Radio România Internațional

Tag: Romanian President Klaus Iohannis

June 19, 2024 UPDATE

Visit. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, received, on Wednesday, his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, who paid a formal visit to Bucharest. We have deep ties, an exceptional economic dynamic, and the soul of the relationship are the Romanian communities in Italy, who are very well integrated, said Iohannis. At the same time, the head of state expressed his appreciation for the solid community of Italian entrepreneurs in Romania. He specified that, last year, the two countries had bilateral exchanges worth 20 billion euros. In terms of security, Klaus Iohannis stated that Romania and Italy would continue to work together to strengthen NATO’s deterrence role on the eastern flank, but also on the southern one. For his part, President Mattarella stated that bilateral relations were excellent on all levels. Romania is an extremely important bilateral, European and international partner for Italy, and we want the country to join the Schengen free movement area also with the land borders, the Italian guest also said. In 2024, Romania and Italy celebrate 145 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, as well as 60 years since their elevation to embassy level.

NATO. Romania will take over, between July and December 2024, the command of a NATO Countermeasures Maritime Group, which will carry out specific missions in the Mediterranean basin, the Romanian Naval Forces have announced. Romania will participate in this group with the ship “Vice Admiral Constantin Bălescu”, which has a crew of 85 Romanian and foreign soldiers. The maritime group will also include military ships from Italy, Spain and Turkey. The main goals of this mission of the Allied Maritime Command of NATO are to ensure the immediate response capacity of the North Atlantic Alliance, to increase the interoperability between the allied naval forces, as well as to promote the image of NATO, the press release states.

Election results. The final results of the European Parliament elections have been announced by the Central Electoral Bureau and published in the Official Gazette of Romania. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) – National Liberal Party (PNL) alliance ranked first with 48.5% of the votes, followed by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, with a little under 15%, the United Right Alliance, with 8.7%, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania with almost 6.5% and the SOS Romania party with a little over the required threshold of 5%. The independent candidate Nicolae Ştefănuţă was voted by 3.08% of Romanians and managed to obtain another European Parliament mandate. The voter turnout was 52.4%. The Central Electoral Bureau pointed out that, of the 33 MEP mandates going to Romania, 19 went to the PSD-PNL alliance, 6 to the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, 3 to the United Right Alliance and 2 to the SOS Romania Party and another 2 to the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.

Law. The Romanian Senate has adopted, as the first chamber notified, a bill to amend the Citizenship Law, initiated by the Government, which establishes that the Romanian citizenship can be granted, upon request, to a foreign person who is married and lives outside the borders with a Romanian citizen for at least 10 years. The current legislation stipulates that, in order to grant citizenship to a foreign citizen married to a Romanian citizen, he or she must live in Romania for at least five years, which represents, in the opinion of the initiator, ‘an obstacle’. The law also provides for the necessary measures needed to acquire the Romanian citizenship and for rules to prevent its fraudulent acquisition. Thus, biometric checks are provided for persons who apply for Romanian citizenship. The bill will be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body in this matter.

USA. The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, will pay a working visit to the USA on June 20-21.. On this occasion, she will have bilateral political consultations with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, meetings with representatives of the National Security Council, opinion leaders and American think-tanks. At the same time, the head of the Romanian Diplomacy will participate in the opening of the Romania-USA Economic Forum, where, as a keynote speaker, she will emphasize the potential for the development of Romanian-American economic relations, including through bilateral cooperation in the field of energy and reconstruction efforts for Ukraine. Organized in the context of the 20th anniversary of Romania’s accession to NATO, the visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made in the bilateral relationship, in the cooperation for strengthening Euro-Atlantic security, with an emphasis on the Black Sea region and on identifying ways to strengthening the Romania-USA Strategic Partnership.

Korea. The Romanian Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, had a working meeting in Bucharest, on Wedesday, with his South Korean counterpart, Won-sik Shin, who paid a formal visit to Romania. The agenda of the bilateral discussions covered issues regarding the international security situation and the prospects for bilateral cooperation in the field of defense between the two states, against the backdrop of the signing, in April, in Seoul, of the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Korea on cooperation in the field of defense. During the discussions, the Romanian Minister of Defense presented the main threats and risks from the Black Sea and Western Balkans regions against the backdrop of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the Romanian official highlighted Romania’s support for Ukraine. The two defense ministers laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Bucharest.

Football. The Romanian football champion FCSB will play in the first preliminary round of the Champions League with the San Marino team AC Virtus 1964, according to the draw held at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. FCSB will play the first away match on July 9 or 10, and the decisive leg in Bucharest on July 16 or 17. The winner of the Romanian Cup, the second division Corvinul Hunedoara (south-west), will face the Hungarian vice-champion, Paksi FC, in the first preliminary round of the Europa League. Corvinul will play the first away match on July 11, with the second leg scheduled in Romania on July 18. (MI)

19 June 2024
The Vietnamese Prime Minister in Bucharest

Politically, Vietnam is not exactly an Asian champion of human rights and, despite the longevity of its communist regime, also not a state with an unbroken order. A few days ago, the international media announced that the justice there had sentenced ten people to life imprisonment, for armed attacks on a police headquarters in the center of the country, last June. Another 90 people received prison sentences between nine months and 20 years, under the same charge: attempted overthrow of the regime. Economically, however, Vietnam is a business partner that many democracies in Europe and the two Americas want.

On Monday, the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, was received in Bucharest with military honors. He has been leading the government in Hanoi for almost three years, speaks Romanian and knows very well Romania, where he completed his university studies and worked in the embassy of his country here. Like all Romanian interlocutors the Vietnamese prime minister talked to, President Klaus Iohannis pleaded for the strengthening of bilateral relations, both through high-level political dialogue and sectoral cooperation. The head of state also spoke out for the expansion and diversification of the European Union-Vietnam agenda.

The interest of our country is for Romanian products to be present in Vietnam – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu told his counterpart, according to which the value of trade exchanges does not reflect the true potential of the two states. That’s why we aim for a constant increase in bilateral trade, which will lead to the doubling of the volume by the year 2030, the head of the Romanian government said. He also mentioned joint-venture agreements already concluded between Romanian and Vietnamese companies, such as the construction this year of a used tire recycling factory in Romania, collaboration in the IT field with an investment of about two million dollars and the creation of a center of support and assistance for software in the automotive industry.

