Radio România Internațional

Tag: missiles

  • August 22, 2024 UPDATE

    August 22, 2024 UPDATE

    TALKS Romania’s Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, held talks in Brussels on Thursday with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about the future European Commissioner from Romania and their portfolio as well as the completion of the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience. The talks agenda also included an accord on Romania’s deficit. Romania’s proposal was a seven year agreement because, according to the Prime Minister, the biggest investments are expected in 2025 and 2026. Ciolacu proposed Victor Negrescu, the incumbent vice-president of the European Parliament, for the position of EU Commissioner. The two officials tackled Romania’s Schengen accession also with its ground borders and Prime Minister Ciolacu underlined that Ursula von der Leyen is the ‘biggest supporter’ of this idea.

     

    SALE The United States have approved the sale to Romania of missiles compatible with the F-16 jet fighters in order to increase the Romanian Air Forces’ defence capabilities. The purchase, which is estimated at 180 million dollars, is part of Romania’s efforts to streamline its air forces as the aforementioned missiles are also compatible with other NATO and US war planes, including the F-35 fighters. The US ambassador in Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec, has congratulated Romania on this major purchase, which proves Bucharest’s firm commitment to security, defence and stability both at national and regional levels.

     

    FLOW The Danube’s level at its entry into Romania continues to go down, a report of the Romanian Waters Administration says. The river’s level now is way below its annual average. Although hydrologists have forecast a slight increase in this level after August 25th, this will not be enough to solve the navigation issues created by the waters’ low level. Representatives of the Port Authorities have issued a series of alerts and are recommending that ships be loaded under their maximum capacity in order to avoid any collision with the sand dunes, which appeared from under the water. The low water level has also caused disruption in the ferryboat lines operating between Romania and Bulgaria.

     

    ELECTIONS In its Wednesday meeting the government of Romania set the calendar for the parliamentary election scheduled for December 1. The Election campaign will begin on November 1 and end at 7 AM on November 30. The Romanians in the country will be able to vote between 7 AM and 9 PM. For the Romanian nationals in the Diaspora, the voting will begin on November 30 at 7 AM and end on December 1 at 9 PM. The legislative elections will take place between the 2 rounds of the presidential election. Romania organised local and European elections on June 9.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Ana Bogdan has qualified for the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland (Ohio), after defeating Greet Minnen of Belgium 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. In the quarter-finals she is to play against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova. Another Romanian player, Gabriela Ruse, managed to reach the last qualifying round of the US Open main draw in New York. In the second qualifying round, Ruse defeated China’s Ye-Xin Ma 6-3, 6-3. And in the WTA 500 tournament in Monterrey (Mexico), the Romanian-Chinese pair, Monica Niculescu / Hanyu Guo on Thursday qualified into the semi-finals of the doubles competition, after winning against Ulrikkec Eikeri of Norway) and Aldila Sutjiadi (Indonesia) 6-4, 5-7, 10-3.

     

    (bill)

     

  • Multinational procurement of Patriot missiles to enhance air defense

    Multinational procurement of Patriot missiles to enhance air defense

    NATO has announced that its Support and Procurement Agency will support a coalition of Allies, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain to procure up to 1,000 Patriot air defense missiles. The consolidated multinational procurement, in the spirit of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), offers economies of scale and supports the expansion of production capacity for new GEM-T missiles to meet increasing demand, NATO said in a statement. The $5.5 billion contract has been awarded to COMLOG, a joint venture between an American company and a German company, and the large volume of the order will support the set up of a production facility for Patriot missiles in Germany. Patriot missiles cost around $4 million each, but the contract also covers the supply of spare parts and maintenance.



    The NATO Support and Procurement Agency stated that this purchase aims to strengthen the deterrent posture of the allies in the context in which Russia is intensifying its air attacks on Ukraine. “Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and towns show how important modern air defense is. (…) Scaling up ammunition production is key for Ukraines security and for ours, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.



    NATO provides Ukraine with only non-lethal support, but members of the organization send arms and ammunition to Kyiv individually or collectively. The United States and Germany have already delivered Patriot missiles to Ukraine to help counter Russian attacks on its cities and infrastructure, and those deliveries have partially depleted stocks. The US was even forced to ask other countries, including Japan, to help rebuild them. Following this request, in the second half of December, Japan relaxed its arms export restrictions, for the first time in the last decade, the historic decision of the Japanese authorities allowing the sale of Patriot air defense systems to the United States.



    Washington, in turn, will be able to deliver more such systems to Ukraine. The Patriot program is currently the most expensive endowment program of the Romanian Army. Romania currently has four such systems, out of the seven ordered, for which it will pay a total of almost 4 billion dollars. Patriot missiles can fly at 5,000 kilometers per hour and can hit drones, helicopters, planes, and cruise missiles. The Romanian Army, which, starting from 2023, receives 2.5% of the GDP, will have 200 such missiles, worth 1 billion euros, with the delivery to be made gradually. (EE)


  • January 4, 2024

    January 4, 2024

    PATRIOT NATO has announced its decision to support a
    group of member countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain
    for the purchase of up to 1,000 anti-aircraft Patriot missiles. According to
    NATO, the European production will be increased to cover the growing demand being
    also aimed at strengthening the European Sky Shield. The contract stands at 5.5
    billion dollars and the cost of each Patriot missile is around 4 million
    dollars. The contract also covers the maintenance of the Patriot defence
    systems. NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg has underlined that raising the ammunition
    production is essential for the security of the allied countries and Ukraine.




    AGREEMENT An individual’s period of work and their rights to pension
    have mutually been recognized by Romania and the United States, after the law
    ratifying the agreement on the issue was promulgated by Romanian president
    Klaus Iohannis. Under the new agreement, the periods of work both in Romania
    and the United States will be taken into consideration in the process of calculating
    individual pensions. The document also provides for the export of pensions, a
    major facility regarding the mobility of pensioners in the two countries and
    maintaining their access to the pension rights under payment. The draft also
    includes provisions for the posted workers who have been exempted from paying
    social securities in the country they have been sent to work.




    SPORT Romania’s handball selection is today playing Switzerland in
    an away friendly part of the Yellow Cup. On Friday, Romania takes on Argentina
    and will be up against Bosnia on Saturday. For Romania, presently coached by
    famous Xavi Pasqual, Yellow Cup is the last test before the European
    Championship – EHF EURO 2024 due in Germany over January 10th and 28th.
    Romania is part of Group B together with Spain, Austria and Croatia. The first
    two sides are qualified for the so-called main groups. A quadruple world
    champion, Romania has not qualified for a European Championship since
    1996.


