Radio România Internațional

Tag: Sweden

  • February 26, 2024 UPDATE

    February 26, 2024 UPDATE

    NATO The Hungarian Parliament on Monday ratified Sweden’s NATO accession. Hungary was the last of the 31 allied states, which granted support to Sweden’s integration. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden decided to give up its historical neutrality and join the Alliance. Most of the member states hailed Sweden’s accession, but Turkey and Hungary have delayed ratification. According to the BBC, Turkey said that Sweden tolerated anti-Islamic protests and Sweden is one of the EU countries, which have accused Hungary of backsliding on the EU’s democratic principles. ”We stand ready to shoulder our share of the responsibility for NATO’s security”, the Swedish Premier said shortly after the vote. ”Sweden’s contribution to Euro-Atlantic Security is essential. With Sweden in NATO we are going to consolidate the posture of defence and deterrence on the Eastern Flank and carry on the staunch support for Ukraine. Together we are stronger”, president Iohannis has written on the X platform.

     

    DNA Marius Voineag, the chief of Romania’s Anti-corruption Directorate, a.k.a, DNA, says that during his mandate, the prosecutors have rediscovered the courage to investigate big corruption cases. On the occasion of the presentation of the institution’s activity report in 2023, Voineag says that unfortunately, corruption costs remain unacceptably higher for Romanian society. “In terms of this year’s activity, I must specify that we are perfectly aware that we are having an election context and there is the risk that anything we do may be interpreted and spark off controversies and debates, but I assure you the National Anti-corruption Directorate will carry on its determination to fighting the phenomenon of corruption” the DNA chief went on to say. He gave assurances his institution would continue to target big-corruption cases and the priority domains with direct impact on the citizens’ lives.

     

    PROTESTS Trade unions of the Romanian postal service are staging this week protest actions in front of the Ministry of Research building. Workers are disgruntled with the lack of a transparent, motivating and non-discriminatory salary scheme, or the fact that 80% of Romanian Post staff currently earns minimum wages, regardless of the position, degrees, attributes or seniority. Trade unionists also criticize the lack of coherent development and sustainability policies and the company’s opaque and unpredictable management. Taxi drivers from Bucharest and other counties are also staging a three-day protest in the capital-city as of Monday. They are disgruntled with competition from alternative means of transportation and call on such transporters to observe the same rules taxi drivers are subject to. Some 800 drivers attended the protest on Monday with their vehicles, while over 1,800 drivers and their vehicles are expected to join the protest on Tuesday and Wednesday.

     

     

    UKRAINE Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, and allied leaders on Monday attended a working meeting devoted to Ukraine, hosted by the French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Talks focused on the current phase of the war in Ukraine and its consequences on European and Euro-Atlantic security, as well as options to step up assistance for Ukraine. President Iohannis hails the initiative of his French counterpart, pointing out that unity and solidarity at international level with regard to support for Ukraine are key and must be maintained, the Presidency reports. On the sidelines of the meeting, president Iohannis reasserted Romania’s firm support for Ukraine, for as long as it’s necessary.

    (bill)

     

  • January 26, 2024

    January 26, 2024

    Protests – The Romanian government has adopted several measures aimed at solving the problems that have brought farmers and transporters to the streets in recent weeks. Money has been allocated for subsidies for farmers of dairy cows, buffaloes, poultry and pigs, and the subsidy for diesel fuel used in agriculture has also been increased. The money will reach the farmers by the end of June this year. For farmers affected by the drought of 2023, the government adopted an emergency ordinance that allows them to postpone payment of installments to the banks. It was also decided to change the legal framework so that truck drivers will no longer be fined for the expiry of the vignette in the case of long waiting times at customs points, and as regards the healthcare employees, an overall 20% increase in the salaries was agreed in the healthcare field for 2024.



    Automobile – The production of vehicles in Romania reported a record increase last year and exceeded by more than 4% the total number of cars in 2019. Adrian Sandu, the general secretary of the Romanian Automobile Manufacturers Association, believes that this increase was possible thanks to the efforts of the two factories, Dacia and Ford, to find solutions to the crisis of electronic components. “Both the Dacia and Ford teams did their best to ensure an optimal supply flow of components, so that, against the background of a consistent demand, we have this increase in production, thus registering in 2023 a new record of production of vehicles in Romania, about 513,000 units”, said Adrian Sandu.



    Drugs – The European Union states should focus on the fight against drug trafficking in ports, on an integrated basis at the international level, said the Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu on Thursday in Brussels. Attending the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting, he mentioned that a working group has been organized in Romania that integrates several institutions with attributions in preventing and combating drug trafficking. Cătălin Predoiu showed that, just as drug traffickers work in networks at the international level, the structures to combat this phenomenon must be organized in the same way, and Romania will be in the front line of this fight. At the same time, he welcomed the decision made by the Council last year, to expand the Schengen area with Romania and Bulgaria to include the air and maritime borders.



    Flu – 18 people have died of the flu in Romania in the last week, and the total number of deaths caused by flu since the beginning of the cold season is 40. According to the National Public Health Institute, between January 15-21, over 120,000 cases of respiratory viruses and almost 7,000 cases of flu were registered, and hospitals are faced with increasing numbers of patients in the Emergency Outpatient Service Units. The youngest patients are babies only a few days old. Due to a lack of beds, doctors are forced to postpone the hospitalization of some of the patients. A little over 1 million people have been vaccinated against the flu this season, most of whom benefit from the reimbursable drug medicine scheme.



    First house – Financiers who did not participate in the previous year can also register for this years edition of the “First House” program in Romania, for which the state will grant a total ceiling of guarantees of one billion lei (approx. 200 million Euros). “First House” 2024, as the program is now called, is granted in lei, for the purchase of a single house, and the maximum value of the loan is 66,500 Euros for houses whose price is a maximum of 70,000 Euros. The requested advance payment is 5%, and 119,000 Euros for homes whose price is a maximum of 140,000 Euros, in this case the requested advance payment being 15%. Since 2009, when this program was launched, over 330,000 Romanians have received loans to buy a home. They were mainly young people between 26 and 35. Most of the financing was requested for apartments with an area between 50 and 100 square meters, at prices between 50,000 and 100,000 Euros. The program directly contributed to the stabilization and maturity of the real estate market and of the mortgage market.



