Radio România Internațional

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  • October 5, 2024 – UPDATE

    October 5, 2024 – UPDATE

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    ELECTIONS – The head of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacu, on Saturday submitted his candidacy for president of the country to the Central Election Bureau. He is the 11th candidate registered in the race for head of state. Among his contenders are the Liberal Nicolae Ciuca, the former NATO deputy secretary general Mircea Geoana, the AUR leader George Simion and the USR leader Elena Lasconi. The first round of the presidential elections in Romania will be held on November 24, and the second one on December 8.

     

    FRANCOPHONIE – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, delivered a speech on Saturday, in Paris, at the 19th edition of the Francophonie Summit. He said that education in French is an extremely important additional tool for the success and professional mobility of young people. Iohannis also said that, as the flagship state of the Francophonie in the region, Romania is aware of its responsibility and mission, and its commitments in the global context of Francophone solidarity bring active support to the mobility of young Francophone students and researchers and to the education of girls and women.

     

    SCHENGEN – The entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen Area is, once again, on the agenda of the Council of Justice and Internal Affairs next week. Hungary, the country which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council and which supports the full entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the European ​​free movement area, will present, at the JAI meeting in Luxembourg, the full implementation of the Schengen Acquis by the two countries, after, on March 31, air and sea border controls had been eliminated. In order to establish the date of the Schengen accession also with the land borders, a new unanimous decision of the Council members is needed.

     

    TENNIS – The Romanian pair Monica Niculescu/Gabriela Ruse on Saturday qualified for the doubles final of the WTA tennis tournament in Hong Kong, after winning 6-2, 6-7, 10-4 against the pair Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway )/Fang-Hsien Wu (Taiwan). After this success, Niculescu and Ruse could play in the same formula for Romania at the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup. In the final of the Hong Kong tournament, the two Romanians will be up against Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya of Japan.

     

    CHISINAU – Just a few weeks before the presidential elections and the referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu promised, on Friday, in Chisinau, the continuation of his country’s support for Moldova. After being received by President Maia Sandu, who, according to opinion polls, has the first chance to win another mandate as head of state, Ciolacu said that in order to maintain the Republic of Moldova on the European path, it is important that Maia Sandu is reelected and that the referendum on the EU is successful. The Romanian Prime Minister also said that joint projects and investments will continue in the upcoming period.

     

    COMISSION – The European Commission has decided to overtax Chinese electric cars by up to 35% starting next month. 10 member states voted in favor and five against. Romania is among the 12 states that abstained. France and Italy voted for this measure, and Germany, the main European car manufacturer, was the strongest opponent. The Commission’s decision is based on the conclusions of an investigation launched a year ago. Beijing supports its own industry in such a way that the price of Chinese electric cars is much lower than the European ones, and thus the competition is partly eliminated. Beijing reacted immediately, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU urges the bloc to act cautiously and postpone the application of tariffs. China sees the introduction of this the tariff as protectionist measure and warns that this attitude could lead to the degradation of trade relations between the two partied. Official estimates are that Chinese cars could reach a 15% share of the EU’s new electric car market by 2025, their prices being 20% smaller, on average, than the Europe-made models.

     

     

  • October 5, 2024

    October 5, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    FRANCOPHONIE – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, continues today his visit to France, where he takes part in the Francophonie Summit. The 19th High Level Conference of the Heads of State or Government of the 88 Full Member States, Associate Members and Observers of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) is held under the motto “Create, innovate and do business in French”  (‘Creer, innover, entreprendre en francais’). The participation of the Romanian president in the Francophonie Summit is an opportunity to highlight Romania’s contribution to the global effort to transform and adapt multilateralism, and the role of the OIF, in a context marked by major challenges to the rule-based international order, the Presidential Administration said.

     

    CHISINAU – Just a few weeks before the presidential elections and the referendum on the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu promised, on Friday, in Chisinau, the continuation of his country’s support for Moldova. After being received by President Maia Sandu, who, according to opinion polls, has the first chance to win another mandate as head of state, Ciolacu said that in order to maintain the Republic of Moldova on the European path, it is important that Maia Sandu is reelected and that the referendum on the EU is successful. The Romanian Prime Minister also said that joint projects and investments will continue in the upcoming period.

     

    CONFLICT – Hezbollah armed group said Saturday its fighters were confronting Israeli troops in Lebanon’s southern border region, France Presse reports. At the same time, a series of explosions were heard in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Israeli military previously issued evacuation orders for certain areas. There have been a series of recent strikes on senior figures within the Islamist group, and Israel is considering how to respond to Tuesday’s ballistic missile attack, which Iran carried out in response to Israeli military action in Lebanon. The price of oil went up given the possibility of an attack on Iranian oil facilities. The escalation in Lebanon comes nearly a year after Hezbollah opened a front against Israel at the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, followed by months of fighting that displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned that his allies, mainly Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas, will continue the fight against Israel.

     

    COMISSION – The European Commission has decided to overtax Chinese electric cars by up to 35% starting next month. 10 member states voted in favor and five against. Romania is among the 12 states that abstained. France and Italy voted for this measure, and Germany, the main European car manufacturer, was the strongest opponent. The Commission’s decision is based on the conclusions of an investigation launched a year ago. Beijing supports its own industry in such a way that the price of Chinese electric cars is much lower than the European ones, and thus the competition is partly eliminated. Beijing reacted immediately, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU urges the bloc to act cautiously and postpone the application of tariffs. China sees the introduction of this the tariff as protectionist measure and warns that this attitude could lead to the degradation of trade relations between the two partied. Official estimates are that Chinese cars could reach a 15% share of the EU’s new electric car market by 2025, their prices being 20% smaller, on average, than the Europe-made models.

     

    REPATRIATION – 74 people in vulnerable situation, Romanian citizens and first degree family members, mostly women, children and medical cases were repatriated, Friday evening, from Lebanon, being transported to Romania on board an aircraft of the Romanian Air Force. Previously, the aircraft took off for Beirut with approximately 10 tons of food products from the state reserves on board. The mission was carried out at the request of the Department for Emergency Situations, and the aid was sent by Romania free of charge, in the context of the sharp deterioration of the security situation in the Middle East. On Thursday, another 69 Romanian citizens and first degree family members, mostly women, children and medical cases, were repatriated from Lebanon.

