Radio România Internațional

Tag: strike

  • January 22, 2022 UPDATE

    January 22, 2022 UPDATE


    COVID-19 19,371 new Covid cases and 48 related deaths were reported in Romania on Saturday. The number of fatalities is over 10 times smaller than at the peak of the previous wave of the pandemic, but the infection rate continues to grow, reaching 8.77 per thousand in Bucharest. The highest SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in the capital city (16.54 per thousand) was reached on 22nd October last year. The worst-case scenario considered by the authorities predicts up to 70,000 new cases per day in the first half of February. The health minister Alexandru Rafila says that 173 outpatient Covid-19 evaluation centres are already operational across the country, out of a planned 230.



    CELEBRATION The government of Romania celebrated on Saturday 160 years since the first government of Romania was formed, after the union of the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia was officially recognised. On this occasion, on the walls of Victoria Palace in the capital city Bucharest, which hosts the head offices of the government of Romania, images were projected during the evening, which are relevant for this milestone in Romanian history, such as the Romanian flag, the date when the first government of Romania was formed, namely 22nd of January, 1862 and the name of the countrys first prime minister, Barbu Catargiu. On Monday, which is a national holiday in Romania, 163 years since the union of the Romanian Principalities will be marked. On 24th January 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, elected ruler of Moldavia the previous week, was unanimously elected sovereign of Wallachia as well, and proclaimed ruler of the United Principalities. During his rule, the institutional foundations were laid for modern Romania.



    STRIKE Romanias capital city Bucharest found itself without above-ground public transportation means on Saturday as well. It was 3rd consecutive day of strike for the Bucharest Transport Corporation, although a court ruled the protest illegal. Unions stand by their demands, which include pay raises and the resignation of the corporations CEO. The drivers who refuse to work risk having their employment contracts terminated, said the Bucharest mayor general Nicusor Dan. He also said the City Hall made available a toll-free number for drivers to report whether they are prevented by their colleagues from going to work, and added that a criminal case has been opened in this respect. Meanwhile, the government is facing demands from trade unions in public education and healthcare as well.



    NATO On Friday NATO rejected Russias request for the pull-out of the Alliances troops in Bulgaria and Romania, and denounced the concept of spheres of influence, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said. Russia requested guarantees from the US and NATO that the Alliance would not enlarge further eastwards, and demanded the withdrawal of the troops and equipment deployed to the countries that have joined the organisation since 1997. Also on Friday, the Pentagon announced a large-scale NATO naval exercise in the Mediterranean, amid tensions with Russia, which also announced major naval manoeuvres, AFP reports. Polands PM Mateusz Morawiecki called on European leaders to take a firm and united stand against Russia, in the context of fears that Moscow might plan an invasion of Ukraine. NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will provide Ukraine with US-made anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles, the defence ministers of the 3 countries announced in a joint statement. In Romania, president Klaus Iohannis has called a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council on Wednesday. The meeting will focus on the security situation at the Black Sea and on NATOs eastern flank, and measures to develop resilience and response capabilities related to the new security challenges.



    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Simona Halep qualified in the round of 16 of the Australian Open, after defeating Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, 6-2, 6-1, in the 3rd round of the tournament in Melbourne on Saturday. Halep (15 WTA and 14th seed), won the match in 64 minutes. It was the 8th consecutive win for the Romanian player this season. In the next round Simona Halep takes on Alizé Cornet of France (61 WTA). Also on Saturday, another Romanian, Sorana Cîrstea, won in the 3rd round against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, seed no 10. In the next round, Sorana Cîrstea will take on Iga Swiatek of Poland (9 WTA). (tr. A.M. Popescu)


  • January 22, 2022

    January 22, 2022

    COVID-19 19,371
    new Covid cases and 48 related deaths have been reported in Romania today. The
    number of fatalities is over 10 times smaller than at the peak of the previous
    wave of the pandemic, but the infection rate continues to grow, reaching 8.77
    per thousand in Bucharest. The highest SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in the capital
    city (16.54 per thousand) was reached on 22nd October last year. The
    worst-case scenario considered by the authorities predicts up to 70,000 new
    cases per day in the first half of February. The health minister Alexandru
    Rafila says that 173 outpatient Covid-19 evaluation centres are already
    operational across the country, out of a planned 230.




    NATO On Friday
    NATO rejected Russia’s request for the pull-out of the Alliance’s troops in
    Bulgaria and Romania, and denounced the concept of spheres of influence, NATO
    spokesperson Oana Lungescu said. Russia requested guarantees from the US and
    NATO that the Alliance would not enlarge further eastwards, and demanded the
    withdrawal of the troops and equipment deployed to the countries that have
    joined the organisation since 1997. Also on Friday, the Pentagon announced a
    large-scale NATO naval exercise in the Mediterranean, amid tensions with
    Russia, which also announced major naval manoeuvres, AFP reports. Poland’s PM
    Mateusz Morawiecki called on European leaders to take a firm and united stand
    against Russia, in the context of fears that Moscow might plan an invasion of
    Ukraine. NATO members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will provide Ukraine with
    US-made anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles, the defence ministers of the 3
    countries announced in a joint statement. In Romania, president Klaus Iohannis
    has called a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council on Wednesday. The meeting
    will focus on the security situation at the Black Sea and on NATO’s eastern
    flank, and measures to develop resilience and response capabilities related to
    the new security challenges.




    CELEBRATION
    The government of Romania celebrates today 160 years since the first government
    of Romania was formed, after the union of the principalities of Moldavia and
    Wallachia was officially recognised. On this occasion, on the walls of Victoria
    Palace in the capital city Bucharest, which hosts the head offices of the
    government of Romania, images will be projected during the evening, which are
    relevant for this milestone in Romanian history, such as the Romanian flag, the
    date when the first government of Romania was formed, namely 22nd of
    January, 1862 and the name of the country’s first prime minister, Barbu
    Catargiu. On Monday, which is a national holiday in Romania, 163 years since
    the union of the Romanian Principalities will be marked. On 24th
    January 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, elected ruler of Moldavia the previous week,
    was unanimously elected sovereign of Wallachia as well, and proclaimed ruler of
    the United Principalities. During his rule, the institutional foundations were
    laid for modern Romania.




