January 12, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 12.01.2025, 19:05

Elections. Next week, the Romanian Government will adopt the necessary legislation for the presidential elections due on May 4th and 18th respectively, according to the calendar agreed by the ruling PSD-PNL-UDMR coalition. It is one of the priorities announced by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu at the latest government meeting. Another priority, the head of the Executive stressed, is the completion and approval of the draft budget for this year by the end of the month, so that the document is debated and then voted during the very first week of the Legislature’s session. The third major priority listed by Marcel Ciolacu is establishing the optimal formula to continue supporting the population through capped prices for energy and gas even after April 1. The application period of the current support scheme expires at the end of March, and its short-term extension – three or six months – was also mentioned by the Minister of Energy as an option for how the market would function later. However, there are other scenarios in the works, and a decision must be taken by February 1.

Protest. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party (sovereignist, in opposition) organized, on Sunday, in Bucharest, a protest against the decision of the Constitutional Court to cancel the presidential elections. The protesters also demand the resignation of President Klaus Iohannis. The first round of the presidential elections, held on November 24, last year, was invalidated by the Constitutional Court (CCR), which, based on the documents provided by the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT), invoked the interference of a so-called state actor. The candidates in the second round, which had been scheduled for December 8, were the independent nationalist Călin Georgescu, accused of connections with Putinist Russia, and the leader of the Save Romanian Union party (in opposition), Elena Lasconi. On December 21, the current president, Klaus Iohannis, was to end his second and last five-year presidential term he was entitled to under the Constitution, but his term as president was extended until the election of a new head of state, validated by the CCR.

Consulate. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that consular activity is resuming at the Consulate General of Romania in Los Angeles. On Friday, the American authorities had requested the evacuation of the Romanian Consulate building, in the context of the strong fires that mainly affected Los Angeles County. According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US local authorities have informed the representatives of the Romanian Consulate that the area where the building is located is safe, with the mention that new evacuation warnings are not excluded, if the situation requires it. According to the data provided by the American authorities, the air quality in Los Angeles is poor, due to the smoke released by the massive fires. “The risk of new outbreaks of fire remains high,” the release states. The MFA recommends that Romanian citizens who are or intend to travel to the northwest of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, to follow the instructions of the authorities, and in the event that they are in imminent danger, to call the single emergency number 911. Romanian citizens can also request information and consular assistance at the Consulate General of Romania in Los Angeles.

US Visas. Romanian citizens will be able to travel to the United States after March 31, 2025, based on a simplified procedure, after the American authorities granted Romania the status of a country participating in the Visa Waiver program. According to a press release by the Romanian Embassy in Washington, Romanians will be able to go to the USA based on an electronic authorization called ESTA, for all trips for tourist or business purposes, the duration of which cannot exceed 90 days. The authorization will be valid for a period of two years, with an unlimited number of entries or exits from the US. The elimination of visas for Romanians was officially registered on Friday at the headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington.

Moldova. Officials in the energy field from the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking), estimate, for Monday, an increase in electricity consumption by 18% compared to Sunday. The authorities in Chisinau had no problems, on Sunday, in terms of covering the necessary electricity for the right bank of the Dniester, nor in terms of natural gas supply. There were no accidents or incidents, states the Government of the Republic of Moldova, quoted by Radio Chisinau. In Transnistria, a separatist region in the Republic of Moldova, disconnections from the electricity network were scheduled for only three hours on Sunday, compared to the previous days when the interruptions were for eight hours. Since January 1, the Transnistrian region has no longer received natural gas from Russia.

Tennis. Romanian tennis player Anca Todoni was eliminated in the first round of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Sunday after being defeated by China’s Qinwen Zheng, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1. In Melbourne, also in the first round of the Australian Open tournament, the Romanian Sorana Cîrstea will face the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, and Irina Begu will take on Gabriela Ruse, coming from the qualifications. Jaqueline Cristian, who also qualified straight into the first round, will play against the Croatian Petra Martic. The tournament takes place between January 12 and 26, 2025. (MI)