Radio România Internațional

Tag: priorities

  • January 6-12, 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)

  • Romania takes over EU presidency

    Romania takes over EU presidency

    For the first time since joining the European Union 12 years ago, Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Its Prime Minister Viorica Dancila says Bucharest wants to project a pragmatic vision during its 6-month term based on the principle of cohesion. Romania’s priorities rest on four pillars: a Europe of convergence, a safer Europe, Europe as a global actor; and a Europe of common values. Europe of convergence which means growth, cohesion, competitiveness will ensure, according to prime minister Dancila, sustainable and equitable development for all European citizens. This is essential, she said, in order to promote a united Europe and increase the European Union’s competitiveness at a global level.



    Viorica Dancila: “The decisions on the future of European policies must be reflected in the Union’s funding priorities. Therefore, Romania’s presidency of the Council of the European Union will contribute to the drafting of the post-2020 multiannual financial framework in order to fulfil the objectives in the next seven years and ensure a balance between growth and convergence generating policies in the community bloc.”



    Romania also aims to contribute to the consolidation of the economic and monetary union and to promote research and innovation through digitisation and connectivity as main factors in the growth of the competitiveness of European industry. The Romanian authorities also believe that intolerance, populism, racism and xenophobia can be fought through a permanent reminder of the values on which the Union is based, while also calling for greater citizen involvement in the decision making process.



    Viorica Dancila: “I believe it is necessary to encourage young people to become involved in the creation of a strong Europe based on shared European values. Also, we will support during our term the legislative initiatives related to the participation of European citizens in the European legislative process.”



    Minister for European Affairs, George Ciamba, talked about Romania’s priorities during its 6-month mandate and pointed out that, under the motto “Cohesion — a common European value” Bucharest will have to deal with very important matters for the future of the EU, such as Brexit, the future budget of the Union and the elections for the European Parliament.



    George Ciamba: “In the first period, when we work together with the current European Parliament, Romania’s priorities will focus on turning as many bills as possible into European laws. At present, we have quite a clear picture at the level of each ministry, of which initiatives can be turned into European law and which are the ones that need to be further worked on and then taken over by the next presidency. The mandate of the current European Parliament expires in April, so quite soon. Romania must have an impartial stand, but, at the same time, it must find qualified majorities that should allow it to reach a common stand within the Council. The second part of Romania’s mandate will be dedicated to the summit in Sibiu, a very important summit held only two weeks and a half ahead of the European Parliament elections. It is very important, essential I would say, as far as we are concerned, for the summit to give a signal of unity among all member states and European partners as regards the future of the Union. In the last month of Romania’s mandate, which will again be a very complicated one, we will have the chance to tackle topics that cannot be discussed before that, precisely because of the campaign for the European Parliament elections. These topics were postponed so as not to interfere with the elections. Therefore they must be discussed in one month alone, the time left before Romania’s mandate expires. Among these topics is EU enlargement.”



    Romania wants the Black Sea to become a priority zone for the EU as well, as it currently is for NATO, Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu has said: “One of Romania’s goals, as president of the Council of the EU, will be to come up with proposals regarding the strengthening of cooperation in the Black Sea area in general, boosting confidence among member states, promoting tourism, energy interconnectivity and direct collaboration of the EU and the regional structures.”



    All these, minister Melescanu says, are important because we want the EU to get more involved in these regional formats.

  • December 30, 2018 UPDATE

    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)

  • December 10-14, 2018

    December 10-14, 2018


    Three weeks ahead of taking over the presidency of the Council of the EU, PM Viorica Dancila presented in Parliament a list of priorities that the Romanian executive will have in this office. Among them are connectivity, digitizing the European industry, domestic security within the EU, and cyber security. During its six months leading the Council, Romania will militate for a strong and united Europe, with an emphasis on economic, social, and political cohesion, according to the prime minister:



    “Each minister has a detailed agenda on its responsibilities and aims during the presidency, and I assure you that Romania will in no way be a lesser leader than other member states. I stand before you today with the same vision for Europe, a united and better Europe. The motto of Romanias presidency is Cohesion as a European Value.



