Radio România Internațional

Tag: US

  • June 28, 2024

    June 28, 2024

    EU – Attending the European Council meeting in Brussels, the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, emphasized, during the talks on the EU’s Strategic Agenda for the period 2024-2029, that the document must mirror the joint commitment to continue efforts towards a stronger, more resilient and more influential EU. The Romanian head of state emphasized that the new Agenda must highlight the advancement of the enlargement policy, the unity of the Union in terms of support for Ukraine and the importance of cooperation between the EU and NATO. Also in Brussels, the European leaders decided on the top positions in the EU institutions.  Ursula von der Leyen was nominated for the presidency of the Commission, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for the position of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, while former Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, will take over the presidency of the European Council.

     

    US ELECTIONS – The Republican Donald Trump’s campaign team claims his victory in Thursday night’s first televised election debate with his contender,  the Democratic President Joe Biden. Biden believes, however, that he ‘did well’, while the reactions to his performance are divided even in the democratic camp. The American and international media notes that the debate between the two candidates to the US presidency  has been marked by personal attacks, hesitations by Biden and lies told by Trump. Abortion rights, migration, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the assault on the Capitol in January 2021 and the country’s economy were the main topics covered.

     

    LAW – Penalties for slavery and human trafficking can no longer be suspended prison sentences in Romania, under the new law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. The document, which takes effect this week, also provides for harsher penalties for such crimes, with sentences going as high as 15 years in prison. In addition, the production, storage, exposure, promotion and distribution of pornographic materials with minors, is punished with 3 to 10 years behind bars.

     

    OSCE –  Bucharest hosts, as of Saturday, the 31st annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The theme of the summit is the parliamentary perspective on the role of the OSCE in the current security climate. The participants – parliamentarians from over 50 member states of the Organization – will adopt the Bucharest Declaration, a document that will include the resolutions of the general committees and the additional ones initiated by members of the Assembly. Among them will be a resolution regarding the worsening of the human rights situation in the Russian-speaking breakaway region of Trans-Dniester, in the Republic of Moldova. Russia and Belarus have been excluded from the meeting in Bucharest.

     

    WEST BANK – The Israeli War Cabinet has legalized five settler outposts in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a move likely to further strain the situation in the region and complicate Israel’s relationship with the United States. Israel considers that most Jewish settlements in the West Bank are legal and that only a few, established without approval, are illegal. The international community, however, sees all colonies as illegal. Meanwhile, in Gaza, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating by the day. On the other hand, France, Germany, Canada and the United States have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon, amid fears of conflict expansion in the Middle East.

     

    POLL – The first round of the snap elections for the appointment of representatives in the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the French Parliament, will take place on Sunday. The almost 49 million people with the right to vote will choose between a nationalist-populist right, at the top of the electorate’s preferences, a left wing which is struggling to remain united and a pro-Macron majority unprepared to give up the government. The second round is scheduled for July 7. We remind you that President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly on June 9, after his party’s failure in the European elections. (EE)

     

     

     

  • Patriot system for Ukraine

    Patriot system for Ukraine

    Romania will donate a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. The decision was made at the meeting of the Supreme National Defense Council (CSAT) that took place on Thursday in Bucharest. The CSAT members established that the donation of the Patriot system will be made on the condition of continuing negotiations, especially with the American strategic partner, in order to obtain a similar or equivalent system, which should meets the need to ensure the protection of the national airspace. In fact, the idea of ​​donating such a system to neighboring Ukraine emerged last month, following the meeting of President Klaus Iohannis, at the White House, with President Joe Biden. Then, Klaus Iohannis said that Romania was asked to give up such a system.  Now, after the CSAT announcement, the Presidential Administration emphasized, in a statement, that the decision was based on an in-depth technical evaluation by the authorities and that all measures were taken to eliminate the risk of creating vulnerabilities for Romania.

     

    Thus, the National Defense Ministry presented within the Supreme National Defense Council a detailed analysis regarding the situation of the operationalization of the four Patriot systems that the country currently owns, the progress of the endowment program with the other three systems it ordered, as well as the impact generated by a possible transfer of a system, the press release writes. President Volodymyr Zelenski thanked Bucharest for the decision to donate Kyiv a Patriot missile system and said that he appreciated Romania’s firm support for Ukraine. ‘Today’s decision strengthens security not only in Ukraine, but also in our entire region and Europe’ the Ukrainian president wrote in a social network post. In fact, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has requested at least seven batteries, but the countries that own them have not yet decided on handing them over.

     

    Also on Thursday, when Romania made the decision to donate the system, the United States announced that it was temporarily suspending deliveries of Patriot anti-aircraft systems to other countries, and Ukraine will now have priority in receiving them. The White House evoked Kyiv’s persistent requests to receive more Patriot batteries to defend both its frontline troops and infrastructure from Russian attacks. It’s also worth mentioning that Romania’s objectives at the NATO summit in Washington, next month, were also approved within the Supreme National Defense Council in Bucharest. The continuous deterioration of the security situation in Romania’s eastern neighborhood, as a result of the intensification of Russia’s military actions, was also analyzed.

     

    At the CSAT meeting, Klaus Iohannis also announced that he had informed NATO allies, at the end of last week, about the withdrawal of his candidacy for the position of secretary general of the organization. The Romanian president asked the members of the Council to pronounce on the candidacy of the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, and they expressed their support for the Dutch official’s candidacy for that position within NATO. (LS)

  • Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has talks with US President Joe Biden at the White House

    Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has talks with US President Joe Biden at the White House

    The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, who is currently on a working visit to Washington, has had talks with US President, Joe  Biden, at the White House.

    The two leaders have approached topical issues on the bilateral and international agenda and have also celebrated Romania’s 20th year as a member of the NATO Alliance.

    The two presidents  have underscored their continued support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s aggression. They have also reviewed the many areas in which Romania and the United States work together, including energy, economic cooperation and their shared democratic values.

