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Tag: the Vatican

  • Romania’s relations with the Vatican

    Romania’s relations with the Vatican

    The Romanian space, today inhabited by a mostly Christian-Orthodox population, was one of spiritual and religious confluence. The multi-confessional coexistence of Christians is attested since the Middle Ages, the sources recording information about the presence of minorities alongside the majorities: Catholics alongside Orthodox, Reformed and Evangelicals alongside Catholics and Orthodox, Greek Catholics and Roman Catholics together with Reformed and Orthodox, Neo-Protestants and the other denominations. The oldest Catholic presence in the Romanian space is in the intra-Carpathian territory, namely the archdiocese of Alba Iulia, which dates back to the 11th century. The ruler of Transylvania and the regent of Hungary Iancu of Hunedoara is buried in the Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Alba Iulia. He was the father of the king of Hungary Matei Corvin, was of Catholic religion and Romanian origin, and died of the plague in 1456.

     

    The early Catholic presence in the Romanian extra Carpathian space is due to the kingdoms of Hungary and Poland. There were Catholic bishoprics on the eastern and southern slopes of the Carpathians, namely the one from Siret, in the north, founded in the 13th century, the one from Milcov, at the bend of the Carpathians, also from the 13th century, and the one from Severin, where the Carpathians meet the Danube, from the 14th century. Until the rise of the Ottoman Empire in Southeastern Europe in the late 14th century, Catholics and Orthodox, although often divided by political ideas, were part of the same Christian world. The late Crusades were alliances between Catholic and Orthodox kings and princes, and the anti-Ottoman coalitions of the 17th and 18th centuries co-opted armies from all Christian denominations.

     

    As the Ottoman influence north of the Danube declines starting from the 18th century and Western ideas of modernization penetrate the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (Muntenia), the Catholic presence also increases. The first two kings of Romania from the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty, Carol I and Ferdinand I, under whose rule the modern Romanian state was formed and expanded, were Catholic. In 1883, the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Bucharest was established, during the reign of Pope Leo XIII. And the apostolic letter “Praecipuum munus” of April 27, 1883, by which the Holy See raised the vicariate apostolic of Wallachia (Muntenia) to the rank of archbishopric, meant the recognition of the importance of the Romanian state, which became a kingdom in 1881.

     

    At the end of the First World War, Romania and the Vatican formalize bilateral relations. If the Catholic presence in the Romanian space had been the historical bases on which the relations between the two states had been established, the opening of embassies began in 1920. In 1927, through the Concordat signed by the two parties, the practice of Catholic worship in Romania was guaranteed. The concordat stipulated, among other things, the recognition of the legal personality of the Catholic Church in Romania, the religious leaders had to be Romanian citizens, the Church could open schools, hospitals, orphanages and other social and educational institutions.

     

    At the end of the Second World War, defeated and occupied by the Soviet army, Romania was completely subjugated by the new communist regime. The anti-Western policy of the pro-Soviet regime in Bucharest reached its harshest forms. In the relationship with the Vatican, it meant the denunciation of the concordat of 1927, on July 17, 1948. The unilateral break of diplomatic relations with the Vatican meant the abolition of the Catholic churches in Romania and the persecution of the faithful. While the Catholic foreigners were simply expelled from Romania, the Romanian citizens of Catholic faith were made political prisoners. Mother Clara, by her lay name Ecaterina Laszlo, entered the monastery at the age of 13 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, of which she served 14. In 2003, she recollected in an interview for the Oral History Center of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation how she witnessed, as administrator of the building of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bucharest, its evacuation immediately after the decision of the Romanian authorities to break ties with the Holy See.

     

    Mother Clara: “His Excellency O’Hara, the regent of the nunciature, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was informed that he and his collaborators had to leave the country within 48 hours, but that he had the right to leave the building in the custody of an embassy which he could choose. Since the Swiss embassy was neutral, he chose this country. O’Hara was accused of espionage, that he was a spy for the Pope. And in 48 hours he had to leave. And there was this custom, when an embassy was leaving, to have a farewell dinner with the other ambassadors who were still in the country. And there was a dinner that evening, and at midnight, when it was over, the whole building was sealed, only one door was left in the basement for the sisters, for us who lived there, and there was a smaller house in the courtyard where three monks lived. We went out with lit candles at the main door, that’s where all the diplomats came out and that’s where the key was given to the Swiss embassy.”

     

    Non-existent between 1948 and 1989, Romania’s relations with the Vatican were restored on the last day of 1989, on December 31, nine days after the fall of the communist dictatorship on December 22. And relations have developed, the first visit of a pope to an Orthodox country taking place 25 years ago, in 1999, when Pope John Paul II arrived in Romania. (LS)

  • May 12, 2018 UPDATE

    May 12, 2018 UPDATE


    PROTEST – People have taken to the streets in Bucharest and other cities across Romania to take part in a protest titled “We want Europe, we dont want dictatorship”. They are accusing the ruling coalition, made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats of failing to keep the promises they made during the election campaign, of alienating Romania from the European democratic standards and throwing it into a regime ruled by politicians interests. According to the organizers of the protest, some of the anti-democratic measures taken by the governing coalition include the modifications brought to the criminal codes and the changes to the justice laws, operated without public consultations. Romanians in the Diaspora have announced they are supporting the protesters.



