Radio România Internațional

Tag: President Klaus Iohannis

  • Statements marking the National Day of Romania

    Statements marking the National Day of Romania

    Romanians celebrated their National Day on Sunday, December 1, this year marking 106 years since all provinces with a Romanian-majority population united under a single central authority. Therefore, December 1, 1918 marks the establishment of the Romanian national state. At the end of World War I, all provinces inhabited by Romanians, previously under the authority of the Austro-Hungarian and Tsarist empires (Transylvania, Banat, Bukovina and Bessarabia) united into the Kingdom of Romania. President Klaus Iohannis, who hosted his last reception as head of state marking the National Day, conveyed a message of unity and solidarity to overcome crises and move forward with dignity. The Romanian people is strong and attached to democratic values ​​and will continue to defend these values, the president said. Klaus Iohannis urged Romanians to look back with gratitude at the sacrifices and the fight for unity and sovereignty, but also forward to the future that must be built with wisdom.

     

    “On December 1, 1918, our forbearers managed to fulfill their dream of having a single country, achieving, in Alba Iulia, the Great Union. Since then, we have gone through wars, dictatorship, a revolution, serious health and economic crises. Driven by unity and solidarity in the face of common objectives, we have always managed to overcome these crises, to adapt and to rise stronger than before”.

     

    In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that this year’s National Day is more important than ever, underlining the need for a Parliament that “keeps things in check”, so as not to slide “down a dangerous slope”. “This December 1 is about choosing between stability and chaos, between development and austerity”, Prime Minister Ciolacu said. The Prime Minister highlighted the need to strike a balance so as to maintain Romania on a pro-European track, to continue investments with European funds and for people to keep their jobs and pensions.

     

    Senate Speaker Nicolae Ciucă also highlighted the duty to put stability, dialogue and respect for citizens first, in the context of the current period marked by challenges and important decisions. “Now is the time to remember the sacrifices of our ancestors, who laid the foundation of a united and sovereign state, but also the responsibility we have to carry their legacy forward”, Nicolae Ciucă said in a message marking the National Day. “I hope this day will bring us together, regardless of our differences of opinion, around the values ​​that define us as a nation: unity, solidarity and hope for a better future. Romania has the resources and potential to grow, but this requires hard work, honesty and courage”, Nicolae Ciucă also pointed out. (VP)

  • Annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

    Annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

     

    Close to the end of his 10-year presidential mandate, Klaus Iohannis attended his last meeting with the heads of diplomatic and consular missions and directors of Romanian Cultural Institute on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. According to the head of state, Romania in the last decade has become a reliable, committed and respected actor at regional, European and international levels, a genuine provider of stability and security. The president told Romanian diplomats that the major foreign policy objectives remain the consolidation of Romania’s role and influence in the European Union and NATO, the deepening of the strategic partnership with the United States and the diversification of bilateral dialogue with partners from all continents. The president said he remains a strong supporter of the European Union enlargement process and emphasized that Romania remains committed to supporting the European path of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Klaus Iohannis recalled that Bucharest strongly supported the historic decision regarding the opening of negotiations for accession to the European Union with the two neighboring states, adopted at the meeting of the European Council on December 14-15 last year. Regarding Ukraine, from the first day of the war, Romania has shown its full solidarity and took extensive multidimensional measures to support this country, president Iohannis emphasized. In terms of security and defense, as a member state of NATO, Romania plays a constructive role and serves as a balancing factor, being a provider of security and stability, the president further argued. Romania currently benefits from the highest degree of defense and protection in its entire history, Klaus Iohannis also believes.

     

     

    Regarding the Strategic Partnership with the United States, as an essential pillar of Romania’s foreign policy, it has become more robust during this period and acquired more substance, Klaus Iohannis says. On the other hand, the head of state mentioned that, during the ten years of his mandate, special attention was paid to strengthening partnerships and bilateral strategic relations with states with which Romania shares common values ​​and interests, such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy or Poland.

     

     

    A recurring topic and an objective yet to fulfill, Schengen accession was also discussed this year at the meeting of Romanian diplomats. Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with air and maritime borders was an important, although temporary success, while lifting controls at land borders also remains a key objective, the president said. “I am confident that we will succeed in achieving this collective effort to the benefit not only of Romanian citizens, but of a more prosperous Union, free of artificial obstacles”, the head of state pointed out. Another major foreign policy objective is the country’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The president urged diplomats to step up inter-institutional effort for the successful completion of this process in the shortest time possible. (VP)

  • July 10, 2024 UPDATE

    July 10, 2024 UPDATE

    NATO – On the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, Allies have reached consensus on the final resolution of the summit. NATO will reassert its commitment to support Ukraine’s irreversible Euro-Atlantic trajectory, once all accession criteria have been met. The war in Ukraine ranked high at the NATO summit, marking 75 years since the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Five Allied presidents and Prime Ministers, including the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, signed a joint statement to donate Patriot missile systems and parts to Ukraine. Italy pledged to deliver an additional system. Denmark and the Netherlands will send F-16 jets to overfly Ukrainian airspace over the summer, Reuters reports. The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, called for increasing assistance for Ukraine, arguing that if Ukraine loses the war, “we all lose”. “Russia remains the biggest threat to European and Euro-Atlantic security. Facing the Kremlin’s hybrid attacks, NATO states need to be ready to defend themselves. Therefore, the decision we will take over the next days will lead to more efficient actions to consolidate our security”, Iohannis pointed out. The summit will spell critical progress for strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture, particularly in the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea region, the Romanian official added.