    SOCIAL Romania’s capital city Bucharest finds itself without above-ground public
    transportation means on Saturday as well. It is for 3rd consecutive
    day of strike for the Bucharest Transport Corporation, although a court ruled
    the protest illegal. Unions stand by their demands, which include pay raises
    and the resignation of the corporation’s CEO. Meanwhile, the government and
    trade unions in public education are working to reach an agreement by 4th
    February, following a first round of negotiations after teachers went on strike
    on Wednesday. Unionists want pay raises, additional staff to be employed, and
    6% of GDP to be earmarked for public education. Public healthcare unions are
    also to discuss their demands next week with officials from the healthcare,
    finances and labour ministries.




    TENNIS The
    Romanian tennis player Simona Halep qualified in the round of 16 of the
    Australian Open, after defeating Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, 6-2, 6-1, in the
    3rd round of the tournament in Melbourne today. Halep (15 WTA and 14th
    seed), won the match in 64 minutes. It was the 8th consecutive win
    for the Romanian player this season. In the next round Simona Halep takes on Alizé Cornet of France (61 WTA). Also
    today, another Romanian, Sorana Cîrstea, is playing in the 3rd round
    against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, seed no 10. In the women’s doubles,
    Jaqueline Cristian (Romania) / Andrea Petkovic (Germany) qualified in the 8th-finals,
    having defeated the Slovenians Kaja Juvan / Tamara Zidansek, 6-4, 6-0, and are
    next to play agaist Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) / Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spain). (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • January 20, 2022

    January 20, 2022

    COVID-19 Romania has today reached an all-time high
    in terms of Covid-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic, 19,105, in
    the past 24 hours out of 78 thousand tests conducted. Authorities have also
    announced 43 fatalities. The previous all-time high was on October 19th 2021,
    when 18,863 cases were reported along with 561 deaths. According to Health
    Minister Alexandru Rafila, the Covid-related mortality is ten times lower than
    in October. Rafila says that the innovative anti-viral treatment will become
    available in Romania shortly. On the other hand, the Romanians’ interest in
    getting the jab remains low with a national vaccination rate slightly exceeding
    40%. The anti-Covid vaccine will become available to children with ages between
    5 and 11 in Romania starting January 26th.










    TENNIS
    The former world number
    one, Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep will today be up against Brazilian
    Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third round of Australian Open. Also today, Romanian
    Sorana Cirstea has qualified for the competition’s third round after a two-set
    win 6-2, 6-4 against Karolina Kucova of Slovakia. Another Romanian, Irina Begu
    lost to Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-2.








    HANDBALL Romania’s champions in women’s handball, CSM Bucharest, on
    Wednesday night lost to French side Brest Bretagne 24-21 in a match counting
    towards the Champions League Group A. CSM had come after a clear win in
    Montenegro against local side Buducnost Podgorica but the show our handballers
    managed in the second half of the game was below expectations. They will be
    playing German side Borussia Dortmund in a home match on Saturday. CSM rank
    fifth in their group with 10 points out of 10 matches.










    STRIKE
    Employees of the Public Transport
    Company in Bucharest have today gone on an all-out strike calling for pay rises
    and for the company’s managers to step down. According to one of its managers,
    the average salary in the company stays around 1400 Euros and has accused the
    trade unionists of mounting illegal actions. The protest has also been
    considered illegal by the authorities, which say that strikes should not be
    launched during the state of alert. Furthermore, even during the strike, the
    company was supposed to operate at a third of its normal capacity.










    NATO
    Romanian president Klaus
    Iohannis has today had a positive reaction following the announcement of his
    French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that France is ready to send troops to
    Romania as part of NATO missions. According to Iohannis, the Romanian-French
    strategic partnership will thus be consolidated on the eastern flank in the
    Black Sea area. France is ready to participate with troops inside NATO in order
    to defend countries in Eastern Europe whose security is being threatened by
    Russia, Emmanuel Macron has said. In a speech held at a military unit in
    Alsacia, the French leader has also mentioned Romania, where an increased NATO
    presence would be decided. The announcement comes at a tensioned moment in
    Eastern Europe, against the background of a massive Russian build-up at its
    border with Ukraine, where a 100 thousand strong military contingent has
    allegedly been deployed. The Kremlin has called on NATO to pull out troops from
    its eastern members, Romania included.








    (bill)



  • Protests of the teaching staff

    Protests of the teaching staff

    Trade unions in the Romanian education system resumed protests, on the first week of the second semester of the school year, against a number of decisions taken by the authorities, including the one regarding the salary rise by only 4.5%. The teaching staff want to receive the base salary stipulated in a law from 2017, which provided for a 16% increase in salaries starting two years ago. Trade unionists also want 6% of the GDP to be earmarked for Education, as well as bonuses for labor conditions, the payment of extra hours and more jobs for teachers.



    The unions had announced late last year a general strike on January 10, but the idea was given up due to the teachers’ holiday. The leader of the Federation of Free Trade Unions in Education, Simion Hancescu, says that the growing discontent on the part of the teaching staff is due to the authorities’ lack of reaction. Simion Hancescu: “They are unhappy with a number of things. On December 6 we submitted a list to the Government, with 163,000 signatures in support of a petition for the enforcement of Law 153 starting January 1, 2022. We got no answer to that. We protested three days in front of the Government offices. Again, there was no answer. We picketed the Government for a day, last week, and then we decided for a form of protest that involves more people. They want a general strike.



    According to Marius Nistor, the head of the Spiru Haret Trade Union Federation, it is not only the teaching staff that is unhappy with the situation. Marius Nistor: “I would like to emphasize the fact that we do not talk only about the teaching staff, but about all people who work in a school, including the auxiliary and non-teaching staff, irrespective of their position in the education unit.



