Category: The Week in Review

20 years since Romania joined NATO

Several public institutions mark the celebration, on March 29, of two decades since Romania became a member of NATO, by submitting the accession instruments in Washington. A series of events are scheduled throughout the year, and one of them took place on Thursday, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense launched the ‘Born in NATO’ campaign. Dedicated to those born after 2004, it aims to promote the role and values of the North Atlantic Alliance among young people. At the launch of the campaign, the head of diplomacy from Bucharest, Luminiţa Odobescu, spoke about Romania’s involvement in the Alliance and about the country’s contribution to strengthening security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region. The strategic partnership with the United States, concluded during President Emil Constantinescu’s term, 8 years after the fall of communism, and the cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance during the war in Yugoslavia, are considered important stages in the political process of Romania’s accession to NATO.

Economic Forum Romania – Republic of Moldova in Bucharest

The capital of Romania hosted, on Wednesday, the Economic Forum Romania – Republic of Moldova. The heads of the governments in Bucharest and Chisinau, Marcel Ciolacu and Dorin Recean respectively, stated that the two neighboring states intend to interconnect their capital markets. This approach would allow the companies on the left of the Prut River to expand, and the Moldovan state to take a new step towards joining the EU. The Romanian Prime Minister declared that, in the relationship between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, it is time for investments and projects with economic impact. He encouraged companies from the neighboring state to use the Bucharest Stock Exchange, until the Chisinau Stock Exchange has sufficient liquidity. For his part, the head of the Moldovan government, Dorin Recean, stated that the project of interconnecting the two capital markets is not easy to implement, but that it represents an opportunity for companies from the Republic of Moldova to expand and become regional.

The forecasts of the European Commission for Romania’s economy

Romania is among the six states for which the European Commission published, on Monday, in-depth analyses, the aim being to assess whether the respective states face macroeconomic imbalances in the context of the European Semester. The analysis for Romania shows that the country continues to face vulnerabilities related to public finance and external balance accounts. The European Commission warns that large public and current account deficits, as well as high inflation, which are all above pre-pandemic levels, make the economy potentially vulnerable to shocks. There was some progress in narrowing the current account deficit in 2023, mainly on the back of monetary policy tightening and weaker private consumption. In the document it is opined that the pursuit of a credible fiscal consolidation strategy is the key priority of the policies aimed at mitigating the risks to the stability of the economy. The Commission also appreciates that Romania’s macroeconomic vulnerabilities have expanded following the pandemic, in a context in which an extremely solid growth was recorded.

Economic Forum for Francophonie in Bucharest

Romania hosted, this week, the Economic Mission of the International Organization of Francophonie. On this occasion, the Economic Forum for Francophonie, the most important platform dedicated to business communities in Francophone countries, took place in Bucharest. Participating were entrepreneurs and government officials from the 88 member countries of the organization. During the three days of meetings and workshops, Romanian companies had the opportunity to discuss concrete issues with potential business partners from Africa, Asia, North America, the Caribbean, or Europe. The agri-food industry, IT, green energy or the medical industry were just some of the sectors in focus at the Economic Forum for Francophonie.

Brâncusi in an exceptional exhibition in Paris

The Romanian Minister of Culture, Raluca Turcan, had a meeting in Paris with her French counterpart, Rachida Dati, with whom she discussed joint projects in the field. On this occasion, the strong commitment of both sides to continue the development of collaboration and the support of several joint cultural events was emphasized. One of these events is Brancusi: L’art ne fait que commencer, hosted until July 1 by the Pompidou Center. The largest retrospective dedicated to Brâncuşi in the last three decades, the exhibition brings to the public over 200 sculptures, photographs, drawings, films, and archival documents from the artist’s Parisian workshop, important works from Romania, from the Romanian Academy, the National Art Museum of Romania, and the Craiova Art Museum, but also from important international institutions, such as Tate Modern, MoMA, the Guggenheim Museum, an the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Electoral moves

The Social Democrat-Liberal coalition in power in Romania chose physician Cătălin Cîrstoiu, the director of a major Bucharest hospital, as a joint candidate for Bucharest City Hall. The decision, announced this week, comes less than three months before the local elections, which will be held, together with the European Parliament elections, on June 9. Formally, Cîrstoiu will remain independent, and will be helped in the most important electoral competition in Romania after the presidential one by the leaders of the PSD and PNL Bucharest organizations, the former general mayor Gabriela Firea, and the current Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja. Each of them hoped to represent the coalition in the battle for Bucharest, but the coalition decided otherwise. The mayoral elections are held in a single round, on the ‘winner takes all’ principle. Cârstoiu will have a difficult mission, some commentators say impossible, that of defeating the current general mayor, Nicuşor Dan, supported in the race for a new term from the United Right Alliance, formed by USR, PMP and Forta Dreptei. The Central Electoral Bureau had denied its registration in the elections, but the High Court of Cassation and Justice restored its rights. If an independent is the PSD-PNL option for Bucharest, an independent was also the choice for the first place on the common list of the European Parliament, in the person of Ramona Chiriac, head of the European Commission Representation in Romania. She accepted the challenge, but later gave up.

Famous fugitive brought back to the country

The former mayor of Baia Mare (north-west), Cătălin Cherecheș, will definitely not be able to run for the local elections. This week, he was extradited by authorities from Germany, where he had been trying to escape a five-year prison sentence for bribery. On November 24, 2023, shortly before the sentencing, Cherecheş fled the country. He was caught five days later in Bavaria. The head of justice, Alina Gorghiu, stated that her Ministry offered the German authorities guarantees related to the conditions in the penitentiary where Chiricheş will be incarcerated. Moreover, the conditions in Romanian prisons are often invoked by famous fugitives, convicted in Romania, before the courts of the countries where they seek an undeserved refuge. The Ministry of Justice has proposed a so-called ‘fugitive’ law, which adds a custodial sentence to those who try to evade the execution of a sentence. It also proposed that convicts who fled the country should be obliged to pay the costs of repatriation. Last year, the Romanian state spent over 10 million lei (2 million euros) to bring 800 fugitives into the country.