The Vietnamese government delegation also went to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, which hosted a business forum. The President of the Chamber, Mihai Daraban, specified that the number of workers from Vietnam present in the Romanian economy with proper documents is over two thousand. I think we need additional guarantees from both governments that this will work under optimal conditions moving forward, Daraban said. The economies of Romania and Vietnam are complementary and can increase commercial exchanges in numerous fields – the Minister of Economy, Radu Oprea, also stated there. The Romanian-Vietnamese business forum was attended by over 85 companies active in fields such as construction, tourism, consulting, finance, banking and IT. (MI)

23 January 2024
November 22, 2023

NRRP. The European Commission has announced that it has validated the changes made by Romania to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Among other things, there will be more funds for reforms and projects in energy and digitization. A similar decision was announced for Croatia, Finland, Greece and Poland. The new form of the NRRP must be approved by the European Ministers of Finance, after which an implementation decision will be issued by the European Council.

G7+. The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, participated, on Tuesday, in the G7+ meeting on supporting the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, in the Ministers of Foreign Affairs format, at the invitation of the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in which context she emphasized the importance of a constant international support for Kiev. According to the MFA, Odobescu emphasized the role of the US in mobilizing partner states in efforts to support Ukraines energy sector. The head of Romanian diplomacy also mentioned the multidimensional assistance offered by Romania to the neighboring state, stressing the emergency support provided in the energy field. The meeting took place in videoconference format, with the participation of the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmitro Kuleba. The G7+ format dedicated to Ukraines energy infrastructure was launched last November in Bucharest. Officials from the USA, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Sweden and Norway took part in the fourth edition in this format organized on Tuesday , together with representatives of the EU, the European Energy Community and the United Nations Development Program.

Tour. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is travelling, today, to the island of Gorée in Senegal, a UNESCO heritage site, former outpost of the slave trade, where he will meet with local officials. The official talks with his counterpart, Macky Sall, will take place on Thursday, when a series of official documents will be signed. Also on Thursday, Klaus Iohannis will participate in the inauguration of the House of the United Nations in Senegal, the opening of an exhibition of traditional masks and will have a meeting with specialists from Senegal who studied at Romanian universities. Senegal is the last stage of the African tour undertaken by President Klaus Iohannis and his wife, Carmen. The previous stages of the ten-day tour of the Romanian presidential couple were Kenya, Tanzania and Cape Verde.

Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked his government to support an agreement that would pave the way for the release of some of the hostages that Palestinian militants Hamas took to the Gaza Strip after the October 7 attack on Israel. Hamas took about 240 hostages during the attack, which left 1,200 dead, according to Israeli reports. Following the subsequent airstrikes and invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces, Hamas authorities claim that more than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 5,600 children. The deal announced between Hamas and Israel providing for the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners includes three American citizens, including a three-year-old child, a senior White House official said. He stated that he expects a break in the fighting for a few days and that more than 50 hostages would be released by Hamas. The same official added that Washington is now hoping for a pause in hostilities on Israels northern border with Lebanon, where there are daily clashes between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Hezbollah, which it says is intervening in support of the Palestinian movement.. So far, Hamas has released only four hostages: two American women and two Israelis.

Gaudeamus. The Gaudeamus Radio Romania International Book Fair opened its doors in Bucharest today. Its one of the most anticipated cultural events of the fall, reaching its 30th edition. Until Sunday, more than 500 releases and editorial events will take place at the fair . The longest-running book fair in the country gathers, this year, almost 200 participants, mainly publishing houses, but also educational, cultural and press institutions.

Football. The Romanian national football team won Group I of the EURO 2024 preliminaries, after defeating the Swiss team 1-0 on Tuesday in Bucharest. The tricolors prevailed with the goal scored in the 50th minute by Denis Alibec and finished the group undefeated. As a result of this performance, Romania will be in the second pool at the December 2 draw for the groups of the final tournament in Germany. It is the sixth time that Romanian footballers qualify for the final tournament of the European Championship, after the editions of 1984, 1996, 2000, 2008 and 2016. (MI)

22 November 2023
October 6, 2023

Madrid. Dozens of European heads of state and government are participating in the 3rd European Political Community Summit, which continues today in the Spanish city of Granada. Among those present are representatives of EU member states, including the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, but also leaders of countries with European aspirations, including the presidents of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Energy, cyber security, military security, migration and climate change are among the topics addressed. Regarding a new enlargement of the EU, the participants agree that a formula must be found to bring the countries of the Balkans and Eastern Europe into the European family, but only after a reform of the functioning of the Union. In this context, according to President Iohannis, setting deadlines for enlargement is unrealistic.

Visit. After representing Romania at the high-level meetings in Spain, President Klaus Iohannis will pay a state visit to Portugal until Monday, at the invitation of his counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. According to the Presidential Administration, the visit will begin with the participation of President Iohannis, as a special guest, in the anniversary meeting of the Arraiolos Group, hosted by the President of the Portuguese Republic, which will take place on Friday in Porto. The Group meeting marks 20 years since the initiation of this informal platform for consultation at presidential level between 16 states of the European Union. The head of state will deliver, as the main speaker, a presentation focused on the challenges faced by the European Union in the context of Russias aggression against Ukraine, the necessary measures to continue the multidimensional support for Ukraine and ensuring the unity of European and Euro-Atlantic positions in addressing the security effects of the war. On Saturday, President Iohannis will be received by his Portuguese counterpart in Lisbon. The field of defense is one of the key components of bilateral cooperation, with the aim of strengthening allied defense on NATOs Eastern Flank, a result of this cooperation being the participation of Portugal with a contingent of ground forces in the multinational NATO brigade in Romania, the presidential administration has stressed. On the sidelines of the state visit, bilateral documents will be signed in the field of energy, investment and trade. In another move, Klaus Iohannis will pay an official visit to Hungary on Wednesday, where he will talk with his Hungarian counterpart, Katalin Novak.

