Radio România Internațional

Tag: Security conference

  • February 14, 2025

    February 14, 2025

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    SECURITY – Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu is taking part, until Sunday, in the  International Security Conference in Munich, where heads of state and government and hundreds of defense experts are discussing major global issues, especially a possible peace in Ukraine. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, security threats and challenges in the political, economic, commercial and technological fields will be addressed. In the thematic sessions of the conference, Emil Hurezeanu will present Romania’s assessments of current challenges, with an emphasis on the deterioration of the security situation in the Black Sea region and the implications of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine for the security of the Euro-Atlantic area. At the same time, he will emphasize the danger of Russia’s hybrid actions and the importance of countering them. On the other hand, the Romanian official will highlight the importance of a more robust transatlantic relationship in managing these challenges and combating the threats faced by the Euro-Atlantic community and will highlight the importance of continuing to provide solid support for increasing the resilience of the Republic of Moldova.

     

    DRONES – The diplomacy in Bucharest firmly condemns the irresponsible attack of the Russian forces against Ukraine on February 13, when two drones carrying explosive material violated the airspace and fell on Romanian territory, near the border with Ukraine, invaded by Moscow’s troops. By order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emil Hurezeanu, the ad interim charge d’affaires of the Russian Federation in Bucharest was urgently summoned to the headquarters of the ministry, to be informed of the firm condemnation of the repeated violation of Romania’s airspace. These illegal and irresponsible attacks must end, Romania having the right to take the necessary response measures, the Ministry said.

     

    NEGOTIATIONS – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine will not agree to any peace deal negotiated by the United States and Russia without Kyiv’s involvement. Zelenskyy is due to meet US Vice President JD Vance today in Munich on the sidelines of the annual Security Conference, after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have agreed by phone to immediately begin negotiations to end the war. Trump said after the discussion with Putin that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is impractical and that its return to the borders it had, before the Russian invasion, is unlikely. The statements have angered Ukraine and European countries, who see them as a capitulation to Russia and a threat to Europe’s security.

     

    THREAT – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that an explosion was heard overnight, followed by a fire at the new sarcophagus that protects parts of reactor 4 of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Fire safety personnel responded to the fire within minutes and no casualties were reported. Radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable, the Agency also reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky announced, in turn, that Russian drones had hit the radiation protection shield at Chernobyl. According to the Ukrainian head of state, after an initial assessment, it was found that the attack had seriously damaged the shield.

     

    PRESIDENCY – Ensuring Romania’s stability is the main priority of the interim president Ilie Bolojan during his three-month term. In his first message as head of state, after taking over the post from his predecessor, Klaus Iohannis, who had resigned, Ilie Bolojan said that his main priorities are ensuring the country’s economic, social and political stability. He also promised that the presidential elections in May will be fair and transparent.

     

    INFLATION – In Romania, the annual inflation rate decreased slightly, to 4.95%, last month, compared to January 2024, when it was 5.14%. According to data published today by the National Institute of Statistics, over the past 12 months, food prices have increased by 4.54%, non-food prices by 4.60%, and services by 6.54%. The latest inflation forecast of the Central Bank indicates a decrease of this index to 3.5%, for the end of the current year.

     

    FOOTBALL- The Romanian football champion FCSB defeated Greek team PAOK Thessaloniki 2-1 on Thursday evening in the first leg of the play-off for the Europa League’s round of 16. The decisive leg against the Greeks coached by Romanian Răzvan Lucescu is scheduled for February 20 in Bucharest. Also on Thursday, in men’s handball,  champion Dinamo Bucharest lost, 26-33, the home match against the Hungarian One Veszprem , in Group A of the Champions League.

     

  • February 18, 2022 UPDATE

    February 18, 2022 UPDATE

    Coronavirus Ro — In Romania the number of new COVID-19 cases is dropping, while the number of related deaths remains quite high. 14,524 new cases and 135 deaths – of which 10 from the previous days were reported on Friday. The health minister Alexandru Rafila and those in charge of managing the crisis are talking about a gradual relaxation, by fields of activity, which might start in two or three weeks’ time. As to vaccination, more than 8.1 million people have been vaccinated with the first doze, and 2.5 million with the 2nd one.



