Radio România Internațional

Tag: wildfires

  • European solidarity against wildfires

    European solidarity against wildfires


    Presently affected by a severe heatwave and prolonged drought, France is fighting extensive forest fires in the southwestern region of Gironde. Fires this time spread faster than in July, when the entire region was devastated and thousands of people had to be evacuated.


    Firefighters from many countries have joined their French counterparts in the latters efforts to contain the wildfires in the region. Their gesture has been described by President Emmanuel Macron as an example of European solidarity. Italy, Greece and Sweden are among the countries which sent firefighting aircraft while 77 firefighters from Romania are working shoulder to shoulder with their French counterparts in an attempt to contain wildfires in the region.


    In response to a request made by the French government, authorities in Bucharest have also decided to dispatch equipment to the affected areas in France through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. According to the Head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, it is for the first time Romania is doing such an ample air rescue operation:


    Raed Arafat: “From our point of view this is a first as we are flying technical equipment and big fire engines to a foreign country; some of these engines have a capacity of 4 thousand liters. Military planes have been made available to us and we are using them under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We proposed this mission, it got the greenlight, and now our intervention teams are ready and able to help their French colleagues because they are not tired after traveling thousands of kilometers by road.”


    “Romania is solidary with France, our partner and traditional friend, which is these days fighting massive wildfires. Just like in the case of Greece, when Romania had a main contribution to putting out fires there, we can prove our capability of being a reliable partner for the allies” Romanias Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said in a message.


    Only several days ago, Romanian firefighters completed their mission in Greece, where they responded to a request by the Greek authorities through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. 56 Romanian firefighters put out fires around capital Athens in two consecutive rounds before being subsequently replaced by colleagues from other European countries contributing to the operation.


    Since the beginning of this summer season, Greece has been affected by hundreds of wildfires against the backdrop of the extremely hot weather with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Rescue operations this year have been marked by a helicopter crash close to the island of Samos, where two people lost their lives.


    (bill)


  • European solidarity against wildfires

    European solidarity against wildfires


    Presently affected by a severe heatwave and prolonged drought, France is fighting extensive forest fires in the southwestern region of Gironde. Fires this time spread faster than in July, when the entire region was devastated and thousands of people had to be evacuated.


    Firefighters from many countries have joined their French counterparts in the latters efforts to contain the wildfires in the region. Their gesture has been described by President Emmanuel Macron as an example of European solidarity. Italy, Greece and Sweden are among the countries which sent firefighting aircraft while 77 firefighters from Romania are working shoulder to shoulder with their French counterparts in an attempt to contain wildfires in the region.


    In response to a request made by the French government, authorities in Bucharest have also decided to dispatch equipment to the affected areas in France through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. According to the Head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, it is for the first time Romania is doing such an ample air rescue operation:


    Raed Arafat: “From our point of view this is a first as we are flying technical equipment and big fire engines to a foreign country; some of these engines have a capacity of 4 thousand liters. Military planes have been made available to us and we are using them under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. We proposed this mission, it got the greenlight, and now our intervention teams are ready and able to help their French colleagues because they are not tired after traveling thousands of kilometers by road.”


    “Romania is solidary with France, our partner and traditional friend, which is these days fighting massive wildfires. Just like in the case of Greece, when Romania had a main contribution to putting out fires there, we can prove our capability of being a reliable partner for the allies” Romanias Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said in a message.


    Only several days ago, Romanian firefighters completed their mission in Greece, where they responded to a request by the Greek authorities through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. 56 Romanian firefighters put out fires around capital Athens in two consecutive rounds before being subsequently replaced by colleagues from other European countries contributing to the operation.


    Since the beginning of this summer season, Greece has been affected by hundreds of wildfires against the backdrop of the extremely hot weather with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Rescue operations this year have been marked by a helicopter crash close to the island of Samos, where two people lost their lives.


    (bill)


  • August 12, 2021 UPDATE

    August 12, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid-19 RO. Romania passed
    on Thursday 370 daily Covid cases from 27,800 tests, a new daily record in
    recent months. This is the third day in a row that the daily toll passes 300
    cases. A third of new cases was recorded in Bucharest. Three related fatalities
    were also reported. The number of Covid-19 patients receiving hospital
    treatment is also on the rise, hitting 710, of whom almost 100 are in
    serious condition. Only a little over 14,000 vaccine doses were administered on
    Wednesday. Almost 5 million people are fully vaccinated in Romania. The
    coordinator of the mass vaccination campaign Valeriu Gheorghita said herd
    immunity resulting from vaccination and recovery from illness is now 50% in this country.

    High-risk list. Romania on Thursday moved Turkey,
    Israel and the US to the red list of countries with high epidemiological risk.
    The Netherlands and Malta entered the yellow list, following a drop in
    incidence rates. Estonia, Lithuania and Finland are also on the yellow list.






    EU certificate. From Friday,
    the digital certificate proving that a person has been vaccinated against
    Covid-19, has received a negative test result
    or has recovered from the infection becomes mandatory when crossing the border
    of an EU member country. Otherwise, individuals will have to comply with the
    national quarantine rules of each state. The Strategic Communication Group in
    Bucharest explained that the presentation of the document is provided for in the
    European Regulation on digital certificates on vaccination designed to
    facilitate free movement during the pandemic, and the provisions are applicable
    only for crossing the state border. In Romania, the certificate can be
    downloaded by accessing the vaccinare-covid.gov.ro website.






    Electricity. The
    heat wave that has hit Romania in recent weeks has led to an increase in
    domestic electricity consumption. The data provided by Transelectrica show that
    consumption is covered by imports, not by domestic production. In recent weeks,
    Romania has imported almost 1,000 megawatts per day. Also, data published by the National Institute of Statistics show that in
    Romania, the final electricity consumption increased by 7% in the first six
    months of the year, compared to the similar period of 2020, amid an increase of
    8.3% of the population’s consumption.




    Wildfires. Against
    the background of very high temperatures, wildfires are wreaking havoc in
    several European countries and North Africa. Dozens of outbreaks are active in
    the southern continental regions and in Sicily, and in Greece nearly 100,000
    hectares of land have been destroyed by flames in less than two weeks – the
    worst after the devastating fires of 2007. On the island of Evia, where
    Romanian fire fighters have also been helping, but also in the Peloponnese, where
    new outbreaks are emerging, Greek and foreign fire fighters are making huge
    efforts to contain them. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Greece,
    thousands of houses have turned into piles of rubble and tens of thousands of
    people have been forced to leave their homes and find refuge elsewhere.
    Thousands of jobs dependent on local tourism, agriculture and forestry have
    been lost. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked President Klaus
    Iohannis on Wednesday for the contribution of Romanian fire fighters, who
    responded promptly to the call for help of the Greek authorities. The Romanian president
    expressed Romania’s solidarity with the Greek people in these difficult times,
    as well as compassion for all those affected by the devastating fires.




