Radio România Internațional

Tag: REPORT

  • July 23, 2021 UPDATE

    July 23, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid-19 In Romania, 104 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were reported on Friday, out of over 26,000 tests performed. Authorities have also announced 2 Covid-19 related deaths and 38 people admitted to intensive care. The number of cases started to increase on July 12 and, according to an analysis by the National Center for Surveillance and Control of Infectious Diseases, last week almost half of the cases were reported in Bucharest, Cluj (center-west), Iasi (northeast), Ilfov and Constanta (southeast). According to data from the European Covid-19 Forecast Hub, it is estimated that by the end of the month, in Romania, up to 200 new cases will be registered per day. Experts say vaccination is the way out of this pandemic. Regarding immunisation, the authorities announced that almost 16,000 people have been vaccinated in the last 24 hours. Currently, over 4.7 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated.



    Report Accessing EU funds must be a priority for authorities, in order to support investments and to modernize the economy, the National Bank of Romania recommends in a report on financial stability. The NBR mentions that Romania can access funds of over 52 billion euros from the multiannual budget of the Union, adding to which will be another 32 billion euro, after the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is approved. The report also shows that in order to maintain easy access to and low costs of borrowing from foreign financial markets, Romania must engage in fiscal reforms that improve the sustainability of public finances and ensure better predictability of the legal framework. The document also shows that the net wealth of the population reached an all-time high after increasing this year by 6% compared to 2019. Real estate assets still account for most of the wealth of Romanians (75%), while financial assets account for approximately 24% of the total.



    Visit Not only will Romania continue to support the Republic of Moldova, but it will accelerate the provision of support in all fields, the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said at a joint press conference with Moldovas President Maia Sandu. He talked about the implementation of several long-term projects especially in the fields of energy and infrastructure. In turn, Maia Sandu said she appreciated a lot the Romanian authorities’ availability and support. Bogdan Aurescu’s visit takes place just days before the first meeting of the new Parliament and the formation of a new government in Chisinau. He is the first official from an EU member state to visit Moldova after the parliamentary elections of July 11th, won by pro-Europeans. Also in Chisinau, Mr. Aurescu attended the ceremony granting new humanitarian aid to the Republic of Moldova, consisting in 100,000 doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccine.



    Pandemic The European Medicines Agency (EMA) Friday approved the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for the 12-17 age bracket. Moderna becomes the second vaccine authorised for EU teenagers, after Pfizer/BioNtech. Two hundred million Europeans have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which is more than half of the adult population, the European Commission announced on Thursday. The Commission had set the goal of 70% of adults to be vaccinated by the end of this summer. At a meeting of health ministers and officials in Athens, the WHO warned that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a long-term impact on people’s mental health. In another development, following the increase in the number of infections in Europe, countries are taking additional measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Greece announced on Thursday that all unvaccinated workers in tourism and hospitality would have to undergo regular coronavirus tests. In turn, Italy has announced that it will introduce a compulsory health permit as of 6 August for access to enclosed spaces such as clubs and restaurants. Worldwide, over 193 million people have been infected with the novel coronavirus so far. According to worldometers.info, nearly 176 million have recovered and more than 4.1 million have lost their lives to this disease.



    Olympics The Summer Olympics, the world’s largest sports competition, kicked off in Tokyo on Friday. Japans tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, no 2 in the world, was the one to light the Olympic flame. Due to COVID-related restrictions, the opening ceremony was simple and restrained, with no public on the National Olympic Stadium, except for 950 people, including Emperor Naruhito of Japan, the president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, the president of France Emmanuel Macron, and First lady Jill Biden. The public will not have access to any of the Olympic events, as Tokyo is in a state of emergency. Nearly 2,000 new infections were reported on Thursday, the biggest figure in six months. Despite the restrictions, the number of cases has also increased in the Olympic Village by the day. Romania is represented by 101 athletes at this 32nd edition of the games, who will compete in 17 events. Canoeist Simona Radiş and swimmer Robert Glinţ were the bearers of the national flag. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • July 20, 2021 UPDATE

    July 20, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 95 new infections with SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in the last 24 hours out of 31,200 tests performed, the Strategic Communication Group reports. 3 related casualties have also been reported. 14 cases of infection were confirmed in the capital Bucharest, 7 in the county of Cluj and 6 in the counties of Iasi and Timis. 244 patients are hospitalised, 36 of them in intensive care. Authorities foresee a slightly growing number of infections in the forthcoming period. As regards the anti-Covid vaccination, more than 13,000 people got immunized in the past 24 hours, more than 65% of them with the first dose. 4,800 people opted for the Johnson&Johnson single-dose vaccine. 4.7 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated so far. In the capital city Bucharest, 47% of eligible residents over 12 years of age have received the vaccine. Romania will continue, both independently and at EU level, to donate or re-sell some vaccine doses. This week a new donation to the Republic of Moldova is scheduled, after batches sent previously to Serbia, Argentina and Vietnam.



    AIR FORCE DAY The Romanian Aviation and Air Force Day was marked, as every year, on 20 July, when St. Elijah, the protector of pilots, is celebrated. The Romanian Air Forces are a modern category of armed forces, with structures undergoing a process of consolidation of their operational capacity, President Klaus Iohannis said in a message on this occasion. The Air Forces have a major role in consolidating the countrys defence capability, being able to carry out complex missions of defending Romanias air space, to conduct long-distance air transport missions and rescue-evacuation missions at national and local level and to participate in. NATO missions, Iohannis also said. He emphasised that 20 July is also dedicated to civil aviation workers, who carry out difficult missions in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and who contribute to Romanias economic development and the progress of air sports. The Romanian Minister of Defence, Nicolae Ciuca, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu, participated in the military ceremony organised at the Air Heroes Monument in downtown Bucharest. During the ceremony, wreaths were laid in memory of the aviation heroes. The 74th PATRIOT Regiment, the tactical combat unit established on December 1, 2018, whose mission is to render operational the PATRIOT surface-to-air missile system, were handed the Battle Flag.



