Radio România Internațional

Tag: Schengen accession

Annual meeting of Romanian diplomacy

Close to the end of his 10-year presidential mandate, Klaus Iohannis attended his last meeting with the heads of diplomatic and consular missions and directors of Romanian Cultural Institute on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy. According to the head of state, Romania in the last decade has become a reliable, committed and respected actor at regional, European and international levels, a genuine provider of stability and security. The president told Romanian diplomats that the major foreign policy objectives remain the consolidation of Romania’s role and influence in the European Union and NATO, the deepening of the strategic partnership with the United States and the diversification of bilateral dialogue with partners from all continents. The president said he remains a strong supporter of the European Union enlargement process and emphasized that Romania remains committed to supporting the European path of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Klaus Iohannis recalled that Bucharest strongly supported the historic decision regarding the opening of negotiations for accession to the European Union with the two neighboring states, adopted at the meeting of the European Council on December 14-15 last year. Regarding Ukraine, from the first day of the war, Romania has shown its full solidarity and took extensive multidimensional measures to support this country, president Iohannis emphasized. In terms of security and defense, as a member state of NATO, Romania plays a constructive role and serves as a balancing factor, being a provider of security and stability, the president further argued. Romania currently benefits from the highest degree of defense and protection in its entire history, Klaus Iohannis also believes.

Regarding the Strategic Partnership with the United States, as an essential pillar of Romania’s foreign policy, it has become more robust during this period and acquired more substance, Klaus Iohannis says. On the other hand, the head of state mentioned that, during the ten years of his mandate, special attention was paid to strengthening partnerships and bilateral strategic relations with states with which Romania shares common values and interests, such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy or Poland.

A recurring topic and an objective yet to fulfill, Schengen accession was also discussed this year at the meeting of Romanian diplomats. Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with air and maritime borders was an important, although temporary success, while lifting controls at land borders also remains a key objective, the president said. “I am confident that we will succeed in achieving this collective effort to the benefit not only of Romanian citizens, but of a more prosperous Union, free of artificial obstacles”, the head of state pointed out. Another major foreign policy objective is the country’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The president urged diplomats to step up inter-institutional effort for the successful completion of this process in the shortest time possible. (VP)

25 July 2024
July 5, 2024 UPDATE

ELECTIONS – Ruling coalition parties PSD and PNL decided that the first round of the presidential election will take place on November 24, with the second round slated for December 8. In addition, coalition leaders decided that the parliamentary election will take place, for the first time, on December 1, the National Day of Romania. The government decision regarding the election timetable was adopted during Thursday’s government session. This week, opposition parties took part in consultations launched by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The presidential election was supposed to take place on September 15, following an original agreement reached by PSD and PNL, but the Liberals later disagreed with this date. So far, the two parties have not announced their presidential candidates.

CENTRAL BANK – The Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania on Friday decided to reduce the monetary policy interest rate from 7% to 6.75% per year starting July 8. At the same time, the Central Bank decided to lower the interest rate for Lombard loans from 8.00% to 7.75% per year, as well as the interest rate for deposits from 6.00% to 5.75% per year. The Bank decided to maintain the mandatory minimum reserve rates for liabilities in national and foreign currencies of credit institutions at the current levels. The monetary policy rate was unchanged since January last year, when the Bank increased the interest rate from 6.75% to 7% per year. According to the Central Bank, the annual inflation rate accelerated its decline in the first two months of the second quarter of 2024, dropping to 5.12% in May, below the forecast level.

TRILATERAL – On the sidelines of the Romania – Republic of Moldova – Ukraine Trilateral meeting in Chișinău, the foreign ministers of the three states signed a joint resolution presenting their common vision with respect to the current security context. The meeting represented a new opportunity of expressing support for Ukraine, for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in the context of the war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation, the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu said. The common goal remains to ensure international support for comprehensive, just and sustainable peace, the Moldovan Foreign Minister said in turn. In addition, the three officials also signed a memorandum on combating disinformation and foreign interference.

SCHENGEN – Hungary, the country that currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, claims that it does not understand Austria’s continuous opposition to the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria. Since the two countries have fulfilled all requirements and tests in recent years, Hungary will call on the Council to greenlight their Schengen accession this year, the Hungarian Interior Minister told a press briefing attended by journalists from all over Europe. The Budapest official also said that, over the course of his mandate, Hungary will advocate its own vision on border defense as the key solution to the issue of illegal migration.

ELECTIONS IN THE UK – Labor Party leader Keir Starmer is the new Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was formally appointed to form a new government by King Charles III on Friday, following his party’s landslide victory in Thursday’s parliamentary election. A former human rights solicitor, Starmer entered politics only nine years ago. He thus becomes the third prime minister in less than two years of Charles’ reign, after Conservative leaders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. Keir Starmer will lead the country after 14 years of Conservative rule and a number of crises, including austerity measures, Brexit, the pandemic, rampant price hikes and successive government changes. Prime Minister Starmer seeks to re-launch economic growth, restore public services, strengthen employee rights, reduce immigration and bring Britain closer to the European Union, without however referring to Brexit, a topic he refrained from approaching in the election campaign. The Labor Party grabbed 412 mandates, well above the threshold of 326 that ensures the absolute majority needed to form a government. With only 121 mandates compared to the 365 secured five years ago, the Conservative Party recorded its worst election score since the start of 20^th century. (VP)

5 July 2024
March 28, 2024 UPDATE

Francophonie – Romania is hosting an economic mission of the International Organization of La Francophonie, as well as a dedicated economic forum on its sidelines, a high-profile platform addressing businesses from French-speaking countries. Attending will be entrepreneurs and government officials from 88 member states. In an opening statement delivered on Wednesday, the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, highlighted opportunities to further develop trade and investment between Central Europe, including Romania, and other French-speaking countries. On the sidelines of the event, Romanian companies can talk to potential business partners from Africa, Asia, North America, the Caribbean or Europe. Agri-food, IT, green energy and medical industry are but some of the sectors featured in the economic forum.

Schengen – On March 31, Romania will join the Schengen area with its air and maritime borders. Starting this day, Romanians travelling to EU space and Schengen member states will no longer go through customs and passport control, but will go straight to boarding gates. Romania’s partial accession to Schengen will be marked on Friday through the inauguration of a new international departures terminal at the “Traian Vuia” Airport in Timișoara. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis are expected to attend the opening event.

