Tag: workers

  • Working in Romania

    Working in Romania

    27% of
    the Romanian managers are concerned with the labour shortage reported in the
    first half of the year, according to a Confidex survey conducted by Impetum
    Group. This is 16% more than the level reported at the end of lui 2022. The
    labour shortage seems to become one of the main concerns for the business
    environment, overtaking other worrying issues such as the inflation rate and
    price rises, which were a concern for almost half of the managers interviewed
    at the end of last year, the polling company said. One solution to this
    problem, according to some managers, is to integrate public sector employees in
    the private system and to import human resources from other countries. But the
    latter has proved complicated, given that Romania is not an attractive country
    for immigrant workers, so employee retention is a challenge in itself, the
    survey authors also pointed out. The Confidex survey aims to provide a clear
    image of the perceptions of business people in Romania, with more than 2,500
    entrepreneurs and company executives taking part in the 8 editions of the poll
    so far.


    The
    biggest problem facing construction companies in Romania at present has to do
    with the workforce, an IBC Focus report reads. Over 75% of the constructions
    entrepreneurs say they still struggle with labour shortages, and only 11% of
    the respondents say they have enough employees and well trained people in their
    teams. Nearly 58% of the participants in the poll said they were interested in increasing
    their personnel numbers in the coming year. Also, one in 3 constructions
    companies in Romania currently uses foreign workers, as opposed to 1 in 4
    companies last year. The authors of the poll argue that the number of companies
    adjusting to the labour market and defining procedures for employing foreign
    workers is growing, and some 20% of the construction companies in Romania are
    looking at the option of hiring foreign nationals.



    Another survey, conducted by Deloitte, indicates
    that 41% of the companies operating in Romania which say they cannot find
    enough staff are facing a shortage of skills required for the current business
    systems, which is why companies increasingly resort to so-called workforce
    eco-systems, which involve the identification and management of new types of
    human resources, such as consultants, freelancers, contractors or outsourcing, in
    addition to traditional workforce consisting of full time or part time
    employees. The Deloitte report also indicates that, for companies in Romania,
    the benefits of a workforce eco-system comprising several different types of
    human resources and managed through customized strategies and processes include
    improved financial performance for 41% of the respondents and better personnel
    retention for 29% of the respondents. Taking part in the latest edition of the Global
    Human Capital Trends report, conducted by Deloitte on a yearly basis, were
    around 10,000 respondents from 105 countries, including Romania.




    More than 4,000 foreign nationals were found
    staying in Romania illegally in the first 9 months of this year, the General
    Immigration Inspectorate announced. In January – September, the police
    conducted nearly 13,000 checks and inspections aimed at preventing and fighting
    the illegal stay and unregistered employment of foreign nationals in Romania. Local
    employment inspectorate employees also took part in these actions. Some 9,000
    fines were issued for the violation of the legal and employment status of
    foreigners, and around 3,200 people were issued return decisions. Another 1,000
    were escorted out of the country, and 960 others were taken into custody until
    their repatriation. (AMP)

  • May 31, 2023 UPDATE

    May 31, 2023 UPDATE

    EDUCATION The government’s new salary offer for teachers will be
    presented to unions in an expedited procedure, so as to allow teachers to
    decide on whether to continue the strike, the education union leaders announced
    at the end of Wednesday’s negotiations. The government proposed a monthly gross
    EUR 200 payment to teaching staff and EUR 80 for non-teaching staff in the
    sector. An emergency order will also be passed, allowing entry-level teachers
    to have a starting salary equal to the national average gross wage. The all-out
    strike in Romanian undergraduate education has reached its 10th day.


    MOLDOVA The Republic of Moldova Thursday hosts the European
    Political Community Summit, attended by 50 heads of state and government. The
    European Commission is represented by its president Ursula von der Leyen and
    the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. The most important subjects on the
    agenda of the summit are security, stability and cooperation in Europe. Also attending will be the
    president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis. On
    Tuesday, the EU Council decided to double the macro-financial aid for the
    Republic of Moldova from EUR 150 to 295 million.


    POLICE On Wednesday in Romania prison officers protested salary
    levels and the working conditions. Penitentiary police workers say they work
    extensive extra hours in order to make up for personnel shortages, and oppose
    the planned increase of retirement age in the sector. Trade union
    representatives had a meeting with the justice minister, who said the dialogue
    was constructive and promised that the rights of prison officers will be
    respected. Cătălin Predoiu added that in the following two years at most, up to
    2,000 officers will be recruited in order to fill the vacancies in the penitentiary
    system.


    CHAMPIONSHIP The 2023 World Rescue Championship takes place in
    Craiova, southern Romania, between June 1 and 4. This is the largest such event
    of the International Canine Federation, with more than 60 search and rescue
    dogs taking part, from 10 countries (Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Italy,
    Japan, Romania, Slovenia, Ukraine and the Netherlands). The world’s top 19
    teams will compete in various sections, including surface search for missing
    persons, obedience and dexterity, and search for victims in the rubble.
    Craiova is the first city in the world to have organised five World Rescue
    Championships (2009, 2016, 2021, 2022, and 2023).


    GRAIN EU agriculture ministers meeting in the AGRIFISH council have
    not managed to unblock 100 million euros worth of aid for farmers affected by
    Ukraine’s export of cheap grain. Romania is one of the five countries that may
    benefit from the aid and it stands to receive around EUR 30 million. The
    European commissioner for agriculture Ianusz Wojciechowski gave assurances that
    the aid will be unblocked and the situation monitored. He said he was not in
    favour of using the EU budget to buy Ukrainian grain to be supplied to the
    world food programme because the cost would be three times that of the cereals
    themselves. He believes the money would be better used, in the long term, to
    improve the infrastructure, for example that of Romania, and said he would have
    talks in this regard with the European commissioner for transport and
    infrastructure Adina Vălean.

