Radio România Internațional

Tag: victims

  • 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

    35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

    The fall of the Berlin Wall, 35 years ago, represented for Romanians an encouragement in their fight for freedom, and the removal of the Iron Curtain made it possible for Romania to return to the family of European democracies, President Klaus Iohannis said in Berlin. On a visit to Germany, the Romanian head of state gave a speech in the Federal Parliament, during a ceremony organized on the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of War and Dictatorship. In the context, he emphasized the fact that for 35 years, Romania has been a free country, following the December 1989 Revolution. He said, in his speech in the Bundestag, that after the Second World War, European democratic values and the European economic model were sources of inspiration for international partners. He drew attention, however, to the fact that, unfortunately, it became obvious that ‘some totalitarian regimes’ fear of the attractiveness of European values’ made the Union be perceived as ‘a threat’, stressing that Romania had warned in advance of the risk to Europe’s security posed by the aggressiveness of dictatorial regimes.

     

    Klaus Iohannis said that “Unfortunately, the mechanisms of propaganda and disinformation are spreading again today, because dictatorial regimes count on the fact that a lie told often enough becomes the truth. We see this revolting reality in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We stand by the Ukrainian people, who courageously and heroically opposed the invasion dictated by the Kremlin, defying the force and brutality of Russian imperialism. The support of our states and the international community is vital to finally ensuring a just and lasting peace, in full agreement with the UN Charter and international law,” said Klaus Iohannis.

     

    These risks, Klaus Iohannis added, are also an important reason why we advocate for strengthening the resilience of the Republic of Moldova, the state most affected by this war, after Ukraine. He said that ‘We also remain firmly committed to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on the path of joining the European Union, President Iohannis emphasized. According to him, preserving the memory of the victims of wars and totalitarianism, as well as of those persecuted for their faith, for searching justice and freedom, is ‘a duty and a form of justice’. ‘We must always keep in mind that forgetting the past leads to the repetition of history’s mistakes or the perpetuation of injustice. This forgetfulness represents an ever-increasing danger’, Klaus Iohannis said.

     

    At the same time, he expressed his admiration for the care with which the German state understands to focus on the appropriate knowledge of history, especially by the younger generations. He stated that ‘in Romania we are also making serious efforts so that young people should learn in schools about the mistakes of the past and be aware of them, so as not to repeat them’. On the other hand, Klaus Iohannis assured Germany that it would continue to find in Romania a partner deeply dedicated to European values, ‘ready to work for the strengthening of the European Union and for these values ​​of freedom and democracy to be protected and accepted, both in the neighborhood and globally’. (LS)

  • November 9, 2024

    November 9, 2024

     

    FLOODS The Romanian foreign ministry announced that, according to information from the Spanish authorities, two other Romanian citizens initially reported missing following the floods in Valencia have been found dead. The ministry sends its condolences to the bereaved families. According to the ministry, following the devastating floods in Spain, four Romanian nationals have died and seven are still missing. The embassy of Romania in Madrid and the consular office in Castellon de la Plana continued to check public information regarding the death of several Romanian citizens in the recent floods in the region of Valencia, but so far no confirmations have been received from the Spanish authorities.

     

    VISIT The Romanian PM Marcel Ciolacu will visit the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on November 12 and 13. He will have a meeting with his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, and will participate in the Romania-UK Economic Forum, the Romanian government announced. The government spokesperson Mihai Constantin explained that, ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to London, the Romanian government approved a memorandum that updates the Convention between the two countries in the field of taxation and prevention of tax evasion. According to Constantin, the new document takes into account the changes made in the Romanian legislation during the year 2023, as well as those related to Romania’s goal of joining the OECD. The leader of the Social Democratic Party (in power in Romania as part of a coalition with the National Liberal Party), Ciolacu is running for the presidency of Romania this month, on behalf of his party.

     

    SCHENGEN A meeting attended by Austria, Romania and Bulgaria will be organised in Budapest, Hungary on November 22, when Vienna might give up its opposition to the full accession of the two countries to the Schengen Area, Austrian media announced. The accession decision could be announced on December 12, at the upcoming Justice and Internal Affairs Council. The Austrian minister of the interior, Gerhard Kärtner, confirmed participation in the meeting with his Romanian and Bulgarian counterparts, and said discussions with both countries are ongoing. He reiterated that the essential condition for Romania’s and Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession remains the effective protection of external borders and, if necessary, controls at internal borders. According to Austrian media, the change in attitude is due to the decrease in migration in the Balkans and in the number of asylum applications in Austria.

     

    STRIKE The Romanian foreign ministry warns Romanian citizens who are in Italy or transiting or planning to travel to that country that on November 12 a 4-hour national strike will be organised by airport staff, between 1 PM and 5 PM. The strike will affect Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport, as well as the Pescara, Naples and Perugia airports. In this context, flight delays or cancellations are possible. Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone numbers of the Embassy of Romania in Italy, with calls being forwarded to the Contact and Support Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and answered by Call Center operators around the clock.

     

    RUGBY Romania’s national rugby team plays in Bucharest today against Tonga, in their first test match this month. Romania (20th place in the world ranking) and Tonga (16th place) have met in 5 games so far, with Romania winning twice. The last time the two teams were face to face was last year, at the World Cup in France, when the Pacific team won 45-24. As part of their preparation for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers in Australia, Romania will also play at home against Canada on November 16 and Uruguay on the 23rd. In order to reach the final tournament, Romania must rank among the top two teams in Group B, i.e. win two of the three games it has to play: against Germany (February 1/2, 2025, in Bucharest), Belgium (February 8/9, away from home) or Portugal (February 15/16, again in Bucharest). Romania has taken part in all Rugby World Cup finals so far, except for the 2019 edition, when it was disqualified because it had used a naturalised Tongan player, who did not have the right to play.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Irina Begu qualified for the semifinals of the WTA 125 tournament in Cali (Colombia), after defeating Australia’s Tina Smith, 6-1, 6-3. Begu (102 WTA), seed no. 2, won after an hour and 12 minutes against a younger and lower ranked opponent (322 WTA). The Romanian won USD 8,000 and 81 WTA points. Begu, who defeated her compatriot Anca Todoni in the quarter-finals, will play the final against the winner of the match between Hungarian Panna Udvardy (146 WTA) and the Slovenian Veronika Erjavec (199 WTA). (AMP)

