Author: Mihaela Ignătescu
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Arethia Tatarescu
Arethia Tatarescu was a remarkable figure whose influence extended far beyond her own lifetime. Her tireless advocacy for education, women’s rights, and social justice left an indelible mark on Romanian society, inspiring future generations to continue the fight for progress and equality. Tatarescu’s legacy serves as a reminder of the power of activism and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.
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April 8, 2024
SEA SHIELD 24. More than 2,200 allied soldiers are participating in Romania, starting this week, in the multinational exercise “Sea Shield 24”. Until April 21, Romanian soldiers, alongside military from the NATO states and the partner states of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, will be training in the coastal area of the Black Sea, the Danube and the Danube Delta, using 27 sea and river ships, 17 aircraft and 91 of vehicles and boats. The Ministry of Defense in Bucharest says that the exercise is the most complex event conducted by the Romanian Naval Forces in 2024. Also this week, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain begins an air policing mission in Romania. In the next four months, the British detachment, made up of around 220 soldiers and six Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, will perform, together with soldiers of the Romanian Air Force, enhanced air policing missions under NATO command.
MOLDOVA. A population and housing census begins today in the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking). Until July 7, reviewers will go from house to house to collect data about where people in the republic live, the language they speak, the level of education, occupation, as well as about their homes. The spokesperson for the Government, Daniel Vodă, has stated that all citizens will be obliged to answer the reviewers’ questions and provide correct answers, and the authorities are obliged to keep the answers received confidential, Radio Chisinau reports. The last population and housing census was conducted in the Republic of Moldova in 2014. At that time, the population stood at 2,800,000 people, of which only 2.5 million lived in the Republic of Moldova. Also, the data do not cover the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria (east), which went, de facto, out of Chisinau’s control in 1992, after an armed conflict involving hundreds of soldiers and ended by the intervention of Moscow’s troops on the side of the secessionist rebels.
SLOVAKIA. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, has congratulated Peter Pellegrini for winning the presidential elections in Slovakia. “I look forward to working together for the benefit of our nations and the European Union, ensuring our safety and prosperity”, wrote the head of the Romanian state, in a post on the X network. On Saturday, in the decisive round of voting, former Prime-Minister Pellegrini (aged 48 ), an economist by trade, defeated the pro-European diplomat Ivan Korcok, with 53% of the votes, compared to 47% won by the former. The new Slovak president is an ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has questioned the sovereignty of Ukraine invaded by Russian troops and called for peace with Moscow.
WARSAW. The nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS, in opposition) came first in Sunday’s local elections in Poland, ahead of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform. Just as it happened in the October parliamentary elections, the nationalists will, however, lose power in some regional governments, in front of the combined score obtained by the three parties in the government alliance. The result is considered, however, a failure for the pro-European prime minister, who hoped to win without the help of alliance partners.
GAZA. Radio Romania’s correspondent in Israel reports that for the first time since the beginning of the war, the largest number of trucks, almost 330, entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Also, the Israeli army withdrew from Khan Younis, leaving only a few brigades in the area, responding to Washington’s desire to reduce forces and stop the fighting. An Israeli delegation, made up of the head of the Mossad, the head of the Shin Bet and the person responsible for the situation of Israeli prisoners and hostages, has arrived in Cairo, for the first time with extended powers of negotiation, and have already met with the representatives of the brokering states, the head of the CIA, the prime minister of Qatar and the head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service. In this context, sources close to the negotiations have reported that the United States seems to be leading the discussions and is putting pressure both on Egypt and Qatar to convince Hamas to end its game of refusal, and on Israel to make its positions even more flexible.
HANDBALL. The Romanian women’s national handball team defeated the Greek team with a score of 31-24, on Sunday evening, at home, in Buzău (south-east), in its last match in Group 1 of the EURO 2024 preliminaries. In the other match of the group, Croatia defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina with a score of 33-19. Romania came in first, with a maximum of 12 points, followed by Croatia, 8 points, Greece, 4 points, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 0 points. The first two teams in each group qualify for the final tournament, as well as the four best third-placed teams. The European Championship is hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland, between November 28 and December 15.
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Reactions to Romania and Bulgaria joining the Schengen Area
After a 13-year wait, Romania and Bulgaria joined the Schengen area on March 31, but, for now, only with air and sea borders. At the 17 international airports, as well as in the 4 Romanian ports on the Black Sea, people coming from or travelling to a country from the free movement area will no longer have their travel documents checked.
