Radio România Internațional

Tag: school violence

  • August 28, 2024 UPDATE

    August 28, 2024 UPDATE

    ELECTION The Government in Bucharest has set the calendar of the upcoming election in detail, including the technical measures and expenses for the preparation, organization and unfolding of the presidential election in Romania. So, November 24th 2024 will be seeing the first round of voting and, if needed, a second round will take place on December 8. October 5th is the deadline for submitting candidatures and election signs to the Central Election Office, while the election campaign kicks off on October 25th. In another development, the government has extended the National Programme for Local Development for another two years in order to support the over 3 thousand projects currently underway. Also on Wednesday, the Executive approved “The National Plan for a Safe School Environment” completing the measures focusing on fighting violence in the country’s education system. Discounts will be made available for therapy sessions for children victims of violence, or who were involved in such acts. The programme also includes training courses for teachers as well as an online library devoted to combating violence in schools. Under another bill endorsed in the education sector, students will be granted scholarships through state-funded cultural projects.

     

    OECD Romania on Wednesday received a positive review in the competition sector as part of its OECD accession process. According to Romania’s Competition Council, the review was issued after an assessment that took place between 2018 and 2022. During the review, the Council must demonstrate that its work meets the requirements of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Recommendations have also been made, and the stage of their implementation will be presented next year. Accession to the OECD is a priority for Romania, and is the country’s 3rd strategic goal after the NATO and EU accession.

     

    DEFICIT Romania’s budget deficit exceeds 4% of GDP after the first 7 months of the year, according to finance ministry data. In January – July, the government had total revenues of over EUR 66 bln, up 15% compared to the first 7 months of 2023. Budget expenditure however increased by over 23%, to more than EUR 80 bln. This year’s budget law is based on a 5% deficit level. Meanwhile, the minister for EU investments and projects Adrian Câciu has announced that Romania has so far received EUR23.84 bln under the cohesion policy in 2014-2020, reaching a 99.1% absorption rate.

     

    INDEPENDENCE The Republic of Moldova Tuesday celebrated 33 years since the proclamation of its independence from the former Soviet Union. Attending the ceremonies, the presidents of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia signed a joint statement of support for the country’s EU accession. In his message on this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis promised Romania will continue to provide strategic support to Moldova in all areas. In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu reassured his Moldovan counterpart, Dorin Recean, that Romania will remain in the front line of the efforts to consolidate Moldova’s EU accession efforts, its stability and democratic development.

     

    WEATHER Thunderstorms were reported on Tuesday night in several parts of the country. Weather experts have issued scores of extreme weather warnings. In Iaşi, in the north-east, the wind brought several trees down and damaged vehicles, while entire streets in the city were flooded. Also in the north-east, in Botoşani County, firefighters were called to put out a fire after lightning struck a tree. Tens of streets and basements were also flooded in Cluj-Napoca (north-west).

    (bill)

     

  • November 11, 2022 UPDATE

    November 11, 2022 UPDATE

    Economy. The European
    Commission has improved its forecast regarding the growth of the Romanian
    economy this year, from 3.9%, as it anticipated in July, to 5.8%, according to
    the autumn economic forecasts, published on Friday. After a solid year in 2022,
    Romania’s economy is expected to slow down, with a growth of approximately 2%
    in the coming years, due to higher inflation, tougher financial conditions and
    the negative effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the EC, inflation
    would reach its peak at the end of this year, still remaining at a high level
    in 2023, before falling in 2024. The data published on Friday by the National
    Institute of Statistics in Romania show that the annual rate of inflation
    dropped to 15.32% in October this year, from 15.88% in September, while the
    prices of foodstuffs increased by more than 20%, those of non-food goods were
    higher by more by 14%, and services were more expensive by over 8%.






