Radio România Internațional

Tag: national security

  • Romania and security guarantees

    Romania and security guarantees

    President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday said there is no direct threat to Romania and that there is no signal or indication there is any danger of attacks or other unwanted events targeting Romania. It is very important to understand we are not alone, we are supported by our allies, and we are well prepared for any scenario, the head of state added.

     

     

    “There is no direct threat. From the information I have, I can tell you Romania is a safe country. Romanians should not be afraid, but we must always be prepared for unexpected events. There is no need to panic or think that Romania is somehow under threat. Today, Romania benefits from the most important security guarantees we ever had”.

     

     

    Klaus Iohannis expressed skepticism regarding the possible delivery of a Patriot system to Ukraine, saying it is a matter that must be discussed with army experts and decided in the Supreme Defense Council. The delivery of a Patriot defense system to the Ukrainian Armed Forces is still a delicate issue, far from being resolved. Klaus Iohannis:

     

     

    “It’s not simple. I strongly refute the idea that Romania should remain without anti-missile defenses and without anti-aircraft systems. So, to the extent that in the end, Romania does deliver a system, it should receive something else instead, otherwise no action will be taken”.

     

     

    Also on Wednesday, the Chief of General Defense Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, said Romania must accelerate its efforts to endow the defense forces in the context of security developments in the region. The Ministry of Defense is considering a possible escalation of current military conflicts, the General said, drawing attention to the need to increase the army’s response capacity by means of new military equipment. Gheorghiţă Vlad explained:

     

     

    “Our estimates account for future developments and scenarios, some of which indicate the possibility of escalation of conflicts, including those of a military nature. To diminish this possibility, we continue to rely on the deterrent effect generated by a robust defensive capacity, both nationwide and within NATO. This is why we will step up our efforts to strengthen national security as well as NATO’s deterrence and defense postures”.

     

     

    We are in a time of peace, but the current reality is marked by complex security challenges, General Gheorghiță Vlad went on to say. In this context, Romania focuses on intensifying multinational and joint training, as well as on increasing the interoperability of structures and capabilities, both in the Black Sea region as well as on the entire allied Eastern Flank. Right now, investments in new technology and equipment remain a top priority for the Romanian Army, the official concluded. (VP)

     

  • January 31, 2017

    January 31, 2017

    BUDGET — Romanias Higher Defense Council was called into session by President Klaus Iohannis to analyze the draft budget for national security institutions for 2017. The head of state pointed out that the new governments plan to slash national security funding is a grievous error, affecting the safety of citizens. The PM said that the executive has supporting arguments for the budget as it stands. Right after the councils meeting, the government is set to meet in order to pass the budget, while the leadership of the two chambers of Parliament will schedule a meeting to set the calendar for debate. This is the first Higher Defense Council meeting under the Grindeanu cabinet.



    CORRUPTION — The highest court in Bucharest could issue today a sentence in the prosecution of former Liberal MP Ludovic Orban, who is accused of demanding money from a businessman to finance his campaign, run last summer. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate is seeking a jail sentence, claiming Orban used his political position to obtain campaign funding. The politician said he was innocent, and filed for a dismissal. Magistrates with the High Court of Cassation and Justice have delayed the first court hearing in the case of Social Democratic Party chairman Liviu Dragnea, who stands accused of conspiracy to commit abuse of office. Prosecutors claim that Dragnea ordered two members of his party to be hired in state jobs with the office of social protection in his home county of Teleorman. Last year, Dragnea was given a suspended sentence, two years in prison, for attempting to rig the 2012 referendum to depose then president Traian Basescu.



    NAVY — Romanian frigate the King Ferdinand heads maneuvers in the east of the Black Sea, attended on Wednesday by over 2,800 seamen from NATO member countries. The exercise Sea Shield is the first of 50 large scale navy exercises planned by NATO this year. Attending the exercise are 16 ships, one submarine, and 10 Romanian and allied aircraft. Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, head of the Allied Maritime Command, will be attending the maneuvers in Constanta, the largest Romanian port on the Black Sea. At the same time, it was announced in London that one of the most important Royal Navy ships will have its first operating mission in the Black Sea since the Cold War. Allied maneuvers in the Black Sea take place almost three years since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula.



    ECONOMY — In January, confidence in the Eurozone reached its highest level in the last six years, as announced by the European Commission, according to Bloomberg. The index indicating consumer and business confidence went up from 107.8 to 108.2 in December, more than anticipated by Bloomberg expert estimates. The report states that confidence in industry and services went up in January, while confidence in retail and construction went down. This increase in economic confidence is added to further data suggesting that the Eurozone economy has accelerated in the last months of 2016. Many economists estimate that the Eurozone economy had in the fourth quarter a growth 0.5% higher than the same quarter the previous year, with a 0.3% higher growth in the third quarter.



    TAXES — The newest provisions introduced into the Fiscal Code come into effect on February 1st in Romania. They were put into law by emergency executive order. They eliminate 102 charges and fees, the most well known being the radio and television fee and the tax on registering automobiles. Also in February, Romanians earning the minimum wage, almost 1.6 million citizens, will get increased salaries. Local public authority employees will get a 20% raise. A number of further measures come into effect on 1 February, such as eliminating the ceiling for social and health contributions and taxation for real estate deals worth under 100,000 Euro.


    (Translated by Calin Cotoiu)



  • Measures against deforestation

    Measures against deforestation

    Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has signed into law a bill under which illegal deforestation of surface areas larger than one hectare is listed as a national security threat. In this category, the new law includes any type of action that harms Romanias strategic economic interests and leads to the destruction of its national resources, including forests, hunting population, fish population and waters.



    Illegal logging, pruning bushes and shrubs by cutting down more than 50% compared with the levels laid down in the forest development plan and the exploitation of forests without a forest development plan are all considered threats to national security. The law was initiated by the Liberal MPs and passed by Parliament in December.



    The new provisions were considered a necessity, given that Romania cuts down 3 hectares of forest every hour, and tens of cases of illegal logging are registered every day, according to a recent study by Greenpeace, which looked at illegal deforestation in the 2013-2014 period based on the data supplied by the Romanian authorities. At least 45,000 cases of illegal logging were registered in this period, which means more than 60 cases on average per day, double the figure reported between 2009 and 2011. This accounts for over 1 million cubic metres of wood, two times more than in the latter period. Illegal logging in the 2013-2014 period cost the state almost 52 million euros.



    The most cases of illegal logging were found in Arges County, which accounted for 12.8% of the total number of cases in Romania. This county also had the highest number of cases of illegal logging between 2009 and 2011. In general, the west and north-west were the main sources of illegal logging. The counties of Cluj, Alba and Maramures accounted for 78% of all cases of illegal logging in the 2013-2014 period. However, according to Greenpeace, rather than giving the full picture of illegal logging in Romania, these official figures only show the tip of the iceberg.