Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. President Iohannis met EU states' ambassadors, tackles pandemic,...

President Iohannis met EU states' ambassadors, tackles pandemic, energy prices, situation on EU border

January 6, 2022

President Klaus Iohannis met with the ambassadors of EU member states accredited to Bucharest, with whom he tackled mainly the topics that will be on the agenda of the European Council summit on December 16 - 17: the COVID-19 pandemic, energy prices, the tense situation on the EU border, the Presidential Administration informs.President Iohannis also presented Romania's priorities and expectations of the Eastern Partnership Summit due in Brussels on December 15.With regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the state voiced appreciation for the efforts of the European Commission and the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council towards European coordination, and also referred to the latest developments marked by the emergence of a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, emphasizing in this context the importance of maintaining the member states' unity, close coordination and constant dialogue so that the free movement or the Union's internal market stay unaffected."The President of Romania highlighted the need for the vaccination campaign to continue by raising awareness of the benefits of vaccination and by combating misinformation," said the Presidential Administration.Iohannis remarked that the rising energy prices remain a topical issue that will be addressed again at the upcoming European Council meeting."The situation is concerning and the social and economic consequences are obvious and significantly affect not only vulnerable consumers, but also competitiveness at national and EU level. In this regard, the President of Romania reiterated that short- and medium-term solutions are needed, capable to prevent potential disruptions in energy supply and reduce the effect of the rising energy prices on consumers," the cited release notes.The head of the state also emphasized the role of nuclear energy and natural gas as options for an accessible energy transition and evoked Romania's commitment and engagement in the joint effort on climate change, by using all the available financial instruments and resources.Upon approaching the situation on the EU border, President Iohannis condemned the weaponization of migration by the Belarusian regime, with effect on several EU member states, and reaffirmed Romania's full solidarity with the directly affected member states, stressing the importance of a unified response to these threats."President Klaus Iohannis noted that the security situation on the border with Ukraine remains a matter of concern and that efforts to de-escalate the situation but also strengthen collective defense within NATO must continue," the cited source said.Referring to the Eastern Partnership Summit next week, the President pointed out the need for an agreement on a long-term strategic vision that focuses on solidarity in the face of common challenges, concrete projects and support for reform efforts in those partner states that are fully committed to European integration. In this context, President Iohannis reiterated Romania's strong support for the European course of the Republic of Moldova.The meeting of the head of the Romanian state with the ambassadors of the EU member states was occasioned by the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council coming to end within short."The President of Romania congratulated the Slovenian Presidency for its efforts to advance the European agenda in a period marked by many challenges at Union level. President Klaus Iohannis also wished the future French Presidency of the Council success," the Presidential Administration said.   

Read in full - click here
Civic Digital Incubator trains teachers in Romania on online rights, responsibilities

Some 4,500 teachers will learn about rights and responsibilities online, accessibility, inclusion, online well-being, and ethics as part of Incubatorul Civic Digital (ICD - The Civic Digital Incubator), a digital citizenship and democratic culture project implemented by Institutul Intercultural Timișoara, Asociația TechSoup and Școala de Valori. The project, which offers free training, is aimed at […]

Artificial Intelligence and GDPR: How is personal data protection ensured in the era of algorithms?

Mihaela Murariu, Attorney at Law at Grecu Partners Business Law Firm, analyzes the impact of Artificial Intelligence on personal data protection. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a ubiquitous technology, used in more and more fields, from marketing and healthcare to recruitment and financial services. However, the widespread use of AI raises numerous questions about privacy […]

Presidential Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest opens to the public on weekends

Starting next week, the gardens and interior of the presidential Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest will be open to visitors every weekend, from Friday to Sunday. Interim president Ilie Bolojan announced the initiative, emphasizing it as a gesture of respect and openness from the Presidential Administration. “Every weekend, from Friday to Sunday, this entire area, including […]

GapMinder Fund II leads Early-Seed investment round in Romanian AI startup VoicePatrol

GapMinder Fund II, a Venture Capital fund focused on technology companies created in Romania and Eastern Europe, has invested in VoicePatrol, an Artificial Intelligence-based startup for real-time protection against toxic behaviors in multiplayer game voice chats. GapMinder was the lead investor in an Early-Seed round, along with Hyperscope Ventures.  The investment will enable VoicePatrol’s technology […]

European Investment Bank gave Romania financing worth 1.5% of GDP in 2024, vice president says

Ioannis Tsakiris, vice president of the European Investment Bank Group, noted that the bank gave Romania financing worth 1.5% of GDP in 2024, supporting total investments of EUR 5.27 billion. The statements were made during Tsakiris’ visit to Romania, during which he met with Romanian leaders from the ministries of finance, investments and European projects, […]

Real estate consultant SVN expects housing deliveries to remain low in Bucharest this year

Approximately 18,000 new homes are expected to be completed in Bucharest and its surrounding areas in 2025, according to the "Romania Residential Market Genome" report by real estate consultant SVN Romania. This figure matches the low level seen in 2024, which marked the lowest number of residential deliveries in the past five years. Almost 17,000 […]