Tag: News

Powerplant. The project for the building of Units 3 and 4 of the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant (in south-eastern Romania) has received the positive opinion of the European Commission regarding the technical and nuclear safety aspects, the Romanian Energy Ministry has announced. The project is carried out by the company EnergoNuclear, fully owned by Nuclearelectrica National Company. According to the Euratom Treaty, the developers of nuclear projects have the obligation to submit investment projects to the European Commission in advance and demonstrate their compliance with the highest nuclear safety standards. Romania sent a notification in May of last year, and the point of view of the European Commission is, according to the Ministry of Energy, the result of a thorough assessment.

OSCE. The works of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly hosted by Bucharest have come to an end. A final declaration was adopted containing the resolutions of the internal committees, including one on the deterioration of the human rights situation in the break-away region of Transnistria, in the Republic of Moldova. Another important subject discussed over the five days of the session was the war waged by Russia against Ukraine. It was for this reason that the delegations of Russia and Belarus were not present at this annual meeting, explained the Romanian foreign minister Luminita Odobescu. Until Russia halts this unjustified aggression against a sovereign state, this organisation, including its parliamentary assembly, cannot resume its normal works and remains a forum where Russia is held responsible for violating international law, Odobescu emphasised.

Expulsion. A member of the Romanian embassy in Russia was declared persona non grata by Moscow. The Russian foreign ministry says the move is in response to a previous unjustified decision by the Romanian side to declare a Russian diplomat to Bucharest persona non grata. The Romanian foreign ministry confirmed that the Romanian ambassador to Moscow Cristian Istrate was summoned at the Russian foreign ministry where he was handed a memo stating the above. Bucharest has described Moscow’s decision as “unfounded” and recalled that the decision to expel a Russian diplomat on 24^th May was motivated by the latter’s carrying out activities that run counter to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. More precisely, the diplomat in question was involved in a case of espionage and treason, in which a Romanian citizen is accused of providing the Russian embassy with military intelligence and photographs of combat technology taken from Romanian or NATO military facilities in Tulcea county. Foreign diplomats benefit from immunity and expulsion is the most severe measure a state can take.

Elections. The calendar for the presidential and parliamentary elections in Romania could be set on Thursday, when the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party are to meet again. The talks come after the discussions that the Social-Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had for two days with the main political competitors. Most delegations requested that the elections take place on the legal deadline, towards the end of the year, and not be held at the same time. Others agreed that the first round of the presidential elections should be held simultaneously with the parliamentary elections, either on December 1 or 8, with the second presidential round being held on either December 15 or 22. In March, the Liberals and the Social Democrats had agreed that the presidential elections should be scheduled for September, and the legislative ballot for December.

Football. Romania are this evening playing The Netherlands in Munich in the last 16 of the European Football Championship hosted by Germany. This is Romania’s first knockout stage match in the last 24 years. Many Romanian fans are attending the match on the stadium, their number expected to exceed the record high set at the group match against Ukraine, when 32,000 Romanian fans were at the match. Apart from the 7,000 official tickets provided by UEFA, many fans got tickets for the match by buying the tickets sold by the Belgian fans who bought them as early as last December, when they believed their side would win the group. The manager of the Romanian side Edi Iordănescu said The Netherlands are the favourites, but asked players to do their best. According to Radio Romania’s correspondents in Germany, winning against The Netherlands would bring Romania a place in the quarterfinals and a check of 2.5 million euros.

Elections. The consultations with political parties launched by prime minister Marcel Ciolacu to establish the dates of the presidential and parliamentary elections continued today. The Force of the Right wants the first round of the presidential elections to be held at the same time as the parliamentary elections, on the 1^st or 8^th December, the leader of this party, Ludovic Orban, said after today’s talks. While some parties, like the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Party of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania want the elections to be held on schedule, in November and December, others, like the Alliance for the Union of Romanians and the Social Liberal Humanist Party say they are ready for the presidential elections to be held in September, as proposed by the Social Democratic Party, in the ruling coalition. The talks initiated by prime minister Ciolacu came amid disagreements on the subject between the parties in the ruling coalition, the Social Democrats and the Liberals. At a meeting held at the same time as the consultations at the government headquarters, the Liberal leadership decided unanimously to support holding the presidential elections on schedule, in November, having previously agreed to hold them in September. Romania already saw European and local elections on 9^th June.

Culture. The National Institute for Statistics recorded a growing appetite in Romania for library use and cultural activities. Last year, libraries lent over 19 million books to 2.4 million active users, 54,000 more than in 2022. The Institute also notes that last year, the number of visitors to museums and public galleries grew by over 3 million and that of spectators to performances and concerts by almost 2 million compared to the previous year.

Tennis. Romania’s Gabriela Ruse is today playing Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the opening round at Wimbledon, while Ana Bogdan is playing Cristina Bucşa of Spain. On Monday, Romanian qualifier Anca Alexia Todoni defeated Serbia’s Olga Danilovich in straight sets, while all the other Romanian players lost their first round matches: Irina Begu to China’s Lin Zhu, Sorana Cîrstea to Britain’s Sonay Kartal and Jaqueline Cristian to Bianca Andreescu.

