Category: The Week in Review

Weather record in Romania – the longest heat wave

Romania went through the longest red code heatwave in the history of meteorological measurements. On Thursday, the last warning of this kind, restricted to the counties in the south of the country, including the capital, expired. Maximum temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, and during the tropical nights the temperatures did not drop below 25 degrees. The thermal discomfort was particularly pronounced, and the temperature-humidity index exceeded the critical threshold of 80 units. Although, for the moment, it is decreasing considerably, the excessive heat affected the health of many people. The number of those who needed emergency interventions throughout the country was of the order of tens of thousands, and there were also several deaths. The supply of drinking water has become a problem for hundreds of localities. These days, the water supply has decreased, which has led the authorities in hundreds of localities to reduce the supply to only a few hours a day, or once every several days. Also, the energy system suffered, and vegetation fires were more frequent, and on considerable surfaces.

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, at the EPC meeting in Great Britain

The head of the Romanian state, Klaus Iohannis, pleaded, on Thursday, for cooperation in the field of energy and for the continuation of the support given to Ukraine, during the fourth meeting of the European Political Community. The event attended by leaders from over 40 countries took place in Great Britain. Klaus Iohannis said that efforts to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy and connectivity represent essential objectives for strengthening national and European resilience, in a context marked by the challenge of climate change management, but also by developments such as those in Ukraine, which reconfirmed the need of action to limit strategic dependencies. President Iohannis highlighted Romania’s efforts in supporting these areas, as well as the country’s role at the regional level, including through a more active involvement in Black Sea projects. According to the Presidential Administration, Klaus Iohannis emphasized the importance of strengthening energy connections at national and regional level and the development of energy infrastructure, which can contribute to the consolidation of energy independence at the European level. Also, on the sidelines of the meeting, there was a meeting of the leaders from Romania, Great Britain, Poland, France, and Germany with the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. The leaders of these countries reaffirmed their determination to continue supporting Chisinau in achieving its goals of peace, prosperity, and democracy.

Two Romanians in the leadership of the EP

Two of the 14 vice-presidents of the new European Parliament are Romanian. They are Victor Negrescu and Nicolae Ștefănuță, who were elected on Tuesday, in the first session of the legislature. Victor Negrescu was a candidate from the social-democratic group, and Nicolae Ştefănuţă from the green group. Both enjoyed the support of the parliamentary majority formed around the populists, Social Democrats and Liberals from Renew. Aged 38, Victor Negrescu represented Romania as a member of the European Parliament between 2014-2017, and from 2020 to the present. He also held other administrative roles in the European legislature. Nicolae Ştefănuţă, MEP since 2019, obtained his current term by running as an independent, and is affiliated with the green group.

Measures for the management of the bear population in Romania

Summoned in an extraordinary session, the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies from Bucharest approved, on Monday, with a large majority, the draft law introduced by the UDMR (former governing partner of PSD and PNL), which amends the legislation on bear hunting, a document voted last year in the Senate . The project provides, for the years 2024 and 2025, the possibility of shooting more than 400 brown bears. This legislative action comes shortly after the recent tragedy in the mountains, when a 19-year-old girl died on a mountain trail after being attacked by a bear. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that by amending the law, shooting bears will not be a free for all, as some government organizations fear, and that legislative interventions are aimed at preventing attacks on the human population and damage caused by bear attacks. For his part, UDMR senator Tánczos Barna, sponsor of the project, declared that a preventive intervention is needed, as is done in all EU member states, where there is a significant brown bear population.

President of Romania Klaus Iohannis received the athletes who will participate in the Olympic Games in Paris

President Klaus Iohannis received, on Wednesday, at Cotroceni Palace, the athletes who will represent Romania at the Olympic Games in Paris. The head of state handed the flag of the country to the Olympic team, made up of 107 athletes. Klaus Iohannis stated, on this occasion, that Olympic-level performance is built through hard work, with a lot of determination, discipline, and passion. Staying in this register, let’s remember that Nadia Comăneci appears in an illustrated book about the legends of the Summer Olympics, published a few days before the competition that is about to start in Paris. Titled “The Last Heroes. 100 moments of Olympic Legends”, the book pays tribute to exceptional athletes, and presents the unforgettable moments of each Olympics. An extraordinary episode noted in the book is the first 10 ever awarded in gymnastics, by which the 14-year-old Romanian surprised at the Montreal Games in 1976, and even the scoreboard, which was not programmed for such a score, displayed the grade one instead. Nadia received seven marks of 10 in Montreal, with which she won three gold, one silver, and one bronze medals.

Finally, an election calendar !

On three consecutive Sundays, Romanians will be called to the polls. The first round of the presidential elections will be held on November 24. On December 1, on Romania’s National Day, voters will elect their representatives in the country’s two-chamber Parliament. And the series of elections will end on December 8 with the second round of the presidential elections. These data were confirmed, on Thursday, by a Government Decision, after new discussions, on the same day, in the ruling PSD-PNL coalition, but also after talks that the Social-Democratic prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, had early in the week, with all political parties represented in Parliament. The parties blamed the Prime Minister for Government blockage on this matter.

