als im Vergleichszeitraum des vergangenen Jahres. Von Beginn der Grippesaison, in der die akuten Atemweginfektionen erfasst werden, waren bis Ende der letzten Woche über 1170 Fälle von Grippe bestätigt worden




    Bukarest: Eine IWF-Mission trifft sich am Nachmittag mit Mitgliedern des Haushalts-, Finanz- und Bankenausschusses der Abgeordnetenkammer in Bukarest zur jährlichen Evaluation der rumänischen Wirtschaft. Bukarest hat derzeit keine Finanzierungsvereinbarung mit dem IWF. Nach einem Besuch im vergangenen Frühjahr hatte der IWF einen Bericht vorgelegt, wonach die Steuersenkungen, die in den Regierungsplänen für den Zeitraum bis 2020 enthalten sind, das Haushaltsdefizit bis 2022 auf 6% des Bruttoinlandsprodukts erhöhen könnten. Die größte Steuerbelastung von 2,6% des BIP wird das Gesetz zur einheitlichen Entlohnung erwirken. Die Maßnahme sollte im Einklang mit dem notwendigen finanzpolitischen Spielraum stehen und durch Reformbemühungen in der öffentlichen Verwaltung unterstützt werden. Eine mögliche Entspannung der Steuerpolitik könnte in Verbindung mit den zunehmenden politischen Spannungen den Konsum und die Investitionen beeinträchtigen und Druck auf den Wechselkurs ausüben, so der Bericht.


    .



    Bukarest: Die jährliche Inflationsrate ist in Rumänien im vergangenen Monat von 4,3% im Januar auf 4,7% angestiegen – kündigt das Landesinstitut für Statistik. Damit ist ein Rekordhoch der letzten 5 Jahre erreicht. Nach Angaben des Instituts ist der Anstieg auf die erhöhten Preise von Nahrungsmitteln, Non-Food-Artikeln und Dienstleistungen zurückzuführen. Im Vergleich zum Februar 2017 stiegen die Nahrungsmittelpreise um 3,7% und die Non-Food-Produkte um 6,27%. Auch für Dienstleistungen zahlten die Rumänen um 3% mehr als im Vorjahr. Letzten Monat hatte die Nationalbank Rumäniens die Inflationsprognose für das Ende des Jahres von 3.2% auf 3.5 % nach oben korrigiert.

  • March 9, 2018 UPDATE

    March 9, 2018 UPDATE

    FLU — The Romanian National Public Health Institute announced on Friday that another person infected with the flu virus died. The death toll has reached 88 in Romania. The last victim is a 17-year old with pre-existing health problems who had not been vaccinated against the flu. Health Minister Sorina Pintea says that we cannot speak of a flue epidemic yet.




    VISIT – Romania’s Foreign Minister, Teodor Melescanu on Friday, during his formal visit to Croatia, met with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and with the head of Parliament, Gordan Jandrokovic. Highlighted at these meetings were the good bilateral ties, the similar opinion on regional, European and international matters and the wish to consolidate and diversify Romanian-Croatian cooperation. The Romanian and Croatian officials hailed the role that the Romanian community in Croatia and the Croatian community in Romania have in strengthening the bilateral ties. Minister Melescanu visited the Romanian Orthodox Church in Zagreb, a building the local Catholic Church has made available for the Romanian community.




    DEFENCERomania’s Defence Minister Mihai Fifor and his Greek counterpart Panos Kammenos signed on Friday in Bucharest a cooperation agreement in the field of defence. Minister Fifor said that Greece is Romania’s major ally in the region. According to the Greek official, Romania and Greece have stepped up their relations both in bilateral terms and as partners within NATO and the EU. The two officials also tackled, among other things, the situation in the Western Balkans, the extended Black Sea area and the agenda of the EU summit in July.




    MEETING – US President Donald Trump has accepted to meet his North-Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un in May, South-Korean authorities have announced. According to the White House leader, “great progress” had been made but there would be no prospect of lifting sanctions until a deal was reached. Trump has also said that the ample military manoeuvres with South Korea will not be suspended. In turn, the North-Korean leader has pledged to get involved in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and to put and end to nuclear or missile tests. Japan’s Premier Shinzo Abe has hailed the change in North Korea’s attitude but specified that Washington and Tokyo will maintain maximum pressure on Pyongyang until concrete action is taken so that it may irreversibly scrap its nuclear programme.




    BOOK FAIR — Romania is this year a guest of honour of the Leipzig Book Fair, the most important such event in Europe and one of the oldest in the world. The book fair kicks off on March 15. According to a release by the Culture Ministry, Romania’s participation in this event as a guest of honour mirrors not only the good Romanian-German cultural ties but also the prospects for the development of long-term projects in the cultural and academic fields. The Romanian-born German writer Herta Muller, a Nobel laureate for literature in 2009, will attend the event.




    DRILL – Over 17 hundred Romanian and foreign servicemen are participating until March 15 in one of the biggest multinational drills staged by the Romanian Armed Forces in Dobrogea, south-eastern Romania, as well as in the Black Sea’s international waters. Spring Storm 18 exercise is based on a unique training concept during which naval, air and ground forces are carrying out amphibious and minesweeping operations in a landing area. The Romanian soldiers are training together with their counterparts from the allied and partner countries such as the US, France, Bulgaria, Georgia and Ukraine. (Translated by Elena Enache)



















  • March 9, 2018

    March 9, 2018

    MEETING US president Donald Trump has accepted to meet his north-Korean counterpart Kim Jong-un in May, south-Korean authorities have announced. According to the White House leader, “great progress” had been made but there would be no prospect of lifting sanctions until a deal was reached. Trump has also said that the ample military maneuvers with South Korea will not be suspended. In turn, the north-Korean leader has pledged to get involved in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and to conduct no more nuclear or missile tests. Japan’s Premier Shinzo Abe has hailed the change in North Korea’s attitude but specified that Washington and Tokyo will maintain maximum pressure on Pyongyang until concrete action is taken so that it may irreversibly scrap its nuclear programme.




