Radio România Internațional

Tag: repatriation

  • October 5, 2024

    October 5, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    FRANCOPHONIE – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, continues today his visit to France, where he takes part in the Francophonie Summit. The 19th High Level Conference of the Heads of State or Government of the 88 Full Member States, Associate Members and Observers of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) is held under the motto “Create, innovate and do business in French”  (‘Creer, innover, entreprendre en francais’). The participation of the Romanian president in the Francophonie Summit is an opportunity to highlight Romania’s contribution to the global effort to transform and adapt multilateralism, and the role of the OIF, in a context marked by major challenges to the rule-based international order, the Presidential Administration said.

     

    CHISINAU – Just a few weeks before the presidential elections and the referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu promised, on Friday, in Chisinau, the continuation of his country’s support for Moldova. After being received by President Maia Sandu, who, according to opinion polls, has the first chance to win another mandate as head of state, Ciolacu said that in order to maintain the Republic of Moldova on the European path, it is important that Maia Sandu is reelected and that the referendum on the EU is successful. The Romanian Prime Minister also said that joint projects and investments will continue in the upcoming period.

     

    CONFLICT – Hezbollah armed group said Saturday its fighters were confronting Israeli troops in Lebanon’s southern border region, France Presse reports. At the same time, a series of explosions were heard in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Israeli military previously issued evacuation orders for certain areas. There have been a series of recent strikes on senior figures within the Islamist group, and Israel is considering how to respond to Tuesday’s ballistic missile attack, which Iran carried out in response to Israeli military action in Lebanon. The price of oil went up given the possibility of an attack on Iranian oil facilities. The escalation in Lebanon comes nearly a year after Hezbollah opened a front against Israel at the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, followed by months of fighting that displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned that his allies, mainly Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas, will continue the fight against Israel.

     

    COMISSION – The European Commission has decided to overtax Chinese electric cars by up to 35% starting next month. 10 member states voted in favor and five against. Romania is among the 12 states that abstained. France and Italy voted for this measure, and Germany, the main European car manufacturer, was the strongest opponent. The Commission’s decision is based on the conclusions of an investigation launched a year ago. Beijing supports its own industry in such a way that the price of Chinese electric cars is much lower than the European ones, and thus the competition is partly eliminated. Beijing reacted immediately, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU urges the bloc to act cautiously and postpone the application of tariffs. China sees the introduction of this the tariff as protectionist measure and warns that this attitude could lead to the degradation of trade relations between the two partied. Official estimates are that Chinese cars could reach a 15% share of the EU’s new electric car market by 2025, their prices being 20% smaller, on average, than the Europe-made models.

     

    REPATRIATION – 74 people in vulnerable situation, Romanian citizens and first degree family members, mostly women, children and medical cases were repatriated, Friday evening, from Lebanon, being transported to Romania on board an aircraft of the Romanian Air Force. Previously, the aircraft took off for Beirut with approximately 10 tons of food products from the state reserves on board. The mission was carried out at the request of the Department for Emergency Situations, and the aid was sent by Romania free of charge, in the context of the sharp deterioration of the security situation in the Middle East. On Thursday, another 69 Romanian citizens and first degree family members, mostly women, children and medical cases, were repatriated from Lebanon.

     

    TENNIS – The Romanian pair Monica Niculescu/Gabriela Ruse has today qualified for the doubles final of the WTA tennis tournament in Hong Kong, after winning 6-2, 6-7, 10-4 against the pair Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway )/Fang-Hsien Wu (Taiwan). After this success, Niculescu and Ruse could play in the same formula for Romania at the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup. In the final of the Hong Kong tournament, the two Romanians will be up against Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya of Japan.

     

  • Parliament passes tougher legislation

    Parliament passes tougher legislation

     

    The bill introducing tougher penalties for driving under the influence has been passed by the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest, the decision-making body in this respect. The document also bans the postponement of prison sentences for manslaughter in DUI cases.

     

    Once the new legislation takes effect, apart from the sentence drivers caught in traffic under the influence of alcohol or other psychoactive substances will also be banned from driving vehicles for a period of up to 10 years, as opposed to up to 5 years at present, explains the Social Democratic Senator Robert Cazanciuc, who tabled the bill.

     

    The penalty will only apply for motorists caught driving with blood alcohol content of over 0.08, which is the level above which such infringements are treated as criminal offences. Moreover, when DUI traffic accidents kill people, the penalty will range between 15 and 25 years behind bars. Under the same law, drivers caught in possession of banned substances will no longer receive fines, but prison sentences.

     

    The document amends the Anastasia Act, which took effect last year, and which introduces prison sentences without suspension for DUI-manslaughter. The law was named after Anastasia, a 4-year old girl killed in 2022 by a driver without a license. The list of high-risk drugs has also been updated to include 6 new synthetic substances.

     

    Meanwhile, the Chamber of Deputies has also passed a law forcing fugitives that attempt to escape prosecution or prison to cover the judicial costs of their repatriation, more specifically, the expenses incurred by the government for their extradition.

     

    According to the justice minister Alina Gorghiu, the costs for each person brought back to Romania to serve their sentences may reach as much as EUR 25,000, currently covered by the government, and the number of fugitives rises from one year to the next.

     

    The law applies for persons subject to European arrest warrants and to those who have left the European Union and with respect to whom extradition procedures are in place.

     

    The former mayor general of Bucharest, Sorin Oprescu, the former chief of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences Alina Bica, the son of the Professional Football League president Mario Iorgulescu and prince Paul Philippe (grandson of the Romanian King Carol II) are just a few examples of high-profile fugitives who left Romania for countries like Italy and Greece after being sentenced in the country.

     

    Romania has been struggling for years to bring some of them back to the country, but without success. (AMP)

  • April 18, 2024 UPDATE

    April 18, 2024 UPDATE

    REPATRIATION A group made up of 20 children and two teachers who were blocked by the latest heavy rainfalls in Dubai are to be repatriated on Friday on board of the plane, which also carried Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to the region. We recall that a Romanian delegation headed by Ciolacu is presently visiting the region. Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, says that the Romanian Foreign Ministry is making efforts to repatriate all the Romanians affected by the storms and flooding affecting the Emirates. According to her, a group of compatriots have already been brought to Romania, whereas a second one is still in Dubai but is keeping in touch both with the ministry’s representatives and with the air carrier. Referring to the situation of the group of children, members of a traditional music ensemble, the head of the Romanian diplomacy says they have been brought to Adbu Dhabi with support from Romania’s General Consulate and will leave for Bucharest tomorrow.

