Radio România Internațional

Tag: UN

February 23, UPDATE

Moldova — The external threats to the democratic order in the Republic of Moldova are particularly worrying, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday, during a joint press conference in Bucharest with his Moldovan counterpart, Maia Sandu. “We are going through a period of crises of historical proportions”, the Romanian president said, evoking Russias war against Ukraine. Iohannis reiterated that Romania firmly condemns Russias attempts to destabilize the Republic of Moldova (with a majority Romanian speaking population) and assured that the country is not alone in facing these challenges. “Romania will continue to firmly support the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, within its internationally recognized borders”, Klaus Iohnnis also said. For her part, Maia Sandu showed that Moldova is going through unprecedented challenges and thanked Romania for being its friend and advocate. She recalled that, at the beginning of the war, Moldova was Ukraines most vulnerable neighbor. “Now we are more prepared, we are consolidating our defense capacity, we have new sources of energy that we can rely on, we have increased exports to the European Union, we are more resilient and stronger”, said the president of the Republic of Moldova.

Diplomacy – The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu participates on Thursday and Friday in the events organized by the United Nations to mark one year since the start of Russias war of aggression against Ukraine. On Thursday he was scheduled to speak at the 11th special emergency session of the UN General Assembly, convened in order to adopt a resolution aimed at restoring comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Romania is a co-sponsor of the resolution. On Friday, the Romanian foreign minister will speak at a ministerial round-table of the UN Security Council, with Ukraine again in the focus of attention. The Romanian official will present Bucharests efforts to support the over 3.6 million Ukrainian refugees who have crossed into Romania and to facilitate the transit of nearly 13 million tons of grains from Ukraine. He will also reiterate Romanias firm support for the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and his countrys commitment to an active contribution to international peace and security.

Meeting — The Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă reiterated, on Thursday, at a meeting with the EU countries ambassadors accredited to Bucharest, that Romanias accession to the Schengen area remained a priority. The PM emphasized that political and diplomatic action will be continued on all channels in order to identify concrete solutions for the successful completion of this objective. According to a Government release, at the meeting held at the Swedish Embassy in Bucharest, in the context in which Sweden holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, Prime Minister Ciucă presented, among other things, the economic developments in Romania over the last 12 months, highlighting the role played by the high rate of investments and the absorption of European funds in maintaining an economic growth of 4.8%, in the complicated context of the war in neighboring Ukraine, the increase in energy prices and the slow recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Travel – Over 151 companies from several countries are taking part in the spring edition of the Romanian Tourism Fair that began in Bucharest on Thursday, offering up to 50% discounts on holiday packages and special promotions for luxury destinations. The event promotes the most interesting and profitable tourist offers in Romania and abroad. The 10 participating countries include Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Hungary.

Earthquake – A new earthquake measuring 3.9 in magnitude was reported in Gorj County, south-western Romania on Wednesday night, according to the National Institute for Earth Physics. On February 13, a 5.2 magnitude tremor was reported in the same area, followed the next day by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. Seismologists announced that over 800 aftershocks followed the quake on February 13, but their number and magnitude declined in the following period. The region of Oltenia is known for a weak to moderate seismic activity, with very rare events over 5 on the magnitude scale. (LS, AMP)

23 February 2023
February 23, 2023

MOLDOVA The president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia
Sandu, is in Bucharest today for a working visit. According
to the Presidency, political talks between
presidents Klaus Iohannis and Maia Sandu are part of the comprehensive and
close cooperation at bilateral and European level, and confirm Romania’s clear
and firm support for Moldova and its resilience. Projects of shared strategic
interest will be discussed, concerning fields like energy, transportation, healthcare,
education and IT&C, with a focus on initiatives designed to connect Moldova
with the EU, to the benefit of its citizens. The 2 officials will also discuss
the progress of Moldova’s EU accession efforts and Bucharest’s support in this
respect, and will exchange opinions on security challenges and ways to mitigate
the economic, social and humanitarian effects of Russia’s aggression in
Ukraine. In Bucharest, Maia Sandu will also have meetings with PM Nicolae Ciucă
and the Chamber of Deputies speaker, Marcel Ciolacu.

DIPLOMACY The Romanian
foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is taking part today and on Friday in the
events organized by the United Nations to mark 1 year since the start of Russia’s
war of aggression against Ukraine. Today he is scheduled to speak at the 11th
special emergency session of the UN General Assembly, convened in order to
adopt a resolution aimed at restoring comprehensive, just and lasting peace in
Ukraine. Romania is a co-sponsor of the resolution. On Friday, the
Romanian foreign minister will speak at a minister round-table of the UN
Security Council, with Ukraine again in the focus of attention. The
Romanian official will present Bucharest’s efforts to support the over 3.6 million
Ukrainian refugees who have crossed into Romania and to facilitate the transit
of nearly 13 million tonnes of grains from Ukraine. He will also reiterate
Romania’s firm support for the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and his
country’s commitment to an active contribution to international peace and
security.

TRAVEL Over 151 companies from several countries are
taking part in the spring edition of the Romanian Tourism Fair that begins in
Bucharest today, offering up to 50% discounts on holiday packages and special
promotions for luxury destinations. The event promotes the most interesting and
profitable tourist offers in Romania and abroad. The 10 participating countries
include Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Turkey
and Hungary.

EARTHQUAKE A new earthquake measuring 3.9 in magnitude was reported in
Gorj County, south-western Romania on Wednesday night, according to the National
Physics of the Earth Research and Development Institute. On February 13, a 5.2
tremor was reported in the same area, followed the next day by a 5.7 earthquake.
Seismologists announced that over 800 aftershocks followed the quake on
February 13, but their number and magnitude declined in the following period. The
region of Oltenia is known for a weak to moderate seismic activity, with very
rare events over 5 on the magnitude scale.

