January 10, 2025 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 10.01.2025, 19:51
US Visas. The administration of the United States of America has announced the elimination of travel visas for Romanian citizens. The US Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the Secretary of State Antony Blinken have commended Romania for meeting the stringent security requirements to join the Visa Waiver Program. “Romania’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program is evidence of our strategic partnership and shared commitment to security and economic prosperity,” the embassy states in a press release. The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, said that this success will determine the even more dynamic development of bilateral relations with the USA at all levels, including in terms of interpersonal relations and tourism. For his part, the head of the Bucharest government, Marcel Ciolacu, has stated that behind this success, expected for over 16 years, “are the efforts of millions of Romanians both from the country and from the diaspora”. The US Customs and Border Protection estimates that, around March 31, it will be able to receive travel requests to the United States from Romanian citizens, without them having to obtain a visa in advance. Those who wish will still be able to request American visas, which are valid for 10 years. At the same time, visas for studies or work in the US will remain in force. Romania became the 43rd member of the Visa Waiver Program and the 4th country included in the last 5 years, after Croatia, in 2021, Israel, in 2023, and Qatar, in 2024.
Budget. The Romanian Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, has stated that the government must approve the 2025 budget by January 27 at the latest and has called on ministers to make all the calculations needed, which must also include job-slashing, in both the central administration and subordinated state-owned institutions. Finance Minister, Tanczos Barna, had earlier given assurances the budget draft this year would observe a deficit limit of 7% of the GDP, under the agreement with the European Commission. For 2025, Barna forecast an economic growth of 2.5% and an inflation rate of 5%.
Reimbursement. The European Commission has officially reimbursed Romania the sum of 1.12 billion euros, announced the Agency for Payments and Intervention for Agriculture (APIA). The money comes from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and represents the counter value of the funds used from the budget by APIA in October and November last year. These funds were granted to farmers in advance, for them to make certain payments, including for the promotion of agricultural products.
Protest. Some 2000 people protested on Friday in front of the Parliament building in Bucharest a December 6th ruling by the Constitutional Court (CCR) on canceling the presidential elections in Romania. The protesters said the ruling infringed upon the will of the electorate and called for the resumption of the election process. People took to the streets at the proposal of the former independent candidate, Calin Georgescu, a pro-Russia extremist, who had won the first round of the presidential election in Romania. Authorities say the protest is illegal. We recall that the CCR cancelled the election after the country’s Higher Security Council had revealed foreign hybrid interferences in the election process and evidence on the undeclared funding of Georgescu’s campaign. Calin Georgescu has challenged the CCR ruling in court and at ECHR. The new ruling coalition in Romania PSD-PNL-UDMR has decided the presidential election take place on May 4 and 18.
Transnistria. The regime in Transnistria, an autonomous region part of the Republic of Moldova, has extended the state of energy emergency until the beginning of February. Since January 1, the Transnistrian region has no longer received natural gas from Russia, and more than 50,000 households have been left without gas and almost 1,500 blocks of flats have had no heat or hot water. The authorities in Tiraspol refused the help offered by the Chisinau administration, which so far has managed to ensure the supply of natural gas and electricity to the right bank of the Dniester. Since the beginning of the year, more than half of the electricity needed has been ensured thanks to imports from Romania. Meanwhile, Chisinau has started the steps to connect several localities in the security zone to the energy system on the right side of the Dniester, which are now connected to the gas and electricity networks of Transnistria. (MI)