    Brussels – Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, on Friday met in Brussels with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. The two discussed security developments in the EUs Eastern Neighborhood, the support for the Republic of Moldova’ EU accession, energy security, the package of measures to combat climate change and the enlargement of the Schengen area. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Romanian President’s participation in the 6th European Union-African Union Summit, held on Thursday and Friday in Brussels. President Iohannis underlined that for Romania, education is traditionally an important area of ​​cooperation with Africa. He pointed out that thousands of African citizens are using their skills acquired in Romanian universities to serve their countries and to help build bridges. More than 17,500 young Africans have studied at Romanian universities in the last five years alone, and around 3,500 students from at least 40 African countries are getting enrolled in universities each year. Their presence in Romania enriches the academic life and stimulates a better understanding between the people from the two continents, shows a communiqué of the Romanian Presidential Administration.



    Berlin – The Romanian defense minister, Vasile Dîncu, participates, between February 18-20, in the Munich Security Conference, where talks will focus on the context created by the massive deployment of Russian troops on the borders of Ukraine. According to a Defense Ministry communiqué, the officials will also address issues related to the importance of nuclear security, risk reduction in this area and transparency in terms of disarmament and non-proliferation, for global and regional stability and security. Topics such as climate change and hybrid threats will also be approached. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Munich on Friday that the escalation of clashes in eastern Ukraine was a “challenging scenario” designed by Russia to justify an attack on Ukraine. ‘Although we are doing everything in our power to make it clear that there is a diplomatic way’, ‘we are deeply concerned that this is not the way Russia has embarked on’ the US Secretary of State said.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep has failed to qualify to the final of the WTA 500 tournament in Dubai, which has total prizes worth approximately 800 thousand dollars. She was defeated in the semifinals by Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, in three sets: 6 – 2, 6 – 7, 0 – 6. Halep won the Dubai tournament twice, in 2015 and 2020.



    Transports — Three employers organizations of Romanian road haulers are preparing to organize street protests if the Government does not intervene for capping the prices of motor liability insurance (RCA), shows a communiqué issued on Friday by the Confederation of Romanian Authorized Operators and Carriers (COTAR). The president of this confederation, Vasile Ştefănescu, pointed out that the increase in the price of motor liability insurance policies will have the effect of bankrupting the road transport companies, which means that Romania will get blocked. The employers organization recalls that in recent years the Financial Supervisory Authority has identified, on several occasions, violations of the law by insurance companies, increases in tariffs made even after capping, non-transparent tariffs which included all operating costs of insurance companies, although these companies have several business lines. The finance minister, Adrian Câciu, said on Friday that a law that will limit the price of insurance policies for 6 months was put out for public debate, adding that he was convinced that the bill will be adopted by the government as a matter of urgency. (LS)

  • February 16, 2018 UPDATE

    February 16, 2018 UPDATE

    Visit — The Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila goes on her first foreign visit, and will be in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday. She has scheduled meetings with European Union leaders, among them European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, and European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu. The prime minister has said that her purpose for the upcoming period is to enhance foreign policy interactions and economic relations with partner states.



    Munich – North Korea is a threat to all NATO member states, said Friday the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on the fist day of the Security Conference hosted by Munich. The 54th annual conference is being attended by more than 500 high-ranking officials from across the world, among them 20 presidents and prime ministers, joined by many security experts. Attending the conference will be the British Prime Minister Theresa May, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will not be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who declined to attend the event. Her country will be represented by Foreign Minister Sigman Gabriel and Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen. Romania is represented by its defense minister, Mihai Fifor.



    Sofia — The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu participated on Thursday and Friday in Sofia in the informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU member states. The Romanian official hailed the initiative of holding a new conference on Syria in Brussels and reiterated that the EU should play a pro-active role in the political process under the UN aegis and then in the post-conflict reconstruction process. In another development, he highlighted Bucharest’s interest in continuing the EU’s enlargement policy, given that this is one of the priorities Romania will be promoting during its first mandate at the helm of the EU Council in the first half of 2019. The developments in the western Balkans and the North Korean file were also on the agenda of talks.



