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Tag: Romgaz

  • Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

    Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

    On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the largest producer and main supplier of natural gas in Romania, where the state is the majority shareholder with 70% share participation. Along with OMV Petrom, Romgaz contributes to the national strategic project Neptun Deep in the Black Sea, which foresees total investments standing at 4 billion EUR, half of which must be covered by Romgaz. Total production is estimated at approximately 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Recently, Transocean Barents, the huge drilling platform contracted for the Neptun Deep project, arrived on the Black Sea coast, in Constanţa. Drilling will start in 2025, and the first gas will be exploited in 2027. Meanwhile, the money raised from the bond issue will be used by Romgaz to finance Neptun Deep, but also other goals in the company’s investment program. It’s worth mentioning in this respect that Romgaz aspires to enter the electricity supply market. Equally, the company seeks to transition to a low-carbon emission operating format. The bonds, also listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange since early October, represent only the first installment in a medium-term program that will allow Romgaz to issue bonds with a total value of 1.5 billion EUR.

     

    Investor interest in these financial instruments is already significant, Romgaz CEO Răzvan Popescu says. However, in addition to important international investors, pension funds and other entities operating in Romania have also invested in Romgaz’s bond issue to an extent of approximately 20%. The issue was oversubscribed approximately 12 times, with pre-orders of around 6 billion EUR having been already submitted, a success praised by Secretary of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mihai Precup:

     

    “This, I think, is perhaps the biggest bond issue at the level of Eastern Europe by a state-owned company. In the last two years, after Hidroelectrica, today we are witnessing the largest bond listing in the history of Eastern Europe by a state company, a historic day”.

     

    In turn, the president of the Financial Oversight Authority, Alexandru Petrescu, says that Romgaz’s bond issue contributes to the achievement of Romania’s strategic objectives in the field of energy:

     

    “It is not just another instrument with fixed income. I think it sends a clear message – we are taking an important step in terms of the resilience of the energy sector, with a positive impact not only on Romania, but on Central and Eastern European”.

     

    The bonds have a maturity of 5 years and a fixed interest rate of 4.75% per year. (VP)

  • October 28, 2024

    October 28, 2024

     

    AGING The population of Romania in mid-2024 was 21,779,000, down 1% compared to June 1, 2023. According to the National Statistics Institute, demographic aging is deepening, with the over-65 age bracket now almost 1 million people larger than the under-14 segment. 55% of the Romanians live in urban communities, but urban-to-rural migration continues, and over 90,000 people moved to the countryside within a year. The number of women is now half a million larger than the number of men, and the national average age is close to 43.

     

    NATURAL GAS Romania has become the EU’s largest natural gas producer, with an output of 2.3 billion cubic metres in Q2, the energy minister Sebastian Burduja announced. According to him, Romania has outperformed the Netherlands, which reported 2.2 billion cubic metres, and compared to last year Romania’s natural gas output was 1% higher. Burduja added that most of the credit for this should go to the Romanian natural gas company, Romgaz, which in the first semester reported a 5% higher gas output than in the corresponding period of last year. The Romanian official explained that Romgaz intends to earmark EUR 120-160 million to increase production. This year alone, the Romanian company started operations with 7 new drilling rigs.

     

    FUELS The average petrol price in Romania has gone up by 3.3% in the past month, to approx. EUR 1.44 per litre in Bucharest. During the same period, average diesel prices rose by 2.3%. Romania has the 7th-lowest petrol prices and the 9th–lowest diesel prices in the European Union.

     

    IMF An IMF mission led by Jan Kees Martijn will be in Bucharest between November 5 and 8, for a review of the latest economic and financial developments and of macroeconomic forecasts. In its latest “World Economic Outlook” report, released recently, the IMF lowered to 1.9% its estimate on Romania’s economic growth rate this year, from the July 2.8% forecast. According to the institution’s latest figures, in 2025 Romania is expected to see a 3.3% economic growth rate.

     

    DEBT According to the Romanian finance ministry, the country’s governmental debt reached approx. EUR 175 bln this July, accounting for 52% of GDP. Romania’s governmental debt is split between domestic debt (roughly EUR 85.7 billion), and foreign debt (approx. EUR 89.5 billion). On the other hand, the budget deficit estimated for 2024 is nearly 8% of GDP. Since 2020, Romania has been subject to an excessive deficit procedure, after in 2019 the country exceeded the 3% of GDP ceiling set under the Stability and Growth Pact. In 2021 the EU Council recommended that Romania bring its deficit below 3% by 2024.

     

    TENNIS The former WTA leader Simona Halep takes on Yue Yuan (China) today, in the first round of the WTA 250 tournament in Hong Kong. This is for the first time that the Romanian player (aged 33, currently no. 869 WTA) plays against Yuan (26, no. 44 WTA). If she wins, Halep is next to take on the winner of the match between Nao Hibino (156 WTA) and Aliaksandra Sasnovich (143 WTA). The main draw of the Hong Kong tournament also includes Romania’s Ana Bogdan (109 WTA), who plays in the first round against Kimberly Birrell of Australia (111 WTA). (AMP)

  • Kapitalmarkt erreicht Rekordwert

    Kapitalmarkt erreicht Rekordwert





    Der Marktwert der mehr als 370 an der Bukarester Börse (BVB) notierten Unternehmen überstieg Ende November dieses Jahres zum ersten Mal die Marke von 300 Milliarden Lei (umgerechnet etwa 60 Milliarden Euro). Die Kapitalisierung der börsennotierten Unternehmen ist allein in diesem Jahr um 43 % gestiegen. Tatsächlich hat sich der Marktwert aller an der Bukarester Börse notierten Unternehmen in den letzten sechs Jahren verdoppelt. Seit Jahresbeginn verzeichnete der rumänische Aktienmarkt einen zweistelligen Zuwachs in allen Börsenindizes. Der BET-Index, der die 20 zahlungsfähigsten börsennotierten Unternehmen umfasst, stieg um 26 %. Auf die an der Bukarester Börse notierten Unternehmen entfallen nun 21 % des rumänischen Bruttoinlandsprodukts im Jahr 2022.



    Die stark positive Entwicklung des Kapitalmarktes wurde durch mehrere Ereignisse vorangetrieben. Der Börsengang des mehrheitlich staatlichen Energiekonzerns Hidroelectrica war zum einen der grö‎ßte Schritt dieser Art in Europa in diesem Jahr und wurde von Finanzexperten aufmerksam beobachtet. Die Fortsetzung des Staatsanleihenprogramms Fidelis“ bewirkte zum anderen den Anstieg der Anlegerzahl auf den Rekordwert von 168 000. Und schlie‎ßlich dürften die von der Bukarester Börse als Markt- und Systembetreiber durchgeführten Projekte die positive Entwicklung des Kapitalmarktes auch beeinflusst haben. Der Gesamtumsatz lag am Montag bei über 2,5 Milliarden Lei, also mehr als einer halben Milliarde Euro. Auf dem geregelten Markt waren die meistgehandelten Aktien jene von Hidroelectrica, OMV Petrom und Romgaz.