    TENNIS The only Romanian
    athlete left in the Roland Garros competition, Irina Begu, Wednesday defeated
    Italy’s Sara Errani, in 2 sets, 6 – 3, 6 – 0. On Tuesday, Sorana Cirstea was
    kicked out of the competition by another Italian player, Jasmine Paolini. Also
    on Tuesday, the Canadian athlete Bianca Andreescu won against Victoria
    Azarenka (Belarus) in 3 sets. (AMP)

  • December 9, 2022

    December 9, 2022

    SCHENGEN Romania’s and Bulgaria’s bid to join the Schengen
    free-movement area may be included on the agenda of the European Council
    meeting next week, at the request of the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis,
    political sources in Bucharest said. I am convinced we will reach the
    accession of Romania and Bulgaria during this mandate and this will be my
    priority, Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, said in
    her turn. The statement comes after on Thursday at the EU Justice and Home
    Affairs Council meeting, Austria opposed Romania’s entry.


    AMBASSADOR The
    Romanian foreign ministry announced that following Austria’s veto regarding
    Romania’s Schengen accession, the country’s ambassador to Vienna, Emil
    Hurezeanu, was recalled for consultations by minister Bogdan Aurescu. The
    embassy will be headed by an interim charge d’affairs. According to diplomatic procedure,
    the decision is an indication of Romania’s firm disagreement with Austria’s
    position and also of the deterioration of current relations with that country.


    BUDGET The draft state budget
    and social security budget of Romania were passed by the government and have
    been forwarded to Parliament for discussion. The ministries set to receive more
    funding include the defence, agriculture, transport, development and education.
    Less money than this year will be earmarked for energy, judiciary and public
    healthcare. The two bills also stipulate a 10% increase in public sector
    salaries, a 12.5% increase in pension point value and an increase of the
    national minimum wage to approx. EUR 610 per month. AUR party in opposition
    already announced it would table amendments because it disagreed with the draft
    budget.


    WORKERS Another 100,000 non-EU citizens will be given access to the
    Romanian labour market next year. The figure decided by the government is
    similar to the one approved for 2022, and it is intended to cover the labour
    deficit in sectors like constructions, hospitality, protection and guard
    services, road transport and trade.


    INVESTMENTS Net investments in the Romanian economy in the 3rd
    quarter of the year reached EUR 8 bln, up 13.3% compared to the corresponding
    quarter of last year, according to unaudited data made public by the National
    Statistics Institute today. For the first 9 months of the year, the figure is
    around EUR 19 bln, up 4.5% since 2021. Major increases were reported in
    constructions and heavy industry. According to the National Statistics
    Institute, net investments are expenditure incurred with creating new fixed
    assets or with developing, upgrading and rebuilding existing ones, and with the
    transfer of ownership on existing fixed assets.


    GAUDEAMUS The 29th edition of the Gaudeamus Book Fair organised by Radio
    Romania is under way in Bucharest until Sunday. The event brings together 200
    participants and a variety of editorial products on different formats, for all
    ages and areas of interest, including music and educational games. The line-up
    features 600 different events and related projects. As a first, the fair also
    has special areas dedicated to interactive activities for young visitors. All
    stands are also available online on the gaudeamus.ro website. The fair’s
    honorary president this year is poet Ana Blandiana.


    FOOTBALL The FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar has reached the
    quarter-final stage. Two matches are scheduled for today, pitting Croatia
    against Brazil and the Netherlands against Argentina. On Saturday, Morocco
    takes on Portugal and England is facing France. (AMP)

  • May 20, 2022 UPDATE

    May 20, 2022 UPDATE

    UN At the UN Security Council in New York, Romania’s Foreign Minister,
    Bogdan Aurescu, spoke about Romania’s contribution to mitigating the effects of
    the Russian war against Ukraine, at a debate titled ‘Maintaining international
    peace and security – conflict and food security’. The Bucharest diplomacy chief
    Thursday participated, at the invitation of the American Secretary of State
    Antony Blinken, in the open debate organised by the USA, the country that is
    holding the monthly presidency of the UN Security Council. Bogdan Aurescu
    reiterated the need for a wider effort at international level to create a
    transport corridor that would include Romanian routes and ports, in order to
    facilitate Ukrainian exports to third-party destinations. At the same time, the
    Romanian minister firmly rejected the completely unfounded accusations made by
    the Russian Federation’s representative during the debate that there was an
    agreement for Ukraine to export grains to the West in exchange for
    military assistance. The head of the Romanian diplomacy also announced that
    starting with 2023 Romania will host a Regional Agro-meteorology Centre for
    Europe, approved by the World Meteorological Organisation.


    LABOUR The labour ministry in Bucharest plans to constantly monitor the
    situation of Romanian workers abroad, especially seasonal workers, who have
    sometimes been victims of exploitation. Four million Romanians are officially
    registered as working abroad, in European Union states, but the actual number would
    be close to 5 million. The labour minister Marius Budai has stated that
    Romanian seasonal workers mainly work in agriculture, constructions or in the
    meat industry, and have faced various issues related to working conditions,
    occupational health and safety, or the fact that they have not been granted
    even the minimum wage in Germany. Other issues include salary withholdings,
    dismissals with repatriation requests, non-payment of salary, non-compliance
    with labour protection regulations, non-compliance with hygiene conditions,
    improper accommodation and food.

    POLL Most Romanians perceive Russia as an enemy state, and the war in
    Ukraine is seen as a critical or important problem for the country in the
    medium and long run. These are the findings of an opinion poll conducted this
    month by the Avangarde social and behavioural research. According to the
    survey, 64% of the Romanians see Russia as an enemy state, and only 2% see it
    as a friendly country. In a ranking of friendly states, first comes the Republic
    of Moldova, followed by Germany and the US. More than half of the respondents
    also see France, the UK, Spain and Italy as friendly states, while Serbia, Hungary
    and China are seen rather as competitors. Among the problems seen as important
    for Romania in the medium and long run, the respondents mentioned climate
    change, Hungary’s investments in Transylvania, the fact that nearly half of the
    Rep. Moldova’s population are pro-Russian, the war in Ukraine, as well as the
    fact that Germany, Austria and Hungary rely on Russian natural gas.