Consultations. Romania’s Social Democrat prime minister Marcel Ciolacu is today holding consultations with the main parties to establish the date of the presidential elections. The talks come amid disagreements on this subject between the parties in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party. The Liberals want the presidential elections to be held no later than November, while the Social Democrats want to hold them in September. Romania saw local and European elections on 9^th June, while the parliamentary elections are due in December.

Prices. Excise duties on fuel again went up in Romania from 1^st July, with the price of one litre of petrol expected to go up by around 0.43 euros, while that of diesel by around 0.4 euros. Gas prices will also see some changes, with the regulatory body approving an increase of 19% on average in supply prices. The minimum wage goes up to 3,700 lei from 3,300, also from 1^st July.

OSCE. Bucharest is hosting the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, whose general theme is “The Role of the OSCE in the Current Security Architecture: A Parliamentary Perspective”. The 31^st meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly is an event of a major geopolitical importance, according to the head of the Romanian Parliament’s delegation to the OSCE, Dan Barna. He added that Romania’s hosting it shows the recognition of its role in the regional context of the war in Ukraine and the European security developments for the OSCE countries. The war waged by Russia against Ukraine is one of the main topics on the agenda of the meeting, Barna also said. The over 250 MPs gathering in Bucharest these days will also discuss economic development, women’s and men’s equal involvement in political life and the involvement of young people in the decision-making process.

EU. Hungary is today taking over the rotating presidency of the European Council, with seven stated priorities, including consolidating competitiveness, combating illegal migration more effectively and bringing the Western Balkans closer to EU entry. The Hungarian presidency is expected to be complicated, as Hungary often holds diverging views from the other EU states on a number of important subjects. Hungary has blocked endeavours to provide military support for Ukraine, has opposed the EU’s enlargement eastwards, to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, has unsuccessfully tried to bloc the EU Pact on Migration and is faced with infringement procedures for violating the principles of the rule of law, press agencies note.

France. France’s National Rally led by Jordan Bardella came first in the first round of Sunday’s legislative elections in France, which may pave the way for the far right to power for the first time since WWII, France Presse notes. With 34% of the votes, the National Rally and its allies won more votes than the leftist alliance of the New Popular Front, which got under 30% and president Emmanuel Macron’s party, which won 20% of the votes. The second round will be held on 7^th July.

Tennis. Four Romanian tennis players are in action today in the opening round at Wimbledon. Irina Begu is playing China’s Lin Zhu, qualifier Anca Alexia Todoni is playing Serbia’s Olga Danilovich, Sorana Cîrstea is facing Britain’s Sonay Kartal and Jaqueline Cristian is facing Canada’s Bianca Andreescu. On Tuesday, Gabriela Ruse will be playing against the 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, while Ana Bogdan will face Cristina Bucşa of Spain.

Salary. The government approved a bill on setting the European minimum wage, thus transposing into the national legislation a 2022 Directive by the European Parliament and the Council on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, the Romanian labour ministry said on Friday. The bill is next to be fast-tracked through Parliament. The European minimum wage is also included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, under which the minimum gross basic salary is to be established according to an objective mechanism based on a clear formula, in consultation with social partners. Its level is to be updated annually taking into account the purchasing power, the general level of salaries and their distribution, the salary increase rate and work productivity nationwide.

Cyber attacks. Russia-affiliated groups of cyber attackers have launched 25 attacks in the last week against websites in Romania, said the National Cyber Security Directorate. The attacks targeted private companies in the financial and banking sector, transports and telecommunications, as well as the Directorate’s own website. There were no periods of significant interruptions in the activities of the targeted sites. Experts recommend network administrators to implement services to protect against such actions.

EU talks. The 27 EU member states confirmed the start of accession talks with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on 25^th June, the EU Council’s Belgian presidency said on Friday, quoted by France Presse. The European Commission said Ukraine and Moldova meet all conditions for the opening of official talks. The EU granted Ukraine the status of accession candidate country in June 2022, in a symbolic gesture months after the start of the Russian invasion of that country, with Moldova also receiving this status. According to France Presse, starting accession talks is one step in a long and painstaking accession process.

Investments. Seven out of ten investors are expecting an increase in Romania’s appeal as an investment destination in the following three years, according to a survey conducted by the financial consultancy and audit company Ernst & Young. 46% of executive leaders surveyed believe that Romania remains a robust and resilient investment market in 2023 and mentioned plans to consolidate or expand their operations in the near future. Bucharest continues to remain the main investment destination with a significant share of 40%. Iaşi, in north-eastern Romania, and Timişoara, in the west, each registered three investment projects and Cluj-Napoca, in the north-west, and Braşov, in the centre, two projects each.

Defence. The Country’s Supreme Defence Council decided that Romania would donate its Patriot air defence system to Ukraine, according to a statement from the Romanian president’s office. The Council said the transfer will be made on condition talks continue, mainly with the US strategic partner, with a view to receiving a similar or equivalent system to ensuring the protection of the country’s airspace. The statement also notes that the decision was based on a comprehensive technical assessment by the authorities and all steps were taken to prevent the risk of creating vulnerabilities for Romania.