However, the police can do random checks. Here is the Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior, Bogdan Despescu:
“These checks will be conducted for the purpose of detecting those who have fake travel documents, those who are banned from leaving the country, to detect the persons that are wanted, to verify compliance with the rules regarding minors, and to combat migration and human trafficking.”
The land routes of Romania and Bulgaria remain, however, for the time being, outside Schengen, due to Austria’s veto, attributed in particular to internal electoral calculations. From Brussels, the European Commission has given assurances that it will make every effort so that a favorable decision regarding land accession is taken this year.
To the criticisms of Vienna, which invoked the issue of illegal migration, the Commission responds that both Romania and Bulgaria have demonstrated a sustained commitment to ensuring adequate protection of the Union’s external borders and have played a constant and important role in the internal security of the Schengen area. “Romania, Bulgaria, welcome to the Schengen Area! Today is a historic day – for the people of Romania and Bulgaria and for all Europeans. Let’s continue to move closer together for a united, safe, and more secure Europe,” posted on X the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
In Romania, from politicians to ordinary citizens, the entry, though partial, into the free movement area was warmly welcomed. “We have a clear and firmly assumed government plan for full accession to the Schengen area by the end of the year” – said Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. “Romania’s full accession is irreversible, but this decision also depends on external developments and political situations that are not in Romania’s sphere of diplomatic action” – stated the Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu.
The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, said on the occasion: “Starting today (ed. March 31), the diplomatic and consular missions of Romania issue uniform short-term visas – Schengen visas. These will allow third-country citizens to travel directly from Romania and without additional steps, for tourist or business purposes, to the other states of the Schengen area.”
At the Otopeni Airport in Bucharest, the first flights that landed from the Schengen area were from Paris, Vienna, Hamburg, Rome, Zürich, Munich, Amsterdam and Geneva. Travelers were happy that they didn’t have to wait tens of minutes in the queue that used to form at the passport control counters. (MI)
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March 30, 2024 UPDATE
Schengen. Romanian international seaports and airports join the Schengen Area on Sunday, March 31. At sea, the controls have not been eliminated, but have been simplified. At airports, people who choose to fly to or from Schengen member states, after undergoing the security control, will go directly to the boarding gate, without stopping at the Border Police counters to have their travel documents checked. However, police checks are possible to establish the legal status of some passengers, in order to prevent cross-border crimes and illegal migration. To symbolically mark the moment of Romania’s entry into Schengen by air and sea, new departure terminals were inaugurated, on Friday at the airports of Iasi (east) and Timisoara (west). Attending the event in Timişoara, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu expressed his confidence that, by the end of the year, Romania would have also joined Schengen area on land, the most important component of the area of free movement of people and goods. Austria is the only country in the EU that still opposes this approach. Currently, 27 European states are full members of the Schengen Agreement, and Romania and Bulgaria become, as of March 31, members with partial rights.
Easter. In Romania, approximately 1,300,000 Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday. In a pastoral letter, the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest, Aurel Percă, states that, unfortunately, the song of Easter joy proclaimed by the Church contrasts with the cries that come from so many painful situations, increasingly frequent in the world, such as wars , injustice, inequality and poverty. The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, also posted a message reading that in the spirit of solidarity and compassion, we should direct our thoughts and prayers to those who are suffering. This year, Easter for Roman Catholics and Protestants is five weeks before that for Orthodox, Greek Catholics and Neo-Protestants, who will celebrate it on May 5. In 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017, the Resurrection was celebrated on the same day by all Christians, regardless of denomination. Next time that all Christians will celebrate Easter on the same day is 2025.
Fuels. In 2023, Romania was the main supplier of oil products for the Republic of Moldova – shows the data centralized by the National Agency for Energy Regulation in Chisinau. Last year, the Republic of Moldova imported almost 1,000,000 tons of diesel, gasoline and liquefied gas, up by 6.6 percent compared to 2022, marking a full recovery of the oil products market after the consecutive crises of 2020-2022 generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the start of the war in Ukraine – say experts in the energy field quoted by Radio Chisinau. The most imported oil product was diesel, with a weight of almost 75%.
Moldova. An employee of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Moscow was declared persona non grata on the territory of the Russian Federation and is to return home. Moscow’s decision comes as a response to a similar measure taken last week by the Chisinau authorities. The Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Russia, Lilian Darii, was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a note of protest and was informed of the decision taken. The Moldovan authorities have announced that they will continue to take all the necessary measures to prevent Russia’s attempts to interfere in the state’s internal affairs.
