Radio România Internațional

Tag: Ukraine

  • The “Pavel Obreja and Hanna Kozeletska’s Exhibition”

    The “Pavel Obreja and Hanna Kozeletska’s Exhibition”

    The two protagonists of this joint exhibition are sculptor Pavel Obreja, of the Republic of Moldova and Ukrainian, Hanna Kozeletska. A presentation of the aforementioned exhibition in Bucharest has been made by art critic Marius Tița.

    Marius Tita:” Pavel Obreja is modeling portraits, he is modeling faces. He has brought Brancusi to Bucharest, one of the best portraits I have ever seen. Next was the statue of Eminescu. A small bronze statue forged with his own hands by a young man who has just celebrated his 33rd anniversary.”

    Here is sculptor Pavel Obreja with more on this exhibition entitled April

    Pavel Obreja: ”I’ve come here from the south of the Republic of Moldova. I came to Bucharest with an exhibition entitled “April”. It’s a joint exhibition of mine and my wife’s, Hanna. Why April and why Bucharest? Because I met Hanna in Bucharest in April. And we came here with 22 pieces of sculpture and Hanna brought 42 paintings.”

    But what attracts Pavel Obreja to this sculpture technique?

    Pavel Obreja: ”Mostly I like to show through sculpture how the shadow plays within the volume. This is what I like the most in a sculpture. When we watch a painting for instance, we are only seeing it from an angle. A sculpture makes us move around and see how the shadows play.”

    Sculptor Pavel Obreja is making a description of his artistic education:

    Pavel Obreja: ”I started to do modeling as early as the college, I graduated from the Chisinau-based „Alexandru Plămădeală” college. After that I got a degree from the Academy of Music and Fine Arts also in Chișinău, then the PhD in sculpture. I am very much into modeling portraits, you know, because in this way I can see, how the biggest sculptor, who is Mother-Nature is working on a man’s face. The changes that I see on a man’s face over the years are made by Mother-Nature and I try to transpose what nature has created.”

    Pavel Obreja has also talked to us about the technique he employs while creating bronze sculptures:

    Pavel Obreja: ”The technique is very complicated and time-consuming. But I very much like the fact that I am doing everything from scratch by myself, from the beginning to the end of the sculpture. And I put all my knowledge into the process, of course.”

    The sculptor has also shared his opinion about the Ukrainian painter Hanna Kozeletska, his wife.

    Pavel Obreja:” First Hanna Kozeletska is my wife and also my favourite painter. I hope her art is also appreciated by others as she works in a very special manner. And in her works one can easily notice the school of Kharkiv and Kyiv, as she does both easel and monumental painting. And by combining these two styles, some special effects are obtained.”   

    In the end of our discussion, Pavel Obreja has also confessed about the latest work in the exhibition in Bucharest, the central piece we could say: a portrait of the Romanian painter of international repute, Constantin Brâncuși, a portrait entirely worked in bronze. 

    Pavel Obreja:” This portrait has an interesting history, in my opinion. I kicked off this project in Kyiv, while doing my PhD studies, the second PhD. At that time I was seeing what I could call a creation crisis. I started modeling this portrait as I wanted to have one with Brancusi as he was a great sculptor himself, you know. Then I got a couple of orders, so that activity created more activities to say. Then I had to take a break, as I had to deal with some school issues, then war broke out in Ukraine so we had to go. That Brancusi in its first stage, a clay work, remained for a while at the workshop in Kyiv. Then I came back and took it to the Republic of Moldova, where I completed it with fresh powers, so to say. Everything went smoothly with this project and eventually I completed it easily as I saw in it some sort of a sculpture god. I didn’t want to create it like a god or something, but everything with this project went smoothly in that direction, you know… ”

    (bill)

  • April 25, 2024 UPDATE

    April 25, 2024 UPDATE

    GOVERNMENT The Romanian government convened in a special session on Thursday in Timisoara, western Romania, where it endorsed, among other things, a series of infrastructure projects with regional impact. One of these projects is the construction of a stadium with a capacity of 30 thousand seats, an investment estimated at 167 million Euros, the locals have been expecting for years. The cabinet has also endorsed the opening of the international border checkpoint in Beba Veche for the international traffic of people and goods. A decision has also been approved so that pensioners may get their pensions before the Orthodox Easter.

     

    EU Thursday was the last day of work for the present European Legislature. In a speech before Parliament in Strasbourg, its president, Roberta Metsola has voiced satisfaction for the laws, which were endorsed during the five year mandate, of the debates hosted by the aforementioned institution and for the way in which the present members of the Legislature dealt with all the challenges, such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. She wished all those running for a fresh term in office, strength, patience, and success and to do everything they can so that Europe may come closer to the citizens. Europeans will vote for their Parliament in early June. Romania will hold elections for the European Parliament on 9 June.

     

    TAROM Romania’s main air carrier TAROM will receive aid from the European Commission until the end of the month and then enter a stage of economic reorganization, the Romanian Transport Minister, Sorin Grindeanu has said. He reiterated the desire of the Bucharest administration to save the company, which has been facing financial difficulties for 15 years. Grindeanu said that with this European aid, TAROM will enter a period of reorganization aimed at placing the company on “solid economic principles”. He said that an operator the size of TAROM usually has between 500 and 600 employees, of which over 90% are seafarers, while TAROM has double the number of employees, which is not sustainable. In this respect, Grindeanu stated that although the objective is to attract investors, the possibility of making 50% of the employees redundant is not excluded.

     

    TALKS Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, in addition to challenges to security in the area, also led to the disruption of global markets and supply chains, said Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at the meeting he had on Thursday in Bucharest with Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. The Head of Government presented Romania’s steps to develop connectivity to the Black Sea, as part of the EU’s strategy to invest in infrastructure projects worldwide. From this perspective, the Romanian sea and Danube ports play an important role in rendering the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor effective, added the Romanian Prime Minister. The European Commissioner is in Bucharest to discuss Romania’s role in promoting sustainable development worldwide against the background of the current difficult geopolitical context.