    1848 REVOLUTION – On Saturday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis attended in Blaj, central Romania, events devoted to the commemoration of 170 years since the National Assembly of the 1848 Revolution. He stated that Romania must maintain its European path and remain strong and anchored in the European values and the rule of law. The Romanian Revolution of 1848 was part of the European Revolution and an expression of the Romanian nations affirmation process and national consciousness.



    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has issued a communiqué in which it justifies the decision to reject the EU proposal by means of which the members states were asked to refuse to relocate their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Foreign Ministry explains that it took into consideration the very complicated regional context and conducted a thorough analysis of the text proposed by the European External Action Service. President Klaus Iohannis has announced he will invite the Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu to explain the stand taken by the Romanian representatives at the European External Action Service regarding the relocation of embassies from Tel Aviv. He has also stated that the Romanian Embassy cannot be moved without his approval. On April 20th, the Romanian Presidential Administration had stated that the head of state Klaus Iohannis believed that the relocation of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem would be, at this stage, a violation of relevant international law. A day before, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea had announced that the Government had adopted a memorandum stipulating the start of the procedures to move the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem.



    VISIT – The Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, currently on a visit to Rome, has met with Romanian students of pontifical universities. On the occasion, Ms Dancila has promised the Romanian Government will help equip the library of the Pio Romeno Pontifical College. She stressed the importance of the College for the Romanian students at the Vatican and for strengthening the ties between Romania and the Holy See. On Friday, Viorica Dancila was received by Pope Francis, whom she thanked for his interest in the relations with Romania and voiced hope that the Pope would pay a visit to Romania. The Romanian Prime Ministers visit to the Vatican is taking place at a time of very good bilateral ties, and in the year when Romania is celebrating 100 years since the Great Union, which will be marked by the Holy See through several cultural and academic events.



    DIASPORA – The Ministry for Romanians Abroad will award this year 100 successful Romanians, under a project aimed at highlighting the top 10 Romanian personalities in 10 countries across the world inhabited by large Romanian communities. The Minister for Romanians Abroad Natalia Intotero made the announcement in Deva, western Romania, on Saturday. The first event will take place in Brussels on Wednesday and will promote the Romanian traditional costume, given that this year Romanians celebrate one hundred years since the creation of the Romanian unitary state.



    THEATRE – The “Matei Visniec” Theatre Festival is underway in Suceava, north-eastern Romania. Until May 20th, the festival will be playing host to some 60 performances, for all ages and tastes. 300 guests are expected to attend the festival, actors, directors and theater critics from across the country, from the Republic of Moldova and from France. The special guest of the festival, just like every year, is the Romanian writer and playwright Matei Visniec, who has settled in France. His plays have been staged all across the world, including Japan, the US, Brazil and Turkey. In Romania, his works were banned before the anti-Communist Revolution of 1989.



    ART SAFARI – Works worth some 10 million Euro, from important private collections, from the Pompidu Museum in Paris and from the collection of the former Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu can be seen until May 20th at Art Safari, the largest artistic event in Romania, organized in central Bucharest. The most valuable exhibit is a work by Constantin Brancusi, which is part of a private collection and was evaluated at a seven figure sum as the director of Art Safari Bucharest Ioana Ciocan has told us. The Art Safari Exhibition has reached its fifth edition.



    EUROPEAN LITERATURE NIGHT – The Romanian writer Magda Carneci will attend the European Literature Night organized by the Czech Center in New York, under the aegis of the European Union of National Institutes of Culture. This second edition will present authors and books from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Hungary. Each author will be presented along with a book translated into English, and young American students will read from them. Magda Carneci will participate with the volume “A Deafening Silence”.



    RESOLUTE CASTLE 2018 – The Cincu shooting ground, in central Romania, is hosting the multinational exercise Resolute Castle 2018. Its a six-month exercise that involves the participation of military of the Romanian Land Forces and of the South Carolina National Guard. Romanian and American soldiers will carry out infrastructure and refurbishing works in Cincu. Resolute Castle 2018 focuses on building and consolidating training centers in Poland and Romania. This allows the US military units to rapidly mobilize its forces, to carry out rotating drills together with allies and multi-national partners and to demonstrate their deterrence capacity in a security environment.



