November 22, 2022 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsroom, 22.11.2022, 19:48

EU.
The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Romania is coming to an end and
we have clear confirmation that Romania has made the necessary progress, said
president Klaus Iohannis following a European Commission report. The progress
made by Romania is sufficient to fulfil the commitments under the Cooperation
and Verification Mechanism undertaken when joining the European Union, and all
benchmarks can be satisfactorily closed, the European Commission said in the latest report presented on Tuesday.
It also states that it will no longer monitor Romania under the Mechanism, the
evaluation continuing annually through the general mechanism at the EU level
regarding the rule of law. The reforms undertaken by Romania include the
recently adopted justice laws and a new strategy to develop the judicial
system. On the fight against corruption, state institutions are joining
forces to implement a new national anti-corruption strategy, the
Commission’s report adds. Brussels warns however that it is important that
Romania continues to work consistently on translating the remaining
commitments specified in the report into concrete legislation and on continued
implementation, within the mechanism regarding the rule of law. Before
making a final decision, the Commission will take into account the observations
of the Council and the European Parliament.

Visit.
Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis will make an official visit to Latvia
on Wednesday and to Lithuania on Thursday. On Friday, he will take part in a
summit with his counterparts from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, and in an
international symposium. According to the president’s office, in Latvia Klaus
Iohannis will have talks with his counterpart Egils Levits, prime minister
Krisjanis Karins and with Parliament speaker Edvards Smiltens. In Lithuania,
the official agenda includes consultations with president Gitanas Nauseda and Parliament
speaker, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen. Talks will focus on ways to boost bilateral
relations, the European and international agenda, cooperation within NATO and
the consolidation of the eastern flank amid the deterioration of the security
situation in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Governments. Prime minister Nicolae
Ciucă and the ministers for foreign affairs, defence, development, labour,
health and agriculture will take part in the first joint meeting of the
Romanian and Spanish governments to be held on Wednesday in Castellón de la
Plana. The meeting also previews the 10th anniversary next year of
the establishment of the Romanian-Spanish strategic partnership. Spain is also a
close friend of Romania, the Romanian government said in a statement. Romania
and Spain are engaged in substantial political dialogue and dynamic and diverse
economic and sectoral cooperation and share similar approaches within the
European Union and NATO. Their close bilateral ties are also the result of a
strong, well-integrated and very active community of 1 million Romanians living
in Spain.

Pensions. The
ruling coalition in Romania has decided to increase contribution-based pensions
by 12.5% as of January 1. The increase applies to all pensions, regardless of their
amount, but low-income pensioners will also receive additional aid from the
government, provided in 2 instalments. Child allowances and the allowances for
war veterans and widows will be adjusted to inflation, while people with
disabilities will receive a 13th allowance, the ruling coalition also decided.

Enel. The Italian utility group Enel
plans to leave Romania next year. Its CEO Francesco Starace said in a press
conference on Tuesday that the group had reached a position from where it can
no longer grow. The company will also partly or fully sell its assets in
Russia, Chile, Peru, Brazil and Argentina, to focus instead on Italy and Spain.
A multinational company in the field of electricity, natural gas and renewable
energy, Enel has been in Romania since 2005, being one of the biggest investors
in the energy field, accounting for a third of the local distribution market.
The Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority in Bucharest says it has taken
measures to ensure uninterrupted access to electricity and natural gas for end
consumers.

Energy.
The maximum price for electricity in Romania will be 1.30 lei per KWh for all
users, irrespective of how much they use, according to an emergency order
adopted on Tuesday by the specialist committees supported by MPs in the ruling
coalition. The latter also proposed a number of amendments to partly regulate
the energy market, which were criticised by the opposition. The Save Romania
Union and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians in opposition said the
amendments of the ruling coalition do not ensure predictability and do not
solve the energy crisis, with the Save Romania Union saying the only solution
is to continue to invest in the energy field. The report will be put to the
vote in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday. (CM)