Radio România Internațional

Tag: world news

  • March 31, 2015 UPDATE

    March 31, 2015 UPDATE

    PRESIDENCY – One hundred days after taking office, the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis reviewed his main achievements. In a press conference held at Cotroceni Palace, the head of state said he tried to be a mediator and a supportive president, and that after many years he managed to broker dialogue between political parties and civil society. He mentioned that in the forthcoming period he will continue to have political meetings, based on Romania’s partnership with the USA, and its EU and NATO membership. The President also said he will visit Romanian communities living abroad and that he wants a Romania to which the Romanians in the diaspora would like to return. Klaus Iohannis added that in his first 100 days in office, Romania has started to regain international respect and credibility. In a Facebook post, the President of Romania also mentioned that in all meetings with the EU leaders, he will support Romania’s Schengen accession, because a two-speed Europe is unacceptable and because Romania is as entitled to prosperity as any other EU country.



    NATO – The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, received on Tuesday in Bucharest general Philip M. Breedlove, with whom he discussed, among other things, the unstable situation in Ukraine, Romania’s contribution to mission Resolute Support in Afghanistan, the stage of preparations for the NATO command centre and the multi-national command in Romania. Previously, during a briefing with the Romanian Defence Minister, Mircea Dusa, general Breedlove announced that a decision on whether Romania would host heavy NATO equipment will be made very soon. The supreme allied commander in Europe also had a meeting with PM Victor Ponta.



    PARLIAMENT – A specialised Senate committee has brought the Senate rules of order in line with the Constitution, as regards the lifting of MP immunity; this can be done on the majority vote of the MPs attending the meeting, and not the majority of all members of the Chamber. The amendment is expected to be discussed by the Standing Bureau. This decision comes after the Constitutional Court is to pass a ruling on April 8 on the lifting of Senator Dan Sova’s immunity, in a corruption investigation. Last week the Senate blamed lack of quorum, for failing to make a decision in this respect.



    ECONOMY – The National Bank of Romania Tuesday decided to reduce the key interest rate to an all-time low of 2% per year, starting on April 1. According to the central bank, the annual inflation rate remains below the target market. Most monthly indicators for the first months of this year, particularly those regarding retail and consumer confidence, suggest that the economic growth trend will strengthen in the forthcoming period, reads a news release issued by the central bank.



    IS – At least 30 people, including women and children, were executed by IS jihadists in an attack on a village in Hama, central Syria. On March 20, more than 80 Syrian troops were killed in ISIS attacks in the same region. The Islamic State, a radical group known for its brutality, controls large parts of Syria and Iraq, where they execute people accused of breaking the laws of Islam.

  • February 28, 2015 UPDATE

    February 28, 2015 UPDATE

    RUSSIA – The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, said on Saturday, the day after the killing of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, that everything would be done to bring to justice the perpetrators of this cowardly and cinnical murder, France Presse reports. Previously, Kremlin presented Nemtsov’s murder as “a provocation.” A constant critic of the Putin regime, Boris Nemtsov, 55, a former Liberal deputy Prime Minister, was shot dead on Friday night, near Kremlin. The international community condemned the killing and called for a prompt and impartial investigation. A commemoration rally will be held on Sunday in Moscow. Nemtsov was shot hours after he had called, during a radio broadcast debate, for a protest march on Sunday against President Vladimir Putin and his support for the pro-Russian secessionists in Ukraine.



    POLITICS – The National Liberal Party, the largest right-of-centre party in Romania, in opposition, Saturday invited the other political parties, except for the Social Democrats in power, to support the Liberal governing programme and create a new parliamentary majority. The Liberal senior vice-president Catalin Predoiu said the governing programme is based on the platform with which the party’s former leader Klaus Iohannis won the presidential elections in November, and focuses on education, healthcare, culture and restarting the country’s economy. According to Predoiu, the country can be changed for the better through a partnership between the Government and society, the business, academic and cultural communities, as well as a partnership between the Government and the Romanians living abroad.



    DIASPORA – A Romanian governmental delegation headed by the minister for the Romanian diaspora, Angel Talvar, discussed on Saturday with the authorities in Sicily and members of the Romanian community on this southern Italian island, which totals around 40,000 people. Minister Talvar said he insisted on the problems in the labour market notified recently, including labour conflicts, exploitation, illegal employment. The Romanian delegation is on an official visit to Italy, which hosts nearly one million Romanians, the largest community of the Romanian diaspora.



    SPORTS – Romania’s national rugby team was defeated on Saturday, away from home, by Russia, 13-16, in the third round of the Rugby Europe Championship. The Romanians had already defeated Portugal, 37-10, away from home, and Spain, 29-8, at home. The European competititon for second and third-tier rugby nations, also dubbed Six Nations B, the Rugby Europe Championship also includes Germany and Georgia, which Romania is to face in March. According to experts, the competition is an excellent training stage for this autumn’s World Cup.

  • February 28, 2015

    February 28, 2015

    PRESIDENCY – President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday that Romania’s role in the context of the tensions at the EU’s eastern border is to act as a model of stability and wise political thinking. The head of state posted a Facebook comment saying the solutions for peace and prosperity can only be built together by the East and the West. This week Iohannis made a visit to the Republic of Moldova, where he had meetings with members of the pro-Western government, and in March he will travel to Ukraine, the other ex-Soviet republic neighbouring Romania, where authorities support European integration.



