Radio România Internațional

Tag: Visa Waiver

  • Nachrichten 10.11.2017

    Nachrichten 10.11.2017

    Verteidigungsminister Mihai Fifor hat beim Nato-Verteidigungsministertreffen in Brüssel die Entwicklungen der fortgeschrittenen Militärpräsenz im Schwarzmeerraum vorgetragen. Das Verteidigungsministerium präzisiert in einer Mitteilung, dass es sich dabei um die Umwandlung des multinationalen Kommandopostens aus dem südlichen Craiova in eine Nato-Struktur, um eine erweiterte Präsenz der Schiffskräfte im Schwarzen Meer, die kontinuierlichen Aktivitäten der Luftpolizei über Rumänien sowie die Beteiligung der Alliierten auf dem Landesgebiet handelt. Mihai Fifor kündigte außerdem an, dass Rumänien gemeinsam mit Bulgarien und der Türkei bald das Konzept der Gemeinsamen Ausbildungsinitiative erarbeitet haben wird. Dieses bezieht sich auf die gemeinsame Unterweisung der Soldaten der Nato-Mitgliedsstaaten, die Anreiner des Schwarzen Meeres sind. Das erste Koordinationstreffen ist für Anfang Dezember geplant.



    Rumänien zählt zu den wenigen demokratischen Allierten, die sich nicht im US-Visa Waiver Programm (zur Aufhebung der Visumspflicht) befinden und dieses sollte sich ändern. Dies erklärte der amerikanische Kongressabgeordnete Dan Lipinski, der in einer Mitteilung auf der Webseite der Vertreterkammer der USA zitiert wurde. Er fügte hinzu, dass die Aufnahme Rumäniens in das Visa Waiver Programm die Zusammenarbeit im Sicherheitsbereich steigern, die bilateralen Handels- und Wirtschaftsbeziehungen sowie den gegenseitigen Tourismus verstärken würde. Lipinski hob hervor, dass Rumänien nach der rumänischen Revolution von 1989, als das autoritäre kommunistische Regime beseitigt wurde, zum starken Alliierten der Vereinigten Staaten geworden ist“. Der amerikanische Kongress-Abgeordnete sagte ferner, dass Rumänien ein echter Sicherheitspartner sei und einen der größten Beiträge zum Einsatz in Afghanistan leiste. Außerdem begrüßte Rumänien die Stationierung der US-Truppen am Schwarzen Meer. Das Land beherbergt die neue multinationale Nato-Einsatzbrigade.



    Der rumänische Außenminister Teodor Meleşcanu hat am Donnerstag einen Staatsbesuch in Weißrussland unternommen. Er diskutierte mit seinem Minsker Kollegen Vladimir Makei über die Perspektiven der bilateralen Beziehungen, über Handelsaustausche über die Perspektiven der Beziehungen zwischen der EU und Weißrussland. Melescanu sagte, dass Rumänien die Annäherung im Dialog zwischen Weißrussland und der Europäischen Union begrüsst, eine Annäherung, die er schon immer befürwortet habe. Der rumänische Chefdiplomat kam auch mit Premierminister Andrei Kobiakov zusammen, der sagte, dass Weißrussland zur Startrampe für Rumänien auf dem Weg zur Eurasischen Wirtschaftsunion werden könnte. Außenminister Melescanu war bei einer öffentlichen Veranstaltung zur Erinnerung an den Beginn diplomatischer Beziehungen zwischen den beiden Ländern vor 25 Jahren zugegen. Das Jubiläum wurde von der Herausgabe einer besonderen Briefmarkenserie begleitet, mit Bildern der Maler Corneliu Baba und Mikhail Sawitzki, sowie eines ins Weißrussische übersetzten Gedichtbandes von Mihai Eminescu.

  • 10.11.2017 (mise à jour)

    10.11.2017 (mise à jour)

    Bruxelles — A Bruxelles, le ministre roumain de la Défense, Mihai Fifor a présenté les évolutions enregistrées dans la constitution d’une présence de l’OTAN en mer Noire, lors d’une réunion de ses homologues des Etats membres de l’Alliance Atlantique. Le ministère roumain de la Défense précise dans un communiqué que ces évolutions se traduisent par la transformation du commandement de la Brigade multinationale de Craiova en une structure de l’OTAN, le renforcement de la présence navale alliée en mer Noire, des activités de police aérienne dans le ciel de la Roumanie, par la participation des alliés aux exercices sur le territoire du pays. Mihai Fifor a également annoncé que la Roumanie était en train de mettre en œuvre un système d’instruction commun des pays de l’Alliance riverains à la mer Noire.



    Visa Waiver — La Roumanie est un des seuls alliés démocratiques qui ne font pas partie du programme Visa Waiver et cela devrait changer, a déclaré Dan Lipinski, membre du Congrès américain, cité par un communiqué de la Chambre des Représentants de Washington. Il a ajouté que l’inclusion de la Roumanie au programme Visa Waiver fera progresser la coopération dans le domaine de la sécurité, les relations commerciales et économiques et le tourisme dans les deux pays. Dan Lipinski a aussi remarqué le fait que « depuis la révolution anticommuniste roumaine de 1989, qui a mis fin au gouvernement autoritaire communiste, la Roumanie est devenue un allié fiable des Etats-Unis ». Le représentant américain a précisé que la Roumanie était un véritable partenaire de sécurité et un des plus importants contribuables à la lutte en Afghanistan, un pays qui a salué la présence américaine en mer Noire et qui accueille une nouvelle brigade multinationale de l’OTAN.



    Visite — Le ministre roumain des Affaires étrangères, Teodor Melescanu, a fait jeudi et vendredi une visite officielle au Bélarus. Il a discuté avec son homologue de Minsk, Vladimir Makei, des perspectives des relations bilatérales, des échanges économiques, des perspectives des relations entre l’UE et le Bélarus. M Melescanu a déclaré que la Roumanie salue le rapprochement enreigistré dans el doalogue entre la Biélorussie et l’Union européenne, qu’elle a toujours soutenue. Le ministre roumain a également rencontré le premier ministre de ce pays, Andrei Kobiakov, qui a déclaré vendredi que le Bélarus pourrait devenir une porte d’entrée pour la Roumanie sur le marché de l’Union économique eurasiatique. Teodor Meleşcanu a participé à un événement de diplomatie publique, consacré au 25e anniversaire depuis l’établissement des relations diplomatiques entre les deux pays. Le moment a été marqué par le lancement d’une émission philatélique, avec des représentations des peintres Corneliu Baba et Mihail Savitski et d’un volume de poésies du poète national roumain Mihai Eminescu, traduites en biélorusse.



    Gaz – La Roumanie dispose des stocks nécessaires de gaz pour cet hiver et l’approvisionnement des consommateurs sera réalisé dans des conditions normales, en respectant les normes techniques, lit-on dans un communiqué du ministère roumain de l’Energie. Le principal producteur national de gaz, Romgaz, a également précisé disposer de stocks presque doubles par rapport au minimum obligatoire. Ces propos interviennent après les déclarations d’Ion Sterian, directeur de la compagnie de transport du gaz Transgaz, selon lequel les réserves de gaz de la Roumanie seraient les plus faibles des quatre ou cinq dernières années. Afin de couvrir la consommation de la population durant l’hiver qui approche, la Roumanie devrait importer du gaz, a-t-il également précisé.