More precisely, at the beginning of the year, PSD and PNL announced a complete calendar for all four rounds of elections this year. The local and European parliamentary elections were set for June 9. The presidential elections – as the Social Democrats and the Liberals had agreed – should have taken place on September 15. The Liberals, however, changed their mind. “Organizing the presidential elections earlier, in September, although they always took place in November-December, had a logic determined by the optimism of the country’s president” – writes Deutsche Welle. “Klaus Iohannis was hoping for a top seat in one of the institutions of the European Union or NATO. Had the scenario been positive, he would have taken office in the fall. In the meantime, it has become useless to advance the presidential election, and it would be very uncomfortable for Iohannis to spend the last three months with another president-elect who keeps watching the clock, anxious to take their place.”

Moreover, analysts say the Social Democrats would have wanted to take advantage of the good score obtained in the June 9 election, so they would have had an advantage in presidential elections held in September. However, the Liberals feared that their leader, Nicolae Ciucă, could miss the second round, so they supported the option for the presidential elections to take place towards the end of the year.

ʺThe Soul Generation”

Romania will collect 12,250,000 euros for its participation in the EURO 2024 European Football Championship, held in Germany, where it stopped, on Tuesday, in the round of 16. The presence in the first phase of the competition won the tricolours 9,250,000 euros, just like the other selected participating teams. The Romanians collected 1 million euros for the victory against Ukraine (3-0) in the debut match and 500,000 euros after the draw with Slovakia (1-1). The Romanian footballers lost 3-0 to the Belgians, but even so, they finished first in their group. Their qualification for the next stage brought the Romanian Football Federation 1,500,000 euros. Although in round of 16 of EURO 2024 it was defeated by the Netherlands 3-0, the Romanian team, nicknamed the “The Soul Generation “, left with their heads held high, cheered by the Romanian fans present in impressive numbers in Germany, by their supporters back home, but also by the many foreign football lovers who appreciated their sporting performance.

The Romanians returned home on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, greeted by fans dressed in yellow shirts and waving tricolour flags – the national team had not participated in a final tournament in 8 years and had not gone beyond the group stage in a final tournament in 24 years. But before leaving Germany, the Romanian team gave another lesson in civility that quickly went viral online – after the match with the Netherlands they left an impeccably clean locker and a written message thanking the hosts. UEFA published a photo on its official Twitter account, calling the Romanians “the perfect guests”.

National Evaluation and Baccalaureate

For the Romanian children in the final grades, this week has been a difficult one. The 8th graders received the results of the National Evaluation that counts for high school enrolment. For the fifth year in a row, students’ grades were confidential. To see them, every 8th grade graduate had to enter a code received at school in a specially created portal. According to the Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, almost 153 thousand candidates took part in the National Evaluation. The results obtained were the weakest in the last three years: about 74% of the children got averages higher than or equal to 5, the passing grade in Romania. They had greater difficulties in mathematics than in the Romanian language. On the other hand, also this week, 12th graders sat for the written baccalaureate exams. The results will be posted on Monday, when appeals can also be submitted. The final results will be announced on July 12.

The summer season of mega-shows

The port-city of Constanta, on the Romanian Black Sea Coast, on Thursday saw the start of the biggest musical festival in Europe held on a beach – the NEVERSEA 2024 festival. Until July 7, every evening, tens of thousands of fans from the country and abroad can enjoy performances by 100 top Romanian and foreign artists, including Inna, Maluma, Nick Carter, G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha, DJ Snake, Dimitri Vegas, Steve Aoki, Mahmut Orhan or Salvatore Ganacci. In parallel with NEVERSEA, another electronic music festival – SAGA – is taking place near Bucharest, at the Romaero airport, this weekend. The organizers set up seven stages, a club in a disused plane and light shows in the control tower. SAGA enjoys the presence of famous artists also, such as Nicki Minaj, Rita Ora, Armin Van Buuren, Dennis Lloyd and Hardwell. (MI)

Euro summit

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, attended the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. The agenda of the discussions between the heads of state and government of the 27 was dominated by the appointments to the leadership of community institutions, following the elections on June 9. As in the past term, the three major continental political families shared their top positions. Anticipated by everyone, German conservative Ursula von der Leyen has once again become the head of the Community executive, and will receive, next month, the investiture vote in the European Parliament. The new head of European diplomacy will be the current Liberal Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, and the European Council will be managed by Portuguese Socialist Antonio Costa, former prime minister in Lisbon. Maltese Roberta Metsola, from the Popular Party, remains president of the Parliament for at least another two and a half years, when she will most likely cede the position to a socialist. The portfolio that will belong to Romania in the future Commission is still being negotiated. Commentators say that Bucharest would like the economy ministry, but it is hard to believe that it will get it, and will be satisfied with the enlargement portfolio, and the future Romanian commissioner would have to manage the issues regarding the admission of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and the countries of the Western Balkans.

Euro zone

The European Commission found that Romania does not meet the conditions to be able to adopt the single European currency. This is the conclusion of a report published in Brussels, which analyzes the situation in the member states of the Union that are not part of the Eurozone, but aim for it: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden. According to the Community Executive, Romania did not tick any of the four necessary boxes: price stability, the state of public finances, the exchange rate, and the convergence of long-term interest rates.

NATO

The 32 NATO member countries appointed, on Wednesday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the future Secretary General of the Alliance. Rutte (57 years old) will take over as head of NATO on October 1, from Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, who has been in office for ten years. “I know that I will leave NATO in good hands” – wrote Stoltenberg on the X network. Analysts say that, in addition to the case of Ukraine invaded by Russian troops, Rutte will also have to manage transatlantic relations, which could be complicated by the return to the White House of Republican Donald Trump, who mistrusts European allies, whom he accuses of not investing enough in defense. The Western press writes that the appointment of Rutte has become a formality, after the withdrawal from the race, due to lack of support, last week, of Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. The press in Bucharest recalls that Rutte is a rather unpopular character here, because of his long opposition, as head of the government in The Hague, to the admission of Romania to the free movement Schengen Area.

