Radio România Internațional

Tag: RRI

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    Romanias national rugby team defeated on Saturday, with the score of 34-25, the team of Russia, in the first match of 2022 of the Rugby Europe Championship. This success also brought Romania the Kiseleff Cup, also disputed by the two countries last year, when Russia won it. Next Saturday, also in Bucharest, Romania will play against Portugal. The Rugby Europe Championship matches count towards qualification for the 2023 World Cup to be hosted by France.



    This weekend saw the matches played in the European women’s handball competitions. On Sunday, in group A of the Champions League, CSM Bucharest defeated the Croatian team Podravka Koprivnica, 29-21. In the other group matches, Team Esbjerg defeated Buducnost BEMAX Podgorica 36-25 away from home, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungary ended in a draw the match with Rostov on Don 25-25, and Brest Bretagne Handball defeated Borussia Dortmund 31-25. CSM Bucharest ranks 5th in the provisional ranking, with 14 points from 12 matches and is qualified to the next phase of the competition.



    In group B of the EHF European League women’s handball competition, CS Minaur Baia Mare defeated the trophy holder, the French team Les Neptunes de Nantes, 28-26, on Sunday, on home ground. In the other match of the group, the German team BBM Bietigheim won, 33 – 21, the away match against Zaglebie Lubin from Poland. Two stages ahead of the final, 1st ranked is BBM Bietigheim, with 8 points (3 matches), followed by Les Neptunes de Nantes, and Minaur Baia Mare, each with 4 points and Zaglebie Lubin, 0 points. The first two ranked teams qualify for the quarterfinals.



    In group C, the home match of Măgura Cisnădie against the Russian team Lada Togliati was postponed due to several cases of Covid 19 infection in the guest team. Măgura Cisnădie is ranked 2nd, with 4 points out of 3 matches, after Herning – Ikast Handbold (Denmark), with 8 points, but ahead of Storhamar Handball Elite (Norway), 2 points out of 4 matches and Lada Togliati, 0 points out of 3 matches.



    In group D of the women’s handball competition EHF European League, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea obtained on Saturday the third consecutive victory, score 32-27, in the match with the French team Chambray Touraine Handball. In the other match of the group, the Danish team Viborg won 42 – 21 in the match with the Hungarian team Vaci NKSE. On the first places in the ranking are Viborg and SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea, both with 6 points from 3 matches, followed by Chambray Touraine Handball, with 2 points from 4 matches and Vaci NKSE, 0 points from 4 matches. (LS)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    Romanias national rugby team defeated on Saturday, with the score of 34-25, the team of Russia, in the first match of 2022 of the Rugby Europe Championship. This success also brought Romania the Kiseleff Cup, also disputed by the two countries last year, when Russia won it. Next Saturday, also in Bucharest, Romania will play against Portugal. The Rugby Europe Championship matches count towards qualification for the 2023 World Cup to be hosted by France.



    This weekend saw the matches played in the European women’s handball competitions. On Sunday, in group A of the Champions League, CSM Bucharest defeated the Croatian team Podravka Koprivnica, 29-21. In the other group matches, Team Esbjerg defeated Buducnost BEMAX Podgorica 36-25 away from home, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungary ended in a draw the match with Rostov on Don 25-25, and Brest Bretagne Handball defeated Borussia Dortmund 31-25. CSM Bucharest ranks 5th in the provisional ranking, with 14 points from 12 matches and is qualified to the next phase of the competition.



    In group B of the EHF European League women’s handball competition, CS Minaur Baia Mare defeated the trophy holder, the French team Les Neptunes de Nantes, 28-26, on Sunday, on home ground. In the other match of the group, the German team BBM Bietigheim won, 33 – 21, the away match against Zaglebie Lubin from Poland. Two stages ahead of the final, 1st ranked is BBM Bietigheim, with 8 points (3 matches), followed by Les Neptunes de Nantes, and Minaur Baia Mare, each with 4 points and Zaglebie Lubin, 0 points. The first two ranked teams qualify for the quarterfinals.



    In group C, the home match of Măgura Cisnădie against the Russian team Lada Togliati was postponed due to several cases of Covid 19 infection in the guest team. Măgura Cisnădie is ranked 2nd, with 4 points out of 3 matches, after Herning – Ikast Handbold (Denmark), with 8 points, but ahead of Storhamar Handball Elite (Norway), 2 points out of 4 matches and Lada Togliati, 0 points out of 3 matches.



    In group D of the women’s handball competition EHF European League, SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea obtained on Saturday the third consecutive victory, score 32-27, in the match with the French team Chambray Touraine Handball. In the other match of the group, the Danish team Viborg won 42 – 21 in the match with the Hungarian team Vaci NKSE. On the first places in the ranking are Viborg and SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea, both with 6 points from 3 matches, followed by Chambray Touraine Handball, with 2 points from 4 matches and Vaci NKSE, 0 points from 4 matches. (LS)

  • A new contamination threshold – 40 thousand cases

    A new contamination threshold – 40 thousand cases

    On Tuesday Romania exceeded 40,000 new cases of Covid-19 in 24 hours – the highest since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The figure is more than double the peak figure of the previous autumn wave. Also, the highest number of tests in one single day was made – over 122,000, and one in three results confirmed the infection. The coordinator of the national Covid-19 vaccination campaign, doctor Valeriu Gheorghiţă, considers that, at present, the testing capacity is not comparable to that of other countries.