    Diplomatie — L’ambassadeur de Roumanie aux Etats Unis, George Cristian Maior, a visité ces jours-ci les Etats d’Oregon et de Washington, où il a eu plusieurs rencontres visant principalement à attirer des investissements américains en Roumanie. Il a discuté avec les représentants de l’administration locale, mais aussi avec ceux du milieu académique et universitaire. M Maior a également rencontré des membres de la communauté roumano-américaine. L’ambassadeur roumain a fait un exposé à la Portland State University, centrée sur la coopération stratégique bilatérale sur le flanc est de l’OTAN, soulignant le fait que Bucarest peut être considéré l’allié le plus solide des Etats Unis dans la région. Dans le contexte des défis sécuritaires actuels dans la région élargie de la mer Noire, renforcer la capacité de défense et de dissuasion de l’Alliance est une nécessité vitale, et l’élément central de cet effort, c’est l’intensification de la présence américaine dans cette région.



    Anciens combattants — La Journée des anciens combattants est marquée le 11 novembre en Roumanie. Des cérémonies et des dépôts de fleurs seront organisés aux tombeaux et aux monuments consacrés au sacrifice et à l’héroïsme des militaires roumains tombés sur les théâtres d’opérations. Depuis 2014, les Roumains marquent la Journée des anciens combattants le 11 novembre, le même jour que d’autres pays d’Europe, que les Etats Unis, le Canada et l’Australie. La signification historique du 11 novembre, c’est l’armistice conclu en 1918 entre les puissances de l’Entente et l’Allemagne, qui a mis fin à la Première Guerre mondiale. La mémoire des 29 militaires roumains qui ont perdu la vie dans les missions internationales en Afghanistan, Irak et en Bosnie-Herzégovine sera honorée aussi. Le premier militaire roumain a été tué le 11 novembre 2003 sur le théâtre d’opérations d’Afghanistan.



    Chantier naval — Le plus grand constructeur de navires des Pays-Bas, Damen Shipyards Group, rachètera le paquet majoritaire d’actions du chantier naval de Mangalia, détenu par le groupe sud-coréen Daewoo, ont annoncé les représentants de la compagnie hollandaise vendredi. Par cette acquisition, Damen renforcera ses activités internationales de construction et de réparation de navires. La société néerlandaise détient encore en Roumanie le chantier naval de Galaţi. Les représentants de Damen ont encore annoncé qu’ils discutaient avec les représentants du gouvernement de Bucarest de la future coopération à Mangalia et du développement de l’industrie navale roumaine.




  • November 10, 2017

    November 10, 2017

    DEFENCE – The Romanian defence minister, Mihai Fifor, has presented in Brussels, at the meeting of the NATO defence ministers, the latest evolutions in setting up the adapted advanced presence in the Black Sea region. The Romanian Defence Ministry writes in a communiqué, all these refer to the Command of the Multinational Brigade in Craiova (southern Romania) which will be turned into a NATO structure, the enhanced presence of the allied naval forces in the Black Sea, air police activities, the allies’ participation in exercises on the Romanian territory. Mihai Fifor has also said Romania is on point of finalizing, alongside Bulgaria and Turkey, the concept of NATO Training Cooperation Initiative. It refers to the joint training of military of the NATO member states riparian to the Black Sea, and the first coordinated action is scheduled for early December.



    VISA WAIVER — Romania is one of the few democratic allies which is not already included in the Visa Waiver Program and this should change, US Congressman Dan Lipinski has said, being quoted in a press released recently posted on the web-site of the House of Representatives. He added that Romania’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver program would boost cooperation in the field of security, trade and economic relations and mutual tourism. Dan Lipinski has underlined that “since the Romanian Revolution of 1989 which put an end to the authoritarian communist rule, Romania has become a firm ally of the United States.” The US Congress man said Romania is a real security partner, one of the largest contributors of troops to Afghanistan, who hailed the stationing of US forces to the Black Sea and which is hosting a new multinational NATO brigade.



    MINSK – Belarus might become a launching pad for Romania in order to get access to the Eurasian Economic Union, the Prime Minister of Belarus, Andrei Kobyakov, said on Friday during a meeting with Romanian foreign minister, Teodor Melescanu, who is currently on an official visit to Minsk. Kobiakov has mentioned the two sides’ interest in striking partnerships for the joint production of car spare parts, furniture, clothes, textiles, building materials and farm produce. In turn, minister Melescanu has said Romania hails the rapprochment between Belarus and the European Union, with Bucharest having always supported this close dialogue. Frequently deemed by the West as the last dictatorship in Europe, the regime of president Aleksandr Lukashenko, who came to power in 1994, is a loyal ally of Vladimir Putin’s Russia. This year, Belarus lifted mandatory travel visas for EU citizens, a measure described by pundits as an attempt to improve the relationships with Brussels.



    GAS STOCKS – Romania has the necessary natural gas stocks for the coming winter, with the gas supply to consumers unfolding in normal conditions, with the observance of technical standards, the Energy Ministry in Bucharest writes in a communiqué. A similar announcement was made by the main domestic natural gas supplier, Romgaz. The two announcements come after the general manager of the national gas distribution company, Transgaz, Ion Sterian, told the relevant parliamentary committee that the gas stock for the coming winter is the smallest in the last four or five years, and consequently Romania will have to increase imports by 30% in order not to cut off consumers, news agencies report.



    HANDBALL — The Romanian women’s handball champion, CSM Bucharest, on Saturday will meet away from home the Slovenian team RK Krim Mercator Ljubljana, in its fifth Champions’ League Group A match. With three victories and a defeat, CSM ranks first in the group, which is also made up of Nykobing Falster Handboldklub (Denmark) and Vistal Gdynia (Poland). CSM Bucharest won the Champions’ League in 2016 and is one of the favourites in the current edition of the most powerful inter-club European competition.



    FOOTBALL — Romania’s national Under 21 team is meeting this evening on home turf, in Ovidiu (south eastern Romania), the team of Portugal, in a Group 8 match of the EURO 2019 qualifiers. On Tuesday, the Romanians will play, away from home, in Wales. With three victories and a draw following the first four matches, Romania is leading the group, which is also made up of Switzerland, Bosnia and Liechtenstein. On Thursday evening on home turf, in Cluj-Napoca (in the north-west), Romania’s senior team defeated Turkey 2-0 in a friendly match. Turkey is coached by Romanian Mircea Lucescu. This was the third match without defeat for the new Romanian coach, Cosmin Contra, who has been at the helm of the national team since September, replacing the German Christoph Daum, after the team failed to qualify for the World Cup due in Russia next year. Romania will meet the Netherlands on Tuesday in Bucharest, also in a friendly match.

  • 29.09.2017 (mise à jour)

    29.09.2017 (mise à jour)

    Conseil européen — Les récentes attaques informatiques contre l’Europe ont également perturbé des activités économiques et provoqué des pertes financières substantielles, a affirmé le président de la Roumanie, Klaus Iohannis, dans son intervention au Conseil européen informel qui s’est tenu ce vendredi à Tallinn, en Estonie. Le chef de l’Etat roumain a souligné qu’en l’absence d’actions concertées et rapides au niveau européen, les attaques cybernétiques pourraient causer de graves préjudices à l’économie et à la sécurité de l’Union européenne. Le président Iohannis a aussi souligné le besoin de systèmes éducationnels et de formation qui aident les citoyens de l’UE à acquérir les compétences numériques nécessaires pour faire face aux changements et aux défis de la société actuelle et future. Concernant la numérisation des services publics offerts par l’administration centrale et les administrations locales, le président roumain a insisté sur le besoin de maintenir l’unité du projet européen et d’aborder ensemble les différentes initiatives présentes et futures.