Politics in Bucharest

Former journalist Elena Lasconi, the re-elected mayor of the Câmpulung Muscel municipality (south), is the new president of the USR, the Save Romania Union (in opposition in the Bucharest Parliament, and affiliated to the RENEW group in the European one). She received 68% of the options expressed online by the voting members of the party. Lasconi stated that, now, the reconstruction of USR begins. Her appointment takes place after the former leader, Cătălin Drulă, resigned as a result of the results of local and European parliamentary elections on June 9, when USR, associated with PMP and the Force of Right in the United Right Alliance, was far behind the PSD and PNL (in co-government), and AUR (nationalist opposition).

Politics outside Bucharest

The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) in Romania canceled the elections for the position of mayor in the summer resort commune of Costineşti, in Constanța county (south-east), and ordered a repeat of the June 9 election on July 7. BEC admitted the request to cancel the elections made by the Social Democratic Party – Constanţa branch. In Costineşti, the Romanian press writes, the counting of the votes cast in the local elections on June 9 was repeated six times. In the end, the National Liberal candidate was named the winner of the mayoral position, to the detriment of the Social Democrat, with a difference of one vote. In an address submitted by the Electoral Bureau of Costineşti Constituency to the BEC, several irregularities were mentioned, based on supporting documents, including the fact that two people, including a Ukrainian citizen, voted without having this right.

Euro-soccer

Romania’s national football team qualified for the round of 16 of the European Championship in Germany, after a 1-1 draw with Slovakia on Wednesday evening in Frankfurt. Romania’s goal was scored by Răzvan Marin, from the penalty spot, and his success led to the team coached by Edward Iordănescu winning the group. In the first two games in the group, the Romanians beat Ukraine 3-0, and lost, 0-2, to Belgium. All four teams in the group accumulated four points each, and Romania was the leader thanks to the goal difference. In the round of 16, on July 2, Romania will meet the Netherlands, at the famous Allianz Arena in Munich. Thousands of Romanians came out in the streets after the match with Slovakia, in the big cities of the country, to express their joy for the qualification. Since the 2000 European Championship, Romania had not reached the knockout stages of a final continental or world tournament, and it is the first time in history that they win their group.

Local and European elections in Romania

In the last week of the campaign before the June 9 elections, the Romanian authorities gave assurances that they are on schedule with the preparation of the two elections – local and European respectively – in which 19 million Romanians are called to the polls. In total, about 100 million ballots were printed, declared the spokesperson for the Government, Mihai Constantin:

“More than 22 million ballots were printed for the election of members from Romania in the European Parliament, and almost 80 million ballots for the election of local public administration authorities. The structures of the MIA carried out the specific activities to supervise, in collaboration with the prefectures, the distribution of all materials to the polling stations, and are prepared to ensure, starting June 9 and after that, until the conclusion of the delivery of all electoral materials, the public order measures necessary for the exercise of this democratic right.”

For the local election, voters can only vote in the locality where they have registered domicile or residence before April 11. For the European Parliament, Romanians can vote at any polling station in the country or abroad. More than 900 polling stations await Romanians abroad, and their list is on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mae.ro. The distribution of sections was directly proportional to the number of Romanian citizens in each country. Thus, the most polling stations are in Italy -150, in Spain – 147, and in Great Britain -104. The total number of candidates is over 207,000, of which 494 registered in the race for the European Parliament.

Romania in cooperation with Balkan countries

Three foreign ministers from the Western Balkans were on official visits to Bucharest this week, with bilateral and regional cooperation among the topics of discussion with Bucharest officials. During the discussions, on Wednesday, with the official from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konakovic, the Romanian head of state, Klaus Iohannis welcomed the appreciation enjoyed by the Romanian soldiers participating in the EU’s Operation EUFOR ALTHEA in this country, Romania being one of the main contributors in ensuring a safe and stable climate in the Western Balkans. President Iohannis reconfirmed the constant support that Bucharest gives for the European and Euro-Atlantic course of the Western Balkans, as well as for ensuring the security and stability of the region. Also on Wednesday, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, discussed, in Bucharest, with her Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani, about supporting the European path of the Western Balkan country, underlining Romania’s willingness to exchange expertise in this field. Also, Luminița Odobescu highlighted “the importance Romania attaches to the ethnic, cultural and linguistic identity of the Aromanian national minority in Albania”. At the beginning of the week, Luminița Odobescu also had consultations with her Montenegrin counterpart, Filip Ivanoviće, in which she emphasized that Romania is, and will remain, a supporter of this country’s accession to the EU. The two ministers signed the action plan regarding cooperation in the period 2024-2025. A similar document was signed by the head of diplomacy from Bucharest and their counterpart from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Romania supports President Joe Biden’s plan regarding Gaza

President Klaus Iohannis is among the heads of state who signed a joint statement supporting a cease-fire agreement in the Israel-Hamas conflict. It is time for the war to end, and this agreement is the necessary starting point, emphasizes the statement, which urges the two sides to accept US President Joe Biden’s plan, which provides in the first stage a 6 week truce, accompanied by a withdrawal of the densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip, the release of some of the Hamas hostages and some Palestinian prisoners, and in the second stage, the details of which remain to be determined, a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