    President Biden has thanked President Iohannis for hosting U.S. servicemembers in Romania, and has recognized the many contributions that Romania, a stalwart NATO Ally, has made to security on NATO’s eastern flank, particularly in the Black Sea region, a White House press release reads.

    In his opening remarks, the U.S. President Joe Biden has praised the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for his leadership and for providing security assistance during the war in Ukraine.  “We were reminiscing for a moment before you came in that, back when I was a senator, 180 years ago, I fought very hard for Romania’s admission to NATO.  And you, you’ve exceeded every expectation. And 20 years ago, when you joined NATO for real, and every year since, our nations have grown only closer, in my view, closer and closer together.  And we see it in Romania and American troops serving side by side across NATO, and including in your country.  I believe there’s about 1,800 American forces there.  We thank you for that.  And, we see our work in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. And I want to thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership, especially in the Black Sea.  You’ve been incredible.  You’ve stood up, and the help you’ve provided for Ukraine is real.  It’s significant. The unified support for the people of Ukraine,  you’ve allowed a number of refugees to come across, be in your country, about 8,000, they tell me.  A whole lot.  And that’s really something. And, also, your security assistance to Ukraine, moving Ukrainian grain. And I want you to know the United States is committed to standing with you. Today, we lay the foundation for the next 20 years.  I look forward to our discussions and just say that we’ve got a lot to discuss, so I’m looking forward to it”, President Biden said.

    In his turn, President Iohannis thanked President Biden for the substantial contribution of the United States to ensuring the security of Romania and for strengthening the bilateral relationship:  “We managed not only to be members of NATO, thanks to you and others who really fought for us  20 years since Romania is a proud member of NATO, but we also managed to work on our bilateral relationship, which became stronger and stronger. We have a Strategic Partnership.  And I think by making this partnership strong, we also managed to make the transatlantic link strong.  In my opinion, a transatlantic link is the cornerstone of our democratic way of life, our values.   And so, this is obviously linked to the way we see the future of our nations; how we manage to make our nations work better, live better; how we manage to guarantee the security of our peoples; how we manage to make our economies grow.  And so, we have, really, a lot of issues we can discuss.  But also, sometimes I believe it is important to underline that we managed to move ahead and that we managed to have very positive results.  And, of course, we will discuss things we still have to achieve. And so, maybe just an example: We are working together on a visa waiver for Romania.  If this goes well, hopefully, not before long, we will have results. But unfortunately, the most important issue is to find the way to reinstall peace in Europe.  And helping Ukraine and the Ukrainians,  you set such a huge example how this can be done. Romania is trying its best, and we have some pretty good results.  I think it is decent.  But nevertheless, we have to find ways to prevent Russia to win this war in Ukraine.  And here we have to stay united.  We have to work together.  And we will, as far as I can see.”

    President Biden added: “Let me just say one thing.  I don’t think there’s any NATO partner who has a stronger commitment to the Euro-Atlantic alliance than Romania and the United States.  And it’s a value set.  It’s what we believe (…)  And you’ve stepped up, and you’ve been incredible.  And what you’ve done and what we’re going to continue to do together, I think, is going to be significant, not only for Europe but for the whole world.”

    According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, the top level dialogue represents a good opportunity to raise the profile of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the US and to reconfirm the privileged bilateral relations between the US and Romania as well as  their multisectoral cooperation.

    “I had a very consistent discussion today in Washington, D.C., with the President of the US, Joe Biden, at the White House, on the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States🇸, including cooperation on security, economic and energy issues. As we celebrate 20 years since Romania joined NATO, we also discussed our strong collaboration in securing the Eastern Flank of the Alliance, the strategic importance of the Black Sea region, as well as our support for Ukraine and strengthening transatlantic relations”, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis wrote on X, fresh from the talks he had with President Joe Biden, at the White House.  “I talked with President Biden about the Strategic Partnership between our countries, how we can make it stronger and how we can deepen it, so that it meets the challenges we face in this extremely complicated global context. I thanked President Biden for the substantial contribution of the United States to ensuring the security of Romania and of the entire Eastern Flank and, at the same time, for recognizing the strategic role of the Black Sea, in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine” the Romanian  head of state told a press conference.

    On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, President Klaus Iohannis will be awarded the 2024 Distinguished Leadership Award by the Atlantic Council,  in token of recognition for his career and  role as a trans-Atlantic and European leader.

  • May 7, 2024

    May 7, 2024

    Visit – Romania’s President, Klaus Iohannis, will be received, this evening, at the White House by his American counterpart, Joe Biden. Starting today, the Romanian head of state is on a working visit to the United States. According to a statement from the White House, quoted by Radio Romania’s correspondent in Washington, the two leaders will celebrate 20 years since Romania became a NATO member, and President Biden will thank his counterpart for hosting the American military in Romania and will acknowledge the numerous contributions that Romania, a staunch NATO ally, has made to the security of the Alliance’s eastern flank. The White House also says they will emphasize continued support for Ukraine, which is defending itself against Russian aggression. The two presidents will also review the many areas in which Romania and the United States work together, including energy, economic cooperation and common democratic values. On Wednesday, President Iohannis will participate in the Atlantic Council’s 2024 “Distinguished International Leadership” awards ceremony. The President of Romania will receive the highest distinction of the Atlantic Council “for his remarkable career, the exemplary leadership of Romania and the role of European and transatlantic leader”.

     

    Drill – The multinational NATO exercise “Swift Response” 24, which is also taking place on the territory of Romania, has begun. The drill will include one of the largest airborne operations in Europe since World War II, with approximately 2,000 paratroopers. All in all, 5,000 soldiers from seven allied and partner states are participating in the exercise. Romania provides air bases and ranges and participates with 2,300 soldiers and 220 technical means – the Defense Ministry announced.