     

    TENNIS – The Romanian pair Monica Niculescu/Gabriela Ruse has today qualified for the doubles final of the WTA tennis tournament in Hong Kong, after winning 6-2, 6-7, 10-4 against the pair Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway )/Fang-Hsien Wu (Taiwan). After this success, Niculescu and Ruse could play in the same formula for Romania at the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup. In the final of the Hong Kong tournament, the two Romanians will be up against Nao Hibino and Makoto Ninomiya of Japan.

     

  • October 2, 2024 UPDATE

    October 2, 2024 UPDATE

     

    ALERT A new RO-Alert message was issued for the northern part of ​​Tulcea County (south-eastern Romania), after the national defence and security structures detected a possible attack by the Russian Federation on some targets on the territory of Ukraine. These messages are aimed at informing the people in the Romania-Ukraine border area that there are possible Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory and that some objects might fall on Romanian territory. The Romanian defence ministry firmly condemns once more these attacks carried out by the Russian Federation against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, which are unjustified and are serious breaches of international law.

     

    WARNING The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly advises Romanian nationals who are in Lebanon to leave that country by the air routes still available. The travel warning regarding major security risks is still valid, and commercial flights and travel routes may also be affected, according to the ministry. Some 1,136 Romanian citizens and their family members have so far registered their presence in Lebanon, at the Romanian Embassy in Beirut. On the ground, Iran announced that its attack on Israel had ended, after it launched more than 180 missiles in its direction on Tuesday night. Tehran says it targeted the infrastructure of the enemy state. According to international media, targets included the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad, as well as the most important air base, Nevatim, which is also used by Israel’s F- 35 long-range stealth strike fighter fleet. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Israel, there is no information regarding the loss of human life and damages.

     

    VISA WAIVER Romania meets all the technical conditions to be part of the Visa Waiver Program, the Romanian ambassador to the US, Andrei Muraru, said in a social media post. He also said that Romanians would most likely be allowed to travel visa-free in the first half of next year. “Should all the conditions and preparations proceed successfully, the program could take effect sometime in 2025” the US ambassador to Romania, Kathleen Kavalec, said on Tuesday. However, Ambassador Kavalec said, a number of important steps still need to be completed in the coming months to establish whether Romania is, in fact, eligible to participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

     

    ELECTIONS The president of the National Liberal Party in the ruling coalition in Romania, Nicolae Ciucă, has officially entered his candidacy in the presidential election with the Central Electoral Bureau. He has submitted lists of over 1.5 million signatures supporting his bid. Also today, the president of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians has also announced his candidacy, after gathering over 270,000 signatures. So far, candidates for the top position in the Romanian public administration also include George Simion (AUR party), Elena Lasconi (USR party), and Călin Georgescu, running independently. The deadline for entering candidacies for the presidential election is October 5, and lists of at least 200,000 supporters are required. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled on November 24, and the second one on December 8.

     

    NATURAL GAS OMV Petrom, a corporation in which the Romanian government holds 20% of the stock, announced that 2027 will see the first natural gas supplies extracted via the “Neptun Deep” project. “Neptun Deep” is the largest natural gas project in Romania’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea and the first Romanian deep-water offshore project. OMV Petrom says works on the gas platform to be installed in 2026 have already started in shipyards in Italy and Indonesia. The platform will be approx. 140 high, with a 40 sq m base and will weigh over 7,000 tone. It will support the upper section of the Neptun platform, an element of the infrastructure required for the development of natural gas deposits. OMV Petrom also pointed out that “Neptun Deep” will contribute to the country’s energy security.

     

    DEFENCE The Romanian defence minister, Angel Tîlvăr, had an official meeting on Wednesday with his Portuguese counterpart, Nuno Melo. The 2 officials discussed the Romanian-Portuguese cooperation in the defence and security sector, both in bilateral terms and as members of NATO and the EU. other topics on the agenda included the Black Sea security situation and measures to consolidate NATO’s defence and deterrence posture on the Eastern flank. Angel Tîlvăr appreciated Portugal’s contribution to joint exercises and activities, the country’s commitment as part of the NATO Enhanced Vigilance Activities, with the deployment of a military unit to the Multinational Brigade South-East, headquartered in Craiova, and its presence in other Allied structures on Romanian territory.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian player Simona Halep made her comeback to professional competitions, with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win against Arina Rodionova (Australia), in the first round of the WTA 125 tournament in Hong Kong. A former WTA leader, Halep last played in May, when she was forced to exit the first round at Trophee Clarins, in Paris, in a match against McCartney Kessler (US). In Hing Kong, Halephas secured 15 WTA points, and in the round of 16 she will face Russia’s Ana Blinkova, the 2023 winner of the Transylvania Open. (AMP)

  • September 28, 2024 UPDATE

    September 28, 2024 UPDATE

    Weather – The weather in Romania will become unstable and will cool significantly, except for the extreme southeast, where the temperatures ​​will be comparable to those of the previous day. The showers will extend over most of the country, some will turn into torrential downpours, and locally, in the south, they will be accompanied by electrical discharges. Water quantities will amount to 25 l/sq.m. up to 70 l/sq.m. and on isolated areas in the southwest, south, center and east it will reach over 80 l/sq.m. Storms and hail will be reported on isolated areas. The wind will gradually intensify in all regions, with speeds of 45 up to 65 km/h, and in the east and southeast, speeds will temporarily reach 70-85 km/h. In the mountains, at altitudes above 1,700 m and mainly in the Eastern Carpathians, sleet and snow will be reported. The maximum temperatures will range from 12 to 29 degrees C, and the lows between 4 and 17 degrees C. Heavy rains and wind are also announced in Bucharest, from Sunday to Monday. Hydrologists have issued flood alerts for 18 river basins throughout the country. Teams from the Romanian Waters National Administration prepared thousands of sandbags and intervention equipment in areas where river flow increases are expected. Mountain rescuers in several regions have warned tourists to avoid outdoor activities this weekend. Another recommendation is that people should not spend a lot of time in the valleys, given that the rainfalls can form torrents.