    The Prime Minister added that she would act towards reducing development gaps, towards equal access to benefits, removing factors that separate member states or generate hierarchies, pleading for overcoming attitudes that divide newer and older member states, or the East from the West. Decisions on the future of European policies have to reflect the Unions financing policies, and the Romanian presidency of the EU Council will contribute to the drafting of the next multiannual financial framework, in order to provide a balance between growth policies and convergence within the community space, the Romanian official stated. One of the greatest challenges facing the Romanian term in office will be migration. This is an extremely difficult matter, which has been dividing the member countries. A reason for which, according to PM Dancila, Romania is seeking effective and sustainable management solutions. The future Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU is also interested in consolidating the strategic partnership between the EU and the North Atlantic Alliance and in enlarging the Union towards the western Balkans, an enlargement which would provide additional security, both internally and externally.



    Gathered in a joint session, the Romanian Senate and Chamber of Deputies have adopted a declaration, expressing their availability to collaborate with the Government on all matters and initiatives proposed during Romanias term at the helm of the Council of the EU, the first such term since Romanias joining the EU in 2007. Also, according to the Romanian Parliament, Romanias presidency will focus on the idea of a stronger Union, closer to its citizens. Attending the European Council in Brussels, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis stated:



    “We are ready. There is always room for improvement, but I would like to tell you with all sincerity that, after all the blunders that occurred, which I pointed out at the time, preparations are in an advanced stage. Things are moving, and I think this is good news for Romanians, but mostly for our European partners, even though we may have difficulties in some areas. We are fairly well prepared for the presidency, and we will carry through.”



    In expectation of the moment, President Iohannis has had meetings with European leaders, such as the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Finnish PM Juha Sipila, whose country will take over the EU Council presidency from Romania. Files such as Brexit, the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework or migration will be managed by Bucharest in the first six months of the year 2019. Also, the elections for the European Parliament will be organized during Romanias term, in May next year. Until then, Romania continues to take over European offices. This week its been the presidency of the General Affairs Council, at the end of the European Affairs Ministers meeting in Brussels. The Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, George Ciamba, said in his speech, held at the meeting, that he appreciated the efforts made by the Austrian presidency, stressing that Romania was ready to maintain the same alert pace of discussions, aimed to lead to significant progress during its term.



    In another development, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has hailed the adoption, by the European Parliament, of a resolution requesting the immediate accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Shengen area.




  • Preparations for the Romanian EU presidency

    Preparations for the Romanian EU presidency

    Romania is prepared to take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on January 1, was the message sent in Brussels by the Romanian minister delegate for European affairs, Victor Negrescu. In his talks with a number of European Commissioners, Negrescu discussed Romanias priorities for next year, in areas such as budget and human resources, research, energy and competition.



    The Romanian official says Romania would like the cohesion policy, which targets economic, social and territorial convergence, to be a central element of the European budget. As for the common agricultural policy, Romania wants measures to reduce gaps in terms of subsidies, to support young farmers and competitive farms, which provide high-quality products to European markets.



    Another field on Romanias agenda is research and innovation. Victor Negrescu explained that Romania wants equal and fair access to resources in this field, equal salaries for all researchers, regardless of where they come from, and transparent evaluation.



    Victor Negrescu: “I have highlighted Romanias support for such initiatives and the fact that we want additional funding for this initiative, because we want to attract researchers from across Europe to our country and, even more importantly, to bring back the Romanian researchers who work in other parts of Europe. I am confident that, if we join forces, the Government of Romania and Romanias representatives in the European Parliament, we will be able to persuade the European Commission and the other partners that this is the positive approach.



    Romania seeks an EU Council presidency based on dialogue between member states and consensus on key issues, the official also added. Negrescu confirmed that the country is ready to take over the shadow presidency during Austrias term in office, which means that the country will attend all negotiations, including the ones with the European Parliament and the European Commission. Analyst Iulian Chifu warns that Romania must take care to fulfil its commitments:



    Iulian Chifu: “Six months ahead of taking over the EU Council presidency, the worst that can happen is for Romania to run off the track or do something that puts it on a collision course with the European Commission, with the European Union, with its bilateral commitments to the US or NATO, first of all because whether we like it or not, we are all interdependent and we have to rely on these partners.



    According to Chifu, Romania has grown a lot in terms of investment, standards of living and gross domestic product, primarily as a consequence of the countrys integration in Western structures.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Priorities of the Romanian diplomacy

    Priorities of the Romanian diplomacy

    A number of anniversaries and mandates of great European and international importance are lining up for Romania in the near future, at a time when the global context is more complicated than it has been for a long time. The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu made this statement recently, in an extensive interview given to Radio Romania. In today’s show we look at some of Romania’s top foreign policy priorities, insisting on the 10 years of the country’s EU membership. Other topics, such as Romania’s Schengen accession, its relations with the US, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova, Bucharest’s position on the refugee crisis and terrorism, and Romania’s economic goals will be discussed in future editions.So what are the key foreign policy priorities for Romania in the forthcoming period?