     

    SCHENGEN The European Commissioner for Home Affairs Yilva Johansson has voiced hope that a certain date will be set this year for Romania and Bulgaria’s fully-fledged accession to the Schengen zone as proposed by the European Commission. While in Bulgarian capital Sofia, the EU official held talks with both the Bulgarian Interior Minister, Kalin Stoyanov, and the Romanian one, Catalin Predoiu. In late March, Romania and Bulgaria joined Europe’s border-free area only with their air and maritime borders. Controls are still being carried out at the land borders.

     

    ABU DHABI The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is paying a working visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday and Friday. An important objective of this visit is the consolidation of the economic component, with an emphasis on attracting Emirati investments. The Prime Minister is to meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with other senior Emirati officials, with representatives of relevant companies in the United Arab Emirates, as well as with members of the Romanian community there. The agenda of the visit also includes a plenary meeting of the delegations, during which there will be an exchange of bilateral documents in areas of common interest. The PM Ciolacu stated that he wanted to strengthen cooperation relations with the United Arab Emirates, from a political and economic perspective. ‘Romania continues to attract Emirati investors in the air infrastructure, the modernization and expansion of Otopeni Airport being a viable project of our collaboration’, said Marcel Ciolacu. He added that projects in the fields of digitization, energy and agriculture also correspond to Romania’s interests. In the first part of his tour in the Persian Gulf area, Marcel Ciolacu had discussions, on Wednesday, in Qatar, on economic topics. He stated that he wanted Romania to become the entry gate of this state’s investments in the European Union.

     

     

    SUMMIT President Klaus Iohannis said that he wanted to solve as quickly as possible the problems that the Romanian citizens still have at the airports of some European countries, despite the fact that Romania entered Schengen with air borders. The statement was made before the European summit in Brussels, where a report requested by the Council mentions the need for the total integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area, as a measure that will boost the single market. The Council’s agenda includes the situation in Ukraine, a country that needs more military aid and is facing problems in the energy infrastructure, following the Russian bombings. The European leaders will also discuss the tense situation in the Middle East, generated by the crisis in Gaza and the tensions between Israel and Iran.

    (bill)

     

  • March 22, 2024 UPDATE

    March 22, 2024 UPDATE

     

    EUROPEAN COUNCIL Brussels hosted a European Council meeting on Thursday and Friday, in which Romania was represented by president Klaus Iohannis, who also attended the Euro Summit on Friday. He stated that Ukraine must remain a priority on the EU agenda, and welcomed the agreement on the support to be provided to this country. Mr. Iohannis reiterated that Romania remains one of Ukraine’s steadfast supporters and will continue to provide assistance particularly in the humanitarian and military areas, and in terms of grain transport. The Romanian official also highlighted the importance of continued European support for the Republic of Moldova, which is facing unprecedented hybrid threats from the Russian Federation during its pre-election period. The European Commission Friday proposed the introduction of tariffs for grain imports from Russia and Belarus, in a move to prevent Moscow and Minsk from distorting the markets. According to the Commission, the tariffs are also designed to contain Russia’s capacity to finance its war in Ukraine and to reduce Russia’s sales of grains stolen from Ukraine. EU leaders unanimously adopted a critical statement concerning Israel, calling for an immediate humanitarian pause and for full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the Gaza Strip via all routes. The European Council also urged Israel to refrain from carrying out a ground operation in Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are seeking safety.

    MOLDOVA The Parliament of Moldova has adopted a Declaration voicing confidence that the EU accession is the only way to secure its future as a sovereign, neutral, democratic and undivided state. Moldovan MPs call on the entire society to prove unity and solidarity in order to strengthen political and social dialogue in the name of the national interest and of this strategic goal-the EU accession. The document also emphasises that for decades the European Union has been a “reliable partner” for Chisinau, “selflessly” providing the country with logistic and financial support for solving its many domestic problems. In December 2023, the European Council decided the initiation of accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova.

    FUGITIVES Sentenced offenders having left the country will have to cover the costs of their repatriation, under a draft order passed by the government and submitted to parliament for approval. The new provisions also apply for defendants under investigation, the justice minister Alina Gorghiu announced. She explained that the new legislation concerns 2 situations: when a fugitive flees from prosecution or trial, and when an offender having received a final sentence tries to avoid serving the sentence. The justice minister emphasised that last year the Romanian state spent some EUR 2 mln to bring 800 convicted fugitives back to the country. A list of famous Romanian fugitives includes the former mayor of Bucharest, Sorin Oprescu, the former head of Romania’s Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences, Alina Bica, the son of the president of the Professional Football League, Mario Iorgulescu, and Paul Philippe of Romania.

    CLIMATE Climate change is an undeniable fact, which requires immediate measures, the Romanian minister of environment, waters and forestry Mircea Fechet said on Friday at a conference in Bucharest occasioned by World Water Day and World Meteorological Day. The Romanian official also mentioned the conflict near Romania’s borders, which also impacts the environment. “We are not living the easiest of times,” he said, and added that we should take this opportunity to think about what is happening near Romania and about what we have to do. The participants emphasised the importance of efficiently conveying the information provided by weather experts, by hydrologists and climatologists, and the need to manage water resources in a responsible and efficient manner. They also voiced concern with the already visible consequences of climate change.

    ELECTIONS The Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party in the ruling coalition in Romania have validated their candidates on the joint list for the European Parliament elections scheduled for June 9. Originally at the top of a list of 20 eligible positions, the independent candidate Ramona Chiriac, head of the European Commission Representation in Bucharest, has withdrawn her candidacy for personal reasons. Both parties are keeping most of the current MEPs, but new names also appear on the list. From the Social Democrats, the joint list includes, among others, the former Prime Minister Mihai Tudose, the former minister of family and equal opportunities Gabriela Firea, the incumbent state secretary with the Department for Romanians Everywhere Gheorghe Cârciu, and MEPs Dan Nica and Victor Negrescu. Among the Liberal candidates for the European Parliament are Adina Vălean, the current EU transport commissioner, Virgil Popescu, the former minister of energy, and the MEPs Rareş Bogdan, Siegfried Mureşan, Dan Motreanu, Gheorghe Falcă, and Daniel Buda. The list will be finalised next week. (AMP)

  • November 15, 2023 UPDATE

    November 15, 2023 UPDATE

    ECONOMY Romania will
    see its economic growth slowing down because of the high inflation, according
    to the European Commission’s autumn economic forecast. Romania’s GDP growth has
    been adjusted to 2.2%, as against 4.6% last year, because of an inflation rate
    above the EU average, of the low foreign demand and limited financing options. The
    inflation rate is expected to drop in the next 2 years, restoring the overall economic
    balance. In spite of the moderate economic growth at year end, the labour
    market remains stable. However, significant increases in salaries and pensions
    and the slight increase in governmental spending support a general rise in
    private consumption, although retail and services are on a downward trend and
    the industrial output is decreasing. On the other hand, tighter monetary policy
    and financing conditions have led to a significant slow-down in private sector
    loans, with a negative impact on investments. Romania’s real GDP growth rate is
    expected to reach 3.1% in 2024 and 3.4% in 2025, while the public deficit is
    predicted to stand at 6.3% of GDP this year, 5.3% in 2024 and 5.1% in 2025, as
    a result of the fiscal consolidation measures to be implemented as of January.


