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The Week in Review, 13-19 April 2019

The May 26 referendum

The Romanian Parliament, convened in joint session on Wednesday, approved President Klaus Iohanniss request to hold a referendum on May 26, at the same time with the European Parliament elections. The point of the referendum is to ban amnesty and pardon for corruption offences and to prevent the government from passing emergency decrees related to criminal offences, convictions and judicial organisation. The head of state also wants to know the voters opinion as regards allowing public authorities, other than the Ombudsman, to notify the Constitutional Court directly, about emergency decrees. The Presidents move comes against the background of numerous legislative changes in the field of the judiciary, contested at home and criticised by Romanias European partners.

Reshuffling of Dancilas cabinet

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila sent president Klaus Iohannis proposals for the appointment of new ministers for the Ministry of European Funds, the Ministry for the Romanians Abroad and the Justice Ministry. The previous holders of these positions have resigned – Rovana Plumb and Natalia Intorero in order to run for the European elections, and Tudorel Toader after the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the main party in the ruling coalition, withdrew its political support and the PM asked for his resignation. Toader was left without the Social Democrats support for having delayed the adoption of some controversial emergency decrees modifying criminal codes. President Klaus Iohannis will announce early next week his decision about the appointment of the new ministers, but he has pointed out that, in his opinion, the new government reshuffle is aimed at strengthening what he calls “the PSD siege on justice. Romania must urgently get back on the track of reforms and continue the battle against corruption, European Commissioner for Justice, Vera Jurova, said at a European Parliament debate on the rule of law in Romania.

Report on the first 100 days of Romanias presidency of the Council of the EU

During the first three months of Romanias presidency of the Council of the EU, 90 difficult legislative dossiers have been closed, with Bucharest having coordinated over 1,100 events and meetings in the last three months, the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila said. Speaking about some of the dossiers finalised recently, Dancila welcomed the Councils formal adoption, as a final stage of the legislative procedure, of rules for the natural gas market, copyright and contracts for the sale of goods and the provision of online digital content. Bucharest has also been actively involved in the Brexit negotiations, Dancila went on to say. She also spoke about the importance of the elections for the European Parliament, held in Romania on the 26th of May, and pointed out that Romania has worked towards creating an environment in which free and fair elections can be held. Clearer rules were established for the protection of personal data, including penalties for the use thereof to manipulate the running and the outcome of the elections.

Conference on security challenges on the eastern flank of NATO

A conference on security challenges on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance, organised in Bucharest, has once again highlighted the need to strengthen NATOs capacity in the Baltic and Black Sea areas. Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has pleaded for a unitary, consolidated and coherent allied presence along the entire eastern flank. The president has stated that the Black Sea area is still marked by frozen conflicts and dormant tensions, and that is reason enough for such a presence, which is needed to ensure an effective defence and deterrence posture. At the conference, the US and Germany hailed the way in which Bucharest fulfils its commitments within NATO.

The Romania-France Cultural Season

The 2019 Romania-France Cultural Season has opened this week in Bucharest. Meetings, exhibitions, festivals and concerts will be held as part of this event in the capital Bucharest and many other cities across Romania. The French Ambassador in Bucharest, Michele Ramis, has mentioned that this is the first time her country organises the Season jointly with another EU country, which clearly reflects the nature of the Romanian-French relationship. In turn, the Romanian Culture Minister, Daniel Breaz, has evoked aspects related to the cultural connection between the two countries, and pointed out that for generations France has been a model, mirror and trustworthy friend of Romanians. The first part of the Cultural Season was held in 100 cities in France over the course of 5 months, and enjoyed great success, with the French people rediscovering Romania and its artists. The event is meant to consolidate economic, scientific, cultural and social ties between the two countries.

(translated by: Elena Enache)

20 April 2019
17 April 2019, UPDATE

Referendum. The two
chambers of the Parliament in Bucharest have green lighted the request of president
Klaus Iohannis to hold a referendum on 26th of May, at the same time
as the elections for the European Parliament. Parliament’s opinion in this
matter is advisory. The themes proposed by the head of state refer to banning
amnesty and pardoning for acts of corruption and also preventing the government
from passing emergency orders in the field of crimes and judicial organisation.
The president also wants to ask voters if institutions other than the Ombudsman
should be able to refer such decrees to the Constitutional Court. The
president’s move comes amidst a series of controversial changes in the judicial
system initiated by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party
and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats that have come under criticism at home
and abroad, by Romania’s European partners.

Cabinet
reshuffle. The executive committee of the ruling
Social Democratic Party has withdrawn its political support for the justice
minister Tudorel Toader, proposing his replacement with the deputy speaker of
the Chamber of Deputies Eugen Nicolicea. The decision comes after Toader
refused to issue some controversial decrees modifying the criminal codes. The
Social Democrats have also proposed Oana Florea for the position of minister
for European funds to replace Rovana Plumb and Liviu Brailoiu for taking over
the ministry for Romanians abroad to replace Natalia Intotero. Plumb and
Intotero are running for a seat in the European Parliament in May’s elections.

Criminal code. The Senate passed on Wednesday the bill amending the criminal code in
the version drafted by the special committee for the justice legislation. The
committee had approved the amendments on Tuesday, having eliminated a number of
provisions from the initial version that had been ruled unconstitutional by
Romania’s Constitutional Court. The bill still contains a number of provisions
criticised by the opposition, such as those referring to the statute of
limitations for convictions, the repeal of a provision on negligence in
employment and the introduction of a one-year deadline for denunciations.
Justice minister Tudorel Toader did not agree to pass the amendments to the
criminal code via emergency order. The president of the parliamentary
committee, the Social Democrat Florin Iordache, says the urgency is given by
the government’s failure to implement through legislation the provisions
declared constitutional by the court. Attending the debates held by the
commission, Toader said it was Parliament’s obligation to harmonise the
criminal codes with the rulings of the Constitutional Court, given that this is
a legislative bill. The opposition says the changes are an attempt to rid
senior politicians of criminal investigations. The Senate is the first chamber
to rule on this bill, with the Chamber of Deputies being the decision-making
body.

Presidency. The Romanian prime
minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday presented a report on Romania’s first 100
days as holder of the presidency of the Council of the EU. She said the
government in Bucharest demonstrated efficiency, determination and a capacity
to find good solutions for European citizens in each and every one of these 100
days. 90 legislative dossiers, including some very difficult ones inherited
from previous presidencies, were finalised during this period and the Romanian
presidency managed over 1,000 events and meetings, Viorica Dancila also said.