    UKRAINE The industrial region of Donbas in Ukraine has been completely
    destroyed by the Russian forces, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky
    said. Donbas is the main target of Russian troops after being pushed back from
    the regions of Kyiv and Kharkiv. The Russian army resorts to intense shelling,
    including over towns, in an attempt to break through the Ukrainian frontline. Odessa
    has been also a preferred target of Russian bombings lately, president Zelensky
    also said. Odessa is Ukraine’s main port city and has been under Russian
    blockade since the war started, which prevents Ukraine’s exports and affects
    global food supplies and food prices. On the other hand, the last Ukrainian
    soldiers in the Azovstal plant have been ordered by Kyiv to stop defending the
    city of Mariupol, the leader of the Azov Regiment announced. After the recent
    evacuation of the civilians, including women and children, who had taken refuge
    in the plant, nearly 2,000 Ukrainian fighters surrendered to the Russian troops
    as of Monday, including wounded soldiers, according to the latest figures
    announced on Friday by the Russian defence ministry.


    G7 The members of the Group of 7 of the world’s largest advanced
    economies promised on Friday to mobilise USD 19.8 billion to support the budget
    of Ukraine, which has been struggling under the Russian invasion since February
    24. The decision was announced by the German finance minister Christian
    Lindner, after a meeting with his counterparts from the US, Japan, Britain,
    France, Italy and Canada. Germany currently holds the presidency of the G7.


    TENNIS The Romanian tennis
    player Simona Halep will face the Croatian Ana Konjuh in the first round of the
    Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament, which starts on Sunday in Paris, according
    to the draw held on Thursday night. Halep won the French Open in 2018 and was a
    finalist in 2014 and 2017. She did not attend last year’s edition due to an
    injury. Sorana Cîrstea will play against the German Tatjana Maria, Gabriela
    Ruse will face the Belgian Elise Mertens, and Irina Begu will take on the
    Italian Jasmine Paolini. Another Romanian, Ana Bogdan, will have a difficult
    mission in the match with the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. Irina Bara has also
    qualified for the tournament. On Friday, Mihaela Buzǎrnescu lost the last round
    of qualifiers to Mirjam Bjorklund of Sweden (6-1, 6-3). (AMP)

  • THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1

    THE WEEK IN REVIEW 25 April – May 1


    Vaccination, “the only way out of the pandemic


    The president of Romania Klaus Iohannis Tuesday once again called on citizens to get the COVID-19 vaccine, stating that this is the only way to end the pandemic. As many Romanians vaccinated means getting rid of restrictions and returning to normal, the head of state pointed out. In turn, PM Florin Cîţu reiterated that the government targets 5 million Romanians vaccinated by 1 June, and that as of that moment we will be able to talk in different terms about returning to normal.



    Florin Cîţu: “For us there is no other way. The only solution, if we want to go to concerts again, to have family gatherings, to go on holiday abroad or in Romania, to go to restaurants, to the cinema, to the theatre, to do everything we used to do, is for us to get the vaccine. This vaccination campaign is a campaign for life, for ourselves, for returning to normal.



    In turn, an inter-ministry committee working for Romanias return to normal as of 1 June, 2021, had a new meeting highlighting the need to gradually adjust the lifting of containment measures to each sector of the economy. The group also discussed the progressive reopening of the hospitality sector, as the vaccine rollout continues.



    Meanwhile, several drive-through vaccination centres have been opened in the country, where people can get the vaccine without previous appointments. Moreover, between 7 and 9 May an anti-COVID vaccination marathon will be organised in Bucharest, after the operation proved a success elsewhere in the country. At present around 1,000 vaccination centres are active, with a combined capacity of over 120,000 people immunised daily.



    The number of daily new COVID-19 cases has dropped across the country, and this week a number of containment measures are being lifted. The number of patients in intensive care is also dropping, and so is the number of COVID-related deaths. Of the total number of Romanians infected since the start of the pandemic, over 90% have recovered.




    Talks on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan


    The ruling coalition in Bucharest agreed on a National Recovery and Resilience Plan with projects worth 29 billion euro. The Plan will be submitted to Brussels as of 10 May, when final negotiations with the European Commission will be held. PM Florin Cîţu announced that no project will be dropped, but that the funding for some investment lines will be reduced, after Romania received comments from the EC especially concerning projects related to irrigation systems, natural gas networks and motorways.



    The prime minister said there are no problems in the negotiations with the Commission, but that Brussels asked for more details regarding Romanias plan. In turn, the minister for investments and European funding Cristian Ghinea said, discussions continue on all the components, and the European Commission has this kind of dialogue with all member countries.



    Cristian Ghinea: “We are trying to adjust to as many of the Commissions comments as possible, and we have even brough allocations in line with these comments. As for the projects that are our priorities, even if the Commission has a different opinion at this time, we will move forward with them.



    According to the Romanian official, several countries are to submit their National Plans after the end of April, the original deadline set by the Commission. Meanwhile, the vice-president of the EC Margrethe Vestager announced that she had a “constructive meeting with the Romanian minister concerning the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and said progress has been made.




    Protection for Romanian workers abroad


    At the suggestion of the labour ministry, the government passed an emergency order providing better protection for the Romanians working abroad. The order includes new obligations for recruitment agencies and for providers of relevant services, which grant additional protection to Romanian citizens.



    One provision is that mediation services for Romanians getting employment abroad should be free of charge, and that employment contracts should be provided in Romanian as well. Romanian workers are also to receive their written employment contracts before leaving the country. The labour minister Raluca Turcan also mentioned that transport companies must comply with certain requirements:



    Raluca Turcan: “When transport companies take over Romanian workers who got jobs abroad, they must be grouped together depending on the chosen job. Also, when they take over workers for a particular country, a company must drop them at the employers site.