    PENSIONS The new pensions law drafted by the government will next
    Monday be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making
    body for this piece of legislation, having already been passed by the Senate on
    Tuesday. The parliamentary majority formed by the Social Democrats and the
    Liberals says the law eliminates the inequalities in the system, while the
    opposition condemns the lack of funding sources to sustain the considerable
    pensions increases planned for next year. The new pensions law favours current
    pensioners and penalises those who are still working, the head of the National
    Trade Union Bloc Dumitru Costin said on Wednesday, after analysing the document.
    Costin also warns that the financial impact will be huge, and the extent to
    which it can be covered is unknown.


    PRESIDENT The
    president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Tuesday began his African tour with an
    official visit to Kenya. The tour, which also includes Tanzania, the Republic
    of Cabo Verde and Senegal, is the first political and diplomatic initiative at
    this level in the past 30 years, and aims to re-launch Romania’s relations with
    the countries on the African continent. At a joint press conference on Tuesday,
    president Iohannis emphasised the need for Romania to have its own medium and
    long term strategy for Africa based on concrete collaboration at government
    level, while Kenya’s president William Ruto spoke about the effects of the war
    in Ukraine for the African continent. Four agreements were signed in the fields
    of environmental protection and climate change, scientific cooperation, food
    safety and diplomatic training. On Wednesday, president Iohannis had a meeting
    with Kenya’s secretary for tourism and wildlife, Alfred Nganga Mutua, as part
    of a visit to the Nairobi National Park.


    REPATRIATION The
    foreign ministry in Bucharest said another 17 Romanian nationals and family
    members left the Gaza Strip via the Rafah checkpoint and are on Egyptian territory, waiting to be
    repatriated. The foreign ministry noted the evacuation was the result of
    complex efforts from an inter-institutional crisis cell, the Romanian embassy
    in Cairo and Romania’s Representation in Ramallah. 220 Romanian citizens and
    family members who have been evacuated from Gaza have arrived in Romania.


    AGEING Romania is one of the top 10 countries in the world in terms
    of population ageing rate, which is likely to put tremendous pressure on the
    country’s entire economic system, particularly on its healthcare and pension systems.
    The statement was made on Wednesday at the opening of a specialised congress in
    Bucharest. Sociological research indicates that 55% of the elderly people in
    Romania feel lonely, more than 30% of them only interact with 3-4 people every
    month, and 3 in 10 elderly people have no one to rely on in if necessary.



    MILITARY
    The Romanian Army Wednesday tested the operation of the Patriot surface-to-air missile
    system acquired by the Romanian Air Forces in 2020. The test was part of the PATRIOT
    SPARK 23 tactical exercise held these days at the Capu Midia shooting range in
    the south-east of the country. The Patriot system purchased by Romania is a
    state-of-the-art one, able to identify, track and neutralise any type of air
    threat. Attending the event were the PM Marcel Ciolacu, the Senate Speaker and
    former PM Nicolae Ciucă, and the defence minister Angel Tîlvăr. The Romanian
    Air Forces have so far acquired 3 other Patriot systems, which will be
    operational by the end of next year. Another 3 systems will be delivered to
    Romania under a USD 4 bln agreement. (AMP)

  • The Week in Review

    The Week in Review

    Repatriations of Romanians from Gaza continue



    Romania will continue the dialogue with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities for the evacuation of the Romanian citizens and their family members in the Gaza Strip, depending on the developments on the ground and the agreement of the parties involved, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced. Moreover, a consular team will remain available in the area of ​​the Rafah border-crossing to Egypt to provide further assistance. The first group of almost one hundred Romanian citizens and their family members were evacuated from the Gaza Strip and transported to Romania from Cairo with a TAROM aircraft. There are also other groups of Romanians who requested permission from the Israeli and Egyptian authorities to transit the border crossing point to Egypt. On board the first aircraft were the PM Marcel Ciolacu and the FM Luminiţa Odobescu, who met in Cairo with the evacuated persons. The head of the Romanian diplomacy declared that the security situation is extremely difficult and complex, which requires a permanent updating of the evacuation plans. And Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances that Romanian citizens and family members will continue to be supported by the Romanian Government to reach extended families and integrate into Romanian society.



    Important decisions made by the Romanian Government



    The Romanian government adopted, during Thursday’s meeting, the new pension law, which provides for two increases for 2024. The document also establishes the recalculation of all pensions according to new criteria, so that the inequities in the system should be eliminated. At the end of the government session, the labor minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu said that the pension law is a stable and sustainable law, which will eliminate inequities, and which is based on respect for contributions and work. She expressed confidence that budgetary resources will be found for the implementation of the two expected increases in 2024 and evoked a better collection of revenues and the reduction of tax evasion. The executive wants the pension law to be adopted by Parliament by November 20.



    Klaus Iohannis in Brussels



    The best option is for Romania and Bulgaria to enter the Schengen Area together, and all negotiations and all attempts to convince those who are still reluctant on this issue are converging towards this, President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday in Brussels. The Romanian president talked with the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, and participated in the signing of a memorandum of collaboration in the nuclear field, but the official visit had more stakes. One of them concerned the support for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, all the more so since, on the same day, in Brussels, the European Commission gave the green light to the European Council to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, Belgium will take over the presidency of the EU Council in January and will manage both the agenda and the framework of these negotiations. Thus, the discussion extended from economic aspects to defense aspects, especially since a contingent of the Belgian army is in Romania to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. At the end of his visit to Brussels, Klaus Iohannis was received by His Majesty Philippe, King of Belgium, at the castle in Laeken.



