Radio România Internațional

Tag: war

  • August 29, 2024

    August 29, 2024

     

    FARMERS – An insurance system for agricultural land will be approved by the Romanian Government as part of a series of measures to help farmers whose crops have been ravaged by drought, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said on Wednesday. The measures, to be adopted next week, include funds for this summer’s damage, but also a mechanism to ensure autumn and spring crops. Minister Barbu, specified that compensation of up to 3,000 lei ($671.14) per hectare will be granted, which will lead to unblocking lending for Romanian farmers. The necessary funds will be provided from the national budget, while 17 million euros will come from the EU’s risk fund. Also, the state aid scheme called “Farmer’s Credit” will be supplemented with approximately 80 million euros.

     

     

    ELECTIONS – The Romanian government has set the dates for this year’s presidential elections. The first round will take place on November 24, and the second on December 8. Last week the Government also decided the calendar of the legislative elections, scheduled to take place on December 1, when Romania’s National Day is celebrated. We remind you that on June 9, Romanians have already elected their representatives in the European Parliament, as well as mayors and heads of local and county councils.

     

     

    MUSIC – The 2024 George Enescu International Competition kicks off in Bucharest on Saturday. Until September 27, a record number of candidates – 667 musicians aged 13 to 35 from almost 60 countries are competing in the Composition, Cello, Violin and Piano categories. This year’s edition of the Competition will also include a Masterclass consisting of musical workshops for young artists specializing in conducting, violin, cello or piano. The workshops will be held by the acclaimed Romanian conducter Cristian Măcelaru, principal conductor of the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra and musical director of the National Orchestra of France. The George Enescu Competition started in September 1958 and this year it reaches its 19th edition.

     

     

    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, is today taking part in an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers hosted in Brussels by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, talks are mainly focused on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Taking part in the talks regarding the Russian aggression against Ukraine is the head of diplomacy from Kyiv, Dmytro Kuleba. The presentation of recent developments on the ground and the European Union’s multidimensional support for Ukraine are on the agenda. The situation in the Middle East is addressed in the context of increasing tensions in the area and the escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as the sustained efforts of the US for a cease-fire agreement between the parties and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

     

     

    CELEBRATION – The Romanian Academy celebrates, in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca (north-west) and Iasi (north-east), Romanian Language Day, established by law on August 31. Today, in the Hall of the Bucharest Academy, a festive session has been scheduled. The Institute of Linguistics and Literary History in Cluj organizes cultural, academic and educational activities registered under the aegis of “Romanian Language Week – Words that connect us”. Moreover, on August 31, the Iaşi Branch of the Romanian Academy meets the public, in the Botanical Garden, for an event named “Romanian Language Day – the celebration of Romanians everywhere”. During this period, events are also organized in the diaspora, the Romanian Language Day being one of the most important cultural diplomacy events, aimed at highlighting the diversity and cultural heritage of the various Romanian-speaking communities around the world.

     

     

    TENNIS – The Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse qualified, on Wednesday, to the third round of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year, after defeating the Czech Barbora Krejcikova, the winner of this year’s edition of Wimbledon in two sets, 6-4, 7-5. In the next round, Gabriela Ruse, who reaches the third round for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament, will be up against the Spanish Paula Badosa. The Romanian won the only direct match with her so far, in February 2022, in the first round in Dubai.

  • July 11, 2024

    July 11, 2024

    AGREEMENT Romania will today sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis announced in Washington on Wednesday night on the sidelines of the NATO summit marking 75 years since the alliance was founded. The Romanian official pleaded for stepped up assistance to Kyiv in the war against Russia. Five allied presidents and premiers, including Iohannis signed a joint statement on strengthening the air defence of that country. The participants in the present summit are expected to agree to step up support for other vulnerable partners affected by the war and by Russia’s aggressive behavior. One of these is the Republic of Moldova. New means of deterrence and defence for the allies, stepping up investment in the defensive sector, as well as intensified cooperation with partners from Asia-Pacific, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea are also high on the summit’s agenda.

     

    MATCH Romanian’s Cup holder, second leaguer Corvinul Hunedoara is today taking on the Hungarian side Paksi FC in an away game counting towards the first preliminary round of the Europa League. The decisive round has been scheduled in Romania on July 18th. Corvinul has come back to European Cups after 41 years. In UEFA Cup 1982-1983 they managed to defeat Grazer AK of Austria but were knocked out in the second round by FK Sarajevo of the former Yugoslavia. We recall that on Tuesday, Romania’s champions FCSB clinched a 7-1 away win against Virtus of San Marino in the first qualifying round of the Champions League. The return game is due in Bucharest next week.

     

    TALKS Romania’s constitutional court is today holding talks on a notification by the Higher Court of Cassation and Justice concerning the so-called ‘law of the fugitives’, which says that indicted people who refuse to show up at police stations within seven days will be considered fugitives and can serve up to 3 years in prison sentences. In the opinion of the High Court, the law would infringe upon the right to a fair trial and on individual liberties. The former leftist mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu, the former chief of Romania’s anti-mafia department DIICOT, Alina Bica, the son of the head of the Professional Football League, Mario Iorgulescu, or the grandson of Romania’s king, Carol ll are on the list of Romania’s most wanted fugitives. The fugitives’ countries of choice are Italy and Greece.

     

    FOOTBALL England’s national eleven has qualified for the finals of the European Football Championship EURO 2024 hosted by Germany after a 2-1 win against the Netherlands in the semis on Wednesday night. England will be up against Spain, which comes after a 2-1 win against the selection of France. We recall that Romania was knocked out in the last-16 by the Netherlands, which obtained a clear 3-0 win. Romania qualified for the last 16 after topping the group with a 3-0 win against Ukraine, a 2-0 defeat against Belgium and a one-all draw against Slovakia. Romania hadn’t made it to the eliminatory rounds of a continental or world tournament since the year 2000, neither had our footballers topped a group before EURO 2024.