     

    Cars – New car registrations in Romania increased in March by 34% compared to April 2023, the number standing at 13,276 vehicles – data published today show. In the first four months of 2024, new car registrations reached the value of 46,500 units, a level similar to that of the same period of last year. Regarding the second-hand cars registered for the first time in Romania, their volume reached almost 29,900 units in April this year. In this case, there is an increase of almost 37% compared to April 2023. In the first four months of the year, 114,000 vehicles were registered, an increase of 15.8% compared to the same period of last year. Regarding new car brands, the first five places are occupied by Dacia, Toyota, Skoda, Volkswagen and Hyundai – mentions a press release from the Romanian Automobile Manufacturers Association.

     

    Football – Today, Romanian sport is celebrating 38 years since Steaua Bucharest won the European Football Champions Cup. On May 7, 1986, in Spain, in Seville, the team, made up exclusively of Romanian players, defeated the famous FC Barcelona 2-0 in the final, after a penalty shootout. Steaua’s goalkeeper, Helmuth Duckadam, then entered the Book of Records, after he saved all four shots executed by the Catalans. In February 1987, in Monte Carlo, Steaua also won the European Supercup, with the score 1-0 with the Soviets from Dinamo Kiev. Two of the authors of those unique performances in the history of Romanian football, midfielder Lucian Bălan and defender Ilie Bărbulescu, have died in recent years.

     

    Olympics – The presidents of France and China, Emmanuel Macron and Xi Jinping, pleaded on Monday for an Olympic truce in all conflicts in the world during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, a truce that could also be an opportunity to find solutions to end those conflicts, the press agencies report. The two leaders expressed this position in a joint statement given to the press in Paris, after a meeting in which they addressed international and commercial issues of bilateral interest. The French president hailed what he described as a commitment by China not to sell arms to Russia and generally not to provide it with any military aid. In turn, the Chinese president called for peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, within an international conference recognized by Russia and Ukraine. We are opposed to using the Ukrainian crisis to shift the blame to others, to smear a third country and start a new Cold War, Xi Jinping underlined, referring to the recurring criticism of Western countries on the close relations between China and Russia.

     

    Drills – NATO, the EU and the US labeled as irresponsible the military exercises for the use of tactical nuclear weapons announced by Moscow, which motivated this decision following the statements of some Western officials and the increasing involvement of the West on the part of Ukraine in the conflict with Russia. Russia’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible, and NATO remains vigilant, an Alliance spokeswoman told EFE news agency. The Russian nuclear exercises are a continuation of Russia’s irresponsible behavior, a spokesman for the European Commission said in turn. And the Pentagon denounced what it called Moscow’s irresponsible rhetoric. President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian army to soon carry out military maneuvers in which, according to an announcement released on Monday by the Russian Ministry of Defense, a series of measures will be taken to train troops in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.

     

    Table tennis – The Romanian pair made up of Ovidiu Ionescu and Bernadette Szocs qualified for the mixed doubles event of the Paris Olympic Games, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announced on Tuesday, after the publication of the world ranking for this event. Ionescu and Szocs missed two chances of direct qualification last month, at the pre-Olympic tournament in Havirov (the Czech Republic), but they got the tickets for the Olympic Games thanks to the world ranking. If Bernadette Szocs had already secured participation in the Paris Games, with the Romanian women’s team, Ovidiu Ionescu thus becomes the 82nd Romanian athlete qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games.

     

    Statistics – The unemployment rate decreased slightly, to 5.3%, in March of this year, compared to February, according to the data issued on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics. Among young people (15-24 years old), unemployment remains at a high level of 22.1%. The unemployment rate among men exceeded that among women by 0.8%. (LS)

  • New F-16 planes for the Romanian Army

    New F-16 planes for the Romanian Army

    Three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft purchased by Romania from the Kingdom of Norway landed, on Friday, at the 71st Air Base ‘General Emanoil Ionescu’ at Câmpia Turzii (center), to equip the 48th Fighter Squadron. The purchase of these F-16 aircraft and the related package of goods and services will ensure an increase in Romania’s security, by defending the national and NATO airspace in peacetime and in crisis situations, through the Permanent Combat Service – Air Policing under NATO command – writes a communique by the Romanian Defense Ministry. The F-16 aircraft that have just arrived at Câmpia Turzii are the second series of three such planes bought by Romania from Norway, the first being received at the end of November 2023, in the 86th Air Base ‘Lieutenant Aviator Gheorghe Mociorniţă’ from Borcea (south- east).

     

    According to the Defense Ministry, through the gradual arrival, during this year and the next, of 32 multi-role F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft that will equip two more squadrons of the Air Force, Romania is strengthening its air defense at a level adapted to the security challenges in the region. These planes will have an important role in maintaining a credible allied defense and deterrence posture against any aggression on the Eastern Flank and, just as importantly, they will ensure the transition for the Romanian Air Force to the fifth-generation era of F-35 aircraft, the defense minister Angel Tîlvăr stated. The ministry he leads recalls that, according to the Concept of the gradual fulfillment of the air defense capability, within the program “Multirole aircraft of the Air Force”, the Romanian Government awarded the Government of Norway the contract for the purchase of 32 F-16 aircraft, with logistic support initially, and a package of complementary goods and services from the US Government.