     

     

    FUNDS – Minister of European Funds, Adrian Câciu, said Romania has managed to absorb an additional 4 bln EUR from corresponding Cohesion Policy mechanisms as part of the 2021-2027 financial framework, taking the total value of contracts signed by Romania to 14 bln EUR. Another 6-bln-EUR worth of projects are still pending approval, the Romanian official wrote on social media. This rhythm of absorption will continue, making it the right approach for ensuring Romania’s sustainable development, Adrian Câciu added.

     

     

    OECD – Romania received the formal approval of the OECD for regional development, said the ministry for development, public works and administration. The statement also says that this confirms both the will and capacity of Romania to implement the legal instruments of the OECD and the alignment of Romania’s policies and practices to those of the OECD in matters of regional development. Romania’s efforts are thus recognized in terms of the consolidation of the regional development policy, especially with respect to the drafting of a solid system of territorial statistics, the adoption of a localized approach in the field of regional development and of strategic documents at regional, county and local levels, by means of consolidating governance at a number of levels and improving institutional and fiscal capacity of subnational governments. The formal approval also contains a series of recommendations for improving the policy, governance and financing framework in the field of regional development.

     

     

    TRADE – Romania’s trade balance deficit between January 1 and May 31 2024 stood at 12.288 bln EUR, 1.230 bln EUR more compared to the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Institute. In the first five months of the year, exports dropped by 2.9%, while imports rose by 0.2%. According to the National Statistics Institute, the areas accounting for the largest shares of exports and imports are represented by cars and transport equipment and other manufacture products.

     

     

    REPAIRS – Starting July 10 the Giurgiu-Ruse bridge over the Danube will undergo repair works on the Bulgarian section. Repairs are expected to complete in two years. According to the motorway company in neighboring Bulgaria, the works are divided into six stages, without closing traffic, with vehicles travelling on one lane only. Romanian citizens are advised to use alternative border crossings during the interval.

     

     

    FOOTBALL – Romania’s football champions FCSB defeated the San Marino champions Virtus AC 7-1 in an away match on Tuesday evening, in the first leg of the Champions League first preliminary round. The second leg is scheduled for July 16 in Bucharest. If they advance to the second preliminary round, FCSB will play Maccabi Tel Aviv. The other Romanian clubs playing in European competitions are Romanian Cup winners Corvinul Hunedoara, CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova. (CM & VP)

  • July 9, 2024 UPDATE

    July 9, 2024 UPDATE

    NATO – The war in Ukraine and Russian security threats rank high on the agenda of the NATO summit underway in Washington, especially after Monday’s massive Russian attack on several Ukrainian cities that left dozens dead. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will attend the meeting, asked the allies to respond more firmly to Russia’s aggressiveness by strengthening his country’s air defenses. For his part, US President Joe Biden said that NATO will announce new measures to help Ukraine protect its cities and civilians. The president will meet Zelenskyy and the new British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. Represented by president Klaus Iohannis, Romania will reaffirm its firm support for Ukraine, including with respect to NATO accession. At the same time, Romania will argue in favor of continuing support to the Alliance’s vulnerable partners, especially for the Republic of Moldova and for increasing their capacity to respond to hybrid threats. The summit’s agenda includes three meetings at the highest level, including in formats with Ukraine, the European Union and NATO partners in the India-Pacific, as well as NATO’s 75th anniversary.

     

     

    ATTACK – Ukraine’s Ambassador to Bucharest, Ihor Prokopchuk on Monday attended a spontaneous action mourning the victims of Monday’s Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, including on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, attending the event were Ukrainian diplomats, Ukrainian citizens currently residing in Romania and Romanians. Ambassador Prokopchuk strongly condemned Russian terrorism and stated that despite its brutal attacks, Russia will not succeed in defeating the Ukrainian nation, which will continue to fight for its independence and territorial integrity.

     

     

    TAROM – All internal and external flights of the Romanian state airliner TAROM are on schedule, after several flights were canceled on Tuesday when 30 of the 150 pilots called in sick. According to the Union of Airline Pilots, Tuesday’s decision was, in fact, a protest related to the working conditions and salaries, as well as what the pilots called poor management. In the meantime, the management of TAROM and the representatives of pilots have reached an agreement regarding the latter’s salary grievances. The pilots’ protest action caused great disturbances for the passengers, who should have been notified in advance to be able to plan their journeys accordingly, EU commissioner for transport, Adina Vălean, says. The situation doesn’t look good considering the company benefits from state aid approved by the European Commission, the EU official added. Tarom apologized and announced it would compensate travelers who purchased tickets directly from the company and who submit a refund request.

     

     

    TRANSPORT – Romania benefited from a new transport corridor during my term in office and a total of 12 biln EUR allotted to transport from various financial instruments, an unprecedented amount, the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean said in Bucharest on Tuesday, presenting a report of her term in office. The new North-South transport corridor connects the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. The European official also said that the port of Constanţa (southeast) on the Black Seacoast benefited from 149 mln EUR in grants from the EU for the improvement of the railway infrastructure and 13 mln EUR for the electrification of the railway connection from the port. According to the EU commissioner, Romania is the 6th country in terms of the allocation of funds in the European Union, after Poland, Italy, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

     

     

    EDUCATION – Over 300,000 Romanians benefited from activities designed to combat drug abuse, carried out in the first half of the year at national level by National Anti-Drug Agency experts, both in schools as well as at community level. The team of experts provided information regarding the effects of drug consumption, banned in crowded areas, high-attendance events or in tourist resorts. The beneficiaries of these actions were pre-school children, pupils, students, teaching staff, parents, maternity assistants, children in institutional care as well as medical staff and former drug users. (VP)

  • Who are the new leaders of European institutions?