Meetings by President Klaus Iohannis

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, had, on Thursday, a meeting with the ambassadors of the EU member states accredited in Bucharest, on the occasion of the conclusion, at the end of June, of the term of the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council. The meeting was the occasion for an analysis of the Union’s current situation and future projections. Referring to the complex European context, President Klaus Iohannis mentioned that the promotion of a solid European agenda, based on unity, cohesion, and solidarity at the EU level is extremely important, since only through unity of action and solidarity has the Union managed to become stronger every time. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, the President of Romania spoke for the continuation of EU support on multiple levels. On the other hand, also on Thursday, President Iohannis received the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, accompanied by Spyros Capralos, President of the Association of European Olympic Committees, Octavian Morariu, member of the International Olympic Committee for Romania, and Mihai Covaliu, President of the Romanian Olympian and Athletic Committee. The meeting with the representatives of the Olympic Movement delegation is part of the series of steps undertaken by President Klaus Iohannis to convey, at the highest level, a message of support for the Romanian athletes who will participate in the Paris Olympic Games, states a press release from the Presidency. During the meeting, the unifying potential of sports through the Summer Olympic Games was highlighted, which will take place from July 26 to August 11 in France.

Security guarantees for Romania

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, declared on Wednesday that there was no direct threat to the country, but that the heads of the Army are preparing for all possible situations. “Today, Romania benefits from the most important security guarantees that we have ever had in our existence”, said the head of state, referring to the country’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance. He also said that Romania will not send combatants to Ukraine, and that the option of handing over an anti-aircraft defense system to this country will be discussed in the Supreme National Defense Council. For his part, the head of the General Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, stated that Romania must accelerate the provision of the defense forces, in the context of the security situation in the region. The Ministry of Defense is considering the hypothesis of a possible escalation of the current military conflicts, says the general. He drew attention to the need to increase the reaction capacity of the army through new equipment and military materiel.

“Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” exhibition in Bucharest

This week, the “Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” regional military equipment exhibition took place in Bucharest. The event was attended by over 400 global manufacturers of equipment and military materiel from approximately 30 NATO member states or partners. They were presented to experts from all over the world the latest generation military equipment, weaponry, but also the main attraction – the multi-role fifth generation F-35 aircraft, which the Air Force of the United States of America brought, for the first time, to an exhibition in Europe. The exhibition aimed to identify opportunities and find solutions for cooperation both in production and in the field of business, contributing to the promotion, on an international level, of the Romanian defense industry.

Joint meeting, in Ankara, of the Romanian and Turkish governments

The Romanian and Turkish governments had, on Tuesday, in Ankara, the first joint meeting in which they established the resumption of Romanian meat exports to Turkey, and a series of agreements were signed in areas such as tourism and urban planning. At the joint meeting of the two governments, it was decided that Romanian farmers should resume the export and transit of meat to Turkey. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu emphasized, on this occasion, that Romanian farmers will once again have access to a very large market, and will be able to open new routes to other markets. “It’s a huge opportunity for Romanian producers to have access to a huge market, but at the same time we will be able to establish solid trade routes with other areas of interest in the region and the Middle East”, Marcel Ciolacu pointed out. At the same time, he thanked the leader from Ankara for signing the decree that allows Romanian citizens to travel in Turkey with their identity card for a maximum of 90 days. Prime Minister Ciolacu also stated that Romania will continue to ensure good cooperation between Turkey and the European Union. For his part, President Recep Tayyip Erdoǧan said that both countries want bilateral trade to reach 15 billion dollars in the coming years. He recalled that the two states contribute to ensuring security and stability in the region through joint actions, but also within NATO. Erdoǧan also said that the two states, along with Bulgaria, have formed a joint group that will remove mines from the Black Sea.

Reserve generals of the RIS, placed by the DNA under judicial control on bail

The former operative chief of the RIS, Florian Coldea, was placed by the DNA, the anti-corruption directorate, under judicial control on bail, judicial sources announced. The same measure was ordered for reserve general Dumitru Dumbravă, former head of the legal department of the RIS, and for attorney Doru Trăilă. The three are defendants in a case of influence peddling and money laundering, after being reported by a businessman. The person stated that they would have asked for the sum of 600,000 euros to help him obtain a suspended sentence in the case in which he has a four-year prison sentence for fraud involving European funds.

Salary increases and union grievances in the budget sector

The Bucharest government adopted an emergency ordinance that provides for salary increases of 10% in two installments for several categories of employees in institutions subordinated to the executive, ministries, or under the control of the Parliament. The trade unions in the administration criticized the ordinance, stating that the Government is promoting a salary policy that does not take into account the real needs of employees. On Thursday, trade unionists from several public institutions and governmental organizations protested in Bucharest, claiming inequities and wage discrimination in their fields of activity. The offered increase displeases some of the protesters, who consider it too small. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu answered them by saying that for the institutions in question, solutions can be found for more flexible personnel structures, and, from the savings made, the salaries of those who deserve it can be increased.

