Radio România Internațional

Tag: Russia

  • March 16, 2024

    March 16, 2024

    NATO – The Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, has welcomed the recent entry of the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, into the competition for the NATO leadership and considered as gratifying the fact that Central Europe finally has a candidate for the position of Secretary General of the Alliance. The Hungarian official declared, on Friday, that the government in Budapest will not support the Dutch Mark Rutte for this post, stating that in a union such as NATO, mutual trust is essential, and supporting a candidate who declared that Hungary must kneel is not possible. We remind you that President Klaus Iohannis announced, this week, his candidacy for the NATO leadership, in the context in which Romania and other Eastern partners requested greater representation in the allied structures at a time when regional security is threatened by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

     

    Romarm – Romania will receive 47 million Euros for a project carried out by the Romarm Company together with Germany. The budget allocated by the European Commission to the Romanian project is the largest of the 31 winning projects. The Commission released, on Friday, more than 500 million Euros for companies from member states, in order to increase the ammunition production capacity. It is a first installment from a total of about 2 billion Euros. According to the European Commission, at the end of 2024, European arms production will reach an annual capacity of 1,000,000 bombshells (155-caliber) and at the end of 2025 the amount will double. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, in parallel, the Commission recommends the member states to make joint purchases of larger sizes, in order to give a signal of predictability in the medium and long term to the arms industry.

     

    Russia – Saturday is the second day of the presidential election in Russia, in which almost a third of the approximately 112 million Russians with the right to vote have already participated. President Vladimir Putin voted from his office, in an attempt to promote electronic voting, considered fraudulent by the opposition. Several people were arrested for spraying ink, paint and antiseptic on the ballot boxes or throwing Molotov cocktails in the direction of the polling stations. Furthermore, Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt his re-election through attacks and incursions on the border. At least 2 Russian civilians were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on the city of Belgorod, while Russia, in turn, attacked a residential area of ​​the Ukrainian city of Odessa on Friday, killing at least 20 people. According to official polls, Vladimir Putin enjoys a voting intention of over 80%, so he could achieve his biggest electoral victory since he came to power in 2000. The opposition has asked the West not to recognize the election results.

     

    Book Fair – Romania will be present, next week, at the Leipzig Book Fair, in Germany, the most important event in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to authors, translators and literary debates. Nine invited authors, 12 events, over 150 exhibited titles and a mini-bookstore are waiting for the public, between March 21 and 24, at the Romanian stand organized by the Ministry of Culture in Bucharest. Two of the authors who will be present at the Romanian stand have books translated, for the first time, into German, which confirms a growing interest of the German-speaking literary space in cutting-edge Romanian literature.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, ready to play again after the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne reduced her 4-year suspension to 9 months, was called up to the Romanian team for the match against Ukraine in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. The match will take place on April 12 and 13, in Florida (USA). Romania and Ukraine have met four times so far, with the Romanians leading with the score 3-1. In November, Romania defeated Serbia 4-0 in the play-off to stay in the World Group of the competition, while Ukraine defeated Lithuania 3-1. On the other hand, also in tennis, the Romanian-Russian pair Monica Niculescu/Irina Hromaceva was defeated by the pair Sara Errani (Italy)/Tereza Mihalikova (Slovakia), 6-4, 6-3, on Friday, in the doubles semifinals at the American WTA 125 tournament in Charleston. (LS)

  • March 14, 2024 UPDATE

    March 14, 2024 UPDATE

    Treasure – The European Parliament adopted, on Thursday, a resolution by which it asks Russia to fully return Romania’s national treasure, which it illegally appropriated. This is an unprecedented international case of illegal appropriation of gold reserves and heritage objects and represents a permanent concern for the Romanian society, the MEPs emphasize. According to the resolution, the Parliament welcomes the substantial efforts of the European Union to protect the national, cultural and historical heritage, through the implementation of the legislation and of the cooperation mechanisms that regulate the restitution of cultural and heritage assets illegally appropriated from the territories of the Union countries, as well as its efforts to fight the trafficking in cultural assets. The MEPs request the European Commission and the European External Action Service to include the restitution of the Romanian national heritage on the bilateral diplomatic agenda that regulates EU-Russia relations, as soon as the regional context allows the resumption of political dialogue between the parties. During the First World War, between 1916 and 1917, Romania sent the national treasure (which included significant amounts of gold, heritage items, art collections, jewels, archives) to allied tsarist Russia, to be protected in case of occupation of the national territory by German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian and Turkish enemy troops. After the Bolshevik regime founded by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin came to power, Russia seized the treasure and refused to return it, most of the values ​​remaining unreturned to this day. The issue of returning the Treasure has been discussed, unsuccessfully, for decades by a joint Romanian-Russian commission.

     

    Inflation – The annual inflation rate in Romania fell to 7.2% in February, from 7.4% in the previous month – according to the data of the National Institute of Statistics. The prices of non-food stuffs increased the most, on average, followed by service and food prices. In the top of price hikes in the last 12 months, postal services and detergents are on the first places, followed by water, sewage, and sanitation services and the hygiene, cosmetic and medical services and articles.

     

    Searches – The Romanian prosecutors and police officers found pyrotechnic materials, lethal firearms and white weapons at the residences of supporters of the football team Rapid Bucharest, one of the most popular in the country, following searches carried out on Thursday in Bucharest and the counties of Ilfov, Prahova (south) and Iasi (northeast). According to judicial sources, the president of the Rapid club, former international footballer Daniel Niculae, is a suspect in the case. According to a press release from the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Bucharest Court, 17 people were charged with the crimes of forming an organized crime group, operations with pyrotechnic articles carried out without having the right, non-compliance with the weapons and ammunition regime and destruction. The Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Bucharest Court notes that in the course of 2023, an organized crime group was established in the city of Bucharest, which was joined by several people and whose purpose was to introduce and use pyrotechnic materials in the football stadiums, during the matches, disturbing public order through violence against property and destruction of the grass court through the use of pyrotechnic materials, causing degradation of the grass through the explosion of pyrotechnic materials, endangering the physical integrity of other people (ball girls, stewards, football players, firefighters, reporters). On the occasion of the home searches, several pyrotechnic materials, lethal firearms, white weapons and sums of money were discovered and seized.