    EU – The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, launched a strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture in the EU. The initiative does not involve the adoption of decisions, it only focuses on debates about a common vision of the member states regarding agricultural policies. The Group for Strategic Dialogue and for the Future of European Agriculture is a new platform to which all those involved or influenced by agricultural policies in all Member States, all types of farmers, consumers, environmental organizations, scientists or financial institutions have been invited to participate. The discussions take place in the context in which farmers protests are gaining momentum in several European states, such as Romania, Poland, Germany, Spain, Lithuania, the Netherlands and France. The main problems of European farmers are related to the impact of EU environmental policies and the inflow of Ukrainian agricultural products into the EU, which influence farmers productivity and competitiveness.



    Ankara — The Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan signed, on Thursday, the parliaments ratification of Swedens candidacy for NATO membership. Parliament ratified the document on Tuesday, eliminating a major hurdle in the way of expanding the Western military alliance after a 20-month delay. At this point, Hungary remains the only country that has yet to ratify the Nordic country’s NATO membership. When Sweden and Finland applied for joining NATO in 2022, Turkey surprised some members by saying the two countries were protecting groups that Ankara considers terrorists. It approved Finlands accession in April 2023 but, along with Hungary, left Sweden to wait. Ankara has called on Stockholm to toughen its stance on local members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the EU and the US consider a terrorist group. In response, Stockholm introduced a new anti-terrorism bill that makes membership to a terrorist organization illegal. Sweden, Finland, Canada and the Netherlands have also taken steps towards relaxing the arms export policies to Turkey. Tayyip Erdogan linked Swedens accession ratification to the USs approval of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to his country. (LS)


  • January 24, 2024

    January 24, 2024

    Union – Romanians mark on Wednesday, January 24, the Union of the Romanian Principalities of 1859. Achieved under the leadership of the ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the act of political will of 165 years ago by the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia to unite represented the first stage in the creation of the modern Romanian unitary state. This year as well, the Union of the Principalities, is marked by military and religious ceremonies, shows and exhibitions held in the countrys major cities. In Iasi (east), thousands of people came from the early hours of the morning to witness the events – a Te Deum, a ceremony at the statue of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the parade of over 300 soldiers and a traditional music concert. Alongside the residents of Iasi and the neighboring counties, high-ranking state dignitaries and politicians announced their presence at the ceremonies. In Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech in which he stated that the anniversary of the Union of Principalities is not only a retrospective moment, but also an opportunity to project a better future for the nation. The PM Marcel Ciolacu stated that, 165 years after the Romanians united their efforts and laid the foundations of Romania as a nation, unitary and democratic state, Romania has entered a new stage of its modernization process, which will allow it to develop and grow to reach its real potential.



    Chisinau – The Foreign Minister of the Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova, Nicu Popescu, announced his resignation on Wednesday. He stated that he had fulfilled the objective set when he was appointed, and now he needed a break. Among the main achievements during the 2 and a half years of holding the FM position, Nicu Popescu obtained a certain visibility on the international level and gave a boost to relations with external partners, obtaining for Moldova the status of EU accession candidate country in June 2022 and the opening of negotiations in December 2023. These, despite the Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine, which affected Moldova from an economic and energy point of view, and Moscows destabilization attempts. The Moldovan official announced that he would continue to support the Moldovan President, Maia Sandu, and the current government in their efforts to bring the Republic of Moldova into the European family.



    US – The favorite of the American right, the former US president, Donald Trump, won, on Tuesday evening, the New Hampshire primary against his rival Nikki Haley, opening the way to his nomination by the Republican Party for the November presidential election against the Democrat Joe Biden. Since his November 2020 defeat by President Biden, which he has never acknowledged, and despite facing four criminal trials, Trump is determined to get revenge. To face Joe Biden on November 5, Trump must be nominated by his party at the end of all primaries in the American states. Last week, Donald Trump also won the Iowa primary.



    Ambassadors – The Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, presented, on Tuesday, at the meeting of US ambassadors from the Black Sea region, held in Bucharest, Romanias approach to this area, focusing on its importance for the security of the Euro-Atlantic space and the prosperity of Europe. The head of Romanian diplomacy spoke about the deterioration of the security situation due to Russias war against Ukraine and the need to consolidate the allied presence on the entire Eastern Flank, as shown by a Foreign Ministry press release issued on Wednesday. At the same time, Ms. Odobescu mentioned Romanias constant involvement in supporting Ukraine, including the contribution to facilitating the transit of Ukrainian agricultural products to third markets. The event, hosted by the US Embassy in Bucharest and the US European Command (EUCOM), brought together senior American officials accredited in the states of the region.



    NATO – The Turkish Parliament ratified, on Tuesday evening, Swedens accession to NATO, marking the end of 20 months of negotiations that tested the patience of Ankaras Western allies, eager to make a united front against Moscow. To meet Turkeys demands, Sweden has gone to great lengths to reform its constitution and pass a new anti-terrorism law, with Ankara accusing the northern country of leniency towards Kurdish militants who have taken refuge on its territory. The Swedish candidacy now requires the green light from Hungary. Budapest supported, in principle, Sweden’s entry but demands Stockholm to stop its policy of “denigration” of the Hungarian government, accused of authoritarianism. Sweden, one step away from becoming the 32nd member country of the North Atlantic Alliance, announced its candidacy in May 2022, at the same time as Finland, admitted last April. (LS)


  • January 23, 2024

    January 23, 2024

    CELEBRATION On January 24 Romanians
    will celebrate 165 years since the Union of the Romanian Principalities,
    Moldavia and Wallachia, under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Military and
    religious ceremonies will be held in major cities across the country, as well as performances,
    exhibitions, events in museums and other cultural institutions. In Focşani, in
    the south-east, a large-scale celebration will be held, including a military
    parade and the traditional Union Round Dance in the town’s central square. The
    city of Iaşi, in the north-east, will host a ceremony at the statue of ruler Alexandru
    Ioan Cuza and a military parade. In Bucharest, the George Enescu Philharmonic
    Orchestra will give a special concert. In January 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was
    elected ruler both in Moldavia, and in Wallachia, and under the 1866
    Constitution, the United Principalities started using the official name of
    Romania.