    On the side of the authorities, Education Minister Sorin Cimpeanu says that salaries have to be a motivating factor and that it is natural for people to be upset with the fact that the law from 2017 does not apply. However, the minister calls on teachers to understand the situation, saying he is confident most of them will not abandon their students, who have already been affected by the online classes due to the pandemic. According to the official, following the pay rise operated so far, a beginner teacher has a net salary of little over 500 euros (2,597 lei) and a teacher who worked for more than 40 years has almost 900 euros (4,398 lei). There are also bonuses that can add to these salaries, Cimpeanu also said. In their turn, some of the students protested last week against a decrease in the value of certain scholarships, but the Education Ministry has not reconsidered its decision. (EE)



  • Protests of the teaching staff

    Protests of the teaching staff

    Trade unions in the Romanian education system resumed protests, on the first week of the second semester of the school year, against a number of decisions taken by the authorities, including the one regarding the salary rise by only 4.5%. The teaching staff want to receive the base salary stipulated in a law from 2017, which provided for a 16% increase in salaries starting two years ago. Trade unionists also want 6% of the GDP to be earmarked for Education, as well as bonuses for labor conditions, the payment of extra hours and more jobs for teachers.



    The unions had announced late last year a general strike on January 10, but the idea was given up due to the teachers’ holiday. The leader of the Federation of Free Trade Unions in Education, Simion Hancescu, says that the growing discontent on the part of the teaching staff is due to the authorities’ lack of reaction. Simion Hancescu: “They are unhappy with a number of things. On December 6 we submitted a list to the Government, with 163,000 signatures in support of a petition for the enforcement of Law 153 starting January 1, 2022. We got no answer to that. We protested three days in front of the Government offices. Again, there was no answer. We picketed the Government for a day, last week, and then we decided for a form of protest that involves more people. They want a general strike.



    According to Marius Nistor, the head of the Spiru Haret Trade Union Federation, it is not only the teaching staff that is unhappy with the situation. Marius Nistor: “I would like to emphasize the fact that we do not talk only about the teaching staff, but about all people who work in a school, including the auxiliary and non-teaching staff, irrespective of their position in the education unit.



    On the side of the authorities, Education Minister Sorin Cimpeanu says that salaries have to be a motivating factor and that it is natural for people to be upset with the fact that the law from 2017 does not apply. However, the minister calls on teachers to understand the situation, saying he is confident most of them will not abandon their students, who have already been affected by the online classes due to the pandemic. According to the official, following the pay rise operated so far, a beginner teacher has a net salary of little over 500 euros (2,597 lei) and a teacher who worked for more than 40 years has almost 900 euros (4,398 lei). There are also bonuses that can add to these salaries, Cimpeanu also said. In their turn, some of the students protested last week against a decrease in the value of certain scholarships, but the Education Ministry has not reconsidered its decision. (EE)



  • International community condemns attacks on civilian vessels

    International community condemns attacks on civilian vessels

    Repeatedly accused in recent years of posing a threat to freedom of
    navigation, after being blamed for attacks on several ships, Iran is again at
    the centre of a tense episode. This time it’s about an attack that took place
    in the Arabian Sea on 29th July on the Mercer Street oil tanker
    managed by an Israeli citizen. Two crew members were killed in the attack, a
    Romanian and a Briton. The vessel was sailing, empty of cargo, off the coast of
    Oman and the strike was carried out by drone in the Strait of Hormuz.




    Press agencies note that the incident marks a new chapter in the ongoing
    tensions between Israel and Iran, following other acts of sabotage that
    recently targeted other ships. The United States, Israel and the UK blamed the
    attack on Iran, who denies the allegations and says some countries intend to
    create insecurity and chaos in the international arena by orchestrating such
    measures. The European Union and NATO both strongly condemned the attack. Such acts contrary to the
    security and freedom of navigation in the region are unacceptable, said EU’s
    spokeswoman on foreign affairs and security policy Nabila Massrali, adding that
    the circumstances of this attack must be clarified. A NATO spokesperson
    recalled that freedom of navigation is vital for all NATO Allies, and must be upheld in accordance with
    international law and said NATO remains concerned about Iran’s destabilising
    actions in the region, urging it to respect its international obligations.




    In the wake of the incident, Washington vowed
    collective response together with its allies and in London, prime minister
    Boris Johnson said Iran must face up to the consequences of its actions. The
    Romanian foreign ministry has been in contact with officials from Israel, the
    United States and the UK, including high-ranking officials, and after the
    conclusion began to form, based on initial assessments, that Iran may be behind
    the attack, the four countries said they were preparing a coordinated response.
    In a telephone conversation with the EU foreign policy chief, Romanian foreign
    minister Bogdan Aurescu reiterated his strong condemnation of the attack
    against a civilian target and the impact of this incident on the freedom of
    navigation in the region, in keeping with the international law in the field.




    On Tuesday, representatives of the UK, Romania
    and Liberia informed the UN Security Council that it is very likely that
    Iranian forces used one or more aerial vehicles to carry out the strike off the
    coast of Oman. This attack disrupted and
    posed a risk to the safety and security of international shipping and was a
    clear violation of international law, the countries said in the letter to
    the Council, adding: This act must be condemned by the international
    community. Also on Tuesday, the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional organisation
    whose members are all allies of the US or have tense relations with Tehran over
    the latter’s nuclear programme and for other political or religious reasons,
    also joined criticism of the attack and called on the international community
    to act in order to put an end to the acts of aggression against navigation in
    this area. (CM)



  • May 11, 2021

    May 11, 2021

    COVID-19 According to the latest updates, 620 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Romania in 24 hours, out of 11,000 tests conducted. Most cases occurred in Bucharest. The authorities also announced another 68 COVID-19 related deaths and 962 patients in intensive care. Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues, at a record high rate of over 100,000 jabs per day. Measures such as vaccination marathons and drive-through vaccination centres helped increase the number of people immunised every day, and so did the involvement of family physicians. Coordinator Valeriu Gheorghita said on the other hand that there is not enough scientific data to confirm the need for a third vaccine dose to cover possible viral mutations.



    ALERT The state of alert will be extended by another month as of Thursday, the government of Romania decided. Certain restrictions have been lifted, such as the ones concerning participation in religious processions or pilgrimages, while others, including in the hospitality sector, remain in place. Pilot cultural and sports events will be organised, attended by people who have got the vaccine or recovered from COVID in the past 3 months, as well as those who test negative for the disease.