  • September 18, 2024

    September 18, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    BORIS – The number of deaths caused by torrential rain and flooding in Central and Eastern Europe, brought over by storm Boris, the worst in Europe since 1997 to date, has reached 22. Romania and Poland reported seven deaths each, Austria five and the Czech Republic three, as well as eight people missing. Flash flood alerts are also in place in Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia, for the upcoming days. In Romania, the authorities have begun assessing the damage caused by the floods in Galati county. Hundreds of rescue workers have been dispatched in the affected localities. All power outages in the area have been fixed and road traffic on some county roads has been reopened. Rail traffic is still disrupted on certain routes. The government approved an emergency aid of about 2,000 euros for each affected family, and in the case of families who lost a member, an additional aid of 2,000 euros.

     

    UKRAINE – In Bucharest, on Wednesday, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, called on the Romanian partners to analyze the possibility of shooting down Russian drones near the country’s airspace. After the meeting with the head of Romanian diplomacy, Luminita Odobescu, Sybiha said that he was “grateful” for the Bucharest’s “historic” decision to donate a Patriot system to Ukraine. “It is very important to strengthen the defense of Ukraine. It is a shield not only for Ukraine, but also for Europe”, the Ukrainian official said. In turn, Luminița Odobescu reconfirmed Romania’s support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We remind you that the need to amend the legislation that would allow the military to destroy suspicious drones that enter Romanian territory was recently discussed in Bucharest, after several Russian drones illegally entered Romanian airspace in the last year.

     

    PAGERS – A simultaneous explosion of handheld pagers killed 9 people and injured nearly 3,000 in Lebanon on Tuesday. Many of the victims are fighters from the Shiite group Hezbollah, international news agencies report. According to the NGO  Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, following similar incidents, 14 Hezbollah members were injured in Syria as well, AFP reports. The blasts took place at 3:30 pm local time, in areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. The wave of explosions continued for about an hour. According to security sources and video footage,  some of the explosions occurred after the pagers had rang and the victims had grabbed or held them close to their faces to read the message on the screens. The explosions, of small scale, usually injured only the pager holder or someone very close. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut spoke of an Israeli computer attack, while the Ministry of the Interior said that the attack violated Lebanon’s sovereignty. The Israeli military declined to comment. Hezbollah began using pagers to avoid being located by the Israelis. The movement supports the Palestinian group Hamas, which is at war with Israel in the Gaza Strip. Militants from Lebanon frequently attacked Israeli territory with rockets.

     

    COMMISSIONER – “We cannot re-launch the economy without competitive jobs, without a quality of labor relations, without protecting citizens in the face of price increases, in the face of this risk of falling into poverty for many categories, without offering lifelong skills to all those who enter the labor market”, the future European Commissioner for Skills and Education, Jobs, Social Rights and Demography, the Romanian Roxana Mânzatu has said today. In an exclusive interview on Radio Romania, she also said that among the priorities of her mandate are supporting children living in poverty, who are at risk of exclusion.

     

    HEALTHCARE – It is World Patient Safety Day today, which calls for global solidarity and concerted action by all countries and international partners to improve patient safety. WPS Day brings together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, healthcare leaders and policy-makers to show their commitment to patient safety. Emblematic buildings, monuments, public institutions and hospitals in the capital Bucharest and in other Romanian cities will be lit up in orange this evening, to mark the event. This year’s theme is “improving diagnosis for patient safety”. According to the World Health Organization, each year, diagnostic errors account for an estimated 16% of preventable harm in health care, with tremendous human and economic consequences.

     

    BUSINESS– In Romania, the Start-Up Nation program through which the state offers non-refundable aid of maximum 50,000 euros to eligible people who want to open a business is currently under public debate. The budget allocated to this year’s edition exceeds 400 million euros.  The registration of  companies that will provide training courses to future entrepreneurs began on Tuesday. As of October 10 the registration of natural persons for the Start-Up Nation 2024 courses will be open.

     

    HANDBALL – CS Dinamo Bucharest handball team plays, this evening, away, against the Polish team Orlen Wisla Plock, in the Men’s Handball Champions League’s Group A. Last week, the Romanians debuted with a clear victory in the League’s new season, after they defeated at home the Danish team Fredericia, 37-28.

     

     

     

     

  • Severe flooding in eastern Romania

    Severe flooding in eastern Romania

     

    Romania is on alert, relief camps have been set up and rescue operations launched after the flash floods of the past few days killed at least 6 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the east of the country. The authorities have used boats and military aircraft to evacuate people.

     

    In this context, president Klaus Iohannis sent a message of solidarity with the disaster-hit families, and promised that the authorities and rescue teams mobilised all resources available in order to ensure a quick and efficient intervention.

     

    In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu, who travelled to the affected areas together with several Cabinet members, said the top priority at present is to prevent further loss of human lives. A task force was set up within the health ministry to ensure medical assistance for the locals of Galaţi and Vaslui, the most affected counties in the region. Task force members stay in touch with the local authorities and with the public health directorates in the 2 counties.

     

    The interior and the defence ministries have mobilised hundreds of fire-fighters, gendarmes, military personnel and equipment to help evacuate the victims and rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by waters.

     

    Local authorities also stepped in, to arrange temporary camps for hundreds of displaced victims. The government announced funds would be earmarked to help rebuild their homes, and approved the use of water, food and lightweight building structures from the state reserve.