     

    WEATHER And now a couple of things about the weather, which is extremely hot in Romania with a code orange alert that has been extended for the entire southern territory and whose inhabitants are bracing up for higher heat-stress indexes. The highs of the day are ranging between 36 and 39 degrees Celsius. The noon reading in Bucharest was 34 degrees. The heat wave, which has recently hit Romania, is going to intensify in the following days. A red-code warning has been issued for half of the country starting Saturday, with temperatures between 37 and 41 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists have cautioned that although the alert expires on Monday, Romania will remain in the grip of extremely hot weather.

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  • May 23, 2024

    May 23, 2024

    SECURITY Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday said there is no direct threat for Romania but the heads of the army are ready for al possible situations. The president also said that Romania would not send troops to Ukraine and that the alternative of giving an air-defence system to Ukraine would be discussed in the country’s Higher Defence Council. In turn, chief of staff general Gheorghita Vlad has mentioned the need for increasing Romania’s response capabilities through the employment of new technologies and military gear.

     

    RALLY Several trade unions are today staging a protest meeting in front of the government building in Bucharest. The protesters have denounced a series of inequities and salary discriminations in their fields of activity. The protest involves the participation of the employees of several institutions from the filed of environmental protection, from the Trade Registry, Europol, the national archives and the National Council for Combating Discrimination in sport and among the youth. The Labour Ministry has put up for public debates a draft law on raising the wages of several categories of state employees by 10 percent this year, a move that attracted a lot of heat from trade unions.

     

    BSDA Bucharest is hosting until tomorrow the “Black Sea Defence and Aerospace“, the biggest exhibition of military technique and equipment in the region. The event has brought together over 400 producers of military equipment and technologies from roughly 30 NATO members and partner countries. BSDA showcases the latest military technologies and state-of-the-art equipment, which includes as its main attraction, the multi-role fifth-generation jet fighter, F-35, the US Air Force has for the first time brought to an exhibition in Europe. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who participated in the opening of the aforementioned exhibition, said that against the background of the bloody conflict in Ukraine, revitalizing Romania’s defence industry has become a priority of the Romanian government.

     

    TENNIS Romanian tennis players Gabriela Ruse and Cristina Dinu, last night managed to qualify for the final round of the qualifiers for the singles draw of the Roland Garros tournament, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year. Cristina Dinu qualified after Japanese Mai Hontama abandoned the game at 5-2 to the Romanian. In turn Gabriela Ruse clinched a two-set win 6-3, 6-4 against Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands. In the other game of the second preliminary round, Romanian player Miriam Bulgaru conceded defeat to US challenger Katie Volynets 6-0, 7-5. Sorana Cirstea, Jaqueline Cristian, Ana Bogdan and Irina Begu are directly qualified on the main draw.

     

    NASTY The Romanian feature film NASTY directed by Cristian Pascariu, Tudor D. Popescu and Tudor Giurgiu is today being screened in the ‘Special Screenings’ section of the International Film Festival in Cannes. The event will also include a Q&A session hosted by the three directors. The film offers a captivating incursion into the life of Romania’s legendary tennis player Ilie Nastase, who dominated the national and international tennis back in the 70s. Besides his sheer talent, Nastase compelled recognition through an electrifying style, winning the public with his eccentric personality as well as with his volcanic and often controversial temperament. The Cannes festival is due to end on Saturday.

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  • May 6, 2024 UPDATE

    May 6, 2024 UPDATE

    EASTER Orthodox and Eastern-Catholic Christians in Romania are celebrating Bright Week, the first week after Easter. Easter, the most important religious holiday in the Christian world, is also the only one that lasts 3 days.

     

    STATISTICS Romania has the 3rd-lowest life expectancy in the EU, 76.6 years, according to a report released by Eurostat. The only 2 countries in the European bloc with poorer rates in this respect are Bulgaria and Latvia (below 76 years). Spain has the longest life expectancy in the European Union, 84 years, followed closely by Italy and Malta. According to Eurostat data, lower rates are reported in Eastern Europe and in the three Baltic states, whereas in Mediterranean, Scandinavian and Central European countries people live longer. On the other hand, the EU statistics office said, Romania sees the steepest increase in life expectancy, with one year gained between 2019 and 2023.

     

    MILITARY A multinational exercise called Swift Response 24 takes place until May 24 in Romania and other countries. Thousands of troops and hundreds of vehicles and other equipment from 7 Allied and partner states are taking part. The exercise is organised by the US Army Europe and Africa, and according to the Romanian defence ministry it will include one of the largest air assault operations conducted in Europe since WWII, with around 2,000 paratroopers from France, Germany, Romania, Spain, the US and the Netherlands taking part. Romania contributes 2,300 troops, several air bases and 3 firing ranges. The drills on Romanian territory are coordinated by the German Armed Forces jointly with the Romanian Land Forces, with support from the Romanian Air Forces.

     

    COMPANIES The number of companies deregistered in Romania increased by nearly 15% in the first quarter of this year, to over 12,000, according to the National Trade Registry Office. Most of these companies were registered in Bucharest and Ilfov County (south), Constanţa (south-east), Cluj (north-west), Timiş (west) and Iaşi (north-east), and operated in sectors like vehicle repair, wholesale and retail, and constructions.

