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Tag: Republic of Moldova

Maia Sandu begins second term as president

Maia Sandu has begun her second mandate as president of the Republic of Moldova, which she obtained following the autumn election. Sandu was sworn in during a solemn joint session of the Parliament and the Constitutional Court. In her inauguration speech, she said that she receives her second mandate “first and foremost with humility and determination” and that her legacy should be “Moldova in the European Union”. The president warned, however, that European integration should not be seen as a “business class ticket to paradise”. Maia Sandu took stock of the achievements of her first mandate and highlighted that the Republic of Moldova has managed to become more energy-independent and respected by Western leaders. The head of state urged Moldovan society to mobilize with a view to ensuring Moldova’s EU accession. The Republic of Moldova is viewed with respect by Western leaders due to the achievements of her previous term, Maia Sandu added:

“Moldova is more respected now than ever. The world looks at us with love and interest and supports us in our dream. The rest is up to us. We have begun to free ourselves from energy reliance. Even if prices are still high, no one can hold us back. We have managed to open the door wide to the EU, which is no small thing as a national priority. There is still much to do, but the path we are on is the right one. I urge you to move forward with confidence.”

The president stated that, during her second term, she will continue to insist on implementing justice reforms, which she said, have been “delayed for decades.” “The government will have in me a serious and dedicated partner, but also a harsh critic in case of underperformance”, Maia Sandu added. Romania and the Republic of Moldova will continue to work together to achieve welfare, stability, European values, resilience and democracy, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said in turn, congratulating his Moldovan counterpart on her second term. Maia Sandu is the first female head of state and the sixth president of the Republic of Moldova. She obtained her second term as president by direct vote – a premier for Moldovan politics – following the second round of the presidential election on November 3. Sandu won the election mainly thanks to the vote abroad, grabbing 940,000 votes, while her opponent supported by the Socialists, Alexandr Stoianoglo, obtained just over 750,000 votes. Although she won the election overall, President Sandu narrowly lost in the country’s precincts to Stoianoglo, a former prosecutor general. A national referendum was held on the same day as the election regarding the inclusion of the country’s strategic objective of EU integration in the Constitution, which passed with a score of 51.4%. 2024 was an important year for the Republic of Moldova, when the country consolidated its pro-European course as a result of the referendum and presidential election, but also highlighted once again the deep polarization of society. Both elections ended with borderline scores. During the campaign, the authorities and civil society documented a series of actions of interference from Russia, which triggered a genuine hybrid war, concerted and financed by the group of Ilan Shor, the Moldovan oligarch who fled to Moscow to elude a prison sentence. Moldovan authorities uncovered several schemes for organizing and buying votes, as well as genuine smear and disinformation campaigns. (VP)

27 December 2024
The Republic of Moldova’s Euro-Atlantic Option

The relations between NATO and the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet, Romanian-speaking country, have along the years known several development stages, being marked by political changes at regional and global levels.

Chișinău has lately stepped up the relations it has with the North-Atlantic Alliance against the background of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine. During one of her visits to Brussels, the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, reiterated before the NATO headquarters her state’s commitment to peace and regional security.

The Peace Partnership between the Republic of Moldova and NATO “has contributed to a safer environment for citizens, for strengthening the army’s defence capabilities and the resilience of our entire society,” Sandu said during the meeting she had with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, according to a press release by the presidency in Chisinau.

Talks focused on regional security, hybrid threats, including interference in the election process and corruption as well as the need for joint actions for the protection of the regional democracies.

Talking to the North-Atlantic Council, NATO’s main decision-making structure, made up of the representatives of all the 32 members, president Sandu underlined the efforts made by the Republic of Moldova to maintain peace and stability in spite of the war going on at its borders, and to consolidate its resilience against hybrid threats.

The head of the Moldovan state drew attention to foreign interference tactics targeting democratic processes such as the illegal funding of parties and the manipulation of information, with a view to undermining democracy and the citizens’ trust.

She also highlighted the importance of international cooperation for defending democracies the world over and promoting peace. According to the Moldovan President, her visit to the NATO headquarters is proof of Chisinau’s commitment to ensuring the security of its citizens, of protecting the democratic processes in the Republic of Moldova and strengthening its role as a trustworthy partner in the regional security. Sandu’s visit to Brussels took place after the confirmation of the country’s European roadmap in the referendum, where Moldovans voted for this national objective to be included in the country’s Constitution.

The visit came after the new European Commission had kicked off its mandate underlining the continuity and consolidation of the country’s strong ties with the European Union. During her visit, the Chisinau leader also met the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, who on Tuesday announced a 60 million Euro support package for the Republic of Moldova, which will use the money to reform its legal system and achieve economic stability.

