June 30, 2023 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 30.06.2023, 19:44

Prices. The
government has adopted an emergency order reducing the price of basic food
products by capping the mark-up levied by producers and retailers. Food
producers cannot charge more than 20% in mark-up, distributors 5% and retailers
20% in the case of 14 basic products such as bread, meat, eggs, dairy products,
fruit and vegetables. The measure will apply for 3 months. Prime minister
Marcel Ciolacu said the government also approved an aid scheme worth 600
million euros for the Romanian food producing companies. The government also
unblocked the first payment of Romania’s 100 million euro agreement with the
Republic of Moldova. The money will be used to buy school buses and invest in
water supply networks.

Summit. Romanian
president Klaus Iohannis attended the European Council summit hosted by
Brussels on Thursday and Friday. EU leaders discussed the Union’s response to
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and reiterated their strong support of the
latter for as long it’s necessary. Emphasis was placed on the sustainability of
this support and meeting Kyiv’s most pressing needs. In his address, Iohannis
highlighted the robust support granted by Romania to Ukraine so far and called
for further substantial support at European level in all areas, financial,
economic, military and humanitarian. With respect to the EU accession of
Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the EU leaders acknowledged the commitment
and substantial efforts of the two states to meet the accession criteria and
reiterated their continued support in this regard. Romania’s president welcomed
the adoption of a first European economic security strategy, saying it is an
extremely necessary concept.

Airports. Romanian travellers are increasingly using
smaller airports from around the country, which are less crowded and closer to
their homes, according to a survey published online by a travel agency. Thus, airports
like those in Suceava, in the north-east, Bacău, in the east,
Craiova, in the south, and Târgu Mureş, in the centre, are in increasingly
used, despite the fact that the cost of flights may be more expensive, because
smaller airports do not generate enough traffic to attract low-cost airlines. The
flights from the airport in Cluj Napoca, in the north-west, are among the most
expensive in Romania, while those from Otopeni, near the capital Bucharest, in
the south, the cheapest. In terms of travel destinations, the most popular from
Romania are those to London, Rome, Milan and Brussels, where there are big
Romanian communities.

Ship. The Damen
shipyard in Galaţi, in the east of Romania, has finalised the construction of
the first multifunctional search and rescue vessel and which will be operated
by the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations. The
contract, worth 44 million euros of European funding, provides for the delivery
of two such vessels by the end of the year. The first ship, which was launched
on Friday, can operate autonomously at sea for three days, is equipped with a
high-performing fire extinguishing system, a mini-hospital and a capacity of 50
beds, as well as a helicopter deck. It will be used in rescue and support
missions for drifting vessels, the evacuation of refugees and for extinguishing
fires. (CM)