    JUDICIARY – An efficient mechanism to recover the damages further to final court rulings is a priority for the Romanian Justice Ministry, says minister Robert Cazanciuc. He added that in a month’s time a specialised structure will be set up, with French support, to assist magistrates in seizing assets and selling the proceeds from criminal activities. Last week, at the release of the annual report of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, president Klaus Iohannis said it was unacceptable that the state only recovers 10% of the damages awarded by courts. On the same occasion, the head of the Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi, said that final rulings in trials brought by the Directorate in 2014 included the recovery of over 310 million euros in proceeds from crime. This amount, if actually cashed by the state, would cover the salaries of all doctors in the public healthcare system for one year, Ms Kovesi added.



    ANTI-CORRUPTION – All the companies having contracts with the Romanian Ministry for Regional Development between 2009 and 2012 paid an illegal commission of 10%, through an entire corruption system coordinated and controlled by former minister Elena Udrea, according to the grounds of the decision to place Udrea under arrest pending trial, made public by the Supreme Court in Bucharest. According to the same document, people close to Elena Udrea, also indicted in this case, said that part of the money went either to her, or to other individuals, and was used to fund the Liberal Democratic Party, in power at that time. Anti-corruption prosecutors have seized some assets belonging to Elena Udrea. An aide to former president Traian Basescu and quite influential during his ten-year term in office, Udrea is one of the highest-level Romanian politicians subject to corruption investigations.



    ILLEGAL MIGRANTS – A fishing boat carrying 70 illegal migrants, mostly from Syria and Iraq, was captured Friday night in the Romanian Black Sea waters, by a Coast Guard vessel. The fishing boat was in danger, because of a violent storm. On board were 20 women and 7 children, including a five-month baby. According to the police, the fishing boat came from Turkey and was sailing under Romanian colours to deceive the authorities. They were hoping to get close enough to the shore to allow the fugitives to land. Over the past two years, authorities have reported 10 attempts by compact groups of illegal Middle East migrants to enter Romania on board vessels having departed from Turkish ports.



    RUSSIA – The international community condemns the murder of Russian former deputy PM and outspoken opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, on Friday night. The US president Barack Obama called on Moscow to conduct a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation and to bring to justice the perpetrators of what he called “a brutal murder.” In turn, the president of France, François Hollande, harshly condemned the killing of Nemtsov, whom he described as a brave and staunch supporter of democracy. Shot dead near Kremlin, Nemtsov (55) was one of the leaders of the unprecedented movement opposing Vladimir Putin’s presidential election campaign three years ago. He was detained several times during the protests. A symbol of the young post-Soviet reformers of the ‘90s, Nemtsov rose to fame during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin. Fellow opposition politicians say that he had been working on a report on the involvement of Russian troops in the secessionist conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and that he had recently said he feared Putin would have him killed. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Moscow, Kremlin said the killing of Nemtsov could have been a “provocation” aimed at destabilising the country.



    SPORTS – Romania’s national rugby team plays today, away from home, against Russia, in the third round of the Rugby Europe Championship. The Romanians have so far defeated Portugal, 37-10, away from home, and Spain, 29-8, at home, and are the leaders of the competition, with 10 points. The European competititon for second and third-tier rugby nations, also dubbed Six Nations B, the Rugby Europe Championship also includes Germany and Georgia, which Romania is to face in March. According to experts, the competition is an excellent training stage for this autumn’s World Cup.

  • February 18, 2015

    February 18, 2015

    CORRUPTION PROBE – Romanian prosecutors this morning arrested PM Victor Ponta’s brother-in-law, Iulian Hertanu, in an inquiry into the misappropriation of European funds. He is facing charges of establishment of an organised crime group, fraud involving European funds and tax evasion. Also subject to legal restrictions in this inquiry are MPs Sebastian Ghiţă and Vlad Cosma, and the chairman of the Prahova County Council Mircea Cosma. Mircea and Vlad Cosma are probed into, among others, for supporting an organised crime group, whereas Sebastian Ghita, the owner of a television station and having close ties with PM Victor Ponta, is accused of misuse of authority and influence peddling. According to judicial sources, the estimated losses to the state in this case are around 1.7 million euro, plus another 555 thousand euros from tax evasion.



    PARLIAMENT – In Bucharest, the Chamber of Deputies in discussing today a simple motion tabled by the National Liberal Party in opposition against Labour Minister Rovana Plumb. The Liberals call for scrapping the provisions in an emergency order dismantling Employment Inspectorates. In their opinion, this measure encourages tax frauds and turns the Social Inspection and Payment Agency into subsidiaries of the ruling Social Democratic Party. In reply, the Social Democrats argue that the government does not dismantle the Employment Inspectorate, but merges two institutions in order to have one efficient entity that would actually better prevent fraud. The Liberals and trade union federations called on the Ombudsman to notify the Constitutional Court with respect to this government order.



    GREECE – European Central Bank officials are meeting today to decide whether to maintain emergency lending to Greek banks that are bleeding deposits at a rate of hundreds of millions of euros a day. The outflow level is rising after Greece once again rejected the six-month extension of the current austerity package, as requested by international creditors during the talks with the Eurogroup. Athens suggested the replacement of the EU bailout plan with a new loan, which, it says, would give it the necessary time to find a solution to its debt crisis. Eurozone countries dismissed the option and gave Greece until Friday to decide whether it will carry on with the current programme. Experts warn that without a new deal, Greece, which cannot borrow from the international market because of the high interests, risks defaulting and exiting the Eurozone. The Greek debt stands at about 315 billion euros, accounting for close to 175% of its GDP.