    DEFENCE Romania’s Defence Minister Mihai Fifor and his Greek counterpart Panos Kammenos have today signed in Bucharest a cooperation agreement in the field of defence. Minister Fifor has said that Greece is Romania’s major ally in the region. According to the Greek official, Romania and Greece have stepped up their relations both bilaterally and as NATO and EU partners. The two have also tackled, among other things, the situation in the Western Balkans, the extended Black Sea area and the agenda of the EU summit in Brussels in July.




    DRILL Over 17 hundred Romanian and foreign servicemen are participating until March 15 in one of the biggest multinational drills staged by the Romanian Armed Forces in Dobrogea, south-eastern Romania, as well as in the Black Sea’s international waters. Spring Storm 18 exercise is based on a unique training concept during which naval, air and ground forces are carrying out amphibious and minesweeping operations in a landing area. The drill is part of NATO assurance measures adopted at the Alliance’s 2016 summit in Warsaw. The Romanian soldiers are training together with their counterparts from the allied and partner countries like the USA, France, Bulgaria, Georgia and Ukraine.




    JHA Romania’s Interior Minister Carmen Dan is attending in Brussels the proceedings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Among other things talks are focusing on cooperation in the EU common and defence policy and the European agencies in the field of home affairs. Carmen Dan is expected to support a strengthened coordination between the EU’s home security and its external dimension. She will reiterate Romania’s firm support for strengthening cooperation in fighting organized crime, terrorism and extremism and also for strengthening border security and developing effective migration management in the EU vicinity. The JHA council has officially appointed Catherine De Bolle of Belgium as head of Europol, Europe’s Police Office. De Bolle’s mandate is due to begin on May 1st.




    VISIT Romania’s Foreign Minister, Teodor Melescanu, is continuing his formal visit to Croatia. The head of the Romanian diplomacy will be seeing Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. Melescanu’s agenda also includes a visit to the Romanian Orthodox Church in Zagreb, a building the local Catholic Church has made available for the Romanian community. Melescanu is also to meet leaders of the Association of the Romanians in Croatia. On Thursday, Melescanu attended the inauguration of Romania’s honorary consulate in Split and held talks with the president of Croatia’s Chamber of Economy, Luka Burilovic.



    translated by bill

  • Romania to debate status of military personnel

    Romania to debate status of military personnel

    The Romanian Defence Minister Mihai Fifor on Thursday attended the homecoming ceremony of the 400 military of the Brave Hearts 280th Force Protection Infantry Battalion. Between August 2017 and February 2018 they carried out a mission in the Kandahar region in Afghanistan, where they ensured the security of the coalition army base and staff, assisted and counselled Afghan armed and security forces, provided humanitarian assistance to the Afghan population, maintained the dialogue with the local authorities and leaders and carried out actions together with the Afghan National Security Forces.



    A member of the 280th Infantry Battalion was killed and two others injured during a patrol mission in September, when their armoured vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device (IED). On his return home, the commander of the battalion was promoted to the rank of colonel and the two injured military were decorated by the Romanian president with the Faithful Service National Medal Third Class. Defence Minister Mihai Fifor used the opportunity to announce that the status of the military personnel would be modified in the coming period. He said a bill to this effect was already submitted to Parliament, its aim being to improve the lives of Romanian military and make sure the Army receives all due respect from the state institutions and the population.



    “All were doing is making sure our military feel motivated on all accounts, because thats the only way we, politicians, can say that we have done our duty before those who go on missions, such as the 280th Infantry Battalion, said Minister Fifor. He recalled that this is the second year in a row that the government has allocated 2% of the GDP to defence, which demonstrates its responsible commitment to the equipping of the army. 2018 will be an important year for the modernisation of the navy with the launch of the procedure for the production of four multifunctional corvettes at a naval shipyard in Romania.



    Also, the two frigates Romania bought from Britain will be modernised and the conditions will be prepared for the purchase of mobile anti-ship missile systems. Romania is the most important security provider in the Black Sea area, so it needs to consolidate its military capabilities. In Bucharests opinion, Romania is actually neighbouring Russia after the latters annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and must be prepared to face all challenges. (Translated by C. Mateescu)

  • Statutul militarilor, în dezbatere

    Statutul militarilor, în dezbatere

    Ministrul român
    al Apărării, Mihai Fifor, a participat, joi, la ceremonia de repatriere a celor
    peste 400 de militari ai Batalionului 280 Infanterie Protecţia Forţei
    Brave Hearts. În perioada august 2017 -februarie 2018,
    ei au desfăşurat o misiune în regiunea Kandahar, din Afganistan, care a adus un
    plus de imagine Armatei Române şi României în plan extern: au asigurat securitatea bazei militare
    şi a personalului forţelor coaliţiei, au asistat şi consiliat forţele armate şi
    de securitate afgane, au acordat asistenţă umanitară populaţiei afgane, au
    menţinut dialogul cu autorităţile şi liderii locali şi au desfăşurat acţiuni
    împreună cu Forţele de Securitate Naţionale Afgane. În septembrie, în timpul
    unei misiuni de patrulare, un membru al Batalionului 280 Infanterie a murit,
    iar doi au fost răniţi după ce maşina blindată în care se aflau a fost atacată
    cu un dispozitiv explozibil improvizat.