    Die Bukarester Börse hat am Montag übrigens einen weiteren Rekord aufgestellt. Der Hauptindex BET kletterte um 0,41 % nach oben und verzeichnete damit den längsten ungedrosselten Anstieg seit einem Jahr. Der Wert aller an der Bukarester Börse notierten Unternehmen ist heute so hoch wie nie zuvor. Wir glauben, dass diese Daten ein sehr klares Bild der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung zeichnen, nämlich dass wir nur durch einen starken Aktienmarkt eine starke Wirtschaft haben können“, sagte in diesem Zusammenhang Radu Hanga, der Präsident des Finanzinstitution. Er fügte hinzu, dass allein in den letzten 5 Jahren mehr als 175 Finanzinstrumente mit einem Gesamtwert von 10,8 Milliarden Euro an der rumänischen Börse notiert wurden.



    Der Anstieg des Aktienmarktes ist kein Zufall. Laut einer Studie von iBan First, einem der weltweit führenden Anbieter von Zahlungsdiensten, verzeichnete Rumänien in den letzten 20 Jahren die höchste Wachstumsrate unter den EU-Mitgliedstaaten, nämlich kumuliert rund 800 %. Der Studie zufolge wachsen die mittel- und osteuropäischen Länder schneller als die westlichen Länder und ihr BIP wird in der Zeit 2023 bis 2026 doppelt so schnell wachsen wie der Durchschnitt der Eurozone.



    Zu den Vorteilen der mittel- und osteuropäischen Länder gehören junge, gut ausgebildete und hochqualifizierte Arbeitskräfte sowie um rund 30 % niedrigere Lohnkosten im Vergleich zu Westeuropa. Gleichzeitig ist die Region ein bedeutender Markt mit wachsender Kaufkraft und einer aufstrebenden Mittelschicht, die eine erhöhte Nachfrage nach westlichen Markenprodukten erzeugt, so die Studie von iBan First.

  • Neptun Deep, a new step forward

    Neptun Deep, a new step forward

    The final development plan for the exploitation of the commercial gas fields in the Neptun Deep area in the Black Sea has been confirmed by the National Agency for Mineral Resources, the two companies exploiting natural gas in the Neptun Deep area, OMV Petrom and Romgaz, have announced. The project thus enters the development phase, when contracts are handed out, foray activities are carried out and the necessary extraction infrastructure is built. OMV Petrom has already signed the main contract worth 1.6 bln EUR with the Italian company Saipem, a multinational oilfields services corporation and one of the largest companies of its kind in the world. Saipem will provide management, planning, procurement, manufacturing, assembly, maritime transport, installation, testing and operationalizing services for the natural gas measurement station as well as for the shore and land segments of the gas production pipeline, which will be built by other contractors. The contract was handed out based on a public tender. Neptun Deep is the largest natural gas development project in the Romanian Black Sea, and OMV Petrom and Romgaz will invest some 4 bln EUR in the development phase. Neptun Deep is expected to generate a production of some 100 bln cubic meters of natural gas, making Romania the largest producer of natural gas in the EU.



    On the other hand, in June OMV Petrom announced the discovery of new oil and gas fields in the southeast and south of Romania. Investment in the foray and exploration works stand at approximately 20 mln EUR. Overall, discoveries stand at over 30 mln BOE (barrel of oil equivalent) in renewable resources, which is tantamount to three fourths of the production OMV reported in 2022. OMV Petrom is the largest energy company in South-Eastern Europe, with an annual oil and gas production of approximately 43 mln BOE in 2022. The Group is also represented in Romania and neighboring states, owning approximately 780 filling stations under two brands – OMV and Petrom. 42% of the companys stake is owned by Romanian shareholders – the Ministry of Energy some 20.7%, whereas 21.7% is owned by pension funds in Romania, in addition to some 500 thousand individual investors and other entities. In the case of Romgaz, the Romanian state owns 70% of the companys shares. OMV Petrom is also the largest contributor to the state budget, with 39 bln EUR worth of taxes and dividends paid over 2005-2022. During the same period, the company also invested some 17 bln EUR in Romania. In 2022, taxes paid by OMV Petrom accounted for 7% of Romanias fiscal revenues. (VP)



  • Neptun Deep, ună jgllioată ninti

    Neptun Deep, ună jgllioată ninti



    Planlu final di dizvoltare a dzăcămintelor comerciale ditu zona Neptun Deep ditu Amarea Lae fu confirmat di către Agenţia Naţională tră Resurse Minerale, dimăndă OMV Pitrom şi Romgaz, companiile ţi exploateadză gaze naturale ditu pirimetrul adusu aminti. Neise, proiectul agiumsi tru faza di dizvultare, cari nsineadză emu darea a contractelor, emu executarea a activităţilor di foraj şi construire a infrastructurii anănghisită tră trădzearea a gazilor naturali.



    OMV Pitrom ari simnată contractul prinţipal, tru valoare di 1,6 miliardi di euro, cu firma Saipim, ună multinaţională italiană di servicii pitroliere şi una ditu nai ma mare companii di aestă turlie ditu lume. Aesta va s’da serviţii di management, proiectare, achiziţii, fabricari, asamblare, transportu maritim, instalare, testare şi băgarea tu lucru tră instalaţiile maritime ditu cadrul a proiectului. Ma multu, contractul implică testarea şi băgarea tru lucru, tră staţia di misurare a gazelor naturale, şi secţiunile di ninngă amealu şi di pi uscat a conductăllei di producţie gaze, cari va s’hibă construite di alţă contractori. Atribuirea contractului s-feaţi dupu un proţes public di achiziţie.



    Neptun Deep easti nai ma marli proiectu di gaze naturale ditu zona românească ali Amarea Lae, iara OMV Petrom şi Romgaz, va s’investească pânu di 4 miliardi di euro tră faza di dizvultare a aluştui. Neptun Deep va s’aibă ună producţie di apraopea 100 miliardi di metri cubi di gaze naturale, România agiungăndalui aşe nai marli producător di gaze naturale ditu UE.



    Di altă parte, tru meslu cirişaru, OMV Petrom dimăndă că află năi resurse di naftă şi gazi naturale tru sud-vestul şi sudlu ali Românie, investiţia tru campania di foraj di explorare agiumsi la aproapea 20 milioane euro. Tutu cu tutu, discopirirli agiungu la piste 30 milioane bep (baril echivalent petrol) resurse recuperabile, echivalentul a trei pătrimi ditu producţia realizată di companie tru anlu 2022.