     

    RUSSIA Russia’s president Vladimir Putin ordered nuclear weapons drills “in the near future,” involving in particular troops deployed close to Ukraine, France Presse and Reuters report. According to the Russian defence ministry, the drills are designed to keep the Army trained, following “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation.” Missile units from the Military District South and naval forces will take part in the drills. Russia currently has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. The 2022 invasion of Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin led to the worst deterioration of Russia’s relations with the West since the Cuban missile crisis, both US and Russian diplomats said. While Moscow claims the war is a response to NATO’s attempts to control Ukraine while expanding its military presence eastwards, the West and Ukraine define Putin’s war as intended to occupy new territory and bring Ukraine under Moscow’s control, Reuters says.

     

    UKRAINE Russia’s army announced on Monday having seized another 2 Ukrainian villages, one in Donetsk, in the east, and the other one in Kharkiv, in the north-east. Commentators say Russia has the initiative against an enemy struggling to recruit new troops and facing a slow-down in Western aid. With the US military assistance resumed after a USD 61 bln aid plan for Kyiv approved in late April, Ukraine should be able to strengthen its forces and to try to stabilise the front.

     

    VISIT The war in Ukraine and economic relations between China and the European Union were the main topics on the agenda of Monday’s talks in Paris, held as part of a 2-day state visit by China’s president Xi Jinping to France. The Chinese official called for a consolidated strategic coordination between China and the EU, as major world powers, at the start of a 3-party meeting with president Emmanuel Macron and with the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen. President Macron pleaded in turn for “fair rules for all” in the trade between China and Europe. “The future of our continent will very clearly depend on our ability to continue to develop relations with China in a balanced manner,” Macron said, and added that “coordination” with Beijing on “major crises” including Ukraine and the Middle East was “absolutely decisive.” In turn, the EC president Ursula von der Leyen said that China and the EU have a shared interest in peace and security, and emphasized the determination to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to achieve just and long-term peace.

     

    GAZA On Monday the Israeli armed forces started to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah, ahead of a planned military move in this town in the south of Gaza, an Israeli radio station, Army Radio, has announced. The Israeli Army said it “encourages” residents in eastern Rafah to move to an extended humanitarian area close by. Seven months since the start of its attack on Hamas, Israel says Rafah is hosting thousands of Islamist Palestinian fighters and that the town is critical for its victory. But with over one million Palestinian civilians relocated to Rafah, the prospect of a military operation with a large number of victims is a concern for the West and for neighbouring Egypt, Reuters reports. (AMP)

  • April 25, 2024 UPDATE

    April 25, 2024 UPDATE

    GOVERNMENT The Romanian government convened in a special session on Thursday in Timisoara, western Romania, where it endorsed, among other things, a series of infrastructure projects with regional impact. One of these projects is the construction of a stadium with a capacity of 30 thousand seats, an investment estimated at 167 million Euros, the locals have been expecting for years. The cabinet has also endorsed the opening of the international border checkpoint in Beba Veche for the international traffic of people and goods. A decision has also been approved so that pensioners may get their pensions before the Orthodox Easter.

     

    EU Thursday was the last day of work for the present European Legislature. In a speech before Parliament in Strasbourg, its president, Roberta Metsola has voiced satisfaction for the laws, which were endorsed during the five year mandate, of the debates hosted by the aforementioned institution and for the way in which the present members of the Legislature dealt with all the challenges, such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. She wished all those running for a fresh term in office, strength, patience, and success and to do everything they can so that Europe may come closer to the citizens. Europeans will vote for their Parliament in early June. Romania will hold elections for the European Parliament on 9 June.

     

    TAROM Romania’s main air carrier TAROM will receive aid from the European Commission until the end of the month and then enter a stage of economic reorganization, the Romanian Transport Minister, Sorin Grindeanu has said. He reiterated the desire of the Bucharest administration to save the company, which has been facing financial difficulties for 15 years. Grindeanu said that with this European aid, TAROM will enter a period of reorganization aimed at placing the company on “solid economic principles”. He said that an operator the size of TAROM usually has between 500 and 600 employees, of which over 90% are seafarers, while TAROM has double the number of employees, which is not sustainable. In this respect, Grindeanu stated that although the objective is to attract investors, the possibility of making 50% of the employees redundant is not excluded.

     

    TALKS Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, in addition to challenges to security in the area, also led to the disruption of global markets and supply chains, said Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at the meeting he had on Thursday in Bucharest with Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. The Head of Government presented Romania’s steps to develop connectivity to the Black Sea, as part of the EU’s strategy to invest in infrastructure projects worldwide. From this perspective, the Romanian sea and Danube ports play an important role in rendering the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor effective, added the Romanian Prime Minister. The European Commissioner is in Bucharest to discuss Romania’s role in promoting sustainable development worldwide against the background of the current difficult geopolitical context.

     

    DECLARATION Leaders of 18 countries, including Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Thursday signed a joint declaration calling for the release of the hostages in the Gaza Strip. ”We are asking for the immediate release of all the hostages Hamas has held for 200 days. Some of our citizens are among these hostages. The fate of the hostages and the civil population of Gaza, which are protected by international law, is an international concern”, says the document. Most of the signatories are European states, other countries are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, the United States and Thailand.

     

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  • April 13, 2024 UPDATE

    April 13, 2024 UPDATE

    Salary – In Romania, the average net salary rose to 4,876 lei (about 980 Euros) in February, up 17 lei compared to the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. The lowest values ​​are still in the field of clothing manufacturing, and the highest in information technology. As to the evolution of consumer prices, the average wage was actually slightly lower than in January, but, compared to February 2023, it increased by 14%. The minimum wage in Romania will increase, from July 1, from 3,300 lei to 3,700 lei (740 Euros).