(bill)

12 December 2024
November 2, 2024

AUDITION The European Parliament’s specialized committees on Monday are expected to commence the audition of the designated European Commissioners. On this occasion the MEPs are going to assess the commissioner’s competences, independence and their attachment to European values, essential elements to serve as members of the new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen. According to the schedule announced by the European Parliament, the auditions are to end on 12 November, a day when the six executive vice-presidents of the future Commission, including Romanian Roxana Mînzatu who holds the portfolio, ‘People, competences, training’, will have to answer a series of questions. The entire European Commission will have to get greenlight from the European Parliament, the vote being scheduled for the plenary session of 25-28 November in Strasbourg. After getting Parliament confirmation, the European Commission will have to be officially appointed by the European Council through voting. The commission must have the yes-votes of 55% of the member states.

FLOOD Rescue teams in Spain are making it to the areas blocked by catastrophic flooding where the death toll has reached 205, including four Romanians. One of the victims has been confirmed by the Romanian authorities while a family with a child has been mentioned by the Spanish press. 16 Romanians are reported missing in Spain and the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest is verifying the information about them. The Romanian Embassy in Madrid and the consulate in Castellon de la Plana are in permanent contact with the Spanish authorities. The region of Valencia, in south-eastern Spain, has been affected by devastating floods, experts have deemed as unprecedented. Spain has declared three days of national mourning.

ELECTION The ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova on Sunday will be seeing the second round of the presidential election. The incumbent pro-European president, Maia Sandu, will be running against the pro-Russian Alexandr Stoianoglo. The first round on October 20 was held concurrently with a referendum on the country’s EU accession and was marked by attempted frauds sponsored by Russia and the runaway oligarch Ilan Şor, who had left the country in an attempt to avoid a prison sentence. The socialist candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo says he wants to put an end to divisions and create an authentic European model, where the state is working for the citizens, and he urged citizens to get united for justice and progress. In another development Maia Sandu accuses Stoianoglo of being Moscow’s puppet and also under the control of oligarch Ilan Şor. The elections in the Republic of Moldova are taking place against the background of a tense election campaign.

WEATHER And now a couple of things about the weather, which is warm for this time of the year in almost the entire territory with isolated showers reported in some regions. The highs of the day are ranging between 12 and 22 degrees Celsius with a noon reading in Bucharest of 18 degrees.

(bill)

2 November 2024
October 31, 2024 UPDATE

SPAIN Six Romanian nationals out of the 22 reported missing in Spain are safe, the Romanian Foreign Ministry says. According to the same sources, the latest death poll stands at over 150 dead and scores missing in one of the biggest natural disasters in Spain’s recent history. In Bucharest, Prime Minister Ciolacu summoned the ministers and representatives of government institutions for talks over the situation of the Romanians in Spain affected by the latest flooding. According to government spokesman Mihai Constantin, the Prime Minister has called on the ministries to establish an action group in order to set up a logistic centre in Castellon de la Plana so that the Romanian state may provide additional assistance to the Romanians affected. Ciolacu has called on the ministries to keep permanent contact with the Spanish authorities and the Romanians there and provide transportation to those requesting repatriation. The Romanian diplomacy has cautioned that the Spanish weathermen have again issued alerts for heavy downpours in the region of Valencia, Tarragona, Andalusia and part of Catalonia.

CAMPAIGN The electoral campaign for the parliamentary elections in Romania starts on Thursday night, and it will last until November 30. During this period, the parties, alliances or independents entering the race for a seat in the new two-chamber parliament will have to convince the electorate to grant them the vote on December 1. There are currently 330 parliamentarians in the Chamber of Deputies, and 136 in the Senate. We recall that, also during this period, the presidential election campaign, which started a week ago, is taking place in Romania. The first round of the presidential elections will take place on November 24 and the second round – on December 8.

EC The European Commission has praised the progress made by the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in implementing reforms necessary for joining the EU. In the annual report on the enlargement of the Union, in which it makes an assessment of all accession candidate or aspirant states, the Commission expresses its hope that, next year, it will be able to start discussions on negotiation chapters with Chisinau and Kyiv officials. The Republic of Moldova showed commitment on the path of reforms and showed political stability in the last year, despite Russia’s hybrid attacks, the European Commission believes. Brussels draws attention to the fact that there is still a need for efforts in many areas, including Justice. Despite the steps taken before, additional efforts are needed, also on the part of Ukraine, the Commission says. Both Ukraine and Moldova started accession negotiations in the summer of this year.