     

    Hungary – The circulation of all vehicles heavier than 7.5 tons will be restricted on Friday in Hungary. The measure will apply to Romania’s borders with the neighboring state starting Thursday evening, from 11:00 p.m. The restrictions will not apply to means of transport that carry dangerous goods, live animals or perishable food products or that have a special temperature regime. The border authorities of the two states will keep in constant contact with a view to establishing common measures, so that when the traffic restrictions for motor vehicles on the territory of Hungary are lifted, the border control should be carried out efficiently. March 15 is the Day of Hungarians Everywhere. (LS)

  • March 14, 2024

    March 14, 2024

     

    ELECTIONS The ruling coalition in Romania convenes today to discuss a joint candidate in the election for mayor general of Bucharest. So far the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party have failed to reach an agreement on the topic. The 2 parties will however present a joint list of candidates for the elections for the European Parliament, due on 9 June, concurrently with the country’s local elections. The head of the European Commission’s representative office in Bucharest, Ramona Chiriac, the top nominee on this list, announced she would take unpaid leave to prepare her campaign. A career diplomat, Chiriac has nearly 20-year long experience in European affairs. The election campaign starts on 10 May and ends the day before the elections. Also this year, Romania will hold presidential elections in September and parliamentary elections in December.

     

    TREASURE  In a debate on Thursday, MEPs called on Russia to fully return Romania’s national treasure, and urged the European Commission and other relevant EU institutions to support Romania in its efforts. This was the first discussion in the European Parliament concerning the Romanian national treasure illegally appropriated by Russia during WWI. The EU Commissioner for cohesion and reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said the treasure had been sent for safekeeping to Russia, but was never fully returned, either by the Soviet Union or the Russian Federation. The EU is prepared to support the Romanian authorities in fully recovering the treasure, should they request EU assistance, Elisa Ferreira said, but she warned that Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine entailed the suspension of cooperation mechanisms with Moscow. The EP debate on the treasure will be followed by a vote on a resolution in this respect. During WWI, Romania sent its national treasure for safekeeping to Russia, its only ally in the vicinity, but the Communist regime seized the assets and refused to return them. The National Bank entrusted Moscow with a total of 91.48 tonnes of pure gold.

     

    MEDIA The European Parliament passed the European Media Freedom Act, which is designed to protect journalists and media organisations in the EU from political and economic interference. According to the Radio Romania News and Current Affairs’ correspondent, under the new legislation member states will be obliged to protect journalists from governmental, political, economic and private interference, and all forms of interventions in editorial decisions will be banned. In order to ensure transparency with respect to mass media ownership, all channels, regardless of their size, will have to make public their ownership structure and their use of public funding.

     

    RECOVERY The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu Thursday announced that the ministers coordinating reforms would have a meeting next week with Celine Gauer, the European Commission’s director general of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force, to analyse major benchmarks in Romania’s 3rd payment request. He denied that the National Recovery and Resilience Plan has reached a deadlock, and emphasised that Romania’s relation with the European Commission is quite good. Previously, the minister for European investments and projects, Adrian Câciu, also said the 3rd payment request was not frozen. The explanations came after information was leaked regarding the European Commission freezing the 3rd payment request under the NRRP for failure to meet certain benchmarks, which according to Save Romania Union in opposition were related to appointments in the management of state-owned energy corporations and the agency charged with monitoring state-owned companies. Under the NRRP, all these institutions, without exception, must operate in compliance with corporate governance principles. On Thursday the government approved changes to the multi-annual budget for the reforms and investments undertaken in the NRRP.

     

    AID The National Emergency Committee passed a resolution under which Romania is to grant international assistance to Jordan, consisting in medical equipment and supplies necessary for the operation of a field hospital in Gaza. The donated products and equipment come from the medical emergency inventory managed by the Inspectorate General for Emergencies, and were flown to the site by aircraft made available by the defence ministry.

  • March 7, 2024 UPDATE

    March 7, 2024 UPDATE

    TALKS Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has received in Bucharest the head of the Austrian government Karl Nehammer with whom he talked about Romania’s fully-fledged accession to Schengen. After the talks, Iohannis has written on a social network that this process will continue until the final objective is reached. The European Union must be united, strong and prosperous, and Romania’s entry into Europe’s border-free area will further consolidate the EU security to benefit all citizens. In turn, the Austrian chancellor said the EU borders need funding and that asylum procedures must be rapidly implemented so that people illegally staying in the EU may be repatriated. He has again said the Schengen zone cannot be extended. At the congress in Bucharest, the European People’s Party on Wednesday endorsed a manifesto calling for Romania’s accession to Schengen as soon as possible, after the Austrian delegation of the People’s Party in power had ceased to vote against it. According to the aforementioned manifesto, Romania and Bulgaria’s fully-fledged Schengen accession is needed by lifting as soon as possible not only the maritime and air controls but also at the ground borders.