    NATO Secretary
    General, Jens Stoltenberg will convene a meeting between high NATO diplomats
    and officials from Ukraine on January 10, the military alliance has announced,
    Reuters reports. The meeting is to be held in the newly-created format
    NATO-Ukraine and will take place upon Kyiv’s request in the wake of the the
    latest rocket and drone attacks against civilians and localities from Ukraine,
    a NATO spokesman has announced. Russia stepped up its attacks around the New
    Year’s Eve, after President Putin had cautioned that Ukraine’s air raid over
    the Russian city of Belgorod, which Moscow claims that it killed 25 civilians,
    would not go unpunished.






    WEATHER The weather in Romania is warmer for
    this time of the year, with temperatures higher than usual. The highs of the
    day are ranging between 6 and 15 degrees Centigrade with a noon reading in
    Bucharest of 15 degrees.




    (bill)



  • Achat groupé de missiles Patriot

    Achat groupé de missiles Patriot

    L’OTAN a annoncé que son
    Agence de Soutien et d’Acquisitions offrirait son soutien à un groupe d’Etats
    membres, y compris l’Allemagne, les Pays-Bas, la Roumanie et l’Espagne, pour
    l’achat d’un millier de missiles de défense antiaérienne Patriot.


    Selon un communiqué de
    l’Alliance militaire, « L’acquisition multinationale consolidée, dans
    l’esprit de l’initiative « bouclier du ciel européen » (en anglais
    « European Sky Shield Initiative ») permet de réaliser des économies d’échelle
    et de soutenir l’expansion de la capacité de production des nouveaux missiles
    GEM-T afin de répondre à la demande croissante ».


    L’agence a attribué le
    contrat, d’une valeur de 5,5 milliard de dollars, à COMLOG, une joint-venture
    entre une entreprise américaine et une autre allemande.


    Le volume important de la
    demande soutiendra la création d’une unité de production des missiles Patriot
    en Allemagne. Les missiles Patriot coûtent presque 4 millions de dollars chacun
    et le contrat couvre aussi la fourniture de pièces d’échange et l’entretien.
    Aux dires des représentants de l’Agence de Soutien et d’Acquisitions de l’OTAN,
    cette achat vise à consolider la posture de dissuasion des Alliés, dans le
    contexte où la Russie intensifie ses attaques aériennes contre l’Ukraine.


    Le secrétaire général de
    l’OTAN Jens Stoltenberg a déclaré : « Les attaques de missiles et de
    drones russes contre les civiles, les villes et les communes ukrainiennes
    montrent à quel point une défense aérienne moderne est importante. Il est
    essentiel d’intensifier la production de munitions pour la sécurité de
    l’Ukraine et pour la nôtre. »




    Les armes fournies à l’Ukraine




    Pour rappel, l’OTAN fournit
    à l’Ukraine uniquement du soutien non létal. Pourtant, les membres de
    l’Organisation envoient à Kiev des armes et des munitions. Les Etats-Unis et
    l’Allemagne ont déjà livré des missiles Patriot à l’Ukraine pour l’aider à
    contrecarrer les attaques russes contre ses villes et ses infrastructures.
    Néanmoins, ses livraisons ont presqu’épuisé les stockages. Les Etats-Unis se
    sont même vus contraints à demander à d’autres pays, y compris au Japon, de l’aide
    pour reconstituer les stock. Suite à cette demande, le Japon a assoupli les
    restrictions aux exportations d’armes pour la première fois au cours de la
    dernière décennie, la décision historique des autorités nippones permettant de
    vendre aux Etats-Unis des systèmes de défense antiaérienne Patriot. A son tour,
    Washington pourra livrer à l’Ukraine d’avantage de systèmes de ce type.




    La dotation de l’Armée roumaine





    A
    l’heure où l’on parle, le programme Patriot est le programme le plus cher de
    dotation de l’Armée roumaine. La Roumanie dispose actuellement de quatre
    systèmes de ce type, sur les sept commandés pour lesquelles elle paiera au
    total presque quatre milliards de dollars. Les trois derniers seront
    opérationnalisés d’ici la fin de cette année. Les missiles Patriot peuvent
    voler à 5 000 km/heure et toucher des drones, des hélicoptères, des avions,
    mais aussi des missiles de croisière. L’Armée roumaine, qui, depuis 2023 reçoit
    2,5 % du PIB, disposera de 200 missiles de ce type, d’une valeur d’ 1 milliard
    d’euros. La livraison en sera faite progressivement.

  • December 29, 2022

    December 29, 2022

    ENERGY The government of Romania passed a bill lifting the
    obligation for owners of more than one house to submit sworn statements in
    order to benefit from energy price caps. On the other hand, the government also
    decided that the 10 Eurocent governmental discount on fuel prices will no
    longer be applied as of January 1, 2023. PM Nicolae Ciucă promised that the
    authorities are prepared to reintroduce this measure in the future, should
    prices go up beyond citizens’ spending power.


    FOREIGN POLICY In 2023, ‘Romania’s foreign ministry will continue to
    give special attention to Romania’s Schengen accession and to joining the
    Organisation for Cooperation and Economic Development (OCDE)’. The announcement
    was made by the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu in a Report on Romania’s
    diplomatic activity released on Thursday. As far as 2022 is concerned, the
    Report says the year was marked at both a regional and a global level by the
    war of aggression launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The
    report also covers the outcomes of the NATO Summit in Madrid in June 2022, and Bucharest’s
    successful hosting of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers and of the Munich
    Leaders Meeting in November 2022.


    COVID The
    European Commission organises today a meeting of healthcare officials to
    discuss a coordinated EU approach of the surge in Covid cases in China, AFP
    reports. After China loosened its strict zero-tolerance rules earlier this
    month, which triggered an explosion of cases in the country, states around the
    world are worried that new variants of the virus would spread from there. Italy
    has already on Wednesday introduced compulsory testing for incoming travellers
    from China, a measure also adopted by other countries, including the US and Japan.


    UKRAINE Ukraine suffered
    ‘massive’ attacks involving over 120 Russian missiles on Thursday morning in
    several cities including the capital Kyiv, the Ukrainian Army and Presidency announced.
    Air raid alerts sounded across the country. According to Ukraine’s head of
    intelligence services, the war is currently at a deadlock, as neither Ukraine
    nor Russia are able to make significant progress. In an interview to the BBC, Kyrylo
    Budanov said Russia was at a dead end, suffering significant losses, but he
    admitted that Ukraine lacks the resources to move forward. He added that Kyiv
    was waiting for more advanced weapons. Ever since October, Russia has been regularly
    hitting Ukraine’s energy and other critical infrastructure. Kremlin warned that
    there will be no New Year ceasefire in Ukraine.


