Radio România Internațional

Category: Today in the News

  • The Romanian PM pays visit to London

    The Romanian PM pays visit to London

    The Romanian Prime Minister made a working visit to the UK.

     

    On Tuesday and Wednesday, Marcel Ciolacu paid the first visit by a Romanian prime minister to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the last 17 years. It was an occasion to discuss with his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, about bilateral economic cooperation, energy, security, including in the Black Sea area, as well as about the good collaboration between the intelligence services of the two states. The importance of the Romanian community in Great Britain was not overlooked . Marcel Ciolacu: ʺThe Romanian community is very respected by the British authorities and it is normal that we started to have some accords regarding the import of traditional products, which are very much needed by the Romanian community. We had talks on renewable energy and green energy, even on nuclear energy, but also on fact that we need security in the Black Sea. We have a very good relation in the field of ​​intelligence, as the Prime Minister said, which will continue. Somehow, Britain is in the middle between Eastern NATO and Western NATO, so that we understand the strategic importance of Great Britain within NATO.ʺ

     

    The agenda of the Romanian PM’s visit to London also included an Economic Forum, during which were presented the sectors of interest for the British investors, in the Romanian economy. The forum was opened by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alastair King. In his message, he pointed out that Romania is an important dynamic market, where both the Britons and the Romanians can learn and have mutual benefits. Energy, infrastructure development projects, defense and the food industry were topics of the Romanian-British Economic Forum.

     

    We must be much more efficient in terms of British investments in Romania, in parallel with reducing the number of Romanians leaving the country, Prime Minister Ciolacu also said. ʺI wish that today we succeed together in convincing more and more managers of the British companies that Romania is a very good country for investments. This way, we have a win-win relationship: you find new opportunities for development in Romania, and we keep our workforce at home and grow the local economy.ʺ

     

    At a meeting with representatives of the Romanian community in London, Marcel Ciolacu told them that the state understands that it must come up with medium-term programs for those who want to return to the country. This year, for the first time, more Romanians have returned to Romania than those who left, the prime minister said.

  •  Roxana Mînzatu, heard by MEPs   

     Roxana Mînzatu, heard by MEPs   

    European MPs heard Roxana Mînzatu, Romania’s candidate for Vice-President for the People, Skills and Preparedness portfolio.

     

    ʺIt was an intense hearing, the most complex exam of my life – three hours, about 50 questions. But, at the end, I received hugs, applause… I imagine, however, that we have to wait for the results of the vote, so that I can understand how it wasʺ Roxana Mînzatu told the Romanian press, after the hearing in the expert committees of the European Parliament. On the last day of the marathon hearings in Brussels for the future European Commission makeup, headed by Ursula von der Leyen, it was Minzatu’s turn to answer the questions. She is Romania’s candidate for the position of Vice-President for the People, Skills and Preparedness portfolio, which also includes  the broader spectrum of preparing society and individuals for moments of crisis. The term “crisis” includes not only wars or weather disasters, but also the green transition, digitization and social crises.

     

    Roxana Mînzatu says that the European Union has the most balanced and efficient social model in the world, but also has its flaws, and some of them are getting deeper. Or, in the first year of her mandate, she would like to organize a broad consultation with all social actors in the member states, from governments and trade unions, to youth organizations and ordinary citizens, after which conclusions should be drawn about what people want in terms of crisis preparedness, professional training, education or workplace conditions. Following this dialogue, Roxana Mînzatu says that she wants to undertake actions oriented on three pillars. The first would be education and professional training, with fair access for all, but also with the continuous adjustment of the education system and resources to the economic and social reality. The second pillar of the program proposed by Roxana Mînzatu aims at quality jobs, with adequate wages and good conditions, and here she wants to redefine the European Pact for Social Rights.

     

    Finally, the third pillar represents social justice, with the general objective of helping those who need it the most. The questions that the MEPs asked Roxana Mânzatu did not only concern the policies and ideas that she will put into practice from the position of vice-president of the European Commission, but also some personal housing matters, which, in the absence of convincing answers, could have overshadowed her candidacy for the position of European Commission. The next step, after the hearing of Roxana Mânzatu and of the other five candidates for the positions of vice-presidents, is their endorsement, so that at the end of November the new European Commission makeup can be voted on, in Strasbourg, in the European Parliament’s plenary.