    Police — Preventing and fighting corruption among policemen and reforming the Romanian Police are the priorities of this institution’s management. Other priorities are reducing crime, renewing the car fleet and dealing with understaffing. Attending the meeting occasioned by the presentation of the Romanian Police report, PM Viorica Dancila said that a project for the reform of the institution was needed after, last year, the Police was faced with several serious cases that shook people’s trust in this institution. The interior minister, Carmen Dan, herself said that a real change was needed within the Romanian Police, which means setting up certain mechanisms and staffing the police with well-trained people.



    Flu — Another two persons have died of flu in Romania, the death toll this winter reaching 32 – the health authorities have announced. There are more than 500 people suffering from flu, mostly in Bucharest and in the counties of Constanta, in the southeast, Olt, in the south, Brasov (center) and Iasi (northeast). The authorities have recommended people to get vaccinated but the Health Ministry announced there are only 80 thousand doses available. So far, 920 thousand people have been vaccinated. According to health minister Sorina Pintea Romania is not faced with a flu epidemic at present and prevention measures are most important.



    Chisinau — The suspended mayor of Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, on Friday announced his resignation, underlining that he gave up his position in sign of protest against the current government. Following his resignation, the Moldovan government will have to organize early local elections in Chisinau. Chirtoaca was suspended in July 2017 following his prosecution in a corruption file. He was taken into custody in May 2017 and placed under home arrest. He is charged with influence peddling in a case involving paid parking in Chisinau.



    Doha – The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world no. 2 player, on Friday defeated the American Catherine Bellis (48 WTA) 6-0, 6-8, in the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Doha, Qatar. The tournament has total prizes up for grabs worth 3.1 million dollars. On Saturday, in the semifinals, Simona Halep will be up against Spanish Garbine Muguruza, world no. 4 player. On Thursday another three Romanian players, Sorana Cîrstea (38 WTA), Mihaela Buzarnescu (43 WTA) and Monica Niculescu (92 WTA) were eliminated in the last eight of the tournament. (news translated and updated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • February 18, 2017 UPDATE

    February 18, 2017 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Teodor Meleşcanu, is taking part until Sunday in the 53rd Munich Security Conference. He will present Romanias stand on the European and global security situation and will emphasise the importance of the trans-Atlantic relations and of the role of NATO and the EU in the current international context. On Friday, on the side-lines of the Conference, the Romanian official had talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who invited him to Paris in the forthcoming period, an invitation accepted by Melescanu. The Romanian FM also had a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkim, with whom he discussed regional developments. The Munich Security Conference is a prestigious security forum, which traditionally brings together leaders and decision-makers in the field of security and defence from around the world.



    MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE – The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, Saturday called on the world powers, including the US, not to abandon international cooperation against the new challenges to global security. Addressing the Munich Security Conference, Merkel emphasised that multi-national organisations like the EU, NATO and the UN provided a vital framework for addressing the refugee crisis and Islamist terrorism. The German Chancellor also said the European Unions relations with Russia remained challenging, but that cooperation with Moscow was still important in the fight against Islamist terrorism. Attending the Conference, the US Vice-President, Mike Pence, pointed out, in the first major foreign policy statement of the new American Administration, that Washington would support NATO and stand by Europe, even as it looked for new ways to cooperate with Russia. Also in Munich, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said the UN needs a fundamental reform if it is to efficiently cope with the new global challenges, such as international terrorism, wars and other armed conflicts.



    BUSINESS – The government is the main promotion element for Romania, because American investors look at taxes, stability, predictability and efficiency, and the competition between the countries in the region is tough, said Eric Stewart, head of the American-Romanian Business Council (AMRO). In an interview to the Romanian news agency Agerpres, Stewart said there are investment opportunities in Romania for the American companies in fields like defence, energy, agriculture and healthcare, considering that we will see a shift in focus of the Trump administration towards Europe. He announced that the American-Romanian Business Council would organise an economic mission in Romania in late March, in which 10-12 major American companies will take part, some of them already present in the Romanian market.



    FAIR – The 26th World Education Fair opened in Bucharest on Saturday. The event offers the young Romanians willing to study abroad offers from over 100 institutions from countries like the USA, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Denmark and China. The Bucharest session, which comes to an end on Sunday, will be followed by one in Craiova on February 21, and another one in Constanta on February 23.



