March 8, 2023

Click here for a roundup of local and world news

Newsroom, 08.03.2023, 13:55

VISIT President Klaus Iohannis Wednesday had meetings with the local
authorities of Kyoto. In this context, he said Romania and Japan are closer
than ever, and voiced his hope that Kyoto and a city in Romania will soon become
twin towns. It is important that we rely on each other to safeguard the
fundamental values that define us-the will for peace and security, freedom,
democracy and human rights, and a rule-based international order, the Romanian
president said. In turn, the Japanese officials praised Romania as an important
partner for Japan, sharing fundamental values like freedom, democracy and the
rule of law. The talks were the last stage in the Romanian president’s visit to
Japan. The main goal of the Asian tour was to elevate the bilateral relation to
a strategic partnership level. A document in this respect, the outcome of 5
years of negotiations and consultations, was signed on Tuesday in Tokyo, during
a meeting with the Japanese PM, Fumio Kishida. The head of the Romanian state
was also received by Emperor Naruhito. On Thursday and Friday Klaus Iohannis will
be on a state visit to Singapore, where he is scheduled to have talks with
president Halimah Yacob and PM Lee Hsien Loong.

GOVERNMENT The
reforms under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan will be completed, the finance
minister Adrian Câciu promised the Senate. Speaking at the Government Hour today,
he also said economic performance is good and the budget deficit will be narrowed.
According to minister Câciu, Romania has a structural deficiency and permanent
expenses that require higher financing. As for interest rates, they are becoming
more stable as the inflation rate is also coming under control. The minister’s
presence in Parliament was requested by Save Romania Union in opposition, which
asked minister Câciu to explain why Romania’s budget deficit has reached
record-high levels, and financing costs are among the highest in the EU. The
USR Senator Anca Dragu warned that Romania has borrowed huge amounts, at very
high interest rates, which Romanians will have to repay for the next 30 years.
The AUR Senator Claudiu Târziu said in his turn that in his opinion the finance
ministry’s forecasts are empty words, and citizens are still overburdened with
taxes.

WOMEN Women in public life, including journalists,
human rights activists and women in politics, are particularly targeted by
intimidation, hate speech and sexual harassment, reads a joint statement signed
by over 20 embassies in Bucharest and the representative office of the European
Commission in Romania. In their message on International Women’s Day on March
8, the signatories say these practices require firm and immediate response, and
the perpetrators must be held accountable. The text also reiterates commitment
to ensuring gender equality and to fully respecting and safeguarding the rights
of women as human rights. We call on all states to do the same: gender equality
and equity benefit not only girls and women, but society as a whole, men and
boys included, the embassies and the representative office of the European
Commission in Romania point out. The signatories include the embassies of Austria,
Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Republic of Korea and the
US.

FAIR A Spring Fair has been opened in Bucharest today,
as part of a larger campaign to promote Romanian produce and to improve
Romanians’ access to locally-sourced, high-quality foodstuff. Taking part in
the Fair are over 30 local producers from north-western and central Romania,
selling meat and dairy products, fruit and vegetables, preserves and drinks. Traditional
music and dance performances will also be organised during the 5-day long event.

DANUBE Ukraine will cease all dredging on the Danube’s
Chilia branch and Bystroe Canal, the Romanian transport ministry announced
after the trilateral meeting in Ismail, Ukraine, attended by representatives of
Romania, Ukraine and the European Commission. Also, on March 15, measurements
will begin on Chilia and Bystroe. The EU officials agreed with Romania’s
requests and emphasised that the top priority is to improve the capacity of the
other Danube branch, Sulina, given that over half of the cargo transport from
Ukraine via so-called solidarity corridors takes place on the Danube. Ukraine
has recently conducted dredging described as legal, maintenance operations, but
Romania argues that dredging went significantly over the allowed depth of 3.5m,
which would have a major impact on the Danube Delta ecosystem, currently a UNESCO
world heritage site.

TALKS The Romanian Foreign
Minister Bogdan Aurescu and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken Monday
discussed over the phone about priority topics for the bilateral Strategic
Partnership, in the context of the war in Ukraine. The 2 officials
appreciated the frequency of Romanian-American meetings over the past year as a
indication of the level and depth of the strategic partnership between the 2
countries. The agenda of the talks also included the strengthening of NATO’s
eastern flank, the new US strategy for the Black Sea and the situation in the Republic
of Moldova. Bogdan Aurescu also reiterated the importance of including Romania
in the Visa Waiver programme. (AMP)