     

  • Peace, no longer a certainty in Europe

    Peace, no longer a certainty in Europe

     

     

    Less than 2 weeks from now, Romania will hold the first round of its presidential election, and the campaign remains low-key, limited to predictable speeches and mutual attacks between the candidates. Analysts and commentators deplore the contenders’ almost complete disregard for major topics, such as the war in neighbouring Ukraine and the country’s preparedness for any kind of security challenges.

     

    The military, on the other hand, are not involved in the campaign and are quite familiar with such delicate topics. Moreover, the institution they represent enjoys, unlike political parties, some of the highest public confidence rates.

     

    A little while ago, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, gen. Gheorghiţă Vlad, warned about the small number of reserved troops that Romania can resort to in case of a conflict, and about loopholes that restrict the armed forces’ response capacity in certain situations. It was a useful public statement, because the authorities set out to address the problems the general mentioned.

     

    On Tuesday, on the celebration of the Armed Forces General Staff, gen. Vlad rang an alarm bell as current security indicators suggest peace is no longer to be taken for granted on the European continent. He mentioned that, in violation of international humanitarian law, the Russian Federation’s moves fuel a negative progression of the likelihood of security risks and threats. According to the military official, a defence crisis is on-going in the Black Sea region, a region of strategic interest for NATO.

     

    The Romanian Army, Vlad emphasised, has reconfigured its defensive architecture. Procedures have been adjusted, the military’s response capability has been recalibrated and structures have been consolidated so as to improve the permanent combat service, air police and vigilance. Early warning and situational awareness capabilities have also be strengthened.

     

    Our defensive capacity, including Euro-Atlantic relations and the Strategic Partnership with the US, remain the vectors of our national deterrence and defence posture in the Black Sea region, and the Armed Forces General Staff plays a vital role in consolidating this posture, Vlad pointed out.

     

    In mid-September, NATO military leaders attending the Alliance’s Military Committee conference in Prague analysed the progress in implementing the defence plans approved in the 2023 Summit. On that occasion, gen. Gheorghiță Vlad said that, considering the developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine, it is becoming increasingly evident that a substantial Allied presence is necessary in the Black Sea region and that the region’s relevance must remain a priority on the NATO agenda. Credible and efficient deterrence means earmarking forces and means and ensuring the flexibility of Battle Groups so that, if necessary, they may quickly reach brigade-level organisation, the chief of the Romanian Armed Forces General Staff insisted. (AMP)

  • Preparations for the elections abroad

    Preparations for the elections abroad

     

    After the local and European parliamentary elections, held simultaneously on June 9, Romanians are preparing for an election marathon. They will vote three Sundays in a row, on November 24 and December 8 for the presidential elections and on December 1, on Romania’s National Day, for the legislative elections. Leaders of the parliamentary parties, representatives of marginal or independent factions, make up the 14 candidates for the position of head of state. One of them will replace the incumbent president, Klaus Iohannis, whose second and last presidential mandate to which the Constitution entitled him to, expires next month.

     

    As regards Parliament, there are 330 deputy and 136 senator positions at stake, for which thousands of people are competing. About 200 envelopes with postal votes for the parliamentary and presidential elections have already been received and are “on hold” until the moment when the votes cast at the ballot boxes will be counted, the president of the Permanent Election Authority (AEP), Toni Grebla, explained. He added that 6,650 citizens received envelopes to vote by mail and they must send their option no later than two days before the start of physical voting, in order to be received on time. If they report having voted incorrectly by mail, they can cast their vote at the nearest polling station in their country of residence.

     

    Toni Grebla, alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminiţa Odobescu, held a press conference on the topic of elections abroad. Greblă recalled that Romania has a record number of polling stations set up for the Romanian Diaspora, 950. Minister Odobescu warned that there are 11 polling stations with different addresses in the three rounds of elections, in Finland, France, Spain and Britain. She also mentioned that the address of some polling stations in Spain has changed, due to the recent catastrophic floods there.