    HANDBALL – Romanian womens handball champion CSM Bucharest has failed to qualify for the Champions Leagues final in Budapest. The Romanian squad was defeated 26-20 by the Hungarian Gyori Audi ETO KC, in the first semifinal of the Final Four. CSM won the Final Four in 2016. On Friday, SCM Craiova won the EHF Cup in womens handball, by defeating on home turf on Friday night the Norwegian squad Vipers Kristiansand 30 to 25. This is the first European trophy won by SCM Craiova, and also the first EHF Cup for the Romanian womens handball. The competition had been won by Romanian teams before, but under the previous name, IHF Cup ( Chimistul Ramnicu Valcea in 1984 and 1989 and Rapid Bucharest in 1993). (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)


  • May 12, 2018 UPDATE

    May 12, 2018 UPDATE


    PROTEST – People have taken to the streets in Bucharest and other cities across Romania to take part in a protest titled “We want Europe, we dont want dictatorship”. They are accusing the ruling coalition, made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats of failing to keep the promises they made during the election campaign, of alienating Romania from the European democratic standards and throwing it into a regime ruled by politicians interests. According to the organizers of the protest, some of the anti-democratic measures taken by the governing coalition include the modifications brought to the criminal codes and the changes to the justice laws, operated without public consultations. Romanians in the Diaspora have announced they are supporting the protesters.



    1848 REVOLUTION – On Saturday, Romanias President Klaus Iohannis attended in Blaj, central Romania, events devoted to the commemoration of 170 years since the National Assembly of the 1848 Revolution. He stated that Romania must maintain its European path and remain strong and anchored in the European values and the rule of law. The Romanian Revolution of 1848 was part of the European Revolution and an expression of the Romanian nations affirmation process and national consciousness.



    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Ministry has issued a communiqué in which it justifies the decision to reject the EU proposal by means of which the members states were asked to refuse to relocate their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Foreign Ministry explains that it took into consideration the very complicated regional context and conducted a thorough analysis of the text proposed by the European External Action Service. President Klaus Iohannis has announced he will invite the Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu to explain the stand taken by the Romanian representatives at the European External Action Service regarding the relocation of embassies from Tel Aviv. He has also stated that the Romanian Embassy cannot be moved without his approval. On April 20th, the Romanian Presidential Administration had stated that the head of state Klaus Iohannis believed that the relocation of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem would be, at this stage, a violation of relevant international law. A day before, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea had announced that the Government had adopted a memorandum stipulating the start of the procedures to move the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem.



    VISIT – The Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, currently on a visit to Rome, has met with Romanian students of pontifical universities. On the occasion, Ms Dancila has promised the Romanian Government will help equip the library of the Pio Romeno Pontifical College. She stressed the importance of the College for the Romanian students at the Vatican and for strengthening the ties between Romania and the Holy See. On Friday, Viorica Dancila was received by Pope Francis, whom she thanked for his interest in the relations with Romania and voiced hope that the Pope would pay a visit to Romania. The Romanian Prime Ministers visit to the Vatican is taking place at a time of very good bilateral ties, and in the year when Romania is celebrating 100 years since the Great Union, which will be marked by the Holy See through several cultural and academic events.



    DIASPORA – The Ministry for Romanians Abroad will award this year 100 successful Romanians, under a project aimed at highlighting the top 10 Romanian personalities in 10 countries across the world inhabited by large Romanian communities. The Minister for Romanians Abroad Natalia Intotero made the announcement in Deva, western Romania, on Saturday. The first event will take place in Brussels on Wednesday and will promote the Romanian traditional costume, given that this year Romanians celebrate one hundred years since the creation of the Romanian unitary state.



    THEATRE – The “Matei Visniec” Theatre Festival is underway in Suceava, north-eastern Romania. Until May 20th, the festival will be playing host to some 60 performances, for all ages and tastes. 300 guests are expected to attend the festival, actors, directors and theater critics from across the country, from the Republic of Moldova and from France. The special guest of the festival, just like every year, is the Romanian writer and playwright Matei Visniec, who has settled in France. His plays have been staged all across the world, including Japan, the US, Brazil and Turkey. In Romania, his works were banned before the anti-Communist Revolution of 1989.



    ART SAFARI – Works worth some 10 million Euro, from important private collections, from the Pompidu Museum in Paris and from the collection of the former Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu can be seen until May 20th at Art Safari, the largest artistic event in Romania, organized in central Bucharest. The most valuable exhibit is a work by Constantin Brancusi, which is part of a private collection and was evaluated at a seven figure sum as the director of Art Safari Bucharest Ioana Ciocan has told us. The Art Safari Exhibition has reached its fifth edition.



    EUROPEAN LITERATURE NIGHT – The Romanian writer Magda Carneci will attend the European Literature Night organized by the Czech Center in New York, under the aegis of the European Union of National Institutes of Culture. This second edition will present authors and books from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Hungary. Each author will be presented along with a book translated into English, and young American students will read from them. Magda Carneci will participate with the volume “A Deafening Silence”.



