Radio România Internațional

Tag: Romanians abroad

  • The Week in Review 27-31.05.2024

    The Week in Review 27-31.05.2024

    Waiting for the first election in 2024

     

    This year, all four possible types of elections are held in Romania. And the first elections will be held on June 9, namely the combined local and European Parliament elections. 207,389 people aspire to the chance of occupying the seat of mayor, local or county councilor, County Council president or MEP. The youngest candidate is 23 years old, the oldest 100 years, Toni Greblă, the president of the Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania, announced in a press conference on Tuesday. Voters will receive five ballots each and will be able to cast their vote until 10:00 p.m. local time. Under special conditions, the vote can be extended even until midnight. There are 3,186 mayoral positions throughout the country. And for the European Parliament elections, there are 14 candidates per seat: Romania will have 33 MEPs, just like in the current mandate. All Romanians over the age of 18, or who turn 18 on the election day, have the right to vote. 18,025,324 people are registered in the electoral register, of which 942,730 are Romanians residing abroad. 18,968 polling stations will be opened in the country, and a record number of 915 abroad. Of the 915 sections, most will be in countries where there are more Romanian citizens. There will be 150 polling stations in Italy, 147 in Spain, 104 polling stations in Great Britain, 87 in Germany, 67 polling stations in France and the Principality of Monaco, 52 in the Republic of Moldova, and 45 polling stations in the USA. In the local elections, you can vote only in Romania and only in the locality where voters have their domicile or residence. On the other hand, for the European Parliament elections one can vote anywhere, in the country or abroad.

     

    Budget deficit

     

    Romania’s budget deficit rose to 3.24% of the Gross Domestic Product after the first four months of this year. According to the data published this week by the Finance Ministry, the State had revenues of almost 183 billion lei (almost 37 billion Euros), but the expenses were approximately 240 billion (about 48 billion Euros), by over 57 billion lei more. According to the Finance Ministry, the April deficit was also influenced by the advance payment of pensions before the May 1st and the Easter mini holidays. Expressed as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product, the expenses for this year registered a 2% increase compared to the same period of 2023, the ministry officials also stated. Romania’s budget this year is based on a deficit of 5% of the GDP, down from last year. On the other hand, in March, Romanians made 70% more new consumer loans compared to the same period of last year, and in the last 12 months lending to the population increased by more than 8%, according to the National Bank data. This trend of credit growth is normal as inflation and, implicitly, interest rates decrease.

     

    Day of Romanians Everywhere

    President Klaus Iohannis urged the preservation of Romanian identity, language and traditions, in a message on the occasion of Romanians Everywhere Day, celebrated since 2015, on the last Sunday of May. The head of state emphasized that it is necessary for the diaspora to remain a strong voice, heard both in Bucharest and in other capitals of the world. The government will continue to support Romanians abroad, declared Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who announced, among other things, that in July the agreement will be signed so that Romanians in Spain can have dual citizenship, and by the end of the year Romania will fully join the Schengen area. For their part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, recalled that the well-being and security of Romanian citizens abroad, as well as the permanent dialogue with the diaspora, must be priorities of Romanian diplomacy. The Day of Romanians Everywhere was marked by events hosted by important cultural institutions in Bucharest, within the “Here-There” Festival, in which more than 500 Romanians from the diaspora and historical communities, as well as from the country, were expected to participate. The Day of Romanians Everywhere is a form of recognition of the importance that the Romanian state gives to Romanian communities living outside the country’s borders.

