Tag: News

Elections. The Constitutional Court of Romania is today analysing the motions referring to the candidacy of the pro-Russian extremist Călin Georgescu in the presidential elections in May. One of them is an appeal submitted by Georgescu himself to the decision of the Central Electoral Bureau to bar him from entering the presidential race. The Bureau invoked the Constitutional Court ruling to cancel the presidential elections last year and said his candidacy does not meet the conditions of legality, as Georgescu, by failing to comply with the electoral procedure, violated the obligation to defend democracy, which is based on fair and impartial elections. Georgescu’s election ban on Sunday was followed by violent protests from his supporters in which 13 gendarmes were wounded and material damages were caused.  The General Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation for public instigation and REPER party, from outside Parliament, filed a criminal complaint for public instigation and assault in respect of the public statements made by the president of the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians, George Simion, the wanted mercenary Horaţiu Potra and Călin Georgescu in response to the decision of the Central Electoral Bureau. Also today, the Constitutional Court will discuss a motion against the decision of the Central Electoral Bureau against the registration of the candidacy of Bucharest’s general mayor Nicuşor Dan in the presidential elections in May. In another move, the Central Electoral Bureau has accepted the registration of the candidacy of Crin Antonescu, whose presidential election run is supported by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.

NATO. “NATO has military scenarios for any security situation that may affect member states, including those on the Eastern Flank”, says Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan. His statement comes after the White House gave signals that it might reduce its presence in Europe and that some US troops may be relocated. In another move, the Romania median note, the expansion of the NATO military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu, in the south-east, is going ahead in keeping with the initial plan and there is no indication it may be halted. The base already employs 200 local workers, whose number may grow, given that the over 2.5 billion euro project provides for the transformation of the area into a genuine city able to house 10,000 military and civilians.

Economy. Romanian finance minister Tanczos Barna is today attending a meeting of the Economic and Financial Committee in Brussels. Talks are focusing on competitiveness and ways to improve the business environment, cooperation in the fiscal area, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the recovery and resilience mechanism. The Committee will present the ministers with the Omnibus package, whose aim is to reduce the administrative burden by at least 25%, and even at least 35% for small and medium sized enterprises. With regard to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the ministers will exchange views on the current situation and the economic and financial impact of the conflict, including as a result of the application of sanctions, with an emphasis on their practical application in the customs area. The ministers will also look at the implementation of the recovery and resilience mechanism.

EU. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the president of the European Council Antonio Costa have called in the European Parliament for a rapid boost in European defence capacity that would go hand in hand with support for Ukraine, given that the Kremlin is spending more on defence than the entire Europe. According to the Romanian news agency Agerpres, von der Leyen said there is urgent need to provide Ukraine with the military resources it needs and with solid security guarantees. Antonio Costa said Europe is living “a defining moment” and a clear “sense of urgency”. “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine entered its third year and the threat it represents has wider implications for Europe and international security”, he added.

Tennis. Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian today lost her third—round match against 6^th seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy at the WTA 1000 tennis tournament in Indian Wells, worth some 9 billion dollars. She was defeated in three sets. Earlier, Cristian beat the former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez of Canada. (CM)

Elections. The former Liberal leader Crin Antonescu on Sunday also registered his candidacy for president with the Central Electoral Bureau. He is backed by the three parties in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. The pro-Russian, anti-West extremist Călin Georgescu and Bucharest’s general mayor Nicuşor Dan had registered on Friday. On Saturday, the Constitutional Court rejected for procedural reasons two motions against Georgescu’s candidacy. Candidacies for the presidential elections of May 4^th and 18^th may be submitted by Saturday, 15^th March. In December last year, the Constitutional Court annulled the entire process to elect the president on grounds that the election process had been corrupted in favour of the independent candidate Călin Georgescu.

Car scrapping. This year’s edition of the car scrapping scheme has been published on the website of the environment ministry for public consultation. To scrap a used vehicle, the applicant benefits from an ecoticket worth around 1,400 euros in the case of a motorcycle, 2,000 euros in the case of a vehicle with thermal or hybrid engine, 2,600 euros in the case of a hybrid plug-in vehicle or electric motorcycle and 5,100 euros for an electric car. The specialist press notes that the amounts are the same as last year, when the value of the tickets decreased, leading to a drop in the number of registrations of electric cars. The Romanian Association of Car Makers and Importers said it disagreed with the new funding guidelines and especially the sums granted in the case of electric cars, arguing that this risks slowing the transition to electric cars even more.

Environment. The Romanian Parliament’s specialist committees will begin talks over the next few days with a view to drafting an environment code. The talks are to also be attended by officials from institutions with responsibilities in the field, business people, representatives of NGOs and academics. According to the authorities, although Romania has over 200 pieces of legislation in the field, it is faced with huge problems in terms of environment protection and needs legislation that can provide concrete solutions.

EU. The United States is still “an ally” of the Europe, despite president Donald Trump’s recent broadsides, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen insisted on Sunday, adding that Europe must now boost its defence efforts, France Presse reports. Donald Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs on Europe, initiated a rapprochement to Russian president Vladimir Putin that Europe and Ukraine find worrying and questioned American protection of Europe as part of NATO. “We are allies, but this means that all allies have to take their responsibilities,” Ursula von der Leyen said. She welcomed the support given by EU heads of state and government for her ReArm Europe plan, which would mobilise up to 800 billion euros for investments in European defence, as requested by the US.

Tennis. Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian on Sunday reached the third round of the WTA 1000 tennis tournament in Indian Wells, the US, worth 9 million dollars in prize money. She defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in three sets. In the next round, Cristian will play Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, seeded 6^th. Another Romanian player, Sorana Cîrstea, lost in three sets to 10^th seed Emma Navarro of the US.