NPRR reforms delayed

A new renegotiation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is no longer possible, so Romania must reach, by August 2026, 400 milestones and targets, European Commission experts point out. They say that Bucharest has carried out important reforms under the umbrella of the NPRR, in areas such as energy, justice, fighting corruption, and the pension system, but has lagged behind in essential chapters such as tax reform and corporate governance in state-owned enterprises. The European Commission is also concerned about the level of the fiscal deficit, which is approaching 7 percent, far above the set target for this year. In its defense, the Bucharest government cites the challenges that arose after the energy crisis, related to the increase in inflation, the effects of the war in Ukraine, or the distortions in supply chains, and assures that all the reforms provided for in the Resilience Plan will be implemented.

Social protests

In the middle of the week, employees of the Romanian postal service were, for two hours, on a warning strike, dissatisfied with the salary level. Union representatives say that over 60% of the postal employees work on minimum wage, and request a net increase of 400 lei, that is 80 euros, and a loyalty bonus of 25%. The postal workers’ union has announced that, if their list of demands is not resolved, they could go on an indefinite general strike. The management of the national company claims that, starting in June, salaries will increase by 250 lei on average. The postmen’s protest is in addition to those started, on Monday, by the employees of the town halls of villages. The union that represents the 60,000 civil servants say that they are the only ones in the budget system remaining at the salary level from 2021. There is also dissatisfaction in the health sector. The Sanitary Solidarity Federation considers the 20 percent salary increase proposed by the government and the pay for night duty to be insufficient, and organized a referendum on the initiation of a general strike.

Back in the arena

Romanian Simona Halep returned, after more than a year and a half, to a tennis court, where she did not have access due to her suspension for doping. The former world number one, double winner of the Grand Slam, played in the first round in Miami, a major tournament worth 1000 points, thanks to a wild card offered by the organizers. Halep was defeated by the Spaniard Paula Badosa, but she had a good performance, especially in the first set, which she won. Halep, 32, started from scratch in the WTA rankings. Her case will likely lead to rule changes, meaning that athletes who have had their suspensions overturned or reduced could get some of their points back. The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne reduced Simona’s sentence from 4 years to 9 months, so she could have returned to competitions as early as last July, so that now she would be in the top 100 players in the world.

About the Treasury of Romania in Brussels

The European Parliament adopted, on Thursday, a resolution by which it asks Russia to fully return Romania’s national treasure, which it illegally appropriated. This is an unprecedented international case of illegal appropriation of gold reserves and heritage objects, and represents a permanent concern for Romanian society – the MEPs emphasize. According to the resolution, the Parliament welcomes the substantial efforts of the European Union to protect the national, cultural, and historical heritage, through the implementation of the legislation and cooperation mechanisms that regulate the restitution of cultural and heritage assets illegally appropriated from the territories of Union countries, as well as the efforts in combating trafficking in cultural goods. The MEPs call on the European Commission and the European External Action Service to include the restitution of the Romanian national heritage on the bilateral diplomatic agenda that regulates EU-Russia relations, as soon as the regional context allows the resumption of political dialogue between the parties. During the First World War, between 1916 and 1917, Romania sent the national treasury (which included significant amounts of gold, heirlooms, art collections, jewels, archives) to allied Czarist Russia, to be protected in case of occupation of the national territory by German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Turkish enemy troops. After the establishment of the Bolshevik regime founded by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, Russia seized the treasury and refused to return it, and most of the valuables remain unreturned to this day. The issue of returning the Treasury has been discussed, unsuccessfully, for decades by a joint Romanian-Russian commission.

About President Iohannis at NATO

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, will end, in 2024, his second five-year presidential mandate to which the Constitution gave him the right. And, as anticipated by many, he announced on Tuesday his candidacy for the position of Secretary General of NATO. A position that, also this year and after a decade, Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg will leave. What legitimizes Iohannis for the head of the strongest political-military alliance in history is, he says, the deep understanding of the challenges it faces, as well as Romania’s performance in NATO, being a neighbor of Ukraine, invaded by Russian troops. “In a complicated security context, our country has proven that it is a pillar of stability in the region” – the head of state also stated, adding that it is time for Romania to assume even greater responsibility within the Euro-Atlantic leadership structures. As far as is known at the moment, the President of Romania will have the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is also retiring from national politics, as his counter-candidate for the head of NATO. The latter seems to be the favorite, because he has the support of the great powers in NATO: the United States, the first among equals in the Alliance, Great Britain, France, and Germany. But the choice is made through diplomatic consultations between all the member states, and the decision is announced only when a consensus is reached on a single candidate. And Rutte, with a bad image in the chancelleries in Turkey, Romania, Hungary, or Bulgaria, is now far from this unanimity.

Ukraine without Romanian troops

Romania will not send combatants to Ukraine – President Iohannis declared, also on Tuesday, noting that Ukraine is not a NATO member, so it cannot benefit from the presence of the Alliance’s troops “We support Ukraine in many ways and we will continue to do so” – the head of state emphasized . “A possible sending of combatants to Ukraine cannot be considered under the NATO mandate, because Ukraine is not a NATO ally” – Iohannis pointed out. He also said that “if there are bilateral agreements between a state and Ukraine on any topic, they can be honored.”

About the economy, at the OECD

Romania’s economy could register a growth of 3.1% this year and 3.3% next year – said the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann. He mentioned that the institution he leads estimates a reduction in inflation, in order to continue Romania’s convergence process, with a continuous increase in living standards and incomes, but, for this purpose, sustained reforms will be needed. According to the general secretary of the OECD, maintaining the active population for a longer duration in their jobs would have positive effects on the economy. Greater tax compliance is also required. According to the Secretary General of the OECD, the full use of European funds is also important in order to increase productivity. Romania receives 28.5 billion euros in funds for recovery, a huge percentage of GDP, which must be invested in the infrastructure and the area of transportation – said Mathias Cormann.

About visas with Simona Halep

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep left for Miami on Monday, where she will play her first official matches after more than a year and a half of suspension, for alleged doping. In a post on a social network, the former world number one of women’s tennis thanked the United States Embassy for the support it gave her in obtaining visas for her and her team. At the same time, the tennis player urged Romanians to support the Visa Waiver program. Thus, she appealed to those who already have visas to renew them, including by mail. In this way, the rate of approved visas will increase, an essential condition for Romania to enter this free access program in the United States. The tournament in Miami will begin on March 17.