    The last game of the Golden Generation

    On May 25, Romania’s Golden Generation in football played “For the last time together”. It was against the World Legends team coached by the famous José Mourinho, which it beat 3-2 after being beaten 2-0. The national team that brought so much joy to Romanians at the 1994 World Cup filled up a stadium, the National Arena being stormed by the more than 50 thousand ticket payers who came to pay tribute to those who, 30 years ago, established the highest national team performance – 5th place at the World Cup in the United States. The anniversary game was led by Ion Crăciunescu, the most highly awarded Romanian referee in history. Famous former Romanian internationals such as Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu, Miodrag Belodedici, Dan Petrescu, Ilie Dumitrescu, Florin Răducioiu, or Marius Lăcătuș were not absent from the field. In the world team that came to Bucharest for the match, other exceptional names – the Brazilian Rivaldo, the French Karembeu, the Bulgarian Stoichkov, or the Portuguese Nuno Gomes! The older Romanians revived memories, and for the generations coming after them was a memorable experience – noted the publication Gazeta Sporturilor about the farewell match of the footballers who wrote history for Romania.

  • May 27, 2024 UPDATE

    May 27, 2024 UPDATE

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

     

     

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

     

     

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

     

     

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

     

     

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

     

     

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

  • May 25, 2024 UPDATE

    May 25, 2024 UPDATE

    ESPIONAGE – A Romanian citizen was arrested on charges of treason, suspected of spying in Russia’s favor. According to the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), the suspect sent to the Russian Embassy in Bucharest images of Romanian or NATO sites in Tulcea (east). He also collected other military information and has been carrying out such activities since 2022. The suspect, Alexandru Piscan, is a young politician from Ploiești, judicial sources say. Prosecutors also searched his home, where they collected several items of evidence. Following this incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared a diplomat from the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest persona non grata on Romanian territory. Russia will respond in equal measure, the spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, announced shortly after.

     

    DRONE – The first Romanian drone is expected to enter production at a factory in Braşov (center), a subsidiary of the ROMARM National Military Company. A first step in this direction was taken on Friday in Bucharest, on the sidelines of the “Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” international exhibition, with the signing of a strategic agreement with Periscope Aviation, an American manufacturer of military and commercial drones. Economy Minister Radu Oprea said the agreement is a premiere for the Romanian defense industry, being the first strategic partnership a domestic company signs in the field of constructing military and civilian drones. Two other agreements related to research activity in the field were also signed, the Romanian official said. Participants in the “Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” exhibition said the objective of the agreement is the mass production of a 100% Romanian drone, intended for both military and civilian use, such as agriculture.

     

    FESTIVAL – Festivities marking the “Day of Romanians Worldwide”, celebrated every year on the last Sunday of May, continue across the country. Saturday saw the official opening of the communication session, with Romanians abroad having the opportunity of talking directly to state representatives to convey the concerns, needs and difficulties they face in host countries and upon returning to Romania, but also to get to know each other, share experiences, best practices and plan joint projects. Over 500 Romanians from the diaspora and historical communities from 34 countries are expected to take part in the 7th edition of the “Here and there” festival. The event brings together Romanian artists from the country and abroad, as well as representatives of associations, academia and the business environment from Romanian communities abroad.

     

    EVACUATIONS – Six Romanian citizens who requested support for evacuation have left New Caledonia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest reports. A Romanian citizen was evacuated to Australia on May 22, with an airlift organized by French authorities in cooperation with the Australian and New Zealand authorities. The other five Romanians left French territory on Saturday. Of these, two were evacuated to Australia with an Australian Air Forces military aircraft, the other three being boarded on a civilian flight organized by the French authorities. The French government has declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia following violence that broke out over a bill passed by the French Parliament that would allow French residents living on the Pacific island to vote in provincial elections. Protesters set fire to vehicles and company premises and looted shops. At least seven people lost their lives and hundreds of people were arrested.

     

    NATO – 400 MPs from 32 NATO member states and 25 partner countries and parliamentary organizations are attending the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, hosted from Saturday till Monday by Sofia, Bulgaria. Participants will discuss major topics on the Euro-Atlantic defense and security agenda, emphasizing support for Ukraine and the priorities of the upcoming NATO summit in Washington in July. Over the weekend, MPs are taking part in talks in the five committees of the Parliamentary Assembly, discussing draft reports and adopting important political recommendations. In Monday’s plenary session, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will deliver a speech, and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will deliver a message via video conference. MPs from NATO member states will discuss and adopt decisions regarding the requests made by Malta and Kosovo to receive the status of NATO associated states. The Parliamentary Assembly will also tackled challenges from the countries of the Western Balkans, along with strategies to support partners at risk and to strengthen engagement with the ‘Global South’ (low- or middle-income countries in Latin

    America, Africa, Asia and Oceania).

