Tag: Putin

  • March 17, 2022 UPDATE

    March 17, 2022 UPDATE

    TALKS Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on
    Thursday said a substantial and balanced consolidation of NATO’s eastern flank
    is urgently needed against the background of the present security situation,
    which he described as ‘particularly concerning’. The Romanian official made the
    statement after the talks he held in Bucharest on Thursday with his Estonian
    counterpart Alar Karis. Iohannis also said he would present these priorities of
    Romania’s at the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels. The Estonian president, who
    had earlier paid a visit to Chisinau, underlined that more actions are needed on
    NATO’s eastern flank, due to Russia’s aggressive behavior. He said the Republic
    of Moldova must be helped in this ‘terrible crisis’. Also on Thursday, Iohannis
    held talks in Bucharest with the Spanish Premier Pedro Sanches. High on the
    agenda were the refugee crisis, the impact of the crisis in Ukraine, mainly
    from the energy point of view and its implications for the region’s security.
    Romania and Spain have convergent opinions over the importance we should attach
    to developing the energy transport infrastructure, the connection between the
    member countries, increasing production and storage capabilities – the head of
    the Romanian state said. In turn the Spanish Prime Minister said the economic
    effects of the war in Ukraine are severe. We’ve all condemned this invasion
    said Sanchez adding the package of sanctions against Russia will continue to
    increase. The Spanish official also met his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca
    and both appreciated the joint NATO-EU response to the crisis in Ukraine and
    the importance of solidarity with the states dealing first hand with the
    refugee crisis.






    UKRAINE In the absence of any sign that the
    Russian forces would slow down their onslaught against the port-city of
    Mariupol, efforts to evacuate civilians through safe corridors are carried on.
    30 thousand inhabitants have left the city including 300 people, who according
    to Moscow, went by bus over the border in Rostov. A theatre in Mariupol sheltering
    hundreds of civilians was bombed by the Russian forces on Wednesday. After
    speaking before the US Congress yesterday, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr
    Zelensky on Thursday talked before the Bundestag calling on Germany to tear down
    the new wall against freedom created in Europe by Russian president Vladimir
    Putin. France announced it would unblock 300 million euro in aid to Ukraine.
    Paris had already supplied the Ukrainian forces with defensive equipment and
    fuel. And Kiev is benefitting from a massive support from the USA and other
    NATO members. Washington announced one billion dollars in military assistance
    to this country within a week.






    COVID The World Health Organization (WHO) has
    expressed concern over the resurge in the number of coronavirus cases across
    the world, against the backdrop of the relaxation of restrictions and the
    promotion of the false idea that the Omicron strain is harmless. WHO director,
    Tedros Ghebreyesus says last week the number of infections went up 8% globally
    compared to the previous week. China is facing a large number of infections,
    after two years when incidence rates were kept at a minimum. Israel has
    announced two new cases of infection with an unknown variant, whereas France,
    the Netherlands and Denmark reported a type of infection that combines the
    Delta and Omicron strains. According to the latest report of the Group for
    Strategic Communication, Romania reported a little over 4,000 new cases and 63
    related fatalities within the space of 24 hours, of which 27 were prior to the
    reference period.






    NATO In Brussels, NATO Defense Ministers
    decided to extend the term of the Alliance’s consolidated posture, particularly
    on the eastern flank, due to the war in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens
    Stoltenberg warned that Russia’s readiness to use force must not be
    underestimated, nor should the fact that Russia is a nuclear power. The NATO
    official said there is unanimity in the Alliance’s decision not to send forces
    on the ground or to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Soltenberg explained
    that NATO wants to prevent the war in Ukraine from spreading to the region. In
    turn, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, said the Alliance’s new posture does not
    mean the Alliance believes Russia will attack NATO, but is simply a form of
    deterrence. Mircea Geoană explained that the battlegroup created in Romania
    will soon be fully operational.



    (bill)

  • March 14, 2022 UPDATE

    March 14, 2022 UPDATE

    UKRAINE The European Union has announced a fourth round of sanctions
    against Moscow, which include, among other things, interdictions for hundreds
    of Russian individuals and entities to enter the EU and who can have their
    assets frozen. The package also includes export and import interdictions.
    According to the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the new
    sanctions have been imposed to further isolate Russia and waste the resources
    serving to fund this barbaric war. The EU high representative for foreign
    affairs and security policy Josep Borrell denounced the barbaric aggression of
    Vladimir Putin against the Ukrainian people, which is actually threatening the
    entire continent. The new round of talks between Moscow and Ukraine has been
    interrupted but will continue on Tuesday, Ukrainian negotiator Mihailo Podolik
    has announced, quoted by Reuters. This fourth round of talks was held online
    unlike the previous ones held in Belarus. Before the peace talks, Kiev
    announced it would call on Moscow for a truce and the pullout of its troops
    almost three weeks after the invasion in that country ordered by Russian
    president Vladimir Putin. The Russian president has asked for the neutrality of
    Ukraine, the recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and the right to
    self-rule of the breakaway regions in Donbas. Ukrainian authorities on Monday
    announced that a convoy of 160 vehicles managed to leave the city of Mariupol
    besieged by Russian troops and pro-Russia separatists. The UN human rights
    office has announced the death of 636 civilians in Ukraine since the beginning
    of the war in that country.






    MINISTER Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu held
    talks with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio in Bucharest on Monday. The
    two officials talked about the situation in Ukraine, which is affecting the
    entire European and Euro-Atlantic space as well as the situation of Ukrainian
    refugees. The two firmly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Italy and
    Romania showed unity and solidarity – the Italian official said, adding that sanctions
    must be imposed on Moscow to make it give up its war operations. During the
    talks he had with Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, Luigi Di Maio highlighted
    the solid bilateral relations and appreciated the way in which Romania is
    handling the refugee crisis. The Italian official underlined the importance of
    unity at European level as well as the support that must be given to Kiev. Di
    Maio also voiced the readiness of his country to support humanitarian efforts
    both in Ukraine and the countries in its vicinity.






    CENSUS Delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the census of
    population and households has started in Romania. For the first time, citizens
    will be able to use an online application for self-enumeration. People with
    limited digital skills can get guidance in special centers, where trained staff
    will guide them every step of the way. The form stipulates four categories of
    information: data about the household and home ownership, the official place of
    residence, members of the household and secondary place of residence. Citizens
    who complete the self-enumeration form online will be awarded a day off,
    whether they work in the public or private system. An enumerator will be
    visiting homes that were not enumerated online. The whole process is digitized.
    The previous census dates back to 2011, when Romania had a population of over
    20 million.