    UKRAINE – Ukrainian troops have today withdrawn from the besieged town of Debaltseve, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced. In Debaltseve, a railway hub that connects the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, both controlled by the separatists, heavy fighting has been reported for the past three days, in spite of the ceasefire agreement signed in Minsk. News agencies report that, in other parts of the eastern Ukraine front, the secessionists have started to pull back heavy guns to the areas agreed on under the Minsk truce. The EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, criticised the separatists’ breach of the truce, and warned that the EU was ready to take steps if fighting continues. Since the conflict broke out 10 months ago, over 5,600 people, mostly civilians, have died in Ukraine.



    BUDAPEST – The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, mentioned a possible restart of the South Stream project, during the talks held in Budapest on Tuesday with the Hungarian PM Viktor Orban. Putin said Russia might have a new pipeline built under the Black Sea to Bulgaria, unless hindered by the EU. The talks between the two officials focused on the crisis in Ukraine and energy security. A number of agreements were also signed during the meeting, including in the natural gas sector. Around 2,000 people protested in Budapest against Putin’s visit, criticising the cementing of ties between Hungary and Russia. In power since 2010, Viktor Orban continues to affirm his commitment to NATO and the EU, but his foreign policy promotes openness to the East.



    MOLDOVA – The Parliament in Chisinau convenes today to vote on a new cabinet headed by the businessman Chiril Gaburici, after last week the team proposed by the outgoing PM Iurie Leanca failed to get Parliament’s approval. Although pro-European parties got 55 out of the 101 seats in Parliament, in the elections held in November, they failed to create a majority. Two of them, the Democratic Party and the Liberal Democrats, have set up a coalition that only controls 42 seats in Parliament, but for the new government to be endorsed they need at least 51 votes. The election of the new government in Chisinau takes place in the context of a depreciating national currency and rising prices. Parliament has to endorse a government by March the 9th, otherwise it will be dissolved.

  • February 13, 2014 UPDATE

    February 13, 2014 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu was received on Friday in Tbilisi by the president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili. During the talks, Aurescu expressed Romania’s interest in strengthening the bilateral cooperation in all sectors of common interest, as well as the support of Bucharest for Georgia’s efforts towards EU and NATO integration. The Romanian foreign minister also had a meeting with PM Irakli Garibashvili. The two discussed topics related to the broadening the Romanian-Georgian economic cooperation. Bogdan Aurescu reiterated the importance of implementing joint projects in the energy sector, via the Azerbaijan – Georgia – Romania – Hungary liquefied gas inter-connector (AGRI), and in the transportation sector, through the Black Sea — Caspian Sea freight transport project. The Romanian official also expressed support for the implementation of the EU — Georgia Association Agreement, ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit due in Riga, on May 21st and 22nd.



    ECONOMY – In Romania in 2014 the GDP went up 2.9% against 2013, according to data published on Friday by the National Statistics Institute. In the last quarter of 2014, the GDP was 0.5% higher compared to the third. The IMF recently indicated that the Romanian economy would go up 2.7% this year. INS data shows that annual inflation in Romania went down to an all-time low of 0.41% in January 2015, after reaching 0.83% at the end of last year. On the other hand, foreign direct investments in Romania totalled 2.4 billion euro in 2014, down from 2.7 billion in 2013, the National Bank of Romania announced.



    MOLDOVA — The president of the Republic of Moldova Nicolae Timofti launched consultations with the parliamentary parties on Friday, in view of nominating a new candidate for the prime minister post. On Thursday the candidate nominated by the minority coalition of Liberal Democrats and Democrats, Iurie Leanca, and his new cabinet, were turned down by Parliament.



    YEMEN – Germany and Italy announced on Friday they would temporarily close down their embassies in Yemen and repatriate the staff, because of the violence in that country. Saudi Arabia also suspended diplomatic operations in Sanaa, whereas the USA, Britain and France have already closed down their embassies in Yemen because of the growing insecurity in the country, after the Shiite Muslim militias known as Houthi took power last week. Backed by Iran, the Shiite militias, whose stronghold is in the north of the country, entered the capital city Sanaa in September, and since then they have seized many governmental buildings, forcing the government to step down. In parallel, they broadened their influence towards the centre of the country, after clashes with local Sunni tribes and Al-Qaida fighters.



    PAKISTAN – At least 19 people were killed and scores of others wounded on Friday in north-western Pakistan, after suicide attackers blew themselves up in a Shiite mosque in Peshawar. Hundreds of people were praying in the building at that time. According to the police, four militants stormed the mosque and opened fire before detonating the bombs. This second attack on a Shiite mosque in the past two weeks was claimed by Pakistani Taliban.