     

    DECLARATION Leaders of 18 countries, including Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Thursday signed a joint declaration calling for the release of the hostages in the Gaza Strip. ”We are asking for the immediate release of all the hostages Hamas has held for 200 days. Some of our citizens are among these hostages. The fate of the hostages and the civil population of Gaza, which are protected by international law, is an international concern”, says the document. Most of the signatories are European states, other countries are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, the United States and Thailand.

     

    (bill)

     

  • April 21, 2024 UPDATE

    April 21, 2024 UPDATE

     

    VISIT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis will be on an official visit to South Korea on April 22 through 24th, at the invitation of his counterpart, Yoon Suk Yeol. South Korea is the first Asia-Pacific country with which Romania upgraded its diplomatic relations to a Strategic Partnership level, in 2008. During the Romanian president’s visit to Seoul, this Partnership will be consolidated under a document setting the cooperation directions for the next 10 years. Agreements will be signed in fields such as defence, nuclear energy, investments and foreign trade, emergency cooperation and disaster management, culture, mass-media, youth and sports.

     

    ROBOTICS The AICitizens robotics team of the ‘Alexandru Ioan Cuza’ College in Focşani (eastern Romania) is the winner of the ‘First Tech Challenge’ World Championship held in Houston, USA between April 17th and 20th. The Romanian team reached the finals in an alliance with two other teams, The Clueless, from San Diego, California and Texpand, from Cape Town, South Africa, with AICitizens as the captain team. Taking part in the ‘First Tech Challenge’ world robotics championships were over 200 of the world’s top robotics teams.

     

    AID After months of postponements, the US House of Representatives Saturday night endorsed a USD 61 bln aid package for Ukraine. This is part of a bigger, USD 95 bln amount that also comprises security aid for Israel and Taiwan. The bill needs to be passed by the Senate as well, but the Democratic majority in the Senate is in favour of the aid. President Joe Biden has already called on the Senate to rush the vote. The aid comes at an extremely difficult time for Kyiv, which desperately needs weapons and ammunitions to withstand Russia’s growing offensive. The vote was welcomed by Western countries and Ukrainian leaders, but Moscow said the aid would only result in more Ukrainians getting killed because of the regime in Kyiv.

     

    EMPLOYMENT In Romania, the employment rate in the 15 to 64 age bracket was 63% last year, the National Statistics Institute announced. According to recently released data, the employment rate was higher among men (some 72%) than women (54%). The highest employment rate was reported last year among higher education graduates (nearly 90%), as opposed to 37% among people with little formal education. According to statistics, employees still account for 86% of the employed population, whereas self-employed and unpaid family workers only made up 13% of the total employed population. Also, around 83% of job holders were employed in the private sector.

     

    BREXIT The British PM Rishi Sunak rejected a European Commission proposal concerning a post-Brexit agreement enabling British youth to live, study and work in the EU and European youth in UK for up to 4 years, France Presse reports. The scheme was intended for young people aged 18 to 30, who would have benefited from visa exemptions and fair tuition fees. London said however it was unwilling to reopen talks concerning the freedom of movement and the strict regulation of the terms of stay in UK.

     

    MIDDLE EAST Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei Sunday thanked the country’s armed forces for the operation against Israel, urging them to “ceaselessly pursue military innovation and learn the enemy’s tactics”, Reuters reports, quoting the Iranian official news agency. Tehran attacked Israel for the first time on April 13, sending over 300 missiles and drones in retaliation for Israel’s suspected strike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. Subsequently, blasts were reported over the Iranian town of Isfahan on Friday morning, in what sources say was an Israeli attack. Tehran played down the incident and said it did not plan to retaliate, which may prevent the current war in Gaza to spill over throughout the region. (AMP)

  • April 21, 2024

    April 21, 2024

     

    PRESIDENT The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis will be on an official visit to South Korea on April 22 through 24th, at the invitation of his counterpart, Yoon Suk Yeol. South Korea is the first Asia-Pacific country with which Romania upgraded its diplomatic relations to a Strategic Partnership level, in 2008. During the Romanian president’s visit to Seoul, this Partnership will be consolidated under a document setting the cooperation directions for the next 10 years. Agreements will be signed in fields such as defence, nuclear energy, investments and foreign trade, emergency cooperation and disaster management, culture, mass-media, youth and sports.

     

    AID After months of postponements, the US House of Representatives Saturday night endorsed a USD 61 bln aid package for Ukraine. This is part of a bigger, USD 95 bln amount that also comprises security aid for Israel and Taiwan. The bill needs to be passed by the Senate as well, but the Democratic majority in the Senate is in favour of the aid. President Joe Biden has already called on the Senate to rush the vote. The aid comes at an extremely difficult time for Kyiv, which desperately needs weapons and ammunitions to withstand Russia’s growing offensive. The vote was welcomed by Western countries and Ukrainian leaders, but Moscow said the aid would only result in more Ukrainians getting killed because of the regime in Kyiv.

     

    EMPLOYMENT In Romania, the employment rate in the 15 to 64 age bracket was 63% last year, the National Statistics Institute announced. According to recently released data, the employment rate was higher among men (some 72%) than women (54%). The highest employment rate was reported last year among higher education graduates (nearly 90%), as opposed to 37% among people with little formal education. According to statistics, employees still account for 86% of the employed population, whereas self-employed and unpaid family workers only made up 13% of the total employed population. Also, around 83% of job holders were employed in the private sector.