    Syndicats – Les syndicats de la Fédération « Solidaritatea sanitară » ont organisé ce vendredi des piquets de grève devant les ministères du Travail et de la Santé de Bucarest, pour la deuxième journée consécutive. Ils participeront aussi à la manifestation organisée par la Confédération syndicale Nationale Cartel Alfa, devant le siège du gouvernement, le 4 octobre prochain. Les syndicats craignent une baisse des revenus des personnels médicaux l’année prochaine, suite à l’entrée en vigueur de la loi unitaire des salaires, et souhaitent le maintien des bonus pour les conditions de travail, des droits aux tickets restaurant et aussi des horaires de travail des médecins. Le ministre de la santé, Florian Bodog, les a assurés qu’il n’y aurait pas de baisses salariales.



    Banques — En Roumanie, l’indice ROBOR qui sert à calculer les intérêts de la majorité des crédits en monnaie nationale (le leu), est de 1,58%, le niveau le plus élevé depuis janvier 2015, indique la Banque nationale. Cet indice, qui représente le taux d’intérêt moyen utilisé pour les prêts interbancaires, connait une croissance accélérée depuis la mi-septembre, ce qui entraînera, affirment les spécialistes, une augmentation des intérêts de certains crédits en monnaie nationale. Par ailleurs, selon la Banque centrale roumaine, les investissements étrangers directs en Roumanie ont dépassé les 4,5 milliards d’euros, leur solde final se chiffrant à 70,1 milliards d’euros au 31 décembre 2016.



    Entretien — Le président du Sénat de la Roumanie, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, s’est entretenu vendredi à Bucarest avec le président du Parlement de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Philippe Courard. Au menu des pourparlers — les traditionnelles relations d’amitié entre la Roumanie et la Belgique ainsi que les liens entre les communautés locales des deux pays. Selon un communiqué du Sénat, M. Popescu-Tăriceanu a souligné à cette occasion l’importance des contacts bilatéraux pour la consolidation de la coopération entre Bucarest et Bruxelles et il a apprécié les programmes déroulés en commun dans les domaines de la culture et de l’éducation. A son tour, Philippe Courard a présenté la situation politique, économique et sociale de Belgique ainsi que la perspective des évolutions dans ces domaines ; il a aussi souligné, dans le contexte, l’importance que la classe politique doit attacher à la communication avec les citoyens.



    Politique — Les leaders du Parti social-démocrate (PSD), principale formation politique au pouvoir en Roumanie, se sont réunis ce vendredi à Sucevita (nord-est) pour l’évaluation mensuelle de l’activité du gouvernement dirigé par Mihai Tudose. Ils ont analysé la situation délicate des hôpitaux régionaux de Roumanie, la loi de l’éducation, avec un accent sur les manuels scolaires, et le financement du sport. L’agenda de la réunion a également inclus la situation de l’Autorité nationale de réglementation dans le domaine de l’énergie (ANRE) et des pertes enregistrées dans le secteur de l’énergie en Roumanie, qui compte parmi les plus élevées d’Europe et qui entraîne la hausse des tarifs pour les consommateurs, ainsi les lois de la justice et la loi du régime de retraite.



    Déclarations — Le sénateur Ron Johnson, président de la Commission « Sécurité intérieure et Affaires gouvernementales » du Sénat des Etats Unis, s’est déclaré favorable à la levée des visas pour les citoyens roumains — informe l’ambassade de Roumanie à Washington. Il a aussi estimé que l’inclusion de la Roumanie dans le programme Visa Waiver renforcerait le niveau de sécurité des deux pays. Le sénateur Ron Johnson a fait ces déclarations lors de sa rencontre avec l’ambassadeur roumain aux Etats Unis, George Cristian Maior, qui lui a remis l’Ordre national Steaua României (L’Etoile de la Roumanie), accordé par le président Klaus Iohannis à l’occasion du 20e anniversaire du Partenariat stratégique bilatéral. L’ambassadeur George Cristian Maior a mis en souligné l’engagement de Bucarest pour une relation transatlantique solide et pour une coopération robuste en matière de défense, consolidée par la présence des forces armées américaines en Roumanie et dans sa région.



    Météo — Il fera frais, samedi, en Roumanie, sous un ciel partiellement couvert. Les maximales du jour se situeront entre 12 et 19°.

  • Jurnal românesc – 07.08.2017

    Jurnal românesc – 07.08.2017

    Vizele pentru românii care vor să ajungă în Statele Unite vor fi ridicate în maximum doi ani, în acest sens existând un grup de lucru al MAE pentru punerea în aplicare a unei Declaraţii comune a SUA şi UE privind programul de implementare a ridicării acestora, susţine ministrul român de Externe, Teodor Meleşcanu. El a subliniat că vizita preşedintelui Klaus Iohannis în SUA din luna iunie a fost un moment foarte clar de punere a României pe harta politică americană. Pe de altă parte, Teodor Meleşcanu a amintit ca reprezentanţi a peste 120 de firme americane vor fi prezenţi în toamna acestui an la Bucureşti, unde vor intra în contact direct cu companiile româneşti.



    Ambasada României în Italia invită reprezentanţii mediului asociativ şi românii care activează în domeniul cultural, administrativ sau academic la al doilea Forum al asociaţiilor de români din zona de competenţă consulară a Ambasadei — regiunile Abruzzo, Campania, Lazio, Sardinia şi Umbria. Evenimentul va avea loc sâmbătă, 12 august, la Accademia di Romania din capitala Italiei. Pornind de la succesul primului Forum organizat în luna mai — axat pe ideea creării unui cadru de lucru comun şi a desfăşurării unui schimb de experienţă şi idei între membrii comunităţii — acţiunea din 12 august va continua dialogul iniţiat în urmă cu trei luni, în acelaşi format interactiv în care protagoniştii sunt membrii mediului asociativ, misiunea diplomatică asigurând spaţiul de lucru şi medierea evenimentului.



    Deputatul PMP Constantin Codreanu, Preşedinte al Comisiei pentru comunităţile de români din afara graniţelor ţării, i-a adresat o scrisoare premierului Mihai Tudose, cerând adoptarea unei Hotărâri de Guvern pentru organizarea şi funcţionarea Muzeului Românilor de Pretutindeni, inclusiv alocarea unui sediu corespunzător, aşa cum cere expres Legea privind sprijinul acordat romanilor de pretutindeni nr. 299/2007. El a precizat că Muzeul trebuie să fie o instituţie permanentă de primă importanţă, pusă în serviciul societăţii, specializată în păstrarea, identificarea, catalogarea, analizarea, menţinerea, cercetarea şi conservarea diverselor documente şi materiale muzeistice care să provină din zonele extrafrontaliere locuite de români. În cei 10 ani care s-au scurs de la intrarea în vigoare a legii, la Bucureşti s-au succedat 15 guverne, însă niciunul dintre ele nu a întreprins absolut nimic pentru executarea acestor prevederi imperative ale legii, spune deputatul român. În opinia sa, această situaţie afectează imaginea şi prestigiul României, subminându-i credibilitatea.



