Radio România Internațional

Tag: Schengen

  • Romania Enters Schengen

    Romania Enters Schengen

    The Schengen external border changed on 1 January, with the entry into force of the Justice and Home Affairs Council decision of 12 December 2024, by which Romania and Bulgaria joined the free movement area and the land borders. Thus, the frontier moved to Romania’s border with Serbia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, while Bulgaria has an external Schengen frontier at the border with Serbia, North Macedonia and Turkey, the latter being one of the most complicated on the eastern side in terms of illegal migration.

    The problems on this border area were one of the reasons why Austria was late in giving its consent in recent years. Emotions ran high until the last moment for Bucharest and Sofia. Although, in November, Austria had signed an agreement on full accession in Budapest, and the Austrian government had made political statements that it would no longer veto it in the Council, surprises emerged from the Netherlands at the last moment. The right-wing radicals from the Freedom Party initiated a parliamentary procedure to stop this move, but failed to gather a majority. Valentin Naumescu, professor of international relations at Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, told us:

    “Romania deserved integration into the area of free movement, and has deserved it for a long time. We should have received this decision around March 2011, when we first met the technical criteria for accession. Unfortunately, there was always an unfavorable context, a combination of European and regional political circumstances, which were negative for Romania. The Netherlands, Austria, and other countries had elections, or were afraid of the rise of extremist, anti-migration parties. Everyone was settling their domestic political scores at the expense of Romania and Bulgaria. So, this delay, I would dare to say, is not due to us, Romania, because we have been meeting the technical criteria for over 13 years, and this has been recognized by the European Commission.”

    From now on, it is a closed chapter, Romania has entered the normality of a member state of the European Union, which has long fulfilled the conditions to be a member of the Schengen area, insists Professor Naumescu, but, he adds, there is another important thing happening, which is worth highlighting:

    “It is also important that Bulgaria is entering with us, because, from a geopolitical point of view, a corridor from Greece, in the south of the European Union, to Central Europe is being closed. This corridor of free movement will be very important for carriers, for the economy, for the Romanian economy and not only, for the economy of the region, for the European Union as a whole. There are many companies that will benefit by shortening transport times, transiting the territory of these countries, by abolishing internal customs controls. So, these are things that will be felt in the short and medium term, I would say in the coming years as well. We will be better connected economically, many investors will dare to come and invest in our part of the world, having lower costs. Otherwise, we can’t say that many things will change. Yes, it’s also a matter of prestige, but in the sense of returning to normality, because our prestige was affected.”

    Joining Schengen not only eliminates hours of waiting in line at borders during the holidays, but also changes the rules of the game for the economy, bringing advantages in terms of the fact that freight transport will be more efficient and less expensive, according to the principle of “time is money”. With the elimination of controls, carriers will save millions of euros annually, and Romanian products will reach shelves in Europe faster and at lower costs. Simply put, Romania becomes more competitive in an extremely dynamic European market, but also more attractive to foreign investors. At the same time, border regions become true economic hubs. Without bureaucratic controls, local trade will grow, and cross-border collaborations will generate jobs and economic growth. According to the agreement, Romania and Bulgaria are part of the Schengen area starting January 1, but for six months there will be a regime of alternative or spot checks – a safety measure to see how free passage works. This means that not all vehicles or people will be stopped for inspection as before, but according to the authorities’ estimates, somewhere between 5 and 10 percent at most. Such checks are not new, they were temporarily initiated on various internal borders in Schengen, amid the increase in illegal migrants from outside to the interior of the Union. Another reason is Russia’s hybrid war, which poses security risks to the European Union.

  • Romania and Bulgaria, fully in the Schengen Area

    Romania and Bulgaria, fully in the Schengen Area

    Symbolic ceremonies marked, on the night between years, the complete entry into the Schengen area of ​​Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the European free travel area with land borders too. In Giurgiu-Ruse, representatives of the authorities from both countries, as well as citizens who crossed the Romanian – Bulgarian border for the first time without being controlled, celebrated the moment. ‘A truly historic moment, with special practical consequences for every Romanian citizen, for Romanian companies. Romania’s integration into the European Union is complete and irrevocable’, said the Romanian Interior Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, who attended the event together with his Bulgarian counterpart, Atanas Ilkov. Another short ceremony took place at one of the border crossing points between Hungary and Romania, where the head of the national police of Hungary met with the chief inspector of the border police of Romania.

     

    Members of the European Union since 2007, the two countries have worked together in the Schengen accession process. With the technical criteria met since 2011, Romania and Bulgaria managed to partially join the free travel area only in March last year, with the lifting of controls in airports and seaports. A few months later, in mid-December, the two countries finally received approval from all European partners to enjoy the same privileges at land border crossings. This was possible after Austria gave up its opposition. Vienna had previously invoked an influx of asylum seekers that would worsen in the event of a land expansion of Schengen, but towards the end of 2024 it considered that the measures implemented in recent months allowed “a massive reduction of crossings”.

     

    From January 1, drivers and passengers no longer need to present any identity documents, and cars can pass without control. Road transporters who until now had to wait in line for 20 hours to transit, will now cross the border without control. However, for the first six months at least, random border checks will be carried out to deter criminal activity, with particular focus on large vehicles. At the same time, the surveillance of the Bulgarian – Turkish border, which has become the external border of the Schengen area, will be strengthened. As regards tourism, tourism companies rely on an increase in the number of travelers, including those going to Greece. Following the full accession to Schengen, significant economic benefits are expected, likely to increase the gross domestic product (GDP) by at least 1% in both countries, according to estimates. Created in 1985, the Schengen area now includes 25 of the 27 EU member countries as well as their associated neighbors Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. (LS)

  • December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    December 26, 2024 UPDATE

    Christmas – For New Rite Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics and Catholics all over the world, including Romania, which has a majority Orthodox population, December 26 is the second day of Christmas, the celebration of the Nativity, one of the biggest in Christianity. On December 26, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, one of the oldest feasts in honor of the Virgin Mary. The holiday was established 1,500 years ago. Christmas is a celebration of generosity and compassion, of the revival of hope for a better future, President Klaus Iohannis wrote on a social network. Christmas is a celebration of joy, and true faith is the one that works through love, says the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made a new call for peace in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Old Rite Orthodox believers, who form the majority in Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Georgia, celebrate Christmas on January 7.