    OMV Petrom easti nai ma mari companie di energie ditu Europa di Sud-Est, cu ună producţie anuală di naftă şi gaze la nivel di grup di aproapea 43 milioane bep tru 2022. Gruplu easti prezentu tru România şi tru văsiliili viţini pritu intermediul a aproximativ 780 di benzinării, sumu dauă branduri, OMV şi Petrom. Tru OMV Petrom acţionarllii români au pisti 42% ditu acţiuni (statul român, prin Ministerul Energiei, ari aproapea 20,7%, iar 21,7% li au fondurli di pensii ditu România, la cari s’adavgă aproapea 500.000 di investitori individuali şi alti entităţi româneşti). La Romgaz statul român ari 70% ditu acţiuni.



    Di altă parte, OMV Petrom easti nai ma mari contribuabil la bugetlu di stat ditu România, cu aproapea 39 miliardi di euro reprezentânda taxe, impozite şi dividendi plătite tru perioada 2005 – 2022. Tru aidyea perioadă, compania investi aproximativ 17 miliardi di euro. Tru 2022 impozitili păltite di OMV Petrom asiguripsiră 7% ditu veniturile fiscale ali României.


    Autoru: Mihai Pelin


    Armânipsearea: Taşcu Lala



  • Neptun Deep, un pas înainte

    Neptun Deep, un pas înainte

    Planul final de dezvoltare a
    zăcămintelor comerciale din zona Neptun Deep din Marea Neagră a fost
    confirmat de către Agenţia Naţională pentru Resurse Minerale, anunţă OMV Petrom
    şi Romgaz, companiile ce exploatează gaze naturale din perimetrul menţionat.
    Prin urmare, proiectul a intrat în faza de dezvoltare, care presupune atât
    atribuirea contractelor, cât şi executarea activităţilor de foraj şi construire
    a infrastructurii necesare pentru extragerea gazelor naturale.

    OMV Petrom a semnat deja
    contractul principal, în valoare de 1,6 miliarde de euro, cu firma Saipem, o multinaţională
    italiană de servicii petroliere şi una dintre cele mai mare companii de acest
    gen din lume.     Aceasta va furniza
    servicii de management, proiectare, achiziţii, fabricare, asamblare, transport
    maritim, instalare, testare şi punere în funcţiune pentru instalaţiile maritime
    din cadrul proiectului.     În plus, contractul implică testarea şi punerea în
    funcţiune, pentru staţia de măsurare a gazelor naturale, şi secţiunile de lângă
    ţărm şi de pe uscat ale conductei de producţie gaze, care vor fi construite de
    alţi contractori. Atribuirea contractului s-a făcut în urma unui proces public
    de achiziţie.

    Neptun Deep este cel mai mare proiect de gaze naturale din
    zona românească a Mării Negre, iar OMV Petrom şi Romgaz, vor investi până la 4
    miliarde de euro pentru faza de dezvoltare a acestuia. Neptun Deep va genera o
    producţie de circa 100 miliarde de metri cubi de gaze naturale, România devenind
    astfel cel mai mare producător de gaze naturale din UE.

    Pe de altă parte, în luna
    iunie, OMV Petrom a anunțat că a descoperit noi resurse de ţiţei şi gaze
    naturale în sud-vestul şi sudul României, investiţia în campania de foraj de
    explorare ridicându-se la aproximativ 20 milioane euro. Cumulat, descoperirile
    se ridică la peste 30 milioane bep (baril echivalent petrol) resurse recuperabile,
    echivalentul a trei pătrimi din producţia realizată de companie în anul 2022.

    OMV Petrom este cea mai
    mare companie de energie din Europa de Sud-Est, cu o producţie anuală de ţiţei
    şi gaze la nivel de grup de aproximativ 43 milioane bep în 2022. Grupul este
    prezent în România şi în ţările învecinate prin intermediul a aproximativ 780 de
    benzinării, sub două branduri, OMV şi Petrom. În OMV Petrom acţionarii români
    deţin peste 42% din acţiuni (statul român, prin Ministerul Energiei, deţine
    circa 20,7%, iar 21,7% sunt deţinute de
    fondurile de pensii din România, la care se adaugă aproape 500.000 de
    investitori individuali şi alte entităţi româneşti). La Romgaz statul român deţine
    70% din acţiuni.

    Pe de altă parte, OMV Petrom este cel mai mare contribuabil la
    bugetul de stat din România, cu circa 39 miliarde de euro reprezentând taxe,
    impozite şi dividende plătite în perioada 2005 – 2022. În aceeaşi perioadă,
    compania a investit aproximativ 17 miliarde de euro. În 2022 impozitele plătite
    de OMV Petrom au asigurat 7% din veniturile fiscale ale României.


  • Rückblick auf die Ereignisse der Woche 19.06. – 23.06.2023

    Rückblick auf die Ereignisse der Woche 19.06. – 23.06.2023

    Rumäniens Premierminister und Außenministerin besuchen Moldau



    Rumänien unterstützt die schnellstmögliche Aufnahme von Verhandlungen über den Beitritt der Republik Moldau zur Europäischen Union. Dies erklärte Premierminister Marcel Ciolacu am Mittwoch in Chişinău bei seinem ersten Auslandsbesuch seit seinem Amtsantritt. Er betonte, dass die Zukunft der Republik Moldau in der EU liegen werde. Die rumänische Seite bot ihren Partnern in Chişinău die Möglichkeit an, sie mit Fachwissen zu unterstützen. Premierminister Dorin Recean dankte Rumänien für die Unterstützung, die es der Republik Moldau im Beitrittsverfahren zur Europäischen Union sowie in der wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Dimension gewährt hat. Er betonte, dass die Beziehungen auf beiden Seiten des Pruth-Flusses durch den Bau von Brücken, Straßen und Energienetzen gestärkt werden. Recean zählte die neun weiteren Projekte für die zweite Tranche der Hilfe der rumänischen Regierung auf. Sie zielen darauf ab, in die Entwicklung der moldauischen Gemeinden zu investieren. Die Projekte haben einen Wert von 28 Millionen Euro. Anfang dieser Woche besuchte auch die neue Außenministerin die Republik Moldau. Sie wurde von der Präsidentin Maia Sandu empfangen und führte Gespräche mit ihrem Amtskollegen Nicu Popescu. Die beiden unterstrichen die Unterstützung, die Rumänien der Republik Moldau in Form von humanitärer Hilfe, Energieressourcen und Unterstützung bei der Resilienzbildung bietet. Schließlich erklärte die rumänische Diplomatiechefin in Bukarest, dass die rasche Aufnahme von Verhandlungen über den Beitritt der Republik Moldau zur Europäischen Union eine Priorität der rumänischen Außenpolitik darstelle.




