Radio România Internațional

Tag: US

  • October 20, 2020 UPDATE

    October 20, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 Ro — 3,400 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported following the testing of 29,400 people across Romania, the Strategic Communication Group in Bucharest announced on Tuesday. A total of 186,254 people have been infected in Romania since the coronavirus outbreak. 65 new deaths have been reported, which takes the total death toll to 5,996. At present 768 patients are in intensive care. Bucharest and Cluj are now in the ‘red-code scenario’ due to the high rate of contamination reported in the past two weeks, namely more than 3 cases per one thousand inhabitants. For two weeks kindergartens, schools and high schools will go online, while after school childcare facilities and nurseries will remain open. Universities are to decide on the way in which courses will unfold. Face masks are now compulsory in all public spaces, open or enclosed. All indoor activities are suspended in restaurants, cafes, cinema and theater halls, and in casinos.



    Working group – Romania and the United States will have a common working group for the inclusion of Romanians in the Visa Waiver program, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu has announced after his meeting in Washington with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The two officials have also tackled the U.S.s involvement, including financially, in projects such as the one connecting the regions north with its south, which also includes Romania, Via Carpathia and the railway linking the ports of Constanta and Gdansk, in northern Poland, with economic benefits and a strategic impact over military mobility. The U.S. also plans to beef up its military presence in Romania.



    Theater — The director of the Hungarian State Theater in Cluj (northwestern Romania), Gábor Tompa was reelected president of the Union of the Theaters of Europe, for a 2-year mandate, as part of the Union general assembly held online. The Union of the Theaters of Europe, which celebrates 30 years since its setting up in 2020, focuses on cultural and linguistic diversity and is the initiator of sustainable forms of international cooperation.



    CCR — Romania’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday rejected the Ombudsman’s notification in relation to two articles in the Law on the setting up of measures in situations of epidemiological and biological risk. The ombudsman claimed that the measure of compulsory hospitalization for at least 48 hours of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 did not observe the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and of the Constitutional Court. The ombudsman also considered that the measure of compulsory hospitalization represents a deprivation of one’s freedom, and should be a last-resort measure, after the use of all the other remedies. The Ombudsman also contested the article in the quarantine law which allows medical staff posting, under which the authorities are allowed to extend this transfer of physicians and specialized auxiliary medical staff for as long as they want.



    Brussels — Romanians are among the EU citizens most convinced that community funds should be conditioned on the observance of the rule of law. No less than 82% of Romanians said they agreed with this conditioning, a percentage that places Romania on 4th position, in a survey conducted upon the request of the EP. Romania is preceded in the classification by Cyprus (89%), Luxembourg (86%) and Austria (83%) and is sharing the 4th place with Greece. In Hungary and Poland, the states that are opposed to the conditioning of EU funds allotment on the observance of the rule of law, only 72% of the people support the idea. Across the EU 77% of the citizens are in favor of this idea.



    Elections — The Electoral Bureau for the Diaspora announces that the candidacies submitted by 8 political groups and two independents for a seat in Romania’s Parliament have remained definitive. The parliamentary elections abroad will take place on December 5th and 6th. The Permanent Electoral Authority reminds the Romanian citizens with their domicile or residence abroad that the deadline for registration for a postal vote is October 22. More than 30 thousand Romanians from abroad have so far signed up for a postal vote, mostly from the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and France. (update by L. Simion)

  • Romanian foreign minister on US visit

    Romanian foreign minister on US visit

    The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had political consultations in Washington with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on which occasion he welcomed the United States intention to strengthen its military presence in Romania.



    In turn, the American official appreciated the several decade-long partnership between the 2 states, recently illustrated by the intergovernmental agreement signed on October 9th for revamping and building a new reactor for the Cernavodă nuclear power plant in south-eastern Romania.



    The 2 officials discussed ways to strengthen relations in the field of defence, to enhance energy security in Europe by means of Black Sea gas development, as well as the Three Seas Initiatives potential to generate growth. They also tackled a stronger US involvement, including financial involvement, in projects targeting the interconnection of the north and south of the region, with both economic benefits and with a strategic impact on military mobility.



    The Romanian diplomacy chief explained for Radio Romania that the projects will be implemented through the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund:



    Bogdan Aurescu: “Sometime, most likely by the end of the year, the Investment Fund will make public the projects it has selected in the first series to be financed by the Fund. We have also discussed the importance of launching as soon as possible the development of the energy resources on the Black Sea continental shelf, with American involvement, because these are extremely necessary for ensuring the energy independence of Romania, the Republic of Moldova, as well as other states in the region.



    On the other hand, Bucharest and Washington will have a joint task force working for Romanias inclusion in the Visa Waiver programme. Moreover, the European Parliament is to pass a resolution asking the European Commission to take measures with respect to the fact that Romanians need a visa to reach the US.



    Bogdan Aurescu: “Talks are held on a regular basis, because the situation is monitored and there is a dialogue between the US and the EU as regards mobility, including the Visa Waiver. During my discussion here I emphasized the importance that Romanian citizens attach to this programme and to Romania being included in the Visa Waiver, the symbolic importance and the sensitivity on the part of the Romanian people with respect to this goal. Secretary Pompeo has understood very well the goals and arguments we have presented, which is why we have agreed to set up this task force, to see the steps that need to be taken in the forthcoming period so that we may accomplish this goal.