Protest. The
confederation of authorised road carriers in Romania held a protest on
Wednesday outside the government building in Bucharest against an upcoming emergency
order regulating online platforms for passenger transport. Taxi drivers demand
that the change be made in Parliament and not by government order and that the
activity of these online platforms should be limited and comply with the same
rules as taxi companies in terms of authorisation, control and taxation. This
is the biggest in a series of protests staged by taxi drivers in the last
month.

Inflation.
Romania, Hungary and Holland last month saw the highest annual inflation rates
in the European Union, according to figures published on Wednesday by Eurostat,
the European statistical office. Romania had a 4.2% inflation rate, Hungary
3.8% and Holland 2.9%. Portugal and Greece had the lowest inflation rates. The
annual inflation rate dropped to 1.4% in the eurozone in March and remained at
1.6% in the European Union.

17 April 2019
16 April 2019, UPDATE

Notre-Dame fire. The
fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris caused an unprecedented wave of
solidarity. Major companies from France and across the world, wealthy families
and the European Central Bank have announced donations of more than 750 million
euros for the reconstruction of the building, which is a UNESCO world heritage
site and attracts millions of tourists every year. President Emmanuel Macron
said a national fund-raising campaign would be launched. Romania’s president Klaus
Iohannis and prime minister Viorica Dancila have sent messages of solidarity
with France, alongside other world and European leaders. The inquiry into the
cause of the fire continues, but it will be long and complex, according to the Paris
public prosecutor Remy Heitz. He said an investigation for involuntary
destruction by fire has been opened. The French authorities say the risk of
fire has been eliminated, but it is unknown whether the building is still
structurally sound. The spire of the famous Paris cathedral with a height of 93
metres has collapsed. The blaze has affected the 12th century cathedral,
destroyed the roof and the spire, but the exterior walls and the two belfries
are still standing.

EU culture. The European
Commission can provide support and long-term funding for the restoration works
at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, the European Commissioner for Education,
Culture, Youth and Sport Tibor Navracsics said on Tuesday in Bucharest. He
attended a meeting of EU ministers of culture in the context of the Romanian presidency
of the Council of the European Union. The Romanian Culture Minister Valer
Daniel Breaz, who chaired the meeting, said one of the priorities of the
Romanian presidency is to create new opportunities for Europe’s cultural and
creative industries and the European cultural heritage.

No-confidence vote. The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest on Tuesday rejected
with 95 yes votes, 155 no votes and 19 abstentions a simple no-confidence
motion against the energy minister Anton Anton initiated by the National
Liberal Party, in opposition. While debating the motion on Monday, the signatories
warned about the high increases in the price of energy in recent years. The
Liberals, supported by the Save Romania Union and the People’s Movement Party,
also underlined that the absence of a national energy strategy discourages
private companies from investing in the sector. In response, minister Anton
said the government is concerned about the price of energy and natural gas and
has issued an emergency order to cap these increases for the next three years.
He also said the government’s adoption of the energy strategy is in an advanced
stage.

Judiciary. The special parliamentary committee for the justice laws on Tuesday
published a report in favour of the changes to the criminal code, but eliminating
a number of provisions contained in the initial version which were declared
unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Romania. The report will be
debated on Wednesday by the Senate before reaching the Chamber of Deputies a
week later, the president of the special committee Florin Iordache said. The
latter pointed out that the government had four months at its disposal to solve
the problem of the unconstitutional provisions, but did nothing. Tuesday’s
talks in the special committee were attended by the justice minister Tudorel
Toader, who rejected Iordache’s accusations. Recently, the leader of the ruling
Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea said the Social Democrats feel deceived
by minister Toader about the adoption of a number of emergency orders about the
judiciary.

Romania rule of law.
Romania must immediately get back to the path of reform and carry on the fight
against corruption, the European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová said at
a debate in the European Parliament regarding the rule of law. According to the
European official, the current situation in Romania poses serious risks of sliding
backwards in terms of the rule of law, particularly with respect to the
independence of courts and the fight against corruption. The Commission will
resort to all means available, should the situation fail to improve, the EU
official added. Last November, the European Parliament voiced concern about the
changes in the Romanian judicial sector, and warned that they may threaten the
separation of powers and the fight against corruption.

Healthcare. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday accused the
government of not respecting its promises to modernise and build new hospitals,
including with the help of European funds. He also said the government has failed
to respect its goals regarding the human resources, and that gaps still exist between
the urban and rural areas and between regions in term of the availability of doctors,
while the exodus of medical staff has continued. The health minister Sorina
Pintea has responded by saying the president does not know the reality in the
healthcare system, that salaries have been raised and that there is a budget
for investments.

Romania-Israel. The Romanian prime minister Viorica Dancila on
Tuesday congratulated her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone
conversation for the results obtained in the 9th of April elections.
According to the Romanian government press release, the two officials also
talked about the very good relations between their countries and a new joint
government meeting this year that will reiterate both the political commitment of
the two governments to develop and diversify cooperation, and the special
nature of the bilateral ties. Viorica Dancila and Benjamin Netanyahu also
discussed the results obtained so far by Romania’s presidency of the Council of
the EU and current international affairs.

Sustainable development. The European Union has always
been at the forefront of global sustainability, and sustainable development
weighs significantly in all EU treaties, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor
Melescanu said in Bucharest on Tuesday. Speaking at an international conference
themed The 2030 Agenda: Partnerships for Sustainable Development, he also
said that the EU has played a key role in defining the UN global targets for
the year 2030 in this respect. At the end of the conference, the participants
adopted the Bucharest declaration on the promotion of partnerships for
sustainable development. Taking part in the conference were governmental
officials in charge of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, from EU member
countries, the Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans, Central Asia, alongside representatives
of civil society.

16 April 2019
February 16, 2019 UPDATE

AWARD – ”Monsters”, the debut feature film of Romanian director Marius Olteanu won the award offered by the Tagesspiegel readers at the 69th edition of the Berlin Film Festival. The film, selected in the Forum category, tells the story of Dana and Arthur, two young people married for eight years. The film explores their life together for 24 hours, and the way in which various problems and encounters with other people brings along the end of their relationship. Marius Olteanu is both the film’s director and scriptwriter.