    Who are the new leaders of European institutions?

    Meeting for the second time after the European Parliament election at the start of June, EU leaders decided who will occupy the key positions in EU institutions. Ursula von der Leyen was nominated for the presidency of the Commission, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for the position of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa will take over the presidency of the European Council. The three positions are thus divided between the three political groups that form the majority in the European Parliament – the European People’s Party, Renew and the Social-Democrats. As head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas will also have to tackle the issue of Union security.

     

     

    “This is enormous responsibility in this time of geopolitical tensions. There’s war in Europe, there’s also growing instability globally that are also the main challenges of European foreign policy”.

     

     

    The appointments were agreed on the sidelines of a negotiation meeting held within in a limited framework, attended by six European leaders from the three pro-European political groups, which favor the deepening of European integration and the consolidation of the EU’s prerogatives, something that irritated the head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, who was left out of these talks. Negotiating the positions were German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Polish and Greek Prime Ministers Donald Tusk and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Interim Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Meloni, whose party is part of the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament, said the six negotiators had formed an oligarchy to decide upon the next positions without taking into account will of citizens who voted in the European Parliament election of June 6-9. The election confirmed an increase in voters’ choices for Eurosceptic conservative parties, without, however, overturning the majority formed by the EPP, S&D and Renew. Leaders of EU member states also adopted the strategic agenda of the Union for the next five years, with economic competitiveness, the defense of democratic values, internal reforms for the expansion of the Union and security among the top priorities. The agenda also stipulates budget allocations for defense spending. According to Ursula von der Leyen, the EU needs an additional 500 bln EUR for defense in the next 10 years

     

     

    Ukraine remains another priority, both in terms of EU accession and financial and military assistance. During talks regarding the EU Strategic Agenda, Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, said the document must reflect joint commitments to continue efforts towards a stronger, more resilient and more influential EU at global level. (VP)

  • November 24, 2023 UPDATE

    November 24, 2023 UPDATE

    Immunity. MPs of the ruling Social-Democratic and Liberal parties announced they would vote to lift the immunity of former Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîțu, so that anti-corruption prosecutors can launch criminal proceedings against him in an investigation into the purchase of anti-COVID vaccines during the pandemic. Former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, members of the Save Romania Union, are also accused of abuse of office, and president Klaus Iohannis needs to green-light the lifting of their immunity. Prosecutors say the three purchased more shots than necessary, causing a prejudice of 1 bln EUR. The three officials could have easily refused the millions of doses allotted to Romania by the EU, without our country having to pay penalties. The vaccines were purchased at a very difficult time during the pandemic, dominated by uncertainty regarding the evolution of the virus, the availability of mass-production of vaccines and the need for re-vaccination, Vlad Voiculescu explained. The former Health Minister blamed Florin Cîțu for taking the final decision, and in turn the former Liberal Prime Minister said every decision made during his mandate was in good faith and in compliance with the law.



    Gaza. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has announced that following the complex efforts of the Inter-institutional Crisis Cell, through the Romanian Embassy in Cairo and the Romanian Representative Office in Ramallah, 12 Romanian citizens and their family members, evacuated from the Gaza Strip, have been transported to Romania on board a flight operated by the national company Tarom. The Bucharest government approved, on Thursday, the normative act on the basis of which financial aid is granted to Romanian citizens evacuated from the Gaza Strip. The 249 people, Romanian citizens and their families, will receive, starting next month, financial aid for food, accommodation and other needs. For food, each person, alone or from a family, will receive the sum of 600 lei, the equivalent of 120 euros. Families with up to five members will receive another 2,000 lei (around 400 euros) for accommodation, and those with more than five members will receive 3,000 lei (600 euros) for accommodation. This financial aid will be granted for four months.



    Vehicles. The Romanian state offers the biggest subsidies in the European Union for the purchase of electric and hybrid cars, the state secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, Bogdan Balanişcu, said on Friday. These are vouchers that can reach over 10,000 euros, for a Romanian citizen who wants to buy an electric car. It is a way to remove 250 thousand cars from the street and to stop the pollution that these old cars create, the official explained. According to the latest data sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, approximately 8,000 vehicles with zero CO2 emissions were registered in Romania in the first semester of 2023.



    Timisoara. The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Nadia Murad, is the newest member of the academic community of Timișoara after being awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa title by the West University of the city of Timișoara, which is a European Capital of Culture in 2023. Nadia Murad is the first woman who had the strength and courage to condemn the atrocities committed by the Islamic State of Iraq. In 2014 she was sold by Daesh as a slave and lost her entire family. In her acceptance speech, Murad referred to the suffering of people abducted by ISIS and her efforts to improve the life of the Yazidi, a community she is a part of. Aged 30, Nadia Murad is the fifth Nobel Prize recipient to visit the city of Timișoara this year.



    Visit. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, ended his ten-day tour of African states in Senegal on Thursday. He has stated that the visits marked the beginning of a new approach for Romania towards the African continent and explained that through this tour he put Romania back on the African radar. In the last stage of his travels, Iohannis was received in Dakar by his Senegalese counterpart, Macky Sall. The Romanian president said that the Bucharest administration is going to intensify collaboration with Senegal in areas such as emergency management, education, research and innovation, cyber security, digital infrastructure, agriculture and food safety. Criticized by the opposition in the country for his tour of Africa, Iohannis stated that neglecting the relationship with African states represented “a strategic error in Romanias foreign policy”, a mistake he decided to rectify. He mentioned that Romania has a new strategy for Africa, which specifically targets traditional partners, including Senegal.