    Bogdan Aurescu also said that preparations are ongoing for the 7th session of the bilateral strategic dialogue, scheduled to take place in Washington in the first half of next year. (translated by: A. M. Popescu)

  • October 10, 2020

    October 10, 2020

    Covid-19 Romania — The Strategic Communication Group announced on Saturday a new record of COVID-19 cases reported in one single day since the onset of the pandemic in late February. 3,517 people have tested positive in 24 hours following the testing of 29,284 people. 59 new deaths have been reported which takes the total death toll to 5,358. So far 152,403 cases of contamination have been reported since the start of the pandemic and almost 117 thousand people have recovered. 629 patients are currently in ICUs. President Klaus Iohannis said he did not want to return to a state of emergency and that restrictive measures should be imposed if there is no other solution left.



    Washington — Romania will benefit from American technology and expertise for the construction of nuclear reactors 3 and 4 at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant in southeastern Romania and for the retechnologization of reactor 1. The Romanian Minister of Economy, Energy and Business Development Virgil Popescu and the U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette initialed, in Washington, a draft inter-governmental agreement for cooperation on expanding and modernizing Romania’s civil nuclear power program. The Romanian authorities have cancelled the previous understandings with China and will implement the project as part of a Euro-Atlantic consortium representing NATO countries with financial support from the partners involved. According to Minister Virgil Popescu, cooperation with the US is to ensure, in 10 years’ time, Romania’s energy independence and an energy surplus for export.



    Cooperation — The technical and military cooperation programs developed in partnership with the US represented one of the topics tackled by the Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca during the meeting he had, on Friday, in Washington, with the director of Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Heidi Grant, as well as with representatives of America defense industry companies. According to a Romanian defense ministry communiqué, the Romanian official underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation in the defense field and highlighted Romania’s potential in key domains such as cybernetics and IT for developing new military equipment. Minister Ciuca also reiterated Bucharest’s commitment to allot 2% of the GDP for defense and for implementing robust military capabilities able to respond to the national security requirements, in line with the NATO standards.



    Pilgrimage — Hundreds of people protested on Friday in the eastern city of Iasi against the restrictions imposed to the annual Orthodox pilgrimage at the holy relics of Saint Parascheva, who is celebrated on October 14. The central authorities have recently announced that only the locals were allowed access to the pilgrimage in an attempt to limit the spread of the new coronavirus. The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church considered the measures disproportionate and discriminatory.



    Marathon — The marathon race of the professional runners, part of the Bucharest International Marathon, initially scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled upon the authorities’ request because of the latest developments in the health crisis generated by the new coronavirus outbreak. The number of COVID-19 cases in Bucharest is 2.28 per one thousand inhabitants. 250 professional runners were supposed to start the marathon race in downtown Bucharest in a bid to qualify to the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The decision to cancel the Bucharest International Marathon will not affect the runners registered for virtual races, who will participate in the race, individually, on a route and in a period of time of their choice, between October 11 and 18.



    Mental health — The new coronavirus pandemic has produced many changes in people’s lives from a medical, social and economic point of view, and in such a period with so any challenges, people need to be balanced and keep their mental health intact, says the health minister Nelu Tataru on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day. In turn, the Romanian League for mental health says the people who suffer from mental issues have a different behavior in such difficult times. Established in 1992, the World Mental Health Day is marked each year on October 10. (tr. L. Simion)

  • October 9, 2020

    October 9, 2020

    Covid-19 Romania — 3,186 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been reported in Romania in the past 24 hours, following the testing of 29,282 people across Romania, the Strategic Communication Group announced. 52 new deaths have been reported which takes the death toll to 5,299. This is the 2nd consecutive day when Romania reports more than 3 thousand new cases of COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic in late February Romania has reported more than 148 thousand cases. Over 114 thousand people have recovered. 613 people are currently in ICUs. In BUhcarest there are tens of corona hotbeds, the total number of infections reaching 21,434, with 2.28 cases per 1,000 inhabitants. As to the Romanians from abroad, a total of 6,777 have been confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 and 126 have died.



    Hospitality industry – In Bucharest, the PM Ludovic Orban is to meet today with the hospitality industry representatives, an industry strongly affected by the pandemic. On Thursday the government discussed for the first time a draft emergency decree that exempts hospitality industry companies from specific tax payment by the end of the year. Another provision in the decree says that tax payers can pay overdue payments by installments, for a period of 12 months, since they were unable to pay them on time due to the state of emergency declared in March.



    Covid-19 world — The latest developments related to the new coronavirus pandemic are worrying, making headlines in the international press. Hospitals in Paris are in a crisis and Italy reports 4 thousand new cases every day for the first time since April — writes the Guardian. Germany has imposed new restrictions to limit domestic tourism in a bid to avoid a second wave of the pandemic — shows the Financial Times. Brazil, the second hardest-hit country of the world, after the US, has reached 5 million cases, according to Reuters. Wiener Zeitung looks at the social consequences of the coronavirus crisis, identifying a worsening of the situation of the people on the verge of poverty, mainly of those with health conditions and of long-term unemployed people, of young people and freelancers. On the other hand the rich of the world have become even richer shows France 24, quoting a report of UBS bank and of PricewaterhouseCoopers.