Mechanism. The mechanism that will allow the import of limited quantities of grain from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova only on the basis of a license was discussed by the Bucharest Government in Thursdays meeting. The measure aims to protect Romanian farmers after the European Commission lifted the restrictions imposed on Ukrainian grain imports, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. He stated that this mechanism, agreed with all parties involved, will allow imports only on the basis of an authorization for limited quantities of grain and will apply only to Romanian farmers and processors who demonstrate that they need additional quantities to replenish stocks. “This is how we ensure that products that comply with quality standards will arrive on the Romanian market”, Ciolacu pointed out. He also said that Romania continues to support Ukraine “with all its strengh”, but that it is mandatory for the Bucharest administration to protect the work of Romanian farmers. Recently, the Romanian Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, has said that the agricultural products that are subject to import and will fall under the scope of this mechanism are wheat, corn, sunflower seeds and rapeseed.

Inflation. The National Bank of Romania (NBR) has decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 7% per year, a value that has remained unchanged since January. The board of directors of the NBR also kept unchanged the interest at which commercial banks can borrow from the NBR and the interest they receive when they keep money in deposits established at the central bank. According to the new assessments of the BNR, the annual inflation rate will continue to decrease until the end of the current year. Starting next year, however, inflation will be influenced by the existence of major risks, arising from the new fiscal-budgetary measures adopted by the government and the degree of absorption of European funds, as well as the war in neighboring Ukraine and economic developments below expectations from Europe.

Attack. At least 51 people lost their lives yesterday in a Russian missile attack on a village in northeastern Ukraine, not far from the front line. A cafe and a grocery store were hit where the victims had met for the reburial ceremony of a soldier from that village, who had been killed in battle. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the Russian military of deliberately targeting civilians. The bombardment took place in the context in which Moscows forces intensified their attacks in the Kupiansk – Lîman front sector, where they are said to have mobilized one hundred and ten thousand soldiers. The last assaults of the Russians in the area were supported by aviation. On the other hand, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army announced that the troops under its command have made progress both in the east, in the area of the city of Bahmut, and on the southern front, where they are engaged in an offensive in the direction of the Sea of Azov. This went, however, much slower than initially expected, so that it is unlikely that the objective will be reached before the onset of bad weather.

Protest. Representatives of several associations of patients with chronic and autoimmune diseases in Romania have protested in front of the Ministry of Health, dissatisfied with problems in the system that directly affect them. They signaled the delay in payments to pharmacies for compensated drugs and are waiting for the emergency budget rectification or the increase in the GDP allocation for the medical system. The relevant minister, Alexandru Rafila, has discussed with the patients representatives and assured them that at the beginning of next month the budgetary adjustment regarding health will take place and that the payments of the compensated medicines for the pharmacies have been made for May. However, the president of the Association of Patients with Autoimmune Diseases, Rozalina Lăpădatu, has said that the payments are still delayed, and the pharmacies are at risk of collapse. She has stated that the Government Decision on updating the list of free and compensated medicines is blocked at the Ministry of Finance, which is supposed to approve it, and announced that patient organizations will decide whether to organize a protest in front of this ministry as well, to ensure that “the budget adjustment it will actually be done at the beginning of November”. (MI)

6 October 2023
October 5, 2023 UPDATE

Summit. Additional anti-drone defense systems will be brought to Romania, in the context of Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports on the Danube, President Klaus Iohannis announced at the summit of the European Political Community that started on Thursday in Granada, Spain. He said the strikes on Ukrainian ports are war crimes because only civilian infrastructures are targeted. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a discussion with the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez about military aid and EU enlargement. Sánchez has announced that a decision will be made on Friday regarding the establishment of a new strategy for the European Union regarding its enlargement from 27 to 35 members. He stressed that the enlargement of the EU must be done after a strong reform of the way it functions and how decisions are made in the community block. Related to this topic, the President of Romania stated that it is very important for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to take rapid steps towards European integration, but he termed as “unrealistic” the setting of deadlines for accession. In turn, the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, has stated that her country has high hopes that accession negotiations will begin in December, after the European Parliament adopted a resolution demanding that they begin before the end of the year.

Accident. A Romanian family of four, the parents and two children, residing in Germany, are among the victims of the road accident involving a bus near Venice, which left 21 dead and 15 wounded. The vehicle fell off a bridge and caught fire. All the dead have been identified and the municipality decreed three days of mourning on Wednesday. The family was spending their holiday in Mestre. The real cause of the accident remains unknown. The prosecutors office in Venice has opened an investigation into the accident.

Government. The Romanian government approved on Thursday the emergency ordinance that regulates the betting and gambling industry. Thus, betting companies must be based in Romania. Also, in order to protect players or people at risk, alcohol will no longer be sold in gambling spaces, and slot machine games will no longer be allowed in bars. Other aspects concern advertising and publicity for gambling, while the annual licensing fees will rise considerably. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has stated that huge profits of such companies ending up outside the country must stop. “Its not normal for the betting industry to have so much power,” he said. The executives attention is also focused on a mechanism to protect Romanian farmers and national production from grain imports from Ukraine, after the lifting of restrictions by the European Commission. Ciolacu stated that the mechanism agreed with all the parties involved will allow the import only on the basis of an authorization for limited quantities of grain and will apply only to Romanian farmers and processors who demonstrate that they need to replenish their stocks.

Central Bank. The National Bank of Romania has maintained the monetary policy interest rate at 7% per year, a value set in January 2023. The Board has also kept unchanged the interest rate at which commercial banks can borrow from the Central Bank and the one they receive when keeping their money in deposits established at the central bank. According to current assessments, the annual inflation rate will continue to decrease until the end of the current year. Starting from 2024, inflation will be influenced by the existence of major risks arising from the new fiscal-budgetary measures adopted by the government and the degree of absorption of European funds, but also by the war in Ukraine and economic developments below expectations in Europe.

Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania decided, on Thursday, that the law prohibiting the aggregation of pension and salary is unconstitutional. The Court ruled that the published provisions regarding the prohibition of combining the pension with the salary contravene the fundamental right to work, guaranteed by the Constitution. On June 29, the High Court of Cassation and Justice notified the Constitutional Court regarding the amendments to the law on service pensions and to the law on the aggregation of the pension with the salary. Both laws were endorsed by Parliament on June 28. The law is now going back to Parliament.