    Chisinau. The Chisinau Parliament approved, on Friday, in the second reading, the legislative amendments regarding the application of international restrictive measures, recommended by the European Commission in the framework of the countrys EU accession negotiations. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicu Popescu, the Republic of Moldova has aligned itself with 4 of the 6 sanctions packages that target citizens or legal entities from the Russian Federation. He also stated that Chisinau officials, together with the support of partners, will continue to make efforts to limit attempts to destabilize the country. The Diplomacy in Moscow has denounced joining the sanctions and accused the Moldovan authorities of wanting to completely destroy bilateral relations. (MI)

  • Romania condemns the attacks on Israel

    Romania condemns the attacks on Israel

    Many wonder how it was possible
    for a country like Israel, boasting highly-trained intelligence spread across
    an entire network in the Middle East, to actually be so vulnerable. A number of
    questions have started to arise. Some analysts say this vulnerability, which
    few had believed could exist, stems from Israel’s growing weakness amidst the ruling coalition’s efforts to promote a
    controversial judicial reform. The opposition, the civil society and some
    representatives of the army and law enforcement agencies, have challenged this
    law, claiming it undermines the country’s democratic fabric. Beyond the state’s
    responsibility, the hard reality on the ground, the fate of the civilians
    caught in the middle of this conflict, sparks the darkest fears of the
    international democratic community. The attacks of the Hamas terrorist
    organization on Israel have been strongly condemned by Western states.

    US
    President Joe Biden highlighted Israel’s undisputed right to defend itself and
    warned forces hostile to Israel, such as Iran, against taking advantage of the
    current developments. European institutions and states have also harshly
    condemned the attacks, and Bucharest made no exception. We stand with Israel
    in these terrible times. Our thoughts go to the families of the victims and to
    the people who were attacked, president Klaus Iohannis tweeted. The president
    strongly condemned the large-scale terrorist attack on Israel, adding it has a
    highly toxic potential of further destabilizing the security context in the
    Middle East. For a very long time, the international community has been trying
    to identify solutions in this region, and unfortunately today’s events
    backtrack these efforts. This attack could potentially destabilize the Middle
    East, and I hope the situation will be brought under control swiftly and all
    parties will resume diplomatic talks, president Iohannis went on to say.
    According to the Romanian official, Israel has a clear right to defend itself
    in the given situation.

    Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also condemned the
    attacks on Israel, calling for an immediate ceasefire. The head of government
    conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families, also expressing Romania’s
    solidarity with Israel. The Romanian Foreign Ministry also firmly condemned the
    Hamas attacks, including those targeting the civilian population, the
    terrorists who infiltrated the country and took people hostage. The Romanian
    MFA expressed its deep regret for the victims of these attacks and conveyed
    messages of condolence to families in mourning and of solidarity to the
    families of the wounded. The Foreign Ministry underscored Israel’s sovereign
    right to defend itself and in turn condemned terrorism in all its forms. (VP)



  • Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy

    Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy


    The 23rd Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy, traditionally held before Diplomacy Day on September 1st, is the first in-person meeting after the previous three online editions.



    The main themes of this years Romanian Diplomacy Meeting are related to the management of challenges in the Black Sea area and maximizing opportunities. At the meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions and directors of the Romanian cultural institutes, president Klaus Iohannis has reiterated the fact that Romania will keep supporting Ukraine as long as necessary. Bucharest will also stay by the side of the Republic of Moldova, helping it with financial assistance, expertise and political support, for an irreversible European path, but also in the building of a safe and prosperous state.



    According to the Romanian head of state, the priority of the moment is obtaining a political decision to start EU accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Also, Iohannis stressed, its Romanias duty to continue to be a genuine provider of security and prosperity in the region, so that the Black Sea becomes a region where peace and prosperity can no longer be subject to any threat. A big issue in the process of full integration into the European Union, Romanias joining the Schengen Agreement remains a priority for the coming period, the president also said. This goal must be achieved, both based on the already recognized performances of our country and as a confirmation of the fact that the EU is able to respond to the need for cohesion, resilience and increased security.



    Romanian diplomacy has managed to place the country among the important regional players, said in turn Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. “We are preparing to create our own contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine, just as we will continue to strengthen the resilience of the Republic of Moldova”, stressed the head of the Romanian Government. The prime minister also called on the Romanian diplomats to support Romanian companies to enter as many foreign markets as possible. On the other hand, he drew attention to the fact that next year there will be three types of elections for Romanian citizens abroad, which must be organized properly.



    For his part, the Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, has stated that Romania has proven that it is a reliable partner in the region, ensuring the transit through the solidarity corridors established at the level of the European Union and through the initiative regarding the export of grains through the Black Sea.



