January 12, 2025
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 12.01.2025, 13:58
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, 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.
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 low, 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.
Foster care. Irregularieis were found at several foster care centers subordinated to the Department of Social Assistance and Child Protection Mureş, in central Romania, where an unexpected control took place at foster care centers for children with disabilities. The police opened an investigation into ill-treatment of minors, and the county and national authorities are investigating the situation in Târgu Mureş. Representatives of the non-governmental organization the Center for Legal Resources and the Monitoring Council, an authority with powers to protect and promote the rights of institutionalized persons with disabilities, identified a series of irregularities. They include a much higher number of children than the approved capacity, expired operating licenses, children between 3 and 7 years old who were not in the care of professional foster carers, as the law provides, but locked up in centers. Inadequate and unsanitary conditions and expired medicines were also found. And that despite the budget allocated by the Mureş County Council, which is approximately one million euros for 51 children.
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. (IM)