MOLDOVA On Sunday, November 3, the second round of the presidential elections takes place in the Republic of Moldova. Running are the incumbent president, the pro-European Maia Sandu, and the pro-Russian Alexandr Stoianoglo. In the first round, Sandu got over 42% of the votes, and her opponent, 26%. Maia Sandu has stated that joining the European Union is the only way forward for the Moldovan people and said about Stoianoglo that he is a tool of evil forces.

bill

31 October 2024
October 23, 2024 UPDATE

PODGORICA During his formal visit to Montenegro on Wednesday, at the invitation of his counterpart Jakov Milatovic, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis reiterated Romania’s staunch support for the EU enlargement process with the partners in the Western Balkans and the candidates from the eastern vicinity. The head of the Romanian state said that Montenegro had taken major steps in the negotiation process, its attachment to European values being also visible in its complete alignment with the EU’s common security and foreign policy. At the bilateral level, the two officials have reconfirmed the common readiness to contribute to boosting economic and sectorial cooperation, which may better reflect the potential of the political relations. The two sides have agreed to support a stronger presence of the Romanian companies in Montenegro, an increased number of contracts at the level of the business environment, particularly at the level of the small and medium size enterprises, supported by an effective and periodical dialogue between the authorities. The two officials have also underlined the interest in developing cooperation in various fields with a view to bringing tangible benefits for citizens, such as defence, internal affairs, tourism, energy and agriculture. President Milatovic thanked Romania for supporting Montenegro in its EU integration process and appreciated the visit, the first formal one, by a Romanian president since the country got its independence, which is a strong sign of friendship and partnership between the two countries.

BUDGET MEPs are proposing a budget of roughly 201 billion euros for 2025. According to the project voted on Wednesday by the European Parliament, the budget will be focusing on research, healthcare, education and climate. The formula proposed by Parliament, a higher budget, which benefits the countries with lower contributions to the European budget, like Romania, which benefits from the fund distribution through the programmes of the EU policies. According to MEP Victor Negrescu, one of the two negotiators of the Legislature, who will join the final negotiation between Parliament and the Council, it is the support offered by the European Parliament to the programme devoted to border protection as well as the coordination of the social security system, which would allow the European Diaspora, including the Romanian one to easily transfer their rights and social benefits, including pensions, from one state to another.

ELECTION On Wednesday, the US expressed its concern about Russia’s interference in the second round of the November 3 presidential election in the Republic of Moldova, a competition which is going to be very tight. The US is concerned that Russia will try, once again, to prevent the Moldovans from exercising their sovereign right to choose their own leaders, said the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in a statement quoted by AFP. Washington has already denounced that Russia did everything in its power to disrupt the first round of the presidential election and last Sunday’s referendum, with the aim of undermining democracy in the small ex-Soviet Republic with a majority Romanian-speaking population, especially through illegal financing, vote buying, disinformation and malicious cyber activities. We remind you that the Moldovans approved by a tiny margin, with a little over 50% of the votes, amending the Constitution with a view to their country’s EU accession. At the same time, the current president, the pro-European Maia Sandu, ranked first, with 42.45% of the votes, in the first round of the presidential election, but she is preparing for a difficult second round, in which she will fight with the representative of the Socialist Party, Alexandr Stoianoglo, who obtained 25.98%.

SALARY Romania’s Chamber of Deputies adopted, as a decision-making body, the draft law on the minimum wage. It transposes a European directive that aims to improve the working and living conditions of employees. The document stipulates that the minimum basic gross salary guaranteed to be paid should be established annually, through periodic updating, after consultations with the nationally-representative unions and employers’ associations and should take into account the cost of living and economic and social indicators.

(bill)

23 October 2024
A vote of capital importance for the Republic of Moldova

In the predominantly Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, this Sunday will see presidential elections and a referendum on the country’s EU accession. According to Radio Chișinău, the current president, the pro-European Maia Sandu, is favorite in the polls, but the Republic of Moldova is facing a massive Russian disinformation campaign, seeking to keep the country away from Europe. US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, recently warned that Moscow will try to manipulate the results of the presidential election and the referendum, also by means of the propaganda TV channel “Russia Today”, which is supposedly coordinating with Russian intelligence services. The United States haveimposed sanctions on several entities and individuals from Russia for interference in the elections in the Republic of Moldova. Those targeted are accused of orchestrating a campaign to buy votes and support for pro-Kremlin candidates. In addition, a few days ago the European Parliament also adopted a resolution supporting the Republic of Moldova in its fight against Russia’s interference in hijacking national democratic processes, in the context where EU accession negotiations with Moldova have started. According to media reports, the Moldovan Government estimates that Moscow redirected at least 100 mln EUR to the former Soviet republic, in order to influence the election and the pro-EU referendum on October 20.

