Radio România Internațional

Tag: rescue

  • December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    Christmas – For New Rite Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics and Catholics all over the world, including Romania, which has a majority Orthodox population, December 26 is the second day of Christmas, the celebration of the Nativity, one of the biggest in Christianity. On December 26, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, one of the oldest feasts in honor of the Virgin Mary. The holiday was established 1,500 years ago. Christmas is a celebration of generosity and compassion, of the revival of hope for a better future, President Klaus Iohannis wrote on a social network. Christmas is a celebration of joy, and true faith is the one that works through love, says the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made a new call for peace in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Old Rite Orthodox believers, who form the majority in Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Georgia, celebrate Christmas on January 7.

     

    Government – One of the priorities of the new Romanian government is to draft next year’s budget, which seems to be, at the same time, the main difficulty it will face in the assumed effort to reduce expenses. The draft budget is based on a new emergency ordinance regarding fiscal-budgetary measures, which is to be approved in the following days. In includes a large part of the unpopular measures that the government must implement in order to reduce the deficit. Some of the measures are the freezing of salaries and pensions in 2025 or the taxation of large fortunes. The investiture of the new government in Bucharest, made up of the PSD-PNL-UDMR, sent a positive signal to Romanian businessmen and to foreign investors, claims the Prime Minister and social-democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu.

     

    Schengen – As of January 1, 2025, when Romania enters the Schengen free travel area also with land borders, 33 border crossing points with Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as from the Black Sea and the maritime Danube, will be permanently closed, namely 17 road and rail crossing points located on Romania’s western border with Hungary and 14 road crossing points, including ferry crossings, rail and port crossing points on the border with Bulgaria and two port crossing points from Brăila and Cernavodă. The Interior Ministry has put up for debate a draft government decision in this regard. From the beginning of 2025, there will no longer be checks at the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria at the crossing points. Such checks will only be done randomly, based on risk analysis. Lifting controls at the land borders takes place after the so-called partial accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, made at the end of March, when they joined the area only with the air and sea borders.

     

    Recovery and Resilience – At the beginning of this week, Romania received over 37 million Euros from the European Commission as part of the second payment request from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan following the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, Romania has received 9.4 billion Euros out of a total of over 28 and a half billion Euros allocated to it. In mid December, the Romanian Government sent the European Commission the payment request number three, which involves a financing of 2.7 billion Euros. The money is given in the form of grants, and a series of reforms must be carried out in return.

     

    Moldova – The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO, on Wednesday, of trying to turn the Republic of Moldova into a logistics center for the supply of the Ukrainian army and of trying to bring its military infrastructure closer to Russia. Maria Zaharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said that the majority of the population of the Republic of Moldova (mostly Romanian speaking) does not want to join the military alliance. She referred to the extensive arms transfers to Moldova in recent months and to Maia Sandu’s pro-Western views. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis congratulated Maia Sandu on taking over her second mandate. Romania and the Republic of Moldova will continue to work for well-being, stability, European values, resilience and democracy, said Klaus Iohannis. On December 24, Maia Sandu was officially inaugurated as president of the Republic of Moldova. In her speech, she emphasized that European integration and justice reform remain the main objectives in her second term. Despite the regional and global crises, caused by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, external threats and the Kremlin’s energy blackmail, the Republic of Moldova managed to maintain peace and advance on the European path, she said. Maia Sandu is the first woman to hold this position and the first president elected by direct vote, who obtained two mandates.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep forfeited her matches for the WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, and for the Australian Open in which she had to participate in the following period due to some medical problems. ‘I will rest and I intend to participate next in the tournament in Cluj (north-western Romania, February 1-9), where I can’t wait to play in front of the extraordinary Romanian fans,  said Halep, former world number one player. The WTA 250 in Auckland, with total prizes worth 275,094 dollars, is scheduled from December 30 to January 5, while the Australian Open, next year’s first Grand Slam tournament, will be held in Melbourne between 6 and January 26.

     

    Gaza – A Palestinian television channel, affiliated to the Islamic Jihad group, on Thursday announced the death of five of its journalists in an Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip. The people were allegedly killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the center of the Palestinian enclave, ‘while carrying out their journalistic and humanitarian duty’. In turn, the Israeli army stated, on the Telegram network, that it executed ‘a precise strike on a vehicle with an Islamic Jihad terrorist cell on board in the Nuseirat area.’ The Israeli forces claim that before the attack, measures were taken to reduce the risk of hitting civilians. Last week, the Palestinian Union of Journalists announced that more than 190 journalists had been killed and more than 400 wounded since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023.