    The Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy is an opportunity to update priorities in a context dominated by Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, an unprecedented threat to peace, security and international order based on rules, believes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu. According to her, citizens must benefit from the opportunities provided by the actions undertaken by the Romanian diplomacy, even in this extremely difficult context. According to the Romanian Foreign Minister, more steps will be taken to strengthen Romanias profile within the European Union, NATO and internationally. (MI)




  • May 9, 2023 UPDATE

    May 9, 2023 UPDATE

    Europe Day. In his message on Europe Day, Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis stressed that in 2023, the celebration was marked by profound changes at global level. The consequences of the war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine have multiplied, and the principles, values ​​and multilateral system that have been the foundation of peace after the Second World War are under threat, while at global level we see a tendency of fragmentation and geopolitical resettlement, Klaus Iohannis said in his message. In this global context, with so many challenges, Europe, a symbol of the values ​​of peace, freedom, democracy, and human rights, has an even more important role today. Defending these values ​​is a responsibility that will shape the world in which the future generations will grow. Romania, Klaus Iohannis, also said, is an active part of the European efforts and initiatives to implement common strategic priorities, for the benefit of our citizens. Unity and solidarity remain our main asset, and the last years have been clear proof that we are stronger only united and in solidarity, Klaus Iohannis concluded.



    Visit. The European Commissioner for Transport, the Romanian Adina Vălean, is paying formal visits to the Republic of Moldova and Romania, between May 9 and 11. In Chisinau, Adina Valean and the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Lilia Dabija, signed on Tuesday, in the presence of Prime Minister Dorin Recean, an agreement that affiliates Moldova to the Connecting Europe Facility (CEE). It will facilitate access to European funds for major infrastructure projects, in order to improve the countrys connectivity both with Europe and internally. Also in Chisinau, the agreements between the Republic of Moldova and Romania on the modernization of three bridges over the Prut River were signed. On May 10 and 11, the European Commissioner will be in Romania, to visit the Port of Constanţa, on the Black Sea coast, where she will hand over to Romanian beneficiaries two CEE grants for the funding of military mobility actions. One of the projects is about the modernization of the railway infrastructure in the Port of Constanţa – an essential crossing point within the EU-Ukraine solidarity corridors.



    Ordinance. The Romanian Finance Ministry published on its website, on Monday evening, the draft emergency ordinance by means of which the Government hopes to save over 5 billion lei (1 billion Euros) to the budget. The measures proposed include a 10% reduction in goods and service spending in public institutions, as well as a hiring freeze, with certain exceptions. Also, the number of positions in the offices and chancelleries of the central public administration is to be reduced by half. The government is expected to adopt the document this week.



    Cybersecurity. The new European Cybersecurity Competence Center was inaugurated, on Tuesday, in Bucharest, with the participation of Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă and of several senior European officials, a press release from the European Commission Representation in Romania reads. This center aims to support innovation and industrial policy in the field of cyber security, as well as to develop and coordinate EU projects in the field. According to the prime minister, the presence in this part of Europe of an essential component for strengthening the EUs cyber resilience reconfirms the attention given to our common efforts to protect the economy, the citizens and the public institutions. The decision to select Bucharest as the host city of the Center also took into account the very attractive local ecosystem, the Romanians knowledge, skills, innovation and talent in the field of cyber security, Ciuca stressed. Attending the inauguration event, Roberto Viola, Director-General of the European Commissions Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) said that Bucharest competed with five other European cities to host such a center and won thanks to its vibrant system of researchers that promote innovation and thanks to the skills they have in the field of cyber security. “Europe is becoming increasingly digitized and there are risks and benefits during this process. The risk is that opponents of democracy will attack the foundations of democracy and the way of life of the citizens and of Europe” , the European official added.



    Milk. In Romania, the negotiations between the big milk retailers and processors have ended, so the price of milk has already dropped, on average by 20% in most stores. According to the Competition Council, in the case of some assortments, the decrease will even reach 34%. The president of the institution says that the measure should not affect farmers, on the contrary, by stimulating domestic consumption, demand will increase, and local producers will sell more. The voluntary agreement for cheaper milk between retailers and processors is valid 6 months, starting May 1st, and the Competition Council will monitor its application.



    Gaudeamus. The Gaudeamus Book Fair, organized by Radio Romania, opens its doors on Wednesday in Oradea (north-west). Over 50 brands, among which the most prestigious publishing houses and Romanian and foreign book distribution agencies, will present their offer in 45 stands. Visitors can choose from thousands of titles from various fields, for all ages and tastes, a large part of which are recent releases. According to the organizers, the editorial offer will be completed by a generous selection of educational games and quality music. (MI)

  • Romania – almost two decades in NATO

    Romania – almost two decades in NATO

    It has been 19 years since Romania became a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, under whose protection has benefited from the strongest security guarantee. On March 29, 2004, the Romanian state joined NATO, by submitting the instruments of ratification to the US State Department, the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty. In the same year, on April 2, at the NATO headquarters, the ceremony of the official raising of the flag followed.



    This date has become NATO Day in Romania, and on April 4, the members celebrate 74 years since the foundations of the Organization were officially laid down. In this context, the Romanian head of state, Klaus Iohannis, has stated that Bucharest will promote the strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and the strategic partnership between the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union. We will remain involved in allied missions and commitments, and strengthening the national defense capacity will continue to be a priority for Romania, including by earmarking, starting this year, 2.5% of the GDP for Defense, Klaus Iohannis said.



    He added that, at the same time, the strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and the strategic partnership between NATO and the Community bloc will be promoted, as well as support for increasing the resilience of partners in the region, especially the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today, when the European continent is facing the worst security crisis in recent decades, triggered by the illegal and unjustified war launched by Russia against Ukraine, NATO’s fundamental role in ensuring peace and defending freedom, common democratic values, security and prosperity for its members is more important than ever, the Romanian head of state also stressed. President Iohannis has also said that the Alliance proves, once again, its indispensable character and absolute relevance in terms of security, constituting one of the basic pillars on which the defense of all its members, including Romania, is based, along with the national effort.