    F-16 aircraft in Romania



    On Tuesday, the Netherlands sent the first five F-16 fighter planes to Romania, to the air base in Feteşti (south), which will be used to train the Ukrainian pilots. The European F-16 Training Center was established there as a result of the collaboration between the Romanian and Dutch defense ministries. Given the current geopolitical context and Romania’s strategic position in the Black Sea region, this center becomes essential for cross-border collaboration, strengthening security and consolidating solidarity within NATO. The Romanian defense ministry reminds that this center will be an international hub for the training of F-16 aircraft pilots and will facilitate the increase of interoperability between allies. Romania thus joins other allied nations in supporting the training of Ukrainian pilots for the future use of F-16 aircraft. The center will contribute to the creation of common operational standards and to strengthening the capacity of the North Atlantic Alliance to face the complex challenges in the Black Sea region and in Eastern Europe.



    The first Romanian judge at the International Court of Justice



    Romanias former foreign minister, the current presidential adviser Bogdan Aurescu was voted, on Thursday, a judge at the International Court of Justice, thus becoming the first Romanian to occupy this position. This represents a victory of the Romanian diplomacy, says the Romanian Foreign Ministry, pointing out that Romania promotes a foreign policy based on respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, as well as for international law. In a congratulatory message, President Klaus Iohannis writes that this is a success of Romanian diplomacy, which reflects our firm commitment to the international order based on rules. The judges of the International Court of Justice are elected for nine years by the General Assembly and the UN Security Council, from a wider list of candidates. (LS)


  • October 16, 2023 UPDATE

    October 16, 2023 UPDATE

    Pensions – In Bucharest, the draft law on special pensions, granted to magistrates and other public system employees, was adopted on Monday by the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this case. The document had previously been approved by the Senate plenum, as the first chamber notified, with the changes requested by the Constitutional Court – CCR. Compared to the form that passed the Senate, no substantive amendments were introduced. Thus, the taxation thresholds of up to 20% for the non-contributory part were kept, as well as the annual increase, by four months, of the retirement age up to 60 years. The law provides, among other things, that magistrates will have a pension of 80% of the average gross monthly allowances and increments collected in the last four years of activity. The plenum of the Chamber of Deputies adopted only proposals related to the legislative technique and rejected all the amendments proposed by the opposition Save Romania Union – USR and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR. The USR leader, Cătălin Drula, said that this law actually maintains special pensions, and the Liberal Party deputy, Florin Roman, stated that the adoption of the oppositions amendments would have made the law unconstitutional. The Social Democratic Party – PSD claims that the law respects both the decisions of the CCR and the requests of the European Commission, while AUR considers the new form unacceptable, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR condemns the non-compliance with the contribution principle.



    Meeting – The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, called an extraordinary online meeting of all heads of state or government in the European Union for Tuesday, in the context of the Middle East situation. In a statement published on Monday, Charles Michel once again condemned the actions of Hamas, which he considers terrorist, and demands the immediate release of the hostages. The head of the European Council said that Israel has the right to defend itself, within the limits of international law and respecting humanitarian principles. He believes that this conflict can create tensions including on the European continent and can amplify extremism in the European Union. The extraordinary council meeting, he added, will address the issue from the point of view of ensuring assistance to the affected civilians, the impact of civilian migration to the states in the area and avoiding the escalation of the conflict by involving all regional actors. Charles Michel believes that the solution is peace based on the existence of two states: Israel and Palestine.



    Repatriation — The Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that the Romanian authorities are in contact with almost every Romanian citizen in the Gaza Strip. He says that, at present, there are no reasons for concern about their lives, but everyone hopes that they will arrive in Romania as soon as possible. About 350 Romanians with dual citizenship are supposed to be in the Palestinian enclave, controlled by the terrorist organization Hamas and bombed intensively by the Israeli army.



    Israel – The Israeli army asked Palestinian civilians in the northern Gaza Strip again, on Monday, to move to the south of the territory. It is estimated that one million people have already left their homes in the northern area controlled by the terrorist movement Hamas. The situation of these people is very difficult, humanitarian agencies point out, and they are asking for the sending of strictly necessary aid to the Gaza Strip The Israeli army announced that the number of people abducted by Hamas and taken to the Gaza Strip is 199. The bombing continued on both sides. On the northern border of Israel, following the frequent fire exchanges with the Hezbollah organization, a measure was taken to evacuate 28 Israeli towns in the immediate vicinity of the border with Lebanon and a 2 km wide strip was established which was declared a closed military area.



    Football – The Romanian national football team became the leader of the EURO 2024 Qualifying Group I after defeating Andorra, 4-0, on Sunday evening, in Bucharest. The Romanian footballers achieved their clearest victory of this qualifying campaign. In another match from Group I, Switzerland drew the match with Belarus 3-3 at home. We remind you that Israels matches have been postponed. Romania is to play its last games in the group in November, with Israel, away from home, and with Switzerland on home ground. Kosovo is also part of Group I. (LS)

  • October 15, 2023 UPDATE

    October 15, 2023 UPDATE

    Israel – The Israeli army is deployed along the Gaza Strip for a ground offensive in the north of the Strip, an army spokesman announced on Sunday. Israel has consistently urged Gaza inhabitants living in the north of the territory to leave south as quickly as possible, accusing Hamas, which opposes the evacuation, of preventing civilians from leaving. Israel says it is targeting Gaza City to destroy the operations center of the Palestinian Islamist movement, labeled as a terrorist organization by the US and the EU. Over 1,400 people were killed in Israel during the attack launched on October 7 by Hamas commandos, show the latest figures provided by the army on Sunday. The Israeli response to the attack killed over 2,400 people in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened, on Sunday, for the first time, the extended emergency cabinet. The meeting, held at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv, began with the ministers holding a moment of silence in memory of the Israelis killed by Hamas on October 7. On the other hand, Israels army blocked the border with Lebanon after pro-Iranian Hezbollah militias, allied with Hamas, attacked an Israeli settlement with rockets, killing one man and wounding three others. On a diplomatic level, the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to Israel on Monday, extending his Middle East tour by one day. On Sunday Antony Blinken had a meeting in Riyadh with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country has suspended talks regarding a possible normalization of relations with Israel.