     

    EPP The incumbent president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is the official candidate of the European People’s Party (EPP) for a new five year term in office. Her candidacy was approved through vote on Thursday, during the party’s congress, which was held for two days in Bucharest. Opinion polls are placing the EPP as the first political force in the upcoming European elections in June. “The European Union is a precious thing, which we must defend and preserve for future generations,” von der Leyen said after nomination. She added that Vladimir Putin shouldn’t win the war, which he started in Ukraine in an attempt to move borders by force. “We stay by Ukraine and support it with all our forces to integrate in Europe,” the head of the European Commission pointed out. In turn, the Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis told the participants in the EPP congress that we are presently in a complicated and unstable international context, and that extremism represents one of the numerous challenges the European Union must face. Over two thousand delegates out of 40 countries, including heads of state and government, party presidents and European Commissioners have attended the meeting in Bucharest. Romania also hosted an EPP congress in October 2012.

     

    SUPPORT French president Emmanuel Macron has reiterated France’s full support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, an ex-soviet, Romanian-speaking country. On Thursday, Macron held talks in Paris with Moldovan president Maia Sandu with whom he signed two bilateral agreements on cooperation in the field of defence and on economic cooperation. The meeting took place a week after the threats made by the separatists from the breakaway region of Transdinester who called for Moscow’s support. Sandu and Macron have made a joint appeal to Russia to withdraw immediately the troops illegally stationed on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, in Transdniester. “In spite of threats, pressure and intimidation, Moldova has chosen freedom, independence and Europe and strengthening security is a condition necessary for its economic development. So, under the two agreements signed in Paris, France will give it full support, the French president went on to say. He has announced that a French mission will open in Chisinau in the following months with a view to strengthening relations in fields such as the training and interoperability of the armed forces of the two countries. President Sandu says the meeting takes place against new attempts by Russia to exert more pressure on her country. “The Moldovans have a right to decide their own future, and this is in the European Union,” Sandu went on to say.

     

    ELECTIONS Romania’s government is to analyse a draft emergency order on merging the local elections and the elections for the European Parliament on June 9. According to an INSCOP poll commissioned by News.ro, the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party, in power in Romania and running on joint lists of candidates, would get 43.7% of the votes. Next in the poll come the nationalist party AUR with little over 20%, and the United Right Alliance, also in Opposition, with 13.7%. As for the local elections, the poll indicates the Social Democrats would get 30.6% of the county and local council seats, the Liberals 25.6%, AUR 17.4%, and the United Right Alliance 9.8%. With respect to merging the two elections, the poll suggests over 57% of citizens are in favour of the idea. More than one-third of the interviewees are in favour of joint candidate lists for the Social Democrats and the Liberals in the European elections and separate lists for the local elections, while 51.3% disagree with the decision. Romania’s presidential elections are scheduled in September, and the general elections are due in December.

    (bill)

  • March 5, 2024 UPDATE

    March 5, 2024 UPDATE

    Treasure – The National Bank of Romania and MEP Eugen Tomac organized an exhibition at the European Parliament on Tuesday about the Romanian Treasure owned by Russia and which has not been returned to our country for over a hundred years. It is a unique case in history, and Bucharest wants to bring it to the attention of the European Union as another example of violation of international law by Moscow. Next week, the European Parliament is expected to demand the reparation of this injustice, through a resolution supported by all political groups. The treasure consists of 91 tons of gold, works, artifacts and archival documents, which were sent to Moscow in 1916 and 1917, during the First World War, when much of the country was occupied by the forces of the Central Powers. Later, after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1918, the Soviet Union and then the Russian Federation refused to return the treasure, except for works of art and other cultural values. The exhibition at the European Parliament presents legal evidence and historical documents regarding the sending of the Romanian Treasure to Moscow, as well as Russia’s commitments to return it at the request of our country.

     

    Meeting – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, had a meeting, on Tuesday, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the neighboring Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. Earlier, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also discussed with Maia Sandu. In the context he reconfirmed his “firm” support for Chisinau’s European path. The meetings took place a day before the Congress of the European People’s Party (EPP), scheduled in Bucharest on Wednesday and Thursday. Led by Iohannis before he became president, the National Liberal Party – PNL (today in the governing coalition with the Social Democratic Party – PSD) is affiliated with EPP. Present in Bucharest, the president of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, said that he supported the decision to have “someone from a Central or Eastern European country” at the head of the EU, in the next mandates of the community institutions. Over 1,500 representatives of the European People’s Party, including 13 heads of state and government, are in Romania to participate in the congress of this political group in the next two days.

     

    Motion – The Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday dismissed the simple motion against Finance Minister Marcel Boloș, filed by Save Romania Union – USR and Force of the Right opposition parties. The motion was debated on Monday, opposition members criticizing the Minister for introducing a 10% tax on medical leave to cover the holes in the state budget. Minister Boloș is also accused of violating the law that stipulates that any tax must be enacted six months after its introduction. Marcel Boloș denied all accusations, slamming the opposition’s motion as a politicized initiative. The healthcare system is underfunded, and the government sought to discourage medical leave, which would bring less benefit to working employees, the Finance Minister said in response.

     

     

    Tennis – The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne has shortened tennis player Simona Halep’s sentence for doping from 4 years to nine months. The Romanian, the former world number one, will be able to return to the court, as her provisional suspension began on October 7, 2022. The Court decision, published on the court’s website, is final. We remind you that the tennis player has always claimed that she took a contaminated supplement, and at the hearings in February, she sought the help of a French expert specialized in pharmacology, toxicology and biology. The International Tennis Integrity Agency stated in September 2023 that Simona intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and suspended her for 4 years.