PRESIDENCY – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that the international multilateral system is under growing pressure, that the solution in this case is cohesion and that the main objective should be an Enhanced European Commitment. That is why, the President went on to say, this message of unity and cohesion clearly defines Romania’s priorities at the helm of the Council of the EU. President Iohannis, attending the 55th edition of the Munich Security Conference as the guest of honor, has also said that efforts should focus on developing a harmonized approach between NATO and the EU. In his opinion, this could be done by combining NATO’s comprehensive role in collective defense with the EU’s integrated approach to crisis management.

MEETING – President Klaus Iohannis reiterated on Saturday, during a meeting with the American Vice President Mike Pence, Romania’s firm commitment to consolidating the Strategic Partnership with the US and to strengthening the trans-Atlantic ties. According to the Presidential Administration, the two officials have evoked the excellent stage of the Romania-US Strategic Partnership and ways to strengthen it, with an emphasis on its economic and defense dimensions.

FLU – In Romania, the number of deaths caused by the flu stands at 128. The most recent victim is a 27-year-old woman who suffered from additional health conditions and had not been vaccinated against the flu. We remind you that Romania is facing a flu epidemic.

CANDIDACY – The Social Democrat Mircea Draghici on Saturday announced that he decided to withdraw his candidacy for the position of Transport Minister of the Bucharest cabinet. His party colleague, Lia Olguta Vasilescu did the same on Tuesday, when she withdrew her candidacy for the position of Minister of Regional Development and Public Administration. The two had been proposed for these posts by the Social Democratic Party, the main party of the ruling coalition. President Klaus Iohannis had rejected Lia Olguta Vasilescu’s candidacy but had not made any specification as regards Mircea Draghici.

BUDGET BILL – The government majority formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, with the support of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, on Friday passed the budget bill proposed by the government without major changes. The budget is based on an economic growth rate of 5.5%, a deficit level of 2.76% and a GDP of over 1,000 billion lei (the equivalent of more than 200 billion euros). The government says healthcare, education and investments are the privileged areas. The Opposition, however, says that the budget is based on unrealistic economic estimates.

PROTESTS – Rallies were held on Friday in Bucharest and other Romanian cities in support of the former head of the anti-corruption directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi and against the government coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. On Friday, Kovesi went to the Department for the Investigation of Magistrates with the General Prosecutors Office in Bucharest to be briefed upon the accusations leveled against her in a file where she has been charged with abuse of office, bribe-taking and false testimony. After the hearings, Kovesi said she had submitted two recusation applications against both the special prosecutor and the departments chief prosecutor. Kovesi said she wasnt guilty and that there was no coincidence that the subpoena she received came right ahead her upcoming interview with the European Parliament for the position of European chief prosecutor. The local press has credited Kovesi as Romanias right candidate for the job.

EU – The European Union will soon have a more solid framework for bank regulation and supervision after ambassadors of the member states have approved an accord reached by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the Parliament in Strasbourg. The document provides for a series of revised norms aimed at reducing risks in the EU banking sector. The measures agreed on will provide the guarantee that the banking sector has enough capital to grant loans to natural persons and companies under safety conditions, Romanian Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici has said.

RUGBY – Romania’s national rugby team defeated Germany on Saturday 38-10 in the second match of the 2019 Rugby Europe International Championship held in Botosani, in north-eastern Romania. Romania lost the first match to Georgia, 9-18 in the Romanian city of Cluj while Germany was defeated by Belgium in Brussels. Romania is on the 18th place in the world rankings while Germany is on the 27th place. (Translated by Elena Enache)

16 February 2019
February 16, 2019

PRESIDENCY – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that the international multilateral system is under growing pressure, that the solution in this case is cohesion and that the main objective should be an Enhanced European Engagement. That is why, the President went on to say, this message of unity and cohesion clearly defines Romania’s priorities at the helm of the Council of the EU. President Iohannis, attending the 55th edition of the Munich Security Conference as the guest of honor, has also said that efforts should focus on developing a harmonized approach between NATO and the EU. In his opinion, this could be done by combining NATO’s comprehensive role in collective defense with the EU’s integrated approach to crisis management.

FLU – In Romania, the number of deaths caused by the flu stands at 128. The most recent victim is a 27-year-old woman who suffered from additional health conditions and had not been vaccinated against the flu. We remind you that Romania is facing a flu epidemic.

CANDIDACY – The Social Democrat Mircea Draghici on Saturday announced that he decided to withdraw his candidacy for the position of Transport Minister of the Bucharest cabinet. His party colleague, Lia Olguta Vasilescu did the same on Tuesday, when she withdrew her candidacy for the position of Minister of Regional Development and Public Administration. The two had been proposed for these posts by the Social Democratic Party, the main party of the ruling coalition. President Klaus Iohannis had rejected Lia Olguta Vasilescu’s candidacy but had not made any specification as regards Mircea Draghici.

BUDGET BILL – The government majority formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, with the support of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, on Friday passed the budget bill proposed by the government without major changes. The budget is based on an economic growth rate of 5.5%, a deficit level of 2.76% and a GDP of over 1,000 billion lei (the equivalent of more than 200 billion euros). The government says healthcare, education and investments are the privileged areas. The Opposition, however, says that the budget is based on unrealistic economic estimates.

PROTESTS – Rallies were held on Friday in Bucharest and other Romanian cities in support of the former head of the anti-corruption directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi and against the government coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. On Friday, Kovesi went to the Department for the Investigation of Magistrates with the General Prosecutors Office in Bucharest to be briefed upon the accusations leveled against her in a file where she has been charged with abuse of office, bribe-taking and false testimony. After the hearings, Kovesi said she had submitted two recusation applications against both the special prosecutor and the departments chief prosecutor. Kovesi said she wasnt guilty and that there was no coincidence that the subpoena she received came right ahead her upcoming interview with the European Parliament for the position of European chief prosecutor. The local press has credited Kovesi as Romanias right candidate for the job.

