Policy In Romania Research Articles

The Dynamics of Regional Inequalities in Romania. Comparative Analysis between the major Crises – Financial and Sanitary

In Romania, the issue of economic inequalities and regional convergence is one of the current important topics on which the attention of economic specialists and the decision-making factors is focused. In the actual context, the regional policy in Romania is implemented at regional level, the regions being formed by counties that have voluntarily associated on the basis of a convention signed by the representatives of the County Councils, respectively of the General Council of Bucharest. After the year 2000, the development regions faced two major crises: the global financial crisis (2008-2009) and the one caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). Both crises have caused important effects at regional level and both have been supported by a number of territorial strategies and policies, to which there was added the cohesion and regional development policy financed by the EU Structural Funds. The paper is based on the analysis of the differences between the regions of Romania, in the period 2008-2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, by highlighting the differences between the dynamics of certain indicators, of the analysis of the GINI coefficients for measuring inequalities, trying to answer the question which of the two crises, financial or health, affected the level of territorial inequalities more and what was the evolution of the regions of Romania in these two sub-periods. Regarding the financial crisis versus the pandemic one, in the majority of the indicators, it was shown that the values of the Gini coefficients in the 2020-2022 were higher than the ones in 2008-2010 and also after the COVID-19 crisis the tendency of increased disparities was maintained. The only domains that were least affected by the pandemic were demography (rural population), transportation infrastructure and economic potential (companies with 10-49 employees).

Romania's policy for managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Romanian Academy Publishing House, Bucharest, 2022. Otovescu Maria Cristina

Through this book, university professor Cristina Otovescu presents scientific evidence (administrative, legislative documents and reports issued by institutions, studies and opinion polls), but in a language accessible to the public, how the authorities in Romania managed, to what extent it affected and how the population of the country reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Debt Dependency and the Cost of Migration: The Case of Roma and Non-Roma Migrants from Baia Mare

Abstract The Baia Mare region was once one of Romania's main mining centres, with a significant proportion of the local population engaged in industry jobs. However, the extensive economic restructuring that followed the collapse of the old communist regime and the emergence of capitalist development was characterized by brutal privatization measures and great economic instability. While the transition years brought new opportunities for some, for most they meant unstable housing and employment, debt, and a declining social status. Thus, many workers quickly became ‘surplus populations’ (Li 2017) and were forced into patterns of circular migration abroad. Employing a qualitative research methodology, analysing both interviews and secondary data, this paper will focus on the adaptive responses of workers from Baia Mare to the changes in the socio-economic landscape after the collapse of the communist regime and the advance of neoliberal policies in Romania. In particular, the paper looks at Roma and non-Roma migrants from Baia Mare, attempting to compare their strategies and work histories in the context of migration, to see the extent to which class and race differences play a role in creating specific migration patterns in the post-socialist context. The comparison between racialized people living in improvised shelters on the periphery of Baia Mare and those who are working class but not living in a situation of destitution will show us the role that dispossession plays in creating certain conditions that lead to debt dependency and specific migration patterns.

The Impact of Healthcare Wage Increases on the Quality of Health Services in Romania

Abstract The collection, allocation and distribution of public resources for the health sector in Romania and beyond is an ongoing challenge and concern for governments. In this regard, this paper aims to answer the following question: how does human resources budget increment contribute to the quality of health services in Romania? The research is based on some specific external public audit methods, which identify risks and vulnerabilities related to the above-mentioned aspects, but also analyzes the resources allocated for this purpose in terms of the 3Es (efficiency, effectiveness, economy). The study aims to synthesize the ideas on this topic over the scientific literature and current legal regulations or under development, strategies, public health policies in Romania.