    The order passed by the government also provides for tougher penalties for breaching the law.




    Supreme Defence Council discusses Black Sea, Afghanistan situations


    Romania will pull out its troops from Afghanistan in coordination with the other NATO members, beginning 1 May. All the 615 troops and over 80 tonnes of materials and equipment will be brought back on Romanian and NATO military aircraft, the Presidency announced at the end of Tuesdays meeting of the Supreme Defence Council. The withdrawal will be phased and spread across the forthcoming months. In the anti-terrorist mission in Afghanistan launched shortly after the 9/11attacks in the US, 27 Romanian troops lost their lives.



    In the same meeting the Supreme Defence Council also decided that Romania would continue to promote efforts to strengthen the Allied posture in the country and in the region, in a responsible manner and in line with international law. Moreover, concerned with the recent build-up of Russian troops at Ukraines eastern border, Romania is interested in solving the protracted conflicts in the Black Sea region, and the foreign ministry has presented the EU with some initiatives in this respect, the presidency also said in a news release. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • The Week in Review 21-27 June, 2020

    The Week in Review 21-27 June, 2020

    The COVID-19 epidemic in Romania


    As containment measures are gradually eased, Romania is facing a worrying increase in the number of new coronavirus infections, and authorities once again call for responsibility. PM Ludovic Orban asked public institutions to run inspections and check whether protection rules are complied with.



    Whereas in previous weeks as many as 200-300 new cases were reported every day, this week a new peak has been reached, with over 450, the highest since the state of alert was introduced 2 months ago.



    The total number of cases in Romania so far is over 25,000, with the death toll standing at nearly 1,600. A growing number of hospitals are announcing they are unable to receive further patients. To free them, the authorities have decided that coronavirus patients with mild or no symptoms will only be hospitalized for 10 days, followed by a 14-day home isolation period under medical supervision.



    Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the self-isolation, quarantine and hospitalization of COVID-19 patients cannot be imposed under a minister order. According to the judges, this would be an infringement of individual rights and freedoms, and restrictions of this kind must be regulated by law.



    This Constitutional Court ruling was prompted by an Ombudsman notification regarding the 2006 law on public healthcare reform and the Government emergency order introducing measures to prevent and contain the COVID-19 pandemic.



    Corruption


    Adrian Ionel, the general manager of Unifarm, the Romanian state-owned company that handles the procurement of medical equipment for hospitals, is under court supervision ordered by anti-corruption prosecutors. He is investigated for taking bribes in exchange for assigning a procurement contract for surgical masks and protective coveralls. Prosecutors have also found that Adrian Ionel has illegally held this position since 2016. The Unifarm director denies the accusations.



    COVID 19 infections among Romanians working in Germany


    Around 1,000 Romanian employees of the biggest meat processing plant in Germany have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to data released on Thursday by the Romanian Foreign Ministry. According to the ministry, all the quarantined individuals receive food and hygiene products, and have a dedicated telephone line with information available in Romanian as well.



    In an interview to Radio Romania, the Ambassador of Romania to Berlin, Emil Hurezeanu, explained that many issues were settled in recent months thanks to the close cooperation between German authorities and the Government of Romania, which helped improve the situation of the Romanian nationals who work in that country.



    According to the Romanian diplomat, Germany will amend its legislation on the meat processing industry, where the number of inspections will be increased, along with the fines against the employers who breach employment contracts. More importantly, subcontractors will no longer be permitted, after repeated instances of subcontractors setting abusive working and housing conditions for the workers they were recruiting in Romania.



    Floods and Climate Change


    Extreme weather wreaks havoc on Romania where the latest flooding has caused casualties and significant material damage. Meteorologists and hydrologists have issued yellow, orange and even red alerts for heavy downpours and flooding in various Romanian regions.



    Three quarters of the Romanian counties have been affected by flooding and have seen the intervention of special emergency units, who pumped out water from households and basements. Several hundred people have been evacuated and temporarily relocated by the authorities.



    According to Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, the month of June has been the rainiest in the past 60 years and that has caused severe flooding and numerous issues in a very short period of time. He has pointed out to the fact that Romania has often been affected by devastating flooding and authorities in this country must be better prepared to handle suchlike phenomena.



    President Iohannis believes that the Romanians outlook on flooding must change and that the conservation of forests and reforestation campaigns are effective solutions for fighting flooding with beneficial effects for both the environment and for the protection of river banks.



    The IMF forecast on the Romanian economy


    The International Monetary Fund has significantly reviewed down its worlds economic growth forecast this year as the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have been stronger than anticipated, the institutions latest report has shown.



    Whereas the IMF April forecast stood at a 3% decline, now the institution expects a shrinking of 4.9% this year. The IMF believes Romanias economy will shrink by 5% this year and will recover in 2121 when a 3.9% growth is expected.



    The IMF has also forecast a 10.1% unemployment rate in 2020 from only 3.9% last year. In 2021 unemployment in Romania is expected to reach 6%.



    Romanias high school graduates have taken the baccalaureate exam in special conditions


    High school graduates in Romania have this week taken their graduation exam in special conditions. Students had their temperature taken by medical personnel before being admitted to classrooms.



    Because of the Covid pandemic, which led to the suspension of courses, the exam curricula this year didnt include the subjects on the second semester of the 12th grade. Oral exams have been eliminated and students in isolation or who have been confirmed infected will be allowed to take the exam in a different session due to commence on July 6th.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, Daniel Bilt)

  • The Week in Review (17-23 May)

    The Week in Review (17-23 May)



    State of
    alert replaces 2-month long state of emergency


    The state
    of emergency imposed over the Covid-19 pandemic and which lasted two months was
    replaced in Romania by a state of alert. The minority Liberal government in
    Bucharest adopted an order in this respect that was then also passed by
    Parliament. The government now has all the legal instruments, including the
    ability to levy fines, to protect people’s health and lives, as prime minister
    Ludovic Orban put it. Among other measures, wearing a face mask is now obligatory
    in enclosed public spaces, in shops, at work and on public transport.