    In turn, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă paid tribute to those who gave their lives for a safer world, under the protection of NATO, the strongest political-military alliance in history. Nicolae Ciucă said that Romania, through the overwhelming will of its population and the lucidity of its leaders, chose the path of democracy, freedom and European and Western vocation.



    The Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, has also stated that, since its full accession to the Alliance, Romania has actively participated in the implementation of allied decisions through a consistent participation with troops and equipment in NATO missions in the Middle East and Western Balkans, as well as within the exercises and applications carried out in allied and partner countries. (MI)

  • NATO’s new strategic concept

    NATO’s new strategic concept

    The NATO Summit in Madrid is
    one of the most important meetings in recent years in terms of the results for
    Romania, president Klaus Iohannis said at the end of the first day of the
    summit. The president added that discussions and decisions focused on Russia’s
    military invasion of neighboring Ukraine, and that the new strategic concept of
    NATO, adopted on the sidelines of the summit, truly reflects the security
    developments. Therefore, Russia is no longer considered a partner, but rather
    the most significant and direct threat to allied security and stability. For
    the first time, communist China was accused of using a wide array of political,
    economic and military actions in order to expand its influence across the
    globe. China’s ambitions and its coercive policies represent a challenge to
    NATO’s interests, security and values, NATO leaders say, condemning the
    strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow which, they say, goes against
    the international order.

    NATO also confirmed the consolidation of its military
    presence on the eastern flank, including in Romania. NATO’s rapid response
    force will go up from 40,000 to over 300,000 military. This is the biggest
    overhaul of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War that will be
    agreed at this Summit, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. In turn,
    US president Joe Biden said we are stepping up, proving that NATO is more
    needed now than it ever has been. President Biden also announced an increase
    in the USA’s military presence across Europe. NATO promised it would support
    Ukraine for as long as it’s necessary, helping this country fend off the
    Russian invasion. Secretary Stoltenberg said support to Kyiv is a moral and
    political obligation. In a joint statement, NATO members that have already
    supplied weapons to Ukraine have agreed on a new type of assistance, consisting
    of delivering non-lethal military equipment and strengthening Ukrainian
    defense against cyber-attacks.

    Russia’s appalling cruelty has caused immense
    human suffering and massive displacements, a declaration from the summit in
    Madrid reads, blaming Moscow for this humanitarian catastrophe. Ukraine’s
    Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, hailed what he described as a strong and
    lucid position of NATO towards Russia. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin paid
    his first visit to Central Asia since the start of the conflict, and denounced
    the so-called imperial ambitions of NATO, which seeks to assert its
    hegemony by means of the war in Ukraine. Putin also claims Russia has no
    problem with the impending NATO accession of Sweden and Finland which, after
    decades of neutrality, decided to join the Alliance in the wake of the Russian
    invasion of Ukraine. (VP)



  • NATO’s new strategic concept

    NATO’s new strategic concept

    The NATO Summit in Madrid is
    one of the most important meetings in recent years in terms of the results for
    Romania, president Klaus Iohannis said at the end of the first day of the
    summit. The president added that discussions and decisions focused on Russia’s
    military invasion of neighboring Ukraine, and that the new strategic concept of
    NATO, adopted on the sidelines of the summit, truly reflects the security
    developments. Therefore, Russia is no longer considered a partner, but rather
    the most significant and direct threat to allied security and stability. For
    the first time, communist China was accused of using a wide array of political,
    economic and military actions in order to expand its influence across the
    globe. China’s ambitions and its coercive policies represent a challenge to
    NATO’s interests, security and values, NATO leaders say, condemning the
    strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow which, they say, goes against
    the international order.

    NATO also confirmed the consolidation of its military
    presence on the eastern flank, including in Romania. NATO’s rapid response
    force will go up from 40,000 to over 300,000 military. This is the biggest
    overhaul of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War that will be
    agreed at this Summit, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. In turn,
    US president Joe Biden said we are stepping up, proving that NATO is more
    needed now than it ever has been. President Biden also announced an increase
    in the USA’s military presence across Europe. NATO promised it would support
    Ukraine for as long as it’s necessary, helping this country fend off the
    Russian invasion. Secretary Stoltenberg said support to Kyiv is a moral and
    political obligation. In a joint statement, NATO members that have already
    supplied weapons to Ukraine have agreed on a new type of assistance, consisting
    of delivering non-lethal military equipment and strengthening Ukrainian
    defense against cyber-attacks.

    Russia’s appalling cruelty has caused immense
    human suffering and massive displacements, a declaration from the summit in
    Madrid reads, blaming Moscow for this humanitarian catastrophe. Ukraine’s
    Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, hailed what he described as a strong and
    lucid position of NATO towards Russia. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin paid
    his first visit to Central Asia since the start of the conflict, and denounced
    the so-called imperial ambitions of NATO, which seeks to assert its
    hegemony by means of the war in Ukraine. Putin also claims Russia has no
    problem with the impending NATO accession of Sweden and Finland which, after
    decades of neutrality, decided to join the Alliance in the wake of the Russian
    invasion of Ukraine. (VP)



  • June 16, 2022

    June 16, 2022

    WAR IN UKRAINE – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, this morning
    arrived in Kyiv by train, the Romanian Presidency reports. Also today, the
    president of France, Emmanuel Macron, the chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz
    and the Prime Minister of Italy, Mario Draghi, arrived together with a special
    train in the Ukrainian capital-city. The European officials are here to express
    Europe’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Kyiv has criticized France,
    Germany and, to a lesser extent, Italy for alleged delays in providing Ukraine
    with weapons, and for supposedly putting their own prosperity before the
    liberty and security of Ukraine. On the other hand, Ukraine’s president,
    Volodymyr Zelensky, has thanked US president Joe Biden for the 1-billion-USD
    military aid the White House leader previously announced will go to Ukraine.
    Moreover, the Ukrainian president accepted the invitation to take part in the
    G7 and NATO summits in late June in southern Germany and Madrid, respectively,
    although he didn’t mention whether he will be attending the meetings in person
    or if he will address the participants by videoconference.