     

    Rescue – Three Ukrainians lost in the Maramureş Mountains (northern Romania) were rescued after difficult searches. The three crossed the border into Romania in extreme weather conditions and asked the authorities for help. The rescuers expanded the search area after they did not find the lost people at the place they had indicated. An aerial search was not possible due to bad weather, and searches were carried out only on foot. After several hours, the rescuers found the Ukrainians in a dangerous valley, with mild hypothermia, and one with traumas caused by falling in that rugged area. The three were hospitalized. Ukraine invaded by Russian troops has repeatedly reported cases of men dying while trying to flee the country to escape military service. In particular, the mountain river Tisa, which flows along Ukraine’s border with Hungary and Romania, has made numerous victims. (LS)

  • May 31, 2023 UPDATE

    May 31, 2023 UPDATE

    EDUCATION The government’s new salary offer for teachers will be
    presented to unions in an expedited procedure, so as to allow teachers to
    decide on whether to continue the strike, the education union leaders announced
    at the end of Wednesday’s negotiations. The government proposed a monthly gross
    EUR 200 payment to teaching staff and EUR 80 for non-teaching staff in the
    sector. An emergency order will also be passed, allowing entry-level teachers
    to have a starting salary equal to the national average gross wage. The all-out
    strike in Romanian undergraduate education has reached its 10th day.


    MOLDOVA The Republic of Moldova Thursday hosts the European
    Political Community Summit, attended by 50 heads of state and government. The
    European Commission is represented by its president Ursula von der Leyen and
    the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. The most important subjects on the
    agenda of the summit are security, stability and cooperation in Europe. Also attending will be the
    president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis. On
    Tuesday, the EU Council decided to double the macro-financial aid for the
    Republic of Moldova from EUR 150 to 295 million.


    POLICE On Wednesday in Romania prison officers protested salary
    levels and the working conditions. Penitentiary police workers say they work
    extensive extra hours in order to make up for personnel shortages, and oppose
    the planned increase of retirement age in the sector. Trade union
    representatives had a meeting with the justice minister, who said the dialogue
    was constructive and promised that the rights of prison officers will be
    respected. Cătălin Predoiu added that in the following two years at most, up to
    2,000 officers will be recruited in order to fill the vacancies in the penitentiary
    system.


    CHAMPIONSHIP The 2023 World Rescue Championship takes place in
    Craiova, southern Romania, between June 1 and 4. This is the largest such event
    of the International Canine Federation, with more than 60 search and rescue
    dogs taking part, from 10 countries (Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Italy,
    Japan, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine and the Netherlands). The world’s top 19
    teams will compete in various sections, including surface search for missing
    persons, obedience and dexterity, and search for victims in the rubble.
    Craiova is the first city in the world to have organised five World Rescue
    Championships (2009, 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2023).


    GRAIN EU agriculture ministers meeting in the AGRIFISH council have
    not managed to unblock 100 million euros worth of aid for farmers affected by
    Ukraine’s export of cheap grain. Romania is one of the five countries that may
    benefit from the aid and it stands to receive around EUR 30 million. The
    European commissioner for agriculture Ianusz Wojciechowski gave assurances that
    the aid will be unblocked and the situation monitored. He said he was not in
    favour of using the EU budget to buy Ukrainian grain to be supplied to the
    world food programme because the cost would be three times that of the cereals
    themselves. He believes the money would be better used, in the long term, to
    improve the infrastructure, for example that of Romania, and said he would have
    talks in this regard with the European commissioner for transport and
    infrastructure Adina Vălean.

    TENNIS The only Romanian
    athlete left in the Roland Garros competition, Irina Begu, Wednesday defeated
    Italy’s Sara Errani, in 2 sets, 6 – 3, 6 – 0. On Tuesday, Sorana Cirstea was
    kicked out of the competition by another Italian player, Jasmine Paolini. Also
    on Tuesday, the Canadian athlete Bianca Andreescu won against Victoria
    Azarenka (Belarus) in 3 sets. (AMP)

  • February 8, 2023 UPDATE

    February 8, 2023 UPDATE

    EARTHQUAKE The massive earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday killed around
    12,000 people, according to the latest reports. Two-thirds of the total
    casualties are reported in Turkey. Tens of thousands of people were injured. In
    spite of the freezing cold, rescuers are struggling to find survivors. President Tayyip Erdogan declared
    disaster areas in the 10 provinces affected by the quakes, and introduced a
    3-month state of emergency. Seventy countries have so far provided support in
    the search and rescue operations. Romania joined the international aid efforts
    and sent nearly 120 search and
    rescue specialists, doctors and nurses, as well as search and rescue dogs.
    Many Romanian nationals have contacted the Embassy in Ankara to report the situation there, but few of them
    requested to be repatriated. Turkey is located in one of the world’s
    main seismic areas. In 1999, an
    earthquake occurring in Düzce, in the north of the country, killed over 17,000 people. As regards Syria, Romania is going to provide mostly humanitarian aid,
    following that country’s request to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.