     

    TENNIS – Four Romanian tennis players will perform in the women’s main draw at Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the year. They will all compete in the first round. Sorana Cîrstea (30 WTA), Romania’s best-ranked tennis player at present, was seeded 28th and will take on Anna Blinkova of Russia (45 WTA). Jaqueline Cristian (67 WTA) faces a tougher opponent, 9th-seed Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia (10 WTA). Ana Bogdan (63 WTA) will face Elsa Jacquemot of France (150 WTA), the beneficiary of a wild card. Finally, Irina Begu (126 WTA), who benefits from protected ranking, will take on Julia Riera of Argentina (93 WTA). In other news from tennis, the pair made up of Monica Niculescu of Romania and Cristina Bucșa of Spain has won the womens doubles final at the WTA 500 tournament in Strasbourg. In the final, the two outperformed Asia Muhammad of the United States and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia, 3-6, 6-4, 10-6. This is the 11th doubles title for Monica Niculescu and the 23rd final of her career. Her last title dated back to 2021, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. (VP)

  • October 30, 2017 UPDATE

    October 30, 2017 UPDATE


    COLECTIV– It’s been two years since the devastating fire
    at the Colectiv club in Bucharest, which killed 64 people. Of them, 27 died on
    the night of the tragedy while the other 37 died later in hospitals in
    Bucharest and abroad. Hundreds of people participated on Friday evening in a
    march in Romania’s capital, commemorating the victims. Many people hoped that
    the ones responsible for this tragedy would be punished, but two years on
    nobody has been found guilty and the flaws in the system are still present.






    ACCIDENT– One miner was killed and another three were
    injured in an accident that took place at the Uricani mine on the Jiu Valley.
    The victims were doing some final works on the mine that is to be shut down
    soon. This is the second such accident on the Jiu Valley this month, after the
    one at the Lupeni mine that killed two miners and injured one. The Lupeni mine
    will be operational for another five years, according to a memorandum that
    Romania submitted to the European Commission.






    CATALONIA– The Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont might be
    arrested for rebellion, alongside other officials who helped Catalonia declare
    its independence from Spain. Hundreds of thousand of Spanish loyalists
    demonstrated in Barcelona on Sunday in support of Madrid’s decision to impose
    direct rule on Catalonia. The protest took place after Catalan MPs voted in
    favour of declaring independence from Spain, prompting Mariano Rajoy, the
    Spanish prime minister, to sack the separatist Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont
    and his government, dissolve the Catalan parliament and call regional elections
    for December 21.






    MINISTRY– The Ministry
    for the Romanians Abroad is closely monitoring the situation of the over 130
    thousand Romanians in Catalonia, in the context of the recent events in that Spanish region, the Ministry says in a release. The Ministry recommends
    Romanian citizens in the region to get in touch with the Romanian authorities,
    in case their security is threatened. Also, Romanian citizens are urged to
    inform the Romanian diplomatic missions of any situation that might affect
    their work and their relation with local institutions and authorities. The
    Ministry reiterates the fact that Bucharest firmly and irrevocably
    rejects Catalonia’s unilateral declaration of independence and voices full
    support for Spain’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the hope
    that the situation in the Spanish region will soon revert to constitutional
    order.






    CONFERENCE– All EU states must collaborate closely
    to achieve solid cyber security, the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and
    Society Mariya Gabriel said on Monday in Bucharest, at the 7th annual
    international conference titled The New Global Challenges in Cyber Security.
    During her 2-day visit to Romania, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel will hold talks with Romanian authorities on issues
    such as illegal online content and digital investment.