     

    On Sunday, an energy task force was convened by the line minister, Sebastian Burduja. He says all intervention teams are mobilised in the affected counties. The number of people left without electricity was over 24,000 on Saturday, when the situation was at its worst.

     

    On Sunday, several segments of national and county roads in Galaţi and Vaslui were still closed because of the flooding. Railway traffic in the east and the south of the country was also affected by the heavy rainfalls.

     

    Meanwhile, in Galaţi County, the hardest hit by flash floods, scores of schools have been closed down for Monday and Tuesday, the education ministry announced.

     

    The situation remains critical, with closed roads, flooded homes and displaced people. Weather experts warn that in the forthcoming period as well rainfall and flooding are likely, and the weather will remain unstable.

     

    Romania is not the only country hit by severe weather. Several other countries in central and eastern Europe have also reported substantial damage, victims and missing persons. Tens of railway routes in Austria, Czechia and Poland have been suspended, disrupting connections with the neighbouring states. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, voiced solidarity with all the victims and said the EU was ready to provide assistance. (AMP)

  • September 14, 2024

    September 14, 2024

    A roundup of local and international news.

     

    WEATHER – The weather is getting colder in Romania in most regions, with temperatures below the normal ones for this time of year. Normal values ​​are recorded in the eastern and southeastern areas. Showers and storms are present in most regions. Five people lost their lives in Galati (east), on Friday night, and hundreds of people were evacuated following severe flooding caused by the heavy rain. In certain situations, the fire-fighters had to use pneumatic boats, as the water was 1.5m high in some areas. The floods led blocked county and national roads. Maximum temperatures today are between 13 and 25 degrees Celsius, with 17 degrees Celsius in Bucharest at noon.

     

    DEFENSE – The U.S. State Department on Friday announced it has approved the sale of 32 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Romania, in a deal worth $7.2 billion. Romania’s deal for the Lockheed Martin-made F-35s will also include F135 engines made by Pratt & Whitney for each jet and a spare engine, the Pentagon announced. The Romanian Defense Ministry hailed the decision and specified that, in addition to the jets, the purchase would also provide logistics and maintenance support, navigation, communications and cryptographic equipment, ammunition and weapons, training for pilots and other personnel, and simulators. “Romania is a key NATO Ally in promoting security and stability in the Black Sea region and beyond. The F-35As will provide Romania with unparalleled air defense capabilities and enhance interoperability among NATO air forces”, U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec said.

     

    ENERGY – Romania’s natural gas deposits are full and the coal stocks are are at the required level. This is the conclusion of Friday’s meeting of the National Energy Command, convened by Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja. He specified that the problem is the significant fluctuation of energy prices in the short term, and one cause is the lack of interconnectivity between Austria and Hungary. The energy ministers from Romania, Bulgaria and Greece will present in about 10 days, to the Council of Ministers of the European Union, a preliminary plan for accelerating investments in interconnections, so that when energy is cheaper in one part of ​​Europe, the other part can also benefit similar prices. Romania continues to be the second largest gas producer in the EU.

     

    GERMAN BORDER – The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns its citizens traveling to Germany to prepare for longer waiting times, because the government in Berlin has decided to extend temporary checks at all land borders to reduce illegal migration. As of Monday, in addition to the temporary checks already in place at the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there will also be checks at the borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, for a period of six months. Romanians facing special situations can call the embassy’s hotlines in Berlin, as well as the Romanian consulates in Germany.

     

    FARMERS – Romanian farmers will receive a bigger advance from the European funds, the Agriculture Ministry in Bucharest announced. According to the institution, advances will be granted in the amount of 70% from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund for direct payments and 85% from the European Fund for Rural Development, as a result of a derogation approved by the European Commission. The Romanian Agriculture Minister, Florin Barbu, has said that this will help farmers cope with the liquidity problems they face, in order to prepare for the new agricultural year. The Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture specified that a budget of approximately 1 billion euros was allocated to cover these amounts and that it is making efforts to start payments on October 16.

     

    DRUGS – Three Albanian and three Romanian drug traffickers were detained by the Romanian law-enforcement agency DIICOT, after they were caught with approximately 4.5 kg of heroin. The drugs were prepared in a house in Ialomiţa county (south) and were intended for the Romanian market. The value of the heroin is approximately 50,000 euros. According to the Romanian Police, investigations began after two Albanian citizens entered the country on September 9, with the aim of trafficking a large amount of heroin. They then met with other members of the group in a house in Ialomiţa, where the drugs were mixed with additives, portioned and packaged. Later, the narcotics were distributed among the members of the group, according to DIICOT.

     

    DAVIS CUP – The Romanian team leads China 2-0 in the Davis Cup World Group II after the first matches in Craiova (southwest). Saturday has started with the doubles match pitting Victor Cornea/Bogdan Pavel against Fajing Sun/Rigele Te. The last two singles matches will be played between Filip Cristian Jianu and Bu Yunchaokete, and between Creţu and Yi Zhou respectively. On Friday, tennis player Cezar Creţu beat Yunchaokete Bu 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, and Gabi Adrian Boitan defeated Yi Zhou 7-6, 6-2. Romania and China have never  met at the Davis Cup before.

  • June 3, 2024 UPDATE

    June 3, 2024 UPDATE

     

    ELECTIONS This is the last week of campaign ahead of the European Parliament and local elections slated for this Sunday. Some 19 million Romanians are expected to go to the nearly 19,000 polling stations in the country. 915 stations have been set up abroad, twice as many as for the European Parliament elections five years ago. Polling stations will open at 7 AM and close at 10 PM, one hour later compared to previous rounds of election. Polling station presidents can opt to extend the voting process until midnight, if there are still people queuing in the station. According to the Permanent Election Authority, the total number of candidates for the local and European Parliament elections is close to 208,000. For the first time, voter turnout updates will be provided in real time on election day, for each separate ballot, on the website of the Permanent Election Authority. Romania will also host presidential elections in September and parliamentary elections in December.