    PATRIOT Romania has received a second Patriot system, out of the total
    four, that were contracted for the first stage of the country’s Air Force
    equipping programme. According to the defence minister Angel Tilvar, the four
    systems represent the first stage in achieving state-of-the-art ground-based
    air defence capability, which can be fully integrated into the NATO system.
    Patriot systems were first delivered to Romania in 2020, and 2023 is the year
    when the first stage of the equipping programme is to be fully completed,
    according to the Defence Ministry. The Patriot system is one of the most
    advanced air protection systems of the US military arsenal. It is a mobile
    system that usually includes a powerful radar, a control station, a power
    generator, launch stations and support vehicles.


    EU The European Council on Thursday will hold a summit in Brussels to
    discuss the war in Ukraine, the EU economy and migration. A video-conference
    chaired by the European Council President, Charles Michel, was held on Tuesday
    and was also attended by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who said talks
    focused on the support granted to Ukraine, consolidating the competitiveness of
    the EU economy and implementing concrete measures of combating illegal
    migration. Although Schengen enlargement is not officially on the agenda,
    President Iohannis might approach it informally in the plenary or during
    bilateral meetings with his counterparts.


    MOTION The Chamber of
    Deputies Wednesday dismissed the simple motion tabled by the opposition against
    the interior minister Lucian Bode. The document signatories accuse Bode of plagiarism
    and blame him for Romania’s failure to join the Schengen area. In Monday’s
    debates on the motion, Lucian Bode argued that the opposition’s claims were
    untrue and prompted by the forthcoming elections.This is the
    second failed motion against minister Bode, after the one in October.


    PROTESTS Members of the Sanitas Trade Union Federation Wednesday held
    protest rallies in Bucharest, for the 3rd consecutive day, picketing
    political party offices. Several hundred unionists from around the country
    protested against the Salaries Law and the under-financing of healthcare
    institutions and social assistance in Romania. The list of demands includes a
    minimum 15% pay raise. The unionists warned that unless the authorities meet
    their demands, further protests may be planned. (E.E., A.M.P.)

  • December 16, 2022

    December 16, 2022

    SCHENGEN
    The losses incurred by Romania for the rejection of its Schengen accession bid
    are over EUR 25 bln, says the Romanian interior minister Lucian Bode. For 11 years
    we have been securing Schengen’s border, investing in human resources,
    capabilities and modern technologies. The losses incurred by Romania during all
    this time, since it has fulfilled the criteria but has not benefited from the
    related rights, are immeasurable, Mr. Bode said at a meeting of EU gendarme
    chiefs. The topic of Romania’s Schengen accession and of the negative vote
    given by Austria in the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting last week was
    also raised by president Klaus Iohannis at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.
    Senior European officials conveyed a message of support for Romania’s and
    Bulgaria’s Schengen accession. The EC president Ursula von der Leyen and the
    Council president Charles Michel said further discussions would be held on this
    topic and progress was expected in the following months.


    FUNDING The
    Romanian ministry for EU funding and investments has submitted to the EC the
    second payment request, amounting to EUR 3.228 bln, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The 3rd payment request, amounting to EUR 3.1 bln, is to be submitted
    to the Commission next spring. Romania benefits from over EUR 29 bln for the
    implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, including grants
    of up to EUR 14.24 bln and loans of nearly EUR 15 bln. The country has already
    cashed in 2 pre-financing instalments totaling EUR 3.79 bln.


    EU The president of
    the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will attend in Bucharest on
    Saturday the signing of an agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan,
    Georgia, Romania and Hungary concerning the Strategic Partnership in the
    development and transport of green energy. The agreement will be signed by the
    president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and the PM of Georgia
    Irakli Garibashvili, the PM of Romania Nicolae Ciucă, and the PM of Hungary
    Viktor Orban. According to the Romanian Presidency, the document is based on
    the interests of the 4 states concerning a strengthened national and regional
    energy security. The agreement will provide a financial and technical framework
    for the construction of an underwater renewable energy transport cable between
    Romania and Azerbaijan, via Georgia and the Black Sea, and further on for the
    transport of this energy to Hungary and the rest of Europe.

    INFLATION The EU
    annual inflation rate dropped from 11.5% in October to 11.1% in November, but in
    8 member countries the rate rose from one month to the other, including in
    Romania, where it went from 13.5% to 14.6%, Eurostat announced on Friday. In November,
    the EU member states with the highest inflation rates were Hungary, Latvia, Estonia
    and Lithuania. At the opposite pole, the lowest inflation rates were reported
    in Spain, France and Malta.


    PROTEST Hundreds
    of employees in the Romanian public education system are today picketing
    prefect offices in several counties, primarily demanding the full
    implementation of a law concerning their incomes. Education unions say the net
    salaries for this category are up to EUR 440 and warn that 2023 will bring a
    new series of union actions unless the government solves the problems in this
    sector. The trade unions also criticise the government’s failure to pay for
    overtime and travel expenses and to adjust revenues to the inflation rate.