Maia Sandu, a former World Bank official, was elected president in November 2020, riding the wave of popularity as an anti-corruption reformer with a pro-European program. She advocates a modest lifestyle, in stark contrast to politicians who have long dominated local politics. In a recent interview, the president said she shares a two-bedroom apartment with her mother, while her 2023 wealth statement listed her bank balance at 600 USD. In 2021, Maia Sandu’s pro-Western party, Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), scored a landslide victory in the parliamentary election, giving the party unprecedented power to implement reforms and push the country towards the West. Three years later, however, the Republic of Moldova remains mired in economic and political instability. The former Soviet republic was plunged into an energy crisis when Kremlin-controlled Gazprom cut gas supplies to Moldova by a third and demanded over twice the previous tariffs to keep the gas flowing, in what many saw as a political revenge on the part of Moscow for the pro-Western stance of president Maia Sandu. Then, Russia’s war against Ukraine pushed the Republic of Moldova into a broader financial crisis. Located just a few hours’ drive from Odesa, the Republic of Moldova has received the largest number of Ukrainian refugees per capita, a rough test for its healthcare system, public services and infrastructure. Inflation has gone up by as much as 40%, while trade with Moscow and Kyiv has fallen sharply. (VP)

14 October 2024
September 25, 2024

UNO The Romanian president Klaus Iohannis is in New York to attend the 79^th session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting’s central theme is ‘Unity in diversity for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere.’ In his address before the General Assembly, the head of the Romanian state is expected to plead for maintaining dialogue at a multilateral level, mainly within the UN format as an essential element of regional and global security. For this reason, Klaus Iohannis will be highlighting Romania’s multilateral contribution to solving all the present global issues, from security crises, such as the war in Ukraine or the Middle East, to major challenges for mankind such as climate change, the erosion of human rights and cyber threats.

BUDGET During its session today, the government in Bucharest is expected to increase the budgets of the Environment Ministry and the Finance Ministry. Hundreds of families and people in emergency situations as a result of severe fires and weather phenomena or in special situations that might increase the risk of their social exclusion will be benefitting from emergency funds from the government amounting to roughly 300 thousand Euros. The budget of the Finance Ministry is expected to increase by over 50 thousand Euros. Also high on the agenda are budget raises for the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

ELECTION The Central Election Committee in Chisinau has approved the participation of 11 candidates in the election for the presidential seat of the ex-Soviet, Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova. According to experts, the incumbent president, Maia Sandu, who is running for another term in office, is the odds-on favourite. Her main opponents are the former prosecutor general Alexandr Stoianoglo, backed by the socialists and the former mayor of the district of Balti, Renato Usatîi, leader of a political group entitled Our Party. The presidential elections are due on 20^th October and a referendum on amending the Constitution so that the country may join the EU, is due concurrently. Most of the 14 parties running in the election are backing the idea of European integration. The socialists, however, are boycotting the referendum while the communists and one party belonging to the political bloc of oligarch Ilan Shor have declared themselves against the country’s EU accession.

MEASURES The rising level of the Danube waters shouldn’t cause any problems whatsoever, the Romanian hydrologists believe. According to their estimates, the river’s maximum level would be lower than initially believed. The river’s waters are expected to reach their peak of eight thousand cubic meters per second on September 30^th, but this level shouldn’t create any problems for the authorities who can handle it easily, is the conclusion of the representatives of all the central and local institutions in charge of the emergency situations. Thousands of sandbags have been made ready and part of them have already been deployed.

(bill)

25 September 2024
CSAT and Regional Security

Romania is directly interested in having on its own territory industrial capabilities that can ensure the output of modern military equipment to fit its armed forces in times of peace as well as in developing new equipment to contribute to the multiplication of its military capabilities in situations of crises and war – this is one of the conclusion of the country’s Higher Defence Council, also known as CSAT. Summoned on Thursday by the country’s president, Klaus Iohannis, the CSAT members held talks over the plan of fitting the Romanian armed forces with the right type of equipment and technologies for the following 10 years – 2025-2034 after the major changes in the regional security situation prompted by the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

According to the CSAT members, raising budget funds for defence is also going to have an effect over Romania’s field industry, which has the opportunity of initiating a process of transformation, streamlining and adjustment by attracting new, state-of-the-art technologies as well as cooperation with field companies of international repute.

Against the latest developments in Ukraine, the Council also tackled additional measures of deterring and combating security threats to be implemented at national level with support from NATO allies.

Consolidating the strategic partnership with the Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova was also high on the agenda. Romania again reiterated its support for the European headway made by the small ex-Soviet republic by assisting it in implementing reforms and the required public policies, without neglecting the challenges Chisinau is presently facing against the background of the hybrid threats mounted by the Russian Federation and the war against Ukraine.