    VISIT Moldova’s deputy PM and minister of foreign affairs and European integration, Nicu Popescu, is on a working visit in
    Bucharest today, where he is to have talks with his Romanian counterpart,
    Luminiţa Odobescu, and other officials, MOLDPRES
    news agency reports. The 2 foreign ministers will discuss means to develop and
    consolidate the bilateral partnership, and the next steps in Moldova’s EU
    accession negotiations. The European Council recommended the start of EU
    accession negotiations with Ukraine and the R. of Moldova in December.


    DIPLOMACY The president
    of Romania Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday, at the annual meeting with the
    ambassadors accredited to Bucharest, that Romania will continue to
    stand by Ukraine. Iohannis emphasised that due to Bucharest’s efforts over 33
    million tonnes of Ukrainian grains, accounting for more than 60% of the
    products carried through the EU’s Solidarity Corridors, transited Romania. Klaus
    Iohannis added that Romania will stand by Moldova and Ukraine in their
    negotiations for EU accession, and emphasised that it is crucial for the 2
    countries to continue to receive financial support and know-how for the
    consolidation of their public institutions and economy. As for the situation in
    the Middle East, he voiced support for a two-state solution, in line both with
    the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and with Israel’s right
    to security. In this context, president Iohannis mentioned that Romania conducted
    a very difficult operation providing assistance and support to the Romanian
    citizens in that region. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the
    Romanian authorities involved in the evacuation of the Romanian nationals
    there, as well as to thank our partners in Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan for
    their support, Klaus Iohannis added.


    UKRAINE
    The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu stated in Brussels on Monday
    that EU member countries must use all means to help Ukraine in its war
    against Russia. Attending a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, she
    emphasised that Ukraine must remain a priority on the EU agenda. It is
    important for us to maintain pressure over Russia, and Romania supports a new
    set of sanctions against Russia, the Romanian official added. Meanwhile, the
    conflict carries on, with Russia attacking Kyiv and Kharkov with missiles this
    morning. Stay tuned for more after the news.


    VIETNAM Over 2,000 Vietnamese nationals are legally
    employed in Romania, said the president of Romania’s Chamber of Commerce and
    Industry Mihai Daraban at the Romania-Vietnam Economic Forum held in Bucharest
    in the presence of Vietnam’s PM, Pham Minh Chính. Daraban called on
    decision-makers in both countries to create a predictable environment for
    employment, because the Romanian economy needs more workforce.


    NATO Turkey’s
    Parliament is today discussing the ratification of Sweden’s accession to NATO, said
    the private tv station CNN Turk, quoted by France Presse. The foreign policy
    committee in the Turkish Parliament last month endorsed the ratification, but a
    vote in a plenary session is also necessary before the protocol may be signed
    by president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO
    countries yet to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession. Ankara cited Stockholm’s lack
    of cooperation in extraditing to Turkey a number of individuals suspected of
    ties with terrorist organisations, especially in the Kurdish region, while
    Budapest says Swedish politicians have made a habit of criticising Viktor
    Orban’s conservative regime, AFP reports.


    ISRAEL The
    Israeli Army announced today that 24 Israeli troops were killed in the Gaza
    Strip clashes in the last 24 hours, making it the worst daily toll for the
    Israeli Army since the start of the war against Hamas, Reuters reports. Last
    week, Israel launched an offensive to capture the town of Khan Yunis, which
    Israel says is now the main stronghold of the Hamas terrorists responsible for
    the October 7 attack in the south of Israel in which 1,200 people were killed.
    Some 26,000 people died in Gaza since the start of Israel’s military
    operations, the healthcare authorities in Gaza announced. (AMP)

  • Crucial meeting in Vilnius

    Crucial meeting in Vilnius

    Strengthening, in the long term, the allied posture on the eastern flank is the main stake of the participation of Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, in the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. He also wishes to reiterate Romania’s robust support for neighboring Ukraine, invaded by the Russian troops, including in relation to Ukraines accession to NATO, as well as for the Alliance’s most vulnerable partners, especially the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population). The Romanian president also wants to reflect the importance of the Black Sea region for Euro-Atlantic security in the allied documents and decisions that are to be adopted.



    Ahead of the summit, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that most allies are expected to announce their commitment to increasing defense budgets to more than 2% of the gross domestic product starting in 2024. Only 11 member states, including Romania, have met this request starting this year. According to analysts, beyond the Ukrainian file, the North Atlantic meeting will be marked by the announcement of Sweden’s admission to NATO.



    On the eve, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, agreed to support the accession of the Scandinavian kingdom, a move that he opposed for months in a row. Stoltenberg described the day as historic. Asked about Hungary’s opposition to Sweden’s accession, Stoltenberg said that the problem was solved, because the authorities in Budapest had informed him that they did not want to be the last to ratify the protocol. At present, all 31 NATO member states want Sweden to join the Alliance, as does neighboring Finland, which was admitted on April 4. After the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the two Scandinavian countries renounced their strict neutrality, maintained for decades, and opted for joining NATO.



    Turkey had given the green light to Finland, but had blocked the accession of Sweden, which it accused of hosting Kurdish militants, described by Ankara as terrorists. President Erdogan would have wanted to condition the admission of Sweden on the negotiations regarding his country’s accession to the European Union. Turkey submitted its application for accession to the European Economic Community, the forerunner of the current community bloc, in 1987 and to the Union in 1999.



    Accession negotiations began in 2005 and, ever since, Brussels has not tired of repeating that Ankara does not meet the admission criteria. Admission to NATO and to the EU are two processes that have nothing to do with each other – repeated, on Monday, the EU deputy chief spokesperson, the Romanian Dana Spinant. The ECs latest communiqué on this topic dates to 2022 and stated that the European Union had serious concerns on the continued deterioration of democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights and the independence of the judiciary in Turkey. (LS)


  • March 17, 2023 UPDATE

    March 17, 2023 UPDATE

    ECCC The European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) will be
    inaugurated on May 9th, on Europe Day, in Bucharest, at the Polytechnic
    University, rector Mihnea Costoiu told Radio Romania. He also said this is the
    first European agency headquartered in Romania’s capital. The ECCC has a
    4.5-billion euro budget for investment. Bucharest could thus become a hotspot
    for global cybersecurity leaders, given that the EU lays great emphasis on
    digital economy and protecting companies and citizens in the online
    environment. The ECCC aims to increase Europe’s cybersecurity capacities and
    competitiveness, working together with a Network of National Coordination
    Centres (NCCs) to build a strong cybersecurity community.