Craiova hosts the International Shakespeare Festival

Having reached its 14th edition, the International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova (south), which started on May 16, will close its doors on Sunday. More than 300 world-class theater performances, concerts, parades, workshops, book launches, installations, and VR trips were scheduled throughout the city of Craiova and its surroundings, in conventional spaces, but also in the most original and unexpected places. The performance halls and indoor spaces host shows, exhibitions, workshops and book launches. The markets, parks, and streets will be occasions for surprise meetings with shows and performances, concerts, and pop-up installations in the open air, to which the public is invited to contribute. Shakespeare Village – a British village from 1600, rebuilt from the ground up, on the Craiova Hippodrome, is the venue for dozens of concerts and shows. Some of the biggest names in the world of international theater and performance creators can be found in the festival program, including Robert Wilson, Peter Brook, Declan Donnellan, Philip Parr, and Christian Friedel.

Protests by Romanian employees

The week began with the protest of the Romanian National Trade Union Bloc and its 29 affiliated federations against the increased level of labor taxation. Several thousand trade unionists organized a rally in front of the Government, demanding a reduction in taxes, which they consider too high compared to salaries. The protesters believe that the current situation does not encourage people to work, and high taxes mean even more illegal work. According to the National Trade Union Bloc, Romania is the only country in the world where business contributions to the social security system have been shifted onto the shoulders of employees since 2018. The NTUB draws attention to the fact that Romania currently has one of the highest fiscal burdens on the cost of labor in the EU: 42.8% compared to the 38.6% European average. At the same time, according to the NTUB, which cites Eurostat data, low wages and high taxation caused Romania to register the third lowest employment rate in the EU in 2023, after Italy and Greece. Only 69% of Romanians aged between 20 and 64 work, which means that almost a third of Romanians do not work. On the other hand, the data of the National Institute of Statistics show that, in March, the average gross salary reached 8,500 lei (about 1,700 euros), and the net value was 5,185 lei (1,040 euros), which represents an increase of over 6% compared to the previous month and almost 14 percent compared to March 2023. When presenting the report on inflation, National Bank Governor Mugur Isărescu drew attention to the fact that in Romania incomes generally increase much more than productivity, and this will have a significant impact on inflation. Therefore, the NBR has slightly increased the inflation forecast for the end of this year, from 4.7 to 4.9%. However, according to the European Commission’s spring forecast, at the end of 2024, Romania would have an inflation of almost 6 percent, more than double the estimated European average. Mugur Isărescu explained, in this context, that Romania recorded a slower rate of inflation growth in the past years, and now also records a lower rate of decrease of this indicator compared to the countries in the region with which we can compare.

Tougher laws in Romania

The Parliament of Bucharest adopted a law by which drivers caught under the influence behind the wheel can be left without a driver license for a period of up to ten years. The document also prohibits the postponement of the prison sentence in the case of those convicted of causing fatal accidents under the influence of alcoholic beverages or psychoactive substances. Practically, anyone who is detected in traffic, at the wheel, driving under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances will receive, in addition to the conviction, a ban on driving a vehicle for up to 10 years, compared to 5 years at present. If they cause a road accident resulting in the death of the victims, the punishment will be between 15 and 25 years in prison. Moreover, the normative act provides that persons found with prohibited substances will not only be fined, but will also receive custodial sentences. The Romanian legislature also adopted the law which provides that persons sentenced to prison who fled the country will bear the costs of bringing them to Romania. More precisely, the state would recover its expenses with their extradition. According to the Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, the cost for each person brought to the country to serve their sentence varies between several thousand euros and 25,000 euros, money that is now given by the state, given that the phenomenon of fugitives has been increasing year to year.

Romania has a National Strategy against human trafficking

Criticized in past years for the inefficiency of measures to combat human trafficking, Romania launched on Monday the National Strategy against human trafficking 2024-2028, which aims to reduce this phenomenon, identify victims, offer them assistance, and punish traffickers. Compared to the early 2000s, the country has made significant progress in efforts to combat the phenomenon, both in creating the legal framework and in the necessary institutional organization, but there are still things to be done, say those who participated in the launch. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Strategy against human trafficking is built on four pillars: prevention, punishment, protection and partnership. At the same time, it provides a clear framework for action aimed at improving the capacity of all structures involved in combating human trafficking. According to the data of the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons , since the establishment of the agency in 2005, i.e. over 19 years, 19,000 victims of human trafficking were registered in Romania, and there were over 4,000 convictions. In this context, the authorities claim that means of intervention have been identified, there are partnerships in place, and the necessary resources will be allocated to combat this scourge.

Constanța Port has 2 new terminals

The Romanian port of Constanta, on the Black Sea, increased its operating capacity with two new terminals on Wednesday. One of these will allow wheeled trucks to be unloaded directly from ships, and will handle up to 80,000 vehicles per year. Also, a cargo terminal will operate oversized equipment for heavy and bulky cargo. The new facilities will contribute to increasing the connectivity between the existing maritime and rail transport services in Romania, but will also have results regarding the movement of goods between continental Europe and the Black Sea, the Adriatic Sea, and the North Sea. The investment was about 65 million euros, developed by the DP WORLD company from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Constanța is already the largest container port on the Black Sea, and next year another multi-transport platform would be opened here, following a 50 million euro investment by the same company in Romania.

Bright Week

The Orthodox majority and Greek-Catholic Christians in Romania are still in Bright Week, the first after the Resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ. Following Easter, celebrated on May 5, Bright Week is an occasion for spiritual renewal and strengthening of faith. It is, in the calendar of Eastern Christianity, also the beginning of a special period, which ends fifty days after Easter, on June 23, with the Descent of the Holy Spirit, a holiday also known as Pentecost.