Refugee Policy in Romania

Romania is currently facing a high influx in the number of Asylum seekers and refugees, but significantly minimized Knowledge available on the policy framework and care arrangements for the Refugees in Romania over the integration policy confined the people displayed the need for international protection. This particular scientific paper addresses the Romanian Refugee policy while illustrating the gaps and cores of this policy in the political dimension utilizing scholarly literature

Challenges of the Unemployment Pressure and the Employment Policies in Romania During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The most important labour market challenge in Romania before 2020, was the shortage of 600,000 workers. This affected the efficiency of the country’s economic activity. However, the Covid-19 pandemic turned this shortage into an oversupply of workers the hospitality industry, due to quarantine restrictions. Moreover, in the post-industrial society there has been a marked increase in the importance of the knowledge economy and the need for a better-educated workforce. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the mismatch between the supply and demand of skilled workers. In addition, the crisis accelerated the digitization of many economic activity. In 2020, the Romanian government introduced support programmes, that included benefits for employees, who were paid by the state at 75% of their basic salary.

Mind the crèche! Controversial perspectives on the educational quality of Romanian crèches

ABSTRACT This study aims at capturing the actual status of policy implementation of ECEC policy in Romania, which entangles not only policy-makers, experts and social actors per se but also a complicated history of crèche as an institution and parenting traditions. Based on both quantitative and qualitative data the study analyses the international, national and local levels of implementation of new ECEC quality goals raising two questions: how do stakeholders (experts, practitioners and parents) define quality in ECEC institutions for children from one to three years, and how do the stakeholders interplay with international quality goals? Using a comparative case study approach (Bartlett, Lesley Erin, and Frances K. Vavrus. 2014. “Transversing the Vertical Case Study: A Methodological Approach to Studies of Educational Policy as Practice.” Anthropology and Education Quarterly 45: 131–147; Bartlett, Lesley, and Frances Vavrus. 2017. “Comparative Case Studies: An Innovative Approach.” Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE) 1 (1)) the study reflects on the perceptions, expectations and negotiations of quality from the stakeholder’s point of view. The study shows, how experts orient towards international criteria, whereas practitioners orient themselves towards the parent. The study also shows that children’s perspective is absent for all stakeholders.

Current diaspora policy in Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova

Current diaspora policy in Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova

Opportunities and Challenges Regarding the Development of the Administrative Capacity from Romania. The European Integration and the Influence on the Elaboration Process of the Public Policies

The present paper aims to capture the manner in which the public administration of Romania evolved during the post-communist transition period. Likewise, this approach intends to identify the challenges and the opportunities associated with the adaptation and increase of the Romanian administrative capacity in the context of the adhesion to the European Union.
 The aim of these changes was the shift from a controlled, political administration to a democratic one. As we will observe, the institutionalization of the formulation, implementation and evaluation systems of public policies in Romania is directly linked to the efforts of integration in the European Union and, implicitly, to the reform of the administrative system.
 The hypothesis that we support is the following – the development of the administrative capacity and the reform of the public system was stimulated from outside the central administration and under the pressure of the obligations arising from the status of a Member State of the European Union.
 Unfortunately, in Romania, despite the changes made at central levels, the reform of the administration has not brought an improvement in the planning or implementing of the policies.
 In terms of policy evaluation, things do not seem to be any better, the culture of evaluation, the satisfaction of the public interest or the improvement of the activity remaining the exception rather than the rule, despite the constant support provided by European-funded programs

Evolutions and trends regarding the monetary and fiscal-budgetary policy in Romania

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide a presentation and an analysis of the evolution and trends in monetary and fiscal policy in Romania. There will be a brief presentation of the evolution and objectives of monetary policy as well as the evolution of fiscal-budgetary policy. In order to respond to similar requirements outlined from the perspective of the monetary policy in Romania, this paper aims to expand the area of information that monetary analysis can provide in the current context of the Romanian economy. At the same time, the analysis, the indicators regarding the fiscal-budgetary policy (expenditures, revenues, and the budget deficit), as well as the indicators of the monetary policy (inflation rate, exchange rate and public debt) in Romania during 2014-2020 are presented. Much of the economic theory as well as recent practice of central banks assigns to currency and monetary analysis an important role in the formulation of monetary policy. It follows from the relevance of the information provided to the central bank by a comprehensive monetary analysis- in which the results generated by statistical and econometric techniques are complemented by expert judgment- the most significant being information on price developments, risks to disinflation / price stability, as well as the dynamics of economic growth.