    La întoarcerea acasă, comandantul
    Batalionului a fost avansat la gradul de colonel, iar cei doi militari răniţi
    au fost decoraţi de preşedintele României cu medalia naţională Serviciul
    Credincios clasa a III-a. A fost un bun prilej pentru ministrul Mihai Fifor
    să anunţe că statutul cadrelor militare va fi modificat în perioada imediat
    următoare. Printr-un proiect
    de lege în acest sens, depus deja în Parlament, se doreşte ca viaţa militarului
    român să devină cât mai bună, fiind momentul – potrivit lui Mihai Fifor – ca Armata să primească tot respectul
    atât din partea instituţiilor statului, cât şi a cetăţenilor. Nu facem
    altceva decât să încercăm să avem un militar motivat din toate punctele de
    vedere, pentru că numai în felul acesta putem spune că noi, oamenii politici,
    ne-am făcut datoria faţă de cei care merg, la un moment dat, să îndeplinească
    misiuni, aşa cum a fost cazul militarilor Batalionului 280 Infanterie
    -a
    afirmat ministrul Fifor.

    El a amintit că este al doilea an consecutiv când Guvernul
    de la Bucureşti alocă 2% din Produsul Intern Brut pentru Armata Română, ceea ce
    arată implicarea responsabilă a Guvernului în tot ceea ce presupune dotarea sau
    înzestrarea acesteia. 2018 va fi un an de referinţă pentru modernizarea marinei
    militare, prin lansarea procedurii pentru construcţia a patru corvete
    multifuncţionale care vor fi produse, toate, pe un şantier naval din România. Vor
    fi, totodată, modernizate cele două fregate româneşti cumpărate de la britanici
    şi vor fi pregătite condiţiile pentru achiziţionarea de instalaţii mobile de
    lansare de rachete antinavă. România este cel mai important furnizor de
    securitate la Marea Neagră, motiv pentru care are nevoie să îşi consolideze
    capacităţile militare. În opinia Bucureştiului, odată cu anexarea, în 2014, a Peninsulei
    Crimeea, România se învecinează, practic, la Marea Neagră cu Rusia, care poartă
    un război hibrid destul de intens. Or, Armata României este, încă de pe acum,
    pregătită să facă faţă provocărilor.

  • Nachrichten 27.02.2018

    Nachrichten 27.02.2018

    Bukarest: Rumänien droht ein weiteres Verfahren vor dem Gerichtshof der EU, wenn das Parlament in Bukarest beschließt, dass 70% des in Rumänien erzeugten Erdgases an einer einzigen Börse zu verkaufen ist. Das sagte der europäische Energiekommissar Miguel Arias Canete am Dienstag. Die Kommission meint, dass dadurch der Wettbewerb beeinträchtigt wird. Gegen Rumänien läuft bereits ein Vertragsverletzungsverfahren wegen der Einstellung der Erdgasexporte.



    Bukarest: Die rumänische Premierministerin Viorica Dancila hat am Dienstag in Chisinau mit ihrem moldauischen Amtskollegen Pavel Filip über eine intensivere Kooperation diskutiert. Dancila sagte dabei, dass Rumänien mehr im Nachbarland investieren wolle. Rumänien unterstütze weiterhin die Moldau auf dem Weg nach Europa, so die Premierministerin, die auch zur Fortsetzung der zwischen der EU und der Moldau im Assoziierungsvertrag von 2014 vereinbarten Strukturreformen aufrief. Außenminister Teodor Melescanu richtete ähnliche Apelle am Montag aus Brüssel, wo er eine Sitzung der sogenannten Gruppe für die Europäische Aktion der Moldau präsidierte.




    Bukarest: Die Chefin der Antikorruptionsbehörde DNA Laura Codruta Kövesi ist am Dienstag von Vertretern des Obersten Rates der Richter und Staatsanwälte in Bezug auf ihre Aktivität als DNA-Chefin angehört worden. Die Anhörung fand im Rahmen des Verfahrens zur Widerrufung Kövesis aus dem Amt als DNA-Leiterin statt, das vom Justizminister Tudorel Toader beantragt wurde. Das Verfahren wurde von den Staatsanwälten des Obersten Rates der Richter und Staatsanwälte negativ bewertet. Während der Anhörung erklärte Kovesi, die von dem Justizminister formulierten Vorwürfe seien falsch. Die Chefin der Antikorruptionsbehörde DNA Laura Codruta Kövesi sagte, die Antikorruptionsbehörde habe in ihrer Amtszeit die besten Ergebnisse erzielt. Der Justizminister hatte letzte Woche zum Teil schwere Vorwürfe gegen Kövesi erhoben – er sprach über Handlungen, die in einem Rechtsstaat nicht zu tolerieren seien. Kövesi habe Druck auf die Regierung ausgeübt, die Arbeit ihrer Dezernenten nicht überprüft und Verfahren verzögert, sagte der Minister. Auch Interviews mit den westlichen Medien seien ihr vorzuwerfen, die dem Ansehen Rumäniens geschadet haben, kritisierte der Minister ferner. Das letzte Wort hat Präsident Klaus Johannis der erklärte, es geben keine Gründe für die Entlassung der DNA-Chefin. Auch Kövesis direkter Vorgesetzer, Generalstaatsanwalt Augustin Lazăr, erkennt keinen rechtmäßigen Grund für ihre Entlassung. In Bukarest und in anderen Großstädten fanden fast täglich Proteste gegen die Widerrufung Kövesis aus dem Amt als DNA-Leiterin statt.