    SOLIDARITY
    In the Republic of Moldova, neighbouring both Romania and Ukraine, lights will
    be turned off in the government’s and other public buildings, in solidarity
    with the millions of people in Ukraine left without electricity, water supply and
    heating. Last week, the Rome Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House, the European
    Parliament and the Wembley went dark in solidarity with Ukraine. In Bucharest, the
    City Hall discontinued holiday lighting for one hour during the winter solstice
    night.


    HANDBALL Romania’s
    men’s handball team takes on Algeria today in the 3rd place playoff
    of the Carpaţi Trophy, a competition
    traditionally hosted by Romania and taking place this year in Oradea. On Wednesday, Romania lost to Slovakia, 31-30, and
    Algeria was defeated by Egypt 38-27. The trophy
    final pits Egypt against Slovakia. (AMP)

  • 10.10.2022

    10.10.2022

    Ukraine – Plusieurs explosions dues à des attaques aux missiles ont eu lieu ce matin dans la capitale ukrainienne et dans les villes de Lviv, Ternopil et Dnipro. Le ministre roumain des Affaires Etrangères, Bogdan Aurescu, annonce que le personnel de l’ambassade de Roumanie est sain et sauf même si un missile est tombé à moins d’un kilomètre du siège de la mission diplomatique roumaine. Le responsable de Bucarest condamne fermement les attaques aux missiles des forces russes contre des sites civiles du centre de Kiev et dans d’autres villes ukrainiennes, une transgression flagrante du droit humanitaire international qui ont mené à la perte de vies humaines. Par ailleurs, le Conseil national russe de sécurité se réunit aujourd’hui, à l’appel du président Vladimir Poutine après l’explosion de samedi qui a partiellement détruit le pont de Kertch qui relie la Russie à la péninsule de Crimée, région ukrainienne illégalement annexée par la Fédération de Russie en 2014. Conformément au leader du Kremlin, les autorités de Kiev ont commis un acte terroriste en menant cette attaque. Les autorités ukrainiennes n’ont ni confirmé, ni démenti leur implication. A Washington, la Maison Blanche a refusé de commenter ce sujet et mentionné qu’elle continuerait à approvisionner l’Ukraine avec de l’armement. Egalement aujourd’hui, l’Assemblée générale de l’ONU se réunit dans le cadre d’une session d’urgence pour évoquer la récente annexion par la Russie de quatre provinces ukrainiennes. La correspondante de la radio publique roumaine aux Etats Unis rappelle que l’Assemblée Générale avait condamné la précédente annexion de la Crimée en 2014.

    Ukraine – La Roumanie est mieux préparée pour recevoir des réfugiés d’Ukraine mais il n’y a pas de signes d’une augmentation de leur nombre à l’immédiat, a déclaré à Suceava, dans le nord-est le secrétaire d’Etat au ministère de l’Intérieur, Raed Arafat. Dimanche, le responsable roumain a visité le centre logistique humanitaire à l’occasion d’une cérémonie marquant l’arrivée d’une série de dons faits par la France. Y ont participé aussi l’ambassadrice de France en Roumanie, Laurence Auer et l’ambassadeur d’Ukraine en Roumanie, Ihor Prokopchuk. Il s’agit d’une quinzaine de véhicules de pompiers et de secours maniés par une quarantaine de militaires de la sécurité civile française. Du matériel supplémentaire devrait arriver à Suceava dans les jours à venir. Il s’agit de l’aide humanitaire accordée par la France la plus importante, constituée de plus d’un millier de tonnes de médicaments et d’aliments, mais aussi de véhicules d’intervention. Ces aides ont été acheminées à bord d’un navire de Marseille à Constanta dans le sud-est.


    Schengen
    –     Les experts européens évaluent cette semaine l’activité des services
    vétérinaires des Points de contrôle de la Frontière de Stamora Moravita du
    département de Timis, à la frontière avec la Serbie et sur l’aéroport Henri
    Coanda de Bucarest a annoncé l’Autorité nationale sanitaire vétérinaire et pour
    la sécurité des aliments. Evaluation se déroule alors que l’adhésion à l’espace
    Schengen semble être de plus en plus possible pour la Roumanie. La présidence
    tchèque du Conseil de l’Union européenne a annoncé la semaine dernière devant
    le plénum du Parlement européen qu’elle envisageait d’obtenir au Sommet de
    décembre l’unanimité sur l’adhésion de la Roumanie et de la Bulgarie à l’espace
    européen de libre circulation.




















    Déficit
    –     Le déficit de la balance commerciale
    de la Roumanie durant les huit premiers mois de cette année a progressé de près
    de 7,4 milliards d’euros à 22 milliards d’euros. Selon les chiffres de
    l’Institut national de la Statistique, publiés lundi, les exportations ont
    progressé de 25% et les importations ont connu une hausse de 31%. Durant la
    période analysée, les exportations ont totalisé quelque 60,3 milliards d’euros
    et les importations à près de 83 milliards d’euros. Les machines et les équipements
    de transport ainsi que d’autres produits manufacturés constituent également des
    taux importants dans la structure des exportations et des importations.






















    Justice
    –     A Bucarest, la commission spéciale parlementaire en charge d’étudier les lois
    gérant la Justice se réunit aujourd’hui pour discuter du projet de la loi de
    l’organisation judiciaire, avant de présenter le rapport nécessaire aux débats
    dans le plénum du Sénat la semaine prochaine. La commission a été saisie au
    sujet des trois projets relatifs à la Justice initiés par le gouvernement et
    déjà adoptés par la Chambre des Députés : le statut des juges et des
    procureurs, l’organisation judiciaire, la loi du Conseil supérieur de la
    magistrature. En opposition, l’ex-ministre de la Justice de l’USR, Stelian Ion
    a demandé à nouveau de prolonger la période de débat public et du vote jusqu’à
    la publication de l’avis de la Commission de Venise. Enfin, le ministre de la Justice, Catalin
    Predoiu, a expliqué que les autorités étaient constamment en contact avec les
    représentants de la Commission européenne et que les projets de lois qui
    constituent un repère du mécanisme de vérification et de coopération ont
    parcouru toutes les procédures légales.









































    Iasi
    –     Quelque 300 000 personnes sont attendues à Iasi jusqu’au 14 octobre pour
    participer au pèlerinage consacré à la Sainte Parascheva, qui est l’évènement
    de de type le plus important de Roumanie. Cette année c’est pour la première
    fois en deux ans que le pèlerinage se déroule sans aucune restriction imposée
    par la pandémie de Covid 19.





















    Météo
    –     Il fait beau aujourd’hui en Roumanie, mais les températures ont chuté de
    plusieurs degrés par rapport aux jours précédents, notamment sur le sud et le
    sud-est. Les maximas iront donc de 15 à
    23 degrés. 17 degrés en ce moment à Bucarest.