     

    Odobescu has called on the Romanian citizens abroad to check the list of polling stations and to carry with them the documents they need in order to be allowed to vote – an identity card or passport, valid on the day of voting. All polling stations abroad will be permanently video monitored, the minister also said. The distribution of the ballot papers for the first round of the presidential and parliamentary elections, as well as of the other materials, such as control stamps, stamps with the mention ‘VOTE’ and the minutes recording the voting results, ends this week. Voting abroad in the first round of the presidential elections will unfold over three days: Friday, November 22, between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time, Saturday, November 23, and Sunday, November 24, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time.

  • Growing trade deficit

    Growing trade deficit

    The trade balance deficit recorded in Romania in the first nine months of the current year increased by 15%, as compared to the same period of 2023, up to the value of approximately 23.5 billion Euros, according to data published on Monday by the National Institute of Statistics. In the mentioned interval, exports exceeded 69 billion Euros, decreasing by 1.4%. Imports totaled almost 93 billion Euros, increasing by 2.3%. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in the first nine months of this year, important shares in the structure of exports and imports are held by the following product categories: machines and transport equipment (almost 47% of exports and over 36% of imports) and other manufactured products. The value of intra-EU exchanges in goods exceeded 50 billion Euros in outgoings and was more than 67 billion Euros in incomings. The value of extra-EU exchanges was more than 19 billion Euros in exports and more than 25 billion Euros in imports.

     

    Also on Monday, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) raised the inflation forecast for the end of this year to 4.9%, from 4% as estimated in August. It basically returned to the forecasts from the quarterly report on inflation published in May. The governor of the BNR, Mugur Isărescu, emphasized that the Central Bank makes its forecasts only based on certain data and that the way in which the fiscal-budgetary correction will be made in order to reduce the deficits will also influence the actual evolution of inflation. He said that he expected a coherent macroeconomic correction program with strong political support.

     

    Track: “That’s what we’re waiting for. A credible macroeconomic correction program from the new government, to be supported politically, socially accepted and effective from a macroeconomic point of view, so that we can connect. We can conceive, I mean us, the Romanians, a gradual adjustment program, 0.7 per year, significantly lower than an economic growth, which we think to set at 2% per year, which can be combined with avoiding decreasing the standard of living, but not with 16% increases in gross or net or real incomes, that can no longer be done”.

     

    The National Bank anticipates that inflation will go below 3.5% per year only in 2026. Mugur Isărescu pointed out that the evolution of prices is marked by a series of risks and uncertainties. These are related to both the fiscal policy and salary increases, and to external factors, such as the evolution of the European economies with which Romania conducts most of its commercial relations, the dynamics of the oil price, in the context of increasing geopolitical tensions, and also the way the conflicts will evolve in Ukraine and the Middle East. In the latest “World Economic Outlook” report, recently published, the International Monetary Fund has revised down to 1.9% the estimates regarding the growth of the Romanian economy this year, from 2.8% as forecast in April. (LS)

  • Central Bank Report on Inflation

    Central Bank Report on Inflation

    The latest report on inflation was approved at the end of last week by the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania. According to the forecast, prices will increase slightly until the end of the year, and inflation will remain high. Against the background of this year’s severe drought and the increase in the quotations of some goods that push up the prices of food and energy, in 2025, the inflation rate will experience a sharp fluctuation and will remain above the anticipated values, the Central Bank estimates. Only in 2026, the report also shows, inflation will it resume its downward trend and fall below the 3.5% target proposed by the Central Bank.

    Central Bank specialists point out that significant uncertainties and risks stem from the future conduct of fiscal and revenue policy, considering the fiscal-budgetary measures that could be implemented as of next year, but also from the conditions on the labor market and the dynamics of salaries in economy. At the same time, significant uncertainties continue to be associated with the evolution of energy and food prices, as well as the future trajectory of the crude oil price, against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and conflicts. In the report, the NBR also emphasizes that in the second quarter of this year, Romania’s economic growth recovered due to the increase in population consumption, but also that investments reduced their positive annual dynamics, and the trade balance deficit deepened.