Press freedom – The European Council and the European Parliament have given the green light to the final draft of the Media Freedom Act, which compels members states to guarantee editorial independence of public service media by ensuring sustainable and predictable funding. The law protects online content and ensures enhanced transparency of media ownership. Authorities will be prohibited from pressing journalists and editors to disclose their sources, an underlying principle of investigative journalism in addition to access to information. The Media Freedom Act will also introduce an independent committee for media services comprising media authorities from member states, which will advise the European Commission regarding member states’ degree of compliance with the law.

Energy – The Romanian government has approved the extension until March 31, 2025 of the electricity and natural gas price cap scheme for consumers. At the end of Thursday’s meeting, the Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja explained that measures are also included so that after the expiry of the mentioned deadline there should not be any sudden price increases. The executive also approved the extension by three months of the period of application of the civil liability car insurance rates practiced by insurers on February 28, 2023, when an adjustment of a maximum of 6.8% is allowed. The capping was valid until the end of this month, but now it will apply until June 30, 2024. According to the Finance Ministry, the measure is necessary to combat the excessive price increase and the gradual stabilization of the profile market, so as to avoid negative effects in other sectors of the economy.

NATO – The Romanian Foreign Ministry launched, on Thursday, the “Born in NATO” campaign, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Romania’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance and of the 75th anniversary of NATO’s creation. The campaign is dedicated to young people born after Romania joined NATO in 2004 and aims to promote the role and values of the North Atlantic Alliance. Co-initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense, the campaign will include a series of events, between March and December 2024, with the aim of familiarizing young people with the values and objectives of the Alliance. At the launch of the campaign, the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu spoke about Romania’s involvement within the Alliance and about the country’s contribution to strengthening security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region. She also encouraged young people to get actively involved in society to promote the values on which NATO is based, such as individual freedoms, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. For her part, the US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Ann Kavalec, highlighted the close collaboration between the two countries, emphasizing the role and values of the Alliance in ensuring regional and global security and stability. He also pointed out that the Strategic Partnership Romania – US reflects the common commitment to promoting peace, security and democracy.

Council – NATO countries have strongly condemned Russia’s latest airstrikes against Ukraine and pledged to continue strengthening its defense, according to a statement issued at the end of Thursday’s meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, convened at ambassadorial level, at Kyiv’s request. “Russia’s continuous attacks against the civilian population and critical infrastructure in Ukraine demonstrate the urgent need for continued support from our side”, said the Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mircea Geoană, who chaired the Council meeting, which was joined via video conference by the Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. NATO mentions in the press release that the allies are providing Ukraine with unprecedented military, financial and humanitarian assistance.

Presidency – The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has ratified the law banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The law seeks to reduce the exposure of children and teenagers to tobacco products and stipulates fines up to 20,000 EUR, depending on the severity of the offense. The head of state also ratified the law on developing social services to prevent disenfranchised children from getting separated from their families. Under the new law, local authorities must organize daycare centers in local communities, with half of the expenses getting covered by the state. (VP, LS)

28 March 2024
December 28, 2023

SCHENGEN – The Interior
Ministry has reached a political consensus with its counterparts in Vienna and
Sofia for the partial extension of the Schengen Area to include air and
maritime borders with Romania and Bulgaria starting March 2024. Negotiations
are expected to continue in 2024 for the two countries’ full Schengen
accession. On Tuesday and Wednesday, diplomatic talks were held at the level of
the Interior and Foreign Affairs ministries, with the participation of
diplomatic missions to the EU, regarding a Justice and Home Affairs Council
resolution that would make this political agreement legally binding. Talks will
continue today. A positive decision on the two countries’ Schengen accession
requires a unanimous vote in the Justice and Home Affairs Council. We recall
that last year the decision was postponed due to lack of unanimity in the
Justice and Home Affairs Council regarding the Schengen accession of Romania
and Bulgaria, due to opposition voiced by Austria and the Netherlands.

GOVERNMENT – On its last
session of 2023, the government is examining a draft decree on cutting public
spending starting January 1, 2024. The number one measure is excluding all
public sector employees who this year benefited from salary increases from the
5% increase in salaries to be operated next year. The targeted institutions are
the Finance Ministry, the national health insurance agencies, but also Education
Ministry employees, whose salaries will go up 20% next year. The government
wants to use the savings to increase low salaries in the public sector. Imports
of sugar and flour from Ukraine are also on today’s agenda. The government this
year passed an emergency decree setting clear terms under which Romanian
companies can buy grain from Ukraine. The government wants to pass a new decree
setting similar terms for the purchase of flour and sugar from neighboring
Ukraine. Also today the government wants to adopt an emergency decree for the
gradual introduction of new electronic ID cards, which will replace older ones
that don’t comply with EU security standards.

WAR IN GAZA – Israel is
expanding its ground offensive to include Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza,
warning the war against Hamas will last for months. Powerful bombings were
reported in the camps of Bureij, Maghazi and Nuseirat, where dozens of people
were killed in strikes in recent days. Heavy fighting is also continuing to the
south, in the city of Khan Younis, whereas in the north, the IDF continues to
uncover tunnel shafts used by Hamas. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent
in Israel, the tunnels discovered yesterday were blown up by Israeli military
engineers. Meanwhile, 22 of the 129 people still held hostage by Hamaz in Gaza
have been executed, a spokesman of the Israeli government has announced. Hamas
captured approximately 240 people in the October 7 surprise attack, which
killed 1,200 people. Following a ceasefire mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the
United States, Hamas released 110 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinians
held in Israeli prisons.