Elections. The Central Electoral Bureau will meet today to analyse the registrations as candidates in the presidential elections submitted by the pro-Russian, anti-West extremist Călin Georgescu and by Bucharest’s general mayor Nicuşor Dan. The Bureau is looking at a number of motions asking for Georgescu not to be allowed to run for president on account that his discourse and behaviour are incompatible with the highest office. Any decision issued by the Bureau today may be challenged in the Constitutional Court within 24 hours, with the Court obliged to issue a final ruling within another 48 hours that cannot be appealed in any court. On Saturday, the Constitutional Court rejected for procedural reasons two motions against Georgescu’s candidacy. Sources with the Court explained that without a decision from the Central Electoral Bureau, there is no official candidacy that can be challenged. The former Liberal leader Crin Antonescu has also registered his candidacy. He is backed by the three parties in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Candidacies for the presidential elections of May 4^th and 18^th may be submitted by Saturday, 15^th March. In December last year, the Constitutional Court annulled the entire process to elect the president on grounds that the election process had been corrupted in favour of the independent candidate Călin Georgescu.

Car scrapping. This year’s edition of the car scrapping scheme has been published on the website of the environment ministry for public consultation. To scrap a used vehicle, the applicant benefits from an ecoticket worth around 1,400 euros in the case of a motorcycle, 2,000 euros in the case of a vehicle with thermal or hybrid engine, 2,600 euros in the case of a hybrid plug-in vehicle or electric motorcycle and 5,100 euros for an electric car. The specialist press notes that the amounts are the same as last year, when the value of the tickets decreased, leading to a drop in the number of registrations of electric cars. The Romanian Association of Car Makers and Importers said it disagreed with the new funding guidelines and especially the sums granted in the case of electric cars, arguing that this risks slowing the transition to electric cars even more.

Gaza. The main European nations said they supported a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that would cost 53 billion dollars and would avoid displacing the Palestinians from the territory, the BBC reports. The plan, drafted by Egypt and supported by the Arab leaders, was rejected by Israel and US president Donald Trump, who presented his own vision to turn the Gaza Strip into a “Riviera of the Middle East”. On Saturday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the UK welcomed as realistic the Egyptian plan proposing that Gaza would be rebuilt within 5 years. They said in a statement that the proposal promises “swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions” of the inhabitants of Gaza. Under the plan, Gaza would be governed temporarily by a committee formed of independent experts, and international peace keeping forces would be deployed to the territory. The Arab-backed plan is an alternative to Trump’s idea that the US would take over the territory and resettle its population.

Germany. Germany on Saturday passed a crucial stage towards the formation of a new government, less than two weeks since the federal elections were won by the Conservatives and in which the Social Democrats led by the current chancellor Olaf Scholz saw their worst results in the last 38 years. The two parties said they reached a principle agreement and the future chancellor, Friedrich Merz, wants a government in place before Easter. He plans massive investment to relaunch and refuel Europe’s largest economy. The Social Democrat co-president Lars Klingbeil said his party accepted the Conservatives’ proposal to consolidate border controls and got them to agree on the increase in the hourly minimum wage.

Tennis. Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian on Sunday reached the third round of the WTA 1000 tennis tournament in Indian Wells, the US, worth 9 million dollars in prize money. She defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in three sets. In the next round, Cristian will play Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, seeded 6^th. Another Romanian player, Sorana Cîrstea, lost in three sets to 10^th seed Emma Navarro of the US. (CM)

Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania on Saturday rejected the two contestations against the candidacy of Călin Georgescu to president of Romania. “Following deliberations, the Constitutional Court unanimously rejected as inadmissible the contestations filed, as they did not comply with the procedural conditions stipulated in law”, the Court said in a statement. The Central Electoral Bureau also received a number of contestations following the submission of his candidacy for presidential elections as independent on Friday. One such move came from the rector of the National School for Political and Administrative Studies, Remus Pricopie, and one of the arguments invoked was the incompatibility of the candidate’s discourse and behaviour with the democratic and constitutional values of the Romanian state. In December last year, the Constitutional Court of Romania cancelled the presidential elections after noting that the entire election process had been corrupted in favour of Georgescu, a pro-Russian and anti-West extremist. Georgescu is currently under investigation for instigating actions against the constitutional order, initiating and creating an organisation of a fascist, racist and xenophobic nature, promoting the cult of persons guilty of committing genocide and war crimes and initiating and creating an anti-Semitic organisation.

Women. Women made up one third of national parliaments in the European Union in 2024, up by 5.6% compared with 2014, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday. Sweden, Finland and Denmark had the highest number of women in Parliament among EU member states, with 45%, while Cyprus, with 14.3%, Hungary, with 14.6% and Romania, with 19.5%, had the fewest women in Parliament. In 2024, women held 35.1% of the government posts in the European Union, up by 7.4% compared with 2014. Finland has the most number of women in government positions, while Hungary had none, and in Czechia women held 5.9% of government positions. In Romania, women held some 30% of posts in government, up 10% compared with 2014.

Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin “has no interest in peace” in Ukraine, said the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Saturday after Russian strikes overnight left dozens dead and wounded in eastern Ukraine, France Presse news agency reports. “We must step up our military support – otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price,” she added. In Kyiv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is “fully committed” to constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week and hopes to agree on the necessary decisions and steps. “Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Zelensky said on social media.

Book fair. Between the 11^th and the 13^th of March, Romania will take part in the London Book Fair. Poet Ana Blandiana, writer and publisher Denisa Comănescu and actress Oana Pellea are some of the guests of the Romanian Cultural Institute, the organiser of the Romanian stand. The Institute’s president, Liviu Jicman, says the country’s presence in the fair is essential, because it is an opportunity to bring the works of the Romanian authors to an extremely important and competitive market, with a global impact. The London Book Fair is considered the second largest event of its kind in the world.

Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania on Saturday rejected the two contestations against the candidacy of Călin Georgescu to president of Romania. The Central Electoral Bureau also received a number of contestations following the submission of his candidacy for presidential elections as independent on Friday. One such move came from the rector of the National School for Political and Administrative Studies, Remus Pricopie, and one of the arguments invoked was the incompatibility of the candidate’s discourse and behaviour with the democratic and constitutional values of the Romanian state. In December last year, the Constitutional Court of Romania cancelled the presidential elections after noting that the entire election process had been corrupted in favour of Georgescu, a pro-Russian and anti-West extremist. Georgescu is currently under investigation for instigating actions against the constitutional order, initiating and creating an organisation of a fascist, racist and xenophobic nature, promoting the cult of persons guilty of committing genocide and war crimes and initiating and creating an anti-Semitic organisation.