    On a private television station, he said that although the testing capacity for SARS-CoV-2 has increased in Romania, not enough tests are being made yet. According to him, in order to have the real number of infections, six times more tests should be made. On the other hand, about 10,000 people diagnosed with Covid-19 are hospitalized in health facilities across the country, double the number reported two weeks ago. There are about one thousand patients in ICUs. More than three-quarters of them are unvaccinated. And the number of hospitalized children is constantly increasing, hundreds being hospitalized and a few dozen being in ICUs.



    The authorities warn that in order to limit the spread of coronavirus, health protection measures alone are not enough, and that testing from the first symptoms of the disease is very important. And since ambulances can hardly cope with the large number of cases, several centers have been opened where symptomatic people can go to be tested, including in the offices of some family doctors. Even if the number of contaminations is growing alarmingly, the number of people who get vaccinated for the first time is far too low, several thousand per day, compared to the authorities expectations.



    As to the green certificate, it is still valid in Romania also for the people who have exceeded nine months from the second dose, even if, as of February 1, in the European Union its validity has been limited to this period without the booster dose. However, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, warns that Romania will soon have to adapt to the EU rules, and people who had the second vaccine dose more than nine months ago will have to get vaccinated with the third dose so as to keep the validity of the green certificate.



    In the meantime, Romania has given up listing countries according to the Covid-19 incidence rate, and all people entering Romania will be quarantined for five days no matter where they come from, unless they provide a proof of vaccination, of having had the disease or a negative result of a PCR test. The National Committee for Emergency Situations has also established a 5-day quarantine period for people who get in contact with a Covid-19 patient, even if they are vaccinated, because of the most contagious variant of the coronavirus – Omicron. (LS)

  • The priorities of the new parliamentary session

    The priorities of the new parliamentary session

    According to the Romanian Constitution, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate meet in two ordinary sessions a year. The first begins in February and cannot go beyond the end of June. The second session begins in September and cannot go beyond the end of December. If urgent situations occur, the two Chambers of Romanias Parliament can be convened in extraordinary sessions, at the request of the President of Romania, of the permanent bureau of each Chamber or of at least one third of the number of deputies or senators.



    This week the MPs return to work at the Parliament Palace after the winter holidays. They will focus on draft laws in such areas as justice, health, and the economy. Their priority of the moment is to offset electricity and natural gas bills. Therefore, the MPs will approve a new emergency ordinance recently issued by the Government on a new capping and compensation scheme, given that, in the last few winter months, the bills received by some citizens have been extremely high.



    The Senate will debate the document as the first chamber notified, and then it will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies, as a decision-making body. Also in the field of Energy, the agenda of Parliament could include, in this session, the modification of the Offshore Law, which would unblock the hydrocarbons extraction projects in the Black Sea. In the field of Justice, the Parliaments agenda will include the dismantling of the Section for the Investigation of Offences committed within the Judiciary (SIIJ). Criticized by some, applauded by others, the dismantling of this Section was also requested by Brussels. The current justice minister, Cătălin Predoiu, believes that, by the end of March, the Section will no longer exist.



    A challenge for the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL, partners in the ruling coalition, is also the drafting of a new salary law, which should equally solve the issue of benefits, so as to avoid cases in which the benefits are equal to the basic income. Finally, the parliamentarians are to also decide on the fate of the Covid certificate. More precisely, a bill that has remained in the debate of the Chamber of Deputies since the past session establishes the obligation to present this certificate at the workplace. If, initially, the bill provided for this obligation only in the case of the medical staff, following changes proposed by senators, the certificate could apply to all categories of employees, with certain exceptions. After many discussions in the Senate, the document was rejected, and the deputies are expected to give the final vote.



    Whether in power or in opposition, all political parties represented in the Romanian Parliament have their own projects which they want to include on the agenda, to be debated and voted on. Among them: amending the law on protected areas, increasing salaries in the education system and allowances for children, modifying the law on doctoral theses or the ban on wood export. (LS)

  • The priorities of the new parliamentary session

    The priorities of the new parliamentary session

    According to the Romanian Constitution, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate meet in two ordinary sessions a year. The first begins in February and cannot go beyond the end of June. The second session begins in September and cannot go beyond the end of December. If urgent situations occur, the two Chambers of Romanias Parliament can be convened in extraordinary sessions, at the request of the President of Romania, of the permanent bureau of each Chamber or of at least one third of the number of deputies or senators.



    This week the MPs return to work at the Parliament Palace after the winter holidays. They will focus on draft laws in such areas as justice, health, and the economy. Their priority of the moment is to offset electricity and natural gas bills. Therefore, the MPs will approve a new emergency ordinance recently issued by the Government on a new capping and compensation scheme, given that, in the last few winter months, the bills received by some citizens have been extremely high.



    The Senate will debate the document as the first chamber notified, and then it will be submitted to the Chamber of Deputies, as a decision-making body. Also in the field of Energy, the agenda of Parliament could include, in this session, the modification of the Offshore Law, which would unblock the hydrocarbons extraction projects in the Black Sea. In the field of Justice, the Parliaments agenda will include the dismantling of the Section for the Investigation of Offences committed within the Judiciary (SIIJ). Criticized by some, applauded by others, the dismantling of this Section was also requested by Brussels. The current justice minister, Cătălin Predoiu, believes that, by the end of March, the Section will no longer exist.



    A challenge for the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL, partners in the ruling coalition, is also the drafting of a new salary law, which should equally solve the issue of benefits, so as to avoid cases in which the benefits are equal to the basic income. Finally, the parliamentarians are to also decide on the fate of the Covid certificate. More precisely, a bill that has remained in the debate of the Chamber of Deputies since the past session establishes the obligation to present this certificate at the workplace. If, initially, the bill provided for this obligation only in the case of the medical staff, following changes proposed by senators, the certificate could apply to all categories of employees, with certain exceptions. After many discussions in the Senate, the document was rejected, and the deputies are expected to give the final vote.