    Pe 15 august, în cadrul celei de-a doua ediţii a Sărbătorii Diasporei — Iaşul este acasă!“ va avea loc Conferinţa RePatriot, organizată de Fundaţia Romanian Business Leaders – inţiatoare a proiectului dedicat repatrierii prin antreprenoriat. Evenimentul – care va avea loc la Palatul Culturii cu sprijinul Primăriei – se adresează deopotrivă ieşenilor din Diaspora şi antreprenorilor, reprezentanţilor mediului universitar, ai administraţiei locale, consilierilor locali, parlamentarilor, societăţii civile şi asociaţiilor studenţeşti care doresc să se implice în proiectul atragerii ieşenilor din Diaspora către Iaşi, prin proiecte de interes pentru comunitate. Cu acest prilej, Primăria Municipiului Iaşi marchează şi crearea, prin noua organigramă, a Biroului Diaspora, în cadrul Direcţiei Relaţii Publice şi Transparentă Decizională. Biroul şi-a asumat rolul de a facilita dialogul ieşenilor din Diaspora cu autorităţile locale şi de a reclădi, împreună, încrederea că oraşul poate atinge standardul de viaţă şi poate oferi oportunităţile cu care ieşenii plecaţi departe s-au obişnuit.

  • Meleșcanu: Românii vor călători în SUA fără vize în unu-doi ani

    Meleșcanu: Românii vor călători în SUA fără vize în unu-doi ani

    Statele Unite ale Americii vor ridica vizele pentru români în următorii doi ani, a declarat șeful diplomației române, Teodor Meleșcanu, la televiziunea Digi 24. “Am avut o întâlnire în trei în aprilie la Bruxelles — Comisia Europeană, România și Statele Unite — și lucrăm în continuare la punerea în aplicare a unei Declarații comune care a fost adoptată de SUA și UE privind programul de implementare a ridicării vizelor pentru cele cinci țări, printre care și România, care nu beneficiază de acest regim. Este un orizont de timp de unul doi ani”, a spus ministrul Afacerilor Externe.



    Meleșcanu a mai declarat că vizita președintelui Klaus Iohannis în SUA a pus România pe harta politică a americanilor: “Este primul președinte din zona Europei Centrale și de Est care face o asemenea vizită. În conferința de presă, președintele Trump a reiterat foarte clar și deschis faptul că Statele Unite vor respecta prevederile art 5 al Tratatului de la Washington al NATO și vor oferi clauza de solidaritate cu orice țară care care va fi atacată”

  • October 19, 2016 UPDATE

    October 19, 2016 UPDATE

    EUROPEAN COUNCIL – Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, on Thursday and Friday, will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels. The agenda of the talks covers three major issues: migration management, the EUs trade policy and foreign relations. Upon leaving for Brussels, the Romanian President said that, in terms of migration, the participants will analyse the stage of implementing the mobility partnerships between the EU and third countries, non EU members, such as Mali, Nigeria and Senegal. Klaus Iohannis reiterated Romanias support for capitalising on these mobility partnerships, which produce direct benefits, for a better migration management. In another move, Klaus Iohannis underlined that Romania supports the EUs trade agreement with the US. He also expressed hope that Romania and Canada will reach an agreement as regards a visa waiver for Romanian citizens, adding that if a reasonable agreement is reached, Bucharest will withdraw its reservations relating to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU. Klaus Iohannis made clear that a reasonable agreement, means to Romania, the lifting of Canadian visas for Romanian citizens in 2017 and not 2018. The Romanian president also announced he will have bilateral talks, on the sidelines of the summit, with British Prime Minister, Theresa May, which will cover, among others, the situation of the Romanian nationals living in Great Britain.



    CONFERENCE – Bucharest is playing host to the Strategic Military Partner Conference organised by the NATO Allied Command Transformation. Around 70 NATO member and partner states are participating, as well as other countries, such as Colombia and Nigeria, which are taking part in such consultations for the first time. Talks focus on the prospects of expanding NATO partnerships and an in-depth analysis of the concepts resulting from the NATO Summit held in Warsaw in July. The meeting in Bucharest lasts three days and contains four planning workshops dealing with the maritime, air and space, land and cyber domains.

    MOURNING – Senior
    Liberal member, Radu Campeanu, the first president of the National Liberal
    Party after the fall of the communist regime in Romania, in December 1989,
    passed away on Wednesday, at 94 years of age. He held the presidency of the
    Liberal Party between 1990 and 1993. In the wake of WWII, Radu Campeanu took
    part in the anti-communist protest movements held over February 24-28,
    1945. Arrested in 1948, he spent many
    years in the communist prisons, as a political detainee. After he was released
    from prison, he emigrated to France. In 1990, Radu Campeanu returned to Romania,
    where he reconstructed the National Liberal Party. He was senator of Bucharest
    in the 1990-1992 period and the Liberal candidate for the presidential election
    in Romania, in 1990, when he ranked second.



    TOKEN STRIKE – Members of the Sanitas trade union federation in the healthcare sector were on a 2-hour token strike on Wednesday morning. During the strike, a third of normal duties were ensured, as well as all medical and surgical emergencies. Healthcare trade unions started their protests almost a month ago. They demand a unitary salary scheme for all medical staff, for the bonuses for special working conditions to be calculated based on current salaries and for holiday and meal vouchers. Sanitas representatives say they received no offer from the authorities and threaten to go on an all-out strike on the 31st of October. Sanitas has more than 100,000 members, including medical and sanitary staff, specialist staff, and auxiliary, technical and administrative staff.



    TRIAL – The High Court of Cassation and Justice judges have rejected all requests and exceptions raised by Gabriel Oprea and ruled for the start of a trial on merits in a case in which Oprea, a former deputy prime minister and interior minister, is accused of spending operative funds from the budget of the Intelligence and Internal Protection Directorate. The courts ruling is not final. In May, Oprea was indicted by the National Anticorruption Directorate for abuse of office together with other senior officers from the Interior Ministry. Oprea is also under investigation in a separate case in which he is accused of manslaughter. A police officer died last year in a motorcycle accident while providing official escort to Oprea, who was serving as interior minister. However, Oprea is believed to have been on a personal trip at the time, which means he was not entitled to official police escort.



    JUSTICE– Romanias technocratic prime minister Dacian Ciolos believes justice minister Raluca Pruna should stay in office following the passing of a simple no-confidence motion against her in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday. Ciolos says the motion is a rebuke of Pruna over some of her statements, without raising any essential objections about her activity. The motion was filed by the Social Democrats after minister Pruna admitted she lied before the European Court of Human Rights with respect to the funds allocated to prisons in Romania. Pruna took responsibility for her statements saying no one can take away her right to signal the problems facing the justice system, including under-funding.



    MIGRANTS – 29 immigrants from Syria, including 17 minors aged between 2 and 17, were stopped on Wednesday morning by the Romanian border police in Timis as they were trying to cross from Serbia into Romania illegally. They did not carry identity papers but said they were Syrian nationals and that they crossed the Serbian border on foot planning to reach a country in western Europe. This is the largest group of Middle Eastern migrants to force the Romanian western border in Timis county this autumn. In the last two months, the authorities have thwarted many attempts to cross the border into Romania in the west, south-west and south.