Women. Women made up one third of national parliaments in the European Union in 2024, up by 5.6% compared with 2014, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday. Sweden, Finland and Denmark had the highest number of women in Parliament among EU member states, with 45%, while Cyprus, with 14.3%, Hungary, with 14.6% and Romania, with 19.5%, had the fewest women in Parliament. In 2024, women held 35.1% of the government posts in the European Union, up by 7.4% compared with 2014. Finland has the most number of women in government positions, while Hungary had none, and in Czechia women held 5.9% of government positions. In Romania, women held some 30% of posts in government, up 10% compared with 2014.

Ukraine. At least 11 persons were killed and 30 wounded, including five children, in Russian rocket and drone attacks carried out during the night in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dobropilia, the Ukrainian interior ministry said on Saturday, quoted by Reuters. Three other civilians were killed in a separate drone attack in the Kharkov region, in the north-east. “Such strikes show that Russia’s goals are unchanged. Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and increase sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must break down,” Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media.

Earthquake. An earthquake measuring 3.4 degrees on the Richter scale occurred on Saturday morning in Buzău county, in the Vrancea seismic area, according to the National Research and Development Institute for Earth Physics. The tremor took place at a depth of 129.4 km. Since the beginning of March, Romania has seen 9 earthquakes measuring between 2 and 3.3 degrees on the Richter scale. The biggest earthquake last year, measuring 5.4, took place in Buzău county on 16^th September.

Book fair. Between the 11^th and the 13^th of March, Romania will take part in the London Book Fair. Poet Ana Blandiana, writer and publisher Denisa Comănescu and actress Oana Pellea are some of the guests of the Romanian Cultural Institute, the organiser of the Romanian stand. The Institute’s president, Liviu Jicman, says the country’s presence in the fair is essential, because it is an opportunity to bring the works of the Romanian authors to an extremely important and competitive market, with a global impact. The London Book Fair is considered the second largest event of its kind in the world.

Tennis. Romanian tennis player Irina Begu lost to Katie Boulter of Great Britain in three sets on Friday, in the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells, in the US, worth almost 9 million dollars in prize money. Other Romanian players in action in the second round are Jaqueline Cristian, who will be facing Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, and Sorana Cîrstea, who will be playing Emma Navarro of the US. (CM)

NATO. Romania’s acting President, Ilie Bolojan, had a telephone conversation on Monday with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, during which the latter thanked Romania for its contribution to the alliance, welcomed the increase in Bucharest’s defence budget and reaffirmed the commitment of NATO and the United States to collective defence and Article 5, the president’s office said. Ilie Bolojan said that NATO remains the main guarantor of Romania’s security, and Article 5 is the one that most effectively deters threats and attacks against allies. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, he highlighted the need for a just and lasting peace, as well as the importance of maintaining support for this country.

Investors. Representatives of foreign investors in Romania, who had talks with interim President Ilie Bolojan, highlighted the need for reforms aimed at cutting red tape, improving administrative efficiency and creating a sustainable fiscal framework, the president’s office said in a statement. The need for strategic investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare and in value-added sectors, such as technology hubs, biomethane production and data centres, was discussed. Talks focused on attracting and continuously developing investments in the national economy, given the importance of political stability, fiscal predictability and maintaining a favourable climate for investors. President Ilie Bolojan reaffirmed Romania’s strong commitment to the Euro-Atlantic path, emphasising that this framework provides security to investors and contributes to the long-term development of the economy. Bolojan emphasised that Romania’s economic development depends on attracting investment, access to modern technology and openness towards international markets.

Aid. Washington has decided to suspend military aid to Ukraine following an argument between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, White House officials confirmed to Bloomberg, Fox News and CNN. The pause will last until Donald Trump determines that Ukrainian leaders demonstrate a good faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News. All deliveries of US military equipment that are not currently on Ukrainian territory will be suspended, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit zones in Poland. In recent weeks, the US president has echoed the views of Russian President Vladimir Putin, falsely claiming that Ukraine started the war and accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of being a dictator, but his decision to halt military aid is a step that could have real consequences for the balance of power in the conflict and strengthen Putin’s position, CNN notes.

Defence. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday proposed a new defence package that could mobilise almost 800 billion euros for investments in the defence area in the European Union. The funds are aimed at supporting Ukraine and for Europe to shoulder more responsibility for its own security. In its ReArm Europe plan, von der Leyen also proposed that member states should have more freedom in complying with the Union’s otherwise strict rules on debt and deficit when it comes to defence spending, as well as the possibility to reallocate available regional development funds to military investment. In Bucharest, Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu welcomed the proposals to exempt defence spending from the excessive deficit procedure, emphasising that this something that Romania has constantly called for. “Europe must be prepared to uphold its security and defence, as reflected in today’s Von der Leyen’s proposal to Rearm Europe”, Marcel Ciolacu posted on social media.

Foreign Ministry. The Romanian foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the recent allegations made by the Russian special services are “ridiculous and completely groundless” and part of a series of hybrid actions conducted by the Russian Federation in order to undermine democracy in Romania. These activities, which include public messages, and campaigns to influence and meddle with the democratic processes, are intended to destroy trust in the authorities and criticise Romania’s membership to the European Union and NATO, the ministry also said. Earlier, the SVR, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, said in a statement that EU leaders are clearly behind the decision to bring charges against Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu, who is suspected of links, or at least affinities, with Putin’s Russia. (CM)

Ukraine. Romania’s interim president Ilie Bolojan says the security guarantees Europe is to offer Ukraine will in fact benefit the entire eastern flank, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, and that they cannot be ensured without the support of the United States. He said on Sunday at the end of an informal summit hosted in London that the meeting was aimed at achieving coordination in the run-up to the European Council on 6^th March and a meeting the next day with leaders of non-EU countries wishing to look for a solution to the war in Ukraine that will ensure lasting peace. According to the Romanian head of state, the leaders gathered in London agreed to maintain financial and military support for Ukraine.

Moldova. During a trip to the Republic of Moldova on Saturday, interim president Ilie Bolojan gave assurances that Romania would call on Europe to provide more financial support, expertise and projects for Moldova. Moreover, the Romanian government will continue to cap the prices of part of the electricity it sells to Moldova. Moldovan president Maia Sandu said Romania is her country’s best friend and most important partner, reliable in any circumstances. With respect to the war on their borders, both Romania and Moldova support Ukraine in its efforts to achieve lasting and fair peace.