The efficiency of public policies and programs for breast cancer prevention. Socio-medical perspectives within a Romania-France comparison.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one of five persons develops a cancer form during their lives. Out of the total of malignant cancer forms known up to the present, the statistics currently place breast cancer on the first rank at European level, as a type of neoplasm registered and treated with a standard protocol through the medical programs approved within public policies. The cost for the treatment of this type of oncological disease is enormous; for this reason, the state should manifest a direct interest for the prevention, early diagnose and investments in the research of mammary neoplasm. The coherence of national and European policies is achieved on a regular basis, subject to changes in Community legislation and the approval of European Commission (EC) documents that design unified approaches. This year, the emergence of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, launched in 2021, has taken on the objective of investing in research and innovation, with a focus on the development of digital technologies that will increase expertise in genomics, onco-radiology, and digital health. The article analyzes the secondary data and empirical research collected at national and European level with the aim of highlighting the significant differences between public policies in Romania and France and identifying the pillars on which a national strategy similar to a functional European model can be built.

LTV ЯК МАКРОПРУДЕНЦІЙНИЙ ІНСТРУМЕНТ ГАЛЬМУВАННЯ БУМІВ У КРЕДИТУВАННІ ДОМОГОМПОДАРСТВ

The article discusses using the loan-to-value ratio (LTV) in household lending in Poland and Romania to prevent or slow down credit booms, taking into account the feasibility of its implementation in Ukraine. The statistical analysis was carried out on Poland, Romania, and Ukraine from 2007 to 2021: it covers the periods of the global financial crisis, period of stabilization, and the banking crisis in Ukraine. The goals and instruments of macroprudential policy have been systematized with an emphasis on the possibility of deceleration of credit booms: countercyclical capital buffer; restrictions on the ratios: loan-to-value, debt-service-to-income (DSTI), debt-to-income (DTI), loan-to-borrower income (LTI), loan-to-deposit (LTD), unsecured loans to total loans, volumes of lending in foreign currency, lending growth. Specific instruments related to lending are characterized: LTV, DTI/DSTI, foreign currency lending restriction (introduced in Ukraine after the global financial crisis), and limiting restrictions on credit or credit growth. The peculiarities of applying the LTV as an instrument of macroprudential policy in Romania, Poland, and Ukraine are disclosed. It is shown that the loan-to-value ratio should be used primarily to slow down booms in mortgage lending. At the same time, the practice of Romania has shown that the growth of other types of consumer loans can be limited by the LTV as well. The LTV limits should be reviewed depending on the situation in the consumer lending market. An analysis was made of the ratio of household debt to nominal GDP and the percentage of non-performing loans to the total amount of loans in Poland, Romania, and Ukraine during 2007-2021, with a focus on the adoption of the LTV. The analysis showed the credit boom in Poland and Ukraine in households lending before the global financial crises: average quarterly growth rates for 2007 amounted to 8.62% and 8.84%, respectively. These countries didn't use LTV at those time. In contrast, Romania did not experience a credit boom in 2007, and perhaps one of the factors was the application in 2004 of the LTV. The implementation of the loan-to-value ratio can indeed be seen as a factor in slowing down credit booms, but it may not work as a non-performing loans protector.

Romania’s Anti-Corruption Policy: Results, Prospects and Experience for Ukraine

The article analyzes the results and prospects of anti-corruption policy in Romania. Using the method of a logical chain model for evaluating government programs and projects made it possible to prove that two competing approaches have emerged in Romania regarding the appropriateness of the forms and methods of this process: the first of them is focused on the quantitative result of anti-corruption policy, which is achieved despite numerous procedural violations of the legal procedure; the second emphasizes the need and importance of ensuring and strict observance of procedural guarantees and legal decisions focused on the quality of the results of anti-corruption activities of special anti-corruption structures. It was found that the growth of the institutional and organizational potential of anti-corruption structures in Romania led to a quantitative increase in the effectiveness of anti-corruption policy, while reducing its qualitative indicators, reflected in the procedural characteristics of the implementation of anti-corruption policy. Such a ratio of quantitative and qualitative results of anti-corruption policy indicates a certain imbalance in the activities of the structures of the anti-corruption activity system and requires a political adjustment of anti-corruption policy. It has been substantiated that the most important aspect of anti-corruption practices that can be used in Ukraine is the public consensus on the ratio of quantitative and qualitative indicators of the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of anti-corruption policy. It is noted that the pursuit of quantitative indicators, however, as well as neglect of them, will inevitably form a public discourse about the organizational necessity / importance of the national system of anti-corruption institutions and the principles of anti-corruption policy.

