Radio România Internațional

Tag: Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor

  • November 9, 2018 UPDATE

    November 9, 2018 UPDATE

    PARIS – On Saturday and Sunday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis will attend ceremonies commemorating the centennial of WWIs armistice. The Romanian head of state, invited by the French President Emmanuel Macron, will attend the centennial ceremony at the Triumphal Arch alongside leaders of the belligerent countries in WWI and also leaders of the states that supported the war efforts. Also, Klaus Iohannis will attend the inaugural edition of the Paris Peace Forum, president Macrons initiative, focused on supporting and striving to improve global governance in the fields of peace and security, environment, development, technological advancement and economy. In Paris, president Iohannis will also meet with Romanian research students. According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, the meeting organised at the Romanian Embassy in Paris is devoted to Romanian contributions to the development of science and technology, in the Centenary Year of the Great Union.



    FOREIGN AFFAIRS – The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu met in Bucharest on Friday with his counterpart from neighbouring Hungary, Peter Szijjarto. On that occasion, the two officials talked about the stage of bilateral relations, laying emphasis on the importance to increase two way trade exchanges and boost cooperation in such domains as energy and infrastructure. Other points on the agenda of talks included the EU enlargement in the West Balkans, security in the Black Sea region and the Eastern Neighbourhood, which are foreign policy issues of utmost importance for the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019. In another move, Melescanu told his counterpart that he pays special heed to the way in which the Hungarian authorities are managing domestic and foreign policy issues with a direct impact on bilateral relations, particularly this year when Romania celebrates the Great Union Centennial anniversary. In turn, the Hungarian official said the two countries have the capacity to solve their sensitive files.



    DEFENSE – The Romanian Defence Minister, Mihai Fifor, said on Friday there is a complex security situation in the region, against the backdrop of the Russian Federations aggressive attitude, which manifests itself by increasing the number of troops and dispatching new capabilities in the Black Sea area. The declaration was made during the visit paid by Mihai Fifor alongside his Canadian counterpart Harjit Singh Sajjan to the Mihail Kogalniceanu air-base in south-eastern Romania. The two officials will meet with soldiers from the Canadian detachment deployed in Romania for enhanced air-policing missions, as well as with Romanian Air Force staff. On this occasion, minister Fifor also referred to the importance granted by Romania to the Trans-Atlantic dialogue during the Romanain presidency of the EU Council, in the first half of 2019.



    FAC (TRADE) – Romania supports the European Commission in the process of negotiation to reform the World Trade Organisation, the Romanian minister for the Business Environment, Trade and Entrepreneurship, Ştefan-Radu Oprea said in Brussels on Friday. The statement was made at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), where EU-US trade relations were also on the agenda of talks. On the sidelines of the meeting, minister Oprea held talks with several counterparts from the EU member states, in the run up to Romanias holding the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019.



    TRADE DEFICIT – According to the National Institute of Statistics, Romanias trade deficit grew by more than one billion Euros in the first nine months of the year. Thus, the deficit of the trade balance, which is the difference between the value of imports and that of exports, has reached 10 billion Euros. This year, a big share of both imports and exports has been held by transport machinery and equipment.



    HANDBALL – Romanias womens handball champions CSM Bucharest on Sunday plays away from home against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungary, in Champions Leagues Group D. The Hungarian team ranks first, with 6 points, followed by CSM Bucharest with 4, and Kristiansand of Norway and Bietigheim of Germany with 3 points each. The first three highest ranking teams will qualify for the main groups. On Thursday, in the mens competition, the current holder of the national title, Dinamo Bucharest, defeated Ademar Leon of Spain on home turf. Dinamo gained 10 points and now tops the group rankings. The main counter-candidates for play-offs qualification are Ademar Leon, which currently has 9 points, Wisla Plock of Poland and Elverum of Norway, with 8 points each. (Translated by M. Ignatescu and D. Vijeu)