    TOURISM – Tourism was one of the sectors that started to
    recover after the Covid pandemic last year, the latest Eurostat reports reads.
    In 2021, accommodations in tourist units totaled 1.8 billion, up by 27% compared
    to 2020. The biggest increase was reported in Greece, Spain and Croatia (70%),
    compared to Romania (43%).




    (bill)

  • Krieg in der Ukraine

    Krieg in der Ukraine

    Ich habe beschlossen, eine spezielle Militäroperation zu starten!“ – Diese Worte des Kremlchefs im Morgengrauen des 24. Februar haben ein neues Kapitel in der Geschichte aufgeschlagen und die Lage in der Ukraine in den Mittelpunkt der weltweiten Besorgnis, Diskussionen und Aktionen gerückt.



    Aggression, Widerstand, Sanktionen und Solidarität sind die repräsentativen Worte, um die Realität dieser Tage zu beschreiben. Die Bilder vor Ort erschreckten die demokratische Welt. Die angeblichen Bombardierungen hätten militärischen Zielen gegolten, so die russische Seite, aber selbst während der Friedensgespräche seien Zivilisten durch Raketen getötet worden, so die ukrainische Seite.



    Hunderttausende von Frauen und Kindern sind aus den ständig angegriffenen Gebieten geflohen, und die Zahl der Flüchtlinge wird auf sieben Millionen geschätzt. Vom ersten Tag des Angriffs an gab es jedoch heftigen Widerstand seitens der Ukrainer, mit dem Russland nicht gerechnet hatte. Unterstützt durch die Mobilisierungsaufrufe von Präsident Wolodymyr Zelenskij gelang nicht nur den Militärs, sondern auch all jenen, die nach einer Waffe verlangten, um sich an den Kämpfen zu beteiligen, was viele zu Beginn der Konfrontation nicht für möglich hielten: der russischen Armee die Stirn zu bieten.



    Was steckt hinter dem Vorgehen des Kremls? Der politische Analyst Costin Ciobanu im Gespräch mit Radio Rumänien: Putin setzt fort, was er seit 22 Jahren tut: Er versucht, die Sicherheitsordnung und das Arrangement in Frage zu stellen, das nach dem Ende des Kalten Krieges geschaffen wurde. Diese internationale liberale Ordnung, die nach der Auflösung der Sowjetunion entstanden ist, wird durch Wladimir Putins Handeln einfach in Frage gestellt. Es ist schwer vorstellbar, aber wir sehen, dass er versucht, diese Idee der Sowjetunion wiederzubeleben. Es geht nicht nur um die beiden Regionen der Ostukraine, es geht um die Anerkennung der Souveränität und der Existenz eines Landes. Er erkennt die Dokumente nicht an, die Russland schlie‎ßlich unterzeichnet hat. Es ist schwer zu erklären, aber stellen Sie sich vor, was eine demokratische Ukraine sein könnte, eine Ukraine, die sich wirtschaftlich so entwickelt wie beispielsweise die baltischen Länder oder die osteuropäischen Länder, die der EU oder der NATO beigetreten sind. Eine starke, demokratische Ukraine ist eine gro‎ße Bedrohung für ein totalitäres Regime, das wirtschaftlich scheitert. Das Pro-Kopf-BIP Russlands ist in diesem Zeitraum um 30% gesunken (seit 2014). Die Ukraine ist also eine Bedrohung für einen autoritären Führer, der sich im Prinzip auf Gewalt stützt. Und gleichzeitig geht es um das Erbe eines autoritären Führers, der seit 22 Jahren an der Macht ist und der versucht, in der einen oder anderen Form die Sowjetunion, das imperiale Russland, wiederherzustellen. Sie sprechen davon, wie Russland in den 1990er Jahren gedemütigt wurde, und wollen zu dem Ruhm zurückkehren, den Russland im letzten Jahrhundert gehabt hätte.“



    Die russische Invasion – der grö‎ßte Angriff auf einen europäischen Staat seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg – hat Moskaus politische und wirtschaftliche Isolation noch vertieft. Seine Erzählung trifft den Gedanken des Völkermordes im Donbas und in Lugansk nicht. Es ist eine erfundene Geschichte, die im Moment möglicherweise nur die russische interne Öffentlichkeit auffängt. Oder die internationale Gemeinschaft ist intelligent und sieht über die russische Propaganda hinweg“, schätzte für Agerpres, seit Beginn der Kämpfe, der politische Analyst Radu Magdin.



    Die Unterstützung der demokratischen Gemeinschaft für die Ukraine hat sich in Form von Sanktionen gegen Russland gezeigt, die vor allem in finanzieller Hinsicht verhängt wurden. Der Ausschluss russischer Banken vom SWIFT-System, zusätzliche Beschränkungen für die russische Zentralbank, individuelle Listen von Oligarchen – das sind einige der Ma‎ßnahmen, die Moskau stark treffen, ebenso wie die Sperrung des Luftraums für russische Flugzeuge oder die Entscheidung, den Europäischen Friedensfonds zur Finanzierung der Militärhilfe für die Ukraine zu nutzen. Die Folgen sind in der Russischen Föderation zu spüren und wirken sich bereits auf die Bevölkerung aus.



    Doch nicht nur Russland und die Ukraine werden unter den Folgen dieses Krieges leiden. Der politische Analyst Petrișor Peiu wies in Radio Rumänien auf einige der möglichen wirtschaftlichen Folgen hin, auch für Rumänien: Es gibt eine ernste globale Krise, eine sehr gro‎ße Krise der Rohstoffe. Denn sowohl Russland als auch die Ukraine waren gro‎ße Rohstoffproduzenten. Um ein ganz konkretes Beispiel zu nennen: Dieses Jahr werden wir einen unglaublich hohen Preis für Weizen haben. Der Preis im Schwarzmeerraum, in dem wir uns befinden, wurde praktisch von russischem und ukrainischem Weizen gemacht, weil sie viel mehr exportiert haben als wir. Der Exportpreis wird hoch sein, die rumänischen Erzeuger werden dazu neigen, zu exportieren, zumal es auf gro‎ßen Märkten wie Ägypten oder der Türkei zu gro‎ßen Engpässen kommen wird, und dann werden wir in Rumänien mit sehr hohen Preisen für Weizen aufwachen. Und das ist nur ein Aspekt. Denn auf die Ukraine und Russland entfallen zusammen 80% der weltweiten Sonnenblumenexporte. Vieles wird teurer werden, viele Produkte, nicht nur im Lebensmittelbereich.“



    Denken wir zum Beispiel daran, sagt Petriș oder Peiu – wir sprechen über Russland und die Ukraine als gro‎ße Produzenten von Stahl, von vielen seltenen Metallen, wir denken daran, dass Russland der weltgrö‎ßte Produzent von Diamanten und der drittgrö‎ßte Produzent von Gold ist, und wir denken an industrielle Anwendungen dieser Metalle.