    DEFENSE – Romania’s Defense Minister, Vasile Dîncu, attended the
    meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the level of NATO defense ministers.
    The meeting reviewed progress reported in coordinating the military actions of
    approximately 50 participant states and the military and humanitarian
    assistance provided to Ukraine. Minister Vasile Dîncu highlighted the need for
    the international community to continue their efforts to support Ukraine, the
    Defense Ministry reports. Minister Dîncu reiterated Bucharest’s close
    involvement in supporting the Ukrainian people, including the over 1.2 million
    refugees who have entered Romania since the start of the conflict, as well as
    Romania’s efforts in facilitating grain exports from Ukraine with a view to
    avoiding a global food crisis.




    CFR – The Romanian Rail Company (CFR) will mobilize team of workers
    in Galați to start modifying
    railways so as to allow freight transports from Ukraine and Moldova to enter
    Romania. A total of 5 kilometers of rail will be rehabilitated within 60 days
    to ensure the transport of grain from Ukraine, disrupted by Russia’s invasion. The
    company has the necessary cranes and vehicles allowing the transfer of cars
    from the broad gauge used in Russia and ex-Soviet countries to the standard
    gauge used in the EU. To simplify the procedure, the Romanian Transport
    Ministry decided to render operational a double-gauge track that was
    decommissioned 30 years ago in order to allow the freight trains from Moldova
    to unload the cars directly in the cargo boats docked in Danube River ports.




    GOVERNMENT – The Government wants to
    freeze all hiring in the public sector starting July 1. The government is today
    expected to pass an emergency decree suspending all vacancy-filling contests in
    public, central and local institutions. Also today the Cabinet will discuss an
    emergency decree designed to combat profiteering by banning the introduction of
    unwarrantedly high prices as well as capping production and sales with a view
    to increase prices. Additionally, the Government wants a ban on hoarding
    commodities with the intent of benefiting from future price increases.




    EXAMS – Over 150,000 eighth-graders are
    today sitting their written exam in mathematics. The exam is part of a nationwide
    series of exams pupils take when completing the gymnasium cycle (grades 5-8)
    and the results will help them enroll in high schools or vocational schools. On
    Monday, pupils took their test in the Romanian language, while pupils who are
    members of national minorities will take their mother tongue test tomorrow. The
    written Baccalaureate tests are scheduled for next week.




    MOTION – The Save Romania Union (USR)
    in opposition has filed a simple motion against Education Minister, Sorin Cîmpeanu, blaming him for the high rate
    of school dropout and the poor exam results. USR claims Minister Cîmpeanu
    introduced changes in the way pupils are examined without taking into account
    the opinion of stakeholders. The simple motion will be debated next Monday in
    the Chamber of Deputies, with a final vote scheduled for Wednesday. (VP)





  • February 25, 2022 UPDATE

    February 25, 2022 UPDATE

    WAR IN UKRAINE -
    Ukraine wants peace and is willing to hold talks with Russia, also with respect
    to Ukraine’s neutrality status in connection with NATO, Mykhailo Podolyak,
    advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office has told Reuters. President
    Volodymyr Zelensky called for direct negotiations with his Russian counterpart,
    Vladimir Putin, but the Kremlin announced it is willing to accept talks at the
    level of the two countries’ defense and foreign ministries in Minsk. I want to
    address the Russian president again. There is fighting all across Ukraine. Let
    us sit down and negotiate in order to put an end to the killing, Zelensky said
    in a televised address. On the ground, the Ukrainian army said it is fighting
    Russian forces in the extended Kyiv region. The population was urged to take up
    arms and use Molotov cocktails against the Russian occupation troops. Dozens of
    civilians were injured in Mariupol, in southern Ukraine, which is also facing a
    full-on Russian assault.




    ROMANIA AND UKRAINE – Romania’s president,
    Klaus Iohannis, on Friday attended a videoconference meeting of the Bucharest 9
    Format, co-hosted with Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda. The president posted
    on social media that he called for strengthening the deterrence and defense
    posture on the eastern flank, especially in the Black Sea. B9 countries have
    expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people and democratic institutions. At
    the same time, they continue to fully support the sovereignty and territorial
    integrity of Ukraine, as well as its right to decide its own foreign policy.
    The same goes for the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. At the end of the
    NATO emergency summit, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gave assurances that
    NATO will defend each of its members, adding that the Alliance is deploying its
    response forces. Secretary Stoltenberg went on to say that NATO is determined
    to continue to assist Ukraine. On Friday, the Council
    of Europe decided to suspend any participation of Russian diplomats and
    delegates in its main bodies, effective immediate, in response to the armed
    attack on Ukraine. The decision doesn’t apply to the European Court for Human
    Rights, which will continue to provide protection to Russian citizens.




