Radio România Internațional

Tag: simple motion

March 5, 2024

MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies today dismissed the simple motion against Finance Minister Marcel Boloș, filed by USR and Forța Dreptei opposition parties. The motion was debated yesterday, opposition members criticising the Minister for introducing a 10% tax on medical leave to cover the holes in the state budget. Minister Boloș is also accused of violating the law that stipulates that any tax must be enacted six months after its introduction. Marcel Boloș denied all accusations, slamming the opposition’s motion as a politicized initiative. The healthcare system is underfunded, and the government sought to discourage medical leave, which would bring less benefits to working employees, the Finance Minister said in response.

TALKS – The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, today met his Moldovan counterpart, Maia Sandu. The head of state reiterated Romania’s firm support for Moldova’s EU integration efforts. President Iohannis is also expected to receive the president of Spain’s People’s Party, Alberto Núnez Feijóo, as well as the president of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber. Talks follow one day ahead of the EPP Congress scheduled to take place in Bucharest on Wednesday and Thursday.

SCHENGEN – Romania is ready to join the Schengen area, not just with its air and maritime borders, which is expected to happen at the end of March, Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu said on the sidelines of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. Romania could strengthen Schengen, which is why it is unfair our country should only be partly integrated in this area, Minister Predoiu went on to say. Romania reduced migration by nearly 60% last year, while only 40 people illegally crossed the Serbian border thanks to a pilot program, the Romanian official said. His Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, said Vienna is in no hurry to make a decision regarding Romania’s full accession to the Schengen area.

OECD – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that in 2026, Romania will manage to achieve one of its key objectives, namely to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). To that end, we need to implement reforms stipulated in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the head of government added. The OECD comprises the world’s most developed states, which together account for 70% of global production and trade and 90% of foreign direct investment.

BACCALAUREATE MOCK EXAMS– The mock Baccalaureate exam series continues today with the mandatory written exam for each profile, according to the timetable published by the Education Ministry. On Monday, high-school pupils took the Romanian language and literature written test. On Wednesday, they will sit an optional written test for each profile. Representatives of national minorities will sit the Romanian language and literature exam on March 7. Preliminary results will be announced on March 15. The Baccalaureate mock exams are held in over 1,320 schooling units, and will be taken by some 146,000 pupils, the Education Ministry reports.

POLLUTION – Bucharest was ranked 35 in a list of the most polluted world capitals, according to a platform providing independent data on air quality. Other cities such as Berlin, Istanbul, Brussels or Warsaw rank above Romania, with in top position. The capital of Vietnam on Monday was blanketed by a thick haze of heavy pollution, caused by high levels of particulates from vehicle emissions and construction-linked fine dust. Air pollution is known to cause respiratory diseases and other chronic illnesses.

HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s handball team, Dinamo Bucharest, is today playing Sporting Lisbon of Portugal at home in its first fixture in the EHF European League main group 4. In the same group, CSM Constanța is taking on Fucshe Berlin, the defending champions. Having secured 3^rd place in the group tables, Dinamo will play the playoff match against the team in second place in group 3, possibly Bjerringbro-Silkeborg of Denmark. The first leg will be played in Bucharest on March 26, while the return leg will take place on April 2 away from home. CSM Constanța, on the other hand, is bottom of the group tables and is thus eliminated. (VP)

5 March 2024
March 4, 2024 UPDATE

MOTION – A simple motion against the Romanian Minister of Finance, Marcel Boloş, was debated on Monday in the Chamber of Deputies and will be voted on Tuesday. Boloș is “the most harmful” Finance Minister Romania ever had after 1989, our country’s inflation now being twice the average of the EU, USR president Cătălin Drulă said. The USR leader added that under Minister Boloș’s tenure, Romania is borrowing another billion Lei every day, and that budget deficit has reached unprecedented scales. In turn, PNL deputy Călin Bota said the motion is “an example of manipulation of genuine information” with a view to “appealing to Romanians’ emotions”, also arguing that the document is populist.

SCHENGEN – Romania is ready to join the Schengen area with its land borders, evidence of which can be found in clear-cut data and results, Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu has said. The Romanian official is attending the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, focusing on combating illegal migration and drug trafficking. On the sidelines of the event, the Romanian Minister met with his Bulgarian counterpart and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs to sign a new framework of cooperation on border management. Under the new deal, the two states will receive an additional 85 mln EUR to boost their administrative capacities. Romania is at the forefront of European states that implemented the provisions of the Dublin Agreement, seen as the cornerstone of the asylum system, Minister Predoiu has argued, adding that Romania could strengthen Schengen, which is why it is unfair our country should only be partly integrated in this area. At the end of March, Romania and Bulgaria are expected to join the Schengen area with their air and maritime borders.

AGRICULTURE – Over 400 mln EUR worth of European funds have been made available to modernize the irrigation infrastructure in Romania, according to the Agency for Rural Investments Financing. All organizations using water for irrigation can submit their applications starting March 15, for a maximum funding of 1.5 mln EUR worth of non-reimbursable funding for each beneficiary.

MOLDOVA – The Republic of Moldova belongs in the EU, and Romania remains its main partner in this endeavor, said the Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, who paid a visit to Chișinău. At the meeting with the president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, he stressed that Moscow’s hybrid war had not fulfilled its goals in Moldova and that’s a victory and good news for Bucharest as well. Ciucă also met with the President of the Moldovan Parliament, Igor Grosu. The officials discussed topics regarding inter-parliamentary cooperation, cooperation in the energy field and means of speeding up infrastructure projects.

1977 QUAKE – On Monday, Romania commemorated 47 years since the strongest earthquake ever hitting the country, on March 4, 1977. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter scale and the epicenter was in the Vrancea Mountains (eastern Romania). It lasted 56 seconds. Over 1,500 people, mostly from the capital, lost their lives then, and around 11,000 were injured. 32 high- or medium-rise buildings collapsed in Bucharest and almost 33,000 homes were affected nationally. The quake was felt throughout Eastern Europe, but also in Russia, in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. After the earthquake, a state of emergency was declared on the territory of Romania, and more than 30,000 firefighters and soldiers were mobilized. According to the authorities, if an earthquake of the same magnitude were to occur today, it would cause more than 42,000 deaths. Bucharest would suffer the most, as it has around 2,400 buildings in seismic risk classes, most of them in the city center.

