Radio România Internațional

Tag: Schengen

  • October 26, 2024

    October 26, 2024

     

    FEAST Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians today celebrate the Holy Great-Martyr Demetrius the Myroblyte, a Greek Christian martyr of the early 4th century AD. He was the proconsul of Thessalonica and as such he opposed the pagan celebrations occasioned by Roman military victories, subsequently arrested and forced to renounce his Christian beliefs, seen as dangerous for the unity of the Roman Empire. When he refused, he was run through with spears. His relics are kept today in a church in Thessaloniki.  Nearly 259,000 Romanians celebrate their name day today, according to the interior ministry. In Bucharest, a pilgrimage is taking place to the relics of St. Dimitrie Basarabov, the patron saint of Bucharest, and to the relics of St. Lazarus, brought over from Cyprus.

     

     

    SCHENGEN The Romanian interior minister, Cătălin Predoiu, had talks with his French counterpart Bruno Retailleau, on finalising the Schengen accession file and on topics of interest on the European and bilateral agenda, such as fighting illegal migration and drug trafficking. According to the Romanian interior ministry, the meeting is part of a series of talks with the EU countries with which Romania has strategic partnerships or privileged cooperation agreements, aimed at communicating the outcomes of the measures taken by Bucharest to manage migration and ensure border security in the context of the country’s efforts to fully join the border-free Schengen area. Cătălin Predoiu highlighted the measures taken at both national level and jointly with its immediate neighbours and other EU member states, which resulted in a decrease of migratory pressures on Romania’s borders to nearly zero. Romania’s cooperation with European agencies also played a major role in achieving these outstanding results. Romania aims to complete the case by the end of this year, and is relying on the support of all its allies to meet this important national goal. The French official acknowledged the progress made by Romania and reiterated France’s support for this goal to be reached as soon as possible.

     

     

    MIDDLE EAST Washington called on Iran not to retaliate following last night’s Israeli air raids. Should Tehran choose to strike back, we will be prepared and there will be consequences, the US Administration warned. Meanwhile, Israel announced that its operations in Iran were over, after 3 rounds of attacks on military targets, particularly the defence system and arms production facilities. On the other hand, Iran says the strike was countered and that damages were limited. The international community had been anticipating this operation for about a month, as a response to Iran’s missile attack on October 1. The Pentagon said it had been informed of the strike, but denied any American military involvement. The US had urged Israel not to target nuclear sites or oil fields, a request that was observed by Israel. On its part, Iraq reopened its air space after a 4-hour suspension due to security concerns.

     

     

    WINTER TIME Romania switches to winter time tonight, with clocks set one hour behind so that 4 am becomes 3 am, as a form of daylight saving time. A public poll conducted by the European Commission a few years ago indicates that most Europeans are against the change. In Germany, a teachers’ association said the move has a negative impact on the human body and causes stress, especially in families with school kids. The EC considered eliminating the shift, but member states failed to agree on which of the times should be kept. A number of states have given up switches between winter and summer time, such as Mexico in 2022 and Turkey in 2016. Ukraine also decided that as of 2025 it will no longer switch to Daylight Saving Time. (AMP)

  • Romania’s Schengen entry gets postponed again

    Romania’s Schengen entry gets postponed again

    The EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council that met on Thursday made no change with respect to the full Schengen entry by Romania and Bulgaria as Austria remained inflexibly opposed, just like a year ago. This was despite the reiteration by the European Parliament and the European Commission that the two countries fulfil all conditions for the elimination of land border controls as well. The Austrian minister Gerhard Karner said a lot is yet to be done:

    “We are on the right path, but not at the end of the path. The measures taken have obviously had good effects. Migration numbers are down at the Austrian-Hungarian border. Frontex and the personnel are seriously involved in protecting the Union’s borders. But we should continue intense talks with respect to Bulgaria’s border with Turkey for the situation to improve not just for Austria, but for the entire Schengen area. It is clear that both controls on EU borders and within Schengen members are yielding results. There is a lot more to be done, a lot of hard work.”

    The statement is quite ambiguous and does not set a clear date for the elimination of land controls on Schengen borders. Romania and Bulgaria first applied for Schengen entry some 20 years ago, with Romania meeting the Schengen acquis as early as 2011, when the accession was initially scheduled to take place.

    The Romanian interior minister Cătălin Predoiu said ahead of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg that Romania is fully ready and that it has implemented and fulfilled all criteria for the lifting of land controls. He went on to say that Romania significantly cut down on illegal migration thanks to the Border Police and police cooperation and is ready to apply all Schengen procedures and implement all Schengen instruments. The Romanian interior minister also said that Romania would continue to cooperate with member states and the European Commission to ensure a rigorous security on Romanian, and implicitly, EU borders. Bulgaria’s interim interior minister Atanas Ilkov said there is no requirement his country hasn’t met.

    The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said Romania and Bulgaria met all conditions and even did more than was necessary and that she optimistic and hoping a positive decision would be taken as soon as possible, during her remaining time in office. She said the entry of Romania and Bulgaria would again be discussed at the EU Council in December, and that until then, talks would be held within Coreper, the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union.

  • Schengen accession with the land borders, a hot topic again

    Schengen accession with the land borders, a hot topic again

    European officials support the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen this year.

     

    The European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson, supports the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area with the land borders, by the end of the year. The official announced that this is be the message to be conveyed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council due on Thursday in Luxembourg. Ylva Johansson has said that Bulgaria and Romania have done everything possible, they have implemented all the additional measures and her message to the ministers at Justice and Home Affairs Council will be to take the last step and lift checks at the two countries’ land borders. The statement was made during a European Parliament discussion about the reintroduction of border checks by some countries in the Schengen area and the effects of these decisions on the free movement area.