  • Volodmir Zelenski le cere ruşilor să depună armele şi să plece din Ucraina

    Volodmir Zelenski le cere ruşilor să depună armele şi să plece din Ucraina

    Preşedintele ucrainean, Volodmir Zelenski, le-a cerut luni soldaţilor
    ruşi care au invadat Ucraina să depună armele, transmite AFP. Într-un mesaj video difuzat chiar înaintea negocierilor
    ruso-ucrainene din Belarus, Zelenski li se adresează direct, în rusă,
    militarilor trimişi de Moscova sa plece, sa nu creada in comandantii lor si in
    propagandisti si sa-si salveze vietile.

    Tot luni, preşedintele Zelenski a cerut Uniunii Europene să permită aderarea
    imediată a Ucrainei, pe baza unei proceduri speciale, informează Reuters.
    Obiectivul nostru este să fim alături de toţi europenii şi, cel mai
    important, să fim egali. Sunt sigur că aşa este corect. Sunt sigur că merităm
    asta
    , a spus seful statului ucrainean într-o înregistrare video distribuită
    în reţelele sociale.

    Rusia şi Ucraina poartă, de luni, negocieri de
    pace pe teren neutru, în Belarus, au anunţat surse oficiale din cele două ţări,
    citate de media internaţionale. Preşedintele Zelenski a precizat că regimul său
    e dispus să negocieze, pentru ca nimeni să nu-l poată acuza că nu a încercat să
    oprească războiul cât timp mai erau şanse.

    Reuters aminteşte că izolarea politică
    şi economică a Rusiei s-a adâncit luni. Totodată, forţele ruse s-au confruntat
    cu o rezistenţă înverşunată în capitala ucraineană Kiev şi în alte oraşe în cel
    mai mare atac asupra unui stat european de la cel de-al Doilea Război Mondial.

  • Reactions to Russia’s attack on Ukraine

    Reactions to Russia’s attack on Ukraine

    Romanian
    president Klaus Iohannis has firmly condemned Russia’s armed aggression against
    Ukraine. This act, which follows the illegal recognition by the Russian
    Federation of the self-proclaimed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in
    Ukraine, is a blatant infringement of international laws, mainly of the
    sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and the prohibition of the
    use of force in international relations’ – the head of the Romanian state says.




    Romania
    has thus joined the international community of democratic states, firmly
    rejecting such an irresponsible act, which is undermining the foundation of the
    international relations and law.
    Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has also condemned the Russian
    Federation’s decision to invade the territory of Ukraine, which he describes as
    ‘an illegal act of aggression’ and has stated the solidarity of the Executive
    in Bucharest with the Ukrainian government. He reiterates the fact that Romania
    enjoys all the guarantees of security and solidarity entailed by its NATO
    membership, advising the Romanian citizens to stay calm.




    All
    Parliament parties in Bucharest, both in the government coalition PSD-PNL-UDMR
    as well as in opposition such as USR and AUR have condemned the military
    aggression in Ukraine. According to the country’s minister of defence Vasile
    Dincu, Romania is prepared to receive over 500 thousand refugees from Ukraine.
    There is a plan in this respect in all major cities at the border, the
    minister says. Romania’s borders with Ukraine stretch over 600 kilometers and
    the Romanian community in that country accounts for over 400 thousand people, most
    of them in North Bukovina, northern and southern Bessarabia and the Hertza
    Land, Romanian territories annexed by Stalin in 1940 and taken over by Ukraine
    in 1991, after the dismantling of the USSR.




    The
    governments in the entire civilized world have reacted with indignation towards
    the new war triggered by what the Western leaders called the megalomania of the
    Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. NATO
    Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has described it a
    reckless and unprovoked attack, which puts at risk countless civilian lives.




    The US
    and European partners of Ukraine have denounced the new Russian aggression and
    have reiterated their support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial
    integrity of Ukraine.


    (bill)



  • February 22, 2022 UPDATE

    February 22, 2022 UPDATE

    UKRAINE – Russia’s decision to recognize the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine erodes efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and the current crisis has been created by Russia alone, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday evening. According to Stoltenberg, everything indicates that Russia continues to plan a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Calling this “the most dangerous moment in European security for a generation,” the NATO Secretary General said that Europe and North America continue to stand strong together in NATO, committed to defend and protect each other. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a news conference that Russia is firmly against Ukraine’s joining NATO and demanded that the country should withdraw its NATO membership application. Previously, Russia’s upper house of parliament voted in favor of giving Putin authority to send troops to support the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation on Tuesday, denouncing the violation Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity after Moscow recognized the independence of the two separatist “republics”, in the east of the country. Zelensky also said he is expecting clear and effective steps to be taken by the Western allies against Russia. At the end of a meeting of the EU foreign ministers, the head of European diplomacy, Joseph Borell said that the risk of conflict is real and announced the adoption of a first set of tough sanctions against Moscow, following Russias recognition of the self-proclaimed peoples republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine. The OSCE has reiterated its support for Kiev at a meeting of its representatives held in Vienna.



    REACTIONS – Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, has condemned the blatant violation of international law by Russia, which recognized the independence of the separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, saying this move should receive a very harsh response from the international community. In turn, the Bucharest Government condemns any attempt at undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and emphasizes the fact that undermining the statehood of a UN member state is a revisionist approach, a threat to peace in Europe and the whole world. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă said Romania can take in a large number of refugees from Ukraine. He also said there are no repatriation requests yet from any of the approximately 400,000 Romanians living in the neighboring Ukraine. Russias move was also criticized by political leaders in Bucharest. In another development, the Romanian Foreign Ministry has raised the alert level to high, urging Romanians in Ukraine to leave the country immediately in the context of a serious deterioration of the security situation in that country and in the Black Sea region and of the recognition, by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, of the independence of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.