    Defence. The Romanian
    defence minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă on Thursday congratulated his counterpart
    from the Republic of Moldova Anatolie Nosatîi in a telephone conversation for
    taking office. The two official discussed the stage and prospects of bilateral
    cooperation in the area of defence. They decided to continue dialogue with a
    view to finding new projects of mutual interest, in order to consolidate the support
    given by Romania to the modernisation and the consolidation of the operational
    capacity and interoperability of Moldova’s armed forces. At the end of the
    conversation, the Romanian minister extended the Moldovan official the
    invitation to visit Romania in the coming period, which the latter accepted.




    Theatre. More than 2,000
    performers and crew from 38 different countries are expected to take part in
    the Sibiu International Festival held between the 20th and the 29th
    of August and one of the biggest events of its kind in the world, said the
    festival’s director Constantin Chiriac on Thursday. He said the biggest
    challenge for organisers is again the Covid-19 pandemic. The festival’s
    highlights include the world premiere of a production entitled
    SHAKESPEARE-BACH/ Le Main du Temps featuring Charlotte Rampling and Sonia
    Wieder-Atherton. Rampling, one of the world’s greatest names in the world of
    film and theatre, will also get a star on Sibiu’s Walk of Fame. (CM)

  • August 12, 2021

    August 12, 2021

    EU certificate. Starting Friday, the digital certificate attesting anti-Covid vaccination, the negative result of a PCR test or that the holder has had the disease becomes mandatory upon crossing the border of an EU member country. Otherwise, individuals will have to to comply with the national quarantine rules of each state. The Strategic Communication Group in Bucharest has stated that the presentation of the document is provided in the European Regulation on digital certificates on vaccination designed to facilitate free movement during the pandemic, and the provisions are applicable only for crossing the state border. In Romania, the certificate can be downloaded by accessing the vaccinare-covid.gov.ro website.



    Covid-19RO. Romania has again exceeded the threshold of 300 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed within 24 hours. 326 were reported yesterday, which is the highest figure since mid June. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals is also on the rise. The figure now stands at 710, of whom 96 are in serious condition, in ICUs. Another 8 related deaths were also reported. According to data made public by authorities, some 14,000 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday. There are some 4,957,000 Romanians now who have been fully immunized. Herd immunity stands at 50%, the coordinator of the national vaccination campaign, Valeriu Gheorghita, has announced.



    Infrastructure. Almost 30% of Romanias localities are not connected to a water supply network, more than half have no sewerage, and almost three quarters do not benefit from a natural gas supply. These are the figures on which the draft of a Government Emergency Ordinance is based, by means of which 50 billion lei (about 10 billion euros) would be allocated in the next 6 years for infrastructure projects at local level. The money will also be used for the road infrastructure, given that less than half of the county roads are currently modernized. The data were presented by the Minister of Development, Attila Cseke, after Wednesdays meeting of the Executive, where the national investment program “Anghel Saligny” was discussed, a document which is currently under public debate.



    Electricity. The heat wave that has hit Romania over the past weeks has led to an increase in domestic electricity consumption. The data provided by Transelectrica show that consumption is covered by imports, not by domestic production. In recent weeks, Romania has imported almost 1,000 megawatts per day. On the other hand, the data published today by the National Institute of Statistics show that in Romania, the final electricity consumption increased by 7% in the first six months of the year, compared to the similar period of 2020, amid an increase of 8, 3% of the populations consumption. More on this after the news.



    Wildfires. Against the background of very high temperatures, wildfires continue to cause huge damage in several European countries and North Africa. Dozens of outbreaks are active in the southern continental regions and in Sicily, and in Greece nearly 100,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by flames in less than two weeks – the worst after the devastating fires of 2007. On the island of Evia, where Romanian firefighters have also been helping, but also in the Peloponnese, where new outbreaks are emerging, Greek and foreign firefighters are making titanic efforts to contain them. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in Greece, thousands of houses have turned into piles of rubble and tens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes and find refuge elsewhere. Thousands of jobs dependent on local tourism, agriculture and forestry have been lost. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday for the intervention of the Romanian firefighters, who responded promptly to the Greek authorities call. The Romanian head of state expressed Romanias solidarity with the Greek people in these difficult times, as well as compassion for all those affected by the devastating fires.



    Taliban. The Taliban have today seized the city of Ghazni, 150 km southwest of Kabul, the tenth provincial capital to fall to insurgents within a week. This is the capital closest to Kabul to have been occupied by insurgents since the launch of their offensive in May, taking advantage of the start of the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, an operation that should be completed by late August. Ghazni is an important point on the major axis that connects Kabul to Kandahar, the second largest city in the south of Afghanistan. This allows insurgents to cut off the armys land supply lines to the south. They have already taken control of 10 of Afghanistans 34 provincial capitals, including seven in the north of the country, a region that has always resisted them in the past. The Kabul government is trying to counter a Taliban offensive in major cities in the south of the country, including Kandahar, where insurgents stormed the central prison on Wednesday and released the inmates. The capital Kabul could fall within the next three months, according to estimates made by the American intelligence services. Meanwhile, according to the few independent journalists still left in Afghanistan, the atrocities committed by the Taliban against civilians, including children, continue. At least 1,000 civilians have been killed in the past month.



    FIFA. Belgium remains world no.1 in the rankings of the International Football Federation (FIFA), published today, followed by Brazil and France, which have switched places since Mays rankings. Romania has lost two positions and now ranks 45th. Italy and Argentina, winners of EURO 2020 and Copa America, respectively, won two positions in the FIFA top 10. Italy climbed to fifth, one place above England, defeated in the European final at Wembley. Argentina jumped six, after winning the Copa America, by defeating Brazil. (MI)


  • August 11, 2021 UPDATE

    August 11, 2021 UPDATE

    Budget. The Governing coalition in Bucharest carries on negotiations over the current budget adjustment, which is to be approved next week. On Tuesday evening, after a meeting of the leaders of the ruling parties, the Liberal PM Florin Citu announced that additional funds would be earmarked for the ministries of health, transport, education, justice and energy. As regards the ministry of development, talks have not been completed yet, as the line minister Cseke Atilla presented a 10 billion Euro investment program, to cover several fields: roads, water, sewerage and connection to the natural gas pipelines. Under this program, the state would invest in local infrastructure, in correlation with investments from the European funds. On Wednesday, the leader of the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban, stated that the start of the new program of investments benefiting local communities was decided at government level.