     

    DEFENCE ‘The EU’s strategic approach to the Black Sea region must include support for the countries in the region, which are facing hybrid threats and the spill-over of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,’ the Romanian defence minister, Angel Tîlvăr, said on Monday at a meeting with the interim chief of the European Commission representation in Romania, Mara Roman. According to the defence ministry, Angel Tilvar highlighted the support provided by Romania to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova. The participants emphasised the increasingly important role played by the European Commission in supporting EU member states in the defence and security area, and the need to further develop the relations between the EU and NATO.

     

    BANKING The foreign currency reserves of the National Bank of Romania reached a new all-time record, over EUR 65 bln at the end of May, up 4.1% compared to the previous month. According to the central bank, Romania’s international reserves (foreign currency plus gold) are currently around EUR 72.2 bln, 3.5% more than in April. The National Bank also announced that the payments for the public debt due in June amount to nearly EUR 148 mln.

     

    FLOODS The bodies of the two Romanians reported missing at the end of last week following flash floods and rising river levels have been found in Italy. The bodies of two of the three missing Romanian young people who drowned on Friday in Natisone River, were found in the province of Udine (northeast). Searches for the third missing person continue. The young people were bathing in Natisone despite the ban, when water levels suddenly rose. Following the information sent by the Italian authorities, the Romanian Foreign Ministry confirmed that two of the deceased were Romanian nationals, and conveyed its condolences to the bereaved families. Consular office representatives are constantly in touch with the local authorities in order to obtain information regarding the search operations for the third missing person, as well as with the families of the deceased citizens, and are ready to provide consular assistance depending on requests and in line with their attributes. The Romanian Foreign Ministry announced Romanian citizens can request consular assistance by calling the numbers of Romania’s consular office in Trieste.

     

    DIPLOMACY Romania is and will remain a supporter of Montenegro’s EU accession efforts, the Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu said in Bucharest on Monday, as part of a joint statement with her counterpart from Montenegro, Filip Ivanovic. The Romanian official added that the Western Balkans were a region of strategic importance, and political and security developments there have a direct impact on the security and prosperity of Europe as a whole. In this context, the two officials signed an Action Plan for cooperation between Romania’s and Montenegro’s foreign ministries in 2024-2025. ‘Montenegro and Romania have long-established friendship relations and are committed to further developing them,” Filip Ivanovic said in turn, adding that this commitment translated in the Action Plan for cooperation and thanking Romania for its support.

     

    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football team is playing Bulgaria on Tuesday and Liechtenstein on Friday, June 7, in two friendly matches ahead of the European Championship due to kick off on June 14 in Germany. Bucharest will host both matches. Romania was drawn in Group E alongside Ukraine, Belgium and Slovakia. The national team will play Ukraine on June 17 in Munich, Belgium on June 22 in Cologne, and finally Slovakia on June 26, in Frankfurt. Romania last took part in a European Championship in 2016 in France. (AMP)

  • January 27, 2023

    January 27, 2023

    ECONOMY
    Romania reports a record-high GDP increase for last year, from EUR 240 bln in 2021 to nearly
    EUR 290 bln, according to the National Strategy and
    Forecast Commission. For this year, however, the institution estimates a
    slow-down of the economic growth from 4.9% in 2022 to 2.8%. The inflation rate
    is also expected to drop significantly by the end of this year, from 16.4% in
    2022 to 8%, and consumption growth is also predicted to drop to 2.4%, compared
    to 4.6% last year. The figures in the winter forecast, made public on Thursday,
    are not different from the ones in the autumn report, released in October.


    HEALTHCARE The number of respiratory infections in Romania dropped last
    week by almost one-quarter compared to the previous week, to 103,000 cases, the
    National Public Health Institute announced. The number is nonetheless 21%
    higher than the average weekly rate in 2015-2020. According to statistics,
    nearly 5,000 of them were flu cases. Since the start of the cold season, 36
    people died from the flu, and nearly 1.5 million people got anti-flu vaccines.


    DIPLOMACY The Romanian
    foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu had a bilateral meeting in Sibiu today with his
    Dutch counterpart, Wopke Bastiaan Hoekstra. The talks focused on Romania’s
    Schengen accession and the ongoing efforts to further this important goal. Bogdan Aurescu reiterated that Romania’s accession will help strengthen
    the security of the EU as a whole and will give credibility to the Union. In
    turn, ministrer Hoekstra reiterated the Netherlands’ active support for this
    process. Wopke Hoekstra also reconfirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to
    consolidating NATO’s deterrence and defence posture on the
    eastern flank, in the context of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, by
    contributing troops to the NATO Battle Group in Romania. The 2 officials also
    discussed the Romanian-Dutch bilateral relations. The meeting took place in the
    context of the Dutch official’s visit to Romania for trilateral political
    consultations in Bucharest, together with the French diplomacy chief Catherine
    Colonna. Ahead of the talks, the 3 ministers made a joint visit to the French
    and Dutch troops stationed at the Cincu military base as part of the NATO Battle
    Group in Romania. In
    Bucharest, Catherine Colonna will be received by president Klaus Iohannis and
    PM Nicolae Ciucă.


    COMMEMORATION
    The International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or the International Day in Memory
    of the Victims of the Holocaust, is marked every year on January 27, under a
    resolution endorsed by the United Nations in 2005. In 1945, on January 27, Allied forces liberated
    the largest Nazi extermination camp, in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland. According
    to historians, the Holocaust resulted in the killing of 6 million Jewish people
    in Europe and millions of other ethnics by Germany’s Nazi regime. Events and activities are organised on
    this day every year at the UN headquarters in New York and UN offices around the world.
    This year’s theme is Home and Belonging. In 2022, the UN General Assembly
    adopted a resolution tabled by Israel, calling on all countries to condemn Holocaust
    denial and anti-Semitism, especially on social networks.