    RESOLUTE CASTLE 2018 – The Cincu shooting ground, in central Romania, is hosting the multinational exercise Resolute Castle 2018. Its a six-month exercise that involves the participation of military of the Romanian Land Forces and of the South Carolina National Guard. Romanian and American soldiers will carry out infrastructure and refurbishing works in Cincu. Resolute Castle 2018 focuses on building and consolidating training centers in Poland and Romania. This allows the US military units to rapidly mobilize its forces, to carry out rotating drills together with allies and multi-national partners and to demonstrate their deterrence capacity in a security environment.



    HANDBALL – Romanian womens handball champion CSM Bucharest has failed to qualify for the Champions Leagues final in Budapest. The Romanian squad was defeated 26-20 by the Hungarian Gyori Audi ETO KC, in the first semifinal of the Final Four. CSM won the Final Four in 2016. On Friday, SCM Craiova won the EHF Cup in womens handball, by defeating on home turf on Friday night the Norwegian squad Vipers Kristiansand 30 to 25. This is the first European trophy won by SCM Craiova, and also the first EHF Cup for the Romanian womens handball. The competition had been won by Romanian teams before, but under the previous name, IHF Cup ( Chimistul Ramnicu Valcea in 1984 and 1989 and Rapid Bucharest in 1993). (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)


  • May 12, 2018

    May 12, 2018


    VISIT – The Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila continues her visit to the Vatican, where on Friday she was received by Pope Francis. The Prime Minister thanked his Sanctity for the attention he had always paid to the relations with Romania and voiced hope that the Pope would pay a visit to Romania. The two officials also talked about human rights and religious freedom. Viorica Dancila stressed the need for a deeper cooperation between Romania and the Vatican, especially against the background of Romanias taking over the presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2019. This will provide the opportunity to send a message to the whole of Europe, given Romanias ecumenical vocation, Viorica Dancila also said. The Romanian Prime Ministers visit to the Vatican is taking place at a time of very good bilateral ties, and in the year when Romania is celebrating 100 years since the Great Union, which will be marked by the Holy See through a string of high-class cultural and academic events.



    1848 REVOLUTION – Romanias President Klaus Iohannis is today travelling to Blaj in central Romania to attend events devoted to the commemoration of 170 years since the National Assembly of the 1848 Revolution. The head of state will lay a wreath at the Gloria monument on Liberty Field and will participate in the debate titled Blaj 1848-2018: National Consciousness and European Destiny, organized by the Inochentie Micu Clain National College. At the meeting, the president will talk with representatives of the local administration and associative environment, with business people, athletes, cultural personalities, students and teachers. Also, the Romanian president will take part in the inauguration of the Culture Palace in Blaj, one of the most important cultural edifices in Transylvania, built in 1936, but destroyed by fire in 1995. The palace has been rehabilitated and has been awarded the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage.



    THEATRE – The “Matei Visniec” Theatre Festival starts today in Suceava, north-eastern Romania. Until May 20th, the event will host some 60 performances, targeting all categories of audience. 300 guests are expected to attend the festival, actors, directors and theater critics from across the country, from the Republic of Moldova and from France. The special guest of the festival, just like every year, is the Romanian writer and playwright Matei Visniec, who has settled in France. His plays have been staged all across the world, including Japan, the US, Brazil and Turkey. In Romania, his works were banned before the anti-Communist Revolution of 1989.



    ART SAFARI – Works worth some 10 million Euro, from important private collections, from the Pompidu Museum in Paris and from the collection of the former Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu can be seen until May 20th at Art Safari, the largest artistic event in Romania, organized in central Bucharest. The most valuable exhibit is a work by Constantin Brancusi, which is part of a private collection and was evaluated at a seven figure sum as the director of Art Safari Bucharest Ioana Ciocan has told us. The Art Safari Exhibition has reached its fifth edition.



    EUROPEAN LITERATURE NIGHT – The Romanian writer Magda Carneci will attend the European Literature Night organized by the Czech Center in New York, under the aegis of the European Union of National Institutes of Culture. This second edition will present authors and books from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Hungary. Each author will be presented along with a book translated into English, and young American students will read from them. Magda Carneci will participate with the volume “A Deafening Silence”.



    RESOLUTE CASTLE 2018 – The Cincu shooting ground, in central Romania, is hosting the multinational exercise Resolute Castle 2018. Its a six-month exercise that involves the participation of military of the Romanian Land Forces and of the South Carolina National Guard. Romanian and American soldiers will carry out infrastructure and refurbishing works in Cincu. Resolute Castle 2018 focuses on building and consolidating training centers in Poland and Romania. This allows the US military units to rapidly mobilize its forces, to carry out rotating drills together with allies and multi-national partners and to demonstrate their deterrence capacity in a security environment.