Elections. Voting stations abroad need an estimated 3,600,000 ballots for the upcoming presidential elections in May, for each of the voting rounds, the foreign ministry told the Central Electoral Bureau. The first round of the presidential elections is due on 4^th May, and the second on the 18^th of May.

Cuts. The Romanian government this week plans to issue a decision to cut the number of under-secretaries, government sources have said. The ruling coalition, made up of the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, have held talks on this subject and the cabinet led by the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu is to adopt a regulation providing for a maximum number of 54 under-secretaries. The same sources said that ministries that now have 6 or 7 posts of under-secretaries will remain with 4 at the most, and each will be validated by the coalition. Also, under-secretaries who are part of management boards of state companies will have to choose between the two positions. The latter is a request from the European Commission, which said that management boards of state companies should include professionals, not politicians. Also this week, prime minister Ciolacu will hold talks with his ministers on the fulfilment of the milestones laid down in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The absorption of European funds is a particularly challenging aspect, and the prime minister wants to stay abreast with the stages of ongoing projects.

Romania-Pakistan. The Romanian embassy in Pakistan opened an honorary consulate in Peshawar to serve this country’s north-western part. This significant stage marks a new chapter in the consolidation of diplomatic, economic and cultural ties between the two countries, the Romanian diplomatic representation in Islamabad said in a Facebook post. Pakistan is one of the countries providing a constant flow of workers to Romania.

Romania-Poland. Romania and Poland are faced with contemporary threats resulting largely from beyond the eastern borders, where Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine undermines the rules-based order and the fundamental principles laid down in the UN Charter and international law, said the Romanian foreign ministry on Romanian-Polish Solidarity Day on 3^rd March. Established jointly by the two states in 2023, this day is both a symbol of the lasting links between the Romanian and Polish nations, and a significant indicator of the constant interest and the wish of the two countries to consolidate and develop their solid and comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Romanian foreign ministry said. (CM)

Motion. The Romanian Parliament on Friday rejected a no-confidence motion filed by the populist and ultranationalist parties the Alliance for the Union of Romania, S.O.S. Romania and Young People’s Party against the coalition government formed by the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania led by the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu. The motion gathered 147 yes votes and 1 no vote. In order to pass, it needed the votes of the majority of MPs, namely 233. Prime minister Ciolacu said through their move, the initiators of the motion are seeking to create chaos, while the Romanian people are waiting for accountability and responsibility from the authorities. The signatories of the motion, on the other hand, launched a series of accusations against the prime minister, including failure to comply with the governing programme and his handling of last year’s elections. Under the Constitution, once a no-confidence motion has been rejected, the MPs that signed it can no longer file a new one over the course of the parliamentary session in question.

 Dismissal. The Romanian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, joined in plenary session on Friday decided to dismiss the president of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă. 267 parliamentarians voted in favour, 56 voted against, and 71 abstained. The legal committees of the two chambers had previously reported on the adoption of the request regarding Greblă’s dismissal. According to the request, “Mr. Toni Greblă, in March 2023, two days after being appointed to this position, established his monthly allowance in violation of the law, by referring to the level of the minimum gross salary in payment on the date of appointment (3,000 lei, equivalent to approximately 600 euros), although the allowances were frozen at the amount of 2,080 lei, the value of the amounts improperly collected for the years 2023 – 2024 being ascertained and established by audit of the Court of Accounts of Romania”. In 2024, despite a contract for the headquarters of the Central Electoral Bureau, Greblă moved the headquarters to another location, by concluding a new contract, further burdening the budget of the Permanent Electoral Authority and, implicitly, the state budget. The deputy president of the Permanent Electoral Authority Zsombor Vajda has taken over as interim.

NATO. “We are convinced that NATO will remain an important protection shield not only in Europe, but also in other parts of the world, and that the United States guarantees this stability ”, said Romania’s acting president Ilie Bolojan on Friday. In his first press briefing since taking over, he called for a boost in defence spending from allied states. “The question has rightly been raised about the fact that the contribution of some states, mainly from Europe, is too small compared with the advantages, the protection they enjoy”, Bolojan said. He said European states should increase their contribution for “this part of the world to remain stable and achieve greater responsibility in this regard”.

Prosecution. Prosecutors with the General Prosecutor’s Office are requesting the preventive arrest of mercenary Horaţiu Potra, a close associate of the former independent presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, as well as of Potra’s son and brother. 18 people accused in the same case have already been detained. Potra left the country before searches were conducted, with prosecutors finding dozens of lethal weapons, gun loaders, grenades, launchers and machine guns at his and his relatives’ properties. Large sums of money, 3,300,000 dollars and 700,000 lei, as well as 24 kilograms of gold, were also discovered. Potra is accused of attempting to act against the constitutional order, public incitement and operations with pyrotechnic devises carried out without permission. Călin Georgescu, who was placed under judicial control by prosecutors from the General Prosecutor’s Office, is also accused of instigating actions against the constitutional order. Other charges brought against Georgescu include communicating false information, making false statements in aggravated form, initiating and establishing an organization with a fascist, racist and xenophobic character, joining or supporting, in any form, such a group and promoting, in public, the cult of persons guilty of committing crimes of genocide against humanity and war crimes, initiating or establishing an organization with an anti-Semitic character. Calin Georgescu challenged the judicial control in court.

Rugby. On Sunday, March 2, the Romanian national team will meet Georgia away from home in the semi-finals of the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship. Both teams have already qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup hosted by Australia, following the group matches. The other semi-final of the competition will pit Portugal against Spain on Saturday. In the matches for the 5th-8th places, The Netherlands will face Germany, and Belgium will take on Switzerland. The finals and ranking matches will take place between March 14-16.

Motion. The Romanian Parliament today rejected a no-confidence motion filed by the populist and ultranationalist parties AUR, S.O.S. Romania and POT, against the PSD – PNL – UDMR coalition government, led by the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu. The signatories of the document claim that the current Government is illegitimate and, although it has been in office for only two months, it is accumulating a shameful record of abuses and failures.