     

    Aid – The European Commission sent the member states the proposal to extend the measures regarding state aid, in the context of the crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Until June 30, the EU countries can grant a series of facilities to limit the negative effects of the conflict in such domains as agriculture and energy. The Commission made this decision following the difficulties faced by European farmers in particular and as a result of their consultation through the online survey completed on March 27. According to the survey, the markets of the member states are still unbalanced by the effects of the war, and also by the measures taken by the EU to support the Ukrainian export of agricultural products. According to the commission’s proposal, member states can grant state aid of up to 280,000 Euros to agricultural companies, up to 335,000 Euros to those in the field of fishing and aquaculture and up to 2.25 million Euros to those in the rest of the affected sectors. A second type of aid is aimed at compensating energy costs, and primarily targets the large industrial consumers.

     

    Tennis – The Argentinean tennis player Francisco Cerundolo, world number 22, will be the top seed of the Ţiriac Open (ATP 250) tournament, which will take place at the Năstase / Marica Sports Base in Bucharest, between April 15-21. Cerundolo will enter directly into the round of 16, when he will face the winner of the match between the French Richard Gasquet and the Argentinean Federico Coria, according to Saturday’s drawing of lots. The main singles draw will feature, among others, the Swiss “veteran” Stan Wawrinka, whose opponent in the first round will be the Portuguese Nuno Borges, and the Canadian Denis Shapovalov who will face the French Corentin Moutet. The Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, the second seed, and the American Sebastian Korda, seed no. 3, will enter directly into the round of 16. The winner of the Bucharest tournament will get 250 ATP points. The total prizes offered are worth 580,000 Euros.

     

    Congress – Representatives from almost 70 countries are debating within the World Congress of Ukrainians, which is taking place at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, ways to encourage the strengthening of Ukrainian culture, identity, traditions and language in communities around the world. Nicolae Miroslav Petreţchi, a deputy from the Ukrainian minority in the Romanian Parliament, said that the choice of the venue is not accidental. He says that Romania is a reliable partner for Ukraine, the bilateral relations being very close and at a strategic level. The Ukrainian diaspora is one of the largest in the world, with over 26 million members, plus about 6 million refugees following the Russian invasion of 2022.

     

    Kyiv – The situation on the Eastern Front has deteriorated considerably in the last few days, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff, Oleksandr Sîrski, said on Saturday. He said that this was mainly due to a significant intensification of the Russian offensive after the presidential election in Moscow. Kyiv has been asking its Western allies for months for more ammunition and anti-aircraft defense systems. However, the aid is running out due to political blockages in Washington, which forces the Ukrainian military to save ammunition, the press agencies write. On Saturday, Germany announced that it would supply Kyiv with an additional Patriot air defense system to defend against increased attacks. “Russian terror against Ukrainian cities and the country’s infrastructure is causing immeasurable suffering,” said the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

     

    Canberra – Six people were killed in a mass stabbing in a Sydney mall on Saturday afternoon, while others are in hospital, including a child, police and emergency services said, as quoted by news agencies.  The police, who shot dead the attacker, say that he acted alone. Also, the police claim that nothing at the scene of the attack indicates the motivation of the knife attack, but they state that they do not exclude a terrorist track. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the police officer who shot the criminal, saying that, through her courage, she has saved lives. (LS)

  • State aid for companies affected by the war in Ukraine

    State aid for companies affected by the war in Ukraine

    The European Commission has approved the reintroduction of a state aid scheme in Romania of approximately 2.5 billion Euros (12.5 billion RON) to support companies in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The aid consists of loans as well as of non-reimbursable funds that will be granted to Romanian companies until June 30. The amount of support is divided into categories. Thus, companies in the agricultural field can receive up to 280,000 Euros, companies in the fishing and aquaculture field, up to 335,000 Euros, and companies operating in the rest of the sectors can benefit from aid worth up to 2.25 million Euros. According to the Commission’s analysis, the request made by Romania complies with the conditions provided for in the crisis and transition framework. The Romanian state requested such an agreement for the first time on September 9, 2022, which was approved in January 2023 for the entire year. Following the expiry of this deadline, the Commission once again approved the reintroduction of the state aid scheme to ensure sufficient liquidities for companies on the Romanian market.

     

    The measure is seen as necessary and proportionate to remedy the irregularities in the national economy. Moreover, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had announced, a few days ago, that the government would extend this year the IMM INVEST PLUS state aid scheme, to overcome the economic difficulties created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is a government lending program for working capital and investments aimed at SMEs and large companies in Romania. Approximately 11,500 companies can receive such funds. The program was initiated to ensure, until June 30, access to financing by companies that do not have the necessary sums for investment projects and for the continuation of their activity, the Finance Ministry announced. We want to support vital sectors such as agriculture, constructions and production and to make sure that we offer innovative Romanian companies the opportunity to reach their potential, said the finance minister, Marcel Boloş.

     

    The EU imposed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow and adopted a series of support programs and allowed member states to provide special subsidies to mitigate the economic and commercial effects of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Europe was subsequently faced with an explosion of prices and turbulence in the financial markets. The war has had enormous economic costs so far. It was not just the economies of the two countries in conflict that suffered, but the entire planet. Already rated as one of the costliest wars in human history, the price of this conflict has so far been estimated at over two and a half trillion dollars, that is over two thousand five hundred billion. Comparatively, this sum is equivalent to Romania’s GDP for seven and a half years. And it represents, in just two years, more than half the estimated costs of World War II, which lasted six years and was the most devastating conflict in history. (LS)

  • April 8, 2024 UPDATE

    April 8, 2024 UPDATE

     

    AID The European Commission has given the green light to reintroducing an approximately EUR 2.5 mln scheme for Romania to support companies in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The aid will be granted as guarantees and direct grants. The measure is designed to ensure that companies affected by the economic disruptions caused by the war are left with enough liquidity. The EC found that Romania’s scheme, as it has been reintroduced, remains in line with the terms of the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework. The aid will not exceed EUR 280,000 for an agriculture company, EUR 335,000 for a company operating in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, and EUR 2.25 mln for companies in other sectors.

