--- /dev/null
+---
+postid: 014
+title: Romania at the end of 2013: an exercise in geopolitics
+author: Lucian Mogoșanu
+excerpt: A piece of synthetic journalism.
+date: December 8, 2013
+tags: asphalt
+---
+
+**November 14, 2013** -- [EU to offer a perspective to Moldova][1]:
+
+> [...]
+>
+> "Our government, like most of the people, has chosen the way of civilization
+> and European integration," Corman told an audience in Berlin. "We're on the
+> right path; we've introduced many reforms, especially in the fight against
+> corruption and in the justice system. We are not a risk for the EU."
+
+**November 27, 2013** -- [Ukraine signs oil, gas deal with Eni and EDF, sees $4 billion investment][2]
+
+**November 28, 2013** -- [Romania to Seek Reunification with Moldova][3]:
+
+> Romanian President Traian Basescu has revealed that his country is to seek a
+> reunification with neighboring Moldova.
+>
+> "I am convinced that if "unionist winds" start to blow in Moldova, Romania
+> will always be ready for that. Accession to NATO was once a fundamental
+> project for Romania. There was also another one - accession to the EU. I
+> think that the third fundamental project should become our unification with
+> Moldova. There can be no doubt about that," Basescu told Romania's TVR-1, as
+> cited by Interfax.
+
+**November 29, 2013** -- [Ukraine Faces E.U.’s Dismay on Turnabout on Accords][4]:
+
+> [...]
+>
+> Ms. Merkel, holding a glass of white wine, stood in front of Mr. Yanukovich,
+> a beefy man who is at least a head taller. “We see you here,” said Ms.
+> Merkel, nodding her head and giving a disapproving shrug. “But we expected
+> more.” Next to her, Ms. Grybauskaite nodded in assent. Mr. Yanukovich had
+> nowhere to turn.
+>
+> [...]
+
+**December 1, 2013** -- [Romania's National Day][5]
+
+**December 2, 2013** -- [Chevron resumes east Romanian shale gas search][6]:
+
+> U.S. oil major Chevron has resumed its search for shale gas in eastern
+> Romania, it said on Monday, despite opposition from local residents.
+>
+> In October the company won approval to drill exploratory wells in the small
+> town of Pungesti in the impoverished eastern county of Vaslui but had to halt
+> works soon after as local residents blocked access to the site.
+
+**December 2, 2013** -- [Frum: Beware Russia's power play in Ukraine][7]:
+
+> [...]
+>
+> Since Putin's entry into power, Russia minus Ukraine has sought to influence
+> and corrupt the democracies of Europe. A Russia that reintegrated Ukraine
+> would possess the power -- like the Soviet Union of old -- to intimidate and
+> bully democratic Europe. Russia minus Ukraine can aspire to become a normal
+> nation state, a democracy, even a liberal democracy. A Russia that holds
+> Ukraine by force must forever be a militarized authoritarian regime, a menace
+> to its own people as much as to the rest of the European continent and the
+> democratic world.
+>
+> [...]
+>
+> Don't be fooled by the muted words, however. What's at stake in the streets
+> of Kiev is the future of the European continent -- and American prosperity
+> and security. An inward-looking America is averting its attention from its
+> own most important interests and highest ideals.
+
+**December 4, 2013** -- [The battle over Ukraine: Towards a new geopolitical game][8]:
+
+> This is quite a turnaround in German policies towards Russia. It is the first
+> time Merkel has spoken to Moscow with the assertive attitude of the leader of
+> a great power. And she was doing what great powers usually do: pushing back
+> other great powers and offering protection to smaller powers.
+>
+> In other words, Merkel took a first step towards a geopolitical competition
+> with Russia over Eastern Europe -- effectively ending years of cozy bilateral
+> relations with Moscow.
+>
+> Merkel has picked up the gauntlet thrown by Putin at her and the EU. But it
+> is still unclear to what extent she will follow-up her rhetoric and push the
+> EU towards making more substantial offers to Ukraine -- especially after the
+> hopes of signing an agreement at the Vilnius summit have been disappointed.
+>
+> But she has shown a Germany that no longer afraid to confront Russia over
+> Eastern Europe. This is starting to look like an entirely new game.