HANDBALL – The Romanian women’s national handball team defeated Croatia yesterday, in Koprivnica, 25-23, in Group 1 of the 2024 European Championship preliminaries. Romania has thus qualified to the European Championship and ranks first in the group with 8 points, followed by Croatia and Greece, each with 4 points. In the last matches due in April, Romania will take on Bosnia-Herzegovina away from home and Greece on home turf. The first two teams in each group qualify for the European Championship, as well as the four best third-placed teams. The European Women’s Handball Championship will take place over November 28 – December 15 in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. (MI & VP)

4 March 2024
September 20, 2023 UPDATE

UN – The
extended Black Sea region must be protected against the fallout from Russia’s
war in Ukraine, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis said on the sidelines of the
UN General Assembly. Romania will not abandon its most vulnerable partners, the
president said, referring to the transit of Ukrainian grain on Romanian territory.
Klaus Iohannis said the war proved the Black Sea deserves more attention at
global level, being of strategic importance for trans-Atlantic security. The
Romanian president also said Romania is concerned about the effects of climate
change, pollution and energy insecurity and is making visible efforts to combat
these phenomena. At the same time, Klaus Iohannis underscored the importance of
climate education, which he described as a priority for Romania, adding that
climate and security must be interconnected and be a priority on the UN agenda.
Earlier on Wednesday, the president said Romania has attained 62% of its national
objectives for implementing 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has
reported major progress regarding the implementation of Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) linked to environment protection and curbing the effects of
climate change.

LAW PACKAGE – The Government on
Wednesday debated the law package consisting of fiscal regulations and measures
to cut public spending. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu wants to adopt the
document over the next days and then assume responsibility for the bill before
Parliament. The package comprises measures designed to combat tax evasion and
cut public spending. The opposition claims the fiscal measures will have a
negative impact on the economy, entrepreneurs and liberal professions. Ahead of
the government session, the Prime Minister said Romania has the highest tax
evasion rate at EU level, accounting for over 10% of the GDP.

EXPLOSION – An explosion took
place on Wednesday morning on a Togo-flagged ship in the Black Sea, near the
Romanian port of Sulina. The Regional Port Authority said that, at the request
of the ship’s captain, all 12 crew members were brought to Sulina safely and
are undergoing medical investigations. Representatives of the Coast Guard and
the Romanian Agency for Saving Human Life at Sea also participated in the
rescue operation of the ship’s crew. The cause of the explosion is
unknown for the time being. Whether or not it was due to a mine remains to be
established by the Ministry of Defense, the port authority said. The
Naval Forces General Staff decided to send to Sulina a military ship
specialized in the detection of sea mines. Sulina is located close to Romania’s
border with Ukraine.

MOTION – The
Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday voted against the simple motion tabled by Save
Romania Union and the Force of the Right, from the center-right opposition,
against the Social-Democratic Health Minister Alexandru Rafila. The motion
initiators are blaming Rafila, among other things, for the way he managed the
health reforms and investment stipulated in the National Recovery and
Resilience Plan. Rafila has rejected the allegations and has deemed the
opposition’s move as demagogical. (VP)

20 September 2023
April 19, 2023 UPDATE

AGRICULTURE – Romania will restrict
Ukrainian grain imports and introduce measures to provide additional security
to grain transports transiting Romania’s territory. According to the
Agriculture Ministry, the authorities will also introduce border controls for
all agrifood products coming from Ukraine. The decision follows talks between
Romania’s Agriculture Minister Petre Daea with his Ukrainian counterpart,
Mykola Solskyi. The two officials will meet on Friday in Bucharest to discuss
the best solutions for both sides. Minister Daea pointed out Romania supports
the Commission’s efforts to help Ukraine cope with the effects of the Russian
aggression and will continue to ensure the transit of grain transports from
this country to third countries via traditional routes. Similar measures were
introduced in other countries in Eastern Europe, due to the low, tax-free
prices of Ukrainian grain affecting local farmers. Also on Wednesday, the
European Commission announced a new €100 million aid package to farmers
affected by the measures aimed at facilitating the transit of Ukrainian grain.
The Commission had previously disbursed another €36.3 million to offset
production losses in neighboring countries.

MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies on
Wednesday dismissed a simple motion filed by opposition parties against Agriculture
Minister Petre Daea, after debating it the previous day. The opposition holds
Minister Daea responsible for the increase in basic food prices, claiming the
official has mismanaged the swine and bird flu crises and failed to attract
European funds for farmers affected by the Ukrainian grain imports. In turn,
Minister Daea said the accusations are groundless.

VISIT -The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis is carrying on his
visit to Brazil. He travelled to Rio de Janeiro, where he had meetings
scheduled with the deputy governor and deputy mayor of the city, and is
expected to pay tribute to the World War II heroes. On Monday, Mr. Iohannis met
with his counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The two officials signed a
joint statement on the development of bilateral relations. Klaus Iohannis
assured his counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of Romania’s support for
advancing the EU – Brazil agenda through projects designed to benefit citizens.
This is the first stage of the Romanian president’s south-American tour, which
also includes Chile and Argentina. The goal is to rekindle the top-level
dialogue with these countries and to present Romania’s position, as an EU and
NATO member, with respect to the war launched by Russia in neighbouring
Ukraine.

MOLDOVA – The European Parliament has
reiterated its support for Moldova’s EU accession. In a resolution passed on
Wednesday, MEPs say Moldova joining the European bloc would represent a
geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe. Negotiation talks should
start by the end of 2023, MEPs say, once Moldova has complied with the new
stages identified by the Commission. The EU should continue to help this
country achieve energy independence, the resolution also states. According to
the document, Moldova remains vulnerable to Russian pressure and energy
blackmail, to economic difficulties caused by the war in neighboring Ukraine,
as well as to the Kremlin’s attempts at destabilizing the pro-European
administration in this country.

ART – Since the start of the Timisoara – 2023
European Capital of Culture programme this February, over 12,000 Romanian and
foreign art lovers have visited the National Art Museum in Timişoara, western
Romania, to see the first retrospective exhibition devoted to Victor Brauner.
Probably no other exhibition in the history of the museum has attracted so many
visitors as ‘Victor Brauner: Inventions and magic did in only two months, the museum
director Filip Petcu said on Monday. Some 100 works, including paintings,
drawings, sketches, etchings and documents by the Romanian surrealist artist
are on display in Timişoara. Of these, 40 are on loan from the Pompidou Centre
in Paris, while others have been made available by Saint-Etienne Metropole,
Musee Cantini Marseilles and other museums or private collections in Romania
and abroad. (AMP & VP)

19 April 2023
October 17, 2022

MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest is today debating
a simple motion against Interior Minister Lucian Bode, filed by 55 opposition
MPs. A vote has been scheduled for Wednesday. The motion was originally due to
be debated last week, but has been rescheduled at the request of Minister Bode.
The document states Lucian Bode should step down from the Interior Ministry
which he failed to reform. The Minister’s efficiency became visible when he
helped his friend, president Klaus Iohannis, sell 600 BMWs to the Romanian
Police for only 32 thousand EUR gross of VAT as part of what the opposition
describes as a rigged auction, the document also reads.