Nobel. Norwegian writer Jon Fosse was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday for “his innovative plays and prose that give voice to the unsayable,” the Nobel Committee announced. Last year, the award went to French author Annie Ernaux “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory”. The 2023 Nobel season will continue with the awarding of the Peace Prize on October 6. The Riksbank Sveriges Prize in Economic Sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel will be announced on October 9. (MI)

5 October 2023
Romanian – American Defense Cooperation

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, was among the allied political leaders with whom the head of the White House, Joe Biden, had a teleconference on Tuesday. Like most such discussions that have taken place since the start of the war, the talks focused on aid for Ukraine and pressing issues related to defense and security. The White House leader, who was joined by the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, assured the allies that the support of Ukraine will continue as long as necessary.

Even if the latest financial allocations do not include funds for Kyiv, due to the opposition of the conservative camp, Joe Biden keeps putting pressure and says that the Republican Party, which dominates the House of Representatives, must keep its word and ensure the vote of the necessary aid to Ukraine so that it can defend itsfel. The United States, Reuters recalls, leads the Western coalition that supports Ukraine and is the main provider of aid for it, in the form of heavy and sophisticated weaponry.

In another move, President Biden reiterated the commitment of the United States to the security of Romania and the other allies on the eastern flank, including the recent deployment of additional American F-16 fighter jets in our country. According to the presidential administration in Bucharest, the discussions also focused on ensuring food safety and critical supply chains.

President Iohannis stressed that Russia must stop the attacks on the Ukrainian ports on the Danube, in the immediate vicinity of Romania, which are war crimes and aim to destroy grain warehouses and critical supply infrastructure, affecting also transport on the Danube. He presented the lines of action undertaken so far at the national and allied level, by strengthening surveillance measures, increasing vigilance, monitoring and aerial policing in the Black Sea region and thanked NATO, as well as the United States of America and other allies for the help provided in this regard.

Romanias president called on the leaders attending to intensify efforts to ensure the deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank and the Black Sea, more efficiently and better calibrated to the current security situation. Klaus Iohannis stressed that at this moment, increased capabilities are needed for the detection and interception of drones, as well as for a stronger air defense, in accordance with the decisions made at the Vilnius Summit. Romania, assured the head of state, will maintain, in solidarity, as long as necessary, its support for Ukraine, on all relevant levels – including grain transit. The US President and the participating leaders appreciated the efforts made by Romania in support of Ukraine, including, among other things, the training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots. (MI)

4 October 2023
European Political Community Summit

The Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking) hosted on June 1, at the Mimi Castle in the village of Bulboaca, the second summit of the European Political Community – a new platform for political coordination, which aims to promote dialogue and cooperation in order to address issues of common interest and to strengthen the security, stability and prosperity of the European continent. The nearly 50 leaders present at the summit discussed security and peace, the development of the economic and social infrastructure in the European space and resilience in the face of the threats produced by the war in Ukraine. At the same time, European officials reiterated their support for the Republic of Moldova in order to achieve the commitments assumed as a candidate state for joining the European Union.

The summit reflects the strong determination of the European leaders to bring peace back to Europe, the host of the meeting, President Maia Sandu, stressed. According to her, the meeting ended with several concrete results for her country, among them the decision regarding the reduction of tariffs for roaming services, the launch of the EU Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova, a new aid package worth approximately 1.6 billions euro and 50 million euro worth of non-reimbursable funding from Norway. Maia Sandu also emphasized the fact that organizing the summit only 20 km from Ukraine “is a clear expression of solidarity with that country and the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for freedom, European values and the future of the continent”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated at the summit that he received a strong signal of support from the allies in the matter of providing fighter planes. Zelenskiy also said that Ukraine needed future security guarantees, if joining NATO was not possible for the moment.

Also present at the summit, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, praised the reforms undertaken by the Republic of Moldova with a view to joining the EU and promised to “significantly” increase the size of the EU delegation to Chisinau, in order to “help the implementation of reforms”, while the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said that the Transnistrian dispute would not be an impediment for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Union.

In his speech, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, stressed that the Republic of Moldova is not alone, and the support of the democratic states will continue for both Chisinau and Kyiv. “The military aggression against Ukraine has been the most disruptive period after the Cold War. It is our responsibility, as the Community of European democratic states, to respond to this historic moment and to support the most vulnerable among us”, the Romanian head of state also said. (MI)

2 June 2023
May 17, 2023

Strike. In Romania, education employees have organized a two-hour
warning strike today. The unions have announced that the protest was one leg in
the labor conflict triggered by the low wages and the lack of investments in
the field. They are threatening to start an all-out strike on Monday, May 22.
The line minister Ligia Deca and the trade union leaders have announced, after
the talks they’ve had today, that the first meeting of the commission
established to negotiate a new collective employment agreement in education
will take place on Thursday

Diplomacy. Romania is deeply committed to combating any form of extremism and hate speech at home and anywhere in the world and supports all European projects dedicated to combating anti-Semitism. The statement was made this morning by Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, at the solemn joint session of the Romanian Parliament marking 75 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations between Romania and the State of Israel. Israel is one of Romania’s strongest and most important partners in the Middle East, but also the state with which we have an increasingly strengthened economic relationship. I think, however, that the potential of commercial exchanges is much higher, said Nicolae Ciuca. Present at the meeting in Bucharest, the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament, Amir Ohana, stated that Romania was one of the first countries to recognize the State of Israel and took important steps to commemorate the Holocaust, which demonstrates its commitment to combatting anti-Semitism. According to Amir Ohana, the ties between Romania and Israel are better than ever.

Government. The
Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party, the major partners in
the governing coalition in Romania, have established, in separate meetings, the
negotiation conditions for the rotation of prime ministers. The current Prime
Minister, Nicolae Ciuca, says he will announce his resignation on May 26th,
which will trigger the resignation of the entire Government. The procedures for
the appointment of the Government headed by the Social Democratic leader Marcel
Ciolacu will start right after that. The Liberals want a reduction of the
number of state secretaries and undersecretaries, while preserving the protocol
on which the governing coalition is based. The Social Democrats want lesser
ministries, but also a lesser number of state secretaries and agencies.