    Travaux
    –     Coup d’envoi aujourd’hui des travaux de modernisation du système de gestion
    des bagages de soute dans le terminal « Départs » de l’aéroport
    d’Otopeni près de Bucarest, a annoncé la Compagnie nationale des aéroports de
    Bucarest. Le nombre de guichets check-in sera plus réduit et les temps
    d’attente connaitront une majoration significative. L’actuel système de
    management des bagages est vieux de plus de 20 ans et pour le remplaces avec
    des équipements modernes il faut un investissement de plus de 20 millions
    d’euros. A la fin des travaux, la capacité de transport des bagages sur le
    terminal des départs augmentera de 40%. 12 nouveaux guichets permettront aux
    voyageurs de déposer eux-mêmes les bagages de soute sans devoir passer par les
    guichets de check-in, fait savoir la Compagnie nationale des aéroports de
    Bucarest.
















    Handball
    –     CSM Bucureşti a battu les danois d’Odense Handbold, sur le score de 31 à 27
    (16-13), dimanche dans un match du Groupe A de la Ligue des Champions de
    handball féminin. L’équipe roumaine devra jouer son prochain match le 16
    octobre contre le DHK Banik Most. CS Rapid Bucarest a également décroché une
    victoire 34 à 32 contre les danois de Team Esbjerg, dimanche dans le Groupe B
    de la même compétition. Le 15 ocotobre, Rapid rencontrera le Buducnost
    Podgorica.

  • October 10, 2022

    October 10, 2022

    DEFICIT In the first 8 months of the year Romania’s trade balance
    deficit deepened by nearly EUR 7.4 billion, to EUR 22 billion. According to data
    made public by the National Statistics Institute on Monday, exports went up
    25%, to EUR 60.3 billion, and imports rose by 31%, to roughly EUR 83 billion.
    Vehicles and transport equipment, as well as other manufactured products,
    accounted for a large part of Romania’s foreign trade. Over 70% of the total
    imports and exports involved the EU market.


    PILGRIMAGE
    The north-eastern Romanian city of Iaşi is hosting these days a traditional
    pilgrimage devoted to St. Paraskeva, commemorated on the 14 October and viewed
    as the patron saint of Moldavia. Thousands of Orthodox believers from around
    the country and from abroad have already come to pray at St. Paraskeva’s relics,
    hosted by the Metropolitan Cathedral. The Iași pilgrimage is the largest
    Orthodox pilgrimage in the country, with around 300,000 people expected to
    attend this year.


    REFUGEES Romania is better prepared to
    receive Ukrainian refugees, although there is no indication that their number
    may increase, the state secretary with the interior ministry Raed Arafat
    said in Suceava, north-eastern Romania. On Sunday the Romanian official
    travelled to the Suceava hub for a donation ceremony also attended by the
    French ambassador to Bucharest, Laurence Auer, and the Ukrainian ambassador in
    Romania, Ihor Prokopchuk. Fifteen fire engines and ambulances were brought to
    the hub by 40 members of the French civil protection agency, and further
    materials will reach Suceava in a few days. The largest French aid batch for
    Ukraine, consisting in over 1 tonne of pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and
    intervention vehicles, has reached the Black Sea port of Constanţa Sud-Agigea.


    UKRAINE
    Several blasts were reported this
    morning in the Ukrainian capital city and in Lviv, Ternopil and Dnipro. The
    Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu announced that Romanian diplomatic
    staff in Kyiv is safe, although a missile hit 850m from the Romanian embassy
    office. The Romanian official firmly condemns Russian missile strikes on
    civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities as a blatant violation of
    international human rights law. Meanwhile, Russia’s Security Council convenes today at president
    Vladimir Putin’s request, after Saturday’s
    partial destruction of the Kerch bridge connecting Russia to Crimea. According
    to Putin, this was a terrorist act committed by Ukraine. The Ukrainian
    authorities neither confirmed nor denied their involvement in the incident. In
    Washington, the White House declined comments on the topic and mentioned it
    would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine. Also today, the UN is holding an
    emergency session to discuss Russia’s recent annexation of 4 other Ukrainian
    provinces. Radio Romania’s correspondent in the US mentions that the UN General
    Assembly condemned the annexation of Crimea in 2014.


    AIRPORT As of today, the Bucharest Otopeni Airport is upgrading its baggage
    handling systems at the Departures terminal, the Bucharest National Airport
    Company has announced. Until next August, the number of check-in counters will
    be significantly reduced, and waiting time will be longer. The current baggage
    handling system is more than 20 years old, and its replacement requires an over
    EUR 20 million investment. After the works, the processing capacity will be 40%
    higher, and 12 counters for passengers to drop off their own baggage without
    resorting to a check-in counter will also be available, the Company announced.


    VETERINARY EU experts are assessing these days the veterinary services
    at the border check points Stamora Moraviţa, in Timiş County, on the border
    with Serbia, and at the Bucharest Henri Coandă Airport, the National Veterinary
    and Food Safety Agency announced. The assessment comes in the context of
    Romania’s prospective Schengen area accession. The Czech presidency of the EU
    Council announced last week that in the December summit it will seek a
    unanimous decision on Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the passport-free
    travel area.



    SPORTS The Romanian team CSM Bucharest defeated
    the Dutch side Odense Handbold, 31-27 (16-13), on Sunday, away from home, in
    Group A of the women’s handball Champions’ League. Undefeated in 4 matches, the
    Romanian team is to play next at home on 16 October, against DHK Banik Most. In
    turn, CS Rapid Bucharest won 34-32 (19-14) against the Danish team Team
    Esbjerg, in a home game on Sunday in Group B of the same competition. This was
    the 3rd win for the Romanian champions in the competition. Rapid will
    play next against Buducnost Podgorica, away from home, on 15 October. (AMP)

  • August 22, 2022

    August 22, 2022

    CONTRACT A major funding
    contract for the railway network part of the Romania’s National Recovery and
    Resilience Plan (PNRR), a project of roughly 1.75 billion euros has been
    signed. The contract provides for streamlining the Caransebes-Timisoara-Arad
    railway with a total length of 162 kilometers. According to Transport Minister
    Sorin Grindeanu this is a major step towards the modernization of the railway
    network in western Romania, which is part of the European transport corridor
    Orient/East Mediterranean. PNRR funds are going to be used to double and
    streamline the aforementioned railway in order to allow trains to run at 160
    kilometers per hour. The project also provides for the modernization and
    building of railway stations in certain urban areas, building pedestrian
    walkways and adjusting platforms to European standards.