DEFENSE – Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă held talks earlier
today with Defense Minister Vasile Dîncu. The meeting focused on the NATO
Defense Ministers meeting held in Brussels and communication policies at
Defense Ministry level. Last week, the Prime Minister was unhappy with Minister
Dîncu’s statement regarding the war in Ukraine, according to which peace in
Ukraine can only be achieved by negotiating with Russia. Subsequently, Klaus
Iohannis pointed out that only Kyiv can decide when, how and what is being
negotiated, and that this is the official position of Romania and the EU. Defense
Minister Vasile Dîncu will today appear before the Chamber of Deputies to
provide clarifications over his statements. His presence was requested by USR
in opposition, a party that believes Minister Dîncu is reiterating Kremlin
rhetoric and endangering Romania’s partnerships with EU and NATO states.

GAS – Romania’s gas storage capacity reached 90.9% on
Sunday, the equivalent of some 2.8 billion cub meters, the national company
Transgaz announced. Romania met the 80% minimum level of gas reserves imposed
by the European Union ahead of the cold season on September 17. Back then, the
European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the EU’s
total gas reserves stood at 84%.

FAC – Romania’s Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, is
today attending the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Luxembourg. EU
Foreign Ministers will exchange views over the effects of Russia’s aggression
in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will also attend the
proceedings in videoconference. The agenda of the meeting also includes
EU-China relations and other hot topics on the international agenda, such as
the developments in Iran, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and the effects of
climate change.

SESSION – The European Parliament starts a new session in
Strasbourg today. One of the priorities of the new session is a vote on the
Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria. The proposal was debated on October
5, when most MEPs urged Member States to acknowledge both states have fulfilled
Schengen criteria and must be allowed to join the visa-free travel area as soon
as possible. Bucharest has repeatedly pointed out it has fulfilled technical
accession criteria and is de facto a
member of Schengen. Parliament is also expected to debate, alongside the
Commission and the Council, the issue of internal border controls at Schengen
level. In April, the European Court of Justice decided to introduce border
controls within EU borders over a period of six-months after reported breaches
of border security. The period may be extended only if a new threat is
confirmed. MEPs are expected to call on Member States to observe normal
travel-free regulations. The agenda of the new Parliament session also includes
the war in Ukraine, the EU budget for 2023 and climate change.

HANDBALL – The Romanian men’s handball team defeated Ukraine
34-26 on Sunday at home in the 2024 EHF European Championship preliminary Group
B. This is the first win for Romania in the current preliminaries, after
Romania lost the first match 32-26 to Austria away from home. Also on Sunday,
the Romanian women’s vice-champions, CSM Bucharest, won 40-25 against DHK Banik
of the Czech Republic in a match played in Bucharest, counting towards Champions
League Group A. CSM thus remains undefeated in Group A with 4 wins and a draw.
Bietigheim of Germany is also ranked first in the group tables along CSM. On
Saturday, the Romanian champions Rapid Bucharest drew 30-30 against Buducnost
Podgorica of Montenegro away from home in Group B. Rapid is also undefeated in
the last five fixtures, with three wins and two draws, and remains top of the
group tables. Bucharest is the only European capital with two teams performing
in the most important women’s European inter-club competition. (VP)

17 October 2022
June 20, 2022

3SI – Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, is today attending the 7th
edition of the Three Seas Initiative Summit and the 4th edition of
the Three Seas Initiative Business Forum, both hosted by Riga, Latvia. Leaders
of 3SI participant states will look at approaches to the current security
framework in Europe in the context of the war in Ukraine. Participants will
also discuss the contribution of the Three Seas Initiative by implementing
strategic interconnection projects in the three key sectors of 3SI: transport,
energy and digital infrastructure. According to the Romanian presidency,
president Klaus Iohannis will reiterate Romania’s support for Ukraine at both
bilateral and multilateral levels. At the same time, Klaus Iohannis will
highlight the importance of providing the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and
Ukraine with support in their efforts to join the European Union. The Three
Seas Initiative is a political platform bringing together 12 EU Member States
located between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas.

MEETING – EU Foreign Ministers are today meeting in Luxembourg to
discuss ways of getting millions of tons of grain out of Ukraine. Ukraine is
currently unable to export its grain due to the Russian blockade in the Black
Sea. Ukraine is one of the world’s largest grain exporters. Over 20 million
tons of grain are currently stockpiled in silos as a result of the Russian
invasion. Moscow denies any responsibility for the food crisis and claims
Western sanctions are responsible for the increase in food prices at global
level and the shortage of food in underdeveloped countries that rely on grain
imports.

REFUGEES – The Border Police
Inspectorate announced that 9,231 Ukrainian citizens entered on Sunday in
Romania, down by 15% compared to the previous day. Some 1.2 million Ukrainian
refugees have entered Romania since the start in the war in Ukraine on February
24. In a message marking World Refugee Day on June 20, Prime Minister Nicolae
Ciucă recalls that Romania displayed
solidarity with Ukrainian refugees and will continue to provide them with all
the necessary conditions to ensure their social and economic integration. The
Prime Minister also said that, of the total number of Ukrainian refugees who
entered Romania, 80,000 chose to stay, opting for the protection and security Romania
provides.

COMMEMORATION – Defense Minister Vasile Dîncu is today attending the unveiling of a
monument devoted to the Romanian military who died in World War I and were
entombed in Italy. The ceremony is hosted by the city of Bolzano in northern
Italy. Minister Dîncu will
also meet his Italian counterpart, Lorenzo Guerini. Representing a Latin marble
cross, the war monument was built as part of a project carried out in 2021.

BACCALAUREATE – The written tests of
the Baccalaureate exam are scheduled this week. Over 126 thousand high school
graduates have signed up for the exam, the lowest number reported since the
1989 anticommunist revolution. Today pupils took the Romanian language and
literature test. Tomorrow they will sit the specialty exam, while on Wednesday
they will take the exam in a subject of their choice. On Thursday, pupils
belonging to national minorities will take the mother tongue test.

MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies is
today debating a simple motion filed by USR in opposition against Education
Minister, Sorin Cîmpeanu,
with the vote scheduled on Wednesday. USR claims Minister Cîmpeanu is responsible for the disaster in
the education system, blaming him for the high school dropout rate and for
operating changes in the way pupils are examined without consulting
stakeholders.

ELECTION IN FRANCE – The center-Liberal presidential alliance Ensemble! has lost the absolute majority
in the Assemblée Nationale, following Sunday’s second round of the legislative
election. Emmanuel Macron’s coalition grabbed 245 seats, 40 seats short of
securing absolute majority. Ensemble! will
face two opposition forces: the left-wing alliance NUPES, made up of the
Communist, Green and Socialist parties, which grabbed 135 seats, and the
far-right party National Rally led by Marine Le Pen, which surprisingly won 89
seats. Therefore, Ensemble! has two
choices: form a minority government or a government coalition with the traditional
right, which won 61 seats. If none of the solutions works out, the ensuing
political crisis might prompt the president to dissolve Parliament and call
snap elections.