     

    Drugs – In Romania, high-risk drug traffickers will no longer be able to receive suspended sentences, and trading psychoactive substances will be punishable by 3 to 10 years in prison. A draft law in this regard was adopted on Tuesday by the Chamber of Deputies, which is a decision-making body. The MPs emphasized that the phenomenon of drug use has been ignored for a long time and that additional measures are needed to combat it: border scanners, rehabilitation and prevention centers. (LS)

     

  • February 29, 2024

    February 29, 2024

    Transnistria – The Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, this morning had a meeting in Bucharest with the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the neighboring Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian speaking population), Oleg Serebrian. On the eve, he had declared that the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria, in the east of the republic, benefits from the policies promoted by the pro-Western government in Chișinău for peace, security and economic integration with the European Union, advantageous for all citizens. Previously, the so-called congress of deputies from Tiraspol adopted a resolution in which it addresses the Russian Parliament, asking it to take the necessary measures to protect Transnistria, in the context of the amplification of what the signatories called the pressure from the Republic of Moldova. The Russian Foreign Ministry claims that for Moscow it is a “priority to protect” the inhabitants of Transnistria. Russia will “carefully examine” Tiraspol’s request – the Russian Foreign Ministry stated, without providing more details. The United States firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders – said, in response, the spokesperson for the State Department, Matthew Miller. Transnistria de facto went out of the control of the central authorities after an armed conflict that resulted in hundreds of deaths and which ended following the intervention of Moscow’s troops on the side of the secessionist rebels in 1992, less than a year after Chișinău proclaimed its independence. The former Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, pledged to withdraw troops from Transnistria since the OSCE summit in Istanbul in 1999. About 1,500 soldiers and important Russian arsenals are said to still be there. According to analysts, the break-away region of Transnistria inaugurated the scenario for the subsequent separation, also with Russian support, of South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia and Donbass from Ukraine.

     

    Jobs – 1,200 young and adult Ukrainian refugees, asylum seekers in neighboring Romania, as well as Romanians from vulnerable categories will be helped to find a job, to be independent from an economic and social point of view. The “World Vision Romania” foundation is launching a project through which people will be advised, will learn the Romanian language, receive support for equating their studies, benefit from grants to support entrepreneurial initiatives and support vouchers to stimulate integration on the labor market. Almost 160,000 Ukrainians requested a form of legal protection from the Romanian state, and at the beginning of the month there were almost 80,000 in the country. Half of them say that they want to get a job or open a business in Romania.

     

    Awards – 51 Romanian journalists, who have participated in missions in conflict zones in the last two years, are receiving awards today at the gala for excellence in journalism. The event, organized by the National Audiovisual Council at the National Theater in Bucharest, is part of the Council of Europe’s campaign aimed at promoting the protection and safety of media professionals. The journalists attending the gala will talk, on this occasion, about their experiences as war correspondents in Ukraine, neighboring Romania, and in Israel.

     

    Elections – The first round of the presidential election in Romania will take place on September 15, and the second, if necessary, on September 29. The leaders of the governing coalition (PSD and PNL) also decided that the European Parliament elections will take place together with the local ones, on June 9, and the general ones, for the Romanian Parliament, on December 8. Initially, the social democrats and liberals wanted to organize the European Parliament elections during two days for the Romanians abroad, but they gave up this option. Such a measure would have violated the constitutional right of Romanians inside the country, who would have had only one day to vote.

     

    February 29 – About 12,000 Romanians are celebrating their birthday today. Those born on February 29, i.e. in a leap year, can celebrate their birthday only once every four years. Leap years are important because they help synchronize the calendar year with the astronomical year. The Earth takes about 365.24 days to revolve around the Sun. Because of this extra time of 0.24 days, it is necessary to add February 29 every four years. For the first time, the extra day began being added to the Julian calendar in 46 BC, by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar, on the advice of an astronomer. Mathematically speaking, the chances of a person being born on February 29 are 1 in 1,461. Worldwide, more than four million people celebrate their birthday on February 29.

     

    Electronic cigarettes – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft law that prohibits the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors, after it had previously been passed by the Senate. Also, products containing tobacco, electronic cigarettes and refill bottles for electronic cigarettes can no longer be sold through vending machines. Selling via easy-box-type devices is also prohibited. The project introduces sanctions of up to 100,000 lei (20,000 Euros). Romania is one of the first countries in the EU to prohibit the sale to minors of all products with nicotine, as well as of electronic cigarettes without nicotine. Parliament has also recently passed a ban on selling energy drinks to under-18s. (LS)

  • February 26, 2024 UPDATE

    February 26, 2024 UPDATE

    NATO The Hungarian Parliament on Monday ratified Sweden’s NATO accession. Hungary was the last of the 31 allied states, which granted support to Sweden’s integration. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden decided to give up its historical neutrality and join the Alliance. Most of the member states hailed Sweden’s accession, but Turkey and Hungary have delayed ratification. According to the BBC, Turkey said that Sweden tolerated anti-Islamic protests and Sweden is one of the EU countries, which have accused Hungary of backsliding on the EU’s democratic principles. ”We stand ready to shoulder our share of the responsibility for NATO’s security”, the Swedish Premier said shortly after the vote. ”Sweden’s contribution to Euro-Atlantic Security is essential. With Sweden in NATO we are going to consolidate the posture of defence and deterrence on the Eastern Flank and carry on the staunch support for Ukraine. Together we are stronger”, president Iohannis has written on the X platform.

     

    DNA Marius Voineag, the chief of Romania’s Anti-corruption Directorate, a.k.a, DNA, says that during his mandate, the prosecutors have rediscovered the courage to investigate big corruption cases. On the occasion of the presentation of the institution’s activity report in 2023, Voineag says that unfortunately, corruption costs remain unacceptably higher for Romanian society. “In terms of this year’s activity, I must specify that we are perfectly aware that we are having an election context and there is the risk that anything we do may be interpreted and spark off controversies and debates, but I assure you the National Anti-corruption Directorate will carry on its determination to fighting the phenomenon of corruption” the DNA chief went on to say. He gave assurances his institution would continue to target big-corruption cases and the priority domains with direct impact on the citizens’ lives.