    Teodor Melescanu: “This year we celebrate a decade of European Union membership and nearly one and a half decades since the country joined NATO. Rebuilding our ties with the past, we have returned to our natural place within the Western, European and Euro-Atlantic family. But from this place, which is one of unprecedented prosperity and security, we must remain strategically connected to the core of this community. Our key priorities are very clear: the Great War centennial, the presidency of the European Council in 2019, our candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in the 2019 elections and a special goal, namely Romania’s joining the OECD. I’ll start with Europe, because this is where we live. We believe our core duty is to move towards firmly and sustainably consolidated integration and convergence. We are particularly concerned with the rights of Romanians in the European Union, including in the context of Brexit, with our Schengen accession, with the security of Europe, with the cohesion policy, the common agricultural policy and the integration of the single market, the completion of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, the management of migration flows, curbing climate change, the social component and many others.”



    Romania’s European interests cannot be separated from its security interests, from a transatlantic and global perspective. At present Romania is not only a beneficiary of NATO but also a relevant participant in deciding and pursuing the alliance’s objectives, whether we talk about consolidating its defense and deterrence capacity on its eastern flank and keeping the balance and coherence between its northern and southern regions, hosting the anti-missile shield, contributing to peace keeping missions in Afghanistan and supporting Ukraine’s cyber security, the Romanian Foreign Minister has also said.



    Referring to the 10 years that have passed since Romania became a EU member, Teodor Melescanu has said there has been a huge transformation at society level: “These years have seen an unprecedented development of Romania, under all aspects, that is consolidating democracy, developing its institutional and administrative capacity and in particular economic growth. Romanian citizens are today enjoying their rights and liberties granted by the European citizenship. The cultural exchange and the access to the European education network for students, are some other examples that I would give. In economic terms, Romania’s GDP has almost doubled during these ten years of European membership, and this happened against the background of the Union having been faced with a rather difficult economic and financial situation. 10 years after joining the EU, Romania plans to develop its capacity to use in an effective manner all instruments provided by the EU to bridge development gaps between regions and to ensure higher living standards for all its citizens.”



    As for bilateral diplomacy, Romania is planning to act on three main directions. The first one is a tighter and more structured cooperation with its neighbours, that are also EU members, such as Bulgaria and Hungary, but also with Moldova and Ukraine. The second direction is the consolidation of the ties with strategic partners such as France, Germany, and also the UK from the Brexit perspective, as well as Poland, Spain and Italy from the perspective of the joint security interests. The third direction is about consolidating bilateral dialogue with the other EU members, such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Baltic states and also with Austria, as holder of the previous 6-month presidency, Finland and Croatia, as Romania’s partners in the presidential triad, as well as the EU members and candidate countries, Teodor Melescanu has also said.


  • Priorities of the Romanian diplomacy

    Priorities of the Romanian diplomacy

    A number of anniversaries and mandates of great European and international importance are lining up for Romania in the near future, at a time when the global context is more complicated than it has been for a long time. The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu made this statement recently, in an extensive interview given to Radio Romania. In today’s show we look at some of Romania’s top foreign policy priorities, insisting on the 10 years of the country’s EU membership. Other topics, such as Romania’s Schengen accession, its relations with the US, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova, Bucharest’s position on the refugee crisis and terrorism, and Romania’s economic goals will be discussed in future editions.So what are the key foreign policy priorities for Romania in the forthcoming period?



    Teodor Melescanu: “This year we celebrate a decade of European Union membership and nearly one and a half decades since the country joined NATO. Rebuilding our ties with the past, we have returned to our natural place within the Western, European and Euro-Atlantic family. But from this place, which is one of unprecedented prosperity and security, we must remain strategically connected to the core of this community. Our key priorities are very clear: the Great War centennial, the presidency of the European Council in 2019, our candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in the 2019 elections and a special goal, namely Romania’s joining the OECD. I’ll start with Europe, because this is where we live. We believe our core duty is to move towards firmly and sustainably consolidated integration and convergence. We are particularly concerned with the rights of Romanians in the European Union, including in the context of Brexit, with our Schengen accession, with the security of Europe, with the cohesion policy, the common agricultural policy and the integration of the single market, the completion of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, the management of migration flows, curbing climate change, the social component and many others.”