    AIRPORTS – Romania tops the rankings of the European airports with the quickest increase in passenger flows in 2016, according to a report of the Airports Council International (ACI Europe). The first places are held by the airports in Oradea (with an increase of nearly 500% in passenger numbers compared to 2015) and Iasi (with more than 130%). Third comes the “Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, the second-largest airport in Bucharest, with 122% more passengers than in 2015. Airports Council International Europe is an association representing more than 500 airports in 45 countries.



    ROMANIA-US RELATIONS – The USA appreciates the strategic partnership with Romania and pays increasing attention to the security developments at the Black Sea, says the chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee in the US House of Representatives, the Republican Rob Wittman. In a meeting in Washington with the Romanian Ambassador George Maior, the US Congressman appreciated Bucharests commitment to trans-Atlantic security, including its hosting of the ballistic missile defence facility at the Deveselu Base. Rob Wittman added that Washington firmly supported the continuation of the European Reassurance Initiative and a relevant rotating presence of American troops on NATOs eastern flank.




    RUGBY – The Romanian national team defeated Spain in Bucharest on Saturday, 13-3, in the second stage of Rugby Europe Championship (REC). Romania lost its first match, against Germany, away from home, 41-38. In the next 2 games, Romania will be facing Russia on March 4 in Sotch, and Belgium on March 11, in Brussels. Romania will play the last match in this stage against Georgia, on March 19, in Bucharest.



    TENNIS – The Romanian Horia Tecău and the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer Saturday failed to qualify to the doubles finals of the Rotterdam tennis tournament, which has over 1.7 million euros in total prize money. The two lost the semi-finals to the Dutch pair made up of Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop. Tecău and Rojer had won the Rotterdam tournament in 2015.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • February 18, 2017

    February 18, 2017

    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Teodor Meleşcanu, is taking part until Sunday in the 53rd Munich Security Conference. He will present Romanias stand on the European and global security situation and will emphasise the importance of the trans-Atlantic relations and of the role of NATO and the EU in the current international context. On Friday, on the side-lines of the Conference, the Romanian official had talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who invited him to Paris in the forthcoming period, an invitation accepted by Melescanu. The Romanian FM also had a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Pavlo Klimkim, with whom he discussed regional developments. The Munich Security Conference is a prestigious security forum, which traditionally brings together leaders and decision-makers in the field of security and defence from around the world.



    MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE – The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, has today called on the world powers, including the US, not to abandon international cooperation against the new challenges to global security. Addressing the Munich Security Conference, Merkel emphasised that multi-national organisations like the EU, NATO and the UN provided a vital framework for addressing the refugee crisis and Islamist terrorism. The German Chancellor also said the European Unions relations with Russia remained challenging, but that cooperation with Moscow was still important in the fight against Islamist terrorism. Attending the Conference, the US Vice-President, Mike Pence, pointed out, in the first major foreign policy statement of the new American Administration, that Washington would support NATO and stand by Europe, even as it looked for new ways to cooperate with Russia.



    BUSINESS – The government is the main promotion element for Romania, because American investors look at taxes, stability, predictability and efficiency, and the competition between the countries in the region is tough, said Eric Stewart, head of the American-Romanian Business Council (AMRO). In an interview to the Romanian news agency Agerpres, Stewart said there are investment opportunities in Romania for the American companies in fields like defence, energy, agriculture and healthcare, considering that we will see a shift in focus of the Trump administration towards Europe. He announced that the American-Romanian Business Council would organise an economic mission in Romania in late March, in which 10-12 major American companies will take part, some of them already present in the Romanian market.



    AIRPORTS – Romania tops the rankings of the European airports with the quickest increase in passenger flows in 2016, according to a report of the Airports Council International (ACI Europe). The first places are held by the airports in Oradea (with an increase of nearly 500% in passenger numbers compared to 2015) and Iasi (with more than 130%). Third comes the “Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, the second-largest airport in Bucharest, with 122% more passengers than in 2015. Airports Council International Europe is an association representing more than 500 airports in 45 countries.



