Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ No. 3/ 4th Year 1st - 15th of February 2011 Politics 1. Traian Basescu speaks in Brussels of interconnection to Serbia and Republic of Moldova in single energy market 2. Stage review after one year in office 3. Romania wants EU Danube Strategy to clear European Council in June 4. NATO must secure a balance between nuclear weapons, conventional ones and missile defence 5. Foreign Minister Baconschi attended International Donors' Conference on Solidarity with Belarus Economics 1. New IMF precautionary agreement covers two years and has medium-term targets 2. Danube-Bucharest canal, Budapest-Bucharest-Constanta speed rail line, among Romania's main projects for Danube Strategy 3. Teodor Baconschi: Romania, Georgia economic relations are on rise 4. Seminar event „Funding and Implementation of Infrastructure Projects in Romania” 5. Martin Harris: Development of trade relations between Great Britain and Romania is a priority 6. The launch of the brand “Confindustria Romania” 7. High level Romanian – Turkish meeting on energy issues 8. Vestas, the world leader in wind energy 9. EBRD and Raiffeisen Bank Romania promote energy efficiency in Romania’s industry 10. AGRI partnership proves common will for strategic gas connection 11. Investors in the Golf, interested to expand in Romania 12. Google’s Hotpot is available also in Romania 13. Farmec Cluj Napoca enters Hungarian market and wants 5% more business in 2011 14. Pound trades at 5.0470 lei Culture 1. Photography exhibition “From East to West: A Portrait of Romanian Diaspora” 2. The official opening in Edinburgh of a Consular Office of the Embassy of Romania 3. Politics of Memory in Post-Communist Europe 4. Opening of Rita Horowitz water painting exhibition 5. Annual meeting of the Romanian health care professionals working in the UK 6. Ion Grigorescu @ Tate Modern 7. Gazes and Faces: Romanian Portraits 8. Romanian Cultural Institute organises international tour meant to promote Enescu Festival Arundel House, 4 Palace Green, London W8 4QD Phone: +44 (0)20 7937 9666 Fax: +44 (0)20 7937 8069 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.london.mae.ro Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ • Politics Traian Basescu speaks in Brussels of interconnection to Serbia and Republic of Moldova in single energy market Bucharest, Feb 5 /Agerpres/ - President Traian Basescu said in Brussels, that during the European Council debate on the single energy market Romania supported the interconnection to such countries as Serbia or the Republic of Moldova. "The Council had two main subjects, which ended in conclusions being drawn. One of them referred to energies. It is the first Council devoted to the subject of energy. This subject has been dealt with before, but this Council has a conclusion meant to create the single energy market in the European Union. A fact meaning that, by 2014, all legal regulations on the single energy market must come into force and, by 2015, there must be no energy island in the EU territory, that is, no EU region should be isolated. The single energy market refers to the gas and electric energy markets. It is interesting to note that people also aim at interconnecting to countries that are not necessarily EU member states, like, for instance, Serbia and the Republic of Moldova. This is our support to the two countries. We are to see how we shall be able to interconnect the two countries too to the budget of the European Union," said the Head of State. According to him, the unification of the energy market would result in diminishing the risk of a country not being supplied energy. "This aim will make it possible, for instance, for Romania to supplement its necessary quantity of gas either from Gazprom or from the North Sea. ... It is one of the most important decisions on energy security. It also refers to the unification of the gas and electric power markets," explained President Traian Basescu. As for the field of innovation the President said that they were aware of the need to increase the resources allocated to innovation and research as a first step to boosting the competitiveness of the EU economy. "This is where we put in: they should consider the vulnerable persons when creating the policy of making market prices on a par with the ones in the EU. Therefore, they should find a formula: either to subsidize or to allocate at a price anybody could bear," said the Head of State. He also said that they adopted a document preceding the decision that is to be made in March this year, which will first aim at the financial fiscal consolidation of the euro zone. "I can tell you, for instance, that, as part of this policy, they also approach the question of a single retirement age, of a single system of taxes and fees. States that are not in the Euro zone can take part in the finalization of the documents as they are future members of the zone and are affected," also said President Traian Basescu. Stage review after one year in office Bucharest, Feb 9 /MFA/ - Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Baconschi has presented today, 9 February 2011, at a press conference, a stage review of his first year in office. “In 2010 Romania was active internationally and involved in continuing the European construction. 2011 will but confirm and enhance last year’s efforts. In 2011, I will further promote an intelligent, balanced, active and dignified diplomacy and why not, a daring one. Our conception and action efforts need to Arundel House, 4 Palace Green, London W8 4QD Phone: +44 (0)20 7937 9666 Fax: +44 (0)20 7937 8069 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.london.mae.ro Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ become more visible. Reactive diplomacy needs to be replaced with an active attitude both within the European Union and internationally,” stated Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi. The head of the Romanian diplomacy then elaborated on the wide-scope projects launched in his first year in office and the priorities for 2011: adoption of the law on postal vote, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, Romania’s representation in the EEAS, accession to the Schengen Area, development of an active and transparent diplomatic service, relations with the Republic of Moldova and with the priority spaces, and supporting the national business environment. Minister Teodor Baconschi reiterated the importance of the postal vote and said he hoped Parliament would pass the respective bill by year- end, given that it enjoyed cross-party support. “This law extends the basis for access to democracy to nearly 3 million compatriots. It sets right an injustice done to our fellow citizens in the Diaspora, given that only 4.7% of Romanians in the Diaspora could cast their vote at the latest elections,” Minister Baconschi stated. In connection with the European agenda, the head of the Romanian diplomacy mentioned the official adoption of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region at the European Council on 24 June, consolidation of the Romanian presence in the European External Action Service, and Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area. Referring to the EU’s Danube Strategy, Minister Baconschi insisted on the main benefits to be derived from implementing it, such as: modernization in point of competitiveness and attractiveness of towns and villages on the Romanian bank of the Danube; job creation and development of business projects; new environmental standards – projects to build water purification stations in all major settlements on the Danube; development of a system to monitor ecosystems; better year-round navigability all along the river; the prospect of completing the Danube-Bucharest canal, and two new bridges between Romania and Bulgaria; generalization of broadband internet connections in the rural environment; a high-speed rail line between Budapest – Bucharest – Constanta; and initiating a research dimension in the field, i.e. an international institute for the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. “The available resources are significant, about 40 billion Euros for the current accounting period of the Union, until 2013, and I am sure there are initiatives and projects that need such financial resources, down to the smallest villages in the Danube Delta,” said the head of the Romanian diplomacy. Minister Teodor Baconschi reiterated the fact that accession to the Schengen Area had been a priority for the MFA. “We are ready to join the Schengen Area; after 7 evaluations, the country report on Romania was adopted. We hope in June, by the end of the Hungarian Presidency, we have a political decision on a definite date in the second half of the year,” the Minister said. Minister Baconschi then spoke of efforts to ensure that Romania is adequately represented in the European External Action Service, those efforts having materialized, for the time being, in the appointment of Ambassador Viorel Isticioaia-Budura as director general for Asia in the EEAS leading team. Romania will continue its demarches to actively promote national candidacies to the EU’s diplomatic service. “We have not stopped lobbying for Romanian candidates. I believe other representatives of the Romanian diplomacy will soon be selected at working levels,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Arundel House, 4 Palace Green, London W8 4QD Phone: +44 (0)20 7937 9666 Fax: +44 (0)20 7937 8069 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.london.mae.ro Embassy of Romania in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Speaking of the relations with the Republic of Moldova, Minister Baconschi highlighted the dynamism and depth of the bilateral relationship and renewed Romania’s support for that country’s European course.