    VACCINES – The EU member states agreed on Tuesday to open their borders for travelers from outside the Union who are vaccinated with one of the shots authorized by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Reuters reports. Thus, starting March 1st, travelers immunized with shots produced in India and China can also enter the EU. The EU has so far authorized vaccines produced by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. Until now, most EU countries have not admitted people from outside the bloc travelling for non-essential reasons if they have been vaccinated with shots not approved in the EU.



    SRI – Romania’s security situation from the perspective offered by the legal attributions of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) is stable, said Cristian Chirtes, chairman of the Joint Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the exercise of parliamentary control over the activity of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI). This is the main conclusion of the Committee’s meeting, which was also attended by the head of the Romanian Intelligence Service, Eduard Hellvig. The meeting focused on the presentation of Romania’s security situation from the perspective of the attributions that the SRI has inside the country’s borders and in the context of tensions in the region. (EE)



  • Rumänien fordert die Wahrung der territorialen Integrität der Ukraine

    Rumänien fordert die Wahrung der territorialen Integrität der Ukraine


    Rumänien verurteilte scharf die Entscheidung des Kremlchefs, ein Dekret zur Anerkennung der Unabhängigkeit der Separatistengebiete Donezk und Luhansk in der Ostukraine zu unterzeichnen. Dieser Akt ist eine eklatante Verletzung des Völkerrechts, der Souveränität und der territorialen Integrität der Ukraine. Russland verstö‎ßt auch gegen seine Verpflichtungen als Unterzeichner der Minsker Vereinbarungen, die damit bedeutungslos werden“, erklärte Präsident Klaus Iohannis in einer Presseerklärung gestern Abend. Bukarest ist der Ansicht, dass Russland, ein ständiges Mitglied des UN-Sicherheitsrates, durch sein Handeln den weltweiten Frieden und die Sicherheit, für die der Sicherheitsrat einsteht, bedroht und bewusst gegen die völkerrechtlichen Grundsätze der UN-Charta und der Schlussakte von Helsinki verstö‎ßt. Die internationale Gemeinschaft müsse diese unverantwortliche Entscheidung Russlands entschlossen, unverzüglich und unmissverständlich sanktionieren, forderte Iohannis. Rumänien bekräftigt seine nachdrückliche Unterstützung für die Souveränität und territoriale Integrität der Ukraine und werde in Abstimmung mit seinen Partnern und Verbündeten handeln, um angemessene Reaktionsma‎ßnahmen umzusetzen, fügte der rumänische Präsident hinzu. Die rumänische Regierung verurteilt jeden Versuch, die territoriale Integrität der Ukraine infrage zu stellen, und ist der Ansicht, dass die Infragestellung der Staatlichkeit eines UN-Mitglieds ein revisionistischer Ansatz ist, der den Frieden in Europa und in der Welt bedroht.



    Die Entscheidung der Russischen Föderation, die Unabhängigkeit der beiden abtrünnigen ukrainischen Regionen anzuerkennen und Friedenstruppen in den Donbass zu entsenden, wurde von zahlreichen Staaten verurteilt. Der UN-Sicherheitsrat ist zu einer Dringlichkeitssitzung zur Eskalation im Ukraine-Konflikt zusammengekommen. Die US-Gesandte Linda Thomas-Greenfield bezeichnete die Behauptung des russischen Präsidenten, bei den entsendeten russischen Truppen in der Ostukraine würde es sich um Friedenstruppen handeln, als Unsinn“. Putins Anerkennung der Separatistengebiete sei ein Versuch, einen Vorwand für eine weitere Invasion der Ukraine zu schaffen. Mit diesem Schritt habe er das Minsker Abkommen in Stücke gerissen“. Die Vereinigten Staaten und Gro‎ßbritannien kündigten bereits, Sanktionen gegen Russland an, während Deutschland warnte, dass Moskaus Vorgehen nicht unbeantwortet bleiben wird. Auch Brüssel kündigte kurz nach der Unterzeichnung der Dekrete durch Putin an, dass die EU mit Sanktionen gegen die an dieser illegalen Aktion Beteiligten reagieren werde. Moskau heizt den Konflikt in der Ostukraine durch finanzielle und militärische Unterstützung der Separatisten weiter an. Au‎ßerdem versucht Russland, einen Vorwand für einen weiteren Einmarsch in die Ukraine zu schaffen. Dies untergräbt die Souveränität und territoriale Integrität der Ukraine, untergräbt die Bemühungen um eine Lösung des Konflikts und verstö‎ßt gegen die Minsker Vereinbarungen, an denen Russland beteiligt ist“, erklärte NATO-Generalsekretär Jens Stoltenberg.

  • Hăbări ditu bana românească şi internaţională

    Hăbări ditu bana românească şi internaţională

    UCRAINA – Apofasea Rusiillei ta s’pricunoască aţeali dauă regiuni separatiste ditu estul Ucrainăllei erodiadză eforturile ta s’află ună cearei iriñeatică a conflictului, iar actuala criză fu adrată maş di Rusia, diclară marță seară secretarul general al NATO, Jens Stoltenberg. Uidisitu cu Stoltenberg, tuti spunu că Rusia continuă s’planifică ună invazie pi scară largă a Ucrainăllei. Număsinda aesta nai ma di piriclliu momentu a securitatillei europene tră un bărnu”, secretarul general al NATO spusi că Europa și America di Nord ma largu va s’hibă vărtoasi diadunu tru NATO, angajate să s’apără și să s’veaglle reciproc. Prezidintulu rus Vladimir Putin diclară tu ună conferință di presă că Rusia easti susto contra adirarillei Ucrainei la NATO și căftă ca țara să-și ritragă căftarea di adiarare la NATO. Anterior, cameara superioară a parlamentului Rusiillei votă tra s’da al Putin autoritatea ta s’pitreacă trupe tră sa-lli ndrupască separatiștii ditu Donețk și Lugansk. Prezidintulu ucrainean Volodimir Zelenski ţănu un zbor tră națiuni marță, dinunțânda călcarea suvearanitatillei și integritatillei teritoriale a Ucrainei după ţi Moscova precunoscu indipendința atilor două republici” separatiste ditu estul a vasiliillei. Zelensky nica spusi că s’așteaptă ca aliațllii occidintali s’llia apofasi limbidz şi hăirlătiţi contra Rusiei. Tu bitisita a unei andamasi a miniștrilor di externe UE, șeful a diplomațiillei europene, Joseph Borell spusi că riscul di conflict easti real și dimăndă adoptarea a unui protu mănuclliu di sancțiuni serti contra Moscovei, dupu pricunuștearea di către Rusia a autoproclamatiloru republiţ populare Donețk și Lugansk, ditu estul Ucrainei. OSCE năpoi și spusi andrupămintul tră Kiev tru cadrul unei reuniuni a reprezentanților a llei disvărtitătă la Viena.