    Bukarest: Der erste Vizepräsident der Europäischen Kommission Frans Timmermans, EU-Kommissar für Bessere Rechtssetzung, interinstitutionelle Beziehungen, Rechtsstaatlichkeit und Grundrechtecharta unternimmt am Donnerstag einen offiziellen Bukarestbesuch. Laut den Vertretern der Europäischen Kommission in Rumänien wird Timmermans mit dem rumänischen Staatschef Klaus Iohannis, der Premierministerin Viorica Dăncilă, dem Senatsvorsitzenden Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, sowie mit dem Vorsitzenden der Abgeordnetenkammer Liviu Dragnea zusammenkommen. Frans Timmermans wird eine Pressekonferenz in Bukarest beim Sitz der Vertretung der Europäischen Kommission halten. Andererseits sagte er in einer Erklärung für das Portal caleaeuropeana.ro, er erwarte von den Bukarester Behörden Erklärungen über den Antrag zur Amtsenthebung der Leiterin der Antikorruptionsbehörde Laura Codruţa Kovesi.



    Bukarest: Die Staatsanwälte der DNA haben am Dienstag beim letzten Termin in einem Prozess vor dem OGH Gefängnisstrafe für den früheren sozialdemokratischen Premierminister Victor Ponta und seinen Parteifreund und Ex-Verkehrsministers Dan Sova beantragt. Beiden Politikern werfen sie Korruptionsstraften und andere Delikte vor. Ponta soll zwischen 2007 – 2008 von der Anwaltskanzlei Sova umgerechnet knapp 40.000 Euro für Scheindienstleistungen bekommen haben. Damit sei Ponta für die Vergabe von Aufträgen staatlicher Energiekonzerne an die Kanzlei von Sova bezahlt worden, vermuten die Ankläger.



    Bukarest: Der rumänische Verteidigungsminister Mihai Fifor unternimmt bis Mittwoch einen Staatsbesuch in Israel auf Einladung seines Gegenübers Avigdor Lieberman. Die Hauptthemen auf der Diskussionsagenda sind die bilaterale Zusammenarbeit im Verteidigungsbereich und die Entwicklungen der internationalen Sicherheitslage. Laut dem Korrespondenten von Radio Rumänien in Israel seien im Programm der rumänischen Delegation auch Treffen mit dem Vorsitzenden des Verteidigungs- und Außenpolitikausschusses des Parlaments Avi Dichter und ein Besuch des Holocaust-Memorials ‘Yad Vashem’ in Jerusalem vorgesehen. Dieses Jahr feiern Rumänien und Israel 70 Jahre ununterbrochener diplomatis cher Beziehungen.

  • February 26, 2018 UPDATE

    February 26, 2018 UPDATE

    ANTICORRUPTION — The head of the National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, on Tuesday is due to appear before the Superior Council of Magistracy, as a first step in the process Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has started with a view to removing Kovesi from office. The Council’s Prosecutors’ Department is expected to rule on the Justice Minister’s request. Under the law, the Superior Council of Magistracy is due to issue an opinion in this matter and refer it to President Klaus Iohannis, who will make a final decision. In another development, large-scale protests were staged in Bucharest and other large cities across the country against the Social-Democratic Party, the main coalition party in Romania, and against Justice Minister Tudorel Toader. The protests started on Thursday evening, in the wake of a report Toader presented to the media, whereby he started proceedings to having Kovesi removed from office. Toader accused Kovesi of overstepping the bounds of her authority, getting personally involved in some of the pending cases and of not investigating certain prosecutors suspected of having abused their position. The Justice Minister also claimed that the National Anticorruption chief defied Parliament’s authority on numerous occasions and challenged rulings of the Constitutional Court. Backed by the Parliament majority held by the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, Toader’s report has been harshly criticized by the right-wing opposition.



    FAC – Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu on Monday took part in Brussels in the monthly meeting of the EUs Foreign Affairs Council, where he discussed with his counterparts the situation in the Republic of Moldova, the crisis in Venezuela, and the Middle East peace process. On this occasion Minister Melescanu hailed the progress Moldova has reported, reiterating Romania’s full support for the EU integration of its neighbor state. On the sidelines of the Council meeting, the Romanian Foreign Minister chaired the meeting of the Group for Moldova’s European Action, with Moldovan Foreign Minister Tudor Ulianovschi as special guest. On Tuesday, Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila will travel to Moldova to discuss with her counterpart Pavel Filip the bolstering of cooperation between the two states.



    RULING — The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest Monday ruled against a request from the National Anti-Corruption Directorate to re-open an investigation which may involve Social Democratic Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stanescu. Judicial sources claim that the case started from a memo issued by the Court of Accounts regarding embezzlement involving the county council of Olt county, which Stanescu was head of between 2008 and 2016, with the fraudulently obtained funds allegedly being used to finance a soccer team. The official said he would resign if he is indicted in this case.




    WEATHER — Bucharest and 27 counties, mostly in the east and south of Romania, are under extreme cold weather warning until March 1. In these areas, low temperatures will be around the record lows registered in previous years. Maximums will frequently fluctuate between -12 and -8 degrees Celsius, with minimums of -22 and -12 degrees. Thousands of intervention workers have been mobilized in case of emergencies. Traffic has been cut off by snow on two national motorways in the south, and three Black Sea ports have been shut down by strong wind.



    VISIT — Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor is on a three-day official visit to Israel, invited by his counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman. The main points on the agenda are defense cooperation and the security situation worldwide. This year, Romania and Israel celebrate 70 years of continuous diplomatic relations.



    FLU — The flu has killed 57 people in Romania this season according to the latest toll published by the National Centre for the Supervision and Control of Communicable Diseases. 800 people have the flu virus, mostly in Bucharest and the counties of Constanta, in the south-east, Brasov, in the centre, and Iasi, in the north-east. The authorities advise people to get vaccinated, and the health ministry says around 80,000 vaccine doses are still available. So far 920,000 have received vaccination. The healthcare minister Sorina Pintea says Romania is not faced with a flu epidemic.