     

    PROTESTS Trade unions of the Romanian postal service are staging this week protest actions in front of the Ministry of Research building. Workers are disgruntled with the lack of a transparent, motivating and non-discriminatory salary scheme, or the fact that 80% of Romanian Post staff currently earns minimum wages, regardless of the position, degrees, attributes or seniority. Trade unionists also criticize the lack of coherent development and sustainability policies and the company’s opaque and unpredictable management. Taxi drivers from Bucharest and other counties are also staging a three-day protest in the capital-city as of Monday. They are disgruntled with competition from alternative means of transportation and call on such transporters to observe the same rules taxi drivers are subject to. Some 800 drivers attended the protest on Monday with their vehicles, while over 1,800 drivers and their vehicles are expected to join the protest on Tuesday and Wednesday.

     

     

    UKRAINE Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, and allied leaders on Monday attended a working meeting devoted to Ukraine, hosted by the French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Talks focused on the current phase of the war in Ukraine and its consequences on European and Euro-Atlantic security, as well as options to step up assistance for Ukraine. President Iohannis hails the initiative of his French counterpart, pointing out that unity and solidarity at international level with regard to support for Ukraine are key and must be maintained, the Presidency reports. On the sidelines of the meeting, president Iohannis reasserted Romania’s firm support for Ukraine, for as long as it’s necessary.

    (bill)

     

  • February 23, 2024

    February 23, 2024

    SANCTIONS The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia in response to the death of the Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalnyi but also to mark two years of war in Ukraine. The sanctions are targeting five hundred entities associated with Russia’s military industrial compound and also companies from third countries, which are helping Russia bypass the earlier sanctions. Great Britain is also to impose new sanctions on this occasion of marking two years since the Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

     

    VISIT Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu has arrived in India this morning to attend the international ‘Raisina Dialogue’ underway in New Delhi. Presently at its 9th edition, “Raisina Dialogue” is India’s emblematic conference on geopolitics and geo-economy aimed at dealing with the most difficult issues the world is facing nowadays. During her visit the Romanian diplomat is expected to have talks with her Indian counterpart Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea managed a sensational win against Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic on Thursday in the quarterfinals of WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai. Cîrstea, WTA 22, lost the first set and the Czech got a 5-1 lead in the second. However, the Romanian made a brilliant comeback and secured the second set and also the decisive one, ending the match 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. Cîrstea will be up against Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the semifinals.

     

    NAVALNYI The mother of the Russian opposition leader, Aleksei Navalnyi, has accused the investigators of planning to bury her son in secret as they have so far refused to hand over his body, Reuters reports. Lyudmila Navalnaya says she was blackmailed and threatened to accept a secret burial. Aleksei Navalnyi died last week at the age of 47 in the arctic penal colony where he was serving his prison sentence. During a court appearance only one day before, Navalnyi looked healthy and in good spirits. According to Navalnyi’s lawyers, the certificate the investigators produced say that he died of natural causes. The international leaders, family members and his Russian supporters have blamed the authorities for his death and some even say he was murdered. We recall that Navalnyi survived an attempted murder in the past, when the Russian secret services had allegedly attempted to poison him with a nerve agent known as Novichok.

     

    (bill)

  • CSAT takes measures to strengthen the country’s armed forces

    CSAT takes measures to strengthen the country’s armed forces

    The severe situation in the Black Sea region and the implications for Romania of Russia’s aggression war against the neighbouring Ukraine were high on the agenda of Romania’s Higher Defence Council (CSAT), which convened in Bucharest on Wednesday.

    “The war situation in the neighbouring country maintains the risks of incidents that might affect Romania’s territory and citizens as well as the safety of navigation because of the mines adrift in the Black Sea and Russia’s hostile actions”, the CSAT members have explained.

    In this context they endorsed a series of measures aimed at strengthening the Romanian armed forces. The CSAT members have also decided the continuation of the diplomatic initiatives so that Moscow may cease its military aggression in Ukraine.

    CSAT has also approved the report on the progress registered in the field of defence planning whose main aim is to come in line with operational planning and integration of national priorities, including those, which aren’t part of the present capability package. The presidential administration has explained that Romania’s plans for developing capabilities are being reflected properly in the 2023 Defence Planning Directive as well as in the Romanian Army 2040 programme.

    Both documents are being supported by a national political commitment, which allows Romania to achieve the goal of earmarking 2.5% of its GDP to Defence, out of which 2% are for fitting the armed forces with the equipment they need.

    The CSAT members have also assessed the activity in the field of cybersecurity and endorsed a series of priority actions that the Cybersecurity Operative Council must focus on this year.

    These are meant to contribute to the development of the national cybersecurity system and the consolidation of the prevention and deterrence capabilities. Last, but not least, the members have reviewed the CSAT activity last year and decided to submit their activity report for Parliament approval.

    (bill)

  • February 18, 2024

    February 18, 2024

    TALKS Leaders of the ruling Social Democratic and the National Liberal Parties are today resuming talks on the possible merger of the elections due in Romania this year. Unless they reach an agreement, the elections are to be staged on the date previously set – Social-Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has announced. The Liberals insist though that the election for the European Parliament take place together with those for the local public administration on June 9th. Among their arguments are the funds cuts and a higher turnout. The Social Democrats are calling for a clear timetable for the entire election year and for merging the election for the domestic Legislature with the second round of the presidential voting. The opposition says that talks for the merger do nothing but divert the attention of the Romanians from the real problems the ruling coalition is presently facing.

    CONFERENCE On the sidelines of the Security Conference in Munich, Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, had a meeting with a group of veterans from the Russian-Ukrainian front. On this occasion, the minister has conveyed a firm message of solidarity with the neighboring Ukraine and its people, ‘in their legitimate fight to defend the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of their country in the illegal aggression war Russia is waging on Ukraine. According to a press communiqué the Romanian Foreign Ministry released on Sunday, minister Odobescu had earlier participated in the second day of the Conference in Germany in an event devoted to the situation of Afghan women and had talks with her counterparts and with representatives of the international think-tanks.