Radio drama. The 12^th Grand Prix Nova International Radio Drama Festival organised by Radio Romania is getting under way on Sunday in Bucharest. This year’s edition is about innovation in the creation of sound fiction, with over 20 productions from 10 countries taking part in the three different competition categories. Organisers say the festival has in time earned recognition in its field, striving to make radio drama accessible to both theatre professionals and the wider public.

 Football. Ukraine on Friday defeated Slovakia 2-1 in Group E of the European Football Championship under way in Germany. Romania, who are in the same group, will be playing Belgium on Saturday evening in Cologne. In their opening match last Monday, Belgium lost to Slovakia nil-1 and Romania defeated Ukraine 3-nil in front of over 40,000 Romanian fans. Romania will be playing their final group match next Wednesday in Frankfurt against Slovakia.

Swimming. Romanian swimmer David Popovici won the gold medal in 200 m freestyle at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, defending the title he won two years ago in Rome. On Wednesday, he also won the title in 100 m freestyle, his being the only medals won by Romania in Belgrade. Popovici will also compete in these two races at the Paris Olympics.

EU. President Klaus Iohannis is attending an informal meeting of the European Council, with EU leaders to discuss the membership of the future European Commission in the wake of the recent European elections. The current head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is tipped to win a second term, being nominated by the European People’s Party, the biggest political group in the European Parliament. EU heads of state and government are today negotiating the post of European Commission head, and each state is making its own proposals for a commissioner. Talks are also underway on the areas and duties assigned to each commissioner. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, the summit is also looking at the support for and the situation in Ukraine, following the Ukraine peace summit held in Switzerland over the weekend and Vladimir Putin’s statements on his conditions to start peace talks. So far, European reactions indicate that Moscow’s proposals fall short of the principles upheld by both Ukraine and United Nations democracies.

Visit. Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu is paying an official visit to Germany, to Bavaria, to mark the 25th anniversary of Romanian-Bavarian relations. In Munich, he is meeting members of the Romanian community there and in the afternoon will attend the Romania-Ukraine Euro 2024 football match. Later, he will attend a reception in his honour given at Nymphenburg Palace in Munich to celebrate the jubilee of Romanian-Bavarian institutional cooperation. Romania’s foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu is also attending events to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Romania and the Land of Bavaria.

Ukraine. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky says he will hold peace talks with Russia “tomorrow” if Russian troops leave Ukrainian territory, but that Vladimir Putin is not willing to end the war. At the end of the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, where almost 100 world leaders discussed Kyiv’s peace proposals, president Zelensky said the final declaration may be used in the future peace talks. “Previous political generations have left us the U.N. Charter as a basis for the cooperation of peoples. We will pass to the next generations an effective mechanism to implement the U.N. Charter. And the communiqué adopted at the summit these days fully reflects our intention, and remains open for accession by everyone who respects the U.N. Charter,” said Volodymyr Zelensky. 93 countries attended the summit, but Russia and China were not there. The final declaration was, however, only signed by 80 countries, with Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, India, Indonesia and the Vatican among those that did not endorse the document.

Salary. The government is this week due to discuss draft legislation to adopt the European minimum wage in Romania. The bill transposes a European directive stipulating that the minimum wage in a country must account for at least 50% of the average income. The gross minimum salary in Romania currently stands at 660 euros and is set to go up to 740 euros from 1^st July.

Football. Romania are today playing Ukraine in their opening Group E match in Munich, at the European Football Championship hosted by Germany. Also tonight, Belgium are facing Slovakia in Frankfurt, in the other Group E fixture, while France are playing Austria in Dusseldorf in a Group D match. The tournament brings together 24 national sides, divided into six groups. Romania will next play Belgium on 22^nd June in Cologne and Slovakia on 26^th June in Frankfurt. This is Romania’s 6^th participation in the European Championship after 1984, 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2016. Romanian referees are also taking part in the tournament, with Istvan Kovacs as main referee, and two other assistant referees and a video assistant referee.

Local elections. Nicuşor Dan, the incumbent general mayor of Bucharest, who ran as an independent in Sunday’s local elections, won a new term with almost 47% of the votes. The social-democratic candidate Gabriela Firea came a distant second. In the General Council, the Social Democratic Party and the United Right Alliance, which supported Nicuşor Dan, are tied, with about 27% of the votes. The Social Democrats and the Liberals, who are in government together, also won most county council positions. Romania also held European parliamentary elections on Sunday, which were won jointly by the Social Democrats and the Liberals. The ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians came second, followed by the United Right Alliance and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.  Romania will be represented by 33 MEPs.

Resignation. The leader of the Save Romania Union Cătălin Drulă is stepping down following the poor results obtained by his party in Sunday’s local and European elections. He said it was important for the Save Romania Union to go ahead because people have placed in it their hopes for the modernisation of their country.  Although the independent candidate it supported, Nicuşor Dan, won a second term as general mayor in Bucharest, the Save Romania Union won no position as sector mayor. In the European elections, the United Right Alliance formed around this party won around 11% of the votes, down from 22% in 2019.