     

    The aircraft will be delivered in operational condition, their available resource ensuring their operation for a transition period of at least 10 years to the 5th generation aircraft, which makes the acquisition of the Norwegian fighter jets a transfer of capability between two allied NATO countries, the defense ministry explains. The three aircraft that have just arrived will ensure the fulfillment of the new existing requirements within NATO, and later they will be included in the modernization program in the same configuration (M6.X) as the F-16 aircraft from the first squadron that entered the equipment of the Romanian Air Force. This solution ensures the involvement of the Romanian defense industry in the maintenance and modernization of F-16 aircraft, through the company Aerostar Bacău (est). At present, the Romanian Air Force has 20 F-16 aircraft. (LS)

  • 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 1, 2024 UPDATE

    April 1, 2024 UPDATE

    Deepfake – The National Cyber Security Directorate Romania published a “Guide to Deepfakes”, aimed at protecting and educating the general public on cyber security risks. The Guideline provides detailed information on deepfake production and identification. The authors are confident that by understanding these concepts, users are more aware of the related risks and may take adequate protection measures. Deepfake is a form of digital manipulation using advanced AI techniques to create false images or audio-video materials. According to the institution, this may have a severe impact on society, as it erodes public confidence in online information.

     

    Banking – The consumer credit reference index (IRCC) dropped to 5.90% per year, from 5.97% 3 months ago, the National Bank announced. This is the first significant decrease of the index in the past 12 months, and will lead to smaller interest rates as of this month. In June the IRCC is expected to decrease further, to 5.84%. The downward trend will help bring down interest rates for mortgage loans for nearly half a million Romanians. Meanwhile, the 3-month ROBOR index which influences the costs of variable-rate loans in the national currency has reached 6.06% per year, as opposed to 6.05%. IRCC is the index used for setting the interest rates for variable-rate loans in the national currency since May 2019, when it stood at 2.36%. It was designed by the government as a solution to offset the effects of the ROBOR index, which had been rising from one month to the next at the end of 2018.

     

    Parliament – The Parliament of Romania convenes on Tuesday in a joint meeting to mark 20 years since the country joined the North Atlantic Alliance and 75 years since the establishment of NATO. Parliament will adopt a declaration on this occasion. Also this week, the Chamber of Deputies is scheduled to give its final vote on a government bill introducing penalties for breaches of the EU regulation on the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases in appliances such as refrigerators or AC systems. The penalties may reach EUR 20,000 in fines, and 6-month to 3-year prison sentences. Deputies in the specialist committees are also to discuss as of this week new draft regulations on the compulsory motor insurance, stipulating fines 15 times higher than in the past for uninsured drivers and a ceiling of EUR 400 on self-paid car repairs. Also this week, the Senate is to discuss the merger of local elections with the European Parliament elections, scheduled for June 9th.

     

    Protests – The Romanian Post Workers’ Union went on an all-out strike on Monday, but the postal offices’ activity is taking place normally in most counties of Romania, as the management of the institution claims. The protesters demand an increase in salaries by a net amount of 400 lei (approx. 80 euros) and an increase in the loyalty bonus. They draw attention to the fact that the pay of 90% of the employees will be, as of this summer, at the level of the minimum wage. According to the authorities, it will increase to 3,700 lei (approx. 740 euros) from July 1. The company management announced that the demands of the employees are justified, but that there have already been significant salary increases. The Romanian Post is a national operator and is owned by the state.

     

    Drills – Joint exercises of the Moldovan, Romanian and American military are taking place in the Republic of Moldova until April 19. The Moldovan Defense Ministry announced that they would train, will exchange experience and increase the level of interoperability. The drills will take place in the training centers of the National Army of the Republic of Moldova.

     

    Visit – The special representative of the United States of America for the economic recovery of Ukraine, Penny Pritzker, arrives in Bucharest in two days. She will visit the UN Refugee Agency Center at the Romexpo Exhibition Compound, together with Romanian officials and the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec. She will talk about the life of refugees in Romania and their role in the reconstruction of Ukraine. At the same time, Penny Pritzker will meet with members of the Romanian Government and private sector leaders to discuss regional cooperation, including emergency energy assistance for Ukraine and the long-term benefits of infrastructure investments. (AMP, LS)

  • March 6, 2024

    March 6, 2024

    Congress – The Congress of the European People’s Party (EPP) takes place, today and tomorrow, in Bucharest, being attended by over 2,000 delegates from 44 countries. The European People’s Party decides the strategy for the European parliamentary elections in June, establish the EPP manifesto and designate the candidate for the head of the European Commission. The incumbent president, Ursula von der Leyen, is the only one officially registered in this competition, her candidacy being validated, last night, by the EPP’s Political Assembly. At the end of the Congress, a document will be adopted that will include the request for Romania and Bulgaria to become full members of the Schengen area. The Chancellor of Austria, Karl Nehammer, who is still opposed to this accession, will also attend the meeting. On Wednesday, at a meeting with young people from Romania, the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who is also participating in the congress, said that the Schengen Area will not be complete until it includes Romania. She has given assurances that Bucharest is supported by “numerous friends”, who will help it enter Schengen. She urged the young people to vote in the European Parliament elections and not to ‘underestimate’ their power to send ‘ambassadors’ to the EP. In parallel with the Congress, hosted by the National Liberal party – PNL (in the governing coalition), President Klaus Iohannis, the former leader of the Liberals, and the Social-Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu have meetings with the leaders present in Bucharest. At the meeting with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, they discussed the European Parliament elections, Romania’s European priorities, its full accession to the Schengen area and the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR.

     

    Tennis – The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has confirmed that Romanian Simona Halep can immediately return to the professional circuit, after her four-year suspension was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. Halep has not played an official match since the defeat registered in the first round at the US Open in 2022. She was suspended for four years for doping in September 2023 by the International Tennis Integrity Agency. The reduction of the suspension was welcomed by big names in the history of tennis.

     

    US elections – The former US president, Donald Trump, won, on Tuesday evening, the Republican primaries in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Maine, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Alabama, Minnesota, Colorado and Texas, which are at stake in the so-called ‘Super Tuesday’. 15 states are at stake in this electoral battle, and the world media write that Trump hopes to definitively exclude his last rival, Nikki Haley. In the Democratic camp, President Joe Biden, who wants to get a second term in office, does not face serious opposition. The candidacies of two Democrats, the elected representative of the state of Minnesota, Dean Phillips, and the successful author Marianne Williamson, did not really arouse enthusiasm, despite the recurring criticism of the octogenarian president. Biden already won, on Tuesday evening, in 12 states, including Vermont, North Carolina and Virginia.

