Romania's 2022 political year in review: Dealing with the consequences of the Ukraine war & no Schengen entry
As it happened elsewhere, Romania had to deal this year with the impact of the war in Ukraine and its humanitarian, political, and economic consequences. While inflation reached double digits, the Government presented various social measures aimed at helping low-income households. Meanwhile, entry into the Schengen area remains an objective to be reached as a December vote kept the country out of the border-free area.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine took up a large part of the country's foreign policy agenda this year as Romania was quick to condemn the aggression against its northern neighbor and offered support to the country in various ways. From the onset of the security and humanitarian crisis, the Romanian authorities and numerous NGOs mobilized to provide emergency assistance and supplies, ranging from fuel and medicines to food and ambulances. An international humanitarian hub opened in Suceava, close to the border with Ukraine, in early March, and by October, more than 50 humanitarian transport missions passed through it, with deliveries from countries such as Italy, France, Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Cyprus, Greece, Germany, and North Macedonia. In addition, local authorities across the country mobilized to welcome the refugees arriving from Ukraine, and in Bucharest the exhibition center Romexpo was turned into an accommodation venue, while the city's main railway station, Gara de Nord, was also transformed to accommodate those arriving to either stay or embark to other destinations in Europe. More than 2.65 million Ukrainian refugees passed through Romania until the end of October, according to data from the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE), and more than 86,500 decided to stay in the country.
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As more NATO resources built up in Romania, the months that followed the start of the war saw several high-profile visits, including from US VP Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden, French president Emmanuel Macron and other leaders of NATO-member countries who visited the troops stationed locally. At the same time, Romanian political leaders visited Ukraine, among them prime minister Nicolae Ciucă, Chamber of Deputies president Marcel Ciolacu, and former Senate president Florin Cîțu. A highlight was president Klaus Iohannis's visit to Kyiv in June, where he met president Volodymyr Zelenskiy alongside French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, and then Italian prime minister Mario Draghi for an event that was meant to show European solidarity in the support for Ukraine and "the important role Romania played in this European configuration in supporting Ukraine," according to MAE.
Romanian president expresses support for Ukraine's EU bid during high-profile visit in Kyiv
U.S. VP Kamala Harris emphasizes U.S. commitment to NATO during Bucharest visit
US first lady Jill Biden praises Romanians for support shown to displaced Ukrainians
Heavily impacted by the war in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova was another country that Romania aimed to support, from the EU candidate status, which it obtained alongside Ukraine in June of this year, to various packages of financial assistance, energy deliveries, and co-hosting an international conference in support of the country. In June, the Parliaments of Moldova and Romania signed a declaration reiterating the "unconditional support" assumed over time by all political forces in Romania for the development, the democratic consolidation and the European course of Moldova.
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When it came to memberships into international organizations and zones, the year started on a positive note with the opening of the discussions for accession to OCED but ended with the disappointment of not being accepted into the Schengen area. In January, the OECD Council decided to open the accession discussions with six candidates, including Bulgaria and Romania. Romania officially submitted its candidacy for accession to the OECD in April 2004. There is no deadline for the completion of the accession processes. The outcome and timeline depend on each candidate country's capacity to adapt and adjust to align with the organization's standards and best practices.
Romania begins accession discussions with OECD
The end of the year was marked by the failure to be admitted to the Schengen area, an objective that parties across the political spectrum had hoped would be achieved. After receiving support for entry into the border-free area from the European Parliament, the European Commission, and a majority of member states, Romania also received an evaluation mission from the Netherlands in November in a bid to achieve consensus on its readiness to join. Nonetheless, shortly before the issue was due to be discussed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on December 8, Austria announced it would oppose Romania's entry, invoking the high number of migrants reaching it, allegedly on routes crossing Romania. Although the Romanian authorities had dismantled the claim, Austria vetoed Romania and Bulgaria's entry, keeping the two countries out as a majority vote is needed for accession. Local politicians, starting with president Klaus Iohannis, qualified the vote as "unfair". The president spoke of Austria's "regrettable and unjustified attitude," which risks affecting "European unity and cohesion, which we need so much, especially in the current geopolitical context." Nonetheless, the president said there would be no boycott of Austria by the state and public authorities and argued the country could still join the Schengen area in 2023. He declared himself "pretty optimistic" that the process will complete in 2023 with a positive result for Romania and Bulgaria following the European Council meeting in mid-December.