European elections. According to partial results after the European elections held between June 6-9, the European People’s Party Group obtained most seats in the European Parliament, namely 191, 15 more than in the previous elections. The Social Democrats are in second position, with 135 seats, 4 fewer than in 2019. Renew lost almost 20 seats but remains the third largest group in the European Parliament. The two far-right Eurosceptic groups, the European Conservatives and Reformists and Identity and Democracy, become the fourth and fifth largest groups, respectively. The Greens lose fourth position and fall to sixth, with 53 seats, compared to the 71 they held after the 2019 elections, and the extreme left remains in seventh position with 35 seats. The independents won 50 seats, and the unaffiliated parties 45 seats. It is believed that the future majority will be formed through negotiation between the first three groups. Together, they hold a comfortable majority of 409 seats out of a total of 720, so the vote for the future European Commission should not pose any problems. The European People’s Party group wants Ursula von der Leyen to serve a second term as head of the European Commission, which would require only 361 votes. Von der Leyen  said her centre-right alliance will build “a bastion against extremes”. Far right and radical right parties won the European elections in France, Austria and Italy and came second in Germany and The Netherlands. Following the results in France, President Emmanuel Macron called early elections in three weeks’ time. Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo resigned after his party’s poor performance in the federal, regional and European elections.

Tech Week. Over June 10-16, Bucharest is hosting the eighth edition of Bucharest Tech Week, an emblematic event that transforms the city into the epicenter of technological innovation and where more than 25,000 technology enthusiasts are expected. With a focus on redefining the human experience through technology, the event promises to inspire industry professionals and enthusiasts alike, giving them the opportunity to discover the latest trends and innovations. Bucharest Tech Week maintains the same successful structure, the organizers announced: 5 days of Business Summits, followed by Tech Expo, the largest tech exhibition in Romania, dedicated to the public at large, held throughout the weekend. This year, the five business summits bring together over 50 local and international speakers, and over 60 partner companies respectively, that will bring to the attention of those present over 450 technology solutions dedicated to the business environment.

Romania elections. European and local elections are taking place today in Romania. Almost 19,000 voting stations have been set up in Romania for the country’s around 19 million voters. Voting started at 7 am and will end at 10 pm and by 6 pm, more than 40% of voters had already cast their ballots in the local elections and over 38% in the European elections. According to the Permanent Electoral Authority, a total of more than 207,000 candidates are running in the local and European elections. The two largest parties in Romania, the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party, which are also in government together, have joint candidates for the European Parliament, where Romania is represented by 33 MEPs. The ruling coalition’s main rivals are the United Right Alliance (formed by the Save Romania Union, the People’s Movement Party and the Force of the Right), the populist and ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. A record 915 voting stations were set up abroad for Romanian voters wishing to cast their ballots for the European elections, mostly in Italy, Spain and Great Britain, countries with large ethnic Romanian communities. Some 153,000 people had voted abroad by 6 pm, Romania time. The foreign ministry recalls that Romanian citizens who have the right to vote and who reside or are temporarily abroad on election day can cast their vote at any Romanian voting station abroad based on a valid Romanian ID card. It’s a busy election year in Romania in 2024, with presidential and parliamentary elections to come next, in September and December, respectively.

European elections. Today is the final day of voting for the European parliamentary elections, which were held between the 6^th and the 9^th of June across the European Union countries. Voting began in The Netherlands on Thursday, and voters in Ireland, Czechia, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia have already cast their ballots. In Italy, voting began on Saturday and continues today. Around 370 million Europeans have a right to vote in these elections to elect 720 members of the next European Parliament, 15 more members than at the previous European elections, but fewer than pre-Brexit. What’s at stake in these elections, among others, are the European Parliament’s political make-up and its position on the war in Ukraine, including on military support. The BBC notes that far-right parties have made significant inroads in Europe in recent years, including among young people voting for the first time.

Poll. The protection of the environment, nature and climate ranks 8^th on the Romanians’ societal priority list, with only 26% of respondents prioritising environmental matters according to the findings of a survey conducted by the Friedrich-Ebert Romania Foundation. 59% of Romanian respondents prioritised health and 53% education. By comparison, the average in all 19 countries polled place health in the number one spot, with 56%, and environmental issues on the fourth spot, with 36%. Romania is the only country among those polled where the state of the forests is of greatest concern among the environmental issues identified. Romanians are also concerned about air pollution. The survey was conducted in 19 countries in Europe and North America, using a sample of 1,200 respondents aged between 18 and 69 from each country.

Mini-football. Defending world minifootball champions Romania lost to Serbia 10-9 at penalty shootouts on Saturday in the final of the European Minifootball Championship hosted by Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The two sides were tied at 1-all after the end of regular time. In the 3^rd place match, Kazakhstan defeated France 7-2. Romania have six European championship titles to their record.

Elections. 19 million Romanian voters are casting their ballots on Sunday in the local and European parliamentary elections. Almost 19,000 polling stations will be open in Romania, and 915 abroad, which is almost double compared with five years ago. Most of the latter are in Italy, Spain and Great Britain, which are home to large Romanian communities. All Romanian citizens who have the right to vote and who reside or are temporarily abroad on election day can vote at any polling station abroad provided they can produce a valid Romanian ID card. The first polling station to open will be in New Zealand, at 10 pm Romania time on Saturday evening, with voting to end on Monday morning when the last voting stations will close on the west coast of the United States and Canada, in Vancouver. According to the Permanent Electoral Authority, almost 208,000 persons are running in the local and European parliamentary elections. This year, Romania will also see presidential elections in September and legislative elections in December.