EU – The European Union will soon have a more solid framework for bank regulation and supervision after ambassadors of the member states have approved an accord reached by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the Parliament in Strasbourg. The document provides for a series of revised norms aimed at reducing risks in the EU banking sector. The measures agreed on will provide the guarantee that the banking sector has enough capital to grant loans to natural persons and companies under safety conditions, Romanian Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici has said.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, number 3 in the world, on Friday qualified for the finals of the WTA tournament in Doha, Qatar, a competition with more than 900 thousand dollars in prize money. The Romanian defeated Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Today Halep will be up against Elise Mertens of Belgium who secured a 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 win against Angelique Kerber of Germany. (Translated by Elena Enache)

16 February 2019
Romania’s outlook on the European project

“Europe has always been able to overcome obstacles and to emerge revitalized after less fortunate periods in history. Even the European project in its current form has been shaped by the successive crises it has been through, Romanias Prime Minister Viorica Dancila underlined in the presentation she delivered in Strasbourg on the four main action pillars Bucharest has established for its first term at the helm of the Council of the EU: Europe of Convergence, A Safer Europe, Europe – a stronger global actor and Europe of common values:

Viorica Dancila: “The Romanian presidencys outlook on the European project has been structured around the idea of ‘cohesion as a common European value in all its dimensions: political cohesion, illustrated by the need for unity among the member states; economic and territorial cohesion in view of reducing development gaps between member states and between regions; social cohesion, important for the preservation of the four liberties of the EUs domestic market.

There are over 500 million European citizens waiting for an answer about the future of their homeland, Europe. I think it is important to show the citizens of the Union that European institutions are working for them and, more importantly, that they produce results that improve their living standards and future prospects, Prime Minister Dancila added.

Europe of convergence is the first action pillar of the Romanian presidency. Starting from the fact that the single market represents the core of the European construction, Bucharest intends to pay increased attention to the legislative agenda in the field of the internal market, with a view to completing the framework needed for its good functioning.

“We must consolidate the scientific and technological foundations of the European industry, through which we can also boost our competitiveness internationally and generate economic growth and new jobs, the Romanian Prime Minister has said, adding that the consistent pace of efforts towards the digital economy will be maintained, with a special focus on developing functional links between the East and the West, the North and the South, aimed at facilitating connections of any kind. Last but not least, attention will also be paid to the process of regulating the Energy Union.

The second pillar of the Romanian presidency will be a safer Europe, Viorica Dancila has also said:

Viorica Dancila: “We are facing security challenges that could threaten citizens safety. The European Union is facing a wide range of risks and threats, which could undermine the values and prosperity of our open societies. In a world of accelerated digitization, we must also advance in providing cyber-protection for our citizens. It is necessary to strengthen the EUs capabilities to respond to cyber-attacks. So, cyber-security will represent a prerequisite for any project concerning the information society. Also in relation to the EU security, we will treat with all seriousness the negotiation and completion of initiatives concerning the coherent management of migration inflows, strengthening the unions external borders, emergency response, the counter-terrorist fight, citizen cyber-protection, the operability and even expanding the European prosecutors mandate to cover terrorism-related offences, as well as the consolidation of judicial cooperation in civil and criminal files.

During its term in office, Romania seeks to contribute to finding viable solutions to migration-related issues and to promote cooperation between origin and transit countries, including in terms of combating human trafficking.

“Europe, a stronger global actor is the third pillar announced by Bucharest. The main line of action in this field must start from the joint commitments made under the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS), Romanian authorities have said.

Viorica Dancila: “In terms of security policy, we will promote the strengthening of the EUs defense and security capabilities, which are complementary to the similar processes within NATO. At the same time, we must focus on our close vicinity, which means continuing the EU enlargement policy. This years celebration of 10 years since the launch of the Eastern Partnership will be an important moment in this respect. Special attention must also be paid to the Western Balkans. Also, we will support the implementation of the Unions commitments at international level. The key elements are promoting the Unions trade interests, modernising the multilateral trade system and expanding economic partnership and free trade agreements.

The fourth pillar of Romanias presidency of the Council of the EU is Europe of common values. Racism, intolerance, xenophobia, populism, anti-Semitism and hate speech must be firmly combated, while at the same time promoting the equal treatment to which all member states and their citizens aspire.

(translated by: Daniel Bilt, Elena Enache)

1 February 2019
Talks in Bucharest on the cohesion policy

The motto “Cohesion, a shared European value reflects Romanias vision for its term in office at the helm of the EU Council. Frequently mentioned in the speeches of EU leaders, reducing the social and economic gaps between the Unions member states, regions and citizens has been one of the most important goals of the European bloc.

The cohesion policy was, in fact, one of the 2 key topics on the agenda of the first event organised in Bucharest by the national parliament as part of the Romanian semester. Ensuring true cohesion in Europe, the unity of member countries in the face of political, economic and social challenges, promoting pluralism, tolerance and solidarity, are among Romanias priorities while holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, Romanian officials emphasised. The Senate Speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu said measures to safeguard cohesion are essential for bridging the gaps between the various regions of the EU:

Calin Popescu Tariceanu: “With the EU currently facing difficult challenges, we, as members of national parliaments, are called upon to promote solidarity on the continent, to support convergence, to build and safeguard cohesion in the Union. We believe such measures are fundamental, so that the current gaps between the East and the West, and between the North and the South, do not become irreversible. The risk is that we might allow extremist and populist forces to turn these gaps into fractures that will fuel a multi-speed Europe and eventually dismantle it altogether.

In turn, the European Commissioner Corina Cretu believes the cohesion policy is about and for the citizens. In her opinion, it is the instrument that provides answers to the issues and tensions facing the European bloc, such as Brexit, migration and cross-border security. She warned that, in some cases, regional disparities have deepened, particularly in the member states in Central and Eastern Europe, and this is because there are urban regions that grow very fast, including those around the capital cities, whereas other regions develop at a slower pace.

Corina Cretu: “The cohesion policy for 2021-2027 will be closer tied to the European agenda and priorities, and will focus on key priorities such as innovation, competitiveness, employment, climate and environment challenges.

Corina Cretu added that, for the first time in the history of the European Union, the cohesion policy has been earmarked 373 billion euros, 80% of which will be channelled into the less developed regions.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

22 January 2019
January 21, 2019 UPDATE

TREATY The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis will take part on Tuesday in Aachen, western Germany, in a ceremony in which France and Germany sign their renewed treaty of friendship and co-operation. Klaus Iohannis was invited by Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron. On this occasion, Klaus Iohannis, as president of the country holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, will give an address. Also taking part in the ceremony will be the head of the European Council Donald Tusk, and of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. The Aachen bilateral treaty is based on the 1963 Treaty of Paris, which paved the way for the reconciliation of Germany and France, and aims to adapt the relations between the 2 countries to the challenges of the 21st century, with a focus on enhancing European cohesion.