    Covid-19RO. 326 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Romania on Wednesday, out of more than 29 thousand tests performed. Also, 8 related deaths were registered. 710 people are hospitalized, of whom 96 in intensive care. The coordinator of the National Vaccination Campaign, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, has stated that, although the number of new cases of infection is growing slowly, its a progressive and sustained growth, therefore, in a pessimistic scenario, the figure could go up to 1,500 daily cases in the second half of September. In another move, in order to give a boost to the vaccination campaign, the governing coalition has agreed to grant meal vouchers to those who get fully vaccinated.



    Inflation – According to the National Institute of Statistics, in Romania, the annual inflation rate went up to 5% in July as against 3.9% in June. Prices of non-food products went up by 8%, of services by 2.74%, and of foodstuffs by 2.33%. Higher prices were reported for electricity, gas, fuels and edible oil. On Monday, Romanias Central Bank increased the inflation forecast to 5.6% for the end of this year, according to Governor Mugur Isărescu. Romania is no longer a country of low salaries, the PM Florin Cîțu replied, adding that more than 1% of employees have a net salary higher than the equivalent of 3,000 Euros, and the share of people who have net salaries of over 1,000 Euros is on the rise. According to the NIS, the average net salary stands at 3,541 lei (about 700 Euros).



    Strategy. Romanias military strategy for the next three years was approved at Wednesdays government meeting. The document reflects the security and defense guidelines of the North Atlantic Alliance and the EU, taking into account the risks and threats of a military nature to Romania, Army missions and national military objectives set out in the White Paper on Defense, a communiqué issued by the line ministry reads. At the same time, the strategy sets priorities in developing the Armys defense capabilities, continuing the lines of action of previous strategies in conjunction with security guarantees arising from Romanias dual membership of NATO and the EU, as well as the strategic partnerships with other states. The document emphasizes the need to innovate, adapt and implement objectives to configure the command and force structure, increase the responsiveness of units, digitize and use new technologies, modernize the education and medical-military system, and adapt the legal framework. necessary to carry out missions in time of peace, crisis and war.



    Wildfires. In Greece, the population affected by the wildfires of the past two weeks accuses authorities of failing to act effectively in the fight against the fires. The causes of this unprecedented disaster are also being investigated by the Prosecutor General, as there are suspicions of an organized criminal activity. As many as 600 outbreaks are active, and the situation does not seem to be improving despite the huge efforts of the Greek firefighters, who have also received international aid. The most dangerous situation is in Evia Island, where more than 100 Romanian firefighters are operating. The Romanian firefighters have received much appreciation from the press, the locals, and also from their Greek colleagues for their intervention manner and courage. The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has admitted that the government could have done more. He has promised that 500 million Euros worth of aid will be sent to the Peloponnese, in the Attica region near Athens and to the island of Evia, that new trees will be planted to replace the burned forests and that those who lost their properties will receive compensations. The damage is difficult to estimate, but the flames have already destroyed 65,000 hectares of vegetation. The wildfires have not yet been put out in Italy, northern Macedonia and Siberia, and in California 200,000 hectares of vegetation have burned in recent weeks.



    Football. Romanias football champions, CFR Cluj (northwest), have failed to qualify for the Champions League play-offs, after losing 3-1, away from home, the match against the Swiss team Young Boys Bern, in the decisive leg of the third preliminary round. CFR will play in the Europa League play-off against Red Star Belgrade. If they are eliminated, CFR Cluj will still play in the Europa Conference League groups. (MI)


  • August 8, 2021 UPDATE

    August 8, 2021 UPDATE

    Covid-19RO. As of Sunday, France is on the red list of countries of high
    epidemiological risk, the National Committee for Emergency Situations has
    decided. The red zone also includes Greece, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland
    and Portugal. Unvaccinated people arriving from these countries are quarantined
    for 14 days upon arrival in Romania. Children under the age of three and those between
    the ages of three and 16 are exempt if they have a negative COVID test. Turkey
    entered the yellow list, which also includes Belgium and Israel, while Italy
    and Germany remain in the green zone. The list of countries of epidemiological
    risk is updated weekly. As regards the epidemiological situation in Romania, 208 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on
    Sunday, out of 23,000 tests performed, as well as three related deaths. At
    least 570 infected patients are hospitalized, of whom 80 in intensive care.












    Protests. More than 230,000 people protested in France for the fourth
    weekend in a row against a new health permit aimed at limiting the spread of
    the coronavirus, according to authorities. These were the largest protests to
    date against the health permit, a document that states that the holder has
    either been completely vaccinated, has recently been tested negative or has had
    Covid-19 and has recently recovered. Thousands took to the streets of Paris,
    Toulon and Nice, shouting freedom. Starting Monday, the French will need this
    permit to enter cafes, restaurants, nursing homes and some shopping malls.
    Demonstrations against the introduction of the green vaccination certificate to
    participate in indoor events and for teachers also took place in several
    Italian cities this weekend. The green passport, an extension of the EU’s Covid
    digital certificate, has become mandatory in Italy starting Friday, for access
    to indoor cinema halls, museums and gyms restaurants indoors. School and
    university staff will need this permit, as will students, and from 1 September
    it will be mandatory on domestic flights and long-distance trains.
















    Wildfires. The patriarch of the Romanian orthodox church, Daniel, sent Ieronymos
    II the Archbishop of Athens and All
    Greece, a message of compassion for the suffering of those affected by
    wildfires. More than 1,000 firefighters are trying to put out the blaze. More than 100 Romanian firefighters, with
    23 special vehicles, have been helping since Sunday. While the flames in the
    northern suburbs of Athens have been partially extinguished, they continue to
    wreak havoc, especially in the north of the island of Evia, but also in the
    Peloponnese. Thousands of people left their homes, many were evacuated by ferry,
    houses were burned and tens of thousands of hectares of vegetation turned to
    ashes. In another move, two Romanian Air
    Force planes have intervened in North Macedonia in support of the authorities
    in this country, which is also affected by wildfires. In Turkey, too, the worst
    fires reported in the past decade have killed at least eight people and
    destroyed 100,000 hectares of forest and farming land.