Organised crime. Dozens of searches were conducted on Tuesday in Romania at company headquarters and persons suspected of forming an organised crime group specialising in trafficking in migrants. The suspects include former or current employees of the interior ministry, who prosecutors say brought foreign nationals into the country on work visas and then helped them cross the border into Schengen countries. The General Inspectorate for Immigration issued a statement saying it distances itself from any actions that are not in keeping with the law and which run counter to its values, while interior minister Catalin Predoiu has promised zero tolerance for corruption.

Children. More than 17,700 cases of abuse against children were recorded last year in Romania, the Save the Children Organisation said in a statement. Most of them were cases of neglect, but there were also many cases of physical abuse, exploitation, emotional and sexual abuse. The number of girls who are victims of abuse is higher than that of boys, even ten times higher in the case of sexual abuse. Save the Children warns that minors who are victims of or witnesses to domestic violence are at higher risk that their psychological and emotional development is affected.

Teachers. Pupils, teachers and other staff working in the Romanian education system have a day off today on Teacher’s Day. The celebration is held on the same day as the birth date of Gheorghe Lazăr, the founder of modern education in this country. It’s the first time that education workers have a day off on this celebration, according to Marius Nistor, the president of the trade union federation in education. The summer holiday begins on the 21^st June, at the end of classes.

Football. Romania drew nil-all against Bulgaria on Tuesday evening in a friendly match ahead of the European Football Championship hosted by Germany. Romania will play another training match on Friday against Liechtenstein, also in Bucharest. The Championship will kick off on 14^th June, and Romania are in Group E. Romania will play Ukraine on 17^th June in Munich, Belgium on the 22^nd June in Cologne, and Slovakia on 26^th June in Frankfurt. Romania last took part in a European championship in 2016 in France.

Digitalisation. The websites of one thousand town halls and county councils in Romania will be adapted or redeveloped according to a national standardised format, based on a programme coordinated by the ministry of research, development and digitalisation and approved on Thursday by the government. In a first stage, the town halls’ current platforms will be interconnected to electronic payment platforms such as ghişeul.ro and cyber security solutions will be purchased, the relevant minister said. In another move, 2,700 vacant jobs in the healthcare system will be filled based on a competition, most of them at Bucharest’s University Emergency Hospital. The government also gave additional funding to the ministry for family to continue the programme proving support for in vitro fertilisation.

Survey. Almost 70% of young Romanians are willing to pay more for sustainable products and services, according to a study conducted internationally by Deloitte. The cost of living is the main concern for 43% of young people born between 1983 and 1994, as well as for those born between 1995 and 2003. The survey also shows they wish to get more involved in combating the effects of climate change and to demand businesses and the authorities to act in this regard. A third of young Romanians said they are willing to avoid fast fashion products, to fly less and check the environmental impact of companies before buying their products. The survey was conducted among 8,400 young people from the millennial and Z generations from 44 countries.

Investigation. The Romanian authorities have arrested or started criminal investigations against 13 people suspected of fraud and issuing forged drug prescriptions for diabetes. One medical nurse, eight drugstore workers and four physicians are targeted by an investigation into the issuance of subsidised drugs, in particular Ozempic, a drug used in the treatment of diabetes, which also causes weight loss. The illegally issued prescriptions were picked up by the suspects’ relatives from 140 pharmacies in Bucharest and Ilfov County. Although they did not have the right to issue them, gynaecologists, cardiologists and family physicians issued the prescriptions from private clinics, and the drugs were sold via online platforms to clients all over the country. The losses are estimated at over 200,000 euros.

Defence. Europe’s first maintenance centre for HIMARS systems was inaugurated on Thursday in Bacău, in eastern Romania. Defence minister Angel Tîlvăr said the system would deter possible aggression and new jobs will be created. In 2021, Romania became the first country in Europe to use this American system. Aerostar Bacău established the centre in partnership with Lockheed Martin, with which it is already working on  the maintenance of Romania’s Black Hawk helicopters and F-16 aircraft.

Protest. Members of the National Federation of Administrative Trade Unions on Thursday staged a protest against the Government’s discriminatory salary policies and its refusal to pass fair and proportionate measures with a view to doing away with salary inequities. The trade federation represents employees of local and central authorities. Unionists have recently criticised the draft decree stipulating a 10% salary increase for certain categories of public workers, accusing the government of encouraging salary disparities between similar institutions and of disregarding the actual needs of public sector employees.

Unemployment. The unemployment rate went up in Romania to 5.3% in April, a 0.1% increase compared to March, said the National Institute for Statistics. Youth unemployment stood at 20.5% for the 15-24 age bracket, although it saw a drop compared to March. Unemployment among the male population is 0.6% higher than among women.

Credits. Consumer credits in lei for the population grew by 70% in March this year compared with the same month last year, according to a report by the National Bank of Romania. A record sum was thus reached of around 835 million euros, more even than that for the purchase of homes, which stood at 770 million euros. The rise comes as the actual annual average interest rate on consumer credits in lei stood below 11.3% per year in March 2024 compared to 14% in March 2023. Analysts believe recent income increases have boosted consumption and this will contribute to economic growth and also have an impact on inflation, which is dropping at a slower pace than expected.