BRUSSELS Most Romanian ministers are in Brussels until Wednesday. They will present the agenda and priorities of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union in their respective fields, to the specialised committees of the European Parliament. During his hearing by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, the Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said, among other things, that finalising the establishment of the Economic and Monetary Union is essential. Another priority is to promote the Banking Union, given the need for a safe and solid European financial sector. In the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Romanian Minister for Water and Forestry Ioan Deneş, and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change Graţiela Gavrilescu said that Romanias priorities in the field include fighting climate change, protecting biodiversity, sustainable development and water management.

GAC The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu suggested at the meeting of the General Affairs Council held on Monday in Brussels that a special session should be devoted to hybrid warfare and fake news. According to Teodor Meleşcanu, Romania promised that, during its presidency of the Council of the EU, it will come up with a draft roadmap with measures targeting disinformation, responsibilities, means and resources allotted to this goal. The Romanian official pointed out that the EU aims to be a world leader in combating fake news. In Mondays General Affairs Council meeting, Minister Teodor Meleşcanu presented to his counterparts the main topics on the agenda of the Romanian semester, with a focus on those in the field of foreign policy and security policy.

COHESION The cohesion policy is a priority for the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU, the European Commissioner for regional policy Corina Cretu said in Bucharest on Monday. According to her, cohesion has been one of the most flexible and innovating policies, which provides answers to the issues and tensions in the Union. Corina Creţu also said that she would like the Romanian presidency to secure an agreement on the multi-annual financial framework as soon as possible, so that the scheduled investments may be implemented starting as early as January 1, 2021. The European Commission took part on Monday in a meeting of the Conference of Parliamentary committees for Union Affairs in the national parliaments of EU member states (COSAC), held in Bucharest as part of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU.

GOVERNMENT The Prime Minister of Romania, the Social Democrat Viorica Dăncilă, Monday sent to President Klaus Iohannis a letter requesting, for the 3rd time, the appointment of Lia Olguţa Vasilescu as Minister for Regional Development and Public Administration and of Mircea-Gheorghe Drăghici as Transport Minister. The last time Klaus Iohannis rejected the 2 nominations on grounds that their criminal records had not been included in the candidacy files. PM Viorica Dăncilă emphasized in her letter to Klaus Iohannis that the 2, whom she nominated for these posts 2 months ago, are people of unquestionable integrity and experience, capable of holding these positions, particularly since Lia Olguţa Vasilescu was a government member before. Mrs. Dăncilă also mentioned that, in her capacity as Prime Minister, by virtue of the vote of confidence given by Parliament, she has the exclusive right to assess and choose the members of the executive team she is heading.

JUDICIARY The Bucharest Court Monday ordered the trial of the merits of a case in which the former state secretary with the Development Ministry, the Social Democrat Sevil Shhaideh, is charged with abuse of office. Meanwhile, the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed to February 18 a trial in which the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and head of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea is accused of instigating abuse of office. The court of first instance sentenced him to 3 and a half years in prison for having ordered the fictitious employment of 2 party members by the County Social Assistance and Child Protection Agency, back when he was the head of the Teleorman County Council. The 2 were paid from public money although they apparently worked exclusively for the Social Democratic Party. Liviu Dragnea pleaded not guilty.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

21 January 2019
The Romanian presidency of the EU – the first completed dossier

The European Parliament and the member states have reached a provisional accord on the protection of personal data in view of the upcoming EU parliamentary election in May. In keeping with the new regulations, political parties that abusively use personal data in order to influence voters will be fined. The new regulations are aimed at protecting the election process from online disinformation campaigns based on the abusive use of the voters’ personal data. Several months ahead of the European election an amendment was agreed upon to allow for the introduction of financial sanctions for the parties or European political foundations that are deliberately breaking protection data regulations in order to influence the outcome of the election.

The sanctions would account for 5% of the annual budget of the respective political party or foundation. Furthermore, those who break the rules will not be allowed to apply for funds from the EU’s general budget in the year in which they are fined. The text must be formally endorsed by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in the following weeks so that it would be in force for the European election in May. Minister for European Affairs, George Ciamba, has hailed the conclusion of this dossier, the first under Romania’s presidency of the Council of the EU:

George Ciamba: “It is an amendment to a regulation on the financing of political parties and foundations, which is in fact addressing personal data protection, saying that a political party cannot ask an operator to provide information or get involved in a certain type of action that may result in the use of unprotected information. Political forces and foundations have employed the services of a certain company and this directive includes some obligations, such as to notify the authorities in charge of data protection and election authorities in case of such violations.”

The agreement is part of a larger package of measures launched by the European Commission aimed at ensuring a free and fair election process. They also include increased transparency of the online advertising materials of political nature, protection against cyber-fraud and fighting disinformation campaigns. According to the Commission, national authorities, political parties and the media should also take measures to protect their information systems and networks against cyber threats.

17 January 2019
January 14, 2019

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT – The priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the assessment of the Austrian presidency are on the agenda of the first plenary session of the European Parliament, held between January 14 – 17 in Strasbourg. Minister delegate for European Affairs, George Ciamba, is today holding talks with the vice president of the European Parliament, Sylvie Guillaume and will have a meeting with Cecilia Wikstrom, chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs. On Tuesday, the European MPs will discuss with the Romanian PM Viorica Dancila the priorities of the Romanian presidency, focusing on cohesion and common values, security and strengthening Europe as a global actor. Also on Tuesday, Ms. Dancila and the European Parliament President Antonio Tajani will hold a joint press conference. In next weeks session, the European Parliament will debate the state of play on Brexit after the January 15th vote in the House of Commons on the accord agreed upon by PM Theresa May and the EU leaders.

PRESIDENCY — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is receiving on Tuesday in Bucharest his Slovenian counterpart, Borut Pahor, who pays a two-day official visit to Romania starting today. The visit takes place in the context of the celebration, last year, of 25 years of diplomatic ties between Romania and Slovenia and of Romania’s taking over the presidency of the EU Council. In terms of regional cooperation, special attention will be paid to perspectives for developing the Three Seas Initiatives, with Slovenia due to organise the summit in 2019.