     

    Middle East – The security situation in the Middle East is volatile and it is very important to avoid a war that would affect the entire region, the Romanian Foreign Minister, Luminiţa Odobescu, told AGERPRES on Saturday. She attended the UN General Assembly in New York. Romania supports the two-state solution, but until then it is very important to continue supporting the efforts of the Biden administration, which together with Qatar and Egypt proposed a three-point plan focused on a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, with the release of all hostages and the continuation of humanitarian aid for the population of Gaza, Odobescu stated. Regarding the possible expansion of the conflict in Lebanon, Luminiţa Odobescu said that Romania’s mission in this country focuses on the Romanian citizens who live there with their families. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, until now, approximately 950 Romanian citizens and their family members have registered their presence in Lebanon and no evacuation requests have been received. On the ground, the Hezbollah terrorist group confirmed that Israel killed its veteran leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an attack on Friday that targeted the group’s headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian on Saturday qualified for the third round of the WTA 1,000 tournament in Beijing, which has total prizes up for grabs worth almost 9 million dollars, after defeating the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. Jaqueline Cristian needed almost three hours of play to pass the 7th seeded player. In the next round, the Romanian will face another representative of the Czech Republic – Karolina Muchova. Also on Saturday, in Beijing, Irina Begu lost the match against the Russian Mirra Andreeva.

     

    Audiovisual – The National Audiovisual Council (CNA) in Bucharest requested, on Saturday, the protection of the Romanian journalist Mircea Barbu, a correspondent of the online publication HotNews. CNA also condemned the decision of the Russian Federal Security Service to open a criminal file against him and two other foreign journalists, who did their job in areas of conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces. The Romanian Foreign Ministry also emphasized, on Friday, that media representatives must be protected, not silenced. Moscow claims that the three journalists illegally crossed the Russian border from Ukraine to make reports in the occupied part of the Kursk region, where the Ukrainian army launched a surprise offensive on August 6, the first by a foreign army in Russia since World War II.

     

    Moldova – In the Republic of Moldova, the headquarters of the Supreme Court of Justice and of the TeleRadio Moldova public Radio and Television Company were vandalized last night by unknown persons, who threw paint at the two buildings. According to Radio Chişinău, the police have announced that they have a circle of suspects. Previously, the Moldovan Government and the Labor Ministry were vandalized, and two people were detained by the police. They admitted that they are part of a group of 20 people who were trained in Moscow to attack institutions in the Republic of Moldova, with the aim of destabilizing the situation. The Intelligence and Security Service in Chişinău decided to block access from the Republic of Moldova to six websites from Russia, as well as to an online platform from Moldova, on the grounds that they encouraged a negative vote in the referendum on the country’s accession to the European Union, which will take place on October 20. (LS)

  • September 28, 2024

    September 28, 2024

    Weather – Heavy rainfalls and strong winds are announced, starting this weekend, in all regions of Romania. Starting this evening, the north and west of the country will be affected, while, from Sunday, the ​​rainfalls will cover all of Romania. The most severe phenomena are forecast for the south and east of the country and the mountains, where a code orange alert will be in place. For the rest of the territory, meteorologists have issued a code yellow alert. The focus is on the amounts of water that will accumulate. Hydrologists have issued flood alerts for 18 river basins throughout the country. At the same time, sleet and snow are expected in the highest mountain areas on Sunday night to Monday, once the temperatures drop below 0 degrees Celsius. While the specialists carefully monitor the situation, teams from the Romanian Waters National Administration have prepared thousands of sandbags and intervention equipment in the areas where river flow increases are expected. Mountain rescuers in several regions have warned tourists to avoid outdoor activities this weekend. Another recommendation is that people should not spend a lot of time in the valleys, considering that the rains can form torrents. The forecast for severe weather is also valid for Bucharest, where two outdoor events have been cancelled.

     

    Candidacy – Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, announced on Friday that he would end his mandate on time, would not resign from office and would not run for parliamentary elections in December. He also said that he did not support and is not supporting the amendment of the electoral legislation in favor of a single person. The announcement came shortly before the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) clarified the situation of his candidacy for the future Parliament. According to BEC, there is no need to amend the law so that the president can run on a party’s list, even if he is not a member, but he will not be considered an independent candidate. Previously, the president of the National Liberal Party had submitted a legislative initiative according to which the Romanian president could run as an independent on the lists of a party or alliance in the parliamentary elections, in the last 3 months of his mandate. We remind you that, in Romania, at the end of this year, both parliamentary and presidential elections will take place, and Klaus Iohannis ends his second and last term as head of state.

     

    Israel – The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it killed the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, in an attack, south of Beirut, on the headquarters of the Lebanese Islamist armed group. Shortly after the announcement of the death of the Hezbollah leader, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, General Herzi Halevi, promised to strike anyone who threatens Israel. The Lebanese Shiite group has not confirmed the death of its leader. At the same time, the group denied that there were weapons in several civilian buildings bombed by Israel at dawn on Saturday. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has so far confirmed around 100 dead and injured, but warned that the toll would rise as rescue operations continue, amid extensive destruction caused by the bombings.

     

    Photovoltaic power – The more than 274 million lei (almost 55 million Euros) allocated to the northwestern region of Romania were used up, on Friday, in just 2 minutes after the start of a new financing session for individuals within the Photovoltaic Green House Program. On Monday, the people from central Romania will have the possibility to enroll in the Program, and those from the other regions of the country can do that in the next 6 working days. This year, the Environmental Fund Administration allocated a record budget of 2 billion lei (about 400 million Euros), which will help 67,000 households to have reduced bills for ecologically produced electricity.

     

    Wind energy – Romania has an onshore wind capacity of 3 Giga Watts and an offshore wind resource large enough to produce more energy than it would ever need, say the World Bank representatives. According to them, Romania has the potential for a capacity of offshore wind platforms of up to 7 Giga Watts, located at least 50 km from the coast and, for the most part, in relatively shallow waters. They could be built starting in 2030, using Romania’s port facilities and a supply chain based on local products, the World Bank representatives also say.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian on Saturday qualified for the third round of the WTA 1,000 tournament in Beijing, which has total prizes up for grabs worth almost 9 million dollars, after defeating the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. Jaqueline Cristian needed almost three hours of play to pass the 7th seeded player. In the next round, the Romanian will face another representative of the Czech Republic – Karolina Muchova. Also on Saturday, in Beijing, Irina Begu plays in the second round against the Russian Mirra Andreeva.