    Holocaust — The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Friday conveyed a message on the occasion of the National Holocaust Remembrance Day, paying homage to the victims and honoring the survivors. The Romanian President has equally condemned the atrocities that have for ever mutilated Romania’s history. ‘On behalf of all Romanians, I am strongly stating that we will never forget the innocent victims and, at the same time, we are pledging to never allow such a tragedy to happen’ says the President’s message. The Foreign Ministry officials also paid homage to the victims of the Holocaust and asked for national and international action to be taken to fight the proliferation of instigation to hatred and anti-Semitism in the online environment. In the 1940s hundreds of thousands of Jews of Romanian origin were deported to Transdniester (east) by Ion Antonescu’s pro-German regime in Bucharest or sent to the Nazi extermination camps by the Hungarian fascists that, at the time, occupied a great part of Transylvania (northwest).



    Washington — The Romanian economy minister Virgil Popescu and the American Secretary for Energy Dan Brouillette will initiate today in Washington an inter-governmental cooperation accord for the refurbishment of a nuclear reactor and the building of another two reactors at the Cernavoda power plant in the southeast of Romania. On Thursday the Romanian defense minister Nicolae Ciuca and his American counterpart Mark Esper signed, in Washington, a 10-year road map for defense cooperation. The document reflects common targets and interests in the defense field as well as the modernization of this sector and the security of the Black Sea region. (tr. L. Simion)

  • July 4, 2020 UPDATE

    July 4, 2020 UPDATE

    COVID-19 Ro — The Romanian government is working on a bill which should allow the authorities to continue to isolate or quarantine the people infected with the new coronavirus, after the publishing of a Constitutional Court decision in the Official Gazette according to which patients can no longer be kept in hospital without their consent. The government is going to discuss the new law next week. For the moment, isolation and quarantine are no longer an obligation but a recommendation, and more and more hospitalized people have applied for being discharged. Still valid though is an article from the Criminal Code on thwarting the fight against diseases, and those who transmit the virus will have to assume the consequences of their acts, the authorities said. Doctors warn that infected people with little or no symptoms at all risk infecting other people if they do not observe isolation measures. The latest figures published by the Strategic Communication Group in Bucharest show 416 new confirmed cases of contamination in the past 24 hours, which takes the total number of cases to 28,500. Of the people infected, 20,861 have been discharged from hospital. 1,731 people have died from complications caused by COVID-19. The number of Romanian citizens from abroad who have died of COVID-19 has reached 122.



    COVID-19 world — The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus around the world has exceeded 11.2 million, with the number of deaths nearing 530 thousand. As many as 6.4 million people have recovered from coronavius infection, shows the online platform Worldometers.info. The US continues to report an increased number of COVID-19 contaminations reaching a total number of 2.9 million cases. More than 132 thousand Americans have died from corona infection. At the same time, the EC on Friday gave its conditional approval for the use of antiviral Remdesivir in severe COVID-19 patients following an accelerated review process, making it the region’s first authorized therapy to treat the virus, AFP reports. “We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to secure efficient treatments or vaccine against the coronavirus,” said Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, in a statement. In Latin America, Anvisa, the authority regulating the Brazilian medical system, approved, also on Friday, the start of clinical studies for a possible vaccine against the coronavirus developed by the Chinese company Sinovac. The announcement was made in the context in which Brazil has exceeded the threshold of 1.5 million cases of Covid-19 infection, being the second hardest hit country, after the US. More than 63,000 Brazilians have died from coronavirus infection.



    Independence Day – The strategic partnership between Romania and the US is stronger than ever, said the Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu in a message conveyed on Saturday on the occasion of the US Independence Day. He added that he was looking forward to further consolidating the two countries’ excellent cooperation to the benefit of their citizens. Bucharest remains firmly committed to supporting a strong trans-Atlantic relation, and Romania will always be a strategic and stalwart ally of the US, the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis had previously said. Other Romanian high-ranking officials also conveyed messages on the occasion of the US Independence Day. In turn, the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Adrian Zuckerman, underlined that Washington remained committed to helping improve the rule of law in Romania as well as to ensuring the country’s sovereignty and security.



    Theater — The International Theater Festival in Sibiu (in central Romania), held online for the first time due to the pandemic, started on Saturday the series of free rebroadcasting of the shows and events of this year’s edition, which unfolded between June 12 and 21. Rebroadcasting of the shows will take place over the period July-December, exclusively on the festival’s website (www.sibfest.ro/fits-online). The first shows rebroadcast on Saturday are ‘Magic tales’ and ‘The bull and the rabbit’ by Marian Ralea. Other shows that spectators can watch on Saturday are ‘After the battle’ by Pippo Delbono or the first part of the show ‘Brothers and Sisters’ directed by Lev Dodin.



    EU — Budget restrictions for the EU member states will be applied again after the recession caused by the pandemic comes to an end, said the vice-president of the EC, Valdis Dombrovskis, in an interview to the Italian publication Corriere della Sera. The European Pact for stability and growth requires a public deficit of maximum 3% of the GDP and a public debt that should not go beyond 60% of the GDP. The Pact remains active, Dombrovskis added, explaining that the suspension clause was activated. The governments that report higher deficits during the crisis should take into account the sustainability of such policies, the EC official has warned.