    Romania’s European interests cannot be separated from its security interests, from a transatlantic and global perspective. At present Romania is not only a beneficiary of NATO but also a relevant participant in deciding and pursuing the alliance’s objectives, whether we talk about consolidating its defense and deterrence capacity on its eastern flank and keeping the balance and coherence between its northern and southern regions, hosting the anti-missile shield, contributing to peace keeping missions in Afghanistan and supporting Ukraine’s cyber security, the Romanian Foreign Minister has also said.



    Referring to the 10 years that have passed since Romania became a EU member, Teodor Melescanu has said there has been a huge transformation at society level: “These years have seen an unprecedented development of Romania, under all aspects, that is consolidating democracy, developing its institutional and administrative capacity and in particular economic growth. Romanian citizens are today enjoying their rights and liberties granted by the European citizenship. The cultural exchange and the access to the European education network for students, are some other examples that I would give. In economic terms, Romania’s GDP has almost doubled during these ten years of European membership, and this happened against the background of the Union having been faced with a rather difficult economic and financial situation. 10 years after joining the EU, Romania plans to develop its capacity to use in an effective manner all instruments provided by the EU to bridge development gaps between regions and to ensure higher living standards for all its citizens.”



    As for bilateral diplomacy, Romania is planning to act on three main directions. The first one is a tighter and more structured cooperation with its neighbours, that are also EU members, such as Bulgaria and Hungary, but also with Moldova and Ukraine. The second direction is the consolidation of the ties with strategic partners such as France, Germany, and also the UK from the Brexit perspective, as well as Poland, Spain and Italy from the perspective of the joint security interests. The third direction is about consolidating bilateral dialogue with the other EU members, such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Baltic states and also with Austria, as holder of the previous 6-month presidency, Finland and Croatia, as Romania’s partners in the presidential triad, as well as the EU members and candidate countries, Teodor Melescanu has also said.


  • Priorities of the New Parliament Session

    Priorities of the New Parliament Session

    In Bucharest, where Parliament’s ordinary session has just started after the summer recess, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies have to decide on bills that have been left in abeyance from previous sessions, on legislative initiatives submitted by MPs and on projects and ordinances coming from the Government. Senators will focus, among other things, on the citizens’ initiative to redefine the definition of family in the Constitution, passed by the Chamber of Deputies but not yet endorsed by the Senate.



    Senate Speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu said at the end of May that he referendum on the revision of the Constitution would be held this fall. Another priority of Parliament is to nominate two civil society representatives in the Higher Council of Magistracy. The procedure was initiated in November 2016 and resumed in March 2017 but the Senate has not yet made a decision in this respect.



    The Chamber of Deputies is equally busy, as it has to tackle several bills that have been left pending from previous sessions. The most controversial one is the bill on pardoning certain crimes and the one on detention orders, silently adopted by the Senate. There are also the draft laws that have been green lighted by the Senate and are now pending debate in the Chamber of Deputies, such as increasing the VAT exemption threshold.



    MPs must also decide on a series of ordinances and draft laws already adopted by the Government or pending adoption. One of them is the draft law regarding the Sovereign Development and Investment Fund that Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said would be discussed in Parliament in September. The project that brings changes to the laws regulating the judicial system, announced by Justice Ministry Tudorel Toader, which was submitted to the Higher Council of Magistracy for a consultative opinion on Thursday, will also be discussed by the MPs. Changes to the pensions’ law will also have to be approved by Parliament by October 1st.



    A series of emergency ordinances, such as the one on capping special pensions, on capping the child raising allowance at nearly 1,900 euros per month, the 10% increase in police officers salaries and the 15% rise in the salaries of civilian personnel working with national security institutions, are also to be debated in Parliament. Adding to that is the Government ordinance on revising the Fiscal Code by gradually increasing excise duties on petrol and Diesel fuel. Last but not least, Parliament’s inquiry committee into alleged fraud at the 2009 presidential election is to present their report on September 8.