     

    Car industry – The French car parts manufacturer FORVIA has revised for the second time in three months its annual sales and profit estimates amid challenges on the European and North American markets. In Europe, the company, the world’s seventh largest producer of car components, with activities in Romania as well, stated that it would accelerate plans to reduce the workforce. Thus, 2,800 posts will be eliminated by the end of this year, and 5,800 will be eliminated by the end of next year. In Romania, the company has, among others, five factories and five design and development centers. (LS)

  • September 26, 2024 UPDATE

    September 26, 2024 UPDATE

     

    FLOODS The Danube flood tide is expected to reach Romania on October 2-3, when the river flow rate is expected to reach 9,500 cubic metres per second, the manager of the Romanian Waters National Agency, Sorin Lucaci, announced. The Emergency Directorate announced measures have already been prepared, and will be adjusted to the new circumstances triggered by the heavy rainfalls announced for this weekend. The Emergency Directorate chief, Raed Arafat, said at the end of today’s Cabinet meeting that citizens will be kept informed, including through the Ro-Alert emergency service, and that local authorities have been instructed to identify vulnerable citizens and to plan for their timely evacuation. The Danube has so far caused major floods in the countries it transits, as Storm Ashley has hit Europe, bringing low temperatures, strong wind and massive rainfalls.

     

    UN Insecure as today’s world may be, the answer to our problems will always be more cooperation and more solidarity, said Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis in his address at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. He also highlighted Romania’s efforts and contribution to solving current global challenges, from security crises such as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict to the major challenges facing the world. Iohannis pointed out that security is not a regional, but a global matter, and that the war waged by Russia in Ukraine has affected nations and people around the globe.

     

    ECONOMY The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development significantly revised downwards its economic growth forecast for Romania this year, as the lower outsourcing demand has hit the IT sector, according to a report released on Thursday. The EBRD expects Romania’s GDP to grow by 1.4% this year, down from its previous estimate of 3.2% in May. For next year, the EBRD expects a 2.6% growth rate, down from the 3.4% figure proposed in May. The increase in the minimum wage in Romania and Bulgaria has stimulated demand but led to a growth in the trade deficit and added to inflationist pressure, the report also says. The EBRD mentions that the latest forecasts of the Tax Council in Bucharest indicate an increase in the budget deficit to around 8% of GDP this year. The International Monetary Fund also revised downwards its forecast concerning Romania’s economic growth this year, from 3.8% last October to 2.8% in its World Economic Outlook released in April this year. Last week, the National Commission for Strategy and Prognosis revised its estimates concerning the GDP growth down to 2.8% from 3.4% previously.

     

    EU The European Commission has initiated 2 infringement procedures against Romania, and requests notification on the progress in implementing 2 directives. The infringement package targets 26 member states, with Denmark as the exception. The first procedure against Romania concerns its failing to fully transpose into national law the provisions of the revised Renewable Energy Directive related to the simplification and acceleration of permitting procedures. Romania and the other 25 notified states should have transposed the directive by July 1, 2024. The second notification, received by a total 17 member states, has to do with failing to notify their national measures transposing the Accounting Directive, the Transparency Directive and the Audit Directive. The deadline was July 6, 2024. In both cases, Romania has 2 months to fully transpose the directives and to notify the European Commission.

     

    IMMIGRATION Romania is becoming more and more attractive to foreign workers, according to a survey conducted by the Foundation for the Development of Civil Society. The home countries of most foreign workers in Romania include Nepal, Turkey, Italy, Moldova, Sri Lanka and India. They work in constructions, the hospitality industry and retail, and according to the Immigration Inspectorate General 80% of them get unskilled jobs. Integrating foreign workers is not easy, but it is important for Romania’s economic development, says the head of the EU representative office in Romania, Ramona Chiriac. She said foreign workers are facing language barriers and abuse by employers. In this respect, several ministries are working together on legislation to help immigrants, the PM’s office has announced. In 2023, the number of foreign workers employed in Romania was 200,000.

     

    BUSINESS Members of the Romanian business community complain that, in spite of their investments in dual education, many of the youth completing such programmes leave the country. The deputy chair of the Romanian Association of Small and Mid-sized Traders, Feliciu Paraschiv, says there are no guarantees that those who provide financial support to a student for 2-3 years will eventually benefit from the knowledge they have gained, and that Romanian entrepreneurs end up training the future employees of more developed countries. Paraschiv believes education institutions should be more connected to the actual demand in the economy and highlighted the need for a change in the public perception of certain jobs.

     

    CITIES The city of Braşov, in central Romania, is viewed as the most attractive city to live in, according to an urban attractiveness survey conducted by the Institute for Visionary Cities. Braşov is followed by Cluj-Napoca and Oradea, in the north-west, Sibiu, in the centre, Timişoara (west), Constanţa (south-east), the capital city Bucharest, Iaşi (north-east), Alba Iulia (centre), and Piatra Neamţ (north-east). The survey looks at moving plans and the overall perception of the quality of life. The authors highlighted that leisure opportunities have proved to be the most important element for interviewees, overshadowing traditional factors such as well-paying jobs and infrastructure. The latter still ranks second, followed by a city’s capacity to encourage creativity and innovation.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu Thursday defeated China’s Ye-Xin Ma, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing. Begu (34, ranked 103rd WTA) is next to take on seed no. 17, Mirra Andreeva (Russia). In the same competition, another Romanian player, Jaqueline Christian, defeated Ana Bondar (Hungary), 1-6, 6-7, whereas Gabriela Ruse lost to Sijia Wei (China), 4-6, 6-7. (AMP)

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    The third edition of the Ţiriac Foundation Trophy tennis tournament has recently come to end in Bucharest. Hosted by the National tennis center in Bucharest, in 2024 the WTA 125 tournament had 115, 000 USD up for grabs. All the 8 seeded tennis player of the tournament were some of world’s top 200 players. Among them, great names of Romanian tennis, such as veteran tennis player Irina Begu and the surprise of the 2024 edition, Anca Todoni.

    However, the winner was a player who, before her remarkable feat in Bucharest, was not one of the 200 players according to world rankings. Miriam Bulgaru is WTA 202nd tennis player. Her win in Bucharest is her career-peak so far. Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Miriam Bulgaru the Athlete of the week.

    As part of the Ţiriac Foundation Trophy, in the first round Miriam Bulgaru outclassed Italy’s Nicole Fossa Huergo, cu 6-1, 6-3. In the second round, Miriam Bulgaru defeated Serbia’s Dejana Radanovic, 6-4, 6-4. In the quarterfinals Miriam defeated Alevtina Ibraghimova of Russia, 6-2 , 6-2. It was not until the semi-final confrontation that she lost the first set, when Bulgaru played Georgia’s Ekaterine Gorgodze, eventually winning the match, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

    In the final, Bulgaru went against Liechtenstein’s Kathinka von Deichmann, who, in the quarterfinals, outclassed the top-seed tennis player, Argentina’s Marie Lourdes Carle. Miriam Bulgaru won the first set, 6-3. von Deichmann won the second set, 6-1. However, the decisive set was won by the Romanian, 6-4. The winner was rewarded with 15,000 USD, also skipping 24 places according to world rankings. So far Miriam has reached her career peak, the 178th-position.