WAR IN UKRAINE – The United States
has announced the disbursement of an additional 250 mln USD in military aid for
Ukraine. International media writes this will be the last military aid package
for Ukraine before a new vote in Congress, where the Republican majority has
shown reluctance towards the initiatives of the Biden administration, which has
promised Ukraine over 61 bln USD. It is imperative that Congress act swiftly,
as soon as possible, to advance our national security interests by helping
Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Said. This aid package includes
air defense munitions, other components for air defense systems, additional
ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm
artillery ammunition, anti-armor munitions, and over 15 million rounds of
ammunition, according to a US Department of State release. Thank you for your
help. We will win, the former head of the Ukrainian presidential administration,
Andrii Yermak wrote on X. (VP)

28 December 2023
Schengen, a spaced-out accession

So long as Schengen is out of bounds, Romanians and Bulgarians will continue to consider themselves second-tier European citizens, the media and politicians in Bucharest and Sofia have warned for years. The issue has become increasingly pressing ahead of the European Parliament elections due next year in June, and the frustration generated by this undeserved exclusion fuels the approval rating of Euro-skeptic or outright anti-European parties in both countries. Having joined the community bloc in 2007, Romania and Bulgaria have been denied Schengen accession for nearly a decade, whereas Croatia, a country that acceded to the EU in 2013, was last year admitted into the visa-free travel area. Over 400 million people can travel inside the Schengen Area without going through border checks. Of all the EU member states, only Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Ireland are not part of Schengen, which also includes four non-EU countries: Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Iceland and Norway. Candidates require the unanimous vote of all Schengen members, and so far, Netherlands has blocked Bulgarias bid, while Austria has opposed Romanias candidacy.

On Monday, Austrias Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced measures Romania needs to implement before Austria can greenlight the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria, by opening its air borders. More progress is needed in the field of the EUs external land borders, by tripling the number of border police employees. The Commission must also earmark funds to secure the border infrastructure on the Bulgaria-Turkish and Romanian-Serbian borders. Minister Karner also wants Romania and Bulgaria to receive asylum seekers, particularly Afghans and Syrians, who might cross into Romania in route to Austria. Bulgarias Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has described Austrias conditions as unacceptable, saying his government refuses to accommodate migrants from Austria. A more toned-down reaction came from Romanias Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who welcomed the announcement describing it as a personal success. The opposition however regards Karners announcement as a smokescreen given that Schengens land borders will remain closed to the thousands of lorries waiting for days before crossing, while the state incurs millions of EUR in losses. Romanias Foreign Minister Luminița Odobescu called for patience, saying that the Dutch Parliament must also give its consent to lift the veto on Bulgarias Schengen accession before planning the next phases. (VP)

12 December 2023
November 11, 2023 UPDATE

VETERANS DAY – Romania celebrated the Day of Veterans of Military
Operations on November 11. On This occasion, garrisons in Bucharest and across
the country where military carried out missions in theatres of operations
abroad played host to military and religious ceremonies. President Klaus
Iohannis said this day symbolizes the triumph of peace over war, adding that
veterans are genuine role models for the younger generations. In a message
marking the occasion, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in turn referred to the
sacrifice of Romanian servicemen, underscoring the importance of peace. November
11 is a day chosen for its significance, the day the armistice was signed
between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end World War 1 and created
the premises of the Great Union in Romania, on December 1, 1918. It was also on
this day in 2003 that the first Romanian servicemen was killed in action in
Afghanistan. 30 Romanian servicemen were killed and over 200 were wounded in
theatres of operations over 1996-2022. We recall War Veterans Day is celebrated
on April 29.

RESOLUTION – Social-Democrat leaders from across
Europe on Friday adopted a resolution expressing support for the immediate
Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has
said. The Romanian official attended the European Socialists Congress hosted by
Málaga, Spain. More Europe also entails protecting and strengthening one of the
European Union’s greatest achievements: the Schengen Agreement, the resolution
reads, also underlining that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled Schengen
accession criteria. In a post on social media, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances
he will do everything in his power to persuade Austria and the Netherlands that
Romania belongs in Schengen. On the sidelines of the event, Marcel Ciolacu met
with counterparts from Spain, Malta and Denmark as well as with Germany’s
Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

WAR IN GAZA – The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced that dialogue
with the Israeli and Egyptian authorities continues with a view to evacuating
the remaining Romanians and family members from Gaza. At present, three mobile
consular teams are deployed with a view to assisting in specific
border-crossing procedures. According to the Ministry, the Rafah border
crossing point used to evacuate civilians from Gaza into Egypt remained close
on Friday. We recall that on Thursday, 41 Romanian citizens and family members
were evacuated from Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint, adding to the 93
citizens who were safely brought home onboard a special flight operated by the
national airline TAROM. Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, world
countries calling on Israel to accept an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and take
measures to limit the loss of human lives. Too many Palestinians have been
killed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said in what has been his
firmest response to Israel’s actions since hostilities broke out in the region.
In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Israel should stop
bombing Gaza and killing civilians. Both officials have however expressed
support for Israel’s actions targeted against the Islamist terrorist
organization Hamas. In another development, on the sidelines of a joint summit
of the Arab League and the Islamic Cooperation Organization devoted to the
developments in Gaza, hosted by Riyadh on Saturday, the president of the
Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called on the USA to pressure Israel to
stop its offensive in Gaza. Palestinians need international protection from
Israeli attacks, president Abbas went on to say. In turn, the Crown Prince of
Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman, has called an end to what he was termed the
siege on Gaza, while Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, called for an
immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza without restrictions or conditions.
On the ground, the Israeli army on Saturday announced it has captured 11 Hamas
outposts in Gaza, adding that Israeli forces destroyed a vehicle carrying
explosives as well as a tunnel used by Hamas militants.

TENNIS – Romania’s tennis team defeated Serbia 4-0 in the Billie
Jean King Cup World Group playoffs. On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5,
4-6, 7-5 against Lola Radivojevic. In the doubles match Anca Todoni and Monica
Niculescu won 6-1, 7-6 against Katarina Kozarov and Aleksandra Krunic.
On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5, 6-4 against Aleksandra Krunic while
Gabriela Ruse defeated Mia Rustic 7-6, 6-3. Romania will advance to the Billie
Jean King Cup preliminaries, while Serbia will play in Group 1. In April,
Romania lost 3-2 to Slovenia, failing to qualify to the final tournament. (VP)

11 November 2023
November 11, 2023

VETERANS DAY – Romania celebrated the Day of Veterans of Military
Operations on November 11. On This occasion, garrisons in Bucharest and across
the country where military carried out missions in theatres of operations
abroad played host to military and religious ceremonies. President Klaus
Iohannis said this day symbolizes the triumph of peace over war, adding that
veterans are genuine role models for the younger generations. In a message
marking the occasion, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in turn referred to the
sacrifice of Romanian servicemen, underscoring the importance of peace. November
11 is a day chosen for its significance, the day the armistice was signed
between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end World War 1 and created
the premises of the Great Union in Romania, on December 1, 1918. It was also on
this day in 2003 that the first Romanian servicemen was killed in action in
Afghanistan. 30 Romanian servicemen were killed and over 200 were wounded in
theatres of operations over 1996-2022. We recall War Veterans Day is celebrated
on April 29.