SWIMMING – Romanian swimmers Robert Glință and David Popovici on Sunday qualified
to the finals of the 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle events, respectively,
at the World Swimming Championships hosted by Budapest, Hungary. Robert Glință qualified to the 100m backstroke
event from the 8th position in the semi-finals, after finishing 13th
in the qualifying heats. David Popovici grabbed the best result in the
semi-finals, setting a new world junior record, after also grabbing the top
position in the qualifying heats. Popovici is competing in his first senior
championship. So far, Romania’s medal sheet in the World Championships includes
2 gold, 1 silver and 6 bronze. The gold medals were won by Tamara Costache in
1986 and Diana Mocanu in 2001, while the last medal was won by Camelia Potec in
2009. (VP)

20 June 2022
April 12, 2021 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN
ROMANIA – In Romania, almost 3.7 million doses of vaccine have been
administered so far. 1.4 million people have received both jabs. Authorities
have announced that 171 new vaccination centers will be opened this week. The
president of the National Committee for the coordination of activities
regarding the vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, doctor Valeriu Gheorghiţă, has
given assurances that, starting this week, approximately 80,000 people will be
immunized daily. In turn, Prime Minister Florin Cîţu has stated that the recent
evolution of the pandemic, with a slight improvement in terms of new infections
reported, but with an accelerated increase in the number of serious cases,
requires finding solutions to reach the target of 1,600 places in intensive
care. For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, there are over
1,500 infected people in serious condition, and the Intensive Care Units are
full. Romania has exceeded one million infections with the new coronavirus and
25 thousand deaths. In the last 24 hours, over 2,300 cases of infection and 113
deaths were reported.

COVID-19 IN
THE WORLD – The United Kingdom has lifted many of the restrictions imposed
because of the coronavirus pandemic, after months of lockdown. Prime Minister
Boris Johnson described the moment as an important step towards normalcy, but
urged the population to behave responsibly. In Italy, several regions are no
longer in the high-risk category. As regards France, the vaccination campaign
has been accelerated, as the country struggles to control the third wave of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Germany has exceeded the threshold of three million cases of
COVID-19, and calls to tighten restrictions are growing. The number of COVID-19
infections is also increasing in Spain, where several regions have exceeded the
extreme risk threshold. One of the most affected regions is that of the capital
Madrid. In other news, the American company Johnson & Johnson on Monday
made its first vaccine deliveries to EU member states. The serum is the fourth
to be greenlit by the European Medicines Agency, after Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna
and AstraZeneca. Johnson & Johnson is already being administered in the
United States and South Africa and has been certified for population use in
Canada.

SCHOOL -
As of Monday, Romanian 8th and 12th graders return to
classes in 100% online format, until April 29, when the Easter holiday starts.
The current school year has changed due to the negative evolution of the
pandemic this spring, so the holiday has been extended for preschoolers and
pupils, except for those who will take the national exams. As of next autumn, semesters
might be replaced by quarters, and the next school year could be extended to
recover what has been lost by teaching online in the past year, but only if the
education unions, pupils and parents agree. The relevant minister, Sorin
Cîmpeanu, says that all the solutions that will result from these consultations
will be considered.

MOTION -
The Social-Democratic Party in opposition has announced the filing of a simple
motion against Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu, the second in the current
legislature. The Social-Democrats claim Voiculescu is not the right man for
managing the health crisis, is causing confusion, does not observe mandatory
regulations and is arguing with everyone. Vociulescu was appointed on behalf
of the USR-PLUS Alliance, and his position was examined on Monday by the
center-right ruling coalition, who decided to continue to support Voiculescu.
Relations between the Health Minister and Liberal Prime Minister Florin Citu
were strained after the forced evacuation of an orthopedics emergency hospital
in Bucharest which now receives COVID patients. Vlad Voiculescu pointed out
that the hospital is not currently in the subordination of the Health Ministry
and that he could not overrule the hospital manager’s decision.

NATO -
The Cyber Defense Command of the Romanian Ministry of Defense participates,
between April 13-16, in the international cyber defense exercise Locked Shields
2021. Teams from allied and partner states made up of military and civilian
professionals take part in the exercise that takes place in online format,
planned and organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of
Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. The aim of the exercise is to improve the
training of cyber security specialists and act in large interdepartmental and
multidisciplinary teams in order to protect information technology networks and
national critical infrastructures against multiple and multidirectional cyber-attacks
in real time. Locked Shields 2021 takes place in a real-world scenario, using
state-of-the-art specific technologies and simulating massive cyber incidents,
including strategic decision-making, legal and public communication.

CENSUS -
A trial census was carried out in February and March in Romania, in preparation
for the Population and Housing Census, initially scheduled for 2021, but
postponed for next year. According to the National Institute of Statistics, the
trial census, in which 50,000 households from all over the country
participated, was aimed at testing the data collection capacity, the
functioning of the technical solution for self-census, as well as the
organization of the workflow in the review process. The novel elements include
the possibility for each person to self-review by simply accessing a link, the
elimination of paper questionnaires and the use by reviewers of tablets
provided by the Special Telecommunications Service. Starting 2021, the
Population and Housing Census will be carried out in all EU Member States in
accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

EARNINGS
– The average net salary in Romania decreased to 3,365 lei (about 680 Euros) in
February, 0.9% lower than in January – according to data from the National
Institute of Statistics published on Monday. In February, in most activities in
the economic sector, the level of average net earnings decreased as a result of
the granting in the previous months of occasional bonuses (quarterly and annual
bonuses, for special performances or the 13th salary), rights in kind and
benefits, net profits and amounts from other funds. The highest values of
average net salary were recorded in IT services, and the lowest in hotels and
restaurants. According to the NIS, compared to February 2020, the average net
salary increased by 5.1%.in February 2021. (M.I. & V.P.)

12 April 2021
March 16, 2021

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign
continues in Romania. Since the debut of the campaign on December 27, 2020, some
1.5 million people have been immunized with the vaccines produced by
Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or AstraZeneca. On Monday the campaign entered its
third phase addressing the general population. For the time being the
immunization process is carried out in towns and villages where the COVID
infection rate exceeds 4.5 per thousand inhabitants. People can register on waiting
lists on the online platform, where over 350 thousand people have already
signed up. On Tuesday, over 6,000 new COVID infections were reported in Romania
in addition to 133 related fatalities. Over 1,200 people are in intensive care.
The total number of infections at national level exceeded 868,000, while some
21,700 people have died. We recall the state of alert has been extended for
another 30 days. All restrictions imposed so far remain in place, with the
exception of the nighttime curfew, which now begins at 10 PM and ends at 5 AM.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – The World
Health Organization (WHO) has today summoned its group of vaccine experts to
study health risks posed by the vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca, WHO
director Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said. The WHO on Monday announced its consultative
group examined the reports on the anti-COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca
and found no evidence that the vaccine could result in blood clots. Numerous
countries have suspended the administration of this vaccine as a precaution
after numerous side effects have been reported. The European Medicines Agency
(EMA) also announced it would hold a special meeting on Thursday to discuss
this topic, saying that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the
risks.