    Declaration. Romanian Foreign
    Minister Bogdan Aurescu welcomes the publication, on Sunday, of the Declaration
    of the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and
    Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on behalf of the 27 member states, condemning
    the recent attack on the tanker ‘Mercer Street’, as a result of which a
    Romanian and a Brit lost their lives. Through the Declaration, the 27 reaffirm
    the illegal and unjustified nature of the attack off the coast of Oman and
    reconfirm that it’s a violation of international law. At the same time, the 27
    emphasize the importance of guaranteeing freedom of navigation, in accordance
    with international law. Last but not least, the Declaration reaffirms Iran’s
    responsibility for the attack, stressing that all available evidence clearly
    indicates it as the perpetrator. On Friday, the G7 foreign ministers also
    accused Tehran of being responsible for the attack on the oil tanker. Iran has
    denied any involvement, saying the allegations are unfounded.










    Budget. In Romania, the first budget adjustment of the year is underway
    and could be approved in no more than two weeks. The deficit to be covered is
    80 billion lei (16.3 billion euros), and the Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîţu
    demands rigor in the distribution of money according to the capacity of the
    ministries to use it. He has specified that he is in constant contact with the
    ministers, to receive and evaluate their proposals. The prime minister has
    stated again that he does not agree with the allocation of additional amounts
    for the areas where the funds distributed since the beginning of the year have
    not been spent. On the other hand, the Liberal leaders are currently
    participating in the meetings of the local branches, where the new leaders are
    appointed, in view of the party’s national elections due this autumn.
















    Olympics. At the end of 17 days of sports competitions,
    the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games took place in Tokyo on Sunday.
    Romania completed this 32nd edition of the Olympics with 4 medals, one gold and
    three silver. In the ranking of nations,
    Romania is placed 46th. The team representing Romania at the Olympic Games in
    Tokyo comprised 101 athletes, who competed in 17 disciplines. The Tokyo
    Olympics were scheduled to take place in 2020, but the event had to be postponed
    by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The next edition will be hosted by
    the French capital, Paris, in 2024. (MI)

  • August 6, 2021

    August 6, 2021

    COVID-19 In Romania, the number of new SARS-CoV-2 infection cases remains high, over 200 per day. On Friday 230 new cases and 5 deaths were reported. Over 500 patients are hospitalized, 68 of them in intensive care. As regards the vaccine rollout, the number of fully vaccinated people went over 4.9 million on Thursday. According to a report by the National Public Health Institute, over 80% of the people diagnosed with the disease last week were not vaccinated. Data also indicates that over 85% of the COVID-related deaths were reported among unvaccinated or partly vaccinated patients. On Thursday, the government extended the state of alert by another 30 days.




    WILDFIRES Several European countries are responding to Greeces call for help under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. One of them is Romania, which is sending today over 100 fire-fighters and scores of fire engines. The hundreds of fires in Greece and Turkey have affected the air quality in the east of the Mediterranean, as smoke carrying fine particles has spread as far as to northern Africa. Adding to this is the high concentration of African dust over Greece, which also reduces air quality. The Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country was experiencing an unprecedented environmental crisis. He added that if anyone still has the slightest doubt that climate change is real, they should come to Greece to see its severity first hand. Over 150 wildfires have been reported in Greece so far, and one of them is threatening Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, where the Olympic flame is lit in modern times.




    MOLDOVA In the R. of Moldovas capital city Chişinău, Parliament convenes today in a special session to vote on the new pro-European government. The prime minister designate, Natalia Gavriliţă, and the 13 members of her cabinet, presented a governing programme focused on the reform of the judiciary and the fight against corruption, as well as on improving citizens living standards. The new government also aims to strengthen the strategic partnership with Romania, so as to ensure Moldovas EU accession. The vote is expected to be unproblematic, as the Action and Solidarity Party, which backs the new government, has 64 seats in Parliament, and only 51 votes are required for the cabinet to be endorsed. Natalia Gavrilița was designated for the PM post by president Maia Sandu, under a presidential order issued on July 30, after consultations with the parliamentary parties.




    NUCLEAR Romania and Canada Thursday signed a Memorandum of Agreement on strengthening cooperation in the civilian nuclear power field. The document was signed by Romanias minister for energy Virgil Popescu and Canada’s ambassador to Romania Annick Goulet. Attending the event, PM Florin Cîţu said the memorandum would consolidate bilateral cooperation in the field, as the Canadian partners would be involved in the Cernavoda nuclear power plant projects and in other civilian nuclear power ventures in Romania. The Canadian industry has exceptional experience in CANDU projects and has already completed CANDU upgrade and construction projects, the PM added, and voiced his satisfaction that Canadian partners are joining the US ones in developing the nuclear sector in Romania. In turn, Ambassador Annick Goulet emphasised that cooperation in the nuclear power field has been a vital element of the 55-year long relations between the 2 countries.




    FESTIVAL One of the most eagerly awaited summer festivals in Romania, Electric Castle, begins today and is scheduled to end on August 15. The opening gigs are taking place at Banffy Castle in Bonţida, and others will follow in the city of Cluj Napoca in the coming days. After a difficult period for festival goers, things are returning to normal. According to the organisers, hundreds of volunteers are helping in this years edition, as they did in previous years as well. Taking part in the 10-day event held in over 20 locations in Bonţida and Cluj are 250 artists from 23 countries.




    OLYMPICS The Romanian Cătălin Chirilă has today qualified into the semifinals of the 1,000m canoeing race in the Tokyo Olympics, after winning the first of the 5 qualifying series held at the Sea Forest Waterway base. The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday. Over the years, kayak and canoeing have brought Romania 34 Olympic medals. The last gold medal was won by Florin Popescu, currently the coach of Romanias Olympic canoeing team, and Mitică Pricop, 21 years ago in Sydney. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • August 2, 2021

    August 2, 2021

    COVID-19 The number of new Covid-19
    cases in Romania is growing. Last week, the total number of infections was almost two-thirds higher
    than in the previous week. On Monday 137 new cases were reported out of 12,600
    tests. The number of coronavirus patients in hospitals stays at over 400, with
    the number of patients in ICUs also slightly on the rise in recent days. Five
    new COVID-related deaths have also been reported. In spite of the warnings
    regarding an imminent new wave of infections, the vaccination rate dropped
    slightly last week. Romania has only now managed to get 5 million people vaccinated,
    a target originally set for early June.