    Miriam Bulgaru was born on October 8, 1988 in the central Romania town of Alba Iulia. Miriam made her debut in the WTA circuit in 2018, at the Bucharest Open, where she was granted a wild card. However, in the first round she lost to China’s Wang Yafan. So far Miriam has won three ITF tournaments. Her net income so far amounts to more than 300,000 USD.

  • Sports Roundup

    Sports Roundup

     

     

    The Romanian tennis player Miriam Bulgaru won the WTA 125 tournament in Bucharest, which ended on Sunday. She won the final against Kathinka von Deichmann, of Liechtenstein, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. This has been Bulgaru’s best performance so far, for which she was rewarded with USD 15,000 and 125 WTA points.

     

    Saturday and Sunday saw matches in the second round of the women’s handball Champions League. In Group B, Romanian vice-champions Rapid Bucharest Sunday managed a notable performance, with a 30-30 draw away from home against the Norwegian side Vipers Kristiansand, last year’s League champions. Top scorers for Rapid were Albertina Kassoma with 6 goals and Eliza Buceschi (5 goals). In the next round, Rapid will take on Ludwigsburg (Germany), on Sunday in Bucharest.

     

    In Group A, on Saturday, Gloria Bistriţa-Năsăud lost their away game against the French team Metz, (26-28). Top scorer for the Romanian side was Danila So Delgado with 8 goals. On Sunday, in Bucharest, CSM won against Storhamar (Norway), 32-28. The Romanian champions’ best player was Elizabeth Omoregie (8 goals). This Saturday, Gloria plays at home against Krim Ljubljana (Slovenia), while CSM Bucharest will face Podravka Koprivnica in Croatia.

     

    The 9th round of the Romanian football Super League also took place this weekend. On Friday, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe won 3-0 on home turf against FC Botoşani, and Dinamo won in Bucharest, 1-0 against Unirea Slobozia. Saturday brought 2 draws: Gloria Buzău vs Otelul Galaţi (0-0) and Petrolul Ploieşti vs Farul Constanţa (1-1). On Sunday, Politehnica Iaşi defeated Universitatea Craiova (2-0), while CFR Cluj and FCSB drew (2-all) in Cluj. The last 2 matches in this round were scheduled for Monday, UTA vs. Hermannstadt and Rapid Bucharest vs. Universitatea Cluj. Universitatea Cluj top the ranking so far, with 18 points, followed by Oţelul Galaţi, with 16 points. (AMP)

  • September 3, 2024

    September 3, 2024

     

    PARLIAMENT The Parliament of Romania has convened for the last session in its current term, given that general elections are due to take place on December 1, the National Day of Romania. One of the priorities is a bill raising the pension tax threshold to EUR 600. The bill is being reviewed and voted on today in the Chamber of Deputies, and is to take effect on October 1. Meanwhile, the Senate voted on a bill under which Romania will donate a PATRIOT missile system to neighbouring Ukraine. The bill was also endorsed by the lower Chamber under an emergency procedure.

     

    GRANTS The Romanian foreign ministry (MAE) announced the results of the selection of non-EU students to receive grants from the Romanian government this academic year. A record-high number of applications have been received (81,914, from 160 countries on 5 continents), which according to a news release reflects the growing interest of students in the educational opportunities provided by Romanian universities. The applications have been submitted online, at www.studyinromania.gov.ro, between January 16 and March 16, 2024. Selection criteria included academic excellence, geographic diversity and gender equality, as well as Romania’s foreign policy interests in relation to the applicants’ home countries. The 500 grant beneficiaries will go to prestigious university centres in the country (Braşov, Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Constanţa, Craiova, Iaşi, Sibiu, Timişoara and others) and will study a variety of fields, such as international relations, engineering, law, computer sciences, performing arts, economy, business or education sciences.

     

    CYBERATTACK Personal data stolen in a cyber-attack targeting the Timişoara City Hall, local police and tax agency have been put up for sale by hackers on a Telegram channel. The discovery was made by the founder of a consulting platform for corporate victims of cyber-attacks. The Mayor of Timişoara, Dominic Fritz, has neither confirmed or denied the personal data theft, and said he was waiting for the relevant authorities to investigate the matter. After the attack that took place 10 days ago, the City Hall announced that the institution took counter-measures and managed to prevent the entire system from being compromised. The institution also said at that point that there were no indications that personal data had been extracted. Online tax payments were subsequently discontinued.

     

    FACILITIES The Romanian government would collect nearly EUR 2 bln if at least 15% of the taxpayers with debts to the authorities accessed a facility that extinguishes penalties, under a draft emergency order posted by the finance ministry. The bill exempts debtors from the payment of interest and penalties provided that they pay their back taxes by November 25. For individuals with debts up to EUR 1,000, half of the overdue amount may be written off, if the remaining 50% is paid. According to the ministry, the total debts to the state budget at the end of June reached around 10% of the country’s GDP. Debts to local authorities amounted to nearly RON 22 bln, debts to the social security funds to RON 4 bln, and debts to the public health insurance funds were close to RON 8 bln.

     

    AUTOMOTIVE The number of new cars registered in Romania in the first 8 months of the year was 106,534, up 6.35% compared to the corresponding period of 2023, according to the Vehicle Registration and Driving License Directorate quoted by the Romanian Carmakers Association (ACAROM). Broken down by car make, the largest number of new registrations was reported by Dacia (more than 32,000), followed by Toyota (9,206), Hyundai (6,961), Skoda (6,938), Renault (6,873), Volkswagen (6,352), Ford (4,503), Mercedes (3,689), BMW (3,420) and Suzuki (3,301).

     

    TRANSPORT Air freight transport increased in Romania in the first half of 2024 by 7.4%, compared to the corresponding period of last year, more specifically from 24,400 tonnes to 26,200 tonnes, according to data made public by the National Statistics Institute. For both domestic and international shipments, the largest cargo quantities were registered on Bucharest’s Henri Coandă Airport, followed by Avram Iancu Airport in Cluj-Napoca (north-west), and Traian Vuia Airport in Timişoara (west).