Council of
Europe. At the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik, Iceland, President Klaus
Iohannis chaired, on Tuesday evening, together with the Prime Minister of
Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, the round table Protecting democracy in trying
times – risks, resilience and re-engagement. Klaus Iohannis stated that,
through its illegal aggression against Ukraine, Russia flagrantly violated international
law and seriously threatened the democratic system. He pointed out that this
crisis, the most serious since the end of the Second World War, strengthened
the unity and determination of the world democracies to defend their democratic
way of life, by uniting in support of Ukraine and its citizens and in support
of all those who fight for freedom, democracy, and against intimidation,
authoritarianism and tyranny. Today, on the second day of the Council of Europe
Summit, President Klaus Iohannis will reiterate Romania’s commitment to the
system of the European Convention on Human Rights and highlight the role that
the Council of Europe has played in the 30 years of the country’s membership of
the organization to the consolidation of a stable and mature democracy.

Vacation. Almost 80% of Romanians will choose European destinations this summer, and more than half of them are willing to spend no more than 300 euros for plane tickets. In fact, the plane remains the preferred means of transport for Romanians to travel this summer – according to a study published today. The criteria underlying the choice of the holiday destination are to find favorable prices for plane tickets (over 44%), to be a destination they have not been to before (about 38%) and to arrive quickly, with a direct flight (16% ). More than half of Romanians want more city breaks, while 40 out of 100 opt for an extended vacation.

Concert. The European Union Youth Orchestra performs today in Timisoara, as part of the Earth 4 All tour that started in Poland. After the concert in Romania, the orchestra will perform in Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Greece. According to the conductor of the orchestra, Daniel Rowland, this tour reaches six important Eastern European cities, all with complex and often painful, dramatic histories. Timisoara is the place where the anti-communist revolution in Romania began in 1989. Moreover, this year, the city in the west of the country is a European Capital of Culture. (MI)

17 May 2023
May 16, 2023 UPDATE

Government. The leaders of the National Liberal (PNL) and Social Democratic (PSD) parties, members of the ruling coalition in Romania, met, on Tuesday, in separate meetings, to establish the mandates that their representatives will have during the negotiations for the formation of the future Government, which will be led by the Social Democrats, after the rotation of premiers. The Social-Democratic leader, Marcel Ciolacu, would take over the position of head of Government from the current Liberal Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, based on a protocol concluded between the two parties in November 2021. Nicolae Ciucă said that he would resign on May 26. PSD wants the future Executive to have fewer portfolios, fewer state secretaries and fewer government agencies. The Social Democrats priorities include the drop in inflation, an increase in the purchasing power and more investments. The Liberals also want to reduce the number of secretaries of state and undersecretaries of state, while preserving the protocol that is in force and on which the governing coalition is based. If the protocol is not observed, the PNL wants the renegotiation of the distribution of the ministries, but also the reduction of the number of portfolios.

Visit. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is participating in the Council of Europe Summit hosted by Reykjavik, Iceland. Held under the motto United around our values / United for Europe, the fourth edition of the high-level meeting emphasizes the role of the Council of Europe in the current geopolitical context marked by Russias war of aggression against Ukraine. The organization responsible for democracy, human rights and the rule of law was among the first international institutions to react with a concrete action, namely by excluding the Russian Federation from among the member states. On Wednesday, on the second day of the summit in Reykjavik, President Klaus Iohannis will reiterate Romanias commitment to the system of the European Convention on Human Rights and highlight the role that the Council of Europe has played in the 30 years of the countrys membership of the organization in Strasbourg, to the consolidation of a stable and mature democracy. At the end of the summit, a Declaration will be adopted reconfirming the particular role of the Council of Europe in the multilateral architecture at the European and international level.

Strike. Education employees will go on a two-hour warning strike on Wednesday, and on Monday, May 22, they could start an all-out strike. According to trade unionists in the field, 70% of the teaching staff and other categories of workers in the system support this form of protest. They say that the Government must invest more in education. The claims mainly concern salary increases, an annual indexation in keeping with the inflation rate and the payment of additional hours performed by auxiliary teaching and non-teaching staff. In recent months, employees in education have participated in several protests and marches. Signatures are also being collected for a general strike the health-care and welfare system, starting June 15. Last but not least, in Bucharest, several hundreds metro trade unionists picketed the Ministry of Transport on Tuesday, dissatisfied with the companys underfunding, the lack of staff and the ban on the right to negotiate.

Timisoara. The famous American actor John Malkovich will be in Timisoara, western Romania, on July 20 and 21 with a show entitled “The Infernal Comedy”, held at the National Theatre in the city. This is an absolute first for Timisoara, a European Capital of Culture this year. An Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee, John Malcovich has performed in many successful movies, among which Dangerous Liaisons or Being John Malkovich, where he played his own character. The Infernal Comedy is a show written and directed by Michael Sturminger, created especially for John Malkovich, which has been performed in over 150 theatre halls all over the world.

Bulgaria. The European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Maria Gabriel, nominated for the post of Prime Minister of Bulgaria by the GERB-SDS coalition, submitted her resignation and it was accepted by the President of the European Commission. Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her confidence that Ms. Gabriels experience in this European Commission and the previous one will benefit Bulgaria. Maria Gabriels portfolio has been taken over by the Executive Vice President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, and by the EC Vice President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas. We recall that, following the elections on April 2, the center-right party GERB, of which Maria Gabriel is also a member, ranked first, with 69 mandates out of the total of 240 in the Parliament of Bulgaria, faced with a political deadlock for more than two years.

Tennis. The Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian qualified, on Tuesday, for the round of 16 of the ITF tournament in Madrid, with 100,000 dollars in prize money, after defeating the Argentinian Nadia Podoroska in two sets, 6- 1, 6-4. The next opponent of the Romanian in Madrid will be the Japanese Mai Hontama (183 WTA). (MI)

16 May 2023
Romania – Germany – Republic of Moldova Trilateral

In
2010, when Romania and Germany marked 130 years of diplomatic relations,
Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Bucharest. 13 years on, her successor at the
helm of the government in Berlin, Olaf Scholz, also visited Romania, and the
sensitive issues addressed in the discussions with President Klaus Iohannis included,
as in 2010, Romania’s accession to Schengen.

Left
outside the free movement area because of Austria’s opposition, Romania
maintains its main goal of joining Schengen and has a strong supporter in
Germany. I hope, said Olaf Scholz, that accession will take place this year.
Romania, he said, has met all the requirments and we need secure borders.
Because Romania is neighboring Ukraine, a country that is militarily attacked,
and because the war has serious consequences for the Republic of Moldova, a
neighbor of both, the Iohannis – Scholz bilateral in Bucharest was joined by the Moldovan president
Maia Sandu. Romania will continue to support the Republic of Moldova, was the
firm message conveyed by President Klaus Iohannis.