    MAE — The Romanian Foreign Ministry — MAE announced that, against the backdrop of the deterioration of the security situation in the State of Israel and the Gaza Strip, the Crisis Cell is continuing its ongoing efforts to evacuate, under safe conditions, the Romanian citizens from the Gaza Strip who requested this. There are approximately 200 Romanian citizens in the Gaza Strip who would like to leave the area and have requested the support of the Romanian authorities. The MAE, through the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Romanian Representative Office in Ramallah and the Romanian diplomatic missions in the region, maintains coordination with other states and international organizations that undertake similar measures for their own citizens or officials. On Saturday, 58 Romanian citizens returned from Israel with a private flight. All in all, so far, 2,220 Romanians have been repatriated from Israel. On the other hand, the MAE confirmed the death of two other Romanian-Israeli citizens. The death toll thus rises to four.




    Luxembourg – The Romanian Environment Minister, Mircea Fechet, participates on Monday, in Luxembourg, in the meeting of the Environment Council. According to the data published on the website of the European Council, high on the agenda of the meeting are such issues as the purification of urban waste water and the standards regarding CO2 emissions for new heavy vehicles, among others. The Environment Ministers will try to reach an agreement on a proposal to revise the Directive on the treatment of urban wastewater. The proposal asks member states to draw up plans for large cities to manage urban runoff generated by rainfall.




    Trade – The online sale of goods and services has progressed in Romania and has come to represent 3.17% of the countrys Gross Domestic Product. Thus, Romania dominates the market in Eastern Europe, generating almost 60% of the sales in the region. A turnover of almost 10 billion Euros is estimated for this year. Compared to Central and Eastern Europe, only Poland and the Czech Republic surpass Romania, and, at the level of the continent, the country ranks 12th, the Romanian Association of Online Stores informs on the occasion of the National E-Commerce Day. 94% of Romanian buyers prefer to order online from Romanian stores, while 21% also ordered from foreign websites.



    Handball — Romania’s womens national handball team defeated the Greek team, away from home, score 32-20, on Saturday, in Group 1 of the 2024 European Championship preliminaries. The Romanian players have scored the 2nd outright victory in this stage of the championship, after a score of 49-17 with Bosnia-Herzegovina, at home. In another match, Croatia outperformed Bosnia-Herzegovina, in an away match. Romania takes first place, with 4 points, followed by Croatia, 4 points, Greece, 0 points, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 0 points. The national team will play the next match on February 28, at home, against Croatia. (LS)

  • October 15, 2023

    October 15, 2023

    Israel — The Israeli army announced this morning that residents of the northern part of the Gaza Strip can leave for the south until 13:00 hours local time (10:00 GMT) using a specially designated route, DPA reports. Israel has said that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have already moved to southern Gaza. On the other hand, there have been reports that the terrorist group Hamas is preventing Palestinian civilians from leaving. The large-scale Israeli military operation against the north of the Gaza Strip is imminent, press agencies report. The American publication The New York Times reported that the Israeli ground offensive had to be postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. On October 7, Hamas launched a brutal and large-scale terrorist attack against cities in southern Israel, which triggered a harsh response from the Israeli army, Reuters recalls. The violence has so far resulted in the death of over 1,300 Israelis, most of them civilians, and approximately 2,300 Palestinians. On the other hand, since the beginning of the war, the area of ​​the Israeli-Lebanese border has been the scene of rocket fire between Hezbollah (a Shia organization massively supported by Iran and allied with Hamas) and the Israeli army. Also, there are almost daily attempts to infiltrate some Hamas members into Israel, from Lebanon. On a diplomatic level, the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on a regional tour, had a meeting in Riyadh on Sunday with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose country has suspended talks, regarding a possible normalization of relations with Israel.



    MAE — The Romanian Foreign Ministry — MAE announced that, against the backdrop of the deterioration of the security situation in the State of Israel and the Gaza Strip, the Crisis Cell is continuing its ongoing efforts to evacuate, under safe conditions, the Romanian citizens from the Gaza Strip who requested this. There are approximately 200 Romanian citizens in the Gaza Strip who would like to leave the area and have requested the support of the Romanian authorities. The MAE, through the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Romanian Representative Office in Ramallah and the Romanian diplomatic missions in the region, maintains coordination with other states and international organizations that undertake similar measures for their own citizens or officials. On Saturday, 58 Romanian citizens returned from Israel with a private flight. All in all, so far, 2,220 Romanians have been repatriated from Israel. On the other hand, the MAE confirmed the death of two other Romanian-Israeli citizens. The death toll thus rises to four.



    Handball — Romania’s womens national handball team defeated the Greek team, away from home, score 32-20, on Saturday, in Group 1 of the 2024 European Championship preliminaries. The Romanian players have scored the 2nd outright victory in this stage of the championship, after a score of 49-17 with Bosnia-Herzegovina, at home. In another match, Croatia outperformed Bosnia-Herzegovina, in an away match. Romania takes first place, with 4 points, followed by Croatia, 4 points, Greece, 0 points, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 0 points. The national team will play the next match on February 28, at home, against Croatia.



    Football — Today, the Romanian national football team meets Andorra, in the Euro 2024 Qualifying Group I. The match takes place in Bucharest, and access is only allowed to children under 14, according to a UEFA decision. In the same group, the match Switzerland – Belarus is played. On Thursday, Romania drew 0-0 in Budapest with Belarus and remains on second position in the group, after Switzerland. Israel, whose games were postponed, and Kosovo also belong to the Euro 2024 Qualifying Group I.



    Elections — Poland sees today parliamentary elections, after a campaign of intense disputes, dominated by issues of sovereignty and security, Reuters reports. Participatin in the elections are the right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS), in power since 2015, and a centrist coalition led by the former president of the European Council, Donald Tusk. The Law and Justice Party is trying to get a third mandate, which would be a record in the Polish political environment. Reuters recalls that, since coming to power, this group has repeatedly come into conflict with the EU due to legislative changes that, according to critics, have politicized the judicial system and turned the state media into a propaganda body. The opposition says that the vote could be the last chance to stop what it considers to be Polands departure from the European mainstream and the transition to a semi-authoritarian system. (LS)


  • October 14, 2023 UPDATE

    October 14, 2023 UPDATE

    Tel-Aviv – At 16:00 hours local time (13:00 GMT), the deadline given by the Israeli Defense Forces to Palestinian civilians in the north of the Gaza Strip to leave the area safely has expired. Israel has repeatedly accused the terrorist group Hamas of using civilians as human shields. The Israeli militarys order for more than a million Palestinians to leave the northern enclave is seen as a sign that it is planning a ground offensive. The Israeli army announced on Saturday that its bombing of the Gaza Strip resulted, among other things, in the death of another Hamas leader. The bloody attack launched on October 7 by the terrorist movement resulted in the death of over 1,300 Israelis, mostly civilians, and 3,200 wounded. Over 100 people, Israelis and foreigners, were taken hostage and taken to the Gaza Strip. For their part, the Palestinians announced that more than 2,200 people were killed and 10,000 wounded in the Israeli bombings of Gaza.