Elections. The president of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă, has made a series of clarifications about the ballot on 9^th of June, when Romanian voters are casting their votes in the local and European Parliamentary elections, held on the same day for the first time. Over 200,000 candidates have registered in the competition for the local elections and 494 for the European Parliament. He said there will be almost 19,000 polling stations around the country and 915 abroad, double compared with the previous elections. The foreign ministry sent as early as last week the materials needed for the voting process to the Romanian diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad. The list of voting stations abroad is available on the foreign ministry’s internet page in the section dedicated to the European Parliamentary elections. In another move, the Central Electoral Bureau said it would provide real-time updates online about voter turnout on election day.

Measles. Romania has recorded over 16,500 new measles cases and 16 casualties in the last year, said the Public Health Institute in Bucharest. Most infections were reported in the centre of the country and in the capital city. The World Health Organisation has published a report warning that measles cases are growing at an alarming rate around the world, amid a drop in vaccination rates. At over 60,000, the number of cases recorded in Europe this year is higher than in all of 2023. More than 56,000 cases were reported in the first three months of the year alone, as well as 4 deaths. According to the World Health Organisation, Romania has the 5^th highest rate of measles infections in Europe and the highest in the European Union, with some 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Minimum wage. The labour ministry has published for public debate a government order on raising the minimum wage to the equivalent in lei of some 740 euros from 1^st July. The order is to be adopted by the government this week, following a decision to this end by the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party. Labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu said the move was the result of a European directive. She added that pensions would be recalculated from 1^st September based on a new formula that takes into account the idea of contribution, with persons who have contributed to the pension system for more than 25 years to see the highest increases.

Visas. Thailand has included Romania on the list of countries whose citizens will no longer need visas to enter the country. The measure will come into effect on 1^st June and comes at a time when the Thai authorities are seeking to boost tourism, which is the driving engine of the country’s economy. So far, Romanian citizens wishing to travel to Thailand needed to get their visa online or straight from the airport. Visas were also lifted for citizens of 36 other countries.

Book fair. The 17^th edition of the Bookfest International Book Fair got under way today in Bucharest in a ceremony attended by officials from Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The fair brings together 200 exhibitors and 150 publishing houses from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the guest country this year, as well as 400 different events, including book launches, debates, workshops, activities for children and a competition. A project co-funded by the ministry of culture, Bookfest is organised by the Association of Romanian Book Publishers. Previous guest countries were Spain, Hungary, France, German-speaking countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, Israel, Sweden, the US, the UK, Japan and Italy. Bookfest has local editions in Timişoara (west), Cluj-Napoca (north-west), Târgu Mureş and Braşov (centre) and an international edition in Chişinău, the capital of the Republic of Moldova.

Tennis. Romanian  tennis players Irina Begu and Ana Bogdan will play in the second round at Roland Garros on Thursday. Begu, number 127 in the world will face the Czech player Linda Noskova, world no. 29, while world no. 64 Ana Bogdan will play world no. 22 and 2021 Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Begu and Bogdan are the only Romanian players still in competition at Roland Garros.

Inflation. The National Bank of Romania has revised its inflation forecast for the end of the year up to 4.9% from 4.7% previously and says the inflation rate may go down to 3.5% at the end of 2025, according to a report presented today by the bank’s governor, Mugur Isărescu. The latter said the inflation rate will continue to drop, but at a slower pace than the initial estimate. The main uncertainties and risks associated with the evolution of the inflation rate have to do with the high budget deficit, the salary dynamics and possible additional fiscal and budgetary measures needed to cut down expenses. The latest statistical data show a slight drop in the inflation rate from 6.61% in March to 5.9% in April. The National Bank has decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 7%, unchanged since last year.

Economy. In the first quarter of the year, Romania’s GDP grew by 0.5% compared with the previous quarter and by 0.1% compared with the same quarter in 2023, according to data published by the National Institute for Statistics. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has not changed its forecast with respect to the evolution of the Romanian economy this year and warns that the main vulnerability remains the fiscal position, given that the deficit level reached 5.9% of GDP in 2023, according to a report published by the EBRD today. In its latest forecast, the EBRD estimated that Romania’s GDP may grow by 3.2% this year and by 3.4% next year. According to the EBRD, the growth pace of the Romanian economy slowed significantly last year, to 2.1%, despite being one the best in the region. However, the drop in private consumption in the context of high inflation was counteracted by an uptick in investments and in government expenditure. Public expenditure is expected to grow further amid an increase in public sector salaries and pensions, thus creating the risk for an even bigger deficit level this year, the EBRD warns.

Law. Motorists caught drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs can see their driving permits suspended for up to 10 years, under a new law passed by the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday. Also, they will no longer be able to delay serving their prison sentence. The bill was initiated in the aftermath of an accident that took place in the 2 Mai Black Sea resort in which two young people were killed after being hit by a driver who had used drugs. The Chamber of Deputies also passed legislation obliging people who are fleeing abroad to evade serving time in prison to cover the extradition costs.