Prosecution. Prosecutors with the General Prosecutor’s Office are requesting the preventive arrest of mercenary Horaţiu Potra, a close associate of the former independent presidential candidate Calin Georgescu, Potra’s son and brother. 18 people accused in the same case have already been detained and will be presented to the Supreme Court today with a preventive arrest proposal. Potra left the country before the searches in which prosecutors found dozens of lethal weapons, gun loaders, grenades, launchers and machine guns at his and his relatives’ properties. Large sums of money, 3,300,000 dollars and 700,000 lei, as well as 24 kilograms of gold, were also discovered. Potra is accused of attempting to act against the constitutional order, public incitement and operations with pyrotechnic devises carried out without permission. Călin Georgescu, who was placed under judicial control by prosecutors from the General Prosecutor’s Office, is also accused of instigating actions against the constitutional order. Other charges brought against Georgescu include communicating false information, making false statements in an aggravated manner, initiating or establishing an organization with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character, joining or supporting, in any form, such a group and promoting, in public, the cult of persons guilty of committing crimes of genocide against humanity and war crimes, initiating or establishing an organization with an anti-Semitic character.

Dismissal. The Romanian Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, joined in plenary session today, have decided to dismiss the president of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă. 267 parliamentarians voted in favor, 56 voted against, and 71 abstained. The legal committees of the two chambers had previously reported on the adoption of the request regarding Greblă’s dismissal. According to the request, “Mr. Toni Greblă, in March 2023, 2 days after being appointed to this position, established his monthly allowance in violation of the law, by referring to the level of the minimum gross salary in payment on the date of appointment (3,000 lei, equivalent to approximately 600 euros), although the allowances were frozen at the amount of 2,080 lei, the value of the amounts improperly collected for the years 2023 – 2024 being ascertained and established by audit of the Court of Accounts of Romania”. In 2024, although there was a headquarters contract concluded for the operation of the Central Electoral Bureau, Greblă moved the headquarters to another location, by concluding a new contract, further burdening the PEA budget and, implicitly, the state budget.

Energy. The energy price capping scheme will apply in Romania after the end of next month, when the current price compensation measures were due to expire. According to the emergency ordinance approved by the Government, for electricity, the capping will be extended by three months, until the end of June. In the meantime, the Ministry of Labor will develop a support mechanism, energy cards or vouchers that will later be granted to vulnerable people as support to cover costs. For natural gas, the maximum price will remain the same for another year, until March 31, 2026, because, the Minister of Energy explained, at the end of the current cold season, storage depots will reach a very low level, and their refilling will mean increased demand for gas, which will implicitly lead to price increases and much higher bills next winter for the population. More on this after the news.

Moldova. The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, will pay a working visit to the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking) on Monday, three years after Chisinau submitted its application for EU membership. He will meet with pro-Western President Maia Sandu, according to a statement from the presidency in Chisinau. The Republic of Moldova submitted its application for membership in the EU on March 3, 2022. Less than a year later, the European Commission issued its opinion on the application for membership in the community bloc. In June 2024, accession negotiations were officially launched.

Tennis. Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea qualified on Thursday for the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 tournament in Austin (Texas, USA), with 275,094 dollars in prize money, after defeating the Russian Diana Schnaider, the second seed, in 3 sets. In the quarterfinals, Cîrstea will meet the American McCartney Kessler, on Saturday. She was defeated in the round of 16 by Cristina Bucşa, a player born in Chişinău but representing Spain.

Rugby. On Sunday, March 2, the Romanian national team will meet Georgia away from home in the semi-finals of the 2025 Rugby Europe Championship. Both teams have already qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, following the group matches. The other semi-final of the competition will pit Portugal against Spain on Saturday. In the matches for 5th-8th places, the Netherlands will face Germany, and Belgium will take on Switzerland. The finals and ranking matches will take place between March 14-16.

Energy. The Romanian government adopted an emergency order to extend the cap on electricity prices beyond the 31^st of March deadline, until 30^th June this year, and that on natural gas prices until the beginning of April next year. The latter move is intended to prevent the rise in natural gas prices when the stocks for next winter are refilled. Energy minister Sebastian Burduja said recently that the government wishes to protect Romanian users and support the competitiveness of Romanian companies. Following the liberalisation of energy prices from 1^st January 2021, Romania has been one of the European countries worst hit by the soaring electricity and gas prices.

Budget deficit. Romania’s budget deficit went up to 0.58% of GDP in the first month of the year, from 0.45% in the same period last year, according to data published by the finance ministry today. The latter said total incomes amounted to almost 47 billion lei, down 1.4%, amid a reduction in European funding and in some current returns, such as from VAT and excise duties. Expenditure, on the other hand, which amounts to 58 billion, went up by 4.5% compared with the same period last year. The finance ministry recalls that this year’s budget is based on an economic growth rate of 2.5% and a budget deficit of 7% of GDP. In 2024, the deficit went up to 8.65% of GDP, from 5.61% in 2023.

Farmers. Romanian farmers stand in solidarity with their counterparts in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria, who are staging protests against European agricultural policies, which they see as unfair, and against the massive import of agricultural products from third countries. The Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation, which includes a number of Romanian organisations in the field, said in a statement that Romanian farmers are faced with distortions of the market caused by duty free imports from Ukraine, the negative impact of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement on the competitiveness of European agricultural production and with a growing bureaucratic burden caused by Brussels regulations. All of these pose a threat to food security, destroy local supply chains and affect farmers’ incomes, the Alliance said. Its representatives view the protests as a strong signal that the current agricultural policies must be revised in order to ensure a sustainable future for farmers across the European Union.

Investigation. Călin Georgescu, the far-right front-runner of the cancelled presidential elections in Romania, is under criminal investigation for 60 days, after being questioned by the General Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday. While inquiries are being conducted, he is not allowed to leave the country and must check in with the police regularly.  Georgescu is accused of six crimes, some in aggravated form, including instigation to actions against the rule of law and presenting false information and giving false statements in respect of his wealth declaration and the funding sources of his election campaign.