FOOTBALL CFR Cluj, the only Romanian team still playing
in the European competitions, takes on Lazio Rome today on home turf in the play-offs
for the Conference League eighth-finals. A week ago, in the first leg, the Romanian side lost 0-1, after
a modest match in spite of their opponents being one player down for 75 minutes.
Last season the Romanian champions left Conference
League in the group stage, whereas Lazio reached the eighth-finals of Europa
League. (AMP)

23 February 2023
February 15, 2023

MOLDOVA President Klaus Iohannis says Romania has stood and will
stand by the R. of Moldova and firmly condemns any foreign attempt at destabilising
this country. It is highly alarming to see public signs of attempts by the
Russian Federation to step in illegitimately and upset the democratic and
constitutional order of the R. of Moldova, a sovereign state that has chosen
its political direction through a free vote, the Romanian president said in a statement
issued on Wednesday. Klaus Iohannis reiterated that Moldova is not alone in facing
these challenges, and reconfirmed Romania’s unwavering support for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country, within its
internationally recognised borders, and for its pro-European future. The
Romanian official also pointed out that Moldova belongs in the EU family, and
that this path is irreversible and must be followed with determination, courage
and ambition. The statement comes after on Monday the pro-Western president of
Moldova Maia Sandu announced Moscow was planning to force a change of the
political power in Moldova, using violence to destabilise the country.

AID Romania is sending further humanitarian
aid to Turkey and Syria in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquakes that
killed some 40,000 people. A new humanitarian flight by 3 Romanian Air Forces
aircraft today takes around 22 tonnes of goods donated by the Romanian
government to the people affected by the tremors in the 2 countries. Another 2
trains with basic necessity products have been already sent to Turkey, and 2
planes with humanitarian aid were sent to Syria on Tuesday. According to the UN,
9 million Syrian and 2.2 million Turkish nationals need aid. The Turkish Confederation
of Enterprises and Businesses says the disaster might cost the country 84 billion
US dollars.

UN The Romanian foreign minister
Bogdan Aurescu Tuesday had talks with the UN secretary general António
Guterres. The Romanian official was at the UN headquarters in New York, where
he was a speaker at the UN Security Council debate on Threats to international peace and
security: Sea-level rise: implications for international peace and security.
According to the foreign ministry, the 2 officials discussed climate change and
its consequences, as well as the situation in Ukraine one year after the start
of Russia’s illegal war of aggression. Bogdan Aurescu pointed out
that Russia’s irresponsible conduct, which violates the core principles of international
order, must end, and that it is particularly serious for a member of the UN
Security Council to have started this war. The Romanian foreign minister also
highlighted Romania’s support efforts, including the receiving of over 3.5
million Ukrainian refugees who have transited Romania. Current developments in
the R. of Moldova were also discussed.

DEFENCE Romania’s defence minister Angel Tîlvăr and the chief of
general staff Daniel Petrescu Tuesday took part in a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, held in Brussels
on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO defence ministers. According to the
Romanian defence ministry, since the start of Russia’s war of aggression
against Ukraine, Romania has provided shelter and aid to over 3.5 million
Ukrainian nationals who have transited the country, and has taken part in facilitating
the transit of nearly 12 million tonnes of grains from Ukraine to global
markets. Romania has stated repeatedly that the scope and regularity of the support
given to Ukraine must be maintained. Also on the sidelines of the meeting of
NATO defence ministers, Angel Tîlvăr had bilateral talks with his counterparts
from the UK, Ben Wallace, and Spain, Margarita Robles Fernandez. They discussed
the security situation in the Black Sea region and emphasised the need for
substantial Allied contribution to ensuring the effectiveness and credibility
of NATO’s defence posture on the eastern flank.

INFLATION The National Bank of Romania has revised its inflation
forecast for the end of this year from 11.2% estimated previously to 7%. According
to the Quarterly Inflation Report made public today by the central bank
governor Mugur Isarescu, at the end of 2024 the indicator will stand at 4.2%. Romania
has consolidated its position in the EU in terms of inflation, with the 9th
highest rate in the Union. Mugur Isărescu also said a balance must be achieved
between fighting inflation and avoiding a possible recession, and added that
the inflation forecast is marked by many uncertainties.

FOOTBALL CFR Cluj, the only Romanian team still
playing in the European competitions, Thursday takes on the Italian side Lazio Rome, away from home, in the
playoffs for the Conference League’s eighth-finals. The second leg of this
round is scheduled next week in Cluj-Napoca. According to a UEFA poll, the
Romanians are most likely to win. This season CFR Cluj finished the group stage 2nd in a group that also
included Sivasspor (Turkey), Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) and Ballkani
(Kosovo), while Lazio ended up in the Conference League playoffs after
finishing 3rd in its group, after Feyenoord (the Netherlands) and
Midtjylland (Denmark). (AMP)

15 February 2023
February 13, 2023 UPDATE

UN The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan
Aurescu will be a main speaker on Tuesday in New York at the open debate of the
UN Security Council on Threats to international peace and security:
Sea-level rise: implications for international peace and security. Participants
will discuss the risks posed by the rise in sea levels as a result of climate
change and will explore ways to tackle these risks as part of the global
security architecture. Romania’s presence in the UN Security Council
consolidates Bucharest’s efforts to promote a rule-based international order
and its role as an actor involved in the management of vital global problems,
the Foreign Ministry says.

MOLDOVA Moscow
plans to force a change of the political power in the R. of Moldova in
the forthcoming period, through violent actions
designed to destabilise the country, Moldova’s president Maia Sandu said. According
to her, Russia allegedly intends to use diversions, attacks on institutions and
hostage taking. The plan was uncovered with the help of intelligence received
from Kyiv, among others, Maia Sandu added. ‘The goal of these actions is to upset
constitutional order, to replace the legitimate power in Chişinău with an
illegitimate one, which will leave our country into the hands of Russia, to
stop the European accession process and to ensure that Moldova can be used by
Russia in the war against Ukraine,’ Maia Sandu said. Last Thursday in Brussels
the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to EU leaders about such a
plan put together by Russia.

