May 20, 2022

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 20.05.2022, 13:50

Security Council. At the UN Security Council in New York, Romanias Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, spoke about Romanias contribution to counteracting the effects of the Russian war against Ukraine, at the debate titled Maintaining international peace and security – conflict and food security. The head of diplomacy in Bucharest participated on Thursday, at the invitation of the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in the open debate organized by the USA, the country that is holding the monthly presidency of the UN Security Council. Bogdan Aurescu reiterated the need for a wider effort at international level for the creation of a transport corridor that would include Romanian routes and ports, in order to facilitate the Ukrainian exports to third destinations. At the same time, the Romanian minister firmly rejected the completely unfounded accusations made by the Russian Federations representative during the debate that there was an “agreement” for Ukraine to export grains to the West in exchange for military assistance. The head of the Romanian diplomacy also announced that Romania will host, starting with 2023, a Regional Agrometeorology Center for Europe, approved by the World Meteorological Organization.

Labour. The Ministry of Labor in Bucharest plans to constantly monitor the situation of Romanian workers abroad, especially seasonal workers, who have sometimes been victims of exploitation. 4 million Romanians are officially registered as working abroad, in the states of the European Union, but in reality their number would be close to 5 million. The Minister of Labor, Marius Budai, has stated that the Romanian seasonal workers mainly work in agriculture, construction or in the meat industry and have been faced different issues related to working conditions, occupational health and safety, or the fact that they have not been granted even the minimum wage in Germany. Other issues include salary withholdings, dismissals with request for repatriation, non-payment of salary, non-compliance with labor protection regulations, non-compliance with hygienic conditions, improper accommodation and food.

Ukraine. Ukraines Donbas industrial region has been completely destroyed by Russian forces, president Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The Donbas is the main target of Russian forces after they were forced to withdraw from Kyiv and Kharkov. The Russians are resorting to intense bombing, including on cities, in an attempt to break up the Ukrainian front. Russian bombings, however, target localities across Ukraine, with one of the most targeted areas in recent times being Odessa, according to President Zelensky. Odessa is the main port of Ukraine and has been under Russian blockade since the beginning of the war. The blockade prevents Ukraine from exporting, which affects global food supply and prices. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accused Moscow of using food as a weapon that affects the world. Russia has also been accused of stealing large quantities of grain from the Ukrainian territories it has seized. Moscow rejects the accusations.

EU funding. The European Parliament is asking for funding for Member States to deal with the effects of the war in Ukraine, by confiscating the assets of Russian oligarchs, using Unions own resources and making full use of the common budget. In a resolution adopted on Thursday, MEPs also call for an increase in European funds through means such as the corporate tax on energy companies, a temporary Union package on social resilience and a new fund for strategic autonomy to boost energy and food security.