    Whether in power or in opposition, all political parties represented in the Romanian Parliament have their own projects which they want to include on the agenda, to be debated and voted on. Among them: amending the law on protected areas, increasing salaries in the education system and allowances for children, modifying the law on doctoral theses or the ban on wood export. (LS)

  • January 30, 2022 UPDATE

    January 30, 2022 UPDATE

    Covid- 19 Ro — The number of new cases of Covid-19 remains high in Romania, but it is declining sharply after a period of 4 consecutive days with over 30,000 new cases, the days with the highest incidence of new cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic. On Sunday, more than 19,660 new cases of COVID-19 were reported along with 52 deaths. The Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, said that next week the number of daily cases is going to exceed 40,000 and that the pandemic will subside hardly after 10 days. With many people infected and a high transmissibility rate, especially of the Omicron strain, the authorities are looking for ways to facilitate access to testing and treatment for decreasing the pressure on hospitals and ambulance services. A quick test can be done for free in 4,000 family doctors offices across Romania and at a minimum price in 138 pharmacies. 861 people are in ICUs. Almost 8 million people have been fully vaccinated so far.



    Covid world — More and more cases of coronavirus infection have been reported among athletes and delegations arriving in Beijing, where the Winter Olympics will begin next week. Five members of the Canadian delegation have been quarantined. The rules are much stricter than at last years Tokyo Summer Olympics. In Beijing, athletes, team officials and journalists are only allowed in hotels, media centers and competition venues. So far, 23 cases of infection have been identified among athletes and officials, most of them at the airport, where all those arriving in China must be tested. Then, daily tests are made for everyone present at the Olympic Games who are locked in what is called a “closed loop system”. On the other hand, Russia and Ukraine reported on Saturday the highest number of COVID cases since the onset of the pandemic. Kiev has announced more than 37,000 cases, while Russia has exceeded 100,000 infections for the first time. In Europe, more and more countries are facing a record number of coronavirus cases, amid the spread of the Omicron variant.



    Ukraine– NATO does not intend to deploy soldiers in Ukraine, a country that is not a NATO member, in case of a Russian invasion, said Sunday NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. There is a difference among being a NATO member and being a strong and much appreciated partner, such as Ukraine, he added. The UK announced that it would propose NATO a “major” deployment of troops, warships and fighter planes in Europe. In her turn, the French Defense Minister, Florence Parly, reiterated that Paris was ready to send hundreds of soldiers to Romania. Washington will soon send troops to Eastern Europe as well, the US President Joe Biden said. The US has already alerted 8,500 troops to join NATOs rapid reaction force in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. On the other hand, Germany is sending three Eurofighter planes to Romania in February and March, in the context of boosting NATOs presence in Eastern Europe. The German planes will be integrated into the Italian contingent which has been already in Romania since last month, consisting of another four Eurofighter planes that perform air policing missions. Moscow has mobilized more than 100,000 troops and a large amount of fighting equipment on Ukraines borders, but says it does not want a war. If the former Soviet republic is invaded, Russia risks unprecedented economic sanctions, the West warns.



    Romania-NATO – Romania, as a NATO member, is not in a position to enter the war at the moment, even in the worst scenario, in which Russia would invade Ukraine, the Defense Minister, Vasile Dîncu told a TV station. He explained that Romania is a member of a strong defense system, and the NATO Treaty provides for possible military intervention if a country that is a member of the Alliance is attacked. Ukraine is not a NATO member, it is trying to become one, so it does not have this status yet, Vasile Dîncu added. Asked if Romanian men, especially young men, should be afraid that they will be drafted, in the context of the situation in the region, he underlined that not even Ukraine mobilized its reservists.



    Rome — The Italian President Sergio Mattarella was re-elected on Saturday for a second seven-year term in office, obtaining an absolute majority of votes from the 1,009 senators, deputies and regional officials called to vote. He was congratulated by the Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who also asked him to remain in office for the well being and stability of the country. Mattarella, 80, unexpectedly agreed to remain president and prevent a power void, as the parties failed to nominate another candidate to win a majority in parliament. Mattarella had repeatedly stated that he wanted to retire. He is the second most voted head of state in the history of Italy after Sandro Pertini in 1978. With a career spanning more than four decades, Sergio Mattarella entered politics after the assassination of his brother by the Sicilian mafia. He held four minister seats and was a judge in the Supreme Court before being elected president in 2015. The Italian Republic has so far had 12 presidents.



    Abu Dhabi — The Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the first Israeli head of state to visit the United Arab Emirates, on Sunday met in Abu Dhabi with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the de facto leader of the Arab state. According to news agencies, the discussion lasted over two hours and was warm and cordial. Herzog has said that “the Middle East has entered a new era because of the wise and courageous decision of the Crown Prince and other leaders to normalize ties” with Israel. On the way to the Emirates, the aircraft flew over Saudi Arabia, and the head of state commented that it was a very emotional moment. The Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had already visited the United Arab Emirates last December. Economic issues are seen as the main engine behind rapprochement, but there is also the idea of forming an alliance against Iran, DPA reports. (LS)

  • January 30, 2022

    January 30, 2022

    Covid- 19 Ro — The number of new cases of Covid-19 remains high in Romania, but it is declining sharply after a period of 4 consecutive days with over 30,000 new cases, the days with the highest incidence of new cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic. On Sunday, more than 19,660 new cases of COVID-19 were reported along with 52 deaths. The Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, said that next week the number of daily cases is going to exceed 40,000 and that the pandemic will subside hardly after 10 days. With many people infected and a high transmissibility rate, especially of the Omicron strain, the authorities are looking for ways to facilitate access to testing and treatment for decreasing the pressure on hospitals and ambulance services. A quick test can be done for free in 4,000 family doctors offices across Romania and at a minimum price in 138 lei in pharmacies. 861 people are in ICUs. Almost 8 million people have been fully vaccinated so far.