    TALKS Romanian Prime
    Minister, Nicolae Ciuca, Energy Minister, Virgil Popescu, and representatives
    of the National Energy Regulatory Authority have convened to assess further support
    schemes for the population against the background of the latest electricity
    price hikes. These are to be applied after March 31st, until when
    household and non-household consumers are benefitting from subsidized gas and
    electricity depending on their consumption. The government wants to invest in
    new energy infrastructure projects aimed at exploiting local resources. In
    another development, the executive in Bucharest might endorse this week an
    emergency ordinance providing for another pay rise for state employees.
    According to Finance Minister Adrian Caciu, the rise has already been applied
    in the country’s education and medical sectors and will soon be applied in the
    other sectors of the economy.






    WEATHER
    Meteorologists have again issued yellow and orange alerts for unstable weather
    and heavy rain in almost the entire Romanian territory. Until Tuesday night most
    of the regions are to see thunderstorms, heavy downpours, gale force winds and
    in some areas hail. The heat index will remain high in south-eastern
    Romania.


    PROGRAMME The
    Environment Fund Administration (EFA) in Romania is expected to launch next
    week a programme for scrapping vehicles older than 15 years. Under the
    aforementioned programme owners can get 600 Euros without the obligation of
    buying a new vehicle. Half of the sum will be covered from the EFA funds and
    the rest from local budgets. Through its National Plan of Recovery and
    Resilience, Romania pledges to get rid of 250 thousand old polluting vehicles
    by 2026.






    TENNIS Romanian
    tennis player Irina Begu on Sunday qualified for the round of 16 of the WTA 250
    tournament in Cleveland USA, which has over 250 thousand dollars in
    prize-money. The Romanian secured a two-set win against US challenger Peyton
    Sterns and she will be up next against the winner of the game pitching Sofia
    Kenin of the USA against other qualified player. Another Romanian in the
    competition, Sorana Cirstea will be playing fourth-seeded Elise Mertens of
    Belgium.






    UKRAINE The invading Russian
    army has again shelled objectives in several regions of Ukraine. The southern
    city of Mykolaiv has been struck by several S-300 missiles and the region of
    Odessa has been attacked with rockets fired from vessels in the Black Sea. The
    city of Nikopol close to the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia has been hit
    by scores of artillery shells amid growing fears of a potential nuclear
    disaster in the region. US president Joe Biden on Sunday held talks with French
    president Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German
    chancellor Olaf Scholz about the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and
    the support they can provide to this country. In Kyiv, president Zelensky has cautioned
    against potential large-scale attacks by Russian troops around Ukraine’s
    Independence Day, which marks the country’s breaking ties with the former USSR.
    The event takes place on August 24, six months from the onset of the Russian
    invasion. In another development, another two ships loaded with Ukrainian grain
    bound for Istanbul have been authorized to leave the Ukrainian Black Sea ports
    under the UN-brokered agreement signed by Ukraine, Turkey and Russia.






    (bill)

  • June 25, 2022 UPDATE

    June 25, 2022 UPDATE

    UKRAINE Scores of
    Russian rockets on Saturday rained down on military targets in western and
    northern Ukraine, Reuters and AFP report. According to the governor of the Lviv
    region, six missiles were fired from the Black Sea at the Yavoriv base, with
    four hitting the base and two being intercepted and destroyed before hitting
    the targets. The governor of the Zhytomyr region in the north of the country
    said that strikes on a military objective in the area killed at least one
    soldier. In the northern region of Chernihiv, governor Vyacheslav Chaus said
    that the town of Desna had come under rocket strikes on Saturday morning.
    Ukrainian forces were forced to pull out of Severdonetsk after weeks of heavy
    fighting. According to sources with the Ukrainian army, Russia used the
    airspace of Belarus to hit targets in Ukraine.








    FINA Romanian swimmer Robert Glinta came fourth in the finals of the 50
    meters backstroke race of the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.
    Last night Glinta came sixth in the 100 meter backstroke event. Another
    Romanian, David Popvici, double champion in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle
    races, is to be awarded by Romanian president Klaus Iohannis the Star of
    Romania national order in rank of knight.






    SUMMIT Romanian president
    Klaus Iohannis has attended the European Council in Brussels during which the
    Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have been granted the status of EU-candidate
    countries. The European leaders have also tackled the ways in which the EU members
    can avoid a major energy crisis in winter. High on the summit agenda was the
    situation in Ukraine, the bloc’s relation with the Western Balkans as well as a
    series of economic issues. Iohannis has reiterated Romania’s consistent support
    for Kiev and presented the efforts to facilitate the exports of Ukrainian
    cereals adding that Romania’s ports and transport corridors are functioning at
    full capacity. During the Euro summit in Brussels, president Iohannis has
    reiterated his conviction for the European future of the countries in the
    Western Balkans and the support for the opening as soon as possible of the
    talks with North Macedonia and Albania and the identification of solutions for
    the process of bringing Bosnia-Herzegovina closer to the union.






    ATTACK The alleged
    assailant on Friday night in Oslo is a Norwegian citizen of Iranian origin who
    is known to the intelligence services, a police official said on Saturday. He
    didn’t reveal the identity of the suspect, but mentioned the assailant’s previous
    brushes with the law for carrying weapons and drug possession. The attack in
    downtown Oslo left two dead and 21 wounded, out of whom 10 severely. According
    to police sources, the suspect was being held on suspicion of murder, attempted
    murder and terrorism, based on the number of people targeted at multiple
    locations.








    NATO At the NATO summit in
    Madrid next week, the Black Sea region will be acknowledged as having a
    strategic importance in the collective defence and battle groups in Romania and
    other eastern countries could be given the status of brigades. The alliance’s
    deputy secretary general, Mircea Geoana said the summit would bring good news
    for Romania, but also for Ukraine for the transatlantic relation and the
    alliance per se. ‘From the military and security viewpoints’, Geoana says ‘and
    because Russia is an unpredictable and aggressive player, Romania will have the
    same quality in terms of national security as Germany and Belgium. There will
    be no difference in what NATO has on the eastern flank and in Western Europe.
    Next week we are going to attend the NATO summit in Madrid and we are expecting
    historic news for Romania’. The talks in Madrid will also be focusing on the
    requests from Finland and Sweden to join the alliance, although no decision is
    expected in this respect because of Turkey’s opposition.










    FESTIVAL Until July 3rd, the city of Sibiu in central Romania is
    seeing the International Theatre Festival currently at its 29th
    edition. The festival, which is unfolding under a theme simply entitled
    Beauty, includes productions of theatre, dance, circus, film, musical and
    opera. Street performances, concerts, book launches and exhibitions have also
    been included in the festival’s agenda. For ten days artists of the world stage
    are offering the public the possibility of enjoying live performances that have
    been acknowledged at international level being also recipients of prestigious
    awards.