RESOLUTION – Social-Democrat leaders from across Europe on Friday
adopted a resolution expressing support for the immediate Schengen accession of
Bulgaria and Romania, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said. The Romanian
official attended the European Socialists Congress hosted by Málaga, Spain.
More Europe also entails protecting and strengthening one of the European
Union’s greatest achievements: the Schengen Agreement, the resolution reads,
also underlining that Romania and Bulgaria have fulfilled Schengen accession
criteria. In a post on social media, Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances he will do
everything in his power to persuade Austria and the Netherlands that Romania
belongs in Schengen. On the sidelines of the event, Marcel Ciolacu met with counterparts from Spain, Malta and Denmark as well as with Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

WAR IN GAZA – The Rafah border crossing point used to evacuate
civilians from Gaza into Egypt remained closed on Friday, the Romanian Foreign
Ministry reports. As a result, Romanian citizens and members of their families
who received permission to evacuate are still on standby. Romania’s
Representative Office in Ramallah remains in permanent contact with people
who’ve asked for assistance to evacuate, the Ministry also says. A third mobile
consular team as part of the Rapid Response Unit set up at the level of the
Crisis Room monitoring developments in Gaza was deployed in Cairo with a view
to assisting in specific border-crossing procedures. Romania’s diplomatic
representatives in Cairo and Tel Aviv remain in permanent contact with Egyptian
and Israeli authorities until all citizens are evacuated, the Ministry also
assures. On Thursday, 41 Romanian citizens and family members were evacuated
from Gaza through the Rafah checkpoint, adding to the 93 citizens who were
safely brought home. Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, world
countries calling on Israel to accept an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and take
measures to limit the loss of human lives. Too many Palestinians have been
killed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said in what has been his
firmest response to Israel’s actions since hostilities broke out in the region.
In turn, the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, said Israel should stop
bombing Gaza and killing civilians. Both officials have however expressed
support for Israel’s actions targeted against the Islamist terrorist
organization Hamas. In another development, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia,
Mohammad bin Salman, has condemned Israel’s repeated violations of
international humanitarian legislation. Riyadh on Saturday hosted a joint
summit of the Arab League and the Islamic Cooperation Organization devoted to
the developments in Gaza. Following the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed
over 1,400 people, Tel Aviv declared war against the Islamist organization.
According to the Health Ministry on Gaza, over 11,000 Palestinians were killed
in Israeli bombings in Gaza, of whom the majority are civilians. Gaza is now
struggling with a humanitarian crisis, Reuters reports.

TENNIS – Romania’s tennis team leads 2-0 in the Billie Jean King
Cup playoffs against Serbia. On Saturday, Jaqueline Cristian is playing Mia
Ristic, while Gabriela Ruse will take on Aleksandra Krunic. The doubles match
will pit Katarina Kozarov and Natalija Stefanovic against Irina Bara and Monica
Niculescu. On Friday, Jaqueline Cristian won 7-5, 6-4 against Aleksandra Krunic
while Gabriela Ruse defeated Mia Rustic 7-6, 6-3. The winner will advance to
the Billie Jean King Cup preliminaries, while the loser will play in Group 1.
In April, Romania lost 3-2 to Slovenia, failing to qualify to the final
tournament. (VP)

11 November 2023
September 15, 2023

CVM – The European Commission has officially lifted the
Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) for Bulgaria and Romania. CVM was
introduced upon the two countries’ EU accession in 2007, as a measure to help
them reform their judiciaries and combat corruption and organized crime.
President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Romania and Bulgaria for the significant
progress reported since their accession, and pointed out that the rule of law
is one of the fundamental EU values, a field in which both Romania and Bulgaria
have implemented major reforms. In turn, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis
said the lifting of CVM is a great achievement for Romania. We can conclude
Romania has changed, it is a rules-based democracy with a functional
judiciary, the president added.

STRIKE – Some 300 passenger and freight trains were suspended on Friday morning
following a two-hour strike staged by rail infrastructure employees. Trade
unions say some problems can no longer be talked about only at the level of the
Transport Ministry and the Government. Rail employees are disgruntled over the
lack of revenue and spending budgets adopted for 2023, as well as the absence
of strategic and coherent funding of the Romanian railways.

SCHENGEN – In an interview to the Austrian publication Der Standard, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said Romania will refer
Austria’s opposition to Romania’s Schengen accession to the European Union
Court of Justice. The Romanian official said losses due to the repeated
postponements stand at 2% of GDP, something which Transport Minister Sorin
Grindeanu had said earlier this week. Romania says she will seek justice in
court should Austria again oppose Romania’s Schengen accession at the upcoming
informal meetings in October and December. We recall that in December 2022,
Austria again vetoed the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria at the
Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, invoking the high flows of illegal
immigrants passing through the two countries.

PLAN – The Government has updated its emergency plan on securing natural gas
supplies. The document falls in line with European regulations and was drafted
following consultations with the main market players. Measures to cap and
subsidize natural gas bills will remain in effect until spring next year. The
current legislation stipulates state aid will remain in place until 2025. On
the other hand, according to the Energy Ministry, the government is also
considering the growing influence of prosumers in covering nationwide
consumption.

MOLDOVA – Moldova belongs in Europe, in the family of Western democracies, NATO
Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană said on the sidelines of a meeting he
had in Chișinău with Moldova’s Prime Minister, Dorin Recean. Mircea Geoană
hailed the Moldovan authorities’ plea for extended interoperability with
NATO, underlining that the military alliance is the strongest structure of its
kind in the world. The NATO official denied the existence of Russian military
risks facing the Republic of Moldova, but pointed out this country is fighting
a hybrid war triggered by the Russian Federation.