THE "SUCESS STORY" OF BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN A COUNTRY IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL AFRICA: ROMANIA AND CAMEROON (1970-1990)

The relations of friendship and cooperation between Romania and Cameroon in the 1970s had an exceptional quality, based on a strong and lasting partnership, reinforced by the status of the two countries. Romania, a country with a communist vocation, and Cameroon, a major privileged partner in diplomatic and economic relations. It is a traditionally close bilateral relationship initiated by the first President of Cameroon Hamadou Ahidjo, characterized by trust and mutual respect, which prevailed for twenty years. The establishment of an embassy in Cameroon then paved the way for the success of diplomatic relations, continuous and substantial development through dynamic and pragmatic political dialogue and close cooperation in many areas. The realization of several bilateral visits at governmental and parliamentary level, as well as economic missions, testified to this dynamic of the links and the importance that Yaoundé attached to Bucharest, to the open and constructive dialogue which existed between these two countries. It was therefore a priority relationship for Romania's policy aimed at the countries of Africa south of the Sahara; this is why Romania was interested in further strengthening bilateral political dialogue, diversifying and developing economic and sectoral cooperation, as well as pursuing close cooperation at the multilateral level, but also consulting on issues of common interest with Cameroon. Therefore, what were the priority axes of cooperation between the two countries? Was Cameroon a trade partner of Romania in Africa? What bilateral strategy was implemented to strengthen this partnership? Finally, what reflects the severance of diplomatic relations with Romania? The following analysis will answer the various main questions set out in order to better understand the role played by Romania in Cameroon in the 1970s to 1990s.

Reproductive health services use by the Roma minority women in Romania

Abstract Backgound In Romania Roma women are vulnerable to pregnancy-related events, unwanted pregnancies, stillbirth, abortion and cervical cancer. This paper aims to analysis the use of reproductive health services, family planning, prenatal care and screening for cervical cancer by Roma women. Methods A secondary analysis was performed on the data of the Reproductive Health Survey in Romania 2016, of a subsample of 314 Roma women, aged 15-44 years. Results 2/3 of Roma women had their first pregnancy in adolescence, 66.9% between 15-19 and 8.4% under 15 years of age. 65.4% Roma adolescent girls had their first child at 15-19 years, and 2.8% at ages under 15 years. During pregnancy, 24.1% of Roma women do not use prenatal care services, three times more than the women from the reference population (7.1%) (p < 0.01). 73% of Roma women have never benefited from cervical cancer screening compared to 42.7% in the general fertile female population. 46, 7% of Roma women use any type of contraceptive method and 38.1% modern methods, a closed prevalence of contraception in the general population of fertile women (48.4% of any method and 38.7% modern methods) Conclusions Roma women have their first pregnancy in adolescence. There are inequalities in the use of preventive services for prenatal care and cervical cancer screening of the Roma female population compared to the reference female population in Romania. Public health policies should include specific active measures for Roma women to improve their access to preventive services. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, public health policies in Romania should include family planning measures addressed towards all women, but using methods culturally adapted to the Roma population. Key messages There are inequalities in sexual reproductive health services use of Roma minories women I Romania. Services and active preventive mesures should be adressed to Roma populationtion.