    Greece — The Romanian Foreign Ministry — MAE has urgently resumed diplomatic efforts to urge the Greek authorities to streamline traffic flow at the border-crossing point Kulata- Promachonas between Bulgaria and Greece. On Saturday the line of vehicles waiting to go through the border checkpoint exceeded 10 kms. MAE officials warn that the Greek competent authorities can change, without prior notice, the conditions for entering the Greek territory, depending on the number of new cases of COVID-19 infection reported. The situation at the aforementioned cross-border point was generated by the decision of the Greek authorities to test all the citizens of non-EU countries, in the context of the pandemic. (tr. L. Simion)

  • July 4, 2020

    July 4, 2020

    COVID-19 Ro — The Romanian government is working on a draft law which should allow the authorities to continue to isolate or quarantine the people infected with the new coronavirus, after the publishing of a Constitutional Court decision in the Official Gazette according to which patients can no longer be kept in hospital without their consent. The government is going to discuss the new law next week. For the moment, isolation and quarantine are no longer an obligation but a recommendation, and more and more hospitalized people have applied for being discharged. Still valid though is an article from the Criminal Code on thwarting the fight against diseases, and those who transmit the virus will have to assume the consequences of their acts, the authorities said. Doctors warn that infected people with little or no symptoms at all risk infecting other people if they do not observe isolation measures. The latest figures published by the Strategic Communication Group in Bucharest show more than 28 thousand cases of COVID-19 infection and 1,708 deaths. The number of Romanian citizens from abroad who have died of COVID-19 has reached 122.



    COVID-19 world — The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus around the world has exceeded 11.2 million, with the number of deaths nearing 530 thousand. As many as 6.4 million people have recovered from coronavius infection, shows the online platform Worldometers.info. The US continues to report an increased number of COVID-19 contaminations reaching a total number of 2.9 million cases. More than 132 thousand Americans have died from corona infection. At the same time, the EC on Friday gave its conditional approval for the use of antiviral Remdesivir in severe COVID-19 patients following an accelerated review process, making it the region’s first authorized therapy to treat the virus, AFP reports. “We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to secure efficient treatments or vaccine against the coronavirus,” said Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, in a statement. In Latin America, Anvisa, the authority regulating the Brazilian medical system, approved, also on Friday, the start of clinical studies for a possible vaccine against the coronavirus developed by the Chinese company Sinovac. The announcement was made in the context in which Brazil has exceeded the threshold of 1.5 million cases of Covid-19 infection, being the second hardest hit country, after the US. More than 63,000 Brazilians have died from coronavirus infection.



    Theater — The International Theater Festival in Sibiu (in central Romania), held online for the first time due to the pandemic, starts Saturday the series of free rebroadcasting of the shows and events of this year’s edition which unfolded between June 12 and 21. Rebroadcasting of the shows will take place over the period July-December, exclusively on the festival’s website (www.sibfest.ro/fits-online). The first shows rebroadcast on Saturday are ‘Magic tales’ and ‘The bull and the rabbit’ by Marian Ralea. Other shows that spectators can watch on Saturday are ‘After the battle’ by Pippo Delbono or the first part of the show ‘Brothers and Sisters’ directed by Lev Dodin. A fado music concert will be rebroadcast on Saturday evening.



    US — Romania’s response to all the major challenges of this period is solidarity, said President Klaus Iohannis at the reception party held to mark the US Independence Day at the American Embassy in Bucharest. Klaus Iohannis also said that Romania remained firmly committed to supporting a strong trans-Atlantic relation and pointed out that Romania would always be a strategic and stalwart ally of the US. The PM Ludovic Orban said that Bucharest would continue to strengthen its relationship with Washington and would continue to be the US’ trustworthy partner. Democracy, human rights and the rule of law are the pillars of trust on which Romania and the US have built their strategic partnership along the years, said the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, in a message conveyed on the US Independence Day. Also the interim speaker of the Senate Robert Cazanciuc conveyed a message on the occasion, underlining the constant and privileged relationship between Romanian and the US, which is one of the main coordinates of Bucharest’s foreign policy in a period of accelerated changes. In turn, the US Ambassador to Bucharest, Adrian Zuckerman, underlined that Washington remained committed to helping improve the rule of law in Romania as well as to ensuring the country’s sovereignty and security. (tr. L. Simion)

  • June 15, 2020

    June 15, 2020

    COVID-19 In Romania, the latest data released by the Strategic Communication Group point to a total of nearly 22,100 COVID 19 cases. The largest numbers of infections have so far been reported in Suceava County (north-east) and in Bucharest. A total of over 15,800 patients have so far recovered, and 175 are currently in intensive care. So far 1,427 people died because of the novel coronavirus. Around 3,400 Romanian nationals living abroad have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, most of them in Italy, Germany and Spain, and 114 of them died. Bucharest is further lifting some of the COVID-19 containment measures today.



    PANDEMIC The worldwide death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic so far is over 435,000, out of almost 8 million cases. More than half of the patients have recovered. The US remains the worst hit country, with over 2.1 million cases and nearly 118,000 deaths, followed by Brazil, Russia, India, the UK, Spain and Italy. Europe, which was the second region hit by the pandemic, takes advantage of the more stable situation and continues to ease restrictions and to open internal borders. Italy, once the worst hit country in Europe and in the world, is today moving to a 3rd stange in lifting restrictions. Also today, Slovenia, Germany and Austria open their borders with Italy, with the first flights to Italian airports. Bulgaria is also lifting some of the COVID-19 related restrictions, although it faces an increase in the number of new cases, which raises fears of a second wave of the pandemic.