    US INVESTIGATION – The former campaign manager of the US President Donald Trump,
    Paul Manafort, was indicted on Monday, following an investigation into Russia’s involvement in
    the November 2016 presidential elections. One of Manafort’s associates, Rick
    Gates, is also facing charges. Among other things, Paul Manafort is accused of
    conspiracy against the US, money laundering, false statements to the federal
    authorities and failure to declare some foreign accounts. Aged 68, he managed
    Trump’s campaign until August 2016, when he was forced to resign, following
    disclosures about his ties with pro-Russia Ukrainian oligarchs. The US
    President has denied any alleged
    connections with Russia, and the Kremlin has also denied such ties.
    According to the US Secret Service, the Russian President Vladimir Putin commissioned
    a campaign to influence the outcome of the presidential elections in the US for
    the benefit of Donald Trump, also with the aim of undermining the western
    liberal-democratic system.












    TENNIS– Romanian tennis player Simona Halep continues
    to be world number one for the fourth week in a row. Halep, who has just
    received the year-end WTA World No. 1 Trophy, has an advance of 40 points as to
    world no. two, Garbine Muguruza and is 160 points ahead of the third place,
    Caroline Wozniacki. Another three Romanians who are part of the WTA top 100
    maintain their current position – Sorana Cirstea no. 37, Irina Begu No. 44 and
    Monica Niculescu, nr. 100. Mihaela Buzarnescu went up 17 places and is now no.
    72 WTA.



  • 1 October 2016, UPDATE

    1 October 2016, UPDATE

    EU Commissioner visit. Romania has more than 300 million euros at its disposal from the
    European Commission to modernise its healthcare system, but it risks losing
    half of this money, warned the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina
    Cretu during a visit to Romania. During a trip to Iasi, in the east, she told a
    citizens’ debate that the north-eastern part of the country, despite being the
    poorest, had the highest absorption rate of European funds between 2007 and
    2013. The European Commission also highlighted the importance of cohesion
    policies across the Union and the need to fight populism and euro-scepticism.
    The debate in Iasi also tackled the future of the European Union, Romania’s
    role in Europe and the opportunities and challenges facing the European
    Commission.




    Romanians abroad. On a
    trip to Rome, the minister delegate for relations with Romanians abroad Maria
    Ligor on Saturday attended a Festival of Young Talent featuring young Romanians
    from the Diaspora with remarkable achievements in music, the visual arts,
    sports and other areas, alongside young people from Italy, Denmark, Spain and
    Britain. Earlier, Maria Ligor met the local authorities and representatives of
    the Romanian community in Rome. She also presented the Italian central and
    local authorities with her government’s initiatives to encourage the Romanians’
    return to their native country and stimulate investment. Talks also focused on
    the support granted to the Romanians affected by the earthquake that hit Italy
    in August, in which 297 people were killed, including 11 Romanian nationals.




    Republic of Moldova. The recent developments
    concerning the regional security environment and the European and Euro-Atlantic
    future of the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet state with a majority
    Romanian-speaking population, have been the focus of talks in Bucharest on
    Friday between the Romanian defence minister Mihnea Motoc and his Moldovan counterpart
    Anatolie Salaru. Motoc was in favour of a more active involvement of Moldova in
    the EU’s security and common defence policy. Anatolie Salaru said the Moldovan
    army was undergoing a comprehensive reform process, including with the help of
    Romania. He recalled that the authorities in Chisinau requested Bucharest’s
    support so that the peace-keeping Russian troops in the pro-Russian break-away
    region of Transdniester be replaced by UN representatives.




    Paris Motor Show. The Paris Motor Show is under way between
    the 1st and the 16th of October. Dacia Duster EDC is one
    of the surprises prepared by the Renault Group for this edition. The car is on
    show at the Dacia stand alongside the facelifted versions of Dacia Sandero,
    Dacia Sandero Stepway, Dacia Logan and Dacia Logan MCV. The first Dacia car was
    made in Romania in 1966. Since 1999, the brand has belonged to the Renault
    Group and accounts for around 30% of the French company’s sales. The Dacia
    carmaker recently announced that some production of its Logan MCV model made in
    Romania, at Mioveni, would be moved to the Renault factory in Tangiers,
    Morocco. Renault, which holds 99% of the shares in the Romanian factory, said
    the move would free up production space for an increase in the production of
    Duster cars, which are in high demand in Europe.