  • November 9, 2018

    November 9, 2018

    PARIS – On Saturday and Sunday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis will participate in events commemorating the centennial of WWIs armistice. The Romanian head of state, invited by the French President Emmanuel Macron, will attend the centennial ceremony at the Triumphal Arch alongside leaders of the belligerent countries in WWI and also leaders of the states that supported the war efforts. Also, Klaus Iohannis will attend the inaugural edition of the Paris Peace Forum, president Macrons initiative, focused on supporting and striving to improve global governance in the fields of peace and security, environment, development, technological advancement and economy. In Paris, president Iohannis will also meet with Romanian research students. According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, the meeting organized at the Romanian Embassy in Paris is devoted to Romanian contributions to the development of science and technology, in the Centenary Year of the Great Union.



    COLECTIV – The first 25 witnesses have been subpoenaed to testify today, at the Bucharest Tribunal, in relation to the fire that broke out three years ago at the Colectiv Club in Bucharest. We recall that on October 30th, 2015, during a rock concert, a fireworks show started a fire, which killed 64 people and wounded another 200. The owners of the club and the former district mayor Cristian Popescu-Piedone are being tried in relation to this case. The owners are accused of encouraging and allowing the access of people beyond the clubs admitted limit, especially given that the facility did not have enough emergency exits. Also, they allowed the fireworks show, although the clubs interior arrangements were unfit for such activity. On Thursday, survivors of the fire talked with the health minister Sorina Pintea about implementing in Romania a rapid intervention mechanism in case of accidents that cause third-degree burns.



    TRADE DEFICIT – According to the National Institute of Statistics, Romanias trade deficit grew by more than one billion Euros in the first nine months of the year. Thus, the deficit of the trade balance, which is the difference between the value of imports and that of exports, has reached 10 billion Euros. This year, a big share of both imports and exports has been held by transport machinery and equipment.



    VISIT – The Romanian and Canadian Defense Ministers, Mihai Fifor and Harjit Singh Sajjan respectively, are paying a visit to the Mihail Kogalniceanu air-base in south-eastern Romania. The two officials will meet with soldiers from the Canadian detachment deployed in Romania for enhanced air-policing missions, as well as with Romanian Air Force staff. A communiqué issued by the Romanian Defense Ministry reads that the Canadian detachment, made up of 135 soldiers and CF-188 Hornet fighters, are carrying out, alongside MiG-21 LanceR aircraft and Romanian Air Force soldiers, enhanced air policing missions under NATO command. According to the same communiqué, jointly deployed Air Policing missions contribute to the development of reaction and deterrence capacity, as well as to the enhancement of interoperability between the Romanian Air Force and the Canadian Royal Air Force.



    SANCTIONS – The US has announced new sanctions against individuals and entities in relation to the annexation of Crimea and the violation of human rights in the Ukrainian regions controlled by Russia, France Presse reports. Financial sanctions are aimed at preventing such individuals and entities from doing business with Americans and banning them access to the US market. The Washington Administration stated in July it did not recognize the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.



    HANDBALL – Romanias womens handball champions CSM Bucharest on Sunday plays away from home against FTC-Rail Cargo Hungary, in Champions Leagues Group D. The Hungarian team ranks first, with 6 points, followed by CSM Bucharest with 4, and Kristiansand of Norway and Bietigheim of Germany with 3 points each. The first three highest ranking teams will qualify for the main groups. On Thursday, in the mens competition, the current holder of the national title, Dinamo Bucharest, defeated Ademar Leon of Spain on home turf. Dinamo gained 10 points and now tops the group rankings. The main counter-candidates for play-offs qualification are Ademar Leon, which currently has 9 points, Wisla Plock of Poland and Elverum of Norway, with 8 points each.