    JUSTICE Perceptions on the independence of the Romanian judicial system improved compared to previous years, but the shortage of human resources remains a concern, reads the European Commissions annual report on the rule of law in the Union, made public on Tuesday in Brussels. On the other hand, the document says the perception among experts and company executives is that corruption remains high in the public sector. According to the report, the endorsement of a new national anti-corruption strategy for 2021-2025 is a priority for the government, and the efficiency of investigations and penalties for medium and high-level corruption has improved. As regards media pluralism and freedom, the absence of specific guarantees for editorial independence and editorial standards continues to cause concern, while transparency regarding the stakeholders in media institutions is still incomplete.



    THEATRE The best stage shows in Romania in 2020 were awarded on Monday evening, at the UNITER Awards Gala. The show “Heart and other meat dishes, by Dan Coman, directed by Radu Afrim and produced by the Marin Sorescu National Theatre in Craiova was designated best play of the previous year. Carmen Lidia Vidu won the award for best direction, for Romanian Journal. 1989, produced by the I.L. Caragiale National Theatre in Bucharest. Razvan Vicoveanu, with the Regina Maria Theatre in Oradea, won the award for best lead actor, for the part of Ivan Alexandrovici Hlestakov. Emoke Cato was awarded for best actress. Actor Marcel Iures, stage designer Geta Medinschi, actress Ileana Ploscaru and theatre critic Ion Parhon received lifetime achievement awards.



    ROBOTICS Romanias team won the first place at the International Robotics Championship held in Chicago, the US, on July 16 and 17. In the final, the team made up of students from 13 of the best Romanian high schools defeated some of the best American teams and set a new world record in terms of points won. This is the first time after 1989 when a team from outside the US wins the first place at this competition.



    PANDEMIC Europe is the first region to reach 50 million confirmed coronavirus infection cases since the start of the pandemic. The substantially more contagious Delta variant is now the most widespread on the continent, generating a record-high increase in the number of daily new cases, with European countries reporting a combined one million new cases every 8 days. Nearly 1.3 million Europeans died of COVID-related complications. A spokesman for the French government announced the country is seeing the 4th wave of the epidemic, and a plan is being implementing to reduce new pressure on hospitals. The plan introduces a health permit required for access in cinemas and restaurants, and compulsory vaccination for healthcare staff. Israel announced the opening of borders to foreign tourists, originally scheduled for 1 August, will be postponed. At present foreigners are only allowed in the country based on a special permission from the authorities. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Debates on gender inequality

    Debates on gender inequality

    Although some inequity still exists, the European Union has made substantial progress in the past few decades towards ensuring gender equality. According to the European Commission, there are encouraging signs, with a growing number of women working and obtaining better qualifications. The number of women working in poorly paid sectors and holding fewer decision-making positions is still large.



    Brussels has a strategy in place to make sure that by 2025 Europe is even closer to the goal of becoming a continent where men and women are equal. All Europeans, women and men, girls and boys, should enjoy the freedom to find and follow their path, should have equal chances to prosper, should be equal members of society and become leaders, if they deserve it, the strategy argues. Key targets include ending violence against women, fighting gender stereotypes, doing away with gender disparities in the labour market and ensuring equal participation in various economic sectors, bridging the wage gap, eliminating gender disparities in terms of family responsibilities and reaching gender balance in decision-making processes and in politics.



    Against this background, the Romanian labour minister Raluca Turcan, attending the 3rd edition of the ʹWomen In Economyʹ Gala organised by the National Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (CONAF), said that unfortunately gender inequality and discrimination are not seen as imperative issues in Romania. Women appear to have enough representatives in all areas, and access to opportunities seems to be equal.



    However, at a closer look, the statistics provided by EU institutions and private structures indicate that substantial gaps exist. According to Raluca Turcan, the global Mastercard Index of women entrepreneurs indicates that only 27% of the existing businesses are held by women.



    Conversely, for instance, Eurostat says that during the pandemic the share of women in the front line of healthcare services was 80%, as against 20% for men, which proves that in some sectors women are a lot more vulnerable to the shocks caused by the crisis.



    Romania is an open society and progress has been made, but this doesnt make Romanians less traditionalist, added the labour minister Raluca Turcan, one of the only 2 women ministers in the current cabinet in Bucharest. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • May 17, 2021

    May 17, 2021

    Covid-19RO.The evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic maintains its downward trend in Romania. The number of new cases of infection, as well as of patients in serious condition, has been dropping. 392 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in 24 hours, according to data announced today. There are now nearly 5,000 patients in hospitals, of whom 753 in intensive care. The number of Covid-19 related deaths has also dropped to 48. At this time the infection rate is below 1.5 per thousand inhabitants everywhere in the country. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 1,072,000 people have become infected with SARS-Cov2, but 95% have been cured. Nearly 30,000 people have lost the battle with the virus. The vaccination campaign continues. Today, Romania is to receive a new batch of almost 700,000 doses of Pfizer BioNTech vaccines, the coordination committee has announced.