    Rumänische Richter und Staatsanwälte protestieren gegen Rentenreform



    Die Richter und Staatsanwälte verschiedener Gerichte und Staatsanwaltschaften im ganzen Land legten am Mittwoch ihre Arbeit nieder. Sie protestierten dadurch gegen das Vorhaben der Regierung, die Bedingungen für die Dienstaltersrente zu ändern. Richter und Staatsanwälte argumentieren, dass eine Änderung die Unabhängigkeit der Justiz gefährden würde. Die regierende PSD-PNL-Koalition möchte das Rentenalter für Richter und Staatsanwälte schrittweise auf 65 Jahre erhören und die Rente auf der Grundlage des Einkommens mehrerer Jahre und nicht nur des letzten Dienstjahres berechnen lassen. Justizministerin Alina Gorghiu sagte, sie respektiere das Recht der Richter auf freie Meinungsäußerung, betonte aber, dass Dialog die Lösung jedes Problems sei. Als Teil des nationalen Konjunkturprogramms verpflichtete sich Rumänien, den Rechtsrahmen für die sogenannten Sonderrenten zu reformieren. Am Donnerstag stimmte das rumänische Parlament mehrheitlich für die Abschaffung der Sonderrenten für Senatoren und Abgeordnete.




    Maßnahmenpaket zur Senkung der Grundnahrungsmittelpreise und der Einfuhren für das Baugewerbe



    Die Preise für einige Grundnahrungsmittel könnten in der kommenden Zeit sinken, sagte Premierminister Marcel Ciolacu am Donnerstag. Er ist überzeugt, dass diese Senkung keinen Druck auf die rumänischen Produzenten ausüben wird. Die Liste enthält Grundbedarfsartikel wie Brot, Milchprodukte, Fleisch, Eier, Mehl, Maismehl, Öl, Gemüse und Obst. Die Regierung erörterte am Donnerstag in erster Lesung die Beihilferegelung für rumänische Hersteller von Baumaterialien. Im Inland hergestellte Materialien sollen günstiger verkauft werden, um die Einfuhren zu reduzieren. Derzeit werden mehr als 70 % der verwendeten Materialien importiert, und die Regierung beabsichtigt, diesen Anteil zu reduzieren. Das Budget für das Programm könnte sich auf 150 Millionen Euro belaufen. Zudem bewilligte die Exekutive hat auch Soforthilfen in Höhe von maximal 1,4 Millionen EUR für Menschen, die von Überschwemmungen, Erdrutschen und gefährlichen Wetterereignissen betroffen sind. In diesem Monat waren Haushalte im Zentrum, im Südwesten und im Süden von schweren Regenfällen betroffen.




    Entwicklungsplan für Erdgasfelder im Schwarzen Meer


    Die Unternehmen OMV Petrom und Romgaz genehmigten den Entwicklungsplan für die beiden Erdgasfelder Domino und Pelican South, die sich im Offshore-Block Neptun Deep befinden. Dieser Plan muss noch von der rumänischen Behörde für Bodenschätze genehmigt werden. Die Investitionen für die Erschließungsphase belaufen sich auf 4 Mrd. €, und die Gesamtproduktion wird 100 Mrd. Kubikmeter betragen, was dem jährlichen Gasbedarf von 4,3 Millionen Haushalten entspricht. Die erste Produktion wird für das Jahr 2027 erwartet. Dadurch könnte Rumänien zu einem der größten Erdgasproduzenten in der Europäischen Union werden. Das Projekt wird etwa zwanzig Jahre dauern. Die Einnahmen, die dem Staatshaushalt zufließen, werden die Entwicklung Rumäniens unterstützen. Laut Angaben von OMV Petrom würden sich die geschätzten Einnahmen für den rumänischen Staat auf 20 Milliarden Euro belaufen.

  • The Week in Review

    The Week in Review

    Romanias Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, and Foreign Minister, Luminița Odobescu, visited Chișinău



    Romania supports the start of EU accession negotiations for the Republic of Moldova as soon as possible, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday in Chişinău, on his first foreign visit since he took office. He emphasized that the future of the Republic of Moldova is in the community bloc. The Romanian side showed availability to provide expertise to the Moldovan partners. In his turn, the Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean thanked Romania for all the support given to the Republic of Moldova in the process of joining the European Union, as well as in the economic and social fields. He emphasized that the relations on the two banks of the Prut River are increasingly being strengthened through the construction of bridges, roads and energy networks. Dorin Recean mentioned the existence of nine projects for the second installment of the aid provided by the Romanian Government. They are worth 28 million Euros and are aimed at investments for the development of localities in the Republic of Moldova, the Moldovan PM said. Early this week, the Romanian FM, Luminița Odobescu, paid a visit to the Republic of Moldova, her first external visit since taking-over her mandate. She was received by the pro-Western president Maia Sandu and had discussions with her counterpart Nicu Popescu. The two emphasized the support which Romania offered to the Republic of Moldova, consisting in humanitarian aid, energy resources and support for increasing resilience. Last but not least, the Romanian FM said that opening the EU accession negotiations for the Republic of Moldova in the shortest possible time is a priority of Romania’s foreign policy.



    Romanian magistrates protested, discontented with the prospect of being left without special pensions



    Magistrates from several courts and prosecutor’s offices across Romania suspended their activity on Wednesday, showing discontent with the Governments intention to change the conditions under which they can obtain special pensions. Judges and prosecutors argue that changing the special pension scheme would violate the independence of the judiciary. The ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL wants to gradually increase the retirement age for judges and prosecutors up to 65 years, and for the pension to be calculated based on their income from several years, not just from the last year of activity. The Justice Minister, Alina Gorghiu, said that she respects the magistrates’ right to free expression, but insisted that dialogue, not protest, is the solution to any problem of the judicial system. The reform of the legislative framework regarding the special pensions scheme is a promise made to the European Union by the Romanian authorities under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. On the other hand, on Thursday, the draft law on the abolition of special pensions for senators and deputies received a favorable opinion, gathering a majority of votes, in the specialized Parliament committee. The president of the committee, the Social-Democratic MP Eugen Bejinariu explained that, if unconstitutional elements of the bill are identified, other solutions will be found to reduce or eliminate the special pensions of parliamentarians.



    Measures announced by the Romanian Government



    The prices of some basic food products may decrease in the next period, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Thursday. He claims that this decrease will not put pressure on Romanian producers. Marcel Ciolacu stated that he received a response from the large store chains regarding the scheme for reducing markup percentages. It is a list that contains basic foodstuffs such as bread, dairy products, meat, eggs, flour, corn flour, oil, vegetables and fruit. Also on Thursday, the Government discussed, in a first reading, the state aid scheme for Romanian producers of construction materials. In principle, the authorities want more materials produced in the country to appear on the internal market at competitive prices, which will lead to a reduced import of construction materials. Now, over 70% of the materials used are imported, and the Government wants to reduce this percentage. This years budget for the aid scheme could be 150 million Euros, but the Finance Ministry will have the final say. The Executive also approved the granting of emergency aid to support the population affected by floods, landslides and dangerous meteorological phenomena, up to the amount of 1.4 million Euros. Households in the center, south-west and south of the country were affected, this month, by heavy rainfalls. The support and intervention of the military firefighters was needed to remove the negative effects generated by the bad weather.