    ROMANIA-US RELATIONS – The USA appreciates the strategic partnership with Romania and pays increasing attention to the security developments at the Black Sea, says the chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee in the US House of Representatives, the Republican Rob Wittman. In a meeting in Washington with the Romanian Ambassador George Maior, the US Congressman appreciated Bucharests commitment to trans-Atlantic security, including its hosting of the ballistic missile defence facility at the Deveselu Base. Rob Wittman added that Washington firmly supported the continuation of the European Reassurance Initiative and a relevant rotating presence of American troops on NATOs eastern flank.




    BERLINALE – The award ceremony of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival takes place tonight. Selected in the official competition for the Golden Bear trophy is, among other works, the film “Ana, mon amour, by the Romanian director Călin Peter Netzer, which was screened on Friday night. Netzer won the Golden Bear in Berlin in 2013, with his film, Childs Pose. The Romanian actor Tudor Istodor was also nominated in this years “shooting stars category, while the director Ilinca Călugăreanu, actor Alexandru Potocean, director Ioana Mischie, producer Andra Popescu, camera operator Carmen Tofeni, film distributor Matei Truţă and script writer Monica Stan are also representing Romania in the ‘Berlinale Talents’ Programme. “The Dear, a project by Bogdan George Apetri, also took part in the Coproduction Market section.




    TENNIS – The Romanian Horia Tecău and the Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer will play on Saturday the doubles semi-finals of the Rotterdam tournament in the Netherlands, which has over 1.7 million euros in total prize money. They will be facing the Dutch Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop. In the quarter-finals, Tecău and Rojer outplayed Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez of Spain, seeded 2nd in the tournament, 6-4 / 6-4. The Romanian-Dutch pair won the Rotterdam tournament in 2015.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • February 14, 2016 UPDATE

    February 14, 2016 UPDATE

    The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis is scheduled to have a meeting in Bucharest on Monday with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. The meeting will precede the European Council meeting of February 18 -19, when a political agreement may be reached regarding Britains requests for a change in the rules governing the European Union. According to the British Prime Minister David Cameron, the UK has made its future EU membership conditional on the adoption of these changes. A referendum will be held in Britain, possibly in June, regarding the countrys exit from the European Union.



    The Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Cioloş will make a visit to Brussels on Monday and Tuesday, to talk to high EU officials, including the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. The Romanian PM will present the priorities of his Cabinet, his economic development strategy, the administrative reform programme as well as the manner in which Romania intends to get involved in the current European debates. The talks will also approach the issue of migration, the energy union and energy security, the progress made by Romania under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism as indicated in the latest report of the European Commission, as well as the prospects for Romanias Schengen accession. Dacian Cioloş will also have talks with the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement, Johannes Hahn, with the European Commissions vice-president in charge with budget and human resources, Kristalina Georgieva, as well as with Romanian experts holding key posts in EU institutions.



    The Parliament of Romania convenes on Monday, to discuss, among other things, a request sent by President Klaus Iohannis regarding the participation of the Romanian Army in the training of the Iraqi security forces, as part of the international coalition against the IS terrorist group. Romania will send 50 military personnel from fields such as special security forces, military intelligence and land troops, to train the Iraqi army. Klaus Iohannis has requested Parliament to approve this mission, which is to take place in 2016 alone.



    The President of Russia Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Barack Obama agreed, during a telephone conversation on Sunday, to strengthen cooperation through diplomatic agencies and other entities to implement the Munich agreement on Syria, the Kremlin announced, according to Reuters. World leaders agreed on Friday on a temporary ceasefire in Syria, to begin in a week. According to the Russian presidency, during the talks participants reiterated the need for closer contacts between the Russian and American militaries, which would enable them to successfully tackle the IS and other terrorist groups. The two officials also discussed the importance of creating a common front against terrorism. The Syria situation was the key issue discussed at the Munich Security Conference these days.



    The Romanian Foreign Minister, Lazăr Comănescu, is taking part on Monday in Brussels in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The EU ministers will discuss a number of topical issues, including the political and economic situation in the Republic of Moldova and the ways in which the EU may assist this country, the prospects for the EU – Belarus relations, the recent developments in Syria from a humanitarian point of view and the outcomes of the February 4th Conference in London. The European officials will also exchange opinions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Lebanon, Gebran Bassil, regarding the relations between the EU and Lebanon, and will analyse aspects of mutual interest related to the impact of the Syrian and Libyan crises on the Middle East region.