    REACȚII – Prezidintulu a României, Klaus Iohannis, condamnă călcarea flagrantă a ndreptului internațional di cătră Rusia, cari precunoscu indipendința republicilor separatiste Donețk și Lugansk ditu estul Ucrainei, spunânda că aeastă minari lipseaşti să’lli si da ună apandi multu sertă ditu partea comunitatillei internaționale. Tu arada a lui, Guvernul di București condamnă iti tmindueari di subminare a integrității teritoriale a Ucrainei și subliniază că subminarea statalitatillei a unui stat membru ONU easti ună abordare revizionistă, ună fuvirseari contra a irinillei tru Europa și tru ntreaga lume. Premierul Nicolae Ciucă spusi că România poate s’aproaki un număr mare di arifugiaț ditu Ucraina. El nica spusi că nu ari nica căftări di repatriere di la niţiunu ditu aţelli aproximativ 400.000 di români cari băneadză tru Ucraina viţină. Minarea a Rusiillei fu criticată și di lidirllii politiţ di București. Tru ună altă evoluție, Ministerul român di Externe dănăsi nivelul di alertă la mare, căndăsinda românii ditu Ucraina s’fugă ună ş-ună ditu văsilie tru contextul a unei greauă aspărdzeari a situațiillei di securitate ditu aţea văsilie și ditu regiunea ali Amarea Lae și pricunuştearea, di cătră prezidintulu rus Vladimir Putin, a indipendințăllei regiunilor separatiste Donețk și Lugansk.



    VACCINURI – Statele membre UE s’akicăsiră marță să-și dişcllidă sinurli tră călătorllii di nafoara Uniunillei cari suntu vaccinați cu una ditu vaccinurile autorizate di Organizația Mondială a Sănătatillei (OMS), dimăndă Reuters. Ase, ahurhinda cu 1 di marţu, călătorii imunizaț cu vaccinuri produse tru India și China pot s’intra și elli tru UE. Până tora, UE autoriză vaccinuri produse di Pfizer, Modirna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson și Novavax. Până tru aestu kiro, majoritatea statilor UE nu aprukeară persoane ditu afara blocului cari călătorescu ditu furñii neesențiale cara s’fură vaccinate cu vaccinuri niaprobate tru UE.



    SRI – Situația securitatillei României ditu perspectiva oferită di borgili legale ale Serviciului Român di Informații (SRI) easti stabilă, diclară Cristian Chirtes, prezidintulu a Comisiei Permanente Mixte a Camerăllei Diputațlor și Senatului tră exercitarea controlului parlamentar ti activitatea Serviciului Român di Informaţii (SRI). Aesta easti concluzia principală a ședințăllei Comitetlui, la cari lo parti și șeful Serviciului Român di Informații, Eduard Hellvig. Tu andamasi fu părăstisită situația di securitate a României ditu perspectiva borgilor pe cari SRI li ari năuntrulu a sinurloru văsiliillei și tru contextul tensiunilor ditu regiune.



    Autoru: Udălu a hăbărlor


    Armânipsearia: Taşcu Lala


  • February 21, 2022

    February 21, 2022

    UKRAINE – Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden have agreed in principle to hold a summit to discuss the crisis over Ukraine. The talks, proposed French President Emmanuel Macron, will only take place if Russia does not invade its neighbor, the French presidency said in a communiqué. Russia and Ukraine continued to blame each other, on Sunday, for the escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin agreed on Sunday, during a phone call, to make all efforts to prevent the situation from escalating and to preserve peace, according to the French presidencys press office. Also, the French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, is today holding a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov while the OSCE convenes in extraordinary session. Observers from the OSCE European security body on Saturday reported more than 1,500 ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine in a single day. The US accuses Russia of planning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which the latter denies.



    BRUSSELS – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu is today attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Foreign affairs ministers will discuss the latest developments in Russias military build-up around Ukraine and will hold a discussion on the European security situation. The Romanian official will emphasize on this occasion, the need to further look for a diplomatic solution to the crisis and to prepare a comprehensive package of sanctions in coordination with the US, the UK and Canada, in case the crisis escalates. EU foreign affairs ministers will also hold an informal meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during which Aurescu will reiterate Romanias solidarity with Ukraine and its support for the countrys European and Euro-Atlantic path. Also, EU foreign affairs ministers will meet their counterparts from the Gulf countries in the joint council of the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council and will run a cyber-exercise.



    CARRIERS – New rules as part of the mobility package are in place as of today for goods carriers working in EU member states. Trucks must be returned at company’s headquarters every two months, which leads to higher fuel consumption, pollution and delays at customs, especially for companies from Eastern Europe, Romania included. The new measures were decided two years ago and were taken so as to provide more rights for drivers.



    CORONAVIRUS – The number of Covid-19 infections in Romania is going down significantly, with 30% fewer cases than last week being reported. The number of infections per one thousand inhabitants is also on the decrease, but it still is above 3/1,000 in Romanias counties. The infection rate in the capital Bucharest is 32.8%. Almost 7,700 new cases have been reported in Romania today, by 4,000 less than a week ago. This is the smallest daily number of new infections since the beginning of the 5th wave, more than a month ago. Some 85 related deaths have also been announced. 1,100 people are treated in intensive care units. The biggest number of daily infections in Romania was reported on February 1st – 40,018.



    JUDICIARY – The draft law on the dismantling of the Special Section Investigating Crimes in the Judiciary is on todays agenda of the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest. Last week, the Legal Committee green lighted the project. According to Justice Minister, Catalin Predoiu, the dismantling of the Special Section is an objective stipulated in the governing programme, with a clear deadline, and it could have an impact on Romanias joining the Schengen area. Predoiu gave assurances that the dismantling of the Special Section is the result of transparent consultations, including with foreign partners. (EE)

  • February 8, 2022

    February 8, 2022

    COVID-19 36,269 new SARS-CoV-2 infections were
    reported for the past 24 hours in Romania, along with 193 related fatalities,
    the Strategic Communication Group announced on Tuesday. Since the start of the
    pandemic 2 years ago, more than 2 million Romanians have had the disease and
    over 60,000 died. Meanwhile, since the start of the vaccine roll-out in
    December 2020, over 8 million people have received a full vaccination cycle,
    and 2.4 million have also got the booster dose.