     

    Government – One of the priorities of the new Romanian government is to draft next year’s budget, which seems to be, at the same time, the main difficulty it will face in the assumed effort to reduce expenses. The draft budget is based on a new emergency ordinance regarding fiscal-budgetary measures, which is to be approved in the following days. In includes a large part of the unpopular measures that the government must implement in order to reduce the deficit. Some of the measures are the freezing of salaries and pensions in 2025 or the taxation of large fortunes. The investiture of the new government in Bucharest, made up of the PSD-PNL-UDMR, sent a positive signal to Romanian businessmen and to foreign investors, claims the Prime Minister and social-democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu.

     

    Schengen – As of January 1, 2025, when Romania enters the Schengen free travel area also with land borders, 33 border crossing points with Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as from the Black Sea and the maritime Danube, will be permanently closed, namely 17 road and rail crossing points located on Romania’s western border with Hungary and 14 road crossing points, including ferry crossings, rail and port crossing points on the border with Bulgaria and two port crossing points from Brăila and Cernavodă. The Interior Ministry has put up for debate a draft government decision in this regard. From the beginning of 2025, there will no longer be checks at the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria at the crossing points. Such checks will only be done randomly, based on risk analysis. Lifting controls at the land borders takes place after the so-called partial accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, made at the end of March, when they joined the area only with the air and sea borders.

     

    Recovery and Resilience – At the beginning of this week, Romania received over 37 million Euros from the European Commission as part of the second payment request from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan following the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, Romania has received 9.4 billion Euros out of a total of over 28 and a half billion Euros allocated to it. In mid December, the Romanian Government sent the European Commission the payment request number three, which involves a financing of 2.7 billion Euros. The money is given in the form of grants, and a series of reforms must be carried out in return.

     

    Moldova – The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO, on Wednesday, of trying to turn the Republic of Moldova into a logistics center for the supply of the Ukrainian army and of trying to bring its military infrastructure closer to Russia. Maria Zaharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said that the majority of the population of the Republic of Moldova (mostly Romanian speaking) does not want to join the military alliance. She referred to the extensive arms transfers to Moldova in recent months and to Maia Sandu’s pro-Western views. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis congratulated Maia Sandu on taking over her second mandate. Romania and the Republic of Moldova will continue to work for well-being, stability, European values, resilience and democracy, said Klaus Iohannis. On December 24, Maia Sandu was officially inaugurated as president of the Republic of Moldova. In her speech, she emphasized that European integration and justice reform remain the main objectives in her second term. Despite the regional and global crises, caused by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, external threats and the Kremlin’s energy blackmail, the Republic of Moldova managed to maintain peace and advance on the European path, she said. Maia Sandu is the first woman to hold this position and the first president elected by direct vote, who obtained two mandates.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep forfeited her matches for the WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, and for the Australian Open in which she had to participate in the following period due to some medical problems. ‘I will rest and I intend to participate next in the tournament in Cluj (north-western Romania, February 1-9), where I can’t wait to play in front of the extraordinary Romanian fans,  said Halep, former world number one player. The WTA 250 in Auckland, with total prizes worth 275,094 dollars, is scheduled from December 30 to January 5, while the Australian Open, next year’s first Grand Slam tournament, will be held in Melbourne between 6 and January 26.

     

    Gaza – A Palestinian television channel, affiliated to the Islamic Jihad group, on Thursday announced the death of five of its journalists in an Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip. The people were allegedly killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the center of the Palestinian enclave, ‘while carrying out their journalistic and humanitarian duty’. In turn, the Israeli army stated, on the Telegram network, that it executed ‘a precise strike on a vehicle with an Islamic Jihad terrorist cell on board in the Nuseirat area.’ The Israeli forces claim that before the attack, measures were taken to reduce the risk of hitting civilians. Last week, the Palestinian Union of Journalists announced that more than 190 journalists had been killed and more than 400 wounded since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023.

     

    Rescue – Three Ukrainians lost in the Maramureş Mountains (northern Romania) were rescued after difficult searches. The three crossed the border into Romania in extreme weather conditions and asked the authorities for help. The rescuers expanded the search area after they did not find the lost people at the place they had indicated. An aerial search was not possible due to bad weather, and searches were carried out only on foot. After several hours, the rescuers found the Ukrainians in a dangerous valley, with mild hypothermia, and one with traumas caused by falling in that rugged area. The three were hospitalized. Ukraine invaded by Russian troops has repeatedly reported cases of men dying while trying to flee the country to escape military service. In particular, the mountain river Tisa, which flows along Ukraine’s border with Hungary and Romania, has made numerous victims. (LS)

  • December 26, 2024

    December 26, 2024

    Christmas – For New Rite Orthodox Christians, Greek Catholics and Catholics all over the world, including Romania, which has a majority Orthodox population, December 26 is the second day of Christmas, the celebration of the Nativity, one of the biggest in Christianity. On December 26, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, one of the oldest feasts in honor of the Virgin Mary. The holiday was established 1,500 years ago. Christmas is a celebration of generosity and compassion, of the revival of hope for a better future, President Klaus Iohannis wrote on a social network. Christmas is a celebration of joy, and true faith is the one that works through love, says the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel. At the Vatican, Pope Francis made a new call for peace in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Old Rite Orthodox believers, who form the majority in Russia, Ukraine, Serbia and Georgia, celebrate Christmas on January 7.