    Report. The Romanian Minister of Health, Ioana Mihăilă, is presenting today, in the Chamber of Deputies, at the request of the opposition Social Democratic Party, the report on the situation of COVID-19-related deaths. The Social Democrats move came after Parliament rejected, last week, its request for the setting up of a commission of inquiry into the reporting made during the pandemic. Ioana Mihăilă has presented data from the document, which was made public. The Minister of Health has admitted that there are differences between the data from the two platforms where the COVID-19-related deaths are registered. She said, however, that these differences are due to bureaucracy and the fact that hospitals use different types of reporting. Thus, the number of COVID-19-related deaths on the alert.ms.ro platform is 13% higher than the figure reported by the National Institute of Statistics, the document reveals.



    Pandemic. Italy enters, today, a new phase of relaxation of anti-COVID restrictions, and the authorities want to discuss new measures in this regard, which would enter into force on May 24. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Rome, almost all of Italy has become a yellow zone today, with fewer anti-coronavirus restrictions. The rate of infections is decreasing by the day. Although they were reluctant at first, now more and more Italians want to be vaccinated even with AstraZeneca, a vaccine especially requested in the northern regions of the country. The most important relaxation measures this year also enter into force in England today, and the restrictions will be completely lifted in the second half of June. On the other hand, the authorities are worried about the more contagious Indian strain, and say that in the future it will become predominant. Restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes all are allowed to function indoors. Theaters, performance halls, art galleries, swimming pools and indoor playgrounds will also be reopened. It is the third wave of relaxation and the most important this year, which takes place in the context of the success of the vaccination campaign. At present, the number of Covid-19 related deaths is close to zero across the UK.



    Israel. The Israeli army carried out dozens of attacks on Gaza Strip last night, from where Islamist armed groups continued to launch missiles at Israel, FP reports. According to Reuters, the Israeli air force reported that fighter jets hit terrorist targets in Gaza, after missiles from Gaza had been launched on the Israeli towns of Beersheba and Ashkelon immediately after midnight. There is no immediate information about the potential victims in either camp. Israeli raids killed 42 Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday, including at least eight children and two doctors, on the bloodiest day last week. The UN Security Council emergency meeting on Sunday made no progress.



    Eurovision. Romania is represented at this years edition of the Eurovision contest, hosted this year by the Netherlands, by Roxen with the song Amnesia. Roxen will be the 13th artist to sing in Rotterdam in the first semifinal on May 18th. The second semifinal will take place on Thursday, May 20th. Romanias best performances in this competition have been twice the third place (Luminiţa Anghel & Sistem – Kiev, 2005; Paula Seling and Ovi – Oslo, 2010) and once the fourth place (Mihai Trăistariu – Athens, 2006 ). The Rotterdam edition takes place live, with a small number of spectators. All participants in the show and rehearsals must follow strict coronavirus rules, including testing. A maximum of 3,500 people will be allowed to be part of the audience. The 65th edition of the contest will take place under the slogan Open Up. (MI)

  • The pandemic and human rights

    The pandemic and human rights

    The world was shattered by the COVID-19 last year, and the pandemic and the containment measures taken by authorities around the world had an impact on everyone, sometimes deepening existing abuse and inequalities.



    This is the conclusion reached by Amnesty International in its latest report on human rights around the world. As regards Romania, the measures taken by the government to contain the spread of the disease raised human rights concerns including in relation to policing, the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to education, the report reads.



    In March 2020, Amnesty says, the government declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It derogated temporarily from a number of rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to education and to freedoms of movement, expression and association.



    In terms of discrimination, a legislative proposal which would expand existing anti-discrimination legislation remained before the Senate at years end, Amnesty International found.



    A European Commission report in February quoted by Amnesty International found that Roma continued to face discrimination and segregation including in education, employment, access to housing and forced evictions. During the state of emergency, NGOs and the media reported several cases of unlawful use of force and allegations of ill-treatment of Roma by the police. Human rights groups and NGOs raised concerns about Roma being scapegoated during the pandemic and denounced “the rise of hate speech and racism targeting Roma in mass media and social media, especially by opinion leaders and public figures.



    As for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, in June, Parliament passed a law which, among other things, prohibited teaching and training about gender identity. The law, adopted without public debate, prohibited “activities aimed at propagating the gender identity theory or opinion, understood as the theory or opinion that gender is a different concept from that of biological sex and that the two are not always identical, Amnesty International says.



    The organisation also quotes a study by the NGO Caritas Romania, which highlighted the challenges faced by children from vulnerable groups while accessing remote learning during the March-June lockdown, with Roma among the worst affected. According to the study, an average of only 15% of children from marginalized groups participated habitually in online activities during the lockdown, the main obstacles including a lack of technical equipment, overcrowded homes with a lack of adequate study spaces, and the absence of support from parents to complete online tasks. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • April 1, 2021

    April 1, 2021

    COVID-19 President Klaus Iohannis announced today that in the forthcoming period Romania will receive a substantial number of anti-Covid doses and the vaccine rollout can be stepped up. The head of state urged Romanians to have confidence in the benefits of immunisation. Romania is drawing close to 1 million infections since the start of the pandemic, with over 6,000 cases reported in the past 24 hours alone and a record-high number of patients in intensive care (1,434). The most cases were reported in Bucharest, but the highest infection rate is in Ilfov County, near the capital city. The death toll is now over 23,500. Meanwhile, over 3 million vaccine doses have been given since the end of December to more than 2 million people.




    PROTESTS In Bucharest and several other cities in Romania protests continued on Wednesday, for the 4th night in a row, against the anti-COVID measures introduced by the authorities. Unlike previous nights, on Wednesday protests were more low-key. Participants chanted anti-government slogans, and demanded the lifting of restrictions such as mandatory outdoor face covering, online schooling and the closing of restaurants and gyms. The authorities argue however that the measures are necessary if the accelerated spread of the novel coronavirus is to be curbed.