    (translation by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • February 10, 2016

    February 10, 2016

    VISIT– Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, has today started a working visit to the German state of Bavaria and will attend the Security Conference in Munich, scheduled for February 12-14. The Romanian President is due to meet with the President of the Bavarian State Parliament, Barbara Stamm, on Thursday, and with the Bavarian Prime Minister, Horst Seehofer, on Friday. On Saturday, Klaus Iohannis will be among the key speakers of the Security Conference in Munich, at the panel devoted to the future of the North Atlantic Alliance. Some of the focal points of the conference will be the stand on Russia, the refugee crisis, the future of the North Atlantic Alliance, terrorism, the situation in Syria, Ukraine and Africa, as well as climate change. Attending the conference will be heads of state and government, European commissioners and ministers.



    CONDOLENCES– The Romanian Foreign Ministry has today announced that a Romanian national, a woman, is among those injured in Tuesdays train crash in Germany. She is severely injured, but stable. Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, has sent a message of condolences to the prime minister of the German state of Bavaria, for the victims of the accident, which occurred near the Bavarian town of Bad Aibling. At least 10 people died and over 80 got injured in a head-on collision between two passenger trains. According to the German media, the accident was caused by human error.



    NATO MEETING– The two-day meeting of the NATO defence ministers is underway in Brussels. Romania is represented by the line minister, Mihnea Motoc. The focal points of the meeting are related to NATOs adjusting its strategies to the new security situation, in preparation for the decisions to be made by heads of state and government at the NATO Summit due in Warsaw in June. The defence ministers are also expected to make a decision on strengthening NATOs eastern flank, to deter any possible threat, following Russias actions in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said NATO is “establishing eight force integration units or small headquarters in the eastern part of the Alliance, to “support planning, training and reinforcements, if needed. Also, decisions will be made on the alliances response to hybrid wars, which combine the conventional military might with cyber attacks and propaganda. Other issues to be approached are NATOs involvement in managing the refugee crisis and the participation of surveillance aircraft, as part of the international coalition, against the Islamic State terrorist group.



    ELECTIONS– The way local elections will be held is today high on the agenda of the Romanian cabinet, which is expected to set both the date and timetable of the actions to unfold in the electoral period. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on Monday, in Parliament, that elections will unfold according to the existing legislation, against the backdrop of the heated debates between the parliamentary parties on electing mayors in one or two rounds of voting. According to a proposal by the Permanent Electoral Authority, the election campaign will start on May 6 and will come to a close on June 4, and the ballot will be held on June 5. Candidacies in the local elections can be submitted by April 26. This springs local elections will be followed by the legislative elections, in autumn.



    SENTENCE – The former head warden of the Penitentiary in Ramnicu Sarat, south-eastern Romania, Alexandru Visinescu, has been sentenced today by the High Court of Cassation and Justice to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity. The sentence is final. According to the prosecutors, between 1956 and 1963, when he was at the helm of the penitentiary, political detainees, who opposed the communist regime, were subjected to an abominable treatment, in extremely poor conditions, meant to destroy them physically. According to the prosecutors, the detainees thus died following a slow but efficient process of physical and psychological torture. 138 detainees who were imprisoned in the penitentiary run by Alexandru Visinescu have been identified so far. He is the first head warden from the communist period to be brought to court.



    ECONOMY – The Romanian authorities intend to ask the European Investment Bank, EIB, to get involved in developing projects under public-private partnerships. The issue was approached yesterday in Bucharest by the visiting EIB President Werner Hoyer, with Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister, Dacian Ciolos. The president of the European Investment Bank pays this visit against the backdrop of the constant support granted by the financial institution he runs, to Romania. Last year, the loans granted by EIB to Romania amounted to 228 million Euro. In the same line, two loans worth 1.3 billion Euro, co-financing EU grants, are at an advanced state of preparation. Over the past 25 years, Romania benefited from over 20 billion Euro worth of long term investments from the European Investment Bank, which were instrumental to creating new jobs, consolidating economic growth and improving the Romanians living standards.


    (Translated and edited by Diana Vijeu)