    (bill)

  • May 22, 2022

    May 22, 2022

    PROGRAMME Romania has kicked off
    a social programme called ‘Seaside for Everyone’, which allows tourists to find
    accommodation in hotels on the Romanian Black Sea coast for prices starting
    from 7 Euros per night. Representatives of the employers associations in the
    field say that prices are almost 70% lower than in the summer holiday season. Over
    4 thousand accommodation facilities have been made available for tourists who
    can also pay with holiday vouchers. The most sought-after Black Sea resorts are
    Mamaia, Eforie Nord, Neptun and Saturn. The ‘Seaside for Everyone’ programme is
    presently at its 40th edition and is the only social programme in
    Romania entirely supported by the business environment.








    UKRAINE President of Ukraine,
    Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the
    Ministers of Defence from 40 countries due to convene in a virtual conference
    on Monday to approve the delivery of Multiple Launch Rocket Systems to the
    Ukrainian army. According to the European site Politico, the USA, which has
    this weapon, is reluctant to offer it to Ukraine as it would enable the latter
    to hit targets deep into the Russian territory as the missiles fitting these
    systems have a range of up to 500 kilometers. Zelensky request comes against a
    stepped up Russian onslaught in eastern Ukraine, the invaders’ main target
    after the defeat suffered in Kyiv. The Russian troops are pressing the
    Ukrainian forces mainly in Lugansk, which together with Donetsk are forming the
    so-called Donbas. Clashes in Donbas have intensified after Russia managed to
    take over Mariupol after a violent siege of nearly three months during which
    the city was almost entirely destroyed. According to Reuters, Russia is using
    aviation, artillery, tanks and rockets along the entire eastern front. In the
    meantime, Polish president Andrzej Duda, is currently paying a visit to Ukraine
    where he is going to speak before Parliament. According to a communiqué posted
    on his site, Duda has thus become the first foreign president talking to the
    Ukrainian legislature since the beginning of the war Russia started in Ukraine
    on February 24th.






    TOUR US president Joe
    Biden has arrived in Japan, the second and last leg of his first Asian tour,
    which is meant to strengthen the US’ relations with countries in Asia-Pacific. As
    part of this tour Biden paid a two-day visit to South Korea where talks mainly
    focused on the danger posed by North Korea’s nuclear programme. Joe Biden is to
    meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Emperor Naruhito before attending the Quad
    meeting, which brings together political leaders from the USA, Japan, India and
    Australia.






    DAVOS After a two
    year recess caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the world’s political and economic
    elite again convenes in Davos, a forum expected to be dominated by the war in
    Ukraine, AFP reports. Organisers of the renowned World Economic Forum late last
    year announced that a meeting in person would be held in the mountain resort of
    Davos over May 22 and 26, after several online editions caused by the pandemic.
    A wide range of topics are high on the agenda, from climate changes to energy
    prices and fears about a potential global food crisis, gender equality,
    football and the metaverse. However, the world economic forum in Davos has become
    famous for the talks held outside of its official programme. Among the most
    famous events it saw along the years was the first ministerial meetings between
    the South and North Korea in 1989 or the talks on Apartheid between the
    president of South Africa, Frederik De Klerk and the then dissident Nelson
    Mandela. This year’s edition of the Davos forum is expected to bring together
    roughly 25 hundred participants, including numerous company directors and over
    50 heads of state and government.






    TENNIS Two Romanian tennis players, Sorana Cirstea and Gabriela Ruse are today
    playing in the first day of the grand slam tournament Roland Garros. Cirstea
    will be playing Tatjana Maria of Germany, while Ruse will be up against Elise
    Mertens of Belgium. In the tournament’s first round, 19th-seeded
    Simona Halep and Roland Garros champion in 2018 will be up against Nastasja
    Schunk of Germany. Seven Romanians are on the tournament’s main board. Besides
    the already mentioned two, these are Irina Begu, Ana Bogdan, Irina Bara and
    Mihaela Buzarnescu who came as ‘lucky loser’ after the qualifying match she
    lost on Friday.






    (bill)

  • Ukraine – dernières évolutions

    Ukraine – dernières évolutions

    Vendredi, les plus fortes explosions ont été signalées à Kiev depuis le retrait des troupes russes de la région, voici deux semaines. Des missiles Kalibr ont également touché la fabrique de missiles ukrainiens Neptune, à une trentaine de km de la capitale. Une vengeance, commentent les Ukrainiens et les journalistes internationaux, parce qu’une telle arme aurait détruit le croiseur « Moskva ». L’Ukraine affirme avoir fait couler le vaisseau amiral de la flotte russe en mer Noire, alors que Moscou parle d’une « mer orageuse ». C’est la perte la plus spectaculaire des forces russes depuis l’invasion de l’Ukraine. Au premier jour de guerre, le croiseur avait participé à l’occupation de l’Île des Serpents, prenant 82 militaires ukrainiens prisonniers. Par la suite, selon les médias ukrainiens, il a pris part au blocus des ports d’Odessa, de Mikolaïv et d’Otchakiv. Dans le sud, les Russes affirment avoir capturé les Usines sidérurgiques Ilich, comptant parmi les dernières encore sous contrôle ukrainien dans la région de Marioupol. Toujours à Marioupol, les Ukrainiens accusent l’armée russe d’éliminer les cadavres pour effacer les preuves des crimes de guerre. Jeudi, le Parlement ukrainien a qualifié les crimes de l’armée russe dans le pays voisin de « génocide ». Selon le Parquet de Kiev, au moins 198 enfants ont été tués dans ce conflit, et 355 autres ont été blessés.

  • 08/04/2022 (mise à jour)

    08/04/2022 (mise à jour)

    Ukraine — La présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, et le chef de la diplomatie de l’UE Josep Borrell, qui se sont déplacés vendredi à Kiev, ont condamné fermement l’attaque « horrible » et « dépourvue de discernement » de l’armée russe contre les civils qui se trouvaient dans la gare de Kramatorsk. Les dignitaires européens ont également annoncé une nouvelle aide militaire de 500 millions d’euros pour l’Ukraine. Ils ont annoncé par la même voie le retour de la mission de l’UE à Kiev. Le premier ministre slovaque, Eduard Heger, a également fait partie de la délégation européenne. Deux missiles russes ont frappé une gare de Kramatorsk, dans l’est de l’Ukraine, faisant au moins une cinquantaine de morts, dont des enfants, et une centaine de blessés. La gare, où se trouvaient des milliers de personnes, était utilisée pour l’évacuation des zones bombardées par les forces russes. Le président Volodymyr Zelensky affirme que les destructions de Borodyanka, cette ville au nord-ouest de Kiev récemment reprise par les Ukrainiens sont « beaucoup plus atroces » que celles de Boutcha, où des massacres ont été commis. Moscou nie que ses forces auraient tué des civils. Ce vendredi, l’UE a approuvé un cinquième paquet de sanctions contre la Russie, qui prévoit un embargo sur le charbon et la fermeture des ports européens aux navires russes. Ce paquet élargit encore plus la liste noire, affectant les revenus de plusieurs centaines d’oligarques et de responsables politiques de Russie, du Belarus et des régions séparatistes prorusses de Lougansk et de Donetsk d’Ukraine.