Tate brothers. The Romanian body investigating organised crime and terrorism confirmed that the case prosecutor allowed Andrew and Tristan Tate to leave Romania, but emphasised that the Tate brothers are still under criminal investigation and must return to Romania. The two, who are holding dual British-American citizenship, are believed to have left the country this morning on board a private plane, heading for Florida. They were first arrested three years ago and are charged with rape, kidnapping and money laundering. Last week, the Financial Times wrote that the current administration in Washington is putting pressure on Romania to cancel the restrictions against the Tate brothers, something which the Romanian authorities have denied.

Handball. The Romanian men’s handball champions CS Dinamo Bucharest lost at home to the Polish side Orlen Wisla Plock 27-26 in a dramatic match as part of the Champions League Group A. The guest side scored the winning point seconds before the end of the match. Dinamo will play their final group match on 6^th March away against Fredericia Handbold Klub from Denmark. The two best-ranked sides will go straight into the quarterfinals, while the sides in places 3^rd to 6^th will go into playoffs.

Ceremony. Romania’s outgoing president, Klaus Iohannis, ended his term in office on Wednesday at noon in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Bucharest. He announced his resignation on Monday, against the background of an impeachment procedure initiated in Parliament. The two terms to which Klaus Iohannis was entitled should have ended on December 21 last year, but he stayed in office after the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential elections due to suspicions that they had been interfered with. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets, dissatisfied with the decision of the Constitutional Court judges. Political analysts believe that, with the resignation of Klaus Iohannis, the tensions in society accumulated in the last months will decrease. A 65-year-old ethnic German, former physics teacher and former mayor of the city of Sibiu, Klaus Iohannis leaves the presidency with an extremely low popularity rating. The interim president is, as of Wednesday, Senate speaker and president of the National Liberal Party Ilie Bolojan. He will be interim president until May, when the presidential elections are scheduled.

EU funding. “To continue to develop Romania, we must catch up with the delays in the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 2025 and 2026 are defining years”, said prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, who chaired a meeting of the Interministerial Committee for the Coordination of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The government said in a statement that it will closely monitor compliance with the deadlines to attract European funding under the Plan, in the run-up to renegotiations with the European Commission of the targets and milestones undertaken. The meeting held on Wednesday in Bucharest was also attended by the director general of the European Commission’s Recovery and Resilience Task Force, Celine Gauer. The latter said a change of approach is needed in the 18 months Romania has at its disposal to make sure it attracts the EU funds it is entitled to. The government’s statement also notes that the European official expressed her readiness to support the Romanian side in its efforts, pointing out that although progress was indeed made, there are still targets and milestones that have not been achieved. She also gave assurances that the stage of implementation would be assessed by the Commission in an objective and transparent manner.

Ukraine. US president Donald Trump said on social media that he held a “lengthy and highly productive phone call” with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, during which they agreed to start negotiations regarding Ukraine “immediately”, France Presse reports. “We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations,” Trump posted. The Kremlin said the Russian president said during talks with his American counterpart that he wished to find a “long-term solution” to the Ukrainian conflict through “peace talks”.

Cyber. In 2024, Romania was the target, alongside other European states, by “sabotage” actions specific to Russia’s arsenal of hybrid tactics, says DIICOT, Romania’s body in charge of fighting organised crime and terrorism in its activity report for last year. The purpose of these attacks, the Directorate also says, was to test the defence of NATO countries and find weaknesses in their infrastructure. From 2022, at least 50 incidents have occurred in 13 different countries in Europe that may have been Russian hybrid operations, the report also notes. These include cases of espionage, diversion, vandalism, cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and attacks on underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Romanian prosecutors also say that Russia changes its tactic in the way it launches its hybrid attacks, no longer sending agents to the NATO countries, but recruiting random contractors on chats in the Telegram app in exchange for money. The Directorate says Romania is not faced with any terrorist threats.

Defence. Defence minister Angel Tîlvăr met his Spanish counterpart Margarita Robles Fernandez at the Mihail Kogălniceanu army base in Constanta county, in the south-east. The two officials hailed the level of cooperation between their countries’ armies, which has improved recently, both in bilateral and allied format, in the context of a strategic partnership between Romania and Spain. The two ministers also discussed the current security situation, the consolidation of the allied posture on NATO’s eastern flank and the latest security developments in the Black Sea area. “Spain’s firm commitment to Romania’s security, as reflected in its active participation in NATO missions in Romania, is clear proof of the cohesion and strength of our alliance”, Angel Tîlvăr said.

Forests. Romsilva, the Romanian forestry body, will be reorganised from top down, says environment minister Mircea Fechet after talks with trade unions in the field. The minister said the current proposals to amend the status of forestry workers and a government decision to reorganise the company would eliminate the inequalities existing within Romsilva. Trade unions staged a protest on Wednesday to protest against the media campaign initiated by the ministry against Romsilva and demanded that forestry management bodies should be freed of political interference and that trade unions should be consulted by the government when drafting legislation that affects their activity.

Football. Romanian football champions FCSB will on Thursday be facing the Greek champions PAOK Thessaloniki, which are managed by Romania’s Răzvan Lucescu, in the first leg of the play-off match for the Europa League round of last 16. The return match will take place in Bucharest, on February 20. PAOK and FCSB already met this season also in the main phase of the competition, with Romanian side winning in Thessaloniki 1-0. FCSB finished the main stage in 11^th place and PAOK in 22^nd. The eight best-placed teams go straight into the round of last 16, while those in places  9-24 go into play-offs to advance to the next stage.

Government. The coalition government issued a decision establishing that the minimum gross salary will be updated on a yearly basis depending on the inflation rate and work productivity. The government’s spokesman Mihai Constantin explained that Romania would apply the European calculation mechanism, making the evolution of the minimum salary more predictable. As of this year, the minimum gross salary in Romania is around 810 euros. The cabinet also discussed a number of investment projects concerning the green transition and worth around 18 million euros, as well as this year’s priorities under the so-called Anghel Saligny Local Development Programme.

Slavery. 52 Romanian citizens who were kept in semi-slavery conditions on a farm in the Seville region were freed by the Spanish police. The authorities described their working and living conditions as “hard to imagine”. The group responsible includes four Romanian nationals who would bring in fellow citizens to do farming work, especially orange and olive harvesting. They promised them high pay, decent accommodation and free transport. However, once they arrived in Spain, the workers would see their ID papers seized and they would get less pay than they were promised, but had to work from morning till sunset. The victims were threatened with violence if they went to the police. The group responsible were arrested by the police in Andalusia and the 52 workers are in the care of the Spanish social services.

