October 24, 2023 UPDATE

Click here for a roundup of domestic and international news

Newsroom, 24.10.2023, 19:50

CARS The US auto giant Ford kicked off the
production of two new models, Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier at the Otosan
car-making plant in Craiova, southern Romania, on Tuesday. Attending the event,
Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu thanked the company board for the
investment and voiced his appreciation for the two cars as well as the Puma
model also produced by the aforementioned Ford facility, which he took for a
test-drive. Figures show that this project is already a great success the
Prime Minister went on to say. Ford Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier will be
available in three versions, two gasoline and diesel types and a third EcoBlue
model fitted only with gasoline engines. Two electric versions, E-Transit
Courier and E-Tourneo Courier will see production starting next year. Another big
carmaker, the French Group Renault, is producing in Romania several versions of
the local brand Dacia.

MOTION Opposition parties in Romania, the USR and Force of the Right,
on Tuesday tabled a simple motion against Finance Minister Marcel Bolos. The
opposition is blaming Bolos for increased taxes after the new fiscal measures,
for which the government assumed responsibility before Parliament, have been
applied. The motion will be debated upon on Monday and voted on the following
day.

CLIMATE The effects of climate change are becoming
increasingly acute for Romania’s citizens, said president Klaus Iohannis in
Bucharest at an event entitled Climate change and development: prospects for
Romania. He emphasized that the climate transition must be fair, inclusive and
compatible with economic growth. Also today, the World Bank published the
Romania climate and development report, saying this country can raise its
national income almost threefold in the next 30 years if it implements measures
to improve resilience to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The investment needed for a decarbonized energy sector alone
is estimated at 356 billion dollars by 2050, accounting for around 3% of the
country’s GDP, the World Bank report also says.

DEFICIT Hungary and Romania recorded the highest government deficit level in
the second quarter of the year, according to data published by the European
Statistical Office Eurostat. The highest level was recorded in Hungary, with
6.6% of GDP, followed by Romania with 6.3%, while among EU countries the level
was 3.2%. Previously, Romania’s deficit stood at 5.9% of GDP in the first
quarter of the year and at 6.3% of GDP in the final quarter of 2022. According
to Eurostat, the measures taken by governments to alleviate the impact of high
energy prices again had a strong impact on public finance this year, with most
EU member states still struggling with government deficit. On the other hand,
Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, The Netherlands and Latvia have recorded a
government surplus.

(bill)