    EXAMS Over 172,000 Romanian students graduating secondary schools this year are taking their National Assessment exams as of today, as a prerequisite for high school enrolment. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, this year the exam is held in special circumstances. Healthcare personnel are taking childrens temperature and every school is equipped with decontamination mats, protective face masks and biocide substances to use on floors, doorknobs, desks and chairs. Children are not allowed to bring any bags or backpacks into the examination rooms and are seated 2m from each other during the exam. The students who are self-isolating, quarantined, hospitalized, and those who had a temperature above 37.3 degrees Celsius on the exam day and those suffering from conditions that may be worsened by the novel coronavirus will take the exams in a special session between June 22 and July 4.



    DIPLOMACY The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu is taking part today in an informal conference call with the EU diplomacy chiefs. The agenda focuses on transatlantic relations. The participants will discuss with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the importance of the partnership between the EU and the US, with an emphasis on the international consequences of the Coronavirus crisis. Another topic discussed with the American official is the relationship with China, with a view to strengthen the American-European dialogue and coordination in this respect. The Romanian foreign minister will emphasise the importance of unity and pragmatism, and the need to strengthen transatlantic ties. He will also highlight the need to maintain a strong American presence in areas affected by protracted conflicts, particularly in the Eastern neighbourhood.



    MEASURES The Romanian airline TAROM announced resuming flights to and from several EU countries. As of today, flights to Athens are resumed in normal conditions, while flights to Vienna, Frankfurt and Munich are also scheduled this week. Quarantine or self-isolation is also no longer required for the Romanian citizens arriving from 17 European countries (Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary).



    BREXIT The British PM Boris Johnson and the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen are holding post-Brexit trade negotiations today, after no major progress has been made towards a deal after four rounds of talks this year. London wants to end the transition period this year, whether or not a deal is reached. Experts say a failure of trade talks between Britain, which left the EU on January 31, and the 27 EU member states, may have devastating economic consequences, further deepened by the coronavirus pandemic.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • June 14, 2020

    June 14, 2020

    Diplomacy. 140 years after their establishment, the diplomatic ties between Romania and the United States of America are stronger than ever, president Klaus Iohannis says in a message conveyed today. According to the Romanian head of state, “to Romania, the US has proven, especially in the past two decades, that it is the firm ally we need in important moments, thus constantly accompanying us on the path chosen by our country to strengthen its citizens security and prosperity.” In turn, president Iohannis also states, “Romania has outlined its profile as a reliable partner and active NATO ally, which assumes strong commitments and contributes to joint security together with the US, through consistent participation in missions such as the one in Afghanistan, or by consolidating defence on the eastern flank of the Alliance.” “The upward trajectory of our bilateral relations is highlighted by our Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century, an essential dimension of Romanias foreign policy, which provides broad prospects of cooperation in a wide range of fields – politics, security, economy, research, technology, science and education, as well as interpersonal contacts”, the Romanian presidents message also reads.



    Covid-19 RO. As of June 15th, Romanians arriving from 17 European countries will no longer be quarantined or self-isolated, and flights to an from those countries will resume, the National Committee for Emergency Situations has decided. These countries are Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary. The list will be updated weekly, every Monday, in keeping with the epidemiological situation. Also on Monday, a new stage of relaxation of the restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the new coronavirus begins in Romania. The malls will be reopened, except for the restaurants, cinemas and playgrounds inside. Also, gyms and outdoor swimming pools will start to function, as will the Romanian Lottery, sports betting and gambling facilities. Nurseries and after-school units might also be reopened, during the summer holidays. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has stated, however, that he will ask for the extension of the state of alert by 30 days, saying that the decision is not political, but scientifically grounded, having public health considerations behind it. The most recent report of the Strategic Coordination Group indicates 320 new cases of contamination with the new coronavirus, the most since the state of alert was declared on May 15th, which gradually brought about a string of measures to relax the restrictions. The number of people who have died of Covid-19 in Romania has reached 1420.



    Pandemic. Close to 7.9 million people have been infected with the new coronavirus around the world, and 433 thousand have died. More than 4 million people have recovered. The United States, the worlds largest economic power, is by far the country most severely affected by the pandemic, both in terms of deaths – over 115,000 and the number of diagnosed cases – about 2,100,000 in total until Saturday night. The number of new infections is still hovering around an average of 20,000, and the US is struggling to get out of this area as infections have moved from one part of the country to another. President Donald Trumps administration has warned, on the other hand, that any new economic lockdown in the event of a second wave is ruled out. The second most affected country remains Brazil, where more than 850,000 people have been infected, and the death toll is close to 43,000. On the other hand, China hs announced today 57 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 – the highest daily number since April, which raises fears of a second epidemiological wave in the country. France Presse reports that a new source of contamination was detected in southern Beijing, in a market that sells mainly meat, fish and vegetables, and the discovery led to the isolation of 11 residential areas in the vicinity. In Europe, the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections continues to drop, and since Monday, several European countries have been relaxing border restrictions.