TENNIS – Nicholas David Ionel is today playing Chin-Hsin Tseng in the first match
of the Davis Cup encounter pitting Romania against Taiwain in World Group 1,
hosted by Mamaia on the Black Sea coast. Ionel (226 ATP) and Tseng (326 ATP)
have only played each other once before, in 2021, Tseng winning 6-3, 6-4. In
the second singles match today, Marius Copil (327 ATP) will play Yu Hsiou Hsu
(180 ATP). On Saturday, the pair made up of Marius Copil and Victor Cornea will
play Yu Hsiou Hsu and Tsung-Hao Huang in the doubles match. In the singles,
Ionel will play Hsu whereas Copil will take on Tseng. This is the first match
pitting the two teams in the Davis Cup. In February, in the World Group
playoffs, Romania defeated Thailand 3-2 away from home, whereas Taiwan defeated
Mexico 3-1, also away from home. (VP)

15 September 2023
July 12, 2023 UPDATE

NATO – Romania’s
president, Klaus Iohannis, said Romania has fulfilled its objectives at the
NATO summit in Vilnius. The Romanian president argued that the Alliance’s new
defense plans, preparing for any security threat that could affect Romania,
provide adequate answers. Our decisions have unequivocally proved the strength
of trans-Atlantic ties and allied unity. We have adopted new defense plans,
offering the maximum level of security on the eastern flank of NATO, in the
Black Sea region, including for Romania, the president said at the end of the
summit. As a result, Spanish authorities plan on deploying an additional 950
military to NATO’s eastern flank, 250 of whom will be deployed to Romania,
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told a press conference in Vilnius. On the other
hand, NATO members decided to simplify procedures for Ukraine’s NATO accession
and increase overall support that the allies will provide to Kyiv’s efforts to
liberate Russian-held territories.

TRAINING -
A coalition made up of 11 states will begin to train Ukrainian pilots to fly
F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark, while a training center will also be
set up in Romania. We hope that we will be able to see results at the
beginning of next year, Denmark’s interim defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen
told reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital,
Vilnius. NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands led an international
coalition effort to train pilots and support staff, maintain aircraft, and
eventually supply Ukraine with F-16s. Belgium and Luxembourg will also
participate in this program, supported by the US, while France and Great
Britain are providing assistance. The air forces of the latter and Luxembourg
do not own F-16 aircraft. Currently, Romania has 17 F-16 aircraft and will
acquire another 32 from Norway.

SCHENGEN – Romania and
Bulgaria deserve to join the Schengen area by the end of the year, a resolution
adopted on Wednesday by the European Parliament reads. Adopted with a large
majority, the document states that both countries have fulfilled criteria to
join the visa free travel area and exercising the veto right against their
accession fuels anti-European sentiment and damages the economy. The citizens
of Bulgaria and Romania are discriminated against, because they face delays,
bureaucratic difficulties and additional costs when traveling for personal
reasons or business abroad, MEPs argue. The resolution calls on the European
Commission to estimate financial losses, lost profits and the damages to the environment
resulted from Romania and Bulgaria being denied Schengen accession starting
June 2011, as well as to analyze possible mechanisms to offset financial
losses. Romania’s latest attempt at joining Schengen was blocked by Austria, a
country that invoked issues related to illegal migration, dismissed by the
Romanian authorities, European institutions and most member states.

STATISTICS -
The average net salary in Romania fell to 4,543 lei (approx. 915 Euros) in May
this year, 0.5% less than in April 2023, the National Institute of Statistics
(INS) announced on Wednesday. The average gross salary was 7,229 lei (approx.
1,460 Euros), 1.1% lower than in April 2023. The highest values of the
average net salary were recorded in the IT service-provision field, and the
smallest values in the hospitality industry. Compared to May 2022, the average
net salary increased by 15.7%. In May, in most activities in the economic
sector, the level of the average net salary decreased as a result of the
granting, in the previous months, of occasional awards, rights in kind and
money aid, sums from the net profit and from other funds. Also, the decreases
in the average net salary were caused by production failures or lower receipts
(depending on contracts/projects), as well as by the employment of personnel
with lower than average salary earnings, from some economic activities, the
aforementioned source states. (LS & VP)

12 July 2023
The Romanian Prime Minister’s visit to Germany

Germany supports Romania’s bid to become a full member of Schengen,
Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz said upon meeting his Romanian counterpart,
Marcel Ciolacu. The Romanian Prime Minister paid a two-day visit to Berlin,
hailing Germany’s unconditional support for Bucharest’s efforts to join the visa-free
travel area and outlining the main lines of cooperation between the two states.
The two officials also discussed security on NATO’s eastern flank and the
upcoming NATO summit due in Vilnius next week. Support for consolidating NATO’s
eastern flank is exemplary, Chancellor Scholz argued, saying that Romania is a
trusted ally and partner. As regards bilateral ties, the German official said
the two countries enjoy very good and close relations, while bilateral
economic prospects are encouraging. In turn, Marcel Ciolacu said he wants to
reduce the trade deficit between the two countries:

We discussed economic cooperation and vistas for development including in
terms of trade as well as investments, by using European resources as well.
Germany is Romania’s top trade partner. There is, however, great potential for
development between the two countries and together we have identified ways to
work together to cover the emerging markets. For instance, we will actively
take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine and help support the development of
Moldova. In this context, I want to stress our full support for Ukraine.

Germany has expressed an interest to invest in the petrochemical sector
in Romania, in the production of fertilizers as well as the raw materials
industry. Marcel CIolacu’s visit to Germany also included meetings with
representatives of the Bundestag, the German business and defense sectors and
the Romanian diaspora. According to the Romanian Prime Minister, German
investment is expected in such fields as construction materials and foodstuffs.
As regards green energy, Marcel Ciolacu recalled Romania is developing a wind
park on the Black Sea, arguing that once the proper legislation is adopted,
large corporations in this field might be interested to invest. Marcel Ciolacu
also presented the main projects of the Government addressing the Romanian community
in Germany. We need to find ways to develop a communication between this
community and those at home. We will come up with a start-up program for the
Diaspora, the Prime Minister also said. (VP)

6 July 2023
March 31, 2023 UPDATE

DEFENCE – The strategic
partnership between the US and Romania has never been stronger, said the US
secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, during the talks with his Romanian
counterpart Angel Tîlvăr in Washington on Thursday. According to a news release
from the Pentagon, the US official praised the excellent relations between the
two countries’ armed forces and thanked Romania for hosting thousands of US and
Allied troops to bolster deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank, and for its role
as a leader in the Black Sea region. The two officials condemned Russia’s
reckless war of choice in Ukraine and reiterated their firm support for
Ukraine. The Romanian defense minister is on a visit to the US for several
days, and has meetings scheduled with senior US officials in the following
days.