    Ylva Johansson said she was proud to live in the Schengen area. It is the largest circulation area in the world – 450 million people from 29 countries can move freely through Europe, she said. Almost 30% of Europe’s population lives in a border area and 50 million people live directly next to an internal border, she explained. Thank you for putting such an important debate on the agenda, the commissioner told the MEPs.

     

    As regards Romania’s Schengen accession with land borders, the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union has also announced recently, in a statement that it will present, at the JAI meeting, the situation of the full implementation of the Schengen acquis in Romania and Bulgaria. We remind you that at the end of last year, the Council decided to eliminate checks at the air and sea borders with Romania and Bulgaria, but in order to set the date for the elimination of the land borders, another Council decision is needed.

     

    In Bucharest, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that there is direct communication with the authorities in Austria, which have opposed Romania’s accession, and added that in the upcoming period there will be good news for the country as regards Schengen. Meanwhile, several European officials have renewed their message of support. Europe needs Romania and Romania enjoys our support as regards Shengen and its legitimate interest in lifting checks at the land borders as quickly as possible, the German ambassador in Bucharest, Peer Gebauer, has said recently.

  • October 5, 2024 – UPDATE

    October 5, 2024 – UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    ELECTIONS – The head of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacu, on Saturday submitted his candidacy for president of the country to the Central Election Bureau. He is the 11th candidate registered in the race for head of state. Among his contenders are the Liberal Nicolae Ciuca, the former NATO deputy secretary general Mircea Geoana, the AUR leader George Simion and the USR leader Elena Lasconi. The first round of the presidential elections in Romania will be held on November 24, and the second one on December 8.

     

    FRANCOPHONIE – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, delivered a speech on Saturday, in Paris, at the 19th edition of the Francophonie Summit. He said that education in French is an extremely important additional tool for the success and professional mobility of young people. Iohannis also said that, as the flagship state of the Francophonie in the region, Romania is aware of its responsibility and mission, and its commitments in the global context of Francophone solidarity bring active support to the mobility of young Francophone students and researchers and to the education of girls and women.

     

    SCHENGEN – The entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area is, once again, on the agenda of the Council of Justice and Internal Affairs next week. Hungary, the country which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council and which supports the full entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the European ​​free movement area, will present, at the JAI meeting in Luxembourg, the full implementation of the Schengen Acquis by the two countries, after, on March 31, air and sea border controls had been eliminated. In order to establish the date of the Schengen accession also with the land borders, a new unanimous decision of the Council members is needed.

     

    TENNIS – The Romanian pair Monica Niculescu/Gabriela Ruse on Saturday qualified for the doubles final of the WTA tennis tournament in Hong Kong, after winning 6-2, 6-7, 10-4 against the pair Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway )/Fang-Hsien Wu (Taiwan). After this success, Niculescu and Ruse could play in the same formula for Romania at the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup. In the final of the Hong Kong tournament, the two Romanians will be up against Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya of Japan.

     

    CHISINAU – Just a few weeks before the presidential elections and the referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu promised, on Friday, in Chisinau, the continuation of his country’s support for Moldova. After being received by President Maia Sandu, who, according to opinion polls, has the first chance to win another mandate as head of state, Ciolacu said that in order to maintain the Republic of Moldova on the European path, it is important that Maia Sandu is reelected and that the referendum on the EU is successful. The Romanian Prime Minister also said that joint projects and investments will continue in the upcoming period.

     

    COMISSION – The European Commission has decided to overtax Chinese electric cars by up to 35% starting next month. 10 member states voted in favor and five against. Romania is among the 12 states that abstained. France and Italy voted for this measure, and Germany, the main European car manufacturer, was the strongest opponent. The Commission’s decision is based on the conclusions of an investigation launched a year ago. Beijing supports its own industry in such a way that the price of Chinese electric cars is much lower than the European ones, and thus the competition is partly eliminated. Beijing reacted immediately, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU urges the bloc to act cautiously and postpone the application of tariffs. China sees the introduction of this the tariff as protectionist measure and warns that this attitude could lead to the degradation of trade relations between the two partied. Official estimates are that Chinese cars could reach a 15% share of the EU’s new electric car market by 2025, their prices being 20% smaller, on average, than the Europe-made models.

     

     

  • July 27, 2024 UPDATE

    July 27, 2024 UPDATE

    UNESCO – The Monumental Ensemble “The Heroes’ Path “, made by Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi in Târgu Jiu (southern Romania), and the “Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia” have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The announcement was made on Saturday, during a session of the UNESCO Committee, which is taking place in New Delhi, India. The new entries complete the Romanian presence on the world heritage list, which includes, among others, the Danube Delta, the Dacian fortresses in the Orăştiei Mountains or churches in Moldova and Maramureş.

     

    SCHENGEN – Hungary, which holds the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, will put on the European agenda in autumn the accession of the neighboring Romania to the Schengen Area with the land borders, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, said once more. In his speech at the Summer University in Băile Tuşnad (central Romania), Orban said he hopes there will be a favorable vote by the end of the year. He also spoke about the conflict in Ukraine, warning that Europe will have to pay the price of this war if the Republican Donald Trump wins the presidential elections in the United States.