    Development plan for gas deposits in the Romanian area of ​​the Black Sea



    OMV Petrom and Romgaz have approved the development plan for the Domino and Pelican Sud commercial natural gas fields in the Romanian area of ​​the Black Sea. The National Agency for Mineral Resources is to confirm this plan. The investment amounts to 4 billion Euros for the development phase, and the total production will be 100 billion cubic meters, the equivalent of the annual demand for natural gas for 4.3 million households. According to the management of OMV Petrom, in 2027, the first amounts of gas are to be extracted through the Neptun Deep project, and Romania will become the largest producer of natural gas in the European Union. The project will last approximately two decades, and the revenues brought to the state budget will support Romania’s development. OMV Petrom states that the estimated revenues of the Romanian state would be 20 billion Euros. (LS)

  • Nachrichten 23.06.2023

    Nachrichten 23.06.2023

    Die großen Handelsketten in Rumänien haben sich im Rahmen des mit der Regierung aufgenommenen Dialogs darauf geeinigt, die Regalpreise für 10 Grundnahrungsmittelkategorien freiwillig zu senken. Die Ankündigung wurde von Premierminister Marcel Ciolacu gemacht, aber die Diskussionen werden fortgesetzt. Damit die Senkung Wirklichkeit wird, wird entweder eine freiwillige Vereinbarung der Verkäufer oder eine Dringlichkeitsverordnung in Betracht gezogen, aber in beiden Fällen versichert der Premierminister, dass die Exekutive keinen Druck auf die rumänischen Produzenten ausüben will.



    Der Gesetzesentwurf über die Abschaffung der Sonderrenten der rumänischen Abgeordneten und Senatoren wurde am Donnerstag im Ausschuss für den Status der Abgeordneten positiv bewertet. Die Debatten im Plenum des Parlaments über den Gesetzentwurf werden voraussichtlich am Montag beginnen. Der ehemalige sozialdemokratische Abgeordnete Eugen Nicolicea, derzeit Vorsitzender der Vereinigung ehemaliger Abgeordneter, ist der Ansicht, dass das Gesetz wie andere ähnliche Vorschläge keine Chance hat, das Verfassungsgericht zu passieren. Der Vorsitzende des Ausschusses für den Status der Parlamentarier, der sozialdemokratische Abgeordnete Eugen Bejenariu, sagt jedoch, dass, wenn Elemente der Verfassungswidrigkeit festgestellt werden, andere Lösungen gefunden werden, um die Sonderrenten zu reduzieren oder abzuschaffen. Von Seiten der Opposition unterstützt die Gewerkschaft Save Romania die Abschaffung dieser Renten sowie aller anderen Sonderrenten, die aus dem Staatshaushalt gezahlt werden und von denen einige Berufsgruppen profitieren.



    Das Privatunternehmen OMV Petrom und das staatliche Unternehmen Romgaz haben angekündigt, dass sie gemeinsam 4 Milliarden Euro in das Projekt zur Ausbeutung des Gasfeldes Neptun Deep investieren werden, das größte im rumänischen Schwarzmeergebiet. Dank dieses Projekts würde Rumänien zum größten Erdgasproduzenten in der Europäischen Union werden und seine Energieunabhängigkeit sichern, sagte Ministerpräsident Marcel Ciolacu. Ihm zufolge ist das Projekt Neptun Deep das Ergebnis einer guten Zusammenarbeit zwischen staatlichen Institutionen und dem Privatsektor und wird Rumänien zu einem langfristigen, berechenbaren und bedeutenden Lieferanten von Energiesicherheit machen.



    Rumänien und die Republik Moldau haben die Äußerungen des von Russland eingesetzten Gouverneurs der besetzten Region Cherson in der Südukraine verurteilt, der als Reaktion auf einen angeblichen ukrainischen Angriff auf eine der Brücken, die den Kontinent mit der von Moskau annektierten ukrainischen Halbinsel Krim verbinden, damit gedroht hat, dass die russische Armee eine Brücke über den Fluss Prut angreifen könnte. Das Außenministerium in Bukarest bezeichnete solche an die Republik Moldau gerichteten Äußerungen, die sich aber auch auf einen Teil des Territoriums des NATO-Mitglieds Rumänien beziehen, als inakzeptabel. Chisinau hat den russischen Botschafter in der Republik Moldau um Erklärungen gebeten und erörtert die Möglichkeit, das Botschaftspersonal auf eine Präsenz zu reduzieren, die eine Parität mit dem moldauischen diplomatischen Personal in Moskau gewährleisten würde. Nach Angaben von Chisinau wird diese Maßnahme aufgrund der Einmischung der russischen Behörden in die inneren Angelegenheiten des Landes ergriffen.



    43 ausländische Staatsbürger wurden heute Morgen bei dem Versuch festgenommen, Rumänien illegal über die Westgrenze zu verlassen. Sie waren in einem von einem Rumänen gesteuerten TIR-Lkw versteckt, der auf der Strecke Rumänien-Ungarn Pakete transportierte. Überprüfungen ergaben, dass die in den Waren versteckten Personen aus Bangladesch, Pakistan, Indien und Sri Lanka stammen. Gegen die Ausländer wird wegen versuchten betrügerischen Überschreitens der Staatsgrenze ermittelt, gegen den TIR-Fahrer wegen Menschenschmuggels.



    In der Stadt Sibiu in Zentralrumänien findet ab heute das Internationale Theaterfestival statt. Das Thema dieser 30. Ausgabe lautet Wunder. Das größte jährliche Treffen der darstellenden Künste bietet ein Programm mit über 800 Innen- und Außenveranstaltungen – Theater in jeder Form, Tanz, Zirkus und Musik -, an denen rund 5 000 Künstler und Gäste aus 75 Ländern teilnehmen werden. Alle Aufführungen im Freien sind kostenlos. Das Festival hat auch die Online-Sektion beibehalten. In dieser Kategorie sind 40 Aufführungen enthalten, die auch von denjenigen besucht werden können, die nicht nach Sibiu kommen können. Die offizielle Eröffnung findet mit der Aufführung Eine Kathedrale voller Orgeln aus der evangelischen Kathedrale St. Maria in Sibiu statt. Das Internationale Theaterfestival wird am 2. Juli zu Ende gehen.

  • The Week in Review

    The Week in Review

    Romanias Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, and Foreign Minister, Luminița Odobescu, visited Chișinău



    Romania supports the start of EU accession negotiations for the Republic of Moldova as soon as possible, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday in Chişinău, on his first foreign visit since he took office. He emphasized that the future of the Republic of Moldova is in the community bloc. The Romanian side showed availability to provide expertise to the Moldovan partners. In his turn, the Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean thanked Romania for all the support given to the Republic of Moldova in the process of joining the European Union, as well as in the economic and social fields. He emphasized that the relations on the two banks of the Prut River are increasingly being strengthened through the construction of bridges, roads and energy networks. Dorin Recean mentioned the existence of nine projects for the second installment of the aid provided by the Romanian Government. They are worth 28 million Euros and are aimed at investments for the development of localities in the Republic of Moldova, the Moldovan PM said. Early this week, the Romanian FM, Luminița Odobescu, paid a visit to the Republic of Moldova, her first external visit since taking-over her mandate. She was received by the pro-Western president Maia Sandu and had discussions with her counterpart Nicu Popescu. The two emphasized the support which Romania offered to the Republic of Moldova, consisting in humanitarian aid, energy resources and support for increasing resilience. Last but not least, the Romanian FM said that opening the EU accession negotiations for the Republic of Moldova in the shortest possible time is a priority of Romania’s foreign policy.