Sunflower. Last year, Romania ranked second in the EU, after France, in the production of sunflower seeds, losing the first position it held in 2022 – according to the National Institute of Statistics. Production was lower last year, compared to 2022, by 3.7%. In terms of areas cultivated with sunflower, the country remains in first place.
Central Bank. The reference index for consumer loans in Romania has dropped to 5.9% per year, from 5.97%, the level published three months ago, according to data provided by the National Bank of Romania. It is the first important drop in this index in the last 12 months, which will lead, starting April, to lower rates for mortgage loans contracted on the basis of this index for almost 500,000 Romanians. A second decrease will occur in July, down to 5.84%. Also, the Central Bank has announced, the three-month ROBOR index, according to which the cost of consumer loans in national currency with variable interest is calculated, had slightly increased on Friday from 6.05% to 6.06% per year.
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Agreement on the European Media Freedom Act
The future media freedom act will oblige, for the first time, the member countries to guarantee the editorial independence of the public media, through sustainable and predictable funding, against the background of concerns about politicization. The document establishes a general legislative framework valid for all member states, which national legislations must observe. The new rules will also guarantee the right of citizens to have access to various information.
The first obligation of the member states is to ensure the independence of the national regulatory authorities in the field of mass media, those that can interfere with the activity of journalists. The law also stipulates the obligation of media companies to make their shareholders visible, so that the public and the rest of the media companies know who the financier is and whether there could be a connection between the editorial policy and certain interests. On the other hand, public media service providers will have to be financed through transparent and objective procedures, and the allocated funds should be sustainable and predictable.
Media service providers will also have the obligation to inform the public about the funds received as state advertising and about state financial aid, including from countries outside the Union. A point that is of the essence of the job is that journalists are not obliged by any authority or institution to disclose the identity of a source that is the basis of the published information, including by means such holding them in detention, applying sanctions, searching their offices or installing intrusive surveillance software on their electronic devices.
The European Parliament has added significant safeguards for the situations in which spyware can be used. Their authorization will be made on a case-by-case basis by a judicial authority for the purpose of investigating serious crimes liable to custodial sentences. Even in such situations, the targeted individuals will have the right to be informed after the surveillance has begun and will be able to challenge it in court.
Last but not least, MEPs envisioned a mechanism that would prevent very large online platforms, such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram, from arbitrarily restricting or removing independent media content. German Sabine Verheyen (EPP) mentioned that media freedom is under threat worldwide, including in Europe, and evoked the assassinations of journalists in Malta and Slovakia, as well as threats to the freedom of the press in Hungary. The law, she stressed, is our response to this threat, it protects the media’s dual role as industry and guardian of democracy.
The Rapporteur for the Committee on Civil Liberties, the Romanian Ramona Strugariu (Renew), has stated that the new regulations are a response to those who want to turn the mass media into their own propaganda tools or spread fake news and destabilize our democracies.
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Learnity
Today’s edition features Learnity, a environment especially created for high-school students to complement what they’ve learnt in the formal education system. Later in the show we will travel briefly to Niculitel, in the beautiful Dobrogea, south-eastern Romania, home not only to some of the most famous vineyards in the country, but also to breathtaking scenery that any visitor would enjoy.
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Romanian Castles
Famous castles such as Peles, Bran or Corvin have for long now attracted many tourists from all over the world. Romania boasts a large number of castles and mansions, but unfortunately many have turned into ruins, while others have been returned to their rightful owners and turned into hotels. Either way, they are all witnesses of our long and interesting history and culture. Today I will introduce you to just a few of the least known castles in Romania, but which are worth visiting.
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European money for wind and photovoltaic installations
On Wednesday, the European Commission approved a 3 billion Romanian State aid scheme to support onshore wind and solar photovoltaic installations to foster the transition to a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the state aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependency.
The measure will be open to projects for the construction and operation of new installations for the generation of electricity from solar photovoltaic and onshore wind.
The aid will be granted through competitive bidding procedures, before December 31, 2025.
According to the European Commission, the scheme guarantees a minimum level of return to the beneficiaries. Moreover, the scheme is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to accelerate the green transition and facilitate the development of certain economic activities.
Also for the transition to clean energy, the Romanian Senate has recently adopted a bill initiated by the Government that establishes the legal framework for the development of investments in the field of offshore wind energy in the Black Sea. According to the initiator, by promoting this project, Romania will maintain and strengthen its position as an important energy producer in the region and will have an active and significant role in the transition to clean energy at the level of the European Union.