     

    OLYMPICS – The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu was defeated by Poland’s Iga Swiatek, the current world leader, 6-2, 7-5, on Saturday, in the first round of the women’s singles event at the Paris Olympic Games. Begu is at her third participation in the Olympic Games, after losing in the first round in the singles in 2012 in London and in 2016 in Rio. Her best Olympic result is reaching the quarter-finals in mixed doubles in 2016, alongside Horia Tecau. Irina Begu will also play in Paris in the women’s doubles, teaming up with Monica Niculescu, against the Taiwanese Su-Wei Hsieh/Chia Yi Tsao. Another Romanian, Ana Bogdan was defeated by the Italian Jasmine Paolini, 7-5, 6-3. Bogdan will also play in the women’s doubles, with Jaqueline Cristian, the opponents in the first round being the Japanese Shuko Aoyama/Eni Shibahara.

     

    DISBURSEMENT – The European Commission approved the release for Romania of 1.7 billion euros for strategic projects in research and innovation. The Minister of Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, announced that after 2 years of negotiations, the Commission considerers fulfilled the condition called “Good governance of the national or regional smart specialization strategy”, coordinated by the ministry. The European money is for investments in all regions of the country, and the goal is, according to the minister, “an ecosystem of innovation that supports entrepreneurs in the field, Romanians who develop last-generation technologies and bring value to the economy and industry”.

     

    INVESTMENT – The funds to be granted to Romanian farmers whose crops have been compromised by drought will almost triple the budget allocations for subsidies in agriculture, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. Ciolacu visited, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, the counties of Vrancea and Galati, some of the most affected by the weather conditions, where corn and sunflower crops are over 90% lost. Around 2 million cultivated hectares are compromised by drought in the entire south and east of the country. Ciolacu gave assurances that Romania does not have any problem regarding food security, because it has a fairly large irrigated agricultural area. On the other hand, he said the Government would present a plan to reduce expenses on September 1. Neither the increase in VAT nor in the social contributions is considered, Ciolacu said. We remind you that the European Union announced that it maintains the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. Similar actions were launched on Friday for six other member states, including France, Poland and Hungary. (EE)

     

     

     

  • July 27, 2024

    July 27, 2024

    OLYMPICS – Nadia Comaneci was last night one of the surprises of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, along with other world sports legends. The Romanian, alongside Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Carl Lewis, held the Olympic torch while aboard a boat on the River Seine, before handing it to various French athletes that took it the place where the Olympic Cauldron was lit. 90 heads of state attended the festivities. The fight for medals started a few days ago in certain disciplines. The first Romanian to enter the competition is the rower Mihai Chiruţă, who has qualified, this morning, in the quarter-finals of the men’s single rowing event, after winning the second series. Also, the rowers Andrei Cornea and Marian Enache qualified directly for the semifinals of the men’s double rowing event, after clearly winning the second series. Romania is participating in the Summer Olympic Games in Paris with 106 athletes.

     

    DISBURSMENT – The European Commission approved the release for Romania of 1.7 billion euros for strategic projects in research and innovation. The Minister of Digitization, Bogdan Ivan, announced that after 2 years of negotiations, the Commission considerers fulfilled the condition called “Good governance of the national or regional smart specialization strategy”, coordinated by the ministry. The European money is for investments in all regions of the country, and the goal is, according to the minister, “an ecosystem of innovation that supports entrepreneurs in the field, Romanians who develop last-generation technologies and bring value to the economy and industry”.

     

    INVESTMENT – The funds to be granted to Romanian farmers whose crops have been compromised by drought will almost triple the budget allocations for subsidies in agriculture, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. Ciolacu visited, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, the counties of Vrancea and Galati, some of the most affected by the weather conditions, where corn and sunflower crops are over 90% lost. Around 2 million cultivated hectares are compromised by drought in the entire south and east of the country. Ciolacu gave assurances that Romania does not have any problem regarding food security, because it has a fairly large irrigated agricultural area. On the other hand, he said the Government would present a plan to reduce expenses on September 1. Neither the increase in VAT nor in the social contributions is considered, Ciolacu said. We remind you that the European Union announced that it maintains the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. Similar actions were launched on Friday for six other member states, including France, Poland and Hungary.

     

    SCHENGEN – Hungary, which holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of the year, will put Romania’s accession to the Schengen area with its land borders, back on the European agenda. This is what the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who participated, on Thursday, in Bucharest, in a working breakfast with PM Marcel Ciolacu, promised. The Hungarian leader is in Romania today to participate in the Summer University in Baile Tuşnad (center). Hungary is Romania’s third largest trade partner. Trade between the two neighboring countries amounts to approximately 13 billion euros, and the two prime ministers agreed that there is still potential for development. They also decided, at the meeting, to start the feasibility studies for a high-speed railway between Bucharest and Budapest, a strategic project of regional interest.

     

    GAZA – Israel and Hamas are preparing for a new round of negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the United States, through several officials, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, insisted during Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, on the need for a quick agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. During the meeting on Friday evening at the residence of former US President Donald Trump in Florida, Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed that the Israeli delegation of negotiators will go to Rome next week, where the next high-level conference of mediating countries is held. (EE)

     

     

     

     

  • June 19, 2024 UPDATE

    June 19, 2024 UPDATE

    Visit. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, received, on Wednesday, his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, who paid a formal visit to Bucharest. We have deep ties, an exceptional economic dynamic, and the soul of the relationship are the Romanian communities in Italy, who are very well integrated, said Iohannis. At the same time, the head of state expressed his appreciation for the solid community of Italian entrepreneurs in Romania. He specified that, last year, the two countries had bilateral exchanges worth 20 billion euros. In terms of security, Klaus Iohannis stated that Romania and Italy would continue to work together to strengthen NATO’s deterrence role on the eastern flank, but also on the southern one. For his part, President Mattarella stated that bilateral relations were excellent on all levels. Romania is an extremely important bilateral, European and international partner for Italy, and we want the country to join the Schengen free movement area also with the land borders, the Italian guest also said. In 2024, Romania and Italy celebrate 145 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, as well as 60 years since their elevation to embassy level.