     

    Government – One of the priorities of the new Romanian government is to draft next year’s budget, which seems to be, at the same time, the main difficulty it will face in the assumed effort to reduce expenses. The draft budget is based on a new emergency ordinance regarding fiscal-budgetary measures, which is to be approved in the following days. In includes a large part of the unpopular measures that the government must implement in order to reduce the deficit. Some of the measures are the freezing of salaries and pensions in 2025 or the taxation of large fortunes. The investiture of the new government in Bucharest, made up of the PSD-PNL-UDMR, sent a positive signal to Romanian businessmen and to foreign investors, claims the Prime Minister and social-democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu.

     

    Schengen – As of January 1, 2025, when Romania enters the Schengen free travel area also with land borders, 33 border crossing points with Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as from the Black Sea and the maritime Danube, will be permanently closed, namely 17 road and rail crossing points located on Romania’s western border with Hungary and 14 road crossing points, including ferry crossings, rail and port crossing points on the border with Bulgaria and two port crossing points from Brăila and Cernavodă. The Interior Ministry has put up for debate a draft government decision in this regard. From the beginning of 2025, there will no longer be checks at the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria at the crossing points. Such checks will only be done randomly, based on risk analysis. Lifting controls at the land borders takes place after the so-called partial accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area, made at the end of March, when they joined the area only with the air and sea borders.

     

    Recovery and Resilience – At the beginning of this week, Romania received over 37 million Euros from the European Commission as part of the second payment request from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan following the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, Romania has received 9.4 billion Euros out of a total of over 28 and a half billion Euros allocated to it. In mid December, the Romanian Government sent the European Commission the payment request number three, which involves a financing of 2.7 billion Euros. The money is given in the form of grants, and a series of reforms must be carried out in return.

     

    Moldova – The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO, on Wednesday, of trying to turn the Republic of Moldova into a logistics center for the supply of the Ukrainian army and of trying to bring its military infrastructure closer to Russia. Maria Zaharova, the spokeswoman for the ministry, said that the majority of the population of the Republic of Moldova (mostly Romanian speaking) does not want to join the military alliance. She referred to the extensive arms transfers to Moldova in recent months and to Maia Sandu’s pro-Western views. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis congratulated Maia Sandu on taking over her second mandate. Romania and the Republic of Moldova will continue to work for well-being, stability, European values, resilience and democracy, said Klaus Iohannis. On December 24, Maia Sandu was officially inaugurated as president of the Republic of Moldova. In her speech, she emphasized that European integration and justice reform remain the main objectives in her second term. Despite the regional and global crises, caused by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, external threats and the Kremlin’s energy blackmail, the Republic of Moldova managed to maintain peace and advance on the European path, she said. Maia Sandu is the first woman to hold this position and the first president elected by direct vote, who obtained two mandates. (LS)

     

  • The Week in Review

    The Week in Review

    A look at the headline-grabbing events of the past week.

     

     Schengen members, at last

     

    The good news of the week, officially confirmed on Thursday, has been Romania’s full accession, alongside with Bulgaria, to the European ​​free movement area. At the end of March, the European partners had agreed to welcome the two states into Schengen with air and sea borders. After the Netherlands and especially Austria decided to no longer oppose, the Justice and Home Affairs Council unanimously approved on Thursday the accession of Romania and Bulgaria with land borders to the Schengen area, as of January 1. Starting with this date, there will be no more checks except at Romania’s borders with Serbia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. However, in the first six months after accession, there will still be alternative or random checks, a security measure to see how the free movement works. Such temporary checks have also been initiated on various internal borders in Schengen, amid an increase in illegal migrants. The authorities in Bucharest welcomed the country’s acceptance into Schengen, emphasizing that the decision translates into faster movement for citizens, lower logistics costs for companies, increased competitiveness of Romanian products and services on the European market as well as business opportunities and jobs.

     

     

    Unfinished election marathon

     

    At the beginning of the week that is ending, Romanians should have known the name of their next president. The second round of the presidential elections had been scheduled for December 8, and should have marked the end of the electoral marathon that began in June with the local and European parliamentary elections. On December 6, however, the Constitutional Court cancelled the election for president, after finding that the electoral process was flawed by multiple irregularities and violations of the electoral legislation. The direct beneficiary of this electoral process, hijacked by Russia’s hybrid attacks, according to intelligence services, would have been the winner of the first round, the independent candidate Călin Georgescu, a pro-Russian extremist, who is also anti-West and an admirer of the fascist leaders of the Romanian interwar period. The Prosecutor’s Office is now investigating two of his close associates, former mercenaries. One of them, suspected of planning to cause unrest in the capital Bucharest, is being investigated for failing to comply with the arms and ammunition laws, operations with pyrotechnic objects and public incitement, and the other for using legionary symbols, which had been used by the anti-Semitic and criminal extreme right of the 1930s. The Financial Times carries the opinion of analysts, according to whom the attractiveness of paramilitary groups in Romania, with very “macho” visions, which combine religion with ultra-nationalism, has increased because the authorities have not intervened.

     

     

    Pro-Europeans in the future Parliament negotiate on a joint government

     

    President Klaus Iohannis, whose mandate will be extended until the election of his successor, convened the new Parliament on December 20. Four pro-European parties, PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and three self-proclaimed sovereignists, AUR, SOS Romania and POT, will be part the future Parliament, following the December 1st elections. With almost two-thirds of the mandates, the pro-Europeans, joined by the deputies of national minorities, other than the Hungarian one, have began negotiations this week for a broad coalition government. We recall that, before the second round of the presidential elections, PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and the group of national minorities had signed the pact for a pro-European and Euro-Atlantic coalition. The document was aimed at blocking Călin Georgescu’s access to the highest position within the state. After the election was cancelled, the signatories of that document renewed their commitment and now promise a governing program focused on development and reforms, which will take into account the priorities of citizens. They agreed that a clear plan is needed to streamline and reduce public spending and bureaucracy in public administration. They also agreed to increase the current pace of investments and reforms under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

     

     

    Inflation, the never-ending problem

     

    The future executive in Bucharest will face a number of challenges, including restoring trust in the political class and reforming state institutions and, last but not least, economic problems. One of the latter is generated by inflation. Fueled by price increases in postal services, fresh fruit and margarine, the inflation rate increased again compared to the previous month. The annual inflation, reported in November 2024 in comparison with the one November 2023, increased again for the second consecutive month, reaching 5.11% from 4.67% in October. One of the causes of the increase in inflation is the high budget deficit, which the Government is struggling to finance, analysts explain. The latest forecast of the Central Bank shows that inflation will fall below 3.5% per year only in 2026.