    Repatriation — The Romanian Foreign Ministry – MAE confirmed, on Saturday, the death, in the context of the security situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip, of two more people with dual Israeli-Romanian citizenship, residing in Israel. Also, the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv is in dialogue with the Israeli authorities to verify the information regarding the disappearance of a person with dual Israeli-Romanian citizenship. All in all, four Romanians have died in this country since the outbreak of the armed conflict. On the other hand, another 58 Romanian citizens returned to Romania from Israel on Saturday, with a flight operated by a private company, the Foreign Ministry informs. Over 2,200 Romanians returned home after the Hamas attacks on Israel.



    Football – On Sunday, Romania’s national football team meets Andorra, in Group I of the EURO 2024 preliminaries. The match is hosted by Bucharest, and access is only allowed to children under 14, according to a UEFA decision. In the same group, the match Switzerland versus Belarus is played. On Thursday, Romania drew 0-0 in Budapest with Belarus and remains on second place in the group, after Switzerland. Israel, whose games were postponed, and Kosovo are also part of Euro 2024 Qualifying Group I.



    Paris – The Louvre Museum in Paris, the largest museum in the world, closed exceptionally on Saturday at noon for security reasons, in the context in which France raised the threat alert level following the Islamist attack committed on Friday in Arras (northern France), France Press reports. The Louvre Museum received a written message evoking a risk for the museum and for visitors, a spokeswoman for the institution said. France has once again raised the threat alert level which allows the exceptional mobilization of means, after the assassination of a teacher, who was stabbed by a young man in front of a high school from the city of Arras. This act was labeled as “Islamist terrorism” by the French President Emmanuel Macron. The Elysée Palace announced on Saturday the deployment of 7,000 soldiers on the French territory.



    Tourism — Romania will be promoted as a tourist destination for one month, between October 15 and November 15, on the British BBC television station. TV producer Charlie Ottley, known for his documentaries about Romania, such as “Wild Carpathia” and “Flavors of Romania” also collaborated in designing the campaign. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism points out that the purpose of the action is to increase the visibility of Romania as a tourist destination in Europe, with special focus on Great Britain. The ministry also mentions that the BBC is available in almost all countries of the world, the content being accessible in millions of hotel rooms, on planes, cruise ships and mobile devices. (LS)

  • Air bridge for the Romanians in Israel

    Shortly
    after the attack by the Hamas terrorist group on Israel, the Romanian
    authorities stepped in to assist the Romanian nationals in that country who
    were seeking repatriation. As many as 900 Romanian citizens had been
    repatriated by Monday night from Israel, on flights operated by the national
    airline TAROM and by another, private company.


    The
    foreign ministry announced that a consular team from the Romanian Embassy in Tel
    Aviv and the Romanian representative office in Ramallah (West Bank), as well as
    a team from the ministry’s emergency response unit, are still at the Ben Gurion
    Airport to provide assistance to the Romanians there.


    In
    an interview to Radio Romania, the foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu said
    further flights were scheduled to bring back the other Romanian nationals in Israel.
    The number was put at 800, but figures may change as a growing number of
    Romanians announced their presence in the conflict area and requested the
    foreign ministry’s help, either via the Romanian Embassy in Tel Aviv or the
    Consulate General in Haifa.


    Here
    is the foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu with details about the region and
    Romania’s position:


    Luminiţa
    Odobescu: The situation in Israel at the moment is rather serious. As you have
    seen, on October 7 Israel declared war. The Romanian authorities have firmly
    condemned the attacks on the State of Israel, including civilians, including
    hostages. The images are heart-breaking. Romania voiced its solidarity with Israel.
    We have reiterated our support for Israel’s sovereign right to self-defence. We
    would like to take this opportunity as well to send our condolences to the
    families of the victims and quick recovery wishes to the wounded. Romania has
    called for all hostages to be freed as soon as possible and has condemned
    terrorism in all its forms. In fact, the entire international community has
    responded quickly and there have been countless messages of solidarity with Israel.


    Luminiţa
    Odobescu also said the National Association of Travel Agencies and the Romanian
    Patriarchate have been contacted in order to help identify the Romanian
    nationals who were in Israel as tourists or pilgrims.


    As
    for those who are still in Israel or in the region, Luminiţa Odobescu urged
    them on the one hand to contact the foreign ministry, if they haven’t done this
    yet, and on the other hand to observe the instructions of local authorities, because
    the security situation is very serious, and when necessary to leave that
    country. Not least, the ministry urges those who have trips planned to Israel
    to reschedule their travels. (AMP)

  • October 9, 2023 UPDATE

    October 9, 2023 UPDATE

    Visit — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will receive, on Tuesday, at the Cotroceni Palace, his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is paying an official visit to Romania. According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, the visit reconfirms the continuation of Romanias unconditional support for Ukraine, in the context of Russias illegal war against this country, as well as the special nature of the relationship between the two states, its potential and the need to discuss, at the highest level, the projects and themes of common interest. “The in-depth political consultations will allow the analysis of the extensive measures decided and implemented by Romania in support of Ukraine, in order to strengthen them, as well as the discussion of the security situation in the region and at the Black Sea and the steps necessary for its management”, the quoted source also stated. Klaus Iohannis will also focus on “constructive and pragmatic approaches in the priority areas of bilateral cooperation and common interest, especially on the expansion of cross-border connections, the development of economic relations, the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, as well as the full respect of the rights of persons belonging to minorities national”.



    Meeting — Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis ended his four-day state visit to Portugal on Monday, with a meeting with Prime Minister Antonio Costa. Two memoranda of understanding in the fields of energy and investments and trade were signed in the presence of the two dignitaries. Also on Monday, Iohannis received the key to the city of Lisbon, in a ceremony that took place at the Municipal Palace. He stated that the successful development of the Portuguese capital remains a source of real inspiration and that the exchange of good practices is fundamental for development at the national level as well as at the level of regions and cities. Klaus Iohannis said that the exemplary relations between Romania and Portugal are strengthened by dynamic exchanges at the local level and by intense cooperation with the Lisbon City Hall. The Romanian president recalled that emblematic figures of Romanian spirituality and culture lived in this city, in the interwar period, such as ‘Mircea Eliade, a well-known historian of religions, and Lucian Blaga, a great poet and philosopher’.