    NATO Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has eventually agreed
    with Finland’s NATO accession, but not with Sweden’s as well. We have decided
    to initiate the ratification of Finland’s accession process to NATO in our
    parliament, he said after a meeting in Ankara on Friday with his Finnish
    counterpart, Sauli Niinisto. As far as Sweden is concerned, the Turkish
    official said talks would be carried on. Hungary, the only other country yet to
    approve Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession, announced it would back Finland
    at the vote on March 27. Turkey’s veto so far to the 2 countries joining the
    Alliance revolved around what Ankara called the harbouring of terrorists,
    i.e. militants from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), on their territories.


    WARRANT The International Criminal Court Friday issued a warrant for
    the arrest of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin in relation to war crimes
    committed in Ukraine since the start of the invasion in that country, France
    Presse reports. Putin is allegedly responsible for the war crime of
    unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of
    population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation,
    the ICC said, and emphasised that there are reasonable grounds to believe that
    Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes.
    A similar arrest warrant was issued against Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Commissioner
    for Children’s Rights in Russia. For over a year, the ICC has been
    investigating possible war crimes or crimes against humanity committed during the
    Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow repeatedly denying allegations of its
    forces committing atrocities in Ukraine.


    FILM The nominations for the Gopo Awards, a yearly event dedicated
    to Romanian cinema, have been made public. The film Metronome, directed by
    Alexandru Belc, got most nominations, alongside Immaculate and Men of
    Deeds, with 10 nominations each. The awards ceremony will be held on April 25
    in Bucharest. (AMP)

  • January 24, 2023 UPDATE

    January 24, 2023 UPDATE

    UNION Romanians on Tuesday celebrated the union of the historical provinces
    of Moldavia and Wallachia, a political event, which took place 164 years ago,
    in 1859, under the leadership of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza. The move was the
    first step in the process of creating the Romanian modern state, process
    completed back in 1918. Military and religious services were staged by the
    Ministry of National Defence jointly with central and local authorities at the
    monuments devoted to the union of the Romanian principalities. Wreath laying
    ceremonies were held at the monument of the Unknown Soldier. Present at the
    event, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said that the successes achieved back
    in 1859 are a lesson of responsibility for all those who are building the
    European, modern and democratic Romania. He reiterated the appeal to use all
    the instruments available to complete all the reforms Romania needs and to
    eradicate the malfunctions, which are still affecting this process. Thousands
    of people took to the streets of Iasi, in eastern Romania, to participate in a
    series of events on this occasion. The country’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca
    and the president of the Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolacu also participated
    in these events. In his public address on this special occasion, Prime Minister
    Ciuca said the roots of the European Romania can be found in the union
    completed 164 years ago – an authentic example of the unity of the Romanians,
    which paved the way for the emancipation and modernization of the state. In his
    opinion, the responsibility of the political class and the state institutions
    is to honour this act of uniting the Romanian nation. Religious services were
    held in Orthodox churches around the country on this occasion.






    UKRAINE Several high officials in Ukraine on Tuesday announced their
    resignations amid high-level corruption allegations during the war with Russia,
    France Press reports. Deputy Defence Minister, Viacheslav Shapovalov, and the
    deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko are among the
    high officials to have stepped down. Deputy prosecutor General Oleksiy
    Symonenko also resigned amid allegations about a holiday he spent with his
    family in Spain after Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council had banned
    state officials from leaving the country during martial law. Amid all these
    allegations, which threaten to dampen the West’s enthusiasm to help the
    government in Kyiv, president Zelensky has pledged to launch a staff shake-up
    in the central and local administrations including at top level. Ukraine’s
    endemic corruption has been overlooked since the beginning of the Russian
    invasion, but fighting the scourge is one of the key conditions for the country
    to join the European Union.






    EU Security,
    prosperity, the democratic values and the rule of law are the priorities of the
    Swedish presidency of the European Union presented by the country’s Foreign
    Minister Tobias Billstrom before the European Parliament on Tuesday. Billstrom
    has condemned the unprovoked, brutal and unjustified aggression of Russia
    against Ukraine and has mentioned the EU’s Swedish presidency will have as one
    of the objectives to carry on the political, military, economic and
    humanitarian support for Kyiv in spite of the Moscow’s attempts to cause
    division among the Europeans. Billstrom believes that sanctions are an
    extremely effective instrument through which the bloc can help Ukraine win the
    war. The programme of the EU’s Swedish presidency includes roughly two thousand
    formal meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg as well as 150 informal meetings
    hosted by Sweden.






    G7+ Romania’s Foreign
    Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Tuesday participated in the G7+ videoconference
    where he stood for an increased assistance for Ukraine in the context of the
    present winter challenges. Aurescu said that Romania would continue to support
    Ukraine jointly with the partners sharing the same visions and objectives. The
    G7+ conference was co-chaired by the US secretary of state Antony Blinken and
    the Foreign Minister of Japan Hayashi Yoshimasa. High on the agenda was the
    situation of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which suffered massive and
    repeated attacks from the Russian Federation as well as the stage and prospects
    of the support granted to Ukraine by the international community to handle the
    results of these attacks and increase its resilience at society level.
    According to Foreign Ministry sources, the head of the Romanian diplomacy mentioned
    the success of this format launched in Bucharest in November 2022 on the
    sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting. Aurescu says that the repeated
    large-scale attacks against the Ukrainian civilian infrastructure is a blatant
    violation of the international humanitarian law and their aim is to break the
    resilience of the Ukrainian society, something the international democratic
    community cannot allow to happen.






    HOLIDAY Students are going back to school on Wednesday after the mini-holiday
    celebrating the union of the Romanian principalities. State employees also had
    a four-day holiday, which most of them decided to spend on the mountain resorts
    of the Prahova Valley. Brasov and Sibiu in central Romania as well as Oradea in
    the north-west were the cities, which reported most of the reservations.