    Gouvernement — Le gouvernement de Bucarest a adopté une décision qui établit la manière dont les citoyens roumains qui accueillent des refugiés d’Ukraine peuvent être rémunérés. Durant les trois premiers jours ouvrables de chaque mois, ils doivent déposer une demande aux autorités publiques locales, précisant le nombre de personnes accueillies, leurs nom et prénom, les localités d’où elles déclarent provenir et la période de temps pour laquelle le remboursement des dépenses est demandé. L’argent sera transféré au cours des 10 jours ouvrés suivant la réception des chiffres centralisés. Les Roumains qui accueillent des réfugiés d’Ukraine peuvent toucher quelque 14 euros par personne accueillie par jour. Depuis le début de l’invasion de la Russie au pays voisin, plus de 650 000 ressortissants ukrainiens sont entrés en Roumanie.



    Transports — En Roumanie, les transports de marchandises seront suivis par un nouveau système numérique, censé tant réduire le risque de l’évasion fiscale, mais aussi la bureaucratie pour les opérateurs de ce secteur. Le gouvernement a approuvé une ordonnance d’urgence qui introduit le système intégré RO e-Transport, également connu sous le nom de radar des marchandises. Des modules informatiques de gestion généreront des codes uniques d’enregistrement pour chaque transport. En plus, la plate-forme sera interconnectée avec des dispositifs spécifiques de surveillance du trafic routier comme par exemple les caméras, et les données seront analysées de manière intégrée. Le système vise les transports de marchandises à risque fiscal élevé, comme les boissons alcoolisées ou les aliments.



    Statistique — La Roumanie a enregistré l’année dernière une croissance économique de 5,9 % par rapport à 2020, selon les chiffres provisoires les plus récents de l’Institut national de la statistique. Ils font état d’une contribution moindre des investissements à la croissance économique de 2021, qui passe de 0,9 % à 0,6 %. Les chiffres annoncés par l’INS indiquent aussi une baisse de 0,1 % au dernier trimestre de 2021 par rapport aux 3 mois antérieurs.



    Roms — L’émancipation civique, sociale et économique des Roms de Roumanie est un objectif commun, de grande importance, a affirmé le président Klaus Iohannis dans un message transmis ce vendredi, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale des Roms. Le chef de l’Etat a salué, par la même voie, les efforts de cette communauté de faire connaître son passé et ses coutumes, de faire entendre sa voix et apprécier sa contribution au développement de la société. Le premier ministre Nicolae Ciucă a transmis un message similaire. Le chef du cabinet de Bucarest a mis en exergue le fait que les Roms de Roumanie ont apporté au fil du temps des valeurs culturelles et économiques là où ils ont vécu. La Journée internationale des Roms est une occasion de réfléchir sur la persistance, au niveau mondial, des attitudes racistes et discriminatoires, des stéréotypes, du discours de haine et de l’instigation à des actes hostiles ou à des violences à motif ethnique, qui affectent la communauté rom de manière disproportionnée, estime aussi le ministère des Affaires étrangères. La Roumanie a fait des pas importants pour condamner et éliminer toutes les formes de discrimination contre les Roms, y compris par l’adoption d’une ample législation en la matière, note le ministère des Affaires étrangères.



    Covid — Plus de 1 700 nouveaux cas de Covid-19 ont été rapportés vendredi en Roumanie, un chiffre à la baisse par rapport à jeudi. 23 000 tests de dépistage ont été effectués. Le plus grand nombre de cas d’infection a été rapporté à Bucarest. Les autorités ont également annoncé 9 décès des suites de la Covid-19. A présent, plus de 2 100 malades sont hospitalisés, dont 227 en soins intensifs. Par ailleurs, le nombre de cas de grippe dépisté par le biais de tests spécifiques est à la hausse, mettent en garde les médecins. Dans certaines situations, des malades atteints de grippe ont été même hospitalisés.



    Tennis — La joueuse roumaine de tennis Irina Bara (27 ans, 118e WTA) s’est qualifiée dans les quarts de finale du tournoi WTA 250 de Bogota, en Colombie, après sa victoire contre la sportive néerlandaise Suzan Lamens 6-0, 0-6, 6-4. Par ailleurs, Irina Begu (31 ans, 66e WTA) s’est arrêtée dans les huitièmes de finale du tournoi WTA de Charleston, aux Etats-Unis. Elle s’est inclinée en deux sets, 6-3, 6-2, devant la Tunisienne Ons Jabeur.



  • Ukraine – dernières évolutions

    Ukraine – dernières évolutions

    La présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, et le chef de la diplomatie de l’UE Josep Borrell, qui se sont déplacés vendredi à Kiev, ont condamné fermement l’attaque « horrible » et « dépourvue de discernement » de l’armée russe contre les civils qui se trouvaient dans la gare de Kramatorsk. Les dignitaires européens ont également annoncé une nouvelle aide militaire de 500 millions d’euros pour l’Ukraine. Ils ont annoncé par la même voie le retour de la mission de l’UE à Kiev. Le premier ministre slovaque, Eduard Heger, a également fait partie de la délégation européenne. Deux missiles russes ont frappé une gare de Kramatorsk, dans l’est de l’Ukraine, faisant au moins une cinquantaine de morts, dont des enfants, et une centaine de blessés. La gare, où se trouvaient des milliers de personnes, était utilisée pour l’évacuation des zones bombardées par les forces russes. Le président Volodymyr Zelensky affirme que les destructions de Borodyanka, cette ville au nord-ouest de Kiev récemment reprise par les Ukrainiens sont « beaucoup plus atroces » que celles de Boutcha, où des massacres ont été commis. Moscou nie que ses forces auraient tué des civils. Ce vendredi, l’UE a approuvé un cinquième paquet de sanctions contre la Russie, qui prévoit un embargo sur le charbon et la fermeture des ports européens aux navires russes. Ce paquet élargit encore plus la liste noire, affectant les revenus de plusieurs centaines d’oligarques et de responsables politiques de Russie, du Belarus et des régions séparatistes prorusses de Lougansk et de Donetsk d’Ukraine.