    TIMISOARA Romania
    commemorates today 33 years since the start of the anti-communist uprising in Timişoara,
    western Romania. The anniversary is marked by a traditional solemn meeting of
    the Local Council. The participants, including members of revolutionary
    associations, discuss the events of December ’89 and observe a moment of
    silence to honour those who died during those days. Exhibitions, film
    screenings, round tables, a concert entitled Folk for the Revolution as well
    marches are also organised on this occasion. 33 years ago, in Timişoara, a
    solidarity rally for the Reformed pastor Laszlo Tokes grew into an uprising
    that spread across the country and led to the fall of the communist regime.


    RESCUERS Romanian
    mountain rescuers were awarded in Paris at the International Rescuers Congress,
    attended by relevant institutions, associations and research institutes from
    over 60 countries in the world. Salvamont Romania was acknowledged as one of
    the best drone-assisted search and rescue services, and the distinction was
    received for the Data Analysis Centre in Târgu Jiu. The centre uses special software
    and drones for victim identification. (AMP)

  • Extreme weather phenomena in Bucharest on Tuesday

    Extreme weather phenomena in Bucharest on Tuesday

    Red and orange alerts had been issued for
    Bucharest and its surroundings, which were hit by heavy rainfalls, gale-force
    winds and small and medium-sized hail.


    Streets, underground stations and passages were flooded
    forcing the city’s water & sewerage supplier to intervene in some areas.
    Gale-force winds brought down trees, which fell on streets and vehicles.


    Railway traffic was disrupted close to Bucharest
    after several trees had fallen on the tracks. The storm also disrupted the air
    traffic and three flights scheduled to land on the Bucharest Henri Coanda airport
    had to be redirected to Craiova, Timisoara and Belgrade in Serbia.


    A Tarom flight from Bergamo, due to touch down at
    17 hours in Bucharest had to fly over the area and wait for better weather conditions.


    Similar weather phenomena were
    registered in several other locations, in the counties of Giurgiu and Ilfov.
    Meteorologists have activated local bad weather alerts for several areas in the
    country as numerous localities have been affected. Broken electrical wires
    caused the risk of fire and fallen trees disrupted road traffic. Many yards and
    households were flooded by the heavy downpours. Rescue teams, road workers and
    volunteers needed to intervene in certain areas to reduce the effects of
    extreme weather phenomena. Representatives of the Inspectorate for Emergency
    situations have reminded people that after receiving bad weather alert
    messages, they must find shelter and close the doors and windows of their homes
    and if they are in open spaces, they must stay away from posts, pillars or
    billboards, which can cause them harm.




    Numerous nowcasting alerts have been issued by
    meteorologists in Romania since the beginning of this month. Experts believe
    that raising temperatures and high humidity are responsible for this type of
    extreme weather phenomena.


    (bill)

  • August 1, 2021 UPDATE

    August 1, 2021 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu Saturday had talks over the telephone with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid, concerning the incident involving the Mercer Street vessel in the Hormuz Strait area, in which a Romanian and a British national were killed on 29 July. The Romanian foreign ministry says it is in touch with both the company managing the ship, and with the local authorities in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, and is prepared to provide consular assistance. Also on Saturday, Bogdan Aurescu exchanged views on the matter with the UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab, and agreed on the need to clarify as soon as possible the circumstances of the incident. Dominic Raab voiced the willingness of the British authorities to coordinate with the Romanian party with respect to the repatriation procedures. A Romanian national and a British citizen from the crew of the oil tanker “Mercer Street were killed in an attack in unclear circumstances, as the vessel was sailing with no cargo onboard off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea. The Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned ship is managed by the London-based company Zodiac Maritime, headed by an Israeli businessman.




    COVID-19 On Sunday 152 new SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported, out of nearly 22,000 tests. The authorities also announced no new COVID-related deaths, but reported 5 previous deaths, over 400 people hospitalised and 59 patients in ICUs. Meanwhile, new COVID-19 relaxation measures took effect in Romania on Sunday. In places with infection rates below 2 per thousand, outdoor events may be attended by up to 75,000 people, private indoor events by 400 participants, and sports competitions may be held with crowds up to 75% of the venue capacity. Participants must be vaccinated, tested or must have recovered from the disease. A maximum of 500 people may take part in rallies, with mandatory face covering, which remains a prerequisite in all indoor or busy areas. Also as of Sunday, the COVID-19 vaccine platform allows appointments for youth aged 12 to 17. Over 5 million people have received at least one dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine in Romania. 7,330 people have got the vaccine in the past 24 hours.




    FESTIVAL Cancelled last year due to the COVID pandemic, the Medieval Sighişoara Festival, the longest-lasting festival of its kind in Romania, bringing together artists, craftsmen and a large number of guests, came to a close on Sunday with a concert by the Romanian band Phoenix. The only medieval citadel still inhabited in southeastern Europe, Sighişoara saw over the weekend warriors, knights, ladies of the court and master craftsmen pouring in from all corners of the country and from abroad.