    Protests. Violent protests took place on Saturday in London and Paris. Thousands of people gathered in the British Parliament area under the pretext that they wanted to defend the statues from anti-racism demonstrators. Separately, the already regular anti-racisms protest was organised in one of the central parks, and the police tried to keep the two groups apart. British police arrested 100 people after far-right protesters began throwing objects at law enforcement officers. Anti-racism protests were also held in 12 other British cities, and violence was reported in Newcastle and Brighton. Dozen of people were also detained in Paris after clashes between protesters and police. French law enforcement used tear gas against protesters, who threw stones. Similar demonstrations were held in Switzerland too. In Zurich, hundreds of members of the radical left confronted the police. Since the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis, in May, while in police custody, demonstrations against racisms and police abuse have been held in several countries.



    Weather. Romania is under a yellow storm code, and the situation will get worse this afternoon. Most of the territory will gradually fall under an orange code for thunder and hail storms. The only exceptions will be a few counties in the south and southeast of the country, which will remain under the yellow code. The quantities of water will exceed 25-30 l / sqm, and on restricted areas they will reach 40-60 l / sqm. Hydrologists have also issued orange and yellow code warnings for several rivers. Yesterdays weather, marked by rains and storms, caused damage in several areas, and a 4-year-old child caught in the flood died. Meteorologists say atmospheric instability will continue throughout the week in most parts of the country, so warnings may be extended. Todays maximum temperatures will range between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 30 degrees Celsius. (M.Ignatescu)

  • April 22, 2020 UPDATE

    April 22, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 Romania — Another 3 people infected with Covid-19 have died, taking the total death toll in Romania to 519, the Strategic Communication Group announced on Wednesday evening. Romania now has more than 9,700 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 and over 2,400 patients have recovered from the infection. The number of Romanian citizens outside Romania killed by Covid-19 reached 64. Over 950 Romanian citizens abroad have been infected, most of them in Italy and Spain. Also on Wednesday, President Klaus Iohannis announced that after May 15, when the state of emergency comes to an end, the restrictions on the individuals’ freedom of movement would not be extended. However, people will be obliged to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces and in the public transportation means, with public gatherings remaining strictly forbidden. According to President Iohannis, the authorities are working on a detailed plan on resuming economic activities, especially in the highly restricted areas.



    Economy — The Romanian finance minister Florin Citu says that, according to his estimates, Romania’s economic situation is not as bad as initially expected. He added that next week he would receive the situation of the revenues collected by the state in the past month. He underlined that many SMEs managed to adapt to the current situation, starting to produce what is requested on the market and that they are paying their taxes. The finance minister went on to say that the state’s main objective was to ensure the population’s health, but once the peak of the epidemic is overcome, and the social distancing measures are relaxed, all necessary instruments will be used to re-launch the economy. Minister Citu also said that Romania is getting funds only from the domestic market at present but that it is also looking for financing on the international market. He added that he is also working on a government-bond issuance program.



    Media — In this period of crisis, the public mass media institutions from Europe have proved their unique importance, by providing the audience with credible, carefully verified information while avoiding fake news — said the Director General of the European Broadcasting Union, Noel Curran. He also underlined the European public radio and television broadcasters’ concern with broadcasting cultural programs and also gave the example of Radio Romania in this regard. The public mass media services provide credible news, introduce educational programs and programs for children, being very creative in their work. Against the backdrop of this unprecedented crisis, this is a very strong response, to which the public reacted in its turn — the EBU Director General added.



    Washington — The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that Washington had serious reasons to believe that the Chinese authorities delayed reporting the new coronavirus outbreak in a timely manner to the WHO. He also accused China of failing to report human to human transmission of the virus ‘for a month, until it was in every province inside of China.’ President Donald Trump said Saturday that there should be consequences for China, if it was ‘knowingly responsible’ for the coronavirus pandemic. He also added that the WHO failed to fulfill its main mission and should be held responsible for having promoted China’s disinformation. (tr. L. Simion)

  • March 30, 2020 UPDATE

    March 30, 2020 UPDATE

    Covid-19 Romania — President Klaus Iohannis on Monday reiterated his appeal to the Romanian citizens to observe the measures taken by the authorities to combat the new coronavirus pandemic. The latest toll in Romania shows 1952 cases of infection, according to the Strategic Communication Group. Tens of Romanians have died so far across the country and abroad following complications caused by the COVID-19 virus. Official data also shows that 209 patients have recovered. The health minister Nelu Tataru said he expected the pandemic in Romania to peak in mid April when the number of cases of infection could reach 10 thousand. The president of the Romanian Microbiology Society Alexandru Rafila estimated in an interview to Radio Romania that the number of coronavirus infections will start to drop in May, after the April peak. He added that, in autumn, a new increase in the number of coronavirus infections will be reported.



    Covid -19 world — Over 750 thousand people around the world are infected with the new coronavirus and the number of deaths exceeded 36 thousand. Over 158 thousand people have recovered. 43% of the world population is urged or forced, at present, to stay home. In the US, the country that reported the biggest number of cases, more than 145 thousand, the authorities have extended by one month the recommendation of social distancing. Italy has reported a record number of victims, over 11 thousand. The second European state most affected by the coronavirus pandemic is Spain where the government has halted any non-essential economic activity to contain the spread of the virus. Other European countries severely affected by the pandemic are Germany, France, Great Britain and Switzerland. In another development, since the start of the outbreak, almost 250 thousand people have been repatriated in Europe by charters organized by the member states. Moreover, the EU civil protection mechanism has facilitated the repatriation in Europe of 4,384 citizens from Asia, North America, the Middle East, Africa and South America. Almost 100 flights have been scheduled for the coming days. (update by L. Simion)

  • The US peace plan for the Middle East

    The US peace plan for the Middle East

    Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has this week again turned down the US peace plan for the Middle East, this time before the UN Security Council. Proposed by President Donald Trump, the US peace plan for the Middle East is ‘a gift for Israel and unacceptable to Palestinians. Under the new plan, ‘East Jerusalem is no longer under the sovereignty of the state of Palestine – that alone is enough for us to reject this plan, Abbas said in a statement. According to him, the state carved out for Palestinians looks like a fragmented Swiss cheese. ‘This is the state that they will give us. It’s like a Swiss cheese, really. Who among you will accept a similar state and similar conditions? Mahmoud Abbas asked the representatives of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, adding that the deal “carries within it dictates, reinforcement of the occupation, annexation by military force and anchoring of an apartheid system.



