Radio România Internațional

Tag: strategy

  • December 20, 2017

    December 20, 2017

    BUDGET – Debates continue today in the Parliament of Romania on the 2018 draft budget laws. After heated talks, MPs approved on Tuesday the funding for 2 ministries and another 7 public institutions, in the amounts proposed by the specialised committees. They also discussed and turned down 1,700 amendments tabled by the Opposition with respect to the budget of the Regional Development Ministry. Romanias state budget for 2018 is based on an expected 5.5% economic growth rate, an exchange rate of 4.55 lei for the euro, average monthly salaries of 565 euros and a budget deficit accounting for 2.97% of the GDP. The main priorities for next year are public healthcare, education and infrastructure. The right-wing opposition has criticised the draft budget, which they view as risky and likely to increase public debt.




    JUSTICE LAWS – Romanian MPs carry on today debates on two other bills in a package designed to modify the judicial framework. The draft laws concern the judicial organisation and the functioning of the Higher Council of Magistrates. On Monday, the Senate, which is the decision-making body in this case, endorsed the law on the magistrate profession. The changes that the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats intends to operate on the justice laws are strongly criticised by civil society. Hundreds of magistrates gathered in front of courts of justice around Romania, to protest what they see as a less than transparent process. It is for the first time in recent years that magistrates choose this way to express their disagreement with measures taken by the legislative.




    ANNIVERSARY – Timişoara, in western Romania, celebrates today 28 years since the day when it proclaimed itself the first Romanian city free from communism. On that day workers went on strike, the Army withdrew to their units and the anti-communist protesters were waiting for other cities to join in the movement. Sparked by the locals opposition to an abusive measure by local authorities, the Revolution spread across the country, culminating on December 22 with the dictators Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu attempting to flee the capital city. Between December 16 and 25, 1989, more than 1,000 people were killed and nearly 3,400 were wounded. According to the Military Prosecutors Office, the main cause of most of the deaths, injuries and damages was a military diversion orchestrated on the evening of December 22, 1989.




    PROTESTS – Romanian police workers are protesting today in front of the Interior Ministry headquarters against the under-funding of the system, and are demanding the resignation of Interior Minister, Carmen Dan. They also complain about the poor logistics and the disastrous state of some police units, as well as the personnel shortage, reaching around 20,000 employees. The Interior Ministry issued a news release, stating that it would take note of the police workers complaints.




    TRANSPORT – Thousands of road carriers took to the streets to demand the implementation of the legislative changes promised by Transport Minister Felix Stroe. The respective changes would enable the authorities to fight unauthorised and unlicensed operators such as taxi and rent-a-car companies and providers of occasional or regular rides. On Tuesday the Bucharest City Hall announced measures to eliminate piracy and unauthorised transport companies, but the Confederation of Authorised Operators and Carriers announced protests will continue because the rest of the country is still affected by piracy and unfair competition. In related news, the European Court of Justice ruled that Uber is a transport services company, requiring it to accept stricter regulation and licensing within the EU as a taxi operator. Romania, where Uber has been operating for 3 years, is the companys fifth-largest market in the EU.




    US SECURITY STRATEGY – Russia and China condemn US President Donald Trumps new security strategy, unveiled on Monday, which portrays Moscow and Beijing as Washingtons rival powers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov slammed the US national security strategy as imperialist and “unwilling to give up the idea of a unipolar world. In turn, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said US was wrong to see China as a threat, and that cooperation was the only right choice for Beijing and Washington. At the top of Trumps list of security threats are the “rogue regimes of North Korea and Iran.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Global Cooperation and Security Plan

    Global Cooperation and Security Plan

    Having seen its presence and influence significantly reduced in the international community, following the economic and financial crisis, the European Union seems to be trying to adapt to the times, including in terms of defence. Two months ago, it established an external border monitoring and control agency, with extended powers, to replace Frontex, and now, with the endorsement of its global strategy on the security and defence policy, the Union has made a further step in this direction. The implementation plan on security and defence is the outcome of an older initiative, which the European foreign and defence ministers convening in Brussels on Monday turned into an operational project. Here is the Radio Romania correspondent in the Belgian capital city, Claudia Marcu, with details:



    Claudia Marcu: “The EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini described the implementation plan on security and defence as ambitious, pragmatic, substantial, concrete, and prepared in a record time with the full involvement of the 28 member states. The EUs High Representative for foreign policy and security pointed out, first and foremost, that this plan meant neither the establishment of a European army, nor the competition or duplication of NATO. The implementation plan is about providing the EU with all the instruments it needs to fulfil its ambitions, and outlines 3 key tasks for Europe: responding to external conflicts and crises, working with partners in building their security and defence capabilities, and protecting the Union and its citizens.