  • February 13, 2014 UPDATE

    February 13, 2014 UPDATE

    DIPLOMACY – The Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu was received on Friday in Tbilisi by the president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili. During the talks, Aurescu expressed Romania’s interest in strengthening the bilateral cooperation in all sectors of common interest, as well as the support of Bucharest for Georgia’s efforts towards EU and NATO integration. The Romanian foreign minister also had a meeting with PM Irakli Garibashvili. The two discussed topics related to the broadening the Romanian-Georgian economic cooperation. Bogdan Aurescu reiterated the importance of implementing joint projects in the energy sector, via the Azerbaijan – Georgia – Romania – Hungary liquefied gas inter-connector (AGRI), and in the transportation sector, through the Black Sea — Caspian Sea freight transport project. The Romanian official also expressed support for the implementation of the EU — Georgia Association Agreement, ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit due in Riga, on May 21st and 22nd.



    ECONOMY – In Romania in 2014 the GDP went up 2.9% against 2013, according to data published on Friday by the National Statistics Institute. In the last quarter of 2014, the GDP was 0.5% higher compared to the third. The IMF recently indicated that the Romanian economy would go up 2.7% this year. INS data shows that annual inflation in Romania went down to an all-time low of 0.41% in January 2015, after reaching 0.83% at the end of last year. On the other hand, foreign direct investments in Romania totalled 2.4 billion euro in 2014, down from 2.7 billion in 2013, the National Bank of Romania announced.



    MOLDOVA — The president of the Republic of Moldova Nicolae Timofti launched consultations with the parliamentary parties on Friday, in view of nominating a new candidate for the prime minister post. On Thursday the candidate nominated by the minority coalition of Liberal Democrats and Democrats, Iurie Leanca, and his new cabinet, were turned down by Parliament.



    YEMEN – Germany and Italy announced on Friday they would temporarily close down their embassies in Yemen and repatriate the staff, because of the violence in that country. Saudi Arabia also suspended diplomatic operations in Sanaa, whereas the USA, Britain and France have already closed down their embassies in Yemen because of the growing insecurity in the country, after the Shiite Muslim militias known as Houthi took power last week. Backed by Iran, the Shiite militias, whose stronghold is in the north of the country, entered the capital city Sanaa in September, and since then they have seized many governmental buildings, forcing the government to step down. In parallel, they broadened their influence towards the centre of the country, after clashes with local Sunni tribes and Al-Qaida fighters.



    PAKISTAN – At least 19 people were killed and scores of others wounded on Friday in north-western Pakistan, after suicide attackers blew themselves up in a Shiite mosque in Peshawar. Hundreds of people were praying in the building at that time. According to the police, four militants stormed the mosque and opened fire before detonating the bombs. This second attack on a Shiite mosque in the past two weeks was claimed by Pakistani Taliban.

  • February 8, 2015

    February 8, 2015

    UKRAINE – France and Germany carry on their diplomatic efforts to bring peace in Ukraine’s rebellious eastern part. Today the French President François Hollande, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko are discussing their new peace plan in a conference call. Meanwhile, the Munich Security Conference continues, focusing on the Ukrainian crisis. On Saturday in Munich, Petro Poroshenko once again asked for support from the West. The US is considering the provision of sophisticated weapons for Ukraine to be able to cope with the pro-Russian rebellion, but European countries, particularly Germany, oppose such a move. The diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in the former Soviet republic come amid surging tensions in the region. More than 5,300 people have so far died in the clashes between Kiev’s troops and the pro-Russian secessionists in eastern Ukraine.



    CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION – In Bucharest, deputies in the judicial committee convene today in an emergency meeting to draft their reports on two new requests, concerning the lifting of the parliamentary immunity and the pre-trial detention of Deputy Elena Udrea, from the People’s Movement Party. Udrea, a former minister for regional development, is facing charges in two cases, dubbed the “Bute Gala” and “Microsoft”. The judicial committee had already approved two such requests, which will be subject to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies on Monday. Later the National Anti-Corruption Directorate extended the charges against Udrea, adding another three alleged instances of influence peddling in the Microsoft case and a bribe-taking accusation in the “Bute Gala” case. Anti-corruption prosecutors believe Elena Udrea should be detained pending trial, because she made public statements regarding the accusations against her, thus breaching the legal restrictions ahead of her trial in the Microsoft case.



    ECONOMY – The negotiations between the IMF and the Romanian authorities will continue on Monday, when PM Victor Ponta and the Finance Minister Darius Vâlcov are to meet the representatives of the international financial institution. Restructuring the companies in the energy sector and possibly the privatisation of some of them, as well as the calendar for de-regulating natural gas tariffs are some of the topics to be discussed. While in Romania on an assessment mission until February the 10th, the representatives of the IMF, the European Commission and the World Bank have talked to the Romanian authorities about recent developments and the economic reform priorities. The current precautionary loan agreement, the third signed with the IMF since the start of the economic crisis in 2009, is due to close this autumn. The goal of the 2 million euro stand-by loan deal is to protect the Romanian economy from prospective shocks in the international financial market.



    IRAN – The US Secretary of State John Kerry had a meeting in Munich today with the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, during which they discussed aspects related to the Iranian nuclear file. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Security Conference in Munich, where the 5+1 (the USA, China, France, Great Britain, Russia and Germany) are trying to reach a political agreement with Iran on the latter’s nuclear programme. The western powers hope to reach an agreement by March 31st, to then sign a final global agreement including all technical aspects, by June. The West suspects Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear programme, whereas the Islamist regime in Tehran denies the accusations.