    TRAVEL The National Committee on Emergency Situations updated the list of countries with high epidemiological risk for which quarantine is required upon entering Romanian territory. The number of countries in the list went up from 57 to 75. Countries like India, Nepal, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Monaco and the United Arab Emirates are new on the list, joining the Netherlands, France, Germany and Hungary or summer tourist destinations like Greece, Croatia or the Maldives.



    EXERCISE The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda are attending today a multinational military exercise in Galaţi County in the east. The exercise takes place at the Smârdan base, and Poland takes part with the military forces it has deployed to Romania as part of the Allied matched forward presence in the eastern flank through the NATO multinational brigade stationed in Craiova. Justice Sword 21 is a tactical exercise aimed at testing the capacity of participating structures to implement planned actions and measures, as well as Romanias ability to provide support to the military forces and equipment that transit its territory.



    ATTACK At least 11 people, mostly children, were killed, and many others wounded by an unknown number of attackers in a school shooting in the Russian town of Kazan, some 725 km east of Moscow. The town is the capital of Tatarstan, an autonomous republic with mostly Muslim population. Russian media quoted by international news agencies speak about one or two teenage shooters. School shootings are uncommon in Russia. A similar incident was reported in 2018, in Crimea, annexed by Russia 4 years before, where a student killed 19 people and killed himself. In September 2004, some 325 people, mostly kids, were also killed after Russian special forces stormed a school in Belsan, North Ossetia, where pro-Chechen mercenaries were keeping over 1,000 hostages.



    TENSIONS The EU called for an immediate end to the clashes between Israeli and Palestinians. According to the EU, rocket strikes from Gaza strip against civilians in Israel are unacceptable and fuel escalation. The US also condemned “in the strongest terms the Hamas rocket attacks, calling them “an unacceptable escalation. The UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab also condemned the attacks and called for immediate de-escalation on both sides. Tensions have been reported in the region since the start of the Ramadan, the Muslim fasting and prayer month, with many Palestinians angry over the Israeli police restricting access to some sectors in Jerusalem. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • February 20, 2021 UPDATE

    February 20, 2021 UPDATE

    BUDGET The government of Romania passed the state budget and social security budget bills for this year, and the fiscal-budgetary strategy for 2021-2023. The budget is based on a 7.16% of GDP deficit target, a 2.4% annual inflation rate and on roughly 680-euro net average salaries. The Liberal PM Florin Cîţu said the budget pushes for the restructuring of state-owned companies this year, and voiced hopes that Parliament will endorse the bills as soon as possible. He also mentioned that the amendments to be tabled by MPs should not exceed the targeted budget deficit and must make clear where the funds would come from. The Supreme Defence Council approved the draft budgets of public institutions in the national defence and security field.



    VACCINE The national COVID-19 vaccination programme continues in Romania. According to the Vaccination Coordination Committee, more than 1.3 million doses have been used on close to 800,000 people since the start of the programme on December 27. Most people received the Pfizer vaccine, and some others doses produced by Moderna. As of this week, the AstraZeneca vaccine is also available in Romania. Meanwhile, over 2,700 new SARS-CoV-2 cases were reported in the country in the past 24 hours, the Strategic Communication Group said on Saturday. Of a total of at least 7,000 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalised, some 960 are in intensive care. The total number of cases reported so far in Romania is nearly 777,000, 90% of whom have recovered. The death toll stands at nearly 19,800.



    ROMA The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis emphasised on Saturday, in a special message on Roma Emancipation Day, the importance of eliminating prejudice and discrimination, which he said are “much too common in respect of Roma access to education. He mentioned that the emancipation of Roma slaves 165 years ago, had a major role in the evolution of the profile and values of Romanian society in mid-19th Century, paving the way for the country to embrace European modernity. The head of state also said that for the Roma, the hundreds of years of slavery left “deep and hard to heal scars. He explained that the 1856 emancipation was a major challenge for the Romanian society as a whole. The president also called for discouraging and punishing hate speech and all racist, anti-Semitic, chauvinistic behaviours.



    PROTESTS Pupils and students protested in Bucharest on Saturday the scrapping of full subsidies for railway transport. They say these austerity measures hit the most vulnerable, and the right-of-centre government sacrifices students mobility for political purposes. Also on Saturday, nearly 80 workers in Lupeni mine, in Romanias coal-rich Jiu Valley region, carried on their week-long protests over delays in wage payments. On Friday, after meetings in Bucharest with PM Florin Cîţu and with Energy and Finance Ministry officials, the miners were promised their salaries will be paid next week. Meanwhile, the protest led to the shut-down of the Mintia thermal power plant, which runs on coal. Some 5,000 households are now left without heating, and 11 schools in Deva will resort to online teaching as of Monday, because children cannot study in unheated classrooms.



    PANDEMIC The EU is stepping up procurement of coronavirus vaccines, after large-scale criticism for the slow start of the vaccine rollout. The EC president Ursula von der Leyen said she wanted the agreements signed with vaccine producers to give the EU access to serums tailored to fight the new variants. She added the EU antifraud agency is helping member states to identify counterfeits sold in the black market. According to worldometers updates, over 111 million people have caught the virus and at least 86 million have recovered. The global death toll stands at over 2.4 million.



    TENNIS The Romanian Simona Halep goes down to 3rd place in the WTA standings on Monday, and will be replaced by Japans Naomi Osaka, who won the Australian Open on Saturday. Osaka beat the American Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 in the final, to win her 4th Grand Slam. Simona Halep was defeated this year in the Australian Open quarter-finals by the American Serena Williams. Meanwhile, the Romanian womens handball side HC Dunărea Brăila qualified in the quarter-finals of the EHF European League, after on Saturday they won a decisive Group D match against the Russian team Kuban Krasnodar, 36-32. Dunărea will take on another Romanian team, the group winners Minaur Baia Mare. The 2 legs of the EHF European League quarterfinals are scheduled for March 27-28 and April 3-4. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Romania and the Gulf crisis

    Romania and the Gulf crisis

    Awaited with great anticipation, Wednesday nights speech by US president Donald Trump dispelled, to some extent, the worlds worst fears. A military conflict in the Middle East seems to no longer be imminent, and instead the door is open to negotiations for a new deal with Iran, whose nuclear ambitions are hardly a secret. Donald Trumps statement came at a time when the tensions following the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad by an US drone strike had reached a peak.