    RadiRo Festival. For nine days, the RadiRo Festival, the only festival of this scope
    dedicated exclusively to radio orchestras, brought before the Bucharest public
    6 symphony orchestras from Europe and Asia and 19 of the world’s top conductors
    and musicians: the Shenzen Symphony Orchestra, the radio orchestras from
    Norway, Leipzig and Vienna, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Radio Romania
    National Orchestra. This year’s concerts were broadcast live on the European Union Radio
    Broadcasting network and the Asia-Pacific platform of public and private
    broadcasters.




    Tennis.
    The Romanian tennis player Raluca Olaru and the Turkish player Ipek Soylu on
    Saturday won the doubles title at the WTA tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan,
    worth 226,750 dollars in prize money. In the final, the Romanian-Turkish pair
    defeated the Dutch-Czech pair Demi Schuurs and Renata Voracova in straight
    sets. This is Raluca Olaru’s second doubles title, having obtained her first
    also in Tashkent, in 2008, together with the Ukrainian player Olga Savchuk.



  • 3 July, 2016

    3 July, 2016

    Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis has invited prime
    minister Dacian Ciolos, the governor of the National Bank of Romania Mugur
    Isarescu and the leaders of parliamentary parties for a new round of talks on
    Monday to discuss the UK vote to leave the European Union. The impact of the UK
    referendum on the Romanian financial markets has not been as strong as on the
    other states in the region, but this does not mean that it will not be more
    serious in the future, said the governor of the National Bank. He emphasised
    that the result of the referendum has increased the already high level of
    uncertainty on international markets.






    President Klaus Iohannis has
    expressed his regrets over the death of Romanian-born writer and philosopher
    Elie Wiesel. A Holocaust survivor, Wiesel was the recipient of the Nobel Prize
    for Peace. In his message of condolence, the president said Elie Wiesel was a
    great spirit who opposed tyranny and tirelessly fought for the cause of the
    underprivileged. Romania will honour his memory with deep respect, while his
    lessons will be a source of moral inspiration, president Iohannis also said. Prime
    minister Dacian Ciolos has also deplored the death of Elie Wiesel, describing
    him as a messenger of humanity and a tireless voice against violence, oppression
    and racism. The foreign ministry in Bucharest said Wiesel had a major
    contribution to accepting responsibility and the national history with respect
    to the tragedy of the Holocaust. Born in 1928 in Sighetul Marmatiei, in
    north-western Romania, into a Jewish family, Wiesel was deported in 1944 by the
    Hungarian occupation troops to the concentration camps, where he witnessed the
    brutal killing of his father. After the war, he lived in France before settling
    in the US in 1963. He received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1986 for his
    efforts to keep alive the memory of the Holocaust victims. He visited Romania twice,
    and has given his name to the National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust
    in Bucharest.




    The minister delegate liaising
    with Romanians abroad Dan Stoenescu has attended the launch of a programme of
    youth camps for Romanians living abroad held in the village of Oglinzi, in
    Neamt county, in the north-east. He underlined the programme was a meeting
    place for young ethnic Romanians from all corners of the world, including the
    historical communities in Romania’s neighbouring countries. The camps are held
    during the summer holidays in Oglinzi and the Danube Delta town of Sulina and
    targets Romanian school children, students and teachers living in Romania’s
    neighbouring countries and the Balkans, as well as in Italy, Spain, Greece,
    Canada and the Middle East. More than 2,000 young people are taking part in the
    programme, which provides them access to Romanian realities and heritage and
    cultural values.




    The Romanian men’s handball team today face South Korea
    in the finals of the World University Championship held in the Spanish town of
    Malaga. They are seen as the favourites after defeating the host country in the
    semifinals 29:26. On Saturday, Romania’s women’s side won the silver medal in
    this competition, having lost the final to Spain 14:20.