    (bill)

  • January 12, 2023

    January 12, 2023

    Schengen – Accession to Schengen is a major priority for Romania, the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said today in Bucharest. He mentioned that Romania counts on the support of the Swedish presidency of the EU. The head of the Romanian diplomacy recalled, in the press conference organized by the Swedish Embassy, ​​on the occasion of taking over the Presidency of the EU Council on January 1, the way in which Romania managed the situation created by the war in Ukraine, showing that it was a “de facto guardian of EU security”. In turn, the Swedish ambassador to Bucharest, Therese Hyden, pointed out that “the Schengen file will be on the agenda of an official meeting, when the conditions are favorable”, namely when Austria changes its position regarding Romania, and the Netherlands changes its position regarding Bulgaria. On this topic, on Wednesday, Bogdan Aurescu had a telephone conversation with his Swedish counterpart, Tobias Billstrom. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, Tobias Billstrom emphasized that the Swedish Presidency is determined to be actively involved and make every effort to achieve this objective, by identifying concrete solutions, based on a constructive dialogue with all parties involved, as well as to support Romania’s efforts towards the completion of the accession. We remind you that on December 8, 2022, at the Justice and Homes Affairs Council, Romania was not admitted to the Schengen area, due to the opposition of Austria and the Netherlands. The Austrians voted clearly against, and the Dutch decided to accept the accession of Romania, but not of Bulgaria, the two countries being analyzed on a common file.



    Ukraine – Romania and Ukraine will start a consultation process on the law of national minorities in Ukraine, a document recently adopted and promulgated in Kyiv. The foreign ministers of the two countries, Bogdan Aurescu and Dmitro Kuleba, discussed this topic on the phone on Wednesday, after a similar dialogue took place a week ago between presidents Klaus Iohannis and Volodymir Zelenski. The law caused the concern of the Romanian authorities, because the representatives of the Romanian community in Ukraine were not consulted in the process of drafting the document, which was adopted without an opinion from the Venice Commission. Even if the law represents an improved version in relation to the previous projects analyzed by the Parliament in Kyiv, it does not guarantee, among other things, the right of the Romanian minority to education in their mother tongue, the Romanian diplomacy shows.



    Tennis – The Romanian tennis players found out their opponents in the first round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. According to the drawing of lots that took place today in Melbourne, Irina Begu will meet the Chinese Saisai Zheng, Sorana Cîrstea will take up the uncomfortable Kazakh player Iulia Putinteva, and Ana Bogdan will take on the Hungarian Anna Bondar. Jaqueline Cristian will have one of the most difficult opponents – the American Jessica Pegula and Patricia Ţig will be up against the Chinese Shuai Zhang. Romania has five players at the Australian Open, after Simona Halep was provisionally suspended after a positive anti-doping test, and Gabriela Ruse, Irina Bara, Gabriela Lee and Alexandra Cadantu-Ignatik failed in the qualifications.



    Timisoara – The city of Timișoara, in western Romania, became the European Capital of Culture in 2023. At the beginning of this week, in Athens, it took over, along with Elefsina (Greece) and Veszprém (Hungary), the prestigious title. These cities join the over 60 cities selected in previous years, both from across the EU and beyond. Throughout the year, the European Capitals of Culture will celebrate culture through events, exhibitions and performances. In Timișoara, the official start of the events will take place between February 17 and 19. We remind you that Sibiu (center) was the first Romanian city designated European Capital of Culture in 2007 – the year when Romania entered the European Union.



    Export – Romania exported, in the first nine months of last year, cereals and cereal-based products worth almost 3.78 billion euros, on the rise by 41.2% as compared to the similar period of 2021, show the data centralized by the National Institute of Statistics. The largest exports were recorded in March and amounted to a little over 619 million lei. On the other hand, in the period January-September 2022, Romania imported cereals and cereal-based products worth 1.27 billion Euros (+23.5%). Thus, in the first nine months, the trade surplus stood at 2.5 billion Euros. (LS)


  • January 1, 2023

    January 1, 2023

    WELFARE As of today,
    the pension point in Romania has increased by 12.5% up to 360 euros. The
    minimum wages are also expected to increase up to 375 euros and the lowest
    wages in the construction sector will go up to about 800 euros. Starting
    January 1st, state employees will get a 10% pay rise and the benefits for
    children are to be adjusted to the inflation rate. At the same time the 10
    eurocent fuel subsidy has been eliminated although the government
    pledges to reintroduce it if price hikes are going to exceed the purchasing
    power. Authorities in Bucharest have maintained the measures of capping and
    subsidizing electricity and natural gas.










    MAE Carrying on the moves for
    Romania’s accession to Schengen and the OECD as well as supporting the Republic
    of Moldova’s EU accession are some of the priorities of the Romanian diplomacy
    in 2023, says the yearly report of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
    Romania will continue to support the creation of a mechanism for holding
    responsible those who committed the aggression in the illegal war Russia is
    presently waging on Ukraine. As for the country’s NATO membership, the Ministry
    says it will promote Romania’s strategic priorities inside the alliance
    including at the upcoming NATO summit in July in Vilnius where the Romanian
    ministry is expected to be pleading for the consolidation of the NATO
    deterrence and defence posture on its eastern flank in view of defending
    national security and in the Black Sea area, as an area of strategic importance
    for the Euro-Atlantic security. The report also mentions the moves to get
    Romania into the Visa Waiver programme. As for the states in the region, the
    ministry says that Romania will continue to actively provide multidimensional
    assistance and support to the neighboring Ukraine and support the European and
    Euro-Atlantic orientation of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia.






    EU On January 1st
    Sweden took over from the Czech Republic the presidency of the EU Council and
    for six months will be playing a key-role of leader and mediator inside the
    bloc. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has reviewed some of the main
    issues, which are to be addressed such as the war in Ukraine, the fight against
    climate change and Europe’s competitiveness. Sweden’s priorities are focusing
    on a ‘greener, safer and more free Europe’, Kristersson says. Ulf Kristersson
    and his cabinet are quite unknown on the European stage as his conservative
    government came to power more than nine months ago after it had replaced the
    Social-Democrats led by Magdalena Andersson.