    Energy. The Romanian Government on Friday passed an emergency ordinance establishing
    a mechanism for the centralized purchase of electricity at a fixed price of some
    90 EUR/megawatt. The Government thus wants to protect end users and the economy
    as a whole. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă explained that electricity prices are
    capped at 0.68 Lei for household users with a total monthly consumption under
    100 kilowatts, at 0.80 Lei for household users with a total consumption between
    100 and 255 kilowatts per month, and at 1 Leu for SMEs. Parliament will also pass
    a number of amendments whereby electricity prices will be set at 1.3 Lei for
    large energy consumers. Household users with electricity consumption above 255
    kilowatts are also targeted by this measure, although the price for the first
    255 kilowatts will be 0.80 Lei. The provisions are temporary and apply starting
    next year until March 31, 2025.







    Peace Forum. On Friday, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, had a meeting with his counterpart from North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum. The head of the Romanian state appreciated the very good level of relations between the two countries, encouraging the continuation of the intensification of bilateral dialogue, with an emphasis on the economic and investment fields. President Iohannis reconfirmed Romania’s firm support for the European course of North Macedonia, welcoming the recent opening of the EU accession negotiations. Stevo Pendarovski appreciated Romania’s constant support for North Macedonia’s European path. President Klaus Iohannis is participating in the 5th edition of the Paris Peace Forum, which this year focuses on major issues such as geopolitical conflicts with global consequences, the worsening of climate change, the effects of the COVID pandemic and the increase in social inequality.














    Borders. The fourth checkpoint on
    the Romanian-Ukrainian border was opened on Thursday in a ceremony attended by the
    Prime Ministers of Romania and Ukraine, Nicolae Ciucă and Denys Shmyhal,
    respectively. The new checkpoint, Vicovu de sus – Krasnoilsk, will help
    facilitate the transit of people and goods between the two states , the
    Romanian Prime Minister said. This is the first checkpoint to open since the
    start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Since then, some 2.8
    million Ukrainians have entered Romania, most of whom were in route to Western
    Europe. A few thousand filed for and received asylum in Romania, benefiting
    from every right under Romanian law. Some 70,000 Ukrainians now have stay
    permits.




    School violence. School violence was discussed by representatives of the Education Ministry in Bucharest and of school
    inspectorates and social workers in the education system, in a debate expected
    to continue early next week with other stakeholders. Proposals to improve the
    legal framework in this field and increase the level of security of students
    and teaching staff are being analyzed. Another priority is to identify
    schooling units that are particularly exposed to acts of violence. The Ministry
    of the Interior will also carry out activities meant to prevent and combat acts
    of violence and support victims of school violence.




    Veterans. Romania’s president,
    Klaus Iohannis, on Friday conveyed a message marking the Day of Veterans in
    Theatres of Operations, whom he described as genuine examples of devotion for
    one’s homeland, fighting for national ideals and self-sacrifice role models
    for the future generations. President Iohannis said that Romanian servicemen
    command the respect and devotion of their peers in allied and partner states
    due to their sense of duty and professionalism on the battlefield. The Romanian
    president recalled that, on November 11, 1918, the Entente and Germany signed
    the ceasefire that ended the Great War. On this day, we are also grateful to
    the veterans of the Second World War, as well as the servicemen currently
    engaged in international operations led by NATO, the EU, the UN and other
    coalitions Romania is part of, the head of state also said.




    Moldova. The President of
    the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, reaffirmed, on Friday in Chisinau,
    her firm support for the Republic of Moldova. The message was expressed both at
    the meeting she had with President Maia Sandu, and in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova gathered in a special session. She emphasized
    that the European Union will continue to help the Republic of Moldova diversify
    its energy markets and prevent the destabilization of the internal situation.
    Metsola also spoke about the financial support that Brussels will continue to
    offer to Chisinau, as well as about the intensification of transport connections
    and commercial exchanges. Europe is with you and we will continue to be with
    you, the Brussels official promised. In turn, President Maia Sandu stressed that
    the war started by Russia demonstrated to everyone, once again, that European
    integration is the only way for a peaceful development of the Republic of
    Moldova and the only chance for it to survive as a democracy. (MI)