NATO Romania’s defence minister, Angel Tîlvăr, is taking part on Tuesday
and Wednesday in Brussels in the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group
and a meeting of the NATO defence ministers. The Allied defence ministers
convene as part of the regular meeting schedule, and talks will primarily focus
on continuing support for Ukraine, on the implementation of the decisions taken
last July at the NATO Summit in Madrid and on preparing the decision package
for the forthcoming Summit in Vilnius. The meeting begins on Tuesday night with
an informal working meeting on security developments one year after the start of
Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Invited to attend are also the defence
ministers of Sweden, Finland and Ukraine, and the EU High Representative for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

VISIT The Minister-President of Bavaria, Markus Soder, who is on a
visit to Bucharest, Monday reiterated support for Romania’s Schengen accession,
emphasising that over the past few years the country made substantial progress
in fighting corruption and structural reforms. We support Romania on its path
towards Schengen accession. It is very important that we, in Europe, understand
that here in particular, given the situation with Ukraine and Russia, the
challenges are at an entirely different level, he added. Markus Soder also
voiced his appreciation for the support given by Romania to the Ukrainian
refugees. Markus Soder was received in Bucharest by president Klaus Iohannis and
PM Nicolae Ciuca. The 2 ministers signed a joint Statement on consolidating
bilateral relations, which also stipulates the resumption of the works of a
joint Romania – Bavaria governmental committee.

ECONOMY Romania’s economy is expected to grow by 2.5% in 2023 and by
3% in 2024, with the inflation rate standing at 9.7% this year and 5.5% next
year, according to the European Commission’s winter forecast made public on
Monday. According to the EC, the implementation of the National Recovery and
Resilience Programme should contribute to massive investments in Romania, driving
the economic growth this year.

WRD Monday was World Radio Day, established as such by UNESCO in 2011.
February 13 marks the first broadcast by the United Nations’ radio station,
back in 1946. The theme of World Radio Day this year was Radio and
Peace. On this occasion, Romanian artists showed their solidarity with
Ukraine. At 9:30 a.m. on Monday, all Radio Romania channels aired the famous
song Heal the World, released by Michael Jackson in the early 1990s. The
broadcast of this song on World Radio Day is part of a series of events organised
by Radio Romania to mark one year since the start of the war in the
neighbouring Ukraine. (AMP)

13 February 2023
More energy from renewable sources

The energy sector is responsible for around three-quarters of the global greenhouse gas emissions — a powerful reason for which switching to clean forms of energy production and improving energy efficiency should be considered vital. In a report published this week, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns that if the world does not move faster towards clean energy sources to slow down the climate crisis, more extreme weather conditions and water stress will put our energy security at risk and could even compromise our renewable energy supply. “Time is not on our side, and our climate is changing before our eyes”, said the WMO chief.

The organization experts show, at the same time, that the energy sector, besides being a major source of emissions that are at the origin of climate change, is also vulnerable to the changes that accompany the warming of the planet. Heat waves and droughts lower the level of water courses, causing problems for hydropower plants and for cooling nuclear power plants, the experts explained.

In turn, storms and other extreme weather phenomena damage infrastructure in many areas. “A transition to renewable energy will help alleviate the growing stress on water supply” — shows the report on the state of climatological services, an annual document which in 2022 focuses on energy — because the amount of water used to generate electricity by solar and wind power is much lower than the amount used for more traditional power plants.” “But current renewable energy pledges by countries fall well short of what is needed to reach the goal of universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy, by 2030” said the WMO experts. To put the world on a net zero trajectory by 2050, the report concludes that renewable energy investments must triple by then.

We have scientific data that show an acceleration of climate change, explained to Radio Romania, Alexandra Bocșe, a State Counselor with the Climate and Sustainability Department of the Presidential Administration, who also referred to the levels of ambition in different countries regarding the abandonment of polluting sources for energy production.

Alexandra Bocșe: “If we look at the negotiations in recent years, we see a higher level of ambition all over the world and a recognition of the fact that the impact of climate change is visible and affects us all. Yes, we can indeed refer to India’s and Chinas reluctance as regards the use of coal for energy and electricity generation. On the other hand, India and China have also faced extreme weather phenomena, which have led to very high losses, losses of human lives. We are acting in the field of climate not only for a reason related to a green idealism. We are also acting for clear-cut economic reasons. Extreme weather phenomena, for instance the floods and landslides in Germany cost 20 billion dollars; Hurricane Ida in the US is estimated to have cost 75 billion dollars. What I mean is that were talking about very large amounts of money that we have to cover if we dont take action. And the more these extreme phenomena intensify, the higher the costs will be.”

Entire regions of the globe will become uninhabitable in the coming decades due to more frequent and intense heatwaves, warn the UN and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Less than a month before COP27, which will take place in November in Egypt, the two bodies are calling for measures to prepare for future heatwaves. They emphasize that there are limits beyond which people exposed to extreme heat and humidity cannot survive and that there are also limits beyond which societies can no longer adapt. The imprints of climate change and human activity are felt everywhere. Such an example is the desertification of land to the point where nothing grows on it.

Statistics show that it already affects more than 100 countries, 13 even from Europe, and a billion people directly bear the consequences of this phenomenon, the first consequence being the food crisis. According to estimates, soil desertification has reduced terrestrial agricultural productivity by 23% worldwide, and in the future, a third of the currently cultivated land is under the threat of desertification. What can we do? How important is the energy transition to the climate transition?

Alexandra Bocșe is back with details: “When we talk about new technologies and investments, we can certainly think of solar electricity panels for energy generation, but we can also think of household appliances that are more energy efficient. We can also think of measures aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of homes through superior insulation systems; we can equally think of cars and means of transport that are sustainable.”

However, all measures must be taken before it is too late, because the consequences of climate change are already being felt in the Arctic region. Researchers have found that, because of these changes and the subsequent retreat of sea ice, a larger area of seawater originally covered by ice was exposed to the atmosphere, which leads to a faster absorption of atmospheric CO2. This causes drastic ocean acidification and the reduction of the oceans ability to act as a buffer to the impact of global warming. (LS)

14 October 2022
October 13, 2022 UPDATE

AIR DEFENCE Germany and 14 other NATO member states, Romania
included, Thursday agreed on a common initiative regarding the acquisition of
air and missile defence systems, after the war in Ukraine exposed weaknesses in
this respect. The initiative, spearheaded by Germany, is called European Sky
Shield, and the 15 NATO signatories intend to procure, in a first stage, medium-range
defence systems such as the US-manufactured Patriot, already used by several
NATO countries, including Romania. In a subsequent stage, they may purchase the
Israeli-American Arrow 3 system, able to intercept and destroy longer-range
threats. The initiative comes as the war in Ukraine shows that NATO states
themselves need more equipment to secure their air space. Apart from Germany
and Romania, the countries that signed the initiative are Belgium, Bulgaria,
Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway,
Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom.