    Covid world — More and more cases of coronavirus infection have been reported among athletes and delegations arriving in Beijing, where the Winter Olympics will begin next week. Five members of the Canadian delegation have been quarantined. The rules are much stricter than at last years Tokyo Summer Olympics. In Beijing, athletes, team officials and journalists are only allowed in hotels, media centers and competition venues. So far, 23 cases of infection have been identified among athletes and officials, most of them at the airport, where all those arriving in China must be tested. Then, daily tests are made for everyone present at the Olympic Games who are locked in what is called a “closed loop system”. On the other hand, Russia and Ukraine reported on Saturday the highest number of COVID cases since the onset of the pandemic. Kiev has announced more than 37,000 cases, while Russia has exceeded 100,000 infections for the first time. In Europe, more and more countries are facing a record number of coronavirus cases, amid the spread of the Omicron variant.



    Ukraine– NATO does not intend to deploy soldiers in Ukraine, a country that is not a NATO member, in case of a Russian invasion, said Sunday NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. There is a difference among being a NATO member and being a strong and much appreciated partner, such as Ukraine, he added. The UK announced that it would propose NATO a “major” deployment of troops, warships and fighter planes in Europe. In her turn, the French Defense Minister, Florence Parly, reiterated that Paris was ready to send hundreds of soldiers to Romania. Washington will soon send troops to Eastern Europe as well, the US President Joe Biden said. The US has already alerted 8,500 troops to join NATOs rapid reaction force in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. On the other hand, Germany is sending three Eurofighter planes to Romania in February and March, in the context of boosting NATOs presence in Eastern Europe. The German planes will be integrated into the Italian contingent which has been already in Romania since last month, consisting of another four Eurofighter planes that perform air policing missions. Moscow has mobilized more than 100,000 troops and a large amount of fighting equipment on Ukraines borders, but says it does not want a war. If the former Soviet republic is invaded, Russia risks unprecedented economic sanctions, the West warns.



    Romania-NATO – Romania, as a NATO member, is not in a position to enter the war at the moment, even in the worst scenario, in which Russia would invade Ukraine, the Defense Minister, Vasile Dîncu told a TV station. He explained that Romania is a member of a strong defense system, and the NATO Treaty provides for possible military intervention if a country that is a member of the Alliance is attacked. Ukraine is not a NATO member, it is trying to become one, so it does not have this status yet, Vasile Dîncu added. Asked if Romanian men, especially young men, should be afraid that they will be drafted, in the context of the situation in the region, he underlined that not even Ukraine mobilized its reservists.



    Rome — The Italian President Sergio Mattarella was re-elected on Saturday for a second seven-year term in office, obtaining an absolute majority of votes from the 1,009 senators, deputies and regional officials called to vote. He was congratulated by the Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who also asked him to remain in office for the well being and stability of the country. Mattarella, 80, unexpectedly agreed to remain president and prevent a power void, as the parties failed to nominate another candidate to win a majority in parliament. Mattarella had repeatedly stated that he wanted to retire. He is the second most voted head of state in the history of Italy after Sandro Pertini in 1978. With a career spanning more than four decades, Sergio Mattarella entered politics after the assassination of his brother by the Sicilian mafia. He held four minister seats and was a judge in the Supreme Court before being elected president in 2015. The Italian Republic has so far had 12 presidents. (LS)

  • January 28, 2022 UPDATE

    January 28, 2022 UPDATE

    COVID — 19 — On Friday 31,724 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were reported in Romania in 24 hours alongside 60 deaths, two of which were from previous days. The highest number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic in Romania – 34,255 – was registered on Wednesday. The authorities expect the number of cases to rise to more than 40,000 a day next week. The number of hospitalized Covid patients has reached almost 8,000, and about 730 patients are in ICUs, of whom 85% are unvaccinated. On the other hand, a new drug intended for the treatment of those infected with SARS-CoV-2, who run the risk of developing serious forms of the disease, will reach the Public Health Directorates these days and then the hospitals and the assessment centers in Romania. The Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, expects this product, Molnupiravir, to have a favorable impact in the next ten days, by reducing the pressure on the intensive care units and the number of deaths.



    OECD — The Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, said Friday that Romania had made progress in the last decade, but there are still areas where more work is needed. He came to Bucharest after the OECD decided to start accession negotiations with Romania and participated in the launch of a study on the countrys economic situation. According to this document, there are some short-term risks, such as the pandemic waves, which find Romania with a low vaccination rate, and, in the long run, the problems of better access to European funds, the aging population and the difficult access to education, especially of the disadvantaged categories. In his turn, the PM Nicolae Ciuca stated that Romanias accession to the OECD was as important as the admissions to NATO and the European Union and that it was a priority of the government. President Klaus Iohannis described the start of negotiations as an expected historic moment, which confirms Romanias commitment to democracy and a market economy. Made up of 32 countries, the OECD, through its member states, accounts for 70% of the world trade and production, and for 90% of the direct foreign investment.