    TENNIS — Romanian tennis player Simona Halep is back at the top of the WTA standings, published on Sunday, after five weeks of being second to Danish player Caroline Wozniacki. The latter replaced her after winning the finals in the Australian Open. Halep held the first place in the world between October 2017 and January 2018. Five other Romanians are in the top 100 in the world. Sorana Cirstea is up one place, to 35, Irina Begu went up two notches, to 36, and Mihaela Buzarnescu went up one place, to 38. Monica Niculescu went down three places to 72, and Ana Bogdan climbed one step, to 86.


    (Translated by C. Cotoiu & V. Palcu)

  • February 20, 2018 UPDATE

    February 20, 2018 UPDATE

    VISIT — Romania’s Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă, on Tuesday, after a meeting in Brussels with the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, said that they discussed about Romania taking over the presidency of the EU Council in 2019. Strengthening the relations between Bucharest and Brussels is essential, PM Dăncilă said, both in the context of Romania taking over the presidency of the EU Council and for the country’s involvement in the most important projects on the European agenda. In his turn, Antonio Tajani called on the Bucharest Government to continue the fight against corruption and further consolidate the rule of law. This is PM Dancila’s first official visit to Brussels in this capacity. Also on Tuesday, the Romanian official had meetings with the head of the European Council, Donald Tusk and with the European Commissioner for regional policy, Corina Creţu. On Wednesday she will have a meeting with the president of the European Commission, Jean Claude Junker.




    MOTION — The Romanian Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday is voting on a simple motion against the Social Democrat Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu, tabled by the National Liberal Party, in the opposition. During the debates on Monday the Liberals asked for the Minister’s resignation over the fact that the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees, starting January 1st, has resulted in pay cuts for a significant number of employees in Romania. The signatories of the simple motion also said that through the laws that she endorsed, Lia Olguta Vasilescu has created chaos in the public and private sector alike. In her turn, the Labour Minister said before Parliament that the Liberal’s estimates were not correct and that Labour Inspectorates must look into the matter and make sure the employees’ salaries do not go down.




    MEETING – The development of the economic component of the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership was the main topic discussed on Tuesday with the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Hans Klemm, Speaker of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, Liviu Dragnea, said on Tuesday. Dragnea defined the Partnership as vital for Romania and hailed the development of its military component, but voiced regret at the fact that Bucharest did not gain more in economic terms. The Romanian official said that also discussed with Ambassador Klemm was the Romanian-American cooperation within NATO.




    TRIAL — The High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest on Tuesday started trying the case concerning the June 1990 miners’ riots, in which the ex-president Ion Iliescu and former PM Petre Roman are charged with crimes against humanity. Prosecutors argue that the authorities have planned the violent attacks against peaceful protesters gathered at the University Square in Bucharest in June 1990. Governmental agencies were illegally involved in the crackdown, prosecutors claim, alongside coal miners and other workers from various parts of the country. Four people died and nearly 1,400 were wounded.




    FLU — Another 2 people died from the flu in Romania, with the death toll reaching 39, and more than 500 cases this season, reported the authorities have announced. Most of the flu patients are in Bucharest, and in the counties of Constanta (south-east), Olt (south), Braşov (centre) and Iaşi (north-east). The authorities recommend vaccination, and the Healthcare Ministry announced that around 80,000 shots were still available. So far over 920,000 people have received flu vaccines. The Healthcare Minister, Sorina Pintea, says Romania is not facing a flu epidemic at present.




    MAGISTRATES – For a nation that aspires to a dignified future, the law and the independence of the people working in the justice system are not negotiable, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Tuesday. At a meeting with graduates of the National Institute of Magistracy, Iohannis said they chose to become magistrates “at a time when the act of justice is questioned publicly, by the very people that are being brought to justice.” The head of state made these statements against the background of accusations levelled against the National Anti-Corruption Directorate by politicians involved in corruption cases. On Thursday, Justice Minister Tudorel Toader will present an assessment of the activity of the General Prosecutor’s Office, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism.




    DEFENCE — The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihai Fifor, says the state will get involved in extending the military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the south-east of the country, and announced talks in this respect had already been held with the American partners. He added he would like a permanent American presence in that unit. Over the past few years, thousands of Romanian and American troops have taken part in joint military exercises in Mihail Kogălniceanu, some of them also attended by troops from other NATO countries. The same base hosted last year air policing missions, with British, Canadian and Romanian aircraft taking part.




    FOOTBALL – Romanian football vice-champions FCSB, former Steaua Bucharest, last week defeated Italy’s Lazio Rome 1-nil on National Arena Stadium in Bucharest and are now preparing for the return leg, scheduled for next Thursday, to be played on Stadio Olimpico di Roma. The match is counting towards the first leg of the Europa League round of 32. (Translated by E. Enache)


  • 17.02.2018 (mise à jour)

    17.02.2018 (mise à jour)

    Visite – La première ministre roumaine, Viorica Dancila, se rendra mardi et mercredi prochains à Bruxelles pour sa première visite à l’étranger, apprend-on auprès de sources officielles de Bucarest. L’occasion de s’entretenir avec plusieurs leaders européens dont les présidents de la Commission européenne, Jean-Claude Juncker, du Conseil européen, Donald Tusk, et du Parlement européen, Antonio Tajani, et aussi avec la commissaire européenne chargée de la Politique régionale, la Roumaine Corina Cretu. La responsable roumaine a récemment déclaré qu’elle envisagerait pour la période à venir un renforcement des actions de politique étrangère et de la coopération économique avec les Etats partenaires.