Busy month

The at least presumptive calm of the Easter holidays dissipated on Friday, May 10, at dawn, with the official launch of the electoral campaign for the European Parliament and local elections, scheduled simultaneously in Romania on June 9. For the first time in the three and a half decades of post-communist democracy, Romanians are going to elect on the same day both their 33 representatives in the European Parliament and the mayors of some 3200 communes and cities, together with the presidents of county councils, and local and county councilors. For one month, until the eve of the election, the aspirants to these public offices will be able to promote themselves everywhere: television, radio, markets, fairs, stadiums, or bus stations. The Central Electoral Bureau (CEB) strongly advises the election contestants to respect the general rules regarding the conduct of the campaign, to have a balanced, honest, and constructive discourse, and to avoid distortion or manipulation of information. Voters deserve to have access to objective, real and correct information, to be able to form their own opinion and to decide with full knowledge of the case – the CEB also states. Abroad, for the first time, more than 900 polling stations will be organized, reserved exclusively for Euro elections. If Romanian citizens can vote for MEPs anywhere in the country or abroad, for local elected officials they can exercise their right to vote only in the sections where they are domiciled or reside. In Bucharest, there are nine political figures who aspire to become general mayor, a position for which, in internal politics, the most votes are needed, after that of president of Romania.

The union evaluated

Almost 50% of Romanians believe that the country’s accession to the European Union, in 2007, brought advantages rather than disadvantages, their percentage being on the rise compared to 10 years ago. A survey carried out by INSCOP highlights the fact that over 60% of people who share this opinion are young, and around 73 percent have higher education. The data shows that more than half of the people who believe that the accession has brought benefits live in Bucharest, the economic engine of the country. 42 percent of those interviewed believe that future MEPs should fight, as a priority, for Romanians to have the same rights as the rest of European citizens, such as, for example, full integration in the Schengen Area, including land borders.

Europe on film

The 28th edition of the European Film Festival (FFE) started in Bucharest, on Thursday, May 9, on Europe Day itself, and will end in Chisinau, in the neighboring Republic of Moldova on June 8, during the weekend of the European Parliament elections. According to the organizing forum, the Romanian Cultural Institute, this year, the Festival proposes a generous program of 40 feature films – 34 as a national premiere – and two selections of short films.

Visit to the White House

The situation in Ukraine, invaded by Russian troops, dominated the Tuesday discussions, at the White House, between American president Joe Biden and Romanian president Klaus Iohannis. Both reiterated their unwavering support for Kiev. Iohannis received, the next day, the Award for Outstanding International Leadership for the year 2024, at a gala organized in Washington as well. The Atlantic Council of the United States, a prestigious American organization, founded in 1961, with a rich activity in the field of international affairs, announced that it granted this award to the President of Romania in recognition of his career and his role as a transatlantic and European leader. Among the laureates of the important distinction were, in the past, President George W. Bush, head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and Prime Ministers Tony Blair of the UK and Italy’s Mario Draghi. In 2024, Iohannis will complete his second five-year term as head of state, to which the Romanian Constitution gave him the right.

Deferred qualification

The Romanian men’s national handball team defeated the Czech team with a score of 31-30, on Wednesday evening, at home in Baia Mare (north), in the first leg of the 2025 World Championship play-offs. The decisive leg will take place away in Brno on Sunday, May 12. Romania participated 14 times in the World Championship, and in the 1960-70s, thanks to some exceptional generations, it won the trophy four times, a performance that remained unmatched for a long time. The last time, however, was at a final tournament in 2011, when they took 19th place. Next year’s World Championship will take place between January 14 and February 2, in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway.

Apart but together

As declared political enemies in the past, PSD and PNL produced a surprise when, in the fall of 2021, they decided to set aside their animosities and form a coalition to govern Romania. Optimists gave the two formations chances of coexistence until the 2024 elections at most, interspersed with all other types of elections: local and European parliamentary on June 9, presidential in September, and parliamentary in December. However, a new surprise occurred when the PSD and the PNL decided, on June 9, to propose common candidates both for the European Parliament and, in some cities, for the seats of local elected officials. For the mayoralty of Bucharest, they chose as a common candidate an unknown in politics – independent Cătălin Cîrstoiu, physician and hospital manager. Only about a month after the candidacy was announcement, PSD and PNL decided, this week, however, to withdraw their support for Dr. Cîrstoiu, after he was accused of incompatibility. As a result, the presidents of the PSD and PNL Bucharest organizations, Gabriela Firea and Sebastian Burduja respectively – who should have been content with only coordinating Cătălin Cîrstoiu’s electoral campaign – became candidates, each for their own party, for the position of Mayor General of the Capital. The two promised that they will not attack each other, but will have electoral campaigns focused on solutions for Bucharest.

Romania internationally

On the international level, Romania and South Korea have expanded their bilateral cooperation. On the occasion of the visit by President Klaus Iohannis this week in Seoul, a joint declaration was signed regarding the strengthening of the strategic partnership, as well as several cooperation agreements in the fields of defense, energy, and emergency management. President Iohannis also visited a world leader complex in energy production, where a memorandum of understanding was signed on nuclear technology, Romania being interested in the development and implementation of small modular reactor technology. Also this week, President Klaus Iohannis joined the leaders of 18 countries who signed a joint statement demanding the release of the hostages in the Gaza Strip. The statement emphasized that their release would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in the area, facilitate an increase in additional humanitarian assistance needed, and a credible end to Israeli-Palestinian hostilities. Finally, the Minister of Defense, Angel Tâlvăr, had a telephone conversation with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, about Romania’s cooperation with the United States in the matter of Ukraine. In this context, the two reiterated the need to continue efforts to deepen the bilateral Strategic Partnership and maintain transatlantic unity.