    TENNIS Gabriela Ruse (Romania) / Marta
    Kostiuk (Ukraine) today lost to the defending champions, Barbora Krejcikova and
    Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-2, in the doubles semi-finals of the
    Australian Open. This is the best performance for Ruse and Kostiuk in a Grand Slam
    event. Krejcikova and Siniakova hold a combined 6 Grand Slam doubles titles, 3
    of them last year alone, when they only missed the Roland Garros. In the final,
    the Czech players take on Shuko Aoyama/Ena Shibahara, of Japan, at their first
    presence in a Grand Slam final after defeating Coco Gauff/Jessica Pegula (US). (AMP)

  • The Romanian Revolution the reestablishment of democracy

    The Romanian Revolution the reestablishment of democracy

    The Romanian Revolution of December 1989 will always be the most important event in Romania’s history in the second half of the 20th century. So great were the changes that it brought along and the energies that it unleashed, that nothing has ever been the same.



    The communist regime was installed in Central and Eastern Europe, Romania included, in a short period of approximately 3 years. Until 1948 Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania and Hungary had been under the control of communist party governments, imposed by the presence of the Soviet army in its offensive against Nazism. According to historians, WW2 was, for the Soviet regime, an unexpected chance to recover, after catastrophic economic and social policies implemented as of 1918. In the absence of WW2, the Soviet Union would have most probably undergone reforms after Stalin’s death in 1953.



    Between 1945/1948 and 1989, an authoritarian regime, oblivious to any fundamental rights and liberties was in power. The communist tyranny, however, had the fascist dictatorship as predecessor, during the war. Unfortunately, for half of Europe, the end of war would not bring along the end of brutal regimes. In Romania, Ceausescu’s regime brought its 22 million citizens to their knees. Stripped of the most basic rights, the Romanians also had to bear the brunt of Ceausescu’s irrational ambition to fully pay the country’s foreign debt, which triggered a complete degradation of its people’s living standards.



    The events in the second half of December 1989 are well-known. On December 1989, in Timisoara, people took to the streets in protest at the eviction of pastor Laszlo Tokes. Protests extended and the repressive forces reacted by opening fire and killing several hundred protesters. On December 21st, in Bucharest, the crowds summoned by Ceausescu to listen to his speech started shouting slogans against him. In the evening, protesters who were still on the streets built barricades and the regime’s forces reacted just like they had done in Timisoara – by opening fire. On December 22nd, a huge protest action staged by the large industrial platforms scared Ceausescu, who fled by helicopter from the top of the Communist Party’s Central Committee building. The dictator and his wife were eventually captured, tried during an emergency trial and sentenced to death. The sentence was carried out on December 25th, 1989, when Ceausescu and his wife were executed. Around 1,200 Romanians paid with their lives the rebirth of Romanian democracy.



    Petru Creția was a philosopher, writer and translator of Platos works into Romanian. Marked by the events, on December 21st, 1989, the day before Ceausescu’s fall, he wrote a manifesto broadcast on Radio Free Europe. His manifesto describes the lowest level that humankind reached under communist. The recording with Cretia’s voice has been kept in Radio Romania’s Oral History Centre. His words describe the destiny of several generations of Romanians but are also a warning to future generations: “It is the end of century in Romania and, along with it, the inevitable end of a terrible time for this country. It bared such mystifying names, that it’s enough to turn it upside down to see the truth. The demonic species that have shaken not only the planet, but the very definition of humanity, found their death in the sufferance and blood of this end-of-the century. The great crisis of the human species, that found its expression in Hitlerism, Stalinism and Maoism, is about to end, no matter how hard their terrible heirs struggle to survive in a few places of the world, and how many the number of the Asian, African, South-American and even European imitators and epigones of these doomed regimes is. They are all alike, they say and do the same things, they are all pathetic caricatures, despicable marionettes of the nations’ fate. And now, in all the places where the fate of the planet is decided, their time has come as well. These ten-hand autocrats, these pontiffs of false religions, have become anachronic. We will remember them only in the name of the death, of the tortured and of the starved, of all those who suffered during their horrific reign.



    The most terrible century in history ended in 1989. The evil will most certainly not disappear. But just like a vaccine, it will not cure but it will at least protect the world from a new ideological plague. (EE)

  • Colectiv trial continues

    Colectiv trial continues

    More than 6 years after the fire that killed 65 people
    and injured severely another 150, the penalties in the Colectiv case may be
    reduced.


    Three judges from the Bucharest Court of Appeals have
    changed in part the legal qualification of the offences, more specifically they
    removed the aggravating circumstances from consideration with respect to the
    offence of abuse in office for some of the defendants, including the former
    mayor of Bucharest’s sector where the nightclub was located, Cristian
    Popescu-Piedone. Removing the word aggravated from the definition of the
    offence leads to milder sentences.


    This is an important decision, and is the last step
    ahead of a final ruling in the trial. In December 2019, the Bucharest Court of
    Justice had issued the first rulings on the case. At that time, Piedone was
    sentenced to 8 years and 6 months in prison, for abuse of office related to the
    issuing of the operation licenses for the Colectiv nightclub.


    Prison sentences were also ordered for the three
    owners of the club, two City Hall employees in charge with supervising fire
    protection, the owners of the company that provided fireworks and the
    pyrotechnicians.


    The defendants were also ordered to pay, jointly with
    the City Hall and the Bucharest-Ilfov Inspectorate for Emergency Situations a
    combined 50 million euros to the victims of the fire.


    Both the defendants, and the prosecutors appealed the
    ruling, and the case was referred to the Bucharest Court of Appeals.


    The survivors and the victims’ families have released
    an open letter challenging the decision to change the legal qualification of
    the offences, arguing that it leads to milder penalties, which would thus
    become small and insignificant, out of proportion compared to the gravity
    of the offences and their consequences, a fact that would cast shadow on the
    entire judicial process in Romania.