    ATTACK Romania firmly condemns and describes as utterly unacceptable last Thursdays drone attack on the oil tanker Mercer Street off the coast of Oman, which killed 2 people, including the ships Romanian captain, the foreign ministry says in a news release. According to the ministry, given that information presented by Romanias international partners indicates that the attack was deliberate and was coordinated from Iran, Romania requests the Iranian authorities to provide explanations regarding the incident. Irans ambassador to Bucharest was invited to an emergency discussion at the ministry. Meanwhile, the US and UK announced they were joining Israel and preparing a quick and coordinated response. Tehran in turn denies the accusations, which it dismisses as ungrounded.




    COMMEMORATION The 2nd of August is National Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day in Romania, marked since 2020. The Romanian Foreign Ministry pays tribute to the Roma Holocaust victims and emphasizes that the suffering of the Roma in Nazi concentration camps during WWII was for a long time unknown to the general public, which helped propagate prejudice against this community. According to the final report of the International Committee Studying the Holocaust in Romania, around 11,000 Roma ethnics died, out of the nearly 25,000 deported in Transdniester, a Russian-speaking breakaway region in todays Republic of Moldova. Also, on 2 August 1944, around 3,000 Roma were killed in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. A total of 500,000 ethnic Roma were killed in Europe during the Holocaust.




    WILDFIRES Entire sections of Mediterranean and Aegean Sea resorts are being evacuated and thousands of hectares of vegetation are burning in the south of Europe, from Italy to Turkey. Firefighters have been struggling to contain the wildfires for nearly a week, but temperatures of over 42 degrees Celsius and strong wind are making the intervention particularly difficult. Eight people died in Turkey, where an entire neighbourhood in the high-end resort of Bodrum has been evacuated. In Greece as well, the north-west of the Peloponnese peninsula, near the town of Patras, is in the grips of wildfires, and so are the regions Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Lazio and Campania in Italy.




    CANOE The Romanians Cătălin Chirilă and Victor Mihalachi have today qualified into the semi-finals of the canoeing 1,000m doubles race at the Tokyo Olympics, after coming in third in the quarter-finals. Cătălin Chirilă and Victor Mihalachi won the bronze medal in this years European Championships in Poznan, while Mihalachi also won 2 world championships in this event, in 2010 and 2014. Over the years, kayaking and canoeing have brought Romania 34 Olympic medals, 10 of them gold, 10 silver and 14 bronze. However, Romanian athletes last won an Olympic medal in Sydney, 21 years ago. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • July 31, 2018 UPDATE

    July 31, 2018 UPDATE

    ADMINISTRATIVE CODE – Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, on Tuesday notified the Constitutional Court with respect to the Administrative Code. The president claims, among other things, that the law has not been adopted transparently and that deficiencies in the parliamentary procedure have been reported. The president also says that the law, in its entirety, runs counter to the Constitution and he mentions, in that respect, tens of articles included in the new Administrative Code. The document was endorsed by Parliament on July 9.In its
    turn, the Constitutional Court announced on Tuesday the president’s notification
    regarding the Administrative Code will be debated upon on September 20.



    SWINE FEVER – The situation of African
    swine fever hotbeds in Romania was the focal point on the agenda of a
    government session on Tuesday. Attending the informal meeting were several members
    of the cabinet, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed
    Arafat, as well as representatives of the National Sanitary-Veterinary
    Authority. Romanian pig farmers having lost animals because of the African
    swine fever outbreak have so far received compensations of nearly 28,000 Euros.
    The compensations are granted both for the animals slaughtered in view of
    containing the swine fever hotbeds, and for collateral damages. In order to
    prevent the disease from spreading, restrictions have been introduced in
    certain areas regarding the transport of pork products, and citizens have been
    informed of relevant prevention measures. Since the beginning of the year, 440
    African swine fever hotbeds have been identified in Romania, both in large
    farms and individual households.



    CAR POLLUTING FEE – The Romanian environment minister, Graţiela Gavrilescu, announced on Tuesday that she will come up with a new version of the car polluting fee by the end of the year. The car polluting fee was introduced in Romania in January 2007, shortly after the country joined the EU. At that time, the first car registration fee was calculated in accordance with three elements: the age of the car, the type of catalyst and the engine capacity. After the fee had been repeatedly changed, in 2013, a tax was introduced in 2013, depending exclusively on the level of exhausted fumes. Four years later, in 2017, the authorities scrapped that fee.



    WORKERS – Over the past few years Romanian companies in hospitality, catering, light industry, agriculture and constructions have hired workers from outside the EU. Most of them come from countries with living standards below those in Romania, like the Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Thailand. Romanian employers have resorted to this strategy for various reasons, including the migration of domestic workers to more developed countries in western Europe, a drop in birth rates, labour mobility requirements and the inability of the national education system to adjust to the needs of the local labour market.



    SHEEP FARMING – Romania, the 4th largest sheep and goat breeding country in the EU, last year imported mutton and lamb worth 3.5 million Euros, from countries as far away as New Zealand. According to data made public by the National Statistics Institute, last year 11.5 million sheep and goats were bred in Romania, of which some 10 million sheep. Romania exported live stock worth over 180 million Euros and sheep and goat meat amounting to more than 35 million Euros. Sheep farming relies extensively on exports, because Romanians are not regular consumers of lamb and mutton.



    ASYLUM – 900 people applied for protection from the Romanian state in the first half of the year, 55% fewer than in the corresponding period of last year. According to the General Inspectorate for Immigration, the largest number of asylum seekers come from countries like Iraq, Syria and Iran, and the largest number of applications have been submitted to the centres in Bucharest and in Timişoara (in the west). Close to 950 other people have been included in an integration programme.



    GREECE – The Greek authorities made public the latest toll of the wildfires that ravaged several towns and villages near the capital city Athens last week: 92 dead, 25 missing and 28 unidentified burnt bodies. According to Radio Romanias correspondent, 4 foreign citizens are among the victims. On Monday the PM of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, visited the villages of Mati and Rafina. An investigation is under way, looking into the causes of the tragedy. (Translated by AM Popescu and D. Vijeu)

  • July 31, 2018

    July 31, 2018

    MOTORWAY – Traffic on the 3rd and 4th segments of A10 Motorway, connecting the towns of Sebeș and Turda, in central Romania, was opened on Monday night, 4 years after the works began. The 2 segments total 27 km. The entire motorway will be around 70 km long. The costs of the project amount to roughly 40 million euros, with 75% of the amount coming from the EU under the European Regional Development Fund, and 25% from the state budget.