    TENNIS- World no. 50 Monica Niculescu of Romania on Wednesday qualified for the quarterfinals of the Luxembourg tennis tournament, with 225,000 dollars in prize money up for grabs, after defeating Italys Francesca Schiavone, no.99. This is the first victory grabbed by Niculescu against Schiavone, who had defeated the Romanian player four times before. The Italian player got the first victory in the eighth finals in Moscow, back in 2009. Then she defeated Niculescu in the third round of the Australian Open in 2011, in the eights finals in New Haven, in 2011, and in the first round of the Stuttgart tennis tournament, in 2012. (Translated by D. Vijeu)

  • Nachrichten 21.07.2016

    Nachrichten 21.07.2016

    BUKAREST: Ministerpräsident Dacian Cioloş hat am Donnerstag eine Delegation des US-Kongresses in Bukarest empfangen. Dabei sagte er, Rumänien sei ein Stabilitätsfaktor in einer turbulenten Region, die von Ungewissheit geprägt sei. Themen der Gespräche waren die strategische Partnerschaft der zwei Länder, der amerikanische Raketenschutzschild in Deveselu (im Süden Rumäniens), die Investitionen und die Reform der öffentlichen Verwaltung in Rumänien. Auch die Aufnahme Rumänien in das Visa-Waiver-Programm, das mit der Aufhebung der Visumspflicht für seine Staatsbürger enden würde, kam dabei zur Sprache. Laut der US-Botschaft in Bukarest besteht die Delegation aus 11 Mitgliedern des US-Repräsentantenhauses, Republikaner und Demokraten. Delegationschef ist der Vorsitzende des Ausschusses für die Kontrolle und Reform der Regierung, Jason Chaffetz.



    LONDON: Der Status der Rumänen in Großbritannien ist die oberste Priorität für die Bukarester Behörden. Das erklärte der Botschafter Rumäniens in London, Dan Mihalache, bei einem Treffen mit dem Ausschuss für Innere Angelegenheiten des House of Commons zum Thema Brexit. Dan Mihalache äußerte seine Besorgnis über die britische Debatte betreffend die Beibehaltung auf mittlere und längere Frist der jetzigen Rechte der EU-Bürger, die, wie er sagte, nun Sicherheit brauchen. Eine Diskriminierung der Rumänen je nach Datum ihrer Ankunft in Großbritannien lehne er ab, sagte der Botschafter Rumäniens in London noch.



    BUKAREST: Das rumänische Außenministerium hat am Donnerstag präzisiert, dass der Ausnahmezustand in der Türkei keine direkte Einschränkung des freien Verkehrs der zivilen Bevölkerung und der ausländischen Touristen bedeutet. Immerhin empfiehlt das Außenministerium den Rumänen, die in die Türkei reisen wollen, sich ständig über die Entwicklungen in diesem Land zu informieren und nachzuprüfen, welche Transportmittel ihnen für die Hin- und Rückreise zu Verfügung stehen. Da die Sicherheitslage in der Türkei weiterhin instabil sei, empfehlen die rumänischen Behörden den rumänischen Staatsangehörigen, Einmischungen in Straßendemonstrationen oder anderen öffentlichen Veranstaltungen zu vermeiden, die in Gewalttaten ausarten könnten.



    BUKAREST: In Rumänien ist mit Radu Beligan eine große Theaterlegende gestorben – er verstarb am Mittwoch in einem Bukarester Krankenhaus im Alter von 97 Jahren. Am 15. Dezember 2013 wurde er ins Guiness Buch der Rekorde als langlebigster aktiver Bühnenschauspieler aufgenommen. Zwischen 1969 und 1990 war Beligan Intendant des Bukarester Nationaltheaters. Im Jahr 2002 wurde er als erster rumänischer Schauspieler mit der französischen Ehrenlegion ausgezeichnet.

  • July 11-17

    July 11-17

    Reactions after
    Nice attacks


    Romania stands by
    France, hit by a new terror attack right on its national holiday. Tens of
    people were killed on the night of July 14, when a lorry ploughed through the
    crowd gathered for the Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, in the south-east of the
    country. In Bucharest, President Iohannis firmly condemned the attack and said
    the scourge of terrorism must be fought, violence must be stopped and this can
    only be done if we stand united against those who have no justification for
    their crimes. President Klaus Iohannis sent condolences to the victims’
    families and wished strength to the wounded. The Nice attack, coming eight
    months after the Jihadist attacks of November in Paris, when 130 people died,
    was also condemned by the UN Security Council, and by the EU leaders who had
    just returned from the EU-Asia Summit in Mongolia. The head of the European
    Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, released a statement, shortly after the event,
    expressing his solidarity with the French people. France can count on the
    European Commission, he said, so that together with other member states we may
    fight against terrorism. In the US, President Barack Obama also expressed
    solidarity with France, which he called America’s oldest ally. An Interior
    Ministry task force has been put together in Paris, and President Francois
    Hollande announced a further three-month extension of the state of emergency
    that was due to end in two weeks. He also announced the calling up of army
    reserves to back the army and gendarme troops.




    PM Ciolos on
    official visit to Vietnam and Mongolia


    PM Dacian Ciolos
    was on an official visit to Vietnam as of Monday. The visit was intended to
    renew the traditional friendship between the two countries, with special
    emphasis on stepping up bilateral cooperation and trade. Apart from bilateral
    talks with the President, Prime Minister and other senior officials of Vietnam,
    PM Dacian Ciolos also attended the Romanian-Vietnamese Economic Forum in Hanoi,
    together with more than 20 representatives of the Romanian business community,
    to identify new business opportunities with Vietnamese partners and to take
    full advantage of the future EU-Vietnam free trade agreement. The Romanian
    authorities did not focus exclusively on the economic dimension, but also
    discussed ways to strengthen the cultural and educational relations, Dacian
    Ciolos said, and added that in the forthcoming academic year the number of
    scholarships for the students who wish to study in Romania would double. From
    Hanoi, the Prime Minister travelled to Mongolia, to attend the EU-Asia Summit
    on July 15 and 16. Bucharest’s message in this Summit consisted in a review of
    the elements that make Romania a key point for connecting Europe and Asia,
    whether in terms of transport infrastructure, energy or communications.




    Negotiations on
    Canada’s potential visa waiver program for Romanians


    On Monday in
    Brussels, Canada confirmed it would announce its decision regarding a visa
    waiver program for Romanians and Bulgarians early this autumn. Romanian and
    Bulgarian representatives talked about the issue with the Canadian Immigration
    Minister John McCallum, in the presence of the European Commissioner for
    Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos. In April, both Canada and the US got an
    additional three-month deadline to get in line with the EU policy regarding
    visa granting reciprocity, which provides that the countries whose citizens do
    not need visas to travel to the EU must in their turn allow the same freedom of
    movement for all the EU citizens. Currently Canada requires visas for Romanian
    and Bulgarian citizens, and the US has a mandatory visa regime in place for
    five countries, including Romania. Romania and Bulgaria have announced they
    will not ratify the EU’s trade agreement with Canada unless the visa issue is
    solved.




    New judges at the
    Constitutional Court


    As of Wednesday,
    Romania’s Constitutional Court has a new President for a three year term, Valer
    Dorneanu, as well as three new judges who will stay in office until 2025. A
    Social-Democrat MP between 2000 and 2008, Valer Dorneanu was for four years
    Speaker of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies. He has been a Constitutional Court
    judge since 2013, and since June 2016, when the term in office of his
    predecessor Augustin Zegrean ended, he has acted as interim President of the
    Court. The former president has stated
    that his nine-year term was extremely intense, sometimes reaching as many as
    10,000 cases per year.