ENERGY – Romania’s Energy
Minister, Virgil Popescu, is today concluding his two-day visit to Brussels,
where he held talsk with EU officials regarding plans to restructure the Oltenia
Energy Company (southern Romania). In December, Romanian authorities officially
notified the European Commission regarding plans to restructure the Company,
which include financial assistance from the state. On February 5, the European
Commission announced the launch of a comprehensive investigation of the state
funding allotted to restructure the company. The Oltenia Energy Company needs
the approval of the European Commission by the end of April in order to receive
the funds which will be used to pay carbon gas emission permits for 2020
penalty-free.

CAR SECTOR – The sale of
new cars went down in Romania by nearly 40% in the first two months of 2021,
compared to the same period of 2020, data published by the Association of Car
Manufacturers and Importers shows. The share of cars running on gas dropped by
5%, reaching 60% of the total number of cars on the market. Diesel-fuel cars
have a share of 26%. Electric and hybrid cars account for 13% of the total
number of cars, which is double the number of cars reported last year. In terms
of ownership, most cars were purchased by businesses in the first two months of
this year, accounting for two thirds of total car sales.

MOTION – The Senate is today
debating and voting a simple motion filed by the Social-Democratic Party in
opposition against Economy Minister, Claudiu Năsui. The Social-Democrats accuse
the USR Minister for failing to present any strategy to support the Romanian
industry, postponing the implementation of state assistance to the hospitality
sector, slashing holiday vouchers and blocking payments under the Start-Up
Nation programme. In turn, Claudiu Năsui says this motion is linked with the
publication of all contracts signed by the Economy Ministry in previous years
and that disclosures would continue. Liberal Senators have been urged to vote
against the motion. On the other hand, Parliament is due to set the date for a
new plenary session to vote on Romania’s contribution to the EU budget, after
last week the power and the opposition couldn’t reach an agreement. A decision
in this respect needs two thirds of the votes, while the Social-Democrats said
they would vote in favor only if the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is
presented before Parliament.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis player
Simona Halep (no. 3 WTA) has confirmed her participation in the tennis
tournament in Miami, to take place over March 23 – April 3. Halep grabbed her
best results in Miami in 2015 and 2019, when she reached the semi-finals. The defending
champion is Ashleigh Barty of Australia, who won the tournament in 2019, since
last year’s tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic. Taking part will be
all players in the WTA Top 10. Representing Romania in the main draw will also
be Patricia Ţig, Sorana Cîrstea and Irina Begu. (V.P.)

16 March 2021
July 14, 2020

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Another 637 new
infections were reported on Tuesday by the Group for Strategic Communication,
taking the total number of corona infections to 33.585. 234 patients are in
intensive care. 23.798 people have recovered. 30 people have died in the last
24 hours to COVID-19, taking the death toll to 1.931. Health Minister Nelu
Tataru said extending the state of alert beyond July 15 is very possible,
adding that, should the legislation allow it, the authorities might place
certain areas of the country in quarantine.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD – Over 13.2 million people
have been infected with COVID-19 around the world. Of these, 7.7 people have
recovered and over 575.000 have died. The United States is the most affected
country in the world, with over 135.000 deaths and some 3.3 million confirmed
cases. The list continues with Brazil, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Italy.
Countries around the world are reintroducing restrictive measures to keep the
pandemic in check. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Italy, this
country is preparing to extend by another three months the state of emergency instated
at the end of January. Additionally, the authorities in Italy will extend the
list of countries with a high risk of contamination and with which Italy has
severed air links.

RESTRICTIONS – Belgium has put Romania
on the orange list of states that require special COVID-19 measures. As of
Wednesday new regulations will be introduced on the Hungarian border as well.
People crossing from Romania will undergo medical exams, and if no suspicion is
reported they may enter Hungary, but will have to spend 14 days in isolation or
quarantine, with the exception of citizens presenting two negative results for
corona testing. Also on Wednesday, Romanians headed to Greece by car must
provide on the Pomachonas border proof of a negative test result for SARS CoV2,
no older than 72 hours. The test must be in English. Starting Thursday, Austria
will ban flights to 18 states, including Romania, under a decree issued by the
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober. According to APA news agency, exempted to
this rule are charter flights carrying merchandise, sick people, repatriated
Austrian nationals, medical staff or agriculture workers. Some 20 European
states have imposed travel restrictions for Romanians.

INITIATIVE – The citizens’
initiative banning people convicted in court from holding public office has
been adopted today in the Chamber of Deputies. Once adopted, a referendum must
be held, the validation of which requires a minimum voter turnout and a
majority of votes in favor.

BILL – The Senate’s judicial committee is
today resuming its debate on the Government’s draft law on quarantine and
isolation. Considering the social and political controversy surrounding the
bill, no date has been made public as to a possible final vote on the bill.
Meanwhile, the Social-Democrat opposition claims the bill leaves room for
abuse, while the Power says a delay in voting the bill could lead to a dramatic
increase in the number of infections. We recall the Government passed the bill
after the Constitutional Court ruled that home isolation, quarantine and
hospitalization are unconstitutional in the absence of a clear legal framework,
and even those people infected with COVID-19 cannot be subjected to the said
measures only on the base of a Ministry decree. On Thursday, the Chamber of
Deputies adopted the bill in a heavily modified form compared to the original.
The debate in the Senate is eyeing fundamental rights and liberties in the
context of a high epidemiological risk.

MOTION – The Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest
has passed today a simple motion against Liberal Development Minister Ion
Stefan, whom the Social-Democrat opposition accuses of incompetence and forgery
of public deeds. The Social-Democrats have pointed to integrity issues related
to Stefan’s financial statements and his controversial cuts in the Development
Ministry’s anticorruption personnel and resources. In turn, Minister Stefan
says the motion is libelous and insulting. The vote is scheduled for next week.
Parliament has previously passed other simple motions against Liberal
ministers, which bear no effects in their dismissal from office.

JULY 14 – The National Day of France is
celebrated today. In Paris, instead of the traditional military parade, an air
show will be staged, in addition to a march of land troops without public participation
and with a limited list of attending officials and guests. This year the
celebration is devoted to the medical staff in the first line of defense
against the coronavirus, the army and military firefighters involved in the
transport and care of people infected with COVID-19, as well as those to providing
key services during the lockdown. The Paris City Hall has decided to hold the
fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower later this evening, with zero public
participation. The events will be broadcast online and on TV. In Bucharest,
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has expressed the willingness of his Cabinet to
consolidate the French-Romanian Strategic Partnership. In turn, French
Ambassador to Bucharest, Michele Ramis, said bilateral relations between the
two states are excellent.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

14 July 2020
July 7, 2020

COVID-19- The National Committee for Emergency Situations has
updated the list of green countries, lifting mandatory quarantine and isolation
for arrivals from these countries. Flights will resume to and from 32 states in
Europe: Bulgaria, Monaco, Croatia, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Poland,
Austria, Iceland, Switzerland, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Slovenia,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus,
Finland, Malta, Lithuania, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Andorra, the Faeroe
Islands and the Vatican. Another 12 countries, Canada, Morocco, Algeria,
Australia, Rwanda, Uruguay, Japan, South Korea, Georgia, New Zealand, Tunisia
and Thailand are subject to the same measure. The list is compiled depending on
the number of new cases reported in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Group for Strategic Communication in Bucharest has announced 397 infections
reported in Romania, taking the total number of confirmed cases to over 29.600.
The death toll stands at 1.799, accounting for 6% of the total number of
infected.