     

     

    Sports week

     

    Romania’s football champion, FCSB (Bucharest), drew an equal score with the German team Hoffenheim, on Thursday evening, away, in the 6th round of the Europa League. The Bucharest team is ranked 10th in the group and is very close to qualifying for the European spring. They still have two matches to play in January, the last of which is at home against the famous English team Manchester United. In handball, the Romanian women’s national team ranked 11th at the European Championship hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.

  • Full Schengen membership for Romania

    Full Schengen membership for Romania

     

    After years of waiting, Romania and Bulgaria are becoming full members of the Schengen area. On Thursday, the Justice and Home Affairs Council approved the lifting of the two countries’ land border controls, as of January 1, 2025.

     

    “The benefits of our membership of the free movement area​ are multiple and have a direct impact on citizens, on the economy and on the image of our country. The lifting of land border controls means faster and simpler movement for those who travel, the time spent at the borders will be considerably reduced, and logistics costs for companies will decrease, which will rapidly improve the competitiveness of Romanian products and services on the European market,” President Klaus Iohannis said.

     

    “It is a historic decision, a victory for justice and national dignity and a clear signal that we will never accept to be second-rate European citizens,” Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said in his turn. He explained that, for Romanians, this decision brings concrete and immediate benefits, especially for those in the diaspora, who travel frequently to Romania.

     

    The full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area brings about a number of undeniable benefits for the two countries. First of all, greater freedom of movement towards Western Europe. Similarly, towards the south, Romanians will no longer be stopped either at the border with Bulgaria or at the next one, with Greece. The greatest benefits, however, will be for carriers who will no longer have to wait for hours at the borders, most often in difficult conditions.

     

    There will be, however, a six-month period of partial controls at the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria. Such controls have been temporarily initiated on various internal Schengen borders, due to the increase in illegal migration into the Union. The justice minister Cătălin Predoiu provided more details:

     

    Cătălin Predoiu: “Whenever border police notice something wrong with a vehicle carrying individuals or when they receive information that there is a risk in terms of compliance with the law, they step in and carry out checks.”

     

    Bulgaria and Romania, members of the EU since 2007, partially joined the Schengen area in March, with passport controls abolished for those crossing the air and sea borders.

     

    Romania went through several Schengen assessment reports before 2011, the first deadline for joining the area. Subsequently, over the years, countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands or Austria opposed Romania’s accession, citing issues related to corruption, organised crime, judicial reforms or migration.

     

    With a population of almost 420 million people, Schengen is the largest free movement area in the world, covering over 4 million square kilometers and now including 29 countries. (AMP)

  • December 12, 2024

    December 12, 2024

     

    SCHENGEN The EU interior ministers convening in the Justice and Home Affairs Council have decided to lift controls at internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania, starting with 1 January 2025. “Through the coordinated efforts of Romanian authorities, through steps at political and diplomatic level, we can finally enjoy a well-deserved right, legitimately acquired by Romania”, president Klaus Iohannis said, welcoming the decision announced in Brussels. “The advantages of our membership in the free movement area are multiple and have a direct impact on citizens, on the economy and on the image of our country. Scrapping border controls means faster and simpler movement for those who travel, the time spent at the borders will be considerably reduced, and logistics costs for companies will decrease, which will rapidly increase the competitiveness of Romanian products and services on the European market. Romania’s attractiveness to foreign investors will also increase considerably”, the head of state also said. “It is a historic decision, a victory for justice and national dignity and a clear signal that we will never accept being second-class citizens in Europe,” PM Marcel Ciolacu also stressed. “It is, above all, a triumph of all Romanians, regardless of their political choice or social situation, a victory for teamwork,” the PM added. The European Commission welcomed the unanimous decision of the JHA Council, noting that “The full accession of both countries not only strengthens the Schengen Area, but will further consolidate the internal market, increase travel, trade and tourism. A solid Schengen Area strengthens the unity of the EU and makes the EU stronger on a global scale.”

     

    GOVERNMENT Negotiations continue in Parliament to define a government programme for the pro-European coalition. The talks are taking place between the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, as well as the ethnic minorities group. According to the negotiations so far, the new cabinet would have only 15 or 16 ministers at most, and a small number of state secretaries. The distribution of these positions among the coalition parties is yet to be decided. The structure of the new government should be finalised by the end of the week. In addition, the coalition party leaders are also to decide on the new parliamentary majority will operate and who will take over the leadership of the two chambers. The new parliament is due to convene next Friday for a first session, in which the new senators and deputies will be validated.

     

    SALARIES In Romania, net average wages per month in October reached around EUR 1,050, up 12.3% compared to the corresponding month in 2023, the National Statistics Institute announced on Thursday. The highest values ​​were reported in the IT&C sector, and the lowest in the textile industry. According to the Institute, average net earnings increased in October compared to September in most economic sectors. In the public sector, in October, salary increases were operated in education and public administration. In healthcare and social assistance, average net earnings decreased slightly compared to the previous month.

     

    INFLATION The annual inflation rate in Romania rose to 5.11% in November, as against 4.67% in October. Compared to November 2023, food prices rose by 5%, and services by over 7.5%, according to the National Statistics Institute. The National Bank of Romania has revised upwards its inflation forecast for the end of the year, to 4.9%.