    A new law for
    hypermarkets in Romania


    According to a law
    recently promulgated by Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, 51% of the
    merchandise sold by hypermarkets in Romania must be provided by local
    producers. The law stipulates that the big retail chains in Romania must have
    on their shelves produce from the so-called ‘short supply chain’, meaning from
    local or regional sources. The exceptions include exotic fruit and vegetables,
    as well as seasonal produce. The big retailers say that this will by no means
    solve the issues facing the Romanian producers of foodstuffs, but will only
    severely affect the food trade balance.



  • July 10, 2016 UPDATE

    July 10, 2016 UPDATE

    WARSAW – After taking part on Friday and Saturday in the NATO Summit in Warsaw, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis had talks on Sunday with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda. The talks focused on measures to strengthen and extend the strategic partnership between Romania and Poland, as well as on the best ways to carry on the regional initiatives launched by the two countries. The two presidents also discussed the joint implementation of the decisions made in the NATO summit hosted by Poland, and the means to strengthen the trans-Atlantic cooperation between Romania, Poland and the USA, with an emphasis on security issues, as well as the effects of the Brexit vote, given that nearly one million Polish citizens and half a million Romanians currently live in the UK.



    GOVERNMENT – PM Dacian Cioloş will be on an Asian tour starting on Monday. The tour begins with an official visit to Vietnam, on July 11-14, followed by participation in the 11th Europe-Asia Meeting (ASEM), in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, on July 15 and 16. According to a news release issued by the Government, the visit to Vietnam is intended to restore the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries, with a focus on trade and economic cooperation. Apart from bilateral talks with the Vietnamese PM, President and other officials, PM Cioloş will attend the Romania-Vietnam Economic Forum in Hanoi, jointly with a delegation of over 20 representatives of the Romanian business community, to capitalise on the forthcoming EU-Vietnam free trade agreement. At the ASEM summit, PM Cioloş will present arguments for turning Romania into a key point for projects aimed at connecting Europe and Asia.



    SCHENGEN – The Romanian Foreign Minister Lazăr Comănescu said he hoped Romania to get closer to joining Schengen, after proving that it is able to protect the European Unions external borders. He added that, after its Schengen accession, Romania would contribute to strengthening the Unions capacity to secure its borders, and mentioned that Bucharest was the second largest contributor to FRONTEX, the agency that manages the security of the external borders of the European bloc. The Romanian official also reiterated that Romania fully complied with the technical criteria for accession. Originally scheduled for March 2011, Romanias accession to the border-free European area was repeatedly postponed, as some Member States voiced reserves with respect to the reform of the Romanian judiciary and the efficiency of its fight against corruption.



    VISAS – The Romanian PMs chief of staff, Dragoş Tudorache, will have talks on Monday in Brussels with the Canadian Immigration Minister John McCallum, and with European Commission officials. The talks will focus on Canadas waiving visa requirements for Romanians, a field in which, according to PM Dacian Ciolos, there has been progress. Ciolos said however that without a political decision in Ottawa on this topic, Romania, as an EU member state, might, just like Bulgaria, decide not to ratify the EU-Canada trade agreement. In April, Canada and the US were given three more months to come in line with the EU policy on mutual visa regimes, under which the countries whose citizens no dot need EU entry visas must in turn allow the free movement of all EU citizens on their territories. Canada currently requests entry visas for Romanians and Bulgarians, whereas the USA has visa requirements in place for five EU member states, including Romania.



    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Ministry called on the British authorities to clarify the situation and to prevent hostile actions against the Romanians living in the UK, after a Romanian shop was recently set on fire in Norwich. Although this is an isolated incident, Bucharest intends to work with London to prevent the spiralling of anti-Romanian actions. All those who have information on similar incidents are urged to notify both the competent British authorities, and the Romanian embassy in London, reads a news release of the Romanian Foreign Ministry. Violence against immigrants was reported in London after the referendum in which the UK voted to leave the EU.



    UKRAINE – Three Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 16 others wounded in clashes in the east of the country, Kiev announced on Sunday. For over two years Ukraine has been facing a conflict between its army and pro-Russian separatist fighters, which, according to Kiev and the West, get military support from Russia. France Presse reports that more than 9,400 people died since the conflict started.

  • July 10, 2016

    July 10, 2016

    WARSAW – After taking part on Friday and Saturday in the NATO Summit in Warsaw, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis had talks today with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda. The talks focused on measures to strengthen and extend the strategic partnership between Romania and Poland, as well as on the best ways to carry on the regional initiatives launched by the two countries. The two presidents also discussed the joint implementation of the decisions made in the NATO summit hosted by Poland, and the means to strengthen the trans-Atlantic cooperation between Romania, Poland and the USA, with an emphasis on security issues, as well as the effects of the Brexit vote, given that nearly one million Polish citizens and half a million Romanians currently live in the UK.



    GOVERNMENT – PM Dacian Cioloş will be on an Asian tour starting on Monday. The tour begins with an official visit to Vietnam, on July 11-14, followed by participation in the 11th Europe-Asia Meeting (ASEM), in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, on July 15 and 16. According to a news release issued by the Government, the visit to Vietnam is intended to restore the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries, with a focus on trade and economic cooperation. Apart from bilateral talks with the Vietnamese PM, President and other officials, PM Cioloş will attend the Romania-Vietnam Economic Forum in Hanoi, jointly with a delegation of over 20 representatives of the Romanian business community, to capitalise on the forthcoming EU-Vietnam free trade agreement. At the ASEM summit, PM Cioloş will present arguments for turning Romania into a key point for projects aimed at connecting Europe and Asia.



    SCHENGEN – The Romanian Foreign Minister Lazăr Comănescu said he hoped Romania to get closer to joining Schengen, after proving that it is able to protect the European Unions external borders. He added that, after its Schengen accession, Romania would contribute to strengthening the Unions capacity to secure its borders, and mentioned that Bucharest was the second largest contributor to FRONTEX, the agency that manages the security of the external borders of the European bloc. The Romanian official also reiterated that Romania fully complied with the technical criteria for accession. Originally scheduled for March 2011, Romanias accession to the border-free European area was repeatedly postponed, as some Member States voiced reserves with respect to the reform of the Romanian judiciary and the efficiency of its fight against corruption.



    VISAS – The Romanian PMs chief of staff, Dragoş Tudorache, will have talks on Monday in Brussels with the Canadian Immigration Minister John McCallum, and with European Commission officials. The talks will focus on Canadas waiving visa requirements for Romanians, a field in which, according to PM Dacian Ciolos, there has been progress. Ciolos said however that without a political decision in Ottawa on this topic, Romania, as an EU member state, might, just like Bulgaria, decide not to ratify the EU-Canada trade agreement. In April, Canada and the US were given three more months to come in line with the EU policy on mutual visa regimes, under which the countries whose citizens no dot need EU entry visas must in turn allow the free movement of all EU citizens on their territories. Canada currently requests entry visas for Romanians and Bulgarians, whereas the USA has visa requirements in place for five EU member states, including Romania.



    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Ministry called on the British authorities to clarify the situation and to prevent hostile actions against the Romanians living in the UK, after a Romanian shop was recently set on fire in Norwich. Although this is an isolated incident, Bucharest intends to work with London to prevent the spiralling of anti-Romanian actions. All those who have information on similar incidents are urged to notify both the competent British authorities, and the Romanian embassy in London, reads a news release of the Romanian Foreign Ministry. Violence against immigrants was reported in London after the referendum in which the UK voted to leave the EU.