     

    SEA SHIELD 24 More than 2,200 Allied troops are participating starting this week in a multinational exercise in Romania called “Sea Shield 24”. Until April 21, Romanian soldiers, alongside military from NATO states and the partner states of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, will be training in the coastal area of the Black Sea, the Danube and the Danube Delta, using 27 sea and river ships, 17 aircraft and 91 vehicles and boats. The Ministry of Defence in Bucharest says the exercise is the most complex event conducted by the Romanian Naval Forces in 2024. Also this week, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain begins an air policing mission in Romania. In the next four months, the British units, comprising around 220 troops and 6 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, will perform enhanced air policing missions under NATO command, together with soldiers of the Romanian Air Force.

     

    ELECTIONS The United Right electoral alliance, made up of the Save Romania Union, the People’s Movement Party and the Force of the Right, in opposition, have submitted their list of candidates for the European Parliament elections of June 9. Top of the list is the former USR leader Dan Barna, followed by the former USR health minister Vlad Voiculescu and the PMP president Eugen Tomac. The president of USR, Cătălin Drulă, said the Alliance has the best list of candidates, comprising “people who are going to the European Parliament or carrying on their work at the European Parliament out of belief, and who have results.” On the other side of the political spectrum, the 2 parties in the ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party submitted on Friday their own joint list of EP candidates. Opening the list is the former Social-Democratic PM Mihai Tudose and the Liberal MEP Rareș Bogdan. The EP elections in Romania will be held concurrently with the local elections on June 9.

     

    ELECTRICITY Romania has the lowest electricity consumption in Europe per capita, the Association of Energy Prosumers and Communities announced. According to the institution, the transition to the green economy requires an increase of this consumption at the expense of fuels such as natural gas and firewood. The organisation says that in this context electrification is the key to full decarbonisation, and the necessary technologies include heat pumps for households and green hydrogen, along with EVs for the industry.

     

    MOLDOVA A population and housing census began on Monday in the Republic of Moldova. Until July 7, reviewers will go from house to house to collect data about where people in the Republic live, the language they speak, their education, occupation, as well as about their homes. The government spokesperson Daniel Vodă has stated that all citizens will be obliged to answer the reviewers’ questions and provide correct answers, and the authorities have to keep the answers received confidential, Radio Chisinau reports. The last population and housing census in the Republic of Moldova was conducted in 2014. At that time, the population stood at 2,800,000 people, of which only 2.5 million lived in the Republic of Moldova. Also, the data do not cover the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria (east), which went, de facto, out of Chisinau’s control in 1992, after an armed conflict involving hundreds of soldiers and ended by the intervention of Moscow’s troops on the side of the secessionist rebels.

     

    ENERGY The close cooperation between Romania and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in developing a civilian nuclear programme and the prospects for strengthening the cooperation in cancer medicine and energy were discussed on Monday by PM Marcel Ciolacu with the Agency’s director, Rafael Grossi. The Romanian foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu also discussed with Grossi about Russia’s war against Ukraine and the successive attacks on the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia. Luminiţa Odobescu highlighted the important role the Agency plays in the safe and secure use of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes. In turn, Rafael Grossi praised the implementation of new nuclear technologies in Romania, including small scale modular reactors. The AIEA chief also had talks with the energy minister, Sebastian Burduja. The agenda included the revamping on the Cernavodă nuclear power plant Unit 1 and the plans for Units 3 and 4.

  • February 26, 2024 UPDATE

    February 26, 2024 UPDATE

    NATO The Hungarian Parliament on Monday ratified Sweden’s NATO accession. Hungary was the last of the 31 allied states, which granted support to Sweden’s integration. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden decided to give up its historical neutrality and join the Alliance. Most of the member states hailed Sweden’s accession, but Turkey and Hungary have delayed ratification. According to the BBC, Turkey said that Sweden tolerated anti-Islamic protests and Sweden is one of the EU countries, which have accused Hungary of backsliding on the EU’s democratic principles. ”We stand ready to shoulder our share of the responsibility for NATO’s security”, the Swedish Premier said shortly after the vote. ”Sweden’s contribution to Euro-Atlantic Security is essential. With Sweden in NATO we are going to consolidate the posture of defence and deterrence on the Eastern Flank and carry on the staunch support for Ukraine. Together we are stronger”, president Iohannis has written on the X platform.

     

    DNA Marius Voineag, the chief of Romania’s Anti-corruption Directorate, a.k.a, DNA, says that during his mandate, the prosecutors have rediscovered the courage to investigate big corruption cases. On the occasion of the presentation of the institution’s activity report in 2023, Voineag says that unfortunately, corruption costs remain unacceptably higher for Romanian society. “In terms of this year’s activity, I must specify that we are perfectly aware that we are having an election context and there is the risk that anything we do may be interpreted and spark off controversies and debates, but I assure you the National Anti-corruption Directorate will carry on its determination to fighting the phenomenon of corruption” the DNA chief went on to say. He gave assurances his institution would continue to target big-corruption cases and the priority domains with direct impact on the citizens’ lives.