  • November 11, 2022

    November 11, 2022

    ENERGY -
    The Government on Friday passed an emergency decree capping centralized
    purchases of electricity at some 90 EUR/megawatt. The Government thus wants to
    protect end users and the economy as a whole. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă explained that electricity
    prices are capped at 0.68 Lei for household users with a total monthly
    consumption under 100 kilowatts, at 0.80 Lei for household users with a total
    consumption between 100 and 255 kilowatts per month, and at 1 Leu for SMEs.
    Parliament will also pass a number of amendments whereby electricity prices
    will be set at 1.3 Lei for large energy consumers. Household users with electricity
    consumption above 255 kilowatts are also targeted by this measure, although the
    price for the first 255 kilowatts will be 0.80 Lei. The provisions are
    temporary and apply starting next year until March 31, 2025.




    PEACE FORUM
    – Paris plays host to the fifth edition of the Peace Forum. Amidst multiple crises,
    the forum this year focuses on hot topics on the global agenda, such as
    geopolitical conflicts with global effects, the growing impact of climate
    change, the waves of COVID pandemic and growing social inequality. Representing
    Romania will be president Klaus Iohannis, who will address the consequences of
    the Russian aggression in Ukraine on European and global security and in a
    number of fields, as well as the impact of the war on post-pandemic recovery
    efforts and other global priorities, such as combating climate change.




    INFLATION
    – The European Commission has upgraded its forecast on Romanian economic growth
    this year, from 3.9% in July to 5.8% this autumn. After a solid 2022, Romanian
    economy is expected to slow down by 2% in the following years, due to soaring
    inflation, the difficult financial context and the economic fallout from the
    war in Ukraine. According to the Commission, inflation is expected to peak at the
    end of 2022 and remain high over the course of 2023, before starting to drop in
    2024. On Friday, the National Statistics Institute announced that the annual
    inflation rate dropped to 15.32% in October, from 15.88% in September,
    considering that prices for foodstuffs went up by 20.58% while prices for
    non-food products increased by 14.37%. Prices for services also went up by
    8.31%.




    BORDERS
    – The fourth checkpoint on the Romanian-Ukrainian border was opened on Thursday
    in a ceremony attended by the Prime Ministers of Romania and Ukraine, Nicolae
    Ciucă and Denys Shmyhal, respectively. The new checkpoint, Vicovu de sus -
    Krasnoilsk, will help facilitate the transit of people and goods between the
    two states , the Romanian Prime Minister said. This is the first checkpoint to
    open since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Since
    then, some 2.8 million Ukrainians have entered Romania, most of whom were in
    route to Western Europe. A few thousand filed for and received asylum in
    Romania, benefiting from every right under Romanian law. Some 70,000 Ukrainians
    now have stay permits.




    SCHOOL
    VIOLENCE – School violence is high on the agenda for talks hosted by the
    Education Ministry in Bucharest with representatives of school inspectorates
    and social workers in the education system. The debate is expected to continue
    early next week, involving members of NGOs. The Ministry will analyze proposals
    to improve the legal framework in this field and increase the level of security
    of students and teaching staff. Another
    priority is to identify schooling units that are particularly exposed to acts
    of violence. The Ministry of the Interior will also conduct actions with a view
    to preventing and combating acts of violence and supporting victims of school
    violence. The Ministry of Education launched a video as part of its
    awareness-raising campaign, criticizing the repeated acts of violence in schools
    across Romania over the recent years.




    VETERANS
    – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, today conveyed a message marking the Day
    of Veterans in Theatres of Operations, whom he described as genuine examples
    of devotion for one’s homeland, fighting for national ideals and self-denial
    role models for the future generations. President Iohannis said that Romanian
    servicemen command the respect and devotion of their peers in allied and
    partner states due to their sense of duty and professionalism on the
    battlefield. The Romanian president recalled that, on November 11, 1918, the
    Entente and Germany signed the ceasefire that ended the Great War. On this
    day, we are also grateful to the veterans of the Second World War, as well as
    the servicemen currently engaged in international operations led by NATO, the
    EU, the UN and other coalitions Romania is part of, the head of state also
    said. (VP)