VISIT – Romania’s
president, Klaus Iohannis, is today starting his two-day visit to Baku,
Azerbaijan, responding to an invitation extended by his Azeri counterpart,
Ilham Aliyev. The two presidents will open the ministerial meeting of the
Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council. On this occasion, president Iohannis
will speak about Romania’s contribution to ensuring European energy security,
by expanding cooperation with regional partners and diversifying sources and
transport routes for energy resources. Moreover, Bucharest wants to import gas
at favorable prices from the Caucasus to replace its Russian gas imports. At
the same time, the Romanian president will discuss with president Ilham Aliyev
about extending bilateral cooperation in the fields of transport, trade,
agriculture, education and culture. The two officials will also review the
status of regional interconnection projects, such as the underwater electricity
cable, and will tackle the organization of similar projects in the digital
field as well.
DEFENSE – Romania remains
firmly committed to efforts at maintaining a climate of safety and stability in
the Western Balkans, Romania’s Defense Minister, Angel Tîlvăr, said Wednesday
on the sidelines of his visit to the Camp Butmir military base in Bosnia
Herzegovina. Accompanied by the Chief of General Staff, General Daniel
Petrescu, Minister Tîlvăr met with Romanian servicemen taking part in the EUFOR
ALTHEA operation, with the EU commander of this mission, Major-General Helmut
Habermayer (Austria), and the head of the NATO Sarajevo command, General Pamela
McGaha (USA). We are very proud of the exemplary conduct of Romanian
servicemen in accomplishing their assigned duties, Angel Tîlvăr said. The EUFOR
ALTHEA operation was launched in December 2004. Starting 2012, the mission has
been focusing on training and consolidating the military capabilities of Bosnia
Herzegovina. 1,100 military from 21 states are taking part in the operation. A
Romanian officer is expected to assume command as EUFOR Chief of Staff.
EDUCATION – State Secretary
with the Education Ministry, Social-Democrat Florin Lixandru, announced his
attributions and prerogatives have been revoked under orders from the Liberal
Education Minister, Ligia Deca. Secretary Lixandru claims this is the result of
a political row, after PSD criticized some of the provisions in laws regulating
high-school admission and the Baccalaureate exam. The education laws are on the
agenda of Parliament’s current legislative session.
PROTESTS – Approximately 1,000 employees in the
education sector protested low salaries yesterday in Bucharest. Union
representatives say non-teaching staff are the only category of public sector
employees whose base salary was not increased in line with the provisions of
the framework law for 2022. Trade unions have called on the Government to pass
a draft law allowing non-teaching staff to receive their due salary rights, as
well as bonuses for special work conditions to all employees in the education
sector. The Sanitas Trade Federation also announced it would stage protest
actions starting February 6 until their demands are met. Among other things,
the Federation calls for increasing the salaries of all Healthcare and Social
Welfare employees by at least 15% in line with inflation.
ICR – The Romanian
cultural institute (ICR) will earmark some €200 thousand this year to
translations of Romanian literary works abroad via two separate funding
programmes, addressing publishers outside Romania. The measure seeks to
facilitate access to Romanian culture by supporting translations of Romanian
authors and publications devoted to Romanian culture and civilization. For the
first time, applications can also be submitted online, via email, by March 8,
when they will be examined by a commission of independent experts. (VP)