    MOUNTAIN RESCUE The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis posted a message on Sunday, on National Mountain Rescue Day, praising the “dedication and self-sacrifice of mountain rescue workers. The Romanian Mountain Rescue Association, known as Salvamont, the only mountain rescue service in the country, celebrated on Sunday 117 years since the first mountain rescue structures were established in the country.




    WEATHER Romania remains in the grip of a severe heat wave, with 16 counties and the capital Bucharest subject to code orange alerts for extreme heat and severe thermal discomfort valid on Monday, and a similar, code yellow alert in another 8 counties. The heat index is over the critical 80-unit threshold. Highs will be ranging between 37 and 40-41 degrees Celsius.




    MOLDOVA A new, pro-European and pro-reform government may be sworn in within days in the Republic of Moldova, after president Maia Sandu nominated Natalia Gavriliţă, from Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), for prime minister. She announced she would make public a proposed cabinet list in the following days, and voiced hopes that the new government will be sworn in as soon as possible. PAS, which holds a majority of seats in Parliament following the election of June 11, and the small party ŞOR, said they would support the new cabinet, whereas the Socialists and Communists warned they would vote against. Natalia Gavriliţă is the vice-president of PAS, a party founded by incumbent president Maia Sandu 5 years ago. She was an education minister in Maia Sandus cabinet in 2019, held several positions in Moldovas economy and education ministries, and worked for several years in private multinational companies.




    OLYMPICS Romanias rowing team returned on Sunday to the country with 3 medals—a gold and 2 silver—from the Tokyo Olympics. Romania finished the rowing competition on 4th place in the ranking after New Zealand (3 gold, 2 silver), Australia (2 gold, 2 bronze) and the Netherlands (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze). The 3 medals won by the Romanian team coached by the Antonio Colamonici (Italy) were brought home by Ancuţa Bondar and Simona Radiş—gold in women’s double sculls; Mihăiţă Ţigănescu, Mugurel Semciuc, Ştefan Berariu and Cosmin Pascari—silver in mens coxless four; and Marius Cozmiuc and Ciprian Tudosă—silver in mens two-frame event. The overall medal count for the Romanian rowers in the Olympics is 20 gold, 12 silver and 9 bronze medals. So far in Tokyo Romania has won one other medal, silver for Ana-Maria Popescu in the epee event. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • UE pregătește stocurile de echipamente medicale pentru o iarnă dificilă, marcată de pandemie

    UE pregătește stocurile de echipamente medicale pentru o iarnă dificilă, marcată de pandemie

    Uniunea Europeană pregătește stocurile de echipamente necesare pentru o iarnă care se anunță dificilă, marcată de valul doi al pandemiei. Alte patru state membre – Danemarca, Grecia, Ungaria și Suedia – au acceptat să devină state-gazdă, alături de Germania și Româniam pentru rezerva de echipamente medicale RescUE. Stocurile includ măști omologate, mănuși și halate de protecție și ventilatoare pulmonare, se arată într-un comunicat al Comisiei Europene. Costurile pentru echipamente, transport și depozitare sunt suportate integral de Comisia Europeană. Decizia consolidării stocurilor a fost luată în condițiile în care în tot mai multe state membre se înregistrează o creștere semnificativă a numărului de cazuri.

    Bruxellesul ia aceste măsuri în condițiile în care faza inițială a pandemiei a arătat că nimeni nu era pregătit pentru o astfel de urgență, după cum a atras atenția și Comisarul European pentru gestionarea crizelor, Janez Lenarčič:

    Pandemia de coronavirus a arătat că există unele vulnerabilități serioase în ceea ce privește modul în care comunitatea internațională poate răspunde la o urgență globală cum este o pandemie. Iar una dintre cele mai frapante probleme la începutul acestei crize de sănătate era legată de disponibilitatea limitată a echipamentelor de protecție personală și a altor produse medicale. În întreaga lume. Această situație, această preocupare, a fost împărtășită de multe țări, inclusiv statele noastre membre. Dacă vă amintiți situația de la sfârșitul lunii februarie, majoritatea statelor membre aveu rezerve limitate și au făcut eforturi pentru a găsi produsele de care aveau ele nevoie sau de care era nevoie pentru a asista alte state. Ca răspuns la această situație, Comisia a luat măsuri pentru a se asigura că niciun stat membru nu va mai trece printr-o astfel de situație.

    Rezerva medicală strategică este doar o componentă a RescUE, care include și mijloace aeriene de stingere a incendiilor sau capacități de evaluare medicală. Rezerva RescUE este, la rândul său, un element al mecanismului de protecție civilă al UE, gândit să răspundă la toate tipurile de dezastre naturale sau provocate de om. În afară de statele membre, din mecanismul de protecție civilă mai fac parte Regatul Unit, în perioada de tranziție post-Brexit, Islanda și Norvegia, state din Balcanii de Vest și Turcia.