PPE Congress in Bucharest

Over 2,000 delegates from 40 countries, including 13 heads of state and government, as well as presidents of parties and European commissioners, participated, on Wednesday and Thursday, in Bucharest, in the Congress of the European People’s Party. On this occasion, Ursula von der Leyen was appointed the EPP candidate for the presidency of the European Commission. During a press conference, she stated that her objective is to preserve a strong and secure, peaceful and prosperous, democratic and united European Union. She also stated that ‘Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to win the war by which he tried to change borders by force again’. The EPP candidate reiterated her support for Ukraine, for its European future, and promised at the same time to continue the fight against climate change. On the first day of the Congress in Bucharest, the European People’s Party unanimously adopted an electoral manifesto demanding that Romania and Bulgaria fully join the Schengen area. The document also received the popular vote in Austria, a country whose chancellor, Karl Nehammer, also from the same political family, has so far opposed it. In Bucharest, the president of the EPP, Manfred Weber, reiterated that Romania and Bulgaria meet all the criteria. We recall that, last December, the Council of the European Union voted for the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen only by air and sea, starting March 2024. The meeting was hosted by the National Liberal Party, co-governing in Romania, in partnership with the European People’s Party . Bucharest was also the host of a congress of the European party in October 2012.

Support for Romania’s full accession to Schengen

In its approach to full accession to the Schengen area, Romania also has the support of Belgium, which now holds the presidency of the Council of the Union. At this week’s Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels, the Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden, emphasized that the Belgian presidency of the EU Council will continue to work for a full Schengen accession of the two countries, in accordance with the European Commission’s recommendations. Present at the Council, the Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, emphasized that Bucharest is already cooperating for border protection and combating illegal migration in Romania. He stated that Romania reduced migration by about 60% last year and added: ‘if we look at the situation on the ground, we see that Romania could strengthen the Schengen zone, and it is not right at all to be only partially integrated in the Schengen area’. In Brussels, the Romanian minister signed with his Bulgarian counterpart and the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs a new collaboration framework for border management. The two states now have at their disposal an extra 85 million euros for increasing capacities.

Meetings of President Klaus Iohannis

President Klaus Iohannis held talks, on Thursday, in Bucharest, with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, and after the meeting the head of state wrote on a social network that the process of Romania’s full accession to Schengen will continue until this final goal is reached. ‘The European Union must be united, strong and prosperous, and the entry of our country into the area of free movement will further strengthen European security for the benefit of all citizens’, appreciated the President of Romania. The Chancellor of Austria said, in his speech before the participants of the EPP Congress, that the borders of the Union need funding, and that quickly implemented asylum procedures are necessary, so that those who are illegally on EU territory can be repatriated. This week, the head of state had a meeting, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the neighboring Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. Earlier, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also held talks with Maia Sandu, in which context he reconfirmed his ‘firm’ support for Chisinau’s European path.

Decisions in the Chamber of Deputies

The Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft law that allows the organization of presidential elections in September. PSD and PNL, in government, agreed that the first round of elections will take place on September 15, and the second on the 29th of the same month. The normative act was challenged by the USR and the Force of the Right at the Constitutional Court, which will discuss the opposition’s referral on March 20. The draft law, that provides that high-risk drug traffickers will no longer receive suspended sentences, and the trading of psychoactive substances will be punished with imprisonment from three to ten years, passed the Chamber of Deputies and went on to endorsement. Last but not least, the deputies rejected with a majority of votes the simple motion against the Minister of Finance, Marcel Boloş. The initiators, USR and the Force of the Right, criticized the introduction of the 10% tax on medical leaves. Instead, Minister Boloş rejected the accusations and categorized the opposition’s approach as politically motivated.

Simona Halep wins partial victory at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne

The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne reduced tennis player Simona Halep’s sentence for doping from 4 years to nine months. The Romanian, former world number one, winner at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and holder of over 20 other trophies, can thus return to the field, as her provisional suspension began on October 7, 2022. The suspension had been decided for two alleged sports offenses – the presence in urine of a prohibited substance, and irregularities in the biological passport. According to the CAS, Halep proved that the violation of anti-doping rules was unintentional. She has sued the Canadian company that produced the nutritional supplements she believes caused her to test positive, and is seeking $10 million in damages.

PPE Congress in Bucharest

Over 2,000 delegates from 40 countries, including 13 heads of state and government, as well as presidents of parties and European commissioners, participated, on Wednesday and Thursday, in Bucharest, in the Congress of the European People’s Party. On this occasion, Ursula von der Leyen was appointed the EPP candidate for the presidency of the European Commission. During a press conference, she stated that her objective is to preserve a strong and secure, peaceful and prosperous, democratic and united European Union. She also stated that ‘Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to win the war by which he tried to change borders by force again’. The EPP candidate reiterated her support for Ukraine, for its European future, and promised at the same time to continue the fight against climate change. On the first day of the Congress in Bucharest, the European People’s Party unanimously adopted an electoral manifesto demanding that Romania and Bulgaria fully join the Schengen area. The document also received the popular vote in Austria, a country whose chancellor, Karl Nehammer, also from the same political family, has so far opposed it. In Bucharest, the president of the EPP, Manfred Weber, reiterated that Romania and Bulgaria meet all the criteria. We recall that, last December, the Council of the European Union voted for the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen only by air and sea, starting March 2024. The meeting was hosted by the National Liberal Party, co-governing in Romania, in partnership with the European People’s Party . Bucharest was also the host of a congress of the European party in October 2012.

Support for Romania’s full accession to Schengen

In its approach to full accession to the Schengen area, Romania also has the support of Belgium, which now holds the presidency of the Council of the Union. At this week’s Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels, the Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden, emphasized that the Belgian presidency of the EU Council will continue to work for a full Schengen accession of the two countries, in accordance with the European Commission’s recommendations. Present at the Council, the Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, emphasized that Bucharest is already cooperating for border protection and combating illegal migration in Romania. He stated that Romania reduced migration by about 60% last year and added: ‘if we look at the situation on the ground, we see that Romania could strengthen the Schengen zone, and it is not right at all to be only partially integrated in the Schengen area’. In Brussels, the Romanian minister signed with his Bulgarian counterpart and the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs a new collaboration framework for border management. The two states now have at their disposal an extra 85 million euros for increasing capacities.