     

    BREXIT The British PM Rishi Sunak rejected a European Commission proposal concerning a post-Brexit agreement enabling British youth to live, study and work in the EU and European youth in UK for up to 4 years, France Presse reports. The scheme was intended for young people aged 18 to 30, who would have benefited from visa exemptions and fair tuition fees. London said however it was unwilling to reopen talks concerning the freedom of movement and the strict regulation of the terms of stay in UK.

     

    CHINA The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is to travel to Beijing and Shanghai next week, in a move to appease tensions and to stabilize the relationship between the US and China. The talks scheduled to take place Wednesday through Friday would focus on “strengthening lines of communication to reduce the risk of miscalculation and conflict,” a senior State Department official said. Blinken “will raise clearly and candidly our concerns on issues ranging from human rights, unfair economic and trade practices, to the global economic consequences of PRC industrial over-capacity.  The Secretary will also reiterate our deep concerns regarding the PRC’s support for Russia’s defense industrial base,” the official said. According to the US State Department, there are indications that the relations between the US and China have improved. Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in California in November, resuming communication after a one-year break. The meeting was followed by high-level government talks. The Secretary of the Treasury, Jenet Yellen, also traveled to China this month, for talks with Chinese government officials and US company executives. (AMP)

  • April 20, 2024 UPDATE

    April 20, 2024 UPDATE

    PLANES Three F-16 jet fighters Romania bought from Norway landed at the Air Base 71 in Campia Turzii, central Romania on Friday. This has been the second batch of these multi-role fighters Romania bought from Norway; the first batch arrived in November, last year. According to the National Defence Ministry, the 32 F-16s Romania is going to receive by the end of next year are meant to consolidate the country’s air defence adjusted to the regional security challenges. They are going to play a major role in keeping an allied posture of defence and deterrence on the eastern flank and will ensure transition towards the fifth generation, the F-35 planes Romania is going to get, as minister Angel Tilvar says. The Romanian air forces now boast 20 F-16 jet fighters.

     

    RATING In the past year agencies have reconfirmed Romania’s sovereign rating and stable prospect, but there is room for improvement, such as the lower-cost access to funding on international capital markets and for attracting foreign investment – the country’s Finance Minister Marcel Bolos says in a Facebook post. During a working visit he paid to Washington, the Romanian official held talks with representatives of famous rating agencies, such as Standard&Poor’s and Moody’s on Romania’s economic particularities and the strategies aimed at ensuring macro-economic stability. Bolos also attended the spring proceedings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. According to Bolos, in order to raise economic competitiveness and create an appropriate environment for durable investment, Bucharest is focusing on fiscal consolidation, on raising investment in infrastructure and education, on boosting private investment and the promotion of an effective and transparent economic governance.

     

    HOLIDAY The Romanian Black Sea resorts are stepping up preparations for the upcoming mini-holiday on May 1st and the Orthodox Easter, to be celebrated on May 5th and which actually opens the summer holiday season in Romania. Owners of hotels, restaurants and guest houses in the region are expecting a large number of tourists as many rooms have already been booked. According to Corina Martin, secretary general of the Federation of Employers’ Associations, over 80 thousand people are expected to spend the mini-holiday in the aforementioned seaside resorts. The largest number of tourists is expected in the resort of Mamaia. Between May 1st and 7th the resort will be hosting the International Electronic Music Festival, Sunwaves, which is expected to bring together roughly 6 thousand tourists from abroad, a gastronomic festival and outdoor concerts given by Romania’s top artists.

     

    VISIT Over April 22 and 24, the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis will be paying a formal visit to the Republic of Korea, upon the invitation of his counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol. The Republic of Korea is the first country in the Asia-Pacific area with which Romania raised its relations at the level of strategic partnership in 2008. On the occasion of Iohannis’ upcoming visit to Seoul, this partnership will be consolidated through a document, which sets the cooperation directions for the next 10 years. Relevant documents are expected to be signed in the field of defence, nuclear energy, investment and foreign trade, cooperation in emergency situations and disaster management, cooperation in the field of culture, mass-media, youth and sports. In the Republic of Korea, the Romanian president will be meeting representatives of the Romanian community and business environment and will be visiting an exhibition of Romanian traditional art.

     

    SPORTS According to the Facebook page of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Romanian athlete Bianca Ghelber managed to clear the Olympic qualification threshold in the hammer throw event in Nairobi, Kenya. Ghelber’s third throw measured 74.06 m, 6 centimeters over the threshold imposed by the World Athletics. She ended the contest on the second position after Janee Kassanavoid of the USA, which threw 75.99 meters. For Bianca Ghelber, that would be the fourth participation in the Olympic Games, after Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020. Team Romania now boasts 79 qualified athletes in ten sporting contests, athletics, swimming, boxing, kayak-canoe, rowing, gymnastics, water polo, table tennis, wrestling. Weightlifters Mihaela Cambei and Loredana Toma have also qualified, but are still to be officially recognized.

     

    ROAD A 2.2 kilometer section of modernized motorway was opened in Galati, a Romanian port on the Danube, on Saturday. The new section will ease the access to Europe of transporters from Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. The section is part of a complex 140 million euro project, which also includes a goods terminal in the port of Galati, the only Romanian one along the Rhine-Danube corridor benefitting from a double-gauge rail infrastructure. The other investment stages are scheduled to unfold by the end of next year.

    (bill)

     

  • April 17, 2024

    April 17, 2024

    MEETING Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis is participating today and tomorrow in the special proceedings of the European Council in Brussels. According to the presidential administration in Bucharest, high on the meeting agenda there are topics such as prospects for a new European pact for competitiveness and the EU’s relation with Turkey. European leaders are also expected to tackle the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the EU’s future strategic agenda. The Romanian president will also attend the reception offered by the Belgian king Philippe in honour of the EU heads of state and government.