  • European agreement to manage the crisis

    European agreement to manage the crisis


    At the end of difficult negotiations, the EU finance ministers reached a deal on an over 500-billion euro rescue package for the member states severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.



    The European Stability Mechanism will make 240 billion euro available in an emergency credit line to provide cash to member states. The European Investment Bank provides 200 billion euro worth of loans for small and medium-sized enterprises. And a further 100 billion euro will be made available by the European Commission to help companies retain workers, so that exporters can rebound once the pandemic passes.



    The Eurogroup president, Mário Centeno, has announced the deal, which was the outcome of lengthy negotiations. This response contains bold and ambitious proposals that would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago. We can all remember the response to the financial crisis of the last decade when Europe did too little, too late. This time around, it is different, Centeno said.



    The French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, described the deal as the most important economic plan in the EU’s history.



    At the end of extensive talks, the 27 finance ministers have reached a consensus over strong responses to this unprecedented crisis, which is bringing many economies to their knees, the German finance minister Olaf Scholz said in his turn. He mentioned among these responses the strong support to the corporate sector, the very clear support to employees, allowing for the funding of partial unemployment, and support for the countries that need it through the European Stability Mechanism.



    The deal reached in Brussels is “a good message for the EU citizens, who will know that the states work together and the Union is effective, the German official also said.



    In the online negotiations, northern European countries were on one side, and the south of the continent, the most badly hit and the most fragile in economic terms, on the opposite side. Italy and Spain asked for funds to spend as they see fit, but the Netherlands insisted on strict conditions.



    A compromise was eventually reached, and any government borrowing money under this agreement is bound to use it strictly for COVID-19 prevention. The EU finance ministers rejected the idea, put forth by France and Italy, to share the costs of the crisis by issuing EU-underwritten “corona-bonds.



    Previous talks had failed, with the EU leaders mainly divided over the conditions under which Eurozone member states may have access to low cost loans from the European support fund.



    Both the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Italian PM Giuseppe Conte emphasised at that point the importance of a united response from the EU.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • 21.03.2019 (mise à jour)

    21.03.2019 (mise à jour)

    Présidence – Présent hier à la Conférence transatlantique annuelle, organisée à Bruxelles par la Chambre de commerce américaine auprès de lUnion européenne, le président roumain Klaus Iohannis a affirmé quen sa qualité de partenaire stratégique des Etats-Unis, la Roumanie considérait son mandat à la tête du Conseil de lUE comme une opportunité de promouvoir un agenda positif de coopération entre lUnion et les Etats-Unis. Le président Iohannis a encore précisé que les échanges commerciaux transatlantiques sélevaient à environ un milliard de milliards de dollars de biens et services, ce qui avait permis de créer quelque 7 millions demplois aux Etats-Unis et 5 millions dans lUE. Le chef de lEtat roumain participe, aujourdhui et demain, au Conseil européen de printemps, où il plaidera pour que les 28 continuent leurs efforts de consolider et dapprofondir le marché unique européen. Lagenda de la réunion inclut également des sujets tels la consolidation de la base économique européenne, le changement climatique, le prochain sommet avec la Chine et les moyens de lutter contre la désinformation. Par ailleurs, les dirigeants européens examineront la demande de la première ministre britannique Theresa May de reporter au 30 juin la sortie du Royaume Uni de lUE.



    Fonds européens – La commissaire européenne pour la politique régionale, Corina Creţu, fera une visite vendredi à Bucarest pour aborder les priorités dinvestissements pour le prochain budget de lUE. Elle sera par ailleurs présente lors de la présentation du rapport par pays sur la Roumanie dans le cadre du Semestre européen, ainsi quà la conférence « Les priorités dinvestissement de la Roumanie, 2021-2027 ». Selon un communiqué officiel de la Commission européenne, la commissaire européenne estime que la Roumanie devrait orienter les fonds européens en priorité vers les domaines de linnovation, des PME, pour soutenir la construction de son infrastructure de transport, pour développer des mesures doccupation et dinclusion sociale, et pour soutenir la transition vers une économie basée sur la réduction des émissions de CO2.



    Transports – Le gouvernement a promis aux syndicats des transporteurs dopérer des modifications dans la législation qui régit le domaine des transports de personnes lors de la prochaine réunion de gouvernement. Cela fait suite aux manifs organisées mercredi et jeudi au centre-ville de la capitale, auxquelles ont pris part des centaines de chauffeurs de taxis, camions et cars. Les chauffeurs de taxis exigent notamment une réglementation plus stricte des formes alternatives du transport urbain, quils assimilent à de la concurrence déloyale. Les syndicats du métro bucarestois organisent quant à eux des piquets de grève, jeudi et vendredi, pendant une heure, devant le ministère des Transports, dénonçant létat dobsolescence du matériel roulant.