     

    PROTESTS Trade unions of the Romanian postal service are staging this week protest actions in front of the Ministry of Research building. Workers are disgruntled with the lack of a transparent, motivating and non-discriminatory salary scheme, or the fact that 80% of Romanian Post staff currently earns minimum wages, regardless of the position, degrees, attributes or seniority. Trade unionists also criticize the lack of coherent development and sustainability policies and the company’s opaque and unpredictable management. Taxi drivers from Bucharest and other counties are also staging a three-day protest in the capital-city as of Monday. They are disgruntled with competition from alternative means of transportation and call on such transporters to observe the same rules taxi drivers are subject to. Some 800 drivers attended the protest on Monday with their vehicles, while over 1,800 drivers and their vehicles are expected to join the protest on Tuesday and Wednesday.

     

     

    UKRAINE Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, and allied leaders on Monday attended a working meeting devoted to Ukraine, hosted by the French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Talks focused on the current phase of the war in Ukraine and its consequences on European and Euro-Atlantic security, as well as options to step up assistance for Ukraine. President Iohannis hails the initiative of his French counterpart, pointing out that unity and solidarity at international level with regard to support for Ukraine are key and must be maintained, the Presidency reports. On the sidelines of the meeting, president Iohannis reasserted Romania’s firm support for Ukraine, for as long as it’s necessary.

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  • Support for Ukraine

    Support for Ukraine

    With the number of casualties on the rise, ammunition and troops in short supply, with US financial aid stalled and the prospect of Donald Trump’s presidency on the horizon, Ukrainians are fearful, after two years of war, of what the future may have in store for them. Kyiv recognizes that the situation is extremely difficult for its forces but remains equally determined to win. “Ukraine will succeed” President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, on February 24, with the same conviction as in the first days of the conflict, from Hostomel airport, captured by the Russian troops in the first hours of the invasion and the scene of violent fights. The EU remains just as determined in its support for Kyiv. More than ever, we strongly support Ukraine – financially, economically, militarily, and morally. Until the country is finally free, said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who welcomed the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people. Going to Kyiv together with the Italina Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexander De Croo, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, the head of the EC announced the transfer to Ukraine, in March, of a first tranche of the macro-financial aid worth 50 billion Euros offered to Kyiv from the EU budget until 2027.

     

    At the end of a G7 video conference summit led from Kyiv by the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the leaders of the seven most developed countries promised on Saturday that they would support Ukraine as long as needed, adding that they would look for ways to make Russia pay for the damage caused by the invasion. The G7 countries also committed “to act against third parties that materially support Russia’s war, including by imposing new measures against entities in third countries”. ‘We urge the approval of additional aid to cover Ukraine’s outstanding budget needs in 2024’ the G7 statement also said, alluding to the blocking by the Republicans in the US Congress of the additional 61.4 billion dollars financial assistance package requested by the Democrat President Joe Biden.

     

    On Saturday, in Kyiv, President Zelenski signed, on the other hand, bilateral security agreements with the Italian and Canadian prime ministers. Italy and Canada thus joined Great Britain, Germany, France and Denmark in concluding a 10-year security agreement with Kyiv – agreements meant to strengthen Ukraine’s security until it becomes a NATO member. Also on Saturday, one day after the EU approved its 13th package of sanctions against Russia, Britain announced a 245-million-pound-sterling worth of financial package to help Ukraine rebuild its ammunition stocks. (LS)

  • February 23, 2024

    February 23, 2024

    SANCTIONS The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia in response to the death of the Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalnyi but also to mark two years of war in Ukraine. The sanctions are targeting five hundred entities associated with Russia’s military industrial compound and also companies from third countries, which are helping Russia bypass the earlier sanctions. Great Britain is also to impose new sanctions on this occasion of marking two years since the Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

     

    VISIT Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu has arrived in India this morning to attend the international ‘Raisina Dialogue’ underway in New Delhi. Presently at its 9th edition, “Raisina Dialogue” is India’s emblematic conference on geopolitics and geo-economy aimed at dealing with the most difficult issues the world is facing nowadays. During her visit the Romanian diplomat is expected to have talks with her Indian counterpart Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

     

    TENNIS The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea managed a sensational win against Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic on Thursday in the quarterfinals of WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai. Cîrstea, WTA 22, lost the first set and the Czech got a 5-1 lead in the second. However, the Romanian made a brilliant comeback and secured the second set and also the decisive one, ending the match 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. Cîrstea will be up against Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the semifinals.

     

    NAVALNYI The mother of the Russian opposition leader, Aleksei Navalnyi, has accused the investigators of planning to bury her son in secret as they have so far refused to hand over his body, Reuters reports. Lyudmila Navalnaya says she was blackmailed and threatened to accept a secret burial. Aleksei Navalnyi died last week at the age of 47 in the arctic penal colony where he was serving his prison sentence. During a court appearance only one day before, Navalnyi looked healthy and in good spirits. According to Navalnyi’s lawyers, the certificate the investigators produced say that he died of natural causes. The international leaders, family members and his Russian supporters have blamed the authorities for his death and some even say he was murdered. We recall that Navalnyi survived an attempted murder in the past, when the Russian secret services had allegedly attempted to poison him with a nerve agent known as Novichok.

     

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  • Germans and Soviets in Romania, in the Second World War

    Germans and Soviets in Romania, in the Second World War

    Wars are some of the most horrendous forms of human degradation. During the Second World War, the war hit limits that are hard to imagine. It was the war where civilians had a lot to suffer, it was the war at the end of which international law was changed and recreated, significantly, in a bid to cover all the atrocities that were perpetrated. Notwithstanding, the overwhelming majority of the abuses and killings civilians had been subjected to, have remained unpunished. The civilians’ memory regarding the occupation armies has been significantly influenced by every individual’s experience and by the intensity of their own suffering.