    MOLDOVA
    The number of supporters of
    the R. of Moldova’s union with Romania is growing, according to an opinion poll
    quoted by Radio Chişinău on Tuesday. Over 34%
    of the respondents in Moldova would vote in favour of the union, says the poll
    commissioned by IDIS Viitorul in Chișinău and the Institute of Political
    Sciences and International Relations with the Romanian Academy. This is a
    record-high number of union supporters, over 10 times higher than in 2010. According
    to the same poll, which focused on citizens’ perception of the relations
    between Moldova and Romania, over 62% of the people with dual citizenship would
    vote for the union. However, in the case of new tensions similar to the one in
    Ukraine, more people would back a military alliance with Russia (22.5%) than
    with Romania (12.5%).




    POLITICS The Prosecutor General’s Office announced on Tuesday that a criminal
    investigation was initiated with respect to an incident in Parliament, where
    the Romanian energy minister Virgil Popescu was assaulted by the co-president
    of the nationalist opposition party AUR, George Simion. Popescu had previously filed
    a criminal complaint against Simion. While attending a Chamber of Deputies
    meeting on Monday, the Liberal minister Virgil Popescu was insulted and
    assaulted by Simion. The meeting was suspended, and subsequently resumed with only
    the opposition MPs from AUR and USR in attendance.


    POLLUTION Romanian authorities have today launched 2 programmes, RABLA Clasic and
    RABLA Plus 2022, with a combined budget of around 240 million euros. Under the
    2 programmes, the Government provides subsidies for scrapping old and heavily
    polluting motor vehicles. The same rules apply as in previous years, but
    novelties have also been introduced. One of them is the option of using 2
    vouchers obtained through scrapping used vehicles for the purchase of a hybrid
    or electric vehicle.


    UKRAINE The president of France Emmanuel Macron discussed with the Russian
    leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday about the need for dialogue in the
    context of the Ukraine standoff. At the end of the meeting, Emmanuel Macron said
    all parties should behave responsibly in this crisis. He pleaded for
    maintaining the current system of agreements concerning European security, and
    suggested that a system of concrete security guarantees be put together for all
    stakeholders. In turn, Putin said a number of ideas and proposals put forth by
    the French president may pave the way for the de-escalation of the current
    crisis over Ukraine. Vladimir Putin also added that Russia and France have
    shared concerns regarding security in Europe. Today the French president meets
    his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, in the first official
    visit of a French president to that country in 24 years. Macron has repeatedly
    discussed the need to deescalate tensions and to find diplomatic solutions to
    the situation in the east of Europe, and emphasised that finding a political
    way out of the standoff was his priority. Meanwhile in Washington, following
    talks at the White House with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, US president
    Joe Biden said diplomacy remains the best way to settle the Ukraine crisis. He warned
    however that the US and NATO will be prepared in case Russia attacks Ukraine. (tr. A.M.P.)

  • January 26, 2022

    January 26, 2022

    OECD — The decision of the Council of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to open accession negotiations with Romania is an opportunity to initiate new reforms in favour of the citizens and to bring the society in line with the consolidated democracies, PM Nicolae Ciuca said on Wednesday at the meeting of the OECD Inter-ministerial Committee. The role of the latter is to coordinate negotiations for Romania’s accession to the OECD. Today’s meeting is the signal we give as regards our seriousness in the way we approach preparations of our OECD accession, to be in line with the developed countries which hold more than 70% of the global production and trade and 90% of the global direct foreign investment, PM Ciuca explained. The OECD Council has decided to open accession discussions with six candidates to the membership, namely Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru and Romania, following careful deliberation by OECD members and the progress made by the six countries since their first applied for membership. The OECD will now start to prepare a roadmap for the accession of Romania, provided that the country confirms the adherence to the values, vision and priorities of the international organization.



    CORONAVIRUS — More than 34,000 new infections with the Covid-19 virus have been reported in the last 24 hours in Romania, along with 94 deaths, the Group for Strategic Communication has announced today. It is an absolute record number of infections since the onset of the pandemic in Romania. The number of new cases at national level has doubled since yesterday. There are currently around 700 patients in intensive care units. Also today the anti-Covid vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 has started in Romania, but the interest in it is low, just like in the case of other age groups. Only 3,300 children have been scheduled for vaccination on the online platform so far, and little over 3,000 people have received the first dose in the last 24 hours.



    DEFENSE — The situation in Ukraine will be discussed later today in Bucharest, at a meeting of Romania’s Higher Defence Council summoned by President Klaus Iohannis. According to the Presidential Administration, the security situation in the enlarged Black Sea area and on NATO’s eastern flank and measures regarding the response and deterrence capacity to the new challenges are on the meeting’s agenda.



    UKRAINE — The crisis in Ukraine is the Western countries’ focus of attention. Political experts in Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France will hold talks in Paris, in the context of mounting tensions triggered by fears that Moscow could invade Ukraine. In Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have warned that a potential aggression against Ukraine will generate a firm response from NATO and the EU. In Washington, President Joe Biden said there will be “serious economic consequences” for Putin if he does invade Ukraine, saying he would personally sanction the Russian leader. Biden also said that if Putin orders those over 100 thousand Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine to invade the country, this would be the largest military operation of its kind since World War II. The White House leader also said more American troops could be deployed on NATO’s eastern flank. The Alliance has 4,000 troops and military equipment in a number of multinational battalions in Poland and the Baltic states.



    ELECTION — Parties have failed to agree on a common candidate in the first two rounds of voting in Italys presidential election. A two-thirds majority is required to win the election during the first three rounds. A third round of voting is set for today but it is unlikely that it will yield a conclusion. However, the current PM, Mario Draghi, is believed to stand most chances to be the next president. The election was triggered by Outgoing President Sergio Mattarella coming to the end of a seven-year mandate. (EE)

  • Migrant pressure on the EU

    Migrant pressure on the EU

    As relations between Minsk and the EU deteriorate and Belarus’s
    president Aleksandr Lukashenko strengthens his aggressive rhetoric, the refugee
    crisis at the Union’s eastern border risks turning into a humanitarian disaster.