    In other words, the project is not a threat to the contribution undertaken by EU member states within NATO, but rather complementary to the current actions and future objectives of the North Atlantic Alliance.



    On the other hand, the Plan may be seen as a natural response of the Union to an unpredictable international context, in which the geopolitical element plays a key role. Russias aggressive foreign policy, pursued even at a military level, with the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and with Moscows active involvement in the secessionist conflict in east Ukraine, the instability in north Africa, following the Arab spring, the growing tensions straining the relations with Turkey and, above all, the insecurity engendered by terrorism, are all unsettling elements for the EU. Furthermore, a number of foreign policy analysts argue that Europes economic power must be accompanied by a matching military potential, even if this comes against the paradigm embraced after World War II.

  • Strategy for Romania’s Future

    Strategy for Romania’s Future

    Ten years after its EU accession, Romania does not yet have a national strategy to outline its future in Europe, and this has to change, President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday, during a new round of consultations with the PM, the Central Bank Governor and the leaders of the main parties in Parliament, after Britains EU referendum. The head of state believes Romania needs a post-accession strategy and suggested, during the consultations, that a task force should be set up to this end.



    Klaus Iohannis: “Unfortunately, in Romania weve had a lot of so-called country projects, which have neither lasted, nor been implemented, because there was no political consensus in this respect. This time, we will join forces and draw up a strategy to guide Romania within the EU in the medium and long run, to define Romanias place, role and ambitions in the Union.



    The idea enjoys political consensus, the President also said, and added that this is what the previous strategies lacked, and what prevented their implementation.



    Klaus Iohannis: “The best would be for this task force to be subordinated to the Presidency, given that this year we have parliamentary elections. I would also like to emphasise the very constructive nature of these talks, and the fact that all political leaders have embraced this project. Such a national strategy may only work if all stakeholders adopt, approve and support it.



    The country project coordinated by President Klaus Iohannis will broadly define Romanias goals in the forthcoming years, and will include an economic component, among other things, PM Ciolos said in his turn, just one day before launching a public debate on a strategy entitled “Competitive Romania: a project for sustainable economic growth, which, he explained, will be a component of the country project.



    Dacian Ciolos mentioned that, at the start of his term in office, the Cabinet announced public debates on two topics, namely a plan for Romanias economic development and the countrys position within the EU ahead of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council in 2019. These two topics, PM Ciolos said, are in line with what President Klaus Iohannis has suggested.

  • Romania and its Defense Strategy

    Romania and its Defense Strategy

    A strong Romania in Europe and the world is the subtitle
    of Romania’s national defense strategy, which the country’s Supreme Defense Council will send to Parliament for approval. At the end of a Council meeting
    on Tuesday, president Klaus Iohannis provided some details:


    My vision is that of a strong Romania in Europe and the world, which in my
    opinion means three things: a state that defends its citizens, wherever they
    are; a state that defends its values, interests and symbols, as well as its
    national goods and natural resources and which makes education and healthcare
    its priorities; and thirdly, a state that contributes to maintaining collective
    security alongside its partners and to promoting democracy and freedom. All
    these require from our part continuity in terms of our commitments and
    predictability in terms of our actions. Continuity and predictability will make
    us a credible and reliable country in this very complicated region.


    According to president Iohannis, Romania’s defense strategy also entails
    a new concept, that of ‘extended security’. The president explained:


    National security is not only about defense; it also has to do with public
    order, the economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare, the environment and
    culture, all of which have an impact on national security.


    The new strategy reaffirms the importance of Romania’s strategic
    partnership with the US and its NATO and European Union membership as pillars
    of the country’s foreign and security policy. As proof of its involvement in
    the European project, Bucharest will propose, at the upcoming meeting of the
    European Council this month, the creation of a new common security strategy. On
    a domestic level, the strategy provides for the continuation, in 2015, of the
    army’s restructuring and modernization process and its provision with new
    equipment by 2027.


    Ahead of the meeting of the country’s Supreme Defense Council, president
    Iohannis had consultations with the representatives of the parliamentary
    parties. Initiated in February, the consultation process also included talks
    with civil society and the academic community. The conclusion in Bucharest is
    that an effective strategy must start from the consolidation of democratic and
    security processes at home and continue with the compliance with the strategic
    commitments taken as part of NATO and the European Union.