Sexual behavior of Roma women in Romania

Abstract Background Roma women are considered a vulnerable population with regard to reproductive health. Early pregnancy and childbirth is common among Roma women. Roma women use less preventive services prenatal care, cancer screening and family planning. Methods The present study aims to analyze the sexual behavior of Roma women based on the secondary analysis of a subsample of 343 Roma women aged 15-44, as a part of the Romanian Reproductive Health Survey 2016. Results The main sexual events of the Roma women start in adolescence: 63.9% of Roma women had their first sexual intercourse at age of 15-19and 26.7% at age of 15 and 9.4% between 20-24 years. Roma with a low educational level start earlier sexual life, 28,8% of Roma women with no education had their sexual intercourse before age 15 and 64.8% between 15-19 years. Roma women are living in couples as adolescents with a higher prevalence of teenager couples in rural area 19.4% of Roma women in rural areas and 13.4% in urban areas are in a couple before the age of 15, (p < o,o5) and 60.5% in rural areas and 58.9% in urban areas between 15-19 years. 2/3 of Roma women had their first pregnancy in adolescence, 66.9% between 15-19 and 8.4% under 15 years of age. Concerning the first delivery 65.4% Roma adolescent girls had their first child at 15-19 years, and 2.8% at ages under 15 years. Conclusions The Roma female minorities had in adolescence their main sexual events, the first sexual intercourse, the start of a life in couple, the first pregnancy and the first delivery; Roma women from rural areas and women with a low level of education had all these experiences earlier; In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, public reproductive health policies in Romania should include measures addressed to the need and specific educational and cultural characteristic of Roma women and their partners. Key messages Main sexual events of Roma women begin in adolescence. The reproductive health policies should be adressed with special emphasis to Roma adolescent women.

Black Sea Region in the Security Policy of Romania: Evaluation of Approaches

The paper is dedicated to the role of the Black Sea region in the security policy of Romania. Approaches, patterns and results of this area of the foreign policy of Romania are studied since the period after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The concepts and strategies of the national security and the strategies of national defense of Romania, adopted since 1994 are analysed. The key patterns and results of the security policy pursued by Romania in the Black Sea region are defined. The author concludes that this direction of Romania's policy is consistently based on the strategic partnership with the United States and solidarity with the approaches of the NATO and EU in the Black Sea region. The policy leads to the imbalance in the relations with the littoral states for which euro-atlanticism has not become an ideological basis for their foreign policy (Russia and Turkey). Amidst the absence of the search for a new model of relations with the littoral states, Romania's policy leads to the growth of the potential for confliction in the Black Sea region.

The Effects of Protectionist Policies in Romania

Protectionism is an economic doctrine that consists of protecting the national economy by limiting or prohibiting the import of foreign products. A country can filter foreign exchange through various protectionist, tariff (involves the use of customs barriers) and non-tariff (using barriers such as quotas, technical rules, administrative formalities, etc.). Governments resort to trade policy measures in a wide variety of situations: to balance the balance of payments, for a better allocation of resources (by promoting certain industries or sectors considered promising), to redistribute the national income, etc. Most commonly, however, they are used when domestic industries cannot cope with external competition. The main cause is their lack of competitiveness concerning foreign producers. For this reason, states often prefer to protect their domestic industries through trade policy measures, despite the negative effects they have on the economy as a whole. This paper outlines some issues specific to protectionist theories in foreign trade and their impact on a small country like Romania also protectionist theories, trade policies, and arguments in support of and against protectionism.

Labour Market Dynamics and Changes in Fiscal and Wage Policies in Romania

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, fiscal policies become essential in combating the crisis effects on both the labour market and the business sector. Thus, finding the most effective fiscal policy solutions to ensure a smoother economic recovery from the pandemic effects becomes a major concern worldwide.

Social Policies in Romania after 30 Years. Expectations and Answers, Publishing House of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, 2020. Edited by Elena Zamfir, Mălina Voicu, Simona Maria Stănescu

Excerpt from the book review: Social Policies in Romania after 30 Years: Expectations and Answers is the latest in a series of books dealing with this topic, which have been published successively by various researchers from the Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian Academy, in 1995, 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005. The editors of the current volume are three experienced scholars with long publication records in the areas of social policy, the welfare state, and the post-socialist transition. Professor Elena Zamfir is well-known for her academic contributions and initiatives in organizing the social work curriculum at the University of Bucharest. MălinaVoicu has a rich publication portfolio around modernization theories applied to Romania, while Simona Stănescu has published extensively on the welfare state in Romania, before and after its EU integration.