    REPORT The US State Departments 2020 Report on Human Rights Practices points out that Romania lacks efficient mechanisms to investigate and punish police abuse, and many corruption or abuse cases end in acquittals. According to the document, charges of brutality and cruel, degrading or inhuman treatment, brought against several police and gendarme members, have been dropped. Violence against women and children is also a serious and continuing problem in Romania, the report also reads.




    INSTITUTE Bucharest celebrates today 100 years since the Cantacuzino Institute was founded under an order signed by King Ferdinand. Since 2017, the Institute has been subordinated to the National Defence Ministry. Over the years, the institution conducted research in microbiology and related fields, produced vaccines and serums and was involved in public healthcare. Cantacuzino Institute works with instituttes and universities around the world.




    ENVIRONMENT The US president Joe Biden yesterday put forth a USD 2-billion investment plan targeting among others the creation of jobs and fighting climate change. The American Jobs Plan is an investment in America that will create millions of good jobs, rebuild our countrys infrastructure, and position the United States to out-compete China, Biden said. According to the RRA correspondent in Washington, Bidens advisers say the pandemic changed the US citizens attitude regarding the role of the government, and created expectations of unprecedented investments in the reconstruction of the country.




    FOOTBALL Romanias football team lost to Armenia, 3-2, in Yerevan on Wednesday night. In the same group J of the World Cup qualifiers, North Macedonia defeated Germany away from home. The group also includes Iceland and Liechtenstein. With one win against North Macedonia and 2 losses to Germany and Armenia, Romania ranks 4th in the group standings, topped by Armenia and North Macedonia. Only the top team in each group moves up into the final tournament, and the second-ranking teams go into playoffs. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Romania seen by the US Department of State

    Romania seen by the US Department of State

    The US Department of State has released its annual report on the human rights situation in the world. The chapter dedicated to Romania in 2020 identifies issues related to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, widespread corruption, poor investigation of violence against women and violence against people with disabilities or members of ethnic minorities. According to the report, the judiciary has made efforts to officially prosecute and convict those who have committed abuses, but the authorities do not have effective mechanisms in place. Some of those who have committed human rights abuses continue to go unpunished.

    Last year, the document also notes, numerous cases of corruption by authorities were reported. Bribery continues to be a common phenomenon in the public sector, especially in the health-care sector. The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) further investigated politicians and government officials. One of the cases mentioned in the report is the bribery case opened against the former Minister of Health and hospital manager Sorina Pintea, who, in February 2020, was caught red-handed by DNA prosecutors, after taking bribe for an alleged contract for the construction of some hospital wards.

    According to the State Department Report, several police officers and gendarmes have been acquitted of charges of beating and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and Romanian citizens generally disrespect the police because they perceive them as corrupt and inefficient.The report also draws attention to the fact that, after the 2018 anti-corruption rallies in Bucharest, although some 770 complaints of excessive use of force against peaceful protesters were filed, so far, the culprits have not been punished. Violence against women and inconsistency of court decisions are also noted.

    There are reports of non-governmental organizations showing numerous cases of police officers trying to discourage rape victims from filing a complaint, and sometimes even refusing to file such complaints. Another issue mentioned is that of anti-Semitism, as such behaviors were reported in Romania in 2020. The State Department document mentions the Elie Wiesel Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania, according to which there were cases of naming streets, organizations, schools or libraries after people convicted of war crimes or crimes against humanity. Also according to the findings of the Elie Wiesel Institute, materials were promoted on the Internet to promote anti-Semitic ideas and glorify the Legion, the far right in the interwar period.

    Regarding the press, the US Department of State notes that the opinions presented are varied, but a number of media outlets are owned or indirectly controlled by people with political ties. Frequently, the news or editorial policies of these media outlets reflect the views of the owner and target political opponents or other media channels. (MI)

  • Talks on the reform of the judiciary

    Talks on the reform of the judiciary

    ‘The independence of the justice system is and must remain a principle from which nobody can depart,’ president Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday, at the release of the annual report for 2020 of the High Court of Cassation and Justice. A year ago, the head of state had praised society for standing by magistrates and giving the appropriate response to attempts at making the Romanian justice system subordinated to political interests. But now, the president reiterated that the judiciary needs several reforms, in line with EU guidelines.



    Klaus Iohannis: “In 2020, with their votes, citizens clearly expressed their support for reforms and the strengthening of the rule of law. In this context, revising the Justice Laws cannot be postponed any further. I trust that in the forthcoming period, the framework that regulates the work of Romanias justice system will once again be predictable and in line with the standards of an EU member country.



    Klaus Iohannis pointed out that 2020 was a difficult year for all public institutions, which needed new and innovative ideas, solutions and practices. The crisis entailed by the COVID-19 pandemic required immediate response, including from the judiciary, which is why digitisation processes were stepped up, he explained. He also emphasised:



    Klaus Iohannis: “Large-scale discussions are needed in Parliament, with the participation of not only stakeholders in the judicial system, but also academia and human rights activists. I hope this dialogue will help address the controversial legislative acts passed in recent years and adopt solutions in keeping with the new judicial and social circumstances.



    In turn, the president of Romanias supreme court, judge Corina Corbu, said that in spite of the pandemic and of challenges like excessive workloads, retirement issues and a lack of office space, her colleagues finalised more cases than in 2019.



    Corina Corbu: “Being a supreme court judge is not easy. The emotional toll, the need to maintain the highest level of professionalism at all times, the possibility of criticism—sometimes harsh criticism—coming from the public, all come with the job. The issue of supreme court judge retirement remains for me a reason for sadness. The High Court is now losing judges, through retirement, at an age when everywhere else in the world one is believed to only acquire the wisdom and judicial refinement required in trying last-instance cases, in a supreme court.



