April 7, 2024
A round-up of local and international news.
Newsroom, 07.04.2024, 14:00
NATO Day. Romania fully relates to NATO’s democratic values and acts responsibly and decisively at allied level, as a genuine pillar or security and stability in the Black Sea region and on the Eastern Flank, said president Klaus Iohannis in a statement issued on the celebration of NATO Day in Romania and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the North Atlantic Alliance. Together with our partners in Europe and Asia-Pacific, we will continue to strengthen NATO so that it remains the most solid political and military alliance in history, Iohannis also said. In its 20 years of NATO membership, Romania has consolidated its profile as a “responsible” ally, taking an active part in promoting democratic values and principles and security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu also said. He added that with the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine, Romania enjoys, as a NATO member state, “the most comprehensive security guarantee it has ever had”. Established in 1949 as a security alliance between the United States, Canada and ten west-European countries, NATO has grown to 32 members today, with Sweden the most recent country to join, this year.
Exercise. More than 2,200 troops from NATO and NATO partner states will be training in Romania in the Black Sea coastal area, on the river Danube and in the Danube Delta between 8th and 21st April as part of the Sea Shield 24 exercise for missions to combat illegal activities, maritime control, search and rescue at sea, providing assistance to vessels in danger and ensuring security at the level of critical infrastructure. The exercise is organised by the Romanian Naval Forces and brings together 12 countries, alongside Romania: Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Great Britain, the Republic of Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and the United States. The military will make use of 27 sea and river vessels, 17 aircraft and 91 vehicles and boats. The first edition of the Sea Shield multinational exercise took place in 2015, with the exercise being constantly adapted to respond, swiftly and efficiently, to the entire range of threats to regional security and stability, the Romanian defence ministry said in a statement.
PES Congress. The European Socialists, who met on Saturday in Bucharest to establish their strategy for the upcoming European elections, reiterated the need for Romania to fully join the Schengen area. The congress was also attended by the German chancellor Olaf Scholz. Romania is counting on Germany’s support for full Schengen entry, said prime minister Marcel Ciolacu. He also said that the entire Social-Democratic family in Europe will continue to support Romania in achieving this goal. The German chancellor congratulated Romania on the lifting of air and maritime checks on the Schengen borders and hailed its contribution to Europe’s security. The president of the Party of European Socialists Stefan Löfven criticised Austria’s opposition to Romania’s full entry into Schengen. The Socialists’ nominee for president of the European Commission and acting EU commissioner for jobs and social rights Nicolas Schmit said there was no reason for Romania to be denied freedom of movement for its citizens across land borders, as well. Last month, Bucharest also hosted the congress of the centre-right European People’s Party, who nominated the German politician Ursula von der Leyen for a new term as president of the European Commission.
Salary law. The government in Bucharest has finalised talks with its social partners on the new unified salary law and now the labour ministry is working with the World Bank on a final version of the bill, said labour minister Simona Bucura Oprescu. She said the law will eliminate the inequalities in the salary system and explained that no salary will be higher than the president’s and the jobs hierarchy will depend on the complexity or importance of the work performed. The minister said the law also contains an element relating strictly to performance level. The unified salary law is a commitment made under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan was has been much delayed, as it was initially due to be finalised last year.
Middle East. A Hamas delegation is today travelling to Cairo for indirect ceasefire talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States. The talks between Hamas and Israel reached a deadlock, while the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening. Six months ago today, Hamas carried out a terrorist attack on Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 kidnapped. In response, Israel launched an air and land offensive that has so far led to the killing of some 33,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians. The campaign has caused massive destruction and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the United Nations and humanitarian organisations are warning that starvation is imminent in the Gaza Strip. Israel says 129 hostages are still held in Gaza, with some believed to have died.
Handball. The Romanian women’s handball side are today facing Greece at home in Buzau in their final Group 1 match as part of the EHF Euro 2024 qualifiers. In another group match, Croatia are playing Bosnia and Hertegovina. Romania top the group with 10 points, having won all of their matches, followed by Croatia with 6 points, Greece with 4 and Bosnia and Hertegovina with zero points. The two best-ranked sides in each group will qualify for the final tournament, alongside four of the best third-ranked sides. The 2024 European Women’s Handball Championship will be hosted by Austria, Hungary and Switzerland between 28th November and 15th December.