MOTION – Romanian Deputies are today debating a simple motion
filed by the Social-Democratic opposition against Liberal Development Minister,
Ion Stefan, accused of incompetence and forgery of public records. The Social-Democrats
had filed the motion early last month, but it has been delayed due to health
problems invoked by Ion Stefan. The Social-Democrats have pointed to integrity
issues related to Stefan’s financial statements and his controversial cuts in
the Development Ministry’s anticorruption personnel and resources. The motion
will be voted later today in the Chamber of Deputies.

ELECTIONS – Senators have also convened today to debate two
draft laws on the local elections, one put forth by the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians, and a second one launched by the Government, both seeking to
schedule local elections on September 27. The two documents on Monday got the
go-ahead in the Senate’s committee on public administration without any further
amendments being pushed. The two documents also stipulate measures to help
organize the elections, such as setting up voting polls in light buildings and
container houses.

GDP – Romania’s GDP was by 0.3% higher in the first three
months of the year compared to the last quarter of 2019, reporting a 2.4% gross
growth and a 2.7% seasonal growth compared to the same period in 2019,
according to a preliminary report made public today by the National Statistics
Institute.

ECONOMY – According to today’s estimate released by the
European Commission, Romania’s economy will shrink by 6% this year, close to
the estimate the Commission announced in May. For next year, Romania’s GDP is
expected to grow by 4%, as compared to the 4.2% estimate in May. Growth
prospects are still susceptible to certain risks, the Commission states. The
Commission estimates an inflation rate of 2.5% this year and 2.8% for 2021. As
regards the EU economy, the Commission warns it might be facing a fierce
recession as a result of the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic,
despite swift and far-reaching reactions across the community bloc.

ANTICORRUPTION – Corruption is a widespread phenomenon, not just in
EU member states, and its scope depends on the involvement of local
authorities, EU chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi has told Euronews. The
former head of the National Anticorruption Directorate spoke of the new remit
of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), saying it will investigate
and prosecute fraud related to the EU budget. At present, the EPPO has been
delayed in its activity by Malta, which has so far failed to submit an eligible
prosecutor representing this country. Referring to corruption in Romania, Laura
Codruta Kovesi refused to comment on the activity of the institution she
spearheaded up until two years ago, but claimed the independence of the
judiciary has been hampered by constant attacks and legislative changes. In
2018 Kovesi was removed from the helm of the Directorate following a
Constitutional Court ruling. Kovesi subsequently won a court case against the
Romanian state in this matter at the European Court of Human Rights. The ECHR
ruled that Kovesi was denied her right to freedom of expression and free access
to a court, after having been removed from office by the Justice Minister at
the time, Tudorel Toader, without being given the opportunity to defend her
rights in relation to her disciplinary dismissal.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

7 July 2020
May 27, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – The
coronavirus death toll in Romania stands at 1.223 people. 165 new cases have
been reported in the last 24h, bringing their total number to some 18.600, the
Group for Strategic Communication announced. Over 90% of the victims had at
least one other medical condition, the National Institute for Public Health
reports. Over 3.000 Romanians abroad have tested positive for SARS CoV-2, the
highest numbers being reported in Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain and
France. Of them 100 have died. 30 hospitals in Romania have been aproved for
taking part in a study on plasma-based treatment. Plasma taken from patients
who have recovered after being infected with COVID can be administered to
patients in critical condition only in certain circumstances.

COVID-19 WORLDWIDE – The total
number of people infected with coronavirus has reached 5.7 million globally.
352.000 people have died to the virus, while over 2.4 million patients have
recovered. The death toll in the United States has exceeded 100.000, while
Brazil has reported 1.000 deaths in 24h. The death toll has risen to 37.000 in
Great Britain, while the virus has killed 33.000 people in Italy. Spain has
begun a 10-day mourning period for the victims of COVID-19, some 27.000 people.
On the other hand, European countries continue to ease restrictions. As of
today, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary have reopened their common
borders with special travel conditions. Beaches have reopened in Spain and the
United States, while Japan has lifted the state of emergency. Mosques in Iran
are now open, while people in Greece can again eat in taverns and restaurants.
Austria has authorized sports activities with a maximum number of 300 people,
while in Moscow shops will reopen and people can go for short walks around the
city. Poland has sanctioned public gatherings with a maximum number of 150
people.

DEFENSE – Public policies in
the field of national security will be conceived and implemented to the benefit
of the citizen only, so Romanians should feel safe and trust the institutions
are there to defend and protect them, President Klaus Iohannis said on the
sidelines of the country’s Supreme Defense Council meeting. On Tuesday the
Council adopted the 2020-2024 National Defense Strategy. The strategy was
devised to deal with a pandemic that affected the entire world and has
generated a profound economic crisis, the President pointed out. The strategy
also tackles foreign policy, public order, education, healthcare, the economy,
the environment, energy security and cyber security. The Strategic Partnership
with the US as well as our country’s NATO and EU membership have been confirmed
as pillars of Romania’s foreign policy. The Council also decided to deploy
1.940 military and civilians for external operations and missions.

RECOVERY
PLAN – The European Commission wants Member States to back a €2.4 trillion economic recovery plan,
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The bailout package consists of
loans under three financial chapters as well as non-refundable aid. One
instrument, dubbed Next Generation EU, amounts to €750 billion, will address
the countries the most affected by the pandemic. Romania has been allotted €33
billion. The plan has been met with reluctance in the Netherlands, Denmark,
Austria and Sweden, the so-called Frugal Four, who are reluctant to give away
money as grants. The Commission will discuss the plan at the EU Summit of June
18-19.

ECONOMY
– The Government has adopted several measures to help the business sector
recover after the COVID pandemic. One measure is meant to simplify a financial
rescue plan addressing SMEs. The measures adopted in the last two months and a
half have had a huge impact on the budget, tantamount to 1.5% of the GDP,
Finance Minister Florin Citu has said. The Government has also greenlit the
disbursement of additional funds to cover lockdown-related costs and other
measures in the field of healthcare.

MOTION -
In Bucharest the Chamber of Deputies passed the simple motion against Education
Minister Monica Anisie. Filed by the Social-Democratic Party and the leftist
Pro Romania Party, both in opposition, the document claims Minister Anisie has
brought the education system on the verge of chaos due to her incompetence or
disinterest. The opposition wants the Education Minister gone, saying she lacks
vision and strategy. In turn, Monica Anisie claims the education system cannot
navigate the challenges faced by the current generation, as it is held back by
conservative canons that undervalue students’ skills. The Minister rebuked
former Social-Democratic Education Minister for their failure to implement
e-schooling.