    SPORTS – The meeting between the Fed Cup teams of Romania and Spain, in the first round of World Group II, continues in the south-eastern Romanian city of Galati today. Simona Halep, no. 3 in the world, plays against Garbine Muguruza (no. 24 WTA) while Irina Begu (no. 34 WTA) plays against Silvia Soler-Espinosa (no. 67 WTA). In the doubles, Alexandra Dulgheru (95) / Monica Niculescu (57) will play against Lara Arruabarrena/Anabel Medina-Garrigues. Romania and Spain have so far won one match each, on Saturday, when Simona Halep defeated Silvia Soler-Espinosa, and Garbine Muguruza beat Irina Begu.

  • January 11, 2015 UPDATE

    January 11, 2015 UPDATE

    The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, took part in Paris on Sunday, alongside tens of heads of state and government, in a unity march against terrorism and in memory of the victims of the recent attacks in the French capital city. Similar marches, in which over 700,000 people took part, were already held on Saturday across France. In a news release, President Iohannis says his presence in Paris is a firm signal for Romania’s willingness to be involved in fighting terrorism and extremism of any kind. On Saturday in Bucharest some 200 people took part, in front of the French Embassy, in an event organised by the Association of French Expats, to observe a minute and condemn the attacks in Paris. The Ambassador of France, François Saint-Paul, thanked the French and Romanian participants for their support and compassion for France and for proving that they share values like freedom and tolerance. Seventeen people were killed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Paris—journalists with Charlie Hebdo, police as well as civilians taken hostage in a store. The counter-terrorist operation concluded on Friday, when security forces killed all three Jihadists involved in the attacks.



    More than a million people took part in the solidarity march in Paris held in the memory of the victims of the recent terrorist attacks. Apart from the rally, the French city also hosted an international meeting on terrorism. Eleven European interior ministers and the US Attorney General, Eric Holder agreed to strengthen cooperation in checking the movement of foreign fighters and in preventing extremists from radicalising individuals or groups, particularly through the internet. All participants expressed intentions to revise the Schengen Treaty to improve security on the EU’s external borders. On Saturday, the French PM Manuel Valls admitted that there had been flaws in the mechanism of identifying individuals likely to perpetrate attacks.



    The National Bank of Romania has reduced the monetary policy interest rate from 2.75% to an all-time low of 2.5%. The central bank has also decided to keep the current rates of minimum mandatory reserves for bank liabilities. The average year-on-year inflation rate, an indicator relevant for the EU convergence process, stood at 1,4%. The exchange rate of the national currency against the euro was constant in 2014, and the annual rate of growth for national currency loans has increased.

  • January 11, 2015

    January 11, 2015

    The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is taking part today in Paris, alongside tens of heads of state and government, in a rally against terrorism and in memory of the victims of the recent attacks in the French capital city. Similar marches, in which over 700,000 people took part, were already held on Saturday across France. In a news release, President Iohannis says his presence in Paris is a firm signal for Romania’s willingness to be involved in fighting terrorism and extremism of any kind. On Saturday in Bucharest some 200 people took part, in front of the French Embassy, in an event organised by the Association of French Expats, to observe a minute of silence and condemn the attacks in Paris. The Ambassador of France, François Saint-Paul, thanked the French and Romanian participants for their support and compassion for France and for proving that they share values like freedom and tolerance. Seventeen people were killed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Paris—journalists with Charlie Hebdo, police as well as civilians taken hostage in a store. The counter-terrorist operation concluded on Friday, when security forces killed all three Jihadists involved in the attacks.



    Paris is today the world capital of the fight against terrorism. Apart from the rally in which over one million are expected to take part, the French city will also be hosting an international meeting on terrorism, which will bring together 11 European interior ministers and the US Attorney General, Eric Holder. The participating countries are Latvia, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Great Britain. France Presse comments that, after the mourning, there will also come a time to discuss security systems. On Saturday, the French PM Manuel Valls admitted that there had been flaws in the mechanism of identifying individuals likely to perpetrate attacks.



    The Liberal Senator Tudor Chiuariu, a former minister of justice, is being probed into, in a case involving illegal forest restitution. He is accused of influence peddling, money laundering and membership of an organised crime group. According to anti-corruption prosecutors, Chiuariu demanded 2.5 million euros in bribe, in exchange for talking the prefect of Bacau County in the east into returning over 43,000 ha of forest. In the same investigation, the former deputies Viorel Hrebenciuc and Ioan Adam, from the Social Democratic Party, have also been arrested. Also prosecuted are the Social Democratic Senators Dan Sova and Ilie Sarbu, as well as the head of the National Forestry Authority, Adam Craciunescu. The losses incurred by the Authority are in excess of 300 million euros.



    Croatians are today electing their president, in a second election round. In the first round, held on December the 28th, the incumbent president Ivo Josipovic won 38.46% of the votes, and his challenger, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, representing the Opposition, 37.22%. The Social-Democratic Party, which backs Josipovic, has come under heavy criticism for the long economic crisis in Croatia. Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic has criticised her rival for having failed to persuade the government to implement an ambitious economic reform plan. Croatia has been in recession since 2008, and the country’s public debt accounts for 80% of the GDP. The unemployment rate is 20%, and the worst situation is reported among the youth.