    (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)


  • Romania’s strategic role on the eastern flank of NATO

    Romania’s strategic role on the eastern flank of NATO


    Following Russias illegal annexation of Crimea, in 2014, the balance of powers in the Black Sea area has changed dramatically. The defensive force in the Crimean peninsula has turned into an offensive one, comprising new ships, submarines and frigates, an impressive force that NATO cannot but take into consideration. Therefore, the Alliance is now focused on the eastern flank, with Russia only 300 nautical miles off the Romanian coast, at any time capable of launching attacks from the Black Sea. Romania, alongside Poland, are major strongholds on the eastern flank of NATO, according to the Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor. He has underlined the fact that Bucharest is keen on observing its commitments to NATO, referring to the latest initiatives implemented by the Romanian Army together with its allies.



    Here is minister Fifor:


    “At the Black Sea, we are currently the main provider of security and a pillar of stability. Romania will host a NATO command center which, together with the other structures that we already have, and Im talking about the multinational division and the multinational brigade in Craiova, the shield in Deveselu and the base that we are going to extend in Campia Turzii, will make up a capability proving that Romania has reached the right level of maturity within the North-Atlantic Alliance.”



    The minister has stated that the setting up of a NATO command centre on Romanian soil was one of the objectives Romania committed to at the NATO summit this summer. The command center will provide NATO with more flexibility and additional command-control options in the southern part of the Eastern flank, against the growing Russian threat.



    Over October 25 – November 7, Norway will be hosting a large-scale NATO exercise described as the largest since the end of the cold war. The exercise will be based on a fictitious, but realistic scenario, simulating a collective NATO response against one of the allies. Participating will be some 45,000 soldiers from 31 allied and partner countries, 150 fighter jets and 10,000 armored vehicles. Moscow has noticed the boost in NATOs drills in the arctic area, and Russia is threatening, as expected, that it will take response measures in order to ensure its own security against NATOs consolidation of forces in the region. In turn, Russia organized in August ample military maneuvers in the east of the country, with 300,000 soldiers participating.


  • September 24, 2018

    September 24, 2018


    UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY – 130 heads of state and government are attending in New York the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. Romania is represented by president Klaus Iohannis. On Wednesday, in the speech he will give during the assemblys general debates, the Romanian head of state will stress the importance of an effective response to the main challenges to international peace and security, alongside with identifying the causes of this crisis-generating conflicts. Also, the Romanian president will participate alongside the other world leaders in the opening of the top level debate segment, themed Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies. At the end of the debates the participants will adopt a resolution.



    VISIT – Over September 24-28, the Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor is paying a formal visit to the US, where he will meet at the Pentagon his American counterpart James Mattis. The agenda of talks includes subjects concerning defense cooperation, both bilateral and within the North Atlantic Alliance. Today, Mihai Fifor is participating in a forum organized by the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), based in Washington. Established in 2005, CEPA is an American non-profit, public policy research institute, whose activity is focused on the study of European states and societies. The visit to the US also includes meetings with the governor of the State of Alabama, Kay Ivey, and representatives of the US Congress, on which occasion the officials will tackle priority issues on the defense agenda.



    PSD – The top leaders of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the senior partner in the left-wing Government in Bucharest have gathered today for a meeting of the National Standing Bureau. The meeting was convened after on Friday the Executive Committee of the party decided to keep supporting their president Liviu Dragnea, whose resignation had been requested by a few Social Democratic leaders.



    OFFSHORE BILL – The specialized committees of the Romanian Senate are today presenting a joint report on the offshore bill, following a request for reexamination made by president Klaus Iohannis. Also today, the document, which establishes the rules under which companies can exploit gas in the Black Sea, would have to get a vote in plenary session. On July 9th, the Chamber of Deputies adopted the bill regarding several measures needed for the implementation of oil operations by owners of agreements on offshore oil perimeters. On August 2nd, president Klaus Iohannis sent back to Parliament for reexamination the offshore bill, saying that it had to be reviewed in terms of long-term stability and predictability of the legal framework applicable to this sector and in order to avoid any potential negative effects.



