November 2, 2022

A roundup of domestic and international news

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Newsroom, 02.11.2022, 13:55

AMENDMENTS – The Government is expected to
pass a number of legislative amendments in preparation of Romania’s Schengen
accession. The Government noted the current legislation no longer reflects the
current European framework for exchanging information among Member States,
while the national digital reporting system also needs improvement. The
government wants to decide which authorities should have a right to access,
transmit or consult data from the national digital system.

COLD SEASON – 58% of Romanians say they
will have trouble paying energy bills this upcoming winter, estimating
temperatures in their homes will be lower compared to previous years, a recent
study reveals. According to its findings, soaring utility expenses have shaped
Romanians’ purchasing behavior. 55% of Romanians said they have stopped buying
non-essential products. 40% of respondents have described energy bills as their
biggest concern for the period ahead.

MOLDOVA – Moldova’s President, Maia Sandu,
received assurances regarding Bucharest’s full support for Chișinău
in the context of the energy crisis in this country. President Sandu on Tuesday
met Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, and Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă in Bucharest, expressing gratitude for
their support and Romania’s actions to facilitate the provision of electricity,
natural gas, fuel oil and firewood to Moldovan citizens. Furthermore, Maia
Sandu thanked Romania for quickly responding to offset Moldova’s electricity
deficit. We recall Bucharest has started supplying electricity and natural gas to
Moldova after Ukraine has ceased energy exports to Moldova after its energy
infrastructure was affected by Russian bombings.

REFUGEES – The Border Police Inspectorate
announced some 65 thousand people entered Romania on Tuesday, of whom 7,500
were Ukrainian nationals. According to a press release, some 2.7 million
Ukrainians have entered Romania starting February 10, most of them headed to
countries in Western Europe. Over 86,500 Ukrainians have chosen to stay.

SHIPMENTS – Russia today agreed to resume grain
exports from Ukraine after receiving guarantees in writing from Ukraine
regarding the demilitarization of the maritime corridor used for their transport.
On Saturday, Moscow suspended grain exports invoking drone attacks on Russian military
watercraft in the port of Sevastopol. Russia claimed the drones moved along the
secure corridor addressing trade vessels transporting Ukrainian grain. On
Monday, Russia had warned against the danger of freight ships continuing to navigate
the corridor used by Ukrainian trade vessels to reach the Mediterranean through
the Bosporus strait without its consent.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT – The Constitutional
Court of Romania today admitted a notification filed by USR in opposition
regarding the law that sanctions the building of small power plants in
protected areas. USR has lodged 11 unconstitutionality claims, including the
violation of the principle of bicameralism, considering there are major
differences between the law adopted in the Senate and the version passed by the
Chamber of Deputies. USR also claims the law is in breach of the right to a
clean environment. Early this year, Parliament adopted the law stipulating that
power plants in protected areas that are over 60% complete are considered
projects of national security and must be rendered operational by the end of
2025. (VP)