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis players Irina Begu and Anca Todoni have qualified in the 8th-finals of the WTA 125 tournament in Montreux (Switzerland). Irina Begu (34 yo, no. 130 WTA) only needed 68 minutes to beat the 19-year old Swiss player Celine Naef (177 WTA), 6-0, 6-3. Anca Todoni (aged 19, no. 136 WTA) won 6-2, 6-4 against Maja Chwalińska of Poland (172 WTA), in a 1.5-hour match. The two Romanian players won USD 2,000 each and 15 WTA points. In the 8th-finals, Begu takes on Laura Pigossi of Brazil (141 WTA), and Todoni plays the winner of the match pitting seed no. 1 Maria Lourdes Carle (Argentina) against Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva (Andorra). Miriam Bulgaru is also to play against Italy’s Camilla Rosatello in the main draw of the tournament. (AMP)

  • August 29, 2024

    August 29, 2024

     

    FARMERS – An insurance system for agricultural land will be approved by the Romanian Government as part of a series of measures to help farmers whose crops have been ravaged by drought, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said on Wednesday. The measures, to be adopted next week, include funds for this summer’s damage, but also a mechanism to ensure autumn and spring crops. Minister Barbu, specified that compensation of up to 3,000 lei ($671.14) per hectare will be granted, which will lead to unblocking lending for Romanian farmers. The necessary funds will be provided from the national budget, while 17 million euros will come from the EU’s risk fund. Also, the state aid scheme called “Farmer’s Credit” will be supplemented with approximately 80 million euros.

     

     

    ELECTIONS – The Romanian government has set the dates for this year’s presidential elections. The first round will take place on November 24, and the second on December 8. Last week the Government also decided the calendar of the legislative elections, scheduled to take place on December 1, when Romania’s National Day is celebrated. We remind you that on June 9, Romanians have already elected their representatives in the European Parliament, as well as mayors and heads of local and county councils.

     

     

    MUSIC – The 2024 George Enescu International Competition kicks off in Bucharest on Saturday. Until September 27, a record number of candidates – 667 musicians aged 13 to 35 from almost 60 countries are competing in the Composition, Cello, Violin and Piano categories. This year’s edition of the Competition will also include a Masterclass consisting of musical workshops for young artists specializing in conducting, violin, cello or piano. The workshops will be held by the acclaimed Romanian conducter Cristian Măcelaru, principal conductor of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra and musical director of the National Orchestra of France. The George Enescu Competition started in September 1958 and this year it reaches its 19th edition.

     

     

    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, is today taking part in an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers hosted in Brussels by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, talks are mainly focused on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Taking part in the talks regarding the Russian aggression against Ukraine is the head of diplomacy from Kyiv, Dmytro Kuleba. The presentation of recent developments on the ground and the European Union’s multidimensional support for Ukraine are on the agenda. The situation in the Middle East is addressed in the context of increasing tensions in the area and the escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as the sustained efforts of the US for a cease-fire agreement between the parties and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

     

     

    CELEBRATION – The Romanian Academy celebrates, in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca (north-west) and Iasi (north-east), Romanian Language Day, established by law on August 31. Today, in the Hall of the Bucharest Academy, a festive session has been scheduled. The Institute of Linguistics and Literary History in Cluj organizes cultural, academic and educational activities registered under the aegis of “Romanian Language Week – Words that connect us”. Moreover, on August 31, the Iaşi Branch of the Romanian Academy meets the public, in the Botanical Garden, for an event named “Romanian Language Day – the celebration of Romanians everywhere”. During this period, events are also organized in the diaspora, the Romanian Language Day being one of the most important cultural diplomacy events, aimed at highlighting the diversity and cultural heritage of the various Romanian-speaking communities around the world.

     

     

    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse qualified, on Wednesday, to the third round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, the winner of this year’s edition of Wimbledon in two sets, 6-4, 7-5. In the next round, Gabriela Ruse, who reaches the third round for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament, will be up against the Spanish Paula Badosa. The Romanian won the only direct match with her so far, in February 2022, in the first round in Dubai.

  • August 27, 2024 UPDATE

    August 27, 2024 UPDATE

     

    INDEPENDENCE President Maia Sandu on Tuesday conveyed a message congratulating the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the 33rd anniversary of the proclamation of the country’s independence. ”Moldova is our home and we choose a future of peace and prosperity. We are writing our history. Many Happy Returns, Moldova!” Sandu said, quoted by Moldpres. In Bucharest, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis says that Romania will continue to provide strategic support to Moldova in all areas. ‘I congratulate the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on their Independence Day! You are part of the great European family and carrying on the present efforts will turn the EU accession into an accomplished goal,’ the Romanian head of state posted on X. In Chişinău, the presidents of the 3 Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—signed a joint declaration reiterating their support for Moldova’s EU accession. They attended the ceremonies occasioned by Moldova’s Independence Day, invited by president Maia Sandu, who did not take part in the celebration as she tested positive for coronavirus.

     

    PENSIONS As of October 1st the pension tax threshold in Romania is be raised from EUR 400 at present to EUR 600, the labour minister Simona Bucura-Oprescu announced on Monday night. She said the decision was made after a new round of talks she had with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. So, on October 1st, taxes will account for 10% of the amount exceeding RON 3,000. The minister’s statement comes after the PM announced that he had instructed the finance minister to analyse whether a new tax threshold was needed after the implementation of the new pension regulations. The finance ministry is expected to conduct another review so that pensioners may not incur loses or have food vouchers withdrawn. Pensions below EUR 400 are presently tax exempt, but a 10% tax is levied on pensions exceeding this sum.

     

    UNEMPLOYMENT In Romania, the unemployment rate was 3.09% at the end of July 2024, 0.03% more than in the previous month, the National Employment Agency announced. The number of unemployed people in rural communities is 3 times larger than in cities. Most unemployed people are aged 40 – 49, followed by people over 55 years of age.

     

    DROUGHT Two rivers in Argeş County (southern Romania) have completely dried up. In more than 600 settlements in Romania, water supply is restricted, and in hundreds of villages not connected to centralised networks wells are dried up because of the extensive drought and extreme heat. The Romanian Waters National Agency also says that on 42 of the 120 monitored sections, the Danube water flow is below the minimum level required to meet water needs. Fortunately, the Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant in the south-east of the country has no problems in terms of water supply.

     

    REAL ESTATE Home prices in Romania have risen by an average 12% this year compared to 2023, according to a recent real estate market survey. The city of Braşov has grown above expectations and is getting closer to Cluj Napoca, which sees the highest home prices in the country. The national average price is EUR 1,611 per square metre. Timişoara (west) remains the most affordable of the big cities, as compared to the salary level. On the other hand, rent has not grown as fast this year as it did in 2023.