    AUR – The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), the nationalist opposition in Romania, climbed on the second position in the Romanians’ voting intentions – shows a new survey conducted by INSCOP Research and taken over by the media in Bucharest. Credited with 20.6% of the voting intentions, AUR is behind the Social Democratic Party, in the governing coalition, which would get 34.3% of the votes. The National Liberal Party, the Social Democrats partner in the coalition government led by Liberal Nicolae Ciuca, fell to 16.6%. After going in opposition at the end of last year, after having ruled alongside the Liberals, the Save Romania Union is credited with 12.5% of the votes. 3rd placed in the governing coalition, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania would get 4.2%, below the 5% electoral threshold, which it passed, however, each time in over three decades of post-communist democracy. The rest of the parties have less than 3% of the votes. The conflicts between the ruling coalition parties, against the background of the energy bill crisis, directly affect their popularity — says the director of the INSCOP Research Institute, the sociologist Remus Ştefureac. He also believes that after the catastrophic political crisis at the end of last year, people no longer want to hear about political quarrels and will have no patience and no tolerance for the parties that will provoke them. Domestic social and political issues will continue to fuel electoral adherence to the ultra-populist discourse – Remus Ştefureac concludes.



    Budget — In Romania, the consolidated general budget ended last year with a deficit of 6.72% of the Gross Domestic Product, below initial estimates indicating a negative balance of 7.13%, shows the Budget Execution submitted by the Public Finance Ministry. The budget deficit increased significantly in the last month of last year, after the Finance Ministry reported a negative balance of 4.7% of GDP in November. On the other hand, compared to 2020, when it was 9.61% of GDP, the budget deficit recorded a significant decrease. The evolution of the budget deficit in 2021 was determined by the increase of revenues, mainly influenced by the dynamics of VAT and profit tax revenues and the reduction of expenditures, mainly due to the decrease of the share in GDP of the expenses with salaries and social assistance. At the same time, between January and December 2021, investment expenditures were higher than in the same period of the previous year.



    UN – The US has called on the UN Security Council to convene a meeting on Monday to discuss the threat to international peace posed by the buildup of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. More than 100,000 Russian troops are deployed on the border with the former Soviet republic, and Russia is engaged in other acts of destabilization targeting Ukraine, which poses a clear threat to international peace and security and the United Nations Charter, the US ambassador to the UN said in a statement. In another development, the NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has announced that the Alliance is ready to increase its military presence in its eastern area in order to better defend its member states. He has explained that NATO is ready both for dialogue and to respond to Russian aggression. The French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone conversation on Friday that they needed to deescalate tensions and continue dialogue.



    NATO — The Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Thursday that he saw no problem with Russia’s or any other country’s visiting the military base in Deveselu (southern Romania) to see for themselves that there is no threat whatsoever to Moscow. However, he mentioned the principle of reciprocity, according to which the NATO members, including Romania, should be able to visit missile bases on the territory of the Russian Federation. Also on Thursday, Bogdan Aurescu had a conversation with his Bulgarian counterpart, Teodora Ghenciovska. The two expressed their firm support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed the possibility of a joint visit to Kiev in sign of solidarity. On the other hand, the Romanian Defense Minister, Vasile Dîncu, had a phone conversation with the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III. The topics on the agenda included developments in the security situation in the Black Sea region, NATOs posture on the eastern flank, as well as boosting the US presence in the region. Vasile Dîncu highlighted the need to strengthen the allied posture on NATO’s entire eastern flank, especially in the Black Sea region, as a defensive formula to ensure the security of allies and to discourage aggressive actions. At the same time, he reiterated Romanias determination to strengthen the Strategic Partnership between the two states. (LS)

  • January 27, 2022

    January 27, 2022

    COVID-19 — A total of 31,683 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been registered in the last 24 hours in Romania. It is the second day in a row with over 30,000 cases. 71 deaths were also reported. The Health Minister, Alexandru Rafila, pointed out that the COVID-19 outbreaks in some hospitals are not a cause for concern, but solutions are being sought for the free testing of the medical staff. The vaccination of children aged between 5 and 11 started in Romania on Wednesday. Currently, more than 8 million people have been vaccinated with the first dose.



    Visit — The Romanian Defense Minister, Vasile Dîncu, has said today, fresh from a meeting, in Bucharest, with his French counterpart, Mrs. Florence Parly, that Romania is in a special partnership with France. He has highlighted that Romania can count on France’s firm support which was confirmed by the recent statement of President Emmanuel Macron, in which he announced that his country was ready to contribute NATO troops to Romania. Romania is concerned about recent developments in the region and hopes that dialogue and understanding between the sides in conflict will prevail – said Minister Vasile Dîncu, who also welcomed the announcement of US President Joe Biden on boosting the US contribution to the deterrence and defense posture in the Black Sea area, a proof of transatlantic solidarity. The French Defense Minister, Mrs. Florence Parly, who is on a visit to Romania, also has meetings with President Klaus Iohannis and the Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca.



    Ukraine — On Wednesday the United States and NATO presented written answers to Russias request that NATO should withdraw its troops from Romania and Bulgaria and not accept Ukraine and Georgia among its allies. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that NATO is not abandoning its open door policy and has proposed Moscow a diplomatic way to avoid war. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also believes that a political solution to the crisis is still possible if Russia makes efforts to deescalate tensions. On the other hand, France and Germany, mediators in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, received a good signal from Russia, even though the meeting in Paris was difficult – the French presidency announced. A 9-hour meeting of political advisers from the four countries took place in Paris on Wednesday. Talks under Franco-German mediation will continue in two weeks’ time in Berlin.