     

    Just like other Central and Eastern European states, Romania had the misfortune of going through both types of occupation during the Second World War. The Romanians and the other Central-European citizen drew a comparison between the German and then the Soviet patterns of behavior. All things considered, the German behavior was perceived as being positive, while the Soviet type of behavior was described as negative. With respect to the Germans, the memories of the Romanians who lived back then, quite a few of them confirmed by archive documents, speak about some friendly, honest and dependable people. About the Soviets, the memories are, on the contrary, negative: they were aggressive people, irrational selfish and dominated by animalistic impulses. Radio Romania’s Oral History Center had the opportunity to record testimonies of those who witnessed how people from the two armies behaved, which prompted them to have the aforementioned perceptions of them.

     

    In 1999, nurse Petre Radu Damian reminisced how he was dispatched to Campina in 1939, where the first German transmission troops had been stationed Apart from the military technique, the Germans arrived there with sanitary vehicles and facilities that amazed Damian.

     

    Petre Damian: “And we went to the other side, to them, in front of the barracks there was the colonel commander of the Panzer unit. It was for the first time when I saw some big jars, then the trend in the treatment of blennorrhagia, as well as many other things I hadn’t seen before. I was accepted among them, it was a great joy for them and I was quick to make friends with a physician hailing from Banat, but their chief was a captain. The collaboration was great. The medical stuff they were researching had to do with interpretation and tests, they made extensive use of laboratories. ”

     

    Trader Aristide Ionescu in 2000 reminisced how the German military behaved, who lived in his parents’ house, in a commune in Valcea county.

     

    Aristide Ionescu: “In 1940, it was winter, the German troops arrived in the country, those who were about to attack Russia; in our commune, they were accommodated in the school building, in some barracks. The behavior the Germans had was very disciplined, not a single thing was taken from a peasant without paying back, and in our house there were the headquarters, in our study there were the headquarters. We had two adjoining passage rooms; I was living in the room at the back, while in the first room a German lieutenant was accommodated. As I was passing through his room, I saw he left his watch there, he left some of his other things there as well. I always locked my room, and then I got the hang of it and I didn’t lock my room any more. One night they simply vanished. The German unit moved on and the whole village found out about it. At about 10 a motorcycle stops in front of our gate and the motorcyclist tells me, in a French language which was quitter fluent, that the lieutenant whom I accommodated took a little pillow by mistake and was handing it back.”

     

    The war changed after 1944 and the Soviets came as liberators. But they weren’t like that at all. Here is Petre Radu Damian.

     

    Track:” When the Russians came, there were groups of raiders, you know.  On command or not, I don’t know, some of them entered our street. I remember one particular time, there was only one of these troops on a horse, which he had probably stolen from somewhere. He had with him that famous Russian assault rifle, which we called Balalaika. He entered our courtyard and told me to catch him two geese and bind their legs. He wanted me to carry those geese for him to their residence. Our dog attacked him and he shot the gun against the dog wounding it. He was also drunk, which was quite common, because back then we were seeing lots of Russian soldiers drunk, as they use to drink everywhere. I remember them shooting their rifles against them wine barrels and did a lot of bad things at that time.”

     

    But more serious than those raids were the murders and rapes the Soviet troops committed. Aristide Ionescu recalled the case of such a rape.

     

    Aristide Ionescu:” On September 20th 1944 the first Russians carrying their assault rifles entered our commune. They came from Drăgăşani and entered the house of one of our relatives named Trican, who had the first house in our commune. There the Russians were given food and drinks and after eating and drinking, they got drunk and raped a woman who was over 60 years old.”

     

    The recollections of the Romanians regarding the behaviours of the Russian and German troops on the Romanian territory are polarized and will remain the same because history can be neither forgotten nor erased.

  • February 18, 2024 UPDATE

    February 18, 2024 UPDATE

    SPORT Romania’s selections obtained new wins on Sunday at the World Table Tennis Championships in Busan, South Korea. In the women’s Group 7, Romania has scored its third win out of three games, 3-1 against Singapore after those against Sweden and Canada. In their last game in the group, on Monday morning, the Romanians will be playing Serbia. In the male’s competition, in Group 8, after 0-3 with Portugal and 3-0 with Egypt, on Sunday Romania clinched a 3-1 win against Thailand. Our men’s side will be playing Iran on Tuesday. 40 teams from all over the world are playing in the men’s and women’s contests in Busan. The world championships are a qualification criterion for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, where the first 8 teams are qualified.

    HOMAGE Several people gathered in front of the Russian embassy in Bucharest on Sunday to pay their homage to the deceased Russian dissident, Aleksei Navalnyi. They lit candles and laid flowers in memory of the man who opposed the present regime at the Kremlin. Some of the participants carried placards reading ‘You cannot win free election by killing opposition’. As early as Friday the Romanian politicians have conveyed their messages paying homage to the Russian dissident. According to Russian sources, Navalnyi 47, died in the arctic penitentiary he was detained since December last year. The opposition, the Russian independent press as well as the Western foreign ministries have unanimously accused the Russian president Vladimir Putin for having ordered the death of the man who had been the Kremlin’s number one enemy for 15 years.

    CONFERENCE On the sidelines of the Security Conference in Munich, Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, had a meeting with a group of veterans from the Russian-Ukrainian front. On this occasion, the minister has conveyed a firm message of solidarity with the neighboring Ukraine and its people, ‘in their legitimate fight to defend the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of their country in the illegal aggression war Russia is waging on Ukraine. According to a press communiqué the Romanian Foreign Ministry released on Sunday, minister Odobescu had earlier participated in the second day of the Conference in Germany in an event devoted to the situation of Afghan women and had talks with her counterparts and with representatives of the international think-tanks.