    However, the dynamics of exports recovered in the July-August period, Central Bank experts point out. In the last monetary policy meeting of this year, the National Bank also decided to maintain the monetary policy interest rate (key interest rate) at 6.5% per year, as well as the interest rates at which commercial banks can borrow from the NBR at 7.5 percent. The current levels of the mandatory minimum reserve rates for liabilities in lei and in foreign currency of credit institutions, that is, those amounts that commercial banks are obliged to keep in the accounts of the National Bank, were also kept unchanged. Economic analysts believe that uncertainties, inflation, the upcoming election period and international developments are some of the elements that were the basis of the Central Bank’s decisions.

    Analyst Dragoş Cabat explains: “I think that caution is the only one speaking now. The National Bank could not do anything else, given that, on the one hand, inflation is on a downward trend, at least in Europe, on the other hand, we still have the highest inflation in the European Union, and then it couldn’t have lowered the interest rate or increased it, because the economic growth is also very small this year.”

    It should also be mentioned that this year, the Central Bank decided twice to lower the key interest rate, in July, from 7% per year to 6.75% per year, and in August to 6.5%. The monetary policy interest rate stayed unchanged from January last year. (MI)

  • EPC meeting in Budapest

    EPC meeting in Budapest

    European leaders met in Budapest to discuss security challenges facing Europe, with an emphasis on the situation in Ukraine, as well as the issues of migration and economic security. At the fifth Summit of the European Political Community (EPC), they evoked the significant impact of the Russian aggression against Ukraine on the entire continent and also at the global level. The officials emphasized the need for coordinated action at the European level to continue supporting Ukraine, which is fighting for the defense of its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

     

    At the talks held in a restricted format within the working group on migration, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, present at the meeting in Budapest, drew attention to the fact that migration remains an important challenge at the European level, which requires a common and comprehensive response. According to a press release from the Presidential Administration, he emphasized that developments regarding migration continue to be alarming against the background of the conflict in the Middle East and the continuation of the war in Ukraine. Thus, Klaus Iohannis spoke about the importance of an effective implementation at the EU level of the Pact on migration, a tool that can also prove useful in the relationship with partners outside the EU.

     

    At the same time, Klaus Iohannis mentioned that Romania is already implementing some of the provisions of the Pact, through the Pilot Project carried out on the border with Serbia, which proved to be an example of good practices in terms of returns, asylum procedures and the prevention of illegal migration. Also, the head of state referred to the importance of regional operational cooperation, which, he says, proves to be an effective tool for effective management of the phenomenon. In this context, Klaus Iohannis pointed out that Romania remains committed both to implementing effective measures in terms of migration management and to ensuring the security of the EU’s external borders and to fully assuming its role as a member state applying the Schengen acquis. In this sense, he reiterated that for Romania, the completion of the process of joining the free travel area reflects the firm commitment to the European project.

     

    On the other hand, at the meeting devoted to supporting the Republic of Moldova, which took place on the sidelines of the EPC meeting, Klaus Iohannis appreciated, together with the other European leaders, the reform efforts of the last period in Chișinău, materialized in constant progress, despite the challenges generated by threats from Russia.  He also emphasized the need to maintain the speedy pace of reforms, the high degree of institutional vigilance, as well as the application of the lessons learned during the current elections and in the perspective of the parliamentary elections in 2025. The other European leaders also declared their firm support for the Republic of Moldova, after the presidential election and the referendum that confirmed its European course. Moreover, at the end of the meeting, the participants pledged to continue their support for Chișinău to achieve its goals of peace and democracy. (LS)

  • Romania, from wages to youth unemployment

    Romania, from wages to youth unemployment

    Data from the Statistical Office of the European Union – Eurostat show that the adjusted average annual full-time salary of Romanians is the fourth lowest in the European Union. According to Eurostat, the data show an annual salary increase of approximately 2,500 Euros for 2023. However, the total amount remains less than half of the EU average. Last year, the adjusted average annual salary for the community bloc was 37,900 Euros, while in Romania it was approximately 17,700 Euros, so less than half.