    HANDBALL – SCM Craiova has won the EHF Cup in womens handball, after they defeated on home turf on Friday night the Norwegian squad Vipers Kristiansand 30 to 25. In the first match, Vipers had won 26-22 and were standing good chance of winning, had they maintained the pace in the return game. Fortunately, the goal keeper Yuliya Dumanska managed to defend two shots just seconds before the end of the game. This is the first European trophy won by SCM Craiova, and also the first EHF Cup for the Romanian womens handball. The competition had been won by Romanian teams before under the previous name, IHF Cup, by Chimistul Ramnicu Valcea in 1984 and 1989 and Rapid Bucharest in 1993. In another development, Romanias champions CSM Bucharest are today playing against the Hungarians from Gyor ETO, in the semifinals of the Champions League hosted by Budapest. If they manage to win, on Sunday the Romanian squad will take on the winner of the match between HC Vardar of Macedonia and Rostov-Don of Russia. CSM Bucharest won the Final Four in 2016. (translated by Mihaela Ignatescu)

  • May 11, 2018 UPDATE

    May 11, 2018 UPDATE

    VISIT – The Romanian PM Viorica Dăncilă is on a visit to the Vatican until Sunday. On Friday the PM was received in audience by Pope Francis. According to a communiqué issued by the Romanian Government, PM Dancila thanked the Pope for the special attention he has always paid to relationships with Romania and expressed hope that the Pope will pay an apostolic visit to our country. So far, the agenda of the talks has included, among others, the protection of human rights and ensuring religious freedom. The PMs visit to the Vatican comes against the backdrop of very good bilateral relations, in a year when Romania celebrates the Centennial of the Great Union, which will be marked at the Holy See through a number of academic and cultural events.



    CORRUPTION – Liviu Dragnea, the head of the Social Democratic Party, in power in Romania, told the Associated Press that in Romania the fight against corruption has gone too far, and that there has been a shift from a time when no politician in power was probed into, to a situation where all politicians are accused, prosecuted and indicted, and their careers are ruined by trials. Dragnea also said that Romania will find a fair, legal way to tackle corruption. AP mentions that Liviu Dragnea could not become a PM after his party won the election because he had been convicted for vote rigging, and that he is currently facing 2 other charges, namely embezzling European funds and official misconduct. The American news agency also mentions that the attempts by the ruling coalition to amend the countrys criminal laws triggered massive protests at home and criticism abroad. In the interview, Liviu Dragnea also said his party supports the EU concept, but that both Romania, and other Eastern European member states are concerned and preoccupied about a “two-speed Europe that leaves poorer nations behind while the wealthier ones benefit.



    LEGISLATION – The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis Friday notified the Constitutional Court of Romania on a change in the law regulating the operation of the Higher Council of Magistracy, the Presidential Administration announced. The President criticised the separation of the Councils powers by departments. Early this month the President decided to send back to the Constitutional Court the 3 justice laws, on the status of judges and prosecutors, on the organisation of courts and on the Higher Council of Magistracy, after they had been rushed through Parliament in the form drafted by the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Democrats and Liberals. Iohannis also announced he would send the bills to the Venice Commission for review.



    MILITARY – The opening ceremony for the multi-national exercise Resolute Castle 2018 took place on Friday at the military firing range in Cincu, central Romania. This is a six-month exercise involving troops of the Romanian Land Forces and the South Carolina National Guard. Until September, the Romanian and American military will conduct infrastructure works and arrange the training platforms at the Cincu range. Resolute Castle 2018 is an exercise focusing on the construction and strengthening of training centres in Poland and Romania. This enables US military units to rapidly deploy troops, to rotate troops with allies and multi-national partners and to prove their deterrence capacity in a complete security environment.



    ART – Works put at some 10 million euros, from important private collections, from the Pompidou Museum in Paris as well as from the collection of the former communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu are on display, as of today until May 20th, in Art Safari, the largest art event in Romania, hosted by a central Bucharest square. The most valuable piece on display is a Brancusi from a private collection and estimated at “a seven-digit number as the director of Art Safari Bucharest, Ioana Ciocan has put it. The Art Safari exhibition has reached its 5th edition this year.



    ECONOMY – The GDP of the European Union amounted to 15,300 billion euros in 2017, according to data made public on Friday by Eurostat. Romanias GDP was nearly 188 billion euros, accounting for 1.2% of the GDP of the bloc, and ranking as the 16th economy in the EU. According to Eurostat, Romanias GDP was slightly higher than Greeces 178 billion euros, but below the GDP of the Czech Republic, 192 billion euros. More than half of the GDP of the EU was generated in 2017 by just 3 countries: Germany, the UK and France. With nearly 3,300 billion euros last year, Germany strengthened its position as the top economy of the Union, accounting for 21% of the Unions GDP. At the opposite pole, 11 EU member states produced less than 1% of the blocs GDP: Malta, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Hungary.