Meetings of President Klaus Iohannis

President Klaus Iohannis held talks, on Thursday, in Bucharest, with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, and after the meeting the head of state wrote on a social network that the process of Romania’s full accession to Schengen will continue until this final goal is reached. ‘The European Union must be united, strong and prosperous, and the entry of our country into the area of free movement will further strengthen European security for the benefit of all citizens’, appreciated the President of Romania. The Chancellor of Austria said, in his speech before the participants of the EPP Congress, that the borders of the Union need funding, and that quickly implemented asylum procedures are necessary, so that those who are illegally on EU territory can be repatriated. This week, the head of state had a meeting, in Bucharest, with his counterpart from the neighboring Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu. Earlier, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also held talks with Maia Sandu, in which context he reconfirmed his ‘firm’ support for Chisinau’s European path.

Decisions in the Chamber of Deputies

The Chamber of Deputies adopted the draft law that allows the organization of presidential elections in September. PSD and PNL, in government, agreed that the first round of elections will take place on September 15, and the second on the 29th of the same month. The normative act was challenged by the USR and the Force of the Right at the Constitutional Court, which will discuss the opposition’s referral on March 20. The draft law, that provides that high-risk drug traffickers will no longer receive suspended sentences, and the trading of psychoactive substances will be punished with imprisonment from three to ten years, passed the Chamber of Deputies and went on to endorsement. Last but not least, the deputies rejected with a majority of votes the simple motion against the Minister of Finance, Marcel Boloş. The initiators, USR and the Force of the Right, criticized the introduction of the 10% tax on medical leaves. Instead, Minister Boloş rejected the accusations and categorized the opposition’s approach as politically motivated.

Simona Halep wins partial victory at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne

The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne reduced tennis player Simona Halep’s sentence for doping from 4 years to nine months. The Romanian, former world number one, winner at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and holder of over 20 other trophies, can thus return to the field, as her provisional suspension began on October 7, 2022. The suspension had been decided for two alleged sports offenses – the presence in urine of a prohibited substance, and irregularities in the biological passport. According to the CAS, Halep proved that the violation of anti-doping rules was unintentional. She has sued the Canadian company that produced the nutritional supplements she believes caused her to test positive, and is seeking $10 million in damages.

The complete calendar of the elections in Romania

The first round of the presidential elections in Romania will take place on September 15, and the second, if necessary, on September 29. The decision was taken by the governing coalition, which also gave up holding European Parliament election lasting two days for Romanians abroad, because, it claims, it would have violated the constitutional right of Romanians inside the country, who vote in a single day. Instead, the operating hours of the polling stations were extended. We recall that, previously, the coalition had decided that the European parliamentary elections will take place together with the local ones, on June 9, aiming for a greater participation in the vote for the European Parliament, the reduction of expenses, and the electoral period. The composition of the Romanian Parliament will be decided on December 8, when the general elections will take place. The President of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă, announced that over 30,000 electoral experts are prepared for this year’s successive elections. He is of the opinion that, from an institutional point of view, Romania is prepared to face this year, which he called atypical. Toni Greblă:

“Why did we say that this year is atypical? Because all types of elections – European, local, parliamentary and presidential – take place, practically, within only six months, and for this organizational reason and from other points of view, it will not be very easy”.

In addition, Toni Greblă assured that the elections will be organized transparently, respecting the principle of equanimity for all political competitors, so that the result will be the one desired by a majority of voters.

Anti-corruption balance

Prosecutors have rediscovered the ‘courage’ to investigate cases of grand corruption – said the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-corruption Directorate, Marius Voineag, at the presentation of the institution’s activity report for the year 2023. He asked the investigators to continue to show evidence of maximum professionalism, referring to the cost of corruption, which remains unacceptably high for Romanian society. Marius Voineag presented some milestones from last year’s activity. Here is Marius Voineag:

“We wanted institutional consolidation by increasing human resources, and we managed to hire 29 prosecutors, without taking into account the last procedure, through which another 23 new prosecutors were validated at the beginning of this year. During the year 2023, 651 defendants were sent to court. The number of defendants sent to court under detention increased significantly. At the level of 2023, we have 2,259 cases, compared to 2,087 in 2022”.

For 2024, considering the electoral context, the directorate promises that it will continue to have the same determination to fight corruption. According to the management of the institution, the increase of the institutional capacity is tackled with an emphasis on human resources policies, and attention will be directed toward the major cases of corruption, and to the priority areas with an impact on the lives of citizens.

Romania supports Ukraine, along with the other EU states

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, was also present at the Paris Conference at the beginning of this week, organized at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron to support Ukraine. The head of state emphasized that the unity and solidarity of the international community in support of Ukraine are essential and must be maintained, Romania’s constant position being that of multidimensional support for Ukraine, for as long as it will be needed. According to a press release from the Presidential Administration, Klaus Iohannis said that maintaining unity and coordinated action at EU and NATO level continue to be essential aspects. Also, the head of state emphasized the need to maintain special attention on the Republic of Moldova, and highlighted the importance of coordinated reaction to counter the hybrid actions on the part of the Russian Federation. Equally, he drew attention to the implications that the war started by Russia has on European and Euro-Atlantic security and, in particular, on security in the Black Sea, a region where the effects of the conflict are felt intensely. The unanimous conclusion of the participants at the Paris meeting was that all efforts need to be intensified to continue the multidimensional support given to Ukraine.

Green Pact in Romania

At a meeting in the capital with the representatives of several non-governmental organizations, President Klaus Iohannis declared that a national pact is needed to make environmental protection becomes a priority. “The quality of life, health and safety of citizens depends on this”, said the head of state. He emphasized that the current decisions and actions in the field of the environment have implications for present and future generations, and gave thanks to civil society for their involvement. According to him, “the protection of the environment should not be neglected”, and through the projects of non-governmental organizations, citizens better understood the benefits of actions for the environment, and became real partners in the green transition. Present at the event, the Minister of the Environment, Mircea Fechet, said he believes that NGOs have a vital role in monitoring and guiding government policies, in educating the public, and in promoting sustainable practices, in a world where environmental issues are becoming more and more pressing. “I am convinced that together we can make significant changes in the way we protect and manage the natural resources of our planet” – declared Mircea Fechet.