    World no. 5 Simona Halep of Romania
    plays world no. 9 Madison Keys on Monday in the fourth round at Wimbledon. On
    Saturday, in the third round, Halep, who is the only Romanian player still in
    competition in the women’s draw, defeated the Dutch player Kiki Bartens in
    straight sets.




    In the last Euro 2016 quarterfinal, host
    country France tonight take on the competition’s surprise Iceland. The winner
    of today’s match play world champions Germany in the semifinal. In the other
    semifinal, Portugal face Wales, who have qualified for a major tournament for
    the first time. Romania were eliminated as early as the group stage. (Translated by: C. Mateescu)



  • August 10, 2015

    August 10, 2015

    Romanians abroad must benefit from fundamental rights related to the preservation of their national identity, reads a message sent by the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu to the participants in the Summer University in Izvoru Mureşului, which began on Monday. He emphasised that the measures promoted by Romania with respect to the national minorities on its territory, designed to help protect their ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity, ought to be adopted by the countries that host Romanian communities as well. For one week, Izvoru Muresului is hosting representatives of the Romanian communities in the diaspora, MPs from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as professors from the main universities in the country. The Romanian Cultural Institute, through the Directorate for Romanians Abroad, supports the participation in the event of 80 leaders of Romanian associations, notable personalities of the Romanian communities living abroad. The theme of this years edition is “Romania and the Romanians on the EU and NATO borders.



    In Romania, weather experts forecast another week with extreme heat. Until Wednesday, three counties in the west of the country are under a code orange alert for extreme temperatures, which may reach as much as 38 degrees Celsius. Scarce rainfall is expected this week as well. In most of the country farming areas have been affected by the lack of precipitations, and navigation on River Danube is hindered, although not completely stuck in any of the Romanian sectors of the river.



    Romanias trade balance deficit reached 3.3 billion euros in the first 6 months of the year, up 441 million since the corresponding period of 2014, according to data released on Monday by the National Statistics Institute. Between January and June this year, Romanias exports grew by 5.9% and the imports by 6.9%, compared to the same period last year. According to the National Statistics Institute, in the first six months of the year vehicles and transport equipment, as well as other manufactured goods, accounted for the largest part of both imports and exports.



    The Interior Ministry in Sofia denied the allegations published by Bulgarian media on Sunday, according to which the authorities were searching two presumed terrorists, a Romanian citizen and an Iranian-born French woman, who allegedly have connections with the Islamic State group. The Bulgarian Interior Ministry states in a news release that the individuals in question are searched for forging identity documents, and not for terrorist ties. The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced in turn that the information on the two suspects was false. The Ministry says the Bulgarian authorities temporarily introduced additional security measures on all border check points, and warns the Romanian citizens transiting this country that waiting times in Bulgarian check points may be extended.



    In Athens negotiations carry on between the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and IMF and the Greek authorities over a third bailout programme worth up to 86 billion euros. One of the delicate points has to do with the recapitalisation of Greek banks and the management of bad debts. Greece needs 10 billion euro to inject in its banks, another 7 billion euros to pay off a bridge loan taken out in July and more than 3 billion euros to pay off a loan from the European Central Bank on August the 20th.



    Four Turkish police and a military officer were killed on Monday in 2 attacks in the south-east of the country and blamed on Kurdish rebels. They came just hours after 2 attacks perpetrated in Istanbul and targeting the US consular office and a police station, and in which 3 people were killed and several others wounded. Turkish police have arrested one of the two perpetrators of Monday mornings attack on the American consular office in Istanbul. Meanwhile, the USA deployed six F-16 fighter planes and 300 US troops to the strategic base in Incirlik, in southern Turkey, to strike Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria. A NATO member, Turkey last month launched a “synchronised war on terror, which includes air strikes against the jihadists in Syria and against the Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.

