August 10, 2023 UPDATE

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 10.08.2023, 20:05

INDICTMENT The General Prosecutor’s Office in Romania on Thursday made
public the indictment prepared by the military prosecutors, under which 16
gendarme officers and non-commissioned officers had been indicted for their
intervention in the anti-government meeting on August 10th 2018 in
Bucharest. The Document shows the forceful intervention of the gendarmes
against the peaceful protesters was illegal and unjustified. At the same time,
the use by the gendarme troops of rubber sticks, pepper sprays, shields and
other non-lethal weapons like stunt grenades and tear gas could be considered inhuman
and degrading treatment. According to the document, there were clashes between
the gendarmes and protesters in which the former were wounded but the situation
on the ground did not justify a forceful intervention against the larger mass
of peaceful protesters, which included women, children and older people. We
recall that the General Prosecutor’s Office has brought to court high-ranking officers
of the Gendarme troops that time for forgery and abusive conduct.

ENERGY Energy prices in Romania will be
capped this winter as it happened last season, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel
Ciolacu said on Thursday. He called on the field ministries to prepare for the
winter to come and make sure they are able to provide energy to the population
at the capped prices, as they are now. During the government session on
Thursday a law was endorsed providing for subsidizing some payments to energy
suppliers so that the system may continue to be functional. Also on Thursday,
the Executive endorsed another law allowing the citizens who obtained driving
licences in other countries to get their Romanian equivalent following a
driving exam without taking driving lessons as it was under the previous
law.

INFLATION The National Bank of Romania expects a slightly higher
inflation towards the end of this year than it anticipated a few months ago.
According to the new forecast presented, on Wednesday, by the governor of the
Central Bank, Mugur Isărescu, towards the end of the year, inflation could
reach 7.5%, up from the initial forecast of 7.1%, to then drop to 4.4% at the
end of next year. According to Mugur Isărescu, economic growth shows
signs of slowing down, as does consumption.

DAY The
Turkish corvette TCG ‘Kinaliada’ will make a stopover in the port of Constanţa,
between August 12-16, to participate in the Romanian Navy Day, alongside
Romanian military and civilian ships, informed the General Staff of the Naval
Forces. On Tuesday, August 15, the Turkish corvette will join Romanian military
ships at sea, participating in demonstration exercise ‘Romanian Naval Forces
23’. It will consist of elements of reconnaissance-diversion, repelling the
attack of enemy aviation, searching for and attacking an enemy submarine,
repelling a maritime landing, combating illegal migration at sea. The Guard of
Honor, set up on the seafront in front of the Fleet Command, will be made up of
military platoons from France, the USA, Turkey, the 30th Guards Brigade ‘Mihai
Viteazul’ and the Romanian Naval Forces. The evening of August 15 will end with
the torchlight retreat of the sailors and a fireworks and drone show, which
will mark the end of the 121st anniversary of the Romanian Navy.

(bill&MI)