    Los Angeles is hosting tonight the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, the second largest gala of the American film industry after the Oscars. This year’s favourite is “Birdman” by the Mexican Alejandro Inarritu, which has the largest number of nominations to the awards, 7, including best comedy of the year, best performance in a comedy and best supporting performance. In the drama category, “Boyhood” by Richard Linklater and “Imitation Game” have five nominations each.

  • January 7, 2015

    January 7, 2015

    Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis has invited parliamentary parties to consultations on defence funding on January 12th. According to the presidency, talks will focus on the conclusion of a political agreement on a minimum 2% of the GDP to be allocated to the Defence Ministry in 2017. The Romanian president has called on all leading politicians, both in the ruling coalition and in opposition, to assume that goal for at least 10 years. Iohannis believes that predictability in military spending will thus be ensured, mainly in terms of training and strategic equipping programmes. Romania must be a regional security provider, not only a beneficiary of the alliance system we are part of, the president said.



    The National Bank of Romania has today decided to reduce the monetary policy interest rate from 2.75% to 2.5% as from January 8th. The National Bank has also decided to maintain the current level of compulsory minimum reserves applicable to bank liabilities in hard currency and lei at 14% and 10% respectively. The Central Bank has also decided on an adequate management of liquidities in the banking system. In November 2014, the National Bank reduced the annual monetary policy interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2.75%.



    Christians today celebrate St. John the Baptist, the last prophet of the Old Testament. He baptized Jesus Christ in the River Jordan and introduced him as the expected Messiah. Nearly two million people celebrate their name day on St. John’s Day. Also today, Old Rite Orthodox Christians, Russians, Ukrainians, Armenians and Serbs, and all those observing the Julian calendar, celebrate Christmas, 13 days after Christmas in the Gregorian calendar. The Old Rite Orthodox Church broke away in the early 20th century, when the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople decided to shift from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian one.



    Latvia, one of the first Baltic states to join the EU after the break up of the USSR, has taken over the EU half yearly presidency. Its priorities include economic growth and the creation of new jobs in the EU, the management of the Greek economic crisis and issues related to energy security. In terms of foreign policy, Latvia has announced that its objective is the normalization of relations with Russia. Furthermore, the Latvian presidency recognizes the importance of the EU enlargement process and will try to make progress in the ongoing negotiations with Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey.



    In London, German chancellor Angela Merkel today has talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron on the latter’s plan to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU, FP reports. Mrs. Merkel’s visit comes four months before the parliamentary elections in Great Britain. If he wins the elections, Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on the country’s EU membership, by the end of 2017. The two officials will also address bilateral issues and issues pertaining to European policies and to the preparation for the G7 summit scheduled in Bavaria, southern Germany on June 7th and 8th.



    The USA on Tuesday condemned a strike by Libyan aircraft that on Sunday bombed an oil tanker off the Islamist-held port of Derna, killing two crew members, including a Romanian. According to the Libyan army, quoted by FP, the crew of Araevo refused to stop for checks on its cargo. Romania has asked for the clarification of the incident. In another development, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, had a phone talk agreeing on the need for the EU to get actively involved in the international efforts for the stabilization and normalization of the situation in Libya, where chaos has been reported since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. The country is at the discretion of rival militias that the central authorities fail to disarm.



    At least 30 people have today been killed and 50 injured by a car bomb blast outside the Police Academy in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, security officials say. Another bloody attack was reported in Sanaa on October 9th 2014, when an Al Qaeda suicide bomber detonated a bomb during a meeting of the Houthi Shiite group, killing at least 47 people. The situation in Yemen remains unsettled after a number of anti-government protests triggered the ousting of president Ali Abdallah Saleh in 2011.



    No 3 in the world standings, Romanian Simona Halep has today qualified for the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen, China, with prize money of 500,000 dollars. In the eighth finals, Halep defeated 584-seeded Russian Natalia Vihlianteva. Halep already has got a cheque of 8,934 dollars and 60 WTA points. In the quarterfinals, she will meet Serbian Aleksandra Krunic, who beat Slovak Anna Schmiedlova.

  • January 6, 2015

    January 6, 2015

    ROMANIAN JUDICIARY – Institutions are not owned by their leaders, and this is the only way to avoid slips, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis said at a meeting of the Higher Council of Magistrates. The head of state mentioned the need to strengthen the prosecution institutions and said the Higher Council of Magistrates, the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the General Prosecutor’s Office should be able to propose legislation, because they are the institutions in charge with enforcing the law and managing the judiciary. The President has also said it is time Romania were objectively evaluated, and one of the key objectives of the judicial system in 2015 should be the lifting of the European Commission’s Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. The Higher Council of Magistrates is today electing its new leaders.



    RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY – Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania celebrate today the Epiphany, or Baptism of Jesus. The Baptism of the Lord and St. John the Baptist’s Feast Day, celebrated on Wednesday, mark the end of the winter and Nativity holidays. In churches and monasteries water blessing ceremonies are held, known as The Great Blessing of Waters. On the other hand, for Old Calendarists, mostly ethnic Russians, Armenians and Serbians, today is Christmas Eve.



    UKRAINE – The European Commission does not support a proposal from the French President François Hollande, to lift the sanctions against the Russian Federation. Paris’s view is not shared by the EU, said Commission spokesperson Catherine Ray. On January the 15th, in Astana, the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France will meet again to discuss the situation in Donbass. The European Parliament will also hold a session on January the 13th to analyse the situation in Ukraine, while the UN Security Council is to convene this month for the same reason. The situation in the field remains tense. On Monday, 12 Ukrainian National Guard troops died in a car crash in the eastern Ukraine area where military operations are underway.