    On Wednesday, president Trump promised additional economic sanctions against Iran, and pointed out that he will request NATO to get more involved in the region. He also called on the worlds major powers, including Russia and China, to walk out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and to work towards a new agreement. The White House leader concluded his address with the message “The US is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.



    The attacks against American military bases in Iraq that preceded this address however alarmed the international community, including Romania, which decided to temporarily relocate the 14 troops it had deployed in Iraq. In Bucharest, top-level officials called for a calm, diplomatic approach. Here is the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu:



    Bogdan Aurescu: “Romania reiterates its firm call for de-escalation. What we can tell you is that the Romanian troops that are part of the coalition against DAESH have not been affected, which is good news. Also, given that a number of strikes targeted the region of Erbil, where around 180 Romanian nationals live, the Consulate General of Romania in Erbil confirmed that the Romanian citizens there were not affected by these developments.



    Roxana Diaconescu has been living there for almost a year. She is 35, studying for a Ph.D. in political sciences and working for an NGO that runs humanitarian projects. This is what she told Radio Romania:



    Roxana Diaconescu: “I cant say we have been affected by the Iranian attack, although I live rather close to the military base, which is located within the airport. I havent heard missiles fired. I hadnt realised what was going on until morning, when I saw the news. It was a normal work day, I went to work, I sent my kid to school. Everybody is now worried about what will happen next, whether the US is going to retaliate or not. For the time being no NGOs are sending their expats out of Iraq.



    It is important to ease the fears of the public, to some extent, the Romanian defence minister Nicolae Ciuca said in his turn. He added the situation in the Middle East remains closely monitored, so that relevant institutions may take appropriate measures if necessary.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • December 30, 2019

    December 30, 2019

    GOVERNMENT The Government of Romania convened today for its last meeting this year. At Fridays meeting PM Ludovic Orban instructed his ministers to make sure the bills regulating the activity of ministries have all the required approvals in place, so that they may be endorsed today by the Cabinet. Orban explained that these bills must be approved so that the new Cabinet formula may be operational as of January 1. The number of deputy prime ministers has been reduced from 3 to 1, and the number of ministries has been cut from 24, as previous, to 16.




    CORRUPTION Nicolae Robu, the Liberal mayor of Timişoara (the largest city in western Romania), and the former Christian Democratic mayor Gheorghe Ciuhandu, have been sent to court by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate under charges of abuse of office. According to anti-corruption prosecutors, between September 1996 and January 2014, 9 civil servants in the Timişoara City Hall overstepped their powers and illegally sold 207 buildings owned by the mayoralty to individuals who had no right to purchase them. The affair caused the state to lose over 9.5 million euro.




    TOURISM Winter tourism is on the rise in most EU member countries, but the biggest increase is reported in Romania, where the number of nights spent in accommodation facilities in the 2018-2019 season was 8.6% higher than in the previous winter, according to data released today by Eurostat. The increase rate reported for Romania is almost 4 times the EU average of 2.6%. The most popular destinations in the EU in the 2018-2019 winter season were Spain, Italy, the UK, Austria, Germany and France.




    STRIKE France sees the 25th day of strikes against a planned pension reform, with the next negotiations between the Government and trade unions scheduled on January 7. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Paris, the Transport Minister promised that there would be enough trains for all passengers who had purchased tickets. Unions are currently divided over the provisions of the pension reform legislation. Meanwhile, ministers carry on talks with the employees with whom they have reached some agreements. Airline personnel have already cancelled a strike planned for January 2 and 3, after they secured derogations regarding their retirement age. Other professional categories, such as the police and gendarmes, have also got some advantages in the negotiations.




    CHILDREN The number of attacks on children in conflict areas has nearly tripled over the past decade, UNICEF warns in a news release issued today. The agency documented over 170,000 severe violations of childrens rights in conflict zones since 2010, including killing, maiming, sexual violence, abduction, aid denial, recruitment into armed groups, and attacks on schools and hospitals. UNICEF also says that the number of countries affected by war is the highest in 30 years. According to the organisation, Attacks on children continue unabated as warring parties flout one of the most basic rules of war: the protection of children. In Afghanistan, Mali, Syria or Yemen, conflicts are costing millions of children their health, education, future and lives, UNICEF also said, and called for an end to childrens rights violations and to attacks on civilian infrastructure.




    HANDBALL Romanias mens national handball team Sunday lost 24 to 20 to North Macedonia in the final of the 42nd Carpaţi Trophy. The Netherlands defeated Algeria and finished 3rd. The games were part of the training campaign for the first stage of the 2021 Egypt World Championships qualifiers, the first in which 32 teams will take part. Next month in the preliminaries in Italy, Romania will be playing against the host country, Georgia and Kosovo.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • Disruptions on the Romanian energy market

    Disruptions on the Romanian energy market

    With the first snow falling as early as November and hit by lower temperatures than in previous winters, Romania has suffered from a different kind of cold shiver this month when the miners from the Oltenia Energy Complex in the Jiu coal mining area went on strike. The miners were on strike for almost a week, unhappy with their low salaries. A group of the Rovinari thermal power plant was closed down following the diminution of the coal reserves before the local Gorj county court ruled that the strike was illegal and had to stop.



    The management of the company say the losses amounted to some 3.2 million euros a day. Overall, the national energy system produced less than was needed for consumption so Romania continued to import energy. After negotiations with the energy minister Anton Anton, the leaders of the striking miners obtained salary rises and holiday vouchers for all employees. The minister also promised that he would try to eliminate the 2% turnover tax for coal-based energy producing companies. The tense situation in the Jiu Valley was also discussed in the government’s Thursday meeting.



    The presentation of the coal stocks compared with last year, a detailed analysis of the miners’ incomes and working conditions and concrete solutions to modernise the Oltenia Energy Complex were some of the measures taken by prime minister Viorica Dancila.