     

    VISIT The Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and six of his cabinet ministers are today continuing their visit in Qatar, a major trade partner of Romania’s in the Gulf region. On Wednesday in Doha, the Romanian Prime Minister was received by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Sheik Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. High on the Romanian Prime Minister’s agenda are talks with the local officials on major investment projects in Romania as well as the consolidation of cooperation in key fields such as new technologies or energy. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent, several bilateral documents are expected to be signed during the visit. From Qatar, the Romanian delegation will travel to the United Arab Emirates.

     

    TALKS The United States is working with Romania regarding the security risks that appeared in the context of the war in Ukraine, said James O’Brien, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The US official held talks in Bucharest with the Romanian Minister of Defence, Angel Tilvar, during which he appreciated the cooperation between Romania and Ukraine, which it described as ‘essential for the Ukrainian people’. According to him, the cooperation between Washington and Bucharest is focusing on the cyber and hybrid threats and also air, maritime and land surveillance in an attempt to detect and stop the Russian drones that may enter Romania’s territory. In turns, Angel Tilvar has highlighted the need of consolidating NATO’s presence on the entire Eastern Flank. James O’Brien is presently on a European tour, which will also take him to Bulgaria, Switzerland and Slovenia.

     

    RATE March was the third month in a row in which Romania had the highest inflation rate in the European Union, 6.7%. According to Eurostat, this rate dropped to 2.6% in the bloc. The member countries with the lowest inflation rates were Lithuania, 0.4%, Finland 0.6% and Denmark, 0.8%. In another development, the IMF has revised down from 3.8% to 2.8% its forecast on Romania’s economic growth this year. As for inflation, the IMF has forecast an average inflation rate of 6% and 4% next year. At the same time, the aforementioned financial institution is expecting to keep Romania’s current account deficit at 7.1% of the GDP in 2024, similar to last year.

     

    WEATHER The weather is generally unstable in Romania and temperatures have dropped almost in the entire territory. Rain showers have been reported in almost all regions. The wind will be stronger in the country’s south and east. Storms and hails are expected on isolated areas. The highs of the day will be between 9 and 26 degrees Celsius.

    (bill)

  • April 13, 2024 UPDATE

    April 13, 2024 UPDATE

    Salary – In Romania, the average net salary rose to 4,876 lei (about 980 Euros) in February, up 17 lei compared to the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The lowest values ​​are still in the field of clothing manufacturing, and the highest in information technology. As to the evolution of consumer prices, the average wage was actually slightly lower than in January, but, compared to February 2023, it increased by 14%. The minimum wage in Romania will increase, from July 1, from 3,300 lei to 3,700 lei (740 Euros).

     

    Aid – The European Commission sent the member states the proposal to extend the measures regarding state aid, in the context of the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Until June 30, the EU countries can grant a series of facilities to limit the negative effects of the conflict in such domains as agriculture and energy. The Commission made this decision following the difficulties faced by European farmers in particular and as a result of their consultation through the online survey completed on March 27. According to the survey, the markets of the member states are still unbalanced by the effects of the war, and also by the measures taken by the EU to support the Ukrainian export of agricultural products. According to the commission’s proposal, member states can grant state aid of up to 280,000 Euros to agricultural companies, up to 335,000 Euros to those in the field of fishing and aquaculture and up to 2.25 million Euros to those in the rest of the affected sectors. A second type of aid is aimed at compensating energy costs, and primarily targets the large industrial consumers.

     

    Tennis – The Argentinean tennis player Francisco Cerundolo, world number 22, will be the top seed of the Ţiriac Open (ATP 250) tournament, which will take place at the Năstase / Marica Sports Base in Bucharest, between April 15-21. Cerundolo will enter directly into the round of 16, when he will face the winner of the match between the French Richard Gasquet and the Argentinean Federico Coria, according to Saturday’s drawing of lots. The main singles draw will feature, among others, the Swiss “veteran” Stan Wawrinka, whose opponent in the first round will be the Portuguese Nuno Borges, and the Canadian Denis Shapovalov who will face the French Corentin Moutet. The Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, the second seed, and the American Sebastian Korda, seed no. 3, will enter directly into the round of 16. The winner of the Bucharest tournament will get 250 ATP points. The total prizes offered are worth 580,000 Euros.

     

    Congress – Representatives from almost 70 countries are debating within the World Congress of Ukrainians, which is taking place at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, ways to encourage the strengthening of Ukrainian culture, identity, traditions and language in communities around the world. Nicolae Miroslav Petreţchi, a deputy from the Ukrainian minority in the Romanian Parliament, said that the choice of the venue is not accidental. He says that Romania is a reliable partner for Ukraine, the bilateral relations being very close and at a strategic level. The Ukrainian diaspora is one of the largest in the world, with over 26 million members, plus about 6 million refugees following the Russian invasion of 2022.

     

    Kyiv – The situation on the Eastern Front has deteriorated considerably in the last few days, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff, Oleksandr Sîrski, said on Saturday. He said that this was mainly due to a significant intensification of the Russian offensive after the presidential election in Moscow. Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months for more ammunition and anti-aircraft defense systems. However, the aid is running out due to political blockages in Washington, which forces the Ukrainian military to save ammunition, the press agencies write. On Saturday, Germany announced that it would supply Kyiv with an additional Patriot air defense system to defend against increased attacks. “Russian terror against Ukrainian cities and the country’s infrastructure is causing immeasurable suffering,” said the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

     

    Canberra – Six people were killed in a mass stabbing in a Sydney mall on Saturday afternoon, while others are in hospital, including a child, police and emergency services said, as quoted by news agencies.  The police, who shot dead the attacker, say that he acted alone. Also, the police claim that nothing at the scene of the attack indicates the motivation of the knife attack, but they state that they do not exclude a terrorist track. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the police officer who shot the criminal, saying that, through her courage, she has saved lives. (LS)

  • April 13, 2024

    April 13, 2024

    Salary – In Romania, the average net salary rose to 4,876 lei (about 980 Euros) in February, up 17 lei compared to the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The lowest values ​​are still in the field of clothing manufacturing, and the highest in information technology. As to the evolution of consumer prices, the average wage was actually slightly lower than in January, but, compared to February 2023, it increased by 14%. The minimum wage in Romania will increase, from July 1, from 3,300 lei to 3,700 lei (740 Euros).