    Romanian magistrates protested, discontented with the prospect of being left without special pensions



    Magistrates from several courts and prosecutor’s offices across Romania suspended their activity on Wednesday, showing discontent with the Governments intention to change the conditions under which they can obtain special pensions. Judges and prosecutors argue that changing the special pension scheme would violate the independence of the judiciary. The ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL wants to gradually increase the retirement age for judges and prosecutors up to 65 years, and for the pension to be calculated based on their income from several years, not just from the last year of activity. The Justice Minister, Alina Gorghiu, said that she respects the magistrates’ right to free expression, but insisted that dialogue, not protest, is the solution to any problem of the judicial system. The reform of the legislative framework regarding the special pensions scheme is a promise made to the European Union by the Romanian authorities under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. On the other hand, on Thursday, the draft law on the abolition of special pensions for senators and deputies received a favorable opinion, gathering a majority of votes, in the specialized Parliament committee. The president of the committee, the Social-Democratic MP Eugen Bejinariu explained that, if unconstitutional elements of the bill are identified, other solutions will be found to reduce or eliminate the special pensions of parliamentarians.



    Measures announced by the Romanian Government



    The prices of some basic food products may decrease in the next period, the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Thursday. He claims that this decrease will not put pressure on Romanian producers. Marcel Ciolacu stated that he received a response from the large store chains regarding the scheme for reducing markup percentages. It is a list that contains basic foodstuffs such as bread, dairy products, meat, eggs, flour, corn flour, oil, vegetables and fruit. Also on Thursday, the Government discussed, in a first reading, the state aid scheme for Romanian producers of construction materials. In principle, the authorities want more materials produced in the country to appear on the internal market at competitive prices, which will lead to a reduced import of construction materials. Now, over 70% of the materials used are imported, and the Government wants to reduce this percentage. This years budget for the aid scheme could be 150 million Euros, but the Finance Ministry will have the final say. The Executive also approved the granting of emergency aid to support the population affected by floods, landslides and dangerous meteorological phenomena, up to the amount of 1.4 million Euros. Households in the center, south-west and south of the country were affected, this month, by heavy rainfalls. The support and intervention of the military firefighters was needed to remove the negative effects generated by the bad weather.



    Development plan for gas deposits in the Romanian area of ​​the Black Sea



    OMV Petrom and Romgaz have approved the development plan for the Domino and Pelican Sud commercial natural gas fields in the Romanian area of ​​the Black Sea. The National Agency for Mineral Resources is to confirm this plan. The investment amounts to 4 billion Euros for the development phase, and the total production will be 100 billion cubic meters, the equivalent of the annual demand for natural gas for 4.3 million households. According to the management of OMV Petrom, in 2027, the first amounts of gas are to be extracted through the Neptun Deep project, and Romania will become the largest producer of natural gas in the European Union. The project will last approximately two decades, and the revenues brought to the state budget will support Romania’s development. OMV Petrom states that the estimated revenues of the Romanian state would be 20 billion Euros. (LS)

  • Neptun Deep: OMV Petrom und Romgaz starten Erdgasförderungsprojekt im Schwarzen Meer

    Neptun Deep: OMV Petrom und Romgaz starten Erdgasförderungsprojekt im Schwarzen Meer

    Das private Unternehmen OMV Petrom, die Nummer eins unter den Energieunternehmen in Südosteuropa, und das staatliche rumänische Unternehmen Romgaz werden gemeinsam das Projekt Neptun Deep entwickeln, die grö‎ßte Erdgasförderung im rumänischen Schwarzmeergebiet. Die Ankündigung wurde am Donnerstag von Vertretern der beiden Unternehmen gemacht, die sagten, dass die ersten Förderungen in vier Jahren stattfinden könnten. Bis dahin werden die beiden Partner bis zu 4 Mrd. € für die Entwicklungsphase des Projekts investieren. Danach werden sie die auf rund 100 Milliarden Kubikmeter Erdgas geschätzte Produktion zu gleichen Anteilen splitten.



    Für Rumänien werden die Auswirkungen kolossal sein: Das Land wird seine Produktion verdoppeln und somit den derzeitigen Inlandsverbrauch nicht nur decken, sondern auch über einen Erdgasüberschuss verfügen, wodurch Rumänien zu einem der Hauptakteure für die Energiesicherheit in Europa aufrückt. Premierminister Marcel Ciolacu ist optimistisch, dass Rumänien durch die Nutzung von Erdgas aus dem Schwarzen Meer den entscheidenden Schritt in Richtung Energieunabhängigkeit machen kann. Wir haben die Erfahrung und das Knowhow, um der wichtigste Erdgasproduzent der Europäischen Union zu werden“, so der Regierungschef. Ciolacu würdigte dabei die Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Staat und dem Privatsektor, ohne die das Projekt Neptun Deep nicht existieren würde.



    Christina Verchere, Generaldirektorin von OMV Petrom, erklärte, dass das Unternehmen gemeinsam mit Romgaz die Entwicklungsphase des grö‎ßten Tiefseeprojekts in Rumänien einleiten wird, das eine 30-mal höhere Produktion als der Jahresbedarf für rund 4,3 Millionen Haushalte vorsieht. Laut Petrom-Chefin Christina Verchere werden sich die geschätzten Einnahmen für den rumänischen Staat auf rund 20 Mrd. Euro belaufen. Dank der Milliardeninvestition wird Neptun Deep ein Erfolg werden, da es von der besten Infrastruktur und den modernsten Technologien profitieren wird, die sowohl die Umwelt schützen als auch die Betriebssicherheit gewährleisten.



    Die zwei Erdgasfelder, Domino und Pelikan Süd befinden sich in einer Tiefe zwischen 100 und 1 000 Metern, die Förderung erfolgt durch 10 Bohrungen und das geförderte Gas werde anschlie‎ßend zu einer neuen Offshore-Plattform gepumpt. Diese Bohrstellen werden über eine digitale Replikation ferngesteuert, was Sicherheit und Prozessoptimierung ermögliche. Das Gas werde auf der Plattform an Land aufbereitet und dann durch eine Pipeline in das nationale Netz eingespeist.