Football. Otelul Galati and Corvinul Hunedoara are today playing the Romanian Football Cup final. Whoever wins, it will be their first time holding this trophy. The championship title went this year to the Bucharest side FCSB. CFR Cluj and CSU Craiova are vying for the second and third places, which would allow them to play in the European competitions.

Friendship. Romania’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate held a joint session to mark the National Day of Friendship and Solidarity between Romania and the State of Israel. We support Israel’s fundamental right to exist, to defend itself and to protect its citizens, said the Senate speaker Nicolae Ciucă. Romania has never ceased to stand by the people of Israel in these difficult times, said prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. The solidarity of the Romanian Parliament was welcomed by Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video message: “Thank you for standing up with Israel; standing up with Israel on that horrible day of the October 7^th massacre, standing with Israel after the massacre, standing with Israel on the celebration of our independence. We welcome and cherish you friendship”.

Human trafficking. Romania has launched a Strategy to combat human trafficking, given that hundreds of Romanians, half of whom are children or young people, are identified annually as victims of this phenomenon. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Strategy against human trafficking is built on four pillars: prevention, punishment, protection and partnership. The authorities say they have identified ways of intervention, that partnerships are in place and that the necessary resources will be allocated to combat this scourge.

Legislation. A law imposing tougher penalties for drug trafficking and illegal drug use was passed by the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday. The law also bans delaying serving the prison sentence in the case of motorists convicted for causing deadly accidents while driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances. In the future, they will face between 15 and 25 years in prison. The law stipulates that people found to have ingested banned substances will no longer receive a fine, but time in prison. The law complements the so-called Anastasia law that came into force last year and which provides for time in prison without suspended sentence, in the case of motorists driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs and who cause accidents leading to the death of the victims. Romanians caught driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs face losing their driving licence for a period of ten years. Deputies also adopted an updated list of high-risk drugs, on which six more substances were added.

Cannes. The 77th edition of the Cannes festival got under way on the French Riviera. Two Romanian films have also been selected for the festival: the feature film Three Kilometres to the End of the World, directed by Emanuel Pârvu, and the documentary film Nasty, by Tudor Giurgiu, dedicated to the Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase. The festival director Thierry Fremaux lamented the increased focus in recent years to political and social issues in the film industry, which, in his opinion, distracts from the films themselves.

Elections. The Romanian foreign ministry is to set up 915 polling stations abroad for the European Parliamentary elections of June 9^th, the ministry said in a statement. Most polling stations for the upcoming elections will be established in the countries with the largest Romanian communities, namely Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany, France and Monaco, followed by the Republic of Moldova, the United States, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, The Netherlands, Denmark and Canada. The foreign ministry recalls that Romanian citizens residing or who currently find themselves abroad can cast their ballots in the European Parliamentary elections at any of the polling stations set up abroad based on a valid Romanian ID card. Romania will also host the local elections on 9^th June, to be followed by the presidential elections in September and the parliamentary elections in December.

Solar storm. A severe solar storm began to hit Earth on Friday evening, producing northern lights visible around the globe. Scientists are fearing the storm may have negative effects on telecommunications. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US  explained this geomagnetic storm is the result of a series of solar flares and eruptions during which a number of large explosions of plasma and fluctuating magnetic fields are noted. When eruptions are intense, as it is the case now, they may impact Earth, disrupting communications, the electric power grid and satellite-based navigation systems. This is the largest phenomenon of its kind recorded since 2003.

Northern lights. As a result of the solar eruptions that disrupted the Earth’s magnetic field, the northern lights were visible in Romania on Friday night at an intensity never recorded in hundreds of years, dr. Adrian Şonka from the Bucharest Astronomical Observatory told Agerpres news agency. The aurora was particularly visible outside of cities, in areas not affected by light pollution. Dr. Şonka explained that the aurora is produced around the magnetic pole, but that it can also be seen at lower latitudes in certain situations.

Gaza. The US State Department says Israel’s use of American weapons in its Gaza operation may have violated international law. A report presented in Congress also highlights the difficulties faced by Israel as Hamas fighters are hiding among civilians, whom they use as human shields. Israel has come under criticism from many international organisations and foreign governments for the large number of civilian casualties and the mass destruction it caused in Gaza. According to the health ministry in Gaza, almost 35,000 Palestinians were killed and more than 78,600 wounded in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip that began on 7^th October. The United Nations Security Council called for an immediate independent inquiry after the discovery, around hospitals in Gaza, of mass graves in which hundreds of people may have been buried, France Presse reports.

Romania-Albania. The foreign ministers of Romania, Luminiţa Odobescu, and of Albania, Igli Hasani, on Saturday exchanged letters on the 30^th anniversary of the signing of a treaty of understanding, collaboration and good neighbourly relations between Romania and Albania. Odobescu hailed the significant achievements in the field of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation showing that the two countries play an essential role for the democracy, stability and security of South-East Europe. She also reiterated that Bucharest will continue to support Albania’s European accession process and emphasise the strategic importance of the Western Balkans for the Euro-Atlantic region.