  • La Roumanie et la crise ukrainienne

    La Roumanie et la crise ukrainienne


    La
    crise russo-ukrainienne a provoqué des tensions internationales. A l’heure où l’on
    parle, Kiev et les grandes chancelleries occidentales essaient de coordonner
    leurs efforts afin d’aboutir à une désescalade d’un potentiel conflit avec
    Moscou. Pour sa part, la Russie continue à rejeter l’idée d’une invasion de l’Ukraine,
    tout en massant ses troupes aux frontières ukrainiennes. Un geste qui a poussé
    Washington a décidé d’envoyer un nouveau contingent de soldats dans les pays du
    flanc oriental de l’Otan.

    La Roumanie, pays membre de l’Alliance et voisin de l’Ukraine,
    se dit fortement préoccupée par le risque d’une guerre proche de ses frontières.
    Invité dans une émission télévisée, le chef de la diplomatie roumaine, Bogdan
    Aurescu, a affirmé qu’en cas d’une
    offensive russe en Ukraine, la réplique des alliés ne va pas tarder. « On est
    déjà prêt à donner une réponse que la Fédération de Russie a intérêt à éviter.
    Il s’agit d’une réponse fournie d’unepart, par l’Otan qui renforce son flanc oriental et de l’autre par l’UE
    qui prépare un paquet robuste et substantiel de sanctions     » a expliqué le
    diplomate roumain. Il s’agit notamment des sanctions économiques à fort impact
    financier et commercial et des sanctions individuelles contre différents
    décideurs russes, a précisé Bogdan
    Aurescu.

    N’empêche, à l’heure où l’on parle, la Roumanie n’est pas en danger de
    se voir impliquée dans un potentiel conflit militaire avec la Russie, a tenu à
    rassurer le ministre roumain des Affaires Etrangères. Notre pays est protégé
    par « une ombrelle de sécurité extrêmement puissante à même de lui
    conférer toutes les garanties possibles de sécurité et de stabilité. Et je
    pense à la protection offerte par son appartenance à l’Otan et au Partenariat
    stratégique avec les Etats-Unis     » a expliqué Bogdan Aurescu, tout en ajoutant
    que les éléments du bouclier antimissile déployés sur la base de Deveselu, en
    Roumanie, ne représentent aucune menace à l’adresse de Moscou.

    En fait, la
    Fédération de Russie a accusé à maintes reprises l’Otan d’avoir déployé sur son
    flanc oriental, dans des pays comme la Roumanie, des éléments d’un bouclier à
    caractère offensif pour pouvoir déployer des missiles de croisière Tomahawk. « Il
    s’agit d’un système purement défensif, qui n’a aucun rapport avec la Fédération
    de Russie, puisque sa mise en place et les différents types d’intercepteurs qui
    y sont déployés visent les potentielles menaces balistiques qui viendraient du
    Moyen Orient     » a expliqué Bogdan Aurescu. Ce bouclier, a-t-il dit, ne peut
    pas permettre la mise en place de missiles offensifs et les différents types d’intercepteurs
    déployés ne peuvent pas être remplacés par unautre type de missiles.





  • October 17, 2020 UPDATE

    October 17, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 In Romania, 3,952 new coronavirus infections were reported for the past 24 hours, according to the Strategic Communication Group. The overall number of cases is 176,468. Also, 63 more people died, taking the death toll to 5,812. A new negative record was also reported in terms of ICU patients—745. The authorities are seeking solutions to make sure as many hospitals as possible are involved in the fight against the pandemic. The head of the Department for Emergencies, Raed Arafat, said that according to experts this second wave of the pandemic may last throughout the winter. In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, over 1,000 schools in the country operate exclusively online. The Education Ministry says over 11,300 schools still work in the face-to-face teaching system, while 5,235 schools use both in-person and online classes.



    PANDEMIC The number of coronavirus infections worldwide is drawing near 40 million, with more than 1.1 million COVID-19-related deaths and nearly 30 million patients recovered, according to Worldometers updates. The World Health Organisation warns that several European cities are facing a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients that require intensive care. A growing number of countries announce record-high number of cases. On Saturday, the Czech Republic confirmed over 11,000 new cases, Italy almost 11,000, the Netherlands and Germany 8,000 each. In London, a ban on households mixing indoors came into force on Saturday, after on Friday 15,000 new infections were confirmed in the UK. In 10 major cities in France, including Paris and its suburbs, a curfew is in place as of Saturday between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM. The measure will be in place for at least 4 weeks, amid a rise in the number of daily new cases to over 25,000. New restrictions are also introduced in Warsaw and other Polish cities included in a “red-zone: high-schools and colleges are switching to the online mode, restaurants will only be open until 9 PM, weddings are banned and the number of people entering shops, churches and public transport will be restricted.



    SUMMIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis will take part on Monday in the Virtual Summit and Web Forum of the Three Seas Initiative, organised by Estonia. According to the Romanian Presidency, a report on smart connectivity will be released on this occasion. The Three Seas Initiative is a presidential-level political platform that brings together the 12 EU member states located between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Sea (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia). The initiative seeks to contribute to the economic development of the member states, by encouraging interconnectivity in 3 main sectors—transport, energy and digital, and to strengthening unity and cohesion within the EU.



    DIPLOMACY Romanias foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu has political consultations in Washington on Monday with the US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, as part of a visit to the US by the Romanian official at the invitation of his American counterpart. The visit takes place in the context of this years celebration of 140 years of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries. According to the Foreign Ministry, this is a “good opportunity to reconfirm the main coordinates of the strategic partnership. The talks between Bogdan Aurescu and Mike Pompeo will focus on bilateral cooperation in the political, military, energy and economic sectors, including strategic projects promoted by Romania under the Three Seas Initiative.



    DEFENCE The Romanian Defence Ministry welcomes the approval by the US State Department of Romanias application for purchase of the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence Systems. The clearing has been forwarded to the US Congress. The Naval Strike Missile is a sea-skimming, over-the-horizon anti-ship missile, and Romania wants to buy two of the systems under one of the 5 programmes in the Romanian Armys upgrade plan. The proposed sale will improve Romanias capability to meet current and future threats by improving Romanias maritime defence capabilities in the Black Sea.



    ATTACK The president of France Emmanuel Macron Saturday announced national commemorative events for the 47-year old teacher killed by a young Chechen on Friday in an Islamist terror attack near Paris. Samuel Paty, who taught history and geography, was attacked because during a lesson on the freedom of speech he showed his students controversial caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu sent a condolence message to the French teachers family and friends and firmly condemned the gruesome attack. Aurescu emphasised that Romania and France are “united in the fight against terror. According to the French investigators, the attacker was a legal refugee in France. (translated by: A. M. Popescu)