GREEN DEAL – The involvement of
Romania and the EU in combating climate change, environment education as well
as the consequences of the war in Ukraine ranked high on Friday’s agenda for
talks between Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, and European Commission
vice-president, Frans Timmermans, the EU official in charge of the European
Green Deal. President Iohannis spoke of the need to maintain support for
Ukraine as well as for the Republic of Moldova for as long as it’s necessary.
Frans Timmermans also met with Environment Minister Tánczos Barna. The meeting focused on European programs that
should receive financial support similar to the one provided by the Social
Climate Fund. Minister Barna pointed out that everyone affected by the
reduction in carbon-gas emissions should be compensated to make these changes
acceptable.

MEETING – Romania’s Prime
Minister, Nicolae Ciucă, on Friday met in Stockholm his Swedish counterpart,
Ulf Kirstersson. This is the first visit paid to this country by a Romanian
Prime Minister in the last 20 years. The two discussed the priorities of the
Swedish presidency of the Council of the EU, namely a greener, safer and freer
Europe, as well as the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine. Prime Minister
Kristersson recently said Ukraine is the top priority for all, and that Kyiv’s
victory is essential for Europe and the whole world. Swedish wants to continue
to provide economic, political, humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine.
Romania’s Prime Minister outlined the Romanian authorities’ effort to support
Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees at multiple levels. At the end of February, 109
thousand Ukrainians still resided in Romania, out of the total of 3 million
that transited our country. Ukrainian refugees benefit from free medical,
social and education services and can access the labor market. Romania has
fulfilled Schengen accession criteria, the Swedish Prime Minister also told the
joint press briefing.

B9 – Romania’s Foreign
Minister on Friday attended the meeting of B9 Foreign Ministers hosted by Łódź,
Poland. The Romanian official warned that the Russian threat affects NATO
security on the eastern flank, which requires a unitary vision at NATO level to
ensure proper deterrence and collective defense. In this sense, Minister
Aurescu pointed out that the consolidating of Allied military forces on the
Eastern flank is key. Minister Aurescu said a strong defense will also generate
strong deterrence, which is the only message that Russia understands. In this
context, the Romanian official argued in favor of continuing to provide robust
support to Ukraine and for the consolidation of the strategic resilience of
neighboring states, particularly those that are the most vulnerable to Russia’s
pressure, namely the Republic of Moldova but also Georgia, with a view to
ensuring peace and stability in the Black Sea region.

VISIT – Germany’s
chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Romania on April 3 to meet Romania’s
president, Klaus Iohannis, the German Embassy in Bucharest has announced. Talks
will focus on bilateral relations and European security and energy policies.
Olaf Scholz will later meet with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă. During the
second part of his visit, Chancellor Scholz and president Iohannis will hold a
joint meeting with the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. This
meeting will tackle support for the Republic of Moldova. Chancellor Olaf Scholz
is also expected to meet with the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Speaker, Marcel
Ciolacu, as well as with representatives of the German community in Romania. (AMP
& VP)

31 March 2023
March 11, 2023 UPDATE

SCHENGEN – Romanias president, Klaus Iohannis, is next week paying a visit to Bulgaria for Schengen talks with his counterpart Rumen Radev. On numerous occasions, Klaus Iohannis gave assurances Romania is neither a source of migration nor a transit country. Meanwhile Bulgaria is struggling to secure its Turkish border in cooperation with European authorities and Ankara. Bulgarias Interior Minister, Ivan Demergiev, explained that the European Council refused the idea of building a protection wall, although it agreed to provide drones and radars and increase the presence of FRONTEX. We recall that the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting of December 8, 2022 denied Schengen accession to Romania due to opposition from Austria and the Netherlands. Austria voted against whereas the Netherlands accepted Romania joins without Bulgaria, despite the two countries having submitted a joint bid. At present both countries have complied with Schengen accession criteria.

INVESTMENT – Net investment in Romanian economy stood at over €30 billion in 2022, up by 8.5% compared to the previous year, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă has said. The Romanian official says this proves the positive impact of measures taken by the government. Investments in development will preserve jobs and generate new ones and will increase revenues in the long-term, Nicolae Ciucă wrote on Facebook. According to recent data published by the National Statistics Institute, the GDP went up by 4.8%, foreign direct investment stood at €11.3 billion, our country had an EU fund absorption rate of 73% and exports totalled €85 billion. On the other hand, government debt dropped from 48.3% in November 2022 and 48.9% in 2021 to 47.2% in December 2022, the Finance Ministry reports. Public investment spending is set at 7.2% of the GDP in 2023.

MOLDOVA – The Biden administration will provide $300 million to the Republic of Moldova in energy assistance and share intelligence with this country, which Russia is trying to destabilize, the White House has announced. National security spokesman John Kirby told the media that, although it has not noticed any immediate threat to the Republic of Moldova, the USA believes Russia is trying to weaken this small country, to orchestrate an insurrection and install a pro-Moscow government. Washington trusts democratic and economic institutions in Chișinău and their capacity to respond to these threats, the US official went on to say. “We will continue to provide assistance to this country”, John Kirby added. Protests against the Moldovan government and president, organized by the pro-Russian Shor Party, have been held repeatedly in the Moldovan capital in the last months.

EU-US RELATIONS – The United States and the European Commission have agreed to eliminate negative competitiveness from the process of greening economies. After talks held in Washington, US president Joe Biden and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced the start of negotiations with respect to an overarching US plan to subsidize the national car industry, which has produced concerns in a number of the USAs European partners. The $370 billion plan for climate action spending will provide credits to American consumers to buy new or second-hand electric vehicles. The law restricts the awarding of credits to vehicles built in North America only and provides strict rules with respect to essential minerals used in the building of vehicle batteries. According to Radio Romanias correspondent, European officials were very vocal in their criticism, saying the law reportedly puts EU businesses at a disadvantage. The two leaders also discussed plans to keep exerting economic pressure on Russia in the context of its war in Ukraine. The Biden administration has warned its allies that Beijing might soon deliver weapons to Moscow. The US intelligence says Beijing will seek to consolidate its ties with Moscow in order to provoke the United States, despite the international community having condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

CHINA – Chinese leader Xi Jinping has appointed Li Qiang, the former head of the Communist Party, as the new Prime Minister. Qiang is replacing Li Keqiang, who retires after two five-year mandates during which he managed the worlds second largest economy. Seen as a pragmatic politician who favors the business sector, Li Qiang is faced with securing the economic recovery of China after the Covid pandemic, restoring trust among consumers and the private sector and dealing with the turmoil in international politics. Li Qiang will also have to deal with growing tensions with the West, mainly generated by the USAs efforts to block Chinas access to key technologies, while a number of global companies are also seeking to diversify their supply chains.