Elections. The Romanian foreign ministry is to set up 915 polling stations abroad for the European Parliamentary elections of June 9^th, the ministry said in a statement. Most polling stations for the upcoming elections will be established in the countries with the largest Romanian communities, namely Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany, France and Monaco, followed by the Republic of Moldova, the United States, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, The Netherlands, Denmark and Canada. The foreign ministry recalls that Romanian citizens residing or who currently find themselves abroad can cast their ballots in the European Parliamentary elections at any of the polling stations set up abroad based on a valid Romanian ID card. Romania will also host the local elections on 9^th June, to be followed by the presidential elections in September and the parliamentary elections in December.

Solar storm. A severe solar storm began to hit Earth on Friday evening, producing northern lights visible around the globe. Scientists are fearing the storm may have negative effects on telecommunications. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US  explained this geomagnetic storm is the result of a series of solar flares and eruptions during which a number of large explosions of plasma and fluctuating magnetic fields are noted. When eruptions are intense, as it is the case now, they may impact Earth, disrupting communications, the electric power grid and satellite-based navigation systems. This is the largest phenomenon of its kind recorded since 2003.

Northern lights. As a result of the solar eruptions that disrupted the Earth’s magnetic field, the northern lights were visible in Romania on Friday night at an intensity never recorded in hundreds of years, dr. Adrian Şonka from the Bucharest Astronomical Observatory told Agerpres news agency. The aurora was particularly visible outside of cities, in areas not affected by light pollution. Dr. Şonka explained that the aurora is produced around the magnetic pole, but that it can also be seen at lower latitudes in certain situations.

Gaza. The US State Department says Israel’s use of American weapons in its Gaza operation may have violated international law. A report presented in Congress also highlights the difficulties faced by Israel as Hamas fighters are hiding among civilians, whom they use as human shields. Israel has come under criticism from many international organisations and foreign governments for the large number of civilian casualties and the mass destruction it caused in Gaza. On Friday evening, France urged Israel to end without delay its military operation in Rafah, which risks creating a catastrophic situation for the population in Gaza. Some 1.4 million Palestinians live in the Rafah area, most of them displaced by war. Since Tuesday, the Israeli army has been carrying out raids into eastern Rafah and has taken over control of the border crossing with Egypt, blocking a key point of entry for humanitarian aid convoys.

Elections. The election campaign for the 9^th of June local and European Parliamentary elections got under way on Friday across Romania. The Central Election Bureau has urged candidates to observe the relevant legislation, to preserve a balanced, honest and constructive approach to all communications and to refrain from misrepresenting and manipulating information. Throughout the campaign, all messages and slogans with discriminatory overtones, inciting to hatred and intolerance are prohibited, in addition to the use of any means and actions designed to slander or stir religious or ethnic hatred.

Trade deficit. Romania’s trade balance deficit in the first three months of the year stood at almost 6.7 billion euros, 1.5% lower than in the same period in 2023, according to a report by the National Institute for Statistics published on Friday. The executive president of the National Association of Exporters and Importers from Romania, Mihai Ionescu, says the data show that Romania continues to live on debt. He said the representatives of the business community will submit a series of proposals to the government to help reduce the trade deficit. These include support for businesses to make here products now imported from abroad. The Association also proposes the reestablishment of a network of economic advisors abroad by creating 100 new jobs covering markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

 Missiles. The USA approved the sale of Sidewinder Block advanced missile technology to Romania, in a deal worth 70 million dollars. The missile systems will provide advanced air-air capabilities for F-16s owned by the Romanian Air Forces. The procurement is part of a broader and long-term effort to modernize the Romanian Air Forces, a US Embassy press release reads. US Chargé d’Affairs, Michael Dickerson, said the deal is an excellent example of robust security and defence cooperation between Romania and the USA. In turn, Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr said the access of Romanian Air Forces to state-of-the-art air-air military technology will give a significant boost to the security of Romanian and allied airspace, also increasing interoperability with similar structures of the US Army.

10 May. Romania celebrated three major historical events on 10^th May. Three major events in the history of Romania are observed on May 10. In 1866, King Carol I was crowned the first monarch of the freshly created Kingdom of Romania. 11 years later, on May 10, 1877, Romania proclaimed its independence from the Ottoman Empire. On May 10, 1881, Romania officially became a monarchy. Between 1866 and 1947, May 10 was celebrated not only as Monarchy Day and Independence Day but also as the National Day of Romania. May 10 was declared a national holiday in 2015.

Olympic Games. Romanian wrestler Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu has qualified for the Paris Olympics after a series of wins at the World Olympic Games Qualifier for Wrestling in Istanbul. The Romanian competed in the 130-kg Greek-Roman category. This will be the fourth edition of the Olympic Games for Alexuc-Ciurariu, after the London Olympics of 2012, Rio Olympics of 2015 and the Tokyo Olympics of 2020. Two other Romanian wrestlers are still trying to secure qualification for the Olympic Games – Răzvan Arnăutu and Nicu Ojog. Romania’s delegation includes 13 wrestlers, and its objective is to qualify at least 2 athletes for the Olympic Games. Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu is the second Romanian athlete to secure qualification after Andreea Beatrice Ana, who booked her tickets to the Paris Olympics in the 53-kg category at the Baku qualifier in April. So far, 83 athletes have secured qualification to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in 12 Olympic events.