BREXIT — Debates continue in the British Parliament today on the Brexit accord negotiated by the country’s Government with the European Union. British PM Theresa May has warned that if her Brexit plan is not backed by the British MPs and Great Britain remains in the EU, that would be a “catastrophic and unforgivable break of trust” in the country’s democracy. Just two days before the vote in the House of Commons, the British Prime Minister called on the MPs to do what is best for the country and support her controversial divorce plan. According to Radio Romania correspondent in London, four Conservative MPs from the radical group supporting a Brexit without an accord have changed their mind and have said they will vote in favor of the accord negotiated by the government. On the other hand, another 100 conservative MPs, alongside the 10 representatives of Northern Ireland will join the opposition parties in order to prevent the accord’s adoption.

STRIKE – Some 3000 employees of the Oltenia Energy Complex, in the south-west of Romania, are on strike. Among other things, they demand higher salaries, holiday vouchers and a drop in the retirement age. The protests started on Friday, after the administration allegedly proposed an expenditure and revenue budget that included no pay rise and no holiday vouchers for the 13,000 employees of the complex. Company representatives have announced they will start talks with the trade unions today.

TENNIS – The Romanian player Irina Begu qualified on Monday to the second round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, following the withdrawal of the German player Andrea Petkovic, who was leading by one set. Two other Romanian players, Sorana Cirstea and Monica Niculescu were eliminated in the first round. Cirstea lost to the Swedish player Rebecca Peterson 6-4, 6-1, while Niculescu lost to the young American player Amanda Anisimova, 7-6, 6-4. The other three Romanians in the competition are World No. 1 Simona Halep, the competition’s favpurite and last year’s finalist, Mihaela Buzarnescu and Ana Bogdan. In the mens competition, Marius Copil is the only Romanian, and he will play against the Spanish Marcel Granolles. (Translated by Elena Enache)

14 January 2019
January 6-12, 2019

Romania officially takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

On January 10th, Romania officially took over for the first time the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, in a ceremony held at the Romanian Athenaeum and attended by Romanian and EU leaders.

Twelve years since its accession, Romania undertakes a key role at European level, with the stated goal of contributing to the consolidation of a more cohesive, more united and stronger Europe, the Romanian head of state Klaus Iohannis said in his address. Romania will head the Council of the European Union with dignity, PM Viorica Dancila said in her turn, and added that she would like the Union to be more robust, more united and more interconnected at the end of the Romanian term in office.

The president of the European Council Donald Tusk gave a poignant speech in Romanian. Among others, he said that it was up to Romania to prove whether its politics may be a good example or a harsh warning for a European Union struggling with the rise of populism and nationalism. He also urged Romanians to safeguard the foundations of political civilisation, freedom, integrity, respect for truth in public life, the rule of law and Constitution, in Romania and in Europe.

Romania takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union at a crucial time, the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said. He mentioned that the Union would not be complete without Romania, and that Romania also belongs in the Schengen area. I am counting on the energy and unity of the Romanian nation, in order to decide what we must do and what we can do in the months to come, Juncker concluded.

The launch of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union was celebrated with a concert at the Romanian Athenaeum given by the European Union Orchestra, which performed George Enescus Romanian Rhapsody no 1 and Beethovens Ode to Joy, which has been the anthem of the European Union since 1985.

On Friday in Bucharest, the European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker had talks with president Klaus Iohannis, PM Viorica Dancila and other Romanian officials. The European officials had meetings with the Romanian Cabinet ministers who will chair working meetings with their EU counterparts in the next 6 months, both in Bucharest and in Brussels.

Romania chairs first General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels

The Romanian minister for European affairs George Ciamba took part in Brussels in the General Affairs Council meeting, the first chaired by Romania since the start of its presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1. Ciamba presented Romanias priorities for its 6-month term in office, highlighting the 4 main directions: Europe of convergence, a safer Europe, Europe – a stronger regional actor, and Europe of shared values.

Talking about the European context in which Romania holds the rotating presidency, which is marked by a number of complex processes such as Brexit, the negotiations on the next multi-annual financial framework, the European Parliament elections due in May 2019, and the reflection on the future of the Union, Ciamba said that now more than ever the Union needs unity and cohesion.

Tension between the Presidency and the Government over appointments

The conflict between the president and the government in Romania carries on. President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday rejected again, for the 2nd time, the appointment of Adina Florea as chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) and Anca Jurma, the interim chief prosecutor, announced she no longer wanted an extension of her term, which led the prosecutor general to make a new nomination. Thus he appointed the deputy chief prosecutor of the DNA Calin Nistor as interim chief prosecutor.

The position remained vacant after Laura Codruta Kovesi was dismissed by a presidential decree issued on July 9, 2018 by president Iohannis who had to enforce a decision of the Constitutional Court.

Also this week, the PM Viorica Dancila forwarded to president Iohannis the same nominations for the positions of deputy prime minister and minister of regional development and public administration and minister of transports, namely Lia Olguta Vasilescu and Mircea Draghici. According to the PM, the two nominations comply with the conditions stipulated by law and the two persons are compatible with the respective positions.

On Thursday the Romanian president had sent the PM the motivation explaining the reasons why he had previously rejected the two persons nominated.

Romanian economy reported very good results in 2018

Last year Romania reported very good economic results, the PM Viorica Dancila announced in the first government meeting of 2019. She said that in the first 9 months of 2018, Romania reported a 4.2% economic growth rate, two times more than the rate reported by the EU, which was due mainly to industry. The PM also mentioned a drop in the unemployment rate in 2018 as well as an increase in the absorption rate of European funds, of more than 26%.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, Lacramioara Simion)

12 January 2019
Romania chairs first GAC meeting

Romania undertakes to be an honest mediator that preserves the unity and cohesion of the European Union during its presidency of the EU Council, said the minister for European affairs, George Ciamba, at the first meeting of the General Affairs council chaired by Romania.

Ciamba presented the priorities of this six-month presidency, highlighting its 4 pillars: Europe of convergence, a safer Europe, Europe – a stronger regional actor, and Europe of shared values. Speaking about the European context in which Romanias term in office takes place, and which is marked by a number of complex processes, such as Brexit, the negotiations on the forthcoming multiannual financial framework, the elections for the European Parliament, and the reflection on the future of the Union, the Romanian official said the Union needs more unity and cohesion, today more than ever:

George Ciamba: “Convergence is very important to Romania, as illustrated by our motto, ‘Cohesion, a shared European value. Cohesion is a process that not only strengthens the single market, but also generates benefits for citizens. We are talking about creating jobs, about generating economic growth for our country as well as for the rest of Europe. So it is very important for us that no discrimination exists between the citizens of Europe.