     

    FOOTBALL The Romanian football champions, FCSB, are taking on the German side Hoffenheim tonight in Sinsheim, in the 6th round of the Europa League group stage. With three wins, a draw and a defeat, FCSB has 10 points and is in 10th place. The Romanian champions hope for another victory, which will improve their chances to rank among the top 8 teams qualified straight into the round of 16. Hoffenheim has 5 points, with one win, two draws and two defeats, and is in 25th place, one place below the play-off qualification zone. (AMP)

  • December 11, 2024

    December 11, 2024

    Schengen – The full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area from January 1 will be on the agenda of Thursday’s meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council. Austria has recently announced that it will give up its right of veto that blocked the Schengen accession of the two countries with land borders as well. The argument was that the Austrian authorities’ insistence on combating illegal immigration led to a decrease in the number of migrants intercepted near the border of Austria with Hungary, the most frequent entry route into the country. The only uncertain thing is the maintenance, after January 1, of controls at the land borders between Hungary and Romania and between Romania and Bulgaria for a period of at least six months. These controls would be necessary to mitigate a possible change in migratory routes and to prevent any serious threat to public order or internal security. We remind you that Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Schengen with air and sea borders at the end of March.

     

    Inflation – The annual inflation rate rose, in November, to 5.11%, from 4.67% in October, as the price of foods and non-foods rose by over 5%, and services by over 7%, show data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The National Bank of Romania has revised upward, to 4.9%, from 4% previously, the inflation forecast for the end of 2024. The national bank also anticipates that inflation will reach 3.5% at the end of 2025.

     

    Stock exchange – The Bucharest Stock Exchange closed Tuesday’s session with all indices rising for the third consecutive day. The main index, BET, which includes the 20 most traded listed companies, grew by almost 1%. The Bucharest Stock Exchange has announced that it is exploring the options of establishing a stock exchange in Chişinău, in order to build a robust capital market in the neighboring state. Thus, the aim is to stimulate bilateral cooperation and a wider access to financing for companies from the Republic of Moldova, which, together with those from Romania, will become regional leaders over time.

     

    Negotiations – In Romania, the Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL (in the current governing coalition), Save Romania Union – USR, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR and the group of national minorities have agreed to jointly form a government and a pro-European parliamentary majority. The four parties and the national minorities, which together hold about two-thirds of the Legislature, will work on a common governing program based on development and reforms aimed at reducing public expenses and bureaucracy in the administration. They also agreed to increase the current pace of investments and reforms from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Regarding the presidential election, the pro-European parties have pledged to support a possible common candidate.

     

    NATO – Romania remains firmly committed to the assumed Euro-Atlantic path, and the decision to make our own contribution to strengthening security in the region remains solid, the Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, said. Together with the ambassador of the United States in Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, he visited the Mihail Kogălniceanu air base (south-east), where he met with a delegation made up of defense attachés from NATO member countries, accredited in Bucharest, and with the allied military who carry out their activity there. (LS)

  • Austria no longer opposes Romania’s Schengen accession

    Austria no longer opposes Romania’s Schengen accession

    The Austrian Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, has announced his country no longer opposes Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen with their ground borders. A decision in this respect is expected at the meeting of the European Interior and Justice Ministers in Brussels this week, where in order to be adopted, it will have to be voted unanimously by the EU members.

    Austria opposed Schengen expansion two years ago in spite of the European Commission recommendations arguing that the EU’s external border wasn’t well-protected against illegal migration by these two countries.

    Gerhard Karner explained that Austria’s requests on fighting illegal migration have brought down the number of immigrants close to the Hungarian border, the most preferred entrance route to his country.

    This massive reduction in illegal migration wouldn’t have become visible had we not opposed until now – the Vienna official went on to say. We saw 70 thousand interceptions until October last year alone and only 4 thousand in the same period this year, Minister Karner said adding that it wasn’t sure whether those illegal migrants had made it to Austria via Romania.

    In December 2023, the EU Council decided to accept in its borders-free area Romania and Bulgaria, two EU members since 2007. However, these two countries’ accession was only partial in March 2024, and only those travelling by air or by sea were exempted from passport checking. The Foreign Ministers of Austria, Romania and Bulgaria, as well as the Hungarian presidency of the EU Council have recently agreed over a new measure package on border security.

    Under the document signed in Budapest, even after the two countries’ ground accession, a transition period of 6 months will follow when checking is to continue at the two countries’ borders, a condition imposed by Austria. However, the checking is no longer needed at the Greek-Bulgarian border.

    Romania had witnessed several Schengen assessment reports before 2011, the first assumed term for joining the zone. Along the years countries like France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands or Austria opposed Romania’s accession invoking issues such as corruption, organized crime, legal and migration reforms.

    In May 2022, the European Commission reiterated the recommendation that Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia be admitted to the Schengen zone. The last, an EU member since 2013, joined on January 1 2023, both the border-free area and the Eurozone, whereas Romania and Bulgaria had to wait.

    In October 2024, the European Parliament endorsed a new resolution, the fourth of this kind since 2011 – calling for the immediate accession of Bulgaria and Romania. Schengen is the world’s largest free-movement area covering 4 million square kilometers with a population of 420 million people and includes 27 countries.

    (bill)

  • December 10, 2024

    December 10, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

     

    SCHENGEN – Austria will not oppose Romania and Bulgaria becoming full members of the Schengen European free movement area, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country holds the six-month presidency of the EU Council, said in turn that EU interior ministers will vote on December 12 in the Justice and Home Affairs Council on Hungary’s proposal to allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen area with land borders. Romania and Bulgaria received partial access to the Schengen area starting March 31, with the opening of air and sea borders. Land border checks, however, remained in force due to Austrian opposition, motivated by Vienna’s concerns about illegal migration. Romania could thus fully join the Schengen area 17 years after becoming a EU member.