    Der Vorstandsvorsitzende von Romgaz, Răzvan Popescu, betonte seinerseits den strategischen Charakter des Projekts:



    Neptun Deep ist ein strategisches Projekt sowohl für Rumänien als auch für die gesamte Region; mit dieser neuen Gasquelle kann der Gasbedarf ab 2027 gedeckt werden; au‎ßerdem ist das Potenzial vorhanden, die Kohlenwasserstoffproduktion des Landes erheblich zu steigern.“



    Der von OMV Petrom und Romgaz gemeinsam vorgelegte Entwicklungsplan für die beiden kommerziellen Erdgasfelder muss noch von der Nationalen Agentur für Bodenschätze genehmigt werden.

  • June 23, 2023

    June 23, 2023

    Food. The large chain stores in Romania have agreed, in the framework of the dialogue started with the Government, that they could voluntarily reduce the shelf prices of 10 basic food categories. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, but the discussions will continue. In order for the reduction to become a reality, either a voluntary agreement of the sellers or an emergency ordinance is being considered, but in both cases, the prime minister assures that the Executive does not want to put pressure on Romanian producers.



    Pensions. The draft law on the abolition of the special pensions of Romanian deputies and senators received, on Thursday, a favorable report in the Committee on the status of parliamentarians. Parliamentary plenum debates on the bill will most likely start on Monday. Former Social Democratic MP Eugen Nicolicea, currently president of the Association of Former Parliamentarians, believes that the law has zero chance of passing the Constitutional Court, like other similar proposals. The president of the Committee on the status of parliamentarians, the Social Democratic deputy Eugen Bejenariu, says, however, that if elements of unconstitutionality are identified, other solutions will be found to reduce or eliminate special pensions. From the opposition, the Save Romania Union strongly supports the elimination of these pensions, as well as all other special pensions paid from the State budget that some professional categories enjoy.



    Gas. The private company OMV Petrom and the national company Romgaz have announced that they will jointly invest 4 billion euros in the Neptun Deep gas field exploitation project, the largest in the Romanian area of ​​the Black Sea. Thanks to this project, Romania would become the largest producer of natural gas in the European Union and secure its energy independence, said Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. According to him, the Neptun Deep project is the result of a good collaboration between state institutions and the private sector and will make Romania a long-term, predictable and substantial supplier of energy security.



    Ukraine. Romania and the Republic of Moldova condemned the statements of the governor installed by Russia in the occupied Kherson region in southern Ukraine, who threatened that the Russian army could attack a bridge over the Prut River, in response to an alleged Ukrainian attack on one of the bridges connecting the continent and the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea annexed by Moscow. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest has termed as unacceptable such statements addressed to the Republic of Moldova, but which also refer to a part of the territory of Romania, a member of NATO. Chisinau has summoned the Russian ambassador to the Republic of Moldova for explanations and is discussing the possibility of reducing the embassy staff to a presence that would ensure parity with the Moldovan diplomatic staff in Moscow. According to Chisinau, the measure will be taken because of the Russian authorities interference in the countrys internal affairs.



    Immigrants. 43 foreign citizens were caught, this morning, while trying to leave Romania illegally, through the western border. They were hidden in a TIR truck driven by a Romanian, which was transporting parcels on the Romania-Hungary route. Verifications showed that the people hidden among the goods are from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. The foreigners are being investigated for attempted fraudulent crossing of the state border, and the TIR driver for migrant trafficking.



    Theatre. As of today, the city of Sibiu, in central Romania, is hosting the International Theater Festival. The theme chosen for this 30th edition is “Miracle”. The largest annual meeting of the performing arts proposes an agenda with over 800 indoor and outdoor events – theater in any form, dance, circus and music – in which around 5,000 artists and guests from 75 countries will participate. All outdoor performances are free. The festival has also kept the online section. There are 40 shows included in this category, which can be enjoyed by those who cannot make it to Sibiu. The official opening will take place with the show “A cathedral full of organs” from the “Saint Mary” Evangelical Cathedral in Sibiu. The International Theater Festival will end on July 2.



    Football. Romania takes on, on Saturday, in Bucharest, the team of Ukraine, in Group B of the European Under-21 Football Championship, which it hosts together with Georgia. In the same group, Spain will play against Croatia. In the debut matches, the Under-21 national team was beaten 3-0 by Spain, and Ukraine beat Croatia 2-0. The final tournament takes place between June 21 and July 8 and brings together 16 teams, divided into four groups. Two are hosted by Romania, in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca (north-west), and two by Georgia. In Romania, two quarter-finals and a semifinal will take place. The top three finishers qualify for next years Olympic Games in Paris. (MI)


  • Vers l’indépendance énergétique de la Roumanie.

    Vers l’indépendance énergétique de la Roumanie.

    La compagnie
    privée OMV Petrom, numéro un dans le domaine énergétique en Europe du sud-est
    et la société roumaine Romgaz commenceront ensemble les exploitations des
    ressources gazières dans le périmètre Neptun Deep, en mer Noire. C’est ce que
    les représentants des deux sociétés ont annoncé jeudi, tout en précisant que
    les premières extractions sont prévues pour 2027.


    En attendant,
    les deux partenaires investiront quatre milliards d’euros au total pour mettre
    en place la première étape du projet. Ultérieurement, ils se partageront la
    production estimée à 100 milliards de mètres cubes de gaz. Pour la Roumanie,
    l’impacte d’un tel projet sera immense: le pays est censé doubler sa production
    qui, du coup, dépassera largement le nécessaire de gaz pour la consommation
    nationale. Le surplus fera de la Roumanie un des grands contributeurs à la
    sécurité énergétique européenne.


    Le premier
    ministre Marcel Ciolacu se dit optimiste et espère que le projet d’exploration
    gazière en mer Noire permettra à son pays de faire le pas décisif vers l’indépendance
    énergétique. « Nous jouissons aussi bien de l’expérience que de
    l’expertise pour devenir le plus important producteur de gaz naturel en Europe »,
    a affirmé le chef du gouvernement roumain. Et lui de saluer la collaboration
    étroite entre l’Etat roumain et le milieu privé sans le soutien duquel, le
    projet Neptun Deep n’aurait pas existé. Cristina Verchere, directrice exécutive
    de l’OMV Petrom, a rappelé pour sa part qu’avec Romgaz, la société qu’elle
    dirige se prépare à lancer la première étape de ce vaste projet mené dans les
    eaux de grande profondeur de Roumanie. C’est un projet censé déboucher sur une
    production de gaz trente fois plus grande que la demande annuelle de Roumanie
    qui couvre le nécessaire de gaz de 4,3 millions de foyers. Selon Mme. Verchere,
    ce projet permettra à l’Etat roumain de gagner 20 milliards d’euros. Grâce au
    montant des investissements, Neptun Deep sera un succès, puisqu’il bénéficiera
    de la meilleure infrastructure et des technologies les plus modernes, respectueuses
    de l’environnement. Dix sondes seront opérées à distance, à travers une
    plateforme numérique, pour extraire le gaz des deux gisements, Domino et
    Pelican Sud, d’une profondeur comprise entre 100 et 1000 mètres. Par la suite,
    les gaz seront acheminés vers une nouvelle plateforme offshore où ils seront
    transformés et versés dans un tuyau raccordé au réseau national.