    REP OF MOLDOVA – Over 100 mayors gathered in Chishinau on Friday to attend the third meeting of the Congress of Local Authorities from Romania and the Republic of Moldova (a former Soviet country with a Romanian speaking population). During the meeting, the mayors unanimously endorsed an appeal-declaration calling on the central authorities in Romania and the Republic of Moldova to go ahead with the local decentralization process, to organize every year a joint session of the Romanian and Moldovan Governments, and to harmonies the legislation of the two countries. In 2017, some 100 towns and communes in the Republic of Moldova signed twinning agreements with similar localities in Romania. An overall number of over 500 localities from the two countries have joined the twinning program. (Translated by D. Vijeu and AM Popescu)

  • November 15, 2017 UPDATE

    November 15, 2017 UPDATE

    UPDATE: The US
    Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, is currently in Romania. He made a stopover
    in Bucharest, upon returning from a trip to Asia, the AGERPRES news agency
    reports.

    The US Embassy in Bucharest has confirmed the presence of the US
    high ranking official in Romania, underlining however that Rex Tillerson does
    not have an official agenda in Romania.


    According
    to diplomatic sources, the US Secretary of State was welcomed
    at the airport by the Romanian foreign
    minister, Teodor Meleșcanu.


    The
    American official will spend the night in Bucharest, after having flown back from Myanmar,
    where he met with Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi and with the commander of the army, general
    Min Aung Hlaing, against the backdrop of the humanitarian crisis facing the Rohingya minority.



    CVM – The European Commission on Wednesday released its latest report on Romania’s progress as regards its reforms of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, two aspects monitored under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, set up in 2007, the year of Romania’s EU accession. According to this report, Romania has reported some progress in such fields as investigating conflicts of interest in the field of public procurement, although reform momentum in the course of 2017 was lost overall, slowing down the fulfilment of the remaining recommendations the Commission set out for Romania to address the unresolved identified shortcomings. Thus Romania runs the risk of re-opening issues which the January 2017 report had considered as fulfilled. Challenges to and questioning judicial independence have also been a persistent source of concern, the report also reads. I count on the Romanian Government to pursue the necessary reforms, and to avoid backtracking, so that we can work together towards the goal of ending the CVM under this Commission’s mandate, European Vice-President Frans Timmermans said. President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday said the report represents a serious warning for the current ruling coalition to consider, adding that Romania’s sustained efforts to strengthen reforms in the field of the judiciary and combat corruption might be endangered by the actions of a group of politicians who refuse to accept that their duty is to serve citizens, not personal or partisan interests. In turn, Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader believes the report highlights significant progress, and that the country can fulfil its objective to have the CVM lifted over the coming year. The Commission’s next report will be at the end of 2018.



    COMMEMORATION – The city of Brasov in central Romania on Wednesday marked 30 years since the workers’ anti-communist uprising. On November 15, 1987, the employees of a factory protested against the leadership, chanting slogans against dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The state police repressed the uprising violently. Hundreds were arrested over the coming days, many of whom never returned to the city. The Prosecutor’s Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice announced the start of a new investigation into the violence that stifled the workers’ anti-communist uprising. Classified as part of the communist-era crimes ongoing investigation, the prosecutors’ efforts will focus on crimes against humanity, perpetrated by those who systematically repressed the groups of protesters.



    BUDGET ADJUSTMENT – The Romanian Government on Wednesday made a second budget adjustment this year, observing the budget deficit target of 2.9% of the GDP. According to the Finance Ministry, the adjustment will be positive and based on an economic growth that exceeded the original forecast. Additional funds will be made available to cover salaries in the primary education sector and for the child protection system. The Labour Ministry will also get additional funds for payments to disabled people and for covering child-rearing benefits. The Interior Ministry will get funds to pay the law-enforcement pensions, while the Health Ministry will be able to pay the salaries of resident medical officers. The Ministries for the Business Environment, Trade and Entrepreneurship, of Finances, Culture, the Environment, for Regional Development and European Funds, respectively, will see their budgets slashed. In another development, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose attended a meeting with the leaders of one of the biggest trade confederations in Romania, CNSLR Frăţia, which has warned it would stage an all-out strike if net salaries will go down as a result of the newly adopted Fiscal Code. Prime Minister Tudose has repeatedly said the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees, stipulated in the Government’s emergency decree, will not lead to income cuts.



    THE VATICAN – Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu on Tuesday had talks with Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States with the Holy See’s Secretariat of State. In 2017 Romania and the Vatican mark 90 years since the two states signed the Concordat and 80 years since the set-up of the PIO Romeno College. The two officials looked at the best ways to diversify bilateral relations and boost top-level dialogue. The two officials also discussed the forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to Romania. Teodor Melescanu expressed Romania’s deep gratitude towards the Catholic Church for hosting several communities of Orthodox or Catholic Romanians in Western Europe, as well as for the Holy See’s special support for opening a Lecturers’ Office for Romanian Literature, Culture and Civilization with the Pontifical Oriental Institute. We recall that Pope John Paul II paid a historic visit to Romania in 1999, the first a Pontiff ever made to a country with an Orthodox majority population.