     

    Aid – The European Commission sent the member states the proposal to extend the measures regarding state aid, in the context of the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Until June 30, the EU countries can grant a series of facilities to limit the negative effects of the conflict in such domains as agriculture and energy. The Commission made this decision following the difficulties faced by European farmers in particular and as a result of their consultation through the online survey completed on March 27. According to the survey, the markets of the member states are still unbalanced by the effects of the war, and also by the measures taken by the EU to support the Ukrainian export of agricultural products. According to the commission’s proposal, member states can grant state aid of up to 280,000 Euros to agricultural companies, up to 335,000 Euros to those in the field of fishing and aquaculture and up to 2.25 million Euros to those in the rest of the affected sectors. A second type of aid is aimed at compensating energy costs, and primarily targets the large industrial consumers.

     

    Tennis – Romania is led by Ukraine 2-0 after the first matches played, on Friday, in the USA, in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. Elina Svitolina defeated Jaqueline Cristian, and Ana Bogdan lost to Lesia Ţurenko. Today, Bogdan will face Svitolina, and the last singles match will pit Cristian against Ţurenko. The pair Liudmila Kicenok/Nadia Kicenok and Mara Gae/Anca Todoni will meet in the doubles match. Romania and Ukraine have met four times so far, with the Romanians leading with the score 3-1. In November, Romania defeated Serbia in the play-off to stay in the World Group of the competition, while Ukraine defeated Lithuania.

     

    Middle East – The American forces in the Middle East and the Israeli forces are on alert to respond to a possible Iranian attack. Tehran has threatened to respond to the April 1 attack, blamed on Israel, on a building belonging to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, in which a prominent commander of the Revolutionary Guards was killed. According to the Radio Romania News and Current Affairs (RRA) correspondent, Israel’s defense system announced that all the military departments of the army are prepared for the conflict with Iran at any moment it may occur. In order to prepare in advance the reaction to a possible launch of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or drones, the Israeli air force keeps patrolling and observation planes in the air 24 hours a day, and all interception systems are on high alert.

     

    Kyiv – The situation on the Eastern Front has deteriorated considerably in the last few days, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff, Oleksandr Sîrski, said on Saturday. He said that this was mainly due to a significant intensification of the Russian offensive after the presidential election in Moscow. Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months for more ammunition and anti-aircraft defense systems. However, the aid is running out due to political blockages in Washington, which forces the Ukrainian military to save ammunition, the press agencies write. The Ukrainian military are also having difficulty in the recruiting process, to face larger and better-equipped Russian forces. (LS)

     

  • State aid for companies affected by the war in Ukraine

    State aid for companies affected by the war in Ukraine

    The European Commission has approved the reintroduction of a state aid scheme in Romania of approximately 2.5 billion Euros (12.5 billion RON) to support companies in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The aid consists of loans as well as of non-reimbursable funds that will be granted to Romanian companies until June 30. The amount of support is divided into categories. Thus, companies in the agricultural field can receive up to 280,000 Euros, companies in the fishing and aquaculture field, up to 335,000 Euros, and companies operating in the rest of the sectors can benefit from aid worth up to 2.25 million Euros. According to the Commission’s analysis, the request made by Romania complies with the conditions provided for in the crisis and transition framework. The Romanian state requested such an agreement for the first time on September 9, 2022, which was approved in January 2023 for the entire year. Following the expiry of this deadline, the Commission once again approved the reintroduction of the state aid scheme to ensure sufficient liquidities for companies on the Romanian market.

     

    The measure is seen as necessary and proportionate to remedy the irregularities in the national economy. Moreover, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had announced, a few days ago, that the government would extend this year the IMM INVEST PLUS state aid scheme, to overcome the economic difficulties created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is a government lending program for working capital and investments aimed at SMEs and large companies in Romania. Approximately 11,500 companies can receive such funds. The program was initiated to ensure, until June 30, access to financing by companies that do not have the necessary sums for investment projects and for the continuation of their activity, the Finance Ministry announced. We want to support vital sectors such as agriculture, constructions and production and to make sure that we offer innovative Romanian companies the opportunity to reach their potential, said the finance minister, Marcel Boloş.

     

    The EU imposed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow and adopted a series of support programs and allowed member states to provide special subsidies to mitigate the economic and commercial effects of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Europe was subsequently faced with an explosion of prices and turbulence in the financial markets. The war has had enormous economic costs so far. It was not just the economies of the two countries in conflict that suffered, but the entire planet. Already rated as one of the costliest wars in human history, the price of this conflict has so far been estimated at over two and a half trillion dollars, that is over two thousand five hundred billion. Comparatively, this sum is equivalent to Romania’s GDP for seven and a half years. And it represents, in just two years, more than half the estimated costs of World War II, which lasted six years and was the most devastating conflict in history. (LS)

  • April 8, 2024 UPDATE

    April 8, 2024 UPDATE

     

    AID The European Commission has given the green light to reintroducing an approximately EUR 2.5 mln scheme for Romania to support companies in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The aid will be granted as guarantees and direct grants. The measure is designed to ensure that companies affected by the economic disruptions caused by the war are left with enough liquidity. The EC found that Romania’s scheme, as it has been reintroduced, remains in line with the terms of the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework. The aid will not exceed EUR 280,000 for an agriculture company, EUR 335,000 for a company operating in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, and EUR 2.25 mln for companies in other sectors.