     

    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse has qualified for the second round of the US Open, the year’s last Grand Slam tournament, after a two-setter against Julia Grabher of Austria. Ruse will be up next against Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, winner of this year’s Wimbledon tournament. The other Romanians in the singles contest, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian, have been knocked out in the first round after losing to Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands and 12th-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia, respectively. (AMP)

  • August 24, 2024 UPDATE

    August 24, 2024 UPDATE

     

    CONVENTION Romania’s PM Marcel Ciolacu was reconfirmed as leader of the Social Democratic Party on Saturday, and officially nominated as the party’s candidate in the presidential election. In his address on this occasion, he presented the platform for which he hopes to win the president seat: a 10-year plan with 3 strategic directions: industry, agriculture and services. He argued that with its unity, the Social Democratic Party has managed to regain the confidence of Romanians, and that he offered Romanians “a president for all.” The party last won a presidential race in 2000. In their speeches, the Social Democrats teased their partners in the ruling coalition, the Liberals, and mocked the incumbent president, Klaus Iohannis. The first round of the election is scheduled on November 24, and the second on December 8th.

     

    UKRAINE The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, sent a letter to his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Ukraine’s Independence Day. According to the Romanian presidency, Iohannis voiced his appreciation for the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian armed forces and civilians in defending their country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He reiterated Bucharest’s firm commitment to provide constant, predictable and multidimensional support to Ukraine until its victory and further on in its reconstruction and European integration process. Iohannis emphasized that the security cooperation agreement signed by the 2 countries in July, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, proves that Romania’s support is not circumstantial, but long-standing, predictable and transparent.

     

    CROPS The European Union’s maize output will be smaller because of the drought and extreme heat in Romania, whose crops will be 30% lower. Estimates for the EU’s maize output were cut from 63 million tonnes, as reported last year, to 60-61 million tonnes, which is still above the level in 2022, when the drought affected the entire continent. Romania’s output is expected to drop from around 11 million tonnes last year to less than 8 million this autumn. In France, favourable humidity levels kept maize crops in a generally good condition, and the increase of the areas under crops should ensure higher output, namely over 14 million tonnes. In Poland, smaller areas under maize crops may lead to a 13% drop in output, while in Germany the crops are estimated to be 2% lower.

     

    PENSIONS The National Liberal Party, a junior member of the ruling coalition in Romania, proposes new amendments to the Pensions Law, so as to address the situation of pensioners whose benefits have been cut down in the latest revision. The Liberal leader and Senate speaker Nicolae Ciucă said the law should not have retrospective effect, and confirmed that the pensioners whose benefits have been cut down on paper will not benefit from cost-of-living adjustments for several years, although they will not be paid smaller amounts. According to official data, over 700,000 pensioners have received decisions by which their benefits have been cut down. These include workers in hazardous conditions, such as coal miners, engine drivers and nuclear industry personnel, who were able to stop working before the standard retirement age. Also at a disadvantage are people with disabilities, where the revised benefits are smaller by as much as 60%, for instance for the visually impaired. Hundreds of people are already asking for explanations from the authorities. They have until September 1 to appeal the decisions, and may even take the matter to court.

     

    MUSEUM The Bucharest Children’s Museum has reopened and is waiting for visitors with new guided interactive tours. The most recent of them shows kids the secrets of physics and chemistry. Entitled “The School of Magic – Wizard’s Castle,” it helps children understand physical and chemical reactions in a setting that reminds them of the Harry Potter universe. Apart from the School of Magic, children can enjoy 3 other tours – one devoted to the great ocean explorers, one to the human brain and one to classical fairytales.

     

    TENNIS Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Hanyu Guo (China) have qualified into the doubles finals of the WTA 500 tournament in Monterrey, Mexico. They defeated Tereza Mihalikova (Slovakia) / Olivia Nicholls (UK) 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 10-4. Niculescu and Guo won the match in 2 hours and 10 minutes and received USD 28,720 and WTA 325 points. In the final on August 25, Niculescu and Guo take on top seeded Giuliana Olmos of Mexico and Alexandra Panova of Russia. (AMP)

  • August 23, 2024 UPDATE

    August 23, 2024 UPDATE

     

    EU The Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu discussed, on Thursday, in Brussels, with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about the future European commissioner from Romania, about the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as well as about a new agreement on Romania’s budget deficit, which should extend over 7 years. Regarding the position of European commissioner, Marcel Ciolacu announced that he nominated Victor Negrescu, the current vice-president of the European Parliament. During the meeting, they tackled Romania’s accession to Schengen with its land borders, with the Prime Minister stressing that Ursula von der Leyen is the “biggest” supporter of this cause.

     

    DEFENCE The Chief of the defence staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, met on Thursday, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the French Republic, General Thierry Burkhard, who is on an official visit to Romania. The talks between the two focused on the regional security situation, the progress in achieving full operational capacity of the NATO Battle Group in 2025, and the responsibilities of the French structures deployed to Romania in strengthening the Allied deterrence and defence posture. General Gheorghiţă Vlad emphasised that, in the last two years, the excellent cooperation between the two armies to ensure collective defence were also reflected in the increased interoperability between structures and in the development of training and quartering infrastructure. The visit also included a meeting of the two heads of defence with troops from the NATO Battle Group, at the Getica National Joint Training Center in Cincu. France is the lead nation of the NATO Battle Group.

     

    US ELECTION The Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination as a candidate for the US presidency, at the Democratic National Convention. She told her supporters that the country has a chance to overcome resentment, cynicism and division. Harris promised tax cuts for the middle class. As regards abortions, she accused her opponent, the former Republican President Donald Trump, of wanting to introduce a national ban. In terms of foreign policy, Harris said that dictators around the world support Trump, the BBC reports.

     

    COMMEMORATION The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, in his message on the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Fascism and Communism, says that populism and hate speech are once again present, under various forms. He argues that this is precisely why society as a whole must stay alert to the risk of all the values embraced by Romania being pushed into irrelevance. Iohannis also mentioned the crucial decision made by King Michael I, who acted with responsibility and dignity and changed the fateful course of WWII, saving the country from imminent disaster. In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu reiterated the government’s firm commitment to fight all forms of extremism, and to strengthen civic engagement, by educating the youth with respect to all the landmarks in recent history.