    SWINE FEVER – Romanian pig farmers having lost animals because of the African swine fever outbreak have so far received compensations of nearly 28,000 euros, the relevant authorities have announced. The compensations are granted both for the animals slaughtered in view of containing the swine fever hotbeds, and for collateral damages. In order to prevent the disease from spreading, restrictions have been introduced in certain areas regarding the transport of pork products, and citizens have been informed of relevant prevention measures. Since the beginning of the year, 440 African swine fever hotbeds have been identified in Romania, both in large farms and individual households.




    WORKERS – Over the past few years Romanian companies in hospitality, catering, light industry, agriculture and constructions have hired workers from outside the EU. Most of them come from countries with living standards below those in Romania, like the Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Thailand. Romanian employers have resorted to this strategy for various reasons, including the migration of domestic workers to more developed countries in western Europe, a drop in birth rates, labour mobility requirements and the inability of the national education system to adjust to the needs of the local labour market.




    SHEEP FARMING – Romania, the 4th largest sheep and goat breeding country in the EU, last year imported mutton and lamb worth 3.5 million euros, from countries as far away as New Zealand. According to data made public by the National Statistics Institute, last year 11.5 million sheep and goats were bred in Romania, of which some 10 million sheep. Romania exported live stock worth over 180 million euros and sheep and goat meat amounting to more than 35 million euros. Sheep farming relies extensively on exports, because Romanians are not regular consumers of lamb and mutton.




    GREECE – The Greek authorities made public the latest toll of the wildfires that ravaged several towns and villages near the capital city Athens last week: 92 dead, 25 missing and 28 unidentified burnt bodies. According to Radio Romanias correspondent, 4 foreign citizens are among the victims. On Monday the PM of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, visited the villages of Mati and Rafina. An investigation is under way, looking into the causes of the tragedy.




    ASYLUM – 900 people applied for protection from the Romanian state in the first half of the year, 55% fewer than in the corresponding period of last year. According to the General Inspectorate for Immigration, the largest number of asylum seekers come from countries like Iraq, Syria and Iran, and the largest number of applications have been submitted to the centres in Bucharest and in Timişoara (in the west). Close to 950 other people have been included in an integration programme.




    MIGRATION – The US president Donald Trump praised the Italian PM Giuseppe Contes firm stance on migration, during a meeting with the Italian official at the White House on Monday. Trump added that many other countries in Europe and the world should do the same. Giuseppe Conte is heading a right-wing government whose Interior Minister has taken a tough position regarding immigrants. According to the Italian government, the people rescued from the Mediterranean should no longer be brought into Italian ports.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • July 28, 2018 UPDATE

    July 28, 2018 UPDATE

    AIR SHOW – Baneasa International Airport Saturday hosted the 10th edition of the most impressive aviation event in Romania, Bucharest International Air Show & General Aviation Exhibition (BIAS). This years edition was devoted to the centennial of the Romanian nation state. Attending BIAS were 150 military and civilian aircraft, over 100 pilots and parachute jumpers from 13 countries – Romania, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Britain, Germany, USA, Greece, Austria, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Visitors were invited to watch elite demonstrations and air stunts, and to see the aircraft on display as part of the exhibition. The special guests were the aerobatics demonstration team of the Turkish Air Forces, the Turkish Stars, the only such team in the world using 8 supersonic fighter jets.




    NAVY – Three NATO military vessels are docked between July 28th and 31st at the Constanta military port at the Black Sea. After having stopped at the Burgas port in Bulgaria and Odessa in Ukraine, the Romanian dredger ‘Lt. Lupu Dinescu’, the Turkish mine sweeper ‘TCG Anamur’ and the German tender ‘FGS Rhein’ are in the third port these days, taking part in the multinational exercise BREEZE 18 in Bulgarian waters and in international Black Sea waters, as well as in joint naval exercises with Ukrainian vessels. On Sunday, the Romanian, German and Turkish ships will be open to the general public.




    JUDICIARY – Serbia denied Romanias request for the extradition of its former MP Sebastian Ghiţă. The High Court of Justice in Belgrade also ruled that Ghita was eligible for asylum. Subject to several criminal cases pending in Romania, Sebastian Ghiţă left the country in December 2016. He was apprehended in April 2017 in Belgrade, while trying to use a forged Slovenian passport, and was subsequently released on bail.




    ANTHEM DAY – National Anthem Day will be celebrated on Sunday in all military units around the country, the Romanian Defence Ministry announced. Bucharests Tricolour Square will host a religious service and an anthem related music show. July 29th was proclaimed the National Anthem Day in 1998. The current anthem is called “Wake up, ye, Romanian and was chosen after the fall of the communist regime in December 1989. The anthem is based on a patriotic poem written and published by Andrei Muresanu in 1848.




    ARMY – The Romanian Defence Ministry carries on an army equipment upgrade programme, for which over one-third of this years total defence budget will be allotted, the line minister Mihai Fifor has announced. He added that a system of anti-ship missile launchers will be purchased. “We want any major equipment upgrade project of the Romanian Army to be able to channel as much money as possible back into the national defence industry, Mihai Fifor said. For example, he added, of the 36 Piranha 5 armoured vehicles to be delivered to the Army this year, 6 will be produced at an industrial facility in Bucharest.





    GREECE – The 2 Romanian military planes, one fitted with fire-extinguishing equipment and another to provide logistic support, which were sent to wildfire-ravaged Greece this week, have completed their mission and returned to the country on Saturday. According to a news release issued by the National Defence Ministry, the planes sent to Athens on Wednesday conducted fire extinguishing missions on mainland Greece and on the island of Crete. The Romanian aircraft were serviced by around 20 military staff. Meanwhile in Athens, PM Alexis Tsipras has taken full political responsibility for the tragedy caused by the devastating fires east of Athens, which killed at least 88 people last week. Amid accusations of utter failure to protect the citizens, Alexis Tsipras promised a national plan to fight decade-long building code violations.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • The Week in Review, 22-28 July

    The Week in Review, 22-28 July

    Government presents report after 6 months in office


    The third governmental team put together by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats this week reviewed its accomplishments after the first six months in office. Higher budget revenues, increased investments and better spending of EU funds are some of the achievements presented by PM Dancila on Monday. She also mentioned the Governments measures to encourage employment and support farmers. Viorica Dancila explained that in the first 6 months of the year the state budget revenues were some 3.2 billion euros higher than in the corresponding period of last year. Doubling the salaries of healthcare personnel and a 25% increase of teaching staff incomes were also listed as “social measures. In the first 6 months in office, the Government also approved 13 strategic investment projects, 4 of which in the transport infrastructure sector. Also, 192 km of power lines were completed, which allow for inter-connection with the neighbouring Hungary and Serbia. Ludovic Orban, the president of the National Liberal Party, in opposition, criticised the activity of the government, arguing that the current Cabinet brought to a halt the economic growth of the past few years and lowered the citizens purchasing power.



