THE WEEK IN REVIEW

May 20-24, 2024

Leyla Cheamil, 25.05.2024, 13:42

Security guarantees for Romania

The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, declared on Wednesday that there was no direct threat to the country, but that the heads of the Army are preparing for all possible situations. “Today, Romania benefits from the most important security guarantees that we have ever had in our existence”, said the head of state, referring to the country’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance. He also said that Romania will not send combatants to Ukraine, and that the option of handing over an anti-aircraft defense system to this country will be discussed in the Supreme National Defense Council. For his part, the head of the General Staff, General Gheorghiţă Vlad, stated that Romania must accelerate the provision of the defense forces, in the context of the security situation in the region. The Ministry of Defense is considering the hypothesis of a possible escalation of the current military conflicts, says the general. He drew attention to the need to increase the reaction capacity of the army through new equipment and military materiel.

“Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” exhibition in Bucharest

This week, the “Black Sea Defense and Aerospace” regional military equipment exhibition took place in Bucharest. The event was attended by over 400 global manufacturers of equipment and military materiel from approximately 30 NATO member states or partners. They were presented to experts from all over the world the latest generation military equipment, weaponry, but also the main attraction – the multi-role fifth generation F-35 aircraft, which the Air Force of the United States of America brought, for the first time, to an exhibition in Europe. The exhibition aimed to identify opportunities and find solutions for cooperation both in production and in the field of business, contributing to the promotion, on an international level, of the Romanian defense industry.

Joint meeting, in Ankara, of the Romanian and Turkish governments

The Romanian and Turkish governments had, on Tuesday, in Ankara, the first joint meeting in which they established the resumption of Romanian meat exports to Turkey, and a series of agreements were signed in areas such as tourism and urban planning. At the joint meeting of the two governments, it was decided that Romanian farmers should resume the export and transit of meat to Turkey. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu emphasized, on this occasion, that Romanian farmers will once again have access to a very large market, and will be able to open new routes to other markets. “It’s a huge opportunity for Romanian producers to have access to a huge market, but at the same time we will be able to establish solid trade routes with other areas of interest in the region and the Middle East”, Marcel Ciolacu pointed out. At the same time, he thanked the leader from Ankara for signing the decree that allows Romanian citizens to travel in Turkey with their identity card for a maximum of 90 days. Prime Minister Ciolacu also stated that Romania will continue to ensure good cooperation between Turkey and the European Union. For his part, President Recep Tayyip Erdoǧan said that both countries want bilateral trade to reach 15 billion dollars in the coming years. He recalled that the two states contribute to ensuring security and stability in the region through joint actions, but also within NATO. Erdoǧan also said that the two states, along with Bulgaria, have formed a joint group that will remove mines from the Black Sea.

Reserve generals of the RIS, placed by the DNA under judicial control on bail

The former operative chief of the RIS, Florian Coldea, was placed by the DNA, the anti-corruption directorate, under judicial control on bail, judicial sources announced. The same measure was ordered for reserve general Dumitru Dumbravă, former head of the legal department of the RIS, and for attorney Doru Trăilă. The three are defendants in a case of influence peddling and money laundering, after being reported by a businessman. The person stated that they would have asked for the sum of 600,000 euros to help him obtain a suspended sentence in the case in which he has a four-year prison sentence for fraud involving European funds.

Salary increases and union grievances in the budget sector

The Bucharest government adopted an emergency ordinance that provides for salary increases of 10% in two installments for several categories of employees in institutions subordinated to the executive, ministries, or under the control of the Parliament. The trade unions in the administration criticized the ordinance, stating that the Government is promoting a salary policy that does not take into account the real needs of employees. On Thursday, trade unionists from several public institutions and governmental organizations protested in Bucharest, claiming inequities and wage discrimination in their fields of activity. The offered increase displeases some of the protesters, who consider it too small. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu answered them by saying that for the institutions in question, solutions can be found for more flexible personnel structures, and, from the savings made, the salaries of those who deserve it can be increased.

Craiova hosts the International Shakespeare Festival

Having reached its 14th edition, the International Shakespeare Festival in Craiova (south), which started on May 16, will close its doors on Sunday. More than 300 world-class theater performances, concerts, parades, workshops, book launches, installations, and VR trips were scheduled throughout the city of Craiova and its surroundings, in conventional spaces, but also in the most original and unexpected places. The performance halls and indoor spaces host shows, exhibitions, workshops and book launches. The markets, parks, and streets will be occasions for surprise meetings with shows and performances, concerts, and pop-up installations in the open air, to which the public is invited to contribute. Shakespeare Village – a British village from 1600, rebuilt from the ground up, on the Craiova Hippodrome, is the venue for dozens of concerts and shows. Some of the biggest names in the world of international theater and performance creators can be found in the festival program, including Robert Wilson, Peter Brook, Declan Donnellan, Philip Parr, and Christian Friedel.