ICR – Bucharest has greenlit the creation of a Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) branch in Tokyo. Government spokesman Dan Cărbunaru pointed out no additional vacancies have been approved for other Institutes abroad. The opening of the ICR branch in Tokyo capitalizes on the Strategic Partnership freshly singed between Romania and Japan and will boost the visibility of Romania in this country and step up cultural and scientific relations by promoting information pertaining to Romanias cultural and academic life, the Government writes. Right now, the only ICR branch in Southeastern Asia is in Beijing, China, opened in 2015. (VP)

11 March 2023
March 11, 2023

SCHENGEN – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, is next week paying a
visit to Bulgaria for Schengen talks with his counterpart Rumen Radev. On
numerous occasions, Klaus Iohannis gave assurances Romania is neither a source
of migration nor a transit country. Meanwhile Bulgaria is struggling to secure
its Turkish border in cooperation with European authorities and Ankara.
Bulgaria’s Interior Minister, Ivan Demergiev, explained that the European
Council refused the idea of building a protection wall, although it agreed to
provide drones and radars and increase the presence of FRONTEX. We recall that
the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting of December 8, 2022 denied
Schengen accession to Romania due to opposition from Austria and the
Netherlands. Austria voted against whereas the Netherlands accepted Romania
joins without Bulgaria, despite the two countries having submitted a joint bid.
At present both countries have complied with Schengen accession criteria.

INVESTMENT – Net investment in Romanian economy stood at over €30 billion in
2022, up by 8.5% compared to the previous year, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă
has said. The Romanian official says this proves the positive impact of
measures taken by the government. Investments in development will preserve jobs
and generate new ones and will increase revenues in the long-term, Nicolae
Ciucă wrote on Facebook. According to recent data published by the National
Statistics Institute, the GDP went up by 4.8%, foreign direct investment stood
at €11.3 billion, our country had an EU fund absorption rate of 73% and exports
totalled €85 billion. On the other hand, government debt dropped from 48.3% in
November 2022 and 48.9% in 2021 to 47.2% in December 2022, the Finance Ministry
reports. Public investment spending is set at 7.2% of the GDP in 2023.

MOLDOVA – The Biden administration will
provide $300 million to the Republic of Moldova in energy assistance and share
intelligence with this country, which Russia is trying to destabilize, the
White House has announced. National security spokesman John Kirby told the
media that, although it has not noticed any immediate threat to the Republic of
Moldova, the USA believes Russia is trying to weaken this small country, to
orchestrate an insurrection and install a pro-Moscow government. Washington
trusts democratic and economic institutions in Chișinău and their capacity to
respond to these threats, the US official went on to say. We will continue to
provide assistance to this country, John Kirby added. Protests against the Moldovan
government and president, organized by the pro-Russian Shor Party, have been
held repeatedly in the Moldovan capital in the last months.

EU-USA RELATIONS – The United States and the European Commission have agreed to
eliminate negative competitiveness from the process of greening economies.
After talks held in Washington, US president Joe Biden and European Commission
president Ursula von der Leyen announced the start of negotiations with respect
to an overarching US plan to subsidize the national car industry, which has
produced concerns in a number of the USA’s European partners. The $370 billion
plan for climate action spending will provide credits to American consumers to
buy new or second-hand electric vehicles. The law restricts the awarding of credits
to vehicles built in North America only and provides strict rules with respect
to essential minerals used in the building of vehicle batteries. According to
Radio Romania’s correspondent, European officials were very vocal in their
criticism, saying the law reportedly puts EU businesses at a disadvantage. The
two leaders also discussed plans to keep exerting economic pressure on Russia
in the context of its war in Ukraine. The Biden administration has warned its
allies that Beijing might soon deliver weapons to Moscow. The US intelligence
says Beijing will seek to consolidate its ties with Moscow in order to provoke
the United States, despite the international community having condemned the
Russian invasion of Ukraine.

ICR – Bucharest has greenlit the
creation of a Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) branch in Tokyo. Government
spokesman Dan Cărbunaru pointed out no additional vacancies have been approved
for other Institutes abroad. The opening of the ICR branch in Tokyo capitalizes
on the Strategic Partnership freshly singed between Romania and Japan and will
boost the visibility of Romania in this country and step up cultural and
scientific relations by promoting information pertaining to Romania’s cultural
and academic life, the Government writes. Right now, the only ICR branch in
Southeastern Asia is in Beijing, China, opened in 2015. (VP)

11 March 2023
February 7, 2023 UPDATE

EARTHQUAKES
– The powerful earthquakes that shook Syria and Turkey on Monday have killed
more than 6,300, according to the latest toll made public on Tuesday. Rescue
teams are making efforts to save as many lives as possible. There are also
dozens of thousands of people injured. According to estimates in Ankara, 13
million people have been affected in Turkey by the earthquake measuring 7.8 on
the Richter scale, which was followed by lots of aftershocks. President Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan declared 10 affected provinces disaster areas, also calling a
state of emergency in the entire region for three months. The president said 70
countries have so far provided assistance for search and rescue operations. Romania
joined the international support effort for Turkey and sent to Andana 3
military aircraft with 60 Romanian professional rescuers, doctors and nurses,
and specialized rescue equipment.

EUROPEAN
COUNCIL – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, on Tuesday attended a videoconference
with the European Council president, Charles Michel, and a group of European
leaders ahead of the extraordinary European Council meeting scheduled on
Thursday and Friday in Brussels. In today’s preliminary meeting, hosted by the
European Council president, we primarily focused on assistance to Ukraine at
all levels, on consolidating the competitiveness of EU economy and on
implementing clear-cut measures designed to combat illegal migration, the
president wrote on social media. The European Council is set to convene in
Brussels in a special summit to address Russia’s military aggression in
Ukraine, the latest economic developments at EU level and migration-related
topics.

FOREIGN
AFFAIRS – The Romanian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Hungary’s
ambassador in Romania to inform him that our country firmly condemns the
statements made by the chairman of the Hungarian Parliament Foreign Affairs
Committee with respect to Romania allegedly restricting the display of the flag
of the so-called Szekler Land. The Romanian MFA states that the Romanian
legislation allows members of the 20 national minorities to display their
specific insignia in both private and public. As regards the so-called Szekler
Land, there is no administrative unit bearing this name, which also means no
one is justified to official use any specific insignia. Romania again calls for
restraint in public statements and expects Hungarian officials to observe the
strategic relationship between the two states.