     

    SEA SHIELD 24 More than 2,200 Allied troops are participating starting this week in a multinational exercise in Romania called “Sea Shield 24”. Until April 21, Romanian soldiers, alongside military from NATO states and the partner states of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, will be training in the coastal area of the Black Sea, the Danube and the Danube Delta, using 27 sea and river ships, 17 aircraft and 91 vehicles and boats. The Ministry of Defence in Bucharest says the exercise is the most complex event conducted by the Romanian Naval Forces in 2024. Also this week, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain begins an air policing mission in Romania. In the next four months, the British units, comprising around 220 troops and 6 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, will perform enhanced air policing missions under NATO command, together with soldiers of the Romanian Air Force.

     

    ELECTIONS The United Right electoral alliance, made up of the Save Romania Union, the People’s Movement Party and the Force of the Right, in opposition, have submitted their list of candidates for the European Parliament elections of June 9. Top of the list is the former USR leader Dan Barna, followed by the former USR health minister Vlad Voiculescu and the PMP president Eugen Tomac. The president of USR, Cătălin Drulă, said the Alliance has the best list of candidates, comprising “people who are going to the European Parliament or carrying on their work at the European Parliament out of belief, and who have results.” On the other side of the political spectrum, the 2 parties in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party submitted on Friday their own joint list of EP candidates. Opening the list is the former Social-Democratic PM Mihai Tudose and the Liberal MEP Rareș Bogdan. The EP elections in Romania will be held concurrently with the local elections on June 9.

     

    ELECTRICITY Romania has the lowest electricity consumption in Europe per capita, the Association of Energy Prosumers and Communities announced. According to the institution, the transition to the green economy requires an increase of this consumption at the expense of fuels such as natural gas and firewood. The organisation says that in this context electrification is the key to full decarbonisation, and the necessary technologies include heat pumps for households and green hydrogen, along with EVs for the industry.

     

    MOLDOVA A population and housing census began on Monday in the Republic of Moldova. Until July 7, reviewers will go from house to house to collect data about where people in the Republic live, the language they speak, their education, occupation, as well as about their homes. The government spokesperson Daniel Vodă has stated that all citizens will be obliged to answer the reviewers’ questions and provide correct answers, and the authorities have to keep the answers received confidential, Radio Chisinau reports. The last population and housing census in the Republic of Moldova was conducted in 2014. At that time, the population stood at 2,800,000 people, of which only 2.5 million lived in the Republic of Moldova. Also, the data do not cover the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria (east), which went, de facto, out of Chisinau’s control in 1992, after an armed conflict involving hundreds of soldiers and ended by the intervention of Moscow’s troops on the side of the secessionist rebels.

     

    ENERGY The close cooperation between Romania and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in developing a civilian nuclear programme and the prospects for strengthening the cooperation in cancer medicine and energy were discussed on Monday by PM Marcel Ciolacu with the Agency’s director, Rafael Grossi. The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu also discussed with Grossi about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the successive attacks on the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia. Luminiţa Odobescu highlighted the important role the Agency plays in the safe and secure use of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes. In turn, Rafael Grossi praised the implementation of new nuclear technologies in Romania, including small scale modular reactors. The AIEA chief also had talks with the energy minister, Sebastian Burduja. The agenda included the revamping on the Cernavodă nuclear power plant Unit 1 and the plans for Units 3 and 4.

  • April 4, 2024 UPDATE

    April 4, 2024 UPDATE

    NATO Romania’s NATO accession represented the fulfillment of a historic aspiration and a security imperative and now the alliance is an essential pillar of our foreign and security policy, Romania’s Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu said in a speech during a ceremony marking 75 years since the foundation of NATO.  According to the head of the Romanian diplomacy, the alliance has passed the test of time and proved strategic vision, determination, resilience, and adjustment abilities. NATO has become stronger in terms of size and influence, the minister went on to say. Romania is firmly devoted to NATO’s permanent adjustment process so that it may become stronger and better prepared for the future” – Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said in a message on a social network. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said the present development in terms of security at regional and global levels confirms the need for a joint defensive concept in response to Russia’s expansionist ambitions and the aggression against Ukraine. NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said the United States and Europe are stronger and safer within the Atlantic Alliance. It was announced the member countries are working on a financial framework for a 100 billion dollars military aid for Ukraine. Part of the allies said they would be backing the Czech initiative to buy weapons for Kyiv from third countries.

     

    BANK Romania’s Central Bank, also known as BNR, on Thursday decided to keep the yearly key interest rate at 7%, a figure, which remained unchanged for one year and four months. The interest levels the banks can take loans from the Central Bank and those they get while keeping their deposits at the Central Bank have also been kept. The annual inflation rate went up to 7.41% in January and to 7.23 a month later and according to BNR experts, it will continue its downward trend in the following months.

     

    INVESTIGATION The European Commission has opened two in-depth investigations in Romania in connection to possible problems with the implementation of a big EU-funded project. According to a statement from Brussels, the target is a tender launched by a company from Rovinari for the design, construction and exploitation of a photovoltaic park. The project is partially funded by the EU’s Modernisation Fund and the Commission believes there are sufficient indications that two of the bidders received foreign subsidies that distort the internal market. One of the consortiums that made a bid is listed on the Hong Kong exchange and the other is subordinated to the China Central People’s Government. Under the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation, companies are obliged to notify their public procurement tenders in the EU when the estimated value of the contract exceeds €250 million, and when the company was granted at least €4 million in foreign financial contributions from at least one third country in the three years prior to notification.