    Conférence — Le ministre roumain de la Défense, Mihai Fifor, a participé, vendredi et samedi, à la conférence sur la sécurité, à Munich. Lors de ses entretiens vendredi, il a présenté les priorités de la Roumanie en matière de défense. Selon un communiqué du ministère de la Défense de Bucarest, les discussions de Mihai Fifor avec le sénateur américain Ron Johnson, président du Comité pour la sécurité nationale et les relations gouvernementales, ont notamment porté sur les rapports bilatéraux roumano-américains, un accent particulier ayant été mis sur la coopération au sein de l’OTAN. L’officiel roumain a par cette même occasion évoqué son dialogue avec le secrétaire américain à la Défense, James Mattis, lors de la récente réunion des ministres de la Défense de lOTAN à Bruxelles. Mihai Fifor avait alors assuré que la Roumanie continuait à remplir les engagements assumés en tant que membre de l’Alliance et dans le cadre du Partenariat stratégique. Par ailleurs, à l’occasion de son entrevue avec les représentants du Conseil de l’Atlantique, à savoir le général James Jones et Alexander Vershbow, le ministre roumain Mihai Fifor a souligné l’importance que la sécurité dans la région de la mer Noire présente pour l’agenda du futur sommet de l’OTAN, qui aura lieu en juillet 2018, à Bruxelles. Il a également été question du sommet consacré à lInitiative des Trois Mers, qui sera accueilli cette année par Bucarest.



    Chisinau-UE — Le premier ministre de la République de Moldova, Pavel Filip, s’est entretenu samedi, en marge de la conférence de Munich sur la sécurité mondiale, avec Johannes Hahn, commissaire en charge de la politique européenne de voisinage et des négociations délargissement. Les deux hommes ont discuté des actions des autorités moldaves visant à mettre en œuvre l’agenda de réformes, considérées y compris sous l’angle des conditions d’octroi d’assistance macro financière par l’UE. Les réformes en question visent notamment le système judiciaire, la mise en place de la loi concernant la lutte contre le blanchiment d’argent et l’adoption de la loi régissant l’activité des ONGs. Pavel Filip a souligné que ces exemples confirment la détermination de Chisinau à poursuivre son parcours européen et a réitéré l’engagement de son pays à remplir les objectifs fixés lors du sommet du Partenariat oriental de novembre 2017. A son tour, Johannes Hahn a apprécié les progrès enregistrés par Chisinau et sa détermination à mettre en place les réformes. Le responsable européen a également mentionné l’appui accordé par l’UE à la réalisation de l’Accord d’association signé avec la République de Moldova.



    Visas — « La levée de lexigence de visas pour les citoyens roumains a entraîné une augmentation importante des demandes dasile et une rencontre entre le gouvernement fédéral et des diplomates roumains à Ottawa », précise le site canadien La Presse. Selon la même source, « des responsables au ministère de lImmigration ont indiqué que 232 Roumains avaient fait une demande dasile au Canada depuis la levée de lobligation de visas le 1er décembre 2017. Par comparaison, seulement 120 Roumains avaient fait une demande dasile au Canada durant toute lannée 2016. Paul MacKinnon, sous-ministre adjoint des politiques stratégiques, a relevé quil navait pas été déterminé sil sagissait dune tendance qui persisterait ou essentiellement un bond circonstanciel en raison de la décision sur les visas. » Les deux parties ont convenu de poursuivre le programme de suspension des visas pour les Roumains. « M. MacKinnon a pourtant affirmé que si les demandes dasile atteignent un certain niveau sur une période de douze mois, il y a la possibilité dune réinstauration de lobligation de visa. La modification de la politique canadienne sur l’immigration a été associée avec la fin des négociations sur un accord de libre échange Canada — UE, en 2017 », peut-on lire sur le site canadien La Presse.



    Berlinale — A l’édition 2018 de la Berlinale, qui se déroule du 15 au 25 février, la Roumanie participe à la quasi totalité des sections importantes. Le film “Touch me not”, premier long-métrage de la réalisatrice Adina Pintilie, sera projeté en première mondiale lors du festival de Berlin. “Lemonade/ Lune de miel”, portant la signature de Ioana Uricaru, a été sélectionné dans la section Panorama. Le documentaire de Corneliu Porumboiu ” Infinite Football” se retrouve, lui, dans la section hors compétition « Forum ». Deux autres productions cinématographiques roumaines figurent dans la section Generation Kplus. Enfin, le réalisateur roumain Călin Peter Netzer compte parmi les membres du jury qui doit désigner le meilleur film de début. Notons qu’ en 2017 l’Ours dargent pour la contribution artistique a été décerné à Dana Bunescu pour Ana, mon amour” du réalisateur roumain Călin Peter Netzer.



    Météo – Temps couvert et températures proches des normales saisonnières. Des chutes de neige sont attendues dans les régions de montagne, le nord et le centre du pays. Le mercure ne dépassera pas les 7°.


  • 17 February, 2018

    17 February, 2018

    Brussels trip. Romania’s prime minister Viorica
    Dancila next week travels to Brussels for her first foreign visit. She will
    have talks with European leaders, including the head of the European Commission
    Jean Claude Juncker, the president of the European Council Donald Tusk, the
    speaker of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani and the European Commissioner
    for Regional Policy Corina Cretu. Dancila said recently she was planning to
    intensify foreign policy actions and the economic relations with the partner
    states.






    Munich Security Conference. Romania’s
    defence minister Mihai Fifor is attending the Munich Security Conference, a
    major forum for the discussion of security policy. On Friday, Fifor had a
    series of bilateral talks where he presented Romania’s priorities in the area
    of defence. According to a defence ministry press release, Fifor met the US
    senator and Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ron
    Johnson for talks on the relations between Romania and the US, with emphasis on
    cooperation within the North Atlantic Alliance. Minister Fifor used the
    opportunity to highlight the good discussions he had with the US Defence
    Secretary James Mattis at a recent NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels. He
    also assured the American partners that Romania is committed to its pledges as
    a NATO member and to the Strategic Partnership between the two countries. At a
    meeting with the representatives of the Atlantic Council, retired general James
    Jones and Alexander Vershbow, minister Fifor underlined the importance
    of security in the Black Sea region for the agenda of the forthcoming NATO
    summit in July in Brussels. Talks also focused on the importance of the
    top-level meeting of the Three Seas Initiative to be hosted by Bucharest this
    year.