    DAY Orthodox
    believers, who are a majority in Romania, on January 1 celebrate St. Basil the
    Great, whose name is born by 600 thousand Romanians. St. Basil lived in the 4th
    century and used to be a bishop in Caesarea, a city in modern-day Turkey. During
    the 9 years of his mandate as a bishop, St. Basil proved to be a great
    theologian, a defender of the Orthodox faith, a good organizer of the monastic
    life and the social activity inside the church. It was the first bishop who built
    hospitals and asylums for the poor and the underprivileged.

    (bill)

  • Romania ratifies Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession

    Romania ratifies Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession

    Putin wanted less NATO and is getting more of it instead, commentators note, mentioning that one of the pretexts used by Kremlin to invade Ukraine on February 24 was that the pro-Western regime in Kyiv wanted the country to join the North-Atlantic Alliance. The consequence, however, is that NATO is about to expand to the Scandinavian Peninsula.



    As far back as last year, when few believed Putin will actually attack, Finland and Sweden firmly rejected any Russian interference with their sovereign decisions regarding a prospective NATO accession.



    Sweden has not been involved in a war for centuries, and it was quite attached to its profile as an entirely peaceful international player. Occupied by the Tsarist Empire until 1917 and at war with the Soviet Union between 1939 and 1944, post-war Finland preserved a strictly neutral stance, and its politicians avoided any statement or action that could have been construed as anti-Soviet. The country joined the European Union in 1995, but stayed away from NATO.



    According to analysts, it is precisely such “Finlandization” of Ukraine that the Russian president was seeking. But the invasion of Ukraine was exactly what pushed the public opinion and political leaders of the two Scandinavian countries out of neutrality and prompted them to apply for NATO accession.



    Although on summer recess, the Parliament of Romania Wednesday convened in a special sitting and ratified Swedens and Finlands accession with overwhelming majority, making Romania one of the first Allies to do this.



    All parliamentary parties voted in favour, with floor group leaders emphasising that it is a proof of European solidarity and a necessary step given the current security context, severely affected by the war in Ukraine.



    The 30 NATO member states initiated the accession ratification on July 5 in Brussels. The Alliances secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at that point that this was truly a historic moment, and a 32-member NATO will be even stronger.



    Turkey is the only member country that made Finlands and Swedens accession conditional on their governments commitments with respect to fighting Kurdish terrorism.



    The protocol signed in Brussels enables Finland and Sweden to take part in NATO meetings and to access classified information, but does not provide military protection under the famous Article 5 of the organisations Charter, which says that an attack against one member state is an attack against all. Article 5 will take effect only after all member states have ratified the document, a process which according to experts may take up to one year.



    Twenty-one of NATOs 30 members are also affiliated to the European Union. After Finlands and Swedens accession, only Austria, Cyprus, Ireland and Malta will remain outside the Alliance. (AMP)


  • July 13, 2022 UPDATE

    July 13, 2022 UPDATE

    NATO The
    government of Romania approved Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession protocols,
    signed in Brussels on July 5. The accession of the 2 countries, which are firm
    supporters of the values of the Euro-Atlantic community and have substantial capacity
    to strengthen the Alliance, will be a valuable strategic benefit for NATO and
    implicitly for Romania, thanks to the security guarantees that it provides, reads
    a news release. The Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marcel Ciolacu announced a week
    ago that Parliament will complete the ratification process speedily, with a
    special Parliament sitting to be organised to this end. Ciolacu added that the illegal
    and unjustified war started by the Russian Federation against Ukraine has fundamentally
    altered security parameters.


    REPORT The European Commission recommends that Romania take measures
    to address the remaining concerns regarding the investigation and prosecution
    of offences in the judiciary and to make sure that the amendments to the
    justice laws consolidate the guarantees of judicial independence, including by
    means of reforms in the disciplinary rules for magistrates. These are some of
    the conclusions of a report on Romania’s compliance with the rule of law, made
    public on Wednesday. Brussels also calls on Bucharest to regulate lobby
    activities in Parliament and to address the operational challenges faced by the
    National Anti-Corruption Directorate, including in terms of recruiting new
    prosecutors. Another recommendation has to do with efficient public
    consultation before endorsing bills, enhanced transparency with respect to the
    funding of political parties, and the improvement of the norms and mechanisms
    to consolidate the editorial independence of public media. As far as the mass
    media are concerned, the European Commission warns that there is not enough
    transparency with respect to the broadcasting of content paid by political
    parties, with the exception of election campaigns, and journalists’ access to
    information remains difficult.


    COVID-19 Over 3,000 new SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported over
    the past 24 hours in Romania, 267 fewer than in the previous day, the health
    ministry announced on Wednesday. Overall, since the start of the pandemic,
    nearly 3 million coronavirus infections have been reported in Romania.


    REFUGEES According to the Romanian Border Police Inspectorate, 9,808 Ukrainian nationals
    crossed into Romania on Tuesday, a 10% drop compared to the previous day.
    Starting February 10, 2022, some 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens have entered
    Romania.


    WHISTLEBLOWERS The Constitutional Court of Romania Wednesday ruled against a notification
    submitted by USR party in opposition regarding the law on the protection of
    whistleblowers. USR claims the bill passed by the government considerably reduces
    the protection offered to people who report irregularities in public
    institutions and raises major obstacles in securing Recovery and Resilience
    (PNRR) funds. The notification mentions elements that come against the
    Constitution of Romania, including the violation of certain commitments Romania
    pledged to observe upon joining the EU and the lack of clarity and
    predictability of some provisions.


    JUDICIARY A cooperation agreement between the European Public
    Prosecutor’s Office and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the R. of Moldova
    was signed in Chişinăuon
    Wednesday by the heads of the 2 institutions, Laura Codruţa Kövesi and Dumitru Robu.
    The document is designed to facilitate the exchange of information and judicial
    cooperation in criminal matters. Dumitru Robu pointed out that a priority is to
    carry on investigations in corruption cases and financial offences against state
    assets. In turn, Laura Codruţa Kövesi said that the European Public Prosecutor’s
    Office would support the work of Moldova’s General
    Prosecutor’s Office as much as its powers would allow it. (AMP

  • July 5, 2022 UPDATE

    July 5, 2022 UPDATE

    PRESIDENCY Romania is a very involved actor in the European policy
    and security policy, president Klaus Iohannis told a press conference on
    Tuesday. He emphasised that the recent decisions at the European Council and
    the NATO summit made Romania safer and more visible. Romanians are better
    protected, Romania is better protected, the head of state pointed out.