  • The Week in Review, January 4-10

    The Week in Review, January 4-10

    Romanian PM on a visit to Berlin


    The head of the Romanian government Dacian Cioloş and Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed in Berlin on Thursday the Romanian-German relations as well as the prospects of Romanias Schengen accession. The two officials also noted the progress Romania has made in terms of fighting corruption, which in their opinion should reflect in the forthcoming report of the European Commission regarding the Romanian judicial system. Angela Merkel appreciated Romanias importance, among other things, as an economic partner, but warned that some conditions must be created in order for relations in this field to be strengthened. These include, according to the German Chancellor, the improvement of the Romanian judicial system and curbing corruption. As regards Romanias Schengen accession, Dacian Cioloş once again said that Bucharest meets the technical prerequisites for accession, and highlighted that Romania already acts as a Schengen member state in terms of border security. The visit of the Romanian PM ended with a meeting with representatives of the Romanian community in Germany, held at the Romanian Embassy.



    National Bank Governor on the state of the Romanian economy


    A salary raise is inevitable in Romania, in the context of the countrys European integration, but its overlapping with fiscal relaxation measures should have been avoided, the National Bank Governor Mugur Isarescu said. He added that caution should be exercised in raising incomes, so as to make sure that subsequent cutbacks would not be needed. In his opinion, during this election year authorities must be particularly cautious as regards macro-stability, so that economic growth should not be subsequently affected by interest increases, inflation or exchange rate falls. According to Isarescu, last year the national currency, leu, was stable because the macroeconomic context of 2015 was stable and there was no need for large-scale interventions by the National Bank. At present, the international context is more uncertain than it was last year, and higher volatility or larger capital movements may generate temporary imbalances in the market, Mugur Isarescu warned.



    World Bank improves forecast on Romanias economic growth in 2016


    In its latest report on global economic prospects, the World Bank upgrades its forecast on Romanias economic growth rate this year, from 3.2% to 3.9%, and for next year from 3.5% to 4.1&. The institution also improved its estimate regarding the annual GDP increase in Romania for last year, from 3 to 3.6%.


    As regards the region comprising Europe and Central Asia, which includes Romania, but not the Eurozone, the financial institution estimates a 3% growth rate in 2016, and 3.5% in 2017 and 2018. The National Bank of Romania has stated that boosting economic growth in the third quarter of last year was supported by the expansion of private consumption, against the background of higher incomes for the population, improved lending, lower direct taxes and a growing trust in the economy. The institution has decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 1.75% per year, and to reduce the rate of required minimum reserves for the banks foreign currency liabilities.



    Romania under winters assault


    Romania has recently been faced with the first serious snow fall this winter, but, unlike the previous years, the phenomenon has not wreaked havoc with the country road, rail or air traffic. However, several people died because of the extremely low temperatures, which went below minus 20 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country. The bad weather engulfed almost the entire country, and weather specialists issued many warnings and codes for heavy snow, rain, heavy wind and blizzard. Speed restrictions were enforced on railroads, and many trains were delayed. Road and air traffic were faced with some weather problems too, so several flights were delayed and one plane skidded off runway upon landing in Cluj, in central Romania, because, apparently, the runway was full of snow. In the Romanian Black Sea ports, the activity was temporarily suspended because of the heavy wind. Although the layer of snow in Bucharest was not higher than 10 cm, traffic was hampered, because people in charge with removing the snow did not do their job in due time.



    Budget priorities for Romanian Army


    The Romanian Defense Minister, Mihnea Motoc, has announced that the number of exercises in which the Romanian soldiers will participate in 2016 will increase to over 400. Of them, more than 100 will be multinational. Also, the armys operational capacity will be strengthened, as the funds earmarked from the budget for 2016 have been increased. In 2017, the budget of the Army should account for 2% of the GDP, and the rate is to be maintained for at least 10 years, according to the authorities. A member of NATO since 2004, Romania has consolidated its position within the alliance, in particular due to last years activation of two command units: the Multinational Division South-East and the NATO Force Integration Unit. Also, the first elements of the missile defense shield in Deveselu, in southern Romania, were rendered operational.

  • The Newly Instated Government Gets to Work

    The Newly Instated Government Gets to Work

    Having received Parliament’s vote of confidence less than a week ago, the technocratic government headed by Dacian Ciolos is the most atypical government in post-communist Romania. Teodor Stolojan in 1991 and Mugur Isarescu in 1999, both independent economists, were for one year at the helm of a government whose members represented political parties. Unlike them, Dacian Ciolos picked mostly people who hadn’t been involved in politics, but who had already made a name for themselves in the private sector, civil society and the European institutions. The new government will be in charge of things for one year, until the legislative elections in the fall of 2016, during which time the political class, completely discredited and seen as corrupt and incompetent, should reinvent itself and regain people’s trust.