    POLO Polls drawn on Saturday have placed Romania’s national water polo side in group A together with Croatia, Italy, Greece, the United States and Montenegro at the Olympic Games in Paris. The International water polo federation had earlier announced Romania’s unexpected qualification, as our athletes ended on the tenth position at the World Championship in Doha, Qatar. Only the first eight sides are qualified but South Africa had declared forfeit for Paris. So, Romania, the best placed side among those unqualified, has thus ensured their tickets for Paris. Water polo is the only team sport with Romanian participation in the aforementioned Olympics. Romania ranked 8th at the European Championships in Croatia a month ago.

    SCULPTURE A sculpture by Romania’s greatest sculptor Constantin Brancusi, which was believed, lost or destroyed until last year, has been put on display at the Artmark Galleries in Bucharest. The sculpture known as ‘Bust of a Restaurant Patron’ is actually depicting a waiter in the Parisian café where the artist worked as dishwasher shortly after his arrival in Paris. The sculpture was made around 1905-1906 and has been recently bought at an international auction in Paris by a Romanian collector.

  • February 18, 2024

    February 18, 2024

    TALKS Leaders of the ruling Social Democratic and the National Liberal Parties are today resuming talks on the possible merger of the elections due in Romania this year. Unless they reach an agreement, the elections are to be staged on the date previously set – Social-Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has announced. The Liberals insist though that the election for the European Parliament take place together with those for the local public administration on June 9th. Among their arguments are the funds cuts and a higher turnout. The Social Democrats are calling for a clear timetable for the entire election year and for merging the election for the domestic Legislature with the second round of the presidential voting. The opposition says that talks for the merger do nothing but divert the attention of the Romanians from the real problems the ruling coalition is presently facing.

    CONFERENCE On the sidelines of the Security Conference in Munich, Romania’s Foreign Minister, Luminita Odobescu, had a meeting with a group of veterans from the Russian-Ukrainian front. On this occasion, the minister has conveyed a firm message of solidarity with the neighboring Ukraine and its people, ‘in their legitimate fight to defend the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of their country in the illegal aggression war Russia is waging on Ukraine. According to a press communiqué the Romanian Foreign Ministry released on Sunday, minister Odobescu had earlier participated in the second day of the Conference in Germany in an event devoted to the situation of Afghan women and had talks with her counterparts and with representatives of the international think-tanks.

    POLO Polls drawn on Saturday have placed Romania’s national water polo side in group A together with Croatia, Italy, Greece, the United States and Montenegro at the Olympic Games in Paris. The International water polo federation had earlier announced Romania’s unexpected qualification, as our athletes ended on the tenth position at the World Championship in Doha, Qatar. Only the first eight sides are qualified but South Africa had declared forfeit for Paris. So, Romania, the best placed side among those unqualified, has thus ensured their tickets for Paris. Water polo is the only team sport with Romanian participation in the aforementioned Olympics. Romania ranked 8th at the European Championships in Croatia a month ago.

    SCULPTURE A sculpture by Romania’s greatest sculptor Constantin Brancusi, which was believed, lost or destroyed until last year, has been put on display at the Artmark Galleries in Bucharest. The sculpture known as ‘Bust of a Restaurant Patron’ is actually depicting a waiter in the Parisian café where the artist worked as dishwasher shortly after his arrival in Paris. The sculpture was made around 1905-1906 and has been recently bought at an international auction in Paris by a Romanian collector.

  • NATO and the war in Ukraine

    NATO and the war in Ukraine

    The situation has
    become routine already:
    whenever
    the Russian invasion troops are attacking the Ukrainian ports on the Danube at
    Reni, Izmail and the big port-city of Odessa heads-up are also given in
    neighboring Romania, a NATO and EU member country. Ro-Alert messages were issue at
    the end of last week for the counties of Tulcea and Galati, over the Danube,
    the first of this kind this year, the inspectorate for emergency situations has
    announced. People have been cautioned about the possibility of falling objects
    from the sky and they have been advised to take measures of protection and
    prevention.




    Many of the
    residents have reported on social networks long and powerful blasts. But a
    different kind of noise has produced among the North Atlantic Alliance, the
    former US Republican president Donald Trump, whose comeback to the White House has
    become more and more plausible. Even his Republican colleagues have criticized
    him after he said the United States should not defend the allied countries
    which do not pay their NATO contributions.




    The former
    president also criticized the countries which do not invest enough money in
    their defence in the past years as well, but now he shocked the allies by
    saying that he would ‘encourage’ Russia to attack countries, which do not pay
    their bills. His statements have attracted a lot of heat from the incumbent
    Democratic President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens
    Stoltenberg, who underlined that such suggestions are
    undermining the Alliance’s entire security, which is based upon common defence
    and are endangering the US and European troops.




    According to various publications, Trump has for years now inaccurately described the way in which NATO funding
    is functioning. The alliance has established a 2% of the GDP target for each
    member country and most countries do not clear this target. The figure though
    is only a recommendation and not a mandatory contract, no ‘bills’ have been
    issued and no bills are overdue concerning the NATO budget.




    In the meantime, on Sunday, the Alliance’s newest member, Finland elected
    a new president in the person of the former conservative Prime Minister
    Alexander Stubb who has been a supporter of the North Atlantic Alliance after
    Russia invaded Ukraine and his country renounced its strict neutrality. A Prime
    Minister between 2014 and 2015, Stubb has confessed that one of his biggest mistakes as head of the government in
    Helsinki was to give the green light for the construction of a nuclear power
    plant in cooperation with the Russian company Rosatom.




    Romanian president Klaus Iohannis has
    immediately congratulated his Finnish counterpart voicing his eager readiness
    for cooperation and the development of the tight European partnership between
    Romania and Finland, to defend together their Euro-Atlantic values.


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