    FOOTBALL – Romanian’s national football team on Tuesday lost nil-3 the home friendly match against the Netherlands. In last week’s friendly match, Romania won 2-nil against Turkey. We recall that Cosmin Contra is Romania’s new coach, taking over from German Cristoph Daum, who was sacked in September. With Daum at its helm Romania failed to qualify to the 2018 World Cup, to be hosted by Russia. Also on Tuesday, Romania’s under-21 team drew nil-all against Wales away from home, in a matching counting towards the 2019 Under-21 European Championship preliminaries. With three wins and three draws, Romania ranks first in the group, which also includes Bosnia Herzegovina, Switzerland, Wales, Portugal and Lichtenstein.


  • November 15, 2017

    November 15, 2017

    CVM — The European Commission today released its latest report on Romania’s progress as regards its reforms of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, two aspects monitored under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, set up in 2007, the year of Romania’s EU accession. According to this report, Romania has reported some progress in such fields as investigating conflicts of interest in the field of public procurement, although reform momentum in the course of 2017 was lost overall, slowing down the fulfillment of the remaining recommendations the Commission set out for Romania to address the unresolved identified shortcomings. Thus Romania runs the risk of re-opening issues which the January 2017 report had considered as fulfilled. Challenges to and questioning judicial independence have also been a persistent source of concern, the report also reads. I count on the Romanian Government to pursue the necessary reforms, and to avoid backtracking, so that we can work together towards the goal of ending the CVM under this Commissions mandate, European Vice-President Frans Timmermans said. President Klaus Iohannis today said the report represents a serious warning for the current ruling coalition to consider, adding that Romania’s sustained efforts to strengthen reforms in the field of the judiciary and combat corruption might be endangered by the actions of a group of politicians who refuse to accept that their duty is to serve citizens, not personal or partisan interests. In turn, Romania’s Justice Minister Tudorel Toader believes the report highlights significant progress, and that the country can fulfill its objective to have the CVM lifted over the coming year. The Commission’s next report will be at the end of 2018.



    COMMEMORATION — The city of Brasov in central Romania today marks 30 years since the workers’ anti-communist uprising. The employees of a factory at the time protested against the leadership, chanting slogans against dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The state police repressed the uprising violently. Hundreds were arrested over the coming days, many of whom never returned to the city. The Prosecutor’s Office with the High Court of Cassation and Justice announced the start of a new investigation into the violence that stifled the workers’ anti-communist uprising. Classified as part of the “communist-era crimes” ongoing investigation, the prosecutors’ efforts will focus on crimes against humanity, perpetrated by those who systematically repressed the groups of protesters.



    BUDGET ADJUSTMENT — The Government is today discussing the second budget adjustment this year. According to the Finance Ministry, the adjustment will be positive and based on an economic growth that exceeded the original forecast. Additional funds will be made available to cover salaries in the primary education sector and for the child protection system. The Labour Ministry will also get additional funds for payments to disabled people and for covering child-rearing benefits. The Interior Ministry will get funds to pay the law-enforcement pensions, while the Health Ministry will be able to pay the salaries of resident medical officers. The Ministries of Culture, the Environment, Regional Development, European Funds and the Finance Ministry will see their budgets slashed. In another development, Prime Minister Mihai Tudose is attending a meeting with the leaders of one of the biggest trade confederations in Romania, CNSLR Frăţia, which has warned it would stage an all-out strike if net salaries will go down as a result of the newly adopted Fiscal Code. Prime Minister Tudose has repeatedly said the transfer of social security contributions from employers to employees, stipulated in the Government’s emergency decree, will not lead to income cuts.



    THE VATICAN — Romania’s Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu on Tuesday had talks with Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States with the Holy Sees Secretariat of State. In 2017 Romania and the Vatican mark 90 years since the two states signed the Concordat and 80 years since the setup of the PIO Romeno College. The two officials looked at the best ways to diversify bilateral relations and boost top-level dialogue. The two officials also discussed the forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to Romania. Teodor Melescanu expressed Romania’s deep gratitude towards the Catholic Church for hosting several communities of Orthodox or Catholic Romanians in Western Europe, as well as for the Holy See’s special support for opening a Lecturers’ Office for Romanian Literature, Culture and Civilization with the Pontifical Oriental Institute. We recall that Pope John Paul II paid a historic visit to Romania in 1999, the first a Pontiff ever made to a country with an Orthodox majority population.



