President Klaus Iohannis will participate on Monday in an informal European Union leaders' retreat on defence issues, which will take place in Brussels, where he is also scheduled to discuss European defence and the transatlantic relationship.According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, in his remarks, Iohannis will voice support for the need for the European Union to take up increased responsibility for its own defence, "efficiently, credibly, responsibly and in complementarity with NATO, which remains the foundation of Euro-Atlantic security."Iohannis will also highlight the importance of deepening cooperation at the level of the European Union on defence issues, the economic dimension of defence, the efficient use of financing mechanisms and options, the need to develop the European defence industrial and technological base, as well as the connection of this field with the overall competitiveness and cohesion of the European Union.He will also underline the key role of the transatlantic relationship and global partnerships in increasing the resilience of the European Union on this level.EU leaders' discussions will focus on concrete ways to strengthen defence capabilities at European level, preparing and substantiating the formal decisions to be taken moving forward.Also addressed will be the importance of the transatlantic relationship and the Strategic Partnership between the EU and the US, the relationship between the EU and the United Kingdom, the European Union's partnerships in the field of defence, as well as the complementarity between the EU and NATO in terms of security and defence.The debates also aim to identify some basic principles necessary for the design and passage of a programmatic document related to the future of European defence - the "White Paper", to be drawn up in the first part of 2025 by the European Commission. The document will also address the EU's defence capability priorities, also taking into account the support needed for Ukraine, joint defence initiatives and the resources needed to develop them.In addition to consultations among the national leaders of the member states, there will be an exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, a meeting with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte, and a meeting with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Romanian prime minister Ilie Bolojan stated during an interview on Wednesday, December 17, that there should be no statute of limitations in cases of serious corruption. The statement comes after a Recorder investigation, which showed that several heads of the major institutions in the Romanian justice system allegedly delayed trials for years until wrongdoings were […]
President Nicușor Dan has challenged, before the Constitutional Court (CCR), the constitutionality of the law that requires that at least 40% of the athletes who play on a team in official national competitions be Romanian. Dan noted that the law violates the principle of non-discrimination and the free movement of workers, enshrined both in the […]
Craiova International Airport will open its new passenger terminal on Thursday, December 18, completing a major infrastructure investment aimed at significantly expanding capacity and improving air connectivity in southwestern Romania. It is part of a broader expansion and modernization project financed through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme (POIM) 2014–2020, with a total value exceeding EUR […]
Romania is set to be connected to the Western European energy network thanks to grid investments worth EUR 30 billion. The funds will be provided by the EU by 2035, and the project will link Romania to Hungary and Austria in a joint project. Romanian energy minister Bogdan Ivan signaled the signing of the new […]
Franck Bagouet has been appointed managing director of TotalEnergies Marketing Romania SA and managing director of Automotive Southeast Europe Hub TotalEnergies Marketing. He succeeds Didier Grimault, who has accepted a new position within the TotalEnergies company. “I am glad to join this dynamic affiliate and confident that, together with our talented team, we will reinforce […]
Databricks, the data analytics and artificial intelligence company co-founded by Romanian professors Ion Stoica and Matei Zaharia, announced on Tuesday, December 16, that it is raising USD 4 billion in funding at a valuation of USD 134 billion, according to CNBC. The new valuation represents a 34% increase compared to the August round, when Databricks […]