    In an interview with Radio Romania, his first one as PM, Dacian Ciolos said the new government’s top priority was to draw up the draft budget for 2016 and then send it to Parliament in the first half of December. Referring to the 10% increase in civil servants’ salaries, a measure already approved by Parliament, Ciolos said he first had to make sure the financial situation inherited from the previous government allowed it. The new ministers will have to analyze the projects that are currently in the stage of implementation, and which have been initiated by the former government headed by the Social Democrat Victor Ponta, in order to decide if they can be included in next year’s budget. The new programme for government stipulates, among other things, finding ways to reinstate trust in Romanian economy.



    Deputy PM Costin Borc explains: “This involves finding opportunities for reindustrialization, taking into account the reinterpretation of this concept in the general European context. We are first of all interested in supporting Romanian capital, as consolidating the identity of Romanian products is a strategic goal for us. Also, the Romanian human capital is a fundamental resource and we plan to develop human resources, from the qualified staff to creative industries, IT&C and so on.”



    Dacian Ciolos, a former European commissioner for agriculture, after a meeting in Bucharest with European Commissioner Corina Cretu, announced the unblocking of the regional operational programme for 2007-2013, which had been blocked following an audit by the European Commission. In the interview with Radio Romania, PM Ciolos said Romania’s EU funds absorption rate stood at 60% and that, if things went well, it would soon reach 70%.



    (Translated by: E. Enache)

  • Romania’s foreign policy goals

    Meeting in Bucharest for three days, the heads of Romania’s diplomatic and consular missions abroad analysed the role and activity of the Romanian diplomats within the current international context. Prime minister Victor Ponta, who attended the meeting, called on the diplomats to present very clearly Romania’s positions on the most important issues of the day, and at the same time promote Romania’s legitimate interests, as well as those of the European Union and its strategic partners. The prime minister said that at the NATO summit in Wales, Romania wishes to see a strengthening of the Alliance’s eastern flank, the consolidation of the strategic partnership with Turkey and Poland, and a better NATO presence in Romania:



    “I believe Romania has once again proven that it is a solid partner for the European Union, NATO, and our strategic partner, the US. In a crisis situation, Romania has the opportunity to consolidate this status, affirming it more confidently and with more courage.”



    From Bucharest’s point of view, NATO should consolidate its eastern flank, including on Romanian territory, as also pointed out by the foreign minister Titus Corlatean:



    “Romania’s positioning in terms of its eastern neighbourhood allows it to become an important player in the efforts to stabilise this region, thus turning a potential vulnerability into a strategic advantage.”



    In fact, turning Romania’s possible vulnerabilities into advantages is one of Bucharest’s foreign policy goals, Mr Corlatean explained:



    “These goals have to do with taking better advantage of the strategic partnership with the United States, as reflected in political and security aspects, as well as in the economic area. Other objectives have to do with our NATO membership, and right now there is a very serious discussion about the repositioning of the Alliance in order to improve confidence and safety and the security of its eastern allies, by redeploying military security assets on Romania’s territory as well. We are also talking about Romania’s European and domestic interests, but also outside of the EU, for example Ukraine, Iraq, Syria and Libya, because these are closely tied to Europe, as well as the eastern flank which is one of our priorities. As for the Republic of Moldova, this autumn is essential for its European future and destiny. Elections are scheduled in this country, which needs to have a pro-European government and thus obtain confirmation of a clear European prospect leading up to Moldova’s integration into the European Union.”



    Predictably, the deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine dominated the meeting in Bucharest, with Romania reiterating its support for Kiev. Here is Emil Hurezeanu, a journalist and political commentator on international issues:


    “The conflict in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous phase, and of course NATO and each of its member countries on the one hand, and the US on the other will judge if they should provide more armament in direct aid. The Germans, for instance, don’t agree with NATO delivering weapons, but because Germany is, among other things, the third largest arms exporter, to the sum of five billion euros annually, of course it will be considering supplying arms bilaterally to Ukraine. It remains to be decided whether to continue or end the phase of economic sanctions against Russia and whether they should be accompanied by a supply or weapons.”



    Emil Hurezeanu also said that any military offensive in the last few decades, as well as WWII and the Cold War were based on the strategy of mutual deterrance. Today, however, we are faced with a situation that involves much irrationality. Under the circumstances, does the West have a plan for counteroffensive? Will rational means be able to counterbalance irrationality? Hurezeanu says he believes this to be the next major issue in political and strategic debates.