January 2, 2024

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 02.01.2024, 13:55

PRICE HIKES The new year has brought a
series of fiscal amendments to the Romanians, ranging from new VAT rises to other
majored excises and taxes. Fines have also been raised, and companies reporting
over 50 million euros in turnover will pay taxes of at least one percent of
their turnover. Tobacco excises have been raised and there are VAT raises
between 9 and 19 % for certain products and services. A special tax has been
introduced for expensive goods, such as houses and cars as well as raised
excises for sweet products. Fuel excises have also been raised and experts
believe the new fiscal measures will translate into a higher inflation and a depreciated
local currency against the Euro. Romania’s budget deficit this year has been
estimated at 5% of the GDP with an economic growth of 3.4%. 7% of the country’s
GDP has been earmarked for investment.

QUAKE Authorities in Japan are in
a battle against time in their attempt to find survivors after the 7.6
magnitude earthquake on Monday, which was followed by many aftershocks.
According to provisional tolls, scores have been killed and hundreds of
buildings destroyed. Numerous fires caused by broken pipelines have been
reported in the north of the Noto peninsula, close to the quake’s epicenter. As
temperatures went below zero at night, rescuers are making great efforts to
find survivors.

GAZA Israel has pulled out its
tanks from some parts of the Gaza city announcing a new stage in its war
against the terrorist group Hamas. The new change in Israel’s tactics involves
the partial pull out of its troops from the Gaza Strip and an increased focus
on smaller-scale targeted operations. Israel says one of the key objectives is
the complete elimination of the Hamas threat and the release of the hostages
still kept by the famous terrorist group. According to Radio Romania
correspondent in Israel, the attempts to release the Israeli hostages, which seemed
to be compromised at a certain point, have these days been given a fresh
impetus thanks to the mediation efforts of Qatar and Egypt. The war in Gaza,
which broke out after the attack on Israel masterminded and conducted by the
terrorist group Hamas on October 7, when 12 hundred people were killed and 240
kidnapped, has so far caused the death of roughly 22 thousand Palestinians in
the Gaza Strip. At the same time, most of the region’s 2.3 million people
residents has been displaced.

WEATHER The
weather remains warm in Romania with temperatures higher than those usually
registered at this time of the year. Showers have been reported in small areas
in the country’s south-east. Wind has intensified at higher altitudes in the
mountainous area of the Eastern and Western Carpathians. The highs of the day
are ranging between 4 and 12 degrees Celsius while the capital city Bucharest
reports higher temperatures than usual for the winter season, of at least 10-11
degrees Celsius.

(bill)