    EURO 2016 – Paris is hosting tonight the final of the 2016 European Football Championship, between France and Portugal. France, which also won the European championship of 1984, is the team that scored the largest number of goals in EURO 2016 (13). Portugal was also a finalist in the 2004 tournament. Romania was sent home from the competition as early as the group stage. After the failure in the European Championship, the Romanian Football Federation decided not to extend the contract with manager Anghel Iordanescu. Romanias new manager is the German coach Christoph Daum.

  • Romanians and visas for Canada

    Romanians and visas for Canada

    Romania and Bulgaria are the European Union’s only member states whose citizens need an entry clearance for Canada. Yet the number of countries for which the USA has in turn applied entry clearance formalities is even greater, five. Romania is yet again among the countries required to go through the rather complicated entry clearance procedures.



    If the Americans have stated that at least ahead of the presidential ballot in Romania, any talks related to easing the visa regime for Romanians was virtually out of the question, official talks with Canada on the visa regime for Romanians are underway. The talks on the visa regime imposed to Romanian citizens by the two countries were tense. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos calmed down the spirits in extremely cautious diplomatic terms, by giving assurances that real progress has been made in the visa file.



    On the other hand, Ciolos stated that, in the absence of a political decision made in Ottawa, Romania as a European Union member state, just like Bulgaria, may not ratify the European Union-Canada trade agreement. We recall that the signing of the aforementioned agreement scheduled for October depends on its previous ratification by national Parliaments. Following the visit he paid to Canada in June this year, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos highlighted the following:



    Dacian Ciolos: ”The talk I held with Prime Minister Trudeau was, I believe, a very good one. If prior to leaving for that country he said the Trade Agreement with Canada had nothing to do with the visas, after the talk, he understood he had to broach the topic at a political level and that he had to prepare a decision to that end. I firmly believe we will see Canada clarifying its position as quickly as possible and that we as a European Union member state have some kind of leverage we shall definitely use. I cannot possibly imagine Romania signing a treaty with Canada without enabling Romanian citizens to benefit from that agreement on an equal footing with the other European citizens. “



    Early next week, the head of Prime Minister’s Chief of staff Dragos Tudorache will talk visas in Brussels. Dragos Tudorache.



    Dragos Tudorache: ”It is the second official meeting in Brussels, on Monday, July 11th, the Commission invited Romania, Bulgaria, Immigration Minister John McCallum will also travel there, representing Canada. I shall take part in that meeting, I shall have a two-way talk with Minster McCallum and a three-way talk afterwards, to also include the Commission and Bulgaria and we shall assess the progress of the talks and of the commitment Prime Minister Trudeau made in his talks with Prime Minister Ciolos.”



    The European Commission assured Bulgaria and Romania that efforts were being made so that a visa waiver is obtained. However, the Commission highlighted the two countries should not link the visa dispute to the trade agreement with Canada, an agreement Brussels rated as being a good one, and which it wants to sign this coming October. The Romanian side is optimistic in this respect, yet does not want to make a final decision on a possible solution, until official talks are perfected.


  • July 7, 2016

    July 7, 2016

    NATO SUMMIT-Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis is today travelling to Warsaw, to attend the NATO summit that starts on Friday. For two days, the NATO leaders will take key-decisions aimed at strengthening NATO’s defence and deterrence capacity, with focus on enhancing the allies’ solidarity and strengthening the Eastern flank. At the summit, Romania will get the development of the contingency plan, namely NATO’s reaction in case one of its members is attacked. A Romanian brigade will be turned into a multi-national force, made up of 3,000-5,000 soldiers, of which 1,000 are to be deployed from the other member states by rotation. Another decision will concern the components of the anti-missile defence shield in Deveselu, southern Romania, which is to be integrated into the NATO system. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has stated that Romania’s stand at the Warsaw summit is in favour of solidarity and cohesion within the Alliance. The President has given assurances that Romania is and shall remain a credible ally and a pillar of stability and security in the region.



    VISAS-The Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos has stated that progress has been made with regard to wavering visas for the Romanians who travel to Canada. He has stressed, though, that in the absence of a political decision in Ottawa, Romania, as a EU member state, could, just like Bulgaria, not ratify the EU-Canada Commercial Agreement. On Monday, the chief of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Dragos Tudorache, will hold talks in Brussels with the Canadian Immigration Minister John McCallum and with EC and Bulgarian representatives on the visa waiver issue. In April, Canada and the US got an additional three-month deadline to come in line with the EU policy regarding visa reciprocity, according to which the countries whose citizens do not need visas to travel must in turn allow the free circulation of all the EU citizens. Canada currently requires visas for the Romanian and Bulgarian citizens, and the US asks for visas from the citizens of five EU member countries, including Romania.



    RESHUFFLE — The new ministers nominated on Tuesday by PM Dacian Cioloş, as part of the most extensive reshuffle of his technocratic cabinet will be sworn in today. Mircea Dumitru, the rector of the Bucharest University takes over the education portfolio, Sorin Buşe, a manager boasting an impressive experience in the car industry becomes the new transport minister and Maria Ligor, the incumbent ambassador to Canada takes the helm of the Department for the Relation with the Romanian diaspora. Interim communication minister will be Dragoş Tudorache.



    RULING – Local elected officials having received suspended prison sentences will lose their seats, Romania’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday, following a notification filed by President Klaus Iohannis who believes that the law comes against core principles of the rule of law and hinders the fight against corruption. The Constitutional Court’s interim president, Valer Dorneanu, has explained that Parliament’s decision to keep in office the officials subject to suspended sentences was discriminatory and that the solution given by Parliament would have disregarded the lawmakers’ goal, namely to protect the integrity and responsibility of the local elected official position. Find out more about it, after the news.



    LABOUR FORCE — Some 3.7 million citizens from Central and East European EU member states are working in Western Europe, and 40% of them come from Romania, Poland, Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria- data made available by the Austrian Institute of International Economic Studies show. According to the same source, 15% of the Romanians and 6% of the Poles have jobs in western countries, and Brexit, obviously is a major concern to them. President Klaus Iohannis has recently given assurances that Romania will hold negotiations so as to defend the interest of Romania and of the Romanian citizens in Great Britain.



    VISIT — Romanian PM, Dacian Cioloş, has announced that next week will go to Mongolia, to attend the EU-Asia Summit and to Vietnam, in an effort to identify an economic cooperation potential. The Romanian PM has also said that in Mongolia he will have talks on projects of cooperation between the EU and Asia, as that is a very dynamic continent from an economic standpoint. According to him, the EU is negotiating several free trade exchanges with Asia. Dacian Ciolos has also announced that he has decided to go to Vietnam to boost the bilateral relation with that country. He will be accompanied by a delegation of Romanian business people.



    FOOTBALL – German football manager Christoph Daum has traveled to Bucharest, where he will reportedly be officially appointed Romania’s new football manager. 62-year old Daum is the first foreign manager to have been appointed at the helm of our national squad. Daum is in for Anghel Iordanescu, the Romanian manager who was at the helm of the national team at the ongoing EURO 2016 in France. We recall Romania was ousted as early as the group stage, following a 1-2 defeat by host country France, 1-all in the fixture against Switzerland and a nil-1 defeat from Albania. In Germany, Daum won the title in the Bundesliga and the Supercup with VfB Stuttgart in the early 1990s. Daum’s record also includes the title and the Super Cup in Turkey with Beshiktash Istanbul, as well as two consecutive titles in the same country, with Fenerbahce. Also, Daum won the Championship-Cup event in Austria, at the helm of Austria Vienna. Daum is a respected football manager but also a controversial public figure.