     

    (bill)

     

  • March 25, 2024

    March 25, 2024

    MOSCOW The four suspects of the Friday’s attack, which killed 137 and wounded over 180 at a concert venue in Moscow were brought to court on Sunday. All had wounded faces and, according to Reuters, one of them, which was being carried in a wheelchair apparently had an eye missing. The authorities have presented them as foreign citizens without revealing their nationality, but according to the Russian press, they are from Tajikistan. The attack has been claimed by the Asian branch of ISIS, which even released images during the massacre. The Russian investigators didn’t mention the Jihadi connection, whereas president Putin and the Russian Security Service FSB have mentioned the suspects’ intention to flee to Ukraine, where they had contacts. Kyiv has rejected the theory as absurd. The Romanian Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has conveyed condolences to the victims’ families underlining that Romania is firmly condemning any form of terrorism and violence against civilians.

     

    ALERT The government of France has raised the terror alert warning to its highest level after the Friday’s massacre in Moscow. The country’s Premier, Gabriel Attal, said in a post on a social network that “the decision was taken in light of the Islamic State’s claiming responsibility for the attack and the threats weighing on our country.” France is one of the countries, which has seen some of the bloodiest terror attacks masterminded by Islamist fighters, such as the ones in 2015-2016, which left roughly 300 dead and hundreds of wounded. The government in Paris has explained that the aforementioned Islamist organization has been recently involved in a series of attempted attacks, which have been thwarted by the police forces in several European countries, such as France and Germany and the head of the executive this morning summoned the representatives of the services responsible for the country’s security and safety of citizens.

     

    VOTE MPs in Bucharest are today debating upon a simple motion against Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu, who has been accused of having endorsed a law for the financial benefit of some politicians. Under the title ‘Praising Ceausescu cannot save the Romanian Agriculture’ the simple motion has been initiated by the opposition USR following the minister’s appreciative discourse about the country’s former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The USR representatives have been accusing the minister of having treated the protesting farmers with contempt and of having ignored the MPs requests to present his activity. The vote is going to be cast on Tuesday.

     

    HANDBALL The Romanian women’s handball side Dunarea Braila has qualified for the final tournament of the EHF European League after a 26-25 home win against the Croatian side Podravka Vegeta on Sunday in the second round of the quarter finals. Dunarea, which also won the first game against Podravka, is Romania’s second representative in the EHF Finals Women, due on June 1 and 2 in Graz, Austria, after Gloria Bistrita. Romania’s champions CSM Bucharest have qualified for the quarter finals of the Champions League in women’s handball after a double win against Slovenian side Krim Mercator Ljubljana and will be playing in the quarters against the French side Metz Handball.

    (bill)

  • March 24, 2024

    March 24, 2024

    MOURNING Russia observes a national day of mourning on Sunday in the wake of the terror attack in a Moscow concert hall that left at least 143 people dead and many wounded and which was claimed by a Jihadi group known as the Islamic State. The Russian public television has broadcast film footage from the interrogation of four of the masterminds, foreign nationals apprehended in a region situated at the border with Ukraine and Belarus. President Putin says the terrorists’ intention was to flee to the neighboring Ukraine where their escape was prepared. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Putin of trying to blame the attack on Kyiv. The Romanian Foreign Ministry has conveyed condolences to the victims’ families underlying that Romania firmly condemns any form of terrorism and violence against civilians.

     

    DEATH The President of the Writers Union in Romania, professor, literary critic and historian, Nicolae Manolescu, died at the age of 84 due to a heart attack. Many of his colleagues and disciples believe him to be Romania’s most important historian and literary critic since WWII. Nicolae Manolescu also had political activity after the anti-communist revolution of December 1989, being Romania’s ambassador at UNESCO and served as senator during the 1992-1996 legislature. He ran for Romania’s presidential seat in 2000. During his life and career, Nicolae Manolescu became recipient of some of the highest Romanian awards.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football selection is training for the friendly against Columbia in Madrid on Tuesday. Our footballers ended in a one-all draw their friendly match against Northern Ireland in Bucharest on Friday. These are the first two training matches of our squad before EURO 2024 in Germany this summer. In June, Romania will be playing also in friendlies against the selections of Bulgaria and Lichtenstein. At the final continental tournament, our squad is part of Group E where it will be playing Belgium, Slovakia and the winner of the tie game on Tuesday pitching Ukraine against Iceland. On Thursday night in the tie semis, Iceland secured a 4-1 win against Israel and Ukraine clinched a 2-1 win in Bosnia.

     

    TENNIS Romanian tennis player, Sorana Cirstea, has qualified for the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament underway in Miami, Florida, after a two-set win against Sloane Stephens of the host country. Cirstea clinched a 6-2, 6-1 win in a match that lasted 52 minutes and which was initially postponed because of the heavy rainfall. The Romanian will next take on Daria Kasatkina of Russia. Three other Romanians, Simona Halep, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian have been eliminated in the competition’s first round. We recall that Halep, a former world number one, came back to competitions after her four year suspension for banned substances had been cut to nine months.

    (bill)

  • March 23, 2024

    March 23, 2024

    ARRESTS The Kremlin announced on Saturday the arrest of 11 people, including four perpetrators of the recent attack at a concert hall on Moscow’s outskirts, claimed by a Jihadist group known as the Islamic State. Assailants dressed up in camouflage suits opened fire with automatic weapons against the people attending the concert. According to AFP and Reuters, the death toll stands at 150 and is expected to rise. Health Ministry sources have announced that 115 people have been admitted to hospitals, including five children. Parliament sources have announced on Telegram, that two suspects have been detained in the region of Briansk after a car chase. Other suspects have taken refuge in a forest nearby.