ELECTRICITY The Republic of Moldova will be able to import 100 MW of
electricity from Romania as of Friday, the Romanian energy minister Virgil
Popescu announced. The president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, thanked Romania, after
Ukraine was forced to suspend electricity deliveries following Russia’s strikes
on its energy infrastructure earlier this week. In related news, Romania will
transfer over EUR 25 mln for Moldova to start implementing projects in
strategic sectors like education and public utilities. The funds are part of a
EUR 100 mln non-reimbursable aid package stipulated in a bilateral technical
and financial assistance agreement.

REFUGEES The
number of Ukrainian refugees coming to Romania from Western Europe is on the
rise, the International Organization for Migration reports. Lower living costs
and proximity to Ukraine are some of the reasons, the report also states.
According to the Romanian Border Police, some 70,000 people entered Romania on
Wednesday, of whom 9,000 were Ukrainian nationals, accounting for a 15%
increase compared to the previous day. Over 2.5 million Ukrainians have entered
Romania since February 10.

SCHENGEN In principle, the Netherlands does not oppose Romania’s
Schengen accession, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday
during a visit to Brașov, central Romania. The Dutch official pointed out,
however, that any discussion on this matter will factor in Romania’s fulfilment
of all accession criteria. President Klaus Iohannis expressed confidence Romania
will join the travel-free area, whereas Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă in turn
said that Schengen accession will spell numerous benefits for Romania’s
economy.

UKRAINE Romania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu,
hailed the UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s illegal
annexation of Ukrainian territories. 143 UN members voted in favour, including
Romania. Meanwhile, Russia launched new attacks on Ukraine on Thursday. Drone
strikes targeted critical infrastructure in Kyiv, while the city of Mykolaiv
was hit by shelling, authorities say. In recent weeks Ukraine has been the
target of air strikes carried out by Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. Tehran
denies having delivered such drones to Russia, while Moscow refused to comment.
The Kremlin has also intensified its attacks on civilian targets in response to
the Crimea bridge attack, which Moscow claims is the work of Ukrainian
intelligence. Described as war crimes by a number of Western countries, the
shelling continues despite significant losses sustained by the Russian army.
Bombing focused particularly on residential areas and civilian infrastructure,
damaging 30% of the country’s energy infrastructure. In Brussels, over 50
countries promised to provide military assistance to Ukraine, including air defence
systems. (V.P, A.M.P.)

13 October 2022
Reactions to the massive bombing of Ukraine

It seems hard to believe, but Putin’s Russia manages, through its actions, to continue mobilizing the civilized worlds resources of indignation, which seemed to have run dry after the illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities and abuses committed by the Russian military in that country. On Monday Moscow launched dozens of missiles and Iranian-made suicide drones on the capital Kyiv and other large cities in Ukraine, killing and injuring many civilians.

Reuters news agency wrote that attacks on such a scale against the Ukrainian cities were registered only in the first days of the war. The Russians also targeted civilian infrastructure objectives, leaving parts of Ukraine without electricity, water or heating, and disrupting electricity supplies to the European Union. The attacks came three days after a powerful explosion damaged the bridge over the Kerch Strait linking Russia to occupied Crimea, an explosion which Moscow blamed on Kyiv.

President Vladimir Putin declared that the bombings were a response to what he called the terrorist attack of Ukraine and threatened, at the same time, with further such attacks. ‘I strongly condemn Russia’s horrific missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure. The killing of innocent people must stop. We will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against the aggression of the Kremlin’, reacted the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis. The PM Nicolae Ciucă equally condemned Russia’s massive attacks and underlined that these actions represented ‘war crimes’ that violated the UN Charter.

The European Union denounced what it called a new war crime committed by Russia, a state which, according to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, represents terror and brutality. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, wrote on Twitter that the indiscriminate attacks on civilians are war crimes. And the American President Joe Biden denounced the attacks and promised that the United States would deliver high-performance anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine.

Great Britain labeled the attacks as unacceptable, and France spoke of a war crime. Russia has demonstrated, once again, that it is a terrorist state, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN stated at the UN forum. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres described Monday’s bombings in Ukraine as a new, unacceptable escalation of the war that civilians are paying for. In another development, three of the missiles launched by the Russians also flew over the territory of the Republic of Moldova, located between Romania and Ukraine. Chişinău labelled the violation of its airspace as unacceptable and demanded an immediate end to the bombing of Ukraine. (LS)

11 October 2022
September 20, 2022

LONDON The custodian of the Romanian crown,
Margareta, and Prince Radu took part in a family reunion at the Windsor Castle
upon the invitation of King Charles III after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Over 100 heads of state and government and members of the royal families from
around the world attended the ceremonies in London while hundreds of thousands
lined the streets to say farewell to the revered monarch. The event, which
brought together the largest number of world leaders ever, was also attended by
US president Joe Biden and also by the head of the Romanian state, Klaus
Iohannis.

VISIT Romanian president Klaus Iohannis
is today and tomorrow heading the Romanian delegation attending the 77th
session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting’s agenda includes several
topical issues, such as peace and security, sustainable development, social
inclusion, cybersecurity, human rights, biodiversity, water management and
global challenges. The Romanian president is expected to highlight the need for
joint solutions at global level to issues like energy security, climate changes
and access to education. Iohannis will today be attending a global summit on
food security, where he will be mentioning Romania’s efforts to ensure the
transit of Ukrainian grain and its commitment to avoiding a food crisis. In a
video message on Monday at Transforming Education summit in New York, Iohannis
spoke about Romania’s commitment to upgrading its education system and
protecting its citizens from the challenges of the economic environment.