Letter from the President to the Parliament

The joint permanent offices of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies took note, on Wednesday, of President Klaus Iohannis’ letter by which the Parliament is informed that the NATO reaction force can enter, station or transit Romania for the purpose of preparing and/or carrying out military operations, if that will be the case, in the year 2024. In the letter, the president states that the international environment has become less and less predictable, the conflict situation at the regional and global level has increased, and Russia has not given up on the initial declared objectives of the invasion. According to the cited document, ‘in the event of the untimely appearance of the premises for triggering a major security crisis, with possible implications on Romania’s independence and national sovereignty, the North Atlantic Council can make the decision to deploy the NATO Response Force on Romania’s territory with the ability to very speedy reaction, in order to defuse the crisis and discourage its escalation’. President Iohannis mentions that, for the implementation, in the very short time frame available – 72 hours – of the measures prepared at the national level for the purpose of receiving the NATO Response Force, it is necessary to have approval for its deployment or transit on national territory.

A new law for the military training of the population?

In the same register, the members of the Defense Committees in Parliament had a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, devoted to the regional security situation, problems related to acquisitions and legislation in the field. Recently, the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, drew attention to the need to update the legislation regarding the preparation of the population for defense. He also emphasized the importance of restoring the operational military reserve, against the background of a serious shortage of personnel and the aging of the reservists. As part of the efforts to prepare the population for defense, the relevant ministry will propose a legislative project on the introduction of volunteering, as a form of familiarization with military training. Thus, young people between 18 and 35 years of age, regardless of gender, who wish to do so, can be trained to use a weapon in order to become voluntary reservists. Returning to compulsory military service is not taken into account. On the other hand, all the officials from Bucharest, without exception, gave assurances that Romania is not in danger of war. Recently, NATO officials and heads of the allied armies have expressed their concern regarding a possible expansion of the military conflict in Ukraine.

Measures for farmers

The government approved, on Thursday, a series of measures to support farmers. Mainly, it is about loans with lower interest and subsidizing electricity. All fees related to the credits will be paid by the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the line minister, Florin Barbu, the vast majority of the measures agreed with the farmers have been adopted. We remind you that, like their colleagues from European Union states, Romanian farmers took to the streets, weeks in a row, to complain about the high production costs, against the background of the transition to organic farming, cheap agricultural imports from Ukraine, and the much too convoluted European bureaucracy.

Plea for Europe

President Klaus Iohannis pleaded, on Wednesday, in a speech delivered in the plenary session of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, in favor of a faster decision-making process at the level of the European Union, even with the waiver of the right of veto for certain cases. The European project requires effort and patience, if we want to live in a united and prosperous Europe, emphasized Iohannis. He also pleaded for Romania’s full entry into the Schengen area. ‘The lifting, in March, of controls at the air and sea borders must be followed, naturally, in the shortest possible time, by the elimination of controls at the land borders. Only in this way will we have the correct and concrete reflection of the contribution that Romania brings to the consolidation of the security of the entire Union’, Klaus Iohannis pointed out. The head of state emphasized the importance of the European elections that will take place in June, and told those who intend to run to fight for Europe in the electoral campaign and not against it. He also said that the Union must strengthen its values and defense.

The new Foreign Minister of the Republic of Moldova in Bucharest

The efforts to reform the Republic of Moldova are visible and appreciated, declared the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, after this week’s discussions in Bucharest with her new counterpart from Chişinău, Mihai Popşoi. ‘We see manipulation attempts and various actions visibly orchestrated from the outside. Unfortunately for those who finance such plans, and fortunately for the Republic of Moldova, the country has resisted and will resist. It is consolidating its institutional capacities, it is in full process of reform, and, above all, it is firmly anchored in its European course’, emphasized Mrs. Odobescu. Minister Mihai Popşoi opined that the last two years have been a great challenge for his country, but at the same time a great opportunity to transform positively on the path of European integration. He said that he was assured, once again, that Romania will continue to give its neighbor from the East priority, comprehensive and solid support in projects aimed at strengthening energy security, infrastructure development, advancement during European integration, and the development of institutional capacities for the effective implementation of reforms.

Deficit for the country

Romania ended the year 2023 with a budget deficit of 5.68% of the GDP, more than one percentage point above the figure considered when building the budget at the beginning of last year, which was 4.4% – the Finance Ministry announced on Wednesday. The good news is that the deficit of 5.68% in 2023 is still below that anticipated by the European Commission in its autumn forecast, 6.3%. The difference between expenses and revenues stood at roughly 90 billion lei, the equivalent of 18 billion Euros.

Romanian MPs at Work

After more than one-month holiday, the Romanian senators and deputies kicked off a new Parliament session on February 1st. Measures aimed at limiting gambling and keeping drug use at bay, as well as the bills needed to reach the milestones in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, so that Romania can submit payment requests to receive allocated European funds, are high on the agenda of the PSD-PNL ruling coalition. The opposition USR & AUR have pledged to stall any further tax hikes, and prevent the Socialists and Liberals from violating the Constitution, as the latter enjoy a comfortable majority in Parliament. The press in Bucharest is bracing up for a session fraught with heated debates in a year when Romania is going to have all types of elections, European Parliament, local, legislative and presidential.

Hackers for the Prime Minister

The Romanian government has amended through an emergency ordinance the cyber-security law, so that state institutions may be informed within 48 hours of any security breach in the IT infrastructures of Romanias state entities, enabling them to have a rapid response. The amendments came after the cyber-attacks against the websites of the National Directorate for Cyber-Security and the Chamber of Deputies. The Minister of Research and Digitization, Social-Democrat Bogdan Ivan, says that the cyber-attack on the Directorate failed, whereas 300 files of public documents have been stolen from the Chamber of Deputies, as well as classified data, such as copies of the IDs belonging to Romanian MPs. Among the stolen documents is a copy the ID of Romanias Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who will now to get another ID card.

Another Romanian politician gets a bribe

Anti-corruption prosecutors on Thursday carried out searches at the house of the president of Prahova County Council, (southern Romania), Liberal Iulian Dumitrescu, and members of his family. On a 60-day pretrial conditional release, the politician and several other persons are suspected of bribery and misrepresentation in official statements. Dumitrescu says he doesnt have anything to hide, and can produce any documents needed in the investigation. He has also announced his intention to step down from all the positions he holds in the party, so as not to affect the Liberals image. Dumitrescu was one of the four first vice-presidents of the National Liberal Party, part of the ruling coalition with the Social Democrats. He was also head of the partys county branch.