(Translated by V. Palcu & E. Enache)

27 May 2020
May 26, 2020

The headlines:

The number of coronavirus infections in Romania has
exceeded 18.400. Meanwhile Interior Minister Marcel Vela is facing a motion
vote in the Senate today. Bogdan Aurescu met his Hungarian counterpart in
Bucharest today. And the General Affairs Council is today convening in a
videoconference – representing Romania is State Secretary with the Foreign
Ministry, Iulia Matei.

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA – Today marks three
months since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Romania. Earlier the
Group for Strategic Communication announced the death toll has risen to 1,210.
Over 18.400 cases have been confirmed across the country. 11.800 people have
recovered. 90.7% of victims were suffering from at least one other medical
condition, the National Institute for Public Health reports. Last week the
largest numbers of infections were reported in Bucharest and in Suceava, Neamt,
Botosani and Arad counties. One in six people infected with coronavirus is a
medical professional. Broken down in terms of age, nearly 77% of victims are 60
and above. Over half are men. Meanwhile 3.067 Romanians living abroad have
tested positive for SARS CoV-2, mostly in Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain
and France, of whom 106 have died.

COVID-19 WORLDWIDE – The total number of
COVID-19 infections is close to 5.6 million globally, with some 350.000 victims
reported so far. Brazil is now the second-most affected country in the world,
with over 374.000 infections, after the United States, where over 1.6 million
people have been infected with the virus. On the other hand, many countries
continue to ease lockdown restrictions. Beaches have reopened in Spain and the
United States, so have night clubs in Iceland. Japan has lifted the state of
emergency. Mosques in Iran are open as of yesterday. Also yesterday people in
Greece can now eat in taverns and restaurants. Many voices fear these measures
could generate a second wave of the epidemic, and Italy has actually
reintroduced certain restrictions.

MOTION – The Senate is today
debating and voting a simple motion the Social-Democrat opposition has filed
against Liberal Interior Minister Marcel Vela. The Social-Democrats criticize
Vela for the military decrees issued under the state of emergency, claiming
they generated a series of restrictions that were subsequently cancelled. Each
article to have been repealed is official proof of the incompetence and lack of
coherence in managing the coronavirus pandemic, the document also reads.
Minister Vela says the motion will present him with an opportunity to recap his
achievements during the six months in office. Parliament has recently voted two
motions, against Finance Minister Florin Citu and against Agriculture Minister
Adrian Oros. Another motion targeting Education Minister Monica Anisie was
debated yesterday, with the vote scheduled for Wednesday in the Chamber of
Deputies. The Minister is criticized for her subpar management during the
health crisis.

DEFENSE – The country’s Supreme Defense Council will convene in a
videoconference presided by President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday. High on the
agenda is the National Defense Strategy for 2020-2024, available army forces
that can be posted for external missions and operations in 2021 as well as the
modernization program for the Romanian army by 2026 and beyond. The Council
will also look into hot topics in the field of national security, the
Presidency reports.

VIDEOCONFERENCE
– State Secretary for European Affairs with the Romanian Foreign Ministry,
Iulia Matei, is today taking part in the informal meeting of the EU General
Affairs Council, held as a videoconference. According to the Foreign Ministry,
the top point on today’s meeting is the EU response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
which is a coordinated approach to eliminating restrictions and re-launching
the economy. Also today the European Commission will notify Member States
regarding ongoing progress in drafting the annual report on the rule of law
across the Union.

MEETING – Romania wants a positive relation with Hungary and a
return to a real strategic partnership with this country, Foreign Minister
Bogdan Aurescu said after meeting his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto.
Aurescu says the diplomatic relation needs to restore trust and mutual respect,
calling for restraint and a judicious approach to bilateral relations, which
have been marked by the negative effects of the coronavirus crisis. Romania
wants to consolidate bilateral relations, identify projects of mutual gain,
consolidate sectorial cooperation in the fields of infrastructure and energy
and continue dialogue over the rights of national minorities in the two
countries, the Romanian Minister went on to say.

FLIGHTS -
The national passenger airliner TAROM is today resuming its flights operated to
Italy, with return trips to Rome and Milan. The flights will be operated under
special circumstances, observing regulations under the state of alert.
According to TAROM, Italian citizens, seasonal workers and people working in
the field of transport will be able to travel to Italy. Returning to Romania
will be only Romanian nationals willing to come home.

(Translated by V.
Palcu)

26 May 2020
May 25, 2020 UPDATE

COVID-19 IN ROMANIA
– The death toll for COVID-19 in Romania has exceeded 1,200, the Group for
Strategic Communication reports. The total number of confirmed cases is 18.200,
of whom over 11.600 people have recovered. On Monday the Bucharest City Hall
kicked off a free testing program addressing 10,500 people from Bucharest, to
be conducted on Romania’s largest stadium, National Arena, while observing all
international regulations in the field. According to Bucharest Mayor Gabriela
Firea, as many as 8 thousand people from Bucharest have signed up on an online platform
set up by the City Hall. State Secretary with the Health Ministry, Horatiu Moldovan
told a private TV station that the Government is planning to test 30,000 people
across the country, in an action that will take place once the pandemic has
peaked.

COVID-19 IN THE WORLD
– The total number of confirmed infections with COVID-19 has exceeded 5.5
million at global level, with the death toll standing at some 347.000. Over 2.3
million people have recovered. Brazil is now the second most affected country
in the world, with 350.000 infected. Europe continues to report the highest
number of deaths, with 126.000 victims in only four countries – Great Britain,
Italy, Spain and France. Meanwhile European countries are gradually relaxing
restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the virus, considering the number
of new cases remains low compared to the peak period. Restaurants in Germany
and Greece reopened on Monday, while beaches officially opened in Italy. The cities
of Madrid and Barcelona, currently the most affected in Spain, on Monday
entered the first of the four-stage plan for lifting lockdown restrictions. In
the first phase churches, museums and outlets will admit only a third of
entries. Additionally groups of people are limited to a maximum number of 10.
These measures have already been adopted by other regions in Spain, which on Monday
entered the second phase of the plan. Meanwhile Japan has lifted the state of
emergency.

MOTION – The
Bucharest Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday debated a simple motion against the
Education Minister Monica Anisie, tabled by the MPs with the leftist Social
Democratic Party and Pro Romania Party, both in opposition. The signatories are
asking for the minister’s resignation, who they say is lacking vision and a
strategy for the education system. The opposition also claims the education
system is plunged in chaos, unlike any other time in the last 30 years.
Minister Anisie admitted the Romanian education system is facing a great many
challenges, although pointing out she couldn’t solve in seven months what
others failed to do during the course of several years. The vote will be held
on Wednesday. Another minister that has to pass the test of a simple motion is Interior
Minister Marcel Vela. He is expected to appear before the Senate on Tuesday to
present the measures taken during the crisis triggered by the coronavirus
pandemic. The motion against Vela was initiated by the Social Democrats, who
say that the military decrees adopted included contradictory decisions and
measures that were later cancelled.