    Holocaust – On Thursday, January 27, on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day or the International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, the Romanian Foreign Ministry officials paid tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, a tragic chapter in history and expressed solidarity with the survivors of the World War II atrocities. The Romanian Foreign Ministry officials have shown that Romania is one of the countries that has assumed its own past and is committed to keeping its memory alive for future generations, to protect the remaining survivors and to fight anti-Semitism and any manifestations of intolerance and discrimination. (…) This year it’s 77 years since the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, where more than a million men, women and children lost their lives, 90% of whom were Jews mostly from Poland and Hungary. All in all, between 1941 and 1945, more than 6 million Jews were systematically killed in Europe by the Nazis and their collaborators. On the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the presidents of the European Union’s three main institutions drew attention to the rise of anti-Semitic attitude and the proliferation of hate speech in recent years and asked for deterring such attitudes. (…) There are currently almost 166,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel, with an average age of 85 years. About 60% are women, and around 64% come from Europe, most from the former USSR, and also from Romania (12%), Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Germany.



    Traffic Code – Today, in the third session of this week, the Romanian Government is sanctions for aggressive drivers and those who endanger traffic safety. The driving license will be suspended for 4 months in the case of speeding drivers and very high fines will be given for harassment in traffic. Also today, the Executive will approve the financing contract signed by Romania with the European Investment Bank, worth 305 million Euros, for funding the Cluj Regional Hospital (northwest). Another law on the government’s agenda establishes a new state aid to reduce the excise duty on diesel fuel used in agriculture. (LS)

  • January 26, 2022 UPDATE

    January 26, 2022 UPDATE

    Covid-19 — More than 34,000 new Covid-19 cases have been registered in Romania in the last 24 hours, along with 94 deaths – the Strategic Communication Group informed on Wednesday. This is an absolute record of infections since the beginning of the pandemic in Romania. Compared to the previous day, the number of Covid-19 cases nationwide almost doubled on Wednesday. About 700 patients are in ICUs. Vaccination for children between 5 and 11 started in Romania on Wednesday, but the interest is quite low, just as for the rest of the eligible population. The first amounts of Molnupiravir – an antiviral drug that is given to ‘high risk’ patients infected with the novel coronavirus, in assessment centers or hospitals – could reach the country by the end of the week, the health minister Alexandru Rafila said. He estimated that its use would have a favorable impact on reducing the pressure on intensive care units and reducing the number of deaths.



    Ukraine — Romania has more than 600 km of common border with Ukraine and we must make sure that we are prepared for any possible scenario, said Wednesday Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis fresh from a Supreme Defense Council meeting convened in the context of the tense security situation in the region. He underlined that the current crisis created by Russia is not just about Ukraine, but about the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic area. That is why, Klaus Iohannis went on to say, at this moment it is important that at NATO and EU level we should show unity and solidarity. A complete analysis of the security situation in the area was made, including from the point of view of the military, economic and energy impact, and also from the perspective of uncontrolled migration. “Russia’s recent actions, through the proposals made in December, are trying to unacceptably change the parameters of the European security architecture,” the Romanian president pointed out. He also said that diplomatic dialogue must play a key role in deescalating the current situation and that it should continue.



    Visit – The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, pays a visit to Bucharest to meet with President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca and her Romanian counterpart Vasile Dîncu. The talks will focus on deepening defense relations between the two countries within the Strategic Partnership, including on arms cooperation. The French Minister will also discuss the Sahel missions, the priorities of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the regional situation in Eastern Europe. We remind you that France has expressed its readiness to consolidate its presence in Romania within the NATO missions.



    OECD – The decision of the OECD Council to open accession negotiations with Romania is a chance for a new stage of reforms in favor of the citizen and for aligning the society with the consolidated democracies model, the PM Nicolae Ciuca said at the OECD Inter-ministerial Committee meeting on Wednesday. Its role is to coordinate the negotiations for Romanias admission into the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Todays meeting is a signal that we are serious in relation with the preparation for Romania’s OECD accession, so that we can be together with the developed countries, which hold more than 70% of the global production and trade and 90% of the worlds foreign direct investment, PM Ciuca underlined. The OECD has decided to launch accession negotiations with six candidate countries, including Romania. The OECD Council communiqué mentions the progress that Romania, alongside Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia and Peru, has made since launching the applications for membership. The organization will prepare individual roadmaps for all these countries, provided that the six states confirm their adherence to the values, vision and priorities of the organization.



    Rome — Italian MPs have failed to designate a new president of the Republic even after a third round of voting on Wednesday. In the first three rounds a candidate must obtain two-thirds of the votes to be elected. Starting with the fourth round, which will be held on Thursday, a simple majority is enough. Many MPs submitted blank ballots on Wednesday. However, many have indicated the current head of state, Sergio Mattarella, although he had announced that he would not accept a second term, writes Reuters agency. The current prime minister, Mario Draghi, has great chances to be designated president. (LS)

  • January 25, 2022

    January 25, 2022

    Covid – 19 Ro — 114,000 vaccine doses from Pfizer BioNTech Company for the vaccination of children between the ages of 5 and 11 arrive in Romania today. The vaccination of this age group will begin on January 26. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 incidence rate continues to rise in Romania. The most daily cases are confirmed in the Bucharest-Ilfov area, where the demand for testing is high. In order to respond to these requests as soon as possible, the Health Ministry decided to open 28 testing centers. A total of 19,685 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported in the last 24 hours along with 44 deaths. The pressure on hospitals is not as high as in the previous wave of the pandemic, but the number of hospitalized people is increasing by the day.



    Transport — The employees of the Bucharest Transport Company have suspended the protest action and have resumed their activity, after five days in which the surface public transport in the Capital was blocked. We remind you that the strike was declared illegal by the court, but the trade unionists have so far ignored the courts decision. They are asking for salary increases and the resignation of the company’s manager, Adrian Crit. The latter told Agerpres news agency that, after five days of illegal protest that paralyzed the capital, the employees have eventually understood that they cannot ignore the law and the obligations they have towards the people of Bucharest. The general mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, has said that the talks will continue in order to improve the situation at the Bucharest Transport Company, depending on the available budgets. Previously Nicusor Dan had accused that the protest had been politicized.