    Republic
    of Moldova.
    On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the prime minister of the Republic of Moldova Pavel Filip
    today met the EU Commissioner for European
    Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. The two
    officials discussed Moldova’s progress in carrying out the required reforms,
    including the requirements for receiving macro-financial assistance from the
    EU. Progress was noted in respect of the reform of the judicial system, the
    implementation of a new money laundering law and the passing of legislation to
    regulate the activity of NGOs. Prime minister Filip said these examples confirm
    the determination of the Moldovan authorities to continue on the path of
    European integration. He also reiterated his country’s commitment to fulfil the
    goals established at the Eastern Partnership summit in November last year.
    Commissioner Hahn welcomed the progress made and the commitment of the Moldovan
    government to the implementation of reforms at a fast pace and maintained the
    EU’s support for its Association Agreement with the Republic of Moldova.


    Meeting. The Romanian foreign minister
    Teodor Melescanu attended an informal meeting of
    EU foreign affairs ministers in the Gymnich format held in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.
    Melescanu welcomed the idea of a new conference on Syria in Brussels and said
    the European Union must play a proactive role in the political process taking
    place under the NATO aegis and later in the post-conflict reconstruction
    process. He also said Romania was in favour of a continuation of the EU
    enlargement process and that this was one of its priorities during its first
    presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year.




    Berlin Festival. Romania has a
    strong presence this year in the 68th edition of the Berlin Film
    Festival which got under way on the 15th of February and comes to an
    end on the 25th. Touch Me Not, Adina Pintilie’s feature film debut,
    runs in the Competition section. A winner of the Golden Bear in 2013 with
    Child’s Pose, the Romanian helmer Calin Peter Netzer will this year be part of
    the jury. Touch Me Not, which will be shown for the first time in Berlin, is a
    personal exploration that questions our preconceived ideas about intimacy as a
    fundamental aspect of human existence. Ioana Uricariu’s Lemonade has been
    selected in the Panorama section, which rewards artistic vision and the courage
    to be different. Corneliu Porumboiu’s documentary Infinite Football will be
    screened in the non-competitive sidebar Forum. Two more Romanian productions
    are being shown in the Generation
    Kplus competition for children and young people. Last year, Dana Bunescu won
    the Silver Bear for the editing in Calin Peter Netzer’s Ana, mon amour.


    Tennis. The Romanian tennis player
    and world no. 2 Simona Halep pulled out of the WTA tournament in Doha after she
    defeated the American player Catherine Bellis in straight sets on Friday night. Halep
    said she had to pull out because of a leg injury and that she would neither
    play in the Dubai tournament next week. Because of Halep’s withdrawal, Spain’s
    Garbine Muguruza, no. 4 in the world, has automatically qualified for Sunday’s
    final.

  • 17.02.2018

    17.02.2018

    Visite – La première ministre roumaine, Viorica Dancila, se rendra mardi et mercredi prochains à Bruxelles pour sa première visite à l’étranger, apprend-on auprès de sources officielles de Bucarest. L’occasion de s’entretenir avec plusieurs leaders européens dont les présidents de la Commission européenne, Jean-Claude Juncker, du Conseil européen, Donald Tusk, et du Parlement européen, Antonio Tajani, et aussi avec la commissaire européenne chargée de la Politique régionale, la Roumaine Corina Cretu. La responsable roumaine a récemment déclaré qu’elle envisagerait pour la période à venir un renforcement des actions de politique étrangère et de la coopération économique avec les Etats partenaires.



    Conférence — Le ministre roumain de la Défense, Mihai Fifor, participe à la conférence sur la sécurité, à Munich. Lors de ses entretiens vendredi, il a présenté les priorités de la Roumanie en matière de défense. Selon un communiqué du ministère de la Défense de Bucarest, les discussions de Mihai Fifor avec le sénateur américain Ron Johnson, président du Comité pour la sécurité nationale et les relations gouvernementales, ont notamment porté sur les rapports bilatéraux roumano-américains, un accent particulier ayant été mis sur la coopération au sein de l’OTAN. L’officiel roumain a par cette même occasion évoqué son dialogue avec le secrétaire américain à la Défense, James Mattis, lors de la récente réunion des ministres de la Défense de lOTAN à Bruxelles. Mihai Fifor avait alors assuré que la Roumanie continuait à remplir les engagements assumés en tant que membre de l’Alliance et dans le cadre du Partenariat stratégique. Par ailleurs, à l’occasion de son entrevue avec les représentants du Conseil de l’Atlantique, à savoir le général James Jones et Alexander Vershbow, le ministre roumain Mihai Fifor a souligné l’importance que la sécurité dans la région de la mer Noire présente pour l’agenda du futur sommet de l’OTAN, qui aura lieu en juillet 2018, à Bruxelles. Il a également été question du sommet consacré à lInitiative des Trois Mers, qui sera accueilli cette année par Bucarest.



    Berlinale — A l’édition 2018 de la Berlinale, qui se déroule du 15 au 25 février, la Roumanie participe à la quasi totalité des sections importantes. Le film “Touch me not”, premier long-métrage de la réalisatrice Adina Pintilie, sera projeté en première mondiale lors du festival de Berlin. “Lemonade/ Lune de miel”, portant la signature de Ioana Uricaru, a été sélectionné dans la section Panorama. Le documentaire de Corneliu Porumboiu ” Infinite Football” se retrouve, lui, dans la section hors compétition « Forum ». Deux autres productions cinématographiques roumaines figurent dans la section Generation Kplus. Enfin, le réalisateur roumain Călin Peter Netzer compte parmi les membres du jury qui doit désigner le meilleur film de début. Notons qu’ en 2017 l’Ours dargent pour la contribution artistique a été décerné à Dana Bunescu pour Ana, mon amour” du réalisateur roumain Călin Peter Netzer.



