March 6, 2025
A roundup of local and world news
Newsroom, 06.03.2025, 13:55
EU The interim President of Romania Ilie Bolojan had a meeting in Brussels on Thursday with the PM of Poland, Donald Tusk, the topics approached by the 2 officials including the strengthening of NATO’s Eastern Flank. Mr Bolojan takes part in an extraordinary European Council meeting, where EU heads of state and government are discussing support for Ukraine and European defence. The president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zeleskyy and the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were also invited to attend. The European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has already sent European leaders a plan to re-arm Europe, with 5 financing instruments: increasing national defence budgets, a EUR 150 bln loan for common defence projects, possible financing from the bloc’s cohesion funds, from the European Investment Bank and private funds. The plan also increases military aid to Ukraine. Last week, Mr. Ilie Bolojan invited the political parties in the Romanian Parliament to consultations, to discuss Romania’s response to the current security challenges. Most parties opposed Romania sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, in the event of an end to the conflict with Russia, but voiced willingness, in principle, for Romania to continue supporting the neighbouring country.
TREASON Prosecutors with the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences (DIICOT) have detained six individuals over charges of forming an organised crime group and treason. According to DIICOT, the defendants apparently set up a paramilitary organisation and negotiated Romania’s exit from NATO with Russian agents. Prosecutors say that the organised crime group was structured like a military-type organisation, with management ranks and operative personnel. Radu Theodoru, a retired general and 101-year-old war veteran, was also among the organisation’s leaders. The group used online platforms to release video materials and recruit members. At the same time, it took steps to hold negotiations with foreign political and military actors regarding the replacing of the current constitutional order. In January, DIICOT also says, 2 of the defendants travelled to Moscow, where they came into contact with people willing to support the organisation’s efforts to take over power in Romania.
GOVERNMENT The Romanian government is set to pass several emergency orders today, concerning, among other things, the heathcare reform and the spending of EU funds. In the field of healthcare, the government wants to improve regulations on public medical care for freelancers, on the taxation of medicines, on the organisation and operation of medical offices and the granting of sick leaves. In a separate emergency order, the Romanian government earmarks the financing for certain local authorities to complete works to extend and upgrade natural gas infrastructure. Finally, the cabinet is also to approve the amount of this year’s state aid for the livestock sector.
EU FUNDING Romania has received over EUR 100 billion in European funds since its accession on January 1, 2007, the minister of investments and European projects, Marcel Boloş, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. According to him, Romania is no longer an economic periphery, but a country that is rapidly catching up and has surpassed Poland, Hungary, Croatia and Greece in terms of GDP per capita, an essential indicator of the standard of living. If we are reckless, we blame the European bloc, but the fact that we are at the best moment of our country’s development is due to our EU and NATO membership, Mr. Boloş emphasised.
TRAVEL Romanian tourism increased slightly in the first month of this year, compared to January 2024, with 12% more nights spent in tourist accommodation units, says the National Tourism Agency. Over 84% of visitors were Romanians, with an average length of stay of almost two days, while foreigners stayed in accommodation facilities for slightly more than two days. According to experts, the upward trend will continue this year, when it could exceed the level reported in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
FOOTBALL The Romanian football champions FCSB take on the French team Olympique Lyon in Bucharest tonight, in the Europa League round of 16. The return leg will take place in France on March 13. The Romanian team qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League, after outplaying the Greek team PAOK Thessaloniki, coached by the Romanian Răzvan Lucescu. (AMP)