    Numérique UE – La commissaire européenne à la société numérique, Mariya Gabriel, a affirmé jeudi, à Cluj, que le premier programme numérique européen, intitulé « Digital Europe », bénéficierait dune enveloppe de 9 milliards deuros pour la période 2021-2027. En ouverture de la conférence, Mariya Gabriel a encouragé les start-ups en provenance de 35 pays à créer des synergies et à mettre à profit cette opportunité. Des investissements importants sont attendus dans les domaines de lintelligence artificielle, de la sécurité cybernétique et de linnovation. Pour sa part, le ministre roumain des Communications et de la société digitale, Alexandru Petrescu, a fait savoir que le programme avait été ficelé au mois de février, pendant la présidence roumaine du Conseil de lUE. Deux jours durant, cest à Cluj quà lieu lun des rendez-vous les plus importants dédié aux start-ups européens.



    Désastres – Le mécanisme européen consolidé de protection civile intitulé RescUE, censé raffermir la réponse collective de lUnion Européenne face aux désastres naturels est entré en vigueur ce jeudi, selon un communiqué de presse issu par la Commission européenne. Pour assurer une meilleure protection aux citoyens européens face à de tels événements, cest au mois de décembre passé que le Parlement européen, la Commission et le Conseil sont tombés daccord pour renforcer le mécanisme en vigueur. En bref, le nouveau mécanisme met au point une réserve européenne pour répondre de façon adéquate en cas de désastre. RescUE pourra être déclenché en cas durgence sanitaire, chimique, biologique, radiologique et nucléaire. Ces dernières années, lEurope a été confrontée avec des désastres dorigine naturelle qui ont fait des centaines de victimes et de pertes de plusieurs milliards deuros.



    Chisinau – Le parlement de la République de Moldova, élu au scrutin du 24 février dernier, sest réuni jeudi en séance inaugurale, en présence du président de la république, Igor Dodon. Pourtant, pas encore de majorité parlementaire en vue de la constitution dun gouvernement à Chisinau. Les élections, organisées sur base dun scrutin mixte, ont vu élire 35 de députés socialistes russophones, 30 du parti Démocrate de centre-gauche, actuellement au pouvoir, 26 du Bloc ACUM de lopposition pro européenne, 7 élus populistes du parti Șor, et 3 indépendants. Selon Radio Chisinau, le parti Démocrate et les socialistes ont convié le bloc ACUM aux négociations en vue de dégager une majorité parlementaire. Jusquà maintenant pourtant, les représentants de lOpposition ont refusé toute alliance avec les partis des oligarques et les partis anti-européens.



    Météo – Un ciel variable, voire parfois couvert dans le nord, lest et plus rarement dans le centre de la Roumanie est annoncé pour ce vendredi, alors que le mercure est à la hausse. Si les températures minimum varieront entre 3 et 7°, les maxima pourraient atteindre les 20°C.


  • Major Earthquake Drill in Romania

    Major Earthquake Drill in Romania

    Dubbed “Earthquake 2018”, the drill has mobilized all state structures that activate in case of a 7.5 Richter-scale earthquake, which could have multiple aftershocks and result in numerous deaths, primarily in the capital-city Bucharest. As part of the simulation scenario, rescue teams are tested to deal with thousands of deaths and injuries and people left destitute.



    On Saturday, President Klaus Iohannis declared a state of emergency. In one of its bases, the army set up a field hospital. The city’s stadiums and satellite towns also hosted refugee centers. On Sunday, the focus was laid on international cooperation. Israel, Italy and Norway set up state-of-the-art field hospitals with intensive care units, while Austria and Hungary dispatched several ambulances.



    On a visit to Bucharest, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, was impressed by the participants and the amount of resources involved. According to the scenario enacted by the authorities, a toll-free crisis hotline was opened where relatives of people who are reported missing or injured can get more information. Authorities advise people remain calm and follow the appropriate safety instructions in case of an earthquake of this magnitude.



    Interior Minister Carmen Dan: “I want people to comply with this drill and understand how they need to react. It’s crucial that citizens know what to do in a situation like this, even the basic actions”.



    State Secretary Raed Arafat, the Head of the Department of Emergency Situations, said the drill provides a good opportunity for the authorities to see what’s at fault and improve standard procedures.



    Raed Arafat: “There are lots of things you can’t predict, things that haven’t been carefully planned for, so that everyone knows what to do and how to react, and this allows us to learn and identify the deadlocks and issues. For instance, we have come across certain decision-making procedures that could hinder our actions in case of a natural disaster. All that needs changing, we have taken it under advisement”.