    NATO. Romania will take over, between July and December 2024, the command of a NATO Countermeasures Maritime Group, which will carry out specific missions in the Mediterranean basin, the Romanian Naval Forces have announced. Romania will participate in this group with the ship “Vice Admiral Constantin Bălescu”, which has a crew of 85 Romanian and foreign soldiers. The maritime group will also include military ships from Italy, Spain and Turkey. The main goals of this mission of the Allied Maritime Command of NATO are to ensure the immediate response capacity of the North Atlantic Alliance, to increase the interoperability between the allied naval forces, as well as to promote the image of NATO, the press release states.


    Election results.     The final results of the European Parliament elections have been announced by the Central Electoral Bureau and published in the Official Gazette of Romania. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) – National Liberal Party (PNL) alliance ranked first with 48.5% of the votes, followed by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, with a little under 15%, the United Right Alliance, with 8.7%, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania with almost 6.5% and the SOS Romania party with a little over the required threshold of 5%. The independent candidate Nicolae Ştefănuţă was voted by 3.08% of Romanians and managed to obtain another European Parliament mandate. The voter turnout was 52.4%. The Central Electoral Bureau pointed out that, of the 33 MEP mandates going to Romania, 19 went to the PSD-PNL alliance, 6 to the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, 3 to the United Right Alliance and 2 to the SOS Romania Party and another 2 to the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.

    Law. The Romanian Senate has adopted, as the first chamber notified, a bill to amend the Citizenship Law, initiated by the Government, which establishes that the Romanian citizenship can be granted, upon request, to a foreign person who is married and lives outside the borders with a Romanian citizen for at least 10 years. The current legislation stipulates that, in order to grant citizenship to a foreign citizen married to a Romanian citizen, he or she must live in Romania for at least five years, which represents, in the opinion of the initiator, ‘an obstacle’. The law also provides for the necessary measures needed to acquire the Romanian citizenship and for rules to prevent its fraudulent acquisition. Thus, biometric checks are provided for persons who apply for Romanian citizenship. The bill will be debated by the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body in this matter.

    USA. The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, will pay a working visit to the USA on June 20-21.. On this occasion, she will have bilateral political consultations with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, meetings with representatives of the National Security Council, opinion leaders and American think-tanks. At the same time, the head of the Romanian Diplomacy will participate in the opening of the Romania-USA Economic Forum, where, as a keynote speaker, she will emphasize the potential for the development of Romanian-American economic relations, including through bilateral cooperation in the field of energy and reconstruction efforts for Ukraine. Organized in the context of the 20th anniversary of Romania’s accession to NATO, the visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made in the bilateral relationship, in the cooperation for strengthening Euro-Atlantic security, with an emphasis on the Black Sea region and on identifying ways to strengthening the Romania-USA Strategic Partnership.

    Korea. The Romanian Minister of National Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, had a working meeting in Bucharest, on Wedesday, with his South Korean counterpart, Won-sik Shin, who paid a formal visit to Romania. The agenda of the bilateral discussions covered issues regarding the international security situation and the prospects for bilateral cooperation in the field of defense between the two states, against the backdrop of the signing, in April, in Seoul, of the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Korea on cooperation in the field of defense. During the discussions, the Romanian Minister of Defense presented the main threats and risks from the Black Sea and Western Balkans regions against the backdrop of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the Romanian official highlighted Romania’s support for Ukraine. The two defense ministers laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Bucharest.

    Football. The Romanian football champion FCSB will play in the first preliminary round of the Champions League with the San Marino team AC Virtus 1964, according to the draw held at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. FCSB will play the first away match on July 9 or 10, and the decisive leg in Bucharest on July 16 or 17. The winner of the Romanian Cup, the second division Corvinul Hunedoara (south-west), will face the Hungarian vice-champion, Paksi FC, in the first preliminary round of the Europa League. Corvinul will play the first away match on July 11, with the second leg scheduled in Romania on July 18. (MI)

  • Automobiles and transport infrastructure

    Automobiles and transport infrastructure

    2024 brought, so far, the best start of the year for the Romanian car industry in the last five years, and experts estimate that this year will be a very good one for plants in Romania. The general secretary of the Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Adrian Sandu , has stated that there is demand for vehicles manufactured in Romania from more than 60 markets in the world, adding that last year a new record was registered for the automotive industry in the country, with 513,000 units manufactured.

    And according to the Association’s estimates, local car production will accelerate to 550,000 units, thanks to the new models launched by Dacia and Ford, produced at the factories in Mioveni (south) and Craiova (south). Moreover, the Ford factories in Craiova have already presented the facelift Puma and started the production of the new Tourneo Courier and Transit models. In 2019, the pre-pandemic reference year, less than half a million cars came off the assembly lines of plants in southern Romania.

    The production of tires will also grow in Romania after the French manufacturer Michelin announced that it would gradually move, until the end of the year, to its factory in Zalău (northern Romania), part of the production currently carried out in Poland. The decision was made following the transformations that the Polish unit will go through, after replacing part of the current production line with updated technology. Returning to the road infrastructure, this year there are chances that the southern half of Romania, Oltenia (south-west), Muntenia (south) and Dobrogea (south-east), will have high-speed roads.