     

     

    Drugs – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted, on Tuesday, as a decision-making body, the so-called “2 Mai” Law, which stipulates that high-risk drug traffickers can no longer receive suspended sentences. At the same time, the bill stipulates that trading products that have psychoactive effects represents a crime and is punishable by imprisonment. The Senate had adopted the bill in November 2023, as the first body notified. The bill is now being promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis.

     

    Romanian elections – Romania’s Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft law that allows the organization of the presidential election in September. The Social Democratic Party – PSD and the National Liberal Party – PNL, in the government coalition, agreed that the first round of the election should take place on September 15th and the second on the 29th. The law has already been challenged by Save Romania Union – USR and the Force of the Right at the Constitutional Court, which will discuss the notification of the opposition on March 20. We remind you that the local elections in Romania will take place, for the first time, simultaneously with the European Parliament elections, on June 9, and the vote for the Romanian Parliament on December 8.

     

    Swimming – The World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, Qatar, ended with a new success for the representative of the Universitatea Cluj Club (north-west Romania), Maier Orosz Judith, who competed in the 80-84-year category. The athlete won the gold medal in the 50m and 200m breaststroke and the 400m individual medley respectively, all with new national records, as well as in the 100m breaststroke. The other representative of Universitatea Cluj at the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, Vlad Dobra, finished sixth in the 50m and 100m backstroke and 400m individual medley of the 30-34-year category. More than 2,500 athletes participated in the Doha competition.

     

    Handball – Romania’s men’s handball champion, Dinamo Bucharest, was defeated by the Portuguese team Sporting Lisbon, score 31-27, on Tuesday evening, at home, in its last match in the Main Group IV of the EHF European League. Dinamo finished on third place in the group and will play in the play-off with the second ranked team in the Main Group III, the Danish team Bjerringbro-Silkeborg. The first match will take place in Bucharest on March 26, and the return leg away from home on April 2. Also in Main Group IV and also on Tuesday evening, CSM Constanţa (south-eastern Romania) was defeated, away from home, by the trophy holder, the German team Fuchse Berlin, and finished the matches on last position. (LS)

  • February 29, 2024

    February 29, 2024

    Transnistria – The Speaker of the Romanian Senate, Nicolae Ciucă, this morning had a meeting in Bucharest with the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the neighboring Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian speaking population), Oleg Serebrian. On the eve, he had declared that the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria, in the east of the republic, benefits from the policies promoted by the pro-Western government in Chișinău for peace, security and economic integration with the European Union, advantageous for all citizens. Previously, the so-called congress of deputies from Tiraspol adopted a resolution in which it addresses the Russian Parliament, asking it to take the necessary measures to protect Transnistria, in the context of the amplification of what the signatories called the pressure from the Republic of Moldova. The Russian Foreign Ministry claims that for Moscow it is a “priority to protect” the inhabitants of Transnistria. Russia will “carefully examine” Tiraspol’s request – the Russian Foreign Ministry stated, without providing more details. The United States firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders – said, in response, the spokesperson for the State Department, Matthew Miller. Transnistria de facto went out of the control of the central authorities after an armed conflict that resulted in hundreds of deaths and which ended following the intervention of Moscow’s troops on the side of the secessionist rebels in 1992, less than a year after Chișinău proclaimed its independence. The former Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, pledged to withdraw troops from Transnistria since the OSCE summit in Istanbul in 1999. About 1,500 soldiers and important Russian arsenals are said to still be there. According to analysts, the break-away region of Transnistria inaugurated the scenario for the subsequent separation, also with Russian support, of South Ossetia and Abkhazia from Georgia and Donbass from Ukraine.

     

    Jobs – 1,200 young and adult Ukrainian refugees, asylum seekers in neighboring Romania, as well as Romanians from vulnerable categories will be helped to find a job, to be independent from an economic and social point of view. The “World Vision Romania” foundation is launching a project through which people will be advised, will learn the Romanian language, receive support for equating their studies, benefit from grants to support entrepreneurial initiatives and support vouchers to stimulate integration on the labor market. Almost 160,000 Ukrainians requested a form of legal protection from the Romanian state, and at the beginning of the month there were almost 80,000 in the country. Half of them say that they want to get a job or open a business in Romania.

     

    Awards – 51 Romanian journalists, who have participated in missions in conflict zones in the last two years, are receiving awards today at the gala for excellence in journalism. The event, organized by the National Audiovisual Council at the National Theater in Bucharest, is part of the Council of Europe’s campaign aimed at promoting the protection and safety of media professionals. The journalists attending the gala will talk, on this occasion, about their experiences as war correspondents in Ukraine, neighboring Romania, and in Israel.

     

    Elections – The first round of the presidential election in Romania will take place on September 15, and the second, if necessary, on September 29. The leaders of the governing coalition (PSD and PNL) also decided that the European Parliament elections will take place together with the local ones, on June 9, and the general ones, for the Romanian Parliament, on December 8. Initially, the social democrats and liberals wanted to organize the European Parliament elections during two days for the Romanians abroad, but they gave up this option. Such a measure would have violated the constitutional right of Romanians inside the country, who would have had only one day to vote.

     

    February 29 – About 12,000 Romanians are celebrating their birthday today. Those born on February 29, i.e. in a leap year, can celebrate their birthday only once every four years. Leap years are important because they help synchronize the calendar year with the astronomical year. The Earth takes about 365.24 days to revolve around the Sun. Because of this extra time of 0.24 days, it is necessary to add February 29 every four years. For the first time, the extra day began being added to the Julian calendar in 46 BC, by the Roman emperor Julius Caesar, on the advice of an astronomer. Mathematically speaking, the chances of a person being born on February 29 are 1 in 1,461. Worldwide, more than four million people celebrate their birthday on February 29.