    MOLDOVA – The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova, the former Soviet republic with a predominantly Romanian-speaking population, has today decided to temporarily suspend the prerogatives of the pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, after the latter refused to sign the decrees for the appointment of two new ministers in the cabinet headed by PM Pavel Filip. According to the Courts ruling, Parliament President Andrian Candu or the prime-minister will sign the decrees appointing the new ministers of agriculture and health. Dodon has twice refused to sign the decrees, in breach of the constitution. This is the fourth time that president Dodon has been suspended.



    KIDNAPPING – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the kidnapping of a Romanian sailor in the attack on a ship under Swiss flag, which occurred on the 22nd of September, in the Nigerian waters. A crisis cell has been activated within the ministry upon order by the Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu. The diplomatic representatives of Romania in Bern and Abuja have already acted together with the local authorities. 12 of the 19 crew members were kidnapped in the attack.



    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, no.1 in the WTA rankings, as of Tuesday takes part in the Wuhan tournament in China, with 2,750,000 dollars in prize money. Qualified straight to the second round, Halep will first face the Slovak Dominika Cibulkova. In the first round, Cibulkova defeated 2-nil another Romanian player, Monica Niculescu.


  • Modernizing the Romanian Armed Forces

    Modernizing the Romanian Armed Forces

    We need a modern naval force if we
    are to consolidate Romania’s strategic position in the Black Sea. 2018 will be
    the starting point for achieving this goal, Mihai Fifor said last week. The
    Romanian Defense Minister visited three strategic sites in the Black Sea: the
    39 Diving Center in Constanta, the 256 Helicopter unit in Tuzla and the missile
    carriers and corvettes in the military port of Mangalia.

    Minister Fifor has
    stated that the year 2018 will be devoted to modernizing the Romanian Naval
    Forces, also recalling that Wednesday’s Government session will also occasion a
    presentation of a project concerning the purchase of four multi-purpose
    corvettes. The deal could go through by the end of the year, and the corvettes
    will be manufactured in a shipyard in Romania. Bucharest authorities have also
    pledged to refurbish the King Ferdinand and Queen Maria frigates.
    Mihai Fifor has also said that Romania plans on building three submarines in
    its shipyards, although this is a mid- to long-term project.

    Mihai Fifor: I know this looks very ambitious, but I’m
    telling you this project is completely feasible. We can build them in a
    Romanian shipyard, and the same goes for any other type of ship.


    Romania currently owns one
    submarine, built in the former Soviet Union, which was last used in 1996.
    Minister Fifor has pointed out that a non-negotiable and essential condition is
    for these state-of-the-art products to be manufactured in Romania, so as to
    channel major investments into Romania’s national defense industry. Also this
    year, the Army plans to equip the Romanian navy with anti-ship missile defense
    systems.

    We’ve identified the financial resources and we’ll be able to get
    this program started, so that by the end of the year we can finalize our
    coastal artillery program as well. We want our army to play a key role in the
    region, Minister Mihai Fifor said. At the same time, the Romanian official
    pledged to support the plans for expanding the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase.
    Minister Fifor wants a permanent American military presence in Romania, just
    like in Poland. In turn, Vice-Admiral Alexandru Mirsu, the chief of the
    Romanian Naval Forces military staff said Romania needed a strong and
    well-equipped navy, considering Russia’s increased military presence in the
    Black Sea.

  • September 27, 2017

    September 27, 2017


    CORRUPTION – Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has stated that the ministers who are being investigated in the so-called ‘Belina’ case, namely the Social Democrats Rovana Plumb and Sevil Shhaideh, should have resigned or should have been sacked. The head of state has criticized the ruling Social Democratic Party for its decision to support the two ministers, who four years ago allegedly transferred an island and an arm of the Danube from state property into the property of Teleorman County. The transfer was illegal. President Iohannis has also voiced worries over the planned changes in the judiciary laws, announced by the line minister Tudorel Toader. Harshly criticized by civil society and the media, Toader’s draft stipulates, among other things, that appointing the heads of the National Anti-corruption Directorate and of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism will no longer be the president’s prerogatives. Also, under the new law, Judiciary Inspection would be part of the Ministry of Justice, and the seniority threshold for the promotion of magistrates will be set higher. Early this year, Government’s attempt to amend, under an emergency decree, the criminal codes, triggered large-scale protests across the country and in the Diaspora. Hundreds of thousands of Romanians took to the streets, accusing the ruling party of trying to exempt from criminal liability top level politicians and decision-makers.