    Trilateral – PM Marcel Ciolacu said on Monday in Varna, Bulgaria, that during the Romania – Bulgaria – Greece trilateral meeting the 3 countries agreed to implement a joint action plan aimed at significant development in trilateral cooperation in sectors such as transports, energy, trade and security. “In the presence of EC officials, of the Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Bulgarian PM Nikolay Denkov, we have reiterated Romanias ambition of quickly becoming a Schengen member state and an influential economic player in the region,” Marcel Ciolacu said. The Romanian official also added that Romania, in a partnership with Bulgaria and Greece, may have a greater influence in the EU, promoting its central role in the reconstruction of Ukraine and its willingness to see the Republic of Moldova and Western Balkans countries joining the European bloc as soon as possible.



    Tel Aviv — The Israeli army has announced that it has taken control of all the cities near the border with the Gaza Strip and is preparing new actions, after the terrorist attacks of Hamas. The authorities in Tel Aviv promise a total siege in the Gaza Strip, from where thousands of rockets have left for Israel. In addition, says the defense minister, a siege is imposed on this territory: no electricity, no water, no gas – everything is closed. On the other hand, Reuters announces that Hamas is negotiating the release of Israeli women and children taken hostage in exchange for 36 Palestinian women and children who are in Israeli prisons. So far, it is not clear how many Israelis were abducted and taken to Gaza. According to the latest data, as a result of the escalation of the conflict, approximately 500 Palestinians were killed and 2,700 were injured. In Israel, over 700 people were killed and over 2,200 injured. Israels security cabinet declared a state of war.



    Repatriation — A 22-year-old Romanian died on Monday in Israel. He had dual citizenship and was part of the Israeli Defense Forces, announced the Romanian Foreign Ministry, firmly condemning the attacks against the Israeli population. On the other hand, another 780 Romanian citizens have announced that they want to leave Israel, said the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. They will be brought by the TAROM airline, and the number of repatriated Romanians will thus rise to 1,600. The Foreign Ministry reiterates the recommendation addressed to Romanian citizens who intend to travel to Israel to reschedule their trip and follow the “Travel Alerts” section on the institutions website. A team of the ministrys Crisis Cell Rapid Response Unit was sent to Israel to support repatriation efforts.



    Commemoration – In Romania, the National Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Holocaust was marked on Monday. On October 9, 1941, the deportation of Jews from Bessarabia and Bukovina to Transnistria began. The Holocaust was recognized by the Romanian authorities in 2004, based on the conclusions drawn up by the committee led by the Nobel prize winner, Elie Wiesel. The Jews and Roma who died during the Holocaust were commemorated in Bucharest, at the memorial built in their memory. (LS)

  • 3 June, 2020

    3 June, 2020

    Coronavirus
    Romania.     Coronavirus
    infections pass 19,600 in Romania, while the death toll goes up to 1,288. More than 13,800 have recovered. The
    authorities say the country is on a downward trend as far as new cases are
    concerned, with increasingly fewer serious cases and a low community transmission
    rate. Now is the time to start testing the population to establish the scale of
    infection, said the health minister Nelu Tataru. He signed an order to approve
    this survey, which is to be coordinated by the National Institute for Public
    Health. The testing will be carried out from June to September and will involve
    the harvesting of 29,000 samples, with the first results expected in autumn.
    The health minister says this survey is necessary to be able to establish
    future public health protection measures.




    Coronavirus
    world.     Global coronavirus infections near 6.4 million, while the death toll
    stands at 380,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
    More than a quarter of confirmed cases, 1.8 million, were reported in the
    United States, which also has the highest death toll, 106,000. Brazil saw a new
    record number of deaths, with the total number passing 30,000. In Europe,
    Russia has the highest number of cases, 423,000, while the UK has the highest death
    toll, almost 40,000. To prevent a second wave, everyone arriving in the UK as
    of 8th June will be asked to self-isolate. A series of restrictions
    remain in place in Italy, which is today opening its borders with the Schengen
    countries. 20 European states, including Germany, Denmark, Belgium Switzerland,
    Poland, Romania, Russia and Hungary, have not yet resumed flights to Italy.


    Repatriation. The
    foreign ministry in Bucharest says that on 1st June it facilitated
    the repatriation of 70 Romanian citizens from Turkey and another 190 from the
    UK, as they were stranded abroad following travel restrictions to curb the
    pandemic. The Romanian authorities also facilitated the return of two Turkish
    citizens, two Greek citizens and an Iranian citizen who had their residence in
    Romania. As part of the move, 124 foreign nationals were able to travel to the
    UK and 58 Turkish nationals to Turkey.




    Middle East. In a telephone conversation with
    his Israeli counterpart Gabriel
    Ashkenazi, the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu conveyed
    Romania’s full readiness to deepen and expand bilateral cooperation in all
    areas of mutual interest. The two officials agreed to hold, most likely in the
    first part of next year, a third joint meeting of their respective cabinets.
    They also hailed the excellent level of Romanian-Israeli relations, which have
    been consolidated over seven decades of uninterrupted diplomatic ties and
    expressed their appreciation for Israel’s community of Romanian origin. The
    Romanian foreign minister reiterated his country’s constant support for the
    consolidation of the EU-Israel dialogue, including with respect to the peace
    process in the Middle East. In this context, minister Aurescu reaffirmed
    Romania’s support for a sustainable solution founded on the co-existence, in
    peace and security, of two states, Israel and Palestine.




    GRECO. Rule of law is one of the fundamental values of the
    European Union, lying at its very foundation. Preserving it and holding
    responsible those who abuse the confidence of the European citizens is
    essential in maintaining the legitimacy of the Union, especially in a time of
    crisis of confidence, warns the Chief European Public Prosecutor Laura Kovesi
    in a feature article in the annual report of the Council of Europe’s
    anticorruption body, the Group of States against Corruption or GRECO. Kovesi,
    who formerly headed Romania’s Anticorruption Directorate, said the creation of
    the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will become operational at the
    end of the year, is an important step in this direction, with the potential to
    completely change the paradigm in the field of criminal justice. She also said
    she wanted the new body to be a flexible, result-oriented institution, whose
    effectiveness of proceedings will be accompanied by strict compliance with the
    fundamental guarantees of the persons who are subject to the investigations.
    The European Public Prosecutor’s Office will be an independent institution in
    charge of investigating, prosecuting and
    bringing to judgment crimes against the EU budget, such as fraud, corruption or
    cross-border VAT fraud involving more than 10 million euros.