    This is precisely why, at the request of France,
    Ireland and Estonia, the Security Council decided to convene to look for solutions
    for the thousands of people who are trying to get to Western Europe but are
    kept in inhumane conditions at the border.


    For several months now, Belarus has been encouraging
    Middle East migrants to cross its territory on their way to the EU via Poland
    and the Baltic states, and the crisis has been deepening these past few days, when
    thousands of refugees crowded at the border and tried to cross into Poland
    illegally.


    Poland has deployed troops on the border to push back
    the migrants, and informed its NATO allies of the crisis. The North-Atlantic
    Alliance is monitoring the situation and promises to safeguard the security of
    its members, including Lithuania and Latvia, who are also facing migrant
    pressure from Belarus.


    In fact, this is not the first time that the three EU
    member states see migratory waves, mostly Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan nationals trying
    to get illegally into Germany. The EU has repeatedly accused Belarus of pushing
    these migrants into European territory in retaliation to the sanctions
    triggered by Alexandr Lukashenko’s election fraud last year and by the brutal
    crackdown on the post-election protests.


    To add to the complications, Russia, a supporter of
    the Lukashenko regime, has deployed 2 nuclear-capable bombers to fly over
    Belarus. Media agencies note that a growing number of EU voices blame the
    crisis on Russia’s president Vladimir Putin, but Kremlin dismissed the
    allegations as unacceptable. President Putin, contacted on the phone by the
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel in order to put an end to the crisis, suggested
    direct talks between the EU and Minsk, to discuss the issue.


    The EU border is the scene of a brutal hybrid attack with
    Belarus cynically and shockingly using the desperation of migrants as a weapon,
    said the president of the European Council, Charles Michel. The situation on
    the border between Belarus and Poland is not a migrant crisis, but an attempt
    by Minsk to destabilise its neighbours, the EC president Ursula von der Leyen
    said in her turn, warning that the Union would extend its sanctions against
    individuals and entities in Belarus. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • June 17, 2021

    June 17, 2021

    PRESIDENCY The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis carries on his official visit to Estonia. Today he has meetings scheduled with PM Kaja Kallas and with the Estonian parliament speaker Jüri Ratas. The Romanian president will also lay flowers at the Independence War Memorial and will visit the Tallin City Hall, the e-Estonia Centre and the Unicorn Squad robotics school. On Wednesday Klaus Iohannis had talks with his counterpart Kersti Kaljulaid. After the talks, Iohannis announced having invited Estonia to take part in the Euro-Atlantic Centre for Resilience in Bucharest. Romania and Estonia share views and interests at EU level, which facilitates the close cooperation between our countries in relation to the current agenda and future priorities of the EU, Iohannis said. He also added that the talks tackled means to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the digital sector, in cyber security and AI, given Estonia’s experience in the field and the fact that Romania is hosting the EU’s new cyber centre.



    COVID-19 Romanian authorities announced on Wednesday 104 new SARS-CoV-2 cases for the past 24 hours, out of over 30,000 tests. Close to 1,000 people are hospitalised, with 192 patients currently in intensive care. Another 71 COVID-related deaths have also been reported, but only 18 of them occurred in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the vaccine roll-out continues, although the pace is considerably slower than in previous months. As many as 4.6 million Romanians have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and over 4.2 million of them have received both doses. A new batch of 48,000 doses of Johnson&Johnson vaccine reaches the country today.



    COLECTIV The Bucharest Court of Appeals set the next hearing in the Colectiv trial on September 22. Earlier this week, the case was split, but judges reconsidered the decision and re-joined the proceedings. This autumn, 3 judges will decide whether to change the charges against some of the defendants, including the former Bucharest sector 4 mayor, from abuse of office to criminal negligence. The December 2019 ruling of the court of first instance in this case has been appealed. The original sentences ranged between 8 and 12 years behind bars and damages of over 50 million euros for the victims of the fire in the Colectiv nightclub. The fire of 30 October 2015, which killed 64 people and injured another 200, led to street protests, the resignation of the PM and of the Sector 4 mayor.



    TALKS The US president Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had talks in Geneva on Wednesday, in a 4-hour summit. The US-Russia relation must be stable and predictable, president Biden said in a separate press conference after the summit. In turn, the Russian president agreed with Biden to begin talks on strategic stability. The 2 presidents jointly committed to the principle that a nuclear war cannot have winners and must never be started. The same principle had been agreed by the USSR and US leaders in a 1985 meeting in Geneva.



    EU The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, is on a diplomatic tour which covers today Denmark and Greece, for talks on these countries plans for spending the EU funds for post-COVID-19 recovery. On Wednesday the Commission approved the first national reform and investment plans, submitted by Portugal and Spain. On Friday the EU official will travel to Luxembourg.



    ECONOMY Bucharest approved a memorandum allowing the sale of Romanias stake in the Krivoi Rog steel works in Ukraine, started in the ‘80s by several Eastern European socialist countries. Romanias contribution at the time was around 1 billion US dollars, but the project was halted after the collapse of the communist system and the plant is now in ruins. The only participants left in the project are Ukraine, Romania and Slovakia, and Romania pays around 1 million euros per year for conservation and security.



    FOOTBALL Bucharest is hosting tonight another EURO 2020 football match, pitting Ukraine against North Macedonia in Group C. Also today, in Group B, Denmark takes on Belgium, and in Group C the Netherlands plays against Austria. Italy is the first team to qualify in the eight-finals, after defeating Switzerland 3-0, in Rome, in Group A. In the other match of the group, Wales beat Turkey 2-0 in Baku. Also on Wednesday, Finland was defeated by Russia 0-1, in St Petersburg, in Group E. It is for the first time ever that Bucharest hosts European championship final tournament matches, and also for the first time that 2 Romanian referee teams are taking part. However, the national team performed poorly in the qualifiers and failed to take part in this years European competition. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • June 16, 2021 UPDATE

    June 16, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 Romanian authorities announced on Wednesday 104 new SARS-CoV-2 cases for the past 24 hours, out of over 30,000 tests. Close to 1,000 people are hospitalised, with 192 patients currently in intensive care. Another 71 COVID-related deaths have also been reported, but only 18 of them occurred in the past 24 hours. Given the declining trend in the pandemic, the authorities are considering a return to normal activity in a growing number of hospitals. Meanwhile, the vaccine roll-out continues, although the pace is considerably slower than in previous months. Over the past 24 hours around 32,000 doses have been given, accounting for around one-third of the figures in peak periods. As many as 4.6 million Romanians have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and over 4.2 million of them have received both doses.



    VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis
    Wednesday began a 2-day official visit to Estonia. He had a meeting in Tallin
    with his counterpart Kersti Kaljulaid, and will also have talks with PM Kaja
    Kallas and with the Estonian Parliament speaker Jüri Ratas. After the talks,
    the Romanian official announced having invited Estonia to take part in the
    Euro-Atlantic Centre for Resilience in Bucharest. Romania and Estonia share
    views and interests at EU level, which facilitates the close cooperation
    between our countries in relation to the current agenda and future priorities
    of the EU, Iohannis said. He also added that the talks tackled means to
    strengthen bilateral cooperation in the digital sector, in cyber security and
    AI, given Estonia’s experience in the field and the fact that Romania is
    hosting the EU’s new cyber centre. Kersti
    Kaljulaid said Estonia is very open to working with Romania in the digital
    sector.



    OMBUDSMAN Romanian MPs have endorsed the dismissal of Renate Weber as Ombudsman. She was appointed to office 2 years ago, when the Social Democrats were in power. The current right-of-centre parliamentary majority Tuesday rejected the institutions annual reports for the past 3 years. Renate Weber has been criticised for exceeding her powers, which resulted in breaches of the Constitution and of the legislation regulating the activity of the institution. The Social Democratic Party in opposition say they are considering taking the matter to the Constitutional Court, because in their view the Ombudsman has not broken the Constitution.



    TALKS The US president Joe Biden and his Russian
    counterpart Vladimir Putin had talks in Geneva on Wednesday, at a time of tense
    relations between the two countries. The meeting took under 4 hours, less than
    expected. The US-Russia
    relation must be stable and predictable, president Biden said in a separate
    press conference after the summit. He added he made it clear that his agenda
    was not against Russia, but that the US will continue to raise human rights issues.
    According to Biden, the last thing Putin wants now is a cold war. In turn, the
    Russian president described the meeting as constructive, with no hostility, and proved the 2 leaders’ desire
    to understand each other. Putin also said Russia and the US share
    a responsibility for nuclear stability and willhold
    talks on possible changes to their recently extended New START arms limitation
    treaty. News
    agencies also report that diplomats recalled earlier this year will return to
    post.



    MILITARY The Parliament of Romania approved the participation of Romanian troops and military equipment in the Takuba Task Force in Sahel, led by France. Romania will contribute 50 troops beginning the last quarter of this year, and the funds required for the participation will be supplied by the National Defence Ministry. In March 2020, a group of 13 countries announced the set-up of the Takuba Task Force designed to fight terrorist groups in the Liptako region in Africa.



    FOOTBALL According to the draw in Switzerland for the second preliminary round of the new football competition Europa Conference League, Romanias vice-champions FCSB will play against Shahtior Karaganda (Kazakhstan), while Romanian Cup winner Universitatea Craiova will take on the winner of the match pitting Lach (Albania) against FK Podgorica (Montenegro), in the first preliminary round. Another Romanian team, Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe, will play against the winner of the match between Spartak Trnava (Slovakia) and Mosta (Malta). Romanian champions CFR Cluj, in case they lose to Borac Banja Luka in the ChampionsLeague first preliminary round, will have to play in the second preliminary round of the Europa Conference League against the loser in the match pitting Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania) against Linfield Belfast (Northern Ireland). (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • May 25, 2021 UPDATE

    May 25, 2021 UPDATE

    US-RUSSIA US president Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin
    are to meet in Geneva on June 16th, the White House announced on
    Tuesday. ‘The leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues as we seek
    to restore predictability and stability to the US-Russia relationship’, the
    White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki has said. This is going to be the first
    meeting between the two leaders since Joe Biden’s coming to power and will be
    taking place amid serious tensions between the two states. The meeting also comes
    after the G7 and NATO summits which are expected to have a joint anti-Moscow position.






    MEETING The Senate and the
    Chamber of Deputies are to convene in Bucharest on Wednesday for talks over the
    National Plan of Resilience and Recovery, Ludovic Orban, the president of the
    Chamber of deputies announced on Tuesday. The main opposition party PSD
    insisted the government present the plan before Parliament otherwise the Social
    democrats may not endorse a European treaty under which the member states are
    to pay higher contributions to the EU budget. Romania has pledged to present
    the plan to Brussels by the end of May, one month after the date required by
    the European Commission.






    CAMPAIGN Romania’s Prime Minister Florin Citu on
    Thursday announced the government would launch a pro-vaccine media campaign.
    Citu says that his role as head of the Executive is to lead a louder campaign
    than the anti-vaccine voices promoted by a couple of TV channels. The Prime
    Minister has given assurances that non-vaccinated people are not going to be
    discriminated against. According to the RO Vaccination platform, since the
    vaccine rollout kicked off in Romania in late December 2020, 25.93% of the
    eligible population, 16 years old and over, more than 4,170,000 people have got
    at least one dose of the anti-Covid vaccine. According to the same sources, 20.69%
    of the eligible population, accounting for 3,330,000 people, has also got the booster.
    On the other hand, the number of Covid infections is on a downward trend. 381
    new infections were reported on Tuesday out of 32 thousand tests conducted in
    the past 24 hours. 63 new fatalities have been reported bringing the death toll
    to 30,040. 545 patients are being treated in IC units.






    AGREEMENT
    The EU leaders meeting in Brussels have agreed to seal off the bloc’s airspace
    to Belarusian planes as part of sanctions against the regime of president
    Alexander Lukashenko, accused to deviating a Ryanair passenger plane flying
    from Athens to Vilnius to arrest dissident
    journalist Roman Protasevich.
    The 27 EU leaders also asked airlines to avoid flying over Belarus, agreed to
    impose additional sanctions, including of an economic nature, and called for
    the immediate release of the journalist and his partner Sofia Sapega, who is a
    Russian citizen, both of whom were arrested on Sunday. EU leaders also asked
    the International Civil Aviation Organisation to investigate what they
    described as an unprecedented and unacceptable incident and called for the
    expansion as soon as possible of the list of Belarus officials and entities
    targeted by European sanctions. Some 88 persons from Belarus, including
    president Alexander Lukashenko, as well as seven entities are already banned
    from entering the EU and have their assets frozen for repression against the
    opposition and the presidential elections of 2020, which the EU believes were
    rigged.






    (bill)