    The High Court president also added that this year she would like a supreme court that is more forward-looking, more efficient and more focused on citizens needs, but she also said she wished public institutions were more open to the issues facing the judiciary. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • The rule of law and the laws on the judiciary

    The rule of law and the laws on the judiciary

    Several amendments to the laws on the judiciary, dating back to 2018 and 2019, continue to raise concern with respect to their impact on judicial independence, says the chapter on Romania in the first report on the rule of law in the EU made public by the European Commission.



    The document assesses 4 key areas: national justice systems, anticorruption legislation, mass media pluralism and freedom, as well as other institutional aspects related to checks and balances systems.



    Last April, a number of amendments to the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the special law on corruption were passed by Parliament in an emergency procedure, but sparked wide-spread criticism and they were eventually ruled as unconstitutional in July. The task to bring the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code in line with all decisions of the Constitutional Court remains pending. The legal uncertainty and the risks to the sustainability of the fight against corruption therefore remain, reads the report.



    The document also says Romania has a comprehensive national anti-corruption strategic framework based on the large participation of national and local institutional actors, providing for the voluntary involvement of a very large part of the public administration, including local government, and State-owned enterprises, as well as law enforcement, the prosecution service, the courts, and civil society.



    Although the Constitution provides that the adoption of government emergency orders is only possible in exceptional and motivated cases of urgency, successive governments have used GEOs to legislate in many areas, raising concerns regarding the quality of legislation, legal certainty and respect for the separation of powers, the report also says, mentioning that Romanian civil society is active in defending the rule of law.



    Also, the level of implementation of the national anti-corruption strategy has increased and preventive actions are being followed up both at national and at local level. At present, the document says, the Ministry of Justice is evaluating the strategy in view of designing the next one.



    On the very day the EC report was released in Brussels, in Bucharest the Justice Ministry initiated a public debate on proposed changes to the laws on the judiciary. The announcement was made by minister Cătălin Predoiu, who said these amendments ensure the implementation of European recommendations:



    Cătălin Predoiu: “[The amendments concern] strengthening the role of the Higher Council of Magistrates in the organisation of exams and competitions through the National Magistracy Institute, ensuring that magistrate selection is based on professional criteria and eliminating any possibility of entry into profession without an exam, scrapping early retirement schemes, strengthening the independence of prosecutors, reintroducing compulsory competitions for access to High Court judge posts, and the dismantling of the special section investigating offences in the judiciary.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • March 3, 2020

    March 3, 2020

    HEARINGS The ministers nominated in PM designate Florin Cîţus cabinet are interviewed by the specialised parliamentary committees today, on Wednesday and Thursday, and the day of the investiture vote is to be chosen early next week. The only change compared to the Ludovic Orban Government is at the finance ministry, where former minister Cîţu has been replaced with Lucian Ovidiu Heiuş. The president of Save Romania Union, Dan Barna, says the Liberals have not asked explicitly for support for the new cabinet. The leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians, Kelemen Hunor, says that no decision has been made yet as to endorsing the new government or not. Pro Romania MPs will attend the parliamentary sitting, but will vote against the cabinet, party leader Victor Ponta announced. The Social Democrats and ALDE were the only parties with which the PM designate has not discussed. The Peoples Movement Party decided to vote in favour of the Cîţu Cabinet. The latters nomination by president Klaus Iohannis came after the Constitutional Court found it unconstitutional for the president to designate the interim PM Ludovic Orban to form a new cabinet after being dismissed by Parliament through a no-confidence vote.



    COVID-19 In Romania, 42 people are in quarantine centres and over 9,400 are under home monitoring, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Tuesday. So far 3 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Romania, one of whom has recovered and the other 2 are hospitalised and in a good state. Meanwhile, the National Emergency Committee has introduced strict quarantine rules for the people returning home from risk areas. The new coronavirus is now spreading a lot more quickly outside China than in the source country. Around 91,000 cases have been confirmed in over 70 countries worldwide. Of these, 48,000 patients recovered and over 3,100 died. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank announced they are ready to provide help, including emergency funds, for member states to tackle the difficulties caused by the quickly spreading epidemic.



    VACCINATION The healthcare committee in the Chamber of Deputies unanimously voted the introduction of an amendment making immunisation mandatory. The Chamber of Deputies is to cast the decisive vote on the bill. Representatives of the Parents Alliance, of Pro Consumers Association and of the “Informed Decisions Association protested the current form of the bill, opposing the idea of compulsory vaccination. They believe each citizen must have the right to decide as concerns their own body. On the other hand, an association called Mothers for Mothers warns that vaccination saves lives and the body of scientific evidence in this respect goes back over a century.



    INTERIOR MINISTRY The interim interior minister Marcel Vela has today presented the institutions annual report, and said in 2019 the work load of interior ministry staff was higher than in the previous year. Marcel Vela explained that 27 counties and the capital city Bucharest reported over 4% rises in street crime and crimes against persons and property. “The presidential election was well organised, with 30% fewer incidents in the first round and 54.18% fewer incidents in the second round than in 2014, Marcel Vela added. The National Police Union organised a protest concurrently with the meeting at the ministry headquarters. They demand the implementation of current regulations regarding salaries, and the payment of overdue benefits for the last 3 years.



    UNEMPLOYMENT The January unemployment rate in Romania was 3.9%, down 0.1% since December, the National Statistics Institute announced in Tuesday. According to the institution, the estimated number of unemployed people in January was 350,000, which is lower than both the previous month and the corresponding month of 2019. Statistics also indicate that in the first month of the year the unemployment rate among men was 1% higher than among women.