We recall that the Ministry of Energy, referring to the World Bank estimates, has recently mentioned that Romania has an impressive potential for offshore wind energy, estimated at 76 GW of installed power, which indicates a favorable framework for the development of this renewable energy sector. At the European level, an analysis by the Fraunhofer Institute shows that last year, wind installations were responsible for 19% of all electricity produced in the EU, which helped the EU ensure half of its total electricity production from renewable sources.
According to Reuters, in its annual report, the WindEurope association described 2023 as the year of “significant improvement” in key areas of the European wind power sector, which faced difficulties in 2022 amid high inflation, interest rate hikes and volatility on the energy market, after Russia invaded Ukraine. Last year, according to official statistics, investments in offshore wind farms in Europe rose to 30 billion euros, compared to only 0.4 billion euros in 2022.
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Sofia Ionescu – Ogrezeanu
Sofia Ionescu-Ogrezeanu was the first female neurosurgeon in south-eastern Europe. She helped build the foundation of Romanian modern medicine, right after the war. It seems that before her, no woman had dared perform surgery on a human brain. Since that first, for 47 years she would operate on brains and spines, hardly ever enjoying a day off or a holiday.
The village of Cloasterf, in Mures County, Transylvania, is a place hardly touched my modernity. It’s the perfect place for relaxation, with guest houses embellished with old, hand painted furniture, with no TV or other modern amenities. The main point of attraction in the village is the fortified church standing right in the middle of it, built after the bigger one in Saschiz. The interior of the church has been preserved, as it was back in the 17th century, in the popular baroque style.
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February 27, 2024
Ukraine. The participants in the Paris Conference in support of Ukraine, organized at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, reaffirmed their unity and determination to continue supporting the war effort of the Ukrainian army. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sent a recorded message, in which he thanked the French president for the initiative and the leaders attending for the help provided to his country so far and for future involvement. President Macron stated that the defeat of Russia is indispensable to guarantee the security and stability of the European continent. The leaders present agreed on the formation of a coalition to provide Kyiv with medium and long range missiles and bombs, which are indispensable for defense. Present at the meeting, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed President Macron’s approach and emphasized that the unity and solidarity of the international community in support of Ukraine are essential and must be maintained. The head of state said that Romania will continue to support Ukraine on all levels, as long as it is needed.
Protests. Airport workers are today picketing the Ministry of Finance in Bucharest, to denounce what they consider to be wage discrimination against other state companies. Qualified aviation personnel are not easy to find and cannot be trained from one day to the next, and Romania is already struggling with a shortage of specialized workforce, according to the workers’ union. Protesters are calling for the elimination of criteria based on salary ceilings, because they are discriminatory and discourage professionalism. In another move, the taxi drivers who have been protesting since Monday, in the center of the capital, were invited, on Wednesday, to the government to discuss their claims. They say that the alternative transport platforms create unfair competition and ask the government to issue an emergency ordinance so that they comply with the same rules. Taxi drivers request the limitation of the number of authorizations for alternative transport and similar rates for the compulsory civil liability insurance (RCA).
Bill. Today, the Romanian deputies have endorsed the bill that prohibits the sale to minors of electronic cigarettes, devices for heating tobacco, but also nicotine sachets for oral use. According to the new provisions, those who break the law will pay fines of up to 100 thousand lei (20 thousand euros). The normative act also provides that the sanctions for students who use these products in educational institutions will be established by the Ministry of Education. All parliamentary groups have announced that they support the new measures, and the Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this matter.
Anticorruption. The fight against corruption remains a priority for Romania stressed the officials attending the presentation of the National Anticorruption Directorate’s activity report for 2023. Trust is the word that sums up the Directorate’s activity in the last year, said the chief prosecutor of the institution, Marius Voineag. For 2024, given the electoral context, the Anticorruption Directorate promises that it will continue to have the same determination to fight corruption, and the attention will be directed to the major cases of corruption and to the priority areas, with an impact on the lives of citizens.
NATO. The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, and the leaders of the member countries welcomed the ratification, with an overwhelming majority of votes, in the Parliament of Hungary of Sweden’s accession to NATO, the final stage that precedes the reception of the last Scandinavian country in the North Atlantic Alliance. “With Sweden in NATO, we will strengthen the defense and deterrence posture on the eastern flank and we will continue the strong support for Ukraine” , Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis stressed on the occasion.