     

    On the other hand, the data published by Eurostat also show that the unemployment rate in the euro zone stood at 6.3% in September, stable compared to the previous month, while in the case of the European Union the unemployment rate remained at 5.9%. In Romania as well the unemployment rate stood at 5.5% in September, stable compared to August. And the National Institute of Statistics in Romania announced that the unemployment rate was, in September, nationally, 5.5%, similar to that of August, which had increased slightly compared to the previous month. Most of the unemployed in Romania are adults between the ages of 25 and 74.

     

    Financial analyst Adrian Codirlașu believes that the slight increase in unemployment after the middle of the year was caused by the accentuation of the slowdown in economic growth: “Somehow, the unemployment rate returned to the values ​​it had in the previous year. If in the middle of the year we saw a decrease in the unemployment rate, later, starting in August, it returned to the level of 5.5%, so it increased a little, a slight increase. I would put it in the context where we see that the economy has slowed down, and this is seen in the creation of fewer jobs. It’s true, it grew extremely easily, so somehow it’s in the error margin, I would say, we still can’t say ‘yes, unemployment is generated’, but we still see a movement in the direction of a slight increase in the unemployment rate”.

     

    Adrian Codirlașu added that the unemployment rate will depend, in the future, on how the economy will perform, but he estimates that it will remain high and even increase slightly, because he does not see a significant improvement in the economy compared to this year, but on the contrary. It is possible, in the context of increasing taxation, for even more redundancies to be generated in the economy, the financial analyst warned.

     

    The National Institute of Statistics draws attention, as usual, to the level of unemployment among young people, those aged between 15 and 24, which exceeds 23%, but Adrian Codirlaşu considers it normal that the figure is much higher for this category. ‘Young people must learn, they must go to school to learn. They will be much better off, later, by accumulating that knowledge. Then there is the university, it would be ideal for as many young people as possible to go to university, because a job based on education brings the highest incomes”, the financial analyst says. (LS)

  • Reactions to the election of Donald Trump

    Reactions to the election of Donald Trump

    Many political leaders around the world have reacted by congratulating the Republican Donald Trump, who announced his victory in the US presidential election. Before the votes counting was over, he had obtained more than the 270 electors that he needed to be elected. He thus becomes the second American president with two non-consecutive terms. The incumbent President Joe Biden and the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his victory. Joe Biden invited him to the White House and expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition, emphasizing the importance of working to unify the country. “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for. A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results.” Kamala Harris said in a speech held at Howard University in Washington.

     

    European leaders emphasized Europe’s close ties to the United States, posting early congratulations for Donald Trump as it became clear he would win the US presidency. The President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, “warmly congratulated” Donald Trump on his victory in the election, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, emphasized the ‘lasting alliance’ and the ‘historic link’ between the European Union and the United States. The French President Emmanuel Macron promised to cooperate with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for a stronger Europe, given the ‘new context’. At the same time, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was looking forward to working with Donald Trump in the coming years. NATO Secretary General, the former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, said that Donald Trump’s leadership will be ‘again essential to keep our alliance strong’.

     

    The Beijing leader Xi Jinping called the winner of the US presidential election and pleaded for the relationship between the two powers to be ‘stable, healthy and sustainable’. We hope that both sides will uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation, said Xi Jinping, who called for finding the right way for China and the United States to get along in this new era. He emphasized that a good relationship between Beijing and Washington will benefit both countries and the world. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke on the phone with Donald Trump, congratulating him on his victory, which he called historic and convincing. Zelensky stated that he agreed with him to maintain a close dialogue and develop cooperation between Ukraine and the US. From Romania, the head of state, Klaus Iohannis, conveyed that Bucharest is a strong and committed strategic ally of Washington. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu mentioned that Romania is ready to work to strengthen the strategic partnership with the United States. (LS)

  • Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy

    Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy

    The Romanian Minister of Agriculture Florin Barbu and the European Commissioner for Agriculture, the Polish Janusz Wojciechowski, who is on formal visit to Romania, participated in the National Conference of the Romanian Farmers’ Club, which took place in Bucharest.