    Moreover, the government’s control body will again be conducting checks at the site. Two similar checks done last year resulted in the involvement of the criminal investigation bodies. The prime minister also called on the institutions in the field of national security to investigate the speculations circulating on the energy market following the situation at Oltenia.



    Viorica Dancila: “The situation at the Oltenia Energy Complex was brought to our attention yesterday, with unacceptable and suspicious delay. This morning we requested information from all national security bodies about this extremely serious situation and the verification of the information circulating in the public space about purchases of energy from other countries at very high prices, so that we should know clearly if there is any connection between this deadlock and some people’s wish to make speculations at the expense of the Romanian people.”



    The price of electricity on the stock market has fluctuated dramatically in recent days, skyrocketing during the strike to reach one of the highest levels in Europe and dropping by 26% when the strike ended. The prime minister has promised to take the necessary decisions as soon as she receives all the data, so that the security and functioning of the national energy system should not be affected. (Translated by Bogdan Matei)

  • January 17, 2019

    January 17, 2019

    PRESIDENCY – Romania’s Presidency of the EU Council on Wednesday
    concluded the first file on the protection of personal data. The new
    regulations penalize the abusive use by political parties of personal data in
    order to influence voters’ behavior. The text must be adopted quickly by the
    European Parliament and the European Union Council over the next weeks in order
    to serve as reference for the European election in May. The proposal is part of
    a wider package of measures launched by the European Commission and aimed at
    ensuring free and fair elections.




    STRIKE – Energy Minister Anton Anton and State Secretary Doru Visan
    are today meeting with trade unions representing the Oltenia Energy Complex in
    southern Romania, who are on strike. The company leaders are willing to come up
    with a new offer, General Director Sorin Boza has said. He has given assurances
    that, while part of the Rovinari thermal power plant shut down last night due
    to low coal stocks, the company’s production capacity remains unaffected. The
    mixed negotiation committee has approved holiday vouchers and a 150-euro gross
    salary increase. Miners demand a raise of at least 340 euros. On Wednesday, the
    Gorj Tribunal passed a ruling establishing the illegality of the strike and
    calling its immediate end. The management says losses stand at around 3.2
    million euros per day. The strike at the Oltenia Energy Complex started on
    Friday evening in the Jilt Nord quarry and eventually spread to all the
    company’s quarries. Miners report in every day but refuse to work.




    VIRUS – The number of deaths caused
    by the cold virus this season reached 10. The last victim is a 82-year-old man
    from Arad County with a medical history who hadn’t taken the anti-influenza
    vaccine. The list of dead also includes a 10-month baby and a 17-year-old man.
    Health Minister Sorina Pintea has dismissed the possibility of a flu epidemic,
    saying the virus is simply more widely circulated. She said some 1,3 million
    anti-flu shots were procured, with some 100,000 shots still remaining. The
    Health Ministry recalls the anti-influenza vaccine is the safest and most
    effective way to stay healthy.




    EUROSTAT – Romania is one of the EU member states with the lower
    number of physicians in 2016, a Eurostat report reads. Most member states had
    between 60 and 120 physicians per a hundred thousand inhabitants in 2016. Two
    countries fared above this mark, namely Portugal (253) and Ireland (179).
    Austria, the Netherlands and France followed, with as many as 160 physicians
    per a hundred thousand inhabitants. At the opposite pole, the lowest numbers of
    physicians were reported in Greece (42), Bulgaria (64), Slovenia (68), Latvia
    (72), Spain (75), Great Britain (76) and Romania (77).




    ELECTION – The United States has urged Moldovan authorities to take
    all necessary action to ensure a free and fair ballot ahead of the legislative
    election scheduled for February 24, as well as transparent results that should
    observe the voters’ choice. In a declaration of the US State Department, all
    candidates must be allowed to enroll and be able to carry out their campaign
    without any fear of physical aggression or harassment. The vote will be mixed,
    namely 50 MPs will be elected based on party lists, while another 51 from the
    constituencies they represent, in a single ballot. According to preliminary
    polls, pro-Russian Socialists are favorite to win, followed by a pro-European
    right-wing coalition and the Democratic Party in power. At the same time a
    referendum will be held regarding the reduction of the number of deputies from
    101 to 61, as well as the possibility of them being revoked by citizens.




    VISIT – Russian President Vladimir Putin is today paying an
    official visit to Serbia aimed at strengthening cooperation with this country
    that wants to join the EU. In an interview to Serbian media, Vladimir Putin
    denied the accusations of Western powers claiming that Moscow wants to destabilize
    the Balkans. On the contrary, Putin argued, the destabilizing factor is the
    policy of America and other Western states who want to consolidate their
    domination in the region, including by supporting breakaway Kosovo and
    attracting Montenegro and Macedonia into NATO. President Putin pointed out
    Russia would continue to support Serbia by helping it strengthen its defense
    capabilities. The Russian official’s presence in Belgrade triggered increased
    security measures, after the latest protests targeting President Aleksandar
    Vucic and his Government party, accused of blocking freedom of the press and
    attacking the opposition.




    BREXIT – The British Conservative Party on Wednesday survived a
    vote of no-confidence the Labor Party has launched against Theresa May after
    her Cabinet sustained a historic defeat in the House of Communes the other day
    on her plan for leaving the European Union. Prime Minister May announced she
    would immediately start consultations with parliamentary parties in order to
    come up with solutions that would lead to getting the deal voted. The Prime
    Minister, who is expected to present a new agreement proposal in Parliament
    over the coming days, has invited MPs to work together and ruled out the
    possibility of another Brexit referendum. In Bucharest, President Klaus
    Iohannis said Wednesday’s vote in the British Parliament is regrettable, saying
    there is no reason to worry however given that European leaders have contingencies
    in place.




