September 4, 2014
For a roundup of domestic and international news, click here.
Florentin Căpitănescu, 04.09.2014, 12:00
NATO SUMMIT — The city of Newport in Wales is as of today playing host to a two-day NATO summit. The main point on the agenda is the crisis in Ukraine. Representing Romania will be president Traian Basescu, as well as Defence Minister Mircea Dusa and Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean. Meanwhile in Bucharest, the Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) on Wednesday sanctioned the presence of NATO fighter jets on Romanian soil, given that the summit is aimed at setting the details of a plan whereby NATO states on the Alliance’s eastern borders should become rapid-response forces. Romania’s president Traian Basescu said that the Supreme Defence Council is willing to assume NATO’s cyber defence programme for Ukraine.
MOLDOVA AND NATO –The Republic of Moldova will take part in the NATO summit of the United Kingdom for the first time in its history, represented by its Defence Minister Valeriu Troenco. Moldova already has an ongoing cooperation with NATO within the Peace Partnership and a separate action plan carried out jointly with the Alliance. Moreover, Chisinau has deployed troops to peacemaking operations in Kosovo. Although the Constitution provides that Moldova should remain neutral, the crisis in neighbouring Ukraine has prompted many Moldovan officials to argue in favour of closer ties with NATO.
MEMORANDUM— Romania’s Government and Airbus have signed a Memorandum that provides for building factories in Brasov in 2015. Attending the singing of the document, Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the agreement was aimed at modernizing Romania’s helicopter fleet. The Prime Minister also recalled that, with the help of Airbus-manufactured helicopters, Romania managed to build one of the most effective medical response systems in Europe. In turn, Airbus representatives have said that the new factory will translate into numerous benefits for Romania, from new jobs to export opportunities.
AGREEMENT – The Government in Bucharest is due to ratify an agreement today between the Government of Romania and the one in Ukraine regarding measures aimed at boosting security and confidence. The agreement was signed on a 5-year period in March, in Kiev by the two countries’ Foreign Ministers. Under the agreement the two countries are to notify each other at least 42 days before engaging in any military activities conducted near the border. With respect to Snake Island, off the Romanian Black Sea coast, Ukraine commits against owning and deploying offensive equipment, such as tanks, airplanes and assault helicopters. Also today, the government is to approve the Protocol concluded in May 2013, between the Romanian Interior Ministry and the one in Serbia. The protocol concerns the set up and functioning of common contact office on the Romanian-Serbian border.
RUSSIA AND UKRAINE – The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday said that the Russian speaking eastern Ukraine is the hottest spot in the country, but areas with similar issues, such as dissentions between Romanian and Hungarian nationals should not be overlooked. This is Lavrov’s second such statement, after last week he argued that Russian, Romanian and Hungarian communities should live in peace and have their human rights upheld. The Romanian community, which numbers around 500,000 people, is centred in Western Ukraine in territories annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. Romania, which stressed that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, has called on the authorities in Kiev that the rights of the Romanian community should also be respected.
GROWTH — The retail market in Romania has gone up by 6.3% in July as compared to the same period of last year, the Eurostat reports. This is the EU’s third largest growth after that of Luxembourg (14.1%) and Estonia (9.2%). In the first seven months of the year retail went by 8.2% as compared to the same period of 2013. According to the National Institute for Statistics, the growth was triggered by a hike in the sales of food and non-food products, drinks and tobacco. On the other hand, industry accounted for the largest share of economic growth in Romania in the first quarter of this year, while agriculture and constructions had negative overall evolutions.
REPORT – According to a report by the World Economic Forum, Romania ranks 59th in the world in terms of economic competitiveness. As compared to last year, Romania went up 17 places. At regional level, Romania fares better than Hungary and Croatia, although worse than Turkey and Bulgaria. The world’s most competitive economies are Switzerland, Singapore and the US. The 2014-2015 Global Competitiveness Report was based on feedback from 15,000 CEOs from over 140 countries.
TALKS — US and Iranian officials are today resuming talks in the Swiss city of Geneva regarding Teheran’s nuclear programme. Bilateral talks are taking place in the 5+1 format, a group made up of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and China, all permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as Germany. Talks will be chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton. Western powers suspect Iran is planning on manufacturing nuclear weapons, while Teheran claims its nuclear programme has purely civilian applications. Romanian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Carmen Burlacu said upon her last visit to Teheran that Romania supports negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme. The Romanian official expressed hope talks will lead to a comprehensive agreement to be signed by November 24.