    According to Adrian Sandu, the link between Craiova, Bucharest and Constanţa is an advantage for the automotive industry, but also for future companies that want to open production facilities in Romania. Adrian Sandu:

    “It is extremely important, in this European and world competition, that Romania achieves as many competitiveness criteria as possible. One of these criteria refers to the transport infrastructure, both road and rail. Upgrading the railway transport infrastructure to increase the speed of railway transport is a must. Likewise with regard to the road transport infrastructure, and the connections between the regions of the country will lead to their economic development. Especially on the transport corridor from Hungary to the port of Constanta, a fast road transport link is needed. For the automotive industry, the transport links from Pitesti to Vama Nadlac or from Craiova to the Port of Constanţa are extremely important, given the fact that they significantly reduce the duration of vehicle transport to the port of Constanţa, which is an important export gateway for vehicles manufactured in Romania”.

    It should also be mentioned that, currently, in addition to the insufficiently developed transport infrastructure, Romania’s economy loses, annually, according to road transporters, very large sums due to customs blockages, about 2.5 billion euros, as a result of not being accepted in the Schengen free movement area also with its land borders. (MI)

  • Romania and its full Schengen accession

    Romania and its full Schengen accession

     

    On March 31, Romania and its neighbour, Bulgaria, partly joined the Schengen visa-free travel area, after the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council decided to scrap checks at the air and maritime borders between the 2 countries and the other Schengen member states. This was possible after Austria, the last country in the bloc that opposed the idea, lifted its veto.

     

    The Schengen area has one, external border where checks are conducted in line with a clear set of rules regarding visas, migration, asylum and police, judicial and customs cooperation.

     

    Attending the special European Council meeting held this week in Brussels, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis highlighted the need to lift all barriers to the operation of the single market as a pillar of competitiveness, including in relation to the four freedoms of movement.

     

    This aspect, he pointed out, is particularly important in the context of Romania’s Schengen accession process, and of its efforts to have land border checks lifted as well.

     

    In fact, a report commissioned by the Council mentions the need for Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full Schengen integration, as a means to boost the single market.

     

    Meanwhile, in Sofia, the Romanian interior minister, Cătălin Predoiu, and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, attended a meeting with Bulgaria’s interior minister, Kalin Stoyanov, concerning the two countries’ Schengen accession.

     

    The Romanian official said that both Romania, and Bulgaria were prepared for the lifting of land border checks. He added that all the measures to counter organised crime and illegal migration at the internal borders had been discussed in detail.

     

    In turn, the European commissioner Ylva Johansson voiced hopes that a precise date would be set this year for the two countries’ full accession to the visa-free zone, as proposed by the European Commission. She said the topic would be discussed in the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting due in mid-June.

     

    “We had a very good exchange where both ministers, Stoyanov and Predoiu, told about the improvements made in Bulgaria and Romania”, the European commissioner said. She also pointed out that the Commission had established, in fact-finding missions, that Bulgaria and Romania were better prepared to fulfil all the Schengen acquis than some Schengen member states,” given all the efforts made at their external borders. (AMP)

  • April 16, 2024 UPDATE

    April 16, 2024 UPDATE

    IMF – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised downwards the estimates regarding the growth of the Romanian economy this year, from 3.8% as estimated in October, to 2.8%, according to the latest report ‘World Economic Outlook’, published on Tuesday by the international financial institution. According to the new IMF forecasts, after an advance of 2.1% last year, the economy will grow to 2.8% this year, accelerating to 3.6% in 2025. As for inflation, the IMF forecasts that Romania will register an average annual growth of 6% this year and 4% next year, from 10.4% in 2023. Also, the IMF expects Romania’s current account deficit to remain at 7.1% of the GDP in 2024, similar to the level forecast in October and to that of 2023. Regarding the unemployment rate, the IMF estimates a level of 5.6% in 2024 and 5.4% in 2025.

     

    Visit – The Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and members of his cabinet on Wednesday travelled to Doha, the capital of Qatar. They are due to meet a number of high-ranking Qatari officials to discuss the consolidation of bilateral cooperation in key areas such as agriculture, transport infrastructure, new technologies and energy. An important role will be played by the dialogue between the business communities from the two states and the talks on the organization of a future business forum. The Prime Minister Ciolacu is accompanied on his trip by the ministers of foreign affairs, transport, economy, energy, agriculture and digitalization. After Qatar, the government delegation will travel to the United Arab Emirates.

     

    Miners’ riots – The former Prime Minister Petre Roman and the former Deputy Prime Minister Gelu Voican Voiculescu can be criminally investigated in the 1990 Mineriada – Miners’ riots file, after President Klaus Iohannis approved, on Tuesday, the prosecutors’ requests to start the criminal prosecution of the two officials for crimes against humanity and sent the requests to the justice minister. In the same file, President Klaus Iohannis approved, also this month, the criminal prosecution of the former head of state Ion Iliescu, accused of giving the order for the forced evacuation of the demonstrators from the University Square in Bucharest. The three were at the helm of the country during the Miners’ riots in the period June 13-15, 1990, when demonstrations against the government were violently repressed by law enforcement, with the help of miners called from Jiu Valley. Four people were shot dead, and over 1,000 others were injured.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea was defeated by the Chinese Qinwen Zheng, 6-2, 6-3, on Tuesday, in the first round of the WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart (Germany), with total prizes worth about 800,000 dollars. Cîrstea, ranked 29th in the WTA ranking, played her first match on clay this year. Another Romanian, Gabriela Ruse, will play, on Wednesday, against the Japanese Nao Hibino, in the first round of the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen (France), with total prizes worth over 230,000 Euros.