    TAXES Amendments to Romania’s Fiscal Code are subject to the
    decision transparency procedure until Friday, and scheduled for endorsement by
    the government next week. The changes agreed by the ruling coalition made up of
    the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians
    in Romania in order to improve collection to the state budget include increases
    of the tobacco and alcohol excises, of the VAT for the hospitality industry and
    of property owner’s taxes. Gambling revenues up to roughly EUR 600 will be
    taxed by 10%, those between EUR 600 and 2,000 by 20% and those over EUR 2,000
    by 40%. Government sources say another measure introduces a 5% VAT rate for
    purchased houses of up to 120 square meters. Other amendments may increase
    house owner’s taxes by 60%. Taxes in the hospitality industry may also change
    so they may not be under 1% of the turnover starting next year.


    NATO
    Romania’s foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu hailed Tuesday’s
    signing of Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession protocols in Brussels by the
    standing representatives of the 2 countries and of the Allied states, including
    Romania. According to the Romanian foreign ministry, in
    the current security context marked by Russia’s illegal war of aggression
    against Ukraine, the 2 countries’ move proves their commitment to the
    democratic values and spirit that NATO safeguards and promotes. Romania, the
    ministry also says in a news release, has been one of the main supporters of
    the Open Door policy as central to NATO’s strategic approach in relation to its
    partner states. The decision to join the organization, Bucharest adds, is an
    option any state is free to take, based on meeting the criteria defined for the
    process and on the consensus of the Allies. No third party may affect NATO’s
    enlargement policy. Bucharest is also confident that Finland’s and Sweden’s
    accession will contribute to strengthening NATO security. After the
    representatives of the 2 countries signed the accession protocol, each NATO
    country’s parliament must ratify the decision, which may take up to one year.
    Turkey is the only NATO member to make ratification conditional on commitments
    regarding terrorism on the part of the 2 Nordic countries.


    CABINET Seven months into their term in office, all the ministers
    in the Liberal Nicolae Ciucă’s Cabinet have been reconfirmed in office. The PM
    talked to president Klaus Iohannis about the assessment of his cabinet members
    and according to political sources they agreed reshuffling is not necessary. Ciucă
    informed his ministers however that last-minute submissions of key projects
    under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan funded by the EU would not be
    acceptable. Following a 10-criteria assessment that took into account the
    expectations of Romanian citizens and society, PM Ciucă also presented a report
    on the work of his government, which included overcoming the health crisis,
    stabilisation of the energy crisis and the management of the effects of the war
    in neighbouring Ukraine. The report also mentions the largest investment budget
    of the last 32 years, the new Offshore Act and strengthening security within NATO
    and the EU.


    AUTOMOTIVE The city of Craiova, in southern Romania, Tuesday hosted
    a ceremony occasioned by the acquisition of the local Ford plant by Ford Otosan,
    the largest producer of commercial vehicles in Europe. The US-Turkish company
    announced investments of nearly EUR 500 million in the next 3 years, to
    increase production. The plant will make the new generation of a freight and
    passenger transport model, with a fully electric version as of 2024. Ford Puma,
    the best-selling Ford automobile in Europe, will also have an electric version
    as of 2024, to be produced in Craiova as well. Attending the event, PM Nicolae
    Ciuca highlighted the commitment of the company’s American and Turkish
    officials to strengthen and improve economic relations and strategic
    partnership with Romania. He also added that Romania’s National Recovery and
    Resilience Plan includes a commitment to have 18,000 EV charging stations ready
    in Romania by the end of 2026.


    SPORTS 494
    swimmers from 42 countries are competing in the European Junior Swimming
    Championships underway in Bucharest until July 10. The host country, Romania,
    is represented by 26 athletes, 14 boys and 12 girls, including the world
    champion in the 100m and 200m freestyle race, David Popovici. The 17 year old
    champion has already qualified for the semifinals of the 200m freestyle race. In
    turn, Cristian Lapadat qualified for the 200m butterfly semi-final. Aissia
    Claudia Prisecariu and Rebecca-Aimee Diaconescu have qualified for the women’s
    50m backstroke semi-finals, while Ana Maria Sibiseanu takes part in the
    semifinals of the women’s 200m freestyle race. Romania’s men and women teams will
    also compete in the 4×100 freestyle final.




    TENNIS US
    tennis player Amanda Anisimova will be playing Romanian Simona Halep in the
    quarter finals of the Grand Slam tennis tournament in Wimbledon. In the round
    of 16, Halep secured a 6-1, 6-2 win against Paola Badosa of Spain, while
    Anisimova defeated Harmony Tan of France 6-2, 6-3. A former world leader, Halep
    won the 2019 of Wimbledon and a year earlier the one in Roland Garros. (AMP)

  • May 16, 2022 UPDATE

    May 16, 2022 UPDATE

    NATO — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis hails Swedens decision to apply for NATO membership, following the announcement made on Monday by Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. In a Twitter message, president Iohannis states that Romania fully supports a rapid process of Swedens accession to the North Atlantic Alliance. He adds that, once they join the Alliance, Sweden and Finland will make NATO stronger than ever before. The two countries in northern Europe, located near Russia, have decided to go out of neutrality and demand to be admitted into NATO after Russia attacked and invaded Ukraine almost three months ago. NATO currently has 30 member states, 21 of which are part of the EU. The EU member states that have not joined the North Atlantic Alliance are Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden.




    Forecast — Romanias Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow by 2.6% this year and by 3.6% in 2023, according to the European Commissions spring economic forecasts. This is a smaller increase than expected in the previous assessments, in February. The situation is valid for the whole of the European Union and is mainly due to the disruptions caused by the war waged by Russia in Ukraine. European Commissioner for the Economy Paolo Gentiloni has announced that the European average inflation rate will be 6.8% this year. He also said that in April European inflation averaged 7.5%, the highest value ever recorded in the monetary union. According to the Commission, inflation in Romania will reach 8.9% this year, double the percentage reported in 2021. Inflation is expected to fall to 5.1% next year, but the Commission warns that there are growing economic risks as the war in Ukraine is prolonged.