    Romania will benefit, in the next four years, from 1.5-billion-euro worth of processing, which will make it the leader in South-Eastern Europe in terms of processed materials, said Florin Barbu. Also, the Romanian official explained that, in the context of the war in Ukraine and its effects on European agriculture, he requested again, at the last Agriculture and Fisheries Council, the extension of the application of the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework in the sector, as well as an increase of the individual aid ceiling from 280,000 euros to 560,000 euros per enterprise. He recalled that an important ordinance was approved for those operating in the agricultural sector in Romania, who can get loans at 1.95% interest rate, with the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture paying for ROBOR and other commissions. Florin Barbu stressed that he will remain in a permanent dialogue with all the associative forms and drew attention that he needs a clear mandate from them regarding the position towards the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

    This needs a separate budget, and farmers must be sure that they will receive the money without discussions about the rule of law or other conditions not related to the CAP, stated, in turn, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski. This is the agreement between the EU and the farmers: you fulfill your obligations, you get the money. If the concept of including all money in one budget for all policies is reached, this is dangerous for farmers, the European official stated. We currently spend only 0.4% of the EU’s GDP on farmers and it is a huge challenge and an absolutely crucial issue to ensure the increase in the CAP budget, he added.

    At the same time, the commissioner warned that a single budget means less money for farmers, due to inflation, and an external convergence will be politically impossible. The statements were made in the context of information appearing in the public space, according to which the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wants to completely reorganize the EU budget policy, giving member states more autonomy in managing funds. However, final control over the allocation and use of resources would remain with the European Commission.

    One of the main first proposed is the concentration of all EU funds in a single national budget for each of the 27 member states. The new system is to be implemented as of 2028. In this context, the budget allocated to agriculture could be integrated into a larger one, alongside structural and cohesion policies. Analysts point out that this change could diminish the specificity and importance of funds for agriculture, one of the EU’s main budgetary priorities, at least until now. (MI)

  • Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament

    Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament

    Romanian Government’s proposal for the position of European Commissioner in the future Community Executive, the Social Democrat Roxana Mînzatu has been endorsed by the specialized committees of the Romanian Parliament. Roxana Minzatu joined the Social Democratic Party in 2000, at the age of 20 and then held several offices, such as deputy in Romania’s Parliament, European MP, minister of European Funds, though quite briefly, to finally be proposed for one of the positions of vice-president in the future European Commission, where she will also hold the portfolio “People, Skills and Preparedness”.

    In this capacity, she said, she will be responsible for approximately 20% of the European Union’s multiannual budget. She specified that the position of executive vice-president of the Commission includes coordination in the area of preparation for emergency situations.

    Roxana Manzatu: “For the first time, Romania is part of the leadership of the European Commission. I represent not only Romania, in a way, but also the countries that joined after 2004, after 2007, Eastern Europe, and I think it is important that we recognize that we have this role at the level of the Commission. A very important portfolio, also, in which I directly coordinate funds of over 240 billion euros. We are talking here about the European Social Fund, the Social Fund for Climate, Erasmus, plus money that is coming into Romanians’ pockets already. We discussed education and skills, how we will support Europeans who are increasingly affected by poverty, but I will be involved in all the policies and decisions that will be made in the Commission that are obviously relevant at the European level.

    After an apparently convincing performance in front of the Romanian parliamentarians, Roxana Mînzatu received a favorable opinion, with 36 votes for and only six against. The Liberals did not participate in the hearing, dissatisfied that the National Liberal Party was not consulted by the Social-Democratic partners in the appointment procedure.

    Media outlets in Bucharest say that the liberal boycott is only an episode in the soap opera of love and hate between PSD and PNL, which govern together, but are also sworn rivals in the presidential and parliamentary elections due in just a few weeks.

    In terms of procedure, Roxana Mînzatu will also be heard by the Employment and, respectively, Culture and Education Committees of the European Parliament. According to the Radio Romania correspondent in Brussels, her hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12. The commentators are already betting on a favorable opinion for the Romanian candidate and from the MEPs, as the specialized committees follow, in general, the arithmetic of the plenum of the new Community Legislature, dominated by the three main political families that supply human resources to the Commission as well: the EPP, the Socialists and the Liberals. (MI)

  • Japanese Investments in Energy and Technology

    Japanese Investments in Energy and Technology

    Important Japanese companies have expressed their interest, these days, in Bucharest, to invest in Romania, in transport infrastructure, energy, digitization and high technology. The Romanian PM, Marcel Ciolacu, had a meeting, on Tuesday, with a delegation of Japanese investors from the fields of energy, research and technology, industry, infrastructure and banking, led by the Japanese Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Shinji Takeuchi. According to a government press release, the Prime Minister appreciated the level of bilateral relations developed on the basis of the Strategic Partnership, the common values ​​promoted by the two states and the economic opportunities offered by the current international context.