    ISRAEL The Israeli PM Beniamin Netanyahu claimed victory in the 3rd election within a year, held on Monday. With 90% of the votes counted, Netanyahus right-wing party Likud secured 35 out of the 120 seats in Parliament, as against 32 for Kahol Lavan, led by his challenger Benny Gantz. None of them however has the required majority to form a government. Netanyahu tried to secure his re-election while facing a corruption trial. In his address, Netanyahu promised to put an end to the Iranian nuclear threat, to build peace with moderate Arab countries, economic reforms, a defence pact with the USA, and also spoke about his proposal to annex settlements in the West Bank.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • February 11, 2020

    February 11, 2020

    ELECTIONS In Bucharest, the PM designate Ludovic Orban has talks today with parliamentary party officials, in an attempt to garner support for the organisation of early elections. Snap elections may only be called if 2 Cabinet nominations are rejected by Parliament within 2 months. Orban, whose Liberal Cabinet was recently dismissed under a no-confidence motion, Monday sent to Parliament a list of ministers, with no changes whatsoever from the previous team, and a slightly updated government programme. The main party in Parliament, the Social Democrats, announced they will not take part in the talks with the Liberals. The Social Democratic Party filed a challenge with the Constitutional Court, arguing that the President designating a prime minister who has already been dismissed comes against the will of Parliament. On the other hand, the Social Democrats announced they would not hinder the procedures and announced a meeting of Parliament leaders to set a calendar for the hearings of the ministers designate. The idea of early elections is mainly supported by the National Liberal Party and Save Romania Union. Without a parliamentary majority, the Orban Cabinet has resorted more than once to pushing legislation through by requesting Parliaments confidence. Regular general elections are scheduled for this autumn.




    JUDICIARY The incumbent Justice Minister Cătălin Predoiu today in Bucharest presented European Commission experts with a bill on dismantling the special division investigating magistrate offences as well as the progress of debates on this topic. In its latest Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report the Commission criticised the establishment and the activity of this division, which it said was an instrument of political pressure. The latest report under the Mechanism was released in October 2019, and suggested the extension of verification on the Romanian judiciary, on grounds that in 2019 Romania backslid in terms of the fight against corruption and the independence of the justice system. A team of EC experts are in Bucharest until tomorrow, on an assessment mission. They are also scheduled to have talks today with leaders of the Higher Council of Magistrates and members of the judicial committees in Parliament.




    INFLATION The central bank has lowered Romanias 2020 inflation forecast from 3.1% to 3%, Governor Mugur Isărescu announced on Tuesday. For next year the National Bank expects a 3.2% inflation rate. A number of elements have been taken into account, which might lead to a decrease of the inflation rate from the forecast value. These elements include developments in the Eurozone economy, including geopolitical tensions and weaknesses in emerging markets, a possible escalation of trade conflicts, the completion of Brexit, as well as the accommodating monetary policies of the European Central Bank and the Fed. On the other hand, liberalisation of the electricity and natural gas markets may push inflation higher than expected, as do the problems in the labour market, such as the shortage of labour and the mismatch between demand and supply in this respect.




    112 February 11 is the European 112 Day, to celebrate the introduction of the Europe-wide emergency number 112. In Romania, the national emergency call system, run by the Special Telecommunications Service, was introduced in 2004. Last year STS operators managed over 11 million calls to this number.




    CORONAVIRUS China announced that the novel coronavirus has already killed more than 1,000 people, and the number of cases exceeds 42,000. In the last 24 hours alone, over 100 deaths have been reported, which is the largest number of victims in just one day since the epidemic broke out. Most deaths were reported in the Hubei province. A team of doctors with the World Health Organisation has arrived in China to help in the research. Meanwhile, the WHO organises a 2-day meeting in Geneva, with renowned physicians, public healthcare experts and scientists, in an attempt to encourage a better response of the international community to the new coronavirus outbreak. On opening the meeting, the WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the coronavirus epidemic was a major threat, and called on scientists to work together to develop vaccines or medication to fight the virus. In Romania, several people, including Chinese nationals, are under house monitoring, and the authorities continue to take measures to prepare for possible infection cases. A special unit was set up in Bucharest for the Romanians who return from China and have to be quarantined for 14 days.




    AFGHANISTAN Reconstruction and stabilisation missions in Afghanistan had resulted by the end of 2018 in over 2,200 dead and 2,900 wounded, according to an official American report released on Tuesday with regard to the “human costs of these civilian and humanitarian missions. This is the first report focusing on reconstruction and stabilisation operations alone, including construction of infrastructure, hospitals and schools, military and civilian training, rather than on combat operations against the Taliban or other jihadist groups in the country. The report does not cover attacks on American military bases or on civilian targets either. Romania, which has been taking part in missions in Afghanistan ever since 2002, has lost 30 troops so far. In 2020, Romania has over 700 military deployed to Afghanistan under the Resolute Support mission.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • December 19, 2019 UPDATE

    December 19, 2019 UPDATE

    Activity report – Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis said Thursday evening upon the presentation of the activity report of his first mandate as head of state, that there were 5 years of major challenges of which the most serious was Romania’s risking to swerve off its western path. He went on to say that the biggest achievement of his mandate was to keep Romania on the democratic and pro-European path. In relation to foreign policy, Klaus Iohannis said his actions focused on 3 coordinates: boosting Romania’s role within the EU and NATO, expanding and strengthening the strategic partnership with the US. At domestic level he focused on the good functioning of public authorities. He reiterated that in the past 3 years some groups tried to get their hands on Romania and weaken it by attacking the justice system and he, as president of the country, used all constitutional instruments to counteract these undemocratic forces that tried to stop the anti-corruption fight. On Saturday President Klaus Iohannis will be sworn in for his second mandate before the two chambers of Romania’s Parliament.