     

    Art – The Romanian Culture Minister, Raluca Turcan, on Monday started a five-day visit to Italy, in the context of the 60th edition of the Venice Art Biennale. The agenda of the visit included participation in the opening of the exhibition ‘What Work Is’ by Şerban Savu, presented at the Romanian Pavilion within the Biennale, as well as participation in the New Gallery of the Romanian Institute of Culture and Humanistic Research in Venice.

     

    Schengen – The Romanian Interior Minister, Cătălin Predoiu, said on Tuesday, in Bucharest, that in the Schengen history, there is no example, to his knowledge, in which a state was left with only part of its borders in the free travel area. He made these statements after a meeting with his German counterpart Nancy Faeser. “We believe that history will be confirmed this year, in 2024, and Romania will complete this file with the support of the member states, the Commission and in good cooperation with Austria,” the minister pointed out. Cătălin Predoiu mentioned, in context, that Romania has met the technical criteria for joining the free travel area for 14 years. In turn, Nancy Faeser reiterated Germany’s support for Romania’s accession. We continue to support Romania’s full accession to the Schengen area with land borders as well. Schengen is an important achievement of our European project. Now it is very important to show solidarity and strength’, the German official emphasized.

     

    Talks – The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, on Tuesday had a meeting in Bucharest with the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien, during which he highlighted the need to strengthen NATO’s presence on the entire flank eastern. The Romanian minister reiterated his firm commitment to consolidating and strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership. The two officials also discussed Ukraine’s European path and the continuation of international support for Kyiv. (LS)

  • Romania on Its Way to Full Schengen Accession

    Romania on Its Way to Full Schengen Accession

    “Obviously, they will monitor us carefully, and any error will be speculated by the Austrians to delay things, to justify what they argued. Of course, we know that their arguments regarding migration do not hold. The institutions of the European Union, Frontex first of all, through the data they publish, show that the Austrian accusations have no basis. On the contrary, Croatia, whose entry they allowed in 2023, is more on the Balkan migration route than Bulgaria and Romania.”

    ‘I think the most complicated problem we have is with legal migration from Romania, which has increased a lot – 100,000 migrants coming from Asian countries, especially in 2022-2023, which should increase to 250,000 this year’, says political scientist Cristian Pârvulescu

    “They will have to be watched very carefully, because they can get on a plane at any time and go to Western countries. If they are no longer subject to controls at Romanian airports, we will really have a problem, and this temptation exists. They come to Romania, of course, because it is a slightly more open market, but also because they hope to be able to go to the West, and now they have an opportunity.”

    However, the Romanian authorities have provided assurances that there will continue to be border police patrols in airports, which will ID all those who might violate the legislation, because those who come to work in Romania do not benefit from the right to free movement in the Schengen area, Cristian Pârvulescu reminds us.

  • March 31, 2024 UPDATE

    March 31, 2024 UPDATE

     

    SCHENGEN Romanian seaports and international airports officially joined the Schengen Area on Sunday, March 31. At sea, controls are not eliminated, but they are simplified. Passengers flying to or from Schengen member states will go directly to their respective boarding gate after security checks, without having their travel documents checked by the border police. Currently, 27 European states are full members of the Schengen Agreement, and Romania and Bulgaria become members with partial rights on March 31. Border checks remain in place at land checkpoints, after Austria vetoed Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full Schengen membership. The EC president, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed and congratulated the 2 countries on their accomplishment, and promised talks would be carried on this year to complete the process.

     

    EASTER Roman-Catholic and Protestant Christians, including around 1.3 million believers in mostly Orthodox Romania, celebrated Easter Sunday. At midnight, at the Vatican, Pope Francis presided over the Easter Vigil service at St. Peter’s Basilica. Enmity and wars, self-absorption and indifference, the fears that hold us back from accomplishing the good we mean to do, are our own stone blocks, the tombstones in our hearts, that rob us of enthusiasm and of the strength to persevere, the Pope said in his Homily. In a pastoral letter, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest, Aurel Percă, said that unfortunately, the song of joy proclaimed by the church on Easter comes in contrast with the cries coming from so many painful situations, such as wars, injustice, inequality and poverty. In turn, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in a message that “Easter gives us an opportunity to be together with our loved ones and reminds us that we are always accompanied by the divine love and strength.” This year, Easter for Roman Catholics and Protestants is 5 weeks before the corresponding Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Neo-Protestant celebration on May 5.

     

    NATO The Parliament of Romania convenes on Tuesday in a joint meeting to mark 20 years since the country joined the North Atlantic Alliance and 75 years since the establishment of NATO. On April 2, exactly 2 decades ago, Romania’s colours were first flown at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, after the ratification documents had been received by the US Department of State on March 29.

     

    DST Saturday night Romania switched to daylight saving time, with clocks going forward one hour. Sunday was the shortest day this year. With the transition to summer time, the difference between the official time in Romania and UTC is three hours. Daylight saving time is observed until October 27. EU member states were supposed to decide by 2021 whether they wanted to permanently adopt summer time or winter time. However, the discussion is still open.

     

    AGRICULTURE Last year Romania came 2nd in the EU, after France, in terms of the sunflower seed yield, thus losing the top EU position held in 2022, the National Statistics Institute announced. In 2023 the yield was 3.7% below the figures reported the previous year, although the surface area under sunflower crops was the same. Romania remains the 6th in Europe in terms of the area under potato crops, and the 9th-largest producer in Europe in 2023, after countries like Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Poland.