    TENNIS – Romanian tennis
    player world number one Simona Halep earlier today defeated Sofia Kenin (37
    WTA) of the United States in the second round at the Australian Open, score
    6-3, 6-7, 6-4. In the men’s singles draw, Marius Copil was ousted by Belgium’s
    David Goffin, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4. Also today in the women’s doubles, Sorana
    Cirstea of Romania and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia advanced to the second round
    after knocking out Ying-Ying Duan of China and Vera Lapko of Belarus, 6-2, 6-7,
    7-6. In the next round they will be taking on fifth-seeds Andreja Klepac of
    Slovenia and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain. Another Romanian pair, Irina
    Begu – Mihaela Buzarnescu, made headway into the competition after winning 7-5,
    3-6, 6-4 against Lizette Cabrera and Jaimee Fourlis of Australia. They will
    next play Alize Cornet of France and Petra Martic of Croatia.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • January 16, 2019 UPDATE

    January 16, 2019 UPDATE

    UPDATE (21:40): The motion of no confidence in Theresa May’s government, tabled in Britain’s Parliament by the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, in an attempt to force a general election, fails by 325 to 306 votes.

    On Tuesday, the British MPs rejected by a large majority the UK’s EU withdrawal agreement. The rejection of the Brexit deal is the harshest defeat for a British cabinet in modern times, and questions Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, less than 3 months before it is scheduled to take effect. Analysts predict a severe crisis in the UK. Several scenarios have been discussed, including early elections and the holding of a second referendum.


    BREXIT – Britains government must clarify its position after Parliament voted down the Brexit agreement, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in Bucharest on Wednesday. In his opinion, this decision is regrettable. He added however not that all the procedures which may lead to the approval of the deal have been used, and that the Romanians living in the UK need not worry because the European leaders are prepared for other options as well. The agreement approved by the 27 member states will not be renegotiated, the head of the Romanian state added. In turn, the Romanian Foreign Ministry writes in a communiqué that the UKs withdrawal from the community bloc is a major priority on the agenda of the Romanian Government, particularly from the perspective of finalising this process during Romanias mandate at the helm of the Council of the European Union.



    COMPENSATORY APPEAL – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, on Wednesday called on the government to come up with solutions to the issue of compensatory appeal, after several cases of violence have been reported of late, perpetrated by former convicts, released from prison ahead of time, based on this law. Also on Wednesday, the Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, announced that on Monday he will present the PM Viorica Dancila with an analysis of the compensatory appeal law and its effects, as well as with other legislative proposals. The law took effect as from the autumn of 2017 and according to it, detainees who stayed in improper conditions benefitted from 6 days of time credits for every 30 days spent in prison. Over 500 detainees were released from prison on the very first day the compensatory appeal law took effect.



    PROTOCOLS – Romanias Constitutional Court on Wednesday accepted the notification sent by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies on the existence of a legal conflict of a constitutional nature between the Public Ministry on the one hand, and Parliament, the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the other courts, on the other, on the issue of the protocols of cooperation with the Romanian Intelligence Service, SRI, in 2009 and 2016. Romanias Constitutional Court admitted that the protocols continue to produce effects, even after they were denounced. Romanias Constitutional Court announced that the prosecutors offices and courts are to establish whether the law was infringed or not, by exceeding competences, in the case of the files based on documents compiled based on the secret protocols between the Public Ministry and SRI. Last year, the head of the Romanian Intelligence Service, Eduard Hellvig, and Romanias Prosecutor General, Augustin Lazar, made public the existence of two legal protocols between the two institutions, on whose existence they had briefed the Superior Council of Magistracy and which were later denounced, as they were no longer necessary.



    SCHENGEN The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu said on Tuesday in Strasbourg that there is no reason to deny Romanias Schengen accession, and voiced hopes that a solution will be reached during the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU. He promised that the Romanian presidency will allow for “very open discussions with the countries opposing Romanias entry, and will invite those countries to present the reasons why they are against Romanias inclusion in the visa-free area. “We hope to be as convincing as possible and to reach a solution, Teodor Melescanu added.



    PROTEST – Some of the miners with the Oltenia Energy Compound (in the south-west) continue their strike, being discontent about the 150 Euro pay rise proposed by the company management, but those who had gone on hunger strike gave up on that form of protest. The miners call for 45% pay rises, holiday vouchers and better working conditions. The energy, economy and finance ministers, respectively on Wednesday had an operative meeting with decision makers in the energy field to analyse the effects produced by the miners protest and also to find a solution and unblock the situation. Thermal power plants are currently functioning at normal parameters but they will run out of coal stocks in a few days time and the supplying will not be resumed.



    FLU Nine people have died of the flu in Romania so far. According to the authorities, the 9th victim is a 40-year old man who had previous medical conditions and had not been vaccinated. The man tested positive for the AH1 flu virus. Because of the large number of viral respiratory infections, visitor access has been restricted in many hospitals in the country. Nearly 53,000 respiratory infections and over 100 flu cases have been confirmed since the first week of the year.



    TENNIS The Romanian player Irina Begu (70 WTA) has been defeated by the Czech Petra Kvitova (6 WTA), 1-6, 3-6, in the second round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The other Romanians still in the race are world no 1 Simona Halep and Marius Copil. Also on Wednesday, in the womens doubles, the Romanians Irina Maria Bara and Monica Niculescu qualified into the second round, after beating the Spaniards Lara Arruabarrena / Arantxa Parra Santonja, 6-1, 6-1. In the next stage they are facing the winners of the match pitting Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) / Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) against Mona Barthel (Germany) / Sofia Kenin (USA). Other Romanians play in the doubles: Irina Begu and Mihaela Buzărnescu, Sorana Cîrstea playing together with Latvias Jelena Ostapenko and Raluca Olaru with Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan). (Translated by AM Popescu and D. Vijeu)

  • January 16, 2019

    January 16, 2019

    BREXIT Britains government must clarify its position after Parliament voted down the Brexit agreement, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in Bucharest today. In his opinion, this decision is regrettable. He added however not that all the procedures which may lead to the approval of the deal have been used, and that the Romanians living in the UK need not worry because European leaders are prepared for other options as well. The agreement approved by the 27 member states will not be renegotiated, the head of the Romanian state added.