     

    Marcel Ciolacu stated that Romania’s role as a factor of stability in Europe and in the region, as well as its geostrategic, economic and political advantages qualify the country as a destination for investors. He also mentioned the State aid schemes, as well as the investments in new technologies, that should help Romania become a technological hub in the center and southeast of Europe. In this context, he mentioned Romania’s interest in developing the Port of Constanţa on the Black Sea, as well as in supporting regional interconnection projects. In turn, the Japanese economic delegation showed its interest in strengthening financial support for Romania in projects in the fields of transport infrastructure, energy, digitization and high technology. ‘The investment opportunities offered by Romania are particularly important and offer new perspectives to develop our bilateral relations’, said the Japanese deputy minister.

     

    Previously, during the first edition of the Romania-Japan Energy Forum that took place on Monday and Tuesday, in Bucharest, the Energy Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with a Japanese company, Itochu, for the Tarniţa-Lăpuşteşti hydropower plant project, in Cluj County (north – western Romania). According to the ministry, it is a project of strategic importance for balancing the national energy system. The Japanese company will participate, according to the relevant minister, Sebastian Burduja, in reviewing the technical documentation for the development of the hydropower plant in Romania, and also in such stages as the feasibility study, technical design and project execution. Also, ELCEN (the State Electric Power Plants Company in Bucharest) and Panasonic are working on a joint project aimed at a complex system of photovoltaic panels, battery storage and green hydrogen production, a symbolic step towards what we call the green transition of the energy sector, minister Sebastian Burduja says.

     

    Moreover, the Romanian civil nuclear program will benefit from Japanese support, the minister has assured, who also discussed with Japanese businessmen about a possible collaboration in the production of blue ammonia. ‘Through our partnerships, Romania assumes the role of regional leader in renewable and nuclear energy. We have taken a concrete step in the direction of a safer, more competitive and more sustainable Romania from an energy point of view’ said Sebastian Burduja. (LS)

  • NATO must stay united

    NATO must stay united

    NATO will work with the winner of the US elections, whoever that person may be and will do its best to stay united, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte promised on Monday. He was in Berlin for talks with German chancellor Olaf Scholz. “Whoever wins those elections, we will work with Kamala Harris, we will work with Donald Trump, and make sure that the alliance stays united,” said Rutte, a former prime minister of The Netherlands who took over at the helm of NATO from Jens Stoltenberg. “ I have no doubt, because it is in our interest. It is our interest here, but also the United States”, he added.

    Since taking office on 1st October, Mark Rutte has been saying he is not worried about the outcome of the American elections. He said he knows both candidates well and that he worked with Donald Trump for four years. Rutter went on to say that “they know that if Putin would be successful in Ukraine, that at that moment, an emboldened Russia is on our eastern flank and will present a direct threat to NATO territory”, saying that this is why Washington is involved in Ukraine and in NATO.

    Since taking office, Rutte has had a series of talks with political actors on the subject of the war in Ukraine. Last week, Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels that NATO and the European Union will create an operative group to consolidate cooperation between the two organisations. They warned that the deployment of North Korean military to Russia is a significant escalation of the war in Ukraine and a serious threat to European security and world peace.

    Last month, Mark Rutte met NATO foreign ministers, saying that the war in Ukraine showed that instability in Europe has global consequences and that countries thousands of km away, like China, Iran and North Korea can start to undermine Europe’s security. He emphasised that our worlds are interconnected, and so is security, adding that allies will comply with their promise to deliver defence aid worth 40 billion euros to Ukraine, with figures indicating expenses of almost 21 billion in the first part of 2024. The partners in the Pacific area also announced new aid deliveries, with Australia to send Ukraine tanks. Allies are also boosting investment within NATO and one of the priorities is air defence, especially in the context of the drones entering NATO air space as part of the war.