DROUGHT 600 thousand hectares of Romania’s farmland have been
affected by drought, the Ministry of Agriculture has today announced. The
country’s autumn crops of barley, rye and oat are presently bearing the brunt
of the extended drought. Some of the most affected spring crops are maize,
sun-flower, soy and fodder plants.

LAW The government emergency ordinance
regulating energy prices has been submitted to the specialized Senate
committees. The document could get amended by Parliament, after both ruling and opposition parties have forwarded amendments. One such amendment
includes among the categories benefitting from capped prices, the religious
cults, the pharmaceutics industry and public transportation. Household owners
using special medical treatment devices could also benefit from capped prices.
In another development, the ruling coalition seems to have reached an agreement
over extending the 10 cents fuel subsidies with another three months.

ECONOMY Roughly half of the Romanians (47%) have reduced spending
this year to cope with the latest price hikes, whereas a quarter are saving
money for education and professional training, an Erste Group poll entitled ‘Money
Matters’ shows. According to the same sources, the Romanians have adjusted
their financial behaviour against the rising inflation and the latest price
hikes.

(bill)

20 September 2022
Heat Wave in Romania

A wave of heat has settled over Romania. It also affected Greece and Bulgaria, some of the most sought-after holiday destinations for Romanians. The heatwave has equally affected several western countries in recent days, including Spain, France, Great Britain and Belgium, as well as United States. In France, temperatures reached up to 43 degrees Celsius in some areas, exceeding the highest values ever recorded in June. In Spain, several fires have occurred that are wreaking havoc in the north, center and south, and tens of thousands of hectares of land have been burned to ashes. To blame is a wave of hot air coming from northern Africa. Temperatures are also increasing alarmingly in Romania.

Meteorologists have announced that temperatures will exceed 35 degrees C starting in the western part of the country, after which the heatwave may extend to the southern areas, towards the end of the week, when temperatures of up to 40 degrees C are expected. Until Friday evening, an orange code alert for hot weather is in place for nine counties in the west, northwest and locally in the center of Romania, and a yellow one for the rest of the country. Bucharest is in for several scorching days, with temperatures reaching 36 degrees C. Thermal discomfort will be particularly high throughout the country, and the temperature-humidity index will exceed the critical threshold of 80 units. These high values are felt even more strongly by the human body and precautions must be taken, experts say.

Doctors recommend people to drink a minimum of 2.5 liters of liquids per days during the scorching days, to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and to avoid alcohol and drinks with a high caffeine content such as coffee, tea and cola. At the same time, people should avoid staying in the sun and walking outside between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. In fact, people with various medical conditions are advised to stay in the house until the evening. And if they must go out, then they should wear sun hats, light-colored, loose clothes made of natural fibers. Outdoor activities such as sports and gardening should also be avoided.

For the month of July, meteorologists in Romania have announced periods of heat alternating with periods of torrential rains, although rain will be scarce throughout the country. The UN has warned that the drought will be the next big problem facing humanity, and temperatures will reach shocking thresholds. The World Meteorological Organization urges the international community to adapt. And one of the ways to achieve this is to set up early warning systems and action plans. For its part, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that for a temperature increase of plus 1.5°C, the warm seasons will be longer and the cold seasons shorter. (LS)

30 June 2022
May 20, 2022 UPDATE

UN At the UN Security Council in New York, Romania’s Foreign Minister,
Bogdan Aurescu, spoke about Romania’s contribution to mitigating the effects of
the Russian war against Ukraine, at a debate titled ‘Maintaining international
peace and security – conflict and food security’. The Bucharest diplomacy chief
Thursday participated, at the invitation of the American Secretary of State
Antony Blinken, in the open debate organised by the USA, the country that is
holding the monthly presidency of the UN Security Council. Bogdan Aurescu
reiterated the need for a wider effort at international level to create a
transport corridor that would include Romanian routes and ports, in order to
facilitate Ukrainian exports to third-party destinations. At the same time, the
Romanian minister firmly rejected the completely unfounded accusations made by
the Russian Federation’s representative during the debate that there was an
agreement for Ukraine to export grains to the West in exchange for
military assistance. The head of the Romanian diplomacy also announced that
starting with 2023 Romania will host a Regional Agro-meteorology Centre for
Europe, approved by the World Meteorological Organisation.

LABOUR The labour ministry in Bucharest plans to constantly monitor the
situation of Romanian workers abroad, especially seasonal workers, who have
sometimes been victims of exploitation. Four million Romanians are officially
registered as working abroad, in European Union states, but the actual number would
be close to 5 million. The labour minister Marius Budai has stated that
Romanian seasonal workers mainly work in agriculture, constructions or in the
meat industry, and have faced various issues related to working conditions,
occupational health and safety, or the fact that they have not been granted
even the minimum wage in Germany. Other issues include salary withholdings,
dismissals with repatriation requests, non-payment of salary, non-compliance
with labour protection regulations, non-compliance with hygiene conditions,
improper accommodation and food.

POLL Most Romanians perceive Russia as an enemy state, and the war in
Ukraine is seen as a critical or important problem for the country in the
medium and long run. These are the findings of an opinion poll conducted this
month by the Avangarde social and behavioural research. According to the
survey, 64% of the Romanians see Russia as an enemy state, and only 2% see it
as a friendly country. In a ranking of friendly states, first comes the Republic
of Moldova, followed by Germany and the US. More than half of the respondents
also see France, the UK, Spain and Italy as friendly states, while Serbia, Hungary
and China are seen rather as competitors. Among the problems seen as important
for Romania in the medium and long run, the respondents mentioned climate
change, Hungary’s investments in Transylvania, the fact that nearly half of the
Rep. Moldova’s population are pro-Russian, the war in Ukraine, as well as the
fact that Germany, Austria and Hungary rely on Russian natural gas.