    Public
    gatherings, demonstrations, processions and concerts, as well groups larger
    than three persons are all banned. Out-of-town travel is only allowed for specific
    reasons and people must sign a written declaration in advance stating the destination
    and purpose of travel. Following amendments in Parliament, the legislation also
    stipulates that the government must supply the local authorities with face
    masks to be distributed to the disadvantaged persons. Under a subsequent
    government order, 2.3 million people are to receive 50 face masks each.




    How the
    population respects state of alert restrictions


    People in
    Romania welcomed the end of the state of emergency and the entering of a less
    restrictive phase. They started leaving their homes as soon as they were able
    to do so, with parks becoming overcrowded as a result. Viral images circulated
    on social media from Herastrau park in Bucharest where many young people were
    partying without respecting physical distancing and without wearing any face
    covering. Border crossing points in western Romania were also very busy, both
    for leaving and entering the country. The queues formed by the cars waiting to
    cross the borders stretched for kilometres. Religious gatherings are again
    permitted after two months in which churches held services behind closed doors.
    The first day after restrictions were eased also saw the first protest, attended
    by hundreds of people who accused the government of violating the Constitution,
    confusion in the management of the current health crisis and the economic
    situation and of giving fines abusively during the state of emergency.




    The
    Romanian economy post-pandemic


    Answering questions in the Chamber of
    Deputies, prime minister Ludovic Orban this week told MPs that his cabinet is working
    on an economic recovery plan, being reassured by the fact that Romania saw the highest
    economic growth level in the European Union in the first quarter of the year.
    The opposition believes, however, that the government’s economic policy shows a
    lack of solutions.




    A cold shower came from Brussels. In
    its economic forecast for Romania, the European Commission says that if the
    current policies are maintained, the country’s budget deficit will reach 9.2% of
    GDP this year and 11.4% next year and that economic recession is in sight. Among
    other measures, the Commission recommends supporting the economy in the form of
    liquidities, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises and
    independent workers, and expanding social protection measures. The EU Council
    has already approved a regulation to put into practice the so-called SURE
    programme by which Brussels supports the employment measures proposed by European
    governments. According to the Romanian labour minister, over 600,000 employment
    contracts had been suspended and almost 400,000 terminated in Romania by 21st
    May.




    Romanian seasonal workers abroad


    Romanian labour minister Violeta
    Alexandru had talks in Berlin with her federal counterpart Hubertus Heil and the
    German minister for food and agriculture Julia Klockner about the situation of
    the Romanian seasonal workers. Alexandru urged the latter to report the violation
    of their rights when this occurs. Minister Hubertus Heil admitted that the mass
    infection with the novel coronavirus at a number of German abattoirs employing
    Romanian workers is unacceptable and that Romanian workers must enjoy the same
    rights to social protection, security and health as the German workers. The
    Romanian and German officials signed a joint declaration of intention on expanding
    cooperation in the areas of labour and social policy.




    With the coronavirus pandemic in
    full swing, many Romanians left the country to work abroad, especially in agriculture.
    Around 30,000 people have travelled to western Europe for this purpose in the
    last two months. One of the most controversial episodes took place on the night
    of 8th of April, when some 2,000 workers left for Germany to harvest
    asparagus. When they got there, they complained about the difficult working and
    living conditions. It is still not clear if their departure was facilitated by
    the authorities or if thousands of people organised their own bus trips and
    charter flights and left, during one night, from Suceava, which was quarantined,
    to Germany. (CM)



  • Romanians in the labour market

    Romanians in the labour market

    Faced with a shortage of workforce for seasonal activities, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers as well as other employers in Western Europe look to Romania for solutions, and Romanian authorities have authorised flights taking Romanian workers to those places. The fear of infection did not prevent Romanians from taking jobs in countries like Germany or the UK, where they get better wages than they do at home.



    The Romanian minister for labour Violeta Alexandru has recently travelled to Germany to check the working conditions for Romanian seasonal workers, and she discussed their complaints about inadequate working standards and failure to receive their salaries.



    All the Romanian nationals employed at a farm in Bornheim, Germany, have received their overdue wages, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced, after they had recently complained that they had not been paid. Some of them had requested support for repatriation, and the Romanian authorities will also provide assistance to those who chose to stay and look for other jobs in Germany.



    “German farms offer decent working conditions, but certainly there are also a number of aspects that need addressing and improving. Apart from the working conditions, we have specifically requested that the Romanian nationals be provided basic health protection during this pandemic period, the Romanian labour minister Violeta Alexandru pointed out. She mentioned that employers will be bound to inform the authorities with respect to the transport, accommodation and working conditions for the Romanian workers.



    In turn, Germany intends to introduce a ban on meat processing units hiring foreign workers through intermediaries, after 100 workers, mostly Romanians, got infected with the novel coronavirus. The German authorities promised to increase the number of inspections in meat processing companies.



    Meanwhile, the Romanian Foreign Ministry via the Romanian Embassy in the Hague took action with respect to 270 Romanian nationals working for a meat processing company in Gelderland province, after 2 of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus.



    In related news, many Romanian workers are trying to return from Western European states to their home country, which is why checkpoints on Romanias western border have been overcrowded lately, and waiting times have been extremely long. In this context, in order to streamline traffic, the Border Police announced opening additional checkpoints on the Hungarian border as of Thursday.