  • Moldova stays on path to Europe

    Moldova stays on path to Europe

    Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the presidential elections. Her rival, the former prosecutor general, Gagauzian ethnic Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was backed by the pro-Russian Socialists, won under 45%, the Central Electoral Commission in Chișinău announced. Both candidates also hold Romanian passports.

    After casting her ballot, Maia Sandu said she was hoping voter turnout would be high so as to thwart the plans of “the thieves”, as she put it, “who want to steal the republic”. Prime minister Dorin Recean, whose government is formed by the presidential Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), said the interior ministry and other public institutions are working to prevent an attack on democracy in Moldova. He denounced the attacks of election fraud orchestrated by Russia and said “we are under attack from criminal groups who bought a large amount of votes and that’s why it is important to mobilise ourselves, to go out and vote, because our vote can defeat fraud”. Recean also said people must elect a leader “who will lead us to prosperity, to the European Union”.

    Also on Sunday, Stoianoglo, responding to criticism that he is expressing himself with difficulty in Romanian, said mastering the Romanian language is not an obligatory condition for a presidential candidate. Some commentators say this statement, which is offensive for the Romanian-speaking majority in Moldova, further damaged his image. The ethnic Gagauzian population is a Turkic ethnic group of Christian Orthodox faith. They were settled in the south of today’s Moldova by the Tsarist regime, who displaced them from eastern Bulgaria two centuries ago. Linguists say that after WWII, the Gagauzian population was subjected to forced Russification by the Russian occupiers, on top of their isolation from the Romanian ethnic group, so today, they speak neither Romanian, nor their own Turkic language.

    Europe has hailed Maia Sandu’s victory, including the head of the European Commission, Germany’s chancellor and the presidents of France, Ukraine and Romania. The president elect has promised to improve government in her second term, as she is aware that some people are dissatisfied with the situation in their country.

    The Romanian analyst Armand Goșu, who is specialised in the ex-Soviet world, recalls that Moldova will host parliamentary elections in a few months’ time, which are equally important as the presidential elections, as Moldova is a semi-presidential republic in which the president has limited powers.

  • Election campaigns in Romania

    Election campaigns in Romania

     

     

    The campaign for the general election in Romania started last week, at midnight on Thursday, and will end on 30 November. During this period, the parties, alliances or independent candidates that have entered the race for a seat in the country’s new bicameral legislature must convince citizens to grant them the vote on 1 December. There are currently 330 MPs in the Chamber of Deputies, and 136 in the Senate, and the number of seats will stay at 466 in the next legislative term as well.

     

    In the country, the vote for the parliamentary elections will be held right on the National Day, between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. local time. Ballots can be cast at the polling station where each voter is registered on the permanent lists. If at the time of closing the polls voters are still queuing, the president of the polling station can order an extension until 11:59 p.m., when the system closes automatically.

     

    Romanian citizens residing abroad can vote either by mail, if they have chosen this option, or at any station organised outside the borders. The president of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Toni Greblă has more details:

     

    Toni Greblă: “As many as 950 polling stations have been set up, so that Romanians who are outside the territory of Romania can exercise their right to vote. The voting period is longer abroad, namely, on Saturday and Sunday, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the same option that on Sunday, I repeat, only on Sunday, if there are still citizens inside the polling station, they will be able to exercise their right to vote until 23:59, local time.”

     

    The same number of polling stations in the diaspora, i.e. 950, will be set up for the presidential elections, the first round of which will take place on November 24, followed by a second round on December 8.

     

    This calendar means that, at present, the two electoral campaigns, for the Parliament and for president, overlap, and the public space is virtually over flooded by politics and politicking.

     

    Underway since October 24, the campaign for the first round of the presidential election will end on the morning of November 23. Until then, the “14 for Romania” – 10 candidates backed by political parties and 4 running independently – are trying to maximise their chances of entering the second round of voting.

     

    After December 8, following three consecutive Sundays of calls to the polls, Romanians will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief: 2024 will have been, after two decades, the year of all types of elections, including the local and European parliamentary elections held this summer. (AMP)