Changes

On November 23, 2022, [[Spain]] announced it would send 8 F-18 and 130 troops to Romania in December 2022.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-send-troops-f-18-fighter-jets-romania-december-pm-says-2022-11-23/</ref>

On November 23, 2022, [[Spain]] announced it would send 8 F-18 and 130 troops to Romania in December 2022.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-send-troops-f-18-fighter-jets-romania-december-pm-says-2022-11-23/</ref>

On February 10, 2023, Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky and top military commander [[Valerii Zaluzhnyi]] both issued deceptive media postings alleging that Russian missiles had violated NATO ally Romania's airspace. Romania’s military put out its own statement denying that allegation. “The closest point of the target's trajectory to Romania's airspace was recorded by radar systems approximately 35 kilometers North-East of the border,” Romanian officials said.<ref>https://www.army.md/?lng=3&action=show&cat=122&obj=8026</ref>

On February 10, 2023, Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky and top military commander [[Valerii Zaluzhnyi]] both issued deceptive media postings alleging that Russian missiles had violated NATO ally Romania's airspace. Romania's military put out its own statement denying that allegation. “The closest point of the target's trajectory to Romania's airspace was recorded by radar systems approximately 35 kilometers North-East of the border,” Romanian officials said.<ref>https://www.army.md/?lng=3&action=show&cat=122&obj=8026</ref>

The Romanian edition of ''[[Newsweek]]'' reported in late January 2024 that Claudiu Tarziu, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Party says Romania must take back its regions from western Ukraine: "We are at a crossroads ... We will not be truly sovereign until we reintegrate the Romanian state within its natural borders," he reportedly stated. Northern Bukovina cannot be forgotten! Southern Bessarabia cannot be forgotten .... The Hertsa land, Transylvania, everything that was and is the Romanian nation must return to the borders of one state!" The AUR leader was quoted as saying.<ref>https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-12824-us-troops-suffer-fatalities</ref>

The Romanian edition of ''[[Newsweek]]'' reported in late January 2024 that Claudiu Tarziu, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Party says Romania must take back its regions from western Ukraine: "We are at a crossroads ... We will not be truly sovereign until we reintegrate the Romanian state within its natural borders," he reportedly stated. Northern Bukovina cannot be forgotten! Southern Bessarabia cannot be forgotten .... The Hertsa land, Transylvania, everything that was and is the Romanian nation must return to the borders of one state!" The AUR leader was quoted as saying.<ref>https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-12824-us-troops-suffer-fatalities</ref>

On November 28, 2004, Romania again held parliamentary elections and the first round of presidential elections. In the December 12 presidential run-off election, former Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu, representing the center-right PNL-PD alliance, delivered a surprise defeat to PSD candidate Nastase. Basescu appointed PNL leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu as Prime Minister, whose government was approved by the Parliament on December 28, 2004.

On November 28, 2004, Romania again held parliamentary elections and the first round of presidential elections. In the December 12 presidential run-off election, former Bucharest Mayor Traian Basescu, representing the center-right PNL-PD alliance, delivered a surprise defeat to PSD candidate Nastase. Basescu appointed PNL leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu as Prime Minister, whose government was approved by the Parliament on December 28, 2004.

The November 2004 elections left the Romanian parliament closely divided between the center-right PNL-PD alliance and the PSD, which each hold between 30-40% of the seats in each chamber. The PNL-PD, however, forged a parliamentary majority with the support of the UDMR, PC and (in the lower house) the ethnic minority party representatives. The extreme nationalist PRM won fewer seats than in the 2000 elections, but remained a significant political player. Although the PNL and PD voted as a bloc in the parliament and ran candidates on a common list in the 2004 parliamentary elections, the two parties remained separated. On several occasions since 2005, President Traian Basescu has publicly expressed support for snap parliamentary elections. Parliamentary leaders have steadily opposed calling new elections.  

The November 2004 elections left the Romanian parliament closely divided between the center-right PNL-PD alliance and the PSD, which each hold between 30 and 40% of the seats in each chamber. The PNL-PD, however, forged a parliamentary majority with the support of the UDMR, PC and (in the lower house) the ethnic minority party representatives. The extreme nationalist PRM won fewer seats than in the 2000 elections, but remained a significant political player. Although the PNL and PD voted as a bloc in the parliament and ran candidates on a common list in the 2004 parliamentary elections, the two parties remained separated. On several occasions since 2005, President Traian Basescu has publicly expressed support for snap parliamentary elections. Parliamentary leaders have steadily opposed calling new elections.  

After Romania's accession to the EU on January 1, 2007, the cooperation between PD President Basescu and PNL Prime Minister Tariceanu devolved into political infighting. The political turmoil resulted in a rupture of the PD-PNL alliance in April 2007, the 30-day suspension of the President in May, and the President's campaign to force a change from party list representational voting to single-member districts. Prime Minister Tariceanu continues to head a minority government in coalition with the UDMR and with the tacit support of the Socialist opposition.The presidential election in Dec. 2009 was narrowly won by the incumbent, Traian Basescu. His challenger, Mircea Geoana, cried fraud. Basescu’s record is mixed. He was originally elected to combat corruption and has fought the nation's endemic sleaze, but only selectively. Supporters who once saw him as the apostle of clean government now regard him merely as the lesser of two evils. Critics make fun of his private life, which is colorful even by local standards. He is impulsive and abrasive, which undercuts his effectiveness. On foreign policy, he has been a stalwart Atlanticist and strong critic of Russian trouble-making. The IMF has delayed the next payment of a €20 billion ($30 billion) loan until the parliament agrees to a budget deficit no bigger than 5.9% of GDP.<ref>See [https://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_ID=15066014 ''Economist'' report]</ref>

After Romania's accession to the EU on January 1, 2007, the cooperation between PD President Basescu and PNL Prime Minister Tariceanu devolved into political infighting. The political turmoil resulted in a rupture of the PD-PNL alliance in April 2007, the 30-day suspension of the President in May, and the President's campaign to force a change from party list representational voting to single-member districts. Prime Minister Tariceanu continues to head a minority government in coalition with the UDMR and with the tacit support of the Socialist opposition.The presidential election in Dec. 2009 was narrowly won by the incumbent, Traian Basescu. His challenger, Mircea Geoana, cried fraud. Basescu's record is mixed. He was originally elected to combat corruption and has fought the nation's endemic sleaze, but only selectively. Supporters who once saw him as the apostle of clean government now regard him merely as the lesser of two evils. Critics make fun of his private life, which is colorful even by local standards. He is impulsive and abrasive, which undercuts his effectiveness. On foreign policy, he has been a stalwart Atlanticist and strong critic of Russian trouble-making. The IMF has delayed the next payment of a €20 billion ($30 billion) loan until the parliament agrees to a budget deficit no bigger than 5.9% of GDP.<ref>See [https://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_ID=15066014 ''Economist'' report]</ref>

==External links==

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