Work. Romanians are among the hardest-working European citizens, according to a Eurostat poll published on Thursday. The Bucharest-Ilfov region has the highest work intensity level among all European regions, while the north-eastern region of Romania is in 5^th place. The Eurostat data also show that the highest rate of low work intensity is in the French territories outside Europe, in the French Guyana and La Reunion.

NATO. Romania will continue to provide the necessary support as host nation of the NATO battle group operating here, the country’s defence minister Angel Tîlvăr told the French Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad. Their talks in Bucharest on Thursday focused on cooperation within NATO, in particular the consolidation of the NATO battle group in Romania, with France acting as framework nation. On Wednesday, Haddad was also received by the foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu. The French official was on a two-day trip to Bucharest to convey his country’s solidarity with Romania in the face of foreign meddling. VIGINUM, the French service for protection against foreign digital interference, noted in a report cited by Radio Romania’s correspondent in Paris, that such activity interfered with the election process in Romania at the end of last year.

Budget. Parliament endorsed on Wednesday evening the draft laws on the state budget and the social security budget for 2025. The budget is based on a 2.5% economic growth forecast and a budget deficit of 7% of GDP. According to the finance minister Tánczos Barna, the conditions are thus met to support development through record-high investment, to ensure the payment of salaries and pensions, to protect vulnerable citizens and to restore balance in the country’s finances.

Restructuring. Over 400 administrative posts in Parliament are to be scrapped, after Romania’s Chamber of Deputies approved the reorganisation of its staff. Personnel cuts will be made to the office of the Chamber’s Speaker and those of the members of the Permanent Bureau, as well as other departments and directorates in Parliament. According to the leadership of the Chamber of Deputies, cutting 240 jobs will result in annual savings of about 7 million euros. Recently, the Senate also decided to cut almost 200 positions despite employee protests. The government has called for a reduction in spending in order to keep the budget deficit in check, but the opposition has criticised the move as lacking transparency and running counter to the legal provisions in force.

The Romanian Government Scholarships Program is now open for applications. Each year, the Romanian Government, through the Ministerul Afacerilor Externe/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania, provides a number of scholarships to citizens from non-EU countries with good results in education. Applicants can choose from any of the following three study cycles in accredited higher education institutions in Romania: Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and PhD. Scholarships are NOT awarded in the fields of medicine, dental medicine and pharmacy. The eligibility criteria, documents and detailed information can be found on the Study in Romania platform, using the Apply for MFA Scholarships button https://studyinromania.gov.ro/

Applications are to be submitted ONLY through the Study in Romania platform at https://scholarships.studyinromania.gov.ro/

Applications are accepted between 29 January and 12 March, 2025, with the selection results announced around 30 June 2025.

President. The joint permanent bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate rejected the proposal of the sovereignist parties to suspend president Klaus Iohannis from office. The members of the bureaus said the proposal did not comply with the parliamentary procedure in that it was not submitted at the same time by the leaderships of the two chambers. The request to suspend the president was submitted to Parliament on 16^th January by MPs from the Party of Young People POT), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and SOS. President Iohannis’ second and final term in office came to an end in December, but the Constitutional Court ruled that he was to stay in office until a successor is elected through a new ballot, after the election process to elect the president was cancelled at the end of November over foreign meddling. According to the Constitution, in the event of serious actions, the president of Romania can be suspended from office by the two chambers in a joint meeting, with the majority vote of deputies and senators, following an opinion from the Constitutional Court.

Candidate. Former Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu officially became the candidate of the ruling coalition to the presidential elections in May after being confirmed today at an extraordinary congress of the Social Democratic Party. His candidacy has already been given the green light by the two other parties in the ruling coalition, namely the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. “Leaving the country to fall prey to mystical nationalism would be an unforgivable betrayal for Romania’s future. We are obliged today to come before the Romanian people united and with a just alternative, we must come before the Romanian people with a man who has presidential stature, a capable man, with experience, education, who is honest and especially a patriot, a man with strong principles and who has fought for his values. This man is Crin Antonescu”, said the leader of the Social Democrats, Marcel Ciolacu. “We need to respect and defend our status as a country of the European Union, NATO, the Strategic Partnership with the United States. We have a fee things to do after we win these elections. I believe the big battle is not just the elections, but that the big battle begins after the elections, because these are not easy times”, Crin Antonescu said. 15^th March is the deadline for the submission of candidacies for the presidential elections. The first round will be held on 4^th May and the decisive round on the 18^th of May.

Budget. The ruling coalition is making efforts to hold the parliamentary debates and vote on the 2025 budget bill according to the timetable announced for next week, said prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. He said he was convinced that the bill would see no difficulties being passed by Parliament. Amendments to the bill, which was approved by the government on Saturday, may be submitted by Monday. The advisory committees will meet on Tuesday and the joint budget committees on Wednesday, while the state budget and the social securities budget bills are to be put to the vote in Parliament on Thursday. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will vote on the membership of a number of parliamentary committees on Monday.

Tariffs. The Chinese government has criticised the move by the Trump administration to impose a 10% tariff on imports from China, while leaving the door open for talks with the US that may prevent the conflict from deepening. Beijing will contest the tariffs at the World Trade Organisation and will take unspecified “countermeasures” in response, the Chinese finance and trade ministries said. Trump on Saturday ordered tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico of 25% and on those from China of 10%. Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum asked the country’s economy minister to respond with tariff and non-tariff measures on the goods coming from the US, while Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau announced substantial 25% tariffs on American products. For its part, the European Union described the move by the Trump administration as “hurtful for all sides” and said low tariffs promote growth and economic stability. The European Commission warned that the community bloc would respond firmly to any unfair tariffs.

President. The joint permanent bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate rejected the proposal of the sovereignist parties to suspend president Klaus Iohannis from office. The members of the bureaus said the proposal did not comply with the parliamentary procedure in that it was not submitted at the same time by the leaderships of the two chambers. The request to suspend the president was submitted to Parliament on 16^th January by MPs from the Party of Young People POT), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and SOS. President Iohannis’ second and final term in office came to an end in December, but the Constitutional Court ruled that he was stay in office until a successor is elected through a new ballot, after the election process to elect the president was cancelled at the end of November over foreign meddling. According to the Constitution, in the event of serious actions, the president of Romania can be suspended from office by the two chambers in a joint meeting, with the majority vote of deputies and senators, following an opinion from the Constitutional Court.