HEALTH – 15
specialists with the Romanian defense Ministry on Monday left for the United
States to help authorities in the state of Alabama fight the coronavirus
pandemic. The five doctors, five nurses and five military specialized in
defense against chemical, biologic, radiologic and nuclear weapons will grant
expert support to their American colleagues in the medical units in Alabama and
also report on the methods the US is using to combat the pandemic. Romania and
the US are NATO allies and bound by a Strategic Partnership. We recall that over
April 17-24, a Romanian team made up of 11 doctors and 6 nurses travelled to
Italy to help the medical staff there fight the coronavirus. Also, another team
travelled to the neighboring Republic of Moldova, with a similar mission.

AGRICULTURE -
Some 1.6 million hectares of farmland are affected by drought, while some 941
thousand have already been inspected, Agriculture Minister Adrian Oros said on
Monday. The authorities will compensate all farmers who have been affected,
although the data used for these compensations has to be accurate, Minister
Oros also said. Previously, the Romanian Agriculture Minister said this is the
most severe drought in the last 60 years in Romania, adding that the irrigation
system cannot function at full capacity, as many rehabilitation works are
subpar or cannot be correlated with private infrastructure works implemented by
farmers.

(Translated by V. Palcu & E. Enache)

25 May 2020
Motion against the Finance Minister

Romanian Senators on Monday passed
a simple motion filed by the Social-Democrats against Liberal Finance Minister
Florin Citu. The National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union, the Democratic
Union of Ethnic Hungarians as well as unaffiliated Senators voted against, while
Social-Democratic Senators voted in favor. The initiators of the motion accuse
Citu of making hazardous declarations at the start of his mandate, causing a
spike in the exchange rate, which in turn entailed higher interest rates and
price hikes for Romanians. Florin Citu claims the motion filed by the
Social-Democratic Party is purely political and that he would step down only if
the Liberal Party demands it. Citu says the former Finance Minister Eugen
Teodorovici knew at the start of 2019 that the budget deficit would increase to
4% without taking additional measures.

The motion is not about me, it is
a political undertaking that tries to conceal the dire political problems of
Romania. Its initiators obviously want me to keep quit regarding the disastrous
situation I found at the Finance Ministry. To them and to all the
Social-Democrats I say the following: the National Liberal Party promised it would tell Romanians the truths at any cost. Enough is enough! Things cannot
continue this way. The time you could steal without being held accountable
stops here.

In turn, Liberal Senator Alina
Gorghiu says the Social-Democrats have no real reasons to launch criticism at
Florin Citu. Social-Democrat Senator Stefan Oprea has told Florin Citu he is
promoting measures that would take the budget deficit to figures he was
estimating while he was in opposition.

The figures you were prophesizing,
at times in a very hysterical manner, when you spoke about the
Social-Democratic governance, must come true today, and you need to make sure
the 4.4% deficit is real, by any means possible. It matters little that budget
revenues have been at a standstill for the past two months, or that public
spending has skyrocketed during your term. All that matters is that your 4.4%
deficit estimate should stand.

Interim Social-Democratic leader
Marcel Ciolacu believes the National Liberal Party did not understand
Parliament’s vote of no-confidence against Florin Citu. After the motion was
passed, Ludovic Orban said he would not replace Florin Citu, arguing the
Social-Democratic Party is not entitled to criticize and ask for resignations
after the disastrous budget it left behind. Under the Romanian Constitution,
the passing of a simple motion does not necessarily entail the dismissal of the
minister in question.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

10 December 2019
May 6, 2019

WEATHER -
The National Meteorological Administration on Monday issued a code yellow alert
against extreme weather phenomena in place until Tuesday evening for most of
the country. The south, east and the mountainous regions today will see
thunderstorms, hailstorms, heavy rain and wind. Heavy rain will also be
reported in the center, northwest and the southeast. Hail and strong wind will
be reported locally. Snowfalls are expected in the mountains. Tuesday
temperatures will drop nationwide.

SUMMIT IN SIBIU – The Romania-EU 2019 inter-ministry security
committee has decided to start implementing security measures gradually as of
today ahead of the EU Summit to be hosted by Sibiu on May 9. Security measures
are very strict, given the scope and importance of the event. The summit will
bring together heads of state and government from the EU27 group, 36 official
delegations, 400 high-ranking guests, some 900 journalists and 100
interpreters, a record high number. We recall Romania is currently holding the
rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

MOTION -
The Senate is today debating and voting the simple motion the right-wing
opposition has filed against Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici. The National
Liberal Party and Save Romania Union claim Teodorovici should step down as he
has proven unfit for the job and is thus jeopardizing the economy of the
country and weakening Romania’s relations with its Euro-Atlantic partners. The
opposition also criticized the tax on banking assets, as well as the additional
taxes implemented in the energy and telecom sectors.

POPE
FRANCIS – Pope Francis is today continuing his visit to
Bulgaria. During his meeting with President Rumen Radev, the Pope tackled the
delicate issue of migration, with nearly half of Bulgaria’s working-age
population leaving the country in recent years. The Pope warned that
demographic winter is coming and called on the Government to create conditions
allowing for young people to stay in the country. Pope Francis also referred to
refugees, calling on the authorities to let them in. In Sofia, the Pope prayed
together with Christians. Analysts say that, despite festivities, Bulgaria’s
relations with the Vatican remain docile. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is a
close ally of the Russian Orthodox Church, thus opposing close relations with
the Vatican. The Pope will next visit North Macedonia and at the end of the
month he will visit Romania, the second visit of a Pope after John Paul II’s
visit 20 years ago.

MULTINATIONALS -
Germany, France and Italy were the top three countries that controlled
multinational branches in Romania in 2017. Over 13 thousand of these were
controlled by foreign enterprises, while 62 thousand were controlled by foreign
natural persons, the National Statistics Institute reports. Most multinational
companies in Romania were operating in the trade sector, with a 35% share. 11%
of them were active in constructions and the manufacturing industry, 9% were
performing scientific and technical activities while 8% were involved in real
estate.

TENNIS – Romanian tennis
player Mihaela Buzarnescu (29 WTA) is today playing twelve seed Anastasija
Sevastova of Latvia in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open, totaling 7
million dollars in prize money. Another two Romanians have advanced to the
second round. On Tuesday, third-seed Simona Halep will play Johanna Konta of
Great Britain (47 WTA) while Sorana Cirstea will take on Caroline Garcia of
France. Halep won the Madrid Open twice, in 2016 and 2017. In 2018 she reached
the quarterfinals.

(Translated by V. Palcu)

6 May 2019