Romania also seeks to achieve concrete results and to reach political agreements on as many topics as possible, so as to pave the way for the adoption of the new EU budget this autumn.

The EU ministers also discussed the issue of disinformation as a threat to European democracy. The topic was proposed by Romania, and Minister Ciamba said coordinated efforts and actions are required of Member States in this respect, particularly ahead of the European parliamentary elections due in May.

Back to the cohesion policy, one of the key elements of the Romanian presidency, Bucharest may be earmarked, as proposed by the European Commission, 8% more funds under the cohesion policy in the EU 2021-2027 budget than in the current framework. The European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu announced in a social media post that the Commission requested Parliament to approve the highest allocation so far under the cohesion policy, namely 373 billion euros, of which 31 billion for Romania.

In turn, the Minister for European Funds Rovana Plumb says Romania has not lost any money earmarked by Brussels. She explained that the absorption rate is close to the EU average, and that at the end of the year Bucharest filed several disbursement applications to the Commission, which should bring another 355 million euros into the country.

Rovana Plumb: “We should not forget that Romania started out from zero absorption, and since 2017 we have reached 26%. The European Commissions website confirms this. In absolute figures, we are talking about nearly 8 billion euros in investments that benefit millions of Romanians, local authorities and also the business environment.

Rovana Plumb also added that during the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, the cohesion budget will be managed by the Ministry for European Funds.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 January 2019
January 2, 2019 UPDATE

EU The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, congratulated Romania on taking over the EU Council presidency on January 1, for the first time since its accession, and wished it good luck. I am confident that you will deliver and I am looking forward to working with you, Donald Tusk posted on his official Twitter account. Between January 1 and June 30, Romania will have to handle an EU agenda filled with political developments and dossiers with a decisive impact on the future of the bloc, including Brexit, the negotiation of the forthcoming EU budget, the European Parliament elections due in May. The European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Creţu says Romania should use all the opportunities entailed by the EU Council presidency, including in terms of the cohesion policy for 2021-2027. In a Facebook post, Creţu adds that both herself and the European Commission as a whole are ready to support the Romanian authorities for a successful presidency.

EURO Twenty years since the introduction of the single currency, high-ranking EU officials, including the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, emphasised the importance of the European currency. The Euro has become a symbol of unity, sovereignty and stability, said the European Commission chief, who is one of the signatories of the treaty that created the single currency. I know that was the most important signature I ever made, Juncker added in a news release. 20 years on, we have a generation that only knows the Euro as a national currency, the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi said in his turn. The Euro became the official currency of 11 EU member states on January 1, 1999, with notes and coins going into circulation in 2002. At present the Euro is used by some 340 million people in 19 of the 28 member countries, and is the second most important currency in the world after the US dollar.

JAPAN Emperor Akihito, who is to step down in April, sent his hopes for peace for his nation and the entire world, in his last New Years address, delivered before a record number of people who came to see the event, according to Kyodo and dpa. On April 30, at the age of 85, Akihito will be the first Japanese sovereign to relinquish power in the last 200 years. In 2016 he announced his intention to withdraw from power, putting forth concerns that his old age would prevent him from accomplishing his duties. Akihito became the 125th Emperor of Japan on January 7, 1989, at 55 years of age, after the death of his father, Hirohito, in whose name Japan fought in World War 2. Akihitos oldest son, Prince Naruhito, will be crowned on May 1.

JUSTICE The Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said in an interview aired by a private television channel on Tuesday that he would like to close the subject of a government decree regarding amnesty and pardons. He emphasised that the most his ministry can do is to approve a bill initiated in Parliament on this topic. Toader also said that he has never done and will never do something likely to create a situation similar to the one triggered by the 2017 government decree no. 13, which brought hundreds of thousands of Romanians into the streets and prompted criticism from the EU and the USA.

ELECTIONS The elections for the European Parliament will be held between May 23rd and 26th this year. MEPs are elected every 5 years, and as of this year the Parliament will have 705 members, as compared to 751 at present. This is because of Britains withdrawal from the EU. Of the 73 seats currently held by UK, 46 will be eliminated and the other 27 will be distributed to EU member states that are under-represented in the Unions legislative body. Romania gets 33 seats, 1 more than at present.

TENNIS The Romanian player Monica Niculescu (99 WTA), Wednesday qualified into the quarter-finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen (China), after defeating the Czech Kristyna Pliskova 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4. In the quarter-finals Niculescu will play against the Chinese Yafan Wang (70 WTA). Tomorrow in the same tournament another Romanian, Sorana Cîrstea (84 WTA) takes on the American Alison Riske (62 WTA).

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

2 January 2019
December 31, 2018

EU COUNCIL Romania takes over on January 1st, for the first time since its accession in 2007, the rotating presidency of the EU Council. The priorities of the Romanian presidency fall into 4 categories: Europe of convergence, a safer Europe, Europe – a stronger global actor and Europe of common values. During its term, Romania will have to manage several complex issues like Brexit, the 2021-2027 budget, a coherent strategy on migration and increasing the Unions global role. The official web page of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council has been launched. The page, available at romania2019.eu, in Romanian, English and French, provides useful information for journalists, the general public and European affairs experts.

NEW YEARS MESSAGE The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, Monday released a New Years address, in which he urges Romanians to capitalise on the presidency of the EU Council in order to prove that “Romania is fully committed to consolidating the European project. PM Viorica Dancila also said today in her New Years address that Romania is prepared for the presidency of the EU Council, which it takes over on January 1. She emphasised that this is a national project that must bring together public institutions, political actors and civil society. Viorica Dancila also said that in 2019 her Cabinet will continue to take “the right decisions for Romania, and added that the Government has a “clear role: sustainable economic growth and major investments able to ensure better living standards for as many citizens as possible.