    VOTE A no-confidence vote against the government is scheduled today in Britains Parliament, which yesterday rejected by a large majority the Brexit agreement with the EU. According to Radio Romanias correspondent, there are slim chances for Theresa Mays Cabinet to be dismissed, given that Northern Irelands representatives in Parliament seem to continue to support the Government. Also, although over 100 Tories voted against the deal, it is unlikely that they will do the same against their own government. The rejection of the Brexit deal is the harshest defeat for a British cabinet in modern times, and questions Britains withdrawal from the European Union, less than 3 months before it is scheduled to take effect. Analysts predict a severe crisis in the UK. Several scenarios have been discussed, including early elections and the holding of a second referendum.




    SCHENGEN The Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu said on Tuesday in Strasbourg that there is no reason to deny Romanias Schengen accession, and voiced hopes that a solution will be reached during the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU. He promised that the Romanian presidency will allow for “very open discussions with the countries opposing Romanias entry, and will invite those countries to present the reasons why they are against Romanias inclusion in the visa-free area. “We hope to be as convincing as possible and to reach a solution, Teodor Melescanu added.




    STRIKE The Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă has talks today with the Energy and Economy ministers, Anton Anton and Niculae Badalau, respectively, and with officials from energy companies, concerning the state of the national energy system in the context of the miners strike at the Oltenia Energy Corporation. Also today, a new round of negotiations is scheduled at the Governments headquarters, in search of a solution to the strike. Previously, the mixed negotiation commission approved, apart from holiday vouchers, a further 150 euro gross monthly pay raise for workers andnearly 80 euros for section chiefs, as of May 1. The coal workers demand a 45% pay raise, holiday vouchers and better working conditions. Thermal power plants, working at full capacity these days, only have coal supplies for another 4-5 days left.




    FLU Nine people have died of the flu in Romania so far. According to the authorities, the 9th victim is a 40-year old man who had previous medical conditions and had not been vaccinated. The man tested positive for the AH1 flu virus. Because of the large number of viral respiratory infections, visitor access has been restricted in many hospitals in the country. Nearly 53,000 respiratory infections and over 100 flu cases have been confirmed since the first week of the year.




    TENNIS The Romanian player Irina Begu (70 WTA) has been defeated today by the Czech Petra Kvitova (6 WTA), 1-6, 3-6, in the second round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. The other Romanians still in the race are world no 1 Simona Halep and Marius Copil. Also today, in the womens doubles, the Romanians Irina Maria Bara and Monica Niculescu qualified into the second round, after beating the Spaniards Lara Arruabarrena / Arantxa Parra Santonja, 6-1, 6-1. In the next stage they are facing the winners of the match pitting Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) / Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) against Mona Barthel (Germany) / Sofia Kenin (USA). Other Romanians play in the doubles: Irina Begu and Mihaela Buzărnescu, Sorana Cîrstea playing together with Latvias Jelena Ostapenko and Raluca Olaru with Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan).



    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • January 14, 2019 UPDATE

    January 14, 2019 UPDATE

    ROMANIA AND THE EU – Romanian PM Viorica Dancila
    will be presenting the priorities of Romania’s presidency of the Council of the
    European Union during Parliament’s plenary session scheduled for Tuesday in
    Strasbourg. Brexit is one of top issues to be handled by Romania, with Viorica
    Dancila repeatedly saying that Bucharest is interested in protecting the rights
    of Romanians working in the UK. The upcoming EU budget is another delicate
    issue on Romania’s agenda. Viorica Dancila wants to build towards drafting the
    budget, so as to give more funding to common European policies, such as the
    Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Policy.




    PRESIDENCY – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is
    receiving on Tuesday in Bucharest his Slovenian counterpart, Borut Pahor, who
    pays a two-day official visit to Romania. The visit takes place in the context
    of the celebration, last year, of 25 years of diplomatic ties between Romania
    and Slovenia and of Romania’s taking over the EU Council presidency. In terms
    of regional cooperation, special emphasis will be laid on perspectives for
    developing the Three Seas Initiative, with Slovenia due to organize the new
    summit in 2019.




    INFLATION – The annual inflation rate was 3.27% in
    December 2018, the National Statistics Institute reports. Last year potatoes
    reported the largest price hike, by nearly 40%, in addition to air transport,
    post services and other categories of vegetables and canned vegetables, with
    20% price hikes and natural gas, with a 16% increase. Prices for eggs, sugar
    and fresh fruit went down by as much as 20%. The inflation rate is estimated to
    drop to 2.9% this year, the National Bank has announced.




    STRIKE
    – Trade unions and
    the board of the Oltenia Energy Complex in southern Romania on Monday had talks
    at the Energy Ministry over the demands of the miners, who have been on strike
    since Friday night. Employees want the minimum salary to be 850 euros, holiday
    vouchers, the payment of extra hours for weekend days and improved working
    conditions. In turn, the Energy Minister announced holiday vouchers can be
    awarded starting May 1, while a 12% increase in salaries of employees in the
    production line is possible, with an analysis of spending to allow further
    salary increases. The measures could be implemented once trade unions start
    negotiations officially and resume work. Officials say the situation in the
    energy sector is normal, with the coal-based energy share standing at over
    23%




    BREXIT – British PM Theresa May on
    Monday called on MPs to vote in favor of the Brexit agreement with the European
    Union. Moreover, PM May warned that voting against the deal could eventually
    lead to having Brexit cancelled. Also on Monday, European Council President
    Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker sent a letter
    to Theresa May saying that the withdrawal agreement is the right compromise and
    is not open to renegotiation. The letter also points out the EU wants close
    relations with Great Britain in the future, saying the contingency solution for
    the Irish border is merely temporary. A final vote on Brexit is scheduled on
    Tuesday.




    NATO – Romanian Chief of General Staff General Nicolae Ciuca on
    Tuesday and Wednesday is attending the NATO Military Committee session taking
    place in Brussels. The agenda includes hot topics on the military agenda regarding
    strategic challenges of NATO, the NATO military strategy, the Resolute Support
    mission in Afghanistan as well as the regional security context. Talks will
    also focus on topics related to the development of military capability using
    own funds, NATO-Georgia partnership and the security context in the Western
    Balkans and the Kosovo Force mission.


    (Translated by E. Enache & V. Palcu)