     

    DEFICIT – Romania’s trade balance deficit in the first 10 months of 2024 was 27.211 billion euros, almost 4 billion euros (+17.2%) higher than the one recorded between January 1 and October 31, 2023, according to data published on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). During the aforementioned period, exports stood at 77.731 billion euros, down 1.2%, and imports stood at 104.943 billion euros, up 3%, compared to the same period in 2023. Important shares in the structure of exports and imports are held by the product groups: machinery and transport equipment and other manufactured products. On the other hand, Romania’s budget deficit for the first 11 months of this year reached 7.11% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), about 125.7 billion lei (the equivalent of over 25 billion euros). The Government’s deficit target for 2024 is 8.58% of the GDP, 152 billion lei, which, according to the specialized media in Bucharest, means that substantial spending is planned for December as well.

     

    MOLDOVA – The 15th meeting of the Moldova – European Union Parliamentary Association Committee is taking place today in Brussels. The current state of the country’s accession process will be analyzed and a final declaration will be adopted, which will include certain recommendations for the authorities in Chisinau. The Moldovan President, Maia Sandu, will also be in Brussels, to meet with the Presidents of the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament, as well as with the NATO Secretary General, on topics related to the integration of the country’s economy into the European single market, reforming the judiciary, combating corruption and strengthening the rule of law.

     

    GOVERNMENT – The leaders of the pro-European parties in the Romanian Parliament, PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and those of the national minorities, are meeting this week to discuss the new government make-up. The Social Democrats, who came first in the December 1 elections, would like the future government to be formed around them and to continue the projects started by the current PSD-PNL government. They want to maintain the pace of investments, increase purchasing power, support the Romanian private sector and reform the state. The Liberals say they have understood the need for change coming from the electorate and want the negotiations to start from a clear program of reforms for the benefit of citizens. The USR representatives want a government to be formed as soon as possible, while the UDMR calls for solidarity for a common vision for Romania. The negotiations between PSD, PNL, UDMR, USR and the national minorities to form a new government are taking place after these parties had signed, before the presidential elections were cancelled, a resolution for a pro-European majority in Parliament. They commit to reforms and support the country’s development and reject any collaboration with the political parties in the sovereignist (ultranationalist, populist) bloc formed by AUR, SOS Romania and POT.

     

    HANDBALL – The Romanian national team meets Poland today in its last match in the main Group I of the European Women’s Handball Championship – EHF EURO 2024, hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. The match is being played in Debrecen, Hungary. France and Hungary have already qualified for the semi-finals. Romania defeated Serbia and the Czech Republic in the first phase and lost to Montenegro, and in the main group it defeated Sweden and lost to Hungary. The 16th edition of the EHF EURO includes the participation of 24 teams, eight more than in previous editions. Romania has participated 14 times in the European Women’s Championship, obtaining only one medal, bronze, in 2010.

  • December 9, 2024 UPDATE

    December 9, 2024 UPDATE

    Defense Ministry – The Romanian Defense Ministry (MApN) signals new disinformation actions in the online environment, especially on the TikTok platform. According to the MApN portal, InfoRadar, Romania’s borders and port infrastructure are targeted. One of the posts falsely accredits the idea that Romania’s borders will be closed and secured with military personnel, and the other presents, without any connection with reality, military equipment that is not in the Romanian Army’s equipment as being concentrated in the Port of Constanța, this being evidence, as the authors of the disinformation claim, of war preparations. The Ministry specifies that all this information is false and that its communication structures will continue to report cases of disinformation of the public opinion as they are identified. The National Audiovisual Council and The National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications have notified the platforms Meta, TikTok, X and Google regarding their obligations in terms of combating disinformation, in accordance with the European regulation in the field.

     

    Syria – On Monday, the EU called for a ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition in Syria, after the removal of the Bashar al-Assad regime from power. The head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, underlined that it was essential to maintain the territorial integrity of Syria, to respect the independence, sovereignty and state institutions of this country and to reject all forms of extremism. The Russian state media reports that the ousted president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, and his family are in Russia and have received political asylum. The coalition of Syrian rebels and local officials have announced that they are working to transfer power and rebuild Syria together. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali has spoken publicly and has said he will remain in office until a new government is installed, that public institutions will be protected and that government officials must remain in office until a new government is formed. According to commentators, busy with the invasion of Ukraine, respectively with the conflict with Israel, Russia and Iran, the supporters of the Assad regime during the civil war of the last decade, have had no significant interventions against the rebels this time.

     

    Weather – In Romania, in the next 24 hours, temperatures ​​will be above the multi-annual averages specific to this date. The sky will be cloudy in the west, north and center of the country, and in the rest the clouds will be temporary. Light rainfalls will be reported in the center and northeast. There will be mixed precipitation in the mountain area and in the northern half of the country. The wind will blow moderately, with some intensification in the east and southeast. Maximum temperatures will range between 3 and 9 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists announce warmer weather than normal for this period throughout Romania, until January 6. Rain will be reported, especially in the first part of this interval, in the eastern, southern and intra-Carpathian regions, according to the four-week forecast issued by the National Meteorological Administration. The first month of winter is characterized by several phenomena, including snow, which, associated with intensification of the wind, will cause blizzards, quite often in the southern half and in the east.

     

    Arrest – Horaţiu Potra, a local councilor in the town of Mediaş (central Romania), known as the leader of a group of mercenaries that operated in Africa, was arrested, Sunday evening, by Romanian prosecutors. His arrest was confirmed by his lawyers, who say that the charges are public incitement and non-compliance with the weapons and ammunition regime, being related to the arsenal found by investigators and a post on Facebook. Several weapons and sums of money were found in a car, in traffic, in Prahova county (south), which transported Potra and another person, who were allegedly on their way to Bucharest. Currently, the Prahova county prosecutors and police are conducting other searches in Ilfov (south), Sibiu (center) and Bucharest. The searches take place in several buildings owned by Potra, as well as in other spaces where it is assumed that there were meetings between him and persons suspected of involvement in perpetrating these crimes. According to the information published in the press, Potra is allegedly a supporter and the one who coordinates the security of the nationalist politician Călin Georgescu, accused of connections with Russia. Winner of the first round of the presidential election on November 24, round which was later canceled by the Constitutional Court of Romania, Georgescu claims that he does not know Potra and that he only knows things about him from the press.