    ICC — PALESTINE – The National Palestinian Authority recognises the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over the presumed war crimes perpetrated since June the 13th, 2014, when Israel launched a large-scale campaign in Gaza, the Court in The Hague announced. Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for the Romanian Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, told Radio Romania that Israel opposes the Palestinians’ move to join the Court in The Hague. He added that such Palestinian actions would make peace negotiations harder or even impossible.



    EBOLA – Ebola has killed at least 8.153 people in western Africa, out of over 20,600 cases reported in the three worst affected countries, according to a report released today by the World Health Organisation. Liberia, with more than 3,400 deaths, is reporting a slow-down in the spreading of the virus. Sierra Leone remains the worst hit, with over 2,900 deaths, while in Guinea, where the epidemic broke out a year ago, more than 1,700 people died.



    BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING TRIAL – One suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, viewed as the worst terrorist attack on US territory since 9/11, was brought to court yesterday. The trial is to begin on January the 26th and last for 4 months at most. The suspect, the ethnic Chechen Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is accused of having carried out the twin bombings that killed three people and injured more than 260 near the finish line of the race on April 15, 2013, together with his brother, who was killed by police after the attack. Tsarnaev faces the death sentence if found guilty.

  • December 25, 2014 UPDATE

    December 25, 2014 UPDATE

    Pope Francis Thursday delivered his “Urbi et Orbi” message and blessing to the over 80 thousand pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. In his Christmas message, he condemned the trafficking, abuse, exploitation and violence that children are victim to, and the “brutal persecution” of minorities, the killings and hostage taking around the world, and called for dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians.



    NATO’s eastward enlargement will lead to a major military and political change in Europe and the world, and Russia will take the adequate measures in response, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. According to him, the decision of the Ukrainian Parliament to strengthen ties with NATO, at the initiative of President Petro Poroshenko, was taken at a time when positive prospects emerged for settling the crisis in south-eastern Ukraine. The Russian official said the change noticed in Kiev’s domestic and foreign policy is hardly likely to contribute to putting an end to Ukraine’s deep economic and political crisis.



    Four Romanians who got stranded together with another 120 foreign tourists in the Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia were rescued, the Romanian Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday. The national park, which covers over 430 thousand hectares of rainforest, was hit by the heaviest rainfalls and floods in four decades.

  • December 20, 2014

    December 20, 2014

    The outgoing president Traian Basescu is to hold tonight his last press conference as president of Romania. On Sunday Basescu’s second five-year term as president comes to an end. After serving as transport minister, mayor of Bucharest and party president, in 2004 and then in 2009 Traian Basescu was elected president of the country. His key achievements include Romania’s EU accession in 2007. During his 2 presidential terms, marred by many political scandals, Traian Basescu was suspended twice, in 2007 and 2012, but the impeachment referendums reconfirmed him in office. Traian Basescu’s successor is the German ethnic Klaus Iohannis, the former president of the National Liberal Party.



    On Sunday Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest will host the ceremony whereby president-elect Klaus Iohannis takes over the office of president from the outgoing president Traian Basescu, after Iohannis has been sworn in, in a special Parliament session. Klaus Iohannis will be received with honours at Cotroceni Palace, where Traian Basescu will hand him over the State Seal. The two will also have a private discussion. In the second round of the presidential elections, on November the 16th, Klaus Iohannis won 54.43% of the votes, outrunning the incumbent PM, the Social Democrat Victor Ponta. Klaus Iohannis is the fourth president of Romania since 1989.



    The Parliament of Romania will vote Sunday morning on the 2015 draft state budget and social security budget laws. The announcement was made by the secretary of the Chamber of Deputies, Niculae Mircovici, after on Friday MPs finalised debates on the state budget bill, adopted largely in the form proposed by the Government. On Saturday the MPs also endorsed the social security budget bill. The 2015 budgets are based on a forecast budget deficit of 1.8% of the GDP, a 2.2% inflation rate and a 2.5% economic growth rate. The largest amounts will be allotted to the ministries of labour, agriculture, European funds, transport and economy. Less money will be channelled into healthcare, culture and home affairs. According to the Social Democratic PM Victor Ponta, next year taxes will not be raised, the 16% flat tax rate will stay in place and the fight against tax dodging will continue.



    In Timisoara, western Romania, and elsewhere in the country and abroad, ceremonies continue, to commemorate the victims of the anti-communist uprising of 1989. Twenty-five years ago, on December the 20th, Timisoara was declared “the first city free from communism in Romania,” after the day before tens of thousands of people had taken to the streets in an unprecedented protest against the communist dictatorship. The protests that started in Timisoara on December the 16th are viewed as the start of the Romanian Revolution, which resulted, several days later, in the fall of Ceausescu’s regime. More than one thousand people died and close to 3,400 were wounded. Romania was the only country of the eastern bloc where the regime change was accompanied by violence and the communist leaders were executed.



