July 15, 2022 UPDATE

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Newsroom, 15.07.2022, 20:32

CONFERENCE The
Republic of Moldova doesn’t have to be and won’t be alone in its efforts to
implement the reforms it needs, Romania’s Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said
on Friday at the end of the second edition of the Ministerial Conference of the
Support Platform for the Republic of Moldova. According to the head of the
Romanian diplomacy this platform is ‘a permanent instrument’ and is useful for
Chisinau’s efforts to join the European Union. Financial assistance pledges of
up to 600 million euros have been issued during the conference for the support
of this ex-soviet republic with a Romanian-speaking majority. The event in
Bucharest brought together delegations from 33 countries, members of the EU,
G7, the European Free Trade Association, international bodies, financial
institutions and UN agencies. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has
announced a financial assistance package for this state of up to 77 million
euros. ‘It is important to know that we are not alone and that we can count on
you. Moldova is a small country and the magnitude of the events are beyond its
capabilities to cope with them’ Moldovan president Maia Sandu said.

ORDINANCE On Friday, the government in Bucharest
passed the final amendments to tax legislation. Some changes are set to come
into effect on August 1, while others on January 1 next year. After
consultations with social partners, with employers’ associations, trade unions,
and local elected representatives, the Finance Ministry made several changes to
the initial bill. They accepted the proposal by hospitality industry employers
for companies to choose between specific taxes and tax on profits. According to
the changes, VAT would go up from 5 to 9% for restaurants, hotels, and catering
firms, while VAT for soft drinks would go up from 9 to 19%. Starting on August
1, tax incentives in construction and the food industry are granted for
salaries of up to 10,000 lei, about 2,000 Euro, and not up to 30,000 lei, about
6,000 Euro, as it is at present. Also next month, excises will go up for
alcohol and tobacco products. The tax on dividends goes up from 5 to 8 percent.
At the same time, people with salaries of up to 4,550 lei, about 900 Euro,
young people below 26, and people providing child care would get deductions.

COVID Over 4,100 new Covid-19
infections have been reported in the past 24 hours in Romania. Most of the
cases are in Bucharest and its surroundings. 1,700 people are being treated in
hospitals out of whom 101 in ICU. 3 related fatalities have been reported in
the past 24 hours. 65,805 fatalities have been registered in Romania since the
beginning of the pandemic.

FIREFIGHTERS A second contingent of 28
Romanian firefighters has left for Greece to replace their colleagues who in
the past two weeks have assisted the local authorities in monitoring and
extinguishing forest fires in areas north of Athens. Several fire engines, a
tanker as well as command and control vehicles have been deployed to the
affected areas. In the past 15 days, firefighters from Romania have
participated in various missions in the regions of Schimatari and Porto
Germeno. Last year Romania also helped Greece in its fight against devastating
forest fires.

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