These threats and risks are also having, in most of the cases, implications for Romania. And for this reason, the main objective of Bucharest’s foreign policy, concerning the Republic of Moldova, is supporting and ensuring the irreversibility of its European roadmap on the basis of the bilateral Consolidated Partnership, the Presidential Administration has announced. .

Last, but not least, the CSAT members analyzed and approved the National Plan of Implementing the Civil Pact in the field of Common Security Policy and Defence as a new one had been endorsed at EU level.

The pact is aimed at increasing the flexibility and robustness of the civil missions at community level, as well as their reaction speed in the process of handling crises in spite of limited resources.

According to the Presidential Administration, the document will ease the effectiveness of Romania’s involvement in civil missions in the field of Common Security and Defence Policy, and better capitalize on the Romanian expertise in the field.

(bill)

20 September 2024
The Republic of Moldova and Ukraine can begin their EU accession negotiations

The European Commission has announced that Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova have met the right conditions to be able to start negotiations to join the bloc. According to Brussels, Ukraine has made the last amendments to the laws regulating lobbying activities, as well as in the field of minorities, while the Republic of Moldova has operated changes to its legal system. In both cases, the Commission will be monitoring the implementation of the aforementioned amendments, but the steps taken by the two countries will allow them to kick off the negotiations for EU accession.

The first stage after this moment is for the community countries to endorse the Commission’s recommendation in the European Council. Kyiv submitted its EU-entry application in February 2022 after the conflict it had with Russia in the east for several years, was followed by a large-scale invasion of the latter’s troops. A month later, the Republic of Moldova – whose pro-Russia breakaway region of Transdniester had also caused a lot of concern after the war in early 90s – asked to join the European Union.

European leaders officially recognized Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as accession candidates in June last year. The next stage, after the EU members have approved the Commission’s recommendation, will be the setting up of an inter-governmental conference with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, a moment, which is actually the beginning of the negotiations aimed at bringing their entire legislations in line with the European one.

These negotiations will end with the accession per se. The Council’s presidency is being currently held by Belgium, a country, which wants to summon the first inter-governmental conference during its mandate, namely by the end of this month.

After Belgium, the EU rotating presidency will be taken over by Hungary, a country, which has repeatedly questioned the opportunity of EU enlargement.

On Thursday at the meeting with the EU ambassadors accredited to Bucharest, occasioned by the conclusion of the Belgian presidency, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis highlighted the ‘significant reform efforts’ accomplished by both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova under extremely difficult circumstances.

He pleaded for the continuation of the accession process of these two countries and for summoning intergovernmental conferences by the end of the Belgian presidency. The Romanian president has repeatedly mentioned Romania’s support for the two countries during their European integration process.

Furthermore, press agencies announced as early as Wednesday that a group of eleven out of the 27 EU members have called on the Belgian presidency to endorse the negotiation frameworks for the EU accession of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova so that the inter-governmental conference with the two may be summoned late this month.

Opening accession negotiations would offer additional motivation to both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the eleven signatories, Romania included, of the ‘Joint Letter on EU Accession have said.

(bill)

10 June 2024
June 7, 2024 UPDATE

EU Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova have met the conditions for starting EU accession negotiations. A spokeswoman for the European Commission said in Brussels on Friday that the decision now is in the hands of the member countries. The Commission has informed the Council that Ukraine has done the latest legislative amendments in its legal system, to regulate lobbying activities and in the fields of minorities and the Republic of Moldova has operated changes in its judiciary. In the case of both countries, the Commission will be monitoring the implementation of the new amendments, but the steps taken so far allow for kicking off accession negotiations. In a first stage, the member states are expected to endorse the Commission recommendation and there is one question mark concerning the position of Hungary. A second stage will be the setting up of an inter-governmental conference with Moldova and Ukraine a moment which coincides with the start of negotiations for bringing the entire legislation in line with the bloc’s laws. The council’s presidency is presently being held by Belgium, a country, which wants the setting up of the first inter-government conference during its mandate, by the end of July.

GROWTH The Gross Domestic Product of the eurozone and of the EU registered an increase of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2024 as compared to the last quarter of 2023, says data published on Friday by the EU statistical office Eurostat. According to the same data, Romania’s economy registered a slight growth above the European average with a GDP growth of 0.4% in the year’s first three months after a contraction of 0.6% in the last three months of 2023. Eurostat data are similar to those provided by the National Institute for Statistics, which revised down Romania’s economic growth in the first quarter from a previous forecast of 0.5% to 0.4%.