    On 30th October, 6 years after the tragedy for
    which no one has been held liable so far, the survivors and victims’ families
    protested in silence against the postponement of a final ruling on the case. They
    lit candles and placed photos of the victims, as well as photos of some
    politicians deemed responsible for the tragedy, in front of the Court of Appeals
    building. Some of the participants lied down next to the photos of the
    deceased, covering themselves in white sheets.


    Moreover, the survivors who needed specialised care
    and who are still under treatment warn that even today in-hospital infections
    are not properly reported and monitored. Romania still lacks centres for the
    treatment and recovery of patients with severe burns. The families and friends
    of those who died 6 years ago, as well as civil society representatives,
    complain that little has changed in the Romanian healthcare system, and the
    investigation and trial are going round in circles. The next court date is set
    for 17th November, when the membership of the panel of judges for
    the next stages of the trial is to be discussed. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • 20 years since 9/11

    20 years since 9/11

    With colours flown at half-mast, the US commemorated on September 11 the nearly 3,000 people killed 20 years ago in the most severe attack on American territory. 19 Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked the civil aircraft that hit into New Yorks World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, while one other aircraft, believed to be heading for the White House or the Congress building, crashed after the passengers tried to take control.



    In response, Washington started the so-called global war on terrorism, the first large-scale campaign being the one in Afghanistan, which ended last month. Political leaders from many countries sent solidarity and compassion messages, reiterating their determination to safeguard freedom and fight terrorist threats.



    President Klaus Iohannis sent a letter to his US counterpart Joe Biden, emphasising that in the wake of the terror attacks, the common suffering turned into solidarity and a shared goal, in the US and around the world, in allied and partner countries, Romania included. President Iohannis reiterated that Romania stands by the American people in the fight against terrorism and in strengthening shared values like democracy, human rights, freedom of speech and the rule of law.



    The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu also sent a message to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, highlighting Bucharests firm and long-standing commitment to taking part, alongside the international community and the US, a strategic partner for Romania, in the joint efforts to fight terrorism and extremism.



    Also in Bucharest, the Government of Romania expressed its solidarity with the American nation, while in Washington, the Romanian Embassy paid tribute to the victims of the tragedy and sent a message to the survivors and to those who put their own lives on the line in the rescue operations 2 decades ago. “We remember and we honour the strength and resilience of the American people in the face of loss and suffering, the Ambassador of Romania Andrei Muraru and other Embassy staff said in a video address. “It was more than an attack against the US. It was an attack against the free world, against the values and ideals that we all share—freedom, compassion, dignity, humanity. It was an attack against civilisation, the message also says.



    “September 11, 2001. A day that was brutally imprinted on our memory and history. A day beyond forgetting. The September 11 attack was not only an attack on the US, but an attack on all of us, the Romanian Mircea Geoană, NATO deputy secretary general, said in turn in a Facebook post. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • July 19, 2021

    July 19, 2021

    WEATHER Yellow and orange-code alerts for heavy rainfall are in place in Romania, with unstable weather expected until at least midweek. Thunderstorms will first hit the south-west, west, centre and north of the country, and spread to the south and south-east beginning on Tuesday. The extreme weather has caused major damages in the west of the country over the past few days, with several parts of Alba County affected by flash floods.




    FLOODING The death toll of the disastrous flooding in Western Europe is over 190, as many missing people are found dead. Germany reports the largest number of victims. Chancellor Angela Merkel visited some of the worst hit regions, and promised immediate aid from the federal government for reconstruction works, while also pledging more efforts will be made to fight climate change. The EU has announced it would provide aid both to Germany and to the other countries affected by floods, such as Belgium and the Netherlands. In Belgium, more than 30 people are dead and others are missing. Italy also sees heavy rainfalls causing floods in the northern and southern parts of the country.




    COVID-19 The Romanian health minister Ioana Mihăilă said the 4th wave of the Covid-19 pandemic will affect unvaccinated people, and said less than 1% of those who have got the vaccine caught the disease. Ioana Mihăilă urged even those who recovered from the disease to get the vaccine, arguing that this would prevent a severe form of the Covid-19, even when the Delta variant is involved. In spite of continuing public campaigns promoting vaccination, the target of 5 million fully vaccinated Romanians is yet to be reached, over one and a half months after the deadline set by authorities. Meanwhile, 44 new infection cases were reported on Sunday in Romania, out of close to 19,000 tests. One new COVID-related death has also been reported, and 30 patients are in intensive care out of the 255 currently in hospital.




    GALA The UNITER Awards Gala, rewarding the best Romanian theatre performances, is hosted by the National Theatre in Bucharest tonight. This is the 29th edition of the event, held annually since 1991. A jury makes the nominations for each category, while a separate jury votes the winner of each award.




    FESTIVAL Tickets for the 25th George Enescu International Festival are available as of today. The festival, scheduled to take place between 28 August and 26 September, brings to Bucharest 3,500 Romanian and foreign artists. Healthcare measures will be in place this year, to protect the public, the artists, the organisers and journalists. Some of the worlds most celebrated orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the National Orchestra of France conducted by the Romanian Cristian Măcelaru, and the Munich Philharmonic conducted by Valery Gergiev, will take part in this years festival, alongside world-famous soloists like violinists Maxim Vengerov, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Joshua Bell, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianists Denis Matsuev, Jean Yves Thibaudet and Kirill Gerstein.




    AGRICULTURE The Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Oros takes part today in the first meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held under Slovenian presidency. One of the main topics on the agenda is the action plan for the development of organic agriculture. The European Commissions “Farm to Fork Strategy presented in 2020 aims at earmarking at least 25% of the blocs farmland for organic agriculture by 2030.