     

    Electronic cigarettes – The Romanian Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft law that prohibits the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors, after it had previously been passed by the Senate. Also, products containing tobacco, electronic cigarettes and refill bottles for electronic cigarettes can no longer be sold through vending machines. Selling via easy-box-type devices is also prohibited. The project introduces sanctions of up to 100,000 lei (20,000 Euros). Romania is one of the first countries in the EU to prohibit the sale to minors of all products with nicotine, as well as of electronic cigarettes without nicotine. Parliament has also recently passed a ban on selling energy drinks to under-18s. (LS)

  • February 3, 2024 UPDATE

    February 3, 2024 UPDATE

    AGREEMENT The PM
    of Romania Marcel Ciolacu and the representatives of farmers and carriers
    Friday reached an agreement ending the recent protests. On Monday, the PM’s
    office will set up an inter-ministry committee tasked with identifying the best
    solutions for the protesters’ demands. Farmers and carriers in Romania
    protested for 3 weeks against high business costs, low prices for produce, the
    import of cheap foodstuffs from Ukraine and the constraints introduced by the
    EU as part of its climate change action.


    COMMEMORATION A
    ceremony commemorating the prominent politician Iuliu Maniu, a former prime
    minister of Romania and leader of the National Christian-Democratic Party, was
    held on Saturday at the Memorial for the victims of communism in Sighetu
    Marmaţiei (north-west). Maniu died on the night of February 4 1953, in the political
    prison in Sighet, where he was serving a life sentence for high treason
    pronounced by the communist regime. His name was cleared under a Supreme Court
    ruling in 1998, and a monument was erected in his honour in the Revolution
    Square in Bucharest.


    MOLDOVA Chişinău
    extended an entry ban against the leader of the Romanian nationalist party AUR,
    George Simion, by another 5 years. Under Moldova’s legislation, foreigners may
    be declared undesirables if they have or if there are strong reasons to believe
    they intend to conduct activities likely to endanger the country’s national
    security or public order. According to the R. of Moldova, the Romanian
    authorities have been notified in this respect, and George Simion challenged
    the decision in court. The AUR leader was expelled from Moldova in 2018, with
    an entry ban in place for a period of 5 years.


    HEALTHCARE Trade
    unions in the healthcare sector have new talks scheduled next week with the
    Romanian authorities in the context of the recent protests. The vice-president
    of the Ambulanţa Trade Union Federation, Magyary Arpad, had a meeting on
    Friday with the healthcare minister, Alexandru Rafila, but failed to reach an
    agreement on salaries, equipment and the personnel shortage in the system.
    Arpad voiced optimism with respect to a 20% pay raise deal, but said he was not
    sure the measure would cover all healthcare personnel and whether it would be
    implemented in full or in several instalments. He said the talks also concerned
    the procurement of ambulance vehicles, office revamping and changes in the
    legislation. Trade unions in healthcare initiated nation-wide protests in
    November 2022, but suspended them until after next week’s meeting with PM
    Marcel Ciolacu. Talks will also be held in the coming days with the Sanitas trade
    union federation, which has its own salary demands for several categories of
    healthcare personnel.


    ALERT
    Healthcare units in Romania are implementing additional measures after a state
    of epidemiological alert was declared due to the growing number of respiratory
    infections and flu cases. Special attention is given to the health of hospital
    personnel and to the protection equipment, and visiting hours have been reduced.
    Visitor access is denied in ICUs, neonatology and pediatrics departments,
    coronary care units, oncology and hematology units, and in infectious disease
    units. In other hospital departments, no more than 2 visitors will be allowed
    at the same time in a room, and individual protection equipment will be
    compulsory.


    MIDDLE EAST The
    US conducted scores of air raids against targets operated by Iran-controlled
    groups in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon said the raids were a response to the
    recent drone attack by Iran-supported fighters, which killed 3 US troops at a
    military base in Jordan, the BBC reports. Taking part in Friday’s raids were B1
    long-range bombers, flying out of the US. Iran condemned the strikes, claiming
    they violated the sovereignty of Syria and Iraq, AFP reports. In Bagdad, a
    government spokesman announced the US strikes in western Iraq killed at least
    16 people, including civilians. Meanwhile, the US state secretary Antony
    Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank
    between February 4 and 8, primarily to reach a deal securing the freeing of all
    the Israeli hostages kept in Gaza following the Hamas terror attack of October
    7. (AMP)

  • February 3, 2024

    February 3, 2024

    AGREEMENT The PM
    of Romania Marcel Ciolacu and the representatives of farmers and carriers
    Friday reached an agreement ending the recent protests. On Monday, the PM’s
    office will set up an inter-ministry committee tasked with identifying the best
    solutions for the protesters’ demands. Farmers and carriers in Romania
    protested for 3 weeks against high business costs, low prices for produce, the
    import of cheap foodstuffs from Ukraine and the constraints introduced by the
    EU as part of its climate change action.


    COMMEMORATION A
    ceremony commemorating the prominent politician Iuliu Maniu, a former prime
    minister of Romania and leader of the National Christian-Democratic Party, was
    held on Saturday at the Memorial for the victims of communism in Sighetu
    Marmaţiei (north-west). Maniu died on the night of February 4 1953, in the political
    prison in Sighet, where he was serving a life sentence for high treason
    pronounced by the communist regime. His name was cleared under a Supreme Court
    ruling in 1998, and a monument was erected in his honour in the Revolution
    Square in Bucharest.


    MOLDOVA Chişinău
    extended an entry ban against the leader of the Romanian nationalist party AUR,
    George Simion, by another 5 years. Under Moldova’s legislation, foreigners may
    be declared undesirables if they have or if there are strong reasons to believe
    they intend to conduct activities likely to endanger the country’s national
    security or public order. According to the R. of Moldova, the Romanian
    authorities have been notified in this respect, and George Simion challenged
    the decision in court. The AUR leader was expelled from Moldova in 2018, with
    an entry ban in place for a period of 5 years.