ELECTION In Romania, Friday was the last day of the first electoral campaign in 2024. Citizens with the right to vote are expected, on Sunday, to go to the polls to choose both their representatives in the future European Parliament and in the local authorities. According to the data of the Permanent Electoral Authority, over 200,000 candidates have tried, starting from May 10, to convince voters to vote them. The oldest candidate is 100 years old, and the youngest is just over 23 years old. 11,386 people are running for mayoral positions. All in all, 207,389 candidates have registered for all the positions of local, county and municipal councilors, mayors and presidents of county councils. For the European Parliament elections, 12 political parties and electoral alliances and four independent candidates have registered, i.e. a total of 494 candidates, of whom the Romanians with the right to vote must choose 33 that will represent Romania in the European Parliament. The electoral campaign will end on Saturday morning, at 7:00 a.m.

WAGES Almost 1,900,000 employees in Romania will receive increased salaries by 284 lei (57 Euros) net value, from July 1, after the Romanian Government approved the increase of the gross minimum wage from 3,300 lei (about 660 Euros) to 3,700 lei (approximately 740 Euros) and raised from 200 lei (approximately 40 Euros) to 300 lei (almost 60 Euros) the monthly amount exempted from the payment of the income tax. The executive believes that this approach will have positive effects on economic growth, the purchasing power of employees and will contribute to the reduction of undeclared work. However, the decision does not apply to employees in agriculture and the food industry, as legal provisions in force apply to these categories. The government representatives said that this increase is a step towards the adoption, from November, of the minimum wage at the European level.

(bill)

7 June 2024
May 27, 2024 UPDATE

MINIMUM WAGE – Ruling coalition partners on Monday discussed the possibility of increasing the national minimum wage, which according to political sources is expected to reach 740 EUR. The Social-Democrats and the Liberals want the measure to take effect starting July 1, as Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated last week. Of this sum, 40 EUR will remain tax-free. The coalition also discussed the possibility of cutting public spending, as well as maintaining a cap on trade markup and extending it to all foodstuffs.

FAC – On the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminița Odobescu firmly criticized the Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. The EU must step up its military assistance for Ukraine, the Romanian official said. On the other hand, Georgia remains one of Romania’s partners, Minister Odobescu pointed out, highlighting the need to support this country and its European aspirations. The adoption of a “foreign agents” bill undermines Georgia’s EU agenda, the Romanian Foreign Minister added.

DIASPORA – The Day of Romanians Worldwide was celebrated on Sunday. On this occasion, officials across the political spectrum have conveyed messages celebrating the efforts of Romanians living and working abroad. President Klaus Iohannis urged Romanians to preserve their identity, language and traditions, arguing the diaspora needs to remain a strong voice both in Bucharest and in other world capitals. Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu recalled that the welfare and security of Romanians abroad, as well as permanent dialogue with the diaspora, should remain key priorities of Romanian diplomacy. Senate Speaker Nicolae Ciucă urged Romanians living abroad to never forget about their identity and instil their love for the homeland in their children. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances the government will continue to support Romanians living outside the country’s borders.

EXERCISE – 500 military from Romania, the USA, France, Poland and Italy on Monday took part in an exercise in Smârdan training center (southeast) as part of the Dacian Strike 24 multinational exercise, held in Romania and Bulgaria. Training drills included deployment of land and air forces. The Multinational Corps Southeast coordinated the entire operation. The Romanian Air Forces and the Royal Air Forces from Great Britain were also involved. In the context of NATO’s advanced presence in southeastern Europe, the Southeast Multinational Command is coordinating training operations of subordinated forces with a view to deterring possible acts of aggression in the region.

MOLDOVA – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday is paying a visit to Moldova, where he will reassert US support for the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession and discuss energy security topics, a US Department of State release reads. According to Radio Romania’s Washington correspondent, Antony Blinken is then expected to travel to Prague, Czechia, to attend an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers. The meeting will address the priorities of the upcoming NATO Summit of July in Washington.

FOOTBALL – Romania’s football champions FCSB will be playing in Champions League’s second preliminary round next season. Romanian Cup winners, Corvinul Hunedoara, will be playing in Europa League whereas CFR Cluj and Universitatea Craiova will be competing in Conference League. Last weekend the so-called Golden Generation of Romanian football held its farewell performance. Back in the 90s, Romania managed to secure qualification to three world cups and two European championships. (DB & VP)

27 May 2024
April 20, 2024 UPDATE

PLANES Three F-16 jet fighters Romania bought from Norway landed at the Air Base 71 in Campia Turzii, central Romania on Friday. This has been the second batch of these multi-role fighters Romania bought from Norway; the first batch arrived in November, last year. According to the National Defence Ministry, the 32 F-16s Romania is going to receive by the end of next year are meant to consolidate the country’s air defence adjusted to the regional security challenges. They are going to play a major role in keeping an allied posture of defence and deterrence on the eastern flank and will ensure transition towards the fifth generation, the F-35 planes Romania is going to get, as minister Angel Tilvar says. The Romanian air forces now boast 20 F-16 jet fighters.