    US protests. Tens
    of thousands of Americans again took to the streets on Tuesday for the 8th
    day in a row to protest against the death of a black man, George Floyd, after a
    white police officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes. Demonstrations were held
    in many cities across the US. In Washington, protesters defied an overnight
    curfew, while New York saw violent clashes and looting. The former US president
    George W. Bush said the protesters should be heard, while the Democratic
    leaders continued to criticise Donald Trump, who stood for a tough response to
    maintain order and who even threatened to call in the army. Anti-racism
    protests were also held on Tuesday night in France, with clashes between
    protesters and the security forces taking place in Paris. The French protesters
    called for justice in the case of Adama Traoré, a 24-old man who died in police
    custody four years ago.



  • Repatriation flights

    Repatriation flights


    With
    the state of emergency coming to an end in Romania and the country’s entering
    the state of alert, hundreds of Romanian citizens have asked the foreign
    ministry to help them with repatriation flights. The Romanian authorities
    continue efforts to facilitate the return of the Romanian citizens stranded
    abroad due to the restrictions to air travel imposed amid the coronavirus
    pandemic.




    Hundreds
    of Romanian nationals have been repatriated over the last few days from France,
    the UK, Germany and Spain and from cruise ships from around the world. The list
    of people repatriated from France includes Erasmus students, persons whose
    employment contracts were terminated, tourists in transit coming from the US and
    resident doctors who had been training in France. The Romanian citizens repatriated
    from the UK include students, people who had been in hospital and who benefited
    from the support of the British authorities with the repatriation, homeless
    persons and seasonal workers from Jersey Island. They have all returned to
    Romania on charter flights operated by the Romanian state airlines Tarom.




    A charter flight from Bucharest to Amsterdam
    and back will be organised at the end of the month to bring back Romanian crew
    working for the world merchant fleet. More such flights are being considered
    from airports in the UK and Germany. Tarom has announced recently that it will
    conduct flights from Bucharest to Rome, Milan, Madrid and Barcelona and back to
    repatriate the Romanian, Italian and Spanish citizens who wish to return to
    their countries of origin, following increasing requests to this end.




    Since
    the outbreak of the pandemic, several thousand Romanian nationals have been
    repatriated, most of them from Italy and Spain, but also from China, the United
    Arab Emirates, Israel, Cyprus, France, Morocco, Portugal, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,
    Lebanon, Belgium and The Netherlands. These flights take place in the context
    in which the Romanian authorities have extended a ban on commercial flights to
    and from a number of countries by the end of the month. Also, all persons arriving
    in Romania from abroad are ordered to quarantine or isolate at home for 14
    days. People may choose to be in quarantine in the special facilities organised
    by the authorities. (CM)



  • May 11, 2020

    May 11, 2020

    PARLIAMENT The Chamber of Deputies is discussing today a simple motion tabled by the Social Democrats in opposition, who demand the resignation of the finance minister, Florin Cîţu. They argue that in 6 months of governing and during a state of emergency, no measure has been taken to avoid an economic disaster, and the finance minister was unable to come up with efficient measures to support the business environment. The vote on the motion is due on Wednesday. In todays Q&A session at the Chamber of Deputies, the healthcare minister Nelu Tataru is invited to present the measures taken in the fight to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, the Labour Minister Violeta Alexandru and the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu are being heard today in the Senates special committees, in respect of the measures to protect the Romanian workers who left the country to work abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic.




    COVID-19 The Government is to pass a bill in todays meeting concerning measures to prevent and contain the COVID-19 epidemic as of May 15, when the state of emergency is to be replaced by a state of alert. According to the latest official data, the total number of cases in Romania is over 15,500, with 972 deaths. More than 7,200 patients have recovered. Among the Romanians living abroad, over 2,750 have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, mostly in Italy and Spain, and 100 of them have died since the start of the pandemic.




    DEFICIT Romania reports a trade deficit of 4.46 billion euros for the first quarter of the year, 732.4 million euro more than in the corresponding period of 2019, the National Statistics Institute announced today. According to the institution, in the first 3 months of 2020 exports amounted to 17.07 billion euro, down 2.6%, and imports to 21.526 billion euros, accounting for a 1.3% increase since Q1, 2019. In March 2020 Romanias exports dropped by nearly 700 million euro, to 5.4 billion euro, compared to March 2019. Total trade within the EU in January-March this year reached 12.34 billion euro in exports and 15.83 billion euro in imports.




    REPATRIATION 85 Romanian nationals living in Saudi Arabia returned to the country last night, thanks to the combined efforts of the Foreign Ministry, Transport Ministry and Interior Ministry. The Romanian authorities also helped in the repatriation of 3 Serb citizens and 4 Hungarian nationals. The Foreign Ministry firmly reiterates its previous recommendation to avoid all non-essential travel abroad, which may entail major risks, jeopardising citizens safety and their return to Romania. The Foreign Ministry also urges all Romanian citizens living abroad to strictly comply with the rules in their host countries, and says trips to Romania must be avoided during this period. Such trips are increasingly affected by the restrictions introduced by relevant transit countries, which may hinder the Romanian authorities assistance efforts. International travel may also contribute to the spreading of the disease, jeopardising the safety of travellers and of their families at home.




    PANDEMIC Its been 2 months today since the World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. The total number of cases worldwide so far is over 4.1 million, with the death toll standing at more than 283,000, while 1.5 million people recovered from the disease. The USA, the worst hit country in the world, announced 776 deaths in coronavirus patients in 24 hours, the smallest number since March, which takes the death toll to nearly 80,000. In Europe, the country with the largest number of deaths (32,000) is the UK, which announced an extension of restrictions to June 1. In Italy, the second worst hit country in Europe, with over 30,000 deaths, PM Giuseppe Conte is having an online meeting with regional authorities to take a decision regarding the further lifting of restrictions as of May 18, apart from the current ones that include the opening of shops, churches and museums. The measure may differ from one region to another, depending on the number of cases and future developments.




    FRAUD The Interpol secretary general Jurgen Stock has warned against a drastic increase in illegal sales of fake medical products linked to COVID-19. In an interview for the German agency DPA, Stock says uncertified personal protection equipment, including substandard protective masks and counterfeited hand sanitiser, is already being promoted. Global crime has quickly adapted to the pandemic, in the sense that criminals take advantage of peoples new fears and concerns, the Interpol chief emphasised. He warned that cyber-crime will grow alongside the number of people working from home. Overall, this pandemic may give a long-term impetus to crime, as people having lost their means of subsistence may resort to breaking the law, Stock predicts.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)