Airplanes for Romania

Three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft purchased by Romania from Norway have landed at the Air Force 71^st General Emanoil Ionescu Air Base at Câmpia Turzii (center), for bolstering the 48th Fighter Squadron. The acquisition of this new batch of F-16 aircraft, and the related package of goods and services, will ensure the increase of Romania’s security, by defending the national and NATO airspace in peacetime and in crisis situations – as was shown in a press release from the Ministry of Defense from Bucharest. The recently arrived F-16 aircraft represent the second series of three such devices bought by Romania from Norway, the first being received at the end of November 2023, in the 86th Air Base Lieutenant aviator Gheorghe Mociorniţă in Borcea (south). With the gradual arrival, until next year, of 32 multirole F-16 aircraft, Romania is consolidating its air defense at a level adapted to the security challenges in the region. Currently, the Romanian Air Force has 20 F-16 aircraft.

Romanian films at Cannes

The famous Cannes Film Festival 2024 has finalized its official selection, inviting the Romanian filmmaker Emanuel Pârvu to its competition, with the film Three Kilometers to the End of the World. Also during the Festival, the documentary ‘Nasty’, about the life and career of the first world number 1 in tennis, Romanian Ilie Năstase, directed by Tudor Giurgiu, Cristian Pascariu, and Tudor D. Popescu, will be presented in the Special Screenings section. Finally, French-Romanian actress Anamaria Vartolomei plays the main role in the film ʹMariaʹ, by French director Jessica Palud, also present in the official Cannes selection. In total, 22 films will compete in 2024 for the Palme d’Or trophy. Among them are films by famous directors such as Francisco Ford Coppola, Jacques Audiard, and Paolo Sorrentino. The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will take place between May 14 and 25.

Superlative young Romanians

The AICitizen robotics team from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza College in Focşani (east) won the First Tech Challenge robotics world championship, in Houston, Texas, in the United States. The Romanian students fought, in the finals, alongside colleagues from the USA and South Africa, with whom they formed the Blue Alliance. Their opponent was the Red Alliance, which included another team from Romania – the Mihai Viteazul College from Ploieşti (south). Romania had four teams in the competition in Houston, and they all reached the semifinals. The event took place between April 17 and 20, and gathered together over 200 of the best robotics teams in the world.

Registration for the June 9 local elections has begun

This week, the registrations of aspirants to the positions of city councilors began, in view of the polls on June 9 – a date on which, for the first time for Romania, the European parliamentary elections will also take place. 15 political formations have already submitted their lists of virtual MEPs, as well as seven independent candidates. Political parties, alliances, citizens’ organizations belonging to national minorities, and independent candidates are able, until April 30, at midnight, to submit candidacies for local elections. According to the most recent Eurobarometer, published on Wednesday, Romanians’ willingness to vote in the European Parliament elections has increased considerably compared to five years ago. Romania registers the second largest increase in this direction, after the Czech Republic, reaching 74%, which represents 19 percentage points more than the previous election. More important for Romanians, however, is the vote in the national elections, which 63% say is of high importance.

About Schengen, Ukraine and Israel, at the European Council in Brussels

President Klaus Iohannis declared that he wants to solve as quickly as possible the problems that Romanian citizens still have at the airports of some European countries, despite the fact that Romania entered Schengen with air borders at the end of last month. The statement was made before the European summit in Brussels, where a report requested by the Council mentioned the need for the total integration of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen Area, as a measure that will boost the single market. Moreover, in Sofia, where he met, on Thursday, with the Romanian and Bulgarian Ministers of the Interior, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said that she hopes that this year a precise date will be established for the full accession of the two countries , as proposed by the European Commission. On the agenda of the Brussels Council was the situation in Ukraine – a country that needs more military aid and is facing problems in the energy infrastructure following the Russian bombings, but also the tense situation in the Middle East. The 27 EU states called on Israel to immediately cease fire in the Gaza Strip and open the access routes for humanitarian aid, as well as the release of all hostages by Hamas. At the same time, European leaders announced that the Union will take additional restrictive measures against Iran, especially regarding the delivery of drones and missiles. Leaders around the world, including Romania, have condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel a week ago in response to the killing of several Iranian officers in Damascus in an attack attributed to Israel. In response, on Thursday night, Israel attacked areas in western Iran that are home to an Iranian military base and several targets related to Iran’s nuclear program. Explosions were also reported in Iraq and Syria, countries where pro-Iranian Shiite militias operate.

Working visit of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to the Middle East

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu made, this week, a working visit to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with the objective of consolidating the economic component, with an emphasis on attracting investments to Romania. Accompanied by an important government delegation, the Romanian official declared that he wants Romania to become the gateway for these countries’ investments in the EU. He had meetings with representatives of relevant companies investing globally in technology, energy, agriculture, health, the IT industry, and communications. Discussions also focused on attracting investment in air and port infrastructure. In addition to the economic coordinate, the visit to the two Middle Eastern countries also had an important political dimension, with the Romanian Prime Minister having discussions at the highest level both in Doha and in Abu Dhabi. Also, the delegation from Bucharest met with members of the Romanian communities.