    POLO Polls drawn on Saturday have placed Romania’s national water polo side in group A together with Croatia, Italy, Greece, the United States and Montenegro at the Olympic Games in Paris. The International water polo federation had earlier announced Romania’s unexpected qualification, as our athletes ended on the tenth position at the World Championship in Doha, Qatar. Only the first eight sides are qualified but South Africa had declared forfeit for Paris. So, Romania, the best placed side among those unqualified, has thus ensured their tickets for Paris. Water polo is the only team sport with Romanian participation in the aforementioned Olympics. Romania ranked 8th at the European Championships in Croatia a month ago.

    SCULPTURE A sculpture by Romania’s greatest sculptor Constantin Brancusi, which was believed, lost or destroyed until last year, has been put on display at the Artmark Galleries in Bucharest. The sculpture known as ‘Bust of a Restaurant Patron’ is actually depicting a waiter in the Parisian café where the artist worked as dishwasher shortly after his arrival in Paris. The sculpture was made around 1905-1906 and has been recently bought at an international auction in Paris by a Romanian collector.

  • February 17, 2024 UPDATE

    February 17, 2024 UPDATE

    Navalny – On Friday evening, hundreds of people gathered in Europe and the USA, in front of the Russian embassies, to pay tribute to Alexei Navalny, the number one opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow announced, on the same day, the death of Navalny, at the age of 47, in a penitentiary colony in the Arctic, where he was serving a 19-year prison sentence. In Russia, a human rights organization said that more than 100 people were detained at rallies in memory of the Russian dissident. Most of those arrested are from St. Petersburg, Putin’s hometown. At political level, dignitaries from all over the world, including Romania, expressed their sadness and concern over the death of Alexei Navalny. The international community has lost a brave fighter for freedom and rights, said the Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, who asked Russia for a transparent and comprehensive investigation. The Romanian Foreign Ministry condemned the repeated violations of international law by the Russian regime and reiterated the importance of observing fundamental human rights and freedoms without delay.

     

    Elections – The leaders of the governing coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL resume, on Sunday, the negotiations regarding the possible merging of the elections that are scheduled this year in Romania. If an agreement is not reached, the elections will be organized on time, said the social-democratic PM Marcel Ciolacu. The liberals insist on holding the elections for the European Parliament together with the ones for the local public administration, on June 9. The arguments put forward are the reduction of expenses and a greater voter turnout. The social democrats demand a clear calendar for the entire electoral year and propose, in addition, to merge the parliamentary elections with the second round of the presidential election. The opposition claims that the discussions on the issue of merging the elections do nothing but distract the attention of Romanians from the real problems of the coalition government.

     

    Polo – Romania’s national men’s polo team is going to the Olympic Games in Paris, the international specialized federation, World Aquatics, announced on Saturday. Romania ended this month’s World Championships in Doha, Qatar, on 10th position, and only the presence among the top eight would have ensured its qualification to the Olympic Games. South Africa, which was qualified as the best team on its continent, has withdrawn from the Paris Olympics. Thus, Romania, the best-ranked team among the unqualified teams, climbed the Olympic table. Polo is the only team sport with Romanian participation in the Olympics. At the World Cup, the Romanian national team was defeated in the group by Hungary, score 15-8, by Italy score 16-10 and won against Kazakhstan score 25-3. It then lost in the quarter-final playoff 9-12 to Montenegro, and in the qualifying matches it defeated China 9-7 and lost to the USA 13-9. Last month, Romania finished 8th in the European Championships in Croatia.

     

    BUCHAREST – Romania’s national rugby team was defeated by the Portuguese team, 49-24, on Saturday, in Bucharest, in their last match in Group B of the Rugby Europe Championship, the second continental competition, after the famous Six Nations Tournament. In the first two matches, Romania defeated Poland 20-8 (away from home) and Belgium 33-18 (at home). In the semifinals (March 2-3), Romania will play away from home against Georgia, the winner of Group A, while Portugal will play Spain on home ground.

     

    Munich – The G7 countries’ foreign ministers discussed on Saturday, under the Italian presidency, the international crises: the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the situation in the Red Sea and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the continuation of the support given by the G7 countries to Kyiv. The meeting is organized as part of the Munich Security Conference (February 16-18). The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, is also attending the conference in southern Germany. Romania and Estonia share common values ​​and similar concerns regarding regional security, said Minister Tîlvăr, who met, on the sidelines of the Conference, with his Estonian counterpart, Hanno Pevkur. He also had a meeting with James Mattis, former American Secretary of Defense, an opportunity for the two to reiterate the need to continue bilateral efforts in order to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and deepen the Romania-US Strategic Partnership. In Munich, on Friday, the Romanian Foreign Minister, Ms. Luminiţa Odobescu, pleaded, in turn, for maintaining the multidimensional international support granted to Ukraine.