Money for Ukraine

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, took part, in Brussels, in the extraordinary meeting of the European Council, which had as the main point on the agenda the obtaining of an agreement at the level of the Union regarding the main elements of the revision package of the multiannual financial framework related to the period 2021-2027. The most important decision adopted there by European leaders concerned the delivery of another 50 billion euros to Ukraine, which is invaded by Russian troops. The head of state strongly advocated that Ukraine, Romania’s neighbor, remain a top priority on the European Union’s agenda. The new injection of EU funds was decided a few days after even the main intelligence service in Kiev, the SBU, revealed that Ukrainian military officials and businessmen embezzled, six months after the start of the Russian invasion, 40 million dollars , intended for the purchase of armaments. On the eve of the summit, Iohannis participated in the tribute ceremony organized by the European Commission in memory of the French politician Jacques Delors, former president of the community executive between 1985 and 1995, who died at the end of last year, when he was almost a hundred years old.

Tents for Gaza

The Romanian government has approved the allocation of humanitarian aid worth 6 million lei (the equivalent of about 1.2 million euros), in the form of strictly necessary goods, for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army claims it wants to eliminate the Palestinian Hamas movement. The aid will consist of tents, beds, blankets, sleeping bags, and other products needed by the civilian population seriously affected by the war – stated the Bucharest Executive. Previously, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed that it took note with ‘maximum concern’ of the allegations regarding the alleged involvement of some staff members of the UN Agency for Refugees from Palestine in the Near East (UNRWA) in the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, on October 7, 2023. According to the MFA, these accusations must be the subject of ‘immediate and thorough investigations’ by the UN.

Social tensions in a quadruple election year

The protests of Romanian farmers and transporters in recent days – a millstone around the neck of politicians in power this year with four rounds of elections – led the PSD-PNL coalition Government to take support measures, in response to the demands. The measures were announced on Thursday: animal breeders will be granted subsidies that will reach them by the end of June. At the same time, the state will cover, this year, a quarter of farmers’ diesel costs. And, also for farmers, more precisely for those affected by the drought in 2023 and the trade in cheap grain from Ukraine, the executive has adopted an emergency ordinance that allows them to suspend payment of loan installments to the banks, until they recover economically. In support of truck drivers, the legal framework was modified, so that they are no longer fined for the expiry of the vignette, if the waiting times in customs are long. On the other hand, the government accepted a salary increase in the healthcare system, but new negotiations on the percentage will follow. The unions, which have threatened a general strike, are demanding a 20% increase, while the executive would lean towards 15%. Following discussions between Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and union leaders, it was decided to adjust staffing schemes and unlock positions in the system according to needs. The assessment of what is needed will be done next week, at a new meeting to which managers of hospitals and county hospital centers, the leadership of the National Health Insurance House, and representatives of ministries with attributions in the field will be invited.

Drugs in the focus

The countries of the European Union should focus on the fight against drug trafficking in ports thanks to a better integrated base at the international level, the Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, said on Thursday, in Brussels, at the informal Council of Justice and Internal Affairs. Traffickers work in networks. And we should organize ourselves the same way. – pointed out the official, who, the day before, participated, in Antwerp, Belgium, in the creation of the European Alliance of Ports, through which the Commission, the member states, and private partners try to fight against the drug trade. In the EU, almost 70% of drug seizures are made in ports, and the huge port of Antwerp is the main entry point for cocaine from Latin America to the European continent. However, Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs, pointed out that Successes obtained against criminals in one port will only direct them to other ports. Romania and the Port of Constanţa, on the Black Sea, are partners in this project – the European Alliance of Ports. Bucharest has taken important measures against drug trafficking and intends to continue on the same path, Cătălin Predoiu told his counterparts from the European Union, promising that Romania will be in the front line of this fight.

Resignation at a high level in the Republic of Moldova

A day after visiting Bucharest, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Nicu Popescu, announced his resignation on Wednesday. He stated that he had fulfilled the objective set when he was appointed, but that he needed a break. Among the achievements of the more than two years of his term, Nicu Popescu highlighted a certain visibility of the Republic of Moldova at the international level, and the dynamism of relations with foreign partners, obtaining the status of candidate country for joining the European Union in June 2022, and, the subsequent opening of negotiations in December 2023. This was despite the Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine, which affected the Republic economically and energetically, as well as Moscow’s destabilization attempts. Following the resignation of Nicu Popescu, the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration will be divided into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of European Integration. The foreign affairs portfolio will be taken over by Mihai Popşoi, now the Vice-President of the parliament. He already had a first telephone conversation with the head of diplomacy from Bucharest, Luminiţa Odobescu, who invited him to visit Romania. As for Nicu Popescu, he could become the chief negotiator of the Republic of Moldova for its accession to the European Union.

Day of the Union of the Romanian Principalities

Romanians marked, on January 24, the Union of the Romanian Principalities in 1859. Made under the leadership of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the act of political will 165 years ago by the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia to unite represented the first stage in the creation of the Romanian modern unitary state. And, this year, on the occasion of the Union of the Principalities, military and religious ceremonies, shows, and exhibitions took place in the country’s major cities. In Bucharest, in a speech, President Klaus Iohannis declared that the anniversary of the Union of Principalities is not only a retrospective moment, but also an opportunity to project a better future for the nation. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that, 165 years after the Romanians united their efforts and laid the foundations of the national, unitary and democratic state, Romania entered a new stage of its modernization, which will allow it to develop and grow to its true potential.