European Parliament backs resolution calling for Romania, Bulgaria to be admitted into Schengen
European Commission says Romania is ready to join the Schengen area
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Romania: Austria's objections on Schengen bid are factually incorrect
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What was dubbed by the ruling coalition as a small victory ahead of the vote on the country's Schengen entry was the European Commission's recommendation to have the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) lifted and the monitoring under this mechanism ended. The instrument was introduced 15 years ago when Romania joined the EU to monitor the progress made in reforming justice. The monitoring of the rule of law in Romania should be taken forward under established parts of the rule of law toolbox applying to all member states, the EC recommended.
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In domestic politics, polls throughout the year showed the Social Democrat Party (PSD) has the lead in voters' preferences, followed by the Liberal Party (PNL), while the support for smaller, opposition parties reflected the fragmentation that took place. Dacian Cioloș, a former EU agriculture commissioner who served as prime minister of Romania in 2016, resigned from the Save Romania Union (USR) party to form a new political vehicle. He is the founder of the PLUS party, which merged with the reformist party USR. Besides Cioloș, MEPs Ramona Strugariu, Dragoș Pîslaru, Alin Mituța, and Dragoș Tudorache resigned on May 31 as members of USR after accusing the USR leadership of "leading the party to irrelevance." The five MEPs launched a party called REPER, the acronym for the Romanian version of "We renew Romania's European Project".
In his turn, PM Nicolae Ciucă was elected in April as the president of the Liberal Party after the first single-candidate internal elections held by a major political party in the country in three decades. His predecessor Florin Cîțu, who in the meantime also resigned as president of the Senate, was replaced because "there's always room for improvement," interim PNL president Gheorghe Flutur explained at the time. Cîțu had been reluctant to accept the coalition struck between PNL and PSD.
Despite various divergences throughout the year, the ruling coalition made up of the Liberal Party (PNL), Social Democrat Party (PSD), and the Hungarians' Union (UDMR) remained in place, with PNL holding eight ministries and the PM job, PSD nine ministries and the Government's chancellery, and UDMR three ministries. Next spring, Ciucă is scheduled to leave his place to the Social Democrats, while PNL should take over the ministries of Finance and Transport, as agreed according to the agreement struck when the coalition was set up.
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Dacian Cioloș resigns from RO reformist party USR to form own political vehicle
In April, the Government unveiled a package of social and economic measures dubbed Support for Romania, aimed at helping low-income households and the firms hit by the rising prices and the war in Ukraine. Throughout the year, the Government followed up with various measures aimed at cushioning the impact of the rising energy prices, while the annual inflation rate in November 2022 stood at 16.8%, the highest level since 2002.
Govt unveils “Support for Romania” package of social and economic measures
Annual inflation in Romania reaches 16.8% in November
While the coalition did not change, several ministers did, mostly amid accusations of plagiarism and corruption. Dan Vîlceanu, a close collaborator of former Liberal leader Florin Cîţu (PNL), resigned from the position of minister of Investments and European Projects after Cîţu resigned as head of PNL. Agriculture minister Adrian Chesnoiu resigned after the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) asked lawmakers to lift his immunity to investigate him in a case related to the rigging of a hiring process. Education minister Sorin Cîmpeanu resigned after accusations that he plagiarized a university course he authored, while defense minister Vasile Dîncu resigned, invoking "the impossibility of collaboration with the president." PM Ciucă and Interior Affairs minister Lucian Bode were each targeted by accusations of plagiarism of their PhD theses, and in the case of Bode the university that granted his degree decided to reanalyze his work.
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Several high-profile cases also came to a legal end this year, among them the final sentences in the Colectiv trial. After six years of court proceedings, the Bucharest Court of Appeal sentenced District 5 mayor Cristian Popescu Piedone to four years in jail for his indirect responsibility in the Colectiv fire of October 30, 2015. Sixty-four people died following a fire that erupted during a rock concert that was taking place at the club. Meanwhile, former Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in jail for corruption. He was charged with bribery, setting up an organized criminal group and abuse of office. The former mayor fled to Greece, where the Athens Court of Appeal ruled he should not be extradited to Romania. Unlike Oprescu, former Tourism minister Elena Udrea was extradited from Bulgaria to serve a prison sentence of six years. Udrea, one of the most powerful women in Romania during the mandate of former president Traian Basescu, was sentenced to six years in prison in early April for bribery and abuse of office.
Bucharest’s District 5 mayor gets 4-year final jail sentence in Colectiv tragedy case
Former tourism minister Elena Udrea extradited to Romania to serve jail term
Former Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu should not be extradited to Romania, Greek court rules
(Photo: Michaeljayberlin/ Dreamstime)
simona@romania-insider.com