    Visit — A delegation of the Romanian Interior Ministry led by minister Lucian Bode pays an official visit to the US between May 16-18, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Romania-US Strategic Partnership. The Romanian official is to have meetings at the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security and the US Congress. The discussions with the US officials focus on institutional efforts in line with the State Departments recommendations made in the Trafficking in Persons Report (TiP Report), Romania having the necessary tools for an adequate response to the challenges posed by this type of crime, namely structures, legislation, strategies and action plans, informs the Interior Ministry. The meetings are an opportunity to reconfirm the very good cooperation between the Romanian authorities and the US law enforcement agencies in the field of combating organized crime, with a focus on combating illegal migration and cybercrime, as well as intensifying the exchange of information. During the talks with members of the US Congress, Lucian Bode will discuss the challenges of the current regional context, both in terms of managing the humanitarian crisis generated by Russias aggression against Ukraine and in terms of security.



    Tennis — Polands Iga Swiatek leads the world ranking of professional tennis players (WTA), published on Monday. Next in the ranking are the Czech Barbora Krejcikova and the Spanish Paula Badosa. The Romanian Simona Halep returned to the Top 20, climbing two positions compared to last week, from 21 to 19 position. Romania has six players in the top 100, the other five being Sorana Cîrstea – 27, Gabriela Ruse – 52, Irina Begu – 62, Jaqueline Cristian – 69, Ana Bogdan – 91. In the doubles ranking, Romania has five representatives in the first hundred: Monica Niculescu – 40, Raluca Olaru – 47, Irina Begu – 57, Irina Bara – 59, Gabriela Ruse – 87.



    Football — CFR Cluj (northwest) won its fifth consecutive title as Romania’s football champions, after defeating the Universitatea Craiova (south), score 2-1, at home, in a match from the 9th stage, the penultimate of the First League play-offs. The vice-champion is FCSB, from Bucharest. On Thursday, Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe (center) and FC Voluntari (south, a satellite city of Bucharest) will play the final of the Romanian Football Cup. At the end of the domestic season, the Romanian national football team will have their first match in a new edition of the League of Nations, at the beginning of June, when it will meet the national teams of Montenegro, Bosnia and Finland. (LS)

  • Strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, a priority

    Strengthening NATO’s eastern flank, a priority

    Consolidating the eastern
    flank of NATO is, in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a priority
    for the members of the organisation. At an informal meeting of the NATO foreign
    ministers in Berlin, the Romanian diplomacy chief Bogdan Aurescu emphasised the
    importance of the long-term consolidation of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture
    on the eastern flank, particularly at the Black Sea, in a balanced and unified
    manner.



    Minister Aurescu said the decision
    made by the Allied leaders at their Summit on 24 March, concerning the set-up
    of 4 new battle groups, one of them in Romania, is an especially useful first
    step in this respect, and thanked the Allied states involved. The talks in
    Berlin concerned NATO’s open door policy, the war in Ukraine and its impact on
    Euro-Atlantic security. Bogdan Aurescu said Romania was in favour of a quick
    accession of Finland and Sweden to the organisation, and pointed out that the 2
    countries’ membership will consolidate the Alliance as a whole, making it
    stronger.


    On the one hand, Romania
    is a firm supporter of the open-door policy, which has many benefits for the entire
    Alliance, and we know, from our own experience, how important it was for
    reforming Romania,ˮ the foreign minister said. At the same time, he added, Bucharest
    feels that the accession of these 2 states will consolidate the Alliance on the
    whole and we believe that, with Finland and Sweden members of the Alliance, the
    deterrence posture will be more efficient and defence more consolidated.ˮ


    Another topic approached
    at the Berlin meeting was the preparation of the decisions to be made at the
    Madrid Summit at the end of June, and during the working session the Romanian
    official pointed out that with these decisions, the Madrid Summit is likely to
    be a fundamental milestone in the history of the Alliance.


    Bogdan Aurescu highlighted that the new strategic concept to be endorsed by NATO
    leaders at the end of June, will define the Alliance’s profile and major lines
    of action for the next decade at least. He also emphasised the importance of this
    strategic document taking into account, in a realistic and adequate manner, the
    new security context facing the organisation, by highlighting the main threats
    and challenges and ensuring an efficient and proportionate response capacity. Minister
    Aurescu also said the new strategic concept should reflect the fact that Russia
    remains the main challenge for the Alliance. (A.M.P.)

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

    The Romanian athlete Alina Rotaru was ranked 4th in the long jump event on Sunday at the international athletics meeting in Stockholm, the 4th leg of the Diamond League circuit. The athlete from CSM Bucharest jumped 6 meters and 59 centimeters. The winner of the competition was the Swedish athlete Khaddi Sagnia with 6 meters and 83 centimeters. In the men’s disc throw event Alin Firfirică ranked 7th with 61 meters and 14 centimeters, the winner being Daniel Staahl from Sweden with 69 meters and 17 centimeters.



    The city of Cluj (northwestern Romania) hosted, on Saturday and Sunday, Romania’s International Athletics Championship which has reached its 65th edition. Florentina Iuşco, an athlete qualified to the Olympic Games in the long jump event, on Saturday won the triple jump event with 13 meters and 66 centimeters and Sunday she also won the long jump event with 6 meters and 43 centimeters.



    Now news from football. The weekend saw the start of the Romanian First League matches. On Friday FC Botoşani defeated, away from home, FC Argeş 3-2 after leading the match with the score 3-0. On Saturday in Ovidiu, Viitorul Constanţa drew the match with UTA Arad 1-all. In Sfântu Gheorghe Universitatea Craiova defeated Sepsi1-0. And in Giurgiu, FCSB won the match against Astra 3-0.



    On Sunday, Poli Iaşi defeated on home turf 1-0 the team Chindia Târgovişte, and CFR Cluj defeated in Clinceni, the local team Academica 2 – 1. Monday will see the last two matches of the leg: FC Voluntari will face Gaz Metan Mediaş and Dinamo Bucharest will be up against FC Hermannstadt.



    We recall that the championship has a different format as compared to last year, with 16 teams instead of 14. At the end of the regular season, the first 6 teams will go in the playoffs and play each other in a round—robin competition in 10 legs. The rest of the teams up to the 16th-ranked one will continue the play-out, which means one single match in 9 legs. (tr. L. Simion)