     

    Schengen  – Austria will not oppose Romania and Bulgaria becoming full members of the European Schengen free travel area, at the meeting of interior ministers that will take place on Thursday in Brussels, the Austrian APA agency reported on Monday, quoted by Reuters, citing Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. We remind you that Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Schengen in March, by suspending air and sea border controls. Land border controls, however, remained in place due to opposition from Austria, motivated by Vienna’s concerns about illegal migration. Romania could thus enter the Schengen area 17 years after joining the European Union. (LS)

  • Romania to enjoy more freedom of movement

    Romania to enjoy more freedom of movement

    2025 will go down in history as the year when Romanians earned the right to travel freely both to the Schengen area and to the United States. On Wednesday, Schengen member states gave the green light to Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full entry into Schengen from 1st January 2025. The decision was taken unanimously within the
    Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union (COREPER) and is confirmation that no member state is opposed to the entry of the two countries, with the official approval to be given by the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in a couple of weeks.

    The Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria had until recently been blocked by Austria, which now says it is no longer opposed, admitting that illegal migration figures went down. Controls on Schengen air and maritime borders had already been lifted for Romania and Bulgaria at the end of March this year.

    President Klaus Iohannis hailed Romania’s full Schengen entry, saying in a social media post that this was a decision Romanian citizens had long-awaited. “Congratulations citizens of Bulgaria and Romania! You have waited for so long! You belong to Schengen. And you should benefit in full from Schengen freedoms”, said the European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. Hungary’s permanent representative to the European Union, ambassador Bálint Ódor, said “With this decision, we will strengthen unity, free movement, and resilience across the EU. It’s a win for Bulgaria, Romania, and all of Europe”.

    Also on Wednesday, the US State Department announced that Romania met the criteria for entering the Visa Waiver Program as its visa refusal rate dropped below 3%. This year, around 80,000 Romanian citizens applied for US travel visa, with a record number of 78,000 being accepted. The announcement of the State Department was welcomed by the Romanian government, which said that fulfilling this goal would further consolidate Romania’s relationship with the United States.

    Romanian citizens will be able to travel visa-free to the US from 2025, giving this generation the chance to strengthen the friendship with the American people and to build a more prosperous partnership, said Andrei Murnu, Romania’s ambassador to the US. Andrei Muraru:

    “The announcement of the moment when Romania enters the Visa Waiver program is imminent. We are expecting it to be made at the beginning of January, with the actual entry into the program to take place sometime at the end of March or the beginning of April.”

    Until then, the foreign ministry in Bucharest says it stays committed to finalising the implementation of the necessary measures, both in the run-up to the adoption of the Visa Waiver decision, and later, as part of a constantly developing security context.

  • November 22, 2024

    November 22, 2024

     

    WEATHER Nearly 3-quarters of Romania’s territory is under various severe weather alerts, valid at least until tonight. A code red warning for snowstorms at altitudes of over 1,700 m is in place in several counties in the centre and south of the country. Parts of Romania’s mid-west are subject to code orange alerts for strong wind, ranging from 80 to 120 km/h, and heavy snowfalls are expected in the mountains. Mixed precipitation and wind are also forecast for the west, north-west and centre of the country, according to a code yellow alert.

     

    ELECTION Voting has begun abroad, in the first round of Romania’s presidential election. Voting is already underway in New Zealand, Australia, Japan and South Korea. Those who have already cast their ballots today join the over 4,200 who voted by mail. Voting abroad takes place over three days, from November 22 to 24. In the country, Romanians will be able to vote for their next president on Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with extensions granted only if there are still voters in polling stations or queuing outside. Almost 19,000 polling stations are set up in the country and 950 abroad for this election. The most polling stations abroad are in Italy – 158, Spain – 147 and the United Kingdom – 107. 13 candidates take part in the race for the president post. Also on Sunday, a local referendum is held in Bucharest, with three questions related to administrative issues, including the distribution of tax revenues and the issuance of construction permits, as well as the fight against drug use. A 30% turnout is needed for the referendum to be valid.

     

    SCHENGEN The interior ministers of Romania and Bulgaria, Cătălin Predoiu and Atanas Ilkov respectively, are meeting today in Budapest with their Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, to discuss the 2 countries’ full Schengen accession, vetoed by Austria so far. The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu, as well as his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, will also attend the meeting, held under the auspices of the Hungarian Presidency of the EU. During the talks, the officials will consider an agreement on the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen. A decision on lifting external border controls could be taken on December 12 in Brussels, in the Justice and Home Affairs Council, but this needs the support of all EU member states. Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Schengen at the end of March, by suspending controls at air and sea borders. Land border controls remained in place, however, because of Austria’s veto, which Vienna says is related to concerns about illegal migration.

     

    DEFENCE Signing the agreement with the US for the procurement of F-35 aircraft is another decisive step forward for Romania towards a modern and efficient national defence, well connected to our international partners, PM Marcel Ciolacu said on Thursday. He attended the signing of the Protocol launching the Romanian Air Force’s transition to 5th generation F-35 aircraft. The document was signed by the defence minister Angel Tîlvăr and the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec.

     

    UKRAINE Russia’s president Vladimir Putin said Russia had hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with a new type of medium-range missile designed to carry nuclear warheads, in response to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian territory with Western-supplied missiles. Addressing the nation, Putin said the war in Ukraine had acquired elements of a global conflict after the United States, France and Britain agreed with the use of their missiles against Russia, and he warned that his country had the right to use its weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against Russian territory. In case of escalation, Putin added, Russia would respond decisively and symmetrically. The United States, which according to Reuters was informed shortly before the Russian missile launch, said Moscow was the one escalating the conflict in Ukraine. Washington, however, said it had no reason to change its nuclear doctrine based solely on Putin’s irresponsible rhetoric.