UKRAINE The industrial region of Donbas in Ukraine has been completely
destroyed by the Russian forces, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky
said. Donbas is the main target of Russian troops after being pushed back from
the regions of Kyiv and Kharkiv. The Russian army resorts to intense shelling,
including over towns, in an attempt to break through the Ukrainian frontline. Odessa
has been also a preferred target of Russian bombings lately, president Zelensky
also said. Odessa is Ukraine’s main port city and has been under Russian
blockade since the war started, which prevents Ukraine’s exports and affects
global food supplies and food prices. On the other hand, the last Ukrainian
soldiers in the Azovstal plant have been ordered by Kyiv to stop defending the
city of Mariupol, the leader of the Azov Regiment announced. After the recent
evacuation of the civilians, including women and children, who had taken refuge
in the plant, nearly 2,000 Ukrainian fighters surrendered to the Russian troops
as of Monday, including wounded soldiers, according to the latest figures
announced on Friday by the Russian defence ministry.

G7 The members of the Group of 7 of the world’s largest advanced
economies promised on Friday to mobilise USD 19.8 billion to support the budget
of Ukraine, which has been struggling under the Russian invasion since February
24. The decision was announced by the German finance minister Christian
Lindner, after a meeting with his counterparts from the US, Japan, Britain,
France, Italy and Canada. Germany currently holds the presidency of the G7.

TENNIS The Romanian tennis
player Simona Halep will face the Croatian Ana Konjuh in the first round of the
Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament, which starts on Sunday in Paris, according
to the draw held on Thursday night. Halep won the French Open in 2018 and was a
finalist in 2014 and 2017. She did not attend last year’s edition due to an
injury. Sorana Cîrstea will play against the German Tatjana Maria, Gabriela
Ruse will face the Belgian Elise Mertens, and Irina Begu will take on the
Italian Jasmine Paolini. Another Romanian, Ana Bogdan, will have a difficult
mission in the match with the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. Irina Bara has also
qualified for the tournament. On Friday, Mihaela Buzǎrnescu lost the last round
of qualifiers to Mirjam Bjorklund of Sweden (6-1, 6-3). (AMP)

20 May 2022
Record-large number of Ukrainian refugees in the Rep. of Moldova

The Republic of Moldova is Ukraine’s most vulnerable neighbour,
the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu stated after that country’s border
had been crossed by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian nationals fleeing their
country invaded by Russian troops.

Created
on some of the eastern Romanian territories annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940,
following an ultimatum, and independent from Moscow since 1991, the Republic of
Moldova shared the same disastrous fate with Ukraine and Russia, behind the
Iron Curtain, for over half a century. According to the latest census, dating
back to 2014, apart from ethnic Romanians (some of them self-identified as
Moldovans), who account for roughly 80% of the population, Moldova is also home
to some 180,000 Ukrainians (6.5% of the population) and 110,000 ethnic Russians
(4%).

Since
the start of the war in Ukraine, strange blasts and grenade attacks have
fuelled fears that the conflict might spill over into the east of Moldova,
where the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria has been out of Chişinău’s
control for 3 decades, following an intervention of the Russian Army on the
side of the rebels.

All
these have further deepened the tensions in a Moldovan society already divided between
pro-Europeans and pro-Russians. The authorities banned the display of Russian
militarist symbols, such as the ribbon of St. George and the letters Z and V.
The pro-Russian, communist and socialist opposition however disregarded the regulation
and on Monday they celebrated the 9 May 1945 victory of the Soviet Union against
Nazi Germany.

Amid
all this, the less than 3-million strong Republic of Moldova, confirmed in
relevant surveys as the poorest European country, is grappling with a constant
inflow of Ukrainian refugees, at the largest rate per capita in Europe. The United
Nations commended Moldova on its efforts, and secretary general Antonio Guterres voiced the
organisation’s support for the authorities during a visit to Chişinău. He thanked
the hosts for their generosity and solidarity, and described Moldova’s actions
as a model of compassion. Guterres emphasised that any violation of Moldova’s
territorial integrity is also a violation of international law, condemned by
the UN.

PM Natalia Gavriliţă said in turn that her
government was waiting for the funding offered by the UN to support the
refugees to reach Chişinău as soon as possible. The Moldovan government chief
also said that, in the context of the war in Ukraine, Moldova’s defence system
is on alert, to prevent the situation in the country from destabilising. (A.M.P.)

10 May 2022
April 8, 2022

MINISTER Romania’s former Minister of Tourism Elena Udrea will
today be taken to a court in Bulgaria as part of the procedures to extradite
her to Romania. She was apprehended on Thursday night close to the border with
Greece, after the authorities in Bucharest had put out an APB on her. Elena
Udrea had left the country on Thursday morning right before getting the court’s
six-year prison sentence for bribery and abuse in office in the Bute Boxing
Gala case. Border police said the former minister legally left the country as
no interiction had been issued before her departure. We’ll revert to the topic
after the news.

UKRAINE The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and the head
of the EU diplomacy Josep Borell are today travelling to Kyiv for talks with
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. On Thursday the UN General Assembly
voted for suspending Russia from the UN Council of Human Rights for severe and
repeated human rights violations. 93 countries have voted in favour of the
resolution proposed by the USA, 24 countries were against it and 58 abstained.
The decision has been made after the discovery of hundreds of dead, many with
torture marks, and summary executions in the regions recaptured by the
Ukrainian troops. Russia denies that its troops have killed civilians. The
Kremlin says the decision to suspend Russia from the aforementioned UN council
is illegal and politically-motivated. Russia steps up its attacks in Ukraine’s
southern and eastern regions while Ukrainians are trying to evacuate the
citizens in the regions affected by the war. Two Russian missiles have hit a railway
station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk killing 30 people and wounding
another 100, the Ukraine’s railway company has today announced. The station was
used in the evacuation of refugees from the areas bombed by the Russian troops.
In another development, the mayor of Mariupol says that over 100 thousand
people must be urgently evacuated from the city. On Thursday, the World Health
Organisation confirmed over 100 attacks against health services in Ukraine and
called for the access of humanitarian convoys to this city currently besieged
by the Russian troops.

DECISION In its session today, the second this week, the government in Bucharest
is deciding ways in which the Romanian citizens who are hosting Ukrainian
refugees may benefit from discounts. The hosts must fill in an application with
the local public authorities specifying the number of people they host, their
surnames and Christian names, and the period of time they offer accommodation
to the refugees. The Romanians who are hosting Ukrainian refugees can get up to
14 Euros per person per day. Since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine, 650
thousand Ukrainian nationals have entered Romania.