POLICE In Romania, over 25,000 Interior Ministry personnel are on duty during the New Years holiday. Special attention will be paid to the protection of the participants in the 125 large-scale public events expected to bring together a total of 300,000 people. Emergency intervention and prevention missions will be conducted these days by over 4,900 fire-fighters. On New Years night, fire-fighting and paramedic teams are deployed in the areas where public events are held. Around 300 emergency medical units are on standby. The largest shows will be organised in Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu and Cluj Napoca. In Bucharest, the City Hall organises an over 6-hour long outdoor party that also celebrates the 100 years since the Romanian nation state was formed. Romanian artists will be joined by the international DJ Andre Tanneberger, known under the stage name ATB, who will mix live. Impressive fireworks shows are scheduled for midnight.

RUSSIA The Romanian Foreign Ministry requested the Russian Embassy in Bucharest to update the historical information it uses, and stressed that past bilateral relations must not allow for speculations and unfounded opinions. The message follows a Russian Embassy Facebook post deploring the fact that Romanian and western media regularly publish articles that slander the Red Army troops who freed Central and Eastern Europe from fascism. “Anti-Soviet and anti-Russian critics insist on telling people that the Red Army was a gang of ruthless thieves and rapists, says the Embassy in the post that, the Romanian Foreign Ministry argues, lacks the accuracy required for an academic debate. Bucharest also mentions that a commission of Romanian-Russian historians has been set up, and is best suited to analyse the history of bilateral relations. The Soviet troops that marched into Romania at the end of World War 2 only left this country in 1958, and the communist dictatorship they ushered in lasted until 1989.

JOURNALISTS The number of journalists and mass media workers killed on the job this year went up to 94, as compared to 82 in 2017, the International Federation of Journalists announced. The victims include 84 journalists, cameramen and technicians, as well as 10 media staff such as drivers and protection officers. They died in targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross fire incidents. The most dangerous place for journalists this year was Afghanistan.

UKRAINE The presidential election campaign in Ukraine started on Monday and will last until March 31st. candidates have until February 3rd to enrol and until February 8th to register their candidacy with the Central Electoral Commission. According to the latest polls, the former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko, is the frontrunner 16-18% of the vote intentions. The incumbent president, Petro Poroşenko, is gaining ground and ranks second in current polls with 14%, followed by the actor and comedian Vladimir Zelenskiy, with 8-12%.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

31 December 2018
December 30, 2018 UPDATE

EU Romania takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on January 1, for the first time since its accession in 2007. The priorities of the Romanian presidency focus on 4 areas: Europe of convergence, A Safer Europe, Europe, a stronger global actor, and Europe of common values. During its term, Romania will have to manage several complex issues like Brexit, the 2021-2027 budget, a coherent strategy on migration and increasing the Unions global role. The official web page of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council has been launched. The page, available at românia2019.eu, in Romanian, English and French, provides useful information for journalists, the general public and European affairs experts. The calendar of the Romanian presidency will be posted on this website after January 15th.

POLICE Over 25,000 Interior Ministry personnel are on duty during the New Years holiday. Some 9,000 police with more than 3,000 vehicles are in charge of preventing and handling events that might jeopardise public safety and security. A helicopter of the Aviation Inspectorate General, with a policeman also on board, will monitor the most crowded areas. Special attention will be paid to the protection of the participants in the 125 large-scale public events expected to bring together a total of 300,000 people. The largest shows will be organised in Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu and Cluj Napoca. Meanwhile, the Police continue searches for the Brasov robbery perpetrators, who on Friday night blew up an ATM containing over 30,000 euros. The door and front window of the respective bank unit were shattered and pieces were scattered on the sidewalk and in the street.

MONARCHY Romania Sunday commemorated 71 years since monarchy was abolished and the country was declared a “peoples republic. On December 30th, 1947, with the country under Soviet military occupation and headed by a communist puppet government, King Mihai I was forced to relinquish power and to leave the country. Previously, on August 23rd, 1944, during WW2, the King had ordered the arrest of the countrys de facto leader, Marshall Ion Antonescu, Romanias withdrawal from its alliance with Hitlers Germany and joining its traditional allies, the USA and Britain. Historians say this decision shortened the war by at least 6 months and saved hundreds of thousands of lives. King Mihai I was only allowed to return to Romania after the 1989 Revolution, when he regained his Romanian citizenship and some of his properties. The King lobbied for Romanias accession to NATO in 2004 and EU in 2007. He passed away on December 5th, 2017, at 96 years of age. His first born, Princess Margareta, is custodian of the Crown and the Kings successor as head of the Royal House of Romania.

TOURISM Over 2 million foreigners checked in during the first 9 months of this year in Romanian hotels and boarding houses. According to the National Statistics Institute, they spent more than 1 billion euros. Foreign tourists came to Romania for business, congresses, conferences, courses, trade fairs and exhibitions. Close to half of them used travel agencies to arrange their trips to Romania, and most of them travelled by plane.

MEDAL A Romanian woman born in Timişoara (west) and currently the owner of a bar in Rome was decorated by the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, for her courage of informing against 2 members of a mafia family. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Italy, Roxana Roman, 34, was granted the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, for her contribution to upholding the law. Roxana Roman owns a bar in Romanina neighbourhood in Rome, where on Easter day 2 members of the Casamonica mafia family attacked her husband, Marian Roman, and a client with disabilities. Although the mobsters ravaged the bar and warned them not to report the matter to the police, the Romanians were not intimidated and informed against them. It was the natural thing to do, said Roxana Roman. “The neighbourhood has been living in fear for a long time. There are lots of people willing to change things, but we need a new attitude, and this begins with ourselves, she told Italian mass media.

MIGRANTS Romanian border police in Nadlac (west) found 41 foreigners attempting to cross the Hungarian border on foot, illegally. The Border Police Inspectorate announced on Sunday that during an operation to combat illegal migration they arrested 22 people who were trying to cross illegally into Hungary. They notified the Hungarian authorities, who searched the area and found another 19 illegal migrants. Of the individuals found on the Romanian side of the border, 21 are Iraqis and 1 Afghan, 15 adults of 19 to 40 years of age and 7 children, most of them seeking asylum in Romania. They said they were trying to get into Western European countries to find jobs.

TENNIS The Romanian player Sorana Cîrstea (84 WTA) Sunday qualified into the eighth-finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen (China), after beating Magda Linette of Poland, cu 6-3, 6-3. Cîrstea is to play next against Pauline Parmentier (France). Also on Sunday the Romanian Irina Maria Bara and the Georgian Oksana Kalashinkova moved up into the quarter-finals of the Shenzhen doubles.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

30 December 2018