    Back in the country, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has left 400,000 people jobless, and some sectors are working in emergency mode.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

  • May 12, 2020 UPDATE

    May 12, 2020 UPDATE

    Talks. Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis Tuesday had fresh talks with members of the government on measures to manage the Covid-19 outbreak. In a statement following the meeting, the head of state announced the measures to be introduced as of May 15. Wearing protective face masks becomes compulsory indoors, as does a distance of 1.5 m between people. Klaus Iohannis added that beauty salons, museums and shops that are not located inside shopping centres will reopen. Local authorities are urged to also reopen parks to the public. At the same time, the obligation to stay at home and to carry a written statement detailing the purpose of going out will be lifted. A written statement will only be required when leaving ones home locality. The president explained traveling outside ones home town or village will only be permitted for job-related purposes, individual sports and farm work. As for religious services, in a fist stage they can be held outdoors, with believers wearing face masks and keeping a 1.5 m distance from one another. Professional athletes may resume training under special conditions, but competitions are still suspended. Non-professional athletes may only resume individual sports and outdoor practice. The president concluded by saying that the bill regulating these measures must be endorsed immediately, and called on Parliament to do so as soon as possible.



    Motion A
    simple motion against the Romanian agriculture minister Adrian Oros, tabled by
    the Social Democrats in opposition, will be debated on Monday. The Social
    Democrat Petre Daea, former agriculture minister, argues that since the Orban
    Cabinet took power, the normal course of agriculture programmes has been hindered.
    He warns that farmers are now in a difficult position, among others because the
    authorities have either blocked or delayed some ongoing programmes. The Social
    Democrats also claim that the agriculture minister failed to take concrete
    measures with respect to the drought and the grain exports during the corona
    crisis. In response, Adrian Oros argues that the motion is proof that he has
    disrupted certain groups of interests which controlled the ministry in recent
    years.



    Workers. The minister for labour and social protection Violeta Alexandru says she will travel to Germany to look into the working conditions of Romanian workers. She made this announcement hours after being heard by Parliament on the subject of Romanian workers abroad in the context of the pandemic. The minister said people should be respected the freedom to choose the country where they wish to work. She also called on Romanian workers abroad not to accept employment without a legal contract.



    Covid-19 Romania. According to the latest toll, infections pass 15,770 in Romania and over 1,000 people have died. Almost 7,700 people have recovered. The highest number of cases was recorded in Suceava, in the north-east, and in the capital Bucharest. Among the Romanians living abroad, more than 2,800 have been infected and 102 have died.



    Covid-19 world. The European Commission has forwarded to Member States a roadmap for the gradual lifting of COVID-19 containment measures. The document focuses on monitoring the pandemic. The lifting of restrictions on citizens freedom of movement should be proportionate and non-discriminating, the Commission warns, after several member countries initiated bilateral talks on border crossing provisions. Quarantine measures are to be regulated by national authorities, but the roadmap stipulates that such measures must be taken, maintained or lifted based on scientific and epidemiological criteria and in keeping with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control guidelines. The roadmap also requires countries to provide statistics on the coronavirus outbreak at national and regional level. According to the latest data, infections worldwide pass 4.2 million, while the death toll rose to 287,000. In the United States, which is the worst hit country in the world, the death toll hit 107,000. In Europe, the UK is the worst hit country, with over 32,000 deaths, followed by Italy (over 30,000) and Spain (over 26,000).


    (translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu, CM)

  • 12 May, 2020

    12 May, 2020

    Talks. Romania’s president Klaus
    Iohannis is having fresh talks with members of the government on measures to
    manage the Covid-19 outbreak. Also today, prime minister Ludovic Orban attended
    a meeting of the Three-party National Council for Social Dialogue and the Inter-institutional
    Working Group to assess the economic, financial and budgetary impact of the
    pandemic on Romania. Last night, the prime minister told a private TV station that
    the government is working on a programme for economic recovery whose main
    pillar will be public investment, in particular transport infrastructure,
    energy, healthcare, communications and education. He said new programmes to
    support businesses would be announced. Referring to the reopening of air
    travel, he said a decision would be taken at European level.




    Bill. The Senate is today debating a
    bill proposed by the government on the conditions of the state of alert, which
    comes into effect on 15th May, when the state of emergency ends.
    Under the new bill, people will be obliged to wear face masks in shops, at work
    and on public transport. Shopping centres will only be allowed to sell food and
    drinks for takeout. The authorities will also be able to cap the price of
    medicines, protection equipment and disinfectant. Additionally, the bill
    provides that staff may be hired without competition for a period of six
    months, depending on the needs to prevent and combat the pandemic. Members of
    the Social Democratic Party in opposition have again criticised the government
    and accused it poor management of the pandemic crisis. The Senate is the first
    Parliament chamber to debate the bill.


    Workers. The minister for labour and social
    protection Violeta Alexandru says she will travel to Germany to look into the
    working conditions of Romanian workers. She made this announcement hours after
    being heard by Parliament on the subject of Romanian workers abroad in the
    context of the pandemic. The minister said people should be respected the
    freedom to choose the country where they wish to work. She also called on
    Romanian workers abroad not to accept employment without a legal contract.




    Covid-19 Romania. According to the latest
    toll, infections pass 15,700 in Romania and 991 people have died. Almost 7,700
    people have recovered. The highest number of cases was recorded in Suceava, in
    the north-east and in the capital Bucharest. Among the Romanians living abroad,
    more than 2,800 have been infected and 102 have died.