    MIDDLE EAST The
    US conducted scores of air raids against targets operated by Iran-controlled
    groups in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon said the raids were a response to the recent
    drone attack by Iran-supported fighters, which killed 3 US troops at a military
    base in Jordan, the BBC reports. Taking part in Friday’s raids were B1
    long-range bombers, flying out of the US. Iran condemned the strikes, claiming
    they violated the sovereignty of Syria and Iraq, AFP reports. In Bagdad, a
    government spokesman announced the US strikes in western Iraq killed at least
    16 people, including civilians. Meanwhile, the US state secretary Antony
    Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank
    between February 4-8, primarily to reach a deal securing the freeing of all the
    Israeli hostages kept in Gaza following the Hamas terror attack of October 7.


    TENNIS The
    Romanian player Marius Copil takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas, no. 10 in the world,
    in Athens today, in the first match between Romania and Greece in the playoffs
    for the Davis Cup World Group I. The second singles match will be pitting Nicholas
    David Ionel against Aristotelis Thanos. The doubles match and 2 other singles
    games are scheduled for Sunday. Romania and Greece played twice against each
    other in the Davis Cup before, with one win each. Previously in this year’s competition,
    in the first round of the World Group I, Romania lost to Taiwan and Greece was
    defeated by Slovakia. (AMP)

  • January 24, 2024

    January 24, 2024

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



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



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



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



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


  • NATO, the US and Europe

    NATO, the US and Europe

    Born in 1958, a former ambassador to Washington and a former foreign minister in the early 2000s, when Romania was admitted into NATO, Mircea Geană was described as one of the most forefront Atlanticist politicians in Romania.



    Between 2005 and 2010, he led the Social Democratic Party, which has been dominating the Romanian political scene for over 3 decades. And, unlike a long line of Social Democratic leaders, from Ion Iliescu to Liviu Dragnea, via Adrian Năstase and Victor Ponta, he was never involved in criminal investigations or subject to allegations of plagiarism.



    In 2009, Geoană lost the presidential election to Traian Băsescu, by a small margin. Since October 17, 2019, the Romanian Mircea Geoană has been NATOs deputy secretary general, and as of late the media and political analysts in Bucharest have noticed he has been more often in Romania than in Brussels, which suggests he might be interested in running for president once again, at the end of this year.



    Just days ago, the NATO deputy chief came home again, to launch his book, Battle for the future of Romania. Thoughts of a Romanian at the top of NATO in Ploieşti.



    On this occasion, speaking about the large-scale NATO exercise due to take place in Poland soon and expected to be the largest since 1988, Mircea Geoană said he wished the exercise to be read as a determent by prospective opponents. 90,000 people, the most diverse equipment, all Allies (…) taking part in this exercise, Romania included (…) You show your strength and your ability to bring additional forces from North America to Europe in a quick and professional manner, and you prove that the entire Alliance is able to mobilise, Geoană said.



    He also explained that America needs allies in Europe and elsewhere in the world, and if Donald Trump returns to the White House after this autumns election, there will probably be “shifts in the emphasis” of the US-NATO relationship.



    Geoană cited what not only Trump, but all US presidents have said: many of the USs European allies do not invest in defence, and America has to pay for the Allies security while they mind their own economy and get cheap natural gas from the Russians. However, Geoană went on to say, in his last State of the Union address nearly 4 years ago, Trump praised NATO.



    Speaking about the extent to which the Romanian army is prepared for a prospective conflict, Geoană emphasised the importance of military drills. When you hear about such exercises, do not be concerned. What I hope for Romania (…) is for this bigger investment (…) to be able to lead to a rebirth of the defence industry (….) It is a pity not to try to create jobs, not to create an innovation ecosystem around the defence sector, the NATO official concluded. (AMP)


  • January 21, 2024

    January 21, 2024

    Protest — A protest by Romanian transporters and farmers was approved by the general mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, for three days, starting on Sunday, in the center of Bucharest. In this action, the local administration admitted the participation of no more than 5 thousand people, 100 tractors and 100 truck heads. The Bucharest Prefect, Rareş Hopincă, announced that, until Saturday, when the organizers had the obligation to notify the state institutions regarding the participating vehicles, the presence of only one vehicle had been communicated, but the Gendarmerie can extend this deadline. According to Radio Romania’s correspondents, on Saturday, a new protest took place in Sibiu (center), and dozens of tractors and trucks crossed the main roads of the city. A similar action took place on the southern belt of Craiova (south-west), and on the Jiului Gorge (south-west) tens of vehicles hampered road traffic, driving at low speed. Previously, the protesters also temporarily blocked Siret and Halmeu towns on the border with Ukraine, also dissatisfied with the drop in cereal prices generated by imports from the neighboring country. The European Commission is working on measures to solve to the problems caused by the export of cheap Ukrainian grains to the states bordering Ukraine – Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. The representatives of the EC confirmed that they received a letter from the five countries, one of the requests being aimed at the introduction of import taxes for Ukrainian grains. These are cheaper and do not have to meet the same quality standards as those produced in the EU.



    Parliament — The Romanian Senate was convened, on Monday, in an extraordinary session, to adopt the emergency ordinances recently issued by the government in the context of the farmers and transporters protests. There are several laws – one of them refers to the excise duty on diesel fuel, while other modifies regulations in the field of road transport. The government adopted the ordinances on Thursday as an urgent response to the requests of farmers and transporters who have been protesting throughout the country for more than 11 days. The emergency ordinances were proposed after negotiations from the Ministries of Agriculture and Transport. One of them modifies road transport regulations. The new provisions will allow category B license holders to also drive agricultural or forestry tractors with a maximum speed of 40 km/h on public roads. Another amendment eliminates the obligation to carry out the periodic technical inspection of slow vehicles, respectively of those whose maximum designed speed is up to 25 km/h. Regarding the diesel fuel excise duty, the Government decided to postpone until June 1 the application of a European directive by which diesel and kerosene must have the same tax mark. The ordinances were adopted to respond to an emergency situation, but during the parliament recess, so, according to the Constitution, the Parliament must be convened to turn them into laws. In this case, the Senate is the first chamber notified.