     

    OIL SECTOR In 2023, Romania remained the main supplier of oil products for the Republic of Moldova, the National Energy Regulatory Agency in Chişinău announced. Last year, Moldova imported around 1 mln tonnes of diesel, petrol and LPG, accounting for a 6.6% rise since 2022 and for a complete recovery of the oil market after the successive crises entailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, Radio Chişinău said, quoting energy sector experts. Russia, which used to be one of the largest oil product suppliers for Moldova, only exported insignificant amounts to Moldova last year.

     

    HANDBALL The western Romanian handball team CS Minaur Baia Mare qualified for the semi-finals of the EHF European Cup, although they were defeated by the Austrian side Bregenz Handball 30-28 on Saturday night, in an away game in the second leg of the quarter-finals. The Romanian vice-champions had won the first leg at home, 37-31. In the semis, Minaur takes on Valur Reykjavik (Iceland), which outplayed CSA Steaua Bucharest in the previous round. On April 2, Romanian champions CS Dinamo Bucharest play away from home against the Danish side Bjerringbro Silkeborg, in the second leg of the EHF European League play-offs. Dinamo won the home game 37-34. The quarter-final winners are to play in the Final Four round. (AMP)

  • March 31, 2024

    March 31, 2024

     

    SCHENGEN Romanian seaports and international airports officially joined the Schengen Area on Sunday, March 31. At sea, controls are not eliminated, but they are simplified. Passengers flying to or from Schengen member states will go directly to their respective boarding gate after security checks, without having their travel documents checked by the border police. Currently, 27 European states are full members of the Schengen Agreement, and Romania and Bulgaria become members with partial rights on March 31. Border checks remain in place at land checkpoints, after Austria vetoed Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full Schengen membership. The EC president, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed and congratulated the 2 countries on their accomplishment, and promised talks would be carried on this year to complete the process.

     

    EASTER Roman-Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrate Easter today. In mostly Orthodox Romania, around 1.3 million people are celebrating Easter Sunday today. At midnight, at the Vatican, Pope Francis presided over the Easter Vigil service at the St. Peter’s Basilica. Enmity and wars, self-absorption and indifference, the fears that hold us back from accomplishing the good we mean to do, are our own stone blocks, the tombstones in our hearts, that rob us of enthusiasm and of the strength to persevere, the Pope said in his Homily. In a pastoral letter, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest, Aurel Percă, says that unfortunately, the song of joy proclaimed by the church on Easter comes in contrast with the cries coming from so many painful situations, such as wars, injustice, inequality and poverty. In turn, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis says in a message that “Easter gives us an opportunity to be together with our loved ones and reminds us that we are always accompanied by the divine love and strength.” This year, Easter for Roman Catholics and Protestants is 5 weeks before the corresponding Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Neo-Protestant celebration on May 5. In 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017, the Resurrection was celebrated on the same day by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Next year, all Christians will celebrate Easter on the same day again.

     

    NATO The Parliament of Romania convenes on Tuesday in a joint meeting to mark 20 years since the country joined the North Atlantic Alliance and 75 years since the establishment of NATO. On April 2, exactly decades ago, Romania’s colours were first flown at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, after the ratification documents had been received by the US Department of State on March 29.

     

    DST Last night Romania switched to daylight saving time, with clocks going forward one hour. Sunday is the shortest day this year. With the transition to summer time, the difference between the official time in Romania and UTC is three hours. Daylight saving time is observed until October 27. EU member states were supposed to decide by 2021 whether they wanted to permanently adopt summer time or winter time. However, the discussion is still open.

     

    AGRICULTURE Last year Romania came 2nd in the EU, after France, in terms of the sunflower seed yield, thus losing the top EU position held in 2022, the National Statistics Institutte announced. In 2023 the yield was 3.7% below the figures reported the previous year, although the surface area under sunflower crops was the same. Romania remains the 6th in Europe in terms of the area under potato crops, and the 9th-largest producer in Europe in 2023, after countries like Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Poland.

     

    OIL SECTOR In 2023, Romania remained the main supplier of oil products for the Republic of Moldova, the National Energy Regulatory Agency in Chişinău announced. Last year, Moldova imported around 1 mln tonnes of diesel, petrol and LPG, accounting for a 6.6% rise since 2022 and for a complete recovery of the oil market after the successive crises entailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, Radio Chişinău said, quoting energy sector experts. Russia, which used to be one of the largest oil product suppliers for Moldova, only exported insignificant amounts to Moldova last year. (AMP)

  • March 30, 2024 UPDATE

    March 30, 2024 UPDATE

    Schengen. Romanian international seaports and airports join the Schengen Area on Sunday, March 31. At sea, the controls have not been eliminated, but have been simplified. At airports, people who choose to fly to or from Schengen member states, after undergoing the security control, will go directly to the boarding gate, without stopping at the Border Police counters to have their travel documents checked. However, police checks are possible to establish the legal status of some passengers, in order to prevent cross-border crimes and illegal migration. To symbolically mark the moment of Romania’s entry into Schengen by air and sea, new departure terminals were inaugurated, on Friday at the airports of Iasi (east) and Timisoara (west). Attending the event in Timişoara, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu expressed his confidence that, by the end of the year, Romania would have also joined Schengen area on land, the most important component of the area of free movement of people and goods. Austria is the only country in the EU that still opposes this approach. Currently, 27 European states are full members of the Schengen Agreement, and Romania and Bulgaria become, as of March 31, members with partial rights.