  • The Romanian community abroad

    The Romanian community abroad

    The situation of the Romanians abroad is again in the spotlight of the Romanian public, only months after the presidential elections in November 2014. The president’s website carries a new organisational structure of the president’s office which for the first time contains a dedicated department to deal with the problems of the Romanian communities abroad.



    In a message posted on a social networking site, president Klaus Iohannis says that during his term in office, he wishes to pursue a foreign policy that is close to the Romanian citizens: “I would like”, he writes, “that, wherever they may live, Romanian citizens be proud of how they are represented abroad and the consolidation of the relationship with the other states to have a positive impact on their everyday lives.”



    The major problems facing the Romanian community abroad were also discussed during the president’s trip to Germany last week.



    Another important topic discussed, which concerns all Romanians, was Romania’s entry into the passport-free Schengen Area. The leader of the German Democratic Forum in Romania, Paul-Jurgen Porr, who accompanied Klaus Iohannis on his trip to Berlin, believes Romania may partially join Schegen by first opening its air and river borders by the end of the year. He said the German chancellor Angela Merkel supports Romania’s Schengen accession. Paul-Jurgen Porr:



    “President Iohannis was very straightforward about our bid to join the Schengen Area and we have Ms Merkel’s promise that she would be an advocate of Romania in this regard, because this is not a matter for the German government alone, but one that involves the entire European community.”



    Also last week, a Romanian parliamentary delegation met the representatives of Romanian associations in Spain. Some of the issues raised include the reduction of consular fees, healthcare insurance, the repatriation of the bodies of Romanians who died abroad and the introduction of postal voting. Spain is home to more than 700,000 Romanians, but statistics show that 30% of them are struggling with unemployment and the effects of the economic crisis.



    Speaking recently, president Klaus Iohannis said the emigration of skilled Romanians was a loss for the country and the only way to halt this phenomenon was by fostering sustainable economic development. Klaus Iohannis also believes Romania is a much better place than it is perceived in the world. “We politicians”, said the president, “have to work harder, together with the people who voted for us, to create an image deserving the country we wish to have.”

  • A new government program for Romanians abroad

    A new government program for Romanians abroad

    “Dialogue with the Diaspora on consular themes” is a program launched early this week by the Romanian foreign ministry. According to the ministry, the program is meant to provide Romanians at home and abroad with correct information and full access to modern consular services. “Efforts have been made in recent years to modernise these services” writes a foreign ministry release, “and it is high time this modernisation was reflected in the interaction between people and the consular staff”.



    The program sets new guidelines as to the behaviour of consular staff, who are encouraged to be open, friendly and reliable and show concern for the needs of each citizen requiring their services, as laid down in the Code of Conduct of the Romanian Consular Corps.



    The program is carried out in the first half of 2015, with a foreign ministry team travelling to countries with large Romanian communities where Romanian consular offices are particularly busy, countries such as Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Belgium and Greece. The foreign ministry experts will meet the Romanian communities in these countries and present them with E-cons, the new system of computerised consular services. The first meetings will take place next week in Rome and Madrid.



    In addition, the Romanian Foreign Ministry’s Consular Department has launched a Facebook page containing news alerts, useful consular and travel information and announcements about the activity of the Consular Department. Twice a month, Romanian citizens will be able to use the Facebook account to interact with the staff and ask questions related to given consular topics. They will receive an answer in 24 hours at the most. Besides meetings with the representatives of the Romanian Diaspora, and in an attempt to make an exchange of best practices, the Romanian authorities will also hold regional meetings with diplomats and consular staff from the states located in the proximity of the countries with large Romanian communities.



    The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu, believes that, in the long term, the program could be extended to cover other topics of interest for the Romanians abroad, such as the voting process abroad. In last November’s presidential elections, thousands of Romanians living abroad could not exercise their voting right due to a flawed management of the election process.



    Last week, while on a visit to Paris, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis pointed out that providing legislative solutions to improve the voting system was not only a constitutional obligation but also a sign of respect for Romanian voters. The president also said that if Romanians wanted to be respected in Europe and the world, the Romanian authorities should be the first to respect them.