We will keep supporting Chisinau, firmly
and unwaveringly, all the more so as the Republic of Moldova is subject to
systematic hybrid pressures, including attempts to undermine its constitutional
order. The Republic of Moldova is on the front line,
faced with the consequences of the war on its border and with Russia’s extremely
virulent and destabilizing actions, all of which are strongly impacting the
citizens.

In turn, President Maia Sandu stated
that Europe is strong thanks to the unity and firmness with which it defends
peace and people’s lives. The Republic of
Moldova is the most vulnerable neighbor of Ukraine, affected by the war and the
hybrid attacks orchestrated by the Kremlin, Maia Sandu stressed. According to
her, the country needs economic support, but also to strengthen the capacity of
institutions responsible for the security of citizens and the defense system.

Maia
Sandu thanked Romania and Germany for their support:

The
support of our partners, Bucharest and Berlin in particular, is highly
appreciated. Thank you for supporting peace, prosperity and our European
future. For its part, the Republic of Moldova ensures, together with Ukraine,
the security of over 1,200 km of European border.

The
Republic of Moldova is part of our European family, it is not alone and
benefits from massive international support, the Chancellor of Germany also
stressed. Olaf Scholz voiced his worries over the reports regarding Russia’s
attempts to destabilize the Republic of Moldova. The sovereignty and
territorial integrity of each state are inviolable, that’s why we are doing all
we can to support Moldova defend itself from all these destabilization attempts,
the
German Chancellor concluded. (MI)

4 April 2023
March 5, 2022

Refugees. The head of the Romanian state, Klaus Iohannis, is visiting today the mobile refugee camp in Siret, Suceava county (northeast), the Presidential Administration has announced. More than 170,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border into Romania since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Of these, about 60,000 have remained in Romania. President Iohannis talked with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her visit to Bucharest, about increasing the support to Ukraine. He pointed out that efforts were being made to render operational, as soon as possible, on the Romanian territory, a humanitarian hub that will allow the collection and transport of international donations for Ukraine. President Klaus Iohannis also spoke in Bucharest with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, about the support given to the Ukrainian refugees, but also to the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, mostly Romanian-speaking), which is also facing a huge inflow of refugees.

Visit. US Vice President Kamala Harris will pay a visit to Poland and Romania on March 9-11 to convey US’s support for the two countries at a time when war is wreaking havoc on Ukraine, the White House has announced. “Her visit will demonstrate the strength and unity of the NATO Alliance and U.S. support for NATO’s eastern flank allies in the face of Russian aggression. It will also highlight our collective efforts to support the people of Ukraine,” reads the statement on the Vice President’s travel. The Vice President’s meetings will also focus on how the United States can further support Ukraine’s neighbors as they welcome and care for refugees fleeing violence. Figures provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) show that more than 1.2 million people have fled the war in Ukraine triggered by the invasion of Russian forces. The US Vice Presidents last international trip was last month to the Munich Security Conference, where she met with US allies and partners, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine. The evacuation of the inhabitants of Mariupol, a Ukrainian strategic port on the Sea of Azov, surrounded by Russian forces, has been postponed due to the multiple violations of the truce by Russia, the city hall has announced, according to AFP. Ukrainian authorities expect more than 200,000 people to leave Mariupol. Moscow had agreed to implement a ceasefire for the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha.

Exercise. American B-52 Stratofortress bombers flew over Romania and NATOs eastern flank on Friday, in exercises with the Romanian and German armies, as a sign of unity, against the background of the Russian invasion of Ukraine entering the second week, CNN reports. The largest US Air Force strategic bombers took off from RAF Fairford, a Royal British Air Force center, and conducted close air support training and integration missions, according to a statement from the US Air Force in Europe. The B-52 bombers then flew to Romania, where they conducted a close air support training. The overflight across the Romanian airspace brought the bombers closer to the limit of the NATO countries, adjacent to the Ukrainian airspace, where the Russian aviation is trying to establish its air supremacy.

Covid-19. More than 4,800 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were registered in 24 hours in Romania, the authorities in Bucharest have announced. 82 related deaths have also been reported, two of which prior to the reference period. On Friday, President Klaus Iohannis announced that the state of alert would not be extended in Romania after March 8. The president has said that the COVID-19 epidemic is now on an accelerated downward trend, and wave 5 is about to end. Established in May 2020, after a two-month state of emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of alert has led to numerous restrictions, which have affected economic development and social cohesion in the country. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, over 2.7 million cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Romania, and over 63 thousand people infected with the new coronavirus have died.

Eurovision. The song that will represent Romania at Eurovision 2022 will be chosen, on Saturday evening, at the Eurovision National Selection, organized by the Romanian Television. The show will feature a recital by Ukrainian artist Jamala, winner of the 2016 European Song Contest. Jamala, a refugee from the hell unleashed in her country, will perform the song 1944, which took Eurovision to Kyiv. Eurovision 2022 will take place in Italy, in Turin, with the semifinals on May 10 and 12 and the final on May 14. Romania will enter the competition on May 12. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced on February 25 that no Russian artist will take part in this years Eurovision Song Contest, as this would “discredit the competition”. Romanias best performances at Eurovision were: twice the third place (Luminiţa Anghel & Sistem – Kyiv, 2005; Paula Seling and Ovi – Oslo, 2010) and once the fourth place (Mihai Trăistariu – Athens, 2006) . (MI)

5 March 2022
January 11, 2019 UPDATE

COUNCIL OF THE EU – Romanias holding for the first time the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union is a good opportunity for Bucharest to reassert its commitment to strengthening the European project, said in Bucharest on Friday Romanias president Klaus Iohannis, during a meeting with the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and members of the College of Commissioners. Also, Johannis said, the Romanian presidency will highlight Romanias desire to have a successful term, targeting concrete results, which would help advance the European agenda, taking into consideration, however, the complex background of the next six months. In turn, Jean-Claude Juncker voiced his conviction that Romania stands very good changes of having a successful presidency, but also stressed that domestic conflicts should not be exported to Europe. The Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU must provide hope, at a difficult time for the EU, so it will go through several stages, Jean-Claude Juncker also said. The EC president also met with the Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, who said that the ECs initiatives aimed at strengthening the EU and thus benefiting all citizens, are completely in line with the vision and objectives that Romania wants to promote during its term at the helm of the Council of the EU. The members of the EC attended the official take-over ceremony, held on Thursday night a the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest.

