Component of the US antimissile shield in Romania declared operational
The component of the US antimissile shield in Romania was declared operational starting today, during a ceremony hosted by the Foreign Ministry, where it has been pointed out that the system helps reinforcing Romania’s national security.
The antimissile shield will strengthen Romania’s security both directly, as it can destroy any short and medium-range ballistic missile, but also indirectly by representing a daunting factor, according to FM Lazăr Comănescu. The chief of Romania’s diplomacy and other guests at the ceremony insisted that the antimissile system in not targeting Russia.
FM Lazăr Comănescu: Ballistic technologies can be used to project force, to intimidate or to exert political pressure. Unexpected and fluid security developments of late stimulated us to pay additional attention to this domain and to defend ourselves accordingly. I wish to insist on this exclusively defensive character of the antimissile defence.
The system that now includes elements in Romania, at Deveselu base, has been created due to intentions of states and non-state organizations, presumably ISIS, to acquire ballistic missiles.
Defense Minister Mihnea Motoc: In May next year, the US antimissile system is to be accredited and become completely operational thus marking the end of the second phase of development of its European component.
În mai anul viitor sistemul american antirachetă urmează să fie acreditat şi să devină complet operaţional, marcând astfel finalizarea etapei a doua de dezvoltare a componentei sale europene.
The Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the shield is to be confirmed at the NATO Summit in Warsaw next year, Radio Romania reported.
State budget and social insurance bills for 2016 signed off by the President
President Klaus Iohannis signed into law today the state budget and social insurance bills for 2016. The documents were adpopted two days ago by the Parliament with a large majority. The Cabinet forecast a 4% economic growth rate and a budget deficit of almost 3% when drafting the bills and PM Dacian Cioloş warranted that the executive will handle the state budget in a transparent, efficient and cautious manner as to prevent any slippage, Radio Romania reported.
Romania and Poland, the least attractive countries for foreign residents in the EU
Romania is one of the least attractive countries for foreign residents with less than 80.000 persons currently registered. Accoding to Eurostat, the largest group of foreigners is represented by citzens of the Republic of Moldova.
Romania and Poland are the only European countries with less than 0.5% foreigners out of the total population. The average in European countries is almost 7% foreigners, including Europeans living in another country from their citizenship.
Romanians, for instance, represent the first group of foreigners in Italy, counting more than 1 million persons, in Spain with almost 700.000 and in Hungary with 30.000. In Greece and Cyprus, Romanians come third as foreign residents. Significant numbers of Romanians are also living in Portugal and Slovakia or in Germany, where their group comes fifth with 3% of the total population, Radio Romania reports.
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