    Easter. In Romania, approximately 1,300,000 Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday. In a pastoral letter, the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest, Aurel Percă, states that, unfortunately, the song of Easter joy proclaimed by the Church contrasts with the cries that come from so many painful situations, increasingly frequent in the world, such as wars , injustice, inequality and poverty. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, also posted a message reading that in the spirit of solidarity and compassion, we should direct our thoughts and prayers to those who are suffering. This year, Easter for Roman Catholics and Protestants is five weeks before that for Orthodox, Greek Catholics and Neo-Protestants, who will celebrate it on May 5. In 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017, the Resurrection was celebrated on the same day by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Next time that all Christians will celebrate Easter on the same day is 2025.

    Fuels. In 2023, Romania was the main supplier of oil products for the Republic of Moldova – shows the data centralized by the National Agency for Energy Regulation in Chisinau. Last year, the Republic of Moldova imported almost 1,000,000 tons of diesel, gasoline and liquefied gas, up by 6.6 percent compared to 2022, marking a full recovery of the oil products market after the consecutive crises of 2020-2022 generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the start of the war in Ukraine – say experts in the energy field quoted by Radio Chisinau. The most imported oil product was diesel, with a weight of almost 75%.

    Moldova. An employee of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Moscow was declared persona non grata on the territory of the Russian Federation and is to return home. Moscow’s decision comes as a response to a similar measure taken last week by the Chisinau authorities. The Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Russia, Lilian Darii, was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a note of protest and was informed of the decision taken. The Moldovan authorities have announced that they will continue to take all the necessary measures to prevent Russia’s attempts to interfere in the state’s internal affairs.

    Sunflower. Last year, Romania ranked second in the EU, after France, in the production of sunflower seeds, losing the first position it held in 2022 – according to the National Institute of Statistics. Production was lower last year, compared to 2022, by 3.7%. In terms of areas cultivated with sunflower, the country remains in first place.

    Central Bank. The reference index for consumer loans in Romania has dropped to 5.9% per year, from 5.97%, the level published three months ago, according to data provided by the National Bank of Romania. It is the first important drop in this index in the last 12 months, which will lead, starting April, to lower rates for mortgage loans contracted on the basis of this index for almost 500,000 Romanians. A second decrease will occur in July, down to 5.84%. Also, the Central Bank has announced, the three-month ROBOR index, according to which the cost of consumer loans in national currency with variable interest is calculated, had slightly increased on Friday from 6.05% to 6.06% per year.

  • March 30, 2024

    March 30, 2024

    Schengen. Romanian seaports and international airports join the Schengen Area on Sunday, March 31. At sea, the controls are not eliminated, but they are simplified. At the airports, people who choose to fly to or from Schengen member states, after undergoing the security control, will go directly to the boarding gate, without stopping at the Border Police counters to have their travel documents checked. However, police checks are possible to establish the legal status of some passengers, in order to prevent cross-border crimes and illegal migration. To symbolically mark the moment of Romania’s entry into Schengen by air and sea, new departure terminals were inaugurated, on Friday, at the airports of Iasi (east) and Timisoara (west). Present at the event in Timişoara, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu expressed his confidence that, by the end of the year, Romania would have also joined Schengen area on land, the most important component of the area of ​​free movement of people and goods. Austria is the only country in the EU that still opposes this approach. Currently, 27 European states are full members of the Schengen Agreement, and Romania and Bulgaria become, as of March 31, members with partial rights.

    Central Bank. The reference index for consumer loans in Romania has dropped to 5.9% per year, from 5.97%, the level published three months ago, according to data provided by the National Bank of Romania. It is the first important drop in this index in the last 12 months, which will lead, starting April, to lower rates for mortgage loans contracted on the basis of this index for almost 500,000 Romanians. A second decrease will occur in July, down to 5.84%. Also, the Central Bank has announced, the three-month ROBOR index, according to which the cost of consumer loans in national currency with variable interest is calculated, had slightly increased on Friday from 6.05% to 6.06% per year.

    Summer time. Tonight, Romania will start observing the daylight saving time, so clocks will go forward one hour, 3 am becoming 4 am. Sunday will be the shortest day this year. With the transition to summer time, the difference between the official time of Romania and UTC will be of three hours. Daylight saving time is observed until October 27. The member states of the European Union were supposed to decide by 2021 whether they wanted to permanently adopt summer time or winter time. However, the discussion is still open.

    Easter. Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday. In Romania, approximately 1,300,000 people are preparing for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after crucifixion. In a pastoral letter, the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest, Aurel Percă, states that, unfortunately, the song of Easter joy proclaimed by the Church contrasts with the cries that come from so many painful situations, increasingly frequent in the world, such as wars , injustice, inequality and poverty. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, also posted a message reading that in the spirit of solidarity and compassion, we should direct our thoughts and prayers to those who are suffering. This year, Easter for Roman Catholics and Protestants is five weeks before that for Orthodox, Greek Catholics and Neo-Protestants, who will celebrate it on May 5. In 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017, the Resurrection was celebrated on the same day by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Next time that all Christians will celebrate Easter on the same day is 2025.

    Moldova. An employee of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Moscow was declared persona non grata on the territory of the Russian Federation and is to return home. Moscow’s decision comes as a response to a similar measure taken last week by the Chisinau authorities. The Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Russia, Lilian Darii, was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a note of protest and was informed of the decision taken. The Moldovan authorities have announced that they will continue to take all the necessary measures to prevent Russia’s attempts to interfere in the state’s internal affairs.

    Drugs. In the last two weeks, Romanian police officers specialized in fighting organized crime have carried out almost 300 searches and discovered and seized, among other things, approximately 28 kg of cannabis, over 5 kg of cocaine and over 13 kg of other drugs. According to a press release of the Romanian Police, 132 arrest warrants and 78 preventive arrest warrants were issued. In the case of 21 people, the measure of judicial control was taken. (MI)