GROWTH Romania last year registered a 5.9% economic growth as compared to 2020
– according to the latest provisional figures published by the National
Institute for Statistics INS. Data reveals a smaller contribution of investment
to economic growth last year, from 0.9% to 0.6 %. The INS data has also
revealed a 0.1% drop in the last quarter of 2021 as compared to the previous
one.

COVID-19 Over 17 hundred new Covid-19 infections have been reported in
Romania today, a lower number than the previous day. Authorities have also
announced 9-related fatalities and over 21 hundred people are presently in
hospital care. 227 of them are being treated in ICU’s. At the same time the
number of flu infections is on the rise, doctors say and some of the cases
needed hospital treatment.

(bill)

8 April 2022
April 7, 2022 UPDATE

UKRAINE
The European Parliament on Thursday adopted with a landslide majority a
resolution calling for an immediate full embargo on Russian imports of coal,
nuclear fuel and gas. Among other things, the document provides for renouncing
the North Stream 1 and 2 pipelines altogether and includes a plan for assuring
short-term energy supplies to the bloc. Under the document, arm supplies to
Ukraine must continue so that the country may be able to defend itself
properly. However, according to Rompres news agency, the resolution has only a
symbolical character. The US
has imposed new sanctions on two of Russia’s largest banks, as well as on
Vladimir Putin’s two adult daughters, on Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, on
the wife and children of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on members of the
Security Council of Russia, including Dimitri Medvedev, a former President and Prime
Minister. On the other hand, the Ukrainian police found new bodies of people
shot in Hostomel, near Kyiv, a town recently liberated from the occupation of
Russian troops. According to the locals, they were killed by snipers. The
Ukrainian military record war crimes cases in every city or town where the Russian
soldiers were present. According to the Ukrainian officials, more than 1,200
lawsuits have been opened in the Kyiv region over war crimes committed by the
occupiers. Polish President Andrzej Duda described the Russian military’s
actions in Ukraine as genocide and called on the West to strengthen
sanctions against Moscow. On the ground, according to the General Staff of the
Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian occupiers are preparing an offensive operation
in the east of the country to establish full control over the territory of the
Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Pentagon confirms that the Russian troops have
completely withdrawn from Ukrainian capital Kyiv and from Cernihiv.

COVID Romania’s Ministry of Health has reported 1984 new Covid-19
infections in the past 24 hours, 336 less than in the previous day. 23 related
fatalities have also been reported and the number of people in hospital care
stays around 2153. 280 patients are being treated in ICUs. 2.85 million
infections have been reported on the Romanian territory since the beginning of
the pandemic and 65 thousand people died. Since March 9th, no anti-Covid
restriction has been applied in Romania. On Thursday, the World Health Day Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis awarded medals to several doctors and nurses for their
activity during the pandemic.

PROTEST Trade unionists from Romania’s
airline Tarom on Thursday mounted a protest rally in front of the company’s
offices. In early April Tarom employees announced their intention to protest
for the entire month disgruntled by the lack of a wage grid and the shortage of
personnel. The protesters are also disgruntled by the fact that the wage budget
has not been increased by 35%. Trade union protests also took place in Romania
on Wednesday.

TALKS NATO Foreign Ministers including Romania’s Bogdan Aurescu
held talks in Brussels on the relationship with partners in the regions of
Europe and Asia-Pacific. High on the agenda was also the situation in Ukraine
and the need for supporting this country by the allied and partner countries as
well as preparations for the summer summit in Madrid. The Romanian Minister has
underlined that the allies’ security is intrinsically tied to that of the
partners in the neighborhood and the resilience of the partners is tightly
connected to that of the allies. The Romanian official has reiterated that the
practical support for strengthening the resilience of the Republic of Moldova
and Georgia must remain a top priority for all partners. Aurescu has
highlighted the need for keeping and strengthening allied unity and solidarity
with a view to handling the effects of the Russian aggression as well as the
continuation of providing support for Ukraine. He reiterated Romania’s position
about the need to build a stronger defence for a better deterrence on the
Eastern Flank especially in the Black Sea. During the event a formal meeting of
NATO Foreign Minister was announced to be hosted by Bucharest over November 29th
and 30th.

POLL Half of the Romanians believes their financial situation
has worsened this year and forecasts are pessimistic. Only a little over 9% say
their incomes have improved, a survey conducted by the CEC Bank jointly with
Finzoom has revealed. 43% of the respondents believe they are going to fare
worse in the future and the main reason is the latest price hikes in energy as
the expenses for utilities are bearing on heavily on a Romanian family’s
budget. Second on their worry list is the expansion of the conflict in
neighboring Ukraine. Founded back in 1864, the CEC Bank is presently boasting
the longest tradition in Romania.

UN
With 93 votes in favour,
24 against and 58 abstentions, the UN General Assembly on Thursday suspended
Russia from the Human Rights Council for having invaded Ukraine. The move was
initiated by the United States and other countries including Britain. In the UN
history only Libya led by Moammar Gaddafi was suspended in 2011, but this time the
suspended is a permanent member of the Security Council.