    PM visits Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia


    The Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, while on an official visit this week to Podgorita, reiterated Romanias support for Montenegros EU accession efforts. The head of the Romanian Cabinet had meetings with president Milo Djukanovic and her counterpart Dusko Marcovic, as well as with the Parliament Speaker Ivan Brajovic. Mrs Dancila promised that the Western Balkans will be a key priority of the upcoming Romanian EU Council presidency and that Romania will be offering the expertise and the necessary technical assistance for the success of this process. She also congratulated Montenegro on its recent NATO accession, emphasising that Podgorica is a true friend and ally of Romania. The Romanian Prime Ministers Western Balkans tour continued with a visit to the Republic of Macedonia, the agenda of which included meetings with the head of state Gjorge Ivanov, PM Zoran Zaev and Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi. The topics approached included opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations.



    The position of chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate remains vacant


    According to an announcement of the Romanian Justice Ministry on Friday, all four candidacies for chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate have been rejected, and the selection procedure will be resumed. The press release reads that none of four met the necessary requirements. The four candidates, interviewed on Thursday, were Florentina Mirica, chief prosecutor with the Anti-corruption Service of the Directorate, Cristian Lazar, deputy chief prosecutor with the Criminal Prosecution Department of the Prosecutor Generals Office, Marius Iacob, deputy chief prosecutor with the National Anticorruption Directorate, and Elena Grecu, prosecutor chief of service with the central offices of the National Anticorruption Directorate. The position of Chief Prosecutor of the Directorate became vacant when Laura Codruta Kovesi was dismissed under a decree signed on July 9th by the countrys president, Klaus Iohannis, who thus complied with a ruling of the Constitutional Court.



    Romania supports fire-ravaged Greece


    The disaster in Greece, dubbed by many as Biblical, has sensitized the entire world, including Romanians, who have shown their willingness to help. On Wednesday, the Romanian Air Forces sent two airplanes and 20 soldiers to help the Greek authorities. The C-27 J Spartan, designed to extinguish fires, launches special cardboard boxes, each filled with 1.000 litres of water, and the other aircraft, a Hercules C-130, provides logistical support. Princess Margaret, the Custodian of the Crown of Romania and president of the Romanian Red Cross, has conveyed a message of compassion to the Greek people. Also, the Romanian Patriarchy has urged all eparchies in the country and abroad to provide financial support to those affected and has announced the opening of several bank accounts. The money will be donated to the Athens Archbishopric.



    Bad weather takes Romania in its grip again


    One person has died taken by the waters and lots of households and thousands of hectares of farming land and pastures have been damaged this week by heavy ran and flooding, affecting half of the country. Such phenomena have become quite normal this summer, which has proven rather atypical. July 2018 has been the coolest summer month in the last 34 years, with temperatures below the average and heavy precipitations reported almost every day, keeping meteorologists busy issuing one alert after another for heavy rain, storms and unstable weather across the country. Firefighters and military rescue teams have intervened to help the population deal with the damage caused by the bad weather. The Government has announced it will provide emergency aid in the areas affected by flooding and has called on local authorities to take all the necessary measures.



    Swine fever wreaks havoc


    The African swine fever virus continues to spread across Romania and cause colossal damage among local farms, amounting to hundreds of millions of Euro. Some 440 outbreaks have been reported since the beginning of the year, mostly in the county of Tulcea, in the south-east. Tens of thousands of pigs have been slaughtered, and deliveries of pork and pork meat products have been restricted. The African swine fever affects only animals, therefore it cannot hurt humans, but there is no treatment or vaccine against it.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, Mihaela Ignatescu)

  • July 28, 2018

    July 28, 2018

    AIR SHOW – Baneasa International Airport is hosting today the 10th edition of the most impressive aviation event in Romania, Bucharest International Air Show & General Aviation Exhibition (BIAS). This years edition is devoted to the centennial of the Romanian nation state. Attending BIAS are 150 military and civilian aircraft, over 100 pilots and parachute jumpers from 13 countries – Romania, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Britain, Germany, USA, Greece, Austria, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Visitors are invited to watch elite demonstrations and air stunts, and to see the aircraft on display as part of the exhibition. The special guests are the aerobatics demonstration team of the Turkish Air Forces, the Turkish Stars, the only such team in the world using 8 supersonic fighter jets.




    NAVY – Three NATO military vessels are docked between July 28th and 31st at the Constanta military port at the Black Sea. After having stopped at the Burgas port in Bulgaria and Odessa in Ukraine, the Romanian dredger ‘Lt. Lupu Dinescu’, the Turkish mine sweeper ‘TCG Anamur’ and the German tender ‘FGS Rhein’ are in the third port these days, taking part in the multinational exercise BREEZE 18 in Bulgarian waters and in international Black Sea waters, as well as in joint naval exercises with Ukrainian vessels. Tomorrow, the Romanian, German and Turkish ships will be open to the general public.




    JUDICIARY – Serbia denied Romanias request for the extradition of its former MP Sebastian Ghiţă. The High Court of Justice in Belgrade also ruled that Ghita was eligible for asylum. Subject to several criminal cases pending in Romania, Sebastian Ghiţă left the country in December 2016. He was apprehended in April 2017 in Belgrade, while trying to use a forged Slovenian passport, and was subsequently released on bail.




    GREECE – The PM of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, has taken full political responsibility for the tragedy caused by the devastating wildfires east of Athens, which killed at least 87 people this week. Amid accusations of utter failure to protect the citizens, Alexis Tsipras promised a national plan to fight decade-long building code violations. Locals and tourists in Mati, a village 40 km from the capital city, mostly comprising holiday homes, died either in cars stuck on the narrow streets of the village, or trying to reach the sea shore and escape the fire. Many houses are no longer inhabitable. On Wednesday Romania sent two airplanes to support the Greek authorities.