     

    TENNIS Romanian tennis player Sorana Cirstea is today taking on US challenger Sloane Stephens in the second round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, Florida with more than 8 million dollars in prize money. The game was postponed in the first set due to the rain at 5-2 to Cirstea. The other three Romanians in the competition, Simona Halep, Ana Bogdan and Jaqueline Cristian have been eliminated in the first round. We recall that Halep, a former number one, has returned to competitions after a suspension of a year and a half for alleged doping.

     

    BORDER According to the Border Police General Inspectorate over 190 thousand people, Romanian and foreign citizens, as well as 57 thousand vehicles crossed Romania’s borders on 22nd of March. 96,119 people entered Romania yesterday, including 8,489 Ukrainian nationals. Since 10 February 2022, two weeks before the Russian invasion, 7,600,853 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania. According to the same sources, procedures at Romania’s border checkpoints are done under the national and community legislation.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football side ended in a one-all draw their friendly against Northern Ireland in Bucharest on Friday. Romania will next play Columbia on neutral ground in Madrid on Tuesday. These are the first two training matches of our squad before EURO 2024 in Germany in summer. In June, Romania will be playing also in friendlies against the selections of Bulgaria and Lichtenstein. At the final continental tournament, our side is part of Group E where it will be playing Belgium, Slovakia and the winner of the tie game on Tuesday pitching Ukraine against Iceland. On Thursday night in the tie semis, Iceland secured a 4-1 win against Israel and Ukraine clinched a 2-1 win in Bosnia.

     

    WEATHER The weather is nice and warm in almost all Romanian regions with highs ranging between 11 and 21 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 18 degrees.

    (bill)

  • March 17, 2024

    March 17, 2024

    Elections – In Bucharest, the Central Electoral Bureau was legally established for the European Parliament and local elections on June 9. Besides the seven judges from the High Court of Cassation and Justice, chosen by drawing of lots, the Central Electoral Bureau also includes the president and the two vice-presidents of the Permanent Electoral Authority. The following political groups and organizations of national minorities are also represented: Social Democratic Party – PSD, National Liberal Party – PNL, Save Romania Union – USR, Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR, Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR, PRO Romania and the Parliamentary Group of National Minorities in the Chamber of Deputies. The opposition parties Force of the Right, People’s Movement Party – PMP and REPER are dissatisfied because, although they requested this, they did not manage to have representatives in the Central Electoral Bureau, as they do not meet certain criteria. The leaders of the Force of the Right speak of an incredible abuse and announce that they will address the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and USR president Cătălin Drulă claims that they have signals that the power would like to block the participation of the United Right Alliance in the June 9 elections. The Central Electoral Bureau is to pronounce on Sunday on the registration of this alliance formed by USR, PMP and the Force of the Right. If it were rejected, the three parties would not be able to have candidates under the same electoral sign in the summer elections.

     

    Ukraine – Romania condemns the Russian elections in the temporarily occupied and illegally annexed Ukrainian territories. The Romanian Foreign Ministry appreciates, in a post on the Internet, that the elections organized by Russia in these regions violate international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, are illegal and illegitimate, and their result is null. The Romanian diplomacy strongly condemns the organization of polling stations in Transnistria region in the Republic of Moldova and in the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia, without the consent of the authorities in Chisinau and Tbilisi, respectively. On the other hand, the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Bucharest, Valeri Kuzmin, was summoned to the headquarters of the Romanian Foreign Ministry, in relation to a series of recent statements by the Russian side. On the occasion of the summoning called by Minister Luminiţa Odobescu, the ambassador was notified about the deep dissatisfaction of the Romanian side with regard to the distorted, truncated and inconsistent manner in which important topics of bilateral relevance are addressed, including in the public communication of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, which originate in the historical past.

     

    Russia – Sunday is the last day of voting in Russia for the presidential election, which is expected to give a new six-year mandate to Vladimir Putin. More than half of the voters went to the polls in the first two days, marked by sporadic incidents, but mostly by drone attacks on Russian territory, attributed to Ukraine. A new attack on a refinery in southern Russia was reported on Sunday in Krasnodar, with regional authorities saying it was caused by a fire and that one person died of cardiac arrest. All week there have been such attacks, and President Putin has warned that Kyiv’s attempts to disrupt the electoral process will not go unpunished. The team of the deceased leader of the Russian opposition, Alexei Navalny, informed that, on Sunday, there were several protests against the predictable re-election of the acting president Vladimir Putin. In Russia’s Far East, in Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Irkutsk and other Siberian cities, people took part in the “Noon Against Putin” at lunchtime, Navalny’s team reported in a live broadcast on YouTube. At the same time, listening to the call of Putin’s opponents, hundreds of people queued at the same hour at a polling station in Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. Other Putin opponents, such as the exiled Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who lives in the United Kingdom, called on people not to be afraid and to take part in the campaign.

     

    Madrigal – The “Madrigal Marin Constantin” choir filmed, in a world premiere, a video at the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. Being on tour in South America for the first time, the National Chamber Choir organized the filming of the second episode of the series “Romanian contemporary music in contemporary ancient spaces”, at an altitude of 2,400 meters, in the “lost city of the Incas”, one of the most beautiful and mysterious ancient spaces of the world. The first episode of the series was filmed in Sarmizegetusa, in Romania, and was released on January 15, on the National Culture Day.

     

    Protests – Trade unionists of the Sanitary Solidarity Federation decide, these days, whether to start an all-out strike. They are consulted through an online referendum, as the federation considers the 20% salary increase approved by the Romanian government as insufficient. The increase would be granted in two equal installments, until the summer. On Monday, the union leadership is scheduled to have a meeting where a decision could be made regarding the protest. Last week, several thousand members of the Sanitary Solidarity Federation protested in Bucharest asking for the index-linking of salary incomes according to the inflation rate and the updating of the amounts related to increments and on-call services. (LS)