    Weather — The bad weather affected several areas in Romania. In Bucharest, more than 20 cars were damaged by fallen trees as a result of the heavy snowfalls. On some sections of national roads, road traffic was temporarily blocked due to the layer of snow and ice formed on the road. Currently, traffic unfolds in winter conditions, and the Traffic Police called on drivers not to travel if their cars are not equipped with winter tires. Railway traffic was also affected. On some sections of the railway trains are running at low speed. Other trains are delayed due to broken rails due to the low temperatures. Also, the air traffic at Bucharest’s airports takes place in winter conditions. Delays are reported for some flights due to aircraft de-icing actions, which are carried out after the boarding of passengers.



    Heavy snows — At least 50 people have died this week due to severe winter weather affecting the United States, the authorities have announced. Freezing, snow and ice made roads extremely dangerous, disrupted air travel, closed schools and left thousands of homes without electric power. More than 1,100 US flights were canceled and another 8,000 were delayed because of the weather, while the cold persisted in some regions, such as the center of the country. The wave of cold and heavy snow falls also hit Europe. In the west and north, hundreds of flights have been canceled in recent days. Most were at the Frankfurt airport. In Sweden, the snowstorm brought chaos to the roads and school buses, buses and commuter trains stopped running. Low temperatures and snow were also recorded in Great Britain, Scotland and France.



    Sculptor – The sculptor Vlad Ciobanu, one of the most valuable fine artists in Romania, passed away at the age of 75. Since 1990 he had taught at the Bucharest National University of Arts. Throughout his career he received numerous awards, including the Prize of the Union of Fine Artists for Sculpture, in 2005. Vlad Ciobanu was the coordinator and curator of several editions of the International Sculpture Symposium ” Brâncusi Workshops” from Târgu Jiu, southwest Romania , in the period 2005-2021. He wrote numerous articles, papers and essays about the famous Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi. He had numerous solo or group exhibitions in the country and abroad, in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, France. Important monuments signed by Vlad Ciobanu can be found, among others, in Alexandria (south) – “Unknown Hero”, Alba Iulia (centre) – “King Ferdinand”, Onești (east) – “Dimitrie Cantemir”. The Artoteca Gallery, in Bucharest, hosted the last solo exhibition by Vlad Ciobanu called “Pilgrim” between December 4, 2023 and January 8, 2024. At the end of the exhibition, Maestro Vlad Ciobanu gave an interview, possibly his last interview, for our radio station, which you can listen to in one of the future editions of World of Culture. (LS)

  • December 28, 2023 UPDATE

    December 28, 2023 UPDATE

    Schengen – The Romanian Interior Ministry has reached a political consensus with its counterparts in Vienna and Sofia for the partial extension of the Schengen Area to include air and maritime borders with Romania and Bulgaria starting March 2024. Negotiations are expected to continue in 2024 for the two countries full Schengen accession. On Tuesday and Wednesday, diplomatic talks were held at the level of the Interior and Foreign Affairs ministries, with the participation of diplomatic missions to the EU, regarding a Justice and Home Affairs Council resolution that would make this political agreement legally binding. A positive decision on the two countries Schengen accession requires a unanimous vote in the Justice and Home Affairs Council. We recall that last year the decision was postponed due to lack of unanimity in the Justice and Home Affairs Council regarding the Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria, due to opposition voiced by Austria and the Netherlands.




    Budget — Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis promulgated, on Thursday, the State Budget Law and the State Social Security Budget Law for next year. The laws were approved by the Government on December 15 and adopted by the Parliament, through an accelerated procedure, five days later. In 2024, Romanias budget will focus on investments worth about 7% of the GDP, as well as on an economic growth of 3.4%, while the deficit is estimated at 5% of the GDP.



    Aid – The United States has announced the disbursement of an additional 250 million USD in military aid for Ukraine. International media writes this will be the last military aid package for Ukraine before a new vote in Congress, where the Republican majority has shown reluctance towards the initiatives of the Biden administration, which has promised Ukraine over 61 billion dollars. “It is imperative that Congress act swiftly, as soon as possible, to advance our national security interests by helping Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. This aid package includes air defense munitions, other components for air defense systems, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, anti-armor munitions, and over 15 million rounds of ammunition, according to a US Department of State release. “Thank you for your help. We will win”, the former head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andrii Yermak wrote on X.



    Szeklerland — Romania’s Chamber of Deputies rejected on Thursday, with 260 votes for and 16 against, the three initiatives of the opposition Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania – UDMR regarding the autonomy of the so-called Szeklerland (centre), made up of Harghita and Covasna counties and part of the Mureş county. During the debates, all other political parties emphasized that the three documents violate several articles of the Constitution and harm the rule of law. The legislative proposals concern the status of autonomy of the area, the status of the cultural autonomy of the Hungarian community in Romania and a framework law on the cultural autonomy of the national communities. Thus, the said Land was meant to be an autonomous region with legal personality within Romania, with its own president. The law also provides that regional autonomy is exercised by an administrative council, while the Hungarian language would have the same status as the official language of the Romanian state. The Social Democratic leader, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, welcomed the vote of the deputies by which “those toxic initiatives related to the autonomy of the Szeklerland and the cultural autonomy based on ethnic criteria were rejected”. The three documents will be debated on Friday by the Senate, which is a decision-making body. (VP, LS)