    Presented as the deal of the century, President Trump’s plan, the product of three years’ efforts by senior adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, would recognize Israel’s authority over the settlements in the West Bank and would require the Palestinians to meet a series of conditions to have a state, with its capital in a West Bank village, east of Jerusalem.



    Here is Dragos Ciocarlan, Radio Romanias correspondent in Israel with more on the issue: “Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said before the UN Security Council that the US peace plan allowing for the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank violates the Palestinians rights to self-determination and statehood. In his opinion, ‘this is an Israeli-American pre-emptive plan in order to put an end to the question of Palestine. He deplored the fact that under this plan, Jerusalem is not under the authority of the Palestinian state, though such a state never existed. Abbas has congratulated all the Palestinians who took to the streets of the West Bank and Gaza to protest the US peace plan adding that the Israelis and Palestinians ‘should be allowed to reach peace on their own, rather than it be imposed. Israels ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon says that ‘Israel is willing to enter into direct talks with the Palestinians. ‘Abbas should come to Jerusalem, not New York. And instead of being committed to peace, Abbas is committed to incitement against Israel, Danon added referring to former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who spoke in the Knesset before signing a peace treaty with Israel.



    Peace is still possible between the Israelis and Palestinians but not through the ‘unfair plan drafted by the Trump administration, which is trying to legitimize ‘what is illegal, concluded the president of the Palestinian Authority. On the other side, the American plan is supported by the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and by Benny Gantz, the leader of the Blue and White centrist Alliance. ‘If they are really ready to make peace with the Jewish state, Israel will be ready to negotiate immediately said Netanyahu, while underlining the need to disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip.



    Leaving statements aside, news agencies have written for the first time that, in this conflict, an agreement was reached with Israel for a map that delineates the borders between two neighboring states. A guest in Radio Romanias studios, political analyst Iulian Chifu believes that, despite differences, this peace plan may include enough elements that could attract especially the new generations of Palestinians who were not caught in this internal struggle and who do not necessarily regard Israel as their historic enemy:



    Iulian Chifu: “I believe that this plan should be neither minimized nor destroyed, because it has elements that could be used in a direct negation, even if its not necessarily the form in which it was publicly delivered and supported that benefits both sides. The very announcement of relocating the embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel by the US was not hailed by the Palestinian Authority or the Arab States. Maybe things should be thought out more carefully, but the plan does have many interesting elements. The plan deserves careful consideration. It could be a new attempt at assessing and solving one the most complicated conflicts of the world. Because it is a very old conflict, there have been many generations going through this conflict.



    According to analyst Iulian Chifu one can no longer speak of reconciliation when the conflict has been ongoing between generations for 70 years already, and maybe its high time they put an end to this conflict. (translation by D. Bilt and L. Simion)

  • January 6, 2020

    January 6, 2020

    Government meeting — In Bucharest the Liberal government headed by Ludovic Orban is today meeting for the first time in 2020, with focus on the organization and functioning of several ministries. The reduction of the number of ministries to 16 involves the merger or transfer of several agencies from one ministry to another, according to the new government structure. But for the good organization and functioning of the new entities, some government decisions need to be made. The PM Ludovic Orban called on the cabinet members to make sure that by January 15 all these decisions need to have the necessary approvals, given that the government must have a flexible and supple structure that should responsibly manage the public money. In another development, the government might also tackle today an emergency decree bill that should include several aspects among which the ban on cumulating the pension with the salary from a public institution, the cessation of temporary job appointments, the capping of entitlements for dignitaries, of food allowances and of the fine point.



    NATO — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday convened an emergency meeting of the Alliance members’ ambassadors to discuss the crisis between the US and Iran. The crisis was triggered after the killing, on Friday, in an American drone airstrike, in Baghdad, of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Esmail Qaani, the new chief of the Quds Forces- the elites unit of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in charge of Iran’s foreign operations, said his target was to oust the US from the region. The American President Donald Trump said he would impose bigger sanctions on Iraq if the Iraqi government asked the American soldiers to leave that country. Trump made these statements after the Iraqi Parliament approved a resolution in which it calls on the government to put an end to the foreign presence in the country. Previously, the US-led coalition against the Islamic State terrorist organization announced it suspended its activities of supporting and training the Iraqi troops to be able to focus on protecting its own bases in Iraq, which have become potential targets after Soleimani’s death. The decision was made after Iran promised to avenge the death of the general.