    Holocaust — Promoting the fundamental rights and freedoms, respecting the historical truth and understanding the causes of such atrocities give us assurances that such crimes against humanity will never happen again, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said today at the ceremony devoted to International Holocaust Remembrance Day. He underlined that the exacerbation of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, intolerance, racism and discrimination, the attempts to rehabilitate war criminals, as well as the relinquishing of the supreme values ​​of humanity could bring back the tragic experiences of history. The Romanian president recalled that, in the streets of Bucharest, in January 1941, criminals vandalized and burned synagogues, shattered the destinies of thousands of innocent people through the most horrific tortures, all these horrors being part of a diabolical plan of mass extermination. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the virulence of anti-Semitic attacks and created a framework that led to the spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation, president Iohannis said. (…) In turn, the PM Nicolae Ciuca, present at the ceremony, has said that the Holocaust is a dark chapter of history, pointing out that it must not be forgotten and minimized. He has paid tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and presented the contribution of the Jewish community to the development of Romania.



    Ukraine – The leaders of the US and of several European countries expressed, on Monday, during a video conference, their full support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and promised that Russia would face very serious consequences in case of an aggression against Ukraine. The participants agreed that it was up to Moscow to take visible steps to de-escalate the conflict, said the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who attended the meeting with leaders from the US, France, Britain, Italy and Poland, among others. The Western leaders accuse Moscow of being the source of current tensions and say security and stability in Europe can be solved through negotiations. On Monday, the situation caused by Russias aggressive actions in the vicinity of Ukraine and the Black Sea region was included on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Brussels. The Romania Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu proposed his counterparts to consider the possibility of holding a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Kiev, as an expression of the EUs solidarity with Ukraine. He reiterated the importance of supporting the strengthening of the resilience of Ukraine and other Eastern partners, as well as of increasing the EUs involvement in finding political solutions to the prolonged conflicts in the Black Sea region.



    Corruption — The 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International shows that, despite official commitments, 131 of the 180 countries surveyed have made no significant progress in fighting corruption in the past 10 years. According to the report, Romania is no exception, and the perception of public sector corruption has been unchanged for a decade. With only 45 points out of 100, Romania remains among the most corrupt countries in the European Union, alongside Hungary (43 points) and Bulgaria (42 points). Transparency International’s analysis shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has given governments the opportunity to expand their executive power, hide public information and restrict citizens rights. In Romania, one of the most vulnerable areas was public procurement, with effects on the transparency of the public expenses during the pandemic. (LS)

  • RRI Sports Club

    RRI Sports Club

    Set up in 2008 under the name Mol League, Erste League is an ice hockey competition which involves the participation of teams from Romania and Hungary. 11 teams are participating in this years edition, 3 from Romania and 8 from Hungary. The Romanian teams are SC Miercurea Ciuc, ACSH Gheorgheni, both from Harghita County, and Brașov Wolves, while the teams from Hungary are Deac, Dunaujvarosi, Jegesmedvek, FTC-Telekom, Mac, Titanok, Gyor and UTE. The 2008-2009, 2010-2011 and 2020-2021 editions were won by the Romanian team SC Miercurea Ciuc, the 2013-2014 edition by the Slovak team HC Nove Zamky, and the other 8 editions by teams from Hungary. The 2019-2020 edition was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.



    In the last stage of the league, the Romanian teams won by playing on their own skating rinks. On Friday, Sport Club Miercurea Ciuc, the defending champion, won the derby with FTC-Telekom 4-1, and ACSH Gheorgheni beat Jegesmedvek 5-3. Brasov Wolves, Romania’s champions, won with the score of the day, 8-1 the match against Titanok. On Saturday, the Romanian teams repeated their successes. The holder of the Erste Liga title SC Miercurea Ciuc beat Titanok 8-6, and ACSH Gheorgheni defeated FTC-Telekom 4-1. Romanian’s champions Braşov Wolves won the match with Jegesmedvek, 5-4.



    On Sunday, Miercurea Ciuc beat Jegesmedvek 3-2 after extra time, while ACSH Gheorgheni beat Titanok 4-2. The Brasov Wolves easily won the match with FTC-Telekom, score 6-2. In the ranking, the Romanian teams occupy leading positions. SC Miercurea Ciuc is on the first place with 81 points, ACSH Gheorgheni on the 3rd place with 68 points and Braşov Wolves on the 5th place with 60 points. The teams ranked on the first 8 places qualify for the playoffs. (LS)

  • RRI Sports Club

    RRI Sports Club

    Set up in 2008 under the name Mol League, Erste League is an ice hockey competition which involves the participation of teams from Romania and Hungary. 11 teams are participating in this years edition, 3 from Romania and 8 from Hungary. The Romanian teams are SC Miercurea Ciuc, ACSH Gheorgheni, both from Harghita County, and Brașov Wolves, while the teams from Hungary are Deac, Dunaujvarosi, Jegesmedvek, FTC-Telekom, Mac, Titanok, Gyor and UTE. The 2008-2009, 2010-2011 and 2020-2021 editions were won by the Romanian team SC Miercurea Ciuc, the 2013-2014 edition by the Slovak team HC Nove Zamky, and the other 8 editions by teams from Hungary. The 2019-2020 edition was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.



