June 20, 2024 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 20.06.2024, 20:00
DEFENSE – Romania will donate a Patriot system to Ukraine. The decision was taken by the country’s Supreme Defense Council in Thursday’s session. The move is a carry-over of negotiations, particularly with the American partners, with a view to obtaining a similar or equivalent system that should respond to the security needs of Romanian airspace. The decision was based on a comprehensive technical assessment, while all measures have been taken to eliminate the risk of new threats for Romania, the Presidency reports. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Romania, arguing the Patriot system will help consolidate Ukraine’s air defenses as well as security across Europe. The Supreme Defense Council also approved Romania’s goal for the NATO Summit in Washington next month. The Summit is expected to reassert trans-Atlantic unity, report progress towards consolidating NATO’s deterrence and defense posture as well as express greater commitment towards Ukraine while preserving the Alliance’s commitment towards vulnerable partners. On the sidelines of the Council meeting, president Klaus Iohannis informed his NATO allies that he has withdrawn his candidacy for NATO Secretary General. Council members voted to back the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
STRATEGY – The Romanian government on Thursday revealed its national strategy for preventing and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech for 2024-2027. The document reflects Romania’s commitment to continue to strongly oppose any such manifestations, also marking a carry-over of previous efforts started under the 2021-2023 strategy. “Developing societal resilience against such phenomena requires a complex approach and a robust partnership between state authorities, civil society and academia”, deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacșu said. In turn, Silviu Vexler, the president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, described the Strategy as an opportunity for the entire Romanian society and a unique document, focusing on realistic goals and concrete measures.
STUDY – Seven in ten investors anticipate an increase in Romania’s investor appeal over the next three years, according to a study carried out by Ernst & Young. 46% of the CEOs interviewed believe that Romania remained a robust and resilient market for investments in 2023, adding that they plan to consolidate or expand their operations here in the near future. Bucharest remains the number one city in terms of investor appeal, with a substantial share of 40%. Iași (northeast) and Timişoara (west) registered three investment projects each, followed by Cluj-Napoca (northwest) and Braşov (center) with two each. According to the study, this year’s investment model suggests a shift from traditional economic centers, signaling a wider distribution of investment projects in various cities.
STATISTICS – Romania’s school population went down by 6,200 in the current school year, standing at approximately 3.5 million people, according to data made public by the National Statistics Institute. According to the Institute, during the interval, almost half of Romania’s school population was enrolled in primary and secondary education cycles, and almost a third in high-schools and pre-school education units. Compared to the previous school year, primary and secondary education cycles, as well as vocational education reported the most significant drop in the number of enrolled students. At the same time, the degree of enrollment of students from the 6-10 age bracket was the highest compared to other age groups. The average school population – teaching staff ratio was 14-1.
CAR MARKET – New car registrations in Romania went up over 14% in May, the Association of European Carmakers reports. Over 62,000 new cars were registered in Romania in the first five months of 2024, and the domestic car market reported a 2.8% increase percent, the Association notes. In Europe, new car registrations were 2.6% lower in May compared to the same period of 2023, amidst the waning demand for electric vehicles.
SWIMMING – David Popovici won gold in the 100m freestyle event on Wednesday at the European Swimming Championships in Belgrade. Nandor Nemeth of Hungary won silver while Andrej Barna of Serbia won bronze. (VP)