    Covid-19 world. EU health ministers
    are holding a video conference today to discuss the impact of the Covid-19
    pandemic on the access to medicine. Talks will focus on ways to prevent
    shortages and ensure availability of drugs. Infections worldwide pass 4.2
    million, while the death toll rose to 287,000. In the United States, which is the
    worst hit country in the world, the death toll hit 80,000 on Monday. In Europe,
    the UK is the worst hit country, with over 32,000 deaths. Russia, where
    infections pass 221,000, has the third largest number of cases after the US and
    Spain. Despite this, Russia is beginning to ease restrictions today and a
    programme of economic assistance is being implemented. France, where the
    lockdown was partially lifted, has reported new infections in areas which so
    far have seen few cases. (CM)

  • The Week in Review (12-18 April 2020)

    The Week in Review (12-18 April 2020)


    State of
    emergency is extended by another month


    Romania’s
    president Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday issued a decree to extend by another thirty
    days the state of emergency declared as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, which
    has caused the death of over 400 people in Romania so far. Current restrictions
    remain in place, said the president, because this is not the time to let our
    guard down. He said there was no sign the pandemic was slowing and that the danger
    had not passed. The president listed the main measures contained in the decree:




    Schools will stay closed and all teaching activities involving
    a physical presence in schools are suspended, with as much teaching as possible
    to take place online. The decree I have issued also stipulates that the
    government will take all necessary measures to ensure food security for the
    population by continuing to ensure supplies needed in the production,
    processing, transport and distribution to the population of essential goods. The
    price of medicines and medical equipment, essential goods and public utility
    services such as electricity and thermal energy, gas, water supply, sanitation
    and fuel supply may be capped during the state of emergency.




    The presidential decree also explicitly states the
    possibility that the management of public sanitary institutions may be taken
    over by employees of defence and national security institutions. The decree was
    debated and voted on by Parliament on Thursday in an online session, following the
    approval of parliamentary specialist committees a day earlier. Under the Constitution,
    the state of emergency may be extended as often as needed, but only with the approval
    of Parliament, which must vote on any extension within five days of its
    publication in the Official Gazette.




    Government makes first budget adjustment this year


    The government has made its first budget adjustment
    this year, taking into account the new economic data in the context of the
    crisis triggered by the coronavirus outbreak, namely a deficit of 6.7% and a
    reduction in the size of the economy of 1.9%. The largest amount of funds was channelled
    to the labour ministry and the health ministry to cover medical leave, technical
    unemployment in the private sector and other types of allowances. Other
    beneficiaries of additional funds are the ministries of finance, home affairs,
    transports, agriculture and public works.




    The authorities say the technical unemployment scheme
    will also cover some categories of self-employed persons. The budget adjustment
    also aims to support small and medium sized businesses, severely hit by the
    coronavirus crisis. A mechanism has also been put in place allowing these
    businesses to contract state-guaranteed bank loans to finance working capital and
    investments with 100% subsidised interest rates and no commission.




    Romanian economy to shrink by 5% this year, according to International Monetary Fund forecast




    The Romanian economy is projected to shrink by 5% this
    year, according to the International Monetary Fund. This is a significant fall considering
    that the Fund’s previous forecast estimated a growth rate of 3.5%. International
    experts expect the Romanian economy to recover next year, when a growth rate of
    3.9% is projected. The Fund’s latest forecast is much more pessimistic than that
    of the World Bank, which last week estimated that Romania would see its economy
    shrink by 0.3% this year.




    The latest forecast by the International Monetary Fund
    also points to a dramatic rise in unemployment in Romania, from 3.9% last year
    to 10.1% this year, before decreasing to 6% next year. The Fund has also
    revised its estimates for Romania’s current account deficit for this year to
    5.5% of GDP, up from 5.2% last autumn. The International Monetary Fund also forecasts
    that the world economy will shrink by 3% this year, indicating a much more
    serious decline than that seen during the financial crisis of 2008-2009.




    Transport ministry
    regulates movement of seasonal workers


    Romania has imposed
    a series of conditions that must be respected by its citizens who travel abroad
    for seasonal work, especially to Europe, which is severely hit by the coronavirus
    outbreak. The new regulations are part of an order issued by the transport ministry
    and stipulate that charter flights carrying Romanian seasonal workers must depart
    at within a minimum of four hours of each other. The new order also obliges
    recruitment agencies to provide workers with protective equipment, face masks
    and gloves and to organise the workers’ transport only after receiving approval
    from the departure airport. Moreover, recruitment agencies must assign a staff
    member to airports to provide assistance to passengers, including in cases
    where the flight is delayed or cancelled.




    The new regulation
    is intended to prevent the occurrence of irregularities such as those seen last
    weekend at the airport in Cluj Napoca, in the north-western part of the country,
    when almost 1,500 seasonal workers were crowded in front of the airport, in breach
    of the physical distancing rules introduced by the military decrees issued in
    the context of the coronavirus pandemic. (CM)



  • 10 April, 2020

    10 April, 2020

    Romania coronavirus. 265 new coronavirus cases were reported in Romania
    today, with the total number nearing 5,500. 257 people have died and 729 have
    recovered. Health minister Nelu Tataru earlier told a TV station that the
    authorities are expecting a peak of between 10,000 and 12,000 coronavirus cases
    in Romania, but that the figure may change depending on developments in the
    next two weeks, which he says are going to be difficult. Among the Romanians
    living abroad, 651 infection cases have been reported, of which 400 in Italy
    alone, and 37 deaths.




    World. Global coronavirus cases pass
    1.6 million, while fatalities go up to around 96,000. In the US, where the
    outbreak is spreading at the fastest pace, 19 drugs and treatments for Covid-19
    are currently under trial, while 26 others are about to go on trial, president
    Donald Trump told a press conference. More than 1,700 fatalities were reported
    in the US in the last 24 hours, with the total death toll passing 16,000, the
    second largest in the world after Italy. Europe is the worst hit continent so
    far, particularly Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the UK. The Spanish
    Parliament on Thursday night approved the extension of the state of emergency
    until 26th April. In the UK, prime minister Boris Johnson has left
    the intensive care unit.






    Decree. A new military decree has been issued in Romania, where a state
    of emergency is in place, banning the export of a number of products such as
    wheat, barley, oats, corn, wheat flour, sunflower oil, sugar and bakery
    products. The decree also allows produce markets to stay open for the duration
    of the state of emergency, given the upcoming Catholic Easter this weekend and the
    Orthodox Easter next weekend. In the run-up to the Easter holidays, shops are
    also allowed to extend their opening hours. Interior minister Marcel Vela, who
    presented the new decree, used the opportunity to again call on the population
    to respect social distancing guidelines and on the Romanians living abroad not
    to travel to Romania for the Easter holidays.