SCHENGEN
– Romania and Bulgaria want to join the Schengen Area this year, the countries’
two Prime Ministers, Nicolae Ciucă
and Galab Donev have said. The two officials say it is important to
maintain good cooperation and agreed that EU-wide solutions are needed to
continue the fight against illegal migration. In a videoconference, the two
Prime Ministers also argued in favor of taking clear steps with a view to
making the Danube a permanent navigable watercourse and with respect to
building a new bridge in the Giurgiu-Ruse area.

PROTESTS
– The Sanitas Federation continued its protests on Tuesday against the Salary
Law and the underfunding of medical care and welfare in Romania. The list of
demands includes higher incomes for all the employees in the healthcare and
welfare system by at least 15%, to cover inflation, negotiations between the
Government and stakeholders on the new bill regarding the remuneration of
personnel paid from public funds, and the provision of a sufficient and correct
funding system for medical and welfare institutions. A delegation of the Sanitas Federation was received
at the Government headquarters on Monday, the first day of the protest. The
Federation announced protests would continue on Wednesday as well.

BILL – In
Bucharest, senators voted unanimously in favor of a legislative proposal to be
added to the Criminal Code, under which drivers found drunk or under the
influence of prohibited substances while driving, as well as those who drive
without a license, will go directly to prison in the situation in which they
cause a road accident resulting in casualties. In Romania, 100 people die
annually in road accidents caused by drivers in such situations, said the
initiator of the legislative proposal, PSD senator Robert Cazanciuc. Every
year, approximately 20,000 people are prosecuted for driving without a license,
under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and after the adoption of the
legislative proposal, judges will no longer be able to suspend the execution of
prison sentences. The document will now go to the Chamber of Deputies, which is
the decision-making body in this matter.

MOLDOVA
– The Republic of Moldova deserves to be part of the European family, European
Parliament president Roberta Metsola told a press conference on Tuesday held
jointly with Moldova’s Prime Minister, Natalia Gavriliță in Brussels, at the end of the
EU-Moldova Association Council meeting. We need to accelerate the integration
of your country on the single European market, president Metsola further said.
The EU official promised the European Parliament will fulfill its obligations
regarding the disbursement of €145 million to Moldova in the form of
macrofinancial assistance. We will find a way to be not just the beneficiaries
of European assistance, but in turn to contribute to the security of the EU’s
borders and help maintain peace and stability on the European continent, the
Moldovan Prime Minister said in turn. Attending the meeting, the Romanian State
Secretary for European Affairs, Daniela Gîtman, reiterated the firm commitment of Romania and the EU in
supporting the Republic of Moldova, a country facing overlapping crises against
the backdrop of the Russian aggression in Ukraine. (MI & VP)

7 February 2023
December 17, 2022

COMMEMORATION – A day of mourning was on Saturday observed in Timișoara, western Romania, in memory
of the victims of the 1989 anti-communist revolution in Romania. Official
ceremonies were held on this occasion, commemorating the first clashes between
security forces of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s
dictatorship and people who took to the streets calling for freedom. The event
was also marked by means of exhibitions, film screenings, debates, concerts and
a special march. The anti-communist revolution in Romania broke out in Timișoara on December 16, 1989, and
expanded to Bucharest and other cities on December 21. Over 1,000 people were
killed and another 3,000 wounded in violent clashes. Romania was the only
country in Eastern Europe where the transition from communism resulted in
bloodshed.

PARTNERSHIP – The governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and
Romania on Saturday signed an agreement on creating a strategic partnership in
the field of green energy. In a special ceremony hosted by Bucharest, the
document was signed by the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Prime
Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciucă, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli
Garibashvili, and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán. The agreement
stipulates the building of an underwater cable that would transport energy from
renewable sources from Azerbaijan to Romania, via Georgia and the Black Sea,
and from there to Hungary and the rest of Europe. The project represents yet
another step whereby Romania consolidates its energy security. On Friday, the
national gas providers of Romania and Azerbaijan, Romgaz and Socar,
respectively, signed a contract that will allow Romania to access additional
volumes of gas, when necessary. Romania is committed to invest in energy
production and infrastructure, Romania’s Prime Minister, Nicolae Ciucă said on Saturday. In turn, the president
of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, pointed out his country would become a major
provider of green electricity for Europe. Attending the signing ceremony were
also Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, and the European Commission
president, Ursula von der Leyen.

SCHENGEN – The European Commission fully supports Romania’s
Schengen accession, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen,
said in Bucharest. The EU official said she would work tirelessly to find a
solution shortly, as Romania is fully prepared to enter the visa-free travel
area. In turn, president Klaus Iohannis said Romania relies on the Commission’s
support. We recall that last week, on the sidelines of the Justice and Home
Affairs council meeting, Austria opposed the Schengen accession of Romania and
Bulgaria, invoking arguments that many considered to be false and politicized.
The Netherlands also voted against.

BAN – The Republic of Moldova has banned six TV stations that
rebroadcast Russian propaganda about Moldova and the war in Ukraine. The
country needs to be shielded from propaganda and lies, deputy Prime Minister
Andrei Spînu wrote on his
Telegram account. The ban takes effect on Monday and will remain in place
during the state of emergency, declared after Russia invaded Ukraine on
February 24. The six TV stations, some broadcasting in Romanian, others in
Russian, are closely tied to Ilan Shor, a controversial politician and
businessman who fled Moldova in 2019 after Maia Sandu was elected president.
Currently in exile in Israel, Shor has supported the anti-government protests
in Chișinău.

WORLD CUP – Croatia is playing Morocco in the bronze final at the
2022 World Cup in Qatar. The two teams were both drafted in Group F. Morocco
ranked 1st and subsequently ousted Spain and Portugal in the round
of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. Croatia ranked 2nd and
knocked out Japan and Brazil in the next rounds. In the semis, Morocco lost to
France, while Croatia lost to Argentina. Croatia ranked 2nd at the
2018 World Cup, whereas Morocco is the first African and Arab team to reach a
World Cup semi-final. On Sunday, in the championship final, the defending
champions France will play Argentina. (VP)

17 December 2022