     

    NETANYAHU Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he would continue to defend the country in any way he could, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Netanyahu described the court’s decision as an anti-Semitic act, while Israel’s president and the parliament speaker called it an attack on justice and truth. The US President Joe Biden called the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, “outrageous”, and promised the US would stand by Israel in the face of a threat to its security. According to Biden, the International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction in this case. As for President-elect Donald Trump, he did not react to the decision to issue the arrest warrants issued against Netanyahu and Gallant, but his future national security adviser, Mike Waltz, promised a “strong response” to the ICC’s anti-Semitic leaning. (AMP)

  • November 20, 2024 UPDATE

    November 20, 2024 UPDATE

    Schengen – The Romanian Interior Minister, Cătălin Predoiu on Wednesday talked, during a video conference, with his Hungarian counterpart, Sandor Pinter, on the subject of Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with land borders. The Romanian official stated that a good opportunity was created for the meeting that will take place in Budapest on November 22, in which the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, will also participate. With this discussion, I concluded a set of three successive meetings with the Austrian minister, Gerhard Karner, the Bulgarian minister, Atanas Ilkov, and the Hungarian minister, Sandor Pinter, in which I intended to harmonize the positions, so that the Budapest meeting should result in a new step forward for Romania’s accession to Schengen with land borders, Catalin Predoiu added.

     

    Commissions – The Romanian Parliament approved, with a large majority of votes, the setting up of two commissions of inquiry to investigate the expenses made by the Presidential Administration in the last 10 years and to ‘investigate the real estate mafia’. The first commission was initiated by the social-democratic groups in the governing coalition with the liberals. The members of the commission want to find out, among other things, the sums paid by the Presidential Administration for the rental of planes, for the internal and external travel of the president of the country or the expenses incurred for the development of the golf courses pertaining to protocol villas. The other commission of inquiry, initiated by the National Liberal Party starting from the Nordis case, aims to identify the ways in which homes in the project stage were sold to two or more people and to identify the mechanisms through which homes promised to bona fide buyers are later resold through fictitious companies. The mandate of the current parliament will end at the end of this year, so the two commissions only have time to investigate until the winter holidays.

     

    Ukraine – The Romanian Embassy in Kyiv has taken additional measures to ensure the protection of its staff. The Romanian Foreign Ministry says that the activity was limited to emergency actions, in coordination with the diplomatic missions of the other allied and EU member states, considering the security developments in Ukraine. The situation is constantly monitored and, in consultation with the Ukrainian authorities, the measures will be adapted according to developments. Ukraine used, on Tuesday, for the first time, American ballistic missiles against a target on the territory of Russia, as a result of the permission received from the Biden administration, which is at the end of its mandate. A thousand days after the beginning of the Russian invasion, the European Parliament promises Ukraine that the EU will stand by it as long as necessary. The Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that, without European aid, Ukraine would have fallen under Russian occupation.

     

    Football – The Romanian national football team won the match with Kosovo 3-0 after the latter abandoned the match, the European Football Union announced on Wednesday. The Kosovo players abandoned Friday’s game in Bucharest, from the League of Nations, with only a few tens of seconds before the end, at the score 0-0. They motivated their decision by the fact that some spectators chanted “Serbia, Serbia”. Kosovo has declared its independence, but it is not recognized by Serbia or Romania. The team from Kosovo left the field for the same reasons in the match between the two teams in September 2023, in the EURO 2024 preliminaries, but later the Kosovo players returned to the pitch after about an hour and the match could end (2-0 for Romania). Following UEFA’s decision on Wednesday, Romania finished C2 with 18 points and promoted to League B. Kosovo ranked second with 12 points, Cyprus finished third with 6 points and Lithuania is on last position, without any point.

     

    Training center – Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft of the Royal Dutch Forces, the last to equip the European F-16 Training Center, landed on Wednesday at the 86th Air Base in Feteşti (south-east), the Romanian Defense Ministry (MApN) announced. According to MApN, the aircraft join the 16 planes already in Romania to strengthen the training capacity of the Center, which currently has a total of 18 aircraft of this type. By establishing the European F-16 Training Center, Romania has committed to providing a high-quality training environment, with access to state-of-the-art technical resources and know-how, not only for Romanian pilots, but also for those from allied and partner states, including Ukraine. The F-16 Center contributes to the creation of common operational standards and to strengthening the capacity of the North Atlantic Alliance to face the complex challenges in the Black Sea region and in Eastern Europe. (LS)

     

  • October 28, 2024 UPDATE

    October 28, 2024 UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

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

     

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

     

    SCHENGEN  Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with land borders, as soon as possible, is in the national interest of Hungary, the Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Monday according to the Hungarian press agency MTI. The government in Budapest hopes that this can happen before the end of the Hungarian presidency of the EU Council, on December 31, the Hungarian official also said, adding that Romania has taken all the necessary preparatory measures to join the border free area, as shown by the evaluations of Brussels experts and the almost unanimous support of EU members. Referring to Austria’s refusal to support Romania’s full entry into Schengen, the minister said that the Hungarian government is in permanent contact with Austrian officials on this matter. Romania’s accession would also be ‘in full agreement’ with the interests of the Hungarian ethnic community in Romania, Peter Szijjarto also said.

     

    NATO A delegation of the NATO Committee for Defense Policy and Planning is in Bucharest until October 30. According to a press release by the Ministry of Defence, the visit offers an opportunity to deepen collaboration and evaluate Romania’s contribution to strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense posture. The NATO delegation was received at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense, where the importance of strengthening allied solidarity in the current security context, with emphasis on the Black Sea region, was emphasized, and Romania’s priorities within NATO were highlighted.

     

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

     

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

     

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

     

    TENNIS The former WTA leader Simona Halep was defeated by Yue Yuan (China) on Monday, 6-3 6-3, in the first round of the WTA tournament in Hong Kong. It was for the first time that the Romanian player (aged 33, currently no. 869 WTA) played against Yuan (26, no. 44 WTA). The main draw of the Hong Kong tournament also includes Romania’s Ana Bogdan (109 WTA), who plays in the first round against Kimberly Birrell of Australia (111 WTA).