    Rescue package. EU finance ministers have agreed on an emergency rescue
    package for the member states worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Over 500
    billion euros are made available to help workers, businesses and governments.
    The agreement was reached after talks in Brussels, which press agencies say were
    made difficult by the divisions between the northern nations, especially the
    Dutch, and the countries in the south of Europe, which were worst hit by the
    outbreak and whose economies are more fragile. Italy and Spain have called for
    access to funds that they can spend as they see fit, while the Dutch insisted
    on strict conditions. A compromise was reached in the end, with the emergency
    package also making available a consolidated credit line of 240 billion euros,
    with countries being able to borrow up to 2% of their GDPs.




    Workers. Romanian prime minister Ludovic Orban told the public TV
    station that between 80,000 and 90,000 Romanian nationals may travel abroad for
    work in the coming period. He explained these are employment contracts agreed
    between Romanian citizens and foreign companies, such as from Germany, Italy,
    Spain, Austria and the Netherlands, especially in the farming sector. Orban
    criticised, however, the manager of the Cluj Napoca airport, in the north-west
    of the country, who did not inform the authorities about the departure of 2,000
    seasonal workers to Germany on Thursday, which led to chaos on the airport and
    infringement of coronavirus restrictions. Flights due to leave today from Iasi,
    in the east of the country, and supposed to take 400 Romanian workers to
    Germany, have been cancelled. The measure was taken in keeping with a military
    decree banning assemblies in public spaces. The airport management had
    previously asked the security forces to help enforce social distancing rules to
    prevent a situation like that in Cluj.




    Inflation. The annual inflation rate in Romania stayed at 3% in March,
    while the prices of food products grew by 5.11%, that of services by 3.8% and
    that of non-food products by 1.39%, according to a report by the National
    Institute for Statistics. The National Bank forecasts an inflation rate of 3%
    for the whole year. (Tr.: CM)



  • December 20, 2019

    December 20, 2019

    COMMEMORATION In Timişoara (western Romania), events devoted to the December 1989 anti-communist uprising continue today. A commemorative plaque offered by the US president was put up at the former military unit in Freedom Square. Sirens sounded at noon, to mark the day when Timisoara became the first Romanian city free from communism. Near Bucharest, a group of descendants of Revolution heroes, who are marching to the capital city, took part in a religious ceremony in the village of Popeşti-Leordeni, where the ashes of the revolutionaries shot in Timişoara and cremated in Bucharest had been disposed of, 30 years ago. On Thursday the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the commemoration of the Romanian Revolution, paying tribute to the heroes that sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. The European Parliament also requests the Romanian government to step up efforts to find out the truth about those events. EU institutions and national parliaments are urged to do everything in their power to ensure that the crimes committed by the communist regimes will never be repeated.




    PRESIDENCY President Klaus Iohannis will be sworn in on Saturday before the joint chambers of Parliament. Presenting a report on his first term in office yesterday, Klaus Iohannis said the past 5 years had seen major challenges, perhaps the most serious of which was for Romania to divert from its Western democratic path. In terms of foreign policy, the president mentioned that he had focused on strengthening Romanias role as a EU and NATO member and on extending and reinforcing the strategic partnership with the US. Domestically, Klaus Iohannis added, his priorities were to ensure the proper functioning of public authorities. He reiterated that during the past 3 years, under successive Social Democratic governments, attempts were made at hijacking the government and weakening the state by means of undermining the judiciary, and that he made use of all constitutional mechanisms in order to counter these undemocratic forces.




    GOVERNMENT The Liberal PM Ludovic Orban reiterated for Radio Romania that requesting Parliaments confidence is the only way for the 2020 state budget bill to be endorsed by December 31st. The PM also promised that public sector salaries will be raised next year and presented a number of economic decisions. Orban has also announced that the government has frozen allowances for senior civil servants, decided that public sector salaries and pensions can no longer be received concurrently by the same individual, and that subsidies for political parties have been cut by 30%. Orban promised that infrastructure investments will be increased next year. On Monday the Government is seeking a vote of confidence in Parliament for the state budget and social security budget bills, as well as for a bill amending the Government Emergency Order no. 114.




    HEARINGS The former Romanian interior minister Carmen Dan is being heard today as a witness by the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism, in an investigation into the gendarme intervention during the August 10, 2018 protest of the Romanian diaspora in Bucharest. The investigation was taken over by the Directorate from the Military Prosecutors Office Division. Senior gendarme officers are being probed into. On August 10, tens of thousands of people, including Romanians living abroad, gathered in Bucharests Victoria Square to demand the resignation of Viorica Dăncilăs Cabinet. People were disgruntled with the Social Democrats repeated attacks against the justice system, and with the dismissal of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate chief Laura Codruța Kovesi.




    WORKERS The Government of Romania decided that the limit for foreign workers in 2020 stay at 30,000 people, as it was in 2019, the PMs chief of staff Ionel Dancă announced on Friday. The decision took into account Romanias economic growth potential, the workforce demand in certain sectors or professions, which cannot be covered by Romanian workers, as well as the need to prevent situations where foreigners work in Romania illegally. Romania is facing a labour shortage as large numbers of its citizens have sought employment in other EU member states.




    BREXIT In London, the House of Commons is discussing today the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill. According to Radio Romanias correspondent in London, the Brexit deal will include a provision prohibiting a further extension of the transition period beyond the end of 2020. On Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II read out in Parliament the legislative priorities of Boris Johnsons Cabinet, which include the UK leaving the EU on January 31, higher investments in healthcare and the implementation of a new immigration system.


    (translated by: Ana-Maria 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)