    EP – President Klaus Iohannis hails the passing by the EP, on Thursday, of a Resolution on the commemoration of 30 years since the December 1989 anti-communist revolution, which pays homage to the heroes that died for freedom and democracy. Through this resolution the EP admits that the sacrifice of the then peaceful protesters opened the path for Romania’s transition to democracy. The document mentions that, in the Romanian Revolution, 1,142 people lost their lives, over 3,000 were seriously wounded and several hundreds were illegally arrested and tortured. The EP called on the Romanian state to intensify efforts to find the truth about the 1989 revolution and on the EU institutions and members, Romania included, to do their best to make sure that the crimes made by the Communist regimes will not be forgotten, and to thus guarantee that such crimes will never be committed again. In Romania, commemorations continued on Thursday to honor the heroes of the revolution. 30 years ago in Timisoara, in the west, the workers in the city’s factories went on strike and the first organization of revolutionaries the Romanian Democratic Forum was created before the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. December 19 is also the day when the regime tried to hide the traces of the protesters’ bloody repression. In Sibiu, central Romania, military and religious ceremonies were held to commemorate the revolution’s martyrs.



    London — Queen Elisabeth II of Great Britain on Thursday presented in Parliament the legislative priorities of the government headed by Boris Johnson. Some of the measures announced are: the finalization of Brexit on January 31, 2020, bigger investments in healthcare, and the implementation of a new immigration system. The bill on Great Britain’s exit from the EU will be debated on Friday in the House of Commons. Another priority is the passing of an immigration system similar to the Australian one which is to be applied as soon as the post-Brexit transition period comes to an end and when the UK will no longer have to abide by the EU regulations, namely as of January 1, 2021. Through this system, Boris Johnson’s government wants to allow entry of foreign workers from the all over the world, not only from Europe, depending on the labor force needs of the British economy. (news update by L. Simion)

  • European Commission criticises Romania

    European Commission criticises Romania

    Just weeks ahead of the end of its term in office, the outgoing European Commission is once again voicing severe criticism against the political class in Bucharest. In its latest Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report, made public on Tuesday, the Commission finds Romania has taken steps back in terms of judicial reforms and the rule of law, as well as in its efforts to fight corruption.



    According to the institution, Romania has failed to implement recommendations to reconsider the justice laws and to cancel the amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, all of them likely to hinder the fight against corruption and to bring magistrates under the control of political circles. Key Romanian institutions must work together to prove their commitment to the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, the report also reads.



    In Bucharest, Justice Minister Ana Birchal says Romania is ready to take on an active role in consolidating the European project, in which justice plays a key part. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate remains committed to combating high-level corruption with impartiality and professionalism, but also points out that the CVM report takes note of the successive changes in the relevant legislation and of the attacks against the activity and decisions of this institution.



    Describing the current state of affairs as a source of concern, the European Commission recommends that the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, introduced ever since Romanias EU accession in 2007, should remain in place. In contrast, the same report finds that Bulgaria, admitted into the Union concurrently with Romania, has met the commitments it made upon accession, and that the CVM oversight on the Bulgarian judiciary could be lifted.



    Anti-corruption expert Laura Stefan told Radio Romania that the problems pointed out in the CVM report are the consequence of Romanias backtracking from the progress made up until 2017:



    Laura Stefan: “This report is particularly alarming if we draw a parallel with Bulgaria, which paradoxically enough was commended for its progress, although to be fair Romania has achieved things that Bulgaria has never even set out to do. In Romania there has been a true campaign against high-level corruption, resulting in prison sentences and seized assets. Romania has never been affected by large-scale violent crime, as it was the case with our neighbours. So all in all, it is a rather bitter pill to swallow.



    In turn, the mass media blame the Commissions criticism on the policies implemented by the successive leftist governments of the past 3 years. Headed by Sorin Grindeanu, Mihai Tudose and Viorica Dancila, all these cabinets were in fact brought to power and controlled by the former Social Democratic leader Liviu Dragnea, who was eventually imprisoned for corruption offences.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • World Bank forecasts

    World Bank forecasts

    The World Bank has announced an upward adjustment of its estimates regarding the growth of the Romanian economy, with the new figures standing at 4.2% for this year, 3.6% for 2020 and 3.2% for 2021. Experts expect a slow-down in the medium-term economic growth, particularly in the context of a rise of employment rates among higher education graduates at the expense of job seekers with lower education, which is predicted to feed into rising inequality.



    The World Bank also says the government will have difficulties keeping the budget deficit below 3% of GDP. The newly passed Pension Law and the planned public sector salary increases will put pressure on the consolidated budget deficit and reduce the resources for investments. The institution recommends that the governments priorities should include reforms in public administration and state-owned companies, as well as policies addressing social and regional disparities.



    The World Bank also suggests renewed efforts to reduce unemployment among youth and low-skilled workers, which will help reduce the constraints on demand and contribute to sustainable economic growth. “In the medium term, the focus of fiscal policy should be rebalanced, from increasing consumption to mobilizing investments, especially from European funds, to support sustainable convergence to the EU and social inclusion. Reforms in public administration and state-owned companies, enhancing the predictability of regulations, as well as appropriate policies for addressing social and spatial disparities should be on the governments priority agenda, the institution added.