PROTEST – Romanian carriers protested on Friday in front of the European Commission Representation in Bucharest against the latest European regulations in the field. The protest was organized by the National Union of Road Carriers, according to which the medium and long-term effect of such measures would be a division in Europe between the West and the East. According to the protesters, operating costs will grow and taxes and fees will be paid on the territories of the countries that the carriers travel to. The protest coincided with the visit to Bucharest of the EC President Jean-Claude Juncker and members of the College of Commissioners, as protesters wanted to draw European and Romanian officials attention to the danger posed by the new set of regulations. A similar protest staged by carriers from Eastern Europe was held in Brussels on Thursday. As a result, the Transport Committee of the European Parliament has dropped a number of proposals described as discriminatory.

VISIT – Over May 31st – June 2nd, Pope Francis will pay an apostolic visit to Romania, a country with a predominantly Christian Orthodox population, the Vatican and the Romanian presidential administration announced on Friday. The pope will visit Bucharest, the cities of Iasi and Blaj and the Marian sanctuary in Sumuleu Ciuc. A press release issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference in Romania reads that the visit will be mainly pastoral, but it will also carry a significant ecumenical message, under the motto Lets Walk Together!. Catholic bishops in Romania hope that the Popes visit will inspire Romania into gathering together everything that is good and valuable, for the benefit of the country and the common good, and will encourage dialogue between the Christian churches, based on the principle of otherness.

EUROPE CARES – Europe CARES was launched on Friday, an initiative by means of which parents of children with disabilities from 7 member countries, including Romania, have decided to have their voices heard and their childrens right to inclusive education observed. Currently, the EU does not have any specific legislation on education for people with disabilities, which causes problems, such as exclusion and segregation. Also lacking are measures to help disabled students integrate into the mainstream education system. In Romania, in the past eight years, the European Centre for the Rights of Children with Disabilities has helped more than 1,000 children have access to education. Currently, in Europe there are more than 70 million persons with disabilities.

BAD WEATHER – Over the past few days, Europe has been hit by massive snow falls and severe frost. Bulgarian authorities have announced that two snowboarders died on Friday in an avalanche in the Pirin Mountains, in the south-west of the country. Albania, too, has reported a fatality, caused by snow. 20 people have died in the past week because of bad weather. Emergency measures have been taken in Serbia, after heavy gusts of wind gathered huge piles of snow on several roads and blocked access to several towns and villages. Montenegrin meteorologists have stated that the first ten days of January were the coldest in decades. In Bosnia, snow storms cut off electricity and telecommunications. In Germany and Austria, heavy snowfalls caused avalanches, blocked roads and isolated villages, and several flights had to be postponed or even cancelled.

(translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)

11 January 2019
Disagreements over the National Anticorruption Directorate

President Klaus Iohannis first rejected the proposal of the justice minister Tudorel Toarel for Adina Florea, a prosecutor from Constanta, to take over as the new chief of the National Anticorruption Directorate last November. Earlier, the Superior Council of Magistracy had also given a negative opinion arguing that Florea was not a suitable choice for this high-ranking position because she reacted precariously in stressful conditions and had problems with honesty and impartiality.

The presidents reasons for refusing to appoint her were different, namely the legality of her application given there is no official proof that Adina Florea was not part of or did not collaborate with the secret services during the communist era. As the justice minister has nominated Florea again, the president has responded that the reason for which he rejected her nomination in the first place still stands. Its possible that the new conflict between the president and minister Toader may reach the Constitutional Court, as was the case last year when Toader proposed the dismissal of the former head of the anticorruption directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi.

At the time, the Court ruled in Toarders favour and obliged president Iohannis to dismiss Kovesi despite his initial refusal and a negative opinion from the Superior Council of Magistracy. As for Kovesi, the former iron lady of anticorruption in Romania filed a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights saying she was not guaranteed a fair treatment in the case of her dismissal as the constitutional judges ruled without giving her the possibility to defend herself or allowing an appeal. In response, minister Toader has said the Constitutional Court judges do not deal with people but with exceptions, objections and legal conflicts of a constitutional nature.

Kovesi says she is not seeking compensation for her dismissal or to be reinstated, but to prevent a practice she views as abusive from being applied in the case of other prosecutors in leading positions. She says that attempts are being made to hinder the activity of prosecutors and restrict their independence and to get rid of the prosecutors who wish to continue the fight against corruption and investigate cases.

Praised in all of the European Commissions justice reports for its efficiency in combating high-level corruption, the National Anticorruption Directorate is going through a bad time. Five of its prosecutors from Oradea, in the west, were heard by the Prosecutor Generals Office about an audio recording in which they are heard discussing ways to intimidate judges. The department for the investigation of crimes in the judiciary last week opened a criminal investigation into the matter. The leadership of the National Anticorruption Directorate says it rejects any action by its staff that violates legal norms and the magistrates rules of professional conduct and that it has requested an explanation from its Oradea branch.

10 January 2019
December 25, 2018 UPDATE

CHRISTMAS – On Tuesday, Christians around the world celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. In a message conveyed on the occasion, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, says that this celebration is one of gift-offering, to children, elders, orphans, sick and lonely, and to all the loved ones. “This celebration is our response to the gift of Gods love, shown in Jesus Christ”, Patriarch Daniels message also reads. At the Vatican, Pope Francis firmly criticized what he termed as mankinds consumerist voracity and called on people to reflect on the spiritual meaning of their lives and to share with the poor . “The little body of the Child of Bethlehem is a new model of life: not to devour or to grasp, but to share and to give”, the Pope said, recalling that the name Bethlehem means the house of bread. The Sovereign Pontiff gave the traditional blessing of Urbi et orbi (to the city and the world), before the Christians gathered in St. Peters Square.

MESSAGES – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis has conveyed a Christmas message to all Romanians, saying that the birth of Jesus Christ is a celebration of the miracle of life and of kindness, compassion and generosity. “We need to reconnect to those values that bring us closer to each other and unite us. In the spirit of these holy celebrations, we should take care of each other and of our country”, the presidents message also reads. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has wished all Romanians good health and well being. The custodian of the Romanian Crown, Margareta, has too sent a Christmas message, saying she promised to carry on the work started by her father, King Michael, towards ensuring Romanias prosperity and stability an strengthening its international position.