Candidate. Former Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu officially became the candidate of the ruling coalition to the presidential elections in May after being confirmed today at an extraordinary congress of the Social Democratic Party. His candidacy has already been given the green light by the two other parties in the ruling coalition, namely the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. “Leaving the country to fall prey to mystical nationalism would be an unforgivable betrayal for Romania’s future. We are obliged today to come before the Romanian people united and with a just alternative, we must come before the Romanian people with a man who has presidential stature, a capable man, with experience, education, who is honest and especially a patriot, a man with strong principles and who has fought for his values. This man is Crin Antonescu”, said the leader of the Social Democrats, Marcel Ciolacu. “We need to respect and defend our status as a country of the European Union, NATO, the Strategic Partnership with the United States. We have a fee things to do after we win these elections. I believe the big battle is not just the elections, but that the big battle begins after the elections, because these are not easy times”, Crin Antonescu said. 15^th March is the deadline for the submission of candidacies for the presidential elections. The first round will be held on 4^th May and the decisive round on the 18^th of May.

Budget. The ruling coalition is making efforts to hold the parliamentary debates and vote on the 2025 budget bill according to the timetable announced for next week, said prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. He said he was convinced that the bill would see no difficulties being passed by Parliament. Amendments to the bill, which was approved by the government on Saturday, may be submitted by Monday. The advisory committees will meet on Tuesday and the joint budget commitees on Wednesday, while the state budget and the social securities budget bills are to be put to the vote in Parliament on Thursday. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will vote on the membership of a number of parliamentary committees on Monday.

Schengen. The Romanian border police checked over 260,000 people and recorded around 140 crimes and more than 100 offences in the first month since Romania’s full entry into the Schengen area. The checks were random, within 30 km of the border. The border police in Oradea, in the north-west, found over 80 foreign citizens who did not have the right to travel to Schengen. The border police in Giurgiu, in the south, seized goods worth some 500,000 euros and discovered over 320,000 cigarettes that were being shipped illegally. 15 days ago, 15 migrants were discovered in a parking place near the toll station of the bridge at Calafat-Vidin, in the south. They did not hold the necessary papers to travel to Schengen, said the border police.

President. The joint permanent bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate rejected the proposal of the sovereignist parties to suspend president Klaus Iohannis from office. The members of the bureaus said the proposal did not comply with the parliamentary procedure in that it was not submitted at the same time by the leaderships of the two chambers. The request to suspend the president was submitted to Parliament on 16^th January by MPs from the Party of Young People POT), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and SOS. President Iohannis’ second and final term in office came to an end in December, but the Constitutional Court ruled that he was stay in office until a successor is elected through a new ballot, after the election process to elect the president was cancelled at the end of November over foreign meddling. According to the Constitution, in the event of serious actions, the president of Romania can be suspended from office by the two chambers in a joint meeting, with the majority vote of deputies and senators, following an opinion from the Constitutional Court.

Candidate. Former Liberal Party leader Crin Antonescu officially became the candidate of the ruling coalition to the presidential elections in May after being confirmed today at an extraordinary congress of the Social Democratic Party. His candidacy has already been given the green light by the two other parties in the ruling coalition, namely the National Liberal Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. “Leaving the country to fall prey to mystical nationalism would be an unforgivable betrayal for Romania’s future. We are obliged today to come before the Romanian people united and with a just alternative, we must come before the Romanian people with a man who has presidential stature, a capable man, with experience, education, who is honest and especially a patriot, a man with strong principles and who has fought for his values. This man is Crin Antonescu”, said the leader of the Social Democrats, Marcel Ciolacu. “We need to respect and defend our status as a country of the European Union, NATO, the Strategic Partnership with the United States. We have a fee things to do after we win these elections. I believe the big battle is not just the elections, but that the big battle begins after the elections, because these are not easy times”, Crin Antonescu said. 15^th March is the deadline for the submission of candidacies for the presidential elections. The first round will be held on 4^th May and the decisive round on the 18^th of May.

Trip. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is travelling to the US to meet president Donald Trump in an attempt to consolidate ties with Washington after tensions with the previous administration over the war in Gaza. Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit Trump since the latter took over his second term in office. In Washington, the Israeli prime minister will begin talks over the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza during talks with the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Netanyahu is also expected to discuss Israel’s position with respect to the ceasefire, his office also said. Witkoff will later have talks with officials from Egypt and Qatar who have mediated between Israel and Hamas in the last 15 months with the support from Washington. Israel and Hamas last month reached a complex ceasefire agreement that will be implemented in three stages. So far, Hamas has released 18 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. More than 70 people are still held captive in Gaza.

Tariffs. The Chinese government has criticised the move by the Trump administration to impose a 10% tariff on imports from China, while leaving the door open for talks with the US that may prevent the conflict from deepening. Beijing will contest the tariffs at the World Trade Organisation and will take unspecified “countermeasures” in response, the Chinese finance and trade ministries said. Trump on Saturday ordered tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico of 25% and on those from China of 10%, warning that Beijing must put an end to the illegal flows of fentanyl to the US. In response to the accusations of the White House that Mexico has an “intolerable alliance” with the drug cartels, Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum described the allegations as slander and said her country is ready to work with the US. She asked the economy minister to respond with tariff and non-tariff measures for the goods coming from the US. Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau announced substantial 25% tariffs on American products.

Weather. The weather is cooling today in across most of Romania, with highs between 2 and 11 degrees Celsius. Precipitation is expected, especially snow, as well as wind, until Monday evening, in the northern half of the country, the centre, east and south-east. A layer of snow measuring between 5 and 10 cm is expected in the centre and north-east. Wind will pick up in the east, south-east and south-west, as well as in the mountains, especially at high altitudes. Temperatures will drop significantly to below zero. Weather forecasts warn of a cold spell over the next seven days. The high of the day in Bucharest today is 9 degrees Celsius.