The IMF reviews Romania’s economic growth

The International Monetary Fund revised downward the estimates regarding the growth of the Romanian economy this year, from 3.8% to 2.8%, while the world economy will grow a little more than expected, by 3.2 percent, as shown in the latest report of the international financial institution, published in Washington. According to the international financial institution, the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East risks leading to higher energy and food prices. Returning to Romania, the Fund estimates that the country will register, this year, an average annual inflation of 6%, and 4 percent in 2025. As for the current account deficit, the IMF expects it to remain at 7.1% of GDP this year year, similar to the level predicted in October and that of last year.

Romania at the Venice Art Biennale

The Romanian Minister of Culture, Raluca Turcan, participated in the inauguration of the mosaic workshop within the New Gallery of RCI Venice, a project within the famous Biennale in the city, on which occasion he noted that this space considerably expands the cultural presence that Romania has, and contributes to the international artistic dialogue. The workshop brings together artists from Romania, alongside young artists from the Republic of Moldova, during the seven months of the Biennale. Romania has two exhibition spaces at the Venice Art Biennale, the space it has had since 1938 in the Giardini della Biennale and the New Gallery, now transformed into an artistic workspace. The Minister added that, this year, the theme of the Biennale, ‘Străini pretutindeni/Foreigners Everywhere’, reminds us that, although different, people are united through creativity and art, and thus overcome geographical and cultural borders. According to Raluca Turcan, this truth is illustrated by the exhibition ‘What work is’, which represents Romania at this year’s Art Biennale.

NATO – 20 years

Romania believes that the entire Eastern Flank of the European Union and NATO must be connected by road and rail, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. President Klaus Iohannis insisted on this aspect at Thursday’s summit of the Three Seas Initiative in Vilnius, qualifying the discussions as ‘very good’. On Wednesday, at the conference “Romania – NATO – 20 years”, organized by the Ministry of Defense in Bucharest, the head of state said that the current context generated by the war on our borders increases Romania’s relevance as a pillar of regional security and stability. Klaus Iohannis confirmed that the country must intensify its efforts to strengthen the reserve of military personnel, to revitalize the national defense industry, and to modernize the transport infrastructure. Klaus Iohannis:

“The defense of our citizens is one of the fundamental obligations of the Romanian state. However, people’s safety cannot be guaranteed without an army equipped with modern technology. Starting in 2023, Romania increased from 2% to 2.5% the allocation of GDP for defense, i.e. for equipping the Romanian Army, for motivating, training and improving our military, and for increasing the level of interoperability with the allied forces”.

For his part, Marcel Ciolacu declared that joining NATO meant Romania’s return to the community of Western democratic values and principles. Marcel Ciolacu:

“Today, Romania is irreversibly anchored in the Euro-Atlantic community and represents, in turn, a strategic anchor of NATO on the Eastern Flank. Romania remains a mature and credible ally, with a proactive attitude and the ability to act sustainably to achieve its own objectives and protect allied values”.

Defense ministers from NATO countries and chiefs of staff or ambassadors of the North Atlantic Alliance countries participated in the event in Bucharest.

Who is running for the European Parliament?

15 electoral parties or alliances and seven independents registered their candidacies for the June 9 European Parliament elections. The Central Electoral Bureau published the lists of candidates on the institution’s website on Thursday. These are, among others, the PSD-PNL electoral alliance, the AUR Alliance, the United Right Alliance (USR, PMP, Forta Dreptei), the Socialist Romania Alliance, the SOS Romania Party, the Right Alternative Party, the Reper Party, and the UDMR. There are several MEPs on the lists who will run for a new term, but there are also new names. On April 29, the definitive candidates for the European Parliament elections will be announced. According to a Eurobarometer published by the European Commission, more than half of Romanians, 53%, declare that they are very likely to vote in the European parliamentary elections in June, 10% said that they are quite unlikely to vote, and 10% very unlikely.

Energy discussions

Romania has a successful past when it comes to nuclear energy, and the Cernavodă Power Plant is one of the nuclear power plants with the best capacity factors in the world, and with an impeccable past in terms of safety. The appreciation belongs to the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, who visited Bucharest this week. During the meetings he had with the Romanian authorities, he noted the advanced degree of development of the nuclear energy sector in Romania, exemplified by the investments at the Cernavodă Power Plant and those in small modular reactors. He emphasized that they have an essential role in ensuring the energy autonomy of the country and in reducing costs for consumers. Moreover, the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, estimates that, starting next month, prices will decrease for Romanians, especially for natural gas. Price drops are also expected for electricity. Also this week, the Chamber of Deputies in Bucharest adopted, as a decision-making body, the project 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. “It is a particularly complex project that will allow us to have the first megawatts of electricity produced in the Black Sea in 2032,” said Sebastian Burduja.

Data on trade deficit, GDP and inflation in Romania

Romania’s trade balance deficit in the first two months of this year exceeded 4 billion euros and was approximately 230 million euros lower than the one recorded in the same period last year. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in the first two months of 2024, exports amounted to 15 billion euros, and imports amounted to 19 billion euros. Important weight in the structure of exports and imports were held by cars, transport equipment, and other manufactured products. At the same time, according to the NIS, Romania’s Gross Domestic Product increased last year by 2.1% compared to the previous year. Agriculture, construction and trade contributed to its growth to a greater extent. Instead, industry had a negative contribution to the GDP’s evolution, due to the decrease in the volume of activity. On the other hand, the annual inflation rate decreased in March to 6.6 percent per year, from 7.2 percent in February, being the second consecutive decrease of this indicator. According to the NIS, food, non-food, and services have risen in price the most.