    MINORITY RIGHTS – The Romanian Education Minister Liviu Pop is in Kiev today to discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart Lilia Grinevici the negative effects of the new education law on the Romanian ethnic minority living in Ukraine. Also, according to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Romania will inform the international community about the violation of the right of the Romanians living in Ukraine to study in their mother tongue. These reactions have come following the promulgation on Monday of a law that drastically confines education in minority languages. The approximately 500,000 Romanians in Ukraine form the second largest ethnic community in the country, after the Russian one. More on this after the news.



    TRADE UNION PROTEST – The Romanian health federation Solidaritatea Sanitara (Solidarity for Health) has today announced a string of protests planned for Thursday and Friday. The participants will picket the head offices of the Labour and Health Ministries, following the Government’s announced intention to change the legal provisions regarding the basic salary. According to trade unionists, the change would trigger massive drops in the incomes of most employees in the health-care sector, of up to 60%, as of January 1st 2018. In another move, hundreds of people protested across Romania on Tuesday, after authorities announced that the payment of social contributions would become employees’ responsibility. The protests were staged by Cartel Alfa, one of the largest trade union confederations in Romania, which has announced that protests will continue throughout the week. Trade unionists say that transferring the responsibility of paying social contributions from employers to employees will lead to a drop in the net incomes, the dismantling of the unemployment fund and lower contributions to the pension fund. On October 4th, trade unions will gather for a large protest in Bucharest.



    ARMY EQUIPMENT – By the end of the year, the Romanian Army will have purchased the first Patriot missile system, according to the Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor. He has stated today that Romanian authorities are also discussing the purchase of another 36 F16 fighters from the US. Also today, the Secretary of State for Defense Policy Mircea Dusa and the Chief of Staff of the Romanian Air Forces, the Lieutenant – General Laurian Anastasof, are attending at the air base in Monte Real, Portugal, the ceremony for the reception of three F16 updated fighters. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Defense Ministry, by taking over the three fighters, the Romanian Air Forces have finalized stage I in the process of introducing in the fleet F16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters. The first six out of the 12 strong squadron that makes the object of the Romanian – Portuguese agreement became part of the Romanian Air Forces capabilities in September 2016, and the next three in December last year.



    COMPETITIVENESS – Romania ranks 68th in a classification of the most competitive countries in the world, 6 places lower than last year. In the same classification, Switzerland has maintained is leading position for the ninth year in a row, according to a report released by the World Economic Forum. Switzerland is followed in the rankings by the US, Singapore, the Netherlands and Germany. Ranking lower than Romania are countries such as Estonia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary. However, Romania is in a better position that Croatia and Greece. According to the report, the biggest issues facing Romania are taxation, bureaucracy, access to funding, a poorly educated labor force, corruption and the improper use of infrastructure.



    ROWING – Romania’s women’s eight has qualified straight into the finals of the World Rowing Championship in Sarasota – Bradenton, Florida, the US. In the men’s double sculls, Vlad-Dragos Aicoboae and Cosmin Pascari will compete in the semi-finals on Thursday. Ionela-Livia Lehaci and Gianina-Elena Beleaga have qualified for the doubles sculls semi-finals, the light category, to be held also on Thursday. Romania is taking part in the World championships with six crews.



    FOOTBALL – The only Romanian representative in the European football competitions, the vice-champion FCSB (formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) is playing on Thursday, away from home, against the Swiss from Lugano, in the Europa League. In the first Group G game, two weeks ago, FCSB won 3-0, in Bucharest, against Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic. The other game, Hapoel Beer Sheva of Israel defeated Lugano 2-1. In the rankings, FCSB comes 1st, with three points, followed by Hapoel, also with three points.