    Tennis — La joueuse roumaine de tennis Simona Halep, n°2 mondiale, a déclaré forfait pour la suite du tournoi de Doha, après avoir battu vendredi soir, dans les quarts de finale, l’Américaine Catherine Bellis, sur le score de 6-0, 6-4. Halep a motivé son retrait par une blessure au pied droit. La Roumaine a également ajouté quelle ne participerait pas au tournoi de Dubaï la semaine prochaine. L’Espagnole Garbine Muguruza est automatiquement qualifiée pour la finale du tournoi qatarien, qui se disputera dimanche.



    Météo — Les températures sont légèrement plus élevées que les moyennes saisonnières, notamment dans le sud-ouest et le sud du territoire. Le mercure grimpera jusqu’à 11°. 8° et du soleil à midi, dans la capitale.


  • Nachrichten 13.02.2018

    Nachrichten 13.02.2018

    Bukarest: Das rumänische Verfassungsgericht hat am Dienstag Teile des geänderten Gesetzes über die Organisation und Arbeitsweise des Obersten Richterrates (CSM) für verfassungswidrig erklärt. Die Entscheidung wurde infolge der Verfassungsklagen des Obersten Kassationshofs und der wichtigsten Oppositionspartei PNL zu den Gesetzesänderungen getroffen. Der Senat hatte Ende des vergangenen Jahres als beschlussfähige Parlamentskammer den Entwurf zur Änderung des Gesetzes über die Arbeitsweise des CSM verabschiedet. Zu den wichtigsten Neuerungen gehören die Vorschriften über die Gerichtsinspektion, die als eigenständige juristische Persönlichkeit im Rahmen des Richterrates funktionieren sollte. Die von der Regierungskoalition aus PSD und ALDE unterstützten Änderungen werden von der politischen Opposition, einem Teil der Öffentlichkeit und Hunderten von Mitgliedern des Richterstandes in Frage gestellt. Sie behaupteten, dass die Justizreform nicht transparent umgesetzt worden sei. Indes erklärten die führenden Politiker, dass die Änderungen die Justizgesetze in Einklang mit früheren Entscheidungen des Verfassungsgerichts und des Europäischen Gerichtshofes für Menschenrechte bringen würden.



    Bukarest: Rumänien analysiert die Möglichkeit, zusammen mit der Moldaurepublik ein Bataillon zu gründen, so der rumänische Verteidigungsminister Mihai Fifor. Dieser erklärte in einem Interwiev mit Radio Rumänien, das Bataillon werde nach dem Beispiel jenen mit der Ukraine und Ungarn gegründetet. Der Verteidigungsminister verneinte die Spekulationen hinsichtlich der Verlegung einiger rumänischen Truppen auf moldauischem Territorium.



    Bukarest: Die anhaltend expansive Finanzpolitik Rumäniens wird die makroökonomischen Ungleichgewichte vertiefen, so die Londoner Ratingagentur Fitch Ratings. Die Agentur geht davon aus, dass das starke strukturelle Defizit die öffentlichen Finanzen anfälliger für Schocks machen werde. Die prozyklische Finanzpolitik habe zwar das Wachstum angekurbelt, gleichzeitig aber auch das Risiko einer Überhitzung der Wirtschaft erhöht. Starke steuerpolitische Anreize hätten zum Wirtschaftswachstum beigetragen, deren Motor sei dabei ein robuster Konsum gewesen. Rumäniens BIP ist im vergangenen Jahr um fast 7% gestiegen, das war ein Spitzenwert in der EU. Jedoch würde die Wirtschaft gerade über ihre Kapazitäten hinaus operiereren, neue Steuervorteile könnten die makroökonomischen Ungleichgewichte vertiefen. Die Ratingagentur Fitch verwies auch auf das Regierungsprogramm des neuen Kabinetts unter der sozialdemokratischen Ministerpräsidentin Viorica Dăncilă: Dieses enthält Vorschläge über neue Steuersenkungen, die Erhöhung des Mindestlohns und der Renten, die Steuerbefreiung für Ärzte im Jahr 2019 und die Beseitigung der Dividendensteuer.



    Bukarest: Heute ist der Weltradiotag. Es ist das siebte Jahr in Folge, in dem der Tag weltweit gefeiert wird. Der 13. Februar wurde dafür gewählt, um an den Radiosender der Vereinten Nationen zu erinnern, der zum ersten 1946 auf Sendung ging. Das diesjährige Thema des Weltradiotags ist Radio und Sport. In Rumänien war die erste Sendung des öffentlichen Radiosenders am 1. November 1928, vor 90 Jahren. Radio ist das weltweit am leichtesten zugängliche Mittel der Massenkommunikation. Das Radio muss die gesamte Bevölkerung in ihrer ganzen Vielfalt widerspiegeln , sagte Graham Dickson, ein Vertreter der European Broadcasting Union. Im Gegenzug sagte die Vertreterin der Asien-Pazifik-Rundfunkunion, Olya Booyar, dass das Radio Veränderungen durchgemacht hat, die es beginnend mit den ersten drahtlosen Sendern und Empfängern unkenntlich gemacht haben. Jetzt seien die Veränderungen des Radios mit digitaler Technologie und dem Internet, den Mobiltelefonen und persönlichen Geräten im vollen Gange.