+
+**December 5, 2013** -- [Moldovans now officially speak Romanian][9]:
+
+> The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday the country's official language
+> should be changed to "Romanian" from "Moldovan."
+>
+> [...]
+>
+> Moldova's remaining Communists opposed the change.
+>
+> In neighboring Romania, officials welcomed the decision. President Traian
+> Basescu called it "an act of justice."
+
+**December 6, 2013** -- [How Natural Gas Has Helped Fuel Ukraine’s Violent Unrest][10]
+
+**December 6, 2013** -- [Russia and Ukraine leaders seek partnership treaty][11]
+
+**December 6, 2013** -- [IMF to Likely Postpone Romania Meeting][12]:
+
+> The International Monetary Fund's executive board will likely postpone until
+> March a meeting to discuss Romania's progress under a 2-billion-euro ($2.74
+> billion) loan program, after the Romanian president refused to endorse some
+> of the measures included in the latest policy package, news agency Mediafax
+> reported.
+>
+> [...]
+>
+> "We are aware of President Traian Basescu's disagreement with the government
+> over the specific measures. The IMF staff is monitoring developments and is
+> awaiting a decision by the authorities on whether they wish to modify the
+> policies needed to secure the agreed deficit target, before submitting the
+> policy package to the Fund's Executive Board," the IMF said Tuesday.
+
+**December 7, 2013** -- [Ukraine Opposition: No Talks Unless Govt Fired][13]:
+
+> Ukraine's opposition, preparing for what it hopes will be a gigantic protest
+> rally on Sunday, says it will negotiate with President Viktor Yanukovych only
+> if he fires the government and appoints a new one committed to deepening
+> European integration.
+>
+> [...]
+>
+> Russia wants Ukraine to join a customs union also including Belarus and
+> Kazakhstan that would be a counterweight to the EU and put pressure on
+> Yanukovych to shelve the EU agreement.
+>
+> Yatsenyuk called the customs union "a new version of the Soviet Union."
+>
+> Distress over the customs was high after Yanukovych and Russian President
+> Vladimir Putin met on Friday. The leaders' offices on Saturday said the
+> presidents didn't discuss the customs union, but suspicions persisted.
+>
+> "It was clear that (Yanukovych's) way to the European Union was blocked from
+> the start," Yatsenyuk said. "It was a big auction — who is to buy Ukraine."
+
+**December 7, 2013** -- [Chevron halts Romania shale work after protest][14]:
+
+> On Saturday, about 300 riot police were deployed in Pungesti, 340 km (210
+> miles) northeast of capital Bucharest, to try to prevent an equal number of
+> protesters, mostly local residents, from entering the Chevron site. Some
+> broke through into the site, however.
+>
+> The activists chanted "Stop Chevron" and held banners saying "No drilling
+> allowed here". Dozens were detained by police.
+>
+> Chevron said some equipment had been damaged on the site. "Chevron can today
+> confirm it has suspended activities ... as a result of unsafe conditions
+> generated by unlawful and violent protester activities," it said in a
+> statement emailed to Reuters.
+
+Comments are useful. They will be left as an exercise for the reader.
+
+[1]: http://www.dw.de/eu-to-offer-a-perspective-to-moldova/a-17227049
+[2]: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/us-ukraine-energy-deal-idUSBRE9AQ0JX20131127
+[3]: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=155964
+[4]: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/30/world/europe/european-union-grapples-with-disappointment-over-ukraine.html?_r=0
+[5]: http://actmedia.eu/daily/december-1-romania-s-national-day/49458
+[6]: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/02/romania-shale-chevron-idUSL5N0JH18820131202
+[7]: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/02/opinion/frum-ukraine-russia/
+[8]: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/04/opinion/ukraine-protests-eu-speck/
+[9]: http://www.stltoday.com/news/world/moldovans-now-officially-speak-romanian/article_57c1ee0c-b1f9-51e3-aad3-601661bc27ff.html
+[10]: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/12/06/3017421/russia-ukraine-natural-gas/
+[11]: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25267130
+[12]: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303997604579242981998461384
+[13]: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/putin-spokesman-customs-union-discussed-21133453
+[14]: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/07/romania-shale-chevron-idUSL5N0JM07D20131207
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