    Meanwhile, another World Bank report shows that nearly 40% of the Romanian emigrants are higher education graduates, and warns that this generally leads to problems in the field of skilled workforce and consequently to a slow-down of the economic growth in the countries of origin. According to the report, the share of immigrants in Europe has risen sharply over the past 4 decades, with 1 in 3 immigrants now going to Europe. Intra-regional migration is also high in Europe and Central Asia, with 80% of the people choosing to move to other countries in the same region. “Migration also raises concerns of ‘brain drain of skilled-labour from countries of origin, as people with more education tend to emigrate more often around the region, the report also shows.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • 05.06.2019 (mise à jour)

    05.06.2019 (mise à jour)

    Consultations – A
    l’issue des consultations, de ce mercredi, avec les leaders des partis
    parlementaires concernant le résultat du référendum sur la justice du 26 mai
    dernier, le président roumain Klaus Iohannis a annoncé qu’il invitait les
    formations politiques à signer un pacte pour la consolidation du parcours
    européen de la Roumanie. Le document porte sur l’introduction du résultat de la
    consultation populaire dans la législation ainsi que sur la révision des lois
    de la justice afin de prendre en compte les recommandations de la Commission de
    Venise et de la Commission européenne. Le chef de l’Etat a aussi fait savoir sa proposition que
    les signataires du pacte s’engagent à introduire dans la législation les
    mesures nécessaires pour assurer l’exercice effectif du droit de vote des
    citoyens roumains.


    Rapport
    – La Commission européenne a rendu public ce mercredi son rapport sur la
    Roumanie, où elle fait plusieurs recommandations. L’Exécutif communautaire
    recommande à Bucarest de prendre des mesures pour corriger des écarts
    significatifs relatifs à l’objectif budgétaire à moyen terme, pour appliquer
    intégralement le cadre fiscal et consolider la collecte des impôts ainsi que pour
    établir un salaire minimum en fonction de critères objectifs. Le rapport
    indique, par ailleurs, que la Roumanie doit assurer un régime de retraite
    public durable et des fonds viables à long terme pour le deuxième pilier du
    système de retraites. Dans le même temps, le document attire l’attention sur la
    nécessité d’avoir un système d’éducation de qualité et inclusif, notamment pour
    les Rom et pour d’autres catégories sociales défavorisées. Le rapport de la
    Commission européenne précise que, malgré des améliorations récentes, le taux
    de pauvreté et le taux d’inégalité des revenus restent élevés, tandis que les
    disparités régionales se creusent. Le système de santé se confronte lui aussi à
    des défis, dont le faible financement, une utilisation insuffisante des
    ressources et le manque de réformes. Dans le domaine de la justice, la
    Commission européenne s’inquiète des modifications opérées dans le système
    judiciaire, affirmant que les mesures de modification des codes pénaux auraient
    un impact négatif sur l’efficacité des enquêtes et des procès en matière pénale.


    JAI
    – La ministre roumaine par intérim de la justice et vice-première ministre en
    charge des partenariats stratégiques, Ana Birchall, présidera les travaux de la
    section Justice du Conseil Justice et Affaires Intérieures (JAI) de l’Union
    européenne, qui auront lieu à Luxembourg ces jeudi et vendredi, dans le
    contexte de la présidence roumaine du Conseil de l’UE. A l’agenda de la réunion
    – des propositions législatives et des instruments non-législatifs, précise Mme
    Birchall sur les réseaux sociaux. Les ministres se pencheront également sur la
    numérisation de la coopération judiciaire en matière civile et commerciale,
    dans le contexte de la révision des règlements sur la communication des actes
    et l’obtention de preuves. Ils examineront aussi les rapports de la présidence
    sur l’avenir du droit pénal substantiel et sur la reconnaissance mutuelle en
    matière pénale. Les ministres exprimeront en même temps la volonté politique de
    l’UE d’intégrer, en tant qu’observateur, le GRECO (le Groupe des Etats contre
    la corruption), une structure créée par le Conseil de l’Europe.






    Juges – La Cour Constitutionnelle de Roumanie (CCR) a reporté au 3 juillet sa
    décision sur les formations collégiales de trois juges spécialisées en faits de
    corruption à la Haute Cour de Cassation et de Justice. C’est le cinquième délai
    décidé par la Cour dans ce dossier. La saisine sur laquelle les juges
    constitutionnels sont appelés à se prononcer a été formulée par Florin Iordache
    à l’époque où il était président délégué de la Chambre des députés. Le 20 mai
    dernier, la CCR avait rejeté la saisine du Parti national libéral, qui contestait cette qualité
    temporaire du député social – démocrate Florin Iordache, les juges estimant que
    ce dernier avait le droit de dénoncer l’existence d’un conflit de nature
    constitutionnelle. Par ailleurs, la présidente de la Haute Cour de Cassation et
    de Justice, Cristina Tarcea, a précisé que ces 15 dernières années son
    institution avait solutionné 170 dossiers concernés par la Loi relative à la
    prévention, la découverte et la sanction des faits de corruption.


    Tennis – Au tournoi de tennis de Roland Garros, le quart de finale
    opposant la tenante du titre et troisième tête de série, la Roumaine Simona
    Halep à la jeune Américaine Amanda Anisimova (17 ans), programmé ce mercredi, a
    été reporté à jeudi, à cause de la pluie.








    Météo – Une alerte à l’instabilité atmosphérique temporaire
    accentuée et aux pluies fortes est en vigueur sur l’ensemble du territoire de
    la Roumanie jusqu’à vendredi soir. Jeudi, les températures maximales se situeront entre 22 et
    30°. Des alertes aux inondations
    concernent la plupart des rivières et le Danube.