    Le directeur
    général de la Romgaz, Răzvan Popescu, a quant à lui, déclaré que: Neptun Deep est
    un projet stratégique aussi bien pour la Roumanie que pour toute la région,
    puisqu’à partir de 2027, il est censé assurer le nécessaire de gaz, tout en
    entraînant une croissance significative de la production interne
    d’hydrocarbures.


    Avancé par l’OMV
    Petrom et la Romgaz, le projet de développement des deux gisements de gaz
    naturel doit être approuvé par l’Agence nationale pour les ressources
    minérales.







  • Independeţă energetică pentru România?

    Independeţă energetică pentru România?

    Compania privată
    OMV Petrom, numărul unu în domeniul energiei din sud-estul Europei, şi compania
    naţională Romgaz vor dezvolta împreună proiectul Neptun Deep, cea mai mare
    exploatare de gaze naturale din zona românească a Mării Negre. Anunţul a fost
    făcut, joi, de reprezentanţii celor două companii, care au precizat că primele
    extracţii s-ar putea face peste 4 ani. Până atunci, cei doi parteneri vor
    investi până la patru miliarde de euro pentru faza de dezvoltare a proiectului.
    Ulterior, ei vor împărţi egal producţia, estimată la aproximativ 100 de
    miliarde de metri cubi de gaze naturale.

    Pentru România, impactul va fi
    colosal: îşi va dubla producţia, care va depăşi semnificativ necesarul actual
    al consumului intern, va ajunge să aibă surplus de gaze naturale şi va deveni,
    astfel, unul din marii contributori la securitatea energetică a Europei.

    Premierul Marcel Ciolacu anticipează, optimist, că prin exploatarea gazelor din
    Marea Neagră, România va putea face pasul decisiv pentru obţinerea
    independenţei sale energetice. Avem experienţă şi expertiză pentru a deveni cel
    mai important producător al Uniunii Europene în privinţa gazelor naturale,
    consideră şeful Guvernului. El nu a uitat să salute munca în echipă între stat
    şi mediul privat, fără de care proiectul Neptun Deep nu ar fi existat.

    Christina Verchere, directorul general executiv al OMV Petrom, a spus că,
    împreună cu Romgaz, va începe faza de dezvoltare a celui mai mare proiect în
    ape de mare adâncime din România, un proiect care ţinteşte o producţie de 30 de
    ori mai mare decât cererea anuală, care acoperă 4,3 milioane de gospodării.

    Potrivit
    şefei Petrom, Christina Verchere, veniturile estimate
    ale statului român vor fi de aproximativ 20 de miliarde de euro. Graţie
    investiţiei de miliarde de euro, Neptun Deep va fi un succes, pentru că va
    beneficia de cea mai bună infrastructură şi de tehnologiile cele mai moderne, care
    protejează atât mediul şi conferă siguranţă operaţiunilor. Christina Verchere a
    precizat că două zăcăminte, Domino şi Pelican Sud, au adâncimea între 100 şi 1.000
    de metri, că vor fi 10 sonde care vor extrage gaze naturale ce vor fi aduse
    către o nouă platformă off-shore. Aceste unităţi vor fi operate la distanţă,
    prin intermediul unei replici digitale, ceea ce va permite siguranţa şi optimizarea
    proceselor. Gazele vor fi procesate pe platforma onshore şi vor fi apoi trimise
    printr-o conductă care va fi conectată la reţeaua naţională.

    La rândul său, directorul
    general al companiei Romgaz, Răzvan Popescu, a subliniat natura strategică a proiectului:
    Neptun
    Deep este un proiect strategic atât pentru România, cât şi pentru regiune, din
    perspectiva asigurării acestui necesar de gaze începând cu anul 2027, având
    această nouă sursă de gaze, care are potenţialul de a creşte semnificativ
    producţia de hidrocarburi a ţării.

    Planul de dezvoltare a celor două
    zăcăminte comerciale de gaze naturale, depus în comun de OMV Petrom şi Romgaz, urmează
    să fie confirmat de Agenţia Naţională pentru Resurse Minerale.

  • June 21, 2023 UPDATE

    June 21, 2023 UPDATE

    Visit. Romania supports the start of EU accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova as soon as possible, said Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu in Chişinău during his first foreign trip since taking office. He was received by Moldovas president Maia Sandu and met his counterpart Dorin Recean, with whom he discussed Romanian-Moldovan collaboration in areas like security, economy, investments and infrastructure. Dorin Recean said that everything must be done for the benefit of the citizens on both banks of the River Prut. He stood for the creation of a friendly economic environment and urged Romanian businesses to invest in his country. Marcel Ciolacu reiterated Bucharests readiness to provide all necessary support to step up Moldovas process of European integration. “We are obliged to put a special emphasis on the economic area. Trade relations between Romania and the Republic of Moldova last year increased by 50%, we reached almost 3.6 billion dollars and I believe that this is the right way”, Ciolacu pointed out.



    Gas. OMV Petrom and Romgaz have approved the development plan for the Domino and Pelican South commercial natural gas fields in the Neptun Deep perimeter, in the Black Sea. OMV Petrom is the operator, each of the companies having a 50% stake. Up to 4 billion euros will be invested for the development phase of the project, which will generate a production of about 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Former Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă stated that Romania will soon become energy independent. He stressed that, when the exploitation of the Neptun Deep perimeter is fully operational, the domestic production will be the double of what it is today, and Romania will become the largest gas producer in the European Union.



    Ukraine. Leaders and representatives from more than 60 countries are attending in the British capital London a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine. Kyiv is trying to mobilize as many states, businesses and financial institutions as possible to support the reconstruction of the country, even before the end of the war. Ukraines immediate needs are evaluated at 14 billion dollars, but a study conducted by the World Bank estimates that the recovery of the Ukrainian economy would cost 411 billion. On the eve of the conference, the European Union announced its 4-year financial offer for Ukraine, amounting to 50 billion euros. This includes loans and grants and should provide predictability to other donors and investors. In exchange, Ukraine is expected to implement an ambitious reform program needed for it to join the European Union and to guarantee investments and reduce risks. The US has announced that it will provide an additional 1.3 billon dollar aid to the Ukrainian economy, especially for basic infrastructure. Romania is represented in London by its new foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu.



    NATO. The NATO Battle Group in Romania, for which France is the framework nation, represents an “important contribution to strengthening the credibility and effectiveness of the collective deterrence and defense posture in the Black Sea region and a proof of the solidity and consolidated allied commitment in the region”, said the Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, on Wednesday. He met, in Paris, with his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu. The two discussed cooperation in the field of endowment programs for the Romanian Army and stressed the importance of the European Unions support for the states in the Eastern Neighborhood affected by the security situation in the region. In this context, the particularly vulnerable situation of the Republic of Moldova was highlighted. The two Defense Ministers also discussed bilateral collaboration within the framework of European initiatives for the development of capabilities. (MI)