    PARIS — Defending world champion Germany and the team of the EURO 2016 host country, France, are this evening playing in Marseille, the second semi-final of the European Football Championships in France.


    (Translated by D. Vijeu)

  • România – SUA, un parteneriat strategic

    România – SUA, un parteneriat strategic

    În cadrul
    vizitei efectuate în Statele Unite, premierul român, Dacian Cioloș, a avut o
    întrevedere, la Washington, cu vicepreședintele Joseph Biden. Ce doi oficiali
    au abordat câteva dintre principalele aspecte de pe agenda bilaterală, cu
    accent pe interesul comun de a întări Parteneriatul Strategic, care stă la baza
    cooperării dintre Bucureşti şi Washington. Cioloş şi Biden și-au exprimat
    satisfacția față de nivelul excelent al dimensiunii de securitate și apărare şi
    au subliniat că există premise favorabile pentru consolidarea și aprofundarea
    acestuia.

    Dacian Cioloş: Am solicitat sprijinul Statelor Unite şi am
    obţinut promisiunea că vom fi susţinuţi, atât pentru întărirea cooperării la
    Marea Neagră, cooperare militară la nivel naval. Am explicat demersurile pe
    care noi le-am făcut deja în colaborare cu Bulgaria şi cu Turcia şi am avut
    promisiunea sprijinului în cadrul summitului, pentru ca această cooperare la
    Marea Neagră să fie susţinută de NATO.

    La rândul său, vicepreședintele
    Biden a subliniat că România a fost și rămâne un partener și aliat de încredere
    al SUA. De asemenea, el a arătat că există un interes reciproc de utilizare a
    potențialului semnificativ de dezvoltare a cooperării economice.

    Bucureştiul a
    solicitat, totodată, şi sprijin pentru o brigadă multinaţională pe teritoriul
    României, sub umbrela NATO, pentru întărirea sistemului de apărare pe flancul
    sud-est european. Vicepreședintele Biden a reconfirmat angajamentul SUA, atât
    în plan bilateral, cât și în context aliat, în vederea consolidării securității
    și apărării în spațiul euroatlantic. Oficialul american a salutat implicarea
    activă a României în eforturile de prevenire și combatere a riscurilor și
    provocărilor de securitate cu care se confruntă Alianța Nord-Atlantică.

    Cât
    despre stadiul pregătirii Summit-ului NATO de la Varșovia, din luna iulie a
    acestui an, premierul Dacian Cioloș a prezentat aspectele de securitate și
    apărare care prezintă un interes particular pentru România, precum și poziția
    națională în raport cu principalele tematici care vor fi supuse dezbaterii în
    cadrul reuniunii la nivel înalt a Aliaților.

    Pe de altă parte, premierul român a
    susţinut importanţa dezvoltării relaţiilor economice, cu accent pe dezvoltarea
    investiţiilor americane în România. Dacian Cioloş: Avem şi susţinerea
    Casei Albe pentru acest lucru, un subiect pe care, de altfel, l-am discutat la
    Detroit, la sediul Ford, dar şi cu secretarul Pritzker pentru comerţ. Avem o
    foaie de parcurs, unde Statele Unite ne vor sprijini, atât pentru a dezvolta
    instrumente financiare pentru întreprinderile mici şi mijlocii, dar şi pentru a
    dezvolta calitatea managementului companiilor de stat.

    Nu în ultimul rând,
    în cadrul discuţiilor dintre cei doi oficiali a fost amintit şi interesul, dar
    şi aşteptările României pentru a progresa pe dosarul Visa Waiver, care ar
    permite accesul fără vize al cetăţenilor români în Statele Unite, premierul
    Dacian Cioloş spunând că se va lucra împreună în perioada următoare, pentru a
    se identifica soluţii în cel mai scurt timp.

  • Brüssel will Visapflicht für USA und Kanda

    Brüssel will Visapflicht für USA und Kanda

    Die Europäische Union war nie so vulnerabel wie heutzutage. Vor einem Monat fanden die blutigen Attentate in Brüssel statt, vor zwei Tagen wurde das negative Ergebnis der Volksabstimmung in den Niederlanden zum Assoziierungsabkommen der Ukraine bekannt, Großbritannien wünscht sich einen EU-Austritt. Die europäische Presse meint, das niederländische Referendum sei ein Zeichen der Ablehnung Europas. Die amerikanische Presse schreibt, die Niederländer haben ein Handelsabkommen wegen der Abneigung gegenüber der Europäischen Union zurückgewiesen. Europa versucht auf diesem Hintergrund, der einen Angstzustand wiedergibt, ihre Kohesion, die für ihre Funktionierung wesentlich ist, zurückzugewinnen. Brüssel wird zum Sprecher der Mitgliedsstaaten im Verhältnis zu den nordamerikanischen Partnern.



    Den internationalen Presseagenturen zufolge, analysiere die Union die Möglichkeit der Visa-Einführung für die amerikanischen und kanadischen Bürger, die in den EU-Raum reisen wollen. Das sei die Antwort auf die Langsamkeit mit der Washington und Ottawa Lösungen für die Visaaufhebung suchen. Die Vereinigten Staaten und Kanada wollen die Visapflicht für Rumänen und Bulgaren nicht aufheben, obwohl beide Staaten seit 2007 EU-Mitglieder sind. Die Amerikaner haben aus dem Visa Waiver Programm Kroatien, Zypern und Polen ausgeschlosssen. Eine politische Debatte und ein Beschluss sind für das Lösen dieses bedeutenden Problems unbedingt notwendig, meinen EU Würdenträger. Die Debatten könnten Dienstag, eine Woche vor dem Europa-Besuch des US-Präsidenten Barack Obama, stattfinden. Zweck des Besuches sind Verhandlungen zu einem bilateralen Handels- und Investitionsabkommen. Es gehe um das bedeutendste Handelsabkommen der Geschichte. Beide Seiten meinen, es geben große Chancen, dass das Abkommen vor Januar 2017 gebilligt werde.



    Andererseits könnte die kräftige europäische Tourismusindustrie, die schon unter den terroristischen Drohungen leidet, mit der Visapflicht für amerikanische und kanadische Touristen unzufrieden sein. Es gibt zahlreiche Fragezeichen hinsichtlich des Vertrags und keiner kann sagen, wie das enden wird. Wir werden versuchen, Obama zu überzeugen, mehr von unseren Wünschen zu übernehmen , erklärte ein Mitglied des Europäischen Parlaments. Der Ausschluss Rumäniens aus dem Visa Waiver Programm ist das frustrierende Element in der besonderen Beziehung mit den Vereinigten Staaten. Die zwei Länder sind NATO Alliierte. Rumänien beherbergt bedeutende militärische Stützpunkte. Die amerikanischen Investitionen in der rumänischen Wirtschaft, die bilaterale strategische Partnerschaft sind ebenfalls nicht zu übersehen. Nordamerika ist seit dem 19. Jh der Gastgeber einer rumänischen Gemeinschaft, die rund 500 tausend Personen zählt. Deshalb sei die Aufhebung der Visapflicht für die rumänischen Bürger eine elementare Maßnahme, die dringend umgesetzt werden muss.