Week full of protests in Romania

The Bucharest government adopted measures that solve some of the problems of farmers and transporters, who have been protesting for more than a week, causing traffic disruptions in the vicinity of some large cities, including the capital, and blockages at border crossing points with Ukraine. The list of demands with which the protesters went to the talks with the governors is a long one, the common denominator of the grievances being the high cost of diesel, insurance rates, but also the pressures on the domestic market generated by imported Ukrainian agricultural products. The protesters demanded, among other things, a moratorium on loan repayments, faster subsidy payments, and separate lanes at border crossings and the Black Sea port of Constanţa for EU and non-EU trucks respectively, including from Ukraine. Following the discussions, aspects related to the weighing of trucks, the periodic technical inspection of vehicles and the professional attestation of drivers were regulated further. There is also progress regarding the new rules for RCA insurance policies, with the Financial Supervisory Authority announcing that it is considering several measures aimed at reducing the financial effort for the mandatory insurance of cargo vehicles. In the agricultural field, it was about financial aid and changes in the rules regarding the use of machinery. The measures include compensation of 100 euros per hectare, up to 280,000 euros, to be given out to farmers for losses suffered due to the war in Ukraine. The executive also analyzed the proposal to temporarily postpone the payment of installments on the loans of agricultural producers affected by the drought of 2023. The protests of farmers from all over Europe were, on Wednesday, also on the agenda of the MEPs gathered in Strasbourg. They asked for additional financial sources from the European Commission and a new common agricultural policy.

Family physicians and outpatients freeze their protests

This week, family physicians and those from specialized outpatient clinics throughout the country protested to show that they do not want payments to be reduced for the reimbursement of medical services, as proposed by the authorities in the new framework contract. At Thursdays negotiations with the representatives of the National Health Insurance House, it was decided that the current budget provided for them will be maintained until June 30, 2024, and that by then solutions will be identified for supplementing the funds, so that the money will be sufficient until the end of the year . The protesters claim that if, starting July 1, solutions are not found for the proper financing of the health insurance system, this system will no longer exist, there will be no more contracts for either family medicine, or specialized outpatient clinics. The authorities are also discussing raising the salaries of personnel in the health system, under the threat of a strike launched by the Sanitas Federation, the largest union in the healthcare system.

Pfizer sues Romania

The Pfizer company sued Romania to force the Government to pay for tens of millions of vaccine doses contracted during the pandemic. Minister Alexandru Rafila says that the complaint was registered at a court in Brussels, and concerns a contract violated by the state, through which the government requested tens of millions of doses of the anti-Covid vaccine, then refused to receive and pay for them. The minister of health explained that, in the context of low interest in vaccination, Romania had nowhere to store and then destroy such a large amount of vaccines. He also stated for Radio Romania that he expected Pfizers action, considering that the same thing happened in the case of two other European states, Hungary and Poland, countries, which did not agree to sign the amendments proposed by the pharmaceutical company. In the case of the anti-Covid vaccine doses, at the end of last year, the anti-corruption directorate started a criminal investigation against former prime minister Florin Cîţu, former ministers of health Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, as well as former undersecretary in the Ministry of Health Andrei Baciu. They are accused of abuse of office and complicity in abuse of office, because they allegedly ordered much larger quantities of vaccine than needed. The prosecutors calculated that damages to the budget are estimated to amount to over 1 billion euros.

January 15 – National Culture Day in Romania and the Republic of Moldova

Eminescu was a visionary, who created in the spirit of his people, but also knew the harmony of the peoples of the world. He did not write for a specific place and time. Eminescu wrote endlessly. Thats why the birthday of the child frolicking on the hills of Ipotesti is a celebration day for the destiny of this people, wisely proclaimed in the two Romanian states and in the souls of Romanians everywhere as the Day of National Culture. These are the statements of the president of the Romanian Academy, Ioan-Aurel Pop, made at the joint festive session organized, in a hybrid format, by the Romanian Academy, in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Moldova, on January 15, the National Culture Day of the two countries. In Romania, dozens of museums, libraries, concert and performance halls, cultural centers or institutes have carried out activities to mark this celebration. The Day of National Culture was also celebrated abroad, through the Romanian Cultural Institute, which organized, on this occasion, dozens of events, inviting the public to concerts, exhibitions, theater and ballet performances, as well as poetry recitals.

Jobs in the health system

The Bucharest executive has unlocked 7,600 positions in the medical and social assistance systems, against the background of the chronic shortage of specialized personnel. A third of them are reserved for doctors. The measure does not create financial problems, stated Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, as the budget of the Ministry of Health is, this year, 40% higher than last year. Practically, all important hospitals that have a shortage of doctors, nurses and orderlies will be able to hire. These should, however, be reflected in better services for patients, the prime minister insisted. The line minister, Alexandru Rafila, asked health units to immediately initiate the legal procedures for the organization of employment competitions. Regarding the grievances of the SANITAS Trade Union Federation, which is threatening a strike, Minister Rafila admitted that there is a sensitive problem, related specifically to the salary of auxiliary staff in hospitals, but they are trying to identify a solution over the next period.

Economic data and forecasts

The Romanian economy registered a growth of 1.8% in 2023, 0.8 percentage points lower than previously estimated, according to the latest report on Global Economic Prospects, published on Tuesday by the World Bank. The estimates regarding the evolution of the Romanian economy in 2024 and 2025, when the real GDP growth would be 3.3% and 3.8% respectively, were also revised down. Better news came from the National Institute of Statistics: the trade balance deficit for the period between January and November 30, 2023 was 25.5 billion euros, 5.450 billion less than the one recorded in the similar period of 2022. With regard to the forecasts of the World Bank, it warned that the world economy will slow down in 2024, for the third consecutive year. According to the international financial institution, if the economic contraction caused by the pandemic in 2020 is excluded, this year’s growth would be the weakest since the financial crisis of 2009.

Protests by transporters and farmers

There were two days of protests by Romanian transporters, who were joined by dozens of farmers with tractors, who made it difficult for traffic on the Bucharest ring road. Transporters are unhappy with the high rates of RCA insurance policies, and farmers are demanding compensation for drought-affected crops. Carriers argue that RCA rates have increased a lot in a relatively short time. Another problem would be the fact that two cars with similar technical capabilities and without road accidents have different value policies. The representatives of the truck drivers had discussions, at the government headquarters, with the advisors of the prime minister. It was agreed that next week there will be a working meeting between the representatives of the carriers and those of the Financial Supervisory Authority, to discuss the issue of mandatory insurance policies.