    FOOTBALL — Romanian’s national football team on Tuesday lost nil-3 the home friendly match against the Netherlands. In last week’s friendly match, Romania won 2-nil against Turkey. We recall that Cosmin Contra is Romania’s new coach, taking over from German Cristoph Daum, who was sacked in September. With Daum at its helm Romania failed to qualify to the 2018 World Cup, to be hosted by Russia. Also on Tuesday, Romania’s under-21 team drew nil-all against Wales away from home, in a matching counting towards the 2019 Under-21 European Championship preliminaries. With three wins and three draws, Romania ranks first in the group, which also includes Bosnia Herzegovina, Switzerland, Wales, Portugal and Lichtenstein. (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • May 28, 2017

    May 28, 2017

    DAY The Day of the Romanians the world over is celebrated today as every year on the last Sunday in May through a series of cultural events taking place both in Romania and abroad. The government has completed a fresh law package to come to the support of the Romanians living outside Romanias borders. The law currently in force is ten years old and it needed a series of amendments, field minister Andreea Pastarnac told Radio Romania. According to statistics, over 2 million Romanians are working legally outside the country, most of them in countries members of the EU. The largest Romanian communities are in Italy and Spain. The two countries will today be seeing a series of cultural events to mark this special day. Bucharest is today hosting a seminar entitled ‘The Romanian Language Closer to Home. In an address on this occasion, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said that he wished these Romanians may support each other and participate in decisions that might affect their life.



    MARATHON Romanian-born athlete Raphael Igrisianu, who has been living in Germany for the past 20 years and who holds the world record of running with a basketball, on Saturday won the International Marathon in Sibiu, central Romania. He covered the distance in two hours and 52 minutes in support for a cultural project aimed at educating children through music. Igrisianu has so far run in 60 international marathons being one of the best-known Romanian marathoners. 32 hundred people from Romania and abroad ran in the Sibiu marathon race.



    G7 US president Donald Trump might withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, sources quoted by Reuters have announced. Trump has announced on a social network that he will make a decision in this respect next week after G7 leaders have failed to convince him on the importance of this agreement. The summit of the worlds richest countries ended in Sicily on Saturday without an agreement on the fight against the global warming. The G7 leaders have signed a common stance against protectionism and bad trade practices as well as a common accord on fighting terrorism.



    VISIT During the visit he paid to the Vatican, Romanian state secretary Victor Micula has had a meeting with the secretary general of SantEgidio community, Alberto Quattrucci, and other members from the community leadership. According to Foreign Ministry communiqué, the Romanian official has on this occasion voiced appreciation for the activity of more than 20 years of the SantEgidio community in Romania and for the special attention paid to developing relations with Bucharest and its readiness to cooperate in various ecumenical and international humanitarian programmes. Talks focused on the activity the SantEgidio community – a lay movement of Catholic inspiration set up in 1968 in Rome and now present in over 70 countries – is carrying out at international level in the humanitarian, social, educational and sanitary fields, in fighting poverty and helping the needy and migrants.




  • July 26, 2016 UPDATE

    July 26, 2016 UPDATE

    DEFENCE Romania’s Higher Defence Council (CSAT) convened in Bucharest on Tuesday to assess the consequences for Romania of the decisions made at the recent NATO summit in Poland, over July 8th and 9th. Measures and actions for the implementation of these decisions were also tackled. At the end of the CSAT session, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis announced that a multinational brigade, whose formation was decided in the summit, would be set up in March-April 2017. At least six allies voiced readiness to participate in this brigade, including Poland and Bulgaria. President Iohannis said the participants had been briefed on the country’s security situation from the viewpoint of terror threats against the background of multiplying attacks in Europe. According to Iohannis, there are no reasons for raising the terror alert in Romania now. Also high on the CSAT agenda were the situations In Turkey and the Middle East. Giving the green light to a draft law on integrating Romania’s railway system into the Single European Railway Area was also high on the CSAT agenda.



    DRILL Over July 27th and August 7th 27 hundred soldiers from 10 countries are participating in a large-scale exercise in Cincu, central Romania. Five NATO members are to join the drill: Romania, the USA, Canada, Poland and Bulgaria. They will join five members of the Partnership for Peace: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the ex-soviet Romanian-speaking Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The opening ceremony will be attended by Romanian Defence Minister Mihnea Motoc.



    ZIKA The first case in Europe of a baby born with Zika-related microcephaly has been confirmed in Barcelona, Spain. The child’s mother got infected in Latin America but wanted to keep the baby. Roughly 200 people have been infected with the Zika virus in Spain. First identified in Uganda back in 1947, the virus causes a viral infectious disease in humans called the Zika fever. No vaccin against the virus has been discovered yet and according to the World Health Organisation, the Zika outbreak meets the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.



    ATTACK French president Francoise Hollande announced the Tuesday’s attack against a church in the north of the country had been carried out by two IS terrorists. After describing the attack as a ‘cowardly assassination’, president Hollande has given assurances that France will continue to fight daesh terrorism. A priest was killed in the attack and the assailants were neutralized by the police. The attack, also condemned by the Vatican, came within two weeks since the attack in Nice, which left 84 people dead.