    In the last stage of the league, the Romanian teams won by playing on their own skating rinks. On Friday, Sport Club Miercurea Ciuc, the defending champion, won the derby with FTC-Telekom 4-1, and ACSH Gheorgheni beat Jegesmedvek 5-3. Brasov Wolves, Romania’s champions, won with the score of the day, 8-1 the match against Titanok. On Saturday, the Romanian teams repeated their successes. The holder of the Erste Liga title SC Miercurea Ciuc beat Titanok 8-6, and ACSH Gheorgheni defeated FTC-Telekom 4-1. Romanian’s champions Braşov Wolves won the match with Jegesmedvek, 5-4.



    On Sunday, Miercurea Ciuc beat Jegesmedvek 3-2 after extra time, while ACSH Gheorgheni beat Titanok 4-2. The Brasov Wolves easily won the match with FTC-Telekom, score 6-2. In the ranking, the Romanian teams occupy leading positions. SC Miercurea Ciuc is on the first place with 81 points, ACSH Gheorgheni on the 3rd place with 68 points and Braşov Wolves on the 5th place with 60 points. The teams ranked on the first 8 places qualify for the playoffs. (LS)

  • Debates on capping energy bill prices

    Debates on capping energy bill prices

    In Romania, the price of gas and electricity bills has exploded in recent months, and in some cases has even increased 4 up to 5 times, despite the fact that, in October, a law was adopted according to which, between November 1, 2021 and April 1, 2022, the final price of electricity bills is capped at a maximum of 1 leu/kWh, and that of natural gas at a maximum of 0.37 lei/kWh. Furthermore, this law also compensates for the prices of electricity and natural gas bills for household consumers if they meet certain consumption limits.



    The law on capping and compensating energy prices will be amended by the government, says the energy minister, Virgil Popescu, so that the suppliers who miscalculated the bills, ignoring the law, can re-issue the bills without paying penalties. An increase in gas bill compensation is also being considered and it will be forbidden to disconnect consumers.



    Moreover, the government intends to also take measures in relation to the ​​food industry and agriculture. Here is the energy minister, Virgil Popescu: “From February 1, we will discuss a package for the food and agriculture industries. We may also discuss an additional discount on natural gas, we either increase the discount from 33% to 50% or reduce the VAT for gas. We will find solutions for the continuation of this scheme as of February 1 and April 1, respectively.”



    The energy bill crisis has caused reactions from the leaders of the governing parties, PSD and PNL. Mutual accusations have been made, the resignation of the leadership of the Energy Ministry and of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority — ANRE was asked, and proposals were made to balance the situation. The Social Democrats are dissatisfied with the law initiated by the Liberals regarding the compensation of bills and the capping of energy prices, and several PSD members asked for the dismissal of energy minister Virgil Popescu. PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu believes that quick solutions are required, such as capping the VAT on energy and natural gas, but also organizing a meeting of the Supreme Council of National Defense – CSAT.



    Marcel Ciolacu: “We are obviously in full crisis. I think that people expect solutions from this coalition, which has a comfortable majority in the Romanian Parliament, rapid solutions, found now, not as of April 1.”



    The president of the PNL Florin Cîţu says that talks on the issue should be more pragmatic, without populist messages and solutions that have a big impact on the budget. Florin Cîţu: “I would prioritize. We cannot talk about measures that discriminate or promise that we will pay everyones bills, we cannot promise all kinds of tax eliminations. The balance we have reached in the economy in recent years can be easily disturbed”.



    Trade unions and employers’ associations also demand the capping of energy and natural gas bill prices both for domestic consumers and companies, and point out that without systemic and unitary measures, many companies will go bankrupt. (LS)

  • Again, about offsetting energy prices

    Again, about offsetting energy prices

    The situation in the Romanian energy sector is serious and does not seem to improve in the absence of a firm political intervention. Overlapping the full liberalization of the energy market in 2021, the spikes in electricity and gas prices make victims. On the one hand, among household consumers, especially the vulnerable, who, from one month to the next, receive huge energy bills. On the other hand, companies are also facing problems which, for the same reason, find themselves in a situation to restrict their activity and, consequently, to make a lot of redundancies. One of the most resounding cases, these days, is that of the ALRO Aluminum Plant in Slatina (south), one of the largest in Europe, which has already started closing an electrolysis hall that has been operating for over half a century. The Energy Ministry says that the control over the actors on the energy market is held by the Authority for Energy Regulation (ANRE), an autonomous, independent body, and the National Authority for Consumer Protection.



    The governing coalition made up of the PNL-PSD-UDMR, decided through an emergency decree, subsequently voted in Parliament, to cap energy prices between November 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022, and to provide compensations to the population.



    However, not all market players have complied with the law, according to the energy minister, Virgil Popescu: “Indeed, there are suppliers who have not capped the prices and sent uncompensated bills. Only one large supplier was prepared, so that, by December 15, it issued correct invoices, as stipulated by the law.”



    Consequently, those who have received non-compliant bills do not have to pay them, and the suppliers are obliged to resend correct bills, otherwise, they risk having their operating license lifted. Moreover, the PM Nicolae Ciucă announced further measures to support the population: “As of April 1, household consumers with a monthly consumption of up to 300 kWh will benefit from a new protection scheme, which will include a VAT reduced to 5%, as well as the compensation of the green certificate and of the cogeneration bonus for consumption. We will also draft a natural gas support scheme.”



    According to the prime minister, support measures for SMEs are also being considered, provided that they don’t make redundancies. The Social Democrats welcomed the measures to protect the population against energy price hikes but say that more is needed. Thus, they suggest reducing the VAT not only for energy, but also for natural gas, and not from April 1, but from February 1.



    Almost all products and services have become more expensive in Romania due to the increase in electricity and gas prices, inflation being a matter of concern both for the population and the central bank. For the first part of this year, the inflation level of 7-8% could be exceeded. (LS)