December 13, 2023 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 13.12.2023, 19:45

Summits. The future enlargement of the EU is on the agenda of talks in Brussels, where summits are scheduled from Wednesday to Friday. Attending on Wednesday the EU – Western Balkans summit, the head of the Romanian state, Klaus Iohannis, stated that Bucharest is of the opinion that the Western Balkans must reach the EU bloc and that ways must be found to speed up the negotiations. Several countries in the region have already started the negotiation process, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which received candidate status last year, hopes to start them as well. The European Council meeting, which starts on Thursday, will discuss the opening of negotiations for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking), which are candidate countries. Recently, in a telephone conversation with the Moldovan president, Maia Sandu, Klaus Iohannis reiterated the support given by Romania to the European path of the neighboring state.

Visit. The Romanian Minister of the Interior, Cătălin Predoiu, had a meeting in Bucharest with a delegation led by his Israeli counterpart, Moshe Arbel. The delegation also included members of the families of some Romanian citizens (with dual citizenship) kidnapped and held hostage by Hamas. The Israeli side expressed thanks for the solidarity that Romania showed in the context of the conflict caused by Hamas starting on October 7, 2023. In turn, the Romanian side thanked the Israeli authorities for the support given for the repatriation of the Romanian citizens who were in Israel at the beginning of the crisis. It was also highlighted the need to continue efforts together for the quick and safe release of all remaining hostages, no matter how difficult or complex this process may be. The two interlocutors welcomed the good level of bilateral cooperation and highlighted the importance of its consolidation and the resumption of pending projects once the security situation normalizes.

Budget. Romanias state budget for next year was built on an economic growth of 3.4%, an average annual inflation of 6% and a deficit of 5% of the GDP, according to the 2024-2026 Fiscal-Budget Strategy published on Wednesday. Construction will continue to be the most dynamic sector, the document states. Social insurance contributions (over 31% of total revenue) account for the largest share of the budget revenue in 2024, followed by VAT (over 20%), amounts received from the EU (almost 12% of total revenue), taxes on wages and income (about 8% of the GDP) and non-tax revenues (7.8% of total revenues).

Middle East. The UN General Assembly voted for a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages held by Hamas. The resolution was adopted with 153 votes in favor, 10 votes against and 23 abstentions. The United States voted against the resolution, but president Joe Biden warned Israel that it is beginning to lose international support.

Conference. Ukraine is the topic of an international conference hosted by the Romanian mountain resort of Sinaia. For two days, Romanian and foreign officials address topics such as the challenges of the reconstruction process of Ukraine, energy and food security, freedom of navigation and critical infrastructure, as well as the role that Romania can play in these areas. The relations between Romania and Ukraine will soon reach a true strategic partnership, in which an essential component will be the logistic center on the territory of our country for the reconstruction of and assistance for Ukraine, said the head of the Romanian Government, Marcel Ciolacu. The Prime Minister assured that Romania is acting and will continue to be the promoter of the concerted measures of the Euro-Atlantic Community for the reconstruction of Ukraine, within the European integration process. A video message came from the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, who voiced confidence that his country will soon be part of the family of European nations. He stated that the Romanian-Ukrainian partnership was broad and comprehensive, and appreciated Bucharests support, both from a humanitarian and economic point of view.

Army. The US Department of State has favorably approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Romania worth about 80 million dollars, announced the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The agency stated that the Bucharest government requested to purchase 263 Javelin FGM-148F missiles and 26 portable launchers for these missiles (Light Weight Command Launch Units). Their delivery to Romania supports the national security and foreign policy goals of the USA by contributing to increasing the security of a NATO ally, which is an important force for the political and economic stability of Europe, according to the justification document drawn up by the American side.

Olympiad. The Romanian government has given prizes to almost 140 Romanian pupils who took part in international school Olympiads to reward them for the medals they won in these competitions, in a ceremony hosted on Tuesday by the National Theatre in Bucharest. The government allocated around 785,000 euros for the Romanian pupils, the teachers who trained them for the competitions, and their schools. Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, who attended the event, said the 2024 budget bill has the highest sum earmarked for education in Romanias history, namely 4.1% of the countrys GDP. With every pupil who achieves excellence in their chosen field, we can build a better and prosperous future, he said.

Exhibition. The Salvador Dali Universe exhibition was opened in Bucharest on Wednesday, showcasing for the first time in Romania a selection of works by the Catalan artist. The exhibition brings together 170 works, including sculptures, graphic art, etchings, miniatures from gold, diamond, emerald, sapphires and glass, as well as surrealist furniture, which can be visited until May next year. (MI)