    Zagreb – Social Democrat Zoran Milanovic has won the presidential election in Croatia outrunning the incumbent president, the Conservative Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. According to partial results made public by the Central Electoral Committee Zoran Milanovic got 52.7% of the vote while Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic garnered only 47.3%. Milanovic, a former prime minister, had also won the first round of vote with one third of the votes cast, benefiting from the support of the urban voters and from divisions among the right wing parties. As of January 1st Croatia took over the half yearly rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, its agenda including 4 main issues: the relations between the EU and London after Brexit, the accession aspirations of the countries in the western Balkans, climate change and the future multiannual budget of the community bloc.



    Statistics — The labor force crisis and the rising inflation will be the biggest challenges in 2020 for the Romanian business environment — shows a barometer reviewing the country’s economy made public by a Romanian consultancy company. Businesspeople estimate that, in 2020, the economy will slow down against the backdrop of increasing macroeconomic imbalances. In a consumption-based economy most investors estimate that trading business will generate the highest level of interest. Services, constructions, transport and storage and professional, scientific and technical activities will also be in the top of interesting investments. In another development, investments are going to drop in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.



    Epiphany — In Romania, a country with a majority Orthodox population, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers are today celebrating the Epiphany or the Baptism of Jesus when the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ is marked. In Western Christianity the feast day commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. In another development, the old-rite church is today celebrating the Christmas Eve. The Russian Orthodox Church will celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. (translation by L. Simion)

  • NATO adapts to global challenges

    NATO adapts to global challenges

    The North Atlantic Alliance is the international organization that has most rapidly adapted to global changes, and this process should be continuous, said the NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Romanian Mircea Geoană. In an interview he granted to Radio Romania ahead of the NATO summit in London due next week, which is occasioned by the anniversary of 70 years since the creation of NATO, Mircea Geoană referred to the recent criticism made by the French president who said that NATO could no longer rely on the support of the US. He says that the recent meeting in Paris between the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the French president Emmanuel Macron has clarified this matter.



    Mircea Geoană: “Sometimes, when diverging opinions emerge between allies, they should be discussed directly, and the meeting in Paris has reached its purpose. The two officials had a sincere and open discussion supported by arguments. France is a very important country both within NATO and the EU, and for Romania it is a reliable ally and partner. None of the EU’s defense policies is against NATO’s principles, as long as these policies are complementary.”



    Mircea Geoană has also talked about the global changes that may occur within the Alliance in the context in which, early this month, the French president said that NATO was ‘brain dead’.



    Mircea Geoană: “We are an alliance that has adapted to global changes much faster than any other international organization. NATO leaders have to discuss the need for a strengthened political dimension of the Alliance. If we really want to be able to adapt to global changes, as institutions of the democratic West, we can only do that by maintaining a strong transatlantic relation, by strengthening the European pillar within NATO and having a more robust EU. The Alliance is in an impeccable state today, but if the world around us is changing, we should change too, and the adaptation process is practically continuous.”



    Besides France, Germany also supports the reform of the Alliance, given that the Trump administration has decided to substantially reduce the US contribution to the NATO budget. The American president has said the ‘Alliance is obsolete’ and has called on the European allies to allot more money for common defense. At present, the US provides for 22.1% of the total 2019 NATO budget worth 2.5 billion dollars or 2.37 billion Euros. Germany provides 14.7% and has announced it will increase its contribution while France contributes 10.5%. A member of NATO since 2004, Romania has already allotted 2% of the GDP for defense, according to the member states’ commitment. (translation by L. Simion)

  • CALL-TO-LISTEN NUMBER, CHANGED

    CALL-TO-LISTEN NUMBER, CHANGED

    Dear listeners, the RRI English call-to-listen number for the Unites States is 14253947081. Thank you!

  • October 16, 2019 UPDATE

    October 16, 2019 UPDATE

    Turkey — The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet Thursday with the American vice- president Mike Pence who is heading the US official delegation on a visit to Ankara, in an attempt to obtain a ceasefire in northern Syria, the Turkish presidential administration announced on Wednesday, according to France Press. Erdogan had previously announced that the American officials would only have talks with their Turkish counterparts. The Kremlin announced that the Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan about the Syrian conflict and invited him to visit Russia in the next few days. The two leaders underlined the need for preventing a conflict between the Turkish and Syrian units in northern Syria where Ankara started an offensive. The US announced the pullout of the 1,000 US soldiers still deployed in that area, but pointed out that it would keep the 150- strong Al-Tanf garrison at the border with Jordan. One week ago Ankara launched an offensive targeting the Kurdish militias People’s Protection Units YPG, an ally of the West in the anti-Jihadist fight.



    Strasbourg — The European Parliament on Wednesday postponed the vote for validating the future EC headed by Ursula von der Leyen. The vote had been scheduled initially for October 23 during next week’s plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg. The vote was postponed as the candidates for European Commissioner of Romania, Hungary and France were rejected during the validation process within the EP on grounds of conflict of interest or ethical problems. Ursula von der Leyen and her team were to start their mandate on November 1 but the rejection of the 3 candidates put it on hold.



    Exercise — The ‘Rear Admiral Horia Macellariu corvette is participating from October 15 to 17 in a drill in the Serpents’ Island area and in the Black Sea international waters together with the Pryluky missile carrier from Ukraine and the American destroyer USS ‘Porter’, the Romanian Navy Staff officials announced, adding that the 3- party exercise contributes to the consolidation of the partnership between Ukraine and the NATO member states in the naval forces domain. (update by L. Simion)