    Although highly ridiculed by the media and social networks, the drill’s utility is undeniable. In the last 200 years, Romania has seen seven earthquakes of magnitude 7 and above. The one on March 4, 1977 killed 1,570 people, mostly in Bucharest, and caused material damage worth over 2 billion dollars at the time. Some 230,000 homes were severely damaged, while 760 businesses were decommissioned.



    The earthquake was followed by an economic and social crisis which, historians argue, the communist dictatorship at the time could never overcome until its demise in 1989. Experts warn that thousands of buildings in Bucharest are at risk in the event of a similar seismic event. (Translated by V. Palcu, edited by D. Vijeu)

  • Semptember 29, 2017 UPDATE

    Semptember 29, 2017 UPDATE


    DIGITAL SUMMIT – The latest cyber attacks on Europe have triggered economic problems, which have in turn led to significant financial losses, said Romanias president Klaus Iohannis in Tallinn, during his speech at the informal European Council digital summit. The president said that, without a common and fast intervention at European level, cyber attacks might severely affect the Unions economy and security. Also, president Iohannis stressed the need for an education programme aimed at helping the EU citizens acquire the necessary digital skills, in order for them to be able to face current and future challenges. Another issue approached, equally important to the EU and to Romania, was the digitalisation of public services, services provided by both the local and the central administration. Klaus Iohannis stressed the need to maintain the unity of the European project and also the need for a common approach to the various initiatives set forth by the stakeholders.



    TRADE UNION PROTEST – The Romanian Health Federation “Solidaritatea Sanitara” (Solidarity for Health) continued to picket the Labour and Health Ministries in Bucharest on Friday, for the second day in a row. They announced that on October 4th would attend a protest meeting in front of the Government headquarters, organised by the Cartel Alfa National Confederation. Protesters fear that massive drops will be registered in the incomes of most employees as of next year. They want authorities to maintain bonuses for hazardous working conditions and lunch tickets and keep the current schedule for doctors, including with regard to night calls. However, the health minister Florian Bodog has ensured trade unions that salaries will not drop.



    ROBOR – The Romanian Interbank Offer Rate, on the basis of which interests for loans in the Romanian currency are calculated, has reached the level of 1.58%. According to the National Bank of Romania, this is the highest level registered since January 2015. This rate, known as ROBOR, started to grow rapidly in mid September, which, specialists say, will in turn trigger a growth in interest rates. In another development, the Central Bank has announced that the net foreign direct investment flow last year exceeded 4.5 billion Euros, and the final balance on December 31st 2016 stood at 70.1 billion.



    VISA WAIVER – Senator Ron Johnson, the chair of the US Senates Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, has voiced his support for a potential decision to eliminate visa requirements for Romanian citizens, according to the Romanian Embassy in Washington. Also, the US official has stated that including Romania in the Visa Waiver programme will trigger an increase in both countries security levels. The statements were made during a meeting with the Romanian Ambassador to the US George Cristian Maior. Mr. Maior handed the US official the Star of Romania National Order, awarded by the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on the celebration of 20 years of bilateral strategic partnership. George Maior stressed Romanias commitment to ensuring a solid trans-Atlantic relation and a robust defence cooperation, strengthened by the presence of US forces in Romania and in the region.



    UKRAINE – Ethnic Romanians in Ukraine are calling on Kiev MPs to request a re-examination of the new Education Law by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, saying that the law violates some provisions in the Constitution. According to Bucress, a Romanian-language news agency in Cernauti, ethnic Romanians in Ukraine would like the Constitutional Court to declare unconstitutional the article in the new law that confines education in the minority languages. Under the new education law, these minorities will be allowed to study in their mother tongues only until the 5th grade. This measures, criticised by the Romanian authorities, will affect some 500,000 Romanians in Ukraine.



    PSD MEETING – On Friday, leaders of the Social Democratic Party, the major party in the ruling coalition in Romania, gathered in Sucevita, in the north-west of the country, for the monthly assessment of the activity carried out by the cabinet headed by Mihai Tudose. The participants discussed the delicate situation of regional hospitals, the Education Law, textbook in particular, as well as funding for sports. The party also tackled the situation of the National Energy Regulatory Authority and the losses recorded in the energy field in Romania, which rank among the highest in the EU, triggering increases in consumer prices. Also, the agenda of the meeting included legislative priorities, such as the justice and the pension laws.



    ENERGY – Electricity prices in Romania will increase by an average of 0.75 Euros/ 100 kilowatts as of October 1st, the National Energy Regulatory Authority, ANRE, has announced. ANRE also says that gas prices for domestic consumers may increase by 6%, also as of October 1st.



    RESCUE – A Romanian ship rescued 52 people from drowning in the Aegean Sea, including 19 children, the Coast Guard announced on Friday. They were coming from Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. The Romanian ship was on a patrol mission, as part of the Operation POSEIDON 2017 carried out by FRONTEX – the agency which secures the EUs external borders. Since the start of the year, Romanian ships have helped rescue more than 1,100 people in Greeces territorial waters.