     

    SCHOOLS Students in secondary schools and high schools in Romania will have more rules to observe in the new academic year. School rules stipulate, among other things, that students cannot hold mobile phones during classes and provide for penalties in case of violations. School operation rules have also been amended. Novelties include conduct grades for each module, separate tests for 9th grade admission, and a teacher in charge of EU-funded projects in each school, as well as online or hybrid classes for students in exceptional situations. On the other hand, secondary school and high school students with final grades above 9.50 will receive merits scholarships. For this academic year, the merit scholarship minimum amount is nearly EUR 90. This amount may be increased by school boards, depending on the budget earmarked by the local authorities.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse managed to reach the singles main draw of the US Open Grand Slam tournament, which starts on Monday in New York, after defeating Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in 3 sets. Ruse will face Julia Grabher from Austria in the inaugural round. She is the third Romanian to reach the singles main draw at the US Open, after Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian entered the singles draw thanks to ranking. Cristian will play against Russia’s Daria Kasatkina, seeded 12, while Ana Bogdan will meet the Dutch Arantxa Rus in the first round. (AMP)

  • August 23, 2024

    August 23, 2024

    Brussels – The Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu discussed, on Thursday, in Brussels, with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, about the future European Commissioner from Romania, about the state of fulfillment of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR, as well as about a new agreement on Romania’s deficit, which should extend over 7 years. Regarding the position of European commissioner, Marcel Ciolacu announced that he proposed Victor Negrescu, the current vice-president of the European Parliament. During the meeting, they tackled Romania’s accession to Schengen also with land borders, with the Prime Minister stressing that Ursula von der Leyen is the “biggest” supporter of this cause.

     

    Defense – The Chief of the Defense Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, met on Thursday, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the French Republic, General Thierry Burkhard, who is on an official visit to Romania. The talks between the two focused on the regional security situation, the fulfillment of the conditions for achieving, in 2025, the final operational capacity of the NATO Battle Group, and the responsibilities of the Hexagon structures deployed in Romania in order to strengthen the allied deterrence and defense posture respectively. General Gheorghiţă Vlad emphasized that, in the last two years, the excellent cooperation relations between the two armies to ensure collective defense were also reflected in the increased interoperability between structures and in terms of infrastructure development for training and quartering. The visit schedule included the meeting, in the facilities of the Getica National Joint Training Center in Cincu (centre), of the two heads of Defense with soldiers from the NATO Battle Group. The role of the framework nation of the NATO Battle Group was assumed by France.

     

    Washington – The Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination as a candidate for the US presidency, within the Democratic National Convention. She told supporters that the country has a chance to overcome resentment, cynicism and division. Harris promised tax cuts for the middle class. As regards abortions, she accused her opponent, the former Republican President Donald Trump, of wanting to introduce a national ban. About foreign policy, Harris said that dictators around the world support Trump, the BBC reports.

     

    Tennis – The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse managed to reach the main singles draw of the US Open Grand Slam tournament, which starts on Monday, at the Flushing Meadows arenas in New York, after defeating Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in 3 sets. Ruse will face Julia Grabher from Austria in the inaugural round. She is the third Romanian to reach the main singles draw at the US Open, after Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian entered directly the singles draw, thanks to the ranking. Cristian will play against the Russian Daria Kasatkina, the 12th seed, while Ana Bogdan will meet the Dutch Arantxa Rus in the first round.

     

    Football – The Romanian football champions, FCSB, ended in a draw 1-all the away match with the Austrian team LASK Linz, on Thursday evening, in the first leg of the Europa League play-off. The second leg will be played on August 29, in Bucharest. The vice-champion CFR Cluj (north-west) defeated the Cypriot team FC Pafos 1-0 on home ground, in the first leg of the Conference League football play-off. The decisive second leg will take place in Limassol, on August 29. (LS)

     

  • August 22, 2024

    August 22, 2024

     

    ELECTIONS In its Wednesday meeting the government of Romania set the calendar for the parliamentary election scheduled for December 1. The election campaign will begin on November 1 and end at 7 AM on November 30. The Romanians in the country will be able to vote between 7 AM and 9 PM. For the Romanian nationals in the diaspora, the voting will begin on November 30 at 7 AM and end on December 1 at 9 PM. The legislative elections will take place between the 2 rounds of the presidential election. Romania organised local and European elections on June 9.

     

    EUROPEAN COMMISSION While on a visit to Brussels, PM Marcel Ciolacu has talks today with the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen about the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the seat Romania will hold in the new Commission. According to a government spokesman, the Romanian PM is not making any nominations at this point, but he will indicate the European commissioner post Romania is seeking, more specifically one related to the economic field. Marcel Ciolacu is accompanied in Brussels by the finance minister, Marcel Boloş and by the official in charge with European projects, Adrian Câciu.

     

    BONDS The government passed an order enabling Romanian nationals living abroad to purchase treasury bonds online. The measure comes as the finance ministry is preparing the introduction of new technical solutions for the online purchase of such bonds. At present, people who want to purchase government bonds online must register on a special governmental platform. Government bonds are low-risk financial instruments through which the government borrows money from citizens to finance the budget deficit and refinance public debt.

     

    US ELECTION Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’s running mate in the campaign for the US presidential election, has today accepted officially the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice-president. On Tuesday night in Chicago, in the party’s national convention, the US Democrats officially confirmed Kamala Harris as their candidate for the November 5 presidential election. Delegates from all US states and territories once again expressed their support for Harris in a symbolic vote, after she had been already elected in an online ballot early this month. Vice-president Kamala Harris (60) is the second woman nominated by the Democrats for president since its establishment in 1828, and could become the first female president in the history of the US. The incumbent US president Joe Biden (81) withdrew his candidacy for a second term in office. The Republican candidate in the presidential race is the former president Donald Trump (78).

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Ana Bogdan has qualified for the quarterfinals of the WTA 250 tournament in Cleveland (Ohio), after defeating Greet Minnen (Belgium) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. In the quarter-finals she is to play against Russia’s Anastasia Potapova. Another Romanian player, Gabriela Ruse, managed to reach the last qualifying round of the US Open main draw in New York. In the second qualifying round, Ruse defeated China’s Ye-Xin Ma 6-3, 6-3. And in the WTA 500 tournament in Monterrey (Mexico), Monica Niculescu (Romania) / Hanyu Guo (China) have today qualified into the semi-finals of the doubles competition, after winning against Ulrikke Eikeri (Norway) / Aldila Sutjiadi (Indonesia) 6-4, 5-7, 10-3. (AMP)