Romania and NATO

Romania has become the 15th member of the NATO Support and Strike Force – STRIKFORNATO. The Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Mihai Panait, participated on Wednesday, in Portugal, in the ceremony for raising the national flag of Romania at the headquarters of this force. At the beginning of the year in which two decades have passed since joining the North Atlantic Alliance, Romania became a member of NATO’s most powerful naval strike group. STRIKFORNATO stands for the Joint Allied Command, with a focus on the maritime domain, which encompasses very high strike capabilities such as carrier battle groups, expeditionary groups, and strike groups consisting of cruisers, destroyers and frigates. Also in the naval field, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey signed, on Thursday, in Istanbul, the memorandum of understanding regarding the establishment of the operative group for clearing sea mines in the Black Sea. The initiative of the three allies bordering the Black Sea is intended to facilitate the safety of navigation by combating the threats represented by the mines, and will ensure a continuous level of vigilance and preparation, also contributing to the strengthening of the allied deterrence posture and the defense of the eastern flank.

Hard winter in the east of the country

The counties in the east and south-east of Romania faced, in the first part of the week, an episode of severe weather, characterized by frost, heavy snow, and blizzard. Several localities remained without electricity, and road traffic was seriously disrupted due to strong winds and snow deposited on the road. The authorities temporarily closed traffic on several sections of the national road. Trains were also delayed. The bad weather also affected the activity of schools, barely reopened after the winter vacation, and in several counties classes were held online. The frost caused human casualties. The snow and blizzard also created problems in the neighboring Republic of Moldova.

Radu Drăguşin – the most expensive Romanian footballer

The main headline this week in sports is the transfer of the young Romanian footballer Radu Drăguşin from the Italian club Genoa to the London side Tottenham Hotspur. The 21-year-old international signed with Spurs until 2030, and cost 25 million euros, plus another 6 million in bonuses, a record amount for a Romanian player. Born in Bucharest, the centre-back took the step towards big football in 2018, when he was transferred by Juventus. Radu Drăguşin is the fourth Romanian footballer who will perform at Tottenham, after Gheorghe Popescu, Ilie Dumitrescu and Vlad Chiricheş.

Massive Hamas attack on Israel

On October 7 last year, commandos of the Hamas organization entered south Israel from the Gaza Strip and committed massacres in border towns and at a music festival. The toll was around 1200 dead, including children. 240 people, including elderly and children, were taken hostage. The scale and virulence of the attack surprised and horrified Israel and the democratic world. Images of the atrocities committed by the Hamas terrorists are difficult, if not impossible to watch, according to members of parliaments, including the Romanian one, who had access to them. Israeli police are investigating possible sexual violence committed by Hamas members, including gang rapes or mutilations of corpses. Israel’s military response consisted in massive bombing of Gaza, followed by a large-scale ground operation with the stated goal of eliminating Hamas. The humanitarian situation in Gaza, one of the most populated regions in the world, has rapidly deteriorated and became worrisome. Criticized for the scale of destruction caused by its military operations, Israel has claimed that Hamas is responsible for the plight of Palestinian civilians because it has developed a vast underground military infrastructure in civilian areas. In addition, analysts say, Hamas holds the population captive to the ideology of hatred. A temporary truce allowed the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the intensification of humanitarian aid to Gaza. According to the UN, over two-thirds of the 2.4 million Gaza inhabitants have been displaced. The number of civilians killed has been estimated at more than 22 thousand. Romania has evacuated over 300 of its own citizens and their family members from Gaza, upon request.

The second year of the war in Ukraine

In June last year, the Ukrainian army launched a promising counter-offensive, fueling hopes that the aggressor, Russia, will take decisive steps back in the conflict it started in 2022. Despite the Western military aid of billions of dollars, Ukraine only succeeded in taking back some small towns in the south and east. The war in Gaza has partially shifted the attention from the war in Ukraine, a country that did not make it a secret that it fears a reduced commitment of its Western allies. The fears proved to be justified to a certain extent, as the American Congress ended the year 2023 without validating the package of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, due to the disagreement between the Republican and Democratic groups of President Joe Biden. On the other hand, a declassified report of the American intelligence services, published last year, estimates that Russia lost more than 315,000 soldiers in Ukraine, that is 87% of the forces engaged in the war, hundreds of planes and thousands of tanks. According to the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, these losses underline the strategic error of President Vladimir Putin of invading Ukraine, and the result is that Russia is weaker politically, militarily and economically. For the first time since its outbreak in its vecinity, small incidents related to the war involved Romania. Thus, drones used in the conflict, fell on Romanian soil or entered the country’s airspace.

Finland in NATO, Ukraine and Moldova closer to the EU

The Russian aggression on Ukraine had major geopolitical consequences. It forced Sweden and Finland to renounce neutrality and military non-alignment, and crystallized the pro-European option of Ukraine and of its smaller neighbor, Moldova, a colateral victim of the conflict. On April 4, 2023, less than a year after its official application, made against the background of the danger represented by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Alliance. The 1300-km long border between Finland and Russia thus doubled the latter’s border with NATO. Before the invasion, President Putin wanted reduced NATO presence in Europe, especially in the proximity of Russia, but after the invasion of Uraine, he got more of it. Sweden will surely follow. As for the European Union, its leaders decided, last December, to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, countries that had been granted candidate status in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the decision as a victory for his country and for Europe, a victory that motivates and strengthens, while the Moldovan President, Maia Sandu, said that the success achieved is owed to the entire society, to all those who choose democracy and prosperity.

Devastating earthquakes and fires, in the hottest year in Earth’s history

At the beginning of February, a strong earthquake, which entered the list of the most destructive in the last 100 years, devastated the southeast of Turkey and part of Syria. It left behind 56,000 dead, of which 6 thousand in Syria. Another major earthquake occurred, in September, in the center of Morocco, and caused the death of 3 thousand people. On the other hand, 2023 was the warmest year on record, according to the European climate change service Copernicus. Scientists warn that the planet will continue to warm up as long as greenhouse gas emissions are increasing. Record temperatures were accompanied by droughts, wildfires and storms. In Canada, more than 18 million hectares of forest burned and 200,000 people were displaced. Greece and Hawaii also faced serious fires.

Coronation of Charles III

On May 6 last year, King Charles III was crowned in a lavish ceremony. Charles had become king in September 2022, following the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. It was the first time in 70 years that the United Kingdom witnessed the coronation of a head of state. A month after the coronation, King Charles made a private visit to Romania, a country he confessed that he is very fond of. A great admirer of Transylvania, he got involved in preserving the Romanian cultural heritage, buying and restoring old houses in the countryside, which he saved from destruction. (EE)