    PANDEMIC Greece reintroduces COVID-19 restrictions in spite of the tourist season being in full swing. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Athens, several Greek islands deemed free of COVID-19 are introducing night curfews and banning the access of unvaccinated people in restaurants and clubs. The Greek government will also make vaccination compulsory for several categories of employees. France tightens access restrictions for travelers from certain countries, including the UK, Spain, Greece and the Netherlands, who will be required to get tested 24 hours prior to arriving in the country. On the other hand, England lifted all restrictions today, in spite of alarming increases in the number of Delta variant infections. London argues that containment measures cannot be kept in place forever, and the vaccines provide protection. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • July 18, 2021

    July 18, 2021

    COVID-19 The number of coronavirus infections in Romania remains low, with 49 new cases reported on Saturday out of over 25,000 tests conducted in 24 hours. Two new COVID-related deaths were also reported, and 32 patients are in intensive care. In related news, the European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides, who was recently on a visit to Romania, urged the authorities to step up the vaccine rollout, to protect against the new coronavirus variants. Since 27 December 2020, when the vaccination campaign began in Romania, over 9,200,000 vaccine doses have been given to more than 4,800,000 people. Around 4.7 million people are fully vaccinated at present.




    AID In the regions severely affected by flooding in Alba County, central Romania, efforts continue to help the over 200 people left without homes. The Romanian PM Florin Cîţu announced that after an assessment of the damages, the government will provide immediately any form of aid for the families affected. Meanwhile, private persons, volunteers and Red Cross representatives are involved in distributing water, food and other supplies. Record amounts of precipitations have been reported in the region over the past few days, with 223 litres of rainwater per square metre within 5 hours causing unprecedented flooding, the authorities say.




    FLOODS The death toll of the devastating flooding in Germany has reached 156 today, bringing the total number of deaths in Western Europe up to at least 183, AFP reports. In Germany, people have been urged to stay away from basements and underground garages and passage ways, and authorities warned that flooded roads are a danger to citizens. Chancellor Angela Merkel described the situation as a ‘national tragedy and promised state aid for reconstruction and repair works. These efforts are expected to cost several billion euros. In Austria, fire fighters are in standby in the regions of Salzburg and Tirol, while the town of Hallein is under water. ‘Unfortunately, the heavy rainfalls and storms have caused severe damage in several parts of Austria,’ PM Sebastian Kurz has tweeted.




    PESTICIDE Several batches of ice-cream have been recalled from the Romanian market. The products contained small amounts of a carcinogen. The European Commission decided that products containing the additive locust bean gum (E410) contaminated with ethylene oxide must be withdrawn from the EU market even if the pesticide is not detected. After 3 emergency meetings held on the 29 and 30 June and on 13 July, the Commission also decided that the products already purchased by consumers should be recalled.




    VISIT The president of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu will be on an official visit to Gergia on 19-20 July, MOLDPRES reports. The Moldovan president will attend an international conference in Batumi, entitled ‘Three states – one choice: Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine on the move. The event aims to improve cooperation between the 3 EU associated partners. In Batumi, Maia Sandu will have meetings with her Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili, with the Ukrainian PM Volodimir Zelenski, and with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel.




    FILM The French director Julia Doucournau last night won the Palme d’Or for her film Titane, at the Cannes Film Festival, thus becoming the second woman awarded in this category in the festivals 7-decade long history. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Paris, the award for best director went to Leos Carax, for Annette. Caleb Landry Jones and Renate Reinsve won the awards for best actor and actress. Romanian films were also appreciated in Cannes, with Carina Gabriela Daşoveanu winning 3rd place in the Cinefondation category and Teodora Ana Mihai taking the Courage Prize in the Un certain regard category. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • June 18, 2021 UPDATE

    June 18, 2021 UPDATE

    COVID-19 On Friday 70 new cases of coronavirus infection were reported in Romania, out of over 32,000 tests performed. Also, 6 deaths were reported. The number of patients in intensive care has dropped below 200. The head of the vaccination campaign in Romania, Valeriu Gheorghita, has announced that vaccination coverage at national level stands at 25% of the eligible population. 29,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in the past 24 hours, accounting for less than one-third of the number reported during peak vaccination periods. Since the start of the national vaccine roll-out, on December 27, more than 4.6 million people have been immunised in Romania, of whom 4.3 million with both doses. According to a survey by the Research Institute for Quality of Life, even if most Romanians are aware of the threat posed by the coronavirus, some 2 million are against vaccination, and 800,000 say the pandemic is not real.



    PROTEST Romanian freight carriers Friday deliberately hampered traffic on the main roads in the country. The protest came after the Transport Ministry announced that it will change the way the road fee, known as the vignette, is going to be calculated from now on, namely per kilometer and depending on pollution standards, rather than on duration, as it is now. Transport companies are also unhappy with the inspections conducted by the tax authorities, which plan to levy taxes on drivers daily allowances when traveling abroad.



    COMMEMORATION On Friday, for the first time, Romania commemorated the Day of Communist Regime Deportation Victims. Deportation under the Romanian communist regime was inspired by the Soviet gulag model. Such actions started in 1944, and targeted ethnic Germans accused of collaboration with the Nazi authorities. That was followed by the relocation of the families of land owners, factories or other commercial enterprises. The peasants who opposed collectivisation were also deported. The most tragic episode in this respect took place on June 18, 1951, when about 44,000 people on a 25 km strip on the border with Yugoslavia were deported to Bărăgan (south), in one of the most secret, quick and repressive actions ever organised by the communist authorities. After 1955, former political detainees released from prisons were sent to various localities, most of them in the Bărăgan villages already built as a result of the 1951 deportation. In 1967, the deportation of Romanian citizens was declared illegal even by the communist authorities.