(bill)

7 April 2022
April 7, 2022

NATO – In Brussels, the foreign ministers of the NATO member countries, including the Romanian one, Bogdan Aurescu, are discussing, today, the new strategic concept that must be adapted to the current security context. Prior to the meeting, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg estimated that the war in Ukraine could take months or even years. The agenda of the meeting includes the implementation of the decisions of the Extraordinary NATO Summit of March 24, with focus on strengthening the Allied defense and deterrence posture on the Eastern Flank, following Russias aggression on Ukraine and its consequences for Euro-Atlantic security. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the NATO officials will also discuss the latest developments on the ground in Ukraine, including the crimes against the civilian population. Bogdan Aurescu will reiterate the importance of the rapid implementation of the decisions of the March NATO Summit, with an emphasis on the establishment of new NATO Combat Groups, one of which is in Romania. He reiterated that Moscow was preparing an offensive in eastern Ukraine to take control of the entire Donbas region and to build a land bridge to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Ukraine — The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the recent sanctions imposed on Russia, but underlined that they were insufficient. He called on Western democracies to boycott Russian oil, insisting that the failure of a rapid agreement on an embargo would result in the loss of many lives among Ukrainians. The US has imposed new sanctions on two of Russias largest banks, as well as on Vladimir Putins two adult daughters, on Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, on the wife and children of the FM Sergei Lavrov, on members of the Security Council of Russia, including Dimitri Medvedev, a former president and prime minister. On the other hand, the Ukrainian police found new bodies of people shot in Hostomel, near Kyiv, a town recently liberated from the occupation of Russian troops. According to the locals, they were killed by snipers. The Ukrainian military record war crimes cases in every city or town where the Russian soldiers were present. According to the Ukrainian officials, more than 1,200 lawsuits have been opened in the Kyiv region over war crimes committed by the occupiers. The Polish President Andrzej Duda described the Russian militarys actions in Ukraine as “genocide” and called on the West to strengthen sanctions against Moscow. On the ground, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian occupiers are preparing an offensive operation in the east of the country to establish full control over the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Pentagon confirms that the Russian troops have completely withdrawn from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and Cernihiv.

UN — The UN General Assembly is today considering the suspension of Russias membership to the Human Rights Council (HRC) due to the invasion of Ukraine. The move was initiated by the United States and several other countries, including the United Kingdom. Two-thirds of the votes of the General Assembly members, representing 193 countries, are required for a favorable decision. Russias Foreign Ministry has said that Russias failure to participate in UNHRC activities would undermine the universality of that structure. Moscow has also denied allegations in connection with the massacre in Bucha, where hundreds of bodies were found after the withdrawal of Russian troops. In the history of the UN, Libya led by Moammar Gaddafi was suspended from this structure in 2011, but this time it is about a permanent member of the Security Council.

Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu (66 WTA) has qualified to the round of 16 of the WTA 500 tournament in Charleston (South Carolina, USA), with total prizes worth almost 900,000 dollars. On Wednesday, she defeated Australian Ajla Tomljanovic (39 WTA) 6-2, 6-3. In the quarter finals, Irina Begu will face the winner of the match between Ons Jabeur (Tunisia, 10 WTA), 4th seeded, and the American Emma Navarro (201 WTA), a match that was interrupted at the score of 6-3, 5-2 for the Tunisian.

TAROM — The trade unionists of the Romanian state-owned airlines TAROM are organizing a protest rally today in front of the companys headquarters. At the beginning of April, they announced, in a communiqué, that they would protest throughout the month, dissatisfied, among other things, with the lack of a payroll and the staff shortage. Trade unionists are also discontented with the fact that the budget for salary expenses has not been increased by 35%. Protests also took place on Wednesday in Romania.

COVID-19 – More than 2,300 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Romania on Wednesday, less than in the previous day. The authorities also announced 18 COVID-associated deaths. Nearly 2,300 coronavirus patients are hospitalized. 338 of them are in intensive care. On the other hand, the number of flu cases, following confirmation by specific tests, is increasing, doctors have pointed out. In some cases, patients with the flu needed hospitalization. (LS)

7 April 2022
April 5, 2022

ADDRESS – Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday evening addressed, by video call, the plenary sitting of Romanias Parliament. He called for full embargo on Russia, saying that the European Union must deprive Russia of any economic and financial resource, to make it seek peace with Kyiv and the whole Europe. President Zelensky thanked Romanians for the way in which they welcomed Ukrainian refugees and voiced confidence that Romania would take part in Ukraine’s reconstruction programme, after the war.

UKRAINE – Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky is today addressing the UN Security Council after saying it is in Kyiv’s best interest to have the most transparent investigation into the massacre of civilians in his country. Zelensky said on Monday night that at least 300 civilians were killed in Bucha, where mass graves and civilian corpses on the streets were found after Ukraine had regained control of the city. The Ukrainian president said he expected the number of victims to be even larger in Borodyanka and other towns seized by the Russians. Zelensky has accused Russia of genocide and has promised to bring to justice all Russian soldiers who committed these atrocities. US President Joe Biden has called for Vladimir Putin to be tried for war crimes, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU has set up a Joint Investigation Team with Ukraine to collect evidence and investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity. In turn, the head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola has accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine. The Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vasyly Nebenzya, has denied any involvement of his country in the massacre in Bucha, calling the reports “a provocation.” The EU, the United States and their allies have announced new economic sanctions against Russia. Moreover, the United States and the UK called on Monday for Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council.

REFUGEES — A large number of refugees have entered Romania after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Solidarity with those over 650,000 neighbors and friends who came to Romania has been shown not only at the level of public institutions, but also at the level of NGOs and most importantly, at the level of Romanians, of simple citizens, PM Nicolae Ciuca has said. The situation of the Ukrainian refugees was on Monday on the agenda of talks between the Romanian PM and the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the devastating war in their country.

MOTION – The Save Romania Union (URS), in opposition, has today tabled a simple motion in the Chamber of Deputies, against environment minister Tanczos Barna. USR accuse him of destroying the environment, including by promoting the interests of the so called ‘timber mafia’. The motion’s initiators say Tanczos Barna has to resign for ignoring court rulings and for wasting large amounts that should be spent on truly useful projects.

MEASURES – The ruling coalition in Romania is convening today to discuss social measures in support of vulnerable categories and economic measures such as increasing the value of meal vouchers and of hospital meals. According to the Social Democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu, vouchers worth 50 euros could be granted every two months to underprivileged families. Also, vouchers worth 30 euros could be granted to poor students for food, clothing and school kits. Coalition leaders also plan to increase the value of food vouchers to up to 6 euros and to double the amount for hospital meals to around 4 euros. In turn, the former Liberal leader, Florin Citu, said all measures that are to be taken must be carefully assessed, because, although they look good on paper, can destabilize economy. PM Nicolae Ciuca said these measures will have a budgetary impact of more than 3% of the GDP and that the authorities plan to use as many European funds as possible so as not to increase budget deficit. (EE)

5 April 2022