RATING In the past year agencies have reconfirmed Romania’s sovereign rating and stable prospect, but there is room for improvement, such as the lower-cost access to funding on international capital markets and for attracting foreign investment – the country’s Finance Minister Marcel Bolos says in a Facebook post. During a working visit he paid to Washington, the Romanian official held talks with representatives of famous rating agencies, such as Standard&Poor’s and Moody’s on Romania’s economic particularities and the strategies aimed at ensuring macro-economic stability. Bolos also attended the spring proceedings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. According to Bolos, in order to raise economic competitiveness and create an appropriate environment for durable investment, Bucharest is focusing on fiscal consolidation, on raising investment in infrastructure and education, on boosting private investment and the promotion of an effective and transparent economic governance.

HOLIDAY The Romanian Black Sea resorts are stepping up preparations for the upcoming mini-holiday on May 1^st and the Orthodox Easter, to be celebrated on May 5^th and which actually opens the summer holiday season in Romania. Owners of hotels, restaurants and guest houses in the region are expecting a large number of tourists as many rooms have already been booked. According to Corina Martin, secretary general of the Federation of Employers’ Associations, over 80 thousand people are expected to spend the mini-holiday in the aforementioned seaside resorts. The largest number of tourists is expected in the resort of Mamaia. Between May 1^st and 7^th the resort will be hosting the International Electronic Music Festival, Sunwaves, which is expected to bring together roughly 6 thousand tourists from abroad, a gastronomic festival and outdoor concerts given by Romania’s top artists.

VISIT Over April 22 and 24, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis will be paying a formal visit to the Republic of Korea, upon the invitation of his counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol. The Republic of Korea is the first country in the Asia-Pacific area with which Romania raised its relations at the level of strategic partnership in 2008. On the occasion of Iohannis’ upcoming visit to Seoul, this partnership will be consolidated through a document, which sets the cooperation directions for the next 10 years. Relevant documents are expected to be signed in the field of defence, nuclear energy, investment and foreign trade, cooperation in emergency situations and disaster management, cooperation in the field of culture, mass-media, youth and sports. In the Republic of Korea, the Romanian president will be meeting representatives of the Romanian community and business environment and will be visiting an exhibition of Romanian traditional art.

SPORTS According to the Facebook page of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Romanian athlete Bianca Ghelber managed to clear the Olympic qualification threshold in the hammer throw event in Nairobi, Kenya. Ghelber’s third throw measured 74.06 m, 6 centimeters over the threshold imposed by the World Athletics. She ended the contest on the second position after Janee Kassanavoid of the USA, which threw 75.99 meters. For Bianca Ghelber, that would be the fourth participation in the Olympic Games, after Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020. Team Romania now boasts 79 qualified athletes in ten sporting contests, athletics, swimming, boxing, kayak-canoe, rowing, gymnastics, water polo, table tennis, wrestling. Weightlifters Mihaela Cambei and Loredana Toma have also qualified, but are still to be officially recognized.

ROAD A 2.2 kilometer section of modernized motorway was opened in Galati, a Romanian port on the Danube, on Saturday. The new section will ease the access to Europe of transporters from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The section is part of a complex 140 million euro project, which also includes a goods terminal in the port of Galati, the only Romanian one along the Rhine-Danube corridor benefitting from a double-gauge rail infrastructure. The other investment stages are scheduled to unfold by the end of next year.

(bill)

20 April 2024
A new win for the Romanian language in Chişinău

A record number of almost 13,000 people have applied for the 5,000 places in national course programme to study the Romanian language in 2024 in the Republic of Moldova. The courses are available to adults in this country who wish to perfect their knowledge of Romanian or learn it from scratch. According to a statement from the Moldovan education ministry, most applications came from the capital Chişinău, the autonomous region of Gagauzia in the south-west of Moldova, the city of Bălţi and from Tiraspol, the capital of the break-away Russian-speaking region of Transnistria. As to the background of the applicants, they work in the areas of education, economy, medicine, the central and local public administration, the arts and culture and in the legal profession. Romanian language courses are free of charge and are held between March and December, with participants being awarded a language certificate at the end indicating their proficiency level.

This comes in the wider context of Monday’s ruling by the Constitutional Court in Chișinău that the phrase “Romanian language” is maintained in all the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, including in the Constitution. The Court thus rejected a move submitted last year by a group of socialist and communist MPs following Parliament’s implementation of a Court ruling from 2013 on the name of the country’s official language. The president of the Constitutional Court in Chișinău, Domnica Manole, explains:

“Given that the rulings of the Constitutional Court cannot be contested, that they are final, and that, irrespective of their nature, generate the effects established by the Court, the Court thus ruled as inadmissible the request referring to changing the name of the state language, which is the Romanian language, in the legislation passed by Parliament.”