    REFUGEES – Romania is ready
    to receive a large number of refugees from neighboring Ukraine, Interior
    Minister Lucian Bode said on Friday. Control measures have intensified and
    additional shifts introduced, due to the high flow of Ukrainian migrants
    crossing the border. Minister Bode said Romania has the technical, logistic and
    human resources required to organize refugee camps, in response to the
    humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The location of the camps has already been
    identified, and the Ministry is permanently coordinating with NGOs, the Red
    Cross and UNICEF. Asylum seekers will benefit from free-of-charge medical
    services for 90 days, and if they are granted refugee status they will have the
    same rights as Romanian citizens. Bucharest General Mayor said he has prepared
    some 25,000 beds for emergency accommodation, adding that the City Hall can
    offer 5,000 daily meals via its soup kitchens.




    MOLDOVA – The Moldovan
    Parliament has voted the declaration of a state of emergency for 60 days in the
    context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 88 out of the total of 101 MPs
    voted in favor. The MPs belong to all parliamentary groups: the pro-Western
    Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), the pro-Russian communist and socialist
    left-wing and the Shor populist party. The state of emergency bans mass
    demonstrations and allows authorities to banish undesirable persons. According
    to Radio Chișinău, Ukrainian
    citizens will be able to enter the territory of the Republic of Moldova using
    their identification documents, without providing the COVID-19 certificate.
    Underage children will be admitted based on their birth certificates,
    identification documents or passports. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița said over
    4,200 refugees from Ukraine have entered the Republic of Moldova on the first
    day of the invasion. Most refugees are on their way to European Union states,
    although 100 people have filed for asylum in the Republic of Moldova. According
    to the 2014 census, Moldova is home to some 180 thousand Ukrainian ethnics
    (accounting for 6.5% of the total population) and some 110 thousand Russian
    ethnics (4%). (VP)



  • February 24, 2022

    February 24, 2022

    WAR IN UKRAINE – In the early hours of Thursday
    morning, the Russian army launched a tactical strike against Ukraine, targeting
    military objectives, the Russian Defense Ministry announced, claiming military
    infrastructure, air defense installations and airfields of the Ukrainian Air
    Force have been already taken out of commission. According to international
    news agencies, explosions were reported close to the capital Kyiv, in Kharkiv
    in the east, Mariupol in the south and Odessa, the biggest port on the Black
    Sea. Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said the attack was required to protect
    the civilian population in the Russian-speaking and rebel-controlled Donbas,
    again accusing the West for not complying with its security demands.
    Previously, Russia demanded Ukraine should abandon its NATO accession bid and
    called on the Alliance to withdraw from countries that joined NATO after 1997.
    President Putin claims the military operation is an act of self-defense, aimed
    at demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine. Putin called on Ukrainian troops to
    lay down their weapons and go home, warning at the same time that any country
    attempting to interfere will face unprecedented consequences. Ukrainian authorities
    say the attack came from Belarus, Russia and occupied Crimea. President
    Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law across the country, calling on the
    population to stay calm, assuring them Ukraine will prevail. At the same time,
    Ukraine has called on its international partners to immediately introduce new
    sanctions against Russia. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called on partner
    states to provide weapons and military equipment to boost Kyiv’s defense
    capabilities. Western powers have condemned Russia’s attack. In Brussels,
    European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament
    president, Charles Michel, pledged to hold Moscow accountable. EU leaders will
    take part in a flash summit this afternoon to discuss the EU’s response to
    Russia’s attack.


    ROMANIA AND UKRAINE – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, at the end of Thursday’s meeting
    of the Supreme Defense Council, firmly condemned Russia’s unjustified attack on
    neighboring Ukraine. The president said diplomacy is the only solution to the
    current crisis, adding that Romania will not be dragged into the military
    conflict in Ukraine. The president also gave assurances that Romanians should
    not fear for the safety of themselves or their families, considering Romania’s
    status as a NATO member state represents a robust security umbrella.
    Previously, the government and the entire political class in Bucharest
    condemned Russia’s attack. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă set up a task force at
    government level that will oversee the developments in Ukraine. The Government announced
    it is monitoring the flow of natural gas in Romania, in order to take the
    appropriate measures. Government structures are also prepared to receive waves
    of immigrants. Also in Bucharest, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu has called on
    the Romanian mission to NATO to request the activation of Article 4 in the NATO
    Treaty, allowing allies to discuss collective defense.


    SIIJ – In Bucharest, the Senate’s judicial committee is debating the bill on
    disbanding the Section Investigating Crime in Justice, initiated by the
    Government and approved at the end of last week in the Chamber of Deputies. The
    attributions of the Section will be transferred to regular prosecutor’s
    offices, and the cases will be handled by special prosecutors. Disbanding the
    Section is an objective specified in the government programme, also required to
    lift the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. The draft law will be
    submitted to a vote on Monday in the Senate, the decision-making body in this
    matter.


    ENERGY – The new assistance package aimed at subsidizing energy bills is today
    debated in Bucharest in a joint ministry committee. Attending will also be
    representatives of energy distributors, employers’ associations and trade
    unions. Prime Minister Nicolae
    Ciucă said the measures that will apply starting April 1, when the current
    government scheme is due to expire, will also include a mechanism that will
    provide long-term support to the population and the economy. The list of
    solutions also includes increasing the cap on subsidized consumption or
    introducing a 5% cap on profit across the energy production chain.


    COVID-19 – The 5th wave of the pandemic is slowing down in
    Romania, and the Government will adjust restrictions, the authorities in
    Bucharest have announced. According to Thursday’s report issued by the Group
    for Strategic Communication, 10,749 new COVID-19 infections have been reported
    within the space of 24 hours, in addition to 115 related deaths, of which 10
    were prior to the reference period. 1,002 people are currently in intensive
    care. (VP)