JUSTICE – The former Romanian minister Elena Udrea and the former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, Alina Bica, who were in custody in Costa Rica since October 3rd, were released after the Bucharest Tribunal revoked the extradition requests issued on their names. The Public Ministry of Costa Rica decided to release them after receiving from the Romanian Justice Ministry the documentation stating that the two requests had been withdrawn. In Romania, Udrea and Bica have received definitive sentences for corruption. Just like them, other high-ranking officials in Romania have benefited from the suspension of the prison sentences they have received for corruption, after the Constitutional Court of Romania ruled that the setting up of the 5-judge panels at the High Court of Cassation and Justice was illegal.

DEFENSE – A new meeting of Romanias Supreme Council of National Defense will be held on December 28th, focusing on the request made by the Defense Minister Gabriel Les with regard to posts in the armys leadership. On Wednesday, Gabriel Les announced he would not extend the term of the current Chef of Staff Nicolae Ciuca, which expires on December 31st. The previous meeting of the Council was held on December 19th, when the army equipment programme for 2019-2028 was approved, as well as the capabilities to be deployed by Romania next year for missions and operations abroad. 1902 Romanian soldiers will be part of international theaters of operations, 127 more than in 2018. Also, another 759 army and police officers will take part in EU, OSCE, NATO and UN missions. Romania will keep participating in the NATO Resolute Support operation in Afghanistan and will maintain its contribution to the allied operations carried out in the Western Balkans. As a first, a detachment of transport and evacuation helicopters will participate in the UN mission in Mali.

EMPLOYMENT – Romanias National Employment Agency has committed to integrating into the labour market some 110,000 unemployed registered in their data base, by means of a project co-funded by the Social European Fund, through the Operational Programme Human Capital 2014-2020, covering a period of four years. According to the Agency, the allocated budget stands at around 265 million Euros, of which 226 million non-reimbursable. The project will be implemented with support from the local employment agencies.

TSUNAMI – The death toll from the tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra on Saturday has exceeded 400. Also, 1500 people were injured and more than 150 are reported missing, according to a local official quoted by news agencies. The tsunami hit the southern coast of Sumatra and the western side of Java, triggered by an undersea landslide caused by the eruption of Krakatau volcano, some 50 km off the coast.

ATTACK – At least three people, including a Libyan diplomat, died in a terrorist attack on the headquarters of Libyas Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. The Interior Minister Fathi Agha has admitted that the chaos that the country is facing in terms of security continues to turn it into a fertile ground for the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. Libya has been plunging into havoc since the fall of Muammal Gaddafis regime back in 2011. The country is divided into several rival entities, with a National Union Government in Tripoli, supported by the international community, and a parallel government formed in the east, supported by the National Libyan Army, self-proclaimed by Marshall Khalifa Haftar.

25 December 2018
December 25, 2018

CHRISTMAS – Christians are today celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. In a message conveyed on the occasion, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, says that this celebration is one of gift-offering, to children, elders, orphans, sick and lonely, and to all the loved ones. “This celebration is our response to the gift of Gods love, shown in Jesus Christ”, Patriarch Daniels message also reads. At the Vatican, Pope Francis has firmly criticized what he called mankinds consumerist voracity and called on people to reflect on the spiritual meaning of their lives and to share with the poor . “The little body of the Child of Bethlehem is a new model of life: not to devour or to grasp, but to share and to give”, the Pope said, recalling that the name Bethlehem means the house of bread. The Sovereign Pontiff has today given the traditional blessing of Urbi et orbi (to the city and the world), before the Christians gathered in St. Peters Square.

MESSAGES – Romanias president Klaus Iohannis has conveyed a Christmas message to all Romanians, saying that the birth of Jesus Christ is a celebration of the miracle of life and of kindness, compassion and generosity. “We need to reconnect to those values that bring us closer to each other and unite us. In the spirit of these holy celebrations, we should take care of each other and of our country”, the presidents message also reads. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has wished all Romanians good health and well being. The custodian of the Romanian Crown, Margareta, has too sent a Christmas message, saying she promised to carry on the work started by her father, King Michael, towards ensuring Romanias prosperity and stability an strengthening its international position.

JUSTICE – The former Romanian minister Elena Udrea and the former head of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, Alina Bica, who were in custody in Costa Rica since October 3rd, were released after the Bucharest Tribunal revoked the extradition requests issued on their names. The Public Ministry of Costa Rica decided to release them after receiving from the Romanian Justice Ministry the documentation stating that the two requests had been withdrawn. In Romania, Udrea and Bica have received definitive sentences for corruption. Just like them, other high-ranking officials in Romania have benefited from the suspension of the prison sentences they have received for corruption, after the Constitutional Court of Romania ruled that the setting up of the 5-judge panels at the High Court of Cassation and Justice was illegal.

EMPLOYMENT – The National Employment Agency has committed to integrating into the labour market some 110,000 unemployed registered in their data base, by means of a project co-funded by the Social European Fund, through the Operational Programme Human Capital 2014-2020, covering a period of four years. According to the Agency, the allocated budget stands at around 265 million Euros, of which 226 million non-reimbursable. The project will be implemented with support from the local employment agencies.

TSUNAMI – The death toll from the tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra on Saturday has exceeded 400. Also, 1500 people were injured and more than 150 are reported missing, according to a local official quoted by news agencies. The tsunami hit the southern coast of Sumatra and the western side of Java, triggered by an undersea landslide caused by the eruption of Krakatau volcano, some 50 km off the coast.

ATTACK – At least three people died in the attack perpetrated on Tuesday against the headquarters of Libyas Foreign Ministry, FP and Reuters report. Gun shots and several explosions were heard inside the building. Libya has been plunging into chaos since the fall of Muammal Gaddafis regime back in 2011. The country is divided into several rival entities, with a National Union Government in Tripoli, supported by the international community, and a parallel government formed in the east, supported by the National Libyan Army, self-proclaimed by Marshall Khalifa Haftar. Political and security chaos has favoured the emergence of jihadist groups, which have committed lots of a attacks in the past years.

25 December 2018