    Youth from 15 European countries are taking part today in Bucharest in Youth Cancer Europe Open Space Summit, an event designed to bring together survivors of various types of cancer and to discuss their specific needs. The meeting gives young people a platform for discussing the transition from child care to adult care, best practice models and civil involvement. The conclusions of the meeting will be subsequently sent to various relevant forums and international associations. Youth Cancer Europe Open Space Summit will be followed on Sunday by a Christmas Gala.

  • December 20, 2014 UPDATE

    December 20, 2014 UPDATE

    Romania is safer than ever and is not subject to any risks of destabilising moves planned by Moscow, because it is part of a solid alliance system, has a strategic partnership with the USA and has become a security provider for other NATO member countries. The statement was made by the outgoing president Traian Basescu on Saturday, at the end of his 10 years as president. The head of state added that during his 2 terms in office Romania became a credible NATO member, and he pleaded for the consolidation of this status. Traian Basescu also said that since its EU accession in 2007, Romania has made remarkable economic progress and is currently meeting the convergence criteria that enable it to adopt the European single currency. Romania, the outgoing president also said, is close to its Schengen accession. Basescu mentioned that both Romania and the neighbouring Republic of Moldova need to ensure their energy security. As for the rule of law, Traian Basescu believes the progress in the judiciary has been achieved because the Romanian prosecutors and judges felt free and realised that politicians are not above the law. The head of state admitted that the judiciary was the main topic that generated conflicts between himself and the political class, but said he takes responsibility for the consequences of his fight for the independence of the justice system. Traian Basescu was elected president in 2004 and won a second term in office in 2009. According to commentators, although marked by political scandals and by two failed impeachment attempts, Basescu’s terms as president contributed to strengthening the independence of the judiciary and to an unprecedented progress in the fight against corruption.



    On Sunday the president-elect of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will be sworn in, during a special Parliament session, and will take over the presidential post from Traian Basescu. A former leader of the Liberal Party, Iohannis defeated the incumbent PM, the Social Democrat Victor Ponta, in the second round of the presidential election on November the 16th. Klaus Iohannis will be the fourth president of post-communist Romania.



    The new sanctions enforced by the US and Canada prove that the West is not interested in settling the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Aleksandr Lukashevic, said on Saturday, according to newspapers in Moscow. According to the Russian official, such measures will compromise the political settlement of the crisis. The USA Friday imposed a ban on all trade with Crimea, in protest against the annexation of this peninsula by Russia in March. The decision came after the EU had taken similar measures. Also on Friday, Washington expanded its black list to include another 20 separatist leaders in Ukraine, who are accused of undermining the stability of the country, with support from Russia. Canada also announced new sanctions, targeting Russian politicians and Ukrainian pro-Russian separatists, as well as the Russian oil and natural gas industry.

  • December 14, 2014 UPDATE

    December 14, 2014 UPDATE

    The leaders of the ruling coalition in Romania Sunday agreed on a new government structure. The coalition currently includes the Social Democratic Party, the Conservatives and the National Union for the Progress of Romania, after the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania officially left the governing alliance on Saturday. The Reforming Liberal Party headed by Senate Speaker Calin Popescu-Tariceanu also joined the alliance, although it is not yet officially registered. The nominations for the new cabinet have been validated by the Social Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee. PM Victor Ponta will present Parliament on Monday with the list of the new cabinet members. These include Darius Vâlcov for the finances and budget Ministry, Gratiela Gavrilescu from the Reforming Liberal Party for the environment ministry, the Social Democrat Mihai Tudose for the economy ministry, Andrei Gerea for the energy and SMEs ministry, the Social Democrats Ionut Vulpescu and Sorin Grindeanu for the culture ministry and ministry for communications, Senator Adrian Anghel for the Ministry for the Romanian diaspora and Senator Liviu Pop for the Social Dialogue Ministry.



    Romanian MPs had until Monday to submit amendments to the draft 2015 state budget law. According to the document, passed by the Government last week, the budget relies on a deficit of 1.8% of GDP, a 2.2% inflation rate and a 2.5% economic growth rate. No taxes and charges will be increased, and more money will be earmarked for investments. According to the timetable approved by the Parliament leading bodies, the budget bill will be discussed in the joint budget and finance committees of Parliament on Wednesday. On Friday the Parliament will analyse it in plenary meeting, and the final vote might be cast on December the 21st, when a special session is scheduled, for Klaus Iohannis to be sworn in as the new President of Romania.



    The missile shield in Deveselu, in Romania, is a defensive project and not targeted against Russia, the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Sunday in Bucharest, after a meeting with a US Congress delegation headed by the Republican Michael Rogers. According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, the shield, which will be operational as of next year, will enhance the protection of territories, peoples and allied forces in Europe against prospective missile attacks from outside the Euro-Atlantic space. The response of the Romanian official comes after Michael Rogers expressed his dissatisfaction with the US strategy for countering Russia and called for changes in the field of nuclear capacities and missile defence. The American delegation also met with the defence minister, Mircea Dusa, who stressed the importance of the American initiative to enhance the US presence in Europe.



    The countries taking part in the UN conference on climate change, held in Lima, Sunday reached an agreement, after two weeks of intensive negotiations. The 194 participating nations undertook to present their individual plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, no later than the end of March. The plans will be brought together by November the 1st 2015, in a report that will be the basis of the negotiations in Paris at the end of next year, when a new global agreement must be reached. The document reiterates a call for the developed countries to give more financial support for the developing countries to be able to implement their own action plans and to adjust to climate change.