     

    Paris – The Ukrainian and French presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron signed, on Friday evening, a security agreement between their countries, which also provides for the supply of ammunition. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Paris, France will support Ukraine not only to defend itself, but also in the fight against external interference, in the protection of civil infrastructures, in counterintelligence and espionage, in cyber security and in the fight against organized crime. In the press conference held after the signing of the agreement, President Macron stated that the future accession of Ukraine to the European Union and NATO will mean a useful contribution to the peace and security of the continent. For his part, President Zelensky expressed hope that the security agreements signed with France and, earlier on the same day, with Germany, after the one with Great Britain last month, will also give an impetus to the United States to continue providing aid to Ukraine. (LS)

  • February 17, 2024

    February 17, 2024

    Navalny – On Friday evening, hundreds of people gathered in Europe and the USA, in front of the Russian embassies, to pay tribute to Alexei Navalny, the number one opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow announced, on the same day, the death of Navalny, at the age of 47, in a penitentiary colony in the Arctic, where he was serving a 19-year prison sentence. In Russia, a human rights organization said that more than 100 people were detained at rallies in memory of the Russian dissident. Most of those arrested are from St. Petersburg, Putin’s hometown. At political level, dignitaries from all over the world, including Romania, expressed their sadness and concern over the death of Alexei Navalny. The international community has lost a brave fighter for freedom and rights, said the Romanian president, Klaus Iohannis, who asked Russia for a transparent and comprehensive investigation. The Romanian Foreign Ministry condemned the repeated violations of international law by the Russian regime and reiterated the importance of observing fundamental human rights and freedoms without delay.

     

    Munich – The G7 countries’ foreign ministers are discussing today, under the Italian presidency, the international crises: the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the situation in the Red Sea and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the continuation of the support given by the G7 countries to Kyiv. The meeting is organized as part of the Munich Security Conference (February 16-18). The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, is also attending the conference in southern Germany. Romania and Estonia share common values ​​and similar concerns regarding regional security, said Minister Tîlvăr, who met, on the sidelines of the Conference, with his Estonian counterpart, Hanno Pevkur. He also had a meeting with James Mattis, former American Secretary of Defense, an opportunity for the two to reiterate the need to continue bilateral efforts in order to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and deepen the Romania-US Strategic Partnership. In Munich, on Friday, the Romanian Foreign Minister, Ms. Luminiţa Odobescu, pleaded, in turn, for maintaining the multidimensional international support granted to Ukraine.

     

    Paris – The Ukrainian and French presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron signed, on Friday evening, a security agreement between their countries, which also provides for the supply of ammunition. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Paris, France will support Ukraine not only to defend itself, but also in the fight against external interference, in the protection of civil infrastructures, in counterintelligence and espionage, in cyber security and in the fight against organized crime. In the press conference held after the signing of the agreement, President Macron stated that the future accession of Ukraine to the European Union and NATO will mean a useful contribution to the peace and security of the continent. For his part, President Zelensky expressed hope that the security agreements signed with France and, earlier on the same day, with Germany, after the one with Great Britain last month, will also give an impetus to the United States to continue providing aid to Ukraine.

     

    Rugby – Romania’s national rugby team meets, today, in Bucharest, the team of Portugal, in Group B of the Rugby Europe Championship 2024. In its first games, Romania defeated Poland 20-8 (away from home) and Belgium 33-18 (at home). With two victories from as many matches played, the Romanians are on first place in the group, having the chance, depending on the results of the last round, to play the semi-final on home ground. After the group matches, the semi-finals are scheduled for the weekend of March 2-3, and the finals will take place on March 17, in Paris.

     

    Customs – Special lanes dedicated to trucks registered in the European Union were opened at the Nădlac II and Borş II customs offices, in western Romania, after a similar lane had become functional in the Calafat customs office, in the south. Thus, Romanian trucks will have priority over those from Ukraine or Turkey, said the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, on Friday, at the Government meeting. He pointed out that the lane for trucks from the EU will also exist in the Giurgiu customs office (south). The Prime Minister mentioned that this is one of the measures by which the Government responds to the requests of transporters, who have recently protested throughout the country.(LS)

  • February 16, 2024 UPDATE

    February 16, 2024 UPDATE

    FUNDS Romania presently ranks second in the European Union in terms of European funds absorption through the 2014-2020 Cohesion Policy, the Romanian Minister of Investment and European Projects, Adrian Câciu has announced. Romania has so far received over 23 billion Euros it requested from the Commission for this financial exercise and has reached a percentage of 98%. According to Câciu, Romania is presently sending 600 million Euros worth of expense statements to the European Commission and another expense statement also of 600 million Euros is to be sent in March.

    FILM Holy Week, a feature film directed by Romanian Andrei Cohn will be premiered at the Forum section of the International Film Festival in Berlin. The film is based on Ion Luca Caragiale’s short story ‘The Easter Torch’ and is starring actors Iulian Postelnicu, Bogdan Farcas and Mihaela Sarbu. The 74th edition of the Berlinale kicked off on Thursday night and for the first time the jury is being presided by a black person, the Mexican-Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o. At the present edition, the great US director Martin Scorsese is to get ‘The Golden Bear’ award for his entire career.

    FORECAST The National Bank of Romania (BNR) revised down, to 4.7%, the inflation forecast for the end of this year, from 4.8% in November, and believes it will hit 3.5% at the end of 2025, according to data presented on Thursday by Central Bank governor, Mugur Isărescu. The Central Bank decided, at the same time, to keep the key interest rate at 7%.

     

    CONFERENCE Romania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, is participating in the International Security Conference in Munich, Germany, until Sunday. She will be presenting Romania’s assessment as regards current security threats, especially those in its neighborhood. Odobescu will highlight the deterioration of the security situation in the Black Sea region, caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and will encourage NATO allies to increase their presence in Romania, as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s response to the threats to the Euro-Atlantic security. At the same time, she will emphasise the importance of the 2024 NATO Summit for the Alliance’s adjustment to the growing number of threats to the security environment. Luminiţa Odobescu will reaffirm Romania’s support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will emphasize the need to continue providing solid support to the Republic of Moldova in order to counter the pressures on its stability. The Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, and the Chief of the Defense Staff, Gheorghiţă Vlad, also participate in the security conference. The international conference in Munich represents one of the most prestigious security forums, which brings together important leaders and decision-makers in the field of security and defense.