    MOLDOVA – The Parliament of Moldova yesterday set February 24, 2019 as the date of the next parliamentary elections. The current term in office ends on November 30, and according to the national legislation elections must be held in the following 3 months, that is by the end of February 2019. The vote will be organized in the mixed electoral system, contrary to the recommendations of the Venice Commission. Under the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, parliamentary elections are held every 4 years.




    ECLIPSE – Astronomy lovers and professionals on 4 continents last night watched the longest blood moon eclipse of the 21st Century. Across the world, millions looked up to see the Earth cast its shadow on the moon. The total eclipse lasted for 103 minutes. The spectacular event was visible in Romania as well. In Bucharest, hundreds of people, particularly youngsters and parents with young kids crowded to see the phenomenon at the Astronomical Observatory.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • July 26, 2018 UPDATE

    July 26, 2018 UPDATE

    EU PRESIDENCY Romania has finalised a calendar of the events and meetings to be held in the country and abroad during its presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2019. The announcement was made by the Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, who presented a report of his term in office so far. The calendar includes 1,400 formal meetings in Brussels and Strasbourg, and another 300 meetings in Romania. Negrescu added that the venues for these meetings have also been chosen.



    ANTI-CORRUPTION In Bucharest, the 4 candidates for the office of head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate were interviewed on Thursday by the Justice Minister Tudorel Toader. On Friday a decision will be reached on either the nomination of one candidate, or the restart of the procedure, Tudorel Toader said. The 4 candidates are prosecutor Florentina Mirică – head of the Corruption Combating Division of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, prosecutor Cristian Lazăr – deputy chief of the Prosecution Division in the General Prosecutors Office, prosecutor Marius Iacob – deputy chief of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate and prosecutor Elena Grecu – head of division in the central structure of the Directorate. The former head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate Laura Codruţa Kovesi was dismissed under an order issued on July 9 by President Klaus Iohannis, further to a ruling by the Constitutional Court of Romania.




    GREECE The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced there is no information on whether there are any Romanians among the victims of the wildfires in Greece. The latest death toll of the wildfires that recently ravaged Greece stands at 81; 200 other people have been wounded with scores still missing. The Custodian of the Crown of Romania and president of the Romanian Red Cross, Margareta, has conveyed a message to Greece in which she expressed her compassion for the fire victims at the same time pledging support from the Romanian Red Cross. In turn, the Romanian Orthodox Church has urged all its churches around the country and abroad to donate money in order to give financial support to the victims of the fires in Greece. The funds raised will be eventually donated to the Archbishopric of Athens. On Wednesday Romania dispatched two planes to the fire-affected areas: one fitted with fire-extinguishing equipment and a Hercules C-130 to provide logistic support. Sweden has also reported a series of forest fires close to the Arctic Circle where several towns have already been evacuated.




    SWINE FEVER – In Romania, the authorities are trying to contain African swine fever, with an emergency committee set up by the Agriculture Ministry to monitor the outbreak. The ministry has also informed the European Commission that it will apply for compensations for the producers who have been forced to kill their animals. Some 440 hotbeds have been identified since the beginning of the year.



    AIR POLICE Two British Typhoon fighters were launched on Thursday from the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in south-eastern Romania, because a Russian aircraft flying over the Black Sea was heading for NATO airspace. A news release issued by the British Air Force mentions that the Russian bomber was a Su-24 FENCER aircraft. In May, when they were deployed on their 4-month mission in Romania, the British fighters were also forced to respond to a Russian aircraft approaching NATO airspace. The British aircraft are in Romania on enhanced air policing missions.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • July 26, 2018

    July 26, 2018

    VISIT Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila is today continuing her Western Balkans tour with a visit to the Republic of Macedonia. The Romanian official is to have talks with president Gjorge Ivanov and her counterpart Zoran Zaev. On Wednesday she went to Montenegro where she held talks with president Milo Djukanovic and her counterpart Dusko Marcovic. Dancila has voiced conviction the authorities in Podgorica will continue to take the necessary steps towards the countrys EU accession and has pledged the Western Balkans will be a key priority of the upcoming Romanian EU presidency and that Romania will be offering the expertise and the necessary technical assistance for the success of this process.




    GREECE The Foreign Ministry in Bucharest has announced there is no information about the existence of Romanian victims among those caused by the wildfires in Greece. The latest death toll of the wildfires, that recently affected Greece, stands at 81; 200 other people have been wounded with scores still missing. The Custodian of the Crown of Romania and president of the Romanian Red Cross, Margareta, has conveyed a message to Greece in which she expressed her compassion for the fire victims at the same time pledging support from the Romanian Red Cross. In turn, the Romanian Orthodox Church has made an appeal to all its churches around the country and abroad to donate money in order to financially support the victims of the wildfires in Greece. The funds raised will be eventually donated to the Archbishopric of Athens. We recall that on Wednesday Romania dispatched two planes to the fire-affected areas: one fitted with fire-extinguishing equipment and a Hercules C-130 to provide logistic support. Sweden has also reported a series of forest fires close to the Arctic Circle where several towns have already been evacuated.




    SPORTS The Romanian mens water polo team is today taking on the similar side of France, in a fixture counting towards the 11th – 12th positions at the European Championships, underway in Spains Barcelona. Romania has participated in the last 10 editions of the European Championships, and their best position ever was a 4th place in 2006. Also today, Romanias vice-champion football side FCSB, formerly known as Steaua Bucharest, take on Slovenian contenders NK Rudar Valenje, away from home, while Viitorul Constanta, in the south-east, play a home game against Dutch challengers Vitesse Arnhem, in a match counting towards Europa Leagues second preliminary round. Romanias Cup winner CSU Craiova, in the south, play straight into the competitions third round. We recall that on Tuesday Romanias title holders CFR Cluj conceded a 1-nil home defeat to Swedish opponents Malmo FF, in the first round of Champions leagues second preliminary round. The return legs are scheduled next week.




    AGREEMENT US president Donald Trump and the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker have announced they reached an agreement over the trade relations between the United States and the European Union.The White House leader has announced his country will cooperate with the EU for increasing trade exchnges in the field of services, chemical, pharmaceutical, medical and soy products whereas the EU is expected to increase its liquefied gas imports from the USA. Jean-Claude Juncker said that he and the US leader had agreed that the EU and US would not impose any new tarrifs to each other during the talks. President Trump was considering a 25% tax on car imports, a measure that could affect European, Japanese and Korean producers.



    (translated by bill)