    DEFICIT The European Council Friday adopted the recommendation under the excessive deficit procedure for Romania. The recommendation establishes that Romania should put an end to the excessive deficit situation by 2024 at the latest. The procedure was launched in April 2020, after Romania exceeded the 3% budget deficit ceiling in 2019. The Council said that an extension to the current deadline for Romania to correct its public deficit would be important in order not to compromise the economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendation also says that, in order to meet the new deadline, Romania would need to achieve a general government deficit target of 8.0% of GDP in 2021, 6.2% of GDP in 2022, 4.4% of GDP in 2023, and 2.9% of GDP in 2024, which is in line with the Romanian governments objectives.



    UN The UN General Assembly Friday appointed the Portuguese António Guterres to a second 5-year term as secretary general. Guterres, 72, had been endorsed on June 8 by the UN Security Council, the most difficult stage of the selection of a new secretary general, in that it requires the consensus of the worlds major powers. The former Portuguese Socialist PM had no challengers and will begin his second term on January 1, 2022. Prior to this position with the UN, Antonio Guterres served as UN High Commissioner for Refugees for a 10-year period.



    TENNIS Horia Tecău (Romania) / Kevin Krawietz (Germany) qualified into the doubles final of the tennis tournament in Halle (Germany), ATP 500, after defeating the Belgians Sander Gille / Joran Vliegen, 7-6, 7-5. Tecău and Krawietz are playing their 3rd final this season, after having lost the ones in Rotterdam and Barcelona. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • Romania steps up fight against human traffickers and other serious offences

    Romania steps up fight against human traffickers and other serious offences

    Several
    severe offences, such as human trafficking, slavery, child pornography, proxenetism
    will no longer be subject to any statute of limitation in Romania. This means
    that no matter how much time has passed, legal proceedings can still be
    initiated against the perpetrators of these offenses.




    The decision-making
    Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest has unanimously endorsed several amendments to
    the country’s Criminal Code, initiated by a group of MPs belonging to the
    ruling coalition made up of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and USR PLUS
    alliance.




    The
    new amendments also include severer punishment for the accomplices of this type
    of offenders as well as for repeat offender involved in child pornography. The
    aforementioned amendments were also endorsed by the Senate in April.




    It is
    a very important law, which does not allow those who commit severe offences,
    such as human trafficking, aggression against minors and other severe offences
    to get away with their crimes thanks to the statute of limitations. This type
    of offenders are to be held responsible for their entire life, says Ludovic
    Orban, president of the Chamber of Deputies.




    One of
    the initiators of the aforementioned law, USR-PLUS senator Simona Spataru said
    that Romania needed such amendments because in some cases offenders got away
    with their crimes due to dragging investigations and statutory limitations.




    Romania
    ranks first in Europe in terms of victims of human trafficking and a major
    cause for delayed investigations is the fact that these networks of traffickers
    are very sophisticated. We are also speaking here about the trafficking with
    minors and unfortunately Romania is a source for this kind of trafficking as
    well. So, it is very important for us to intervene now says Simona Spataru.




    According
    to experts of GRETA, a Council of Europe institution specialized in fighting
    human trafficking, Romania arguably remains a country of origin for victims of human
    trafficking, while Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK used to be the main
    destination countries.




    GRETA
    has urged Romania to make sure it implements effective punishment in the case
    of human traffickers and that victims benefit from compensations. In a report
    published on Thursday, GRETA says that Romania continues to develop its
    legislative framework to take action against human trafficking.




    The
    group hails the fact that the Justice Minister has called on the general
    prosecutor to prioritize actions against human trafficking but notes that many
    culprits benefitted from suspended and reduced sentences after they have
    admitted guilt.




    According
    to the report, 2,613 victims of human trafficking were identified between 2016
    and 2019 by the Romanian authorities. Three out of four were women and half of
    them children as sexual exploitation remains the main purpose of human
    trafficking.


    (bill)

  • Romanian public hospitals, in a critical state

    Romanian public hospitals, in a critical state

    Nearly 4,000 violations of fire safety regulations were found in the inspections conducted last year in around 500 public hospitals in Romania. The data is included in a report of the Department for Emergency Situations dated December 2020, and forwarded to the health minister at the time. A similar number of irregularities had been found the year before, in 2019, according to another report.



    The documents list, among the most important deficiencies, the operation of hospitals without a fire safety permit, the lack of fire detection, signalling and alarm equipment in hospitals or their improper operation, the failure to properly organise fire defence activities, particularly as regards the evacuation of users, and the low capability to rescue patients who are unable to move on their own, particularly because of the lack of healthcare personnel especially on night shifts.



    As many as 130 intensive care units do not have a permit from the fire department, and many hospitals operate without fire extinguishers or hydrants, the document details. Moreover, electrical equipment is used which is malfunctioning, inadequately maintained or overburdened by an excessive number of users.



    Hundreds of fines have been issued, as well as thousands of warnings, and alarm/evacuation and first intervention drills have been conducted.



    The reports were made public by the Health Ministry on Sunday, following last weeks fire at the Matei Balș Institute in Bucharest, which came after a similar one that occurred in November at the County Hospital in Piatra Neamţ (north-east). In both cases, Covid-19 patients in the ICU died and were injured.



    The incumbent health minister Vlad Voiculescu says the healthcare infrastructure in Romania has steadily deteriorated over the past years, and new hospitals are long overdue. He also mentioned that COVID 19 units are still working at full capacity, which is why electrical and gas supply networks cannot be replaced at the moment, even though the presence of oxygen systems for medical use is a risk factor.



    Voiculescu promised that in 3 years time, foundations will have been laid for regional hospitals in Craiova (south), Iaşi (north-east) and Cluj (north-west), but added that new hospitals also need to be built in Bucharest and in other cities. The official announced a National Fund would be set up, for healthcare infrastructure funding. The fund, which will focus on patient safety, will be financed from the state budget and EU sources, and will enable hospitals to make urgent investments related to fire safety, earthquake protection and the prevention of in-hospital infections. (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)