The pro-Russian authorities who governed Moldova in the past repeatedly tried to avoid using the correct name of the language spoken by their citizens, using instead phrases like the “Moldovan language”, “official language”, “mother tongue”, or simply “our language”, anything, that is, but “Romanian language”.

Ten years after the Constitutional Court established that the Romanian language is the official language in Moldova, the country’s Parliament in March 2023 passed a law to change the name of the state language from “Moldovan” to “Romanian”, thus inscribing in law that the language spoken in the republic is Romanian. The country’s president Maia Sandu welcomed the move at the time, saying that “the law recognises a historical and undeniable truth: the state language of the Republic of Moldova is Romanian”, while those who for decades promoted the idea of a Moldovan language only sought to divide society. (CM)

12 March 2024
December 22, 2023 UPDATE

GOVERNOR
Romanian Anca Dragu has been designated governor of the National Bank of the
Republic of Moldova for a 7-year mandate. A decision in this respect was
endorsed by Parliament in Chisinau with 58 yes-votes on Friday. The Moldovan
MPs’ decision was motivated by Dragu’s major expertise with Romania’s Central
Bank and with the International Monetary Fund as well as with public and EU
accession policies. Dragu has worked for more than 15 years for Romania’s
Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund and was Public Finance
Minister in Bucharest between November 2015 and January 2017. In 2020 she held
the position of the Romanian Senate president and is presently an MP with the
Save Romania Union.

DAY 22 December
1989 is being celebrated as the Day of the Victory of the Romanian Revolution. It
marks the flight of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu after protests broke
out in Timisoara on 16th December and spread to many other places
around the country and the capital Bucharest. 1,166 people were killed in the
December 1989 uprising, according to the Institute of the Romanian Revolution.
They are commemorated these days in Bucharest and across the country in
military and religious ceremonies. Those who took part in the Revolution and
the families of the victims prayed and laid flowers in the cities were the
fiercest clashes took place.

FLIGHTS From June next year, direct flights from Bucharest to the
United States will be resumed after 20 years. Tickets are already being sold,
as the company in charge of the flights has received permission from the US
Department of Transport. The flights between Bucharest’s Henri Coanda Airport
and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport will take place four times a week on
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and return. The trip will last under ten hours.
The first flight is scheduled for 7th June 2024.

(bill)

22 December 2023
Historic day for the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine

At the EU Summit in Brussels, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova were given permission to start EU accession talks, after last year they had obtained EU candidate status. In turn, Georgia was given EU candidate status, while Bosnia will start accession talks in March, provided the European Commissions report is positive. Hungary was the only country that vetoed the start of negotiations with Ukraine, although prime Minister Viktor Orban did not cast his vote. Ukraine is the first country to receive candidate status and start accession talks in times of war, and the decision is aimed at encouraging Kyiv. Thanking European leaders, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the decision as a victory for Ukraine and the entire Europe, a victory that motivates, inspires and gives strength. Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it was “a historic day”, adding that “the feeling is overwhelming, all that has not been in vain”. In turn, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the decision comes in recognition of reforms carried out in recent years, warning however there is still a long road ahead. As regards Chișinău, Moldovas European track has in recent years been marked by voters oscillating between pro-Russian and pro-European parties. In 2014 Moldova signed the EU Association Agreement. Following the European Councils decision this Thursday, president Maia Sandu said the success belong to the entire Moldovan society, to all those who support democracy and prosperity and work hard and patiently, who express their votes, marched for freedom and never stopped believing Moldova deserves more. In turn, Moldovas Prime Minister Dorin Recean wrote in a message that the historic decision taken by the European Council is the result of efforts made by all citizens in recent years. The Moldovan Prime Minister gave assurances that Moldova knows that needs to be done and is committed to continue reforms in order to soon join the European family. “Todays decision is a historic moment for the Republic of Moldova, marking the most important step in our efforts to join the great EU family”, Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu also said. Attending the meeting in Brussels, Romanias president Klaus Iohannis also spoke of a historic day that follows remarkable progress reported by Kyiv and Chișinău in terms of reforms recommended by the European Commission.

“Moldova should clearly continue on the path to reforms, perhaps at a greater speed, so that negotiations should get well underway and produce results that eventually lead to European integration. We are here to support you. Be brave, implement the reforms and well move forward together”.

In turn, Romanias Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also congratulated the two states, giving assurances that Romania remains a firm supporter of the two countries in the accession talks. (VP)

15 December 2023