  • NATO and the war in Ukraine

    NATO and the war in Ukraine

    The situation has
    become routine already:
    whenever
    the Russian invasion troops are attacking the Ukrainian ports on the Danube at
    Reni, Izmail and the big port-city of Odessa heads-up are also given in
    neighboring Romania, a NATO and EU member country. Ro-Alert messages were issue at
    the end of last week for the counties of Tulcea and Galati, over the Danube,
    the first of this kind this year, the inspectorate for emergency situations has
    announced. People have been cautioned about the possibility of falling objects
    from the sky and they have been advised to take measures of protection and
    prevention.




    Many of the
    residents have reported on social networks long and powerful blasts. But a
    different kind of noise has produced among the North Atlantic Alliance, the
    former US Republican president Donald Trump, whose comeback to the White House has
    become more and more plausible. Even his Republican colleagues have criticized
    him after he said the United States should not defend the allied countries
    which do not pay their NATO contributions.




    The former
    president also criticized the countries which do not invest enough money in
    their defence in the past years as well, but now he shocked the allies by
    saying that he would ‘encourage’ Russia to attack countries, which do not pay
    their bills. His statements have attracted a lot of heat from the incumbent
    Democratic President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens
    Stoltenberg, who underlined that such suggestions are
    undermining the Alliance’s entire security, which is based upon common defence
    and are endangering the US and European troops.




    According to various publications, Trump has for years now inaccurately described the way in which NATO funding
    is functioning. The alliance has established a 2% of the GDP target for each
    member country and most countries do not clear this target. The figure though
    is only a recommendation and not a mandatory contract, no ‘bills’ have been
    issued and no bills are overdue concerning the NATO budget.




    In the meantime, on Sunday, the Alliance’s newest member, Finland elected
    a new president in the person of the former conservative Prime Minister
    Alexander Stubb who has been a supporter of the North Atlantic Alliance after
    Russia invaded Ukraine and his country renounced its strict neutrality. A Prime
    Minister between 2014 and 2015, Stubb has confessed that one of his biggest mistakes as head of the government in
    Helsinki was to give the green light for the construction of a nuclear power
    plant in cooperation with the Russian company Rosatom.




    Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has
    immediately congratulated his Finnish counterpart voicing his eager readiness
    for cooperation and the development of the tight European partnership between
    Romania and Finland, to defend together their Euro-Atlantic values.


    (bill)

  • December 30, 2023

    December 30, 2023


    AUTONOMY Romanias Senate Friday dismissed 3 bills tabled by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romaniaregarding the autonomy of the Szeklers Land, a region in the centre of the country. At the plenary talks, the MPs from all the other parties stressed that the bills came against several articles in the Constitution and harmed the rule of law, while the initiators argued the opposite, saying that territorial autonomy did not entail changes in the national borders, but was a right which worked in a number European states. The bills provided for the “Covasna and Harghita counties and a part of Mureş county becoming autonomous, as part of a region with legal personality.” In that presumed autonomous entity, the Hungarian language would have had the same status as the official language of the Romanian state. The land would also have its own president. The so-called Szeklers Land, the only area in Romania where the Hungarian population is the majority, was autonomous between 1952 and 1968. According to historians, this was an experiment imposed in Soviet-occupied Romania by the dictator Joseph Stalin, at the insistence of the communist leaders in Budapest. The ethnic Hungarian population in Romania has been represented, without interruption, in the Parliament of post-communist Romania, by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians. Since 1996, the UDMR has been part of numerous coalition governments in Bucharest, whether right-wing or left-wing.



    INSURANCE The government extended a cap on the price of compulsory motor insurance policies, which will stay at the level in February 2023 until March next year. The cap will stay in place for as long as it is necessary for market regulation, but in 3-month stages, the government spokesman Mihai Constantin announced. The Cabinet also passed a bill making insurance compulsory for electric bikes and scooters, but exempting electrically powered wheelchairs used by people with disabilities from compulsory insurance.



    POLICE Close to 24,000 interior ministry staff will be on duty during the 4-day New Years holiday, while road traffic will be monitored by 360 radar speed guns and DUI check teams. Also, around 5,000 fire-fighters are on duty every day around the country, to provide emergency assistance if necessary. The border police also took steps to enhance border monitoring and to streamline vehicle and person transit at checkpoints. Meanwhile, the authorities announced having seized over 100 tonnes of fireworks kits and opening more than 500 criminal investigations in this respect, and have once again called on parents not to buy firecrackers for their children as such materials may be extremely dangerous.



    POLL The activities carried out part of the Timişoara – European Capital of Culture 2023 programme, including the Constantin Brâncuşi exhibition, received the most votes (29%) to be designated the event of the year 2023 in Romania, in a survey carried out by the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy (IRES). According to the poll, the second event that marked Romania in 2023 was the qualification of the national football team to the final tournament of the European Championship – UEFA EURO 2024, which will take place next summer in Germany (24% of responses). Regarding culture and free time, 58% of the survey respondents said that they read at least one book in 2023, and 41% that they also bought books, 36% went to a show, and 20% went to a stadium or attended a sports competition. More than three quarters of the survey participants (76%) stated that they went to church this year.



    UKRAINE Fridays massive Russian strikes on Ukraine, which killed at least 30 people and wounded over 160 others, are “appalling assaults” the UN deputy secretary general Mohamed Khiari said in a Security Council meeting in New York. Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the situation as the largest Russian air attack since the start of the war, with close to 160 missiles and drones hitting a maternity ward, educational facilities, and other industrial, military and civilian targets. NATO member Poland also reported the violation of the Polish airspace by a Russian missile. The strikes triggered large-scale international condemnation, with the US president Joe Biden calling on Congress to take immediate steps to send fresh aid to Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russias ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya blamed the toll on the misuse of Ukraines air defence systems, “the use of which has led to the deaths of civilians.” (AMP)